"Maki!" you cheered, running out of the grand doors as soon as Miwa informed you that your family had arrived. Satoru watched you hug the absolute shit out of your cousin, rocking back and forth, and he had never seen you so excited in the two months he had known you. She hugged you right back, and you could feel your shoulder getting wet from the small tears that fell from her eyes.
"I've missed you so much," she said, and when you pulled away from her she was able to see your own tears falling down. "Is Jun here?"
"As have I and yes she is. She will be out shortly," you smiled, "Mai." Turning to the other twin, you gave her yet another emotional hug before your attentions were stolen by Megumi and Toji.
"y/n," Megumi was, quite uncharacteristically, smiling wide as he gave you the hug that you wanted from him as of late. "Please tell me you and the child are healthy."
"We are." you mumbled into his shoulder, and Toji watched with a grin, then looked to Satoru who was already speaking with Naoya.
"Long time, no see, Gojo-san."
Satoru finished his words and then looked up to see Toji walking toward him with a sly grin. "Toji," he greeted, shit-eating grin, "I have not seen you since you threatened to kick my ass." When the two men began their conversation, Naoya felt less interested. He looked at you speaking happily with the twins and Megumi. How was he supposed to be nice to you? To tell you he missed you? Maybe he shouldn't say anything at all.
You seemed to finally notice him though, and when you turned to Naoya with a big smile and glow of early motherhood, he decided to not dwell about it too much. Wether he was nice or not, his sister was his first (and probably only) friend he ever had. Nothing would change that fact. So he let himself smile when you gave him a big bear hug, he let his walls fall down when he hugged you back. He let everyone see his vulnerability, his soft spot.
Naoya Zen'in, the chief of Hei and the fastest, nastiest son of a bitch in this country, felt just a little happier in the embrace of his sister.
"So," Maki walked over with hands on her hips, "Gojo-sama, what do you do for fun around here?"
"Hmmmm," Satoru hummed and set his finger on his chin, "I'm afraid my wife, Jun and the teenagers are the only sources of fun. She enjoys swimming."
"In the ponds?" Mai perked up.
"Indeed. Although I hear it is not as grand as the lake on your family home."
"Not even close," Naoya barked, "Gojo-san, give me a tour. I should like to speak with you further." At this, Satoru hummed in thought once again, looking at you who seemed rather hopeful they would get along. Nodding, Satoru leaned forward to press a kiss on your cheek, which made you smile and wave him goodbye. With an eye roll from Naoya, he followed Satoru into the grand doors and through the hallways, and you could hear little mutterings from him at his departure.
Passing them though, was a frantic Jun who immediately tackled Mai in a hug. You smiled wide as you watched, afterward watching Itadori Yuji come forward with his fist up toward your cousin Megumi, while Kugisaki walked over to stand beside you since she didn't know any of these people.
"Hey! Fushiguro!" Yuji called, and Megumi nodded once with an awkward bump of fists.
"Hello," he said politely, "how are you?"
"Great! How are you?!"
You walked off with a small smile, finding Miwa standing expectantly at the entrance on the estate. "Everyone is here!" you said, almost with a small amount of shock. "Well, except for my father. I do not know where he has gone."
"He and old man Gojo are with Tengen-sama today," Toji informed you, "although I cannot disclose why."
You hummed in response, already used to being in the dark about feudal affairs. However you smiled at Toji, who as usual was donned in his dark blue kimono which almost always matched Megumi's (he gets so embarrassed, but at least his father is trying). You went for a hug, the man wrapped his huge arm around you, and you almost forgot how big he was. It always puzzled you exceedingly.
Of course, rumors swirled around of your uncle's former job, but nothing confirmed after his acceptance back into the family due to Megumi's inheritance of Zen'in blood. He was cold when he first came back, but slowly as surely as you spent more time with Megumi, Toji was not that far behind. He claims you babysat for free, something he was happy about.
"I am so glad you all came," you said after release, "oh! This is Miwa-chan!" Your hands were set on her shoulders as she waved awkwardly. It was clear that Toji was intimidating her a tiny bit. "She is the sweetest ever!"
"Useless Miwa at your service, Zen'in-sama!"
Toji raised a brow. Useless? "Just call me Fushiguro."
"Oh! So sorry!" Miwa bowed.
"Cousin!" you slapped Toji's arm, "who did not invite you to my wedding?!"
"Um, the family head." He poked, and you cringed as all your cousins, Itadori and Kugisaki started filing into the estate, but Maki had attached herself to your arm and sighed.
