"NO. I refuse to get married!" Gojo Satoru argued, glaring at the elders who sat in a unanimous arc facing him.

"Satoru you have to produce heirs. We need you to continue this line." His grandfather stated firmly.

Pulling his eye patch off, Satoru frowned in confusion, studying the elders who all had a fidgety aura, as if they were hiding something.

"We already discussed this! You gave me till I am thirty-five to give you your great grandchildren! I am twenty-seven! You're a couple years early." Satoru pointed out sarcastically.

"You bargained with us to give you until thirty-five to produce an heir, if possible more than one. But you need to be married for that to happen." His grandmother corrected, mirroring the same frown back at him.

"You don't really have to get married to have a child..." He mumbled rubbing his undercut with a nervous grin.

"Take this seriously Gojo Satoru!" His grandfather chided in a stern voice, fear of his grandsons whimsical actions making his heart rate speed up.

"You will not bare bastard children in our bloodline. This clan has birthed nothing but the purest and you shall continue that." His grandmother puffed, pointing her closed fan in his direction.

"It was just a joke..." The young man commented with an rye roll.

"Marriage shouldn't be taken lightly." One of his uncles added, lifting a stern brow up in his direction.

"You should count yourself lucky that we aren't forcing you into an arranged alliance as is the norm." His grandmother piped in again with a frown that denied her usual indulgence toward him.

"Gee, how fortunate I am. So what do you want me to pick a girl of my choice and marry her or do you have a list of recommendations?" Satoru sassed, his eyes hooded with a haughtiness that every Gojo member seemed to have.

The elders gritted their teeth, bristling at his flippant behavior.

"Satoru..." The six eyes user turned his head in the direction of the soft paternal voice that spoke with a kindness the others lacked.

"The Gojo clan is, to put it plainly, cream of the crop. We need to preserve that. Our abilities are unlike the rest. As a result, who we form alliances with does indeed matter Satoru." His father said in a deep, soothing voice.

Satoru's blue eyes dilated as he studied his father's face searchingly, whom he shared an uncanny resemblance with. Satoru inherited his father's sharp jaw and straight nose and would pass for a younger version if not for his white hair and blue eyes.

Contemplating his father's words, the young Sorcerer lowered his hackles and nodded in understanding.

"We've narrowed down a list of three suitable families with daughters that match your age. All you have to do is meet them and see who you get along with for now." His father added in an even tone.

The elders remained silent hoping that Shinichi Gojo would be the voice of reason to his son.

Inhaling sharply, Satoru studied the elders of the pristine Gojo clan with a critical eye.

"What if I don't get along with any of them?" He challenged, blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Then you are at liberty to find someone that meets your likes and our class." His grandmother added, her eyes sparkling with a challenge of her own.

"Fine. I'll meet these girls but it's a deal breaker if they don't meet my standards and agree to my terms." He countered, lifting a brow up arrogantly.

The elders exchanged glances, weighing their pros and cons. After much thought, his grandfather relented with a heavy sigh.

"Very well, but remember that your marriage is a must. I'll have no wayward foolishness taint our clan name." The current leader said with a hard look.

Satoru barked out a laugh, his lips curved up with pure amusement.

"Like I have time to fool around with the amount of work I have piled on me." He commented, waving a hand dismissively.

"We shall send you their details and leave it up to you to meet the girls. In a months time we shall discuss the result." His grandfather ordered with a stiff air.

With that Gojo nodded in agreement before turning to leave the large meeting room at his clans house in Kyoto.

A month later:

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!!" His grandfather yelled in disbelief, eyes bulging wide out of his head comically.

His grandmother flicked open her fan and began waving it against her face with a heavy glare directed at Satoru.

"Hm? What did I do?" He shrugged innocently, slapping his hands at his sides.

"HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO CHASE OFF ALL THREE PROSPECTIVE BRIDES?!" The Gojo leader yelled, his words almost incoherent with fury.

"It's not my fault that they didn't match my sparkling personality. You agreed that if they didn't meet my conditions it was a no." Gojo reminded in a cool voice which only caused his grandfather's face to turn redder.

"You told one that you were a father of two! What impression do you think that gives our clan?!" His grandmother asked enraged at his nerve.

"That I am responsible and hardworking." Satoru replied dryly with a shrug.

His father shifted in his seat, trying to hide the smile that lifted the corners of his mouth.

"It's a good quality to have in a husband." Satoru reasoned quietly to himself.

"You said you were the 'daddy' of Zen'in's son! What were you thinking?! Our rivalry with that clan is almost as old as Tengen is!" His grandfather growled through gritted teeth, his voice gravelly and hoarse.

It was almost comical hearing his grandfather use such terms but Satoru knew that laughing would only prolong this already suffering discussion.

"Oji calm down before you pop a nerve!" Satoru cajoled in a calm manner that only served to rile the elder Gojo up.

"And whose fault do you think that would be?!" The Gojo leader shot back, clutching his heart.

"You should thank me honestly. Those girls were after the money and prestige that came with wedding someone of our noble ranking." Satoru tossed, folding his arms and jutting his jaw adamantly.

"You leave us with no contenders Satoru." His grandmother hissed.

"That's far better than marrying a gold digger. That would bring shame to
the Gojo name. You were the ones who were worried about marrying someone who wouldn't fit our class. Did you not think about how this family could crack under the wrong influence?" He countered, staring back at the clan elders with a fire that he rarely showed.

The fact that he held a valid point only seemed to irritate his grandfather further, but the man remained silent, opting for a sharp glare at the young Sorcerer instead.

"I need you to show commitment Satoru. Your line of work doesn't allow us the luxury of idly waiting. Anything could happen!" The older man said in a hard voice resting his fist on his knee.

