Gojo was seriously contemplating to just kill the higher-ups once and for all.

Those old, decrepit fossils had gone and done the one thing that not even Gojo would ever think they were capable of doing. They made sure Gojo was as far away from the school grounds as possible, and then they sent his students on a special-grade mission. Special grade! A grade higher than any of them had ever handled. And they were just first-years.

Gojo was so close to committing mass-murder.

The special-grade mission had gone as horribly wrong as it possibly could have. When Yaga called him to inform him of the situation, he had already felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Those bastards had done this on purpose, Gojo was sure. And now, as he watched his student—his sweet, innocent, kind, wonderful Yuji—lay motionless on the autopsy table, all he wanted was to wipe those old fucks off the face of the Earth.

"You're being emotional for once," Shoko remarked as she stepped beside him, holding a clipboard. "You really had a soft spot for him, huh?"

"Sure," Gojo replied. "I'm a nice guy who looks out for his students."

Shoko snorted. "Right."

She went around to the other side of the autopsy table, standing across Gojo as she prepared her surgical tools.

"So this is Sukuna's vessel," she said, looking down at Yuji's corpse. "So I can dissect him any way I want, right?"

Gojo felt a little pang of sadness at her words. He had always seen Yuji as his own person. Not the vessel for some evil, all-powerful, millenia-old curse, but a young boy who had been thrown into this life and tried his best to do what was right.

"You better make it worth it," he said, his voice coming out softer than he had intended.

"I will," Shoko assured. "Who do you think I am?"

She turned around to gather her tools, and Gojo found himself staring down at Yuji. His eyes were closed, his chest was bare, and there was a huge gaping hole in his chest. Gojo had seen his fair share of death and gore, but the sight still made him uncomfortable.

Ijichi was standing next to Gojo, sweating nervously as he kept his gaze fixed on the floor. Gojo felt the urge to slap him. Not because he blamed Ijichi, but because it would make him feel a bit better.

"I have a dream," Gojo declared suddenly, startling Ijichi.

"A dream?" Ijichi repeated.

"Yup," Gojo nodded. "As they made clear with Yuji, the higher-ups are the scum of the jujutsu world. Selfish idiots, bloodline idiots, proud idiots - just plain idiots."

Ijichi looked increasingly more uncomfortable.

"I'm gonna reset this crappy jujutsu world." Gojo declared.

"Eh?!" Ijichi squeaked.

Gojo continued, ignoring him. "It'd be easy to kill everyone who's in charge. But someone else would just take their place. Nothing would change. And it's not as if people approve of massacres anyway," he shrugged, watching Ijichi squirm. "So that's why I'm turning to education. I need strong and intelligent allies. I need to foster them."

He paused.

"To that end, I'll sometimes assign my missions to them," he explained, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "They are all great. Especially third-year Hakari and second-year Okkotsu. They'll be as good as me someday."

"I-I see," Ijichi mumbled.

Gojo looked at Yuji's dead body and his fists clenched. He had no doubt Yuji would have become an amazing sorcerer as well, if only he had been given the chance.

Shoko's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hey guys, I'm about to get started," she announced, pulling her gloves on. "You just gonna sit there and watch?"

But Gojo wasn't paying attention anymore. His gaze was fixed on the boy sitting up on the autopsy table, alive and breathing, staring down at his hands as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Ijichi let out a strangled gasp and his mouth hung open. Shoko turned around, surprised, her eyes widening when she saw the boy.

Yuji looked up, his eyes landing on the three of them. His eyes filled with tears, and his expression was so raw, so emotional, that Gojo almost didn't recognize him.

"Yuji," Gojo called, stepping forward, his mind racing with a million thoughts.

That was when Yuji let out a choked sob, and he scrambled off the table. Gojo didn't even have the chance to blink before Yuji was throwing himself at him, arms wrapped around his waist and face buried in his chest.

"Gojo-sensei," Yuji gasped. "Gojo-sensei."

"Yuji, what-" Gojo started, his mind blank.

"Gojo-sensei," Yuji wept against his chest, hugging him tightly.

Gojo looked up, confused, and his eyes met with Shoko's. She looked as baffled as he was.

Gojo placed his hands on Yuji's shoulders and gently pushed him back. Yuji's face was a mess of tears, snot, and hiccuping sobs, and his eyes were filled with so much emotion that Gojo was overwhelmed.

