this is literally the sweetest thing ever đ„ș
so up my alley
if wei wuxian had ignored lan wangji a little, that would be the utmost fix-up. because, listen to me: if wei wuxian had decided to play hard to get after so many times receiving the cold shoulder from hanguang-jun, the man would be so dejected. imagine he decides âoh, well, guess iâll just stop pestering him and do my stuff insteadâ. lan wangji would be so confused, heâd start begging inside during public appearances for wei wuxian to pay attention on him once more.
heâd struggle to get first place in every competition to be noticed by the yumengâs head disciple. heâd stare at him so intensely all the time that at some point every cultivator will already understand or he wants wei wuxian naked or wants him tied somewhere, whimpering. or both, for the matter, but who cares at that point??! the cultivators just want some peace!!
lan wangji would buy him stuff. write him stuff. indulge his mischiefs. ask his laughing brother for advice. paint a âwei ying⊠notice me,â in his white clothes, making lan qiren go mad (alright, he wouldnât do it, but you get what i mean).
itâs just that, canonically, i believe he absolutely loves wei wuxianâs undivided attention (his teenage self wouldnât ever admit though). but if wei wuxian had ignored him a bit, lan wangji would have learned long ago how much he doesnât want wei wuxian away, causing him to protect him harder.
but thatâs just another theory thatâll never get proved because wei wuxian is a simp. heâs a hanguang-jun worshipper. the gayest gay to have ever gayed. his sleeves are so cut that the fabricâs now gone and heâll walk around naked. he couldnât have not bothered lan wangji â if you ask him, heâll say he was born for that.
THE TRANSITION AND CONTRAST OML DIDJDJSK đ©đđđđđ
deliverance (ft. a little bird that didnât make the cut)
LITERAL WORK PF ARTTJ OMLSSSOSNS
Summary: For two people that love to read, words seem like a complex.Â
Word Count: 13k (yeah⊠this is slow burn, might want to get a drink and snack)
Tags: Alhaitham x Fem!Reader, Slow Burn, Smut, NSFW, Fluff, Angst kind heavy?, Modern AU, Omegaverse AU, A/B/O relationships, slow fic, marriage, arranged pairing, dubcon, themes about not liking yourself, TW:Â gender dysphoria (you donât like your secondary gender), TW: Very vague and brief mentions to possible past domestic trauma, Jealous!alhaitham, slight yandere!alhaitham, mutual pining, miscommunication, breeding, biting, ruts, Alpha!alhaitham, Beta!reader. You agreed to the pairing due to tax benefits. A lot of references to literature.Â
Authors note: This is my first attempt at slow burn and yeah⊠I got carried away. I want to explore how slow alhaitham would open up and how love can come from the mind instead of the heart. Enjoy.
Side Note: here is a little dabbleÂ
Keep reading
synopsis: sometimes it matters that you are his wife. PART 2
pairings: Capitano, Kaveh, Tighnari, Zhongli x fem!reader (separately)
tw: fluff, established relationship, hurt/comfort; hybrids, unwelcomed courting, kind of female objectification (all in Tighnari's part)
word count: 6.9k+ words
a/n: part 1 can be read here!
Fast elegant fingers of a pianist run across the keys of black and white and the violins in the hands of other musicians are there to serve together with the chorus of beautiful voices, selected by Lady Columbina personally. The music infiltrates the souls of the nobles present, filling them with the sense of grandeur and glory, touching even their harsh unfeeling hearts.
The atmosphere of the gathering is gratifying, wouldâve even been endearing if not for the stately figures of the Harbingers standing on both sides of the throne, where the Tsaritsa would've been seated had she not decided to refrain from attending it altogether. She has more important matters to take care of, and nine of her most loyal servants can definitely fill in her place on that yearly event.
Sure, this year it is more important since the two Harbingers are missing and the seats stay vacant - it's been the talk of the nation. Who is going to be nominated? Can it be influenced? Will they claim the names today?
Is the mysterious Commander, whose arrival became the topic of multiple speculations, be the one? A fierce warrior many heard of, but almost none saw face to face. The man was believed to be as powerful as the 11th Harbinger or maybe even the 10th! Having an army and an establishment of his own on the farthest line of the Snezhnayan border, he still is under the command of Lord Capitano, which makes it even harder to fish any more information than what is already known to the public.
"I only heard about him. He and his troops are protecting our borders from the monster's invasion in the North."
"Ew, who would've wanted to live in the North! It's much harsher than all the Snezhnaya."
"Shush, the Commander is wealthy and respectful, you can bear some cold."
"What do you imply?"
"The Commander is unmarried, there is no way he isn't, not with a life like this. But it can always be changed, and the woman he takes as wife would be one of the luckiest ones!"
"You are right⊠Maybe he is actually handsome. Maybe he'd be even willing to buy a whole mansion for his promised one and not take her with him to that awful place. MaybeâŠ"
Maybe, maybe, maybe. It travels through the crowds like a storm in its wake, eventually reaching the Harbingers, who, for the first time after appearing and greeting the already arrived, stop resembling the statues. Eyes shift among the people and each other; some gazes hold interest, some - annoyance. Only Pantalone has an ever present smile on his face, fingers clasped in front of him and sapphire rings sparkle in the ballroom light.
"Looks like Capitano's estimated soldier caught everyone's attention. My, my, how curious and nosy the people can beâŠ"
"I understand the curiosity though," admits Childe, arms crossed to prevent laying even a finger on his blade, that is resting on his hip. "This person sounds like an interesting specimen⊠I've heard of his talents in both strategy and tactics, and it seems like his strength is a legend. I'd love to spar with him."
"Oh you, thinking only about fights, young man," Pulcinella disapprovingly shakes his head and raises his cane to point in the gingerhead's direction. "I highly doubt our guest will have time to spare, considering the period of time concerning the stay that was mentioned in the letter we received."
"And I believe the majority of that time would be spent with Il Capitano, isn't it right?" Columbina's soft voice must be drowning in the music, but everyone hears her loud and clear.
"..." The Harbinger stays silent and nothing can be read from his body language since he is the only one remaining still in his place, his huge looming figure resembling one of the full-set armor nobles like putting in their halls as a part of interior. Except this one isn't empty.
"So much potential to become my test subject, to be perfected... Yet lost to the lands of Northern regions," Dottore huffs in disappointment, his sharp teeth peaking when he clicks his tongue. "Say, Pierro, can't things be rearranged? I'd happily have our dear border protector as my underling."
The silence between the nine suddenly becomes thick. There is something indescribably tense in the air and only Childe can't understand why some of his colleagues seem to be more interested in how the Captain would react and not the 1st of the Harbingers..
"You know why this can't be rearranged, Dottore," the stare of an icy blue eye would pin everyone to the ground, destroying their will and order to obey, though doing little to scare the Doctor. "And it was favored by the Tsaritsa herself."
The finality of the short statement makes the scientist back down from the proposition he's been bringing up every time the topic touches the Commander, yet ending up the same way as always - with an ultimate rejection.
Three heavy thuds make everyone in the room fall silent. Many heads turn to look at the ceremonial staff hitting the floor the last time and staying still in the hand of a tall, thoroughly dressed man.
"The protector of the Northern border, the glorified and esteemed warrior of Her Majesty Tsaritsa, The Commander has arrived," the master's of ceremonies voice carries like a thunderclap, cutting off the quite leisurely music the orchestra was playing for the dances and entertainment.
The rustle of note sheets is fleeting and not a moment later the musicians straighten in their seats, taking a deep breath. Trumpets boom in a spacious room and make nobles shiver in surprise, some especially susceptible women even lean on their partners for support. The choir and the violins join the triumphant song the brass instruments sing, signaling that the time has come.
Everyone holds their breath as the tall heavy doors leading to the ballroom are being pulled open. Everyone has their gaze glued to a slowly growing gap. Everyone keeps their eyes wide open, afraid that even one blink can cost them missing the legendary sight.
Everyone gasps.
The tall figure enters, posture straight and shoulders squared, confidence evident in every step. Black satin clothes are adorned with golden chains and intricate patterns. The white military coat stayed resting on the shoulders - showing off the position, the closeness to the Harbingers. And then there is the face - a scar crossing the left brow, calm bored eyes, not sparing anyone a glance, which do not fit the other female features of your face.
Yes, the Commander happens to be a woman.
Stopping by the steps leading to the throne, you bow - not kneel, bow, - holding your open palm by the heart and respectfully closing your eyes. Music stops.
âGreetings, my lords. Let Tsaritsa bless you and your mission.â
âLet Tsaritsa bless you and your service to her,â Pierro says, raising his hand. âLift your head,â which you do, looking him right in the eyes, yet still holding your hand by the chest. âThere is time for duties and there is time for entertainment. And tonight, given your rare visits to the capital, I suggest you enjoy the latter.â
âMuch obliged, Lord Pierro.â
And with a wave of the older manâs hand, the orchestra starts a new composition, waking up the ones who were in a daze, reminding others they are here for drama.
And the first one to take action is the 11th Harbinger.
âCommander, Sir- I mean, Lady?â The gingerhead is the closest to you out of all his colleagues, having only to descend a few steps to be on your level. âIâve heard a lot about you, many admirable things. How do you look at sparring?â
âRight in the middle of a ballroom? Quite positively, young man,â your lips twist in a half-smirk, baring a sharp pearly canine. âBut I believe the nobles have already had enough shock to take and rumors to create. Maybe another time. Havenât seen you before though. Are you new?â
âTartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger, Lady Commander.â
âMaâam would be enough,â you click your tongue, glancing behind and noticing how slowly, but surely some of the aristocrats are inching towards you, clearly interested in conversation, Well, you are not. âOn second thought, starting a duel right now and here doesnât sound like a bad ideaâŠâ
âIâve always known you are quite insane,â Arlechino butts her way in the conversation, giving you only a small nod as a greeting. You simply glance at her.
âFor years Iâve been hearing of my insanity, think of something new,â
âHow about, âthe one who knows no limitsâ?â Pantaloneâs smile is as dazzling as itâs fake and sometimes your hands are itching to strangle the man. Maybe even go all the way out and bite his head off. Literally.
