A/N: Hello guys! Thank you to everyone who follows and read this story! To be honest, I didn't expect to be so inspired to write. Trust me, this will subside at some point down the line when I lose all them creative juices. Until then, I hope you'll like the story!
Anyway, this chapter is the longest one so far. You'll notice that I give cues and hints as to what Liv's secrets entail and how much she struggles with keeping it all hidden. Initially, I wanted Liv and Goj to get physical right about now but I find the idea of them flirting and playing push-and-pull games much more entertaining. It also gives me space and opportunity to develop them independently from each other as friends and not as a couple. As Varric Tethras once said, "If you love a character, you give them pain, ruin their lives, make them suffer. Maybe even throw in a heroic death." So, that's what I'm sort of trying to do.
While this story is a love story (among other things) and will contain romantic and erotic themes, I envisioned it as more of a cautionary tale of what could happen if it happened. That means struggle, loss, family dynamics, the usual JJK tragedy, and gore. If you're looking for a smutty, easy late-night read... I mean, you can skip chapters or read something else. I just want to write a good story to the best of my ability.
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION SO DON'T EMULATE ANY OF IT IN REAL LIFE! There will be some really f***ed up chapters down the line - you've been warned.
Hope you'll like it!
Cursed Love
~ Vow of Silence ~
October 2016.
Days passed quickly as Liv and Satoru developed a routine.
Well, 'routine' may not be an adequate term but we'll stick to that for now.
For a start, they agreed on sleeping arrangements. Satoru, being his usual self, offered to share his king-sized bed. Liv, expectedly, refused his offer and took the couch. However, despite the agreement, during their first week of cohabiting, the two either fell asleep next to each other on the couch while binge-watching The Conjuring or in Satoru's bed while playing poker and chess. One time, they fell asleep on the floor while doing one of those thousand-piece puzzles with Satoru's foot somehow ending up in Liv's face by the next morning. The penthouse has only one bathroom so a schedule had to be made for that as well. Liv wanted to be polite and have Satoru do his morning hygiene first, as it is his house. Satoru, however, insisted she does her bathroom routine first. His reasoning was 'to put on her pretty face before he sees her ugly face' (he got a slipper thrown at him for that). Eventually, the bathroom privileges would fall to whoever wakes up first which is Satoru most of the time.
Other chores were also divided: Satoru pays for nearly everything, Liv pays for his sweet tooth; Satoru does the dishes, Liv does the laundry (including his, which she doesn't mind as long as he doesn't shit himself); Satoru lifts heavy stuff, Liv doesn't lift heavy stuff; they both take out the trash and they both clean up after themselves.
During the day, the couple would often go about their separate businesses. Satoru would either be at Jujutsu High or elsewhere on missions. Meanwhile, Liv would visit the Shuuin Manor to check in on the preparations. Most of her visits ended in either argument with Mathias and Tove or being bombarded with questions by younger clansmen about Satoru. She was annoyed with the amount of information they threw at her and Mathias in particular seemed to be getting on her nerves. Tove had to intervene at one point when the argument got too heated.
In short, Liv decides she prefers to stay at the penthouse.
Something she picks up quickly is cooking. The penthouse has a vast kitchen with an open space, perfect for hangouts and late-night drinking. She finds it curious that Satoru never seems to cook anything, however. Shame, she thinks while cutting up duck meat she bought earlier this morning, it's such a nice kitchen. While cutting, she hears the elevator ring and as the slide doors open, Satoru emerges with several paper bags in tow, filled to the brim with produce. Liv chuckles at the scene.
"Did you buy groceries?" she asks as if witnessing something incredible for the first time.
"No Liv, I stole this from a lovely granny down the street," he says sarcastically, putting the groceries on the free kitchen counter.
She merely rolls her eyes. "It's just two of us for dinner, this is too much."
"Actually," he says standing opposite her and leaning against the counter, curiously looking at what she's making, "it's four of us. What's that?"
"Lunch," she answers before circling back to the more immediate topic. "What do you mean four?"
"You, me," he points to her then to himself, then proceeds to count on his fingers, "Megumi and Tsumiki. One, two, three, four in total."
Her eyebrows rise in surprise. "They're coming to dinner? Do they know I'm here?!"
