▬▬ engravings: a taste of divine

DESPITE the uproar happened that morning, Gojo still pushed the drinking party Utahime organized. Nearly every sorcerer of the Kyoto and Tokyo Techs had accepted Gojo's invitation; he would cover all the expenses for that night. He was just a lightweight—he knew—yet he had another purpose. That drinking party was just a mask, and Gojo trusted Utahime a great deal to find the mole who was responsible for all the damnation of the jujutsu society.

Whilst sorcerers were divided inside a very high-end club—some stayed inside the VIP lounges—Nanami stayed where the cocktail bar was. It was weekends, this the club was busier than usual. Loud, smoky, lingering with alcoholic scents, and people taking their time to party. He was just listening to swarm of people as he sipped on his classic signature drink.

The club's cocktail bar had a refined setting even with its nightclub design. There were fewer people to where he was seated, without a company while being fortified with perfect indifference.

On his periphery, Nanami was actually observing the other customers. He swore he had seen a couple of famous actors. A high-end nightclub, yes. He was not scrutinizing them, though. It wasn't that Nanami was interested in them, but it was just one of his traits to observe his surroundings more closely that any person. The crowd moved like they were from a zombie film; a dozen or so couples swarmed into the dance floor, dressed in casual and fitted clothes, their skin was filtered by the smoky atmosphere while gleaming in the neon lights.

And who would know? A feral curse might spawn there.

Nanami only sighed to himself scornfully.

Even in the presence of drunkenness, pleasure, and relaxation, his instinctive sense of protectiveness was still spiked up.

He sipped again, then remembering you all of the sudden.

The chaos had ebbed.

Nanami watched you walk away as your figure disappeared bit by bit. He didn't have the remotest clue where you were heading, but amongst the boundless greens of the forest, you blended seamlessly as if you were meant to be with nature as it added a touch of depth to its beauty.

"Are you sure she can be trusted?

An appalling question was raised.

Utahime's brow were knitted as the question was aimed at Gojo.

Surely, she had already seen your crazy and irrational tendencies back in Kyoto, but what she had witnessed right now surpassed the worst expectations from you. Not only her did bend her perception of you, but the others did as well. You were a riddle couldn't be solved, let alone be read. You only spawned suspicions, like a tendril that could poison from theq inside and out. And one's wrong choice of choosing to trust you, it meant putting one's foot on the grave.

It might not be obvious, but Utahime felt that she met Gojo's gazes through his eye mask. He remained calm despite the shrewd eyes of the majority.

The white-haired man only flashed her—everyone—a winning smile. "Yes, and I believe in her."

"You're saying that because?" Mei Mei inquired with hinted suspicion as her silver braids swaying upon looking at him.

"The moment Ryusei got transported here," Gojo answered, "you all saw the Veil she established. It's a part of her Vow—protecting everyone within her two-kilometer radius range. Acknowledging that the Vow got ripped apart after her 'death', Ryusei instinctively tried to protect everyone—even in that bloody blob state of hers."

"That was then, now is different," retorted Kusakabe.

Gojo had little argument to spare anymore. You even warned him about it . . . But even for the last time, he was willing to put the stakes up again.

Kusakabe only pursed his lips impatiently as Gojo was trying to evade the question with his silence and his refusal to answer the question.

Better for them to despise him now—and to you as well.

Gojo Satoru knew that you were not incapable of change. You simply didn't wish to change. Or had a reason to.

"Ryusei has proven herself to be useful for us," he stated, "and you ought to acknowledge that. I do trust everyone's judgement about her, and admit that there's no huge probability that she will side with us for a long time."

You were never a patient person and you prided yourself with importance and reverence. Sooner, your tolerance to that sorcery nonsense would run thin . . . As if you could spare being under the higher-ups' commands forever.

"She will never be the savior," Gojo emphasized, whilst everyone took heed to his remonstrance. "For now, she holds an immense value to me." It was the reason why he was also serious in cracking the Theory of Singularity. "Best hope that her value won't run dry until this impending crisis ends. She cannot fully be trusted, I'm aware, but we can't afford her to be our enemy either . . . Or else, we might see how wicked she truly is."

None did compel with Gojo afterwards.

You and the sorcerers were forced to be allies because of some circumstances. And at the end of the day, after the deal, neither Gojo nor you had much use for each other.

You would go back to being normal.

Or dead . . .

Nanami mused in his mind.

If things went successful.

He added as he drank on his old-fashioned and classic whiskey in one go.

"Hey, there."

