Chapter Text
The streets of Adachi-ku, Tokyo, were quiet as Gojo Satoru made his way through the train station. The early morning light cast long shadows on the pavement, and he couldn’t help but feel a slight unease, though he quickly dismissed it. He had been called out on an increasing number of missions since becoming a 2nd year, and this one seemed routine enough. A sorcerer family had requested help with what they believed to be a first-grade curse at a local elementary school.
As Gojo exited the station, he scanned the surroundings, taking everything in behind the lenses of his round sunglasses. He was expecting to see a jujutsu sorcerer waiting for him, instead, a young woman, probably around his age, stood leaning against a pillar. Her black hair fell in waves over her shoulders, and her black eyes were sharp and observant as they locked onto him.
‘You must be Gojo Satoru,’ she said without much enthusiasm, pushing herself off the pillar and walking towards him. Her tone was calm but carried a hint of something else – disdain perhaps?
‘That’s me,’ Gojo replied, flashing his usual easy-going smile as he gave her a deeper look. Her cursed energy was strong, emanating out from her in rolling waves, but there was something off about it. ‘And you are?’
‘Nishimura. Saori Nishimura,’ she introduced herself, giving him a quick once-over. ‘I wish they had sent Geto instead.’
Gojo raised an eyebrow, mouth dropping open slightly.
‘Suguru? Why him?’ he asked, slightly offended.
Nishimura shrugged, adjusting the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder. “I know who you are, Gojo. The entire jujutsu society does. Your technique isn’t exactly suited for places with a high civilian population. Suguru’s more… precise.”
“Ah, so you don’t live under a rock,” Gojo remarked, still smiling but now with a hint of seriousness in his tone. “But, you know, I’ve got other tricks up my sleeve.”
‘I hope so,’ she replied dryly. ‘We’re dealing with a curse at the elementary school, and it’s bad. Three children have died already, but it wasn’t instant. It’s been slow, they seem to be going mad, seeing their worst nightmares until it kills them.’
Gojo’s expression turned grim. “A first-grade curse did this?”
‘Yes,’ Nishimura replied, her tone dry.
Gojo’s eyes narrowed. ‘If it’s been causing trouble for a while, why didn’t your family exorcise it themselves?’
Nishimura glanced at him; her expression unreadable. “I’m unregistered. This curse is above my skill level, and I’m the only sorcerer in my family.”
As they continued to walk through the quiet streets, the tension radiating from her was palpable. Gojo was used to dealing with sorcerers who respected or at least acknowledged his reputation. Nishimura, however, seemed unimpressed and distant, which intrigued him despite his annoyance.
‘Why are you unregistered?’ Gojo asked, trying to probe a bit more. It didn’t make sense for someone with the amount of cursed energy she had to be untrained, or even unrecognised.
Nishimura didn’t answer immediately, her eyes fixed ahead as they approached the school. ‘It’s none of your business. We’re here to deal with the curse, not discuss my life story.’
‘I just need to know how much I’m going to be expected to pick up the slack,’ Gojo conceded, his tone light, but the slight dig didn’t go unnoticed by her as she sent him a pointed glare as they turned the corner.
They arrived at the school, and the atmosphere immediately shifted. The building, once lively with the sounds of children, now felt suffocating. A heavy, oppressive aura hung in the air, and Gojo could feel the malevolent energy emanating from within.
‘The curse hides in the shadows,’ Nishimura said quietly, her eyes scanning the dark corners of the school grounds. ‘It blends in, making it almost impossible to detect unless it’s actively attacking.’
Gojo nodded, activating his Six Eyes. He could see the faint traces of cursed energy lingering in the shadows, confirming her words. “You’re right. This thing is clever. But we’ll find it.”
The two sorcerers entered the school, the silence broken only by their footsteps echoing in the empty halls. The walls seemed to close in around them, the cursed energy thickening with each step. Nishimura led the way, her movements precise and confident despite the ominous surroundings.
Suddenly, Nishimura stopped, her gaze fixed on a particularly dark corner of the hallway. ‘It’s here,’ she whispered.
Gojo could feel it too – a subtle shift in the air, the faintest ripple of cursed energy. He activated his infinity technique as the shadows in the corner began to writhe and twist, forming a grotesque, childlike figure. The curse emerged from the darkness, its body slender and elongated, almost puppet-like. Tattered remains of what looked like school uniforms hung to its body, Gojo noted, as its hollowed eyes locked onto the two of them.
Their surroundings immediately warped, the school turning into a playground out of nightmares. Swings appeared and turned into grasping hands, and seesaws turned into menacing weapons. Quickly dodging the grasp of one of the swings, Gojo turned to see Nishimura summon a cloak of shadows. They swirled around her, dark tendrils infused with cursed energy, ready to strike.
