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never-quite-buried · 2 years ago

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“2) to make real amends to her primary victims. Also, having her sit and talk to Tony about her anger against the American military industrial complex (which was what killed her parents) and how she conflated that with Stark.”

In what way does IM1 not tell us that Stark IS the MIC? Like. This scene is pretty explicit.

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anonymous asked:

1) Re: Wanda and her lack of redemption arc- One of the MCU’s biggest fuck yous was that they allowed Zemo to apologize to T'challa for his Father’s death as collateral in his revenge scheme, but didn’t have the decency to allow Wanda to do the same to the Avengers for stripping them of their autonomy and using them to hurt other people (of which the primary victims were Tony and Bruce). If they wanted to redeem her and make her more sympathetic, they really should have allowed her _____________________________________________________________

ambitious-witch answered:

I’m really sorry that I didn’t answered this last night, nonny but it was very late here and I was on mobile.

1) Exactly. But honestly I like Zemo more than Wanda for that. They allowed him to apologise, but also they showed him not being so bat-shit hateful blaming all the evil on his life to the Avengers (just the death of his family) and he neither played the victim. Like Wanda did.

The problem with Wanda lays directly in her “tragic backstory”, I mean, just listening to it, it’s ridiculous:

This is a backstory that doesn’t work for an anti-villain/anti-hero to go straight up a hero. Because it’s illogical. The audience that has a minimal knowledge of how the world works knows that blaming the person that made the weapon is stupid an illogical.

Second part of the ask:

2) to make real amends to her primary victims. Also, having her sit and talk to Tony about her anger against the American military industrial complex (which was what killed her parents) and how she conflated that with Stark. She has serious trauma that needs to be laid out. I mean, Tony could have talked about how he too realized the faults in the MID and is trying to make amends for his ignorance and inaction. How it has led him to believe in accountability and checks and balances

Part three:

3) LIKE THE FUCKING ACCORDS. It would have been 10x better than Steve’s convo w/ her in the beginning of Civil War, where he treats her unintentional murder of 12 ppl as a small hiccup that can be corrected w/ “try try again”. But no, all we end up w/ is a character marketed as a child half the time, and an adult the other half. It’s character assassination and it sucks. Either show her struggle w/ redemption and accountability as a member of the Avengers, or keep her a villain.

The problem here nonny, it’s that the dynamics are terribly flawed and bad placed. With Wanda, her deed of joining the Avengers it was not for goodness, it’s was common sense and self-preservation. We never see her re-thinking about Tony or showing a single little remorse about hurting him, neither she seems to want to stop and think about the situation. Tony talking to her would have required she trying to go closer and talk but to the first moment that we see her on screen with him her intention are clearly hostile:

Look at the corporal language of this part. This is a hero? No.

This is an anti-hero? No.

This is someone who is conflict?

I dare say: no.

The point about anti-heroes and anti-villains is they know, very deep in them, they have a doubt, a conflict. Wanda doesn’t. She knows what she is doing. She knows that she is hurting someone and she knows what she did. Take a look to Bruce too:

Also take her reaction when he calls her out for mindfucking him:

Her expression seems to be the one of someone who regrets her bad deeds.

But…

Her face hardens when he threatens her and she doesn’t speak about the topic again. Not with him, not with Clint in their oh so marvellous pep talk.

Someone that answered one of my posts said that showing Wanda’s struggles were that ridiculous scene whit with her crying in front of Clint, so the audience have to see her as a poor misunderstood child that was very scared and didn’t know what she was doing…

That’s not how it works!

Wanda should have showed struggle and conflict since the beginning of the movie! She should have interacted with people that she hurt as you said but she didn’t!

And before somebody says something…

Clint doesn’t count! Steve doesn’t count!

Clint was not attacked by Wanda, he didn’t suffered in her hands. Steve? He forgave her at the instant. He attacked his armour-less teammate because of her word. He told Natasha, one of Wanda’s victims “she with us”, like she hadn’t some right of feeling uncomfortable by her presence!

They don’t count!

The base, the point for an anti villain to be redeemed and made an ally or friend in front of their enemies is the interaction and and the villain admitting that they hurt the protagonists. It’s simple, take Regina Mills in Once Upon A Time. She never became in a full hero but she earned trust by admitting her bad deeds. She showed struggle and doubt. She became a wondeful anti-hero Wanda didn’t.

Just look at the moment when she decides to side with the Avengers:

What choice do we have?

This is someone that learned form her mistakes. No.

No.

No!

This is somebody that wants to fucking live. She wants to keep herself and her brother alive. There’s no doubt here. Not struggle in the loyalties. No conflict! She switched sides in the beginning and she does it again because it’s convenient for her. Not for goodness or anything that changes that she hurt people during all the movie!

She doesn’t doubt for a fucking instant to go to the “winning side”:

What kind of anti-hero can you get of that?

Which leads to CW. You said that she siding with Tony would have been the better, and yes, it would have been a good character development she being remorseful and keeping her initial supposed believes about accountability but with motherfucking Johannesburg, how it’s that possible?

How?

Like, that’s what the Russo and M&M tried to to do and failed miserably. They tried to sell us an anti-hero. They washed her awful deeds and make her look as conflicted when she never hesitated at the beginning.

They tried to us to believe that she can’t control her powers.

And that

bullshit.

And just bullshit.

They also made her clothes more clear, her hair too. Miss Elizabeth was wearing a wig, it was not difficult have one as her hair was in the previous movie.

They tried to vanish the darkness of her. Why? Because it its more difficult present a redemption for villain than a anti-hero. Or as that idiotic writers seem to think: that poor kid that did no wrong.

Because it was more easy to forgive this:

Than this:

So, they invented this new Wanda, and put all the blame in Tony’s shoulders. The funny thing it’s that the audience it’s stupid enough to believe it. That might talk about the power of the female characters of being forgiven for everything as long they have a pretty face and a delikate body.

Even if it’s a character without struggles or good intentions, or remorse.

So, nonny, my opinion is firm. Wanda Maximoff’s redemption arc was a fuck you because she didn’t deserved or needed one.

Because Wanda Maximoff is better as a villain.

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An interesting take, to be sure, @ambitious-witch. But as with most of these types of posts, you’re leaving out a few key details that vastly change the meaning of the extracted clips.

Let’s start at the top.

Wanda as a villain in AoU had one stated goal - destroy Tony Stark in revenge for her parents’ death. (The Avengers were kind of lumped into that revenge plan because they were acting as ally and protector to Tony.)

However, what you’re failing to mention is that this isn’t just a ten-year-old girl experiencing an intense, two-day long trauma that scars her for life and imprints the name that she had to stare at the whole time in her mind as the culpable party.

This is an entire country that believes that Tony is at fault for their loss.

In the beginning of AoU we are shown the Avengers attacking Strucker’s lab. In one of the scenes, Tony lands the Iron Legion in the middle of Sokovia and has them announce to the citizens that the sector is not safe.

The citizens are extremely wary - a few of them fleeing the area - but as soon as they figure out that the suits are just standing in place talking, they all start throwing things and attacking the suits.

Why is this?

Because HYDRA has been set up there for years, using stolen (or purchased) Stark tech to terrorize the city and kill people.

This isn’t just one random bomb. This is years of weapons emblazoned with the Stark logo being dropped on the city, knock-off iron legion suits shooting people in the street…this is and has been an all-out war, and the only clue that anyone’s had is that all of the weapons say “Stark” on them. And coming from an American weapons tycoon, that’s pretty damning evidence, as far as they’re concerned.

So damning, in fact, that when Strucker is looking for human test subjects for a highly dangerous and potentially deadly experiment, he gets dozens of volunteers, all of which die at his hands.

Except for the twins.

Destroying Tony is Wanda and Pietro’s main goal, yes, however at this point it is no longer just about revenge for their parents.

Maria shows video clips to Cap of the two of them leading riots in the street, trying to fight back. In response to Maria’s comment of “we aren’t at war anymore,” Steve tells her “they are.”

This isn’t two kids with a crazy revenge plan. This is two young adults who have suffered bitterly and are determined to see the cause of that suffering stopped before it can do any more damage to anyone else, even at the expense of their own lives. Because even if Tony Stark is not the one personally pushing the “fire” button on the missiles, he is the one creating them. And with no arms supplier, there will be no more weapons to use on Sokovia.

If the story had been shot from the perspective of someone in Sokovia, Wanda and her brother would have been the heroes of this story all along.

We as viewers are purposefully kept in the dark about what’s been going on there until the twins are established as the “villains” of the story - making sure the revelation is received as a sad explanation of why they’ve set themselves up as opponents to the Avengers as opposed to starting with a goal that we as viewers can get behind.

In fact it’s not until near the end that we figure out that Sokovia isn’t just some HYDRA-loving anti-Avengers stronghold, but victims of numerous and immeasurable crimes committed in the Avengers’ names.

Making Wanda and her brother “unlikable” before making them sympathetic was done purposefully to make sure that the viewers didn’t pity them or sympathize with them too quickly, or else the Avengers would seem far too harsh going into later fights.

The twins had to throw the first stone, or the Avengers would come across as unsympathetic.

More importantly, we are only ever shown the twins acting villainous toward the Avengers.

Maria states that Wanda only ever seems to inflict non-lethal damage to her victims, leaving them temporarily traumatized but alive and more than able to recover. (Ultron is the only one killing when they are stealing their resources, and he is leaving very telltale signs that it was him.)

A number of the places they hit up are run by HYDRA or smugglers - all of them “bad” people doing bad things.

The twins are kind to and friendly with the poor people in Sokovia. Wanda is protective of Dr. Strucker. The two of them are hesitant and uncertain when Klaue doesn’t immediately cower in fear, not wanting to escalate the situation any further than they have to.

And the second that they find out that Ultron’s goal is more than just the death of the six Avengers, they pull a 180 and attack him.

