Chapter Text
Nanami managed to make the call to Gojo. Only at the peak of the hike with Shoko. He picked the spot for one reason and one reason only.
The cell service was sh*t at the top.
And hereallydidn't want to be the one to phone Satoru to break the news of his findings.
But alas, nothing ever seemed to go in Nanami's favour. For starters, the call actually rang. So the one day Nanami actually needed sh*t cell service, the line was top notch.
And to add salt in the wound, Gojo picked up on the third ring - something the white haired sorcerer neverever did. Satoru sounded oh so happy, picking up the call with a boyish laugh followed by a "Sup Nanami?"
Nanami clenched his jaw, trying to keep his composure despite the frustration bubbling within him. He glanced at Shoko, who gave him a sympathetic look.
"Gojo," Nanami began, his voice steady but tinged with an underlying terror, "I need to talk to you about something important."
There was a momentary pause on the other end of the line, during which Nanami could almost envision Gojo's characteristic grin fading into a more serious expression. "Sure thing, Nanami. What's up?"
Nanami took a deep breath. "I know what happened. I know why they tried to kill her."
-♡-
Nanami felt wrong seated at the end of Suguru's dining table. Immediately after Nanami could get his first words out, Satoru had demanded that he come by the house - quickly followed by him stressing the need to bring Shoko.
The blond felt as if he was dying, watching the colour drain from Suguru's face as he recounted his findings. Your dark haired boyfriend sat next to you, his arm draped around your shoulder. Slowly but surely, he dragged you closer to him until you were all but cuddled under his arm.
From her spot beside you, Shoko clutched your hand in her own, softly tracing small patterns into your palm. Something that she had done for years as a coping method.
Satoru sat beside Nanami - notably without expression. It was eerie staring at the white haired boy's cold look - one without the normal glee. The normal emotion.
Nanami was tempted to reach out and grasp Gojo's shoulder. Anything to make sure he was still there with them. He opted against doing anything.
"That can't be right." Suguru brushed a stray hair out of your eyes. The black haired boy was staring into your face. "It's fine baby. You're fine. None of this is going to happen again."
He wasn't very reassuring. If anything, he sounded like a broken boy trying to convince himself that the world wasn't pitched against him.
"We can't guarantee that."
Suguru shot a hard glare at Nanami. "f*ck off blondie."
Nanami merely shook his head. "I really wish we could guarantee your safety (Y/n). Hell, I want that more than anything. But we can't. The higher ups don't just issue orders for assassination - much less let it go once the attempt fails."
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Suguru's voice was strained, his usual confidence faltering in the face of such uncertainty.
Satoru remained silent - although his gaze had now dropped to his hands. Something rested between his palms, however it was too difficult to see exactly what.
Nanami glanced at Shoko."We need to be prepared. Prepared for whatever comes next. We can't afford to underestimate our adversaries, nor can we afford to be caught off guard again."
Shoko dropped your hand. "We have nothing to go off of. It almost seems like finding this file was a major slip up on the higher ups part. They don't make mistakes like that." A singular tear overflowed and slipped down her cheek. "We're all just tools for these bastards. We're meaningless. So long as we're still half decent sorcerers, they'll keep us around."
You could feel Suguru's fingers digging into your upper arm. You didn't say a word. He clearly needed something to ground him. And you would be more than happy to provide him with something.
The long looks around the room were getting to you. It was completely unreasonable, but you felt it. You felt responsible for all their suffering.
It was the last thing that any of them deserved.To be worried about you. To have to protect you.
The words spewed from your mouth before you managed to process them.
"I'll leave."
The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating almost. Suguru's grip tightened on your arm, a mixture of shock and anger flashing in his eyes. Shoko's gaze shifted from you to Nanami, her expression unreadable. Satoru remained still, his hands clenched around whatever object he held.
"No," Suguru finally said, his voice strained. "No, you're not leaving."
"You can't just run away from this," Shoko interjected. "We're in this together, (Y/n)."
Nanami's gaze softened as he regarded you. "Leaving won't solve anything. The target is for Gojo and Geto."
Satoru remained silent, his expression inscrutable.
A surge of frustration and guilt washed over you. "You don't get it! You're all risking your lives for me. Not all of us have to get dragged into this. I can't just sit here and watch that happen. Every last one of you is being idiotic because it doesn't take a genius to see where this is heading. They'll start picking off every last one of you! Then what? Huh? Someone answer me!"
Your voice cracked in the silence of the room. Tears began to overflow. You buried your face in your hands and began to sob.
Suguru shifted his grip on you, switching to rub your back and fully pull you onto his lap.
Your lungs felt as if they were constricting. Your airways felt like they were clogged. Your head was spinning. Your injuries were aching under every convulsion of your beaten and bruised body.
A chair shuffled back and hurried footsteps rushed to your side. You were engulfed by something. You were engulfed by someone.
Satoru's familiar scent encompassed you.
"It's okay baby. I know. I know. This is our fault, and I don't understand why they had to drag you into this too. My poor baby. But it's . . . it's gonna be okay. We're gonna take good care of you. No one's gonna touch you."
Satoru was crying as well. His words were barely distinguishable. Every word had a distinct tremor. His hands were shaking as he combed them through your hair.
"We're gonna stop this sweetheart. Don't you worry a hair on your pretty little head."
-♡-
Nanami watched as you slept on the couch, head resting on Satoru's lap. Suguru lingered by your feet, gently rubbing your calf. Something that the dark haired sorcerer had done since you startled out of your coma and complained about the shooting pains through your legs.
Hell, if Nanami didn't know better, he would think it was just a normal day.
Not a day where everyone was falling apart.
"This is our fault." Satoru rubbed a hand over his face, pushing at his temples. "Suguru man, why does everything we touch turn to sh*t?"
"You're asking me like I know." Suguru rubbed his hand over your leg before beginning to massage once again. "We can't act like we didn't know this would happen. For years the higher ups have had a bounty over our heads. It's almost about time they realized this was an easier way to get to us."
The white haired boy shot his friend a harsh glare.
"No. This is ridiculous. They should have some class and leave other people out of it-"
Shoko shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. No government or organization is ever concerned about how business is handled. As long as their reputation isn't overly soiled in the moment, things go back to normal. People slowly forget. Better yet, the average person doesn't even know what's going on."
"The little guys never win." Nanami groaned as he lay his head down on the couch. His eyes were slowly drifting shut. He was exhausted.
Yu was right when he said it was only a matter of time before he crashed.
"Is there anything...."
The voices were slowly drifting farther and farther away from Nanami. His eyes were shutting and before he knew it, sleep had engulfed him.
And all his worries seemed oh so far away.
-♡-
Satoru was watching. Everyone was fast asleep on the couch - Shoko draped over one end, Nanami smack dab in the middle, you with your head on Satoru's lap and Suguru with your legs resting on him. It wasn't difficult to slide a pillow underneath your head to replace him. You stirred only slightly before settling down once again.
The boy stared down at your face for a few moments, a stupid smile plastered on his face.
God did he love you.
You were just so perfect. So sweet. And you were certainly the last person who deserved any inkling of harm to come to fly your way. Gojo couldn't help it. He brushed a finger along your cheek, quickly retracting his hand back as you scrunched up your nose.
But to his relief, you remained asleep.
His footsteps were quiet as he exited the living room. His pen made little to no sound as he scratched out a note on a piece of paper.
He was quiet as he slipped his shoes on and tossed a jacket on his back.
He was silent as he made his way out of the front door.
