"You know what I mean, right?"

Bile rose up in your throat, and you were just fast enough to lunge over to the waste paper bin near your bed, emptying your stomach contents into it, gasping desperately for breath. You couldn’t understand what was happening, where the pain was coming from. 

This didn’t feel the same as the suffering summoned when a monster would appear. This was something else. It was more akin to how your body had reacted when Sukuna had touched your amulet, but dialed up to one hundred. 

Sukuna.

You turned to glance back at the bed, mortified at the idea that he’d be witnessing this. You must look like a complete state right now, covered in a sheen of sweat, hunched over the waste bin. 

For a moment, you were relieved that he wasn’t there, glad that the only one to witness your suffering was you, because the idea of having to explain it to him was far from ideal. But your relief quickly faded, giving way to a sense of uncertainty that had you wondering where he was. 

Glancing at the alarm clock, you balked at how late it was, with the digital numbers suggesting that it was already past midday. It was unlike you to sleep in this late, your body tending to wake up on its own whenever the sun rose. 

Just what the hell was going on with you this morning? 

You supposed that if it was really that late it was likely that Sukuna had already headed into the office following his call last night. He’d probably left nice and early and decided to let you have a lie in. 

Yeah, that was it. 

There was no point in fretting about his whereabouts when you had a more pressing matter at hand. You needed to understand what was happening to you and how to stop it. Had you broken some aspect of the contract? Were you being punished in some way? 

Making an attempt to steady your breathing, you tried to clear your vision of the white spots plaguing it. You were only somewhat successful, the pain still ever present, but through the sheer force of will you managed to force it further back in your mind. Back when you’d had cancer most of your days had been spent in weakness and agony, this was nothing new to you, you’d face it just like you’d faced everything else in your life. 

Standing up shakily, you stumbled over to the closet, pulling it open and searching for the box that you’d been hiding your amulet in recently to ensure that Sukuna didn’t stumble across it accidentally. 

But you knew in your heart what was waiting for you before you threw the box open. 

It was empty. Save for the scrap of paper that had been left at the bottom in exchange for the item bound to your very soul. 

Want this back? Come and find me. 

Below the neat handwriting was an address, followed by a sign off from the King of Curses. 

Tears were prickling at your eyes, worrying your lip between your teeth as you stared down at the handwriting. The address was familiar, although you’d never been there yourself - it was Sukuna’s apartment. You only knew because you’d sent him a gift in the mail a couple of weeks ago. 

Why the hell did the King of Curses want to meet you there? 

Your blood ran cold at the thought of him taking Sukuna captive. If he’d taken your amulet, that meant that he’d been in your apartment. He could’ve snatched Sukuna while he was sleeping and was now holding him hostage. Perhaps he wanted to play some cruel game with you in which he made you choose between getting your amulet back or saving Sukuna’s life. 

This whole thing had clearly been meticulously planned, and it had you wondering just how long the King of Curses had been aware of your identity. Had he been biding his time for weeks? Months? Years? Perhaps he’d been waiting until you were at your highest and happiest before bringing the hammer down. 

Maybe all he really wanted was to take something away from you, and your relationship with Sukuna was the perfect opportunity for him to step in. 

Groaning, you fell to your knees, trying to keep the pain at bay. The groggy feeling was really starting to wear off now, with your pain increasing exponentially. The King of Curses must’ve drugged you before stealing your amulet - the agony of having it taken from you would’ve woken you up immediately otherwise. 

All you really wanted to do was curl up into a ball, maybe black out from the pain in the hopes that you could have some respite from it. 

But if Sukuna’s life was at stake then you weren’t going to do any of that. You were going to get dressed and stagger over to his apartment, and you were going to face the King of Curses even if it killed you because your boyfriend did not deserve to be dragged into this whole mess. 

Your stupid contract had dictated your parents' lives, Shoko and Yuki had both died in front of you, you weren’t going to let anyone else disappear just because they had the misfortune of being close to you. You wouldn’t let your curse extend to him. 

So you begrudgingly pulled on a hoodie and jeans, hoping that you looked halfway presentable to exist in public, before heading out into your living room, where you were hit with the second major bombshell of the morning. 

The TV was on, set to the national news channel. It was muted, most likely switched on by the King of Curses, with the intent of you seeing it before you left your apartment. You didn’t need the sound to get the message, the picture of your face next to Shining Star’s was enough for you to put the pieces together. 

Although if that wasn’t already clear enough, the massive headline of Shining Star Unmasked left little room for interpretation. 

You froze, your lip starting to tremble as you stared at the screen. Your ears were ringing, heart rate rising to an uncomfortable rate, aggravating the existing pain in your chest even further. 

What the fuck was happening? 

Why was this happening? 

What could he possibly gain from doing all this? 

Taking a shaky breath, you padded over to the window, peering out through the blinds. Your soul sank at the crowd of reporters waiting outside your building - a scenario that you were more than accustomed to as Shining Star but never as yourself. Right now you were barely holding yourself together - in total agony and looking a mess. 

You couldn’t go out there looking like you did. 

Really, you never wanted to go out there ever again. 

Your phone buzzed on the coffee table, near where your cat was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the way that your life was currently falling apart. You went over to check on your mobile for the first time that morning, shoulders falling in defeat at the sight of dozens of notifications from coworkers that you couldn’t care less about, all sharing their various thoughts about knowing a celebrity. 

As if any of them had any interest in you before today. 

It was an easy decision to turn your phone off, knowing that there would be no messages from anyone you cared about. 

The one person who mattered was currently in the hands of the man who was so callously destroying your life. Your reputation could wait for now, everything else could wait. It didn’t matter that you were watching your life implode in on itself - the only thing that meant anything right now was ensuring that Sukuna was safe.

Pulling up your hood, you took several deep breaths and gave yourself a quick pep talk before heading out of your apartment, already wishing you could disappear into the floor as the elevator opened up into the building’s lobby. Reporters were clamouring desperately at the sight of you, your headache worsening with each incessant flash of their cameras. 

Regardless, you persisted, pushing through the glass doors and into the crowd, doing your best to keep your head down and carve a path through while people hurled questions your way. 

“Shining Star! Shining Star! How does it feel to have your identity exposed like this?” 

“Are you even really special? Can anyone be great if they put the amulet on?” 

“Don’t you feel dishonest towards your friends and colleagues, living this double life?” 

“What are you going to do about the King of Curses?” 

“How are you going to protect us if you can’t even keep your amulet safe?” 

Lip trembling, you did your best to shut out the questions, refusing to give too much thought to how you’d potentially answer them. It didn’t matter what anyone thought, the media were just going to spin their own narrative regardless. 

It wasn’t ideal to know that the public was aware of your missing amulet though - perhaps you should’ve stopped to listen to the news for just a moment to understand how much information the villain had leaked. 

But who knew how much time Sukuna had left? Those precious seconds might’ve ended up being the thing that spelt his demise, and you knew you’d never forgive yourself if that was the case. 

So you persisted, making your way to your car and speeding off the second you slammed the door shut, not even bothering to put on your seat belt. Admittedly, you ran a handful of risky maneuvers on your way out of the parking lot, narrowly avoiding reporters that seemed hellbent on surrounding the car, but what else were you supposed to do?  

Your boyfriend’s life was on the line. 

It didn’t take you long to make it to Sukuna’s apartment, trying to steady your breathing as you pressed the call button for his apartment. The idea of the King of Curses being the one to deal with the intercom would’ve been almost humorous if not for the serious nature of your current situation. 

Either way, he seemed to figure it out, buzzing you into the building. Perhaps he’d gotten Sukuna to do it on his behalf. 

Making your way inside, you pressed the button for the top floor, not at all surprised that Sukuna owned a penthouse suite. You knew that Limitless paid insane salaries, especially for those at Sukuna’s level - it meant that he could afford to live in the lap of luxury, unlike your boxy little apartment. 

Oddly enough though, Sukuna never seemed keen on bringing you here, always eager to stay at your apartment, claiming that it felt more homely and welcoming. 

Stepping out of the elevator into the penthouse suite, a sense of foreboding settled heavy in your chest. The whole place felt eerie, as if there was less air in the apartment than there was outside. Considering that it was your first time here, you weren’t sure what the vibe was usually like - if this was the norm for Sukuna’s home or if this was the effect that the King of Curses had on the space. 

All the lights were off, silence ringing loud throughout the two story penthouse. Outside the large windows lining the main living space, the sun had been obscured by clouds, a storm brewing steadily. 

It suited the mood so well that you wouldn’t be surprised if your villain had altered the weather himself. You recalled something akin to that happening in your final encounter with Kenjaku. 

“Sukuna?” Your voice was shaky. 

When your call was returned with only silence, you took a few tentative steps into the apartment. You were well aware that you were effectively walking into a trap, that you’d gone to the one place that the King of Curses had directed you to. But what else were you meant to do? He was holding all the cards. 

You just had to pray that there’d be an opportunity for you to swipe your amulet back from him and get you and Sukuna to safety. 

Walking towards the windows, you felt a sharp jolt of pain in your chest, a searing sensation that surpassed the dull ache that you’d already been afflicted by. It was as if whoever had your amulet was squeezing it with all their might. 

Stumbling forward in agony, your hand came to rest on the window for support, your breath fogging up the glass before you. When you were a young child, you’d been swept under the sea by a current, and in the few moments before your dad had come to your rescue, this is how you’d felt - your lungs filling up, desperation clawing at your throat. 

“Predictable.” 

The voice was deep, familiar in a way that made your stomach twist. For a moment you felt a spurt of hope in your heart, because it was the voice that you’d listened to ceaselessly over the last few months, and that meant that Sukuna was safe. 

It was a hope that crashed and burned the second that you turned to face him. 

The man towering over you was certainly not your boyfriend. 

At least, not as you knew him. 

He was dressed differently from your previous encounters with him - his cloak and mask gone entirely, voice modulator no longer active. It took you all of five seconds to put two and two together, your eyes trailing reluctantly up his monstrous figure. 

In so many ways he was different to Sukuna - with four hulking arms and four eyes to match, his face a little disfigured on one side, a grinning mouth protruding from his stomach. And yet, so many things gave away the reality of who he was - his soft pink hair, his deep crimson eyes, the tattoos that you’d traced too many times to count. 

You weren’t sure how to react. It was like your brain couldn’t process what you were looking at. You knew that betrayal should’ve been the leading emotion, and yet the hot rage that you’d expect to come with it didn’t seem to appear. Instead you simply felt empty - that familiar, bitter disappointment carving out a hole in your chest. 

Of course it had been too good to be true. 

On some level you’d always known. You just hadn’t wanted to see it. 

“Why?” You mumbled as he took a step closer to you, his grin faltering ever so slightly at the way your voice cracked. He seemed to regain his footing all the same, grabbing your arm with a touch that was painfully familiar to your soft skin. 

“You’re a fool.” He murmured in your ear as he sunk a needle into your skin, forcing your world to fade into darkness.

—

When you next came to it was dark outside, a thunderstorm raging before the panoramic windows of Sukuna’s apartment. Your neck was aching, your body heavier than ever as you made an attempt to lift your head. You were sitting on a wooden chair, your wrists tied to the arms of it. 

Four red eyes were intently fixed on you. 

The King of Curses, no - Sukuna, sat across from you on a chair which looked considerably more comfortable than yours. He was studying you, a serious look on his disfigured face. You couldn’t help but think that he still looked handsome like this, embarrassment hitting you hard at the realisation of how foolish that thought was. 

He’d trampled on your whole life, and here you were still thinking he was beautiful, as if the last two months with him hadn’t just been some ruse. 

“You’ve got no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.” 

You said nothing, your mind drawing a total blank. There were questions that you should be asking, insults you should be throwing, but you could focus on nothing but the sheer emptiness that was consuming you in that instant. Every happy moment from the last two months, shattered into a million pieces along with your heart. 

He seemed disappointed by your silence, crimson eyes narrowing ever so slightly before he opted to continue without a response, clearly eager to explain his reasoning for everything going on right now - as if you were in any state to hear it. 

“I hate you, you know?” He said simply, his words like a dagger to your heart. “I’ve hated you for as long as I’ve known you, Shining Star. I’m sick of your self-righteousness - sick of you looking down on people like me, opting to defend those who’ve sneered at my existence my whole life because they’re more deserving of your love and protection than I am. I’m tired of watching you treat me and my kind as sub-human.” 

You frowned, your racing mind struggling to follow his narrative. It didn’t stop your heart from sinking with each added word in his callous explanation, at the realisation that this was real - the best thing in your life had all been fake, just a sick game played by someone who couldn’t care less about you. 

It was sickening to hear him refer to you as Shining Star, to know that at the end of the day he’d only ever been interested in the other version of you. 

