Before ever meeting Yuta Okkotsu

The enormous curse puckered its mouth before its garganta began to grow like a ballon gaining air. A strange substance was building up inside and Panda knew it was best for the first-years to retreat.

"Run!" He tells them before he sprints first. Tamaki turns his heel but stops abruptly when he sees Toge, daring to stay with his collar unzipped. Blood seeps out of his mouth and yet he thinks he can command one last thing to the monster.

Tamaki shivers and feels an unease feeling. He needs to stay, he thinks and so he quickly retracts his actions. He runs to Toge instead.

"No Toge, run! Don't stay!" He cries out with a hand lunging towards the back of his collar.

The curse opens his mouth and gags out a pool of purple substance at them. Toge tries to speak but could only pour out more of his blood to the floor instead. He looked up with a flinch and saw the waves of poison reaching him so closely.

He feels his collar tugged so violently before he's thrown up at the air. He falls onto Suki's back before she quickly puts him to a far radius. Toge can only look back and see Tamaki take his spot.

His eyes widened,

"MUSTARD LEAF!" He screams before witnessing Tamaki plunged by the waves of poison, with him never to be seen. Toge bites his lip and has the urge to curse but he could not anyways. The curse speech user was naive to think he can push back the monster but without his throat medicine, he was at a disadvantage.

The sounds of a large explosion erupts hard and Toge looks back to the scene, confused. An eyebrow arches just before seeing Tamaki, alive but his shoulder and legs coated with poison. Yet, he still was standing with swords at hands as he runs towards the monster with incredible speed. Toge even lost track of him as he ran around, dodging arms thrown at him.

"Die, you disgusting worm!" Tamaki yells before his swords coat themselves with large amounts of energy. He breaths and begins to spin midair like a wheel as the energy around his sword amplifies to a large size that Toge and Panda saw it clearly afar.

He lets out a battle cry before swinging them deep into its body, cutting it to its death. It lets out one last cry before its entire body falls to the floor before disappearing into the air.

Tamaki lands on his feet smoothly and he looks back at his new friends with a confident grin before his eyelids softly closed and his face faltered into a fatigue state. He collapsed onto the floor as the poison inside him took its toll on him.

"Tamaki!" Panda exclaims before scooping him up in his hold. "We need to get him to Shoko, immediately." He advises Suki and Toge. He turns to look at Suki who knows what to do. She lets Toge off of his back before taking her owner to the school in only five minutes. She was fast and without her, Tamaki would be no more.

He stifles a groan as he woke in a hospital bed with two people also occupying the room. One being an angry Maki, who gave him an earful the moment he opened his eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking? Storming at that monster, all alone?!" She said along the lines. Some of her rambles went over his head as he tried to regain himself. He moved his jaw around and hoisted himself from a sleeping position.

"Are you even listening to me?" She asked, giving a deadpan look towards him. He sighs tiredly,

"I was trying to save Toge!" He exclaims before giving her a pout. "Besides, he tried to do the same thing, ya know. So, why are you giving me the lecture?"

She rolls her eyes, "Dummy, I already gave him a beating for trying to act like a fool too. But you, you should've thought something better than charging into that poison. If Shoko wasn't here to extract the poison, you'd be dead."

Tamaki tries to open his mouth for defense but Gojo butts in,

"She's right, Tamaki." He was standing across the room and was there when Maki yelled at him. He had his arms crossed and let the chaos unfold like Regina George.

"W-What?" Tamaki nearly snapped.

"In fact..as of late, you've been making mistakes like this. You'd accomplish the mission, sure, but you always end up in near death conditions.." He comes closer, "You can't expect Shoko to always heal you, you know?

He looks down to the sheets draped over his legs. He clenches them with his fists, looking ashamed.

He knows he's been fucking up. Maki was a bit off guard in the first weeks when they fought low-grade spirits. Tamaki handled it with ease and she smiled a bit, coming close to terms he might not need her.

But then, this happens and the last few cases he took on had the same results. He always came back with enormous wounds, bruises, or infected by something the curse laid on him. It became troublesome for many.

Things were awkward with him and Maki at first. He was trying to get her attention during class two days later but she didn't flinch or look back to Tamaki's direction.

"Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment?" No answer. "Psst..hey!"

They walked out of class lecture and Tamaki turned tail towards her,

"Maki, I know you're upset but please, I won't do it again!"

She turns to him finally, the two inches close to each other. She looks so upset.

"Yeah, you said that like four times ago." She sighs, "Tamaki, I can't bear it, seeing you injured. I'm not mad for the sake of being an asshole, but you're just not.."

He tilts his head, awaiting her answer. She hesitates to say it but he demands her to say it.

"Not what? Not what, Maki?!"

She yelled, leaving him stunned in silence. He takes a step back,

"So you think.. I'm weak?" He looks at her for a moment but her eyes don't meet his. He scoffs, turning his heel to compose himself.