They follow a very common movie arc: fight against problem, join “ally” to fix problem, find out that “ally” is lying/backstabbing and that enemy isn’t quite as bad as we thought, team up with former “enemy” to stop the bigger threat, form a new alliance with once-enemy, save the day.

(Hell, a number of these themes show up in the plot-line of movies like Iron Man and Black Panther.)

These two are not villains. They’re a pair of teenagers fighting in a war to save their people.

A pair of teenagers who have been manipulated and abused and made to think that they were doing the right thing since they were ten.

(And yes, I realize that the actors are in their mid twenties, but canonically Wanda and Pietro are closer to 18 or 19 during the events of this movie, and thus are not yet legally “adults.”)

I don’t see you throwing a fit over Zemo torturing and eventually drowning that one HYDRA agent. Or Stark blowing up a terrorist group. Or Fury shooting the people attacking his ship in Avengers.

The difference? We as the audience know that they’re bad guys, so it’s okay to do whatever to them, because they clearly deserved it.

We don’t care, nor are we made to care, if the person being thrown down a flight of stairs or stabbed in the face was just a desperate man who needed money for his family, or someone who was there because some higher-up had blackmail over their head.

We don’t know, and quite frankly (as far as most viewers are concerned) it doesn’t matter.

This is the same situation, just seen from the other side of the coin for once.

Wanda and Pietro know that the Avengers are bad. Therefore why would they question if what they’re doing - attacking them - is wrong?

The other problem with painting these two as hardened criminals is that they don’t ever really act it. Every scene that they’re in, the two of them are hovering around one another, uncertain. Seeking reassurance. Comforting. In Wanda’s’ case, quite often, hiding.

In fact, Wanda’s always shown to be the more hesitant of the twins.

Pietro is quick to rush off into a fight, while she lingers behind until it comes to a confrontation that she cannot avoid. This is shown three times. First, in Strucker’s lab, where Pietro rushes outside to mess with the Avengers and Wanda hides in the base until Steve tries to get Strucker. Second, in the scrapyard, where Pietro zips off and Wanda hesitates at Ultron’s side until he tells her “time for some mind games.” Third, in the tower scene, where Pietro is first to take action when he unplugs the cradle, but Wanda doesn’t join the fight until she’s the last one on her side that’s still standing.

Even in the very first scene, you see them holding hands, and Wanda chewing her nails with nerves.

Immediately after that we get a close up of their faces, showing the two of them looking scared when they hear that the Avengers are on their way.

They aren’t out there actively hunting the Avengers down. They’re waiting for orders, because they don’t really know what they’re doing. They’re frightened of what’s about to happen. They’re both in this way over their heads.

They may not be ten anymore, but a lot of what they do is very child-like because of the rough and traumatic childhood the two of them had. They never grew out of it.

These two put on a bold act, but the minute the real teeth come out they’re just a pair of frightened and uncertain children. Often, until Ultron shows up as the “adult leader” of the group, the two of them don’t even take action.

And again, I’ll bring up the scene with Klaue.

The two of them step into his office and pull their go-to “be afraid of me” act to get info, but Klaue straight up brushes it off.

He laughs at their threats. Talks down to them. Offers them candy. Teases them. Dares them to do their worst.

And Wanda and Pietro are at a complete and utter loss because they don’t know how to approach a situation where their threats have not been enough. Ultron’s instructions did not include a caveat for “if the dude straight up laughs at you instead of spilling everything he knows and begging for his life.”

Therefore, the two of them are left standing in the doorway, looking to one another in confusion for what to do next, and Wanda even starts moving back into the shadows where she’ll be more safe.

Similarly, in the end fight, Wanda constantly looks to Clint - the nearby adult - for instruction.

Wanda and Pietro don’t even attack the Avengers at the scrapyard until Ultron gives the command.

It’s the same scenario in the scene right after they go to the tower with Steve, when they confront the other Avengers alone - the twins ultimately let Steve make the calls for them.

Unfortunately, the still-shot you have of Wanda doesn’t quite do justice to her reaction in the scene.

This isn’t “closing off.”

See the way she leans back a little? The little hitch in her chest? The way her throat tightens? This isn’t this isn’t her hardening off, this is her trying not to show fear. She’s seen the Hulk. She knows that Banner is the only one who might be able to tear her in half despite her powers.

It’s why she immediately stops fighting and freezes up when he grabs her.

You can clearly see the terror in her eyes the second she realizes who it is that’s got their arm around her throat.

In this scene, the twins have walked into the lion’s den - the Avengers’ home base - and even though they’re trying to look tough and keep their cool, they’re both terrified for their lives.

You can hear the fear in Wanda’s voice when Clint shoots the floor out from under Pietro. You can see the two of them sticking right by each other’s sides and looking around nervously in case they’re attacked.

They don’t argue or make excuses when they’re confronted, they back down because they know that they’ve wronged these people and the Avengers are under no obligation to listen to them.

The two of them are risking death at the Avenger’s hands so they can try to warn them about Ultron and prevent things from getting any worse.

And I would beg to differ with your interpretation of this scene. This is in no way self-preservation. This is suicide.

Her last little act of defiance barely a scene before nearly wound up with her and Pietro being shot.

And yet here she is, standing up to Ultron again. But this isn’t her siding with the Avengers to save her skin.

This is her picking death with the losing team.

Because in this scene?

ULTRON IS THE WINNING SIDE.

Ultron’s plan for a new world included Wanda and her brother. He was going to wipe the slate clean, and leave the two of them as the “better” humans in his new world. The “evolved” race that would rule at his side. If they’d stayed with him, they would have been guaranteed safety, because as we saw at the scrapyard, the Avengers are no match for the three of them, and Ultron is fond of the twins in his own strange way.

But they don’t stay with Ultron, where they are guaranteed life and safety.

This line here is Ultron’s last warning that she either assist him, or die with the rest of the Avengers trying to fight him. This was far less “oh well, Ultron is losing, guess I’ll change sides because I’ll get to live” and more “I don’t see how there is a choice here because unless I stop him he’s going to destroy the world.”

“What choice do we have” is a statement of morals, because as far as she’s concerned, there IS no choice. She has to stop him or die trying.

Helping him any longer is not even an option.

Now, as far as your point about Steve and Clint’s trust in her being “worthless” because:

“They don’t count!“

It’s quite frankly ridiculous.

There is one person who even comes close to fully trusting them before the final battle starts in, and that is Steve.

Steve has been playing devil’s advocate this whole movie, because he understands what the twins are going through. He’s not so caught up in his own country and his own issues that he can’t look at a situation from another perspective and say “I understand why they’re doing this.”

In fact, he even offers the twins a chance to walk away right before the fight at the scrapyard.

He didn’t magically start trusting them out of the blue, he’s been willing to hear their side of things from the start.

“Clint was not attacked by Wanda, he didn’t suffered in her hands. Steve? He forgave her at the instant. He attacked his armour-less teammate because of her word. He told Natasha, one of Wanda’s victims “she with us”, like she hadn’t some right of feeling uncomfortable by her presence!”

And here is where you start leaving out key details again.

Of the Avengers, Clint was the only one to fully escape having Wanda play with his fears, because he beat her to the punch. However, despite the fact that he’s the only one unscathed, he’s the most vocal about not trusting her.

It is not until much, much later - when Clint has already seen her in action, desperately trying to save the civilians from Ultron’s clones despite her own fear - does he step in to talk her down and keep her from having a panic attack because he realizes her heart is in the right place.

Even then he doesn’t actually decide to trust her until she saves him from being cornered and killed by the robots.

Out of the remaining Avengers, three of them suffered major trauma from Wanda’s actions, and two of them got off relatively okay.

The one who got off with the least damage from the encounter was ironically Tony Stark, who was shown a vision of what was supposed to be his worst fear - him being responsible for the death of his team - and who proceeded to shake it off and walk away, none the worse for wear.

(Note, this is one of Wanda’s early attempts at this kind of thing, a point which relates to a section further down about Wanda’s skill with her powers. She’s not very good at the whole nightmare vision thing just yet in the story, but by the time the scrapyard scene rolls around she’s gotten plenty of practice.)

Tony never actually voices any opinion on whether or not they should trust the twins. He just rolls with it.

The other Avenger who got off pretty light was actually Thor, who took his vision as a warning that something big was coming and went to investigate further. He also doesn’t specifically voice an opinion on the twins, but seems to be A-okay with trusting the two of them.

Of the three that had it pretty bad, Steve was able to recover the best. Perhaps this is part of the serum - his body fixing the physical symptoms of mental trauma - or perhaps he’s just better at coping with his particular fear because he’s been doing it since he awoke in the present. Either way, Steve is at least relatively functional after his run-in with Wanda.

He’s also the first one to trust her, because she and her brother risked their necks fighting Ultron to save both him and the innocent people that Ultron tried to kill as a distraction. Like I’ve mentioned before, Steve is still willing to give them a second chance because he knows there’s backstory there and he can sympathize.

The two that had it the worst were Natasha and Bruce.

Natasha, who straight up went out of commission when all of her heavily repressed trauma got dragged back to the forefront, isn’t really around for the scene where the twins switch sides. She comes in after the fact, when they’re already mid-fight, to find that the twins are fighting against Ultron with them.

Steve reassures her that the twins are on their side, and Natasha rolls with it.

She takes Steve’s word for it because she trusts Steve as much as she trusts Clint - absolutely and entirely.

You forget, these two just went through the events of Captain America: Winter Soldier together, where “everybody we know is trying to kill us.” Natasha and Steve had to trust in each other completely, it’s the only way they lived to see the end of that movie. Natasha’s trust in Steve is not reset just because the film title changed.

However the real key here is that Natasha’s trust in the twins is not complete.

She’ll trust the twins for this fight, because Steve said they were there to help, and then she’ll make her own call on whether or not she feels like forgiving them. This wasn’t Steve saying “I’ve cleared these two, I expect you to magically be okay with that.” It was Steve reassuring her that during this fight, their only attacker would be Ultron, and that the twins were helping to fight back.

