YUJI x Male Reader (Heavy angst)

The first thing you felt was the pain.

It tore through your body like wildfire, hot and unforgiving, burning with every shaky breath you took. The taste of copper lingered on your tongue, thick and suffocating.

Somewhere in the distance, you could hear his voice.

"Y/N? Y/N—NO! Stay with me!"

You wanted to. You really, really wanted to.

But your body wouldn't move.

You had thrown yourself in front of him before you even thought about it—before you realized what it meant.

And now, here you were.

Bleeding out in Itadori's arms.

His grip was tight, almost painful, as he held you against his chest. You could feel his hands trembling, gripping at the fabric of your uniform like he was trying to hold you together.

"Why?" His voice cracked, barely above a whisper. "Why the hell did you do that, Y/N?"

You tried to smile.

"Because…" You swallowed, feeling something warm drip from the corner of your lips. "You're…an idiot."

Itadori let out a choked laugh. "That's your reason?"

Your eyelids felt so heavy.

"You always…do reckless shit," you murmured. "Someone's gotta keep you alive."

He shook his head violently. "Not like this! Not like—" His breath hitched. "Y/N, you're—"

Dying.

He didn't say it, but you both knew.

His breathing was ragged, his face pale with panic, eyes wide and desperate. You had never seen Itadori Yuji—**the strongest person you knew, the one who never gave up—**look like this before.

Like he was terrified.

Like he was helpless.

Your heart clenched.

He was blaming himself.

"…Hey," you rasped. "It's not your fault."

Itadori's jaw tightened.

"Don't," he whispered.

You blinked. "Don't what?"

"Don't talk like you're saying goodbye."

His voice was barely holding together, trembling under the weight of emotions you had never seen from him before.

You sighed.

"…Yuji."

"No." His grip on you tightened. "You're not gonna die. You hear me? You're gonna be fine."

You didn't have the heart to tell him that your body was already going numb.

That you could barely feel his hands anymore.

That your vision was already fading at the edges.

Itadori was panicking.

His hands pressed against your wounds, his cursed energy flaring wildly—but it was useless. He wasn't a healer. There was nothing he could do.

And deep down, you both knew it.

But he wouldn't accept it.

Wouldn't let you go.

"Help is coming," he insisted, voice shaking. "Shoko's on her way. You just have to hold on—"

He was lying.

You knew it.

Shoko was too far.

Even if she made it here, it would be too late.

But still, you hated seeing him like this.

So, for him, you tried.

You tried to keep your eyes open.

Tried to breathe through the pain.

Tried to pretend like you weren't already slipping away.

Itadori was staring at you, pleading.

"Don't do this, Y/N. Please."

You swallowed.

And with the last bit of strength you had left—

You smiled.

"Don't cry, dumbass."

Itadori froze.

His entire body went still.

And before he could even process your words—

Before he could say anything else—

Your body went limp in his arms.

Everything went dark.

And the last thing you heard was Itadori Yuji screaming your name.

—

The world had never felt so quiet.

Everything was moving in slow motion.

The battlefield—the place where you had fought, bled, and died—was still stained with the aftermath. Smoke lingered in the air, the scent of blood and curses thick around him.

But none of that mattered.

Because Itadori was still holding you.

Still shaking you.

Still calling your name.

"Y/N?" His voice cracked, raw and desperate.

You didn't answer.

You couldn't.

Your body was completely still, your uniform soaked in red, your face far too pale.

And yet, he couldn't accept it.

"Hey," he whispered, gripping your shoulders tighter. "Come on. Open your eyes."

You didn't.

Itadori let out a shaky laugh. "Okay, fine. You're pulling a prank, right? Haha, very funny, Y/N."

He shook you harder.

"Wake up."

Nothing.

"Wake up, Y/N."

Still nothing.

His breath hitched, his vision blurring as hot tears spilled down his face.

No. No, no, no, no.

Not you.

Not you.

"WAKE UP!"

His scream ripped through the air, raw and broken, as if sheer force could bring you back.

He didn't even realize how hard he was gripping you until a pair of hands pulled him back.

Gojo.

"Yuji," Gojo's voice was unnervingly serious, lacking its usual lightheartedness.

But Itadori didn't care.

He thrashed against Gojo's grip, struggling violently. "Let go of me—LET GO!"

"Yuji, listen—"

"I CAN FIX THIS!" His voice cracked, hysteria lacing every word. "I CAN FIX THIS, I JUST—" His breath hitched. "He's not—he's not gone, okay?! He's just—he's—"

His knees buckled, and Gojo caught him before he collapsed.

Itadori let out a sob.

"I didn't protect him," he choked out.

Gojo's grip on him tightened.

And for once, Gojo had nothing to say.

Because he knew.

No words would fix this.

No comfort could bring you back.

But Itadori?

He refused to accept that.

He wouldn't.

Because you—**his best friend, the person who never left his side, the one who was always there to pull him back from the edge—**were gone.

And he was still here.

Alone.

No.

A new kind of fire burned in his chest, rage mixing with something much darker.

Sukuna had been silent this entire time, but Itadori could feel him smirking in the back of his mind.

"You're angry, brat. Good."

Itadori clenched his fists.

If there was a way to bring you back—**if there was even the smallest chance—**he would take it.

No matter the cost.

