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Gojo Satoru was 15 soon to be 16, a first year at Jujutsu tech.
15-16 is still 5 years too soon to drink. Yet, just like every regular high school student- which he wasn't- he had tasted booze.
Yes, he only tasted it, he didn't exactly get high. Why?
Because he didn't like it.
What exactly didn't he like though?
Was it the taste?
No, no one likes alcohol the first time they taste it. It's an acquired taste. Though it might have been a bit strong for his liking.
Then was it because he was embarrassed of being a lightweight?
Kind of, but not exactly.
He wasn't embarrassed, more like, he hated losing the precision of his control and coordination. His senses were sharper than average humans, much sharper, what else would you expect from the six eyes? And the amount of control and coordination he had over his body was far above the norm even for Jujutsu sorcerers. He didn't just control his body when he walked, he also controlled the space around him.
Tarnishing and hyper activating his already acute senses didn't feel great, and was not just terrifying to the identity he maintained, but also an unforgivable breach of the trust humanity placed in him, the one and only honoured one.
Drinking his first galss of beer made him reach this conclusion, that he can never ever drink more than that. Picking up one glass of wine or champagne at parties, drinking about two centi-literes (literally, literally), most of the time was all he ever allowed himself.
It's not a status thing or power thing, no.
Well maybe it is, but believe him when he says that he isn't going to take the risk of trusting his drunk self. For one, it's a known fact that cursed energy of even Jujutsu sorcerers gets earrtic and out of control when they are wasted. It's actually been used as a way to exploit Jujutsu sorcerers by some (insert the notorious Sorcerer killer, Toji Fushiguro), because most Jujutsu sorcerers do drink, as a coping method for their ugly job or whatever.
He can't possibly allow himself to become vulnerable to that danger. Even if he is being over vigilant about the subject and he wouldn't encounter anyone after his life in the state, another problem is him being one half of the strongest duo. He has a duty to withhold, he can't be unavailable because he was high! What message does that send?
Additionally, he already has a hard time not killing half the assholes he meets everyday. Should he really trust his drunk self to not blow their heads off when all it would take is a snap of his fingers? Not that he would be affected by killing them but he sure as hell wouldn't let some mob character make him get labeled as a Curse User.
Therefore, this whole argument above was the reason, yes this! not the fear of pain like his best friend Suguru believes, that Gojo was panicking before getting his molar removed.
A demi-god still had to worry about stuff like normal bodily functions, he needed to eat, and now he needed to get his decaying tooth pulled out.
He had it coming, didn't he?
With all the sweets he had been eating recently. He wasn't a born a sweet-tooth or anything, he just started to keep himself stimulated with sugar but as much as he would like to deny it, he was an addict now.
Turns out, eating chocolate truffles and marshmallows in the middle of the night and going to sleep without brushing your teeth is something even his infinity can't save his enamels from.
Now, that cavity in the crown of his molar in the left side of his lower jaw, filthy and hideous, a blemish to his godly beauty, had to be removed. He had tried to ignore it for some time, brushing the fuck out of it, but since a week ago it started to swell and create a pandemonium in his sensory nerves, giving birth to affliction he had never imagined was possible before.
Damn! He would rather give birth. Atleast it's over in a few hours at most. That reminds him, he hasn't so much as kissed a girl for over week now. First his sweets and now his sugar, fuck!
"Shoko you have to teach me!" He whined. Unfortunately for him, Shoko couldn't solve his problem because dental care with reversed curse technique wasn't a milestone she had yet accomplished. But, he had been trying to learn for sometime, and if he did then healing his own body is the very basic reverse cursed energy could do.
"Stop it! How much of a simpleton are you? For the nth time, you just do *that* and then *that* then *this* and *that*...and lo! I can't make myself more of a layman for you, it's not even possible. Even a normal human would start channeling reversed cusre energy by now. Some heir of the Gojo clan you are, eh?"
"You're crazy, you're absolutely crazy. If you ever have children they wouldn't be potty-trained till they are 6 because you can't explain for your life." Gojo said banging his head on the door.
"What were you planning to do anyway? Unless cursed energy is involved reverse cursed technique dosen't work, you know. And it dosen't work on ailments, only injuries.How would you have used it?"
"Well, I was thinking of blowing the tooth and gum with limitless and then..."
