She didn't really know what to do, so she trotted deeper down the hallway until she reached the rickety elevator and went down.
Going to see Tengen first and telling them what was going on was probably the best thing, but she wasn't entirely sure what she would be able to do after. Would they let her hang around for a while until the dust settled?
She kept to a quick jog and picked her way down the path to Tengen's tree, reaching the barrier and passing through easily.
"Any chance I can hide down here for the next five weeks?" She asked first, and Tengen tilted their head, confused.
"You are welcome here, but there is no food or water here for you." They said hesitantly.
Ah.
She didn't really think about that.
"Hm… That officer wants to take me away from here for about five weeks. I'd probably be dead by the end of the first one, knowing my luck. So, I've gotta find somewhere hidden to stay for a while until Yaga figures everything out. Maybe six weeks, at the most."
"And you wanted to stay here?" Tengen asked, clearly bewildered.
"What can get at me down here?" She challenged, and Tengen tilted their head, conceding her point.
She sat down on the ground with a hard thump, and Tengen sat down elegantly in front of her. It was an oddly fluid movement for someone who was visually so old.
"I don't know where it would be safe for me to go. Yaga-san can't keep me, or else he'll never be able to apply to foster me legally. I'm not going with that officer, because I'll probably die. Running off into the woods to live as a hermit in some rural area where cursed spirits are weaker is one of those ideas that sound good but in practice, it's just stupid. I might be fine against curses, but actually surviving there on my own without money would be really hard. I don't know how to scavenge from the forest properly or prepare anything I might be able to hunt. I don't have money, so I couldn't buy food."
"I have money." Tengen offered hesitantly. She got the feeling this was the most social interaction the dude had gotten in a long time, which was horribly sad.
"I want to be able to make my own money. It really sucks not to be able to! I can't always rely on others!"
She was lying on the ground on her back now, and Tengen had relaxed slowly out of their elegant pose into a more comfortable position as they listened.
"Thanks though. For offering."
"Of course."
"Know any sorcerers outside of Japan or in a rural area who might be willing to take care of a kid for a little while?"
"I'm not too sure," They said, considering, "perhaps Yuki Tsukumo? I've heard sh-"
"Nope! Absolutely not her, I hate her." She said quickly.
"Why?"
"She had a chance to save Geto and she just walked right by."
Tengen said nothing, but tilted their head curiously.
"Geto confided in her about his feelings and offered up genocide as a solution and all she fucking said was 'yeah, that could work'. No reporting it, no concern, just stupid advice about choosing your own path or whatever! When one of the strongest sorcerers in the world starts talking about genocide, you shut up, let them vent, and then you push them as hard as you possibly can towards whatever help! You don't fucking validate those thoughts! She needs to take twenty classes before I'd even consider not trying to drag her away from Geto, or Gojo for that matter!" Her tone was heated, because this really was something that had pissed her off while watching the anime. Of all possible responses, 'yeah that could work' was the fucking worst one! Might as well have said, 'yeah do it'. At least then the shock might have spooked him enough to change something.
"Not Tsukumo-san then."
"No. I'd go crazy!"
"Clans would certainly protect you, but they would do all they can to ensure that you were indebted to them."
"What about foreign sorcerers?"
"I can't admit to knowing any that are still alive. A few, maybe, but likely so old as to be no longer viable protectors."
"Do you know of a dude called Miguel?"
"No?"
"He's a cool dude, but I don't have a clue what age he is. Struck me as late twenties, early thirties, but could easily have been early twenties," given that the anime style really tended to obscure such details, "He's from Kenya." Honestly, she'd have said Nanami was in his thirties at least if she didn't know he was a year younger than Gojo.
"I could create a protection mission then. Just as other nations can request the aid of Japanese sorcerers, so too can we, though it is rare. Do you have a preference for what location?"
"The USA's preferable. Anywhere that speaks English would be good, really."
Tengen was nodding. They were surprisingly agreeable, she'd expected more of a fight on most things. Maybe they just were so unused to children that they just treated her more or less as an adult? She was hardly complaining, it was just odd.
"If you can do all that, you could just ask for some food and water down here and I could hang out with you." She offered. It seemed silly to do all that when she was already safe here. She wouldn't be handed off to a stranger either.
"True. Surely this isn't the most entertaining place though?"
"There's a whole city out there, I think I can keep myself entertained. Besides, you've probably got history lessons out the ears, so it'd be super fun to learn what I can from you! I don't know basically anything about Japanese or Jujutsu history, besides Sukuna and Kenny's general histories."
"Indeed. I would be wary though, many of the houses are in states of disrepair."
Tengen's attention snapped away, focused vaguely to their left for several long seconds before they spoke again.
"Gojo Satoru is demanding entry."
Shit.
"Better let him in before he forces his way in." She advised gingerly, and Tengen nodded.
It took far less time than it should for Gojo to get there, not that she should have been surprised. About thirty seconds later, his hand, followed by the rest of his body pushed through the barrier separating Tengen's inner domain and the city. It was eerily reminiscent of him walking through a different sort of barrier, and it set her on edge.
He looked angry and she cringed noticeably when his eyes landed on her.
"He isn't taking you away." Gojo hissed, and some cowardly part of her relaxed automatically. If Gojo said it, surely it was true. He'd make sure of it.
"Yaga could get in big trouble if he doesn't hand me over. At least if I ran away it wouldn't be his fault." She whispered back, and Gojo just growled, annoyed.
"I can just stay down here! Tengen can ask for food and water and I'll just explore the city and stuff until it's safe to come back!"" She said optimistically, more so than she really felt. It wasn't an ideal plan by any means, but it was better than just going with the officer.
"I don't want you down here alone for so long." Gojo denied instantly, and snatched her up roughly, angling her away from Tengen, keeping himself between Tengen and her.
"Tengen isn't about to attack me, Satoru-nii! We've got a deal going on. Mutually beneficial."
The doubt on Gojo's face, the single raised eyebrow, spoke volumes.
"There has to be a different option." He said finally, and sat down with a thump on the ground. The sensation of air around her vanished suddenly, and she knew he'd just wrapped her up in his Infinity.
Seems that Gojo was joining this brainstorming session.
"So far, I've considered running away into the woods, taking a bus or train to a rural area and hiding out, or having Tengen make a protection mission for me using a foreign sorcerer. Also, staying here for the next five weeks, as I said."
"Terrible ideas."
She smacked him on the shoulder.
"I don't hear you offering any!"
"I take you on a trip out of the country, and we come back in five weeks!" He said cheerfully.
"Can you leave school for that long without a mission?" She asked doubtfully.
"You survived Toji, you'll be fine going on missions with me!" He said, pleased.
"I nearly died." She said critically.
"And I'm stronger than before! It won't happen again." He said carelessly, waving her worries off. She gave him a level look.
"Not going on missions with you until I'm at least ten."
"Ten?" Gojo groaned, letting his head loll backward.
"When did you start exorcising cursed spirits?"
"Probably two or so."
What.
"Two?" She asked evenly.