In a battle situation, that’s all Natasha needs to know before her attention turns to saving people, because there is no time for a debate or questions during an all-out attack.

There is, however, a good amount of time that passes between the end of the Sokovia fight and the credits scene where we see Wanda with the other “new recruits,” and we are left to assume that something has been worked out between everyone because they all seem okay with each other now.

It is also a full year before we really see Wanda again, in Civil War, and the first thing we see is Natasha coaching her through a stake out, as a mentor.

Clearly there is no lingering animosity here.

As for Banner, well…

Bruce basically says that he could kill Wanda without remorse. He’s pissed, and rightfully so.

However, he ALSO doesn’t deny needing the twins’ help when fighting Ultron. He never says “we shouldn’t trust them” or “we shouldn’t let them come with us;” and Hulk flies off into space (literally) before Banner gets a chance to actually sit down and think about whether or not the twins should be allowed to join the Avengers.

In fact, the only one who straight up says that he doesn’t trust anything to do with the twins is Clint…

The only one who didn’t get affected by Wanda’s nightmares.

So I’m honestly not quite sure where you’re getting your argument from.

As far as I make it out, the people who got the nightmare treatment were aware that they were seeing their own memories and thoughts and fears played back to them. Wanda wasn’t showing them anything new, so most of them didn’t take the attack as anything personal, and in fact we see Natasha having a bit of a personal crisis over the not-so-great bits of her past that are being shoved back in her face for the second time since CA:tWS.

She’s not mad at Wanda for bringing it up, she’s mad at herself for being the way she was before Clint saved her.

Clint, who isn’t sure what the others saw and is watching everything from the outside, is pissed. He watched his friends suffer because of whatever the witch did to them, and he’s not only angry with her, but dead set on not forgiving or trusting her, either.

At least until she and her brother both save him, and he starts wondering if they might not be so bad after all.

”You didn’t see that coming.”

As for Wanda being in control of her powers, I would say it depends on what aspect of her powers we’re talking about.

In AoU she has been sitting in a cell for God knows how long, practicing the same four moves:

Move small solid object. Shield. Look through people’s heads and pull certain thoughts to the forefront. Throw her power around like an energy burst.

Of these four, by the time Civil War rolls around, we only ever see her use the first two.

Age of Ultron:

Civil War:

When she does this trick, she does it with great proficiency and incredible accuracy. She’s good at this one. Her shield has also improved to the point where she can multitask while holding it.

In Civil War, however, she’s picked up a number of new moves:

Levitation/flying with her powers. Moving non-solid objects like poisonous gasses. Forming a net with her powers to lift teammates. Manipulating large solid objects with her telekinesis. Manipulate object behavior.

However, we no longer see her using throwing her power directly at anyone anymore. She picks up objects to throw at them, or grabs them by a hand or foot and tosses them back, but she no longer throws the raw energy around.

She also doesn’t go into anyone’s heads.

Do you have any idea how easily she could have pulled something like this at at the airport battle? Re-routed team Stark on some wild goose chase while Team Cap all waltzed over to the jet and flew off with no problem?

Stark and Co. wouldn’t have even known what hit them until Team Cap were loooong gone.

But she doesn’t.

Because Wanda doesn’t do that anymore. She’s not that person anymore.

Even with Vision, she’s not going inside his head, she’s just changing his density - first to de-materialize him and make him let go of Clint, and second to make him so heavy that he fell through the floor.

Wanda doesn’t throw her raw powers at people anymore because it’s too dangerous and unpredictable, and she doesn’t go into anyone’s heads anymore because of privacy issues and “brainwashing” and the other negative connotations that come with it, even if it means taking the hard way out of a situation.

She’s changed up her whole fighting strategy.

That being said, I would argue that she is NOT in control of her powers as a whole.

She is in control of certain aspects of her powers to certain extents - namely the ones that she’s practiced repeatedly - but in the grand scheme of things, she really has no idea what she’s actually capable of, therefore she cannot control exactly what her powers will react like if she tries something that’s not on her list of “the eight tricks I’ve practiced for the past six months.”

Thus, Lagos.

She probably didn’t even realize that she could bubble that much raw kinetic energy into such a small space - she was just reacting to the fact that a bomb had gone off in the middle of a packed marketplace and she needed to do something or hundreds of people would have died…likely including everyone in the building, had the foundation gotten destroyed by the blast.

(And would you demons please stop saying that she murdered people in Lagos? I mean really. Do you consider it murder when firefighters can’t get everyone out of a burning building? Or when rescue workers can’t find everyone buried beneath earthquake rubble in time to save them? Or when ambulance workers can’t rescue everyone from the remains of an awful car wreck? Wanda was stopping a bomb from killing people by containing it, and couldn’t get it far enough away to save all of them before the bomb went off. She did not murder anyone.)

In the grand scheme of things, no, Wanda doesn’t know how to control her powers, because she’s not entirely sure just what her powers can DO.

She’s still learning.

I also understand where you’re trying to go with the “lightening the color scheme” angle, but I highly doubt that’s a “nefarious plot to trick the audience into thinking she’s good when she’s not” so much as it’s a stylistic choice to show that she’s in a better place now, both mentally and physically.

Her hair is not only lighter, but has far fewer tangled curls at the bottom, and sports two highlights at the bangs. This isn’t an attempt to portray her as “suddenly good now” so much as an attempt to make her look a bit less like an orphaned street rat. Her hair is clean and brushed and bright and with an actual style, much like Bucky’s hair was actually kept when we saw him in Civil War as opposed to Winter Soldier. It’s to show that she’s taking care of herself better now because she now has the means and mental presence to do so.

Case in point: Her hair appears lighter here than at the final battle. It’s all cinematic, to make her look more or less filthy as the scene requires.

As for the outfit, she’s wearing lighter clothing in that one picture because it’s summer and she’s trying to blend in. Just like how Natasha, who normally sports black, is dressed in pale colors and wearing very little makeup.

In many other scenes in the movie, Wanda retains the black/grey/red color scheme that she’s had going since AoU, such as in the knife clip I linked above:

Black clothing in a similar overall style (short dress, boots, and jacket) just with less heavy eyeliner because she’s grown up a little and is keeping herself a bit more maintained than before.

Claiming cinematic trickery here is really reaching for threads.

So, to wrap this incredibly long post up…

NO, Wanda is not, and never was, a villain.

Up until the truth is revealed, each party (the twins, and the Avengers) believes themselves fully in the right. When the truth does come out, it is revealed that to some extent, both parties are in the wrong.

Wanda is not conflicted about facing the Avengers because she’s fighting to protect innocent people from them. She becomes conflicted when it turns out that the Avengers weren’t fully to blame for what was going on in Sokovia. (Side-eyeing Stark, here.)

Wanda is neither villain nor anti-villain…

She’s the hero of her own side of the story.

Wanda and Pietro are both heroes, whose story - through the lies and manipulation of people claiming to be allies - intersected with that of the Avengers.

Case in point: these two are alone.

The other Avengers have left the area.

If they were really doing this to save their skin and not to help people, wouldn’t this be the ideal time to say something like “make sure you get on the ship before it leaves” or “as soon as the Avengers aren’t looking, we run” or “the minute the crisis is over, we turn on them?”

There is no reason for Wanda to lie in this situation.

This is why I argue that she was never truly a villain.

In fact I’d go so far as to say that these two are no more the villains of this story than the Avengers were the villains for them.

It was all a big misunderstanding.

Wanda and Pietro were only ever in this to help the people of Sokovia, and they got screwed by the lies and manipulation of the only adult influences they’ve had in their lives since they were ten.

The second that they found out Ultron’s real plan they tried to stop him, even going so far as to approach their enemies for help.

They both act selflessly to rescue civilians and even to rescue the Avengers in the fight for Sokovia.

Throughout the film Wanda and Pietro rather pointedly avoid all collateral damage where they can, and never intended to cause any harm to innocents in their quest for revenge.

(And because I know this is your main screaming point: Johannesburg was 300+ miles away from the shipyard. How was Wanda to know that Hulk was going to run over 300 miles to attack a city when all of her other victims went comatose when shown their greatest fears? It doesn’t logically follow that she would expect anything else, because only the audience knows that making Banner agitated enrages the Hulk, and Banner even says in the movie that Johannesburg was when the world saw the “real Hulk” for the first time. The destruction in Johannesburg was never Wanda’s intended outcome when she went after Banner so you really can’t treat that as intentional.)

In the end, they were willing to overlook their own lust for revenge in order to do the right thing.

And both of them were willing to die fighting to fix what they’d done wrong.

Wanda missed the escape boat because she went to finish off Ultron.

She is shocked when Vision comes back to save her, because at this moment she was entirely ready to die.

Pietro does die.

They were both willing to put their lives on the line to make what they’d done right, and Wanda just got lucky enough to get saved.

Because of all of the above reasons, I think we can firmly state that Wanda was never meant to be a villain in the MCU.

Although on that topic, let me ask you…what exactly do you think would have happened if the writers had decided to go your route? If they’d decided to make her the villain instead of going the redemption route?

She single-handedly takes out every member of Team Stark at the airport battle in Civil War. The only one who even managed to land a hit on her is Rhody, and he only did so by sneaking up behind her while she was preoccupied holding up thousands of tons of rubble, and shooting her point-blank in the back.

And all of that was Wanda being gentle and holding back.

If she was a villain - if she was actually going all out - would any of the Avengers even survive a fight against her?

Based on the way she disintegrated those robots with just a second of lost control, I severely doubt it.

You do not want her as a villain in any capacity. I guarantee you that.

That being said, by strict definition, no, Wanda is not an anti-villain.

But she’s not a villain either.

She’s a unique and complicated character, whose story was approached at a fairly new angle as far as script writing is concerned, and who managed to be both protagonist and antagonist at once.