âThe only ones who know no limits are the wind and the stupidity. Iâm neither. Who I am though,â your gaze travels higher, to the steps closest to the Tsaritsaâs throne, to there Pierro and the first three Harbingers are standing, âis a wife. And Iâd like to have a dance with my husband.â
Not many heard your words, but the ones who did, gasp loudly, staring at you with wide eyes. Which get even wider when Il Capitano, a seemingly motionless statue before, turns in his place and, without a pause, steadily descends to you. Now, as you are standing so closely it becomes evident how obviously your outfits match. The chains, the patterns, even the precious stones - everything. Perhaps it is terrifyingly cute. Perhaps it's cutely terrifying.
âHusband,â your smile again, offering him your hand, which he immediately envelopes in his big clawed one.
âWife,â is the first word the big figure rumbles for the evening, the void of its helmet staring at you. And thatâs all you speak to each other, hearing the beginning of another melody and turning to join the dancing pairs.
â...What was that?â Childe voices whatâs been plaguing the minds of the attendees. âFirst the Commander appears to be a woman, and now she is married to the Lord Il Capitano?â He glances at Pulcinella, who joins his side and decides to watch the pair that caused a commotion have their fun. âDo they not use their names?â
âThey find no sense in them,â the Rooster answers just the last question. âAnd,â he lowers his voice and the ginger has to bend down to hear the next words, âI didnât tell you that, but the Captain really loves calling her his wife. So be quite cautious while seeking a fight with her. You might end up impaled. By either of them.â
With a soft smile you watch a group of children merrily leaving their classroom, interrupting each other in attempts to tell everyone how exciting the lesson was. They do not forget to grin and wave at you, passing by, and you return the sentiment, contently observing their happy faces and sparkly eyes.
Every time this happens, a strange sense of fulfillment overtakes you - supporting and sponsoring Kaveh was one of the best decisions youâve ever made. The greatest architect of nowadays is offering his guidance to the young generation, teaching them everything about beauty and practicality, helping them to develop their own creative vision, and at the same time boosting the confidence of kids of all ages. And you couldnât be prouder of him.
Him, who meticulously prepares for every single lesson. Him, who is oh-so-gentle with his words and precise in his speech. Him, who teaches both Sumeru citizens and people coming from abroad. Him, who is as passionate about it, as he is about his designing job, telling you every single detail of how the lessons went on your way home or over the dinner. Him, who is happy and who makes you happy too with that fact alone.
When the last kid leaves, marking the ending of the final class for today, you glance at the clock. Now Mister Meticulousness will need half an hour to tidy up the classroom and put all the tools away. Tomorrow is free from classes at his (he always corrects your as in the both of you) school, so you can collect your stuff as well - after all, being the manager of this establishment and Kaveh specifically requires your presence. You can be strict and unyielding whenever he canât and this partnership proves to be successful every day.
Just as you are writing down some financial staff, there is a soft knock on the doorframe. Immediately lifting your eyes you hum, observing a very good-looking woman and a boy, shyly holding onto her hand.
âHello, how can I help you?â With a quill laid on top of your accounting book, you stand and round the table, offering the two to step closer.
âAh, hello, missâŠâ eyes with long, pretty lashes flit to the name tag attached to your clothes, â...Y/n. This is master Kavehâs artistic school, am I correct?â
âYes, you are. Are you here to sign your boy up for a class?â You offer her son a sweet smile and he answers you with a small lift of his lips.
âMhm. You see, he is a big fan of master Kaveh and his works - can study the pictures of his designs taken by Kamera day and night.â
At that, the boy lowers his gaze and blushes a little, digging a hole in the ground with the tip of his shoe.
âOh, really?â A gasp that escapes your chest is one of excitement. âThatâs marvelous! I am sure your hopefully soon-to-be-teacher will be very interested in hearing your opinion of his works, young connoisseur,â he giggles, lifting his eyes at you again, and there you see undisguised delight. âOh, but my bad, I didnât ask your namesâŠâ
The womanâs lips bare two rows of perfectly white teeth as she smiles at you, introducing herself and her son.
âWe are from Fontaine actually. But my parents wanted to spend some indefinite period of time in Sumeru for their health and we decided to join them. So while we are here, I thought Iâd make my sonâs dream come true.â
âThatâs so nice of you,â you canât help but admire her a little for that. âI can tell you first a little about our school, youâll ask all the questions you need to, and then Iâll show you around. Kaveh should be done with cleaning by then, so thereâs a big chance youâll even talk to him personally.â
âReally!?â Thatâs the first time throughout your entire interaction when the boy opens his mouth and actually makes a sound. âMaster Kaveh is here right now?â
âHe is. But canât promise a long conversation - there are still blueprints waiting for him back at home.
âAh, right⊠He is the great architect after all,â the woman hums, staring to the side as if in thought. âBetween the commissions he takes and this school he must be making good money. Not to mention so handsomeâŠâ
Oh⊠What a familiar tone, what a familiar look in those eyes. Suddenly that ounce of respect you felt for her disappears.
âMoney is irrelevant to him as long as he reaches his goal,â is your restrained response.Â
âAh, of course! Handsome, sweet, kind, good with kids and is not a snob. Sweety, you ought to charm him for me!â She pinches her sonâs cheek. âImagine Master Kaveh as your daddy!â
Oh Archons, again?
There is absolutely no doubt that the light of Kshahrewar is not only well-known and popular among kids, but is thirsted after by women. In a half of a year your school has been existing, there were numerous times when moms of little students made comments alike or some single females trying to schedule private sessions with the architect. What a sagacious decision it was to make group studying only, it saves you some drama, once the legal document is shown. Though there are exceptionally persistent examplesâŠ
But this time you pity the kid a little, because he genuinely seems to admire Kaveh. And his next words make you internally cheer for the little guy.
âMaster Kaveh as my dad? But mom, I have a dad already,â the boy pouts, rubbing at the pinched cheek. You notice a red mark and two little crescent moons that her nails left on a tender skin. âI love him and donât need another one.â
âSweety, you just donât understand how great it would be to have such a dad! Just trust my word-â
âAhem, Madame, I kindly ask you to deal with your family affairs once you are out of here. As for the school - I am open for discussion.â
The displeased way she glances at you doesnât go unnoticed, but you do not show it anyhow, calmly staring back at her, while your hand reaches up to your chest. As if finally remembering her initial reason for coming here with her son, the woman sighs and puts a palm on the boyâs shoulder.
âOf course, miss- Iâm sorry I forgot your nameâŠâ And her eyes flit to the name tag again.
Momentarily the woman squints from the light reflecting on the metal, and when she blinks the bright spots away, there is a beautiful golden ring on your hand. The hand that is holding the flipped tiny plate with just two words engraved in it.
"Kaveh's wife"
With widened eyes she stares back at your sweetly polite smile. Not saying a word as if letting the notion sink in, you walk to the wall. Grabbing the backs of two chairs you drag them to your table so they could sit, and take your rightful place in front of them.Â
âIf you are here for something aside from or instead of signing your son up for classes, I believe my name should be irrelevant to you. My status though,â you knock a nail twice on the badge, âmust. So⊠what are you here for, Madame?â
The boy climbs onto his chair right away, while his mother tarries a little, still shocked by the revealed fact and your suddenly changed demeanor. She needs a couple more seconds to compose herself, but eventually she too sits down.
Despite what happened earlier, your conversation proves to be fruitful and fifteen minutes later you are showing around the school, sharing some additional information and answering every single of the kidâs questions.Â
When in the last room you find your husband, closing Mehrak and looking ready to leave, the boy lets out a gasp. The sound attracts the manâs attention, and he turns to the three of you with a soft smile.
âOh, hello there, little guy!â The blond waves at him, breaking the blissful stupor of a child that immediately turns red and hides behind his mother. Surprised, Kaveh looks at you for explanation but, instead, takes notice of your nameâs replacement. Oh wow, this again. What was the last time you did that? Two weeks ago?
âAh, Master Kaveh!â The woman charmingly smiles, batting her lashes at him, which wouldâve made you cringe had it never happened before. âYou see, my son-â
âPardon me, Madame, give me a moment,â the male softly interrupts her and reaches for a similar metal plate on his chest with his own name to flip it. Itâs almost comical how sour the temptressâs face got in a second.
And there is what for. Now two words are proudly matching yours, engraved in an equally beautiful cursive to remind the world who the two of you become once stripped of your names.
Just his âY/nâs husbandâ to your âKavehâs wifeâ.
And like that one more kid takes part in your lovely school and one suitor less is after one of its founders.
With each passing day of your teamâs research in the desert you found it harder and harder to control yourself. Some days you were even on the verge of clawing and biting, tail and ears twitching in annoyance and pupils turning into wild slits, making your hybrid nature more obvious.
Was it because of the research? No, it couldnât be farther - your colleagues have been making so much progress, heeding your advice and following your lead. Was it the location perhaps? A little, but you learnt how to deal with heat and dryness. Was the process taking too much time? On the contrary, you are on your way home already, having finished the job 4 days earlier than you estimated in the beginning.
Then what on earth could possibly trigger you like this?
WellâŠ
âHey, forest foxy, want me to catch the Consecrated Flying Serpent for you?â
Ah yes, him.
Never again will you trust the higher ups at the Akademiya to sponsor your team with the bodyguards. Out of every possible candidate, your Herbad-titled colleague concluded that hiring five descendants of Valuka Shuna would be a marvelous idea.Â
âThey are the desert kind - theyâll be good guides.â âLook how much stronger they are, theyâll definitely protect all of you.â âThey are of the same kind as you, Y/n. Donât you think itâll be easier for you, as the leader, to have someone akin with you?â
No, it absolutely would not!
Desert fennec hybrids are different from the forest ones - and itâs not even the case of your green and their sandy brown fur or their more brutal physique against your more delicate one. Itâs their character and world perception. Youâll never call them barbarians, but they really developed more of the animal nature than your kind did.
And from day one it was a pain in the butt.Â
One of your five new bodyguards was clearly the leader - he was bigger and broodier, with more scars littering his body, and his whole stance was screaming of a higher position. When you were introduced for the first time, something lit up in his grayish eyes, which were looking you over appreciatively. You ignored that, more focused on the discussion of the upcoming expedition and making sure the five were aware of what was required of them.
