"She's through this door. I have other matters that I must see to so I'll leave shortly." Sain steps aside while eyeing Toji's uncertain features; only receiving an irritated grunt along with a distrustful glare from the giant but figures that's fair considering everything that's happened.
Toji takes a deep breath while autonomously reaching for the round, golden knob. When he grasps it, the apprehension flowing through him takes form and causes him to accidentally crush it.
"Shit…", Toji innocently glances over to Sain and wishes to explain that he didn't mean to do it but the empathetic yet respectful grey eyes of the Titer show there's no explanation needed. Embarrassed, Toji hangs his head low but hears the Titer jokingly offer, "It's alright, we're wanting to renovate anyway."
"I know it's you out there Toji, why don't you just come in?", Sachiko can be heard through the door which makes Toji sweat.
Wanting to somehow acknowledge the horrible situation Fushiguro ha been plummeted into, Sain puts an arm out in front of him, "Wait…"
Toji's eyes widen with anxiety, his nerves fraying, "What now?!"
The Titer lowers his voice to a whisper and cautiously looks around them, "Toji...I don't understand why Sachiko did that to Elska but you have to believe me when I say that she isn't usually this volatile. I don't understand what her purpose is with this though."
"I know what you mean, bud..."
When Toji finally steps through the archway, his eyes immediately fix onto Sachiko somewhat sprawled across a black loveseat and how she's wrapped into Titer robes. He shuts the door quietly behind him and follows her finger that points to a fancy forest green lounge chair with dark wooden trim across from her, hesitantly sitting down. Once he does, he finds his elbows resting against his knees, his head tucked into his hands and a pressurizing weight compressing his chest.
Sachiko can tell he's uneasy but smirks to the fact that he came anyways. Her eyes take their time coasting over his body, thinking about how much more attractive he's become with age. He glances up to her momentarily, their eyes meeting, which causes him to shift his gaze to the floor. With nothing but tension humming in their ears, she bravely begins, "Toji Zenin…how are you?"
She spoke it so quietly but the words ring Toji's ears in a deafening way. Without making eye contact he grumbles out, "I don't go by that anymore…I took your name instead." She chuckles to this in a fashion that tells him she was already aware but wanted to hear him say it. 'Should I even be here? Is Elska alright?', he wonders amidst the permeating silence that lingers between them.
Sachiko brings her feet to the floor in front of the couch to appear less casual before stating, "So, I heard Elska survived? That's pretty impressive, I gouged her good." To her surprise Toji's eyes instantly glow red and she understands that she shouldn't find too much fun in mocking him, 'He's clearly serious about her…' She quickly adds, "I know this must all be very strange to you, Toji but I need you to understand that everything happens for a reason." His red orbs meet hers again in a narrow menacing form, telling her that she should just explain herself to get over this hump. "I needed to make sure she was worth the effort, Toji. If Elska Oda died that day from a scratch then there wouldn't be a point to any of this."
Although aggravating and cold, those were not the words Toji was expecting to hear. Inside of him flows a completely combative mixture of emotions as he replays the scene of Sachiko attacking Elska over again and it forces him to enlighten, "If she died, you would have too.", knowing that Sachiko may still be in danger from Naoya and Gojo. This brings him to recall how distraught Megumi was after meeting with her and this upsets him further until he finally breaks and asks, "What did you say to our son, Sachiko? He was freaked the fuck out." He watches the confidence from her face flash into regret for only a second which makes him wonder what her game in all of this could be.
"Our son…", Sachiko's expression deepens, "I wish it wasn't so but I can't have Megumi becoming too attached to me. I am not fit to be a mother, especially to such a wonderful young man. A woman like me only suceeds with work.", she laments wholeheartedly to her former husband while glancing to her hands, "I need both of you to hate me for what I've done. It's extremely important that you do..."
Irate, Toji jumps to a stand, "YEAH BECAUSE THAT WILL MAKE EVERYTHING SO MUCH FUCKING BETTER, WON'T IT?!" His wings begin to shuffle through his back so he takes another deep breath and sighs to his rage but that doesn't stop him from yelling, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD, SACHIKO! DO YOU KNOW WHAT LIFE HAS BEEN LIKE SINCE YOU'VE LEFT?! DO YOU EVEN CARE?! DEAD GOD DAMN IT!" He releases an involuntary shriek that leads to the bones protruding from his skin, shearing through his shirt as the wings form anyways.
Sachiko's eyes jar with astonishment. Her hands slowly slip off of her ears as she takes in the details of his large dark grey feathers; cautiously fixing her hair from the squall they sent through the room. Curiosities make her wants to touch them but she elects to settle for a loose one as it cascades through the air in front of her. Running her finger against the massive feather's formation, she mumbles, "This life really suits you though…", and feigns a shy smile at her former lover.
