(Image generated with DALL-E)
****
"A beach house? Really?" you remarked. "This is Gojo's idea of a hideout?"
It was almost midnight when Yuta and you finally approached the so-called 'safe house' of Satoru. But it was not the secluded cabin or fortress you might have expected for a hideout. Instead, it was a modern beach house with a panoramic view of the ocean. Its sleek lines and expansive windows reflecting the moonlight as you approached.
It was nestled on a lonely stretch of beach, an hour south from Osaka, away from prying eyes and the hustle of the city. It was the literal opposite of the chaos you had just escaped.
Yuta chuckled softly. "Did you expect anything less from him? It's Gojo, after all. He never does things by halves."
A fucking beach house.
Exhaustion clung to both of you like a heavy cloak. But all you wanted was to see him. You hoped so desperately that he would be here. Your heart craved him so much—to see him, to feel him, to kiss him. But as you approached the house, it was dark inside. Your heart felt heavy again.
The inside of the house was equally impressive. Modern architecture, an open living space, and expensive furniture. It was more akin to a holiday retreat than a hideout. Certainly not suitable for the reason you were here.
Yuta led you through the house, checking each room methodically for any signs of danger. Once satisfied, he relaxed slightly, though the katana never left his side.
"Gojo probably has more hideouts like this scattered around," Yuta mused as he peered out the window, his gaze scanning the horizon. "But this one—it's special. He's particularly fond of it."
"Why's that?" you asked him, wandering over to the glass wall to take in the view of the beach. The moon cast its silver glow over the waves.
Yuta joined you, his eyes reflecting the moonlit sea. "He just bought it recently. Said it was for someone special." The room was quiet for a moment, the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore the only sound.
For a fleeting moment, you wondered for whom Satoru had bought this house for, but you quickly dismissed the thought. "We need to find a charging cable," you said, abruptly turning to rifle through the cupboard doors.
Both of your phones had died on the way here and you had no idea what had happened to the others. You wondered where they were, if they were safe. If Megumi was safe. If he was angry with you.
"Got one," Yuta announced, pulling a charging cable out of the cabinet. You moved towards him to plug in your phone when suddenly a beam of light pierced the night, illuminating the driveway leading to the beach house.
Satoru.
You could sense him. No doubt.
You didn't hesitate. Rushing towards the door, you flung it open and stepped out into the cool night air. Your heart pounded as you saw a familiar car pull up, the headlights illuminating the sand and the snow around. The engine cut, and the door opened.
Satoru Gojo stepped out, his hair slightly disheveled from the wind, his usual sunglasses in place. His striking blue eyes found you immediately, a faint smile playing on his lips. He closed the door and began walking towards you.
Your heart raced. Without a word, you stepped up to him and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed in the quiet night. "Don't you dare ever lie to me again," you said.
Satoru didn't flinch at the slap. Instead, he looked at you, his blue eyes softening. "I've missed you too," he said, the corners of his lips curling upwards. In an instant, Satoru closed the distance between you. His hand wrapped around your waist, gently but firmly, pulling you close. The world seemed to stop when his lips met yours.
It was soft at first, then more urgent as his lips explored every curve and contour, as if he had never kissed you before. His tongue traced your lips before delving in. You tasted the hint of mint on his breath, mixed with something uniquely Satoru, a taste that made your head spin. You found yourself melting into the kiss, responding with equal fervor.
Need surged through you—needing to be closer—erasing every inch of space that kept you apart. His lips moved against yours with a hunger that left no doubt that he felt the same. He kissed you as if trying to bridge the gap of time and distance that had separated you for far too long. Pouring every unspoken word and emotion into the caresses.
"Fuck—I've missed you—so—much," he murmured against your lips, each word punctuated with another passionate kiss. His hands slid up your back, pulling you even closer, if that was possible. He caught your bottom lip between his—a hungry bite that sent shivers down your spine and forced you to stifle a moan. "Missed you too," you breathed out, barely able to get the words out between the fervent dance of your tongues.
The world around you—the sound of the waves, the rustle of the wind, the distant lights of the beach house—all faded into irrelevance. There was only Satoru, his arms wrapped around you, his body pressed against yours, his heart beating in sync with your own. It felt so fucking good to be with him again. It almost made you cry.
In one smooth motion, he lifted you up, your legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. "God, you're driving me insane," he muffled against your lips before claiming your mouth as his once more. Your hands found their way into his hair, fingers weaving through the silvery strands, gripping him as if you never wanted to let go.