Luckily they were, and, admittedly, they did fulfill their task meticulously, proving to be great help. If only one of them wasnât so diligent.
You lost count of how many times the leader tried to get into your personal space and you had to move away. Of the numerous invitations to hunt together. Of the endless displays of his strength and abilities. Of the many conversations you didnât even try to eavesdrop on (they talked pretty loudly) around the topic of when will your shell be cracked and youâd accept the maleâs courting attempts.
The answer was obvious, but he just never got it. Even when you called him for a serious conversation on the turning-into-an-issue matter.
âWith all respect I must ask you to stop with whatever youâve been doing to woo me. I have a husband.â
You still remember how he blinked at you dumbly, clear lack of understanding written on the sun-kissed face.
â...and?â
âThe heck do you mean âandâ?â
âWell, you donât have a mate?â
It was your turn to stare at him speechless, ear twitching and tail curling closer to your legs. It was getting worse than just ridiculous.
âIf we are speaking in such terms, then my husband is my mate. So, please-â
You nearly gasped when the male immediately leant closely, violating your personal space and practically stuffing his nose against your neck. Shocked by such lack of shame, you lost the ability to talk or move for a moment, gaping at him sniffing around and humming upon the discovery.
âYou donât wear anyoneâs smell on you.â
You were not proud of yourself at that moment, but you absolutely lost it. Sharpened claws dug into his chest and with an angry snarl you pushed him back.
âGet away from me!â
You mustâve been a sight - canines bared and fingers twitching, ready to attack; fur standing on both your ears and tail, signaling your distress and eyes slitted in pure rage while directed at the man in front of you. The worst part? The idiot seemed to like it even more.
âWhat me and my partner do must be of no concern to you. I told you ânoâ and I mean it.â
But bold of you was to assume heâd stop. Oh no, itâs gotten worse. Now he was actively calling you a âforest foxyâ, absolutely abandoning your name and even trying to scent you. It was suffocating - the desert aridity was lighter in comparison to the male hybridâs pheromones.Â
Never in all your academic practice have you wanted to return home so badly.
Fortunately, your colleagues quickly caught on to what was going on and always helped you to escape the unwanted interactions. Plus they were equally as mad as you were, because his individual scent irritated their human noses - and that was the main reason why you and Tighnari, both spending a lot of time around other people, did not practice it. Partly, you are sure, this whole situation was the reason for your earlier return - and you were grateful for their understanding.
However, your stubborn suitor did not dream of giving up. Killed desert animals were still offered to you, stories of his legendary battles with monsters were told for the hundredth time (even though no one was interested in listening at that point) and attempts to lure you with the musky smell once again made. Archons, and the green-furred fennec girls from your teens used to dream of that.
Maybe Lesser Lord Kusanali would be merciful and youâll meet your husband somewhere on your way?
âHerbad Y/n!â
âŠwow, that was quick. Not Tighnari, but incredibly welcome too.
âCollei!â For the first time in days there is a reason for your soft smile. Which the young girl mirrors, waving at you from not so far away. You notice a couple more of the Forest Rangers at her side, and that sight alone makes you finally exhale in relief. You are so close to being home.
âMaster is here too! Want me to get him?â
Oh, Dendro Archon, thank you.
âIâd really appreciate it, dear!â With a quick nod the green-haired apprentice disappears in the bushes, and you turn back to the scholars of your group. Itâs time to abuse your power a little. âWe are almost at the Devadaha Pool. Since all of you live in Sumeru City I hope youâll excuse me for staying behind. As for you five,â your gaze moves to the bodyguards and itâs so hard not to rejoice - soon theyâll be just a memory, âI ask you to accompany the rest of my team to the Akademiya. Then you can consider your job done and be free. Keep the payment for the last three days that didnât happen - think of it as a bonus for a good job.â
All but one eagerly nod and bid you farewell with wishes of getting home safely. And frankly speaking? You couldnât care less for that one when you spot familiar and oh so dear big pointy ears with an intricate golden earring adorning one of them.
âTighnari!â You didnât want to sound so desperate, you really didnât. But when those forest-like lovely eyes look in your direction, it becomes clear to you - the yearning has gotten unbearable.
âY/nâŠâ His smile is dazzling and the way his body immediately pushes to walk to you almost makes the memories of the last weeksâ events go away.
The key word - almost.
Someone grabs your elbow when you want to meet him halfway. Oh right, you already forgot about him.
âLet me go, you, imbecile!â And again you have to snarl and be rude, ripping your arm out of the strong hold and quickly darting into your husbandâs embrace. The natural smell of the leaves, the flowers, the sweet and bitter concoctions he makes in his home laboratory, comfort you and your whole body goes nearly limp in his hold. Itâs been weeks and you are tired of fighting with the brick wall - this time you want your lover to handle it for you.
âY/n, my lotus, are you alright?â Gentle fingers comb through your hair and scratch at the base of your ears - a whole ass adult, that you are, wants to tear up. But you can only shake your head a no. âHas this man been bothering you?â This time itâs a yes. âI got you, dear.â
âSo,â the browny green eyes sharpen upon staring at the cause of your current state, when it starts speaking, âyou are that âhusbandâ the foxy has been talking about? I thought youâd be stronger. Or at least taller. Now I see that I was right and you really canât be her mate.â
âOh but I am. Not that we have to prove anything to a stranger. Y/n,â he carefully pries your face from his shoulder, caressing your cheek with a beanie pad, âletâs go home. You must be so-so tired.â
âI am, ânari. I am exhaus-â
âThereâs no smell of you on her and vice versa,â the desert descendent of the Valuka Shuna seems to not be planning to stop. âHer neck is not marked. You let her wander by herself for weeks? And you keep calling her by the name. Her name should've stopped mattering once she became your mate!â
The hand around your waist tenses and you can feel the claws threatening to tear through the gloves he always wears. You donât need to look at the face of your lover to know how pissed he is. And if Tighnari decides to attack him and tear his tongue out? You will not stop him.
âI am going to say it once and only once. She is not just a mate, she is my wife, by the Sumeru law and by the blessing of the Dendro Archon. And this fact must matter to you more than the case of her name. So fuck off and leave my wife alone. And if you donât get it in a civil way - this woman is taken. And this territory is mine.â
With that, the Forest Watcher effortlessly lifts you in his arms and, holding you as if a precious bride, turns around to leave. You havenât looked back once.
âYou canât imagine how much I missed being called your wife,â you quietly confess, wrapping your arms around his neck. âEspecially after he didnât listen when I said that I am.â
Tighnari hums sympathetically, leaning close to rub his nose against yours.
âWill it be okay then if today I address you as my wife only? When we join the other rangers, I mean.âÂ
â...if you think I will be embarrassed - make it a whole week.â
With a soft chuckle your husband plants a kiss on your lips, sealing the deal and promising you tranquil days at last.
âAs you wish, wife.â
"...and so Rex Lapis takes the form of a dragon, a majestic creature he was born as - the one of whom the fair maiden would never be scared of. Lady Guizhong's robes flutter in the tender wind traveling among the mountain peaks and caressing the earthly scales of the God's enormous body. His eyes, shiny as gold, gaze at her with an unfamiliar softness as she holds a gentle flower - a delicate gift from her lover, the one that proves that under all that armor is a stone heart capable of love. Heart that is beating for her."
To loud applause the Iron Tongue Tian bows his head, drawing the legend of the gods in love to its end. You cannot bring yourself to clap even politely, both hands on your lap, hidden under the table, twitching when a man beside you lets his gloved palms meet each other a couple of times.
Itâs the second time you had to sit and endure the baloney from the very beginning to the very end, not to count all those times you overheard it in passing. From the moment you settled in the Liyue Harbor together with your husband, to live the rest of your incredibly long lives together among the humans, you've been painfully aware of their interpretation of Rex Lapis and his relationship with other immortal beings. Before that you rarely accompanied him during the walks, busy with helping Yakshas and other adepti protect the said humans to grant them a peaceful life - as immortal guardians grew fewer, every single one counted.
Never have you ever imagined that knowing so little of the citizensâ folklore would backfire so hard. It seems that people got somewhat bored listening to the stories of Liyue and Rex Lapis, no matter how many interpretations existed. Literature became more diverse in genres and romantic novels were on top of the list, so street narrators started losing their audience little by little. Before it could grow into something more drastic the new side of history was presented to the public - stories about love among immortals appeared and its freshness and uniqueness caught peopleâs attention immediately.
In their searches for new material, speakers dug through hundreds of volumes. The main interest was the Lord of Geo, of course. If you have a story of a presumably stone-hearted creature ever having fallen in love with someone - thatâs pure gold! But who could you present as a love interest of the Archon? It must be someone very close to him and, obviously, no one is more well-known for that than the deceased Archon of Dust.
You sigh, reaching for your cup and declining Madam Pingâs offer to pour you some more tea - for an unclear reason the fellow adeptus joined you two tonight. You have thousands of years of life behind your existence, a soul hardened by constant battles, and mannerism as polished as a jade statue, yet for a moment you feel concerned that the woman would notice a pang of hurt in the smallest of your features.
Zhongli definitely noticed the first time. It was meant to be a date night - simple, but sweet, with the evening lights, delightful aroma of the finest tea and the tales pouring from skilled tongues reflecting the atmosphere of what your nation really is. However, the luck of the land of trades wasnât on your side, as someone requested the âGuili legendâ as they called it. At first you were confused. Then in disbelief, almost turning to look at your mate, with whom you were bonded long before he became allies with the ash-haired woman. In the end you felt something you thought was beyond you - bitterness.
When you left the restaurant, slowly walking back to your house, Zhongliâs fingers gently touched your elbow, asking for your attention.
âDoes it bother you that much, my love?â
Bother you? Well⊠It does feel insulting when someone speaks of your husband having been in love with someone else, but mortals canât possibly know the truth for many reasons.