And how he’d come to the conclusion that you viewed him as sub-human was beyond you. You’d spent the last two months in total bliss with him.

It was frankly delusional to say that you looked down on his kind when you weren’t even sure what he was. Something similar to Kenjaku most-likely - not quite human but not a monster either, something in between. As far as you were concerned you’d never looked down on such beings, with the exception of putting down villains who had actively threatened your life. 

Besides, his explanation did little to explain why he did what he did, why he’d gone to such a length to hurt you. If he hated you so much he could’ve stolen your amulet the first time he entered your apartment. He could’ve pushed you off the balcony the first time you met - you would’ve died, that would’ve been it. 

He certainly didn’t have to spend two months making love to you, making you fall for him. 

Where was the worth in that? 

Leaning forward, one of his upper hands found its way beneath your chin, caressing the skin tenderly. The touch was painfully familiar, and you found yourself leaning into it on instinct, tilting your head up to look at him. Your eyes were watery, gaze darting anywhere but his eyes for fear that tears would start to fall. 

“Nothing to say for yourself? I thought you’d try your magic on me again.” 

“My magic?” You asked, your voice coming out small. 

“The charm thing.” He said easily, as if you had any idea what he was talking about. He seemed so nonchalant about the whole encounter, as if your heart wasn’t currently tearing into two with each word uttered in that voice that you’d grown to adore. 

“I don’t- I can’t do any magic if I don’t have the amulet on. I’m just…normal.” 

It wasn’t like you had the capability to charm anyway. 

He rolled his eyes, grip tightening around your chin. “Do you really think you’re in any position to lie right now?” 

“I’m not-” you let out a gasp, your chest constricting painfully. Your eyes flickered down to one of Sukuna’s lower hands, noticing that he had your amulet balled within a closed fist, clearly squeezing it tighter following your response. 

“Don’t act like you haven’t been playing with me for the past few months, making me feel all weird, all confused about whether I actually wanted to kill you.” 

Staring up at him in disbelief, you tried to process that statement. In one sense it smashed your heart into even more pieces, because his words implied that he did hold genuine affection for you despite it all. But your prevailing emotion was incredulity, because did he truly believe that over the last two months you’d been the one manipulating him? 

“I- I have no charms to cast. If you actually feel anything for me, that’s of your own volition.” You said softly, pulling back from his grip as best you could, unnerved by the pure rage that twisted across his handsome face. 

“Fuck off. My problem is you.” He hissed. “You’re so awful, my life would be so much better without you in it.” His hand moved to your neck, encroaching on your personal space as he stood up, his legs on either side of yours, caging you in on that uncomfortable wooden chair. 

“Why?” You choked out, wishing that your stomach didn’t swarm with butterflies at the feeling of his hand pressing down on your throat. Images flashed through your head of him on top of you in your apartment, choking you while he fucked you, whispering the sweetest words in your ear. “I’ve never done anything to you.” 

“But you would, wouldn’t you? You’d put the King of Curses down without a second thought, just like you put down Kenjaku. You’re the oppressor of people like me - you’re humanity’s hero, the enemy of anything too ugly to exist in this world. You and your perfect life, here to take from those who have always had nothing.” 

That summoned some rage - hot, searing anger that jumped its way up your throat. You’d never chosen to be what you were, didn’t want to spend what life you had putting monsters to rest. Your existence had been nothing but misery - it still was nothing but misery. Your brief relationship with Sukuna had changed that for you, but here you were, let down once more. 

“Kenjaku killed my friend in front of me. What choice did I have?” You spat. 

Even with the odd feelings that still lingered for Sukuna even now, where Kenjaku was concerned you weren’t willing to concede on your ideology. That man had been vile, what he did to Yuki was despicable, and you wouldn’t allow his fate to be used as an example in labeling you as a bad person. 

“I don’t regret it. I would do it again, I would kill that man over and over again until his existence is completely erased from this world. But let me be clear, even if he’d been nothing more than human I would’ve treated him the same. Evil is evil.” 

Sukuna scoffed, leaning closer to you. He’d always been intense, but in this form it had your heart racing much faster, genuine fear prickling up your spine. His breath fanned over your face, warm against your lips. 

“What did you say after you killed him? In that interview with the media? Creatures like that have no place in this world? You said you’d protect humans from evil, that you were disgusted by what he was. I bet you’re disgusted by me, aren’t you? You’re not even making eye contact.” 

Oh. 

Had you said that? 

Was that what he believed you stood for? 

You looked into his eyes - hatred was swirling on the surface of those crimson irises but something deeper was buried beneath. Hurt or perhaps loneliness hidden beneath his terrifying facade. 

He was like you in ways neither of you had understood. He’d lived a life of pain and suffering, an existence filled with rejection all because of what he was. You’d seen it before - the way that monsters could fuse together with humans to create something twisted - if he was born like this, born cursed, then he’d likely been shunned his entire life. 

Hatred and loneliness must’ve weighed heavy on his shoulders before he learned how to disguise himself. For him to hear you speak such words to the world, even if it was a statement made out of anger, it must’ve been a wound to his very existence. 

In your worst moments you’d said something that couldn’t be taken back. You’d unknowingly rallied the world against those born cursed all because you couldn’t control your rage when it came to Kenjaku. 

You’d indirectly made Sukuna’s life worse - made him more isolated than he already was, created a world in which peace and acceptance for him was impossible because Shining Star said people like him were monsters. 

No wonder he hated you. 

No wonder he believed you’d be disgusted by him in this form, when you felt nothing of the sort. 

You really were the worst. 

“That’s not what I-” You hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I- I wasn’t thinking straight back then. I don’t even remember speaking with the media, I was in a haze for months after that. I vaguely remember beating Kenjaku to death, and burying Yuki’s body, and then I had to put on a fucking smile and speak to a load of reporters like I hadn’t just lost the only person I had to rely on.”

Your hands gripped the arms of the chair firmly, digging in hard enough to start splintering at the wood. Sukuna seemed dissatisfied, a sneer on his face that didn’t quite betray what he was thinking. The grip he had on your neck loosened, and then disappeared as he stepped back. 

“I probably said a load of things I didn’t mean. I was young, and I was filled with rage. Killing Kenjaku wasn’t enough for me, it didn’t fill the void that Yuki’s death had left. I wanted to ensure that no one like him ever came about again. I didn’t mean that all people like you-” You sighed. “Fuck, I don’t know.” 

Doing your best to maintain eye-contact, you stared up at him. It was painful to hold his gaze, your heart picking up uncomfortably - It wasn’t out of disgust for him like he’d claimed, but born from your own hurt, your own desire for him still palpable despite it all. 

You could tell from his expression that your words weren’t enough. You couldn’t take back what you’d said all those years ago, the damage had been done, and his hurt ran deep. The scar was severe enough for him to seek revenge on you in the cruelest way possible. 

“I’m sorry.” You said finally. “I can make excuses about what I said, but it wouldn’t matter to you really, would it?” 

“No, it wouldn’t.” His voice was cold, eyes staring back at you evenly. 

“Thought not.” You said quietly before putting on a brave face, giving him a gentle smile, falling into your usual patterns and mannerisms that you’d adopt as Shining Star - since that was clearly who he wanted. 

The real you evidently mattered to him as little as she did to everyone else. Hadn’t you been a fool for thinking otherwise? 

“I suppose you should just get on with it then. You’ve got me where you want me. If you want to kill me, here's your chance. Put me down and rid yourself of all the hurt and hatred that you carry. Maybe then you can live a better life.”

Sukuna didn’t move, staring down at you like you’d just sprouted a second head. 

“What?” He asked.

“If you want to kill me, go ahead and do it.” Your smile was a little sad. “I don’t have much in this world, and when you appeared in my life things got so much brighter. If my death is what’s needed for you to live a happy life, you can have it. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.” 

There was silence for a few seconds while he seemed to contemplate your words, moments where you wondered if he’d just go straight ahead and remove your head from your shoulders. Instead, his face seemed to contort with rage, as if you’d just offered him the greatest insult. 

“Just shut up. I don’t need your pity or apologies, none of this is on your terms, it's on mine. This is what I fucking hate about you - stop acting like you’re better than me.” 

“Sorry, I’m not-” 

He was on you in a second, moving forward at inhuman speed and knocking the chair back onto the ground. You winced as your head slammed against the hard floor, your vision blurring for a few agonising seconds. His knees were positioned on either side of you, his monstrous body shadowing your smaller form. 

His hand was back on your chin, pressing down hard enough to hurt. Leaning forward, his nose brushed against yours, a look of pure vitriol in his shimmering eyes. “You’re meant to hate me. I manipulated you, violated you - I fucked with your whole life and you’re out here regarding me with pity? Asking me to just kill you? Fight back, do something, where’s your rage?” 

“I don’t have any.” You said simply, sadness prickling at your chest. His face was a picture of confusion and disbelief, frustration creeping in because you weren’t acting in the way that he’d anticipated. 

He’d hurt you in a way that you hadn’t imagined possible, had gone out of his way to create the greatest level of suffering imaginable, and yet the anger wouldn’t come. Because despite it all, you loved him, and you believed that somewhere in his twisted soul, he loved you too. 

“I exposed your whole life. Did you know I secretly filmed us having sex so that I could show it to the public? Just to make sure your whole image was destroyed? I drugged you, I stole your amulet, why won’t you fucking react?” 

He was raising his voice now, two of his hands were gripping your shoulders, shaking you with the end of each pointed sentence, your body aching each time the wooden chair slammed against the hard floor. 

It didn’t feel good, hearing the list of ways that he’d betrayed you. With each statement it felt like someone was smashing a hammer right into your heart. And yet, the rage still didn’t come. There was humiliation at the thought that you’d fallen for this ruse, at the idea of him capturing you in an intimate moment, mortification at the knowledge that the world might’ve watched you make love to him. 

But genuine rage still remained absent. 

He was ten years too late to pull authentic anger and passion from your now hollow heart. Disappointment had become far too familiar a taste on your tongue. 

“I loved you.” You whispered. 

That had Sukuna hesitating, eyes flying wide, hands stilling as he stared down at your exhausted expression. 

“Did you know that these last two months have been the best of my entire life? Isn’t that sad? The best period of my life and you were just pretending. It's lame, but given the choice I’d still re-live those months, even knowing what I do now.”

Your lip trembled, and you shot him a sad smile. He seemed to freeze for a few seconds before promptly releasing you and rising to his feet. 

“You’re right. That is lame.” He huffed, turning his back to you and wandering over to the window. It allowed you a little bit of time to catch your breath, to consider what it was that you really wanted to say. 

He’d betrayed you, treated you in the cruelest way imaginable. He’d misled you and created a false persona for you to fall in love with. He’d encouraged you to let your guard down in a way that you never had with anyone else. The manner in which he’d done it had been calculated, precise, allowing you no room to suspect that anything was wrong. 

You weren’t sure that the greatest actor in the world could’ve put up such a convincing performance of love. 

“I’ve been miserable for a long time, you know?” You said softly. “Cancer stole my teenage years, being a magical girl stole my adulthood. What happened with you, it made me feel normal. It made me feel like someone cared about me rather than Shining Star. I hate you for what you’ve done, I really do. But that doesn't stop me from loving you for making me feel like I was worth something, for once in my life.” 

“Enough.” He hissed. “Enough…” 

He remained still for a while, focused on something outside the window. His fingers were still clasping your amulet, but his grip had loosened ever so slightly, allowing you a respite from the pain in your chest. 

“None of what you’re saying matters now. You need to understand that.” He said finally. “Its too late. I’ve chosen my path.” 

Turning around, he approached you once more. Crouching down before you, he untied your wrists and ankles, hoisting you to your feet awkwardly. One hand curled snugly around your two wrists, pinning them behind your back, while another hand threaded harshly through your hair, the strands pulling at your scalp as he led you to the window. 

It was there that he allowed you to witness what he’d been looking down upon. 

In the few hours that you’d been unconscious, the state of the city that you’d spent years protecting, had changed significantly. 

The raging storm overhead was the backdrop for what you could only describe as a total apocalypse, for in the city below was destruction on a scale that you’d never witnessed before. Buildings and cars were smashed to pieces, the streets deserted of people, monsters prowling for as far as the eye could see. 

Back in the days of Kenjaku, he’d attempted something similar - he’d summoned dozens of creatures for you and Yuki to ward off all at once. But this was something different, a far greater magnitude, suggesting that Sukuna’s skill far surpassed that of the last villain you’d put to rest. 

Panic clawed at your chest as you processed the scene before you. How many people had died in this attack? How many lives had been lost because of your mistakes? If you hadn’t been so lax, hadn’t been so desperate for love, none of this would be happening. 

The pain caused by losing your amulet had blinded you to the usual ache of a monster appearance, keeping you unaware of what Sukuna had spent the day doing. 

