Pacifier

15. Disappeared

15. Disappeared

Your breath heaved in and out of your chest after you exorcised the last of the curses around the area. They ranged from low-level to a few grade ones and came in all shapes and sizes. Bugs, configured humans, and the most concerning of all - the ones who could hold conversations. 

They taunted you and spouted words that exceeded evil. But with the help of Nanami, who had to drag himself out of bed to come to the rescue, you both were able to finish them off. You and Nanami stood outside of the lounge and watched as Maki and Nobara rallied the last of the civilians to safety. 

Every sorcerer looked exhausted and covered in blood-stained clothes. It still hadn't felt like you had caught your breath either, being under the influence and being thrown into a high-intensity mission was something you hadn't prepared for. You hadn't felt this underprepared since the special-grade test and you hated the feeling. 

"I'm sorry you had to come out here Nanami," you finally caught your breath and wanted to express appreciation to your mission partner. "I don't know why this happened tonight," you asked, sounding slightly hopeless.

"Y/N, you know Sukuna attracts curses," Nanami said curtly, "what I don't understand is how they're so intelligent..." he looked off into the distance in thought. Possibilities were never put past Nanami, but what he saw tonight was unfathomable. Jujutsu Tech had enough sorcerers to avoid tonight, but a large number of casualties still occurred - even one of their own.

"Y/N... where were you when the curse attacked Megumi and Yuji?" 

Your breath suddenly felt frozen in your throat. You hadn't seen Suguru for the rest of the night and were hoping he was around to help alleviate the disasters, it's not like he was the type to not help people. He may have hated you, but his morals and values stood tall when it came to helping those who were weak and non-sorcerers. 

"I-I was... upstairs getting another drink in a quieter area," you said hesitantly. Even though it was the truth, your tone led to there being more. Nanami recognized the gap immediately and followed up. 

"Who were you with?" he crossed his arms and gazed upon you concerned. You stared up at him with despair in your eyes, causing him to drop his arms immediately. 

"Suguru. But I haven't seen him since." 

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1 Month Later (Context)

Every night the bedsheets wrapped around you in suffocation as you tossed and turned. That night haunted you. It was like this every night... the insomnia. Yuji was still dead and Suguru was still gone. Everything was starkly different since that night. Jujutsu Tech was working sorcerers to the bone trying to keep the curse count down and the young ones were spent despite them getting stronger. 

The one you were most impressed with was Megumi. Yuji dying in front of him did something to him. His aura became ten times darker and sadder, but that resonated with you. Once Satoru told you he was of Zenin descent, you put in more effort to make sure Megumi was going to be okay. You knew how much trauma was induced by merely having the bloodline and his demeanor for the past month worried you. Similar to your journey, his cursed energy threshold drastically increased. 

Consequentially, your being around Megumi also caused you to be around everyone more than you had been in the past 5 years. It was as if everyone was clinging to each other. Although it was unwanted, you in turn spent more time with Satoru as well. The both of you ended up training together, even more aggressively than what the special grade test would've been. 

You threw your domains at each other over and over until you couldn't anymore. Oftentimes causing them to cancel one another out. You both were the only one who could actively sustain Infinite Void that many times. Yours wasn't as perfect as Satoru's, but he pointed out your small nuisances to strengthen each infinite micro-molecule that you distorted. 

As the second month since that night rounded the corner, it was almost as if you and Satoru had formed some sort of unspoken bond. That you two were the strongest and could get stronger by practicing on each other. He had stopped making passes on you after that night too. It was strictly business. 

Present Day

You and Satoru were walking back from training in the same location as the special grade test was held. You studied the ground, observing the difference in how nature looked since that day. It was April now, and the grass was starting to come back to life. Bugs buzzed around you, and the birds sang up high in the trees. Such a stark difference from that day. And Suguru was there. 

You peered over at Satoru who was walking with you in stride and could tell he was thinking the same thing. 

"Where do you think he is?" you turned your head to look ahead at the forested path. Neither you nor Satoru had really spoken on his disappearance since. You knew it hurt him, and the brief but intimate exchange you and Suguru had took its toll on you as well. His disappearing left you and Satoru both more confused than anything.  

"I don't know... I really don't." Satoru's voice cracked causing you to stop in your tracks. You looked into his sunglasses and could tell sadness rippled across his eyes. "I want to go looking for him, but I have no leads, except for you being the last person he was with." a tinge of hurt jealousy undercut his tone. You immediately felt a pang of guilt. 

"I'm sorry, Satoru." your voice breaking all the same. You felt the need to physically reassure and console him in that moment. You both may have been confused, but unlike you, he was grieving his best friend. Without a second thought, you reached out and grabbed his hand. "We'll either find him or he'll show back up," you said trying to encourage him, but there was an emptiness in your words that you both knew. 

"Was it good?" Satoru's demeanor turned solemn and sort of dark as his gaze pierced into you. 

"Was what good?" 

Oh...

"Oh, um... " you racked your brain with how to respond. "It honestly haunts me, Satoru. I don't know what any of it meant." 

He nodded curtly and began walking again, still holding onto your hand. You squeezed his hand and he firmly returned the gesture as you began down the path.

 In that moment there was a silent agreement between the two of you.