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Looking at all of his students gathered together for the Kyoto Sister-school event brought back a heavy sense of nostalgia. It brought back those fond memories of Satoru’s own experience participating.
He didnt get along with them, back then. Satoru had been too full of himself, too used to the pedestal his clan had put him on his whole life. He had thought himself to be better than Suguru and Shoko. What did they know about jujutsu? Why did he have to slow down his learning and his missions because they couldn’t keep up? He had called them dead weight more than once. He had been an asshole, to put it bluntly.
Suguru had been nice, polite in that fake way cashiers were when faced with an unruly customer. Shoko had been quiet, barely speaking to him unless she had no choice. She had used smoke breaks as excuses to get rid of him. Yaga did his best to discipline Satoru, but the Gojo clan constantly watched him. If Satoru didnt want to be reprimanded, then he didnt; that was the unspoken law.
They were jealous of him, he had told himself.
But Satoru was the jealous one. He was jealous of the attention his classmates got. He was jealous of how they struggled. He was jealous of how they talked about his parents. Suguru talked to them every week, sometimes multiple times a week if something exciting happened in their lives. Yaga praised them when they improved, but had stopped praising Satoru for his perfect hundreds down the line.
The Sister-School event was the thing that broke down that wall between him and the others. Having a common enemy in the Kyoto students had been helpful. Satoru didnt like them in the slightest. The Kyoto students and even the teachers had used the event as a chance to kiss his ass. Gojo-sama, they called him. They addressed him so properly and formally that it made him mad. He didnt want to be so stifled by those expectations they had of him.
He didnt want that. He wanted to have fun like the kids he saw on TV. He wanted to go to the arcade and skip school. He wanted to eat the greasy and sugary food he was never allowed to eat. Who was going to stop him? Who had that power over him? No one, and everyone knew it.
But none of it was fun when he was alone. Those same kids he saw on TV had parents who cared about them. Those kids who went to the arcade had history there; some high score to beat and someone to compete with. They were scolded and reprimanded for their actions. They were given punishments, something small, like no phone or being grounded for a month. Not anything like Satoru caught glimpses of the Gojo clan estate. Those kids were given praise when they aced a test or got their permit. That was expected of Satoru. Satoru was the best. Satoru was the smartest. Satoru was the fastest. Satoru was the strongest.
“Are you Satoru Gojo because you're the strongest?” Suguru’s words bled into his daydream. “Or are you the strongest because you’re Satoru Gojo?”
Satoru realized that Suguru and Shoko had been treating him as an equal. They didnt see him as something above them. They shared the same hatred for formalities he did. Their dislike didnt spawn from jealousy but because Satoru had been acting like he was still at the Gojo clan estate. Slowly, his behavior changed, then they got closer, and they were glued together before the school year ended.
He wanted that for his students. He wanted this to be a safe introduction to the jujutsu world and how their campus differed from it. He wanted them to learn from the experience, exchange ideas with other students, and grow. Most of all, show them how their classmates were treated differently by the jujutsu world. Being told something and seeing it in actuality was different.
The Kyoto Sister-School Event acted like a debutante when Satoru thought about it.
Maybe next year, Satoru should add a dancing competition?
His eyes trail over his students. Not all of them were here today, which was disappointing. Next year, he’ll bend the rules so the fourth years can participate, so all of them will be there.
“You can't ever expect him to be on time,” Maki laughed.
“She didn't even have to say his name,” Nobara giggled. “We all knew who she was talking about.”
Satoru gasped, clutching his chest in mock offense. “My own students!”
Megumi’s Cursed Energy spiked in annoyance. Satoru knew he was scowling.
“How dare you! I’ll have you know that I was on a trip overseas! This is what I return to?” Satoru exclaimed, playing it up. That mission had been long and tiring. He had stayed awake for three days straight and had crashed as soon as he got back into his room. He got a good four hours of sleep in, rushing to get himself together. He could but late, but he would never allow himself to miss such an important part of his students' lives.
“Get your act together!” Utahime scolded.
“You’re no fun,” Satoru deflated. He roused up his excitement and threw the Kyoto students what he had brought. “Here! Souvenirs!”
“Nothing for us?” Nobara asked, a playful anger in her voice.“Don't act cheap now.”