"I…I didn't mean for them to appear…", Toji runs his hand through his hair before yanking off the remainder of his shirt. Once all of the tattered pieces have been removed, he sits on the arm of the emerald chair, leaving his wings out as they make him feel more secure. Another ghastly silence fills the air though, causing him to think of all the things he's wanted to say but finding that he can't bring himself to mention any of it. 'What is wrong with me? She's the one with the fucking problem here…'
Sachiko stands up and slowly walks over to Toji who becomes defensive the closer she nears. She says nothing at first, simply opening her arms to hold his head against her chest. He appears stiff for a moment but shortly after, he huffs and begins to soundlessly cry. While placing a hand around his head, cupping him into her bosom, she looks up to the ceiling to fight back her own tears that threaten to leak. In a timid voice she tells him, "It's okay…I know you're hurting because of all of this. For what it's worth Toji, I am sorry…" His arms wrap around her fiercely as she pacifies him, being in disbelief that he's somehow reacting to her in such a tender way.
"Why Sachiko? Why did you leave us? Megumi needs his mother! We both know what growing up without one is like...how could you do that him?!", Toji's usual stern and exacting voice breaks in his speech but he hardly cares about seeming a mess, he knows he is one. Holding his first wife, he remembers countless good memories of falling in love with her and even their shared excitement to her becoming pregnant, "Why did you do this?"
"Nothing is that simple. It's not fair to either of you but I had a simple role to play, Toji. Your clan needed your offspring and the Elders thought I would be the suitable surrogate...you're valued amongst the Zenin more than you know." When he yanks away from her in anger she steps back and gives him the space he needs. While he wipes his reddened face explains, "You need to be strong for what's coming and you already have enough to worry about.", she backs up until she's against the clay-colored wall and sighs, "We need you guys to fight for this world."
"So was I just a fucking game to you or what? I gave you my heart Sachiko…", Toji hops from his perch on the arm and towards her, "We had a child together and you abandoned us both. You think YOU'RE not cut out to be a parent?! Shit...we don't get a choice anymore, it's not fair to MEGS." Once only a few feet away from her, he's reminded of how dainty she appears, half missing her love and womanly ways. "You want us to protect the world? How can I help when I can't even keep my family together?", he grinds his teeth while projecting all of his fears outwardly, clenching his fists.
His words are getting to her more than she anticipated so Sachiko turns her head down to the left. "I never meant to hurt either of you, Toji, that's why when it was decided that my death should be faked, I agreed to it…" She feels his calloused hand grab her chin, elevating her gaze and for a second, she's genuinely unsettled. What she sees in his eyes though nearly breaks her façade, the blatant agony echoing through his glowing expression.
'How do I make him understand?'
"Faking your death to make things better? Are you listening to yourself?", He grips her face roughly in his frustration, wishing he didn't feel compelled to do so, "What in the actual fuck is wrong with you?!"
"Has Megumi not taken a liking to Elska?! She is supposed to fill my role for him…we've all seen it.", she spats defensively. She watches Toji click his tongue before backing away to begin slowly pacing around the room, her feeling like she hit a sore spot.
"I can't fucking believe you right now…", he laughs out exhaustedly. "Oh yeah, he likes her alright but not as a mother!" Toji now pulls his hands down his face while releasing a displeasured groan. "No one can just take your place, Sachiko…I thought you were smarter than this…", he condenscendingly barks to her, falling deeper into confusion over what he's hearing. 'Am I to really think that she means for me to be with Elska? What the hell is going on?'
"No matter which way the tide flows, in every future played out, we were to be separated, Toji…I did this and am pushing for this so you two aren't left alone!" Sachiko now feels her own emotions rising as she wishes he would simply understand. When he sends her a glare, she smacks the wall and screams, "YOU NEED TO LET ME GO!"
After hearing those disgusting words, Toji charges towards her, trapping her against the wall. His aggressive body language counters his wounded voice though when he asks, "Did we mean nothing to you?" He studies her as she formulates a response, desperately wanting to hear something that would reassure him that his time and affections weren't pointless.
"I loved you. I loved you both, Toji but I'm trying to tell you that we were never meant to be a happily ever after. It's cruel and demented but I felt a little bit better when I was put under the impression that you love Elska.", Sachiko buries her feelings in exchange for logic; not planning on giving in to her heart's whismical desires.
Toji purses his lips with wild eyes as he listens and has to internalize the meanings.
"I do love her… she's extremely important to me…", the giant backs away from Sachiko. His depression subsides momentarily while he ponders on how his heart might not be as broken as it currently feels, remembering, 'Doll, that's right…we're not alone at all.'
"I will apologize to Megumi…if he will hear it. I regret that will carry some form of responsibility for my previous actions if I do not.", Sachiko feels a weight lift after finally saying something she truly means. 'Could I still be his mom?', the very idea shoots a wave of hope through her despite everything she knows. 'That would be nice…', she thinks and smiles warmly, wishing she'd not been so nasty towards him. '…but... it was for his own good.'