There is not a doubt in my mind, however, that by the end of Age of Ultron, that girl was just as much of a hero as anyone else on that screen.

Chirpingtiger out.

#the same people who cry that wanda is a villain woobify the fuck out that man #he’s not uwu soft unknowing boy he is a 40 something year old man with an allergy to saying sorry #no i actually do blame the corporations and their developers who design and sell these weapons #AND the people who buy and use em #im1 made it Clear that if the military wanted it it was Stark Tech #i know that all the stans just want to talk about him building talking coffee machines and shit but #but the man who spent his whole life ~running from his father’s shadow~ did nothing to change the company?#look at that man in that video he is so Proud that they can intimidate enemies into cooperation with threat of honed airstrikes #he knows exactly what he's doing #exactly what those weapons do #but sure he’s an innocent baby but the traumatizes children who were raised in a hydra daycare #and surrounded by war and strife their whole lives with a reasonable grudge are THE EVILEST #im not saying stark is satan incarnate but on a spectrum he’s far closer to oozing pustule than fresh baked cinnamon roll #pro wanda maximoff #wanda is a hero #but their ao3 is full of tony/wanda??#prev #this is an issue in stony fandom too #tons of them hate steve with a passion and use the fic as an outlet for tony to beat down on him #i bet none of it is very kind to wanda but is quite flattering for stark #anti tony stark #Youtube

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alygator77 · 9 months ago

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ᰔᩚ motherhood and matrimony I ch 1 ᰔᩚ

ꨄ︎ pairing. au ceo! satoru gojo x single mom secretary fem! reader

ꨄ summary. satoru gojo, the arrogant and irresistible heir to a billion-dollar corporation and the son of your boss, the ceo... but when satoru’s father dies unexpectedly, his inheritance hinges on a stipulation: he must marry and have a child, but the child doesn't necessarily have to be his, right? together, you strike a deal: a fake marriage that promises financial stability for you and corporate control for him. as the lines between business and emotion blur, you must decide if your partnership is purely contractual or if it could evolve into something real.

ꨄ︎ warnings/tags. 18+ MDNI, nsfw, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, fake marriage, slow burn, smut, fluff, bit of angst, reader is single mom who recently broke off her engagement, satoru being a cute step dad, naoya is your crappy ex, some triggers of domestic abuse (emotional abuse but it can be a bit suggestive/interpreted as physical, from naoya not satoru)

ꨄ words: 9.7k

ꨄ a/n. so very excited for this little series :') these topics hit home for me, would love to hear your thoughts, i hope you enjoy ♡

ꨄ taglist: closed (ao3)

♬ playlist

series masterlist ꨄ︎ next chapter →

ch 1 // circumstances and commitments

Red traffic lights always seem to catch you at the worst times.

As your car rolls to a stop, the city around you moves at a pace that feels impossible to match – the early morning rush, cars honking, people hurrying along the sidewalks, all while you’re stuck drumming your fingers anxiously against the steering wheel, the rhythmic beat mirroring your rising frustration.

You glance down at your phone, the glaring digital numbers reminding you of the precious minutes slipping away. Cursing to yourself, your breath hitches as a notification pops up.

Satoru Gojo: Where are you? The meeting is starting soon.

Late for work… again.

Your heart pounds in rhythm with the seconds ticking away, each tick of the clock feeling like a countdown to disaster. Dread coils in your stomach as you anticipate the inevitable reprimand you’ll face from your boss.

Lately, it feels like life is conspiring against you. It all began with your ex-fiancé, Naoya, shattering your trust with his betrayal, leaving you to navigate the tumultuous seas of parenthood alone – his disloyalty forcing you to drop out of school so you can provide for you daughter.

The relentless chaos of single motherhood has become your norm, each day a balancing act on a fraying tightrope.

And now, your unreliable nanny seems determined to sink your already precarious ship, bailing on you last minute yet again, making you late for work as you juggle the impossible of finding a backup babysitter.

The mounting challenges seem endless, yet you forge ahead, driven by the love for your daughter and the need to survive.

You left Naoya without hesitation, determined to carve out a life on your own terms, away from his manipulating deceit.

But single motherhood is an unrelenting storm, and although you filed for child support, the legal process drags on like a cruel joke – two months have passed since you served him papers, and still no court date is in sight.

What’s even more frustrating, Naoya is an attorney himself – he’s playing the system.

Why?

Because he wants to control you in the palm of his hands.

Every day feels like a battle, and this job is your lifeline – you really can’t afford to lose it over some stupid unreliable nanny. Unfortunately, stable full-time daycare is a luxury you can’t afford, leaving you at the mercy of said unreliable nanny.

While better than nothing, she is far from ideal – her chronic lateness and last-minute cancellations only add to your daily chaos. Yet, with no other affordable options, you are left with no choice but to grin and bear it, teetering on the edge of despair but refusing to fall.

You can already picture the scowl etched on your boss’s face the moment you walk through the door, late yet again – his expression stern and unforgiving.

And then there’s Satoru Gojo.

You can almost hear his sarcastic comments and see that infuriating smirk playing on his lips, his eyes dancing with amusement at your misfortune.

Satoru Gojo. The gorgeous and impeccably dressed heir to the Gojo Corporation, is the epitome of wealth and charm. With his striking blue eyes, flawlessly tousled white hair, and an air of effortless confidence, he commands attention the moment he steps into a room.

The Gojo Corporation, a behemoth in the business world, is practically a family of celebrities, their every move scrutinized by the public eye. Although you don’t work directly for Satoru, you often cross paths in the office since you serve as his father’s personal secretary.

Takemi Gojo, the stern and impatient CEO, demands perfection, making your role both challenging and stressful.

As you rush into the sleek, modern lobby of the Gojo Corporation, the sound of your high heels clicking against the polished marble floors echo through the hallway.

The receptionist, Shoko, looks up from her desk, her eyebrows knitting together in concern as you hurry towards her, hair disheveled, a folder clutched in one hand with papers threatening to spill out, and your handbag dangling precariously from the other.

The pristine, high-end surroundings make your disarray all the more glaring, and you can't help but feel a pang of embarrassment.

Though she’s currently on a phone call, Shoko’s concerned look expands, her eyes widening as she silently mouths to you, where have you been?

A defeated sigh escapes your lips as you shake your head, too flustered to explain. She subtly points to the door behind her, indicating where the meeting you’re now fifteen minutes late for, is being held.

With a subtle nod, you hurry past – she mouths, good luck, which does nothing to calm your frazzled nerves.

Opening the door, you are immediately met with a long table full of businessmen, their judging eyes snapping to you the moment the door creaks open. The air is thick with tension, and as you enter, the knots in your stomach tighten with each step taken, cheeks burning under the weight of their scrutiny.

Fuck. You are so embarrassed.

Satoru sits towards the back of the table in an office chair, lazily spinning around in circles while he fidgets with a pen between his fingers – clearly unamused, as usual.

He stops mid-spin and fixes his gaze directly on you, a crooked grin tugging at the corner of his lips. His icy blue eyes seem to sparkle with amusement at your disheveled state.

In stark contrast, his father sits beside him, arms crossed, brow furrowed, and lips pursed in a tight line. The fury in his eyes is unmistakable.

Shit. He was pissed.

“G-Good morning,” you mutter, your voice barely above a whisper as you briskly make your way to your seat. Your hands tremble slightly as you hastily tidy your hair and smooth down your shirt, desperate to appear somewhat presentable.

As you shuffle into your seat and place down your belongings, you can feel Satoru’s eyes on you, scanning you with a wry smile.

His amusement is palpable, and he clearly relishes the sight of you flustered and out of sorts. The way his gaze lingers on you, enjoying your disarray, only adds to your frustration

"Late again, I see,” he hums, his voice dripping with calm, sardonic amusement.

“Quiet,” you hiss at him silently, clearing your throat while you sit up straight – a forced smile across your lips.

Satoru faintly chuckles to himself as his father peers over at you disapprovingly, his stern eyes boring into you with a silent reprimand.

“Right – now that everyone is here, let’s begin,” Takemi Gojo announces, his authoritative voice slicing through the tense atmosphere like a knife.

The moment the conference starts, Satoru can’t help but roll his eyes, a gesture filled with disdain for the mundane proceedings. Leaning back in his seat, he props his elbow on the armrest and rests his chin in his hand, adopting a languid, almost bored posture.

He begins to tap the tip of the pen he was fiddling with against his lips idly, the repetitive motion a clear sign of his disinterest.

Satoru always hated these corporate meetings; they were incredibly tedious and time-consuming, and most of the topics discussed could have easily been handled in a goddamn email.

As his mind begins to wander, he tunes out the monotonous drone of the other men’s voices, his attention inevitably shifting to you, seated right beside him. He finds himself inexplicably drawn to the sight of your crimson cheeks and the slight tremble of your delicate hands.

There's something undeniably endearing about your flustered state that always manages to spark his mischievous side. He relishes the opportunity to give you shit, finding immense pleasure in your reactions.

"You know," he whispers in a slight mocking tone, leaning closer so that only you can hear, "this meeting would’ve gone by so much quicker if you had just been on time."

A shiver rakes down your spine as you feel his breath slightly against your ear.

God, he irked you so much.

Satoru Gojo, with his annoyingly charismatic arrogance, always managed to aggravate the hell out of you. It made your blood boil how he would purposely push your buttons, always knowing exactly how to get under your skin.

Turning your head towards him with a slightly exasperated expression, you shoot him a glare before shaking your head.

“I know,” your hushed voice laced with slight irritation. “You don’t have to remind me.”

Meeting your glare with a cocky grin, Satoru’s eyes glint with amusement, relishing in the way he could rile you up in a few words – it entertained him to no end, his only saving grace from this boring ass meeting.

Tormenting you was certainly a good way to pass the time.

“Oh, I know I don’t have to,” he chuckles lightly, speaking in a soft yet mocking tone, “but where would be the fun in that?”