‘It’s cursed technique plays on our emotions,’ Gojo noted, making eye contact with Nishimura. ‘It’s created this landscape to inspire negative emotions within us, amplifying our fears to the point where they could become tangible threats. This is what’s sending those children insane, their own fears weaponised against them.’
The curse let out a screech at Gojo’s realisation, lunging at them with alarming speed, its long needle-like fingers aiming straight for Nishimura. But she was faster, her shadows wrapping around the curse, throwing it back into the wall as she dodged another assault by the swings. She struck the curse again, however, this time it dodged, its form contorting into a bloodied little girl who advanced back towards Nishimura. She gasped, and Gojo felt a spike of cursed energy which the curse seemed to relish, breathing in the air around them.
She attacked again, her shadows relentless in their assault, each blow striking true as the curse let out a shriek converting back to its original form. Despite its protests, the curse didn’t seem that bothered by Nishimura’s blows, as it quickly dispelled them, rising to its feet again.
‘Gojo!’ Nishimura’s yell snapped him out of his realisation, and he quickly focused back in on the curse which was now slinking behind a locker. ‘Are you just going to stand there!’ she yelled again. ‘I didn’t ask for help for nothing!’
‘Sorry,’ he responded, his tone light and humorous. ‘I wanted to enjoy the show for a little bit,’ he said as he stretched his muscles.
Nishimura rolled her eyes, striking at the curse with her shadows again. She delivered a blow that sent it slightly off-kilter, which Gojo quickly followed up with a black flash to its abdomen, sending it through a wall.
‘Helpful enough for you?’ Gojo asked, smirking at Nishimura, who just glowered at him.
The curse stirred from underneath the rubble, rising upwards, its form contorting until it settled on…himself?
Gojo’s eyebrows furrowed, and he slid his sunglasses down his nose to check that he wasn’t seeing things. But nope, that was definitely him, everything but the cursed energy they were emanating was identical.
‘Didn’t think you were into cosplay,’ Gojo quipped, but his smile faded as the curse, now in his own likeness, charged at him with unwavering speed.
Nishimura glanced between the two of them quickly before striking the curse version of him again. This time she piled the shadows on top of the curse, holding it to the ground.
‘It’s feeding off our fears,’ Nishimura exclaimed with a grunt, sweat beginning to slide down her forehead due to the exertion of keeping the curse down. ‘It’s getting stronger by the second, we need to end this quickly.’
‘Well,’ Gojo smirked as he dealt the curse a blow whilst Nishimura had it down, delighting in seeing a trail of blood begin to leak from his doppelganger’s nose. ‘I’m not scared, but I can see how two of me might be a bit overwhelming for you, so I’ll try and get this done quickly.’
Nishimura’s shadows snapped as the curse broke free, swinging at them with vicious intent. Gojo dodged its attacks with agility, deflecting the curse’s strikes, as was Nishimura. Together they landed a few hits, but they seemed to do little more than annoy the curse and increase his nosebleed.
‘Hey Nishimura!’ Gojo called, his voice cutting through the chaos. ‘I don’t think we’re making much progress here. What’s the plan?’
Nishimura didn’t respond instantly, sending a few more shadow whips towards the curse, pinning it down again, her face a mask of concentration.
‘I need you to trust me,’ she called out, her voice strained.
Gojo glanced at her, surprised by the sudden intensity in her tone. But he nodded, trusting her instinctively. “What do you need me to do?”
‘I need you to let your infinity down, and hold onto me,’ she instructed, reaching out her hand.
Gojo’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘You want me to what? Are you serious?’
‘Now!’ Nishimura snapped, her shadows flaring with intensity as the curse broke free from her grasp and attacked with fury. Stepping forward, Gojo deactivated his infinity and quickly grabbed onto her hand, feeling a surge of cursed energy flow between them. Nishimura’s shadows wrapped around them both, drawing on Gojo’s technique and imbuing it with their combined power.
The curse, sensing the shift, roared in frustration as it was hit with one of Nishimura’s shadows glowing bright blue.
‘You’ll never be what they need you to be,’ it spat from the ground, its twisted version of Gojo’s tone causing the two of them to pause.
‘You’ll never live up to their expectations,’ it continued, taking advantage of their stagnancy. ‘All those people, you’ll fail them. You call yourself the strongest, but deep down, deep down you know you’ll never amount to –’
Nishimura cut it off, striking again with their combined power. Their hands still combined; Nishimura’s army of shadows surged with a newfound power as she channelled Gojo’s technique through them. The curse’s screeches grew more frantic as Nishimura and Gojo coordinated their attack. Shadows lashed out, tearing at the curse’s form, while Gojo’s technique reinforced the blows with devasting force. The curse’s body twisted and contorted, struggling to maintain its form as it fed on the fears it had manifested.