Not that you would’ve been able to stop it regardless. 

“What do you think?” Sukuna’s voice was deep, his expression proud - not unlike that of a cat dropping a dead bird at your feet. It was almost like his mask had cracked for just a moment when the two of you had been on the floor, and now it was back on, firmly fixed in place. 

“Why? Why do this?” You asked, with an edge of desperation.

He already had you - if his hatred was directed towards you, what was the point in pushing things any further? You’d offered yourself up on a silver platter, practically begged him to kill you under the assumption that it would stop something like this from happening. 

“I wanted to see true despair from you. I wanted you to understand that you can’t save anyone, that those humans you’ve dedicated your life to are helpless before me. I wanted you to die knowing that your years of protecting these people were pointless, knowing that someone like me bested you in every aspect.” 

“Wanted? Past tense?” 

His shoulders froze up for a nanosecond, before he forced himself to relax. 

“That’s what I want.” He corrected himself carefully, keeping his expression neutral. “It’s what will happen.” 

Your lips parted, considering calling him out as a liar but thinking better of it. What did it matter now? He’d committed the sin and unleashed chaos upon the world. Whatever had existed between the two of you had been thoroughly severed. 

It was all over. 

You felt dizzy, the pain coursing through your body starting to catch up with you. The amulet had been out of your possession for too long - it was likely that the process that had killed Shoko was starting on you, a punishment for losing the tether to your soul. You were almost grateful that Sukuna was holding you up, keeping your legs from crumpling beneath you. 

“I won’t let you get away with this.” You said, after a long stretch of silence. You knew that your words were far from convincing. 

What could you do without the amulet? 

“No?” he asked, tugging you by the hair and forcing you to look at him, his lip curling in amusement. “There’s that spark of resistance. Let's see you give it your all then.” 

Leaning forward, he captured your lips in a possessive kiss, one that had you freezing up. Your brain was screaming at you to pull away, listing out all of the disgusting revelations from the past few hours. But your body didn’t seem to want to comply, leaning listlessly against him, parting your lips for him on instinct. 

It lasted for longer than it should’ve, the kiss leaving your body tingling when he finally pulled back. He didn’t allow you much time to contemplate, to ask why he’d done such a thing if the last two months had been nothing more than acting. Instead, he was quick to bring you down to the floor, his knee digging into your spine as he harshly bound your hands behind your back. 

Seconds later he was pressing something metal into them, an item that you quickly identified as your amulet. Your fingers scrambled around it, the ache in your chest quickly subsiding and giving way to the usual splitting headache that signified a monster appearance. 

“There you go.” He said with a grin, standing over you with a mocking expression. “Work hard. Get out of those bindings. Then come find me, and we’ll put an end to this whole thing.” 

Turning on his heel, he headed towards the lift to exit his penthouse. Your gaze remained fixed on him, watching his retreating figure. You knew that it was best to stay silent, to instantly start trying to wriggle your wrists free of their bindings. Time was of the essence, there were people out there dying every minute - you had to be fast. 

And yet, you faltered all the same, the question jumping from your throat before you could stop it. 

“Did it- Did it really not mean anything to you?” 

You were aware of how pathetic a question that was. What kind of a loser were you, seeking love from someone who would hurt you on such a massive scale? And yet, you couldn’t help but try to hang on, aware that without that there was nothing - your life would be reduced to what it was before. 

No, worse than it was before, because this time around you’d gotten a taste of something greater, only for it to be pulled forever out of your reach. 

Sukuna faltered just before the elevator, stilling for a moment before turning to face you. His brows were furrowed, sneering at you like you’d offended him. “Of course not.” His voice was even. “How could I ever love someone like you?” 

You bit down on your lip, trying to keep it from trembling but failing miserably. Tears gathered at the corner of your eyes, threatening to spill over. You lowered your head to keep him from seeing - you could spare yourself the humiliation of openly sobbing in front of him. 

“Of course.” You mumbled. “How could I be so stupid?” 

There were a few more seconds of silence, agonising moments in which he lingered at the exit, almost as if he might say something further. But he ultimately decided against it, leaving you face down in your puddle of tears while he retreated to oversee the new kingdom that he was building atop the ruins of Tokyo. 

—

As soon as he exited the building, Sukuna sliced a nearby monster clean in half. The creature groaned before collapsing into two pieces, dissolving into a puddle on the cracked concrete. 

Fuck you, you were such a bitch. Lying there on his floor looking up at him all helpless, asking if your relationship had meant something to him. 

Why would you care if it meant anything after all he’d done to you? You should’ve seen it for the farce it was, and treated him with the same hatred that you reserved for Kenjaku. How dare you react with pity and apologies, what the fuck was your problem? 

All he could assume, to put himself at ease, was that it was an attempt to get into his head - as if he was going to fall for something like that. 

“All according to plan? You took longer than I’d anticipated.” Uraume was standing outside his building, sharp eyes flicking over to the spot where Sukuna had decapitated an unassuming monster. 

Sukuna stared down at them, red eyes filled with displeasure. There was something about the question, about Uraume’s whole demeanor in that moment, that irked him. Their statement almost hinted at failure, suggesting that Sukuna’s encounter with you hadn’t gone to plan, and that pissed him off. 

He knew what Urauame thought and he didn’t want to hear it. 

“Leave me be.” He ordered. “I’m in no mood for conversation.” 

Uraume was quiet for a few seconds, caught off guard by Sukuna’s firm response. They’d likely expected his mood to be different, anticipated more excitement now that his plan had come to fruition. They weren’t expecting something more somber, an atmosphere filled with an air of regret.

“Yes, my lord.” They said, lowering their head in reverence. “I’ll go and attend to some of the creatures.” 

Sukuna let out a deep sigh, eyes trained up on the swirling clouds above. He wasn’t sure how much time it would take you to break out of your bindings. It seemed like you really didn’t have any powers outside of your magical girl form. Something that he didn’t like to think about too deeply, because that would mean accepting that you hadn’t cast any sort of spell on him. 

It would mean that he’d fallen for you all on his own. 

He’d lied when answering your final question. That was a fact that he wasn’t going to deny to himself. It had meant something to him - at some point in the last two months he’d realised that there was something he enjoyed about being with you, something beautiful and far removed from his problems with Shining Star. 

For the whole time he’d been telling himself that it was all for his plan, but he knew it wasn’t the case. 

He’d known for a while. 

Because even with all the pieces in place, with you there, tied up in his apartment - he still didn’t feel as happy as he had for the last few months. He still found himself fantasising about the softness of your skin, wishing that he could turn back on everything and bury himself in your warmth until you both forgot about all the spite that existed between you. 

But it was too late for that. 

He’d already crossed the line the moment that he’d met you on that balcony, and there was no turning back now. 

His love for you was foolish, a feature of his human side that he wasn’t even aware he was capable of. His more monstrous side would always take precedence, it was the driving force in his decisions, and that meant that his affection for you would be pushed down beneath years of hatred.

You were the symbol of everything wrong with society - it didn’t matter that he knew your life was far from perfect, that he knew you’d suffered just as much as he had. 

He’d come this far - there was no longer an opportunity to change his ideology, to fill in the hole that he’d been digging himself into. All he could do was keep going, destroy you entirely, wipe you from this very earth. 

Hopefully the guilt of how big a mistake he was making would be wiped away with you. 

a/n: sorry for this! next chapter will be the grand finale :)

i might make a playlist for this fic because i have so many songs inspiring this story hehe

hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! reblogs and comments are appreciated! let me know if you want to be added to the taglist <3

taglist (open): @starmapz @feyrinnn @riri-1234 @cherrycokeline @4shrimps @dogggggggblog-kaye @winkii @keikeisuke @feyrasworld @sukubusss @motel6killer @yeagersss @gegeeeeeeeeeeex @autwizzy @adettee @himezoro @juiceboxluvr @sugrfairie @lmaogottazayn @pwd54gr54 @maya2848 @irislostinyouriris @anothergojostan @bam-boozledx @360seas @plaguecxlt @leave-rae-alone @daburasdoll @nicerthanu @monic19 @ankotaiyakii @aiive @indiewritesxoxo @throwmethroughawindow @wackywhip @seellove @kariatenoh @hashahasha @r0vena @dawnsoblivion @luvleixo @venettahaven @powerhayakawaa @dollienanaaa @justfiq @kaagrwl @yourfavkaur @martianzmars @jjkfannn34 @cupidstrace 

Bile rose up in your throat, and you were just fast enough to lunge over to the waste paper bin near your bed, emptying your stomach contents into it, gasping desperately for breath. You couldn’t understand what was happening, where the pain was coming from. 

This didn’t feel the same as the suffering summoned when a monster would appear. This was something else. It was more akin to how your body had reacted when Sukuna had touched your amulet, but dialed up to one hundred. 

Sukuna.

You turned to glance back at the bed, mortified at the idea that he’d be witnessing this. You must look like a complete state right now, covered in a sheen of sweat, hunched over the waste bin. 

For a moment, you were relieved that he wasn’t there, glad that the only one to witness your suffering was you, because the idea of having to explain it to him was far from ideal. But your relief quickly faded, giving way to a sense of uncertainty that had you wondering where he was. 

Glancing at the alarm clock, you balked at how late it was, with the digital numbers suggesting that it was already past midday. It was unlike you to sleep in this late, your body tending to wake up on its own whenever the sun rose. 

Just what the hell was going on with you this morning? 

You supposed that if it was really that late it was likely that Sukuna had already headed into the office following his call last night. He’d probably left nice and early and decided to let you have a lie in. 

Yeah, that was it. 

There was no point in fretting about his whereabouts when you had a more pressing matter at hand. You needed to understand what was happening to you and how to stop it. Had you broken some aspect of the contract? Were you being punished in some way? 

Making an attempt to steady your breathing, you tried to clear your vision of the white spots plaguing it. You were only somewhat successful, the pain still ever present, but through the sheer force of will you managed to force it further back in your mind. Back when you’d had cancer most of your days had been spent in weakness and agony, this was nothing new to you, you’d face it just like you’d faced everything else in your life. 

Standing up shakily, you stumbled over to the closet, pulling it open and searching for the box that you’d been hiding your amulet in recently to ensure that Sukuna didn’t stumble across it accidentally. 

But you knew in your heart what was waiting for you before you threw the box open. 

It was empty. Save for the scrap of paper that had been left at the bottom in exchange for the item bound to your very soul. 

Want this back? Come and find me. 

Below the neat handwriting was an address, followed by a sign off from the King of Curses. 

Tears were prickling at your eyes, worrying your lip between your teeth as you stared down at the handwriting. The address was familiar, although you’d never been there yourself - it was Sukuna’s apartment. You only knew because you’d sent him a gift in the mail a couple of weeks ago. 

Why the hell did the King of Curses want to meet you there? 

Your blood ran cold at the thought of him taking Sukuna captive. If he’d taken your amulet, that meant that he’d been in your apartment. He could’ve snatched Sukuna while he was sleeping and was now holding him hostage. Perhaps he wanted to play some cruel game with you in which he made you choose between getting your amulet back or saving Sukuna’s life. 

This whole thing had clearly been meticulously planned, and it had you wondering just how long the King of Curses had been aware of your identity. Had he been biding his time for weeks? Months? Years? Perhaps he’d been waiting until you were at your highest and happiest before bringing the hammer down. 

Maybe all he really wanted was to take something away from you, and your relationship with Sukuna was the perfect opportunity for him to step in. 

Groaning, you fell to your knees, trying to keep the pain at bay. The groggy feeling was really starting to wear off now, with your pain increasing exponentially. The King of Curses must’ve drugged you before stealing your amulet - the agony of having it taken from you would’ve woken you up immediately otherwise. 

All you really wanted to do was curl up into a ball, maybe black out from the pain in the hopes that you could have some respite from it. 

But if Sukuna’s life was at stake then you weren’t going to do any of that. You were going to get dressed and stagger over to his apartment, and you were going to face the King of Curses even if it killed you because your boyfriend did not deserve to be dragged into this whole mess. 

Your stupid contract had dictated your parents' lives, Shoko and Yuki had both died in front of you, you weren’t going to let anyone else disappear just because they had the misfortune of being close to you. You wouldn’t let your curse extend to him. 

So you begrudgingly pulled on a hoodie and jeans, hoping that you looked halfway presentable to exist in public, before heading out into your living room, where you were hit with the second major bombshell of the morning. 

The TV was on, set to the national news channel. It was muted, most likely switched on by the King of Curses, with the intent of you seeing it before you left your apartment. You didn’t need the sound to get the message, the picture of your face next to Shining Star’s was enough for you to put the pieces together. 

Although if that wasn’t already clear enough, the massive headline of Shining Star Unmasked left little room for interpretation. 