"Megumi needs to hear it, doesn't matter what he wants with that one. He doesn't deserve to be fucked up by us anymore than he already is.", he states defeatedly while trying to think a way through this that will make everyone happy. 'Elska would be for this, I know she would.' He dashes his eyes to Sachiko, wishing that he didn't still long for her as he does, knowing that their dynamic has been changed forever. "You know…I loved you too, Sachiko… so much that it still hurts to this day.", he nearly whispers it though. "That aside, I need to make sure you'll be safe if you come around…what you did to Elska did not go over well with the others…let's not forget Shoko…"
Sachiko straightens herself up, bending from the wall and back to the couch, "All of this is for your own good, Toji. I don't want you to hurt over me, you deserve far better than that.", she sighs, "…and I understand that I'm not exactly welcome right now. I would be extremely grateful to have that opportunity with Megumi though." She sits down elegantly while pondering on how things will go from here, wanting nothing more than to be with her husband and son but knowing better than to even dream of that reality. 'It wasn't meant to be…' She subtly tucks her hand in between the two cushions, reaching for the one thing she believes that will finally force Toji to give up on this life they once shared.
The giant scoffs after another long pause between the two, but suddenly a rancorously dark wave of energy erupts within the compound. Toji stiffens with anxious eyes but glances Sachiko, "Shit…", is all he says while understanding that source is Elska.
Through the door, Sain runs by and yells, "I will go make sure everything is okay!", and they both listen to his trotting footsteps until they disappear.
Toji stands upright, growling as he imagines that Suguru has crossed them, "I have to go to Elska but I will come back later an-…"
Toji screams.
Dazed and hyper aware of his pain, when the giant staggers around to look at Sachiko, all he sees is the 12-inch blade she's wielding being pushed deeper into his chest, "Wh-…why?!", his heart breaks as his flesh is torn through, heaving liquid as if his right lung has been punctured.
The surprise written across Toji's paling face chips away at Sachiko's morality as she felt she had no other choice. She cries as she lets go of the handle, leaving the blade and not wanting him to lose too much blood, "This is for your own good, Toji!" The red essence of his that saturates her hands cause her to tremble violently, her voice further lost as she helplessly watches him stumble out of the room. The look of infuriation he wears turns her veins to ice but she's simultaneously reassured that this would be the last offense against him that she'd be responsible for.
"I'M SOR-RYYYY!", she shouts it to his vacancy, unwilling to risk him hearing but through her culpable tears, she also notices that Toji failed to close the door behind him.
Sachiko's hyperventalating slows as she watches the sealed door remain untouched, the view to the hall in sight. She assumed that there were multiple reasons she'd never see her son again and her binding contract to the Titers through the Elders is certainly one of them.
Nearly holding her breath, Sachiko nervously steps into her shoes and studies the door, waiting for it to react to her. When it doesn't do a damn thing, her yelp of gratitude stuns the air as she realizes through a new wave of optimism that Toji provided her the ability to finally escape.
——————————————
Suguru wakes up and finds himself collapsed on the ground with Elska next to him.
"ELSKA!", he hastily lifts her head, trying to provoke some kind of response and although she's unconscious, her darkened presence eerily flows unchecked.
Genghis runs over and slides on his knees across the floor to reach them both, "Little one! What happened?!" He frantically looks over Elska and curses under his breath seeing as she didn't come to like his pupil. Temujin darts his eyes to Suguru, still waiting on an explanation but takes pity in how upset Getou currently is as Suguru proceeds to panic. Genghis notices the hints of black veins fading from around her eye sockets, something they both recognize, "These markings..."
"CHOSO! IT WAS CHOSO!", Suguru hoists Elska into his arms while he sits and hugs her limp body while silently tearing up, "H-he was in there with us! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" While rocking her in his lap, he begs, "Come on Elska…you have to wake up…please little one…please!" Desperate, he lightly taps her cheek while huddled over.
Genghis, shocked by this information, slwoly stands and puts his hand to his chin while figuring out the incomprehensible. 'Does that mean the hybrid has synced with her as well?!', he wonders horrifyingly while listening to his pupil gradually break down behind him, 'This cannot be!' He abruptly turns to Suguru, "Explain to me what happened, was he in all of the levels?! I need to know right now!!"
Suguru ignores his mentor as he isn't in the mood for an inquisition but knows that Genghis might know something he doesn't. "No! The levels were all fucked up! I went through all of them but couldn't find her…it was because she appeared into the last one first…", his hold on Elska become stronger, wishing they'd never attempted this to begin with. "I had to crush us to get out…WHY ISN'T SHE WAKING UP!?" A tear of his drops onto her cheek, "Did I fucking hurt her by doing that?!"
Purely annoyed by this turn of events Genghis shouts, "I TOLD YOU THE HYBRID WAS DANGEROUS WHEN HE LEFT OUR SIDE SUGURU!", but immediately tones it down as he can see how distraught Getou has become. He tries to joke away his apprehension, "Toji is going to fucking kill us…he's surely on his way...", but finds that Suguru is completely unresponsive to his attempt. He listens to Suguru call to Elska some more but they both silence upon hearing her mutter our incoherent sounds.