Satoru nods his head and grins. "Yup! Tsumiki insisted on finally meeting you. She's quite excited."
"And Megumi?" Liv asks, somewhat shy all of a sudden.
Satoru hesitates to answer. "He's coming to dinner too?"
"Meaning no," Liv nods in defeat though not surprised at this point.
"I told you," Satoru says, twisting his face into a dark, emotionless expression, "he's at that age."
Liv chuckles. "You were at that age once, too."
"Was not," he retorts and his voice slightly breaks, making him cough to cover it up.
"Yours was even worse," she rolls her eyes at him. "Up until you started middle school, I thought you'd never crack a smile."
"Luckily, those days are far behind us," he says softly, his eyes looking up at Liv.
She nods. "I agree. I like seeing you smile."
Satoru's heart does a backflip and he can feel his cheeks warm up. So uncool, man, he chastises himself internally, hiding his red face by turning his back to Liv. She notices this and though she doesn't see his cheeks burn, she sees the tip of his ears turn ever so slightly pink. Guess you can be flattered, too. Liv turns her attention to the groceries Satoru brought and goes through the bags one by one. A wide assortment of fruits and vegetables are inside one of the bags, along with simple condiments such as soy sauce, sweet chilly oil, sesame oil, wasabi, and her favorite, balsamic vinegar. She casts a glance at Satoru who seems to be doing the same, his blue eyes peeking over his shoulder at her back. A small grin, ever so slight, graces her lips. You big sap. She finds more of her favorites in the other bags: strawberries, dates, figs, black olives, mozzarella cheese, popcorn, and -
"Bourbon?" she asks, lifting the bottle and turning around to face him.
"For when you paint," Satoru shrugs, not looking at her. "I wasn't sure if it's scotch or bourbon you like so I picked one that sounds fancier."
Right, she smirks. "I haven't painted in a long while."
"Don't drink it then," he says and though it sounds rude, she doesn't mind it. "No painting, no drinking."
"But you like my paintings," she murmurs, eying the whiskey. "If I won't paint, I'd have to give this bottle to someone else."
"Give it to Shoko, she'll finish it in two hours," Satoru says nonchalantly then turns around fully, giving her a wide grin. "By the way, I love your paintings! Still have the old ones, in fact."
When she glances around the penthouse, he chuckles. "Not here, silly. At the Gojo Estate, where you left them."
"Oh," she says, feeling silly. "Of course."
He smirks. "You wanna visit?"
Yes. "Do you have business there?"
"Not lately," he says, walking toward her. "Been a busy bee with classes and missions."
Her heart sinks a bit; she loved Gojo Estate, especially their winter garden. "I see."
She then feels a weight on her shoulders. She turns her head and her face meets Satoru's as he rests his chin on her shoulder right. The proximity doesn't alarm her; it is the softness in his eyes with which he gazes at her. His right cheek squishes as he makes himself comfortable.
"We can move there, it's mostly deserted anyway," he says, his speech sluggish due to the squished cheek and it sounds like a suggestion. "It's gonna be a bit of a hassle to drive back and forth, but - "
He stops mid-sentence when he notices her face lit up at the prospect of moving to the Estate and he smiles again.
"Stop daydreaming," he probes her sides with his index fingers, making her jump.
She pouts at him. "I have fond memories of the place, that's all."
He doesn't agree with her statement but decides not to retort; he likes seeing her smile too. "We'll discuss it after the wedding. Deal?"
She searches his face for a sign of insincerity and chuckles when she finds none. "Deal."
"Deal," he says again and spreads his arms wide, inviting her into an embrace. "Seal it with a hug!"
"Go away," she whines through a laugh, gently pushing him out of the kitchen. "You're distracting me."
He feigns defeat as he puckers his lower lip and mimics a whimpering puppy. "I thought we were making progress."
"We are," she says, her tone suggestive and leaving him wanting. "Did you buy anything that the kids like?"
He doesn't reply right away, still under the impression of her saying they were making progress. She calls his name (Gojo) and he pays attention to the ongoing dialogue once more.
"What?" he asks innocently.
"Got anything for the kids?" she asks again, wiggling an empty paper bag in front of his face.