âI canât say it doesnât,â you admitted calmly, stopping and turning fully to him. He did the same, gazing at you with a hint of worry in those golden eyes you loved so much. The ones, you knew, always looked only at you. âBut it canât be helped, right? There was a reason and mutual agreement why you, as Rex Lapis, made our union unknown to your people, and now, since you are âdeadâ? There is no one to tell our story. Donât worry though,â you put a hand on top of his and smiled, when his other one was laid on top of yours in a gesture of comfort. âI can deal with it. I know you love going to the storytellerâs performances. Iâll just try to ignore what they say about you and Lady Guizhong.â
Sometimes Zhongli thinks he does not deserve you. Ever so patient and understanding, you always had your husband's best interest at heart. Marriage, however, in its basis is a form of a contract, and a good contract is all about both sides being equal in everything. And if you must know one thing about Rex Lapis - he never makes bad contracts.
When the audience calms down, the man decides to make his presence and intentions clear by raising a hand. From the corner of his eye he notices you slightly turning your head to glance at him, and he catches a glimpse of puzzlement in your gaze. He can't help but think how adorable you are, even if you deny it again and again, claiming that nothing can be adorable about a several millennia-old warrior. Maybe not, but his wife definitely is, and he thinks with a primordial pride igniting in his chest, that mating with you was the best decision his past self had ever made.
Reaching under the table he rests his free hand on top of yours, gently squeezing it in reassurance, offering you the warmth of himself, seeping through his glove. Just as your shoulders relax to his delight, the raised hand adorned with rings is finally noticed.
"Ah, Mr Zhongli! Such an honor to see a regular, especially someone as wise as yourself!" Iron Tongue Tian beams with a wide smile, closing his fan and focusing his full attention on the history connoisseur. "I doubt you have questions, given your vast knowledge, and I can't wait to hear what else you can add to this already heart-felt story."
You force your lips not to twitch, hiding behind the tea cup again. Suddenly it tastes bitter. But another squeeze your husband gives your hand doesn't let you dwell on it too much.
"You are correct, I do have some knowledge to offer. However, it might disappoint you, as it will completely destroy the story of the Geo Archon and the Archon of Dust."
The whispers ran through the crowd like a powerful wave, and you can see confusion written over every single face. But also, there is intrigue.
"I took it upon myself,â Zhongli however continues, âto invite Madame Ping to back up my story, as she was the witness to it," the elder woman - a well-known Adeptus that doesn't hide her existence among mortals - nods with a soft smile.
"I read this in legends a long time ago, but remembered only when the 'Guili legend' became popular. Rex Lapis indeed had a lover, however it was not Lady Guizhong," the gasps are almost deafening. Just as your quickened heartbeat.
And for the next hour the man by your side and the elderly-looking woman that joined you tonight proceed to tell the story of the adeptus, who was the first and only to ever bring the Geo Archon to his knees, to be worshiped like a goddess by his eyes, by his words, by his very heart. Of a warrior, whose fierce eyes and valiant nature made a dragon in Rex Lapis roar in delight. Of the woman, who entranced him with her beauty, caring soul and motherly attention directed to other adepti - Madame Ping adds with a laugh of how the two created a parent-like dynamic even before they became official (at that you find it so hard not to turn bashful).
They tell the legend of the silk flowers - the ones you might see everywhere in the vast lands of Liyue. How the Geo Archon personally asked the Dendro Archon for guidance to cultivate the tenderest of flowers, how he taught his people to make the delicate fabric out of it, but even then it couldnât compare to the skin of his immortal mate.
They tell stories of how annoyed she was when the god turned into a dragon to fall asleep somewhere in the depths of the earth for years without telling her prior, and how he returned with the purest stones and metals and with his own hands forged the pair of matrimonial rings (yes, the ones wrapped around your fingers to this day).
Madame Ping fondly speaks of all those thousands of years of protection the said adeptus spent to make sure that her godly spouseâs people were safe and maybe just a tiny sliver of pride rushes through your heart at the public acknowledgement.
âBut she wished not to be known,â the woman sighs and you know she glances at you reproachfully. Well-deserved, given the circumstances you are in right now. âThus itâs not much of a surprise people made a mistake like that. Besides, you wonât find much information in written sources about her either way.â
 âBut she must have a name at least!â Someone from the fairly grown crowd exclaims.
âThat she does,â Zhongli nods, lacing his fingers with yours under the table, lips tugging in a calm smile, when you squeeze his hand in return. âThough I am afraid it would be pointless to try and find out now - we wouldnât want to disturb her mourning the departure of her husband, would we? After all, they mustâve loved each other so much.â
âBut how can you be so sure?â
âBecause,â golden eyes are on you, catching yours, pulling you in, whispering for your soul and heart to get lost in them, âI can understand how this love was born and got to bloom. My wife showed me that.â
ARGHHH đ©đ€đđđđđ€âš
Heâs jealous.
Such an emotion is rare for Tsukishima, and he hates the feeling of it. The âbig green monsterâ that he often hears from those around him has never plagued himânever made him feel the need to crumble into a hole and wallow in self-pity.
However, when he sees you smile from afar, touching the arm of a man unknown, his skin crawls.
Itâs not that he doesnât trust youâTsukishima knows good and well the amount of love you harbor for him. Butterfly kisses that spread across his skin after a rough day, warm hands clutching his on a warm summerâs day, and eyes always fixed on his as if he knew all the secrets the universe holds.
He knows of your devotion and heâs assured of it.
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ă»ăăă»ïŒ tell me about love (show me how) | gojo satoru
â wc: 7.3k â summary: you teach gojo how to love. â warnings: wrote this with f!reader in mind but idt i mentioned anything specific so it should be gn as well!, descriptions of blood (typical jjk canon type stuff), shibuya onwards manga spoilers, implied minor character death, there are swears, suggestive bit at the end (but itâs funny!), lots of internal thoughts/dialogues â a/n: this piece relates to my short blurb, do you believe in love? but isnât necessarily a sequel to it! explores a lot on gojo internal struggles and beliefs (or at least the version of gojo i envision for this universe)! timeline is a bit ambiguous because it hops through a lot of in-betweens but itâs linear for the most part! also placed my own (optimistic and probably unrealistic) predictions of how things will pan out but i donât go too much into it! i would also like to shoutout @stellamancer for leaving such lovely comments on dybil that it actually kinda pushed me to write this longer piece connected to it!! â part ii of conversations on love: i | ii
comments, tags, and reblogs are greatly appreciated âĄ
When Gojo has love for the taking, he makes no move to reach for it.Â
Itâs unusual for him to be so restrained, being born into greed and predetermined purposeâa one-man clan fated to hold power close to God. There exists a hunger within him, insatiable and stubborn, unstoppable until he gets what he wants. Itâs all heâs ever known: to take and devour, simply because he can.Â
Yet with this, he doesnât. He canât seem to.Â
âI think Iâll always want to be with you, Satoru.âÂ
When you offer your heart to Gojo, he looks at you softly.Â
You catch his eyes and see the sky, bright, with flecks of light floating on his irises like cotton clouds in its periphery. Itâs different from the piercing blue youâre used toâa terrifying riptide that washes you away.Â
It wasnât intended as a confession, but Gojo always takes whatever you have to say. He commits it to memory each time; how could he not? Words that come from you flow so naturally, so earnestly that the air around you shifts all on its own.
His lips part slightly, red spatterings lining pink inner corners before they close again. He doesnât say anything, but you know Gojo and the fingerprints of his soulâthe way he bites his lips to withhold himself from speaking.Â
Itâs dangerous, he thinks, how you make wanting something so complicated seem so simple.
He takes a small breath, then you feel it, pressed against youâthe faint signatures of his cursed energy overlaying his entirety. It tickles a little. You donât remember the last time he put it up around you.
A million things run through Gojoâs mind for every split second he breathes, but at this point in time, he counts a million and oneâone thought that if he touches you by infinity instead of his hands, he can have this good thing for now, that this is the only way how.Â
And youâd think this a rejection if any, but he doesnât move away from you, and the red blooming at the tips of his ears says more than he ever could.Â
ââââââââââââ
The subtle intimacy you share with Gojo grows sporadically, from knuckles brushing to pinkies touching. He stands next to you more often, a few inches closer than he used to and sometimes, still, with an infinity connecting you.
ââââââââââââ
When you hold Gojoâs hand for the first time, he jolts very slightly, as if youâve shocked him. Heâs started to put his infinity down around you again, and you continue the limbo of whatever it is you both areâexcept this time, heâs made it clearer, just a little bit.Â
Itâs the last few leaves of fall and Gojo skips to an ice cream stand like a pre-schooler on early dismissal. You follow, shaking your head but smiling; heâs the only adult you know that still acts like heâs 5.Â
âYouâre like a horse.â you jest, stopping next to him in line.
âYouâre a snail.â he huffs, side-eyeing you, like a child.Â
You gasp, hitting his arm. He fake-winces, but thatâs all it is; Gojoâs the strongest and you donât know of any human touch that has managed to hurt him, exceptâ
Yeah. Your eyes trail to the side of his neck, hidden in the shadows of his jawline; thereâs really nothing, but sometimes you blink and see red, oozing, gushing, leakingâyou shake away the thought. Â
When he receives his ice cream cone stacked with vanilla-strawberry-vanilla and rainbow sprinkles on top, the smile on his face parallels the sun. He looks cozy, beaming against the autumn breeze blowing on his thick gray hoodie. You wonder if he feels just as warm.
(Maybe thatâs why you do it, then).
Just as Gojo turns to give you the cone, you reach for his other hand tentatively, shyly. You want to give him an out if he canât take this, but he doesnât move. He twitches a little, like heâs been caught off guard, but thatâs it.Â
You catch his eyes widen briefly, just a little bit, before turning into the same soft skies frequenting them lately.Â
âSorry, is this okay?â you whisper, peering up at him.Â
He stares at you for a while, his hand in yours unmoving. You leave a sliver of space between your palms, your own version of his infinity, just in case. And he takes it all in: how tiny your hand is wrapped around his, how gently you speakâhow warm he feels now amidst this autumn breeze.Â
âThe strawberryâs really good,â he finally replies, pressing the dessert closer to you, âtry it.âÂ
You give him one last look before you indulge in his request. Gojoâs always been good at that: pushing and pullingâpushing you away with non-answers only to pull you back in with something else.Â
But he doesnât let go of your hand, so you keep yours there, palms nearly touching. You make a point not to mention how the parts that do touch become clammy for the rest of the afternoon.Â
ââââââââââââ
You start to think that your relationship with Gojo is going somewhere, then he disappears (âgets sealedâ might be the more proper term).Â
His absence is deafening. Youâve all lost so much, and it hurts, but you carry on knowing full well that this is what being a jujutsu sorcerer means. There arenât many left to fight his fight, so you do what you can to. You stay with Shoko, mostly, if not going back and forth with Utahime. And the students, the kidsâyou canât even bear to think about what theyâre going through.Â
Nights are the hardest, when the world is quiet but your mind is loud. There are too many questions you canât find the answers to.
