Forgotten Souls (JJK)

A decade had passed since then. 

While no world-shattering events had occurred, a certain eccentric couple had found a strange kind of peace in this era. 

Veilhem remained at Jujutsu High, continuing his work as a teacher, though whether he was shaping young sorcerers or just keeping himself entertained was debatable. 

Meanwhile, Makima operated from the shadows, handling the influx of missions with an eerie efficiency that left even the Higher Ups wary of her true intentions. Though, they were confident in the contract that acted as a Binding Vow years ago.

But what they didn't know was that Makima could always transfer the penalty to another living being so it was more of a one sided contract, true to her cunning nature of a Devil.

A lie that hadn't been exposed wasn't a lie and it was still kept as a secret until now.

Though, some things had changed over the years.

Geto Suguru, once a promising sorcerer, had become a rogue after massacring an entire village. 

While many debated what had truly led him down that path, Veilhem knew that Makima's presence, her subtle nudges had played a significant role. 

But it wasn't his place to judge. 

One notable shift had been the arrival of Gojo Satoru as a fellow teacher at Jujutsu High. 

He had waltzed in one day, offering a cliché line about wanting to "nurture the next generation" as if that wasn't the most un-Gojo thing anyone had ever heard. 

And so, for the past few years, Veilhem had endured having Gojo as a colleague. A situation that was, at best, tolerable and, at worst, a constant game of avoiding unnecessary conversations. 

But then, Gojo had started digging. 

His curiosity, relentless as ever, led him to investigate the past. Eventually, he uncovered the truth of what had really happened on that day, the incident that had pushed Geto over the edge. And when he did, he had come straight to Veilhem. 

The confrontation was inevitable.

One evening, after most of the students had left for the day, Gojo cornered Veilhem outside the school grounds. The sky was tinged with the soft glow of twilight, casting long shadows across the courtyard.

"Why did you let her do it?"

His voice was calm, but the weight behind the words was unmistakable. He wasn't just asking a question, he was demanding an explanation.

Veilhem had barely reacted, his expression unreadable under the helmet as he leaned against the railing, staring out at the fading horizon.

"And what exactly did I let her do?" he had replied, his tone deceptively light.

Gojo's gaze didn't waver.

"You know what I'm talking about. Geto. That day. You could've stopped it. Why didn't you?"

For a long moment, Veilhem didn't answer. The wind carried the distant sound of students laughing, oblivious to the quiet tension between the two men.

Finally, he exhaled, a smirk playing at his lips, though his eyes remained distant.

"It was an unfortunate thing." he admitted, the words devoid of any real remorse. "Though I did save you from being killed by Toji back then and you blame me for this? How sad."

Gojo studied him, his expression unreadable behind his dark sunglasses. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he sighed.

"With that level of strength, you could easily subdue everyone before it even started. You just chose not to. Really, being shitty till the end, ain't you?"

Veilhem merely shrugged. "So I've been told."

The conversation ended there, leaving many things unspoken.

Gojo never brought it up again after that.

Perhaps he knew that prying further would lead to answers he didn't want to hear. 

Or perhaps, deep down, he already understood that Veilhem had simply chosen a side. 

That side was, and would always be, Makima's side.

And so, the days continued.

After that brief conversation, their relationship had shifted quite a bit. The once effortless banter now laced with unspoken tension. It wasn't hostility but there was a clear line between them that had been drawn unknowingly. 

Neither of them would cross them. 

It was a fair price to pay.

Sometimes, one must chose which one to abandon. There was no ground in between, either he chose this or that.

Anyways, this year, Maki had officially entered Jujutsu High in Tokyo where he worked at. Veilhem had been teaching her for years, molding her into a proper Sorcerer, refining the raw talent she carried. 

But experience in training and experience in real combat were two different things. She had yet to face a true life-and-death battle.

That was, of course, by design.

He had watched over her from the shadows, ensuring that the missions she took never led her into true danger. He had been asking Makima to arrange it, eliminating unseen threats from the Zenin clan before they could reach her without her ever realizing it.

But even under such protection, Maki had absorbed everything he taught her like a dry sponge soaking up water. 

It took him centuries and several deaths to reach the level of Maki but it only took her a decade to reach the same level as him back then.

The way she handled weapons was refined, precise, and efficient. Calculating, never reckless even when facing an opponent weaker than her. 

