Concern and Control | Satoru Gojo x Reader

Chapter 14: Unravel

"Do you trust me?"

"I do, but this—this is insane," you responded.

He tilted his head slightly, "What, are you concerned that you might hurt me?"

"I potentially could, yes."

In the waning afternoon light, you strained against the limits of your abilities on the vast training ground. Each attempt to harness the cursed energy of an actual curse left you more fractured than the last. Satoru didn't make it any better; he interrupted your efforts even before you could fully engage, unlike the past where he had pushed you relentlessly. Somehow, you wanted that back.

"You're giving yourself too much credit. You're far too unstable to hurt me."

But after countless attempts, it was still so much. Negative emotions from the curses still overwhelmed you. So he decided to change tactics. You spent the next few minutes arguing, trying to avoid what sounded more insane by the moment.

"Okay, maybe I'll try it," you finally conceded.

"Good girl," Satoru said, his stupid smirk returning to his face.

You held his gaze for a moment before looking away, "You know that I'll feel the very essence of your cursed energy when I'm manipulating it, right?"

"I'm aware."

"I'll see everything, Satoru."

"I don't have anything to hide from you."

"I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"You're just buying yourself time to find an escape," he teased, a playful glint in his eye.

You rolled your eyes, "Fine, let's just do it."

The training ground was silent, the only sound being the soft fall of snow around you.

"Try it," he said, his face turning serious once again.

You nodded, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. You could feel the pulsating energy of Gojo's cursed technique, and you braced yourself for what was to come. As you locked eyes with Satoru, you felt yourself being drawn in, his piercing blue eyes captivating you, making it hard to focus on anything else.

You took a deep breath, trying to center yourself as you reached out with your cursed technique. The pulsating energy of his cursed energy met you, and you immediately felt the surge of power, overwhelming and intense.

But as you delved deeper, manipulating the energy to try to peace trough his infinity, you began to sense the emotions intertwined with it. Sorrow, despair, a well of unspoken pain that seemed to have no end. This was unlike anything you had ever experienced with curses or other sorcerers. They were angry, but Satoru was not; he was broken.

You couldn't help but wonder where it all came from, what could have possibly caused such intense feelings in someone as seemingly unbreakable as Satoru Gojo.

Somehow, his sorrow felt like it was yours to bear. The losses he endured, the pain he hid so well, it all weighed heavily on your heart. Your eyes burned with unshed tears as his emotions threatened to overwhelm you.

"Focus," Satoru's voice broke through the haze, "These emotions aren't yours."

You shook your head, attempting to dispel the fog of his despair that clouded your mind. You needed to concentrate, to prove to him—and to yourself—that you could do this. But it was hard, so fucking hard, when every part of you wanted to succumb to the pain, to run from the emotions that weren't yours but felt agonizingly real.