You froze, your lip starting to tremble as you stared at the screen. Your ears were ringing, heart rate rising to an uncomfortable rate, aggravating the existing pain in your chest even further. 

What the fuck was happening? 

Why was this happening? 

What could he possibly gain from doing all this? 

Taking a shaky breath, you padded over to the window, peering out through the blinds. Your soul sank at the crowd of reporters waiting outside your building - a scenario that you were more than accustomed to as Shining Star but never as yourself. Right now you were barely holding yourself together - in total agony and looking a mess. 

You couldn’t go out there looking like you did. 

Really, you never wanted to go out there ever again. 

Your phone buzzed on the coffee table, near where your cat was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the way that your life was currently falling apart. You went over to check on your mobile for the first time that morning, shoulders falling in defeat at the sight of dozens of notifications from coworkers that you couldn’t care less about, all sharing their various thoughts about knowing a celebrity. 

As if any of them had any interest in you before today. 

It was an easy decision to turn your phone off, knowing that there would be no messages from anyone you cared about. 

The one person who mattered was currently in the hands of the man who was so callously destroying your life. Your reputation could wait for now, everything else could wait. It didn’t matter that you were watching your life implode in on itself - the only thing that meant anything right now was ensuring that Sukuna was safe.

Pulling up your hood, you took several deep breaths and gave yourself a quick pep talk before heading out of your apartment, already wishing you could disappear into the floor as the elevator opened up into the building’s lobby. Reporters were clamouring desperately at the sight of you, your headache worsening with each incessant flash of their cameras. 

Regardless, you persisted, pushing through the glass doors and into the crowd, doing your best to keep your head down and carve a path through while people hurled questions your way. 

“Shining Star! Shining Star! How does it feel to have your identity exposed like this?” 

“Are you even really special? Can anyone be great if they put the amulet on?” 

“Don’t you feel dishonest towards your friends and colleagues, living this double life?” 

“What are you going to do about the King of Curses?” 

“How are you going to protect us if you can’t even keep your amulet safe?” 

Lip trembling, you did your best to shut out the questions, refusing to give too much thought to how you’d potentially answer them. It didn’t matter what anyone thought, the media were just going to spin their own narrative regardless. 

It wasn’t ideal to know that the public was aware of your missing amulet though - perhaps you should’ve stopped to listen to the news for just a moment to understand how much information the villain had leaked. 

But who knew how much time Sukuna had left? Those precious seconds might’ve ended up being the thing that spelt his demise, and you knew you’d never forgive yourself if that was the case. 

So you persisted, making your way to your car and speeding off the second you slammed the door shut, not even bothering to put on your seat belt. Admittedly, you ran a handful of risky maneuvers on your way out of the parking lot, narrowly avoiding reporters that seemed hellbent on surrounding the car, but what else were you supposed to do?  

Your boyfriend’s life was on the line. 

It didn’t take you long to make it to Sukuna’s apartment, trying to steady your breathing as you pressed the call button for his apartment. The idea of the King of Curses being the one to deal with the intercom would’ve been almost humorous if not for the serious nature of your current situation. 

Either way, he seemed to figure it out, buzzing you into the building. Perhaps he’d gotten Sukuna to do it on his behalf. 

Making your way inside, you pressed the button for the top floor, not at all surprised that Sukuna owned a penthouse suite. You knew that Limitless paid insane salaries, especially for those at Sukuna’s level - it meant that he could afford to live in the lap of luxury, unlike your boxy little apartment. 

Oddly enough though, Sukuna never seemed keen on bringing you here, always eager to stay at your apartment, claiming that it felt more homely and welcoming. 

Stepping out of the elevator into the penthouse suite, a sense of foreboding settled heavy in your chest. The whole place felt eerie, as if there was less air in the apartment than there was outside. Considering that it was your first time here, you weren’t sure what the vibe was usually like - if this was the norm for Sukuna’s home or if this was the effect that the King of Curses had on the space. 

All the lights were off, silence ringing loud throughout the two story penthouse. Outside the large windows lining the main living space, the sun had been obscured by clouds, a storm brewing steadily. 

It suited the mood so well that you wouldn’t be surprised if your villain had altered the weather himself. You recalled something akin to that happening in your final encounter with Kenjaku. 

“Sukuna?” Your voice was shaky. 

When your call was returned with only silence, you took a few tentative steps into the apartment. You were well aware that you were effectively walking into a trap, that you’d gone to the one place that the King of Curses had directed you to. But what else were you meant to do? He was holding all the cards. 

You just had to pray that there’d be an opportunity for you to swipe your amulet back from him and get you and Sukuna to safety. 

Walking towards the windows, you felt a sharp jolt of pain in your chest, a searing sensation that surpassed the dull ache that you’d already been afflicted by. It was as if whoever had your amulet was squeezing it with all their might. 

Stumbling forward in agony, your hand came to rest on the window for support, your breath fogging up the glass before you. When you were a young child, you’d been swept under the sea by a current, and in the few moments before your dad had come to your rescue, this is how you’d felt - your lungs filling up, desperation clawing at your throat. 

“Predictable.” 

The voice was deep, familiar in a way that made your stomach twist. For a moment you felt a spurt of hope in your heart, because it was the voice that you’d listened to ceaselessly over the last few months, and that meant that Sukuna was safe. 

It was a hope that crashed and burned the second that you turned to face him. 

The man towering over you was certainly not your boyfriend. 

At least, not as you knew him. 

He was dressed differently from your previous encounters with him - his cloak and mask gone entirely, voice modulator no longer active. It took you all of five seconds to put two and two together, your eyes trailing reluctantly up his monstrous figure. 

In so many ways he was different to Sukuna - with four hulking arms and four eyes to match, his face a little disfigured on one side, a grinning mouth protruding from his stomach. And yet, so many things gave away the reality of who he was - his soft pink hair, his deep crimson eyes, the tattoos that you’d traced too many times to count. 

You weren’t sure how to react. It was like your brain couldn’t process what you were looking at. You knew that betrayal should’ve been the leading emotion, and yet the hot rage that you’d expect to come with it didn’t seem to appear. Instead you simply felt empty - that familiar, bitter disappointment carving out a hole in your chest. 

Of course it had been too good to be true. 

On some level you’d always known. You just hadn’t wanted to see it. 

“Why?” You mumbled as he took a step closer to you, his grin faltering ever so slightly at the way your voice cracked. He seemed to regain his footing all the same, grabbing your arm with a touch that was painfully familiar to your soft skin. 

“You’re a fool.” He murmured in your ear as he sunk a needle into your skin, forcing your world to fade into darkness.

—

When you next came to it was dark outside, a thunderstorm raging before the panoramic windows of Sukuna’s apartment. Your neck was aching, your body heavier than ever as you made an attempt to lift your head. You were sitting on a wooden chair, your wrists tied to the arms of it. 

Four red eyes were intently fixed on you. 

The King of Curses, no - Sukuna, sat across from you on a chair which looked considerably more comfortable than yours. He was studying you, a serious look on his disfigured face. You couldn’t help but think that he still looked handsome like this, embarrassment hitting you hard at the realisation of how foolish that thought was. 

He’d trampled on your whole life, and here you were still thinking he was beautiful, as if the last two months with him hadn’t just been some ruse. 

“You’ve got no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.” 

You said nothing, your mind drawing a total blank. There were questions that you should be asking, insults you should be throwing, but you could focus on nothing but the sheer emptiness that was consuming you in that instant. Every happy moment from the last two months, shattered into a million pieces along with your heart. 

He seemed disappointed by your silence, crimson eyes narrowing ever so slightly before he opted to continue without a response, clearly eager to explain his reasoning for everything going on right now - as if you were in any state to hear it. 

“I hate you, you know?” He said simply, his words like a dagger to your heart. “I’ve hated you for as long as I’ve known you, Shining Star. I’m sick of your self-righteousness - sick of you looking down on people like me, opting to defend those who’ve sneered at my existence my whole life because they’re more deserving of your love and protection than I am. I’m tired of watching you treat me and my kind as sub-human.” 

You frowned, your racing mind struggling to follow his narrative. It didn’t stop your heart from sinking with each added word in his callous explanation, at the realisation that this was real - the best thing in your life had all been fake, just a sick game played by someone who couldn’t care less about you. 

It was sickening to hear him refer to you as Shining Star, to know that at the end of the day he’d only ever been interested in the other version of you. 

And how he’d come to the conclusion that you viewed him as sub-human was beyond you. You’d spent the last two months in total bliss with him.

It was frankly delusional to say that you looked down on his kind when you weren’t even sure what he was. Something similar to Kenjaku most-likely - not quite human but not a monster either, something in between. As far as you were concerned you’d never looked down on such beings, with the exception of putting down villains who had actively threatened your life. 

Besides, his explanation did little to explain why he did what he did, why he’d gone to such a length to hurt you. If he hated you so much he could’ve stolen your amulet the first time he entered your apartment. He could’ve pushed you off the balcony the first time you met - you would’ve died, that would’ve been it. 

He certainly didn’t have to spend two months making love to you, making you fall for him. 

Where was the worth in that? 

Leaning forward, one of his upper hands found its way beneath your chin, caressing the skin tenderly. The touch was painfully familiar, and you found yourself leaning into it on instinct, tilting your head up to look at him. Your eyes were watery, gaze darting anywhere but his eyes for fear that tears would start to fall. 

“Nothing to say for yourself? I thought you’d try your magic on me again.” 

“My magic?” You asked, your voice coming out small. 

“The charm thing.” He said easily, as if you had any idea what he was talking about. He seemed so nonchalant about the whole encounter, as if your heart wasn’t currently tearing into two with each word uttered in that voice that you’d grown to adore. 

“I don’t- I can’t do any magic if I don’t have the amulet on. I’m just…normal.” 

It wasn’t like you had the capability to charm anyway. 

He rolled his eyes, grip tightening around your chin. “Do you really think you’re in any position to lie right now?” 

“I’m not-” you let out a gasp, your chest constricting painfully. Your eyes flickered down to one of Sukuna’s lower hands, noticing that he had your amulet balled within a closed fist, clearly squeezing it tighter following your response. 

“Don’t act like you haven’t been playing with me for the past few months, making me feel all weird, all confused about whether I actually wanted to kill you.” 

Staring up at him in disbelief, you tried to process that statement. In one sense it smashed your heart into even more pieces, because his words implied that he did hold genuine affection for you despite it all. But your prevailing emotion was incredulity, because did he truly believe that over the last two months you’d been the one manipulating him? 

“I- I have no charms to cast. If you actually feel anything for me, that’s of your own volition.” You said softly, pulling back from his grip as best you could, unnerved by the pure rage that twisted across his handsome face. 

“Fuck off. My problem is you.” He hissed. “You’re so awful, my life would be so much better without you in it.” His hand moved to your neck, encroaching on your personal space as he stood up, his legs on either side of yours, caging you in on that uncomfortable wooden chair. 

“Why?” You choked out, wishing that your stomach didn’t swarm with butterflies at the feeling of his hand pressing down on your throat. Images flashed through your head of him on top of you in your apartment, choking you while he fucked you, whispering the sweetest words in your ear. “I’ve never done anything to you.” 

“But you would, wouldn’t you? You’d put the King of Curses down without a second thought, just like you put down Kenjaku. You’re the oppressor of people like me - you’re humanity’s hero, the enemy of anything too ugly to exist in this world. You and your perfect life, here to take from those who have always had nothing.” 

That summoned some rage - hot, searing anger that jumped its way up your throat. You’d never chosen to be what you were, didn’t want to spend what life you had putting monsters to rest. Your existence had been nothing but misery - it still was nothing but misery. Your brief relationship with Sukuna had changed that for you, but here you were, let down once more. 

“Kenjaku killed my friend in front of me. What choice did I have?” You spat. 

Even with the odd feelings that still lingered for Sukuna even now, where Kenjaku was concerned you weren’t willing to concede on your ideology. That man had been vile, what he did to Yuki was despicable, and you wouldn’t allow his fate to be used as an example in labeling you as a bad person. 

“I don’t regret it. I would do it again, I would kill that man over and over again until his existence is completely erased from this world. But let me be clear, even if he’d been nothing more than human I would’ve treated him the same. Evil is evil.” 

Sukuna scoffed, leaning closer to you. He’d always been intense, but in this form it had your heart racing much faster, genuine fear prickling up your spine. His breath fanned over your face, warm against your lips. 

“What did you say after you killed him? In that interview with the media? Creatures like that have no place in this world? You said you’d protect humans from evil, that you were disgusted by what he was. I bet you’re disgusted by me, aren’t you? You’re not even making eye contact.” 

Oh. 

Had you said that? 

Was that what he believed you stood for? 

You looked into his eyes - hatred was swirling on the surface of those crimson irises but something deeper was buried beneath. Hurt or perhaps loneliness hidden beneath his terrifying facade. 