"Soon as I could obey orders basically. Took out my first special grade at seven!" He bragged, like it was something to be proud of. Like his family pitting a seven year old against one of the strongest manifestations of evil was a genuine test of his abilities and not a horrific example of child abuse, reckless endangerment, and child endangerment. Child neglect too, she'd bet, if not physically than emotionally.
"When's the first time you ate chocolate?"
Gojo side-eyed her, confused by the sudden change in topic.
"Ten maybe? Some manager lady gave it to me after a rough mission. I was hooked on the spot!" He laughed.
Maybe Maki would help her with the Gojo clan if she helped Maki with the Zenin? Worth a try.
"You do realize that not only is that not normal, it's probably also super illegal. Like, severe child abuse, putting your kid in a fighting ring type bad. Dropping your kid in an enclosed room and making them fight snakes-level evil. You were younger than I am now, and exorcising cursed spirits? Did you even have anyone with you? Or just for the first few times?"
"I didn't need constant supervision." Gojo said, aggravated by her probing.
"When exactly would you let me fight a cursed spirit on my own?"
"You could probably take a grade f-"
"No." she drawled, not unlike she was talking to a dog, "there's a right answer here, and that's not headed in the right direction. Try again, take a few minutes to think it through. How does being in danger, like they would be when fighting a cursed spirit, no matter the grade, affect how safe a child might feel? If a child doesn't feel safe, how would it affect their development?"
"Negatively?"
"Yes. Good job. So, fighting a cursed spirit as a child, especially under the age of ten is…?"
"Bad."
"Excellent!" She clapped once, playfully cheerful, "So your clan was abusive towards you."
"Abusive is a bit of a strong-"
"Nope! It's an accurate word. The first five years of your life generally affect your life the most. You learned to fight before you could even talk in complete sentences. That'll fuck you up no matter what. It was pure cruelty, no matter how strong you were. That's not up to interpretation, it's an actual fact."
"You weren't there!" He hissed, defensive.
"But I'm here now! And I see someone so desperate for a family he practically adopts the first kid he comes across, who tries to make friends by buying people's favor, a child who only just started to learn who they are as a person when they were free of that place, because for years all he could be was an obedient doll!"
Gojo's protests went silent, his argument stopped in his tracks.
"I adore you, Satoru-nii. I'm so happy to call you my brother. But you can't deny that the reason you've latched onto me so quickly is because you wanted a little sister, a real family so bad. I can't hold up to that ideal you have in your head of what a little sister should be. That isn't something you can suddenly force into existence either. You can't expect that dream you've had in your head of the ideal family to come true, it'll only leave you disappointed. Jujutsu High and those within it will never be that ideal family, but that doesn't mean it can't be one if you work towards it. That has to be enough for you, having a family, not a perfect one, or you'll never be satisfied."
He was silent for a long minute, just looking through the dirt. She leaned into him, trying to reassure him at least a little.
"You feel like you have to call me that?" Gojo asked, a bit too softly. He was frowning, his expression worried.
"No. I'm happy to. But that doesn't mean I can act the way you want. I'm me before I'm your sister. I'm going to disappoint you sometime, just like everyone else will."
"You couldn't." He denied instantly, and her heart softened. It was an ideal that she couldn't meet, no matter what he family never agreed on everything, and she couldn't spend her life only trying to do what he believed she should do.
"I will. It's natural. It isn't the end of the world, or even a bad thing all of the time. Nanami, Yu-nii, Geto, they'll disappoint you eventually, but that doesn't mean you can't still care about them and support them. If you need help, they'll be there, and vice versa. Maybe that's family, maybe it's just friendship, it's up to all of you to decide and work towards. It'll be hard to figure out. You never learned about healthy social relationships or interactions, because your family was crap. You'll have to learn what you don't know and unlearn the fucked up shit that growing up the way you did taught you."
"How do I know what's fucked up and what's normal?"
"Trial and error, sadly. Or therapy, therapy's great, I really recommend therapy. So, so helpful."
He laughed, like it was a joke.
It was not.
Therapy, please, for everyone.
"Are we still planning?" Tengen asked hesitantly. God, they must have felt so awkward watching this whole thing. Gojo became aware of their audience too, and his shoulders hunched.
"You're gonna get an emotional talk sometime soon too, Tengen. Your life kinda sucks. I'm bringing a large amount of extension cords and a television next time."
"A television?" They questioned, like even the word was unfamiliar.
"They don't know what a television is, Gojo!" She said, faux distressed, and he nodded sagely.
"Such a shame."
"What's a television?" Tengen pressed.
"Electronically powered box that shows pre-recorded images for the purpose of sharing news, information, or entertainment."
"Electronic like the lights are?"
"Yeah, like the lights. Satoru-nii, show them your phone!" she urged, and he complied quickly, carrying her over to Tengen and pulling out his phone.
"Smile!" He said, and started taking pictures, changing poses every three pictures as Tengen stared blankly.
"It takes pictures? It's so small!"
"Only gonna get better!" She cheered, and Tengen caught the hidden meaning.
"This one's nice!" Gojo exclaimed, showing his chosen photo. Gojo had been making a peace sign, a self-assured smile in place, and all three of them were surprisingly in focus. She only glanced over her face, the sight still making her feel vaguely ill. Tengen looked confused as they looked at the screen, the flash making them flinch a little. A decent photo, for all Tengen was completely unprepared.
"Interesting." Is all the ancient being said.
Tengen really wasn't very verbose, were they? Not many people to talk to around here, so it was understandable. She'd wring it out of them eventually.
"Focus! What're we going to do?" She asked sternly.
"Vacation?" Gojo asked hopefully.
"I'm still scared that Yaga would take the brunt of it though."
Gojo's head snapped up, a plan hitting him like a rocket. He smirked suddenly. Not a comforting one.
"I've got it. It's perfect!" He exclaimed, that devious grin still locked on his face. He looked smug, almost, though maybe it was just self-satisfaction.
"What?"
"Not telling! Let's go!" Gojo said, and yes, he was definitely being smug, the arrogant brat of a teenager.
"I need more information than that!" She protested and dug her heels into the ground when he tried to lead her away.
"Just trust me?" Gojo asked earnestly, unnecessarily batting his angelic eyes at her like a dog begging for scraps. He knew her weak points. If he told her to jump off a cliff, she'd do it in a second, fully believing he'd catch her before she hit the ground.
"Just tell me one thing? How likely is this to work?"
"One hundred percent!" Gojo said confidently.
Ugh.
"Alright."
He cheered, delighted, and nearly dragged her off her feet out of Tengen's domain. She managed a wave goodbye at least, one they started to return, but her view faded before their arm was fully extended.
He dragged her halfway through the city until he actually noticed her struggling to keep pace and hefted her up into his arms instead of slowing down at all. He was nearly jogging by the time they reached the elevator.
Instead of doing the normal thing, Gojo just teleported to the top of the elevator shaft, the showoff. It was still nauseating, but not quite as bad as the first time he'd done it to her. He had no mercy on her now queasy stomach as he continued his quick pace down the impossibly long hallway.
