Archive of Our Own

Utahime doesn't know why they ended up being like this.

It was a breezy summer. Some clouds covered the sunlight's scorching heat while the trees cooled the warm air. Utahime was sweeping the fallen leaves near the gate of Tokyo Tech when she heard a group of people talking and laughing. 

Probably teenagers, she thought. Newcomers. The incoming first years, for sure. After all, no one in the school can laugh freely like that after knowing the reality of their lives as sorcerers.

Wiping the sweat on her forehead, she piled up the trash in the corner as someone from the school utility would deal with it. She was about to return to her dorm when she saw the newcomers entering the gate. As a responsible and role-model senpai, she approached them with a smile, attempting to give them a warm welcome. But before she could even say a word, one of them—the white-haired guy with the black round-rimmed sunglasses—beat her to it.

"Hey, are you a worker here? Can you tell us where Yaga is?" he spoke, full of arrogance and ignorance.

Utahime stopped in her tracks, feeling surprised and a little humiliated.

Did his parents not teach him manners? And why doesn't he call Yaga sensei?

She took a quick time to observe them. On the right was a black-haired guy with sharp, thin eyes that she thought would turn into a line if he smiled. On the left was a cute-looking woman with a short brown bob cut. In the middle was the cocky white-haired man.

She sighed before stepping forward again.

"First, I am not a worker. I am Iori Utahime, a third-year student. Second, you should show respect to anyone you talk to that you still don't know. And most importantly, call Yaga sensei, not just his name." She spat the words out, one hand on her hip.

A pregnant silence passed.

She furrowed her brows when she saw the disrespectful guy huff and slowly dip down his black sunglasses, strikingly blue orbs gazing straight into her soul. The black-haired man looked like he was about to die from preventing his laugh from coming out, while the brunette woman's mouth was agape.

"Excuse me, do you even know who I am to talk back to me like that?" he blurted out, still with one eyebrow raised at her.

Oh, this man. She hates men like this.

"Forgive us for his rudeness, senpai." Finally, the cute bob-haired woman spoke. "I am Ieri Shoko. This is Geto Suguru, and this one is Gojo Satoru."

Oh, so he's the one. Not only the one—the chosen one.

Utahime had heard stories about him. He was the holder of the Six Eyes, incredibly powerful that he was automatically a special grade. Not only that, their clan was very rich too, so you could say that his bank account would be a special one as well. 

Either way, despite his obvious attractiveness and perfection, he seemed to lack tact and his personality seemed to suck. Total turn-off for Utahime.

Sensing her quietness, Gojo opened his mouth again. 

"So, does it ring a bell?" He smirked, shoving his two hands inside his pockets.

"Yeah. I've heard great stories about him." She crossed her arms over her chest while the latter fixed his perfectly spiky white hair as if the wind was too strong to mess it up. "But oh well, meeting him in person? I don't think those stories were as great as I thought. Totally offending."

Now it was her turn to smirk. The one whose name was Geto couldn't control himself anymore and burst out laughing.

That was their first meeting.

From then on, Gojo would not stop bothering her, the two of them having banter here and there. Yes, out of all the students, it was her that he picked. He would remind her every day how weak she was, being a lower grade sorcerer. He would always taunt her, pull out pranks, and annoyingly tug at her pigtails whenever he got close to her.

"You know, you're the only woman who can speak to him like that." Shoko told her one time while they were having lunch together under the blossom tree near their room.

"Every girl we meet would either kneel down to serve him or ask him for his number." She added, rolling her eyes as she munched on her sandwich.

"Really? They must have yet to hear him speak." Utahime commented, sipping her soda.

"No, even if they heard him talking. Honestly, even I get so annoyed by his overflowing confidence in himself. Well, they were half right though."

Utahime scrunched her face. "Those women must be out of their minds. He's a walking red flag."

Shoko chuckled. "You're really different. Maybe that's why Satoru won't stop bothering you."

Lucky, isn't she? She's sure many girls would think that. Oh, to receive constant attention from a terrifyingly handsome, talented, powerful, and rich man.

Tsk.

