Chapter Text
Nobara's life had become especially fast-paced since she graduated from Tokyo's Jujutsu Tech. While she had managed to graduate with the title of First Grade Sorceress, she was ambitious and still had things to learn, so she constantly sought out increasingly dangerous missions and maintained a tough training regimen to perfect her techniques and strengthen her body. She had also decided to move to Kyoto, because although the environment of Sorcery was much more conservative and reluctant to change, there was apparently much more action and powerful connections in that city than in Tokyo. Eventually, that desire to progress as a sorceress and her sacrifices paid off, as she had become recommended to become a Special First Grade Sorceress, acquiring considerable prestige.
Not to mention that, in addition, she had started a modest career as a model, which allowed her to have some extra income and do something she truly enjoyed. Although she had to admit that it was difficult to combine a high-risk profession like sorcery with her modeling work and that she often had to cancel projects with her agency to attend to greater obligations. That was life, Nobara supposed. In fact, that month, she had just appeared in an alt fashion magazine and her agency had arranged a photo shoot for a photography project on behalf of a local artist. The artist in question was a very extravagant old lady and had in mind a fairy-themed shoot, so Nobara was forced to dye her hair turquoise.
And to top it off, now that she had finally had a day off between that artist's shoot and her obligations as a sorceress, she had to go to the doctor for a routine check-up which, thanks to her multiple missions and her modeling work, she had put off for several months, finding herself at that moment in the waiting room of a gynecological office. At least, she had to be thankful that as a First Degree Sorceress, the health insurance they gave her allowed her to be treated in one of the best hospitals in Kyoto.
“So you changed your hair from ginger to turquoise, eh? It doesn't look bad on you at all. Although if I were you I would try natural tones like chocolate brown or if you really like fantasy tones I would go for a pastel color like pink or lavander. Anyway, it doesn't look bad on you, you're still very pretty.” Commented a woman who had just arrived in the waiting room.
Nobara was puzzled by the comment. How did that woman know what kind of dye she used during her student years? Did she even know her? Nobara turned to look at her: she was a relatively tall woman with dark green hair, who was dressed in a traditional kimono and was holding a stroller with a baby girl in it. At first glance, it didn't seem like she'd ever seen her before, however, after analyzing her features for a few seconds and distinguishing those bright yellow eyes, the sorceress recognized her immediately.
"Mai? Wait, are you really Mai Zenin?" Nobara asked, surprised.
She hadn't heard from her for a long time. The last time she'd seen her was during Aoi Todo's funeral five years ago. And even then, it was a relatively brief encounter. She hadn't really heard from her, especially now that Maki had gone abroad with Yuta and she was trying to balance her modeling job with being a First Grade Sorceress.
"Of course it's me, silly. How's it been? It's been a long time since I talked to anyone from the Tokyo Tech!" Mai said.
"Well, I might be promoted to Special First Grade, although it is still not certain." She said without mentioning her modeling career.
"Wow, you've really progressed a lot! I guess you must be dealing with some truly terrifying curses. By the way, how is my sister? I imagine she must have already returned from her travels and you two are working together again. Is she still stubborn as usual?” Mai asked.
Nobara blinked at her talking about Maki. Did she not know how her sister was doing? That was strange, especially considering how much Maki showed on her social media all the travels and missions she had been taking with her boyfriend Yuta. In fact, just two hours ago Maki had posted a story on Instagram of her and Yuta strolling through a market in Nairobi.
“Maki is still out of the country. Have you not talked to her? Or seen her Instagram posts?” Nobara said, quite bewildered. She knew that the relationship between those sisters was not the best in the world, but the fact that she had no idea what was going on in Maki's life was quite disconcerting. Mai opened her eyes in surprise before answering Nobara.
“No. I mean, since I said goodbye to her at the airport I haven't seen her and since she completely cut her ties with the Zenin Clan before embarking on her trip it has been practically impossible to talk to her.”
“Not even by cell phone?” Nobara asked with wide eyes.
“I lost my phone on a mission a while ago and I haven't been able to get it back. It's not like there are many people I talk to and sometimes social media gets on my nerves.” Mai answered.
Now that she remembered it, it had been a long time since she saw any kind of update from Mai on her social media. She tried to remember what the last post Mai had made had been but nothing came to mind. Generally Mai loved taking pictures of landscapes and food, as well as images of her with her friends in some fun activity like concerts, visits to amusement parks and museums. Now that she remembered, she had always been a little envious of how good Mai's photos were, even looking as if they had been taken by a professional and not just a random Instagram user.
“Oh. So how do you keep in touch with the members of the Jujutsu Headquarters? I mean, it must be hard to get assigned missions if they can't reach you by phone.” Nobara answered.
Mai just laughed.
“I quit a while ago and married a man from my clan. This is our youngest daughter Midori. She just turned one and just got her chickenpox shot today. Her older sister is called Momo and she stayed home with my mother.”
“So you're a housewife?” Nobara asked.
“Yeah, but I'm not really complaining. After all my husband is a rich guy, so I have all the expenses covered and we even have a couple of housekeepers to help me from time to time. Actually being a housewife married to a rich dude gives me a chance to slack off a bit and be able to take care of my plants. Plus I love having enough time to spend with my girls. I really love them both, they're my greatest treasure.” Mai answered with a relaxed expression.
Nobara raised her eyebrows in surprise. A part of her didn't find it strange that Mai had become a housewife, after all she hated her job as a sorceress and came from a very traditionalist background. But even so, hearing it directly from Mai in person seemed surreal. That tough-tempered mean girl she met at the school exchange had become a responsible mother and that surprised Nobara a lot. At least from what the Zenin told her, it seemed like she was happy with being a housewife. She turned to look at Midori, who despite still being very small seemed to have copied Mai's delicate features as well as her hair texture and color. She really was an adorable baby.
“Midori is beautiful. I imagine you must be proud of her.” Nobara commented, caressing the baby's face who kept looking at the sorceress with curiosity.
Mai, for her part, laughed.
“Of course she is beautiful, she has exactly my face. Momo looks more like her father, but she is still very cute. I wish I could bring back the photos of her last birthday, she really looked like a little princess…”
And so Nobara and Mai continued talking about their lives, until it was Nobara's turn to go to the doctor office.
“Umm… I think I have to go. It was really nice that we met here after all this years.” Nobara commented.
“Yes, it was cool. I really liked talking to you again.” Mai admitted.
“Do you think I can call your house one day? I mean, so we can organize and be able to go out together for coffee or something.” Nobara asked.
“I really don't think it's a good idea for you to call me. My husband uses the home phone almost exclusively for work stuff and I don't think he'd like to receive personal calls.” Mai answered.
Nobara's heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Despite not having spoken to Mai for years and not considering her a close friend, a part of Nobara felt that now that they had seen each other again they had to keep in touch somehow. The sorceress did not hesitate and took an old Motorola cell phone as well as her emergency phone charger out of her handbag and handed them to Mai.
“Here, if you want, you can call me with this. This is my number.” Nobara said as she typed a phone number on the screen of the cell phone she had given to the Zenin.
“Are you giving me your own phone?” Mai asked surprised at Nobara's actions.
Technically it was a spare phone that Nobara had acquired with the purpose of using it exclusively for her work as a model, since she knew of other sorcerers who had a second profession or job asides sometimes had a spare cell phone to prevent mixing their life as sorcerers with their civilian life. Kento Nanami was the clearest example of this, having a phone for his job as a stock market sales agent and another for his work as a sorcerer, generally leaving the first of these at home when he was at the Tokyo School of Sorcery or hunting down curses.
“Don't worry Mai. It's just a spare phone, I hardly ever use it.” Nobara said, trying to ignore the fact that she would have to go back to her modeling agency to give them her actual phone number.
“Are you sure? I don't want you to get in trouble and besides my husband…” But before Mai finished speaking Nobara interrupted her.
“Don't worry. I'll be fine. If you want I can call you at latter. Is that okay with you?” Nobara asked.
Mai bit her lips, but then smiled.
“Okay, if you want to talk to me send me a message after nine.” The green-haired woman answered.
Nobara just nodded as she headed inside her doctor's office. When Nobara's medical appointment was over Mai and her daughter had already left. Nobara sighed. It definitely felt good to meet up with an old friend.
At the night, just as she had agreed with Mai, Nobara waited until nine o’clock at night to send her a message.
“Hi. It´s Nobara. How was your doctor’s appointment? Was everything okay?” Nobara typed and hit the send button.
The WhatsApp message went unchecked for a long while. She felt weird texting her own phone number, especially considering that the person she was replying to was someone else she hadn’t spoken to in years. For a moment Nobara wondered if Mai had taken advantage of her generosity and stolen her phone. It didn’t make sense, Mai came from a rich family and was married to an equally rich man, it would be absurd for her to steal from her when she had enough money for a cell phone. Although sometimes Mai would show out a very mean side of herself, taking pleasure on saying or doing cruel and petty things to other people. Nobara kept remembering the beating Mai had given her the first time they met and the fact that the last time they went out with Maki and the Kyoto girls to a conveyor belt sushi place Mai refused to pay her share despite having ordered the most expensive dishes. It wouldn't be entirely unreasonable that she kept her phone without being interested in talking to her again. And the worst thing is that she couldn't even consider it a robbery, since she herself had given the phone to Mai by her own volition. Nobara frowned, it was ten o´clock with seventeen minutes and Mai still hadn't answered her, which made her feel pathetic. Nobara was about to call Megumi to tell him how evil his auntie had been with her, but before she could look up her ex-classmate's number she saw a notification on her phone: it was Mai.
“Hello! Sorry for taking so long. Momo woke up from a nightmare and her screams woke Midori up. So I had to spend almost an hour with the girls to calm them down. But I really had no problems with my doctor’s appointment. I’m healthier than ever. LMAO! What about you? Did I leave you too much time waiting?” Mai’s message said.
Nobara smiled at the notification, already feeling reassured that Mai hadn’t took advantage of her.
“It was my day off. So I took the opportunity to do laundry and watch Vikings. I didn’t really do much.” Was what Nobara replied.
“It’s okay. You deserve to rest after all those curses you’ve been fighting. Plus I imagine your modeling job has to be tiring too.” Mai replied.
“How do you know about my modeling job?” Nobara asked. Had she spied on her contacts? What if she had contacted her modeling agency and said something? Nobara’s mind was spinning from thinking about that.
“It was easy to guess silly, all your cell phone had glamorous photos of you and you always wanted to become some sort of model. It was not that hard to connect the dots.” Mai replied.
“So you didn’t spy on my contacts?”
“WTF? No. What kind of person do you think I am?”
“Oh! I’m sorry. I got paranoid, hahaha.”
“Don’t worry. I would never spy through your personal contacts. By the way, do you have any photos of your projects? I’m really curious to know what you’ve done.”
Nobara didn’t hesitate to send her the links to her modeling social networks, as well as the photos of the alternative fashion magazine project she had recently participated in.
Mai, for her part, sent a sticker of a blonde One Piece character with heart-shaped eyes.
“OMG! You look fabulous! If I were you, I would quit sorcery and become a full-time model!” Mai wrote.
“Being a model doesn’t pay too much unless you’re very famous, so I’ll leave my modeling career as a side hustle. Plus, I like saving lives as a sorceress.” Nobara wrote humbly.
“Anyway, you could try to participate in one of those Next Top Model reality shows or a beauty pageant and try your luck. I know you’d do really well.”
Nobara bit her lip. Technically, it wasn’t a bad suggestion, however, she felt that Mai had a very naive view of the modeling world. Participating in those contests wasn’t easy and winning them even less so, especially considering that most of the winners of those contests were over 170 centimeters tall and she was barely 163 centimeters tall, so her hopes of winning were almost zero.
“Maybe I’ll participate in one of those contests someday.” Nobara replied, ignoring her own pessimism.
“Tell me when you do! I’ll see you from home and give you all my support!”
“And how has your husband been?” The sorceress asked curiously, changing the subject.
Even though the message was left on read, Mai took several minutes to respond.
“He left a few days ago to attend a mission. Depending on how things turn out, he could return tomorrow in the morning or take another whole day.”
“I see. I imagine you and the girls miss him a lot.” Nobara replied.
Again the message was left on read for a long time, until Mai responded.
“Not really. He goes out very often, so we’re used to being by ourselves a lot. Besides, almost every time he’s at home he’s working and gets very grumpy LOL!”
Nobara blinked as she read that response. She imagined that Mai's relationship with her partner was similar to Satoru and Utahime's, a relationship full of petty and silly arguments, but deep down it was full of trust and mutual understanding. Surely Mai was the equivalent of Satoru and Utahime was her husband. Imagining Mai and her partner arguing like Gojo and Iori made Nobara laugh a little.
“Hey, I know it's been a while since we ran into each other again. But I'd like to go out together sometime like old times. There's a really good coffee shop near where I live and I think you would like it.” Nobara said.
“You don't know how complicated it is to go out with friends after getting married and having kids. LMAO!!!”
“It doesn't have to take much time. Just an hour or two is enough. If you want you can go with your daughters and your husband! I can even pay for them!” Nobara wrote, though immediately after sending that, she felt ridiculous for offering to pay for the dishes of family of millionaire sorcerers at a run off the mill coffee shop. Mai and her husband were probably the kind of people who ate Kobe steak and drank Champagne on a daily basis, so it was probably no big deal for them to eat egg salad sandwiches and caramel coffee frappuccinos.
Mai took a while before answering Nobara.
“Okay. I’ll see what day I can. I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll try,” the Zenin replied.
Nobara sent a sticker of a smiling kitten, to which Mai replied with a sticker of a big pink heart.
“Well, I think I have to go to sleep now that the girls are calm and my dumbass husband isn’t here bothering me. Have a nice night!” Mai wrote to say goodbye.
“You have a good night too. We’ll keep in touch.” Nobara replied, after which she sent her a sticker of a kitten in pajamas.
Despite knowing that tomorrow would be a tiresome day, the idea of eventually going out with her old friend was something that excited Nobara.
Chapter 2
Notes:
TW: Discussions of pregnancy and miscarriage, unhealthy relationships and some canon-typical sexism.
Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The morning after her reunion with Mai, Nobara woke up at seven and after a quick shower, decided to make herself some breakfast, choosing coffee and a toast with jam. While she waited for the bread to finish toasting, she checked her phone's notifications. It seemed she hadn't been assigned any missions yet, which was a relief. If she was lucky, she'd be more or less free that day and could have her fairy photo shoot without any problems. As usual, there were also several memes in the chat group she had with Yuuji, Megumi, and Jumpei, as well as a videos of funny kittens from Gojo, notifications from her modeling agency, and a message from Mei-Mei inviting her to be part of a business (which smelled to Nobara like some sort of pyramid scheme or something illegal). She began to answer each of the messages, until suddenly she received a notification from Mai. Apparently, she had sent her a photo. Nobara opened Mai’s message and was surprised to see a picture of a photo that looked like it was taken from a Printerest board of aesthetic food: a plate with a rice ball arranged in the shape of a bear with nori seaweed as its eyes and a couple of vegetables and tofu as flowers, next to another small bowl with what seemed to be miso soup.
“Momo’s breakfast! I’ll give her little sister carrot and apple puree.” Mai wrote.
“Wow! It looks really good. It looks like one of those pictures from recipe books.” Nobara replied after taking her bread out of the toaster.
“Thanks. Momo is very picky about food, so I try to make her dishes look pretty.”
“Seriously, it looks like a professional photo. You could become famous if you posted pictures of what you make.” Nobara typed.
“It’s not that big of a deal, it’s just a matter of focusing things well with the camera. Besides, my husband’s eldest sister makes much more elaborate food.” was Mai’s response.
“It’s still a pretty good picture.”
Mai sent a sticker of a smiling kitten and then replied:
“Hey, I'll write you later. I have to feed the girls and my husband is coming home in a couple hours, I have to make sure everything is in order before he arrives. Good luck with your work!”
“Bye! Have a nice day too!” Nobara concluded before putting her phone in her pants pocket and continuing with her breakfast.
That day went by normally for Nobara, arriving at her photo shoot at nine thirty, which went off without any issue. At the end of the shoot Nobara was about to go back home to eat something and change her clothes, but an urgent mission came up at a local elementary school, so she had to go destroy a first grade curse with her fairy makeup on. As usual the mission was a success, but almost immediately after that job she had to rush off to help some kids from Kyoto Jujutsu High School get rid of a second grade curse which was mistakenly classified as fourth grade. And so the day went by between missions and tasks, until she arrived home at two in the morning, completely exhausted. Before going to sleep she checked her cell phone and found a new message from Mai, which had apparently been sent at twelve thirty at night.
“I’m sorry to send you this message so late, but I’ve been very busy all day today. My husband just went to sleep, so I’m taking advantage of the opportunity to write to you while he’s not bothering me. I spent my time washing and mending the clothes he used on his mission and I had to prepare extra desserts in the afternoon because there was a meeting at my house with some high-ranking officials and my husband always wants to have sweets to accompany the guests’ tea. Those guys at the meeting almost ate all the sweets, those fuckers only left us a couple of pumpkin cookies. Those damn old greedy pigs LMAO!!! Anyway, don’t worry about not answering right away, I know you must be tired. I just want to say that I appreciate you allowing me to talk to you. Otherwise I would be going crazy here alone.” That was what Mai's message said, which also had a picture of what seemed to be the leftover cookies attached.
“Don't worry, I just got here. I had a photo shoot, three missions, and a lot of paperwork. I hope you're okay. And I'm sorry those bastards didn't leave you any dessert, I'm sure you cooked really well.” Was Nobara's response.
Nobara closed her eyes, but before she could fall asleep, she received another message from Mai.
“OMG! How was your photo shoot? Do you have the photos? Being a model really sounds great.”
“As soon as the photographer I worked with has them fully edited and posted, I'll send them to you. It was really an interesting shoot, the outfits I used for the project were gorgeous, and the makeup was lovely too. By the way, don't you have to sleep? It's two in the morning! WTF Mai?” Nobara replied.
“You're awake too LOL.”
“It's because I came back from an important mission. You have no excuse.”
“I actually woke up because Momo wanted to go to the bathroom, so I took her and then I couldn’t go back to sleep. That’s when I texted you. Plus my husband snores a lot. LMAO”
“Oh. It’s late anyway. I really want to sleep.”
“Ok. Do you mind if we continue talking tomorrow?” Mai asked.
“As long as I’m not chasing a curse and my modeling agency doesn’t have plans, I’m available.” Was Nobara’s response.
“Fine, I’ll keep bothering you tomorrow. Bye!” Mai replied.
Nobara for her part set the alarm on her phone and lay down on the bed, not bothering to put on her pajamas or clean off the glitter, dirt and blood from her face, completely exhausted from her hectic day.
And so, the days and weeks keep passing, but Mai's messages to Nobara continued. There wasn't a day when Nobara didn't receive or send a message to Mai, and although due to both of their busy schedules it could take them a while to respond, the conversation continued. Nobara talked to her about her missions and her modeling career, while Mai kept sending her photos of the food she made and the plants in her garden.
“Some guests from the Kamo Clan gave us this pot with a false peyote. My husband doesn't like desert plants, but I love them and everyone who sees it in our garden thinks it's very pretty. I hope he doesn't think of throwing it into the trash or forcing me to leave it without sun inside the house. It's the plant I like the most.” Mai said after sending her a photo of a small cactus with white flowers.
Nobara, for her part, sent her photos of her modeling sessions and some selfies of herself after her missions.
“Here are the photos taken of me to promote a handmade, eco-friendly clothing brand. I even met the designers of the brand!” Nobara wrote, attaching a picture of herself in a flower-print shirt dress.
They also began catching up on the events of each other’s lives. Nobara told Mai in great detail about every special grade curse she had faced, as well as the petty arguments she had with her grandmother and her disastrous love life, explaining to Mai how she dated another model she met at work, who turned out to be a childish and jealous woman who eventually left her for someone else, as well as the time Nobara tried to flirt for months with Megumi’s stepsister only to realize on one of their dates that Tsukimi was not only completely heterosexual, but that she also had a boyfriend.
“OMG! You are really such a loser Nobara, your romantic life sucks!” Mai wrote after reading about her friend’s romantic misadventures.
“Don’t even tell me. Every time my friend Fumi says she wants to be a lesbian so she doesn’t have to deal with men bullshit, I tell her that relationships with women also suck.” Nobara replied.
“At least you can have sex without worrying about changing diapers or breastfeeding nine months later. LMAO!!!” Mai affirmed.
“I can’t argue against that logic.” Nobara concluded.
Mai told her how her father had died on a mission a few months ago and that her mother now lived with her and her husband.
“Honestly, I never had a very good relationship with my father. He was always ashamed of Maki and me and treated us very cruelly. After I got married, we tried to make things right and thanks to my husband, he started treating me a bit better, but we were never close. I really don’t care about his death.” Was Mai’s response when Nobara offered her condolences.
Mai also told her that she had had two miscarriages after Momo was born but before Midori´s birth and that a few months ago she had required surgery to treat an ectopic pregnancy. The sorceress couldn't help but feel sorry for the losses she had suffered, feeling that her life had been a walk in an amusement park compared to that of what the Zenin woman had deal with.
“I'm so sorry you had to go through that.” Was the only thing Nobara could comment after reading all the losses and health complications Mai had gone through.
“It was very difficult. I spent my whole pregnancy with Midori feeling nervous and having nightmares and after that I got quite depressed when I got to the hospital and they told me there was nothing they could do for my baby and that I had to abort it. It really hurt me a lot. Also my husband wants to get me pregnant again, but I still feel a lot of pain about the loosing those pregnancies and I'm scared to try again.” Was what the Zenin replied.
“I imagined it must be difficult. You should tell your husband that you need time before trying again.” Nobara suggested.
“Everything about pregnancies and miscarriages is bullshit. But my idiot husband doesn’t get it and wants to try again. In fact, less than two hours ago, that stupid slob was fucking me raw.” Mai replied.
Something about Mai’s message made Nobara feel uncomfortable. Nobara usually didn’t mind being told about her friends’ relationship problems, whether it was Yuuji complaining that Yuko had eaten the last slice of his pizza, the silly misunderstandings between Kirara and Hakari, or even Utahime being mad because Gojo thought it was a good idea to dress their baby son as a dinosaur for their family photo or bringing her a Mexican-style serenade to her office as an anniversary present. However, this felt different. She didn’t know exactly what it was, but something told her that the way Mai’s partner was acting wasn’t healthy.
“You should tell him that you need your own space. I mean, a loss like that is a very delicate thing and takes time to get over. It would be best to wait until you’re 100% ready.” Nobara recommended.
“My husband was also very affected by the miscarriages. He really wanted to have another child and he was really upset when he found out the babies wouldn’t be born. I guess he has the right to want to try again.”
“But he’s not the one who has to deal with having a baby growing in his womb. It’s your body and if your husband loves you he should respect it and not pressure you into doing things you don’t want to.” Was what Nobara replied.
Several minutes passed with Nobara’s message left on read. The sorceress began to feel worried. Had she said something wrong? But, after almost fifteen minutes Mai finally replied.
She had sent a picture of a cake covered in whipped cream and strawberries.
“Tomorrow is Momo’s birthday, so I spent the whole day secretly baking this cake to surprise her.” Was what Mai wrote.
Nobara was taken aback by the sudden way she changed the subject.
“Oh, that sounds great! Don’t you want me to come to your house to celebrate Momo’s birthday together? I can bring desserts from the coffee shop I told you about and get Momo a nice gift! Near my house there is a gift shop with lots of cute stuffed animals.” Nobara wrote.
“The current leader of our clan doesn’t usually take kindly surprise visits to our property. Especially from women. LOL. But I still appreciate the good wishes.” Mai wrote, making Nobara remember again that she was talking to a member of the Zenin Clan.
Nobara bite her lips with frustration. Naobito had passed away from liver failure, to surprise of none one who knew him and his drinking habits, leaving in charge Naoya, who was his youngest child. And while both men were misogynistic stuck up traditionalists who endorsed an abusive system, she had to admit that at least Naobito was wise enough make some progressive decisions time to time and drop his pride where innocent lives were involved. His son however, had all the regressive and toxic mentality of Naobito without an ounce of his cleverness and desire for helping others. For what Maki and Mai had previously told her about Naoya, he was petulant cretin took pleasure on making uncomfortable anyone in his vicinity and the few interaction she had with him were rather unpleasant. The fact that Nobara was on a timeline where pricks like him could get such amount of power and privileges without any good reason was painfully absurd.
“Anyway, I’d like to see you again. We should go out to a restaurant together sometime.” Typed Nobara.
Again, there were several minutes without a response from Mai.
“Okay. But you pay.” Mai replied.
“Hey! You should pay for your own! You are rich after all!”
“You have money too, it’s impossible to be a First Grade Sorcerer and be poor.”
“So that means we’re going to see each other?” Nobara asked.
“Of course, silly.”
“Fine, as soon as I have a free day I’ll let you know.” Nobara wrote.
Mai sent a sticker of a happy kitten.
“Okay. I’ll be waiting for you. Have a nice night.” Mai wrote.
“Same.” Nobara replied, excited about the eventual date she would have with her one day.
Notes:
So yeah, I sort of resurected Jumpei and made him besties with Nobara, Yuuji and Megumi, cuz why not (I will always be salty about his death and everytime I get the chance to bring him back to life in fanfics I'll do it).
Kudos and reviews are love!
Chapter Text
Despite the promise of eventually going out together, every time Nobara told Mai she had a day off, she seemed busy. Whether it was cooking for her husband's guests, taking care of her daughters, or having to deal with household chores every time Nobara seemed free Mai was not. Curiously, Mai never told Nobara that she had a day off. A part of Nobara didn't feel strange about that. Having children was a full-time job and she assumed that being a mother in such a traditionalist family with such high expectations had to be even more so. Nobara still remembered how Gojo and Utahime began to arrive stressed and poorly slept to their missions because their baby son had had the brilliant idea of waking up in the middle of the night. Surely someone as young as Mai would have those problems and more.
But despite the passing of weeks and months without being able hang out together, Mai and Nobara continued to have their usual conversations. Mai sending photos of her plants and the food she made and Nobara showing her modeling work and discussing the missions she had. Recently, Nobara had returned to work alongside Yuuji and Megumi on a mission in Saitama, where they encountered a trio of hybrid beings between curse and human, who claimed to be Yuuji's "brothers." There were also reports that Yuki Tsukumo had found weird ancient sorcerer who had possessed the body of the person responsible for the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons and there were reports of some strange phenomena involving certain special grade curse with a high degree of intelligence and a cursed technique that allowed him to manipulate souls. And although everyone tried to act normally, it was obvious to Nobara that there was something very macabre brewing at a distance.
"I think I've heard about that special grade curse at my husband's meetings. Several members of our clan want to hunt him down and be the ones to exorcise that thing. But all the reports about that curse are confusing and most witnesses have very contradictory versions of the events. The most coherent report regarding that curse is from a sorcerer who claimed to have met him at a movie theater and spent several days living with that thing.” Mai wrote.
“You mean Yoshino Jumpei?” Asked Nobara.
“Yuuji’s nerdy friend who was addicted to Scary Movie? Don’t tell me he’s involved too!” Mai wrote.
“From what I understand that curse wanted to take advantage of him and manipulate him for its own ends. Fortunately Jumpei trusted Yuuji and was able to be saved from whatever that thing wanted to do to him.”
“WTF? That’s scary. I’m glad I’m not a professional sorcerer anymore. By the way, on a happier note what are you up to? I imagine you’re about to leave me to attend a mission or some modeling work.” Mai wrote.
“I just faced a special-grade curse and since I don’t have the brains to cook today I decided to stop by Lotteria!” Nobara wrote after sending her a photo of the bacon burger, fries, and melon soda float she was enjoying.
“OMG! I haven’t had a burger in almost four years! I envy you so much!” was Mai’s response.
“Can’t you order delivery?” Nobara asked.
“My family’s estate is in the middle of nowhere, so I find it difficult to order fast food delivery.”
“But you could cook homemade burgers yourself. You’re really good at cooking.” Nobara suggested.
“When I was pregnant with Momo my husband read in a health magazine that the vegan diet was good for preventing baldness and erectile dysfunction and since then he doesn’t allow any meat or animal products in the kitchen.”
“You could try making those soy burgers they sell at vegan restaurants.”
“Ew. No, that’s disgusting! I hate those shitty vegan substitutes, their texture is weird and they taste like a butt-hole. But my husband loves them and makes me make them for him almost every day. Just yesterday I had to make soy meatballs to go with the stir-fried vegetables for dinner.” Mai wrote, after which she sent a sticker of a cat with a disgusted face.
“I imagine you must be fed up.” Nobara replied, not knowing what else to say.
“You have no idea. I really hate my husband’s damn diet. I don’t care if he goes completely bald like Vin Diesel or his damn dick falls off, I just want to eat a damn cheeseburger with bacon. Is that too much to ask?” Mai wrote.
Nobara felt strange reading Mai speaking so disparagingly about her husband. However, if she had a partner who had spent years depriving her of eating whatever she wanted and making her cook things she disliked, she would also be angry.
“I promise that as soon as we go out together we will go to whatever restaurant you want and I will buy you the most delicious burger on the menu.”
“Awww! So you’re going to be my sugar mommy? How cute.” Mai wrote.
“The only “mommy” here is you.” Replied Nobara.
“But you’re the one paying. Therefore I would be your sugar baby and you would indulge all my whims. But don't worry mommy, I would also indulge your whims and pay you with my body.” Mai wrote.
Nobara blinked as she read Mai text. Was she flirting? Or was it just fooling around? Nobara wanted Mai to just be joking with her for the good of both. After all, it wasn't the first time someone mistook Mai's irreverent nature and jokes for an attempt at flirting. Megumi had been the most usual victim of these kind of antics, although she had also tried her tricks on Kamo Noritoshi and even the poor Kasumi Miwa. Besides, Mai was a married woman with children. It couldn't be that she was risking her marriage and the reputation of the Zenin Clan for an adventure with a classmate from the school her sister attended. However, Nobara would be lying to herself if she said Mai wasn't her type of woman. Rough, blunt and pragmatic, but undoubtedly feminine. And very attractive.
“Well, I think I have to go. Midori and Momo woke up from their nap and they must have a lot of energy. LMAO! Talk to you later, mommy!” Mai wrote, saying goodbye to Nobara.
“Okay. Good luck with the girls, baby!” Nobara wrote, but after sending it she felt embarrassed for having played along with Mai. What if now Mai thought she was flirting too? But before Nobara could delete the message Mai sent a sticker of a puppy and a kitten hugging each other along with a heart that said BFF. Best Friends Forever. Maybe Nobara was exaggerating and misinterpreting things. Mai just wanted to spend time with her as a friend, not as a romantic adventure.
Nobara continued her day as if nothing had happened, she finished her lunch, returned to her apartment, received a notification of a mission again and had to rush to save some poor unfortunate dude from a special grade curse, somehow she got out in one piece of that ordeal, reported the mission, returned to her apartment and started watching “The Princess Diaries” for the umpteenth time while eating instant vegetable soup. When the movie finished, Nobara was about to sleep, but when she was just putting on her pajamas, she could hear a notification from her cell phone. Nobara decided to check it, imagining it would be Mai with her nightly conversations, but to her surprise she didn’t receive any message from Mai, but from her twin sister Maki. That didn’t surprise Nobara much, because even though Maki and Yuta undertook that training and exploration trip abroad together, the exiled Zenin continued to insist on sending messages to her friends (which often arrived at inopportune times and took days to be answered due to the time zone differences). Maki usually took over the conversation and talked about the curses she had fought against abroad or the progress of her training with her boyfriend and their friend Miguel, showing pictures of the exotic place she was in. Nobara quickly opened Maki’s notification.
“Hey Nobara! How have you been doing?” Maki asked.
“Well, you know I’m still with my modeling side hustle and working as sorcerer. And you?”
“We were investigating a strange case involving a special grade curse near Lake Turkana. By the way, I recently got a message from my sister. You’ve been talking to her, right?”
“Yeah. I’ve been talking to her for a while. Is something wrong?” Nobara asked.
“Is everything okay with her?” Maki typed without answering Nobara's original question.
“I think so. She always writes to me about your nieces and what she does at her home. She’s been sending me lots of pictures of the things she cooks and the plants of her garden.”
A couple of minutes passed before Maki replied to Nobara.
“I’ll be honest with you. Mai’s husband disgust me and I think there’s something fishy going on with their marriage. But Mai is very stubborn and doesn’t want to talk about it. And since we had a few arguments before I left, she doesn’t trust me. Also, the fact that didn’t sent me a message for almost four years gives me very bad vibes.”
“I don’t really like that guy either. He seems controlling and weird.” Nobara admitted. A part of her felt guilty for judging a man she didn’t know but almost every time Mai talked about him it was in a complaining tone, almost the same way Nanami used to complain about his toxic boss during his salaryman days or the way in which Jumpei talked about the guys who bullied him and the incompetent high school teachers who enabled them. Something seemed off to Nobara but she couldn’t pinpoint what.
“Mai tells me he treats her well but I have my doubts. Most of the men in my clan treat women like trash. The most decent one is Ranta but he is still a spineless bootlicker to the rest of the rancid old guys in the clan and he’s really dumb. I’m afraid something bad will happen to my sister and I won’t be able to protect her.” Mai wrote.
“Don’t worry. I don’t think anything bad will happen. And if something gets out of hand Mai can count on me.” Nobara said, praying that there wouldn't be a point where things would get out of hand and she would have to act as Mai's savior.
“Please. Take care of her while I'm still overseas. I want to one day be able to return and make the Zenin Clan a place where Mai can live in peace and belong, but I'm not powerful enough to do that yet.” Maki wrote.
Despite it being a simple digital message, Nobara could feel the Zenin's helplessness.
“Don't worry, I'll take care of her.” Nobara replied, after which she sent her a sticker of a little heart.
“Well, I have to go. I'll talk to you as soon as I can.” Maki concluded.
Nobara was about to set the alarm on her cell phone and forget about everything, when suddenly she received a notification from Mai.
With some annoyance and tiredness, Nobara opened the notification. The sorceress's eyes widened as she saw the photo of a positive pregnancy test.
“I'm pregnant.” Mai wrote.
Nobara congratulated her. However, part of Nobara felt that the positive test had nothing positive for Mai in it. Something was definitely wrong with Mai Zenin and the worst thing was that she didn't dare to tell Nobara about it herself.
Notes:
Happy start of the week and the spring! (≧∇≦)
Comments and kudos are love!
Chapter Text
The weeks that passed after the news about Mai's pregnancy were slightly surreal. Nobara and she continued talking about the usual, with the subtle difference that now Mai also spent hours talking about her unborn baby.
“My husband accompanied me to my first pregnancy consultation. He didn't leave my side for a minute and kept bombarding the doctor with weird questions. It almost seems like he's the one giving birth! LMAO! And when the consultation was over instead of going straight home he took me to the Botanical Garden and then we had dinner at a new restaurant with a wonderful view of the Kamo River.” Mai wrote.
“Aw, it's nice that he cares so much and pampers you!” Nobara answered, ignoring the bad feeling that both Maki and she had about the aforementioned husband. Maybe she and Maki had exaggerated about Mai's husband, maybe deep down he wasn't a bad man.
“That's how he was the first weeks with Momo and Midori. But as soon as he found out they were going to be girls, his romanticism died and went back to being his grumpy old self. That's not counting all the drama he created when I lost my pregnancies. He became insufferable. He really wants a mini me to train to be a manly man and follow in his footsteps. LOL”
Nobara sighed uncomfortably after reading that. The fact that Mai told her something so unpleasant about her family life so casually that it seemed like a joke made her feel very sad. Maybe Maki and she were right to think badly of Mai's husband. Maybe all the Zenin men were that bad.
“I don't understand why you're surprised, the Zenin live as if they were trapped in the feudal era and since I can remember they have always treated their women as cattle.” Her grandmother said to Nobara after she had told her the gossip about Mai during one of her visits to her house.
“It's still unfair, grandma. The fact that some ugly man mistreats his own wife for the sex of his future children is something horrible.” Nobara answered.
“At least that jerk doesn't beat her. I remember that when I was your age the leader of the clan broke his first wife's skull for having correspondence with friends who were not sorcerers.” The grandma said with a look of resignation and bitterness.
“It's still a terrible thing. I wish I could help my friend.” Mai said full of frustration.
Nobara's grandmother sighed as she got up from her rocking chair to go to the candy box on her nightstand and take out a couple of caramel-filled chocolates, offering one to her granddaughter. Nobara took it, suddenly feeling like she was a little girl again telling her grandmother about her school misadventures.
“The only thing we can do is be thankful we weren't born into that cult.” The grandma stated as Nobara put the chocolate in her mouth.
Her grandmother was right, there wasn't much to do. It wasn’t like Nobara could just go to the Zenin residence and ask them to treat Mai well and not be sexist. All she could do for Mai was be her friend and give her someone to talk.
And so the weeks went by, with Nobara and Mai keeping in touch despite the distance and their obligations. Nobara texting about her missions and photos of her modeling career and Mai showing off the plants in her garden and the food she prepared for her family.
It was one of the first spring night that Nobara received a notification from Mai that made her heart race.
“Hey, I’m going to the doctor’s tomorrow without my husband at 10am, so I thought it would be a good idea to meet there and grab something to eat after my doctor’s appointment. It will be at Kyoto University Hospital. Does that sound like a good idea?” Mai wrote.
It had been a while since Nobara last tried to convince her to go out with her that she had stopped texting her about her supposed friends’ hang out. In a way, Nobara had convinced herself that she and Mai would never be able to see each other, but seeing that Mai wanted them to go out together excited her so much that she didn't hesitate to send a message to her agency and cancel the photo shoot the next day.
“Of course, what time and where do I see you?” Nobara wrote.
“Find me on the gynecology floor like last time. Most likely my appointment will end at 11:30. I think there's a restaurant near the hospital.” Was Mai's response.
And so the next day Nobara saw Mai in the gynecology area, just as they had agreed, going together to the restaurant closest to the hospital. The establishment in question was a McDonald's that had just opened a few months ago and although it wasn't the favorite restaurant chain of either of them, Nobara didn't think it was a bad idea to eat there, especially because that way she could pamper Mai by buying her the hamburger she had promised. What Nobara didn't take into account was that once at the restaurant Mai ended up ordering not only a Big Mac, but also chicken nuggets, large fries, a milkshake and two pastries (one filed with chocolate sauce and another with apple jam). Under any other circumstances Nobara would have been angry that her generosity was taken advantage of, but for some reason she wasn't too bothered that the Zenin made her pay for everything in order to have a good time together, although she had to admit that she felt slightly intimidated when she saw how as soon as her order arrived the green-haired woman began to eat non-stop, masterfully demolishing that monumental amount of junk food.
“Damn, Mai! Are you sure it's healthy to eat like that when you're pregnant?” Nobara asked.
