Chapter Text
Seira sighed deeply, closing her door behind her. She almost didn't slept last night, redoing her routine until her muscles were sore.
She exhaled even deeper, maybe she should've take a drink to help her sleep.
She mentally slapped herself the moment the thought made it's way to her brain. Absolutely not.
She reverted to her original line of thinking. The only things that stopped her practice were hunger, quickly satisfied with two onigiri, and the sound of her neighborhood key turning inside the lock at 3 in the morning.
Eying his door as she passed by, she humected her lips. He was in a really bad shape last night, shoulders slothed on himself as he was using the wall for support. She bited her lips, remembering his form, the blood on his sweatshirt and the small bruise on his cheek.
Even this ruined, his presence was still cogent almost daunting, pulling her in like a flame toward him, so that she could try and help him regain some of his stature, the one he had the night they met for the first time.
She stopped the shiver going down her spine and hurried out the door of the building, making her way through the city to the "playfull cloud", her eyes acknowledging the lion's head tag on the storefront of one of the shop near the studio, "Togame has the same on his jacket..."
....
Geto rested his pencil on his desk and raised an eyebrow at his pupil. She was jumpy since she arrived this morning, rackin the skin of her thumb or playing with one of her many ring, leg going up and down like a jackhammer. She was going to dig the ground if she kept going.
-"What's wrong star girl ?" She didn't pay him any mind, too absorbed on her draft.
He approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. He held the laugh coming from the back of his throat when she leaped in surprise, a big line now crossing her drawing.
-"What was that for ??!!" Her voice was still croaking and he couldn't help but chuckle.
-"I'm sorry, I just asked you what was wrong but you didn't seem to hear me."
-"Oh sorry, It's nothing I'm just not sure about what gem to use for the ring." She blurted clearly not convinced by what she just said.-
-"Do I really look this dense to you ?" Her face twisted at his question. "You've been eyeing your watch every 5 seconds since arriving. Do you have a date or something ?"
-"What ?! No?" She hid her face in humiliation. "It's just... " she peeked through her fingers to search his reassuring gaze. "ahh, it's just that I'm performing tonight and I don't wanna embarass you or Gojo-san..."
-"Don't say that, you could never embarass us, even if you tried." She pursed her lips, eyes shinning at his statement.
-"Really ?"
-"Really." He saw the pink shades appear on the type of her nose and couldn't help but pat her head.
-"Come here, I know what know what will lighten your mood." He knew he made the right call when he saw the bright smile appear on her face when he grabbed the semi-permanent tattoo pen.
He was seeing so much of himself in her sometimes, it was scary.
....
-"Stop squirming or it's going to be messy." Geto voice reprimanded her as he trailed the pen down her spine.
-"I'm sorry but it tickle." She cried, the tip of the pen sent ants all around her skin.
Geto slightly moved around for sole answer, angling his head to have a better view of his piece. It wasn't a permanent one this time, but Seira always preferred to try designs directly on her skin before crossing the path. Besides her and Geto had time before heading to the Limitless,
Geto having kindly proposed to accompany her, she supposed it was also to see Gojo, but the attention was nice.
She attempted her best to stay still, trying to focus on the other side of the tinted window in front of her. Her senseï was so nice trying to change her mind, she didn't want to disturb him more. She stared at the passers-by, silently judging some fashion choices, they couldn't hear nor see her so It wouldn't hurt, right ?
Her eyebrow furrowed when two guys appeared in her line of sight, giving her their back as they ordered at the waffle store opposite to the studio. They were wearing the same jacket as Togame and the view of the lion'head made her heart stop in her ribs cage. Do they know each other ?
-"Ne Geto-san, what's up with the guy with the yellow jackets ?"
-"Hm, what guys ?" Breaking his contration, He glanced from behind her.
-"The ones with the lion head on their back." She pointed at the pair on the opposite of the tainted glass.
-"Ah, that's the Shishitoren guys." Once he realized what she was talking about.
-"Shishitoren ?" She tilted her head on the side.
-"Yeah, they're the gang who rule the city..."
-"Really ?...are they...dangerous ?"
The wicked interest in her voice made the older man's eyes squint.
