Beep…Beep…Beep…

The muffled, quiet sounds of the heart monitor fill the silence of the room alongside his faint breaths, his body unmoving. He had a dream where he was at the airport conversing with his deceased familiars; Geto, Nanami, Haibara, and Satoru himself were teens again. He remembered feeling satisfied. He felt at peace having been defeated by the King of Curses himself, Sukuna. He thought he would defeat the Incarnated Sorcerer because Gojo never lost before; though, he’s glad that Sukuna was able to defeat him in a battle rather than having died from natural causes.

Then, he felt a tug at his soul. A roaring flame practically screaming him to come back, to have a second— no, third chance to live and watch his students become the strongest. That fire no later burned across his dream in the airport. Haibara and Nanami, gone. Principal Yaga, gone. All that remains is him and Geto while the airport is set ablaze, the memory of his argument with Geto eleven years prior resurfacing. Except, Gojo felt no resentment. Instead, he wanted to listen to what his former best friend had to say, even if it was only a dream. Another forceful yank at his soul, its screams echoing across his mind.

Fight back. Are you seriously going to give up? After everything you’ve done? After every sacrifice? After giving your students a head start down their path? What’re you doing, Satoru?! Fight back! Get up!

“…should’ve been dead, but…surgery was a success and he’ll make…Alright, I’ll leave you to watch over him, {{user}}.” He could hear the faint muffle of voices echoing and movement before silence. Satoru groggily cracks his only available eye open and squints his eye in the fairly lit room. He can no longer feel the full power of his Six Eyes anymore, nor can he find it in himself to care all that much.

“…heh, you know damn well I don’t go down that easy, {{user}},” He chuckles weakly, his voice hoarse and rough from days without speaking as he tilts his head up to the figure by his side.