"Yolotli postehkik…"
"ELSKA?!", Suguru lowers her back down into his lap while studying her stirring movements, "Yes! Follow my voice…" He brushes the hair out of her face and rewraps his robes over her while she begins to twitch. He looks up to Genghis who is fearfully waiting with wide eyes, shaking his foundation as he's never seen his mentor look so unsure. Despite this, Suguru reluctantly asks under his breath, "Did Choso guide her to the last level? Was he waiting for her?"
"Let's fucking hope not…", Genghis slicks back his hair, "That would be an incredible disadvantage…"
Elska turns her head away from the bright overhead lights, tucking her face into the warm skin of that who holds her. "W-what…where am I?", she dreamily asks while opening her eyes. She first sees Suguru looming over her and becomes startled so she dramatically sits up, soon falling backwards. "My head is killing me…", she winces and states while covering her eyes again. Blinded, she lays there and begins to remember what happened in that creepy place.
'That's right… those wings…'
Suguru hugs her ardently, bringing her close to him once more, "I'm so glad you're alright little one…", he admits, sighing deeply in reprieve. He pulls away to compare the differences of her physical form to how her mind perceives, "We were attacked…", being happy that her blackened eye at least is no more. 'I should've known Choso was linked to her when I saw that…' He watches Genghis walk up to them both in deep thought, though he doesn't say a word.
"How is that possible? I didn't think we were in danger...", she asks in muddle. "Who attacked us?!"
Suguru looks up to the ceiling briefly, trying to remain composed, "It was Choso, Elska…he was trying to keep you in there." He exhales heavily and cracks his neck before noticing the strange expression she wears. 'Does she not understand the catastrophe that could've brought?', he asks himself with parted lips.
Elska recalls the warmth and protection the wings offered her when she was alone and terrified, "So that was Choso?"She comprehends that the situation probably calls for her to be afraid but for some reason, she's not. "I felt the kindness through those wings, I don't think he meant me any harm Suguru..."
Genghis fears that this new chain of events means that everything he's planned for Suguru to have power with in regards to her, the hybrid now does too. "This is one huge mess…", he whines out. When they both look at him, he decides to wait to make sure he's right before stirring the two up more than they already are, 'I should've killed the hybrid a long time ago…', reverberating amongst his very few regrets.
"Elska, he broke my hand and then stuck his own through me…", Suguru feels his scowl forming, "I couldn't the chance of that being his form of peaceful. Did you not feel his temperament? He was out for blood." He's glad that she's not hysterical but finds it strange that Elska's mannerisms are so offhanded, "If he succeeded, I'm not certain that I could have retrieved you…"
It hits her that Choso has always held disdain for Getou and that it's likely the being didn't understand why she was with him. Elska rubs her aching head and decides that she doesn't have the energy or ability to discuss this at the moment, "Can I go lay down? I think it's turning into a migraine…', whimpering to the building pain. She tries to stand up but instantly wobbles and is caught by Genghis who says, "Little one, carry her to her room, this is enough for today…"
If she could smile, she would, 'So that's where the nickname comes from?', wondering if it was the only term of endearment that Getou knows to share.
Suguru stands up and nods to his mentor, "I'll do it at once.", lifting Elska into a bridal carry while trying to shield her from the lights. When she grumbles, "Is it my room or his?", it makes him chuckle and playfully respond with, "So much spunk for a girl who can't even stand!" Before taking the first step, his eyes wash over her aggrieved expression but finds himself utterly gracious that she's alright and for her presence returning to its regular state, "Let's go get you a nap then…" When she twists in his arms, he notices the small trace of blood leaving her ears and prays that she's not been permanently harmed by this endeavor.
Genghis stands there in the dojo while ruminating over possibilities and watches Suguru take her out into the hall before disappearing to the use of the traveling ability.
He thinks back to Choso's Shadow Realm Door, a technique that nobody seemed to know about. 'So, it does have a metaphysical composition…', kicking his foot to knock over a candle.
"How did this happen?! Since when do I have such a losing record? What if the hybrid occupies her mind?" He intensifies his presence to snuff the rest of the candles at once, the ease of the task guiding him to contemplate on if he should end the hybrid before he wakes; it would solve so many of their problems.
"No, damn it, that would be far too suspicious…", but right as things seem ruined, a stroke of genius smacks Genghis, "I could blame Satoru Gojo though!" Genghis knows that it wouldn't be out of character for Gojo to make such a hazardous decision but wonders how difficult it would be to push the silver shaman into enacting that of which needs to be done.
"Actually, by the way he was behaving in front of Lady Oda before, he wouldn't cross her…", a damning thorn in path of Choso's elimination.
———————————————————
"It's wild how you guys almost ruin my favorite color…", Gojo barks while following Naoya through the dark blue Zenin estate, "And do you keep your money in a fucking piggy bank or what?"
"This place is lovely but I don't expect someone with your poor taste to see absorb its extravagance.", Naoya responds playfully, knowing that they should make this as quick as possible, "You should've warped us to my part of the property you grey moron! This wouldn't be taking nearly as long if you had!" Naoya does not want to run into anyone from his family.
Gojo turns his nose up while passing through the midnight halls, "Little Naoya, I'd be careful if I were you, I'm already pissed about leaving. What is so God damn important that we had to go now?" He stops in his tracks when the Zenin twirls in his direction with a big shit-eating grin.