The sorceress knew that the Zenin twins were quite foodies, but even so, the quick and elegant way in which she had inhaled her lunch had greatly shocked her. Mai, for her part, bit into her last piece of hamburger and took a sip of milkshake before answering her friend.
“I didn’t eat breakfast and only had half a bowl of veggie broth with mushrooms for dinner. So I can afford to be a little careless. Besides, my doctor thinks my baby boy is healthy for now and I’ve been feeling very well recently.”
“Baby boy?” Nobara asked.
“Oh, yes. They just revealed the sex of my baby at this appointment. My husband really wanted to go with me to this appointment, but he had to travel to Nagoya for an emergency. My doctor sent him an email notifying him of everything, but I don't know if he read it already. I'm really happy today and I'm sure that as soon as he finds out that I'm having a boy, he'll feel pretty good too.” Mai said, smiling from ear to ear.
“Congratulations Mai! Those are very good news.” Nobara said smiling.
“I know. Honestly the whole thing of knowing the baby's sex had me very nervous. My husband really wanted a boy from the first time and I was worried that if it was a girl, he would throw a tantrum again. Or that he would want to try again immediately after I gave birth. Although most likely after he is born I will eventually have another child again. I mean, my husband is the youngest of nine and refuses to use a condom, so I'm pretty sure he wants to follow in his parents' footsteps. But at least now that we have a baby boy he won’t be so impatient with me anymore and it would give me some time to prepare for the next ones.” Mai said.
Nobara bit into her chicken burger feeling slightly disturbed by what Mai had just said. Despite the multiple conversations she had had with the Zenin, Nobara was still not used to the casual way Mai mentioned her clan's misogyny. A part of Nobara was still unsure if Mai had some kind of choice over her motherhood and her own body or if she was simply following her husband's wishes. Nobara really wanted to think that Mai and her husband were on the same page, but something told her that maybe she was just obeying orders.
“Hey, are you okay? You suddenly became very quiet.” Mai asked seeing the way Nobara had rolled her eyes.
“Of course I'm fine! My mind just strayed a little. But I'm fine.” Nobara answered.
“I'm glad, it would be a shame if my sugar mommy had an anxiety attack in the middle of our date.” Mai said in a slightly seductive tone.
“If I were your mommy I would have already aborted you.” Nobara growled rudely.
God. Nobara hated the flirtatious way she was talking to her. It made her feel like she was on another one of her failed romantic dates that ended in nothing. The way she spoke to her was so charming and sensual, that if it weren't for the fact that she was married, she wouldn't hesitate to make Mai hers. Not to mention how pretty she looked that day, wearing an elegant sapphire-colored kimono and a black choker, as well as a discreet pink blush and a glittery eye shadow with white sparkles. She looked so pretty, that Nobara was angry just looking at her.
“Ouch! Abusing your sugar baby while she is pregnant, how evil you are.” Mai said, as she stole a French fry from Nobara.
“The only abuser is you who steals my fries and forces me to spend the money I earn with the sweat of my brow in indulging your pregnancy cravings.” Nobara answered with annoyance.
“Awww… you look so cute when you get angry. By the way, I just talked to Kasumi. Apparently she and Mechamaru are dating.” Mai commented.
“I think I've heard about that. Good for them, I guess. Although I'm still amazed that a robot has a better romantic life than me.” Nobara said.
“Well, technically there's a man controlling the robot and that man is who Miwa is dating.”
“Everyone from Kyoto Tech was really weird. Very weird. You were the most normal from all of them.” Nobara said.
“That’s rich coming from someone who had as classmates a talking panda, a crazy guy obsessed with onigiri ingredients and a brat with a weapon of mass destruction sealed inside him. But I'm flattered to know that I was the “normal” one in my class. Just out of curiosity, who was the weirdest one in my school?” Mai asked.
“It's hard to choose. It really is. Kamo was too formal and weird, but he was the heir of his clan so at least he had an excuse to be like that and Mechamaru, although is a robot, acts very normal in public places. I think the weirdest one was Aoi. Especially when he talked about girls or fantasized about his idols.” Nobara answered.
“I'm not surprised. He really was a weird dude. Still, he was my best friend and not a day goes by without me missing him.” Mai said with nostalgia.
Nobara nodded. Dying young was not unusual in his profession. The unusual thing was to retire when you were old and wrinkly, like Nobara's grandmother who keep a low profile in the country side or Gakugaji who had just recently moved out to a nursing home after retiring of his position as principal of the Kyoto Jujutsu Tech leaving Iori Utahime in charge. And although they were trying to take preventive measures against that type of premature death and training the new generations stronger and better, the truth is that not everyone could be saved.
“He died sacrificing himself to save some children from a special grade curse. What he did was very selfless.” Nobara affirmed.
“Too selfless. It's sad that the first sorcerers to die are the kindest. It was very sad what happened to Aoi.” The smile that Mai had shown during almost their entire date began to fade when talking about it.
“It was also sad what happened to Momo.” Nobara said referring to the death of Momo Nishimiya.
Momo had also died in action shortly after Aoi's death, while Nobara was on a mission in a forested region of Hokkaido, so she could not attend Momo's funeral, but as soon as she found out about her death, she felt very sad. It was not as if she considered her a close friend or anything, but she still held affection and respect for her and it hurt her that someone so young and kind had had such a tragic fate. Nobara looked at Mai and noticed her downcast gaze. Surely Momo's death had hurt her more, especially because of how close they had been as students and how good friends they were. In fact, the two of them had been so close that right after Mai graduated, Momo invited her to live with her in her apartment and they had been living together until the latter's death.
“Momo, my dear Momo…” Mai said in a low, shaky voice.
“I imagine it was very hard. I mean, she was your best friend…” Nobara tried to sound compassionate, but she didn't know what to say.
Even though Nobara could see that Mai was trying hard to stay calm, she could soon see how she began to tremble and shed tears.
“I… I was on the mission where Momo was killed. The poor girl died practically in front my eyes. I couldn't save her. My Momo, my sweet and beautiful Momo. You deserved someone stronger to protect you. You didn't deserve to suffer like that. You were such a kind person…” Mai's voice broke as she spoke.
Nobara sweated coldly seeing Mai like that. She never thought that the mere mention of her name could have revived such horrible memories for Mai. Stupidly, Nobara had completely forgotten the fact that Mai had also participated in the horrific mission in which Momo had died. Mai had even been injured and hospitalized for a while by what she had been told. She had been careless to have mentioned anything about that!
“I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.” Nobara whispered, approaching Mai.
Mai couldn't help but let out a muffled shriek as she felt Nobara touch her shoulder.
“Momo was the older sister I never had. She was my best friend, the only one who understood me. I was never able to get better or return to sorcery after what happened to Momo…”
“I understand. It must have been horrible.” Nobara whispered.
“When my first daughter was born, I begged my husband to please name her Momo. He agreed because it was also the name of his favorite auntie. But I actually named her Momo so I would have someone to remember her. Someone who would carry even a little bit of her legacy. I know it' sounds weird but there are times when my daughter reminds me a lot of Momo because of how sweet and loving she is. Sometimes I like to think that my Momo is some kind of reincarnation of Nishimiya.” Despite the tears and sadness that invaded her, Mai made an effort to smile, something that broke Nobara's heart “In fact, I have some photos of my daughter Momo, here in my bag, let me take them out, I'm sure you'll love them.” The Zenin lady continued saying while taking a small photo album out of her handbag. Her eyes were still watery and her makeup had started to run, but she still made an effort to move her mind from that dark place where the memory of Nishimiya's death had put her.
The young mother opened the album halfway, showing a photo of a newborn baby wrapped in a white sheet. Although the quality of the photo paper made it clear that it was a photo taken from an instant camera, the light and image quality seemed almost as if it were a studio photo.
“It's the first photo I took of her after she was born.” Mai said, her voice still a little teary.
“She looks very cute.” The sorceress commented.
“Do you want to see the others? There are many, I mean, I really love taking photos, but I understand if I bore you a little...” But before she finished saying the whole sentence, Nobara interrupted her.
“Of course! I really want to see more of her.” Nobara answered, thinking that maybe talking a little about another subject would calm Mai down faster.
Little by little Mai would begin to show all the photographs of Momo, the first time she went out to the Zenin estate garden, her Okuizome ceremony, her first birthday. And she did the same with Midori, showing in great detail every single thing the youngest member of her family had done, as well as photographs of both of her girls together and even the family cat (a small orange ball of fur they had nicknamed Mikan). There was also a photograph of Mai holding Midori while Momo hugged her, which caught Nobara's attention due to its dubious quality.
“That photograph was taken by a cousin of mine on my birthday, that's why it looks so ugly.” Mai clarified.
“It's not that bad.” Nobara lied, trying to look polite.
“It looks out of focus and shaky. Plus, the idiot photographed me just when I was closing my eyes and Momo still had cake stains on her face.” Mai said.
She also showed photos of her garden and her cacti collection, as well as a couple of photos of temples and ancient buildings she had taken on her honeymoon. She also showed some older photos, many of them from her last year of school and her first years after graduation, with Momo almost always appearing in them.
“This was the last photo we took together. We had gone out to celebrate Christmas in an amusment.” Mai said, pointing to a selfie of Momo and her hugging each other with Christmas hats on near of what seemed to be a Merry-Go-Round. They both looked happy and smiling, looking almost like a couple.
And so she continued showing more and more photos, explaining absolutely all the context behind them. The only thing that seemed strange to Nobara was not seeing any photos of Mai's mysterious husband. Nobara deduced that maybe that guy was camera shy, just like Jumpei or Utahime, who due theirs scars, usually hated photos and unless it was a very important event, they refused to show their face to the cameras. Although she had to admit that the absence of that man was still seemed strange.
“Well, I really had a great time with you. Sorry you saw me suffer a mental breakdown, this really doesn't happen to me that often.” Mai said as she put her album in her bag.
“Don't worry, it's understandable that one collapses from time to time when you go through those things. I would also collapse like that if something happened to Yuuji, Megumi or any of my friends.” Nobara answered.
“I better go to the hospital entrance where my family's driver was supposed to pick me up. And if by chance someone asks, you never saw me here and if you saw me, you only saw me ordering a decaf latte without sugar.”
“Okay. No one will know you were here.” Nobara affirmed.
“You're a really good girl, I appreciate it!”
“Hey Mai, I don't know if it's a good idea, but I'd like to ask you a favor.” Nobara asked.
“What?”
“Take a selfie of us with my cell phone!” Nobara begged.
“Didn't I told you I didn't want anyone to find out about this?” Mai grumbled.
“It's just because I really like your photos and I want to remember this. I won't post it anywhere. I swear.” Nobara promised.
Mai rolled her eyes in annoyance, but finally agreed.
“Okay. Just let me touch up my makeup again and I'll do it.”
Nobara smiled as Mai fixed her makeup, then they both took the selfie, which (after several movements and adjustments made by Mai to find themselves in the best angle) turned out perfect.
“We look beautiful. You could really start working as a model too, plus you have the advantage of being kinda tall, which helps a lot.” Nobara commented while admiring the photo.
Mai just smiled at Nobara's suggestion.
“I doubt fat that models are very successful.”
“You're not fat, you are just pregnant. Even if you really were really fat, there are some very successful plus size models. Have you heard of Ashley Graham?”
“Ugh, my husband always says me that I look pudgey since I never lost the extra weight of my pregnancies and since I got married I forgot everything I knew about celebrities. Anyway, it's nice that you like chubby babies, mommy Nobara.”
“If you call me mommy again…”
“Relax, I'm just messing around. I still thank you for everything today. I hope I can see you again soon.” Mai said, as she headed out of the restaurant.
“I also thank you for coming. I hope one day I can meet Momo in person.”
“Of course you will. Take care of yourself Nobara, I need you to stay alive to indulge my whims.” Mai said jokingly.
Nobara was about to complain and tell her that she was not her personal benefactor or an ATM, but by the time she tried to do so Mai had already left.
When Nobara finally returned to her home she smiled at the beautiful selfie of Mai and her. It had definitely been a good day.
Notes:
I hope that you have liked the McDonald's date of Mai and Nobara. I actually don't like McDonald's food too much but I got sort of inspired by a McDonald's x JJK colab, so I made them go to have lunch there just for fun!
Wishing the best for all the lovely souls reading this!
⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Chapter 5
Notes:
The only warning is more mentions of toxic relatioship dynamics and canon typical gore and violence. Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The days after Mai and Nobara's date near the hospital passed normally. Nobara continued talking about her missions and her modeling work, while Mai showed her the food she prepared, her plants and told her about her pregnancy.
“When my husband returned from his trip he was super delighted with our boy. I immediately went to bring him his tea at his office, he congratulated me with a bouquet of peonies and a Chanel perfume and then he started making love to me right there.” Mai wrote.
“Sounds very hot and romantic." Nobara commented.
Part of Nobara was envious that Mai told her that she was having a stable relationship and a partner who spoiled her no matter how rancid and conservative his mentality was. Nobara was a hopeless romantic and seeing that her friends' relationships were more successful than hers, while it made her feel happy, on the other hand it rubbed in her face that she was unlucky in love. She hated that a jerk from the Zenin family was married to a woman as beautiful as Mai, while she was still single or involved in situationships that led to nothing.
“It didn’t really feel romantic at all. It was very weird and I was very embarrassed to do it in such a public place. Any of his subordinates could have walked in at that moment and seen me completely naked on all fours. I also felt very nauseous. It was very humiliating and I got quite nervous.”
“Oh. I understand. I mean, my ex and I once did it in the back seats of the cinema. It was fun, but it also made me quite uncomfortable.”
“OMG! Really? What a freak, hahaha. I never thought you were into doing stuff like that.”
"The movie we were watching was very boring and there was no one else in the room. So we took advantage of it for a quickie.” Nobara justified herself.
“You’re a crazy girl. And speaking of my husband, I have to go take care of him. I just heard him come home from his training and I’m sure he wants something to eat. Or sex. I’ll write to you later. Bye!”
Nobara wrote her goodbye and put her phone away. She definitely didn't like knowing that Mai was having sex with that man. She felt disgust. Hate even. She felt... jealousy? No, Nobara couldn't feel jealous. Mai was her friend and she was married, things couldn't evolve beyond that. And even if they could, the two of them had never been anything, so she couldn't be jealous. However, that didn't stop Nobara from starting to have feelings for Mai.
Every time they talked Nobara wanted their conversations to last forever, every time she saw a photo of her dishes she got excited as if Mai had cooked them for her, every time she saw her plants she wanted to be in her garden with her and every time she mentioned her stupid husband she wanted to be the one sharing the bed with her. She felt pathetic, even worse than when she tried to flirt with Tsukimi. Because at least when he flirted with Tsukimi there was a brief period of time in which she had let herself be fooled and thought without a hint of irony that she had a chance with her. On the other hand, with Mai from the beginning she knew that she was a married woman with children, the chances of something arising between them were zero. At least of course she ran away from her stupid husband, something unrealistic given the taboo that ending a marriage represented for a clan as traditional as the Zenin. Or that her husband died in battle. Nobara's skin froze at the thought of that. Was she really wishing death on an innocent man just because he was with the woman she desired? It really was a horrible thought, Mai would surely hate her forever if she knew that she wanted the father of her children to die tragically. But as much as Nobara tried to remove that sadistic thought from her mind, it kept hammering inside her head. Besides, it wasn't like she really wanted the man to die or Mai's family to suffer, she just wanted to be with her in peace. Nobara hated to admit it, but at that moment Mai Zenin had become one of the main protagonists of her romantic and erotic fantasies.
And so the weeks went by. More missions, more conversations with Mai, many modeling projects here and there, some meetings with her friends there, a few visits to her grandmother. Life went on and Nobara had nothing else to do but endure it.
"Very well Miss Kusgisaki, I really like your expression and you have done a wonderful job, if you want you can take a little break while I work with Miss Ishida." Said the photographer while Nobara stood up from the chair where they had taken the photos.
The photographer of that session was the same old lady from the fairy-themed project. Apparently she had liked the work that Nobara had done in that session so much that she did not hesitate to call her again for another artistic project, in which, fortunately, she had not asked her to dye her hair an extravagant color again, being able to keep the chocolate brown locks that she had gotten in the salon the previous week. That said, once again her makeup artist had smeared her face with glitter and tacky makeup which made her look like she was a contestant from Ru Paul Drag Race, not counting the impractical acrylic nails they had put on her and the uncomfortable ballet dancer tutu she was wearing. All with a floral princess theme. Without thinking much, Nobara went to the locker in the studio where she had kept her bag and took out a protein bar to snack and her phone.
She began to read the notifications, seeing a message from Gojo again, who was excitedly bragging about how his son had just said his first word, as well as a photo that Saori had sent her from her vacation on the coast of Okinawa. Mai had also sent her a new aesthetic photograph in which she showed off some cookies decorated with sakura flowers.
“They were made with vanilla, powdered sugar and white chocolate. I decided to use some cherry blossoms to decorate them before the season ends. I really appreciate that my husband has traveled away to attend a mission so I will have more for myself.” Mai commented.
Nobara smiled when she saw them. As always, the food that Mai showed in her photos looked delicious, but before Nobara could comment on it, she received a sudden call.
Nobara checked it. The call was from Toshiro Zenin, one of the second year students at Kyoto Tech. Although Nobara was not a teacher at that institution, she had helped them with some missions in the past and knew the students very well. Toshiro, along with his first-year brother Takeshi, had been the new promise of the Zenin clan for the next generation of sorcerers. As far as he knew, both boys belonged to the "poor" branch of the Zenin. Their father had been a lackluster member of the Kukuru Unit who had recently passed away while their mother and older sisters worked as housemaids for the wealthier branch of the Clan, but, despite not having direct relatives with powerful techniques, Takeshi had born with a cursed technique that allowed him to convert the calories he had stored in his body into pure heat, allowing him to throw flames at his opponents, while Toshiro had an ability with which he redirected the damage of any wound of his own or someone else, to another object or person. Both of those abilities were powerful enough to gain a recommendation to be a semi-first grade sorcerer and it was even rumored that if they reached the first grade after graduating, either of them could become the leader of the Hei Unit. Both boys were inseparable and constantly worried about each other's well-being, with Toshiro constantly giving Takeshi personal advice to get good grades and the latter trying to cover Toshiro’s back every time his stubborn nature got him into trouble.
Nobara was very surprised that Toshiro had called her on the phone. She was not his teacher, nor had she been open enough with the students to merit them calling her without reason. It must have been something urgent.
"Hello Toshiro. Is everything okay?" Nobara asked.
"We found him… I was returning from a mission with my brother and we found him…" Toshiro whispered. His voice sounded shaky and fragile.
"Who?" Nobara asked worriedly.
"That Special Grade curse everyone is talking about. That thing..." he was silent for a few moments, then continued speaking.
"That thing… Takeshi and I were returning to school together with some tourists that we had saved near the Museum of Modern Art. We were going to accompany them to the hospital to treat some minor wounds, but then the curse…"
He paused himself again.
"He attacked the tourists and transformed them into something horrible… my brother tried to help them but then, the curse... " Toshiro seemed unable to finish the sentence. It seemed like he was crying.
Nobara was quick to connect the dots. The curse had transfigured the souls of both the tourists and Takeshi.
"I… tried to return them to normal with my technique, but I couldn't." The boy did an effort to not cry and continued.
"They are suffering a lot, but every time I get close they try to hurt me. I hid from them and the curse, but they keep looking for me… I need help miss Kusgisaki, please, I need help. I already tried to talk to Mecchamaru sensei, to Principal Iori Utahime, and even to the Captain of Hei Unit and other Zenin clan members, but they don't answer. I know it's your day off and I shouldn't ask you for favors, but there's no one to help me. Please miss Kusgisaki, you're the only one I have left…"
Nobara felt a lump in her throat as she heard how a boy usually as cheerful and confident as Toshiro had been reduced to that.
"Hold on, I'm on my way. Send me your location and I'll be there." Nobara said, grabbing her bag and automatically replacing her refined floral tutu with her usual comfortable combat clothes.
"I'm in one of the museum's collection warehouses. Please... help me. Save my little brother, I don't want him to get hurt." Toshiro said.
"The curse you're fighting is very strong Toshiro. Try to get away from there and stay hidden. Don't let it hurt you or any more civilians and don't turn off your phone or hang up on me until you see me arrive." Nobara said without hanging up her phone, activating her headphones so she could listen to any updates Toshiro had.
Nobara didn't even formally say goodbye to the photographer, she simply left the studio straight to her car and stepped on the accelerator, going straight to the museum where the Zenin teen was. From her headphones the sorceress listened carefully to Toshiro, to detect any anomaly that could give clues about what was happening in his surroundings. The student did not speak, but Nobara could hear his breathing, as well as the incomprehensible moans and grunts emitted by the transfigured humans. Nobara already counted Takeshi and the tourists as dead. From what Jumpei had told her once when Mahito transfigured someone and turned them into a monster, there was not much they could do to save that person. The only thing they could do was give them a quick and painless death. Possibly Toshiro also knew that, but the psychological impact of having to kill innocent people as well as a member of his own family was preventing him from defending himself properly. When Nobara got there, it was most likely that she would have to kill them, no matter how traumatizing it would be for Toshiro. Nobara could not understand how someone could be so cruel as to force two brothers to kill each other. Even for a curse it seemed like a new low. She quickly parked her car and ran with hammer in hand straight to the warehouse. Even though the museum was closed because it was Monday, Nobara didn't find any security personnel nor obstacles that would hinder her entry, which gave her a very bad feeling. Surely the curse had already killed or transfigured the whole museum staff. Her hypothesis was proven right the moment where she arrived to the entrance of museum finding only corpses and transfigured humans moving without any aim. Rapidly Nobara started to throw nails at them and hitting them with her hammer, swiftly annihilating those unfortunate individuals.
Nobara walked through the halls looking for the special grade curse without success, she definitely had to get rid of him before he found Toshiro and killed more people. She ran to the museum's warehouses killing off more transfigured humans, desperately looking for that horrid special grade curse. And there, among several boxes and containers, she could see another transfigured human, moving slowly towards a big wooden box. That poor victim of transfiguration moved erratically on all four limbs while hammering with his enormous skull against the box, as if he wanted to break it. He looked weak and confused. Noabara was able to quickly identify him as Takeshi when she saw how his eyebrows still had those black metal piercings characteristic of the young Zenin. It hurt her to see him like that, but she knew that there was nothing she could do to return him to his natural state. She ran towards him with nails and hammer, but before she managed to land a hit on Takeshi, she heard a scream.
"Please, Miss Kusgisaki! Don't kill my little brother!" Toshiro pleaded desperately coming out of the wooden box where he was hiding.
Noabara cursed silently. Toshiro was supposed to hide until she finished off the transfigured humans and the curse. Now the poor boy was exposing himself to being hurt. Takeshi let out a muffled growl as he ran towards Toshiro. Noabara tried to get between Toshiro and Takeshi to kill the latter but Toshiro pushed her back and proceeded to hold Takeshi in a strong hug immobilizing him. The poor transfigured boy only moved confused, trying to get away from his brother's embrace while emitting incomprehensible moans.
"See little brother? Help has arrived! You will soon return to normal and we will go home. We'll see our friends from school again and go to that arcade you like so much, soon we'll see mom and our sisters again. It'll be okay..." Toshiro's voice trembled as he made all those promises.
Noabara wanted to cry seeing him like that. No, Takeshi couldn't be cured, Shoko had already tried her technique on other victims and there hadn't been much result. Noabara had to kill him if he wanted to save Toshiro and free Takeshi from his pain, however before she could attack him, an ominous figure appeared in front of the Zenin brothers.
He had pale skin, long sky colored hair and a delicate face which was framed by thick scars that gave the impression that his skin were pieces of fabric patched together. Despite looking like a man, Nobara recognized him for what he really was.
"Oh! You brought a friend Toshiro kun? How fun, I can't wait to play with her too! What's your name, little friend?" The curse asked, smiling at Nobara.
The sorceress didn't answer and tried to run towards the curse to hit him with her nail, but before she could land a blow, the curse headed towards Toshiro and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. Almost as soon as the curse's hand landed on Toshiro, his abdomen swelled in a rather unnatural and painful way, creating a series of bizarre tumors and malformations which instantly brusted. Takeshi let out a heartbreaking grunt as he saw his older brother lying on the ground, screaming as he bled, as if he somehow the transfigured teen understood the horror Toshiro was going through. However, given his state of transfiguration and confusion, Takeshi headed towards Nobara, trying to attack her. Noabara didn't hesitate to finish off Takeshi with her hammer, while the special category curse escaped.
"It was a lot of fun playing with you, although I must admit that you were very rude not to tell me your name. Mine is Mahito! Nice to meet you!" The curse exclaimed as he ran away from the warehouse.
Nobara was about to go after Mahito, but stopped when she saw Toshiro's poor state. The boy was crying in pain and could barely move. He needed first aid and to be taken to a hospital as soon as possible. Nobara took off her jacket, using it to cover Toshiro's wounds as a bandage, after which she proceeded to call the emergency services and reinforcements while she ran trying to find Mahito in the museum. However, the sorceress did not find any trace of the curse. With much helplessness and without much to do, Nobara returned to Toshiro who was still bloodied on the floor, crying inconsolably.
"Forgive me Takeshi, I couldn't save you. Forgive me little brother, I love you very much, you will always be my best friend, I'm so sorry I failed you..." Toshiro whispered, still staring at his brother's deformed corpse.
Nobara only knelt before the young Zenin and held his hand compassionately.
"You did what you could Toshiro, you're a very brave young man..." Nobara said in a low voice, trying to console him, while mentally swearing that one day she would take revenge on Mahito and make him pay for his evil deeds.
Notes:
So, I finally introduced my dumbass evil baby to the story. Sorry for being a Mahito fan, in his defense he was literally a neurodivergent and a minor when he killed those persons (just joking, he was a piece of shit and he is going to get what he deserves, muahaha). Pay close atenttion to Mahito here, he will be important in the plot latter.
Kudos and comments appreciated!
Chapter 6
Notes:
I didn't know if I wanted to post this today, but after a while pondering, I said "Why not?" so I post it! Also there is a TW for mentions of child abuse. Again, it is nothing expicit but better safe than sorry!
Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Nobara looked out the window of her apartment. It was past midnight and she had recently finished writing her report regarding that special grade curse (which called himself Mahito), after which Nobara had made herself a hot tea in a futile effort to forget the disastrous rescue attempt of the Zenin brothers. Toshiro died in the ambulance before she could get to Shoko or some expert to be treated since Mahito had disfigured the organs of his abdomen and chest beyond repair. Nobara sighed. Despite her years of experience as a sorceress, she would never get used to seeing young people killed in battle. No matter how hard Utahime and Yaga were trying to prevent students from their respective schools from being sent without reinforcements on dangerous missions, accidents and tragedies of that kind were always going to happen. She knew that in the morning she would have to go to the Kyoto School to finish clearing things up with the rest of the school staff and students. She finished drinking her tea and despite not being sleepy, the sorceress decided to lie down and make an effort to sleep, but after a few minutes without falling asleep she gave up and started checking her phone again. Her modeling agency and the photographer had sent her tons of messages complaining about her leaving that session without warning, demanding an explanation about it. Weakly, Nobara strung together an apology explaining that she had had to attend to an emergency and asking for her understanding. She knew that that mistake was going to cost her dearly but she trusted that the photographer would understand, after all she really liked the work that Nobara had shown her. She also saw Mai's unanswered message. That photo of the cookies with sakura flowers made her mouth water. She felt bad for not having answered her appropriately at the time she sent it, so she proceeded to answer her even though she knew that she probably wouldn't answer her until the morning.
"They look delicious. I'm sorry I didn't reply, I had a horrible day. Two students from your clan died fighting against that special grade curse I told you about a few weeks ago. I tried to save them and kill the curse, but things didn't go well. I'm sorry, I wish I could have done more for them." Was what Nobara wrote.
She left her cell phone on her nightstand and went back to bed but before she fell asleep she heard a notification. It was Mai. Nobara wasn't surprised that she answered so late, since she knew that sometimes Mai ended up waking up to take care of her daughters and she sent her messages when she had a hard time falling asleep again.
"Don't worry Nobara. I had a terrible day too. Takeshi and Toshiro were the sons of one of one of my housekeepers so their mother was devastated and I had to give her some sort of vacations until things calm down. Those boys were very loved by everyone here, so their death left a very bad taste in our mouths. Also, since one of Momo's psychiatrist appointments coincided with the boys' funeral, I'll have to reschedule it."
"Psychiatrist? Don't you think Momo is too young to be in therapy?" Nobara asked.
Mai took a while to answer. Nobara was about to fall asleep while waiting for her answer, but before she could close her eyes Mai answered.
"It's a secret, but I suspect Momo might have some mental problem. Midori has already started saying "mom" but Momo, even though she's two years older, only babbles. She's also very restless sometimes and I don't know what to do to calm her down. My husband says it's my fault, that I spoil her too much and that she needs a firm hand, but I don't like the way he tries to discipline her."
"Oh. I imagine that it must be a pain." Nobara replied pitifully.
"A few days before he left on his trip we had a horrible argument about it. I don't know how but Momo entered into the bathroom of our bedroom and made a mess. I think she wanted to go pee but since my mother was using her bathroom and I was busy with Midori, Momo went into our bed room on her own but didn't make it to the toilet in time and left the floor dirty. Then I think she tried to wash her hands but since she couldn't reach the sink she turned on the faucet in the bathtub and instead of soap she used my husband's shaving cream and his facial scrub and started playing with them. My husband was the first to notice and he went ballistic. He took her to one of the curse pits they use for training. I tried to stop him from taking her and begged him that if he was going to leave her there that I could at least go in with her to make sure she didn't get too scared or hurt, but it was no use. He locked her in and left her there all afternoon. I stood in front of the door trying to calm her down and reassure her that nothing would happen to her, but they still attacked her and Momo cried a lot. When my husband got her out she had several scratches and bruises and looked very upset."
"He locked a three-year-old in a curse pit? WTF? She could have died!" Nobara wrote horrified.
Mai took a while to answer.
"It was the beginners curse pit so don't think most of those curses would even make it to even fourth grade. I mean, sometimes my parents did the same to me when I didn't do my chores well." Mai wrote.
"It's still very cruel Mai. Momo is a very young child and she could have gotten hurt. You shouldn't let him do that to her." Nobara replied, not knowing what else she could say.
Again, Mai was slow to respond.
"My husband got like that because he was very angry. The products he uses for his personal care are expensive and he doesn't like people touching them. He's not a bad person, he's just very impulsive sometimes and doesn't have much patience. I hope that once Momo's psychiatrist tells me what's wrong with her, my husband will treat her kinder. I mean, in our family there are some people with mental problems and he doesn't treat them so badly."
Nobara felt a knot in her stomach. Everything Mai was telling her was horrible, but she didn't have the slightest idea how to help her. She wanted to write something to Mai to encourage her, but nothing came to mind. She thought for a moment about telling Maki about what Mai's husband had done to her, but before she could do so she received another message from Mai.
"Thanks for talking to me and listening to me, but I think I have to leave you. I feel really tired. I’ll call you later!" Mai wrote, after which she sent a sticker of a puppy in pajamas.
"Okay. Have nice dreams." Nobara replied, after which she fell asleep.
The next morning the sorceress went straight to the school, knowing that she would have a lot of uncomfortable conversations regarding Mahito and the death of Toshiro and Takeshi. Just as she had predicted, she was immediately greeted by Mechamaru and Utahime, who worked as the teacher and director of the institution respectively, after which they went to the students to explain everything regarding the death of their classmates and Mahito.
Nobara explained Mahito's technique in detail and urged them to immediately call for reinforcements and get away as soon as possible if they saw him.
"Remember, short-range attacks leave you especially vulnerable to the idle transfiguration technique. And once someone falls victim to this technique, there is no way to return them to normal." Nobara explained to the students.
"So what do we do if we encounter one of those transfigured humans?" A student asked with a worried expression.
Nobara looked at her. It was Mariya Aoki, a student in the same grade as Takeshi who was distinguished by her empathetic attitude and her unwavering work ethic. As far as Nobara knew, Takeshi and her were the only students of their generation and they had become best friends, taking several missions together and spending their free time at the local arcades, so surely his death had affected the young girl greatly.
"The only thing we can do is make sure to give them a merciful death." Nobara answered.
"Can't we organize some kind mission to hunt down Mahito? I mean, I'm close to being a first grade sorcerer and Mechamaru sensei is a special first grade. If we put in the effort we could end that threat and avenge Takeshi and Toshiro." Kentaro Kamo suggested. Kentaro, was a third Year student as well as one of the youngest members of the Kamo clan and a close friend of both Toshiro and Takeshi. From what Nobara knew, he was a determined boy with a strong sense of justice.
"I know it's difficult, but given the current circumstances the best we can do is hold our position and wait. We have Yuuji Itadori and his team trying to hunt down Mahito and gather information on the case, as we believe that Mahito is not acting alone. There have been reports of other special category curses causing civilian deaths in suspicious circumstances and several atypical events nationwide." Utahime said seriously.
Several murmurs could be heard among the students, unsure of how to react to what was happening, with a mixture of indignation and nervousness. It was Mechamaru's robotic voice that put order in the boys.
"What happened yesterday is a cruel reminder of the dangers we are exposed to daily and one more reason not to neglect our training. Likewise, we will be providing psychological counseling to handle this kind of situations in a pertinent manner. I know that this event is unpleasant but rest assured that the director of this institution and I are here to support all of you. For the moment we will all start the day with hand-to-hand combat training. Kusgisaki-san offered to volunteer in your training this morning."
The students followed their teacher's instructions heading to the training field and began their combat simulations. Nobara stayed with them providing them with a formidable opponent for their training. Judging by the way those teens performed they were of a good level, with Kentaro possibly being the closest to Nobara's level and consequently Mahito's, however both Nobara and the school staff agreed that it was best for the students to avoid confrontations with Mahito.
They were training for almost four hours, after which Mechamaru gave his students a well-deserved break.
Despite having finished her voluntary work training the kids Nobara chose to stay in the school yard contemplating it with some nostalgia. Although she never studied there they had to admit that there was a certain resemblance between the yard at her school in Tokyo and the one she was in at that moment.
"You seem a little weird today. Is something wrong?" Mechamaru asked Nobara.
Even though Mechamaru's voice was produced by a machine there was a genuine sense of concern in it.
"I'm still very sad about what happened to the boys. Toshiro and Takeshi were good kids and I really feel horrible that I couldn't do anything to save them."
"I understand. I'm quite depressed about it too. They were some of my best students and to tell the truth I feel guilty for not having accompanied them on that mission or having sent someone of higher rank as my substitute at their side. I was about to accompany them but I had strong convulsions in the morning and I didn't feel well enough to control Mechamaru. If I had made a little more effort maybe they would still be alive." The teacher lamented.
Nobara gulped. From what I understood, the man controlling Mechamaru had a Heavenly Restriction that had left him with an extremely fragile and sickly body in exchange for an overwhelming amount of Cursed Energy, so it was not unusual for Mechamaru to take more days off than usual when his health problems reached the limit.
" It was not your fault, you did what you could. It was not as if we had expected Mahito to attack so suddenly." Nobara said compassionately.
"A few minutes ago, some members of the Zenin Clan arrived to collect their personal belongings from their dorm rooms and discuss with Iori-san regarding the collection of the boys' life insurance. The look on the mother of those boys' face seemed like if she was a living corpse. I felt ashamed to see her like that. I can't imagine how horrible it must be for her to have lost her children in such a cruel way." Mechamaru explained sadly.
"Mai told me about the boys' mother. Apparently that woman is Mai's housekeeper and helps her with the cleaning. According to Mai, the Zenin Clan as whole are very affected by the death of both."
"I see. The truth is that I stopped talking to Mai for a long time after what happened with Momo and to a certain extent I was offended that she didn't even call me nor Kasumi to invite us to her wedding and that she ignored us so much during all those years. But recently she started sending me messages again and says she's fine. Although I suspect there's something off about her and her husband." said Mechamaru.
"What do you mean by that?" Nobara asked.
"It seems like they're hiding something. I don't know how to explain it, but I find it weird the way she got married so suddenly immediately after Aoi and Momo's death and that she spent so much time without talking to us or going out with anyone from school, it really gives me a very bad feeling. I didn't even know she had daughters until she told Kasumi last week. Also, from what she told me about her husband, he doesn't seem like a very nice person."
Nobara was about to tell him what had happened regarding the punishment Mai's husband had given Momo and all the little red flags she had seen in that relationship, but before she could even open her mouth she felt several blows to the head.
"It's your fault my children are dead, you fucking bitch! You killed my Takeshi and let my Toshiro die! You fucking sow, daughter of monkeys, you're a disgrace for the humankind!" The woman who was hitting her on the head screamed at the top of her lungs.
The mother of the Zenin brothers was dressed in a black kimono without any hint of makeup covering her face and with her gray hair completely disheveled. Her eyes looked red and swollen from so many tears and the smell of her body gave the impression that she hadn't cleaned herself for a while. Both Nobara and Mechamaru were more than capable of immobilizing that woman instantly, however the fear of hurting her or making her feel even more hostility towards them prevented them from acting. In addition, both sorcerers doubted that the blows of a desperate fifty-year-old widow who didn't know how to use cursed energy would do them much harm.
No more than twenty seconds had passed since that woman had lunged at Nobara, when a pair of men intercepted the poor mother, one of them holding her arms and torso, while the other covered her nose and mouth with a wet cloth, causing the woman to slowly lose the strength and coordination to fight. The woman tried to struggle for a while but after a few moments she finally lost coordination and fell to her knees on the ground, crying silently, while the man who put the chloroform handkerchief on her face patted her back and comforted her. The man who had initially held the mother of the dead students let her go off completely, letting her collapse on top of him. From the traditional clothing they wore and the familiarity with which they treated that woman, Nobara guessed that they were members of the Zenin Clan.
"Please, excuse Mrs. Asami's behavior. The death of her children have upset her greatly and she has had several panic attacks and meltdowns since she heard the news." Said the youngest of those men while patting the poor mother on the shoulders. That guy had a childlike face and a youthful appearance sporting very short and spiky hairstyle except for a braid at the nape of his neck, which reached almost to the middle of his back. That delicate appearance contrasted with his companion, whose rough face had marked expression lines and a noticeable scar on his forehead, as well as a long dark mane as unkempt as his beard.
Nobara only nodded, refusing to answer them verbally. The older man turned to Nobara with a serious look.
"You were the one who ran to help Takeshi and Toshiro yesterday, right?" Asked the eldest Zenin.
"Yes, it was me. I sent my report to the higher-ups, as well as to Yuuji Itadori, the director of Kyoto Tech, the current Head of the Zenin Clan and the Captain of the Hei Unit."
