Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"Ah, shit," Kagome mutters to herself as she rubs her bottom. When she felt the rush of magic coming from the well, she kind of assumed that it would transport her back to the past, or at least within another well. Falling from the sky and landing in the lap of a stranger was not how she wanted to spend her day.

The stranger beneath her shifts. Suddenly it hits her just where exactly she's rubbing and two, she's still sitting in this person's lap. Kagome scrambles up, turns around, and bows profusely. "Sorry, sorry," she repeats with each bow. Her cheeks flare up from the indecency of it.

How the heck was she going to explain why she was falling from the sky? I jumped into a well to time travel and ended up in your lap instead. No one in their right mind would believe such a tale.

"I'm used to women falling over themselves for me, but never have I one come from the sky?" His tone is soothing, though the hint of danger laced within it licks at her senses and causes her to shiver slightly. Kagome straightens her spine and then leans back ever so slightly. The stranger is tall, like freakishly so. His white hair catches her attention first, it reminds her of InuYasha, though nowhere near as long, and stranger dude seems to take a lot more pride in his appearance. And half of his face is covered with a blindfold.

Perhaps he's blind?

He leans forward, startling her with the sudden proximity of his mouth so close to hers. "What are you?"

"Human, of course." Kagome prides herself on how strong her words come out, though she knows that her blush is spreading further down her face. She averts her brown eyes away.

"A sorcerer, then?" His smile is all teeth, a juxtaposition to his playful tone and relaxed pose.

"No." Kagome bites the inside of her cheek. She isn't sure what he means by sorcerer or what kind of world the well saw fit to transport her to. "I wouldn't consider myself a sorcerer."

"Your energy isn't cursed," he says to himself, but Kagome hears it loud and clear. The man tilts his head to the side as if she is some specimen that he needs to dissect. "But you're definitely more than just a human."

"I'm a priestess. I use holy energy."

The man tenses, the atmosphere becomes heavy with uncertainty. Kagome knows that she shouldn't be giving away so much information in a world that appears to be so much like her own, and yet not. She takes a small step back, needing space between them. His covered face is off-putting, not being able to see his eyes unnerves in a way that a demon could never. Breathing slowly, Kagome focuses on the tightly coiled energy surrounding the man. Whoever he is, whatever he is, there's power within him.

"You were able to bypass my infinity." He takes a step forward, invading any personal space she had.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what you mean by that." She gulps and clutches at the ends of her pleated skirt. "I didn't mean to. I, uh, would like to be on my way now."

"I don't even know your name," he remarks.

"Kagome."

"No last name?" he asks as he leans forward until their mouths are a hair width apart. "Satoru, then."

Silently, Kagome berates her heart for speeding up at how close he is. "Well, Satoru- san, I really should be on my way." She takes another step back. "And, I'm really sorry for landing into your lap like that." She grimaces when he takes another step after her. Why couldn't he just pretend like this exchange didn't happen?

"Do you like dango? I know the perfect bakery that sells the most amazing sweets you can find."

"Um."

"In fact, why don't we go there right now, Kagome-chan?" He grabs her arm and tugs her down the sidewalk. "Relax, I just want to talk."

"By kidnapping me?" Kagome tugs her arm back to no avail.

"A strong accusation. I'm leading you to the bakery, so you don't get lost," he responds with a sickly sweet tone that probably works to placate others, but Kagome has been around her fair share of con artist, and Satoru-san's easy demeanor was not fooling her.

"If I humor you, will you let me be on my way?"

"Depends on the answers I get. Which you are free to ask questions as well. It's not an interrogation." Kagome grumbles to herself in response, all the while shooting other citizens a glare for ignoring the way this stranger is manhandling her.

Luckily, the bakery he takes her to isn't too far of a walk from the park they were at, and the buildings with all of their glitz and flashing commercials look like the Japan she's used to. Maybe she just ended up in another city?

"I'll take this entire row and two coffees." Satoru-san's voice pulls her out of her musings. The cashiers turn sheet white at the order and quickly go to work putting all the items into bags. "Thank you," he responds and then leads them to a table in the back.

"Now then, I would appreciate it if you would stay seated Kagome-chan. I could finish all of these sweets myself, but I'd like it if you shared some with me."

"You aren't really giving me much of a choice." Kagome huffs and pulls back the chair closest to the wall. Her arm burns from his touch–not that she'd ever voice that to him.

"You never said if you liked dango or not." He takes his seat opposite of her and pulls out a couple of sweets for them to munch on. A waiter rushes over to their seat with two coffee mugs in hand and a steaming pot of coffee in the other. "Thank you." He waves the waiter off and gives the woman in front of him his full attention.

"I enjoy it," Kagome says evenly, reaching for her mug and taking a long sip. "But, let's just cut to the chase. What is it you wish to know?"

"Where are you from?"

"Tokyo."

"What a coincidence, so am I." He laughs as he shoves his dango in his mouth. Seriously, how? "And yet, I've never felt your energy before. Not until you fell into my lap."

Kagome tilts her head and runs her fingertips on the rim of the mug. How much information should she give away? All this talk about cursed energy, not being phased by her appearing out of nowhere, and the tight control over his powers, tells her that, he isn't the kind of man that would just let her go peacefully.

"I don't think I'm from your world," she begins, ignoring the tightness around his mouth. "And based on your reaction, holy powers don't seem to exist in this world."

"There is only cursed energy." He pours twelve packets of sugar into his coffee and stirs it all with a butter knife. Kagome eyes the way his long fingers grip the handle. "But, if you aren't from this world Kagome-chan, where exactly did you plan on going?"

She bites down on her tongue and stares up at his stupid, blindfolded face. "I hadn't gotten that far yet."

"You should be happy," he interjects, " that it was me you found. All sorts of nasty curses out there that will be drawn to your holy energy."

"Curses? Like demons?"

He grins and takes a long drink. Kagome shudders at the diabetic drink.

"We call them curses because they are born from the negative emotions of humans."

"So, not like demons then," she mutters to herself. "Wait, you fight cursed energy with cursed energy? How effective is that?"

He shrugs. "Works just fine for me. So you have demons where you are from?"

Shit. She didn't mean to let that slip. Though, there has to be a reason why the well sent her to a world that doesn't have holy energy.

"Yes, though we were to curses as spirits in my world." She leans back in the chair. Would it hurt the guy to let her see his face? It's unnerving how he can get her to open up while giving away hardly anything himself. "What did you mean early, by breaking through your infinity?"

He lifts his hand and holds it out in front of her. "Try to touch me."

"Is this some kind of trick?" she asks as she lifts her hand and touches his.

"You shouldn't be able to touch me. That's the problem." His hand grips hers, turning it over as if he can't believe what's happening.

"So what does that mean?" She licks her bottom lip but doesn't tug her hand away.

"I'm afraid, Kagome-chan, that I can't let you go." She starts to protest, but he lets go of her hand to lean forward and place one finger on her lips. "Call it intuition, but I don't think you really want me to either."

She gulps, eyes darting from his finger and back up to his blindfold. Crap! She was in bigger trouble than she initially thought.

"Only because I don't have anywhere else to go."

Chapter Text

"Is there any way you could mask your powers?" Kagome-chan shoots him an exasperated look as if trying to keep her safe is a hindrance. "Or do you not know how to do that?"

"I know how," she snaps, brushing past him into the home. Gojo bends his head, chuckling low at the bite in her tone.

He flips on the light switch as he locks the door behind them. He's not too concerned about a curse or one of the higher-ups getting a whiff of her–no one would be that dumb to attack with him being there–but he also can't keep her by his side all the time.

"I don't care so much when we're at home—"

"Home?" she interrupts, not bothering to look back at him.

Probably for the best.

"We are going to be living together for the unforeseeable future." He bites the inside of his cheek.

Kagome bends down and slips off her sandals. He follows the way her hair curls at the end, just barely reaching the middle of her back. The light bounces off of it, highlighting the blue tint. But more importantly, he notices the strength in her legs as she stands.

"Well, are you going to show me around?" She flashes a smile over her shoulder.

Gojo tilts his head in response and slips out of his shoes. "Where's the excitement?" He claps next to her ear, enjoying the way her face flushes red. "You should feel honored–"

"Are you always like this?"

"—I've never brought a woman to this spot before."

"I'm flattered," she responds. Her right eye ticks ever so slightly.

Gojo brushes past her and thrust both arms out. "Welcome to the esteemed Satoru's estate." He spins around and gives a mock bow. "I will be your host for–"

"Oh, kill me now," she whispers, but Gojo hears her words as if she were right next to him.

"—the remainder of your stay." He straightens himself, lips pulled down in a frown. "Well? Are you gonna check it out?"

"Pretty sure, you're supposed to be giving me the grand tour."

"Feisty. I like it." He ignores her splutters and motions for her to follow. "Alright, if you would follow me this way, we will head towards the most important area of the house–the kitchen!"

"There's hardly anything in it."

Gojo waves off the judgment. "I hardly stay here." He leans against the bare white wall, watching as she runs her hands along the countertops. Her eyes seem to perk up at the stove. He files that information away from later, he's not above exploiting her love of cooking.

"Well, at least everything seems updated, and the fridge isn't small." Gojo clucks his tongue at her words. She turns to him. His breath catches at the emotions she allows to go unfiltered in her eyes. They remind him of the sweetest chocolates he's definitely overindulged himself in.

"What?" he asks at her expectant look.

"Is this the moment where you tie me up? Lock me up somewhere?" He can't help it, his entire body doubles over in laughter. "I'm serious."

"I know, I know." He pretends to wipe a tear from his blindfold. "Aw, man. Kagome-chan, you're a real riot."

"Satoru-san."

He stumbles over to her, mirth still coating his throat. "I'm not holding you hostage. I'm keeping you safe." She takes a step back, hitting the door to the backyard. There's confidence in her stance and tenseness in her limbs. Gojo sighs, loudly. He makes a big show of it.

"Let's start over," he states as his hand grasps the fabric of his blindfold. He keeps his face blank, not wanting to scare her off. His white hair flutters down, framing his face, and hopefully drawing attention to the blueness of his eyes. "Hi! I'm Gojo Satoru." He opts to stretch out his hand in front of him.

It's only a couple of seconds, but he swears it feels like the birds outside have been signing that same damn tube for the past five minutes. His eyes track how her fingers brush her hair back, how she wets her lips in preparation.

"Higurashi Kagome."

Gojo resists the urge to shiver at the contact. Her hand is so small in his, he could easily crush it without breaking a sweat. But there's warmth when they touch that soothes every instinct telling him to eliminate the threat now.

"You know," he starts, still holding her hand, "I thought you'd be more impressed." He pouts at the retraction of contact.

"Because you've shown me your kitchen? Or because you took off the blindfold?" The genuine confusion irritates him.

"I don't take the blindfold off for just anyone." He turns and crooks his fingers, motioning for her to follow. The kitchen is suddenly too cramped, and he needs more space between them.

"Gojo-san, why did you bring me to this spot?"

"Satoru," he corrects as he waves at a closed-door, "this is the bathroom, and that room over here is…"

Kagome brushes past him. This whole getting around his infinity thing of hers is going to take some getting used to. The worst part is that she doesn't even seem aware of how easily she's breaking down his safety net.

"Satoru-san, there's nothing in this room, but the tatami floors. Are you still moving in?"

"I rarely stay out here." He shrugs. "But, no one else knows about this place, and the curses out here aren't as strong as the ones in the city."

Kagome hums in acknowledgment of his words.

"Just curious," she starts, voice laced with an emotion he isn't sure he wants to decipher. "Where am I supposed to be sleep?"

He blinks.

Ah crap! He gives her his best poker face, which cracks ever so slightly at the murderous sheen on her face. Gojo swears he can hear the moment she snaps; his nervous laughter only seems to add weight to the tension in her shoulders.

"Satoru!" The house vibrates in tune with her yells.

At least things won't be so boring anymore, he thinks as he runs down the hall with her hot on his trail. And, most importantly, she dropped the honorific from his name.

Chapter Text

"Because you are so needy, I guess we can go back into town." Gojo huffs as he plops down onto the couch, his hand clasping his jacket as if the mere thought is exhausting.

Kagome pinches her nose and counts to ten. What she wouldn't give to have some subjugation beads right now. A grin makes its way across her face. She could totally pick up some supplies while they're out and give him the command ' shut it'. Her hands come up and cover her mouth as mirth dances throughout her body.

"Maybe we should stop at a hospital on the way," Gojo remarks. Kagome straightens herself up and glares at him. "What? You're the one laughing like a maniac."

"You- ugh!" She turns away from him and crosses her arms. "Can we just go?"

"I need to change first." He gets up and crowds her space. Kagome turns her nose up; intimidation tactics do not work on her.

"What's wrong with what you're wearing now? It should take that long to get a sleeping bag."

"Sleeping bag?" His mouth hangs agape at her shrug. "We're going furniture shopping." He rolls his eyes and walks away. "Can't believe you thought I would have you sleep in a freakin sleeping bag."

Kagome scrunches up her nose at his retreating back. That Satoru sure is a weird one. She sits down on the couch. The cushions are surprisingly soft; heck, she would be okay just crashing on the couch until she figured out a game plan. There had to be some reason as to why the well sent her to this world and not back to InuYasha. She bites down on her lip as her blood pressure rises steadily. Dear heavens, please don't let my mission be tied to that man.

"Ready to go!" Gojo calls, interrupting her darkening thoughts. Her breath hitches at the sight of him; the white button-down enhances the blueness of his eyes. They remind her of the sparkling trinkets her grandpa tried to pass off as the Shikon jewel to visitors.

"What's with the glasses?"

"The blindfold doesn't really go with this outfit. Come on, we've got a lot to cover." He extends his hand out. She starts to tell him that the blindfold doesn't go with any outfit, but the headache that will follow those words is enough to keep her mouth closed.

He directs the taxi driver to take them to Ikea—the name gives Kagome pause. If she hadn't jumped into the well, she honestly would have believed that she was still in her world. The drive there is entirely too long; being in such an enclosed space with him wreaks havoc on her senses. His legs are too long. They spread out, brushing against the bare skin of her thighs.

I should have worn jeans today; she bemoans to herself. Gojo throws his arm over the back of the seat. His fingers brush against her arm, drawing intricate patterns on her skin. He's cocky, way too flirty, and more childish than Shippo-chan.

"You're way too tense, Kagome-chan," he whispers, his breath raises the hairs on her neck.

"Do you know what personal space is?" she whispers back as if the driver really cares about their conversation.

"Funny coming from you."

Kagome closes her eyes and moves her head back with a thud. Are we there yet repeats like a mantra. For the next thirty minutes or so, Gojo continues to talk her ear off on topics ranging from the best time to eat mochi to how hard it is to get his blindfolds customized to his liking. She all but hops out of the taxi when they pull up, ignoring the driver's timid stuttering about how the car wasn't stopped yet. What she needs is fresh air and space, lots and lots of space.

"Say, Kagome-chan, what kind of bed do you want? I think a queen should fit in that room." He intertwines their hands and tugs her inside.

"I'd be fine with just a twin. I don't need that much space." She looks down at their hands; the affection he gives so freely throws her off. There's a firmness in his grip like she's going to turn tail and run. Maybe, in the beginning, she thinks, but now that she's had time to think about it; she doesn't really have any other option, but to stick close to him.

"Boring." He sticks out his tongue, making a gagging sound.

"It's not like you're going to be sleeping in it." She mutters, looking around; with all the people hustling around with their heads down, minus the few women that send her dirty looks, it really is just like home.

"And here I thought we had a thing," he starts, "went on a coffee date, I brought you home, now we're shopping for furniture. It's like we're already married." He flashes her a smile that's nothing but teeth. Her blood pressure spikes, sending jolts of purification into his palm. Gojo jerks back, his breath becomes heavy.

I shouldn't have done that.

"Gojo-san, I–"

There's a large commotion to their right. Kagome blinks, not quite sure what exactly she is looking at. The being, if it could be called that, sports eight legs, with a long-spiked tongue. It smells horrendous, like the farts that Sota always tries to pass off as coming from Buyo.

"Pr- p- price." It craws towards them, it's spiked tongue swipes back and forth, flinging saliva on to some of the beds.

Yeah, not getting that bed.

Gojo lets go of her hand and tuck his hands into his pockets. "That's a low-level curse. Is that what your demons look like?"

"Sort of. It doesn't have the same feel though." She looks up at him, his eyes are iced over, with a coolness that she hasn't seen since this morning.

"I want to see what your powers can do." He takes one hand out of his pocket and pushes her forward.

"Seriously!" she stumbles, coming face to face with the curse. It keeps repeating 'price' like a chant. "I don't even have a bow," she grumbles.

"I believe in you, Kagome-chan!" his tone is anything but reassuring.

It leaps at her, wrapping all of its ghastly limbs around her body. The smell makes her want to retch. Its three glazed over eyes focus on her own. Her chest raises slowly in an effort to bring in more oxygen.

"Please don't let it eat you!" Gojo's voice calls out.

She's not going to let it eat her. Her body hums in tune with the pulse of purification she throws out. It's blinding, and not as controlled as she would like, but considering the circumstances, it's the best she can do. Wetness hits her cheek. The curse is crying as its body slowly turns to ash. Kagome reaches out and cups its cheek as the purification spreads.

"P-price," it gargles out, mouth turned upward as tears flow freely from all three eyes.

Kagome turns to look at Gojo as she wipes her cheeks with the back of her palm. His face is blank, but his stance is rigid. "Well? Is that it?"

His face breaks out in a smile, and he claps his hands, approaching her. "Ah man, Kagome-chan, I think I'll need to sleep in your room tonight, for protection of course."

"Idiot." She mutters, heat dusting her cheeks. She reigns her powers back in, keeping them tightly coiled around her. Luckily, no one was near them. But she really doesn't want to chance another one of those things slithering out.

She doesn't notice the look Gojo gives her over the lens of his glasses.

Chapter Text

By the time they got back to the house; the delivery team had been awaiting their arrival for several hours. Gojo would apologize, but the amount of money he threw at them to accommodate his schedule is more than sufficient for them having to wait an hour or two past the scheduled time.

"I can't believe you only got a twin," he complains, leaning against the wall, "where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" He takes off his shades and hangs them from his shirt.

"Thank you, Gojo-san—"

"Satoru."

"Gojo—"

"Satoru-kun."

"Thank you, Satoru, for today." Kagome places the McDonalds bag on the table and takes out their respective burgers and fries.

"Sounds like the start of a breakup speech." He kicks off the wall and pulls out a seat at the table. He chooses not to dwell on how pink her skin flushes, nor the way her hands every time he annoys her.

"I'm being serious." She huffs as she sits down next to him. "You could have just made me sleep on the couch or just left me out on the streets."

Clucking his tongue, Gojo changes the topic. The night is still too young to be having a heart to heart conversation. "What kind of technique did you use on that curse?" He takes a big bite of his burger, smirking at her disgusted face.

"I just purified it. Nothing fancy." She shrugs.

"It cried as it was being exorcised."

"Because it was no longer in pain."

Gojo takes another large bite, chewing with more aggression than necessary. The light fixture above them blinks in tune with the slight irritation coating his veins.

"Are you sympathizing with them?"

"Curses are born from negative emotions, right? So, I guess, a part of me feels terrible that they are in this situation because of us–well, the humans of this world."

Gojo slumps forward, his burger gets smashed between his palm and cheek. She was one of those people that believe in the greater good in everyone. He rolls his eyes. The weight of her hand gripping his free hand startles him. Leaning back, he places his nearly finished burger on the table and gives her a curious glance.

"What are you doing?" he whispers as pink radiates from her palm. "Are you going to exorcise me too?" Warmth washes over him, easing the tension in his shoulders, and causing his heart to beat faster than it should.

"I was curious if you were suffering from some ailment." Her brown eyes are so earnest and her smile is so hopeful that he can't find it in him to be offended.

"You can heal too?" He frowns when she untangles her hand from his and goes back to munching on her fries.

"Yes. Surely you have healers."

He leans forward until their arms brush against one another. "I'm glad I found you Kagome-chan." Gojo plucks the fry that hangs from her mouth and plops into his own. A part of him wonders if this feeling in his chest is the result of her powers or the woman herself. The moment gets ruined by the inessive vibration of his phone. He leans back in his chair and fishes his phone out of his pocket. Great, another text from Yaga going on about some special grade cursed object. With a sigh, he scoots back and stands.

"I'm heading out. Don't wait up for me." He winks and leaves to go change into his uniform. Wisely, he ignores the voicemail from Yaga. Probably cursing him for neglecting work today. It's not his fault, honest; how was he supposed to know that he'd find someone out of this world? Anyone would have dropped what they were doing to investigate.

Kagome leans against the front door with her arms crossed in front of her. Gojo cocks his head to the side as he approaches.

"Whatcha doin?"

"You're wearing the blindfold again," she states. He files the disappointment away for further use.

"I like to wear it for work." He slips on his shoes, keeping his gaze focused on the floor and not the length of her legs. "Make yourself at home, yeah." He stands back up and urges her out of the way.

"You don't want my help?" she questions, stepping aside to let him pass.

"I'm not ready to share you just yet." He waves as he leaves out of the house. According to Yaga's messages, they already have Megumi on the case; and the risk of anyone else getting a wisp of Kagome is too great. The higher-ups will want her dead, even though her powers don't appear to be a threat to them, and curses seem to be drawn to her even with his own cursed energy wrapping around them like a blanket.

Best to keep her tucked away, at least for now, he thinks.

By the time he makes it to school, following the influx of Megumi's cursed energy, the poor kid is all beat up; and the cursed object has been swallowed by a civilian. Man, he really isn't looking forward to writing this report.

"I don't want him to die."

Gojo lifts Yuji's limp form and throws him over his shoulder with ease. "Your personal feelings?" he questions, turning around. At Megumi's nod, Gojo smiles and gives him a thumbs up. "Leave it to me!" He drops his hand and fishes for his phone, dialing Ijichi to come and pick them up.

"You really picked up souvenirs before coming here," Megumi mumbles.

"They're not souvenirs, I didn't even get to finish my dinner." Gojo pouts. He closes his eyes behind the blindfold. The emergence of Sukuna and the arrival of Kagome can't be a coincidence. His head pounds just thinking about the amount of paperwork he's gonna have to fill out when all of this blows over.

"Weren't you supposed to be looking for the cursed object earlier today?" Megumi questions. Gojo snorts; it's so hard to take the kid seriously with dried blood on his face. Gojo pulls his phone back out and snaps several more pictures of Megumi in response.

"Come on, Ijichi is here." Ignoring Megumi's grumbles, Gojo leads them down to where Ijichi is waiting for them. The man looks so frazzled that it almost makes Gojo want to go easy on him. Almost.

By the time he gets back to school and talks the situation over with Yaga and the higher-ups, he's mentally exhausted. Even though Yuji can keep Sukuna under wraps, the higher-ups still call for his immediate execution.

What he needs is a plan to keep the same fate from befalling on Kagome, he thinks with a frown.

Chapter Text

The next morning finds Kagome stretched out on the simple twin bed Gojo purchased for her. She didn't mind the lack of space. It wasn't as though she was going to be in this world for very long–at least she hoped that she'd be able to find a way back to her home, preferably back to InuYasha.

She lies there, listening to the soft chimes of the birds outside. Almost shyly, she lifts the hold on her spiritual powers, feeling for his presence.

Nothing.

I really hope he didn't get killed last night; she thinks as she gets out of the bed. As much as it pains her to admit it; she needs him around so she can navigate this world. Kagome stumbles out of the bedroom, grabbing a change of clothes on her way out and down the hall to the master bath.

He did tell her to make herself at home; she affirms to herself. So, there's no reason why she can't start her morning off on the right foot. Ignoring how much more spacious his room is and how soft the bedding looks; she heads straight to the bathroom; grateful that the controls for the bath are actually inside the room and not outside of it.

With her free hand, she rubs at her eyes in disbelief. The bathtub sits elevated on a platform with the shower at the bottom and off to the side. Both are inside of a glass enclosure that most likely helps with keeping the heat more contained. With a squeal, she sets her clothing on the marble countertop and turns the bath on.

After rinsing off at the shower, she lowers herself into the bath; the heat does wonders for the tension that has gathered in her muscles. Tilting her head back, she muses on how she's supposed to find her way back home.

Maybe there's a portal in the sky? She flicks that thought away. There's no way she would have missed a portal, and surely the well wouldn't have sent her somewhere with no way to get back home. After all the outstanding work she's done, saving the world it would be a crime to be stuck with Satoru forever. But with all this talk about curses and that spirit at Ikea yesterday, her insides churn with unease.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Kagome's face scrunches up as the sounds of Satoru's steps get closer.

"D-don't come in here! I'm taking a bath."

"Oh? In my master suite. You just wanted an excuse to see my room." He teases, his voice sends shivers down her spine. How he can switch from being a menace to flirty so quickly makes her head spin.

Think of InuYasha, she berates herself. You've waited this long, now isn't the time to be swooning over the first white-haired man she's seen in years.

"The other one doesn't have a bathtub." Sighing, she steps out of the bath and wraps a towel around herself. "I wasn't expecting you to be out so late."

"Did you wait up for me, Gome-chan?"

She bites her tongue as she shimmies into the jeans. "No, it was just an observation. Just glad you didn't get murdered."

"Please, I'm the strongest." She could practically hear the eye roll.

"Right, right," she placates. Gathering up her dirty clothes and towel, she opens the door. He's still dressed in his work uniform with his blindfold stuffed in his pocket. It's not that his eyes do something to her, though admittedly they are more vibrant than Koga-kun's eyes, the blindfold blocks out her ability to get a good read on him.

Probably why he wears it or those sunglasses.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"You realize there's no food in the fridge, right?"

"Oh! That's what we forgot to do yesterday!" He snaps his fingers. "Well, why don't we got out and get some breakfast?"

"Alright," she agrees, "where can I put these clothes?"

"Just leave them on the floor, you can do laundry later." He flashes her smile as he takes the pile of clothes from her and tosses them behind him.

"How old are you?" She mumbles.

"28, Gome-chan," he replies, grabbing her hand and dragging her out of the room. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Her head is fuzzy, there's a pool of what she assumes is cursed energy in his pocket. The signature of it differs from the curse energy he radiates–it's sickening, whereas Satoru likes to play footsie with her own spiritual energy.

"I told you my age, it's only polite to return the favor."

"It's actually rude to ask a woman her age, but fine. I'm 24. I'm more shocked at how old you are. You don't act your age at all."

"Don't sweet talk me like that, we haven't even had breakfast yet."

Kagome pulls her hand away to tug her shoes on. "What's going on with your left pocket? Did you get hit with something last night?" She tilts her head at the blank stares he gives her.

"You can sense it?" He leans forward, invading her space. She chews on the inside of her cheek, their noses just a hair width apart.

"Of course, I can. It's sickening. Can't you do something about it?"

He leans back and pulls out a… finger? It's red, tipped with a black nail.

"Satoru…"

"The seals have been weakening on these, but the fact that you can sense it is really amazing."

"I don't think so."

"I went to go retrieve one of these fingers last night." He puts it back in his pocket. "And a civilian actually ate one. Can you believe that?"

"That's disgusting."

"He's still alive. Well, the higher-ups want to have him executed because now he's the vessel for the curse king." He waves it off as if they are discussing where to get breakfast at.

"Did you say, curse king?" Maybe she got some water in her ears from the bath and it's just fucking up her hearing because there's no way that now there's a revived curse king in this world.

"Yep. Funny how Sukuna got revived the same day you dropped into my lap."

"It's really not funny." She hands out her hand with her palm facing upwards. "If you aren't going to do something about it, then let me. There's no way I'm going to stomach breakfast with that energy around."

She expects him to put up more of a fight, but he takes the finger back out of his pocket and drops it into her palm with no complaints.

"So, what exactly are you going to do?"

"Purify it." Kagome almost gags when the finger twitches in her palm. Freaking disgusting, she thinks, as her palms glow. The light pink aura soothes her every time. Opening her palm, the finger's lost some of its demonic markings. It's no longer red, instead it just a couple shades darker than her own skin, and the nail looks duller.

"Change of plans," Satoru says, plucking the finger from her and putting it back in his pocket. "we're going to invite Yuji and Megumi-kun to this little outing."

"Who?" she asks, not that it really matters since he's the only person she knows here.

"Megumi is my student, and Yuji is the vessel. Just keep your powers under wraps, yeah? And no talk about curses." He pulls out his blindfold and covers his eyes.

"Wait! You're a teacher." She doesn't pull away when he grips her hand again and leads them out of the house.

"You say it like that's a bad thing."

"For the students it is." Her face heats at the laugh she gets in response.

Maybe she should have just used the other bathroom this morning instead of jinxing herself.

Chapter Text

"Wait here," Gojo instructs. He closes the door before Kagome can get her reply out. The last thing he needs is to explain to Yaga who Kagome is or why he brought an outsider to the school.

Or worse, he thinks. What if she dispels Master Tengen's barrier? It's not a gamble he's willing to risk.

He bangs on Yuji's door and then barges in when Yuji takes a second too long.

"Eh! Gojo-sensei? What's wrong?" Yuji sets the poster of Jennifer Lawrence on the bed. The creases under his eyes open slightly.

Gojo wonders if Sukuna can sense fingers, and if so, then it may make their job of gathering them up easier.

"I've got something for you."

"A souvenir?"

"The best kind there is!" Gojo pulls the finger from his jacket pocket and drops it into Yuji's palm. The creases under Yuji's eyelids open fully. In his opinion, the redness of Sukuna's irises clashes with Yuji's bubbly pink hair. "Try this one!"

Yuji looks down at the pale finger and then back at Gojo's earnest face. "Uh, are you sure that I should have another one today?" He dangles the finger in front of his face. "It doesn't look like the other two." A bead of sweat slides down Yuji's face, disappearing into one of the creases.

"It went through a rebirth," Gojo quips.

"Well, if you think it'll be okay…"

"Kind of on a time crunch Yuji-kun, I'm taking you and Megumi out for breakfast." Gojo pulls out a chair and flops down. He kicks one leg up and over the other. They really do need to get going. The last thing he needs is for Kagome to get impatient and try to find him.

Yuji grimaces as he swallows the finger. Instantly, he claws at his throat as his body hunches over. Words try to escape his lips as his lips turn blue, and the irises of Sukuna's turn white. The little cursed energy Yuji possess fluctuates, dropping dangerously low- almost close to zero, before stabilizing.

"I-I don't think I should go past more than one finger a day." Yuji coughs. His hands tremble, still wrapped around his throat.

"What did you do?" Sukuna's low voice fills the room.

Gojo uncrosses his legs and stands up. Sukuna's eyes are no longer white, but the red is diluted as if something has messed with his chemical makeup.

"Yuji-kun, let's go." He doesn't wait to see if Yuji will follow or not, nor is there any point in responding to Sukuna. He bangs on Megumi's door, which is conveniently right next door to Yuji's. He's just about to kick the door in when it opens.

"Megumi-kun!" he coos, "you're looking slightly less dead on this fine morning."

"Get to the point."

"We're going to breakfast. You should change those bandages. The last thing we need is for the server thinking you've got some concussion."

"I'm not-"

"Fushiguro!" Yuji waves. "Are you ready to go? Oh! Your room is so neat." Yuji gives Megumi a thumbs up.

If looks could kill, Gojo figures he would at the very least have a scratch from the glare Megumi is giving him.

"Come on. Honestly, we're on a time crunch."

"Since when do you care about being on time?" Megumi's tone drips with sarcasm.

"Keep it up and I'll make you pay for everyone."

"Never said I wanted to go. Besides, shouldn't we be having class?"

"We're going on a field trip tomorrow to pick up our third student." Gojo motions for them to follow him. "And it's not like you're up for any studying today with that concussion."

"I don't have a- "

"Whaaaaa? Fushiguro, you have a concussion?"

Gojo laughs to himself, careful to keep the volume down so he can listen to the two boys bicker back and forth. To be honest, he wasn't sure how Yuji or Sukuna would react to the purified finger, and going solely based on Yuji's earlier reaction to the non-purified cursed finger; it seemed to have had some adverse effect on the curse king.

He wonders if it's possible for her to actually destroy cursed objects. Shaking his head as he takes two steps at a time, he concludes that no matter how different her powers are from his, there's no way that she could succeed in destroying a cursed object and he can't.

He is the strongest after all.

"One of you sit up front in the passenger's side, alright." Gojo ignores the questions they want to throw at him, and taps on the driver's window. "Oi, can you take us to Sunsai?"

He rushes over and climbs into the back seat before Yuji gets the chance. It's cramped, but at least it gives him an excuse to scoot closer to Kagome. Fushiguro looks backs at them while Yuji keeps poking his head around his shoulders, trying to get a better look at Kagome.

"Is she another-?"

"Nope," Gojo interjects, "Kagome-chan, the spiky hair one is Megumi and this pink hair boy is Yuji. Boys, this is Kagome-chan. You have her to thank for breakfast."

Yuji sticks his arm out only to be blocked by Gojo. If Gojo notices Kagome's frown, he doesn't comment.

"Are you Gojo-sensei's girlfriend?" Yuji questions.

"No-"

"Yes!" Gojo turns his body around, blocking Kagome's reaction from Yuji. He leans back on her, muffling her protests. "Gome-chan is just shy."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Megumi quips from the passenger seat.

"Is Satoru really your teacher?" Kagome pushes against his back; he almost topples onto Yuji from the force.

"Unfortunately," Megumi responds and then sighs. "Is he really your boyfriend?"

"Unfortunately."

"That's my girl!" Gojo twists back around and wraps his arms around Kagome's shoulders, and nuzzles his face against her cheek. He marvels at how soft her skin is; it reminds him of the silk sheets. Megumi rolls his eyes in disgust and spends the rest of the ride, scrolling on his phone. Yuji alternates between sneaking glances at him and Kagome and trying to pull Megumi into some conversation about why Jennifer Lawrence is underrated.

Gojo hands the driver a large stack of bills and sends him on his way. The boys went ahead of him and Kagome to get seats. He wishes that Kagome would have gone ahead with the boys; the death stares she giving him sends shivers down his spine.

"Satoru," she calls, her voice is calm, but Gojo knows there's danger lurking. "Was that necessary?"

"Did you have a better plan?" He grabs her hand and leads her towards the restaurant. "At least this way, no one will question why we're always together."

"I suppose, but you could have easily just said that we're friends. Now there's going to be expectations."

"Like boyfriend privileges." Gojo nods his head as he ushers Kagome through the doors. Between Yuji's bright hair and Megumi's spikes, it doesn't take them long to find them in the sea of people.

"Order anything and everything you want, Satoru's paying." Kagome smiles.

"Really!" Yuji exclaims and then starts reciting a long list of sweets he's always wanted to try.

"Wait," Gojo starts, but his words fall on deaf ears as the boys overload the server. He looks at Megumi, there's a spark of glee in his eyes that only makes Gojo want to curl up. "Let's not-a"

"He'll have a decaf to drink, thank you." Kagome gathers their menus and hands it to the server.

"Gome-chan, how could you?" He scoots his chair closer to hers and rests his chin on her shoulder. Mentally, he gives her props for not reacting – though it is just a tad bit frustrating how she can brush him off.

"How can you put up with him?" Megumi crosses his arms.

"I'm not that bad." Gojo frowns when Megumi doesn't agree with him.

Traitor.

"He's not so bad at home. And lots and lots of patience." She slaps his hand away when he tries to switch their respective coffees.

The server wisely doesn't say anything as he places their food and drinks in front of them. Gojo prefers it that way.

"You guys live together?" Yuji asks immediately after stuffing his face with eggs.

"You really are a saint."

"Keep it up, Megumi-kun and you'll paying for your own meal."

"How are classes going?" Kagome interjects.

"Chaotic."

"I haven't had class yet."

"Yuji-kun just transferred and Megumi-kun is being dramatic as usual." Gojo lifts his head and takes a sip of the decaf black coffee. His face twists up in a grimace. "Fucking disgusting."

"Language."

"Easy for you to say, your coffee tastes fine."

"We're taking a field trip tomorrow, right sensei?" Yuji cuts in. He looks like a hamster with the amount of food he's stuffing into his face.

"Yep! I've got one more student to add to the roster. It'll be fun." He laughs as he steals some fluffy pancakes from Kagome's plate. As if he was going to go this whole breakfast without something sweet. The boys – well Megumi- take to Kagome faster than he was anticipating. Yuji would probably befriend a rock if he could, but having Megumi on his side would make things a lot easier.

He's not naïve enough to believe that he'll be able to keep Kagome hidden forever.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his phone to text Ijichi. There are still a couple more places he and Kagome need to go before tomorrow. For starters, she needs a phone and it would a trip to the grocery store would be the humane thing to do.

"Alright, Ijichi should be here any moment to pick you two up." Gojo stands and places some bills down on the table. "Gome-chan and I have some more errands to run, but I'll be by later the school later." They follow him out to where Ijichi is waiting for him.

It's so hard to believe that he's older than the driver with how sunken in Ijichi's face is.

"It was nice to meet you!" Yuji exclaims as he wraps his arms around Kagome. There's a spike in her powers the moment Yuji touches her. Megumi lowers his phone and looks at Gojo.

Should he step in?

"Oh! Yuji you shocked me!" Kagome laughs as she breaks free from his hug. Yuji looks down at his singed palms. "Don't we have somewhere to be, Satoru?" She moves closer to Gojo, tucking herself into his side.

"We sure do! I'll see you, boys, later, Ijichi try not to kill them on the way to school." Gojo leads him and Kagome in the opposite direction. He turns his head back, meeting Megumi's stare, and shrugs in response.

"Satoru, what the hell was that?"

"I'm not the one that singed Yuji-kun," he quips.

"No, I mean what the hell is inside of him?"

"I'm starting to think you don't listen, Gome-chan." He pouts. "That's the vessel, and it looks like you and Sukuna don't get along. Think you can refrain from abusing my student?"

"It was an accident. That being inside of him was reaching out, and my powers reacted."

"We should stop at a bakery on the way home, my brain is nowhere near stimulated enough to deal with this," he whines.

"You stole my coffee; I don't think you need any more sugar today."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Oh! Would you look at the time?" He looks at his bare wrist. "We should really hurry up with these errands, so I can get back to school at a decent time."

"I don't even know what we're doing," she mumbles.

"Getting you some more basic things like a phone and food for when I can't always make it back home." He opens the door for her. The inside is so overtly bright, he's happy that he's wearing his blindfold, it helps to dim effects.

"Can you bring me back a textbook?" Kagome asks while deciding between two different smartphones.

"A textbook? Why?"

"Because I need to know what I'm dealing with here." She holds up the phone to his face. " I want this one."

He waves the seller down. "You know, I could personally tutor you."

Kagome pinches the bridge of her nose.

"I'm serious." He pays enters his information into the tablet and swipes his card along the card reader. "It's beneficial to both of us."

"How? Don't you have enough on your plate with your students?" She takes the phone back and puts it in her pocket.

"You need to learn more about this world and I need to learn more about what you can do. It's a win, win."

"Fine. But I still want some textbooks to go over for when you aren't around."

Gojo's reply gets cut short from the vibration of his phone. Tch. It's always Yaga.

"Hellooooo! Gojo the greatest speaking," he chimes into the phone. He sticks his tongue out at Kagome's exasperated expression. "Oh, I'm kind of busy right now. Yeah, yeah, but is it that important? Exactly! I'll stop by later." He hits the end button.

"Just the principal calling, no big deal." He flags down another taxi for them.

"Wouldn't it be faster to just take the train?" She asks, climbing into the backseat.

"The taxi was closer. And would you look at that, now we can go grocery shopping without having to carry everything."

Kagome doesn't stop sighing until they make it back home, and he's on his way out again.

By the time he makes it back to school, the sun is already setting.

"Yo! I hope you weren't waiting long," Gojo calls out to Yaga. Seriously though, did he have to wait at the top of the stairs?

"Running around with your girlfriend is not important, Satoru. Now come." Gojo rolls his eyes from behind his blindfold. If it were anyone else, he'd just turn the other direction and slack off somewhere.

"Building relationships outside of work is essential for work-life balance."

"There is no such thing as work-life balance in our line of work." Yaga leads them to his office. The numerous stuffed animals that litter the floor and desk gives Gojo the creeps.

"Well, what is it?"

"There's been an influx of energy since yesterday. I'm not quite sure what to call it nor do the elders have any idea as to what it can be." Yaga sits down in the chair, his glasses fall slightly. "I need you to investigate it. We don't know if this thing means to cause us harm or not. But with the revival of Sukuna, we can't afford to just let this slide."

Gojo crosses his arms and leans back against the wall, careful to not lean against any of the dolls. "And what exactly am I supposed to do if I find the source?"

"The elders want it dead." Yaga leans back. The chair creaks from the strain. "But you already knew that."

"Alright. So, find the source and just kill it. Got it." Gojo kicks off the wall and heads to the door.

"Wait. I'm not done." Yaga stands up and places his hands on top of the desk. "It's your girlfriend, right."

"Are you accusing me of holding on to something potentially dangerous and masquerading it as my girlfriend?" Gojo turns around and gives Yaga a smile. "Is it really that hard to believe that I would have a girlfriend?"

"Keep her under wraps. Sukuna's revival has everyone on edge."

Gojo tilts his head, assessing the older man. With a big smile, he gives him a thumbs up. "Thanks, Yaga!" He teleports back home to his room and sits on the bed. What he needs is a game plan; her spikes of energy were more powerful than he initially thought. With a sigh, he falls back.

He'll figure it out in the morning.

Chapter Text

Being woken up before the sun is nothing new to Kagome. Being woken up because of the sounds of Satoru's over-the-top singing is. He doesn't even give her a chance to exchange her green cotton shorts and white tank top for something more appropriate for whatever it is they are doing.

"Is there a reason why we are up so early?" she asks, cradling the thermos in her hands. The coffee is way too sweet, and not nearly as strong as she needs it to be. "If you brought me out to the woods, just to kill me, you could have at least waited until after I had breakfast." She drinks the coffee, ignoring the laughs that erupt from him.

"Maybe I brought you out here to have my wicked way with you." He winks as he extends an arm forward; a spark of cursed energy leaves his fingertips and envelops them.

"We would've been more comfortable at home," she grumbles out and then immediately clasps a hand over her mouth. Heat spreads from her cheeks down her neck.

She did not mean to say that out loud!

"Sh-shut up!" she stammers out.

"Are you always this feisty in the morning?" He walks forward and drops his bag on the grass. Pulling out four cans, he sets them in a row. "Alright, sensei is going to teach you about curse techniques!" His arms thrust out as he gives a twirl.

If it weren't so early, Kagome may even crack a smile.

"I don't retain information this early. Can't we do this later?" She takes a large sip of the coffee; the sweetness makes her throat itch. "And what's with this barrier?" She points upwards to the thin coating.

"It's a veil. It keeps anyone from being able to see what happens within it, and your powers should hopefully not tip anyone off." He moves over to her side. "Now, watch." Liquid shoots upward from one can; there's an indent as if it has been hit with a blunt object. "That's pure cursed energy," he comments. The other can twists in onto itself, shooting liquid from its side and upwards. "That's cursed technique."

Kagome blinks, her lips twitch downward. She isn't quite sure that she understands completely.

"I think I get it."

"Great!" He walks back towards where the bag is leaning against a tree. "I got you a gift." Gojo grabs a bow and a handful of arrows from around the tree. "I came out here earlier to make sure it was a good spot," he offers up at her confused expression.

"Of course, you did," Kagome mutters, taking the bow from him, and then exchanging the thermos for two arrows. "My powers don't work in the same way." She holds one stem between her teeth, notching the other one. A burst of pink surrounds the arrow, the moment she releases. It hits the intended target, but blows away the rest of the cans off into the distance.

Kagome frowns. She hates that she inadvertently just littered.

Removing the second arrow from between her teeth, she points the arrow downward. The grass around the pierced can glows as it takes on a more vibrant color. Shards of grass curl around the can and sway to their own beat. Gojo walks forward towards the can and bends down.

"There's no trace of cursed energy." He sounds surprised. His fingers trail the length of the arrow all the way to the feather tips. Some sparks crackle from the small amount of curse energy he leaks out. Behind him, Kagome rolls her doe eyes. Sure, sure, it's fascinating to see the difference between their powers; but did he have to drop her coffee she gave him for safekeeping?

"Did you really have to waste my coffee?" She huffs.

The sun is just barely peeking over, though none of the rays penetrate the veil. It may as well be cloudy in clearing that he closed off for them.

"Huh? I'm surprised there's no bite to this." He stands, dusting his pants off. The sparks fizzle out.

She doesn't tell him it's because her powers have accepted him. For one, his ego is big enough, and she really doesn't need to listen to him prattle on about how close they are becoming. And two…. well, he just doesn't need to know.

"Why would there be? It hit its intended target." Kagome lifts her arm, covering her yawn. As soon as they get back to the apartment, she's crawling back into bed, and no amount of bribery can convince her otherwise.

"The sparks." He walks back over to her. "They didn't hurt." The underline question floats between them.

"I'll keep that in mind."

His eyes shift behind the blindfold as his lips twitch down, before breaking out into a full smile. Maybe it's the stillness of the veil, or maybe it's because she's immersed in everything Satoru, that she sees through the charade.

"Is that any way to talk to your boyfriend, Gome-chan?" He bends down so that his nose is just barely touching hers.

"Perhaps, you shouldn't have dragged me out here in my pajamas." She steps back. Her heart hammers in her chest, pumping all of her blood to her cheeks. "Are we done here?"

"You should burn off some of that excess energy. We could spar a little-"

"No."

"You're soooo mean!" He pouts, walking away to pick up the discarded thermos.

"Don't forget the cans, too."

He opens his mouth and promptly closes it at the fluctuating aura around her.

"Alright, alright." He throws the thermos into the backpack, all of the contents leaked out onto the grass. "As your sensei, I should be giving the orders." He tsks.

"I'm so not calling you that."

"Why not? Too kinky?" He pulls the arrow out of the can and puts both in the backpack.

"Those poor students," she mutters. "You're picking up your last student today, right?"

"Last one for the semester," he corrects, "I don't plan on retiring anytime soon." Gojo slips his arms through the straps.

He wears a lot of black, she notices. The material of his jacket stretches across his chest, highlighting the broadness of his shoulders. She averts her gaze, finding the stained glass safer to look at.

"I'd invite you, but I'm taking them out to exorcise some curses."

"That's fine, I have sleep to catch up on." The bow is heavy in her hand; the mention of curses and not demons reminds her that she's in unfamiliar territory–no matter how welcoming Satoru has been. "Don't forget to bring back some textbooks for me to look through."

"Still insisting on those? You have me." He plucks the arrow from her hand and then wraps an arm around her waist. "I am the strongest after all."

He likes touching her too. Her face heats at that realization.

"I need something to do while you're out working." She grips the bow tighter. "I'd like to know more about this world before I venture out."

"Venture out?" he asks, cheerfully. The smile is all teeth. The grip on her waist betrays the relaxed persona he's projecting.

"I can take care of myself." She follows along with the slow, even steps towards the edge of the veil.

"Don't go too far."

She looks up, tracing the sharp contours of his jawline, before resting on his clothed eyes.

"I won't."

Chapter Text

Indignation heats his veins at the admission of Kagome, wanting to venture out without him. It's silly–he knows this — and the chances of her running into a special grade are slim. And he can't really keep her locked away - well, he could, but she probably wouldn't speak to him for a while.

He shakes those thoughts away and grins down at his students. People walking by shoots them annoyed looks for taking up the busy sidewalk.

"I will now announce our destination!" He declares, lifting his arms up towards the clear sky. "Roppongi!"

"Roppongi!" Yuji and Nobara scream out, leaping towards him. Their arms fail out as they jump around. Nobara's orange eyes glitter with happiness.

Next to Nobara, Gojo notices how pale Yuji's skin is. The vibrancy that he had the day before is gone. It's subtle, he suspects that Yuji himself doesn't notice the difference.

Megumi catches his eye, scoffing. Gojo almost feels bad for how misleading he's being.

Almost.

"Follow me to our destination!" He sings along to his own tune, enjoying the background noise of Yuji and Nobara arguing about what to do first. Those two are such a contrast to the quietness of Megumi. And for that, he is grateful. It'll be good for Megumi, he decides, to be surrounded by such a lively bunch.

He snickers to himself when they stop at an abandoned building. It drips with cursed energy. The perfect amount for Nobara and Yuji to handle.

"The hell is this?" Nobara whips her face away from the worn-down building, her orange bob sways to the beat of her anger.

"This isn't Roppongi," Yuji groans out.

"There's a curse here." Gojo pulls out a cleaver and deposits it into Yuji's hands. "Here, this a cursed weapon that should help you out for now. Megumi and I will hang back. I want to see what you two can do. And remember, curses in the city are different from those in the country." He wags a finger, punctuating each point.

"That was actually informative," Megumi comments.

"Why thank you, I am the best sensei after all."

He pushes Yuji and Nobara towards the building, their groans about not actually going to Roppongi do little to deter him. Nobara has never been to the city, and Yuji has only encountered one curse. He needs to assess their strengths and weakness if he's going to be able to properly teach them.

What he needs most is powerful allies if he's going to change the jujutsu world.

"Sensei," Megumi calls out after Nobara and Yuji disappear into the building, "I wanted to ask you about Kagome-san."

"What about her?" Gojo takes a seat next to Megumi on the bench.

"There's something strange about her." He pauses, his eyebrows scrunch together. "Like she's not…" his mouth closes, pressed into a firm line.

"You should interact with more civilians, Megumi-kun," Gojo chides.

"Tha- that's not it! She's just different. I don't know what it is." Megumi turns to the side, his hand grips the front of his black jacket. "She burned Yuji."

Burned?

"What do you mean she burned Yuji? We were all together." Gojo clucks his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"When Yuji hugged her. There's a burn on his back that showed up last night."

"It happened after you guys were back at the dorms, right?" At Megumi's nod, Gojo continues, "How do you know it was Kagome and not Sukuna? We have no idea how hosting Sukuna is going to affect Yuji."

"That's true." Megumi turns back around, facing the building. "Sorry, Sensei. I didn't mean to accuse Kagome-san."

Gojo waves him off and then places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "You're worried about your teammate. That's nothing to apologize for." He points to his blindfold with his other hand. "Besides, you forget. If there was anything abnormal about Kagome-chan, I'd know."

Megumi sighs, his body relaxes with relief.

"I forgot." He leans back, Gojo's hand leaves his shoulder.

"How big is the burn on Yuji?"

"It's like a perfect circle, but it's not big. Though he started screaming and there was smoke coming from him, when it happened. It didn't last that long - maybe a minute or two."

"Why didn't you tell me last night?"

Shard of glass spray out from the top window, a curse with enormous eyes and brown fur leaps out. Megumi stands quickly, hand poised to summon his dogs. Gojo reaches out and tugs him back down.

"Hold on, give your teammates a chance. Let's see how crazy they are."

The curse bursts into flames before it can touch the ground. Nobara waves to them from the window, there's a scratch on her cheek, but she looks unharmed for the most part. Gojo smirks to himself.

His phone buzzes in his pocket. Standing, he retrieves it. With his luck, it's probably a message from Yaga about some special grade that he needs to take care of. A genuine smile graces his face as Kagome's name pops up.

Found a stray cat. I'm naming him Buyo Jr.

Wait.

Tell me you didn't bring home a stray.

He doesn't do pets, it's bad enough that he has to entertain Megumi's shikigami. He ignores Megumi's questioning stare.

Okay.

He stares at the phone, waiting for an elaboration that doesn't come. He barely notices the young child standing between Yuji and Nobara.

"Gojo-sensei? What do we do about the kid? The curse was holding him hostage." Nobara's voice cuts through his internal monologue.

"Eh?" He slips the phone into his pocket. "I'll take care of it!" He gives them a thumbs up. "Meet me at the station," he calls out, leading the kid in the opposite direction.

"Which station!" They call out after him.

Chapter Text

Making her way back to the woods after a proper nap, Kagome notes how quiet the trek is. Actually, everything is more still without the obnoxious energy of Satoru bouncing around. The ends of her black hair tickle the nape of her neck. Wearing a pair of black shorts and an oversized pink top, she put her hair into a high ponytail.

The ache in her arms cuts her down to the bone. For too long, she wallowed in grief because of being separated from InuYasha, and by the time she pulled herself back together; the thought of picking up the bow seemed silly, as there was no real danger in her world.

Shaking her head, she pulls an arrow from the quiver, readies her bow, and shoots. She grimaces as the tree splits in half from where the arrow hit.

Strange… she didn't channel any energy into that release.

Kagome lowers the bow and approaches the tree. The crack widens, causing the sides to lean over on top of the other trees. The forest groans in protest as the birds fly away and the squirrels run past her.

Everything is so still.

The soft cry of a cat meowing draws her attention. Kagome peers down the trunk of the tree. Next to the arrow, she shot, red eyes peer up at her.

The gasp escapes her before she has a chance to swallow it down.

"Kirara?"

No, that's wrong, she thinks. This nekomata is white with brown and black patches over its fur. The mark on its forehead is in the shape of a circle, not diamond shaped like Kirara's. Kagome takes a step back, allowing the demon to jump out of the tree. It tilts its head to the right, eyes appraising her.

Kagome clucks her tongue; her grip tightens on the bow. Sweat drips from her forehead and settles into her brows. Satoru told her that there were no demons in this world, only curses.

"Hey, girl–"

It snaps its head, hissing. The ends of its fur stand up in agitation.

"Hey, boy?"

In a flash, it retreats from its defensive stand and gives a small meow in response. It raises one black paw and licks, smoothing out any of the flyaway hairs that didn't lie back down.

Kagome drops the bow and quiver and approaches the nekomata slowly. She crouches down and extends out a hand. "Were you stuck in that tree?" she asks, smiling when he rubs against her palm. Currents of electricity transfer from him to her fingertips and up her arm. The magic coming from him is old and inviting.

"Did the well send you?" she questions. He lets out a meow and rubs his body against her legs, circling around. "That explains one thing, but now I feel like I'm four steps back." With a sigh, she stretches out her other hand and scoops the nekomata up.

Satoru is going to throw a fit. A smile breaks out across her face at the thought. Satoru's going to fucking lose it when he gets home. It'll be payback for waking her up so early.

"We'll need to pick out a name for you, bud. Is it okay if I call you Buyo Jr for now?" She asks, looking down at his pained expression. She laughs. "I promise to come up with a more suitable name."

She moves Buyo Jr to her shoulder as she stands up to retrieve the bow and quiver. Reaching into the quiver, she digs out the phone Satoru, got her, and sends him a quick text. Snickering to herself at his curt response, she prepares to call her training session short and head back home.

The forest is still too quiet.

Buyo Jr's growls filter through her eardrums, as something brushes against her senses. A curse, maybe? Though Satoru made it sound as though the chances of there being any curses out in the country pretty slim. She reaches into the quiver and notches another arrow, shooting in the general direction that the bad omen is coming from. The only sounds she hears are the soft growls from Buyo Jr and her own steady breathing.

Whatever it was, vanished.

"Eh, let's not tell Satoru," She tells Buyo Jr as they make their way home. It was probably just a low-level curse, nothing to get concerned over. And besides, she really didn't need to hear his mouth about it, especially since he wasn't that thrilled about her leaving out without him. He's already going to lose it when he sees that Buyo Jr has two tails.

...

"Welcome home!" Kagome chimes, bowing with a large fake smile plastered on her face.

"Where's this cat?" Gojo slips off his shoes and hands over the bag in his hand to her. "It's sushi, I took kids out to dinner after our field trip."

"Oh, thank you." She looks down at the bag and then back up to the door, ignoring his blindfolded face. "You must be tired from being up so early," she starts, "maybe you should relax a bit or just settle in for the night?"

"Where's the cat?" Gojo brushes past. "Is it in your room?" He walks towards her bedroom. Kagome reaches out and grabs his arm, wrapping both arms around him.

"Come on, at least give me company while I try this sushi." She drags him to the kitchen and dining area.

"It's more than one cat, isn't it?" He huffs but doesn't pull away.

"It's just one cat. One special cat." She directs him to take a seat as she places the bag on the table before taking a seat next to him. "So, what's your last student like?"

"Crazy. She and Yuji exorcised some curses at this abandoned building. You'd like Nobara, I'll take you around her some time."

"I'd like that," she replies, fishing out a roll and plopping it into her mouth. "What?"

Gojo leans back in the chair. "Something feels off."

"Must be all the stress from working so hard today." Kagome flashes him a smile and a sushi roll. He takes the roll and chews slowly.

"Gome-chan, just show me the cat."

Kagome bites her bottom lip and pushes back from the table. It's not like she was going to be able to keep the cat from him, but she hoped that he'd just come back and go straight to bed like he did last night.

"Alright, alright. But you have to keep an open mind." She stands and crosses her arms as if to dare him to defy her.

"It's my–"

"Keep an open mind," she interjects.

"Fine, but only because you're so cute." He gets up from his chair and follows behind her towards her bedroom.

"Stay right here," Kagome instructs.

"You can go in my room, but I can't go in yours? How is that fair?" Gojo mutters to himself.

"Just stay here." She opens and slams the door shut, not wanting to risk him seeing Buyo Jr just yet.

The nekomata peers up at her from his comfortable spot in the middle of the bed.

"Hey, boy. I've got someone that wants to meet you." Kagome scoops him up, cuddling him to her chest. His soft purrs warm her body. She didn't realize just how much she missed having something from her world around. "Be on your best behavior, okay." With a deep breath, she opens the door and takes a step out, not bothering to close it behind her.

Buyo Jr meows at Gojo, his tails swish back and forth.

"It has two tails," Gojo starts, "and its energy is…"

"He's a nekomata. A demon, but he's super sweet. I used to travel with one." Her thumb rubs back and forth against Buyo Jr's fur, inciting more deep purrs.

"Demons aren't known to be kind."

"You've never met a demon until now." Kagome rolls her brown eyes. "This is a good thing. He'll help you, watch over me, and he may help me find my way back home."

Gojo frowns and then shrugs his shoulders. "I guess, it can stay."

"Really?" Kagome perks up.

"Yes, really." He reaches out a hand towards the nekomata. Buyo Jr hisses when his nose doesn't reach Gojo's hand.

"He's not making contact." Kagome's brows draw closer together.

"That would be the infinity, you're always bypassing," Gojo responds, patting the nekomata's head. "Where did you find him?"

"In a tree." Kagome turns and walks towards the living room, ignoring Gojo's questioning. "You really should rest; you sound super stressed."

Gojo's groans follow her from room to room the entire night.

Chapter Text

"This is like the third time I've been to these woods today," Kagome says with a groan.

"You brought a demon home. I need to know what I'm dealing with." Gojo wags his finger in her face. "I can't have it trying to kill you in your sleep." Kagome playfully nips his finger. His cheeks flush red. Silently, he's happy that his blindfold conceals the widening of his eyes. "Careful. I'll bite back."

Her startled face etches itself into his memory as she hurries her pace towards the fallen tree. Buyo Jr's meows bounce off the stillness of the forest. Was it this quite earlier? He can't remember; too distracted by the display of Kagome's powers to note the comings and goings of the forest.

"I found him down here." She gestures to the tree with a tilt of her head. Buyo Jr nuzzles his face into her chest.

He's never been more jealous of a creature in his life.

"Weird that it just split open like this," he comments, noting how the tree is evenly split in half. Each side resting on the surrounding trees. "Like something struck it." He walks forward.

"Oh… about that. I was training." She shifts Buyo Jr to her shoulder and removes the bow from her quiver, taking a step back to allow Gojo room.

"You did this?" He leans back and then snaps forward to look down at the center of the tree. The split is so clean—perfect even. He blows air into his cheeks, slowly exhaling. "I thought we weren't going to use our powers?"

"I wasn't. Honest, I was just practicing." She pouts.

"Sure," he draws out. Directing his attention to Buyo Jr, he points at the nekomata. "Let's get this over with. What can you do? Assuming that you even understand what, I'm asking."

Buyo Jr hisses in response but jumps down from Kagome's shoulder. He wanders into the middle of the clearing, turning to face them. An eruption of fire breaks out over the nekomata's body, growing larger and dissipating just as quickly as it started. Everything about Buyo Jr is larger, reminiscent of a saber-tooth tiger in Gojo's opinion. Kagome walks over, throwing the bow back into her quiver. Buyo Jr squats down, allowing her to throw one leg over.

"Do you want to ride?" She asks so innocently, that Gojo almost feels ashamed for the thoughts that pass through his mind. Almost.

"Aw, Gome-chan. You don't have to ask me twice." He places a hand over his chest, pretending to swoon as he takes a spot behind her. He wraps his arms around her waist.

Buyo Jr jumps into the air, flames erupt over his paws and tails as he kicks his legs forward. They settle over the trees with an unrestricted view of the sparkling stars overhead.

Gojo tenses, his fingers twitch as the feeling of cursed energy washes over him. He unwraps himself from her waist and hops off. Kagome's cries draw laughter from his throat as he floats next to them.

"Wa- wait, you can fly?"

"Yep. Stay here." He rushes off towards the ground, ignoring Kagome's confused face. She'd be safe up there.

He touches down on the grass and places his hands in his pockets. A loud war cry comes from his side, sidestepping, he gets a clear view of a… volcano head? This is serious, he reminds himself, though a volcano curse is so damn silly.

"Who the fuck are you," he mutters under his breath, annoyed at the interruption. Insects buzz by his ears and then explode. Mr. Volcano head looks pleased with himself. "It's going to take way more than some bugs to kill me," Gojo teases. "And, ugh, what's with all this smoke? It's annoying and terrible for the environment." He waves the smoke away from his face.

"Tch." The curse spits as it twists the cork coming out of where an ear should be. A mini volcano emerges from the tree behind Gojo, shooting out fire. "That should do it. And they said he was strong." The curse rolls his dark eye, black teeth shining under the moonlight.

"You really don't listen, do you?" Gojo groans, coughing as he swats away the smoke. He really didn't have time for this. He could be taking a nice, quiet, nekomata ride with Kagome right now. "You're way too weak to do anything to me." He teleports behind the curse and backhands it, sending it crashing through the forest.

"Bastard!" The curse yells. Its screams muffled from the resulting slaps. Gojo kicks it towards the lake; the crash shoots water high into the air and raining down on Mr. Volcano head.

"Satoru!" Kagome calls out.

"I told her to stay put," he moans to himself as Kagome and Buyo Jr get closer to him. Though her worried expression cools his irritation just a tad. "What happened to staying put, Gome-chan."

"I heard an explosion. Of course, I'm going to check it out." She huffs, fingers gripping Buyo Jr's fur a little too tightly. "Is that another curse?"

"Yeah, an unregistered special grade," he explains, not paying too much attention to the curse that is struggling to get up.

"I'm going to rip her head off and burn the rest of her to a crisp." The curse smiles with purple blood trailing from its black teeth.

"I must have misheard you." Gojo laughs. "Gome, come here." He hands out a hand for her to take, pleased when she doesn't question him. "Buyo… be a dear and step back."

The curse throws its hands together in a sign. "Domain expansion." The lake shakes, solidifying into stone as lava laps at the sides of the stone enclosure around them. The curse smirks. "Not even you can survive this."

Kagome moves closer to his side.

"Don't worry. There are ways to get around this." He moves to lower his blindfold with his free hand. A burst of fire heads their direction. Twisting his finger behind his index, he lays out his own domain. "The trick is to lay out your own more refined one."

The lava and stone enclosures fade away as they get sucked into a white void. Gripping Kagome's waist, he strokes her side as if to put her more at ease.

"Now, then. What was it you said you were going to do?" he questions the curse, gripping the top of its volcano head. "Rip her head off, was it?" His grip tightens, causing the curse's eye to bulge out. "I have some questions, that I'll need you to answer, so I won't kill you just yet." A smile breaks off across his face as he rips its head off and dispels his domain expansion.

Kagome grips his shirt in response to the head lying on the grass. "We were just over the water…"

Gojo places his foot on the curse's head as he puts his blindfold back in place. It tickles him that she's more concerned about how they got back to the forest than how easily he ripped off ahead.

"What's your name?" He rolls the head back and forth.

"Jogo," it spits out. Jogo's eye blinks rapidly.

"Well, Jogo–" His reply gets cut off as the field around them blooms with flowers. "What the…" A haze comes over him, weakening his desire for blood. He quickly slaps himself.

Kagome is already notching her bow and shooting at the emergence of another curse. The arrow hits its side, burning a hole into it. The creature screams as it picks up Jogo's head, taking off into the distance.

"Are you okay?" She lowers the bow and turns to him.

Have her eyes always been that vibrant, he wonders.

"I'm fine." He runs his knuckles down her cheek. "Though curses creating fractions is pretty interesting."

"I feel a headache coming on."

Buyo Jr flies over to them and transforms back into his smaller form. Gojo removes his hand and from Kagome's cheek and claps.

"Well, there's only one way to end this night."

"I'm catching a flight in the morning to the States," Gojo says, dumping a large black blanket and two satin pillows to match on top of the couch.

"So, you want to watch a movie instead of sleeping?" Kagome nuzzles Buyo Jr closer to her chest.

"Isn't this what boyfriends do?" He arranges the pillows to his liking and then directs Kagome to take a seat. "I'm going to be gone for a while."

"We aren't together, but I appreciate the company." She settles into the seat. Buyo Jr curls up on her lap as Gojo pulls the blanket over them.

Gojo hums in response and reaches for the remote on the coffee table. "Let's watch this one. The main character is super annoying, but her death is spectacular."

"Way to spoil the ending."

"We're watching it." He sets the remote back down and throws an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer. The scent of her lavender lotion swarms his nostrils, fogging up his senses and making him drunk. "I'll take you next time."

"To America?" She turns to look up at him. "Do you think I'd be able to find any clues on how to get back there?"

He shifts, stretching his legs out. There's something about her desire to leave that pisses him off. Clearing his throat, he smothers those thoughts back down. Of course, she would want to find her way back to her world–no matter how much at home, she's made herself here.

"I think you'll find what you're looking for here, but I'd be a terrible boyfriend if I leave you alone for long stretches at a time."

"If you're worried about those curses, I think I can handle it."

"You're right," he amends, "We've got a flight to catch in the morning."

"What?" She huffs and tries to move away, but he pulls her back. "You're ridiculous."

"Actually, I'm the strongest."

"That makes little sense." She rolls her eyes but settles back down.

She falls asleep before they can get to the ending of the movie. Her body is draped across his. Buyo Jr ditched them halfway through in favor of a quieter sleep space. Gojo shifts and rubs a hand across her back as his eyes close.

He'll write up a report on those unregistered special grades later.

Chapter Text

"Are you sure Megumi is going to take care of Buyo Jr?" Kagome questions. She can barely keep her eyes opened and the quiet atmosphere of first-class isn't helping her to stay awake. There's a weight attached to her bones, to her mental capacity. Each movement takes double the effort, and all she wants to do is crawl back into bed.

So many years of mundane living have made her soft, she summarizes.

"He loves weird pets. It'll be fine," Gojo responds, not bothering to look up from scrolling on his phone. "We've got a long flight. You should get some rest."

"I wish I was still in bed." She pinches and rubs her forehead as if the action will help to ease some of the built-up tension there. Her eyes slide past his white button-down shirt and focus on the glares from the other passengers. "I would have been okay staying back at home."

"I'm starting to think you didn't want to come." He pouts. His blue eyes glimmer behind the dark shades. It should be a crime with how alert he is while she is very much so dead on her feet, so to speak.

Reaching over, she brushes some stray hairs from his face. His skin is warm and softer than she was expecting with how little he sleeps. Her mouth parts slightly as she inhales, wondering if his lips are as soft as the rest of him.

"Keep staring at me like that and I'll have to take you everywhere with me."

She pulls back her hand as if she's been burned. His low chuckles wash over her, seeping into her skin, and churning deep in her gut.

"You should get more rest," she responds, not bothering to address the heated atmosphere.

"Only if you sleep with me again."

"What? You-you," she stammers. Heat rises to her cheeks and flushes down her neck. There's a skip in her heart rate as she remembers how natural it felt to curl around him and take refuge in the broadness of him.

"Gome-chan!" He places a hand over his chest. "You pervert." His smirk is teasing, but the glint in his eyes suggests anything but that.

It's not a topic she wants to get into while her mind is muddled with thoughts of sleep and how Buyo Jr is doing without her, so she pinches him.

"You know how you worded that."

The glares from earlier turn murderous, Gojo's teasing drawing ire from her and those around them. Though, Kagome suspects the other passengers are angrier with her than they are with him. There's no way that he's oblivious to the longing stares, nor the way the white button-down shirt highlights the strength in his collar bones. Or the way his eyes glitter behind the dark shades. She bites down on her tongue. It's the sleep deprivation, she determines.

"Just get me up when we land." Turning her body towards the window, she angles herself away from him. The heat of his stare burns her back, but it's nothing she can't easily smother.

"Sweet dreams, Gome-chan," he coos. Long, nimble fingers trail down her neck; she shivers, forcing herself to lean away and not towards him.

"Idiot," she mutters, with no real bite or grit in her voice. Her eyes flutter shut to the tune of his fingers combing through her hair.

It's not until they arrive at the hotel and makeup to the room, that it occurs to her that perhaps asking him how he could squeeze her into a last-minute trip was possible.

"Ugh, I wish I could stay, but I've got to meet up with an associate." He plops the suitcases down near the king-sized bed, with its overflow of satin pillows.

Kagome blinks, daring the room to magically summon another bed or attached room. But all she can see is a bathroom with a shower that rivals the one Satoru has at home. She walks a little further, and there's a whirlpool on top of an elevated floor, positioned in such a way that she could enjoy the heated jets and the beautiful lights of the city.

"Gojo-san." Her fingers twitch at her sides, playing with the hem of her dress.

"Gojo? What happened to Satoru?" His face is too cheery to convince her he forgot.

"Why is there only one bed? I could have stayed back."

"Hold that thought." He backs up, his hands out in front of him in mock surrender. "I've got something for you." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. The black card glares at her from the bed. There's a slight hesitancy to his movements as he places the card down onto the bed. "I've gotta go, but if you want to go shopping, you can. I'll be back before dinner. Just stay on this strip, yeah." He gives her a thumbs up and vanishes.

She wishes that he'd stop teleporting so much when she knows that he's only doing it to avoid the conversation brewing up inside of her. And the constant taking her with, only to drop her off somewhere, is frustrating. She wants to be angry, but the more rational side of her reasons that she hasn't been completely upfront about herself either.

"Whatever." She huffs, stalking forward and picking up the card left behind. The girls would go crazy if they knew someone was giving her access to their black card. They would go crazy no matter what, she thinks if they saw Satoru. "May as well take him up on that offer." She looks over at the bed once more. "And maybe some oversized pajamas too."

Once outside the hotel, she pulls her phone out from her purse and snaps a picture of the building. There was absolutely no way she was going to depend on her rusty English skills to remember the name of the hotel, no less she wanted to set herself up for failure.

But the walk does wonders for the stiffness in her legs, even with the shoving and bulldozers pedestrians swaying her out of their way. It doesn't matter, she's in no rush, and the thought of returning to that room is damning.

Lying with him on the couch was one thing, but to be so much closer on a bed is whole another ballpark. She walks into the overtly bright store with its overzealous chandeliers and expensive champagne waiting at the door. It's not something she would normally go for, living as a shrine maiden isn't exactly a luxurious lifestyle, but Satoru told her to stay on the strip, and all the other surrounding stores are just as over the top.

Her hand was forced, truly.

She bypasses the champagne and waves off the seller, choosing to look around herself. There's something utterly boring about shopping by herself, or maybe it's the way Satoru so casually gave her access to his funds that's tripping her up the most. The seller, a man with an over-stylized cut, waves at her once more. Kagome sighs and tilts her head in his direction.

"We have more purses this way," he speaks slowly, gesturing towards a back door. She isn't sure what he's trying to say to her, but she gets the gist of what he wants. She flashes a tight smile and moves away from the handbags and towards the entrance.

"I'm so sorry, miss," his words breathe down her neck. The word, 'sorry', raises the hairs on her forearms. A bead of sweat drips from her forehead and down the side of her cheek. The grip on her arm is tight as he ushers her towards the back. His face is frozen in an unpleasant smile.

She chews on the inside of her cheek. Purification won't work on him, and she isn't physically strong enough to break away. He lifts his free hand and waves to someone behind them or in front. She can't tell with how dark the corridor is.

"It's nothing personal. I'm sure you understand." He opens a red door. There are boxes upon boxes of merchandise. His sickening smile never leaves his face, widening upon the entrance of a brute man.

This is bad, she thinks; eyes darting around the room for something to use. The brute cracks his knuckles, the dark color of his shirt contrasts with the flamboyant pink of the seller. They converse amongst themselves. A chill run through her veins as the atmosphere shifts; the sudden drop in temperature doesn't seem to bother them as they laugh.

"N-no," she cries out, shaking her head at the emergence of a young girl appearing beside the brute. No, that's a curse, she corrects herself. The evil intent stifles the fear that was blossoming in her chest. Her powers spike.

It hits her suddenly. These men aren't afraid of the curse. They crackle to one another as they push her forward. The curse tilts its head, ripples of black curls tickle its ashen arms. Its eyes are mismatches with splashes of greens and reds, as though it couldn't settle on a singular color. The brute makes a move to walk towards the door, when the curse latches onto him, its nails lengthen and dig into his skin.

"What are you doing!" The other man screams. He waves his arms around as if he's trying to shoo something away. He falls down, the sound echoes in the storage room as the curse snaps the neck of the brute. It smiles, the fangs glint under the bright light.

"Take her instead!" The sales attendant tries to back away towards the door, but the curse flashes out of her peripheral and kills the man instead.

Fuck. She doesn't have her bow, and calling for Satoru is a no-go.

"I was growing weary of those two," it states, folding itself in half to look at her. The curse is speaking English, but somehow, she's able to understand, which freaks her out more than the actual threat of dying. "You're different from the rest." It rights itself, turning on the heel of its feet with a twirl. Kagome steps back, but the curse launches itself at her, gripping onto her in a pseudo hug.

"You didn't have to kill them," she grits out through the pain of claws digging into her.

"They were going to sacrifice you, and yet you defend them." It tilts its head, dragging its claws down her arms. Blood trickles down, and Kagome bites down on her tongue to keep the cries within. "You should want revenge."

"It's easier to hate than it is to forgive." Tears cloud her vision, but she swears that there's a flicker of regret staring back at her. Her shoulders slump as a gentle smile crosses her face. "I'm sorry. We let you down." The tears run down her face; she can taste the salt of them on her lips. "I'm so sorry."

The curse's mismatched eyes widened as the grip on her arms loosens. It opens its mouth to say something, but only a silent scream comes out. Its body evaporates. Her brows scrunch together. She was just getting ready to purify it.

"Satoru?" Kagome swallows down the feeling of regret and tries to avoid looking at him. He must think that she's weak. His grip on her chin is forceful as he directs her attention onto him. "How did you find me?"

"I felt your power spike," he responds, eyes hardening behind his shades at her bloody arms. "Let's get you cleaned up." He lets go of her chin and wraps an arm around her, not caring about the mess getting on his shirt.

This time, she doesn't mind the teleportation. His eyes follow her around the hotel room, as she shrugs off his desire to play nurse. The wounds are nothing compared to the ones she's gotten from InuYasha when he would lose control over his demon blood.

"I'm going to take a shower. Can we just have something here to eat," she asks as she makes her way to the bathroom, not bothering to stick around for his reply. She must have been in the shower for that long or the hotel was just that fast at getting their room service to them.

"C'mere," he instructs, picking up the tray with several pizza slices on it. She follows him to the whirlpool, which's filled to the brim with bubbles.

"I don't think you're supposed to put any bubbles in that," she comments as water sloshes from the sides.

"You aren't going to let a good bath go to waste, are you?"

"Fine." She undoes her robe and then pauses. "Though, I just got out the shower."

He turns his back to her, giving her some privacy. "Yeah, but this will be more relaxing." At the sound of her settling into the tub, he turns and places the tray on the one side of the tub that doesn't have water flowing down it.

The overflow of bubbles only allows for shoulders to be seen, which gives her some peace of mind. "Thank you." She smiles. "What are you doing?" Her head freezes mid-grab of picking up a slice of cheese pizza.

"Joining you, of course," he chirps, tossing his shirt over his head.

"You joining is the opposite of relaxing!" She averts her gaze, biting down harder than she needed to on the slice.

"Is that any way to talk to your savior?" The water ripples as he joins her. She wishes she could blame the heat on the jets. He reaches over and plucks a slice of his own. "Why did you hesitate?"

She opens her mouth and then closes it. "All I could feel was its pain." She sets her slice back down on the tray and leans back. "And I couldn't stop thinking about how much it was in pain because of us." She looks over at him, his expression contemplating.

"They aren't like Buyo Jr, you can't hesitate to exorcise them." He huffs and moves closer to her, placing his half-eaten slice on the tray.

"You think I'm weak." She looks down, balling her fists. Sparkling blue clouds her vision. She tries to look away.

"Look at me," he commands. "I never said that, but this isn't your world. You can not hesitate again." Her eyes trail down to his lips and then back up.

He's way too close, she decides, with nothing but bubbles separating them.

"Satoru…" He slants his mouth against hers, pressing himself against her. She sighs and grips the back of his head, his white hair softer than the robe she discarded on the floor. Her chest constricts, pumping all the blood south and leaving her weightless. He's careful to mind her arms and for that she is thankful. When he pulls back, she can't help the way her skin flushes pink.

"Promise me."

"Okay," she agrees. When he presses against her again, she leans into him, pouring all the day's frustration into the kiss. She'll try her best to keep the promise, if only to keep him from worrying. "I'll try my best."

Chapter Text

A sliver of sunlight peeks through the window, highlighting small areas of the hotel room and settling on Kagome's form. Gojo basks in the softness of her pressed against him with one hand stewed across his chest. He lies there for a while, not wanting to break the peaceful moment of not having the weight of the world on his shoulders. For all of his playful boasting and mindless chatter, even he needs a moment to just be.

He yawns as he reaches over to grab his phone from the nightstand. His lips tilt down in a frown from the numerous missed calls from Ijichi and Yaga. Scrolling through, there's a call from Shoko and a message from Megumi.

Ugh, he'll deal with it when he gets back.

Kagome shifts, the oversized shirt that he loaned her–insisted on–slips, exposing a shoulder. Clicking the camera icon, he snaps a picture of them. The clicking sounds echo in the otherwise quiet room. Crap, he thinks. He forgot to turn the sound off.

"Did you take a picture?" Kagome asks, voice groggy with sleep. She rolls over to her back and then makes a move to sit up. Mentally, he scolds himself for bemoaning the loss of her warmth against him and for thinking about how beautiful she looks with her dark hair sticking in every which way.

He points the phone at her and snaps another picture, laughing when she tries to snatch the device from him. "I need something to look at when I'm on a mission." He sets it back down the nightstand and then sits up, his body angling towards her.

"You should pay attention if you're on a mission," she mumbles while simultaneously trying to block a yawn, and failing.

"I get bored."

"You get bored?"

"Mhmm." He nods his head. "The curses all just so weak." Kagome gives him a look of disbelief and then one of surprise when he leans over further and kisses her. "You're just too cute, Gome-chan." He pinches her cheek, delighting in how her skin flushes pink.

"What time is check out?" She stretches her arms. He figures he'll allow her to change the subject since he's avoiding the fire that is brewing back at home.

"I think we have to be out of here by 11:30 or something like that." He reaches over and hits the home button on his phone. "We've got enough time to order breakfast and then catch the flight."

"We're going back already? We just got here like yesterday." Her face scrunches up in a frown. "Or was it the other day?"

"That's one disadvantage of being so in demand, ya know? Always on the go. Not everyone is cut out for it, but I suppose this is my pension to pay for being the strongest. And the best sensei and boyfriend." He rubs his hands down his face as if everything is so tiresome.

"I don't even know why I put up with you," she jabs.

"Because I'm the world's best boyfriend."

"You're not actually—"

"Do you know what material that shirt is? Its—"

"Don't say it."

"Boyfriend material." He crackles to himself and doubling over at the pure irritation radiating off of her. "You know, you glow red when you're mad?"

"I glow?"

"Yeah." He moves the covers back and gets out of the bed. "I'm going to go grab some breakfast for us." Rummaging around in his suitcase, he pulls out some jeans and a shirt. "What?" he asks, as he slips the pants on over his boxers.

"N-nothing. I'm gonna take a shower, I'll see you when you get back." She stumbles out of the bed, tripping over the cover. She practically runs to the bathroom. The sound of the door slamming shut resonates in his eardrums.

She really is the cutest thing; he thinks as he slips the shirt over his chest.

Over fourteen hours later, give or take–not that he was counting down. They make it back to the apartment. Neither one bothers to take their suitcases to their rooms, opting instead to leave them by the door. Gojo checks in with Megumi first. He doesn't get a chance to say hello before Megumi's voice frantically relays what happened while he was gone.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kagome's voice drifts in and out. His heart constricts, blocking off blood flow from the rest of his body. What was she saying? Megumi's words roll around in his mind, repeating over and over again.

"It's Yuji," he starts. His tongue is like sandpaper dunked in a bowl of water. "He died while out on a mission, that should have gone to me." Tremors wrack his body as he struggles to contain his anger at the higher-ups for sending his students on a suicide mission. "Fucking elders." Kagome wraps her arms around his waist and peers up at him, her hands rub small circles on his back.

It's the most comfort he's ever gotten, he realizes with a pang. "I gotta go." He moves to unwrap her from him, but she tightens her hold. Her fingers grip his shirt.

"I'm coming with you."

"There's no need."

"I'm not asking you. I'm coming with."

"So bossy," he jokes, a simple grin stretching across his face at the determined look in her chocolate eyes. He decides they should just have dessert in place of dinner, something with lots and lots of chocolate to distract him. "It'll be faster to just teleport there. I don't want to waste any more time."

The first thing he hears is Ijichi's screams. It's hard to believe sometimes that the man is actually younger than him, with how much stress marks his face. He wonders how long the Ijichi has been waiting for him to get back.

"Be quiet," Gojo complains, ignoring the raised brow from Shoko. The small room is freezing, as is customary of a morgue. Yuji's body lies on the raised metal table. There's dried blood from where his chest must have been ripped out. Gojo clenches his teeth as he walks himself and Kagome over to the bench.

"I-I'm so sorry," Ijichi rushes out, his hands raised as if Gojo is going to attack him in retaliation. "The mission was supposed to just be a rescue mission and to not engage the curse. I didn't know that it was a special grade."

"Give me the report," Gojo orders, his hand out for the folder. He flips through it, skimming the pages. The whole situation reeks of the higher-ups. Bastards. He hands the folder back to Ijichi, who jumps at the force with which he thrusts it into his hands. "Do you know why someone like me became a teacher?"

"N-no," Ijichi responds, his slicked hair unravels a bit from the amount of perspiration.

"To change the jujutsu world. I could kill the higher-ups, but what would that change?" Kagome grabs his balled fist, coaxing him to unclench his fist and interwind his fingers with hers. "I want to create a world that isn't stuck in old ways of doing things."

"It's not like you to show so much emotion," Shoko interjects as she lights a cigarette, taking a long drag. The smoke is bothersome; tainting the sterile atmosphere and casting a cloud on his own fragile moral compass.

"Why would they want to kill Yuji before he's eaten the rest of those fingers?"

Swallowing back the anger that wants to leak out, Gojo responds to Kagome, "Because they're afraid. They fear the unknown and seek to get rid of anything that poses a threat to them." Her fingers twitch in his hand, and he knows he doesn't have to verbalize that the elders would seek to get rid of her as well.

"Well, now that you've seen him, I can get started." Shoko puts out the cigarette and throws it in the ashtray on the counter near a box of gloves. Slipping on a purple latex glove, Shoko only gets one on when Ijichi's stammering draws their attention.

"He's a zombie!" Ijichi points, his hand shakes with each word spoken. Gojo doesn't need his six eyes to see the fear radiating off of Ijichi.

"Quiet," he commands as he lets go of Kagome's hand and walks over to Yuji's now very much alive body. "Welcome back, Yuji-kun."

Yuji slaps his hand with Gojo's. "Oh! Kagome-san, you're here too."

"Ijichi, can you grab some clothes for Yuji?" Shoko asks as she takes her glove off. "I wanted to dissect him," she mutters with a sigh. "Satoru, a word." She tucks her stray strand back behind her ear.

Gojo follows behind Shoko, waving back at Kagome and Yuji as he leaves out of the morgue. "What is it?" He leans against the building, the warmth of sun a stark contrast to artificial lighting in the room they were just in.

"He was dead," she starts. Her dark eyes look even more tired than usual.

"I'm betting Sukuna had something to do with it. Say, could you keep Yuji dead in the report?"

"Sure, for a price."

"And here I thought we were friends." Gojo clasps at his shirt. "You want to know who Kagome is?"

"I've never known you to be linked to anyone. She must be important if you're turning off your infinity for her. Not to mention, she was unfazed by the dead rising."

"She can bypass my infinity." He smirks at her stupefied expression. "But you want to know who she is." He taps his finger against his chin. Despite his insistence, Kagome insists they are not together, and he wouldn't classify her as a friend. Roommate is too basic of a term. "She's my partner."

"Partner… So, your girlfriend or actual partner?"

He shrugs in response.

"Just be careful, alright." Shoko gives him a small smile and walks back into the morgue. Gojo follows her.

"Oi! Yuji," he calls as he steps into the room. "You'll be staying with me for a bit."

"Really? Not in the dorms?"

"We're keeping you dead for a while, yeah. You'll get personalized training with yours truly, and you'll get to enjoy Gome-Chan's cooking."

"You think they'll try to get him killed on the job again?" Kagome questions, her arms crossed.

"Sure, it would be really easy to slip them a mission they aren't qualified for." Gojo looks over at Yuji "What is it?"

"I'm just so happy," Yuji responds, his face broken out in a gigantic smile. And were those hearts in his eyes?

"Ijichi, take Yuji and Kagome home."

"Um, where is home?" Ijichi's voice quivers as he readjusts his round glasses.

"I'll direct him," Kagome speaks up as she rubs a hand on Ijichi's back. "Come on, Yuji-kun, I'm sure you're tired."

"See you two at home." Gojo waves as the trio leave out, just leaving him and Shoko. "I know, I know." He gets out before Shoko can open her mouth. He knows exactly what he needs to do.

Chapter Text

The silence is stilting during the drive to the apartment. Her skin itches as she thinks about the ease with which she's settled into this new home. It's only when the quiet sneaks in, does her mind wander to how–why she fell into this world.

"Kagome-san?" Yuji cuts through her thoughts. The reprieve is welcomed, so she turns and smiles through the shivers in response to the additional eye slit on his cheek. The red iris stares back at her, haunting, the same hue that Naraku once had.

"How are you feeling, Yuji-kun?" The jet lag must rest in her tone because he only deflates at the question.

"Thank you." He doesn't look at her, instead opting to stare down at his lap.

"For what?"

"Taking me in. I'm sure Gojo-sensei has told you…"

"Being a vessel for anything can be isolating if you let it." She leans her head against the window, the coolness of the glass is heavenly against her face. Seeing Yuji's dead body took her back to that life where death was so prevalent.

"Have you… Are you a vessel too?"

Kagome catches Ijichi taking, what he thinks is discreet peeks at them. She needs to tread carefully. "No, but I knew someone that was a guardian." She tilts her head to Yuji, her face clammy from the window. "It consumed her—the burden. Naturally, she grew to resent everything and fell further into isolation. Until…."

"Until what?"

"She and the burden became nothing more than a footnote, lost to time." The pang in her heart disrupts her train of thought.

"Um, Yuji." Ijichi's voice waves into the backseat, ebbing and flowing with each waver. "Know that we will all do our best." He catches Kagome's gaze through the rear-view mirror. Perhaps the driver is more perceptive than Satoru gives him credit for.

Yuji beams at them as Kagome ignores the snort coming from the eye slit. "I won't let you guys down!"

****

Her shoulders are stiff from the accumulating stress that this new world seems determined to dump onto her, or maybe it's because she got more rest on the airplane than in an actual bed. Sukuna's gaze hasn't strayed from her since Ijichi dropped them off at the apartment. It's different to be so close to an enemy and not be able to do anything about it.

"You can stay in this room, I'll just need to get some of my things out," Kagome says, arms crossed as she leans against the door.

"You and Gojo-sensei don't share a room?" Yuji walks into the room, spinning around. The action is actually kind of adorable, Kagome thinks.

"There wasn't enough closet space for all of our things, so I kept my clothes in the guest bedroom." The lie rolls off her tongue easily. For the sake of Yuji's survival, she figures she can take one for the team and just stay in Satoru's room. Besides, he'd probably insist on it with the unpredictable nature of Sukuna. "Is there anything that you need or want? I can make a list and go pick up some things for you." She gives him a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay, Kagome-san. Just having a roof and a bed is more than enough." Yuji sits down on the bed, patting the mattress.

"Memory foam," She offers up. "I'm going to make a list regardless." Leaving before he has a chance to refute her offer, Kagome makes her way to Satoru's room. The need to be behind a closed door away from Sukuna's prying stares shakes her core. What she–no, what they need is some kind of game plan. If the higher-ups would go out of their way to put two other students in danger, just to get rid of Yuji for being a vessel; it makes her wonder just how powerful is this king of curses?

She crawls under the cover, her eyes close briefly. The sheets smell like him, though the softness of them reminds her that he isn't there with her. Despite how lithe he is, he's surprisingly nothing but hard muscle. Get a grip, she tells herself as she rolls her eyes. There's no way this can end well. Not when there's so much uncertainty around why she was sent to this place, to begin with.

"Yo!" Satoru appears suddenly near the bed. Kagome lowers the covers, peering over at him. To anyone else, his smile would seem joyful–maybe even a bit mischievous, but she can see through the cracks of his facade.

"Come on, Yuji-kun is getting settled in." She scoots over, patting the space she created for him. "You need to rest more."

He slips his shoes off and slides into the space on the bed for him. Kagome reaches out towards his face, removing the blindfold. Not that she'll ever tell him, but his eyes are really captivating.

"Did someone die?" He whispers as if the moment will be broken if he speaks too loudly.

"Technically, Yuji-kun did." Her hands snake around him as she scoots in closer. "Where's Buyo Jr?"

"That's what I forgot." He laughs as he avoids looking at her. "Uh, well. He didn't want to leave Megumi's side."

"Are you saying that I've been betrayed?"

"Supposedly, he helped Megumi against Sukuna. Just how strong are the monsters in your world?"

"There're levels to them, like the curses here. Nekomata's are more supportive companions—"

"Like in an MMO, if you're playing a ranger class?"

"That's one way of putting it, yes. But what's this about Buyo Jr not wanting to come home?"

"I think Megumi needs him more than Buyo Jr needs to be at home." He nips the tip of her nose. Kagome tries to disengage herself from his embrace, but he only tightens his hold. "My poor students are traumatized. Think of the children."

"You're so dramatic for no reason."

"I need your help with Yuji," he starts. The switch of emotion is enough to give her whiplash. "I want to save him and exorcise Sukuna."

Kagome bites her bottom lip, eyes roving over his face. "You want me to purify him?"

His eyes widen as her words wash over him. Bumping his nose against her in a series of Eskimo kisses, he eventually covers her mouth with his own. "That's it! If you could purify the fingers before we give them to him, that should keep Sukuna from getting to his full strength." His hands run down the length of her. "He was pretty pissed when I gave him that finger."

"I don't know if I should be disgusted or relieved that Yuji can stomach eating one of those things."

"Can we stay like this for a bit?" He moves down, resting his head on her breasts. A loud sigh escapes his lips as he closes his eyes. "I've had such a hard, traumatic day."

"Now you're just taking advantage," she responds with no real bite to it. Her hands comb through his white locks, massaging his scalp with each pass through. The only response she gets is the sound of his soft snores and the feel of his chest rising and falling slowly. At least he's getting some rest, she thinks. She'll sort out these feelings some other time.

Chapter Text

The sun is barely shining through the curtains when Gojo wakes up, disoriented by just how well he slept. It's not like him to sleep for very long, and the amount of sleep he's received is suspicious even to his own limbs. There's a weightless that he can't recall ever having, at least not in his adult memory that grips him tight.

"Stop moving so much," Kagome's groggy voice rumbles. He freezes mid-stretch. How could he have forgotten how he fell asleep?

"Sorry," he whispers, looking up at her. The sight that greets him is one that he'll commit to memory for the many days where he can't afford to relax as he is now. With her hair fanned out around the pillows and her eyes half-lidded, there's an innocence about her that stirs his desires.

Kagome groans in return and pushes him off of her. He tries to reach for her hand, but she's already slipping out of the bed. Only the light from the master bathroom lets him know that she hasn't gone too far.

"Come back to bed," he calls out, arms stretched wide as he lies across the bed. "I can just play hooky."

"Absolutely not." She walks back out, wearing his light blue robe. It practically hangs off of her with how small she is compared to him. "I'm going to make pancakes, and you are going to work. Those students are counting on you, so something like this doesn't happen again."

"I love it when you boss me around." He laughs, swatting the pillow away and grabbing a hold of her arms instead. "You sure you don't want to just stay in bed." He pulls her on top of him, so her legs are caging him in. His hold on her is lax enough that she could get away if she really wanted to, though the widening of her eyes and the blush spreading down her neck tells him that she's more than comfortable where she's at.

"You'd turn down chocolate chip pancakes?" Her voice upticks with incredulity.

He pretends to think it over, lips turned down in a pout. He hums and repeatedly opens and closes his mouth as if the answer keeps slipping from his mind. "Pancakes are sweet, and I would get to have something that you made for me. But I'd rather just have you instead."

