as we walk ; geto suguru

Well-Acquainted

A gust of wind blows by and several documents scatter the pavement, some of them picking up dirt and pebbles along the way as they shuffle across the ground.

"Shit."

Nanami and Gojo help you pick up the documents and dust them off, handing them back to you in nonsense order back to your trembling hands.

"I'm sorry," you mumble.

Gojo shakes his head and puts an affirmative hand on your back, leading you to the courthouse that awaits you and your daughter.

Nanako is in Geto's arms as she shows him the details of the dress he had bought for her back at the mall, completely oblivious as to why she is coming along with her mother's friends that are cladded in business suits and professional clothing which contrast their usual, more relaxed outerwear she's seen them in. Her friends aren't here and neither are Megumi's mother and Momo, Kasumi and Kokichi's mother with brown hair. She's curious as to why they're approaching a scary-looking building with lots of other grown-ups that look sad and serious like her mother and her friends.

Yuuji and Yuuta's papa is whispering something in your ear. Momo's mommy with black hair is sticking close to you. Megumi's papa is also making sure you're also close to his side, the opposite side of where Momo's mommy was.

You looked sad this morning, she thinks as she looks at you again. Nanako hopes you're okay.

"What's wrong with Mommy?" she asks Geto and stares up at him with (e/c) eyes you shared with her. He glances at her, then to you, then back to her. Hesitation seeps into him as Geto thinks about what to say to your daughter, knowing she wouldn't understand how dire this situation was to both you and her.

"She's just a little tired, that's all," Geto replies.

"How come?" The many questions of a toddler are beginning to start.

"Because she's gonna do something very important today, Nana,"

"What's important?"

Geto bites back a sigh. He's equally as exhausted as you are. Everyone in the group is, actually. Even your usual bickering with Toji hasn't happened today.

"She's... she's going to meet someone today,"

"Who?"

"Someone she doesn't like."

"But Mommy likes everyone!"

Oh children, absolutely unaware of peoples' hatred of others even with the smallest inconveniences.

The courthouse is nothing fancy. If anything, it's the complete opposite; it's dull and boring and too spacious for your liking. Dust sprinkles the pictures on the halls that don't appeal to the eye at all and there's muted brown and mahogany everywhere with a grey, scratchy carpet that you could tell used to be colorful years and years ago.

The courtrooms itself aren't much better. They're brightly lit unlike the courthouse, but the LED lights from above give more of an eerie, unsettling feeling that's accompanied with chairs, desks and a large podium with three divisions. A jury box sits at the right side and you can see out of an open trial that's proceeding in Courtroom Number 2, the jury looks absolutely bored out of their mind.

Despite the monotonous spirit of the courthouse, your nerves haven't settled themselves in the slightest. Every step you take towards Courtroom Number 12 increases your nausea and you feel a bit faint from on-and-off switching between the brightly lit courtrooms and the dark halls of the courthouse as you pass them.

"I need another Tylenol," you murmur and reach into your bag, but you're stopped by Gojo.

"You've had two already. It's just your nerves, don't worry,"