Chapter Text
A child’s brain is normally very active. It’s not rare for a child to be able to juggle multiple things at once in their brain, but it does make them unable to focus on one thing.
Usually, a commentator would say ‘with the sole exception of Gojo Satoru, of course’ after saying a fact.
However, Satoru is unfortunately not an exception.
In fact, an adult’s worth of memory ending up in a child’s brain apparently makes his focus much, much worse.
He did say that he needs a more specific cause to make him remember something just as specific. But memories are something you can’t measure and determine just how memorable they are.
You can forget something you were literally just thinking, and you can even end up forgetting something so important you wonder why you forgot about it in the first place! Even with multiple series of trying to backtrack your steps to try to remember something, the memory would often never resurface and then you’re just stuck there trying to think about what exactly you forgot and why you’re trying to even remember it.
For Satoru, there are a lot of things he’s starting to forget in lieu of genuinely trying to live the life of a child next to his twin brother. He’s trying to mark this as his new childhood. He can’t enjoy this life to the fullest if he keeps on dwelling on thoughts of how to change the future!
Satoru is a lot of things — the strongest, a dad, the strongest, a teacher, a friend, and did he mention the strongest?
Sukuna can stick every hollow purple up his ass. Satoru wasn’t gonna go all out against the man who still wears his kid’s face! (He was, and he still lost. Goddamnit.)
— but he’s also a brother now! Can’t he get some rest away from that mess for a couple of years at least?
Of course there are moments it doesn’t help that for even anything he does, he’s reminded of even the most minor memories. For every littlest thing, he’s reminded of someone from that life. Like that centipede curse they encountered in their courtyard. Seriously, are these sorcerers for guards doing their jobs in keeping the area clean of curses? How could they leave that one out?
The centipede curse was red, and it’s always been red. Suguru had multiple of that, an army of it, and he often likes to creep Satoru with those curses during their first year until Satoru had to man himself up and stand up against such bullying (He used Blue and threw the curses at Shoko instead, and they both ended up receiving bullying from her anyway).
So! He’s made a point of sticking around Obito, because Obito is a new addition. Therefore, everything is new with Obito!
Especially those red eyes of his.
Especially those eyes.
Everything about Obito’s eyes are new to him. It doesn’t remind him of anything from that life and this eases Satoru’s nerves about the future somewhat. Because it solidifies that Satoru can bring change with Obito by his side.
Satoru is not alone this time because he has a brother.
He wakes up every morning appreciating the fact that Obito is still alive when there were once memories that haunted him of a white-haired Obito pressed to death as a baby by their own mother. Of nightmares with empty eye sockets opening and blaming Satoru’s Six Eyes for existing.
Satoru knows those won't exist anymore because Obito is with him, alive. He has black hair and he has those Red eyes that can see as much as Satoru’s Six Eyes. His brother is safe because he’s also untouchable. Obito will be fine because he’s also strong.
He should be fine. Because Satoru has been keeping track of Obito’s cursed energy, unstable as it is. So what if it was so compacted towards his eyes only? Obito’s cursed energy and soul was okay. Because Satoru never took his attention off of him!
“Toru… Can you ask again tomorrow?” Obito drawls, his eyes look so heavy and it must’ve become so difficult to just talk. “‘M tired…”
Satoru is so stupid.
Why did it take him until the last moment to realise that Obito’s cursed energy was instead attacking his red eyes?
Is that why he’s often asleep for an entire day?
Satoru had a feeling that the eyes were straining Obito somehow, but he didn’t expect it to be like that! Why couldn’t his Six Eyes tell that information sooner?!
What kind of cursed energy even attacks your own body that way?
Was Obito even aware that this happened?
Maybe Obito didn’t even know he’d actually die then.
Satoru is a useless brother.
He doesn’t even know how to help his brother.
Curse him? That’s cruel. Satoru won’t subject his brother to become a monster, even if it guarantees that they won’t be apart ever again.
There are better ways to curse each other without the other needing to die. Isn’t it better to just keep each other alive than having to resort to that?
You’re not allowed to die, Obito. If you get yourself killed, I’ll follow after you.
If there ever comes a day where everyone is demanding that I die for you, then I’ll just kill you myself and follow after you.
He barely remembers what was happening in the days that Obito remained dead.
One moment he was harassing the Clan Head with questions about Obito’s birth (It’s all Satoru’s fault. It’s all his fault, why did he have to be the strongest even as a fucking fetus—) and the next he was just staring at Obito’s face like a statue.
Without Obito next to him, Satoru’s life became dull.
It’s like he’s back in that life again where praises came easy, where everyone talks to him like he’s some God who finally came down and about to take all their burdens.
The Clan Head dies and Satoru finds himself sitting in that position again. It’s instinctual at this point. Take all their praises and prayers, sign some documents, attend his classes, and improve his physical training.