"Is this- Is this a dream?" Yuji asked, his voice shaking. "I'm dead? Is this the afterlife?"

Gojo blinked. He certainly didn't expect that.

"You are alive," he answered. "Do you remember what happened?"

Yuji's lower lip trembled and more tears filled his eyes.

"Sukuna, he-" Yuji swallowed thickly, his throat bobbing. "He killed me."

Gojo looked at the boy, trying to read his face, trying to understand his emotions.

"That's right Yuji," he said carefully. "You switched with him at the detention center to save Megumi and Nobara and he ripped out your heart."

Yuji's eyes widened.

"W-wait, switched? Detention center? No, Sukuna is- Sukuna is..."

Yuji trailed off, his eyes widening and his pupils dilating. The change was subtle, but Gojo caught it.

"No," Yuji whispered, and the pure terror on his face was so different from his usual self. "No, no, no."

He stepped away from Gojo, his eyes darting around the room wildly. His breath came out in panicked gasps and he shook his head repeatedly, like he was in denial.

"Yuji, are you okay?" Gojo asked, reaching out a hand.

"No," Yuji gasped, stepping back. "No, no, no no, please, please, no."

Gojo watched as Yuji fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself and rocking back and forth.

"Yuji!" he called, kneeling in front of him.

He placed a hand on Yuji's shoulder, and the boy flinched violently. Gojo was taken aback by the fear in his eyes, the way his body trembled. It was so unlike the usual Yuji, who was always so warm and comforting and friendly.

"Please," Yuji sobbed. "Please don't make me go through it again, please."

Gojo's heart wrenched at the sight of him, and he had no idea how to react. He didn't know what Yuji was talking about, what had happened to him. But he was crying, and begging, and trembling, and it was so unlike him that Gojo's heart ached.

"Yuji, please," Gojo said softly. "Talk to me, tell me what happened."

Yuji just kept shaking his head and crying, refusing to meet Gojo's eyes.

"Yuji, please. Tell me what's wrong," Gojo insisted.

But Yuji just buried his face in his hands and sobbed. Gojo was completely lost. What was happening?

Yuji coming back from the dead was unexpected, but he hadn't entirely ruled out the possibility of it, given Sukuna's abilities. Yuji's reaction, however, was completely out of the blue. It was unlike anything Gojo had seen from him. To be completely honest, when he saw the boy sit up, he expected a lighthearted smile, a cheerful greeting, and a happy hug. Not whatever the hell was happening right now.

Gojo had no idea how to handle this.

"I'm gonna go change the report," Shoko said quietly.

Gojo's head snapped up, and he glared at her.

"No. Leave as it is. We can't have the higher-ups knowing that Yuji is back."

Shoko looked confused.

"You're not telling them?" she asked.

"Not until I figure out what's going on," Gojo answered, looking back down at Yuji, who was still sobbing uncontrollably.

"Ijichi," he ordered. "If you tell anyone, I will kill you."

Ijichi squeaked in response, fleeing the room.

Shoko looked unsure. "You sure about this, Satoru?"

"Yup," Gojo nodded, his gaze not leaving Yuji.

Shoko sighed and nodded.

"Alright. I'll leave him to you then."

"I'm counting on you," Gojo replied.

He heard Shoko's footsteps fade, and the door open and close.

Then, the two of them were alone.

"Yuji," Gojo whispered, his tone gentle and soothing.

Yuji was still crying, his entire body shaking. He had curled into a ball, his forehead resting against the ground, his hands fisted in his hair. He looked so small, so vulnerable.

"Yuji, please. Talk to me," Gojo begged.

"I can't," Yuji choked out.

"Why not?" Gojo asked.

"I can't," Yuji repeated, his voice breaking. "I can't, I can't."

Gojo reached out, and this time, Yuji didn't flinch. He placed his hand on the back of Yuji's neck, his fingers brushing the boy's hair.

"It's okay, Yuji," Gojo murmured, his thumb stroking the boy's neck.

"Please don't make me do it again," Yuji wept. "Please, please, I can't."

"I won't," Gojo promised. "You don't have to do anything, I'll handle it. Just talk to me, Yuji."

