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10th December 1911, Iecea Mare, Timișoara.
One week before the Cursed Instrument Mission.
It was the tenth day of the last month and winter was well into its height of hail. Rich white snow coated all the land that sand became an afterthought in most people’s minds. The usual green was absent from nature but the beauty remained. Its belle shining through the cold with fortitude. Perhaps it was even more ambient than it would ever be during other times. Chilly air kissed people with snowfall and breezes, both gentle and strong. Surface of rivers and lakes hardened, muting the gushing sounds of water. The water’s condition also permitted the overused joke of ‘walking on water’.
Days became gloomy and grey and slow but still ever wonderful. There was a comfort in the dullness that winter brought, therefore these seemingly slow and dark mornings were well appreciated. After all, it was not like all over the place was without colour and excitement. Christmas was nearing and decorations of bells and ribbons hung on every building around town. Carols sang outside of homes and churches, people donated as much as they feasted. Children partook in sledding and stacking large snowballs to build snowmen. And also, the ever serious and thrilling snowball fights! Every crevice and corner of the town was full of jubilation and anticipation.
It was an incredible time to enjoy for all people of all ages…If only Gojo felt the same.
Utahime skated onto the frozen lake, skidding to a halt just about two metres where the ice met the shoreline. Turning around to watch her vampire friend, Gojo, who sat on the snow as he wore his ice skates. Muttering incoherent words as he pulled a boot over his large heel. Her covered fingers pressed to her lips as she watched him make no cover of his dislike about their newest activity.
Thankfully their mornings during the winter were cloudy and near dark as if it were about to rain. So Gojo could walk out during the day without much trouble. Although they did take precaution by covering all of him without letting skin other than that on his face show. As usual, he wore all black. Seeming as a black guard standing amongst a desert of heavenly grains. Black trousers, black shirt, black gloves, black coat and black socks and black sunglasses. It was so rare to see him in different colours and the huntress would always try to get him to wear something else. They had a small argument when she insisted him to wrap her father’s blue scarf around his neck. She said that he would need the extra garment to stay warm while he kept disagreeing with her. But the pretty slate blue-coloured scarf wrapped snugly around his pale neck was a symbol of her victory over their argument.
Utahime herself did not wear bright colours but they were still a variety compared to him. She wore a long lush red coat with a cap and mittens of the same shade. A cotton white blouse that was tucked into a long brown velvet skirt hiding her warm stockings underneath. A striped black and white scarf wrapped around her own neck, the thick cloth covering her chin and nearly swallowing her bottom lip too. Her cheeks were flush with red and her sighs were visible air.
“You got it?” She addressed her friend who was only now finishing on what he was doing. The simple task of strapping on his skates that for some reason took longer than necessary for him.
“Yeah.” Gojo said uninterestedly. His hands propped to keep his upper body straight while he lifted a leg, knee tucked to peruse his ice skate clad foot. “I’m trying to figure out the physics on how you can walk on these things.”
Utahime rolled her eyes. Leave it to him and his enthusiasm for knowledge over having actual fun. “I’m trying to figure out how a twenty-one-year-old has never skated before. Even if you’re a city-boy, I would’ve thought you’ve done these simple activities before.”
“‘Simple activities.’” Gojo looked at her with a scrunched face. His dark shades jerked up on his face with the motion. Then he got up to his feet, arms spread to balance himself. Utahime tried hard but she could not help the smile from watching him, the gangly giant worried about his stability. “I think some people will hardly call skating on ice simple. And let’s just say I had better things to do.”
“Oh, yes.” She mocked with a low tone. “Business and money and keeping up with progress or risk falling off your tier of power. Also known as wasting away at a young age.”
Utahime skated towards him, taking his hand in hers as he stepped closer to the shoreline of the lake. His first time wearing these shoes had him walking a little unsteadily on them with his free arm still stretched to balance himself and the other squeezed her own hand tightly. His unsynchronised steps caused him to kick the heavy snowpack into little hills. It was as though she was leading a child and she had to purse her lips to keep her teasing smile from showing itself again. Gojo did not get on the ice. He stood there and just continued to hold her hand between them. Utahime did not have an issue with that so she remained where she was and beamed at him.
“I enjoyed them.” He gazed at her with a smile, still speaking to her about his career. “I was making a difference. Still am.”
Utahime tilted her head. “And which do you prefer?”
Gojo follows the movement of her head, smile still present. “What do you mean?”