“In fact, I am the Captain of said Unit and I read your report as soon as I received it in the early morning. My name is Jinichi Zenin and he is Ranta Zenin, who serves as assistant to Naoya Zenin, the current head of our clan.” Jinichi explained.
"We came here as soon as we heard that you would be present at the school, Miss Kusgisaki. You see, Naoya Zenin requested your presence at our estate since, being an eyewitness to the abilities of the special grade curse known as Mahito and the death of two of the most promising members of our clan, we believe that your testimony could be key to defeating him." Ranta said.
"First, all the information I have about Mahito and the death of both boys is in the reports I sent. And second, we already have Yuuji Itadori and his team working on the case, I don't think it's necessary for your clan to get directly involved, unless you have some strategic advantage that Itadori lacks." Nobara answered.
Of course the clan Zenin wanted to go after Mahito and take the credit for killing him. Mai had already told her about it and from what she knew the ambitions of Naobito's successor were sky-high. Of course that misogynistic jerk would want to go after him and claim the glory for himself. Jinichi noticed Nobara's displeasure and tried to argue.
"We believe that having two people working on this case is better than having one. If Itadori and his team are already working on the case I doubt they would mind having a little help from us." The Zenin said.
"I still don't agree with having any face-to-face meeting with your leader. I already lost my day off yesterday because of the incident at the Art Museum and I don't plan on continuing to waste my time or neglect my responsibilities. If he wants explanations about Mahito, I recommend him to read my report first and contact me by email or phone if he has any questions." Nobara answered firmly.
Jinichi frowned and was about to open his mouth, but before he could speak Ranta intervened.
"I know it's awkward for you Miss Kusgisaki. This whole situation has been very difficult for everyone involved. However, I promise to pay out of my own pocket for every hour you spend on our estate, including travel time and any waiting time for the meeting with our leader. I even offer to personally transport you to our property to save you from spending a single cent on gas."
Nobara blinked. Now that he was putting it in that way, while it still sounded like a pain in the ass to go there and talk to the petty leader of the Zenin, at least there was a clear sense of commitment from them.
"Will you pay me in cash or by transfer?" Nobara asked.
"As you wish, Miss Kusgisaki." Ranta replied.
"Cash then." The sorceress said, smiling.
Both men nodded silently.
"But first I would like to eat something. I haven't eaten anything since six and it's almost noon." Nobara commented.
Jinichi rolled his eyes with a certain air of annoyance.
"We're short on time. I'd rather you didn't make us wait any longer and came with us right away." He grumbled while scratching his beard.
"Come on, Jinichi. Naoya hasn't even arrived back to Kyoto. Besides, less than five minutes ago you wanted to stop by 7-Eleven for a coffee." Ranta insisted.
Jinichi sighed in frustration.
"Fine. But make it quick. I don't want to deal with Naoya's complaints if we're late." The Zenin answered, as he helped Mrs. Asami straighten up and headed out of the school. Ranta and Nobara followed suit, but not before saying goodbye to Mechamaru.
While the idea of having some lackluster snack from a convenience store and spending the afternoon putting up with the pedantic leader of the Zenin Clan didn't excite Nobara, she liked the fact that she would receive money in return, as well as the possibility of meeting Mai at the Zenin estate.
"I'm going to your clan's estate to discuss the special grade curse with your dumb cousin. Wish me luck, lol. If you want, we can meet up for a bit if there is time. I'd love to see you and Midori again and meet Momo in person." Nobara texted as she walked out of school.
Even though it would be a long and tiring afternoon, the sorceress tried to hold on to a bit of optimism, as she would once again see the woman of her fantasies and dreams.
Notes:
I really had fun writing Mechamaru, since is one of the characters I like most and it kinda sucked that he got the short stick of the Heavenly Restriction thing in the manga. I do think that if he had not died and Mahito had not cured him he would have probably become a teacher of the Jujutsu Tech of Kyoto and he would have been a very good and understanding teacher as well as a Special First Grade, given his pantagruelic reserves of Cursed Energy and the way in which he uses his mechas. Also I liked to write a bit of details about how his illness may have interfered with working "normaly" as sorcerer, tho in this timeline he has Utahime as his boss and she is very willing to give him all the accomodations possible instead of leaving him in a musty bathtub in some ugly bassment.
And I loved to write also those two Zenin guys! I know that in the canon Jinichi does nothing apart of asides of a hyperrealistic Robespierre cosplay with the help of Maki but I kinda like him a bit and while Ranta is just as useless as Jinichi I kinda pity him because by account of Gege it is clear that he was a good guy, but was either too meek and brainwashed by his clan or blinded by his privileges as male sorcerer to stand up to help people like Maki and Mai, so when Maki had enough of their BS he ended killed too.
Pay attention to these guys too, since, just like Mahito they will be important in the plot too!
Hope that you have enjoyed my writing!
( ˘ ³˘)♥︎
Chapter 7
Notes:
TW for homophobic slurs and other thing that is already tagged but I cannot type without spoiling you this chapter...
Enjoy, I guess.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“So did you like the food we ate at 7-Eleven?” Ranta asked without taking his eyes off the road he was driving on.
“You talk like Miss Kusgisaki has never eaten sandwiches and coffee from a convenience store.” Jinichi commented from the passenger seat.
“Come on, Jinichi. I've never eaten anything from a 7-Eleven until I enrolled to Kyoto Tech. And I think this is the first time Mrs. Asami has eaten there.” Ranta argued.
“Miss Kusgisaki was raised among non-sorcerers. I'm sure she's eaten there before. Plus I'm sure Mrs. Asami is more than capable of cooking something better than that sad excuse of a fried chicken sandwich.” Jinichi grumbled.
Nobara inhaled silently.
Despite Ranta's attempts to make the trip to the Zenin estate pleasant, Nobara couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The car they were traveling in was relatively modern, well maintained, and the pop music could be heard on its speakers that seemed more appropriate for a preppy night club or a sixteen-year-old girl's playlist than for members of an ultra-traditionalist sorcerer clan.
"When I am on a mission, I rebuke my condition, If you're a strong female, you don't need permission..." Lady Gaga sang from the car's speakers, at the same time that Mrs. Asami began to cry softly again.
“By the way, Nobara, do you like Lady Gaga? I think she's very popular among young women like you.” Ranta said in his usual friendly tone.
“Yes, I guess. She has a nice voice.” Nobara answered.
“I went to one of her concerts at the Saitama Super Arena, around the spring of 2012. To be honest, I was only at the concert because I had to exorcise a special grade curse that was hidden in there, but I was able to hear her singing while fighting and she was amazing. In fact, after I defeated that curse and Gaga saw me walking near her dressing room, she thought I was a janitor of the stadium and greet me. Lady Gaga was very kind to me and thanked me for cleaning up. Plus I checked up on internet and I found out that she donates a lot of her money to abused women, poor children, and people with AIDS.” Ranta explained excitedly.
“Of course she donates money to those sick with AIDS. She's part of the gay and lesbian community, it's obvious that she's going to give money to those queer degenerates.” Jinichi said in a dismissive manner.
Nobara couldn't help but clench her jaw upon hearing him speak in that manner. It reminded her of the way the idiots in her hometown used to judge others and the way the kids at her school used to make fun of her even before she was aware of her sexuality. All those judgments and insults had made her feel really insecure and had given her trouble accepting herself during her teenage years. It wasn't until she was eighteen that she was finally able to admit to her friends Saori and Fumi that she was a lesbian and it still took her another whole year to admit it to her old classmates at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech (despite knowing that there were more people at school who were gay or bisexual). And even though most of the jujutsu world didn't know she was a lesbian and those who did had supported her unconditionally, it had still taken her a long time to start dating women and enjoying her sexuality without feeling ashamed.
Nobara vividly remembered how when she and her ex-girlfriend were walking home from one of their dates, some drunk men started chasing them, yelling horrible obscenities and threats at them, forcing Nobara to beat them up and run away to avoid being hurt. And while Nobara as a first grade sorceress was more than capable of defending herself from those men, the fear and shame they had put her through was still rattling around in her head. And the fact that now a high-ranking sorcerer was repeating those insults (and that on this occasion it would possibly be much more difficult for her to defend herself if he became aggressive) made her feel helpless.
“Hey, not all gays are degenerates! Before the Meji era, most samurai had sex with other men. And there have also been several good gays like Alexander the Great, Alan Turning and probably one queen of Sweden. And Lady Gaga is not a lesbian! She likes both sexes, just like Satoru Gojo! That doesn't make them evil, weird or perverts!” Ranta exclaimed trying to defend his ideals.
“Whatever. That Gojo guy has already consummated his marriage with a woman, his past perversions and what he does behind his wife's back are none of our concern and even if that Gaga chick likes men, I highly doubt she will suck you off one day.” Jinichi answered.
“I don't want anything sexual with her, I just like her music! And you can't say those things we are in the presence of women!” Ranta claimed blushing.
Nobara just rolled her eyes feeling more and more annoyed. She hadn't even arrived at the Zenin estate and she already wanted to run away. She checked the message she had left for Mai again, which had already been seen but lacked a response. The sorceress sighed thinking that she was surely very busy or that maybe she was taking care of her daughters. And so the rest of the journey went by, between embarrassing conversations, pop music and the silent cries of Mrs. Asami.
Upon arriving at the Zenin estate and getting out of the car, Nobara thought that the feeling of discomfort would dissolve into thin air, but contrary to what she thought, it became much more oppressive and claustrophobic. Although Nobara offered to help Mrs. Asami carry the boxes with her children's belongings, the Zenin refused, being helped by three girls who were waiting for them at the entrance of the property. From their physical appearance and the way they addressed the poor woman, Nobara assumed that those girls had to be Takeshi and Toshiro's sisters. The sorceress was about to offer her condolences to the girls, but before she could, Ranta and Jinichi led her to the opposite side of the property. Despite being a place with wide corridors and the fact that its gardens had a beautiful variety of regional plants, Nobara couldn't help but feel trapped by that atmosphere of elitism and rancid traditionalism. Most of the people she came across as she walked around the estate looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and condescension. She could hear a couple of young men whistle at her and shout something vulgar and despite the annoyance that she felt the fast pace at which she was being driven, made her unable to respond to that insult. She could also hear a couple of women more or less her age commenting on her clothes, scandalized by the tightness of her sports pants and the length of her colorful acrylic nails. Nobara cursed herself for not having changed out of the training clothes she used for the hand-to-hand combat simulations with the students in the morning and for not having tried to take off her fake nails from the photo shoot. If he had known he would end up going to the Zenin estate, he would have dressed a little more modestly.
Finally they made her go inside one of the buildings of the estate, making her leave her shoes in the genkan, leading her to a room where there were a couple of armchairs, a shelf with books and a small table on which there was a plate with several desserts and cookies.
“According to the information that our leader sent us, he would be arriving in about two and a half hours. You can wait for him to arrive at his office right here.” Jinichi explained, checking his cell phone.
“Two and a half hours? And that's why you forced me to eat that damn sandwich from the convenience store in a hurry? To leave me waiting like an idiot until he decides to appear? Couldn't we have taken a little longer and eaten something more decent? Or waited until he came back?” Nobara exclaimed indignantly.
Maybe she wasn't the most patient woman in the world but those Zenin idiots seemed to be trying hard to push her buttons.
“I know it's not an ideal situation, but believe me it's not our leader's fault, he had a problem when boarding his flight and I'm sure he's about to fix it. Also, I remind you that every hour you spend waiting on our property will be paid for. If you want, I can provide you with the Wi-Fi password for this property and you're more than welcome to read any of the books and magazines we have in this room.” Ranta said, trying hard to sound friendly.
Nobara inhaled, trying to get rid of the feeling of frustration. It was only two and a half hours and taking into account the generally efficient way in which the leader of the Zenin Clan usually handled things, it was most likely that by eight thirty that whole meeting would be over and by ten she would be back in her apartment, ready to sleep and with several extra yen in her bag.
“Okay, I'll wait for him here. If you can, I'd like the Wi-Fi password, please.” Nobara answered Ranta, making every effort in the world to be friendly.
“It won't be a problem, in fact if you want you can even have some of the sweets that Lord Naoya's wife prepared yesterday.” Ranta said politely.
“Thank you, although I don't think I'm very hungry at the moment.” Nobara commented.
“You're really missing out. Naoya's wife is an excellent cook.” Jinichi said while grabbing a cookie from the plate.
“From what I understand, most of the women in your family are.” Nobara added, while thinking about the photos of the dishes that Mai sent her.
“I suppose you've tried something prepared by our sisters, wives or daughters before, right?” Jinichi commented while nibbling on a cookie.
“When I studied together with Maki and we had free time, she made the best pancakes in the world.” Nobara said remembering those improvised mini feasts from her student days.
The two Zenin men made an uncomfortable expression upon hearing Maki's name and Nobara could see how Jinichi was practically about to choke on his cookie.
“Please, we ask you politely to not mention that particular woman in the presence of Lord Naoya. Our current leader considers Maki as a persona non grata and prefers that no mention of her be made.” Ranta said nervously, to which Nobara just nodded silently. Those Zenin men really were delicate.
Finally, after giving Nobara the internet password and Ranta apologizing for Naoya's lateness, Nobara was left alone in that room. She checked her cell phone messages, most of them being memes of her friends or irrelevant things.
"Look! I dressed Suguru up as a chicken to take him to daycare! He looks adorable, right? Just don't tell Utahime because she will get very mad with me." Satoru said, sending Nobara a message with a photo of his baby son in a chicken costume.
Nobara sighed, not too surprised; Satoru Gojo definitely enjoyed being a father, although she had to admit that his parenting style was sometimes questionable.
She saw a couple of messages from her agency and the photographer, trying to make up for what happened at the photo shoot, and she replied explaining that she would be happy to work with them again. After checking her messages and emails for a while, Nobara decided to try to read the books on the shelf. Most of them were classic Japanese literature, although she could also see books on film and animation theory, some collections of ancient poetry, and various health magazines. "The Meat Scam: How a Diet Full of Animal Products Can Ruin Your Life And Decrease Your Masculinity" read the cover of one of the health magazines. Surely at some point, Mai's husband had to have read that magazine while waiting for Naoya in that room, and that's how he became obsessed with veganism.
Nobara skimmed through some of the books without finding anything particularly interesting, then checked her phone again without finding anything new, besides the fact that Mai's message was still on read. She decided to kill time and text Maki.
"Hey, did you hear that a special grade curse killed two kids from your clan? It turns out that since I was present when the curse killed them, your stupid cousin wants me to give him my version of the events. So he forced me to go to his estate to explain everything and I'm stuck here until that I finish my interview with that idiot. By the way, that jerk still triggered by you. In fact, his assistant forbade me to say your name in his presence. Ha! Those ugly cousins of you are a bunch of whiny babies. I hope everything is going well with you in Africa. Greetings!" Noabara wrote.
She knew that her message would take a while to be answered due to the time difference and the fact that she was traveling in a rather rural area, but she still wanted Maki to be informed of everything. She looked at the time on her phone again and bit her lip. It was seven in the evening. Naoya had taken an hour longer than agreed and showed no signs of coming anytime soon. Nobara inhaled sharply. If that jerk didn't hurry up, their meeting would probably end around nine or ten at night, forcing her to return home almost at midnight. She was also starting to get hungry. With a little hesitation, the sorceress approached the plate of sweets and picked up a cookie. Before biting into it, she looked at it carefully: it had a white chocolate coating and a sakura flower, just like the photo of the cookies Mai had sent her. Nobara assumed that perhaps those cookies were some kind of Zenin family recipe and that possibly both Mai and Naoya's wife decided to make them at the same time. She took a bite, it was sweet, soft and with a slightly floral touch. It certainly wouldn't go wrong with a nice cup of matcha tea or milk coffee to complement the sweetness of that dessert.
The sound of small footsteps approaching quickly brought her out of her thoughts. A little girl dressed in a green kimono had just entered the room, holding a white stuffed rabbit in one hand. The girl had large eyes that didn't seem to be looking anywhere, while her free hand fluttered. Nobara quickly recognized her: it was Momo, Mai's eldest daughter. What the hell was that little girl doing wandering around there alone? Was Mai an irresponsible mother who let her little girl sneak into the home of one of the most powerful men in the world of Japanese sorcery? Damn! If that horrible Naoya found out that little girl was snooping around there, both Momo and Mai would be in trouble. She had to get her out of there and take her to her mother quickly.
"Hey, little princess! Do you know where your mommy is?" Nobara asked in a sweet voice she only used with small animals and children.
The little girl didn't respond and didn't even turn to look at Nobara's face, reminding her of what Mai had told her about her and her lack of language.
Nobara was about to leave the room to look for where Mai or whoever was looking after Momo at that moment could be, but before she could say anything, Momo quickly pulled Nobara closer and threw herself at her in an attempt to hug her, holding her legs. Nobara felt as if her heart would melt from the tenderness of the little girl's embrace. The sorceress tried to stroke her straight bowl cut hair, but as soon as she put her hand on Momo's hair, the little girl screamed and hid with her rabbit under the dessert table, where she began to play alone. Nobara found Momo's unexpected approach and her bold, curious attitude adorable.
"Momo! Where are you? Granny and Midori want you to help them put the toys back in their place!" exclaimed a familiar female voice.
Nobara blinked. Was she Mai? The sorceress's suspicions were soon confirmed when she saw Mai enter the room. The girl turned her gaze to Mai and ran to hug her, the same way she had hugged Nobara a few minutes earlier. Mai and Nobara's eyes widened at the sight of each other.
"Nobara... I didn't think I'd find you here at this hour..." Mai murmured nervously.
"I sent you a message saying I'd be at your clan estate at noon. Didn't you read it?" Nobara asked.
"I saw it, but I don't know... I've been really busy today... I was, well, I... um... here is Momo." the housewife said as she carried her daughter.
Truth be told, Mai looked embarrassed as she addressed Nobara, almost as if she'd been caught committing a crime.
"Bah! Never mind, what I want to know is why the hell you and your daughter are in Naoya Zenin's office?" Nobara inquired.
"We live in this building." Mai said as Momo tried to escape from her arms.
"What? Wasn't your husband rich? Why the hell does he have you living in that jerk's house?" Nobara questioned.
Had Mai been lying to her about her husband's financial status? Was Mai's husband some kind of retainer who worked for Naoya and was forced to remain in his residence for work reasons? Or perhaps it was customary for the Zenin patriarch to share his home with the rest of the family? That last thing didn't make much sense to Nobara, because if there was one thing that characterized Naoya it was his selfishness and petty elitism, so she highly doubted he would share his home with someone outside his inner circle, even if it was his cousin's family.
Mai swallowed and held her daughter tighter. Nobara could see Zenin sweating in cold, unable to answer, staring directly into her eyes, without saying anything. The two women stared at each other for several minutes, unable to speak, almost as if a single word from one of them could annihilate the other. It was the arrival of Ranta and Jinichi in the room that cut the tension in the air.
"Miss Kusgisaki, I just received a message from Lord Naoya. He informed me that due to a last-second unexpected event, he will be unable to arrive tonight to discuss the death of Toshiro and Takeshi, as well as the incident of the special grade curse known as Mahito. However, he will be here ready to discuss these matters tomorrow at six in the morning." Ranta said in an apologetic tone.
"What? So you forced me to wait for him for almost four hours, and now you want me to go back and get up before dawn to travel all the way here again and cater to your leader's whims? Do you know how unprofessional this is?” Nobara squealed indignantly.
"Please, woman, don't be dramatic. None of this is our fault. We're just as annoyed by this whole situation as you are. Don't think we're too happy about having to drive you back to the city at night." Jinichi said condescendingly.
"Hey! I live far away, and I shouldn't be forced to go back and forth waiting for your leader! I'm a first-grade sorceress, with a modeling career and other responsibilities to fulfill; I deserve respect!" Nobara growled.
"With that attitude, I wouldn't be surprised if you remained a spinster for life. No man likes a stuck up nagger." Jinichi grumbled.
Nobara was tempted to slap Jinichi for such a sexist and inappropriate comment, but before the confrontation could escalate, Ranta stepped between them.
"Let's remain calm and respectful, please! This incident shouldn't be a reason to utter insults, much less in front of Lord Naoya's daughter, who could use our behavior as an example to follow in the future!" Ranta exclaimed, pointing at Momo.
"Daughter?" Nobara asked, not believing what she was hearing.
How the hell was it possible that Momo could be Naoya's daughter if she was the daughter of Mai and her husband? Had that disgusting guy adopted his own niece for some twisted political purpose? Nobara thought. However, almost as quickly as those thoughts came to her, the sorceress began connecting the dots, creating a mental image she didn't like at all.
No one seemed to notice Nobara's intrigued and disgusted expression, so Ranta continued explaining.
"There's no need for you to return to the city and come back in the morning, Miss Kusgisaki. You can stay the night in one of the guest rooms in this house and leave tomorrow after discussing the Mahito’s incident with our leader. I'm sure Lord Naoya's wife would be more than happy to have you as a guest, and she could even prepare some dinner for you so you don't sleep on an empty stomach tonight. Right, Mai?" Ranta said in a conciliatory tone.
"Of course, it's an honor for me to serve my husband's guests." Mai said in an overly meek and artificial tone, one Nobara had never heard from her before.
Nobara looked around in confusion and disgust, as if immersed in some kind of hallucination or nightmare.
"Are you married to Naoya?"
Nobara asked, horrified, hoping Mai would burst out laughing and tell her that everything she'd just seen was an elaborated bad taste prank, a fake scene for a reality show, or some ugly dream. However, the laughter never came. Instead, Nobara was met with a look of resignation and embarrassment, which seemed to confirm her fears.
"Naoya Zenin is my husband." Mai said with hopeless seriousness.
Nobara paled at Mai's response, while Momo slipped out of her mother's arms to hide again with her bunny under the table, and Jinichi mentioned something to Ranta related to Naoya's return trip. However, the sorceress couldn't concentrate on anything they were saying. Nobara's entire attention was focused on Mai, who seemed to be staring into space while instinctively placing her hands on her belly. Nobara Kusgisaki knew there were several fates worse than death, and marrying Naoya Zenin was one of them.
Notes:
Yes, I made Ranta a Lady Gaga fan and some sort of straigth ally (after all he was the only decent guy in the clan, haha) and I made Satoru bisexual and still missing Suguru bad enough to name his baby boy after him (Utahime knows that and is supportive). Also, a bit of historical note, the Swedish Queen Ranta was talking about was Christina of Sweden and about the sexuality of Alexander the Great there is a lot of debate if he was gay, hetero or bi and it is kinda hard to guess the sexuality or romantic life of almost anyone from the antiquity or middle ages based in primary sources alone and our modern interpretarion of them may be distorted, but there are still some history buffs out there who believe Alexander was 100 % gay.
Anyway, thanks for reading! Have an awesome day and sorry for the distressing confession at the end (don't worry this will have a happy ending).
Chapter 8
Notes:
TW: Incestous marriages, mentions of toxic family relationships and mistreatment, mentions of abortion, misogyny and a scene of sex (nothing explicit, but still, not PG rated, lol).
Hope you enjoy this (´｡• ◡ •｡`) ♡
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After Mai's "confession" to Nobara, the latter was led to another room in the house, which Nobara assumed was some kind of living room.
"I'll bring the dinner in a few moments more. First, I have to finish feeding Midori and Momo, but once they're done eating and I've taken them to their room, I'll be back with something nice for dinner. In the meantime, you can enjoy this tea as well as the sweets I prepared yesterday." Mai said as she poured them some tea into some porcelain cups.
Jinichi took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, almost as if it were a shot of tequila or sake, while Ranta quietly thanked her with that polite little smile he always had.
"Don't you want me to help you with the girls and dinner?" Nobara asked Mai, who looked at her with an embarrassed expression.
"Don’t worry about it, you're the guest." Mai said.
"I still want to help." Nobara insisted.
Momo, for her part, followed behind Mai, playing with her bunny, not paying much attention to her surroundings, while her mother watched Nobara with some sadness.
"Let her help you for a while, daughter. These have been very hard days for you, and you need a hand." A middle-aged woman entered the room, holding Midori in her arms, which made Nobara assume she was Mai and Maki's mother.
"We can't do that to a guest! We don't force any of our other guests to help with anything; it would be very unfair to make her prepare dinner!" Mai said.
"Please, if she insists, let her. Besides, I need a little break from taking care of my granddaughters. I haven't sat down to watch my favorite soap opera since yesterday. I think I deserve a little peace." Mai's mother said.
Mai was about to complain to her mother, but in the end, she couldn't muster the strength to say anything, so she let Nobara carry Midori, and they both went to the kitchen with little Momo and her white rabbit.
Once there, Mai began preparing Momo's lunch, which was potato croquettes with spinach and some boiled carrot and tofu pieces cut into flower shapes. Nobara sat Midori in a high chair and helped her eat the vegetable puree Mai had left for her. Momo, meanwhile, began taking various pots and pans out of the kitchen and playing with them, banging them loudly and hiding her bunny inside them.
"For someone who doesn't have children or younger siblings, you're pretty good at feeding babies." Mai commented to Nobara, not letting the noise Momo made distract her too much.
"Sometimes I had to help my uncle take care of his young children when they came to visit my house." Nobara said as she helped Midori hold her spoon by herself.
Truthfully, that atmosphere was very nostalgic and homey. It took Nobara back to her childhood, when her uncle's family would visit her grandmother, and she would play with her younger cousins while her grandmother cooked the most delicious beef tongue soup in the world. However, all that air of domestic peace vanished the moment Nobara realized where she was and the disturbing context of that family. Just remembering that those innocent girls were the product of Mai's relationship with her horrible cousin made her stomach churn, especially knowing that she was months away from giving birth to another child. It wasn't hard to assume that in the future, that poor boy would grow up with the same sexist and disturbing mentality as his father.
"Hey, you're making a really ugly face. Is something wrong?" Mai asked, noticing that Nobara's jaw had tensed and her eyebrows were arched in an odd way.
"Why didn't you tell me you were married to the leader of the Zenin Clan?" Nobara asked, as she gave Midori another spoonful of food.
"I was a little embarrassed, I guess. I really don't want to flaunt my privileges." Mai replied, arranging the food on Momo's plate.
Nobara was about to laugh, considering that flaunting about being married to Naoya Zenin was the equivalent of boasting about having lice in your pubic hair or suffering from dehydration due to diarrhea, but she held it back.
"But he's your cousin!" Nobara complained.
"You didn't say anything when I flirted with Megumi, even though he's my nephew. Besides, consanguineous marriages are common in the three great clans. My uncle Naobito was technically married to his own niece, and nothing bad happened." Mai justified herself, as she placed the plate on the small table where Momo would eat.
“Okay, but that's worse. I mean, you do get how that's worse?” Nobara said, horrified.
As a history buff, Nobara knew how common it was for members of the nobility to end up with their health ruined as a result of generations of incest, with cases like Charles II of Spain, Tutankhamun, or the last prince of Russia, whose power and wealth could do little or nothing to improve their deplorable physical condition. Now that she looked back on it, it was a miracle that none of Mai's daughters had any serious health problems, and was very afraid that her little boy would be born with some defect. Mai seemed to sense Nobara's fear, so she spoke up.
"I know what we're doing is risky. Naoya and I discussed everything before we got married. The reason why I knew the sex of my baby so early was because I've had several prenatal tests to rule out genetic problems, which has been the norm during all my pregnancies, and Naoya made it clear to me that if at any point we found any genetic defects, we would abort. Besides, from what we know, the chances of inheriting a powerful cursed technique increase if both parents are sorcerers and come from families with strong sorcerers."
Nobara gulped. Technically, Mai was right; most sorcerer clans practiced some degree of incest, both to keep their wealth within the same family and to ensure their techniques were passed down to their offspring. For a moment, Nobara remembered when Satoru had confessed that her mother was technically his father's aunt, and her disgusted reaction to the discovery. As unhealthy as those kinds of blood relationships were, Nobara admitted it was hard to argue against them when the world's strongest sorcerer was the product of one. However, she knew that even relationships between relatives weren't inherently toxic, the fact that Mai was with someone like Naoya was beyond horrifying.
The two sorceresses proceeded to change the subject, focusing on continuing to feed the girls and preparing the breaded eggplant and mushrooms that would accompany the curry for dinner. Once the curry was prepared and both girls were finished eating, Nobara and Mai served dinner in the living room, receiving thanks from both Jinichi and Ranta, as well as Mai's mother.
"I hope you enjoy dinner. For my part, I'll go attend to my motherly duties. I'll be back as soon as I've put the girls to bed." Mai said, leaving the dining room with her daughters.
Nobara was about to complain to Mai about not having dinner with them, but in the end she chose to keep quiet and focus on her rice with curry and vegetables. She looked at the room's decor with some curiosity, and she was able to see a photograph hanging on one of the walls from what appeared to be Mai's wedding. In the photo, Mai and Naoya were standing in traditional wedding attire in one of the main gardens of the Zenin estate. Both had one of those serious expressions typical of old photos, but Nobara could see how, while Naoya's mouth seemed to have a slight curve that threatened to turn into a smile, Mai looked completely apathetic, almost as if she were taking a photo for a driver's license or passport, which gave Nobara a very bad feeling.
For their part, the Zenin chatted about clan affairs and internal gossip, most of which Nobara didn't understand, as well as occasionally asking the sorceress polite questions in a vague effort to make her feel included.
"I really appreciate you helping my daughter and me. You're an excellent cook." The twins' mother said.
"I agree with my auntie. If you ever want to seduce a man, make him a curry like this and you'll immediately find a husband." Jinichi commented, grabbing a piece of eggplant with his chopsticks.
"It's nothing, I just helped by cutting the vegetables and breading them before Mai fried them." Nobara replied.
"It's still an important thing to do. You should be proud to have helped to make this dinner.” Ranta argued.
"It was also very nice of you to take care of my granddaughters. I could see that the girls behaved very well with you. You really are destined to be a very good mother." The middle aged woman added.
"Seriously, Miss Kusgisaki, I envy your future husband." Jinichi said, wiping some of the curry off his beard.
Nobara made an effort not to take those comments too personally, since even while they were polite and well-intentioned, they were still sexist and uncomfortable.
Once dinner was over, Mai returned and led Nobara to the guest room where she would sleep that night.
"I left you a pajama set so you'd sleep more comfortably. These ones were my favorite pajamas before I married, but my husband hates them, so I don't wear them anymore." Mai said, handing Mai the set of clothes.
Nobara looked at the clothes with a little sadness. Those pajamas were a T-shirt and loose-fitting shorts made of soft fabric with a pastel-colored hearts and flowers printed on them. There was nothing wrong with them. The fact that Naoya would force his wife not to wear such a cute garment spoke volumes about his controlling nature and poor taste.
"If you need me, just give me a shout and I'll come right away." Mai said, leaving the room and slowly closing the door.
Noabara, for her part, just inhaled sharply and changed into the The pajamas Mai had given her, then turned off the light.
Uncomfortably, she lay down on the futon and checked her phone for a while. There was no news or unread messages that mattered to her. She decided to text Maki again and ask for an explanation about her sister's incestuous relationship.
"Hey! Your sister married Naoya! What the hell is that? Did you knew that BS?" Nobara wrote and sent it, hoping for some kind of response.
As usual, despite the passing of minutes, the message wasn't even seen. According to the last thing she heard from her and Yuta, they had left Kenya on their way to Egypt and were likely spending some time in a rural area near the city of Al-Minya, focusing on training with local sorcerers and helping solve some mysterious cases there. Nobara tried to watch a movie to take her mind off the feeling of helplessness and disgust she felt at that revelation about her friend's marriage, but seeing that it was late and her phone's battery was low, she gave up and tried to focus on sleeping, but to no avail. No matter how hard she tried to rest and free her mind of stress, every time she was about to fall asleep, the mental image of Mai and Naoya together at their wedding would attack her and force her to open her eyes. And so the night passed, from 9:30 to 10:30 and then 11:30, without her being able to fall asleep.
"Can't you fall asleep yet?" Mai asked Nobara, entering the room without giving any kind of warning. She was wearing a pink velvet nightgown and was holding a small basket with toiletries.
"Ugh! Please let her know before coming in!" Nobara grunted, getting up from the futon irritably.
"Tch! In my house, I do what I want.” Mai said.
"I'm sure your husband will find it funny that you're disturbing your guests. Didn't you pride yourself on being the perfect hostess or something?" Nobara complained.
"I'm the perfect hostess. And as a hostess, I'm not going to allow you to stay up all night for no reason or go to bed with that gloomy face." Mai said.
"Oh, are you going to sedate me or something?" Nobara complained.
Mai bit her lip and looked at Nobara with mischievous eyes.
"I was more thinking of creating a more welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. Would you mind if I gave you a back massage?" Mai said.
"Oh? Now you want to treat me like I'm in a spa or a sauna..."
"It'll be much better than that. It's a traditional massage I learned a long time ago. I use it a lot to calm my husband when he comes home stressed from a mission or a long day of meetings. You'll feel much better once you get it." Mai commented with a smile.
Nobara felt a little curious. She hadn't had a massage in a while, and truth be told, she needed to de-stress right now, so she timidly nodded to Mai's suggestion.
"Just lie face down on your futon. Oh! And if you want, you can take off your shirt!" Mai said.
"Okay." Nobara murmured, taking off her shirt as she slowly lay down on the futon.
"By the way, do you mind if I light a scented candle? My girls and my husband find candles with flower scents very calming. I think you'd like it too."
"Ummm... Okay, I guess." Nobara replied timidly, after which Mai lit a small candle that was on the dresser in that room. The candlelight wasn't strong, but it allowed Nobara to get a much better look at Mai and notice that she had some translucent gloss on her lips. Nobara assumed that Mai must have forgotten to remove her makeup before putting on her nightclothes, or that maybe she'd put on some moisturizer balm, and that's why her lips were so shiny.
Once fully in bed, Nobara felt Mai's hands gently squeeze her shoulders, then move them in a series of firm yet delicate movements, as if she were kneading cookie dough. The movements were repetitive, pleasurable and felt quite good.
"Tell me, which flowers do you prefer? Lavender, sakura blossoms, or chamomile?" Mai asked as she lightly pinched Nobara's shoulders.
"Ufff... I think lavender." Nobara mumbled as her shoulders relaxed.
Suddenly, she felt something cold and liquid on her back, making her sigh in surprise.
"Shhh... Calm down, silly, it's hand cream. You'll relax faster with a pleasant smell." Mai said softly as she patted her.
Nobara soon felt the scent of lavender hit her nose, as well as a soothing caress that slowly moved from her shoulders to her lower back.
"Do you like it?" Mai asked.
"Yeah, ufff..." Nobara said as she felt Mai making circular movements with her hands on the lower part of her back.
"You know, I think the tension in your lower back must be coming from your glutes and thighs. Would it bother you if I massaged you down there too?" Zenin asked, continuing to caress her.
Nobara swallowed. What Mai was proposing sounded something a little more intimate than what she'd been doing, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't want those hands touching her buttocks.
"Sure, no problem." Nobara murmured.
Immediately after saying that, Mai began to pull down her pants and underwear, causing the sorceress to sigh.
"It's so there's more contact between your skin and my hands. Besides, I'm sure some cream would do good to your butt; it looks like it needs some moisture." Mai commented mockingly, giving her buttocks a light squeeze.
"Ugh... Do you also make these comments to your husband when you massage his ass?" Nobara grumbled.
Mai laughed maliciously.
"My husband doesn't have such a dry skin. Although, he doesn't have an ass as round as yours. The poor thing is too lean, just as flat as a surfing board." Mai said as she moved her hands to Nobara's thighs.
"Thanks, I guess..." Nobara replied, making a mental effort not to dwell too much on the awkward relationship between Mai and that disgusting man.
The fact that Naoya had such a lovely wife who gave him relaxing massages, prepared good quality food, and took such great care of his children, despite being a sexist, cruel, and stuck up jerk, made Nobara's stomach turn.
Mai applied some hand cream to Nobara's buttocks and continued massaging in circular motions, pinching and stroking as her hands went lower and lower. She was starting to feel wet between her legs, and the sorceress knew it wasn't sweat. She was probably ovulating, and that was why her body was acting so easily. A part of her felt nervous at the thought of Mai noticing and misinterpreting everything, but deep down she knew she'd be lying if she said she didn't want Mai to fuck her right then and there in the most savage way possible.
Nobara moaned in pleasure as she felt a light squeeze on her thighs. She hadn't realized how much she missed physical human contact until she started feeling those blessed hands on her. No one had made her feel so comfortable and at ease in a long time. If paradise existed, this was definitely what it had to feel like.
Soon Mai's hands began to travel steadily up her thighs, over her buttocks, to her waist, until they climbed up her back and settled on her shoulders, which she kissed.
Nobara gasped at the feel of Mai's lips on her skin. It was a soft, almost chaste kiss, followed by another, much more passionate and wet kiss near her neck and a light bite, which made her let out a small moan of pleasure. Was she really receiving a kiss from a married woman? She quickly turned her head to look at Mai, who was smiling with a sensual and lustful gaze.
"Did you like it?" Mai asked.
Nobara wanted to say yes, but the feeling that she was doing something wrong made it difficult for her to answer affirmatively. She swallowed, trying to form a response.
"But... Your husband... I don't think he'd like this..."
Nobara was disgusted by the thought of Naoya, but she knew it wasn't right for Mai to be unfaithful and for her to be an accomplice to such adultery.
"First of all, that piss-haired idiot doesn't have to find out. And second, I'm not asking Naoya, you dumbass. I'm asking you," Mai replied.
"It would be unfair to him..." Nobara muttered, trying to avoid the "yes" she wanted to say so much.
Mai stood up and pulled away from Nobara, laughing bitterly.
"Do you really think Naoya fucking Zenin is a Prince Charming, patiently waiting until he's with his beautiful and dutiful wife to satisfy his carnal desires? That he's never put his hands, sex, or mouth on a pussy other than mine? That he never goes to the red-light district when he's on business trips? That right now he's peacefully lying down, counting sheep, and not banging some whore? That I'm the only one in this stupid clan who knows his dick? Ha! You're so naive, Nobara; you know nothing about men."
The sorceress sighed as she heard Mai utter those somber words about her husband. In a way, it didn't surprise her at all that Naoya was unfaithful to his wife, but hearing it made her feel horrible. Maybe Mai was right about her not knowing anything about men, but she was sure that if at any point Yuuji, Yuta, Hakari, Satoru, or Mechamaru told their respective partners that they were having sex with other people behind their backs, they would end the relationship immediately. The women of the Zenin Clan definitely had very low standards when it came to men.
"I'll ask again... Do you like what I'm doing to you? Do you like me touching your body and kissing you?" Mai questioned again.
"Yes... Yes, I liked it." Nobara admitted, feeling herself slowly taken over by her lust.
"So tell me... Do you want to continue?" Mai whispered, slowly uncovering her shoulders revealing her collarbones and part of her breasts.