He was like you in ways neither of you had understood. He’d lived a life of pain and suffering, an existence filled with rejection all because of what he was. You’d seen it before - the way that monsters could fuse together with humans to create something twisted - if he was born like this, born cursed, then he’d likely been shunned his entire life. 

Hatred and loneliness must’ve weighed heavy on his shoulders before he learned how to disguise himself. For him to hear you speak such words to the world, even if it was a statement made out of anger, it must’ve been a wound to his very existence. 

In your worst moments you’d said something that couldn’t be taken back. You’d unknowingly rallied the world against those born cursed all because you couldn’t control your rage when it came to Kenjaku. 

You’d indirectly made Sukuna’s life worse - made him more isolated than he already was, created a world in which peace and acceptance for him was impossible because Shining Star said people like him were monsters. 

No wonder he hated you. 

No wonder he believed you’d be disgusted by him in this form, when you felt nothing of the sort. 

You really were the worst. 

“That’s not what I-” You hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I- I wasn’t thinking straight back then. I don’t even remember speaking with the media, I was in a haze for months after that. I vaguely remember beating Kenjaku to death, and burying Yuki’s body, and then I had to put on a fucking smile and speak to a load of reporters like I hadn’t just lost the only person I had to rely on.”

Your hands gripped the arms of the chair firmly, digging in hard enough to start splintering at the wood. Sukuna seemed dissatisfied, a sneer on his face that didn’t quite betray what he was thinking. The grip he had on your neck loosened, and then disappeared as he stepped back. 

“I probably said a load of things I didn’t mean. I was young, and I was filled with rage. Killing Kenjaku wasn’t enough for me, it didn’t fill the void that Yuki’s death had left. I wanted to ensure that no one like him ever came about again. I didn’t mean that all people like you-” You sighed. “Fuck, I don’t know.” 

Doing your best to maintain eye-contact, you stared up at him. It was painful to hold his gaze, your heart picking up uncomfortably - It wasn’t out of disgust for him like he’d claimed, but born from your own hurt, your own desire for him still palpable despite it all. 

You could tell from his expression that your words weren’t enough. You couldn’t take back what you’d said all those years ago, the damage had been done, and his hurt ran deep. The scar was severe enough for him to seek revenge on you in the cruelest way possible. 

“I’m sorry.” You said finally. “I can make excuses about what I said, but it wouldn’t matter to you really, would it?” 

“No, it wouldn’t.” His voice was cold, eyes staring back at you evenly. 

“Thought not.” You said quietly before putting on a brave face, giving him a gentle smile, falling into your usual patterns and mannerisms that you’d adopt as Shining Star - since that was clearly who he wanted. 

The real you evidently mattered to him as little as she did to everyone else. Hadn’t you been a fool for thinking otherwise? 

“I suppose you should just get on with it then. You’ve got me where you want me. If you want to kill me, here's your chance. Put me down and rid yourself of all the hurt and hatred that you carry. Maybe then you can live a better life.”

Sukuna didn’t move, staring down at you like you’d just sprouted a second head. 

“What?” He asked.

“If you want to kill me, go ahead and do it.” Your smile was a little sad. “I don’t have much in this world, and when you appeared in my life things got so much brighter. If my death is what’s needed for you to live a happy life, you can have it. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.” 

There was silence for a few seconds while he seemed to contemplate your words, moments where you wondered if he’d just go straight ahead and remove your head from your shoulders. Instead, his face seemed to contort with rage, as if you’d just offered him the greatest insult. 

“Just shut up. I don’t need your pity or apologies, none of this is on your terms, it's on mine. This is what I fucking hate about you - stop acting like you’re better than me.” 

“Sorry, I’m not-” 

He was on you in a second, moving forward at inhuman speed and knocking the chair back onto the ground. You winced as your head slammed against the hard floor, your vision blurring for a few agonising seconds. His knees were positioned on either side of you, his monstrous body shadowing your smaller form. 

His hand was back on your chin, pressing down hard enough to hurt. Leaning forward, his nose brushed against yours, a look of pure vitriol in his shimmering eyes. “You’re meant to hate me. I manipulated you, violated you - I fucked with your whole life and you’re out here regarding me with pity? Asking me to just kill you? Fight back, do something, where’s your rage?” 

“I don’t have any.” You said simply, sadness prickling at your chest. His face was a picture of confusion and disbelief, frustration creeping in because you weren’t acting in the way that he’d anticipated. 

He’d hurt you in a way that you hadn’t imagined possible, had gone out of his way to create the greatest level of suffering imaginable, and yet the anger wouldn’t come. Because despite it all, you loved him, and you believed that somewhere in his twisted soul, he loved you too. 

“I exposed your whole life. Did you know I secretly filmed us having sex so that I could show it to the public? Just to make sure your whole image was destroyed? I drugged you, I stole your amulet, why won’t you fucking react?” 

He was raising his voice now, two of his hands were gripping your shoulders, shaking you with the end of each pointed sentence, your body aching each time the wooden chair slammed against the hard floor. 

It didn’t feel good, hearing the list of ways that he’d betrayed you. With each statement it felt like someone was smashing a hammer right into your heart. And yet, the rage still didn’t come. There was humiliation at the thought that you’d fallen for this ruse, at the idea of him capturing you in an intimate moment, mortification at the knowledge that the world might’ve watched you make love to him. 

But genuine rage still remained absent. 

He was ten years too late to pull authentic anger and passion from your now hollow heart. Disappointment had become far too familiar a taste on your tongue. 

“I loved you.” You whispered. 

That had Sukuna hesitating, eyes flying wide, hands stilling as he stared down at your exhausted expression. 

“Did you know that these last two months have been the best of my entire life? Isn’t that sad? The best period of my life and you were just pretending. It's lame, but given the choice I’d still re-live those months, even knowing what I do now.”

Your lip trembled, and you shot him a sad smile. He seemed to freeze for a few seconds before promptly releasing you and rising to his feet. 

“You’re right. That is lame.” He huffed, turning his back to you and wandering over to the window. It allowed you a little bit of time to catch your breath, to consider what it was that you really wanted to say. 

He’d betrayed you, treated you in the cruelest way imaginable. He’d misled you and created a false persona for you to fall in love with. He’d encouraged you to let your guard down in a way that you never had with anyone else. The manner in which he’d done it had been calculated, precise, allowing you no room to suspect that anything was wrong. 

You weren’t sure that the greatest actor in the world could’ve put up such a convincing performance of love. 

“I’ve been miserable for a long time, you know?” You said softly. “Cancer stole my teenage years, being a magical girl stole my adulthood. What happened with you, it made me feel normal. It made me feel like someone cared about me rather than Shining Star. I hate you for what you’ve done, I really do. But that doesn't stop me from loving you for making me feel like I was worth something, for once in my life.” 

“Enough.” He hissed. “Enough…” 

He remained still for a while, focused on something outside the window. His fingers were still clasping your amulet, but his grip had loosened ever so slightly, allowing you a respite from the pain in your chest. 

“None of what you’re saying matters now. You need to understand that.” He said finally. “Its too late. I’ve chosen my path.” 

Turning around, he approached you once more. Crouching down before you, he untied your wrists and ankles, hoisting you to your feet awkwardly. One hand curled snugly around your two wrists, pinning them behind your back, while another hand threaded harshly through your hair, the strands pulling at your scalp as he led you to the window. 

It was there that he allowed you to witness what he’d been looking down upon. 

In the few hours that you’d been unconscious, the state of the city that you’d spent years protecting, had changed significantly. 

The raging storm overhead was the backdrop for what you could only describe as a total apocalypse, for in the city below was destruction on a scale that you’d never witnessed before. Buildings and cars were smashed to pieces, the streets deserted of people, monsters prowling for as far as the eye could see. 

Back in the days of Kenjaku, he’d attempted something similar - he’d summoned dozens of creatures for you and Yuki to ward off all at once. But this was something different, a far greater magnitude, suggesting that Sukuna’s skill far surpassed that of the last villain you’d put to rest. 

Panic clawed at your chest as you processed the scene before you. How many people had died in this attack? How many lives had been lost because of your mistakes? If you hadn’t been so lax, hadn’t been so desperate for love, none of this would be happening. 

The pain caused by losing your amulet had blinded you to the usual ache of a monster appearance, keeping you unaware of what Sukuna had spent the day doing. 

Not that you would’ve been able to stop it regardless. 

“What do you think?” Sukuna’s voice was deep, his expression proud - not unlike that of a cat dropping a dead bird at your feet. It was almost like his mask had cracked for just a moment when the two of you had been on the floor, and now it was back on, firmly fixed in place. 

“Why? Why do this?” You asked, with an edge of desperation.

He already had you - if his hatred was directed towards you, what was the point in pushing things any further? You’d offered yourself up on a silver platter, practically begged him to kill you under the assumption that it would stop something like this from happening. 

“I wanted to see true despair from you. I wanted you to understand that you can’t save anyone, that those humans you’ve dedicated your life to are helpless before me. I wanted you to die knowing that your years of protecting these people were pointless, knowing that someone like me bested you in every aspect.” 

“Wanted? Past tense?” 

His shoulders froze up for a nanosecond, before he forced himself to relax. 

“That’s what I want.” He corrected himself carefully, keeping his expression neutral. “It’s what will happen.” 

Your lips parted, considering calling him out as a liar but thinking better of it. What did it matter now? He’d committed the sin and unleashed chaos upon the world. Whatever had existed between the two of you had been thoroughly severed. 

It was all over. 

You felt dizzy, the pain coursing through your body starting to catch up with you. The amulet had been out of your possession for too long - it was likely that the process that had killed Shoko was starting on you, a punishment for losing the tether to your soul. You were almost grateful that Sukuna was holding you up, keeping your legs from crumpling beneath you. 

“I won’t let you get away with this.” You said, after a long stretch of silence. You knew that your words were far from convincing. 

What could you do without the amulet? 

“No?” he asked, tugging you by the hair and forcing you to look at him, his lip curling in amusement. “There’s that spark of resistance. Let's see you give it your all then.” 

Leaning forward, he captured your lips in a possessive kiss, one that had you freezing up. Your brain was screaming at you to pull away, listing out all of the disgusting revelations from the past few hours. But your body didn’t seem to want to comply, leaning listlessly against him, parting your lips for him on instinct. 

It lasted for longer than it should’ve, the kiss leaving your body tingling when he finally pulled back. He didn’t allow you much time to contemplate, to ask why he’d done such a thing if the last two months had been nothing more than acting. Instead, he was quick to bring you down to the floor, his knee digging into your spine as he harshly bound your hands behind your back. 

Seconds later he was pressing something metal into them, an item that you quickly identified as your amulet. Your fingers scrambled around it, the ache in your chest quickly subsiding and giving way to the usual splitting headache that signified a monster appearance. 

“There you go.” He said with a grin, standing over you with a mocking expression. “Work hard. Get out of those bindings. Then come find me, and we’ll put an end to this whole thing.” 

Turning on his heel, he headed towards the lift to exit his penthouse. Your gaze remained fixed on him, watching his retreating figure. You knew that it was best to stay silent, to instantly start trying to wriggle your wrists free of their bindings. Time was of the essence, there were people out there dying every minute - you had to be fast. 

And yet, you faltered all the same, the question jumping from your throat before you could stop it. 

“Did it- Did it really not mean anything to you?” 

You were aware of how pathetic a question that was. What kind of a loser were you, seeking love from someone who would hurt you on such a massive scale? And yet, you couldn’t help but try to hang on, aware that without that there was nothing - your life would be reduced to what it was before. 

No, worse than it was before, because this time around you’d gotten a taste of something greater, only for it to be pulled forever out of your reach. 

Sukuna faltered just before the elevator, stilling for a moment before turning to face you. His brows were furrowed, sneering at you like you’d offended him. “Of course not.” His voice was even. “How could I ever love someone like you?” 

You bit down on your lip, trying to keep it from trembling but failing miserably. Tears gathered at the corner of your eyes, threatening to spill over. You lowered your head to keep him from seeing - you could spare yourself the humiliation of openly sobbing in front of him. 

“Of course.” You mumbled. “How could I be so stupid?” 

There were a few more seconds of silence, agonising moments in which he lingered at the exit, almost as if he might say something further. But he ultimately decided against it, leaving you face down in your puddle of tears while he retreated to oversee the new kingdom that he was building atop the ruins of Tokyo. 

—

As soon as he exited the building, Sukuna sliced a nearby monster clean in half. The creature groaned before collapsing into two pieces, dissolving into a puddle on the cracked concrete. 

Fuck you, you were such a bitch. Lying there on his floor looking up at him all helpless, asking if your relationship had meant something to him. 

