Too Close To Home | Nanami Kento × Trans!Male

Ⅷ. Sacrifice your pride

"Y/n please calm down," Harue spoke beside me, he sounded worried. I shot him a warning glance, silently telling him to let me handle this. Was I just supposed to take that and roll over? When have I ever taken something and just rolled over? I didn't want to fight him. He was my sister's husband. I had to have some respect, but this was pushing me to a state of anger I didn't even know I could reach.

"What? Should I be scared now?" He took a step closer, our bodies mere inches away from one another. "If I was you, I would be." My voice held a genuine threat, I could feel a familiar fire rise in my chest. The sins will always be intertwined with me, and in moments like these, it showed.

A red light emanated from my palms. This was the final push over the edge "Listen Akemi, I don't want to fight you because you're supposedly family but you are really pushing your luck today." I threatened, a red glow igniting in my irises. As much as I tried to resist the tempting call of sin, I was weak against its grip on me. "Lucifer, it's your time to shine." The avatar of Pride appeared beside me, a devilish grin painting his features "With pleasure, Y/n." Shards of cursed energy instantly flew at the man who stood across me. He got hit straight in his leg, causing him to struggle briefly to stand. "No!" Emi called out protectively over her husband. I could see the inner turmoil, hesitating on who to run toward. 

As I was about to attack again, a confused voice sounded from the hall "Uncle?" Tsumugi... She sounded confused. And as she laid her eyes on the raging avatar fear struck her. She stumbled backwards, falling to the ground with tears threatening to fall.

A switch flipped in my mind, realizing I was endangering the people I cared about just as much. I held up my palm again with a familiar yellow light "Please protect them, Mammon." The demon looked at me worriedly but I assured him. "You better be alright after this, Y/n." And with that, he created shields around everyone except me and Akemi.

I approached him with my earlier anger rising to the surface. "You've disrespected me one too many times, Akemi. And I've been so incredibly patient with you. But today was not the day and I was not the one." He looked up at me, clutching his leg with gritted teeth "You think this is enough to take me down?" He laughed loudly, shaking his head as he got up with a breathy groan "No no no, I haven't even activated my technique yet you damn fool!" That's when I felt a stinging pain in my leg, followed by blood dripping down onto the floor. His Mirror technique. One of the most annoying techniques I've encountered in all my years in the Jujutsu world. 

"Now what will you do?" His tone was daring as he started circling me, his injury only stinging more at the movement. I had to sacrifice my own health to damage his, there was no other way. I gave Lucifer the okay as he fired three daggers at Batton's leg, arm and stomach. Aiming to avoid any vital organs. He dodged two of the three, only letting the one aimed at his stomach hit. I gritted my teeth as I endured the pain. This had turned into an endurance match rather than a battle.

"Let me out!" Emi protested, punching at the wall Mammon had put up. He remained stern and kept it firmly in place "No can do I'm afraid, miss." She sighed, sitting down beside Harue who was comforting Tsumugi. "Mama they're hurt!" The little girl cried, clutching at Harue's arm. I could feel his worried gaze fixed on me, but I couldn't let Akemi win. Not now. Not after everything he put me through. Not after that damn dream.

At that moment, I could hear Tsumugi's pleading echoing in my head. Was Mammon amplifying the connection? I tried to ignore it but as much as I wanted to continue here in our living room, I couldn't bear letting Tsumugi watch. She didn't deserve that. 

"Damn it!" I cursed, trying to find a way out without damaging the property. Too much. "What? Already giving up?" Akemi egged me on, a cocky grin painting his features.