“Jesus, you are insufferable,” you scoff under your breath, rolling your eyes, the frustration evident in your tone.

A cheeky smile forms on his lips as he leans back in his chair, humored by your irritation.

“Insufferable, huh?” he murmurs, still keeping his voice low with a hint of mischief. “My delicate heart can barely take the sting of your harsh words. Now, is that any way to treat your future boss?”

You raise an eyebrow at him and purse your lips, irritation simmering beneath your calm exterior. Dealing with Takemi Gojo, as strict and demanding as he is, feels like a lesser evil compared to the daily torment of Satoru's antics.

You silently pray that by the time Satoru takes over the business, you'll have moved on to better opportunities. You really don’t want to be stuck as a secretary your entire life – you have dreams of finishing your education and building a better future, but for now, this job is your lifeline.

It is unfortunate you had to halt your studies after leaving Naoya, but providing for your daughter takes precedence over everything, and with money being tight, every decision is a careful balancing act.

Satoru’s eyes glint with a mix of mockery and amusement, a smirk tugging at his lips as he can see the annoyance flickering across your face – it only eggs him on even more. Leaning in closer to you again, his voice drops even lower as he speaks.

"What, you don't think I'll be a good boss?" his tone feigned with mock hurt. "Here I was, imagining you calling me sir every day."

Before you have a moment to respond, your attention is grabbed by the sound of Satoru’s father clearing his throat – you are met with his stone-cold eyes sweeping over you both, the disapproving frown plastered on his lips is a clear indication for you to stop with the chit chatting.

Message received loud and clear.

You shift back in your seat, straightening up as you attempt to refocus on the meeting. Satoru, however, seems entirely unbothered, his lazy smile still fixed in place as he leans back in his chair with a nonchalance that is equal parts irritating and infuriating.

After another grueling hour of corporate ramblings, the meeting finally concludes. Relief washes over you as the businessmen begin to funnel out of the room, their murmured conversations blending into a low hum.

You hurriedly gather your scattered belongings, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere, but just as you reach for your papers, the stern voice of your boss cuts through the noise, freezing you in place.

“Y/n, before you go, a word please?” Takemi’s tone is sharp and commanding, slicing through the ambient chatter like a blade.

“Yes, sir,” you speak softly and timidly, placing your belongings back down as instructed. Your voice wavers slightly, betraying the nerves bubbling just below the surface.

As you glance over at Satoru, he begins to rise from his relaxed position, only for his father to halt his movements with a sharp, "Both of you," as he motions with his hand for Satoru to stay as well.

Satoru huffs in annoyance, his shoulders sagging as he sinks back into the chair, his irritation clear in the crinkle of his brows and the slight downturn of his lips.

“Y/n,” the old man’s tone is serious as he addresses you, his expression furrowed in what appears to be disappointment. The weight of his gaze feels like a heavy burden pressing down on your shoulders. With a nervous gulp, you brace yourself for the reprimand that’s to come.

“This is the third time this week you’ve been late now. Care to explain why that is?”

You can feel Satoru’s smug smirk beside you, his arms crossing casually over his chest as he leans back in his chair. The self-satisfied look on his face only serves to heighten your disdain for him.

God, he aggravates you.

You take a deep breath, steadying yourself. “I apologize, sir. I have been experiencing unforeseen issues with my childcare situation.”

The second you mention childcare, Satoru’s eyes soften in astonishment.

You were a mom?

He had no clue – you have always been tight-lipped about your personal life at work. In fact, he had always found you annoyingly professional.

That’s why he takes so much pleasure in pushing your buttons – you’re such a tightass. It’s so much fun to see a different side of you, to crack your uptight façade. This newfound information truly intrigued him, and he finds himself momentarily taken aback.

Takemi raises an eyebrow, his expression unchanged and stoic. "Unforeseen issues, hm? Can you elaborate on that further?" His voice is a blend of curiosity and skepticism, a hint of impatience lacing his words.

"Well, sir..." you exclaim, voice wavering as it’s filled with reluctance. With a subtle pause, you choose your next words carefully. You really didn't want to have to talk about this, but you’re backed into a corner and it appears you have no choice. With a shaky exhale, you proceed.

"My former engagement was recently broken off, so I'm currently a single mother. Unfortunately, my current nanny seems to have issues with punctuality."

Mr. Gojo listens to your explanation with an expressionless face, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processes your words.

The room feels even colder, the silence stretching uncomfortably. Meanwhile, Satoru's eyes dart between his father and you, watching the interaction with a peaked interest.

You, a mom?

This newly discovered knowledge had certainly added a new layer to his perception of you. Part of him feels a little guilty for giving you shit.

Maybe he should go easy on you a little bit?

He thinks to himself, before immediately dismissing that thought as impractical.

Yeah… not happening.

"I understand the situation, and I sympathize," Satoru's father finally responds, his tone devoid of warmth. "However, being late is unacceptable, especially repeatedly." He pauses for a moment, studying your expression intently. "Have you considered alternative childcare arrangements? One that is, perhaps, more reliable and punctual?"

You bite your lip, wrestling with your internal dilemma. Telling him about your financial situation seemed pointless, would these billionaires really understand? It wouldn't change anything, and it might even come across as a feeble excuse.

Daycare costs $500 a week where you live; it’s practically a mortgage on top of all your other expenses just to get by. Besides, you really don’t like people knowing your business. Replying carefully, you try not to give too much away.

“Right… I am looking into other options,” the words feel hallow as they leave your lips, because the truth is, you've already scoured the internet and exhausted all possible options, but to no avail. There are no viable alternatives at the moment – everything is out of your price range.

Satoru's father nods in acknowledgment, his expression still serious and unyielding. "Good," he says, his tone sharp and authoritative. "Please make this a priority, y/n. I need to see an improvement in your attendance. Your tardiness is affecting the productivity of the office, and I cannot tolerate late arrivals for much longer."

With a silent nod, you try to feebly hide the desperation that's clawing at your insides. You’re at your wit's end with childcare, but what can you do? Your boss seems to think you can just magically come up with a solution, but there is none.

“Yes, sir,” you say meekly, your voice barely above a whisper.

The old man shifts his attention to Satoru, who is lost in thought, still observing you intently with an inscrutable expression. His gaze is unwavering, as if he's trying to decipher a complex puzzle.

“As for you, boy,” Takemi's voice cuts through the silence, stern and authoritative.

The abruptness of his tone snaps Satoru out of his reverie. He blinks, his expression shifting to one of mild annoyance as his eyes flicker to his father.

“Let’s have a chat too,” Takemi continues, his eyes narrowing as he addresses his son.

You can feel the intensity of the moment, a palpable shift in the room's dynamics. Takemi's words hang in the air, heavy and demanding. Your heart races as you gather your belongings, sensing that the conversation to follow will be anything but pleasant for Satoru – his father is not known for holding back his opinions. Working beside them both, you’ve observed the passage of many quarrels – they are like fire and ice.

“Y/n, you’re free to go,” Takemi finally says, his voice softening slightly as he dismisses you.

With a quick nod, you turn to leave, your steps hastening towards the door. As you approach the doorframe, you cast one last glance over your shoulder.

Satoru is still watching you, his eyes filled with curiosity and something else he can’t quite place. He takes a deep breath, bracing himself for the lecture he knows is coming, and turns to his father.

“Yes, sir?” sounding unbothered and slightly bored, Satoru’s voice has a hint of defiance in his tone.

“If you plan on taking over my business, you need to take this more seriously, Satoru – and you need to focus on finding an heir. When are you getting married? I can’t have – ”

Click.

Once the thick wood closes behind you, you can only hear the muffled sound of their voices, steadily escalating.

You stand awkwardly outside for a moment, not wanting to eavesdrop but unable to ignore the growing volume of their shouting. Clearly, the discussion had turned into another one of their disputes.

It’s nothing unusual, but as the voices behind the door grow louder and more intense, you’re left wondering if this may be their worst fight yet. Although you can’t make out all the words being exchanged, Satoru’s voice is sharp and roiled as he responds.

"Married? You're still obsessed …. settling down, old man? I'm not interested … those uptight women you keep throwing at me …. damn boring!"

Sure, their disagreements are quite frequent, but is it your imagination, or are they arguing about...marriage and heirs?

The realization that your job security is hanging by a thread weighs heavily on you, and you can’t help but feel a pang of envy for the seemingly trivial issues that Satoru and his father are arguing about.

Oh, the privileged problems of rich businessmen, you think.

ꨄ

As the day passes by, you find yourself buried in work – answering phone calls, scheduling meetings, filing paperwork – all while trying your best to push the events from earlier this morning to the back of your mind.

The steady hum of office activity buzzes around you, but your thoughts remain a chaotic whirlwind, replaying the tense confrontation with Satoru's father over and over again.

You feel stuck – should you try scouring the internet later tonight for childcare… again? The knot of anxiety in your stomach tightens each time you recall his stern expression and sharp words.

Amidst the flurry of tasks, a reminder pops up on your Outlook, the chime breaking through your concentration like a jarring alarm:

Supply day

You stare at the notification for a moment, a sense of dread settling in. Today, of all days, a sigh escaping your lips.

You grumble to yourself, the sound barely audible over the rhythmic clicking of keyboards and muted conversations around you. You know exactly how this always goes – the supply room is conveniently located right next to Satoru’s office, a perfect setup for his constant interruptions.

You’re going to have to deal with his incessant pestering while placing the order – it’s like he always manages to find any stupid excuse to bother you, and it’s become a rather annoying tradition at this point.

With the supply list clutched in your hands, you ascend the sleek, glass-paneled staircase to the second floor, each step feeling heavier than the last. The brushed steel railing is cool under your touch, and the soft hum of the elevator nearby reminds you of the countless times you've made this journey.

A flicker of hope dances in your mind.

Maybe – just maybe – today will be different, and Satoru won't be waiting for you in front of the supply room like usual. After all, he did have a fierce argument with his father, their worst fight yet in fact, so perhaps he doesn’t feel like pestering you today.