"You're such a pervert," she says, rolling her eyes. "Did you forget that it's not just us here?" She leans down, her lips a hair width away from his own. He did actually forget about Yuji being there, which makes his blood boil once more at the reason as to why Yuji is staying with them. Maybe another trip—a longer trip—is in order; though if he were to come back to another student dead, then he might actually have to kill the elders for their audacity.

"So, you aren't going to help me out?" He tries once more to no avail.

"Breakfast, and then you need to work." She swings her leg over, her hands stabilizing themselves on his chest.

"That wasn't a no!" He calls out after her. Gojo sits up, kicking the covers further down the bed. The hell was wrong with him, he questions himself. Shoko was right. It's not like him to be so affectionate and to be enamored so quickly with someone that he's basically just met. He glances over at the closed door, the sounds of Kagome rummaging around in the kitchen drifts down the hallway. "Whatever," he mutters under his breath. There's no point in dwelling on it when the outcome isn't going to change. He wants her, and no amount of questioning himself is going to change that fact. Besides, if he questioned even a third of his own actions, then he'd be as boring as Nanami.

"Gojo-sensei," Yuji calls out from behind the door. "Kagome-san is making breakfast if you want to join."

"Why are you up so early?" Gojo replies, willing himself to get out of the bed. Who knew that too much sleep would make it harder for him to start his day? Walking over to his closet, he slips on a simple white shirt—he tossed the shirt he was wearing last night at some point in the night.

"I couldn't sleep."

Gojo opens up the door to Yuji's bright pink hair. "Don't worry, after I get done sparing with you, you'll sleep like a baby." Gojo pats his shoulders as he brushes past.

"Am I even going to be alive?" Yuji trails behind him.

"Hey, you know what they say? If you die twice, then shame on you." He wags his finger in the air as he punctuates each word. He doesn't need to see behind him to know the exasperated look that decorates Yuji's face.

"No one says that."

"I just said it." Gojo pulls out a chair, sending a wink Kagome's way when she looks over at him.

"That's—okay." Yuji beams as Kagome sets a plate of pancakes and eggs down in front of him. "Thanks, Kagome-san!" His student glows from the attention as Kagome lovingly pats Yuji's head. He doesn't need the power of the six eyes to see the motherly instinct brewing to the surface.

His phone vibrates violently on the table. Gojo decides to ignore it. Instead, he digs into the stack in front of him.

"Satoru."

"Fine, fine," he responds as he adds more syrup to his stack. Taking a large bite, he uses his free hand to scroll through the messages. "Just a couple missions before I meet with Megumi and Nobara. It'll take like ten minutes tops." He stuffs another bite in his mouth. "Yuji, before I go, you'll have a project to work on while I'm out."

"A project?" Yuji repeats. Gojo pointedly ignores the sigh drifting from Kagome.

"You didn't think it was just about fighting curses, did you?" He leans back, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Oh no, there's a whole curriculum and exams."

"Please tell me I don't have to learn physics."

Kagome shakes her head as she rises to gather their plates.

"Look at you, so domestic." He teases, batting his eyes in an overly dramatic fashion.

"I'm slightly uncomfortable," Yuji speaks up, his face twisted in a grimace.

"Aw, are you embarrassed?" Gojo leans over and pinches Yuji's cheek.

"Ow!" Yuji places a hand over his abused cheek. The area is bright red and looks as though it wants to swell up.

Whoops.

"Ah, my bad. Forgot my own strength there." Gojo stands, sliding his phone into his pocket. "Come on, let me show you your project." He motions for Yuji to follow him out to the living room. "I don't have any DVDs here, but there should be plenty of mindless shows to watch on T.V."

"My project… is to watch movies?"

"No, your project is to work on your cursed energy. You need more work using your cursed energy at will." He flips on the T.V. "Oh, this one is good. The hero loses his lover to a terrible disease in the end."

"Spoilers."

"So this cute, innocent, teddy bear is going to assist you." Gojo grabs the bear from the hall closet and holds it out for Yuji to inspect.

"Why is it wearing boxing gloves?" Yuji pokes at the blue gloves.

"To better hit you with."

"What?"

He thrusts the teddy bear into Yuji's arms. The moment his hand leaves the bear, it wakes up and undercuts Yuji. Gojo bites down on his tongue to prevent his laughter from leaving his lips. "You need to be constantly pouring out curse energy if you don't want it to strike you." Gojo tilts his head to the side, listening to the pitter patters of Kagome walking away from where he's at.

"But how will watching movies help with that? Ow!" Yuji holds the swinging bear out at a distance.

"It needs to be subconscious. Bonus points if you master it before I get back tonight." He turns to walk out, rubbing his forehead as he goes. He knows he should have grabbed his blindfold or glasses before joining them for breakfast. Following the sound of running water, he finds himself back in his room. The door to the master bath is open as Kagome walks out, still wearing his robe.

"What's wrong?" She walks over to him, standing on the tips of her toes to cradle his face. The small sparks of her purification passing through her fingertips and warming his skin are blissful. He closes his eyes, the headache fading away as her warmth fills him.

"Just got overstimulated, nothing serious."

"From giving Yuji his project?"

"Nah, I didn't put my blindfold on." He opens his eyes, taking in every small detail. "It's an eye thing." She pulls back and runs back to the bathroom. The despair rolls off of her in waves. "You forget to turn the water off," He questions as he steps into the bathroom.

"I need to pick up some things for Yuji-kun," she responds, ignoring his jab.

"It can't wait til later?" He walks over, dipping a hand into the water.

"That's silly, besides who knows when you'll be home."

"You'll probably get kidnapped again." He huffs.

"I don't get kidnapped that often," She replies a little too quickly.

"Why don't I believe you?" He removes his shirt, tossing it somewhere.

"I didn't run this bath for you." She moves to push him, groaning when he doesn't budge. "Satoru."

"I thought this was our new routine. No?" She shoots him an annoyed look. "Fine," he amends. "But if you run into any trouble, you don't hesitate. I'll deal with the repercussions later." Crossing his arms, he raises a brow at the far-away look on her face. He follows her focus to his forearms, noting the way her lips part as his muscles twitch.

Oh.

"Who's the pervert again?" He teases.

"Shut up." She stammers out. This time he allows her to push him out of the bathroom.

"I'll leave some cash out on the dresser." He frowns at the closed door in his face. Pressing up against it, he knocks to a beat only he knows. "Are you sure, I can't join? You'd really send me to work without washing first?"

"Have a good day, Gojo," she calls out from behind the door.

"Soo mean." He pouts. Knowing that his efforts are futile, he throws on his uniform. He sends a message to Ijichi. Just because he can't be there on her errand, doesn't mean he can't send a chaperone. There's a reason why everyone calls him the smartest, he tells himself as he teleports to the first case of the day.

Chapter Text

The drive into town is uneventful and if Kagome were to be honest with herself, which she likes to believe she is, the drive is just a smidge uncomfortable. She's not surprised that Satoru would have his—driver? Actually, she isn't quite sure what Ijichi-san's role is. All she knows is that man jumps at every command Satoru barks at him.

Remember to lecture Satoru later.

"Kagome-san," Ijichi speaks up as they come to a stop. "I wanted to thank you for the kind words you spoke to Yuji. And Gojo-san has been easier to deal with." He cuts the engine and steps out of the car.

Of course, he would assign her a bodyguard.

Joining Ijichi outside, her gaze cools as she assesses. There's a tick in his hands as the keys tremble on their way into his slack pockets. His face is no less sunken than it was the other day. Maybe a lack of rest, or maybe it's all the stress from this cursed world.

"Yuji-kun is still just a kid. I can't imagine the strain he's going through." She walks forward, eyeing the clothing store just up ahead. "You shouldn't let Satoru mistreat you. I'm sure you had better things to do than to drive me around today." Nothing in the window appeals to her, so she walks past the store. What she needs is just a couple of outfits for Yuji.

"Actually, Gojo-san compensated me for today." His smile is wobbly as if the action is foreign to his lips.

Taking a sharp turn down an alleyway, Kagome follows the tug on her soul. The sounds of footsteps thundering behind her becomes a distant noise as she walks briskly to the heart of the tugging.

The store is quaint and contains a variety of objects that scream 'curse me, please'. And yet, despite the dark decor and debatable merchandise, there's a familiarity that shifts her heart.

Demonic energy. Powerful demons at that. She knows that feel like a lover's caress.

Kagome runs a hand along a row of fake good luck charms. Humming a soft melody, one that Shippo-Chan favored, she continues to explore the shop, in search of calligraphy tools and white parchment.

"This place," Ijichi says, trembling as he avoids looking at any one thing.

It's odd that someone caught up in a world of curses is so afraid of being inside of an occult shop. Surely, he's seen worse things than a... mummified imp foot! She lets out a squeal as she snatches the hand up.

"I must advise that you do not eat that, Kagome-san."

"Oh, my goodness! Did you just tell a joke?" Clasping the foot to her chest, her mouth pops open.

"N-no." He waves his hands in front of him as sweat slides down his brow. His slicked down hair unravels, curling upwards. "This place isn't safe."

"What a rude assumption." Kagome and Ijichi turn towards the voice. At first glance, the man looks like an older Shippo with his vibrant hair twisted into an intricate side braid. Though it's the glow of the man's green eyes that gives him away. "This is a very safe shop. I personally assure you."

"Are you the owner?" Kagome asks, cutting off the start of Ijichi's stuttering. The mummified foot is heavy in her palm.

"Yakeru. A pleasure to meet you, Miss." He looks at Kagome but his words direct themselves to Ijichi. "This shop has been in the family for centuries. We've worked very hard to keep it afloat and provide for a variety of customers." He plucks the imp foot out of Kagome's grasp, turning it over. "Did you know that these are said to bring good luck to those that carry them?"

"It's not every day, you find such a rare find. Even in an occult shop," Kagome says. The air around them electrifies as Yakeru cools his gaze to nothing more than a forest green. His lips break out in a wide smile as the seconds pass by.

"A woman of my heart." He winks. Waiving his free hand, he twirls it in a manner to say, 'look at what all I have to offer'. His kimono flutters with the movement. From his attire, Kagome thinks he's more suited for shrine life than running a shop. "Is there anything I can help you find?"

"I need parchment and a calligraphy set. I'll want that foot too." She places a finger on her chin. There's still a tug on her soul that goes past the man, no demon, in front of her. Something else that he's hiding. "Would you by chance have any fox statures? I'm partial to nine tails."

His smile gets bigger as his eyes widen. "My dear, you truly are a gem!" He motions for them to follow him to the front desk. Depositing the hand onto the counter, he tilts his head towards the glass case behind the counter. "I'll go get the other items you want."

"We can grab them, sir." Ijichi pushes his glasses up.

"If you would please do me the honor of surprising you two. This is the most fun I've had in a long time." He walks off as Ijichi splutters after him.

"Kagome-san, we need to leave."

"There's nothing to worry about Ijichi-san." She places a hand on his shoulder and gives it a squeeze. "Trust me, he doesn't mean us harm. He's just... eccentric."

Satoru said that demons didn't exist in this world and now that she's found one that talks, there's no way she's going to allow this opportunity to pass by. Besides, she really is partial to foxes. That pull starts up again. Stronger. Her grip loosens when she sees just what is behind the glass case. "It can't be." She places both hands on the counter, leaning forward to look at the object.

"I assure you, that you will love these-" Yakeru's voice breaks out, but it's muffled like the background noise she puts on when she wants to get a bunch of cleaning done. She can't hear anything clearly over the blood pumping in her eardrums.

"Kagome-san?"

The glass shatters. She quickly ducks, throwing her hands up as the shards fall around her. She happens a look at Ijichi. The poor man is crouched down, lips muttering. Chanting a prayer? Pivoting, she looks over at Yakeru, who stands firm with the parchment, calligraphy set, and small wooden fox statue in his hands.

"The hell is going on out here!" A woman's voice flits from the back. Kagome stands, dusts the imaginary glass from her arms. Her focus is torn between the floating jewel and the angry voice fast approaching.

"For it to react," Yakeru says, as he moves around the glass on the floor to grab a bag behind the counter.

"Yakeru, what are you-" The woman stops and stares at the floating jewel. Her green eyes are vibrant with fury, so much so that they look more like a slit than a pupil. "Who are you?" Her nails lengthen into claws at her sides. The woman's hair, despite being in a high ponytail, reaches to her waist. Kagome may or may not be just a tad bit jealous of those red locks.

"No, no, no." Ijichi wails, hugging himself.

"I thought this was a simple shop," Kagome responds. The jewel floats towards her, pulsing blue. It looks just like the Shikon jewel, but the energy radiating off of it is different. Purer. Regardless, she doesn't trust its intentions. "And yet, there are two foxes running it."

"Humans don't typically know about demons," the woman's voice drips, as her hand twitches at her sides.

"Yumi, knock it off. Don't you see what's happening?" He places the bag on the counter and then grabs a broom. "I never thought that I'd see this day." Tears well in his eyes as he brushes the glass into a neat pile. "Inari-sama has blessed us on this day. I knew you were special from the moment you walked in." He retrieves a dustpan. It's like an out-of-body experience to watch him do something so mundane when there's a jewel hovering near her. With the glass swept up, he walks over to Kagome and bends down onto one knee.

"What are you doing?" She questions, taking a step back. At the same time, the jewel propels itself forward while she's distracted. Burying itself into her, her body pulses from the overwhelming amount of energy merging with her DNA. The shop glows pink. Her body is weightless.

Fuck. Satoru is going to have an aneurysm when she gets back home. She can already picture it, as he'll no doubt go on and on about why she can't be trusted to go anywhere without him.

Yakeru reaches out for her hand as the light fades away. "Shikon priestess, I have waited so long for you."

"No, you haven't," Yumi injects, her arms crossed with her claws digging into her own kimono.

"Hush, Yumi. I have always believed in the prophecy. My lady, please allow me to serve under you."

"What?"

"You can't be serious!"

"No, no, no."

There were too many voices all speaking at once. Kagome tugs her hand back. "Stop! Everyone, stop talking." Once everyone quiets down, she speaks up again. "What prophecy? And I don't know you, you don't know me. Dedicating yourself to me is a little..." She can't find the proper word to describe just how confused she's feeling.

"It's a children's tale. Nothing more," Yumi replies.

"It is not just some tale. The prophecy speaks that the Shikon priestess will arise to bring about a new world. That she alone, will change the world on its axis. The jewel has only one true master, and those that tried to control its power perished like insects. So, please, allow me to serve under you, my lady."

"Have you no pride? This is sickening." Yumi stomps away, her aura fluctuating with each coaster of emotion. Some of the merchandise gets knocked off of their shelves as Yumi leaves.

That one is going to be a problem.

"Um. Please stand." She waits for him to stand. His face is so earnest like a puppy waiting for its next command, that Kagome finds herself faltering. "I don't like the thought of being over on anyone. Why don't we start off as friends instead?" She thrusts a hand out.

"My lady," he starts as he shakes her hand, "it would be an honor."

"Kagome is just fine." Looking over at Ijichi, her head throbs. Hopefully, Satoru doesn't overreact. She's starting to learn that it's hit or miss with that guy. "Ijichi-san, let's pay for our things and go. We still need to pick up items for Yuji-kun."

The faster they get out of the shop, the better. Yakeru is practically harmless, but that other fox. Unease shifts in her gut. That other one might be trouble later.

***

"Anything you'd like to share with the class?" Satoru's voice hits the hairs of her neck before her brain has time to process what he's referring to. "A little mouse told me about the friends you made." Satoru sticks his hands into his jacket pockets.

"You sound like a jealous boyfriend." Kagome rolls her eyes as she motions for him to follow her into the bathroom. Turning the shower on, the room heats up with steam. The rhythmic noise of the water hitting the shower floor is so soothing.

"If you think us taking a shower is going to get you out of this conversation," he says. A flirty grin flashes her way as he moves to undo the blindfold.

"I don't want to risk Yuji-kun overhearing."

"We can be extra cautious-"

"I ran into a pair of demons," she interrupts. "Foxes to be specific. No, they aren't like Buyo Jr. These two have humanoid forms. They own an occult shop."

"You're hiding something. You bite your lip when something is bothering you." He sets the blindfold down on the countertops.

"I didn't share this because I didn't think it was relevant." Her heart speeds up as Satoru removes his jacket and then his shirt. "I'm the Shikon priestess. The jewel isn't a cursed object, but you can look at it that way, I guess." She looks up at the ceiling, careful to keep her focus on everything but him.

"Not a cursed object and you're its priestess," he sums up as he walks past to step into the shower. "What does that have to do with the demons?"

"There was a Shikon jewel in this world."

"Was or is?"

"Was," she reiterates. "The foxes had it, which is what led me to their shop, to begin with." The sound of the glass door sliding reaches her ears. Her heart rate accelerates.

Is she really having a serious conversation while he's taking a shower?

"You could have waited to shower. Did you forget that your shower door is glass?"

"Why would I waste water? What happened with the jewel? Your energy is off."

"How do you know my energy is off?"

"Six eyes."

She waits for him to elaborate. He doesn't. Huffing, she continues. "The jewel of this world came with a prophecy that I apparently fit the bill for. The jewel woke up and merged with me. I was born with the jewel in my world, but it wasn't merged with me."

Satoru hums.

He doesn't care about that. Of course, he doesn't.

"Yakeru pledged himself to me. He was always fascinated by the prophecy and wants to see it come to pass.

"I'm gonna fight him," he says it so gleefully as he slides the door back to peek his head out. Forgetting about his lack of attire, Kagome whips her head in his direction.

"Absolutely not!" She covers her eyes with her hands. Her skin flushes red. "Why are you naked!" The accusation sounds stupid to her own ears, but the sight of him shocked the intelligence out of her.

"You're so cute when you get flustered. Ah, but can I at least spar with him? Never fought a demon before."

"Don't you want to at least know what the prophecy says?" Changing the subject is the best course of action she determines.

"Can't be too bad if it involves you."

"It was something to the effect of me changing the world on its axis."

"Hey, I did the same thing when I was born! Hashtag world changers." He snickers, but Kagome only frowns in response.

"You aren't at all concerned about demons suddenly popping up or that volcano curse that could talk?"

"Worrying leads to wrinkles and Ijichi has enough of those for the both of us." He steps out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. "Hey, can you do that thing from earlier?"

"Thing from earlier?" Her nose wrinkles as she racks her mind. Too much has happened since this morning. "Rub your forehead?" At his nod, she reaches out to caress his face. Droplets of water slide down onto her arms as he presses her back to the counters. Focusing on massaging his temples, Kagome ignores how her top is getting soaked from him. And she's for sure not focusing on how thin the towel is.

"We could just stay like this," he murmurs.

It strikes her then, from the way his body sags against her own, and the even rise and fall of his chest, that he's carrying a lot more on his shoulders than she thought. She pauses and pulls his face closer, ignoring the confusion on his face. Her lips brush against his.

They can stay like this for a while longer.

Chapter Text

The sound of his phone's vibrations against the nightstand reaches his ears before his hand blindly hits the end button. Gojo knows before he opens his eyes that it's just another urgent mission. The higher-ups have been piling more on his plate because he supposedly threatened them.

So what if he told them to be careful who they make enemies out of? He practically gave them life advice.

"You should enforce office hours," Kagome says, voice thick with sleep. Her hand rests on his chest. "What time is it?"

He reaches out and lifts his phone up. "A little after three." He sets the phone back down and stretches out. Idle fingers trail the length of Kagome's arms. Her skin is always so soft. "Ah, but I'm sure it could wait another hour or four."

"Mhm sure." She shifts, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck.

***

"Now who's taking advantage?" He whispers, not surprised when he doesn't get a response.

"I want to go on a mission," Kagome voices from the bed as he slips into his uniform. Gojo glances back at her.

"Yeah, no."

"Why not? You send your students on missions." She eases off of the bed and walks around to his front. Silently he debates if he should wear his blindfold or his glasses. It's supposed to be a nice day out, and he might be able to sneak away and do some sightseeing.

"You're kind of a danger magnet." He shrugs as he determines that wearing his glasses would switch things up a bit.

"It can't be any more dangerous than all the other situations I've been in." She plants her hands on her hips. "If I can survive fighting demons in the feudal era, I can handle a couple of curses."

"Wait - what?" His glasses slide down, resting on the tip of his nose. "Feudal era? I thought you were 24. Have you been lying to me this whole time?" He gasps, clutching his jacket in mock annoyance.

"Time travel. I had a special well on my property. Which is how I ended up here."

He blinks. Once. Twice.

"Man, you are so lucky that you fell into my lap." He smacks a hand to his forehead and lets out a dramatic sigh. The higher-ups would have a field day with her. Forget about the demons. A human that can purify cursed energy and time travel is the bigger threat. "I'd rather just keep you here where it's safe." He spikes his fingers through the short white locks. "But that would make me a toxic boyfriend. But not keeping you safe would also make me awful."

"How about settling for trusting me?"

"You sure ask a lot," he complains, looking upward at the ceiling. He groans at the light slap to his abs.

"Remember when you tossed me in front of that curse?"

"A gentle nudge and it was weak. The missions assigned to me are stronger." He giggles as he struggles to get the words out. Honestly, all the missions are all so boring, even that volcano curse was weak.

"How am I supposed to take on the king of curses if you won't let me help you with the weaker ones? And besides, I'll be with you."

He pulls out his phone and snaps a picture. The image of her trying to persuade him is one that he wants to keep for a long time. It's actually kind of adorable that she thinks he can be swayed by logic. "Why the sudden urge?" He pockets his phone before she can make a swipe for it.

"I'm just feeling kind of useless. I'm not really doing much other than keeping the apartment up and shopping." She crosses her arms. "Like I'm freeloading. But if I could help take out some of the curses that would mean less work for you, and then you could get more rest."

"And here I thought it was everyone's dream to be a kept woman." He frowns. It never occurred to him that she wasn't happy with their current arrangement.

"Excuse me?"

"Alright, alright. I may as well make it a field trip and take Yuji-kun too."

"But I can't shoot my arrows if Yuji is around."

"I guess you'll just have to stick close to me where it's safe." He shakes his head. "You know, this is a great honor. I don't take just anyone on my missions." The look she gives him has him fighting back giggles. "Why don't you get dressed and I'll go tell Yuji-kun the wonderful news."

"No leaving without me." She pokes his chest.

"Yeah, yeah," he responds, gripping her finger and playfully nipping at it. "Gonna go wake up my star pupil now." He backs away and closes the door on his way out. Completely bypassing the room that Yuji is sound asleep in, Gojo instead heads for the kitchen. He grabs two pans from the cabinet and starts banging them together as he walks back down the hall. "Wake up, Yuji!" he calls over the sound of the banging pots.

"G-gojo... sensei?" Yuji scratches his cheek as he opens the door. "What's going on?"

"Field trip!" Gojo bangs the pots again.

"The sun isn't even out yet," Yuji complains, covering his ears. "And do you have to bang those pans? Jeez."

"Curses wait for no one and nothing. You must always keep this in mind." Gojo waves one small pan in Yuji's face.

"Satoru! Seriously?" Kagome questions as she walks towards them. "The things I put up with."

"What are you talking about? I'm a joy to be around."

"It's too early for this," Yuji says, smacking his cheeks. "But I'm ready, Gojo-sensei!"

"That's the spirit! Get dressed. We've already wasted too much time." Gojo smiles. "C'mon children, we've got curses to exorcise and sweets to eat." He bangs the pans once more.

"If you bang those pans one more time, I'm never kissing you again." Kagome juts her chin out as if daring him to defy her. The thought crosses his mind and it must read on his face because she arches a brow in response. "Try me."

"So mean!" He drops the pans and latches onto her as she walks past. The action causes her to stumble back and crash into him. "This position is familiar," he coos. The sound of the door slamming shut breaks up the moment. Once again, he forgot about Yuji-kun.

"I think we're scaring him."

"It'll help motivate him to get stronger, so he doesn't die again."

"I- I have no words."

"Understandable, there aren't enough words to describe how inspiring I am."

"God, your ego is huge." She moves to get up. He tightens his hold around her waist and whispers near her ear.

"That's not the only thing." The blush decorating her face stirs his desires. If only he hadn't already gone through the trouble of waking Yuji up. "I love touching you." He lets out a contented sigh.

"Satoru—"

"You guys are still out here?" Yuji questions, looking down at both of them. Gojo just huffs in response.

"Alright, alright. Let's go. I want to get this taken care of in time for breakfast." He unwraps his arms from Kagome and grabs the pans as he moves to stand up. "And then we've got to train for the exchange event."

"Sensei!" Yuji raises his hand. "What's the exchange event."

"I didn't tell you? Whoops." He laughs, not at all bothered. Kagome and Yuji stare at him as if he's the crazy one. So like a sensible adult, he bangs the pans once more. "Come on you two," he chastises. "So much work to get done."

"Are the trains running at this hour?" Kagome asks as she takes the pans from him.

"Oh, Ijichi has been waiting outside this whole time." Gojo speed walks out the door, laughing the whole way to the car.

Chapter Text

Kagome stares hard at the scene in front of her. The small town is bustling with townsfolk and tourist alike. With its simple shops and albeit beautiful spares of nature, she just can't figure out why this town and not Tokyo is full of tourists. Then again, she's never bothered to pay attention to how far away the apartment is from the city. Not that Satoru would let her focus on anything other than him. She huffs. Turns her head in his direction. Satoru's eyes gleam with mischief behind his black shades.

"For someone so insistent on tagging along, you sure don't pay attention." He sticks his bottom lip out.

"You've been talking about ice cream and shortcakes the whole ride here. Which isn't actual breakfast by the way." She rolls her brown eyes and then makes contact with Ijichi. "Ijichi-san, could you please share the details of the mission? I don't trust Satoru to not leave something out."

"Rude!"

"Of course, Kagome-san." Ijichi pulls into an alley parking spot. "There have been reports—rumors of people coming back to life." He takes a breath. "Some can revive their stillborn children and others have reported that zombies are attacking."

"Zombies?" She repeats, though her mind is still stuck on the resurrection of children. His words loop through her mind like a broken record.

"That's creepy," Yuji voices from the passenger's seat. Agreement rumbles from Kagome's chest.

"Eh? People actually fall for something as ridiculous as that?"

"No one thinks rationally when they are grieving," Kagome says. Satoru just shrugs. She tapers it down, but if they were alone, then she'd remind Satoru how no one would believe that she literally fell into his lap from another world. Resurrection isn't that farfetched. "Moving on. Please continue."

"Thank you. We believe that it may be the work of a curse user. The mothers who have sought to bring their child back to life have been reported to have been murdered. Specifically, their faces have been ripped off. Authorities have found them still holding onto their children." He clears his throat. "The zombies have been reported attacking at night and taking chunks out of the victims. Some have been able to get away, only to die in the hospital from their injuries."

"I really should have taken you guys on a different mission," Satoru chimes in. He says it so blase, as though everything is nothing more than a joke. But Kagome sees the way his hands flex against her thighs and how his shoulders stiffen. There are no exaggerated facial expressions to go along with his words.

"What is a curse user? Isn't that what you are?" She steers the subject to the potential suspect.

"Someone that uses their technique to harm other humans. A sorcerer- a proper one, uses their abilities to protect those that can't protect themselves." He grips the door handle and huffs. "Are you going to let us out or not?" Just as quickly as the door unlocks, Satoru is out of the car. Kagome grabs the bow and arrow that he told her not to bring. It's not a matter of not trusting that Satoru is strong—she can feel that he is—but more so that she refuses to be some damsel in distress.

"Gojo-sensei, how are we supposed to find this curse user? There's so many people here," Yuji questions, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Cursed energy leaves a trail." Satoru stops and points down. "Focus. Can you see the footprints? Whoever is behind this, is sloppy to leave a trail like this. Or they want to be found." He resumes following the trail. From her left, Yuji bounces as he walks. Happiness radiates off the pink-haired boy. Kagome smiles as she looks him over. She had forgotten what it was like to go on an adventure. And it's clear just how high Yuji regards Satoru.

They take several turns, weaving in and out of the crowd until they reach a souvenir shop. The dense amount of cursed energy around the area makes her sick. Kagome grips the quiver strap, her hands shake. A chill ices her veins as she resists the urge to purify the area. Satoru holds open the door for them, his face blank. Her own face burns as she refocuses on the problem at hand. It is so not the time to be thinking about how hot he looks when he's serious. As if sensing where her mind is diverging towards, Satoru winks at her. He laughs when she trips over her own feet on the way into the shop.

If it wasn't for the sheer dense amount of cursed energy, she would never suspect that such a bland store could be harboring such a terrible person. The souvenirs looked mediocre at best. Which, now that she thinks about it, could be why the man resorted to such terrible tactics.

"Are you the guy?" Satoru asks, stuffing his hands into his pockets. The man blinks as his mouth opens and closes as if he can't find the correct answer. His dark eyes sink in even more, threatening to melt inside of the surrounding flesh. His haggard appearance is off-putting as if he's the one under a curse. But she doesn't see any curses, so the source must be coming from him. "I'm on a tight schedule. It's a yes or no question," Satoru chides.

"Oh! I'm so glad you are here." The man clasps his hands together in prayer as he walks around the counter. "I've been requesting help for weeks," he says, voice quivering with each step. "I'd feel much better if we do this in the back. You are going to get rid of the curse, right?"

"So, he's not bringing the dead back to life?" Yuji asks as they follow the man to the back. Kagome looks up at Satoru, but he ignores both of them. "I'm so confused," Yuji grumbles to himself. Kagome reaches out and pats his back in reassurance.

The man turns to them. He looks—dare she say—hopeful. The standard black uniform clings to him from the sheer amount of perspiration coming from him. "I am so blessed. So blessed that it is you they sent." He dabs his forehead with his sleeve as he looks at Satoru.

"How are you bringing the dead back?" Satoru rocks on the ball of his feet.

"I-uh. Well, I retrieved their souls. With help," He stammers out, his chest heaves as black splotches break out on his face. His face elongates, as his teeth exchange themselves for fangs. His body stretches, ripping his clothes in the process. Kagome takes a step back. Satoru keeps rocking back and forth, not at all bothered by the sight of the once human transforming into some kind of beast.

There's a shift in the air. Stilted. It's as though all the oxygen is being sucked out of her lungs and stopping short on the tip of her tongue. Something isn't right. Kagome glances at Satoru. If he notices anything, he doesn't say. His gaze and Yuji's seem to be too concerned with the curse in front of them.

She just can't put her finger on it. Something just isn't right. And it's not how easily the curse spits out several barbed legs that twist and curve around one another. Nor is it the way its mouth oozes with some kind of dark mist.

"C'mere." Gojo reaches out, pulling her closer to him. "Yuji, hold on to me." He tucks his glasses into his jacket. "I believe that the special grade you fought had an incomplete domain. I'll show you what a perfect one looks like."

Kagome tunes Satoru out in favor of delving into that churning feeling in her gut. For a brief moment, the nauseous feeling passes as Satoru takes them into his domain. But even within his infinite void, there's still a tug urging her to investigate.

But what exactly?

A ball of red energy forms from the tip of Satoru's finger. It shoots out and exorcises the curse on immediate contact. She blinks as the white fades away and the storage room comes back into focus. Nimble fingers rub her side as Yuji praises Satoru repeatedly.

"That guy was weak. I want you beating curses ten times stronger."

s

"Eh? Ten times!"

Their back and forth are muffled as the hair on her arms stands up. "Something isn't right. There's something else here."

"I don't see anything," Satoru responds. "It's time for sweets, anyway."

"Wait, sensei. What about the zombies?" Yuji sticks his hand up.

"The curse is gone, so we don't need to worry about that." Satoru slips his glasses back on. "Wasn't expecting that guy to give in so easily, though. What a bore."

"That's the problem with humans. So fickle." Kagome's heart drops as they turn towards the sound of the newcomer.

"And you are?" Satoru asks, his voice deceptively cheery.

"No one of importance," the dark-haired demon answers. He tilts his head as he fishes out a mirror from his kimono. Horror seizes Kagome's throat. She can't sense anything from this demon.

Void. Like Kanna.

"You guys need to leave," She says, pulling her bow and an arrow out from the quiver. Satoru barks a laugh.

"You can't be serious?"

"Stay awhile," the demon speaks up. "I require a new curse user since you so rudely exorcised my last one."

"So, you're the one that cursed him?" Satoru spikes his hair. His stance is far too relaxed.

"It's easier that way. I wonder though." He rubs the mirror with affection, his yellow eyes assess them. "Just how far I'd get using you."

"Sensei isn't a curse user! He's a proper sorcerer," Yuji yells, his fists balled at his sides.

"So naïve," the demon mutters, holding the mirror up. Kagome moves to push Satoru out of the way, but the demon is faster. The mirror latches onto Satoru's soul. "How wonderful. Looks like that infinity can't protect you from everything."

The room lights blue from the power of the mirror and Satoru's soul attempting to fight back. His body shakes. Lurches forward and then back. Kagome and Yuji grab a hold of him as his body goes limp. Kagome's face grows hot as she takes in the lifelessness of him. It's not a sight she'd ever prepared herself for. She can barely hear Yuji's wails over the sound of her heart thrumming in her eardrums.

"So much for the strongest," Sukuna remarks. The sound of Yuji repeatedly slapping his face wakes Kagome from her daze. "To be defeated so easily. Ha! You stand no chance, brat. I can't wait to watch you two die slowly."

"You fucking bastard," Kagome screams as she rises up. She picks up the fallen bow and arrow on her way. Notches it. Her brown eyes blink back tears. Her entire body shakes, trying to expel the fury brewing inside of her. "Give him his soul back."

"Cute. But you are in no position to make demands of me, girl." The demon smirks as he looks at his mirror. She releases the arrow, aiming for the mirror. The demon scoffs. Laughs as the sparks emit from the arrow. "You can't possibly think that this will do anything?" He questions.

The arrow pierces. Cracks form in the mirror as the arrow forces its way further in. Pink bursts from the tip. "I'd release his soul if I were you." She notches another arrow. Points it at his head. The demon's dark eyes widen as the mirror shatters. The souls release. Some pass through the walls, some go out towards the ceiling. But the only one she cares about shoots directly towards Satoru's lifeless body.

She shoots the second arrow. The demon quickly fades away. The pressure in the room returns to normal as she drops her bow and falls to her knees at Satoru's side. Yuji regards her with a mixture of happiness and wariness.

"What did you do?" Sukuna questions. She ignores the appearance of a mouth on Yuji's cheek. Satoru still hasn't opened his eyes yet. Kagome brushes the white strands from his forehead as she moves him halfway onto her lap.

"Yuji-kun, would you be able to call for Ijichi-san? I don't think we'll be able to carry him back to the car."

"Y-yeah," he responds, scrambling to his feet. His footsteps get further away. She's thankful for the privacy.

"How are we supposed to get breakfast if you won't wake up?" Her lips wobble from the effort of trying to smile as tears fall freely from her eyes onto his face. "I'll have to tell Yuji-kun about your secret stash in the living room."

Satoru groans. Her breath hitches as she continues to rub his forehead. "I feel like I've been hit by a fucking train." She lifts his glasses up, delighting in the sparkling blue that greets her. "Hi," he whispers as if the moment will be broken.

"You're such an idiot," she scolds, leaning over to brush her lips against his. It's an awkward position, but they make it work. His hands reach out and grip the side of her face, deepening the kiss. "Next time, you listen."

"Mhm. But I'm your idiot." He stretches his legs and pulls her head back down.

"Yeah, I guess you are."

"You guess?" He whines. She kisses him again. Laughing against his lips despite the saltiness of her tears getting in the way.

"Come on, let's go get that breakfast you wanted."

Chapter Text

Fuck if his chest didn't hurt. Gojo stuffs his hands into his jacket pocket, resisting the urge to grip where his heart is. He miscalculated, not thinking much of that demon—void demon- to be specific. The last thing he needs is for Yuji to see how much it's affected him. He looks over at Kagome. Her shoulder brushes against him.

It's one thing to be vulnerable around her, but another to be weak in front of his student.

"Yuji-kun went to call Ijichi-san, so we wouldn't have to walk all the way back." She loops her arm through his. "You should take the rest of the day off. Your body needs time to readjust."

"You speak as though you have experience."

"Yeah, I went around with half of my soul for a long time."

"We should get away sometime and just talk." He lifts his other hand and waves at Yuji. He grits his teeth into a wide smile. "I'm alright Yuji-kun. Just wanted you to see what Gome-chan could do." Kagome twitches at his side.

"Ijichi-san will be here in just a few minutes. I sent him our location." Yuji stares at him with watery eyes. "I, uh. I didn't know that you could do that, Kagome-san. It was pretty incredible."

Kagome ducks her head, the blush spreads across her nose. "He managed to get away. But the mirror was broken, so that should solve the zombie problem. For now."

"Was he a curse user, too?"

"No," Gojo says, subtly leaning towards Kagome. His body is numb. His stomach hurts. Or maybe that's just hunger pains. "Demon." Kagome looks at him sharply. Ah, they were still keeping the demons a secret. Whoops.

"Satoru—"

"Baby, I've just gone through a traumatic experience. All for the sake of pushing you to the next level.

"I'll show you, traumatic."

Yuji rushes forward and envelops Gojo in a hug. He drops his infinity at the last second. He sometimes forgets how easily Kagome gets through. Kagome takes a step back, removing her arm from his.

"Please don't do that again, Gojo-sensei. I don't want to lose anyone else."

"I can't promise that. It comes with being a sorcerer. But I won't put myself in unnecessary danger to prove a point." He rubs Yuji's back. "Would your fox know anything about demons and curse users working together?" He asks.

"He isn't my fox." She shrugs. "I'd say chances are high that he'd know something. Foxes are tricksters, so I'd reason he'd be in the loop. But that can wait."

"I've never called off before." He frowns at the wetness staining his jacket. Right. How easily he's forgotten that Yuji saw him die. "Yuji, that's enough crying." He pats Yuji's back three times. "Besides, Ijichi is waiting outside."

"How do you know he's here already?" Yuji asks, pulling back and wiping his stray tears on his jacket sleeve.

Gross. "Six eyes." Gojo taps his temple and then reaches for Kagome. "I am all seeing, all knowing, all—"

"To think, I really thought this would humble you," Kagome says, shaking her head. She lifts their intertwined hands and pinches him. "C'mon. You want Ijichi-san to call in?" She bats her eyes as she leads them out of the store.

"I don't need Ijichi to call in for me." He scoffs as he ignores the wails of Ijichi asking what happened. "Quiet. Jeez. I don't look that bad."

"Be nice," Kagome admonishes. He sighs, loudly. As far as he's concerned, he's a delight. "Ijichi-san, do you think you can take us back to Yakeru's tomorrow?"

"The-the occult shop?"

"Uh? I wanted to go today," Gojo chimes in. Yuji tries to conceal his giggles.

"That shouldn't be an issue, Kagome-san. I'll need to double check Gojo-san's schedule. But I'm sure we'll be able to fit it in." Ijichi opens the back door for them. Like the gentleman he is, Gojo lets Kagome go first. "You have a meeting with Yaga-san at—"

"Not going. He'll get over it."

"B-but, Yaga…"

"Will get over it. I need food." He pulls out his phone and sends a quick message and another one to Megumi.

"Could we have a movie marathon? I can use that cursed bear thing for training," Yuji voices from the passenger seat. He turns around to look at them.

"I can make something back at home and we can just chill out. And yes, I'll make something sweet."

"Yay!" Yuji fist pumps the air and turns back around in his seat. Gojo unhooks his seatbelt, to the dismay of Ijichi, and lies his head on Kagome's lap.

"Wake me when we get there." He bends his knee. If it wasn't so inconvenient, he'd request that Ijichi start driving him around in a limo. But the streets are so narrow and that would draw more attention.

"Your mind is wandering," Kagome whispers into his ear. Her dark hair creates a curtain around his face.

"Is that cherry blossom?" He makes an exaggerated motion of sniffing the air.

"Rest." She lifts her head and threads her fingers through his white locks. He closes his eyes behind his dark shades.

***

"Yuji-kun, why don't you pick out some movies for us, and get the living room all set?" Kagome opens the door to the apartment. "Satoru, I'll get a bath going for you while I make us some lunch."

"I can't believe we missed breakfast."

"Can we watch something with Jennifer Lawrence in it?" Yuji bounces.

"Um, sure?" Kagome looks over at Gojo in confusion. "I don't care what we watch. Well, nothing too gory. We see enough of that in our day to day."

"Hey, can I ask you guys what you meant by demon?" Yuji scratches his cheek. "Sukuna hasn't stopped talking about how they're finally coming out of hiding."

Gojo huffs and throws his arms over Kagome. His head rests on the top of hers as he pulls her in closer. "It's exactly as it sounds. We've got demons popping up now. In addition to these special grade curses. I should have looked more into it when Buyo Jr came out of nowhere."

"Technically, I found him in a tree." Kagome wiggles, but it only makes Gojo tighten his hold. "My guess is that the demons that are still alive are probably pretty strong. They would have to be in order to blend in. But we aren't going to think about them right now. There's no point in theorizing when we can just ask Yakeru tomorrow."

"Still hungry," Gojo quips. His stomach cramps. At least the pounding in his head has subsided. He turns them around and walks them towards the bedroom. It's only once they reach the master bath that he unwraps himself from her.

"I really don't like the thought of demons and curses working together." She turns on the shower and then moves to start the bath.

"They may have something to do with that talking curse." He slips out of his clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. "Wanna join me? I'm still too weak from earlier," he says, stepping into the shower.

"If you can still flirt, then you're fine."

"But…" His breath hitches as she locks eyes with him. Her skin flushes red all the way down her neck.

"We can have some 'us' time later. Right now, Yuji-kun needs this reassurance. He just watched the strongest person he knows, get their soul ripped out." She winks. "The bath should be about done when you get out," she says on her way out.

He bangs his head on the shower wall. She can't say shit like that and just leave.

***

"Wow! This looks amazing Kagome-San," Yuji praises, taking the bento from her.

She hands him his box. "This is the chicken soboro. This is the lemon sweet potato. I made dango, and this is tuna carrot."

He recognizes that she's speaking to him, but his mind is still stuck on the promise she made earlier. "Thanks." He looks down at the food. It does look good. Kagome takes a seat next to him. "There's room on the couch, Yuji."

"That's alright. I feel like we're having a sleepover." Yuji props his head up with his hand and turns the movie on. The coffee table was off to the side, so that Yuji could spread out on the floor. The cursed bear makes no movement, nestled into Yuji's side.

"You pick up quickly," he says, pointing to the sleeping doll.

"Thanks, Gojo-sensei!" Yuji stuffs his face.

"How many movies are considered later?" Gojo leans over and whispers to Kagome. She gives him an unamused look. "Just asking for a friend."

"Behave." She takes a strip of chicken from his box and feeds it to him.

"You guys aren't going to talk the whole movie, are you?"

"Yes."

"No."

Yuji leans his head back to look at them. Gojo puts on a blank expression and pretends to zip his lips shut. Once Yuji turns back around, Gojo steals a dango from Kagome. He wags his finger at her. His heart rate jumps as his mouth pops open. He expected her to nip at him, not take his finger in her mouth.

"This is bullshit," he mouths, sinking further into the couch at how her body shakes from keeping her laughter contained. His sweat pants are suddenly too tight. He nods to himself. He'll get her later.

Chapter Text

Kagome rubs her eyes, staring at yet another movie starring Jennifer Lawrence. When Yuji-kun suggested it, she figured it would only be a movie or two. Satoru's fingers trace invisible patterns into her legs. He looks more relaxed, she thinks, and she's happy that he actually took the rest of the day off to relax. With a sigh, she untangles herself from the blanket and from Satoru's hold. "I'm going to get some more snacks," she announces. Kagome stretches her arms over her head as she walks to the kitchen. Her brows scrunch together as the sound of the movie playing increases in volume. It really doesn't need to be that loud, she thinks, but Yuji-kun is obsessed with that actress. She shrugs. She'll tell him to turn the volume down after she grabs some more snacks for them to munch on.

She leans forward to reach the cabinet. Kagome is just about to open the cabinet when the hard planes of Satoru press against her back. She doesn't need to look behind her to know that it's him. It startles her more that she didn't hear him coming up behind her. She lowers her arms as he places one hand on the counter, while the other snakes around her front and pulls her flush against him. He sighs, the warmth of his breath on the slope of her ear causes the hairs on her neck to stand. "Satoru?" He's ignoring her, she thinks as his hand moves down. Her stomach clenches. Her body flushes red from the compromising position.

Surely, he isn't going to try something with Yuji just in the other room.

"I've been good all night," he says. She can feel the smirk curling around each word. Her hands grip the counter for purchase, her skin is hot against the coolness of the counter. "And I think this counts as later." His fingers dip into her shorts, brushing against the soft material of her underwear.

Kagome bites down her bottom lip, her body shakes from the effort to not cry out. "This isn't," she says shakily. He moves her underwear to the side, her body jerks back, pressing against him further. "The place," she breathes out.

"We'll make it quick," he responds, leaning back. A whimper of protest starts to erupt from her throat when he removes his hands. He drops down to his knees, taking her shorts and underwear down with him before she has time to process the sudden coolness on her bare lips. "Just one taste."

Her knuckles turn white from the grip she has on the counter. A strangled cry manages to snake its way out of her mouth as she feels the pad of his tongue lick taut lines. Her mind is dizzy. She knows that no amount of lip biting will stop the moans he's so determined to coax out of her. Her hand covers her mouth, as her other arm gives out and she's forced to lean the rest of her body against the counter.

"Fuck," Satoru groans out, the vibrations send jolts straight through her core. His fingers dig into the front of her thighs, so harshly that she's sure that there will be indents burned into her skin from the contact. Arousal heats her veins, leaving her skin peppered with a light sheen of sweat. Tears gather in her eyes from the onslaught. "You taste so fucking good." His tongue is so hot against her that she feels that she may combust.

"Satoru," She cries out, muffled from her palm. Her eyes flutter shut; the tears flow freely down her cheeks. Her insides twist as her climax builds steadily. When his hand snakes around and his fingers piston themselves inside of her, she loses it. Her hand stings from the force of her bite as her climax erupts, coating Satoru's face. Her vision goes from black to white as the tidal wave of her orgasm washes over her.

He laughs, the sound sears itself into her memory. She's too far gone to be embarrassed just how quickly he took her over the edge. He kisses the inside of her thighs as he moves to pull her shorts and underwear back up her legs. Her breath comes out ragged as her heart pounds. Satoru finally stands, his bulge nestles against her. Her body throbs. Her mind is playing catch up.

That really just happened, and she let him.

"Thanks for the snack, Gome-chan," He whispers near her ear. Satoru lightly slaps her ass; her body involuntarily jerks from the force. His large hands soothe the sting before backing away. Her legs wobble as she sinks down onto the cool tile floor. She looks up at him, pink dusts her cheeks. Satoru lowers his glasses and stuffs his fingers into his mouth as he walks out of the kitchen. He's a monster, she thinks, he's going to ruin her.

She avoids looking at Yuji as she hands him the bag of chips.

***

The next morning finds them at the quaint occult shop. Satoru didn't want to waste any time in getting answers. Something along the lines of how in demand he is and his schedule being packed.

"Kagome-sama, you've returned!" Yakeru exclaims, opening the door to the shop before they have a chance. The red-haired fox is wearing a simple blue yukata, his hair is pulled back. Yakeru grips her hands, dragging her into the shop. "I had thought that you had forgotten about me."

"I don't think anyone could forget you," she replies, pulling her hand back. "And I told you, just Kagome." Satoru wraps his arms around her, his chin resting on her head. Possessive much, she thinks at his reaction.

"You must be her mate," Yakeru remarks so casually. He pauses, tilts his head to the side, and hums to himself. The sudden gasp startles Kagome. Yakeru points at them. "You're Gojo Satoru!"

"I didn't know I was famous in the demon circles."

"Yakeru, are you okay?" Kagome asks. She can't tell if he's ecstatic that Satoru is in his shop or terrified. It's either or, when Satoru is around.

"N-no, I'm afraid I am not." Yakeru looks up at the ceiling, a hand placed over his heart. "What fortune this year has sought fit to bestow upon me."

"Is this guy really a demon?" Yuji whispers, his expression doubtful. "He doesn't even look scary."

With the exception of Sesshomaru, Kagome knows that it's always the carefree ones that prove to be the most dangerous.

"It brings me so much joy, my lady, to know that you've found such a strong mate."

Kagome realizes that they are getting off track, fast, and she needs to reel in all parties. "Do you by chance, know anything about demons and curses working together?" Her body sways along with Satoru's. She breathes in his scent, basking in the rich cologne.

The change is instant. "Demons and curses have been working along side one another for centuries." He lifts a hand to the ceiling. "Curses are so simple minded, so they're the perfect thing to control." Yakeru frowns. "Personally, I've always found the things so revolting. Little parasites."

Yuji sticks his hand in the air, waves it. "I don't get it. How can you control a curse? And you don't look demonic."

"Get them addicted to demonic energy. The stronger the demon, the stronger the power boost will be for the curse. And if they want to keep getting that high, they'll do whatever that demon asks. It's really a basic concept. Though, cursing a human leads to better results. At least then, there's some level of intelligence." Yakeru breaks out in a wide cheshire grin. "A simple glamour hides my less than human features."

"Know anything about a talking curse? Looks like a volcano?" Satoru's voice drips with contempt.

"There's talking curses now?" Yakeru barks out a laugh. Wipes the corner of his eye, like the whole situation is nothing but a joke to him. "I'm not surprised that curses are getting stronger. After all, you did upset the power balance." His green eyes widen.

Kagome frowns. She knows that Satoru is strong – the man only proclaims he's the strongest at least three times a day, but to have changed the power balance gives her pause. Now that she thinks about it, that void demon mentioned wanting another human to use.

"Ah, sorry about that," Satoru says cheerily. "I suppose the question is, why are you guys coming out now?"

"I don't know if 'coming out' is the phrase I would use. We never left. But as to why others are starting to be bolder…" He stares at Kagome and smiles. "Ah, I can't answer that. Only those individuals know why. I'm perfectly content selling all this wonderful merchandise to my customers."

Satoru hums. "A spar later?"

The tension in the room fills Kagome's lungs. She sighs, easing some of the stress outward. It could be worse.

"You honor me," Yakeru praises. "While you are here, is there anything else that I could offer you?" He picks up a fox statue from the shelf. "Another fox statue? You can never go wrong with these."

"We'll be on our way now. I'll find you later for that spar." Satoru turns them around. "Come on Yuji-kun."

"No need to come all the way back here. I've got your scent."

"What does that even mean?" Yuji scratches his head as they walk out of the shop. "I'm even more confused." Yuji waves to Ijichi and walks around the car to get into the passenger seat.

"Satoru," Kagome says, moving her head to peer up at him. She wishes she could see his expression fully, but the blindfold hides his eyes from her.

"Don't stress over it." He opens the car door, unwrapping his arms from around her waist.

"Are you not coming with us?"

"I'll be home for dinner," Satoru says. "I need to speak with Yaga. And yes, Ijichi, I know what time the meeting is." He closes the door. Kagome rolls the window down.

"Come back safely." She nibbles on her bottom lip.

He blows her a kiss. "Don't worry, I'm the strongest."

Kagome rolls the window back up, pressing her face against it. Perhaps talking to Yakeru alone will yield better results.

Chapter Text

"How is the investigation going?" Yaga questions, his hands folded on top of the wooden desk. There's a couple of new cursed dolls near his hands.

"I'm still observing," Gojo replies. "What do you know about demons?"

If Yaga is surprised by the change in topic, he doesn't show it. "There's no such thing as actual demons." Yaga leans back in the chair. "Did you run into another unregistered?"

It occurs to him that Yaga truly doesn't believe that the existence of demons is possible. Gojo bites down on his tongue. Yakeru mentioned having some sort of glamor that hid his non-human like features. But how did demons as a whole fly under everyone's radar for centuries? There has to be something on them. "It wasn't a curse that I encountered."

"A new breed of curse, perhaps."

"Ask Master Tengen sometime." Gojo pushes himself off the wall and walks out. There is no point in sticking around and talking in circles over something that Yaga won't allow himself to believe. He walks down the halls, head cast down in thought, towards Megumi's room. Gojo rolls his shoulders, easing some of the tension away.

"Don't start," Megumi calls out. A couple of seconds later, the door opens.

Odd that Megumi heard him before he could start his excessive knocking. Gojo flashes a wide smile at the dark-haired boy. "Aw Megumi-kun! Your senses are getting better."

"It was actually Buyo Jr," he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

Gojo makes a show of looking around the boy. The once bare room is now decorated with pictures of Megumi and Buyo Jr. Kagome really isn't getting her cat back, he thinks. "Where is he?"

"Can we go out to the woods?" Megumi closes the door behind him and steps around Gojo.

"Must be important if we can't talk about it here," Gojo comments, following Megumi. "How's training going with the second years?"

"We'll win the event."

"Maki must be putting you guys through it." Gojo puts his hands into his pants pockets. What was so important that they had to go all the way out to the woods? It's not as though the school is overflowing with students and staff. "You know, Megumi-kun,"

"Don't start."

"Such a cruel child I've raised," Gojo replies with feigned hurt.

"I wanted to talk to you about Buyo," Megumi says. He turns around, facing Gojo. The trees surrounding provide a semblance of privacy.

"If you lost him, then you get to tell Gome-chan." Gojo wags his finger in the air, tsking.

"I didn't lose him," Megumi snaps. He clenches his fists, face cast into a frown.

Gojo's heart sinks drops to the bottom of his gut. "Megumi, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." His eyes snap towards the moving shadow, they widen behind his blindfold as Buyo Jr jumps out in his larger form. The nekomata approaches Gojo. He reaches a hand out and scratches Buyo's head. "How?"

"I don't know. I was experimenting with hiding weapons in the shadows when he just jumped in. He's able to go in and out as he pleases. My shikigami are different now."

Gojo stops petting Buyo Jr, much to the annoyance of the nekomata if the growls are anything to go by. "How different?" Gojo thinks back to the earlier conversation with Yakeru. If curses are able to gain power from demonic energy, then maybe Megumi's shikigami are no different.

Megumi calls forth his black dog. The size of it doesn't concern Gojo since he knows that Megumi lost his white dog from fighting that special grade. No, the size isn't a cause of concern, but the puffs of fire emitting from its jaws, and the electrifying energy surrounding it, are. "Are all of your shikigami like this?"

"In some fashion, yes." Megumi retracts his dog. "They're still tamed, but it is as though they have mutated. I'm just assuming that it is because of Buyo."

"Well, Buyo Jr here is a demon." Gojo resumes scratching the nekomata's ears. Honestly, he's just happy that the cat isn't lost or dead somewhere.

"Demons don't exist," Megumi states.

"Then what is Buyo? A mutated house cat?"

"But…"

"Does that change your opinion of him? I can take him back—"

"No!" Megumi coughs. "No, I like having him around. And he protected me when Sukuna took over. Are there more demons out there?"

"Yes." Gojo looks down at Buyo Jr. "They use some sort of glamor to keep themselves hidden. This is just a hypothesis, but Buyo Jr may be able to alert you if one of his kind is near. Not all of them are allies. How many people know about Buyo going in your shadow?"

"Just you. I told the others that he is a shikigami that I like to keep out. Nobara knows that he isn't."

"Let's keep it that way."

"I agree. You wouldn't want your humans experimenting on the poor thing," a voice calls out.

"Gojo-sensei, is that fox talking?"

"Yakeru?" Gojo asks, looking down at the red fox. He hopes that it's that stupid fox.

"I hope that this is later enough for you," the fox responds as its body shifts, stretching out into the red-headed man that Gojo is used to. "I didn't feel like following your scent all over Japan. Too cumbersome when you're a small business owner."

"Oh, funny how you got through the barrier." Gojo flashes his teeth, noting how Buyo moves from his side to stand in front of Megumi.

"That flimsy thing? I'm sure Kagome-sama could make one better." Yakeru waves the air as though the barrier that has kept the school protected for years is nothing more than a child's plaything. "At the very least, a barrier should keep people out. Just having one that makes the school invisible is ineffective. But what do I know?"

He likes to go off on tangents, Gojo thinks, but at least nothing in his stance suggests aggression. "Megumi, this is Yakeru. He's a fox demon. Not sure if he's an ally just yet."

"I have pledged myself to Kagome-sama, and as her mate, that pledge extends to you as well." Yakeru dips his head. "Others are free game if it pleases me."

"Mate? Pledge?"

"Megumi, did I ever give you the birds and bees talk?" Gojo quips. Heat ebbs and flows through his veins.

"I'm going to punch you, knock it off."

"At any rate, you requested a spar," Yakeru interjects.

Gojo teleports to the side of Yakeru and kicks the fox. He doesn't want to kill the demon, so he holds back, treats Yakeru as if he were one of his students. Easy. Not too much force, but not so little that Yakeru won't feel the pain later. Buyo Jr's hair spikes up. "Easy, boy," he says, "Yakeru and I are just training."

"I certainly wouldn't want to face you seriously," Yakeru says, standing up. He pulls out a flask and throws the items onto the floor. Pink smoke follows the contact.

It would be an effective tactic against anyone else, Gojo thinks, grabbing a hold of the fist that Yakeru throws at him. The man's face is lit up in pure joy, his green eyes sparkle along with the trees, and for a brief moment, Gojo allows a genuine smile to grace his face. "Is this all that you can do?" He mocks.

Mischief flashes across Yakeru's face. "Of course not, there are better tactics to use against someone like you." He kicks out and jumps back when Gojo releases his fist.

"Oh?" Gojo hums, crosses his arms. Yakeru blows a kiss at him as white smoke engulfs the demon's body. Confusion crashes into him, forcing him to take a step back. Logically he knows that what he's seeing can't be true, but his six eyes never lie to him.

"How do I look?" Yakeru asks, twirling around. The short green skirt rises up in the action. "A perfect transformation, yeah?"

"Why do you look like Kagome," Gojo grounds out, his body shakes. It's not her, he reminds himself, but he can't bring his body to move.

"Doesn't matter how strong the human is," Yakeru states, "there's always a weakness somewhere. So, what will you do now? Would you actually attack your mate?" He sticks his tongue out and throws up his hands.

It makes Gojo sick.

"You can't do it," Yakeru goads and then sighs dramatically. "Can I call you Satoru? I feel like we're learning so much about one another."

"Why do you look like Kagome?" Gojo repeats.

"I can transform into anything or anyone." Yakeru plays with the hem of the skirt.

"Don't flash my student."

"How is this guy an ally again?" Megumi questions.

"Can your six eyes see through the illusion?" Yakeru crosses his arms, the action pushes his bust–no, Kagome's bust upward.

Gojo berates himself for noticing. "No… there is a haze around you. Kagome's aura is brighter."

"Focus on that. Cursed energy is similar enough to demonic. You just need to train your eyes to see the difference."

Gojo tilts his head. When did he become the student in this exchange?

"Can all demons do this?" Megumi asks.

"No, but enough of us can."

While they chat, Gojo focuses on the distortion of energy, pushing past the ache between his eyes. The image of Kagome fades away, morphing back into Yakeru. "Seven. You have seven tails." He snaps his fingers.

"You truly are a genius!" Yakeru praises, clapping his hands.

"Someone has shown you the school before," Gojo says, the words leaving his mouth before his mind has time to analyze the impact of them. "Who?"

"No one that is still alive."

"I thought we didn't bring civilians here," Megumi says, but it comes out more like a question.

"We don't." A lie since he brought Kagome to the grounds when he heard about Yuji's death. "Either you pretended to be someone else…"

"Or, I was simply a student. After all, I had you fooled."

"Why reveal all of this?" Megumi asks.

"Because of his weird devotion to Kagome," Gojo responds. He needs to pry this whole prophecy ordeal out of Yakeru when there's no one else around. His phone buzzes in his pocket, drawing his attention away from the smirking fox. He glances at the message and sends a quick response back to Nanami.

"Well, I'm afraid that I am out of time," Yakeru says as he peels back his illusion. "Should you need of me, you know where to find me." He salutes them as he transforms into a bird and flies off.

"Megumi," Gojo starts.

"Yeah, I know."

He laughs, full-out belly aching laughing. Gojo walks over and slaps Megumi's back, delighting in the boy's irritated expression.

"You've lost it."

"Isn't this so much fun?"

"We're surrounded by demons and now there are talking curses. How is that fun?"

"Sure makes things interesting. I wonder what else we'll find." He throws an arm around Megumi's shoulder, squeezes. "Come on Megumi-kun, we've got training to do."

Chapter Text

Kagome stirs. Her body is pressed into the crevice of Satoru. The covers slide down as she raises herself into a sitting position. The glistening of gold catches her eye under the sliver of sunlight that peeks through. The heady musk of Satoru on her skin is dizzy. The soft snores rise and fall along with the cover.

She would remember wearing a ring or purchasing one for that matter.

"Satoru," she whispers, tilting her body towards him. When he doesn't stir, she pushes against his shoulder.

"Too early," he groans, turning over on his side and pulling the cover with him.

"Did you buy me a ring?" She pulls on the cover; her hands go white from gripping it so tightly. "Satoru."

"M'yeah. Nanami is coming by later," he says, with sleep coating his words.

"I don't know who that is." She lets the cover go; the morning chill settles into her legs. The weight of the ring is heavy on her finger. "A friend?"

"Fellow sorcerer. One that I trust." He yawns and sits up. "I've got another trip and I won't be able to take you with me this time." Satoru throws the cover over her and moves closer.

"How long?" She settles against him, stares at the intricate patterns on the ring. She wonders if the blue diamonds were a deliberate choice.

"A week at most. Depends on how annoying the curse is."

"And...?"

"It's not a proposal. You'd be the first to know."

"So, it's just a gift? No ulterior motives?" The sunlight catches his eyes, and she realizes that yes, the blue diamonds were deliberate.

"You think the worst of me."

"I think that you are territorial."

"Ah, then I should stake my claim then." Deft fingers rub circles into her thighs. His hand moves up. "Why are you wearing shorts?" He pouts.

"Sorry to disappoint."

"You can make it up to me."

Sleep still clings to him. The gruffness in his voice sends shivers down her spine. She squeaks at the suddenness in which he has her on her back. Her skin flushes, she's sure her whole face is red. "Where are your clothes?"

"On the floor," he says, cheerily. There's a hamper in the room and yet he misses it every day. "Gone-chan," he gasps, pushing two fingers against her, "you're all wet. We should get you out of these."

She inhales. Smoke and the scent of pine trees stir a hunger in her. She pulls his face down to hers, kisses him slowly. The need to commit every shaky breath to her memory overtakes her. "Did you run into that volcano curse again?"

Satoru hums as he leans back, sliding her shorts and underwear off with ease. "No, but it did have an affinity for fire." He resumes humming as he wraps her legs around him and bends over to take her mouth once more.

"Go ahead," she answers his wordless question. The ripping of her tank top cuts through the room. Her moan is sharp enough to cut glass. It's too much how he stretches her past her limits. Satoru throws the tattered remains of her shirt onto the floor.

The bed creaks underneath them to a rhythmic beat. He rocks into her slowly. Kagome arches, tries to meet his thrust, but he splays a large hand over her stomach. She runs her own down the planes of his torso, down his neck and arms. Whenever she can reach, her hands roam, memorizing every detail.

How easy it is to forget with his carefree attitude that, under all the layers of his everyday expectations, hides taunt lines of a sinewy, perfectly carved predator. She bucks her hips once more. Grabbing a hold of his white locks, she pulls him closer and nips his bottom lip.

"Careful," he warns, his eyes glint with danger.

"I'm not fragile. Stop acting as if you're going to break me."

He pulls out. Her first reaction is a noise of indignation. The second is a muffled cry as her face hits the pillows. And the third is a series of chants as his name flows from her tongue with reckless abandon. He sets a bruising pace, caging her in. Satoru's arm wraps around her. Her chin rests in the crease of his elbow, her eyes water from the pressure on her throat.

"You cryin, Gome-Chan?" he mocks. The warm breath on her cheek just makes her more fevered.

"Too—"

"Such a good girl, taking me so well," he coos. Her body seizes. The orgasm hits her so hard that the overflow forces him out. "Fuck." Satoru laughs.

Her body twitches. She thinks that she'd fall over if not for the hold he has on her. Her breaths come out ragged. Kagome closes her eyes, enjoying the vibrations that come along with his laughter.

"Gome-Chan?"

"Hm?" She thinks that she could fall back asleep. Her limbs feel so light, as though she is suspended in the air. Her pulse skips a beat, trying to match the beat of his.

"We're not done," he whispers, lowering his arm down and pinching her nipples until she hisses. He surges forward and she spasms, her body not yet over the aftershocks of the last orgasm.

"Satoru!" She tries to get the words, 'wait or please' out. All she can manage is a strangled cry. She's so far gone. She barely registers when he flips her back over onto her back. His hair sticks to his forehead, and there's a light sheen of sweat on his chest. Her nose twitches as more of his natural scent infiltrates her senses. Her eyes struggle to stay open, her legs tremble, and she's so overstimulated that she barely registers the intermingling fluids leaking out of her.

"Sorry," he says, brushing his lips against hers.

"You aren't sorry at all."

"Huh? They aren't fading," he remarks, staring at his arms.

"Scratches don't fade that fast."

"I've got my reversed curse technique running on autopilot." His face breaks out into a huge smile. He moves back, grabs a hold of her thighs, and pushes both her legs back. Her ass sits perched on his chest, his mouth suctions to her lips.

"A-again?"

He pauses for a moment, peers down at her, and spells 'again' with his tongue.

She'll need the week he's gone just to recover.

Chapter Text

Mahito slinks around the corner. Under the moonlight, his pale skin shines, a stark contrast to the dark alley. It is not like Jogo to hide away in the shadows, Mahito thinks, not with that oversized ego of his. Huh? He squints his gray and blue eyes. Moves closer. Perhaps he should change into something smaller? He isn't quite sure that he can do that, but it would be helpful if he could.

The person–a human? Why would Jogo out of all of them be dealing with a human that is not Geto? Ah, this person is a woman, he surmises, though he did not believe that it was in a curses' nature to be partial. Mind games were more of his thing.

"This will have to suffice you for now," the woman says, her voice airy, without any regard to her wellbeing.

A curse user then? The dark-haired woman is far too relaxed, or maybe she is just that stupid. Humans tend to think of themselves as better, smarter than they actually are. The woman deposits a bag into Jogo's awaiting palms. He can make out some type of plant in the bag. Jogo must not want Hanami to know that he has no regard for plant life.

"This will barely do the trick! How am I supposed to–" Jogo splutters. His hands grip the woman's arm as the bag falls down near his feet.

Mahito scrunches up his nose. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Should he step in and help? It is Jogo's own fault for reacting so rashly, honestly; he thought the curse would have learned something after rushing in to fight Gojo Satoru. But if this curse user exorcizes him, then it could affect their plans.

"Watch your tone, vermin," the woman says, lifting Jogo up with ease and pulling him in closer to her. "Does it bother you to know how easily I can crush you? So pathetic." She drops him, dusts her hands.

"Fucking bitch," Jogo says, coughing. He struggles to his feet, grabbing the bag as he stands.

There's a rise in temperature, the heat just as visible as Jogo's anger. Mahito smiles as the sound of screams reach his ears. The people walking by get caught up in the heat. He resists the urge to look back and watch their bodies burn. He probably should step in to help.

"Jogo-kun, why are you always picking fights?" Mahito asks, stepping out from the shadows. He delights in the annoyance that marks the woman's face. Her eyes are as red as blood, he thinks, fitting for how much of it he plans on spilling. "Such a hothead."

"What are you doing here?" Jogo asks. Fire leaks out of the top of his head.

"You curses are so annoying," the woman says, "I'll just end both of you." She raises a hand. Yellow shards burst out of her palms.

What an interesting technique, Mahito thinks as he jumps to the side, and then dashes towards hers. As much as he likes to play with his toys, he really has other things to do. Geto promised to pick up a new board game. A wide smile spreads across his face as he grabs the woman's arm.

"Such insolence," she mutters, as her other hand raises and claws his face.

Claws? Mahito winces, steps back, but keeps his hand attached to her arm. "You actually managed to hurt me. My, what a strong human, you've found." The marks on his face stings, the fact that she was able to hurt him, gives him pause. "Do you like board games?"

"Do I what?" She narrows those blood-red eyes at him. Her lips are drawn into a frown.

"We could play forever," he says. He can tell the exact moment that his idle transfiguration starts to work. She screams and tries to pull her arm back while her other arm rears back to repeatedly claw at his face.

"No!" Jogo cries out.

Huh? Mahito turns his head to look back at Jogo. The woman's body gives out and transforms into a neat little square. He clasps his hands around his newly made board. "What's your deal?" When Jogo does not respond, he continues, "Say, what kind of game do you think she should be? Should probably get some markers to draw in the boxes, and some dice too. Oh, we'll need figures so we know who is who." He holds out the board, tilts his head. "Let's stop at a game shop on the way back. I'm sure one of the associates would love to contribute."

"Change her back."

"Is she important? She threatened to kill you." Mahito lowers the board. "What's so special about a human? There's plenty of them around."

"She isn't human."

"Then what is she?" He lets out an embarrassing yelp at the blue flames engulfing his hand and his newly made board. He drops the board and pats his arm. The alley lights up in a blue hue. The smell of burning flesh hits his nose. How does Jogo deal with such an awful smell all the time? Oh, that's right, he doesn't have a nose. Mahito laughs, ignoring the confusion Jogo directs his way. No wonder Jogo is always so hot-headed.

"I said to change her back, not kill her." Jogo walks over to him and kicks at the burned board.

"I guess her body just gave out." He shrugs. Why should he be concerned about some human's life?

"She was only a half-breed."

"Half-breed? She looked fully Japanese to me."

"I forget how young you are."

The board shakes and twists. Limbs stretch out as it elongates. Mahito bends down and stares. How interesting that in death, she was able to turn back. He wonders just how far can he push the human body? Was he too sloppy, or was she really just that weak? The stash of configured humans in his pockets reminds him that, no, his technique is not sloppy. What he needs is another sorcerer or curse user to test out his theory.

"Let's go, we don't need any more of her kind showing up." Jogo turns and walks away, puffs of smoke blow from his head.

Honestly, why is he so upset over a human? Mahito rises and moves to follow. A hand grabs his ankle. Searing pain courses through his veins. He grits his teeth and looks back down, tugging his foot free. The woman looks at him, her once pale skin now the color of ash.

"You've been marked," she whispers, her eyes shutting once more.

"Hurry and get rid of that mark," Jogo says, hobbling back over to him. His eye is wide with traces of fear.

Mahito looks at the X that has been etched into his skin. X marks the spot, he thinks, silently laughing at his own joke.

"Get rid of it!"

"Jogo-kun, this is why you don't have friends. You should work on that temper," Mahito chastises. He bends down and digs into the flesh of his ankle and tosses the marked skin onto the pavement. "What's the big deal, anyway?"

Jogo picks up the discarded skin and burns it. "We can't draw too much attention to us. At least not until Geto's plan goes into effect."

"I fail to see how these humans can stop us. Except for Gojo Satoru, everyone else is weak."

"It's not the humans that I'm concerned about."

Not the humans? Mahito looks back at the dead woman. She looks pretty human to him. She certainly died like one.

"Let's go. They'll come looking for her. They have some weird sense of knowing when one of them has died." Jogo motions for him to follow.

"Actually, I've got some other things to take care of," Mahito says, "I want to do some more research." He walks past Jogo. The scratches on his face have yet to heal, and it is just a teensy bit annoying.

"Mahito," Jogo calls out, "this stays between us."

Mahito turns and regards his fellow curse. There is a seriousness in Jogo's eye that he's never encountered before. He smiles, showing off his teeth. "Of course. I won't let it slip how you have a drug problem."

Jogo splutters and folds his arms. "Thank you." He walks out of the alley, leaving Mahito behind.

Mahito glances back at the burned body. He whistles a soft melody he overheard at a coffee shop. He thinks he'll set up a trap and test out his theory on one of the sorcerers.

Chapter Text

"G-gojo-sensei?" Yuji calls from behind the door. His hand is raised, ready to knock or venture into the room.

But what if they are indecent? It's not so much Gojo-sensei that he is concerned about. But the knocks at the front door are becoming stronger. Frantic. And the person is undoubtedly upset. The knocks at the door clash with the soft noise of the running shower.

Yuji falters. Stares at the door separating him from his teacher and Kagome-san. If these were normal circumstances, he'd answer the door and speak with the nicely dressed man. Maybe calm him down and feed him some calming words to the effect of how Gojo-sensei would be right out. That sensei got in at an ungodly hour last night, and he did not mean to be late all the time.

Right. He should do just that. At least the neighbors won't complain too much if he puts a stop to the banging. Yuji lowers his hand, backs away, and goes to answer the front door.

The blond man gives him an irritated look. Or was that just his default expression? Yuji smiles in response. Internally, his willpower deflates.

"Where is the blindfolded idiot?" The man crosses his arms, his eyes are blank behind his yellow-tinted glasses, and the lines on his face bulge out. The light from outside highlights the man's short blond hair.

Yuji means to tell the visitor that Gojo-sensei is getting ready, that he'll be right with him. Because surely, someone so uptight and businessman-like wouldn't trek all the way to sensei's apartment if it wasn't important. He means to tell the man this, but what comes out is, "Gojo-sensei is busy having sex right now!"

No. No. Crap! Yuji smacks his mouth and then repeatedly smacks his hands and his face as Sukuna makes his presence known. The vengeful spirit laughs and taunts him. Digs that invisible knife deeper into his throat. A part of Yuji wants to rip that knife out and cut off his tongue. Another part wishes that he could cut off Sukuna's windpipe.

"As if, boy," Sukuna voices between his eardrums, the lingering shocks of his cruel laughter poke more holes into Yuji's already drained reserves.

Yuji is so over this whole vessel thing. Why couldn't he get a cool parasite like in the shows? Instead, he gets stuck with a curse that rips his heart out just for the heck of it.

The man sighs, his body sags with the motion. "I have been waiting for over an hour. You must be Itadori Yuji. Nanami Kento." Nanami dips his head.

"Nice to meet you," Yuji replies, bowing. He closes his eyes, wishing that the ground would open up and swallow him whole. Death by embarrassment is worse than getting his heart ripped out. "W-wait!" He says as Nanami brushes past and invites himself in. "You, shouldn't—"

"Do not concern yourself with this matter," Nanami says, voice chipped.

"But, Sensei…" Yuji wonders if he can take the man. He is strong, but this Nanami person is probably a sorcerer, so that would make him strong too. But the commotion would alert Gojo-sensei in theory, and even if it's for just a minute, that's still time. "I can't let you go any further!" Yuji kicks the door close and rushes forward.

"Tiresome," Nanami says, sidestepping him. "Sorcerers do not fight one another." He glares, looking at Yuji as though he is nothing more than a disobedient child.

Yuji pauses. Well, crap. Does attacking him make him the bad guy?

"Nanami-kun!" Gojo calls out from the hallway. He's dressed down in a pair of gray sweatpants and a loose black shirt. His hair is wet and his posture is the most relaxed he's ever seen.

Yuji resists the urge to hurl. Not that anything would come up, since he has yet to have breakfast. But still. Did they forget that he was living with them?

"What are you doing here so early?" Gojo crosses his arms.

"Early? I have been waiting for you for over an hour," Nanami replies, his voice even despite the subtle twitch of his fingers.

If he could, Yuji is positive that Nanami would clock Gojo-sensei.

"Seriously? That's crazy." Gojo turns and looks at Yuji. "Yuji-kun, this is Nanami Kento. He's an ex-salary man turned sorcerer."

"You had a flight to catch. Did you not?"

"Ah, is that why Ijichi keeps calling. Should probably catch a later one then. Anyway, Yuji, ex-salary man sorcerer, is going to watch over you, while I'm gone."

"Watch over me? Is Kagome-san going with you?"

"No, but she can't take you on missions. Nanami is gonna take you with him, so you can still get some hands-on experience while I'm away. I won't be gone long." Gojo looks back over at Nanami. "Also, while I'm away, no hitting on Gome-Chan-"

"Why would I hit on your significant other?" Nanami lifts his arm and stares at the simple gold watch. "Hurry up and introduce me, so that Yuji and I may go. At this rate, I'll end up in overtime."

"So serious. Man, you should lighten up sometime." Gojo walks away, leaving Yuji in utter confusion.

"D-do you not like Gojo-sensei?"

"I have trust in his abilities and I believe that there is some merit in his desire to change the jujutsu hierarchy. But I do not respect him."

Huh? Yuji spikes a hand through his pink hair, pulls at the ends. He's convinced that it must be a requirement for sorcerers to be one screw too loose.

"Good morning, Kagome-san," Yuji greets cheerfully. Though it's closer to the afternoon and he's still holding out hope for breakfast or any kind of meal to be prepped. His stomach rumbles in agreement. "Sorry," he says, holding his stomach to drown out the loud groans.

"Morning, Yuji. Did you not eat?" Kagome asks. Her hair is piled up into a messy bun, with some strands escaping and framing her face. She's dressed down in black leggings and an oversized black shirt.

He's positive that the shirt belongs to Gojo-sensei. "No, I was hoping that you would make something."

"Oh! Sorry about that." Her face flushes pink as she makes eye contact with Gojo.

It's downright sickening.

"Gome-Chan, this is Nanami Kento. He's going to be taking Yuji out on missions. And if you have any trouble, call him," Gojo says.

"Nice to meet you, Nanami- san. You can just call me Kagome."

"Higurashi-san," Gojo says.

"That's not necessary. Kagome is just fine."

"That's improper and Nanami is a man of class. Higurashi-san."

Nanami sighs three times. "Yuji, we will be leaving now."

"But, what about food?"

"Let's go. It was nice to meet you, Kagome-san." Nanami walks out of the apartment, leaving Yuji to rush behind him.

"Have a safe trip, sensei! Be back soon, Kagome-san!" He yells out, as he slips his shoes on and runs after Nanami.

****

"Satoru, what the hell was that?" Kagome turns to him. Her face scrunched up.

She looks adorable, trying to get all feisty with him. "Nanami hates putting in overtime. Trauma from working that office job." He shakes his head. "Can you believe that they had him working 60, 80-hour weeks? Phew!"

"You know what I mean."

He does, but there is no point in dissecting his reaction. "I'm gonna book another flight. You want to ride me to the airport?"

"Yeah, I can." She freezes, her eyes widened. "Pervert!"

"So… is that a yes or- ow!" Gojo makes a show of rubbing his arm. "I think it's broken; I'll need you to play nurse." Kagome walks away, shaking her head. Naturally, he has to follow her. "What kind of souvenirs do you want?"

She glances back at him. "Surprise me." She opens the door to the master bedroom. "Why can't I come with you?"

"Well, one: you are a distraction." He holds up one hand, cutting off her rebuttal. "Two: If anything happens, Yuji will have you and Nanami around. And three: I'll get done faster if I know that you're safe… at home. No talking to strangers."

"I do not get into nearly as much trouble as you are insinuating." Kagome huffs as she takes her phone off the charger.

"Gome-chan, you're kind of a danger magnet. Or demon magnet. Same thing." He picks up his own phone and smiles at the latest message from Ijichi. It only took years, but Ijichi has finally figured out that he is never on time for anything. "Ijichi took care of my next flight. Should probably pack."

"Yuji asked me to pick up earplugs for him." Kagome frowns.

"You were kind of loud."

"What? No, I wasn't that loud." Kagome shakes her head, throwing off the accusation.

He clears his throat, gives his best impression of an exaggerated moan. He ducks at the pillows she throws at him. A warm feeling blossoms in his chest. His breath catches. There's a small curse, probably a fly head about two apartment buildings over. If he takes off his sunglasses, he could probably track down Yuji and Nanami, and determine if it would be faster to call a taxi or wait for Ijichi to swing back around to pick him up.

And yet, all he can focus on is how her hair has a slight blue tint to it. And the way her nose wiggles when he does something that embarrasses her.

He wants to say it so badly that his tongue gets rooted to the roof of his mouth. But something holds him back. It can't be that easy—it shouldn't be this easy to fall for someone. And how does he know if that is really what he is feeling? It's not as though he has ever been in a committed relationship before, not with the pressures of his work and political bullshit that comes along with being born into a major clan.

"You're beautiful," he says. That warm feeling spreads through his body. He sends a quick message to Nanami. He doesn't know if love is the emotion he is feeling, but if anything happens to her while he's gone…

"Come on, I'll help you pack." She walks over, taking his hand in hers.

"Are you still looking for a way back home?"

Kagome lets go of his hand, opens the closet, and sorts through their clothes. "I've put my search on pause for now. I want to help Yuji-kun, I can't leave without helping him first."

The warmth evaporates, and he's left with a chill that penetrates his infinity.

"Would you stay if I asked?"

Chapter Text

Kagome takes in the hopeful expression painted on Satoru's face. The way his blue eyes peek over the rim of his glasses, to the way his body shifts tension from one side to the other. The black shirt in her hands weighs next to nothing, but at the moment, it may as well be a pile of bricks.

She wants to say yes. But then her mind reminds her of how she promised to always remain at InuYasha's side, and well, she clearly isn't with him now. For all she knows, she could get sent back at any moment. And could she really throw away the chance of seeing her family and friends again? Kagome averts her eyes, stares at an imaginary speck of dust on the floor.

"I'm scared that I won't be able to keep such a promise." She looks back at him, clutches the shirt to her chest. "What if I get sent back? I might not have a choice." What she needs is for him to understand. The last thing she wants to do is break his heart if the jewel or the well sends her back to her world. A wave of power thrums in her chest, sending vibrations of warmth throughout.

Was the Shikon trying to tell her something?

"I'm not hearing a no," Satoru says, plucking the shirt from her and tossing it onto the bed. He grabs her hand and places it on his chest, where his heart beats. "Besides, you can't say no after accepting my ring."

"You said that it wasn't a proposal," she says, her voice shaky. She wonders how he could find diamonds that matched the exact shade of his eyes; it couldn't have been a spur-of-the-moment transaction.

"It isn't. A promise of my intent."

She bites her bottom lip, flexes her free hand, and takes in the firm, but gentle hold he has over her. "But what if I don't have a choice?" Kagome needs him to understand that if they go down this route, that they could set themselves up for heartbreak. Another pulse of energy resonates in her veins. Who is she kidding? She's already too deep into it.

"Since when do we allow fear to control us?"

His phone goes off. The noise of the vibrations against the wooden nightstand cuts through the room.

Kagome tilts her head and smiles. "What's the point of asking my opinion if you've already decided what the outcome will be?"

"I read an article that a lack of communication is killer to a relationship."

"I mean the article isn't wrong. Have you never been in a serious relationship?"

"Nah," he responds, looking over at his phone. "It's probably Ijichi. We've gotten nothing packed." He sighs, letting go of her hand to answer his phone.

She thinks about how freely he gives his affection and the way he pulls her close when he gets back from a long day of teaching and exorcising curses. He's never pushed her to be something that she isn't, nor has he ever made her feel like she's less than, despite his egotistical proclamations of being the strongest. It's easy—too easy in how they've fallen into this relationship. She can't recall any arguments that have left her storming out of the apartment.

It hits her so suddenly that she staggers back. Since when does she allow fear to stop her from going after what she wants? The Shikon sends another warming wave of power throughout her body. Satoru ends his call and looks over at her, crossing his arms.

"What's with all the fluctuations?"

"I'll stay," she responds, ignoring his question. How is she supposed to explain something she doesn't understand herself?

He meets her halfway and lifts her up. Her legs wrap around him as he backs them towards a wall. Kagome holds back a wince as her legs are still sore from earlier. "Seriously," she half groans out at the feel of him hardening underneath her.

"We've got about 20 minutes until Ijichi gets here." He peppers kisses along the corners of her mouth.

"You're trying to kill me," she says. Kagome thinks back to his reasoning for not taking her with him, and while she won't ever admit to him, she has to agree that at this rate, nothing will ever get accomplished. Satoru kisses her deeply in response.

She apologizes to Ijichi-san for both of them.

***

"Yuji-kun, you're back!" Kagome greets while mixing the cookie dough ingredients together. "What's wrong?" She stops mixing and takes in the beat-down appearance that marks his face and posture.

"The curses today," he starts, voice cracking, "they were humans." His body trembles. "I killed someone."

Kagome frowns and sets the bowl on the counter. She dusts her hands on the pink frilly apron and pulls Yuji in for a hug. This time she is prepared for Sukuna's prodding, so she pushes down her initial reaction to purify the king of curses, and instead takes in the brute force of Yuji's despair. "You set them free." She runs a hand through his pink hair. His body sags against hers. "If they looked like curses, then I'm willing to bet that their souls were crying out for relief. You gave them that salvation."

"I just—I want to protect people."

"I know, I know. It's alright." She pulls back and palms the sides of his face. "I'm making chocolate chip cookies. We'll actually get to eat some since Satoru isn't here to steal all of them."

"Do you think Gojo-sensei has ever killed anyone?"

"Probably," she says, "but I can't say for certain. I've never asked him." Though in her gut, she is positive that Satoru has. "I mean, there are probably other curse users out there. I doubt that all of them turn into curses."

"Sensei isn't a bad person because of it," Yuji says, standing up to his full height. "Kagome-san, have you ever…"

"Only demons, but still. A life is a life, regardless of how different our chemical makeups may be."

"You sympathize with demons? Aren't they inherently evil like curses?"

"Curses are born from the negative emotions of people, right?" She scoops out some of the dough. "Demons have families just like us. Their lifespan and the things that they can accomplish exceeds what we can do. Not all want to cause chaos and destroy humanity in the way that curses are hyper-focused on attacking humans." She rolls the dough into small balls and places them on the pan. "Curses are like predators. They see humans—their prey, and attack because it's instinctive. Demons and humans are more like hunters. We assess the situation before making a move. Some humans kill for the heck of it and some demons are content with living their lives." Kagome opens the oven and puts the cookies in to bake. She grabs her phone off the counter and sets a timer.

"Thanks, Kagome-san," Yuji says, smiling. "I'm going to take a shower before dinner." He walks out of the kitchen, leaving Kagome with her thoughts.

***

The next morning, Yuji appears more at peace as he leaves with Ijichi-san. Something along the lines of finding a potential curse user from the Satozakura High School. Kagome hands Yuji a bento and instructs him to call her if anything comes up. It's not that she doesn't trust Ijichi-san. The man is nothing but dependable, but utterly useless if a fight breaks out.

She hums as she gathers the laptop and the bookbag full of notes that Satoru left for her. She arranges the papers on the coffee table and gets comfortable on the couch. It isn't a lot, but she was able to convince Satoru to let her help him out as an unofficial assistant. Her phone rings right as she opens up the laptop.

"Hello," she answers.

"What are you wearing?" Satoru asks. There's a loud boom on the other end of the phone. A scream follows shortly after.

"Are you exorcising a curse right now?"

"Just ignore that. You wearing that green skirt I like?"

Kagome glances down at her jeans. "No, I'm wearing jeans. You should be focusing," she lectures. Would it hurt him to be a little more careful?

"Eh, these things are weak. I don't know why I had to be the one to travel all this way."

"Yuji-kun killed a human that was turned into a curse yesterday. He was pretty upset about it." She puts him on speaker and reaches for one of the papers on the coffee table. "If you're able to, I think we should do something with him when you get back."

"Like a mini-vacay?"

"We could," she replies, frowning at the commotion on his end. "Why don't you call me back when you aren't busy?"

"I'm free right now," he says. "Just ignore the screams. I have everything under control."

Kagome closes her eyes. "I thought of something you could bring back. Condoms."

"What was that? Oh, one of them is trying to get away."

She shakes her head when the line goes dead. At least she got him off the phone. And besides, jokes on him because she picked some up yesterday after discovering that she needed a prescription to pick up Plan B.

It only takes a few… okay, it takes her all the way into the evening to decipher the notes and hand-drawn pictures to piece together a report. Kagome rubs her eyes. Too much staring at the screen is finally taking a toll. Huh. Yuji-kun should have come home by now, she thinks. The clock at the bottom of the screen reads 19:00. Maybe she should send him a text just to make sure that everything is okay.

Yuji: I'm joining Junpei and his mom for dinner! I hope that's okay.

Kagome: Of course, that's okay. Text me if you need anything.

She sets the phone back down and closes the laptop. It's kind of cute how he checks in with her.

***

Kagome doesn't pay any attention when Yuji leaves out the next day, though she blinks back the hurt when he rushes out the door without his lunch for the day. What she does pay attention to is the panic in Ijichi-san's voice when he calls her about Yuji taking off after this Junpei person.

She follows the sound of Yuji screaming at Sukuna to help and the laughter that follows the pleas. There's a man—no, a curse, with blue hair. And a monster that Yuji is hugging tightly. Kagome grips the bow. "Yuji-kun," she calls out, walking forward.

"K-Kagome-san, please help him."

She falters. Was this thing a human? It must show on her face because Yuji asks her again. Kagome swallows and reaches a hand out, touching its back. She feels the piercing gaze of Sukuna and the curse man watching her move. Please work, she prays, as the familiar feeling of her purification shoots forth, spreading through the monster's body.

"Well, isn't this interesting," the curse quips.

The monster shakes as the blue melts away and all is left is a husk of a young man. Yuji's eyes widen as he calls out, "Junpei."

"Thank you, Yuji," Junpei says, slumping down.

Kagome grits her teeth at the scene and turns to look at the curse. His patchwork face etches itself into her memory. "You did this?"

"You reversed my transfiguration, though I guess his body was too weak." He blurs out and appears in front of her, grabbing ahold of her and jumping back. "Now, now. Yuji. You wouldn't want the same fate to fall upon this woman."

"Let Kagome-san go," Yuji growls out, his fist-shaking.

This is bad, she thinks. Her purification rises just as his hand reaches into her soul. The Shikon pulses, reacting to the foreign cursed energy. Her vision blurs as the jewel darkens. Her heart pounds, pushing all of her blood flow to her eardrums. This is bad. She doesn't even want to think about the ramifications of what could happen if he continues to taint the Shikon.

"What is this," he murmurs, digging further into her.

"Kagome-san! Fight!" Yuji calls out.

Fight. Right, she promised she wouldn't hesitate. She latches on to that thought and forces the negative energy outward. Sweat drips down her brow as she struggles to contain it to just the curse. The worst thing would be Yuji-kun getting caught up in the blast. It hurts, her body aches, desperately wanting to let her purification run rampant, but she forces it to stay contained. His scream is the last thing she hears before everything goes dark, and she falls down. Kagome winces. Fuck, everything hurts. She struggles to raise herself up, just barely making out Yuji rushing forward. Distantly, she hears glass breaking.

"He could touch the Shikon," she says to herself as she grips her chest. She stands, grabbing her bow on her way and staggers out, once again following the familiar sounds of battle. Rest will have to wait.

She has to put an end to that curse now.

Chapter Text

Mahito smiles through the blood coating his lips, spits the offending liquid into Yuji's face. His face patches itself up, removing traces of the hit he took earlier. He realizes as he falls out of the window with shards of glass sticking to his shirt, that perhaps engaging with Sukuna's vessel wasn't the smartest decision, seeing as how Yuji could actually land a blow on him. But it was certainly entertaining to see the look on his face as Junpei's body gave out. Mahito laughs as he lands on his feet. What a glorious moment that was. He sways a bit, passing it off as nothing more than a teasing dance. His mind and body still revolting against the blast from that woman.

Whatever she hit him with, packs a bigger impact than Yuji's fist.

"Don't tell me you're still upset?" Mahito mocks, "he was weak. Humanity would have killed him, eventually."

"Life isn't something you play with," Yuji says, wiping the blood from his face.

"Blame that woman. It was her interference that killed him." Mahito jumps back, dodging the fury of punches thrown his way. "How cruel of her to kill your precious friend." His tongue darts out, wetting his bottom lip. The taste of metallic is foreign but goes down beautifully. That woman–Kagome, he believes her name is–he wants to consume her.

Whatever secrets she's hiding, he wants to eat them all and take that darkness for himself. Young he may be, but even he knows that such a soul does not come around that often.

"Shut up! Kagome-san tried to save Junpei." Yuji balls his fist, his chest heaves.

Good, Mahito thinks, he needs Yuji to fill with rage. Humans are so easily manipulated, always allowing their emotions to get the better of them, always believing that somehow, they are the exception, when in fact it's that logic that makes them all the same.

"Ah, perhaps it is because of how weak you are. My apologies." Mahito lashes out, his arm transforming into a makeshift blade. He shivers. There's nothing quite like the feel of flesh being cut open. Red stains the ground. It's a shame that it is cloudy out, the bloodstain would look so much more vibrant under the sun. But the gloominess works too–adds a grittiness to the fight. Mahito moves forward, crossing the distance between them while Yuji is temporarily stunned by the gash on his arm. "Let's see how weak you really are," Mahito says, touching Yuji's soul.

He blinks. Of course, touching Yuji's soul means touching Sukuna's. Dread boils in his gut as the curse king looks down upon him from his throne made of human remains. If the murderous intent wasn't so thick in the air, Mahito may have complimented Sukuna's choice of material. Personally, he'd used the bodies of his transfigured human souls.

"Such impudence," Sukuna says, his voice as harsh as the glass that cut into Mahito's skin. "This is your warning."

Mahito blinks again and barely moves out of the way. Oh, it's that suit sorcerer from the other day. "It's not nice to stalk people you know," he says, waving a finger in the air. "I could have you arrested."

"You're not a person," Yuji speaks up, ripping his jacket and making a makeshift bandage with it.

"Oh, Yuji-chan, you should go see a doctor. It would be such a shame if you died from blood loss." Mahito assesses the older sorcerer. The man shifts his weight to one side. Good, he thinks, the sorcerer is still injured. Humans truly are pathetic.

"This ends here," the sorcerer says, gripping his blunt sword.

"Two on one is hardly fair." Mahito reaches into his pocket and tosses out his spare transfigured humans. If he's lucky, he can see just how more powerful this one will be. His toys go after Yuji, allowing him to focus on the other sorcerer. "Are you always so serious?" he asks, extending his limps out with large spikes coming out from his arms. "Why don't you rest a while and join the family?" Mahito frowns. Ah, this one is such a bore. No reaction. "Shy? That's alright. Every family has a black sheep." His spiked arm misses the sorcerer, but the debris from the ground causes the sorcerer to falter.