Her head was not yet whacked that hard to lose her mind and romanticize their situation. He was a thorn in her flesh, someone hired to ruin her peaceful life. But she was not someone who backed down. She didn't care who he was and would not bow down to him and lose. No, never.

The moment she graduated, she thought she'd finally be set free from the menace. She was sad, yes. She would be leaving her sweet kohai, Shoko—who, by the way, was the beacon of hope, the calm in the storm, the rose in the dumpsite, her sunshine. She's the only best thing that ever happened to her in that school. However, she was also ecstatic about the fact that she would no longer have to deal with her two other kohai, the troublemakers of the school and the bugs in her life. Geto was more decent, but Gojo always had a way of influencing him. Nonetheless, if she were choosing between those two idiots, she would choose Shoko.

"Utahime, I hope you consider my suggestion." Yaga-sensei walked past her, leaving her contemplating her life choices once again.

The man just told her that he had always seen her potential in the teaching field. Her passion for mentoring other students, her hard work in creating detailed reports, and her vision alone for the future of sorcerers were admirable. Plus, her ability to deal with the likes of Gojo Satoru was one of a kind. He was afraid that they would not be able to find someone like her, who could tolerate and fight back against his pointless pranks and arguments.

She was taken aback, for sure. Now, a woman like her, who didn't come from any strong clan and possessed a technique more befitting support and sideline roles, didn't have the privilege to double-think this offer. It would probably be the highest position offered to someone like her—to become a teacher.

She didn't hate the idea at all. Teaching was something she also enjoyed. She could still accept missions, Yaga-sensei told her, but her main role would be teaching in Kyoto Tech.

It sounded tempting, and she would be nodding her head off and shaking her teacher's hand in gratitude if not for the words he said following this.

"You will be training as an assistant teacher for a year here. To the second years."

Nope.

No way.

Gojo Satoru nearly made her go bald due to stress, and now she would be handling their class? Why not the first years? That would be better. But again, just being in the same school as him already meant trouble.

Two days after, she accepted the offer. She didn't have any choice. It was a great opportunity to stay in the profession. Extra money was good. At least she would be able to afford to rent a nice apartment, buy some beers every weekend, and purchase her skincare products. Besides, if she only went on missions, what would be her job outside of that? A café waiter? A singer? Nah, those earned less.

She could still remember the smug look on his face the moment her boots stepped inside their room.

"Can't handle being away from me, Utahime?" He smirked.

Oh, how she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face with her newly bought brown boots!

That may have been the start, she thought.

The start of everything.

Yet again, she doesn't know.

She just knew that he started hovering around her twice as often as before. 

Chaos started happening too. The Star Plasma Vessel murder, his death and awakening, Geto's defection and death, and his random adoption of two kids. Through it all, he'd been present in her life, and she'd been there for him.

Time really changes everything.

She found herself becoming soft for him as his true self slowly unraveled. She started understanding why he behaved the way he did, how he thought, and how he saw the world. 

Being the strongest had bitter consequences too. She realized that he was just too lonely, and even lonelier when Geto left and died. She realized that despite being the strongest, he couldn't save everyone when that Star Plasma Vessel died. 

Then, the two kids who came out of nowhere became his distraction. Utahime knew he was becoming depressed, so when the man showed up at her apartment one cold night with two kids aged ten and eleven, she did not pry deeper. He sure did receive a scolding from her, but she allowed them to invade her personal space.

She had a soft spot for kids.

And so did he.

She watched how he took care of the kids. Messed up, as always. He just spoiled them, flaunted his riches, and trained little Megumi—the adorable black-spiky-haired kid that could summon Mahoraga and manifested the Shadows Technique. His older sister, Tsumiki, was more of a normal person, just like Utahime.

The two kids received proper care from her while Satoru supplied them with everything they needed. It's ridiculous how she ended up being a mother of two—no, three. Gojo is a manchild.

Slowly, as they grew their little makeshift family, Gojo started becoming more demanding of her. She knew he was unhinged and a natural flirt, so she brushed his advances off.

She dodged his cringe pickup lines, ignored his motives, and grimaced at him whenever he asked for hugs, bento, and cuddles.