"Tch, I need to find her the perfect engagement ring, of course!", Naoya arrogantly states it before orienting in their original direction again. Carelessly, he continues along gleefully until he's choked by his shirt collar and thrown against the wall. "Hey! Wh-…"
"What the fuck do you mean by that, Naoya?", Gojo practically growls through his teeth, "Are you fucking serious right now? You really used me to teleport so you can buy MY woman a RING?!" He lowers his head to blonde Zenin, hovering his face only inches away.
Naoya scoffs, "Pretty much.", he says abruptly but adds, "You've had years to do this yourself Gojo I don't know why you're so upset at me for making the move.", but turns his head away from the steaming silver shaman. With a much softer tone he states with a shrug, "Everyone wants us to marry anyways…"
"FUCK EVERYONE!", Gojo hollers with animosity, "YOU DO NOT GET TO WED MY LOVE!" Satoru struggles with the random, satisfying thoughts that show him beheading Naoya right there, like he planned to once upon a time. "How dare you, Naoya? I thought we were FUCKING COOL!"
Naoya forcefully pushes Gojo away and angrily yells, "Don't you want her to have a better life, you fucking twat?!" The Zenin brushes down his ragged robes but adds, "And we ARE cool, Gojo but you're being a fucking dick right now!"
"Oh, and I guess you can give that to her? A better life? You piss haired, self-absorbed cunt!", Gojo narrows his eyes to the complete defiance Naoya is displaying, battling himself with the urges to maybe disembowel him instead, "Reassess the situation you little shit! I am NOT the one that's being a dick!"
"YES, GOJO. YES I CAN!", Naoya pushes Satoru again, this time making the shaman ram against the wall, "I'm not going to take her away from anyone, I just want her to be protected through the Zenin name!" He sidesteps when Gojo swings, becoming aggravated, "Nothing actually has to change!"
"Don't forget the part where you her to have your fucking children, don't think I've not caught on to your family bearing whims you little shit! Fucking breeder bitch!", Gojo gathers up some energy and tilts his head, "I can't believe you were dumb enough to do this Naoya…was my acceptance of you to live not enough?"
Naoya stands defensively and becomes aware of his own glowing eyes as they light the skin of his nose.
"It doesn't have to be this way Gojo…", he warns, now gathering his own energy to begrudgingly perform the one attack of his that he knows may work. 'I'll destroy the fucking estate though if I'm not careful to lessen its intensity…', he calculates to himself.
When Gojo catches on to Naoya's scalar warfare he feels all of the brightness leaving his eyes, "So you won't back down then…", Gojo quickly holds his hand up, crossing his middle finger over the index, "Domain expansion…"
"W-w-woah, Gojo..."
"…infinite void."
Naoya finds himself submerged into a world that cripples his very thoughts, along with any ability to purposefully function. He can only turn his head up to see Gojo stagnantly staring with a twisted face that proves all of the horrible rumors he's heard in the past to be true.
"You, Naoya…I had high hopes for us…", Satoru pridefully strides over to his stuck friend, running his fingers from the blonde's hair down to his jawline, "Why would you get so fucking greedy? I actually like you a lot!", enjoying the anger flashing through the Zenin's eyes. Gojo leans down in to Naoya's ear and seethes, "You didn't really think I'd allow you to marry my love, did you? Because I would never."
Gojo hears the Zenin trying to speak but can only wickedly laugh while knowing that Naoya can only listen, "Sorry! Didn't get that." After a few more failed attempts of communication, Satoru takes a deep breath as if he's attempting to recenter but remorse clings to his tone as he mumbles, "We could have had it all..."As he raises his right hand to initiate the red technique, Elska darts across his mind and is reminded of her soon to be sorrow over the loss of her prince.
"GOD DAMNIT!", Gojo shouts and stomps his foot, slowly coming to the realization that Elska could end up hating him.
'You wouldn't forgive me for this, would you my love?'
He shoots his wild eyes to Naoya, quickly charging and forcing the Zenin on his back, straddling his body, "You dumb fucking cunt! Why put me in this fucking situation?!", he spits to Naoya while speaking through his teeth.
"I-…I-…lo-ve…h…her…"
With this response Gojo swiftly punches Naoya in the chin before sighing and admitting, "I know you do…" Satoru doesn't get up but instead cancels out his own domain and they fall into the deep crater it's created in the middle of the hallway where they originally stood. He looks down once more, "I like you less now…Toji is my favorite again.", and brutishly pushes off of Naoya's chest to stand up, "Fuck you, Naoya."
Naoya rolls over, heaving in air as his brain misfires in an attempt to regulate.
"You…", he sucks in air, "You were going to try and fucking kill me?!", he uses the angled spherical walls of the crater to assert himself to his knees while thinking about how quickly that went south. Pissed and betrayed, Naoya angrily squints at Satoru, "You can't do that you fucking psycho!! Elska would be devastated! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE WITH HER!"
