â§ ââ đđđ đđđ đđđđđđ đđđđ ââ â§
âą đđđđđđđ :: Sukuna x fem!reader
âą đđđđđ :: dark romance ă» angst ă» supernatural ă» reincarnation AU ă» obsessive love ă» psychological tension
âą đđđđđđ :: possessive behavior . toxic love . reincarnation . violence . bloodshed . emotional obsession . jealousy . manipulation . fate . loneliness . emotional dependency . smut . corruption of love . âyou belong to meâ energy .
âą đđđđđđđđ :: dark content ahead . toxic relationships . emotional abuse . cheating mentions . manipulation . obsessive behavior . blood & gore . violence . death . possessiveness . verbal degradation/name calling . unhealthy attachment . stalking behavior . panic/anxiety themes . explicit language . smut. sukuna is a simpppp.
â§ ââ đđđđđđđ đđ ââ â§
The black SUV rolled to a slow, silent stop beneath the penthouse. Everything after that blurred together.
Your body drifted somewhere between sleep and consciousness, your fever making the world feel distant, almost underwater. You barely registered the sound of the door opening before familiar warmth surrounded you. His strong arms that wrapped around you almost entirely were steady, and safe. Even through the haze, you knew exactly who it was.
Sukuna.
He gathered you against his chest as though you weighed nothing at all, one arm supporting your back while the other settled securely beneath your knees. His grip never faltered as he carried you through the private entrance of the penthouse, his pace urgent but impossibly careful, every step measured as though the slightest miscalculation might somehow break you.
The infirmary had already been prepared.
Bright morning light poured through towering glass windows overlooking the forest beyond the estate. Shelves lined one wall, filled with old medical texts and neatly arranged instruments polished to perfection. Fresh white lilies rested near the open window, their scent mixing with crisp mountain air that drifted softly through the room.
Japanâs finest physicians stood waiting. The moment Sukuna crossed the doorway, they moved instantly. He lowered you carefully onto the bed, reluctant fingers lingering against your shoulder for just a second longer before finally stepping aside.
An IV was placed, your temperature was taken. Cool cloths replaced the feverish heat clinging to your skin while nurses quietly washed away the dirt and dried blood that still remained.
Sukuna never moved. He stood at the foot of the bed, arms folded tightly across his chest, crimson eyes never once leaving you. He wasnât watching the physicians. He was watching you. Watching your breathing. The rise and fall of your chest. The slight twitch of your fingers beneath the blanket.
Making sure you were still here..Because every time he closed his eyesâŠHe saw it again. The way youâd looked at him after he admitted the truth. Not with fear. Not with hatred, but with heartbreak.
That expression had followed him into every sleepless night since. He had lived through centuries of war. He had watched clans rise and collapse beneath his feet. None of itâŠNone of it at all had hurt the way your trembling voice had when you whisperedââDid you kill him?â
His jaw tightened at the brutal flash back. Heâd thought protecting you would earn your gratitude. InsteadâŠHe had become the very thing that made tears stream down your face like an endless river. ââŠIdiot.â
The insult wasnât meant for anyone else..only himself. A physician quietly approached once the examination was complete. âMy lord.â
âThe fever has begun responding well. Her body is simply exhausted. Severe dehydration, prolonged lack of nutrition, emotional stressâŠâ He paused. ââŠSheâll likely sleep for several more hoursâŠmaybe days even.â
Sukuna gave a single nod. âI understand.â The physician hesitated. Then carefully addedâââŠRest assured, sheâll recover soon.â Relief flickered across Sukunaâs face so quickly it might have been imagined.
The room slowly emptied one by one, the nurses bowed before quietly leaving. The physicians followed. SoonâŠOnly the two of you remained. Sukuna pulled a chair beside the bed. His large hand found yours beneath the blanket. ââŠIâm not leaving.â This time it wasn't a promise to you. It was a promise to himself.
Hours laterâŠYour eyelashes fluttered slightly. The first thing you noticed was late afternoon sunlight spilling across polished wooden floors. Then the scent of fresh cedar drifting through the cracked-open window.
Birds sang somewhere beyond the trees. Everything feltâŠPeaceful. Your vision slowly cleared as you began to see the glass walls overlooking endless greenery. Soft white curtains dancing gently in the breeze.Â
ââŠâ This wasnât Chosoâs minka... Your eyelids fluttered weakly as the room drifted in and out of focus. Everything around you felt distant, as though you were trying to look through water instead of air. The voices, the beeping machines, even the warmth wrapped around your hand all seemed muffled, blending together into something that didnât quite feel real. You couldnât tell if you were dreaming anymore or if youâd finally opened your eyes.
