My eyes slowly fluttered open as I took in my surroundings. The room was filled with medical supplies, from the IVs in my arms to the heart monitor beeping steadily beside me. The fight had been grueling and I was in no rush to move from the comfort of my bed, despite my ability to do so.
"You're awake," a voice said, and I turned to see Mai sitting in a chair beside my bed.
"You stayed to see if I would wake? I didn't think you cared," I said, trying to tease her.
"Don't be ridiculous," Mai retorted, her tone sharp. "I don't care about you at all. This is simply my way of saying thank you for saving my life."
I could see her face flush red, even in the dim light of the room. Her words were harsh, but I could sense the gratitude behind them.
It was clear that she was too embarrassed to thank me directly, so I didn't push her on it.
"You're welcome," I said calmly, and she playfully flicked my forehead in response to my tease.
"About what happened before," Mai began, her voice trailing off as she avoided making eye contact with me.
"I won't tell a soul," she promised, her voice sincere.
In the show, Mai had only ever been shown to have a soft spot for Maki, so seeing her in this vulnerable state unconsciously brought a smile to my face.
"What are you smiling for? Stop it, it's disgusting," she said, her voice full of irritation.
But I couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth in my chest, knowing that she trusted me enough to confide in me.
"That's about it," she said, her voice rushed as she quickly left the room.
As Mai left the room, I couldn't help but think about my relationship with Fushigoro, Satoru and the rest of the Jujutsu Tech sorcerers. While Jujutsu Kaisen may be a fictional show, at that moment, I had decided that I was done with trying to stick to the canon plot. "Fuck it," I thought to myself, I wanted to do what I wanted, without worrying about deviating from the story.
000
I closed the door behind me as I stepped out of the room where Akito was recovering. I could feel my cheeks flush and my heart pounding at an alarming rate.
"Are you alright?" Fushiguro asked as he examined me with concern. "You're looking a bit red, you might have a fever," he suggested, but I waved him off.
"Go away, I'm fine," I said, trying to stomp away but he grabbed onto my sleeve before I could leave.
"I read your report," Fushiguro began. "You and Akito managed to defeat a Special Grade cursed spirit together, with you leading the attack. But the report states that Akito's injuries were caused by him not listening to the older and more experienced sorcerer, which was supposed to be you."
"Don't lie to me," Fushiguro continued, his tone serious. "I know that Akito faced off against something much worse, and he protected you, not the other way around. Please, explain to me what happened. I wanna know what happened to my friend."
I looked away, rubbing my shoulders anxiously as I struggled to find the right words. I wished I could tell Fushiguro the truth, but I couldn't. I had already reported the situation to Akito's uncle, who had specifically warned me of the consequences of explaining what had occurred during that fight.
"I apologize, but I can't reveal anything to you," I said firmly. Fushiguro's eyes narrowed in anger and irritation at my response.
I walked past him quickly, eager to escape the uncomfortable conversation and hoping to meet up with Momo and Mechamaru to avoid any more awkward encounters like this.
000
I let out a sigh as I scratched the back of my neck, still feeling the lingering effects of the battle. Akito had finally recovered after nearly two weeks of being unconscious. I was still recovering as well, but my injuries were nowhere near as severe as his.
I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, awaiting my friend's response.
"You can come in," came the reply.
I opened the door, my eyes quickly adjusting to the dimly lit room. It was no surprise to see Satoru Gojo, Akito's uncle, already examining the injuries his nephew had sustained.
"Hey," I said, my voice dull as I struggled to find the right words. As much as I hated to admit it, the short time I had spent with Akito had reinvigorated my life and the attachment I felt towards him was not one I wanted to lose just yet.
"Hey," Akito replied back weakly.
"Fushiguro, I'm sure you're already somewhat aware of the situation that occurred," Satoru Gojo said in a serious tone. It was rare to see our charismatic and carefree sensei be so serious, but that just showed how dire the situation was.
"I tried to probe Mai for information, but she wouldn't budge," I added, as I walked over to Akito's bedside.
"How are you feeling?" I asked him. He nodded, indicating that he was feeling better.
"And you?" he asked, turning the question back to me.
"I'm feeling just great," I said, flexing my arms for emphasis, though my voice held no enthusiasm, betraying the true state of my recovery.
"Anyways..." I began, my voice heavy with concern. "It feels like cursed spirits have it out for you, high-level ones seem to be wherever you are."
Gojo and Akito stared at me as if I had uncovered a shared secret.
"Don't tell me that my sarcastic guess was right," I said, not the slightest bit surprised. I had always suspected that cursed spirits were attracted to him to some extent, but I had never imagined it was this serious.
"The attacks are getting more frequent and bold, that's what I'm particularly worried about," Satoru explained calmly.
"It's like they're sending strong spirits, strong enough to push you to your limits but not kill you," Satoru added, making me wonder what their purpose could be.
"Mai said the spirit could talk," Gojo added, turning the conversation back to Akito.
"Did it say anything strange in particular to you?" He asked, and Akito recalled the accident.
"'Now I see why Mahito wants you so much!'" Akito said, remembering the words of the cursed spirit.
"I'll have a talk with Nanami regarding the situation later. For now, rest up," Gojo said as he exited the room, and I followed suit.
I walked towards one of the windows, looking out at the vast world. It was beautiful yet dangerous, and I knew I had to become stronger to not become a liability in the fight against cursed spirits. For the sake of the future. For the sake of Aki.