“I’m assuming there are huge changes on how you brought differences from when you were human compared to now.” She shrugged, waving both their hands front and back. “Do you prefer bringing changes then or now?”
Gojo hummed, chin tipped high and mouth pouted as he thought about it. “I think it’s overly subjective. Human or vampire, I’m still me. The way I do things hasn’t really changed. I’ve always been straight to the point, as close to a fault. I’m rather notorious for that.”
“I can vouch for that.”
He looked back at her with a wide grin. “I’m nicer to you.”
“How fortunate for me.”
“The fortune is mine.” He assured her while leaning into her space. As though he meant it. But Utahime dismissed it as mere teasing. “I think I can do my job well regardless of whether I’m human or vampire. Nothing much changed even though physically I’m different. I’m still hiding my identity from the mass majority of people. Still working in the shadows and not accepting credit. Though of course, I don’t need their credit to feel proud of myself. I’m all that I need.”
One side of her nose lifted. “I was just about to say you’d make a good christian.”
Gojo chuckled. “Sorry to disappoint, angel.” The hand that held hers wrapped around her shoulder while still holding her, causing her arm to cross over her chest as she held him. His face closer to her again and she can smell the fragrance he used. Cool, spicy tones filled her nose and she had to stop herself from closing her eyes and inhale deeply. Instead, she kept them open and gazing into his deep blue irises. Glistening as always without fail. She felt a small pull of her heart when he blinked at her slowly. Soft white lashes beckoning her with promises she knew she was only imagining. “But, you know, what is all that difference compared to becoming a vampire and befriending a venerer?”
Utahime smiled wider. Pushing off him gently for their arms to stretch fully before them. Tugging on him a little so he’d join her on the lake. “And having said venerer lure you onto a frozen lake. So she’d convenience the world by leaving you to drown should you fall.”
“Is that so?” His brows rose. “Then it’s appropriate that she gives me her word to not kill me in such a vulnerable state. I have never been on a frozen lake. You are at a huge advantage.”
“Humans should not be making promises.” She said matter-of-factly. “According to the bible, we can’t even turn our hair colour into another.”
“Ah. Pretty sure the bible also mentioned something about premarital sex. But I suppose you only quote your holy book when it's convenient.”
Utahime’s smile dropped and her eyes squinted a glare at him. Gojo for his part laughed heartily for calling her out. She hated when he did that. Even more, that she actually gave him room to do it without realising. After all the months of their friendship, she should have developed a precaution for her choice of responses by then. But perhaps some faults are just difficult to correct.
“Fine.” The huntress groaned out and raised her other palm. “I, Utahime Iori, promise to not harm Satoru Gojo as he follows me onto this frozen lake of doom. Nor will I ignore his pleas for help should something out of my control befall him.”
His grin grew as wide as a goblin’s smirk. “Great!” Gojo let go of her to clap his gloved hands together once. Then he rested them on his hips while he inspected the lake with a hesitant expression, still he stood at the shoreline. “Should we say a quick prayer?”
She raised a brow at him. “You lead.”
“Alright. May all the forces of hell–”
“No!”
“You haven’t heard the rest of it!”
“Don’t want to.” She huffed with finality and pointed to the frozen lake she stood on with one mittened hand. “Get on the ice.”
He made a face like a child taking a bite off a lemon, sourful and fully distrusting the solid ice. Utahime understood, however firm the ice was below her feet, she knew it was just a thin surface that would easily give in when there was too much pressure. Kind of like one’s trust being broken. It was a heavy feeling. And she thought that what Gojo needed then was trust from a friend. So, she went closer to him and took his hand in hers once more. A small, soft smile graced her lips as she squeezed his hand.
“Just take a step.”
He gave her a look, a slight scrunch of his brow and a slow nod. An expression that said ‘I trust you’. It made her feel proud, even more when he finally stepped onto the solid platform of water. The moment the steel of his skate touched the ice, his other hand grabbed her shoulder. Fingers pressed into her clothes tightly as he tried to move his other foot onto the lake.
“Relax and stay still.” Utahime advised.
“I’m still.” He said as he practically hugged her, a huge gap between his feet. Adding to that, he was nearly hanging his upper body on her.
“You’re not relaxed.” Utahime muffled out as she helped to steady him.
“This is weird!” He wrapped his arms around her and quite literally pushed her into his body. As though he had decided that if he fell, he might as well take her with him.