But as you round the corner, the familiar sight of the supply room comes into view, and your heart sinks as you spot him – arms folded, nonchalantly leaning against the doorframe, adorned in his tailored business suit and a smirk already tugging at the corner of his lips.

His presence is as predictable as it is irritating, the very sight of him almost humorous in its inevitability.

Satoru's eyes glisten with mischief as your gaze meets his. His smirk deepens, clearly relishing the reaction he's drawn from you. With a slight huff and roll of your eyes, you make your way towards him.

"Don't you have work to do?"

He grins knowingly, clearly enjoying your exasperated expression as you approach. “Always so grumpy when you see me,” his voice dripping with faux hurt, “is that any way to greet your future boss?” unfolding his arms, he pushes himself off the wall, a sly smile on his face as he towers over you.

His taunting words only serve to exacerbate your frustration, and you roll your eyes yet again. This man really takes too much joy in getting a reaction from you.

“Gojo, you may not have work to do, but I do,” you respond curtly.

"Ah, the dreaded supply duty, huh?" he smirks, feigning concern as he looks down at your clipboard, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Gotta make sure we're fully stocked with the finest pens and staplers possible. You wouldn't want the company to perish, now would you?" he grins playfully as his voice drips with sarcasm.

“Ugh…” you grumble as you brush past him and enter the room – the scent of freshly printed paper and the faint, musty smell of old supplies greets you. A playful hum escapes Satoru’s lips as he follows suit right behind you, hot on your heels.

"You really take this job too seriously, you know that?" he remarks, his tone laced with playful mockery as he leans against the doorframe. “One of these days you're gonna have to learn how to loosen up a bit. Can't be all serious and grumpy all the time."

You feel the embitterment boiling within you – the audacity of this rich billionaire, who’s petty concerns are as simple as marriage and heirs. With a deep exhale, you bite your tongue, attempting to filter your intolerance for him.

“Yeah well, I can’t just do whatever I want like you Gojo. Unlike you, I actually need this job,” your voice is level, but edged with a mix of frustration and determination as you move toward the shelves, your fingers deftly picking out the necessary supplies.

Satoru remains leaned against the doorframe, noticing the tenacity etched on your face as he watches you work.

For a moment, his playful demeanor falters as he processes your words. They clearly make him realize something – the crucial difference between the two of you. You have way more riding on this job than him, he’s only working to please his overbearing father, but you – you have a sense of purpose and strength that goes beyond mere obligation. Unlike the superficial women his father shoves in his face, you seem to have depth, a resilience that intrigues him.

Finally, he breaks the silence with a nonchalant tone.

“So, you’re a mom. Didn’t expect that.”

You glance up from the supply list, slightly taken aback by his sudden shift in demeanor.

“Yeah, I am,” you reply cautiously, not quite sure where this conversation is heading. Your hands pause mid-action as you meet his gaze, scanning his features to gauge his intentions.

His expression is surprisingly sincere, a far cry from his usual teasing demeanor. His eyes, usually glinting with mischief, now hold a hint of curiosity and something else you can’t quite place. A beat of silence passes before he speaks again, his tone noticeably softer than before.

"How old is your kid?"

“She’s two,” your voice is measured as you lift your brow at him, feeling conflicted – you are still guarded, though something about his unexpected interest makes you feel a bit more at ease.

He nods slowly, the image of a little girl popping into his mind, and he can’t help but feel a twinge of curiosity, pity, or maybe even admiration. He’s not quite sure what exactly this feeling is, but it unsettles him.

He never knew his mother, and his father was never affectionate. The thought of you juggling work and motherhood, managing so much on your own, makes him see you in a new light. There's a strength in you that he finds both fascinating and humbling, something he hasn't encountered often in his sheltered world of wealth and privilege.

He leans his head back slightly, looking up at the ceiling, his gaze momentarily distant – he can tell that you’re uncomfortable sharing these details, and he makes a mental note to tread lightly. But there’s also something about your guardedness that piques his curiosity even more. It’s clear that he’s more invested in this conversation than he’d like to admit, a rare occurrence for him.

He lets out a low whistle, his gaze returning to you with a hint of genuine interest, his eyes lacking that usual mischievous glint.

"Wow, two years old," he muses. "That's pretty young. She must keep you busy."

For a moment, you see a flicker of something softer in his eyes, but there’s a part of you that still doesn’t trust it. You nod, focusing on your task, your fingers deftly organizing supplies as you try to maintain a sense of normalcy.

“Yeah, she does. It’s a lot of work.. but she’s worth it,” your voice naturally softens as you think of your daughter's wide, innocent eyes and the way her laughter lights up even your darkest days.

Satoru falls into a brief moment of contemplation, a fleeting moment of thoughtfulness crossing his face as he absorbs your words.

“I can imagine,” he says quietly, almost to himself.

But then, as if snapping back to his usual self, the corners of his mouth lift into a sly grin as he tilts his head to the side, his eyes regaining their playful spark.

“And here I always thought you were just your average workaholic, obsessed with pencils and paper,” he teases, a hint of mischief dancing on his lips, his words dripping with sarcasm as he continues, “Maybe you should bring her in sometime. I bet she’s already better at filing paperwork than you.”

A small smile escapes you despite your attempts to suppress it, betraying your earlier defensiveness. You roll your eyes, unable to resist his playful banter.

“Very funny, Gojo,” you mutter sarcastically, trying to conceal your amusement, but there's a warmth in your voice that wasn't there before.

He chuckles, clearly pleased with himself as he watches you, the amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Alright, alright. I’ll let you get back to your oh-so-important supply duty. But don’t think I’m going to stop pestering you anytime soon. Gotta make sure my future secretary is on her top game.”

You raise an eyebrow, but don’t respond, opting instead to continue your task, your hands moving methodically as you sort through the supplies. Despite yourself, you can’t help but feel a bit lighter.

The unexpected shift in his demeanor, the way he showed genuine curiosity about your daughter, caught you off guard. For a brief moment, you saw a different side of him – a side that isn't just the arrogant heir, but someone who might actually care. It’s a fleeting glimpse, but it’s enough to make you wonder if there’s more to Satoru Gojo than meets the eye.

He slowly lifts himself from the doorframe, his movements deliberate and unhurried. Stopping for a moment, he casts a last lingering glance in your direction, a smirk playing on his lips. His voice, exuding that typical mockery, breaks the silence.

“Seriously though, get those supplies ordered before the company crumbles without its precious pens and staplers – oh, can you order the blue ball tipped ones? Those are my favorite.”

Clearly enjoying the exasperated sigh that escapes your lips, Satoru flashes you a playful wink. Shaking your head, you feel a mix of amusement and frustration bubbling up inside you.

You take it back – he’s as obnoxious as ever.

But you are not sure why you are unable to suppress a small smile. And for the first time ever, his playful teasing, while infuriating, also held a strange charm that you can't quite deny.

ꨄ

Rushing through the front doors of Gojo Corporation, your heart pounds with a mix of anxiety and exhaustion.

The early morning sunlight barely filters through the towering glass windows, casting long shadows across the sleek marble floors.

Your unreliable nanny had flaked on you again, forcing you to scramble for a last-minute solution for your daughter. You called everyone possible, your neighbor, your mother, hell even Naoya.

Luckily, your best friend Utahime could step in, but the frantic search had cost you precious time, and now, you were late yet again. Dread gnaws at you, a nagging fear that today will be the day you finally get fired for your tardiness.

Clutching your bag tightly, you weave through the bustling crowd of employees, their polished shoes tapping rhythmically against the floor as they move with purpose. The air is thick with the scent of fresh coffee and the faint hum of conversations. You feel wandering eyes on you and hear the muted whispers following your hurried steps.

"Can you believe Mr. Gojo passed away suddenly?" one employee whispers, their voice barely audible over the din.

"Yeah, heart attack, I heard. It’s going to cause a huge shakeup in the company," another replies, their tone laced with uncertainty.

You freeze in place, the news hitting you like a ton of bricks.

Did you hear them correctly?

Takemi Gojo, the CEO and your boss, had passed away?

You struggle to process it, the shock of the news mingling with the fear of losing your job. You were Takemi’s personal secretary, so…what does this mean for you?

Was Satoru going to take over the company? You should be fine then, right? He wouldn’t fire you… he has always been pestering you, boasting about being your future boss after all.

The thought of his arrogant smirk sends a shiver down your spine, but it also gives you a sliver of hope.

Your steps falter as you reach the door leading to your desk, your fingers trembling as you fumble with your bag for your badge. As you glance around, you can’t help but note the worried expressions on your colleagues' faces, their whispered conversations adding to the sense of unease. The usually bustling office now feels oddly oppressive, the air thick with uncertainty and mourning.

The second you round your desk, one of Takemi’s assistants, Yaga, is waiting for you. His stern expression stands out starkly against the backdrop of worried faces, and his face is etched with lines of fatigue, making him look older than he is. His lips are set in a thin line, and the dark circles under his eyes suggest he hasn’t slept well.

"Y/N, we need to talk," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Oh, okay,” you say timidly.

As you follow him to a nearby office, your heart sinks with each step. The corridor feels longer than usual, every footfall echoing like a drumbeat of impending doom. The walls are adorned with framed certificates and company accolades, a testament to the empire Takemi Gojo built.

"What’s going on?" you ask, trying to keep your voice steady, the knot in your stomach tightening, a cold sweat forming at the back of your neck. You can barely hear yourself over the pounding of your heart.

Yaga closes the door behind you with a heavy sigh, the sound resonating ominously in the confined space. He looks uncomfortable, his eyes avoiding yours as he gestures for you to sit. The room feels stifling, the air thick with unspoken tension.

"Please, take a seat," he says, his voice softening slightly, though the underlying gravity of the situation remains.

You lower yourself into the chair, your fingers clutching the armrests as if they could anchor you in the storm of uncertainty.