Why would you care if it meant anything after all he’d done to you? You should’ve seen it for the farce it was, and treated him with the same hatred that you reserved for Kenjaku. How dare you react with pity and apologies, what the fuck was your problem? 

All he could assume, to put himself at ease, was that it was an attempt to get into his head - as if he was going to fall for something like that. 

“All according to plan? You took longer than I’d anticipated.” Uraume was standing outside his building, sharp eyes flicking over to the spot where Sukuna had decapitated an unassuming monster. 

Sukuna stared down at them, red eyes filled with displeasure. There was something about the question, about Uraume’s whole demeanor in that moment, that irked him. Their statement almost hinted at failure, suggesting that Sukuna’s encounter with you hadn’t gone to plan, and that pissed him off. 

He knew what Urauame thought and he didn’t want to hear it. 

“Leave me be.” He ordered. “I’m in no mood for conversation.” 

Uraume was quiet for a few seconds, caught off guard by Sukuna’s firm response. They’d likely expected his mood to be different, anticipated more excitement now that his plan had come to fruition. They weren’t expecting something more somber, an atmosphere filled with an air of regret.

“Yes, my lord.” They said, lowering their head in reverence. “I’ll go and attend to some of the creatures.” 

Sukuna let out a deep sigh, eyes trained up on the swirling clouds above. He wasn’t sure how much time it would take you to break out of your bindings. It seemed like you really didn’t have any powers outside of your magical girl form. Something that he didn’t like to think about too deeply, because that would mean accepting that you hadn’t cast any sort of spell on him. 

It would mean that he’d fallen for you all on his own. 

He’d lied when answering your final question. That was a fact that he wasn’t going to deny to himself. It had meant something to him - at some point in the last two months he’d realised that there was something he enjoyed about being with you, something beautiful and far removed from his problems with Shining Star. 

For the whole time he’d been telling himself that it was all for his plan, but he knew it wasn’t the case. 

He’d known for a while. 

Because even with all the pieces in place, with you there, tied up in his apartment - he still didn’t feel as happy as he had for the last few months. He still found himself fantasising about the softness of your skin, wishing that he could turn back on everything and bury himself in your warmth until you both forgot about all the spite that existed between you. 

But it was too late for that. 

He’d already crossed the line the moment that he’d met you on that balcony, and there was no turning back now. 

His love for you was foolish, a feature of his human side that he wasn’t even aware he was capable of. His more monstrous side would always take precedence, it was the driving force in his decisions, and that meant that his affection for you would be pushed down beneath years of hatred.

You were the symbol of everything wrong with society - it didn’t matter that he knew your life was far from perfect, that he knew you’d suffered just as much as he had. 

He’d come this far - there was no longer an opportunity to change his ideology, to fill in the hole that he’d been digging himself into. All he could do was keep going, destroy you entirely, wipe you from this very earth. 

Hopefully the guilt of how big a mistake he was making would be wiped away with you. 

a/n: sorry for this! next chapter will be the grand finale :)

i might make a playlist for this fic because i have so many songs inspiring this story hehe

hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! reblogs and comments are appreciated! let me know if you want to be added to the taglist <3

taglist (open): @starmapz @feyrinnn @riri-1234 @cherrycokeline @4shrimps @dogggggggblog-kaye @winkii @keikeisuke @feyrasworld @sukubusss @motel6killer @yeagersss @gegeeeeeeeeeeex @autwizzy @adettee @himezoro @juiceboxluvr @sugrfairie @lmaogottazayn @pwd54gr54 @maya2848 @irislostinyouriris @anothergojostan @bam-boozledx @360seas @plaguecxlt @leave-rae-alone @daburasdoll @nicerthanu @monic19 @ankotaiyakii @aiive @indiewritesxoxo @throwmethroughawindow @wackywhip @seellove @kariatenoh @hashahasha @r0vena @dawnsoblivion @luvleixo @venettahaven @powerhayakawaa @dollienanaaa @justfiq @kaagrwl @yourfavkaur @martianzmars @jjkfannn34 @cupidstrace 

Your righteousness pissed him off. Everything about you pissed him off. You were a freak too, weren’t you? Why did you get to thrive, receive fame, love and affection, while people like him and Kenjaku were despised from birth? 

Was it because you were pretty? 

Give him a break. 

With a flick of his wrist, a dart struck your image, embedding itself directly between your eyes. He’d need to replace the picture soon, it was growing laden with holes. 

You wouldn’t be so pretty once he was done with you. How much would the world rally behind you then? Once you looked like nothing more than the monsters that you so ruthlessly struck down night after night? 

He couldn’t wait to execute his plan, to see that look of despair on your face when you figured out what was happening moments too late for you to do anything to stop it. 

But for now he had to be patient. 

The first part of his plan had already played out beautifully. He’d been there that night at the zoo, when the media had made you watch his video. He’d looked on with glee at your momentary hesitation before proclaiming that the video he’d made was a hoax, that the media shouldn’t be paying it or him any attention. 

He’d seen the way that your lips had parted in shock, eyes widening at the sight of his monstrous form. It had stroked his ego, knowing that there was fear running through that pretty head of yours, knowing that all of your thoughts were focussed on him. 

Had he dominated your thoughts after that? Did you spend your nights filled with anxiety at the thought of what action he’d take against you next? 

He sure hoped so. 

If everything went his way, soon your thoughts would be flooded with him. That would make it all the more sweet when he took everything away from you. 

“My lord. Here’s your suit for this evening’s function.” His servant, Uraume stood in the doorway, their head slightly bowed. 

He barely moved at their sudden presence, eyes still fixed on that stupid image of you. He was currently lounging on his bed, enjoying some peace and quiet in his normal body before he’d have to transform into that gross human form of his. Uraume’s appearance was a sign of that time coming to an end. 

Soon he’d have to hide his extra arms and eyes, squeeze into a foolish suit, and act like he was nothing less than human around his stupid co-workers.

“Are we still initiating the plan as discussed?” They asked simply, their tone measured. 

“Of course.” He said. That brought a smile to his face, because today wasn’t just any day at the office for him. “Summon a monster up on the 20th floor when I give you the signal. Then make yourself scarce.” 

Uraume nodded in understanding, hanging the suit on the back of the door before hesitating. Sukuna glanced over at them, four red eyes fixed on the carefully schooled expression on their face. He knew them well enough to understand when they had something to say, even if they were eager to avoid speaking out of turn. 

“Go on.” He encouraged, waving a hand at them. 

“Are you sure about talking to her? The real her?” 

Rising to his feet, Sukuna’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at his servant. Uraume dipped their head once more, ever careful to show him respect. It was almost annoying, he’d rather they just be straightforward with him. 

“Why wouldn't I be?” He asked. 

Getting to know the real you was a vital part of his plan to have you fall into complete despair - without that the whole thing would be lackluster. Not to mention, there was a part of him that wasn’t sure he even could kill you as Shining Star without pulling off all the stages of his plan beforehand. 

“What if she knows that it's you? Or what if she doesn’t take the bait?” 

“She won’t know it's me.” He scoffed. “She’s too arrogant to think I’d know who she really is. Besides, I’ll charm her so well that such a thought would never even figure into her mind.” 

“And if you don’t?” 

“Don’t what?” 

“Charm her?” 

His expression was a picture of displeasure. He could hardly believe that Uraume would even suggest that such a thing was within the realms of possibility. In his human form he was very conventionally attractive, and he knew that he was a smooth talker. Not only had he been with plenty of women in his life, but there was no way he’d have gotten his stupid job at Limitless if not for his charm. 

Since that was all Gojo thought about when hiring people. 

“Out of the question.” Sukuna said firmly. “I’m charming.” 

“To normal people, yes, but she’s…weird.” 

Uraume had been following you for months now, ever since they’d figured out who you really were. They’d staked out your house night after night, knew your commute to work like the back of their hand, and had watched you duck into some quiet place to transform into Shining Star on numerous occasions. 

What had really struck them following all their recon was how painfully boring your life was. 

It didn’t seem like you had any friends or family. When you weren’t doing your magical girl thing you’d be in your house moping around. You didn’t excel or stand out at your job, you were just there, doing what you needed to do without anyone really recognising you. 

At first they’d thought it might be some kind of an act, but the more they dug into your past, the more it became apparent that there just wasn’t much to tell. You’d lived a typical childhood only for your parents to move overseas when you started university - just after Shining Star had first come into existence. 

Outside of that, the only remotely interesting thing about you were your medical records, which flagged a long stay at the hospital during your teenage years. For what purpose, Uraume wasn’t able to find out, but what did that matter anyway? 

You seemed like you were the type of person who was hellbent on blending in, always alone, unbothered to build relationships with others. 

And that was what had them thinking that maybe Sukuna’s charm wouldn’t work. 

On the contrary, Sukuna believed that was exactly why it would.

Because if you were so closed off, he could only imagine that you were lonely - that you were so desperate for actual love and affection that you’d fall for it hook, line and sinker if he gave you the smallest taste of genuine interest. 

He was counting on it. 

That was the cornerstone of his plan, after all. While the King of Curses would create fear and chaos in your magical girl life, Sukuna would be there to offer you sympathy and comfort in your human one. You’d start to trust him, confide in him amongst all the turmoil that this villain was causing you. 

And then, he’d pull the rug out from underneath you. 

He couldn’t wait to see the look of betrayal and despair on your face. 

“It’ll work.” Sukuna said simply, firmly dismissing Uraume’s line of argument. His grin was sharp as he stared down at his servant, the thrill of the evening’s task building up as excitement in his chest. 

Tonight he’d lay the seeds of your downfall, and you’d be none the wiser. 

 “Have some faith in me. I know exactly what I’m doing.” 

—

Sukuna had known what he was doing. 

Mostly. 

Things had gone entirely to plan at that damn party. He’d waited for an opportunity where you were alone - an opportunity that had come more easily than he’d expected, and he’d turned on the charm and flirted with you. 

Just like he’d been expecting, you’d fallen for his bait. Shiny eyes all wide and creasing with joy from all the attention he was giving you. You were fickle, just like he’d assumed, and getting you to give him your number had taken all of five minutes. 

Pathetic really. 

The other aspect of his plan had worked out just as well. Uraume had summoned that monster as expected, and Sukuna had the glory of confirming what he already knew to be true - you were indeed Shining Star. 

Your odd behaviour had started the second that creature was born into the world. It was amusing to see you scramble and pretend nothing was wrong, even with sweat dripping down your forehead at the agony. But he feigned ignorance all the same - he needed to keep his cover for now. 

Things had admittedly gotten a little dicey when he followed you up to the 20th floor. 

His intent had been to show his face, to gloat at you a little and shake you up before disappearing once more. He wanted to let the suspense get to you, let you quiver with anxiety, turn him into something even scarier than he was - like how Jaws is much scarier before you see the shark properly. 

But something had overcome him when he’d seen you standing there, looking all exhausted like you had any right to be. 

It pissed him off. 

Before he’d even known what was happening he was on top of you, keeping you pinned down firmly beneath him, fingers digging harshly into your soft skin. It made him feel good, powerful, to see you trapped beneath him - all nervous and struggling, focussed solely on him. 

And maybe it was because of how sweet and open you’d been to his advances on the balcony, but he definitely wasn’t expecting you to blast him like that - as if you were trying to kill him outright. 

It was almost rude in his opinion, considering all the effort he was going through to make your death a spectacle - were you really so cold as to just kill him right there and then? No foreplay at all? How narcissistic. 

Ultimately your attempt to kill him had worked in his favour though. It had allowed him to savour that expression of pure terror on your face when he grew his arms back immediately. Clearly that type of regeneration wasn’t something you were capable of and it scared you. 

Good. 

So overall, his evening was great. Perhaps he’d even go as far as to say that it was perfect. All of his plans were falling into place, and Uraume had reported that you’d seemed super shaken up when you’d hurried out of the party. 

And yet, for some reason he wasn’t happy. 

Because something about that evening, about you, the real you, had irked him. 

Maybe it was the way his heart had actually fluttered when you’d turned to look at him on that balcony. Or perhaps it was to do with your mannerisms, the way that you’d come across so unsure and unaccepting of the idea of being flirted with. 

You were nothing like the image that he had of Shining Star. 

Just as pretty. Prettier even. 

But nothing else lined up in the way that it should. The real you was introverted, something of a loner - insecure even. You’d seemed as though compliments were an alien concept to you, as if you didn’t get showered in them every evening. There was a dim quality to your eyes that painted you as someone who was genuinely tired, unhappy with their lot in life but pushing on nonetheless. 

It just didn’t make sense to him. 

Despite all the evidence, it had him questioning that you were even the correct girl. Because how could someone like you be his greatest adversary? How could you be the same woman who imposed her ideals upon others like he’d seen from Shining Star?

He had to convince himself that you were simply a better actress than he’d accounted for. 