It wasn't the same door that she'd entered that they exited from, some separate building off a ways from the main buildings she frequented. She really didn't explore much of the school, she lived in fear of running into strangers. She knew there were other staff there, but seeing them while exploring alone would be terrifying. If Yaga trusted them entirely, she would have met them by now.
Hm…
Gojo was acting strange.
The moment he reached the surface, his gait changed. It was strangely uncertain, like he was on unstable ground or unable to see his feet. He looked down steadily, but it was weird somehow, like he wasn't quite able to see it.
"Are you alright?" She asked after a moment, when Gojo didn't recover.
"Following the plan!" He said confidently, belying the uncertainness of his walk as he picked his way through the maze of buildings.
Yaga was the first one to spot them, both relief and what was almost disappointment on his face as he pointed their way.
"Don't run off like that, Midori-chan, you scared us!" Yaga said worriedly, and behind him followed the Officer. She forgot his name already. Wasn't it Nin? And Maumau or something.
"I know it's scary, but I promise you'll be alright, Midori-chan. With any luck, you'll be back home before you know it." Officer promised gently, and she stared at him blankly.
Yeah, right. If she left here alone she'd probably be dead by nightfall, with her luck.
"Ah, actually, I want to go with her!" Gojo said suddenly.
That's his big plan? I want to go with her? There's no reason for him to actually do that, why'd they even consider letting him?
"I'm homeless!"
What.
"What!" Yaga exclaimed, shocked.
"What?" Officer asked, confused.
"Yep, I'm homeless. My family kicked me out a few days ago, so I've been sleeping in the woods!" Gojo doubled down on his blatant lie.
Oh my god. He's stupid.
Gojo's hair was whiter than white, not a speck of dirt on a single strand, and he wore clean clothes, nearly pristine, not even scuff marks on his shoes. He's clearly been living in good conditions, not roughing it in the woods. His clothes probably cost more than her whole room, bed included.
"Really." Officer's tone was withering.
"Yep! And, Midori-chan's got separation anxiety! If she's alone with a bunch of strangers, she's going to be so stressed! I can't abandon her like that! So, I'll call it quits trying to make it on my own and prove my cl- my family wrong and go with her! A win-win!" He seemed to be quite proud of himself.
"I get to stay with you, Satoru-nii?" She asked piteously, leaning her head onto Gojo's shoulder. God, he needed all the help he could get with this lie.
She was all in, don't get her wrong, but surely there were better plans they could have devised.
"Why'd you get kicked out?" Officer asked doubtfully.
"Cause Satoru-nii's in love with Sug-!" She pounced on the chance to answer, and Gojo jolted, genuine alarm on his face as he silenced her with a hand over the mouth, his face reddening by the second.
Officer seemed to soften a little, he was smart enough to put the half-name together with those he was likely introduced to.
"You would likely simply be set up in a more independent home, rather than a foster family like Midori-chan will be." He said apologetically, but Gojo shook his head.
"I'm not independent at all. I'm actually blind as a bat!"
Oh god. She was gonna have to help with this stupid fucking lie.
"Satoru-nii's albino! So, his eyes are really pretty but they don't work very well…" she said sadly. Number 1 wingwoman, that was her right now. Suddenly, his unsteady walk and strange gaze made far more sense. He was already sowing the seeds to lend credence to his lie. A smart idiot, but still an idiot.
"When were you going to tell us your family kicked you out? You know it'll take weeks to find you a room, not to mention all the paperwork. You should have told us the second it happened." Yaga lectured sternly, finally joining in on the deception.
"It was fine," Gojo insisted, "I totally could have done it! But, Midori-chan needs her older brother, so of course I have to help her!"
"Are you two…?" Officer trailed off, looking between them.
"No, but we've bonded a lot over the past few weeks!"
"I wish he was…" She muttered sadly, just to tug at the Officer's heartstrings a little. Gojo's eyes softened as he looked at her, and he flicked one of the bells from her hair-stick, making it jingle.
"I'm here to stay." He promised, and damn if that didn't rub something raw and painful in her heart. Stupid act, hitting too close to home.
She'd lost everything. Literally, everything. Family, friends, possessions, her entire world, her own life and body. Damn if she didn't want something that she knew would be with her til the end.
Officer relented, if not entirely convinced, then at least accepting, and led the way towards Officer's car, parked outside the main entrance. How he even got in here, she didn't know, but she was pretty sure he was a nonsorcerer. The way he treated Gojo, his lack of knowledge about the Six Eyes and Limitless user, who was likely the most famous living sorcerer, said that much. Any sorcerer would have a little wariness, awareness of Gojo's power, that he just didn't have.
The students had gathered at the entrance, varying faces of worry and outrage. Geto in particular looked near murderous, but Yu-nii wasn't far behind, protective rage all over his face. Nanami was- watchful, was probably the best word. He knew something was up. Ieiri was a bit farther back, her only demonstration of emotions the clenching of her fists. They all looked like they were ready to fight the officer. It was oddly reassuring, knowing that the only way she was leaving here was by her own decision.
"Bye-bye!" Gojo said far too loudly to his classmates, giving them a jovial wave, and it took several people aback. He made a quick signal of some sort, a wave of his free hand over his chest, and Geto responded nearly instantly, taking half a step forward before Gojo pointed towards the stairs.
"Gojo's been homeless for the past week or so, apparently, and forgot to mention it to us. He's going with her for now until the paperwork and everything else is done setting up his room." Yaga explained, an edge of exasperation that could be mistaken for his feelings towards either of Gojo's lies.
The students were more or less dumbfounded. Geto was quick on the uptake though when it came to his boy, and so was the first to speak.
"You should have told us when it happened! Have you been going hungry?" Geto asked worriedly, his face a perfect mask of worry mixed with worry instead of the exasperation he likely felt.
"Nah. I wish I could have hunted though, that really would have been roughing it! Couldn't see a rabbit if it was two feet from my face though, so I was stealing from the cafeteria." Gojo grumbled in response, surprisingly subtly letting the others know about his lie. And that he was the one who ate Nanami's snacks earlier.
"Be careful!" Ieiri called out, giving Gojo a wave and Midori a smaller one, but not coming any closer. She was so respectful about Midori's fear, it made her feel so guilty. She needed to work on it when she got back home, whenever that was.
"You're alright, Midori-chan?" Yu-nii asked, and she nodded.
"Satoru-nii's gonna be with me, and he promised he wouldn't leave, so I'll be ok until we get back home. Come visit me, Yu-nii?" she asked hopefully, and he nodded immediately, snatching her out of Gojo's arms for a quick hug before starting to return her, but Gojo held up a hand, making a go-ahead gesture. She took the opportunity for a last-minute hug, the last one she'd be getting from him in a long time, gratefully.
"Tell Riko-chan and Kuroi-san what happened? About Tengen and the rest too? I don't want her to have to be afraid anymore." She whispered in Yu-nii's ear, and he nodded immediately. He was so reliable, she knew Riko would be alright.
Nanami settled for patting her on the shoulder awkwardly, and she returned the gesture with a grin.
