07. | the devil i know
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Pain was something he regularly lived with. Each time he trained with his father, he felt pain.
The sharp blade grazing his flesh. The gnarled fist threatening to discipline him. All for the sake of power.
Someone in the mansion, one of the servants, once spoke of how gentle his father once was to his mother. How soft-spoken he could be beyond all that rage brewing inside him.
[Y/n] didn't believe them. Not a single word. Lies, it must be. For where was that gentleness his father never showed to him?
Once maybe, he had tried to believe it. That his father could show an ounce of care to his own flesh and blood. A gentle pat on the head. A caring hug, perhaps.
But no. Nothing of the sort.
There was no love between them.
It was long gone, buried beneath with the mother he never knew. A mother that died, giving birth to him.
She was quickly replaced, of course. The clan needed more than one child to secure their bloodline.
Raising a child was an investment in the family's future. Personal freedom was something rarely given among those of nobler blood—words that were constantly rung into his head.
He heard his grandfather immediately took action to replace his dead mother. Inviting a woman much more gifted in jujutsu sorcery to become his father's new wife.
And then, came his little sister.
[L/n] Emi.
Despite how hollow and staid the household usually was, Emi always managed to keep an honest smile on her face.
She would try her best to see the positive in things, even in dire circumstances, alarmingly enough. Once she had said to him, that the training father gave to them was the proof of his love towards them.
By giving them training firsthand, he would be able to ensure his children could protect themselves.
She was an idiot. Or maybe, she told that lie to herself over and over, to the point that she believed them herself.
[Y/n] ignored most of her crazed family ramblings after that. Even when she grew older, her perspective didn't change one bit.
Living in that household was already hard enough. And yet, it seemed the universe hated him much more than he thought.
Alone, in the cloaked darkness of his bedroom, an excruciating pain spread through his body, tearing him limb from limb. The pain in his chest reverberated like a loud siren as he heaved breath after breath.
[Y/n] could feel his nerves slowly snapping one by one under the stress, as if someone had put a torch on his spinal cord. He remembered going to the basement before all this happened. An order from his father, something he shouldn't have obeyed.
He remembered the grin on his grandfather's face. A disgusting smile spread on his mouth, singing praises to him and his newly discovered healing.
To heal, using a reverse cursed technique was something even a high-ranked jujutsu sorcerer would struggle with.
But in the [L/n] family, it was unheard of. No one in the family was able to do it, let alone a child.
And yet, he did it anyway. A miracle in the making.
Something in his body had obeyed, coursing the cursed energy within and weaving it into a positive course, closing the wounds that were left unchecked by his father.
The manic eyes of his grandfather made him shiver. A tremble racked his body as he recalled the scalpel that slit his flesh. How agonizing it was for him while his grandfather gleefully cut him apart, piece by piece.
But, that was all over. And yet his body still trembled.
Why?
Closing his eyes did nothing to ease the pain.
The cogs in his brain were turning at full speed, struggling to process everything that had happened in that god-forsaken basement.
"You are a fascinating specimen, child," his grandfather had firmly said. The devil's words, praising in content but chilling in tone.
After the incisions inflicted, after that crooked hand reached out, he—
The nausea he had been holding back began to overflow.
He remembered everything, but at the same time, he didn't. Like a tap that kept dripping, no matter how tightly it was twisted shut.
His eyes closed shut as the memories rang in his head, over and over.
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"Were you perhaps waiting for me, Gojo-senpai?"
He had just arrived back after his unexpected reunion with Toji, ready to plop himself on his bed and wished for a dreamless night. It's just too bad someone was blocking the route to his door.
Waiting right in front of his dorm room, was none other than Gojo Satoru. Leaning against the wall with his hands crossed, an infuriating grin spread on his face as [Y/n] walked closer.
"Hmm~?"
"That doesn't answer anything."
"Hmmmmm~"
The lights above made his pale white hair brighter, as if enveloping it like a halo. If [Y/n] didn't know any better of Gojo's personality, the breathtaking image would've had him mistake Gojo as a sweet angel instead.
But, of course, he was anything but that. Even thinking of such a thing was insulting to angels, if they even existed.
[Y/n] could feel a headache starting already from the useless thoughts in his head. Deciding to ignore the older boy, he moved closer to unlock the door, but Gojo's arm blocked the way quickly, sensing his intention.
"Wait, just a moment, dear [Y/n]," he said with a low timber in his voice. A shiver ran up his spine unconsciously, hearing his voice so close to his ear.
Tired of his antics, he turned his head and asked again with a forced smile, "What. Is. It?"
Gojo pushed his face closer to him, cerulean eyes peeking through tinted glass. "Whaddya say about making a bet?"