The only thing that makes a difference is standing in front of Obito every night. Satoru barely gets the time to sleep. He chooses not to — thinking that Obito might wake up anytime soon. He’s just waiting and waiting and waiting because Obito’s taking so long to accept his hand.
On their birthday, Satoru had bought two cakes because why not. Obito might wake up after Satoru sings Happy Birthday. Maybe even spook Satoru and tell him he’s been awake this whole entire time and Satoru would actually prefer that over anything. He wouldn’t care if Obito chooses to pop out of a box and surprise Satoru because that’s a better outcome compared to all of this.
But that doesn’t happen. Obito is still dead and Satoru sleeps next to his soulless body every night — the night of their birthday isn’t any different.
Satoru was nearing his breaking point then.
He was so close.
So close to planning to end it all.
And it would’ve been so easy, too.
He just had to burn it all.
Satoru used to hate the idea of cremation. But he knows now why it had been required in their field so much. (Seeing Suguru’s body being used to do things he would have surely hated doing still makes Satoru seethe at the thought of it.)
But then he’d end up just standing there all night long again, the plan not leaving his mind, and he’d wake up next to Obito. From there, the next day goes on.
He still thinks it’s too cruel.
Why can’t he do anything right for his brother at times like this?
Surely this isn’t like the quote ‘third time’s the charm’ and Obito really won’t wake up anymore?
Why does Obito keep dying? Is he trying to fulfil the meaning of his name or something?
What happens when he reaches the fifth?
And then, Satoru woke up in a good mood one morning.
It’s still snowing in January, the weather is at its peak. But Satoru woke up with a feeling that his twin will finally wake up!
He finishes all his commitments that day as soon as possible. It was a surprise even for him that he managed to clear out all his schedule by 12pm.
Now he stands beside their bed again, anticipation in his nerves as he stares at Obito intently. Watching, looking for any signs that might indicate that Obito is finally back again. Hopefully for the better.
Finally, Satoru saw his fingers twitch and he’s already hunched over Obito’s form, a smile splitting his face wide.
Obito finally opened his eyes and Blue eyes locked eyes with a different pattern of Red eyes. The three pinwheels turned into four, and now looks like it’s spinning itself in a vortex around the pupil, the middle part looks like there’s a void there with how much black it had. But Satoru thinks nothing of these differences.
Regardless, Satoru plastered a smile so wide it’s like Obito’s heart hadn’t stopped for months. Like Satoru hadn’t been planning to burn everything down the drain.
“Yo, Tobi! Wanna leave this place?”
Obito still had the same soul and the same cursed energy signature. Now, it looks more stable compared to before. Maybe hereafter, Satoru can finally relax about his brother’s soul.
“Let’s move to Tokyo!”
Unfortunately, Obito rejects his suggestions of moving out of this shit-hole.
“We’re not moving to Tokyo.” Obito rolls his eyes.
Still so sassy. This is probably a decision Obito has thought through since long ago, when Satoru was always trying to get Obito to sneak out.
Still, it wouldn’t be so bad to keep on trying to sway him.
“But it’s so much better than here in Kyoto…” Satoru pouts, furrowing his brow. “There’s lots more unique sweets there, and I got to see the arcades while you were asleep and—”
“That’s why we’re only travelling there, Toru. We’re not moving out.”
“But I wanna move out!” Satoru let out, the tone turning sharp as he raised his head from Obito’s shoulder. “I’m the Clan Head now, can’t we just move out of here easily? It’s so boring here, Tobi. I bet it’ll be more fun to live in Sendai or something.”
Sendai is a pretty specific City to recommend, why had he suggested that? A tiger… Something about a tiger… Obito looks like a tiger… His hair is so long like a tiger that it tickles Satoru’s forehead a bit… He should cut it.
“We’re not moving out.” Obito’s serious tone snaps Satoru out of his random thoughts. “It’s safer to stay here. There are many people after you, Satoru, it’s too dangerous to be away from the clan.”
“Ehh? But I’m strong! We’re strong enough to protect ourselves!” Satoru says those ever familiar words. “With your Kamui and my Six Eyes and Limitless, we’re practically untouchable!”
“Being left to fend for ourselves means that we’ll be fighting a lot for a long time, Toru.” Obito sends him a challenging lift of brow. “I might as well cry tears of blood by the time we reach 10.”
Shit, he’s right. Satoru didn’t think that far. Stupid, stupid. He’s so used to protecting everyone and himself, he often forgets that not everyone can always keep up with him. Obito might be able to, but that would mean he’ll strain his eyes, and then he might actually lose it entirely!
“No! T-Then… I-I’ll do everything! I’ll do all the fighting!”