"Bye-bye, Nana-san." She said with a little mischief, and he cringed exactly like she knew he would. He might not get the implications of the name, essentially calling him grandmother, but he knew a nickname when he heard one. He wasn't willing to correct her on it though, when she was already emotionally destabilized. He was scared of dropping the last straw.
Gojo's foot slipped off the first step and he went down fast.
Geto was a blur of motion as he lunged to save Gojo, catching him by the sleeve just enough to slow his momentum and get in front of him, one arm thrown around Gojo's waist. Geto's eyes were wide, shocked at the sudden display of weakness that was so uncharacteristic of Gojo.
"Ah, sorry! I'm blind as a bat!" Gojo laughed good-naturedly, seemingly unshaken. He could have stopped falling whenever he wanted to, so she guessed that he just really wasn't.
Geto on the other hand, was borderline delicate as he led Gojo back up, pressed close against him as Gojo picked his way back up as if to stop him from falling again. Gojo stumbled only once and Geto didn't let him fall more than an inch before he steadied him. Adorable.
She could see Officer adding 'fall risk' to Gojo's brand new file.
Was Gojo even officially registered? Like, did he have a birth certificate? Did the Gojo clan care about such mundane details?
Yaga was at the top of the steps, watching worriedly, and he'd been right next to her and Yu-nii when Gojo had started to fall. The man could move when he needed to, he'd likely have been able to beat Gojo to the bottom of the steps, and Gojo was going down the fast way.
She'd never seen him fight in the anime, had she? Shame.
Officer was clearly concerned, eyeing the stairs like they were a new danger he hadn't been expecting to face. He'd probably lead Gojo down.
"Satoru-nii, you have to be careful around the stairs!" She lectured, even wagging a finger chastisingly, much to the first year's amusement and snickers. Gojo only ruffled her hair, ruining her newly done-up hairstyle, and she shrieked in outrage.
Geto rolled his eyes and passed Gojo off the Nanami, where Gojo immediately slumped against the younger boy like a wilting damsel, hand to the forehead and all. Only the knowledge that Geto had entrusted Gojo to him kept Nanami from letting him fall to the ground.
"Ah, nee-san…" Gojo drawled, mockingly defensive, "It wasn't on purpose!"
Hmp.
Like hell, it wasn't completely on purpose. She'd bet that weird gesture was a call for assistance, a way of giving Geto a little warning. Not nearly enough warning for throwing himself down the stairs and expecting Geto to catch him, at least in her opinion. Geto had caught him, but it left him pretty shaken.
"Where're we going?" She asked Officer.
"I'll take both of you to the police station first, and work with Gojo-kun to fill out paperwork. Then we'll move both of you to a temporary home and reach out to the foster family who was supposed to take you in, to see if they'll be willing to house both of you."
"If not?"
"We'll look for alternatives."
"We'll both run away if you try to separate us." She warned.
"Noted." That was some epic deadpan humor, dude.
"So, do you know my last name?" She asked suddenly as the question hit her.
Officer paused, looking to her and then Yaga sharply.
"Midori has retrograde amnesia due to whatever happened to her when the- yeah. Her semantic memory and procedural memory is untouched as far as we know, and she can make new memories well enough, but she couldn't remember her own name or where she lived when we first took her in. Riko Amanai, a girl who volunteered with the orphanage for school, knew her first name, but not her last." Ieiri took the chance to step in and explain, pausing a little to skirt around the mention of the orphanage. It was hardly a sore spot for her, considering she didn't have any memories of it, but she appreciated the consideration.
"We never knew your last name. Temporarily, we called you Kagami." Officer said carefully, "but we assumed that you would be adopting the last name of whoever you were placed with."
Kagami? Why that name? What'd it mean?
"Mirror?" Geto echoed, giving her the answer.
Mirror. Her name, apparently, was literally green mirror. It was definitely anti-climactic. They probably took one look into her weird eyes and said, yeah, let's name her mirror. Ugh. Coulda at least called her something a little more interesting.
Her expression must have shown her distaste for the name, and Officer had the gall to laugh in her face about it.
"I need someone else's name y'all, this one sucks." She complained, and Officer's damn smirk only widened.
Gojo looked ready to pounce on the opportunity to name her his official family, not that she would agree. She wanted a good damn name, not a target on her back. Besides, it'd be weird to be called Gojo. Same for Geto, Nanami, and Yaga. She called everyone by their last names more or less, unless they gave her permission, which most haven't yet.
Yu-nii would share, wouldn't he? It wouldn't even be weird, because she doesn't even use it often. She turned to look up at him, batting her eyelashes prettily. He laughed and patted her on the head reassuringly.
"I'd have to ask my parents about it, but I can't see why they'd refuse!" He said quickly, with an honored look on his face. Gojo looked hurt, but it faded away quickly, hidden behind his mask. She'd have to talk to him when it settled down and explain her reasoning.
Eventually, their dallying had to end, and Officer started to usher them towards the car. Yu-nii didn't relinquish his hold on her until she reached out for Yaga. He'd been watching them, something pained in his expression.
Yaga carried her down the steps slowly, like he was trying to put off having to say goodbye.
"Where'd Junpei go?" She asked about halfway down the steps.
"He ran back to his room. I don't think he meant to not say goodbye, he's just really upset. I'll talk to him, don't worry about that. We'll be alright until you get home." Yaga reassured her, but it didn't quite sound like his heart was in it.
She'd never thought of Yaga as the sentimental type. He took her in because he was the only adult present who could, and he did his job as guardian very well, but she wasn't his actual daughter. He could probably use the break from all the trouble she was giving him. She couldn't have a calm day to save her life.
Something about the thought of Yaga being happier if she was gone was like shards of ice in her heart, leaving her feeling cold. It was stupid, he wasn't her father, nor was he trying to be. She was just at that age when she got stupidly attached to anyone who treated her well enough. Of course, he would be happier, he wouldn't be wasting his time raising a twenty two year old woman in a four year old's body.
When she got back, she'd need to work harder to make things easier for Yaga.
If she got back.
"You're gonna want me back, right?" She asked before she could stop herself, and why exactly did she sound so scared when she said it? Yaga stopped dead on the steps. Stupid. It was a stupid fucking question to ask.
"Of course." He said, like he couldn't believe that she actually had to ask. Maybe pained too.
"I know that." She had to say. She did know it, she didn't even need to ask in the first place. It had just slipped out before she could stop it.
Yaga sighed, something heavy and painful in the noise, and he sat down on the second to last step to hug her harder than ever.
"I'm going wake up tomorrow and look in the fridge and remind myself that you need more carrots, and then I'm going to remember that you won't be there to eat them. I'll be making something new for dinner and wondering whether you'll eat it this time or you'll eat onigiri and you won't be there to taste it." He whispered to her, his voice rough like he was fighting off tears.
Yaga might be just as sad about this as she was.
"It isn't for too long." She tried to comfort him, and he sighed.
"I'll aim for two weeks." He said, and he straightened his shoulders, something firm and determined in his voice.
Two weeks.
She could handle two weeks.
"You haven't lied to me yet." She finally said, and Yaga got back to his feet, finishing the descent down the stairs.
The car door was open.