"Yuji, move back!"

Huh? Mahito turns towards the voice. The woman–Kagome, he reminds himself–has her arrow notched. He could have sworn that she was too weak to move. Ugh, he did not bring enough toys with him for this.

The arrow flies past him, the sting from the residue burns his spikes. Yuji scrambles back, putting distance between him and the three cursed humans. The arrow hits one in the chest, its green mutated body convulses as pink surrounds the other two.

"Oh, would you look at that? Your friend is a murderer after all," he gloats, as the pink evaporates, leaving behind the disfigured bodies of his newly made toys. Though, her ability to revert his transfiguration is annoying. Even though the bodies can't seem to handle the reversion. If she could figure out how to keep them alive afterward….

He retracts his arms and dashes towards her, changing his legs to those of a horse. He increases his speed, dodges the flurry of arrows that comes his way. He can push past the reaction to flinch and he can swallow down the urge to run in the opposite direction. If he can grab a hold of her soul, if he could take that darkness for himself.

Kagome runs back, but he grabs her, manipulating his skin to become prickly. Tiny drops of blood fall from the intrusion. Shit, he thinks, as her body glows. He lets go, jumps back into the blow of Yuji's fist into the back of his skull. His vision blurs as he staggers forward. He gets caught in the whirlpool of fists and swipes being thrown his way.

This pain is like nothing he's ever felt. Blood pools in his eyes, swells in his mouth, and he never wants the fight to end. But at last, there are only so many blows that he can take. He latches on to the hum deep in his belly and forces it up through his esophagus. A pair of hands clasp together, emerging from his tongue and encasing him and the older sorcerer into his newly formed domain.

He takes the time to catch his breath, stares as the man loosens his tie and removes his glasses. This must be what joy feels like, he thinks, as there is nothing more satisfying than watching the light die out in his toy's eyes.

"I've made my peace," the sorcerer says, looking up.

An enormous grin full of teeth splits across Mahito's face. Once he takes care of this man, he'll use his body to distract Yuji. And then, all he needs to do is knock that woman out. She'll be much more agreeable unconscious. He moves forward, even though within his domain, his hands are constantly touching the man's soul. Nothing compares to personally making the contact.

"Nanami-san!" Yuji's voice shouts over the breaking of his domain. Streams of light shine through, landing on the space between him and the sorcerer.

Shit. He freezes as he gets pulled into Sukuna's soul. He offers an apology. It wasn't his intention to mess with Yuji's or Sukuna's soul again. He took appropriate steps to only trap the other sorcerer in his domain. But Sukuna glares down at him from that haughty position and snaps his fingers.

He's changed his mind. This pain is worse than any beating he's received. He grips his shoulder, trying to stop the splutters, but the slash is too deep, and his blood spurts out of him like an active volcano. The domain completely collapses and he runs–staggers away. An arrow hits the ground in front of him and he's cornered.

Fuck. Shit. This is bad. He can't die here, not without seeing their goal reached. There isn't anywhere to run. Fuck. The arrowhead glints under the strips of light that break through the clouds. He's going to die. She lets the arrow fly and he can't do anything to stop it. He closes his eyes, waiting for the strike that doesn't come. His body twists and becomes weightless as he gets pulled away. Mahito makes out the shouts, but he can't make out the words. He's surrounded by white–which is strange because surely a curse like him should be in hell.

When he comes to, he's on a grassy hill. There is no school, no pesky humans in sight. There's nothing but…

"Took you long enough to come to."

He turns to the voice. The dark-haired stranger reminds him of Geto-kun. The comparison puts him on edge. "And you are?"

"My name is not of importance. I've never met a curse with such intelligence before." He cradles the mirror to his chest, giving Mahito a small smile. His white yukata blows gently in the breeze.

The serene image sets Mahito's skin on fire.

"You sensed something, about that woman. What was it?"

"Who are you?" Mahito staggers to his feet, levels the man with a blank face. He isn't sure how they ended up on this hill, but if the man thinks that he owes him anything, then he is mistaken.

"I can either be your friend or your foe. It is your choice. Though I think you would very much like my partnership." The mirror glows and blasts Mahito.

He waits for the pain, but the energy seeps into his skin, down into his veins, and fuels his cursed energy. His muscles twitch, his clothes are too tight, and he's hungry for more of whatever that was. It reminds him of that darkness he felt.

"Addicting, yeah? What did you sense from that woman?"

"Souls."

The man's red eyes brighten at the revelation. "I'll give you more power if you do a small favor for me. That woman, I want you to taint the souls inside of her."

"Taint the souls?" Mahito welcomes the blast with open arms, basking in the energy that amplifies his own. The rush is like nothing he's ever tasted. "And what happens after I do this?"

"Depends on if the souls you sense are the ones I need." The mirror lights up as the man's black claws stroke it.

"And if I say no?"

"You'll come calling soon enough when the withdrawals start." The man vanishes.

Mahito clucks his tongue. Claws, that man had claws. He didn't act or feel like a curse, but looks could be deceiving. Though the man reminds Mahito of the woman from the alley. A friend of hers? No, he would have attacked if that was the case. He scratches his arm. The smart thing to do would be to tell Geto-kun about the strange man and that woman. Now that he thinks about it, she sounds like the woman that Jogo had described from his encounter with Gojo Satoru.

He should mention it. She could be possible collateral against the strongest.

Mahito dusts his hands on his pants and walks down the hill. He licks his bottom lip as he thinks about the pull of the darkness within that woman and the addicting hit of energy from that dark-haired man. There's no need to alarm Geto-kun and the others.

He'll do everyone a favor and take the power for himself.

Chapter Text

Gojo taps his fingers on the couch. Nanami ignores him, choosing instead to read the morning paper. "Say, Nanami-chan–"

"Don't call me that," Nanami interrupts, not looking up from the paper.

"Aw, c'mon on. You really won't tell me?" Gojo throws his head back, sighs loudly. He stretches his arms out along the back of the couch. Nanami shifts away from him. "Did you at least give the finger to Yuji?"

"Why would I give it to Yuji? We do not know how many of those he can eat before Sukuna takes over." Nanami folds the newspaper and places it on the coffee table. "Kagome-san, her technique is interesting."

Gojo sits up and tilts his head. "Gome-chan was at the fight?" he asks. If he could have his way, he'd keep her at home, but she'd never go for that. "Thought you didn't take civilians with you."

"I don't. She was already at the school when I got there. The curse was fixated on her. He'd tried to run off with her."

Gojo cracks his knuckles. "What did this curse look like?"

"Like his body was patched together. I'm not sure if he's dead or not. A curse user showed up and got a hold of him. Kagome-san seemed to know him."

Kagome only knows a handful of people, Gojo thinks, so this curse user must be a demon. "If we go down that narrative, then the curse user probably wanted the curse to kidnap Gome-chan."

"What could they want with her? Why not go after Yuji?"

He shrugs. "Leverage against me."

Nanami crosses his legs. "That's what I don't understand. How did someone like Kagome-san end up with you?"

Gojo sputters. "I'll have you know, Gome-chan fell into my lap. She came from the heavens just for me."

"I'm so done with your shit," Nanami says, standing up. "You should keep that same energy for Yuji. He is still just a kid."

"We're leaving later today for a mini-vacation before the exchange event." Gojo frowns. "What's with that look?"

"Since when do you take vacations?"

He can't say that he's taking one because Kagome mentioned they should. That would just make it look as though he has to be told to take it easy.

"Are you leaving, Nanami-san?" Kagome asks, walking into the living room. Her hair is piled up into a messy bun, and if he looks closely, he can make out the fading hickeys along her collarbone. Gojo swallows and walks over to her. His hands sweaty and since when did he act like a love-sick teenager?

"Yes. I need to finish writing up my report."

"Leave Gome-chan out of it." Gojo palms Kagome's cheek. His tongue darts out, moistening his lips as he stares at hers behind his blindfold. "She isn't a sorcerer and I don't want the higher-ups pestering her."

"Very well," Nanami says, pushing his glasses up.

"Really? You aren't going to lecture me?"

"Kagome-san, I really am sorry."

"It's alright," Kagome replies. "I'll keep him in line." She smiles, causing Gojo's heart to thud.

The audacity of these two. Gojo takes his hand back and crosses his arms. "I'll head out with you."

"You just got here."

"I want to go over some things with my students before we head out."

"Head out?" Kagome scrunches up her nose and crosses her arms. The action pushes her breasts together, and Gojo isn't above ogling. "Eyes up here," she says.

"How do you know where I'm looking with this blindfold on?" He grins. "You and Yuji pack, we're going on that vacation you wanted."

"Really?" Her face brightens as she rushes off down the hall.

"Never thought you'd settle down," Nanami says, "with a non-sorcerer at that."

"That's why I like her so much. Gome-chan doesn't care about any of that." He walks with Nanami out of the apartment. The sunlight is a welcome reprieve from the dreary weather he experienced while in New York.

"So, she doesn't know?"

"She knows that I'm the strongest?" He isn't sure what Nanami is getting at. Obviously, she knows that he's a sorcerer.

"About being the head of the Gojo clan. Does she not know what all the entails?"

Gojo stops near Nanami's black rental car. His hand hovers over the door. He swipes his tongue along the length of his teeth, his mouth suddenly overcome with dryness. Would she stick around after finding out? He knows that logically; he can't keep her hidden away from that side of him forever.

"You need to tell her. Preferably before the wedding."

Gojo slides into the seat, opens his mouth, and then promptly closes it. There's really no point in explaining to Nanami that Kagome and he aren't engaged. He just put a ring on that finger because…. "What's with the rental? Don't trust Ijichi?"

"I don't call Ijichi for every errand." Nanami cuts his eyes at Gojo. "Why isn't she a sorcerer? Yuji and I may not have made it out without her help. She broke the curse's domain expansion."

"She doesn't use cursed energy, so she can't be a sorcerer–technically." Gojo leans the seat all the way back. He swears Nanami muttered, 'childish' under his breath.

"And you don't want to tell the higher-ups, so they don't perform any tests or kill her outright?" Nanami says, "but if you two are getting married, shouldn't that keep them from doing any of those things?"

"It would be an act of war," Gojo says. He snaps his fingers. "And no one would want to declare war with me. That would be suicidal."

"Oh, no."

"Anyone ever tell you to lighten up? I mean look at those lines! Nanami-chan, you should-"

"Can't you teleport to the school?"

"Can't you drive faster?" Nanami stops at the light, breathes loudly through his nostrils. Gojo wonders how many times he can annoy his favorite ex-salary man sorcerer. "Nanami. If you see that curse user again, call me."

"He must be strong, then. I'm surprised Kagome-san doesn't have a bodyguard then."

"She doesn't need one."

"How did you two meet?" Nanami asks, his voice uncertain.

"I told you, she fell from the sky and landed in my lap."

"I'm really sick of your shit."

Chapter Text

"Alright, this is where we'll be staying," Gojo says, parking the last-minute rental car. The hotel is surrounded by trees and on top of a mountain. Surrounding the area is a fog to give it a more secluded feel.

"Ah! Gojo-sensei, this is so cool," Yuji says, getting out of the car. He bounces on his feet as he grabs his bag.

Gojo grabs his and Kagome's suitcase from the trunk and reaches for her hand as they make their way to check-in. He can't wait until Yuji sees the room he picked out for him. "Just wait until you see the rooms." He squeezes Kagome's hand. She's so much softer than him, even with the callous on her palms. If he's being honest, then he loves how she can protect herself and yet still depend on him.

The first thing that greets him is how bright the chandelier is and the golden fox statues. He closes his eyes and focuses on the low hum of demonic energy.

"Can you feel it too?" Kagome whispers to him.

"They really have been hiding in plain sight," he says, walking to the front desk. After spending hours in the car, he's not about to turn around and try to find a unique spot just because the hotel has a couple of foxes running it. "If they try anything, we could just kill them."

"The worst is that they'll play some tricks on us. Foxes aren't that bad."

Yuji huffs behind them. "What are you guys whispering about?"

"Nothing," Gojo says, before turning his focus on the red-haired receptionist. "Reservation for Gojo." He smiles. His glasses slide down his nose, giving the fox a peek into what will happen if they mess with him.

The woman squeals–and he fights back the urge to flinch from the high volume. "Oh, my goodness! You must be Kagome-sama," she says, pointing at Kagome and completely ignoring him and Yuji. "Yakeru told me all about you. I'm so happy that you will be staying with us."

Damn fox. Gojo groans as he sets down the suitcase to pull out his card and ID. He places the items on the counter and signs the paperwork.

"Yakeru has been talking about me?" Kagome asks.

"Oh yes! We are so happy that you are here." The woman snaps her fingers and two attendants appear from the air. "Please take their belongings to their rooms. I must show you the playroom, the little ones will be so happy to see you."

She's still ignoring me, Gojo thinks. He follows anyway, well more like Kagome drags him along. Gojo looks back at Yuji. The poor boy is just as confused and put off as him. "Do we have to see this playroom right now?"

"Yes," Kagome says, gripping his hand tighter, and he swears she picked up the pace. "This cannot wait."

"Alright, alright." Compromise–he read that in an article.

"Ooh!" Yuji exclaims behind them as they enter a room with tan carpet and towers made of wood. Several small red foxes are playing with one another. Some stand at the top of the tower. Yuji rushes past them and squats down. "Kagome-san, Gojo-sensei, look at them!" He picks up one, snuggles it close to his face.

It's so… cute. Gojo looks over at Kagome, who's gathered a small crowd around her. He wishes they were in the hotel room. Compromise, he reminds himself, he'll have plenty of time to show her how much he's missed her.

"Come here," Kagome says, patting a spot next to her. "They remind me of Shippo-chan." She rubs their red fur; the kits bask under her affection. Gojo takes a seat next to her, his legs brush against hers. The kits paw at him, not quite reaching him. As cute as they are, he's not dropping his infinity for even a second in this demon hotel. Kagome cuddles one close to her chest and then places the kit back down. "You probably need to rest." She leans over and brushes a hand along his forehead. He turns away, his cheeks heat up. "Are you blushing?" Kagome laughs, poking him in the side.

"That's just from my allergies," he says, standing up.

"You don't have allergies, silly."

"C'mon on Yuji-kun," Gojo says. The fox woman gives him a wide, fang-filled smile. He narrows his eyes.

"Let me show you all to your rooms. I'll have the staff prepare a meal for you." She motions for them to follow.

"We can put a barrier up around our rooms if it'll make you feel more at ease," Kagome says, walking next to him.

"I'm not afraid of some foxes." He frowns at the lack of response from the fox. The woman hands a key card to Kagome and another one to Yuji.

"Thank you so much, Kagome-sama for brightening our humble hotel." She grabs Kagome's hand, her eyes mist over. "It is such an honor, truly."

"Um, you're welcome?" Kagome pulls her hands back.

"C'mon, I got gifts for you two." Gojo plucks the key card out of Kagome's hand and opens the door. He shuts the door in the woman's still smiling face. "Y'know, not once did I encounter a demon on my trip. There's nothing you can say that will convince me that you aren't a demon magnet."

"I think there was a demon the other day, at the school," Yuji speaks up, as he walks around the room.

"Yuji-kun! There's a private onsen," Kagome yells.

Gojo shakes his head. Of course, she could care less about how spacious the room is or the very thoughtful gifts he got for them. He stretches, taking in how the first room is an eating area. Further down is the bedroom. He follows the sound of their squeals to the private onsen with a small makeshift cave.

"Your room has a private onsen as well," Gojo says, looking at Yuji.

"Really? You got one for me?"

"Can't have you using ours the whole trip." He pulls his shades down and winks at Kagome.

"Gross," Yuji says, fake gagging.

"Stay here," Gojo says, leaving them to retrieve the gifts from the suitcase. "Here ya go, Gome-chan." He hands the doubled wrapped gift to her and the one covered in cupcake stickers to Yuji. He smiles as the two share a look with each other before opening their gifts. His heart hammers in his chest, anticipating their reaction. He coughs, swallowing down his laughter. He can't give it away just yet.

"Seriously?" they both say, opening their presents.

"Hey! I put a lot of work into those." He bites down on his lip, but the laughs slip past.

"Not that I don't mind a new swimsuit, but really you had to put your face on them?" Kagome holds up the green bikini top with his face winking back at him on it. She pulls out the bottoms and glares at him.

"I see nothing wrong."

"They have your name on the back."

"I just got a bunch of Sukuna's fingers on my swim trunks," Yuji cuts in.

"See! I was thoughtful." Gojo nods to himself. "Yeah, I could have stopped at a souvenir shop, but this–this is much better." Kagome shakes her head as she places the items back in the box and gathers the wrappers.

"Thanks, Satoru." Kagome raises herself up and pecks his cheek. "Dinner is here," she says, walking towards the entrance.

"How do you know that?" Yuji asks, his voice joking.

"Woman's intuition."

Gojo opens the door on the second knock. Behind him, Kagome teases Yuji about how right she was. "Surely, you have actual room service," he says to the woman.

"This is a special occasion," she responds, pushing a small cart in with their food and drinks. She serves them at the table. "Kagome-sama, please enjoy this special blend of tea. It's a kitsune specialty."

"Oh, what's so special about this tea?" Gojo asks, leaning over, causing Kagome to lean back and the tea to slosh out. "Careful, Gome-chan," he says, taking the cup from her. He makes a show of how hot the cup is, pretends to fumble with it, as it spills out on the table. "I am so sorry, receptionist-chan."

The woman grits her teeth, her eye twitches, but she cleans the mess up all the same. "I can bring you some more," she says, gifting Kagome a genuine smile. Gojo narrows his eyes at her over the rim of his glasses. She lacks any murderous intent, but he still doesn't trust her. "I have a gift for you, Gojo-san. But I ask that you please open it until later."

"There's no need to bring any more tea. Perhaps we can all try that special tea some other time." Gojo dismisses the woman. Once she leaves, Kagome pinches his cheek. "Hey–ow, easy on the merchandise."

"Why are you being so rude to her?"

"She put something in that drink. Who knows what it would have done?"

"I thought foxes liked Kagome-san, though?" Yuji says, stuffing some sashimi into his mouth.

"That's even worse," Gojo says, throwing his hands up. "What if it was something to brainwash you?"

"You watch too much anime," Kagome says, pouring herself some green tea. "But I will be more cautious, if it makes you feel more at ease."

"Yuji, after you get done eating, get some rest. Your room is the one next door. We're going horseback riding tomorrow. Supposedly it's all the craze around here," Gojo says. He stuffs his face and uses his free hand to rub circles into Kagome's thigh under the table.

"You really put a lot of thought into this trip." Kagome flashes him a smile. His breath catches in his throat, and he swears his heart is trying to claw itself out of his chest and into her palms. His brain short-circuits. For once, he can't come up with a witty remark.

Yuji yawns as he stands up. He grabs his gift and pulls out his key card. "I'm gonna go relax in my room. Thank you so much, Gojo-sensei!" Yuji waves, walking out of the room.

"I want to see what they got you," Kagome says, after a beat.

"Maybe another fox statue, since they seem to love those so much," Gojo says, standing up and retrieving the box off of the cart. He sits back down at the table. "A cursed object, maybe?" It's surrounded by protective writing. Gojo opens the box, Kagome leans over to get a better look.

"Is that?"

"Yep," he says, picking up the finger. "Wanna purify it?" He holds it out to her.

"Must be a peace offering," Kagome says, taking the cursed finger from him. She purifies it, leaving behind a paler finger. "Are you going to give it to Yuji-kun tonight?"

"Nah," he says, taking the finger back and putting it in the box. "Maybe we should stage a scene? Like we found it somewhere."

"You think Sukuna is catching on?"

"Well, you haven't been subtle with your powers lately." He shrugs. "But who cares about that?" He turns to her, pulls her flush against him. "Don't you want to try out the onsen?"

***

He kisses her slowly, taking his time. Each breathless moan belongs to him. His hands cusp the sides of her face as his tongue demands entrance. There's no place he'd rather be than where he's at with her.

"Heh. Looks like someone missed me." Satoru teases, pulling back and trailing a finger down the column of her neck and across her hardening nipples.

"S-shut up," she groans out, "you're the one all over me."

"Not yet, but I will be." The water sloshes around them. "I really like your swimsuit," he says, undoing the strings.

"Because you bought it or because it has your face on it?" She tosses the bikini top behind her. "What was the point in even putting them on?"

"Man's intuition?"

Kagome laughs, cupping his face and pulling him in for another kiss. He sucks her bottom lip into his mouth and bites down before swallowing her hiss. His hand slides down and dips into her bottoms. He cups her lower lips, his finger slides into her.

"Gome-chan, you're so naughty. This wet and I've barely touched you." He hisses this time when her hand wraps around him, teasing his head. "Just like that," he says, thrusting his hips into her. He adds another finger, slowly pumping into her, not quite giving her what she seeks.

"Stop teasing me," she says. He removes his hand and kisses away her protests. He wraps an arm around her and walks them to the bedroom. His lips never leave hers, not even when he lays her down and removes the last barrier separating them.

The bed smells of lavender but is soon replaced with the combined scents of him and Kagome. He takes his time rocking into her. Even with her pleas begging him to move faster, he will not be rushed this time. He bends his head, taking a pink nipple into his mouth. Her hands grip his hair, it's nearly painful and for a moment he wonders if he'll have any hair left.

"T-toru," she calls out, her hips moving against his frantically. He lets her nipple go with a soft pop and splays his hands on her stomach.

"That's it," he coos, still edging her on. He bites down on her shoulder. When she tightens around him, he swears as his hips stutter. He clenches his eyes shut, his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. Gojo imagines that this what it feels like after drinking all night. His mind is hazy, drunk on her touch. She bucks her hips when he finds that sweet bundle of nerves.

"I'm gonna-" her voice breaks off, as she lets out a low moan. He kisses her again, his hips moving erratically now as he chases his own high. He's rambling around her mouth, placing kisses along her face and down her neck. He bites down her shoulder again, as his balls tighten and he's releasing inside of her.

Gojo rolls off of her and pulls her close, his hands comb through her damp hair. "Lazy sex," he says with a sigh.

"Lazy sex?" Kagome doesn't look up at him instead she snuggles in closer, her hand resting on his chest. He can barely detect the scent of lavender now.

"Yeah, we just had lazy sex."

"Most people would call that making love." She snorts. Her words hit him in the heart. His hand stills for a moment before going back to combing through her hair.

Love, huh?

Chapter Text

Kagome slips on the pink cowgirl boots, sticking her foot out to admire the little designs of foxes jumping over a horse. There must be several small villages across Japan in which the demons have created a haven for themselves. She walks out of the changing room into the harsh rays of the sun. A perfect day to go horseback riding. She winces. Well, almost perfect if her legs didn't hurt.

"Ah! Yuji-kun, you're such a natural," she praises, clapping at the pink-haired boy. He's decked out in a tan cowboy hat with a matching vest.

"What about me?" Satoru whines, hopping down from his horse. Her eyes widen. Not that the pink vest doesn't suit him–it matches her boots. But where the hell was his shirt to go with it?

"Where is your shirt?" She grabs the reins of her brown horse.

"The foxes said I didn't need one." He shrugs and grabs a hold of his waist.

"I know how to ride a horse," she says, shooing his hands away. "And since when do you listen to the foxes? Thought you didn't trust them." Kagome lifts herself up, frowns at the feel of Satoru's hands on her ass.

"Eh, I don't. But, based on that blush, I'd say they were right about something." He blows her a kiss and hops back on his horse. "As your instructor for the day-"

"No," Kagome and Yuji say in unison. Kagome hides her laugh behind her hand while Yuji gives her a thumbs up.

"Alright, party poopers," Satoru says, "I have convinced the other instructor that I am more than capable of taking us on the trail."

"You convinced them?"

"Sure sounds like you don't believe my heartfelt words, Gome-chan."

"Well… I didn't see Gojo-sensei threatened anyone. And the lady did hand Gojo-sensei a key." Yuji scratches his cheek. Kagome squints. Yuji-kun is such a traitor, taking Satoru's side.

"Lead the way, then."

"Don't worry," Satoru says, moving towards the front, "what could go wrong?"

They get halfway through the trail leading into the forest when the sun hides behind the rain clouds, unleashing an onslaught onto them–well, just her and Yuji because Satoru just jokes the whole way back about how dry he is.

***

There's a knock at the door. Kagome lifts a brow in Satoru's direction.

"Fine, I'll get it. It's probably just Yuji." He pecks her nose and answers the door. "Do you seriously have nothing better to do?"

Kagome stills, places the book down and goes to diffuse the situation. "Was there something you needed?" She squeezes between Satoru and the woman.

"Ah! Kagome-sama. Yes, we stayed up all night creating this for you." The woman thrusts a package into her hands. "It would be such an honor if you were to wear it out on your date tonight."

"I thought we were just ordering in again?" She tilts her head back.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," he says.

"Well, at any rate. I'll be happy to wear this… as long as it's decent." Kagome smiles at the woman. Honestly, she doesn't get what all the fuss is about. "Thank you, um… I never actually got your name."

"Cho!" she exclaims, her eyes glazed over.

"R-right, thank you, Cho, for all of your help." Kagome clutches the package to her chest.

"Please eat your fill, Kagome-sama. You must take care of yourself."

"Alright, thank you, Cho-chan," Gojo speaks up, pulling Kagome back into the room and closing the door.

"Did they play a trick on you or something?" Kagome walks around him, back to the bedroom. She sits in the middle of the bed.

"They're too nice. It's obvious that they want something from you." He takes a seat across from her and slides the package closer to him. "Just in case something springs out. Only one of us has infinity." He tears into it without a care about preserving the packaging. "Huh."

"Let me see," Kagome says, reaching over and picking up the cloth. "Oh, this is too much." She lifts the pink kimono up, roving over the designs. Her lips twitch. Of course–they would put foxes on it, such a prideful bunch they are. The kimono glides along her fingertips.

"This feels more… silkier, yeah silkier than anything I've seen."

"Clothing made by demons is better." She sets it down, smoothing out any wrinkles. The obi is a simple blue. She pulls it in closer. Satoru's family name is engraved in white in the middle of it. "No wonder they put up with your disrespect, they really think we're mates."

"Pink and blue," he mutters.

"What?" She lowers the obi. His mind seems so far away from her.

"Nothing." His glasses slide down. Blue surrounds her. "Curses are so much easier to understand." He gives her a devilish grin. "You think they'll be mad if I rip this off of you?"

"Pervert," she says, getting off of the bed. "How about helping me get into it instead?" She shimmies out of her pants and tosses her shirt.

"Ah, so you would be mad," he says, grabbing the kimono as he gets off the bed.

"It is my first kimono in this world, I'd like to keep it." She holds out her arms as he ties the obi around her.

"Ya know, all you have to do is ask Gome-chan."

"Thanks," she responds, turning around. "I'm going to see if Yuji-kun needs anything before we go." Gojo grabs her wrist and pulls her back. "You should get ready too."

"I will." He lets go of her wrist and cups the sides of her face. "You don't have to feel embarrassed about asking me for anything or using my money."

"It's not that," she says, averting her gaze. "I just don't want us to fall into a pit of thinking that material things will solve everything. Just you being here is enough."

Satoru brushes his nose against hers. "Gome-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"You're my favorite little alien." He giggles and dares to snort. Kagome pushes back, walks out of the bedroom and out of the hotel suite.

She is not an alien.

***

Satoru squeezes her waist as he leans down to peck her cheek. He leaves her on the bridge, overlooking a koi pond to grab some sweet dango for the two of them. Why? Because he needed to set his tastebuds up with dessert before dinner. Kagome smiles to herself, one hand playing with the golden charms in her hair ornament. A trio of koi swims in sync. It's too bad that Mama couldn't meet Satoru, Kagome knows that she would have loved him. Gramps would have a field day throwing his useless sutras at Satoru's infinity.

"They should keep pretty little things like you indoors," a man's voice says from her side. Kagome stands upright, regarding the blonde man with dark-colored tips. His eyes are small and his grin is far too wide.

"I didn't realize this was the feudal era," she says, looking over his shoulder. She promised Satoru that she wouldn't move from the bridge. His hakama bottoms and kimono top remind of a time long past. Clearly, he's still living in the old way of thinking.

"Seems Your husband hasn't you taught you any manners. He must be weak if he hasn't beaten that into you yet." His tongue darts out, swiping along the corners of his mouth.

"Such a sad life you live, bothering women who don't want you. You should walk away before my husband comes back." Kagome smiles. He tilts his head. Kagome resists the urge to shiver from the appraisal.

"You'd go for a decent amount for a commoner."

"Excuse me?" She slaps him, winces when his hand grips her wrist. The pain is so worth seeing the red palm print on his ugly face.
"Naoya-kun, what an unpleasant welcome," Gojo calls out. "I suggest you unhand Gome-chan before you lose that arm."

He knows him? Kagome moves to Satoru's side, taking the dango from him.

"Ah, Satoru-kun. I didn't know this was your concubine. She's trouble, parading around as if she is your wife." Naoya rolls his shoulders, sticking his hands into his pockets.

Kagome looks up at Satoru. They will discuss these so-called concubines later.

"You'll lose your tongue if you keep insulting her."

"Apologies. If you have time, I'd like to–"

"Anything clan-related can wait. You should go home, Naoya-kun." Gojo wraps an arm around Kagome and ushers them away.

"Clan?" Kagome brings up once they are far enough away. "Concubines?"

"I don't have any concubines. Naoya has to pay for women to pretend to like him." He plucks his dango from her. Kagome bites into hers. "I didn't want to talk about jujutsu or demons this whole trip." He sighs as they approach the restaurant.

Kagome pulls back, takes in his white buttoned-down shirt and black dress pants. His face is serious for once. The host leads them to the back of the restaurant to a secluded booth. Kagome pats the space beside her, leans her head on his shoulder.

"Let's just enjoy this moment."

Chapter Text

Gojo opens the front door to the apartment. The door hits the wall with a loud bang. He winces. That is for sure going to leave a hole in the wall that someone other than him will have to fix. He snaps his fingers, turning around to look at Kagome and Yuji. Kagome shakes her head and mutters under her breath.

"I've got the perfect mission for you, Yuji-kun!"

"Mission?" Yuji sputters. "What about the exchange event?" Yuji sets his bag down and gives Kagome the puppy dog face.

"No, no. Gome-chan can't save you." Gojo huffs, his resolve crumbling away like the sugar cookies he snuck in for breakfast. "Aw, c'mon. I haven't even said what the mission is." What a traitor his student is turning out to be. As if getting Kagome on his side will change Gojo's stance.

"If it involves fixing the wall, then you can do it. Yuji-kun shouldn't have to clean up after you." She brushes by him; the scent of lavender consumes him. Well, fuck. Alright, he muses, perhaps Yuji getting Kagome on his side was the way to go.

"Yeah!" Yuji fist pumps the air and skips past. "I can't wait to see everyone again!"

"You can't just walk up," Gojo says, kicking the door shut, "it has to be a surprise!" He claps his hands at the excitement painted on Yuji's face. "Everyone will fall out on the floor, seeing you–their long-lost comrade back from the dead. It will be enough to–"

"Stop world hunger!" They both exclaim out. Yuji launches himself at Gojo, rubbing his face along his. They crackle. Yuji lets out a couple of snorts that only send Gojo into another laughing fit. His stomach aches from laughing so much. Gojo bends down and grabs a hold of Yuji's leg, flipping him upside down as he levitates them both in the air.

"Kagome-san, are you going to watch?" Yuji asks upside down as Gojo swings him back and forth with one hand.

"Of course, she'll be there! First, we have to get the introductions out of the way and then the event will actually start this afternoon." Gojo tosses Yuji onto the couch and floats back down. He thrusts his arms open. "Jealous? I can swing you around too." He walks forward, pokes Kagome with one long finger on her cheek. She puffs her cheeks out and grabs ahold of his hand. Warmth blossoms in his chest. The loud sound of Yuji clearing his throat breaks the trance. Gojo takes a step back. He should ask her sometime when she started wearing Lavender scented perfumes.

"I'm gonna go lie down for a bit. You two have fun," Kagome says, picking up their discarded suitcase. Her skin is a tad bit too pale for his liking, though that could just be from the lack of sleep. Deep down, he knows that it's silly, and Naoya clearly repulsed Kagome. But when they got back to the hotel room, all he could think about was how he needed more from her–more of her.

He'll have to send Ijichi to pick Kagome up later in time for the event to start. Or he could just wrap and pick her up himself. It would be more dramatic if he just popped up with her on his arm, then having Ijichi drop her off. Gojo waits until she disappears from his sight and he hears the bedroom door close to address Yuji.

"Before we go, and I put you in a box," Gojo says, reaching into his pocket and grabbing a hold of the newly wrapped cursed finger. He wanted to come up with an elaborate: Oh, there's a curse over there, go exorcise it Yuji. And then bam, Yuji would find the cursed finger. A sound plan if he had the time to put it into motion.

"Why are you putting me in a box?" Yuji asks, leaning back on the couch. "Oh! Is that how I'll make my entrance? We could wrap it up, and I could jump out."

"Yes! But first, the foxes gave me a little present for you." He holds out the wrapped finger. Yuji scrunches up his face but takes the object anyway.

"The last time you got me a gift, I nearly died," Yuji says, unwrapping the sutras. "Nooo," he bemoans.

"It's not that bad. Are you saying you'd rather eat the ones that are all angry-looking?" Gojo crosses his arms. He tilts his head, listening to what sounds like the shower going. Maybe he should go check on her before he heads out?

"Uh yeah, these pale ones burn on the way down," Yuji says, taking a deep breath and swallowing the cursed finger. "Why?" Yuji asks, his hands grip his throat as he bends over. His skin flashes with Sukuna's markings and then fades away. His skin pales and then flushes red, as if his body can't decide on how it wants to handle what it just digested. Yuji coughs and struggles to right himself.

"Ayy, you didn't die though!" Gojo snaps his fingers and pretends to shoot at the glaring red eye of Sukuna on Yuji's cheek. A minuscule amount of guilt brews in his gut over how the purified fingers are causing Yuji pain, but the more rational side of him reminds him that every finger Kagome can purify is a win for them.

"Sensei, you're the worst."

Gojo waves a hand in the air, brushing off the accusation. "Ready to get in the box?"

***

Yuji falters under the glare of Megumi and Nobara. He isn't sure what to make of the talking panda–though after spending time with a bunch of fox demons over the weekend, a talking panda really isn't that far-fetched. The white-haired boy that only speaks in onigiri ingredients, though – that, that is a little weird. "How long do I have to hold this?" he asks, slinking further down as he holds the board up.

"I can't believe you've been alive this whole time," Nobara says, her fist-shaking. Yuji tries to melt into the flooring. Maybe if he could just disappear quietly, she won't hit him. "I mean, I almost shed a thug tear." She pretends to wipe a tear from her eye. Panda pats her back and Yuji still can't get over the talking panda.

"Salmon," Inumaki says, nodding his head.

"Have you been with sensei this whole time?" Megumi speaks up. At least he isn't glaring anymore. Yuji would take Megumi's indifference any day.

"Kagome-san too. I lived with them." Yuji sets the board down and stands up. The green-haired girl–Maki regards him coolly. Her indifference is colder than the special chocolate chip supreme brownie rush sundae he had on the trip.

"Who's Kagome?" Panda asks.

"Sensei's girlfriend," Megumi replies.

"Girlfriend!" the others shout. Yuji blinks. Is it really that crazy for Gojo-sensei to be in a relationship? Maki looks disgusted, Nobara is indifferent, Inumaki is scratching his head, Panda–well he just looks like a…. panda, and Megumi just looks over it all.

"Kagome-san is coming by later to watch the event," Yuji says. Megumi looks behind him. "Do you not want Kagome-san to watch?"

"He just doesn't want to give Buyo Jr back," Nobara says, tucking some stray hairs back behind her ear.

"That freaky cat thing belongs to Gojo's girlfriend?" Maki scoffs.

"He isn't freaky."

"Pandas are better."

"Salmon."

"Guys," Yuji starts, but they ignore him, leaving him to trail after them. The sun is bright, and the weather is just perfect. Now if only he could get the gang to get off the subject of how freaky Buyo Jr is. "Shouldn't we come up with a game plan? I don't actually know what we're doing."

"Sensei never told you?" Megumi asks.

"No, not really."

They all let out a series of groans and bring him into a huddle. Happiness fills him, and he can't stop smiling. He can't wait to go all out with his friends and show sensei and Kagome-san how far he's come.

Chapter Text

Kagome plasters a fake smile on her face, similar to the ones that she always graced Hojo or Koga-kun with. It–the mask slips on easily and she can understand why Satoru is as outlandish as he is. She would be too if the depressing and oh-so-serious nature of these sorcerers constantly surrounded her. The older man, the one with the extremely long white beard and hunched back, hasn't stopped glaring at her since Satoru teleported her to the school. She tilts her head, eyes him as he stares back unflinchingly.

She gets it. As far as the older man is concerned, she's a civilian that has no ties to the jujutsu world. On top of that Satoru keeps making not-so-subtle hints that the man should drop dead from either old age or just because probably doesn't help. So yeah, she gets it. And yet, her lip threatens to curl up in a proclamation that her teeth are just as sharp as Satoru's if anyone tries to fuck with her.

Kagome shakes her head and stands up. Her skin itches and she wants nothing more than to go back home and sleep whatever the heck is going on with her off. Satoru pats his lap and wraps an arm around her as she settles down. She doesn't care how improper they look, cuddled together while watching the students battle it out on the screen. The only thing keeping her from lashing out is having his arm around her.

"Funny how the footage around Yuji isn't working," Satoru says, "just whose side are you on?"

Kagome was thinking the same thing. How suspicious it is that only Yuji's fight is not being shown. She shifts, her blood heats from the unjustness of it all. This is a school dedicated to training students to develop their skills and successfully exorcise curses and protect those that cannot do it themselves. Her lashes flutter. As usual, the biggest threat is not some curse or demon looking to flex their power, but greedy humans rejecting those that do not fit into some mold.

"Money has no sides. Besides, it is tiring controlling so many crows. Not all of us are limitless," Mei Mei replies. Her voice washes over Kagome like acid. The putrid smell is enough to send her running to the bathroom.

When she comes out of the bathroom, sweat clings to her forehead, though the bile in her gut still seeks to find its way up. Satoru's lips are downturned, and she imagines that his eyebrows are raised behind that blindfold. "I'm fine," she says, not quite looking at him, but past him. He should be worrying about the event.

"You've been sick ever since we left the hotel. Did you take anything else from those foxes?" He crosses his arms.

"I'm fine," she says again, attempting to walk past. His hands reach out and grab her arm. "Something isn't right–and no, I don't think it has anything to do with the foxes. They wouldn't do anything to harm me."

"Do you need to go back home?" He turns her around and cups her cheek, and even though he's shown consideration for her before–it still blows her mind how much he actually listens.

"No, I need to stay." She leans into him, takes in the smell of his expensive cologne, and calms her mind.

"The kids will be fine. Come on, let's go back." He leads them back to the room. The footage around Yuji still isn't showing. Kagome grits her teeth. Gakuganji is still glaring at her with his hand clutching his cane. She looks away, stares at the blue-haired student on the screen instead.

"Man, your students not getting enough rest? Perhaps you should tuck her in," Satoru says, all too cheerily.

"How you can stand to be with this idiot is beyond me, Kagome-san," Utahime says, moving to stand up from her seat. "I'm going to go get Miwa. It's too dangerous for her to be napping on the forest floor."

There's a sudden stillness as the screens turn black and the students' pictures light on fire. Kagome's heart drops to her feet, as her skin pales. That sickening feeling comes back full force, and she has to grip her own mouth shut. Satoru places a hand on her shoulder. His thumb rubs circles into the back of her neck. She can taste the worry seeping through his touch, but she can't shake the dread that something is terribly wrong.

"I would love to believe that my students won the event," Satoru says.

"Mei Mei, stay back here and monitor the situation. I am going to check on Master Tengen. Everyone else, investigate," Yaga commands, leaving the room without looking back at them, and completely ignoring Mei Mei's jibe about how expensive her labor is going to cost.

Kagome picks her black bag up from the floor, takes her bow out, and slips the quiver on. She ignores the questioning stares of Utahime and Gakuganji, focuses instead on the comforting feeling of having her bow in her hand, and how she makes out the stress in the way Satoru runs ahead. The unknown spurs her on and her mind whispers how Yuji-kun and the other students are out there in danger. She doesn't notice all the empty buildings around them, nor the way the area around the forest darkens. No, she feels instead the spike–that familiar pulse of demonic energy. Dark and oppressive.

The students do not know how to fight against demons.

"Toru," Kagome calls, as she runs behind him on the ground as he runs and jumps from the rooftops.

"I know," he responds, "they can handle it."

He says it so confidently, and yet Kagome can't shake that fear and so she runs past him, even when everyone else stops at the veil. She runs through it, ignores the shouts, doesn't look back to see if Satoru followed her. She comes to a stop at a bald man with cleavers in his hands. He looks as though he's out for slaughter, and she realizes with dread that he's dressed up like a butcher for precisely that reason.

"Kagome-san! It's far too dangerous for you," Utahime calls behind her, breathless. There's a sheen of uncertainty that clings to Utahime and Kagome wants nothing more than to shake her and demand that it be she that runs away. If they had time, Kagome would turn around and explain how there's a demon, possibly more, loose on the school grounds, and even though Utahime is wearing a priestess outfit–she is no priestess.

"I'm going to cut you lovelies up and turn your flesh into couch cushions," the psycho retorts, licking a cleaver. A thin sliver of blood trails down the sharp end, and he shudders. Kagome opens her mouth to respond when the demon crashes through the trees.

Of course, she thinks, it's always a fucking centipede–Mistress centipede. With all of its naked glory and annoying trait, to never stay dead. Though this one isn't the same one she encountered in her world, but once you meet one centipede, you've met them all. She lets out a sigh of relief. Frustrating? Yeah, but in hindsight, Mistress centipede isn't that strong. And if she's lucky, then this is the only demon she'll have to purify.

It comes straight for her, knocking the butcher guy and Utahime out of its way. She barely pays attention to Gakuganji's arrival as she runs further into the forest. She needs to lure it away from everyone. Her lungs burn. All that time in her world, she's gone soft, but at least the fight in her has not left. She turns on her heel, pulls out an arrow, and shoots. The arrow hits true, right in the demon's mouth. And it's easy–too easy, the way the screams are ripped from Mistress centipede's throat and the way her body dissolves. With luck, she won't resurrect herself for another hundred years.

"I almost didn't believe it. And yet here you are."

Kagome freezes and then turns towards that voice. Her skin itches again. She grips her bow until her knuckles turn sheet white. "You're the demon that saved that curse," she says.

"Is that all I am to you?" He leans back in the tree, taking a swig of his sake. "After all that we've been through together." His purple kimono and black hakama pants remind her of a time long past, but it's the ease in which he converses with her that twists her stomach into knots.

"Why are you here?" She frowns at the sound of battle coming from further into the forest. A curse–a strong one, that much she can make out.

"How are you here? Is that not the better question?" His red eyes peer down at her. Kagome clucks her tongue. Always with the mind games with him. But he should know by now that she isn't one to fall so easily into his web of lies. No matter how skillful he believes his spinning is, all he ever speaks are words of half- truths.

Perhaps it's his greatest flaw.

"We killed you." She keeps her voice steady, refuses to show any kind of weakness in front of him. She should have known, should have voiced her concerns earlier, but stupidly she had latched onto the hope of being wrong.

"You also got rid of the Shikon jewel, and yet somehow you've merged with another one." He leans forward. "You could join me. Believe it or not, but we share a common enemy."

"Death has made you senile, Naraku." And the lack of battle has made her rusty, but she'll never voice those concerns out loud.

"I wonder, what your precious InuYasha would think of you?" Naraku taps a finger to his chin.
"Whoring yourself out to the next man. How devastated he would be to know that his precious Kagome only opens her legs to humans."

She waits for the embarrassment to come, to flood her senses and remind her that this entire journey began with her trying to get back to InuYasha. But it's silent. Her heart doesn't skip a beat, her palms don't sweat, and her body doesn't recoil from the verbal slap.

It must read on her face because he says it before her mind has time to accept what's in front of her.

"Love then. I knew that six eyes was going to be a problem."

Does she love Satoru?

She notches the bow and shoots. The arrow goes through him and hits the tree with a thud. The wooden figure that falls down from the branch brings her no joy. Of course, Naraku would be up to his usual schemes and not actually come here himself. She turns her attention to the sound of battle. Her mind races faster than her legs, as dread pools low in her belly and her stomach aches to upchuck whatever contents she has left on the forest floor.

Naraku knew she would be at the exchange event. He was waiting–patiently, without a care in the world. And there's no telling how long he's been in this world or the web of deceit he's been able to cast. Or who else has crossed over. Kagome pushes her legs to carry her further.

She has to reach Yuji-kun and the others.

Chapter Text

Yuji blinks, rubs his eyes with a bloody fist. He blinks again, not believing what is right in front of him. He could have sworn that he was in the middle of being trained by Todo. But the third-year Kyoto student was no longer in front of him, criticizing the way he used divergent fists. Yuji steps forward, his arm outreached. "Gramps?" It couldn't be him… he for sure laid his Gramps to rest, and yet no matter how many times he blinks, it's still his grandpa, dressed in that same hospital gown, frowning back at him and not Todo's larger-than-life aura.

"Why are you here?" Gramps questions, crossing his arms and turning his nose up. "Haven't you done enough?"

"Gramps, what are you talking about? I'm doing what you told me to do." Yuji steps forward with slow, measured steps as though his grandpa is going to lash out like a cornered animal. He sniffs. The smell of ash and medicine intertwines with the crisp smell of the trees surrounding them. "I'm saving people. Just like you told me to."

Gramps narrows his eyes, his glare cuts through Yuji, and rips his heart out in a way that makes him want to fall over and repent for what he isn't sure of. He's doing what he asked, so why is his gramps looking at him as though he's a monster? Gramps turns his back and walks away. Yuji runs after him. For one so old, how the heck is he not catching up to him?

"Gramps! Wait!" Yuji stretches his arm out, trying to catch ahold of the older man's white hospital gown. The sky above darkens and turns red. Yuji knows that if he wasn't so concerned with Gramps' sudden appearance, then he would take the time to question how the sky could turn such a deep red. Gramps stops and opens his arms. Yuji sighs with relief as he welcomes the embrace. Perhaps Gramps just wanted to give him a hard time? His body trembles and his breath catches as the feel of metal pricks the back of his neck. "Gramps?" A bead of sweat slides past his brow and lands in his eye. The sting shakes him up, and Yuji unwraps his arms from his grandpa. "Gramps?" he says again with uncertainty.

"You are no grandson of mine," Gramps responds, digging the knife deeper. His eyes darken to a near pitch black. Yuji pushes him away, stumbles back as he rubs the back of his neck. "Not my grandson," Gramps says, over and over. He rushes at Yuji with the knife raised and poised.

Yuji grits his teeth. He doesn't want to hurt his grandpa, but he can't exactly let the man kill him. "Gramps, knock it off!" He grabs a hold of Gramps's hands, applying pressure to force him to let the knife go. Gramps only growls in response. The vibration causes Yuji's stomach to drop to the ground. There's no getting through to him. Crap, he thinks, as Gramps kicks his legs, causing Yuji to fall over. He was so concerned with not hurting his grandpa that he forgot about not creating any openings.

"Monster," Gramps says, as he jumps on top of Yuji's stomach and wraps his hands around Yuji's neck. "You shouldn't be here."

"Gramps," Yuji says, his lips wobbling as he strikes his grandpa in the side. The startled gasp is as sharp as glass. But it's the sound of his fist connecting with the older man's flesh that causes his eyes to water. Yuji coughs as he stands, towering over the fallen man. "Gramps, I'm so–" Huh? He looks down at the claws digging into his leg.

"You don't have the guts."

Yuji jerks back. He sniffs back the tears and despair. He doesn't have the guts. He crouches down, ignoring the pain, and closes his eyes. This must be his punishment for awakening Sukuna. "Okay," he says, taking a deep breath. He waits for the pain to blossom, for a strike that doesn't come. He opens his eyes, stares back at the hollowed gaze.

The sound of a slap echoes amongst the trees. It takes way too long for him to realize that the slap was delivered to him. He cups his cheek and blinks at the grass. Where did Gramps go? Yuji looks up. "Todo?"

"An illusion," Todo says, arms crossed, "they almost got me too."

An illusion, huh? Yuji stands, his fist-shaking. "How do you know?"

"Takada-chan would never agree to be with me. No one is worthy of her love," Todo says, pounding his bare chest with a fist.

"You get rejected in your own illusion?"

"This is the work of a special grade. We need to find the others."

Yuji takes off after Todo. His mind swims with questions that he knows will go unanswered. And yet, he wonders if his grandpa was still alive. Would he think less of Yuji for eating that cursed finger? Is staying alive the right thing to do? "So, was this an incomplete domain expansion?"

"No…" Todo pauses. "Whatever cast this spell can most likely cast a complete expansion."

Yuji latches onto the hesitance in Todo's voice, that he doesn't believe or want to believe that a curse could do such damage. Wait…. he thinks back to when Kagome introduced him and Gojo-sensei to Yakeru, and how easy the fox could create an illusion for himself.

Fighting a demon can't be that different from fighting anything else, right?

***

Megumi spits out the pooled blood, prepares himself to attack Noritoshi Kamo. He skids to a stop as vines break out of the concrete. He knows that isn't a technique that a Kamo can use, they specialize in manipulating blood, not plants. Kamo's bloodshot eyes widen as his head shakes no.

Shit. Megumi jumps back as the vines lash out, creating holes in the ground. The sound of running reaches his ears as he looks up to see Inumaki running from a curse. It looks down at them, though he isn't sure how the curse can see with branches coming out of its eye sockets. There are black lines that look as though they have been tattooed on and it's wearing black hakama pants. A curse that is dressed for battle.

"Run!"

The command snaps Megumi into gear and he and Noritoshi take off. They don't get very far as Inumaki jumps down and runs alongside them. The curse is faster and uses its vines to prevent them from going any further.

"Salmon," Inumaki says, pretending to answer a phone.

"Right," Megumi agrees, reaching into his pocket and calling Gojo. It rings twice. The curse appears suddenly before them and knocks the phone away. It reaches an arm out to strike. Buyo Jr jumps out from his shadow and bites down on the arm. Megumi jumps back, putting some distance.

The curse shakes its arm, trying to pry the oversized cat off it. Flames erupt from Buyo's paws as he growls.

"You hid that?" Noritoshi asks, throwing a blood bag at the curse. Though it doesn't seem to faze it as the blood explodes.

This is bad, Megumi thinks. Even with the three of them, there's no way that they can take on this curse. Buyo Jr isn't even doing much damage to it. "Buyo, come back!" Megumi screams as a vine whacks Buyo in the back. The nekomata lets out a cry as it tries to evade the onslaught.

"We need to run."

"I'm not leaving Buyo behind," Megumi retorts, even with everything in him screaming that he turn tail and run. He is not leaving Buyo behind. Inumaki grips his shoulder, halting his movements.

"Blast away!" Inumaki commands, immediately coughing up blood and hunching over. The command knocks the curse back into the building. Buyo Jr runs over to their side and urges them to climb on. The curse comes after them, riding its vines.

They need to find Gojo-sensei. There is absolutely no way that they can hope to defeat this curse. Even with the crappy drawings, Megumi can make out that this is one of the unregistered curses that Gojo-sensei encountered.

Buyo winces. His speed slows down as Megumi fears that the weight of three nearly grown boys is too much weight to carry. An attack lands and sends them all crashing down. Buyo takes the brute of the fall, as the force causes the water from the river to rise and fall down onto them. The pseudo rain renewals the despair in Megumi's chest.

"There is nowhere you can run," the curse speaks, outstretching its arm before caressing its covered shoulder. It takes a step forward and blocks the attack from Maki with ease.

"Weapon, now!" Maki shouts.

Megumi shakes his head and reaches into his shadow and tosses Playful Cloud to Maki. He calls forth his dog. "Aim for his eyes," he commands, whispering into the dog's ear. They land a blow, but it's not enough. The curse grips Maki by the leg and swings her into Noritoshi. It sends out dark red flower buds towards Megumi. They land in the fur of Buyo Jr. The buds split open, revealing a row of sharp teeth. The flames around Buyo grow larger as everyone stops, surprised at the increase of pressure. The buds turn black and fall off.

"A demon then," the curse says, with a hint of joy. It goes after Buyo, knocking back another attack from Maki. The curse doesn't seem to pay them any more attention as it chases after Buyo.

Megumi looks over at Maki and takes Playful Cloud from her. He grits his teeth from touching such a cursed object, but he has no other choice. Gojo-sensei's explanations rush back to him. How curses can get a power boost from demons, and it looks like that's exactly what the curse is trying to do. He lands a hit, the curse stumbles forward and lands into the water. There's a gash on Buyo Jr's leg, it stains his fur red, and Megumi is hit with a truckload full of guilt. The nekomata pants. Even as its legs wobble, there's a pride in Buyo's stance.

"Fushiguro!"

Megumi turns to Yuji, crashing onto the scene. He's with Todo and the addition of the third-year student is a welcome sight. If anyone ever asks, he'll deny being happy to see Todo until the day he dies. Megumi rushes over to Buyo and stands in front of him. Playful Cloud burns in his hands, so he tosses it back to Maki. He can't stand how the cursed weapon affects him.

"We can take care of this," Todo announces, gesturing for everyone else to fall back. The curse chuckles as it stands and motions for them to leave.

It was just toying with them. To be honest, that pisses him off.

"Don't die," Megumi says, as he passes by Yuji. His dog disappears back into his shadow, but Buyo elects to stay out.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Megumi smiles and walks towards the forest when the ground shakes from under them. His eyes widen as the ground gives away to a… mouth? Shit! He's too weak to move as the mouth swallows him. He calls forth a dagger and strikes it into the slimy overgrown tongue. The saliva is disgusting and singes his clothes. There's blood around where the dagger and the tongue meet, and he can not die like this. The tongue moves and thrashes about as if he were out playing rodeo. The thing–a curse? –works to swallow him, and he knows that if he goes down that esophagus then there's nothing protecting him from being dissolved. But the dagger slips, and it slices through the tongue, which only makes the thing lash out more. Megumi is slipping down, and his feet are dangling near the edge.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

He closes his eyes. He's gonna die in the belly of some curse. Pink light breaks through and he's falling. He hits the ground as guts and blue flesh land on top of his head.

"Megumi-kun!" Kagome shouts, bending near him. Her hand cups his cheek as he takes in the worry that is etched into her face. When did she get here? Does that mean Gojo-sensei is around too? "Buyo, get them out of this barrier!"

"Wait!" Megumi shouts, his arm hand outstretched, trying to grab a hold of something as Buyo lifts him by the collar of his jacket. Kagome doesn't look back at him. Instead, she notches an arrow at the curse, who takes a step back.

It's afraid of her, Megumi thinks as the image of Kagome-san, Yuji, and Todo fades away. The others run alongside Buyo.

Just who was Kagome-san if a special grade is afraid of her?

Chapter Text

They say that the secret to a successful relationship is trusting your partner and clear communication. It's not that Satoru doesn't trust Kagome, and he thinks that their communication has been pretty direct. And yet, she completely ran past him and didn't even stop to see if he was able to follow her.

It's fine–really, everything is a-okay. He's not worried or anything. And it's not as if there's anyone around to call him out on his lie.

He pokes and prods at the veil. Whoever did this clearly knew that they needed to move fast. The appearance is sloppy, but he has to give them props for creating one that was made to keep him out. He would do the same if he was plotting against someone nearly as strong as he. Gojo leans back, rocks on the balls of his soles. There's a weak point somewhere and the longer he takes to find it, the longer his students and Gome-chan are in danger.

Drip.

Drip.

He snaps into action and rushes towards the sound. With everyone pretty much behind the veil, it must be a student or Gome-chan coming through. He might have some choice words if either Utahime or Gakuganji come out before any of the students. His hands work to untie the blindfold as his six eyes dare not blink at the sight. "G-gome-chan?" he calls out, the words scratch the back of his throat.

"Don't touch me!" She jerks back, her hand pressed against her abdomen. The blood seeps through the blouse and stains her hand. Gojo takes a step forward, one foot after the other, with his arms outstretched.

She's not thinking straight with all the blood loss. That has to be the only reason why she would ever reject him.

"We need to get you to Shoko." He tries again, but Kagome skirts around him–keeping him at a distance. He grips his hair and tugs. The slight pain is nothing compared to the way his chest constricts. He lets his hair go and digs his nails into his palms. Kagome's skin is so pale, and there are bags under her eyes. She sinks down to her knees, panting as though each breath takes all of her strength to muster. And he wants–needs–to get her to Shoko, because he can't lose another person, and in his mind, he knows he needs to calm down. He really needs to stay level-headed, no matter how much he wants to lash out and release some of the pent-up pain. Love is the most twisted curse of all, and the last thing they need is for him to manifest one.

"It's all your fault," she whispers, her eyes not quite looking at him. Her eyes hazed over, her mouth is slightly parted, and she just looks as though she's just staring at death and not seeing him anymore. "I was safe back at home. No curses, no more demons." She places another hand on top of her bloody one. "You did this to me."

Drip.

Drip.

Each droplet of blood that falls is like a blow to the face. He squats down and grips the sides of her face. His shoulders sag in relief that she isn't jerking back or screaming at him. He can take every emotional jab, he can weather through the accusations so long as she lives. She isn't lying, though. None of this would have happened if he hadn't been so selfish and actually helped her find a way back home. His arms shake. Kagome is so cold under his fingertips and they need to move.

"Just leave me."

"You know, I'm not going to do that." He lifts her, the metallic smell hits him more sharply. "Shoko will have you all fixed in no time."

"I just wanted to get back to InuYasha." She sags against him and suddenly it feels as though Gojo is carrying a boulder.

"Who are you?" Gojo tightens his grip, doesn't flinch when she gives him a pained expression. Even though this thing is wearing her face, the words that spew out of its mouth are not Kagome. Blood loss or not, she wouldn't throw what he's assuming to be an ex in his face. Not with how dedicated he's been, and not with how much affection she's showered him with.

"You're scaring me," she replies. Her eyes mist over, but nothing falls from them. Nor does the wound in her abdomen seem to give her any more trouble.

"So be it." There's no telling how much time he has wasted, agonizing over how to convince her to get medical help. His Kagome is still behind the veil–fighting, and he's here wasting time on some thing that thinks fucking with him was the best course of action.

"Wait, I can help you! I can help you keep her here."

Gojo closes his eyes as he sets the fake down. "You're really going to keep up the charade?"

"She's going to go back to him. You know if the opportunity arises, then she'd go back to where she belongs. I can help you prevent that." The fake holds its arms out as though pleading will help its cause. The once steady drip of blood is gone, and Gojo is slightly annoyed at how easily he was deceived.

He sighs, spikes a hand through his hair as laughter bubbles past his throat and he's full-on laughing at how wonderful it's going to be to end this thing. The fake takes a step back, as Gojo stops laughing and lowers his hand from his hair. He holds out a finger in front of him. "Cursed Technique Reversal: Red." It's over in a second as the red blast encompasses the fake Kagome and leaves nothing but a wooden figure behind. He picks it up, but it crumbles away in his hand, blowing away with the breeze.

A puppet? With all these shapeshifters around–maybe they need to come up with a safe word or code. He rolls his shoulders and takes flight. He's not gonna find the weak spot on foot. Nah, whoever did this wanted to make things difficult and prevent anyone from inside the veil from dispersing it. The gray veil shows none of its secrets except for how vast it is. Taking up the entire forest, this had to be an inside job. A pink light shines like a beacon in the thick haze. His heart leaps as he flexes his hands. That's his girl.

The first thing he notices is that there are a couple of scratches on her legs, but otherwise, she appears to be relatively unharmed. Todo and Yuji are with her, and there are carcasses of some giant insects–slightly disgusting, but whatever, littered across the ground. There's that freaky tree curse again. Kagome waves up at him and then gives him a thumbs up.

She really can hold her own. And Yuji's energy is much higher than before. So, his priority should be elsewhere. He teleports to where Gakuganji is–the old man seems to be struggling against his opponent. "You," he says, pointing at the bald man with raccoon eyes. The man runs at him with a butcher knife.

"Don't kill him!" Gakuganji screams out, as Gojo lets out a burst of raw cursed energy. The blast shreds the butcher's limbs as the man whines pathetically.

"Well, go on, treat him. You don't want him to die, right?" He turns his back to Gakuganji. There's another emergence of energy where Kagome and Yuji are. It's different, but that matters little to him. He'll take it and that cursed plant out–and show off just a smidge. "Hollow Purple." The purple void blast rips through the forest. Lightening and dust from the destruction follow its path. He puts his blindfold back on and gives Gakuganji a wide smile and a thumbs up.

He teleports to Kagome's side, memorizing the slack-jawed expression on her face at the destruction. "Yo!" he says, pulling her to his side.

"T-that was you?" she asks.

"Ah! Gojo-sensei, that was so cool!"

Gojo waves a hand in the air. "Eh, that was nothin." He leans down, breathing in the smell of Kagome and whispering in her ear, "As soon as we get home, I'm bending you over my knee." Her breath hitches as her face flushes pink.

Oh. He flicks his gaze at her lips and then back up to her eyes. There's a smudge of dirt on her cheek and a thin layer of sweat from battle.

"They always do this," Yuji complains loudly to Todo. "You just get used to it."

Gojo holds back his remark and ushers them back to the school. He briefly wonders if he and Gome-chan could take a detour somewhere.

Chapter Text

Despite his teasing, Satoru does not take her into an empty classroom nor does he teleport her home. After joining the others, he insisted that Shoko check her out just in case. A part of her feels a little bad for rushing through the barrier without him, and it is only natural that he'd freak out about her fighting off so many unknown enemies. Kagome gives Shoko-san a small smile as the tired doctor argues with Satoru about the state of the wannabe butcher-looking man. It's pretty clear Satoru is not paying even the slightest bit of attention to the explanation on how much unnecessary work he's given to Shoko-san.

Luckily, the casualties weren't too high. Kagome gives a quick prayer to the other sorcerers that weren't so lucky.

"Kagome-san, how do you put up with this menace," Shoko asks, clearly exasperated with Satoru. The bags under her eyes are darker than the last time they met. "It can't be his personality." She pulls her brown hair back into a low ponytail.

"Excuse the fuck out me?" Satoru gasps, places a hand right about his heart. "My personality is amazing. Right Gome-chan?" Even though she can't see his eyes with the blindfold covering them, she's willing to bet money that his eyes are lit up with mischief. "Really, the question should be, how do I put up with all of you bores."

"Don't lie, Kagome-san. Satoru here could use some humbling." Shoko pulls on a glove and walks over to where the butcher guy is lying. She pulls back the white covering, and Kagome's eyebrows shoot up at the sight. There's a mess of limbs that look as though someone has run them through a paper shredder.

Did Satoru do this?

She clucks her tongue. He is always boasting about how he's the strongest and that purple attack he did back in the forest was like nothing she's ever felt before. Even the Shikon perked up at the amount of power radiating from that one blast. Which is yet another thing they need to discuss with Naraku being back. If he gets a whiff about the Shikon being merged with her…

"Ouch," Satoru says, pulling Kagome from her musings.

"What the heck did you do to this guy?" Kagome changes the topic, walking over to where Shoko is busy fixing the guy up. The man's eyes are squeezed shut as though the sight of his limbs is too much. It's actually incredible he is still alive. Satoru must have shown the guy some restraint, though maybe he could try exercising a tad bit more next time. Like simply knocking the guy out if they were gonna keep him around.

"Just raw energy." He shrugs. "Once you get him all fixed up, they'll gonna take him in for questioning."

"So, you didn't use a technique?"

"I gave a lecture on this topic. The teacher in me is disappointed."

"Shoko-san, is there anything that I could help you with?" Satoru huffs behind her. Shoko regards her with a curious expression.

"This doesn't bother you?" she asks, motioning to the dried blood.

"Not really. It's probably the most creative injury I've seen."

"Have you ever tended to someone before?" At Kagome's nod, Shoko continues, "The students need tending too, and I am swamped with cleaning up Satoru's mess here. And there's still some transfigured bodies I need to get to." Shoko gives her a small smile and Kagome smiles back. "Could you take care of the students for me?"

"Of course," Kagome replies, gathering some of the medical supplies from the cabinets. "Come on, Satoru. I don't know where the students are at."

"Do I get medical attention too?"

"You aren't injured." Kagome places some items in his hands and waves goodbye to Shoko.

"My heart is injured," he says, leading them out of the cold room. Kagome briefly wonders if Shoko just likes the bite of the cold so that she stays awake.

"Because I didn't admit to Shoko-san, that your personality is amazing?" She brushes her shoulder against him. She likes how he slows his pace down to match her stride, so she doesn't have to She never feels as though she has to struggle to reach him.

"Ran into another shape-shifter–"

"Naraku?"

"Uh. I never asked its name. I just killed it after I realized it wasn't you. It left behind a wooden puppet. Eh, but that crumbled away with the wind."

"Yeah, that would be Naraku. I didn't think he would target you."

"Who is InuYasha?"

Kagome stops, tightens her grip on the supplies in her arms. Her heartbeat pounds so loudly that she can barely make out any other sound. She didn't dare allow herself to hope in the moment, but seeing Naraku did plant ideas that maybe some of the others were in this world too. But what could she really say or offer up to Satoru that would put him at ease?

The truth is always a good start.

She exhales and takes a step forward, turning so that she is facing him directly. Discussing this on school grounds is a little off-putting. She would prefer to be at home where he wouldn't be wearing his blindfold and she could get a better read on his mood. Though, it is clear that he's not okay with whatever Naraku said to him. His knuckles are sheet white from the grip he has on the medical box and his lips are set in a tight line.

"A high school love," she says. Calling InuYasha her ex-boyfriend isn't really accurate, as they never put a label to what they were doing, and they were never intimate, so calling him an old lover is true either.

"And you were trying to get back to him." He keeps his voice even.

"Yes, and no. I haven't seen InuYasha and the others in nine years. The first year, I tried everything I could to get the well to work and let me back through. After that, I focused on finishing school and then I slowly started moving on. I wasn't trying to get back to InuYasha when the well decided it wanted to work again. I just assumed that I was supposed to." She takes a step forward until her shoes touch his. "Instead of ending up in the feudal era, I ended up in your lap."

He doesn't smile or make a joke like she thought he would. Satoru frowns, as though something is still nagging away at him. "If he showed up… if he were in this world, would you go back to him? You'd probably be safer back at home without all these curses around."

It hits her that despite the level of confidence and power Satoru radiates, he is still human. And he isn't immune to feelings of inadequacy. Perhaps she has not been clear enough on her stance in this relationship. Kagome stacks her items on top of the medical box in his arms and raises herself up on the tips of her feet. Her hands caress the sides of his face, thankful that he bends down for her without her asking. Her lips brush against his.

"Toru, you aren't getting rid of me that easily." The Shikon sends a warming burst of energy through her fingertips. At least, this is something that she and the jewel can agree on.

Chapter Text

After leaving Kagome with the students, Gojo heads to the conference room to meet up with the rest of the faculty. He sits behind Mei Mei, who seems the least concerned about the day's events. He wrinkles his nose. Was someone burning something? Mei Mei glances back at him over her shoulder.

"The insects."

The insects? Oh yeah, he forgot that some of the body parts didn't get caught up in his hollow purple. Kind of a waste to burn the remains. In his opinion, they could have learned something about them.

"The scroll about the Shikon jewel was also taken," Ijichi says, pushing his glasses up as he reads through the report. "The curse user is not saying anything about working with…. demons. Based on his reactions, it is clear that he was just a scapegoat and knew nothing about the actual plan or motive." Ijichi keeps his focus on the report.

Either he knows information about the jewel or Ijichi is finding out at the same time as him, that the Jujutsu world had some knowledge about the demons. But why hide it? And to take Sukuna's fingers too… was it to power themselves up?

The lights overhead flicker. No one else seems to notice, too wrapped up in their own misery. The petty side of him wants to tell Yaga, he told him so, but the more sensible side of him realizes that curses and demons working together on such a large scale like this are cause for concern. Too bad the rest of them did not share in Yakeru's opinion that curses were vermin.

"So that giant insect was a demon? Why have we never heard about them until today?" Utahime questions. Worry coats her words and hands as she shifts around. The fabric from her red hakama rustles, breaking up the static atmosphere.

Is it wrong that now he wants to see Gome-chan fighting in a priestess outfit?

Satoru leans back against the wall, crossing his legs. He opens his mouth to make a snide retort. He mentioned these demons to Yaga ages ago and got blown off. Yaga scratches at his neck. Satoru pretends to yawn, stretching his arms up as though the whole thing is laughable. Utahime glares at him.

"They should have all died out. These unregistered and demons attacked the school in order to get the scroll, Sukuna's fingers, and the cursed paintings." Gakuganji drums his fingers on his knee. "There was also that incident with the unfamiliar energy. Kagome-san's technique lacked the residual of cursed energy."

Subtle. Gojo opens his mouth but gets interrupted. He blows out a breath. Goes for the more irritated approach this time.

"It's possible that she can use positive energy offensively," Utahime speaks up. "And if there are more demons still alive, then I think we need her. What is this Shikon jewel and why would some curses need to take the scroll? Sukuna's fingers I can understand."

Gakuganji scowls. His back hunched over even more. "A fairy tale." He wets his lips, the action seems to a lot out of him, and Satoru wonders just what are they trying to hide here.

"That's it? Not even what the fairy tale is about?" Satoru gives a cheshire smile, his arms placed behind his head. Oh, Gakuganji always the high ups lap dog.

"That's all we know - all that was shared. We can't break the seal. But whoever took it must be able to."

"So, they took a scroll. What about this jewel?"

"We've never had it in our possession. Again, it was told to just be a fairy tale."

"Why have something that is just some fable?"

"Because the scroll is a cursed object."

"Enough," Yaga says, his voice leaving no room for argument. "We have demons and unregistered curses to worry about. It's likely that multiple curse users are behind this. Do we have any more information on these demons?"

"Just that they are mindless. And they should have all died out." Gakuganji sighs, his shoulders sag with the weight of his words. "All we have to go off of is footnotes and even those give nothing away."

Yakeru's words float back to him. Demons have been passing themselves off as sorcerers for shits and giggles. What Yakeru failed to mention was just how high on the hierarchy they went. Satoru snorts. It's no wonder the higher-ups are always on his ass. Maybe he should schedule a meeting with them and sniff out the demon or demons himself.

"Alright, so we're going to let the others know?" Satoru says, tilting his head when Mei Mei gives him a puzzled look.

"If word gets out how easily Master Tengen's barrier was bypassed, then we can expect for more attacks. I'd wager that this was an isolated event."

"I agree. This information stays in this room. We need to be careful how we look into this," Yaga says.

"Are we not interrogating Kagome?" Gakuganji asks, his eyes lowered to his clasped hands.

"For saving you and the students from the demons? Sure, have a funny way of expressing your gratitude."

"If she has truly found a way to use reversed cursed energy offensively, then we need to determine the full scope of her abilities. And how she was trained to do so."

"Unnecessary." Personally, he cares little for how they want to discuss Kagome without her there, nor that they believe he would allow for them to interrogate his girl.

Gakuganji twists his lips into a half snarl. As if he would ever fear the old man.

"Satoru can give us a report later. I doubt Kagome-san is going anywhere."

"You're too kind-hearted," Gakuganji retorts.

"We should cancel the rest of the events." Yaga scratches at his beard. He squares his shoulders as he looks around the room for any objection.

"Hold up, why not ask the students if that's what they want to do? I'm sure they want the extra training to get stronger. After all, it isn't just curses that they are fighting against," Satoru says. The room goes silent as his words wash over. Utahime frowns, trying to get her hands to stop shaking. He wonders if it was the curses, the demons, or both that have shaken her up so much.

"The best idea you've had all day," Gakuganji goads.

"A comedian." Satoru stands, stretches as he walks out of the room. The residue smell of burning flesh hits him right on the nose, sadly he's smelled worse. He hums as he switches out the option of a tournament from the box, replacing all the options with baseball instead. Yeah, the students need to get stronger—but they are still kids, and enjoying their childhood is just as important.

He finds everyone waiting around in one of the many empty buildings. With their bandages and sour attitudes, they remind him of a bunch of delinquents posted up. He glances at Megumi, holds back his giggle. They should have dinner sometime with the kids, so he can spill all of Megumi's embarrassing childhood memories.

"Yo, so the rest of the event can either be canceled or we can continue on like normal. The goodwill event is for all of you, and so you get to decide. We understand that today didn't go exactly as planned and that there were some injuries. No one will think less of you if you don't want to continue." Satoru stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets and resists the urge to smile back at Kagome.

Yaga and Gakuganji come up behind him. After a moment of quick discussion, the students prove what Satoru already knew—they want to get stronger, and canceling the event would only lead to them festering in the what-ifs.

"Huh, baseball?" Yuji says, but it comes out more like a question. He holds out the piece of paper. Satoru motions for Kagome to follow him.

"Satoru Gojo!" Yaga shouts, which Satoru just laughs off.

"Toru." Kagome smiles prettily up at him, intertwining her hand with his. "Can we go home now?"

Home. This time he doesn't hold back his smile. Home, repeats in his head, even as he whirls them away back to the apartment. Home keeps ringing in his mind as she pulls him along towards the couch. He wants to – no, he will give her one that they can build together.

Chapter Text

"I want to try something," Kagome murmurs, straddling Satoru's lab as she pushes against his chest. Her skirt bunched around her. "Really?" She quirks a brow at him.

"You can't lead me through the apartment and think I won't get hard." Satoru unties his blindfold, flings it across the room. He stretches his arms out along the back of the couch, a pleased smile gracing his face. "You're still in trouble for earlier."

"That so?" Kagome inhales. The distinct smell of his natural scent and cologne lights a fire in her gut, spreading throughout her body until her head is dizzy with need. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the day's activities or the vulnerability that he let her in on that has her bursting with the desire to She fiddles with the buttons on his jacket, pouting at how the buttons just don't want to work with her. "I got it," she says, at the rumblings of laughter. Of course, her fingers choose now of all times to be clumsy.

"You're so cute." His bulge brushes against her cotton underwear. She grinds down as her hands cup the sides of his face and swallows his hiss of surrender. Her tongue draws his in with languid strokes as she seeks to uncover all the secrets that make up Satoru, the man, and not the strongest sorcerer. Satoru pulls away first, his eyes clenched shut. "You can't kiss me like that."

"I can't?"

"Mmm, no. Makes me wanna bend you over the armrest." He opens his eyes. "Ten spankings sound reasonable to me."

"You would spank me even if I stayed behind with you."

"I would?"

Kagome nips his bottom lip, not enough to draw blood, but enough to incite a startled gasp from his lips. "Behave." This time, her fingers don't shake as she undoes the buttons of his white shirt. The hard planes of his chest are smooth underneath her fingertips, reminding her of the stone statues of chiseled gods. Satoru leans forward, shrugging out of his jacket and shirt. "You bruise easily," she remarks, soothing the pink welts.

"You have no idea how strong you are." He settles back down, rolling his shoulders. Heat flames her face. She is not as strong as he makes her out to be, but she knows by now that telling him such will only lead to him doubling down. She pecks each crease of his lips, doges his attempts to take it further to instead trace an invisible path down the column of his neck to the marks she left on his chest. "Why am I the only one not wearing a shirt?"

"You talk a lot," Kagome replies, tracing one long welt with her tongue. She leans back, admires her handiwork for a bit, before tossing her shirt over her head. It probably landed on the floor or on the coffee table. Her nipples harden behind her simple black bra, which now she regrets not shopping around for sexier lingerie. "Wait, if you can see with your blindfold on. What else can you see?"

Satoru pretends to zip his lips.

She's stalling, she knows it—but she doesn't know why she is so nervous suddenly. It's just Satoru and they've done it so many times already… which every single time he's initiated and set the pace. Satoru shifts around, brushing his bulge against her again. Okay, she can do this. She stands up on wobbly legs, tries not to think about how silly she must look standing in front of him in just her bra and skirt. She sinks down onto the flooring, a giggle escaping past her lips when her ass hits the back of the coffee table. Her cheeks flush pink at how clumsy she is. Thank goodness she was more graceful and agile during battle.

Satoru pushes the table back enough with his feet so that she can rest comfortably on her knees, even though she just scoots closer to him. She worries her bottom lip, raising slightly to unbuckle his belt. ." Her hands shake. Which is just silly because there's really no reason for her to be feeling shy now, even if he appears larger and somehow more intimidating from this angle. Kagome slaps Satoru's hands away from the belt buckle. "That's my job."

Satoru widens his legs as he raises up enough to help her in her quest of getting the offending pants and boxers off. "Don't hold back. Was it the fighting that got you so hot?"

Kagome grips him, marveling at the weight of him in her hand. Her thumb traces a protruding vein until she reaches the patch of hair. "No, fighting doesn't do it for me." She places open kisses along his length, squeezing her thighs closed, but the ache only burns more. "You do." She swallows as much as she can, her lips stretched past their limits. What she can't fit, her hands eagerly stroke. His natural scent is much stronger now, overpowering his expensive cologne. Kagome's eyes flutter shut, breathing in more of his masculine scent, and swirling her tongue around the saltiness of his pre-cum.

She wasn't sure that she would even like this, but…

"Fuck!" Satoru moves her hair to the side, his hips trembling. A few stray strands tickle the top of her breast. Her nipples strain against the inside of the bra, begging to be released, but this is about Satoru and doing something pleasurable for him. There's a sense of pride that swells up in her that she can reduce him to such a state, and how he fights back his urges for her. How he's sat back and allowed himself to be lead this time around.

"I lo-like seeing you fight." She sticks her tongue out, caresses the underside of him, opening her mouth wider to swallow more of him, until her nose touches the soft patch of hair. Her eyes water a bit, her jaw kind of hurts—actually, it hurts a fucking lot with how big he is.

"Oh?" He pants, his chest rises with uneven breaths. His hands dig into the couch cushions. The living room isn't super dark, but the blue in his eyes shines like a beacon, swirling with desire and another emotion she's too scared to latch on to. "Didn't think you'd be into that."

He and her both.

Her eyes flick to his hands. At this rate, he's going to put a hole in the couch. "I never said you couldn't touch me," she says, not realizing her mistake. She squeals, startled at how quickly he maneuvers her around so that she's bent over his lap. She should have known how his self-control was hanging on by a thread, slipping, and just waiting for her to give him the go ahead to ruin her.

"Count," he says, his voice low. The vibrations of his baritone seep into her skin and have her clenching around nothing.

"What? - ow!" She wiggles in his lap, her face and bottom aflame.

"Count." His hand delivers a swift slap to her ass.

"One," she sobs out. Wetness soaks her panties. Who knew she was such a masochist? "Two!" She simultaneously tries to move away and melt into him. Gods, she hurts - aches, wishes that he would touch her there, reach the spots that her fingers could only dream of hitting. A calloused hand palms her cheeks, soothing the sting, before sliding her panties down to her knees. "Three!" She arches her back, legs quivering with desire. "Toru please."

"Already begging? You've got seven more to go."

Seven more? No. No. She needs him inside of her now.

"Beg some more. I might take pity on you." He slaps her slit. The overwhelming pressure of her orgasm breaking through shocks her so much that she forgets to count. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, the breath stolen from her.

"Please, please. Sato—ah!" Her face hits the couch cushion, her legs instinctively widening into a more comfortable position, her ass raised high in the air. He slams into her, one hand grips the fragile back strap of her bra, while the other holds onto the back of the couch for more leverage. Her eyes roll back, white spots cloud her vision. The pressure between her legs builds with each thrust, with each slap of his balls.

"Never letting you go," he says, punctuating his words with each snap of his hips. If it were anyone else, she'd be ready to throw hands, tell them off how she belongs to no one but herself, but with Satoru—she longs for it because she knows he doesn't mind being claimed by her.

The couch cushion muffles her sharp cry as she bounces on his dick, riding out the wave. She sighs, forehead damp with sweat, as he throbs inside of her, shooting out spurts of his cum until she's full. Kagome wets her lips. "Satoru."

"Hm?" He pulls out, runs a hand up and down her back. Kagome lets out a shaky breath, works up the nerve.

"Your pull-out game—ow!"

"Count."

Chapter Text

The old manor is dark, illuminated by the various spider webs spun into makeshift chandeliers and candles. Naraku leans back on the mountain of plush pillows, opting to reminisce of a time long past than to partake in these couches. He enjoys being lower to the ground—an oddity considering his spider-like tendencies. But low was good. It gives his opponents a fake sense of security that he is one of them, or at the very least, weaker than he appears. His purple haori hangs loose. The sake on his breath is about as strong as a newborn spiderling, but he slurs his mannerisms all the same.

"Is that all you do? Drink your days away?" Mahito asks, stepping under the spiderwebs. His mismatched eyes shine with mischief and a desire for more.

"Did you get the scroll?" Naraku raises the cup to his lips, his arm folded across his knee. Mahito pulls a scroll out from his pocket—smaller than what he was expecting, and tosses it to Naraku's feet. "So, this is all the information they had?" He doesn't pick it up, instead rolls it around with his foot. The magic radiating off of it is ancient, and he'll need more time to devise how to break it. Naraku rolls his head from side to side as he sets his cup down next to the bottle.

"Where are they?" Geto walks into the room behind Mahito. Stays in the shadows, away from the spiderwebs.

"Here." He waves a hand. The webs blow, swinging back and forth. There's a man—a young one, quite plain looking, even by human standards. His mouth sewn shut from the silk of Naraku's spiderling. To the right, there's another man—bigger than the last. His eyes hazed over, covered in white. There's a horn coming out from one half of his skull, the other half is smooth—not even an indention or scar. Both men are weak. Naraku smirks at the last man. His face is fixed in a permanent smile, with two spiders holding his mouth in place. His yellow eyes flicker with each swish of the web chandelier, his tail twitches with pent up anger. "One human, a half-breed, and a demon." Naraku shifts on the pillows, runs a hand through his long black hair.

"Huh? I thought any human would do," Mahito says, taking a step forward. His focus on the would be vessels.

"Any would do," Geto says, answering Mahito, but Naraku rolls his eyes at the indirect question to him.

What a shame that Mahito let it slip to this curse user of their interaction. Was it his ultimate desire to see Sukuna's rebirth that overrode his hunger for power? Loyalty- such a fleeting concept.

"A small experiment."

"You think the strength of the vessel matters?" Geto tilts his head, assesses. A chill runs through Naraku's veins, but he hardens it, throws the fear away as quickly as he discards those that disobey him. Those that hesitate, those that allow emotions to rule them, only end up dying before they reach their true desires. He's made that mistake once before.

"Have you ever used a demon?"

"They're pretty scarce."

"That so?"

"Tell me—this Shikon Jewel."

"Not much to tell, if we cannot get this scroll open." Naraku kicks it to his other foot, passes the scroll back and forth.

"Why ask for it, then?"

"The demon vessel will be the stronger of these cursed paintings. What are you willing to bet?" Naraku picks up his cup again, pulls a hefty dose of sake.

"Of course, you'd turn out to be a drunk," Mahito chimes in, pulling out one of the frozen fetuses. He cuts through the web, forces the man to swallow. He repeats this for the next two, though the demon nearly takes his fingers off.

"I have heard rumors that no one can control the Shikon jewel except for the Shikon priestess."

"So you have heard of the jewel."

"The woman, linked to Satoru Gojo. Her soul burned." Mahito turns from the newly made vessels. Their bodies jerk and seize from the out-pour of tiny spiders crawling out of their orifices. "Got to say, the spiders are creepier than Jogo trying to appease Hanami."

"If she really is this Shikon priestess, then that is not a landmine we need to set off at the moment."

"Still planning your Halloween chaos."

"Taking Satoru Gojo out of the equation is of the utmost priority."

Naraku grabs the bottle, takes a large drink from it. Wipes the excess liquid that drips down his face with the back of his hand. That Satoru Gojo is a problem—he's too strong, allowing Sukuna free rein is just as annoying. "Demons don't care too much for curses."

"And yet, you work with them."

"And yet we do." Naraku bobs his head, turns to look back at Geto. A spiderling crawls along his shoulder, another crawls on the ceiling – spinning a beautiful web. He wonders what kind of pattern it will spin. Simple? Or maybe an intricate one where you cannot tell the ending from the beginning. "It would behoove you to factor them into the equation."

"Their sudden appearance could work in our favor," Mahito says.

"No one would suspect an actual demon on Halloween."

"What is it you need?" Geto crosses his arms, flashes a charming smile.

"Not much. What everyone wants. Power." Naraku gestures to Mahito. "We need half-breeds. The demon was hard enough to come by, but the half demons are easy." He also needs Kagome on his side, but ah – Geto can't make that happen.

"You want me to round some up? Find some more cursed objects for them?"

Naraku chuckles. "No. I want you to use idle transfiguration on them. Turn them into full demons."

"The demons will not help us, but their half-demon children will in exchange for becoming full-fledged demons." Geto eyes the spiderling crawling up his legs.

"This isn't about exchange. You want chaos? Force the change on them." Naraku smiles. His spiderling casts an intricate pattern. It falls down on top of Geto's head. The webs stick to the stitches along his forehead.

Geto slaps the spiderling away, rips the web to shreds. He dusts his hands on his kimono. "Let's go Mahito. I trust that you will let us know when those three awaken?"

"Of course." Naraku raises the bottle and scroll, toasts it to the air. "You can always count on me."

Chapter Text

Satoru stifles a yawn as he scrolls through his phone. None of the houses so far fit what he is envisioning. He doesn't want much, just something with at least three bedrooms, a backyard, maybe a balcony, and a decent-sized kitchen wouldn't hurt. They could move to the Gojo estate, but eh- then they would have to deal with all the servants and noisy relatives, which would be a buzz kill. No privacy would just make him cranky.

"You coming?" Kagome asks. The silk robe clings to each dip of her curves, and for a moment he's tempted to ask for a round two. He really loves the color green on her, but she's staring at him with concern. Is it because he elected to kick off the rest of his clothes and chill on the couch naked? Oh yeah, she asked a question and he should probably answer.

"Only if you do," he replies, his lips tilting upward as he scrolls to the perfect house. At 180,000,000 Yen, the house is practically a steal. He'll have to make sure that the agent leaves out how much it costs until after they sign the paperwork. She would probably say that it is too much, even though money isn't an issue for him.

"Perv," she huffs out, turning on her heel.

"Be there in a sec!" He types in his information. Schedules a visit for tomorrow morning. A part of him is annoyed—well, pissed that the school was attacked. But a small part of him is also okay with having a couple of days off while the students recover. He and Gome-chan can look at a couple of houses and do some digging around about the Shikon jewel. He sets the phone down on the coffee table and heads to the master bath. "What's with all the bubbles?" He gives Kagome a lopsided smile, taking in how she's covered in bubbles with her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun.

"No reason."

"You dropped the container," he teases. A jolt of desire passes through him at her appraisal. He tells himself that he's stretching because his muscles need it, not because he's showing off. Even though it's so cute how flustered she gets.

"Noo." She sinks down lower as though some bubbles can hide her from him. He steps into the shower. The jets of water hit the stress in his shoulders, easing some of the tension away. For a moment, there's only the sound of running water hitting the shower floor and his own soft breathing. He doesn't towel himself off. Instead, he joins her in the bath, stepping in behind her. It's a snug fit with both of them, but it makes no difference. They could be in an onsen and he'd still drape himself over her.

"Glad you're feeling better." He wraps his arms around her waist, spreads his legs out, and pulls her in closer.

"I think the Shikon was trying to warn me."

"About that," he says, resting his chin on her head—messing up her bun even more. "You talk about it like it–"

"Has feelings? Yeah, even though it merged with me, the Shikon still feels as though it has its own mind." She places a soapy hand on his. "I feel it beat more when I'm around you. That curse with the patchwork face could touch the Jewel. I'm guessing because his thing is manipulating souls."

"He didn't go after you today. Possible that Naraku is pulling the strings." There are too many variables floating around that just do not sit right with him. Despite everyone's agreement to keep what happened today under wraps, Satoru would not put it past Gakuganji to spin some tale to the higher-ups about Kagome. It's actually surprising that he has yet to receive any summons back to the estate. He figured Naoya would have blabbed about him having a fiancé by now.

"Maybe. We don't know how long Naraku has been in this world. I thought he had found peace when we destroyed the Shikon in my world." She shifts, the water sloshes between them. A few stray bubbles cling to her. "Yakeru may give us some more answers without Yuji around."

"Smart. Anything revealed around Yuji, Sukuna will know about too." He presses a kiss behind her ear, breathing in the floral smell of the bubbles and freshness of her. "I made an appointment for tomorrow morning."

"Sounds ominous." She chuckles. Her fingers trace the infinity symbol into his hands. "Doctor's appointment?"

"It's for a house. Hoping that the house we see tomorrow is the one." He'd look at a dozen if he has to.

"What's wrong with the apartment?"

"Nothing. Figured we would want more room and a backyard for whenever Megumi and Buyo Jr come to visit." He strokes her stomach. It never ceases to amaze him how one so soft can house so much power. "And a bigger kitchen, and living room, and bedroom," he trails off.

"He does like Megumi. I know what your scheme is. You can't pull one over on me."

Satoru gasps. Him, pull a trick? "I do not scheme. I have only the purest of intentions."

"Now, I'm scared." Kagome shudders, shaking her head.

Perhaps he was too gentle with her earlier.

"Rude." He unwraps his arms from around her waist, trails his hands up and down her sides. He moves faster than necessary- any hesitation in his touch would give her an opening, and tickles her underneath her arms. She squeals as she tries to move away from him. Some of the water gets onto the floor. There're bubbles sticking to him now. He's drunk on her laughter and the weightlessness of being in the moment.

"I yield, I yield!" He pulls her closer to him, secures her arms because he knows her too.

"You can make it up to me," he says.

"Uh, you attacked me."

"Self-defense." He tilts his head down and tilts hers to the side. "One kiss."

"You don't even deserve one," she whispers but meets him for one, anyway. He never thought himself to be a romantic or anything sappy like that, but her lips are as soft as rose petals. Sometimes he has to stop himself and make sure he isn't flying from each breathless sigh that escapes from her lips. "Why do you really want to get a house?"

"I think it's pretty obvious that I want to build a life with you." He rubs his thumb along her bottom lip, pulling it down slightly. "The apartment is fine, but it's something that I got way before you. I want something that's us. I even looked into buying a shrine, but the upkeep—" Kagome turns around and places a finger to his lips. Her legs go on either side of him until she's sitting on his lap. She moves her finger and cups his face, taking his breath away.

"You're the sweetest."

"Must be from all the chocolate I eat," he quips. "Kagome?"

"Satoru."

"You don't have to say it back," he says, his heart rate speeds up. His ears burn, which if she brings it up, he'll blame it on the steam rising from the bath. He laughs as he looks everywhere but at her. No fear, he reminds himself—the life of a sorcerer is too short to be ruled by such an emotion. And with everything going on, he does not want to live a life full of regrets. He meets her attentive gaze and lets out a shaky breath. "I love you. It's okay if you don't…" He blinks as she takes his hand and kisses each knuckle.

"You're silly," she replies, "to think for one moment that I don't love you too."

"Should I be worried?"

"Worried?"

"Yeah." Her skin glows a soft pink that's only visible to his six eyes. "That the Shikon loves me too."

"Guess that means you're stuck with me."

"Earlier, you said that you got rid of the one in your world. Why?"

"Well," she says, leaning back. "The demon inside the jewel wanted to be free. Long story short, a priestess named Midoriko and the souls of many demons created the jewel. It could grant power to anyone, but the only ones that could keep it pure were Kikyo and me. It was an unholy jewel. It tainted everyone else that tried to use it."

"This is just a theory, but I don't think this one is evil." He runs his hands down her spine. "We know that the only one that can control it is you. Naraku never made a move against me. He tried to sow seeds of doubt instead."

"He tried to turn me away from you as well," she murmurs. "I doubt he knows that the jewel wants you too."

"No, but if he can get in your head, he controls the Shikon." A flash of worry crosses her face. He places a kiss on each winkle. "Don't worry Gome-chan."

"Why? Because you're the strongest."

"Because you're mine."

Chapter Text

Kagome lies there, one leg thrown over Satoru, her arms wrapped around him tightly. There's a bit of drool on his chest and she grimaces in horror. Thank goodness he's still fast asleep, or she'd never hear the end of it. She peeks up at him under her lashes. He once told her that his body doesn't actually need rest because of some healing technique, reversal something. She was half-listening when he dove into his lecture.

"Coffee," she mumbled, sitting upright. She runs her fingers through the wild mane of hair and fiddles with the ends. She should find a salon sometime for a trim, Satoru offered, but respectfully she had to decline. The man gave Yuji-kun a bald spot in the back. Yawning, she leaves the comfort of his embrace and the lure of more sleep.

"Come back," Satoru rasps out, his voice heavy with sleep. He reaches out for her, his lips downturn.

"We're looking at a house today," she replies, slipping on her robe. "We need food before we go. Any requests?"

"Yeah, one." He opens his eyes, turning on his side. "You."

Temptation licks at her veins, but someone has to be the adult if they are going to get anything done today. "How do you get anything done?"

"If you'd come back to bed, I'll show you."

"C'mon, you can help me in the kitchen." She tugs his arm. He could easily pull her onto the bed, so she beams when he allows her to pull him along to the kitchen. "Sit," she instructs. "Yuji-kun texted me last night. Nobara and Megumi want to visit the fox hotel." She starts the coffee machine and pulls out ingredients from the fridge.

