Gojo Satoru's hands clenched.
Tu Bai looked at him, his voice very soft:
If it had acted back then..
Gojo Satoru reached out and pulled him into his arms.
No," he said, his Voice a bit heavy, "There are no ifs.
Tu Bai leaned against him, saying nothing.
Gojo Satoru rested his chin on top of his head.
Don't take any more missions from now on," he said. "Stay at home. I'll handle things outside.
Tu Bai gave a low "Mm."
The two of them just sat there, neither of them saying a word.
After a long time, Tu Bai said softly:
That person who was modified, he let out a cry before he died.
Gojo Satoru's hand gently stroked his back.
Like a human's scream.
Gojo Satoru said nothing.
Tu Bai buried his face in his chest.
Senpai, I'm scared.
Gojo Satoru's hand tightened.
I am here," he said. "No one will touch you.
Tu Bai listened to his Heartbeat, one beat at a time, very steady.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Outside the window, the night grew deeper.
The Neon Lights of Shibuya are still flashing.
But it was very quiet inside the Apartment.
The two of them snuggled together, listening to each other's Heartbeat.
Chapter 53
The night wind in mid-October crept in through the cracks in the Window, feeling a bit chilly.
Tu Bai curled up under the Small Blanket, sleeping deeply. He was lying on his side, one hand tucked under the Pillow, while the other rested on his Abdomen—a habit he had formed recently, as if he couldn't fall asleep without touching that spot.
Gojo Satoru sat by the bedside, the light turned off. Moonlight leaked through the gaps in the curtains, shining directly onto Tu Bai's face.
That face was a bit thinner than it had been a month ago. The chin was sharper, the eye sockets slightly sunken, his brow was faintly furrowed while he slept. Black hair was scattered messily across the pillow, his long eyelashes cast a small shadow on his face.
Gojo Satoru looked at him, his finger hovering above his abdomen, not daring to touch.
He could feel that energy. Just a few centimeters beneath the skin, it was warm, pulsing rhythmically, exactly like a real fetus.
Less than two weeks left.
This is the final stage of the False Pregnancy. According to Ieiri Shoko, once the three months are up, this cluster of mimicked Energy will dissipate naturally. At that time, Tu Bai will experience a "Miscarriage"—stomach aches, bleeding, then nothingness.
Gojo Satoru withdrew his hand and rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
How should he bring it up?
Should I just say, "You aren't pregnant at all"? How would Tu Bai react? A breakdown? Hatred toward him? Or would he feel like he was being played?
A car drove past outside the window, its light flickering across the ceiling before disappearing.
Tu Bai rolled over, let out a whimper, nuzzled closer to him. He pulled his hand out from under the Pillow, fumbled around in the air for a moment, once he felt his leg, he rested it there with satisfaction.
Gojo Satoru looked down at that hand. The fingers were slender, the fingernails trimmed very short, there were several tiny scars on the pads of the fingers—accidental cuts from the last time he had used Construction to make a blade.
He gently grasped that hand, his thumb stroking the back of it twice.
Tu Bai woke up.
His eyelids flickered, as he opened a crack, he saw Gojo Satoru sitting by the bedside, he was stunned.
Senpai?" His voice was hoarse, filled with sleepiness, "What time is it?
A little after eleven," Gojo Satoru said. "Did I wake you up?
Tu Bai shook his head, propped himself up to sit, leaned against him. He rubbed his eyes, yawned, then habitually rubbed his abdomen.
"Baby just kicked me," he said dizzily.
Gojo Satoru said nothing.
Tu Bai felt his silence and looked up at him.
Under the moonlight, Gojo Satoru's face looked different than usual. A smile hung at the corners of his mouth, but it didn't reach his eyes. His blue eyes stared toward his abdomen, it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
"What's wrong?" Tu Bai asked.
It's nothing." Gojo Satoru rubbed his hair. "Go to sleep.
Tu Bai looked at him, unmoving.
Something is wrong.
No matter how late this man usually returned, he would always give him a kiss first, then chatter on and on about what he had done today, which student had acted foolishly again, or what interesting things he had seen on the road. Today, he said nothing and just sat here, staring blankly.
"Senpai," Tu Bai called out again.
Hmm?
What's wrong with you, really?
Gojo Satoru looked at him, silent for a few seconds. Then, he reached out and pulled him into his arms, resting his chin on top of his head.
"Is your waist still sore?" he asked.
Tu Bai was stunned: "A little."
Gojo Satoru's hands slid from his waist, pressing gently, rubbing rhythmically.
The pressure was just right. Tu Bai let out a comfortable hum and shrank further into his embrace.
"How many times did you vomit today?" Gojo Satoru asked.
Three times," Tu Bai said gloomily. "The one this Morning was the worst; I almost threw up my bile.
And then?
Afterward, I went to buy those Umeboshi you mentioned last time; eating two of them made me feel a bit better.
Gojo Satoru let out an "mm" and continued to rub.
Tu Bai leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was a little faster than usual.
The unease in his heart grew increasingly heavy.
"Senpai," he spoke again.
Hmm?
Are you hiding something from me?
Gojo Satoru's hand paused for a moment.
Just like that. It was brief, but Tu Bai felt it.
He raised his head, looking at Gojo Satoru's face.
That face still wore that same lazy smile, but Tu Bai recognized what was in his eyes—it was anxiety. When this man was anxious, his blue eyes would squint slightly, as if he were calculating something.
Tu Bai had seen it a few times. Before a Mission, before an Exchange Meeting, before dealing with trouble.
Now, facing him, she wore this expression.
"What's wrong?" Tu Bai sat up straight, staring at him.
Gojo Satoru looked at him, after a moment, he spoke.
Xiao Bai," he said, "If.. I mean, if.
If what?
If this Child," he paused, "were to meet with an accident, what would you do?
Tu Bai's face turned pale in a moment.
He looked at Gojo Satoru, his Red Eyes wide, his lips moving without making a sound.
Gojo Satoru quickly grabbed his hand: "No, listen to me—"
What do you mean?" Tu Bai's voice trembled, "What do you mean by an accident? What are you trying to say?
I just wanted to ask, what if—
What if what?" Tu Bai interrupted him. "The Child is perfectly fine, why are you asking 'what if'?
Gojo Satoru opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say.
Tell him that this energy will disappear in less than two weeks? Tell him that there hasn't been a Child from beginning to end?
He couldn't bring himself to say it.
Tu Bai watched his silence, the tension in his heart tightening with every passing second.
Images from this past month flashed through his brain: Gojo Satoru occasionally staring blankly at his belly, lowering his voice behind his back when answering a Phone, the many times he looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated..
A thought popped into his mind, startling even himself.
You.." His Voice trembled even more, "You don't want him?
Gojo Satoru froze: "What?"