For instance,

"Stop being so dramatic." She hissed. The manchild was throwing a tantrum again.

"But we're family! Look, you give those two their bento lunches and not me? I am their father! And I work as a teacher now too! I need my lunch right now!" He commanded, sitting up straight from the floor.

Utahime rolled her eyes. Before she could hit him with her fork, a thought came to her.

What if he's just regressing like this because he never received that treatment from his parents?

Oh.

Now she remembered. He told her one time that he was homeschooled until middle school, and he never met his mother.

Sighing, Utahime started packing his lunch too. After that, she always packed his lunch like the kids'. He was very happy and she didn't know why. Did he finally lose his mind, or was he just healing his inner child?

Soon, their unprecedented family met an unfortunate circumstance. Tsumiki fell ill, not even Shoko could explain it. Gojo decided to keep her somewhere far from any risk, heavily protected and monitored, while Megumi started attending their alma mater. Utahime continued teaching in Kyoto and visited Tsumiki whenever she had days off.

One rainy afternoon, she was heading to the train station, tired from the physical training she facilitated earlier. She settled into a seat beside the window, watching the city lights turn on and started reminiscing about the good memories in her life and tried to forget the bad ones.

Life had been harsh lately. Her heart was shattering with what was happening to her loved ones.

The travel was a bliss, like the happiness in her life. Before she knew it, she was outside her apartment, rummaging through her keys inside her sling bag.

She opened the door, removed her wet boots, and headed straight to the shower. The warm water and the sweet refreshing scent of her bath cleared her mind. She stayed there relaxed for an hour before dressing into her pink terno pajamas.

The silence inside her apartment was broken when a certain white-haired man suddenly warped himself into her living room. She had just finished drying and combing her hair when the man materialized in front of her.

Bewildered by his sudden appearance, she asked, "What in the world did you do that you're here again?"

No reply.

He simply pulled her closer, both hands resting on her waist while his head hung low on her left shoulder. If he had done this seven years earlier, Utahime would have shoved him into the ground. But she had already grown familiar with his unpredictable touches.

And if he did something like this, then that meant one thing. He was once again on the verge of Purple Hollowing himself along with the world.

Her hands found their way into his soft hair, entangling it with her fingers and slowly massaging his head. The man kept his head on her shoulder, breathing heavily.

"Everything is not fine again, Uta." He breathed. "Can't sleep." He winced.

Utahime patted his back. "Okay, fine. You can sleep here. Just this once."

Minutes later, they found themselves lying on Utahime's bed, his head on her chest while his left arm hugged her waist. Again, if eighteen-year-old Utahime saw this, she would be enraged and disgusted.

But she couldn't deny that she had grown close to the man she was holding.

No matter how much she refused to admit it, he was a friend. He may go around teasing her and making her life miserable sometimes, but this man actually helped her a lot.

First, he saved her during a failed mission. The event left her a nasty scar, but he never teased her about it. He may go around announcing to people how weak she was, but he never failed to rescue her on missions that nearly ended her life.

Second, he introduced Megumi and Tsumiki to her. Those two were one of the greatest gifts she had ever received. She loved them as her own, and motherhood was just the best feeling.

Third, he helped her financially. He supported her remaining family—her grandmother and her cousin who was studying in college. She never asked for it, but he did it anyway after knowing that her sick grandmother's maintenance medicine cost almost half of her salary as a teacher.

She couldn't believe it.

She told herself that she would never, ever bend to his whims, that she would never be like the other girls who did whatever he requested.

Guess he just had a little character development, and she got to delve deeper into his life that she finally started seeing Gojo as Satoru.

"Hime..." He murmured, his deep voice vibrating against her chest. She only hummed, indicating that she was still awake.

"I think I can't live without you."

Initially, she would have been shocked, shot her eyes wide open, and gasped.

But no.

She knew that what he said was indeed a fact.

"Sure." She chuckled, still with her eyes closed.

"Yeah. No one will give me cuddles like this. No one will pack me lunch. No one will hit me in the head if I do something wrong. No one will scold me and nag me. No one will say no to me..." He went on with his list.