Gojo flings a foot across Naoya's face, "Shut the fuck up!", being beside himself with how he actually hates being so aggressive towards him, "Everything was fine before, why do you have go on and keep trying to change it?", his insecurities sounding off, blatantly showing through the tone of his voice.
Naoya grunts, rubbing his face, "She's not safe right now! WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT!?", and uses his projection technique to crash Gojo through the remainder of the hall's wall, toppling over him once inside of the room. As they struggle against each other on the ground he hears Gojo taunt, "I am the strongest, she IS SAFE WITH ME!", but Naoya only becomes further enraged.
Gojo ends up rolling them over, gaining the upper hand and raising his fist high in the air behind him, "What can you do that I fucking can't, huh?", but before he's able to slug Naoya, the Zenin's fist connects with his nose. "ARGGG!!! FUCK YOU NAOYA!", he screams although it's muffled by his hands covering his face. 'HE REALLY CAN HURT ME LIKE TOJI NOW!', crosses his mind, his patience have been all but used up.
Naoya's fangs form as he takes advantage of Gojo's shock, pushing his knees into the shaman's back and causing him to fall forward. "Tch. I can do this.", is all he says before piercing Satoru's neck, expecting an interesting taste but not the vile bitterness flowing across his tongue. When he feels Gojo try to pull away, Naoya rolls them over once more, topping him, and continuing to drink the unsavory flavor why trying to decipher what he can, not having much luck as he has a lot to learn about the process.
"Why…are you biting me?!", Gojo finds that although it's not as wonderful as Elska's, Naoya's teeth send a new kind of dull pain into his body that he finds a strange affinity for. He doesn't mean to but due to his sadistic nature, he releases a small moan into Naoya's ear and laces his fingers into the Zenin's dyed hair to keep them like that. He breathlessly gasps out and shivers to the intrusion, furrowing his brow inadvertently to the sensation. "Goddd that's good…", he whimpers.
"WOAH, WOAH, YO WHAT THE FUCK!?", Naoya becomes confused and defensive after hearing Gojo's noises, quickly rising to his feet and away from him. "Were you…getting off to that?!", he asks while wiping his mouth, spitting out what he couldn't swallow down having become repulsed by Satoru's seasoning. He feels his face scrunch up when he sees the semi forming in that shaman's pants and glances between them and the brighter blue eyes they're attached to, "That's fucking weirrrd maaan..."
Gojo also stands, feeling somewhat refreshed. While palming his neck to slow the bleeding, he smiles at Naoya and states, "That was…surprisingly hot. What a sexy defense.", and shrugs nonchalantly, "You can do that whenever you want, little Naoya.", he grins some more and throws in a wink. Even through all of his prior rage, he can't help but laugh at Naoya's disgusted response but asks, "Am I going to have to wait for my own body to heal this? Orrrr are you going to?"
Naoya nods yes but takes a moment before nearing him, half worried that Gojo will sexually assault him if he gets too close, "Why are you like this?!", he questions whole heartedly while raising his hand towards Gojo's neck, "Are you going to calm the fuck down if I do?"
Gojo rolls his eyes, "Yes, okay? I promise I won't hurt you…"
Naoya scoffs, "As if…", but grazes his fingers over the wounds, shrieking when Satoru pinches his butt in return. Naoya hastily slaps the shaman's hand away with a ferocious glare but understands that Gojo has a unique sense humor but the Zenin is forming a disgruntled frown anyways, "I am going to tell Elska that you came on to me…" He watches Gojo's shoulders jitter as he leans forward, laughing it off like she wouldn't even be surprised but this is all before Naoya's eyes finally examine the room they're in, causing him to become serious. "What the hell is all of this?!", he nudges Gojo while pointing to the walls, a creeping ominous vibe taking over his entirety.
Gojo looks around but is quickly fired up again upon recognizing all memories that correlate with the snapshots that contain him, Toji, Naoya, Choso, Itadori and Elska, "This is fucking nutty..." He tears one from the wall of her in her shaman uniform outside of her favorite bookstore and while studying it, asks, "What is up with your clan's obsession over my love?", already knowing this isn't Naoya's doing. He grazes his thumb over the cute picture, his mind deciding that these are all his to keep now.
Naoya starts digging through a desk that's parked into the corner, rummaging for any sort of clue as to who this room was occupied by, "Whoever is responsible for this invasion of privacy is going to PAY!", he hollers frustratingly while desperately wishing to know why they were being spied on. He pulls out more photographs but they're indecent, which callouses the Zenin's face, "They will fucking burn…", he growls while timidly looking through them.
The angles suggest that this batch was taken outside of the rooms, through windows, and they show Elska dressing.
"What the fuck??!"
Next, Naoya comes across some where she hasn't any clothes on at all.
Enraged, the blonde rips the drawer out of its place and dumps all of the pictures on the ground, using his hands to spread them out as his heart wrenches more and more, "What…the…", he mutters as he stumbles upon some that show her naked, in restraints. As he aggravatingly sifts through them, what they show become progressively worse; his stomach turning to the degrading nature of her torture. "I'll fucking kill whoever did this to her…", he seethes unabashedly with pure scorn.