ââŠSukunaâŠ?â Your own voice barely sounded like yours. It came out hoarseâŠSmallâŠand almost lost.Â
The moment your eyes found him, relief softened something deep inside your chest. It wasnât excitement, or happinessâŠbut something a bit more quieter. The kind of relief that only came from knowing the person youâd been searching for was finally there. Your body was exhausted beyond what your mind could comprehend, and simply stopped fighting.
Sukuna was at your side before the last syllable of his name had even left your lips. âIâm here.â His voice cracked ever so slightly, betraying the composure heâd spent the last days forcing himself to maintain. âIâm right here.â
His large hand carefully enclosed yours, his thumb brushing slow circles across the back of it as though reassuring both of you that this wasnât another cruel dream. His other hand rose to gently smooth a few loose strands of hair away from your face, his touch was impossibly careful, as though he feared you might disappear again if he moved too quickly.
âThere you areâŠâ The words escaped him more as a ragged breath than a sentence. His crimson eyes searched every inch of your face, silently checking for pain, for fear, for anything that would tell him you were slipping away again.
Your lips parted, wanting to ask a thousand questions. What happened? How long had you been asleep? Where were you?..But the questions never came.
Your eyelids grew heavier with every passing second, your body refusing to cooperate no matter how desperately you tried to stay awake. The medicine coursing through your veins and the days of exhaustion finally demanded what they had been owed.
A sleepy sigh escaped you. âI⊠donât thinkâŠâ You couldnât even finish the sentence as sleep was already pulling you back under. Sukuna noticed immediately. The tension in his shoulders slowly eased. ââŠGood.â A faint, almost relieved smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. âSleep.â
âYou donât have to fight anymore Y/N .â He slowly lifted your hand toward his lips, pressing the gentlest kiss across your knuckles before carefully lowering it back onto the blanket. His thumb brushed across your hand one last time. âRest, my love..Iâll watch over you.â The corners of your lips lifted into the faintest smile before darkness welcomed you once more, this time not with fearâŠBut with peace.
Behind you, Sukuna never once loosened his grip on your handâŠNot for the next three days.
Your eyelashes fluttered once again..Â
The fever had finally loosened its suffocating grip, leaving behind nothing more than a dull ache buried deep within your muscles. Every part of your body still felt heavy, as though someone had replaced your bones with stone, but your thoughts no longer drifted aimlessly between dreams and reality. They were finally your own again.
The first thing you heard was the soft clicking of keys. Your eyes slowly wandered across the spacious infirmary until they landed on the familiar figure sitting near the large glass windows overlooking the forest beyond the estate.
Sukuna.
He sat with one ankle resting over his knee, a laptop balanced effortlessly across his lap while stacks of paperwork surrounded him. Every so often his crimson eyes lifted from the screen without him even realizing it, instinctively checking to see if you were still breathing before returning to whatever business demanded his attention.
The moment you shifted beneath the blanketsâŠhe lifted his head, then quietly closed the laptop. ââŠYouâre awake.â his voice was lower than usual, more rough around the edges as though relief had scraped against it.
You slowly pushed yourself upright, immediately regretting it as your head gave a faint throb. ââŠWhat the hell happened?â Your voice came out hoarse from days of sleep. Instinctively, your fingers wandered toward your neck.. The silver heart pendant, still resting exactly where heâd placed it.
Your thumb gently brushed over the cool metal before your eyes slowly found his again. Silence settled between the two of you. Neither of you spoke. Because neither of you knew where to begin.
There were too many conversations waiting to happen. Too many questions. Too many wounds neither of you knew how to touch without reopening them.
You studied him quietly. His hair was messier than usual, beneath his crimson eyes dark circles began to form. The fitted black shirt clinging to his broad shoulders somehow looked heavier than you remembered.
He looked exhausted. Not the kind of exhaustion sleep could fix, but the kind that settled somewhere deep inside a person. Your stomach tightenedâŠBecause against every ounce of common sense in your brainâŠAgainst every logical thought screaming at you to keep your distanceâŠyou began to fall in love with him.
The realization was almost insulting. ââŠFantastic.â You thought bitterly to yourself. âOut of everyone in the entire worldâŠI fell in love with a psychopathic killer.â Your eyes drifted downward. He was terrifying to say the least, I mean anyone with functioning eyes could see that. and yetâŠThat wasnât the man youâd come to know.
You remembered warm baths he drew. Quiet conversations beneath endless stars. The way heâd tucked blankets around your shoulders when he thought you were asleep. The way heâd watched over you through the fever.
The way heâd whisperedâŠâIâm here.â NoâŠ.There had to be something he still wasnât telling you. You just werenât ready to hear it yet. You looked at him for a long moment.