What will Gojo come back to? Then the scarier thought: Will he even come back?Â
You donât want to doubt him, ever, but your mind continues to play back that day, like a final memory. The unintentional confession; his eyes like the sky.Â
You donât want it to be the last important thing you tell him.Â
âI should start looking into retirement plans, like Nanamin.â you raise an eyebrow, questioning. Gojoâs never spoken this far into the future before, most especially his.Â
âWork is shit now for you too?â you scoff, leaning back on the wooden ledge.Â
Gojo rolls his eyes; he isnât wearing his blindfold today.Â
âWell, after I remove the old geezers and change everything, there wonât be much left to do.âÂ
You hum in response. He does make a point.Â
âAlso, Megumi wonât need me anymore,â he pouts, whining, âwho else will want me around?âÂ
You try to hold back your laugh, wanting so badly to tell him that Megumi doesnât even really like him around already to begin withâbut you figure breaking Gojoâs heart isnât really something you want to do if you value your peace.Â
âI donât know,â you reply, shifting your weight, âI think Iâll always want to be with you, Satoru.âÂ
Even now, especially now. You wish you were with him, too.Â
ââââââââââââ
The day you hear of Gojoâs potential return, you drop your breakfast outside the 7-eleven near Jujutsu Tech. Youâre supposed to meet up with Utahime for a weekly check-in but your feet take you to Shoko, and the footsteps in your heart have never echoed louder.Â
This is the first good news in a whileâespecially after finding out about the state of Megumi and what happened to Tsumiki, your sweet girl Tsumiki.Â
When Gojo comes back, itâs like he never left. He pops out of the box joking the same way, talking the same way. He proves himself to be the strongest all the same, and when he winsâthere are scars, but he wins and that fact stays the same.Â
So, when you reach for his hand now and he moves away, youâre stuck wondering whatâs changed.Â
ââââââââââââ
You let it stay that way for a while, your understanding extending to Gojo the way it always hasâyou donât push, and he gives you what he can. It honestly isnât all that bad, because at least heâs still talking to you the way he always has.
Jujutsu society is still shaken from its core. You and all who have survived bear the task of building everything from the ground up; itâs exhausting, especially since most of you are still mourning.Â
Megumiâs been put in an induced coma; you understand why but it still tugs at your heart when Shoko tells you it might take a while. Everyone else has been assigned to sweep through the rest of Japan, just to ensure that any remaining curses are taken care of.Â
You see Yuuji and Yuuta visit Megumi sometimes, along with Maki and Toge when theyâre free. Gojoâs there pretty often too, using healing sessions with Shoko as an excuse to see the boy heâs practically raised at 17, with you.Â
And while Gojoâs smiles to everyone else remain as charming as ever, you can always tell when theyâre untrue.Â
âAre you okay?âÂ
You find Gojo a little after midnight on the rooftop of the faculty building. The city always looks pretty from up hereâa sea of lights reflected up on the sky. In the many years youâve known Gojo, you notice that he always comes to places like this to think; you also know that heâs been here almost every single night since being unsealed.Â
Sneaking up on Gojo is almost impossible; he senses you before he hears you, sees the familiar traces of your cursed energy through his six eyes.Â
âCanât sleep thinking about me?â he teases, looking straight ahead.
The steps you take towards him are careful, afraid of running him off like you seem to be lately. You sit beside him and shrug, âThese days, yeah.â
Itâs times like this when Gojo forgets how honest you can be, how he takes your word for everything, completely.Â
Itâs threatening, he thinks, how you can say so much with so little.Â
âWell, maybe I can suggestââÂ
âSeriously, Satoru,â you grip the ledge tightly, knuckles turning white, âplease.âÂ
You tend to let Gojo dodge your questions a lot of the time, his elusiveness a hallmark of who he is. So you never sound like you do now, serious, pleading.Â
Gojo fiddles with his fingers, pondering. He hums lowly before speaking, âDoes it matter?âÂ
It hurts you a little, how thatâs even a question. He should know better than to ask that to you.Â
âIt matters to me, Satoru,â you sigh, âyou know it does.â
You barely catch the way his brows furrow at your response, but there are creases on his blindfold that canât be created by anything else. And Gojo knowsâis so painfully aware of the way you care.Â
Since coming back, heâs never felt like heâs fully returned. Itâs an odd existence of in-between, like heâs everything and nothing all at the same time. The emotions are even worse, overloading his senses with feelings he can never pinpoint.Â
How does he tell you that he must be fucked in the head? That every second in his mind is another step closer to insanity? That heâs lost your tether on Satoru in pursuit of Gojoâof being a god?Â
âIâll tell you,â he starts, âbut you have to look away.â
Youâve always treated Gojo tenderly, patiently, and he knows, without a doubt, that no matter what he says you will continue to do the same. But he canât allow that, not anymore. Not after the way you looked at him that day.
âOkay,â you mutter, turning your head the other way.Â
He breathes out and you can almost picture it: half-bitten lips and eyes like low tide.Â
âIâm okay,â he says to the back of your head, âyou have nothing to worry about.âÂ
A breeze picks up and brushes past your neck. Itâs a lie. He knows it, knows you know it too, butâ
itâs easier this way, he thinks, to give you answers when youâre not looking.
Gojoâs never found a weakness he canât work around, but he might have just found one with youâin your eyes, that read through his every lie. If you turn around now, heâll want to tell you everything.
âSatoru,â you whisper, letting his name fill the air. You get itâhim, and even when you donât, you try damn hard to because you refuse to let Gojo carry all of it on his own.Â
There are crescent indents on your palm from squeezing your knuckles too hard. You think, is this how you form shallow cuts on your heart?
âItâs just me,â you continue, facing him when you say it.Â
He takes you all inâyour eyes that hold the city lights, your lips, the only vessel that handles his name so delicately. Itâs that look on your face again and Gojoâs hit with the overwhelming truth that whatever it is, he feels the same.Â
ââââââââââââ
Thereâs a secret Gojo keeps, one heâs certain heâll never tell you: that when he looks at you upon his return and finds an emotion he canât name, heâs never felt so afraid. Â
He takes in the shadows under your eyes and the sunkenness of your cheeksâthe number of blinks it takes you to reign in tears on the brink of leaking. Your voice shakes when you say his name.
Shoko tells him about it because she knows you never willâabout how youâve been running yourself dry, speeding through colonies to gather intel for any possible way to break the seal. She tells him about the sleepless nights, how she catches you standing outside his office at 3 a.m. before travelling to Utahime the next morning.Â
And he cannot comprehend it at first, cannot understand how heâs caused you to crumble this way.Â
If this is all because of him, how youâve broken yourself all for his sake, he canât allow it. To see you ruin yourself over him, over anyone everâyou deserve better.
So, when Gojo has love for the taking, he makes no move to reach for it; he cannot possibly take any more from you if this is what is left of you when he does.Â
ââââââââââââ
âYouâve been avoiding me,â you catch him by the door of the conference room.Â
Rebuilding an entire society requires work and apparently a lot of meetings. Gojo doesnât usually go to most of them, leaving you and Utahime to carry the chunk of his attendance when heâs not there. In the rare times that he does go, he makes it a point to be the last one in and the first one out. Utahime hates him for it but you donât blame himâhe isnât exactly amicable with other figures of authority.
He pauses when he steps out of the door, hands in pockets as he turns to face you.Â
Youâre not mad or anything, just stating the fact. You lean against the wall next to you, keeping your arms crossed. There are still people filing out of the conference room, some eyeing the two of you curiously as they pass by.
Gojo glances at them before clearing his throat, âRight, Iâve been avoiding the paperwork you left in my office,â he speaks louder, practically announcing it to everyone in the vicinity, âletâs finish it now.âÂ
You donât know whether itâs irritating that Gojoâs so terribly bad at acting, or comforting that he still canât, for the life of him, successfully lie to you.Â
He motions for you to follow him as he strolls down the hallway. You intentionally lag a few steps behind, careful not to encroach on his space lest it make him avoid you any more than he already is.
Stepping into Gojoâs office after so long feels weird, like you belong here but only to a memory of itâas if closing the door behind you feels like activating a muscle you havenât for a while. Itâs been months after all.Â
Your eyes skim over the entire room, zeroing in on the stacks of paper lined up on his desk; paperwork has always been Gojoâs least favorite part of the job, often leaving you to do them with him (or alone, when youâre feeling generous). Not much has changed in his office; the mini living space still exists to the left of the room, with little bits of you in its interiorsâthe pillows, the coffee table books.Â
Gojo plops down on the sofa chair and props his feet up on the ottoman, giving four scrolls to his phone before pocketing it. He has the audacity to casually offer you the seat across from him, as if nothingâs wrongâas if he hasnât been avoiding you for godâs sake.Â
Ever since the rooftop, heâs canceled lunch with you six times for reasons that youâre now realizing are less likely to be true. Heâs kept a distance of at least one person in between you at all times, and to this day, you still donât understand why.Â
You sigh, taking a seat and leaning back to cross your legs.Â
âYouâre so bad at acting.â you start.
