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When Satoru learned, thanks to Nanami, that Utahime was in the process of giving birth, the sorcerer –abandoning whatever his duties were– teleported.
Arriving at a situation like this was something that not even the Mightiest Sorcerer himself was able to imagine: It had been almost a year since the albino and the azabache began a relationship. At first, it was a secret, though each kept silent for different reasons. Iori Utahime feared to affect the image of her beloved, not wanting him to suffer the reprimands of the leaders of the wizarding world. Gojo Satoru, on the other extreme, would not speak out to protect his beautiful lover: He knew that many would have expected her to marry someone more "worthy" and in the process would try to push the teacher away. Consequently, a few, such as friends and students of the two, caught wind of the news and supported –some to a greater and some to a lesser extent– this pair finally breaking that sexual tension that so characterized them.
Of course, along the way, the specimen that was Gojo Satoru revealed facets to his beloved that no one else had ever seen in his life and, with the kindness with which he endowed Iori, Iori accepted this mysterious person completely. The master didn't even bother for a second to move into the female's apartment, each time leaving behind more and more clothes and utensils that clearly didn't belong to his person.
Anyway, shenanigans there and caresses there ended up with the duo of sorcerers giving themselves to each other, with the younger one pouring his warm seed inside the blackish purplish-haired woman. And it was after several sessions of intimate encounters that Iori Utahime discovered that, inside her, a small creature was forming as a result of their love for each other.
"Satoru."
Her voice was serene, yet nervous at the same time.
The named turned to find the honey orbs looking at him worriedly, as if she was hiding something from him.
"Is something wrong?"
Satoru hugged his beloved, pulling her closer to him between the sheets.
"I..."
Pale hands stroked the dark hair, the Six Eyes questioned her troubles. This man had such a peculiar aura about him that words fell short.
"We..."
The woman closed her eyes and let out a defeated sigh.
"I'm expecting a baby."
She didn't deign to look at her beloved again, what if she didn't want to have the creature?
"We're going to be parents, Satoru."
An uncomfortable burning lingered in her throat, her greatest fears might come true.
"If you don't want to raise it, I'll understand. I know it's a big responsibility and-"
She felt the male pull her closer to his chest, hiding her from sharing her with anyone. Utahime held still, waiting for the male's lips to formulate his next words.
"Thank you."
Her heart pounded with a force never before experienced.
"Thank you very much, Utahime."
The adult, not quite understanding what she was being thanked for, raised her head, only to see a Gojo Satoru with a very beautiful smile gracing his lips.
"So, do you want to raise-"
He interrupted her with a kiss.
"I am with the most beautiful woman in the world and, moreover, I will have a child with her.
Of course I want to raise a family with you, silly."
He remembers when the woman with the scar told him, she was so nervous about his response... and he couldn't have been happier about the surprise. How could he not want to have little ones with his beloved of more than a decade? From his perspective, this baby was symbolic of the honest love they had for each other and absolutely no one was going to take it away from them.
"Satoru, what's this about that Iori expecting your child?"
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, the last thing he wanted was for these elders to meddle in his and his partner's life.
"You're committing sin, how can you think of sleeping with the first slut you see on the way-"
An oppressive feeling caused those present to gasp. Satoru's posture denoted him irate, they had offended the very god on earth.
"Don't ever call her that again."
His tone of voice was grave and intimidating, the albino could accept bad words towards his person, but he would not allow anyone –much less these human scum– to even dare to touch his woman.
"Y-You're not even married anyway, do you wish to end your clan's history?"
The sorcerer laughed out loud, tinged with supremacy in all its glory.
"For the information of you all, it is my decision to determine the future of the Gojo. And if having a child with Utahime is what I decided, you will not interfere."
He turned away, already tiring of this whole system and the responsibilities attached to it because of his stupid last name.
"One last thing."
Six Eyes' glare increased exponentially, with a ferocity never seen before.
"If any of you even so much as order to harm Utahime and my future firstborn...
Expect no mercy from me."
The trouble Iori Utahime was being dragged into was the fruit of her love for the beautiful albino. And no matter how worried he was that she was suffering from too much stress, the black amber continuously shook her head, making it clear that she would endure anything to bring the creature that was growing more and more inside her.
As the months passed, Iori felt weaker and weaker, more clumsy than she had ever been in her life. Vomiting, fainting and pain, all suffering that Gojo did not want his lover to go through.
It all came to a climax when, at cooking time, Utahime fainted out of nowhere and broke a few glasses and plates. All the shards scattered on the floor and with a pregnant woman adorning the center. Gojo had returned from a simple mission and her lover had told her that she would prepare dinner.
Seeing the scene that greeted him, he panicked. Cuts on her arms, legs and face, lying on the floor like a dishcloth.