Really looked at him.
Dark circles rested beneath crimson eyes that hadn't known proper sleep in days. His hair was slightly more disheveled than usual, a few loose strands falling over his forehead, and for the first time since you'd met him...He looked tired. Not physicallyâŠemotionally.
The realization settled heavily in your chest. He had been just as afraid of losing you as you'd been afraid of losing yourself. "...You stayed.." It wasn't really a question, more like disbelief.
He rose from the chair beside the tall glass window and crossed the room in slow, unhurried steps, as though afraid that moving too quickly might somehow disturb the fragile settling over you..
When he reached the bedside, he lowered himself onto the edge of the mattress. The bed dipped beneath his weight as he turned toward you, his expression softening in a way only you had ever been allowed to witness.
Without asking he reached for your hand. His thumb slowly brushed across the back of it, his touch gentle enough to make your heart ache. "There wasn't anywhere else I needed to be." Silence settled comfortably between the two of you. You searched his face, trying to find the terrifying King of Curses everyone else feared. Instead...All you found was the man who hadn't left your bedside for three days.
Your throat tightened at the sight of it all. "...I'm sorry." The words slipped out before you could stop them. His brows drew together almost immediately. "What are you apologizing for?" Your eyes drifted down to your intertwined hands. "You were worried about me..."
For a brief moment, Sukuna simply stared at you. "Y/N..." the way he said your name sent a trail of warmth blooming beneath your skin, rich and velvety with that unmistakable depth youâd grown embarrassingly fond of. "You never have to apologize for surviving.â
Your eyes immediately began to sting. "I just..." You swallowed the lump rising in your throat. "I-I really didn't mean to make you worry." His hand gently cupped the side of your face, his thumb brushing beneath your eye with impossible care. "You could never burden me.â a pause. âYou hear me?"
His crimson eyes searched yours, making sure every word settled exactly where he intended. "The only thing that frightened me..." His voice cracked so quietly you almost missed it. "...was the thought of waking up in a world without you in it." Every wall you'd spent days trying to rebuild around your heart quietly crumbled. Unable to find the right words, you simply leaned into the warmth of his hand.
For the briefest moment , something shifted in his expression..The tension heâd carried across his shoulders for three relentless days quietly loosened. His thumb swept slowly across your cheek one last time before he let out a long, measured breath he hadnât realized heâd been holding.ââŠThaatâs better.â His voice remained low, rich enough to settle deep inside your chest. âMy stubborn little lamb.â
Without another word, he stood then walked over toward the IV beside your bed, he carefully examined the nearly empty bag before reaching up to disconnect it with practiced precision. You blinked. ââŠYou know how to do that?â
âI paid attention.â He answered so matter-of-factly it shocked you. âI watched every physician who examined you.â a pause. âThey werenât touching you without me knowing exactly what they were doing.â You stared at him. ââŠThatâs a little insane.â He discarded the empty IV before returning to your bedside. Instead of taking the chair, Sukuna sat carefully on the edge of the mattress again.
One arm rested loosely across your legs beneath the blanket. Just enough that your bodies touched. After everything that had happenedâŠHe needed to feel you were close enough to reach. ââŠfeeling any better?â
âA little better.â
âYou scared the hell out of me Y/N...â The confession slipped from his mouth before he could stop it. Silence followed. ThenâŠFor what felt like the first time in his entire existenceâŠSukuna struggled to find the next words.. As his gaze lowered to the floor âI never wanted you to find out like that.â His thumb absentmindedly brushed slow circles against the blanket covering your legs. âI know asking for forgiveness now is unfair⊠and Iâm not asking you to forget.â
âIâm only askingâŠâ He exhaled slowly. ââŠthat when youâre readyâŠyou allow me to tell you everything.â a pause. âNo more secrets..Iâll answer every question you have..But only when youâre ready to hear it.â
You searched his face for a long moment. ââŠOkay.â He looked up.ââŠOkay?â You nodded once.ââŠOkay.â Relief washed across his features so quickly it almost hurt to witness. Before either of you could fall back into silence, he suddenly stood again. âThereâs something I want to show you.â You blinked. ââŠSukuna. I literally just woke up.â
âAnd?â The shocked look on your face only seemed to amuse him even more. ââŠSeriously?â
âYes.â
ââŠYouâre unbelievable.â
âSo Iâve been told.â Before you could protest again, one arm slid behind your back while the other slipped beneath your knees.You let out a small yelp. âSukuna!, I'm not paralyzed you know..I can walk.â He adjusted you effortlessly against his chest before leaving the infirmary. The walk wasnât long. When he finally pushed open the large cedar doors ahead, your breath caught.