Utahime shook her head incredulously, her hands gripped the sides of his coat and she pulled herself back enough just to look at him. And then he slipped. Just a tiny bit. But it had him yelping and clawing at her that Utahime wound her arms around him, her skates next to the outsides of his feet to keep him from lengthening the gap between them.
“Gojo! Hold on! Just walk. Lift your foot up and–”
“It’s like my boot is stuck to the ice.” He said while making no attempt to move.
“It’s not. Just pull it up and– Okay, like this”, Utahime moved to his side, keeping one arm around his waist so they were hip to hip. She took his closer arm over her shoulder then directed his focus to her feet. Lifting it up as high as she would to march and planting it down forward. Then she urged him to do the same. “One. There. Now two~ There you go. There you go.” He took his first step and then a second after she moved forward. Utahime instructed and encouraged him as she walked with slow short steps and Gojo was, at the very least, waddling forward on the ice. At least he was moving. “That’s good. You’re doing great. We’ll just keep walking like this until you're comfortable. Do you need me to stay close?”
“Yes. Don’t laugh, Uta!”
“You’re so cute.” She said through a feat of giggles.
“My uncomfortability is cute to you?” He grunted out the question as he glared daggers at his slow paced steps.
“A little bit. I should let go of you to enjoy it better. Should I?”
“I’d rather you not.”
Her response was just another giddy laugh.
They move about, arms wrapped around each other. The clothes she wore kept her body warm whilst their proximity made her cheeks flush. Especially when he panicked a little and squeezed her side with his hand. His cheek pressed to the top of her head as he breathed in deeply to steel himself. She shared some encouraging words, patient and kind as he attempted to find his bearings on the frozen lake. Nearly tripping forward a few times and almost squealing in panic whenever Gojo’s skates swerve a little too far from Utahime. The more that happened, the tighter he held her each time. And Utahime smiled through it all.
They had gone about two rounds together when Utahime perused the perimeter of the lake. Frosty earth, white shoreline, solid water. It caused her to reminisce about the times when her parents were alive. When Utahime had friends that she’d play and skate around atop that very lake. When she and her father would race across the ice, he’d purposely slow down so she’d win. Or when her mother taught her to make some graceful turns as she had taken some lessons when she was younger. The first time she fell and her parents dotted her with comforting words. The times when she twirled and stopped without stumbling. The applause was little as it was only her parents who were present, but the sounds had thundered in harmony with the beating of her heart.
Utahime breathed slowly through her nose and turned to Gojo. “Do you mind if I make a few rounds myself?”
The look he gave her, widened eyes and gulping throat, was pure horror.
She untangled her arm from his body, causing him to release his hold on her as well. Then added distance between them though their hands held each other.
“Just for a little while.” She swung their hands together. “You can keep doing what you’re doing. Is that ok?”
He pursed his lip but relented with a shrug. Though he did seem as though he might shed a tear or two. “I can give it a try.”
“Okay then. Just keep walking. You’re doing great.” She sent a mischievous smile his way. “Not bad for your first time, Călău. ”
“You’re not half bad yourself.” Gojo said, then he croaked suddenly as he lost his footing. “Whoa!”
“I got you!” Utahime went back to his side. “I got you. Here. Take a deep breath. One more. Follow my lead. Right first. Okay, then left foot. There you go. I’ll let go now, okay?”
He gave her a curt nod, clear hesitancy in his eyes. Utahime pecked him on the cheek and allowed her fingers to unfurl slowly, letting go of him as though each touch lost was treasure she’d never regain. And then, her hand was empty of him.
Utahime raced forward, fast and steady. Her arms waved front and back, her feet glided and the hiss of her skates against the ice resounded like flutes of memory in her ears and into her head. She let the air flow against her, hair pushed back and scarf fluttering against it. She ran and ran, picking up her pace. Faster and faster and faster and faster! And she stopped pushing forward, her feet firm as her skates moved against the friction. She sailed smoothly like a ship in clear waters, hands spread and eyes closed. Simply feeling all that is present to her. Herself, the air, the frozen lake.
She swerved her feet to the side and halted in her path. Looked up to search for her companion who had moved about two metres since she had let go of him. She laughed at his slow pace, but two metres was good progress. So she made no comment and went about enjoying her time among the ice and frost. Spinning and gliding. Twirling and drifting. Dancing like she had never danced before. Silently wishing her parents were there to applaud her as she spun and spun.