Nishimura, sweat beading on her forehead, shouted over the din. ‘We need to end this now! Before it finds another fear to stoke!’
Gojo nodded, his focus razor-sharp as he unleashed a final, concentrated burst of cursed energy through Nishimura’s shadows. The shadows wrapped around the curse, compressing and constricting until the curse’s form was almost too distorted to recognise. With a final, resonant scream, the curse was torn apart, its malevolent energy dissipating into the air.
The oppressive atmosphere of the school began to lift, the nightmarish playground reverting to its more mundane state. The heavy silence that followed was broken only by the ragged breaths of the two sorcerers.
But the victory was short-lived. Gojo felt an ache in his chest and looked down to see a deep cut across his torso, the curse’s final attack before its demise.
‘Gojo!’ Nishimura exclaimed, her usual calm demeanour breaking as she rushed to his side. His blood was spilling quickly, forming a small pool around his feet.
Gojo gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. ‘Looks like I underestimated it.’
‘Idiot,’ Nishimura muttered, placing her hands over the wound. ‘Can you use the reverse cursed technique?’
‘No,’ Gojo grunted, his face becoming pale.
‘What?’ Nishimura exclaimed; her voice coloured in shock. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be the strongest?’
‘I am!’ Gojo snapped back, ‘I just, haven’t figured out that part yet.’
Nishimura let out a sigh, her hands now fully covered in his blood.
‘Hold still,’ she grunted.
Gojo felt a warm, soothing energy flow from her hands, as his skin began to knit back together. Nishimura’s expression was intense, her focus entirely on healing him. Gojo’s jaw dropped at the sight, how was she able to do that?
As the last of his flesh knitted together, Gojo’s vision blurred, his extreme blood loss catching up with him. The last thing he saw before passing out was Nishimura’s blood-stained face hovering over him, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and relief.
---------
When Gojo awoke, he found himself lying on a soft futon, the sunlight streaming through the paper-thin shoji doors. His body felt heavy, but the pain was gone. He blinked a few times, trying to gather his thoughts. The last thing he remembered was Nishimura using the reverse cursed technique on him. Where was he now?
Sitting up slowly, Gojo took in his surroundings. The room was traditional, with tatami mats covering the floor and a low wooden table in the centre. It was simple but cozy, and the air smelled faintly of incense. He was definitely in someone’s home.
‘Good, you’re awake.’
Gojo turned to see Nishimura standing in the doorway, dressed in casual clothes—an oversized sweater and loose pants. She looked much more relaxed than before, though there was still a hint of tension in her posture.
‘Where am I?’ Gojo asked, his voice a bit hoarse.
‘My house,’ she replied, stepping into the room. ‘You passed out after I healed you. I was considerate enough not to just leave you there, so I brought you here.’
Gojo nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck whilst a smirk worked its way onto his face.
‘Well, thanks, for being so considerate, I mean.’
Nishimura shrugged, avoiding his gaze.
‘Your glasses are on the nightstand, by the way, my father didn’t think it would be comfortable to sleep with them on.’ Gojo turned to spot his sunglasses folded neatly beside him, slipping them on gratefully. ‘Speaking of my father,’ she continued, ‘He insisted you stay for dinner. He’ll be upset if you leave without eating.’
‘Then I wouldn’t want to disappoint him,’ Gojo said, getting to his feet. He felt a bit unsteady but managed to keep his balance. ‘Lead the way.’
Nishimura led him through the house, and Gojo noticed how different it was from his own home. The Nishimura household was warm and lived in, with family photos lining the walls and little trinkets scattered around. It felt…homely. As they entered the dining area, Gojo was greeted by the sight of a modest, but delicious-looking spread laid out on the table.
‘Ah, you’re awake!’ Nishimura’s father, a middle-aged man with a kind face and a cheerful demeanour, greeted him warmly. ‘Come, come, sit! We can’t have you going hungry after such a battle.’
Gojo smiled, taking a seat at the table. ‘Thank you for the hospitality, Nishimura-san.’
‘Please, call me Akio,’ the man insisted, pouring Gojo a cup of tea. ‘It’s the least we can do after you helped Saori with that curse.’
Gojo glanced at Nishimura, who had sat quietly beside him, her expression unreadable. ‘She did most of the work,’ Gojo admitted. ‘I was just there for backup.’
‘Modest too, I see,’ Akio laughed, clearly in a good mood. ‘It’s rare to meet someone from the jujutsu society who isn’t full of themselves.’
'Father,' Nishimura interrupted her tone warning.
Akio chuckled, waving off her concern. ‘I’m only joking, dear.’
‘Saori!’ A small girl almost identical to Nishimura in everything except demeanour and size burst into the room, throwing herself on Nishimura. ‘You didn’t tell me you were fighting!’ She exclaimed, looking up from her embrace, ‘Mother was so angry when she found out!’