Rows upon rows of medicinal herbs stretched beneath towering glass ceilings flooded with sunlight. Drying flowers hung neatly from wooden beams overhead while shelves lined every wall, filled with ancient medical texts, handwritten journals, glass bottles, mortars and pestles, neatly labeled remedies, rare poisons, and every healing plant imaginable.
The entire room smelled faintly of lavender, eucalyptus, fresh cedar, and rain. It was beautiful. ââŠSukunaâŠâ Your voice barely rose above a whisper. ââŠThis is incredible.â
He looked down at you. âI had it expanded.â Your brows furrowed. ââŠExpanded?â âWhen I read your university records.â
âYou wanted to become a doctor.â His eyes slowly wandered across the room. âI figuredâŠyouâd need somewhere peaceful to study.â For several secondsâŠYou simply stared at him. Then excitement took over before you could stop it. âYou have monkshood? and angelica?â
âWaitââYou leaned forward. âIs that dried mugwort?â Before you knew it, you were smiling. Walking from shelf to shelf, running your fingers carefully over labeled jars and dried herbs as though youâd stepped into another world entirely. Sukuna didn't dare to interrupt this moment, instead he watched in admiration. Watching you smile had become one of his favorite things to do.Â
Eventually, you caught yourself as your smile disappeared. You straightened your posture then crossed your arms looking the opposite direction from his mocking gaze. . ââŠI suppose itâll do.â One eyebrow lifted slightly. ââŠWill it?â You rolled your eyes. ââŠDonât push it.â
A deep quiet laugh escaped him, what felt like for the first time in foreverâŠThe two of you simply stood there. Not as the King of Curses. Not as the woman carrying the weight of impossible choices. JustâŠtwo people trying to find their way back to one another.
The tour through the apothecary stretched longer than either of you expected.
You wandered from shelf to shelf, fingertips trailing carefully across neatly labeled jars filled with dried herbs, pressed flowers, and handwritten remedies dating back centuries. Every few moments Sukuna would quietly explain what a particular herb was used for, occasionally reaching over your shoulder to point toward another rare plant tucked beneath the warm sunlight spilling through the towering glass ceiling.
For a little whileâŠEverything else disappeared. There were no curses. No grief. No unanswered questions. Just youâŠand him. Eventually Sukuna rested one hand against the small of your back.
âCome on.â You glanced over your shoulder. âWe should head back.â The walk through the penthouse felt strangely peaceful. Neither of you felt the need to fill the silence.
It wasnât awkward anymore. Somehow silence had become comfortable between the two of you. When the doors opened, your eyes immediately landed on the massive luxury canopy bed sitting in the center of the room. ThenâŠyou slowly looked back toward Sukuna. ââŠWhat happened to my room?â
âIt no longer exists.â You blinked. ââŠExcuse me?âÂ
âYouâll be sleeping here now.â Your brows slowly lifted. âAnd youâre telling me thisâŠnot asking?.â
âYouâve been kidnapped twice.â He interrupted calmly. âOnce by Choso..Once by Mahito.â
âIâm eliminating unnecessary risks.â you snapped your head at him. ââŠBy removing my bedroom?â
âIâm improving security.â You stared at him. ââŠThatâs what weâre calling it now?â
âYes.â A sigh escaped you. ââŠwhatever.â You didnât even have enough energy to argue anymore. TruthfullyâŠYou already knew heâd made up his mind and besidesâŠAfter everything that had happenedâŠSleeping beside him somehow didnât seem nearly as outrageous as it wouldâve weeks ago.
You looked toward the bathroom. ââŠCan I at least take a shower?â One corner of his mouth lifted knowingly. âOf course.â He walked toward the edge of the oversized bed before taking a seat, one arm resting lazily across the back of the mattress. âIâll wait right here .â
ââŠYouâre unbelievable.â
âSo Iâve been told.â You disappeared into the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind you. A few moments laterâŠWarm water filled the room.
Steam slowly fogged the mirror. OutsideâŠThe smile quietly disappeared from Sukunaâs face. He reached into his pocket before pulling out his phone. Within seconds security footageâŠTravel records, bank transactions, location updates, everything involving your father appeared across the screen.
His crimson eyes narrowed. ââŠNo calls.â Not one... ââŠNo text messages.â Not until today.. His thumb slowly scrolled farther.
That wasnât like him. Not according to the information Sukuna had collected over the past months. He checked on you constantly. Called every few days. Texted almost every morning. He was annoyingâŠbut consistent like any father should be. Then suddenlyâŠNothing. Complete silenceâŠUntil now. ââŠInteresting.â
Something wasnât right, however he couldn't explain it just yet. But every instinct sharpened inside him. Quietly reaching into the nightstand drawer, he pulled out a small black gift box tied neatly with a crimson ribbon. Inside rested a brand-new phone.Â
The bathroom door clicked open.