No matter what he had to do.

He was getting you back.

Even if it meant losing himself.

—

Itadori never understood what it meant to lose control.

Not like this.

Not like now.

The moment they buried you, something inside him snapped.

He barely remembered the days that followed—only that he had locked himself away, refusing food, refusing sleep, refusing to hear anyone who tried to talk to him.

Gojo. Megumi. Nobara. Even Shoko.

He didn't care.

Because you were gone.

And he had let it happen.

So he did what any desperate, broken person would do.

He turned to Sukuna.

"Bring him back." His voice was hoarse, his eyes hollow.

Sukuna chuckled. "Brat, brat, brat... you don't even know what you're asking."

"I don't care."

The curse tilted his head mockingly. "You're willing to give up anything?"

Itadori's fingers trembled. "Anything."

Sukuna grinned. "Then let's begin."

It started slow.

He could feel his soul cracking with every deal.

Every trade.

Every sacrifice.

Every time he reached for a piece of you, a part of him disappeared.

But he didn't stop.

He couldn't.

And then—

You were there.

Or, at least, something like you.

Itadori felt his breath catch as you stood before him, your eyes blank, your body too still.

But it was you.

It had to be.

"Y/N?" His voice shook. "You're back."

You blinked, your lips parting slightly.

Then you smiled.

And it was wrong.

So, so wrong.

"Yuji," you whispered. "Thank you for bringing me back."

His heart clenched.

Something felt off.

Like looking at a photograph instead of a person.

Like hearing you, but not feeling you.

He stepped closer. "You're—"

Your hand shot out and gripped his throat.

"Did you think it would be that easy?"

His vision blurred as he gasped, struggling against your grip.

"Y—Y/N—"

Your head tilted, that eerie smile never faltering.

"You should have let me go."

The thing wearing your face tightened its grip, its eyes flickering with something inhuman.

And Itadori realized his mistake.

You were never meant to come back.

He had ruined everything.

But before he could do anything—before he could even fight back—

Darkness swallowed him whole.

When he woke up, he was alone.

No Sukuna.

No you.

Just emptiness.

It was over.

And this time, there was no one left to save.

—

Itadori didn't know how long he had been lying there.

The sky above him was empty.

No stars.

No moon.

Just an endless, suffocating void.

His fingers twitched.

His body was heavy—too heavy.

But the worst part?

He couldn't feel you.

He had traded everything—his body, his soul, his sanity—just for a chance to bring you back.

And now?

Now he had nothing.

Not even Sukuna's voice in the back of his mind.

He was truly alone.

Forever.

His chest felt hollow.

For the first time since your death, he didn't have the energy to cry.

Because what was the point?

You were gone.

And this time, he had sent you away with his own hands.

How pathetic.

His eyes fluttered shut.

Maybe this was his punishment.

Maybe this was where he was supposed to end.

But just as his mind began to drift—

A hand touched his cheek.

Warm. Gentle.

A touch he thought he'd never feel again.

His eyes snapped open.

And there you were.

Kneeling beside him.

Soft, familiar, real.

"…Y/N?"

You didn't speak.

You only smiled.

But this time—

It was real.

Warmth bloomed in his chest. He reached up, desperate, fingers barely grazing yours. "You're—"

"Shh," you whispered. "Don't talk."

His breath hitched.

You looked at peace.

Like you weren't hurting anymore.

Like you had finally found rest.

"…You have to let me go, Yuji."

His fingers curled.

Tears burned his eyes.

"…I can't."

Your smile didn't falter, but your expression softened. "Yes, you can."

He shook his head violently. "No—no, I—"

You leaned down, pressing a feather-light kiss to his forehead.

His whole body trembled.

Then you whispered against his skin—

"You will forget me."

And everything went white.

When Itadori woke up, he was in a hospital bed.

Machines beeped steadily around him.

The room smelled like antiseptic.

His body felt exhausted.

And yet, as he sat up, his mind was...

Blank.

Like something was missing.

Like a piece of his heart had been carved out—but he didn't know why.

He frowned, pressing a hand to his chest.

It hurt.

Like he had lost something.

Someone.

But no name came to mind.

The door opened, and Megumi and Nobara walked in.

Their faces were relieved, but… something was off.

Megumi hesitated. "You're awake."

"Yeah." Itadori's voice was hoarse. "…What happened?"

The two exchanged a glance.

"You got injured during a mission," Nobara said carefully. "You scared the hell out of us."

Itadori blinked.

A mission?

That made sense, he guessed.

Then why did it feel like something wasn't right?

"…I feel like I forgot something."

Nobara stiffened.

Megumi's jaw tightened.

But they didn't say anything.

Just as Itadori opened his mouth to ask again, Gojo walked in, that usual easy-going grin on his face.

"Yo! My favorite student is alive! What a miracle."

Itadori scowled. "Shut up."

Gojo just laughed. "Good, you're still annoying. That means you're fine."

The conversation moved on.

The others filled him in on what happened.

A mission. A near-death experience.

He had been out for days.

And yet…

That feeling didn't leave.

Like he had lost something important.

Like a name was supposed to be on the tip of his tongue—but it wasn't.

That night, as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, a thought whispered through his mind.

What am I forgetting?

But there was no answer.

Only silence.

Because you were gone.

And the world had erased you.

THE END