Utahime slowly opened her eyes, realization hitting her as he continued spouting his "No one will...but you." She suddenly felt warmth bloom in her chest.

Is this the way this idiot shows his appreciation for her existence?

"Why are you saying all of that?" She inquired, lifting his head with one hand.

"I've been thinking..." He stared at her, those two enchanting blue orbs focused on her golden-brown ones.

"Why don't we start labeling this? Let's be together. Romantically."

Her eyes widened in awe. She never expected him to tell her this. Their relationship was quite complicated, yes, but him confessing and suggesting they label their situationship? Wow. Where was the cocky Gojo Satoru who bragged about how women needed to make the first move and not the other way around?

"You're... insufferable." Were the only words that came out of her mouth.

She felt his arm pull her tighter.

"Come on, Hime. You're getting old anyway. Aren't you scared to die single?"

She smacked his bicep. "Do you think I can't marry at my age?"

She felt him shrug.

"Violence will never get you men. But somehow, that got me."

Curse those butterflies in her stomach. What is he even saying? All this nonsense was making her blush. I mean, who would not feel flattered when the mighty Honored One, Gojo Satoru, was telling you all of this?

"So, will you spend the rest of your life arguing and fighting with me?" He asked again, head buried against her chest.

It took her time to answer.

"What kind of shitty proposal is that?" She chuckled, earning a grunt from the man.

She sighed, a smile forming at the corner of her lips. "Sure. Let's see how long you can endure."

That's it.

They became official.

When the news spread to their acquaintances, they received different reactions. Shoko tried stabbing Gojo with her scalpel, accusing him of mind-controlling her best friend. Nanami was shockesd, as well as Yaga and Gakuganji. Among the students, only Yuji and Miwa were happy for them.

"I knew it! Oh my gosh, they're really meant for each other!" Miwa squealed.

Yuji nodded enthusiastically. "My two favorite senseis together! Gojo-sensei is lucky! And Megumi, aren't you happy that your parents are finally together?"

But Megumi was busy talking with the Kyoto students.

"Really? That bastard?" The spiky black-haired man soured.

"I knew he was a creep for her." Mai commented while polishing her gun.

"You can call us if Utahime sensei needs help." Noritoshi added, tapping Megumi on the shoulder.

"Ha! Pay me up, Maki-senpai! You too, Inumaki-senpai! Panda-senpai! I told you they'd be together." Nobara smirked before her face twisted in disgust. "Though I really hate that he managed to pull off that baddie. Ugh."

"Yuta, you're so quiet. What can you say that your manchild of a cousin finally has a girlfriend?" Momo asked the poor guy, who looked more tense than any of them.

"U-Uh... it's fine, I guess." He smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Gojo didn't care.

He flaunted her even more everywhere, like a professional rage-baiter of Yaga-sensei. Sometimes, Utahime regretted agreeing to be together. When those times came, she just thought about the three reasons why she accepted him.

No, it's not because he was undeniably handsome and perfect. (Definitely one of her reasons if you squint.) It's also not because his bank account was endless. (Yes, this one too.) Okay, maybe those two were included in her reasons, but that wasn't really the case.

Shoko once told her that Gojo changed a lot since his awakening. He became more unpredictable, impulsive, and somehow distant, and she's very thankful that Utahime tolerates him and knows how to handle him. She admitted that it was hard to reach out to him when their best friend Suguru left and betrayed them, but Utahime was there to pull him back to his senses.

So the primary reason why she accepted his proposal was that somehow, Satoru was right. She was his "No one can but you."

If he ever lost his patience with the higher-ups and decided to massacre them, she would probably be the only one who could talk him out of it. 

Utahime thought they would be one of those couples that resulted from an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope— a cliché and very common plotline in novels. They were one, that's true.

But she never imagined they would also belong in the dark romance section.

She's not dumb. Honestly, she's been a reader of these kinds of novels because who doesn't want an obsessed man treating you right and willing to burn the world for you?

That's so sweet!

And no, nope. She's not that twisted in real life. She's a fan, but no, the heck! If that happens in real life—

That's what's happening to her anyway.