"Yes. I want to continue." Nobara replied as she stood up to be eye level with the Zenin, suddenly aware that she was naked except for the pants and underwear that still hanged over her knees.
For her part, Mai shamelessly dropped her clothes to the floor, allowing Nobara to see that the housewife was naked under her robe. Nobara sighed at the sight; despite the fact that her almost fifteen-week-pregnant belly and some stretch marks were beginning to show, her body still looked curvy and sensual. Her breasts were robust and round, while her torso was marked by several battle scars, with a long vertical scar running from her collarbone to almost her navel.
"Sorry for the marks and scars. I know I'm a bit ugly, and I was very careless in combat when I was young, and I really don't have the best body since I started expecting Momo. Plus, with my baby on the way, it's hard to look pretty, and I...” Now Mai was the one who looked embarrassed about being naked.
"Hey, your body's not bad at all. I have scars too!" Nobara said, pointing to a horizontal keloid scar on the left side of her torso.
Of all the beauty sayings Nobara had heard, the one she disliked the most was the one that stated that a scar on a man was a mark of bravery and strength, while a scar on a woman was a horrible deformity. For her, scars, regardless of the gender of the person with them, were a sign of perseverance in the face of adversity and a desire to stay alive, and there was nothing ugly about that.
"I guess you're right..." Mai muttered as she approached Nobara again.
Mai slowly kissed Nobara on the mouth, allowing her to taste the remnants of mouthwash still on her tongue, as well as the cotton candy flavor of her lip gloss. Zenin's lips moved sensually and dominantly, giving small bites, while her hands began to caress the sorceress's breasts, causing Nobara's arousal to increase. Mai gave Nobara's nipples a light squeeze, causing her to squeal in pleasure, after which her hands slowly moved down, reaching her pubic area, gently grooming her bush.
"Please, touch me. I want to feel you too...” Mai begged, as she pressed her hands against Nobara's privates.
The sorceress timidly placed her hands on Mai's breasts, gently caressing them, causing her to let out a muffled squeal as she squeezed Nobara's hips. Nobara repeated that motion a couple of times, causing Mai to gasp in excitement. Little by little, Nobara's hands moved down until they reached Mai's hips, which she squeezed tightly before moving towards her vulva. But before she could touch her, Nobara stopped in her tracks. Mai raised her eyebrows, slightly indignant at the pause.
"I think I picked a bad date to get acrylics." Nobara said, embarrassed, looking down at her own hands.
"Screw that, woman! You have mouth and pussy, make good use of them!" Mai exclaimed impatiently.
Nobara was about to say something, but before she could, Mai playfully pined her down on the futon.
"If you want, I can teach you how to use your lips and play with your pussy. Just be warned, I'm a strict teacher and I like my students to follow my example." Mai whispered seductively as she pressed her body against Nobara's.
"Please just fuck me, damn it!" Nobara growled as she spread her legs wide open.
Mai just laughed and proceeded to kiss her on her most intimate area.
"Say no more…"
Notes:
So how was the sex scene? ¬‿¬
Again, sex scenes are not my strong point, but I hope I'm getting better, lol. Also, please, for the chicks reading this, I know we can't get preggo with gay sex, but please, use protection like dental dams if your partner or you have ever had other partners or get a check up to rule out STDs and be fucking faitful. I know AO3 is the nerd virgin website and that probably you know that reality=/=fiction, but STDs are no joke and I would be devastated if any of my lovely readers got a fugly infection that could have been prevented (sorry for sounding like a sex ed teacher, but one of my besties works as a nurse and she has seen ugly shit out there, lol).
About the thing about Satoru Gojo being child of a consangineous marriage, I have seen in some fanfics people write the Zenin Clan members as "inbred" as if they were the only sorcerers from a big clan who have married between his own family, which is fair for the fics that they are writing I guess cuz to each their own and probably is a good way to show how evil and corrupt they are, but it never made sense to me that in case that the Zenin have been marriying between cousins and nephews and similar shit, they would be the only sorcerer clan doing that and since the three big clans are some kind of nobility and nobility has practiced incestuous marriages since the bronze age to our days, so it would not be totally out of place of the Gojo clan to be also doing similar arrangments to keep the blood pure and the money in the same family. Thankfuly Satoru in this fanfic broke the tradition to marry Utahime (I headcanon that she is for a clan with much less influence than the three big ones, but still with some kind of noble blood).
Also I headcanon Nobara as a history nerd, since in the canon her ideal man is Oda Nobunaga, haha.
Anyway comments and kudos are love!
♡(˃͈ ˂͈ )
Chapter 9
Notes:
TW: Canon typical sexism, unhealthy relationships, mentions of mental health issues and trauma. Hope you enjoy this chapter, tho is gonna be a bitter one (but don't worry much, next chapter will be better). Also, Naoya appears here so be ready for endure him.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"So, what did you think of my relaxing traditional massage, you dummy girl?" Mai asked.
Both Nobara and Mai were lying on the futon, completely naked and covered in sweat. Nobara's tongue couldn't quite get rid of that tangy, meaty taste of Mai's intimacy, while her groin was still throbbing with the sensations of pleasure the beautiful woman she was spending the night with had brought her.
"I liked it a lot. I really didn’t knew how much I needed it." Nobara replied, stroking Mai's hair.
Nobara had noticed that Mai's hair was much longer than it had been in her student days, reaching almost to the middle of her back. From what Mai had told her, she liked her hair to be jaw-length so she wouldn't waste so much time combing it and spending money on conditioner to prevent tangles. A part of her wondered for a moment why she had decided to let it grow so long, though on the other hand, she had to admit that the long hair style suited her.
"I needed it too, you know. I haven't eaten pussy in years." Mai said, smiling flirtatiously.
Nobara blinked in surprise.
"What? Do you think I'm being bi-curious with you or that I've never been with another woman before?" Mai retorted.
"No, it's nothing like that. It's just that I... I don't know. I never thought you'd actually dated other women. I thought they were just rumors." Nobara said.
Mai laughed a little.
"Actually, I only dated one girl before I got married." Mai admitted.
Nobara began to connect the dots. She remembered how Mai had moved in with Momo immediately after graduation and how all the photos of them together had always looked so close. She also remembered how upset Mai had become when they talked about Momo's death at the restaurant and how she confessed that she had chosen to name her daughter after her. She thought for a second about how Satoru had decided to name his own son Suguru in memory of his best friend and the first true love he ever had during his wild teenage years, and wondered if he'd thought something similar to what Mai had before naming her daughter.
"So Nishimiya was your girlfriend?" Nobara asked.
Mai sighed with melancholy and nostalgia.
"During my first day at Kyoto Jujutsu High School, Momo was the first person who talked me. She was the one who helped me organize my things in my room and gave me advice on how to handle my first day of training and classes. She was very kind to me, and after we finished our homework for the day, she invited me to her room to paint my nails and watch a movie together. I didn't have the words to express it at the time, but I think it was love at first sight. Unlike my classmates, Momo came from a sorcerer clan like me, except the Nishimiya Clan was far less powerful and traditional than the Zenin, but she still understood how all that crap worked, with lines of succession, cursed techniques, and all that stuff. She also knew what it was like to be judged for being a woman and not fitting in with the ideals of your family and other sorcerers. Momo told me how her mother had suffered a lot of criticism and harassment for having an American boyfriend and for giving birth out of wedlock, to the point that they both had to live abroad for long periods of time to avoid problems. I told her how my horrible uncle Naobito forced me to become a sorceress because of Maki and how the women in my family had no say in anything. So whenever we talked about it together, we understood each other a lot. Whenever I was stressed about clan matters or the demands of my family, Momo was the one I vented to, and on days when I felt sad or scared, she always knew how to cheer me up. I started dating her almost at the end of my freshman year. I confessed my love to her in the middle of a mission assigned to just the two of us while we were both freaking out trying to kill a first grade curse that was accidentally classified as third grade. I guess because I thought we were going to die, I wanted her to know how I felt about her. Fortunately, Aoi arrived as backup and saved us both. I'll never stop thanking Aoi for saving us and for taking the secret of our love to the grave. I remember how, upon returning to school that night, before I went to the dorm, Momo gave me my first kiss. When we first started dating, we tried to keep everything a secret, because we knew that if for some reason my family found out, we'd both be at great risk. My school years were shit, but at least I had a cute girlfriend to share my sorrows with. Every night, I would go to her dorm and spend hours talking together, watching movies, or using her laptop to annoy strangers and play video games online. It was there in her dorm that we had our first time and it was so fun. Except for the part where the principal almost caught us fucking, but I managed to hide under her bed, and Momo covered it all up. I still remember how Momo told the old man that she was actually agitated from having nightmares. The old man gave Momo melatonin pills and told her to stop watching horror movies at night. That poor Gakuganji was truly naive!" Mai said, followed by an uncontrolled laugh.
Nobara also laughed a little at the mental image of that embarrassing night and was grateful that, unlike Mai, her first time had been in the privacy of her apartment as an adult. After a while of both of us laughing, Mai continued.
"My last year of high school was the hardest because she wasn't there studying with me anymore, but at the end of the day, Momo always made sure to call me and go out with me every weekend and day off we had. When I graduated, Momo invited me to live at her apartment, and I accepted immediately. Once we lived there together, it was like we were married. It was wonderful. We shared chores every day, slept in the same bed, and when we weren't on missions, we went to all kinds of fun places together to enjoy life. We even made a plan to eventually move in with Momo's paternal family in the United States, and once there, we would leave sorcery for good, study at a community college, get a stable job and marry. We even wanted to try to adopt children or go to a fertility clinic to start our family together. Of course, my dumb-ass father resented the fact that I wouldn't immediately return to serve the clan and marry one of its members, but my uncle defended my choice not to return immediately, because as long as I continued fulfilling my missions and working as a sorceress, I would continue to uphold the Zenin name. Of course, neither of them did even suspect that Momo was my girlfriend or that we were saving up to travel to the United States. If they had known that, there would have been a scandal, and I might not even be alive now. The years Momo and I lived together were hard. I mean, I hated my job as a sorceress, our apartment was a microscopic room where the water heater was always malfunctioning, several men from the three great clans started sending me weird marriage proposals, my sister and I argued on the phone almost daily... However, Momo was always there for me. Every night I couldn't sleep, every morning I struggled to wake up, every time I was called away on a mission and fear paralyzed me, my sweet Momo was there. We truly loved each other.” Mai said, her voice breaking and her eyes teary.
It was clear those memories were filled with affection, however, Nobara could also sense the pain they held. Thinking that their beautiful relationship and all the dreams they had for the future had ended so abruptly and sadly broke her heart.
"I'm so sorry. I really had no idea you two had been so close." Nobara whispered sympathetically.
"There isn't a single fucking day of my stupid life that I don't miss Momo. I still have nightmares from the day she died, and I hate knowing that when I wake up, she won't be there by my side to hug me. The only person who knew about us was my best friend Aoi, and he's dead. Ever since Aoi died this has been my biggest secret, and if it hadn't been for finding you, I would never have told anyone." Mai stated, making no effort to hide her tears.
"Not even your husband?" Nobara asked.
Mai laughed bitterly, still shedding tears.
"He thinks I came into marriage a virgin. That I've never had any kind of partner or kissed anyone. During our first night, he made me stain the sheets with blood, and the next morning he showed them off to everyone. In a clan like the Zenin, family honor depends on the strength of the men and the chastity of the women. If he found out I lost my virginity to a woman long before we were married... He wouldn't take it well. No one in my family would take it well, and my children would pay the price.” Mai said, placing her hands on her belly.
Nobara simply hugged her gently, letting Zenin cry on her shoulder. It was painful for her to see how the tough, independent, and confident girl she'd known as a teenager had been reduced to a pitiful woman dominated by her frustrations and insecurities, subjected to the expectations of a bunch of misogynists. However, the sorceress still had her doubts.
"I don't understand, Mai. If you can't even talk to him honestly about what happened between you and Momo, why did you marry Naoya?" Nobara thought aloud.
Mai tried to wipe away her tears before answering and took a deep breath.
"You wouldn't understand," Mai said.
"Well, I'm even less likely to understand if you don't explain it." Nobara argued.
Mai took a deep breath He swallowed before speaking.
"After the mission where Momo died, I was in the hospital for a long time. My injuries were severe and took a long time to heal." she said, unconsciously touching the scar across his chest. "It was such a terrifying, near-death experience that I started to get scared of having to fight curses again. I mean, I'd always been scared of those things, but now it was way worse. Even seeing a fly-head could make me throw up and pee myself. Every time I was training in rehab and remembered I'd have to go back to hunting curses, I'd start hyperventilating, crying, and shaking a lot. Both Aoi's and Momo's deaths affected me a lot. I didn't want to go back to that kind of life, I didn't want to go back to suffering and being afraid. It was during the last days of my rehab that Naoya contacted me and proposed to marry me. I knew that if I married him, I'd have to return to live with the rest of my family and that I wouldn't be able to do what I wanted with my life anymore, but I'd also stop being a sorceress. So I agreed. I got married a few days after I was discharged, and two days before returning from my honeymoon, I found out I was expecting Momo. Maybe my husband isn't a perfect man, but he's the father of my children, and he kept his promise to free me from working at something I hated.”
"You didn't have to do that. I mean, you didn't have to marry a person you always labeled as a childish braggart and a misogynist just to stop being a sorceress. You could have quit and looked for another job like Nanami did." Nobara said again, not entirely satisfied with the explanation she'd heard.
"I'm a fucking woman of the fucking Zenin Clan. I can't just run away without suffering repercussions! I'm not some damn empowered woman who can exorcise hundreds of curses while maintaining a skinny body and a perfect haircut! I can't do all this alone!”
"You don't need to be empowered, skinny or have perfect hair! You could have talked to your former classmates, you could have talked to Maki, you could have talked to me, damn it! You didn't have to do this alone! We would have helped you!" Nobara exclaimed, receiving a slap from Mai in response.
"I knew you wouldn't understand. You really are an idiot like my sister and everyone else. I have no idea why I trusted you." Mai said, getting out of bed and putting her nightgown back on.
Nobara wanted to complain, but for some reason didn't feel strong enough to do so. Mai left without another word, leaving Nobara to her own worries and thoughts.
The morning that followed that encounter was extremely awkward. As agreed the previous afternoon, Nobara went to Naoya's office to discuss everything related to Mahito and the deaths of Toshiro and Takeshi, having to deal with the Zenin leader's arrogant and pedantic nature. Despite being almost thirty-five years old, Naoya still had a youthful face free of any wrinkles or noticeable imperfections, as well as his characteristic bleached hair, black-polished nails, sharp eyeliner and multiple piercings, making him look more like the lead singer of a punk band than the leader of one of the most conservative factions of sorcery. The fact that he was currently petting the house's pet kitten on his lap only heightened his false youthful appearance.
"So, Kusgisaki, are you telling me that this curse only needs to make physical contact with its victim's body to transfigure it?" Naoya asked. Nobara gulped and tried not to show her nervousness about her encounter with Mai the night before, nor her frustration at the fact that all the questions Naoya had asked her were things she'd already described in the report she'd sent him.
"Mahito's cursed technique only requires his hands, and presumably any part of his body, to make contact with his opponent to transfigure their soul at will." Nobara replied.
"So both Takeshi and Toshiro were unable to dodge Mahito's touch?" Naoya said, still petting his cat.
"As I told you, they only need to be touched for an instant for his technique to take effect." Nobara clarified.
Naoya raised his eyebrows as he stared at Nobara, his gaze similar to that of an art critic trying to decipher the meaning of a piece. The sorceress broke out in a cold sweat. Even though Nobara had bathed and completely washed away the smell of sex and hand cream from that night, the sorceress was still terrified that he would somehow find out about their nighttime adventure. Nobara was sure that Mai would never confess to Naoya, as the consequences for her and her children would be disastrous, however, Naoya was not a fool. One thing that distinguished the Zenin leader was his perspicacity and talent for strategy, so discovering the night of passion they had had through pure observation and clues wasn't at all far-fetched.
"Are you listening to my questions, Miss Kusgisaki?" Naoya asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Sorry. I got a bit distracted." Nobara said nervously.
"What I asked you was why you think Mahito proceeded to attack Takeshi and Toshiro instead of you?" the Zenin questioned.
"Mahito is a Special-Grade curse with a high degree of intelligence, so he could easily deduce that Takeshi and Toshiro were much less experienced than me. Besides, if Yoshino's reports are correct, Mahito’s personality is both curious and sadistic. He probably wanted to delight himself in making both brothers suffer before murdering them." Nobara replied, trying hard to hide her nervousness.
"I see... And tell me, do you think you could have hypothetically saved both boys from that Mahito?" Naoya asked accusingly.
"There's nothing useful of thinking in hypothetical scenarios, sir. I did everything I could to protect their lives, but I failed." Nobara admitted with brutal frankness.
Naoya frowned as his cat let out a small meow. The Zenin's gaze on Nobara grew harder and more tense, as if he suspected something. The sorceress almost threw a nervous laugh at the irony that what was truly frightening her was the fact that Naoya was going to accuse her of negligence for what happened with the students or discover what she had done with Mai that night, and not all those horrific curses and rouge sorcerers she had previously faced. Her head ached, and her hands were shaking. It was almost impossible to concentrate with Naoya's piercing gaze on her.
"I know you're nervous, Miss Kusgisaki. I have a somewhat negative reputation, and the conservative policies I've promoted have generated some distrust and controversy regarding me. But rest assured, all that gibberish talk about me are exaggerations and slander. I'm not a child-eating ogre. I still have a heart. And no, I don't blame you for what happened with the boys, not at all. You're just another innocent victim of this mess. I blame those two boys for not being competent enough to handle Mahito on their own and having to turn to a poor woman to save their lives. Their pitiful deaths brings shame on our clan and their family." Naoya said in a tone of false magnanimity as he let his cat playfully nibble his fingers.
"I’ll repeat myself sir, Mahito is a very powerful and intelligent Special-Grade curse. As formidable as Takeshi and Toshiro were, they were still Second-Grade Sorcerers, and practically teenagers. There was no reasonable way they could won the fight against Mahito, so contacting me was the wisest decision they could have made considering the circumstances." Nobara explained.
She hated the way the man spoke so thoughtlessly of a pair of sorcerers who had been killed so young, and the way he referred to her as "a poor woman" ignoring the fact that she was a powerful sorcerer with a recommendation to become a Special First Grade.
"Are you underestimating the combat prowess of my men?" Naoya asked with a questioning look.
"Rather, I think you're underestimating Mahito's combat prowess." Nobara stated, trying hard to sound assertive and not betray her fears.
Naoya considered Nobara's words seriously for a few seconds, after which he burst into a hearty laugh, completely disconcerting Nobara.
"Kusgisaki, sweetheart, I swear in the name of my late father that that pesky Mahito curse will be exorcised by a man of the Zenin Clan. We are the pinnacle of sorcery, on par with Satoru Gojo. That bastard with badly patched up face will beg for mercy before we wipe him off the face of the Earth." Naoya stated haughtily.
Nobara made an effort to maintain a neutral expression in the face of such a display of hubris and titanic bragging. It wasn't that Nobara precisely believed that Naoya or the rest of the Zenin were weak or completely incapable of fighting Mahito, but that curse was a formidable opponent. According to the information she had, the only effective way to deal with Mahito was to directly damage his soul, and Nobara wasn't 100% sure the Zenin were capable of that.
"By the way, Miss Kusgisaki, I heard that you helped my wife prepare dinner last night. Is that correct?" the Zenin inquired.
"Well, I just helped cut and coat with pankko the vegetables that would be served with the curry Mai prepared. She did the rest." Nobara replied.
"It's a nice detail, anyway. And it is very nice of your part to help out my wife with the chores of the fairer sex. A woman who can't cook is a useless being, right?” He paused briefly to laugh at his own joke.
"Well, anyway, I suppose Mai treated you well tonight. Right?" Naoya asked with a sickly smile laced with venom.
Nobara felt a chill. She wondered for a second if Naoya suspected something and if he was somehow trying to get her to confess with a trick question. Despite that, since Nobara was afraid her silence would give her away, she proceeded to answer.
"Yes, she treated me very well. She was very kind to me."
"Aw, my lovely and sweet Mai, always attending to our guests. I'm proud that she's such a demure and diligent wife despite all the bad habits that Utahime must have instilled in her in her student days. Satoru Gojo should put that woman on a leash before she gets all female empowerment and continues neglecting her son for keeping her stupid job as principal. Don't you think so?” Naoya asked Nobara in that childish, vaguely effeminate tone he sometimes used when speaking.
Nobara refused to comment, feeling disgusted by the way he spoke so contemptuously of a woman like Utahime. The sorceress was about to stand up, sensing it was time to leave, but as soon as she tried to stop, Naoya attacked her with another question.
"By the way, Miss Kusgisaki, do you happen to have a boyfriend or a husband?" Naoya asked, patting his cat.
"No. I'm still single." She answered with sincerity.
Naoya smiled a little as he stood up, causing his poor cat to fall to the floor unexpectedly.
"It's a shame, Miss Kusgisaki, a real shame. You're young, beautiful, have no scars, your buttocks are round, and your breasts have not sagged yet. If I were you, I'd try to settle down with a man as soon as possible. Besides, I know it would be good for you to start having children as soon as possible so they can inherit your family's technique. My mother-in-law says you treated my daughters very well, so I'm confident you'd be an excellent mother and homemaker. In fact, there are some men in my clan who would be more than happy to marry a lady like you." He said in a tone of flattery and condescension.
Nobara forced a smile. Under normal circumstances, she would have brutally beaten any man who dared to make such sexist comments, but being executed for assaulting a clan leader wasn't something she had in her bucket list. Despite that, she didn't want to be completely crushed by such a rancid comment.
"At the moment, I'm not interested in serious relationships or commitments." Nobara replied firmly.
"All right, Miss Kusgisaki. I'll just remind you that the longer time passes, you will have less marriage prospects, beauty and fertility. Don't waste time. If you find someone who suits you, get married immediately and then have children." The Zenin said.
"If only your wife could impregnate me and divorce your ugly ass so we could get married, of course I would, you piece of shit!" Nobara thought, taking a deep breath while pretending the man's comments hadn't affected her at all.
"It's already a quarter to nine, Lord Naoya. Would you like me to escort Miss Kusgisaki off our property, or are there still things to discuss with her?" Ranta said, entering the office, trying to be discreet.
Naoya gave him an authoritative look before answering his subordinate.
"We've concluded our meeting, Ranta. Please escort Kusgisaki off our property."
"By the way, your wife just prepared breakfast. I think it wouldn't be a bad idea for Miss Kusgisaki to join us eating before we leave." Ranta suggested again.
"I'd rather enjoy my breakfast alone with my family. Besides, Miss Kusgisaki probably has more pressing obligations to attend to today." Naoya said, dismissing Nobara with a certain air of elitism.
"Okay..." Ranta replied meekly as both he and Nobara left the office.
Nobara sighed. At least that awkward encounter with the Zenin leader was over for her.
Notes:
Sorry for ending the encounter of Nobara and Mai in such a bitter way, but I promise they will get better soon. Another note about sex-ed, but the whole thing about bleeding your first time is kinda bs, lol. Some people do bleed because their hymen gets torn and other people don't because either their hymen was flexible enough to not get thorn and bleed or because it had been previously torn apart by doing something unrelated to sex. The hymen can be keept intact after many sex encounters and then be broken randomly or never be broken at all. Plus, some times you can bleed during sex not due having your hymen broken, but due getting hurt by a lack of arousal. Sady there are still cultures where bleeding and feeling pain is still associated with your first time and failure to bleed during the wedding nigth can be seen as if the woman was not "pure" anymore.
And now, back to the fun stuff, my number one headcanon about Naoya is that he is a cat person and absolutey adores cats since they are loyal to him (when he pets them and gives them treats) and will never call out his bullshit (because cats can't understand him, if they could they would tell him to fuck off). Naoya probably treats the family cat (Mikan) as his anti-anxiety fidget toy and he brings it with him to all his meetings with other sorcers and the elders of his own clan.
Also, I love Momo x Mai ship, but I had to sink that ship in this fanfic, so NobaMai could work out good. I kinda think Momo was one of the most underdeveloved characters of the whole manga, despite Gege giving us interesting hints about her and her family (like implying she is also from a sorcer clan and mentioning she is half American). I think she could have been explored a bit more in the manga/anime, but given how Gege rushed some parts of the manga I think that is understandable to have not given her much character arc compared to other characters (tho that still sucks, lol, I'll never forgive you for forgeting cool female characters Gege).
Anyway, comments and kudos are love!
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Chapter Text
The trip back to the Kyoto Tech wasn't much different from the first trip Nobara had made with the Zenins in that car. The only noticeable difference was that this time, the poor Mrs. Asami wasn't crying next to them, and now, instead of Lady Gaga playing on the car stereo, Ranta had Chappelle Roan.
"...when you wake up next to him in the middle of the night, with your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife, and when you think about me, all of those years ago, you're standing face to face with I told you so, you know I hate to say it, I told you so, you know I hate to say, but I told you soooo!" Ranta sang unashamed, almost as if Nobara and Jinichi weren't there to hear his off-key voice and mediocre English pronunciation.
Nobara sighed and wondered if he even had any idea what that song meant. She admitted to not knowing much English and not having grasped its meaning the first time she heard it on the radio, but it didn't take long for her to eventually understand the entire theme and concept. A sad story of a woman denying her feelings for another woman and trapped in an empty relationship with a man. The first time she paid attention to the lyrics, the meaning seemed somewhat sad, but now, after that night of passion and confessions she had with Mai, she found the lyrics particularly depressing.
"For fuck's sake, Ranta, stop singing and turn off the damn stereo!" Jinichi growled, annoyed.
"Hey! It's my car, I can listen to whatever I want!" Ranta defended himself.
"Please, Ranta, your playlist sounds like something from a gay nightclub. No real man would listen to that thing." Jinichi grumbled, annoyed.
"And how do you know what kind of music they listen to in the gay nightclubs?" Nobara asked, trying to shake off the feeling of boredom that was plaguing her and distract her mind from anguished thoughts.
Jinichi suddenly blushed and swallowed, while Ranta tried to contain his laughter.
"I... I've had a couple of missions in those kinds of establishments... Nothing out of the ordinary... I would never frequent one of those dens of prostitution, alcohol, and sodomy of my own free will... I... I'm a decent man... I’m not into that queer stuff..." Jinichi explained, clearly embarrassed.
From the man's reaction, Nobara suspected that she might have accidentally touched a nerve with Unit Captain Hei. She thought about the homophobic comments he had made earlier and tried to connect the dots. Did he hate gay people so much that the slightest implication that he could be one of them could destabilize him psychologically? Or was all that hatred he spewed just a facade to cover his own insecurities about his sexuality? Whether he was an oversensitive heterosexual or a homosexual incapable of accepting himself, the nervousness of his response was pathetic. None of her hypotheses about Jinichi’s life and sexuality surprised Nobara; after all, the Zenin were a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites. However, it was very difficult for Nobara to pity men with such rancid mindsets, especially since that kind of mindset was the one Naoya had used to chain Mai and condemn her to a miserable marriage.
Nobara was lucky that before arriving at school, they had stopped at 7-Eleven, where Ranta did offer to both Jinichi and Nobara a drink and any food of their choice, to eat before getting back in the car. Ranta chose an energy drink, melon bread, and a strawberry whipped cream sandwich, while Jinichi opted for an Americano and a hot dog, and Nobara got her discrete revenge for not being invited to breakfast by buying a bento box with fried rice and breaded pork and a side of vegetables, as well as a cold vanilla cappuccino and a chocolate filled pastry for dessert.
While she was eating her portion of meat, the sorceress checked the new notification on her phone: It was Maki.
"Of course I knew Mai had married our stupid cousin! Why do you think I had a bad feeling? Didn't she tell you?" Maki's message read.
Nobara took a breath and answered.
"She didn't tell me anything. If it weren't for the fact that I was forced to go to that jerk house yesterday, maybe she never would have told me. WTF? Why did you stop her from marrying that POS?" Nobara wrote.
It took Maki a couple of minutes to type.
"I had no idea Naoya was planning on marrying Mai. My sister and I had been in some kind of weird fight for a few months and I'd already cut off contact with the rest of my family way before I went overseas. The last I heard from Mai she'd been injured on a mission and was hospitalized. I tried to text her to ask how she was and cheer her up but she never text me back. And a few months later I got a text from an unknown number who turned out to be Naoya showing their damn wedding photos, their disgusting bloodstained bed sheet and several intimate pictures of him and Mai. It shocked me so much that I blocked him and started throwing up in the bathroom. I tried to contact Mai, but there was no answer. I felt so fucking horrible and I could not do anything. It wasn't until almost five months ago that she contacted me again. And for some reason my stubborn sister won't talk about me shit about her marriage or all the horrible things Naoya has done to her! All she talks about are her daughters and the baby she's expecting! It's maddening!" Maki responded, along with a sticker of a man screaming while hysterically pulling his hair.
"WTF? What kind of abusive degenerate would do that kind of thing to his own wife?" Noabara wrote, feeling disgusted at discovering a new facet of the Zenin leader's abuse.
"My cousin has always been a fucking pervert."
"You have to get her out of there, damn it!" Noabara wrote desperately.
A few minutes passed before Maki answered.
"Do you think I haven't tried? Ever since I reconnected with Mai, I've tried to convince her to run away, but she refuses. She's still a coward and tries to deceive herself and pretend her husband isn't a piece of shit. And it's not like I can just go rescue her like if Mai was the princess from Mario Bros. After my last argument with my uncle and Naoya, I was officially banished, and all members of the clan are officially obligated to execute me if I try to enter to their estate again. If for any reason I go in there, innocent blood will be shed." Was Maki's response.
"And can't Yuta help you? Or that African sorcerer you've been training with?" Nobara asked desperately as she stuffed her last piece of steamed vegetables into her mouth.
"If Yuta intervenes, a conflict could break out between the Zenin clan and the Gojo clan, and it would be an all-out war and if Miguel helps us, a diplomatic scandal could erupt between the sorcerers of Japan and Kenya. We can't risk it."
Nobara finished the rest of her coffee without being able to enjoy it. Her blood was boiling. How was it possible that one of the most powerful sorceresses and her allies, who were equally or more powerful than her, couldn't do anything to save her sister?
She was about to text Maki again, but before she could even think of a reply, two things happened: her cell phone ran out of battery, and Ranta called her back to the car. Frustrated, Nobara got back into the vehicle and tried not to think about anything at all: not Maki's messages, not the dead students, not the wild sex from the night before, not Mai's abrupt confessions about her past, and much less her awkward conversation with the Zenin leader. But no matter how hard she tried to clear her mind and forget everything, Mai's desperate words and the ghost of her caresses kept hammering at her mind.
Nobara almost felt relieved when she arrived at school and got out of that car, especially when Ranta handed her the grand sum of 53,000 yen in a clear cellophane bag. Part of her hadn't expected to be so well compensated for catering to Naoya's whims, but considering all the trouble and inconvenience she'd been through, it seemed like too little.
"I really appreciate you coming, and I'm sorry for all the problems we've caused you." Ranta said.
"Don't worry, I know it's not your fault." Nobara replied.
"I know it's a little difficult working for Naoya, but deep inside he is..." Before he could finish apologizing, Jinichi interrupted him.
"A little difficult? That bleached-haired jerk is a pain in the ass! The respect we have for his late father is the only reason why we're still putting up with him!"
"Please, Jinichi, you and I both know he's not that bad..." Ranta argued.
"Ever since Naoya came to power, you've been taking anti-anxiety pills and your hair is falling out. Don’t be ridiculous!" Jinichi grumbled.
"Hey! My sleeping pills aren't anti-anxiety pills! And most of the men in my family start going bald at my age!" Ranta exclaimed.
Nobara rolled her eyes. That idiot Ranta really was a spineless bootlicker.
"By the way, Naoya asked me to leave you his business card with his personal number in case you have any more vital information about Mahito. And I'll also leave you my business card in case you'd like to chat someday or help out with one of the charity events of the NGOs where I volunteer. The next one is in a couple of weeks, and I'd be more than delighted if you could participate in it." Ranta said kindly as he handed Nobara a couple of cards.
Nobara smiled feigning sympathy, although secretly she was extremely annoyed at Ranta’s attempt of courting her.
She said goodbye to both men quietly and once they left she decided to approach one of the vending machines in the building. Despite having had a good cup of iced coffee, she still wanted to consume something energizing to continue her day, but before she could put in her money and press the buttons for the food she wanted a familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"Hey! How's my former student and favorite professional model?" Satoru Gojo shouted, running toward her. Behind him was Utahime, carrying little Suguru, who was dressed in a red and white striped onesie, looking like if he was Wally.
Nobara didn't answer immediately; she simply inhaled, trying to put into human language what that tedious encounter with the Zenin had made her feel.
"I imagine your day with the Zenin must have been tough, right?" Satoru said before she could answer.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Nobara answered frankly.
"If you want, when the classes here are over, Utahime and I can treat you to something nice to eat so you can forget about those guys for a little. Near the daycare Suguru attends, there's a Lebanese restaurant, and every Wednesday there's a discount on shawarmas and those crispy chickpea croquettes they like to make in the Middle East! What do you say?" Satoru asked.
"Thanks, but I'd rather leave it for another time. I have things to do at home." Nobara replied, discouraged.
Satoru and Utahime understood and let Nobara go in peace. The sorceress tried to forget everything by blasting rock music inside her car, but it didn't work. On the contrary, part of her brain began to replay the day's events like flashbacks from a movie.
"I have no idea why I trusted you." Mai's voice said in her head. Nobara sighed, trying not to cry. Despite not being an expert on emotions, she thought she knew why Mai trusted her. The only reason Mai trusted her was because within the walls of that estate, there wasn't a single soul with whom she could tell the truth and be herself. Nobara felt sorry for being the only person she could trust. If the world had been kinder to Mai Zenin, she might still have trusted Momo, Aoi, or even her sister Maki and the rest of her family. But fate chose to be cruel to her by giving her a family like the Zenins and forcing her to choose between a dangerous profession she hated and a man who abused her. And the worst part was that after the argument that ended their night, Mai might not even trust in Nobara anymore.
Upon arriving back at her apartment, Nobara charged her phone while taking a few cans of cold beer out of the refrigerator and curling up in front of her television. She debated between watching a historical drama and a romantic comedy for a few seconds, ultimately choosing the latter. But no matter how hard she tried to pay attention to the plot and get a little drunk to forget, her mind was still reeling from the helplessness of not being able to help Mai. She made an effort to focus on the movie's plot for a while, but the sound of a notification on her phone pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Hey, Utahime told me you came back from the Zenin estate. Did you run into Mai in there?" Mechamaru's message asked.
Nobara lazily answered.
"Yes, I saw her and her two daughters. Why do you ask?"
"I just wanted to know how she was. I haven't seen her in person in years, and I'm curious. And since she always takes a while to answer my messages, I decided to ask you. Is she okay?" Mechamaru asked.
Nobara had no idea what to say. Part of her wanted to be a liar and type "Yes" to end that shitty conversation as quickly as possible, but another part of her wanted to answer, "No. She's married to her fucking cousin, who's cheating on her and sees her as a baby factory he can fuck and exploit all the time. Plus, she's still deep in the closet and very traumatized by the violent death of her first girlfriend." However, before she could decide how to reply, she received a message from someone else.
It was Mai. The sorceress decided to forget Mechamaru's message for a few moments and went to see what Mai had sent her.
"Please don't tell anyone what we did. I'm sorry for everything I said and for slapping you, but please don't say anything about what happened between us or about Momo. I don't want my children to suffer because of what I did. I know I was rude and cruel, but if Naoya finds out what happened, he could do something bad to me and my daughters. He might even hurt my unborn baby. Please don't say anything. I'll do whatever you want me to do. Just don’t put us in danger." Mai wrote.
Nobara couldn't see the housewife's expression through the text, but from what she'd written, she guessed she was absolutely desperate.
"I would never say anything about what happened last night or what happened between you and Nishimiya. I don't care about the shit you did to me, the last thing I want is for Naoya to hurt you or your children." Nobara wrote.
A few minutes passed before she replied.
"Thank you. I'm sorry about last night. Whenever I'm pregnant, I get very emotional, and I said a lot of things I would never have thought of saying to anyone. Please let's be friends again." Mai wrote.
Under normal circumstances, Nobara would have told her to fuck off. You can't have one night of wild sex, followed by a bunch of awkward confessions and insults, and then suddenly want to be just friends again. At that moment, the relationship had to either grow into something more or break up once and for all. However, Nobara and Mai's circumstances were anything but normal. And as much as Nobara longed for Mai to be more than her friend, she knew that as long as Naoya was alive, that would never happen. But still, Nobara wanted nothing more than to be with Mai, even if it was just as her friend.
"Okay. We'll still be friends. Best Friends For Ever!" Noabara wrote, trying to hide her feelings, then sent a sticker of two teddy bears hugging each other.
Mai sent a sticker of a heart and after a couple of minutes, she wrote:
"Next Thursday, I'm taking Momo to her psychiatrist, and I don't think my husband will be with me. I'd really like to spend some time together with you and Momo after the appointment. Maybe we could even go to the park near the office, play with Momo, and you could treat us to ice cream. It would be a great girls' afternoon." Mai wrote.
"You want me to pay for your food again?" Nobara asked.
"And Momo's food too!" Mai wrote.
Outwardly, Nobara grunted, but she didn't have the heart to complain. After all, she knew Mai had been through a lot of pain, and the least she could do for her was give her some free ice cream.
"Deal. Just let me know the time and place. As long as I don't have any modeling sessions or missions, I'll be there." Nobara replied.
"I will tell you as soon as possible." Mai replied.
Nobara sighed. Although things were far from healthy or pleasant for Mai, considering the circumstances, this was as close to a happy ending as she could get.
Despite her mixed feelings, Nobara proceeded to answer Mechamaru's question as briefly and honestly as she could.
"Don't worry. Mai is fine. By Zenin female standards, of course." Nobara typed.
"Then she isn't fine at all." Mechamaru replied with his usual blunt sincerity.
Nobara simply took another sip of her beer. Mechamaru was right, Mai wasn't okay right now, nor would she ever be, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Notes:
Just to be in the same page... if someone is showing intimate pictures of you without consent or distributing them on the internet that is a form of sexual violence and in the legislation of many countries it can be punished. Here in my country (Mexico) we have the Ley Olimpia, which punishes cyberviolence and unconsensual distribution of intimate pictures and porn on the internet, I don't know about the laws of other countries, but as far as I know there are several places where digital sexual violence is punished and there are many women rigths associations championing similar laws and reforms in other places, as well as other privacy laws that forbid distribution of said photos.
