Chapter Text
Yuuji Itadori was tired. He had watched everyone he loved die, some brutally and some with sheer old age. One of the downfalls of immortality. There was nothing left for him in life.
Years ago he had mastered Sukuna’s techniques, and later the blood arts of the Kamo clan that he had inherited from his brothers. There was nothing else to see or learn. He had long surpassed Gojo-sensei and later Okkotsu-senpai, something he resented for ages. If only he had grown stronger sooner. He could’ve saved Choso and had an immortal companion. He could’ve saved Fushiguro and Kugisaki. He could’ve saved everyone if he had been able to stop Kenjaku. His mother.
Yuuji closed the book he had been looking at with a sigh. Book smarts and school had never been his forte, but he had taken a recent interest in rituals, fixating on a way to turn back time and prevent the countless deaths in his life. He had thought in depth about what he would do with a realistic chance at a do-over. Hell, he’d take Sukuna back if it meant saving more lives this time around. He’d do whatever it took to keep his friends safe.
His current goal was finding a technique that was based in time, or a ritual that would send back consciousness. If Sukuna was able to split himself into cursed objects, willing or not, there had to be some sort of variation. Not for the first time, Yuuji thought about Gojo-sensei and how he would likely have had some sort of idea that would work for his goals.
He ran a hand down his face and stood to replace his current read with the next on his list. So far, every library he had been to had been a bust, some more useless than others. He grabbed his next book and turned to leave, deciding to check out this book and return the next day.
The librarian at the front desk had a small smile on her face. She was an eager young sorcerer that Yuuji had watched grow up from a distance, having returned to this area throughout the years. She perked up when she saw the book that Yuuji had grabbed.
“Oh, are you interested in time techniques?”
Yuuji nodded, not pursuing the small talk. He had long since grown tired of it.
“Did you know there was this sorcerer a couple generations ago born with a Limitless technique? I always thought that could have some pretty cool applications for time. I heard he could teleport and stuff with it,” she babbled, scanning the barcode on the book.
Yuuji froze, “You think it had time applications?” That would explain part of why Gojo-sensei’s technique was so strong.
She nodded, “I don’t see why not. Teleporting would include some sort of displacement of time or space. If you’re interested I can look into him for you? Well I can’t remember which clan he was from anymore, so it might take a while to check. I’m pretty sure it was one of the big three though, well, two. The Zen'in clan died out around the same time. A technique like that is bound to be inherited again though!”
Yuuji nodded absentmindedly. He had never considered checking the Gojo clan library. It was a good thing Yuuta-senpai ended up becoming the clan head. Yuuji had free permissions to come and go from the Gojo residences. The librarian noticed his distraction and finally stopped trying to engage him in conversation. He left in a daze, heading towards his shitty temporary apartment.
Suddenly, he had a path towards his goal. It was time to reach out to the Gojo clan.
—
“Itadori-san, are you sure you do not require assistance with this? I am willing to accommodate any request.”
Yuuji shook his head at the nameless Gojo relative. He had never bothered to learn about his Sensei’s family, but they had long suspected him of being something else. Parents and cousins and distant relatives all knew of Yuuji Itadori in the way everyone now knew what a curse was. Many hadn’t seen him before, but he haunted various spots throughout Japan through sheer reputation of immortality. It took many years for the elders of sorcerer society to stop trying to kill him. He had nearly wiped them all out after several attempts on his life, and eventually they came to a truce to leave each other alone. They were well aware that Yuji alone decided the fate of jujutsu sorcery if they kept bothering him.
The Gojo relative bowed slightly, leaving the room without another word. He didn’t have enough cursed energy to be of any assistance anyway.
Yuuji referenced the Gojo family journal once more, drawing out the last sigil for the ritual circle. He had decided to try and return to the day he had met Megumi Fushiguro, hoping to accelerate his growth alongside his friend so that they would be ready to intervene before Gojo-sensei was sealed. He made his peace with hosting Sukuna once more, finding he would much rather contain the King of Curses than see it happen to Fushiguro.