“You know I can’t let you do that, Toru.” Obito lets out a deep sigh. “I was exaggerating. I can fight for myself for a long time. Don’t ever think of me as someone to protect.”
Satoru opened his mouth again, about to say something but bit his tongue.
Because Obito has always been someone Satoru had to protect. He already died three times, doesn’t that just back up Satoru’s worries for him? Is it not valid for Satoru to be a little protective over him?
Sure, maybe over time as they grow up, Obito will master his eyes and become a very talented sorcerer even without using his Innate Technique. But would Obito really want to live a life fighting against curses everyday? Would he be able to go through the routine again and again like Satoru did? What if… What if that happens to Obito this time? And then it will be Satoru’s fault all over again. Because Obito is his responsibility now—
“I wanna cut my hair before we leave, Toru.”
Satoru snaps out his thoughts at Obito’s voice again. “Huh? Oh, one of the new maids is good with that. How short will you be having it?”
The dilemma in Satoru’s mind was gone and put back in a corner. He’ll dwell on that later on.
The two of them step down from the stool, finally exiting the bathroom.
“Very short. Like yours, maybe.”
Satoru beams at this, his simple mind focusing entirely on the fact now. “We’ll match again!”
“Sure.”
The moment Obito drops his Technique, Satoru was there to grab his hand to lead.
“Was it straining to keep it on for an hour?” He asks, watching as Obito’s cursed energy returns to its fluctuating state.
It always becomes like that whenever Obito turns off his Technique. In a way, he’s suppressing the cursed energy that naturally comes from his eyes. With that turned off, his cursed energy becomes irregular since it largely originates from them.
Maybe it will stabilize once Obito learns how to spread his cursed energy through the rest of his body. His passive usage of Kamui doesn’t count, since the cursed energy for that skill still comes from his eyes.
At least it’s not attacking the organ anymore.
“No. I can probably keep it on for a year without rest. I just wanted to turn it off.” Obito clarifies, following Satoru’s presence.
This, unfortunately, is something Satoru hadn’t seen coming — His fear coming to life. Obito is blind and Satoru is reminded of that baby with empty sockets for eyes and Satoru can only ground himself by making himself useful to Obito. It’s not out of guilt. Satoru would do this for Obito even without the fear factor, but it just elevates Satoru’s worries.
Satoru does not like feeling helpless, especially when it comes to Obito. So to counter this, he’ll just make sure to be as useful to Obito to the best of his abilities. That’s what it means to be a brother, doesn’t it? Damn. He should’ve talked to Todo more back then.
“If you lose your sight, I’ll be your eyes. If you can’t walk, I’ll carry you. If the world hates you, then I’ll stand there and hate it with you.”
Satoru completely forgot about Toji. But that was to be expected — that man was easily forgettable. Basically dusting at the very end of Satoru’s memory orb shelves. Maybe in the list to be thrown to his Memory Dump already.
(The wounds had stayed even after maximising Reversed Cursed Technique over the wounds. The one on his head still throbs again and again and again—)
He was so focused on having fun with his brother that he forgot the moment he first saw the man and, well, goddamnit he’s bigger than Satoru remembered he’d be.
This man is seriously so weird. Is it even weirder that he literally sees him in Maki back then? He shouldn’t compare the man to his very precious student, but wow, Toji sure likes to haunt Satoru through his students. It took a long time for him to manage to grow out of spooking himself whenever Megumi gets out of the shower, and then he’d come out of that Prison to see Maki practically mirroring the man even through the weapon choice.
Satoru’s memory of that man is certainly limited and short, despite the lasting damage he caused. But he’s sure, 99.9% sure, that Toji hadn’t let out a chuckle the first time they encountered each other.
What’s got him laughing this time around? Is it because of Obito? Did he understand everything that fast already? Seriously? This man is so annoying.
He and Naoya were on that same bar of ‘most annoying’ meter in Satoru’s list. Of course, they’re only second to Sukuna and Kenjaku, but potato potato.
“Listen, Tobi. Twins share a single soul in jujutsu. They’re often considered one person that way.” Satoru tells Obito, squeezing their connected hand outside the event hall for their 6th birthday celebration. “Their souls are split, only having half a soul each and this makes their curse energy become half their possible potential. That’s why the Zen’ins think twins are weak.”
“Does that mean we share the same soul?” Obito asks, tilting his head. “Is that why I’m having these kinds of complications with my eyes?”
No. Satoru would’ve answered, When you died for the second time, you came back as a completed version of your soul. And then you died for the third time because your soul didn’t match the body completely and your cursed energy attacked your eyes on top of that! But you’re fine now! Your soul adapted for some reason, and now you’re blind because you weren’t supposed to have eyes in the first place, isn’t that cool?!
No way Satoru can just tell him that! He doesn’t even understand it in the first place! The ideas mostly just came from this weird instinctive understanding, but there’s no clear memory to back it up on why he even knows about it in the first place!