He scoffs. "Megumi likes anything that goes with ginger so I got that. Tsumiki's not picky, though."
Liv shuffles through the rest of the groceries, trying to find the rhizome. "Anything else?"
Satoru hums in thought. "He doesn't like sweet side dishes. Oh, and bell peppers, red in particular are not his thing."
"Not a sweet tooth?" Liv teases. "It's like he didn't spend a day in his life with you."
"I know," he whines.
"Still, I'm proud of you, Satoru," she continues, her voice soft and endearing, "for taking care of them as you did."
Damn it, he curses, his heart threatening to the backflip-thing again as she calls him by his name. "Thanks, I'm proud of myself too."
She rolls her eyes as she thinks of what to make for their guests tonight. "They say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so hopefully that'll be enough to get in Megumi's good graces."
"Is that why you're cooking for me every day?" Satoru asks before a suggestive smirk appears on his handsome features. "Are you seducing me, Liv Drakon? I'm an easy man - if you want to see me naked, just ask and I'll oblige."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," she gives him a blank look. "Also, I don't cook for you, you're mooching off my cooking."
"Marriage is about compromise and sharing," he sniggers. "Get used to it."
She sighs but doesn't indulge his narcissism any longer, focusing on the cooking instead.
"Come on, Megumi."
A disinterested boy, barely old enough to be called a teen but too tall to be a child, glances at his step-sister from over his shoulder. The Fushiguro siblings tend to fight over trivial things, most of which involve Megumi doing something stupid and Tsumiki chastising him for it. This time, however, Megumi has zero interest in engaging in conversation any further, no matter how many times Tsumiki begs him to reconsider.
"You can go if you want," he drawls, his eyes glued to the phone in his hands. "I don't want to play house with Gojo and some stranger he picked up."
"He's getting married to a woman we know, Megumi," Tsumiki reasons while doing the dishes. "She sent us birthday gifts and pictures from her travels around the world."
The young man raises his fist mockingly into the air. "Woo-hoo."
"Seriously?" Tsumiki whines, looking at him with an annoyed frown on her brow. "Try to show some respect."
Megumi groans and while Tsumiki is still talking, he puts his fingers into his ears, trying to tune her out. The argument's been ongoing for almost half an hour, ever since Tsumiki and he got back from school. He's half-certain Gojo tasked Tsumiki to have them both attend the dinner at the Roppongi penthouse - otherwise, Tsumiki would just huff away at the first sign of resistance. What's it our business if he's getting married or not? he wonders, trying to imagine Satoru in a wedding outfit.
He can't.
Tsumiki forcibly pulls away his left hand, unclogging his ear so he can hear her. She's visibly unnerved, almost angry. Megumi rarely sees Tsumiki angry.
"Gojo-san has been very generous by making us his wards," she tells Megumi as if to remind him to show respect for a moment who deserves everything but respect from him. "Chances are that his fiance is a kind person as well but we won't know that unless we meet her."
Megumi frowns. He doesn't like being guilt-tripped into doing stuff, especially by Tsumiki. She knows that he'll do anything for her, no matter the cost, and she exploits that flaw of his in a manner he likes the least. The two fall into a staring contest, with Tsumiki even holding her breath. Megumi is unphased for the large part but when she starts going a bit purple, he finally sighs in defeat.
"Fine," he groans. "I'll go."
Tsumiki lets out her breath and cheers in excitement. "Great, be ready by 19:00 sharp. Gojo-san will come and pick us up."
Megumi closes his eyes, already feeling a headache incoming. Woo-hoo.
Satoru leaves around 18:00. He has Liv check out his outfit before he heads out, mostly to annoy her by saying she's 'ogling him'. Also, he wants her to loosen up a bit as he notices her pacing around, fixing up everything around the penthouse. While not a perfectionist, she is motherly. An aspect of her mothering nature is overthinking and social anxiety, especially around children and young people.
Even so, she's great with kids and he has no doubts that the Fushiguro siblings will love her.
"I'm off," he says finally, waving as he walked into the lift.
"Text me when you pick them up," she calls from the kitchen and hears a faint but annoyed 'fine' in response.