Warm steam drifted lazily into the bedroom before you stepped through it, one hand keeping the oversized white towel secure against your body while the other absently worked another towel through your damp hair. Strands clung to your shoulders, tiny droplets tracing slow paths along the curve of your neck before disappearing beneath the soft fabric wrapped around you.
Sukuna looked up. His crimson eyes dragged over you with unhurried confidence, taking in every inch exactly as though heâd earned the right to admire you. They traveled from the damp curls framing your face, to the bare skin of your shoulders, to the towel hugging the natural lines of your figure before slowly climbing back to meet your eyes.
The silence stretchedâŠbut your heartbeat didnât. It stumbled somewhere in the middle of your chest. ââŠWhat?â His gaze never left yours. âYouâre staring at me.â He didnât answer. Instead, he just continued looking at you hungrily.Â
Your fingers instinctively tightened around the towel. StillâŠnothing. Only those intense crimson eyes, fixed entirely on you. Heat slowly crept beneath your skin. ââŠSukuna.â FinallyâHe slowly walked toward you. Each measured step carried the same quiet confidence that seemed to follow him everywhere, closing the distance between you one deliberate stride at a time until the room suddenly felt much, much smaller.
You found yourself taking a tiny step backward. The corner of his mouth threatened the faintest hint of satisfaction before disappearing just as quickly. âI know.â Your breath caught. ââŠok you know now can you stop?â
He stopped only when there was barely any space left between the two of you. Slowly, he leaned down until his lips hovered just over yours. âCan you blame meâŠ?â His deep velvety voice brushed across your skin, warm enough to send a shiver down the back of your neck. ââŠyou test my self-control far more than any enemy ever has.â
Every muscle in your body suddenly forgot how to work as warmth rushed straight to your lower abdomen. You looked anywhere except at him. âIâm trying to get dressed, thank you very much.â
âFor what?â You blinked. âWhat do you mean, for what?â silence. âI canât exactly walk around here wearing nothing.â His gaze drifted lazily over the towel before returning to your face. âThen don'tâ You stared. He tilted his head ever so slightly. âIf it were up to me....the only eyes that would ever look at you like this⊠â His thumb tilted your chin upward. â..would be mine.â Your mouth fell open. ââŠSukuna.â For another brief second, neither of you moved. Then, desperate to save yourself from what this conversation was becoming, your eyes landed on the neatly wrapped black box resting in the middle of the bed.
You pointed at it a little too quickly. ââŠWhatâs that?â His gaze finally followed yours. âI was beginning to wonder when you were going to notice.â you gasped quietly, âFor me?â
âWho else?â You walked toward the bed, leaning over the mattress to pull the ribbon loose before lifting the lid. Your breath caught instantly. âA phone?â You carefully lifted it from the box, turning it over in your hands before pressing the power button. The familiar wallpaper greeted you almost immediately.
ThenâŠNotification after notification began appearing across the screen.
YUJI đÂ
MEGUMI đ«„
NOBARA đ đ
Dozens of missed messages. You blinked. ââŠEverythingâs already here.â all your photos. All your contacts..and even your notes. You looked back at him.ââŠHow?â He didnât miss a beat. âI had someone take care of it.â You narrowed your eyes just enough to let him know you werenât entirely convinced. ââŠReally?â
His expression didnât change. You held his gaze for another second. There was absolutely no way some random technician had transferred everything exactly the way you liked it. He had done this, orâŠmore accuratelyâŠhe had made sure someone did. You decided not to press him for now at least.
Instead, another notification appearedâŠThen anotherâŠand another.
NOBARA đ đ: Â IF YOU DONâT ANSWER THIS PHONE I SWEAR !!!
YUJI đ: Please tell me youâre alive đ.
MEGUMI đ«„: Ignore Yuji. Just let us know youâre okay.
Despite everything else âŠYou laughed. Sukuna watched as the smile spread across your face. Content with saying nothing at all. Because that smileâŠWas exactly why heâd bought the phone in the first place.
Sukuna clicked his tongue. âThey were insufferable.â a pause, âThey asked about you every second of the damn day.â You smiled without looking away from the screen. âIâm sure they did.â ThenâŠA single notification appeared.