Besides, telling Obito that it’s not the first time he died could make him question why Satoru knows about the first and second deaths. And frankly, the location they were at wasn’t the best place to have the talk.
Maybe he’ll tell him in the future once Satoru is sure Obito won’t be dying anytime soon again.
“Toru?”
Oh, right, he still needs to provide any kind of answer somehow.
“Hmm…” Satoru closes his eyes, tilting his head in pensiveness. “We actually have different souls, Tobi, so it’s unlikely! Besides, I think that kind of thing only happens to identical twins. We’re not that kind of twins when we have such different hair and eye colours!”
Crap. Maybe Satoru pretended a tad bit too much. He’s playing an uninformed twin who’s supposed to only know as much as Obito already knows, but is misleading him the right call?
Technically, he’s not lying. They were born monochorionic twins, but the distinction to that was blurred when Obito came back with different colours and severed their soul sharing. He should back up. Maybe reveal it in the future that he read the truth in one of the previous Clan Head’s secret stashes?
“Will one twin dying mean that the soul will return to the remaining twin?” Obito asks, remembering the stance of the clan elders that’s only being pushed away for now.
“Bingo! When the other half dies, the other will regain their full soul and have their full potential unlocked to them. That’s why everyone is so incessant in having you killed, just so that I become even more powerful or whatever. They're stupid like that, no matter how much I tell them that you aren’t limiting me.” Satoru rolls his eyes.
“That does sound stupid.”
It’s so stupid that they actually went through it once, Tobi. Satoru doesn’t say.
Once upon a time, Obito did limit him and had to pay the price for it with his death. But now he’s come back with an entire soul and they won’t need to share anymore, anyway! So yes, the conservatives are now stupid to still keep thinking that way and are still rejecting the monstrous presence Obito has. How could they even stand to slander his twin so much when they can’t even speak properly in his presence?
Now that he thinks about it, the two of them practically have the same amount of cursed energy, don’t they? Wow, Satoru must be so used to being next to him that it’s taken him this long to realise it. Is that why no one else, not even the sorcerer guards or the maids, could stand staying around them?
“Where did you learn all this?” Obito asked, once more bringing Satoru out of his fast-paced mind.
“From the old coot.” Satoru answers, pertaining to the late clan head. “He told me a bun’cha stuff and a lotta bullshit. ‘Now is the time to kill it, Satoru-sama, and receive what’s rightfully yours’ BAH! I’d have killed them there and then if he wasn’t already near his deathbed. I still want the money this clan has, so I can’t have us defunct just ‘cuz of this non-issue.”
“Even on his deathbed he doesn’t change his priorities, huh.” Obito let out a laugh.
“Glad he’s dead, anyway. He can’t attempt to plot your death anymore. I saw his notes about poisoning you, Tobi!” Satoru’s tone rose to agitation, the sound of his voice causing the chatter from inside the hall to stop. “Tsk. He even said something like twins being an omen wherever they go because a single soul being in two different bodies is an anomaly or something. His last words were literally saying that even if he dies, fate will still attempt to kill either of us. Says that it’s better to decide who dies now rather than the chances ending up as me.”
“You don’t believe him?” Obito asks.
Maki’s twin died. Mai had decided to kill herself because she didn’t want to limit Maki’s potential. Maki looked so different after. Colder. Sadder. Incomplete despite the fact that she’s reached her full potential.
Suguru’s twins. The girls that made him decide to leave it all. His reason to rid the world of non-shamans, the same kind of people who had tortured those poor girls. Both dying to Sukuna, Yuji had told him, begging him to kill Kenjaku who was using Suguru’s body.
Different kinds of twins. Identical and Fraternal. Still meeting a tragic end. Bad omens. Deaths. Is it really unavoidable?
“There wasn't proof of that statement, I read around after he died.” Everything about the situation irritates Satoru. “If it turns out that it’s not true and the old bastard just cursed us, I’ll genuinely have him be brought back to life and burn him to death.”
There’s still a possibility of that. Maybe the twins being a bad omen was just a misconception due to word of mouth and the only reason for the tragedy was because of stupid people fucking around and finding out catastrophic consequences. Give the twins enough of hatred, of course they’ll be cursed in the end. And with enough curse in place, of course it’ll strike back to the cause two-fold — That’s what happened with the Zen’in Clan that Maki eliminated. That’s what happened to the village that Suguru burned down.
Satoru tends to remember a lot when he’s particularly irritated. Which he isn’t supposed to be on their birthday. And so, Satoru lets go of the feeling. Maybe he’ll revisit that again for later. He’s got a lot to think about, but that future is still far. Right now, he’s going to enjoy the day with his brother.
If only the people around him weren't tempting him so much.