—Utahime? —The man gently picked up his wife, trying to prevent her from being hurt by more debris. Utahime. —he repeated his call, with a more frightened tone—. Hime, please wake up. —he begged her, caressing her face, wiping away the thin strands of blood that stained her—. Utahime!
Slight grunts of bewilderment, like a small child, came from the female's lips. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself lying on the lap of the father of her child.
—Welcome home, Satoru. —She smiled.
After this incident, Gojo Satoru took Iori to the doctor in whom he had placed the most trust; we are talking, of course, about Ieri Shoko. The woman possessed of the reverse ritual treated her friend and senpai with care, knowing that her friend — and partner of her current patient— would not be reassured until she gave him two hundred percent assurance.
In the process of the check-up, Shoko noticed some not-so-good things about her friend's condition. Should she lie to Satoru about it so as not to worry him? Or be honest so that he would be aware of the danger that constantly gnawed at the most important female to him? She had to follow proper procedures and be a professional about it. With an IV in the left arm of her friend since adolescence, Shoko withdrew from her workroom, to see a tense Gojo Satoru, elbows on his legs, hands clasped together and his head using them for support.
—How is she? —Of course, the woman expected this to be her friend's first question.
—She's on an IV, I gave her a few medications to relieve the recent stress. —she said in a monotone tone—. She's resting and will be fine when he wakes up.
The albino said nothing, as if he knew something else was missing, that his very soul was warning him about a detail that was very, very wrong. Shoko cocked her head to the side, understanding that Satoru would not leave until he knew everything.
—However... there is something we need to talk about. —she began. She noticed how Satoru's shoulders tensed, waiting for the information in silence—. From what you've told me, Utahime has been weaker than usual, with fatigue increasing with the passing of the pregnancy. —the man nodded at the statements—. Well, the thing is that these symptoms are because of the baby. —Gojo looked at her with some irony for the obviousness of her comment—. Of course, it is in a biological process that consumes a lot of energy in its duration.... But the problem is that this, in Utahime's case, is amplified by two, no, by four times the normal.
—What do you mean?
—This pregnancy is not normal. —she answered curtly and precisely—. In the world of sorcery, mothers of great sorcerers have been known to die during or shortly after childbirth. —the sky orbs widened, slowly realizing where this conversation was going—. Utahime must be expecting a baby with overflowing cursed capabilities and it's eating her up. —what would follow would definitely cause the Infinity Bearer to break down with guilt—. You're the father of that baby... which means it probably inherited some of your abilities and, in the process, is draining its mother to be able to live up to that power.
[...]
When he arrived at his home –which was originally Utahime's– the first thing that entered his being was a metal stench, a rather present one. It was definitely blood.
—You've arrived. —Kento greeted his friend, with that typical serious tone that characterized him so much—. Iori-san is in the room next to Ieri-san.
Satoru approached the closed wooden door, he immediately heard the moans of pain of his precious Utahime. He opened it, wanting to be by his woman's side at this important moment in both of their lives. The chestnut, noticing that the father was present, greeted. Utahime was lying on the bed, on her side and with a completely sweaty face, her expressions of pain and agony petrified Satoru, was he to blame for the woman he loved the most to suffer from such terrifying pain? The man rounded the bed and took the small female's hand, she opened her eyes and gave him a smile amidst all the spasms and gasps her body was forcing her to release.
—Welcome home. —Her voice was weak and agitated. She intertwined her fingers with those of the newly arrived man.
—I'm here. —He also replied with a sad smile on his lips.
After the short exchange of words, a new moan of pain escaped from Iori, straining her round bulge and stroking it at the same time. She would bring this little guy or girl no matter what.
According to what Shoko told the albino, Utahime was in the transition phase, as just over twenty minutes ago dilation had reached its 10 centimeters. Now, they waited for the child's head to poke through and the most painful part to make its presence known. The man gasped at the thought that this was all going to get worse, with a 32-year-old sorceress struggling to pull out the one that was formed from a night of passion and love between these masters. To make matters worse, Gojo was kept pensive by Ieri's sayings a couple of months ago, about how the mortality rate for mothers of sorcerers was very high, so much so that, considering he was the father, the odds of Iori coming out of this alive were slim. He didn't even want to imagine it, a life without her, without his Utahime would be hell on earth, something his heart and soul would not be able to endure. A moment of lucidity crossed in him, realizing how this blackish violet-haired girl simply showed him the joys this life could deliver, a female as small and weak as Iori Utahime revealed to him the path to true happiness, a happiness that included her, his savior.
—I see the head —the doctor declared—. Gojo, I need you to leave the room. —She asked urgently.
He felt indignant, why did he have to leave? The younger woman noticed her friend's discomfort and continued.
—This is the most important phase, and I need to concentrate in case.... —she was silent for a moment—, in case something goes wrong.