Chapter 11
Notes:
Another chapter for this month! After a while I decided to add the rape/non-con warning due a scene that is gonna be written in the next chapters. It is not going to be graphic, but still I don’t want that readers who don’t want to read those kind of things to be triggered by it latter and I ask forgiveness beforehand for not disclosing it at the beginning of this fic. For this chapter the TW are ableism, misogyny, suicide mentions, mental illness, emotional abuse and mentions of medical violence. It is not going to be graphic but better safe than sorry.
Hope you like this chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Nobara arrived at the mental health clinic where Mai's daughter was being treated. It was a relatively small building compared to the hospital of her previous date, but it was close to a park, making it a perfect place to go out with Mai and Momo, especially given the number of playground equipment available. Despite arriving at the exact time Mai had told her she would be there (12:30 p.m.), several minutes passed before the Zenin mother and child left the doctor office and went to greet Nobara. The sorceress was touched by the way the little girl was holding her mother's hand and carrying the white rabbit she had been playing with the first time she met her at the Zenin estate.
"Hello, Momo! How has your mommy been treating you?" Nobara asked, bending down to get down to the girl's level.
"You know I always treat her like a princess. She was very kind to the doctor, and in the morning she and her little sister ate her entire breakfast without standing up of her chair." Mai replied proudly.
Both women looked at each other in embarrassed eyes. They hadn't talked about what had happened between them that night at the Zenin estate since Wednesday, when Mai apologized to Nobara. They tried to act normal and forget about their night of sex and confessions, but no matter how hard they tried to continue with their usual business, the ashes of that passionate evening continued to smolder, giving signs that there was still a fire.
"So, when are you going to apologize to me?" Mai asked Nobara.
"What the hell are you talking about? You're the one who should be apologizing to me!" Nobara complained.
"I already apologized for slapping you and all that shit. I'm complaining about Wednesday’s breakfast." Mai said angrily.
"What’s up with that breakfast?"
"You refused to have breakfast with me and my girls! I mean, I was rude to you, and I really would have liked to apologize before you met up with my husband, but it was really rude of your part to not stay a little longer and get something to eat. I even made pancakes for dessert!”
"Huh? I didn't refuse to have breakfast with you. It was your husband who told me he wanted to have breakfast without me." Nobara replied.
"What? He told me you didn't want to have breakfast with us, that you had to leave early, and that you were sick of dealing with my daughters…" Said Mai confused.
Nobara unconsciously clenched her fists upon hearing the lie Naoya had told Mai. She couldn't understand why that guy had told Mai such blatant lies, but she definitely didn't like him at all.
"I would never get sick of your daughters. They're very cute and have never given me any trouble. And I would always be willing to eat what you make; your food is delicious. I have no idea why would your husband said that about me." Nobara explained.
Mai blinked, bewildered.
"I don't know why he said that to me either... I... I'm sorry again..." Mai replied, embarrassed.
"Don't worry. It's not your fault." Nobara said, heading for the clinic exit with the two Zenin.
"The Wednesday I spoke to you in such a desperate way, I really thought maybe I'd gotten fed up with you and that's why you didn't want to eat with us. And after Toshiro and Takeshi's wake, my husband made a couple of strange comments, and I got paranoid. I thought maybe you were thinking of ratting me out to ruin me, and I..." Mai looked somewhat upset. Nobara just sighed.
"I would never do anything to put you or your kids in danger. Even if I hated you, I would never expose your past to Naoya. Besides, even if I was evil enough to do that, I would most likely suffer the consequences as well." Nobara answered frankly as she pressed the elevator buttons to go to the ground floor.
As they entered the elevator, Mai, Nobara, and Momo could see a low grade curse moving inside. It was a hairy snake with several bulging eyes and a humanoid mouth that emitted incomprehensible murmurs. Momo screamed in fear, and Mai picked her up to protect her from the curse. Despite being an adult and having dealt with curses much stronger than that thing, Mai was too scared to attack the curse, and the elevator door was already closed, so they had no option to flee.
Fortunately for Nobara, running away was never an option, after all nothing relaxed her more than being able to kill curses with her bare hands and her hammer. The sorceress wasted no time, and before the door even opened, the sorceress had already hammered the curse to death. Nobara noticed that even though the curse had been killed, Mai was still trembling and holding Momo tightly.
"Do you want help getting out or carrying Momo?" Nobara asked.
Mai frowned as she stepped out of the elevator.
"Don't treat me like I'm useless. I can do this on my own." she replied as she stepped out of the elevator and took her daughter out of her arms.
"I'm just trying to be nice. You still look very upset about that curse."
Nobara justified herself.
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's the normal reaction of a mother when her daughter's life is in danger. Not to mention that I've had particularly unpleasant experiences with curses." Mai snapped.
Nobara swallowed, remembering what she'd told her about the phobia she'd developed after Nishimiya's death.
"Have you thought about carrying your gun with you? I mean, maybe it does not completely eliminates the risk of an attack, but I know you'll feel safer knowing you can defend yourself and your children if necessary." Nobara suggested.
"I'm forbidden from handling firearms or any weapon-like objects other than kitchen knives." Mai replied as she passed through the front door of the clinic.
Momo frowned as she felt the sunlight hit her face and squeezed her bunny tightly, as if what her mother had said had bothered her.
"Huh? Why is that? Do they really think self-defense isn't traditional and feminine enough?" Nobara asked.
"It is not that… Let's just say they're afraid I'll cancel my subscription to the life service." Mai replied with a cynical smile.
Nobara felt like she'd been punched in the stomach after hearing Mai's overly politically correct way of referring to suicide. Why the hell did the Zenin people believed that Mai was planning to take her own life? Nobara was about to ask Mai that question, but before she could even open her mouth, the young morther spoke up.
"You know, I think this is a very awkward topic. It's best if we talk about something else."
Nobara nodded. There would be time to ask Mai about it latter.
"So, how did the appointment went for your girl?" Nobara said as they headed toward the park.
Momo was still holding Mai's hand, while her other hand was cradling her white rabbit. The weather that spring was much warmer than usual, and while the breeze eased the heat a bit, the little girl was starting to look slightly tired and sweaty.
"Ha! You couldn't have picked a more uncomfortable topic!Except, maybe talking about daddy issues! If I could write a book about all the shit that son of a bitch who donated sperm to my mother did to me, I swear people would think I’m lying, because they wouldn't believe it was possible for such a cruel and repulsive jerk to exist! I congratulate that special grade curse that killed him for sending that old frat to hell! Ha! Besides, judging by your attitude, I'm sure you must have daddy issues too!" Mai exclaimed, smiling bitterly.
"For your information, you can't have daddy issues if you don't even know who your father was. So I think I got lucky with that." Nobara said, indulging Mai's dark humor.
Mai laughed bitterly for a few moments, then put on a completely serious, humorless expression.
"Do you really want to know how the things went with the psychiatrist?" Mai asked.
"Only if you want to tell me." Nobara replied.
Mai turned to look at Momo, who was still deeply focused on swinging her white rabbit back and forth as they walked. She took a breath and looked the sorceress in the eye.
"Apparently, Momo might be autistic, and although her psychiatrist thinks she needs a few more tests to get an accurate diagnosis, autism and mental illness are common on her father's side of the family. I thought knowing exactly what was happening to Momo would give me peace of mind, but now... I don't know. I feel uneasy. I'm afraid her future is ruined or something." Mai said with a sad look.
Nobara felt a knot in her stomach. I didn't know much about autism, except for what she had heard in a couple of mental disability awareness reports and the Extraordinary Attorney Woo K-drama. It was surely going to be difficult for Mai and her daughter to deal with a mental condition like that, especially in such a closed-minded family.
"I didn't know there were mentally disabled people in the big clans, too. Much less in the Zenin clan." Nobara replied.
"It's not something we like to talk about in public. If someone in my family starts acting weird due mental problems and can't hide it, we simply lock them away in a safe part of the estate so they don't cause trouble. When Naoya's older sister Izumi started hallucinating and going crazy during her meltdowns, they left her in one of the rooms near the food storage with an elderly servant to look after her, and they performed surgery to remove her female organs so she couldn't get pregnant if she ran away with a man or someone violated her." Mai replied.
Nobara felt like she was listening to a horror story. The implications that the Zenin family would have preferred to imprison and mutilate a woman for the crime of being mentally challenged rather than give her any medical treatment and protect her from any man who tried to abuse her were chilling. If that had happened to a daughter of Naobito fucking Zenin, she didn’t want to imagine what would happen to the daughter of some low-status man.
"So, are they going to do that to Momo when she grows up?" Nobara asked, staring at the horrified at the little girl.
Momo seemed to recognize her name being mentioned and babbled something unintelligible while waving her rabbit. Mai proceeded to say a few sweet nothings to Momo before answering Nobara.
"It all depends on how severe her symptoms are as she gets older. Maybe once she starts speech therapy, she'll start acting better, but I don't know if that's possible. At least they ruled out brain damage after seeing the EEG images, and apparently she has a high cursed energy level, which is a weight off my shoulders." the mother said, trying to sound optimistic.
Nobara smiled fondly at the way Mai interrupted their conversation to tell Momo that she should look both ways before crossing, and how the little girl imitated her by turning her head from side to side. Once the cars passed and the light signaled for pedestrians, the three of them moved forward, with Momo holding her mother's hand tightly as they crossed the street to the park. It was impossible to deny that Momo truly felt loved by her mother, even if she didn't have the words to express it. And from the way Mai's eyes lit up when they reached the swings and she let Momo run off to play on them, it was obvious that she adored her firstborn too.
"I guess that's good. I mean, just because she has a disability doesn't mean she's useless. Mechamaru has a Heavenly Restriction that left him bedridden, and yet he's an excellent sorcerer. I'm sure she'll be a powerful sorceress someday." Nobara said as they watched Momo try to sit her rabbit in the swing and rock it.
"I don't think my husband will let Momo work as a professional sorceress when she grows up. We would prefer that she didn’t risk her life that way. But it's still good that she's strong. The one I'm most worried about right now is Midori." Mai replied.
"Midori?"
Mai bit her lip. Frustration was visible on her face.
"I don't want to speak about it yet or let it be known. But apparently she can't see curses, and her cursed energy is too low. Almost as low as my sister's." Mai replied.
"Why are you so worried about that? I mean, she can still live a normal life, right?" Nobara asked, feeling stupid immediately afterward.
Obviously, the Zenin were backward, stuck up and cruel people who valued power and cursed techniques over life itself. If even a man as strong as Megumi's father had been abused and scorned because of his lack of cursed energy, surely a little girl like Midori would suffer even worse.
"Technically, it shouldn't affect her much since we don't want her to be a professional sorceress either. However, as the daughter of the leader of the Zenin Clan, she's supposed to be a sorceress to ensure she has children with strong cursed techniques. The fact that she can't even see curses makes her a failure." Mai replied, as Momo handed her her rabbit and they tried to climb the swing.
"Hey! Your daughter isn't a failure! She's just a baby; it's not her fault she was born normal! You shouldn't insult her like that!" Nobara complained, furious that Mai herself would speak so disparagingly of her own daughter.
"I'm not insulting her; I'm just stating how people in my family see the whole thing. To me, none of my girls are failures and I love them more than anything. They are my treasures." Mai replied, helping Momo to play on the swing.
"Then why do you let yourself be swayed by the opinions of those idiots? You're Naoya Zenin's wife! Use your privileges and send those jerks who talk shit about you and your girls to hell!" Nobara said.
"My husband is part of those jerks who talk shit." Mai said dryly.
Nobara clenched her jaw and swallowed. How dare that idiot insult his own girls? She remembered the affection with which Midori looked at her that afternoon when she helped Mai feed her and how happily the little girl babbled. That her own father thought that a girl like her was a failure seemed inhumane.
"Then send that idiot to hell too! He can get a fucking ticket straight to hell and get lost there forever!" Nobara exclaimed.
Mai sighed, still rocking Momo in the swing.
"I know you probably think Naoya doesn't love them and mistreats them. But believe me, he loves them and has done his best for them. He's just disappointed and doesn't know what to do with his frustration."
"How the hell can he be disappointed of those little girls? They're not even old enough to read or tie their own shoes! What the hell can he expect from a pair of toddlers?"
"He was expecting them to be boys."
Nobara blinked, her eyes filled with indignation. Naoya being misogynistic toward his own daughters didn't surprise her, but it still disappointed her quite a bit. Nobara was about to speak, but before she could, Mai talked.
"Believe me, it's not that he hates them for being girls, but the first requirement our clan has for naming an heir is that said heir has to be born male. And Naoya is very frustrated that he doesn't have anyone to designate as an heir yet. The fact that Midori has very low cursed energy and that Momo has developmental issues only adds insult to injury. That's why he was so excited when he found out she was expecting Toji.”
"Toji?" Nobara asked.
"In case it wasn't obvious, that's the name our child will have." Mai explained.
"I know he's your son, but I'm surprised they named him after Megumi's late father. I mean, that guy was a manwhore, murderer, addicted to gambling who abandoned his own children and killed a teenager girl to get money from a cult. I don't think it's a good idea to name him after someone like that." Nobara replied, bewildered.
"He was Naoya's favorite cousin. I never met him, but I imagine he had to have something good about him for my husband to admire him so much." Mai said, placing her hands on her baby bump.
"If that was his best cousin, I don't want to know who he thinks is the worst." Nobara replied.
"Possibly Jinichi."
"I don't blame him. He looks bitter and hypocrite." Nobara affirmed, remembering the rancid comments Unit Captain Hei had made in the car.
"Anyway, I'm very happy knowing that in a few months, little Toji will be with me. Maybe once my little one is born and once he has a strong cursed technique, my husband will stop criticizing me and the girls so much and he would show love to us all." Mai said with a hint of hope.
Nobara smiled, though deep down she felt pity. Mai desperately wanted her husband's approval and affection and thought having a son would ensure the validation she longed for. It reminded him of how Maki had spent years striving for her clan's approval, training until she was exhausted, participating in the most dangerous missions she could manage, making sure that the name Maki Zenin was synonymous with power and brute force despite her clan's attempts to halt her rise. She even remembered how Maki had even saved her uncle Naobito and Naoya's lives on a couple of occasions, without even receiving thanks. Instead, Maki had ended up earning the dislike and envy of most of the powerful men in the Zenin clan, especially Naoya. At the time, after seeing that his attempts to demoralize Maki had had the opposite effect and that Maki had surpassed the strength of the majority of the men in the clan, Naobito tried to mediate between the more traditionalist faction of the clan led by Naoya and the progressive faction that supported Maki, who despite being detested by many, had the support of both the special sorcerers Yuta Okkotsu and Satoru Gojo. Those negotiations between tradition and progress could be summarized as an uncomfortable circus of humiliation for Maki and a perfect place to be a petulant jerk for Naoya.
The breaking point of those negotiations was the fact that, in an attempt to reconcile both parties, Naobito proposed to Maki that she could become the head of the Zenin Clan in exchange of her marrying Naoya. This brazen proposal was met with the most violent rejection from both parties, with Maki refusing to give herself to a man as disgusting as her cousin and Naoya outraged at the prospect of becoming a subordinate to his own wife. It didn't matter that Naobito assured Maki that she would have all the Zenin clan's weapons, money, and real estate propieties in her name, or that he told Naoya that it didn't matter if Maki contorlled the clan because, after all, "he could still be the man in the bed"; at the end the whole thing it ended with a bloody fight. It was a miracle that the fight that broke out as a result of Naobito's crazy proposal didn't kill anyone. That argument was what definitively crushed Maki's hopes of receiving any kind of respect from her family, causing her to sever all ties she once had with them.
For Maki, discovering that she would never gain the acceptance and respect she craved from her family was a bitter but necessary blow. Perhaps if Maki had stubbornly pursued those crumbs of validation from her family, she would be in a situation as toxic as the one Mai found herself in. Nobara wondered if Mai truly wanted a son by choice or if she was just doing it to gain Naoya's approval. She also wondered if once the child was born she would truly gain some semblance of respect and appreciation or if they would simply look for more reasons to criticize her.
"By the way, I have pictures from Toji's last ultrasound. Do you want to see them?" Mai asked Nobara.
"Yeah, why not?" Nobara replied.
"Find the photo album in my bag. It's on the last page." Mai said as she continued to help Momo to play on the swing.
Nobara opened Mai's bag and took out the photo album, opening it to the last page just as Mai had instructed. Inside the album, she could see the image.
Picture of the baby's ultrasound. To Nobara, there wasn't much to write home about in that image; it looked pretty much like any other ultrasound of an embryo she had seen, but she knew Mai had to think it was very special. It was possibly one of the first images of the newest member of her family, and that was a wonderful thing. Part of Nobara wanted to feel affection for Mai and little Toji, but thinking that the child was the product of a toxic and incestuous relationship and that he would possibly grow up to be a carbon copy of his horrible father and imitate his arrogant and sexist nature ruined her chances of having any kind good thoughts about that child.
A scream from Momo brought Nobara out of her thoughts. Apparently, she had decided to jump off the moving swing and crashed to the ground. Mai and Nobara immediately rushed to the little girl and helped her up, very concerned to see that she was crying and that she had some scratches on her face and hands, with a small trickle of blood coming from her broken lips and staining the collar of her kimono.
"Calm down, Princess, you're okay now. It was just a little scratch, okay?" Nobara said as she carried Momo. Far from calming down, the girl began to scream even louder and kick uncontrollably, wanting to get away from the sorceress.
"Let me carry her. She hates being held by other people, especially if she's hurt." Mai said, allowing Nobara to give her daughter to her.
Although the girl continued to cry, being near her mother calmed her a little, even more so when she gave her her stuffed rabbit, which she hugged tightly.
Both women headed to the park's public restroom, where Mai proceeded to wash her daughter's wounds.
"Come on, Momo, you'll be fine. I'll put some Band-Aids on you so it won't hurt anymore." Mai said as she dried the wounds of Momo she had just cleaned with toilet paper.
"Do you want me to go to the pharmacy for some Band-Aids?" Nobara asked.
"No need, I have Band-Aids in my bag, Nobara. Help me put them to Momo. Oh! Also, get some disinfectant!" Mai ordered the sorceress, while continuing to wipe the blood from Momo's wounds.
Nobara complied and took out a package of Band-Aids with drawings of Sanrio characters, as well as the small bottle of disinfectant, helping Mai treat Momo's wounds. After a few minutes, Momo stopped crying and pointed her finger at one of the toilets, indicating to her mother that she wanted to go.
"Let me take her to the bathroom. She still needs a bit of help wiping her butt. After that, how about we go together for the ice cream you promised?" Mai said to Nobara, entering the toilet stall with Momo.
"Uh, sure. A small ice cream for the princess and a double ice cream for her mommy and her little bro!" Nobara replied, after which Mai closed the door.
The sorceress then looked at herself in the mirror while she waited for the Zenins, taking her favorite lip balm out of her bag and applying it with great care. It was a slightly red-tinted balm that she had been given as a courtesy for working on the brand's advertising campaign. The shine of the balm reminded her of the balm Mai had used that night, and how oddly enough, that lip product tasted almost identical to a piece of cotton candy. Nobara smiled. She had really enjoyed that night of sex with Mai. The sorceress had never felt so connected to someone during lovemaking or had so many orgasms in a single session, and from what she had seen, Mai had also enjoyed it a lot, climaxing several times and smiling, laughing and moaning almost the entire time. It was a real shame Mai couldn't escape Naoya and go with her.
After a few minutes, Mai and Momo left the bathroom stall and began washing their hands, while Nobara decided to finish off that layer of lip balm with some pink glitter gloss.
"Those lip products you use really look like good brands. I'd really like to be able to buy them someday." Mai said as she helped Midori dry her hands.
"I like the products you use on your lips too. Especially the sweet lip gloss you used that night." Nobara replied.
"That gloss was from Momo Nishimiya, her father bought it for her shortly before that mission..." Mai said, omitting to mention any explicit words regarding her ex-girlfriend's death.
"Oh. I see. She really had good taste." Nobara commented.
"A lot of her makeup was from American brands, and she always made sure it was all organic, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and vegan. I think that's the only way she's similar to Naoya." Mai said thoughtfully.
"I can't believe that jerk cares about such things. I mean, for someone to think he's the pinnacle of masculinity and sorcery, he's way too obsessed with his appearance." Nobara commented.
"You have no idea. He spends on beauty products in three months what I spend in a year. And that's without counting his hair dye and gel nails." Mai complained.
Nobara laughed at the mental image of Naoya using one of those pimple-removing face masks, asking a stylist to touch up his roots, or being the only man sitting in a nail spa while some poor manicurist tolerated his sexist monologues. Of course, Nobara didn't find it odd or off-putting that a man took care of his appearance or liked makeup and feminine stuff. On the contrary, as a die-hard fashionista, she liked that there were also men with a sense of beauty and had even had the opportunity to convince Yuuji, Megumi, and Jumpei to wear activated charcoal masks during a movie night back in her high school days. But the fact that such a staunch traditionalist was at the forefront of skin and hair care seemed too ironic. Mai laughed with her a little too, while Momo clutched her rabbit, completely ignoring the laughter of the adults with her.
"I know this sounds a bit weird, but I still have all the makeup Momo left behind after she died, and I only use it on special occasions. I don't know, I think it makes me feel connected to her and to that happy chapter of my pathetic life." Mai murmured, no longer laughing.
"So, that night with me was a special occasion?" Nobara said, thinking out loud.
"You're my friend, of course that night was special. Besides, I also used that lip gloss for my girls' Okuizome, her purple Urban Decay eye shadow for New Year's, her bronzed Tarte blush for Gion Matsuri last year, and her Milani glitter polish for my birthday." Mai replied, as if she was trying to show off every quality brand of Momo's makeup.
"Nishimiya left you an enviable makeup arsenal. I love makeup, but I would never spend that much on cosmetic brands. Unless it was something really necessary, like The Whoo concealer or that La Roche Posay hydration cream. Those things are worth it.”
"Ha! Your makeup is also very good quality, Nobara. In fact, I really like the lip gloss you're using. Could I borrow some?" Mai begged, making doggy eyes.
"No? I mean, you have too much makeup! Use yours, dammit!" Nobara argued.
"Ouch! You're so rude, Nobara. Isn't your auntie Nobara rude Momo?" Mai said, looking at her daughter with a pouty face.
Nobara silently groaned, annoyed that Mai's tantrums were having an effect on her. Reluctantly, she grabbed her balm and lip gloss, intending to give Mai some.
"Ugh! Okay, I'll lend you some. But don't you dare use too much, because otherwise…” However, before she could hand the tube of balm to Mai, the housewife pecked her mouth, smearing her lips with the balm and shiny gloss. After that, Mai simply smiled, pleased to now have a bit of Nobara's cosmetic on her mouth.
"Ha! I think I already have some of your balm on my lips. It tastes really good." Mai said playfully.
Nobara was red-faced, outraged by Mai's boldness, and the fact that Momo was looking at her as if she knew the implications of that kiss only made things worse. However, Nobara would be lying if she said she didn't like it. On the contrary, she wanted another kiss. Slowly, Nobara placed her lips on Mai's, forcing her to open her mouth, delighting in the feel of their tongues intertwining. They felt like they were in a fairy tale, as if they had finally arrived at that kingdom of fantasy where good triumphed over evil and love existed. Sadly, the passion of that kiss was cut short the moment Momo grabbed the sleeve of her mother's kimono. Suddenly, they both remembered they weren't in a fairy tale. Mai was the honorable wife of the leader of the Zenin clan, while Nobara was a sorceress without roots or lineage, and their relationship was nothing more than an adulterous adventure between two women who, under normal circumstances, would never have spoken to each other again.
Slowly, they parted their lips, still gazing into each other's eyes. Nobara almost cried when she saw how the mischievous smile Mai had had a few minutes earlier had been replaced by a hopeless, melancholic expression. As much as they both wanted their love to blossom, that love was planted in a barren desert.
Notes:
Just thanking everyone who has been reading me! I hope you have liked this chapter. This chapter has some basis on things that happened with me IRL when I was in kindergarten and was diagnosed with autism (in that moment my kind of autism was labeled as Asperger syndrome, tho latter that term stopped to be used due Hans Asperger being a nazi supporter and eugenicist, currently I’m not sure what is the correct term for my kind of autism right now). Also, my brother and some of my friends and family members IRL are in the spectrum, so when I write autistic characters (even for a fanfic), I try to do my best in representing our struggles and show their humanity.
Again, thanks for reading, wishing you a happy summer!
Chapter 12
Notes:
Hi again! This chapter is kinda quick and has no much action in it. My main TW here are mentions of abusive relationships, homophobia and canon typical sexism, child abuse and ableism in the end note.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After their kiss, the two stared at each other in silence for a while, until finally Mai sighed as she took Momo's hand.
"I think we should go out. Momo needs to stretch her legs for a bit before heading home." Mai said.
"Yes. We should also hurry up so we can buy the ice cream I promised you." Nobara replied.
Mai agreed, and they left the bathroom, the three of them heading to the shop where they would buy the ice cream. Once inside, Nobara let Mai choose the ice creams she and her daughter would eat: vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips for Momo and coffee with milk for Mai, while Nobara chose a matcha ice cream with sweet bean pieces on it.
The three of them sat on the benches outside the shop, with Momo sitting on her mother's lap as she devoured the cold dessert.
"I really like you." Mai said, looking at Nobara with a sweet and mischievous expression.
"This isn't right. We can't keep going on like this all the time." Said Nobara.
"Girl, who cares what's right? I fucking love you!"
Nobara took a bite of her ice cream. Despite having feelings for that Zenin lady, she didn't like the idea of maintaining a relationship that required even more concealment and secrecy than the usual for a typical lesbian relationship, not to mention how uncomfortable it was knowing her partner was constantly having sex with a man she detested.
"I want a real relationship." Nobara explained.
"Love between two women is a real relationship. Duh!"
"That's not what I mean. I want someone I can plan a future with and share everything, someone to grow old with. I can't do that with a married woman." Explained with sincerity.
"Maybe I’m not your final destination, but I want to be part of your journey. Besides, it's not like there's much of a future in the world of sorcery. Maybe one day a special grade curse will come and chew you alive and you'll die single, with no one to collect your life insurance and nor claim your material possessions.”
"Oh, so you want to go out with me in the hopes that I'll name you a beneficiary of my insurance and my will, so when I kick the bucket, you'll get your hands on my fortune. Got it. Now detective Hercule Poirot will know who to suspect if I die in mysterious circumstances." Nobara replied sarcastically.
"First of all, I don't need your supposed fortune. My family is obscenely rich. In addition to the money we've accumulated from completing several of missions across the years, the Zenin Clan has investments in the stock market and several real estate properties all across Japan. And second, I know you love me too. Your actions prove it." Mai said, helping Momo wipe her face with a napkin.
Nobara frowned as she took another bite of her ice cream. She hated that Mai wasn't lying about her, but that didn't mean she wasn't uncomfortable being with someone who was married. Especially considering that if their affair were discovered, blood would flow. She highly doubted a man who didn't even allow women to walk three steps in front of him and who had locked his own daughter in a pit of curses would take it easy the discovery that his wife was having a homosexual affair behind his back.
"Besides, none of us have any lucky in love." Mai said, then took a good lick of her ice cream.
Nobara was about to say that she didn't understand how she could say that when she was married to a rich and handsome man, expecting a baby, and had two lovely daughters; however, the same question held its answer. Being married to a Zenin man was the furthest thing from being lucky in love.
Mai's gaze turned dark as she sensed Nobara's thoughts, and she took a deep breath.
"For the Zenin Clan, marriage is a matter of commitment, not love." Mai said with sadness.
"Commitment is an essential part of love." Nobara argued.
"Passion is also a fundamental part of love, and I don’t feel any passion about Naoya. But I feel a lot of passion about you." Mai replied flirtatiously.
Nobara took another bite of her ice cream, not knowing what to say. Hell, she was passionate about Mai too, but she still needed to feel like their relationship was going somewhere, and she was terribly afraid of the uproar the Zenin might cause if they found out about their affair. The look of utter naiveté with which Momo was observing her at that moment only worsened her internal dilemma. Neither Momo, nor Midori, nor even Toji, who hadn't even been born yet, deserved to have a mother who lived a double life and accidentally exposed them to her affairs. However, they also didn't deserve to have a father as cruel and disgusting as Naoya.
"You know, if you want a serious relationship, go ahead and pursue it. But in the meantime, I'll be there for you. While you're waiting for that princess charming of your dreams, I'll be here to give you everything you want.” Mai said.
Nobara took the last bite of her ice cream and sighed. She really wanted a serious relationship, but she also wanted to be with Mai. And what she wanted most at that moment was a relationship serious with Mai. But she knew that as long as Mai was trapped in that incestuous marriage, that would never happen.
"I'll give you everything you want too." Nobara replied, smiling sweetly to Mai.
Both women wanted to kiss each other right there, but the fear of being caught in the act prevented them from following their desires. However, Nobara was creative, so she proceeded to apply her lip balm and lip gloss again and took a napkin out of her pocket, which she kissed, imprinting the shape of her lips on it.
"Whenever for some reason you miss me or want to kiss me, use this to remember me by." Nobara said, handing Mai the napkin.
"Awww...You're so fucking cheesy, Nobara. That’s why I love you." Mai replied, taking her photo album out of her bag and placing the napkin inside it as if it were a bookmark.
The rest of their date passed quickly, with Mai and Momo returning to the mental health clinic shortly after finishing their ice cream so they could be as close as possible to the family driver whom Mai had asked to go grocery shopping while she was at the clinic.
Nobara, for her part, returned to her apartment feeling a rather strange mix of emotions. She finally had an intimate relationship with the woman she loved, but that relationship was a furtive and dangerous affair. She was happy, but at the same time, very confused and scared. Nobara tried not to get carried away by the torrent of emotions she was feeling and made an effort to focus on her tasks and plans of the afternoon.
Nobara had scheduled that specific Thursday free from any missions or modeling projects, partly to have a peaceful date with Mai and partly because Nobara's group of non-sorcerer friends had agreed to take advantage that they were all able to coordinate that day of relative freedom to organize a girls' night out over video chat. Saori continued to live in Tokyo with her job as a data analyst at a prestigious real estate company, while Fumi had recently received a scholarship to study for a master's degree in Glasgow, so the only way they could maintain some contact was through video calls, which they tried to schedule well in advance.
"Remember the man who lived next door to my apartment and was always flirting with me?" Fumi said during their video call.
Despite the distance, the time differences, and the lack of physical proximity, the meeting between them was pleasant, with the three of them catching up on each other's lives after playing some video games and fooling around a while, each one with a snack or a cold drink at hand to make the encounter more enjoyable.
"The fat guy with the septum piercings?" Nobara asked, trying to entertain herself enough with the conversation to forget her dilemmas regarding Mai.
"No, the blond guy who was a fan of Evangelion and gave me a pack of walnut cookies last week." Fumi answered.
"Don't tell me you agreed to go out with him!" Saori exclaimed excitedly.
"Of course not, Saori! Because it turns out he's already married and his pregnant wife is in a work trip in Spain!" Fumi replied.
"What? Damn! That guy was too good to be true, I knew he was hiding something fishy!" Saori laughed.
"To tell the truth, that guy gave me a bad feeling from the start." Nobara added, trying not to think about how the man's situation was slightly similar to Mai's.
"It was so ridiculous to find out! I didn't even have to look it up online or ask him; he confessed it himself! He said it could be a no-strings-attached relationship and that he could be my like my sugar daddy!" Fumi said, laughing in embarrassment.
"What a clown! Seriously, what kind of idiot tries to date someone while they're married?" Saori said as she grabbed another pile of the instant ramen she was eating with her chopsticks.
"Yeah! What kind of pathetic chick does he thinks I am?" Fumi said.
Even though the comments hadn't intended to hurt Nobara’s feelings, they still made the sorceress quite uncomfortable. But despite her efforts to hide her discomfort and embarrassment, both Fumi and Saori noticed her worried expression.
"Are you okay, Nobara?" Fumi asked, slightly concerned.
"Yeah, sure. I'm fine. I just think I need a drink." Nobara said after taking a sip from the bottle of beer next to her, briefly regretting her decision to buy non-alcoholic beer for that night. She really would rather not have to endure those questions completely sober.
"Really? You actually look a little nervous. Is something wrong?" Saori asked.
Nobara tried to ignore Saori's question by shoveling a handful of chips into her mouth, but the inquisitive looks from her two friends forced her to speak after swallowing the pile of chips she had eaten.
"I just didn't think the comments you made about dating married people were that funny... I mean, I don't think being in a relationship with someone who's married is completely pathetic.” Nobara explained.
"Oh? Now you're defending that cheating blond idiot?" Fumi asked with a hint of indignation.
"No, no! That dude is a miserable looser! What I mean is, that there are cases of infidelity where the person is married to someone extremely horrible and having a relationship with someone outside of their marriage can be, I don't know, kinda enjoyable." Nobara explained.
"I'm sorry, but it still isn't fair to me. If that person is such a horrible jerk, they should try to get a divorce instead of just cheating." Saori said.
Nobara wanted to cry, but instead, she ended up letting out a small, nervous laugh. Filing for a divorce wasn't an option for Mai. For people like the Zenins, it was preferable for a woman to suffer the worst abuse in the world or die than to get a divorce.
"Are you okay, Nobara? I've noticed you've been weird and nervous since I mentioned that the blond guy was married." Fumi asked, bewildered by the way Nobara was behaving.
Nobara took another handful of chips and a good swig of her non-alcoholic beer before answering her friends.
"It's nothing. It's just that your situation with that guy reminded me of an awkward situation at work." Nobara said, trying not to give too much away about her situation.
"Drama in the modeling world again?" Saori said, amused.
Nobara gulped. Her friends knew nothing about her career in the sorcery world, so as far as they were concerned, the only job Nobara had was as a model, and every wound she suffered in battle, Nobara attributed to accidents or supposedly "experimental" projects. She had nothing to gain by exposing the world of sorcery to her "normal" friends, so whenever she tried to talk about her dramas with other sorcery colleagues and their missions, she made an effort to pretend that everything was actually happening within the context of modeling.
"Ohhh! Spill the tea!" Fumi exclaimed excitedly.
"One of my coworkers is having an affair behind her husband's back. And said husband also holds a very important position in the industry." Nobara said.
"Ohhh! No wonder you looked so uncomfortable!" Fumi exclaimed.
"Let me guess. The guy is a jerk, and that's why she's cheating on him?" Saori said.
"He's worse than a jerk. For starters, he's an extremely misogynistic and backward guy; he doesn't even allow women to walk three steps in front of him."
"Really?" Saori said, surprised.
"That sounds weird and abusive." Fumi added.
"You have no idea. That guy kept my coworker isolated her for the first few years of their marriage and locked her away in his family's estate with no way of speaking to her former classmates or colleagues. He never lets her eat what she wants at home, even if she makes it herself. He cheats on her with other women while he's away in businesses trips, and from what I know, he never uses protection during sex."
"What the fuck? He doesn't care if she gets pregnant, sick or something?" Fumi replied indignantly.
Nobara took another sip of her beer before continuing.
"He really doesn't care. In fact, I think he does it on purpose. Plus, he treats his daughters very cruelly because they weren't born boys."
"Really? That’s fucked up! Who does that fool think he is? Henry VIII?" Fumi squealed, horrified.
"He even punished one of her daughters by locking her in a pit full of..." But before she could say “curses”, Nobara remembered she was talking to her non-sorcerer friends, so she censored herself and said: "Cats! Yes, stray cats so they'd scratch her face and scare her!"
Both women remained silent behind the monitor, still not fully accepting what Nobara had told them.
"Cats?" Saori asked.
"Yes, it sounds crazier than what it really was." Nobara answered sincerely.
"It is really weird and abusive. Almost like something the evil teacher of that Matilda movie would do." Fumi exclaimed.
"Seriously, you should report it to an association that protects abused women and children." Saori said, worried.
"And help her to get a divorce! I'm sure if she goes with a decent lawyer, they’ll let her keep custody of her daughters and some alimony to cover all the damages." Fumi stated.
"It's not that easy. I mean, that woman's husband works in the same field as me and leads a very conservative and influential cult. I don't think he'd let her go that easily." Nobara explained helplessly.
"A cult?" Saori asked.
Nobara gulped. She really didn't know how to equate Naoya's position of power as leader of the Zenin clan with a "normal" job, other than equating it with being a cult leader. Because if you removed the whole aspect of sorcery and cursed techniques from the equation, the Zenin clan was nothing more than a rancid family cult of anti-feminist jerks, whose elitist attitudes prevented them from interacting with any kind of normality toward those they considered their inferiors.
"It's a really messed up and depressing shit." Nobara answered, trying not to delve too deeply into the matter.
"Don't you think you can notify human resources department? Or the police?" Fumi said worriedly.
"The problem is that guy's cult has a lot of influence in the company I work for. Reporting it would be very difficult." Nobara argued.
"I knew the modeling industry was corrupt, but this cult thing sounds very bleak." Saori commented as she grabbed a can of beer to open and drink a little.
"Seriously, your work environment is a nightmare, Nobara. You should seriously change of agency or search for another career. I've seen several documentaries and true-crime videos about brainwashing and cults, and none of them end well." Fumi added.
Nobara sighed. No, she didn't want to and couldn't stop being a sorceress just because there were shitty people involved in her profession, and she knew quitting wouldn't improve the situation for Mai or her children. Even though the women eventually decided to change the topic, focusing on gossip and the weird stuff happening in their lifes, Nobara couldn't completely shake the helplessness she felt regarding Mai's situation and how their relationship seemed destined to fail. As much as she wanted Mai to be free and have a serious relationship with her, that Zenin woman was chained to a cruel man and a corrupt system that would never let her live in peace.
Notes:
Something I forgot to mention in the previous chapter and a personal HC of mine is that the Zenin clan probably was not only cruel against women, but also against disabled people (wherever their disabilities were physical or mental), since they canonically have a very utilitarian view of people, so probably they would have considered people who needed extra support to be a burden and a shame, rather than normal people with dreams and fears (plus, many fans have pointed out that the Heavenly Restriction thing in canon could work as a methaphor for disabilities and that the hatred that Toji and Maki faced was some sort of fantasy equivalent of IRL ableism, just as Geto's bigotry could be seen as a fantasy equivalent of racism). The Zenins probably they tried to hide away the members of the family whose disabilities were more visible or problematic in a way to show only the best of the family, which is something that many families IRL have done (one of the most infamous examples was the case of Rose Mary Kennedy, a mentally disabled socialite who was lobotomized and abandoned in a house for severely disabled people to ensure that she didn't cause scandals that could jeopardize their siblings political careers, although many middle and working class families have hidden away their disabled children or in severe cases abandoned them and worse).
Also, I decided to include Nobara’s friends to give a bit of a glimpse of how their lives were going on. I'm still a bit salty about Gege never giving us clousure about Nobara's relationship with their friends, so that's why they were included here!