Yuji didn't answer, he just kept crying. Gojo let him. He kept his hand on the back of Yuji's neck, his thumb rubbing gentle circles. He didn't know how long they stayed like that. Eventually, Yuji's sobs slowed, and he eventually raised his head, looking up at Gojo with tear-stained cheeks.

"Sorry, sensei," he sniffled.

Gojo removed his blindfold and stared at the boy with his six eyes. Yuji's soul was in a state of complete disarray, a whirlwind of emotions and pain. It was as if it was trying to rip itself apart. Gojo had never seen anything like it.

"What happened to you, Yuji?" Gojo whispered, his heart aching.

Yuji just looked at him, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

"I'm so tired," he mumbled.

"I'm gonna take you somewhere safe, alright?" Gojo said. "You're going to rest, and then we'll talk. Okay?"

Yuji didn't respond. He just stared at Gojo with wide, lost eyes.

Gojo sighed, and carefully scooped the boy up. Yuji didn't react. He didn't protest, didn't try to pull away, he just stared straight ahead, his eyes empty and unfocused.

It was unsettling.

Gojo took the boy to one of the secret rooms that the higher-ups didn't know about. He sat Yuji on the bed, and went to grab him some clothes. When he returned, he found the boy still sitting on the bed, his head hanging low.

"Change into these," Gojo instructed, handing him the clothes.

Yuji did, and it was as if his body was on autopilot. His movements were robotic, and he didn't protest or ask any questions. He just followed Gojo's instructions.

Gojo's heart twisted at the sight.

"We're not going to tell anyone about your revival," Gojo explained, his eyes locked on the boy. "The higher-ups are a bunch of idiots and I can't trust them. For now, you're going to stay here, and I will train you to use your cursed energy."

Yuji let out a sound that almost sounded like a chuckle.

"You don't have to," he said.

"Excuse me?" Gojo asked, bewildered.

"I already know how to use my cursed energy," Yuji said, his voice void of emotion.

Gojo blinked, taken aback.

"What?"

"I know how to use my cursed energy," Yuji said again, his expression blank.

Gojo studied him for a moment, trying to understand what the hell was happening. His six eyes confirmed that the flow of cursed energy in Yuji's body was different. It was more controlled, more focused. And the amount was...

"How is that possible?" Gojo demanded, his eyes wide.

"Because I trained," Yuji said, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"But- When did you-" Gojo stammered, completely at a loss.

Yuji didn't answer.

Gojo stood there, staring at him. There were a million thoughts running through his mind, but none of them were making sense. Yuji looked up at him, his eyes empty and tired.

"What happened to you, Yuji?" Gojo whispered.

"I died," Yuji answered.

And that was all he said.

---

Gojo was pacing back and forth, his thoughts racing. He had been doing this for the past two hours, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Nothing added up.

Yuji wasn't supposed to have a strong control of cursed energy. He wasn't supposed to know how to use it, or even have the capacity to. Hell, he was a regular human just two weeks ago.

Yet, Yuji's cursed energy was stronger than before, and his control over it was remarkable. His soul, however, was in shambles. As if someone had taken a sledgehammer to it and left it a crumbling mess.

Gojo had no idea what had happened. Yuji wasn't being very cooperative. He was just sitting on the bed, his eyes unfocused and his expression blank. It was as if he had completely shut down.

Gojo was starting to worry. He knew it was normal to be traumatized after dying, but this seemed a little extreme. It was like Yuji had completely lost his will to live. Sometimes, he'd mumble incoherent things, and Gojo couldn't tell if he was even aware of the world around him.

This wasn't the same bright and cheerful boy he knew.

"Sensei," Yuji spoke up suddenly, snapping Gojo out of his thoughts.

Gojo looked over at him.

"Yes, Yuji?"

"I want you to kill me."

Gojo's heart stopped.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"I want you to kill me," Yuji repeated, his gaze still empty.

Gojo stared at him, speechless.

"I'm serious," Yuji said, finally looking up and meeting his gaze. "You should have done it the first time, when I ate that first finger. You should have killed me right then and there."

Gojo couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yuji, what are you talking about?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I don't know why I'm here. I don't know why I'm back. But if I'm here, that means I have a chance to change things," Yuji continued. "I need to die."

"Yuji, listen, I-"

"I'm serious," Yuji pressed. "If you won't kill me, then I'll do it myself."

Gojo's eyes widened.

"Don't say that," he warned.

