Unbound By Love's Grace [Gojo Satoru x Female Readers]

12 ~ Twelve

[T]he four of you ended up at one of Sinichi's family-owned, ultra-bougie restaurants—a place where the tableware probably cost as much as a small car. Not that you minded; Gojo had a particular taste for anything refined, and his recent habit of picking off your plate without so much as a 'please' had you scheming.

So, you decided on an eleven-course kaiseki menu, starting with sweet shrimp and chawanmushi. Just enough of a sweet undertone to keep him guessing.

Gojo noticed, of course. A single eyebrow arched upward, his mouth tilting into a barely-there smirk. Sinichi, equally observant, leaned back in his seat with a wry smile.

"Since when do you go for fancy dishes?" His tone was casual, but there was that edge he always had, like he was feeling out his opponent before the next move.

You leveled him with a serene smile. "Well, when you've got someone who appreciates the finer things," you paused just long enough for emphasis, "it rubs off."

To make your point, you scooped up a spoonful of chawanmushi and, without breaking eye contact, offered the first bite to Gojo. He had the same thing, but he still leaned forward, almost too pleased, accepting the taste. The faintest raise of his brows told you he knew exactly what you were up to, but he didn't object.

"What do you think?" you prompted, your expression cool but holding back the smallest flicker of amusement. "Savory enough for you?"

"Since when are you taking notes on my taste?" He asked, his eyes glinting with something like intrigue, a touch of sarcasm shading his tone.

He knew you were baiting him—of course he did. You'd been on enough missions and handled enough cursed spirits with or without him to make good money, so a meal like this was well within reach. Not that he was about to make it easy.

You shrugged, nonchalant. "Thought it'd be a good experience."

He let out a laugh, half-hidden, as if amused by his own thoughts. "You're making it sound like I'm here for the food," he murmured, leaning just close enough for Sinichi to notice.

Going back to his dish with an air of exaggerated enjoyment, he took his time over each bite as if to test how long he could keep your attention. When he noticed your hand inching toward a sweet shrimp, he struck first, snatching it from your chopsticks with infuriating ease, eating it like he'd been owed that bite.

"Not enough of that for me," he noted with a crooked smile, that lazy confidence flaring up in his eyes. "Mind lending a piece?"

You could practically feel Sinichi's eyeroll from across the table. "I'd bet he doesn't get food like this every day anyway," he muttered, his gaze sharp on Gojo, tone heavy with the same edge he carried everywhere.

Gojo didn't even flinch, barely acknowledging the challenge as he met Sinichi's stare with an amused tilt of his head. "Let's be real," he shrugged, his voice smooth. "I'm not exactly here for the food." He leaned closer to you, lowering his voice just enough so only you could hear, adding a playful, "Though I do seem to make everything taste a little better, don't I?"

You bit back a laugh, watching Gojo settle back in his chair with that typical air of lazy dominance. His arm draped around the back of your chair, fingers brushing close enough to your shoulder that you could feel the warmth without quite touching. Instead of offering a gentle gesture, he flicked a stray piece of hair from your shoulder with exaggerated care, then tapped your shoulder as if he'd just done something monumental, a smug grin settling on his face.

There was something endlessly entertaining in the way Gojo combined arrogance with playfulness, an effortless confidence that made the simplest of gestures feel both ridiculous and charming. It wasn't lost on you that he seemed to enjoy playing the role of the magnanimous partner who somehow needed to assert his place—claiming the space beside you like he'd carved it out of the room itself.

Across from you, Mina looked between the two of you, brows drawn tight with a mixture of mild exasperation and disbelief. "Can you two just... stop?" she grumbled, poking at her food with more vigor than necessary. "You're making everything taste weird."

You chuckled, amusement flickering in your eyes. "Maybe a bite of the sweet shrimp will make up for it, Mina?" You held out your dish, meeting her gaze with a soft, inviting smile. You noticed how her choice had been far simpler, her plate lacking the sort of decadence Gojo seemed to thrive on.

Mina looked caught off guard for a second, then quickly brushed it off, her lips curling in a half-smirk. "You keep giving away your food that easily, you're gonna end up skin and bone, you know."

