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Yuji Itadori blinked slowly, his vision swimming as the dim light filtered through the warehouse windows. His head pounded with each heartbeat, and the rough rope digging into his wrists told him all he needed to know.
He was tied up. Helpless. A hostage.
The cold, hard floor beneath him only made his body ache more. His arms were bound tightly behind his back, his ankles tied together just as harshly. It wasn’t like he couldn’t break out of the restraints with his strength—but the cursed energy currently flowing through him made it clear why he couldn’t fight back. It was an intricate binding spell, and any attempt to use his power would rebound, causing him more pain.
𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘪𝘵.
Yuji gritted his teeth, trying to focus through the fog in his mind. How did this happen again? He and Megumi had been on a mission together—just a simple reconnaissance. Nothing they couldn’t handle. But then everything went wrong. There had been a trap waiting for them, something neither of them had anticipated. And now he was alone, tied up in this decrepit warehouse.
His heart clenched as his thoughts drifted to Megumi. Was he okay? Did they capture him too, or was he still out there, trying to find him? Yuji’s stomach twisted at the thought of Megumi hurt or worse.
He pulled against the ropes again, but they didn’t budge. The more he struggled, the tighter they seemed to become, biting into his skin. His breath hitched, frustration boiling inside him, but he forced himself to stay calm. Panicking would only make things worse.
“Where are you, Megumi?” he muttered under his breath, feeling the ache of worry gnawing at him. He knew Megumi. He would come for him. He had to.
The door creaked open, and Yuji’s heart leapt into his throat. His muscles tensed, ready to react, even though he was powerless to do much. But it wasn’t Megumi who stepped through the door.
It was one of the cursed users who had ambushed them earlier, a smug grin plastered across his face as he strolled toward Yuji.
“Look at you, Sukuna’s vessel, so pathetic,” the man sneered. “We were hoping for more of a fight. But here you are, all tied up, waiting for your precious boyfriend to come rescue you.”
Yuji glared, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. His mind was spinning, trying to come up with any possible way out of this. But the cursed energy in the air was suffocating, and he could feel the binding spell keeping him locked down, preventing any escape.
“Don’t worry,” the man continued, crouching down in front of Yuji. “We’ll send him a message soon. Let him know where to find you. Of course, by the time he gets here, it might already be too late for you.”
Yuji clenched his jaw, fighting the fear that tried to crawl its way into his chest. He had to stay strong. For Megumi. He couldn’t let these bastards see him break.
The man stood up, tossing something onto the ground near Yuji—his phone. The screen lit up, showing Megumi’s name on the screen, as if mocking him. They had used it to lure him here. That’s how they got him. Megumi had tried to call for help, and Yuji had walked right into their trap.
The thought of Megumi’s worried face flashed through Yuji’s mind, and the desperation in his chest swelled.
“I wonder what he’ll do when he finds you like this,” the man mused. “Helpless. Completely at our mercy.”
Yuji’s fingers twitched, trying to make some movement against the restraints, but they wouldn’t give. He felt the anger bubbling inside him, frustration mixing with dread. He had been caught. He had let this happen.
But there was one thing the cursed user didn’t seem to understand.
Megumi would come for him. He always did.
___
Time passed in agonizing silence after the man left, and Yuji felt his heartbeat echoing in his ears. He had lost track of how long he had been lying there, but it felt like hours. His body was growing numb, the ropes biting into his skin with every twitch. His thoughts kept circling back to Megumi, to the possibility that he wouldn’t make it in time.
And then, he heard it.
The sound of footsteps. Fast, light, and unmistakable.
Yuji’s heart surged. He twisted his head toward the door just as it swung open again, and there he was—Megumi, panting and wild-eyed, his cursed energy thrumming around him like an angry storm. Relief flooded Yuji’s body so quickly it made him dizzy.
Megumi’s eyes locked onto Yuji, taking in the sight of him bound and helpless, and something dark flashed in his gaze. “Yuji,” he breathed, his voice low and sharp. “I’m here.”
“Megumi…” Yuji’s voice cracked, relief flooding through him, but before he could say anything else, Megumi was already moving, his hands cutting through the bindings with precision and care.
As soon as Yuji’s wrists were free, he collapsed forward, and Megumi was there to catch him, pulling him into his arms, cradling him against his chest. Yuji’s body was weak, trembling from exhaustion and fear, but in Megumi’s arms, he felt safe. He was okay now.
“I’m so sorry,” Megumi whispered, his voice tight with emotion as he held Yuji close. “I should’ve been faster. I should’ve protected you.”
Yuji shook his head weakly, pressing his face into Megumi’s shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of him. “You’re here,” he murmured. “That’s all that matters.”
Megumi’s grip tightened, his hand smoothing over Yuji’s hair, his lips brushing against the top of his head. “I’m never letting them touch you again. I promise.”
Yuji leaned into him, feeling the warmth of Megumi’s body, the solid presence that had always been his anchor. He knew that no matter what happened, as long as they had each other, they could survive anything.
“You saved me,” Yuji whispered, his voice soft, but sure.
Megumi pulled back just enough to cup Yuji’s face in his hands, his eyes searching his boyfriend’s face for any signs of lasting harm. His fingers were gentle as they traced over Yuji’s skin, his touch soothing and grounding.
“I’ll always save you,” Megumi murmured, his voice thick with affection. “Always.”