𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳𝑴 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾𝑺 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐗 - 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒

THE SORCERESS SIGHED, whatever little fight she had left leaving her body as she sagged back into the chair. She was tired, and for a moment, her conviction flickered. It was less than a second, but the doubt was already there, catching up to her plans like a shadow she could not rid herself of. Mikazuki looked down at their joined hands, her golden gaze catching a sparkle under the sun.

"Yes it is" Mikazuki conceded, pulling Shoko's hand closer to her face and inspecting the ring with a soft smile "and it's also apparently long enough for you to get engaged, congratulations"

There was no bitterness in her tone, no jealously. Only pure, unadulterated joy. Joy for her best friend, joy for a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dull world. Ieiri Shoko had always been that for her; the ray of sunshine after the rain, the piece of happiness in a sea of sadness.

Shoko stood there, completely taken aback by the sorceress' reaction even when the grey-haired woman got up from her seat, putting her arms around her friend and engulfing her into a bear hug.

Kinzoku Mikazuki didn't do hugs. Not now, not before and certainly not in a crowded terrace in a Shinjuku mall. And yet, Shoko could feel her friend's arms squeezing her body so tight she could barely breathe. It was refreshing, something she didn't know she ever needed yet that she still missed nearly.

The two friends parted ways and Shoko flexed her fingers, showing off the beautiful rock.

"I know" the doctor beamed, happiness radiating off of her like heat from the sun "I wanted to tell you but things kept popping up; between Keisuke's funeral and work..." she trailed off, the familiar gloom that accompanied Keisuke's passing still looming over her whenever she spoke his name.

Mikazuki's smile didn't falter. Instead, she crouched down, taking a closer look at the ring.

"It's okay" the sorceress assured, twirling the ring around Shoko's fingers to see the inscription below; always yours "tell me, who's the lucky guy?"

Shoko smiled once again, sitting back down while Mikazuki turned, gesturing for one of the waiters as he approached with a pair of menus in hand. Once he was gone, the Kinzoku's attention was solely on the doctor once again. Shoko smiled, showing off her ring once again, like she couldn't quite believe it even though it had been a long time since she first started wearing it.

A really, really long time. But what was time when she already had an always. It was the sort of thing they used to gush about, whispering the names of whoever boys they'd be marrying. Shoko never made up her mind, but for Mikazuki it had always been him. Somehow, that reminder was far more bitter than the absence of one – two – of their own.

Keisuke should have gotten to see this moment. As should have Suguru – but Mikazuki didn't have the heart to tell Shoko the later might still can. Ieiri shook her head, pulling her thoughts together while Mikazuki quickly glanced at the menu.

"Remember Jeremy from that mission we did in Paris back in 08?" Shoko asked excitedly, her eyes glowing like night lights.

Mikazuki quirked her brow.

"Jeremy?" she asked, unsure "As in, Jeremy the guy who drooled whenever he looked at your chest?" she asked, not even bothering to hide the concern behind her tone.

Shoko cackled.

"Yep, that one" her laugh melted into a smile "Well, it's his sister"

Oh. Somehow, that little piece of information was the least surprising of it all. Shoko had always been that girl – as in, that girl who is into other girls, although Mikazuki was sure she'd slept with Satoru at least once, but this didn't mean that Shoko couldn't enjoy both.

Mikazuki certainly did.

For God's sake, they even kissed once! The sorceress didn't remember it much – was it the alcohol or the forbidden herbs Suguru stole from the principal, who knows? – other than the fact that she enjoyed it probably a little bit more than she should have.

"I'm happy for you" Mikazuki confessed, an honest smile playing on her lips, although it quickly turned into a full blow grin from ear to ear.

She missed this so much. She missed her so much. Shoko might have a new always, but she'd been Mikazuki's first. Her first always. Her first friend.

Shoko blushed, quickly brushing the compliment away and hiding her face behind the menu.

"I know! I still have trouble believing it sometimes" she flexed her hand again, the ring on her finger glowing almost as much as her "there's still plenty of planning to do before the big day. I don't even have a dress yet. All the bridal shops in the area are booked until Christmas so it's been hard"

Mikazuki hummed, flagging down the waiter so she could at least order some drinks before the entrées since the kitchen appeared to be quite busy for the day. The boy came running down, jotting down the orders before stepping back inside of the restaurant.

"I thought buying the dress was the first step for most brides"

Shoko fell silent, her smile slowly fading into nothingness. Mikazuki tilted her head to the side, confused by the reaction, but before she could say anything else, Shoko spoke back up.

"Yeah, I guess I just kept putting it off to the last minute" the doctor chuckled, but it was a strangled sound, sad – not the kind of laugh that should come from someone getting married "It's so weird; Anna and I have been engaged for almost seven years, but even then I managed to mess it up"

"You didn't mess it up" Mikazuki was quick to answer as she took Shoko's warm hands between hers in an attempt to comfort her "But, forgive me if I'm blunt, why such a long engagement?" she asked, curious "I would have thought the two of you would have gotten married a while ago"

Mikazuki didn't remember much from Anna – she was a quiet woman, the kind that cultured her mind over her looks but still pretty enough with short blonde hair and striking green eyes. She hadn't said a lot when they first met, but her eyes had always been trailed on Shoko, even back then.

Shoko forced a smile, a single tear running down her cheek.

"We were about to, a couple of times" she explained while trying to hold back a sob "But whenever I thought about my big day, I couldn't imagine it without you by my side"

She said it easily, like it was the truth. And for once, Mikazuki wasn't about to put it in question. If there was someone the sorceress trusted implicitly, it was Ieiri Shoko. The woman wiped the tear away, although it was quickly followed by a couple more before she fell into full on sobbing, mascara running down her eyes.

"You're my best friend, Mizuki. I can't do this without you"

And, suddenly, Shoko wasn't the only one crying. It hit the doctor like a punch, seeing Mikazuki fall apart so easily because of something she said, yet she didn't doubt the reaction. The Kinzoku had always been an inexpressive girl, it was hard to tell what ran through her head, but in that single moment, she held her heart open. Shoko had two choices; she could either stomp all over it like Satoru had done, or;

She could pick up the pieces and put it back together again.

"You waited for me?" Mikazuki asked.

Shoko squeezed the sorceress' hand.

"Always"