Not too long when Nanami's attention panned to someone on his right. He didn't let his frown be obvious, but he swore that he hadn't seen this woman before.

"You're new here," she stated, clearly tipsy enough. The woman didn't even ask—that was how confident she was that it was her first time seeing him in the club.

He wasn't in need of a companion. Why would he have to leave his colleagues if he needed one? Yet, he couldn't also afford to be obnoxious, thus he tried to be casual and nonchalant at the same time.

"While you must be a regular here," he simply said.

It might have invoked a slight offense, but it was too late for Nanami to realize.

But again, for the unknown woman's side, a mere truth didn't affect her.

"Just every Friday night," she enthusiastically replied.

From what she acted and carried herself, Nanami thought, she was just a typical, stuck-up spoiled brat. Probably unemployed, enjoying the life of having rich parents.

"I see." Now, Nanami had made it more obvious of his disinterest towards the stranger.

And Friday night . . .

That plucked a memory in him.

"Say–"

Nanami got startled a bit when he felt the point of her heeled shoes tracing from the hem of his pants and up.

"–are you free tonight?" and she seductively asked as she leaned closer to him.

He was aware of that gesture. Now, he was strapped in a situation he didn't know how to escape gentlemanly, because for once, he wanted to enjoy that lone time with his free, premium whiskey.

"No, I'm with someone," he lied.

"Really?" she persisted, not believing him. "Where are they now?"

There was a challenge in her tone, confident enough to know that the man wasn't saying the truth. She had been eyeing him for a while now. He arrived with his colleagues, but immediately isolated himself from them. He didn't touch his phone as well; if he wanted someone to meet him, he should stay in touch.

"She's on the way."

"You should know how to lie better, you know." Through her voice, her most seductive smile was evident.

Nanami only caught a glimpse of her, hadn't batted her an eye long enough, and looked at his glass as if his mind was very far away.

Then his mind zapped back to reality when the woman grabbed his arm and pressed her chest on it.

"Why?" she then whined with a dramatic pout. "Don't you like to spend time with a beautiful woman like me?"

Nanami wasn't the type who would take advantage of that situation, instead, he felt quite repulsive.

"I'm sorry." Nonetheless, he still needed to be respectful. "I'm already seeing someone." Then he courteously held her hand and try to pry it off him.

"But she's not here, right?" And she only latched onto him tighter.

That surprised him inwardly. Even though he was lying about being in a relationship, it was improbable that he would commit in such acts. He then realized that the situation was bad. He had to leave before anything else, because she was the type who would rouse up some theatrics if things didn't go her way.

Nanami only calmly pulling his arm back, growing more annoyed in each second.

"Listen." His voice was measured. "You better find someone else."

"No! You're the one that I want!"

A typical brat and a drunkard.

"Like what I have said—"

"But she's not here!"

What a nonsense reason.

And she had started to stir up a drama. It would only take a few minutes before the crowd would notice.

Nanami could only hope for a someone—or a real colleague of his—to pull him out of the impeding catastrophe.

Sure—he could at least admit—that the woman stranger was attractive, but not attractive enough. It was amusing to realize that even after all those time, he had your image engraved on his mind. It must be his personal preference, but if to measure beauty, yours was his standard. You had the regal beauty beyond dispute—an art very different from any other banal art.

"Hey, how about we talk first for bit?" Suddenly, the tone of her voice changes into something amiable, but she was still clinging on him like a snake. "How about I treat you a drink or two?"

Detachment was the only thing he wanted. He only wanted to think alone and not to be stressed about a random girl from the club.

The blonde sorcerer was busy shaking off the girl from him when he heard clicking of heels passing on his right. It felt like his spirit got enlivened when his physical senses perceived an existence of a still-living saintess. He held his breath for a moment, his thoughts silencing, whilst the fragrance entered his neurons.

Ah, he knew very well who owned that ever-intoxicating addicting smell.

There you were, the darling Thine Highness. You had your head held high as you settled on a barstool. Everyone had their eyes on you. You, who was made out of the compositions of a star, pulling everyone with your gravity, your beauty was never dimming. Your otherworldly black and silver hair was cut short and slicked back as it cascaded on your shoulders. You wore a solid black, fitted silhouette, plunging neckline and backless mini-dress. Your hips were exposed as well, as the the dress featured gold chain embellishments draping across the bodice and hips.

It revealed so much of you, and he couldn't help but admire your curves adorned with your cursed marks. Your very existence meant to tease, to seduce, and you—the Thine Highness—had enchanted the whole place.