Being with Gojo for so long, youâve come to realize that thereâs no point being angry with him when your heart can never take it.Â
âI technically wasnât lying.â he replies, sticking an index finger up.Â
âYeah, I can see that,â you snicker, nodding to his desk.Â
Itâs always like this with Gojo: he pulls you in and you follow. No matter the distance between you, when you sit down together like this, it still always flows so easily. The banter youâve built together over a decade and more shines through no matter what state your relationship is in.Â
Neither of you say anything until Gojo replaces his blindfold for his sunglasses, placing the piece of cloth on the coffee table.Â
You break the silence.Â
âWhy have you been avoiding me?â you ask quietly. Gojo aches at that, how you still choose to regard him so kindly.Â
Thereâs a war in his head right nowâa million thoughts and one. Why has he been avoiding you?Â
Gojoâs a pretty bad communicator; for how much he talks, he doesnât really say muchâand maybe thatâs the root of all this. There are too many things he wants to say but canât formulate in the right way.Â
âIf itâs something I did, can you at least let me know?â you continue. Gojo frowns, how can you be wronged yet still think of yourself as the one to blame?Â
âWhy do you do that?â he tuts, head tilting sideways as his hands dig deeper into his pockets.Â
âDo what?â you furrow your brows, confused.Â
âYou didnât do anything, so donât worry about it.â he says dismissively.Â
You arch an eyebrow; he has it all wrong.Â
âSatoru, Iâm not worried because I feel guilty,â you sit up, inching towards the edge of your seat, âIâm worried because youâre pushing me away.â your voice is level, but your pupils shake.
Something grips at his chest seeing you this way; together or apart, he seems to be the main contributor to your heartache.Â
You wonder if confronting him like this is any good if heâs not going to say anything anyway.Â
âIf you want space, thatâs okay, I get it, but,â you exhale, âat least just tell me why.âÂ
This entire time avoiding you, Gojoâs had you on his mindâthe million and one. Heâs come to terms with what he feels when youâre together, and how it amplifies when youâre not.Â
Itâs shitty of him to practically ghost you, not just in text but in real life too. But heâs thought about it logically, really, that removing himself from your life should be just like ripping off a bandaidâpainful but quick. At least that way, youâd get over it fast.Â
Heâd been resigned to doing that and that was the planâuntil now.Â
All it takes is seeing that look in your eyes, and his resolve falls apart.Â
âI canât.â he speaks softly. The part that hurts the most is that beneath his sunglasses, you still see eyes holding the sky.Â
You think you want to cry.Â
You take this as your answer and close your eyes, taking a deep breath before getting up to leave. If this is goodbye, you donât want your last interaction to be an awkward standstill of him watching you bawl in his office chair.Â
You push yourself up with the armrest only to sit back downâbecause Gojo is right in front of you, blocking your way. His infinity is up but touching, creating tingles on your knees.
âWait,â he swallows, a franticness youâve never seen before. His head stays down as he bites his lips, sunglasses hanging by his fingertips. You wonder what he wants to say; you want to tell him that itâs just youâthat youâll always want to hear it all.Â
What comes next is unlike any version of Satoru you have ever knownânervous and uncertain, almost like heâs afraid. He lowers himself, slowly coming down to his knees in front of you. A giant of a man so small in your presence.Â
âI donât know how.â he mutters, dropping his sunglasses to the floor.Â
You blink once, twice, still surprised by whatâs in front of you. Gojo has always towered above you, has always known how to do anything and everything so effortlessly without fail.Â
Watching him now, with every inhale and exhale dragging in slow motion, you do your best not to startle him.Â
âHow to what?â you whisper like itâs fragile.Â
He looks up, eyes locking with yours. A reaction happens in that momentâthe split second of all his thoughts collapsing into one. You see a clear sky, blue and bright as day, the Satoru he saves for youâwhile he sees you, with that look on your face, the one that he knows has always only meant love.Â
The sincerity in your gaze overwhelms himâmakes him look away before it becomes too much. Red blooms at the tips of his ears as he bites the inner corners of his lips, fingers grabbing at the fabric of his pants. Youâre afraid he might run away again, but he doesnât and stays right where you are.Â
âYou knowâŠâ he looks to the side, pouting, âwhatever you doâŠ.â
âLikeâŠ?â you coax lightly, trying hard to hide the small smile forming on your lips.Â
You wonder how many versions of Satoru youâll meet in your lifetime, and if this one, shy and nervous, will be one youâll fit into the crevices of your heart just like all the others.Â
He grips his pants tighter, fabric bunching under his fingers, âWhen you hold my hand⊠those things. You get it.âÂ
And you do (get it), so you donât push, taking whatever Gojo has to give you like you always have.Â
The tension relieves from you slowly, comforted by the fact that at least heâs given you his reasons now (no matter how vague they still seem to be). That at least there are no non-answers this time.Â
You tell yourself that itâs okay, that youâre content as long as Gojoâs in your life even without the possibility of becoming something more.Â
âOkââ
But thereâs always one thing you forget about Gojoâ
âSo show me how.â
âin the moments you least expect it, he speaks the words that matter most.Â
ââââââââââââ
You choose to show him slowly, gently, like the trickling introduction of water to a man who is first learning how to drink.Â
In the first few weeks of you and Gojo readjusting to one another, he turns on his infinity againâbut only when he gets close enough to touch you. Lunches together happen more often, dinners sometimes too. Then he puts his infinity down, indefinitely.Â
For the most part, your relationship falls into the usual steps of your dynamic with Gojo; thereâs no pressure for anything and he likes that, appreciates the time youâre giving him to learn things at his own pace.Â
It grows organically that way: knuckles brushing as you both reach for the stapler, pinkies touching whenever you walk side-by-side during site visitsâuntil youâre able to hold his hand fully again, leaving that little infinity between your palms for him to close (hopefully, one day).Â
ââââââââââââ
The faculty room is cold, especially during winter. The heating system is never warm enough to keep your hands from shaking whenever you mix your morning coffee.Â
âSo loud so early,â Gojo saunters into the kitchen like he owns the place, hands in pockets as he approaches the pantry.Â
You stop mixing, ceasing the clinking of the spoon against your mug. âHow are you not freezing?âÂ
He shrugs, grabbing his box of (heavily sugared) cereal. âI guess Iâm just hot.â he says, turning to wiggle his eyebrows.
You roll your eyes and set your coffee on the table, Gojo following with a bowl brimming with cereal and milk.Â
Mornings usually consist of you and Gojo, with an occasional new hire who has an early class that day. Most of the time, itâs just you two though, with Shoko coming in much closer to lunch time already.Â
âWant some?â he asks, holding out his spoon.
Itâs routineâGojo asks and you decline, choosing to save yourself from the cavities that he somehow manages to evade despite having a diet of 80% sugar.Â
Today though, youâre feeling a little adventurous.Â
You nod, opening your mouth. Gojoâs eyes widen, nearly dropping the spoon at your request. You see the flush of his cheeks and smile, corners of your mouth extending wider. The spoon is shoved to your mouth too quickly, almost like heâs embarrassed to feed you (considering heâs never before).Â
âToo sweet,â you say, your face scrunching at the copious amount of sugar youâll feel for days.Â
âLike me, right?â Gojo winks from beside you.Â
If thereâs one thing youâve learned about Gojo throughout this whole relationship trial period, he recovers from any state within a nanosecond. Thereâs no end to how shameless he can be.Â
âSure,â you drawl sarcastically and Gojo smiles like itâs high praise.Â
You sip your coffee slowly, revelling in the heat that flows down your throat.
âCan I have half of that?â you point to his bowl. Gojo looks at you, confused, but slides it over anyway.
What happens next is an abomination to Gojoâs eyesâpure absolute disgust: you pour half of his cereal into your coffee and mix, taking a sip and crunching on a few pieces every now and then.Â
His face contorts into complete distaste, horror and revulsion in the way his mouth hangs open.Â
âWhat are you doing? Thatâs gross!â he nearly yells, reaching over to bring your mug down. His hand goes over yours for a moment, still causing gallops in his heartbeat.Â
You laugh, giggling as he processes what youâd wasted his cereal on. It honestly doesnât taste that bad, you think.Â
âYouâre weird,â he says to you, the grin on his face uncontained. This morning, he feels fond, like the butterflies in his stomach are warm, tickling him from the inside. âGive me.â he motions to your mug.Â
You hold it up for him to take a sip but he wraps a hand around yours when he tastes, sticking his tongue out once the bitterness of your coffee hits. You set the mug down but his hand takes yours, interlacing your fingers together.Â
Gojo doesnât normally reach for your hand, much less interlace them togetherâa recent evolution to your hand-holding. But this feels nice, how your fingers fit right in the spaces of his.Â
You turn to him, a shy smile on your face. The tips of his ears are red but he looks at you the same, âYour hands were cold,â he pouts, âis thisâ is this okay?âÂ
âYeah, itâs warm. Thank you, Satoru.â you nod, beaming. He hopes you see the light in his eyes, how it feels to be ignited within him only when heâs spending breakfasts like this with you.Â
ââââââââââââ
Shoko asks what you are and you donât know what to tell her other than youâre happy and itâs good. Gojoâs existence is loud and vibrant, easy to spot from miles awayâbut he cares for you discreetly, in the hand that gently rests on your lower back while crossing the street, and the seemingly unlimited supply of your favorite coffee when you have no recollection of restocking it ever.Â
He gives you a new mug for Christmas, one with little cereals painted all over while you give him his own tube of hand cream that he claims always smells like you.Â
During the faculty New Year celebration, you hear one of the new hires make a move on Gojo, and you arenât bothered by it or anything, simply walking past to sip your sake by the couch. You can hear them talk a bit from the kitchen, but you try not to pry despite how curious you are about his response.Â
Untilâ
âIâm taken,â you hear Gojo say bluntly.Â
Everything rings in your ears after that. The countdown music is loud, but your heart beats louder; there are murmurs and footsteps around you, but only one man crouches down to check on you, glass of water in hand.Â
You snap out of it and see blue, the skyâa familiar light; you donât think you can control the smile on your face, the alcohol lowering your inhibitions to paint on something lovesick.Â
And when he smiles back, pink lips stretching wideâoh your heart canât take it. He places one hand on your knee, rubbing gently. You hear it faintly, how he asks if youâre okay, but all you can do is nod, words failing to express how you feel right now. Â
The countdown starts. 3 â and you take his face in your hands, squishing his cheeks to an image of him many, many years ago. 2 â you go closer and his eyes go wide, a mixture of panic and surprise, but soft at the same time. 1 â you lean in and he closes his eyes, his chest on rampage. Then it lands, there, on the tip of his nose: a delicate peck and the smell of sake mixed with mint (like the lip balm you always carry around in your pocket).Â
When you pull away from him, youâre smiling the biggest heâs ever seen, and he doesnât know it, but he does the same.Â
ââââââââââââ
That kiss to his nose serves as the catalyst to the months that follow: Gojo becomes more comfortable touching you now, and though he blushes every single time, thereâs nothing to be ashamed of because you do too. Shoko canât believe the slow burn this is taking you both, but you think you like itâlike the slow drizzle of honey on Gojoâs favorite breakfast waffles.Â
âHow is it?â you ask, watching as Gojo takes a big bite.Â
âD Beft.â he replies, mouth full as he chews. You take the seat beside him and take a spoonful.Â
âThereâs a secret ingredient.â you say mischievously, wiggling your eyebrows.Â
He swallows before he scoffs, âWhat?â cutting up another piece, âLove?âÂ
Youâre surprised because he says it so casually, and Gojoâs never talked about love, has never even mentioned the word since this shift in your relationship. He realizes a beat late by the expression on your face and gets flustered, thinking of how to brush it off like it didnât just happen.Â
You had meant to say that you used that infused sugar he buys whenever he goes to Kyoto, but⊠you suppose love works too. He should know by now, right?Â
âIf it is?â you whisper, putting down your spoon.Â
Gojo doesnât know how to approach this, really, but heâs learned leaps and bounds to back out now. So he clears his throat and composes himself then says, âGood. âCause thatâs what I put in your coffee too.âÂ
You laugh and the tension dissipates; there are hearts in your eyes for how hard Gojo has tried after denying himself of this for so long.Â
He stares at youâat the laugh lines by your eyes and the soft curves of your lips, the moment moving much too slow. Heâs drawn in until youâre all too close, a few centimeters from your noses touching.Â
Your laughter dies and your cheeks feel like theyâre on fire; heâs so close you think he might kiss you. The signs are thereâhis eyes scaling your face to focus on your lips, his tongue peeping ever so slightly to wet his lips. So you wait.Â
But he doesnât, because he moves away after wiping his thumb on the side of your mouth. Even though you know there was nothing there.Â
Gojo continues to eat, blabbering about a site visit heâs assigned to next week, but you donât miss the way his ears are fully red and how heâs biting his lips to death.