"Tell me everything. And by everything, I mean everything." She ordered as you all walked inside.
"Everything?!"
"Yes."
"Not everything." Megumi muttered behind you.
"Everything!" Mai jested.
The Zen'in family has always greatly enjoyed their time by the water. Even your father, Master Naobito, found himself with his toes in the estate lake from time to time. Where most of you resided now was at the bay of the Gojo estate's pond, and Maki deemed it unfit for enjoyment...what she was used to was just much more grand. Even so, you sat with your feet in the murky water in between the twins with Nobara and Jun and told the latest news, while the men sat inside with Satoru in his parlor.
Megumi begrudgingly, as he was not a huge fan of Gojo Satoru at all. At sixteen, he would admit that he would much rather be sitting out with the women actually talking about much more interesting things than politics. However it was a non-negotiable, especially since Naoya was present. Itadori was lucky to be appointed your guard, as he was within earshot of all of the drama at all times.
"She said what?!" he gasped at Maki.
"She said I was hideous and spineless!" she said, recalling the last time she had escaped from the Zen'in estate and been brought back by her own mother (about two days ago). "Can you believe it?"
"You are not hideous nor spineless, Maki. I do believe she said that, however. She is a nasty woman." Jun assured with her nose scrunched.
"I would have to agree."
"Enough about that. y/n," Mai turned to you, "how is Gojo-san really treating you?" Her eyes were inquisitive and so were Maki's, and you just couldn't believe they thought so low of your husband after the first month and some.
"He has exceeded my expectations."
"He's weird and crude but, he's never done anything out of line, I don't think," Nobara said with a raised brow.
"You seem happier than you were before, too." your lady agreed.
"I would appreciate it if you didn't call Gojo-sensei weird and crude."
"Shut up, servant."
"You're a servant too!"
"Guys, stop." Maki scolded.
"I am not so sure my husband is an attribute of that. Perhaps it is the freedom I feel now. Being away from my father." You said quietly. Your cousins nodded in understanding, remembering all the times you had bawled in your chambers from frustration. From anger. From the many times your father had struck you during your teenage years, often for being impolite (or so he said). Perhaps that is why you are so well groomed at twenty.
"Why, is he a bad father?" Nobara wondered.
"He was never the nicest to me."
"Well, whatever it is, it does not matter," Maki said, "as long as you are happy here, I shall hold off my stranglehold on Gojo Satoru."
"I am going to strangle you." Naoya muttered as he sat next to Satoru, who was laughing childishly.
He had released the men to their own devices into his estate, and he could not be bothered to keep track of any of them. He only sat down with Naoya on a bench in the gardens, watching you walk around with the twins. Nobara and Itadori ran off with Megumi somewhere, another trio he could not care to search for.
Toji was observing the estate's noble steeds, no doubt asking which one was the fastest and if he could bet on it.
"I have done nothing to you, brother."
"You called me your brother three times already, Gojo," he growled, "we will never be brothers."
"Well, I'm your sister's husband, so technically you are!" Satoru grinned, and Naoya wanted nothing more to leave Satoru and talk to you, but he would not interrupt you. Even he was aware of how much you cared for the scum called Maki and Mai.
"We will never be family, Gojo. Ever," he said, "the only reason I am here is for my sister. I couldn't care less if you died in a ditch from my own sword."
"Scary! Hysterics won't win women, you know?"
"Shut your god damned mouth."
"You know, your sister is making a better effort than you are."
"This whole thing is a business transaction. And she is just too stupid to realize it."
"She is much smarter than you think," Satoru said as he looked down at his feet with a small smile. He then remembered that day you red Naoya's letter, realizing how doomed you were, and how little you could do besides suck it up and stay at the estate. "It is hard living with a stranger, but she's doing well. Well for your image, as well as her own. I think you do not give enough credit."
"I give more than enough credit," he barked, "I'm the one that suggested she go to your villages! Who gave rare praise for her amiability!"
"Do you think that enough?"
All Naoya did was glare when he looked at Satoru. The man continued to look at his feet until suddenly, his eyes turned up to you, who looked rather concerned at the arguing going on. Satoru shot you a reassuring smile, and then you were approached by Megumi and the two idiot teenagers, talking wildly about something that you had to double take to even catch.
"She's perceptive," Satoru said before standing up, "maybe it is that mother's intuition that I so generously bestowed upon her."
"That is one conversation I do not want to have."
"Sure," he replied lowly, "now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go bother my wife."