𝑬𝑴𝑷𝑰𝑹𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑮𝑶𝑳𝑫 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐗𝐋 - 𝐌𝐘 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄

THE CEREMONY, AS MIKAZUKI EXPECTED, WAS AWFULLY BORING. She had already been introduced to at least fifteen different prospects, all overtly interested in her new position as heiress to the Kinzoku clan, and even more interested at the prospect of being able to marry into it. Mikazuki sat through it all, not even blinking as each man went on about his riches, his influence, his clan and how good he would treat her once their union was finalized.

The sorceress was not pleased by this in the least, the prospect of marriage wasn't something she was looking forward to, let alone with these sorry excuses for sorcerers, all of whom didn't even have a quarter of the Cursed Energy she possessed. Still, Mikazuki had signed a contract, and as such, she didn't really have much of a choice – not if she wanted to ensure her plans came to fruition.

Besides, her father had made very clear what would happen to her sister were she to refuse, and Niko's safety was something Mikazuki was not willing to put in jeopardy, regardless of her own selfish goals. If anything, Asahi's will to trade Niko's life like a mere pawn only strengthened Mikazuki's resolve.

The thought made a shiver run down her spine, and, tired of sitting and looking pretty for everyone else to see, the sorceress stood up from her seat, ruffling the fluff from her dress skirt and walking towards the dancefloor. The ballroom was glowing with golden lights, as the chandelier that hung from the ceiling swayed from side to side, the lights from the candle illuminating the large room and casting beautiful shapes on the floor.

The music was not particularly encouraging; the melody was dull, the violinists were clearly more than done with the entire thing, especially considering they had been playing on an endless loop for at least four hours now. Still, with nothing better to do and tired of being played like a fiddle (both by the clan and by the eager suitors), Mikazuki threw herself to the wolves.

In less than five minutes, she was surrounded by a gaggle of Jujutsu sorcerers, Windows and Doors – as if the Kinzoku would ever allow her to marry anyone who wasn't a shaman – whom she had never met, all of them waiting for Mikazuki to make the first move, too afraid to do it themselves but still eager to dance with the strongest sorceress alive. At least this way, she would manage to infuriate the elders while still banking on her promise.

The traditional kimono she was expected to wear had been replaced by a dress made of the same fabric, with lace and black rhinestones added to the collar and the sleeves while the upper part was made of a sheer fabric dyed in pure black, beautiful white peonies stitched onto it. The piece was far more beautiful than anything the sorceress had ever worn before. It also hugged all her curves in the right way, the darkness of the dress accentuating her grey hair and the black diamond crown she wore on her head, intertwined with golden metal and white peonies.

It was all a bit too much, but the Kinzoku clan was known for its theatrics, so Mikazuki had indulged them. The woman stood still, still surrounded by a bunch of men she had no interest in dancing with. Sooner or later, she would have to choose someone, but none of those present fit her criteria. She'd rather be dancing with a woman anyway, not that the clan elders would ever approve of her proclivities. Right when she was about to settle for a plain-faced green haired boy – because he was clearly a boy, nineteen at the most – a hand appeared in her field of vision and Mikazuki narrowed her eyes.

The fact that she recognized the hand to begin with was just a reminder of how pathetic her past self had been. Instead of dwelling in the matter, Mikazuki gathered the hem of her skirt in her hands and faked a huge smile, turning to face the man. Her charade didn't last long, the smile falling from her lips the moment her gaze met Satoru's own radiant smile, his hand outstretched towards her gloved one.

He looked different from the last time she'd seen him, maybe a little more mature than their short meeting in the chapel, his white hair slicked back, the silver suit he was wearing him suited him far better than the school uniform he usually sported. For once, he truly looked like the Gojo heir he'd always been.

"Would you do me the honour of joining me for this dance?" Satoru asked, his tone low and husky, just as inviting as the hand that was currently outstretched in front of her.

Eighteen-year-old Mikazuki had dreamed about this moment for so long, and yet, the current sorcerers couldn't even stomach the thought of it. She wasn't that desperate girl anymore, and what Satoru had done – along with what he hadn't – carved a hole into her heart, one Mikazuki hadn't been able to fill even after ten years of trying.

The sorceress hesitated, taking the moment to look around her. Everyone was staring at the pair, eyes set on the encounter like a pack of hungry wolves waiting to pounce of their meal. Gojo was her previous intended, and refusing him would result in far more trouble than he was worth. She could already imagine her grandmother chastising her for it, but none of the consequences seemed to be real enough, just a distant haze, a lone possibility.

When Mikazuki didn't move, the sorcerer nudged her hand, the space where his pinkie nudged hers crackling with raw power as their Cursed energies clashed.

"People expect this of us, Mikazuki." Satoru announced, her name rolling of his tongue slowly, each syllable sending a jolt down her spine.

She wanted to refuse. She wanted to refuse more than she'd ever wanted anything else, but the sorceress knew he was right. People expected this from them – maybe because they were supposed to get married, maybe because she was a Kinzoku and he a Gojo, or maybe because they were the two most powerful sorcerers in current times. In the end, it didn't matter why, not when everyone was staring and waiting for them – for her – to make a move.

Mikazuki bit the tip of her tongue, the taste of blood spreading through her mouth as she carefully set her hand atop his waiting open palm, the electricity between the two sparking like a blown fuse before it faded out.

"It would be my pleasure." She lied.