-"You could say that, they have a bad reputation. Specially their top guys Tomiyama Choji and Togame Jo." Her eyes widened at the mention of her neighbor name.
He was a gang member. Notoriously dangerous. The information had a hard time making its way to her brain, "so that's why he was beaten up..." not that she was surprised, she guessed that his injuries were the result of a fight, and that he had some kind of physical activity, his built proved it. But being the ace of a gang, that she wouldn't have guessed. She licked her lips, her interest was definitively piqued.
-"why ? Did one of them give you trouble ?" She smiled at the the slight worry in his voice.
-"No, not all. My neighbor, the one I talked you about. He has the same jacket."
They're was no need to tell him who the neighbor was, it'll just add to his stress.
-"Ah, well I don't know any of them personally. But the rumors about them are..." He frowned, Geto didn't like judging based on rumors. But the safety of his student was his responsibility. "Difficult to deny."
-"Hmm." she nodded, following the two guys with her blue orbs.
Geto winced, it's not that he didn't trust her because he did, but his little novice had a bad habit of chasing a high only dangerous people could make you feel. And telling her to stay away from this guy will only fuel her interest. Way too much like him.
-"Weren't you and Sukuna-San part of a gang ? Like big yakuza style ?" She got him out out of his trance, sly smile adorning her lips.
He sneered at her statement.
-"Yeah but I was difficult back then, Sukuna still is."
-"He's so gonna curse you for this." She laughed, and Geto couldn't help but snicker at the thought.
He looked at her, she was still shaking from her laugh. She was going to be alright, he'll make sure of it.
......
Sitting in the artists lodge of the club, Seira was fidgeting in her seat. She could hear the place grew fuller as time passed, which wasn't surprising, the Limitless was THE club to go if you wanted to have a good night. That if you weren't the one who was performing suspended 50 feet above the ground, while trying not to ridiculise yourself. She eyed her phone, she was supposed to make her first appearance on the stage in fifteen minutes.
She marched close her to the exit, her high heels ticking at the same pace as the second and gazed at herself in the long mirror. She winced and she saw the size of her arms, the skimpy outfits making her curves awfully show "Girl, you need a diet." They're was no way the public was going to find her attractive, for all she knew they'll just start whispering and laugh at her. She winced some more.
Maybe she could go ask Toji, the hot barman, some liquors to chase the sand that was piling in her mouth. Yeah, a cherry coke would definitely be refreshing and pulverize the tiny grains, shutting up the voice inside her head and make her stomach climb back were it was supposed to be at the same time.
-"Don't think about that." She shook her head and reported her attention back on the mirror. Objectively, she was looking good, the makeup coupled with her complicated bun were real time art works, she looked almost ethereal. "Gods Miwa is so talented."
She smiled at the memory of the makeup artist, after a awkward silence in the backroom the two succeeded to talk, and during their chit chat Seira learned the blue haired was also a second year in the same high school she was transferring to.
She checked her phone again, 6 minutes before she had to enter the main room. She closed her eyes, "everything is going to be alright. Its just 20 minutes 3 times." In her perspective the first performance was the hardest but also the most reassuring, she would be to high to see if people were watching or not. Then after a pause she'll be on the hoop but thankfully not alone as they should be 4 other performers in the room. And finally she'll have to go up one of the pole dance bar and hope to reil in some clients.
Finally the moment came, she tried to push up her glasses to gain countenance, only to feel the void under he fingers. She was wearing lenses.
Her face twisted the few times people she didn't know invaded her personal space as she walked her way toward the round stage in the middle of the club, the loud basses blasting through her ears.
Her nails sunk in her palms at the sight of the long curtains leading up to the selling. "Gods let me nail this without any injuries." Now standing in front tall fabrics she gave a sign to Ino, their DJ so that he could start the music. The first note of the wide awake remix giving her the go to start climbing.
Rhythmically making her ascension, she couldn't help but peer were Geto was supposed to be, she quickly found him but he wasn't alone, comfortably sitting on the cushion next to him was obviously Gojo. But also Sukuna, Rosé, Shoko, Uraume and Choso. They raised their glasses at her while screaming things she couldn't hear but she didn't mind, their presence alone made her lighter as she kept going up gracefully.