"Why not? It's the truth. If I die, Sukuna will be gone. I can fix everything," Yuji insisted.

Gojo swallowed thickly.

"I don't know what happened to you, but please, listen to me," Gojo begged, his voice trembling. "I'm going to fix this. Whatever happened, I'm going to fix it. Please, just give me a chance."

Yuji met his gaze.

"You can't fix it," he said quietly. "No one can."

"You don't know that," Gojo argued. "I'm the strongest sorcerer in the world, and I can do anything. Trust me."

Yuji just looked at him, his eyes full of grief.

"You're not strong enough," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Gojo's heart broke at those words.

He had no idea what was happening. But one thing was for sure; something had broken Yuji. Something had shattered his spirit, his will to live. And Gojo didn't know what it was, but he was determined to fix it. He would bring back the cheerful, optimistic boy that he knew.

No matter what it took.

He would protect Yuji.

---

"Fushiguro!" Yuji screamed, his eyes widening in shock.

"Don't you remember? We'll be able to see something interesting. Didn't I say that?"

Yuji watched, horrified, as Sukuna's marks appeared on his best friend's face.

"Fushiguro?" he gasped.

Sukuna's wicked smile spread across Megumi's face, his eyes cold and cruel. His fist struck Yuji's stomach, and he crumpled to the ground, his body wracked with pain. All he could hear was the sound of his own screams, and all he could feel was the agony of losing the person he cared most about in the world.

-

When Gojo returned to the room, carrying a box of takeaway, Yuji was sitting on the floor, curled into a ball. The boy's shoulders were trembling, his breathing ragged and uneven.

"Yuji?" Gojo asked.

There was no response.

"Are you hungry? I brought some food," Gojo offered, hoping the boy would snap out of whatever trance he was in.

But Yuji just sat there, his eyes squeezed shut, his breathing labored. Gojo frowned, concern bubbling in his chest. He put the takeaway on the table and crouched down next to the boy, his hand resting on his shoulder.

"Yuji," he murmured, gently squeezing his shoulder. "Look at me, please."

The boy's eyes snapped open, and the raw fear and panic in them made Gojo's heart clench.

"It's okay, Yuji. You're safe," he assured, his hand rubbing comforting circles on the boy's back.

Yuji didn't respond. He just stared at Gojo with terrified, glassy eyes. Gojo had no idea what had triggered this. He'd been gone for less than an hour, and when he left, Yuji was fine. Or as fine as he could be, considering the situation.

He really wished he knew how to handle this. But the truth was, he was completely out of his depth. He was used to handling death and violence. Hell, he was surrounded by it. He was a Jujutsu sorcerer, after all. But the haunted, desperate look in Yuji's eyes was something he'd never seen before. It made his chest tighten and his stomach twist.

"F-fushiguro," Yuji choked out, his hands fisted in his hair and tugging painfully.

"What?" Gojo asked, taken aback.

"Fushiguro," Yuji repeated, his voice hoarse and strained. "He's not- he can't-"

Gojo's heart skipped a beat.

"Yuji, please, look at me," he urged.

Yuji didn't seem to hear him. He just kept repeating Fushiguro's name, his voice becoming more and more frantic. Gojo wrapped his arms around the boy, trying to calm him down.

"Please, Yuji, look at me," he pleaded.

Yuji's eyes finally met his, and the fear and desperation in them was enough to break Gojo's heart.

"Megumi's okay, Yuji," Gojo assured. "He's alive. I promise."

Yuji stared at him, his chest heaving.

"I don't-"

"I swear, Megumi's okay," Gojo repeated. "He's not in any danger. I would never let anything happen to him. You know that, right?"

Yuji didn't say anything, his eyes wide and his body trembling. Gojo wasn't sure the boy was even hearing him. He just kept muttering Fushiguro's name under his breath, his breathing ragged and his body shaking.

He couldn't imagine what the boy was going through. He had no idea how to comfort him, how to reassure him. So he did the only thing he could think of.

He sat down next to the boy and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Yuji tensed, his breathing hitching.

"It's okay," Gojo whispered, holding him close. "You're safe."

Yuji didn't move. He didn't speak. He just sat there, frozen, his breath coming out in shallow gasps.

Gojo kept holding him, his hand rubbing gentle circles on the boy's back. Eventually, Yuji's breathing started to even out, and his shoulders relaxed.