You felt every contour of his body against yours, the firmness of his muscles, the hurried rise and fall of his chest. "Satoru," his name escaped your lips in a moan, blending seamlessly into the heated kiss.
"Ahem."
The moment was abruptly broken by a subtle but clear throat-clearing from Yuta, reminding you both of the world beyond.
Startled, you and Satoru parted slightly, though he continued to hold you up in his arms. You both turned towards Yuta, who stood a respectful distance away, an awkward yet knowing look on his face. "Maybe we should—talk inside," he suggested.
Gently, Satoru set you back on the ground. He placed a kiss on your forehead before resting his own against yours, his breath mingling with yours. "Yeah, we should go inside," he murmured, his voice barely rising above the sound of the waves. You remained like that for a few heartbeats before his stance subtly changed.
"Why didn't you come to the airport?" he suddenly asked.
You took a small step back to meet his gaze, raising an eyebrow.
"I've sent you a million messages telling you to get to the airport. I even arranged a private jet for you," he explained, as if sending jets was an everyday occurrence.
"You sent a fucking private jet for us?"
"Yes, I was at the airport waiting for you. How on earth did you get here anyway?"
Rolling your eyes, you released a weary sigh. "Don't ask," you quickly said, not wanting to explain what a pain in the ass it was to get here without anyone seeing you, when somewhere at the airport a fucking private jet was waiting for you.
****
"So that's how it went," Satoru mused, more to himself than anyone else. Satoru leaned back against the kitchen counter, his gaze distant as he pondered the situation. You sat next to him on the counter, fighting to keep your eyes open. The day had been long and draining, and it was really starting to show.
"Who would've thought Jack would end up on our side?" Yuta, seated across from you, remarked. "We can't be sure how many sorcerers are truly aligned with Mahito at this point," he crossed his arms. "But I suspect not many will continue to follow him once they realize his true intentions."
"I wouldn't be so sure," you said. "You haven't seen the way they look at me. The sorcerer who poisoned me—I doubt they're unaware of the curses' true motives. They want me dead, regardless of the consequences. I guess they're using the curses to kill me out just as much as the curses are using them to get me. It's just about who gets me first."
Satoru flinched slightly at your words. He turned to face you, his piercing blue eyes intense even in the dim kitchen light.
"Do you intend to kill them?" Yuta's question was direct.
Before Satoru could respond, you interjected, "No, we won't." The room went quiet, all eyes on you. "We inform them of Mahito's true intentions. If they still oppose us, then we will fight them. But we won't kill sorcerers, just because they are blinded by hate."
Satoru pushed off from the counter, beginning to pace slowly. "I've killed sorcerers for far less," he muttered, his voice edged with a familiar coldness.
"We need allies, not enemies. If we can convince even a fraction of them of the real threat, it might tilt the scales in our favor," you insisted.
Satoru's pacing stopped, and faced you. "So, you plan to negotiate with them?"
"What other choice do we have?" you countered.
Yuta leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Let me handle it."
The room fell silent, Satoru and you both turning to Yuta in surprise. "You?"
"Let me negotiate with the clans," Yuta persisted. "I've worked with some of them in the past, maybe I can get them to drop their grudge against you."
"No, Yuta," you said. "I don't want you to put yourself in danger for me."
He chuckled lightly. "What's our alternative? It's either me or you and Satoru. And really, one of you is their main target and the other one is ready to kill them in an instant. I'm much more diplomatic than both of you."
Perhaps you should be offended by his words. But he was right.
"He's not wrong," Satoru admitted.
Your thoughts were abruptly shattered by the shrill ring of your phone. You spun around, heart racing, as you saw Megumi's name flashing on the screen.
Snatching the phone, you answered, "Megumi??"
"Oh thank God, are you safe? Did you reach Gojo's hideout? We've been trying to reach you," Megumi's voice was full of concern.
"I'm fine, I'm safe, Megumi. Sorry, our phones died. But don't worry about me."
You heard him release a heavy exhale over the phone. "You don't know how worried I was."
"And you? Did you make it back to the school all right?"
"Yeah, we're back, everyone's fine here. Don't worry."
You paused for a few seconds before you spoke. "Megumi, about earlier, I'm sorry—"
"I know. Don't apologize. It's okay. Getting knocked out with a kiss from you isn't the worst thing," he cut you off.
You couldn't help but smile. Suddenly he asked, "Are you with Gojo?"
"Yes, I am," you whispered.