As always, kudos an comments are more than welcome!
(･ω･)
Chapter 13
Notes:
So the TW for this chapter are: canon typical violence, attempt of sexual abuse, mentions of depression/suicidal feelings, discussion of abortion and reproductive abuse/coertion, toxic/abusive family dynamics (they are the Zenins after all), ableism and mentions of mental illnesses.
Without further ado, lets go...
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Okay, baldy, you have until I count to three to open your mouth and tell me where you got those fingers and what you plan to do with them." Nobara said, approaching Juzo with her hammer in hand and every intention of attacking him.
The blacksmith just laughed cynically as he brandished his axe dangerously, holding Ryomen Sukuna's dreaded fingers in his free hand.
"I want to see you try. You'll see that when they're done with you, I'll make your skull into a nice flowerpot where I'll plant..." But before Juzo could explain what kind of flowers he was planning to put in said pot, Nobara threw a bunch of nails straight at him.
Juzo barely had time to dodge the nails, running in the opposite direction still with his axe in hand. Nobara had no choice but to chase after the criminal sorcerer. It was a dangerous game; Juzo was good with short-range weapons and relatively fast, so any misstep could be deadly. Fortunately, Nobara had trained her aim enough that one of her nails landed against the blacksmith's right side of his back. Juzo, despite being in pain, only let out a small grunt as he tried to swing his axe at the sorceress. Nobara was tempted to use Resonance on the criminal, but she feared that her technique would kill him and prevent her from gaining further information about what he was planning to do with those fingers or anything about what was happening. But before she could launch another attack on Juzo, he was shot twice: one in the belly, knocking him to the ground, and another in the arm where he was holding the axe, causing him to drop it instantly. Nobara turned toward the source of the shots, finding Jumpei, who was firmly gripping his Glock 19.
"I already had the situation under control; I didn't need your help." Nobara grumbled.
"I know, I just wanted to keep you from having to confront that bald lunatic directly. Besides, Kento and I just took out that idiot-faced blond, so I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to give you a hand." Jumpei said, taking the axe from Juzo.
"Hey! Who are you calling a bald lunatic, you damn emo faggot?" Juzo complained.
Jumpei rolled his eyes in annoyance, unfazed by Juzo's unoriginal insults.
"Really? And he said something about stealing the fingers and Yuuji's siblings?" Nobara asked, after which she stepped on Juzo's left hand, forcing him to release the three Ryomen Sukuna fingers he had stolen.
After grabbing the fingers the sorceress put them a special bag she had brought with her. They would definitely have to be kept somewhere safe. The theft of Sukuna's fingers and the appearance of the Death Paintings in such a short period of time were beginning to worry Nobara.
"We don't know if the guy is pretending to be crazy or if whoever his boss is has been hiding things from him. Either way, it's clear they're working on something big." Jumpei clarified.
Nanami arrived behind Jumpei, holding Haruta by the hair. The pathetic blond man was wimmpering barely conscious.
"So you're the famous Juzo Kumiya?" Kento Nanami said, approaching the criminal.
"Please confess what you know! Don't let me die, Juzo!" Haruta shrieked.
"You bastard! All I asked you to do was distract them. The fingers were already ours, but you screwed the things up and now they are gone!" Juzo shouted furiously.
"Who asked for the fingers, and what do you want to do with them?" Nobara demanded, stomping on the blacksmith again.
"Eat shit, you damn bitches! I'll never betray Mahito or that monk guy!" Juzo shouted.
"Wait a minute, is Mahito involved?" Jumpei asked, surprised.
Juzo gulped, realizing he'd screwed the whole mission. Nobara, for her part, stomped hard on Juzo's arm, making him groan.
"Okay, you damn raccoon-faced nutcase. I want you to explain to me who this monk you're talking about is, what is the connection of you that monk, Mahito, Sukuna's fingers, and this whole mess. If you don't, I'm going to make sure you can't even donate your damn organs to science or have an open-casket funeral." Nobara threatened.
"We're just following orders! Mahito and the monk promised to rid us of Satoru Gojo and the sorcerers who are preventing our freedom! We didn't even know we were stealing Sukuna's fingers until we saw them this afternoon!" Haruta shrieked, as if the threat had been directed at him and not Juzo.
"You idiot, shut your mouth!" Juzo demanded, whereupon Nobara kicked him right in the nose, instantly fracturing it. Nobara was about to kick the blacksmith again, but a special notification on her phone made her pause for a second. Damn, she'd forgotten to put her notifications on silent.
"If you want to answer you can do it, Kusgisaki. Yoshino and can take care of him by ourselves." Nanami said understandingly.
Nobara moved away from Juzo to read the message in peace, trying to ignore Haruta's desperate shrieks and Juzo's complaints. She took her cell phone out of her bag and saw the number. It was Mai. Nobara made an effort to hide the way her eyes lit up when she saw the message, proceeding to read it.
"Momo's appointments with her psychiatrist have been scheduled every Thursday at 11 so we can continue meeting there as usual." Mai wrote, adding a sticker of a teddy bear with hearts.
Nobara smiled. Since that date in the park, the two had established a routine: every time Mai went with Momo to the psychiatrist, Nobara would hang out with them after they finished Momo’s treatment. Two weeks had passed with similar appointments, during which the sorceress had once again accompanied them to the park and bought them ice cream or some pastry of a nearby café.
"That sounds great, but I don't think I'll be able to accompany you tomorrow. I'm near Hakone on a mission, and it looks like I'll have to stay in the area or maybe in Tokyo to sort this whole thing out." Nobara replied.
"Don't worry, I think we might have another chance soon. The psychiatrist referred us to a speech therapist, and she left us her appointment scheduled for Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the same clinic. So, if you want, we can go out after that." Mai replied.
Nobara was about to reply, saying "that's great" but after a while, she decided not to, feeling that the fact that the reason they saw each other more often was her daughter's psychological issues was somewhat sad.
"I hope Momo is better with that therapist. She's a very sweet girl, and I love her very much, just like her little sister and her unborn brother." Nobara replied.
"Aw! You're very affectionate with my babies! The only detail about the appointments is that Naoya’s mother and my mom want to start accompanying me to Momo's appointments, and I don't think I can tell them to leave me alone with Momo forever. So it might be a little more problematic to see each other often if they come here too." Mai wrote.
"Don’t worry, we can see each other alone one day a week or once every two weeks is enough."
"We have at least ten weeks to see each other before I'm forced to take stay at home to rest and Toji´s arrival where things are going to get complicated."
Nobara bit her lip as she read about Mai's future child. It was definitely going to be difficult to see her once Toji was born, but for the moment she preferred not to dwell on the matter. Perhaps being in a privileged position and having a wealthy family, Mai could count on a nanny or nurse to take care of Toji when he was born and allow her some free time for tending her other duties and get enough free time, giving them the chance to go out together from time to time. As long as they both remained discreet, nothing bad would happen.
"Well, assuming I'm not busy this Saturday and that you've convinced your mom and mother-in-law to leave you and Momo alone at the therapist, then can I see you at the clinic in the morning?" Nobara asked.
"Of course, at ten-thirty we'll meet at the park and get some ice cream." Mai wrote.
Nobara was about to answer, but before she could, she heard a horrible scream from Haruta.
"I admit it! Mahito contacted us at Juzo's workshop! He gave us the information on the whereabouts of those fingers!” Haruta squealed.
Nobara turned to Haruta and raised an eyebrow. Aside from the staff at the Jujutsu schools and a few first-grade sorcerers, most people were unaware of the fact that a pair of Sukuna's fingers had been moved to a secret shrine in Hakone for security reasons. Could there be a spy passing confidential information to rogue sorcerers? She definitely didn't like the implications of what she was hearing and knew the report on this mission would be a nightmare to write, but Nobara had to follow through and dig deep.
On the other end of the line, Mai waited for Nobara's message for a few minutes. She was in her daughters' room with both girls, happily playing, completely unaware of the mess their mother was getting herself into. Midori was busy playing with a large foam puzzle, while Momo lined up her favorite stuffed animals as usual. Most of those toys had been gifts from other members of the Zenin clan, including Mai's in-laws, who had done nothing but spoil their favorite granddaughters.
Mai bit her lip as she thought of her uncle. In a way, he had ruined her life by forcing her to become a sorceress against her will, yet it was thanks to her time as a sorceress that she was able to meet her best friends and the first love of her life, as well as her current lover. And during the time he was alive while she was married to Naoya, there were strangely enough times when Naobito sided with her in certain arguments.
"I won't allow you to hurt your own wife, much less kill my granddaughter." Naobito said in a serious and authoritarian manner.
"Please! I don't want to hurt Mai or anyone! I just don't want my firstborn to be a girl! Is that too much to ask?" Naoya complained.
Mai stood behind both men, carrying her handbag, doing her best not to betray her nerves. Shortly after Mai's doctor's appointment revealed that her baby was going to be a girl, Naoya had gone into denial, feeling that the perfect family he'd imagined wouldn't go according to plan. Determined not to let his dream be ruined, he'd contacted a doctor who could perform an abortion as discreetly as possible and make it appear as a miscarriage on the legal documents to keep the reputation of the clan clean. While Mai hadn't had much choice regarding her pregnancy, with Naoya forcing her to have sex without a condom and not letting her get any other method of birth control beyond questionable home-made remedies, Mai had already gotten her hopes up about being a mother by that point, and the feeling of losing something that loved and her own body had created felt horrible.
"You don't choose what sex or cursed technique your child will have. If that were the case, perhaps our entire lineage would have died out years ago because almost no one would have wanted daughters." The old man argued.
"I'm the next head of the Zenin clan! I have the right to make choices about my own family!" Naoya shouted indignantly.
"Ever since you returned from your honeymoon, you've been bragging about how you got your wife pregnant on your wedding night, and now you have the nerve to try to kill the fruit of that union. Don't say such horrid nonsense at this point in the game, especially when practically everyone knows your wife is expecting."
"I don't understand. You said I could abort if the pregnancy had defects!" Naoya complained again.
"By defects, I meant painful disabilities or incurable diseases. Having a vagina isn't a disease, for fuck’s sake!” Naobito replied.
Normally, Mai would have laughed at how surreal the word "vagina" sounded coming from her uncle's mouth, but at that moment, her nerves and the dizziness from pregnancy made it difficult for her to do anything other than hold on to her handbag.
"I just want a strong male firstborn to inherit my position as clan head to when the time comes, dammit!" Naoya shouted furiously, receiving a sharp slap from Naobito in response.
"If you even think of causing your wife to have an abortion, I will remove you from the line of succession and have you demoted to the lowest position in the clan administration for life." Naobito declared.
Naoya was about to complain to his father, but knowing that any misstep could ruin his life, he remained silent.
"I know this is a bitter pill for you to swallow. I myself have my own disappointments with your older brothers and sisters, specially with what happened to Izumi.” Said the old man talking about his mentally ill daughter like if her existence was a taboo.
“However, neither your mother nor I ever thought of doing anything like this to any of you. On the contrary, your mother was very happy with each of you and has loved you ever since she learned you had been conceived." Naobito said, trying to sound understanding.
Mai had to resist the physical urge to tell both men the anecdote her aunt always told the girls in their rudimentary sex education classes. She recounted how she wanted to abort one of her children because she was tired of taking care of so many babies, but in the end, she chose not to because she had a dream where that baby grew up to become a powerful sorcerer who saved hundreds of people. At the end of that speech, she showed them baby photos of that un-aborted sorcerer, as well as a current image of said sorcerer, a photograph of Naoya holding a curse victim he had just saved. Maki and Mai had always found that story corny and pathetic, but now that Mai knew Naobito's distorted version of the same story, it seemed even worse. She wondered for a moment which version was closer to reality and why the hell that idiot had allowed herself to be manipulated into not aborting the embryo who was now her husband.
"Besides, you and Mai will have at least twenty more years to keep trying. It will be fun..." Naobito said again in a joking tone, as if he wanted to make them laugh with the mental image of those supposed "attempts" to conceive a son.
Even though Mai thanked Naobito for allowing Momo to be born, and the fact that the threat of disinheriting Naoya had prevented him from insisting on aborting again when she became pregnant with Midori, and that during her two miscarriages, the old man had been thoughtful enough to give her potted miniature cacti to help take her mind off those losses, she still hated the fact that he had sided with her at the time only to uphold his conservative values, not because he thought she should have choices over her own body or cared about her well-being. She hated with all her soul the way both Naoya and Naobito only saw her as a sex machine who could make babies instead of a human being with her own desires. Mai turned to see Momo, carrying her white rabbit as usual, and placing it at the front of the long line of stuffed animals and dolls she had made. That rabbit had been a gift to Momo from Naobito, and it had soon become the girl's favorite toy. While she hated Naobito and everything he represented, at least the old man had been a good grandfather to his granddaughters, even asking on his deathbed to say one last goodbye to little Midori, who had been barely three months old at the time of his illness and death. She wondered briefly what Naobito had thought of little Toji and how he was taking it. Most likely, he'd thrown all kinds of celebrations in honor of his grandson and used the party as an excuse to get drunk. Possibly, he was already insisting on getting top-quality things for the baby or questioning his son's choice of name. Perhaps although his talent as an uncle and father had been questionable, as a grandfather, he had been nearly perfect.
Mai's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard Midori scream after Momo hit her for removing one of the toys from her line.
"Momo, no!" the little baby cried as her older sister slapped her head and tried to snatch the doll she had taken from her.
Mai sighed and proceeded to take the doll from Midori, placing it on the highest shelf in the room to prevent the two girls from continuing to fight. Both Midori and Momo began to cry inconsolably after losing the doll they loved so dearly, and Momo couldn't help but continue hitting her little sister, who tried to defend herself by pulling her hair and biting her. Mai proceeded to separate them, picking up Momo and leaving her in her crib until she calmed down a bit.
"Shhh... you're sisters. You shouldn't fight. You love Midori very much, don't you? Midori loves you too, right?" Mai said as she placed the little girl in her crib. Despite no longer sleeping in a crib and barely fitting inside, Mai still liked having Momo's crib to leave her there until she calmed down when she had tantrums or meltdowns. Midori, for her part, lay down on the floor and started kicking and screaming. Mai approached her youngest daughter and picked her up to try to calm her down a little.
"It's over now, princess. I'm with you now. You're not going to take Momo's toys away anymore, right, princess?" Mai said, wanting to calm Midori.
Unfortunately for Mai, both girls continued crying. Mai took a deep breath. She hated it when they both started crying at the same time. The fact that she was currently suffering from a wave of nausea and the feeling of Toji moving inside her made it difficult for her to calm both girls. A notification sounded on her cell phone, but Mai felt too stressed to answer it, so she turned off her phone and hid it in her daughters' toy box, knowing no one would try to look for it in there. She really wanted both girls to calm down, especially because it was almost time for dinner and although she had already made mashed potatoes with zucchini and boiled carrots for Midori, there was still dinner for her husband, Momo and the rest of her family.
To top it all off, her mother-in-law had decided to have dinner with them that night. Despite the old woman generally preferring to isolate herself in her bedroom while drinking liquor and eating rice crackers for dinner, she had grown more attached to her youngest son family recently. Mai bit her lip, imagining the possible criticisms that old woman would make of her cooking and how annoying she would start acting when she inevitably got drunk or the effects of the multiple tranquilizers she took on a daily basis began to hit her.
Fortunately, almost as if the heavens had heard her prayers, Mrs. Asami arrived and informed her that, noticing that she had been late in getting to the kitchen, she decided to start making the rice, cutting the vegetables and frying some potatoes.
"Seriously, thank you, Mrs. Asami. I really needed help." Mai said relieved, handing Midori over to Asami to help calm the child. Despite still grieving for the loss of her children, Mrs. Asami had recently returned to work, for which Mai would never be able to thank her enough.
"If you want, I can heat up the girls' food and give them their dinner while you take care of preparing the meatballs."
"Ugh, okay." Mai replied. She hated vegetarian meatballs, but that particular night her husband had asked her to cook them, so there was no other option.
Mai went to the kitchen and began preparing the meatballs while Mrs. Asami and another of the family's maids took care of giving the girls their dinner. Mai finished preparing the adults' food and went to serve it.
At dinner time, there was an unwritten (but universally followed) rule that when eating in the presence of the Zenin clan leader, no one could put even a bite in their mouths until he had tasted the food. Other sorcerer clans considered this rule of Zenin etiquette quite impractical, as the fact that the food was not tasted by a trusted servant exposed the highest-ranking member of the clan to being a perfect target for a poisoning attempt. However, for the Zenin, it was a sign of absolute loyalty and trust on the part of the clan chief toward his female relatives and servants, as it demonstrated that he knew no one would dare to poison him.
Naoya decided to take his time eating, choosing to ask his wife a few questions about the dinner preparation.
"So, did you make the meatballs with quinoa and black beans like the Americans do, or did you use the usual rehydrated soybean recipe?" Naoya asked.
"I made them American-style. I even topped them with Worcestershire sauce and severed with a side of fries like if they were from a burger place." Mai replied.
"Really?" Zenin asked, raising his eyebrows as if judging what Mai had said.
"Is there a problem?" Mai asked, her expression meek and slightly nervous.
"American food for my mother's dinner? Are you kidding? You know she doesn't eat that stuff. Do I really have to explain everything to you as if you were mentally handicapped or five years old?"
"You told me last night that you were tired of traditional food..." Mai tried to argue in a low voice.
"Did I say that? Pfff! You should have known better, when my mother or any old person comes to dinner, the food has to be traditional styled, not some fancy McBullshit."
"Oh, please, Nao... Don't pretend to care about my taste buds. If you really did, you'd ask your wife to make those pork belly and fried tofu skewers I always made for you when you were a kid. Not this rabbit dinner and Buddhist cuisine you've been obsessing over lately." Naoya's mother said, trying to reason with her son.
Mai gulped, realizing that the old woman was already beginning to show that lack of inhibition that comes with her drunkenness. She'd probably taken a couple of sips of plum liqueur before sitting down to eat, and that was why she spoke so fluently.
"Shut up, Mom! I've had enough of your greasy dishes growing up. Besides, Mai, if I ever wanted to eat something unusual, I'd choose a more... exotic cuisine. You know something from Italy, Mexico, or maybe even the Middle East. Something like that cilantro salad we tried on our honeymoon." Naoya said, smiling.
Mai was disgusted at the mention of that dish they ate in their honeymoon, because no matter where they went to eat, in all those restaurants and food stalls they visited, Naoya was the one who had the final say on what she ate. No matter how much she begged her husband to let her eat whatever she wanted, Naoya forced her to eat whatever he was eating, even if it was unpleasant. That cilantro salad had been by far one of her least favorite dishes.
Finally, Naoya took the first bite, thus starting dinner. Along with him had come Jinichi, who had apparently been helping with administrative matters related to the Hei Unit along with Nobuaki who was the Captain of the Kuruku Unit who also seemed to had been working with them and had a permanent “they don’t pay me enough for this bullshit” expression since Naoya took over the clan. Those two guys had chosen to dine with Naoya’s family along with Ranta, who, being one of Naoya's most trusted assistants, usually dined with him and his family out of practicality as well as a way to keep up with Naoya’s whims 24/7. As usual, Naoya dominated the dinner conversation, focusing on gossip from the jujutsu world and ranting against anything that seemed wrong or distasteful to his world-view.
When they finished dinner, Mrs. Asami began clearing the plates, while Mai headed over to her daughters, who had also finished eating and were now playing with the family cat Mikan, trying to feed the little animal with scraps and pet him.
"Let's go to sleep, girls. It's time to say goodbye to Mikan." Mai said cheerfully as she picked up little Midori and took Momo's hand.
She slowly began to lead them to her room. Generally, both girls tended to take a long time to fall asleep, with Momo being a much lighter sleeper than Midori. Fortunately, both of them seemed to be on more regular sleep schedules and were able to sleep their respective hours in a row, giving Mai greater peace of mind. However, before going to the girls' room, she was stopped by Naoya, who gently touched her shoulder.
"Mai, honey. It's a bit hot tonight. Would you like to join me for a bath?" Naoya asked in a sweet artificial voice.
"Can't you bathe alone? I have to put the girls to bed..." Mai said softly.
"Don't worry, I can take care of my granddaughters." Naoya's mother said, carrying Momo. The girl grimaced at the smell of alcohol and expensive perfume emanating from the old woman and tried to wriggle free, to no avail.
Mai silently cursed her mother-in-law. While she was a kind and harmless woman, she disliked the interactions of her with her daughters while she was drunk, but her husband didn't seem to mind her taking care of them in that state. And in all matters around the house, Naoya had the final say.
"Aw, thank you very much, mommy. Now come with me, Mai. I need some company in the bath." The Zenin said as Mai released Midori and followed her husband with resignation.
As usual, the water they both bathed in on warm days was ice cold, and the bathroom smelled strongly of scented candles. After cleaning their bodies a bit with wet wipes and some tap water, the couple stood undressed in the bathtub, which was filled with foam and bubbles.
Mai didn't wait for her husband to give her orders before she began washing his back, gently massaging the muscles hardened by years of missions and training.
"Tomorrow I have a relatively free day. Just a meeting regarding an overseas mission involving the Kuruku unit at eight o'clock and a couple of other financial matters that I could delegate to Ranta. What do you say I take you to lunch somewhere nice? And maybe afterward we can go see the furniture for Toji's room." Naoya commented.
"Momo has her appointment with her psychiatrist at 11. Maybe you could join us with the doctor and then go for lunch together?" Mai suggested as she massaged his shoulders.
Naoya grimaced, feeling frustrated by his eldest daughter's apparent psychiatric needs.
"You know how hard it is for me to put up with that kid. I wouldn't want to be in a restaurant or department store with you, having to calm her tantrums, or carrying a bag of extra toys and clothes in case she gets bored or soils herself before she gets to the toilet." Naoya said, sinking a little deeper into the tub.
"Momo is only three years old. You need to be patient with her. Besides, her doctor says she'd like to meet you so we can discuss her treatment in more detail." Mai argued.
"I'm patient with her. She's my daughter, I love her, I've never laid a hand on her more than the necessary, and I must admit I find it endearing to see her playing with that toy my dad gave her a while ago. I even keep her birthday photo in my wallet. But... I can't stand spending too much time with her. She reminds me of my sister Izumi, you know? She was very cute, and could use the cursed projection technique, she was an expert with food, dance, and embroidery, and my dad had already arranged for her to be engaged to some sort of nephew of one of the main leaders of the Gojo Clan. But then... That wave of delusions, tantrums, and self-harm started. My mother tried to hide the worst of Izumi when her fiancé arrived to meet her in person and arrange the wedding, but Izumi couldn't help but attack her fiancé and say absurd things about us, like if we were abusing her. The Gojo clan accused us of messing with their honor, and our relationship went downhills for a while. You were very young when that happened; and I was still studying at Kyoto Tech, so you probably didn't even notice how everything got screwed. The fact that my own blood could conceive someone like that... It embarrasses me. It makes me feel like I'm not man enough to keep my own house in order. Like the blood of my family is weak. And then with Midori showing no signs of cursed energy... I feel like I committed genocide in my past life and having those girls is my fucking karma. Right?" Naoya said with a humorless grin, then slowly stood up and uncovered the bathtub drain, letting all the foam go away. Afterwards, he turned on the shower to rinse off the excess foam that still remained on his body. Mai stood up with difficulty and rinsed herself off. At other times, when her husband was vulnerable, she tried to offer him some sympathy. However, at that moment, she didn't know what to say to him. It hurt her that he would show such disdain to his own daughters, yet she had no idea how to defend them without starting a fight.
"Perhaps they inherited that weakness from you and your family. You were always on the weakest side of the main branch, you know? Not that that's entirely bad, at least the weak know how to follow orders. Aside from your stupid sister, the rest of your family knew how to submit, reluctantly, but they did. My aunt, Ogi, and you... They never objected to anything I ordered them to do. Even your idiot father, as much as he hated me and resented me for taking away what he thought was his birthright, was ultimately just as submissive to my orders as you, if not more." Naoya's voice was thoughtful, reflective, but deep down, quite cold.
Mai just shrugged after finishing rinsing and starting to dry her body. She hated being called weak, but on the other hand, she recognized that none of what Naoya said were lies. If she had been strong, she probably would have been able to rescue Momo Nishimiya from that curse and continue her career as a sorceress. If she had been strong, perhaps she would have been able to participate in enough missions to save enough money to move to the United States with Momo Nishimiya's family. Perhaps by then, she would be studying with Momo for a degree unrelated to sorcery, spending her nights eating greasy burgers covered in BBQ sauce, and going to those massive gay pride events she had watched on television, instead of being locked up at home busy with chores, eating tasteless vegan food, and going to her daughters' doctors' appointments. She felt a sudden kick in the stomach from her son, reminding her once again of the position she was in. Maybe if she had been strong enough at that moment, she would never have become a mother or been pregnant, at least not in this way. The lack of control over her body was a punishment for her own weakness. And every movement of Toji's that she felt inside her reminded her of that.
Uncomfortably, Mai slipped into the translucid silk babydoll she would sleep in that night. She hated wearing that kind of clothing to sleep; it seemed insufficiently protective against the cold and made her feel too exposed, almost like a porn star, but it was the only type of sleepwear her husband never criticized. She still remembered how Naoya had cruelly mocked her the first cold night they slept together when Mai tried to wear a Doraemon onesie pajama, being called "childish" and "prude." She received so much ridicule from her own husband that she chose to sleep in her underwear that night. The cold and discomfort hurt, but the mockery was much worse.
Slowly, Mai made her way to the futon in her room and sank down onto the pillows next to Naoya, who was wearing traditional men's pajamas and whose body still smelled of the Epsom salts and lavender soap he had used to bathe. Mai yawned and closed her eyes, relieved that the day was finally coming to an end. But before she could close her eyes and forget everything, Naoya grabbed her arm and looked directly into her eyes.
"Please, Mai. Promise me that the child inside you won't be like you. Promise me he won't be weak, that he won't go crazy, that when he grows up he'll be strong. Promise me he'll be like me." The Zenin begged with a look of desperation and fear.
Mai swallowed. It was rare for Naoya to show his vulnerable side, fearful of the future, but when he did, it was overwhelming.
"I promise," Mai replied.
It was an empty, false, and somewhat pathetic answer, as she had no control over what her son would be like, and the idea that her son would be a carbon-copy of her husband didn't thrill her at all. However, if saying that was what Naoya needed to calm himself down that night, she would say it willingly. Naoya, for his part, placed his hands on Mai's belly and caressed it tenderly, his nervous expression gradually fading and replaced by a calm expression.
"Thank you. Thank you for giving me a child, Mai. I love you so much." The sorcerer's voice sounded strange as he spoke those words.
Mai just nodded, not daring to answer him out loud.
"Can I have my goodnight little kiss?" Naoya asked in a cloying, childish voice, similar to the one he used when he spoke to Mai when she was still a little girl.
Mai approached him and kissed him softly on the lips, after which she smiled at him with the feigned tenderness she had mastered over years of their relationship. Naoya just laughed softly and stroked her hair.
"Now you can give me my little kiss down there?" he whispered, pointing lasciviously at his groin.
Mai felt disgusted by the order her husband had given her. She really didn't want to have sex that night, but she knew that if she didn't obey Naoya's will kindly, he would impose his will by force. The fact that in the distance she could hear Momo and Midori crying and screaming only made things worse.
"Don't worry about the girls, my mom is with them." Naoya said, then began to undo the ties of his clothes, allowing Mai to see the unconventional piercings on his nipples and navel. Mai began to slowly remove his fundoshi, as if she wanted to delay the carnal act she was about to engage in, but before she could place her fingers or mouth on Naoya's privates, the door to his room opened indecorously.
"What the hell do you want?" Naoya growled at his mother, who had opened the door.
The woman was awkwardly holding the girls' hands, both of them half-naked, which made Mai run to put on her nightgown to join them.
"Your daughters refuse to sleep. The little one soiled her diaper, and the older one won't let me put her pajamas on. And now they're fighting. My head hurts a lot, and I'm sleepy. I can't handle them. Please tell Mai to come here." The old woman said with a frustrated expression.
Mai didn't wait for her husband's command to take both girls to her room, feeling relieved that those tedious childish tantrums and her mother-in-law's drunkenness had thwarted Naoya's sexual advances. The fact that she preferred spending the night trying to get a pair of hyperactive girls to sleep over having sex with her husband depressed her quite a bit.
No matter how much time had passed since she married him or how many times they'd had sex, Mai secretly hated it. She still remembered when her mother and mother-in-law were helping her with the makeup and preparations for her wedding and how the latter explained to her that: "The first time always hurts. Then you start to enjoy it. And in the end, you're the one begging instead of him." Making Mai let out a nervous laugh. Her first time with Momo, while not entirely pleasurable, didn't hurt at all. There were tickles, discomfort, awkward positions, and some embarrassment, but no pain at all. Her mother gave her more somber advice: "You'll learn to endure it in time. Just be patient." That advice made her stomach knot. "Endure it" as a tedious sacrifice of honor, not "Enjoy it" as a game of mutual love. Her wedding night ended with Mai suffering a panic attack while her husband did what he pleased with her body, not caring that she was hyperventilating and shedding tears the whole time. Even Mai remembered with shame how he had gone so far as to take intimate pictures of her "to remember the first time I made you feel like a woman, my beautiful Mai." The way the blood on her sheets was used as evidence that she had entered the marriage as a virgin rather than as proof of Naoya’s clumsy and cruel treatment made her nauseous. With Momo, no matter how kinky and intense the sex was, they never reached the point of being hurt or in pain. Judging by the indifferent reaction and the jokes other women in the clan made when she told them how painful sex was for her, Mai thought maybe Naoya's treatment of her was typical of men, and that maybe she was the odd one out for not enjoying that brute force. However, after reconnecting with Kasumi and Maki and hearing the way they enjoyed each other's bodies with their respective boyfriends, she realized that the situation the women in her family were living in wasn't healthy or normal. Perhaps her mother, her aunt, and the rest of the Zenin women could delude themselves and pretend that for women, sex was just a passive act to please a man, but after talking to other women and having made love to her girlfriend Momo so many times, Mai knew there was something better out there.
With tiredness and patience, Mai cleaned Midori and put her diaper back on, then proceeded to carry both her and Momo, while she sat in the recliner that had been set up for her in the room. It was a comfortable, velvety armchair, perfect for sitting with her daughters and gently rocking until they calmed down. She also gave Momo her precious white rabbit, which she held with all her strength while her mother rocked both girls until they slowly began to calm down. Once Midori fell asleep and Momo began to nod off from sleepiness, Mai took the opportunity to put her youngest daughter in the crib and put pajamas on the eldest so she could sleep comfortably. With her pajamas on and her rabbit in her arms, Momo let herself be put in her futon, and it wasn't long before she fell into a deep sleep.
Mai didn't want to return to her room with Naoya, preferring the girls' armchair to sleep that night. She knew that if Naoya asked about her absence in the morning, she could excuse herself by saying that the girls were very restless and that she had to sleep there to calm them down. Despite Zenin's tiredness, she couldn't sleep. She spent a while trying to calm herself down, but after a couple of hours without falling asleep, Mai decided to take her cell phone out of its hiding place and check it a bit, thinking she might find something online that would help her sleep. She looked at the notification she forgot to check that afternoon. It was a greeting from Noritoshi, who had decided to leave his clan and was now living with his mother in the United States.
"Good afternoon. I'm sorry I haven't been able to speak to you earlier, however, my new family obligations and my university projects have consumed my free time. I heard through Kasumi Miwa that you are expecting another child. I can do nothing but wish you, your husband, and your two daughters a wonderful future with this new member of the family. My warmest regards and congratulations."
Mai sighed at Noritoshi's formality and felt a pang of envy at the freedom he now lived with. She didn't want to bother answering, at least not at that moment. She also saw a message from Kasumi in which she showed her a picture of a heart-shaped cupcake.
"I went to Kokichi's house and surprised me with this. He made it with sweet potato and soy milk because he can't eat wheat nor dairy, but it's still delicious. By the way, do you think we could go on a double date? You and your husband, with me and Kokichi! We can go to the botanical garden or that anime-themed cafe Kokichi likes. If you want, your daughters can come! It would be lovely!" Kasumi wrote.
Mai didn't know whether to laugh or cry. All this time, no matter how hard she begged Naoya to let her see her school friends again or go out to some event completely unrelated to her family, he firmly refused, considering Mai's friends inferior since they didn't belong to any powerful sorcerer family, so the idea of a double date was completely out of the question. Not to mention how embarrassing it would be explaining to Kasumi and Mechamaru that she had married her own cousin, whom she always mocked and called a misogynistic jerk during her time at school.
These were moments when Mai seriously considered ending her life. Stealing her mother-in-law's tranquilizers and taking them all at once to end her life. Leaving her daughters alone and never meeting her son would be sad, but at least she'd be free. Free of abuse, free of trauma, free of insults and empty relationships. A new notification brought Mai out of her horrible thoughts. It was Nobara. Mai quickly checked the message, feeling as if her heart was racing.
"Today's mission was a pain in the ass. I can't give details because it's classified information, but there are several lines of investigation involved, so the paperwork for the mission will be a nightmare. Luckily, Nanami brought us coffee with donuts and sandwiches so we'd have enough energy to write the reports tonight. Seriously, sorry I can't go out with you tomorrow. But rest assured, I'll be all yours on Saturday. By the way, the boys send their regards."
And attached to Nobara's message was a selfie of her with Jumpei and Kento, the three of them in one of the offices of the Tokyo Jujutsu Tech, with Jumpei smiling as he sipped his frappe through a straw, Kento Nanami holding his sandwich with his typical desperately-need-a-vacation facial expression, and Nobara posing like the model she was. Mai couldn't help but cry tears of happiness when she saw her lover's glowing face. Nobara, her stupid, sexy and incredibly strong Nobara, would see her that weekend.
Mai took a deep breath; there were still beautiful things in her life, there was still love and romance out there. She saw her daughters sleeping peacefully and took a deep breath. There were still reasons to be alive and sacrifice herself for Momo, Midori, and even Toji. Not only to see them grow and become strong, but also to spend more happy time with Nobara. More late-night conversations, more trips to the park, more ice cream... And even more sensual moments.
A spark ignited inside her as she remembered the way Nobara's lips had traveled over her body that night, the way her intimacy had collided with hers in such a delicious way. She definitely had to stay alive to continue this relationship, even if deep down they both knew it was leading to a dead end. Despite everything, there was still hope, and for Mai, that hope was Nobara.
Notes:
Just to be clear, the perspective of that all the characters have about abortion in this fic do not represent my views IRL and given that is a complex topic I wont elaborate my personal views about it in this place.
I really had fun adding Jumpei and Nanami to the mix, I love them so much and I wish I could write more about them latter in other fic. I decided to make Jumpei a sharpshooter instead of giving him the jellyfish shinigakis, since here his encounter with Mahito happened much time latter after getting into JuJutsu High and he didn’t modify him to grant him powers at all, so in school he choose to learn to shoot instead of focusing in traditional hand-to-hand combat.
It was also fun writing from Mai perspective and I may write her perspective again or maybe the perspective of other characters such as Naoya or maybe Mechamaru and even Mahito (he is gonna be important, I promise).
Also I loved writing Naoya’s mum a fucking lot and I have some theories and Hcs about her. Right now my HC about her is that she had substance abuse problems like her husband and probably spend all her life as one of those housewives of the 50s that kept he house impeccable, had several lovely kids and looked beautiful and happy, but also consumed industrial amounts of Valium and tranquilizers and likely drank like if she had a spare liver in the pantry (plus I think she and her husband got often drunk together as way to bond as a couple and probably they enabled each other bad habits out of a misguided sense of “love”).
Anyway, kudos and comments are love!
Chapter 14
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
That Saturday, Nobara arrived at the mental health clinic at the time Mai told her, sitting in one of the waiting rooms' chairs. Nobara had spent all of Thursday and Friday busy with paperwork related to the Sukuna’s fingers case and debates about who the hell could have revealed the information about his location to Juzo and Haruta. For now, the most coherent line of investigation pointed to an employee or student from either the Tokyo or Kyoto Jujutsu Tech who had passed on the information to Mahito and his allies, a hypothesis that unleashed chaos among the teachers of both schools.
"I would never act as a spy for Mahito! And my students even less so! Especially after what happened with Takeshi and Toshiro!" Mechamaru exclaimed, outraged by such accusations.
"No one is saying you're the mole. In fact, according to the report prepared by Nanami, Kugisaki, and Yoshino, I'm even more suspicious than you, since I'm technically not human, so I could likely benefit from Mahito's plans to wipe out humans." Said Panda, who had become a teacher in Tokyo Jujutsu Tech.
"In fact, given the evidence we have, Satoru Gojo is another likely suspect. Being a support teacher who moves between both institutions during his missions, it's possible that he interacted with Mahito or his henchmen at some point when he wasn't being monitored by anyone." Interjected the elderly Yoshinobu Gakugaji, who had decided to leave that retirement home for a while to help solve that complicated case.
"Pfff... I'm the strongest sorcerer in the world. If I wanted to destroy the world, I'd do it myself without resorting to that clown with the badly sewn-up face." Satoru growled.
"No one here is accusing anyone; we're just stating the facts." Yaga said, trying to keep some neutrality.
"Well, what Kugisaki's team just said about me seemed like a pretty serious accusation to me!” Mechamaru yelled furiously.
"We only mentioned that you knew about the shrine's location since you helped to move the fingers to that place. And that having the ability to control multiple robots all over the country at the same time allows you to make moves we can't easily monitor." Nobara clarified.
"Oh, right. I'm going to waste my machinery and the precious time of my life making deals with the thing that killed two of my students, instead of, I don't know, doing any other fucking thing. You should be ashamed of yourselves for talking shit about me for no reason." Mechamaru exclaimed, his electronic microphone unable to distort the fury of his words.
"Mechamaru, Principal Utahime, and I have known you since before you studied with us, when you were still a little kid and we kept you under our guard in the school basement. I've seen you grow and become a proud and strong man. I consider you almost like a son and I don't want to believe that you've betrayed your students or our trust, but I need you to calm down and cooperate with us, both for your safety and that of your students.” Gakugaji explained, trying to sound reasonable.
"How the hell do they expect me to cooperate? Do you want all the recordings from my robots' cameras? My cell phone messages and social media? Security camera videos of my house so it's clear that I'm not collaborating with some curse who looks like a drug-addicted rag doll?" Mechamaru complained, unable to control his anger.
"What? Nobody suggested any of that! Please, Mechamaru, don't talk to us like that!" Panda said, worried.
"Panda is right. We just want a timeline of the events leading up to the Hakone finger incident and a summary of the reports from your missions and those of your students." Nobara said, trying to maintain her sanity.