Like Uraume had said, it was possible that you were doing everything in your power to seem unextraordinary, to look like you were no one worth a second glance, to keep people at an arms length so that your secret wouldn’t be discovered. 

That was it, right? 

Even if your exhaustion, your apparent lack of purpose in life seemed so convincing, it had to just be an act. 

Your real self was annoying. You were Shining Star and you were annoying. 

You weren’t some pretty girl who made his heart pound with a single glance, it was probably just another one of your magic tricks, some stupid thing that you were doing which could beguile any man. 

He wouldn’t be fooled. 

Really. He wouldn’t. 

The person in control of this situation was him. He was the one who was going to charm you and then pick you apart piece by piece. You were the one that was going to be fooled and that was all there was to it. 

There was no point reading into his own reactions. 

No point in thinking too much about the wet dream that he’d had that night - the image of you on your knees before him, lips wrapped firmly around his cock, uncertain eyes gazing up at him affectionately. It was all just you trying to maliciously get into his head and he wasn’t going to let that happen. 

Because you meant absolutely nothing to him. 

And that was what he kept telling himself when he next met up with you a week later. 

It was a date that he’d set up, reaching out to you via the number that you’d provided him with at that work party. He had to admit that he was a little annoyed that you didn’t make the first move, but Uraume convinced him that it wasn’t a big deal. You weren’t the type to actively seek out connection, he’d have to be the one driving things. 

So he made a reservation at some fancy restaurant and invited you along on a date. Just like he’d planned from the very start. 

You’d shown up a little late, dark bags beneath your eyes, cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as you apologised profusely to him. You’d mumbled something about your boss keeping you late as you sat down, a statement that had him almost rolling his eyes. He was sure that it wasn’t your day job that had kept you from arriving on time. 

After all, he hadn’t exactly made your week easy. 

With all the mental anguish that you’d caused him, he’d childishly made the decision to unleash some suffering upon you in the short time that you’d been apart. Both he and Uraume had been travelling all over the city, coaxing out monsters in the most inconvenient places, getting great joy out of watching you flit about endlessly putting out the fires he’d started. 

Part of him wanted to show his face to you again, wanted to feel that same rush he’d felt when the two of you had scrapped at the party. But the more you physically saw of the King of Curses, the higher the chances that you’d start to see something off about Sukuna. 

The red eyes were a big giveaway, after all. 

So he’d reluctantly stayed hidden, letting the monsters do his bidding. That was enjoyable enough, especially when he’d raise up eight or nine at one time and your face would fall in dismay at the sight of them all. He loved that pretty look of despair that you’d quickly try to hide, the clear frustration that your night wouldn’t be as easy as you wanted it to be. 

Uraume had raised up a few monsters just as Sukuna had set off for your date. He’d figured that would add to your misery tenfold. He doubted you were the type of person who was okay with letting others down, and he could only assume that you’d feel super guilty showing up late to a date with a guy you liked. 

And if your dejected expression as you sat across from him was anything to go by, he was right on the money with that idea.

“Don’t worry about it.” He waved you off with a wide smile. 

His crimson gaze skimmed over your outfit, his body stirring traitorously as he drank in the view. You’d gone for a simple yet elegant look, donning a black silken dress that stopped just above your knees. It hugged your figure perfectly, accentuating your curves and allowing his thoughts to run wild for approximately five seconds before he shut them down. 

He hated how pretty you were, both in this form and as Shining Star - it was a great source of infuriation for him.

You were like some kind of siren, gorgeous in a way that would draw him in against his will for some evil purpose. He’d fall for no such sorcery.

But it did make it easier for him to sound sincere when he complimented you.

“I didn’t think you could get any prettier than how you looked out on that balcony but, wow.” He breathed. 

Eyes widening, you froze up at his words, hands tightening around the menu that the waiter had just handed to you. It was almost like you couldn’t quite process it, the cogs taking a moment to start turning again in your brain. 

He still couldn’t believe that mere compliments were so effective on you. You really were starved of affection. 

“Oh I’m-” you paused, taking a deep breath before smiling. “Thank you.” 

He laughed aloud. “Ah, look who learned how to take a compliment.” 

You pouted sweetly, averting your gaze back down to the menu. The place that he’d chosen was fancy, the type of location that you’d only go to for the sake of hosting one of those fancy events that you helped organise. Not the sort of restaurant that you’d generally visit in your free time on account of the price and the fact that you largely lived in social isolation. 

The discomfort showed on your face almost immediately as you skimmed the options, eyes flitting over the prices.

He’d picked this place intentionally, eager to offer a display of power and wealth right from the outset. 

“Get whatever you want, I’m paying.” He said simply, as if it was no big deal. 

But you both knew it was. 

“Oh, no, I can’t ask you to do that!” You replied, flustered. “I can pay for myself-” 

“I insist.” His red eyes shone as he caught your eye, a smug smile fixed on his handsome face. “Working for Gojo has its perks, let me treat you.” 

You blinked a few times, staring back at him uncertainly, almost like you were going to fight back. Seconds later your shoulders were dropping in resignation, mumbling something about how he was too nice as you scoured the menu. 

If only you knew that he was currently being the complete opposite of nice. 

The waiter returned and the two of you made your orders. He noted that you’d chosen the cheapest item on the menu, a revelation that irked him in some way. It was like you were allergic to being selfish, always choosing to take the ground of righteousness. If someone had offered him whatever he wanted, he was sure as hell going to be taking advantage of it. 

Not you though. Not Little Miss Perfect. 

For a while the two of you made small talk. He led most of the conversation, launching into an explanation about his role as Gojo’s Legal Director. His aim was to make you as at ease as possible, create an illusion that he was confiding in you so that you’d feel comfortable to do the same back. 

So he went on and on about his time at Limitless, his neverending list of troubles that Gojo posed to him as a boss, and his hopes and dreams for the future. He lied about most of it, because all of his hopes and dreams revolved around your suffering, but he couldn’t exactly come out and say that. 

It wasn’t until the food had already arrived, steaming on the table before you, that he finally started digging into questions about you. 

“I guess your boss must suck too, huh? Keeping you late and all that.” 

“Yeah…” You murmured with a wry smile, impaling a piece of pasta with your fork. It didn’t seem like a topic you were particularly interested in - knowing your secret, he doubted you cared much about your real job at all. 

“So, what did you have to stay late to do today?” 

He figured he’d been nice enough this evening to allow himself a little bit of fun, apply some gentle pressure to you in the form of forcing you to lie and cover up your identity. 

“Oh, uhh…” You trailed off for a moment, brow creasing. 

It was crystal clear that you were attempting to make something up, caught off guard by the fact that he’d even ask. Like Uraume had said, with your tendency to isolate yourself, it was unlikely that you’d ever really had to lie or explain anything to anyone - there was no one in your life who’d ever grow suspicious of your actions. 

Sukuna was going to take great joy in torturing you over the coming weeks by forcing you to come up with explanations ceaselessly. He wanted to see how easily he could catch you out. 

“They needed some support for a charity event that the responsible business department is hosting.” You said finally. 

“Oh, what’s the charity?” He asked without missing a beat, enjoying himself entirely too much. 

You shrugged. “Hell if I know. Something about supporting financial literacy? I was just pitching in on some logistics stuff they were struggling with.” 

Weren’t you quick? Perhaps you were better at this than he’d thought.

“Right.” He hummed. “I thought you loved engaging with charity work though?”

“Oh I do.” You bit back quickly. “I’m more about health related charities though, places that help with cancer research and stuff.” 

Ah, you’d given that some thought since the last time you’d spoken to him. You were clearly clever enough to anticipate that he was going to ask and prepare a realistic enough response. He supposed that you did have a few brain cells after all. 

“Cancer research? Why?” 

He was straight forward in his questioning, not really thinking much of it. Honestly, he’d only asked because he was eager to catch you out in another lie, to watch you scramble for a response as to why you were ‘working’ with those charities. But the way that you’d winced at his query caught him off guard, as if it was a topic that you didn’t want to discuss rather than a lie you needed to tell. 

“It’s- it's just close to my heart, I guess.” You said finally. The words had come out slowly, as if you were taking your time to articulate what you wanted to say in an effective manner. 

“Close to your heart?” He pressed. 

He told himself that he wanted to know more because it would prove you as a liar, not because he was genuinely interested in what you were hiding, curious about the tiny quiver in your tone. 

“Yeah…” 

You were hesitant, gaze moving down to the table. Tilting his head, he watched you push your food around anxiously, as if avoidance would get him to forget the topic and move on entirely. Even if he wasn’t out to destroy your life he probably wouldn’t have dropped things that easily, but he was aware that if he wanted answers he should take a different tact. 

“Sorry, I feel like I’ve said something to upset you. We don’t have to talk about it.” 

You glanced up in surprise, expression softening just a little, wide eyes laden with a hint of what he could only describe as guilt. “No, sorry, you didn’t do anything wrong.” You said quickly, in a clear effort to reassure him. 

It was almost cute, the effort you were making to appease him. Like he’d assumed, you really were desperate for human attention, afraid to let go of a connection that had so forthrightly presented itself to you. 

He wondered idly what else you’d be willing to do for the sake of his attention. How far could he make you humiliate yourself in front of him before he cruelly broke your heart? 

It was an interesting experiment. 

“If you’re sure?” He said, putting on his most sympathetic tone and expression. 

“I’m- yeah- it's just a heavy topic for me, I’m not used to discussing it.” You let out a nervous laugh, lowering your gaze once more. 

“I lost a family member to cancer, so I can relate if that’s what you mean by it being near to your heart.” He said sincerely. 

It was a lie, a brazen one at that. He’d never known his father and he’d run away from his mother at the mere age of eleven. He hoped that awful woman had died from cancer after all she’d put him through, but he’d never know for sure. 

Either way, it felt like the right thing to say to deepen your trust in him. Shared trauma was one hell of a bonding agent, he needed you to believe that you had something in common - for you to believe that he was one of those unique people that truly got you. 

A gross idea from his side, because there was no way in hell that he’d ever be someone who related to someone as unlikeable as you, but he’d commit to anything for the sake of his plan. 

“Oh. I’m really sorry to hear that.” 

Unlike his faux sympathy, he could tell that yours was genuine. Your voice had softened, and you were gazing up at him with compassion. It irked him beyond belief, because he didn’t believe that anyone in the world was genuinely a do-gooder in the way that you liked to present yourself.

It was all fake. You probably only acted so kind because you wanted to feel good about yourself. At the end of the day you still killed Kenjaku, so he could see straight through your false empathy. 

Once you knew who he was there was no doubt in his mind that you’d be rejoicing at the thought of him losing a loved one to cancer. 

You were just as ugly as him on the inside. 

“It was a long time ago.” He said, injecting the appropriate amount of somberness into his tone. “All I’m trying to say is that if you have something like that you wanna talk about, I’m here to listen.” 

God, he felt so gross right now.

“I- uh…” You trailed off for a moment, caught up in your thoughts. You worried your lip between your teeth, as if weighing up how deeply you wanted to share whatever was on your mind. It was as though there was some invisible force holding you back, likely your intense fear of connection that had left you so isolated across the years. 

“Not pushing you.” He interrupted with a practiced smile. “If you don’t want to say anything, it's fine. I was just curious considering my own experience - I thought I might have found a kindred spirit…” 

Now that really drove the knife home. If you’d been more experienced with relationships he probably wouldn’t have said something like that, because it was so blatantly manipulative that it was almost laughable - but he was counting on your lack of social skills to accelerate your attachment to him right now. 

He was going to build a connection and fast - dig his hooks into you so deep today that he could accelerate his plan significantly. 

Plus, he’d love to know if there was someone you loved who was suffering from cancer, because he could no doubt exploit that weakness somehow. 

“Perhaps not quite a kindred spirit, I think our experiences are a little different.” 

Your voice was soft as you averted your gaze again. His shoulders drooped in disappointment, assuming that whatever opportunity he’d been digging at was disappearing before him. 

At least, until you spoke again. 

“I had cancer when I was a teenager. I’m about to celebrate ten years of being all clear, actually.”

He froze, staring at you completely perplexed. 

No, that couldn’t be right, could it?

You were Shining Star, the perfect, righteous, magical girl with the perfect life. The woman who was above it all, the woman who got to pick and choose who was worthy of mercy and who wasn’t. You weren’t some weak little girl who’d had cancer. That just didn’t make sense. 

For a moment, concern bubbled up in his chest at the idea that you might be lying, that you might know exactly who he was and now you were playing him, trying to get him all confused, forcing him to give you sympathy where he knew none was really deserved. 

But there was no way that you could be aware of his identity, it was a total impossibility. 

So why lie? 

Uraume had said that you’d had some extended hospital stay as a child so what you were saying did check out. 