For the next nearly two hours, Liv experiences what people call the 'waiting game'. At first, she was unsure what else to do; she made dinner (half of the dishes are Japanese, the other half Norwegian), cleaned up the entire penthouse (no thanks to Satoru), and dolled herself up, wearing a simple, beige long-sleeved dress. She pulled her hair back into a loose bun and kept makeup simple and minimalist, putting only mascara and combing her brows.
Twenty minutes after Satoru left to pick up the kids, Liv gets a message from Mathias. As she reads it, the air seems to get thicker and harder to breathe.
From: Mathias Drakon
Just got a report from Tove
Gojo sent an auxiliary manager to the Manor
He wanted an overview of the ceremony procedure
They know about the binding vow
She frowns as she begins to type. In the meanwhile, she gets two more messages.
From: Mathias Drakon
The higher-ups are hung up on the report though
Good work making that up
Especially the part with Shinto rituals
She sniggers, feeling exceptionally proud of that one.
From: Liv Drakon
Gojo was already suspicious
He only wanted proof
Now he has it
All good
As if on cue, she gets another message from Mathias.
From: Mathias Drakon
It's not all good
He's onto us
Be careful
She sends him one more message, reassuring him that everything will be alright before throwing the phone to the other side of the couch. She sighs for the umpteenth time today and runs her hands through her hair. What was supposed to be a leisurely dinner date with Satoru and Fushiguro kids has turned sour in a span of a few minutes. You're still as naive, a thought occurs to her - bitter, but true. She doesn't want to think of him as such but she feels like Satoru is letting his paranoia get between them. While their friendship had its ups and downs (mostly downs) over the last decade, she believed they reached a stage where underhanded tactics and espionage are unnecessary.
"Is it so wrong," she wonders out loud, "to trust a friend?"
Yes, she hears her mother's voice echo in the back of her mind. For a sorcerer, trust is a gamble they almost always lose. Yet the teachings of the Shuuin opposed the brutal reality of today regardless. Trust, dependency, honesty - that is why, as a teen, Liv always foolishly ignored her mother's warnings. That's what almost got you killed, she chastises herself, recalling her trial and imprisonment beneath the school following her little stunt after Suguru's betrayal. Now that - that was a hell of a shitshow, she chuckles despite the morbidity. Wish you were here though, mom, she thinks all of a sudden, closing her eyes and holding back a sob. I could use some of that hard-ass advice.
She looks at her phone again and clicks her tongue when she reads 19:06.
Though he told them he'd come to pick them up by 19:00, Satoru is never on time so when he finally parks in front of their house, he receives a harsh look and even harsher words from Megumi.
"You're late, dumbass," the boy seethes after he opens the door to the back seat. "Why tell us to get ready on time if you're not gonna be on time?!"
Satoru grins, his eyes hidden from view by a dark pair of round glasses (which Liv insisted on him wearing instead of his blindfold). "I'm the adult so I don't care."
Questionable, Magumi notes sarcastically.
"Don't listen to him Gojo-san, it's no problem," Tsumiki beams as she hops in the back seat, genuinely happy to see their warden. "I'm just glad we can finally meet your betrothed."
Satoru grins and fawns over the sweet girl. "Aww, Tsumiki, that's nice to hear! See Megumi? That's how you show affection."
"I'll show affection when I want to and whom I want to," the boy retorts, his eyes narrowing at Satoru. "I don't know this woman and I don't care to get to know her, just so we're clear."
"Megumi," Tsumiki yelps, slapping her sibling's knee. "Stop it, you're being rude."
Megumi rolls his eyes. "Whatever."
The boy's unusual irritance doesn't escape Satoru's notice. In instances such as Megumi's disinterest in life in general, Satoru's approach is simple - just leave it be. He has learned that the boy has his unique way of dealing with things and Satoru asking questions seems to only aggravate him more. Yet, he feels a bit offended as Megumi seems to be exceptionally pissed with the prospect of them having dinner together at the penthouse. Don't react, he reminds himself. He's just being a brat.
"Ready to go, then?" Satoru asks, ignoring Megumi's previous outburst and revving up the engine.
"Yes," Tsumiki says cheerfully before slapping Megumi on his knee again.
The younger Fushiguro sighs as he mumbles, "Yeah."