And then she heard it. Applause. Soft claps that were muffled by gloves. Gojo was closer, standing still and cheering her with his hands. It made her blush. At the same time, it made her beam. Her eyes nearly watered from the overwhelming feeling of yearning for her parents and relief for having Gojo with her.
Gojo walked towards and she pushed herself on her skates to meet him halfway, her hands immediately found their place on his stomach while he curled his around her shoulders.
“I didn’t know you could figure skate.”
“I can’t.” She pressed her nose to his coat and inhaled his fragrance deeply. “My mother learned a little when she was young. She just taught me a few tricks.” She looked up at him, her chin to his chest and arms fully embraced his body. “Was I good?”
He smiled. “Well, I’m no figure skating judge. But I think your grace could match a goose.”
Utahime raised a brow at the vampire, “A goose?”
Gojo nodded and spoke with a matter-of-factly tone. “Oh, yes. I believe with a little more practice, you’d match a swan.”
She scoffed at him incredulously. Her hands were brought back to his front and she attempted to push him off her. “Well, why don’t you have a go at it then, duckling! Since this goose has a lot more to learn. Walk the next rounds by yourself!”
“No!” The vampire hugged the huntress tightly and nuzzled his face into her cheek. “I can’t do it myself! You can’t leave me like this! You promised you wouldn’t, Uta!”
Her hand shot to his nape and she fisted his hair, drawing him back from her. Then the index finger of her other hand poked his nose. “Take it back. Say I’m a swan.”
“It seems you still have difficulty taking criticism.”
“Oh, I do. Just like how you have a hard time walking in those skates.” She warned.
Gojo let out a flustered laugh, “Now, now, angel. Remember what you promised before I got on the ice?”
“That was before you called me a ‘goose’.”
“You can’t break a promise for that!”
“I’m letting go of you.” And she did.
But it only spurred him to whine and hold her tighter. “No, please! You’re a swan! Most graceful swan amongst God’s creation! Please don’t leave me!” He sobbed with fake tears and quivering lips. Utahime wanted that act of his to last longer. It wasn’t everyday that Gojo very blatantly revealed how much he needed her. Always teasing and mocking, using sarcasm to rarely be transparent with her. So that scene was certainly satisfying her for all the times he annoyed her.
“You know, my left ear caught your words. But my right may have missed ‘em”, she showed him the right side of her face. “Go on”, she egged him on with an impish smile that had him blinking slowly at her in irritation.
Gojo pinched the shell of her ear and brought his mouth to it, professing rather loudly that she cringed from the volume. “Oh, ye right organ of hearing. Thy owner is the swanest of swans and there is no grace among God’s creation to ever match her who is called ‘Utahime’!” He let go and rose to his full height, head inclined to the side as he looked at her with a bored expression. “Happy?”
“Almost.” She turned her nose up, barely hiding her smile. She skated slowly before him, guiding with the hold her hand had on his. Often slowing down when he asked her too, and soon he was by her side again. As they moved about, Utahime practised on her footing without pulling Gojo forward. She glided to the front, walked on her skates then did a little swerving motion that made the scraps to be dug out from the ice by the blades of her footwear.
“Show off.” Gojo muttered behind her. She stuck her tongue out at him as a response and turned to the front again. There were seldom moments when Utahime knew Gojo was thinking. When he was silent, he was usually calculating. Thinking about strings that make a whole web of ideas. Oftentimes she’d ask him to share his thoughts. Sometimes he would tell her himself. That instance was the latter. And it certainly caught her off guard. “Show me how’d you do that.”
“What?” She peered at him over her shoulder.
“The way you glided on the ice using one foot and then the other. Show me.”
Utahime could. But he should get used to walking on the ice first. “Don’t you want to–”
“I’d like to try.” He interrupted. “Please.”
Utahime eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hair. So he really wanted to learn. Gojo never took lightly about gaining knowledge. She felt slightly flattered that he would even consider her childhood activity as something worthy of him learning.
“Okay.” She glanced down to her feet, also keeping an eye on his feet. “Just one foot forward and a short drag forward. A ‘glide’ like you said.” She did as she said with her right foot. “Then, drag your other foot forward.” As she did with her left foot.
Gojo nodded and dragged one skate forward just like she taught him. But he did not stop in time and his foot moved a little too much to the front that he started to slip. “Whoa!”
“I got you.” She held his waist and helped him regain his stance.
Gojo laughed nervously. “Harder than it looks.”