Yaga sits across from you, his posture rigid, hands clasped tightly on the desk. He takes a deep breath before meeting your gaze, his eyes reflecting a mixture of regret and resignation.

"With Mr. Gojo gone, the company is undergoing some restructuring," he begins, choosing his words carefully. "It's been a challenging time for everyone, and difficult decisions have to be made."

His words hang in the air, each one a heavy weight pressing down on your chest. The knot in your stomach tightens further, and you swallow hard, bracing yourself for the inevitable blow.

"Since you were Mr. Gojo's personal secretary, your position is being terminated," he continues, his tone tinged with genuine regret. "We no longer need your services."

A silence envelops the room, broken only by the faint hum of the air conditioner. The framed accolades on the wall seem to mock you, a stark contrast to the harsh reality you're now facing.

Your heart plummets into a deep abyss, the weight of his words pressing down on you like a boulder. A cold, hollow feeling spreads through your chest, and it’s as if the air has been sucked out of the room.

Your mind races, images of unpaid bills and your daughter's innocent face flashing before your eyes. Panic bubbles up inside you, threatening to spill over.

You can't let this happen.

You think about the sacrifices you've made, the sleepless nights, the constant juggling of responsibilities.

Who would you turn to?

Your family isn’t an option, you don’t really get along with your mother… she has her own set of issues, leaving you with no support system to lean on. There is no one you can reach out to… no one except...

Naoya.

The mere thought of Naoya sends a shiver down your spine.

You promised yourself you’d never go back to that lying cheater. He’s manipulative, always finding ways to twist situations to his advantage.

You remember how he tried to get you to crawl back to him, using your daughter as a bargaining chip.

How he used to make you feel like you were the one at fault for everything, gaslighting you into questioning your own sanity.

When you caught him cheating, he didn’t even apologize. Instead, he blamed you for being too busy with school and your daughter to take care of his needs. He claimed that if you had been a better partner, he wouldn’t have had to look elsewhere.

Even after you left him, he continued to try to control you. He would show up unannounced at your door, demanding to see your daughter, only to criticize your parenting and suggest that she would be better off with him.

Ironic, considering how he wants nothing to do with her. She barely even recognizes his face.

He missed both her birthdays, all her doctors’ appointments – he was never involved in anything. The man can’t even change a diaper.

Being an attorney himself, he has used his legal knowledge to delay the court date for child support, knowing full well that you were struggling to make ends meet. Every time you thought you might be free of his influence, he would find a way to pull you back in.

You can't let yourself fall into his trap again, but what other options do you have?

The thought of begging him for help makes your skin crawl. You can almost hear his smug voice, telling you how you were always too proud for your own good. The humiliation would be unbearable, and you know he would use it to his advantage, tightening his grip on your life even more.

But is there another way out?

Hopelessness claws at your insides, making it hard to breathe. Your daughter deserves better than this. She deserves a stable home and a mother who isn’t constantly worried about how to pay the next bill. You have to find a solution, and fast.

Taking a shaky breath, you struggle to keep your voice steady, the words barely escaping your lips.

"But... I need this job." Desperation laces your tone, each word a plea. "I have a daughter to support. I can't afford to lose this job. Please, there must be something I can do."

Yaga looks at you with a mixture of pity and helplessness.

"I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do. I want you to know that this decision wasn't made lightly," he says gently. "You’ll receive a severance package, but today will be your last day. Please ensure you pack up your things."

The finality of his words feels like a punch to your gut. You nod numbly, not trusting yourself to speak.

As you return to your desk, each step feels heavier than the last as the weight of the moment settles over you like a suffocating blanket.

You begin packing your things, the mundane task giving your hands something to do while your mind spirals.

As you place the last of your personal items into a cardboard box, a sudden realization hits you.

You remember leaving some of your things upstairs in the supply room.

With a heavy sigh, you lift the box and head towards the staircase, your footsteps echoing through the now-quiet hallways, the usual office buzz replaced by an uneasy silence.

The trip feels familiar, but solemn this time. A bittersweet feeling surges through you, knowing that the countless trips you’ve made to the supply room will no longer be interrupted by Satoru’s playful teasing.

Thinking about those interactions now, you feel a pang of confusion.

Why had Yaga been the one to deliver the news?

Was Satoru now the CEO?

If he was, why would he fire you?

The questions swirl in your mind, creating a storm of confusion and anxiety.

As you approach the supply room, the realization that Satoru’s office is right next door makes your heart pound faster.

Just then, you hear raised voices seeping through a crack of his office door. Recognizing Satoru’s distinct tone, laced with anger, you can't help but pause, curiosity getting the better of you.

“What do you mean I have to be married with a child to inherit?” Satoru's voice echoes down the hallway, sharp and incredulous.

The response is muffled, but you can make out the words.

“...stipulation in the will…necessary condition…”

You pause, your heart pounding as you listen. This was clearly a private conversation, but the gravity of Satoru’s words piques your interest. You inch closer, straining to hear more, your breath held in anticipation. Satoru's voice rises again, frustration clear in every syllable.

“This is ridiculous! My father can’t control my life from beyond the grave. How am I supposed to find someone to marry and have a child with on such short notice?”

Your pulse pounds in your ears as you strain to catch every word. The lawyer’s voice is calm, almost rehearsed.

“I understand this is a lot to take in, Mr. Gojo. But the terms are clear. To claim your inheritance, you must fulfill these conditions. Otherwise, the company will pass to the next eligible heir.”

There's a tense pause, followed by the sound of something heavy crashing onto the desk—likely Satoru’s fist. His voice, strained with frustration and anger, echoes through the room.

“Next eligible heir? There is no other heir! My father knew that. This is just his way of trying to control me, even in death.”

The lawyer remains unflappable, his tone steady and professional. “You have a year to fulfill the requirements. Perhaps you should start considering your options.”

You hear the rustling of papers, a clear sign that the lawyer is preparing to leave. You instinctively back away from the door slightly, your mind racing with the implications of what you’ve just overheard.

As the door creaks open, you quickly shuffle into the supply room, your heart pounding. Peeking through the crack, you see the lawyer exiting Satoru’s office, his face a mask of resigned professionalism.

As the lawyer walks away, your mind begins to whirl. The weight of your current situation crashes over you. The thought of losing your job, your only source of income, terrifies you.

Your mind latches onto Satoru’s predicament—needing a wife and child to secure his inheritance.

You fit that description perfectly.

You are a single mother, and marrying Satoru, even if just for show, could solve both of your problems.

But could you do it? Could you really propose such an audacious plan to Satoru Gojo? Your heart races as the idea solidifies in your mind.

It’s this or Naoya.

Desperation gives you the push you need, reminding you of your daughter’s innocent face and her future depending on your next move.

Once the lawyer is out of sight, you take a deep breath and steel yourself. This is your chance—perhaps the only chance—to keep your job and provide a better future for your daughter. The enormity of what you're about to do makes your stomach churn, but you push the fear aside, focusing on the opportunity.

Taking another steadying breath, you knock on the office door and enter.

Satoru's furious gaze snaps to you, a tempest of emotions swirling in his icy blue eyes. Anger is the most prominent, his jaw clenched so tightly that you can see the muscles twitching.

But beneath the fury, there's a raw, palpable hurt. The loss of his father, the sudden pressure of the inheritance stipulation, and the looming uncertainty of his future all collide in his expression.

His normally confident demeanor is fractured, the vulnerability barely masked by his rage. You can see the telltale signs of a sleepless night—dark circles under his eyes, his usually impeccable hair disheveled, and a stiffness in his posture as if he’s holding himself together by sheer will.

“Y/n, not now,” he snaps, his voice strained and sharp, eyes blazing with frustration.

Despite the torrent of emotions flashing across his face, you stand your ground, summoning every ounce of courage you possess.

“Let’s get married,” you blurt out, the words tumbling from your lips before you can second-guess yourself.

The room falls into a deafening silence, the gravity of your proposition hanging heavily in the air.

Satoru’s eyes widen, the anger dissolving into pure shock. His mouth falls open slightly, and he blinks rapidly as if trying to process what he just heard.

“I’m sorry… what did you just say?” he finally manages, his voice a mixture of disbelief and confusion, the tension in the room palpable.

You swallow hard, feeling the weight of your bold declaration. You can see the gears turning in his mind, the initial shock giving way to contemplation. His eyebrows draw together, and he tilts his head slightly, studying your face as if searching for any hint of a joke. The intensity of his gaze makes your pulse quicken.

“Let’s get married,” you repeat, this time with more conviction. “You need a wife and a child to fulfill the stipulation in the will, I fit those criteria. We can help each other. It would be mutually beneficial. You get to keep your inheritance, and I get to keep my job.”

He continues to stare at you, his eyes flickering with a myriad of emotions—confusion, curiosity, and a hint of something softer, perhaps hope.

“You’re serious?” he finally asks, his voice quieter now.

“Yes,” you reply firmly. “Think about it. You wouldn’t have to worry about finding someone else, and it solves both of our problems. It’s a win-win.”

Satoru runs a hand through his hair, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. A faint, incredulous smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he lets out a huff of a chuckle.

“Well, I didn’t expect to be proposed to on the day of my father’s death,” he says, his voice heavy with irony but still managing to inject a touch of humor despite the emotional weight he's carrying. “And I have to say, this is probably the least romantic proposal ever.”

You take a deep breath, meeting his gaze steadily. “This isn’t about romance, Satoru. This is strictly business. No emotions attached.”

Satoru's expression shifts, the playful sarcasm replaced by genuine contemplation. He leans back in his chair, rubbing his temples as he processes the gravity of your proposal.

“And you’re okay with this?” he asks, his tone a blend of skepticism and intrigue. “A fake marriage? Living a lie?”

You nod, your resolve unwavering. “I need this job, Gojo. For my daughter, I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Besides, it’s not like we’d have to pretend forever. Just long enough to satisfy the will’s requirements.”