Satoru smirks but says nothing as he turns his wheel to get back in line. Before he could even press the gas paddle, he notices a message notification on his phone. Unlocking his phone, he realizes the message is from Ijichi, and based on the preview window of the message, it is concerning the matter he asked him to investigate a few days ago. He opens the message and reads it carefully.
From: Kiyotaka Ijichi
I got the overview of the ceremony
There will be some dancing involved
You'll practice the day before the wedding itself
These are the wedding vows you're supposed to recite
I don't think it's anything alarming but take a look
It's...weird
|file attached|
"Weird?" Satoru murmurs and clicks on the file link.
The file is a Word document containing several rows of text. Satoru lifts a single brow. I'm supposed to say all of this? He reads row after row, not finding anything 'weird' about it. Most of it is in line with what one might say in a wedding vow; swear to protect, cherish, love, et cetera.
Until he reads the last row, however.
Before the ancestors' gaze and for the time unending, I solemnly swear.
Had he not been a sorcerer and versed in his craft, Satoru would've probably omitted the last passage as just an overly dramatic promise. However, Satoru is the greatest sorcerer alive and he knows a binding vow when he sees one.
"Is something wrong, Gojo-san?" Tsumiki asks, noticing his deep frown in the rear mirror.
He glances back at the kids before shaking his head and putting his car in gear. "Nah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Liv looks at her phone again and it reads 19:49. What's taking them so long? The dinner's going cold, she wonders as she continues setting the table. She picks a set of black plates and matte gold silverware. She's not sure if either set had seen the light of day until today. Liv notices the pattern of discovering things inside the penthouse that have either been forgotten; unpacked duvets and pillows, sheets, drinking glasses, and kimono. Are these from a move-in party or something? she wondered at some point and realized Satoru hardly spent any time at the penthouse, so a move-in party would be unnecessary. They were obviously a gift, though.
Around 20:15, she hears the elevator ring. The familiar unease creeps in and she can feel the butterflies in her stomach. Calm down, Liv, she reminds herself. They're just kids. She fixes her hair and flattens her skirt before walking into the living room where Satoru and the Fushiguro siblings are already waiting for her. Liv notices Satoru first, for obvious reasons as his white hair tends to attract attention. She smiles at the man and he returns the smile, but it is strained and forced. She tries not to think about it as she focuses her attention on the kids.
The girl, Tsumiki, is pretty, roughly fourteen or fifteen, maybe even sixteen years of age. Her long brown hair is tied into a high ponytail while her bangs are styled to frame her face. Keep your cool, Drakon, she reminds herself again when she feels the urge to run away. Just stay calm.
"Welcome," she says, and surprisingly, it comes out clear and confident - not at all how she's feeling at the moment.
"Thank you for having us," Tsumiki speaks first, bowing low in respect. "My name is Tsumiki Fushiguro, nice to meet you."
Liv offers a curt bow in return. "I am Liv Drakon but you can call me Liv, Tsumiki-chan."
Her use of the typically cutesy honorific seems to draw a blush on Tsumiki's cheeks and make her giggle. Her brother, on the other hand, seems more offended by the gesture as he rolls his eyes. Damn, she wonders as she takes a good look at him. You're Toji's kid alright.
"You must be Megumi," she says, her voice still as gentle. "I've heard a lot about you."
Megumi gives her a side glance but doesn't outright acknowledge her. She finds the scene funny, reminiscent of her first meeting with both Satoru and Toji. She suppresses the laugh that wants to escape her throat.
Tsumiki, aware that her sibling is being rude again, shoves her elbow into his side. He grunts and relents, offering a curt bow.
"Megumi Fushiguro," he says, not looking Liv in the eyes.
Liv hums and returns the gesture. "Pleasure to meet you, Megumi-kun."
He doesn't react to the honorific.
"So, that went well," Satoru breaks the discomfort and Liv is grateful for that. "Let's eat, I'm starving."
The kids seem to be down for it so Liv guides them to the dining area where the dinner is served. Tsumiki asks if she had a specific seating order in mind to which Liv chuckles and answers that they're free to hang off the chandelier for all she cares (Satoru points out that she meant figuratively). Once seated, the conversation starts relatively easily, mainly because Satoru began boasting how Tsumiki's doing great in school which led Liv to ask about which schools she's attending, then what her hobbies are, and so on. All the while, Liv stole subtle glances at Satoru who still seems awkward. He's onto us, she recalls Mathias' warning. Does he know already? Their eyes meet for a moment before he snaps his gaze away quickly. Yup, he knows alright, she concludes with a frown.