"So that's how it's going to be." Satoru props his chin up with his palm. He's dressed down in gray sweatpants and nothing else.

Kagome places a mug of fresh coffee in front of him. "How's what going to be?" She pours herself a cup, lets out a sigh as the sweet caffeine hits her tastebuds.

"The kids don't get the answer they want from me, so they go through you." Satoru drinks from his cup, eyes lower as his lips break out in a content smile.

"That's normal. You raised Megumi, so I'm sure a part of him sees you as a dad figure." She chops the onions and bell peppers and then deposits the knife into the sink.

"You want kids, Gome-chan?"

Kagome cracks an egg, letting the sound of the egg frying wash over them. "I wouldn't mind having one."

"Okie doke," he says.

"Nothing else to add?" She sets the omelet down in front of him and hands him his utensils. She goes back to making her own meal, humming a Shippo-chan's favorite lullaby.

"I don't mind if they're with you." He winks at her as he takes a bite. "You could be a stay-at-home mom."

"You just don't want me fighting." She snorts, taking a seat next to him. "Nice try though." It's not the first time he's tried the whole stay-at-home thing. If you ask her, he attracts just as much danger as she does.

"Well, that's normal," he throws back at her, "what man wants his wife in danger." Kagome squints her eyes, places her palm on his forehead. He doesn't feel feverish. "What'cha doin?"

"Checking for a fever. You know we aren't married."

"Let's elope today, then take an extended honeymoon."

"Before meeting your parents?" Kagome chastises. Not that she is against marrying him - she agreed to stay in this world for him, but there are some steps that they just shouldn't skip.

"Never knew em. The Gojo elders and servants raised me. More like they did whatever I said, but semantics," he says so matter-of-factly as though they were discussing the weather.

Kagome drops her chopsticks, reaches across, and pulls his head down until he's nestled between her breasts. She runs her hand through his hair. It's no wonder he's so touchy-feely. Being raised in such an inhospitable environment and his infinity keeping people at bay.

"So, is that a yes?" He asks in a hushed tone.

"We'll see." She presses her lips to his temple, breathing in the lingering scent of his body wash from last night.

"I love it when you do that."

"Kiss you?"

"Yeah, but I was talking about when you massage my face. Helps with the overstimulation." He pulls back. "We should get dressed. Ijichi has the day off too, so we can either call a taxi or take the train. I could teleport us, but..."

"That's fine, I actually like taking the trains." She stands, gathering their dishes. "I'm going to clean these before we go." She waits until his footsteps get further away before allowing her mind to ruminate on their conversation.

A normal couple wouldn't have moved in together on day one or had clans to worry about. If his clan is anything like that Naoya person, then she could do without interacting with them. She's been so good lately. She has kept her cool, not let her temper get the best of her in like... well, long enough. Baby steps, she reminds herself. Meeting a bunch of men stuck in the past would surely tempt her to hand out a couple of slaps.

She takes the towel from her shoulder and dries off the dishes. If Satoru wants her to marry him, then he better get down on one knee and ask properly.

***

There is no way that this house is reasonably priced. Kagome eyes the large stainless-steel refrigerator, already daydreaming about how she won't have to make so many grocery runs. But more than that, it's the family vibe permeating in the air that has her feeling some kind of way. Especially after their morning chat about children, but so it's that she misses her family. Even though they left on terms that she would never see them again, the longing crept up and smacked her in the face. They think she's with InuYasha, and all she wants to do is show them the man she never knew she needed. Mom would adore Satoru and his antics, Souta would join in and help with the pranks, and Gramps would have a field day trying to hit Satoru with his ofudas. Kagome snorts at the image.

"Wanna share with the class?" Satoru steps beside her, his hand lingers on her lower back. The heat from his touch seeps through her cotton dress. He enjoys touching her, which she is grateful for because she enjoys touching him, too.

"It is really beautiful," she says, running a finger along the wooden island. They could have breakfast in here and dinner with the kids in the dining room. Or have dinner together upstairs on the balcony under the moonlight. It's too bad that they can't see many stars in the city.

"I'm hearing a but." Satoru removes his hand and leans against the island. His glasses fall down slightly, allowing her a glimpse of his blue eyes. Though simply stating that they are blue almost feels like an insult, with all the different shades swirling around.

"You don't think this is a bit much?" she questions. Kagome actually loves the home, but it has to be expensive - the backyard alone is worth a small car.

"For us? Nah. But if you don't like it, we can look at some other houses."

But he likes it. Kagome huffs and walks out of the kitchen. She gives a small smile to the relator, thankful that Satoru told the man that they didn't need a tour guide. Not that she dislikes the house, she likes the westernized main floor and how the bedrooms are more aligned with Japanese culture. She heads outside, basks under the sunrays. It's supposed to rain later, so she soaks in the warmth as much as she can.

"Was it InuYasha," he pauses, "that hurt you?"

Huh? Kagome whips her head around. Even with his dark shades covering his eyes, she can tell how serious he is by the way his mouth is pressed into a thin line and the way he hides his hands in his pockets. She wets her lips. "I just don't want you to stretch yourself trying to impress me. We can look at more affordable homes or a bigger apartment." She crosses her arms, suddenly feeling as though she is under a microscope. She should have worn a jacket or something with long sleeves than a simple white summer dress.

Satoru chuckles as he rocks back on the balls of his feet. His oversized shirt slips a little, showing off his collarbone and the small hickey she made. He - unlike- her wore something more covered up. Though now that she thinks about it, even when he's dressed casually, he's always wearing something oversized and less form-fitting.

Nevertheless, she is being serious here. No need to go into debt or create more stress for himself.

"What's so funny?"

"You." He gestures to the house. "If money was not an issue, would you buy this house?"

"Yes, but -"

"Gome-chan, I don't know who has made you feel like you were less than, but if I need to shower you in compliments, every single day until you believe you are more than enough, I will." He steps into her space and runs his knuckle down her cheek. "We can compromise and find a home that we both love, but I am not compromising on providing for you."

How he can be sweet and assertive at the same time is beyond her. Koga-kun always hyped her up, but it was always my woman this, my woman that, and not once did he ever take the time out to listen to what she was saying or dig deeper into what she wasn't saying. Hojo-kun may have never boasted about her being his and the gifts he got her while thoughtful. He also never took the time out to listen to her.

InuYasha was well... Kagome leans into Satoru's touch. "You sure you've never had a girlfriend," she jokes.

"Never wanted one."

"Seriously?"

"Guess it took someone from out of this world," he teases. "So...?"

"Yes, I want the house." There she admitted it out loud, not that it matters because, despite his words of encouragement, she's sure that this house is way out of budget.

"Really? We can buy it with the furniture too unless you want to furnish it yourself." Satoru talks a mile a minute, his hands animating his words. "Let's go let the realtor know. I'm thinking sushi for lunch and then heading over to Yakeru's shop."

"Wait... You're actually putting an offer in?"

"... Yeah? You said you wanted the house." He bends down until his nose touches hers. "You worry too much. This won't even make a dent in our account."

"Ours? I don't have an account."

"I added you to mine. Seemed like more work to transfer money all the time." He pecks her lips. "It's okay to be selfish and go for what you want, I do."

Oh, he's smooth.

"Okay." If he says that it really isn't that big of a deal, then she can get past her mental block. "I don't really feel like shopping for new furniture." She trails behind him to give the realtor the news.

"We'll take it all. We'll pay cash today if we can move quickly," Satoru chirps.

She and the realtor look as though they were going to pass out. She takes back all those guilty thoughts of using his money; it wasn't an inconvenience to him at all.

"I will make the call," the man stammers out, tripping over his own feet in his haste.

"Cash, huh?"

"Just tryin to chill with you in that hammock." He pulls out his phone and scowls.

"Are the kids okay?" She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, needing to ease the rising tension. Surely, no one would attack the school that quickly. Though with the students still being a little injured... No, she will not go down that train of thought.

"Yeah, they're fine. We don't have to go until you're ready. Guess word got back, so they have summoned us to the estate."

"Am I going to have to slap some people today?"

"Don't sweet talk me like that, makes me want to forget all about grabbing lunch."

The realtor walks back, smoothing the wrinkles away on his plain black suit. "The owner accepts your offer." He goes to shake Satoru's hand and trips over himself, landing with a loud thud. A groan soon follows, and Kagome hopes that the man did not break his nose from the fall.

"So that's how today is going to go," Satoru remarks, laughing when Kagome slaps his arm. He can be such a menace. Kagome rolls her eyes and helps the man up. "C'mon on Gome-chan." Satoru tugs her hand, leading them out of the house. "Just let us know when to show up," he calls out, not looking back.

"That was rude," she scolds.

"Please, we just made his day. You know what would make my day?"

"Visiting a shrine."

"Yes - no? What?"

"What?" She grins up at him, swinging their intertwined hands.

"Okay, but," he says, holding up a finger to punctuate his next words, "if there's a curse or demon, some new thing. I'm blaming you." Kagome huffs.

"Please, what are the odds of that."

Turns out, the odds of them finding a lingering spirit that was holding onto the living world were so high that they could both see the faint aura before they took one step.

"Don't say it." She holds up a hand, taking the stairs two steps at a time. These were nothing compared to the ones back at the family shrine.

"Special grade at that. The offer to be a stay-at-home wife doesn't expire."

"Shush. I need to concentrate." She places a finger to her lips. The clouds overhead darken, and seriously, who checks the weather and still leaves home without an umbrella?

"Cute that you think I'm letting you fight without your bow."

"Says the man that pushed me in front of a curse without one."

"You gotta stop living in the past, Gome-chan."

"Past me should have made some subjugation beads," she mutters as they reach the last step. "What?"

"You didn't tell me you were into bondage."

"I'm not...," she trails off, squinting at the crowd of people. There should be more noise, chatter, heck, even a whisper of conversations, and yet there's nothing but the rustling of the wind blowing the leaves and Satoru's one-sided conversation. A droplet of rain hits her on the forehead. She walks behind him, noting that his strides are much longer than before.

"Well, shit." He clucks his tongue. She suspects that his six eyes grasped the situation that they were in. "The barrier went up the moment we stepped foot on the grounds." He flexes his hands.

"You can't kill them." A bubble of nausea rises in her throat. More people surround them, their eyes hazed over in a red hue. The sky is still dark and the rain should be falling on them, but it doesn't land a hit. "They're possessed." And the only way to help them is to find the source. Without her bow, she's at the mercy of allowing them to get close in order to purify them. A piss poor strategy for such a large amount of people.

"Just stay close."

She moves closer and pauses when one man convulses. Saliva drips down his face as his limbs twist, and the sound of a crunch hits her in the eardrums. Long hairy legs sprout out from his mouth. She doesn't mean to, but she takes a step back from the sight of a spider forcing its way out of the man's body. Kagome wets her dry lips. The burning sensation of anxiety lights like an inferno. She should have known. Naraku wouldn't have shown himself if he hadn't already started making moves. At least she this seems like something that Naraku would do.

The spider blinks its eight eyes at them, beady and full of interest. The man's body doesn't so much as slink to the floor as it flops down, as though all his internal organs have been sucked dry. "We've been waiting for you," it coos, rubbing its many legs together as though it has found its next meal. It opens its mouth, acid drips down, and lands on the heads of some of the possessed. They don't scream as their bodies melt, not even leaving a trace of bone.

Satoru doesn't speak for once, simply lifts one finger and shoots out an attack. The red blast lights up the dark atmosphere. It filled her vision with red, so she shuts her eyes if only to block out the overly bright light. Hands reach out for her, covering her screams, and pulling her into the crowd. The last thing she sees is Satoru's panicked face as more bodies pile in front of them, and her vision goes dark.

Chapter Text

There isn't much that pisses Satoru off. There are the higher-ups who lord over everyone from their cushiony seats, proclaiming that rules and order are the only way to live. Really, anything that challenges them has to be eliminated. The teacher in him rebels against such restraints.

And, of course, anything that involves Kagome getting hurt.

His first inclination is that Gakuganji went crawling back to the higher-ups and tipped them off about Kagome. But no one knows that she's a miko except for him and a handful of fox demons. And that Naraku guy. So, the probability of that is low.

Pissed. A simple word to describe one's anger and far too tepid to describe the seething wrath itching at his fingertips.

"Don't," the spider cries out, though its words are muffled from the pool of green acidic blood coating its words. Satoru rips a leg off. Each cry does nothing to appease the agony swirling in his gut.

What good is it being the strongest if he can't protect his girl?

"I was just," it says, folding into itself. He clucks his tongue. Squeezes one beady eye until it pops. "She's still on the grounds!" It scrambles back with what limbs it has. Satoru does not blink, his eyes sting from the strain. He refuses to blink. All he sees is her being taken away from him, so he keeps his eyes peeled open. He frowns, looking at yet another spider demon.

"What a brutal sight." The demon chuckles to himself. There are four brown spider-like legs on either side of him, fanned out to look as though they are wings. With the white matching hakama and top, perhaps a fallen angel is what the demon is going for. "So, this is the power of the six eyes."

"Where is she?" Satoru steps on the spider's head, the audible crunch reverberates along the wing. A melody that matches the pain in his chest.

"Not safe if that's—" Satoru punches the demon in his face, drawing out a groan. Specks of blood fall to the ground, but the pavement does not melt this time.

Not all of them have acidified blood. He flicks his gaze at the mangled corpse of the she-spider. The other one that he hit with his red reversal was female as well. Is it just limited to the female spiders or just those two?

"There is only one way for you to get her back." The demon spits blood onto the floor. Wipes his mouth with the back of his palm. It's the red of his eyes that sparks more outrage in Satoru's palms than the cockiness dancing along the ends of the demon's fang-filled mouth.

Calm. Stay calm. He slows his breathing to match the droplets of rain. He flexes his hands. A hole in the barrier?

"Truly," the demon says, his lips split open into a maniac expression. "I expected more bloodshed." He gestures to the knocked-out humans, all carefully laid down into a single file. "Why save them? You would be much further along in your pursuit, surely, if you had just slaughtered them all. Well, I suppose we would not be having this conversation."

The demon talks a lot and says so little.

"You won't tell me then?" Satoru tilts his head. Stalks forward. The demon rubs its legs together. A sound attack? He teleports behind the overly confident spider demon. Plants both legs on its back as he wraps his hands around all eight legs. "One, two." He rips them off. "Whoops." The blood ruins his shirt. The coppery substance spurs him on more.

His mind is drained. Tired of the games. Tired of demons, curses, and sorcerers alike, thinking that they can keep prodding at him with no repercussions. Satoru stands on top of the demon, digs the bottom of his heel in deeper. The demon curses at him but does not beg. The legs tremble in his hands. Curious. He drops them. Analyzes how the limbs stitch themselves back together rather than regenerate.

"I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you." The demon attempts to stand, his arms shake and give out from the pressure. Tries to remove Satoru with the pointed ends of its many legs, but nothing reaches.

Tries.

Tries.

"Where." Satoru squats, grabs a fistful of the demon's inky black hair and slams his head into the pavement. "Is she?" He slams its head again. The floor around them cracks. A crater stretches across the grounds and ends right before the civilians. It would be a pain in the ass if they all fell into the crater after all the work he did to save the ones he could. Lightning strikes a tree. His heartbeat drowns out the sound of thunder. Yaga will be on his case about the damages. But he cannot muster up the energy to give a damn.

Not when Kagome is in danger.

Not when… he snaps that train of thought in half, locks it behind iron-clad mental walls.

"You're," the demon says. Stops to cough. "The strongest. Figure it out." He laughs, but it comes out choked. Satoru exhales through his mouth.

"No better than the curses," he mutters. Raises a brow at the insults that spew out of the demon's mouth. It doesn't matter. "Red reversal." Nothing matters until he finds her.

***

"You realize this is a mistake?" Kagome asks, keeps her tone light. She tugs at the chain attached to her leg. When all of this is done, she'll swallow down her pride and see if those sparring matches are still on the table. "Can you not speak?" She slants her gaze at the stationed guards with their impassioned expressions and dark attire. It certainly helps them to blend in the shadows.

She counts two swords and a dagger for each. They most likely have other hidden daggers on them. But these guards are bulky, too wide, too refined to be spiders. Her shoulders sag. She takes a seat on the bed. As far as kidnappings go, this is the most comfortable she's been, minus the chain attached to her.

"Satoru will come for me." She digs her hands into the covers. The covers, the carpet, the walls are all so dark. If it wasn't for the sliver of light coming through from the small window, she'd think that more time had passed. "Is it worth your lives?" They don't flinch. She wonders if they even breathe.

"You're wasting your time. They're mute. Ate their own tongues."

Kagome turns to the female voice. Her heart drops.

No.

"Not happy to see me?" Yumi frowns, her green eyes mist over in fake sadness.

"Under these circumstances? No, not really." Kagome stands. Squares her shoulders. "Does Yakeru know that you are here? No, I bet he doesn't. Since when do foxes team up with spiders?"

"When it's beneficial of course." Yumi glides across the room with an elegance more similar to a feline. Each movement is precise and calculated. "You have something that I want." She sits down at the vanity. Unravels her braid.

Kagome snorts. "Let me guess. You want the Shikon."

"Only the Shikon priestess can control the jewel." Yumi lifts the brush to her hair. "It is indeed powerful, but a fool's endeavor." She turns around, points the brush at Kagome.

"You want me then?"

"Don't be so conceited. I want what everyone will soon want."

"Speak plainly." Kagome rubs her temple.

"The child born from the Shikon priestess and the six eyes."

Chapter Text

Kagome lies there on the bed, her arms outstretched, as she stares up at the ceiling. It doesn’t surprise her that Satoru hasn’t found her yet, not that she is placing any kind of blame on him. No, if anything it just shows how much planning Yumi went through to pull this off. She turns at the sound of the door. Yumi wisely keeps a distance between them. At least the guards are gone or at least not inside the room with her. They were kind of unnerving with how still and statuesque there were. And what was up with them eating their own tongues? Surely there were less permanent methods to prove one’s loyalty.

“Is this chain necessary,” she asks. Yumi glances at her leg and then sets the package down on the vanity. It’s the only furniture in the room that isn’t black. It speaks to Yumi’s own vanity that to have it be the only thing in white in the room. Which works out for her, Yumi’s own hubris will be her downfall.

Yumi pulls out a key from her pocket, runs a claw-tipped finger down it, and then places it back into her pocket. “I think it’s a nice decoration. Your leg was so plain without it.” Yumi smirks, her lips painted red. In a green top and jeans, it’s the most casual that she’s seen Yumi in. Almost makes her seem normal and not so regal.

“And that lipstick clashes with your hair, but okay.” Kagome smiles back at the enraged look on Yumi’s face. “For one so proud, I’m surprised that you would align yourself with Naraku and some curses.” She sits up, dangles her legs over the bed. At some point, the chain will have to come off, unless they really expect her to wear the same clothes. Kagome shudders. Nothing worse than not being able to bathe. She couldn’t stand it in the Feudal era and she won’t go for it now.

“The other foxes are...enamored with you.” Yumi opens the package and sets out the items. “Yakeru especially. It’s sickening how he and the others fawn over you. Though, if they didn’t I wouldn’t have known about your young one.”

Hairpins? Kagome leans forward but does not move from the bed. She isn’t worried about Yumi doing anything to her at the moment. Harming her would mean harming the baby. She places a hand over her stomach. “You know, stress isn’t good for babies. I’d feel much more at ease if I didn’t have a chain on me like some animal. You, of all things, should know how stressful that can be.”

Yumi twirls a gold hairpin in her hand, there’s a fox and moon hanging from the end of it. “The six eyes will not find you.”

Kagome shrugs. “And if he does find me, it’ll be much harder to plead on your behalf if he finds me like this. Just something to consider.”

“Humans and their need to cling to false hope.” Yumi sets the hairpin down next to the others. She presses her lips into a firm line, but there’s fear etched into her eyes. “You talk to me so harshly when I come bearing gifts.”

“I’m just speaking facts. The only gift I want from you is to be let free.” Kagome pushes herself off of the bed, comes to a stop right before Yumi. It’s too bad, they could have been friends. “Let’s pretend for a moment that you manage to keep me hidden away until my child is born. Then what? A newborn can’t help you with whatever plan you have cooked up, that’s just more chances for you to slip up.” False hope is not something that fills her --no, she knows that Satoru will not stop searching for her; however, she is not some damsel in distress and will not sit around waiting for him like some old cattle going out for slaughter.

Yumi sneers, her claws digging into her palms. “Demons do not screw up. What’re twenty years to us? Nothing.”

“And yet, your numbers are dwindling. Humans and curses alike outnumber you despite being so superior to all of us.” Kagome laughs, shaking her head as she steps around Yumi to pick up one of the hairpins. “You think that you’re getting one over on Naraku when it’s really you that’s been caught in his web.” She grips the gold pin in her hand. She hopes that her words strike a nerve.

Yumi is a proud demon, but her arrogance overshadows her intelligence. And that is the slip-up that Kagome wants.

Yumi grips Kagome’s hair, pulls her face to face. Kagome grits her teeth, determined not to let out any sounds of pain. “Don’t think that just because you bewitched the others and the six eyes, that you can trick me too.” Yumi bares her fangs. “As if I or any other demon should be content to be cast in the shadows for some mere humans.” She jerks Kagome’s head back. “You will not rule over me just because you have some jewel.”

“No one said anything about -” Yumi digs her claws into the back of Kagome’s skull, the tips prick at her. The hairpin in her palm grows hot.

“The Shikon priestess will bring about a new world. A world in which demons will once again rule over everyone, and your child is the perfect weapon to see that come to fruition.”

“I won’t let you do that,” Kagome rasps out, her face scrunched up in pain.

“You don’t have a choice, Gome-chan.” Yumi snaps her fangs at her.

“Not even a whole day in, and you’ve already slipped.” Kagome swings her arm and jams the hairpin into Yumi’s neck. Yumi lets her go with a yelp, her hands trying and failing to pull out the pin as the purification spreads. Kagome rubs the back of her head, soothing the pain as she towers over the fallen demon.

“B-bitch,” Yumi says, as her skin blackens. Kagome crunches down and grabs the keys from Yumi’s pockets.

“Really, you should have known better.” She shakes her head as she unlocks the chain from her leg. “As if I was going to stay here and be okay with you threatening my child.” The door swings open, prompting Kagome to rush for the other hairpins. She throws them with everything she has towards the center of their foreheads, silently praying that it works like she needs it to. The Shikon pulses from within her.

“Where were you when I was getting kidnapped,” she mutters, not really expecting an answer back. The Shikon sends a warm wave of power to her stomach. She places both hands on her stomach. The smell of burnt demons fades away as she takes a moment to take in her new reality. She smiles and then quickly grimaces as the smell does in fact get to her. Kagome presses one hand over her mouth, as she picks up a dagger from the pile of ash.

A twinge of guilt flashes through as she looks back at the remains of Yumi. Under any other circumstance, they could have gotten past this, it wouldn’t be the first time that she has befriended her kidnapper. But, she looks down at her flat stomach, grips the dagger handle tighter. Some things, not even she can look over. Kagome rolls her shoulders, sticks the other three hairpins into her hair, and walks out of the room.

She just needs to find her way back to Satoru, try not to run into any more trouble in the process, and somehow break the news to Yakeru.

Chapter Text

The sun is far too bright, far too sunny, and the entire day is far too damn chipper for his mood. Satoru crosses his arms. He couldn't sleep last night. Lying in the bed without Kagome felt wrong. Her sweet perfume still clung to the pillows and sheets, and it was all too raw for him to deal with. He spent the entire night hunting down curses. He stormed into Yakeru's shop, but the fox wasn't there—something about being on vacation, or whatever the sign said. The shrine was a dead end, but he figured the spiders were lying to him about Kagome still being there.

"What's wrong with you?" Utahime asks, coming to a stop next to him. She's dressed down in a baseball uniform with the hat to match. Good, he thinks, he'd lose it if she was wearing one of her priestess robes. "Kagome-san finally figure it out?"

"How do you think the demons have been able to survive?"

"Gakuganji said that they were all wiped out. The ones that attacked the school were probably just a freak accident."

"And you believe that?"

Utahime pulls her baseball cap down further. "Is Kagome-san alright?"

Satoru clenches his teeth. "Yes." She has to be okay. If death was what they were after, then they would have hit them harder during the exchange event or killed her yesterday. The probability of if being Shikon related is high, though he is not sure just how they can harness the power of the jewel through Kagome. Hell, he doesn't even know what kind of power the jewel has as it's never been that important of a topic to him.

"Then, no. Either Gakuganji is covering up or he really does not know." Utahime turns to face him, though he keeps his focus on the students joking around with the Kyoto students. "I'll look into it."

"Meow!" Buyo Jr. leaps from the shadows and brushes against his infinity. Satoru narrows his eyes behind his dark shades. He didn't even sense him coming. Was this a Buyo thing or something Megumi could manipulate now?

"Megumi's Shikigami right?" Utahime lowers herself into a squat and holds out a hand for Buyo Jr to sniff. Buyo regards the hand with an air of indifference, seemingly content to stay by Satoru.

"Demon, actually." A range of emotions filters through Utahime's face. If he wasn't in such a piss poor mood, he'd find it funny. But now, he just wants this event to wrap up, so he can continue looking for Kagome.

"Wait, demons are bloodthirsty and ugly like curses, right?"

"Not all of them. Buyo won't hurt you unless you give him reason to like any other living being."

"Meow!" Buyo paws at his infinity.

"Does Megumi know that you're out?" He picks Buyo up by the scruff, ignoring Utahime's gasp of disapproval.

"Meow." Buyo lifts a paw and points it left. Satoru pulls Buyo in closer, his shades slip down his nose as he peers at the nekomata over the rims.

"Is your sense of smell that great?"

"Gojo, what the hell are you talking about?" Utahime stands, dusts her hands off on her pants.

"Tell Megumi that I had to borrow his Shikigami, Buyo," he says, stressing the shikigami word. He sets Buyo Jr. down on the ground and motions for him to walk. For once, Utahime does not argue with him. She gives him a jerky nod. The students will understand. He'll probably get shit from Yaga about dipping out early, but he can handle the repercussions later.

It takes Satoru roughly 30 minutes into their walk to realize that Buyo Jr. is heading towards the apartment, so he scoops his furry companion up and walks into the nearest alleyway, away from inquiring eyes. "If I'm wrong, you can scratch me later," he says, right before teleporting inside of the apartment. Buyo leaps out of his arms, trots towards the kitchen. The apartment smells of tempura. He holds his breath as he slips out of his shoes, placing them next to hers.

Buyo better not be fucking with him.

"Gome-chan?" he calls out, as he takes measured strides to the kitchen. Each step heavier than the last, as though he's afraid of what he might find.

"You're home!" She comes bustling out of the kitchen with flour coating her cheeks.

"What? How?" He scans her from head to toe, zeroing in on the flow of her energy. He exhales. It is her. He pulls her into his embrace, muffling her response. He's not shaking, he tells himself.

"I killed Yumi."

"Murder is okay," he tells her, placing a kiss on her forehead. Buyo Jr. circles around them, brushing up against Kagome's legs.

"Yakeru's sister."

"Murder is okay," he repeats. Why should he care about Yakeru's sister? "How did you get back? I tried tracking your phone."

"Mhm, I'll need a new one. I have no idea what they did with it. Uh, well, since they took all my stuff, I sold some gold hairpins that Yumi gifted me. I cleaned them off first." Kagome pulls away, a grimace on her face. "I'm an awful person."

"For selling some hairpins?"

"For selling the murder weapons," she says, with a sigh.

"You killed a demon with a hairpin?" He shouldn't laugh, but he can't help it. He would have paid money to see that. He cups her cheeks, leans down to brush his lips against hers. "Proud of you," he murmurs. The smell of burning food stops him from taking the moment further.

"Crap!" Kagome hurries back into the kitchen. Satoru trails behind her and plops down onto one of the chairs. His body sags with relief. There's not even a scratch on her.

"I stand by you staying home. It could be fun. You can greet me wearing that cute little apron, and I don't have to worry about someone trying to kidnap you."

"What's stopping someone from breaking into our home?" Kagome sets a plate of the unburned pieces of tempura down in front of him and places a bowl of rice to the side.

"You can set up a barrier, right? Yakeru mentioned it once when he stopped by the school."

"I guess that could work on the home front," she replies, sitting down next to him. "But let's pretend for a moment that I go along with this stay-at-home fantasy. I still need to go out for groceries and other errands. You can't be with me all the time." She picks up the chopsticks and holds out a piece of meat for him.

"Hire bodyguards," he quips before taking a bite. He chews mechanically, noting how she isn't eating. She looks tired, though that is to be expected. It probably took her some time to escape, find a place to sell those hairpins, and then catch a train back home. "So, Yakeru betrayed us?"

"No, Yumi was acting apart from him. She hated how he fawned over me because of the Shikon." She holds out another piece of meat for him to eat. "She was working with Naraku since the other foxes like me too much."

"If it's about the jewel, why didn't Naraku try to take you himself?"

"Uh, well. I don't think Naraku knew she was planning on kidnapping me." She darts her eyes away.

"Gome-chan, look at me," he commands.

"Is it possible to have Shoko-san check me out? I know I'm a sorcerer…" she looks everywhere but at him, wringing her hands. He scoots his chair closer and takes her hands into his.

"Did they touch you?"

"No. They actually set me up in a pretty comfortable room."

"Then why do you need to see Shoko?"

"Yumi didn't kidnap me because of the jewel. I just want a visual confirmation, just to be sure." Satoru glances at her stomach.

"Because of the small amount of cursed energy coming from you?" He squeezes her hands gently.

"There's cursed energy coming from me?"

"Yeah… I figured it's because that special grade managed to taint it."

"I purified the jewel right after that happened." Buyo Jr. jumps up on the table and swipes his remaining tempura pieces. The plate clatters and rice spills out on the table. "He's lost all of his manners," Kagome complains.

"Ah, I think Buyo said that you were taking too long." He pulls her attention away from the mess on the table. "It's just me."

Kagome sucks in a breath and nods to herself. "I'm like 99% sure that Yumi was telling the truth as it's the whole reason why she kidnapped me in the first place." She wets her lips before speaking. "I might be pregnant."

Satoru takes in a shaky breath, hunches his shoulders forward, and gives Kagome a wide smile. "So, stay at home mom it is."

Chapter Text

Kagome gives Shoko a sheepish grin as she wrings her hands, not sure what to do with them or why she feels as though she's announcing to her mom that she's been having sex. Shoko, bless her, just stares at Satoru in disbelief. The shock brings some color to Shoko's face.

"Holy shit," Shoko says, after a beat as though it's finally hit her that Satoru is not playing a prank on her. Kagome flushes under the scrutiny. "Let me get this straight." Shoko wets her lips and holds one hand out. "A demon kidnapped you because you're pregnant with Gojo's spawn?"

"Hey!" Satoru speaks up, pouting.

"You want to confirm said pregnancy," Shoko continues, ignoring Satoru's outburst. She takes a step forward and places her hands on Kagome's shoulders, pulling her in closer as though to whisper a secret. There's a hint of nicotine coating Shoko's breath. Kagome tries to hold back the urge to wrinkle her nose, but Shoko is perceptive and raises a brow in response. "Won't the Gojo elders have a field day with this?"

"I don't…" Kagome glances at Satoru, who seems far more interested in the medical tools than Shoko's small breakdown.

"Having a child out of wedlock and to a non-sorcerer at that."

"I bet we would have fewer people going rogue if the higher-ups would back off," Satoru quips, pretending to slice the air with a scalpel. Even though Kagome cannot see his eyes behind that blindfold, she imagines his eyes are lit with mirth. "Besides, I asked Gome-chan to marry me before all of this." Satoru grabs a pair of scissors, some forceps, and juggles the tools along with the scalpel - all while humming, here comes the bride.

Kagome clucks her tongue. So, he was paying attention as she watched a bunch of cheesy romantic comedies. Shoko directs Kagome's attention back to her. She'll address his non-proposal later. No need to have such a serious discussion in Shoko's work area.

"Thank goodness, this child will have half of you. I don't think the jujutsu world could handle a mini-Satoru." Shoko shudders and then squeezes Kagome's shoulders. "Alright, I need you to drop your pants and get up on the exam table," Shoko says. She snaps the blue gloves on, the sound ricocheting in the room.

"Excuse me?" Satoru tilts his head, still juggling the tools.

"It's for the ultrasound," Kagome says, unbuttoning her jeans and slipping off her sandals. Back in her world, she accompanied Eri to her first ultrasound appointment as Eri's boyfriend - if he could really be called that - was too busy to take off work, and stated that Eri shouldn't be getting attached so quickly. She peels off of her underwear, keenly aware of how Satoru's eyes are tracking her every movement.

"Need help getting on the table?" he asks.

"Down," Kagome warns, settling on the exam table. She places the white sheet over her lower half and levels Satoru with a glare. Someone has to rein him in from time to time. The man insisted on cooking breakfast earlier, fretting over her as though she couldn't pick up a spatula. Kagome rolls her eyes.

Satoru is good - great even at a lot of things, but who the heck burns eggs?

"Never thought I'd get to use this," Shoko says as she walks over. She picks up an instrument that honestly looks more like a dildo and the condom she covers it with does not help. "Satoru, could you stop messing with my tools and cut the lights." Shoko turns her attention back to Kagome. "Blink twice if he's holding you, hostage," she whispers.

Kagome snorts, thinking back to how she fell into Satoru's lap, and even back then he wasn't too keen on her walking away. "He's not that bad," she whispers back, leaning towards Shoko while staring at Satoru.

"I don't like this," Satoru says, coming to stand near her. He points at both of them. "You two, ganging up on me." He places a kiss on Kagome's forehead, brushing her bangs back.

"I think I get it now," Shoko murmurs. She gives them a soft smile. "This might be a little cold," she warns as she applies the lubricant. Kagome nods and then looks at the monitor. The room goes silent, or maybe it's because she's holding her breath as the monitor flickers. Her stomach somersaults.

"Is that…" Satoru trails off. Kagome is distantly aware of the rustling from his blindfold.

"Your little sweet pea," Shoko chirps. "A little concerning that demons could sense a pregnancy this early."

"She was a fox," Kagome replies, breathless. Warmth spreads from her chest all the way to her toes. Not that she didn't believe Yumi, but actually seeing her child - even though he or she really did look like a little blob, was something else. Beside her, Satoru goes still. She tears her gaze from the monitor to look up at him. A faint dust of pink coats his cheeks, his mouth is slightly agape, and shining out of his eyes is unfiltered love.

"I can print off copies for your own records, but I will not save anything."

"Thank you," Kagome says, speaking up for both of them. It's not every day that something catches Satoru's tongue. The man has a witty response to everything.

"Hey, Kagome," Satoru says. Kagome hums in acknowledgment. "Does this mean you'll be calling me Daddy from now on?"

"Get out," Kagome and Shoko say in agreement. Satoru huffs.

"So rude."

Shoko cleans up the workspace and turns her back to give them some privacy. "Satoru, don't you have missions today?" Kagome watches him as she slips her underwear and pants back on.

"I always have work," he says, waving his hand. "But I can rearrange my schedule for wifey."

"You didn't tell the kids you would be late," Kagome states, though it comes off more like a question.

"I did not." Satoru takes the ultrasound pictures from Shoko and puts them in his jacket pocket. "Ijichi can drive you back to the apartment. And don't worry about dinner, we can pick up something on the way to the estate."

"We're meeting them tonight?" Kagome groans. "But if we are meeting them tonight, wouldn't it be rude to not eat with them?"

"I don't trust them," Satoru says.

"They might try to poison you since you're not a Gojo," Shoko offers. She twirls the unlit cigarette between her fingers.

"What's stopping them from trying that if I was a Gojo?" Kagome crosses her arms. These elders sounded worse than the demons. At least with them, she knew what she was getting into.

"Don't take it the wrong way," Satoru starts, "but as my wife - in their eyes, you would belong to me. And hurting you would be a personal offense to me and a declaration of war." He walks over and places a finger to her lips, shushing her protests. "That's just an added benefit, not the sole reason why I want to marry you."

"Holy shit, I get it now," Shoko says.

Kagome uncrosses her arms and wraps them around Satoru, resting her head on him. "So, I get to slap some people tonight?"

"I support this." He places a kiss on top of her head. "I'll walk you out, and once you get home, you and baby get some rest." He ushers them out, waving goodbye to Shoko.

"Hey, Kagome," Shoko says, right before Kagome walks out of the door, "thank you."

For what? Kagome thinks. She should thank Shoko for taking the time out to see her. Shoko's gaze is on Satoru, though her message was towards Kagome. A small smile breaks off across her face. With all the pressure resting on Satoru's shoulders, she's grateful that he has friends he can depend on.

"Of course," she replies. She'll always have Satoru's back.

Chapter Text

Kagome clucks her tongue along the roof of her mouth, eyes wide at the sight of the Gojo estate. Two guards welcome them into the gated estate. From what she can see from the car window, nearly puts the school to shame. Someone could easily get lost trying to navigate through all of the rooms and expansive gardens. Satoru parks the car in front of what she presumes to be the main entrance. He's still dressed in his uniform, insisting that they really did not need to get dressed up just to meet his uncle.

Easy for him—it's her that is making a first impression, and she does not want to give any member of his clan ammo, nor does she want to create unnecessary hostility.

"We won't stay long," he says, flashing a smile before getting out of the car. He helps her out of the car, and tosses the keys to a butler—at least she assumes that is what the man is. He is certainly dressed like one with his dark suit, white gloves, and over-styled hair.

"No glasses tonight?" she inquires. He usually wears his blindfold for when he's working. Kagome smooths out her white dress, a nervous habit, but it gave her something to do with her hands.

"The blindfold works best." He leads them through a series of twists and turns, ignoring the servant's whispers as they walked by. "Less strain." Satoru slides the door open. Kagome sucks in a breath.

"The fuck is this?" she whispers under her breath. A man with similar blue eyes to Satoru's stands. His white hair is cut shorter, and his build is bulkier, like one of those American wrestlers that Sota always had her watch with him. Around him are several beautiful women, dolled up like courtesans. Their eyes only light up when they land on Satoru. Satoru presses her closer to his side.

"Thought this was a family dinner, Ryu," Satoru says, leading into the room. The door slides closed behind them. "Move," he commands the brown-haired woman in a pink kimono. The woman scrambles away, darting to the other side. His uncle frowns.

A part of Kagome feels awful at the treatment, even though Satoru's uncle probably instructed the women to sit in a way that would keep her and Satoru apart. The other part of her says, fuck all of them.

"Sit," Ryu commands, gesturing. "Word got back to me and the others that you were in the market for a wife." Ryu sits down and leers at Kagome. Her skin itches as she swallows down her disgust. Were all of these men pigs?

"Your source was wrong. I never said I was looking." Satoru waves his hand at the women. "All of this is unnecessary, and frankly insulting."

"These women are at least from other clans, unlike this… woman you have found." Ryu whistles at the dark-haired woman with dark eyes as though she is a dog, and to Kagome's horror, the woman refills his tea without so much as a blink. Satoru takes the pot from the woman and pours Kagome's tea first.

The room goes silent. Kagome swears she can hear the sound of a record screeching to a stop. She puts on a blank face. These kinds of people thrived on any hint of vulnerability.

"At any rate," Ryu continues, "these women are here to prove their worth. I had another room set up for privacy if you wish to validate their worth."

"Can I slap him?" Kagome turns to Satoru. She could have sworn she left all that misogyny back in the Feudal era.

"Not yet," Satoru responds, cheerfully. He sighs, rolls his shoulders back.

"Control your woman, nephew." Ryu glares at Kagome. "Now, then. You shame these women if you do not allow them the opportunity to prove themselves."

"So, Gome-chan, this is my uncle. Everyone else is just old geezers that got on the council because of their age."

"Your clan takes part in the bridal market?" She tries to keep her voice level, but just because he is not taking part, does not absolve him. "No more." His eyes are unreadable behind the blindfold, but she doesn't need to see, to know that he'll follow through.

"That is not your choice to–"

"Okay." Satoru directs his attention back to his uncle, whose pale skin starts to resemble that of a tomato. "You heard her. Anyone found participating will be out of this clan."

Ryu throws his porcelain cup down, breaking it. The liquid stains the tatami flooring. He jumps to his feet, stomps over to them, and bends down until he is at eye level with Kagome. "You fucking–" Slap. She just reacts. Her hand connects with his cheek before she has time to process what she just did. Ryu growls, lands back on his ass, as steam comes from the bright handprint.

"Oh, that looks like it hurts." Satoru laughs.

"I'm mad at you too."

"What? I did nothing." Satoru pouts, wobbling his bottom lip.

A string of curses flies out of Ryu's mouth as he jerks around the floor like a man possessed. He knocks over the teapot and their untouched cups. The women get up from their seats, and crowd around him, blocking Kagome's view. A twinge of guilt slithers up Kagome's spine. She didn't mean to hit him with a slap filled with purification… it just happened.

"That sucks," Satoru speaks up, leaning forward. His lips titled upward.

"A slap is the minimum of what he deserves."

"Sure, but I meant that his cursed energy is fading." Satoru stands, dusts his pants off. "Alright, ladies, I need to look at my uncle." Some women shoot daggers at Kagome, while the others look relieved. She gets it—for some of them, she inadvertently destroyed everything they have ever known, and to lose out on marrying into the Gojo family is a blow that their families won't let them live down. But she'll be damned if her child grows up in a family that practices such horrendous things.

"That fucking wench." Ryu gasps, reaching out for Satoru but only getting his infinity. "My curse…"

"Stop being so dramatic. You just need rest." Satoru pokes his uncle's forehead, knocking the man out. Kagome's eyebrows shoot up at the sudden lack of movement. "I am sorry that my uncle has wasted your time, ladies," he says, rubbing his neck. "Uh, you are all free to go back home. I can vouch to your fathers that it was a misunderstanding." He walks back to Kagome and holds a hand out.

She waits until they get back to the car, not wanting to give the servants or anyone else anything else to gossip about. "You knew about this?"

"Umm." He chuckles, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "I knew of it, but… you know I want to change the jujutsu world. I could kill everyone up at the top, but it wouldn't solve anything."

"I know. That's why you became a teacher. I still don't like it."

"I can't control what the other clans do. Some might follow what we did tonight to align themselves with the Gojo name."

"Fine." Kagome looks out the window. Her stomach grumbles. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything!"

"You were thinking it."

"So, in light of wanting to change the world, I've been thinking." Satoru reaches over the console and intertwines his fingers with hers. "Gotta raise up some powerful allies."

"I know what you're really getting at and no."

***

"What a waste," Naraku murmurs, shifting from that of a servant. He frowns at Ryu, who lies there unaware. Why was it so hard to separate Kagome from Gojo? Was he missing something? He outstretches his hand, smiling softly as his spiderlings crawl from his haori to the Ryu. They slip through the small opening of his parted lips. "Feast my children," Naraku coaxes.

Ryu's mouth foams as his eyebrows bunch together. His skin blotches over with red and purple bruises, staining his once pale skin. Naraku wrinkles his nose at the smell of urine. Luckily for him, his nose is not as strong as that of the canine types. Nevertheless, the smell is unpleasant. Bit by bit, Ryu wastes away. No sound escapes his lips. Naraku's precious spiderlings must have made quick work of his tongue first.

Naraku settles down onto the ground, kicks out his legs. The spiderlings won't leave a trace behind, but liquidation takes some time. He commits Ryu's face to memory. Soon he'll be wearing it. Satoru Gojo won't be returning to his clan estate anytime soon if the intel he received is correct. And by then it will be too late.

Chapter Text

Kagome nurses a cup of green tea at the kitchen island. The steam rises from the cup and helps to clear her sinuses. The heat emitting from the mug that reads: Strongest Wifey, is heavenly against the crisp morning air. The coffee maker brews in the background. Her stomach recoils at the smell.

"M'ornin," Satoru greets, his hair disheveled. He wraps his arms around her, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. His warm breath sends the hairs on her arms racing upwards, brushing against the silk material of her robe. She sets the cup down and runs her hands along his forearms, down to his hands, tracing the veins. He gives her one more squeeze before pulling away to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Kagome watches him over the brim of her mug, inhaling the scent of green tea to counteract the smell of coffee in the air. It's moments like these where she allows herself to forget about Naraku's schemes, how to save Yuji in the process of getting rid of Sukuna, and the constant threat of curses and curse users alike just waiting in the shadows for an opportunity.

"I might not be home in time for dinner," Satoru says, slumping into the seat next to her. He shifts the coffee to the other side of him. "Got a lot of missions today. Megumi is gonna stop by later."

Kagome takes a long sip from her drink. She needs to play this cool or he'll catch on to her. He's been paranoid about her going anywhere alone since she got kidnapped, but she needs to talk to Yakeru without Satoru or anyone else there. Even though Yumi came after her, Yakeru deserves to hear what happened from her and no one else.

"Did he say what time? Just planning out my nap schedule." She prays she does not fall asleep on the train. Her energy levels have been at an all-time low lately. Satoru caught her last night, knocked out on the couch with a bowl of forgotten ice cream.

"Nah, depends on when he finishes his mission." He leans over and pecks her lips. "Don't worry. He has a key to the house, so you don't have to worry about letting him in or anything." His eyelashes kiss his cheeks as he stares at her with love reflecting in his eyes.

He's so damn beautiful it hurts sometimes. Any other time, she would be grateful for his attentiveness. She's never had someone dote on her as much as he does, but right now, he's making it a tad bit difficult for her to see Yakeru without him.

"Don't like that they are working you so hard," she says, changing the subject. She'll just have to wait until after Megumi leaves. Silently, she prays he does not stay the night and opts to join the other students back at the dorms. A wave of guilt washes over her. What an awful thing to think, she berates herself. Megumi is such a sweet boy, and she really does not want to drag him along with her. He's still just a kid and shouldn't have to trouble himself.

"Helps knowing that you are at home where it's safe," he picks up his cup and winks at her. She clucks her tongue, moving away from the island.

"Yeah, yeah," she quips. Kagome waves a hand in the air as she retrieves the stack of bentos from the fridge. Left to his own devices, Satoru would just eat sweets all day. "Give some to the kids," she instructs as she places the bentos into a bag.

"You're the best, Gome-chan," Satoru says, his blue eyes unwavering. Kagome averts her gaze down to the bentos. The tips of her ears tingle.

"Any request for breakfast?" She tucks her hair behind her ears. Her stomach lurches at the thought of food. A wicked smile snakes its way across Satoru's face and Kagome wonders if she'll have to lecture him if he requests something sweet.

"Yep," he says, popping the 'p'. Satoru takes the mugs and dumps them in the sink. He stalks towards her. Kagome takes a step back, her back hits the island. Her heart rate speeds up. He lifts her up as though she weighs nothing and places her down on the island. He kicks the chair away; it lands on the floor with a thud.

"Toru?" She bites her bottom lip as he kisses the column of her neck. His large grips her thighs, his fingernails digging into her skin. She shivers at the feather-like touch tracing the sides of her lace underwear. "H-hey!" She pouts at yet another pair of ripped underwear.

"Shhh, let me have my breakfast." He flashes her a lopsided smile before sinking down.

Kagome pushes up the oversized glasses and lowers the baseball cap. She keeps her head down as she navigates through the streets of Tokyo. She has no idea when Megumi will show up, but she figures that his mission will probably take some time, and she hopes he stops by in the afternoon. Which gives her a tight deadline to make it to Yakeru's, talk to him, and make it back home in time to wash off all awful concoction she sprayed herself with.

Easy… hopefully.

She knocks on the door, ignoring the sign that says closed for vacation. No way he went on vacation. The fox loves running his shop too much. She knocks harder, more frantic. The door yanks open while she's in mid-knock.

"Did you not read the sign?" His green eyes are cold. She wets her lips and then removes the sunglasses.

"Can I come in?"

"Kagome-sama?" Yakeru gasps. He sniffs the air. "Why on earth do you smell like that?" He steps out of the way, allowing her to pass.

"I didn't want to take any risks." She tucks the sunglasses into her shirt and takes off the baseball cap. Her fingers glide across the custom hairpins, keeping her bun in place. "I'm sure you know."

"Ah, yes, because of the baby. There are no secrets amongst us foxes." He glides across the room, somehow still looking so unworldly, dressed down in a casual shirt and jeans. "I am honored that you have come all this way to see me."

Kagome sucks in a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you about Yumi." Her heart thunders in her eardrums, her palms are slick with sweat.

"Did she do something to offend you? I have tried to talk reason into her," he remarks, leading them towards the back room.

"Well… Uh, she kidnapped me." Kagome tightens her grip on the baseball cap.

"Did she? And yet you are here and she is not." He looks over his shoulder, assessing. "I see."

"Y-you see?" Kagome's brows furrow. He should be upset. She shakes her head. "She was working with a demon—a half-demon named Naraku."

"Then the fault lies on my shoulders."

"What? No. You couldn't have stopped Yumi from working with Naraku. And I think she was acting alone from him."

"I should have known that he would try to manipulate Yumi. She was always power hungry and Naraku is a known schemer." His voice is calm, but his fingers twitch with agitation. In a burst of confidence, or maybe stupidity, she wraps her arms around his back. "Kagome-sama?"

"I'm sorry," she offers, her voice wavering. Yakeru's claws dig into his palms. "I didn't want to, but…" Tears cling to her lashes. She was not fond of Yumi and while she does not regret protecting herself and her child—her heart cries out for Yakeru. They stand there for a moment. Her mind dwells on how familiar the others are with Naraku. She wonders how long he has been in this world—clearly a lot longer than she.

"We foxes look out for own," Yakeru says, startling her. "It is how we have survived as long as we have."

"I'm sorry," she repeats.

"Yumi rejected you despite all of the mounting proof of who you are." His shoulders slump.

"She wanted my child. She didn't care about the jewel and I don't think Naraku knew what she was planning."

"No one but you can use the power of the jewel. According to the legend, others have tried, but their wishes have always been twisted and destroyed them in the end."

Kagome unwraps her arms and takes a step back. "A scroll was taken from the school about the Shikon."

Yakeru waves a hand. "They won't be able to open it, just like they cannot destroy Sukuna's fingers in their own strength." He tosses his red locks back. "The power scale shifted with the birth of your mate. He could wipe out Japan with a snap of his fingers if he wanted to. I should have anticipated this."

"Anticipated what?"

"Yumi hated how we have blended in with humans. It was not always this way, there was a time when we dominated… but we demons live a long time…"

"The human population took over?" She wonders if that explains the lack of demons in her world. "But the foxes at the hotel showed us the nursery."

"They won't be mature for centuries. Half demons take less time, but they come with the risk of losing themselves." He walks forward, leading them into an office space. He plops down in the chair, his mask cracks as the weariness settles onto his shoulders. "No one can deny the power of Satoru Gojo, not even Yumi. She must have seen your child as a weapon."

"Please do not do anything rash." Kagome rubs her arm.

"I cannot allow such a transgression. I will let the others know," he murmurs to himself as he opens the desk drawl, rummaging around for something. He pulls out a talisman and holds it out to her. "You do not understand the war that is brewing."

Kagome takes the talisman. "What is this for?" And what the heck does he mean by war? She can't tell if he means an actual one or him just seeking revenge.

"If you call, I will come." He stands up, his lips downturned. "I will take you back home. You should not have traveled alone."

"You sound like Satoru," she grumbles. She can take care of herself. Kagome puts the baseball cap back on. "I took measures to disguise myself." She slides the sunglasses on.

"Be that as it may, Naraku is not the only demon looking to return things to how they were. And your mate would have my head if I let you walk out of here and something were to happen."

"No one else knows that I'm the Shikon priestess," she points out.

"No, but you are a weak point that could be exploited if anyone wanted to take out your mate."

Yakeru trails behind her on the way home, keeping a safe distance where he could jump in at any sign of danger. In his paranoia, he changed his appearance to blend in further with the rest of the civilians. When they arrive at the home, she unlocks the door and then turns to him.

"Don't do anything rash," she stresses.

"You have nothing to worry about," he says, cheerily, "I won't do anything that you wouldn't do. Oh, and Kagome-sama, do be careful about the things you wish for."

"Wait—"

He poofs into a bird and flies off. Kagome groans. Great, just great. Yakeru is for sure going to try to track Naraku down. She takes off the baseball cap as she walks through the door. That went better than she was expecting. She thought that Yakeru would have lashed out in anger, but he was collected the entire time. And what was with the cryptic message?

"I should tell Satoru," she says, walking up the stairs. Aw, crap. She chuckles nervously at Satoru and Megumi standing at the top of the stairs.

"Tell me what?"

Chapter Text

Satoru crosses his arms over his chest. His face is void of any emotion as he watches Kagome shift nervously on their bed. Her eyes dart from his blindfold to the floor, to the wall behind him, and back to his face. What she did was reckless and, to be honest, he is stooped as to why she is not more shaken up from the kidnapping.

Is he the crazy one? She should want to stay inside their heavily warded home, not rush off to who knows where. Though he has an inkling that she snuck out to go talk to Yakeru. Why she cares so much about that fox is beyond him. As far as he is concerned, Yakeru has yet to do anything to foster trust. Satoru uncrosses his arms and sits next to her on the bed. He grabs a hold of her hand, giving her a slight squeeze. Her hand is soft and warm in his.

"I've been going about this whole thing the wrong way," he says, head tilted up towards the ceiling. His nose wrinkles at the overpowering smell of the perfumes that she sprayed herself with. "I have a lot of enemies, Gome-chan, and I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to you." He would tear down all the buildings in Japan if he had to.

"Satoru—"

"Can you just shoot me a text before you leave out for now on?"

"You aren't mad at me?"

"Oh, I'm pissed," he says cheerily. "I'm pissed at myself that I've made you feel as though you have to sneak out of your own home." He angles his body towards her. "And confused. You got kidnapped. Why aren't you more wary?"

Kagome gives him a half shrug. "I'm used to it." The lightbulb shatters on the nightstand. Kagome jumps and instinctively leans into him further before pulling back as the realization creeps in.

"Sorry." He doesn't really mean it. No one should be used to getting kidnapped. Kagome glances at the shattered glass. "Where did you run off to? You didn't have any bags with you." He needs to hear her say it.

"I needed to talk to Yakeru alone." Kagome wets her lips. He chews the inside of his cheeks, knowing that if he lashes out that she'll only ground her heels down further. "He needed to know what happened to Yumi, and it had to be from me."

"And he reacted to this news with open arms?" His voice drips with disbelief. Satoru internally flinches. He's supposed to be calm and collected.

"He's going after Naraku."

"That's great news!" He gives her a Cheshire grin. If Yakeru wants to take Naraku out, then who is he to stand in the way of demon spats?

"He's planning on starting a war. You aren't a little concerned?"

"My only concerns are protecting this family and my students. If Yakeru wants to go after Naraku, then let him. That saves me the time, so I can focus more on those curses that are working together." He uncurls his hand from hers and draws her in closer. Best-case scenario, if Yakeru can get rid of Naraku, then maybe those special grades will disband or slip up down the road. He refuses to believe that they came together on their own. No—either they were recruited by Naraku, another demon, or even a curse user. Either way, he will not stop Yakeru from taking out an obvious threat.

"He's not stupid," Satoru says. "If he were, then he wouldn't have survived as long as he has. You trusted him not to lash out at your over Yumi, then trust him in this." His phone buzzes in his pocket. No doubt Ijichi freaking out because he left without a word. "Hey, Gome-chan…"

"Hm?"

"That perfume smells awful." He pulls back and scratches at his nose. "Whatever brand that is, it has got to go."

"Oh, I did this to cover up my scent in case there were any other demons nearby with strong noses." She stands and lifts her arms up, stretching this way and that, careful to avoid the fallen glass. "Sorry for worrying you." She worries her bottom lip, and he wonders if she is doing it on purpose. She has to know what that does to him.

"If you need to go anywhere else, Megumi is staying." He hopes that she just takes a bath to wash off that overpowering perfume and then takes a nap. His phone buzzes again. "I gotta get back to work. Those curses won't exorcise themselves." He stands and brushes his thumb along her lips and then leans down to kiss her temple. He takes a step back and digs his phone out from his pocket to shoot Ijichi a quick text that he'll be there in five seconds flat. His fingers hover over the many alerts from Ijichi and Yaga, but his brain freezes on the text from his undercover servant at the estate.

Owl: Help. Ryu is experimenting on the staff. Can't leave.

He stares at the screen, his brain refusing to process the impact of the message.

No.

He wouldn't.

The fuck? Ryu may be a bastard that has no genuine respect for women, but even he has a moral compass. You might have to squint to find it, but it is there. He cannot be that upset over the dissolving of their participation in the bridal market?

"Is everything okay with work?" Kagome asks.

No, but he will not add any unnecessary stress on her shoulders. The only trouble Kagome should have is worrying about how much rest to get as far as he is concerned. "You'll get wrinkles as bad as Ijichi if you pinch your brows together like that," he replies, sliding his phone back into his pocket. "Everything is fine," he says, not sure if he is trying to convince her or himself.

"You sure?"

"Yep," he quips, walking out of the room to retrieve a broom and dustpan. He passes by Megumi on the way back up the stairs.

"Is Kagome-san, okay?" Megumi asks, scratching Buyo Jr. behind the ear. His eyes linger on the nekomata for a second. Why didn't she take him with her? He gives himself a mental shake. The reasoning does not matter now, and besides, he needs to get to the estate like five minutes ago.

"Yep, not a hair out of place," he says, taking long strides back to the bedroom. Kagome is still in the same spot with worry etched on her face. He sweeps up the shards and tosses them into the bathroom trashcan. He starts the bath for her, distinctly aware of her eyes piercing his back. He should leave now before he slips up and before anything else happens.

"Are you sure that you are okay?" She leans against the counter, her arms crossed underneath her breasts.

"I'll see you later, okay," he says instead, not wanting to worry her. Whatever is going on, he can handle it. He waves before teleporting away, not giving Kagome a chance to ask him again.

Satoru stifles a yawn as he regards the barrier encompassing the estate. He should tell Ijichi to pick up a latte on his to pick him up. Between all the missions he has today, Kagome giving him and Megumi a scare, and now Ryu losing his mind—He direly needs a sugar hit. Satoru raises a hand to the barrier, noting how it is not keeping him out, nor does it seem to be that complex. So, people are free to enter, but they cannot leave. To the untrained eye, they wouldn't see anything amiss, but his eyes recognize that what he is seeing is nothing more than an illusion. He wonders what he will find lurking behind the barrier.

"Visiting the estate today?"

Satoru narrows his eyes behind the blindfold and pulls his hand back. "Yakeru wasn't expecting to see you here. Kagome said you were going after Naraku." No way the fox traveled all this way to talk to him—especially since he just teleported to the estate.

"That is correct." Yakeru stares at the building, his eyes flat. His posture, though, is lax and at first glance, one would assume that Yakeru is not affected by the death, but there is a tenseness to his jaw and focus is purely predatorial.

"You think he's hiding out at my estate?" He should step through and end whatever Ryu is attempting to do. "That would be pretty bold of him."

"My nose does not lie," Yakeru says, flatly. "The problem with spiders is that they are always trying to spin long, intricate webs. But the larger the web, the weaker it becomes as they forget about the smaller details, such as covering the scent."

A minuscule amount of guilt bubbles up in his gut. He should have been more on top of everything that was going on at the estate. Perhaps leaving the day-to-day operations to his uncle was not the best decision. "What's the problem with foxes? Aren't you tricksters?"

"For fun or to punish those who slight us. We rarely go out of our way to cause permanent damage." Yakeru dips his head. "I apologize for Yumi and apologies in advance for any destruction I may cause your estate." Yakeru passes through the barrier without a glance back.

"He can change his appearance," he says suddenly as the pieces fall into place. But how the hell did Naraku one up Ryu? Yeah, his uncle isn't as strong as him, but Ryu isn't a pushover unless these demons are stronger than he thought. He pulls out his phone and instructs Ijichi over text to bring him double espresso with ten pumps of creamer, ten sugars, and to meet him at the estate in an hour. He steps through the barrier, bracing himself for the worst.

Blue flames light up the yard. The burning smell of flesh is not one that he ever wants to get used to. He clucks his tongue as he walks forward. The yard is not on fire, he realizes, the flames are contained to the bodies of some oversized spiders. Were they there hiding when he and Kagome visited? He pushes open the front door and bites down on his tongue at the sight of mutilated servants.

Great. He really won't be making it home in time for dinner now.

Chapter Text

Kagome paces around the room. No matter how hard she tries to stuff down the pit of worry, she cannot. Her texts have gone unanswered, and it's well past 2 A.M. Long nights are not that uncommon -she knows that Satoru is always in high demand because of how strong he is, but…

She stops and turns to Buyo Jr, noting how unconcerned the nekomata is on the bed. He is spread out on the bed with his legs in the air, looking more like a dog than a cat at the moment. If only she could be that nonchalant, but she knows something is not right. Satoru always answers her, even if he's in the middle of exorcising a curse.

"Fuck this," she mutters, shrugging out of the silk robe. She tosses it onto the bed, ignoring Buyo Jr's cry of annoyance. She changes out of her pajamas for sweats and a hoodie. She refuses to stay put when something could be terribly wrong.

Her instincts have yet to fail her and right now, they are screaming that Satoru needs her help.

Buyo Jr. treks over to her, his two tails flickering back and forth. "Meow."

"I know, I know. But I have to." Buyo Jr. blinks his large eyes at her slowly in response. "You can stay here," she says.

"Meow." Buyo raises one paw and waves it back and forth, lecturing her as though she is some disobedient child.

"Then stop complaining." She scoops him up and sets him on her shoulder. She wrinkles her nose - sniffs once, twice. "Are you wearing cologne?" Buyo Jr nuzzles her cheek. Jeez, Megumi-kun spoils him. "Not a sound, okay," she says, opening the door. The house is silent save from her own harsh breathing pounding in her eardrums as she tiptoes down the hall and down the stairs. Best-case scenario, Satoru walks in the door and puts her worries to rest.

She doesn't dwell on the worst-case scenario.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Megumi asks, meeting her at the end of the stairs with a bowl of ice cream. He's wearing an oversized shirt and plaid pajama bottoms. His hair is spiked up, which takes Kagome by surprise as she thought that he styled his hair that way - not that it was naturally spiky. His eyes seem to glow in the darkness as he casually takes another spoonful of the ice cream.

Buyo Jr. smacks his paw to her cheek to her mild irritation. "Okay, okay," she grumbles. "I'm heading out to look for Satoru."

"Uhhh…." Megumi shifts his weight, his head cocked to the side. "He's been out later than this before," he says with a reassuring tone, "and Gojo-sensei is strong."

Kagome gives him a small smile. Megumi-kun is still a child, she tells herself, and while he has seen things that no one his age should have seen, there are things that children just cannot comprehend. "He is, but…" She steps off the last step and walks towards the front door.

"I'm coming with you." The sound of the bowl being placed down reaches her ears. She sighs.

"You should get some rest. I won't be gone long." She bends down to slip on her shoes, not surprised to see Megumi doing the same. She didn't expect for him to take her words to heart, not with how seriously he has taken his role of protector. "If anything happens—"

"I'm not running away."

"Megumi—"

"Kagome-san."

She pinches the bridge of her nose. "Alright." She goes to grab her bow and quiver, but Megumi grabs them first. Her eyebrows raise up as her weapons disappear into Megumi's shadow. How convenient. She wonders how much he can hide in there. "Well, that's handy."

"I've been practicing," he says, opening the front door. "I can hide non-cursed items now."

"Can anyone else access the items once you put them in your shadow?"

"No. I'll get your bow out if I sense danger." Megumi locks the door behind them. Kagome hums, switching her focus back to finding Satoru. Her gut is telling her to go west.

"Buyo, can you fly us?" Buyo Jr. huffs as he jumps down. In hindsight, she thinks that it would have been more discreet if Buyo Jr. had transformed in the backyard. Hopefully, no one looks out their window. It might be a bit difficult to explain why there is a gigantic cat with flames on its paws and tails in the front yard. She climbs onto Buyo Jr's back. Megumi gets on after her, loosely wrapping his arms around her waist so he doesn't fall off.

"Kagome-san, I hope that you're wrong," he says as they take to the skies.

"I hope so too."

***

Satoru debates how much of a scandal it would be if he just blasted the entire manor away. Each step he takes is heavier than the last. The once pristine flooring is coated in a mixture of red and purple. His infinity protects his shoes from the sludge as he treks through the estate, trying to pinpoint either Yakeru's or Naraku's energy.

It should be easy.

He casually punches a mutated human that runs at him with a mere kitchen knife. The body convulses from the impact as large spider-like limbs burst out of its face. He sighs as he sends a blast of raw, cursed energy at it. It really fucking sucks that he's having to kill the workers. Exorcising a curse is one thing - they are born from the negative emotions of humans and cannot be redeemed. No matter what, curses need death and destruction like humans need oxygen to survive.

But this hits him differently. As head of the clan, these deaths rest on his shoulders. He didn't think anyone would have been so bold as to attack someone in his clan. The estate is vast. There were times when he could avoid his uncle just by ducking into one of the many rooms, and maybe that was the problem. The estate keeps curses out, but not demons.

All the things he should have done loops in his mind. Should have warded the estate. Should have checked on Ryu the following morning. Should have…

He grips his head, squeezing his eyes shut. His limbs are heavy. Despair coats his lungs like the sludge on the floor. Is he dry heaving? His hands move to scratch at his own throat.

He should have….

"Get a hold of yourself." Yakeru's stern voice breaks through the fog, shattering the vision of devastated families. Satoru opens his eyes. Yakeru is covered in blood. He struggles to remember what color his shirt was before. "Don't let him get into your mind." Yakeru strides forward. The power radiating off of him gives Satoru pause.

"Why aren't you being affected?" he asks, half grumbles. His head still feels as though it is being split into and if he closes his eyes too long, he can see mothers screaming at him for the deaths.

"Illusions are kit's play for me," Yakeru says so matter-of-factly.

"So those -" He struggles to right himself. It's humiliating for anyone to see him like this and even more so that it's Yakeru.

"No, you put them at rest. This wasn't your fault." Satoru follows behind Yakeru, watching with thinly-veiled interest at how the fox sniffs the air every so often. They make their way down the corridor to Ryu's room, where the demonic energy is the strongest.

How did he miss that?

"He targeted your six eyes the moment you stepped foot in here."

"He could have done that at the exchange event." So why didn't he? If taking him out was the goal, why didn't Naraku try it when he didn't know who he was?

"Perhaps he has found other unsavory ways of increasing his strength." Yakeru kicks the door in, striding in as though he didn't just cause more damage to the property.

Naraku, for his part, seems unconcerned. His red eyes are more sinister under the moonlight.

Wait. His hands flex at his sides. The moon shouldn't be out this early. He notes the frown on Yakeru's face. So even he had difficulty getting through the illusions.

"There's a sight I never thought I'd see," Naraku says, turning his back to them. He opens the patio door, allowing a slight breeze from the night air to filter through. "Took you two long enough."

Frankly, Satoru has no time to go back and forth with Naraku. The demon's reasoning for attacking the estate and going after Kagome does not matter, for there is no justification for his crimes.

"How's Yumi?" Naraku continues.

"Dead."

Naraku visibly flinches. "That's too bad," Naraku replies, his face blank. "So much for us becoming one."

Yakeru rushes past Satoru, his claws outstretched, aiming for Naraku's head. Satoru curses under his breath. Naraku laughs as more limbs materialize from his body, stretching out. A purple mist seeps from around Naraku's feet. Whatever it is, hits Yakeru before the blow does. Yakeru places both hands over his nose and mouth. He gets knocked back into the dresser. The wood splitters.

"Oh, your infinity protects you from the miasma?" A flash of worry crosses Naraku's face as he tries to put more distance between them. The room fills up with the miasma. Yakeru's coughs move him into action.

Satoru raises his hand, red energy swirls around his index finger as he brings his infinity to the front. "Red—"

Naraku tosses a body at him—Owl, he realizes as his servant hits the floor. The man immediately convulses as the miasma seeps into him, his body covered in green goo as though Naraku had merely thrown him up. In that split second, Naraku tries to get away. Satoru chases after him, pushing down more guilt at the senseless deaths that have occurred.

"Not so fast," Naraku goads, as he materializes another body. This time, he holds the small child to his chest like a shield. "Let me go and I won't kill her." The green goo hits the grass with an audible pop.

Satoru clenches his jaw. "Bastard," he says with a snarl, to which Naraku only laughs. He has no other choice but to use his domain expansion. At this rate, Naraku will continue to throw human after human at him or use them as some shield.

"So, what will it be—" A sharp gasp followed by an explosion of pink cuts Naraku off. The young girl runs to Satoru. Her pigtails flop with each step. Naraku's eyes widen as the realization sets in.

"Satoru! Are you okay!" Kagome yells from Buyo Jr's back. They fly over to him. Megumi slides off of Buyo Jr. immediately crouching down to eye level with the girl.

"Megumi, watch the girl," he commands, turning his attention back to Naraku. Shit, he thinks as Naraku flies away, only to be burned and knocked back down to the ground. "Red reversal," he says right as Naraku turns back to look at them. Only ash remains.

Shit. Shit. He forgot about Yakeru.

"Yakeru was poisoned," he says. He barely gets the words out before Kagome runs towards the room. He watches as she notches an arrow and aims it at the floor, dispersing the miasma from the room.

"How long?" she asks, bending down next to Owl. She presses her fingers to his neck and frowns before moving over to Yakeru. The fox is pale but still alive. Kagome places her palms on Yakeru's chest and closes her eyes. A pink glow is cast over Yakeru's face.

"What are you doing?"

"Purifying the miasma out of him."

Satoru sits down next to her, rubs at his eyes. "How did you know?"

"Same way you know when I'm in trouble." A bead of sweat rolls down her face. She lets out a breath and leans back. "He'll need somewhere to rest."

No. Fuck no. He does not want Yakeru under his roof. Kagome looks at him expectantly and man, is he whipped, he thinks to himself. "Fine." He stills at the sensation of the veil dropping. "So that's why he couldn't get away."

"What?"

"Naraku had a barrier up when we got here. It should have let him out."

"Someone else wanted him gone."

"Yep," he says popping the p. "What time is it anyway?" he asks even as he digs into this pocket. There's no point in trying to track the person responsible for the veil down. Whoever did it, dropped the veil when they knew it was safe to.

"Like 3 A.M. now," Kagome says dryly. He freezes at that and notes all the calls from her and some not so nice messages from Ijichi.

"Time moved differently for me," he says, apologetic. He moves to a squat and lifts Yakeru, throwing the fox over his shoulder. They walk back outside. Satoru places Yakeru on Buyo Jr's back like a bag of luggage. "You two head home," he says, holding up a hand. "I need to get this girl -

"Cho," the girl speaks up, her lips quivering.

"I need to get Cho checked out by Shoko."

"She's not going to like that," Megumi says, as he takes the bow and quiver back from Kagome.

"She'll get over it." He shrugs and then leans down to brush his lips against Kagome's ear. "Wait up a little longer?" She nods. He pulls back and then picks up Cho.

He can't change what happened tonight, but he'll make sure that something like this never happens again. He waves at Kagome and Megumi as he whisks himself and Cho to Shoko's.

His gut tells him that Naraku was the least of his concerns.

Chapter Text

"This is a shit show," Nanami says, startling Satoru out of his thoughts. "First the school and now this." Nanami reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes.

"Thought you gave that up," Satoru remarks. He can't stand the smell of smoke, but he understands why Shoko and Nanami reach for them. One way to control how you die.

Nanami lights the cigarette, his dark eyes focused on the mess in front of them. "They nearly wiped out the Gojo clan." The words hang in the air between them before Nanami continues. "What's stopping them from wiping out the other clans?"

Satoru frowns, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Nothing," he says. The impact of Nanami's words sends him recoiling within himself. Simply being the strongest is not enough. His strength did not stop this attack. They kidnapped Kagome in front of him and he couldn't stop it. "Naraku was only a half-demon, and he was able to cause this much destruction." The floors are still stained red and purple. The bodies that Yakeru lit on fire still burn blue. He's been in some creepy places, but there's something about those blue flames that has his skin crawling.

Maybe it's seeing the aftermath in the light?

Or maybe it's knowing that Yakeru was passed out in the guest room when he left and yet his flames are still going strong?

Nanami sighs. The smoke mingles with the metallic smell in the air. "Half. So, these things can reproduce with humans? What kind of damage could a full demon do?" Nanami takes another pull from his cigarette. "And what kind of person would willingly lie down with one of these things?"

Satoru's eyes twitch behind his blindfold as an image of Yakeru's face comes to the forefront. "They aren't all bad," he chokes out. It pains him to admit it, but he could see how someone could fall for Yakeru on looks alone.

"You know more of them? And you haven't gotten rid of them?"

He shrugs. What was he supposed to say? That he was too whipped? That all Kagome has to do is bat those pretty eyes at him and he'd gladly throw away the key for her? "Like I said, not all of them are inherently bad, like curses. We need to play this smart. Get the good ones on our side."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Nanami puts out the cigarette and pulls out a small bag from his jacket pocket. He deposits the used cigarette into the bag before promptly putting it back in his pocket.

"Thanks for not littering," Satoru says.

Nanami ignores him. "It's not as though you know of some secret demon village."

"Oh Nanami!" he exclaims, throwing himself at the stoic sorcerer. "I could kiss you!"

"I'll punch you."

Satoru pulls back. "Nanami," he says solemnly. "You'll never find a woman with that attitude." He laughs at the look of outrage on Nanami's face.

"Turn off your infinity."

"Let's make a stop by my house. Yakeru should be up by now."

"Who?"

"Oh?" Satoru tilts his head. "I didn't tell you about the fox demon at my house?"

"I'm going to murder you."

"Get in line," he sings, grabbing Nanami's hand and teleporting them away. To be honest, he couldn't stand staying at the estate a moment longer. The ruins were a physical reminder of how he failed those that depended on him.

He teleports them to the genkan area. "Honey, I'm home!" he yells, right in Nanami's ear. Satoru slides out his shoes and follows the sound of laughter. There's a spike of cursed energy behind him.

Yakeru turns around on the barstool, his green eyes sparkle with mischief. His hair is completely down, falling down his back with small waves. It really does pain Satoru to admit that the fox is a looker. "Welcome home, honey," Yakeru coos, puckering up his lips. His tails swish back and forth behind him.

Satoru flinches and drags his gaze towards Kagome. "Where'd Gumi go?" He walks over and kisses her on the forehead.

"He got a mission while you were out. He's with Yuji and Nobara. Buyo Jr. went with him, of course." She leans into him. "Hi, Nanami-san. Satoru isn't pestering you too much, I hope." Kagome smiles at Nanami. Her hair is piled messily on top of her head. The carefree look only enamored him further.

"No more than usual," Nanami replies, his eyes glued to Yakeru. "What kind of spell did you cast on this one?" He asks, jerking his thumb at Satoru.

Yakeru laughs. "I'm not the one going around calling myself a sorcerer." He turns back around, dismissing Nanami.

"Anyway," Kagome stresses, "How is Cho doing?"

"Still traumatized," he says, not paying attention to his words. Nanami is glaring holes in Yakeru's back, while Yakeru amuses himself with a spinning top. Kagome pokes him in the side. "S-sorry. Shoko said she'd give me a ring when I should come back."

"Were her parents…"

"I'm assuming so. I couldn't find them." He knows before she opens her mouth, so he answers first. "Yes. She is technically a Gojo." Kagome beams up at him. His heart flutters at the silent praise. He would have taken Cho in, regardless.

"At this rate, you two are going to need your own town," Yakeru remarks, turning halfway.

"Is there a demon town?" Nanami asks, which Yakeru ignores. A vein bulges on Nanami's forehead. Kagome pulls out of his embrace and marches over to Yakeru. She slaps him on the back of his head and plants her hands on her hips.

"Don't be rude," she lectures. Yakeru just looks at her like a dejected puppy. She leans in further and then slaps her palm to Yakeru's forehead. "You don't have a fever," she mutters. "What's gotten into you?"

"Poison?"

"Not funny."

"So, you do have a town of nothing but demons," Satoru interjects. "And a hotel," he adds as an afterthought.

"We foxes have the hotel you stayed at and naturally the surrounding area." Yakeru spins the top. "Others have towns, preferring to stay away from humans, and some like the city life."

"What you're saying is that your kind is scattered about," Nanami speaks up.

"No more than you humans are."

"You are insufferable."

"Wow!" Satoru claps his hands. "You two bicker like old friends." A far too wide grin breaks across his face. "Now, Yakeru. You realize that the Gojo clan is nearly wiped out now —"

"Naraku and Yumi were the only ones stupid enough to go after you directly. You see failure, whereas any smart demon sees the consequences of attacking you."

"I was thinking more along the lines of the other clans." Nanami raises a brow at him. Satoru scoffs. "Just because I don't like the other clans doesn't mean I want to see innocent people being killed."

"My allegiance is to Kagome - not to these other clans," Yakeru says. "I will help the best that I can, but no one is going to go out of their way to protect these others. Especially when some of them have willingly fucked demons that wish to see the world burn."

"If it concerns Satoru, then it concerns Kagome-san," Nanami says.

"You think far too black and white," Yakeru retorts. "Overstepping is how one gets killed."

"Coward."

"If you two are going to fight, at least take it outside," Satoru says with a sigh.

"Who don't you want to anger?" Kagome asks, taking a seat next to Yakeru. Satoru clucks his tongue. He didn't even think of that.

Yakeru lets out a big sigh. His shoulders slump forward. "I got word earlier that he's coming back because of all the trouble Naraku kicked up."

"Who?" Nanami asks.

"I dare not say his name. Rumor has it that just by saying his name, your head will roll off your shoulders."

"This has been a waste of time." Nanami looks at his watch.

"He must be very strong," Kagome says, softly. "And he sounds like a fair leader if he's coming back because of the things that Naraku has done."

"Sound more like this so-called leader should have taken care of Naraku in the beginning," Nanami argues.

Satoru places his hands on Kagome's shoulders, giving her a small squeeze. "Nanami's just grumpy because he didn't get his bread."

"Shut up, Satoru."

"He's been away overseas. Naraku kept a low profile until…," Yakeru trails off, making eye contact with Kagome.

"You aren't going to tell us his name, are you?" Nanami pinches his nose. Yakeru looks Nanami up and down.

"Nope."

Satoru's phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out, scowling instantly. "The higher-ups want to meet," he says, answering the wordless question in the air.

"About what?" Kagome asks.

"That's a good question."

Chapter Text

Kagome cuts her eyes towards Yakeru, who is doing a superb job at pretending as though his spinner is much more interesting than the news he just dropped. "So," she says, shifting on the bar stool. "Who is this demon that has you so afraid?"

Maybe with Satoru and Nanami-san gone, Yakeru will be much more forthcoming with his information.

"Kagome-sama, your skin is just glowing!" His green eyes sparkle as the spinner comes to a stop. "Surely, one such as yourself does not need to be concerned with demon affairs."

Or maybe not.

Kagome puffs out her cheeks. Since when did Yakeru start taking after Satoru? Or was he always so deflective? She presses her lips together in a flat line as she stares at him and stares at him some more until his eyes dart around, looking for an escape route that doesn't exist. "Yakeru….," she warns, her voice low as though Yakeru is a young kit up to no good. Which, at this point, she's convinced that he is.

"My lady, he isn't someone that you need to worry about. He cares more about keeping us demons in line." He pauses. "For the most part. As long as we don't overstep and cause too much chaos." He nods his head. "A little mischief is fine, but nothing to alert the general population." He places a finger to his chin as he seems to lose himself in his thoughts.

Kagome nods her head as she slides off the barstool. She dusts her hands together. Yakeru doesn't want to tell her the name of this head demon in charge — fine. She'll just get the name from said demon personally. "You don't have to tell me his name," she says. Yakeru instantly looks relieved at her admission. "I want you to set up a meeting." She smiles.

The distinct sound of Yakeru's mental state breaking snaps into her like a whip. Kagome tilts her head, clasping her hands behind her back as Yakeru falls off of the stool and hits the kitchen floor. He stays there for a moment, convincing Kagome that perhaps her request broke him. Yakeru struggles to his knees. His breath comes out heavy, like he's been in a fight all morning. Now that she thinks about it, he is probably still recovering from the miasma he was exposed to.

"K-Kagome-sama, your mate would have my head." Yakeru clasps his hands together in prayer, muttering, "Inari-sama, make her see reason." His tail swishes behind him fervently to the tune of his prayers.

Kagome hums. Satoru would be pissed if she went to see some powerful demon without him. She lets out an exasperated breath. She can't just charge in recklessly like she used to. "Satoru will be there, of course," she says, directing Yakeru to his feet. "And it is not like we are going there for a fight. Naraku's crimes are on Naraku, not this demon- who-shall-not-be-named." Kagome frowns at the terrified expression staring back at her.

"Satoru is going to kill me," he says, "and if he doesn't then–" He promptly stuffs his claws into his mouth and chews on the ends, becoming more and more unraveled before her eyes.

Her eyes twitch.

Her mouth trembles as she suppresses the urge to laugh.

It shouldn't be funny, but his dramatics are much more preferable to the blank faced Yakeru back at the shop. She was worried about how Yumi's death was going to affect him.

"You remind me of Shippo-chan…. so dramatic," Kagome says. She rolls her eyes and starts to walk out of the kitchen, pausing before walking out. "Try to make the meeting somewhere that has food. Megumi-kun was telling me about some new restaurant that opened up not too far from here. Satoru will be much more agreeable if he eats some dessert beforehand."

"But, Kagome-sama–"

"No buts, just do." She waves at him as she leaves the room. The walk up the stairs more daunting with each step. Yakeru means well, but Satoru and Nanami-san are right. The other clans are more at risk now and if all of them were to get wiped out, then what's stopping the demons from using the curses to overpower the other humans?

Nothing?

But then what stops those curses from overpowering the demons?

The Shikon pulses, jolting her out of her musings as she sits down on the bed. "That's why we need to meet this demon that Yakeru is afraid of. He must have come to the same conclusion," she says, looking down at the floor. "Besides, I have a great feeling about this."

***

Satoru cracks his neck from side to side as he observes the old geezers over the rim of his shades. He stuffs his hands into his pocket as he puts on a cheerful facade. "Gakuganji! Your skin is looking extra saggy today. Did you change up your skin care routine? I can send you a list of recommendations that'll have you looking nearly as good as me."

"Show some respect." Gakuganji clenches his hands over his cane, which shakes from the pent-up anger that wants to boil over in the room.

"Soo scary!" Satoru coos. He rolls his shoulders back. "Get on with it. I have a shit ton to do today."

An elder with long gray hair pulled back into a high ponytail steps forward. His eyes are just as dull as his hair. "We understand the reasoning behind keeping the attack at Jujutsu High under wraps."

Satoru cringes at the sound of the man's voice. It's all gravely with a weird pitch that makes him want to douse his ears in a fire. Why on earth did they select this geezer to speak for them? To get back at him in any way that they can?

"But with the attack at the Gojo clan, we need to act quickly," the man continues, waving a hand in the air to punctuate his words. "The scroll on the Shikon Jewel was taken." He pauses as though he is an actor delivering his punchline, waiting for the audience to react in horror to the information revealed.

Frankly, Satoru wishes they would just get on with it. A second hanging out with them is far too long.

"That wasn't the only thing that was taken."

"No, but it is the only thing that matters. We know where Sukuna's vessel is. Perhaps these unregistered curses are seeking to boost their own power or—"

"Or they are trying to revive Sukuna," Gakuganji says, doing a piss job at intimidating Satoru with that glare. "Which is why we should have exorcised the vessel a long time ago."

"Be that as it may, we know where the vessel is. The chances of them being able to revive the cursed womb paintings are laughable. What we don't know is where the Shikon Jewel is."

They thought Sukuna could never find a vessel and yet here they all were.

Murmurs break out in the room as the other higher-ups lean in towards one another. Irritation bubbles in his chest as the heat spreads up his neck. Where do they get off referring to Yuji as though he isn't a person? None of them seem to grasp the sacrifice that Yuji is making… no, they just do not care to, choosing instead to look at Yuji as though his live isn't worth the effort.

"Alright, so we find this jewel. I fail to see how this has to do with the near extinction of my clan," Satoru says, his voice cool and collected. "Or why it's more important than tracking down Sukuna's fingers?"

"It's not just some jewel, boy," the elder hisses out. "It is a wish-granting jewel that only brings calamity. Until now, we thought demons were long gone. It is no coincidence that the school was attacked, nor your clan. This will only create a ripple effect."

"Perhaps we should start with investigating that Kagome—"

"You leave my fiancé out of this," Satoru warns, his cursed energy rising—reminding them that he could crush all of them in the blink of an eye.

There is more murmuring amongst themselves before the elder with the annoying voice speaks up. "This isn't a matter that involves her, though we are thankful for her aiding the students in battle. I, we, are proposing instead to have everyone keep a lookout for any suspicious activity or energies. That energy surge we all felt could have very well been the Shikon itself. Is everyone in favor?"

A chorus of "Yes." Rings out, signaling that the meeting is over. Satoru swaps out his shades for his blindfold as he makes his way over to Shoko's area. His mind is cluttered with thoughts of how pointless the meeting was. Nothing got accomplished. Find the jewel, but no word on what it looks like, and the complete dismissal on retrieving the cursed paintings is baffling.

It's for the best, he thinks, that they are focusing on retrieving a jewel and not considering the possibilities of it merging with someone, but ignoring the other items that were stolen is not the answer.

"Does your six eyes also give you a sixth scent or something?" Shoko's bored tone draws him out of his musings. The bags under her eyes are darker. No thanks to him dropping Cho off in the early hours of the morning. She sounds detached, which only further confirms to him that somewhere in between him dropping Cho off and his meeting with the higher ups, that something went wrong.

"What happened?" He follows her into the makeshift hospital room, noting how the Cho appears to be fast asleep on the bed even with the machine beeping every so often. The room is dimmed, but still has that distinct clean smell that only comes disinfecting so often.

"Cursed like Tsumiki." She sighs. "I thought little of it when she fell asleep because of the things that she went through, but she's showing the same symptoms."

"There weren't any curses at the manor. Naraku got in somehow, but none of the estates are equipped to keep out any demon."

"She came from the insides of a demon. That alone is bound to have some kind of effect on her."

"But if it's a curse like Tsumiki, then she should be fine with Naraku being dead." Satoru stands over Cho. "Unless it's the same curse." He grits his teeth. Kagome may not like his methods, but one way or another, he's going to get some information out of Yakeru, starting with who this powerful demon is.

Turns out, he didn't need to threaten Yakeru. Somehow Kagome got the fox to set up a dinner meeting at the new restaurant he had been thinking about dining at. "So, where exactly are all of the other customers?" Satoru throws an arm over the back of Kagome's chair, watching how the staff seems to scurry about.

Something is off about them. Similar to Naraku, but not the same.

"Paid to not have anyone else here." Yakeru halfway turns and nods at the staff. "Don't worry, they're half demons. They won't go blabbing."

Makes sense that Yakeru would be rich. He wonders if all the foxes share the wealth or if it's just simply because of how long Yakeru has been alive.

"Any update on Cho?" Kagome asks. A girl with dark brown hair sets out a plate of macaroons in front of them. Kagome swipes two before he does.

"Well, Cho is–" His reply gets cut short at the sudden flare of energy. His own powers rise in response, as the air becomes denser. It is as though his throat wants to collapse onto itself, as the power is so much more oppressive than any special grade he's gone up against. Satoru pushes his energy down. Starting a fight is not what this meeting is about… maybe if Kagome wasn't in attendance.

The demon walks over to them, his glamor fading away as golden eyes ignore both him and Yakeru and focus only on Kagome. "Priestess," he says coolly, still not paying attention to Satoru, which only causes worry to fester in Satoru's gut.

How does he know Kagome is a priestess?

Are there more demons that are even close to being as strong as this one?

He opens his mouth to greet this demon, knowing that in these cases it would be better to be tactful, but Kagome beats him to it.

"Sesshomaru!" she yells, practically leaping out of her chair and startling everyone, Satoru included, with the outburst.

Wait.

She knows this demon?

He chances a glance at Yakeru, who sits there slack-jawed and looking even more devoted. Sesshomaru pulls out a chair and sits next to Yakeru. Kagome is buzzing with energy next to him. Satoru decides he hates this Sesshomaru with his stupid perfectly carved face and golden eyes that only seem to spark when landing on Kagome. Irrational? Yeah, but he sees how the foxes fawn over her, the last thing he needs is this one doing the same.

Not on his watch.

Chapter Text

"This is who you chose as your mate?" Sesshomaru questions. His eyes flit over to Satoru and then snap back to meet her gaze. Satoru tenses next to her, not used to being ignored. "You could have had your pick."

Sesshomaru doesn't say it, but the underlying judgment of her being with another human instead of a demon is more than palatable. It doesn't escape her that he doesn't say InuYasha's name.

"Satoru is who I want," she says, intertwining her fingers with Satoru's. His hand is warmer than usual. She gives him a small squeeze.

"And how do you know Kagome?" Satoru interjects, leaning back in the chair. He's agitated, she thinks, noting how his fingers flex every so often, and how quickly he put on his calm facade. The only excited one is Yakeru, whose shoulders dropped in relief when she greeted Sesshomaru. "Must not be that important if she's never mentioned you before."

Sesshomaru smiles. Yakeru leans his body as close to the wall as he can. Kagome groans. Why does Satoru have to pick a fight with every demon he meets? She just does not get it. "We should put in our orders," she says loudly.

Food makes everything better—at least she hopes it will.

The server walks towards them, clutching their notepad to their chest like a shield. Kagome frowns, feeling a little bad for how the workers must be feeling, having not only Sesshomaru around, but Satoru too.

"She's the alpha female of my pack," Sesshomaru says, right as the server reaches the table. The server drops the notepad on the floor and staggers back, tripping on their own feet and falling down. Pink decorates their cheeks like a banner shouting just how embarrassed they are.

The sound of plates falling in the kitchen and scurrying of feet does little to dispel the tense atmosphere.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asks, though her concern goes unnoticed as Satoru flushes red. Yakeru lets out a shout that sounds more like a high-pitched yelp, and Sesshomaru sits there blank faced as ever. If she had known that the-who-shall-not-be-named-demon was Sesshomaru, she would have just arranged for the meeting to be back at home. The poor workers did not need to be subjected to this.

"Excuse the fuck out of me," Satoru says, leaning forward. "Kagome isn't yours." He untangles his hand from hers. His voice is low and menacingly enough that the hairs on her arms raise up. There's a sharp spike of cursed energy from Satoru and a demonic spike from Sesshomaru.

The pressure from both energies makes her want to gag as she stuffs her own down. Sesshomaru did not have to phrase it like that. When this is all over, she'll have to remind him of the proper etiquette for conversing with humans that know little to nothing about demons.

Sesshomaru turns his head towards the server. "Are you going to take our orders?" He slides his gaze back over to Satoru, assessing. "This Sesshomaru acknowledges you as the priestess's mate." Their energies lower to a simmer, not quite friendly with one another, but no longer as hostile as before. Kagome is honestly surprised at how quickly the sever composed themselves.

The Sesshomaru effect, she muses. Doing well in front of Sesshomaru probably helps them.

They give their respective orders to the server. Satoru's mood is still dark, but less aggressive than it was before, placated by Sesshomaru's acknowledgment. Kagome stuffs another macaroon in her mouth. "Is your mom around? I thought she was the alpha female."

"She has stepped down."

Kagome blinks expectantly and then sighs because, of course, Sesshomaru still says as little as possible. Heck, she didn't even know one could step down from their alpha role. "O-Okay. Anyway, I know Sesshomaru because of InuYasha." Satoru tenses next to her, but she continues, "Sesshomaru is InuYasha's older brother. Did you know about Naraku?"

"No. He would have been slain had this Sesshomaru known."

"I get it. Not even the mighty Sesshomaru knows everything," she teases.

"No," he replies, not rising to her bait. "You knew of the priestess. Who else knew?" Sesshomaru questions Yakeru, who shifts in his seat.

"Well… Uh… You see. That's an excellent point. I mean honestly, how was I to know that Naraku knew Kagome-san? It's not like anyone else really messed with her." Yakeru rubs the back of his neck. "Except for Yumi, of course, but she had Naraku's backing, so…"

"So, you didn't see fit to tell this Sesshomaru of the priestess's existence, despite knowing how detrimental she could be to all of us?"

"Hey!" Kagome exclaims. Satoru stifles a laugh beside her. What a traitor. One minute he's defending her and then the next he's poking fun at her along with Sesshomaru. Traitors. The both of them.

"I was protecting Kagome-san," Yakeru says. "She isn't detrimental to any of us. Kagome-san is… is my lady."

Warmth blooms in her chest at the admission. She's not sure what she has done exactly to be worthy of his devotion, but she's thankful for his friendship, nonetheless.

"Are there any other demons that are obsessed with you that I should know about?" Satoru asks.

"The wolf is around."

"Koga-kun is here?" Kagome turns to look at Satoru. Somehow, she just knows he's fuming behind those dark shades. "You don't have to worry about Koga-kun. He's harmless."

"He still calls you his woman."

What the fuck? She whips her head around so fast that she nearly gave herself whiplash in her haste to glare at Sesshomaru. The heck was he doing? Out of everyone here, Yakeru should be the one trying to stir up drama, not Sesshomaru. Clearly, he gains some satisfaction from seeing her miserable. Last time she checked, Koga-kun was with Ayame.

"That so," Satoru murmurs. Kagome opens her mouth to diffuse the situation right as the server arrives with their meal. Her stomach growls loudly, drawing attention away from Satoru's and Sesshomaru's pissing contest. "It is reassuring that Gome-chan has so many powerful allies. Even if they are demons."

"I thought we were going to be nice," she says with a sigh.

"I am being nice."

"I concur," Yakeru says, in between bites. "Satoru is being very nice. The world's nicest sorcerer."