"You'd go that far! Listen up, you could blow your whole jaw if you wish to and i could heal it but it will be healed with your cavity intact, it won't work. Why do you think i am not chain-smoking right now? If I could have made my lungs baby healthy every time i poisoned it, i wouldn't breathe fresh air at all."
"Ah..huh? How can you be so sure?"
"Wanna try?"
"Ummm..."
"If you're ready to bear such pain why don't you get it pulled out without any tranquilizers" Suguru had had enough at this point.
"You think I didn't give that a shot already? Unlike my idea, the pain in getting it pulled out is excruciatingly slow, I couldn't bear it and i almost blew up the dentist's head with blue before he stopped."
"So you're accepting it, you can't bear the pain?"
"Hey! You try getting one pulled out and then come talk to me."
"I took care of my teeth, so no thankyou. I'll come with you, i am telling you, it'll be fine. I won't let you blow any heads."
"As if you could stop me if I tried..." Gojo mumbled, looking sideways and mumbling in what supposed to be a cute voice.
"Why, you..."
"Just knock him out once it's done, Suguru." Shoko had had it now too.
After another hour of rambling and obnoxious whining, Gojo gave up. He swore to brush his teet, floss and mouthwash every single time he ate anything at all this day onwards and reclined to the help of his best friend. It actually took a dirty joke from Shoko to make him march out of the classroom.
"Relax, if you do feel such an inastiable need to blow heads, Suguru would just let you blow on his dic-"
"Shut Up!" The other two bawled in sync.
Getou couldn't believe himself for being grateful for that joke as he marched out of the classroom behind Gojo.
On the way there Suguru, had to still hear testimonies which would make him reconsider his kinship to his so-called "best friend".
"So, how would you knock me out if i turn my infinity on? With such pain, given my excellent reflexes, i would definitely switch it on once the sedative kicks in. Plus, i have to wait for medication and care afterwards so it's not like you can knock me out right away."
"Right, so what? Would you want to murder the dentist right away that you wish to get unconscious as soon as it's done?"
"I can't promise i won't feel like it."
"How much malicious intent do you have for the poor dentist who just happens to be doing his job?" Killing a civilian, even criminal, is the line which turns a Jujutsu sorcerer into a curse user. Gojo was worried, but Suguru think much of Gojo hurting the dentist some. At worst, they could bring the dentist to Shoko if it's bad.
"Would have been better if it was a sexy lady instead of an old fart."
"Oh no! Helping you out of molestation charges isn't my idea of fun either...."
"As if i would ever do something like that. Don't you have faith in me Suguru?" He said pouting and making a puppy face while peering and blinking his eyes after pushing the sunglasses on his head. "If anything the sexy dentist would take advantage of my condition and molest me."
"You...can't be.... serious right now."
"How about just dislocating my index finger when you see me bringing it up."
"And how am i supposed to do that when your infinity is up?"
"Uuh...that skipped my mind."
There silence for a while, and Getou for the first time in days, felt at peace beside him.
"Let's enter a binding vow."
"How insecure are you exactly!! What binding vow? Whatsoever will i get from it?"
"The binding vow that in the state of stupefaction I will obey when you stop me from doing something."
Getou was a bit moved by the trust. He was Gojo's best friend per say but he was still astonished that Gojo would trust him that much. He didn't belong from any big-name clan like Gojo l, and hadn't escaped discrimination from the Jujutsu big-shots despite being a special grade. Faced with a constant need to prove his abilities at first and then his loyalties ever since he was scouted at the age of 11, before which he struggled to walk on roads and live in his own house with his overbearing powers. But this guy right here, who didn't have to go through any of that, had been someone he always envied. Despite knowing each other personally for only an year, he was ready to trust Getou with his free will. Gojo could've called someone from the Gojo estate, instead he was choosing to give the responsibility to not just his friend, but also his biggest rival.
Getou questioned if he even deserved that trust?
"In return, I'll let you and only you take pictures of me in that new silk shirt i got from Gucci."
There, pooped on and dumped in the toilet, down with the flush, all his blooming admiration and warmth goes.
"You can't sell it you know." He turns to Getou with a big grin and wink, a hand in his hair. Posing, was he now? with his swollen gum. "I am already tired of declining all the modeling agencies."
"Let me smother you with that shirt, won't you? No need to dwell on that cavity or sedatives any longer."
