Cursed Love
~ Where Whispers Wail ~
June 2005.
Satoru frowns. "Say what?"
The boy next to him sighs, rubbing his forehead with his thumb. "Pay attention to people around you, Satoru."
"Whatever," the Gojo clan heir grumbles before making a disgusted face as a curse tries to get past his Infinity. "Fuck, you're an ugly one."
"I asked, why isn't Liv a student like us?" Suguru repeats, his tone irritated. "Shoko doesn't fight either but she attends the school."
"I don't know, man," Satoru sighs dramatically, adding, "The Shuuin are weird - best not to waste our brain power over it."
Suguru hums as he thinks of the girl that he had met months earlier. Headstrong, aloof, and a tad flamboyant, Liv Drakon is unlike any girl Suguru had met before, sorcerer or otherwise. What further impressed him is her disregard for Satoru Gojo's abilities as a sorcerer. Suguru isn't sure where this disregard stems from but he figures it has something to do with their shared history.
"She doesn't strike me as weak, though," Suguru comments after Satoru exorcises the remaining curse. "Maybe restrained but not weak."
Satoru laughs mirthfully, "I know! I mean look at her - the bitch is insane!"
Suguru hums. That's true, he thinks to himself, staring at the said bitch as she appeared out of nowhere, standing close to them and cheering them on. Their mission had them travel to Edogawa where sightings of a high-level curse and several low-level curses were reported by the local windows. Most sorcerers tend to hang back or even run away in such circumstances, especially those who do not have sufficient combat skills.
Not her though.
"Woo-hoo! Yeah, whack 'em, Blue!" she yells from the top of her lungs, waving her unfurled fan high up in the air. "You too, Suguru! You got this!"
It is amazing how much spirit she has for someone who should be terrified. Not only is she part of the cruel world of theirs but she's also unbothered by the fact she can't even protect herself. It's like she's actively looking for trouble, Suguru thought of several occasions.
"I wonder," Suguru muses with a chuckle, "what kind of sorcerer would she be if she could fight?"
Satoru scoffs. "Even crazier."
Both boys chuckle as they rejoin their odd not-classmate.
October 2016.
The reception proceeded with little to no scandals.
After his strange encounter with Liv's relatives from Florida, Satoru admits he enjoyed the rest of the wedding day. He could eat all the sweets and small cakes the Shuuin prepared for the occasion. He noted one particular pastry that he bullied Liv into making again so he could enjoy it at the penthouse. The eye-roll he got was in his opinion unnecessary but Liv complied regardless, saying she'd make them before he left for his mission the next day.
Apart from stuffing his face with sugar, Satoru also learned a few things about the Shuuin. Their elders hold a place of honor and counsel among the Shuuin. Contrary to popular belief, the Shuuin elders are not completely detached from the ongoings of the jujutsu society as they know the current state of affairs much better than Satoru expected. Their inter-clan politics are surprisingly healthy and supportive (which explains Liv's support of his dream to change the jujutsu society).
"The Shuuin respect the past and they look forward to the future," she had told him when the elders left the Manor. "Our elders are armed with knowledge and experience, but they do not hinder our journeys. Their job is to give a push or a cushion when needed."
It's not all sunshine and daisies, though. As Satoru further observed, the Shuuin are more aloof and direct than the higher-ups. Guess this is where she got her personality from. Apart from the Cormac sisters, none of the other Shuuin tried to vy for his attention or bask in his presence, nor did they outright look down on him as if he were a child. Not to say they do not respect him or his abilities but he finds their approach refreshing if suspicious. There is a charm in the lightness of their presence and obvious disregard for the jujutsu society in its entirety. He thought they were cowards like the rest of the elders. Imagine his surprise to find anything but.
His mind circles back to the revelation several nights prior. By now, he knows that the marriage is just a means to an end. But to what end? Unfortunately for him, Satoru doesn't have all the information to make a solid assumption. His knowledge of the Shuuin is limited to what Liv told him over the years and the interview she had with Masamichi (Satoru had Ijichi send him a copy of the interview). He was shocked to learn that she was left potentially unguarded all those years before becoming the mistress.
There are many gaps still undiscovered when it comes to the Shuuin mistress and it makes him all the more excited for their conversation tonight.