Nanami momentarily forgot the woman grasping him.

"Ne," she uttered in a flirty tone, "only one drink, yes?"

"Sorry," Nanami said to her, eyes drawn to you, impassive, "but she's already here."

The stranger's eyes widened, seemingly unaware of the Thine Highness's arrival.

"W-What?" She looked at him to see if there's uncertainty to his visage, yet she saw none and played it cool instead. "Is she now?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

His gaze had intersected yours. Even though it was just an instant, he asked you for a help, in which you graced him with a mischievous smile.

"On your right."

Like a robotic stance, the female stranger pivoted her head to where you were.

You smile widened. It was undiscerning if you were mocking her or being amused by the creeping shame on her face.

"Hi," you greeted fairly amiable but quite sarcastic. "I see that you're trying to be acquainted with my man."

Even with her makeup on, you noticed how the girl's face paled. "N-No . . . I—"

"Aww, don't worry." You immediate waved her off. "I know his visage is illuminated with cold indifference, but his enigmatic features give him the charisma." Then you tapped her shoulder. "That's why I don't blame you if you're drawn to him because he is so pristine, elegant," you took a short pause to show her your admiration to the man, "very demure . . . beautiful."

Nanami, kept his visage expressionless, not knowing how to react on how you described him. A contemptuous grin was flashed on your face, looking at the lady who'd been bathed in embarrassment—whether by her actions or being stunned just by looking at you.

"Oh," you uttered again with a feigned pleasant tone, "you want to have a drink with us? My treat, of course."

Only dumb ones who wouldn't take notice of your calm temperament and territoriality. Everything about you was just a facade, only by then showing your truest nature when finding something that had displeasured you. Maybe, you didn't like the thought of strangers trying to steal something from you.

"N-No–" the lady straightened her posture as if she returned to being normal– "I'm with my friends . . . I bet they're waiting for me."

"Aww, what a shame," you only expressed half-heartedly.

The lady only stood up and left.

With only a silent disdain, Nanami went back to the seats, now occupying the spot next to yours.

"You're with someone, huh?" you greeted as you teased.

Nanami only gave you a slight wry shake of his head. "Aren't you my colleague?"

"But you referred me as someone you're seeing?"

"You know that meant nothing."

It felt your soul got tugged down and left you speechless for mere seconds.

"That's quite cold, Nanami Kento-san." Nevertheless, you played it cool and ousted it off.

In other words, he only used you as an excuse. Despite all the fleeting shocks of his glacial-like character, you held your head high as you absorbed every eye lusting over you, as if you were a priced of meat frenzied dogs would like to have a taste.

Except the man on your left, still having the purest expression of nihilism on his face.

You were used to his indifference. Like the usual before, you'd press yourself forward to have a fellowship with him, yet his inordinate terseness now was enough to keep you yielded; alhough you easily understood where his unsparing treatment was coming from.

You were a wretched being—tragically ugly. The diabolical self you hid over the past centuries, he witnessed all of that.

He's be disgusted for sure. The past fellowships were meant nothing, just mere fellowships without connections.

Maybe you were just blinded by your delusions: of you being his veiled lover. You were just caught up on the person you tried to turn yourself into for him. Thus, at the end of the day, you were just that detestable creature ever existed.

He didn't even want to look at you, but if you were going to look at him, there was nothing could be seen in his eyes but the overcasting darkness.

In contrary, the other men in the club fantasized how great you would be for them. The same as the bartender—who looked fairly normal like the others—began to approach you.

"What will the prettiest lady like to drink for tonight?" he asked.

You only ignored his suggestive tone, and smiled like you ought to do. "How about a shot of Everclear?"

"E-Everclear?" he repeated, uncertain if he heard it right.

"Yes. It's available?"

"Yes, but the ones we have are already infused with common mixers."

"I'll have a glass of it."

The bartender didn't speak again and started preparing your requested drink. He should be; he was already bewitched by you and and couldn't seem to disobey.

Soon, he brought you your drink.

Candied mangoes and oranges—the flavor of your drink.

You also didn't mind whatever additives he included. You had just liberated from the jujutsu business, and the choice would be yours if you wanted to go back. Yet, on that moment, you lost your sole reason to. Thus, you would just intoxicate yourself with all your heart's content.