He sighed and pulled away from their close proximity. "You need to give me some details first. I don't make bets I can't win."
Gojo laughed at that, and a flare of annoyance erupted in his chest. "Hmm, that makes things more difficult then. Being the good senpai that I am, I was gonna invite you to a challenge, you see."
A challenge, he says.
[Y/n] raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, "Well, you have my attention now. A challenge of what?"
"Of who between us," he slowly said, "is the better fighter." A charming grin made its way to Gojo's face.
His brain halted for a brief moment.
"Now that's a challenge I could agree to," he answered, then continued, "What was that bit about things getting more difficult?"
Deep down, he had a feeling he already knew what Gojo, the strongest sorcerer alive, would answer to that.
"Because you don't place bets where you can't win, and you know you'd lose against yours truly," Gojo answered, just as expected.
[Y/n] narrowed his eyes, and those [e/c] hues fixed themselves entirely on cerulean blue.
Is he doing this on purpose, to goad me?
"...You're getting too cocky, don't you think?" [Y/n] stepped closer to Gojo, their faces inches apart. A curious light seemed to glow in his eyes.
The cocksure grin stayed on Gojo's lips even as their breath mingled together, if not wider. Something between disbelief and amusement could be seen across his face.
A beat passed.
And then, Gojo let out a bellowed-out laugh, deep from his chest in a way that had [Y/n] struggling not to roll his eyes.
I'm pretty sure Nanami's sleeping next door.
"Why," Gojo said, voice pitched low and quiet. "I'm nothing if not modest."
[Y/n] let out a soft chuckle in response. Like his pride would ever let him back down from a fight with a man like this.
"What's the bet, Gojo? Be thorough."
"The Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill event is starting soon. I thought it'd be nice if I could remind you who's stronger in front of an audience," he cheerfully explained.
Oh, he's asking for a beating.
"Might I remind you that first years don't participate in that event? And second, we're fighting against Kyoto Jujutsu High, not with each other," he said.
"Oh~ don't you worry your pretty little head about that," he announced. "First years are permitted to join in the event as long as they have their senpai's permission, which means you already have mine!"
That's just wonderful.
"And the second part?"
"Our team's going to win anyway. The challenge would be which of us can give our team more scores, of course."
"A most interesting proposal, Gojo-senpai. Of course, I accept." [Y/n] could feel a twisted smile growing on his face. "And the bet is?"
"Nothing too bad," he sang. "You just have to do whatever I want for a whole day when you lose." The slyful smile on Gojo's face filled [Y/n]'s whole vision.
He couldn't help but laugh again. This asshole really needed a reality check sometimes. His cursed technique is beyond powerful, but it didn't make him invulnerable.
"And when I win, you'll do whatever I say for a whole day? Sounds delightful," he added. Pitching his voice as low as he could.
Gojo's gaze dropped down, and then back up to [Y/n]'s eyes. A glint of something flickered behind those blue eyes, and then it was gone.
"Sure. It's easy enough for you to understand, right?" Gojo reminded, finally pulling away and creating some distance between them.
"Easy indeed." He nodded. "Have no worries, Gojo-senpai. I'll win, but I won't beat you too harshly. You have a reputation to keep, after all."
Gojo startled a little, and then he breathed out another laugh, smaller this time. "I'm sure you think so."
Finally, the white-haired sorcerer walked. "Well then, get a good night's sleep, [Y/n]," Gojo said while waving his hand dismissively, sending a wink as a treat.
[Y/n] shook his head in exasperation, but still he waved back. Turning away, he, at long last, opened the door to his room and strolled inside.
After closing it shut, he turned on the lights and dropped his bag on the floor, too tired to care anymore.
What a strange day.
He sighed and rubbed his temples as he sat himself on his chair. Sleep was slowly overtaking his body and he hadn't even changed his clothes yet.
"Ugh. Why is there class tomorrow?" he groaned. Just when he finally gathered enough energy to stand up again, the phone in his pocket rang.
"Huh?"
Pulling it out, he saw a notification of an unknown phone number giving him multiple texts. Raising an eyebrow, he pushed open the notification, curious as to what was inside.
Honestly, he was kind of hoping it was Toji. He wouldn't mind a couple more lessons of training with that man.
But instead, a familiar string of texts appeared in his vision. He wouldn't mistake it for anyone else, even if the texter didn't start the message with their identity.
She got a new number just for this?
His hand hovered over his phone for a brief period of time, thinking back and forth whether or not he should reply.
If he didn't reply, in a best-case scenario: She would leave him alone and leave him in peace in Jujutsu High. In a worst-case scenario: She'll try her best to break into Jujutsu High, and end up getting punished by a higher authority in the process.
Releasing a deep sigh, he finally replied back to his sister.
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