The Inumaki Clan Prodigy [Jujutsu Kaisen]

Gojo crouched down to the level of his seated best friend Suguru Geto. Half of the curse users body had become a nearly unrecognizable burn mark while his right arm was gone all together.

"You finally made it…" Geto began, forcing a smile. "Saturo." He added somberly, meeting Gojo's eyes.

"So you'll be the one to take me down huh?" Geto knew it was the end of the line for him. He had no hope of defeating Gojo on his best day.

Now that half his body was blow away by the queen of curses and his cursed spirit stock pile had been destroyed in the final clash, well, to say he stood no chance would be an understatement. "How's my family?" Geto asked.

"Two are dead. The two you sent to kill my student Isamu Inumaki. One had a lung punctured and died in an alleyway while the other had a katana thrust through their eye and into their brain. The others got away however." Gojo said in a tone devoid of emotion. "I must ask. Why the interest in Isamu?" Gojo added.

A wave of sadness overcame Geto's features at the news of his family's loss but he answered anyway. "If he was left to fight my curses... You would've finished your business there and would've come here much sooner. If that had happened, I would've had no chance of killing Okkotsu and claiming the queen for myself."

Gojo and Geto exchanged a few more words before a flash of red light spread throughout the grounds of jujutsu high.

——

Isamu awoke in a daze, his vision blurred and his mind muddled. The sound of muffled voices filled his ears. Someone seemed to be yelling but he couldn't make out the exact words. After a few moments, Isamu vision cleared and his hearing sharpened.

"I'm going to see him, I don't care what you think or say or do!" A familiar voice shouted, Isamu recognized the voice immediately as Maki's.

It felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he'd been worried sick about Maki and now that he knew she was alive and in good enough condition to yell was a relief.

"Fine, Maki. But you can't touch him until I give the go ahead." Another, less familiar, voice said. It was only after the door opened and a group of people walked in that he could connect the voice to a name and face. It was Shoko's, the main and best healer at jujutsu high.

Behind her followed Maki, Panda, Toga, and Yuta. Mai was wearing a dark green jacket over a white and black striped shirt and shorts with some leg warmers.

"Ahh, you're awake, that's-" Shoko said before being interrupted by Maki hurrying forward and leaning over his bed, careful not to touch him at least.

"Are you ok?" Maki asked a bit too loudly for Isamu's tastes. Isamu could only smile and nod, a nod that caused pain to stab into his shoulder.

"Ehem! Like I was saying…" Shoko began again with a look at Maki. A look Maki responded to with her own, not conceding any ground or going back on her actions. "You took quite the beating. 3 broken ribs. 3rd degree burns across your torso. 2nd degree burns covering your right shoulder and both of your legs and forearms. Not to mention the extreme damage to your throat and the overall blood loss."

Everyone but Isamu and Shoko were shocked by the amount of damage Isamu had taken. "You'll be bed ridden for at least the next week. After that, you're not to use your technique for a month or until I say otherwise. If you heal properly, meaning you do what I tell you to do, you'll have no permanent damage. There will be some minor burn scars on your side but I can do little about that." Shoko continued.

Isamu was a bit bummed that he'd have to wait a week, maybe more, until he could do anything besides lay around. And even more bummed that it'd be over a month until he could practice with his cursed technique, namely the newly unlocked extension. But Isamu pushed those thoughts aside once Yuta began to talk.

"It's been about two days since the battle. I'm sorry to say but I'll be heading over seas to train. I'm going in a few minutes actually. I'm sorry I couldn't see you more." Yuta said, extremely apologetically.

Isamu just raised a hand and made an 'ok' sign with a smile, letting him know it was all fine. Isamu probably would've done the same if he was in Yuta's position, Isamu second guessed the thought when his eyes turned to Maki however.

——

2 hours had passed since Isamu woke up. Yuta left not long after, off to Africa if Isamu remembered right. Panda and Toga both stuck around for most of that time and had just recently left. Now it was just Isamu and Maki in the room, Shoko having left a long time ago to check on others who were injured in the battle.

Maki had just gotten done recounting the events of the last few days since the battle, careful not to mention anything about the night itself.

Isamu just sat there, he had managed to sit up with Maki's help not that long ago, listening to Maki talk, enjoying the sound of her voice. Once Maki finished, Isamu turned to Maki right as she turned towards him.

As Isamu stared into her golden eyes, he thought. He thought back on his near death experience during The Parade of a Hundred Demons. How, right before he used his extension technique, he had been filled with regret.

Regret about his parents, about his clan, and at the top of his list, about how he had never persuaded Maki. He'd been too scared of losing her as a friend to try and develop their friendship into something more.

So, without giving himself anytime to chicken out, he leaned over, ignoring the pain that erupted from his stomach, and kissed her. Maki was surprised, Isamu was sure of that. She stiffened and didn't move or reciprocate the kiss for a few seconds. Isamu was about to move away, maybe she didn't feel the same.

But just before he told his body to abandon ship, Maki's lips started to move as well, taking control of the encounter. They stayed like that for a moment, then another, after a few seconds that were longer than Isamu expected but shorter than he wished they were, they separated.

