CURSED LOVE (Various!Jujutsu Kaisen x Kanroji!Reader)

CHAPTER 6: Checkmate! (Taylor's Version)

"Kanroji." On your way to breakfast, you heard someone call your name. Midstride, you whirled yourself around to come face to face with your serious upperclassman. He was lucky that you were a kind person, because if you weren't, stopping you on your way to acquire food would have spelled out misfortune.

"Oh! Good morning, Matsuo-senpai! How did you sleep?" His solemn exterior started to crumble at your sincerity. You really were too good for the cruel Jujutsu world.

"Today, during the event..." He reached to put his hands on your shoulders, then hesitated. I... didn't ask to touch her shoulders. I can't touch her shoulders without asking, right? Like, that's definitely not okay, right? Oh my god, she's gonna think I'm so creepy. And she'll be right-

"You can put your hands on my shoulders, Matsuo-senpai," you chirped out your consent. "I don't mind!"

He acquiesced and settled his hands on your shoulders. You kept smiling up at him, something he was starting to think was dangerous for his health.

"Well... I - um..." He sighed, looking down. He whispered "Shiori is so much better at this than me" to which you paid no mind. You altered your visage to display an expression of concern. You tilted your head.

"Is something-"

"During the event, use your strength," he said, and your eyes flew wide open in surprise.

"W-What?!" Out of pure habit, your eyes looked around for any potentially listening ears and prying eyes. There were none, but you were a paranoid girly. His hold on your shoulders escalated.

"Your strength is a gift, Kanroji," he said. "I hope that you start seeing it like one."

Your eyes started to get a little teary and you had to continuously blink to make everything unblurry. After living the most recent years of your life in agony over your admittedly superhuman abilities, here was someone telling you that your curse wasn't a curse at all, but a blessing and something to treasure.

"Thank you, Matsuo-senpai!!" Your bottom lip quivered and you tried not to let yourself openly sob, and Matsuo was grateful for it. He was no good at comforting people, after all.

---

"You have one minute until the event begins. And now, Gojo wants to say something." Utahime's alluring voice rang out from the speakers around the campus. Well, you imagined they were all over the campus, but you could only speak for them being in the woods, since that was where you and your teammates were stationed to start the event.

"May my students win!" You sweatdropped at your teacher's words. What's he on about now?

"The saying is 'may the best students win,' you dolt!"

"But that's what I said, Miss Utahime~ My students are the best, after all!" While you knew that Gojo was mostly saying those things to poke fun at Kyoto, you appreciated him having faith in you all. We won't let you down!

"You little-!"

"Begin!" Your group took off running once you heard the inciting word.

*Fshhh* "Grade 3 curse up ahead!" Matsuo shouted out, and you nodded.

"On it!" You stopped running while your classmates continued. That was the plan, after all.

"Do your best! I got these guys!" You shot your classmate and upperclassmen a thumbs up, which they appreciated. Yuta most of all. His already tight grip on his sheathed katana grew stricter as he forced himself to steel his resolve.