Turns out, there was no need to enter a binding vow because contrary to his fears, The Gojo Satoru, heir of the renowned Gojo clan, bearer of The Six eyes, prodigy of the generation, was actually the Cute-girl type happy drunk!
If the regular Gojo Satoru was a brat (dickhead), this one was a ray of sunshine. If the regular couldn't help self-appreciation and self-love, this one couldn't help cherishing others. If the regular was a Slytherin, this one was a Hufflepuff.
He cutely held on to the left side of his cheek and with teary eyes said to the dentist, "Thankyou.", the dentist couldn't help but pet his hair, "Don't worry you'll be fine young man. As handsome as ever within two days. You're looking cute even now, ladies dig that stuff you know."
At this Gojo smiled and gave the "old fart" dentist a peck on the cheek.
He complimented the beautiful receptionist on her pink dress, instead of her visible cleavage or ass, much to Getou's relief.
For ice-cream, instead of his usual favorites like Chocolate chip or Matcha (which he was advised against eating), he chose raspberry!
Finally when they were in the School's compound, Getou was thinking if he should knock Gojo out or not, because his infinity wasn't even up. Though Getou liked this Gojo better, faaaar better, but he could see that his friend's worries regarding unanticipated attacks still held. He could totally imagine this Gojo to go call the higher ups "bad people" on their faces and even cursed spirits "scary", only to do nothing afterwards....maybe cry and cover his eyes while pushing his thighs together and squirming.
Yet, this was the lapse in judgement he made. He thought he would like to make Gojo meet Shoko, but before Shoko they ran into someone else. Of all people, Getou should have known better than to let Gojo go around her like this.
Not that he has any regrets though.
Before he knew it, the skipping, dancing Gojo had gone ahead of him and put his hands on the eyes of their Senpai, from behind.
"GOJO!" She almost screamed.
"You can tell so fast." Gojo spoke in a flippant voice.
Utahime probably took this for his usual shenanigans and teasing, she scowled and answered "Well if you didn't realize, your cursed energy is performing a flemenco. I could tell you were around when you were a mile away. Plus, it's not like anyone else I know has such monstrous hands, or wears such suffocating amount of cologne."
"Oh! Should I wear lesser cologne." He asked genuinely concerned.
"Why should i care? Just let me go!" She said moving her own hands upto his fingers placed on her eyes.
What Getou saw, made him fish out his phone and click Gojo's 17th picture today. Upon sensing the contact of Utahime's fingers, Gojo started blushing ferociously.
"No! I can't let you look at me like this." He shook his head adorably.
"Eh? Why? are you naked or something? Get away from me!" She joked and snorted.
Gojo somehow blushed even more, all red by now, dark pink around his neck and visible portion of his chest.
"U-Uh-tahime!" He stuttered, "How could you say that! Ofcourse i am fully clothed."
"Then why won't you remove you hands?"
"That's... because... the left side of my cheek is swollen." He answered honestly,
"Oh! Did Getou get one on you today in sparring? Is that why your cursed energy so vibrant all of a sudden?" She said turning towards Getou whose cursed energy she could sense even with her eyes closed, she also placed a her left hand on her mouth and laughing slyly.
This action made her pigtails brush against Gojo's shirt, and yes, yes he started blushing so much that he began shaking. If his cursed energy had been performing a flemenco before, then it was performing a tango now. Getou was wondering if he should rescue his friend or not, when his eyes fell to Gojo's pants, and he decided that he had some more time to collect balckmail material before the situation went south... at the...south.
Seems like by now Utahime sensed something was off and her demeanor softened a bit, "Gojo, do you have a fever? your hands are hot and shaking." she said, tilting her head backwards and bringing her hands upwards to Gojo's head. And Gojo literally convulsed this time, and jitterd and jumped metres away from her.
Utahime turned to look at him on the sudden movement, a bit annoyed because his aggressive motion tugged her backwards and messed her hair.
"What's with you! " she said reassembling her self and opening her pigtails to to re-do them, "I was worried about you, what was with the abrupt jumping?" She said eyeing him with a glare when the swollen cheek, heaving breath, red face and wide eyes clicked.
"Oh!" She turned to Getou, "Is he on a tranquilizer?"
Getou had for some reason taken pictures of Utahime brushing her hair instead of Gojo's messy state. He panicked and tried to shift his camera when she turned to him and answered as calmly as he could.