Once the wedding guests left the premises of the Manor, the newlyweds remained on the grounds. Liv had already prepared their bags in advance, knowing that they would remain overnight. Since Satoru was to leave for a mission the next day, she made sure to pack whatever was necessary. She wants to feel comfortable and she needs Satoru to feel comfortable as well for the impending conversation they are to have.
That is how they end up sitting in pajamas on the floor, drinking tea.
Satoru sits on the tatami mat in the living room of the Manor while his wife prepares them tea in the kitchenette. As the kettle clicks when the water inside boils, Liv slowly pours the piping hot water into the teapot. She places the teapot onto the bamboo tray before serving it to her husband.
They sit in silence for a while, her warming her hands against the cup and Satoru taking sips from his cup. Even though he bubbles with questions, he savors the silence after a very social day. He glances at her and finds her breathing steadily with her face relaxed and her lips stretched into the smallest of smiles.
"Go on," she sighs, the smile still on her lips. "Ask away."
He glances at his teacup, twirling it. "Where to start?"
"I'd suggest at the beginning," she says softly, then adding, "though, I'd advise against it."
"Long story?" he quips.
"Too long," she agrees.
"Then tell me what I need to know," he suggests. "We can dish out family history at some other point."
She smiles before offering to pour him another cup. It is strange how domestic all of this seems but he doesn't necessarily oppose the idea. It's good to lay back and relax. He hands her his cup and watches as she tilts the teapot. Her colorful robe is long and dainty, slipping off her bare shoulders as she hands him his cup back. The image reminds him of a particular memory at his inauguration party at the Gojo Estate. He closes his eyes and tries to suppress the memory for now.
"Our current predicament started about forty years ago," Liv says as she takes a sip of her tea. "My grandfather noticed a pattern in the occurrence of curses and sorcerers. They were starting to outnumber us and worse still, they had the potential to grow much stronger than what the world could handle. He voiced his concerns to the council at the time."
"Let me guess. It ended badly for him?" Satoru asks softly.
Liv nods. "He put his trust in a friend and knowing he'd die anyway, my grandfather decided to reveal the true secret the Shuuin have been hiding. The Shuuin elders tried to cover it up by brainwashing my grandfather's friend."
"They could do that?" Satoru asks doubtfully.
"They tried, but managed to only alter the friend's memory, not suppress it," Liv explains evenly. "The council was informed that the Shuuin clan was hiding something big, thus issuing an attempt at eradicating the Shuuin."
"But you survived," Satoru points out.
"Yes, but not without casualties," Liv counters. "My grandfather died due to breaking the Vow and the clan elders issued immediate damage control to avoid any more deaths. They managed to appease the council and provide proof of our innocence. The matter was laid to rest and my mother became the mistress of the Shuuin at the age of sixteen."
Just sixteen years old, he hears her words echo in his mind. My students are sixteen. Sumiye Shuuin - the previous mistress of the Shuuin and Liv's late mother. He doesn't remember her much save for a few faint memories from childhood and the few instances they met during his high school days. She was the exact opposite of her daughter: reserved, proper, and poised. He sees little of her in Liv, which is a compliment in his opinion. While his mother enjoyed a certain friendship with Sumiye, Satoru always felt on edge in her presence. Her calm and collected personality oozed off a certain chill and it didn't appeal to him.
"She did a good job keeping you afloat at such a young age," he murmurs, recalling the steadfast woman who breathed authority wherever she went.
"That's thanks to her tactical genius," Lif admits as she offers him another cup. "She strengthened the Shuuin by creating a spy network that exists even today. They protect us in numerous ways, to alarm us when danger's ahead or to even defend us from aggressors."
"We realized that our days of hiding are nearing a certain end," Liv continues and her eyes narrow as she pours tea into his cup. "Along with the curses, the number of powerful sorcerers increased as well, but not as exponentially as that of curses. We want to share our knowledge with the jujutsu world so that we can prevent a catastrophe."
"The Vow of Silence is stopping you, however," Satoru quipped. "Or rather, whatever or whoever you made the vow with."
She hands him his cup back. "We call her the Great Mother. It is her existence that we hide and for the last century or so, we've been trying to get her to revoke the Vow."