Again, she doesn't expect them to end up like this.

Never in her life had she imagined Gojo Satoru behaving like this. Until this day, it terrifies her.

It was a Friday afternoon.

The sun was dipping into their eyes, the trees looking golden from the sunset. Utahime and Kiyo, one of the staff from Kyoto Tech, were discussing a mission the man had recently participated in. He was a good friend, nothing more, and Gojo knew that.

In the middle of their conversation, a leaf fell onto Utahime's head. The two stopped and laughed about it, Kiyo raising his hand to remove the fallen leaf from her hair.

As she bowed her head slightly toward him, she caught a glimpse of the white-haired man in her peripheral vision. She shrugged it off and thanked Kiyo for his action.

The two parted ways, and she went back to her apartment. Surprisingly, Gojo was already inside, sitting on her sofa.

"Aren't you supposed to be overseas for a mission?" She asked, setting her handbag down on the small table.

The man stood up and walked toward her with a cunning smile.

"I do have a mission. I was supposed to give you a goodbye kiss, but..."

He slowly placed his hands on both sides of her head, stroking her hair as if trying to fix it for her.

"You seemed to be enjoying yourself with someone."

The last words made her stiffen.

"We were just talking about his mission." She spoke almost immediately.

Gojo continued stroking her hair.

"You were having fun. Even letting him touch your hair." His voice was calm, yet she could sense the irritation beneath it.

A calm Gojo was worse than a freak Gojo.

"I-He just removed a leaf from my hair. What's wrong with you?" She frowned.

A small laugh escaped his lips.

In a trance, his soft strokes were replaced by a harsh grip on her hair. He yanked her head back, forcing her to look at him. Utahime gasped loudly, shocked by his sudden outburst.

"I don't like it." He emphasized every syllable. "I don't like seeing you so happy with other men."

She gulped hard.

"S-Satoru..."

She looked at him with pleading eyes. He stared back at her, and she could see the darkness his gaze held.

Soon, he let go of her hair and started stroking it again. He pulled her closer despite her trembling body and hugged her as if he hadn't nearly pulled her hair out moments ago.

"Sorry." His voice softened once again. 

"I just don't like it when others get so close to you. It's like they're trying to take you away from me." He explained before cupping her face and caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.

Closing the gap, he gave her a light kiss on the lips.

"I'll be out for two days. Stay here and take a rest. I told Gramps to exempt you from the mission and give you two days' leave. Don't go out while I'm away, okay?"

She nodded.

After that night, she avoided letting men get close to her. She no longer had long talks with Nanami, nor did she allow Noritoshi and Todo to carry her reports. She never even heard of Kiyo's whereabouts again. 

He never returned to the school.

This bothered her, thinking that Gojo may have something to do with it.

Since when did he become territorial?

Possessive?

It's not funny. This is not nice. This is not something to romanticize.

This is purely terrifying and concerning.

Gojo was still the strongest and the most stubborn one. What he wanted, he got, and what he wanted to do, no one could stand in his way. She knew that from all the years she'd spent with him.

Who was Utahime to him that he could go this far? Utahime was just some weak woman who managed to pique his interest.

She's not exaggerating it.

Gojo became worse day by day.

There were times when he locked her up in his apartment for a whole week just because she patted Noritoshi on the head while complimenting his improvement.

Gojo never hurt her intentionally, but his kind of punishment hurt her.

Physically.

Emotionally.

His hold would become rough, nails digging into her flesh and leaving bruises behind. He would force her to kiss him, bite her lips until they bled, kiss her cheeks, neck, shoulders, and arms, marking her everywhere before sending her out to teach. He would pull her hair and yank it whenever he saw her close to Nanami or Ijichi, even if they merely happened to bump into each other.

Of course, their friends became aware of Gojo's sudden aggression. Shoko tried talking about it with Utahime, but the woman only cried.

Let's face reality. She couldn't stand against him. She wasn't even close to him—not even one percent of his power.

Shoko also tried talking to Gojo, but she was met with coldness.

"Don't meddle with our relationship, Shoko."

His voice was low.