“You’ll get it.” Utahime patted him on the back. She pushed her foot forward, not realising that Gojo had moved his that was right next to her. “Come on. We–gah!” Their skates collided and Gojo, being the beginner he is, immediately lost his footing and that foot stretched forward. Pushing Utahime’s foot as well. Then both huntress and vampire were struggling to keep themselves up without getting into an involuntary split on the ice. They screamed and pulled at each other. No sooner, they found themselves falling sideways. Gojo faced first to the frozen lake and poor Utahime had her stomach punched by the side of the vampire’s knee.
“Ow!”
“Shit, that hurts!”
Utahime sat up to her haunches and Gojo propped himself up by his hands. They both pant hard and stared at each other as their breaths form mists before them. Then they shook their heads and let out tired chuckles.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
“Yes. You?”
“I’m good.” He lifted his foot to inspect the skates he wore and sighed. “I don’t really like this.”
She smiled, “That’s fine.” At least he tried. “Can I make a few more rounds though?”
“You don’t have to ask.”
☩
“Do you think you’d be willing to try again in future?” Utahime asked as they walked through the woods, hand in hand. Their skates were held by their respective owners as they made their way back home for lunch. Well, lunch for her. Gojo’s hunger had been sated enough for a week.
The grounds were caked in snow, sounds of crunches resound as they took their steps. The large trees were leafless, its branches dark with the chill. Lumps of snow rested on each limb of the trees. They caused enough shade for them to pass through as the sun was at its highest in the time of day. The clouds dispersed and the gloominess was replaced by radiant light. So they winded through their part instead of going narrow, searching for shadows to travel in safely so he would not get burned by the sunlight. They made some light conversation as they always do.
Gojo made a face like he was sure he would never skate again. “We’ll see in the future.”
Utahime side-eyed him, the beginning of a smile curved at the side of her lips. “This is interesting. You’re almost always immediately good at new things.”
Gojo returned her expression. “Feeling proud of yourself?”
“It’s nice to be good at something you’re not. You’d beat me at everything. Even in your sleep.”
“Oh, but I beg to differ. I can never beat you in being sensitive, quick to anger and in holding a grudge.”
Utahime rolled her eyes and slapped his arm. “Those are nothing for me to take pride in!”
Gojo rubbed his arm, smiling widely at her. “Why not? You look so cute when you’re mad.”
She huffed. “Seems as though making me angry is an achievement for you.”
His laughter died down slowly, facing forward and with his hand squeezing hers. He said in a light tone, as though he was reminiscing a happy memory equivalent to her parents’ applauding her skating skills. “Sometimes it’s as good as making you laugh.”
Utahime thought of a response, something to return his thoughtful words. But she found none. None that would do them justice actually. So she kept her silence, allowing her thumb to brush over the back of his hand. He did not ask her for a response, apparently satisfied with just the swerve of her thumb over his hand.
They walked quietly, kicking snow and hopping in and out to create deep holes in them. A bit of snow would dust over the lower parts of their clothes from the other person's boisterous acts. And that quickly escalated into a snowball fight. They attacked each other with snow shaped into spheres, chasing each other and smacking the flakes into their faces. Utahime got him on the back and shoulder twice. Gojo got her in the face a few times that she’d be embarrassed to reveal the true amount.
The snowball fight turned to a classic tag. And Gojo, being a vampire, had cheated with his high speed and physical prowess (he’d done so in the snowball fight as well). Utahime might not have been as agile or strong as him, but she was nothing to look down on either. She had chosen to lose in the snowball fight by not using much of her abilities. But for a good old game of tag? Utahime was like a squirrel running away from a cat. She grabbed onto branches and swung herself further a few steps, she climbed and jumped from one tree’s limb to another. She had a good distance against the vampire when she jumped back onto the ground, feet sinking into the snow. Just a pace or two from where sunlight breached the covering of the trees and shone as a pillar of brightness at the centre.
Utahime paused before, hearing Gojo stop just a few feet behind her. When she turned to look at him, she saw the shift in his face. The playfulness is gone. Replaced by a feeling that bordered melancholic and indifference. He became stoic or rather tried to be, but the slight crease of his brow showed that a little fact had railed him.
Gojo never truly regretted turning into a vampire, he told her as much. But he’d never shared about what he had missed as a human. And she did not want to invoke anything that was not from his own attempt to open up.
She walked to him. “Let’s go around?”