"It's about time you grew some balls." Maki said teasingly while winking at him. Isamu was still catching his breath. After he was done, he just smiled at her, glad for the first time that he wasn't expected to say anything.

Isamu had butterflies in his stomach, his heart was pounding, and overall, he felt great. It was about time they finally got together. After gathering his courage, Isamu started to weave a simple sentence together with his hands.

'I love you.' Isamu signed simply.

Maki, probably for the first time in her life, became a bit flustered and even blushed. "What?! Don't you think it's a bit quick for that. Shouldn't we take our time?" Maki said.

'We are jujutsu sorcerers, we don't really have the luxury to take our time with these kinds of things. If I die tomorrow, I would regret not saying that to you if I hadn't. I don't expect you to say it back just yet. Just know that I do love you.' Isamu signed in response, putting emphasis on the final four words with a determined look into Maki's eyes of gold.

Maki was at a loss for words. No one, not her parents or even her sister, had ever confessed that they loved her. So, instead of saying something, she just leaned in and captured his lips once more.

——

Isamu woke up in his hospital bed for the final time that week, hopefully for the rest of his life. It had been 7 days since he woke up after The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, since Yuta left to train, and since he kissed Maki for the first time.

Speaking of Maki, Isamu turned his head to spy her sleeping in a rather comfortable chair next to his bed. She'd stayed with him for most of his time in the hospital. She was so dedicated that she'd even brought a more comfortable chair. Isamu watched he sleeping face for a bit before attempting to sit up in the bed.

He eventually succeeded after a bit. The process was less painful for than it was a week before but it still stung. Especially on his left side where the burns had been the most severe. His ribs were fine however, Shoko's reverse cursed technique going a long way towards speeding up their recovery.

The burns were taking longer however due to them originating from a special kind of flame from the one eyed man's cursed technique. Isamu felt a fluttering through his body at the thought of the man he'd killed. Isamu quickly stomped out the feeling however. It would due him no good to remember the man expected for what he had learned from their battle to the death.

Isamu leaned over and nudged Maki. After a few pokes and prods, Maki opened her eyes to her new boyfriend. That is what he had become in the last week. Some of the time Maki spent visiting was dedicated to the subject and they had laid out the details and set some boundaries.

Nothing overly complicated or serious, just making sure each of them knew it was an exclusive deal and a few other things.

"How are you feeling?" Maki asked. It was a question Isamu had become very accustomed to hearing. Maki was very worried for Isamu's well being, she didn't show it or overtly express it in any way but Isamu could still tell she did.

Isamu just shrugged his shoulders and stuck out his hand before making a "so so" gesture. The act of shrugging still hurt but the pain was significantly less intense than it had been.

Isamu was far from recovered and would have to make regular appointments with Shoko and probably put off any physical training for another week or two, but he would be granted leave from the hospital today.

"Right, stupid question. I figure it will be a while until Shoko gets here since she has some more… dire patents to attend to first. So in the meantime, why don't you tell me about your fight?" Maki suggested as she leaned forward. "Only if you want to." She hastily added, realizing he might not want to recount the taking of his first life.

Isamu was not too bothered however and began signing in a complex series of hand gestures.

——

Isamu walked out of his dorm, and for the first time in weeks, he didn't have any kind of limp. It'd been nearly a month since that night and 2 weeks since his release from the hospital and Isamu was doing pretty good.

His physical condition was nearly back to normal, save for a few aches agree and there. But he'd finally gotten the go ahead from Shoko, giving him the ability to train.

"Hey." Maki said casually as she leaned in for a kiss. She always woke up a bit before isamu so she always had time to walk over to his dorm and greet him. She liked being the first person he saw in the morning.

They separated from their show of affection before Maki continued to speak. "Don't think that I'll take it easy on you just because you're rusty." She said, referring to his recent inactivity.

'Are you sure I'm the only one?' Isamu signed with a teasing smile. While Maki was certainly more active than him during the last few weeks, she had been taking it easy in order to spend more time with him.

"Hehe, you wish. A master blade never loses its edge or grows rusty, even after years of collecting dust. A few weeks in no problem." She said in a grandiose tone. Isamu would smiled.

He loved seeing this side of Maki, a side Isamu knew only he was privy too. A joking and lighthearted Maki instead of the ice demon saw and knew. 'We should get going, I've been separated from my blade for way too long.' Isamu signed.

"What is up with that by the way? You're always wearing it around and you never use a practice sword. Are you just doing it cause it makes look cooler?" Maki joked, taking a dig at Isamu in the process.

'It is apart of an ongoing project. It will be a cool surprise once it finish it. Don't worry, you'll be the first one I show it too once I finish.' Isamu answered.

"I don't like you keeping secrets from me…" Maki said threatening. But once she saw that Isamu wasn't going to budge, she finished her sentence. "But I guess I'll let it slide just this once."

'Ohh, thank you o'glorious leader for your unending mercy.' Isamu signed before putting the back of his right hand on his forehead and swooning like a maiden might to a knight or a prince.

Maki just laughed and continued walking with her favorite person by her side.