Dad.Â
The phone vibrated against your palm. You glanced down at the screen before answering. âDad?â
âHey, sweetheart.â Hearing his voice after everything that had happened pulled at something deep inside your chest. âI just landed in Japan.â
âYouâŠwait, already?â A small laugh escaped you. âI didnât know you were coming this soon.â
âThere are a lot of things happening back home that I need to catch you up on.â His tone remained light. AlmostâŠtoo light. âSo,â he continued, âhow about lunch?â
You hesitated only briefly before nodding to yourself. âOkay. Just send me the location, Iâll be there.â
âPerfect.â A pause. âThank you, sweetheart.â The call ended. You stared at the screen for another second before lowering it. ââŠMy dadâs here.â Across the room, Sukuna lifted his eyes slowly. âI gathered that.â
âHe wants to meet for lunch.â
âWhere?â Almost on cue, your phone chimed again. You opened it before turning the screen toward him. Sukuna barely glanced at the address before clicking his tongue. ââŠOf all the restaurants in Tokyo.â
You blinked. âWhat?â
âHe couldâve picked somewhere better.â Despite yourself, you smiled. âI didnât realize you were such a food critic.â
âIâm not.â He stood. âI simply have standards for whatâs mines.â He slipped one hand into his pocket as he walked toward the door. âget dressed.â His eyes lingered on you for just a heartbeat longer. âIâll allow it.â You laughed quietly. ââŠYouâll allow it?â
His lips curved into the faintest hint of satisfaction. âYou heard me.â Before you could think of some type of sarcastic comeback he had already turned away. He reached for the handle, paused for the briefest moment, then looked over his shoulder. âTry not to keep me waiting.â
Then the door clicked shut behind him. You stared after it for a long second before letting out a breathless laugh. â..Unbelievable.â..Yet despite yourself, you couldn't ignore the warmth blooming beneath your ribs.
A few hours laterâŠthe bedroom door opened once more.
This time, you were dressed to leave. a soft jade-green halter top rested against your skin, the flowing fabric moving gently with each step. A fitted denim short skirt hugged your hips, while delicate designer sandals completed the outfit. Your curls had been gathered into an effortless updo, leaving a few loose strands framing your face.
Sukuna looked up, and forgot whatever heâd been reading. His eyes swept over you once. Then again languidly. ââŠWell.â You raised an eyebrow. âWhat?â His gaze settled dangerously on your face again. You folded your arms, turning your face anywhere but in his direction as heat rose to your cheeks. âI was thinking I could just grab an Uber.â
His expression flattened almost immediately. âThat won't be necessary." You frowned. ââŠand why not?â
âBecause when you leave this houseâŠâ He pushed himself away from the chair and began walking toward you with slow, deliberate steps. ââŠI leave this house.â The room suddenly felt much smaller. You blinked. âSukunaââ
âThere isnât anywhere youâre goingâŠâ He stopped directly in front of you. ââŠwhere i won't be.â His crimson eyes slowly dragged over you again, lingering just heavily enough to make your pulse betray you. ââŠOr be close enough to reach.â
The finality in his voice left no room for negotiation. Not because he doubted you at all...but because heâd already lived through losing you once, and he wasn't interested in surviving it a second time. You let out a quiet sigh. âLike I said beforeâŠyouâre unbelievable.â
âIâve been called worse.â Only then did his gaze drift over your outfit again. His jaw tightened almost immediately. ââŠYou look dangerous.â You raised an eyebrow. âDangerous?â
âFor my patience.â Warmth flooded your cheeks before you could stop it. Trying to recover from it, you leaned forward onto your toes, stopping just shy of his lips. âSoâŠâ A teasing smile tugged at your face . ââŠdo you like it?â You started to pull away..but you never made it. His hand found the back of your neck with practiced ease as he jerked you back until your foreheads were almost touching.
His thumb rested just beneath your ear as he tightened his grip. âCarefulâŠâ His voice dropped lower. ââŠlittle lamb.â A shiver raced down your spine. âYou tease a starving lionâŠâ His eyes held yours without wavering. âHe might forget his mannersâŠâ your lungs forgot how to work for a moment ââŠitâs unwise to keep tempting it.â
For a single heartbeat or maybe twoâŠneither of you moved. Your pulse hammered so loudly you were convinced he could hear it. Then a quiet knock interrupted the moment. âMy lord.â Uraumeâs calm voice carried through the room.
âThe vehicle is ready.â Neither of you answered. It was almost as though Sukuna hadnât heard them at all. You were the first to step away, clearing your throat as you looked anywhere except at him.ââŠi should go.â
You smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from your skirt, silently willing your heartbeat to return to normal. Because if he noticed just how affected you wereâŠyou had a feeling he would never let you live it downâŠliterally.