"How much is Satoru paying you to say that?" Kagome wonders out loud. Her stomach rumbles at the sweet, tantalizing smell coming from Satoru's plate. Ugh, she should have ordered that, too.

"I'm gonna make a wild assumption and assume that we don't need to ask for your help?" Satoru cuts up his chicken and places some pieces onto Kagome's plate.

How did he know she was thinking about swiping some?

"It is not safe for her to be down here in her condition," Sesshomaru says.

"Just say pregnant."

"She should stay at the estate," Sesshomaru continues, "Your defenses are not satisfactory enough if Naraku of all beings could wipe out your clan."

"Our home is demon and curse proof," Satoru says after a beat. Both Satoru's and Sesshomaru's energies spike at the same time. The air becomes denser, suffocating, and Kagome thinks that perhaps the two of them need to be locked in an escape room together to figure their crap out.

"Satoru's right. Our home is plenty safe, and we like our privacy. What we need is to know how immersed demons are with the jujutsu society, so we can prevent any more wipeouts."

"One of your ancestors was a demon fucker," Yakeru says as though he was discussing what new items he should stock in his shop. "Michizane Sugawara, right?"

"Most of the vengeful spirits are," Sesshomaru agrees, taking a sip from his tea.

"Wait, isn't Sukuna–"

"Yep, Sukuna is one. Can't say that really surprises me." Satoru shrugs. "He was also a cannibal in his prime."

Kagome wrinkles her nose. "I'm eating, that's gross."

"So, some sorcerers fucked demons. What of it?"

"Your birth tipped the power balance, causing an influx of more special grades." Yakeru says, "I can't imagine what will happen after the little one is born." He taps his finger to his chin. "Not to mention the amount of fear that happened at the estate that, Cho - right? Yeah, that Cho must have experienced. I'm sure the other clans are pissing themselves. Ah, and right before Halloween, too. Kind of brilliant if you think about it."

Satoru grunts in disagreement.

"Who is this Cho?" Sesshomaru questions, "was she the only survivor?"

"Yes. However, she's in a coma at the moment. Naraku absorbed her and tossed her out during the battle. She probably didn't see too much of the horror."

Wait. What? Kagome lowers her chopsticks. Dread builds in her chest, constricting, causing her to feel faint. Cho seemed okay before Satoru whisked her away to be checked out by Shoko.

"Cho will be okay Gome-chan. Shoko knows what she's doing," Satoru reassures her, slipping his hand underneath the table and squeezing her thigh.

"Did you inspect her?" Sesshomaru asks, an unreadable emotion reflecting in his eyes.

"N-no, I didn't think…"

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru stands, putting his glamor back on as he does. Yakeru makes an 'oh shit' face towards Satoru.

"I'm not letting you harm her," Satoru says, tilting his head.

"Fox, take the priestess to the estate." Sesshomaru turns his back and looks over his shoulder. "Follow," he commands Satoru before walking away.

"I'm gonna kill him," Satoru says cheerily with a smile.

"I think you should go with him," Kagome says. "Whatever it is, Sesshomaru must not want to waste any more time talking."

Satoru sighs, spiking a hand through his hair. "Fine. After Halloween, let's go away somewhere with no curses or demons."

"That sounds wonderful."

"I'll make reservations for three," Yakeru chirps.

"Shut up, Yakeru," Kagome and Satoru say. A somberness falls over them. Satoru leans over places a kiss on her forehead before getting up to leave.

"Keep her safe," he warns, waving a hand as he leaves the restaurant.

"I hope Cho is okay," Kagome says, looking down at the unfinished meals. A break from so much disaster would be nice.

***

"Troublemaking Fushiguro!" Nobara and Yuji coo, pointing their fingers at Megumi when they should be paying attention to their surroundings. It is not as though they aren't on a mission or anything.

Right, because nothing seems to faze those two.

"Knock it off," Megumi says, hitting Yuji in the back of the head. "This is a special grade. At least try to be more alert." Maybe he should ask Buyo Jr. to come from out of his shadow since those two wanted to joke around.

"Ow! What was that for?" Yuji rubs his head. He perks up, noticing a young child standing near the river. "Hey! Get away from there!" he calls out, waving his hands in the air.

Megumi turns to look at the child in question. His blood turns to ice as he takes in the barefoot girl wearing nothing more than a hospital gown. "It couldn't be," he murmurs, taking a step forward, pushing Yuji out of the way as he walks. "Cho?"

"You know that kid?" Nobara asks, but he doesn't answer her. He sprits forward, his arm outstretched, hoping - praying, that he can stop Cho from jumping. If she does that, then she'll be taken into the curse's domain.

It's one thing for him to hold his own against a much stronger opponent, with Yuji and Nobara backing him. It's a whole another matter to do that while trying to protect an innocent.

"Cho! Don't!" His hand grabs nothing but air as Cho jumps, disappearing right in front of them. "Damn. Why the heck was she even out here?" He tugs at his hair. "We gotta go." His heart beats erratically in his chest as his mind races with what he should do.

Call Gojo-sensei? No, even if he called him now, Cho would be dead by the time he arrived. No, he has to handle this. Gojo-sensei won't always be there to bail him out.

"Come on," Nobara says, linking her arms between Megumi and Yuji. "Let's go exorcise this curse." They jump over the river together. He's not alone, he thinks. He has Nobara and Yuji with him.

"Where'd the kid go?" Yuji wonders, pulling his arm back from Nobara. "There's nowhere for her to hide…"

"Dead already," Nobara says, shrugging. She takes out her hammer, surveying the area.

"How can she be dead if there's no body?" Yuji waves his arms around.

"Guys, stop putting Cho in the grave." Megumi squats down and pulls out a sword from his shadow. "Something isn't right. Yuji is right, there isn't anywhere for her to hide." He stands up. His heart jumps to his throat as he comes face to face with a finger bearer. Its large eyes and far too wide mouth enlarges as it seems to chuckle at them.

Its not the same one, he tells himself as he braces for the impact.

"Fushiguro!" Yuji shouts as the finger bearer knocks Megumi back into the wall.

Fuck, he thinks, at least it can't get any worse than this.

A hunchback curse with blood dripping down its eyes comes charging out of nowhere, right towards them. Megumi blinks, his vision somewhat blurry.

It just got worse.

Chapter Text

Satoru stuffs his hands into his pockets, ignoring the pointed glare from Sesshomaru as they walked down the street. He wets his lips, the cool, crisp air, does absolutely nothing to cool the fire building in his veins. "So," he says with fake enthusiasm, "since you've so graciously accepted me as Kagome's mate. Does that mean you'll stop trying to claim her as your alpha female?" Now, Satoru is not an expert on demons—personally, he wouldn't be too upset if they just all disappeared one day. Well… Yakeru was growing on him and Buyo Jr. could stick around, but the others could kick rocks.

Especially this Sesshomaru and that wolf he mentioned. Satoru didn't even know the guy yet, and he already disliked him.

Sesshomaru slants him a look that would have Ijichi pissing himself, but he's not Ijichi and it will take a lot more than a couple of glares or threats of violence to make him fear anyone. Satoru rolls his tongue along the roof of his mouth as he notices a flyhead hanging on a woman's arm. Its eyes widen at the sight of him. There is always a surge of new curses around the holidays with all the negative emotions that holidays seem to bring out in people.

Satoru casually stretches his arms out, letting out a large yawn as he does. His outstretched hand exorcizes the curse easily. The woman shakes her head as she mutters under her breath, something along the lines of, "rude jerk."

Satoru quirks a brow at Sesshomaru. He wants him to say something. He dares him to say something, so he has a reason to see why Sesshomaru is so feared.

"You waste time on the weak. This Sesshomaru understands why the priestess is enamored with you."

Satoru smiles. His eyes squint behind his shades. Sounds like a backhanded compliment and he isn't sure if he should thank him or tell him to fuck off. "The answer is yes or no," he says, because in the end, Satoru is a menace at heart, and he has no problem poking the demon.

"Who knew that even the strongest suffered from insecurity," Sesshomaru drawls, the boredom dripping from each word is like a punch to the gut. "This Sesshomaru will not renounce her position as an alpha in my pack. The position gives her power and protection." Sesshomaru leads them to a parked Range Rover.

"S-Sesshomaru-sama!" a bald man exclaims as he rushes from the driver's seat to open the passenger one. "Oh, the six eyes is here. Not very impressive in person," he blubbers on, somehow not tripping over his own stubby legs.

Okay—they aren't that short, but the man insulted him first.

Satoru slides into the backseat, crossing his arms as he stares at the back of Sesshomaru's head. "I take it you know where the school is?"

"That poorly hidden school," baldie squawks as he maneuvers the car in the school's direction. The driver drives like a madman, swerving around and honking at the other cars. A drastic change from the uptight Ijichi, that is for sure.

"Could have teleported there," Satoru sing songs, pulling out his phone to check for any urgent messages from Shoko. He rates this drive a 3 out of 10, mostly because of the company, and somewhat because of how erratic the drive is. They've nearly crashed at least three times now. If he didn't have infinity running at all times, then he would be concerned.

"Jaken is a sufficient driver," Sesshomaru says. The car swerves sharply to the right as Jaken lets out a wail of happiness that sounds like a cat dying. Satoru opens his mouth and then promptly shuts it. His phone lights up before it vibrates.

It's bad news, he thinks. Shoko never calls him unless something awful has happened. Now, Kagome, on the other hand, Shoko calls for the most mundane things like whether she should eat the same salad for dinner as though eating one healthy meal will cancel out all the damage she's doing to her lungs.

"What happened?" he asks, not bothering with meaningless greetings.

"Cho is gone," Shoko replies. She inhales, probably taking a drag from her cigarette. Shoko's up to three packs a day. He'd tell her to find another vice, but the life of a sorcerer is short and with all the shit that Shoko sees, it's a miracle that she hasn't snapped yet.

His chest constricts. Those three blunt words confirm what he already figured from Sesshomaru's reaction. It makes little sense. Tsumiki is still a comatose state, so this must not be the same curse. "You lost a coma patient?" He shifts in the seat, throwing one leg over the other. His hand grips the phone tighter. "I know you cheated your way through medical school, but…"

Sesshomaru tilts his head back. Jaken slows down and makes a turn at the next light, pulling into a convince store parking lot.

"Hilarious." Shoko scoffs, the sound harsher through the phone. "She must have walked out. We would have been alerted if something snuck into the school. Maybe she went looking for her parents or something. She might not believe that they are gone. Trauma affects everyone differently."

"That's a long walk from the school," he says, catching the look Jaken sends Sesshomaru. "Call me if she turns back up." He ends the call. "Alright, what do you know?"

"Naraku wouldn't have attacked your clan without an escape plan," Sesshomaru says. "The priestess has clearly become weak in light of her new domestic endeavors."

"Fuck off."

"Don't you dare address Sesshomaru-sama with such foul language! You—you!"

"The half breed is most likely still alive. What his objective is, is cause for concern. Does the priestess have the jewel?"

He saw Naraku die. Saw the fear in his eyes when he couldn't escape the veil. Saw the finality in his body language as he accepted his fate and now Sesshomaru is saying that Naraku is somehow still alive. Satoru calls bullshit. When he kills someone, they stay dead. No exceptions.

"It merged with her. Let's pretend that Naraku is still alive just for funsies. He's never made a direct move to take Kagome. If that was his objective, then he could have tried a long time ago."

Like during the exchange event.

"Yakeru's sister took Kagome because of the baby and she knew of the jewel. Maybe the Shikon was huge in your world, but it doesn't seem to be that much of a threat here." He scratches his cheek. "Well, I'm supposed to be looking for a jewel that no one has ever seen before," he adds as an afterthought. He's tempted to have Megumi create a PowerPoint for him just so he can keep with who knows what. There are far too many players in this and far too much misinformation.

"Back to the estate," Sesshomaru commands. Jaken backs out of the parking spot and drives around the building. Satoru frowns when Jaken cuts the engine. He blinks at the familiar feeling of being transported in an instant. "Come," Sesshomaru says, striding forward, but Satoru is still stuck on how he can reach out and feel like he's touching the clouds.

Seriously? His estate was in the freaking sky? And did they just leave the car behind? How wasteful.

"Fancy place." He whistles. Satoru likes to think that the guards straighten themselves at the sight of him and not because of Sesshomaru. The gated doors swing open.

"Sesshomaru-sama," the guards greet, bowing. The glamor fades away from Sesshomaru and Jaken.

"Oh, Jaken, you should have kept the human disguise," Satoru complains, looking down at him. What was he? Some kind of imp with green skin? If he had seen him out on the street, he honestly would have thought that Jaken was a curse and not a demon.

"How dare you! I will have you know—"

"Jaken, go prepare the north wing for the priestess and her mate," Sesshomaru kicks Jaken, sending him flying. No one bats an eye. Perhaps Jaken and Ijichi have more in common than he first thought.

"We aren't staying with you."

"How do you plan on keeping the priestess safe from any human attacks? Or worse, you could have taken this Cho home with you, and then what?" Sesshomaru keeps walking. "You cannot always be by her side and the priestess would hesitate to strike down a child."

Kagome is friends with this guy?

"And you would?" He pays no attention to the elegance of the estate that really should be classified as a castle with how over the top everything is. He'd nearly forgotten that he is dealing with demons here, and no matter how much glamor they put on, it doesn't change what they really are. Almost as if Sesshomaru could feel him judging, Sesshomaru looks over his shoulder.

"You dealt with assassins as a child."

He did. His father and uncle thought it built character if he took care of them himself. His hands were stained before he even lifted a finger to exorcise a curse.

"Doesn't make it right," Satoru replies, pushing the memories away and stuffing them down into a box with a lock and chain. His child wouldn't be subjected to such horrors.

"Hn."

He hears the welcome sound of Kagome's laughter as they walk into a library. In the middle of the room, she's there surrounded by pillows, Yakeru, and another redhead that he doesn't know. Her face lights up when she sees him and he hates that he has more bad news to share. Satoru shakes his head.

"What up pops! Or should I call you dada?" The man waves a hand in the air. He's way too close to Kagome for comfort. His words give Satoru pause. Why would this demon refer to him as dad?

"Shippo, knock it off," Kagome says, pinching him on the cheek. "Ignore him. Did something happen with Cho?" Shippo's green eyes water over. His lips protrude out in a fake puppy dog look. Satoru wonders if this Shippo is a fox like Yakeru—they look far too much alike not to be.

"She wasn't at the school. It's possible that she tried to make her way back to the estate." Satoru strides forward, nudging Yakeru away with his foot. "But I don't think she would go back there," he says, sitting down next to her. "I doubt she even knows her way around."

The jujutsu world can be just as cruel as these demons, he thinks. Especially with how they treat women as nothing more than breeding stock and children as disposable.

"Question!" Shippo yells, leaning over Kagome and staring at him with such wonder that his skin crawls. "Can I impersonate Gakuganji and go dig around at the school?"

"How do you know the old man?"

Shippo gives him a blank expression.

Okay. Obviously, Shippo has poked around the school before. Maybe it's cocky of him, but Satoru just assumed that he was well known in the demon circles because he's the strongest.

"Depends. Are you going to be making things harder for me or harder for the geezer?"

"Satoru!" Kagome swats his arm.

"Harder for the old-timer, of course," Shippo says with a big grin. "And the Kyoto school is a little more traditional than Jujutsu High. I bet they have all kinds of stuff I can dig up." He rubs his hands together, sharing a wink with Yakeru.

Definitely a fox, Satoru thinks. Those two seem to share one brain cell. "Even if I said no, you would probably do it anyway," he replies. "We should have gone back to school and tried to retrace Cho's steps."

"How did you know about Naraku's attack?" Sesshomaru questions. His eyes flicker over to Kagome and then back to Satoru.

"I got intel from a subordinate within the estate." Satoru jerks a thumb towards Yakeru. "And he sniffed Naraku out."

"Hn."

"Oooh, I can translate," Shippo exclaims. He clears his throat. "What Sess is saying is that you guys are stupid to think that it would be that easy. Except for Kagome, because you have pregnancy brain and we love you." Shippo rubs the back of his head while Sesshomaru glowers at him. "Okay, he didn't exclude Kagome."

"And here I thought it was just his own hubris," Yakeru mutters. "I did find it strange that he couldn't escape his own veil."

"He's not working alone. They could have betrayed him," Satoru says. His mind races with the possibilities. Those curses took some of the cursed womb paintings, a scroll on the Shikon, and the few fingers of Sukuna that they had in their possession. Were they trying to boost their own power? "He was there when the curses attacked the school."

"Maybe he wants to create a new special grade or resurrect Sukuna?" Shippo throws out there. "What?"

"I can see resurrecting Sukuna," Satoru says, "but creating a new special grade?" He shrugs. It takes a considerable number of negative feelings to create a curse, let alone a special grade. "I don't see what this has to do with Cho."

"Cho is dead," Sesshomaru says with that monotone voice that Satoru is coming to hate. "Clearly, taking Kagome is not his objective."

"So, he's doing it for shits and giggles?"

"Hn."

"The Shikon," Kagome starts, "are there consequences if I were to make a wish on it?"

"Yes and no," Yakeru says after a beat. "Could you wish for anything? Yeah, you could wish for Sukuna's revival or even for all the curses to be wiped out. You wouldn't fall over dead because of a wish, but there would still be some consequences for everyone else." Yakeru glances at Sesshomaru and then at Shippo.

Dread pours into Satoru's gut. "Gonna, take a wild guess and say that someone has made a wish on the jewel before Kagome came along. What happened?"

"Nothing too bad," Yakeru says with fake cheeriness. "The wish only created curses."

Chapter Text

You know that moment when everything around you slows down, and the only sound you can hear is the sound of your own harsh breaths and the beating of your heart? When the fist gets closer and closer and yet your body won't move.

That moment when you know you've fucked up.

Megumi opens his eyes. The blood coating the side of his face, his lashes, and dripping down to his lips, tells him that he's still alive, but man has he fucked up somewhere. He tries to lift his arms, the finger in his hands threatens to slip from his grasp. The finger bearer is dead, so what hit him?

"Oh, you're still alive?" The figure - a girl? - blurs in and out, but he can see the distinct hospital gown illuminated by the moonlight.

He coughs. His movements are unbalanced as he focuses on the voice. "Cho?" he asks, his voice raspy. A large glass of water would be wonderful right about now, and something to stop the burning in his lungs. Probably should do something about the bleeding too. Megumi groans. His head lulls to the side. His domain expansion is still incomplete, but now he understands why domain expansions can only be performed once a day. It feels as though he's been running for days non-stop while hauling Panda on his back. "You're safe, that's good," he says. The blades of grass itch his exposed hands, though still preferable to the oppressive pressure from the special grade's domain.

Cho purses her lips, tilts her head to the side. There's a glint in her eyes that makes her appear wiser than her age. Or maybe that's just trauma, Megumi reasons with himself. No one is ever quite prepared to see someone die in front of them. Sometimes, Megumi wonders how someone as kind as Kagome-san can handle seeing so much carnage and not even bat an eye. He falls back onto the grass, frowns at the unblinking stare Cho directs towards Sukuna's finger. "A cursed object," he says, wondering if he should put it in his pocket. He tries to lift his arm, but it still won't budge. He should ask Buyo Jr. to come out and stand guard. "Have you seen Yuji and Nobara? They're wearing a uniform like mine."

"Can't say that I have," Cho murmurs. She bends down next to him, her hand reaches out, touching Sukuna's finger. Just as quickly, she recoils back, her hand steaming. "Interesting." She smiles.

"Wha- what are you doing?" Megumi's eyes flutter. He's so tired. "Don't mess with this." His words slur as his vision blurs. "Two, Cho's." His nose wrinkles. The scent of disinfectant clings to Cho and her twin. A distinct smell that never seems to wash away.

"Megumi, you should rest." Cho pats his head and then smears the blood down his eyelids.

His face twitches at the contact, but the allure of sleep is greater than his confusion. "Rest," he repeats, nearly asleep when he hears Cho's soft murmuring. So soft that he wonders if it was a trick of the wind.

"Why is he so interested in you?"

Megumi wonders if he hallucinated Cho because when he wakes, it's Yuji and Nobara peering down at him and cracking jokes. "Where's Cho?" he asks, struggling to sit up. The blood coating his eyes is gross, nearly as bad as the metallic taste in his mouth. Good, he thinks. Sukuna's finger is still in his possession, but how long was he out for? The darkness of the sky gives nothing away.

"Tellin' ya, that little girl is dead," Nobara says. "What?" She glares at Yuji. "If she were still alive, then she would have turned up by now. She didn't end up where we were, and clearly, she didn't end up in the same spot as Megumi. Where else would she be if not dead?"

"I saw her," Megumi says. He saw her. At least he thinks he did. Gojo-sensei might not show it, but Megumi knows it would devastate him to hear that something happened to Cho and Megumi was there.

"Then where is she?" Nobara asks. She thrusts her arms out in a sweeping manner, hitting Yuji in the process. "Why would a defenseless child leave the side of someone she knows? Especially in the sorry state you're in. Seriously, Megumi." She rolls her eyes, planting her hands on her hips. "Just out here, passed out with Sukuna's finger in your hand? You're lucky that a curse didn't come by and try to finish you off."

Megumi groans, letting Nobara continue on with her tirade about how careless he's being. It's the closest he'll get to her, admitting that she is simply worried on his behalf.

"Megumi, I can hold on to that," Yuji says, his hand outstretched. "You look like you're gonna pass out again."

"Fine, just don't eat it." Gojo-sensei may not care about feeding Yuji the fingers, but Megumi would rather not chance it. The last thing they need is for Sukuna to get loose for even a moment. He shudders, thinking about the last time he fought the king of curses. If it weren't for Buyo Jr. Sukuna would have finished him for sure.

"Why would I eat it?" A mouth appears on Yuji's palms, eating the finger in an instant. "Huh?" Yuji's eyes widen as he turns his hand around, searching his palm for the missing finger. "That wasn't me!" Yuji points at himself.

"You're hopeless," Nobara says, shaking her head. "Let's get going. You should get checked out, Megumi."

"Those curses back there," Yuji says, helping Megumi to his feet, "they didn't fade away like the others."

"Were they demons?" Megumi groans. The pounding in his head grows louder by the second. What he wouldn't do to just sleep like a log for a week.

"I - no?"

"Were they or weren't they," Megumi says.

"They used a curse technique," Nobara pipes up. "So what if they didn't fade away?"

"You don't think that's even a tiny bit weird?" Yuji argues, "or that spider mark on them?"

"Says the guy walking around with the king of curses in his body," Nobara quips, looking over at her shoulder.

"Enough already. Let's just get back to school and tell Gojo-sensei in the morning." Megumi sighs. While he is thankful to have strong teammates, a small part of him is annoyed that he has to rely on Yuji to help him walk. Gojo-sensei wouldn't have even broken a sweat from this. He just needs to push himself further. Get stronger, not only for his own sake but to protect those around him.

Megumi glances to the left. A flicker of white appears and fades just as quickly. He must have been hallucinating Cho. There is no way that she would have sought him out after they had won the battle and just leave.

He was just going crazy.

Chapter Text

A few days later - October 10th

Kagome hums to herself as she piles pickle after pickle onto her plate. She ignores the dense atmosphere of Sesshomaru's negativity. Her powers rise to ease the demonic pressure weighing her down. She wonders how many business deals he has secured simply from making the room uncomfortable with his energy. "Want some?" She offers, though she knows the answer. Kagome glances over her shoulder and pouts at the sight.

Sesshomaru is scrolling through his phone leisurely, not paying the slightest attention to her question. Rude. Fine, it's not like she wanted to share anyway. She takes a seat at the table, inhaling the sweet, sweet smell of fresh pickles. Her mouth waters, her stomach rumbles, and she thinks she could survive off of pickles alone. Satoru might object if there aren't any sweets in the house.

"Your mate is unhinged," Sesshomaru says, taking a seat next to her at the kitchen table. He curls his upper lip up, showing off his sharp canines at the mountain of pickles on her plate. His phone rests on the other side of him, far away from her mountain of delectable goods, as though somehow his phone will be tarnished by them. His shoulders are slightly hunched, giving away the amount of stress resting on his shoulders. It must be hard to run a business and keep those under him in check.

Kagome picks up one pickle and munches on it, her thoughts filtering as she chews. "Satoru isn't unhinged…he's just processing his emotions by throwing himself into his work." Mentally, she pats herself on the back. Satoru, taking on more missions to track down Naraku and pretending to search for the Shikon, isn't unhinged. Sesshomaru is just being dramatic and pissy because she turned down his demands to stay at the estate.

"The number of curses that he has–"

"That isn't a bad thing." She reaches for another pickle, humming as she munches on another. Judgment rolls off of Sesshomaru and curls around her like a blanket. Let him judge, she thinks, she'll eat this whole pile of pickles in one sitting just to irritate him. "Don't you have work or something to do? Go lord over your minions." Clearly, not working is causing him to stress out. She doesn't need a babysitter.

"Why else would this Sesshomaru be here?" he says, idly picking off a strand of hair on his tailored dark suit.

Why else would he…? Oh, that son of a…

"Get out," she says with a huff. "And send Shippo over instead. Much better company." She glances down at her gold watch. If she wants to make it on time to meet Megumi at the hospital, then she needs to head out soon-ish.

"The kit is busy assisting that other fox of yours."

"That's cause for concern." Kagome stretches her arms out in front of her and then pushes back against the table. She stands, dusting her hands on her leggings. She grabs her plate and rinses it off before putting it in the dishwasher. Clasping her hands together, she regards Sesshomaru, who seems lost in thought. "Ready?" Kagome tilts her head at Sesshomaru's blank expression. His face is usually a blank mask but there are levels to his lack of emotions and this level is telling her that he has no idea what she is talking about. "I promised Megumi-kun that I would take a look at his sister. There's like a curse or something on her." She could have sworn that she told him that when he came over.

"Must you help everyone?" he murmurs to himself. His glamor shimmers into place as he stands. The chair squeaks as he pushes his and hers back in.

Kagome beams. "Megumi-kun is meeting us there and then he's got a mission or something later. Satoru should be back home for dinner, so you don't have to hang out with me all day," she rambles on as Sesshomaru followers her towards the front door. She raises a brow at Jaken, sleeping with his hat pulled over his eyes. The obnoxious sound of his snores is hard to miss, and if he is doubling as the bodyguard, then that is also cause for concern. "Jaken could have come inside, ya know."

Sesshomaru ignores her and kicks Jaken in the side. The car door cushions his fall, only denting slightly from the impact. "Get up Jaken." Sesshomaru opens the back door for her, glaring at Jaken, who only sniffles and blubbers on.

Kagome sighs and then plasters a pained smile on her face. She feels for Jaken, she really does, though perhaps sleeping on the job wasn't the smartest decision he's ever made. "Well, Jaken, perhaps you can get checked out when we get to the hospital." She slides into the back seat. Her right eye twitches when Sesshomaru does the same, the space now cramped with him in the back with her. At least he smells nice and she won't vomit on the way there. Ijichi took her and the kids grocery shopping the other day, and she thought was going to lose it from the god-awful cologne Ijichi chose for that day. Jaken grumbles to himself up front as he starts the car and reaches back to get the address from her phone.

Sesshomaru glances at her from the corner of his eye. She opens her mouth. The question slithers down the tip of her tongue, threatening to spill out, but she catches herself and swallows the question back down. Another time.

****

"Hey," Kagome whispers, pushing the phone closer to her ear. There's soft classical music playing in the room. Megumi told her that familiar music helps coma patients.

"Why are you whispering?" Satoru asks on the other line. There's an edge to his tone, and she half expects him to warp to her. His trust with Sesshomaru is fragile at best.

"I don't know. Seems appropriate for the setting." She shrugs, turning away from Sesshomaru and Megumi's pointed looks. "I'm at the hospital with Sesshomaru and Megumi for Tsumiki. I told you that this morning." She frowns. She could have sworn she told him.

Satoru hums. "Don't overdo it." A bang blasts through her eardrums. Satoru curses. "One second," he says, followed by a cluster of screams. "S'orry about that. Any sign of fatigue, you call it quits, okay?" There's more commotion on the other line.

"Yeah, yeah," she says, turning back around. She focuses on the Tsumiki's comatose state and the burden etched on Megumi's face. "I won't overdo it."

"That's my girl. I'll see you later."

"Be careful," she says and hits the end button. "What?" She stuffs her phone into her purse and takes a spot on the bed next to Tsumiki. Tsumiki's brown hair is fanned out in a way that makes her look like an angel that is just resting its eyes. There's no pain or sadness on her face. It's somewhat eerie, and Kagome's heart goes out to the families that are going through the same thing as Megumi.

"He makes you happy," Sesshomaru states.

"Don't sound so shocked." Kagome takes Tsumiki's hand in hers, flashing a gentle smile to Megumi. "We'll get your sister fixed up in no time."

"Thanks, Kagome-san," Megumi says. His hands clenched at his sides, betraying the calmness that he is trying to project. Sesshomaru tenses from the other side of the bed, hovering in case things go awry.

Kagome closes her eyes to drown out the extra stimuli and emotions from Megumi and Sesshomaru. She pushes, searches, for the core darkness that has taken root in Tsumiki. A tendril of fear creeps up, wresting with her mind as she battles it back. Whatever has cursed her is strong…really strong.

Tsumiki thrashes, but Kagome only tightens her grip. Her hair sticks to her forehead. Beads of sweat slide down her neck. Her shirt sticks to her. It itches, but she can tune out the discomfort. Sesshomaru and Megumi shout her name, but she's not going to give up when she is so close. She flinches at the sound of glass breaking. The machines go haywire. The beeping helps her to stay grounded in the present. Keep going, she tells herself, keep going. The serpent wrapped around Tsumiki's soul hisses. The vile, putrid smell makes her want to hurl.

"Ssstay away," it hisses, thrashing about. Its ruby colored eyes go white as the purification takes hold. "Mine, her ssoul is mine." It gives one more jerk as its body evaporates. The darkness fades away, leaving behind a ball of light.

She may not have been able to save Cho, but at least she could save Tsumiki. Kagome opens her eyes, blinking slowly as her vision wavers. Tsumiki's face scrunches up in confusion. Kagome lets her hand go with a wince. She was gripping the poor girl's hand rather tightly towards the end there.

"Tsumiki!" Megumi says, his hands shaking. There are unshed tears in his eyes. It's the most emotion Kagome has seen from him.

There's a breeze in the room, cooling her heated skin. She follows the glass trail to the broken window. Did she do that?

"Megumi…what's going on…" Tsumiki coughs, her voice hoarse. She attempts to raise her arms, but after so many days, months, of un-use, even that action seems to be too much.

In hindsight, they should have brought some water for her and maybe a new set of clothes instead of that hospital gown.

"Grab her and let us depart," Sesshomaru says, walking around the bed. He picks Kagome up bridal style.

"Hey! I can walk." She pushes - well attempts to push back against Sesshomaru. Perhaps she expended a lot more energy than she thought did.

"No time. You would slow us down with your attempts at walking."

Megumi snaps into action, carefully unhooking Tsumiki. "He's right, we can't stay here."

"Why? All I did was get rid of the curse," Kagome says, twitching in Sesshomaru's arms. What she needs is a nice long bath and maybe call Satoru on the way home to share the good news. Her eyelids flutter as sleep threatens to pull her under.

"Got rid of what?" Tsumiki asks, but her question goes unanswered.

"That's exactly why we need to leave."

"You cracked my veil," Megumi says. A wisp of a smile touches his lips as he looks at his healed sister. "Others might be drawn to this location now…not to mention the staff might have some questions."

Oh. That is bad

Chapter Text

"We've got to stop meeting like this," Satoru drawls. He frowns at his phone. Kagome sunk his battleship… again. The meeting room is always so stuffy. It reminds him of the smell of an old thrift shop, reeking with the scent of medicine and sickness. Basically, old people. The least they could do is cover up how awful they smell. He should tell them.

"Higur—"

"Gojo." He prods his cheek with his tongue. Hmm, where should he strike next? Maybe somewhere over in the corner? That looks like a place she would pick.

"Gojo Kagome needs to be brought in for inspection. We cannot allow her to continue to walk around without getting a clear grasp of her power level. She is far too dangerous to just let be."

"I think there's a saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over." Satoru smirks. Finally, he sunk one of her ships. "And despite being told to back the fuck off, you all keep pulling me in here expecting my answer to change."

Heh, take that Gome-chan.

Satoru peeks up over the rim of his glasses. "We done here? I got shit to do." Mannn, he looks away from his phone for one second, and she sank his last ship.

Somehow, someway, Gome-chan has to be cheating. He never loses and especially not at battleship.

"She healed that child when not even Ieiri-san could do so. Gojo Kagome must be evaluated or we will be forced to take drastic measures." The elder, with the long white hair that mixes in with his beard, thrusts his arms out. His sleeves swish with the motion. The dramatics are annoying at best, but today it's just pissing him off.

"So, you've chosen death." Satoru slides his phone into his pocket. A light bulb burst overhead. Shards of glass scatter on the floor. Several elders take a step back. They murmur amongst themselves as the glass of shards glitter on the ground.

"N-now, now, let's not do anything rash." An elder speaks up to his left. "We don't need to evaluate her, so long as she doesn't do anything harmful to us." The elder stomps out the small fire on the rug. Grumbles erupt from the Gandalf wanna-be, but a firm shake of the head and even he agrees with the others.

Strange that Gakuganji has nothing to say. The old man just stares at the broken glass on the floor, gripping his cane like it is a lifeline. Now that he thinks about it, Gakuganji hasn't had much to say these days since those curses and curse users attacked the school. Does he know more than he's letting on? Satoru directs his attention back to the others. He'll look into the old man later.

Satoru smiles, big and wide, and with nothing but sharp teeth. "It's always a pleasure to see all of your ugly faces. Call me again, never." Satoru waves as he walks out. He tosses his glasses towards the ground and pulls out his blindfold. With a poof, Shippo stands in the place of his glasses.

"Are they always like that?" Shippo asks, "And ya didn't have to toss me." Shippo stretches his arms over his head as he matches Satoru's pace.

"You have no idea how weird it was, knowing that you were my glasses." Satoru shudders. "When you said you could transform into anything, I didn't think glasses were part of it. Like, can you turn into a milkshake? Ugh, that's so weird to even think about."

"I could," Shippo says slowly, "but why would I want to be drunk in that kind of way?"

"Gross." They make their way down the steps to where Ijichi waits for them by the car. The frail man is grinning at his phone like a maniac, or maybe that's just his happy face. Not that Satoru would know. Ijichi always cries and groans about the unfairness of it all when he drives him around. "Ew, Ijichi didn't know you could make that face."

"You're so mean to me," Ijichi says with a sniffle. "Kagome-san would hate it." Beside him, Shippo snickers.

"Simp," Shippo says while pretending to cough.

So that's how it is. "Whatever, just take us to the next spot. Shippo here has so kindly agreed to take the next two locations."

"No, I didn't."

"Sure, you did."

"Those words never came out of my mouth. I have a business to run." Shippo crosses his legs and leans back in the seat.

"Already rebelling." Should have just asked Yakeru to tag along. At least that fox doesn't sass nearly as much as Shippo.

Shippo turns to the side and looks out the window. "Not listening," he sing songs.

"Umm, am I not dropping Shippo-san off?" Ijichi's eyes flicker between the mirror and the road.

"Yes."

"No."

"What happened to me being 'dad'? This is the thanks I get for not having to raise you."

"I'm convinced you don't think before you speak."

"What? Dad?" Ijichi asks, but his question goes unanswered.

"Fine. I can handle a couple of curses. Sesshomaru is gonna be all broody later when I have to explain how I was strong-armed into taking on your work."

"You work for him?" Satoru yawns. Dealing with the elders tires him out more than working all day.

"I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that."

"Got it. You don't do any kind of work."

"How'd you and Kagome even happen? It can't be your looks. She's been around demons for so long."

"My amazing personality won her over."

"That can't be it. Everyone complains about your awful personality. Even in the demon community."

"I, too, am curious."

"But she liked InuYasha and his personality is shit."

"InuYasha… is alive?"

Shippo furrows his brows. "Duh, he's on his way back to Japan. Wait, did you two think he was dead?" Shippo barks out a laugh.

"That's great to hear." He pulls out his phone and sends Nanami a battleship request. Whisking Kagome away after Halloween passes is at the top of his to-do list. What he wouldn't give to go back to those days where it was just them in their own world, trying to keep her away from jujutsu society. Now there are demons, curses, sorcerers, and exes that he has to worry about.

***

"Why are you here?" Nanami asks, sliding the glass of juice to Satoru. Satoru slumps forward on the table. "Go home."

"I can't go home yet. You don't understand. Kagome's ex is on his way back to town." He looks at the glass of juice, willing it to give him a sign, but of course, those things only happen in movies.

"I thought she came from another world." Nanami rolls up his sleeves and takes a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, she did. I told you she landed in my lap like she was sent here for me." Satoru groans. "But so did some of her demon friends, and now her ex is on his way back because his brother let it slip."

"I fail to see why you cannot go home and leave me alone."

"Because, if I go home now, I might say something I don't mean."

"It's not her fault that her ex is coming back. Jealousy doesn't suit you." Nanami sets his glass down and reaches for a pack of cigarettes. He lights up his cigarette. "You act as though you are the first man to ever deal with an ex-boyfriend."

Satoru frowns. He can still hear Naraku's words about how she'd leave him at the first sight of InuYasha. It's so fucking stupid. He isn't about to share with Nanami or anyone that isn't Kagome, that this is his first relationship. No wonder there are so many curses that pop around White day. These feelings freaking suck.

"Go home. I'm tired of babysitting you," Nanami says.

"I'm not a baby, Nanami. I have a baby on the way. You must be getting senile in your old age."

"I hope that child takes after its mother."

"Hey!"

"I'm sure Kagome-san misses you." Nanami blows a puff of smoke. "Leave. Some of us like to relax after work and not deal with our coworkers."

Satoru drowns his juice. "Great pep talk. You really know how to uplift a guy." He pushes back in the chair and stands. "Fine. Fine. I'm leaving." Satoru salutes Nanami as he teleports away.

The first thing that greets him is the sound of barking. The second thing that greets him is the smell. He looks at all the shoes lined up in the genkan. Okay, so the kids are here and some other people. Probably Sesshomaru and Yakeru.

"Hey! You're home," Kagome greets, rounding the corner. His heart does this pitter patter thing at the sight of her all dressed up in a green flowing dress that accentuates her growing bump. Her lips are glossy and everything about her is so damn radiant, he doesn't understand why he didn't just come home right away.

"Yeah, I stopped by Nanami's for a bit," he replies, switching out his blindfold for his glasses. "Kids here?" A gray dog? No, is that a wolf? Whatever it is, comes bounding towards him only to get stopped by his infinity. The wolf blinks its big green eyes up at him, pawing at his infinity.

He's no expert on wolfs, but last he checked, they didn't have green eyes. Must be a dog then. Satoru rolls his eyes. A demon dog. Sesshomaru must have given it to Kagome just to spite him.

"Ichiro, come here." Kagome picks up the pup. "He's not heavy."

"I didn't say anything."

She shouldn't be lifting that thing. Pretty sure it's past the weight limit.

"But you were thinking it." She nuzzles the gray pup. "Koga-kun and Ayame are hanging out back with everyone. Megumi was pretty excited to see a wolf. I think Buyo Jr. is a little jealous, though." Kagome sets the pup down and walks over to him. "Do you need to lie down? I can kick everyone out." He shakes his head and bends down to rest his head on her shoulder.

"Nah, I don't mind you having guests over. Just wasn't expecting a wolf."

"Oh, Ichiro is Koga's and Ayame's son. He's just in his wolf form until he gets older. Like all those fox kits when we went to the hotel." Kagome runs her hands through his hair. It feels nice. Especially when she lets her powers wash over him.

"Yo! Kagome!" A demon with dark hair comes bounding around the corner with the same energy as Ichiro. That must be Koga.

Wait. Koga? He's heard that name before.

"So, you're the six-eyed bastard I've been hearing about. OW! Babe, what was that for?" Koga rubs the back of his head.

"That's Koga and Ayame. Ignore him. He tries to rile everyone up for no reason." Kagome whispers.

"He is called the six-eyed - ow. Stop hitting me, woman." Koga says but shrinks under Ayame's glare.

On second thought, kicking them out sounds like a great idea. And maybe air out the home too.

"They were just leaving," Kagome says with a tight smile. "Sesshomaru left when they got here so that he could handle some business at the office."

"Yes, thank you for having us over," Ayame says, bending down to pick up her son. "It was so much fun to catch up again. And it was nice meeting you, Gojo."

"I don't get to interrogate the guy?" Koga asks, scratching his head. He glares at Satoru.

If he knocks this demon out, would Kagome get upset? His eyes slide over to Ayame and Ichiro. This Koga is so lucky that he's a nice guy. Any other man would have beaten him to a pulp, regardless.

"Bye guys. Have a safe way home." Kagome practically pushes Koga out the door. Ayame waves by to them and their glamor shimmers back on as the door closes. "Sorry about that. I thought he would have mellowed out over the years, but I guess not."

"You didn't have to get rid of them." Secretly, he's glad that they are gone. Koga was about to get knocked out in front of his wife and kid. His nerves have been shot since Shippo dumped that news on him earlier.

"Koga was being disrespectful. And you just got home. Do you want the kids to go back to their dorms? Shoko gave Tsumiki the all clear, so she's in the back too."

"Nah, they can stay. What's for dinner? Nanami only served me juice." He walks towards the kitchen. Yuji and Nobara are arguing outside. Tsumiki chimes in now and then. This he can deal with. "Oh, hey Buyo," he says, scratching the nekomata behind the ears. Buyo purrs, nudging him to scratch under his chin. "Were you jealous of that pup?" Buyo Jr. shakes his head and jumps down from the counter.

Guess so, Satoru muses as Buyo Jr. brushes up against Kagome's leg on the way out.

"What do you want to eat? You never responded to my texts." She crosses her arms, leaning against the entryway. "So, I just whipped up some pork for the kiddos. Ichiro ate a lot… a lot more than I was expecting."

"C'mon, let's go out somewhere. The kids can fend for themselves." He grabs her hand. His emotions keep going back and forth like a yoyo. One minute he's fine, the next he wants to hide her away somewhere, and then he's back to being okay. Guess that makes him human like everyone else.

"Karaoke?"

"Gome-chan, I'm about to sing your panties off." He kisses her temple. "Don't wait up for us," he yells. Surely the kids heard that. If not, then he'll just send them a text after they get to their destination.

"There should be a spot not too far from us," she says, reaching for her purse. "Within walking distance, unless you want to catch a train."

"We can walk. I'll just carry you if you get tired." He bends down and helps her with her shoes.

"I can put my shoes on," she grumbles. Her cheeks flush pink and it's adorable at the little things that gets her so flustered. The doorbell rings. "I'm not expecting anyone." Kagome throws her hands up in front of her.

He's regretting giving out his address.

"Stay there," he says, rising. He opens the door to a man with flowers in his hands. "Wrong—" Wait. Tendrils of demonic energy surround the unassuming man. The glamor fades away, and he's greeted by a man with dog ears and white hair.

Satoru slams the door shut.

"Oi! What the fuck?" the demon yells.

"Was that InuYasha?" Kagome asks, brushing past him to open the door. Satoru grimaces as the demon's ears perk up at seeing Kagome. She embraces InuYasha for a second too long, in his opinion.

Guess that's the famous InuYasha. He should have known that on his way back meant InuYasha was showing up today. Damn foxes.

"I'll order something for us," he says, snatching the flowers from InuYasha's hands. Kagome looks back and forth between him and InuYasha, and he hates it.

"We can still go out, Toru." She comes to stand by his side. InuYasha's hands flex at his side.

"No, it's fine. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine," he quips.

This is fine, he tells himself. Just fine.

Chapter Text

Kagome stifles a yawn. Seated out on the balcony, looking over the other homes, she has never felt so awkward around InuYasha. The air between them is stale with something she cannot name. Or maybe it is the way he stares at her stomach like it is a foreign object. "So, what have you been up to?" She tugs the fox printed blanket around her.

"You didn't try to find me or even ask about me." His voice is low, so low that she has to strain to hear, but his words pierce her in the heart.

Cool. Going right for an argument because having a nice catch up is too much to ask for.

"Honestly, I was afraid that you were dead. No one mentioned you being alive, and maybe that is my fault for being too scared to ask." That sounds so bad now that she's admitted it out loud, but it is the truth. She didn't want to hear the words dead and InuYasha in the same sentence.

"Why him? Sesshomaru told me you haven't been in this world that long and you immediately jump into bed with him. You couldn't wait or some shit? Try to find a way back to me, or even your time?"

"It's been nine years for me. Did you expect me to wait for you forever?" Kagome shakes her head. "I'm human, Inu. I can't wait 20 or 500 years or whatever like you guys can. I waited for the first three. Focused on finishing school. Did my best to be a dutiful daughter, especially after all the trouble I caused my mom. I waited a long time. Maybe you don't think so, but on my end, I tried everything I could to get back to you and the others. When the well finally worked again, it didn't take me back to the past. I landed here without a way back. No well or portal. Just sort of proofed into this world and that was that."

Kagome leans back, glancing up at the stars. She is so not gonna mention that she landed in Satoru's lap specifically. Not with the way InuYasha's ears drooped with every word. That would just be adding salt to his wound, and she isn't that cruel.

A part of her feels bad. It's clear that he's been holding out far longer than she has. If the well had taken her back to him, then yeah, they probably would have gotten back together, but that's not how it worked out. No matter how many times they try, it just does not work between them. Whether it's time in between them or someone else, they've never been on the same wavelength.

"I understand if you need time. But we can't change the past, just try to move forward. I still consider you a friend. I don't want to lose you, but I can't be with you." She doesn't want to be with him.

"I still don't understand why it had to be him," he grumbles. His eyes glow under the moonlight. He digs his claws into his palm, ears flickering back and forth. If he had a tail, then she's sure that would be swishing back and forth as well.

"What's wrong with Satoru?" Kagome furrows her brow. InuYasha jerks back as though she's threatening to 'sit' him. "He's been nothing but nice to you since you've got here." Yeah, Satoru didn't have to snatch the flowers away. Come to think of it, she has no idea what he did with those.

"N-nothing." He turns away. "He's a real stand-up guy."

That sounded like sarcasm. Maybe she should 'sit' him just to see if the subjugation beads still work. This hostility of his is uncalled for. She isn't sure what InuYasha was expecting, but surely if Sesshomaru gave him her address, then he also mentioned she was in a relationship.

Surely.

"Inu, look at me."

"I can't." He shakes his head. "I'm trying so hard not to when you're flaunting your new relationship."

Flaunting? She isn't flaunting anything. She is being very considerate of InuYasha's feelings. He's the one that wants to pick a fight with her. Kagome chews on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying something she can't take back. He's hurting. That much is clear. But to pin all of this on her is not fair. There are far too many what ifs between them. What if she had gone back to the Feudal era? Would he have been there to greet her or would she have been met with the news that all the demons were gone? And what about him? Not once has he mentioned the lengths he's gone to get back to his world.

No. Somehow, all of this is her fault because she should have waited for him for the rest of her life. Un-freaking-believable. He would have preferred she spent the rest of her life waiting for him.

"This is bullshit," InuYasha declares, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I'm here now. You don't need this stand in. Hell, I'll even take in the brat as my own."

Her heart stops. She can't hear anything over the ringing in her ears. He can't be serious. Leave Satoru? Her stomach clenches at the thought. The last thing she wants to do is leave the man she loves. And InuYasha still refuses to look at her. Instead, he makes such a declaration to his fists.

"Toru isn't a replacement," she stresses. "You think I would toy around with someone's emotions like that? I'm not like you." She runs a hand down her face, tugs at her lips, and tries to calm her breathing. It's not good for her to get so worked up, but InuYasha is pushing it. How could he think so lowly of Satoru? Of her? "I don't see you when I look at him. I'm sorry that this is difficult for you, but I'm not leaving Satoru. I'm not stringing him along or whatever it is you think I'm doing."

The door opens, and the awkwardness descends upon them like volcanic ash. Satoru hums and takes a spot next to Kagome. Not even the smell of a greasy burger is enough to pull her out of this funk. Between Koga and InuYasha, she is over how her friends are treating Satoru like he's some villain. He didn't kidnap her or keep her against her will. Well... Okay, maybe when they first met, he heavily implied that she should stick with him until he figured out if she was a threat or not, but she could have left anytime if she really wanted to.

"The kids went out," Satoru says, rummaging around in the bag. "But they'll be back later because they don't have anywhere else to sleep, apparently." Satoru tosses a burger at InuYasha. "All caught up now?" He offers her some fries, but she just shakes her head. Suddenly, she isn't hungry anymore.

"Mostly," Kagome replies. For once InuYasha isn't snarling or trying to pick a fight like he used to with Koga. He's just observing them. Now he looks at her, or rather he's observing Satoru. "Did they say where they were going?" If only they had taken her with them. If she had known InuYasha was going to be like this, she would have told him to come back another time.

"Karaoke. I'm pretty sure they overheard us say it. They dragged Megumi into going. We can still go, maybe later—"

"What are you doing tomorrow?" InuYasha interrupts. His burger remains unwrapped on his lap. Beside her, Satoru tenses before ripping the wrapper off his food. He chews so hard that she can hear his molars grinding the food. What a lovely evening this is turning out to be. Not even the meeting with Sesshomaru and Shippo was this bad. They at least acted more like overbearing family members than whatever the hell InuYasha is going for.

"Helping out at Yakeru's shop. He's a fox that runs an occult shop. Sometimes he comes by and hangs around, but he's been so swamped lately because of Halloween. Said there's been an uptick in sales this year, which is abnormal." She'll also check in with Totosai and see if her gift for Satoru is ready. This awful feeling that something bad is going to happen wakes her up at night and won't go away no matter how much she tries to will it away.

"Why?" InuYasha scrunches up his nose and tosses the burger back to Satoru. "You shouldn't have to do any kind of work. There's no reason why that fox can't find someone else to help out." InuYasha points a claw tipped finger at Satoru. "Is he not providing for you?"

Oh boy. He just isn't going to let this go. She rolls her eyes. Now he's insulting Satoru's ability to provide. Because clearly, they live in a shack.

Kagome places a hand on Satoru's arm and squeezes gently. "I'm helping because I want to. I don't like being cooped up in the house all day. And Satoru provides just fine for us." She slaps her hands on her thighs and stands up. "It's getting late. Why don't we catch up some other time? You can stop by Yakeru's tomorrow if you want. I'll send you the location."

Please leave. There's only so much she can handle before she blows up on him.

InuYasha fumes, but follows her to the door. Surprisingly, Satoru is being so considerate and understanding that it's concerning. She wonders if he overheard any parts of their conversation. If he did, he isn't giving away any clues that he had.

Probably for the best. He would have blown the roof off of the house if he had heard InuYasha talk about raising his kid. She grimaces. On second thought, she won't send InuYasha the address. She doesn't need him being a party pooper while she's hanging out with Yakeru or trying to come up with some half-brained scheme to keep her away from Satoru.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," InuYasha says, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Take care of her. She likes to get in a lot of trouble." Another jab that she'll just pretend she didn't hear. InuYasha frowns and then walks away. Satoru shuts the door. The door creaks and protests.

"I'll fix it later," Satoru says right before bending down and lifting her up. "Or maybe I'll have Megumi do it."

"I'm sorry," she says, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smells like grease and spices.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong." His jaw ticks with tension. Yep. He's definitely mad, but she can't blame him. InuYasha and Koga were way out of line.

"Still, my friends were out of line. They can't come back over until they deal with their feelings." She nuzzles into him. "You didn't finish your food."

"I lost my appetite." He carries her up the stairs and to their bedroom.

"Toru?" Kagome looks up at him. He hasn't let her go.

"I just want to stay like this for a while," he says. His arms tighten around her as he shifts into a more comfortable position on the bed. "I put in a vacation request. You should pick out a spot for us to go."

"For when?"

"I want a ticket out of here on November 1st. A week or two. Or longer. I can talk Shippo into taking on some missions for me."

"Since when are you and Shippo so buddy buddy?"

"I wouldn't describe us as being buddy buddy. More like I remind him of how he calls me dad, so that means he has to help his young man out."

"You're ridiculous." She chuckles. "But I'm glad that you and Shippo are getting along." At least someone is being decent to Satoru. "But alright, I'll find a spot for us."

"Make it out of the country. Maybe France or—"

"Paris!"

"Uh, yeah. Wherever you want." He kisses her temple. "Just somewhere not in Japan is preferable."

Kagome smiles. A vacation with just them is just want they need. She hopes that the bad feeling she has will wilt away. Besides, Toru is the strongest. There's nothing (except her) that can touch him and he handles every challenge with ease, so logically she has nothing to worry about. It's not like anyone can hurt him and with all of her wonderful bodyguards, she's pretty protected herself.

It's probably just her hormones messing with her. Her eyes droop shut as sleep grabs a hold of her. Nothing bad is going to happen. She's sure of it.

Chapter Text

"So, let me get this right. Your ex that you thought was dead turned out to be alive and showed up at your door with flowers. And then proceeded to complain about how you should have waited longer?" Yakeru arranges his shelf of imp hands and feet. They decorated the store with fake skulls - at least, she hopes they are fake. One can never be too sure with Yakeru. Not surprisingly, Yakeru opted to not hang up any fake spiders or webs. Even though he doesn't talk about it, Kagome is sure that Yumi's death still affects him.

"Pretty much, yeah," Kagome says, from her spot behind the counter. Tongue out, she muses on what kind of charms to write on the parchment. Probably something small and doesn't take too much energy from her. "I don't know what got into him. InuYasha has always been brash, but last night he was downright hateful. Luckily, Toru didn't overhear any of the conversation or I'm sure there would have been a fight." She places the charms into a plastic wrapper and seals it.

"Yes, well. Gojo is a sorcerer. Control over his emotions should be relatively easy for him." Yakeru walks over to her, flicks his ponytail back, and picks up the stack of charms. "Ooh, these will sell nicely. You know you didn't have to actually add any power to them?"

"If I'm going to be packaging protective charms, then they need to work." Kagome grabs another sheet of parchment and hunkers down. To be honest, she still doesn't completely understand how the jujutsu world works. Just that normal people have cursed energy that leaks out and any negative thoughts eventually create curses. "So, sorcerers have to control their emotions, but demons don't?"

"Technically, no one has to do anything they don't want to do," Yakeru replies. He arranges the charms on the shelf across from the front desk. "But with sorcerers being in the whole curse business, naturally they don't want any other curses showing up because of them."

"If they have control over their output, though why does it matter if they get angry or jealous?" Is she missing something? Toru always made it seem like sorcerers are all unhinged and surely that would lead to them experiencing a lot of negative emotions.

"Because, darling, when one gets irrationally upset, the last thing going through their mind would be to control how much cursed energy they are leaking out. In the case of Gojo. He is the strongest. There is a level of peace that comes with being strong. Not having to worry about anyone being on your level and such. However, if Gojo were to lose control over his emotions and continued to dwell on them, then it could lead to the birth of a curse. And trust me, the last thing this world needs is a curse born from Gojo." Yakeru glances up at the clock and hums.

"But what about demons? They don't have to control their emotions?"

"Why would we?" Yakeru blinks. His green eyes widen making him look far more innocent than he actually is. It must be second nature to him to turn on such a charm, even though they both know such things do not work on her. She's dealt with Shippo and the kits at the fox academy.

"So you don't create any curses?" Out loud, that sounds silly to her own ears. Why would the demons care about such things?

"Curses are inferior to us." He half shrugs and turns on the open sign. "We may strengthen them with our energy, but we do not create curses. They are born from humans and seen as a tool." Yakeru admires his nails.

Kagome glances at the door. "So, when you said that, a lot of vengeful spirits?" At his nod, she continues, "A lot of vengeful spirits messed around with demons. Were the demons using them as tools, too?"

"Probably. I cannot truly speak about such relationships that I was not privy to." A customer walks in, halting their conversation. "Good morning, you must have been waiting for us to open," Yakeru says cheerfully. The fox gets so happy whenever a customer comes in. Must be a fox thing. To want all the money. "Is there anything, in particular, you are looking for?"

"I'm just browsing," the man replies. Kagome flints her gaze over and stiffens. Her body feels as though it's gonna go into shock, like someone has dunked her into a pool of water in the middle of winter. She can't put a finger on it, but something about that man is not right. Is it Naraku? He's been lying low. Yakeru doesn't seem to notice anything weird about the man. Instead, he just steps away and lets the man wander about the store.

"Hey," Kagome whisper-shouts, "come here." Yakeru raises a brow, but trots over to her and leans against the counter. "There's something not right about him," she says, cupping her hand around his ear.

"He walked in here. I could have told you that," Yakeru jokes. Though she doesn't miss the way his eyes narrow in on the man in the monk like clothing with a baseball cap on his head. It's such an odd combination. But she's not one to judge someone's fashion sense. After all, she's made some fashion blunders in her day, like wearing her school uniform in the Feudal era.

"Excuse me," the man interrupts. "These charms. Do they, by any chance, work?" He lifts one up–a love charm.

"Of course, you just have to have faith that they will," Yakeru says. "Would you like to buy a couple? With Halloween just a couple of days away, everyone has been on edge. You know, with all the things that go bump in the night."

The man hums, sorting through the different charms and then glances back at her. "Are you the one that makes these?"

"Only a few," Kagome replies, looking everywhere but at the strange man. She can't help it. Something about him just gives her the jeebies. His cursed energy is all twisted up like it's being held together with a prayer.

No, she shouldn't be like this. Just because his cursed energy is off doesn't mean that he's a bad guy.

"She only recently started here," Yakeru intervenes. "So, what will it be?" He walks over to the man and bends at the waist. "A charm of good luck, or perhaps one for healing?"

"Protection." The man grabs a couple of charms and places them on the counter. "It's a shame," he says, looking at Kagome's hand. "I was hoping you were single."

Awkward. What part of their conversation gave him any idea that she wanted him?

Kagome smiles but does not give him a response. Instead, she focuses on ringing him up. The faster he goes away, the better. The door chimes. Yakeru makes no move to greet the customers. He waves at them with a dazzling smile on his face.

"Apologies," the man says, taking his bag. "I did not intend to make you uncomfortable. You see, I have a temple not too far from here."

"Are you trying to steal my employee?" Yakeru questions. The man smiles, but it feels more sinister than the peaceful vibe he's going for. Maybe he does need the protection charm, she thinks. If his energy is so messed up, then maybe something else is going on with him. Though there aren't any curses clinging to him. Could he have gotten hit with something instead?

"Not at all. I was merely thinking of how wonderful it is to meet another spiritual person. The world is lacking in true monks and priestesses. It would be an honor if you could stop by the temple and bless us."

"I'm not really a priestess. I just have pretty handwriting for the charms," she replies. How odd that he assumed she was a priestess when nothing about her attire suggests such. Either way, she doesn't like it or him.

"At any rate. It would be an honor if you could stop by sometime." He pulls out a card with an address to the temple. Their fingers touch and the man jerks back. He smooths his face into a pleasant one and looks at Yakeru from the corner of his eye.

Something isn't quite right with that guy. A curse user, perhaps? Why else would her powers react so strongly like that? And his reaction, too. No way, she'll be visiting his temple. It's probably a cult or something crazy.

"Have a nice day, sir." Kagome promptly dismisses him. The man dips his head and leaves with the bag of charms clasped tightly in his hands. Kagome exhales. All the tension leaves her body and slumps forward on the counter. Jeez, she thought he would never leave.

"That was odd. I thought for sure he'd bring up you being Gojo's," Yakeru quips. He scratches his head, staring at the door.

"You knew?"

"Hmm? Yeah, that was Geto. Surprised to see him still alive, though. Could have sworn Gojo killed him. Maybe even Gojo has a hard time separating personal feelings and work. Learned something new today."

Killed? Geto? Kagome frowns. Satoru has never mentioned anyone by the name of Geto... or maybe he has, and she just wasn't listening. "I meant he was obviously a part of the jujutsu world and his cursed energy was all twisted up. The heck are you talking about?" Yakeru opens his mouth and shuts it as the door chimes with new customers.

"Excuse me, could you help us?" The customers ask. They both giggle, playing with the ends of their hair. Kagome sighs and goes back to working on more charms. It'll be hard to talk to Yakeru with the shop being open. She'll just ask Satoru when she gets home. If he left that man alive, then surely, he's a good person. Satoru isn't the kind of person to let someone terrible just go free.

Great, now she feels bad. Geto must have needed her help, and she completely shut him down because his energy freaked her out. She picks up the card. Shibuya, huh? Maybe she should stop by tomorrow with Shippo or Sesshomaru. Kagome squints. The words, come alone, are barely legible.

On second thought... She should call Satoru now. Better safe than sorry. Kagome fishes out her phone and waves bye to the young men.

"Hey Gome-chan, I can't really speak right now," Satoru says. There's some commotion on the other side. "Is everything okay?"

Kagome pouts. This is the first time he's been too busy for her call, but it's fine. "Yep, everything's fine. Just missed your voice." She cradles the phone between her shoulder and ear as she checks out the customers who both have overflowing baskets with stuff, she knows Yakeru talked them into. "Just uh, come get me when you get off work. I'm gonna stay here with Yakeru until you get done."

The women continue to chat with Yakeru even after they take their bags.

"Alrighty, I'll see you when I get off." He ends the call. She waves goodbye to the customers, though they ignore her and only wave goodbye to Yakeru. Whatever. Kagome frowns at her phone. He didn't even say bye. Work must be bad today. She'll just wait and share the news with him later.

If Geto wanted to do something, surely, he would have done something earlier.

Chapter Text

We have two dead students.

That's it. No explanation. No reasoning. Just a simple incoming text from Yaga that there are two dead students and he needs to get his ass back to meet with the other faculty members. If it were Yuji - again - Shoko would have said something, so he can cross that out. Actually, if it were any of his students, she would have reached out to him first.

Or Shoko doesn't know either.

He doesn't need this kind of crap today or any day. Despite the outward persona he puts up, losing a student or coworker does not get easier.

Satoru walks into the building and travels down the stairs to the hidden room as instructed. Yaga. Utahime. Gakuganji. Just those three, huh? The stench hits him first like an old forgotten friend that you secretly wished would stay away forever, wrapping its arms around you and forcing you to stay still and enjoy the abuse. And because he's Gojo Satoru, the strongest, the goof, he tilts his head back and announces his entrance with a simple, "Yo."

"It's Mechamaru and Miwa," Utahime says, with tears clinging to her lashes, fighting so desperately to stay put. Gakuganji's face sinks in, nearly disappearing behind the mass of wrinkles and moles. Even his body slouches forward with the weight of this new discovery.

It doesn't make any sense why someone would go after Mechamaru, of all people. "Thought his body was too fucked up to move." Did someone follow Miwa here? It's a damn shame. So young - both of them - and their lives are gone just like that.

"Don't be rude," Utahime hisses. Satoru chews on the inside of his cheek. She's emotional. He gets it. He was pretty pissed off too when the higher-ups sent his students on a suicide mission, but surely, they wouldn't have done the same thing here. No. Gakuganji is too solemn for this. If this was a call from the higher-ups, then he wasn't in on it. Satoru stares at the way Mechamaru's body is draped over Miwa's like he was attempting to protect her. Miwa's blue hair is caked with blood and woven into Mechamaru's dark hair.

Someone took the time to arrange them like that. Deplorable.

Yaga hums, walks forward towards the pod with all the wires. "He shouldn't have been able to move," Yaga says. "Whoever did this could have done so from over there. Unless they really went through the effort to move him after the fact."

"This was a fight," Satoru says, pointing to the burns on the floor. "Shouldn't his other body be around here? He could have gotten into something he couldn't handle." For someone with such a long-range curse technique, it doesn't make sense for Mechamaru to lift a finger in a fight. Unless the fight took place somewhere else and they took his other body out.

But that doesn't explain why Miwa is here or how he was able to move. His body should be a lot frailer. Why else would they hook him up to all those wires in an undisclosed building?

"What are you talking about? He was handicapped. He's never even been outside. How the heck could he have gotten into anything?"

"Sounds like a good enough reason to make a deal he shouldn't have," Satoru quips. "I'm not saying it was him, but he's the only one that really had the motivation to do it. You say he's handicapped, but this looks like he could move his limbs just fine. Maybe Miwa made the deal then for him. Who knows, she could have felt sorry for him." Satoru doesn't know much about Miwa, just that she asked for a picture with him and she seemed like a sweet girl.

"Stop slandering my students!" Utahime tosses her cup at him. It stays there suspended in the air. One would think that she would have learned by now that she can't hit him. Satoru shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets. It's not slander. He's just going through all the different scenarios. Utahime is too close to this. Too emotional to see with a clear head these deaths do not make sense. Someone targeted them, but why?

"Enough, both of you," Yaga says. He rubs his temple. "He may have been a student of yours, Utahime, but we need to consider all possibilities. For someone who can't - shouldn't have been able to move, it is odd that he specifically was targeted." Yaga exhales, his large shoulders dropping with every passing moment. "And Miwa here is not one to be targeted. From what I know, she's friends with everyone."

"Then we look into the members of his clan. I don't appreciate the implication that he caused the attack at the exchange." Utahime glares at him.

"Whatever you say," Satoru replies. "Even though both of them were incapacitated when the school was attacked. I find that a little odd." Satoru throws up his hands in a bid for peace. There is no point in going back and forth with her. She's too choked up in her grief at the loss of her students and he gets that. Hell, Yuji wasn't his student for very long when the higher-ups targeted him, and back then he seriously entertained just wiping them all out and starting from scratch.

Maybe he should still do that?

Nah, Gome-chan would get all frowny with him and say that mass murder is not the answer. Even though sometimes, starting from scratch is the best method. Ah, but that would make him like everyone else. Throwing his strength around instead of focusing on changing the mindset of his fellow sorcerers through non-violent means.

Sometimes it's more work being the good guy.

"No thoughts or comments that you would like to share with everyone?" he asks, directing his question at Gakuganji. Utahime may not want to hear it from him or Yaga, but surely coming from Gakuganji she'll see that they aren't ganging up on her or trying to slander her students, but trying to sort this out.

"This is all Sukuna's fault," the old man rasps out. "Because we allow Yuji to continue to live with that thing inside of him, more curses are getting bolder. Curse users are coming out of nowhere. Attacking the school. Targeting our students. They see us as weak for allowing Yuji to live. This could have been prevented if we had taken Yuji out."

Mass murder is calling his name, whispering in his ear how sweet it would be to just knock Gakuganji and every old fart out. He ignores it and shoves that part of him down to the abyss.

"This has nothing to do with Yuji. I think you are forgetting how hard he fought at the exchange event to protect everyone." Satoru gestures to the bodies. "What happened here has nothing to do with Yuji."

"Then it must be because of that fiancé of yours. Ever since she and Yuji showed up, things have been getting worse."

Okay, so demons have gotten bolder, but honestly, the majority of them he has dealt with have turned out to be allies.

"W-wait," Utahime calls out, "I do believe Sukuna being alive is giving hope to some of the more intelligent curses, but I don't think Kagome-san is a part of this."

"Let's not point fingers just yet. We need to dive into what makes these two a target," Yaga interjects. "I'll call for them to be transported to Shoko. She'll be able to tell us the time and cause of death." Yaga pulls out his phone and calls for transport.

Satoru's phone buzzes in his pocket. It's Gome-chan. He steps away to answer the call. The fresh air is a welcome reprieve from the stench in that room. When he gets off the phone with her, his heart is heavy. His mind is a jumbled mess right now. His emotions are all tangled up, and he doesn't even know where or how to sort out this mess. Utahime steps next to him and doesn't speak until Yaga and Gakuganji leave and get in their respective vehicles.

The real crime is that Gakuganji still has a license.

"Sorry," Utahime says after a long stretch of silence. The scar across her face is more prominent today. "I know you were just going through the steps."

"Don't worry about it. That's how we get to the bottom of this. We question everything. We work through the evidence we have and get them the justice they deserve." Rain begins to fall. Just a couple of droplets for now. It'll probably start pouring soon. Satoru leans against the building. Not that the rain bothers him, but he doesn't want to draw attention to the fact that the rain isn't touching him.

"I don't know why Gakuganji has it out for Kagome-san, but it would be best to keep her away from all of this until everything blows over."

"Thanks for the advice, but I can protect Kagome just fine. It's Gakuganji that should be worried about Kagome coming after him. She's pretty strong."

"I have no idea what she sees in you."

"Me neither," Shippo says, stepping out from... where the hell did he come from? Satoru sighs. "And yah, I finished the mission. Next time, make them worth my time." Shippo sniffs the air. "Smells like death."

"You can smell that all the way from here?" Utahime asks. Her face flushes. Satoru's lips curl back. Really? She likes Shippo? Her whole demeanor changes. Heck, she doesn't even question who Shippo is.

Gross.

"Hmm, yeah. But I don't mean coming from down there. More like a dead person left this building." Shippo gives Utahime a quizzical stare.

"You don't mean..." Satoru leans forward and cups his hand around his lips. "Zombies!" he shouts. Utahime jumps and then fumes. She throws a punch, but of course, because she never learns, it does not land.

"Unbelievable! This is no time for games. I'll deal with you later. "She stomps past them. The rain falls harder and Satoru just knows she's cursing him out under her breath. Once Utahime is nothing but a blur in a sea of people, Shippo speaks up.

"Who was that?" Shippo leans against the building. His green eyes sparkle with mischief and Satoru wonders why this demon is so determined to be attached to him. The others just act like he doesn't exist, but not Shippo.

"Utahime. Another jujutsu teacher for the Kyoto school." What he would like to know, is how he got stuck with staying here until someone could come transport the bodies over to Shoko. His body is wound up with tension. Kagome asked him to pick her up after work, which tells him that whatever happened at the shop is going to tick him off.

"Cute," Shippo says, whistling. "Bring her around sometime. Seems like InuYasha's type."

"Did you tell him that Kagome is with me? Because he showed up with flowers and expectations." It's a miracle that he didn't rip his fucking head off for those comments last night.

"No shit?" Shippo chuckles. "You should have called me. I would have brought popcorn. But I was serious about that dead smell. Sesshomaru's nose would have been better in this case - dog and all, but it smells like a dead person walked in this building and left out too."

"I was kidding about the zombies," Satoru says. Dear whichever god that is listening. No zombies. Not even for Halloween. Thanks.

"I mean, they kind of exist. Not in the whole rawr rawr let me eat your brains, but like hey let me get a piece of your soul. Ask Kagome sometime. She went a long ass time with just half a soul." A car pulls up and Shippo kicks off the building and pulls out his umbrella. "Looks like that's my cue to leave. I'll stop by for dinner. I deserve food for taking on all your missions."

"You take on a few, not all of them," Satoru calls out after him. A thought pops in his mind. "Hey! Shippo." Shippo turns around and huffs. Satoru nods at his coworkers and Ijichi before walking over to Shippo. He grabs the umbrella and holds it over both of them.

"You don't even need the umbrella," Shippo grumbles. "What do you want?"

"Be honest with me. There is no such thing as dragons, right?"

"You mean mom didn't tell you about A-un?" Shippo shakes his head. "I shouldn't say this, but I kind of like you."

"Gee thanks."

"Don't mention it. But anywho, Sesshomaru's got this egg that he plans on giving to the kiddo when he's born. If I were you. I'd work on repairing your family estate. Might be a little difficult to explain a dragon in the backyard."

Is he serious? There's a boom, followed by people screaming. The hell was that? Satoru drops the umbrella and turns around. It came from behind them. They push past the people and head towards the source.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

The building has crumbled over. There's smoke. Luckily, none of the pedestrians appear to be harmed. Ijichi shakes and cries when he sees Satoru. "Gojo-san! The building collapsed on them."

"Shippo," Satoru says, removing his blindfold. "I need you to go pick up Kagome and take her home."

"You think someone is after her?"

"I'd rather not risk it. Ijichi, call Yaga and Gakuganji. Tell them to turn around and get back here."

Two dead students and a couple injured or possibly dead sorcerers. Someone is trying to take them out. So much for getting off early today.

Chapter Text

Mahito whistles to himself as he makes his way around the many twists and turns of this old building. It looks as though once upon a time it was full of people, but now it's a nest of spiderwebs and dust. Surprisingly, no curses seem to be in the area. The place should be festering with them.

"Your tune is off-key," Naraku grumbles from his makeshift throne of bones and wood. An interesting combination. Personally, Mahito would just turn a human into a chair instead of going through the effort to construct one. The scent of metallic, a scent that he knows all too well, wraps around him in what the humans call a lover's embrace. It looks as though Naraku has at least been keeping himself entertained.

"What's with the sour face? Today's the day." He tosses the bag of food that he stole and leans against the wall with the least amount of dust. "I can't stay too long, or Geto might get suspicious. You know he's the jealous type." Geto really isn't the type. In fact, he could care less what Mahito gets up to as long as it does not jeopardize the plan. Maybe it is the human nature in him, the ugly side that wants to see two people fighting for his loyalty.

Naraku snorts and munches on the onigiri. "The half-breeds are under the station." Red eyes, the color of the blood spilling from the human rug, glitter with an emotion that puts Mahito on edge. Dealing with Naraku is tricky. He isn't as forward as Jogo, nor does he try to placate you with sweet words like Geto. He's just... an enigma. And for whatever reason, something deep within him wants to be near the spider demon. Recognition? No, why would he need to be recognized by anyone? Nevertheless, he makes these trips, bringing Naraku food that he could easily procure himself in the hopes of something. He gnaws on his cheek. Addiction? He's done his best not to take on too much of Naraku's demonic energy. Though he has snuck some of the drugs, Jogo smokes here and there.

"Oh? You won't be joining us? I was looking forward to seeing you go all out. I could change you into a full demon, too." His fingers twitch at the thought of peering into Naraku's soul. What sort of bastardly things would he find?

"Run along to your master," Naraku says, his voice low. The threat hangs between them as fragile as the spider webs in the corner. With one more jab, one more poke, he's sure that the thread will break and he'll be left to fend for himself. Not that the fight scares him, but there's no fear in the way Naraku's eyes sweep over his form as though he is nothing but a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. Geto isn't his master, though Naraku insists he is.

He is a special grade – a disaster curse. He has and serves no master.

"Fine. Miss out on the fun." Mahito gives a half-hearted wave as he navigates his way back to the entrance. He stops at the sight of Jogo outside the building. Perhaps he wasn't as sneaky as he thought he was if Jogo could get the jump on him. Now, Hanami blends in like air, or should he say like the nature around them?

"Come on before Geto gets back," Jogo grunts out.

"Aw, did ya miss me?" he coos, patting Jogo's head.

"You should know better than to play with fire," Jogo replies, blowing a puff of stream on his hand. Mahito pulls his hand back and frowns at the burn.

Rude. The burn stings just a bit before healing just as quickly as the pain set in.

"Naraku is only focused on that Kagome." If it were up to him, then he would go after Kagome too, if only to fuck with Gojo Satoru. He may not be a match for the sorcerer physically, but the pain he could cause him emotionally is almost too much to give up. Not to mention, she burned him the last time they crossed paths. She needs to be extinguished. Snuff her out like the pesky bug that she is.

"And Geto wanted him out of the way for a reason. Going after Kagome means going after Gojo," Jogo replies, walking along the unused sidewalks. Grass, weeds, and flowers play peek-a-boo in the cracks. He once saw a mother play that game with her child before he decided to use them as a new soccer ball. Turns out, Jogo wasn't too fond of being kicked around.

"Shouldn't we go after her, too?"

Jogo stops and tilts his head. "After. Once Gojo is locked away, there isn't anything we won't be able to do."

Mahito perks up. A wide smile breaks across his face. "You're going to help me?" Giddiness blossoms in his chest at how he'll rip her limb from limb. Maybe he'll kill her in front of Yuji or offer her up to Sukuna. So many different ways to kill a human.

"Who else would burn her arms off for you?"

Mahito bends and picks Jogo up like a child, pressing their cheeks together. This is going to be so much fun.

***

Weeping echoes along the corridor, though the sound of people above and the trains drowns out the pitiful sounds. Mahito hums as he digs his hands deep down into the half-demon's soul. It doesn't really matter to him that these demons are weak. Naraku must have felt it was best that way. Easy to manipulate, he muses.

"Still planning on using them?" Geto asks, coming from around the corner. His presence puts Mahito on edge, though it shouldn't. Geto is for the all-intents purposes as much of a friend as he'll experience.

"Why let some perfectly good bodies go to waste?" He grins as the half - now full demon snarls and thrashes against the chains. The wall shakes and he thinks, perhaps it would be best to get to work on the others. He would hate to meet his end before the fun begins. "Almost ready with preparations?" Mahito closes his eyes in bliss as the scream is ripped from the demon's throat. This one has small wings on her back like a bat. Maybe he should try giving one of the humans some wings just to see if they could actually use them.

"The party will start soon." Geto appraises the snarling demon with the dull red hair but sharp claws with interest. "Did you corrupt their minds, too?"

"Didn't have to. Their souls can't take the change, so they go crazy." At least that's how Naraku explained it to him. Blood lust.

Stop thinking about him, he chastises himself. Naraku made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't be showing up. Not that he blames the guy. Geto did set a trap for him.

"Think that priestess will show up?" He asks, changing the subject. He really hopes that she does so he can torture her in front of Gojo while he's being locked away.

"No." Geto moves away from the demon and stares off into the distance, going further into himself, where Mahito can't hope to reach him. It's the way he guards himself that puts Mahito on edge. The closer they've gotten to today, the more withdrawn Geto has become. Often staring out and not snapping out of it until someone has shouted his name many times.

Can they still count on him to see the plan through?

There's a sudden burst of screams, followed by a loud explosion. The floor beneath them rocks and in the confusion, the red-haired demon gets loose. Mahito sighs, as the demon makes a getaway before he could release all of them in a flashier manner.

"That would be our cue," Geto says, with a small, serene smile on his face. Geto turns, looks over his shoulder, and narrows his eyes. Mahito chills at the look. Geto has never looked at him like that before. "Try not to spend too much more energy on them," Geto says after a moment and flashes a smile before leaving.

The crushing of where his heart would be goes slack and Mahito takes in breaths that he didn't know he needed. The human side of him, he thinks. Humans suck in large amounts of oxygen when they are scared. He rolls his shoulders back and shakes off the fear. That glare wasn't for him, but for the demons that are admittedly taking more out of him than he thought they would.

He lets them all go and takes a moment to collect himself. Truth be told, he hasn't been the same since that damn woman hit him with her purification, or whatever the hell it is called. Mahito strains his ears. Ah, he can hear the whimpers and unanswered prayers from here. As a curse, he's never been the praying type, but today is a special day, so decides why not?

"Please let that wretched Kagome show up today so I can pluck her eyeballs from her skull. Rip her limbs apart as Gojo watches helplessly. And, oh let me take that power for myself. The destruction that I could cause with that power." He claps his hands together.

It's showtime.

Chapter Text

Satoru rolls over and props his head up with his palm. He traces an infinity symbol into Kagome's cheek. His fiancé. If he had a choice, which he likes to think that he does, she'll soon be his wife. They just need to get on a plane tomorrow and plan a quick destination wedding. He smiles softly, despite the anxiety thrumming through his veins.

Halloween.

His least favorite holiday. One in which every curse and curse user likes to mingle with all the unsuspecting civilians gathered together. And this year, the death of two students weighs heavily on his chest. They weren't even his responsibility, but he feels like something should have been done. As a whole, the jujutsu world is cold. It does not help that Gakuganji once again tried pinning everything on Yuji.

Have some curses become bolder? Sure. But the sutras they had wrapped around Sukuna's fingers were - are fading. That is not on Yuji.

It's just a fucked-up situation.

Satoru huffs.

"That better be a sigh of bliss," Kagome mumbles, nuzzling closer to his hand. "Pre-marital bliss." She laughs to herself.

He doesn't have the heart to tell her that her joke is not funny, though his heart jumps at the thought of them being practically married. Even Sesshomaru acknowledges that they are mates. For whatever reason, Sesshomaru's acknowledgment actually means something to him. Maybe it is because he can tell that Sesshomaru is strong. He has to be if they consider him the lord of demons.

Man, what he would give just to fight Sesshomaru just once to see how he stacks up against an ancient demon. He wonders just how old Sesshomaru is. Sometimes Shippo says some things that remind him that despite their youthful appearance, these demons are really freaking old.

"You're cute." He pinches her cheek. "Almost as cute as me."

"Oh, whatever." Kagome rolls over to her side. Satoru dips his head and kisses her neck; his hands caress her growing bump. "Tickles."

Kagome brushes his hands away, but he puts his hands right back where they belong. He does not think he will ever tire of touching her. Even if it is just a hand on her back, he just needs it as much as he needs air to breathe. Kagome is in his veins and he would not have any other way.

"I'll probably be late tonight. Halloween - all holidays really are pain." These days, he gets home late every day, but tomorrow they will be on a first-class ticket to somewhere far, far away from Japan. Probably the wrong time to be taking a vacation with all the shit going on, but if there's anything he's learned over the years is that there is always a problem that needs solving. Though this year he can delegate and not have to worry too much about the troubles his students might get into. That Shippo is turning out to be a pretty handy fox to keep around.

"That reminds me!" Kagome shimmies out of his hold and pulls out a necklace from the nightstand. "I got you something." She holds up the necklace. Now he can see that it is a locket.

Wait. He squints at it.

"Is this enchanted? It has your same glow." He sits up and takes it from her. It's gold and in the shape of a heart. Their names are etched onto both sides.

When did she buy this? He doesn't pay too much attention to the amount of money she spends, but surely, he would have noticed a jewelry purchase. Satoru runs his hands along the locket. This had to go for a hefty price. The craftsmanship is practically jumping off of the locket.

"Yep! It's made from my hair since I couldn't exactly donate one of my teeth to make it."

"I'm sorry what? His mouth drops open in shock and he can't do anything but stare at her.

Kagome beams at him, practically preening at her confession. She made this with her hair?

"Back up a second. What do you mean you made it from your hair? And teeth?"

The heck is she talking about? He wills the locket to share its secrets with him because there is absolutely no way that she had a locket made with her hair. Unless she put her hair inside of it? He pops it open, but the only thing inside is a picture of them on one side and a picture of their baby on the other.

He smiles despite himself seeing the life that they created. Satoru never imagined that he would be a father or even in a relationship, for that matter, but Kagome makes it hard to not love her.

"I didn't make it from my teeth, silly. I can't regrow my teeth like Sesshomaru and the others. So, I used my hair."

Gojo shuts his mouth and squints.

That explains the haircut.

"I wanted to give you a little more protection. And I know you're the strongest, but it would make me feel better knowing that you have some extra protection, just in case."

His heart skips a beat and then speeds up to regain its natural rhythm. She got him a gift that can help protect him? He clutches the locket. "Did you ask Sesshomaru to make it?"

"Oh, no." She laughs. "Sesshomaru is great at a lot of things, but sword making and such is so not his thing. I asked him if Totosai was around, so he took me to see him. Sesshomaru got a sword made, too, but he said it was not for him." Kagome leans in and whispers, "I think he's got a crush or something. He gave Totosai a tooth to have a special sword made."

Sesshomaru with a crush? Satoru grits his teeth to stop the laughter from bubbling over. Kagome looks so happy and earnest at this latest find, so he just let's her continue to gossip about who this mystery woman could be.

"She must be the complete opposite of him. I could not imagine him going for someone that says so few words. Nah, someone would have to be the talkative one of the pair."

"Maybe it is a gift for the baby?" He puts the locket on and gives a one shoulder shrug at her stupefied expression. "What? Shippo said that Sesshomaru was going to give the kiddo a dragon egg. Which dragons don't exist, right? Shippo was just fucking with me?"

"There are dragons. Though I'm surprised that Sesshomaru has an egg. Maybe Ah Un laid one?" She taps her finger to her lips. "I don't know that much about them. Maybe two headed dragons are just different."

... Two headed? Now his head hurts. How is he supposed to explain a dragon? He's still dodging questions about what kind of power Kagome has.

"But why would he give the baby a dragon egg? Where the heck would we even hide one of those? They are massive. And last I checked, they cannot shrink like Buyo Jr." Kagome continues to rant, all the while Satoru feels more dread building up in his gut.

Seriously, how is he supposed to hide a freaking dragon?

"And then Megumi-kun will take it and then we would have to figure out how to keep other people from worrying about why he has a dragon."

Megumi? Satoru coughs. Someone is still a little peeved that Buyo Jr. chose Megumi over them.

"We might look into rebuilding the clan house. There would be enough room for a dragon there." He hopes. The only thing he has to go off on is the dragons that he has seen in the media. "If you don't mind taking over that project."

"You want me to rebuild your clan house?"

"You'll be a Gojo soon. Not that I don't like we're we live, but if we are getting a freaking dragon or whatever creature your friends want to give to us, then we should probably look into a more secluded home."

While they are at it, maybe he will ask her to bless the area. Something about living in a spot where his clan members were brutally murdered seems like prime real estate for curse activity.

Kagome scrunches up her nose. He may not be a mind reader, but he can tell what kind of thoughts are running rampant in her mind. She has gotten more comfortable using his money- their money - but there are still times where she hesitates.

"It just seems really expensive, and you paid a lot of money for this house."

"Yeah, don't worry about a budget. I'll get you connected with a builder and you can go from there. The only thing I request is a similar bathroom set up." Finding a bathtub that can accommodate him can be difficult. Satoru leans over and kisses her cheek. She worries too much about such trivial things such as money. He has way more money than he could ever spend with being a special grade sorcerer and then having access to the Gojo clan's resources.

Money is the least of their worries.

"Well... okay," she says, though he can tell that she is still a little unsure.

"It would mean so much to me knowing that you are building the home for our children and their children."

"Aren't you going to be late for work?" Kagome huffs. The blush spreads across her face and dips down to her cleavage. It's crazy to him how flustered she gets.

"You're so cute." This time, he kisses her lips before sliding out of bed. He really, really, does not want to go into work today. He would rather get on the plane to their destination. Which he still does not know where they are going. Kagome said it was a surprise. He would follow to the south pole if she chose. Just as long as he is with her, he does not care where they are.

Satoru grabs his phone from his nightstand and pinches the bridge of his nose. A Shibuya kind of day, huh? He yawns and sets the phone back down. "Any plans for today?" he asks on his way to the bathroom. Go for causal, he tells himself. Up to him, he would have her stay in the house, but he knows if he tells her not to do something, the more likely she is to do that something.

Kagome is stubborn. She's lucky she is so cute.

"Sesshomaru mentioned going out because it is the one day that they do not have to wear their glamor out in public. I think they like to believe that they are getting over on the unsuspecting humans."

Satoru splashes water on his face. Makes sense. But he does not like it. "Cool, so you two are just gonna go sightseeing then?" He grabs his toothbrush and brushes his teeth.

"Yep! I'll even get to have my bow and no one will bat an eye," she replies, with so much joy in her voice that he keeps his concerns to himself. Sesshomaru would not let anything happen to Kagome, that much he knows.

"You gon wear a priestess outfit without me?" he asks, his voice slightly muffled from the toothbrush in his mouth.

Kagome sticks his head into the bathroom. "Is that code for role play? Big, bad, sorcerer, corrupts the pure priestess."

Satoru barks out a laugh. There is nothing pure about the things she does, but because he values his life, he keeps that opinion to himself as well. Rinsing his mouth, he reaches for a towel to wipe his face.

"Keep it up and I'll call in sick."

"You never get sick, remember?" Kagome laughs and side steps his attempt to grab her.

Tease.

It was not as though he was gonna bend her over the bathroom counter or anything, because he totally was - he still could...

His phone rings, forcing his thoughts to float away into the shoulda coulda box in his mind. "Seriously," he mumbles, hitting the light switch on his way out. Satoru hits the end button and shoots off a text to Ijichi instead.

One would think that Ijichi would know by now that he cannot be rushed. He'll start his day when he feels like it.

"Be nice to Ijichi," Kagome yells from downstairs and he's tempted to teleport to where Ijichi is just to bully him.

"I'm always nice." He trots down the stairs and heads towards the kitchen. "Coffee," he says, staring longingly at the coffee pot. "Join me in the bath after?"

Kagome snorts. "The faster you go in, the faster you'll get off, and the faster we'll be on the plane."

She's got him there.

"But we could meet up for lunch and you can see my outfit."

He pauses. Any other day he would agree without question, but today when something always wants to pop off? Ugh. "Maybe...my schedule is pretty packed today. I don't know if I'll have much of a lunch break today."

Kagome frowns and places her hands on her hip. "You don't want to get lunch with me?"

"I didn't say that." He jumps at the coffee pot dinging and grabs two mugs for them. "I'm just saying that we should play it by ear."

His phone rings again.

Can he just enjoy his morning?

"What?" he answers, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder while he prepares his and Kagome's coffees. He puts just a hint of sugar in Kagome's mug. Just because he likes a lot of sugar in his coffee, doesn't mean his baby should be getting a lot.

"We really need to get to Shibuya," Ijichi says, his voice just barely wavering. "I'm outside your house."

Satoru rolls his eyes. As if he didn't know Ijichi was outside his house.

"Like now? I've got at least another hour before work." Satoru winks at Kagome, ignoring the pang in his chest.

"Someone stole the bodies of Miwa and Mechamaru and strung them up outside the station."

"Sounds like someone is getting into the spirt of Halloween," he quips and exchanges his mug for a travel one instead. "I haven't even taken a bath yet."

"You take your baths at night," Kagome says.

"Gome-chan!" he admonishes, though he's sure Ijichi couldn't hear her. "Anyway, I'll be out. Give me a moment." He ends the call. Why didn't Ijichi open with that the first time? That is some shit you need to tell someone instead of pussyfooting around and saying we need to go to Shibuya today.

"Everything okay?"

"Hmm, yeah. Everything is fine. I just gotta go in early." He takes a big gulp of his coffee and grimaces from the scalding liquid. "Send me a picture of your outfit." He heads out of the kitchen without waiting for her answer.

Whoever stole those bodies must work for jujutsu high. Or they've been there before. Old students?

Satoru changes out of his pajamas and slides on his uniform. Tying his blindfold on as he walks, he takes two steps at a time.

Kagome greets him at the end of the staircase with his coffee and bento box. She must have prepared one for him last night.

"Here, just in case you can't make time for lunch," she says.

"You're too sweet to me," he admits, more so to himself. Most sorcerers live lonely lives and the ones that do have spouses tend to spur them, so to come home every day to a home filled with warmth feels like he hit the jackpot.

"Hey Gome-chan?"

Kagome tilts her head. Her hand hovers over the door.

"Do me a favor and stay out of Shibuya today." He presses a kiss to lips, silencing the protests he knows she was about to unleash on him. "I'll call you if I can make it for lunch."

Kagome pouts and opens the door for him. Ijichi stands upright by the car, engrossed in whatever conversation he is having on the phone.

"Promise me," he says, not helping himself.

"Yeah, yeah." Kagome waves him off. "Stay safe."

"Don't worry, I'm the strongest." The words roll off his tongue effortlessly.

Why should he worry? No one can touch him after all, and as long as Kagome stays far away from trouble, then everything will be just fine.

Chapter Text

"Ya know, back in my day," Shippo drawls, head tilting towards Nanami. "There were a lot more orgies on Halloween. It's a damn shame that people today just want to spend their time digging up dead bodies when they could be getting their thrills fucking a demon or three." Shippo shrugs, shakes his head, and mutters about how backwards society is these days.

Nanami curls his lips back in disgust.

Satoru pinches the bridge of his nose and bites his tongue. What he is not going to do is laugh at Shippo's antics.

There is a time and place for everything, he reminds himself.

If his old man could see him now… Eh, on second thought, he probably would've hated his old man if he knew him. Probably a good thing he is dead. Satoru crosses his fingers behind his back. He hopes his little ankle biter does not think the same about him.

"Who are you?" Nanami asks, crossing his arms over his chest. He has bags under his eyes that are darker than normal. The recent events must be taking a toll on the poor ex salary man turned sorcerer. For now, the station is relatively quiet. The medical team made quick work of retrieving Mechamaru and Miwa's bodies. Only a few civilians were traumatized. Not too bad, in Satoru's opinion.

"Shippo, Gome-chan's adopted son." Satoru pats Shippo's head and rustles with his hair. Shippo bares his teeth up at him, which just makes Satoru smile even more. Nothing like pissing Shippo off to start off his work day. "And I guess now my son by default. Heh, that means you have to listen to what I say, Shippo-chan." Satoru pokes Shippo's cheek with his other hand, laughing at Shippo's half-hearted attempts to swipe at him.

Sue him, the fox is growing on him. Though Yakeru still pisses him off. That fox only gives Kagome straight answers.

"I'm so sick of your bullshit." Nanami turns on his heel and walks out of the station. Satoru frowns. Why does Nanami never believe him? Sure, he's played a couple of pranks here and there, but he's actually serious this time.

Ugh, whatever. Nanami will be back telling him how wrong he was for not believing in him. Err, maybe not. Nanami would probably cut off his own tongue before admitting such a thing.

Honestly, at this point, it is just rude.

"I think you pissed him off," Shippo quips.

"Nah, that's just how Nanami shows how much he cares for me." Satoru drops his hand and presses his lips into a firm line. "Now what the hell is going on?" Shippo was supposed to be working his actual job today, and yet here he is. Speaking of actual jobs, what the hell does Shippo do? It seems like every day he's there with him at work, making commentary, picking up a couple missions here and there, but never pressed for time.

"Sesshomaru is on his way over. Said the air didn't feel right today." Shippo shrugs. "There's been some unrest lately on our side of the tracks." Shippo pulls out a sucker from his pocket, all casual, as though he isn't dropping a bombshell on him. Shippo hums and starts walking, following the path Nanami took. His red hair is stark against the green jacket and denim jeans.

Seriously, what the hell does Shippo do for him to be dressed so casually all the time? Even he wears a uniform for work.