"So," Tsumiki asks after a while, feeling comfortable and being a typical bubbly teen. "How did you meet? Gojo-san told us you were kids when you first met."
Liv looks at him, waiting for him to answer. He merely waves it off, handing her the torch. She complies but she notes his aloofness.
"We were five," Liv says softly, having an image of baby Satoru in her mind. "Our mothers were close so we were to be playmates."
"Wow, that's a long friendship then," Tsumiki notes and while Liv wants to concur, she notices Satoru being sour all of a sudden.
Liv graces the girl with a continuation of their discussion, at least. "On and off, though. I didn't attend Jujutsu High so when we turned fifteen, we didn't see each other as often."
Both of the kids seem to be surprised by the revelation. Megumi especially seems stunted but Liv finds the reaction cute and favorable to completely ignoring her the entire evening.
"You're not a sorcerer then, Liv-san?" Tsumiki asks curiously.
Liv shakes her head. "Not a registered one. The Shuuin clan does not fight in combat so we don't get ranked or registered."
"How does that work?" Megumi asks, to everyone's surprise.
Though Liv intends to answer his question, she's cut off by Satoru. "She's like Shoko. The higher-ups are aware of her abilities but she's not taking missions."
The boy frowns. "Why did you marry him, then?"
The question is direct and leaves little room for ambiguity. However, Liv figures he's asking why she, a non-active sorcerer, married a high-profile sorcerer of Satoru's caliber. Again, she intends to answer his question but Satoru scoffs in response instead.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Satoru asks, his mouth pointing downward.
So childish, Liv notes.
Megumi glares at him. "It means she'll end up a widow soon when she could marry someone less likely to die young."
"Are you saying I'm weak?" Satoru counters.
Megumi groans and Tsumiki scratches the back of her neck nervously.
"Sorry about this," she says to Liv. "Sometimes, I think they just can't help it."
Liv chuckles. "Boys will be boys."
Satoru then turns to her, his cheeks red either from annoyance or embarrassment. "I'm a man, not a boy. He's a boy!"
"Sure," Liv says, bringing a glass of wine to her lips.
Scoff is his only response and Liv chuckles, finding his reaction cute. He tries to hide his blush with his large hand.
"Gojo-san," Tsumiki says, pointing to his face. "Are you okay? Why are you so red?"
"Ask Liv," he mumbles, and appropriately, Tsumiki glances at Liv.
She raises her palms in defeat. "I seriously have no idea."
Tsumiki giggles and Megumi scoffs at her response. Liv can almost see a flicker of a smile on his lips before it disappears.
Once they are done with dinner, Liv asks if anyone would like a dessert. She gets an expected positive from Satoru and a polite yes from Tsumiki. Megumi skips on dessert, asking for a glass of water instead. Obliging, Liv gets up from the table and begins collecting empty plates. She feels Satoru tap her shoulder before taking the plates from her.
"Let me," he says softly and takes the whole stack to the kitchen.
Liv blinks but says nothing, instead just follows after him before telling the youth they'll be back quickly. Once inside the kitchen, the tension rises, mostly because Satoru is breathing like a wild animal, just waiting to pounce on its next victim. Liv remains steady and composed - she knew it wouldn't take him long to find out. She also knew he had to come around willingly or none of it will matter in the end.
"You lied to me," he says when she starts cutting up a piece of cake for him. "Again, Liv."
"I didn't lie to you," she replies calmly, putting the piece of a plate and pushing it to the side so she can make space for Tsumiki's. "Not once."
He scoffs. "Right, because that's what you do, isn't it? You don't lie but you do love hiding things. I can't believe I was so stupid to think you're - "
She frowns as she cuts in, "Gojo - "
"No," he says sternly, his voice strained as if he's in real pain. "The kids are here. We'll finish this after they leave."
She doesn't fight him and nods slowly. He turns to stare at her and for a long while, she finds herself unable to breathe. I really screwed up this time, she notes as he walks past her and back to the dining room. She doesn't feel sorry - she can't be sorry.