They both stared at it for a long time, too long. When Yaga took a step forward, her grip on him tightened, and her next breath came out foggy in the warm air.
She didn't want to go. She had to go, but she didn't want to.
Gojo stepped in front of Yaga, his eyes unusually soft, and held out his arms in a silent offer.
"She'll be safe."
"I know."
Yaga transferred her to Gojo reluctantly, and she didn't take her eyes off him the whole time. Some panicked reaction had her grab Yaga's hand before he could pull it away, just to keep in contact for a little while longer. He didn't look back at her for more than a few seconds before he turned away.
Like he couldn't stand to watch. So, she did instead, staring blankly at the back of his head.
She felt like there was something she should do. Cry, maybe, she normally cried at the drop of a hat. But she just stared. It wasn't like crying would change anything, so what even was the point?
She barely even heard the other's uncertain goodbyes, the way they milled around like they needed to take some action but couldn't, so they just kept moving about. After a while of watching Yaga's head move, she just stared blankly at Yaga's hand until he slowly pulled it away.
Gojo got into the car, buckling her into an awful safety seat before taking the middle seat next to her. He held her hand, which just hung limply in his hand. She should do something, but it was like all her willpower had left her at once.
The car was loud, something was off with the muffler. He should really fix that. Maybe he was a car guy, they tended to like loud cars.
It felt like she blinked, and the car door was opening, and Gojo rushed to put himself between her and Officer, unbuckling her quickly and hauling her out. She didn't bother to hold her head up, just letting it rest on Gojo's shoulder as Officer led him carefully into the building.
Several people waved at either her or Gojo, various officers, social workers, and whoever else worked here.
Gojo sat on a couch or armchair of some sort and shifted her off to the side, so she sat between him and the arm of the seat, nearly pinned in place there. Officer handed him a clipboard of some sort with a stack of forms. She didn't really feel like anything. Was Gojo using his Infinity on her? She felt all floaty and weird, like everything around her was filled with static or she was floating in still water.
Officer was waving at her, like he was trying to get her attention, and her eyes followed the movement of his hands for a while before realizing that he was indeed speaking to her. Gojo was talking back, the sound not really audible so much as something she could feel, vibrations that traveled down his chest as he spoke. She pressed herself closer, trying to get a better feel for them. Maybe she could guess what he was saying if she was careful.
Gojo seemed to notice that she was trying to crawl into his skin during her very scientific observations, and he threw his free hand over her shoulders, letting her rest her head on his shoulder again. Try to at least, she was a little short for it.
She let them talk for a long time and never got any closer to understanding what they were talking about. After a while, Gojo started messing with her hair, tugging strands out of the bun like he was playing with a fidget toy. She just took the hair-stick out eventually, holding it in her hands and marveling at the way the bells moved, the sound carrying like from underwater.
They could have been there for hours before a granola bar of some sort was shoved into her hand by a well-dressed woman in a pantsuit. It wasn't any brand she recognized, so she held it out to her left where she believed that Gojo would be. He never took it, so she let it fall to the ground.
The woman picked it up and handed it to her again.
So, she threw it as hard as she could into the wall. The thump it made echoed oddly in her ears, the water that was distorting all sound rippling due to the impact. The granola bar slid down the wall to the floor.
The woman left, looking like she was being chased out by a wild animal, and Gojo's hands pet her hair soothingly. She wasn't particularly upset, so she didn't know why he was doing so. Maybe he wasn't the best at reading people.
A spooked young woman entered a while later, a pile of blankets and pillows in her arms, and laid them on the table closest to the door before scurrying away. There was a cursed spirit hanging onto her shoulder, nearly at her ear, slimy and gross, and whispering doubts into the woman's ear, and she pointed at it, showing Gojo.
The cursed spirit hit the wall with a loud squeal, the sound crystal clear unlike everything else, and she watched it curiously as it died, turning to dust. Would the janitors pick it up later, or would it be invisible to them, just a pile of dust that would never be cleaned?
Remnants of death only showing to the eyes of sorcerers.
The thought might have been eerie, if the emotional response was there enough to take more than passing notice to. As it was, it was nothing more than a passing thought.
They were likely staying the night here. The foster family must have refused to take Gojo in too.
Officer came back into the room shortly, bringing with him a bag of McDonalds takeout and bottles of water.
Gojo took the bag from the man and opened it, taking out a Happy Meal and handing it to her. She let it fall to the floor. Gojo picked it back up and set it to his left. He learned faster than that lady did, apparently.
Time crawled onwards. Gojo tried to get her to eat, but she refused each time. She just didn't want to. He didn't have the heart to push her on it and eventually set it aside.
The officer never left after that, but did turn off the lights eventually, drawing her attention to the fact that it was now dark outside. What time had they left? She didn't remember.
Gojo moved around on the couch, not bothering to cross the room to grab the blankets. She was dragged along with him, unresisting, and he laid his head on the arm of the chair, cuddling her to his chest.
Neither of them went to sleep. She didn't even shut her eyes, and she doubted Gojo did either, but she was pleasantly warm, so it didn't bother her much. Maybe if she stayed awake long enough, she could sleep through the whole ordeal.
The sky turning orangish was her first warning that she'd actually stared at a wall the entire night, thinking of nothing in particular, because each time her thoughts turned towards just about anything, she just recoiled. It hurt, and she didn't want to hurt, so she just didn't bother thinking about it. Everything seemed to be related though, so she just stared at the wall and thought of nothing.
Gojo seemed to have slept just as much as she had, because at first light he was sitting up gingerly. Officer had traded places with someone else at some point, and the overnight worker was still working slowly through a stack of paperwork by the time other people started creeping in, grabbing cups of coffee, breakfast foods, and lots of unpleasant noise.
Things progressed much the same as they had the day before, until Gojo took her to the bathroom and walked right back out, leaving her alone for the first time since before they'd left.
Alone.
Of course, she just stood there for several minutes until there was a knock on the door.
"You alright in there?" Gojo asked from outside the door. Of course, she didn't answer. She was staring at the wall. It was strange somehow, like it was sagging inwards. Mold in the walls, maybe, or just a bad .
Unsafe.
Alone.
Eventually, Gojo sighed, and she heard a thump as his head hit the door.
"Midori. Please use the bathroom. If you won't eat or take care of yourself, at least do that, I really don't want to have to stand there with you. I know you'll freak out about it later, whenever this is over with." Gojo asked, sounding pained.
She listened.
She probably washed her hands for too long, long enough that her skin began to redden and the soap began to dry on her hands as she scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed - but Gojo opened the door and stopped her eventually, guiding her hands under the water and turning it to a more reasonable temperature when she flinched at the heat. He even dried them for her, examining her skin carefully before leading her out.
Officer, the same one from before, was waiting for them to return. Might have been afraid that Gojo was going to lose his patience with this whole charade and run away with her. It wasn't actually a stretch at all, knowing how impulsive Gojo tended to be. This wasn't a fully grown adult Gojo he was dealing with, it was teenage Gojo. Officer knew it too, or at least something about him was instinctively wary of pushing Gojo too far. He hadn't pushed either of them into doing anything they weren't really interested in.