"Oh, trust me," Gojo interjected almost instantly with a look that was both mocking and possessive. "She doesn't have to worry about that. I take care of my girlfriend's diet just fine." He flicked his gaze at Mina with a mischievous glint, sticking his tongue out playfully just as the waitress arrived with the next course: a lavish serving of wagyu beef.

You couldn't help but smile at the timing, watching as Gojo, ever the showman, made a point of ensuring you tried the wagyu first. He cut a piece from his own plate, leaning over with a confident grin, and offered it to you with all the flair of someone who knew exactly how to capture an audience.

"Go on," he murmured, his voice low and velvety, amusement flickering in his eyes as he held the chopsticks just inches from your lips. "Can't have you missing out on this, now, can we?"

Sinichi eyed the exchange with a cold, measured gaze that seemed both annoyed and amused. His presence felt like a stark contrast to Gojo's flamboyant confidence. Where Gojo exuded playful arrogance, Sinichi was all sharp edges and restrained power, his focus intense yet calculated.

"Cute," he remarked, a hint of mockery in his tone as he tilted his glass toward Gojo. "Didn't know you were the doting type, Joker. Got you trained well, it seems."

Gojo's grin didn't waver, but his gaze sharpened with that subtle edge of superiority, the challenge not lost on him. He glanced at you before replying, "What can I say? When you're as good at everything as I am, even 'doting' looks flawless."

There it was—that touch of arrogance wrapped in charm that was so quintessentially Gojo.

You watched the interplay between them, quietly amused as they continued this unspoken competition for dominance, each in their own way staking a claim on the moment.

Mina sighed dramatically, swirling her drink as she watched the subtle tension settle over the table. She muttered to herself, "It's impossible to have a simple meal with you lot, you know that?"

Gojo caught her remark, but his attention drifted to you. Casually tapping his fingers against the table, he leaned back, his chin resting on one hand, a small smirk curling at the edge of his lips. His gaze didn't waver as he looked between you and Sinichi, making it clear he wasn't remotely threatened by the banter around him.

You felt the unspoken message loud and clear: he was entirely here for you, and nothing around them held his interest quite the way you did.

It made you arch a brow, your lips curving into the faintest hint of a smile—just enough to let him know you found his theatrics amusing, without fully lowering your guard. Your attention was split between Gojo's playful confidence and the underlying currents across the table.

Mina, however, wasn't letting the moment pass unremarked. Her eyes darted from you to Gojo, a speculative edge creeping into her gaze. "You know," she began, feigning nonchalance, "I never pictured you with anyone but Sinichi-nii. Seeing you like this... it's got me curious."

"Hm?" you responded absently, your gaze lingering on Gojo's smirk, as though only half-listening to Mina's probing. Gojo caught your look and chuckled, leaning back even further, smugly satisfied. He looked almost too pleased, like he'd expected this attention all along.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he drawled, his voice low, mischievous.

"Maybe because I only see you." Your words were quiet, almost indifferent, as though you'd just stated the simplest fact. Gojo's smirk deepened, his laugh a soft rumble. He took it in stride, seemingly unfazed but pleased—like your affection was both exactly what he deserved and what he secretly savored.

"So," Mina pressed, now intrigued by the ease between the two of you. "Who confessed first?"

A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at your lips, and you raised your hand, not missing the way Gojo pointed in your direction as well, his expression almost mocking. Mina's brows knit together, clearly caught off guard by this dynamic. Even Sinichi looked a little surprised, as though you'd broken some unspoken rule of tradition.

"Then who asked whom out on a date?" Mina's curiosity seemed to spike even more. This time, Gojo raised his hand, sticking his tongue out just a bit, a playful challenge flashing in his eyes as he looked between you and Mina.

Sinichi gave a short, scoffing laugh, his gaze settling on Gojo. "I always thought your type was... you know, a bit more mature. Thought you'd go for someone with... a little more bite, not this boyish, overconfident type."

Gojo shot back with a lazy shrug, "Glad someone noticed my youthful charm." He raised an eyebrow at Sinichi, his smirk never faltering.

Meanwhile, you turned to Sinichi, your expression unchanging. "You might be underestimating him," you pointed out, your voice smooth and composed, with a hint of something mysterious.

Gojo didn't miss the subtle defense, and his gaze flickered with satisfaction. Sinichi's jaw tightened slightly, not fully expecting your response, nor the slight edge in your tone.