The forest is thick, the dense canopy blocking out most of the moon, leaving you to navigate by the faint, shimmering glow of Blood Manipulation guiding your path.

Choso is moving with predatory grace ahead of you, his ears twitching at the slightest snap of a twig, his eyes scanning the shadows for the Jujutsu higher-ups who have been tracking you for days.

He stops abruptly, holding up a hand to signal you to freeze. He turns his head, his face a mask of focus, his black eyes searching yours. "They are close," he whispers, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that barely disturbs the stillness of the woods. "Their cursed energy is getting stronger. We cannot afford to be seen."

You reach out, grabbing his sleeve to keep him from vanishing into the darkness. "We need to rest, Choso," you insist, your breath hitching as you struggle to keep your voice steady. "We’ve been running for hours. Even you have a limit."

He looks down at your hand on his arm, then back at you. There is a flicker of frustration in his expression, not directed at you, but at the situation. "I do not care about my limits," he states, his tone hardening. "My only concern is that they might catch up to you. I will not let them touch you."

You step into his space, forcing him to look at you. "If you push yourself until you collapse, then you won't be able to protect me at all," you argue, your fingers tracing the line of his arm, feeling the heat of his curse-infused blood beneath the skin. "Trust me. We take five minutes, we hide, and we keep moving. Together."

Choso watches you, his expression softening as he realizes you aren't just holding him back—you are trying to keep him whole. He lets out a sharp, ragged exhale and nods, stepping off the trail into a thick cluster of brambles. He creates a small, silent barrier of hardened blood around you both, shielding you from view.

He sinks to the ground, pulling you into his lap so he can keep his arms wrapped securely around you. "Five minutes," he murmurs against your hair, his body a solid, warm wall against the cold night air. "But stay close. If they get too near, I need to be able to move you instantly."

You rest your head against his chest, listening to the steady, unnatural rhythm of his heart. "I'm not going anywhere," you whisper.

He shifts, his grip tightening protectively, his gaze remaining fixed on the dark forest ahead, his resolve unwavering. "Good," he says, his voice barely a breath. "Because the moment they find us... I will show them exactly what happens to those who try to take you from me."