Besides leaving.
"Found a potential family. We're going to set up a meeting and see how it works out. All goes well, you both can move in until everything works itself out."
Was it purposeful, how he was so sure everything would work out in the end? Or was he simply giving them hope?
Gojo seemed as unimpressed as she was, if for different reasons than a general sense of apathy. He still nodded, at least, and headed to an office chair, one of the ones that spun, and pulled her into his lap.
He started spinning in the chair.
It was dizzying, the movement overwhelming when she was so used to the quiet and stillness. Her hair was all over the place, flying outwards, and somehow Gojo didn't flip the chair over as they spun at the speed of light. All she could see of the shapes were blurs of colors and she shut her eyes to cling to Gojo, suddenly afraid of flying off.
They finally slowed to a stop all of a sudden, and the room spun. She stood shakily, swaying alarmingly. Her first step away from the evil chair was lurching, and she went face down on the floor the next second.
Ouch.
Gojo gasped, scooping her back up to safety amid the judgmental stares of the officers.
"That hurt." She complained, and Gojo winced.
"Sorry."
"Don't do that again, please."
"I won't." He agreed quickly.
"We're… meeting someone?" She asked slowly.
"Yeah! Officer Child-snatcher's waiting for them to arrive." Gojo explained quickly, eagerly.
"Hm."
They waited a while longer, returning to the evil chair, but thankfully Gojo didn't start spinning them again. Gojo chattered about inane things, occasionally pausing for a response. She usually just nodded or something, single words where necessary.
Officer peaked his head in and gestured for them to come over, that weird 'go away gesture Yag-
Gojo walked over, holding her on his bony hip like a toddler. Was she a toddler? When was the cut-off age?
"Am I a toddler?"
"Definitely." Gojo said instantly.
"Not technically." Officer answered a moment later, and he continued after a short pause, "preschooler."
"Toddler." Gojo said firmly.
Officer's eyes went skyward, a silent plea for aid from uncaring gods, and gave up on correcting the teen.
It was a nice-looking room, very homey. There wasn't anyone waiting inside, and Officer guided him over to a plush chair, where Gojo sat languidly, like a king on his throne.
Officer massaged his forehead like he had a headache and sat down as well. He looked exhausted still, even though it was still early in the day.
The people who walked in eventually, a couple, looked kind, smiling pleasantly at them both. Why it surprised her, she didn't know, but it did. Maybe she'd been expecting bad people for some reason, just because the world never seemed to give her a break.
"Midori-chan, Satoru-kun, this is the Sakurai family."
"Pretty." She couldn't help but comment upon hearing their names.
"You like sakura?" The older woman asked pleasantly, and she nodded slowly, suddenly intimidated.
"I'm assuming you're Satoru-kun?" The husband asked politely and held out a hand for Gojo to shake. He just looked at it coldly, and his arms tightened around her. Protective. Were these people more threatening than they appeared? She pressed closer against Gojo, suddenly nervous of the man's extended hand. Nothing could hurt her here, as long as Gojo was here.
The man let his hand drop.
"Gojo-kun is set to return to his school in about five weeks. Midori-chan's previous guardian is attempting to regain guardianship, though the paperwork, background check, and home inspection is likely to take some time." Officer explained quickly.
Things were stalling. They asked a few more questions, but neither of them answered. Gojo was hostile, she was nervous, and the couple was struggling to connect. She had a feeling this wasn't going to work out.
Sure enough, eventually the woman whispered something to her husband, who pulled Officer aside, leaving her and Gojo to stare uncertainly at the woman. She was pretty sure Gojo was making faces too, but each time she looked up he was pointedly neutral.
Officer walked back in, something disappointed in the set of his shoulders, and thanked the two for their time, waving a junior officer over to escort them out.
"We'll find someone." Officer said, not hopefully at all. Determined. Like he was stating a simple fact.
She wished she had his optimism.
They went back to the office room slowly. She honestly just wanted to leave for a while.
"Do we have to stay here all day?" She asked Officer.
"You want to go somewhere?" He asked in return.
"Just out."
He nodded and waved over the same woman who had dropped the blankets off, who faltered under Gojo's stare but managed to finish her approach, eyes on the floor.
"Shimura-san, please escort these two on an outing."
"Eh?" The woman, Shimura, gasped, a reflective exclamation of horror, and she froze like a rabbit staring down a wolf as Gojo's eyes flicked over to her.
"I wanna go outside." She said to Shimura. That was the same last name as All Might's teacher, which automatically put the lady on her good list. As much as someone in a uniform could be on her good list.
"Don't bully her too much please, Satoru-nii. I don't think she's bad."
Gojo just made a displeased sound, though he brightened at the title for a second before returning to glaring holes in the nervous woman.
"Right," the woman said shakily, eyeing Gojo like she would a lion, "where do you want to go?"
"Breakfast?" Gojo asked quickly, leaving over her shoulder, arms reaching down to hook around her neck gently, and he looked down at her. It was a pose that was somewhere between possessive and protective, like he was warning those around him to back the fuck off.
He was taking his guard dog duty a little bit too seriously.
"Sure." She said instead of pushing him away. He's probably just relieved to see that she's doing better than she had been since they-
She was better.
Better. Adjusting.
He was trying to stop them from frightening her, or upsetting her, or basically freaking her out at all and dropping her right into another dissociative episode. She wouldn't be surprised if it happened again not even halfway through the trip, if she thought ab-
They should go. This whole place felt haunted, and she didn't want to be here anymore.
Gojo let her go when she tried to move forward, taking her hand and guiding her away aimlessly through the station, forcing the woman to follow or get left behind.
He pulled out his phone, holding it almost directly in front of his eyes, and the Shimura took it from him immediately in a shocking display of boldness.
He stared at her, and the woman's shoulder began trembling, but she held her ground.
"It's bad for your eyes to do that, even if you can't see very well. I can drive you wherever you want to go, I have GPS." The woman explained shakily, handing the phone back, and she only took a breath again when Gojo nodded once, sharply.
Crisis averted. Thank goodness Gojo was such a reasonable god-teenager and didn't murder people for taking his phone.
She eyed him a little more, just to be sure, and Gojo ruffled her hair rudely in response.
She stopped dead. Her heart was suddenly pounding in her throat, making her hands tremble minutely.
"Where's my hair stick?"
Gojo stopped, considering the question.
"In that office room somewhere, I think. Want me to go and get it?" Gojo asked gently, and she shook her head.
"Us."
He nodded, snatching her up and backtracking quickly until they found the room. How he knew his way around she didn't know, but he did, and made a beeline for the hair-stick, sitting on the desk closest to the little couch. Gojo's legs must have been hanging off, it was much too short for him.
She took it with relief. She didn't know what she would have done if it was lost. Cry, probably, or not and just shut down for the rest of the week.
"Ready now?" Gojo checked after letting her collect herself for a second. She was shivering slightly, the adults could take notice if they weren't careful. She nodded, and this time Shimura took the lead, moving efficiently toward what she presumed was the exit.
There were several police cars nearby, along with other undercover-looking cars, and she led them over to one that looked a little dented.