Not for this.
"I can't wait to get married," she says the words that should be joyous in the most exasperated tone.
Liv finishes cutting up the second piece of cake and putting it on a plate. She then searches for a tray in the lower cabinets. She finds a medium-sized bamboo tray beneath the sink and puts it on the countertop before placing both plates on it. She remembers that Megumi wanted a glass of water so she pours him one and places it next to the plates with the cake.
By the time she returns to the dining room, Satoru has already immersed himself in some story about one of his students gambling. Tsumiki pays close attention to his words but Megumi seems more interested in a vase with flowers on a nearby windowsill. Liv makes herself acknowledged by announcing herself coming in. As she puts the plates down (Tsumiki first, then Satoru), she makes eye contact with Megumi before giving him his glass of water. The boy studies her for a prolonged while before thanking her. Progress, Liv cheers inwardly.
It is 21:00 by the time they finish dessert so the kids are ready to leave. Satoru gets up from his seat at the same time as they do, going through his pockets to find his car keys. Liv makes sure to smile at them both, not because she feels forced to but because she wants them to know that she truly enjoyed their company. To think I was so nervous, she muses, finding it silly all of a sudden.
"It was so nice to meet you," Tsumiki says and from the way she spread her hands, Liv thought the girl would hug her.
Flustered, Tsumiki instead clasps her hands behind her back. Liv finds it adorable and bends down slightly to reach the girl's head. She gives her a gentle ruffle before cupping her cheeks.
"Likewise," Liv says softly, caressing the girl's cheeks before letting go of them. "Do visit us again. You can sleep over next time."
She then looks at Satoru, as if asking for an opinion. He is still upset with her but he doesn't object to her idea. The smile that appears on Tsumiki's face is the reward Liv hoped for after tonight's effort. She then turns to Megumi, wondering if she should ruffle his spiky hair as well. Nah, she concludes, noticing his stiff posture. We can do that some other time.
"Thanks for the dinner," he mutters suddenly. "It was nice."
Liv smiles at the boy. "My pleasure."
"Okay, time to go," Satoru says, breaking up the endearing moment by calling up the lift. "It's late, you should be in bed."
"Goodbye, Liv-san," Tsumiki says cheerfully as she follows Satoru.
Megumi merely waves. Liv watches them as Tsumiki giggles about something with Satoru while Megumi scratches the back of his head. After a while, Satoru brings his arms around both of them and leads them inside the elevator. They turn around to face her, with Tsumiki giving her one more wave while Satoru and Megumi remain passive. Once the door slides back shut, she sighs and reaches for her phone, dialing Mathias' number.
"Liv?" she hears him pick up after four rings.
She hesitates with her question. "Is honesty the best policy?"
Mathias takes a moment to answer. "If you're asking what I think you're asking, then no."
"What should I tell him then?" she almost begs. "He's pissed."
"I'm not surprised," he says matter-of-factly. "Did he call off the wedding?"
"He said we'll talk," she says with a hint of nervousness.
She hears him sigh. "Then be patient. At this point, you can't control much."
"I can't control shit," she curses.
"Maybe," he reasons, his voice soothing and calm, "but you know him best, sister. If he's not trusting you, then don't keep him in the dark. You don't have to tell him everything just enough to keep him in place."
She bites her lower lip. "He already misunderstood the whole wedding vows thing. I miscalculated, believed he's not that paranoid."
"I don't want to tell you," Mathias grumbles, "but I told you so."
"Mathias - "
"Like I said, technically, you can't tell him anything regarding the reason behind the marriage," he says, adding, "but you can show him why you can't tell him."
She frowns. "Show him?"
As she says it, it dawns on her. Mathias takes her silence as a sign that she understood his suggestion.
"You're a genius," she whispers, bringing a hand over her mouth. "That might work."
"If it doesn't," he says honestly, "we'll find another way, don't worry."
"To be quite frank with you, Mat," she retorts, "I don't want to lose him."
The sentence itself doesn't alarm him. He's aware of her attachment to the Gojo head and their past friendship (relationship). What irks him is the tone with which she said it. It is proud, defiant - she's being stubborn.