Was Naoya this obsessed with Toji in that life too?
Naoya always holds a permanent sneer on his face whenever he’s in Satoru’s presence, so they never interact unless Satoru deems it funny to annoy the family, which is all the time. But Naoya never made it obvious that he held Toji in such high regard. Did he grow out of it, or was it just locked in his inner thoughts?
Eugh. It makes sense why Satoru never liked the man.
Hopefully, their lack of interaction stays as it does after that 6th birthday of theirs. Especially Kamo Head’s wife. That woman was creepy and as hell. And he meant that in the literal sense. Who tells a 6 year old about their infertility like that? Of all things, what kind of sorcerer would ask for twins? Seriously?
If Satoru were any dumber, he’d think that the woman has a few screws loose in that brain of hers.
But since he’s smart, he does know that there’s something wrong in that brain of hers.
Specifically, he knows that the damn parasitical curse user is in that dead body. The fact that they’ve managed to infiltrate one of the Great Clans makes Satoru seriously consider just how deep this bastard has had his claws into every little information that builds the entirety of Jujutsu Headquarters. Has it wormed its way to the higher-ups? The Zen’in — hell, have they managed to infiltrate Satoru’s clan?
What a headache.
If he could, he would’ve just blasted their head off that night. But that would paint Satoru a mad man. A mad kid? An unstable curse user — nevermind that he has Limitless and Six Eyes. What reason would the higher-ups have to trust him after that? They might even include Obito in on the punishment for the heck of it.
He can’t have that.
Obito needs to live.
And so, Satoru begins his plan: Build A Rapport.
Last time around, Satoru hadn’t taken the whole Clan Head schtick. Back then, his entire focus was centered on his Tamagotchis and learning calculus. He had no time for boring occupations! For someone like him, math and science made it easier to perceive the world, and funnier too. There was also the sneaking out to buy new versions of Tamagotchi and the digimon figurines, and if they’re cute enough, the plushes.
The clan elders tolerated him for as long as he still showed up on his physical training sessions. If he were to prove himself strong enough, he gets to keep that sweet freedom away from the stack of papers and still get praised by everyone everyday.
That childishness left a permanent brand on his name, even after he officially took care of clan matters and the like. The elders doubted his leadership, but apparently not his strength. That was part of the reason why no one extended an invitation for him to join the higher ups, not that he would have joined anyway — but, point is! Satoru only managed to lead back then only due to his status as the strongest. And he thinks some things need to change this time around!
“Are you the strongest because you’re Gojo Satoru? Or are you the Gojo Satoru because you’re the strongest?”
Satoru needs to build up a rapport that he is absolutely fit to lead the clan and be the strongest. This way, no one will doubt his decisions in the future and try to intercept and counter him. Add to that, he’ll have someone in the higher-up seat who knows about Satoru’s feats in the clan! Let them suck up to him, and they’ll continue to do so in the future.
So, he followed a familiar routine. Head Office by 5:00 to make sure he’s the first in the office and he gets to keep an eye on the routines of the Clan Elders and other Council Members that come and go. Attend the 8:00 daily meeting for Council Members, and the closed door 10:00 meeting with the Clan Elders.
By 11:30, he’d usually head to where Obito currently is and eat with him. But overtime, he’s getting invited to the general Clan Head meeting too, or is being asked to meet with some clan elder for an important discussion. By then, he’d already eaten lunch and it’s already 15:00, a time of which he needs to finish some leftover paperworks on top of having to check the improvements around the compound where he asked to change.
He’d end by 18:00 and Obito is giving him a cold stare by the time he gets back to their estate.
You’d think ‘there’s still so much time left! You can still have dinner with him!’
The thing is, Obito is a freak. He’s the kind to follow through a sleeping schedule religiously.
Obito likes to sleep at 20:00 and wake up at 8:00. And then follows through the listed classes they have the differs from day-to-day. He uses his breaks to meditate. What kind of kid has that kind of routine? Obito doesn’t even sleep at noon anymore!
Who even sleeps for 12 hours a day? Wait, are kids their age required to actually sleep that much? Is Satoru the freak here for only sleeping for 5 hours? Shit. This isn’t gonna affect his flawless baby skin, is it?
They’re 9 years old now. How much sleep does a 9 year old need?
Welp. Too late to change his schedule now, anyway. He’ll just doze off behind the pile of papers on his desk!
But what was meant to be the usual 20 minute nap, turned to 2 hours. Why did none of the members wake him up?! Surely, they came through his office for some shit and found him sleeping?! Wow, what assholes. Now, he’s going to finish this later than intended, and Obito will be extra grumpier!
“Tobiii!!!” Satoru crashes him with a hug as they see each other again. The sun had already set and another day had gone by without either of them crossing each other’s path at all. “I miss you, I miss you!!!”