You gulped the Everclear drink in one go with a lazy elegance. The candied mangoes and oranges barely masked the strong content of it, so you winced controllably as it burned your lips, to your throat and down. You retained your refined expression still, even though it felt like your liver was cursing at you. You then placed the the glass back on the bar table. You could have asked for another shot, but you decided to stand up and paid for it. The night was still young—as they said—and you still had a plenty of time to stupefy yourself with the spirits and smokes.

Noticing the bartender's gaze at you. He was making a face, not knowing if he would feel the pain for you or be amazed that you drank it without a bit of regret.

Oh, you had even more niche than that.

Rising from your seat, you averted your gaze to Nanami and told him with a nonchalant act, "It seems like you're enjoying your inherent, self-alienation time, so I'm not going to bother you even further."

Turning around, you gave him a side-long glance. He had that bewilderment painted on his face, and those mistrustful eyes were enough to be dreaded with.

You focused yourself on leaving that you got surprised when someone snatched your hand.

Glancing at the person, your forehead creasing.

"What?" you simply asked Nanami.

"Where are you going?"

You swore, you could have told him that it should be none of his business.

"Just about to give myself a little bit of fun."

That mischievous smile of yours . . . It was throwing him off the edge, and he didn't like it. He supposedly should not to care . . . But with those scoundrels, they more viewed you as an object of their carnal pleasures. He thought it was fine if you were with someone else, but imagining it . . . It was driving him mad.

"No."

"What 'no'?"

"You should be with Gojo-san and the others."

Nanami gripped your arm securely as he pulled you towards the VIP rooms. You put weight on your feet as it stopped Nanami from dragging you.

"I don't want to." The way you conveyed your refusal sent Nanami's skin bristling.

The jaded sorcerer's emerald eyes turned colder and got rendered into a darker shade. Yet he knew that it wouldn't be easy for you to get harmed or taken advantage. He knew your strength, admired your capabilities, and praised the fierceness that was depicted in the rich scarlet of your eyes . . . Thus his sense of unsolicited protectiveness was only in vain.

Odd enough—you thought subconsciously—out of the sea of strangers and deafening noises, he alone was the one you could see and hear. From ages to ages, you had caught and sealed all of the ghosts, demons, and curses that had chased you . . . Yet, perhaps—truth be told—it was much safer to run from him than from those vile creatures.

Your attraction to him was a tangible shackles, a sanest madness, and a personification of the unknown you were always afraid of. It was as if they were created to imprison you while baring your invulnerability forever. Thus, it would be best to disengage . . . to run away.

Besides, you suspected that hat was what he was thinking, too . . .

That you should stay away from him.

As you were about to say your goodbye when you were being interrupted by a bunch of people chanting something nasty.

"BODY SHOT! BODY SHOT! BODY SHOT!"

Oh, you hella knew what it was all about.

A mischief sparked in you, as if an enlivening moment to electrify you.

You looked at the scenario, whilst Nanami was persuaded to look as well. Slightly distracted he was, you yanked his grip off. And then, with a quick foot, you walked towards the other bar counter near the dance floor.

As you were seeing the quite amorous scene, Nanami followed and stood behind you.

On the bar counter, there was that gorgeous woman lying on her back as she was dressed scantily. It was as in an invitation to her partner standing near her legs. Some intimate parts of her skin were exposed, as the guy drank the alcohol on her belly button, licked the salt on her ribcage, and used his lips to get the slice of lime on her lips.

There was a smile written on your face as you were really enthralled to what you had witnessed.

The place was full of cheers of that rather intimate scene. As for Nanami, he hid his cringe. It wasn't out of disgust, but of how they could show such stunts in the public.

As the woman stood up, the host erupted gleefully, "Who else wants to try?"

As he was scanning the crowd, he easily found you.

"How about this beautiful lady in a black dress? Are you up for it?"

Your face brightened up once being chosen.

"Yes!" you exclaimed exhilaratingly and felt the chills to your bones.

The host beckoned you to come with his stretched out hand, but before you could go, Nanami's large hand grasped your arm again, almost tethering you to his side.

"No," he firmly said to you as if he was a tyrant.

You slanted your gaze at him. You didn't want to ruin your mood, thus your patience prevailed. Without uttering another word, you forcefully removed his grasp on you with your cursed energy—you did it silently without garnering a negative attention.

You felt really bold and fierce that night, wanting to freely experience your liberty from the sorcery world.

Running towards the host willfully, he whisked you gracefully from the floor. His hand had settled far too low on your hip for Nanami's liking. He even witnessed how the host swooped you up and laid you on the countertop, stoking his anger even more.

And lo! There you were, laid full of seduction, as if a precious sacrifice being offered on an altar table.