"Where do you want to go?" She asked when they both climbed into the back. There wasn't a car seat, and she stayed silent about it, choosing to sit in the middle so she could cling to Gojo. If there was an accident, she'd be fine as long as she was next to him.
Gojo unbuckled himself, climbing halfway into the front of the car to type in a location in the car's GPS, setting the directions to start and settling back down without a word. Shimura just sighed and started the car, glancing back to make sure Gojo was buckled. She froze in place as she waited for the woman to realize the lack of a car seat, but Shimura returned her gaze to the front as she started up the car, and Midori let out a soft breath of relief.
Gojo kept his eyes shut the whole time, only peaking them open to glance her way.
Car rides must be sickening with those eyes of was it his way of pretending? Maybe the day had been too much for him too, he hadn't slept any more than she had.
She had no scrap of fabric to block his eyes so instead she reached up and rested the palms of her hands over his eyes. Her cursed energy was as smooth as ever as she let it circulate sluggishly over her hands, turning them into blocks of ice temperature-wise.
Some of the invisible tension in Gojo's shoulders slipped away, and he relaxed his neck, letting his head hang. They stayed that way until the car was set in park, the jolt making her pull her hands away for fear of actually smacking Gojo in the face.
Shimura was watching uncertainly, probably confused by the scene she'd seen in the mirror.
"Satoru-nii's eyes bother him sometimes. I have cold hands." She explained after a moment, for lack of any real reason to lie.
Shimura's empathetic face had Gojo scoffing, throwing the car door open forcefully and climbing out, leaving Midori to scramble after him, slowed down by a quick fight with the seatbelt buckle.
It was a small place, more of a house really, a hole in the wall, and all the lights were out. Was it even open?
Gojo knocked on the door, obnoxiously loud, and shouted "Oba-san! I need food!"
"Gojo-kun, please, keep your voice down!" Shimura begged, but Gojo kept pounding on the door.
Someone made an annoyed noise, and someone else threw open the door roughly and met Gojo's gaze steadily.
An old woman, definitely foreign, stood there, crossing both her arms upon locking eyes with Gojo. She had distinct facial features, framed by shoulder-length gray hair, a strong nose, high cheekbones and a sharp jaw, a beauty that was completely unhindered by the extra fat on her face. She'd earned every ounce of it, something about her said. She deserved to be well-fed and happy, not struggling to fit the standards of a society every searching for thinner and thinner women. Though she walked slowly, her back hunched, she had the air of a dancer about her, a strange fluidity. She had a strong feeling that this was a woman who took absolutely no shit. Angry brown eyes and a comfortable robe, a faded green, said that the old woman had been relaxing peacefully before this.
"You have some nerve pounding on my door before noon when you know we open at three!" The old lady shouted, absolutely enraged. Gojo was steady, already pointing to Midori.
"Midori-chan hasn't eaten in over twenty four hours and we've both been at a damn police station for almost as long. We need food, Oba-san!" Gojo said irritably, and almost on cue Midori's stomach growled loudly.
"They've been starving you?" Oba-san asked with annoyance, eyeing Shimura like she would her next meal.
"Midori-chan hasn't felt like eating. Yaga-sensei, the one I've shown you pictures of, the- the hot one, ugh, he's been her guardian for the past few weeks, but I guess someone reported that Midori-chan wasn't in his care officially, so they came and took her away! And I came with her of course, because what kind of older brother would I be if I let her get taken away like this? And Midori-chan's been so sad, all night, and all this morning, I know only your cooking's gonna get her to eat!" Gojo said dramatically, edging on flattery towards the end, and Oba-san smacked him with a newspaper that- honestly might have just appeared in her hand suddenly.
"Don't you flatter me boy, I'm not some sissy. I'll cook for her, but that's because I can't see a little girl starve, not because of you, you hear?" She said grouchily, but she stepped aside to let them in anyway.
"Molly, get the kettle ready!" Oba-san called, and a young woman yelped, surprised, and her footsteps were audible as she ran across the room upstairs.
"Ah, Oba-san, you know that boy, Suguru?"
"The one you're in love with? The pretty one?"
Gojo's pitch rose admirably high. "MY CLASSMATE! He's my classmate!"
"Young idiots." Oba-san grumbled.
This woman understood her.
"Do you have a foster license?" She asked hopefully.
"I don't take care of brats."
"We're a packaged deal, unfortunately." She lamented, side-eyeing Gojo.
The woman laughed, sharp and loud.
"I like this one. Why didn't you bring her sooner?" Oba-san accused Gojo suddenly, swiping again with her deadly newspaper, making Gojo cringe away.
"We've only had her for like three weeks!" Gojo defended, and Midori nodded.
"Less than that."
"Hmp." Is all Oba-san said.
Someone walked down the stairs slowly, using a cane to support their weight, judging by the metallic thump.
Another old woman, Japanese, similarly aged as Oba-san, descended the stairs slowly, and broke into a wide grin at the sight of Gojo. She used a bright pink cane, obnoxiously bright, and dressed similarly in a kimono, flamboyantly colored as if to present a jungle scene. She was a silver fox if she had ever seen one and was a slip of a woman with a kind face and bright alert eyes, a blue that would have been startling if she wasn't being overpowered by Gojo.
"Satoru-kun, you've grown so big!" The new woman said delightedly, and when she surged forward Oba-san stuck her foot out, stopping her in place or else risking falling.
"Don't be nice, he'll just come back!" Oba-san warned, and the new woman kissed Oba-san on the lips until the woman pushed her away irritably, shaking a finger at her as she giggled.
"Don't think you can romance me into letting him stay, we have enough kids!" Oba-san grumbled, and the new woman just winked at Gojo the moment her back was turned.
"I heard that!"
"You don't hear anything Dearest." The new woman said fondly, and sure enough Oba-san kept going, saying something mocking under her breath.
"Who're you dear?" The new woman asked, pinning her like a fly under the sudden combined gaze of her and Gojo simultaneously.
"Midori." She managed to say, her eyes wide. Why were blue eyes so bright?
"Midori-chan, nice to meet you! I hope Natalia didn't scare you. I promise, she's all bite, she's a sweetheart when she gets down to it! My name's Yumiko, but you can call me Oba-chan, all-right?"
She just nodded, eyes still wide. Help her, Gojo.
"And you?" She asked, turning to Shimura, who was nearly hugging the wall.
"Shimura. I'm just supervising."
"Nonsense, if you're here, you're going to eat!" Oba-chan insisted. This name and title thing was going to get confusing if she met any other older women.
"Now, Satoru-kun, have you told that boy of yours-"
"Nope!" Gojo interrupted to say, his pitch rising again, and Oba-chan tutted.
"Don't you wait too long. Laws are only broken if they can prove it, don't forget. That's why Natalia and I are still roommates." She said with a knowing wink.
Right, being gay was still 'illegal' for the most part. God, get with the times, people.
"So, Oba-chan and Oba-san want to get married?" She asked curiously.
"Yes, we do!" Oba-chan said pleasantly.