"Great Mother?" he asks, rubbing his chin. "Is she one of the elders or something?"
"In a manner of speaking," Liv admits. "She's the progenitor of our bloodline."
Satoru coughs, the tea almost sliding down his windpipe. "What?! Liv, she'd have to be at least - "
"One thousand years old?" she adds and Satoru nods furiously. "She's not immortal but she can't die either. We don't know how she does it but for someone as resourceful as her, I'm sure near-immortality isn't an unthinkable feat."
"How do you know that for sure?" he asks with a hint of worry in his voice. "She might be a cursed apparition or a vengeful spirit, a powerful one at that considering everything you just told me."
"I may not be the strongest sorcerer alive, but I can tell the difference between a curse and a human just fine," Liv answers evenly. "You'll see her for yourself soon enough."
He breathes out in frustration. "Fine. So what's the deal with this Great Mother of yours? Why won't she take back the Vow?"
Liv presses her lips into a thin line. "She thinks the world is not yet ready and though we've tried to prove our point to her on numerous occasions, our attempts failed flat. Ten years ago, I tried my luck and failed miserably. It was the same day I proposed to you."
Satoru's heart tightens in his chest. That explains her behavior at the time, he realizes. The despair in her eyes, the sadness and utter defeat. The lonesome tear down her cheek, he remembers.
He frowns. "You want me to fight her?"
It sounds more like a statement than a question, but he's surprised all the same as she chuckles and shakes her head in dismissal. "No. I tried that already and it did shit to change her mind. Besides, like I said, she can't die so undoing the Vow that way is impossible."
"You fought her?" he asks incredulously.
Liv nods. "That's how one becomes the leader of the Shuuin. We fight her and if she deems us worthy, we take the mantle."
"And if not?" Satoru asks though he can somewhat deduce the answer to that question.
She smiles sadly. "We die."
Satoru stares into her hazel eyes. The jujutsu world is a cruel place and the people involved in it tend to be just as heartless. The Shuuin, it seems, are no different. Liv is silent for a moment, her gaze unreadable but at the same time meaningful. Another painful moment later, she takes a deep breath and steadies her beating heart.
"I can't solve this with fists, Satoru," she explains softly. "I need to convince her that she's wrong or rather, I just need her to doubt her conviction."
"But what's that got to do with me?" he asks in return.
"You have a dream," she smiles. "And, I share your dream but I'm not the one she's worried about."
"Why would she trust me, then?" Satoru counters. "Realistically speaking, I represent the same society she's hiding from, even though my loyalty to them is questionable at best. My word should mean even less to her."
Liv blinks before her eyes wander to the window nearby, her gaze fixated on the lonesome plum tree. "If I didn't have the utmost confidence that you could pull this off, this marriage wouldn't have happened."
He doesn't react at first, the honesty of her words stunts him for a moment. Not to say Liv ever minced words around him; she's a fairly honest person. However, she rarely voiced her trust in him and/or his abilities. In her mind, it's a given, an unspoken truth. His lips stretch into a wide grin, his eyes twinkle and for a moment, she sees the same blue-eyed teenage boy she put her faith in all those years ago.
"Aww, you trust me," he sniggers and gets a forehead flick in return.
"Stop that," she says with a smirk. "So, you in or out?"
A moment passes as he contemplates his options and she holds her breath. This is it, she thinks to herself, trying to calm her nerves down. In the worst-case scenario, she reminds herself, he goes back to his life as the strongest one and you go back to square one. While the worst-case scenario is not appealing to her (at all), she'd swallow her feelings and let it happen anyway. I won't take that choice away from him.
While she's consumed with nervousness, Satoru realizes something. This marriage, he thinks to himself, she bet everything on it without even knowing if it'll work. He sees her in a completely new light and he can feel his heartbeat quicken in excitement. It's been a while since he felt this excited about someone. I can't wait to see her in action, he thinks to himself. If Satoru ever doubted his decision to accept her proposal, all of his doubts are gone as of this moment. She held her end of the deal.
Suddenly, he takes her hand into his and presses his lips against her knuckles.
"You were right," he mumbles under his breath. "It was fun finding it out."