“I've already left you all my reports in writing, and the same goes for my students! And don't bother checking my activities outside of work; you already know what my social life is like. Aside from visits from my girlfriend and the doctors who come to do my checkups, no one sets foot inside my house. Forget the idea that I've been running away in my free time to conspire with curses outside. I can't even go out to my yard when there's a full moon, a random insect bite can end up giving me an anaphylactic reaction and my skin feels like it's being stabbed with burning needles if I don't take a fucking bath every three hours. Do you think I'm going to risk what's left of my well-being to be that Mahito's lackey? The one who murdered my students? And of course, if you think I'm sending messages to a special grade curse, check my damn phone and computer! Yes, of course, look at my Steam account and all the crappy indie games I've played! Also check out my Google searches where I look for gluten-free recipes, UFO videos, sexuality tips for immunocompromised people, dairy-free protein drink brands, and conspiracy theories from 2chan! Check out the guided meditation tutorials and ASMR videos I use to calm down at night! Check out the online programming and engineering courses I've taken to upgrade Mechamaru! And of course, check out all the damn anime I watch in my free time because I'm a fucking antisocial geek who can't go anywhere interesting on my own! And if you want, read all my fucking conversations and my damn contacts, and if you see a WhatsApp contact with the name of “Betrayers Chat-group” or a Telegram conversation with Mahito, congratulations! Now you can burn me at the stake for being a fucking traitor!” Mechamaru shouted with a tone that seemed to hold nothing but contempt for life.
"Mechamaru, please calm down. No one is accusing you of anything or judging you, and the last thing we want is to violate your privacy." Jumpei said timidly.
"Oh, right! You just made a report suggesting that I sold out my students to a gang of special grade curses and lunatics or that my students are two-faced traitors. Shove that hypocrisy where the sun doesn't shine, Yoshino.” Mechamaru replied.
Nobara, offended by the robot's rude attitude, slapped him soundly.
"I've had enough of you and your damn victim complex! Yes, you're a suspect, just like all the students from both schools and all the sorcerers gathered in this shitty office! That doesn't make you special. What makes you special, and in a very bad way, is that you're the only one of us insulting everyone and dumping your personal traumas and health problems during work hours. Yes, your Heavenly Restriction has screwed up your life, and you believe in the innocence of your students more than the Pope believes in Jesus Christ, but that doesn't give you the right to insult us." Nobara said, causing everyone to fall silent.
It was the wailing of Utahime's baby that brought human voices back into the room. Suguru had just woken up from his nap and now wanted his milk. Utahime simply held his son while unbuttoning his shirt and letting the little one eat.
"As I said before, we need to create a timeline of the events leading up to the Hakone incident, starting with January 8th, when the first sighting of Mahito was reported. Once we have the timeline compiled, we can move on to the next phase of the investigation. For the time being, we will not request reviews of social media, private messages, or personal information about those involved other than to corroborate specific facts and clarify inconsistencies. Any questions?" Utahime asked in a low, friendly voice so as not to scare her baby.
"Can I take a picture of you breastfeeding Suguru?" Satoru asked, raising his hand with feigned innocence, eager for more photos of his baby to embarrass him in the future.
Utahime rolled her eyes.
"About the instructions regarding the investigation." Utahime clarified, annoyed.
"Uh, nope, my sweet tiramisu and raspberry cupcake." Satoru replied cloyingly.
While Nobara miraculously finished redacting the chronology of the events at three in the a.m. and sent it to Utahime before going to her date, the sorcerers in charge of the investigation still had to review and corroborate everyone's information and render their final verdict.
Mechamaru, for his part, apparently regretting how rude he had behaved, spent his time sending apology messages to everyone present at the meeting, which Nobara gladly accepted, but not before warning him to find a therapist so as not to expose his traumas to the public. To some extent, perhaps it wouldn't hurt Mechamaru to go to that clinic where Momo was being treated. Maybe that way he'd stop being so rude and improve his self-esteem. Although Nobara had to admit that the robot's defensive attitude gave her a bad feeling. Perhaps that strong mood swing was due to the still-latent stress and sadness after Takeshi and Toshiro's deaths, as well as some recent medical procedures he'd undergone that treated injuries related to his colostomy and various intestinal problems, requiring him to undergo surgery again and losing at least four days' pay. The hypothesis of his collaboration with Mahito was possibly the icing on the cake of his shitty week, and that's why he exploded like that.
Nobara sighed as she leaned back in her seat. While she couldn't give details of her mission or the supposed espionage case, Nobara had to tell Mai about her former classmate horrible emotional outburst. Nobara checked her bag in which she had kept a couple of gifts for Mai and her children, these being dolls with princess clothes for her daughters and a blue teddy bear for when little Toji arrived, while for Mai she had bought a small woven ornament in the shape of a cactus, because she knew that Mai loved those plants, and although she could have bought her a real mini cactus, Nobara was afraid it would be difficult to carry a thorny plant while also taking care of a young girl. They were perfect gifts and she knew she would love them.
The sorceress smiled excitedly as she saw the door to Mai and Momo's usual office open, seeing Mai walk out with her little girl, both wearing mint-colored kimonos and with Mai wearing glittery eyeshadow and bronze blush. However, Nobara's wide smile began to fade when she saw that following her was Mai's mother carrying Midori and an old woman who Nobara assumed was Naoya's mother. Now her date was really gone down the drain.
She quickly tried to feign composure, failing miserably the moment she made eye contact with Mai, who raised her eyebrows as if to say "I'm sorry, I really didn't know they were coming" to which Nobara responded with an embarrassed look. Now she didn't know what to do. Ignoring her would be cruel, but paying attention would raise suspicions among the older women.
"Miss Kugisaki? What are you doing here at this hour?" Mai's mother asked, puzzled.
"Huh? Is this the same Kugisaki my husband collaborated with a few years ago and witnessed the death of Asami's children? Uhhh... my husband told me that you were a pretty girl with an interesting technique and showed me some photos of you on Instagram. You look a little different in person..." her mother-in-law commented.
Nobara bit her lip before answering, remembering the interactions she had with the late Zenin leader on missions and surprised that this old man had followed her on social media. If she had knew she would had blocked him ASAP.
"Oh, well. I came for an appointment. I didn't expect to run into you here either, or the girls." Nobara said, feigning ignorance.
Despite her efforts to remain calm and play along with Nobara, Mai seemed very nervous about the interactions her lover was having with the woman who brought her into the world.
"An appointment? You don’t look crazy at all..." Mai’s mother-in-law said.
"Please, Mahoko, you can't say things like that out loud!" Mai's mother said, embarrassed.
For her part, Mai tried to speak to Nobara in the best "I don't know what the hell you're doing here" tone she could muster.
"Forgive my mother-in-law. She's a bit rude when talking to people." Mai excused herself, as if she'd never told Nobara about that old woman's impertinence.
"Don't worry. If you want, I can go away..." Nobara said, embarrassed.
"Don't you want to join us for a walk? Our driver went shopping and will be at least two more hours away from picking us up. There's a beautiful park nearby, and I think you'd like to see it." Mahoko Zenin said, her smile frighteningly similar to Naoya's.
"Mahoko, please, the poor thing has to go to her doctor's appointment. We can't delay her." Mai's mother said, distressed.
Nobara was about to leave, but seeing the expression of desolation that Mai couldn't completely hide, Nobara answered.
"No problem. In fact, I just finished my appointment. I only stayed in the waiting room for a while to check my phone before leaving." Nobara explained, making Mai smile discreetly, almost as if she hadn't planned that encounter between the two.
The four women, along with Mai's little girls, walked toward the park, with Nobara and Mai trying to pretend they had never been there. Momo ran to the swings again with her white rabbit, while Midori was escorted to a baby rocker by her sweet maternal grandmother. Nobara and Mai tried to chat as if they hadn't spoken in a while and there was no romantic chemistry between them, but after a while of pretending to catch up and feeling awkward, they chose to focus on playing with the girls, with Nobara helping Momo slide down the slide with her rabbit, and Mai and her mother swinging Midori.
And after a while of playing with the girls, the women decided to head back, sitting in a café nearby, intending to wait more closely to the clinic for the family driver to pick them up latter. Naoya's elderly mother ordered some tea and sweet rolls for the four women and a glass of juice for Mai to share between the girls.
"I was lucky to keep a good deal of my husband's money. Widowhood is sad, but having money is always comforting." The old woman said as she paid the waiter at the café.
Nobara didn't know what to say to such a comment, so she chose to concentrate on her sencha tea, which seemed to taste much more bitter than the usual.
Mai excused herself to go to the bathroom with her daughters, accompanied by their mother, leaving Nobara with the former Zenin matriarch.
Nobara felt she had to leave as soon as possible to avoid the old woman's rancid comments and being seen by the Zenin's driver when he arrived, as she feared he would notice things if she wasn’t careful enough, yet the thought of abandoning Mai and her children with those hags in a mediocre café kept her from moving far.
"So tell me, darling, what brought you to that mad house? From what I know of you, you don’t look mentally ill nor insane at all." Naobito's widow asked to Nobara.
Nobara didn't know how to respond. She hadn't expected her lie to drag on for so long, and the way she dismissed the clinic as a “mad house” seemed very out of touch and distasteful.
"I've just been discussing my personal problems with a mental health specialist. I don't have any mental diseases that I know of." Nobara replied.
"Uh... It seems like a strange way to waste time and money. Those kinds of problems are better to discuss with someone close to you, like your partner." The old woman commented.
Nobara nodded, not daring to say anything; however, her silence only seemed to increase the old woman's morbid curiosity and her need to say impertinent things.
"Oh, let me guess... You're still single, aren't you?" the widow asked.
Nobara just laughed shyly. Deep down, she wanted to scream "No, I'm not single. I'm dating your son's wife, and she's had more orgasms with me in one night than with your stupid son in almost four years of marriage!" But she held back.
"You're too pretty to be a spinster. You need the warmth of a man as soon as possible. There are several young sorcerers in our family looking for marriage, and I think if my son allows me, I could set you up with someone strong and attractive." The old woman said, making Nobara almost choke on her drink.
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to get romantically involved with anyone right now." Nobara answered firmly.
"Are you sure? From what I understand, you made a very good impression on that Ranta guy, and he's been wanting to settle down for a while. It would be a convenient match for you, especially now that he's practically second-in-command within the Zenin clan and that you both have a strong cursed techniques to pass down your children. Not to mention how handsome and kind he is." The widow said, smiling.
Nobara sighed, remembering how, ever since that encounter at the Zenin estate, Ranta had started sending her messages inviting her to the charity events he was involved with and trying to engage her in any kind of conversations, with his usual politeness. They had all been answered several hours late, with generic responses like "I'm busy that day" or "I have a mission to attend to at that time" so her rejection wouldn't feel so direct to him. It was clear that poor Ranta wanted something with her, but Nobara knew that mentioning that she was sexually incompatible with him could be risky.
"Oh, I'm really not interested in marriage." Nobara said in a gentle tone. "Even less so with the stupid males of your ugly family cult." Nobara thought for herself.
"Oh, please! You're at the best time to get a good a husband. There's no man on this Earth who could resist your charms. Besides, women who don't come from a powerful clan have certain advantages.” The old woman said after taking a bite of her bread.
"Advantages?" Nobara asked, surprised that a woman from such an elitist family would acknowledge that Nobara had "advantages" over people of higher rank.
"I mean, most of you can freely choose who to marry and when." The old woman's voice grew a little more serious when discussing the subject. "I had no choice. My parents spoke with my husband, and a matchmaker found us compatible enough. Originally, I wanted my husband to be a young man outside the Zenin clan, I wanted to date someone nice with gentlemanly manners, like those lovely guys from Jane Austen novels and Ryoko Ikeda mangas. I wanted to date some boyfriend that made me feel special before getting myself in a compromise. Finding out that I had been betrothed to a mean and eccentric political uncle, who preferred to ask for forgiveness rather than permission and could not keep himself sober for more than 24 hours, felt like a stab in the back of my youthful fantasies."
Nobara clenched her fist, stunned by what she had heard. Part of her wanted to hug the old woman and tell her that the horrible situation she went through in her youth wasn't her fault, and the other part wanted to resurrect Naobito Zenin so she could beat him to death again for taking away a young lady's freedom.
"I'm sorry, I didn't knew..." Nobara didn't quite know what to say to the old woman, but apparently, the old woman understood her concern and smiled kindly.
"I don't regret my marriage to Naobito. He was strict, had several strange quirks, and was sometimes very controlling, but he was also loving and had his fun side. Plus, he knew how to please me. I have many lovely children to prove it." She said the last part with a small wink, revealing a certain lust in her comment.
Nobara felt disgusted at the thought of any sexual behavior involving the late Zenin patriarch and his wife. The widow laughed at the sorceress's reaction and continued speaking.
"I still would have liked to choose a husband myself. You're young and beautiful, so it's almost certain that any man you choose will be all yours." the widow commented.
"Actually, I'm not interested in pursuing romantic relationships with the opposite sex right now. I have many obligations as a sorceress and lots of things to do with my modeling career to settle down." Nobara argued.
"Oh, well, that's understandable. Although maybe you could experiment with a woman, you know. Especially now that all this lesbian stuff is in fashion." The old woman said with a smile, a strange twinkle in her eyes.
Outwardly, Nobara's expression was neutral, but inside, she was fuming. Had that grandmother really discovered she was a lesbian? Did that hag have a hidden gaydar? The impact of such a direct hint distracted Nobara enough to not even notice when Mai, along with her mother and the girls, arrived back at the table just as Mai's mother-in-law said "lesbians."
"Mahoko! Please don't say things like that! Miss Kugisaki is a decent woman!" Mai's mother shrieked in horror.
"Oh dear friend, you know that women who live among the monkeys have looser morals. Almost none of them reach marriage as virgins. Besides, there are some very pretty lesbians out there. Especially those tomboyish women who dress like pretty boys. Phew... They have the tough demeanor of a warrior and the delicacy of a rose at the same time. Much more attractive than most men.” The widow commented, amused by the others' reactions.
“Mahoko, please don't say that.” Mai's mother pleaded, still holding little Midori in her arms.
“Oh, don't pretend to be crazy. You and I both know that those girls in Takarazuka musicals are much sexier than the average man. Not to mention those lovely tomboy women like that skinny girlfriend Angelina Jolie had in the 90s. What I wouldn't have given to have a girlfriend like that in my youth!”
“For heaven's sake, if Naobito could hear what you're saying…” Mai's mother exclaimed, horrified.
“Bah!” If Naobito could fantasize about having sex with Lina Inverse and Motoko Kusanagi in a threesome, I can fantasize about Angelina Jolie's ex-girlfriend taking me to her penthouse suite and eating me out in there. Besides, you were always drooling over those handsome Turkish and Korean men of your soap operas and even went so far as to ask Jinichi to bring you those Playgirl magazines, even though your husband was still alive when you first started reading that shit.” The old woman said with a mocking look.
“I swear I thought they were fashion magazines! I was always chaste and faithful to my husband!” Zenin shrieked indignantly.
Nobara was livid. That morning, Naobito's conservative widow was shamelessly confessing to being into masc women, in the same conversation in which she had admitted to Nobara that she had been forced to marriage with a relative without any choice. And now it turned out that the Zenin twins' mother liked to read porn magazines. The facade of conservatism and matronly seriousness that the Zenins had so painstakingly crafted for their women was definitely nothing more than a pitiful farce.
"Stop talking about your filthy fantasies in front of my daughters!" Mai roared desperately, causing the older women to fall silent, ashamed of having exposed their young granddaughters to such a sexual conversation.
Mai looked at Nobara again with embarrassment, as if she wanted to apologize with her eyes for the older women's behavior. Nobara returned the look with a smile that seemed to say "it's not your fault."
For the rest of that meal, the women preferred to talk about other topics, mainly with Nobara asking Mai about Momo's treatment and Mai asking Nobara about gossip about her former classmates and colleagues. It was a calm conversation, except for the occasional distasteful comments from the older women.
Finally, the women headed to the clinic exit to wait for the Zenin's driver, while Nobara headed back to her apartment, her mind still troubled by that appointment. She didn't manage to give Mai or her daughters the gifts she had bought them, fearing that if she did, the older women might become suspicious.
After getting insides her apartment, the sorceress then trained for a long time to clear her mind, lifting weights and savagely attacking the punching bag in her room, each punch and kick with the same intensity she would use if it were one of those horrible Zenin men who had plunged their wives into a pit of misery and hypocrisy. She spent several hours venting her frustration and exercising until finally, she received a message on her phone that brought her out of that trance of obsessive training. It was Mai.
"Hey, sorry for not letting you know my mom and aunt were coming. I was about to go alone, but when I got in the car, they insisted on going and taking Midori with them. Naoya was around and took their side, so I couldn't say no, and I didn't have my phone handy to let you know." Mai wrote.
"Don't worry. It was a nice date after all." Nobara replied.
Mai proceeded to send her a picture of a tube of translucent sparkly lip gloss.
"Thursday after the Momo’s appointment, my husband took us to a mall to get new furniture, clothes, and toys for little Toji. After eating at one of the restaurants there, we went to a cosmetics store and I bought this. For you. I'm sorry I didn't give it to you, but I was afraid the old ladies would get suspicious if I did that." Mai wrote, explaining the photo.
Nobara blinked before answering. Had she really bought her a gift too? The sorceress quickly unpacked the gifts she was going to give Mai and her children from her bag, then took a photo and sent it to Mai.
"I also brought you and your children a gift. But I was also worried about raising suspicions with your mother and mother-in-law. I'm sorry I didn't give it to you," Nobara replied.
"Those toys are beautiful, and the yarn cactus looks great. I really appreciate it, and I hope those old ladies don't interrupt us again or start gossiping about their sexual fantasies in front of my girls."
Mai replied.
"By the way, I know this is going to sound weird, but do you think your mother-in-law suspects I'm a lesbian?" Noabara wrote, still nervous about the awkward conversation she'd had with the Zenin matriarch.
Mai took a few seconds to reply.
"I don't think so. My auntie Mahoko has a weird personality and sometimes says daring things to make other people uncomfortable and cause drama."
"I still can't believe she confessed out loud that she was into masc women and that your mom read porn magazines." Typed Nobara to Mai still amused.
"It's a secret, but some time ago, when I was still studying at the Kyoto Tech, it was rumored that at a birthday party my uncle brought several prostitutes and they had an orgy between him, my aunt, and the women they had hired. No one knows the truth, and almost all members of the Hei unit deny it, but Mrs. Asami and Nobuaki's wife swear they saw several skimpy dressed ladies enter to Naobito's room late at night, and that even my aunt Mahoko had dressed herself up as a sexy schoolgirl from a perverted anime and chained my uncle to the bed."
Nobara almost vomited at the mental image of those two elders in the middle of such a bizarre orgy. Nobara's immediate reaction was to put up a sticker of one of the Peaky Blinders characters pointing a gun at his head while screaming desperately, followed by another sticker of a chihuahua with a traumatized face. Finally, when she regained her composure a bit, Nobara wrote:
"I don't know why it doesn't surprise me. That uncle of yours always looked like a pervert, and his wife seems to be like him. I just hope Naoya doesn't have those tastes."
Mai took a few minutes to answer.
"Despite acting stoic patriarch, my stupid uncle was a full blown hedonist, and my auntie played along. Naoya is much more conservative and austere. However, sex with him is very uncomfortable and even painful." Mai replied.
Nobara gulped, remembering that Mai was still having sex with that horrible man, and her heart sank as she read how unpleasant and painful sex with that man was for Mai. But before she could think clearly about what to answer, Mai added.
"One day we have to have a vacation just for the two of us. It doesn't matter if it's a month, a week, or even a day. I just want to be with you for a while and forget that I made the mistake of marrying my disgusting cousin. I don't care if it's in the mountains, on the beach, or even in a cheap love hotel, but I want to be with you."
Nobara bit her lip. What Mai was suggesting was a fantasy. Naoya wouldn't even let her go out alone to events unrelated to family health, much less let her run away for a day with a sorceress like her. However, Nobara didn't want to externalize her pessimistic opinions. On the contrary, her mind struggled to think of ways she could help Mai run away so they could have a vacation together.
"Okay, let's plan our vacation together. Anywhere you'd like to go?" Nobara asked.
"Any beach is fine. I haven't been to the ocean since my honeymoon. Naoya promised me about two years ago to take me to Hawaii someday, but knowing him, I don't think he'd even take me to a dry river." Zenin replied.
"Does Kotohiki Beach sound okay to you?"
"It's perfect. The nature and the sounds of that place seem relaxing enough." Mai replied after sending a sticker of an idol with a thumbs-up.
"Well, then we'll have to start planning to go. As soon as you tell me you're free, I'll drop what I'm doing and join you." Nobara replied.
"I will. Trust me, and we'll soon have a vacation together."
Nobara bit her lip. Of course she trusted Mai; what she didn't trust were the Zenin around her.
"Okay, then I'll get everything organized," Nobara said.
"Yay! By the way, I have to go. My girls need me to help them with their pajamas and comb their hair. Talk to you later!" Mai concluded.
Nobara just sighed, thinking about the wonderful vacation she would probably have soon. They both really needed a break.
Notes:
Again, I liked to write that old lady of the Zenin clan and her eccentricities. Kinda inspired myself in actual conversations I have had IRL with older women. I’ll leave it to you to decide if the sex party between Naobito, Mahoko and those unmodestly dressed ladies actually happened or if it was just gossip.
And yeah, this fic will have a beach chapter, just not yet. Also, pay attention to Mechamaru, he will be important to the plot…
Kudos and comments are more than welcome!
Chapter 15
Notes:
Okay, this chapter will be written from Naoya POV, so it will be very intense and gloomy. It is gonna be the darkest stuff I had written here in this fic and while I won’t make it explicit I won’t mince my words either. TW: Misogyny, abusive relationships, child abuse, domestic violence, ableism, classism, sexual abuse and marital rape. Please read with caution, if any of this topics triggers you or makes you upset do not read, and as always I do not endorse the abusive actions or behaviors of the characters and if you recognize your current situation is similar to the ones described here please seek help.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Naoya Zenin entered his office feeling psychologically crushed. On his desk there were pilled up several documents anxiously awaiting for his review, and he was sure that on his computer he would find a bunch of urgent emails and reports to check, however the idea of reading them and responding to them seemed too tedious at that moment. He wanted to ask Ranta for help, but before he could call him, he remembered again that the sorcerer had gone on a mission to the historic center of the city and that it was going to be difficult to him to return before nightfall.
Very reluctantly, he sat down and began digging through the pile of documents to check how to resolve an issue related to the renewal of weapons loans and the procedures related to the lease of some real estate held by the Zenin clan in a middle-class neighborhood of Hokkaido. Apparently, some tenants protested the increase in rent by not paying the right amount during two months straight and now they were refusing to be evicted and had tried to file a lawsuit against them.
Naoya sighed as he tried to pay attention to the document, thinking with annoyance about the humiliating encounter he had with the Satoru Gojo that morning. Since taking power in the clan, Naoya had been trying to get closer to the Gojo Clan, hoping to strengthen his relationship with arguably the most powerful clan of sorcerers in Japan and the entire world. And while he had met several times with important figures from that clan, he had never been able to directly contact with Satoru Gojo, who was theoretically the clan head. Whenever he appeared at the luxurious Gojo estate on the outskirts of Tokyo, instead of Satoru presenting himself before him to discuss their clans as equals, for some reason, he was always greeted by someone else. Whether he was greeted by Satoru Gojo's parents, the clan elders, or even some irrelevant retainer, Naoya never had the opportunity to argue face-to-face with Satoru himself. However, on that particular morning, Satoru Gojo had been generous enough to agree to receive him, not at the Gojo estate in Tokyo, but at the modest property of the Iori Clan in Kyoto.
The Iori Clan were Satoru's in-laws. Naoya disliked the Ioris; they generally had a stubborn temper, most of their cursed techniques were weak in battle, and their attitudes were, in his opinion, quite vulgar. However, now that they had the direct support of the Gojo, the young Zenin leader would have to swallow his discomfort and go with the flow.
As soon as Naoya arrived at the Iori Clan estate, the Iori family assistant led Naoya to the meeting place. It was a small garden where Satoru Gojo was already sitting comfortably under the shade of a tree, holding his young son in his arms.
Naoya groaned inwardly. Did he really expect him, the leader of the Zenin Clan, to sit on the grass and discuss the future of his clan like elementary school children at recess? And with a baby babbling and drooling while they decided on the future of their clans? Not to mention how much it offended him that Satoru was dressed in a set of cheap sportswear devoid of any formality and that his baby was wearing a bee costume complete with a yellow and black crochet hat with yarn antennae, while he was wearing his own impeccable traditional hakama, which his wife had dutifully washed, ironed, and perfumed by hand for the occasion. What Satoru was doing was, in Naoya's view, an insult; however, he knew that complaining about it would be political suicide, so the Zenin bowed to Satoru in greeting and sat down near him under the tree with the friendliest smile his face could made.
"Well, until the two clan heads finally meet, we just need that woman that the Kamo family put in charge after Noritoshi's abdication to show up, and boom! We have party between the Big Three!" Gojo exclaimed with his infectious smile.
Naoya laughed politely, although deep down, the Kamo family's situation disgusted him.
After the death of the previous leader, the young Noritoshi abdicated his position as head of the Kamo clan to move in with his mother mother overseas, so one of the old leader's concubines took advantage of his death and Noritoshi's departure to nominate his son Kentaro as leader while she took over as regent, reshaping the clan to her liking and using all sorts of tricks to expand her influence. Her moves were unpredictable and her policies couldn't be classified as progressive or conservative at first glance. However, they were effective, as a member of the Kamo had recently exorcised a special grade curse near the coast of Osaka and established an alliance with an important a family of sorcerers from Italy affiliated with the Catholic Church, who provided them with exotic cursed weapons and contacts abroad. While officially that woman was only a temporary leader while Kentaro graduated and was promoted to the special first grade, those who interacted with the Kamo were convinced that even with Kentaro as leader, the important decisions would continue to be made by her.
For Naoya, the fact that a mere concubine had amassed such amount of power seemed an affront to tradition. The late patriarch of the Kamo had definitely done wrong in giving so many privileges to his harem and allowing those harlots to have so much influence. That was why the Zenin formally avoided having concubines; if they wanted to have sex with someone other than their wife, they did it without commitments or ties, preferably with a prostitute, since for decades the Zenin had noticed the way in which concubines enjoyed power and conspired behind men's backs. A dull, matronly woman who might give them a few heirs and age gracelessly alongside them, but was completely loyal to them, was worth far more than a legion of stunning maids with dozens of heirs who could at any moment spiral out of control and manipulate them for petty purposes. After all, if one day Naoya stopped seeing Mai's appeal, he could head to the red-light district at any moment and get himself something nice.
"Well, I imagine you must be tired after coming here immediately after that mission abroad. What's up? Any interesting business?" Gojo asked.
"It was a complex mission, but we neutralized the target and the pay was generous. I appreciate your concern, Satoru." Naoya said.
The Zenin was about to say something else, but before he could continue, Satoru spoke up.
"By the way, how's your family been? Excited about the new baby? Ya know, a couple of weeks ago, I heard about the celebration you had for your new blessing. I really wish you luck with that kiddo, baby boys can be very rambunctious.” Satoru said kindly.
"Of course. Everyone in my family is excited, and the celebration was magnificent. In fact, I also invited you to the party. My assistant sent the invitation both via email and regular mail, but for some reason you didn't make it..."
"Huh? I think I was busy that day... You know, you can't be the strongest and have an empty spaces in my schedule at the same time. Especially when you have to take care of a little boy like Suguru." Satoru said, rocking his young son in his arms, while the baby laughed.
Naoya just smiled, though inside, he felt embarrassed at seeing the most powerful sorcerer in the world reduced to a nanny, cuddling a baby in a ridiculous bee costume.
"So what about your girls? Are they ready to be big sisters?" Satoru asked.
Naoya felt an involuntary twitch in one of his eyes. He had recently accompanied Mai to Momo's consultation, possibly the most humiliating moment he had ever experienced as a father. The psychiatrist bombarded him with uncomfortable questions, and the prognosis he received for his daughter, while not completely devastating, hadn't left anything clear. The only thing he could do regarding Momo at that moment was hope that her mental problems weren't as severe as Izumi's so he could engage her to a high-ranking sorcerer and improve his Zenin connections.
Likewise, the situation of Midori and her lack of cursed energy worried him greatly. Her cursed energy was inferior to that of a non-sorcerer human, and he knew her marriage prospects would be slim, even for the legitimate daughter of a clan leader. Not even the lower-ranking members of the Kuruku unit or the poorer segment of a small clan like the Inumaki would accept a woman who was pretty much a monkey. Perhaps he could safeguard his family's status if Midori dedicated herself to a life of contemplation in a distant monastery. That way, if someone ever asked about Midori, Naoya could just save face by saying that his beloved and pious little daughter was seeking enlightenment far from earthly ties. It wouldn't be the first time a Zenin woman traded her mother-of-pearl combs and silk kimonos for a shaved head and modest habits, the religious life being the usual path for those women in the family who ended up as spinsters.
Even with those alternatives, Naoya hated his daughters' situation, and hated even more the fact that Satoru had rubbed his healthy firstborn son in the face like that. However, the Zenin didn't let his insecurities intimidate him and kept his composure.
"Of course, Momo and Midori are joyfully awaiting the arrival of my son. Besides, they say that younger brothers tend to be stronger." Naoya replied in his usual cloy tone.
"Well, I'm an only child, and I'm the strongest. So I don't believe it. Anyway, I know you didn't just come to talk about your lovely family. So get to the point, Zenin." Satoru said, wiping some of the drool off Suguru's mouth.
"Recently, your former students, Nobara Kugisaki and Jumpei Yoshino, along with the sorcerer Kento Nanami, caught two sorcerers collaborating with Mahito. One of these sorcerers was a blacksmith and craftsman named Juzo Kumiya. Correct?" Naoya asked.
"Exactly."
"Shortly after that, the Gojo Clan decided to intervene in the investigation of Juzo's workshop and managed to seize several of the cursed weapons and objects Juzo had crafted. Among them was the sword called Ryūkotsu, which we believe to be a powerful weapon that could be useful to our clan, especially among the Kuruku unit, who don't possess cursed techniques. I have an offer for you, Satoru. I'll give you 20,000,000 yen for said weapon, which I paid in cash. What do you say?” Naoya asked.
"Hmm... I'm not convinced."
He knew Satoru wouldn't take the bait with 20,000,000 yen, but he didn't want to spring for extra bills too soon, so he decided to offer a little more.
"Well, I could offer 40,000,000 yen for the weapon then. Are you up for it?" Naoya asked again believing that Satoru would take it.
"Huh? Not really..."
"What about 60,000,000?" Naoya said, dropping the highest figure he could afford.
"It has nothing to do with money, Nao. I just don't want to sell that weapon, much less to the Zenin clan." Said Satoru.
"Excuse me?"
"Nao, I don't know if you realize, but your clan has a near-monopoly on cursed weapons, and we in the Gojo clan want something to counter that monopoly. Almost all the weapons in both Kyoto and Tokyo schools belong to your clan in some way, and your private arsenal is worthy of an army. For a single clan to have such a vast amount of weapons seems undemocratic and somewhat dangerous. So, for the well-being of the sorcery world and the Gojo clan, I firmly decline your offer." Explained Satoru.
"Well, maybe we do have a "monopoly" on weapons, as you put it, but I don't think one more weapon or one less weapon makes a difference to your clan, especially when you have someone with the Six-Eyes technique as leader, and the affiliation of a special-grade sorcerer like Yuuta Okkotsu." Naoya argued.
"Pfff... That doesn't matter. Eventually, both Okkotsu and I will kick the bucket, but that weapon will remain in your family for centuries. I'd be an idiot to accept your offer." Gojo stated.
Naoya took a deep breath, agreeing with Satoru: for a couple of decades, the Gojo's only advantage over the Zenin was the existence of Gojo Satoru, the Zenin being far more affluent and possessing far more weapons than the Gojo. However, that was the exact reason Naoya wanted that weapon; so that in the future, when Satoru's six eyes will close forever, the Zenin would once again position themselves at the top of jujutsu world.
"What about an exchange? Perhaps a cursed weapon to make the trade or some other material good. I have an extensive list of weapons and objects that might interest you..."
"I'm sorry, Naoya, but when I say "no," I mean that I flatly refuse, not that I need someone to convince me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to attend to an important family matter involving me and Suguru!"
"What could be more important than the future of our clans?" Naoya asked, starting to get angry.
"Well, Suguru and I are going to see Bee Movie with my wife and her family! It'll be the first movie Suguru has ever seen, so we decided this one had to be special! In fact, I even dressed him up as a bee!" Gojo exclaimed, smiling.
Naoya was livid. Was a Jerry Seinfeld movie about insects really more important than building relationships with his clan? Had Satoru Gojo gone crazy? No, Satoru Gojo wasn't crazy; he was simply making fun of him and his family. If that affront had been committed by any other man, he would have exploded and beaten the face of the culprit of such insolence. However, Satoru Gojo was the strongest; so Naoya couldn't contradict nor hurt him. He was the pinnacle of sorcery, and his wishes were commands.
Naoya wanted to reprimand Satoru for his impertinence, but before he could do anything about it, Utahime arrived in the garden. Satoru Gojo's wife had her hair tied back like a messy bun with one of her usual ribbons, and her face was free of any makeup, making her scar look much more prominent than usual. She was wearing faded denim shorts along with a Chicago Cubs baseball shirt, clothes that Naoya thought were rather vulgar for the wife of a man as powerful as Gojo.
"I already selected that bee movie you wanted to watch on TV and made some caramel popcorn." Utahime said, approaching Satoru, smiling until she saw Naoya.
"Wait a minute... Did you have a meeting with the Zenin leader today?" Utahime asked indignantly.
"Oh, of course, but we're done talking." Gojo replied, handing the baby to Utahime and standing up.
Naoya glared at Utahime as if she were a rat or some kind of pestilent animal. He wanted to reprimand her for not taking care of her own son despite being at home and for the lack of decorum with which she dressed, but he chose to swallow his words. Despite his resentment for his past current humiliations, Naoya said nothing to Satoru’s family.
He slowly stood up and greeted Utahime with a smile of false courtesy. She played along and greeted him. She hated him too, almost since they were both still students. However, since they were both representatives of a powerful clan and did not want any direct confrontation, they feigned kindness and went their separate ways, with the Iori’s family assistant escorting Naoya out and Utahime accompanying Satoru and their baby boy to the TV room.
And now, several hours after that humiliating incident, Naoya felt like he was going to explode in his office, a mixture of shame and anger eating away at him. He looked at his phone with the intention of distracting himself for a while, maybe seeing some gossip about the family group he was a member of or maybe checking out something hot on Youtube or Pornhub, but far from finding something relaxing, he found a message from Satoru, which he couldn't help but open.
"Hey... Next time we get together, you should bring your wife and kids. That way, we could all watch a movie together and spend a nice afternoon, strengthening the relationships between our clans. I suggest we watch Ponyo or one of the Shrek movies." Said the message from Satoru Gojo, which Naoya refused to answer.
He was too humiliated by the idea of Satoru Gojo seeing the Zenin heiresses in their current deplorable state, Midori drained of her cursed energy, and Momo wrapped in her silence and weird behaviors, while Satoru and the horrible witch he had for a wife boasted about their healthy and perfect firstborn son. His only salvation would be the birth of Toji, and that once born, he would have abilities as prodigious as his own.
The sound of a pair of children's babbles approaching brought him out of his thoughts. They were his daughters, Momo and Midori, who had apparently decided to accompany Mai to serve him his afternoon tea. Mai entered with the little ones, and Naoya could see how miraculously she didn't have her white rabbit with her and instead, the girl was carrying a plate of fruit and cookies. Mai was already teaching her how to serve the men of the family. The little girl approached Naoya and brought him the plate with the intention of handing it to him, even making a certain bowing gesture, which she had surely learned from her mother, while Mai served Naoya tea at one of the small tables in the office. Naoya smiled pleased to see Momo acting so responsibly, because although the little girl was not yet able to speak and maintained strange behaviors, at least the fact that she could follow orders and serve her family properly made him happy. Perhaps in the future, even if she remained mute or mentally deficient, Momo could be a beautiful and diligent woman and get a powerful husband who would make the clan's influence expand, because generally a marriage with a Zenin was a guarantee of social prestige for any man, after all, it was not necessary to be able to speak to keep a house in order or give birth to a child. In fact, a mute woman could sometimes be convenient, since there would be no discussions or arguments at all, only loyalty and obedience.
Naoya chuckled to himself, thinking that his future son-in-law would surely be lucky to have a wife as obedient and beautiful as Momo. If things worked out according to his plans, by the time their children were adults, Momo would be engaged, while her sister Midori would dedicate herself to a life of contemplation at the monastery, while his son, his precious and cherished son Toji, would be positioned at the top of the sorcery world. The mental image of his children elevating the Zenin clan in the future pleased him. However, that peace of mind vanished instantly when Momo, while trying to bring the plate closer to her father for him to hold, ended up tripping and spilling a pile of fruit and cookie pieces on the floor. Naoya growled silently. His stupid daughter had soiled the carpet. The Zenin was quick to slap his daughter hard, who only cried in pain, terrified by her own father's cruelty. Midori, frightened by her older sister's cries, also began to cry, while Mai tried to get between her daughter and Naoya to prevent him from hurting her further.
"Please stop! He did it by accident. Let's clean it and forget about it!" Mai begged.
Naoya, completely furious, ignored his wife's pleas, pushing her and grabbing Momo by her little arms. He tried to drag her out of his office, fully intending to take her to one of the training pits to see if those curses would give her a good lesson to his daughter. Mai trembled at the sight of her little girl being hurt and ran to help her.
"Don't do that to her again, please! You'll scare her a lot, and she could get hurt!" Mai sobbed again.
Mrs. Asami arrived in the room, alerted by the girls' cries, with her usual maternal smile and ready to comfort them. But when she saw who was causing the girls to cry, she froze, feeling unable to go against her boss, even to protect those innocent little girls.
"Fear is the only teacher she can understand! That's how we Zenin become strong!" Naoya growled, slapping Momo again, who cried even harder.
"Please, if her doctor sees any scratches or bruises, he'll try to report us! We can't keep doing this!" Mai insisted, on the verge of tears.
Mai was right. Non- sorcerers authorities were becoming increasingly intrusive into traditional child-rearing methods. The last time Momo arrived with signs of injuries from a punishment, Mai had mentioned that the doctor had become very worried, and she had to make up an excuse not to reveal the curse pit.
"Let's stop sending her to that doctor then! Momo needs a firm hand to learn how to behave, not some mindless monkey who will cuddle her like a lapdog!" Naoya growled, squeezing his firstborn's arm roughly.
"Please, Naoya. I beg you. She needs to continue her treatments! That doctor may be our only chance for her to be able to speak and behave normally!" Mai squealed, tears in her eyes.