"I love Hime, and I will never do anything to hurt her. I'm doing this for her too. I'm just protecting her."

That dork.

Shoko internally screamed. Protect from who, really?

But when you talked to him while his cursed energy blared and suffocated the room, signaling that he was truly angry, you didn't have much choice but to nod. Even the Kyoto students failed to threaten him because he no longer found their jokes funny, only annoying.

None of this escaped Megumi's eyes.

Utahime had been a mother figure to him. A ray of hope in his hopeless childhood. He loved her and wanted the best for her.

And seeing her get manhandled almost every day—

He couldn't stand it anymore.

The moment he saw another bruise on Utahime's pale arm while she was reaching for a book in the library, and then saw her swollen lips when she turned around—

He finally snapped.

"Oh, Megumi! Didn't see you there." She smiled.

But the moment she noticed him staring at her exposed arm, she immediately pulled down her sleeve.

"Did some guy get too close to you again that he had to do that?"

Utahime didn't know what to say. She didn't want Megumi and Gojo fighting because of her.

"It's nothing. I just tripped in my bathroom and bruised my arm." She lied.

"So your face got hit too? That's why your lips are so busted?"

She couldn't help but feel humiliated.

Yes.

It was another punishment from Gojo.

She was only helping a lost young man with directions when he saw her. Furious, he dragged her into his apartment and left another mark.

Gojo Satoru had always been a red flag.

As she got to know him, she found some green flags too.

Now, she could only see red.

Not even a flag anymore. A flag was too weak to indicate an emergency.

She saw lights.

Red lights.

Utahime could only see red lights now.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that Megumi had suddenly draped an arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him. He was a few inches taller than her now that he was seventeen.

She was about to ask him why when the door suddenly burst open.

"Oh, Megumi. You're here too. Visiting your favorite teacher?" Gojo smiled.

That smile again.

The smile that looked like he was about to murder someone.

He was wearing a blindfold, and despite it, it wasn't hidden from the two of them where his gaze was directed. He was staring at Megumi's arm around Utahime's shoulder.

Surely, Gojo still had some logic left in his mind. He wouldn't treat Megumi like those other men, right?

Utahime wanted to believe that. After all, he'd been a father figure to him too.

His head turned toward Utahime.

"Hime, let's go home. It's getting late." And just like that, his soft smile turned cold.

She shuddered, already anticipating what her punishment would be and where he would mark her next.

Her lips were still swollen from yesterday.

Megumi tightened his arm around her. Utahime swore Gojo's cursed energy suddenly flared.

"Gumiii, we're going home. Say goodbye to her now."

The playfulness never left Gojo's voice, but anyone could tell he wasn't playing anymore.

It was written all over his cursed energy.

"And what are you going to do if I don't want to let her go, Gojo-san?" Megumi taunted.

The tension became so thick that Utahime forgot to breathe. Gojo removed his blindfold and stared at Megumi with amusement.

The kid wasn't backing down.

He scoffed.

"What? Will you send me overseas like Kiyo-san? Threaten to break my arms like Ijichi-san?" He added, throwing more wood into the fire.

Gojo's eyes widened.

"Utahime. Leave us. We have something to talk about." The coldness in his voice cut through Utahime's racing heart.

She wiggled free from Megumi's hold and immediately grabbed his hand.

"Satoru, please, don't—"

"I'm not going to do anything to him. We'll just talk." He said, eyes still fixed on the teenager.

"It's fine, Utahime-san. I can handle myself." Megumi added.

She left the room with a heavy burden in her heart.

She didn't have the time to stop and wonder what was happening between them because her feet carried her toward the car.

She was still shaken by everything. Her sobs filled the silence inside the vehicle. She kept glancing toward the building.

"What you're doing to her isn't love anymore, Gojo-san." The black-haired teenager started.

"Can't you see her bruises? Her swollen lips? Her swollen eyes? The way she flinches every time you try to touch her?"

Gojo was silent.

His face was blank.

Seeing this, Megumi continued.

"She's hurting!" He exclaimed, making the taller man flinch.

