𝑫𝒀𝑵𝑨𝑺𝑻𝒀 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑳𝑺 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐗𝐈𝐈 - 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄

ESHIMA SMILED, her expression kind as Satoru returned the envelope, the memories still dancing on his mind.

"My brother took it accidentally." she explained, pocketing the envelope before looking back up at him. "It's been sitting in the house for as long as I remember, I just thought she might want to keep it." Her expression fell slightly as the silence lingered, but when Satoru made no effort to break it, Eshima cleared her throat in an attempt to bypass the awkwardness of it all. "So... no present, then?" She asked.

Satoru shrugged, suddenly feeling confident. Maybe Eshima wasn't as bad as he originally imagined. The man paused, eyes fluttering closed as he tried to imagine himself in ten years – Eshima, all happy and pregnant cooking her father's recipe in the kitchen while another younger Gojo took his first steps in the living-room.

The sorcerer shook his head, a hollow laugh escaping his lips. He would never get such a thing. That wasn't the sort of life awaiting him on the other side of marriage. Satoru shoved his hands into his pockets, thoughts dispelling as he stared back down at Eshima.

"As a matter of fact, I did get her something. Just not today." He shrugged again, a nonchalant expression on his face. "I'm not that terrible of a friend, you know?"

Friends. Was that what he and Mikazuki were? It didn't feel like enough, but at the same time, it felt like too much – especially after everything he had done. Satoru spoke casually, but even as the words fell out of his lips, he watched a flicker of something cross Eshima's hazelnut gaze.

The Zenin girl nodded, a happy and placid smile appearing on her face, but Gojo could tell she was displeased by the confession. Was it the fact that he called Mikazuki a friend or the fact that he'd given her a gift of his own free will and not because he was expected to do so? Either way, it didn't matter.

Satoru had been raised as a proper gentleman, and Eshima would one day (very soon, in fact) become his bride. Still, Satoru tried to figure it out. Was it inappropriate of him to share something so intimate with Mikazuki when he was promised to another? To him, it had been a simple gift, but maybe to his future bride it meant something else. Thinking better of it, Satoru turned to Eshima once again.

"I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable." He began, far more sincere than he expected. "I assume this is the sort of thing I should consult with you as my future wife."

Eshima stared at him and shook her head, her smile turning true as her locks bounced.

"Nothing of the sort." She said quickly, but the look in her eyes continued to betray her. "I simply... find it difficult to understand the nature of your relationship with Mikazuki-senpai, that is all." When Satoru didn't interrupt her, Eshima sighed. "Look, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm very new at this whole thing." she quickly apologized once again, unable to take her eyes off the floor as embarrassment flooded her cheeks.

Satoru looked down at her and couldn't help but feel pity for her. He had been so focused in his own feelings, he hadn't even stopped to consider how she felt about their engagement or their impending marriage.

Eshima was too young, she should have been out there living her life, sleeping with guys and figuring out what she wanted; not shackled to him when she had barely seen the outside world. The Gojo heir bit his lower lip, suddenly feeling terrible, almost like he had inevitably trapped her into an impossible prison he wished he could set her free from. Set himself free.

"I understand." He said softly. "This situation is certainly... unusual."

Eshima smiled broadly, feeling more at ease. Somehow, even through the hundred layers of armour Satoru wore around him at all times, it felt like he was opening up to her. Slowly. One step at a time. Maybe they could pull this off – maybe they could get married and have a family and live happily ever after.

"I'm glad we can agree." She said excitedly "I know it's–"

Whatever Zenin Eshima was about to say got lost in the murmurs of the crowd as the double doors at the top of the stairwell opened. The guests immediately fell silent, all the attention focused on the entrance that connected to the main house of the Kinzoku Estate. Satoru swallowed past the lump on his throat, ocean eyes witnessing as Kinzoku Mikazuki appeared atop the balcony.

Eshima was rendered speechless, but not because of the interruption or Mikazuki's sudden appearance. Instead, while everyone craned their necks to get a good look at the newly minted Queen of Nightmares, Zenin Eshima turned to watch him. Satoru was unable to take his eyes off of her, his ocean eyes following as Mikazuki began to slowly make her way down the grand staircase, the black trail of her midnight gown engulfing all the light in the room and shimmering like pure starlight.

Kinzoku Mikazuki was not delicate by any means, but if Eshima had ever doubted that woman was raised to be the Queen of Sorcerers, that single moment made her realize the truth. But it wasn't only about her presence of her beauty, it was about the simple fact that no man had ever looked at her the way Gojo Satoru was looking at Mikazuki in that instance.

So this is the reason... Eshima thought sadly as Mikazuki finally trailed all the way down, bowing to her guests. The reason why Satoru's heart will never be mine is because... it's already someone else's, even if neither of them know it yet.