He peeks at her from underneath her palm, those cerulean eyes still shining with excitement and she chuckles in relief. Damn you.
"See," she says and squeezes his hand in return, just now realizing that his Infinity has been down all this time. "I told you so."
Mathias sighs as he watches the moon slowly reach the zenith.
It is a mesmerizing sight, at least to the older Drakon. He finds the celestial body unusually comforting, especially when he's having trouble sleeping. Tonight is one such night. He half-expects to hear from his sister that the Gojo clan head will level the Shuuin Manor and her along with it. Maybe she suspects the same, he wonders briefly, with dread passing through him like a premonition before one vomits. It would explain why she had everyone leave her and Gojo alone at the Manor.
Mathias sighs again, his eyes closed and his head heavy as he rests his forehead against his prompted knee. For a few minutes, he's been aware that he wasn't alone at the top of the Tokyo Tower. He doesn't bother calling out the intruder, mainly because he does not need to.
"I know this wasn't the deal," Miguel says as he approaches the man. "I just had to make sure she's okay before I head back."
The older Drakon hums. "At least you're aware of it. Luckily for you, Liv doesn't much care if you hang around or ditch right away."
Miguel grumbles as he leans against the railing, crossing his arms over his chest. "She's not calling yet."
It is an observation and Mathias groans. "No, she's not."
"Should we check on her?"
Mathias gives him a cold stare over his shoulder and Miguel laughs.
"How much will she tell him?" Miguel asks after a while.
"However much she wants," Mathias answers.
Miguel grumbles something intangible under his breath. Mathias doesn't reprimand him; he's not sure if he can anymore at this point. They both know how dangerous the situation is, and how easily it can get out of hand - they both understand that. The difference is that Mathias owes everything to Liv and he can't be that selfish again, whereas Miguel is a spy and he can always walk away.
Before he can say anything else, Mathias' phone buzzes.
"That her?" Miguel asks as the older Drakon sibling pulls out his phone.
The bright light illuminates his face in the dark and for a moment, his brows furrow. So it is her, Miguel surmises and waits patiently for Mathias to read the message. A short moment later, Miguel sees him typing before locking his phone and sighing in relief.
"All's good," he says calmly. "Gojo is in."
Miguel tries to keep his voice calm as he says, "Yeah, all's good. Now what?"
The older Drakon sibling is silent for a moment, his thoughts racing. "This is the part where things get potentially bloody."
The spy tenses up at the man's words, his eyes widening in alarm. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"If he succeeds," Mathias continues, "you know what she'll have to do afterward, right?"
For a moment, Miguel is lost in thought until the answer suddenly creeps on him like a swarm of ants climbing up his spine and he pushes down the swelling bile in his throat.
"Where whispers wail," the spy mumbles, the dreadful words that still strike fear into his heart.
Mathias almost laughs. "We are despicable, aren't we?"
"I thought that is no longer practiced," Miguel points out.
Mathias simply shrugs.
"Damn," Miguel curses. "That bastard is in for a real cold shower."
Mathias laughs this time. "Maybe though knowing him, I think he'll be fascinated."
"What makes you say that?"
"Gojo has a keen eye for talent," the Shuuin-born explains. "He also sets high standards for everyone around him, regardless of their actual skill. Liv might just exceed his expectations if all goes according to plan."
Miguel frowns in confusion. "She's our mistress for a reason. She already exceeds everyone's expectations."
Mathias hums. "She's not a true mistress, though but she might become one with his help."
Miguel nods in agreement. "It's ironic don't you think? How he'll potentially create the bane of his existence."
"I disagree," Mathias shakes his head. "My feelings toward the man aside, he is the only person who can make her truly happy."
"Not the only person," the spy counters.
"He had his shot in New Orleans," Mathias retorts. "He also blew it. My faith lies solely with Gojo now."
"He tried, Mat," Miguel says softly. "He did."
I know, Mathias wants to say but he doesn't truly believe that.
"You sound confident, though," Miguel points out bitterly. "I don't think you've ever been this confident in any situation so far."
Mathias nods because the spy is correct in his statement. "When faced with reality, one must be wise enough to accept it."