Naoya stopped in his tracks. As much as he hated to admit it, Mai was right: that doctor was their best chance for Momo to improve her behavior, and if she stopped attending her therapies, Momo might never be able to speak or act properly. Naoya already bore the stigma of being the brother of "the crazy lady of the Zenin family", he didn't want to bear the stigma of being the father of another mentally ill woman. Reluctantly, he let go of his daughter, who ran to her mother and continued crying. Mai tried to calm Momo with a few gentle words, while Midori was carried and comforted by the kind Mrs. Asami. Naoya watched the scene in frustration.
"Take care of my daughters and clean the living room." Naoya said to Mrs. Asami. "Mai, you accompany me to my room now."
Both women obeyed the order, with Mai following Naoya to his room in deathly silence. Once inside his room, Naoya undressed Mai and almost in an animalistic manner, pounced on her, brutally subduing her with his sex. The movements were quick and rough, with no purpose other than to quell all that resentment and anger through pleasure, which was finally released in less than five minutes. After finishing his task, Naoya collapsed next to Mai, whose face was soaked with sweat and tears. Naoya inhaled deeply. It had been a while since he had fucked her in such a crude way, but his frustration hadn't dissipated at all.
"Did you have a rough morning meeting with Satoru?" Mai asked.
Naoya groaned. If there was one thing that distinguished his relationship with Mai, it was the way she always seemed to understand the reason for his feelings, and that hiding his true emotions with her was almost impossible.
"Our negotiations were a failure. Satoru humiliated me in front of his own family. And his wife, that stupid bitch, just stared at me, laughing at me."
"I imagine it must had been very tough." Mai replied.
Naoya turned his back before answering, indicating that he wanted a massage. Mai silently obeyed, I think starting to apply hand cream and vigorously rubbing Naoya's back.
"That damn Utahime bitch thinks she can strut around like if she was the queen of the world and manipulate her man just because she opened her fat legs and gave Satoru Gojo a perfect son. She thinks the world is hers and that just because she's an empowered woman who sucked off the strongest man in the world, she deserves everything and that her mediocre job as a sorceress is truly worth it. How pathetic. The only thing she's done that's worthwhile is letting Gojo impregnate her. And that idiot Gojo is just playing along. I can't establish a good alliance with the Gojos or negotiate with them if that whore Utahime continues to exert power over Satoru."
Mai nodded silently and squeezed his shoulders tightly, making him grunt a little as he felt the tension lessen after that small pang of pain.
"Maybe I could help you with the negotiations." Mai suggested as she continued her massage.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Naoya growled.
"I might not be able to convince Satoru of anything, but I might be able to get you closer to Utahime." Mai replied.
Naoya blinked, intrigued.
"Huh? What good does that do me?" The Zenin leader asked.
"You're saying Utahime manipulates Gojo. I could manipulate Utahime and try to get her to advocate for our interests with the Gojos." Mai said firmly.
Naoya thought about it. The women of the Zenin clan generally limited their social activities outside the clan as much as possible, however, when they did socialize in public, their kindness and natural elegance stood out and made them stand out from the rabble of other sorceresses. Naoya remembered how his mother always went out of her way to make a good impression when she received invitations from sorceresses from other clans, scheduling a beauty salon appointment before the event so her nails and hair looked perfect, wearing immaculate kimonos, bringing homemade sweets and flowers grown from her garden as gifts to always make a good impression in their social circles. Perhaps the reason Naobito had maintained such good relations with the other clans was not only due to his pragmatism and physical strength, but also to his dutiful wife's social skills. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea for Mai to use her feminine charms to get him closer to Utahime and, consequently, to Gojo.
"I like that idea. You could be perfect for making Utahime trust our interests. And maybe you could even convince her and Gojo that in the future, perhaps, Momo would be given in marriage to Suguru Gojo. Yes, that could be a formidable alliance…” Now Naoya's mind had the image of his adorable, grown-up daughter dressed in wedding attire before Satoru's son.
"I'll need a new cell phone for that. To communicate with Utahime and be able to go out with her." Mai requested while gently rubbing her husband's lower back.
Naoya inhaled deeply. He didn't like the idea of Mai having her own phone and wasting time with her useless friends from non-sorcerer families, nor spending all her time on social media sharing her vulgar photos in there. He had seen the photos from her previous social media accounts and the irreverent comments she made, which were so ingnobel for his taste that he forced Mai to stop posting them. If he gave Mai a new cell phone, she could take advantage of the opportunity to disobey him by once again exposing herself as a whore on the internet, sharing vulgar memes and comments. He'd have to think twice before giving her a cell phone.
"Yeah, maybe I'll give one to you later. For now, there's already an event where you could spend time with Utahime. You see, next week there's an exhibition at the Kyoto Tech. A kind of cultural festival where kids show off their skills and hobbies unrelated to sorcery, but now it is gonna be held in summer in honor to the birthday of one of those boys who got killed by that Mahito bitch everybody wants to hunt down. There will be sports events, dances, theater and artistic shit made by teens..."
"I know what those festivals are and what's done in there. I used to participate in those, too." Mai replied.
"Oh, right, I forgot you studied there too. Anyway, back to the point; it's been several years since a leader from the Zenin clan has attended, because both my daddy and I found them boring. But maybe you could attend with Ranta as representative of the clan and take the opportunity to, you know, establish a relationship with that harpy.” Naoya's voice was full of venom, and his smile was worthy of a predator discovering new prey.
"Rest assured, Utahime will be on our side as soon as possible. I'll be Utahime's best friend, and she'll be like putty in my hands. And yes, I think Satoru's little one and our lovely Momo could make a cute couple when they grow up." Mai said, turning to look into Naoya's eyes and smiling sweetly.
The Zenin leader couldn't help but stand up and kiss his wife on the mouth. A passionate and dominant kiss, as intense as the one he gave her on their first wedding night. After kissing her mouth, Naoya's lips and hands slowly moved to Mai's belly, which he kissed gently, feeling blessed to be the father of that unborn child.
"You have no idea how much I love you and our son, my sweet Mai, nor how long I've waited for this moment. Ever since you were little and I saw you with your mother helping her clean the garden or playing with your rag dolls, I knew you would be the mother of my children. I love you so much, Mai, it physically hurts." Naoya said, almost feeling ashamed of being so passionate about his own wife.
Mai simply stroked her husband's hair.
"I love you too, Nao. I will never stop being grateful that you are the father of my children." Mai whispered softly, pretending that at that moment she felt a true passion for her husband and that there was no other person to whom Mai had already given herself body and mind. Despite the passion and tenderness Mai showed Naoya that night, her heart would always belong to someone else.
Notes:
Writing from Nao’s perspective was hard but also interesting, and as I said before I will try to write in the perspective of other characters in this fic. I hope my next chapter be less intense and with less whump that this one. Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are more than welcome!
Chapter 16
Notes:
Hi, this chapter is much less angsty than the previous one, so yay I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed. TW: Toxic/Abusive relationships and murder (?)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Naoya and Mai's wedding was going to be the epitome of luxury. Although most of the Zenins were Buddhist, Naoya and Mai's wedding was being held in a sumptuous Catholic cathedral, whose walls displayed scenes from the Passion of Christ and various biblical passages, all in an extravagant Baroque style. The wedding guests were mostly members of the Zenin clan and high-ranking figures in the world of sorcery, who were dressed in luxurious clothes and expensive jewelry.
And in front of the priest (an elderly white-haired man with navy-blue eyes) stood the couple: Naoya Zenin, dressed in an elegant black tuxedo that matched his nail polish, while Mai Zenin wore her pristine white dress and translucent veil held back by a tiara and adorned with natural flowers. It looked like a scene from a fairy tale where the beautiful and virginal princess would finally marry the powerful Prince Charming.
"Naoya Zenin. Do you accept Mai Zenin as your wife?" the priest asked.
"I do." The Zenin replied, smiling.
"And you, Mai Zenin? Do you accept Naoya Zenin as your husband?"
"I do." She replied selflessly.
"In that case, through the sacrament of matrimony and before the eyes of God, I declared you..." But before the priest could finish his sentence, Nobara Kugisaki burst into the church, entering dressed in black leather pants and high-heeled boots, along with enormous gold hoop earrings and a bazooka in her arms.
"I oppose that marriage! Mai Zenin, I love you!" Nobara shouted.
Murmurs of utter indignation echoed through the church.
"Nobara Kugisaki, I demand that you explain to me what this commotion is about and why you dare to interrupt our wedding?" Naoya shouted furiously.
"I've said it once and I'll say it again, I love Mai Zenin, and the love you claim to have for her is nothing but a farce. But now your circus is over! Hasta la vista, baby!" Nobara shouted, pointing her bazooka at Zenin.
The wedding guests continued to whisper and exclaim in surprise at such a singular scene, with one elderly woman even fainting from the shock, while Naoya just clenched his fist and glared at Nobara with contempt. However, neither the murmurs of the wedding guests nor Naoya's anger slowed her determination. Nobara quickly fired her bazooka at Naoya, pulverizing Zenin into a crimson mass of guts and blood. Far from being horrified by the carnage she had seen, Mai Zenin rushed to Nobara and kissed her passionately.
Despite the fact that Nobara had just killed a man and his blood was spilling across the temple, the wedding guests and the priest couldn't help but cheer and applaud such a passionate love scene between two women. Even the elderly patriarch Zenin applauded happily after taking a deep gulp of his sake.
"I knew it! My niece bats for the other side too! Congratulations, Mai! My stupid son didn't even deserve you!" Naobito shouted happily.
Elsewhere in the church, Satoru Gojo was trying to wipe the tears of joy from his face.
"Oh, just I love happy endings!" Gojo said, wiping his tears with his handkerchief.
Nobara was about to throw away the bouquet of roses she and Mai were holding, but as soon as she raised her hands, something snapped her out of her dreamy trance...
"Hey! Are you okay, Nobie?" a female voice with a strong foreign accent exclaimed, causing Nobara to wake up. She groaned silently and cursed herself; watching so many Latin American soap operas was definitely frying her brain.
The sorceress blinked a little, stretching her body lazily as she looked around and remembered where she was. That day, she had been invited to record a video on Kotohiki Beach by Cate Bowie, a foreign influencer and colleague in the modeling world. Both were now in a five-star hotel room, waiting for room service to arrive with the food and drinks they had ordered for the second part of the video, which would include a short mungkbang in which they would review the local cuisine. Truth be told, Nobara had been on the verge of canceling going out with Cate, as the stress of her life as a sorceress and her love affairs were getting to her head. However, Nobara had been stuck with her modeling career for a while, and her social media wasn't generating enough traffic, much less monetary gains. She knew that collaborating with someone like Sarah was a guarantee of social media views and more job offers. Not to mention that Cate was one of Nobara's closest friends in the modeling world and generally a pretty fun and generous girl.
"Sorry, I didn't sleep well last night, and some stressful things have happened at my other job." Nobara replied, trying to sound as if the stressful things about that other job she had were just silly office gossip, end-of-month paperwork or cases of corporate cronyism, and not the fact that there was a spy on the loose passing information to special-grade sapient curses who were plotting to commit some kind of fucked up attack against humanity.
"That’s terrible! I hope it's resolved soon. By the way, the drinks and food we ordered just arrived. Do you think we start recording now?" Sarah asked, pointing to the tray of food on the coffee table in the room.
"Oh, sure. Just tell me if my makeup is okay..."
"It's perfect. You don't need any touch-ups!" Sarah replied politely.
Nobara smiled and walked over to the coffee table where the dishes were: a tray of cherries and blueberries, along with white chocolate bunny cookies, and enormous frappés topped with whipped cream, edible flowers, and marshmallows. Nobara couldn't help but think about the food photos Mai sent her almost daily, so she quickly took a picture of her dishes and sent it to Mai before starting to record the video.
Filming with Cate was fun; she was open-minded and optimistic, which automatically made those around her feel comfortable. For a while, Nobara thought she was in love with her, and in the projects where Cate and Nobara worked together, she could sense a certain chemistry, and they even went out together on several occasions. The fact that Cate was openly bisexual and that on several of their hang outs, there had been some flirting between them, made the possibility of being more than friends something realistic. However, now that Nobara was dating Mai, the idea of being with someone other than her was off-putting. She knew it was a hypocritical way of thinking about herself; after all, she didn't object to the fact that Mai was married with children, and Mai had even told her she was free to leave her if she found someone better. But even so, at that moment, the sorceress only had eyes for one person, and that person was Mai...
"You've been acting strange for a while now. Are you okay, Nobie?" Cate asked.
The video shoot had recently ended, and the two were already getting ready for bed, with Nobara slathered in moisturizer and Cate wearing a face mask to remove impurities.
"It's nothing. Just work related stress."
"Are you sure?"
Nobara nodded.
"I don't believe you."
"Huh? Why is that?"
"I don't know, I think you've become a little more distant and spend all your time looking at your phone. And also, you suddenly stopped using your work phone number, but for some reason, every time I see you in the phone, you're sending yourself messages to that number." Sarah said thoughtfully.
Nobara cursed silently. Mai hadn't changed her WhatsApp profile picture, giving the strange impression that Nobara was currently talking to herself.
"It's kind of complicated." Nobara replied.
"Is it because I'm still friends with your ex?" Sarah asked as she turned on the water to rinse her face.
"It's not about you. It's about a former coworker. I think I love her."
"Oh my god! Let me guess... You fell in love with a straight girl again?" Sarah asked, accidentally rubbing Nobara in the face about her failed romance with Tsukimi.
"No, she's not straight. And I know she likes me and everything. But she... is married." Nobara said, watching Sarah's face contort into a strange grimace.
"Fuck..."
"Yeah, it's a messed-up situation. And her husband... He's a bad person. He doesn't treat her or her children well. But he's also a man with a lot of power and money. I hate him so much. I even fantasize of killing him." Nobara growled in frustration.
Sarah couldn't say anything for several minutes.
"How about we watch something on TV to clear your mind? When I'm sad, I usually watch my favorite series and I calm down instantly!" Cate suggested.
Reluctantly, Nobara accepted Cate's offer, and they stayed up watching a movie based on a Broadway musical. Cate and Nobara fell into a deep sleep shortly after the movie ended.
Fortunately, Nobara didn't have any strange dreams that night, and if she did, she didn't remember them.
It was the afternoon of the next day, once she was out of the hotel and back at her apartment, that the sorceress checked her phone. There were no updates on Mahito's case. That was both a relief and a concern, as it gave the ominous impression that the curse wanted to stay in the shadows, planning something worse. He also saw a couple of messages from Mechamaru and his girlfriend Kasumi, which he checked out with curiosity.
"The Kyoto Tech's cultural festival just ended and something crazy happened in there! Finally, the Zenin sent a representative to our festival, and the representative in question turned out to be a dude called Ranta, who, as far as I know, is something like Naoya's sidekick in charge and spends his time sucking up to him. But the poor guy didn't come alone. He was also accompanied by Mai, who is now Naoya's wife! I'm horrified! I can't believe that out of all the men in that clan, she ended up with her horrible cousin! And she never told us anything! I always knew her husband wasn't a good person, but the fact that he was such a vile monster like Naoya is disgusting! She barely spoke to me or Kokichi and then spent the entire event talking to Utahime, and although she seemed kinda happy, to tell the truth, deep down her smile seemed very fake and also said many hurtful things about me and my boyfriend. Just thinking that her children are the product of such a toxic relationship makes me cry. It makes me sad to see her like this! She needs help ASAP!!!" Kasumi Miwa wrote.
Nobara just typed her response somewhat slowly.
"That's terrible. I hope Mai is okay." Noabara wrote, not knowing what else to say to Kasumi or how to explain her that Mai wasn’t really okay.
Mechamaru's message was much shorter, but it still seemed to be filled to the brim with indignation and helplessness.
"Mai married the fucking leader of the fucking Zenin clan! Did you knew that? Why the hell didn't you tell us?" Mechamaru wrote.
Nobara tried to string together a coherent response and typed it slowly.
"I didn't want to worry you nor Kasumi, and it wasn't like knowing would fix anything. I only found out the day I had to go to the Zenin estate to discuss what happened to Takeshi and Toshiro." The sorceress wrote sincerely.
It didn't take a minute for Mechamaru to respond to Nobara.
"And you haven't done anything about it? Damn! My former classmate married a special grade asshole who is also his cousin and you haven't lifted a finger for her! WTF is your problem?" Mechamaru wrote, letting Nobara sense his anger over the phone.
"Mai wasn't my classmate and outside of our team missions and the outings we had with Maki, we didn't even see each other. She married Naoya shortly after Nishimiya's death, like four years ago! I wasn't even living here in Kyoto at the time, damn it!" Noabara wrote furiously.
"That's no excuse. You completely ignoring Mai is just as horrible as if I let Yuuji marry MeiMei without saying a word about it." Mechamaru retorted.
Nobara felt anger at the way Mechamaru was blaming her and the way he described such a messed-up hypothetical situation involving Yuuji.
"Don't drag Yuuji and my friends into this! You and your girlfriend aren't saints either! What the fuck have you been doing for Mai all this time? Where the hell have you and Kasumi been all these years? Scratching your balls? You're a fucking hypocrite and a coward!" Noabara wrote, sending the message regardless of how hurtful it sounded.
Several minutes passed, and despite the message having been seen, Mechamaru didn't respond, making Nobara feel the strange satisfaction of having shut him up, even though deep down she hated being right about Mai.
During those four years of marriage, Mai had been abandoned by everyone she considered friends, including her. She wondered how it was that no one had noticed her absence from missions, or the disappearance of her Instagram or Twitter posts, or the way the Kyoto Tech shooting range remained almost always unused. The sorceress sighed sadly; it was like one of those cases of elderly people who died alone in their apartments and weren't found by their family until the owner of the building came to collect the rent and found some poor granny corpse rotting away.
With sadness and helplessness, the sorceress proceeded to prepare her lunch, which was a dish of udon noodles with tofu, green peppers, and ginger. She was really lazy about cooking something healthy, but she'd already eaten too much junk food with Cate, and although delivery was an option, knowing herself, Nobara knew she'd end up ordering something greasy like fried chicken nuggets or Hawaiian pizza with a cheese crust instead of vegetables and protein. To avoid getting bored while cooking, she turned on her computer and started watching Fumihiko Takaba's stand-up show, which always managed to make her laugh and relax for a while. The comedian and the task of cooking managed to clear her mind a bit, although deep down, the thought that everyone had left Mai alone to rot in the Zenin's continued to haunt her.
A notification on her phone pulled her out of her thoughts. It was Mai again.
"Hey! Guess who they let leave the house without my family to go to the Kyoto Tech cultural festival? Me!" Mai wrote, attaching a photo of herself and Utahime to her message. Utahime was wearing her traditional minko attire and her hair tied back in a bun, while Mai was wearing a lavender kimono and her lips were bright pink.
Nobara knew that Mai had gone to the Kyoto Tech cultural festival for some reason, and the fact that she hadn't gone with Naoya intrigued her.
"Just out of curiosity. What made you go to the festival without Naoya?"
Mai took a moment to answer.
"Don't tell anyone, but my husband wants someone to help him get closer to Satoru Gojo, and he thinks I could help him get closer to Gojo if I get closer to Utahime. So he's making sure that every social gathering Utahime attends, I'm there too."
"Oh. And I suppose you saw Mechamaru and Kasumi at the gathering, too? Right?" Nobara asked, feigning innocence regarding her previous conversation with the sorcerers.
"Yes! I ran into them, and we talked for a while. I missed them a lot."
"I don't know if it's awkward to ask, but when was the last time you saw them in person before the event?" Nobara asked Mai.
Zenin took a moment to answer.
"I don't know. It could have been before Momo's death, maybe during Aoi's funeral. Or maybe I ran into them at the mall when I was with my mom and mother-in-law on the way to the beauty salon the day before my wedding. Naoya doesn't let me go out with them because he thinks they are low-class, and apparently he never got along with Mechamaru and always looked down on Kasumi." Mai wrote, followed by a sticker of a sad kitten.
Nobara was about to reply, but before she could, Mai sent her another message.
"By the way, I saw the pictures of the drinks you had, and last night I managed to watch your videos with Cate Bowie at Kotohiki Beach. Is the beach there really that beautiful?"
"It really is a really fun beach. And the hotel was amazing. I really want to go there again." Nobara wrote excitedly.
"So, how about we go together? Just you and me. A girls' afternoon at the beach, with cold drinks and some adult fun." Mai wrote, followed by a sticker with a mischievous expression.
"You already told me you wanted to go to the beach last time." Noabara wrote.
"I have the perfect strategy for us to meet up." Mai wrote. Nobara raised her eyebrows at the message, intrigued by what this plan entailed, while she saw that Mai seemed to be still typing on the other end. After a few minutes, Mai sent the details of her plan.
"Lately, since my husband wants me to establish a good relationship with Utahime, I've agreed to go out with her soon. Utahime and Satoru were planning to throw a party in honor of one of the elders of the Iori clan. I doubt Naoya will want to attend, almost no one in my family gets along with the Gojos, except for Chojuro who is too old and sick to attend events, but I know Naoya will want me to go to catch up with Utahime so I thought that after my family's driver drops me off at the Iori Estate, I will chat for a couple of minutes and then we will go to the beach together. The celebration starts in the morning of July 5th and will last practically the entire weekend so they will probably let me sleep at the Iori home to be there for the entire party and all the afterward ceremonies. But, instead of spending the weekend with them, I will go to the beach with you and then we will go to a hotel room together. And once there... You know." Mai wrote, adding a sticker of a mischievous-faced rabbit.
"Sounds like a good idea!" Nobara wrote, but after some thought, she added.
"Don't you think it's a risky plan?" Nobara asked, worried as she remembered the true nature of their relationship.
While waiting for an answer, Nobara turned off her electric stove and stirred her vegetable udon soup a little before beginning to taste it. Its flavor was strong and comforting, perfect with some juice or an iced drink. But before she could go to her refrigerator and look for a blessed drink, Mai answered.
"Relax, Utahime and the Iori’s will be good accomplices, and I highly doubt my family will suspect. I just want you to tell me if you want to do this too."
Nobara didn't hesitate.
"Of course I do." Nobara wrote, then went to get her coconut hydrating drink from the fridge and began to eat. Despite not liking peppers very much, Nobara admitted that the ginger and hot sauce she'd added to the soup made it taste passable.
"Perfect, I'll give you the details of our plan on our next date." Mai replied.
Nobara smiled, then munched another piece of vegetable noodles. That upcoming weekend would be very interesting.
Notes:
FYI: The model OC is based on someone who I know IRL who is also a model and one of my bff ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)
And the thing of Nobara dreaming of soap operas and telenovelas... is also based in something I dreamed (tho not exactly as in the fanfic but, you get the idea) and honestly telenovelas are not so different from shonen anime due both being full of drama an exaggerations, hahaha...
About the Kotohiki beach: According to the touristic sites I have read that beach is in a natural protected area full of forests and plants so is of ultmost importance to not enter to the beach with food nor tobacco to prevent pollution in there. Also, the sand there has a very fun squeaky musical sound due the sand's grains texture. And as I said, Mechamaru will be fucking important in this fic so stay tuned!
Kudos/Reviews are love ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Chapter 17
Notes:
This is the Beach Episode so is gonna be relaxing and fluffy. Still there are some triggering scenes and things. TW: Panic attack, mentions of suicide, toxic relationships, body shaming.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Okay, are you ready, Kotohiki beach?" Nobara asked Mai, smiling.
It was two in the afternoon, and Nobara had just picked Mai up from the Iori clan’s property. Mai had explained the situation to Utahime in general terms, omitting her relationship with Nobara and claiming that she just wanted to vacation with a friend away from the pressures of all jujutsu society. And Utahime, unable to deny her former student a treat, agreed that, after a couple of hours with Mai chatting among the Iori clan members, she could head to the entrance and be picked up by Nobara. And what was best is that a bit before going out, Nobara gifted Mai a change of clothes to go to the beach and then enjoy the hotel. Mai didn't hesitate for a moment to dress up in her new outfit before heading out together to Nobara, but not before touching up her lips with the translucent cotton candy gloss she inherited from Momo.
"I haven't had a vacation since my honeymoon, and I don't even know if that counts." Mai replied, stuffing a handful of popcorn they had bought at a convenience store before leaving. Nobara smiled as she put Grace Jones's cover of Demolition Man on her car stereo, and Mai let her hair down. They spent the entire drive to the beach listening to loud music, with Nobara singing (in an incredibly high pitch) and Mai criticizing her driver's musical tastes.
"God, you like the same crap as Ranta!" Mai complained as Levitating by Dua Lipa played.
"Hey! It's Dua Lipa! She is a superstar and has singed along Elton John! And Ranta has good taste, just because he's an idiot doesn't mean his tastes are bad!” Nobara replied indignantly.
“Pfff... I don’t care, modern music sucks. Especially American music.” Mai replied.
Nobara, fed up with Mai's criticism, put on Fantasy by Meiko Narahara.
“Ohhh! That's good music!” Mai said.
“You have the tastes of a forty-something housewife.” Nobara replied.
“I'm a housewife, and even though I'm in my twenties at heart, I'm like fifty five.” Mai replied cynically as she grabbed more popcorn.
“You'd better finish them already, the beach is a protected area and they won't let us in with food.” Nobara said.
Mai sighed and placed her hands on her belly.
"Aw, fuck. My baby was just starting to like the taste of popcorn." Mai commented.
"Huh? Why do you say that?" Nobara asked.
"It felt like he was moving happily. Every time I eat something yummy, my kids move like that, and I know they're happy. If I'm happy, they're happy too." Mai affirmed.
Nobara just smiled happily at the adorable face Mai made as she held her bump and kissed her lips softly, enjoying the mixture of salty popcorn flakes and sweet lip gloss taste in her mouth.
When they finally arrived at the parking lot near Kotohiki beach, it took Mai a while to get out of the car.
"Is everything okay?" Nobara asked, seeing Mai frown as she held her belly.
"Yeah, they're just false contractions... Ugh!" Mai snarled.
"Do you want me to call a doctor? If you want, we can cancel the trip! Your health comes first!" Nobara squealed, worried about Mai and her little one's well-being.
"Idiot! They're called false contractions because they're not actually labor yet. I don't need to go to a doctor or anything!" Mai said.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know." Nobara apologised.
"Shit, Nobara! Didn't you have sex ed at school?" Mai asked angrily.
"In middle school, they only told me that if I had sex without a condom before I was married, I would get pregnant and die of AIDS. They didn't tell me anything about how pregnancies worked." Nobara replied.
"Ha! And they said Zenin girls were prudes without sex ed!" Mai mocked, trying to forget the pain the contraction was causing her.
"So if it's a false contraction, does that mean you'll be able to go to the beach?"
"Sure, just wait a few minutes and we'll go!" Mai said with a mixture of pain and excitement.
Once Mai's pain began to subside completely, Nobara led her to the beach, trying to walk slowly so as not to tire the young mother.
The path was picturesque, lined with pines and leafy trees whose scent mingled with the saltiness of the sea.
And once in front of the sea, Mai looked at the sea and the crystal-clear waters of Kotohiki beach with the innocence of a child as she began to walk on the sand, delighting in the small sounds it made when she stepped on it. It was white, warm, and pure. The air smelled of life and the ocean, while the waves seemed to invite her to swim in them. Mai felt so excited and alive that, despite being seven months pregnant, she didn't hesitate to run into the water, but not before challenging Nobara.
"Whoever gets to the water first gets to spank the loser!" Mai shouted as she ran.
"Hey! That's cheating! You never said anything about a race!" Nobara said, trying to keep up with Mai. Even though Nobara was much faster than Mai, she made no effort to catch up. Mai entered the water shortly before Nobara and didn't hesitate to splash her lover as soon as she reached her the water too. Nobara didn't let that deed to go unpunished, proceeding to splash Mai, who laughed like crazy when she felt the cold water against her face.
"Smack!" Mai slapped Nobara the same as she had threatened. Although Nobara tried to pretend to be upset with Mai, she actually enjoyed the punishment. She turned to see Mai, whose water was almost knee-deep, despite the fact that the sea had soaked the mumu-style dress Nobara had bought for her for the occasion. Nobara, on the other hand, had taken off her beach dress as she began to run toward the water, now finding herself in a bikini with a print that seemed to mimic cheetah fur. Nobara's body looked healthy, athletic, and naturally tanned, with a couple of scars crisscrossing it, as a testament to her strength and her battles. Mai couldn't take her eyes off the sorceress, and her efforts to hide them were almost useless. She could also see Nobara's eyes on her despite trying to maintain modesty with her mumu. Mai debated whether or not to take off her mumu, as she still felt somewhat insecure about showing her body. The scars left by her mission in which Momo died still made her feel ashamed and disgusted, and reminded her of one of the most traumatic events of her life. She wanted to muster up the courage to take off her mumu, but when she finally took it off, Mai couldn't help but feel self-conscious at the sight of her scars. She tried to breathe deeply and remind herself that that dark day was behind her, that she wasn't under the domain of the curse that killed her girlfriend, that right now she was on the beach relaxing with the woman she loved, that things would be fine that afternoon, they would have fun together, and if anything happened, Nobara would protect her. She felt her baby move in her womb and suddenly she was confused, lost, scared... Suddenly her mind was no longer on Kotohiki beach, but in her daughters' room, being held by their mother as she gave birth. She was running for her life within the spell of the curse that killed Momo. She was being subdued by her husband on their honeymoon. She was shooting wildly to try to ward off a curse on her first mission. Suddenly, she was on the beach where she'd spent her honeymoon, just as she wanted to free herself from the bonds fate had imposed on her during her first suicide attempt. Physically, she was in heaven; spiritually, she was in hell. Nothing felt real, and her mind was spinning. She wanted to drown like that time; she wanted to disappear and be swallowed alive by the water. Without thinking, she submerged herself completely in the water, her mind calming with the subtle sensation of lightness of her body in the salt water. But, unlike that time on her honeymoon, someone else dove into the water with her, and Mai, instead of trying to drown, held Nobara's hand, trying to return to the present. Nobara's face, devoid of makeup, was radiant, serene, and beautiful. Little by little, Mai returned to her senses. Once again, she was next to Nobara, in clear water and quartz sand, with the sun caressing their submerged bodies and the mumu almost escaping Mai's hand. Still out of the water, Nobara caressed Mai's face, after which Zenin kissed her, and they both surfaced.
"Are you okay? You almost lost your dress!" Nobara asked, somewhat worried, as she helped Mai hold the soaked dress. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just that sometimes when I get nervous, I act strangely," Mai replied.
"Are you nervous?"
"It's just a little anxiety about my baby and some memories from the past about Momo..."
"Are you talking about your daughter or Nishimiya?" Nobara inquiered.
"Nishimiya. It's sometimes unreal that she's dead, while I’m still alive here with an entire family, hanging out with you and living, while she's dead, cremated and buried somewhere... It's like I've abandoned her and moved on.”
Nobara tried to be compassionate and caressed her face. Mai hugged her
tightly, seeking comfort.
"I miss her. You have no idea how much I miss her." Mai said, still holding Nobara.
"You loved her so much. It's normal to miss her." The sorceress replied with compassion.
Mai clung to Nobara. One thing she would never stop missing about Momo would be the future they dreamed of together and could never have. However, now she had a present with Nobara and responsibilities to attend with her family, and no matter how hard the loss was, she had to move on and survive.
"Do you want to go to the shore to drop off your dress?" Nobara asked Mai.
Mai just nodded and went to the shore with Nobara, leaving her wet dress on the sand, near the bag where Nobara kept her other things. Mai felt a little tired so she proceeded to sit on the sand. Nobara joined her and sat next to her, watching some children playing in the sand, amazed by the squeaking sounds it made when stepped on. Nobara gently grabbed Mai's hand.
Mai smiled, happy to have received a free vacation and grateful to Nobara for doing her the favor of getting her a maternity swimsuit and a comfortable mumu for the beach. Mai had originally told Nobara not to worry about getting her beach clothes; just enjoying the time in the sun and waves was enough. But Nobara insisted on getting her a navy blue two-piece swimsuit and an abstract-print mumu. At first, she wanted to reject it, because even though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she hated how the bikini showed off her battle scars and stretch marks. She remembered how her husband had sometimes made insensitive comments about her physique and how he had told her several times "you should get some treatment to get rid of those things, they look disgusting," and how he had promised that after giving birth, he would take her to a beauty clinic to get treatment for her scars and stretch marks. But for now, Naoya’s cruel comment didn’t matter at all.
"This is the best vacation I've ever had in my entire life. The only thing I'm missing is a good beach read and maybe a cold drink, and it would be perfect." Mai said, stretching a little lazily.
Nobara laughed when she heard how, despite having been on that beach for a little less than an hour, Mai already considered it the best vacation of her life, and how she also wanted to do a beach read as if she wasn't right there to talk to.
"I don't understand why you want a book and a drink when you have me right there next to you." Nobara replied playfully.
Mai grabbed a handful of sand and threw it at her.
"What's wrong with wanting something to stimulate my mind while I listen to the waves?"
"Hey! Are you calling me boring or stupid?" Nobara complained.
"I just think it would be fun if we both had a book and discussed our books after a while. And cold drinks would go down perfectly in this weather. I'd kill for an ice-cold Pepsi float or a watermelon smoothie with whipped cream and cherries." Mai replied.
"Whipped cream and watermelon? Your pregnancy cravings are driving you completely crazy." Nobara said.
"It's not a pregnancy craving! When I lived with Momo, we that drink as dessert almost every day, and it was the most delicious thing in the world! I'm not crazy!" Mai exclaimed.
Nobara just laughed and gazed at her lover. Her amber eyes had acquired a certain sparkle that Nobara hadn't seen in a while, and her face looked flushed and serene. It had been years since she'd seen her so relaxed and happy; it was as if, after years of living to please others' whims, Mai was finally indulging herself.
A small boy running near them interrupted their thoughts. "Look, Dad, they're girlfriends!" the little boy shouted, pointing at Mai and Nobara.
Mai and Nobara looked at each other, not knowing whether to feel tenderness that the boy had innocently seen the love they felt for each other or panic at having been caught red-handed committing adultery. A worried man ran up to the little boy and grabbed his hand. Nobara seemed to recognize the man immediately and was moved to see him so casually.
"Oh! Fumihiro, it's rude to point at people! Please apologise to the ladies!" the man said, embarrassed.
The boy apologised politely and bowed politely.
"I'm so sorry, ladies." said little Fumihiro.
Mai sighed in surprise as she recognized the man and his iconic sideburns.
"Wait a minute, are you comedian Fumihiko Takaba?" Mai asked.
The man just laughed amiably. Despite being a famous man with a quirky personality, he had a certain air of humility and simplicity that made him feel authentic. "Ha, I didn't think you'd notice me without my usual outfit and offstage." The comedian replied.
"My friend usually sends me videos of your sketches all the time. You're a really fun guy." Mai said. Fumihiko smiled kindly, clearly happy to see some of his fans.
"I'm glad you like what I do! And I'm really sorry for my son's behavior. My little Fumihiro is a bit of a mouthy guy, just like his daddy! Besides, just between us, my wife's sister is dating another woman, and my little boy is just getting the hang of it... It's a bit complicated to explain that, and I'm afraid people will think my wife and I are indoctrinating him, making him spoiled or something..."
"No worries, you're right about trying to explain things straightforwardly, it seems that you are a fantastic dad and that your son is a very well mannered kid." Mai replied.
"I imagine you must also be preparing yourself to be an excellent mamma one day! No?" Fumihiko said.
"She's already an excellent mamma. Her two little girls are beautiful and they adore her." Nobara replied.
The boy, who was still there with the two sorceresses and the comedian, stared at the couple.
"So the ladies aren't girlfriends like my auntie Mayumi and Miss Kiriko?" the little boy asked his father.
"Oh, no. They're just friends, like your mom and Miss Miwako. Or me and Mr. Hiromi!" Fumihiko explained. "Or me and Kenji?" Fumihiro asked.
"Exacterino! Friendship is always very important!" The comedian replied.
The boy blinked still processing what his father said, but then after a few seconds he asked with his childish curiosity.
“Oh. Is that lady fat like mommy used to be because she will have a baby?" The boy said, pointing at Mai.
Fumihiko blushed in embarrassment, as if his son had offended Mai, but far from being offended, she laughed. "That's right. In a few more weeks, I’ll have a little baby boy." Mai answered.
"And will the baby's father be as happy as my dad was when my little sister was born?" Fumihiro asked.
Nobara could see Mai's gaze turn dark at her husband's indirect mention, but as quickly as that darkness appeared, it disappeared. She responded enthusiastically to the little kid. "The father will be very happy with the baby."
A little girl and a pair of young teenagers approached Fumihiko and his son.
"Uncle, can you and Fumihiro come help with the sandcastle?"
One of the teenagers said.
"Sure! If you want, go ahead and play with your cousins. I'll be there later!" Fumihiko said, causing the boy to run off with the other kids while the comedian said goodbye to both sorceresses.
Mai took the opportunity to ask for a photo of him with Nobara and her, using her Polaroid to take an impromptu selfie, after which Fumihiko left with the children in his family.
"Keep it as a souvenir and don't show it to anyone." Mai said, giving the photo to Nobara.
"He's really nice in person. And he treats children very well." Nobara affirmed.
"If only my husband could treat Momo and Midori that well..." Mai replied sadly.
"Forget about that idiot for the rest of the day. For now, it's just you and me." Nobara replied, grabbing Mai's hand.
Mai inhaled deeply. If only it were that easy to ignore that idiot's existence. Her body was carrying a reminder of Naoya's existence and the relationship they had. However, at that moment, Naoya was far away, and Nobara was tenderly holding her hand. Mai couldn't help but kiss her, so fleetingly that at first glance it would have seemed like an accident, which fortunately no one in the Takaba family could notice.
"Let's go back to the water. There'll be time to rest when we're together in the hotel..." Mai said, turning to Nobara.
That summer adventure would be unforgettable for both of them…
Notes:
So, I included Fumihiko cuz he is one of the most underated characters and I'm excited to see him animated soon! Also I gave him a small family and make him friend of Higuruma to add him a bit of lore so here he is a cool dad with a well paid commedian job and fantastic friends. I may write some fic about Fumihiko and his antics in the future, since I love him so much is unreal (and I find him kinda of hot, lol).
Anyway, kudos and comments are love, stay tuned for the hot stuff of the next chapter!
Gueeest on Chapter 1 Tue 21 Oct 2025 03:07AM UTC
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TakkaRULZ_Fanfics on Chapter 1 Tue 21 Oct 2025 04:48AM UTC
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lemmeEYP on Chapter 8 Sun 01 Jun 2025 05:56AM UTC
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TakkaRULZ_Fanfics on Chapter 8 Mon 02 Jun 2025 06:12AM UTC
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