"Kagome is not to come here. He should know not to bring her here if there is trouble brewing." So, help him if Sesshomaru brings Kagome to the battlefield. A battle with Sesshomaru may cause some casualties, but that's a risk he'll take.

"Relax, he's not gonna bring her here. InuYasha gets to spend the day taking her around Tokyo or wherever." Shippo waves as if blowing off his concerns. Like they are nothing more than trivial. "At least it's not Koga showing her around. Then you'd have to rescue her from some cave. The wolves love her."

His heart plummets to his feet. Letting InuYasha into his home to have a conversation is one thing. Letting InuYasha take Kagome around town is a whole other thing. Who the hell is supervising this outing?

"Why would anyone need to supervise them? Jealous?" Shippo's green eyes glint with mischief, tail swishing faster. "Scared InuYasha is going to remind of all the good times they had?" Shippo chortles.

Shit. He didn't mean to say that out loud.

"Come on," he says, taking the lead. Mentally, he berates himself for allowing his guard to drop. Shippo is still a demon, a fox one at that, and showing any kind of emotion must be like an aphrodisiac to them. It's a wonder that Kagome is still so nice when she's surrounded by such blood thirsty creatures.

Not that he's any better. You have to have some screws loose to do this kind of job, but he would like to believe that he is slightly less blood thirsty than them.

"You smell that?" Shippo crunches his sucker and sticks the rest into his pocket. At least he isn't littering. A woman giggles as she passes by Shippo, who winks at her as she walks by.

"Smell what?" Satoru sniffs, though all he can smell is the distinct smell of too many people bunched together and the various smells of coffee shops and food places alike. The day is, for what it's worth, nice out. Sunny, but not the humid that makes him want to go back home.

Scratch that, everything makes him want to go back and home and spend time with Kagome. With so much horrible shit he sees daily, going home to some as bright as her is like coming across a buffet after a long fast.

"Blood." Shippo sighs, his shoulders sagging with the motion as though the scent of blood is such a bother to him. "A lot of it. Want to do a countdown until all hell breaks loose?"

"… No?" Satoru ranks a hand through his hair and discreetly tries to smell the air. Nope. Still can't smell this blood Shippo is going on about.

"One." Shippo holds up a finger, a maniacal grin on his face. Shippo's tail swishes back and forth. Another woman walks by and giggles.

Satoru reaches for his phone and dials Yaga's number. Better to be cautious. If it turns out to be nothing, then he could just make up a joke.

"Two." Shippo points two fingers towards the west.

People start running. Yaga picks up on the second ring. The screams mingle together to create a harmony of chaos. His ears are hurting from the screams.

"Three." Shippo presses three fingers to his lips and pretends to be shocked.

A demon the size of a small building bursts from the west, flames licking at his body as he bellows. A handful of humans in both hands, blood dripping down his arms. Parts of a building hang limply from its curved horns, and he is as green as the small patches of grass by Satoru's feet.

"Gojo? Gojo? The hell did you call me for?" Yaga's voice rings out, but another explosion draws his attention to the north.

"Aw, man, I didn't sense that one."

Satoru shoots Shippo a look, though with his eyes covered, the look is wasted. "We got bigger problems at Shibuya." He hangs up. "Sesshomaru say when he was coming by?"

There are too many civilians around. It would be easier if they were in a more secluded area like out in the country where he could just use his domain expansion or not worry about civilians getting in the way. Shippo could get hurt, but he's sure Kagome would understand.

"Nah, just said he be by." Shippo shrugs and fiddles with his pocket.

"Alright, so what you going to hit them with a rose whip?" Satoru aims a red reversal at the large demon. Not that he has to aim too hard with how big of a target that thing is.

"Rose whip?" Shippo sounds scandalized. "I'll have you know I am a sophisticated fighter. That is a silver fox move." Shippo sniffs and pulls out a spinner.

This fox cannot be serious. That's how he's been taking down special grades? With a child's toy?

A person runs towards them, screaming from the flames burning away at their clothes, and collapses at their feet. The smell of burned flesh is one that he will never get over.

"It's never too late to go back to having orgies for Halloween," Shippo sing songs, tossing his spinner at a disfigured human. The spinner gets bigger until it spins out of control and goes after the next disfigured human. Satoru slides his blindfold off. One demon is one thing, two is an annoyance, but curses mixed in to the mix are just pissing him off now.

"Gojo! What the hell?" Nanami comes running towards them, knocking back any poor cursed human that gets in his way. Well, poor might not be the right word to describe the cursed humans. Putting them out of their misery is the humane thing to do.

"Ooh, I'm so happy you are still alive Nanami!" Shippo chirps, recalling his spinner that is now back to normal size. For his part, Nanami doesn't even twitch at Shippo's comment. "I bet Kagome could help those humans if she was here, but maybe not. It is an annoying amount of them."

"I don't know. I called Yaga for backup." Satoru bites back a groan. "Tell me those are not giant insects and the answer is no, Shippo, Kagome is not coming here to maybe purify some cursed humans."

Cool, he's got disfigured humans that look exactly like the sorcerers from the Exchange event, so one of the disaster curses is probably here. He's got more demons popping up, fucking up the building structures, and now there are giant insects swarming everywhere.

It feels like a free for all. Now all he needs is a bunch of wannabes soldiers joining in.

"Is this your doing?" Nanami turns on Shippo and points at the chaos. Not even a single strand of hair is out of place. Satoru can't help but wonder what kind of gel Nanami uses to keep his hair in place like that. There's not even a speck of blood on Nanami's coat. If he didn't have his infinity, Satoru might be a just tad bit jealous.

"Please, I'm a fox." Shippo dusts off his jacket and pulls out another sucker, unconcerned about all the innocent people running around them. "As if I would work with some curses," Shippo mutters under his breath.

"That means—"

"He's Kagome's son. He wouldn't do this." Satoru takes a step forward, needing to do more action and less talking. They do not have time to wait for reinforcements. He cannot go all out because of all the civilians in the way, but the lives he can save, he will. "I have trust in Gome-chan. Shippo wouldn't do something to like this."

"Stop it, I might tear up," Shippo yells out after him. "Wait, can you stop and pose? I want to take a picture of this moment."

Satoru sticks his middle finger up in response.

"There are people dying," Nanami scolds.

"There are always people dying. You humans need to get your shit together," Shippo retorts.

Just once, he would like a holiday where shit does not go down. An insect casually picks up a small child, yanking the boy from his mother, who screams hysterically and tries to hold on, but loses her grip.

Sigh. He must be asking for too much.

Chapter Text

Itadori Yuji is not having a great day.

First, he woke up because of Sukuna clamping down on his stomach. How? Somehow, he fell asleep with his palm lying flat on his exposed stomach like a dumb ass. Second, Nobara ate the rest of the pizza from last night. Pizza he was saving for breakfast because nothing - nothing -compares to cold pizza for breakfast. And third, as soon as he slipped on his clothes after showering so he could go out and find something to eat, Megumi barged into his room about an emergency.

Did he forget to mention it is his day off? Between exorcising curses and having to write essays, Yuji is beat. He suspects Kagome-san has been providing some input with the curriculum. Not that Gojo-san would ever tell him the truth if he asked.

"What's gotten into you?" Megumi asks with a permanent frown on his face, arms crossed over his chest in the signature blue jujutsu high uniform.

Yuji yawns.

"Hungry. Tired." His stomach growls loudly and ends on a pathetic wail. "Mainly hungry." He scratches at his belly and winces at the bite still marring his skin. Sukuna is a fucking dick. He can't wait until they collect the rest of Sukuna's fingers, so he can be done with him. "What?"

Megumi's frown deepens. "You just seem different."

"Yeah, like he actually wants to live," Nobara interjects. She tosses her hammer back and forth between her palms. One leg is outstretched, foot tapping, as they wait for Nitta to show up. "And here I thought he was the sacrificial type."

Yuji shrugs. If he must die for Sukuna to die, then so be it. He's accepted that fate. But Kagome-san gives him hope. That story about the priestess that lived with half a soul. Surely, if someone could live with half of their soul, there has to be a way for him to live and Sukuna to still die. Maybe he is losing his mind, but he actually wants to live his life if he can. Having a thousand-year-old vengeful spirit or whatever is not how he envisioned his life going.

Buyo Jr. leaps out from Megumi's shadow and onto Yuji's shoulder. Yuji flinches. Sukuna and Buyo Jr. do not get along. Okay, no one gets along with Sukuna, but Buyo Jr. intentionally jumps on him just so he can take a swipe at Sukuna.

Spoiler alert: Yuji is the only one getting hurt here.

Buyo Jr. lets out a wail, tails hitting Yuji in the face. Megumi looks behind him and then nods.

"Can you carry all of us?"

Yuji startles. "Can who carry us? Buyo? Shouldn't we wait for Nitta to show up?" His brows furrow. Not to mention, what if someone sees a giant ass cat flying through the sky? How would they explain that?

Nobara shrugs and puts her hammer away.

Got it. He is the only sane one here.

"I don't think that is wise... What if someone sees Buyo Jr? He's not exactly small, you know." Yuji places his hands on his hips. Buyo Jr. lets out another wail and smacks his face with his tails.

Oh, come on. Why is he the only one that gets hit around here?

Buyo Jr. leaps down and transforms into his larger form. The fires licking at his paws are bigger, darker red than before. Yuji bites back a sigh. Sukuna stirs from within him. Megumi hops on to Buyo Jr.'s back, followed by Nobara. They look at Yuji with expectancy. Yuji looks up at the sky, shakes his head, and then climbs on.

"For the record, I still think this is a bad idea."

"We don't have time to wait," Megumi says as Buyo Jr. takes flight.

"Demons?" Nobara asks, leaning forward. Yuji wrinkles his nose. Nobara's perfume is more noticeable now that he's right behind her, with the scent constantly hitting him in the face.

His temple throbs.

"Demons?" he repeats. What do demons have to do with their mission? Or wherever Buyo Jr. is taking them. Yuji still thinks they should have waited for Nitta. Or at the least, maybe they should send a text letting her know they took matters into their own hands.

"Yeah. Buyo wouldn't insist if there weren't demons nearby."

Dread pools in Yuji's gut. A bead of sweat trickles down his brow. Well... crap! Curses are one thing, but the demons always seem much harder to deal with. The few times he has gone against one, it has not been pleasant. He shudders. One even got Gojo-sensei back when Yuji was pretending to be dead still.

Should they be calling for Kagome-san?

No. She's pregnant. It wouldn't be right to ask her to bail them out. Yuji loses track of how long the flight takes, too busy warring with himself in his mind about how to play this situation. At the very least, he does not need to use cursed energy to fight the demons, but they are absolute tanks at taking punches, so it might be more efficient to use cursed energy to take them out.

Yuji sees the dark smoke and buildings on fire before he notices the demon. It swoops in right as Buyo Jr. takes a deep dive, nearly missing Yuji's head by centimeters. The hair on the back of his neck rise.

Fuck. How did he not sense that?

Megumi curses and summons his Nue.

One crisis avoided for now. Yuji bites down on his bottom lip, his body trembling with anger? Frustration? He needs to be on the ground where he can fight.

"How interesting," Sukuna says mockingly. Yuji ignores the jab. Sukuna is just trying to get a rise out of him. Trying to get him to lose focus.

"Shut up." He shuts his eyes and holds his breath as Buyo Jr. goes straight for the smoke. The third thing Yuji notices as he opens his eyes is the people on fire. The screams sear into his brain. It is a sound that is like no other. Worse than when he first encountered curses. The screams pierce through his earbuds. The smell of burned flesh is awful.

"Oh, there you are," a voice says, cutting through the screams. Megumi and Nobara stiffen. Buyo Jr. lets out a roar that shatters glass from the cars parked on the road. Yuji winces. His eardrums feel as though they are going to bleed out. The figure steps forward, not bothered by the sound.

A disaster curse.

If there is one, then there must be more of them. The damage, the demons - this has to be a full-scale attack going on. Later, Yuji thinks, he will thank Buyo Jr. for sensing trouble.

Yuji's eyes zero in on the volcano curse. His heart slows down, steady. His fingers twitch. The battle between Nue and the insect like demon clash above them. Buyo Jr. moves closer to Megumi, teeth bared at the curse.

"Come vessel, and I'll let these two go for now." The curse wriggles his fingers. His large eye creeps Yuji out just as much as it did the first time they met. "You won't come?" A smile touches its face as if this refusal delights it.

"Don't be rash," Megumi warns, his voice low, pinched. Nue crashes down in front of them, sending dust flying everywhere. People continue to run past them. Some have given up and lied down on the sidewalk or on the road as the fire consumes them.

The sight fuels Yuji on. He cannot just stand here and do nothing. Yuji dashes toward the volcano curse, his eyes zeroed in on his prey. If this curse is here, then the patched face one must be somewhere nearby.

This time, he will not let another disaster curse get away.

Volcano head smiles, unruffled even as the ground under their feet cracks.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

A spider rises from the ground, shaking off the concrete as its large red eyes zeros in on Yuji. One leg sends the volcano curse flying into a car with a loud CRACK. Buyo Jr.'s growls increase in volume. There are shouts. A swarm of insect demons surrounds them, buzzing obnoxiously.

No, Yuji realizes, he is surrounded.

"Yuji—Ah!" Nobara's screams sear into his mind. The swarm parts just enough for him to have a clear view of Nobara skewed on one long spider leg. Her blood shines on the hairy leg.

No, Yuji thinks, those are not hairs, but spikes growing out of its legs. From the corner of his eye, he spies the other spider moving toward him. That one also has spikes for hairs.

An explosion of fire erupts as the volcano curse stalks toward the spider demon behind Yuji. It swears as a ball of fire gathers in its palms. He makes a split decision and makes a break for Nobara and Megumi.

Gotta help them. Nobara is barely hanging on. Her skin is turning pale as blood flows freely from her stomach.

The buzzing intensifies, and the swarm attacks him.

Shit. Where is Gojo-sensei when you need him?

Chapter Text

Sesshomaru bailed on her. Kagome is not upset, she promises. Okay, maybe a bit. Sesshomaru always keeps his word and for him to bail on her last minute like this has her feeling some kind of way. One, what the hell is going on in Shibuya that had Satoru rushing out of the house and has Sesshomaru heading to that area too? And two, did Sesshomaru really have to send InuYasha in as his replacement? They didn't exactly leave on good terms the last they spoke.

Either way, she knows nothing good is going down in Shibuya if Sesshomaru and Satoru are there. Kagome does not need the Shikon to chime in to tell her what she already knows. Whatever is going on in Shibuya is horrific. Satoru is not easily flustered and Sesshomaru does not, as he says, bother with human problems, so this must involve demons as well.

She sighs, rolls her shoulders back, and waits by the door for InuYasha to show up. He does not keep her waiting for long. She opens the door at the first knock and flashes him a grateful smile as she locks the door behind her. Kagome thinks -hopes- that the tension between them won't be so awkward. They have had arguments before and have always bounced back, so this time should be no different, right?

Wrong. InuYasha rounds on her before they even leave the property. Is one day of no drama so much to ask for?

"I only want you." He beats his chest, claws ripping at the red fire rat haori he wore so long ago. His hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, making him look more regal. She can admit that the years have been kind to him.

Kagome rocks back on her heels, searching within herself for a morsel of want, but she comes up empty. Her heart aches for InuYasha's pain, but the desire has cooled and fizzled out. Maybe that was the problem. They burned so hotly all those years ago. The constant arguments and apologies fueled their dependency on one another.

Suddenly, her bones are weary, and she does not want to argue. Nothing she says from here on out is going to change his mind. And frankly, her mind keeps wandering to how Satoru is doing and if he is staying safe. Yeah, she knows he is the strongest or whatever, nevertheless, she can't help but worry about him.

Someone has to.

To the world, Satoru is the strongest and an immediate solution to their problems, but to her, he is simply Satoru, the man she loves.

"You knew this wasn't our world," she says softly, lips pulled down into a frown. "You had to know. My family's shrine is not here. Never was. Can't even find one that looks like it here." Kagome waves a hand in the air. "I looked around the area." She wets her lips. Satoru offered to buy her a shrine if she wanted one, not that she took him up on that offer because the idea of spending that much money on a whim is maddening to her, but they came to a compromise to support a local shrine instead.

InuYasha jerks his head to the side. One fang grazes his bottom lip. "Sesshomaru, the bastard, told me to leave it alone." His golden eyes pin her in place. "Said that you were glowing. Fucking happy and shit with this hum- sorcerer and to leave it be."

"I'm not with him because he's human." Frankly, with how powerful Satoru is, it does not feel like he's human at all. Not when she thinks about the humans in her world or the ones here that are not sorcerers. "You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are." It pains her to think that InuYasha may still be struggling with his heritage when there is nothing wrong with him.

"I'm not," he snaps, frowning as his eyes focus on her. InuYasha sighs, deflated. "I'm not. Just don't like it."

She gets that, she does; however, InuYasha is just gonna have to accept it. There is no getting around it. Kagome is happy with Satoru. More than happy and when presented with the choice to choose, she chose Satoru. Not that she would ever tell InuYasha that as it would be unnecessarily mean, but she is in love with Satoru.

"We should get going. Did you have anywhere in mind, or did you just want to walk around?" She adjusts the quiver with her bow and closes the door behind her. Assuring Satoru that she'd carry her bow to complete her priestess get up was the only way to settle his nerves about her going out today.

Though if he knew InuYasha was escorting her, he'd probably make up an excuse to stay home.

Or at least try to. She knows he would have eventually still left out to investigate whatever is going on in Shibuya.

"Walk around, follow our instincts. Yada yada." InuYasha stuffs his hands in his sleeves. The rip in his fire coat is already mended. He looks just like he did all those years ago, except now he is wearing shoes, an image she never thought she'd see.

"Say, do you know what is going on in Shibuya?" Kagome goes for nonchalant as she walks side-by-side InuYasha. He must have taken the train here, she thinks, since there is no car in the driveway except for Satoru's (theirs) and they walk past the parked cars in the street. They get some looks, which is to be expected with InuYaha's dog ears being out on full display, but mostly, people shrug and turn their attention back to whatever they were doing.

"What's up with Shippo and Gojo, anyway? The runt's been slacking off to help Gojo with curses." InuYasha snorts and walks like a man that has all the time in the world. His ears twitch and swerve to the left. "Sesshomaru won't shut up about it."

"Dunno. Guess Shippo likes Satoru. He spends more time with him than me." She is not pouting. She is not pouting. Totally O-kay, that Shippo prefers hanging out with Satoru than following her around and keeping her company. It's great. Terrific. She's lying through her teeth. "Is that not normal? You guys helping with the curses?"

Yakeru never gives her a straightforward answer. Or when he does answer her, he just raises more questions. Or he goes on a tangent about how disgusting he finds curses to be and can't be bothered to pay them any mind.

"Only if they bother us." InuYasha scratches at his cheek, pink dusts his cheeks. "I mean, like if I see someone is going to get hurt by one, then yeah, I'll step in. But no one goes out of their way to do the sorcerer's job."

"But you could help and you guys don't want to?"

InuYasha huffs. "Not sure if you've noticed, but there's a hell of a lot more of them and humans than demons. Ain't saying I like it, but we've adapted. None of the others were doing anything about it. Some use the lower levels ones, but..." He stops and regards Kagome with such intensity, her heart sinks.

"How much do you know about Gojo?"

"... enough?" How does one answer a question like that? What is she supposed to do? Go down a list of Satoru's every single like and dislike? She can, but surely InuYasha does not want to hear that.

"He changed the power balance when he was born. Curses back then were manageable. Kind of. The curse users were a pain for jujutsu, but now curses are getting stronger, and bringing more attention to us is not the best play."

Kagome squints at him and places her hands on her hips. "Sounds not like you at all. Doesn't even sound like Sesshomaru either." So that's just it? They are choosing to not deal with the situation even though they have the means to do so. A part of her is disgusted. Another part of her understands their dilemma of being well, frankly outnumbered, by both humans and curses.

Why can't there be a compromise somewhere?

He gives a half-shrug and continues walking. "The bastard is keeping more than just himself alive." InuYasha casts her another contemplating look. "You didn't know about his birth?"

"Eh, he mentioned something about it, but does that really matter?"

"You really haven't changed." InuYasha bumps her shoulder and Kagome can't help but smile. Some of the earlier tension dissipates and she can breathe a little easier. They walk until they come across a local cafe right before InuYasha's phone starts ringing like crazy. Immediately, Kagome finds her blood rushing to her eardrums. She strains herself to hear some of the conversation.

She nearly spills her food onto the floor as she sits down at the table. Her hands won't stop shaking.

"The fuck are you talking about?" InuYasha asks, turning his body away from her as he speaks into the phone. His hand clenches and unclenches. If he is trying to pretend like nothing is wrong, then he is doing a piss-poor job at it. Not even the serene music drifting from the speakers can stop the anxiety from rising in her gut.

"Slow down," he whispers, "what happened? That doesn't even make sense. Where the fuck were you at? Where's Sesshomaru?"

Kagome's fingers shake. Her appetite is gone. She tries to will InuYasha to look at her. To say something that will put her at ease, but he shifts in his seat and does everything he can to not look her way.

"InuYasha..."

"We gotta get back." He slides the phone into his pocket and grabs her arm, dragging her up. "S'orry for cutting this short, but we gotta go." InuYasha talks a mile a minute, not letting her arm go until they are back outside. Kagome can feel the people from inside the cafe staring them down, probably wondering why he is manhandling her.

She wonders that too, but her worry for whatever the hell is going on in Shibuya stills her tongue from lashing out at him. Kagome opens her mouth again to ask him what is going on when her vision goes red, her eardrums ring, and she can barely feel InuYasha's arms wrapped around her.

Please let Satoru be okay, she thinks, before her body gives out.

Chapter Text

A fine coat of desperation clings to Megumi like a newborn child. He stumbles through the chaos with shaky legs. Buyo Jr. nudges him in the side, but Megumi pays him no attention. Not now. Not when he can barely make out what the hell is going on.

Where is Yuji?

Hell, is Nobara still alive?

He does not remember how they got separated. There was that volcano curse and some spider demons and then…Megumi stumbles and grips his head. The pounding grows stronger with every throb. It is as though his head is being split in two. He wants to give in and sink down into a fetal position, but he can't. This is no time for weakness. No time to acknowledge the pain. Keep moving forward.

Buyo Jr. jumps out in front of him and blocks his way. The nekomata puffs up his fur and stares him down.

"What are you doing? I need to find the others." Megumi stuffs down the irritation bubbling in his gut. Pushes it down along with the pain in his skull. The screams of burning civilians are scarred into his psyche. He wants to drown in this despair. Megumi tries to sidestep Buyo Jr. but the nekomata refuses to let him pass. Megumi's nostrils flare. Where does Buyo Jr. get off, keeping him from helping those in need?

He needs to find Yuji and Nobara and then contact Gojo-sensei. Surely someone has gotten into contact with him by now. He hopes so. Whatever is going on here, it is far more than the three of them can handle. Curses are one thing. But special grades and demons are devastating. The city, from what he can see, is on the verse of collapse. The damage is too high to count.

He does not have time to waste. And Buyo Jr. needs to get out of the damn way.

Megumi goes to move around Buyo Jr. one more time when the corpse of a spider demon lands in front of him. His eyes widen as he takes in the burned, still twitching, body. That answers one question, but raises so many more. Buyo Jr. growls and fluffs up his two tails. "Sorry for doubting you," Megumi says as he lowers into a squat. He pulls out another sword from the shadows. Maki is going to kill him once she finds out he lost another sword she took from the Zenin clan. "Can you smell Yuji and Nobara at all?"

Buyo Jr. tilts his head and then lifts his head to the sky. Megumi squares his shoulders. He's not expecting much with how shitty this day is turning out to be. But maybe there is a sliver of goodness out there somewhere in the midst of the burning buildings and piercing screams that will haunt him in his dreams. He's seen some fucked up stuff. Comes with the job. And yet, today has him more shaken up than when he came face to face with Sukuna. Buyo Jr. lets out a low whine and droops his ears.

That's a no.

The smoke must be too much for his nose to pick up on their scents. Megumi grits his teeth and turns to the left. The corpse came from that direction. Someone had to throw it. How far? Hell if he knows, but he's got nothing else to go off on. This time, Buyo Jr. trots beside him and does not block his way. Megumi glances at Buyo Jr. from the corner of his eyes.

As much time as he has spent with the nekomata, he does not know that much about him. He knows Buyo Jr. prefers his food raw, does not get along with Sukuna, and does not like to be waken up from his naps. Other than that, he knows nothing else about the nekomata.

Why is Buyo working with them and not his kind? Does he not feel the same oppressiveness the others have lamented on? Megumi blows out a breath. When this day is over and they have laid the bodies to rest, he needs to have a long talk with Kagome-san. She knows how these demons think. What makes them tick.

Buyo Jr. nudes Megumi with his head. A soft purr emits from nekomata. A calmness descends on Megumi as he rubs Buyo Jr.'s head.

Buyo Jr. may be a demon, but he has been by Megumi's side all this time. If he's not sleeping in Megumi's shadow, then Buyo is resting on his shoulders. If the nekomata was up to no good, then surely he would need time away to convene with someone. Megumi pushes the thoughts down and locks them away to unpack for later.

"Fushiguro!"

Megumi comes to a halt and turns to the left. His eyes widen. Nobara is alive? He dashes towards her. How is she walking? Those wounds looked lethal. Nobara meets him halfway. Sweat drips down her face. There is dried blood on her face and clothes. "Where's Yuji? Did you heal yourself?"

She shakes her head. "Sukuna is out."

… What?

"What do you mean, Sukuna is out?" He grips her arms and then lets go as if he's been burned. His heart is pounding so loud he hears it in his eardrums. Did Sukuna throw that spider demon his way? "Yuji should have control over him."

"That volcano curse fed him the fingers. It was the last thing I saw before…" She cuts off and shakes. Her hands tremble as she wraps herself in a hug. "I was dead."

"You aren't making sense. If you were dead and came back, you should be a vengeful spirit." His head pounds. He must have gotten knocked out because he recalls nothing Nobara is saying.

"Look I was dead and then I wasn't. That Sesshomaru guy was there one moment and then the next thing I know, I'm getting sent flying." She drops her hands and, like a switch, her expression turns maniacal. Megumi takes a step back. There is something not right with the twinkle in her eyes. The spider demon must have done more damage than he thought. Clearly, Nobara's brain cells got rocked in the process.

"We've got to exorcise those bastards before anyone else gets hurt," Nobara continues. "And pay it back in blood." She cracks her knuckles.

Megumi sucks his teeth. Fighting Sukuna again is not something he wants to even entertain, but do they have time to wait for Gojo-sensei? He reaches into his pocket. Fuck it, it doesn't hurt to try. But no one picks up.

He tries a third time. Same response. Nothing.

"No answer?"

"He must already be here. We need to find Sukuna and get Yuji to take control again." Easier said than done, but leaving Sukuna to rampage is also not an option.

"We can't take on Sukuna," Nobara points out. "We'd be better going after the smaller curses and then checking on Yuji. I doubt Sesshomaru will kill him."

"We don't even know the guy. Why would some demon lord care about saving the life of one human?" To him, saving Yuji is important. He is one of them. And the more available sorcerers, the more fighters they have to get to the root of the problem. "Not all the demons are working with those special grades. Let them fight each other while we focus on saving Yuji."

Buyo growls and brushes his head against Megumi.

"Fine, we'll focus on the enemies we can take out for now," Megumi accedes.

"You listen to your cat more than me?"

Megumi rolls his eyes. "Buyo has a good point. Sesshomaru-sama won't kill Sukuna because Yuji is important to Kagome-san." Not like he knows if Sesshomaru can kill Sukuna or not. Regardless, Yuji should be safe and hopefully the demon lord is strong enough to hold Sukuna off until Yuji regains control.

"Too bad the same can't be said for the two of you," a voice says, followed by the sound of someone stomping. Warning bells ring out in Megumi's mind.

They turn and Megumi's heart sinks to his feet. On top of a grotesque monster is the patched face special grade Yuji told them about. The patched face curse smiles gleefully down at them from his position on the curse - demon? Cursed energy and demonic mingle together and Megumi isn't sure what he is looking at.

The thing opens its mouth, and a tongue laced with needles sticks out. Its mouth is full of nothing but teeth. Every inch is lined with sharp razors. Its breaths are heavy. The green scales look as hard as armor and its eyes are slit like snakes.

"You like my half breed?" The curse asks, patting the monster. He leans back and swings his feet. "Guess he is a full one now. You know, demon souls aren't that different from humans. Easy to manipulate once you get your hands on them."

Megumi grips his sword. A fine bead of sweat drips down to his brow. So much for going after the smaller curses. Where is Gojo-sensei when you need him? He sucks in a breath and wills himself to calm down.

Now is not the time to worry about anything other than the danger in front of him. No one is coming to save them. Jujutsu is a solo sport. Doesn't matter how many allies he has around him. When his time comes, no one will be there with Megumi when he dies. He has to save himself.

"Getting real sick of you bastards," Nobara says, with her hammer in hand.

"Perhaps I'll keep you around," the curse says. "I wonder if the soul is more fragile after death."

Nobara scoffs, and in the blink of an eye, she goes on the offensive. The curse sighs loudly as the demon swipes out with its tongue. Megumi swallows down the bile. The demon drools as its tongue continues to lash out. Steam rises from the streets. Its tongue is laced with poison.

"Nobara, watch out!" he yells right before the hit knocks Nobara back. Her scream pierces his ears. She convulses on the ground next to him, ripping at her uniform as the poison eats away at her. Megumi drops his sword. There's no other choice. The two of them cannot take these two on and that's if Nobara can neutralize the poison somehow. "Hide in my shadow," he commands Buyo Jr. as he begins the summon.

No one is coming to save them. That's fine. The life of a sorcerer is usually short. But these curses and demons aren't surviving this encounter either.

Chapter Text

Mahito swears. He has heard from Geto about the so-called trump card that all ten shadow users have, but hearing and seeing it is another matter. The shikigami is out of control. It does not differentiate between him, the sorcerers, or the demons. Instead, it rampages and attacks those that stand in its way.

Blood runs down his forehead. If he were a weaker curse or, hell forbid, a human, then he would be dead.

The sky above is dark, filled with smoke from the fires. If the few remaining humans do not die from one of the many curses or demons running amok, then surely the smoke will do them in. Not that any of that matters with this giant shikigami in the way.

"Fuck, this thing is huge," he mutters, barely dodging another attack. Mahoraga stands as tall as the transfigured demon Mahito was using as a transportation device. There is a wheel above his head, taunting Mahito with every click. Looks like none of them will be able to defeat this thing. Who summons a shikigami they cannot defeat and control?

Idiot sorcerers.

Desperation makes humans do such stupid things. Like summoning this thing. Was that boy's plan to take them all out?

Death is not something Mahito wants to experience just yet. Not until he puts that woman in the ground and sees the look of anguish on Yuji's face once more. From the corner of his eye, he notices the dark-haired sorcerer trying to move the girl. If Mahito was in a better position, he might congratulate her on surviving the poison.

Plus, he still wants to get his hands on her soul to see what happens when someone has been brought back to life.

"By the way," he drawls, commanding the teen's attention, "Gojo Satoru is gone." He smiles, radiating joy from being able to just say those words. How many people get to say that? The strongest sorcerer of the modern world is gone.

He's so damn giddy, he wants to shout out it from a rooftop.

A flash of disbelief followed by despair mars the boy's face and it is absolutely exquisite. The sorrow. The grief. Mahito's eyes roll back in ecstasy. He can taste the negative emotions in the air. Mahoraga lets out a roar that shakes the ground.

Ugh. Fine. He will figure out how to deal with this shikigami first and then take his time tormenting the sorcerers afterwards. It will be all worth it in the end to watch that sorcerer's mind break as he taunts him about how no one is going to save him. Not with Gojo Satoru out of the picture. And that woman will be delt with soon enough. Her powers may be dangerous, but her body is still weak, like that of a normal human.

Getting rid of her will be easy. There is no one left to protect her. She is surrounded by weaklings.

Mahoraga advances on him. "I'm not the one that summoned you," he quips, as he leaps in the air. If he could just get that wheel, then maybe he will have a chance. Mahoraga backhands him and sends him flying. The debris and glass cut into his skin and his eyes. Mahito lies there, on the ground. He thinks he must have been knocked through at least three buildings. At least it feels that way.

The pain is so great; he feels high. An enlightenment. He sits up and plucks the shards out of his eyes. A manic smile splits across his patched face. Surely, Sukuna can't be too mad if the boy takes himself out. It is not as though Mahito attacked the sorcerer. No, he focused his attention on the female. No one told the suicidal sorcerer to summon a shikigami he cannot control.

He sighs as he dusts the debris off his clothes. Who is he kidding? Sukuna is not one that can be reasoned with. This he knows from experience. If that is the case, then he may as well kill both sorcerers now. At least if he must go against Sukuna, it will be because of something he actually did this time.

The demons he brought along with him are no more. A waste. It took a lot for him to work his transfiguration on them. Way more effort than with humans. Despite what he said earlier, demon souls are much harder to deal with. He's only gotten his hands on half-demons and some with a pinch of demon blood in their veins.

Encountering a full demon is not something Mahito wants to encounter anytime soon.

"Vermin," a voice says to his left. A wave of pure, demonic energy washes over the area. Even Mahoraga gives pause. The two sorcerers are knocked out. It looks as though the dark-haired one took the attack for the girl. "Where is the Six-eyes?" The demon grips his sword. From here, Mahito can feel the pure malice radiating off that sword like a tsunami. This newcomer is dangerous.

"Surely, you aren't talking to me." Mahito points to himself. Whoever this newcomer is, let the rampaging Mahoraga deal with him. "When the vermin is you." A green whip shoots out and blood gushes from his hand. Mahito screams, dropping to his knees. His hand is not regenerating. "What the hell did you do?"

No. No. No. This is not happening right now. Not when the fun is just starting. Not when he has so much left to do.

"That's my prey, demon lord," Sukuna says mockingly, landing next to the two knocked out sorcerers. Sukuna stares Mahito down and then turns his attention to Mahoraga.

Shit.

The king of curses and a demon lord? Fear grabs hold of Mahito and shakes him down for everything he has. This is the power of a full-fledged demon? His hand is still nonexistent. Blood continues to pour, and his regeneration is not working. The skin burns. He tries to change the shape of his body, but nothing works. The area burns like none other. It is not a sensation he wants to experience ever again.

"Shut up," the white-haired demon says. The demon holds up his hand and Mahito thinks this may be it. He might be done for. A flame arrow cuts through the green mist right before it reaches him.

He's alive? How?

Mahito scrambles back and hightails it out of there. He knows not why Sukuna saved his life, but he does not plan to stick around and find out. Let those two deal with that unconquerable shikigami. He needs to regroup. Heal his hand. Regroup with the others. And if he is lucky, Sukuna will have taken care of that demon lord and leave Mahito be.

A chill runs up his spine as he glances back. "Fuck." He throws himself to the right, barely missing the blast of energy sent his direction. His leg throbs. It is burned. His leg does not want to move. Crippled. Double fuck. He wills his unscathed hand to transform into something sharp. It works.

Yes! It works.

He cuts off the burned part of his leg, biting down on his tongue as the pain nearly makes him want to pass out. His body is weak. Far too weak. But his regeneration is working on his leg now. He wonders if the same will work on his other arm, so he cuts more of his arm off.

Almost as if there was a blockage, his regeneration flows freely, and his hand heals. The smell of rotting flesh assaults his nose. Fuck that demon lord.

Is this the power of a full demon or just that one? He does not want to find out. But why did he ask for Satoru Gojo? He needs to get away. As much as it pains him to leave the destruction to the others, staying alive long enough to see that woman's death is more important. Staggering to his feet, he moves further away from the battle. His newly regenerated leg is wobbly, frail.

A pain in the ass.

"Running away?" Geto chimes rounding the corner. Mahito scoffs. He looks a damn mess and Geto looks as serene as usual. "That's not like you."

"Regrouping. There is a demon lord in the midst."

The smile drops from Geto's face as if someone threw a bucket of acid on him. Ah, so this was not a part of Geto's scheme. Good to know he is not the only one confused. "And what did this demon lord look like?"

"White hair, gold eyes, a crescent moon on his forehead." Mahito flexes his hand. Good, the feeling is back. His strength is returning. Just in time, too. He spots the blonde sorcerer he fought back at the school. "Break is over," he declares. "I've got one more sorcerer to kill."

Geto laughs and moves to the side. "By all means, have your fun."

"You aren't going to join?"

"Later."

Mahito narrows his eyes. Something about Geto's refusal to join in on the chaos does not sit right with him. An eerie feeling builds in his gut. The stench of betrayal is coated on every word Geto speaks. "By the way, that demon lord is looking for Gojo Satoru."

"Is that so?" Geto murmurs, looking past Mahito and in the direction of the demonic energy. "How interesting."

The unease does not dissipate from his gut, but he ignores it for now. The need to test out his newly regenerated limbs is great. And with everyone distracted, no one will be coming to that blonde sorcerer's rescue.

What is that saying the humans are always going on about? Third time is the charm. Yeah, this time, that sorcerer will not walk away from the fight.

"Oh, Mahito, try not to get yourself killed. We still have lots to do."

That unease and the whisper of betrayal stays with Mahito long after Geto walks away. Even as he engages with the blonde sorcerer with the tired eyes, he cannot shake the feeling of something not being quite right.

Which is silly.

Geto is on the side of curses. He would not go to these lengths just to side with humanity.

Chapter Text

"Bout time you woke up."

Kagome groans as her sight returns. Her hands go to her stomach. No cramping. She is not in pain. That's a plus. But something happened. How long has she been out? Feels like hours. InuYasha brushes her hands away and leans forward. He presses his ear to her stomach.

"All good. They're good." He leans back and gives her a wobbly grin.

"Thank Kami." She lets out a breath and then freezes. They? "You mean they as in..."

InuYasha squints. His golden eyes are really pretty in the moonlight. Slightly warmer than Sesshomaru's eyes. Wait... moonlight? It was definitely daytime when they went out to the cafe.

"They as in they. Did ya not know you were having twins?"

"Fuck no. Are you sure your hearing isn't damaged?"

InuYasha presses his ear back to her stomach and frowns. "Huh. That's creepy." He pulls back and sits on the bed. Kagome blinks. Wait. When did they get back to the house? They were out and then... her head throbs as she tries to recall what happened. There was an explosion or something.

"I thought we were out at the cafe."

"Yeah, we were. But there was a problem." InuYasha presses his lips together. His claws dig into his palms. "What matters is that you are safe, and they are safe." His ears twitch and swerve towards the door.

Why isn't he telling her what that problem was?

Kagome shakes her head. "There was only one baby on the ultrasound. And what do you mean there was a problem?" She leans her head against the headboard. While she might not be in pain, her body feels so damn heavy, like she has a 100-pound weight on her chest. "And what about Satoru? What was that phone call?" Her chest burns. Satoru better be okay. Why isn't he home yet if it's dark out?

Satoru will not be happy to see InuYasha in their bedroom. She needs to get to the bottom of what is going on like now.

"Listen. The thing is. Well..." he trails off and looks at the door. A moment later, Sesshomaru walks in. There is no expression on the demon lord's face. For once, Kagome wishes there was something there for her to go off on. It is a little weird to see Sesshomaru dressed in his old attire.

"Where is my husband?" She demands. InuYasha flinches, but she ignores him and focuses on Sesshomaru. No one is giving her the answers she wants to hear. Someone needs to start talking or so help her.

"He's not your husband," InuYasha grumbles under his breath.

"Sealed," Sesshomaru answers.

Kagome's breath catches. Her hands shake. What does he mean sealed? That cannot be right. Satoru is untouchable. The strongest. His strength is absolute. They have to be fucking with her. But Sesshomaru does not joke, and he wouldn't try to play some trick on her. No, Sesshomaru is above that.

Which means Satoru is not coming home.

Her chest rises rapidly. Her breaths come out in spurts. The room is spinning.

"Calm down," Sesshomaru commands. "He is sealed. Not dead." His words snap her out of her spiral.

"How did that even happen?" Kagome focuses on slowing her breathing. She is no help to anyone if she passes out again. Breathe in and out. Over and over.

"By the time I arrived, he was already sealed. Him and Shippo split up to tackle the curses and demons running havoc in the city. I don't know all the details, but this was not a surprise attack. It was planned. I suspect it was all to seal your mate." Sesshomaru stands there reciting the words as if he has practiced what to say to her. His aura takes up the entire bedroom. Unshakable.

"Which means," InuYasha interjects, "we need to move you to higher ground. It's a shit show out there. Everyone knows about curses now." He turns to address Sesshomaru. "What about us?"

"Lumped in with the curses and sorcerers. As far as the rest of the world knows, demons are not a thing. Even if we were discovered, the humans have no way of determining who is a demon or not. It would end up being a witch hunt that would lead nowhere."

"Good. One last thing to worry about." InuYasha scratches at his nose.

The conversation flows back and forth, but Kagome can't find it in her to be relieved that demons weren't found out. How can she? Satoru is somewhere far away from her. This is different from when he left overseas for work. She could call him anytime and he would answer. Now, she has no idea where he is. How he is doing. Or who has him.

The Shikon pulses. A wave of soft power washes over her. Sesshomaru and InuYasha must feel it too, because the conversation comes to a halt. The accusation hangs in the air. Not that she can find it in her to care too much what either of them is thinking right now. Her world is crashing down around her. Her husband - her mate - is out there somewhere and she does not know where to look for him.

"Is it reacting to your emotions?" Sesshomaru stands over the bed. His golden eyes are cool, assessing, but not in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable.

She gives a jerky nod. "Mainly when I think about Satoru. Yeah." The Shikon pulses again. Her emotions stabilize for now. The warmth feels like someone is giving her a hug.

"Hn. This could be a problem."

"Why? Because she can't keep her emotions in check?"

"No, idiot. Because the jewel has some attachment to her mate."

InuYasha scoffs. "So?"

"The jewel that only has its own well-being in mind is attached to the six-eyes. You don't find a problem with that?" Sesshomaru deadpans.

"No. It's not like the Jewel is tainted." InuYasha cuts his eyes towards her. "It merged with you, right? No one can cut it out again?"

"We're merged. There's no separating us." Kagome looks out towards the window. Her eyes focus on the nightstand.

The card! How could she forget about the card? There was no date or time written on the back. It must have been Geto that planned this. Why else would he tell her to show up alone?

"Where are the kids?" She moves the covers away and stands. InuYasha makes a noise of protest, but doesn't stop her.

"Healing. They are stationed in the guest rooms."

"I don't have guest rooms." There is one room for the kiddos to stay in, but Sesshomaru said guest rooms, not guest room, so they can't be in the house.

"I do." Sesshomaru cuts his eyes at InuYasha. "Why didn't you bring take her to safety?"

"Don't shift the blame to me," InuYasha complains.

Kagome tunes them out. One thing is for certain, she cannot go to Sesshomaru's place. She needs to convince them to let her stay here in the house. At least that way she'll have a shot at sneaking out. No, Sesshomaru's estate is far too secluded. Not to mention, you need the ability to freaking fly to get to and from it.

And she doubts InuYasha will let her use whatever transportation he has to go back and forth.

"I'm staying here in my home. I'm not running away."

"Eh, that's not happening. Ya think that bast—human of yours would want you staying in harm's way?"

"Satoru would want me out looking for him."

"Kagome." InuYasha sighs. "I don't even know the guy, but I can guarantee that is the last thing he would want you to do. "

"I'm not leaving."

"You are."

"I am–"

"Enough. Both of you." Sesshomaru glares at them. "Kagome, you do not know the chaos outside. Your mate would want you and the young safe. We will get him unsealed from whatever box he is in, but we cannot do that if we are worried about you taking matters into your own hands."

Kagome shifts her head away.

"However, so long as Sukuna's vessel is alive, it would be best to keep the two separated."

Kagome's brows furrow. "Did something happen to Yuji?"

"He lost control of Sukuna. The damage toil is great. Shibuya is a wasteland. Festering with negative energy. The curses born from the day alone will be numerous. At any rate, you are not to be near him. If he can lose control once, he can lose control again."

"But everyone is okay?"

"Your son is fine. He, too, should stay away from Sukuna's vessel, but he won't listen to reason. The girl is fine. There will be scars on her face, but nothing she cannot move past. I know not of the others. There were casualties, but..." Sesshomaru trails off. "If there are any others, then Shippo would have taken them to the estate."

Of course, Sesshomaru only knows about Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara since they visit so much.

"They are too young to have to deal with this." Her hand hovers over the doorknob. She wants to run, but to where?

"This is what sorcerers do," InuYasha speaks up. "Your brats will do the same, especially since one of them will be considered the heir to the Gojo clan. Heard the clan was wiped out and all. Not looking too good with Gojo being gone."

Kagome turns. "I'm not having twins." She ignores the comment about the clan being wiped out. If only she had not slapped Satoru's uncle, then maybe the clan wouldn't have fallen prey to Naraku's schemes.

"Twins?" Sesshomaru questions.

"I'm tellin ya, she's having twins. It's just one of them is being creepy."

Sesshomaru walks over to her and sinks down to his knees. Kagome's eyes widen. Uncomfortable does not even begin to explain how she is feeling. He presses his ear to her stomach like InuYasha did earlier and frowns.

"Say something."

"One heartbeat remains constant. The other one comes and goes. As if it is masking its presence." Sesshomaru stands, his eyes are cool.

Assessing.

She hates it.

"I'm not having twins," she says, more to convince herself. This is not the kind of information she wants to receive right now, so she shoves it away. What matters is finding Satoru.

"I'm not sure what you are having," Sesshomaru says gently, "but we will worry about it when the time comes."

"So, you agree it's creepy," InuYasha intones.

"It's cause for concern with the Shikon reacting so strongly in regards to her mate."

Kagome sucks in a breath and walks out of the room. She cannot stay in there a moment longer. Not with them talking over her as if she is not there. She needs a plan. Someone to distract one of them while she sneaks out. Kagome stuffs her hands in her pockets. Her hand hits the medallion.

How could she forget about that? She tightens her fingers around it and lets out a breath. Yakeru will help her. Even if she gets strong-armed into moving into Sesshomaru's estate, at least Yakeru will help her out.

Shippo might. But Shippo is a wild card, he might not.

She plops down on the couch and turns on the tv to the news. InuYasha and Sesshomaru are still holding out information, and she needs to know what she is dealing with before she moves. In her gut, she knows Geto has something to do with Satoru being gone. She'll start there at the shrine. Geto gave her that card for a reason.

The reporter cuts into her musings. In a loud and clear voice, the reporter declares, "Chaos today in Shibuya. Are curses a figment of our imagination? Or are they real? Stay tuned for more information as we take a deep dive into the number of casualties, damages, and why you should fear the things that go bump in the night."

"Guess you have to come to the estate after all," Sesshomaru says, reaching for the remote. He turns the television off. "Do you understand now? It is far too dangerous for you to stay here. More people are aware of curses now, which will only lead to more of them popping up. Not to mention, you are a wanted woman for now."

"Why am I wanted?" And since when is Jujutsu society common knowledge? Oh... right, because of what happened today. Still, why the hell is she wanted?

"Anyone who tries to free Satoru will be hunted down as well. They are blaming him for today's incident." Sesshomaru gestures to her stomach. "It's not out yet, but it is only a matter of time before others take notice of your growing womb. Some may seek to eliminate you because you carry the Gojo line, or..."

"Or they may want to keep me locked away and try to harness my kid's powers for themselves," she says, shoulders slumping. It's the same thing Yumi, Yakeru's sister, tried to pull. "Do I have a choice in this?"

"No." Sesshomaru holds out his hand. "Your mate is not here to make the call and as alpha of the pack, this Sesshomaru will ensure that everyone is protected. I know how you think. Whatever schemes you are plotting, throw them out of your mind now. We will get your mate back, but not at the expense of losing you."

Kagome grits her teeth as she takes Sesshomaru's hand. How can they expect her to just sit this out? "I won't do anything rash," she acquiesces. Sludge coats her tongue. Her throat is tight. Breathe in and out.

Like hell, she will just sit this one out and wait for them to take their time in saving Satoru. The Shikon pulses again. The feeling of someone hugging her returns. Right, she's not alone in this. The Shikon wants Satoru back as much as she does. Sesshomaru narrows his eyes at her, but she shrugs it off. "Just thinking about Satoru."

Sesshomaru nods.

Yeah... just thinking about rescuing him herself.

Chapter Text

The bedroom is extravagant. A crystal chandelier hangs in the middle of the room as if someone did not know where to place it and just felt that the bedroom had to have one. There is a leather couch off to the side next to the chestnut coffee table. Kagome opens the large doors and hidden behind the doors is a TV on an easel.

If she was not so over it, Kagome would laugh at the absurdity of where Sesshomaru has her staying. Jaken must have decorated this room with everything he thought a human might like.

"So, what's the plan?" InuYasha crosses his arms, leaning against the bed pole.

Kagome blinks. Satoru would like this bed for the poles alone.

"Shouldn't you be asking Sesshomaru that? He's the one with all the plans." She huffs, lifting the oversized black shirt up to her nose. It smells like him. Warm like the sun. Her body shivers. This helps, but a sweatshirt is a poor substitute for who she wants. "All I know is Satoru is not here and the jujutsu society has turned their backs on him."

"Speaking of which," Shippo interjects, strolling into the room without so much as a knock. "I vote we get rid of them and do some spring killing." Blood splatters across his face like freckles. Most of the blood splatter is on his clothes. Shippo looks more like a demon than he ever did in the past.

"Cleaning. It's spring cleaning, dumbass."

"Nah, I said what I meant. Killing. If dad was here, he'd kill them himself, but he's not, so I guess I'll need to take on this hardship." Shippo sighs as if the thought is so troubling for him.

"There's something wrong with you." InuYasha moves and stands in front of Shippo, blocking Kagome from being able to see him. "Listen, I don't think we need to kill them just because of a misunderstanding."

"No, go ahead. Less work for him when he comes home," Kagome says, almost as in a trance. The words are robotic, not like her, and yet they come out of her mouth. InuYasha's mouth drops. He stares at her with bewilderment.

"What? No. Kagome, do you hear yourself right now?" He grabs her shoulders and shakes her. "You want Shippo to kill a bunch of humans?" InuYasha's eyes widen as if his words will sink in faster the larger his eyes are.

"I want Satoru back. You think they are going to just let it slide when he gets out? They put out a hit on anyone that attempts to rescue him. They've made their bed." She shrugs out of his hold and slides the black sweatshirt on over her clothes.

Shippo will help her. There is unchecked anger burning in his green eyes. InuYasha just does not understand how far these elders will go. It is obvious he never concerned himself with jujutsu society. She does not blame him. Any other day, she would advocate for a better way. Talking to them, negotiating, something other than murder.

But.

These higher ups will not stop, and they didn't even wait a day before declaring Satoru an enemy.

"No need for him to get his hands dirty. I'll take care of it." Shippo sticks his tongue out at InuYasha, who grunts. "Maybe it didn't occur to you, but they would go after Kagome, too."

InuYasha throws his hands up. "Which is why she is up here, where it is safe. Let things die down for a bit before making rash decisions. Can't believe I'm the one that has to be the voice of reason around here."

"Meh. Satoru will kill them when he gets out. I say we take that off his to-do list so he has more free time to spend with Kagome when he gets out." Shippo holds out a hand, cutting off InuYasha's retort. "Anyway, I came in here to see if you could try your hand at healing that blond sorcerer. You know, the real serious one." Shippo makes some weird gestures. He sticks his hand out and pretends to be slashing something.

"Nanami?" Kagome racks her brain but comes up empty. The only blonde sorcerer she can think of is Nanami. And it does not seem logical for Shippo and Sesshomaru to bring sorcerers not connected to her back to the estate. "Lead the way. I want to see the kids, too."

Shippo holds out his elbow and sticks his tongue back out at InuYasha. "I don't really know if you can save him, to be honest, but I figured if anyone could do some soul healing, it would be you."

"He ran into that patched face curse again?"

"Eh... I guess so? I was preoccupied with the demons going crazy. By the time I got to him, he was barely hanging on. I don't think he has much longer. If he isn't already dead."

The door slams behind them. Kagome rolls her eyes. InuYasha is so dramatic for no reason. Daggers may as well be pointed at her neck from how hard InuYasha is glaring at her back. Kagome looks over her shoulder and gives InuYasha the look she used to give Shippo when he was a kit.

"Should Kagome really be healing someone? Doesn't the jujutsu society have a healer?"

"They have Shoko, but she can't heal the soul damage." Plus, she is probably swamped with patients. Shoko pushed for Kagome to help her out in the clinic on the low, but Satoru wasn't going for it. "I've managed to help change the shape of the soul back for one person, but their body couldn't handle it. There is a chance Nanami may be too far gone, but I will do my best."

They arrive at what Kagome guesses is the infirmary. Forget an estate. Does Sesshomaru have a damn city up in the sky? The guards nod their heads and step aside to let them through. Their elf like ears give nothing away. Though she suspects they must be dog demons since they are working for Sesshomaru.

"Blood oaths," Shippo whispers. "If they even think about betraying Sesshomaru..." He drags his free hand across his neck.

Kagome frowns.

Well, then... that's one way of ensuring the people close to Sesshomaru are loyal.

"Are you here to put me down?" Yuji asks, sitting in the corner next to Nobara and Megumi. In the middle is Nanami, who looks downright awful. Half of his body appears to be rotting away. Ijichi is barely keeping his tears at bay from the corner.

"No one is putting you down," Kagome says, walking around the table to get a better look at Nanami. "Whatever happened is not your fault."

"But Sukuna—"

"Is Sukuna. Not you." Kagome blows out a breath and lays her hands flat on Nanami's chest. He stares up at her with the one eye that isn't fucked up. Kagome smiles, a smile that is hopefully reassuring. "This may hurt, but I need you to fight through it."

"Are you going to heal him?" Yuji asks. His tone is still too sullen for her liking. Satoru would not like this. No, he would want them to pick themselves up and keep going. Keep fighting. That's what Satoru would do.

"Yes." Kagome takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. She tunes out everyone around her.

Focus. If she waivers here, Nanami may die. The kids need hope. Need someone to step up and show them the fight is not lost. Her powers flow freely, searching for the shape of Nanami's soul. She wants to cry at the anguish leaking out of his soul. He is in so much pain. It is amazing that he is still alive.

His willpower is incredible.

She prays that the patched face curse is dead. That thing is not like the other curses that react on instinct, like a cat pouncing on a mouse. No, that curse can work with others. Capable of thought. Something like that is far too dangerous.

Her vision is nothing but pink. Warmth.

She's warm.

If she opens her eyes, will her feet be levitating off the ground? She feels so light, she may as well weigh as much as a feather. The shape of Nanami's soul repairs itself, piece by piece. The cries come to a dull hum and when Kagome opens her eyes, everyone is staring at her.

She glances down.

Huh?

She is levitating, not that far off the ground, but still. Kagome reels in her powers and her feet touch the ground once more.

"Since when in the fuck do you float?" InuYasha asks in the eloquent way only he can. His hand rests on the hilt of his sword. Is that for her or because Itadori is in the room?

Kagome ignores him and breathes out a sigh as Nanami's chest continues to rise and fall. He seems to be stable. His eyes are closed. Kagome glances around the room. Nothing but slack jaws greet her.

"How did you do that?" Nobara is the first to break the silence.

"Heal him?" Kagome tilts her head. "I don't have cursed energy, if that is what you are asking."

Yuji makes a face. His lips curl up.

"I did not forget about Sukuna." Kagome walks over to Ijichi and takes the seat next to him. She reaches out and pats his arm. The man is beside himself, trembling every so often. "Pull it together," she whispers. The kids are looking at them, the adults, for how to navigate through this difficult time.

Driver or not, Ijichi is still a sorcerer and needs to keep his cool.

"Has anyone eaten?" She goes for carefree, at least she hopes her tone is upbeat. "If not, we can take a trip down to the kitchen and whip something up."

"Eh, there are chefs for that," Shippo interjects. "Just put in a request and they can make it happen."

"Gojo has been sealed," Megumi says. He stares down at the floor. His hands clasped together.

"I know." Kagome stands and runs a hand through her hair. "It's been a long night. Everyone needs to eat and get some rest. Nanami may take a bit of time to fully recover, but there is nothing more we can do for him now."

"How can you be so calm? Gojo-sensei is gone," Nobara questions. She looks at Yuji and Megumi as if for backup.

"Temporarily out of service," Kagome amends, "we'll get him back, so there is no use of antagonizing yourselves over what happened today. Especially you, Yuji. Whatever happened is not on you."

"But I'm the vessel and I couldn't keep him contained."

Kagome hums. "Shippo, can you go back to my room and grab that black box from my bag? It's got foxes on it."

Shippo quirks a brow but heads out to retrieve the item. He returns a moment later. She must have been slowing him down earlier for him to return so quickly.

"What's so special about the box?" Shippo peers at it. His tail swishes behind him. "A gift for Yuji? For me?"

"It's for Sukuna." She pulls out the subjugation beads and hands the box back to Shippo. "Actually, I got the idea at first for Satoru, but decided against it."

InuYasha pulls out the Tessaiga. The students turn to look at him. "Don't mind me. Just admiring my sword."

They don't seem convinced, but keep quiet. Kagome walks over and smiles gently at Yuji. She places the beads around his neck. They clash with his outfit, but he'll just have to get over that.

"Megumi, Nobara, you two go stand over there by Shippo and Ijichi." Kagome backs up and sticks close to InuYasha. "Now Yuji I'm going to ask you to switch with Sukuna and when I say change, I need you to take back control. Can you do that?"

"You sure about this?" InuYasha whispers, "Can you even hold him?"

Can she? Maybe. The Shikon pulses alongside her heartbeat. "Yep! Trust me."

Yuji does not seem too convinced, but closes his eyes and allows Sukuna to take over. The leakage of cursed energy is enormous. Makes her want to puke.

"You've got some nerve," Sukuna says. His grin is nothing but fangs. The black tattoos stand more under the harsh lighting. So that's what he looks like. Come to think of it, she's never seen Sukuna. Any interactions they've had has been him talking out the side of Yuji's face.

He's terrifying.

"Sukuna, down." Kagome staggers back and dry heaves into her palm. The beads glow. Sukuna fights against it. He grits his teeth so hard, blood trickles out of his mouth. It feels like it takes ages, but the subjugation breaks down his barriers and down he goes. It is nowhere near as flashy as when Inu goes down. There is no crater. No loud sound accompanying the fall.

How strong is he?

"Change back," she calls out, voice hoarse. Fuck. For a moment there, she wasn't sure it would work. Kagome touches her nose.

Red. Wet.

Shit.

She needs to lie down. Needs to take it easy. That took out more than she has to give. If Satoru were here, he'd scold her for sure. If Satoru were here, she wouldn't need the beads.

"Kagome, what the fuck?" InuYasha scolds, "What good is it subjugating the bastard if it nearly kills you?"

"I'm fine. I just used a bit too much between this and healing Nanami." She wipes the blood on her pants. Her head is light. Fuzzy. Is the room spinning? That overhead light is far too bright. Her eyes cross before rolling back. There are muffled voices. She can't make out what they are saying.

A nap sounds wonderful.

Chapter Text

InuYasha walks into the room without so much of a knock or an announcement. Kagome sets her phone down and scowls. She was looking at pictures and videos of her and Satoru.

"The hell is your problem?" InuYasha pulls out a chair and plops down next to her at the small table. "We're find him, if that's what you're up stressing about." It's weird seeing InuYasha in modern clothes.

She wonders if they are human made or demon made clothes like his fire rat robe.

"I'm not stressing about finding Satoru. I know we will find him. I'm annoyed that you didn't knock before walking in here. What if I was indecent?" She's lying through her teeth. Sleep did not come easily last night. Even after being exhausted from using the subjugation beads on Sukuna, she still woke up off and on throughout the night searching for Satoru, but, of course, her hands could not find him next to her.

InuYasha's lip curls and settles into a frown. "S'orry. Wasn't thinking. Never had to knock before." He makes a sweeping gesture as if that should cover everything.

"It's fine. I know this is hard for you," she says, getting up. Her mood sours. "Where are the kids?" Kagome scoops her phone up and glances at the picture of Satoru she took when he was sleeping. One of the rare occasions when she managed to sneak a picture without him noticing.

"They just got back in. Brought some of the kid with them."

"Tsumiki?"

"No... Yuta?"

Kagome deflates. "I'll find Megumi then. Tsumiki is his sister." Awful does not even begin to describe how she feels. She was too caught up in her grief last night to think about anyone but herself. Satoru will be devastated if anything happens to Tsumiki.

"Wait," InuYasha calls. "I know things are weird between us, but you can lean on me."

Kagome blinks. Is she not leaning on him? Is she not here with him and Sesshomaru instead of at home? "I need to talk to Megumi." She walks out of the room, not wanting to stay in the bedroom with InuYasha any longer. He keeps doing this half push and pull shit and she does not have the capacity to deal with his feelings right now.

Finding Megumi turns out to be easy. She follows the sound of Shippo's laughter and bolstering. Kagome rounds the corner, ignoring how InuYasha trails behind her as if he is afraid she'll make a break for it.

"And then," Shippo says with a laugh, "And then InuYasha asked why he couldn't have Kagome and Kikyo. Swear, Inari-sama was listening, because InuYasha immediately face planted into the ground. Ya should have seen the crater." Shippo stretches his arms out. "It was like this deep."

Kagome massages her forehead. "First of all, that was me. I heard InuYasha's great idea," she says, rolling her eyes.

Yuji stares at Shippo as if his story is truly that fascinating, while Nobara rounds on Kagome with disgust written all over her face.

"Tell me that's when you dumped him? Gojo-sensei may be an idiot, but he's not dumb enough to cheat on you."

"Oi! Shippo? What the fuck? That shit was centuries ago." InuYasha grumbles.

All eyes turn to Kagome, and she wants to sit InuYasha so badly. He could have just said that it was a long time ago, not centuries ago.

"An exaggeration," she says. "It wasn't really that long ago." She fixes him with a stare. The last thing she needs to get into right now is how she used to time travel. And the less information Sukuna has on her, the better.

"Keh, whatever. I'm old." InuYasha plays it off and crosses his arms. "Time doesn't pass the same for demons."

"Anyway," Shippo chimes, entirely too delighted this morning. "When Dad found out that InuYasha was back in town, he was pissed. InuYasha, did you really show up with flowers?"

"Shippo, why are you starting shit?" InuYasha asks. His ears are pulled back as a fang peeks through his mouth.

"So, you admit it?" Shippo nods to himself, preening under the undivided attention. "You showed up expecting Mom to ditch Dad for you."

Nobara doesn't even try to hold in her laughter. The other three are more discreet.

She needs to cut whatever shenanigans this is off at the root. Kagome claps her hands and smiles when everyone turns to look at her. "We can share stories later," she stresses. "Megumi, have you gotten in touch with Tsumiki? I'd like to bring her here until things settle down."

Megumi's expression darkens and the joyful mood evaporates faster than a low level demon caught up in a wind scar.

"What happened?" She grits her teeth, preparing herself for news that will surely ruin her morning further.

"We went to look for her last night," he starts, glancing at Shippo. "Shippo-san, went with us. That's how we met up with Yuta-senpai." He jerks a thumb at Yuta, who gives a small wave to Kagome in greeting. "But when we got to the apartment. The one we stayed at. She wasn't there." He frowns. There was a note on the fridge," Megumi adds.

"A note? Someone kidnapped her?"

He nods. "We'll have more information later, but right now we need to prepare for some games."

Kagome pinches the bridge of her nose. Games? What sick fuck thinks this is some jigsaw movie? "Do we have any more information about this game or who took her?"

"Smelled like a zombie," Shippo interjects, his tail swishing behind him. "Sess said the train station smelled like a zombie too, so my guess is whoever took Tsumiki also had something to do with Dad getting sealed."

"Zombie? You mean that thing using Geto's body?" Megumi questions.

Kagome sucks her teeth. Geto? Yakeru's words come back to her like a body of water breaking through a dam. He never said anything about a dead smell, though. Kagome frowns, ignoring Shippo and InuYasha going back and forth. No, Yakeru couldn't have smelled anything with how strong her perfume was.

"Speaking of smell, glad you aren't wearing all that shit," InuYasha says.

Kagome rolls her eyes. Is he seriously getting smart with her because she told him to knock before entering her room? Whatever. "I only wore that much to cover up the scent of the kids. Doesn't make much of a difference now." She is no idiot. Going outside of the safety of Sesshomaru's estate is trouble waiting to happen.

No one has come out and said it, but she is sure there is some kind of bounty on her head now. Even if there isn't, she is sure the higher ups would come up with some excuse to get rid of her.

"Shippo, walk with me." Kagome crooks her fingers and turns on her heel. She pauses and looks over at InuYasha. "Don't antagonize them, please."

"Yeah, Inu, stop being a dick." Shippo sticks his tongue out and giggles as he dodges a near hit from the Tessaiga. "Bad dog, no swords in the house." Shippo wags a finger at InuYasha.

Kagome sighs and grabs Shippo by the ear. "Excuse us for a moment. Yuta, please make yourself comfortable. Megumi, we'll get Tsumiki back." She drags Shippo out by the ear and all the way back to her room. There is no other place in this estate that will give them the privacy they need.

"Ow," Shippo complains, rubbing his ear. "Was just teasing is all. Trying to cheer everyone up. They act like it's the first time anyone has ever been kidnapped."

Kagome shuts the door and walks over to the bed. She plops down. Her shoulders droop and her energy is zapped from her in an instant. "I know. I know. But it is the first time for them. No one would have dared to kidnap Tsumiki if Satoru were here."

He hums as he pulls up a seat at the table. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out some paper and markers. "Still, stressing about it isn't gonna do them any good. They need to keep a level head." Shippo pokes his tongue out to the side as he draws something on the paper. "Are you keeping a level head?"

"Trying to," she admits. "If you asked me last night, I would have demanded you to take me to this shrine."

Shippo stops and looks at her. His green eyes turn to slits. "What shrine?"

"I met Geto a while back when I was helping Yakeru out at the shop. Honestly...it slipped my mind to bring it up to Satoru. When he showed up, he purchased some charms and left a card. Yakeru made a comment that he thought Satoru had killed Geto, but he guessed that was a lie." The words sound so stupid now that she is saying it out loud. Why didn't she immediately bring it up to Toru?

"Mama," Shippo whines, dragging his claws down his cheeks. "Tell me you were not planning on showing up at this shrine by yourself."

"... It did say to come alone."

"Because it's a fucking trap. That's like Trap 101. You know this." Pricks of blood trickle down from where his claws are punctured into his skin. "I'm not saying you can't help, but we gotta be smart about this. And you are not going alone."

"If I show up with someone, then my chances of getting Satoru back could be blown."

"Pretty sure, based on your timeline, they had hoped you would have shown up earlier so you could have been used to help seal Dad." Shippo looks at his claws and wipes the blood off on his shirt. "I have an idea, but we'll need time to work through it."

Kagome perks up. He's going to help her? "I still go to the shrine and find out what he wants?"

Shippo lets out an exaggerated sigh. "Inari-sama, I'm going to regret this, but yes. It's the only clue we have besides the smell of death. Which he could have figured out a way around that. Not sure if he knows Yakeru is a demon or not." His brows furrow together. "There were demons there. Some were working with the curses and some were doing their own thing, so it's possible he knows."

"Okay, so going off him knowing about demons, the scent thing isn't a huge issue unless whatever that thing is switches bodies. Satoru never talked about Geto, so I can't help much there."

"Curse manipulation. Any curses he defeated and... ate for a lack of a better word, he was able to control them and their abilities."

"Like a summoner class?" Kagome asks, completely serious.

"You play games?"

She shrugs. "Sometimes. Toru and I play MMO's together here and there. I mainly played with Yuji when he was working on controlling his cursed energy."

"Okay, well, yeah, it's like a summoner class. Pretty OP, depending on what you can summon." Shippo picks up a marker and goes back to drawing. "Point is, I don't see that thing jumping ship anytime soon unless the body breaks down. The possibilities are endless."

"So, once I show up at the shrine, then what? If there is a veil, it might not let you follow me. Or see anything that is going on."

"Nah, I'm going with. We should get Yakeru, too. I'm thinking we go in disguised. Ya know, I once went to a higher up meeting with Dad."

"No, I didn't know that. Did you pretend to be a student?"

"Better, I was his sunglasses."

Kagome blinks. Her mind struggles to process Shippo's words. He was Satoru's sunglasses? "You want to be something small, like a necklace?"

"That's it."

"But if the veil does not let you through, I don't see how shape-shifting is going to do much good."

"And that's where the work comes into place." He sets the marker down and nods at his handiwork. "Tengen gets praised because of their barrier technique, but that's only because you weren't in this world yet."

Kagome squints. Does he want her to break the barrier? Because she could do that, no problem.

"Think outside the box like Dad does," he sings songs. "Also, what do you think of these blueprints?" He gets up and hands the paper to her.

"Is this a room?"

"Yeah, see, that's the room I want at the estate. I told Dad you guys needed to get to rebuilding the property and my room needs to be at least this big."

"This room is as big as a house," Kagome complains. But, still, she needs to think outside the box. Breaking the barrier is straightforward. Anyone would think to do that. Geto would also know something was up and might attack outright. What can she do with a barrier?

"Mimic what infinity does? A barrier like Naraku used to make when he had the... Shikon."

Shippo gives her a fang filled smile. "Inu complained about how the Shikon keeps reacting to your emotions about Dad."

"You aren't concerned?"

"Are you?"

She purses her lips together. "No, I don't believe this Shikon wants to harm me like the other one did. I believe it is selfish. Whether it is fixated on Satoru because I love him or it is fixated on him for other reasons, I'm not sure."

"The difference this time is that there is no separating the jewel from you." Shippo shrugs and returns to the table. "Wouldn't stress about it. If it wants Satoru back, then that works out for all of us. And since it is pretty much you, harming you would ultimately harm it."

"Guess we'll cross that bridge when it comes," she mutters.

***

Satoru yawns, stretching his arms out amongst the mountain of skeletons. The sight is awful. Dreadful. Would it kill this box to have some light?

"Could always be worse," he says to himself as he picks up a couple of bones and works on making a makeshift bed. "If time does not pass in here, where did everyone's clothes go?" he complains. Only skeleton remains and more bones surround him. This is going to be the world's worst bed.

Ugh.

He lies back and huffs at how uncomfortable it is. Better to just keep himself afloat instead. Staring up at nothing, he clucks his tongue. Hope Gome-chan is safe. She must be worried sick, wondering why he isn't home. He knows his students are fine. They're all strong after all. And Sesshomaru should have made it to Shibuya by now.

Satoru reaches for the locket and pulls it out from under his shirt. Even with his blindfold on, the light coming from the locket is blinding in a sea of darkness. His makeshift bed breaks down and the bones turn to dust. The locket is warm in his palms. He holds it up in front of him.

His skeleton neighbors shrink back as if frightened.

"Just what kind of locket did she make for me?" he wonders, lips quirked up in a smirk.

Chapter Text

Naraku opens the door and walks through the brothel like establishment. He nods his head in greeting to the attendant. "Zenin," he says, waiting with expectancy for the attendant to lead him to the private room. To a human's ears, this establishment is soundproof. But to a demon, even a half one like him, the sound of flesh slapping against one another, the cries of pain and pleasure, may as well be broadcasted over the speakers instead of the soft instrumental music.

"Naoya," Naraku greets, motioning for the attendant to leave them be. The Zenin stretches his arms out along the chair as a dark-haired woman pours another cup of tea. "It's been a while." Naraku sits down in the chair off to the side, closest to the door. He rolls his shoulders back and lets out a long-suffering sigh, as though the trek to this location was too great on his body.

"Miroku," Naoya says with a sly smirk on his face. Out of all the Zenins Naraku has delt with over the years, this one has been the easiest to manipulate. "Care for a drink?"

"Something other than tea," Naraku answers, watching as the woman bows her head as she scurries out of the room to fetch his drink. "I'm sure you are aware that Gojo Satoru has been sealed."

"Just in time," Naoya quips. "Bastard was trying to kick us Zenins out of Jujutsu. But you didn't come all this way to talk about him. Though I'm surprised you weren't at the meeting. Not like you to not be there to vouch for the clan."

"No, I came to talk about his fiancé and her connection to the jewel." Naraku reaches in his robe and pulls out the scroll. He ignores Naoya's comment. "I managed to retrieve this from Geto." He places the scroll on the table and leans back. That scroll was a real bitch to open. Unfortunately, its contents were nothing more than what he already knew.

Naoya quirks a brow and scans over the scroll. "This is about that Shikon the elders were talking about." He tosses the scroll down. "Sounds like a load of shit. A jewel that can grant any wish?"

The woman returns with sake in hand. She keeps her eyes lowered as she serves him. Her thin slip of a dress is nearly see-through.

Hm. Naoya must have already given her a tongue lashing regarding her place.

"Get over here," Naoya commands, "entertain me." He crooks his finger and motions for the woman to do his bidding.

Naraku bites back a sigh as he drowns his drink. Why must this human be so stupid? "Kagome Higurashi is a wildcard and must be eliminated. She will no doubt be attempting the unsealing of Gojo Satoru. The others are wary of her as well. She used some kind of power different from cursed energy–"

"She's just a woman," Naoya says with a scoff. "What could she possibly do? I've met her once. Easy on the eyes. Far too mouthy." He shifts, widening his legs as he leans forward. "I don't want to eliminate her. I want to ruin her. And if it's power she has, then that power would be better suited under me, serving me, and popping out stronger heirs."

Naraku narrows his eyes. When did he meet the priestess? "You want to possess her, then? Fine. Break her. But get any information on the jewel out of her." Of course, this mongrel would be more interested in fucking the priestess than getting rid of her. Where did he go wrong? He should have focused his efforts on someone else.

This Zenin is useless.

The only other Zenin worth his time was Toji, but no matter what he did, the man would not break.

"You seem awfully confident she knows anything about this fabled jewel." Naoya stares at him for a beat and then directs his attention to the dancing woman. "Strip and face the wall. I don't want to see your face."

The woman blanches, but strips nonetheless. Her movements are jerky. The chill in the room does not help. If Naraku was more of a man, he'd put a stop to this charade. But he is neither man nor demon, and so he ignores the woman's pleading eyes for help.

She knew what she was getting into when she signed up to work at a place like this.

"Something wrong with her face?" He reaches for his cup and frowns. Empty all too soon. Human sake does nothing to fill the void. Does nothing to drown out the voices in his head. He grabs the bottle and pours himself another glass.

"It's not her face. The hips are a bit too narrow as well, but this is the best this place had to offer." Naoya chuckles. "You're probably too old now to even get it up."

Naraku's eye twitches before settling into a friendly disposition. "Yes, these weak bones of mine aren't getting any younger, which is why I want to see you take your rightful spot as the clan leader."

And then he'll take Naoya's identity and take his rightful place as leader. Though if Naoya insists on keeping Kagome alive, then that could be a problem.

The priestess would see through his act. She's frustrating like that. And always has a knack for interfering right when he has everything set up perfectly. It is as though her sole purpose in life is to steal the little joy he has.

"Didn't ya hear?" Naoya twists his lips into a snarl. "Megumi, dearest is the clan head now. Daddy," he spits the word out, "made a deal with Gojo for Megumi to be clan leader if anything happens to him."

"So? Get rid of him."

No wonder Geto insisted on working with curses like Mahito. At least they would kill without questioning it.

A damn shame he could not absorb Mahito before Geto got to him. He had high hopes for how far that power would take him. He only has himself to blame for not considering that Geto would want Mahito's powers for himself.

In hindsight, he should have absorbed him before the Shibuya incident occurred.

Naoya rolls his eyes and goes back to watching the dancing woman, who sways to her beat, seemingly more relaxed now that she does not have to look at them.

"I can't just get rid of him without just cause. Not a curse user."

"You have cause. He's trying to unseal Gojo Satoru. What kind of clan leader would unseal a traitor to jujutsu society?"

Perhaps it would have been simpler to kill Naoya when he was a child.

"Ya ain't so bad, Miroku. Knew daddy dearest was stupid for doubting you." Naoya reaches over and takes a swig out of the bottle. He slams it down on the table and stands.

"I'm in no mood to watch you fuck," Naraku says with boredom dripping from every word.

Naoya barely glances at him as he shrugs out of his clothes. "Ya know so much about that woman. Bring her to me. Set up a meeting. Whatever. I don't care how ya do it, but I want her."

His head throbs. If he could get the priestess so easily, then he would have done so a long time ago. Does he not realize how protected the priestess is?

He must not because he wouldn't have spoken such ridiculous orders.

"Bait then," Naraku murmurs to himself as he pours another drink, ignoring Naoya's heavy grunts. "Call for Megumi, then. She'll come for him." He rises and curls his lip in disgust. The woman's fake moans remind him of a bunch of squawking imps. His ears may as well be bleeding.

These humans are so barbaric.

He closes the door with a slam and nearly stumbles into a woman with poorly dyed red hair. Her green eyes, fake, but close enough to the color of Yumi's nearly knocks him off his feet. He grabs her by the arm.

"Give me a room now."

***

"You good?" Megumi asks, stepping to Yuji's side.

Yuji startles and then scratches the back of his head. "Just thinking is all. How Kagome-san can remain so positive after everything that has happened? How Shippo turned us into weasels. Why Nobara is getting a manicure from Jaken?" He motions towards Nobara, who flips him off with her free hand.

"Jaken is a skilled demon. You should show some respect."

Jaken hums, his green bald head shines under the light. "That's right, you silly humans. Nothing is too great for the great Jaken. Why I practically invented manicures. No one else knows how to pay attention to the small details like I do."

Yuji turns to look at Megumi, who instead looks so done with the scene in front of him. He does not blame him. There is something so wrong with seeing the green imp painting Nobara's nails as though his life depends on it.

Yuji squints. Are those paw prints on her nails?

"... I'm going to check on Nanami-san," Megumi announces, face turning an interesting shade of pink.

"I'll come with you." Yuji does not want to stay there and watch Nobara get pampered, nor does he want to run into Shippo. That fox is always up to something. "Though how do you know where to go?"

Megumi points to Buyo Jr. who flicks his two tails up in a universal, screw you pose.

Yuji frowns. What did he even do to Buyo Jr. for him to mistreat him so? It's not like he meant to snag his fur with the comb. And it was just one time.

They reach the room Nanami is staying in. There's no guards outside the door like Kagome-san's room. These demons must care a deal for Kagome-san with how much protection they provide her.

He can't even see her unless Shippo or InuYasha are around. Not that he blames them for being cautious, Sukuna has been seething ever since she put those beads on him, and normally he keeps his thoughts and emotions from leaking out. Now it is as though Sukuna wants him to be as miserable as he is.

Eh... on second thought, Sukuna always wants him to be miserable because he's a dick like that.

"Come in," Nanami says.

They walk in and the room is actually quite small compared to Kagome-san's massive room. It's comparable to a closet in an apartment.

"Glad to see you two are alive," Nanami says, from his place in the bed. His eyes are more tired than usual. "Where are we? This isn't Jujutsu High."

Yuji blinks. Does he not remember?

"Kagome-san saved you. We're at Sesshomaru-sama's estate in the sky. They even have a full staff with a chef and a clinic." Not to mention the training room, the freaking two-headed dragon, and there's probably a lot more he hasn't seen since this place is so dang massive.

Nanami lets out a long sigh, a sigh so deep his shoulders slump. "Estate in the sky? So, we're with the demons now? How did she save me? It was soul manipulation. Not even Shoko-san can do that."

"She uses her reversed curse energy for healing and defensively," Yuji says, thankful that he has the answer for once. His cheek moves and Sukuna's mouth appears.

"That's not it. The bitch is a damn priestess."

Yuji smacks his face. Buyo Jr. hisses and jumps on Megumi's head.

Did the subjugation beads loosen Sukuna's tongue or something? Why is he being so damn mouthy, as if anyone cares what he thinks?

"Nothing surprises me anymore," Nanami says. "But if that's the case, why would demons be working with a priestess?"

A spike of energy from behind them cuts off Yuji's line of thinking. The energy is oppressive. Dark. He feels as though he is being weighed down by at least five cars.

"If you have time to chitchat, you have time to train," InuYasha says, leaning against the door with his arms crossed. His golden eyes burn with fury. His dog ears are flat against his skull.

Yuji doesn't know much about dogs, but he knows any animal with their ears pinned back like that is pissed off about something.

"Meow."

"Don't agree with him," Megumi hisses.

"Meow."

"Ugh, fine," Megumi agrees to whatever Buyo Jr. said.

"Come on, unlike the rest of you, Yuta is at least taking the upcoming games seriously." InuYasha jerks his thumb behind him and waits for them to move out of the room. "Ya'll ain't winning shit with your current skill level."

"What games?" Nanami asks, from behind Yuji. He places a hand on Yuji's shoulder and squeezes.

"Culling games is what they are calling it."

"And what are we culling?"

"Sorcerers. Cursed Energy." Megumi pauses. "They also kidnap Tsumiki, so we have to take part to get her back."

Nanami looks up at the ceiling. "This is shit."

Yuji nods his head. If Gojo-sensei were here, these games would not be happening.

This is shit.

Chapter Text

"Your plan is idiotic," Sesshomaru says, coolly as he strolls into the dojo. He's wearing his old outfit from the feudal era, minus the spiky armor piece. His mokomoko trails behind him.

Kagome scowls and gives Shippo the look. The look all moms instinctively have. The kind of look that conveys how much trouble their child is in. And right now. Shippo is in so much trouble, it will take nothing short of him bringing Satoru home to soothe things over.

"What plan?" Yuta asks, stretching his arms and then twirling his sword with one hand. He rolls his shoulders back and takes a fighting stance. His dark hair highlights how pale his skin is.

Sesshomaru looks over at Yuta and then blurs out of view. Kagome's heart jumps to her throat as she throws her hands up. A pink barrier envelopes her and Shippo right as Sesshomaru's claws make contact. She gulps and tries to calm her breathing as Sesshomaru inspects his smoking hand.

"Your plan is idiotic. I can hear how fast your heart is beating. The barrier is fine, but only if you can maintain the concentration to keep it up." He pulls out his sword and dashes to Yuta, who barely blocks the attack.

Kagome bites her tongue as her hands drop to rub her stomach, soothing the twins. There's a pulse and her barrier dissipates into a shimmering glitter of pink. Shippo leans forward and picks up a crystal.

"Do your barriers always do this?"

Kagome swallows the lump in her throat and nudges her heart to go back to its rightful place in her chest. "N-no, that's not normal."

She rubs her stomach again. The pulse returns and her cheeks warm. She pats her face. Did the room get warmer?

"Wonder which twin is doing that," Shippo says with a whistle.

"Twins?" Yuta grunts out, falling to one knee as he blocks another attack. "Kagome-san, you're having twins?"

"Focus on me," Sesshomaru says, lifting his sword and spraying acid at Yuta. Yuta rolls to the side and gapes at the hole in the floor where he was just at. "Too slow." Mokomoko grabs a hold of Yuta and dangles him upside down.

Kagome grimaces. Sesshomaru can be quite brutal sometimes. "What if he didn't dodge that last attack?" Her stomach flip flops. Ughhhh, the smell of acid makes her want to hurl. The smell dances across her nostrils and travels down her cavity, settling on her tastebuds.

"Then he'd be dead."

Yuta makes a choked noise and then is promptly thrown into a wall.

"Get up."

"I'm fine right here," Shippo sing-songs. "I like my ass where it is."

"No, you should go." Kagome plucks the crystal out of Shippo's hand and nudges him forward.

"But mama! I didn't even do anything."

"You ratted me out."

"He beat it out of me. Where is the compassion?" Shippo sniffles, but the motion is exaggerated and not at all sincere. He rubs at his eyes with his fists, but no tears come out.

"Priestess, you are too far along to be putting yourself and the pups at risk. If you insist on helping, send a shikigami in your stead." Sesshomaru hits Shippo with his whip.

"This is as bad as training with Gojo-sensei," Yuta complains, dusting his shirt off. "Shit!" He dodges the green whip and lets out a sigh.

Kagome feels a tiny bit sorry for him.

"What's going on—OW! You son of a bitch!" InuYasha shakes one fist while palming his face with his other hand. Splat! Blood hits the floor, and Sesshomaru looks far too smug. "I wasn't fucking ready for you to attack me!"

"Because you're an idiot," Sesshomaru says, brushing his hair back, before flinging an attack at Yuta and Shippo.

"Ummm, maybe we should go back," Yuji says, taking a seat next to Kagome. Megumi grunts.

"How are you doing, Nanami-San?" Kagome tucks the crystal into her hoodie pocket—okay, Satoru's hoodie.

"Better thanks to you." Nanami crosses his arms and leans against the wall. "So, this is the strength of a demon?"

"A little. Sesshomaru's being pretty nice to them."

"NICE!" Megumi and Yuji exclaim.

"Sesshomaru-sama, will you be participating in the culling games then?" Yuji asks.

"This Sesshomaru cares not for what happens to humans." He blocks an attack from Yuta, kicks Shippo into InuYasha, and then drops low to sweep Yuta off his feet, and rams his claws into Yuta's gut. "Heal yourself. We will finish this after dinner."

"A-after dinner?" Yuta squeaks out, as his blood stains the floor.

"However," Sesshomaru continues, sheathing his sword. "The imprisonment of one of my own cannot go unpunished."

"I'll go," InuYasha says, pushing Shippo off of him.

"Sorry," Yuji interrupts, "but when you say the imprisonment of one of your own…"

"He's talking about Satoru, sweetie." Kagome pats Yuji's head. "Satoru is my mate, which makes him pack."

"Which means we can't let this go unchecked. Yada, yada, yada." Shippo mimics puppets with his hands as he rolls his green eyes. "Permission to kill the higher ups now? I appoint myself as the next lead."

"Granted, and no."

"Why not?" Shippo whines, tail drooping.

"I'd sooner put the wolf in charge." Sesshomaru holds out his bloody hand and steam rises, leaving behind a clean hand. "Kagome."

"Ohhh no," Kagome says, as she crosses her legs to get more comfortable. "I'm gonna be far too busy with these kiddos to be making those kinds of decisions." She sucks in a breath, closes her eyes, and imagines two shikigami. It doesn't hurt to try, even though Sesshomaru's words sting.

"Kagome, what the fuck are you doing?"

She peeks open one eye and then the other in shock at two large eggs in front of her. Talk about the world's most useless shikigami. Freaking eggs. Her shoulders slump as she blows a breath.

Megumi rises and hoards the eggs in front of him as he takes his place next to Kagome.

Kagome blinks slowly at Megumi. They might be the world's most useless shikigami, but they're her eggs, dang it!

"Where's Nobara?" she asks.

"Back at Jujutsu High with everyone else. She wanted to learn more about soul stuff from Yuki-san. Jaken is with her, so I guess she'll be back." Yuji scratches his cheek. "Speaking of which…is it alright for my brother to come here?"

"You have a brother?" Kagome's brows furrow together. Yuji never once mentioned a brother the entire time he was staying with her and Satoru.

"Yeah…. I didn't know about him either."

POP!

"Eggs aren't supposed to pop," Yuta comments, holding his stomach.

"Nothing about this place is normal," Nanami mutters.

Kagome ignores them and tilts her body towards Megumi, who refuses to take his eyes off the eggs. The eggs shake.

POP!

A hand pushes through the shell. A leg through the other.

"We're all gonna die," Yuji exclaims. "This is like the making of a horror movie."

A head pops through and Yuji makes a cry that sounds like he's croaking. Big blue eyes stare unblinking at Megumi. Another leg pops out of the other egg and it takes off, running into a wall.

Kagome purses her lips together as she scratches her nose. Great, not only are her shikigami useless, but they're stupid too. She sighs as she struggles to get up off the ground. It's like her stomach grew overnight.

"You can barely get up and you think you really going into battle?" Sesshomaru states as if she asked him for his so unhelpful opinion.

"I'm trying your plan, aren't I?" She slaps her hand on her leg as she walks over to the flailing egg. "It's okay, just calm down," she soothes, rubbing the egg. It shakes and a head full of black hair and the fuzziest cat like ears where normal ears would be, emerges.

"Kagome-san…did you just give birth?"

"You're a dumbass," Shippo chortles. "Since when do humans lay eggs?"

"I've seen some shit!" Yuji exclaims. "Give me a break here."

Kagome helps the shikigami break out of its egg. To be honest, she was expecting something like a phoenix. Not something that resembles a cat girl. She turns her head and blinks at the sight of Megumi, holding a similar cat girl shikigami with white hair.

That's different. She reaches her hand out to the dark-haired one and grabs its hand. Maybe she should name them? Ugh, but she sucks at names. Sesshomaru dashes past her. The hairs on the back of her neck stand. Is he charging at Megumi?

There's a pink light and Sesshomaru is pushed back. The white-haired shikigami in Megumi's arm glares at Sesshomaru. Her nose wrinkles in distaste as the barrier dissipates.

"Megumi-kun," Kagome says, "I know you like to collect things…but that isn't a pet." She frowns. Pet doesn't seem like the right word to use, but these are still shikigami, even if they look more human than others.

Megumi's cheeks turn pink. "I wasn't—" A white smoke cloud appears where the Shikigami was and a white cat with the largest ears possible takes its place. On its back are small wings and it has one long tail like that of a lion.

Kagome clucks her tongue and looks at the other one, who bats its pretty blue eyes up at her. "Can you do that too?" A nod. She huffs. Of course it can and Megumi is already eyeing this one to add to his collection. Buyo Jr. leaps out of Megumi's shadow and puffs up his tails.

Oh boy.

"You know what, guys, I'm just gonna take a nap." Kagome shakes her head as walks towards the door. Nanami calls out to her. She stops and waits for him to ask whatever is on his mind. A series of emotions flit across his face before settling on something akin to acceptance.

"You and Gojo," he says. He pauses, contemplating his words.

She and Satoru what?

"Sukuna has already revealed that you are a priestess," Nanami says. "And considering that demons exist…Did you really fall out of the sky into Gojo's lap?"

Sukuna knows? Well, she hasn't been that subtle. Whatever. "Yep! I was checking out something back at home and the next thing I knew, I was falling. And I've been with Satoru ever since."

Nanami's mouth drops. "He was telling the truth," he mutters in shock.

"How many years have you guys been together?" Yuji asks.

"…Years? It hasn't even been a year." Kagome chuckles. Hasn't been a year, and she's knocked up.

"For fuck's sake," InuYasha groans.

"You mean for fox's sake," Shippo chastises. "You gotta watch your language around the baby shikigami. What if they pick up your bad habits?"

"How about I shove this sword up your ass?"

"First of all, I top. Second—"

"Guys, be quiet for a second," Megumi interrupts as he pulls his ringing phone out of his pocket. Buyo Jr. continues to paw at the cat like shikigami, who paws back with kitten like wonder.

Kagome shakes her head and tries to head back out so she can take a much needed nap, but the distress in Megumi's voice stops her. She walks over to him, abandoning all thoughts of getting some rest. "What's wrong?"

He swallows. Buyo Jr. must sense the urgency of the situation because he brushes his head against Megumi's.

"Megumi, what's wrong?" Kagome asks again, this time softer. She prays that there haven't been any new developments regarding Tsumiki. Whoever took her is most likely keeping her safe to get Megumi to join these culling games. At least she prays Tsumiki is safe.

"It's Maki. She went to the Zenin estate to get some weapons that they took from jujutsu high. I gave her permission as clan leader."

"Is she dead?" Yuji questions, face grim.

"No. But Mai tried to kill her. Mai is saying Maki attacked her first. Not sure what is going on, but Naoya-san is insisting I come down there as clan leader and sort it out." He sighs. "And he won't tell me where either of them are, unless I bring Kagome-san with me because he wants to talk to you."

"Who?" Kagome scratches her head. Who the hell is Naoya? "What does he look like? And if you're the clan leader now, then he shouldn't be playing games with you." She wrinkles her nose as Megumi and Yuji explain who Naoya is and what he looks like.

This Naoya guy does sound familiar.

Oh. Shit.

That guy.

"He doesn't want to talk to me. He's probably still smarting over me slapping him for his disrespectful comments. And he knows I'm with Satoru because Satoru confronted him."

"The priestess is not going," Sesshomaru states. "Shippo will accompany you. Kill those you see fit. These sorcerers are becoming tiresome."

"Yes, milord," Shippo jokes, playfully saluting Sesshomaru. "Might mess around and wipe out the whole clan. Sorry, Gumi."

"So, we're going to force him to talk, then?" Megumi asks.

"Nah, I mean he wants to see mama so badly." Shippo's tail wags behind him in slow, measured strokes as though he just found something he wants to sink his teeth into. Kagome can't find it in her to care one way or the other if this Naoya guy ends up dead. She wants Satoru back. She wants Tsumiki back. And she really, really wants to take a nap.

"We can't take Kagome-san there," Megumi points out.

"Give me some credit here. I am a fox, after all. The real question is, should Naoya get to have a meeting with mama or papa?"

"Gojo-sensei isn't here."

"He's here in my heart." Shippo sniffs. "Mama, do you give me permission to do unspeakable things in your likeness and image?"

"I should say no." She motions for the other shikigami in Megumi's arms. It reluctantly leaves Megumi's arms and leaps to her shoulder. "But I'm too tired to care. Take one of the girls before you go. They should be able to help if need be."

"YES!" Shippo fist pumps the air and throws an arm around Yuta, who grins like he just found all his favorite items replaced with coal. "We ride out in twenty."

The white shikigami meows, and Kagome nods her head in acceptance. There goes her shikigami. It nuzzles her face and then rushes back to Megumi's arms. The dark-haired one tugs on her hoodie. She smiles softly at it.

She should name them. Something cool? Or something just nice?