“It’s your fault, Toru.”
“I’m sorryyyyyy!” Those words are common now. That's all Satoru always says to Obito as a greeting. Because Satoru is always in the Clan Head’s office or walking around the compound to deal with something. Always moving in and out of the compound itself because of the meeting a 9 year old clan head has to attend. And when he tried to gather some Zs, he overslept!
Obito’s going to hate him from now on, he’s sure of it! He won’t talk to him anymore, then the next thing he knows is that Satoru’s sleeping on the floor! Maybe in the morning even, he’ll find out Obito moved out to a different estate!
He was about to apologise to his brother. He needs to because Satoru is really shit at handling his schedule. Gods, where is Ichiji when you need him?!
But then he caught a look in Obito’s eyes that made him pause.
“Need some help, Satoru?”
Seriously, Obito is a genius.
—----
What’s fun with being Clan Heads together now is that they can always play ‘Bad Cop, Good Cop’ and they like to switch roles around. This way, the clan members can’t just diss the other one without it sounding hypocritical! They both have individual accomplishments achieved for this ungrateful Clan, they better treasure it well while the twins are still generously cooperative!
He goes back to his obsession with Tamagotchis eventually now that he has more time at his hand, and he even finally manages to get the few premium ones he couldn’t get the last time! Surprisingly, Obito even helps take care of his babies from time to time. Must be because Satoru is always helping him out with getting the best sellers for original Gunplas.
That was also an unexpected obsession to come out of his brother. He knows his brother is weirdly meticulous at times, but not once did Satoru ever consider Obito to have the patience to sit through hours assembling Gundams! Honestly, Satoru initially thought that Obito’s patience was only reserved for him. Because why wouldn’t it be?
Hmm… That makes Satoru sound a bit possessive. Time to backtrack!
He once asked Obito why he suddenly liked Gundam and his answer was simple.
“I saw it in a dream. I think I could make my own kind one day.”
Which, pause. Is his brother secretly Mechamaru?
“W.. What do you mean?” Satoru couldn’t hold back the nervousness in his voice that made Obito give him a half-lidded stare. His feelings are valid, okay?! He doesn’t even remember much about Mechamaru at the moment! He was Utahime’s kid, not Gojo’s!
“Well… It’s not a mech if that’s what you’re thinking.” Obito finally decided on, going back to inspecting a chest plate of the mech and the instructions on the floor. “Think of a Tengu, it can be used as a shield and as an offence because it’s more of an extension of me.”
“A shikigami?”
“‘Dunno. Probably?” Obito drawls out lazily, snapping the chest piece and the lower abdomen part of the mech together. “There’s levels I need to be able to do before I perfect its full potential. The process is similar to building Gunpla, not including the preparation part of it, though, and not the cleaning chipped parts. Just straight to the assembly part.”
He presented this unfinished part to Satoru. It still lacked the chest plate and the engine on its back to finish the look.
“The first level is to be able to form the ribs around me. Just with that, I can probably block any attack aimed towards me. But I’m still vulnerable to attacks aimed vertically at me. I can also make use of its skeletal arm, but I won’t be able to use both at the same time at that level.”
“Will it only be anchored to you?” Satoru was very curious. The way Obito talks about it makes it not sound like a shikigami at all.
“Maybe? We could experiment around with it once I figured out how to form it.” Obito shrugs, clipping a shoulder to the still incomplete chest of the mech. “Level 2 is when I finally manage to make its other skeletal parts, complete with the head, spine, and all that. From there, Level 3 is turning it humanoid. Did I mention that the two levels don’t have legs yet?”
“Nope. Now my imagination of your Tengu is ruined.”
Obito snorts, “You’ll manage, Toru.”
“Continue about your dream shikigami, Tobi.” Satoru nudges him, dropping his cheek to Obito’s shoulder. If Obito was having a much difficult time assembling his Gunpla while Satoru’s so close, he doesn’t push him away. “Does Level 3 Tengu have legs or not?”
“It can have legs. But Level 4 is the most ideal version. It’s when it finally gets its armor.” Obito finally snaps the chest plate that goes across the mech’s shoulder blades. He places the helmet Satoru was assigned on completing earlier and it made the Gunpla look more distinct. “That’s probably the form I’ll mostly use, if ever. It won’t drain me as much, but I could also use just the ribs if needed too.”
“What about the Tengu’s wings?” Satoru asks, glancing at the already assembled parts area that Obito started on minutes ago. He always likes to build the wings first and add them last. “It’s not a Tengu shikigami if it doesn’t have wings.”
He grabs for it, not removing his face from Obito’s shoulder. He managed to pull it close using the lightest Blue, placing the wings and weapon on his palm for Obito to just easily grab.