She knew when to strike, when to retreat, how to utilize everything in her surroundings to maximum advantage... And she wasn't above using underhanded tactics when necessary like throwing pocket sand, distracting them with words to strike in the middle of conversation,...

It was only natural because Veilhem always played those dirty tricks whenever they sparred… But it was not his fault!! 

Who told her to learn them!?

Anyways, that was not the point. He had a great time of slacking off being one of the Jujutsu High's teachers.

Though, it was just a hunch but he felt like this peaceful era would soon come to an end. 

…Of course, mentioned one and here it was. The first whispers came from the fringes of the sorcerer world.

An undercurrent of unease threading through the otherwise quiet era.

Then, a familiar name.

Geto Suguru.

Despite his disappearance into the shadows years ago, his name had not been forgotten. Now, it was spreading once more, attached to murmurs of something grand and dangerous.

A declaration of war.

_________

The night the rumors reached Jujutsu High, Veilhem and Makima were left alone in their apartment. Though the news had been known to them for quite some time. 

The winter air was crisp, carrying a distant chill, but inside, the warmth of the dimly lit room wrapped around them. 

Veilhem leaned back against the couch, his gaze lazily flicking over the city lights beyond the window. 

He exhaled, breaking the quiet. "Seems he's finally making his move." 

Then without a sound, a soft weight pressed against his side before he even had a chance to react. Makima had slid closer, curling up against him in a slow, deliberate motion. 

She lazily draped herself across his lap like a cat stretching in the sunbeam. Her head rested on his shoulder, her upturned eyes gazing at him in a deceptive innocent manner that provoked a protective instinct of men. 

It would work perfectly if it wasn't Veilhem who had developed some immunity from her usual antics. 

By now, her displays of affection had become far more bold and effortless as though it was her second nature. In a way, it was her way of claiming her rightful place in his personal space. 

…And as always, Veilhem simply let it happen, unbothered by her presence anymore. It had become their usual banter whenever they were left alone.

"Took him long enough." Makima pouted, settling into her favourite position on his lap without a care as if she intended to stay there indefinitely. 

Her arms wrapped around his waist, locking him in place with a conviction of not letting him go anytime soon.

"You're really eager for the festival, aren't you?" Veilhem tilted his head, poking a finger at her puffy cheek, watching with satisfaction as her face scrunched in mild annoyance. 

Makima huffed, crossing her arms but making no effort to move away. "It's not just me who's eager, though—" she started, her voice carrying that usual lilt of amusement.

They had known it would happen eventually. 

Geto had been walking this path for years now, gathering allies, refining his ideology. His hatred for non-sorcerers had not waned even a little bit but instead, it had only sharpened. 

Recently, he had decided to act. 

The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

A large-scale assault against Jujutsu High and the Jujutsu world at large. 

Veilhem wasn't particularly eager to interfere. If anything, watching from the sidelines and observing the chaos unfold seemed far more entertaining. 

But as always, there was one wild card in the mix. A factor that made him reconsider. 

Kenjaku. 

That man, or if he could even be called a man, was someone both he and Makima had been keeping an eye on for years. A creature of endless schemes and deceptions, completely unknown and unseen by the eyes.

That annoying creature, he was standing at Geto's side. 

That changed things. 

Makima hummed, her fingers lazily tracing small circles against Veilhem's chest, like a cat kneading a favored spot before settling in. "Kenjaku is moving. If we let this play out naturally, it may become far more troublesome than expected." 

Veilhem rolled his shoulders, one arm resting against the back of the couch. "We could just let them wipe each other out. No one said we have to intervene." 

Makima stretched, pressing closer, her warm breath brushing against his collarbone. 

"True." She murmured, voice slow and drowsy, like she wasn't taking this whole ordeal seriously. 

"But where's the fun in that?" 

Veilhem glanced down at her. "You're a sadist, aren't you?" 

Makima's lips curved slightly. "C'mon, it's not everyday you get to see an event this big." 

For a long moment, there was only silence between them, the quiet understanding of two individuals who existed outside the lines of morality. 

Then, Veilhem chuckled, shaking his head. "So, what are we doing? Helping? Sabotaging? Or just… making things interesting?" 

Makima lifted her head slightly, her red eyes gleaming with something unreadable. Then, with a lazy smirk, she nuzzled against the crook of his neck. 

"All of the above." 

________________

(A/N: Lemon next chap tomorrow, trust.)