‘That’s enough Misora,’ a woman said entering the room. She was undeniably Nishimura’s mother, Gojo felt like he was surrounded by clones. Nishimura had turned a dull red colour and was looking into her lap which her sister had just crawled out of, not meeting her mother’s eye. So, she was the one who requested backup? Gojo mused, strange, he swore Yaga had told him it was a complaint registered by an older sorcerer.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Gojo Satoru,’ the mother said, giving him a slight bow.
‘Likewise,’ Gojo responded, inclining his head.
‘I see you have already met my husband and daughters, but I am Nishimura Ayako,’ she continued. ‘You have my gratitude for helping Saori in her task.’ She spoke incredibly formerly, her tone stiff, and Gojo felt the same level of disregard he had sensed from Nishimura when they had first met.
As they started eating, Gojo couldn’t help but notice the tension in the room. Ayako was quiet and reserved, her gaze occasionally drifting to Gojo with a hint of suspicion. She didn’t say much, only offering polite responses when spoken to. Saori’s younger sister, however, was the complete opposite. She was a bubbly, energetic girl who seemed excited to have a guest in the house.
‘So, you’re a sorcerer, huh?’ the younger sister asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. ‘What’s it like? Do you fight curses every day? Can you show me a cool technique?’
Gojo chuckled, amused by her enthusiasm. ‘It’s not as glamorous as it sounds. Most of the time, it’s just a lot of hard work and training.’
‘Boring!’ the girl huffed, clearly disappointed by his answer.
'Maybe one day your sister will be able to show you for herself, her technique is very impressive,' Gojo teased, earning a playful glare from Nishimura.
Dinner continued in relative peace, though Gojo couldn’t shake the feeling that Ayako was scrutinising him. He decided to keep the conversation light, steering clear of anything that might upset the delicate balance in the room.
After dinner, Saori offered to walk Gojo back to the station. He agreed though he could tell she wasn’t thrilled about the idea. They walked in silence for a while, the night air cool and refreshing.
‘That was sneaky of you,’ Gojo remarked, trying to fill the silence. ‘Y’know, filling that complaint under your parent’s names,’ he continued as she looked at him confused.
‘It’s not something I’m proud of,’ she replied curtly.
‘Why aren’t you?’ he probed. ‘You saved lives,’ he smirked, ‘well really I did, but I guess I can share the glory.’
Nishimura just glared at him, not giving him a response.
‘I don’t see why you’d go behind your family’s backs,’ he continued undeterred. ‘Your sister seems nice, and your father…he’s a good guy.’
‘It’s not about them,’ she muttered.
‘Ah, so it is your mother!’ Gojo remarked, happy that he had made the correct observation.
‘Who said anything about my mother?’ Nishimura snapped, speeding up her pace.
‘Well, it’s obvious she’s the one you're scared of, and she didn’t seem happy that you reported that curse…’ he trailed off searching for any type of reaction.
Nishimura sighed, clearly not in the mood for small talk. ‘What are you getting at, Gojo?’
He stopped walking, turning to face her. ‘Why don’t you attend Jujutsu Tech? With your skills, you’d be one of the top students. You could learn a lot.’
Nishimura didn’t respond immediately. She looked away; her expression conflicted. ‘My parents don’t like jujutsu society. They want me to have control over my technique, not be used by some institution.
Gojo frowned, trying to understand. ‘But you’re wasting your potential. You could do so much more.’
‘It’s not about potential, Gojo,’ Nishimura said, her tone softening slightly. ‘It’s about choice. My parents wanted me to have the freedom to decide how I use my abilities.’
Gojo considered her words, realizing that there was more to her situation than he had initially thought. ‘What about you? What do you want?’
Saori hesitated, then shook her head. ‘That’s none of your business.’
Gojo sighed, deciding to drop the subject for now. They continued to the train station in silence, their footsteps ringing against the tile. His brain was spinning with questions for her, each one more intrusive than the last.
‘Do you have a phone?’ He questioned abruptly, turning to face her again.
‘Yes, I have a phone, I said my parents didn’t like jujutsu society not that they were archaic,’ she exclaimed, eyebrows furrowing.
Gojo whipped his phone out of his side pocket, handing it to her.
‘Put your number in, then, if you ever need anything, you can surpass the higher-ups and get directly to me.’
‘What would I need you for,’ she responded, holding his phone like it was emitting a bad smell.
‘Emergencies y’know?’ he smirked. ‘If you have any more problems with cursed spirits, or maybe you just want to see a pretty face –’
‘Okay, okay, fine,’ she cut him off, tapping in her number before practically throwing the phone back at him. ‘If you prank call me, I’ll block you,’ she stated sourly.
‘I wouldn’t dream of it, Nishimura.’