"Is it reality," Miguel muses, "or wishful thinking?"
"Why can't it be both?" Mathias asks in return.
Miguel says nothing as he gazes at the moon as well.
"At the end of the day," Mathias finally says, standing up and turning toward the spy, "all that matters at this moment is she. The rest of us will be fine regardless of what happens."
"That's stupidly brazen of you," Miguel challenges him. "Other people matter, too. Other sorcerers matter."
"Yet, they play dead when things get too tough, expecting the strong ones to have mercy on them," Mathias says sternly, "and the same thing happened to the Shuuin."
Miguel remains silent, effectively drawn into an imaginary corner. He feels called out and not without cause. He knows this and it pains him to admit it, but Mathias has a point.
"We bark at the moon, proclaim that life is unfair, that it's out of our hands," Mathias says a bit softer this time, "and that's the reason why you and I are having this conversation in the first place. In truth, we're toothless cowards whereas she dared to claw and crawl her way to where she is now."
With that said, Mathias leaves the spy alone atop the Tokyo Tower with barely a nod as he disappears in the shadows of the night.
The next morning, Liv wakes up before Satoru.
They stayed up late, mostly so Liv could answer any other questions her husband might have. Most of it was mainly about the reason behind their marriage. The discussion about the wedding took place roughly two months earlier and his only requirement was for her to just consult him before making any choices which Liv didn't mind acquiescing. On the other hand, his lack of involvement made him overlook many tidbits of the ceremony so he was curious about the symbolism and importance of the ritual they performed.
"Only a Shuuin can be allowed to see the Great Mother and this way, you are one of us," she said when he asked her about the binding vow.
His curiosity was almost insatiable and she indulged his questions to the latter. He found himself more interested in the Shuuin and their lifestyle as a result. They reflect much of what he dreams for the jujutsu society to be.
Apart from the wedding ritual, Satoru was curious about her abilities as well. While she didn't indulge as much as she did with the wedding questions (mostly because she was too tired to answer in detail), she did confess to having another ability besides seidr and geldr.
"It's called Inner Eye," she confessed, yawning. "I can read minds, essentially."
She promised to show him the full extent of her abilities once he returned from his mission.
After a short while, Liv had urged him to fall asleep. He waved her off, saying he didn't need sleep but when she pushed the matter further, he relented. She pointed toward a spare bedroom for him to sleep in peacefully but he insisted on staying in the living room with her. She tried to reason with him, telling him to get some sleep in earnest but she was met with a cocky grin and even cockier remark.
"I don't want to be late for the mission but I'm lousy with alarms," he said jokingly. "Since we're not sleeping in the same bed, we'll at least sleep in the same room. This way you can wake me up if I oversleep."
She retorted by saying she's not his wife and he responded by showing her his wedding ring, silently telling her that she's, in fact, his wife. He walked to the nearby leather couch and lay down before he closed his eyes with a smile on his face. Liv huffed at first, flabbergasted before sitting down on the sofa next to the couch. She didn't bother cleaning up the dishes - I'll just do it in the morning. Instead, she reached for one of the books from the neat pile lying on the coffee table. She read for another half an hour or so before slumber overwhelmed her as well. The spouses spent the night together, with him resting on the plush couch and with her curled up on a sofa.
As the dawn approaches and her eyes flutter open, Liv rubs her eyes as she looks around. She sees her husband lying on the couch with his back turned toward her. She hears him snoring softly and his shoulders move up and down in steady rhythm. He's grown, she thinks to herself, noting how large his back has gotten. Tove's words echo in the back of her head, something about them being or not being honest with each other. She smiles softly and leaves for the kitchen shortly after.
By the time Satoru wakes up, she has prepared them coffee and packed him a stack of pastries he took a particular liking to yesterday. Humming, the man stretches out his limbs as he yawns. He notes that his eyes are surprisingly not sore and when he opens them, he sees it's morning outside. He feels the couch dent as Liv sits next to him with a pair of mugs in her hands. He can smell the freshly brewed coffee.
"Good morning," she says and offers him a mug. "I added sugar already, three cubes."
A corner of his mouth twitches upwards as he accepts the offered mug. For the first time in a long while, he can say the morning is indeed a good one.
