AN: Since we don't know anything about the Gojo clan, aside from their techniques and many other characters, I hope you'll like my interpretation of them. Enjoy the chapter!
TW for Mama Gojo's parenting and bad parenting in general.
In all honesty, Satoru never liked Gojo Clan Estate.
Sure, it was spacious, with servants at the beck and call, a marvelous garden, architecture a sight to behold, storing every item a person's heart could ever desire. In short, it was befitting of one of the Great Clans.
But it was cold. Empty, devoid of life, unchanging. Silent even when mealtimes are had. A childhood spent wandering the hallways feeling lonely while having the world at his fingertips at the same time. The complete opposite of the Sawada Residence, which in contrast, was so much smaller and not as rich, but it was so full of life. The suppers are messy and noisy, but it's filled to the brim with warmth and love. It was a home in every sense of the word. Not a house like the Estate. Even Satoru, with his upbringing, can understand the difference between the two.
If it was up to him, Satoru would have never set foot on this property until the day he died. Unfortunately, there are children involved, one of them with the Zenin blood that he intends to take in, so he sucks it up and enters the mansion.
As expected, as soon as he sets foot inside, he's greeted by the bowing servants. Typical.
"Satoru-sama!" one of them starts, but he stops them with a gesture.
"I'm not here for this. Is Mother free? There's a business we need to discuss."
The man pauses, a look of hesitation on his face. "She's… occupied, Satoru-sama. A business partner is here right now, and she ordered not to interrupt."
Satoru purses his lips in a thin line.
Of course, she had said that. It was constant his entire life: she and father were always busy with the clan, and he was in the background until he needed to be paraded in front of those snobs to prove the Clan's superiority. He tried to speak up once, but it ended in failure.
"Mother," he's four, and it's one of the rare times he and his parents dine together. This gives him the courage to suggest, "The weather is sunny today. Can we go out? The three of us?"
"I have an important meeting with the Kamo today to just dilly-dally," Mother says. "Your father is busy too. Not to mention you have training."
"But–!"
"Listen and do what your mother says, Satoru," Father interrupts, stern, and that was it. No walk with his parents, only training and lessons.
Like always.
Satoru wilts, dejectedly returning to his food.
It's the last time he asks his parents for something so mundane.
But this time he won't be brushed aside, nor will he wait. He isn't the child anymore to be distracted by lessons and lavish gifts. He unlocked his full potential, and this time, Mother will listen.
After all, she has said so herself many times before — people listen and obey the strongest.
With this thought, he strides in the direction of Mother's office, unheeding of the servant's cries to wait as the man tries to catch up. He doesn't bother knocking, kicking the door open instead as it slams against the wall.
"Have I ordered not to interrupt? Have you forgotten whom—" Mother stops in the middle of the threat upon seeing who dared to barge on her meeting. "Satoru."
"Mother," he returns just as coldly. Their eyes meet.
Just like the Clan that she rules over, Gojo Fuyumi remains the same, frozen in her beauty. Even the death of her husband five years ago barely left any imprint in that visage of snow-white hair and blue eyes and regality. Satoru is her reflection, the difference being their eyes. While Satoru's are clear skies, Gojo Fuyumi's hold ice.
She is a Snow Queen come alive from a fairytale, and he's an intruder that steps into her domain after what seems like an eternity and yet not enough.
Mother breaks the contact first to address her guest. "I'm afraid we'll have to cut this short. My son dignified himself with a sudden visit, you see."
"I understand. Thank you for your generosity, Fuyumi-sama," with a benevolent nod of a ruler, Mother lets the man go. Satoru doesn't hesitate to take his place in front of her, not even bothering to acknowledge the man.
"Tea?" She offers as the door closes behind the man and a servant, leaving them alone. Satoru shakes his head.
"I want to be done with this quickly, so no tea."
"What is so urgent that you interrupt my meeting and rush through courtesy?" Mother asks, filling her cup with tea. Her eyes observe him sharply.
"It concerns the Sorcerer Killer."
An elegant eyebrow rises at the revelation."I thought the matter with him was resolved? The Zenins bear no grievance against us for the murder of the member that cut his ties a long time ago."
"It's about his children."
"Why must you bother yourself with that monkey's children?" She asks as she takes a sip. "Another pet project like Geto Suguru?"