"How dare you say that.." He whispers. "You do know I get worried over you too and I'm not saying stuff like that towards you! I-I always try to cheer you up and encourage you even after your own failures. You don't get to put me on the backpedal!"

"Yeah but I'm not doing irrational decisions like trying to get myself killed!" Her voice nearly cracks as they argue in the hallways. "Do you know how hard it is for me to see you in that hospital bed, wondering if you're going to make it through or not?!"

She shakes her head before pulling him by the collar. He looks at her with a feared expression.

"That's why..I wanted you to stay home in the first place! "

His heart breaks and he stifles a gasp, looking at her with a horrified look. She realizes what's she said and lets go of his collar, looking even shocked by her own words. They were so cold and Tamaki did not know what to say after..

He then breathes out,

"So that's how it is then.." Their first fight was brutal and yet, their classmates could not help but walk in on the wrong time.

"Oh oh! Trouble in paradise?" Panda giggled as he nudges a smiling Toge, who found their little argument humorous if anything. "Be careful, Tamaki, she bites!"

The two snapped their heads at them, looking angrily at the curse doll and Inumaki. They feel the hostile aura aiming at them.

"Fuck off, panda!" Maki narrows her eyes, "You should just mind your own business."

"Yeah, guys." Tamaki tags along. "Why don't you guys bother someone else, we're in the middle of something! Don't you see.?!"

Panda puts his hands up in defense and Inumaki does the same. The curse doll tries to protest but they both point their fingers at them.

They cry out.

"Yes, mom and dad." He bows apologetically before the two scurry out of the hallway. Tamaki looks at them leave before sighing, now turning to Maki.

"Bye, Maki." He starts walking to his room and Maki looks shocked to see him leave with a defeated look. She noticed how cold she was and tries to stutter a word out as he began to leave.

"W-Wait..I didn't m-"

"Oh, I know what you mean, Maki. Loud and clear." He retorts her down with scowl. "You think I'm weak, like I don't belong here..."

He shakes his head, disappointed.

"I thought you cared about me." He leaves her speechless. She stays there, angry at herself. Sure, her anger came from her feeling worried over his safety but she shouldn't have said that. His heart was completely broken as he walked to his room in misery.

He held the pillow over his head and wept for a bit, before letting it consume him into a sleep the entire afternoon.

-

Tamaki watched his class depart for their mission without him. He sat on the bedside rock near the front entrance, fiddling with his hands as Gojo began to give instructions to them. Maki looks at the frown he held on his face and she felt a pang of guilt all over again. Inumaki and Panda looked at him too, saddened he wasn't coming along. They knew it was eating him.

The three walked ahead and Gojo stayed back a bit to give a pep talk to Tamaki.

He bends down to his level and flicks his forehead,

"Hey, Kiddo. Don't feel too bad." He advises. "You do know you're staying cause of those injures, right?"

"Y-Yeah, but I feel fine!" He claimed with a shrug. "Suki and I could go anytime.."

"Yes..well-er.."

"What? You think I'm weak, like Maki said I was?"

"No, Tamaki." Gojo deadpans. "I still think you need to train more a bit, when it comes to strategy. Your father has taught you to think before you do anything, so I advise you improve on that some more.."

"I don't think I act irrational! I had to save Toge-"

"And I get that, though there's other ways to getting yourself out of there without having one of you in critical condition." Gojo points at his eye,

"But I know what can help..that curse eye of yours.."

Tamaki blinks,

"Suki and I can fuse and use it when the situation is dire or if I'm in brutal condition.." He explains and Gojo laughs,

"Your father can do it without any of those things.." He explains. "And there's a key to it..so I think you should take the day to learn how to harness that power, don't you think..?"

Tamaki sighs,

"Very well." He says, still not happy they're leaving without him. Gojo smiles before ruffling his hair,

"Good and also, don't be upset with Maki. She says those things cause she's only worried for you, is all. I don't think she meant any of those words. Just, try to talk to her again."

"You sure?" Tamaki looked at him with a slight hope in his eyes. Gojo chuckles,

"Of course, I know my way around a woman's head. They tend to act like that, sometimes."

"Right, you do have lots of girlfriends." He nods with a finger to his chin. "Okay, sensei, I guess I'll try to talk to her.."

He puts a thumps up,

"That's my boy!" He gets up and bids his student farewell. Tamaki watches them go.

He puts his head down, still a bit sad but Suki reaches for his chin and rubs her face against it. He laughs, seeing Suki comforting him.

He stood on the lonely training grounds after. He remembered his father used his curse energy simply by having his own shikigami next to him. He closes his eyes and breath, concentrating on a junction of flowing, curse energy between the two. A bridge that should allow him to use curse energy without fusing. That way, the two can double team and fight against spirits in the near future.

He does it many times but to no avail, nothing shows up. He sighs. He knows he can't get it right away but there had to be something. Anything.

He looms over a fence before reaching for his phone.

He calls the one who can help.