The black SUV was already waiting outside. You reached for the rear doorâŠOnly to pause when Sukuna climbed in behind you. You frowned. ââŠWhat are you doing?â
âWhat does it look like I'm doing.â
âMy dad doesnât know Iâm staying with you.â
âI know.â
âThen why are you coming?â He settled comfortably into the leather seat, crossing one leg over the other before looking out the window. âIâm taking you there.â a beat passed. âand Iâll be there when youâre finished.â You studied him for a moment. âDriver, go.â
The SUV pulled away from the curb. You rested your elbow against the door, your chin settling into your hand as the city drifted past outside. ââŠOf course youâll be there.âÂ
The ride settled into a comfortable silence. You didnât notice it at firstâŠBut every time you turned your head, Sukunaâs eyes were already on you intensely. His jaw flexed before he looked away toward the passing skyline, forcing himself to hold his composure.
It wouldâve been so easy to pull you into the back of the SUV and remind you where you belongedâŠor more like who you belonged to.
InsteadâŠHe remained exactly where he was. The only thing betraying him was the way his crimson eyes kept finding you again, as though resisting the urge to close the distance had become the hardest battle heâd fought all week.
When the restaurant finally came into view, the vehicle rolled smoothly to a stop. Before you could open the door, Sukuna leaned in toward you.
His hand briefly brushed a loose curl away from your face. âIf anything feels wrongâŠâ his voice remained calm. ââŠleave. Iâll be nearby.â You nodded. âI know.â
He studied you for another quiet moment before pressing a gentle kiss against the top of your head. The simple gesture caught you completely off guard. Heat immediately rushed into your cheeks.
ââŠGo.â
You smiled to yourself as you stepped out of the SUV, refusing to look back because you already knew what youâd find âŠSukuna still watching. He always was, and somehowâŠthat no longer frightened you.
The restaurant overlooked a beautiful garden courtyard filled with ivy-covered stone walls, koi ponds, and flowering cherry trees dancing gently beneath the afternoon breeze. It would've been peaceful⊠Had your stomach not twisted the moment you spotted them.
The hostess led you toward the private patio tucked behind the restaurant. Your father was already standing when he saw you. Relief immediately softened your expression.
âDad.â You wrapped your arms around him, burying your face briefly against his shoulder. For the first time in weeks, you allowed yourself to simply be someoneâs daughter. He hugged you back. âIâm glad youâre alright.â
When you finally stepped backâŠyour eyes drifted past himâŠand your smile disappeared.
Naoya..he sat comfortably beside an older man whose resemblance to him was unmistakable. The older man wore an expensive charcoal suit, silver beginning to thread through his blonde hair, yet the sharpness in his eyes reminded you exactly where Naoya had gotten his arrogance from.
Naoya looked just as surprised to see you, but only for a second. Then he recovered so quickly you almost wondered if youâd imagined it. ââŠY/N.â His lips curved into the faintest smile before he casually lifted his glass. âDidnât expect to see you here.â
âI could say the same.â Your father motioned toward the empty chair beside him. âCome. Sit.â You sat, although something inside your stomach had already twisted . The waiter poured tea as small talk came first about business, travel, weather..It all felt painfully rehearsed.
Then your father looked at you. âIâve heard youâve become rather fond of Naoya.â Your eyebrows shot upward. âI have?â
Across the table, Naoya rested his chin against his hand. âThatâs right..weâve become quite close.â His tone was perfectly polite. But his eyesâŠwere laughing. You shot him a look sharp enough to stab through porcelain. He looked entirely too entertained. You turned back toward your father. ââŠYou said there were things you needed to tell me.â
The atmosphere shifted immediately. Your fatherâs smile faded. âJacobâs fatherâŠâ He folded his hands together. ââŠhas become involved in some very dangerous business.â You frowned. âWhat kind of business?â
âThe kind I refused to be part of.â His expression hardened. âHe didnât appreciate my decision.â You listened quietly. âHe began threatening me. My company. Our family.â The older Zenin finally spoke. âI offered your father protection.â His voice was calm and measured. âMy home is your home for as long as he needs it.â You looked between the two men. ââŠHow long are we going to stay here?â Your father sighed. âFor a while..â Silence settled.
ThenâŠHe smiled. âWhich is whyâŠâ He looked toward Naoya. ââŠI think it would be good if the two of you spent more time together.â Everything stopped. The clinking of dishes. The conversations surrounding your tableâŠEven your own breathing.
No. NoâŠyouâd heard that tone before. Heâd said the same thing about Jacob. Your pulse slammed against your ribs. Before you could answerâNaoyaâs father calmly added, âOur families would become considerably stronger united.â
UnitedâŠThe word echoed. Your fingers slowly tightened beneath the table. They were doing it again. You forced a smile. One convincing enough that no one questioned it. ââŠExcuse me I need to use the ladies room, Iâll be right back.â
You washed your hands frantically. Then looked at yourself in the mirror and took one shaky breath then turned the faucet off, the steady stream of water disappearing into silence as droplets slipped from your fingertips into the porcelain sink below.