"You mean I could die?" Gojo smiled wryly a brow lifted up in question.

"I have a solution." Shinichi announced, nipping the oncoming argument in the bud.

All of the Gojo's in the room turned to look at the graying, handsome man who sat with a patience that reflected refined wisdom.

"Father, if you concede... I know of a clan who we could broach the subject of marriage with." Shinichi said to the Gojo leader.

The elder Sorcerer grunted in acknowledgement, motioning for his son to continue.

"The daughter of the Sohma clan would be quite suitable." Shinichi probed.

"The Sohma clan? You mean the ones who still use the old art of Jujutsu which originated before Tengen?" The Gojo leader asked, sparkling with interest.

Waiting impatiently with a hand on his hip, Gojo inhaled quick erratic breaths, following the conversation with very little interest.

"Yes. That would be correct. The daughter of the Sohma clan is around Satoru's age and in my opinion, would complement him perfectly." Shinichi said eloquently.

"This proposal has merit. Why wasn't this mentioned before?" Shinichi's mother demanded.

"I decided it best to keep as a contingency plan. I don't need to be in close contact with my son to know how destructively clever he can be." Shinichi replied, smiling at his son with mirth.

Satoru's lips twitched, he chanced a glance up at his father who smiled indulgently at him.

"Excellent news! We shall make haste and approach them before another clan does."

Hearing his grandfather's bragging voice Satoru's gaze dragged to the floor with a look of annoyance.

"Ugh. So when do I meet this one?" He asked half heartedly.

"I shall make contact with them immediately." Shinichi replied, his kind eyes urging Satoru to comply one last time.

Blowing a breath out through his mouth Satoru gave in with a reluctant nod.

"I shall confirm the date and time once we settle on one." Shinichi responded, before turning to face his son, who glared defiantly at the tatami mat.

"Then it's decided. I shall speak to the higher-ups and arrange some time off." The leader of the proud clan boomed with a large victorious grin.

"Wait! You can actually do that?" Satoru snapped his head up in disbelieving surprise.

"This affects the future Gojo line, the core of all Jujutsu families. I can make an exception." His grandfather replied with a smug look of importance.

"After all, we are the strongest clan." His uncle gloated.

Stifling a withering eyeroll, Satoru bowed stiffly before turning on his heel to exit the stuffy room.

Satoru padded down the quiet hallway with an occasional maid bowing in greeting before zipping out of sight to tidy up.

The fusuma doors situated at the back of the building was slid open, revealing the calming sight of perfectly kept gardens.

Vivid red and cerise dotted the green of the lush garden. Sparrows chirped in chorus with mynah's and cicadas adding a melodious tune to the calm scenery.

The crisp scent of nature wafted through to the rustic wooden hallway of the old estate, bringing a sense of reassurance to the Sorcerer who was distrcted with thought of marriage.

He veered off to the left and trumped his way to his room. Sliding the door open, a relieved sigh escaped his lips now that he was in the quiet confines of his bedroom.

Switching off his infinity, he slid open a connecting door which over looked the stone gardens outside his room.

Satoru flopped down on the wooden floor stretching his legs out while his calculative blue eyes flitted over the scene in front of him distractedly.

Creamy beige sand was raked into immaculate patterns of concentric circles that were huged by swirls and arcs to create wave like patterns with large bald stones dominating the middle of the garden.

The sight of glittery sand always brought a sense of calm to him from young, and quickly became his hideout spot when he was upset or troubled.

A warm hand pressed his shoulder supportively, pulling him out of his temporary lull.

Shinichi smiled warmly at his son, his aura humming with cool content that always amazed Satoru.

Shifting to the side, he made space for his father to sit down next to him.

"Don't mind your grandfather, it's in his DNA to be grandly pompous. He means well regardless." His father consoled after a few moments of calming silence.

Satoru huffed out a breath, placing a palm on his cheek as he let the sun seep into his bones, enveloping him in a relaxing tranquility.

"Sohma was a dear friend of mine. We went to the Kyoto school together. That clan is humble, unlike the others. I have a feeling you'll get along well with his daughter." Shinichi confided in a soft voice.

"That doesn't matter. It's just- I want..." Satoru couldn't word his jumbled feelings that sat knotted in his chest.

"I've met Hinata a few times. I know she'll be wonderful with you. Just be yourself this time Satoru. No dramatic lies or pretending to be homosexual." His father said calling him out on his stunts.

Satoru blinked in surprise turning his gaze to where his father sat with a grin that saw into his sons heart.

"How did you find out?" His cheeks were dusted with red embarrassment.

"I have my ways..." Shinichi winked.

"You don't have to marry her, but please try to get along." Satoru studied his father who had a sincere look of concern  creasing his brow.

"Why are you so worried?" Satoru asked,  frowning dubiously at his father.

"I know you'll need someone to support you genuinely throughout life, in ways even we won't be able to support you in." Shinichi admitted growing serious again.

He placed a warm hand over his sons, a wordless emotion passing between them.

"Okay tou-san." Satoru whispered, his blue eyes flickering with a vulnerability he usually hid.

Giving him a small nod as thanks, his father stood up, turning to leave just as another clan member called for him.

With a tired huff and a stiffness forming back into his shoulders Shinichi left his son's room.

Satoru sighed, stretching his long arms out over his head.
He felt a heavy weight that pushed at his shoulders ease off himself.

Pulling out his phone he scrolled through his texts distractedly while contemplating his father's words.

A/n:

Tou-san is short for Otou-san which is father.

Oji is short for Ojii-san which is grandfather.

Fusuma- The wooden sliding door in traditional Japanese houses.

Thanks for reading ♥