On the contrary, you didn't mind whoever would take you on. Man, woman, or anyone else. You wanted to feel alive, you wanted your desires to be quenched, you wanted all of those earthly pleasures to engulf you until you were satisfied to the core. For sure, you certainly knew, no one else would deny you nor dare to dismiss you.

And as you looked up front, waiting for someone who would attend your invitation, then there, a man cut a severe figure through your vision. The sharp planes of his face was easy to distinguish, even from the warm lights gilding under and even from spectators circling you two.

He was staring down at you with a calm fury, yet you only grinned thinly, half-amused.

He didn't want to leave you alone, huh . . .

Without cutting his gaze on your eyes, he ran the tips of his fingers on your exposed stomach and stopped on the navel area. You softly gasped, clenching your core at his touch. You were trying to anticipate what he about to do next, now remembering how electrifying his touches on you. He seemed to know what was circling on your mind as a stealthy smirk curved on a corner of his lips.

He proceeded doing his ungodly works, and it surprised you when he directly poured the tequila on your abdomen.

You didn't know what was he thinking, but his searing gaze remained focused on you. You could've protested . . . Or praised him for his tempestuous act, but he silenced you up as he carefully placed a slice of lime between your lips—in which you tamely did so. As for the final touch, he sprinkled some salt between the exposed part of your breasts.

Nanami held you steady, his big hands gripping your waist, his thumbs rubbing the bare flesh of your abdomen.

It wasn't the first time him touching you, but it seemed like you couldn't be used to it. You felt ecstatic nonetheless, shivering all in the good way.

You watched how he dipped his head, your face aflame as he moved down. The sight was very normal in such a setting, but you couldn't deny that there was something terribly erotic in his actions—his face was a few inches close to your nethers while feeling his warm breaths fanning your unclothed skin. Nanami only watched your reaction as you tried your best to hold your breaths.

He began fairly slow, placing gentle kisses down your abdomen and gliding his tongue up to lap the tequila off your skin. You bit the lime harder as kept your moans on the back of your throat. He continued doing it so, until he licked a stripe up to clear the tequila pooling on your belly button. Every time he licked you up, cleaning at the alcohol sullied your skin, caustic flickers of pleasure had enraptured through you. You reminded how he would straight up eat you up like those previous nights, and you couldn't help but feel the tingling tension on your sensitive spots.

Fuck him.

It was as though he was doing it on a purpose.

It was as though there were no people watching you two together.

And when he drew closer to your chest, stars went supernova behind your eyes as he took in the salt on your sternum.

Unwillingly, your mouth went ajar, causing the lime to fall from your lips. You attempted to pick it up, but suddenly, he clawed your chin gently to keep your gaze locked on his.

Eyes fluttered open, you were getting burned by his ever-consuming, emerald eyes.

Nanami tilted his head, feeling all of your breaths up close, then gaze dropping down your lips. He felt himself leaning in more, always drawn by your sinfully ethereal face.

Casually, he pressed his lips against yours, steady at first as he was feeling you out. It came out so intrinsically, yet you whimpered deviantly at the taste of him. Knowing how you welcomed him in, his tongue unabashedly slipped in between your parted lips. Those smoldering yet soft kiss, now replaced into something possessive and demanding, swallowing all of your gasps and exhales like his whiskey selfishly.

Nanami Kento was a man of rationality and self-control, bound by those societal rules and norms . . . However, those rules and norms blurred away when it came to you.

All of those witnesses be damned.

Pity to those who wanted to claim you, but could not.

Because right that moment, he alone who could claim you, own you. All of you.

Possessiveness overtook him. Or insanity. Or both.

When you kissed him back, you also surrendered your control to him.

Everything was about you now. It felt so much—too much, in fact. Despite you submitting to him, you still had that power over him—he knew that. It should conflict him, but that didn't stop him . . . He couldn't be stopped. Nanami Kento wanted you all for himself. And maybe, it was the scariest part of it all: that he would lose all of his saneness when it came to you.

sooooo

again, we're getting there lmfaooo
and recently, i've reread some of the
chapters from the act one HAHAHA
ngl there were times that I was in awe
abt the writing, and then went to
"fuck this shit" moment when i caught
a major plot home lol

likeeeee there should be a better
alternative than that shiddy plot point XD
but that's ok too ig. it has just proved how
inanely shallow-minded i was
but im learning a lot these days
while trying to reach enlightenment lol

thanks for reading.

— handtheirend