Satoru smiled in amusement. Nobara was motivated by prizes; he had noticed. It didnt matter what that prize entailed, she would always want it. It was the first thing he learned about the girl, and he used it to his advantage whenever he had to. She didnt want to pay attention during class? Satoru had candy for whoever answered his question right. Training? Satoru promised extra-special snacks when he returned, thanks to all their hard work. Small things like that made everything go smoother, and everyone was happy.
“Your souvenirs are in the common room, don't worry.” Satoru laughed. It was like he was training a dog, wasnt it? He turned to them, with the intent to tell them about the huge mochis he got them, and paused.
He tugged off his blindfold to get a proper look at it.
In the past, Yuji’s Energy had been rougher, like turbulent tides. Ryomen Sukuna had been stronger, larger, and malevolent. His had been sharper, curling over Yuji’s Energy in what might’ve been an attempt to smother. Sukuna’s Energy had pulsed, flickering like a lit match or boiling up like hot oil whenever Yuji used Cursed Energy. They had been clashing forces, always pushing and pulling on one another.
Now, they were virtually one.
No, they were one.
Satoru couldn't make out a single difference between Sukuna and Yuji anymore.
He stared.
Which one was it? Was this Ryomen Sukuna posing as his student? Was Sukuna’s presence hidden under the hot churning waves, smothered inside where even Satoru couldn’t see? Why would Sukuna pretend to be Yuji? Was he scared of Satoru? Did he know that Satoru would kill him for harming one of his students?
Yuji could have come on top, he reminded himself. Instead of a vessel, Yuji could have been like a paper shredder. That would fit him, wouldnt it? It’d be a happy ending for all of them if Yuji defeated the King of Curses just like that. No death required. It was a ten out of ten outcome.
He reached out, sliding his old glasses off of Yuji’s face, touching warm skin. Satoru felt relieved knowing his student was still alive. Which is why wouldnt he be? It wasnt like Sukuna would possess a corpse. Would he? Is that how Curses wore their vessels? The irrational fear squeezed his chest. He didnt know anything about vessels. Yuji had four eyes now. How else was he changing? How else had he already changed?
Jujutsu Tech didnt have anything about vessels in their library. He might have to make a trip up to the Gojo clan estate to check theirs. It would suck, and Satoru would be dragged into a day-long festivity because of his return. He’d have to suffer through it that time if he wanted access to the archives. Satoru made a mental note to take time off.
He studied Yuji’s face. It was boyish, a subtle flush, and a pinch of nervousness. It wasn’t hardened or marred. There was no second face. There was no rage or disgust painted on it. The only trace of Ryomen Sukuna was those two scarlet eyes trained on Satoru.
Was Sukuna staring at him through those eyes? Was Sukuna gone or still in hiding?
He stuffed his blindfold in his pocket. He needed a reason to have taken it off that wasnt ‘I needed to check if my student was possessed or not’ so he put on Yuji’s glasses. It would do the kid good to have a bare face. Especially today, so he didnt get a horrible tan line, and the fact that wrinkly Gakuganji was here today. A bare face made someone more human-looking. It might just make Gakuganji feel guilty for pressing for a kid's execution. At the very least, everyone should know Yuji’s face.
He ignored the little voice in his head that added on ‘until it's too late’ to that statement.
“I just got those back,” Yuji complained softly.
“We can't have them being damaged!” Satoru exclaimed, swallowing the saliva that had welled in his mouth. “I’ll keep them safe for you, alright?”
Yuji gave Satoru a small nod.
“What's this?” Gakuganji yelled. “Sukuna—”
“Oh, no!” Satoru exclaimed, cutting the man off. “Are you okay? You’re getting so red! Don’t tell me you’re having a heart attack! Well, I wouldn't be that surprised you’re at that age, you know? Really, you’re past that age, but either way, one shock and—”
“You damn brat!” Gakuganji cut Satoru off.
They argued back and forth; Yaga and Utahime played referee.
He watched as his students made their way passed the Kyoto students. His glasses fell down his nose as he did. Mai shied away, burying herself within the group. She couldn’t get far.
A large pearlescent spark consumed Satoru’s vision, originating from the shrinking distance between the two. Their Curse Energies spiked, then lulled as Yuji continued on his way.
Mai flinched back, but Yuji did not react.
“What was that?” Satoru muttered.