Grewing more confident in the last minute, she even made some sensual moves, catching the eyes of some of the partyers. Beautifully tangled in the tissue, she heard the last notes of the mix and let herself drop at the same time as the bass, relishing in the glimpse of freedom it gave her.
She fastly freed herself after the light game changed, grabbing her tips her eyes almost bulged at the sight of bills of colors she only seen in movies. "Damn , all of this ??" Then made her way back to the lodge, throwing her money bag in her locker, she wasn't worried Gojo had put a lot of money in the security system.
Her night was going amazingly well, the second performance had gone as good as the first and, infatuated in her success, she was now doing a more than unholy dance between a very enthusiastic Gojo and an even stiffer Choso.
She smiled widely when she felt her bestfriend coming behind her, the pink haired girl grabbing her waist and squeezing herself on her back while they grinded on each other.
She partyed with Rosé enough time to know where this was going so she wasn't surprised when the taller girl turned her around and shoved her tongue down her throat.
What did surprise her tho was the strong aftertaste of alcohol that slipped from Rosé mouth to hers. The smack of Whiskey almost numbing all her sense on the spot.
She pulled away from her best friend, her legs felt like jelly and the room was shaking around her. She grimaced at the bass drop, "Shut the fuck up !" All she could here was the crackling of the implificators.
The grains made they way back to her throat, like they have been multiplying while they were waiting for her to slip, now they were suffocating her as her breath was accelerating trying to catch some oxygen.
-"No, no, no !" She rushed to the bathroom, elbowing people on her way. Her vision was unfocused and the lights were giving her a headach. Bringing her shacky hand to her mouth and forcing her fingers in to touch her amygdala, her ribs retracted on themselves as the hot mix of half digested food and saliva made its way up to her mouth and down the toilet in a disgusting splash.
Her face twisted as she whipped her mouth, the taste was still there. She started shaking her head, no it wasn't. "It's in your head !"
She sniffled, trying to hold back her tears. All she wanted was a sip, why couldn't she have it ?! She sobbed on the restroom floor. "Please help me, I can't do this again...please just one sip of wine..." She had pull herself together and silence the voice. She had no choice her last performance was starting in a few minutes. But she couldn't even bring herself up of the bathroom floor.
-"Star girl you're here ?! Sukuna said he saw you run to the bathroom."
The door swung open to let appear Geto, eyes popping out of their socket at the display.
-"I'm sober..." she cried, clinging on him the moment he crouched down. "I'm clean, I didn't drink anything, I promise..."
-"I know stargirl, I believe you." He soothed her, caressing her back to make her come down.
They stayed like that a few hours, or maybe a few minutes she wasn't sure. All she know is that when it was over, Rosé jumped in her arms, apologizing abundantly while Gojo and Geto whispered to each other. When did they get here, she had no ideas.
-"It's okay, I know you didn't do it on purpose." Seira whispered in her ear as they hugged.
They were going to need a discussion, knowing Rosé she'll probably beat herself up for what happened.
-"Come on, Sukuna is going to take you home." Geto voice interrupted them and Seira furrowed her eyebrows.
-"But, I still have a performance !"
-"Seira..." she ignored him, turning to Gojo instead.
-"I can perform, please, I want to."
Gojo evalued her, with a stern gaze she didn't knew he could make. At his lack of answer, she made a confident step toward him. Night blue eyes against ocean's ones.
He turned to his lover, searching his gaze.
-"I don't mind it, but it's your call."
-"Please. I need to. I wanna prove to myself that I can." He didn't react for a few seconds and Seira felt the tears cling to her fake eyelashes. Ultimately he sighed and gave her a small nod.
The rest of the night had gone quickly after that. They joined their friends and Seira performed like she was supposed to, the cold feeling of the pole bringing her a little more closer to reality.
Even after, they departed from the group, her broody demeanor didn't budge and she didn't feel like being alone in her appartement. She silently thanked Sukuna when he chose the longest way to take her home and she almost cried when, arriving to the her neighborhood, they passed the same redlight at least 3 times.
She got out of the car, giving sukuna shoulder a small squeeze as a thank you.
Arrived at home she texted the group chat and made her way to the bathroom, fighting the need to grab the bottle in her drawer.