Made You Look

Chapter 5:

Sayuri was frozen. Blood turned to ice in her veins and the warmth drained from her extremities.

Executed? Crimes? Sukuna?

Her eyes darted between the men present, each of them staring at her differently. Her father, with sadness and despair.

Naobito with an intrigued grin.

Naoya with distain and disgust. “So, you were playing me the whole time, were you? Waiting for your true master to return?”

“No. No, absolutely not.” Sayuri forced her voice to be steady, and her face to be as stone, even as her heart beat wildly in her breast. “The choices my ancestor made are not my own. I would never willingly follow such a demon as Ryomen Sukuna.”

A series of slow, sharp claps rent the air, garnering the attention of everyone in the room. “Well said, well said!” a new voice cheered and for the first time ever, Sayuri watched Naobito’s face fall into a deep frown.

The newcomer was a tall, lean man, dressed entirely in the dark uniform of the Jujutsu Academy. Hair, white as snow stood tall above his head while his eyes were obscured with a blindfold. Despite his covered eyes, he seemed to be able to see perfectly fine as his eyes settled on her, specifically the hand which bore the binding thread.

“Gojo, was the room I had set aside for you not to your satisfaction?” Naobito asked, irritated.

The Six Eyes user grinned joyously, as if he wasn’t the hare surrounded by ravenous beasts. “Oh, it was lovely, but lonely. I heard that everyone was here, and couldn’t help but wish to join! I hope you don’t mind.”

Without asking, or being asked, he took a seat on Naobito’s left, facing her and her father. His head turned to her, and she could feel his eyes raking her up and down. “Such a shame the inheritor of the technique has to be such a beauty. Jujutsu could use her, am I right?”

His joke fell flat as Naoya stood to his feet, glaring viciously. “She’s mine and I will personally take pleasure in wringing the neck of any other man that—”

“Peace, Master Zenin, I was merely complimenting your obvious good taste in women. Nothing more.” Gojo acquiesced, raising his hands in surrender.

Naoya was placated back into his seat by his father, but he continued to glare into middle distance, not meeting anyone’s eye.

Not willing to remain silent, Sayuri held her head high, addressing Gojo directly. “It’s an honor to meet the famous Satoru Gojo in the flesh. Am I correct in assuming that you will be my escort to the Jujutsu Academy?”

Her hands started to shake at the prospect that she was going to be led to her death, for crimes that weren’t her own. It wasn’t fair. She had been so close!

Chapter 4: Changing Tides

Arriving in the main hall, Naobito waited for her, usual bottle of sake already in hand as he drank straight from the bottle. Sayuri had expected her father to be in attendance as well, but much to her surprise, he wasn’t.

The idea of being trapped in a room with the rotten Zenin leader made her stomach roil and her body clench tightly on itself. Nonetheless, she approached quietly, make and demure smile firmly in place.

He gestured sloppily to the cushion before him. “Sit, girl,” he slurred. He hadn’t even been back an hour and already he was half drunk. She obeyed silently, kneeling neatly on her offered seat. “Do you know why I’ve asked you here?”

She bowed her head politely as she answered him. “I would never presume to know what my Lord is thinking.”

He barked a harsh, humorless laugh. “That silver tongue of yours always knows what to say, doesn’t it?”

“Thank you, my Lord.”

“Let’s cut down to business.” Naobito leaned forward, encroaching uncomfortably close. “Are you pregnant yet?”

Against her wishes, the blood drained from her face. “Not that I am aware of, Lord Zenin, though I can assure you that Naoya has been most vigorous in his attention to this duty.”

He grunted noncommittally as he took a long drag from his bottle. “When are you next due for your bleeding?”

Raising her head, she stared down the clan leader who had pinned her with an intent glare. Not one bit of amusement was present in him. “Assuming I am not pregnant, I should bleed in the next few days, my Lord.”

Naobito nodded once, setting the bottle back onto the tatami mat beside him. “My business in Tokyo is nearly complete and we are scheduled to return to Kyoto by the end of the week.” He leaned forward, resting an arm on his knee, twirling his moustache in his free hand. “If you intend to continue this tryst with my son, I expect you to be pregnant by then.”

Sayuri’s fingers twitched on her lap, drawing the Zenin’s attention as a wide smile crawled over his face. It was only through sheer force of will that she kept them uncurled and elegantly positioned as she bowed. “I understand, my Lord. I will endeavor to meet those expectations.”

“Run and get to it then. You have work to do.” He grinned lasciviously.

Oh yes, she did. Determination settled over her like a heavy cloak as she bowed her way out of the room with Naobito.

It was time to see if Naoya would keep his promise.