Whatever, what fucking difference did it make? 

While he was caught up assessing his own view of you, he hardly registered the way that you grimaced at his lack of response, eyes moving down to your plate, awkwardly pushing around the food with your fork once more. 

“I don’t usually mention it to people.” You said sheepishly. “I always feel like it ends up with someone being uncomfortable.” 

“No.” He said quickly, realising that he needed to be perfect right now - he could sort his thoughts out later. Uraume would help him put things back in perspective, help alleviate the confusion in his chest at a fairly strong suggestion that you were actually human. “I was just a little surprised, that’s all.” 

You were still just the magical girl that he wanted to destroy. His heart definitely wasn’t fluttering at the look of sheer relief in your eyes at his words. That would be ridiculous. 

“Yeah, you wouldn’t expect it, right?” You gestured vaguely to yourself. 

There was no doubt that you were right about that. You were beautiful after all - even through all his hatred there was no denying a basic fact. Your eyes were bright, your skin radiant and soft, your body clearly strong. You were the picture of health, the type of woman who looked like she’d breezed through life. 

It was the illusion that he’d bought into. 

The one he was still clinging onto now, because he hated the uncomfortable itch that settled into his chest at the thought of you all small and frail in a hospital bed. His adversary was someone unfathomably strong, the type of person who would bend to nothing. 

That was what you were to him. 

You weren’t someone who had suffered, someone who had faced the same hardships and trauma that he had. The two of you weren’t alike, you weren’t kindred spirits, there was no common ground. There just couldn’t be. 

Fuck, you really pissed him off. 

“No, I wouldn’t expect it.” He said carefully, trying not to let his turmoil seep into the character he was currently playing. “So you’re all clear now?” 

That would at least bring him some peace. Your life was perfect now. 

Grimacing a little at the question, you gave him a small nod. “Should be, yeah.” 

“Should be?” 

You sighed heavily. “Yeah. It was- my recovery, it was something of a miracle, I suppose?” 

He tilted his head in interest, genuine interest this time.

“A miracle?” He echoed. 

“Mmm.” You placed your cutlery down, fiddling with the sleeve of your dress. “I was terminal. They put me in palliative care and everything. Nothing had been working - it had been years of chemo and hair loss, and I was finally told that I only had weeks to live. I’d been prepared and everything at that point, I was just so fucking tired.” 

You paused for a moment, sucking in a deep breath before glancing up at him. Up until now your eye-contact had been largely avoidant, but now you were staring straight into his crimson irises, displaying a confidence that reflected Shining Star far more convincingly than anything else he’d seen from you. 

“And then, it just disappeared.” 

“What?” He asked, brows furrowed in confusion. 

“The tumor that had been growing in my esophagus, the same tumor that had spread to my kidneys and liver, it was all suddenly just gone.” 

A miracle indeed. 

“Doctors couldn’t understand it - it was a medical impossibility and yet the evidence was right there in front of them. The cancer was gone from everywhere, there wasn’t a trace of it left in my blood. It was like I’d never been sick at all.” 

Outwardly, he kept a skeptical look as he listened to your story. Internally he was trying to fit this new information into the image of you that he kept in his mind. Uraume had said that you’d come out of hospital a short while before Shining Star had started appearing, which meant your miracle and your alter ego were no doubt connected to each other. 

Although, in what way, he wasn’t quite sure. 

Perhaps you’d always been Shining Star and only uncovered your powers in a moment of need, using your healing powers to destroy the cancer. He supposed that would make you something similar to him, a person who was born different. Someone who was born into so much hatred that their soul merged with that of a monster. 

However, his gut told him that your deal was something else entirely - both your hatred of Kenjaku and the existence of your amulet pointed to that. Your powers weren’t natural, they’d been given to you. You were no monster hybrid, but a beacon of hope and benevolence - you weren’t like him. 

So how had your powers come about? What did they have to do with your miracle? And could they be taken from you just as easily? He’d need to dig a bit more in the future, because the origin of your powers could teach him plenty about more effective ways to permanently kill you. 

Since he still didn’t have a complete answer when it came to that. 

“I’d been through years of pain, years of hospital rooms, pity, and chemo, only to come out of the other side like nothing had happened.” You added, leaning an arm on the table as you stared off into the distance. 

“Well, then your life is perfect right?” He asked, trying to keep the spite out of his tone. “What appeared to be an inevitable end simply disappeared overnight. I suppose that makes you the luckiest person on the planet.” 

He wasn’t sure if his words came across as bitter. What he would’ve given for a miracle at some point in his life - for some respite from the curse that had haunted him from birth.

You gave him a sad smile, taking a long sip from your glass of wine. “I suppose so.” Your voice was soft. “Although I can’t help but wonder about that.” 

He snorted in disbelief. “What? Would it be luckier to have died? Are you about to say some profound thing about the life you’re living not really being worth it?” 

A measured smile remained on your lips, soft eyes sweeping over him. Your attention summoned a warmth in his chest that he didn’t quite understand - the flicker of something akin to a connection. 

He almost wanted to look away, a prickly discomfort crawling up his neck as he held your sad gaze. 

“No. But you’re something of a businessman, aren’t you? Everything comes with a price. So when someone calls me lucky, I can’t help but think they’re likely mistaken. I know that miracle didn’t come to me for free.” 

His eyes widened at the pure resignation in your quiet tone, a sense of quiet despair that had him faltering. There was a hopeless quality to you, an exhaustion that he was more than familiar with - one that betrayed a life of hardship and suffering. 

Instead of the bright and confident hero, Shining Star, the woman sitting before him was tired and vulnerable. You were the type of person who the world had beaten down, left lonely and shattered even despite the miracle that had saved your life.  

He hated the sticky feeling that seized his throat while he thought of what to say, pity coiling in his chest for the last person he should ever feel it towards. 

And it wasn’t just the odd feeling of understanding and sympathy that bothered him.

To anyone else, your comment would’ve been something throwaway, a mere anxiety of a woman who had undergone too much suffering to ever be comfortable that it wouldn’t simply return in greater force. 

To him, your words meant something different. 

The miracle was associated with you becoming a magical girl, and there was a cost. 

Was there more to you than he’d initially thought? He’d always had this view of a woman who had taken up a role of righteousness willingly, not one who had reluctantly taken up the mantle in exchange for some miracle. 

The idea made his chest feel tight. 

“How do you know it wasn’t free?” He pressed. 

“Just a feeling.” You said easily, shutting down his line of questioning. “Either way, these days I like to help people as much as I can. Perhaps I was given a chance to stay on this earth so that I could do good, maybe that’s the price that I pay. Who knows?” 

You knew - that he was sure of. You just weren’t going to tell him. 

Not yet anyway. 

“Mmm. I think I’d just accept the luck and move on, but I guess you’re a better person than me.” He said with an easy laugh. 

You giggled, cheeks flushing ever so slightly. “I’m sure that’s not true.” 

“Oh it definitely is.” He teased. “You called it the first time we met - all I do is defend the rights of a morally corrupt company. Meanwhile you’re like some saint or something, causing miracles and whatnot.” He waved his hands in your general direction to emphasise his point. 

“No…” You mumbled shyly, brushing a stray strand of hair behind your ear. 

There was something about the way that your cheeks reddened that he liked. It was infuriating, but his gaze was instantly drawn to it, his ego boosted at the idea that he was having any sort of effect on you. 

That was definitely what his strange feeling was - it was about desiring power and control over your emotions, nothing more. 

It had nothing to do with the way that you stared at him - gazing up at him with an affection and interest that he wasn’t used to. It had nothing to do with the confession that you’d shared with him either, the fact that you’d opened up about something that was clearly hard for you to discuss. 

No, that was pathetic of you to do. 

You were stupid to let him hold all the cards, foolish to confide in a man like him, idiotic to assume that he’d be even slightly moved by the tragic experience that you’d undergone. It was naive to assume that he was trustworthy, that he cared about a single word that came out of your mouth. 

It wasn’t like your vulnerability played on his mind for the rest of his evening, embedding itself into his initial view of you like a dagger, throwing his thoughts of you into total disarray. Because it didn’t matter that you weren’t exactly like he’d imagined, right? 

Even if he did feel a little bit bad for you, it didn’t change anything. Even if his attempt to act like a kindred spirit had backfired in a way that had him actually feeling like one. You still needed to disappear. 

He still needed to stick to the plan. 

You’d killed Kenjaku, you hated people like him, and he couldn’t lose sight of what you were. 

At least, that’s what he told himself. 

—

He hadn’t planned on sleeping with you that night. 

To be clear, he hadn’t really planned on sleeping with you at all. 

He’d figured that he could make up some lie about waiting for marriage or something, provide you with a reason not to have sex whilst still pushing forward with the development of your relationship. Because why would he fuck someone that he despised? 

Except there he was at the end of the date, standing outside your door, nodding along easily when you asked him if he wanted to come in. 

He wasn’t really sure what had possessed him to end up in the position he was in now. 

To some extent, he was aware that it was because he’d ended up having something of an enjoyable evening with you, even if he didn’t really want to admit that to himself. After the cancer conversation, things had been uncannily easy. For some reason he found that he wasn’t straining at all to keep up his act, making conversation with you and batting back flirtatious remarks with total ease. 

You’d made him genuinely laugh a few times, his heart had raced when your fingers had brushed against his across the table, and at the end of the night you’d sweetly asked if he could accompany you back to your place since there’d been a few crimes in the area.

As if that would pose any risk to you. 

But he went along with it all the same. 

It had been easy to reason with himself at first, tell himself that he needed to grab any chance to deepen his bond with you, and that he couldn’t pass up on an opportunity to snoop around in your house. Perhaps he could uncover some great secret about you, find a way to weaken your power, expose something that he could hold over you in the future. 

Saying yes just made sense for his plan. 

However, justifying his presence in your house was a little bit harder when the two of you were tangled up in your sheets, his cock buried inside you, your nails raking desperately down his back. Your soft eyes were wide with desire, lips parted slightly, body quivering beneath the weight of his thrusts. 

His name was falling from your mouth in desperate gasps, your voice all high-pitched and breathy. He could feel you squeezing around him desperately, sucking him in like your life depended on it. It was pathetic really, the way that you were unravelling beneath him so easily, with no care in the world that the man making you feel this good was the last man who should ever see you in this state. 

Stupid. You were so stupid and careless. 

It would be so easy to kill you right now, to wrap his fingers around your delicate throat and crush your windpipe. But that wasn’t right, he wanted more from you than simply death, he wanted your complete and utter humiliation - he wasn’t about to rush things. 

Besides, he didn’t want to kill you in this form. He’d just be murdering some frail girl who’d miraculously recovered from cancer in her youth. When he finally got around to killing you, he’d do it while you were Shining Star - he’d settle for nothing less. 

Perhaps that was how he was justifying his current state. He was fucking you, not Shining Star, and somehow in his head, that made the whole thing less gross.  

So instead of killing you or stopping, he lost himself in the feeling of your body, his lips bruising your neck with kisses, his fingers brushing over your pebbled nipples, enjoying every little twitch that he elicited from you. It was proof that he held all the power in this exchange, you had what you had because of him, you were totally at his mercy. 

Just like you should be. 

It was because of his desire for total domination that he came inside you, filling you up with his seed and thoroughly leaving his mark behind. He did it because one day that fact would be a humiliation for you. 

Not because he didn’t have the willpower to pull out of your tight heat. 

Not because he liked the way you whimpered his name when you came, shuddering on his cock. 

Definitely not. 

This was all just to sell the illusion, that was all. He wasn’t attracted to you - not even a little bit. There was no way that he’d have ever even given you a second glance if not for the fact that he needed to destroy your whole life. 

This was all just part of his evil plan. 

That was what he told himself when you huddled up in his arms like you belonged there, your naked body heavy with sleep. He hadn’t moved, made no effort to leave or escape. Instead he pulled you close, letting you drift off at his side. 

He told himself that he’d snoop another time, that today had simply been too taxing for him to do anything else. He’d made plenty of progress, the last thing he’d want was for you to catch him snooping with the leaps and bounds that he’d made in your trust today. 

So he fell asleep there in that soft bed that smelt so sweetly of you, his fingers running tenderly along your spine. All to sell the illusion of course - even if you were asleep, how could he be sure that you didn’t have cameras or anything? He could never let his guard down. 

Because he hated you. You were his enemy. He’d betray you and he’d kill you, and he couldn’t care less about how you felt about anything. 

Really, he hated you. 

Really.

a/n: sukuna is so fucking stupid out here calling her an idiot for falling for his charm like the exact same thing would NEVER befall him - buddy, only one of you has an unhealthy obsession and it AIN'T her

hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, can't wait to share more with you all! reblogs and comments are appreciated! let me know if you want to be added to the taglist <3

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