“That’s part of its last stage. Level 5 is the Tengu finally having functional wings and weapons.” Obito hums, finally making the mech stand on its own as he finishes both of its legs. “It’s the most draining one to keep up, though the most useful one. It’s called Perfect Susanoo after all.”
Satoru’s entire body froze, face going through a multitude of expressions; confusion, remembrance, bewilderment, scepticism, hesitation, and finally, more confusion.
Obito had already taken the wings and weapon from his palm by the time he came to.
“You named your shikigami Susanoo.”
It was not a question. Frankly, it’s not the first time Obito named his Technique using the characters of the word God. But come on, a Shintō God?
“What’s next, Amaterasu?” Satoru blurted out. He didn’t mean to say that out loud, but then Obito had bursted out laughing.
“Ha! No, I can’t do that. Would’ve been a useful technique, though.” Obito shakes his head, shit-eating grin on his face.
The fact that Obito believes it exists only fuels Satoru’s disbelief.
Nope, not taking this bait from Obito. It’s making Satoru’s head swim just hearing about it!
Seriously, he’s never heard of a Sorcerer naming their Techniques using some God’s name. Sorcerers need creativity with their skills, you know! If you name it something vague, then you can keep the enemy guessing on what your technique actually is! But who names a Tengu shikigami out of the Shintō God of Sea, Storms and Fields? His twin brother, apparently.
“And that’s the limit of how much information Gojo Satoru can take!” Satoru stands up, clapping his palms together as he changes the topic. “Now, it’s time to plan for our birthday in a few days! Any ideas, Tobi?”
Obito lets out a snicker at his reaction. Satoru always reacts animatedly when he overloads him with information about his Innate Technique — Sharingan Technique. Obito sure knows just the words to say that even Satoru ‘TMI Final Boss’ Gojo short circuits at his answers.
“We could just spend it at the estate with just the two of us this year.” Obito coughs into his arm, finally placing the finished Gunpla in his collection case. “And then we could spend Christmas Eve in a carnival.”
“How about gifts?!”
Obito tilts his head, and suddenly snaps his finger as he turns around with excitement. “I heard a new series of Gunpla models is gonna be released soon!”
How could Satoru say no to that face?
“Itadori?”
For a moment, Satoru really thought that he was back in that time again. The image of a pink haired teen wearing an easy smile towards Satoru, even when their world had gone to shit.
But the one in front of Satoru turned around and he’s faced with an unfamiliar face.
Yuuji didn’t wear glasses.
And the one next to him is certainly too feminine to be Megumi.
Obito turned to him, “You know them, Toru?”
Satoru is many things — to cut the list short, there’s not a battle he backs out of. Because he’s that strong.
But this scenario is a land mine he absolutely cannot step on, Limitless and all!
“Nope~ Let’s go inside, Tobi!” He pushes him through the door, Obito letting himself be manhandled. “I’m hungry and thirsty!”
If Satoru is correct, which he usually is, those two would be Yuuji’s birth parents. But it’s only the year 2001, less than two years before his precious student is born! He doesn’t know what happened to his parents that had them missing by 2005, but Satoru can’t deal with them yet until he makes sure Yuuji exists.
They ignore the Itadori couple’s looks as they go inside the cafe. They won’t approach them because of Satoru’s slip up, won’t they? He doesn’t know their personality well, so Satoru really can’t afford to make contact this early.
But the woman’s eyes for some reason trained on Satoru suddenly, like realisation dawning on her. But before she could do anything, the door of the cafe was already shut and the twins have already blended into the busy crowd inside the establishment.
“Who were they?” Obito asks again once they’ve finished ordering and finally taking a seat. The couple was long gone then. “You looked pretty surprised back there.”
“Aww, you think I’m pretty, Tobi?” Satoru bats him his eyelashes, to which Obito gives him an unimpressed stare.
“Toru.”
“Hmph, you’re no fun.” Satoru slumps his face down to the table with a huff. “I just thought I saw someone similar. In my dream, that is.”
“Someone named Itadori?” Obito asks, he doesn’t sound like he’s doubting the possibility of Satoru’s dream to be imaginary.
Satoru stares at him. Obito also likes to use their dreams as a way to explain something that naturally comes to them. Satoru suddenly knows when a clan elder will die? He’ll say he got it in a dream. Obito suddenly explaining something about moves that weren’t taught to them yet? He’ll say he saw it in a dream once.
Is it weird that the words don't make it sound like they're some kind of psychic? Obito takes everything Satoru says at face value, and he to Obito. If anything, it just makes it sound like Obito already lived the life in his dream. Is that also what Satoru sounds like to him?
He wouldn’t care where Obito’s soul came from, regardless. As long as it’s still him and he’s still here, Satoru will take what he can get for as long as he’s safe.
“Itadori Yuuji.” Satoru finally settles on. He trusts Obito enough with the information. He trusts his brother. “I think he’ll be their son.”