Once alone, Yuuji took a deep breath and flooded the ritual circle with his cursed energy. The family journal implied that the Limitless technique was required for it to work properly, but that had not been an option for clear reasons. No Gojo had been born again with the technique and Yuji was tired of waiting for someone that would. He poured everything he had into the circle, praying he would be successful.
After a moment, the circle seemed to maintain his cursed energy input, and he pushed once more, giving every last drop of his energy to his goal.
—
Yuuji’s head was pounding. He found himself in the middle of a busy sidewalk, stumbling slightly at the sudden loss of a large amount of cursed energy. He looked around, catching various eyes watching him suspiciously. This didn’t look like Sendai. Did he anchor it wrong? He had thought using Fushiguro as an anchor would bring him back to the appropriate spot in time. Maybe this was before they met?
Yuuji looked around for a newspaper stand, bumping shoulders with a passerby. He turned with a glare, long from being the lighthearted kid he had once been.
The man glared back, tugging along a child with similar features. The dark haired child gave a dirty look to the man he was following, not appreciating trying to keep up with his long strides. Yuuji blinked in shock. He had definitely seen that look before.
He gaped for a second, “Fushiguro?” He mumbled to himself. So he did anchor the ritual circle to Fushiguro. Did he anchor it to the wrong one though?
The man turned sharply, having caught Yuuji’s fumbled word. “Who’s asking?”
Yuuji swallowed hard, taking in the features of the man, “No one- uh, sorry.” He turned to leave, making it several steps before he was slammed into from behind and shoved down an alley. He hadn’t sensed the man following him.
“What’s a sorcerer kid doing out and about?” The man questioned, tightening his grip on Yuuji’s arm and pressing his face into the grimy wall with his other arm. “Especially one that knows my name.”
“I- I’m not a sorcerer kid!” Yuuji exclaimed, offended. It had been a long time since anyone questioned him in such a way. In truth he was pushing a hundred and six now, but had guessed that he had stopped aging around twenty-five. “I’m literally an adult!”
“Oh? Then tell me, if you’re not a sorcerer why do you know the Sorcerer Killer?” The man said with a dark smirk.
A young voice cleared its throat. “Dad, I want an ice cream.” Little Megumi interrupted. “Who is this guy?”
Fushiguro Toji sighed, closing his eyes at the intervention. “Yeah kid, we can go in just a sec.”
Yuuji side eyed the child standing at the opening of the alley who couldn’t have been more than four. He was so close to his friend for the first time in decades. “I can pay,” he said suddenly.
Toji looked at him incredulously, “Can you now? And why would you do that?”
“Apology. For bumping into you,” he clarified. “I really don’t know who you are.”
Fushiguro narrowed his eyes, “You expect me to believe that?” His grip on Yuuji’s arm tightened.
Yuuji nodded, “Really. Thought you were someone else.”
Fushiguro finally released his hold on Yuuji, eyeing him suspiciously still.
“Can I get a strawberry scoop?” Little Megumi asked with a frown.
Yuuji melted. Strawberry was his favorite flavor when they had gone out together with Kugisaki after missions. “I can definitely do that,” he said, turning to the father, “If it’s alright with you.” He added quietly.
Toji Fushiguro narrowed his eyes, “I don’t know who you are, but if you try anything I will kill you.”
Yuuji’s cursed energy spiked at the declaration, but he smothered it quickly, “You would try.” If he could face down Sukuna, he could face down Fushiguro’s father.
Fushiguro led little Megumi out of the alley, turning back in the direction they had come from. He made brief eye contact with Yuuji and gestured sharply, “Come on then, you’re buying.”
Yuuji nodded and followed the man and his son.
Fushiguro walked slower this time, ushering Megumi in front of him so that he could stay between his son and the nameless man.
Yuuji sighed at the suspicion but followed all the same.
His plans were fucked now.