"Look, I understand that she's probably the only woman you'll ever ask for. I love Utahime-san, and I'm concerned about you too. What you're doing is completely beyond the line. It's unhealthy for both of you." He sighed, shoulders slumped.

The words slowly sank into Gojo's head.

The white-haired man ran a hand through his hair.

"I understand where you're coming from." He finally spoke.

"I-I guess I was just too scared to lose her."

For the first time, uncertainty crept into his voice.

"I'm afraid she'll find someone better than me and leave me behind."

Megumi's eyes softened.

"Utahime-san isn't like that." He replied quietly.

"See? Even though you're being toxic to her, she never tried escaping you." His voice lowered. "She could ask us for help and we'd hide her if she wanted to. But she didn't."

Gojo remained silent.

"She loves you."

Megumi looked him straight in the eye.

"So please. Love her the way she deserves."

The ride home was silent.

Utahime had drifted to sleep in the backseat while Gojo drove. He carried her into her bedroom and managed to change her clothes without waking her.

Upon removing her garments, he saw the bruises and marks he had left on her body.

He's an idiot.

Though he never hit her, those marks were enough to say that he did.

Kissing them gently, he helped her into another set of clothes. Then he lay down beside her, cradling her in his arms as though he would lose her the moment he let go.

Soon, Utahime stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

She felt his embrace.

An embrace that felt too gentle and caring compared to the iron grip she experienced yesterday.

"I'm sorry, Hime..."

He whispered.

Sniffling.

"I'm sorry."

Utahime was at a loss for words when she saw the red rims around his blue eyes.

For the first time in her life—

She saw Gojo crying.

"Satoru..."

Her hands slowly wiped away the tears on his cheeks. He looked oddly vulnerable like this. Like a child.

"I'm just scared." His voice trembled. "I'm scared you'll find someone better than me and leave me behind."

His breathing hitched.

"Leave me like Geto..."

Another tear slid down his face.

"Betray me like everyone else in the clan..."

His voice cracked.

"You're the only person who ever made me feel loved. Valued. Cared for."

Utahime hugged him tighter, one hand rubbing circles against his back.

"You're the only person who doesn't see me as a weapon."

The room fell silent except for his quiet crying.

"When I saw you laughing with Kiyo, I felt my chest tighten." He buried his face into her shoulder. "As selfish as I am, I can't bear seeing you give away your precious smile to someone else."

Utahime continued comforting him, still at a loss for words.

"I want to love you like no one else can." His fingers tightened around her. "I want the whole world to know that you're mine."

A pause.

"I'm sorry if I'm becoming too much."

His voice cracked again.

"I won't hurt you ever again."

Another pause.

"Please... don't leave me."

And with that, Utahime found herself crying too.

She admitted it. He did hurt her. Heck he traumatized her!

She probably developed some kind of fear because of everything he'd done.

But she couldn't let him go either.

She loved him.

She loved this idiot.

This giant baby.

Even if he was completely stupid for treating her like that.

"I won't leave you, Satoru." She whispered. "I love you, and I won't leave you."

She pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead.

"Just be kinder to me." Her voice trembled. "And trust that I only have you in my heart. Just as I trust that you only have me in yours."

He nodded immediately.

"I love you so much, Hime." He whispered again, pulling her closer.

Holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

He did keep his promise.

He never hurt her or marked her again. Instead, he treasured her like a real diamond. His marks were no longer born from violence, but from love.

Utahime was happy about it.

And though he never openly showed his jealousy again, deep inside, she could still sense it. From her peripheral vision, she could still catch his cold stares.

His mischievous smile that indicated plans were being harbored.

His soft words that cut sharper than knives.

She even caught him watching her sleep one night, chuckling to himself while caressing her face.

"My dear Hime... My love. We're really destined to be with each other." He whispered before placing a kiss on her temple.

It was sweet.

She smiled in her sleep.

But the next morning, she was horrified when the news reached her.

All of the higher-ups were murdered.

The entire Gojo Clan had been wiped out.

Except, of course, Gojo Satoru—the clan head.

And—

Kiyo.

Nanami.

Yaga.

Gakuganji.

Noritoshi.

Ijichi.