He feels a poke at his cheek as Obito beckons him to look at him. Obito was wearing a passive expression.
Satoru wonders then, if this is the moment they’ll finally get to have that talk. After all, even Obito is still keeping things to himself under his same excuse of ‘dreams’.
But the moment and perfect opportunity slipped away to the back burner when their orders arrived. When Satoru felt relief from the interruption, he berated himself for being such a coward. He’s still not yet ready to tell Obito about the horrors of their birth.
It’s been months since Satoru ran into Yuuji’s dad. Since then, he’s been keeping track of the family.
It’d be too conspicuous if he were to hire curse users or any people of his to monitor the family close. He still worries that any kind of change he puts around them is gonna delete Yuuji from existence.
Imagine his surprise when he learned that Kaori Itadori’s car accident happened just a few weeks after that encounter. After that, he had pulled away from the family all together. He had known that she'd be in an accident, somehow. When asking around about Wusuke Itadori, everyone always repeated the words “She’d changed ever since the accident!”
But the fact that it was so close to their encounterer worried him. So instead, he decided to give them a few months. Deciding to investigate again just four months before Yuuji’s date of birth. That was the safest timeline Satoru decided on.
He just didn’t expect how suspicious everything about this family was in the first place.
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Patient Name: Kaori Itadori
Sex: Female
Age: 24
Date Admitted: December 28, 2001
Event: Single-vehicle crash during severe snowstorm conditions
Primary Injury: Severe cranial trauma from frontal impactPatient was declared clinically deceased at the scene following cardiac and respiratory arrest. Resuscitative measures resumed upon hospital arrival.
EMERGENCY & SURGICAL ACTIONS
Immediate life-saving procedures were performed, including:
- Advanced cardiac resuscitation
- Emergency craniotomy
- Intracranial hemorrhage evacuation
- Fracture stabilization
- Forehead laceration reconstruction and layered suturing
Cardiac activity resumed during surgery.
All procedures were logged, timestamped, and signed by attending surgeons and anesthesiology staff.
No discrepancies found in operative documentation.
NEUROLOGICAL STATUS
Initial findings indicated:
- Diffuse traumatic brain injury
- Cerebral swelling
- Suppressed cortical activity
- Comatose state (GCS 3)
Patient remained under intensive care and ventilatory support.
RECOVERY TIMELINE
- Coma Duration: 2 months
- Consciousness Recovery: Spontaneous
- Rehabilitation Period: 2 additional months
Gradual restoration of cognitive, motor, and autonomic functions observed.
Attending physicians classified recovery as medically extraordinary but within statistical possibility.
Now, how the fuck is that possible. In what human era is a woman recovering from a fatal car crash that split her head open under 4 months within statistical possibility?
Next to him, Obito was also reading the report with him.
He was the one to pick up the photo of a 5 month pregnant Kaori Itadori, her forehead stitched scar having healed already.
Kenjaku. Satoru cursed the name over and over inside his mind. Who knew that parasite had been playing a creepy long game plan over all of the sorcerer society? Just how many layers were his plans to achieve what he did back then?
The information he gathered now was non-existent by the time adult Gojo searched Yuuji’s background. He thought nothing of it at the time — many people get erased and forgotten due to curses. Sorcerers aren’t heroes, and curse users are certainly no vigilantes.
Why infiltrate the Itadori’s?
The Itadori’s weren’t connected to any curse-user family. Not even when Satoru followed their family tree.
Kaori was from a curse-user, if anything else. But still not from a prominent family, not even participating in any job that would be illegal by Jujutsu standard. Is that why she had recognised him? Every curse user knows about Satoru Gojo, of course.
Why Kaori Itadori?
Certainly, it’s not because Kanjaku fell for Jin Itadori and decided to body snatch his wife and bear his seed, is it? That would be.. Should Satoru really judge it like that? No, what kind of fucker is willing to bend his back to bear children?
Yuuji Itadori.
Was the incident with Yuuji swallowing Sukuna’s fingers actually an accident?
“What’s the plan, Toru?” Obito sways the photo front and back, giving him a tilt of his head. Does he understand what’s running through Satoru’s mind right now?
It’s been a while since Satoru’s mind ran like this. He hadn’t thought about that life in years now, ever since Obito and he became clan heads.
But then again, they have less than 3 years until it’s time to attend Jujutsu High again.
Is it high time to start placing down some changes?
Satoru slams his palms down the table, standing up abruptly with a decision.
“Alright, Tobi! It’s time!” Satoru turns to him with a scheming smile, “Let’s visit Sendai!”
“Finish your paperworks first.”
“Nope! We shall head to the rendezvous point this instant!”
“I don’t want to wake up with this still un-signed tomorrow, Satoru.”
“Aw, man.”