"You don't want to lose him," he asks, "or you don't want to lose to him? You pride yourself in your intellect and yet, Gojo is not as stupid as you'd like him to be."
She doesn't answer him because, at this time, she doesn't know which is it.
"Good luck sister," he says softly and hangs up.
She stares at her phone for a while, pondering his last question. After a few minutes of silence both within and without her head, she returns to the kitchen to clean up the dishes.
"Thank you, Gojo-san," Tsumiki says, smiling as she exits the car.
"Don't stay up late, you two," he says with a large grin on his face.
"Okay," both Tsumiki and Megumi reply and turn on their heel, heading inside.
"Megumi."
The boy stops in his tracks and turns around. "Yeah?"
Satoru beckons him to come closer and once he does, he asks him, "What's your opinion on Liv?"
Megumi frowns. "Is this a trick question?"
"No," Satoru answers honestly. "I just want your take on her, that's all. You have a good sense of character judgment."
Megumi hums, still thinking it's a trick question. "I guess she's nice. She's not annoying and Tsumiki likes her, so that's good."
"Do you like her?" Satoru asks and Megumi wonders if it's doubt he hears in the man's voice.
He answers him anyway, doubtless, "So far."
Satoru smiles and nods. "That's good then."
Megumi rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath, "So weird."
Satoru doesn't call him out for the last comment and waits for the siblings to enter their house before driving back home.
Liv hears the elevator again around ten o'clock. She is sitting on the couch at the time, freshly showered and in her pajamas. The dishes are clean and dried, and back in cabinets.
"You're back," she says softly over her shoulder.
He blinks. "Yeah."
He walks to the couch, his step is slouchy as he crawls into the seat next to her. He sighs and leans his head back, frustration apparent on his face.
"Still want to talk?" she asks.
He rolls his head to the side so he can look her in the eye. "Are you gonna talk?"
She presses her lips and looks down at her lap. "I can't tell you much."
"Can't," he asks, "or won't?"
"Gojo - "
"Are your secrets more important than me?" he asks desperately.
"It's not that simple," she tells him, her voice sad and strained.
His eyes shut as he scooches closer to her. He takes one of her hands into his own and presses his lips against its palm.
"Ease my suffering, Liv," he kisses her palm again before holding it against his forehead. "I can't do this - this game that we've been playing lately. I'm tired and hurt."
She watches him crumble before her. He's torn between two sides of himself; the one that has responsibilities as the greatest sorcerer in the world and the one that still calls her a friend and trusts her completely. She feels her eyes burn from the raw emotion in her heart as she puts her free hand on his cheek and as he lifts his gaze to meet hers, he can see tears well up in her eyes. She opens her mouth, slightly ajar. She doesn't say anything, not a word. He then watches as she shows him her tongue in full length and a bright and familiar mark appears on it. His eyes widen as he reads the Kanji on her tongue and terror flashes across his face.
"Liv, that's - " he can't even bring himself to say it.
Vow of Silence.
She retracts her tongue and looks away. Guilt settles in his core and he wants to punch himself. Fucking Vow of Silence? He clenches his jaw. I'm surprised she didn't - he doesn't finish the thought. The repercussions for breaking a Vow of Silence tend to be deadly, both for the offender and the one they disclose the secret.
"I want to tell you," she whispers, her eyes glued to the skyline above glistening Roppongi. "You have no idea how much I want to tell you."
He bites his tongue for a moment. "Are you in pain because of it?"
She licks her lips. "Only if I breach the terms."
He swallows the lump in his throat as the thought of her in pain makes him burn from within. "Did you breach them?"
"Not yet," she says quickly and squeezes his hand.
He squeezes back. "Then, the wedding - it's necessary, isn't it?"
She finally looks back at him. "Only a Shuuin can know."
"I remain Gojo after the wedding," he attempts a joke.
She smiles anyway. "There are different kinds of bonds, Satoru. You can be both."
He brings his hand to her cheek. "How come when you say my last name, it sounds rough but my first name sounds so sweet?"
"Don't know," she sighs into his hand. "Don't care, to be honest."
He chuckles. "I guess that's as much as I'll get out of you."
"For now," she says, her voice clear with a sound promise as she rests her forehead against his.
They fell asleep next to each other soon after.