"We aren't killing anyone, right?" Megumi asks.

"Do what needs to be done," Sesshomaru says. He walks over to stand by Kagome. "I will escort the priestess back to her room. Human, clean your blood off the floor." Sesshomaru escorts her out of the dojo and down to her bedroom, which is way on the other side of the estate. "We will get our mate back. Do not be rash."

Kagome dips her head, cheeks burning. "I feel useless. I should be able to do something."

"You just created two shikigami, one of which whom could create a barrier to repel this Sesshomaru. You are not useless."

"…Thanks, Sesshomaru." She blinks. Her eyes prickle with tears that want to fall. Damn her emotions for being so haywire. "I just want him—them, back."

"And they will. This Sesshomaru will see to it. Stop crying, it is unbecoming."

She barks out a laugh. The dark-haired shikigami squeezes her hand. Everything is going to be fine. It has to be.

Chapter Text

Megumi tries not to look at Shippo, dressed in the shortest skirt he has ever seen. The top, if it could really be called that, shows off Shippo's midriff. It's a little chilly for such attire, but as Shippo so eloquently put it, "Hoes, don't get cold."

He doesn't know if he wants to barf, claw his eyes out, or abort the mission and tell Maki to figure it out on her own.

He didn't sign up for this…trauma.

"Kagome-san would never wear that," he mumbles, approaching the entrance to the Zenin estate. Did Kagome-san know Shippo would pretend to be her dressed in such revealing clothing?

"I bet Mama wears something like this for Dad all the time." Shippo stands up on his toes and sticks his butt out. "She probably hit him with the come and get it. No wonder she's knocked up."

"I'm gonna barf."

"Good. That's good. Keep that energy. It'll make it more believable." Shippo runs his hands together, but the sinister smile is so many levels of wrong on Kagome-san's face that Megumi is getting whiplash.

That's not Kagome-san. That's Shippo. Maybe if he repeats it over and over in his mind, he won't feel like a teenager discovering his parents have sex.

Oh Kami.

He's definitely gonna puke.

"Ooh Zenin-san!" Shippo calls sweetly, flipping his black hair back before toying with the edge of his white skirt.

Virgin white. That's what Shippo told him before they left Sesshomaru-sama's estate. Megumi swallows the bile and grits his teeth.

Virgin white.

Why is that stuck in his head?

"It's about time ya learned how to address me with the proper respect," Naoya says, leering at Shippo's legs.

How far is Shippo going to take this? The fox glides over to Naoya like a trained dancer and runs his hands down Naoya's chest.

"I was such a fool before," Shippo sighs. "I thought Satoru was the strongest, but I was wrong. Can you forgive me?" Shippo's hand trails down.

Naoya blinks and then grins. He reaches down and grabs a handful of Shippo's butt, squeezing it like he wants to take a piece of it with him.

Megumi looks up at the sky. It's rather nice out, all things considering. "Where are Maki and Mai?" He asks, still looking up at the clear skies. Today feels like it should have been an overcast day. Grey. Depressed. Kind of like how he is feeling right now, having to watch this scene play out.

When Gojo-sensei gets out of that box, he is going to beat his ass himself and put him back for having to suffer through this.

"In the pits." Naoya sneers at him. "What's with the face, Megumi-kun?"

"Bothers me to see Kagome-san pressing up on you. Thought you were loyal to Gojo-sensei?"

Shippo sighs. "Oh Megumi-kun, you do not understand. A woman can only do so much. Satoru promised to take care of me. Said I never had anything to worry about. But that's not true." Shippo bats his eyelashes at Naoya. "What I need is a real man. A real sorcerer to put me in my place."

Shippo leans in closer and slides his hands, so they rest on Naoya's shoulders. "You're that man, right? Can you put me in my place?"

"Wanna hear ya say it," Naoya breathes, focused so intently on Shippo, that someone could attack Naoya right now and he wouldn't notice.

"Under you." Shippo giggles.

He can't do this any longer. Megumi storms away. The image is seared into his brain.

"Men like Naoya think with their dicks," is what Shippo said to him before they left. "Doesn't matter what Mama did in the past. A little flattery and a wink is enough to have Naoya crawling on his knees."

He didn't want to believe Shippo was right… but he glances back and wishes he hadn't.

Where the hell are the pits? Anything is better than that cursed scene behind him. He presses his lips into a firm line at the sight of Jinichi-san. The tall, muscular Zenin with the wild hair that he refuses to call uncle.

"Where are the pits?" Megumi cracks his neck, barely reacting when Buyo Jr. and the cat shikigami jump out from his shadow and land on his shoulders.

"Interesting shikigami, you got there. They don't look like a part of the ten shadows technique."

"Because they aren't." Megumi keeps his face blank. The air is off. Though he figured this was a trap before he arrived. They must not like the idea of him being clan leader. "Where are the pits? I'm here for Maki and Mai."

"Heard ya tryin' to let Gojo out the box." Jinichi-san places his hand over his sword. He moves closer. Jinichi-san's breath is sour. Like rotten grapes mixed with sake.

So that's their angle. Buyo Jr. hisses. The cat shikigami jumps down and transforms into its more humanoid form. It waves a hand and Jinichi-san goes flying into a building.

Well…okay then? Still doesn't solve the issue of where the pits are.

"Buyo, can you smell Maki?"

"Meow." Buyo Jr. fluffs up his fur and jumps down, transforming into his bigger form. Is it just Megumi or was there a bit of attitude in that meow? He shrugs and pulls out a sword. Jinichi-san will come after them, but he needs to find Maki and Mai first. Something isn't adding up. Why would either of them try to kill the other?

Buyo leads them into a building and down the hall. The stench of blood is strong. The hairs on his arms rise. There's a lot of curse activity here. Is that what the pits are? He gnaws on the inside of his cheek. He'll thank Gojo-sensei first for preventing the sale of him all those years ago and then he'll kick his ass.

Megumi kicks open the door. The metallic smell smacks him in the face. He nearly doubles over. Curses surround Maki and Mai. They lie there in the middle of the floor, barely moving. The only thing keeping the curses at bay is Miroku-san.

Shit.

There are too many curses to count. Even if they are weak, the sheer number of them is a problem.

"You too, Miroku-san?"

"It's nothing personal, Megumi-kun," Miroku-san croaks. "You know the rules. You know the consequence of trying to free Gojo Satoru."

"Let them go," he replies, gripping his sword. He has the high ground, but Miroku-san is strong. Has to be to keep all those curses at bay.

Buyo Jr. snaps his teeth at Miroku-san, his tails twitch with agitation. The cat shikigami shifts, ears pinned back.

Miroku-san tilts his head to the side, staring down the cat shikigami. There's a tenseness to his shoulders. "I'll make you a deal. Pick one to save."

"I'm not choosing between them." He steps forward, but Buyo Jr. steps in front of him. "There's a sorcerer out there planning a culling game and you want to fight?"

"So, you won't choose?" Miroku-san sighs. "How boring." He snaps his fingers, and the curses descend. Maki groans, struggling to get up, but Miroku-san kicks her in the side, pushing her closer to Mai.

Shit. He doesn't need this. He needs to be focused on the culling games. On rescuing Tsumiki. Not dealing with a clan quarrel.

He summons rabbit escape. The bunnies rush forward with Buyo Jr. aiding them against the curses. Miroku-san flashes out of sight and backhands him.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

Where the hell is Shippo?

Miroku-san's arm changes, mutates, and turns into a sword. He rolls to the side and blocks. Where the hell did this strength come from? Or has he always been this strong? Miroku-san's face changes, his body gets bigger, the energy becomes more visceral. Darker.

This is a demon. Is this Naraku? He resembles the sketch Gojo-sensei drafted.

"Impressive. But not enough," Naraku coos. His red eyes are more vibrant than the bloodstains on the floor. Arms, like spider legs, sprout out of his back. They itch closer.

He can't die here.

He pushes back, pushing everything he has into it. Naraku skids back and then dodges an attack from the cat shikigami. Something wet trickles down his face. Blood. Megumi wipes it away with the back of his hand.

Boom!

Jinichi-san bursts into the room. His eyes wild. Scratches adorn his body like decorations. "Oh Megumi-kun!" he shouts, stalking towards him and then frowning. "Who the hell are you?"

Naraku rolls his eyes. "You had one job." His spider-like limbs stab Jinichi-san in the chest, spearing him like a kabob. He pulls him in closer. The limb bubbles and Megumi's eyes widen in horror.

Is he eating him?

He needs to get to Shippo, now. "Buyo!" Megumi runs, slicing away at the limbs that try to grab a hold of him. The cat shikigami holds out its hands, keeping the curses at bay, while Buyo Jr. and the rabbits follow him with Maki and Mai. Megumi pumps his legs to go faster. No one told him there was a demon here!

If that is Naraku, then that's the same demon that wiped out the Gojo clan.

He runs until he's out of the building. Where is Shippo? Now would be a great time for the fox to show up.

"Megumi-kun," Jinichi-san gurgles from behind him. Naraku's low, deep chuckle sears into Megumi's psyche.

Naraku is toying with him.

"No point in running. Even if I don't get to you. There's no way you can fight off all these curses."

Megumi presses his lips together. More curses surround him. No, these are demons. A bead of sweat drips down his brow. Demons in front of him, curses behind him. The rabbits separate and attack the demons, trying to fend them off.

"Just go," Maki says, wheezing. Her glasses are cracked. The burns on her face appear more angry than when she got them.

"I'm not leaving you."

The ground rumbles. His eyes widen as something pierces Mai through the gut. Her screams are so pain filled, he wants to cover his ears. Wait, why isn't going after him? He blinks. A bubble?

The cat shikigami growls, trying to flap its wings, but the wings are small. Buyo Jr. knocks the cat shikigami from behind and it lands on his back.

What are they doing?

There's a bright light and some demons combust.

"Oh, I know you aren't having fun without me," Shippo quips, dragging Naoya behind him. "Naraku? What a sight for sore eyes. Why I haven't seen you in centuries. Whatcha doing here?"

"Who are you? The fox?"

"Does it matter?"

Megumi's eyes dart between the two. Mai isn't breathing. Maki struggles to claw her way to Mai.

Naraku shrugs. He turns to the side and grabs a hold of the curses remaining.

No, he isn't eating them. He's absorbing them.

And Shippo looks not at all concerned. Why isn't he concerned?

"Shippo," Megumi says, but the fox ignores him, still dragging Naoya behind him. Megumi blinks. There's blood concentrated around Naoya's groin and his mouth…. Oh, he's going to barf. His throat constricts. His eyes water.

That's fucking sick.

"Still chasing the bottom feeders, are you?" Shippo shakes his head. "You know, for someone so strong, you always run away from a fight." The illusion fades and Shippo stands there with his tail swishing behind him.

Naraku's jaw clenches. "Seems your mouth has grown bigger than your strength." He lashes out. Shippo throws Naoya in front of him, using him as a shield.

Megumi snaps out of his stupor and rushes over to Maki and Mai. "Is she breathing?" he asks, while pressing his fingers to Mai's throat, searching for a pulse. Arrows rain from above, but they hit the bubble and dissipate.

"She's gone," Maki says, but her voice is distant. "Even after she tried to kill me, I didn't—" Her voice breaks.

"Did she attack you or was it Naraku?" He jerks his head toward Naraku and Shippo.

…Is that a spinner?

Megumi sucks in a breath. He needs Shippo to take this seriously.

"Sesshomaru-sama has a sword. We can take her to him."

Maki shakes her head. "She took everything. The little curse energy I had. She took it with her." She stands and tosses her broken glasses. "One of us was always fated to die."

"But Sesshomaru-sama can bring her back."

But Maki isn't listening to him. A sword appears in her hands. Mai's body fades away like the bodies of those demons. She is just gone. No ashes. No bones. Nothing. Megumi stands, tries to keep Maki in the bubble with him, but she's fast. Much faster than before.

"Wait!"

She ignores him, charging after Shippo and Naraku. There's no discernment with her blade. She attacks both. An arrow hits her in the shoulder.

Shit. Shit. Shit. What the hell is she doing? Has she lost it?

Megumi beats against the bubble. "Let me out."

The cat shikigami shakes its head.

Seriously!

He snarls, cursing the shikigami and Buyo Jr. He doesn't need protecting. He can fight too. The ground shakes again and the thing that attacked Mai emerges. In its mouth is Obi-san, or what is left of him.

"Maki! That's Shippo. He's on our side!"

Maki rips the arrow out of her shoulder. She turns her head, barely acknowledging him. "He's like the other. Choose."

Choose?

Megumi grits his teeth. He really doesn't have time for this.

Chapter Text

Damn fox.

Naraku frowns as he dodges an attack from Shippo. The female sorcerer leaps from behind and goes after the fox, who kicks her away with a scoff. Shippo's tail flicks back and forth in obvious agitation.

He huffs, trying to regulate his breathing. Damn that fox. Damn that shikigami. Damn that dumbass Naoya for falling for such an obvious ploy.

How stupid could one truly be? Why would the priestess go for one such as Naoya?

Idiot.

This entire clan is nothing but idiots that cannot follow directions. He longs for the days where he was able to make his own incantations and force them to follow his will.

Though they were useless in the end as well.

Naraku looks up and glares at the cat shikigami perched on the nekomata's back. He flicks his wrist, sending a gust of wind at them. The nekomata growls as it is thrown around and into a building.

So, the shikigami can only maintain one barrier at a time. Kagome must have created it. No way one of these sorcerers did.

"You need to put your glasses back on," Shippo says, "because you can't seem to tell the difference between me and Naraku."

"You are one and the same. Demons. Just like curses, you come to destroy everyone around you." The human, Maki, retorts as she raises her sword.

"This demon is actually on your side." Shippo sidesteps the attack. "I happen to be partial to humans."

"My blade is partial to no one."

"Last chance to back down," Shippo says flatly, tossing his spinner at Naraku.

It hits him in the gut, and he crashes to the floor.

Shit. That hurt more than it should have.

"That's my line," Maki retorts, dashing toward the fox.

Naraku wets his dry lips. He is at a disadvantage. He should escape.

Yes, he should leave now while they are distracted. While Maki seems hellbent on taking Shippo out. The fox is unfortunately stronger than he used to be.

He backs away as he waves his arm, sending the arrows away from him and towards the nekomata and the shikigami. Those two are pissing him off.

"Nothing personal, but you're pissing me off," Shippo says with a fang filled smile. The fox snaps his fingers and Maki is set on fire.

Naraku inhales. Damn fox blocked off his exit as well. Not even the woman's screams are enough to appease him. Fox fire is a bitch to deal with. Yumi used to set him on fire if he didn't procure the latest trinket she wanted or if he didn't give her enough guards.

"Shippo! What the fuck?" Megumi bangs on the barrier, but Shippo flicks his tail and turns to Naraku.

"You're colder than you used to be," Naraku says, tilting his head. "But you're still weak," he goads.

"Aww, you coming on to me? Sorry, I don't fuck with spiders." Shippo flutters his eyelashes and presses his hands to his face.

"Who would fuck with a fox?"

Disgusting.

Shippo laughs and transforms.

Naraku's heart stops. "You think such a trick would work on me?"

Shippo flicks his long red hair. "You don't like the look? Yakeru told me you and Yumi worked together." He runs a hand down his side. "But I don't believe that's all you two did."

Naraku glares. How dare he. "Believe what you want." He lashes out, sending a spiked tentacle at Shippo.

How. Dare. He.

He should have killed the fox when he was young. Should have done a lot of things. Should have absorbed Mahito when he had the chance.

How dare this low-level demon try to play mind games with him?

Shippo chortles. "Oh, this is rich. Did she even love you? Course not. Has any woman loved you?"

"You talk too much." Threads of invisible webbing shoot forth from his fingertips, binding the nekomata and shikigami. He extends his reach and binds the fox.

"Shippo!" Megumi throws his body at the barrier, but it doesn't budge.

Naraku dismisses the sorcerer. So long as he stays in that bubble, he can't reach him, and it doesn't look like the sorcerer can get to him either.

Shippo huffs. "This is annoying."

"You're outclassed." Naraku takes a step forward. The heat from the fox fire is hotter than any normal flames. How odd that Maki isn't dead yet. "I'd ask if you have any last words, but I don't care." He turns his arm into a sword. A clean cut to the neck should do it. He refuses to take any chances to give the fox any kind of opening.

"So cold, you'd really cut Yumi's head off?" Shippo sneers, and the expression is all wrong. How dare he wear her face.

He doesn't blink. Doesn't respond. Instead, he raises his arm.

"I can't believe you would do this to me," Shippo wails.

His eye twitches. Bastard. He'll strike him down and use his skull as a cup.

Crash!

Pain blossoms across his face as he hits the floor. His jaw is dislocated. Naraku stands and pushes his jaw up, clicking it back in place.

"Yumi! I'm here!" Sukuna's vessel yells, running over to the fox demon. "We got Shippo's message."

"I have eyes, and I'm Shippo." Shippo rolls his eyes and Naraku gnashes his teeth.

Why is he still wearing Yumi's face?

"HUH?" The pink-haired sorcerer turns. "Wait? Really? But…why did you kidnap Kagome-san then?"

"You dumbass."

"Is everyone okay?" InuYasha shouts, brandishing his sword like the heathen he is. Doesn't matter how many centuries pass, InuYasha is still as rotten as the day he laid eyes on him.

"Uh…Maki isn't," Yuji points out. "And Megumi is stuck in a bubble."

"She's fine," Shippo huffs. "Leave her though. Told her to stop attacking me." Shippo changes back to his original form. "And Megumi is the only safe one here."

"Woah! How did you do that?"

Naraku clucks his tongue and releases a gust of miasma. The fox was bad enough. Now InuYasha is here too?

"Shit! Cover your nose!" InuYasha yells, swinging his sword in an attempt to stop the miasma from spreading towards them, but it's no use.

How did they get here, anyway? He glances up and hums. So, the other nekomata is here too? Doesn't matter, it won't come down unless it wants to be hit with the miasma as well.

"Just as useless now as you were then," he says, yawning. His jaw aches. Fucker must have put cursed energy behind that punch.

He turns to the blue fire. How annoying, but it's not enough to stop him. Chancing the fox fire is better than staying here. He pauses and shoots tentacles out of his back.

"How are you not affected?" He turns as he wraps one tentacle around the sorcerer's neck.

Sukuna's vessel struggles, but like a snake, it only makes the tentacles constrict even more.

Naraku presses his lips together. He may as well take care of this pest now. The sorcerer continues to struggle. The nekomata circles overhead. Naraku rolls his eyes and releases more miasma, creating a covering. The only thing saving the sorcerer is that he is Sukuna's vessel. Trying to absorb him would spell more trouble than Naraku wants to deal with.

A laugh wretches itself from the sorcerer's throat. Naraku snaps his attention back to him.

Shit.

He really switched with Sukuna? He didn't seem like the type, but the proof is in front of him.

Unease punches him in the gut. He unwraps his tentacles from Sukuna and takes a step back, near the fox fire. The flames heat his back. A bead of sweat drips down his brow. He's cornered.

"For half breed, you're holding your head a bit too high."

"Speak your terms." Naraku grits his teeth, though outwardly he keeps his expression blank. King of curses or not, he will not bow. He didn't bow to Sesshomaru, he isn't bowing to some reincarnated sorcerer.

"My terms?" Sukuna laughs and rips off his own finger. "Know your place." He flashes out of view.

Naraku's eyes unfocuses as he tries to find where the king of curses disappeared to.

Damnit. Why isn't the miasma working on him? He grits his teeth and then groans as Sukuna appears in front of him, gripping his face and forcing his mouth open.

"Not my first choice, but you'll do," Sukuna says, forcing his finger down Naraku's throat.

He scratches at his arm. Tentacles burst from his body, lashing out, but the finger goes down and Naraku chokes on his own scream.

It's dark. Cold. He's back at the cave all those years ago. But there's no Kikyo.

There's no Yumi.

It's just dark.

He flexes his hand, but the darkness envelops him and the screams of the other demons rip his mind to shreds.

He needs to keep…fighting. Needs to stop Sukuna from taking over his body. Needs to take back control.

But.

His control slips, and the darkness pulls him in. The many demons that make up his body crowd around him and pick at his flesh until his mind is blank and there is nothing.

Sukuna flexes his fingers. His arm trembles and dies down to a muscle twitch.

He's back!

Free of that brat.

He laughs, a full heartily one. One that brings him joy to his core. He's back. He's free.

He's gonna fuck some shit up.

"Sukuna!" Yuji yells, panting as he clutches his chest. He sucks in a breath as though it will be his last one.

It should be.

Sukuna stares at him. What an ugly face. "Brat." He throws a cleave at him.

Yuji falls to his knees. Cuts litter his face and rips his clothes.

How boring. The brat has nothing to offer. Nothing but hand to hand combat.

Pathetic.

The miasma dissipates and the nekomata charges at him. Sukuna holds out an arm as the nekomata locks its jaws on him.

"You got more guts than the other one," he comments, pointing his free hand at the nekomata's head. He'll blow this one's head off.

"Kiara!"

Sukuna rips his arm free and jumps out of the way. A portal appears where he was standing. He peers at it.

Death.

Nothing but death is on the other side of that portal. It calls to him, trying to drag him in, but he digs his heels into the ground.

Sukuna cuts his eyes to the dog-eared demon.

An attack that sends someone straight to the other side? The portal closes and the demon skids to a stop next to the brat.

"Get up."

"I'm up," the brat replies. "Sukuna! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sukuna flicks his wrist and a gust of wind hits them. His lips twist into a smile. Oh, this body is better than he thought. He dashes forward and kicks Yuji in the gut, sending the brat into the fire.

"Oi! Ya bastard, focus on me." InuYasha points his sword at Sukuna and charges forward.

That sword is a problem.

Sukuna dodges and grabs the sword. It sparks and shocks him. He frowns as he punches InuYasha in the face. Damn. His hand is burned.

His rct output is low.

InuYasha swings his sword and Sukuna can't dodge. The attack hits him straight on as he thrusts his hands out in front of him to block what he can.

Shit.

That damn half breed is still fighting back for control.

And he isn't healing fast enough.

Still. He doesn't have time for this.

Sukuna shoots off a cleave at the fox and releases more miasma. The poison doesn't affect him, but the demons are having trouble with it. He accesses Naraku's memory, forcing the spider to give him the intel he needs.

A cloud, huh?

He summons a cloud under his feet. His arm is still smoking, but his rct is kicking in. The other nekomata and the shikigami fly towards him.

These idiots never learn.

He sends out a blast of webs, binding them and sending them crashing to the ground. His arm trembles.

He needs to sink Naraku further into the shadows.

Annoying.

"SUKUNA!" the brat yells, while the demons struggle to their feet.

He snorts. As if any of them can really do anything to him.

"You're not worth my time," he mutters, flying off.

Now then. Where is Uraume?

Chapter Text

Nobara is no expert on human anatomy or curse, or even demon anatomy. Heck, she can't even tell the difference between an insect or a bug.

But.

Humans should have their intestines inside their bodies, right? Like that's a given. There is no way to survive if your intestines are on the outside.

Can rct even heal that?

What are the limits, anyway? Can you come back from any kind of attack? Blows to the head? Or even if you're cut in half? No one has ever sat her down and explained just how the reverse curse technique even works.

Jaken grabs her hand. "You foolish child! We must run now!" He squawks, but Nobara cannot take her eyes off the sight.

Yuki is a special grade.

Special grades are like nothing in this world. Like Gojo-sensei. Special grades are strong. And yet…Yuki-san's intestines are wrapped around her like rope. Sukuna's tentacles wrap around Yuki's body like her intestines. There is a stench in the air. That copper smell. Blood stains the floor.

She hurls all over the floor. Bits and pieces from breakfast. She hurls until there is nothing left but her own desperation. It mixes with the blood and the sight makes her want to hurl again, but she has nothing left inside of her. Nothing left to give.

Yuki-san is strong, right? She can recover from this. Nobara wipes her mouth. She should do something. Anything. Help Yuki-san get out of this mess.

But Choso is down for the count, and it's just her. Where is Yaga-sensei? Where is Panda? Anyone? How did Sukuna even get out?

Where is Yuji? Is he still alive? What about Sesshomaru-sama? He could take Sukuna on, right?

Right?

"Let's go," Jaken says, pulling her away.

"No! We have to help." Nobara tugs, but Jaken's grip is surprisingly strong. She needs to do something. Even if it is just to buy time for Yuki-san to heal. She is a special grade! That has to mean something. Yuki-san should be untouchable like Gojo-sensei.

But. Gojo-sensei isn't here either, and he is the strongest.

"She is already dead. He's absorbing her. If you try anything, you will die." Jaken pulls her along and sighs at the sight of Choso. He bends down and mutters something under his breath.

The room flashes out of sight, though Sukuna's haunting red eyes are scarred into her brain. His aura. His demeanor. Everything about him was terrifying. And she didn't jump in and help. She should have jumped in to help. Assist somehow. Why did she stand there and do nothing? Just because Yuki-san said she could handle it?

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

"Nobara!" Kagome-san greets, smiling gently. "Did you get some more research done?" Kagome-san rubs her belly and then frowns at the sight of Choso.

Nobara trembles. They were just at the school, but now they are here at Sesshomaru-sama's estate. She blinks back the tears.

Safe. They're safe, but what about everyone else? Who is protecting them? Warning them?

Jaken squawks something and a guard rushes over, lifting Choso over their shoulder with ease, as though he weighs as light as a feather.

"Nobara," Kagome-san calls, placing her hands on her shoulders. "What happened?" Kagome-san glances at Jaken, who sucks in a breath.

"Sukuna is out. He had Naraku's body," Jaken answers. "He engaged in a battle with Yuki and decided to absorb her," he relays as though he is giving a report.

Kagome inhales. "Okay…" She turns away. "I need to know everyone else is okay." Kagome walks away and then pauses. "Nobara, do you want to come with me or go lie down?"

"How are you still calm?" Nobara asks. Her hands are still trembling. Sukuna took Yuki out as though she was nothing. As though fighting her was a simple matter and the outcome was always going to be in his favor. "Su-Sukuna is out there, and you're calm!"

How is she so calm? Doesn't Kagome-san realize that Sukuna will come for all of them? Especially her?

Kagome sighs softly and walks back over to Nobara. She wraps her arms around her and pulls her into a hug. "Because I have to be calm. Someone has to be strong when others are weak. That's what it's like when you aren't in it alone. It's okay to be upset. To be scared. But we need to make sure everyone else is okay. They need to know. Or maybe they do know since InuYasha and Yuji left out together."

"They left out together?"

"Yeah, I think they went to help out at the Zenin estate, or they went to do something else." She runs her hand over Nobara's back. "It's going to be okay. Sukuna went after you all because you weren't expecting it. He can't get in here," Kagome-san says with so much confidence that Nobara wants to believe her. Wants to believe in her strength, but she believed in Yuki-san's strength and now she's gone.

Jaken nods. "Sesshomaru-sama's estate is well guarded. Even if Sukuna could get through the barrier, I doubt even he could brute force his way into Kagome's creation."

Nobara pulls back. Her brows furrow together. What? Kagome's creation?

"We're working on strengthening the barrier," Kagome adds. "You missed the chaos of the baby shikigami." She grabs Nobara's hand. "Jaken, check in with Sesshomaru. I…I need to help Nobara."

"I'm fine," she sniffles. "I'm a sorcerer. I've seen worse." She needs to get it together. Pull herself together right now. What kind of sorcerer loses their head because of a little death?

"You're still a child. There's nothing wrong with that." Kagome hums, as she tugs Nobara's hand. "Children shouldn't be fighting these battles. If I had my way, you wouldn't have to."

Nobara blinks. For a moment there, it felt like Gojo-sensei was here. They must be doing that thing where couples start to look like. That's something Gojo-sensei would say. He's always going on about the youth.

Jaken runs, yelling for Sesshomaru at the top of his lungs. Nobara winces. Jaken's voice is so…not pleasant when he's screeching like that, but she can appreciate his urgency.

"I don't know where anyone else is," she admits. "Yaga-sensei and Panda weren't there. Neither were Maki nor Inumaki." Everyone else is spread out, trying to play these culling games. Nobara sucks in a breath. The culling games. More like a massacre now.

"We'll figure it out. Do what we can from here," Kagome-san says as she leads down the halls and to her room.

Nobara blinks. She can't get over just how massive Kagome-san's room is.

Kagome-san grabs her phone off the table and calls someone. She flashes Nobara a smile, but Nobara is too upset to be confirmed.

This is a huge problem. And she allowed herself to be pulled away without fighting back. How weak she is. Nobara clenches her fists. Yuji and Megumi are advancing much more quickly than her. Yuji wouldn't hesitate, but her? She clamped up at the oppressiveness of Sukuna's aura. His aura alone had her hair standing and her heart trying to run down the halls.

"Oh no," she whispers, covering her mouth with her hands. Kagome-san raises a brow as she ends the call. "We forgot about Tengen-sama." At Kagome-san's blank expression, Nobara continues, "Tengen-sama is responsible for keeping the barriers around Japan intact. They make sure that curses don't get too powerful…or at least that's what the barriers used to do, so that civilians would have a chance at survival. Without those barriers, we could have a world where the power scale is way above special grade."

Kagome-san frowns. "So, like demons and humans coexisting without glamours?"

"Uhh…" Nobara sniffs. "I don't know," she admits. "But protecting Tengen-sama is a priority."

The door slams open. Nobara steels her muscles. She is not going to jump like some scaredy cat. Speaking of cats…what is that on Kagome-san's bed? Does it have wings?

"Does no one knock around here?" Kagome huffs.

"The wolf is tracking the other child's scent," Sesshomaru-sama says. "He has been informed of the recent developments."

"Tsumiki," Kagome-san says. "I got in contact with Megumi-kun since no one else was answering. He said they are fine for the most part and they'll be coming back here after they calm Maki down."

Nobara blows out a breath. Phew. Okay, they are okay. If anyone was dead, they would say so. She pulls out her phone. She should warn the others, though. They have no idea what is going on. Nobara bites her lip as she puts everyone into a group chat. The black cat, if it can be considered a cat, stretches, and jumps off the bed. It brushes against her legs.

Her blood goes hot.

Like she's been running for days.

Nobara looks down at the cat. It blinks up at her. "You are not Buyo Jr. You don't even look like him."

"She's a shikigami, but I haven't decided on a name yet. I'm hoping she'll be able to talk and just tell me what she wants to be called."

Nobara's thumbs hover over the phone. Talk? It's a shikigami, not a child or a demon. The cat shikigami brushes against her leg again and her blood runs hot.

Wait.

Is it taking her fear away?

Is she going crazy?

"We need to go back for Tengen-sama," Nobara says, sliding her phone into her pocket.

"No," Sesshomaru-sama cooly, "This Sesshomaru is not wasting time and effort on something that should have died centuries ago."

Nobara splutters. She turns to look at Kagome-san for support, but Kagome-san doesn't seem at all phased by Sesshomaru-sama's words. "But the barriers," Nobara says weakly.

"The priestess could do a better job if it comes down to it," Sesshomaru says, flicking his hair back. "Where is your fox?"

"Yakeru?"

Sesshomaru-sama doesn't blink. "Call him here. I have need of the foxes."

"…Okay, I can do that. What's wrong with Shippo, though?"

"He doesn't get along with the other foxes."

Kagome sighs. "He is more like a dog sometimes." She reaches for her phone again. "Nobara, do you need to be checked out by Shoko? I forgot to ask."

"Ieiri-san is here?"

"Mhmm, Sesshomaru had her called here. She's working with the other healers."

Nobara frowns. When did that happen? Come to think of it, she didn't see Ieiri-san at the school. But how did they sneak her in when she's been here nearly this whole time?

Kagome-san pulls out a chair and sits down. She blows out a breath as she presses the phone closer to her ear.

There's a knock at the door and Kagome-san beams. "Come in," she calls, before turning her attention back to the phone.

Nobara blinks. Her body is physically in the room, but it feels like her mind is a thousand miles away. What is happening right now? Sukuna is out and Kagome-san is so…uncaring about it? She peeks at Sesshomaru-sama. No expression.

Is this why Gojo-sensei loves Kagome-san so much? She's so calm, even though it feels like the world is on fire.

"Hey!" Yuta-san calls, "I just got the update from Yuji."

"Stay here," Sesshomaru-sama says. "They should be on their way back."

"Yeah, but they said they were having a hard time calming Maki down. I should head there and try to get through to her."

"InuYasha knows to knock her out if it comes to that," Sesshomaru-sama says. "He should and stop wasting time."

"Yakeru will be here as soon as he can," Kagome says. "What do you need the foxes for?"

Sesshomaru-sama inspects his claws. "Even a fox can be of use."

"But Sukuna took over this Naraku's body. That's a problem," Yuta-san points out.

Nobara nods her head. Finally! Someone who is taking this seriously. "And Tengen-sama," she reminds them. "Tengen-sama is defenseless. He may have already gotten to them."

Yuta sucks in a breath.

"He took over the body of a half-breed," Sesshomaru-sama says, "A half-breed that was once human and invited demons to feast on his body and soul to become the vermin called Naraku. Naraku's body is weak."

Nobara splutters. "He took out Yuki-san! A special grade. One of the strongest."

Sesshomaru-sama snorts. "If you wish to save Tengen, then go. But this Sesshomaru will not assist you in a fool's errand."

Yuta frowns as he clenches his fists, but he makes no move to leave. Nobara swallows. If Yuta thinks it's a fool's errand, then should she just stay here? The cat shikigami brushes against her leg again, and this time her blood feels slightly warm.

Her whole body is warm.

Weightless.

Like she's losing her resolve.

"Nobara, why don't you lie down for a bit?" Kagome-san says, getting up from her seat. She walks over to her and guides her to the bed.

"But…he absorbed Yuki-san…" Her head is fuzzy. Is everything catching up to her? She sits down on the bed and slides her shoes off. The bed is soft. Really soft. The cat shikigami jumps up on the bed and climbs into her lap. "We should hunt him down before he gets all the fingers…or absorbs anyone else." Her eyelids are heavy.

Kagome-san smiles. "Don't worry about it right now. We'll come up with a plan."

A plan?

Yeah…It's as though someone placed a weighted blanket on her. She's so tired.

A plan sounds nice.

Her eyes flutter as she lies back on the bed. The cat shikigami blinks its blue eyes at her. It purrs.

"You…" she says, as her eyes slide shut.

Chapter Text

Kagome taps her nails on the table. It's been ten days since Satoru has been gone and they aren't any closer to getting him out of the prison realm. Frustration doesn't even begin to cover how she is feeling about this.

"We tracked Tsumiki's scent to an old warehouse. Chances are it's a trap or... I'm expecting a trap," Koga states, running a hand over his hair. "But we're ready to storm the place. If there are curses there, then they must be in hiding because as far as we can scent, it's just Tsumiki there."

Kagome bites the inside of her cheek. "What kind of backup are you requesting?" Koga seems unsure. His eyes are darkened. Cold. No, Koga is calculating. Guess after all these years, it makes sense Koga would become a more rational leader.

"This Sesshomaru is not leaving the priestess's side. The barriers are strong, but Sukuna will not pass up the opportunity to strike if given an opening."

Koga nods. "Right. And Kagome, you can't come because of your young. What of the foxes?"

That's a great question. Kagome stops tapping her nails and watches Sesshomaru. He gives no indication he heard the request, instead Sesshomaru picks up his tea and sips from it. She frowns. Sesshomaru is relaxed while she is a bundle of anxiety. Sleep has been elusive. As the days pass, even eating is becoming a chore.

She wants Satoru back.

She wants Tsumiki rescued.

And she wants Sukuna taken care of.

"The foxes are busy retrieving the last fingers."

"He has Naraku's body, do the fingers matter?" Kagome questions. Though it is better for him not to have his other fingers on top of everything else. "I guess they do," she admits.

"Other than killing the other special grade, he has been quiet." Sesshomaru sets his cup down. "It is now a body of humans, demons, and curses."

Koga yawns. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with getting back up? For all we know, he could be there in the warehouse and masking himself."

"Afraid of a sorcerer?" Sesshomaru scoffs.

Koga growls. "Not fond of losing good men. You know we don't breed as easily as humans."

Kagome's brows furrow together. They don't? There were so many kits at that fox hotel.

"If you are scared, simply say it." Sesshomaru leans back in the chair and rests his chin on his fist. "It appears demons have gotten lax over the centuries."

Koga snarls. His hands slam on the table. Kagome sighs as she reaches for a napkin to clean her spilled tea.

"Koga," Kagome says, drawing his attention on to her. "I'm not sure what kind of support you are needing. Yakeru is leading the other foxes. Shippo is with Yuta. InuYasha is with Yuji and Megumi. Now, you could ask one of them to come and help, depending on where this warehouse is." She blows out a breath. Megumi wouldn't turn down the opportunity to rescue his sister since that's part of the reason he is doing this culling game in the first place. "These games have a lot of rules from what I have been able to gather, but InuYasha and Shippo aren't held to them because they don't have cursed energy."

Koga pulls out a chair and plops down on it. He rubs his eyes. "What you're saying is we are spread thin. What of the other clans?"

Sesshomaru sighs. Kagome blinks. Sesshomaru actually sighed? He lifts his cup and takes another sip. "Some are going after the rampaging curses and trying to rein in the numbers. Some are working on covering up Shibuya. That is taking longer than this Sesshomaru wants, but it is being worked on. And then other clans, such as the bats, have demands this Sesshomaru will not hear of."

"What kind of demands?" Kagome cannot think of anyone demanding something from Sesshomaru. Perhaps, Sesshomaru is right in that demons have gotten lax. They must not know that Sesshomaru keeps a strict training schedule.

"Mating proposals."

Kagome snorts. "Ah, got it. You don't want to be tied down." The balls on those demons to demand a mating from Sesshomaru of all demons to secure aid. Haven't they learned anything from that cat demon tribe? Obviously not. Sesshomaru isn't the type to be tied down. No, he'd rather die than to be tied down to someone he doesn't want.

"No, the proposals are for the pups."

"Excuse me, what?" Kagome leans forward. "They're demanding my children for their cooperation? Kill them." She leans back and waves a hand in the air.

Sesshomaru shrugs. "Very well."

Kagome slaps her face. "I was kidding! Don't kill them for that." She mentally shakes her head. Leave it to Sesshomaru to jump at the chance to kill someone. "Can't we just blackball them or something? They clearly want power."

Sesshomaru sighs and Kagome's mouth drops. He did not just sigh at her again. Unbelievable.

"I could help," Choso speaks up. "This person is important to Yuji?" He clasps his hands together. His face is solemn. The marking across his nose is darker and a little wider.

Kagome blinks. Oh. She forgot he was here. Choso is so quiet that he nearly blends into the background.

"And what can you do?" Koga asks, inspecting his nails.

"He has blood manipulation," Kagome says. "I'm surprised you aren't with Yuji, though." She thought for sure Choso would have gone with his brother unless Yuji asked him not to?

"Yuji was already gone before I could join him," Choso answers. "He left a note asking for me to stay back and assist with anything you may need." Choso stares at his hands. "Truthfully, I only care for my brother. But this is his wish and..." He exhales and leans back in the chair. "You have looked out for my brother and I."

"I don't care about none of that shit," Koga says. "I just need to know if I got back up or not. I get this girl is important to you, but she isn't family."

"Tsumiki is Megumi and Satoru's family, which makes her my family." Kagome glares at Koga. "I would go myself if I could."

Koga scratches his nose. "You shouldn't be anywhere near the battlefield. Fine. Blood boy, you're up. Let's go." Koga walks out of the room. Choso stands and looks at Kagome.

"I want you to have this." Choso pulls out a book and places it next to Kagome. "It was Yuki's research on souls. Yuji told me how you healed that blonde sorcerer and that other one who thinks he is also Yuji's brother." His expression remains solemn. The only time Kagome has seen any genuine emotion on his face is when he's around Yuji. She grabs the book and gives him a grateful smile.

"I'll look through it and see if there is anything we can use. Might be able to do some stuff from here." Kagome sniffs and rubs her nose. "Also, don't let Koga bully you around. He's more cautious because he's a father now. And he has a tribe to look after."

Choso nods and heads out of the room. Kagome blows out a breath and sets the book down on the table. A book about souls, huh? It could be helpful, or it could be things she already knows. Sesshomaru crooks his finger and two of the guards move from the wall and head out of the room. Kagome raises a brow.

"The wolf is cautious and weary of the half-breed."

Kagome snorts. "Are you talking about Choso or Sukuna?"

Sesshomaru shrugs. "Both fit considering the circumstance." He stands. "You should retire to your room. It is late and the sorcerers will be fine."

"Wow, you're dismissing me," she jokes, grabbing the book as she rises from her seat. "I take it Jaken is with Nobara?"

Sesshomaru flicks his hair back. "Yes, those two seem to be close. Jaken took her and the other human with him on an errand. They should return before long."

Kagome sighs. Of course, Sesshomaru will not tell her what errand Jaken is running. Nobara was a little ticked that everyone went to the colonies without her, but as much as Kagome hates that Megumi and Yuji are taking part in these culling games, she cannot deny their strength.

Nobara and even Nanami aren't strong enough.

"Fine. Keep your secrets." She rolls her eyes for good measure and then pouts when Sesshomaru doesn't fall for it. Stubborn dog. Whatever. She walks down the halls and to her room in the north wing. Her breath catches in her throat. What the hell is this pressure?

The guards straighten and look at one another. They feel it too? Kagome lets out a breath. The pressure eases. She prays nothing awful happened in one of the colonies and that the students are okay. The guards dip their heads in acknowledgment and step aside so she can go into her room.

Thank Kami Sesshomaru doesn't have them posted in her room too. She needs room to breathe, though she appreciates Sesshomaru's vigilantness as well. Kagome closes the door behind her and sets the book down on the table. She'll look through it in the morning when she has more energy. Right now, she wants to lie in bed and pray for sleep to come.

Kagome tenses. That pressure is back. She grits her teeth. Okay, is someone fucking with her barrier? Because she out to... Kagome blinks. There's no way. They haven't found the prison realm yet and Shippo knows better than to play an awful trick like this.

"Satoru?" Kagome's throat clogs with emotion. Is it really him? She bites her lip. It is him. This energy is Satoru, but how is he here when they haven't figured out how to rescue him?

Satoru watches her for a moment and then advances on her so fast that her head spins. The room whirls away. "W-wait!" She wraps her arms around him. Satoru wouldn't drop her, but they were just in her room and now the only thing in front of her is Satoru with the moon high in the sky.

"I won't drop you," he reassures her, moving a hand down between them. "I've missed you," he breathes. His shoulders shake. Kagome palms his cheek and kisses him leisurely. She doesn't want to rush this.

It's been ten days.

Ten long days of not having his arms around her.

Ten days of spraying his cologne on the sheets. On his clothes. Ten days of not hearing his voice.

"Lie back," he commands. Kagome blinks. Lie back? There's nothing but clouds around them. Lie back on what? Satoru huffs and nips her bottom lip. "On the cloud."

Kagome wets her lips and leans back. Her hands caress his chest as she does so. Did he get buffer? She looks at his biceps.

Fuck, he did get bigger.

She has so many questions, but each question dies on her tongue with each passing second. All that matters is that Satoru is home. Though she makes a mental note to buy him more compression shirts.

"Good girl," Satoru praises, smiling at her. He undoes his pants, unfurling his long, thick cock. "Baby, I've missed you so much." The veins in his biceps bulge and she wants to trace every single one with her tongue. "Gonna fill ya up," he murmurs almost fervently, but the grip on her thighs will surely leave behind indentions of his fingertips. He moves her panties to the side and sinks in.

Kagome breathes out of her mouth. "Satoru." Her eyes roll back. He's so deep, she can't think straight.

"Shit, Gome-chan. All I did was kiss ya and you're this wet." He laughs, but the way he pulls out and slides back in with a hard snap is no laughing matter. "Did ya miss me?"

"Yes—hey!" Kagome huffs, slightly peeved. "Get back here." What gives him the right to tease her? He must not know how long it's been.

"Nah, you ain't beggin' for it," Satoru replies. He grabs a hold of her underwear and rips them. Stuffing the ruined panties into his pocket, he smirks at her and reaches for her. "Gonna have to get a little creative here, since we don't have a bed."

Kagome pouts, but lets him manhandle her. Satoru eases her legs around his neck and slides his hands under her back. His nose buries into her wet cunt, and she's feverish.

"Satoru, please." There's something about having nothing to hold on to but Satoru that sends her body into a tizzy. The open sky with the moonlight shining on them and clouds around them is almost romantic. It's just Satoru and her.

"Not until you come on my face." He licks up her slit, teasingly. Small licks here and there before devouring her with such ferocity, tiny sparks shoot up her spine. Kagome withes. She squeezes her tits through the oversized sweater. His oversized sweater.

"I'm gonna—"

"Mhmm, you're so sensitive, Gome-chan. So sensitive," he sighs. He dips his tongue in her, curling it up. "Did you play with this pretty pussy while I was gone?"

"No," she breathes, pinching and squeezing her nipples. That was the last thing on her mind.

"Did anyone else play with my pussy?"

"What? No!" Kagome blinks. How could he even ask her that? The thought of cheating on him is so absurd. She bites her lip. There's no telling what that prison realm did to him. Did time move as quickly as it does out here? "Satoru?" He is buffer than he was before. There's an edge to him that wasn't there either.

He slides his hands from under her back and in one swift move, she is sheathed on his cock. Satoru chuckles. It's low. Dark.

Menacing.

She clenches around him. Even his darkness turns her on.

"You belong to me," he hisses, trailing a hand up the column of her neck. He doesn't squeeze, but the feel of his hand wrapped around her neck is more thrilling than it should be. "All of this is mine." He jerks his hips up. "Mine." His movements are jerky. "If anyone even looks at you, I'll kill them."

Kagome gasps. Satoru is relentless. "Toru, that's—"

"I'll kill them," he repeats before crushing his lips to hers in a bruising kiss. She doesn't understand the possessiveness, but she submits all the same. Satoru is hers and she is his. "You're never leaving me."

She never wants to leave him. Kagome wiggles her hips, trying to meet him thrust for thrust. Satoru barks out a laugh. "You trying to keep up?" He pulls out and flips her, so her back is to his chest. "Like the view?" he asks, though he pushes down on her back and forces her into an arch. Satoru must sense she doesn't know what to do with her hands, because he grabs them and pins them behind her back with one hand, his other hand wraps around her waist. There's a tenderness there that wasn't there before.

"Satoru, please. I need you," she cries out. It doesn't matter if he takes her roughly. If he takes her slowly. She just needs to feel him. "Please," she chants.

"I want to hear you say it," he hisses. His thrusts are brutal. It feels more like a claiming than two lovers being reunited. "Say it."

"I'm yours!" she cries out, eyes squeezed shut. It's too much. The pressure is building. Oppressive. She feels like she's losing a battle. Satoru tightens his fingers around her wrists. His movements are jerky. Wild. The pressure pinches and tightens around her until it can't be contained.

Fuckfuckfuck.

"Shit, Gome-chan," Satoru grunts. "You missed me that much. Fucking soaked." His arm moves and he splays it across her throat, forcing her to lean back towards him. "Do not waste a single drop."

She swallows. It's hard to talk with his hand around her throat and how sinful his voice is. The pressure rapidly builds again. Satoru comes with a low groan as he continues to fuck her through his release. She gasps. Her orgasm crashes over her. The pressure is so intense, her vision goes black for a second. Her body sags. Spent. She's tired, but wired at the same time.

Satoru is back.

His hand moves from her neck and his head rests on her shoulder. He inhales deeply. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," she replies. "You could never hurt me."

Satoru doesn't say a word as he eases out of her. She gets one last look at the moon before the sky disappears and Satoru whirls them away. Kagome squints. Are they at home? It's too dark to tell. Satoru flips the light on and searches for something in the closet. Kagome rubs her arms as she watches him.

He is her Satoru, but something is bothering him. She just doesn't understand what it is. For now, she just wants to enjoy having him back. He's probably disoriented and there is no telling what that prison realm did to him, physically or mentally. Kagome takes a step toward Satoru, but whatever he was looking for, he stuffs it into his pocket before she can see it.

She frowns.

"We should go back to the estate. It's more guarded than here. And everyone is using it as a home base for now," Kagome says. She squeezes her thighs together. Their intermingled come is trying to leak out and someone ripped her underwear. Satoru looks around the room and frowns, but he takes her into his arm and they're back in her room at Sesshomaru's estate.

Kagome eeps and hides behind Satoru's back. Of course, the guards would be in her room. They must have felt that pressure too and came running in to investigate. The guards sniff the air and Kagome is mortified.

"Get out," Satoru growls. His energy lashes out and the guards are thrown out of the room. Thank goodness the door was already opened. Satoru stalks forward and shuts the door. He looks at her over his shoulder. "Do they normally stay in here?"

"No." She shakes her head. "They probably freaked because I suddenly disappeared when there was a surge going on. I'm guessing that surge was you getting out of the prison realm."

Satoru nods, but it is as though he is affirming himself of something and not her. He walks to her and lifts her bridal style. His eyes soften as he stares at her stomach. "Mine."

Kagome wraps her arms around his neck and presses her fast against his chest. "Mine," she tells him.

"Where's the bath?" He smiles at her.

Kagome pulls back and points to where the bathing area is. "There's also a hot spring, but I can't get in it." She pouts. After she has the twins, she is taking a long soak in the hot springs. Satoru hums as he sets her down. He readies the bath and then turns on the shower.

"Come here," he holds out a hand. "Let me take care of you." He divulges them of their clothing and washes her first before taking care of himself. The silence is strange since Satoru is usually a chatterbox, but every touch tells her all she needs to know. Satoru turns off the water and eases her into the bath.

Kagome tilts her head. "Are you not joining me?"

"In just a moment." He walks over to his discarded pants. "Close your eyes."

She closes her eyes. His footsteps are light, though she can barely hear them over the sound of her heart beating.

"Open them."

Her eyes snap open and it takes a moment for her brain to catch up to what her eyes are seeing. Satoru holds open the black box with a ring band inside. It has so many diamonds, her eyes go cross. Kagome glances at the ring on her finger, then back at the one in the box, and then finally at Satoru.

"Will you marry me?"

Chapter Text

Satoru jerks awake. His hand feels around the bed. Where the hell is Kagome? He tosses the cover off him. Did he dream it? Dream seeing her again? He tugs at his hair and sucks in a breath. This room isn't familiar, but he swears he saw it yesterday. A door opens and closes. He jumps to his feet.

Kagome pauses and then blesses him with the biggest smile. Satoru stares. It is her. His Kagome. He advances on her and takes her into his arms.

"I didn't want to wake you," she murmurs. "You seemed like you needed the rest."

Satoru tightens his arms around her and inhales. "No, I need you more than I need sleep. I thought I was back in that prison again." He pulls away and looks at her. Her bump is definitely bigger. There's something so soft about her in pink. The pink knitted dress accentuates Kagome's growing bump. He eyes her breasts and bites his lip. "I'm tempted to keep you locked in here," he admits.

Kagome laughs. "No way, I'm already going stir-crazy as it is."

He hums. She thinks he is joking, but he's not. He wants to keep her locked in this room, away from everyone else. Satoru runs a hand down his face. "I'm hanging by a thread here."

"Huh?" Kagome touches his face and caresses his cheeks with her thumbs. "Did it mess with your mind? The prison realm?"

"Sort of. It was a combination of that and the locket." Kagome drops her hands, but he catches them and keeps them on his face. "I got out because of you." He closes his eyes and sighs as he enjoys the warmth of her touch.

"What was it like? Inside the prison realm?"

Satoru lets go of her hands and brushes his knuckles down her cheek. His eyes darken. "Cold. Except for the locket you gave me. That was the only warmth in there. The only light. After a while, I started seeing things."

Kagome frowns as she holds on to his hand and arm, pressing her face into his palm. She looks up at him and all he wants to do is kiss her.

Satoru smiles. "I lived a thousand lives in there and in each one of them, one thing remained constant. You. I never stopped fighting to make it back to you."

"Satoru," she says, blinking rapidly.

"It's okay, Gome-chan." He pulls her into an embrace and breathes in her scent. "Doesn't matter if it's one life or thousands. I will always find a way back to you." What matters is that Kagome is in his arms.

His Kagome.

"How long was I gone?"

"Ten days," she murmurs. "A lot has happened since you've been gone."

Ten days? That's it? Satoru pulls back. Kagome's bump looks far larger than it did the last time he saw her. He doesn't know much about pregnancies, but ten days doesn't seem like enough time. Kagome sighs.

"We're having twins."

Satoru nods. So Koushi will be born next…."Did you just say twins?"

"Yes, twins. One of them likes to hide and sometimes masks themselves. But we are having twins." She smiles. "InuYasha actually—"

Crash. Something falls on the ground.

Satoru averts his eyes. "He knew before me." Kagome grabs his face and forces him to look at her.

"I didn't know either until he pointed it out." She presses her lips together. He hates the worried expression on her face. She shouldn't be worried about anything. "The only reason he mentioned something is because there was an explosion…. on Halloween. I'm fine. The twins are fine. But that's the only reason he mentioned it, because he was listening to their heartbeat."

Satoru gnashes his molars. He's glad Kagome and the babies are fine. But he's pissed that InuYasha was close enough to listen to their heartbeats. She wraps her arms around him and lies her head on his chest.

"Tsumiki is resting. Sesshomaru left last night to provide Koga and Choso backup."

"Who is Choso?"

"Uhh." Kagome pulls back and looks up at the ceiling. "He's like Yuji's brother. I guess. He was one of the cursed womb paintings."

Satoru's eyes twitch. The guy that helped the curses to seal him away?

"He wants to go after…. Ken…. Kenjaku? The man with the stitches on his forehead, Suguru?"

Satoru smacks his face and tugs at his lips. "We're having twins. The cursed womb painting is now on our side. And something happened to Tsumiki, but she's okay now?"

Kagome nods. "Sukuna is out too. Sesshomaru wasn't going to provide backup at first, but I guess he knew you were breaking out of the prison realm because he sent me to my room." She rolls her eyes. "If I had known you were in the middle of breaking free, I would have got everything set up." She waves her hand in the air as if to punctuate her point. Satoru grabs her hand.

"You said yes?"

"Okay, now you're scaring me. You asked me last night to marry you."

"I thought it was a dream." He sucks his teeth. "I love you," Satoru tells her. "There is nothing. No one that can keep me away from you. No matter what, I will always find my way back to you." He kisses her. Much sweeter than he did last night. He kisses her slowly. Deeply. Kissing Kagome is the only thing keeping him sane right now. "I love you," he repeats. "Tell me you love me."

"I love you," she says. "If you want to stay here, we can. I can have Jaken, or someone bring food to us." Kagome motions to the small table off to the corner. "We've got a table, a couch, whatever you want, really."

The offer is tempting, but his mind circles back around to what she said earlier. "Sukuna is out? I want to see everyone if I can."

"Sure. We can go see them in the dojo. Everyone is here since you're out." Kagome pulls away, and he nearly snatches her back into his arms, but he holds himself back. "I can ask Jaken to bring some food here while you get ready." Kagome grabs her phone off the table and holds it up to her ear.

Satoru lets out a breath of relief. For a moment, he was worried she was going to leave again. Satoru heads to the connected bathroom and washes himself quickly. The jets of water are amazing on his back and the sound calms him, but he wants to return to Kagome's side as fast as possible. He dries off and wraps the towel around his waist.

"So why is everyone in the dojo?"

Kagome looks up and her mouth opens slightly. She swallows. "Because Sesshomaru likes to kick them around when they're here. Calls it training." Kagome wets her lips. "We could always catch up with them later." She gets up from her seat at the table and approaches him. His heart rate increases.

It beats faster with every step she takes towards him. There is one thing he knows, and that is how hopelessly in love he is with her. Stars could fall from the sky right now and his only concern would be how to save her. The world be damned. He meets her halfway and picks her up bridal style.

"You shouldn't be on your feet," he says. Something moves on the bed. Satoru tightens his hold on Kagome. What the hell is that? Another Buyo? He narrows his eyes. No, it's definitely some kind of cat, but it has wings, and it doesn't feel like a demon.

"That's Kuro," Kagome says. "She's my shikigami. Sorta." Kagome huffs. "Okay, she is mine, but Megumi takes her from time to time. He already claimed Shiro." Satoru sets her down gently on the bed. Kuro, the cat shikigami, yawns and stares at him. It tilts its head to the side and then stretches out its small wings. "Kuro can do some barriers, but she's better at calming people down and luring them to rest."

Satoru nods, though he truly has no idea what is going on. It's only been ten days and yet it feels like years' worth of time has been lost. He walks over to the closet and slides on some clothes. "How do you know it's a she?" He grabs two cinnamon rolls off the table and stuffs one in his mouth.

"Because she has a human-like form, but she likes to stay in this one." Kagome picks Kuro up and pets her. "Ready to go?"

No.

"Lead the way." He side-eyes the guards as they walk by. Those fuckers sniffed the air last night. Sniffed Kagome. Satoru stuffs the other cinnamon roll in his mouth to stop himself from punching them in the face. "So, you've been up here this whole time?"

"Yeah," Kagome says, looking over her shoulder. "More security than at home. I strengthen the barriers around the estate. I would like to do more, but…" She shrugs. "Just been doing what I can from here. I wanted to get you out myself."

"You did get me out," he assures her. "If I didn't have this locket, I would still be in there." He touches the locket. There's still some energy left in it. "In those visions. Well…it felt like different universes. Some things were different, but the only constant is that we were always together in some fashion."

"Are you saying that you universe hopped?" She taps a finger to her lips. "I mean, I came here from another world, so that's not the craziest thing."

He smiles. "Luckily, I didn't have to go through too many changes to get your help. Each verse I went to, the locket needed an extra boost. I think that's what ultimately wore the prison realm down. It didn't like the locket the first time I pulled it out." He eyes Kuro nestled in Kagome's arms. It's just a cat. A shikigami.

But he doesn't want it there in her arms, which is ridiculous. He knows this, but the anger and jealousy swirling in his gut is a dangerous combination.

"How far is this dojo?" he asks, needing to change the subject. Dwelling on his adventures is the last thing he wants to do. Some of them were fine, but others…others made him seethe. "I might need to spar with Sesshomaru while we're there."

Kagome snorts. "You've been itching to spar with Sesshomaru. We're here," she says. Satoru moves in front of her and pushes the doors open. He bites down on his tongue and clenches his fist.

InuYasha.

Doesn't look as though InuYasha is guilty or even upset that he is here, but Satoru isn't ruling InuYasha's involvement out yet.

"Sensei!" Yuji exclaims, jumping to his feet. He rushes over and waves a hand at him. There's a scar on his face now.

Wait.

"I thought Sukuna was out now?"

"Fucker took over Naraku's body," InuYasha says, crossing his arms. "But we haven't been able to find him. He covers his tracks well. Give him that."

Sukuna is hiding? Satoru's brows furrow. That doesn't make sense. Kagome heads over to Megumi and sits down next to him. Satoru frowns and trails after her.

"Why would Sukuna be hiding?" He reaches for Kagome and pulls her into his lap. She shouldn't be sitting on the floor. Megumi looks at him and then looks away. Satoru squints. "What are you embarrassed about?" he asks Megumi.

"Nothing!" Megumi scoots back. Shippo chortles. "It's not funny, Shippo."

"It's hilarious."

"…Don't mind them," Kagome sighs. "Shippo did something to traumatize Megumi."

"I was building character," Shippo says. "Besides, what matter is, is that Naoya's bum ass is dead. I did nothing wrong."

"YOU BIT HIS DICK OFF WHILE PRETENDING TO BE KAGOME-SAN!"

The room goes hush. Satoru's body is hot. It feels like he is having an out-of-body experience. Shippo did what?

"I'm not surprised," InuYasha mutters.

"Okay, in my defense," Shippo says, holding up his hands in front of him. "Naoya wanted Mama to come down to the Zenin estate. They were holding Maki and Mai hostage or whatever. It was a trap, clearly. So, I was like, ya know, let's just go down there and see what the man wants. It's not my fault he was thinking with his dick."

"You wore the shortest skirt possible and said hoes don't get cold right before you threw yourself at Naoya," Megumi says.

"First of all, I got that skirt from Mama's closet."

Megumi whips his head around at Kagome and his face goes as white as the Satoru's hair.

"Shippo traumatized me too," Yuta says, raising his hand. "He called me a curse fucker."

"Where was the lie?" Shippo scoffs.

"He tried to feed me to a dragon," Yuji says.

"I did not."

"He burned me with fox fire," Maki says.

"You attacked me first. That was self-defense."

"He cheated in blackjack," Kinji says.

"Okay, this is just slander now. Everyone wants to gang up on me now that Papa is back."

"I want another shikigami for my trauma," Megumi announces.

Satoru scratches his head. The hell is going on? "Megumi, if you want another shikigami, go tame one."

Kagome shakes her head. "No, he's asking me for another one." She huffs. "Hold on." Kagome closes her eyes and holds her hands out in front of her. Frankly, Satoru isn't quite sure what the heck she is doing, but everyone is watching her with some expectancy. A black egg appears in front of Kagome. It's huge.

Megumi grabs the egg so quickly that Satoru does a double take.

"You make eggs now?"

"It's a shikigami egg," Kagome says.

Megumi rubs the egg. "Give me something cool," he tells it. Satoru rubs his eyes. This is not the Megumi he knows. He glances to the side where Shoko and Nanami are, and neither of them seems shocked by this. Okay. What the fuck happened in just ten days? It's as though everyone has lost their minds.

"One of these days, something is going to come out of one of those eggs and eat us all," Yuji groans. "It's the start of a horror movie. Like freaking aliens!"

"Hush!" Megumi glares at him. "Don't listen to Yuji." He rubs the egg. Nobara walks over and stops at the look on Megumi's face. She rolls her eyes and sits off to the side, not directly in front of the egg.

Crack.

Satoru tenses.

The top half of the egg shoots off and large yellow eyes stare at Megumi, who peels off the rest of the shell. It stands on two legs with a solid blue body. Its arms are small with feathers at the end that look like a cape. On its chest are black markings, but with the markings and the black feathers, it looks as though it is wearing a tuxedo.

"WE'RE DOOMED!" Yuji exclaims. "THAT'S A DINOSAUR!"

"It's not like I know what is going to come out of the eggs," Kagome huffs. "It's like a shikigami gacha."

"Stop summoning shikigami," Sesshomaru says, "Before you summon one so big, we have no room to house it."

"…Hi?"

"Awww!" Kagome coos. "It talked!"

"Time out," Satoru says, "You make shikigami?" Kagome nods.

"And Megumi takes the shikigami?" Satoru continues.

"Yeah, he like imprints on them and they go with him."

"They can go in my shadows," Megumi answers, picking up the tuxedo-wearing dinosaur. "What's your name?"

"Name?" It roars, showing off its fangs.

"Ryuren," Megumi says, holding the shikigami like a plushie. Buyo Jr. leaps out from the shadows and wails. "Buyo, it's fine," Megumi says, reaching over to pat his head.

Kagome leans back against Satoru and touches his face. "Welcome home."

He bends his head down and kisses her. Yeah, it's good to be back, though it would be nice if Buyo stopped wailing.

Chapter Text

"Why didn't you choose me?"

Kagome cuts her eyes at InuYasha and sets her morning tea down. It helps with the sudden onset of nausea she's been experiencing since Satoru has been back. "InuYasha, you can't be serious."

His ears droop. "You said you would always choose me."

"I said I would always be by your side, which I can do as a friend. But I can't keep that promise if you keep pushing for more when you know I'm with Satoru. I'm not leaving him." Kagome covers her mouth with her hand. Her stomach lurches. Oh, this is the worst. Can't they just get past this? Is she going to be nauseous for the entire pregnancy? Please no. She can hear Satoru now, telling her to just stay in bed and leave everything up to him, and then Sesshomaru will double down and tell her to listen to her mate.

Funny how those two get along when it comes to keeping her in the house.

"That's not what you meant back then." He stands quickly and paces the room. "You said you would be with me. And I'm here now, but you're still..." He drags a hand down his face. "You chose a human over me."

She shakes her head. No, that's not it. It's not because Satoru is human. "I'm with Satoru because he's Satoru. That's it. Has nothing to do with him being human." Kagome pushes the chair out and stands. Speaking of Satoru, she needs to track him down. The tea is not working. InuYasha is picking a fight for no reason, and... she dry heaves. Kami, this is the worst. The longer InuYasha stands here picking a fight with her, the worse she feels.

"Shit. Are you okay?"

"Fine," she says, through clenched teeth. She retches again. "Can you get Satoru?" Kagome grips the back of the chair and then pulls it back out. On second thought, maybe she should sit down. She lies her head on the table and breathes out of her mouth. At this rate, Satoru won't need to tell her to stay in bed. She won't have a choice. Ugh, and she was doing so good earlier and then InuYasha had to come in to the dining room and start up again. She should have known. InuYasha is a fighter. He's steadfast, and he doesn't give up, but he needs to give up on them.

Kagome inhales and then breathes out of her mouth once more. Better, but not enough.

"Fuck. Okay. Just hold on!" InuYasha rushes out of the dining hall. A moment later, Satoru flashes in front of her.

"What's wrong?" He squats down next to her and pushes her bangs back. Kagome sighs. His hand is cold. That feels nice. "Kagome?"

"M'better now." Not really. Her stomach is a mess of knots, and her throat is tight, but seeing Satoru is nice. She likes looking at him.

"Flare your energy," Sesshomaru says. Kagome grunts. She would turn her head to look at him, but even that takes too much energy. Satoru's brows pinch together, but he flares his energy all the same.

Oh.

"Do you feel better now?"

Kagome lifts her head and looks at her stomach. "Surprisingly, yes." So that's how it's going to be? Satoru caresses her stomach. His shoulders relax. In a split of a second, one flare of Satoru's energy got rid of the nausea. Why did she even bother with the horrid tasting tea?

"I'll take you to Shoko."

"No, I don't think she needs to check me out." Kagome glances at Sesshomaru. "How'd you know about the energy?"

"It is what demons do to calm our young." He stares at them for a moment. "This Sesshomaru wasn't sure if it would work considering you both are human, but..." He shrugs one shoulder. "Your mate doesn't act like a typical human."

Satoru grunts. "I thought the second trimester is supposed to be easier."

"Is it?" Kagome shrugs one shoulder. "It just came back recently." She worries her bottom lip between her teeth. "I'm fine when you're near. This might be your fault," she jokes.

Satoru doesn't smile. He keeps his hand on her stomach.

"Satoru?"

"I want you to tell me if you get nauseous later today. We need to monitor it. See how long they can go without feeling my energy." His eyes darken. Kagome presses her thighs together.

Not the time. Not the time.

"Tend to your mate," Sesshomaru says. "We will resume our discussion when you are done." Sesshomaru walks out of the dining hall. Kagome scratches her cheek.

"What discussion?"

Satoru reaches for her and pulls her into his arms. "Planning on how to take out Sukuna and Kenjaku, the sorcerer who took over my best friend's body." He kisses her forehead. "Utahime's curse technique is more support based, so one option is to use her technique to boost mine."

Kagome frowns. What is wrong with her? Satoru and Sesshomaru were talking about how to get rid of Sukuna and she's stuck on someone else giving him a boost.

"What's with the face? I'm not leaving you. We'll kill Sukuna and Kenjaku and then we'll rebuild jujutsu society."

"It's not that..." Kagome blows out a breath and averts her eyes. "I know you'll come back to me. I'd haunt you if you didn't."

"But," he prods.

"I don't want anyone giving you a boost." She peers up at him. "I can do that."

Satoru stops. "You can give me a boost?" He swallows. "Gome-chan, I don't want you anywhere near the battlefield."

"I don't need to be near it. I can do it right now."

"Please don't have sex in the middle of the hallway," Shippo says. Kagome startles. Where did Shippo come from? Next to him, Megumi's face is pink, and Yuta looks exasperated. Shippo must be putting those two through it.

Oh!

"Yuta, I almost forgot. I have something for you. It's in the bedroom."

"So, you guys weren't about to do it right now?" Shippo jokes.

"No, I was talking about amplifying Satoru's powers."

"OHHH!" Shippo nods his head. "Yeah, that's like Mama's thing." He rubs his chin. "The Shikon is a part of you now, right?" At Kagome's nod, Shippo continues. "And it likes Papa, which may or may not be something to worry about, but you could do some impressive numbers with that."

"What's the Shikon?" Yuta asks. Shippo gets the door for all of them. Once inside, Satoru tightens his hold on Kagome as if he does not want to let her down.

"Basically, a wish-granting jewel that only looks out for itself. One shard of it could keep someone from dying." Shippo plops down on the small couch in front of the bed. "It can turn a half demon into a full demon. There's really nothing it can't do."

"... And this is a part of Kagome-san?"

Shippo shrugs. "More or less, I think."

Kagome heads over to the vanity and pulls out a shard. "This is not the jewel, by the way." She deposits it into Yuta's palm. "It came from a barrier I made. Figured you might want to eat it."

Yuta stares at the shard and shudders.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure." He meets her gaze. "It feels so clean."

"Back up," Satoru says. "How long will the amplification last? With Utahime, certain steps need to be taken and it should amp me and any others in range up to 120% or so."

"For you? Potentially forever. And I don't need to be on the battlefield or near it for you to receive the benefits."

"We should go," Shippo says, slapping his hands on his thighs. "Come on, you two, I'm not done kicking your ass."

"But I'm curious," Yuta says. Megumi grunts. "What? We've only seen a little of what Kagome-san can do."

"Before you go," Kagome says, "I want to make sure there aren't any adverse reactions to you eating that." Not that she thinks anything will happen, but the off chance, it does not agree with Yuta's cursed energy. She wants to be around to stop it. Satoru wraps his arms around her and rests his chin on top of her head.

"Oh. Okay." Yuta chuckles as he clutches the shard. "It'll actually be Rika that does it." His shikigami appears behind him and eats the shard from his palm. "Rika?"

Rika's body glows. Pulses. Her body goes from purple to white and then back again.

Crap. Did she just kill Yuta's shikigami?

Rika shakes her head and waves Yuta off. The pulsing stops and the ends of Rika's hair are pink. Yuta holds out his hands. For a moment, nothing happens, and then a barrier forms around him. Rika smiles, flashing large canines before she fades away. At least Kagome did not kill Yuta's shikigami. Man, that would have been bad.

Shippo touches the barrier and pouts. He shakes his hand, dispelling the smoke. "Didn't think it would hurt me."

"Sorry, Shippo. Yuta must have wanted a break from you."

"How rude." Shippo crosses his arms. His tail flicks back and forth in slow strokes. "Let's go. I wanna see your shikigami up against Megumi's."

"I would, but I don't know how to get rid of the barrier."

Kagome moves out of Satoru's hold and presses a finger to the barrier. It shimmers away.

"Oh! Wow. Kagome-san, you're amazing," Yuta praises. Megumi's lip curls back. "What?"

"Stop it," Megumi says.

Kagome blinks. Is Megumi jealous that someone else got a gift from her? Megumi scoffs and turns his head away. Oh, he is. She bites her tongue. Shippo clasps a hand to Megumi and Yuta's shoulders and whisks them out of the room. The door closes and suddenly Kagome is hyper-aware of Satoru's presence.

It's just them.

Alone.

Finally.

"About this amplification," Satoru says, circling his fingers around her wrist. He leads her to the bed. "If it's going to take a lot of you, then I do not want it. Your health and their health are the only things that matters."

"It won't take anything out of me," Kagome assures him. "I know not to overdo it."

Satoru does not look convinced. He sinks to his knees and palms her stomach. "I'm serious. If it comes at a risk to you, then we aren't doing it." The Shikon pulses. Satoru pauses. "Was that..."

"No, that was the Shikon." Kagome gives him a lopsided smile. "It does like you. If it wasn't a part of me, then I'd be worried." If it were the Shikon of her world, then she'd be sweating like crazy. This Shikon does not have the same malice. She widens her legs and cups his face. Kami she wants to kiss him. She could kiss him all day. Her stomach tightens. Okay, she wants to do more than just kiss him.

Satoru raises a brow. "Are you still nauseous?"

"No." She huffs. "I'm fine."

He stands and moves her legs, so she is fully on the bed. "I don't want you overworking yourself."

Kagome glares at him. "I'm not helpless."

His shoulders droop. "Not saying you are. I just worry about you." He squeezes the back of his neck. "I was too rough with you when I got out."

Kagome rolls her eyes and pulls him forward. He catches himself. "Gome-chan," he warns.

She lifts her hips and wraps her legs around him. "Satoru," she replies. His cock is hard and heavy. "Please. I want to do it this way."

His nostrils flare as his Adam's apple bobs. His hand slides down and grips her thigh. "You drive me crazy," he admits. "Want to keep you locked away sometimes where no one else can lay eyes on you."

She doesn't need him to clarify who that no one else is.

"But you shouldn't be on your back," he says, pulling away. Satoru flips her on her side and kisses her ankle. "I love you." He tosses his shirt over his head and behind him.

Kagome swallows. She isn't sure how much time passed when he was in the realm or if he worked out when he universe hopped, but he's so much bigger now and she wants to run her tongue over every single ab. When he angles his body over hers, she raises just enough to kiss him. Her body hums with pent-up need. Her energy flares and mixes with his. She's danced around this before, never fully committing to it, but she wants to—no—she needs to now. Satoru gasps.

His eyes are blown.

Wild.

With a crooked smile, Kagome peers up at him. "I love you too."

Chapter Text

His cock is so hard right now he could split this bed in two. “Kagome,” he groans as his head lulls back. His hands fist the sheets. “What are you doing to me?” They will have to replace these sheets when everything is done, because he’s about to rip them to shreds. His fingers tighten around the fabric. Patience is something he has an abundance of except when it comes to her. He tries. Kami knows he tries, but Kagome drives him insane.

Kagome hums, sending vibrations up his cock. Satoru groans again and opens his eyes. Fuck. He didn’t want her on her knees, but denying her wasn’t an option, either. Her soft lips are stretched to their limits, wrapped around his cock like they are made solely for sucking him off. She cups his balls and tugs, not enough to hurt, but enough to have his heart pounding.

“Gome-chan, you’re killing me.” Damn, she looks so pretty like that. His hair is plastered to his forehead. A testament of how much it is taking him to keep calm. His arms shake.

“You can take it,” she teases as she grips him tight with her other hand. She closes her eyes and nuzzles his cock against her cheek as though it is the best thing she’s ever had. Fucking better be. Satoru grits his teeth. He wants—no—needs to touch her. “Ah ah,” Kagome says. “I’m in charge.”

Satoru chuckles. “I’m going to spank that ass until it’s nice and red.” He inhales as her lips wrap around him again. Maybe it’s the eye contact or the way her cheeks concave so hard. The suction alone nearly takes him out. “Shit, baby.” Satoru tilts his head back. “How is this—fuck!” His hips jerk up and when her tongue lies flat against the underside of his cock, he nearly loses it.

Screw it. His control is in shambles. He’s hanging on by a thread. When he comes, it will be inside of her. He wants it leaking out of her. Wants to rub his come into her skin like lotion. Needs her to smell like him. 

His. 

He bites his tongue. Kagome is his. No one else’s.

Kagome laughs. Oh, she thinks this is funny? Satoru grins down at her. “How will this boost my techniques? Not complaining.” He brushes her hair back and then caresses her cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”

She swirls her tongue around the head. The look on her face is one of pure bliss. “This was to help you relax,” she swipes her tongue across her lips and strokes him. “The boost is this.”

What stroking his dick?

“Kagome!” His energy flares right as his hips surge forward, hitting the back of Kagome’s throat. She gags. Oh, fuck him. They should have set up a camera or something so he can listen to the sound of her sucking him off. His energy flares again and the lights go out. “Shit. Shit. Sorry.” His chest rises rapidly. What the hell was that? “Fuck. Come here.” He helps her to her feet and urges her into his lap. She is soft. So soft. He’ll never tire of touching her.

“The lights aren’t coming back on,” Kagome murmurs.

“Don’t need em’.” He kisses her, internally preening at every sigh of contentment that passes from her lips. As nice as they are, he needs to hear her screaming his name. Needs to hear it like he needs oxygen to breathe. “We don’t need the lights. Can see ya just fine,” he says before kissing her again. She tastes like him.

“I wasn’t done, Toru,” she says right before nipping his lips. “So impatient.”

Wasn’t done? His body is on fire. His balls are so heavy and full. He wants to come right now, and she’s telling him she wasn’t done? There’s more? His energy is humming. How is there more?

“Lie back.” She pushes him down. There’s something about her taking control that sends a jolt of electricity up his spine. His Kagome. Taking what she wants.

“Was gonna fuck you sideways,” he says, resting his arms behind his head as he watches her. Kagome bites her lip as she moves her hand down, searching for him.

Ah. He can see, but she can’t see.

“You need help?” he teases.

“I got it.” Kagome’s fingers wrap around his cock. “I don’t need to see to know where your dick is.”

“Mhmm, handful for ya?” Damn it, he has to touch her. He moves his arms and fondles her breasts. “Love these tits.” Satoru flicks his thumbs across her nipples and then tugs. “Love that ass.” He slides his hands down and grips her hips. Heh, he loves everything about her.

“I said I got it,” she huffs out.

“I’m steadying you,” he quips. With his feet planted on the floor and being so close to the edge of the bed, course he wants to steady her. Not that he’d let her fall, but he doesn’t want to take that chance. “Always got you.”

Kagome hums as she lifts up and sinks down on him. “OH!” She chuckles as her breath comes out unsteady. “Every time.”

“Hm?” He swallows as he forces himself to remain still. This is her time. He can hold out a little longer for her.

“You take my breath away every time,” she says with a laugh.

“I might actually die if you don’t fuck me.” Satoru’s nostrils flare. She’s killing him. Staying still is taking a bigger toll than being locked in that prison realm. His energy is fluctuating, and the need is building. Needs to fuck her. Needs to get this energy out. And there’s more? He might not be able to handle it.

Kagome lifts her hips and teases him. “What’s wrong, Satoru? Can’t handle it.” She snaps her hips down and her energy wraps itself around him again.

Fuck!

Something crashes in the distance. Maybe a lamp or a window. He doesn’t know, and he doesn’t care. As long as nothing crashes down on them—on her, then he doesn’t care what breaks in the process.

Kagome stills. “Satoru?”

“Let the world burn. Keep rocking your hips just like that.” The stars could be falling right now. Hell, curses could be swarming the cities in droves. He can’t find it in him to care. Not even a little. Not when Kagome squeezes him just like that. Not when she moans every time she sinks down on his length. “Fuck Gome-chan, you feel so good,” he coos.

This is torture. The way her walls tighten around him, strangling him. It’s torture.

He wants to bend her over and slam into her. Wants her pussy on his tongue. His eyes roll back. That would be good. So good. He loves the way she tastes. Loves the sounds she makes. He should do that. Put them both out of their misery.

“Satoru,” Kagome warns. She lightly scratches his abs.

“I’m being good.”

Kagome hums, and this time, when she pulls off, she doesn’t sink back down. “Don’t you dare,” she says.

She’s edging him. Has to be. Satoru tosses an arm over his face and groans, even though the need to have her is so great he could cry. Kagome’s tongue flicks out, and he sighs. It’s almost enough to placate him.

“Abs do it for ya,” he jokes, moving his arm.

“You’re so big.”

His cock twitches. Maybe it’s the words or the wonderment in her voice, but damn, does that fill him with pride.

Kagome dips her tongue into his belly button and swirls it. She smiles as she continues to tease him. “Really love these abs.”

“Baby, please,” he begs.

“You are so impatient,” she huffs out. Kagome kisses his stomach and then sighs as she leans back. “Is this what you want?” Her hand grips his cock and strokes.

Fucking tease.

“I need to be inside of you.”

She wriggles her nose. “Lights back on.”

“Gome-chan,” he whines. “I don’t control the lights. Besides, I can see for both of us.”

“You caused them to go out,” she grumbles, moving away from him. His hands shoot out to steady her. “You may not need the light, but I do.” She brushes his hands away. Satoru sits up and tilts his head to the side. What is she looking for?

“You need the light because?”

“I can’t tie you up if I can’t see,” she mutters.

Tie him up?

“Gome-chan, come on,” he pleads. His cock is so hard it hurts. “I’ll be good.”

“Promise?” She opens the nightstand drawer and feels around. Satoru groans. He doesn’t want to lie to her, and he’s not sure if he can promise to be good when he wants to touch her. “Satoru.”

“Okay. Okay. You can tie me up.” He spikes a hand through his hair and gets up. “I’ll grab my phone.” Damn. Her ass is right there. Satoru grins.

Smack!

“Satoru!”

“I’m not tied up yet,” he quips. Satoru bites his lip and then sinks down to his knees. “Just a taste, yeah?” He wraps an arm around her waist and flicks his tongue against her lips. Oh, she tastes like heaven. He sheathes his tongue inside of her. If he could, he’d live here. He’d keep his tongue inside of her for the rest of their days if he could. Nothing compares to the sweetness of her wetness on his tongue. Kagome moans and arches her back, pushing her ass back against him. He slides a finger, followed by another, and fingers her as he laps at her puffy lips. “Love you so much, Gome-chan.”

“Satoru!” she gasps. Almost there. He’s got her right where he wants her. “I’m going to—ah!”

He’s drowning. Drowning in her taste. Ribbons of come drip from her and coat his chin. Another one. He needs to give her another one. Her energy wraps around him again and he swears it tugs on him like she’s giving him a supernatural hand job.

“Coat my face, just like that,” he praises. “My Kagome. That’s it.” He could get drunk off her. His energy flares again and the lights flickers for a few seconds before staying on.

“Bed,” Kagome moans. “Get on the bed.”

“You’re serious about tying me up?” He pulls back and eyes her ass. His mouth waters. Oh, he’s going to do it. Satoru kisses the right cheek and then bites it.

“Satoru!”

“Always wanted to take a bite out of you,” he jokes. Kagome looks over her shoulder and gives him a look that falls flat. She’s going for serious, but she looks so fucked out of her mind that he can’t see anything but pleasure. “Sorry, sorry,” he says as he kisses the bite mark. Satoru stands and kisses her shoulder. He rocks his hips and cradles her stomach with his hand. “Could make us both happy. Just gotta bend over.” He nips her ear and smirks at the inhale of breath. “Come on Gome-chan, ya know you want it.” He slides his cock between her thighs and groans.

Torture.

This is torture.

“On the bed, Satoru,” Kagome says as she turns around. Satoru pouts. Damn, she is serious about this. “Now, Toru.”

He sighs, exaggerating the motion as he moves away from her and climbs on the bed. “Those aren’t going to hold me,” Satoru points out as he crosses his arms over his chest. Kagome quirks a brow and holds up the blue rope.

“Sure, they will.” She throws one leg over his waist. “Hands together.”

Satoru bites back the grin. Fine, he’ll humor her. He holds out his hands together and then blinks. “Have you done this before?”

“Nah, but you get kidnapped enough times, you pick up certain things.”

“Kagome.”

“Shush.” She leans forward and takes the other end of the rope and loops it through the headboard. Satoru swallows. Her tits sway in front of his face. He leans forward right as she leans away. “Okay, try it.”

“I was trying to,” he grumbles as he gives the bindings a tug. Huh. He tugs again, but no luck. Satoru wets his lips. “Binding vow on these restraints?” His stomach tightens.

Kagome chuckles as she reaches around and grips him. “All me.” She moves back and sinks down on him. “All mine.”

He clenches his fingers. The helplessness is killing him. He wants to touch her. Kagome bites her bottom lip as she lifts her hips. She stares at him, and he swears with one look she could take his soul. “Baby, don’t tease me.” So, what if he’s begging? He’s not ashamed. “Gome-chan.”

“Try not to take the lights out this time,” Kagome says, slamming her hips down. Her power seeps into his body. Overflowing.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He doesn’t know where his begins or when hers ends. Their energy intermingles, and the overstimulation sends his body into hyper drive. He comes with a shout and nearly breaks the headboard from how hard he tugs on the restraints.

Bang! Crash!

The lights go out. His vision goes black. His body is hot.

“Satoru.” Kagome laughs. Her nipples brush against his chest. “We’re not done.”

Chapter Text

Who knew that Gojo Satoru, the strongest, turns into a whiny mess when tied up? Kagome bites her lip as she swirls her hips in a circle.

"Gome-chan," Satoru groans. "Drivin' me crazy." His words are slurred. He looks so beautiful with his cheeks stained pink and his arms held back above his head. "Don't cha wanna let me go?"

Kagome laughs, slightly breathless. She wasn't kidding earlier about him taking her breath away. Saying his cock fills her is far too polite to describe how stuffed she feels every time his cock stretches her out. "I like the view," she says. There is something about seeing the strongest tied up and helpless.

But more so? It's the trust he has in her.

Satoru jerks and then groans. "Seriously, what did you do to these bindings?" His chest rises with every heavy breath.

"Just a simple seal," she quips. "Knew you'd fight it." The bindings are made of silk from a moth demon. She didn't want to risk any chafing. Kagome eyes the headboard. Maybe she should have put something on that too?

"Wanna touch you."

"You are touching me." She slows her movements and cups her breasts. "Feel so good, Toru."

The look on his face is hotter than the Earth's core. Her walls tighten, desperate to milk him dry. Nothing—nothing, compares to feel of his cock inside of her.

The rightness of it.

She flicks her tongue over her nipples as she squeezes her tits and bounces on his cock. More. He's ready for more. Kagome's eyes slide close as her energy swells and seeps into Satoru.

She opens her eyes and stills. Satoru's eyes are practically glowing. A trickle of blood trails down his chin.

"Satoru?" Shit, is it too much for him? It shouldn't be hurting him.

"Red," he says. "That ass is about to be red."

"You have to get loose first." Okay, good, he wouldn't be joking if it was hurting him.

He spreads his legs and digs his heels into the bed.

"What are you—Satoru!" Her body lurches forward as Satoru pistons his hips.

"Should've tied my legs down too," he quips.

Kagome flashes a smile. So that's how he wants to play it. She plants her hands on his stomach for purchase and leans forward and up just enough to keep Satoru from getting what he wants.

Honestly, this hurts her more than him, but having him at her mercy is worth it.

His upper lip curls back. Oh, so that's where the blood came from. He bit his bottom lip. She smiles at him again and swings her leg over so she's off his lap.

Satoru's expression falters. "Baby, please. I'll be good." He tilts his body towards her as if to follow her. There's a slight glow to him that was not there before. The energy massages seem to be working, but she still has more to give him. Wants to give it all to him. No one but here can do this for him.

"Relax, Satoru," Kagome soothes. "I didn't know you'd be so needy."

"Face."

"Huh?" Kagome frowns. "Face what?"

"My face." He pants, tugging on the restraints. "Ride it." His body shakes. Trembling. But his eyes? They stare at her unblinking, fully blown.

"You can let it out, Toru," Kagome says. She wipes the blood away with her thumb. He turns his head and sucks her thumb into his mouth.

She says that but…they no longer have a table, and the couch is now in the middle of the room in pieces. Kagome hums as she glances at the damage thus far. She could have sworn something like glass broke. Maybe in the bathroom?

"You can let it out on my face," he counters. "Or you could untie me."

"One more and then you should be good," she says, lowering her voice.

"More?" Satoru throws his head back. "Killing me. Actually killing me. How is there more?" He turns his head. "Gome-chan, just how powerful are you?"

She shrugs. "Strong enough to make you lose your mind."

He chuckles, slightly out of breath. "I think I'm ready."

He says that, but his face is flushed red, and his hands are clenched. Poor Satoru, trying so hard to be good. Kagome pokes the inside of her cheek with her tongue as she places her hands behind her and her pussy in front of his face. Somehow this pose is more embarrassing than licking her own nipples, but she's pressed for options with him bound and her pregnant belly being as big as it is.

How the hell is she going to manage when she reaches the third trimester?

Satoru does not seem to care because he moves his face as close as he can and suctions his lips around her as though he is afraid she'll take it away from him again. She bites back a whimper, the desire so heady on her tongue, that Kagome nearly forgets herself.

Massage.

The massage.

She closes her eyes and focuses on him. The dark, seductive pull of his energy. The Shikon pulses, determined to join in for the last one. Well, the last one for tonight. They will definitely do this again, but maybe somewhere a little more secluded, where they don't have to worry about him breaking the furniture.

"Kagome!" He roars her name as if he is in pain. As if it is the only thing keeping him sane. Kagome giggles. Not because it's funny, but it's as much as she can muster. Her arms shake from holding the awkward position for so long and when she opens her eyes, the room is dark.

He took out the lights again.

Crack.

What the hell?

Her back hits the mattress and Satoru's arms are on either side of her. His eyes are the only light source in the room. So beautiful blue. A thrill shoots through her. Her thighs are slick with their intermingled come. Just looking at him is nearly enough for her to come again.

"How did you break free?" She wets her lips. The crack must have been the headboard then, but he should still be bound regardless if it was the headboard that broke.

"Feel like I'm burning up," Satoru says, pressing his face closer to hers. He kisses her softly at first, taking his time and swallowing every moan. His hand grips her thigh and squeezes hard. "Turn over, ass up. Now."

"So bossy," she grumbles, but she turns over and does as he…well, he didn't ask. She stills at the feel of something under her. Oh, a pillow. Kagome turns her head to thank him, but Satoru's palm smacks her ass so hard the sound reverberates through the room. "OH! Satoru!"

"Did you have fun, Gome-chan? Teasing me?" He caresses her ass and this time, the smack is softer, but the impact sends shock waves down to her pussy all the same. "Feel like I could take out a planet," he murmurs.

She hums and pushes back against him. His energy is wild and yet so warm. Feels like he is touching her everywhere. Her mind is empty except for thoughts of Satoru and Satoru alone. She sighs as her energy wraps around his.

Mine.

The Shikon pulses.

Ours.

Kagome's brows furrow together. The Shikon has never outright claimed Satoru before. "Satoru—" she gasps as he enters her. Her eyes flutter. Oh, she loves it when he fucks her from behind. Loves the way his balls small her pussy every time he snaps his hips. Satoru snakes his arm around her, pausing only to rub her stomach before he encourages her body into an arch. He presses a kiss on the shell of her ear.

"Can I mark you?"

Mark? He wants to mark her?

His cock pumps in and out with long, deep thrusts. Her body radiates from the raw, sublime energy. "Like a claim?"

Is that a sorcerer thing?

"Yes," he breathes. "Wanna bite you right here and leave my mark." He presses a kiss on her clavicle. "Get cha a necklace too, with my name." The possessive tilt to his voice should scare her. He's been like this ever since he got out of the prison realm, and yet it makes her wetter. "Fuck, baby. You like that?"

"Just do it, Satoru." She pushes back against him and shakes her ass.

"Fuck," Satoru groans. "I dream of this ass." He grips her hip tighter. He kisses her shoulder again as his hand seeks out her clit. Kagome jerks and lets out a low moan. "Mine," he growls.

When he clamps down, the surge of his cursed energy sends her spiraling. She comes hard. He's under her skin. Simmering. Satoru groans, low and dark, as he continues to pump his cock in her as he comes. The heat of him is delicious.

Kagome sighs and then wrinkles her nose.

Cold.

Something cold touches her nose.

"Shit," Satoru says, sliding out of her. He pulls her into his lap and pulls the cover over them.

Kagome shivers. Come leaks out of her and onto Satoru, but he doesn't seem to notice or care. "Why is it cold? Did you take out the heat?" she jokes, though that doesn't explain the cold hitting her face.

"It's snowing."

Kagome blinks. "…Indoors?" The room is pitch black, so the roof is still intact. Did he break a window? Even if he did, the snow shouldn't be all the way over here.

"Looks like it." He dips his hand down and cups her. "Not because of me," Satoru adds as he rubs the come over her thigh and over her stomach.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't take a bath," he says instead.

"You're lucky you're so hot," Kagome huffs. "Someone should stop the snow. I'm cold—eep!" She jerks back.

Fire. In the middle of the room, suspended in the air. Actually, make that about five flames in the room now. They're red so they aren't flames from a fox, not that she thinks Shippo would dare to interrupt.

"Gome-chan, I think it's you," Satoru says.

"I don't control elements." She stills and then places her hands over Satoru's. "Did you feel that?"

"Maybe it's Koushi then," Satoru says. His fingers flex and the kicking resumes. "Definitely Koushi."

"Who?"

"Our son," he says with so much confidence that she believes him. If that's what he wants to name on the twins, then that's fine with her.

"So sure we're having boys?"

"I'm sure we're having at least one," he replies. "And if it is you, Koushi, then limit the snow to outdoors."

Kagome snorts. The snow stops, but the flames remain. "Use that daddy voice on the other one."

Now if only the lights could come back on.

"Kagome," he groans. "Don't do that to me." His cock twitches.

"Hm? You like it when I call you Daddy?"

"You're not leaving this room." He kisses her shoulder and flicks his tongue across the bite. "Gonna come on these tits." He squeezes her breasts and tugs on her nipples. "Want you smelling like me."

"Satoru, you know I don't want anyone else."

"I'd kill them." He moves the cover and urges her onto her side. Satoru threatening to kill anyone interested in her should be worrisome, but when he slides back in, her mind goes hazy and she's consumed by him.

He isn't tired?

"Sensitive," she reminds him. Maybe it's the glow from the flames, but the look on his face is feral. Unhinged. He wraps an arm around her leg, keeping it upright and resting against him.

"Do it again," he breathes, "lick your tits again."

She bites her lip as she leans forward, cupping her breast. "Like this?" She eyes him while she flicks her tongue over her nipple.

"I love you."

He's said those words so many times and still her heart beats a little faster and her insides turn into a puddle of goo. His thrusts are slow, almost languid like.

It's driving her crazy.

The angle.

The sheen of sweat on his skin.

The warmth from the flames.

She's not going to last much longer.

"Satoru," Kagome moans, still cupping her breasts just the way he likes it. "Love you so much." She throws her head back and wraps her energy around his. Her legs shake as she comes.