Gojo continues to take pictures down, stuffing them into his pockets in a brash manner, "This is so whacky that it looks like something I would do…", he says with worry in his tone and a furrowed brow, admitting that its extremely unhealthy. When the Zenin doesn't respond but rather starts breathing heavily, Satoru looks over to Naoya's stilled form and loses his breath to the snapshots in front of him.
'Oh fuuuuuuck…', Satoru recognizes what they're portraying and immediately wishes to destroy the evidence of his past treatment of Elska. In the corner of the Naoya's pile, Gojo spots a photo that includes him in it and shows his ravenous expression as he'sabout to ravage bound Elska, bringing him to a panic.
"ZENIN MOVE!", Using his left hand, Gojo shoves Naoya over and sends his red technique into the pile, vaporizing the damning proof of his old ways. When Naoya frantically tries to reach into the blaze, Satoru grabs his hand and defensively shouts, "No one needs to see this, its sick!", becoming relieved that Naoya seems to agree and lets them vanish.
'Who the fuck has been watching us for this long?', Satoru worriedly wonders, not having the first clue.
Naoya stifles to a stand, being a little lightheaded after having viewed the horrible scenes, "Who had her bound like that?!", he begins pacing and becoming further provoked at not finding evidence that would point to the owner of this inexcusable collection. He watches Gojo ripping more photos down and feels a wave of relief knowing that he at least isn't on the suspect list, feeling dirty after knowing someone of his own clan is. Looking around with his weary eyes, he sighs and states, "This is eerie Gojo, I don't trust this at all…", now running his hand down his mouth, trying his best to not vomit.
After the last picture has been removed, Gojo turns to Naoya with inflated pockets, "As much as I would like to murder whichever fucked up Zenin is behind this, we need to get what we came for and go. We can come back and handle it after Elska is out of the Titer compound, whaddya say?.", but feels his twitchy body language is giving his guilt away. Gojo would much rather kill the culprit first.
'Whoever the fuck they are, they know far too much…'
He needs to find out who it is that harbors knowledge of his darkest days with Elska, wanting to eradicate them before it spreads like wildfire. Just because Elska has regained some memories, that doesn't mean Gojo is alright with her knowing everything.
Naoya goes to agree, "That's fine with me, I will ask Peaches to investigate this in the meantime.", but stops in mid thought and freezes. He looks at Gojo, wondering why his reaction wasn't as abhorrent as his own but instead asks, "Wait...are you saying…we're still going shopping for her ring?", confused because they literally just broke into a fight over the subject.
Gojo releases a long sigh that ends with a deep cackle, "Yeah…we are." As he perceives Naoya going to open his mouth, Satoru throws up a hand to halt him, "We can get her a ring, but it will represent both of us…Toji too!" Flashing his arrogant grin, he ignores Naoya's expression of annoyance.
Naoya deadpan stares at Gojo, "Pft...whaaaa! That's not exactly what I had in mind…", rolling his own eyes while waiting for the punchline, never getting one.
Gojo playfully pushes Naoya over the broken chunks of wall and out of the room, "Tough shit little Naoya, I already told you that you're not marrying her." As soon as they're both out of the room, Gojo initiates his red technique again, decimating the dirty quarters from existence completely. A genuine smile crosses Gojo's lips as through the smoke, it now only shows the large colorful garden lit up by the sun.
"I'd usually freak about that but I'm not mad at all…good riddance!", Naoya states it while staring at the garden. 'Who is tracking us from here? Why wasn't I made aware?', a chill forming down his spine causing him to shiver. Naoya really has zero idea.
—————————————
Suguru appears into his room with Elska, laying her gently down onto the bed. He smiles when she eagerly grabs the pillow and crawls under the sheets like a child who'd had too much fun. He truly would rather lay down behind her as they were once before but knows that isn't going to happen, so instead, he sits by her on the edge of the bed.
Elska is trying her best to not cry from the pain blaring through her head, wondering if Choso is okay as well. She rolls to her back after realizing Suguru was still there next to her and asks, "Will you tell Toji I'm here now? I don't want him to worry or think that you did something.", trying to laugh but failing miserably. She listens to Getou exhale greatly but can tell that he understands where she's coming from.
"I'll go find him now, I guess it is better to do it sooner than later…", he whispers before reaching for her hand to kiss it. He snickers to her wide eyes and apologizes, "I had to put my lips on something of yours, just know I was being thoughtful.", becoming relieved when she smirks and playfully rolls back over to her side.
He wishes things were advancing more between them but he still isn't interested in pushing his luck too much. 'After all I've done, I'm fotunate to even be here with her…' He announces quietly that he'll return as he leaves through the door, mindfully shutting it behind him. He immediately walks down the halls towards where Sachiko is staying but can't help himself as he senses the hybrid through one of the doors along the way. With a torn heart over caring for Choso but now being forced to recognize him as a threat, he sighs and opens it.