âą
The tension this time is different; instead of a growing rift, you canât seem to be close enough. Every time you part ways, he lets go of your hand more reluctantlyâas if he wants to say more, do more, but stops himself while he still can.Â
When he leaves for missions, you kiss his cheek, pulling him in by the hand and lingering there, shyly. He gets embarrassingly red but tries to cover it up by telling you not to miss him too much (even though you know you will, and he knows heâll miss you more).Â
Your near-kisses with Gojo happen more frequently, and it comes to a point where he even manages to land one on your forehead, while you fall asleep next to him on his office couch.Â
Itâs driving you crazy, this tension. You try to kiss him a few times on the lips, but he evades them each time. Youâve caught Gojo staring at your lips more times than you can count; if that isnât a sign, you donât know what is.Â
Itâs insane, now that Gojo thinks about it, how heâs come so far yet the prospect of kissing you properly still scares him. What if he fucks up? Doesnât do it right? What if itâs not how he wants you to be kissed?Â
Thereâs that secret Gojo will never tell you, of how seeing that look on you has never gotten him more afraid. And heâs worked through that now, but itâs evolved into something else: how Gojo is now afraid of love, more than anything else, not because of loss but because he might not know how.Â
And kissing you, loving you this wayâheâs never done it before, doesnât know how to make you feel love without his lips shaking and heart palpitating; how to do it while letting you know he feels the same.Â
âą
It happens during an assignment to exorcise curses out of town. They arenât as bad as they used to be, but theyâre still stronger than what any of the available sorcerers right now can handle.Â
You donât remember the last time you saw Gojo use his technique that wayâalmost forgotten how powerful and ruthless he can be. Every time since, holding your hand, keeping you closeâheâs just been your Satoru.Â
Your apartment for the weekend is a two-bedroom unit with one bathroom and a decently sized living area and kitchenette; Gojo always chooses the room in front of the bathroom because he tends to wake up in the middle of the night to pee (information you know from your many other assignments with him before). Still, going as what you are nowâit feels different.Â
Thereâs a charged air between you as you move around the unit; you make your nightly tea while Gojo looks through the groceries for some crackers. Itâs peaceful and quietâdomestic almost, but there are goosebumps on your skin for reasons you canât explain. Being around Gojo lately has felt that way.
He brushes past you to throw the finished packet of crackers and the feeling intensifies; itâs not awkward, just tense, like anticipation sitting deep in your bellies, waiting on each other to make the first move.Â
He announces that heâll use the bathroom first, if you donât mind, and you motion for him to go ahead. Your mind is fuzzy and having Gojo around seems to only make it worse.
When you walk past the bathroom and straight to your room, you hear Gojo humming that soft pop tune from a popular girl group playing on the radio earlier. You giggle, thinking itâs sweetâhow he sings obnoxiously around everyone else but is actually pretty good when itâs just him, alone.Â
You still have the rest of the weekend in this area, having agreed to monitor the site and any nearby areas for other suspicious activity contributing to such a large curse, but at least the worst of it is over (maybe just to you though; Gojo hates paperwork).Â
The sound of running water stops and you hear the bathroom door swing open. You donât see Gojo when you exit your room but he leaves the door open to release any remaining steam. Gathering your things, you head straight in.Â
Thereâs a reason why people say showers are good for the mind but you still donât know what it is, because the only thought plaguing your head right now is Gojoâand whether you should greet him goodnight, if you should kiss his cheek or hug him tight. The tension between you now is palpable, almost like an electric current waiting to zap on both ends.Â
Your mind is so out of it that you don't realize youâre missing your skincare bag until after you finish brushing your teeth and dressing for bed. You open the bathroom door with the sole intention of going back to your room to get it, but instead, youâre met with a wall of chest.
Gojoâs eyes are wide, bright blue with damp strands of white falling like curtains barely shielding the sky. Heâs just as surprised as you are, toothbrush in his hand as you hold up the towel wrapped around your head.Â
Youâve seen Gojo in his pajamas many times beforeâwhite long sleeves with gray cotton pants, but your eyes trail to his collarbones and the way the bathroom lights cast it under a soft glow. The redness on his cheeks, a visual manifestation of the heat on yours.Â
Gojo canât stop staring at your lips, at how soft they lookâat how soft you look fresh out of the shower. The little baby hairs sticking out under your towel are cute, and he leans in without knowingâa pull he canât seem to resist. For once in his life, Gojoâs mind is still.Â
You try to meet him halfway, tiptoeing, but youâre a little out of your element; you donât know where to put your hands and your heartâs about to explode out of your chest. When your noses touch, you canât breathe, closing your eyes while you wait for it.Â
But it doesnât come.Â
You feel Gojoâs breath stilling before speeding up into little exhales. Something is wrong. You open your eyes and find him staring back at you, a version of Gojo you havenât seen in a whileâthat you rarely see ever, except that day during your confrontation in his office.Â
Concern laces your features and you move back a little, hands coming up to caress his cheeks. His eyes still look frantic, but they focus on you when you cup his cheeks so gently.Â
âSatoru,â you whisper, voice grounding. His breaths slow down a little.Â
You realize that it must be true then, what they say, that those who love to be feared, fear to be loved, because youâve never seen anyone afraid of something so good as Gojo is of this.Â
âSatoru,â you repeat, massaging his temples with your thumb, âwe donât have to if you donât want to.âÂ
Gojo hates it, how youâve always had to adjust for him. He hates that he canât give you this one thing, hates that youâre still so patient, that heâs still so afraid. He swallows, closing his eyes tight before opening them again.Â
âI want to,â he chokes out, âI just donât knowââ
You chuckle, without judgment, âI donât either,â you lean forward, foreheads touching, âbut do you want to try together?â
You learn that Gojo sees himself so differently from how you doâand maybe thatâs everyone, but Gojo tends to say things while doing the other. He says he canât bother with kids, but continues to take so many of them under his wing anyway; he calls your cereal concoction disgusting but tries it regardless; and he says he canât think about love, doesnât know how, but proceeds to try so much harder, everyday.Â
When you look at Gojo, you see a heart so big, so capable, that he canât see it himself.Â
You nudge his nose with yours and he breathes deeply, closing his eyes once again. If he doesnât do this now, how much longer till he does?Â
Gojo hums before nodding his head slightly. His hands come up to cover yours, toothbrush wedged in the spaces between his fingers; theyâre clammy, heâs sure, but heâs kept you waiting long enough.Â
When you kiss Gojo for the first time, everything tremblesâhis pupils, his lips, the breath he takes. Itâs all shaky and nervous, but your lips touch and all you know is that you like it there. Heâs a little bit stiff but you donât mind, pressing closer just for a little bit before pulling away.Â
Gojo keeps your hands in place, half-lidded eyes staring at you lazily. His ears are fully red now but heâs giving you a look youâve never seen beforeâlike lightning crackling in the gaps between his eyelids.Â
When you kiss Gojo for the first time, you donât expect it to be by the bathroom door of a rented apartment, while away on a mission. You donât expect it to be in your pajamas, towel wrapped in your hair as youâre getting ready for bed. You definitely donât expect him to guide your hands down his neck while he places his on your lower back, squeezing lightly before pulling you in to kiss you again.Â
This time, his lips move more pliantly, parting yours slightly; he tastes mint, mixed with the strawberry candy he had earlier and itâs nothing he could have ever imagined before, but is now everything heâs ever wanted. The push and pull between you is magnetic, soft lips and the intermingling of something steamy in the air. All Gojo can think of now is to take, to devourâto keep you with him, like this, always.Â
You wonder if Gojo is lyingâthat heâs never done this before, because you donât think you can kiss anyone after this and not think of his lips on yours.Â
By the time you part, the air is significantly warmer. Your fingers thread through the hair at the base of his neck and you smile, sighing. Gojo looks warm, with his swollen lips and red cheeks.Â
âThatâŠâ you trail off, nudging his nose.Â
Gojo looks at you fondly; to ever even think he could have this now, with youâhe doesnât believe in god but you must be his prayer come true.Â
âWe can practice a bit more, I think.â he pulls you closer, hands gripping your hips.Â
You feel it against you, something solid and firm against your stomach and your eyes go wide at the realization; Gojo does the same.Â
âSatoru, youââ he moves back and freezes, untangling himself from you completely. Thereâs a faint outline on the crotch of his pants and your whole face goes red.Â
âLet me use the bathroom real quick.â he panics, rushing past you and closing the bathroom door.Â
You stand there stunned for a good minute before you shake out of it, laughing. Gojo yells about how youâre being so mean, making fun of him when heâs like this, but you arenâtânot really.Â
Itâs been a long time getting to this point with Gojo, but considering all things, you think, this might just be the beginning.