Satoru stays perfectly still, not wishing to show her words have hit a mark. Although Mother is a Clan Leader, unheard of in their archaic society, she's very much a product of her generation — while she complimented Suguru on his technique and reaching Special Grade status in record time during an unexpected visit to College, she looked down on him due to coming from a non-sorcerer family. Therefore, their friendship was nothing more than a "pet project", and she wasn't surprised when Suguru defected, and became a Curse user either.
His family were monkeys, Satoru, she had told him after he had to return to the clan to perfect his Reverse Cursed Technique of course, he wouldn't understand our values and duties despite his talents.
And now she has thrown the same label on the Fushiguro siblings: a pet project, an indulgence. Disgust rolls in the pit of his stomach as he looks at the woman who gave birth to him, but he forces a smile on his lips. "Oh no, Mother. They are not a pet project. They can become a card against Zenin."
Because that's all that matters to Great Clans, and especially Zenin and Gojo, thanks to the 400-year-old feud between them — how to up one another. Mother will buy that excuse.
"Oh?" Mother's eyes spark in interest. Hook, line, and sinker. Just like he expected."How so?"
"I met them yesterday," Satoru says. "While the stepdaughter doesn't have a drop of Cursed Energy, the son has an ocean of it, as well as potential. He's fond of his sister. If we take her in, he'll follow. If he awakens a Technique…"
"If he awakens any technique, even Ten Shadows, we'll come out on top with Ten Shadows in our grasp and loyal to us, while Naobito will have nothing," Mother finishes with relish. Her eyes spark with pleasure. "Very well, Satoru. It seems you start thinking like a clan leader. You may take the children in."
There was a time when Satoru wished for her acknowledgment beyond mastery of Six Eyes and Limitless. Now that he has it, he feels — how Suguru described it, the swallowing of his Curses? — as if he swallowed a rag soaked in vomit.
Gross. If that's what he gets due to her approval, he can go without it, thanks.
"There's a hurdle we have to get past first, though," Satoru pushes through his disgust. The sooner he finishes this conversation, the faster he can hightail it out of here. "Toji already made a similar deal with Naobito."
"Nothing money can't fix," Mother brushes it off like one would do an annoying fly. "Naobito, for all of his desire to have strong sorcerers in Zenin, loves money more. Suggest a bigger sum than the one he paid Toji for the boy, and he'll fold. It is also in our favor that the boy hasn't displayed a technique yet. He isn't six yet, correct?"
"Yes, his birthday is December 22," Satoru stands up. "Then, I'll go and pay the old man a visit. Hopefully, he isn't drunk out of his mind yet, and then I will have to inform Yaga that I will be busy for the time being."
"Before you go," Mother sets her almost empty cup down. "I'll take care of the adoption papers, and you may use the family money, but other than that, you're on your own. Consider this a lesson in responsibility for when your own children are born."
"I' would not expect anything less from you, Mother," Satoru says with a tight smile. He's almost at the door when she stops him.
"One more thing," she says. "Your graduation is not far away. Remember our agreement?"
How can I forget when you remind me constantly? Satoru thinks bitterly. What comes out is:
"Of course."
And he hurries to leave, not even offering a goodbye. He just wishes to put the Estate behind him as fast as possible.
And don't visit for a long, long time.
Once he's outside, he breathes a sigh of relief. Mother dealt with. Now onto Naobito and Yaga.
As he teleports as it's faster than a car, he wonders how others are doing. House hunting and finding Tsumiki's mother sounds easier than dealing with clan games.
He thinks so, at any rate, anyway.
Fushiguro Keiko is the kind of woman that you take for a one-night-stand or marry, and she won't ask you any questions as long as you have money on you. That's the impression she gives Reborn when he finds her at some seedy bar wasting the day away with makeup on and clothes that no self-respecting mother would wear. Surprisingly, she shows no fear or distress when he sits down and brings the bad news. Only asks to light her cigarette.
Which Reborn does, of course, because he's a gentleman.
"So, Toji is dead," she states quite calmly for a woman who just learned that she has been a widow for a whole year. Rather, she looks like she could care less for the husband that had been murdered. Or maybe she is used to it, considering that the father of her daughter ran off into the sunset upon finding out she was pregnant, and assumed the same with Toji, most likely, until Reborn informed her otherwise. "I admit it was good while it lasted, but no wonder he's dead."