He comes with a shout. Ropes of come splatter across her breasts as he fists his cock. The flames burn hotter until they burst. His energy flares.

Oh. It looks like the room is sparkling. The lights flicker on. Kagome winces at the brightness.

"Really?" She laughs as Satoru rubs the come into her skin. He was serious about her smelling like him?

"Need you to smell like me." He eases out of her and exhales. "Ah, shit."

"Hmm?"

"The room." He laughs as he spikes a hand through his hair. "It's wrecked."

"You're glowing," she points out. Never mind the room. Why is he glowing?

"Huh? Guess I am." Satoru smiles and reaches for her, pulling her into his lap. "No one but me gets a boost."

"How greedy," she teases, trailing a finger down his chest. Kagome pauses. "Oh crap, I forgot to put up a barrier."

The biggest smile spreads across Satoru's face. "Good."

Chapter Text

“We have to help Gojo-sensei!” Yuta clutches his jacket and thrusts his other hand in the air. The temperature of the dojo drops. “Something isn’t—”

“He’s just fucking,” Shippo says with a yawn. “Mama forgot to put up a barrier. It’s fine.” He cracks his neck and then looks over at InuYasha. “Looking a little green there, InuYasha. Mad Mama ain’t give you no play?” Shippo crackles.

“Fuck off, Shippo.” InuYasha sheathes his sword and stalks towards the door. “Don’t fucking follow me. I need some air.” He slams the door shut, and the sound reverberates throughout the room.

Uh...

Yuta touches his face. Did the dojo get hotter? It was cold and now the heat is unbearable. Shippo is joking around like he always does. Gojo-sensei isn’t doing that. Not when there is planning, training, or searching for Sukuna to be done. “Shippo, I thought Kagome-san was going to give Gojo-sensei a boost. Is that what’s going on?” Has to be. These fluctuations are because Gojo-sensei’s energy is being boosted. He winces and struggles to regulate his breathing.

The energy is oppressive. It feels as though someone turned on gravity and increased it by five.

“I mean, she is?” Shippo whistles when the lights go out. His eyes glow and there is something eerie about only seeing Shippo’s green eyes in the dark. “But they’re definitely fucking too. You can’t smell it or hear it because you’re just a human. But enough about Mama and Papa. Pull out your sword. You still got some ways to go.” Shippo snickers. “Not that sword.”

“I can’t see—shit!” Yuta dodges. A bead of sweat drips down his brow. “I thought your fire was blue,” he says, unsheathing his sword. The room is illuminated with fire embers and... snow?

“My fire is blue.” Shippo hums. “On second thought. We should talk to Sesshomaru. This isn’t me and unless Papa controls the elements, this isn’t him or Mama, either. Come on, just focus on the sound of my footsteps. This is good practice.”

Yuta fails to see how this is good practice, but he focuses on the sound of Shippo’s footsteps and re-sheathes his sword. The hallway is cold. He shivers and clenches his fists. His legs are freezing, and it feels as though he is moving through a mountain of snow. Wait. This is snow. There’s snow in the hallway.

“Shippo, are we under attack?” There’s another fluctuation of Gojo-sensei’s energy and Yuta has to grit his teeth to stop Rika from wanting to manifest. Okay, maybe not an attack, but it sure feels like one.

“Attack?” Shippo chortles. “Please. Not with Mama reinforcing the barriers around this place. Nah, whatever is going on is probably because of the energy fluctuations coming from her room. That’s why we’re gonna talk to Sesshomaru.”

Yuta nods, and even that takes a lot out of him. His jaw is growing numb and just when he thinks his body cannot handle the cold any longer, the flames grow bigger. He breathes a sigh of relief. Is it too late for him to find his way back to his shared room and soak in the hot spring?

“So, Sesshomaru-sama will know why this is happening?”

“More like we could use this to our advantage. Maybe. Depends on who is doing this.” Shippo motions to the floor, to the melting snow. “It’s slowing you down, so it could slow down other sorcerers. Or demons.”

“Demons!” Yuta coughs. “Sorry, I thought we were just worried about Sukuna and Kenjaku?”

Shippo shrugs. “Well...”

“Well?”

“Sesshomaru!” Shippo shouts, pushing the doors open to what must be Sesshomaru’s room. Yuta frowns. Is Shippo not going to answer the question? He brought up the demons, not Yuta. If they have to fight demons too, then that complicates things even further.

“You track snow into this Sesshomaru’s room.”

“Ah, well, snow happens.” Shippo strolls into the room as though he owns it and plops down onto the white sectional. “So, speaking of the snow, I don’t think this is Mama’s or Papa’s doing. But it feels like both of them.”

Yuta stands by the door, not sure if he should walk in and track more snow into Sesshomaru-sama’s room or stand in the entryway waiting to be acknowledged. Sesshomaru-sama looks at him and then at the sectional where Shippo is lounging with his legs over the edge. Yuta hunches his shoulders and moves to join Shippo on the couch.

“It is the pups,” Sesshomaru says. “The priestess has been dealing with an increase in sickness since her mate has returned. This Sesshomaru advised him to flare his energy to soothe the pups.” Sesshomaru sets the book down on the table and stands. He walks over to his bookshelf. “From the fluctuations of the priestess’s energy and that of her mate’s, this Sesshomaru suspects the pups are simply reacting. There is no need to be alarmed.” He selects a book and throws it at Yuta’s head.

Yuta’s eyes widen as he catches the book before it knocks him out. Living in this estate is somehow the safest place in Japan and the most dangerous. He glances at the book, Rearing Pups. His brows furrow. Why would Sesshomaru-sama give him this book? He doesn’t have kids, and he’s not a demon either.

“You share the same ancestor of Satoru,” Sesshomaru says simply, “and he shares common behaviors of that of a demon.”

“Right... but why do I need to read this?”

“Don’t tell me you got some curse pregnant. Gross.”

Yuta flushes. “Stop calling me a curse fucker. I haven’t—I wouldn’t sleep with a curse.” He stiffens. Rika prods at his back, but he ignores her for now. “Shippo mentioned that this snow could impede demons.”

“Some foolish clans seek to be eradicated. It is not for you to worry about.”

In other words, it is demon business, but Sesshomaru-sama gave him a book on demon parenting. So, which is it? Is it his business or not? He is human, though some would say he is more than human because he can use cursed energy, but human nonetheless. Yuta looks at the book once more and opens it. He flips through and stops on the page about pack dynamics. “Am I not pack?” He keeps his voice even. “If it affects the pack, then it affects me.”

Sesshomaru smiles and Yuta’s heart tries to claw its way out of his chest. He’s never seen Sesshomaru-sama smile before and on anyone else, he would smile back, but since it is Sesshomaru, Yuta bites back the urge to cower.

He never wants to see Sesshomaru smile again.

Sukuna curses as he moves his way further into the Kamo clan’s compound. It wasn’t his first choice, but the Zenin compound is compromised, destroyed, and he needs somewhere with a bath large enough for him to sink Naraku’s soul further into the abyss. No, he needs to sink the demons further into the abyss.

“Speak,” he says, not bothering to look back at Uraume.

“Forgive me, master. I could only find one finger. Whatever punishment you seek fit, I will endure.”

Sukuna turns and stares down at Uraume. He tenses. That energy. It’s Satoru’s, no doubt. Is he flaring his energy to pick a fight with him? “Do not worry about it. I’m sure the brat and his friends have something to do with that.” He plucks the finger from Uraume’s palm and studies it. This finger is not pale like the ones Satoru gave to the brat to consume. Is it because of her? Did she do something? Sukuna wraps his fingers around the finger and turns on his heel, resuming his stride in search of the bath.

The barrier shakes. Sukuna grits his teeth and leans against the wall. He focuses on strengthening the barrier. It has to remain intact. Going against Satoru now would be stupid, and Sukuna does not plan on losing. No, he’ll kill Gojo Satoru just like he promised, and then he’ll take his head to that woman. He glances down and frowns at the beads still around his neck.

Damn subjugation beads.

Damn that woman. These beads should have stayed on the brat’s neck, not followed Sukuna to this new body.

Another wave of energy crashes against the barrier.

“Put up a veil,” he says.

“As you wish.”

Sukuna’s nostrils flare as he pushes himself off the wall. This body is failing him. The demons and the curses are clamoring for control. It’s annoying. Instead of one soul, he is fighting multiple for control. He would have been better off waiting for a chance to take over Megumi or someone else.

“Having difficulties, Sukuna?” Kenjaku asks, rounding the corner. He smiles as he approaches.

“Why are you still here?” Uraume questions, the disdain dripping from their words.

“Are you kidding?” Kenjaku laughs. “Gojo is free, and he’s clearly sending us a message.” He stuffs his hands into his sleeves and then frowns. “For him to reach us all the way out here is a problem. I’m sticking close. If I take one step out of this barrier, he’ll kill me in an instant.”

“Good riddance. All you do is blab your mouth.”

“And they somehow have Sesshomaru on their side. What a pain,” Kenjaku continues.

“It’s because of that woman, Kagome,” Sukuna says, brushing past. “She knew Naraku, and she is close to Sesshomaru.” He glances at the finger in his palm. “She has the Shikon.”

“Excuse me?” Kenjaku appears in front of him. “What do you mean, she has it?”

Sukuna smirks. “Why do you want it?” There’s no real benefit in telling Kenjaku, but the look on his face is worth it.

Kenjaku leans back and shrugs. “Chaos, really. Rumors are that it is responsible for the birth of cursed energy. I’m curious what would happen if a wish were to be made on it. But if she has it, then Satoru knew where it was this whole time.” He rubs his jaw. “I hate that guy. He’s been nothing but a pain.”

“How did he get out of the prison realm?” Uraume stands next to Sukuna’s side.

“I don’t know,” Kenjaku admits. “They could have found the back of the prison realm, or they could have wished for him back since they have the jewel.” He blows out a breath. “Or he could have overpowered it somehow if these warnings are anything to go by.” Kenjaku scowls. “Satoru is stronger than I thought.”

Sukuna keeps silent. The demons are restless. He gives Uraume a look and then walks away. Uraume will keep Kenjaku occupied. First, he needs to soak in the bath and then expel the demons that are causing trouble. Sukuna opens his mouth and swallows the finger. The additional finger helps to settle the unrest, but it is still not enough. He approaches the bath and slides out of his clothes.

Consume.

He needs to consume more cursed energy and offset the demonic energy. He’ll consume the other players.

Sukuna sinks into the bath until only the top half of his face is visible. Another wave hits the barrier and this time it shatters, only leaving Uraume’s veil. A moment later, even that fails. He narrows his eyes. Soon, he will take out Gojo Satoru and he will take great joy in ripping his limbs from his body for this insolence.

Satoru stares up at the ceiling while he runs his fingers over Kagome’s arm. He feels like he can take on the world. Hell, he could take out a couple of planets. The temperature of the room is back to normal, but the same can’t be said of the furniture. Maybe Sesshomaru takes checks. He turns his head and smiles softly at Kagome.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, careful to not wake her. He moves his arm from under her and slides out of the bed. When she wakes, she’ll want some food. What time is it anyway? Satoru runs a hand through his hair as he slides on some pants and a shirt. He looks around the room and winces at the mess on the floor.

Food and a broom.

He throws one more look at Kagome’s sleeping form before closing the door behind him. No guards. Good. Satoru yawns as he makes his way to the kitchen.

“G-Gojo-sensei,” Yuta splutters, coming to a stop in front of him. He clutches a book to his chest. His face looks paler than normal, and for some reason, he keeps avoiding Satoru’s gaze.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“N-nothing! Sorry for bothering you.” Yuta turns and runs in the opposite direction. Satoru blinks. That was weird, even by Yuta’s standards. What is with him? Whatever, Satoru pushes the encounter from his mind and resumes his trek to the kitchen.

“Does she still want pickles with whipped cream?” Satoru opens the fridge, that looks as though it belongs in a restaurant and not an estate. It’s huge, and he’s a little jealous. He wants one. Not seeing any pickles, Satoru settles for a bowl of fruit. “This should be easy on her stomach.”

“Do you always talk to yourself?”

Satoru chuckles. “Could you go out and get some pickles?”

Shippo rolls his eyes. “Do you know what time it is?” He leans against the wall with his arms crossed.

“Get a couple of them, maybe three cans of whipped cream, and some wasabi. Not sure if she’s still craving that, but I’d rather have it on hand.” Satoru sets the bowl of assorted fruit down on the counter and looks through the cabinets. “And something sweet like cake for me.”

“So, we aren’t going to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” Satoru closes the cabinet doors and picks up the bowl. No snacks around here. What a bummer. He doesn’t feel like cooking right now, but if Kagome wants him to, then he will.

“The energy fluctuations? Or you know, the snow in the hallway.”

“What snow in the hallway? I didn’t see any snow on my way here.” Satoru bites the inside of his cheek. So, it really affected the rest of the estate. He can’t wait to tell Kagome.

Shippo squints. “You’re glowing too.”

“Yeah, that’s a thing now.” Satoru smiles. He grips the bowl closer to his chest and then turns to the left.

“What is it?”

Satoru narrows his eyes as he focuses on the energy. “Sukuna.”

Chapter Text

Satoru taps a finger on the table while Sesshomaru and InuYasha go back and forth about the logistics of attacking Sukuna now. Holding back isn't his thing, but going in on his own is how he ended up sealed, so Satoru keeps his mouth shut while the two dog demons continue to bicker—well, more so it is InuYasha complaining than anything else. Sesshomaru gives curt responses here and there and seems to control the conversation with just a look.

His body isn't glowing as much as it was before, but there's still a light sheen. He needs to make a move. Kagome said the boost is permanent, so he isn't worried about losing the extra power. It's more so he feels so pent up. Sesshomaru glances at him and raises a brow. It's subtle, but the movement halts Satoru's tapping.

What was that look for?

"Sorry to interrupt," Yuta says, raising his hand as though they are in a classroom and not having a meeting on how to take out Sukuna, that thing that is controlling Suguru, and something about breakaway demon fractions. Yuta rolls his shoulders back. Instead of his typical white jacket, Yuta is wearing a white haori with designs oddly similar to that of Sesshomaru's attire. "Uh, I talked with Toge, and he said that his technique will work with a recorder. We could use that to trick Sukuna and force him to remain still. Then we could hit him with a killing blow."

"That could kill him," Satoru says, laying his hand flat on the table. "We would have to weaken Sukuna a considerable amount in order to pull that off." For himself, he sticks to wearing training clothes since it's easier to move around in than jeans. However, with the way he is feeling, maybe it doesn't even matter what clothes he wears.

No, it matters. Kagome likes this top on him.

Yuta shrinks into the chair and nods his head. "I know. It's a risk, but everyone is taking a risk to get rid of him." He stares at his lap and then looks at Satoru. "Are there any side effects if Kagome-san was the one to do it?"

"Excuse me?" Satoru pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue. Yuta is not suggesting for Kagome, his pregnant fiancée, to be near the battlefield. "She doesn't have that technique to begin with?" Does she? If she does, she's never mentioned anything of the sort.

"Nah, she's got something close enough," InuYasha says with a sigh. He leans back in the chair with a smug grin on his face. Satoru's fingers twitch. Surely Kagome wouldn't be that upset if he just ripped InuYasha's head off. "She put subjugation beads on him, but I don't know if they went with him when he switched bodies. Does Yuji have the beads on him?"

Subjugation beads?

"I don't think he has them."

"How do these subjugation beads work?" Satoru questions. "Any drawback for Kagome, and the answer is no." He doesn't care how long he has to fight if it means she is safe.

InuYasha leans forward, resting one arm on the table. He pulls out a necklace from under his shirt and loops his thumb through it. "No drawback to Kagome. All she has to say is the word, and the command is carried out. As far as the duration...it lasts longer the more she says the command and I guess how much effort she puts into it."

"So we could have it on repeat? Or ask Kagome-san to just say it over and over on the recorder?"

Satoru narrows his eyes. Why does InuYasha have subjugation beads? And why the hell is he trying to rub it in his face as though it's some special bond between them? Satoru's nostrils flare. He needs to calm down. Doesn't matter how much InuYasha tries to get under his skin, Kagome is his. He can always deal with InuYasha after Sukuna has been dealt with.

"Were there any drawbacks when she put these on him? And how did she get close enough to put these beads on Sukuna and not Yuji?" If the beads aren't on Yuji, then Sukuna must have been in control at the time.

"Mama does what she wants," Shippo says with a yawn. "You know that. She was tired, but she did heal Nanami's soul right before so..." he trails off and then hooks a thumb at InuYasha. "This guy tried to kill Mama the first time they met, and that's why he got some beads."

"I wasn't trying to kill her!" InuYasha splutters. "Was trying to get the jewel back then. What about Sesshomaru? He's the bastard that tried to melt her."

What?

"The priestess took what did not belong to her." Sesshomaru rests his cheek against his fist. "Yu—"

"Nooo, call him by the name." Shippo grins. "Come on, for me? You know you want to. Come on, do it. Pleaseee."

Sesshomaru sighs. "The curse fucker has a point. The priestess does not need to be near the battlefield to be of assistance. This Sesshomaru would say that support is the best role for her. She is not one that should be on the front line, regardless of her current condition."

Yuta chokes and hits his chest with his fist.

"Kagome is like a nuke. She can take out an enemy, no problem. It's her body that is fragile." InuYasha says. He crosses his arms and leans back in the chair. "So, she records herself giving the command to help with the Sukuna fight, but then what? There are the rebels you want to get rid of. Are you having her assist with those, too?"

"The curse—"

"I'm sorry, but uh, Sesshomaru-sama, could you just call me Yuta?" Yuta presses his lips together and hunches his shoulders. "Please?"

"No, you're a curse fucker. Just accept it. Everyone gets a title. Papa is the strongest and you get to be a curse fucker." Shippo rubs his chin. "Or we could call you bag man? Bag eyes? The sleepy one?"

"You," Sesshomaru says, addressing Yuta. "Will assist Shippo with the rebels. InuYasha, you will take out that other sorcerer."

"Wait, I wanted to take his curse technique. I need to eat a part of him for my copy technique to work."

"Damn, my bad," Shippo starts. "If I had known that, then I would have brought you... uh, what was his name?" Shippo presses his fingers to the sides of his head and closes his eyes. "That one dude... Naoya!" He snaps his fingers and opens his eyes. "Yeah, if I had known, I would have saved his cock for you."

"..." Yuta's eyes widen. "Gojo-sensei, please do something. I'm begging you."

"You really bit his dick off?" Satoru scratches his head. He thought Megumi was just saying shit, but it was true? He pauses. Wait. Shippo was pretending to be Kagome when he did that, so that means Naoya was still trying to go for his girl? "That sword of yours, is it too late to bring Naoya back to life so I can kill him?"

"This Sesshomaru requires a body for one, and yes, the time has passed. If it is bloodshed you desire, then quickly dispose of Sukuna and assist with the rebels. The bat demons have rescinded their support because the priestess did not agree to an arranged marriage for your young. As for you," Sesshomaru addresses Yuta. "If you need the technique, then you may go after that other sorcerer. You will assist with fighting the demons regardless, so do not dally."

"Oh?" Satoru cuts in. "Is that right?" He's been itching to take on a demon since he's learned of their existence. Satoru reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. "Kagome wants us in the dojo." Why is she in the dojo and not resting? He stands and slides his phone back into his pocket. Maybe it's another shikigami then? He can't think of any other reason for her to be hanging out in the dojo unless she wanted to watch the other students train.

Not bothering to wait for a response, Satoru heads out of the meeting room and down the hall to the dojo. Normally he is in control of his emotions, but right now, he's liable to deck InuYasha in the jaw if he steps too close to him.

Who cares if InuYasha has some subjugation beads? So fucking what?

"Papa, tone down the glow a bit."

"What?" Satoru stops in front of the door and looks at his arm. Oh. The glow is brighter. Is it reacting to his emotions? "Sorry, wasn't trying to blind ya." He slides the door open and frowns. Nanami is awful close to Kagome. Yakeru is too, but the feeling of annoyance isn't there with Yakeru. Maybe it's because the fox practically worships Kagome and was overjoyed about him and Kagome being together.

"Satoru!" Kagome smiles and with just one smile, the annoyance dissipates and the glow shimmers away. "Yuji actually gave me this idea."

"I did?" Yuji questions, but Satoru ignores him for now.

"What idea?"

"Well, he was saying how it would have been nice if we knew more about Sukuna's abilities. I can't do anything about that Kenjaku guy, but Yakeru and the other foxes collected the rest of the fingers, so I can use that to make a shikigami for sparing."

Satoru blinks. "Make a shikigami using Sukuna's finger?"

"I'll just show you. It's not quite the same as the eggs I give Megumi."

Yakeru pulls out a small black box and holds it open. Kagome plucks a finger from it. She smiles at him, but this time, the anxiety doesn't let up. Yes, she can purify the finger enough to weaken Sukuna, but that was back when Sukuna was merged with Yuji. What if something goes wrong?

"Satoru, relax."

"I can't help it." He bites down on his tongue for a moment to stop himself. Truly, if he had his way, they would have an estate in the sky like this one or a place so far removed from society he wouldn't have to worry about anyone or anything coming after his family. But Kagome would be against that. And she doesn't know the horrors he's seen when he was in that box.

Speaking of, why is Nanami still standing so close to her? Satoru lifts his head and glares at Nanami. The sorcerer's brows furrow together, but he takes a step back.

"I'm just taking some of the essence from the finger and then I'll work on purifying it completely." Kagome opens her hand, and a paper-shaped person emerges from the finger. It jumps down and walks straight towards Yuji. Satoru watches Sesshomaru and the other demons' reaction from the corner of his eye. No reaction.

So, whatever this is, is not new to them.

He isn't pouting, but he kinda hates how they know more about Kagome than him.

"Ahhhh! What the heck is this?" Yuji exclaims, pointing a finger at a giant Sukuna.

"I said I was going to make a shikigami for sparring." Kagome crosses her arms and shakes her head. "You guys are still working out how you want to approach it, right?"

Satoru stares at the shikigami. She can make a shikigami based on someone? "Gome-chan...you're amazing." Satoru steps in front of Kagome and pulls her into his arms. He inhales. She smells like him. "Did that take anything out of you?"

"No, I'm fine. Hungry, but fine."

"You're always hungry," InuYasha grumbles.

"Hey," Satoru says, bringing Kagome's attention back to him. "Heard you put some subjugation beads on Sukuna and InuYasha has some, too. What exactly do they do?"

"InuYasha, do you mind?"

"Seriously? Keh. Fine."

"Sit."

Satoru blinks. With just one word, InuYasha face plants into the ground. After a minute, InuYasha stands and dusts his red haori and pants off.

"So as long as those beads are on Sukuna, he will slam into the ground for a minute?"

"Pretty much."

"And is there a way to break the hold? Is it like a binding vow?"

"No," Kagome says slowly. "It's not a binding vow. There is one way to break the hold, and that is if I remove the beads." She pulls back. "Do you want me to remove yours?"

"No."

"You sure? I can't imagine why you would—"

"Ya ain't removing them, so stop asking." InuYasha places a hand on the hilt of his sword. "So, this shikigami got the same abilities as Sukuna? Is the dojo going to make it if he uses a domain expansion?"

Satoru narrows his eyes. How much longer is InuYasha going to hold out, thinking Kagome is going to leave?

Crash.

"Ouch," Yuji grumbles. He stands up and then rushes towards the shikigami. Satoru frowns as the shikigami knocks Yuji away, as though he is nothing but an annoying fly. InuYasha rushes in with his sword drawn. He fares a lot better than Yuji.

He frowns. Too bad. He wanted to see InuYasha get knocked on his ass.

"I gave it a bit of a boost to try to stimulate how strong Sukuna is now," Kagome answers. "It's not perfect, but it's better than going in blind." She lays her head against his chest. "Too tired to walk back to the room now," she says with a sigh. Satoru chuckles. Kagome just wants him to carry her.

Fine with him. He needs a break.

"Yakeru, how long will you be staying here?" Satoru lifts Kagome and holds her close to him.

"Is there an errand you need ran?" Yakeru smiles at Nanami and winks. Nanami stiffens and walks out of the dojo.

What was that about?

"Why do you keep messing with Nanami?" Kagome asks.

"I mess with everyone equally, I'm thoughtful like that." Yakeru closes the box with the rest of Sukuna's fingers and hands it out to Kagome. "With the exception of you, of course. Now then, how can I be of assistance?"

"Actually, I want you to stay behind and help guard Kagome when we attack. I know where Sukuna is now. I want him to sweat a little." He wants Sukuna and Kenjaku to wonder why he hasn't attacked yet. And with this training shikigami, as Kagome calls it, he wants to test it out and get as much info out of it as he can.

"You invite another to stay at this Sesshomaru's residence?"

"We're pack aren't we?" Satoru teases.

Sesshomaru's mouth curves ever so slightly. Yuta inches away. Strange, why does it feel like he just made a mistake?

Chapter Text

Kagome's eyelashes flutter as she blinks away the last bit of sleep from her body. She sighs as she leans into Satoru's touch. His hand is warm. He caresses her cheek with his thumb. There's a golden glow to his eyes. She wonders what he's thinking about so early in the morning for him to be glowing. He must be excited about his birthday.

"Happy birthday."

"Marry me."

Kagome blinks. Is Satoru okay? Did he hit his head or something? "You already asked me to marry you, silly," she says, going for joking. There's been moments these past few weeks when Satoru gets this faraway look in his eyes. She can't tell if it is the upcoming fight against Sukuna that is weighing on him or something else. If these moments only happened during the training sessions, then she could chalk it up to that, but they happen when Nanami gets too close to her or if InuYasha lingers around for a second too long. She wants to ask him, what exactly did he see in these other universes?

"Today. Marry me, today." Satoru brushes his lips over her forehead. "I don't want to wait anymore. We can have a second ceremony."

Today?

Kagome scoots closer to him, well as close as she can, with the bump in the way. "You're serious?"

"Course I am." Satoru pouts. "You don't want to get married today?"

"It's not that. I had plans for your birthday and you just threw that out the window." Kagome sits up and stretches her arms over her head. "You're lucky you're so cute," she says with a sigh. Truthfully, her stomach may as well be a jar of butterflies. Her pulse jumps. She doesn't have a dress or a kimono for the occasion, but she doubts Satoru cares about that.

"You'll marry me?" He sits up.

"I've already said yes, did you bump your he—mmph!"

Kagome sighs into the kiss. His lips are warm, and his body is hard. She swears he's been trying to bulk up even more.

"I love you," he says, pulling away. His skin is warm. "We gotta tell everyone." He hops out of the bed and rushes around the room to the closet, pulling on a pair of sweats.

"No boxers?" She bites her lip.

"Hm?" Satoru looks over his shoulder and then grins. "See something you want, Gome-chan?" He turns and then wags a finger. "Hands off until tonight. I know it'll be difficult, but you must resist me."

She rolls her eyes.

"I'll bring breakfast in just a moment after I let everyone know. We can take a bath together." Satoru talks so fast; Kagome can barely keep up. His words become more animated the longer he talks. He slides on a shirt and then flashes in front of her. "How are my babies?" He lowers himself to his knees and places a hand on her stomach. "Mommy and Daddy are getting married today." Satoru smiles. "We should have the second ceremony after they are born, so they can be a part of it."

"Mama would have loved you."

"I know," Satoru says simply. "I met her in the other universes." He shudders and then stands.

"What was that about?"

"Oh...it's just our parents were together in some of them."

Kagome blinks.

"The old man wasn't a big part of my life, so it was strange seeing him acting like a father... and seeing him alive." Satoru crosses his arms.

"Did you have a favorite universe?"

"This one."

"Besides this one," she says with a small laugh as she pushes her hair back.

Satoru presses his lips together. "A toss-up between the one with Koushi because I got to see our son and the verse where we met as children." The glow dims. He seems to get lost within himself. "But none of those verses had you..." He shakes his head and then smiles. "Stay here. I'll be right back with breakfast."

Kagome opens her mouth, but Satoru is gone before she can get a word out. Well, she may as well clear off the table then and slide a robe on. At least the room isn't a mess anymore. Though some furniture hasn't been replaced yet. She glances at the windows and hums. Is it possible to have reinforced glass strong enough to withstand Satoru's cursed energy?

"EVERYONE WAKE UP! KAGOME AND I ARE GETTING MARRIED TODAY!"

Kagome whips her head around towards the door with her mouth agape. What in the world? When Satoru said he was going to tell everyone, she thought he meant, tell one person and let the word spread that way... not whatever the heck this is. Did he grab a speakerphone from somewhere?

She can't imagine Sesshomaru having one just lying around, so maybe Satoru ran into Shippo.

Kagome slides on a green robe right as the door slams open. She turns and then frowns at InuYasha. She's definitely told him he can't just barge into her room.

"Is it true?"

"Yes." She does not offer any words of comfort. As much as it pains her to see him hurt, if she gives an inch, InuYasha will hold on to that and keep pushing and pushing until something drastic happens.

"Why?" He stands in the doorway, hands clenched at his sides. His hair is pulled back into a low ponytail. He's wearing his jeans and a white shirt. It's still strange seeing him in modern clothing. "Why him?"

"Because I love him. I would like for you to be there, but I understand if you can't handle it right now."

InuYasha unclenches his fists and then blows out a breath. "I can't," he admits. "Can't stand there and watch you and him." He lifts his eyes to meet hers. "But as long as you are happy, then I'll be fine." InuYasha stands there for a moment and then backs away. He tosses Satoru a look as he walks past.

"Was he giving you trouble?" Satoru steps into the room with two large plates of food.

Her stomach rumbles.

"No, he actually gave us his blessing, in a way."

Satoru snorts. "Then perhaps he's a better man than me." He sets the plates down on the table. "Because I would never let you go."

"You wouldn't want me to be happy?" She says half-jokingly.

"Sure, with me. Someone else? Nah, I'd have to kill them."

Kagome waits for Satoru to say he's kidding, but he only pulls out the chair for her to sit. He sits opposite of her and flashes her a smile that is so devious, her heart quickens.

That's not fair.

"You wouldn't...," she falters.

Oh, he would if that look is anything to go by.

"I would. I'm not the sharing type," he says. "And I will never give you up. I'll go through every single universe, fight my way through them if it means I get to be with you. You're mine. Stuck with me, Gome-chan." He winks.

Fight through every universe? He must have seen something he didn't like. It doesn't matter. What matters is them. Here and now.

"Oh, and don't worry about the dress. Shippo and Yakeru laughed in my face... well, Shippo laughed in my face about how great of a fox he is and Yakeru just cried." Satoru's brows furrow together. "It was the strangest sight. But they said they'd have everything covered. Gonna turn the dojo into a venue."

Kagome's ears warm. So, Satoru wasn't trying to just elope. How long has he been thinking about this?

"You got them on board that quickly?"

"I may have asked in advance," he admits. "Want to go into battle knowing you're my wife. I want you to be mine in every way. If there's a demon custom, we'll do that too. Could rent a plane or something and have it written in the sky? Make them rename a mountain after—"

"Satoru!"

"Sorry," he says, not sounding apologetic in the least. He stands and holds out a hand. She takes his hand and blushes. It's stupid for her to be feeling shy now, but she can't help how her body is reacting. There is no guesswork when it comes to Satoru. He's blunt in the best of ways. "We gotta get ready." He slides his hand down and rests it around her waist.

"I'm coming in!" Shippo yells. "So, you better be decent!"

Satoru huffs.

"Now, Papa, you know if you and Mama are getting married today, you aren't supposed to see each other." Shippo strolls into the room wearing a black three-piece suit. He whistles. "Don't worry, I saw InuYasha, and I sent him Utahime's way."

"Why Utahime?"

Did she miss something?

"I just thought she'd be his type," Shippo says simply. "Never mind that. You!" he pokes a finger at Satoru. "Get out. You can get dressed somewhere else. In fact, go find Yakeru. He'll get you straight."

Satoru grumbles under his breath, but listens to Shippo. Kagome blinks, not believing what she is seeing. Satoru listening to someone else. He goes to kiss her when a wall of blue flames separates them.

"Aht. Aht. No kisses until after you two say I do. That's the human way, right?" Shippo pulls out his phone and waves the flames a way. "Yeah, I'm right. You two are supposed to wait."

"Did you just google human customs?"

"It changes over the centuries." Shippo pockets his phone and then jerks his head towards the door. "Papa, get out. I can help Mama get ready. I'm a pro at this."

"You just googled human customs."

"I'm sorry. Who's lived for centuries and knows humans better?" Shippo holds up his hand. "Oh, would you look at that? Me! Papa, get out before I ask Mama to make you get out."

Kagome covers her mouth with her hand and doesn't meet Satoru's gaze.

"Fine," Satoru says with a huff. "I'll go." He pouts, but heads out of the room.

"Sheesh, I thought Papa would never leave," Shippo says. "Anyway, pick something comfortable to wear. I can just make an illusion of you wearing a traditional or non-traditional kimono or dress... or pants, but you hate pants. Point is, I'll cast an illusion for whatever you want, and it'll show up in the pictures."

Kagome pulls Shippo into a hug and rubs his back. "Thank you, Shippo. You're the sweetest."

"Can I officiate the wedding?"

"Sure," she agrees. "Just tone it down somewhat, for the others." She pulls back and then sucks in a breath.

"Breathe."

"I am breathing."

"You know you two are pretty much married or mated, anyway. This is just a formality."

"Yeah, but it's a bit different. We'll be declaring our vows to everyone... I don't have any vows written." She rubs her forehead.

Shippo glances at his phone. "You're overthinking this, Mama. It's just Papa. You get dressed and then I'll be right back. I can handle hair and makeup, too." He pockets his phone again and then heads towards the door. "And seriously, all you really have to say is, I do. Try not to stress about it. Papa is easy. You could come out wearing a clown mask and he'd still think you're the greatest thing ever." He

Kagome blows out a breath and then pinches her cheeks. Shippo is right. This isn't a big deal.

This is a big deal.

She's getting married. Today. The weight of it settles on her shoulders. She walks into the bathroom, flips the light switch, and stares at herself in the mirror.

"Wish Mom was here," she says. "She would have loved to see this." Kagome tears her eyes away from the mirror and sets the bath for a temperature that is not nearly as hot as she would prefer, but hot enough that she doesn't have to worry about the babies overheating. She showers quickly and then soaks in the bath, letting her mind relax.

Just because she and Satoru are set to say I do, doesn't mean anything is really going to change.

"Still nervous," she mumbles, toweling off. "So much for my plans today for his birthday." She runs her fingers through her hair and then pads over to the closet, picking out a simple pink dress that is more comfortable than stylish. Shippo said he'd change her outfit anyway, so it doesn't really matter what she wears.

Knock. Knock.

"I'm coming," she yells, walking over to the door. Strange, Shippo didn't just walk in like he did early. Maybe it is one of the students? Probably Nobara. She goes crazy over makeup, so she probably wants to help Kagome with hers. Kagome opens the door and freezes.

"Mom?"

Chapter Text

"Mama isn't going for traditional," Shippo announces as he strolls into the room, which is pretty much a smaller bedroom like Kagome's but without the large bath or hot spring, with... Kagome's mom? She's wearing a blue striped shirt and a yellow jacket over it. And like her daughter, Himari seems to prefer skirts and dresses to pants. Her black skirt goes past her knees and stops right above her ankles. Her black hair stops a little past her jaw and curls upward.

Satoru raises a brow. "I'm confused? What is Himari doing here?" Just for good measure, he glances over his shoulder at Yakeru, who is dressed in a lavender kimono with his red hair pulled back into a ponytail, to see if he is the only one seeing this right.

How did Himari get here?

"Oh right, right. Grandma, this is Satoru, the man Mama is marrying." Shippo points at Satoru and then at Yakeru. "And that's Yakeru, a fox demon. I'll introduce you to the kids. There are a lot of them." Shippo rolls his eyes. "I mean, this place may as well be a daycare. Just a bunch of teenagers stinking up the estate."

Satoru tunes Shippo's ramblings out as he steps closer to Himari. "No, I mean, how did you get here? Kagome isn't from this world. Did you jump into the well too?" He frowns and looks her over. Kagome fell from the sky, but landed on him. So, she was fine... and she's actually a lot more durable than her mother. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Oh my," Himari says, holding out a hand. "Dear, I am fine. You are... not quite what I was expecting, but a pleasant surprise." She drops her hand and gives him a small smile. "I am not sure how I got here. I had just got home from running errands and when I went to open my bedroom door, I was in a hallway I didn't recognize." She shrugs. "So, I knocked on the door and Kagome answered. It really is a strange thing."

"Perhaps," Yakeru interrupts, "It was Kagome-sama's will for you to attend her wedding."

"You saying it was the Shikon?" Shippo asks.

"I cannot think of any other reason for Kagome-sama's mother to appear out of thin air on such an occasion."

"She wished for Papa to come back, and it took him breaking out on his own," Shippo points out. "And if the Shikon likes Papa as much as Mama likes Papa, why didn't it help him?"

Satoru places a hand over the locket and mulls over Shippo's words. As much as he hated visiting some of the universes, they did give him some insight. "When I was locked in the prison realm, instead of staying there with the skeletons, I went to other universes. Some better than others. But there was one in which Kagome and I met as children. You and my dad were together."

Himari tilts her head back. "Oh? So that's why you looked as though you'd already met me. But wait, I was with your father? So, you and Kagome were siblings?"

His lip curls back for a second. "No, no. They—we—weren't siblings. They had actually just gotten back from their first date."

"Papa, as much as I like hearing about this, what's your point?" Shippo taps his watch with his index finger.

Satoru gives Shippo a look, not quite a glare, but one that he will probably use on Koushi one day when he's misbehaving, because if Koushi is anything like Satoru, he will misbehave. "The point is, that in that universe, Kagome and I bound ourselves together for all of eternity. I think that's why I didn't come home right away, because I set some other universes on the right path. Plus, I got this from Kagome." He pulls the locket from under his shirt. It feels strange because really, he's wearing his basic white top and some loose-fitting pants, but outwardly, it looks as though he's dressed in a three-piece white and black suit.

Himari eyes the locket for a moment and then glances at Shippo. "Where is InuYasha?"

"Uhhh, he left. Didn't want to watch them get married." Shippo makes a show of sniffing the air. "He hasn't left the estate yet, but he isn't gonna stick around and watch Mama and Papa."

Himari frowns and shakes her head. "I want to talk to him before the ceremony begins." She holds out her arms and hugs Satoru. "Please don't take it the wrong way, dear. InuYasha is—"

"Like a son," Satoru finishes. "We won't start without you, but try not to take too long. Gome-chan gets pretty tired these days. The twins are taking a lot out of her." And he's eager to get to the nightcap, but he isn't going to say that to his mother-in-law. Honestly, he would be fine with them wrapping everything up in an hour so he and Kagome can retire to their room for the rest of the day, but since Himari is here, he supposes he can muster up some self-control. "If there is anything you need, just let me or Shippo know."

Himari rubs his back and then pulls away. "Well, Shikon willing, I'm not leaving until I see some white-haired grandbabies." She smiles as Shippo holds out an arm for her. "Just curious. How long have you and Kagome been together? She didn't mention that when we were talking."

"Uh...like six or seven months?" Or maybe less, but he keeps that to himself. Hard to say when he and Kagome officially got together. Feels like she's always been his.

"That's not long at all."

"Well, I didn't need a lot of time to know Kagome is the only one for me." He spikes a hand through his hair. It's not nerves per see, because he is far from nervous, but he is anxious for Kagome to be his wife. And while he would like to be on Himari's good side, he doesn't really need her approval. He's going to marry Kagome no matter what. Though it is hard to tell what she is thinking. In those other universes, she was always paired up with his old man, but his old man is dead, and this Himari isn't from this world.

Does she wish it was InuYasha instead?

"Everyone is different," she says after a moment. "It took Kagome's father and me years to get married, but my parents married after a week of knowing one another. I can tell you've been mistreating her." She winks. "Come on, Shippo, I want to talk to InuYasha before the wedding begins."

Shippo nods. "Okay, I'll have to run back to Mama and finish helping her get ready." He ushers Himari out of the room and leaves Satoru and Yakeru alone.

"Did you want me to prevent InuYasha from attending?" Yakeru asks.

Satoru thinks about it for a second. "No. If he chooses to attend, then let him. He isn't a threat. Himari is just being a mom and checking on him." The tightness in his chest loosens. Some may call it cockiness, but Satoru likes to call it trust. Kagome chose him. "Let's go. I want to oversee the decorations."

"Wait," Yakeru calls behind him.

"What is it?" Satoru tries to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"About Kagome-sama's wish." Yakeru pauses. "I believe it would be best to watch her mother to ensure there are no adverse effects. The Shikon enjoys balance, and I know not how the wish changes when it is Kagome-sama making the wish or someone one else." He nods his head in the direction of the door. "As you may have noticed, she had no cursed energy, nor any spiritual energy. She does not have the same..." Yakeru's lips twitch. "Aura as that of the zero cursed user that is under a heavenly restriction."

Satoru frowns. No, he actually did not notice, but he wasn't exactly focused on it either.

"I'll keep an eye on her," he says after a moment. No need to bring it to Kagome's attention now. Not today. And not when it could mean nothing at all.

Himari is the kind of human Yuki would have wanted to study. He wonders, for just a second, if the Suguru he knew would have been accepting of Himari. She has no cursed energy and does not contribute to the creation of curses, and then he thinks of those universes when Suguru was far too familiar with Kagome and his mood sours.

"Let's go. This needs to be as perfect as it can be on a short notice." They can always have another wedding. Scratch that, they can do this every year.

Too many hours later... okay, just three hours later, and Satoru is standing at the makeshift altar. He clasps his hands together in front of him while he waits. The dojo resembles a park full of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Even smells like it. He isn't sure how Shippo and Yakeru pulled the illusion off. There are white chairs split evenly on each side, and a long white carpet down the middle. Shippo and Yakeru even managed to pull off the illusion of sunlight instead of the typical overhead lights. He can almost feel the warmth of the sun, as if his wedding is taking place in spring and not winter. Jaken is in the kitchen, directing the staff on the menu. Sesshomaru insisted they have a proper cake at the very least, so most of the time, waiting around was spent to give the kitchen staff more time.

"Relax," Shippo says, clutching a book. "You and Mama are nervous for no reason."

"I'm not nervous," Satoru quips. "I'm excited." He angles his head toward Shippo and narrows his eyes. "Is that a Kama Sutra book?"

"I was in a rush... and it is specific to demons. If you ask nicely, I might even let you borrow it. There's a section for pregnancy." Shippo opens the book and flips through it. "And one for sorcerers." He snaps the book shut.

Unbelievable.

"You have got to be kidding me." Satoru ignores the last part, even though part of him wonders why sorcerers in particular are called out in a book for demons, but his wedding is not the place to be asking Shippo about that.

"It's black, so it looks professional." Shippo shrugs. He lifts his lips into a ghost of a smile and nods at a woman sitting next to Himari and InuYasha. She's got tanned skin and red eyes. Her hair is pulled back and in one long black braid. But why is she wearing armor? She looks as though she is expecting a war to break out. "That's Soten," Shippo says.

Ah, the woman who Shippo is, but says he isn't, in a relationship with.

Satoru steals a glance at the door. Any moment now, Kagome is going to walk in with Sesshomaru. He doesn't pay too much attention to InuYasha, and he completely ignores Nanami, though he gives Shoko a small smile. Yuta peeks at Maki when he thinks no one is watching, while Panda holds a paw up to his mouth to stop from giggling. Toge makes hand motions, while Choso looks confused. Megumi looks silly with the two cat shikigami on his shoulders, and his tuxedo-wearing dinosaur in his lap. Yuji holds up his phone, most likely recording, while Nobara directs him on which shots to get. Utahime sits next to her students, though Todo keeps trying to join in on the conversation with Yuji, while Nobara shoos him away and then goes back to directing Yuji.

Gakuganji sits next to Koga and Ayame, and their pup. They are dressed in some kind of armor as well.

Satoru swallows, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat. He isn't nervous.

Fine. Maybe a little. He blames Kagome. She drives him crazy. Some days he wonders how he went so long without her and he's happy that even though some universes weren't so great, at least all of them had her in them.

The doors open. The talking comes to a halt. Satoru freezes. His nerves are going haywire. He clasps his hands together, needing to do something with his hands.

"Papa, breathe," Shippo whispers.

Right. Breathing. That's important. He exhales and tries to keep his wits about him, but it's hard to when Kagome looks so good. The white dress cuts into a V-neck and accentuates her growing bump. The long sleeves are sheer with lace flowers. Her hair is in some intricate updo with a gold hairpin keeping it together. Next to her is Sesshomaru, with some kind of fur over his shoulder and armor. His hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. Sesshomaru looks every bit like the lord of the estate, but Kagome? Kagome looks like a goddess.

All the demons except for Shippo and Yakeru are in some kind of armor. Is it a demon custom?

He reaches for her as soon as she gets within his reach. Sesshomaru narrows his eyes, but lets Kagome go. Behind him, Shippo laughs under his breath.

So, what if he is impatient? Did Sesshomaru think he was actually going to wait for him to hand Kagome over? Please. Kagome has been his since the day she landed in his lap.

"You look beautiful," he says, not letting her hands go. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I have to throw up."

"We have tea instead of sake," Shippo interjects. "Please do not throw up here. I mean, I can make it look like a rainbow is coming out of your mouth, but—"

"Shippo," Satoru says.

"Oh right. Right." Shippo lifts his hand and pretends to clear his throat. "As you all know, we have gathered here today to celebrate the not so long romance between Mama and Papa. They haven't been together even a year, but they have come so far." He sniffles. "From crossing through the multiverse and crossing through a different world, Mama and Papa have fought their way to each other. Through thick and thin, Papa lays the—"

"Shippo!"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." Shippo rolls his eyes and then opens his book to the bookmarked page. "Before Papa murders me and everyone here that is not Mama, I will move along to the vows. If there are any objections—there aren't—so don't bother." Shippo presses his finger to the paper and a pair of reading glasses appears on his face. "Papa, do you promise to—"

"I do."

Kagome giggles.

Shippo's glasses slide down the bridge of his nose. "For fox's sake, let me finish. Swear you, yougins don't have any patience." Shippo clears his throat. "Do you, Satoru... that sounded weird. Do you, Papa, promise to love and cherish Mama for eternity? Through sickness and in health, to love and cherish her, and only tie her up if she says please?"

"I—what?"

"And do you, Mama, promise to love Papa, even when he gets on your nerves and clogs the toilet? Through sickness and in health, do you promise to be there for him, even if he isn't from this universe?"

"Shippo," Satoru says. "I will ask Sesshomaru to officiate."

Shippo blinks. "If you both say I do, then you may kiss the bride."

Fucking finally. Satoru pulls Kagome into his arms and kisses her. It's only after they pull apart that he remembers they did not exchange rings.

"The rings, Shippo."

"The what?"

Satoru stares.

"Oh. Oh. Right." Shippo closes the book and then reaches into his pocket. "You know, I peeked, and I have to say great job on the rings." Shippo moves the book and cradles it between his arm and side and then opens the box. Satoru grabs Kagome's ring, a diamond band. It's showy and he wouldn't have it any other way, though if she were to ever ask for something simpler, then he'd just get her new set.

"You never said I do," Satoru teases as he slips the ring on her finger.

"You know I do." She huffs. Kagome stares at her ring finger and then grabs the other band left, a simple black one with their initials engraved. She smiles at him and then blinks in surprise as snow falls.

"That ain't me," Shippo says.

Embers warm the room as the snow and petals seem to fall around it.

"I wonder if we would have gotten all the seasons if we were having triplets," he jokes.

"Don't put that out there," Kagome says, pointing a finger at him. Satoru leans forward and pretends to nip at her.

"AHHHH! PUT IT OUT!" Yuji yells, shaking his arm. He drops the phone, but Nobara catches it before it falls. Nobara, clutching the phone, blows on the flames, which do nothing. A bolt of lightning strikes, and Yuji falls face forward. His body twitches. Smoke rises and his suit looks a little charred. The snowfall seems to concentrate around Yuji, lightly covering him.

"Sorry," Soten says, with her arms crossed. "I thought that would help."

"I got it," Shoko sighs.

"Satoru," Kagome whispers. "We should probably drink the tea now."

He smiles and wraps an arm around her. "Gonna drink you all night," he whispers, ignoring Shippo's fake gagging.

Tonight cannot come soon enough.

"On your hands and knees, Mrs. Gojo," Satoru says, cupping the back of Kagome's neck as he urges her down. He bites his lip. The anticipation is killing him, shredding him from the inside. This need to have her consumes his every thought and as much as he wants to rush this—to fuck her with that wild abandon she loves so much—he knows, deep, deep, down, that tonight should be savored.

Their first night as Mr. and Mrs. Gojo.

He shudders as a wave of love and lust racks his body. Kagome places her hands on the bed and spreads her legs. The white silk slip of a dress rises. No one was more surprised than he when they finally retired to their room and Kagome dispelled their illusions, revealing she had been wearing lingerie the entire time. She lowers herself, pushing her ass higher in the air without prompting. He is a sucker for that ass.

Would she get mad if he put his name on it?

Probably.

Maybe.

"Been waiting for this all day," he says, palming her ass. The extra weight looks good on her, though he is biased. "To get you alone."

"You wanted to get married today," she says. Her hair is still in that up do. He wants to mess it up a little.

"And what a great birthday it's been." Satoru lowers himself and kneels behind her. He bites his bottom lip and glances at the pillows on the left. "Hold on." He reaches over and grabs a pillow. "You need to be comfortable. And just for the record, I don't actually agree with you being committed to another Satoru."

"You cannot be serious." She laughs and then moans when he places his mouth on her. "Sa-to-ru, you can't be—fuck! You can't be." Kagome inhales. "Jealous of yourself."

Satoru closes his eyes. He wants to lose himself in the way she tastes. He reaches down and unbuttons his pants with one hand, lifting slightly to pull his pants and boxers down just enough that it doesn't feel so tight. His tongue cannot get enough. He needs her to come so hard that his face is soaked. Needs her to smell like him and for him to smell like her.

Wants.

Wants.

Wants.

"Gome-chan, I'd kick my own ass if it came to it." His eyes flutter open as he licks from pussy to ass. His lips curl up at the small giggle Kagome rewards him with. She pushes back against him, rocking her hips. "That's it, Gome-chan," he praises, before sticking his tongue out.

Damn. He should have gotten some oil so he can watch her shake her ass. Next time. There will always be a next time. Not even death is enough to stop him from being with her. He'll destroy every barrier, take down any foe, and fight past his limits to make it back to her.

"I wanna see you," Kagome says, voice slightly muffled from the covers.

Satoru pulls away, kicks his pants and boxers off, and then grabs her legs as he turns her around, so her ass hangs suspended in the air.

"Gonna have to get creative," he says with a wink. "Tell me if it is too much." Satoru keeps his eyes on her as he keeps his arms hooked under her legs and guides her down onto his cock. He drags it out, not quite giving her what she wants, but just enough to tease her. Kagome glares at him as she tries to wiggle forward.

"Satoru."

"Say my name again," he breathes. "Tell me what you want, Mrs. Gojo."

"You know what I want," she whines.

"Wanna hear ya say it." Satoru leans forward and kisses her. He smiles into the kiss, loving how Kagome wraps her arms around his neck, trying to keep him close. "Come on, baby. Closed mouths don't get fed."

She rolls her eyes. "Your cock, Satoru. Are you happy now?" Her cheeks are pink.

"You have no idea how happy you make me," he admits. Satoru dips his head and kisses down the column of her neck, and then wraps his lips over the silk covering her breasts. He swirls his tongue around her nipple. Kagome tugs on the strands of his hair. "So bossy," he teases.

"Satoru, if you don't fuck me right now, I will tie you up and do it myself."

He pauses. "Later. I won't break out, promise." He pulls back and then gives her what she's been craving before Kagome can get any ideas about tying him up now. As much as he has been teasing her, he's barely hanging on by a thread. The anticipation has been slowly killing him since he woke up.

"Oh, fuck! Satoru." Kagome bites her lip, but the moans slip out. He doesn't even know why she bothers. She should know by now he doesn't play fair, and he always wants to hear her.

Satoru grips her thighs, mindful of the position she's in. He eyes how her tits jiggle every time he thrusts inside of her. How somehow it looks more lewd with her slip dress pushed up and her cleavage on full display.

He didn't think Kagome could get any hotter.

"That's it," Kagome sighs. "Keep fucking your wife, just like that."

His balls tighten, and Satoru blinks in disbelief. Did he just...

Kagome giggles. "Aww, Satoru, baby. I guess that later is now."

He pokes the inside of his tongue with his cheek and flashes Kagome a saccharine sweet smile. So that's how she wants to play it. Guess Mrs. Gojo needs a reminder of who she married.

Chapter Text

It's been a little over a month, and Gojo Satoru has yet to make a move except for that one night when his energy spread across Tokyo and the surrounding cities. Kenjaku shudders. Monstrous. How long has the strongest sorcerer of the modern world been hiding how disgusting his cursed energy is? He broke out of the prison realm, which should have been impossible, unless they found the back to it. Other than that, and the disgusting display of his cursed energy, Gojo has been quiet.

It is unnerving. For what reason would Gojo delay coming after him? Not that Kenjaku wants to face him head-on, but he thought Gojo would want revenge. It is not as though Kenjaku is inhabiting a random sorcerer, but that of Geto Suguru. The only friend whom Gojo Satoru claimed. So what gives? Does he not want to lay this body to rest or at the very least get back at him for locking him away in the prison realm?

Kenjaku taps his fingers on his knees while he ponders the next steps. The red pillow gives little comfort. His tea goes cold on the wooden table. The cup itself is plain, but the tea itself was quite expensive. The room is sparse, except for the tatami flooring, three red pillows, the table in the middle, and two doors: one that leads to the gardens and another that leads to the rest of the estate. Sukuna and Uraume have been holed up somewhere in the estate since last night. Why isn't Sukuna going after Gojo? Does he know something Kenjaku doesn't? That must be it. Sukuna must have a plan on how to eliminate Gojo. They have a binding vow after all, so he's assured in that regard that Sukuna will keep him protected from the Six-Eyes user while he takes out the rest of the culling members to start the merger.

Perhaps Sukuna is waiting for further word of Gojo's movements.

He stands, patting the lint off his robes, and then stretches his arms over his head. There is a drop of cursed energy down the hall. Sukuna and Uraume must be ready to join the rest of the world. He is anxious to get the merger going. The longer they delay, the higher the chance of it failing increases, which would be a real pain.

Kenjaku's hand hovers over the door. He turns his head to the side, watching the uninvited guest from the corner of his eye.

The demon leans against the door with his black wings blocking out the sunlight. His eyes are red, and the curve of his smile is devilish.

Kenjaku turns around fully and tips his head back. Demons are a nuisance. Naraku especially, but luckily for him, Naraku is dead, and if this demon doesn't get to his point quickly, then there will be one less demon.

"And what do I owe for this unexpected visit?"

The demon snorts. He crosses his arms, drawing attention to the gold bands around his biceps. His shirt is black like his hair, but the sleeves look as though they have been ripped off. His pants are baggy but taper at the end. He wears no shoes; instead, there are white bandages around his feet, showing off red-tipped claws.

A second or two passes, and Kenjaku's hackles rise. While he is not so foolish as to rush into an attack because someone is rude, he is finding it harder than normal to keep a check on his emotions.

Gojo Satoru being free and ignoring him is not settling right in his stomach. Surely, Gojo plans to make good on his promise to end him, so why is he hesitating?

"I have much to do—"

"So, you've been out here hiding all this time," the demon says, flapping his wings and then pulling them close to his body. "Scared of one sorcerer?"

Kenjaku's nostrils flare. "And you are?"

"Sesshomaru has declared Gojo Satoru as pack. If you go after him, then Sesshomaru will go after you." He moves away from the door. "I want in."

"You want in?" Kenjaku repeats slowly. "We are not a team. I care not what plans you make to take them down so long as you do not interfere in mine." He waves a hand between them. "You are more than welcome to take out both, should you please. I'll send you a fruit basket." Kenjaku steps forward, away from the door. Sukuna is on his way.

"You can't win without our help," the demon says. He lifts one shoulder. "We can distract the demons if you agree to go after Sesshomaru."

Kenjaku presses his lips together, not giving anything away. There is something there that the demon is not saying. A reason. Something he and apparently others will receive if Sukuna takes out Sesshomaru and Gojo. Unless the plan is for the merger to take on the demon lord.

"And what is it you seek in return?"

The door opens, and Sukuna steps inside. His body is different. Three arms instead of four. In place of the fourth arm is a stub that wiggles with growth. His face is half his and half Naraku's, though his hair is black and long like Naraku's once was. Kenjaku's nose twitches. The stench coming from Sukuna nearly makes him retch.

Putrid.

Open wounds on his chest, festering with some kind of black pus that bubbles. Sukuna seems not to notice, or rather, the wounds don't bother him.

"What an abomination you are," the demon drawls. "What I want is simple. Sesshomaru dead. And then we will see which is superior. Demonic or cursed energy." He extends his arms and wings out. "A free-for-all after Sesshomaru's pack has been dealt with."

Sukuna scratches his chest and yawns. He chuckles and then shakes his head. "Why wait for Sesshomaru to be killed? We can find out right now which is stronger." Next to him, Uraume lifts their white sleeve to their nose, but Kenjaku gets the feeling that the reincarnated sorcerer is mocking the demon. Sukuna spreads his arms and grins.

Kenjaku grits his teeth. He needs Sukuna in top condition to handle Gojo, and clearly something is not quite right with Sukuna if his healing is slowed. What else could it be if not that?

The demon flashes out of view. Kenjaku barely tracks the movement. This body is strong, but not used to dealing with how demon encounters were so rare and now he can't escape them.

Crash!

The door topples over as sunlight spills into the room. Uraume steps further into the room and moves to go outside. They do not look at Kenjaku.

"What ails Sukuna?" Kenjaku asks, following Uraume out of the estate to where the battle is taking place. The blows sound like thunder. Personally, he finds this fight to be a waste. Killing this demon will not bring them any closer to starting the merger and will only give Gojo an advantage should the sorcerer decide to make an appearance. Kenjaku slides his hands into his sleeves, attempting to appear nonchalant and not anxious.

"Mind your place."

Kenjaku rolls his eyes. "He did not have those wounds yesterday, so something must have occurred during the night when you placed that veil around the room. Was it the bath? Did the ritual fail?"

"I said, mind your place," Uraume hisses, turning around. Their upper lip curls back.

"Funny how you were so agreeable before you were reunited with Sukuna. My feelings are hurt. After all we have been through," Kenjaku says with a sigh. It bothers him not if Uraume cares for him, but it does annoy him that pertinent information is being withheld. Since he will not get a proper response from Uraume, he will simply ask Sukuna as soon as this fight is over.

He sighs again. The flowers are thrown onto the ground, slowly dying from lack of soil. The demon crashes to the ground. He coughs up blood. One wing is bent at a weird angle. The demon struggles to rise while Sukuna stands in front of it with his arms crossed.

Disappointment.

Kenjaku breathes out a sigh of relief. He was worried for a moment there, but Sukuna had it under demon was all talk, it seems. He must have hoped that they would do the dirty work for them and then attempt to catch them off-guard.

"W-wait! We can help one another—" The scream never makes it past the demon's lips.

"What a waste," Sukuna mumbles. He scratches his head and then jerks his thumb at the corpse. "Cook it. Always wondered what crow demon tastes like." Sukuna walks past Kenjaku and stops. "We'll make a move on them soon enough since Gojo Satoru appears to be too besotted with his priestess."

"I would hope so," Kenjaku replies. "We only have so long for the merger. Tell me, what is with the appearance? Couldn't decide which form?" He wonders if he overestimated Gojo's capabilities and attachment to Geto Suguru. Could it be that the sorcerer is leaving them alone because he would stay next to that woman?

"... No. Naruku was made up of many smaller demons. I am casting off the weak ones." Sukuna glances at the sky. "Better yet, more sorcerers would work better. Uraume."

"Yes!" Uraume rushes toward the dead demon and lifts the body over their shoulder. Uraume ignores Kenjaku once more as they walk back into the estate with the crow demon over their shoulder. The feet and wings drag on the floor.

"Does this mean you are going after the other culling members?"

Sukuna flexes his fingers. "Better to fill this body with cursed energy, and then we will attack the estate." He points to the sky. "That's where they are. Hidden behind a barrier, but I know where it is located. If he does not make a move, then we will."

Kenjaku opens his mouth to respond, but Sukuna is gone as quickly as his eyes blink.

He frowns. What a pain. How much longer must he wait to see how death looks on Gojo Satoru's face?

"Gojo-sensei," Yuta calls, jogging to catch up to the long-legged sorcerer. Seriously, did he just pick up speed? "Sensei!"

"The answer is no," Satoru responds, opening the door to the meeting room. Sesshomaru sits at the head of the table while some demons Yuta does not recognize sit on the left. They wear faces of grief. Their wings are snapped shut, which must be painful as the chairs don't accommodate such things.

Yuta gives himself a mental shake and then focuses back on the topic at hand. He must get Gojo-sensei to agree.

"But! If we're done with using it to summon that shikigami, why can't Rika eat it so we can—"

"I'd rather not lose the only connection we have left. So nope." Satoru sticks his fingers in his ears and hums.

Perhaps he should have mentioned this to Kagome-san first. Yuta takes another glance around the room and notes that InuYasha and Shippo are missing. Koga isn't here either.

"Speak," Sesshomaru commands.

The demons flinch. The woman lifts her eyes while the man keeps his focused on his lap. Yuta's brows furrow together. He tries to catch Gojo-sensei's attention, but Satoru is wholly focused on the other demons in the room.

Did he miss something?

Wisely, Yuta keeps his mouth closed and does not ask Gojo-sensei any further questions about what to do with Sukuna's remaining finger, nor does he bring up how Kagome-san is doing.

"Our son.. he took half to the clan with him and led them to revolt against you," the woman says. "I ask that you please show mercy, for he—"

"You wish for this Sesshomaru to show mercy to one that is dead?"

"He is not!" The man places a hand on the woman's shoulder and encourages her to sit back down. "He is not dead, Sesshomaru-sama," the woman says. "At least not to us. He is not. He has been blinded by the lies of others, and we just—"

Sesshomaru holds up a hand. "Curse fucker, how would you handle this?"

"C-curse f-fucker?" Yuta closes his eyes and rubs his temple. Why must Sesshomaru-sama insist on calling him that? And why did Shippo have to put it in his head? "I would try to reason with this son of theirs and see where he is coming from. If there are others who feel the same way, then it might be an issue with the way things have been done." Yuta opens his eyes. He blinks. Why is Gojo-sensei staring at him like that? It's giving him the creeps.

Ever since Kagome-san gave Gojo-sensei that boost, his eyes have had a weird golden glow to them.

"Continue."

"Uh.. and I would just... uh... want to hear more from the others. It sounds like it's a generation issue? Kind of like how the elders wanted to keep the status quo and even to the detriment of others. If this son continues to be hostile, then I would defend myself, but I believe there is nothing wrong with at least hearing their side of things."

Sesshomaru stands. "Good. Work with the crows to find a solution." He dips his head at Gojo-sensei and motions for him to follow, leaving Yuta behind with two strange demons.

Wait... find a solution?

He'd rather fight Sukuna head-on or listen to Shippo nonstop for three days straight with no sleep than unravel demon business.

Chapter Text

Today is the day. December 24th, 2018. Satoru runs his fingers through his wet hair and fixes the towel around his waist. His mind is filled with nothing but taking out Sukuna and Kenjaku. He's allowed them to go free for long enough. Kagome hasn't said it, but he knows she's starting to feel cooped up by being inside the estate all day. Having her mother here helps somewhat, but Kagome likes to be free. Today, he will end everything that threatens his family. He tosses his towel in the hamper and then pulls out his clothes from the closet. Satoru slides his black briefs on and tilts his head to the side, focusing on everyone's cursed and demonic energy.

Everyone is still here. Good. He'll convene with them and then head out. He stretches his arms over his head and then cracks his knuckles. Bending down, Satoru does a couple more stretches. He needs to have his muscles loose and body ready to fight.

"Satoru," Kagome calls.

Satoru turns to the side and glances at Kagome while he slides his black compression top on and then his white training pants. Kagome sits on the bed with her legs hanging off the edge. Her strap slides down her arm, but Kagome doesn't seem to notice. Satoru inhales and then glances away. If he looks at her too long, he might say, fuck it and spend the day in bed instead. The twins have been more active lately, so Kagome's been in bed more often than not.

She's never looked more beautiful, though their wedding day is a strong contender. He can't help it. Every day, Kagome—his wife—gets more beautiful. He should buy her more nightgowns. That blue is stunning on her.

"Satoru?"

"Sorry, Gome-chan," he says, still not looking at her. "Trying to get in the headspace and you're..." He gestures at her. Hard to think about killing someone when his wife looks as good as she does. Satoru shakes his head. Taking Sukuna and Kenjaku out should be his only focus today. He's put it off long enough. Everyone knows their roles. He just needs to meet with them first and then head out. Answer any lingering questions, and then everything should go relatively smoothly. There's always something that could go wrong, but he's confident in everyone's abilities. Sliding on his shoes, he steers his mind to focus on the battle. Take out Sukuna first. He's the bigger threat of the two.

"Headspace? Satoru, are you..."

"Yeah." He nods his head and meets her gaze this time. "Today marks one year since Suguru died. That thing controlling his body needs to perish. Thought it would be easier to have one death anniversary than two. It's the least I can do for Suguru. Make sure his body is finally at rest." He rubs the back of his head. "I don't like leaving you behind, but you can't be anywhere near the battlefield." Satoru opens the closet again and grabs the box with Sukuna's sealed finger inside. He pockets it so he can give it to Nobara. If things go to plan, Nobara won't need to use it, but it doesn't hurt to put safeguards in place.

"Does everyone else know?"

"Yeah. Yuta has been working with Sesshomaru and the other demon factions. Not going to lie, it's going to be brutal, but I'll do my best to keep the damage to a minimum." From what he's overheard, negotiations have been rough, and more demons than not are tired of the status quo. Satoru isn't sure if that means Sesshomaru will kill them all or subdue them.

"No. You do whatever you need to come back home. Buildings can be rebuilt." Kagome fixes her strap and eases her way off the bed. "Will it just be you?"

"No. Sesshomaru is going down to handle the demons with Yuta and Shippo, and I believe Koga is going to assist. Yuji, Megumi, and Choso are going after the remaining sorcerers. InuYasha and the others will remain here on standby, as well as the guards." He brushes her hair back behind her ear. Before he leaves, he'll give the remaining finger to Nobara. Mei Mei will keep everyone updated, though he told her he does not want Kagome watching. She does not need any additional stress. "The only thing I want you to do is rest. The barrier will not fail. And if it does for some odd reason, all you have to do is flare your energy, and I'll come to you no matter what." Satoru hesitates. "Yakeru has worked with the foxes to get more support. He'll be stationed in here with you and your mom in case you need to get away and you don't have time to call to me for help."

Kagome frowns. She looks as if she wants to protest, but they both knew this day was going to come. No way in hell is he going to let another day go by with those two threats still out there.

Satoru leans down and kisses Kagome. "I'll be back. I promise. I will always make it back to you." He turns and leaves before he throws away all the careful planning he's done and gives in to the urge to hold Kagome. Sukuna and Kenjaku are dying today. Failure is not an option. Satoru dips his head at the guards stationed at the end of the hall. "Can you send word for them to meet in the dojo?"

The guard with short green hair and silver streaks pounds his chest with his fist. "Of course, Satoru-sama." His armor looks cumbersome, but Satoru has seen the guards train, and they move as though their armor is as light as a robe.

"Just Satoru, please." How many times has he been over this?

"Yes, Satoru-sama."

He sighs and keeps walking toward the dojo. Rounding the corner, he spots Himari and InuYasha. "Dojo."

InuYasha nods. "Let me walk her to Kagome's room, and I'll be there."

"Is something happening?" Himari questions as she eats from her fruit bowl. She's dressed casually in a flower-printed dress. "You seem tense, Satoru. Is there anything I could help with?" She presses her fingers against her mouth. "Is it Kagome? Is she okay?"

"Kagome is fine," he assures her. "But she would appreciate your company."

"Come on," InuYasha says, nudging Himari in the other direction. "I'll explain on the way." InuYasha tosses him a look over his shoulder.

Satoru watches them until they round the corner. He shakes his head. Some days it's easy to forget about what is going on outside these walls. They truly are in another world up here in the sky. He still doesn't like InuYasha, but he actually trusts that the half-demon would do everything he can to protect everyone in this estate.

It's commendable. Despite their differences, neither of them would go behind the other's back. If InuYasha were ever to go after Satoru, it would be direct. No backstabbing. No bullshit. The chances are slim though, since Kagome would be pissed and InuYasha values Kagome's friendship more than anything.

So yeah, he trusts InuYasha to keep Kagome safe.

When he gets to the dojo, Yuta and Shippo are already there, sparring. They stop and watch him as if he's a ticking bomb. Satoru quirks a brow. "How are the negotiations going? Will you need backup?"

Yuta wipes his face with his shirt and shakes his head. "I've been working with the crow demons, but I haven't made any progress in finding their son. They agreed to help us against the others, but I feel bad. Hoping they won't have to fight their own son, but it's looking that way. They can't get in contact with him. It's as if he's..."

"Dead," Shippo replies. "Probably."

"Shippo," Yuta exclaims. "You can't just say that."

Shippo inspects his claws. "Dude is probably dead. Better to plan for the worst and hope for the best." He drops his hand and shrugs. "I mean, I don't care if the guy is alive or not, but he made his choice, regardless. If he's not dead, then he has ignored every attempt to meet and try to compromise."

Yuta rubs his face and mutters under his breath. "Fine. But if I run into him, then I will at least try to talk sense to him. I promised his parents I would."

"You're too kindhearted."

"Shouldn't you be more kindhearted?" Yuta shoots back. "Kagome-san would do the same thing."

Satoru smiles. "Gome-chan killed a demon with a hairpin for threatening the twins." Too bad he never got to see that. "And then sold it so she could get a ticket back to the house."

Yuta stares at him in horror. "K-Kagome-san sold a murder weapon?"

Shippo whistles and nudges Yuta with his elbow. "Mama can be scary sometimes. Better not get on her bad side."

"The priestess knows when it is time to give up on others seeing reason," Sesshomaru says, strolling into the dojo with InuYasha and the others behind him. On his shoulder is a large white fur. Sesshomaru still hasn't given him a straightforward answer whether or not that fur is his tail. "This Sesshomaru assumes you have called us here because you are ready to make the move."

"Yes," Satoru answers, crooking his finger at Nobara. She points to herself and then breaks away from the group when he nods. "Here, I want you to wait until Sukuna is on the down before you use this." He pulls out the cursed finger from his pocket and hands it to her. "Focus on targeting his soul, not on trying to destroy the finger." Satoru directs his attention to Yakeru. "You, I'm counting on you to keep Kagome's stress down while I'm gone."

"You have my word," Yakeru says, half-bowing. Even he is dressed in some kind of training gear instead of his usual flowy yukatas. "I will entertain Kagome-sama and her mother with stories." Yakeru lifts a hand in the air and conjures some kind of image with foxes running alongside...horse girls?

InuYasha grimaces.

"There is nothing wrong with my stories," Yakeru defends.

"They are on par with Shippo's stories. Traumatizing."

"I resent that. My stories are more entertaining."

"Your stories are atrocious," InuYasha complains.

"OH?" Shippo leans over to the side. "Let's hear your stories." He cups his hand over his ear. "Oh, what's that? Silence. You ain't got shit to tell." Shippo's tail swishes back and forth in sharp motions.

Is he going to have to break up a fight between them?

"Enough," Sesshomaru says, glaring at Shippo and InuYasha. "If there are no further questions, then everyone is to depart." Sesshomaru pauses. "Jaken, have the humans vacated the areas?"

"Y-yes!" Jaken grips his two-headed staff and bops his head. "Most of them left the area once the culling games started, Milord. I received confirmation yesterday that all have left the area. They should be on their way out of the country on their expense-paid vacation."

"They got a free, expense-paid vacation?" Yuji questions. He throws his hands up. Megumi rolls his eyes. "What?"

"Just take a vacation when this is over." Megumi scratches Buyo Jr.'s ear. On top of his head is his cat shikigami, Shiro. She paws at Buyo Jr., who is sitting on Megumi's shoulder. In his other arm is Ryuren. The tiny dinosaur yawns, letting out the tiniest roar. Satoru covers his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Will Sesshomaru pay for it too?"

"I wouldn't mind a paid vacation," Mei Mei says, leaning against the wall in the back with her younger brother next to her. Shoko shakes her head and mutters something under her breath before taking a sip from her drink. Better than her smoking.

"No." Sesshomaru walks toward Yuta and Shippo. He grips them by their shirts and drags them out of the dojo. Satoru cracks his knuckles again. Right. Time to get this started. Everyone knows their roles.

"InuYasha is on standby if you need help," he reminds them. "As well as Nanami," Satoru adds, seeing the look of defeat on Nanami's face. He stares at him for a second and then leaves before he says anything or does something. Somehow, he trusts InuYasha around Kagome more than Nanami. It's stupid. But what if Nanami gets it into his head... nope, he is not going down that rabbit hole.

Satoru warps outside of the estate and hovers over where Sukuna is. The clouds part, giving him a clear view of the buildings below. From this distance, hollow purple won't be as effective, but it's a hell of a way to kick things off. Time to get a little rough. He cracks his knuckles again and then points down in the general area of where Sukuna is.

"Hollow purple."

He smirks and then heads down, following the path of destruction. Mei Mei's crows hang back. If things get out of hand, then Ui Ui knows to transport Megumi and the others out of there. Satoru lands on the rubble.

"Don't tell me you're already dead. That was a weakened Hollow Purple at that."

The rubble shakes. An arm emerges from the debris. Sukuna pushes the rest of the debris off him. His face is blackened. His fourth arm is missing. His clothes are surprisingly holding up, though the top is shredded. As far as the pants go, there are some dirt stains, but other than that they are holding up well.

"Ya looking rough there, Sukuna. New body ain't treating you well," Satoru goads.

Sukuna spits on the floor. "I can't wait to pick every scale off and filate you like the nameless fish you are." His arm heals. Sukuna moves into position.

Satoru dashes, making the second move, going for offense.

This ends today.

Chapter Text

Yuta is not having a wonderful day despite it being Christmas Eve. This is the second Christmas Eve in a row in which he is having to fight instead of having a nice, relaxing day. If he's being honest, then he can't remember a single Christmas season in which he has had a wonderful, peaceful, argument-free holiday. Even as a child, his parents scorned him. If someone were to ask Yuta how his sister is doing, he wouldn't be able to answer. How long has it been since he distanced himself from them out of fear of them getting hurt? A long, long time. Maybe next year, he'll reach out. Higurashi-san took traveling to another world with curses and demons as if it were a regular day, no problem. Maybe in time, Yuta and his parents can meet somewhere in the middle? 

Yuta sighs as he walks through the streets with his sword, courtesy of Totosai-san, in hand, searching for Kenjaku. 

Yes, Gojo-sensei assigned him on demon duty, but he does not want his sensei to go through killing his best friend a second time. No one should have to go through that. Kenjaku, however, remains elusive. He is either somewhere close to Sukuna out of fear of Gojo-sensei attacking or hiding himself away somewhere. They—Sesshomaru-sama—have not been subtle that a war was going to break out. 

"Where could he be?" Yuta mumbles to himself as he swings his sword, taking out a cursed spirit. The area is festering with curses and low-level demons. There are curses climbing the buildings like centipedes. Some attack, while others tremble and try not to make eye contact. 

The curses are low on his priority list at the moment, and truthfully, so is finding the crow demon. It's like Shippo said, the son is most likely already dead, and if he isn't, then he's probably already made up his mind that rebellion is the only path forward. If the parents can't get in touch with the son, then what the hell do they expect Yuta to do? 

A mess.

This is just one big mess, but he will do what needs to be done. No matter the cost. Everyone is putting their lives on the line. He can, and he will do the same in order to protect those he loves and to help create a path to a better future. It's not just about his colleagues, but about the innocent humans and demons that are just trying to live their lives. He thinks of the foxes, the young kits who are so trusting and so pure. He wants to protect that youth. 

Yuta stops. Something or someone is headed his way. A curse, something resembling an insect, scurries past. He takes a step back and holds his sword out in front of him. The least he can do is to be gracious enough to greet the person who is so eager to die. The air crackles. The sky splits open, and a demon slams into the ground, causing what feels like a mini-earthquake. 

Yuta is not impressed. This demon is a show-off and seems to think such tactics will work on Yuta. There are only four people Yuta fears: an angry Gojo-sensei, Sesshomaru-sama when he smiles, Shippo for obvious reasons, and a disappointed Maki. This demon is none of those people. 

There are curses with more aura than this demon. 

"Yo!" The demon lifts his head and smirks. His fist is planted in the concrete. He has bright purple hair that sticks up higher than Megumi's hair, making him hard to miss, with golden eyes outlined in red. There are two red spots above his right eyebrow and two lines cut into his left eyebrow. While he wears no shirt, his white pants are baggy. The demon wears no shoes. His feet are shaped like those of a falcon or maybe a crow. 

This isn't the demon he should be looking for. No wings, but that doesn't mean much. This demon could be hiding them, or he may not have them. Either way, this demon's presence makes his gums itch. 

Maybe he has spent too much time around Shippo and Sesshomaru-sama. Yuta flicks his tongue over his teeth. No fangs. What a relief. It must be a phantom reaction from hearing Shippo say his fangs are itching to bite someone so often. 

He really needs to spend more time with anyone but Shippo. Maki has been through a lot. Maybe after this business is done, they could go on a trip together. 

"And you are?" Yuta does not point his sword at the demon, but he doesn't lower it either. This demon could be an enemy or an ally. The only demons Yuta knows for certain that are on his side are fox and wolf demons. The crows are a wild card. Half the clan has already revolted. The other half is just as likely with the right incentive. 

The issue is, how can he tell a wolf apart from a fox when they all look the same? Or better yet, a dog demon from a wolf? Sesshomaru would be upset if he knew the thoughts going through Yuta's mind. He would tell Yuta not to insult him by comparing him to a lowly wolf.... but.... Yuta doesn't possess a supernatural nose to sniff out the differences. 

"The one who will kill you." The demon rises to his full height. He's massive. Easily over six feet and bulky like a bodybuilder. "You've been a naughty human," the demon says, wagging a finger. "Killing our leader." The demon snaps his fangs at Yuta, attacking the air like some rabid bulldog. 

Yuta does not know who the demon speaks of. His mind begins to wander again. Where is Kenjaku, and why is this demon holding him up? He should focus. This could be a simple misunderstanding that can be cleared up in a few words. Despite his appearance, Yuta is not a bloodthirsty sorcerer who gets off on fighting others. He fights for the people he loves. To protect them. He fights because he has the strength to do so. To make a difference. If he can avoid a battle and bring someone over to their side, then even better.

Clearly, this demon has mistaken him for someone else. 

"Was your friend one of these lesser demons?"

"DON'T INSULT HIM!" the demon roars. His eyes are wild. His muscles tensed. The force of his words sends sharp air blades in Yuta's direction. They curve like that of a crescent moon. Eight. All electrified. The hair on the back of Yuta's neck rises. Every part of him tenses. 

Annoying and probably painful. 

Yuta is not the type to eat an attack to see how much of it he can withstand. His reverse healing technique is good, and his cursed energy is so vast that it may as well be limitless like Gojo-sensei, but he isn't Gojo-sensei, and he isn't a daredevil like Shippo, so wisely, Yuta dodges and then goes on the offense. 

Always hit. Try not to be stuck on defense. Better to take your enemy out quickly because there will be more waiting. 

His sword hits claws.

Talons hit air.

Yuta blocks a kick to his side, but the force of it sends him flying back. Any more power behind the kick, and he would have hit the building behind him. He dares not think about the damage they are causing, nor how much it will cost to repair this place. The only thoughts in his mind is survival.

Hit. 

Block. 

Swing.

For every hit the demon lands, Yuta lands two more. One to the wrist. More to the chest. Not all demons heal quickly. Sesshomaru's training flashes through his mind like a monologue. No demon can come back from having its neck slashed off, but pulling that off will be difficult. 

Yuta wipes his mouth with his thumb. There are slashes on the demon's chest. They bubble something nasty. He dusts some of the dust off his jacket. His eyes are dull. No emotion. Better that way. His nose wrinkles. There is too much dust in the air. 

Every speck of dust on him is a lap. How Sesshomaru-sama expects him to keep his jacket in pristine condition during a war is beyond him, but Yuta does not put it past Sesshomaru-sama to make him run a lap around the estate until his legs fall off. The demon lord is just as quirky as Gojo-sensei.

"I have no idea who your leader was," Yuta says. "I meant no disrespect. The only demons I have killed recently are the demons in this area." All of whom have been lesser demons. Not quite on par with special grade curses, but strong enough that even a grade one sorcerer might have issues because these lesser demons tend to group up. Anyone would have a hard time with a hundred enemies coming at them at once. 

Well, maybe not Gojo-sensei or Sesshomaru-sama, but they are outliers. 

"LIES!" The demon pounds his chest. "YOU TELL LIES! YOU KILLED OUR LEADER. THE ONE THAT WAS CREATED TO LIBERATE DEMONS!" He pounds his chest again and then spits at the space between them. "I WILL DANCE AND PISS ON YOUR SKULL!" 

So much for trying to meet the demon halfway, and what happened to the earlier, happy-go-lucky-I'm-going-to-murder-you disposition? One question and the demon loses his composure? Yuta isn't a demon expert by any means, but he has been studying, and judging from this demon's demeanor; he isn't a child, so surely this demon should have a better handle on his emotions by now. Someone should have taught him some emotional regulation. 

Yuta sighs. "If the demon you speak of was a crow demon, then that wasn't me. I have been trying to get in contact with him. His parents are worried sick. I'm not the one who killed your leader," Yuta replies. "But if you are against Sesshomaru-sama and still wish to stand in opposition to him, then yes, I am your enemy." 

Does this mean the parents will rebel, too? Yuta's head throbs. Sesshomaru-sama expects him to mitigate for whatever reason. He doesn't get it, but he can't argue, or rather, it's not worth the ass-kicking to argue with Sesshomaru-sama, so Yuta smiles and goes along with it. 

The demon's breathing grows heavier. His wounds are turning purple. It's the first drawn-out fight Yuta has been in since receiving this new sword. Is it the sword, forged from his tooth, that is causing this, or is this a trick from the demon to lull Yuta into a false sense of victory? 

Should he test out Rika or wait? 

He should wait. Mei Mei is livestreaming this, right? He isn't sure if she is livestreaming every battle or just Gojo-sensei, so he should err on the side of caution. Best not to show everything in his arsenal on an enemy that will be dead in less than 10 minutes. 

"Murderer," the demon says, voice labored. His eyes are wild. There's heat behind his words and flames behind his pupils. "You dare to lie to me? For one so weak, you must have sneaked him. Caught him unaware. It is the only way you would have killed my leader." The demon exhales, each breath shakier than the last. "One by one, you will all fall for daring to attack the one that was to usher us into a new era."

"For the last time, I have no idea who your leader is, and the only demons I have fought have been the demons in this surrounding area, so unless your leader was a low-level demon, then it wasn't me. Either step aside, or I will cut you down. I have wasted enough time as it is." The bags under Yuta's eyes deepen. It doesn't get easier. Taking a life. 

But.

He will always do what is necessary, and if cutting this demon down is the only path forward, then so be it. 

Chapter Text

Yuta stands over the fallen demon. Overhead, crows circle around, no doubt broadcasting the battle. He sighs as he sheathes his sword. Too much time has been wasted. His fingers twitch with the urge to call Mei Mei. With her crows spread out, she may know where Kenjaku is hiding. 

But that may be too risky. This area is crawling with lower-level demons and others on par with or stronger than the demon dead at his feet. No, he’ll keep moving. Clear this area and keep going until he finds Kenjaku. 

He turns, but hesitates to leave. Yuta turns around and stabs the fallen demon with his sword. Leaving a body behind is risky. He knows that better than anyone. There are other demons around. They could have the same ability as Sesshomaru-sama. They could have an ability similar to his. No, it’s best to ensure nothing can be used. His cursed energy flows downward and ignites, burning the demon’s body to ashes. 

His nose twitches at the smell. The smell of burned flesh will stay with him for years to come. He pulls his sword out and gazes at the remains for a moment. 

This death was preventable. Why couldn’t that demon just listen for a moment? 

Yuta looks up and then jumps away right as a punch creates a crater where he once stood. The demon, a female with short purple hair and golden eyes rimmed red, like the demon he just killed, looks him over. Her outfit, our lack thereof, is more suited for a night out than a battle. Her hands are clenched at her side as she turns her attention away from him and to the ash floating in the wind. 

“You killed him,” she says simply, still not looking at Yuta. Her voice is solemn. He wonders if she was related to the dead demon. They look alike. How long has she been here? Or did she watch the fight via the livestream? 

“Self-defense.” The back of his neck tingles. Someone else is here with them. 

Watching.

Stronger.

Most likely foe. An ally would have shown themselves by now. An enemy is most likely waiting until Yuta is tired to attack. Curses, demons, sorcerers, there is one thing they all have in common: con artists. 

His hand tightens on the hilt. “I’ve been looking for a crow demon who is leading a rebellion against Sesshomaru-sama. His parents are worried about him. Do you know where he is? There is still time to turn this around.”

The female demon slowly turns her head to stare at him. Her eyes flash red. The spike of demonic energy sets off warning bells. Best to tread carefully. This demon is as emotional as the one he just killed. “You killed my brother, and now you dare to pretend you have no idea where our leader is?”

“So, he’s dead then.” Yuta frowns. “I have no reason to lie,” he follows up with. His words must have been the wrong thing to say because the demon flashes before him and punches him so hard he coughs up blood as his back hits the building behind him. Yuta grunts as he stands. Great. More dust. At this rate, he’ll die from running laps. 

Is Sesshomaru petty enough to watch the tapes to see if Yuta cleaned his jacket before meeting up? Probably. There’s not much Yuta would put past the demon lord. 

He blinks and the female has her hands wrapped around his throat. 

“Don’t. Speak,” she hisses. 

Yuta couldn’t speak if he wanted to with her hands wrapped around his throat. He forces his body to remain still. If this demon wanted to, she could have killed him, but she isn’t trying, so he’ll see what her angle is for now.

Her right eye turns completely red. “Did you kill our leader?” She loosens her hold, just enough for him to form the words to answer her. His lips move on their own, though he would have given the same response regardless. 

“No.”

She drops her hands and steps back. Her right eye is still completely red, while her left is a vibrant gold. 

It’s unsettling. 

“I told you, his parents wanted to bring him back. They didn’t want any of this.” 

“If you didn’t kill him, then who did?” she mutters to herself, no longer paying Yuta any attention. She wraps her arms around herself, fading in and out of view like a glitch in a game. Yuta’s eyes narrow as he bends to retrieve his sword. He keeps his moments slow. 

The bloodlust from earlier is no longer rolling off the demon in waves. Still, he knows firsthand how quickly their moods can turn. That nagging feeling is still there. There’s another demon watching. 

“What was his name?”

“What?”

“Your brother,” Yuta says. “What was his name?” 

Her right eye turns golden. “It no longer matters.” She drops her hands, and the shadows near her feet flicker. Yuta clenches his jaw. “You may not have killed our leader, but you are still human.” 

Yuta jumps to the left. A large shadow in the shape of a fist hits the building, causing it to crumble. Another shadow punch comes from the side, and one from underneath him. He dodges, jumping upward, but gets hit by something in the back. 

Crap.

His back hurts. He should have seen that coming. Yuta glances at the female for a moment and then darts in the direction of the blast. He needs to close the distance fast, so he re-sheathes his sword for now. 

“Oh no, you don’t!” the demon yells, chasing him down. Yuta picks up speed, dodging shadow fists and blasts as he runs to the source of the energy. A two-on-one is hardly fair. His eyes widen. A white car is thrown his way, followed by another. 

He doesn’t want to reveal Rika yet.

He might not have a choice. 

A blast hits the demon behind him. He can tell by the shrieking and cursing. He doesn’t let it stop him from heading toward the source, nor does he assume the other foe is lacking in hand-to-hand combat. Most ranged users are terrible in close quarters, but not all of them. It’s best not to assume. 

Yuta jumps and uses the light post to propel his body forward like a gymnast to land on top of the building. Another demon, one with black hair and eyes as black as the pavement below, startles at the sight of him. His white shirt is ripped at the shoulders as if the demon pulled them off. His pants are baggy. Yuta takes the moment to close in. He lands a blow. The demon blocks the next one. 

Punch. 

Block.

Kick.

The demon laughs the entire time, even when his attacks don’t land. He taunts Yuta. Tries to move in close. Too bad for this demon, Yuta deals with Shippo daily. There’s no amount of taunting that will work on him. 

They trade blows until a punch from above breaks them apart. 

“We don’t have to do this,” Yuta says, dusting his jacket off. The sky overhead darkens. Crackles with lightning, or maybe all this cursed and demonic energy being released is causing unforeseen side effects. 

The demon laughs. “I’m not like Kurohime and Kurehito. I don’t give a shit about liberation. I just want a fight.” He punches his palm and smirks at Yuta. “You gon fight or keep talking like a bitch?” The demon bats a shadow punch away without taking his eyes off Yuta. “Knock it off, Kurohime, or I’ll bury you.” 

“HOW DARE YOU!” Kurohime yells, her demonic energy flaring so violently that her hair stands upward. 

Yuta shifts. This situation feels familiar. He rubs his throat. Yeah, this definitely feels familiar. 

“Enough bitchin’,” the male demon says, sticking his finger into his elven-shaped ear. “I can hear you just fine. Ain’t gotta blow my ears off.” 

“Kurehito took you in, and this is how you repay him? I gave you—” she clamps her mouth shut. The shadows around her flicker. The current in the air is different. Her eyes flash red. Her body shakes with what Yuta assumes to be anger. 

“Stand down.” 

Yuta runs his tongue over his teeth, mulling. He could attack while they are distracted, but...at this rate, they may turn on each other. That would be one less enemy to fight, but there’s also the chance they push aside their differences to attack him instead. 

The air grows heavy, and two hands dart out from the ground, reaching for the male demon. He snarls in response. His legs smoke from the contact. “I told you not to interfere!” He darts toward Kurohime, but she flickers out of view for a moment. These two clearly know one another and have fought because the male demon kicks his leg out to the right, hitting Kurohime in the stomach the moment she flickers back into view. 

She staggers back, clutching her stomach, with pain visible on her face. She coughs. “How dare you.” 

“If I win,” Yuta says, drawing attention to himself. There’s no point in running away. Anyone who chooses to be against them is to be cut down or converted. Preferably converted because all this fighting is senseless. The last thing he needs is to run into Kenjaku, and then one of these demons tries to sneak him. “You’ll stand down and help come to a peaceful resolution?”

“We don’t take orders from humans,” Kurohime says, her upper lip pulled back into a sneer. 

“Hold on,” the male cuts in, his legs no longer smoking. “The only solution is for all humans to either submit like the pests they are or to die. There is no other option. A human couldn’t possibly put up a fight worthy enough for me.”

Yuta shifts to the left. “Not even one trained by Sesshomaru-sama?”

White specks dot the demon’s black eyes. “Oh? For you to casually bring up that name.” The demon crosses his arms. “Jigokuo. Who are you?”

“Okkotsu Yuta.”

“The great Sesshomaru took a sorcerer under his wing, eh?” 

“You cannot be serious! Sesshomaru-sama,” Kurohime spits out, “cares not for his fellow demons, nor is he doing anything to fix the situation. Kogarasumaru cared! My brother cared! And you want to listen to some petty words from this human? A sorcerer!”

“Make him tell the truth then,” Jigokuo says, shrugging. “It’s the only thing you are good for.” 

A flash of hurt crosses Kurohime’s face. 

“If not, then stand aside, Kurohime. This fight no longer concerns you.” 

Yuta bites the inside of his cheek. He could let her use that ability again, but what if she asks something he doesn’t or shouldn’t answer? Should he just attack? What would Sesshomaru-sama do? Yuta draws his sword. “Submit or fall; the choice is yours.” 

Jigokuo barks out a laugh. “You?” He laughs again and then bangs a fist on his chest. “Think ya big dog around here?” He snaps his fangs at Yuta. 

“Wait, he’s just—”

Slam!

“I told you to stand down.” Jigokuo lowers his hand. Kurohime lies on the ground. Blood seeps from her mouth. “She’s always been far too mouthy,” Jigokuo says conversationally as he turns around to face Yuta. 

How could he attack a comrade so harshly? Yuta stares at the demon aghast. Demons do not resolve things quite in the same manner as humans; he gets that, but Kurohime was hardly a threat to Jigokuo; that much was clear, so did he have to knock her so hard that a puddle of blood is pooling around her? 

“You shouldn’t treat the ones you love so coldly,” Yuta says, moving into a stance. 

“Oh? And I suppose a child like you knows something about love?” The demon mirrors his stance and flexes his claws. “You think to teach me?”

Yuta blinks and answers sincerely. “Sorry, you’re not my type.” 

Jigokuo stares at him, bewildered. “Tch! All you sorcerers are insane.” Jigokuo darts forward. Yuta draws his sword. 

Hit. 

Miss. 

Kick.

This one is stronger than the last. Yuta will give him that credit, but he needs to end this quickly. He swings his sword at Jigokuo’s neck, determined to behead him with one swing. 

Yuta’s sword falls from his hands. He coughs, and blood spurts out. What just happened? He glances down. A shadow hand sticks out from his gut. His vision is blurry. Kurohime’s body is no longer on the ground. 

“The only one submitting here is you, boy.”