"Tamaki, hey, how are you doing?" His father's voice is heard on the other end. Tamaki still remains surprised he's reached for his phone so fast. He knows his father's been learning to be a better guardian these past months.

"Dad..I need your help." He asked and his dad was all ears. "What is it, son? Something bad happened..?"

"Not really." He breathes out. He then explains his situation and asked what's the fastest way to get the curse eye. His father, Haru, simply smiles over the phone.

"Son, you've been doing it all along."

"What?"

He chuckles,

"Remember all that training, we did? What's the one thing you thought of when you fought?"

Maki..

"M-Maki.." He says, still a bit confused. "Where is this going?"

"Tamaki, you don't just use it when you are in danger. But when you feel it." He explains. "You must pour your emotions into it and let it reach to Suki.."

"O-Okay, but isn't overemotional a bad thing? You said I had to act without emotion or hone them at least."

"Yes, continue to hone them. Don't let them shed to tears or frustration, but think on it. Like a mantra that you need to see through..And once you do that, Suki will feel it and give you your ability from afar."

"I think I get it now.." He says, nodding his head.

"T-Thanks dad." He says after their ongoing pep talk. Haru smiles,

"You're doing great, Tamaki. You've done so well on your other tests, you can do this. I know it's hard at first but the more you practice, the better. I believe in you, Maki does too..so please, just think on that."

Tamaki's heart swells and he smiles back,

"I..appreciate it. I love you, dad."

"I love you too, son." Tamaki hangs up and Haru drops the phone on his lap as he sat on a bed. He lets out a sigh and thinks proudly on his son. He's distracted a but until his thoughts disrupt when arms snake out his bare shoulders.

"Who was that on the phone?~" A feminine voice whispers in his ear as she holds him from behind.

"It was Tamaki. He was just asking some tips about the curse eye we possessed."

Mei Mei smiles,

"Aww, how cute! I'm glad you guys are fixing that relationship of yours." He holds onto her hands and kisses the callous in them.

"So am I." He says, showing off the lock screen of his. Him holding an arm around his son, who is in his Jujutsu uniform.

"He's grown up so fast." He admits as his girl twirls a stray of hair in her hand. She giggles to herself and Haru furrows a brow,

"Heh, what's so funny?" He tilted his head at her as she covers her laugh with a hand over her mouth.

"He looks so much like you." She comments with a wink. "So handsome, just like his dad!" She fondles his bicep a bit. "Heck, you can pass as his older brother."

He lets out a dry chuckle,

"To be honest, I get that a lot." He throws the phone somewhere else, not caring about it for now. He turns back to her teasing, smiling.

"Now, let's get back to what we were doing, shall we~?"

-

Tamaki felt lonely without any of his friends or Maki. The dorm rooms were vacant and as he walked out into the gloomy weather, ready to train. He was meditating on a rock, breathing and concentrating on his energy. He was there for a moment until a tired Ijichi walked all the way up the cliff to send a message to him.

He opens one eye,

"Ijichi, what's wrong?" He panted as he sweat. The auxiliary manager wiped the droplets out of of his forehead.

"You have a mission, it's actually urgent." The older man sighs out. He gives out a letter to him. Tamaki grabs it and looks at him,

"Well what about the others?" He asked. "They still haven't returned from their mission."

He nods, "Yes, but this mission should be easy one. It just needs to be cleaned up right away. We have to go now."

Tamaki was eager for a fight and without Maki or Gojo here, he easily said yes. He picked up his swords and followed him into the car.

He read the request. It all occurred at an all-men's prison, where the curses have emerged and began to prey on the victims. A window contacted help and Tamaki is that help.

He gulped as he was drove to the haunted prison. The weather around it made it less appealing.

"We got this, Suki." He whispers, stroking her with his hand before looking out the window. Ijichi casted a curtain over the prison and Tamaki ran in there. He kicked right into the doors and immediately, he's shoved at the right by a screaming prisoner. They all start to run out as swarms of small curse spirits sprinted across the room.

They turn to see Tamaki and immediately they try to ambush. Tamaki breathes and thinks fast like Gojo and his father instructed.

"I'll use my domain to counter." He tells Suki. You can kill off any stragglers. Suki nods and stays in her small appearance so she can attack without them knowing. She runs off and Tamaki holds on the sheath of his sword.

"Sword ambush technique." He states as the circle emerges and traps the spirits in them. They're stuck the moment they land their feet inside of it. He sheathes his swords out and in seconds, he cuts through all of them with one swift.

"There's another one! S-She killed all of the other inmates!" one shouted before leaving the building.

She?

He makes it way down the corridors and downstairs. He cuts through any spirit in his way and the more he walks down, the darker it gets. All lights are all out as the alarm rang across the hallway.

"P-Please, don't kill me!" A man cried up against the wall. He had bite marks all over his body, big and small.

"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚. 𝘼𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙮 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝."

She snaps his neck before stuffing his body inside of her mouth. Tamaki froze in his spot, blood turned cold.

Shit.