—But...! —he tried to object, he didn't want Utahime to suffer this alone.
—Gojo, I'm serious, if you get nervous, it shows in your cursed energy and that can throw me off my concentration. —she was direct, she really needed to be alone with Iori.
—I'll be fine... Satoru. —Her fingers caressed the albino's pale face—. Don't worry about me.
Gojo clenched his hands, unable to do anything.
—Please take care of her. —he begged his friend after kissing her beloved sorceress' forehead.
—She is in good hands.
The sky-eyed man nodded resignedly, crossing the door to leave behind the one who was already his family. One more part of him.
[...]
Screams. Screams of a broken, pained and pleading voice.
Gojo Satoru never believed in superior deities, after all, his abilities and power practically positioned him as one of them. And with this same power, he had not been able to save those he loved, much less help them, he only caused unimaginable pain to each of them. If the gods existed, they would not punish others for the sins he himself committed. Iori Utahime was just another one of these people who, in one way or another, would end up hurt because of him and, in the worst case, dead.
But still, despite the lack of faith in his being, he prayed to everyone. To all those who, if they existed, could grant her even one wish, a single selfish request, not to take someone else away from him. Not Utahime. He clasped his hands together and prayed, he longed to be able to give her who was suffering a few meters away the best of lives, full of happiness, enjoyment, understanding and love. He vowed that, if she was saved, he would never be an idiot again, that he would be grateful for each and every little thing that makes up this crazy and difficult journey we call life. He just needed Utahime with him and the rest would be simple, he would protect her and love her with passion, cherishing her even more than he already did.
A love so strong that it made him fall at the feet of this kind, caring, fair and beautifully beautiful woman named Iori Utahime.
He was at that turning point where he knew he would die, but he would not live for her. To not have her would be to take away the last drop of control this man had.
A god fallen by the charms of a human.
Suddenly, all was silence.
He heard nothing, no gasps, no screams, nothing. The terror of loss rose up into his throat, a burning in his stomach that warned his the worst would be just a few steps away.
The next second, a scream.
This one was different, it was a scream that exclaimed to the world his arrival, one so sharp and powerful that Satoru's legs began to tremble. The blond would watch his companion, understanding the albino's fears immediately.
The last thing was a door, the squeak of creaking wood, with a chestnut peeking through it.
—Gojo, you can come in.
It took him a few seconds to realize that here he was, that he could, after an eternity, see the end of such a terrible journey.
As he crossed into the room, he could hear the newborn's cry gradually lowering in volume, dropping in volume to mere whimpers of a creature fearful for the new world.
The sheets were soaked in blood, which worried the trembling albino even more.
It wasn't until he rounded the bed that he came upon a completely exhausted Utahime, holding a small bundle in her arms, suckling at her mother's breast with strength-quite a bit more than she would have imagined.
—Satoru. —It was practically a sigh that left her lips—. I did it...
—You did it. —He replied, slowly bringing his lips to the new mother's sweaty forehead—. You did very well, Hime.
—Heh... I guess this was a bit.... —she breathed with some difficulty—, ...difficult.
The dark-haired girl's eyelids were heavy, she was very, very sleepy.
—Satoru... Let me introduce you to our little girl. —she took her hands away a little, showing him a very small baby girl. Dark-haired and pale-skinned, she was her parents' mix in person—. Do you... want to... hold her?
—C-Can I? —The woman nodded with a faint smile, allowing the father to take the delicate creature in his arms—. She's very pretty, just like you. Look at her, she's a copy of her mother.
The little girl opened her eyes, bright sky eyes, identical to his own. This was definitely her daughter.
—She has my eyes. —He declared in surprise in a low voice.
—Yes...
The woman's short reply alerted him, his cursed energy levels were plummeting with every second.
—U-Utahime, why don't you name her? —he asked, knowing that the named one was getting more and more.... He didn't know it, but he couldn't help but get more nervous.
—I give the honor to you.... I am... tired.
—All right, but don't fall asleep, okay? —He grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently, thinking he might break it—. How about Sayumi? After all, you are my queen and this is our little princess.
-It's very nice... Sayu-chan. —As if by instinct, the female tried to reach for her baby, the attachment to her baby had already formed and the mother simply would not let go.
Utahime fell asleep, her breaths somewhat irregular but present. Shoko warned her that this would not be a problem and that she would be monitoring her friend in case of any complications. Gojo picked up his firstborn again, wanting to allow his future wife to rest properly.
He kissed them both on the forehead, with the younger one raising her delicate arms to try to grasp whatever had separated her from her mother's warmth.
She managed to grab a finger, the finger of Gojo Satoru, the finger of the Mightiest Sorcerer, the finger of her father.
—Welcome home, Sayumi.