"You expected that?" Reborn asks, putting the lighter away.
"To a degree. He had a gambling habit and some shady contacts, after which he disappeared for days and then came back with cash," the woman takes a drag of her lit cigarette and exhales the smoke. "The last one was some guy with a prosthetic arm and a sword. Offered Toji work abroad, but Toji told him no. The guy didn't like it. Wouldn't be surprised if he's the one who finished Toji."
Reborn doesn't correct her assumption, merely adjusting his hat.
"But I doubt you simply came to inform me about my new status," Keiko tells him shrewdly as she flicks ash into the ashtray. "What about Megumi?"
"My associate wants to take him in," Reborn tells her. "Which is why, I need you to sign something since you're the sole guardian now."
"If I do this…Will they take Tsumiki too?"
"That's the plan. Do you not wish to keep your daughter?"
Keiko smiles sadly for the first time since their conversation started, her brown eyes regretful. The expression makes her seem more older, exposing a tired woman underneath."I'm a bad mother. Tsumiki has always been the adult between us, which is my fault. It's too late for me to change my life, so if she can be happy elsewhere with Megumi… I'll do it. Just… can you promise that she'll be safe and happy?"
"We'll try our best."
And with this vow given, Fushiguro Keiko does one last thing for the siblings.
"Io comprendo. Grazie, Nono,*" When Reborn comes to Namimori High School's roof after the meeting with Tsumiki's mother — their rendezvous point agreed upon this morning before they started their tasks — he catches the tail end of Tsuna's conversation with Timoteo. Hibari and Gokudera are going over the houses for Gojo to buy, and listening to their Sky all the while just like the others. She hangs up just as he arrives fully. "Welcome back, Reborn. How did it go?"
"Fushiguro Keiko signed away her rights," he answers, passing her the said document. "I take it you informed Nono about the situation?"
"Yes," Tsuna replies as she reads the document. "I told him everything, and he agreed with the course of action. He also said that he would not call me to Italy unless it's an emergency, and that I can handle paperwork from here," she shakes her head. "To give up the children so easily…"
"It's for the best," Reborn assures his student, though he knows it's a bitter pill for her to swallow as she passes the document back to him. "Keiko thought so as well. Have you told Iemitsu that he's a grandfather now?"
Tsuna pulls a face, the same one she does every time her father is mentioned. "He can't be reached right now. Our Japanese branch was attacked. Civilians and Flame users are injured to various degrees. Some are dead. He's investigating it at the moment. Lal promised to pass the news along, but knowing Dad, it's no use," she sighs tiredly, already expecting Iemitsu to ignore such a change.
Nobody in the group will be surprised if he does. After all, he said nothing when Fuuta and I-Pin joined the Sawada Household.
"Do they have an idea of who could be behind the attacks?" Reborn changes the subject to a more pressing matter than Iemitsu's idiocy. If the Japanese branch was attacked, Tsuna could become the next target.
They can't allow it.
"Nono says it might be a group of Curse users that formed not too long ago," Tsuna frowns as she crosses her arms over her chest. "They are dedicated to the extermination of non-sorcerers, and apparently, we are on the list. Nono says if they'll continue to keep killing Flame users whether by accident or intent, Vindice might get involved."
"If those Jujutsu Elders won't sic Gojo on them first," Mukuro notes grimly. If those fanatics harm one hair on his Sky's head — they are dead and will be in hell for eternity.
Everyone present shares the unspoken thought.
"We are done, Jyuudaime," Gokudera's voice breaks the heavy silence that fell after the Mist Guardian's words. "Here."
"Oh, let me see," Tsuna strolls over to her Cloud and Storm, looking over Hibari's shoulder at the screen. "Good job! Those look great. Since Satoru said not to worry about the price, they should do."
"Speaking of Gojo-san," Haru speaks up, mouth full of apple. Despite that, everyone understands her. "What do you think he's doing now?"
Hibari snorts as he closes his laptop. "Driving everyone nuts so he can get Fushiguro siblings, most likely."
"Whoever they are, I feel sorry for them," Gokudera mumbles right after.
Nobody disagrees because it's Gojo Satoru they are talking about, and he's a force to be reckoned with.