The silence that followed was painful, every second torturous.
After a moment, Megumi's voice returned, firmer this time. "Tell Gojo to keep you safe, or I'll kill him."
"I think he knows that already," you replied, your eyes briefly glancing towards Satoru.
"You should go to sleep. It's late. Don't worry about us. We're safe within the school walls," Megumi said, his tone softening. "And you—you're safe with him."
"I know."
"You should be with him," he added, his voice low, almost inaudible.
"I know."
"Sleep well," Megumi said finally. The call ended.
You took a deep breath, trying to compose yourself. But it was in vain. The weight and exhaustion of the day became unbearable.
They're safe within the school's walls, you tried to reassure yourself. But the bitter truth was that they were only safe when you weren't there. And this realization pierced your heart like a razor blade. It tore through you, unleashing a deep, searing pain that felt almost unbearable.
You felt your eyes burning. Hastily, you rubbed your eyes, before turning back to face Satoru and Yuta again. Yet, Satoru's eyes immediately caught the tears that threatened to spill from yours.
"I can't go back. I can't see them," you whispered. Speaking the truth aloud made it even more agonizing, each word like a fresh new wound in your flesh.
"No, you can't. We both can't," Satoru said gently.
Yuta broke the silence, his voice serious. "You should stay here until I've spoken to the clans. It'll be easier to plan our next move against Mahito without additional sorcerers complicating things."
Stay here.
Away from everyone else, who are back in Tokyo.
How did everything come to this?
Separated from your friends. From your home. But it wasn't really your home. Not anymore. You weren't safe there. Weren't safe anywhere. Your heart went cold.
You averted your gaze, your hands trembling. Tears threatened to spill over. In a heartbeat, Satoru appeared by your side and wrapped his arms around you. His chin rested gently on your head as you clung to him. You were on the edge, your emotions welling up inside you, unable to contain them any longer.
Yuta, his brow knitted in thought, pondered aloud. "But this plan to use her to resurrect Sukuna—what could it possibly mean?"
Yuta's voice felt distant, your mind consumed by something else entirely. "Satoru," you muffled against his chest. "I can't go back. I can't see them. I can't—," you buried your face even deeper into his chest, fingers desperately clutching the fabric of his shirt. "I can't see them."
Satoru's embrace tightened around you, his voice dropping to a whisper, meant only for you, "I know, love. I'm sorry."
Meanwhile, Yuta delved deeper into his theories. "Is there something about her cursed technique that we've overlooked?"
"We'll figure this out. We always do," Satoru whispered close to your ear. He gently stroked the back of your head, trying to calm your trembling form.
Yuta pressed on with his analysis. "And if we consider the implications of their plan to resurrect Sukuna, it's clear that—"
"Okkotsu," Satoru interjected, his tone sharp.
Yuta, finally catching the cue, paused and looked up. It dawned on him when he saw you silently crying in Satoru's arms.
"We should call it a day," Satoru said to him.
****
The next day, you woke up late, the sunlight already streaming through the curtains. Stretching, you glanced at the clock, surprised to see it was already past noon.
Fuck.
How long had you slept?
And why did no one wake you?
You groaned. Your head hurt. Reluctantly, you slipped out of bed, still feeling the exhaustion of the previous day in your bones. Heading downstairs, your eyes wandered around the house. Yuta and Satoru were nowhere to be found.
You moved to the kitchen and immediately noticed the pleasant scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the air, drawing a small smile to your lips. Satoru must have made it for you. You poured yourself a cup from the coffee pot, feeling the warmth in your hands.
Glancing out the window, your eyes found Satoru on the porch. He was engaged in pull-ups, his muscles rippling and flexing with each movement under his tight-fitting shirt. Sipping your coffee, you watched him in silence. Then, he turned, his eyes meeting yours, and he flashed a warm smile.
Your smile widened in response. It was so normal. Him and you here. It felt like your problems and all that sorcery shit didn't exist in this world. In this house. You continued to sip your coffee, watching as he resumed his pull-ups.
Turning back to the kitchen, your gaze fell upon a disheveled pile of papers scattered across the counter. As you picked up the top sheet, you realized they were notes—detailed notes about the current situation, plans, and theories about the Mahito's next moves.
He really planned this from the start, you thought. Satoru knew everything from the start.
Then your gaze fell on a certain piece of paper. More specifically, a certain contract. A house purchase contract. With your name on it.
"Good morning, sleepy princess," Satoru's voice snapped you out of your thoughts. He stepped into the house, his hair slightly damp, probably from sweat.