But he raised his hand to stop her, his piercing blue eyes narrowed as his gaze settled on her. “Stand under the sunlight.”
“Why?” She asked softly.
Gojo looked at the pillar of light behind her, a bit of ire strewn in his eyes. But they vanished when he saw her again “Go on.” he urged. And she did.
Utahime walked into the open, the warmth of the sun crowning her head with reflections of its light. Kissed her skin so gently that she felt gently nudging the bits of cold off her skin. Her dark red coat looked as red as cherries. Her muddy brown skirt was suddenly the shade of delicious chocolate. And her violet hair had streaks of purple in them. So much change from just stepping into the sunlight. So much difference from the man still covered by the shadows. Who’s whole form revealed in darkness, cerulean eyes that were complimented by the frost surrounding them.
Gojo merely stared at her. His eyes were too focused to be kind but they weren’t cruel either. His chin tilted down that his long bangs fell over his eyes and covered the whites of his lashes. He stared and stared that Utahime was beginning to lower her gaze from him. Then he spoke. “I hate waking up in the mornings.” He said in a whisper, like he was sharing a secret only she was allowed to know. “Other than the fact that just a ray of sunshine would burn me, what point is there to like daylight? When I can’t step outside, feel the warmth and watch nature bloom? Witness people enjoying their early hours in the marketplace, walking to school? Interacting and being kind towards each other in the early hours of dawn? Or even to witness the night melt to make way for sunrise? All of which I can only do under the shade of night or wrapped in uncomfortable layers of clothes. I hated every moment when I’d wake up and find the sun high up in the sky. It only ever reminded me of what I could never have or do anymore.”
Gojo had never shared his regrets with her. Some part of her had believed that he’d never tell her. So…why? “Why are you telling me this?”
Gojo’s gaze shifted once more. It became confused at first, then curious and wondering. And remained in that tender look he had given her so many times but not quite. This was far more adoring than how softly he’d look at her previously. His dipped chin was raised and he swallowed thickly as he strengthened himself to speak his next words. “Because I still wake up despite hating it. Because I still look out the window when the sun is up in the sky. Because of you.” His brows knitted together and he shook his head. “I keep waking up in between my hours of sleep to watch you. When you work in the gardens.. When sunlight touches you and your hair is highlighted in violet, making them look like the shiniest silk there is. And when the beam is reflected in your gaze, it seems that there are solar in each of your irises. Did you even know there are gold flecks in them that shine under the sunlight?” Utahime shook her head. “Well, there are. And I see them right now.” His head bowed and he let out a weak laugh. “You could imagine how I feel. Despising the sun but adoring them in your eyes. I wish I could envy you for being able to stand there. I thought I did. But no. It’s not that.” Gojo’s eyes settle on her, glittering despite his pensive expression. “It’s because I’d rather stand here in the dark and watch you. Because I love how beautiful you look under the sunshine.”
If it were possible to forget how to breathe, Utahime certainly would have. Instead, she inhaled sharply and felt her whole face burn. Allowing his words that were carried by his sweet voice settle onto her skin like a coat that would warm her better than the one she wore. Warm her better than the sun in the sky. His words. By all that is gracious, his words! She wished she could run toward him, embrace him and kiss him. With more feeling than they had ever done before. But she couldn’t. That would reveal too much and possibly drive him away. She never wanted that to happen. So as always, Utahime pushed down her feelings and made her way towards him. Out of the light and into the shadows. Where she could stand right before him, take his hand in hers and kiss his knuckles. She looked up at him with a soft smile that bore all the light in the world for him. “I think I like this better.” She whispered her own secret to him. “I’d rather be with you in the dark than alone in the light.”
Gojo squeezed her hand and gave her a crooked smile. His sadness washed off him like sand and his usual cheerful demeanour returned. He put his arm around her shoulder and guided her to walk around the sunlight, back on their path towards home sweet home. “I just found something you’re better at than me.”
“And what is that?” She wrapped her arms around his waist.
“You’re a better flirt.”
Utahime snorted. “That wasn’t flirting.”
“Yes, it was.” Gojo said with a sing-song tone. “And so easily done! I professed a whole paragraph and you defeated me in two sentences!”
Utahime laughed. “Well, then. You’d better take care of your heart, Călău . Lest I steal it from you.”
“I think I’ll be even more careful after losing it the first time. And who knows.” He brought his lips close to her ear and softly uttered; “I might steal yours first, huntress.”
“You wish.” You already did.