"What?", Suguru asks breathlessly as his eyes take in the black swirling energy coasting along the being's body, filling the room as if it were being fumigated. He takes two timid steps inside while squinting his eyes to see Choso.
"He's still out cold…so what the hell is all of this?!", he asks in pure wonderment, shivering to the malicious energy caressing around him and watching it encircle his own legs and rise up. When his eyes meet Choso's sleeping form again he loses his breath entirely as a projection of the being's angered face reappears just like the last stage and rushes him with unspeakable speed, causing Suguru to fly back out of the door and against the trim in the hall. As the Titer struggles to get to his feet in time that felt sufficient, he's engaging his gravity before launching back through the door to strike.
"CHOO-huh?!", the shadow like energy isn't visible anymore, nothing actually seems out of the ordinary. With frightened and disheveled eyes, Getou swivels his head and body around, trying his best to make sense of what he just experienced. 'Did I hallucinate that?', he mouths the words but more so thinks it. He can see Choso clearly now, not a hint of haze in sight as the being peacefully slumbers. "What the fuck is going on here…?"
While standing in a shock still, trying to comprehend what it was he just saw, Suguru hears a loud thud from the hallway and some groans accompanying it. Startled, he runs out of Choso's room to find Toji barely conscious with a large knife sticking out of his chest, the tip showing through his back. "Damn it!", Getou rushes over to the giant and asks what happened.
"She…she stabbed me…", Toji mutters out, feeling himself becoming weaker by the second. He raises a hand and pulls down on Suguru's arm, roaring an inhumanely wild shriek that shakes the halls. "Where is ELSKA?!", he demands with ferocity, struggling to his hands and knees in order to continue his search for her. His scattered mind briefly thinks to drink from Suguru and his fangs forms automatically.
Suguru hoists Toji up to his feet, bringing his head under the giant's right arm, staggering and swaying down the hall. "I will take you to her, she's not far ahead.", but an ugly part in Suguru's heart whispers foully, 'Too bad she didn't just kill him.' Suguru hates himself for even remotely wishing that, while knowing it would mean one less obstacle to get to Elska.
Elska's covering her eyes and using the wall to guide her down the halls. She heard Toji's call and dreadfully wishes to be with him immediately. With tears forming, she silently asks no one, 'Where is he? Where is my beloved?!', trying her best to ignore the throbbing in her skull. When she meets a corner, she follows it until she can hear the grunts of effort from Suguru and squints open her eyes, "TOJI??!", she screams while her feet autonomously quicken and bring her to them both.
"Doll…", Toji exasperates warmly, a grin coming to life while watching her run in his direction. He feels Suguru carefully lower him to his knees right before she nears and ignores the pain when Elska grabs ahold rips the knife out of his chest. He roars but understands that it will be easier to heal if it's out of the way.
Suguru watches Toji clumsily collapse over top of her and thinks to help them up but before he can act, he hears Elska loudly moan. He stands there, with narrowed eyes as both her and Toji's voices sing in unison. Getou can see her face and how much pleasure she gains from Toji's bite, leaving him wishing he could be the one pinning her to the floor instead.
Elska clutches Toji's hair and nuzzles her face into it while he drinks from her and as he draws, her migraine fades a little which allows her to obtain more focus on the situation.
"Oh, my beloved…what happened to you?", she asks brokenly, tears starting to brim in her eyes. After a few moments of his wonderful fangs penetrating her, she feels his large arms scoop her up as he folds himself onto his knees, bringing her into his lap. She holds him dearly, wishing that she understood how he ended up this way but is currently only concerned with him healing. He's drinking so fast that she has to coo to him, "Slow down my beloved, pace yourself…", gripping him with watery eyes, "You're going to be okay now, it's going to be okay…"
Toji is feeling his strength return and comprehends Elska's concern for him through her flavor. The depth of her love for him causes him to become overrun with a magnitude of emotions, overwhelming as his hands secure her body into his own. He thinks to her, 'I love you, doll, so much…', and becomes anchored into passion when her voice rings through his head, 'I love you too' Her whimpers in his ears make him groan and in the precursor for the heat between them quickly blossoming. Sanctioned by their bond, Toji removes his fangs from her to close the wound but keeps his face buried into her neck, the warmth from his own breath splashing from her skin, back to him.
Getou has seen enough. He's been going through a lot and absolutely didn't need their love rubbed in his face. Alienated and hardened, Suguru brings his hands behind his back and pivots to walk in the other direction, soon hearing Toji's tired voice say, "Thank you man…I was really bad off.", which makes Getou's head hang lower than before. He waves a hand in exchange for verbally replying and continues to saunter down the hall, never daring to even look back.
Although Elska feels terrible for Getou having witnessed that, she turns her attention back to Toji who's clearly still emotional. Instead of speaking to him, she stares into his glowing eyes and brushes the hair away from them, running her thumb over his scarred lips.
She can't help but giggle when the mood is reciprocated Toji lifts her up to begin carrying her back to the room, his mouth intensively attacking her all over. She whimpers wantonly, knowing that he needs her in this moment and is offering herself without a second thought, "I am yours, my beloved..."