Hibari's words are right on the mark. Naobito was easy to deal with, so Satoru's next victim turns out to be his long-suffering teacher Yaga.
"Absolutely not!" is Yaga's response to the news. "You can't leave simply because you wish to take care of children on a whim. You're only Special Grade left!"
"You and kids?" is Shoko's — who was present in Yaga's office when Satoru announced his intentions. — disbelieving, but slightly calmer reaction. "What a funny joke, Satoru. Quit it."
"Firstly, ouch, Shoko, it's no joke, where's your faith in me?" although he smiles, Shoko's reaction stings him a lot. Even Tsuna and others, whom he had known only for a few months, believed him faster than Shoko did, his best friend since he began at Jujutsu Tech. Was it really hard for her to take him seriously and what that says about the distance between them? "And secondly, I'm not leaving permanently, Yaga-sensei. I'll still be killing Curses, just not as often," his voice turns cold and deep with his next words. "And for the record, I'm not the only Special Grade left. There's Tsukumo Yuki. Or is she only good for spouting unproved theories?"
That brings Yaga and Shoko short as they look away from Satoru's intense and cold expression, guilty.
"I'll be taking a break and bring up Megumi and Tsumiki for a check-up once they are with me," Satoru says with a tone of finality. "It's time someone thought about children in our world even if it's on a whim."
With this last dig, Satoru storms out and teleports back to Namimori. Back to where they understand as his heart bleeds in pain.
"Woah, you look like shit," is the first thing Hayato says upon seeing Gojo appear out of thin air on a roof. No one is caught off guard, chalking it up to his abilities, calmly greeting him in their own ways.
Satoru would have found it sweet if he wasn't so agitated.
"Gee, thanks for your priceless input, Hayato," Satoru replies sarcastically as he sprawls on the roof like a starfish. "As if I didn't know that myself."
"That bad, huh?" Ryohei asks with sympathy.
"That bad," Satoru confirms. "But never mind that," he waves off. "How are things on your end?"
"Tsumiki's mother signed away her rights," Tsuna informs him. "Nono doesn't mind takung Tsumiki and Megumi under Vongola's protection. Oh, and Kyoya and Hayato made a list of available houses for you to look at. Wanna see?"
"I'll do that later," Satoru promises, nodding at Kyoya and Hayato in thanks, which they return. "I took care of clan crap. Mother said she'll take care of adoption papers."
"What about Naobito?"
"A heavy sum and he gave in," Satoru answers Reborn. "We also made a contract. Essentially, Megumi will remain in my care until I go MIA or am indisposed otherwise. Then he will go to the Zenin," a shark-like grin blooms on his face as Satoru raises a finger, "But I added a stipulation."
"What stipulation?" Kyoko asks.
"In the event that I would be indisposed to take care of Megumi, he will go with the people I trust and whom he knows," Satoru says. "That would be you, guys. You will just have to present the copy of a contract, which I'll give you later."
"Naobito doesn't know it's us?" Tsuna wonders, already knowing the answer in Satoru's expression.
"Nope! I kept your name out of it!" Satoru giggles like a schoolgirl, his previous bad mood forgotten. Or hidden away, most likely. "So it will be a nasty surprise for the old geezer."
"I bet," Tsuna smirks, lopsidedly. "So if things are taken care of, that means we will be meeting Megumi and Tsumiki tomorrow?"
Tsuna immediately regrets her question as Satoru gets back on his feet.
"Why wait? We can go now!" he proclaims with a mischievous grin.
"Eh?" Tsuna utters at that, blinking in confusion. Before she or others can react, Satoru sweeps her off her feet in a bridal carry. "Hiee! What the heck are doing?!" she demands, wrapping her arms around his neck for support instinctively.
"Taking you to meet the kids, of course," he tells her like it's obvious. He turns to the others who took out their weapons. "Don't sweat, she's safe with me. Hold on tight, Setsuna-chan."
"Damn Gojo," Hayato spits out. He knows his boss is safe with the dumbass, but it pisses them off that they can't follow.
Because the two of them already disappeared in the blink of an eye to wherever the Fushiguro siblings are.
AN: *I understand. Thank you, Nono in Itallian. According to the translator, anyway.
Next chapter, we will finally see Megumi and Tsumiki. See you until then!