You turned to face him, holding up the piece of paper. "Satoru, this better be a joke."
"What?" He shut the door behind him.
"Don't play dumb, Satoru." You waved the contract.
He glanced at the paper in your hand, his expression unfazed. "What about it?"
"It's got my name on it."
"I see that."
"Why?"
Satoru crossed the kitchen and leaned against the counter, his eyes meeting yours. "Because it's yours," he said simply, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Your frustration boiled over, evident in the way you crumpled the paper in your hand. "Satoru, you can't just go around buying houses for me!"
Satoru stepped closer, his hands prying the crumpled paper from your tight grip. "Easy, love, that's the original. I don't have another copy."
"But—why?"
"No copy machine."
"No—that's not what I mean, Satoru. Why did you buy this house for me?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Thought you'd like it."
You stared at him. Lost for words.
He moved closer, his eyes suddenly darkening. "Come on, just accept it," he whispered, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair from your shoulder. He leaned in, his lips grazing your neck with a series of kisses. His breath, warm and teasing against your skin, sent shivers down your spine. "Think of it as a strategic retreat."
"And that strategic retreat had to be a house on the beach," your protest was half-hearted, quickly losing strength as he pressed you back against the counter. Your spine curved, hands gripping the edge for support. His presence enveloped you. "As if you don't like it," he teased.
His fingers wove into your hair at the nape of your neck, forcing your head back. Your breath hitched in your throat at the way he looked at you—as if he wanted to devour you whole. Heat flooded your cheeks.
"Where's Yuta, by the way?" you managed to choke out, the words barely escaping your throat.
"He left early this morning," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. He leaned closer again, his lips tracing a path along your collarbone, each kiss further weakening your knees. You arched against him, waves of heat coursing through you at his every touch.
"Wait, what?" You tried to push him away, but he didn't budge.
"He wanted to return as soon as possible to begin negotiations with the other clans," he murmured close to your skin. A rush of heat flooded through you, an addictive wave that set every nerve on fire. His mouth continued its teasing along your collarbone, each movement a deliberate, sensual provocation. You bit your lip hard, fighting to hold back a moan.
"Why didn't he stay a longer? He didn't even say goodbye—," you exhaled.
Satoru abruptly pulled back, his eyes blazing. "I don't want to talk about Okkotsu right now," he declared. He then leaned in, his lips teasingly close to yours, hovering in a breathless moment of anticipation.
You wanted to protest, but—but—It was Satoru. There was no protest to him. But you needed to ask him something—something important—didn't you?
Before you could gather your thoughts, his lips crashed against yours. His tongue swept against yours in a fervent, urgent dance. You tilted your head to deepen the kiss, inviting him to explore further. He didn't hesitate, his movements quick and passionate around your mouth, leaving you breathless. His hands found their way to your waist, his fingers splaying against your skin.
"Did I tell you how fucking beautiful you look today?" he whispered between kisses, his breath warm against your lips. His words vibrated through you, sending your heart into a race.
He sank to his knees, his hands eagerly sliding your shirt up to trail kisses along your abdomen, his lips playfully ascending your skin. A sharp breath caught in your throat, and you threw your head back, overwhelmed by the intoxicating sensation of his tongue against your skin. You moaned, calling out his name in a fervent whisper.
"Fuck, I love it when you moan my name," he murmured, his voice laced with desire. In a swift, fluid motion, he positioned himself between your thighs. His lips found the delicate fabric of your shorts, pressing against you in a kiss filled with fervent urgency.
Your fingers clenched the counter so tightly, your knuckles turned white. Waves of pleasure, hot and relentless, spiraled through your stomach. Your hips instinctively sought his mouth, moving in rhythm with his touch. "Satoru, I—" Your words dissolved into the growing intensity of the moment.
Focus.
You needed to focus.
"What love?" he asked, his fingers deftly pushing the fabric aside, his mouth finding the bare skin beneath.
Fuck.
"Satoru, I—I need you to train me," you managed to say.
He stopped abruptly and pulled back, his eyes lifting to meet yours. "What?"
"Satoru, I need you to train me with my cursed technique."
"You already have control over your technique."
"Not like I need to," you insisted.
He furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"I need to be good enough to kill him—," you said. "I want to kill Mahito."
****
Hey everyone, just a quick note to say a huge thank you! Your support has been beyond amazing and it keeps me sooo motivated to continue the story. I hope you enjoy this new chapter :)