"Yes. He got a rotten tooth pulled out today!"
Utahime knew that Gojo didn't drink. Being a bad drunk herself she kind of empathized and looked at the youg boy whose usual cocky self was washed off and he looked like a kicked puppy, bringing his hand to his cheeks and and shyly turning away from her, looking at her with hidden glances from time to time. He was looking quite cute, she had to admit. It brought a smile to her face but she brought her bearings back and remembered the few times she had witnessed his destructive potential.
"It's safe to leave him like this right?" She asked Getou.
"Oh yeah. He was worried about that too but who could have thought he is a cute drunk" Getou smirked.
Utahime looked at Gojo again and decided she should take Getou's words. He was still behaving like he just wanted to dig a hole and hide, but he also couldn't help looking at her at the same time.
"Gojo, how are you feeling?" She said with a wicked smile while fishing out her phone for her own blackmail material. "Does it hurt?" She was baby-talking to him.
"W-well, fine. It hurts a bit, but it's numb and i am fine. Actually, i like it... everything is calmer and nicer, like your voice."
"Oh, so you like my voice?" See had smoothened her voice to a cajoling tone. Her cadence, the category that could brainwash babies into sleeping and men into signing property papers. Getou looked at her and decided integrity be damned, he is going to let her film Gojo while he films her.
"I do." Gojo answered innocently like a child answering to being asked if they like pudding. Now he shed some of his shyness and faced Utahime, his red face a bit less hot, adorable shade of pink now. Grinning shyly he continued "And I like how your hair looks too, you should let your hair be like that."
"Should I now? Do I look pretty like this?" A Siren! this woman was a Siren. Voice so sweet that it rot another tooth.
Gojo grinned and nodded his head, his puppy eyes gleaming. Getou could see his friend was already under the spell.
"Do you even remember who i am, Gojo? You usually told me I won't be able to win men."
"N-No" he shouted, forgetting to cover his swollen cheek now. He shook his head left to right, whole 180° and said "no" about 20 times before msutering other words. Both Utahime and Getou chuckled.
"I said that? No. You're beautiful. And-an-and nice...and pretty...and ...and you are kind too aren't you...yes i saw you feeding stray cats and...and you always care the most for all the hurt people...and...and you're so smart...Yaga-Sensei always says that we should learn critical thinking from you...and your voice is so nice, i dream of you singing that song...that one...the one...you know that song..ahh...ah...about prayers ."
Utahime was quite the singer so ignoring all that he said earlier Utahime started recalling.
"Oh! 'I say a little prayer' by Aretha Franklin."
"Yes! Yes! Aretha Franklin. ..what was i saying again?"
Utahime remembered what he was saying and continued...
"You said you want me to sing 'I say a little paryer'."
"Yes, yes...so would you?"
"No"
"Eh? Please. Why?"
"Well you're saying all nice things about me now, but what does any of it matter? Usually i am too weak to be in your good books, right? You can't make a nightingale out of me with sudden flattery" Utahime tried to hide her smile and side galnced at Gojo with a forced grimace.
He did his "No" shake routine again, 10 times more vigorously, and only stopped when Utahime spoke again...
"So you promise not to ever tease me again?" She sang it like a melody with the setting sun reflecting orange on her skin and her hair getting swirled with the wind.
Even Getou wanted to promise her that and he was as sober as a judge should ideally be during court hearings. He was convinced that the name of her cursed technique must be 'Lorelei of the Sea'. But as Gojo looked like he was about to dive in, he remembered his bro code and decided to finally bail his friend out from making a promise he won't keep.
"I-I think I am strong enough for the both of us...Utahime...you don't have to be strong...you can be other things...things i can't be...things I want to be....we can....we can...i want us to..."
Before he had even said the first line of his speech out, Getou had already used a cursed spirit to make a run for it and bring Gojo to the dorm. Though he doubts that amongst other things he would be able to bring this up to tease him or mske him owe for. He smiles as Gojo recollects himself, opening his eyes that had been closely shut since he last started speaking and finished what he was saying to Getou instead of Utahime.
"..we can sing 'I say a little prayer' together!" He opened his puppy eyes and looked around searching for Utahime, before Getou knocked him out for better or worse.
Meanwhile, Utahime was stomping her foot in agitation at Getou who claimed to not be interested in "bullying the weak" yet flew his friend away when she was so close to finding her moksha.