"Satoru-nii, can you help them get married?" She asked innocently, like she wasn't asking him to try and change laws across the entire nation. It would only help him too, along with all his future students and classmates for that matter. When did gay marriage get legalized in Japan? She'd never thought to google it before.
"I'll try to find the time someday." Gojo deadpanned.
"Yay! I'll be able to marry a girl too someday, right?"
Gojo coughed like he was choking, the sudden declaration completely unexpected from her.
"You want to get married?" He asked with no small amount of alarm.
"I'll keep my options open." She declined to answer, just to wind him up a little more. She really wasn't interested at all, but it was good fun anyways. Even if she did make it to adulthood, she would be like forty years old mentally, and no forty year old who was willing to date an eighteen to twenty year old woman was the type she'd be willing to date. That'd have to wait until much later in her life, if she even lived that long.
"Oh, you have your eyes on anyone yet?" Oba-chan asked conspiratorially, and she wrinkled her nose, because eww, she was way too old for the people her age.
Gojo burst out laughing, the sound tinged with relief and mild hysteria. God help him if she ever actually dated a single person, ever, if he was already this freaked out about it while she was only four.
"What do you eat?" Oba-san suddenly called from the top of the stairs, sounding irritable.
"Bonito flake onigiri!" She shouted back eagerly, and Oba-san made a noise of grumpy agreement. Was she even able to be not grumpy?
"Do you like it fried or cold?"
Fried?
"It can be fried?" She asked in response.
"Where'd you find this kid?" The old woman suddenly called, leaning over to look down the stairs at her.
"Alleyway. Well, Suguru found her at a random school and then she jumped out a window and cut up her feet so we took her back to our school for treatment, and then she started calling one of my kohai nii-san, and Yaga-sensei was talking about being her guardian, and now we'd all kill for her without hesitation." Gojo explained in the most meandering way possible.
"Well, the next alleyway kid you find, fry them up some onigiri! It's a fucking shame!"
"Hai, Oba-san!"
"I'm not your first alleyway kid?" She asked, letting a little betrayal leak into her voice, and forced her face into a sad look, like she was about to cry.
"Of course you are!" Gojo said, scrambling to assure her, and she giggled, letting the look fade.
"Just messing with you, Satoru-nii!"
Shimura was watching, alarmed, and honestly, she had almost fallen for the woman's little wallflower trick.
"You've got five minutes to get up here and sit down!" Oba-san called, and Gojo went straight for the stairs, bounding up them two at a time, leaving her to scramble after him to keep him in sight.
The upstairs of the room was an actual restaurant. A tiny one, with only like four tables, but a restaurant all the same, little podium for seating and all. Gojo headed for the farthest left corner, the table closest to the window, and she scurried after him, a bit spooked by how quickly she'd been left behind.
She dragged the nearest chair closer, touching his, so that she could sit practically in his lap as they waited, clinging hard enough for him to glance her way with concern.
Maybe Gojo's separation anxiety angle wasn't going to turn out to be such a lie after all. Just losing sight of him around the corner left her heart pounding.
These next few weeks were the prime kidnapping times after all. She was rarely out from under a barrier, with Nishinoya by her side. All it took was luring Gojo away somehow and it would be her lackluster physical abilities and inexperienced Jujutsu to keep her safe.
"If you have to go and exorcise a curse or anything, I go with you alright?"
Gojo cocked his head, confused but nodded.
"What brought this up?"
"Could be a kidnapping attempt." She said shortly, distracted by a suspicious gleam out the window that turned out to be a passing car.
Actually-
"Can we move? I don't like being visible from outside."
Gojo raised one eyebrow, but indulged her, hefting her up over his shoulder and leading her to another table, less visible from the window.
"Paranoid?"
"It's not paranoia when they're actually out to get you."
"Who?"
"I dunno. Whoever did this," she laid a hand over the seal, "or the orphanage."
Shimura walked up awkwardly ushered by Oba-chan, prompting her to stop talking quickly.
Oba-san walked out, a pile of eight or so onigiri on a serving plate and set it on the table with a rough clatter.
"Don't say I don't feed you!" Oba-san said firmly, before walking off to sit in a rocking chair in the corner, picking up an abandoned book.
She grabbed an onigiri, flinching a little at the heat before cooling her hands enough for the heat to be tolerable.
If normal onigiri was amazing, homemade fried onigiri was heavenly.
She took one bite and burst into tears instantly, barely able to swallow before she was sobbing into her hands, automatically trying to hide her face. Someone tutted, and someone else made an empathetic sound, and Gojo panicked as he hugged her frantically, changing positions and turning her around like he was searching for a magic 'hug that stops crying instantly' button. She just buried her face in his shoulder and let herself sob.
"Is she alright?" She heard someone ask softly, a younger woman.
"Let her cry it out. Good food will do that to you." Oba-san said, a bit more softly than she had heard from the woman before.
This whole thing was gonna suck, it was gonna suck bad.
"It'll be ok, Midori-chan. We'll be ok, and we'll be home before you know it!" Gojo tried desperately to assure her, and she just sniffled, undoubtedly getting snot and tears on his stupidly expensive shirt.
"The onigiri's really good." She said finally, when she could speak again, and she took another bite.
"Of course it is."
"Are you sure you guys can't foster us for a while?"
"He'd be kicked out by the end of the night. He's a brat."
"His parents never let him act in any way besides perfect, he's just doing all the shit he couldn't get away with for the first fifteen years of his life."
"I'll still whoop his butt if I need to."
A warning.
Not a denial.
"Yaga-sensei's probably the most efficient person I know when it comes to getting shit done, including stupid paperwork. Five weeks is a stretch."
"That's a long time for old ladies like us. We have a daughter too."
"Gojo's pretty face will be good for business."
"Mine isn't good enough?"
"Word from teenagers spread fast. The internet, you know."
"You any good with tech?" Oba-san asked Gojo, suddenly considering.
"I can work a computer." He agreed, wary.
"Got a cash-register none of us know how to work. You live here, you work for your place, just like the rest of us."
Gojo paused for a bit too long.
"I can just pay…?"
"Work for a living."
Gojo sighed.
"You like it here?"
"Not as good as home. But they're nice. That's probably all we could hope for."
"I'm not nice!" Oba-san said sharply, offended.
"You are, you are nice! Oh, let's do it! Some more young faces around here would be so nice! And dear Molly could use a friend her age!" Oba-chan said excitedly. She was knitting the sweaters already.
Oba-san made a disgusted noise.
"Please, Oba-san?" She said, batting her eyes in a way that she hoped was cute. Oba-san smacked her lightly with the suddenly appearing newspaper, and she giggled.
"Don't be all cute missy. You're washing dishes, don't think you won't!"
"Hai, Oba-san. Thank you!"
"I didn't agree yet!"
"You did." Midori said happily.
"You did." Gojo agreed.
"You did!" Oba-chan shouted, delighted.
"Oh you. You bastard, making me do things. Don't use those mind games of yours on me!" Oba-san complained, notably not denying it.
Foster home, secured!
All they needed to do now was survive until they could go back home!
But first, she needed to finish her onigiri. It'd be a shame if Oba-san's hard work went to waste.