Free to use Sumeru icons I drew! Just be sure to credit me! These are also previews to my next batch of Genshin keychains that will be coming out soon!
gojo can't help but feel annoyed that he feels concern for the wife he swears he doesn't care for.
warnings: arranged marriage au, gojo refers to you as his wife, enemies to lovers (?), gojo tells you to lift up your top, slight angst, he's really bad at feelings okay, image from loving yamada-kun at lv999
The lines of intrigue and fear are often blurred. It explains why we admire fire from afar, careful not to get too close in hopes of not getting burned. It explains why we find peace in parts of the ocean and tense up in deeper parts. It also explains why Gojo Satoru seeks your presence yet pushes you away the moment he finds himself feeling something other than indifference or vexationâitâs never hatred though. The strongest canât envision himself ever hating his wife and it scares him.Â
Heâs not sure that can be said about you. Gojo wouldnât be surprised if you grew to hate him after the treatment you put up with.Â
Your marriage is what you call a âmarriage of convenienceâ and Gojo made sure you remembered that. He wasnât always so distant with you. Back then, you mightâve considered him a friend but time did its bidding and you two drifted apart, your time together merely a memory. Now fast forward a few years and you were wedded to him, taking up his surname and sleeping in the same house as himâin separate rooms of course.Â
Your steps on the wooden floors were silent as you intended not to make a single noise at such a late hour. You sighed, feeling the weight of your heavy shoulders drag you down.Â
Gojo might be considered cruel to you but the elders were on a different level. They knew this mission would be too much for you yet they sent you on it as punishment for speaking your mind the last time everyone gathered.Â
At that time, your husband had an unfamiliar gleam in your eyes as you voiced your thoughts on the matter of Itadori. Heâs a nice kid, you thought when you first saw the pink-haired boy.Â
Taking away his youth wouldnât be fair. After all, he didnât choose to have the Ryomen Sukuna use him as a vessel. Yet, sentiment doesnât do well with the higher ups and they made sure you knew your place with the mission they sent you on.Â
You inhaled sharply, wincing as you felt the bruise on your rib with your palm. There was blood soaking your tights, little cuts littering your legs. Youâre so tired you canât find it in yourself to even eat. Then again, you needed to be in your best condition tomorrow since another mission was sent out of you and specifically you. Those in power always make sure itâs clear that they are in power. Your voice of opinion meant nothing to their beliefs in tradition or what you liked to call, âbackward thinking.â Thatâs one thing you and your husband could agree on.Â
âOw,â you wince for the nth time as you open the fridge, scanning the items. Mochi. Ice-cream. Leftover cake. Perhaps it wouldâve been wiser to go grocery shopping a day prior so you could have a proper meal. This was the kind of stuff Gojo could live on but you couldnât. Closing the fridge, you opt for instant ramen instead. Not the best choice in regards to healthiness but cracking an egg in there meant more protein and it also minimized the spice levels.Â
Youâre halfway in between preparing the noodles when you feel a presence right beside you and soft breathing besides your ears. âYouâre home,â your âhusbandâ mumbles, his eyes half-lidded from just having woken up.Â
âGod! Satoru!â You gasp, flinching away from and only realizing how close he was. For someone who claimed he wasnât interested in you, he didnât know what personal space was. âHow did you know I was home?â
âYour cursed energy leaked in,â he shrugs his shoulders, peering down at you without the constraints of his blindfold or shades. You gulp as his eyes flit up and down your appearance, causing your insides to tense up in a sudden wave of self-consciousness. Being scrutinized by the six-eyes himself wasnât much fun and youâre suddenly aware of the fact that your hair is disheveled and your face is sweaty from just having come home from a grueling mission.Â
You donât even notice the glint of rage that crosses his hues before he masks it. âWho did this to you?â
âHuh?â You blink, coming to your senses that your body was bloodied up and battered from having fought a curse. âOh it was just a mission. Itâs normal to be hurt on missions.âÂ
Gojoâs been living with you for nearly half a year now and he knows youâre more than competent when it comes to shaman duties (not that heâd ever tell you). He knows you return home by 7 p.m.., and never at hours well past midnight. He knows that you usually only get injuries on your back because you get careless at times. But now, he sees cuts everywhere and heâs not sure if youâre running on adrenaline or if youâre too tired to notice.Â
His eyes glance at the way you press a palm on your rib, subconsciously squeezing the area as if hiding it from him. âLet me see.â
Your surprise is immediate and he wouldâve felt a strange fluttering in his stomach if not for this concern he was experiencing for you. You smile. âSee what?â
âYour injury. Let me see it,â he says again, pressing on the hand you hold close to your ribs, narrowing his eyes as you hiss in pain. âDonât be stubborn (Name).âÂ
His voice is different from the cheery one he often uses and youâre left leaning further into the kitchen counter, acutely aware of the fact that his taller frame wasnât allowing you to escape. His eyes widen the slightest once he gets a glimpse of your flustered expression as you peer up at him and he only realizes what he was asking from you. Part of him tells him to ignore this and pretend his concern for you was brief. Yet, part of him screams at him that he was your husband, so he should feel the right to be worriedâeven if he was months late.Â
He sighs, tilting his head. âIâm just going to look. I promise I wonât do anything else,â his voice is oddly tender as he speaks to you, a contrast to the usual nonchalance youâre used to.Â
You gulp and let out a shaky sigh, giving in when your fingers reach to pull your top up for him to see the bare skin that you canât even say is spotless or void of marks. Multiple wounds litter your skinâsome faded, some new. Youâre scared his gaze would show some signs of judgment or disgust but youâre left bemused when you see how his eyebrows furrow and his lips purse. For a second, you allow yourself to be deluded by the fact that he might be worried but you quickly abandon that thought, averting your eyes from him.
You can see how he pieces everything together. From the way you rebelled against the elders and how they saw it as a means to punish you. He does it so quickly that you can only blink when his blank expression morphs into something different. You almost feel relieved from the fact that his expression of pure anger wasnât directed at you and rather those who sent you on the mission.
Itâs almost natural how he slides the top further up, mapping the extent of the bruise with his eyes. His hands are warm and calloused. Theyâre also gentle, tracing the bruise carefully to not hurt you. âIâll kill those old bastards,â he chuckles with a sneer. âThey have some nerve letting my wife take this mission without me.â
You frown as you see his anger first-hand. âSatoruââ
âWhy didnât you go to Shoko?â He interrupts, gently holding on your waist to prop you on the counter while he stands in between your legs. He watches you intently, in search of answers.
You feel somewhat embarrassed as his hand still lifts your top up to see the bare skin but donât comment on it. âI didnât want to bother her so late at nightâŠâ
For the first time since today, you see him flash a genuine smile, as if exasperated by your reasoning. âBut youâre fine with bothering me?âÂ
âThatâs different!â You say, a pout slowly forming on your lips and he canât help but feel drawn to you even if he doesnât want to.Â
He laughs as you pull your top down with a huff, finding it cute that you were so bashful. âBecause Iâm your husband?âÂ
You go silent and for a second, Gojo thinks heâs messed up for mentioning that. Despite being your husband, heâs not the greatest at doing his job. Heâs not callous or spiteful towards you, instead taking on more of a cold and aloof attitude towards you. Even so, he thinks that hurts just as much as a few insults.Â
Heâs about to pull back but your voice draws him back to you. âYeah. Itâs because youâre my husband.â
Gojo canât stop himself from glancing at your lips at that single statement. He was today years old when he realized he was a man of simple tastes. All you had to do was tell him that he was your husband and heâd want to kiss you until your lips turned red. He considers himself lucky that you didnât see that slip-up of hisâthough he wouldnât have minded if you did.
He breathes out a sigh, propping his chin atop your head while his fingers draw circles around your hips. âI wonât let them hurt you.â
Itâs a vow he swears to keep.Â
âI know,â you whisper quietly enough for him to hear. âYouâre the strongest after all.â
He thinks itâs funny that even as the strongest, he feels weak when he feels your fingers play with his sleeves. No words are said after that and a comfortable silence drifts between you two. Itâs like the barrier between the two of you is cracking once you feel his lips press gently against your forehead and you think it's his way of sealing the promise.Â
Gojo Satoru thinksâor rather he knows that he wouldnât mind living the rest of his life with you. And he knows that he should fix his behavior around you and stop running away. That way, instead of a kiss to the forehead, he can finally give you one on your lips.Â
Summary: The sweet lull of normalcy in an unconventional marriage
Word Count: 7K
Tags: Alhaitham x Fem! Reader, Fluff, this is just pure fluff, Smut, NFSW, Omegaverse AU, A/B/O relationships, Modern AU, Alpha! Alhaitham, Beta! Reader, breeding, biting, established relationship, TW: Very vague mentions of gender dysphoria (of your secondary gender), TW: pregnancy and birth, Protective! Alhaitham, Jealous! Alhaitham
Authors Note: This isnât much of a story, think of it as a collection of sweet nothings and domestic life with Alhaitham and the Sumeru cast after this. I just felt like I had to give them fluff after that slow burn. Enjoy!
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Daikon | 20 my reblogs are the good shit i find from my trecherous journeys across this placemostly just horny shit tho...
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