Every man she had ever interacted with except for Megumi and some of her students.

All found dead.

Her fingers shook violently as she dialed Megumi's number. A couple of minutes passed before someone answered.

"Megumi! Are you okay?!" Her voice trembled.

"I-I am. Are you safe? Did he hurt you?" His voice was shaking too.

"I'm fine." She choked out. Sobs escaped her lips.

A shuffle was heard from the phone before Shoko's voice replaced Megumi's.

"Listen, Uta. He clearly lost his mind." Shoko sounded panicked.

"We decided to flee for good. I know he won't try to do those things to you, but to us? I don't know. You know his tendencies."

Utahime cried harder.

"Now, if you want, Megumi and Itadori can come get you—"

"No, Shoko." She sobbed. "I can't."

Her voice cracked.

"He'll never let me go."

She wiped her tears quickly, afraid Gojo might come soon and see her.

"He'll just go even more insane if I leave him."

She swallowed hard.

"I'll handle him. Please be safe."

The call ended.

Utahime hurried into the bathroom. There, she finally allowed herself to break down.

She thought he changed. She shouldn't have listened to him and stayed away from them.

Kiyo.

Yaga-sensei.

Gakuganji.

Noritoshi.

Nanami.

How?

How could he do that?

"Hime? I bought us breakfast!"

His cheerful voice echoed from outside.

Utahime quickly wiped her face before stepping out.

She greeted him as if nothing had happened, forcing a smile.

But it didn't seem to convince him.

Sighing, he set the bags on the table before pulling her into a hug.

"I suppose you heard the news." He started.

Her body stiffened in his arms.

"I'll make sure the person who did those things pays."

Utahime wanted to laugh.

She wanted to scream.

To curse him.

To strangle him.

Where did he get the audacity to lie after going on a killing spree?

Who would even want to do those horrible things aside from him?!

When... When did he become a monster?

Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him, a little tighter.

"You sure you'll avenge them, Satoru?" She murmured against his chest.

He gently caressed her hair.

"I'll make sure of it, my love." His tone softened.

"But for now, let's eat breakfast."

The empathy disappeared from his voice as quickly as it came. He was back to his usual cheerful self.

She obeyed, the two sat down at the table. Utahime tried her hardest not to show how resentful and broken she felt.

Thankfully, he was in a good mood.

Did killing them make him feel giddy?

After they finished eating and Utahime was washing dishes absentmindedly, she suddenly felt his arms wrap around her waist.

His hands rested on her stomach.

"I'm so happy, Hime." He whispered. "Do you know why?"

Because you finally got rid of every man in my life?

She wanted to scoff.

To hit him with the glass she was holding.

Instead, she forced a smile.

"What brought you into such a good mood today, Satoru?"

He smiled and leaned forward to her.

"My Six Eyes saw something." He whispered against her ear.

Utahime remained silent.

"You're pregnant, my love."

The plate nearly slipped from her fingers.

"We're making a family for real!"

Gojo continued hugging her, swaying her gently left and right while peppering kisses along her nape.

Everything suddenly made sense.

He killed the higher-ups.

He killed his clan.

Because he knew they would never approve of their union.

She wasn't sure about the others, but she knew he still viewed the other men as threats to their relationship.

He did all of this because he wanted to make sure no one could become an obstacle in his happiness.

"We'll get married next month!"

He sounded excited.

"You can invite Shoko and the others too. Megumi will be happy about this."

Utahime wanted to cry.

To wail.

To beg the heavens to take her.

She should have shut her door when he first came to her apartment.

She should never have ignored the red lights.

Now she was doomed.

Doomed to spend her life with a man who would not hesitate to eradicate anyone.

His family.

His friends.

Anyone.

If they stood between him and her.

What would happen now that she was carrying his child?

Would he someday see their child as competition too?

"I love you, my Hime!"

He kissed her temple, still holding her tightly.

Utahime doesn't know why they ended up being like this.

But she blames herself.

She allowed this to happen.

She allowed him to do this.

So she doesn't have any choice.

Nor the privilege to complain.

She deserves this.

"I love you too... Satoru."