For Tomorrow's Sake | Various!JJK x Reader

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

By now, you've lost track of how long this cycle has repeated itself. Time has blurred to the point that it's become a foreign, intangible concept. With your eyes shut, closed off to the whole world, you feel as though you're floating in space. In this moment, truly, the only existence you're aware of is your own. You're convinced that nothing could ever bring you out of this quiet, peaceful solitude-

"...hey. I said, hey! [Name]!"

Nevermind.

Your eyes slowly open, and you're greeted by the sight of Satoru frowning at you. You squint, taking a moment to adjust to the sudden influx of light. Your vision is blurry for a little while, but eventually, it clears, and a smile rises to your lips.

"Hi, Satoru. What's up?"

"What do you mean what's up?" he gapes. "Just how long have you been meditating for? You started right as I left for my mission earlier. Have you really been stuck in the same position since then?"

"I guess so."

"You know it's been like six hours, right?"

"Oh."

He lets out a heavy, exasperated sigh, and at that very same moment, your stomach grumbles. Come to think of it, you are hungry. It's only just hitting you now that you've broken out of your trance. Oopsie.

"Oof," you groan, knees wobbling as you attempt to stand up. "My legs have gone numb from sitting for so long. Satoru, help! I'm tilting! I'm gonna fall over!"

He catches you in his arms before you can crumple like a plastic bag, thankfully. The feeling is slowly returning to your legs, so you hold onto him for a few moments before eventually standing up on your own-like a big girl.

"Phew," you exhale. "That was close."

"You're so lame," Satoru snorts, but despite what he says, he's smiling. "I can't believe you actually meditated for six hours straight. Who even does that?"

"I think you're just jealous because you're not as enlightened as I am. I have knowledge that transcends universes."

Literally.

Satoru just laughs, clearly not taking you seriously. You figure he's about to tease you again, but instead, he stops and just stares at you for a little while. His expression shifts a bit. It's not quite as playful anymore. All of a sudden, his gaze is solemn, and there's something akin to recognition in his eyes.

"If I'm being honest, you've gotten really good at suppressing your cursed energy," Satoru admits. "It's super faint now. Probably because you spend hours each day working on it, but still. I think it's paying off. Even with my Six Eyes, it's gotten really hard to sense. That's how effective your suppression is."

Your smile widens. If Gojo Satoru says so, then it must be true. Several years have passed, and during that time, you've been nothing if not diligent. Suppressing your cursed energy has become almost as natural as breathing to you. Not that you have a lot of cursed energy to begin with, but you're amazed with yourself for having made so much progress. The better your suppression, the less likely it is that you'll ever accidentally injure someone. Your life is quite literally on the line, so naturally, you can't afford to slack off. You've survived this long, but the real plot has yet to begin, and there's no such thing as being too prepared.

"It's about time you acknowledged how impressive I am," you proudly declare, crossing your arms with an awfully smug expression.

"Uh, you do know who you're talking to, right?"