"You're safe," Gojo repeated.

Yuji leaned into him, his face buried in Gojo's shoulder. His arms wrapped around Gojo's waist, his fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt.

"I'm sorry," Yuji mumbled, his voice muffled. "I'm so sorry."

Gojo didn't know if the apology was meant for him or for something else, but he didn't care. He just held the boy close, his heart breaking for him.

---

Gojo knew that he couldn't leave Yuji alone. The boy was clearly suffering from some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder, and if he was left unsupervised, who knows what he would do. He was obviously not in a stable state of mind.

But it was impossible for Gojo to stay in the room all the time. He had other things he needed to do, other people he needed to take care of. But leaving Yuji alone was not an option.

There was only one person he could trust to watch over the boy. Only one person who had proven that they could handle a situation like this.

And so, he called Nanami.

"So, let me get this straight. You want me to babysit a teenager who is, for some unknown reason, traumatized beyond belief and who also has Sukuna, the most powerful sorcerer in existence, residing in him?" Nanami deadpanned, his tone flat.

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds kind of bad," Gojo chuckled nervously.

"Why can't you just leave him in the infirmary?" Nanami asked, sighing in exasperation.

"Well, you see, he's supposed to be dead, so I can't exactly explain why he's not," Gojo replied.

"I still don't understand how this happened," Nanami admitted.

"Neither do I," Gojo confessed. "But he's here now, and I need someone to keep an eye on him. Please, Nanami, I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important."

Nanami raised an eyebrow.

"Gojo Satoru, actually asking for help? Now that's a first," he quipped.

Gojo gave him a half-hearted smile.

"Will you help me?" he asked, his tone serious.

Nanami sighed again.

"Fine. I'll do it. But you owe me," he agreed.

"Thank you, Nanami," Gojo said sincerely.

Nanami shook his head.

"Don't mention it," he said.

-

There are a lot of different ways Gojo imagined Yuji might react when he introduced Nanami, but none of them involved him throwing himself at the man and clinging to him like a lifeline.

"Nanamin!" Yuji sobbed, his face buried in the man's chest.

Nanami stood there awkwardly, his arms pinned to his sides and a look of confusion on his face.

"I'm so glad you're here," Yuji cried. "I'm so, so, so glad you're okay."

Nanami looked at Gojo, his eyebrows raised.

"Nanamin?" he mouthed.

Gojo shrugged, giving him a helpless look.

Nanami turned his attention back to the boy who was crying against his chest. He lifted his arms, his hand settling on the boy's back and awkwardly patting him.

"It's, uh, it's okay," Nanami said, his voice uncertain.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry," Yuji babbled, his words barely intelligible.

Nanami just held him, his hand rubbing slow, comforting circles on the boy's back. He threw Gojo another confused look, but the sorcerer just shrugged, at a loss.

Yuji eventually pulled away, his face red and streaked with tears. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, his shoulders trembling.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm just- I'm so glad you're okay."

"Yeah, um, you too," Nanami said awkwardly. "I- I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't understand. You know me?"

Yuji looked at him, his eyes filled with pain and grief.

"You don't- of course you don't," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Nanamin, this is Yuji Itadori. He's my student," Gojo introduced, hoping to break the tension. "And for some reason, he thinks he knows you."

Nanami looked at the boy, his expression softening.

"Oh, well, it's nice to meet you, Yuji," he said, holding out his hand.

Yuji looked at the hand, then up at Nanami's face. He took a shaky breath, his eyes filling with tears again.

"Nanamin," he murmured. "It's really you."

Before Nanami could respond, Yuji wrapped his arms around the man again, hugging him tightly. Nanami sighed, but he didn't push the boy away.

"He seems to have an attachment to you," Gojo said, his tone light, but his expression concerned.

"That's an understatement," Nanami muttered, patting the boy's back. "Are you going to explain to me what's going on here, or am I supposed to figure it out on my own?"

"Beats me," Gojo shrugged. "I don't have a clue either."

Nanami sighed, shaking his head.

"Alright, fine. I guess I'm on babysitting duty now," he grumbled.

Gojo grinned.

"Thanks, Nanami," he said sincerely. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Nanami nodded.

"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively. "Just make sure to tell me what the hell is going on here."

Gojo's grin widened.

"You got it."