Satoru leans forward, his eyes narrowing as he studies you intently. “Okay, but what about the press? This is going to be highly publicized and scrutinized. They’re going to make things difficult. Do you think you can really handle it? The media, the constant scrutiny? It’s not going to be easy you know.”

You square your shoulders, determination hardening your resolve. “I can handle it. I’ve dealt with difficult situations before, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work. We both have a lot at stake here.”

Satoru raises an eyebrow, skepticism etched into his features. He leans back, scrubbing his chin with his hand as he ponders your words. The room is silent for a moment, filled only with the sound of his contemplative breathing. Finally, he speaks, his voice laced with doubt.

“You do realize what you’re signing up for, right? This isn’t just a casual arrangement. We’ll have to convince everyone that this is real. That means living together, attending events together, and putting on a convincing act at all times.”

“I understand,” you reply firmly. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to provide a secure future for my daughter. We can work through the terms together.”

Satoru runs a hand through his hair, eyes narrowing slightly as he considers the implications, weighing the potential fallout against the benefits. For a moment, his gaze softens as he studies you, a flicker of admiration passing through his eyes.

He sees the determination and resolve etched into your features, and it strikes a chord within him. Then, as if unable to resist, a mischievous glint appears in his eyes as he lets out a low hum.

“But are you sure you can leave emotions out of it? You might end up falling for me, you know,” he teases, a smirk playing on his lips.

Rolling your eyes, a shiver rakes down your spine. Shaking your head, you stand firmly.

“Yeah, not happening. I think I can manage, Gojo. This is purely a business arrangement. No emotional entanglements.”

He chuckles softly, the sound unexpectedly warm and genuine. In that brief moment, teasing you gives him a fleeting sense of relief from the immense pressure he’s been feeling.

“If you say so,” he murmurs, still grinning.

As you look at him, you notice the subtle signs of emotional fatigue etched into his features—his teasing doesn’t have its usual edge. The slight sag of his shoulders, the weariness in his eyes. It strikes you that although Satoru Gojo can sometimes be a privileged ass, he’s also a regular person with his own burdens and struggles.

Maybe there really is more to him than you originally thought?

The playful light in his eyes slowly dims, replaced by a steely resolve. He straightens in his chair, the humor fading from his expression as he leans forward, all business now.

“Alright,” he says, his voice steady and determined. “We’ll draw up a contract – I have a friend who’s a lawyer, I can arrange a meeting. And I’ll get started on the arrangements to have you and your daughter move into my place.”

You nod, feeling the tight knot of anxiety in your chest finally loosen. The realization hits you – this is actually happening.

Satoru Gojo, the heir to the Gojo Corporation, is agreeing to marry you?

It's almost surreal, like stepping into a dream – or perhaps a well-orchestrated scheme. But it’s real, and it’s happening.

Relief floods through you, washing over the stress and uncertainty that had been weighing you down – for the first time in what feels like forever, you see a glimmer of hope, a tangible solution to the myriad of problems you’ve been grappling with.

To secure a future for your daughter, to stabilize your life, all you have to do is deal with Satoru Gojo.

Easy, right?

“Agreed,” you say, your voice steadier now. “But first things first, we need to lay down some ground rules. We set clear boundaries.”

“No emotional entanglements,” he reiterates, his voice firm.

“Exactly,” you agree. “And no touching,” you add resolutely, crossing your arms defensively.

Satoru raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yeah… that’s not entirely realistic in public. We’ll need to look convincing. Hand-holding, maybe a kiss or two for the cameras.”

You feel a flush rise to your cheeks at his suggestion. “A kiss or two?” you repeat, trying to keep your voice steady despite the sudden flutter in your stomach. “This is a business arrangement, Gojo. Not a rom-com.”

He chuckles softly, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Relax, I’m not asking for a love story. Just enough to keep up appearances. It’s a business arrangement with a touch of theatrics. Think of it as...method acting.”

You narrow your eyes at him, not missing the amusement dancing in his gaze. “Fine.” You mutter reluctantly, “But only in public, and only as much as necessary. I’m not playing house for fun. No funny business.”

“You have my word,” he grins, placing a hand over his heart in mock sincerity. “Strictly business. No funny business. Well… maybe just a little,” he adds with a wink.

You narrow your eyes at him, your resolve unwavering. “I’m serious Gojo, you better keep it professional when we’re alone. I’m not here for your entertainment.”

Satoru chuckles softly, the sound rich and surprisingly genuine. “Don’t worry, I’ll behave. But you might want to practice that smile of yours. You know, the one that doesn’t look like you want to kill me.”

You groan and roll your eyes, “I’ll work on it… anyways, what’s next on the agenda?”

Satoru hums thoughtfully, reaching for a notepad and pen. “Since we’re on the topic of appearances in public… we should probably arrange a public announcement of our engagement.” He taps the pen against the pad thoughtfully. “Oh, and we’ll need to come up with a convincing story of our love and make sure both sides match… meaning we’ll need to know enough about each other to pull this off – our likes, dislikes, habits…”

“Gojo,” you interject, pulling his attention back from his thoughts. “There’s something else.”

He pauses briefly and raises an eyebrow, signaling you to continue.

“My daughter,” you say, your voice steady but laced with concern. “She’s my top priority. I’ll need her to have a stable environment. We need to discuss her care and routines. She’ll need her own room, and I need to ensure she has everything she needs, including a full-time nanny.”

Taking a deep breath, you clench your fists and steel yourself, pulling your gaze up to meet his. “That is one of my conditions. Will you cover the expenses of her childcare? Just during our agreement, of course.”

Satoru’s expression softens slightly, a flicker of empathy in his eyes. He sets down the notepad and pen, giving you his full attention.

“Of course,” he replies, his voice sincere. “We’ll make sure she has everything she needs. A stable environment is important for both of you, and I’ll take care of the costs for her childcare.”

Your thoughts drift to your daughter—her wide eyes, her infectious giggle that lights up even the darkest days, and the way she clings to you with unwavering trust. You picture her tiny hands gripping yours, her joyful laughter echoing through the halls of Satoru's grand home.

The weight of the past months’ struggles seems to lift slightly, replaced by a cautious hope. Relief washes over you, but you maintain your composed exterior.

“Thank you.”

He nods, leaning back in his chair.

“She’ll have only the best. I’ll have my assistant compile a list of top-notch nannies, and you can make the final decision.”

You blink, a bit surprised by his willingness to ensure your daughter’s stability. It’s a side of Satoru you hadn’t expected—a softness beneath the confident, often arrogant exterior.

“Thank you, Gojo,” you say again, more softly this time.

His lips curve into a faint smile, one that carries a hint of genuine warmth. "You're welcome. We'll get through this together. One step at a time."

You hold his gaze, finding an unexpected gentleness in his eyes. This keeps happening. Was this softness always there, hidden beneath his confident facade?

As you find yourself lost in the moment, Satoru clears his throat, pulling you both back to reality.

“Alright, sounds like we have a lot of the initial details covered. Let’s finalize everything with my lawyer. I'll see if he’s available tomorrow—the sooner we do this, the better.”

“Right,” you mutter. “It’s a deal then.”

Satoru rises from his chair, signaling the end of the discussion for now. There’s a brief, tense silence. Your eyes meet his, and for a moment, the world outside seems to fade away. His gaze rakes over you, intense and penetrating, almost as if he’s trying to read the depths of your resolve.

The intensity of his stare makes you feel flustered, heat rising to your cheeks. The sudden rush of emotions and the close scrutiny make you feel awkward, and you instinctively extend your hand toward him, needing to formalize the agreement to break the tension.

“I appreciate it, Gojo,” you say, your voice a bit unsteady. The gesture feels stiff and unnatural.

Satoru looks at your extended hand, a smirk forming on his lips and mischief dancing in his eyes. He finds your awkwardness oddly endearing.

“You’re welcome,” he grins, taking your hand in his warm, steady grip. The touch lingers a moment longer than necessary, the silence between you filled with unspoken thoughts. His amusement is evident in the twinkle of his eyes, but there’s also a hint of something deeper, a connection that neither of you fully understands yet.

He lets out a soft hum, his voice dripping with humor, “And you should start calling me Satoru now. After all, you’ll be a Gojo soon enough.”

Your eyes widen, and you feel your face flush even more, pulling your hand away from him, his fingers brush against yours, sending a small shiver down your spine. The teasing comment throws you off balance, adding to the whirlwind of emotions you’re already experiencing.

“Satoru,” you repeat, the name feeling unfamiliar on your tongue. “Right. Satoru.”

He chuckles softly, clearly enjoying your flustered state. His laugh is low and warm, reverberating through the room like a gentle, mocking caress.

“That’s better,” he says, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He leans back slightly, crossing his arms as he continues to watch you with an almost predatory interest, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a teasing smile.

The atmosphere in the room shifts subtly, charged with an undercurrent of something unspoken yet undeniable, making your heart race just a bit faster.

You try to ignore the fluttering sensation in your stomach, convincing yourself that it’s merely irritation. Satoru has always had this effect on you—his arrogance, his charm, the way he seems to enjoy pushing your buttons. It’s infuriating, and yet, there’s something about him that draws you in, even if you don’t want to admit it. The conflicting emotions swirl within you, leaving you feeling unsteady and vulnerable.

He shrugs, leaning back further with his grin expanding, curling up higher as if he was reading your mind.

“Just remember, sweetheart, this is strictly business. No falling in love with me, okay?”

You scoff, crossing your arms.

“Trust me, that’s the last thing on my mind, and don’t call me sweetheart.”

He chuckles, the sound low and warm, and you can’t help but feel a mix of irritation and amusement.

“Whatever you say, darling,” he replies, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

For a moment, the world seems to narrow down to just the two of you – his eyes hold yours, a challenge and a promise in their depths, and you can’t help but wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into.

a/n. thanks so much for reading :') → on to the next chapter ꨄ

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