Your pulse was still racing. The conversation replayed itself over and over inside your mind. Our families would become stronger united. The same words. The same careful smiles. The same feeling you had all those years ago when your father encouraged you to spend more time with Jacob.
Slowly, you released a shaky breath. If something feels wrong⊠leave. Sukunaâs voice echoed quietly in the back of your mind. Your fingers instinctively tightened around the edge of the sink. Because It did feel wrong. Every instinct in your body was screaming at you to walk out the front door, climb into the black SUV waiting outside, and never look back.
But if you disappeared nowâŠThey would know. They would know youâd noticed, and right now, the last thing you wanted was for whoever was pulling the strings to realize you were beginning to see them.
NoâŠYou needed to stay calm. Smile and nod, pretend everything was exactly as they wanted you to believe it was. You straightened your shoulders before offering your reflection one last determined look. âJust a little longerâŠâ With that, you reached for the bathroom door, when it swung openâŠyour breath caught. Leaning casually against the opposite wall with his arms folded across his chest stood Naoya, as though heâd been waiting for you the entire time.Â
His eyes lifted from the floor to meet yours. ââŠAbout time.â
âWhat are you doing?â He pushes himself off the wall. âMaking sure you donât walk back out there looking like a sitting duck.â you narrow your eyes.ââŠMeaning?â. Slowly, he began to walk toward you..Until your back touched the wall behind you.
One hand plants beside your head. Not to trap you..But to keep anyone else from overhearing. âListen carefully. Your father is selling you.â Your stomach dropped. âHe already did it once with that mockery of a man, Jacob.â His voice remains quiet. âYou really think youâre special enough that he wouldnât do it twice?â You stared at him in shock, unable to answer at the sudden bomb that silently dropped. He continues. âThe way they kept looking at each other. The way they kept talking around you instead of to you.â The way your father kept avoiding the question you actually asked.â
He studies your face. âYou noticed itâŠDidnât you?â You swallow. ââŠYeah.â Naoya nods once as he stepped back. âGood..That means youâre not completely hopeless.â You glare. ââŠYou really know how to ruin a moment.â He folds his arms. âSomethingâs wrong.â a pause. âYour fatherâs story doesnât add up.â
âHe is lying about something.â another pause âButâŠâ He looks toward the dining area. âI donât know why.â You folded your arms. âSo find out why.â Naoya arched his brow. âYou seem to think you know everything.â
You stepped closer, refusing to let him intimidate you this time. âSo prove it.â His lips twitched. ââŠExcuse me?â
âYou heard me, figure it out.â You shrugged one shoulder. âIf anyoneâs arrogant enough to think they can untangle whatever this mess isâŠâ Your eyes flicked over him. ââŠitâs you.â
A quiet laugh escaped him. âYouâve got some nerve.â
âSo Iâve been told.â He tilted his head. âAnd exactly why would I waste my time doing that?â You didnât even hesitate. âYou owe me.â His brow lifted. ââŠFor what?â
You stared at him as if heâd grown a second head. âFor luring me into some sketchy, abandoned town on the outskirts of Japan dipshit.â Silence. ThenâNaoya laughed mockingly. Just enough for the corner of his mouth to lift. ââŠFair.â
He rubbed the back of his neck with an exaggerated sigh. âI suppose I did almost get myself killed.â
âBecause of your own ego,â you corrected. He rolled his eyes before waving a dismissive hand. ââŠFine.â His expression settled back into its usual smug confidence. âIâll look into it.â He paused. âBut donât flatter yourself.â
âIâm doing this because I canât stand incompetent men making a mess of things.â He glanced toward the dining room again. âAnd if your father really is stupid enough to bargain with merchandise instead of protecting itâŠâ
His eyes returned to yours. ââŠsomeone ought to remind him that valuable things arenât meant to be negotiated over.â
You immediately frowned. ââŠDid you just compare me to merchandise?â He looked genuinely confused. ââŠWould you have preferred âinvestmentâ?â You let out the most exhausted sigh of your life then turned on your heel before he could say another word.
As you walked away, you heard him call after you. ââŠTry not to get kidnapped again.â You raised a hand without looking back. âNo promises.â A quiet chuckle followed behind you as Naoya watched you disappear around the corner before the faint amusement left his face. ââŠInteresting,â he murmured to himself.
Then he pushed himself off the wall and followed a few steps behind, already thinking about everything that hadnât added up during lunch.
Your smile looked effortless now. âSo sorry.â You reclaimed your seat. The conversation resumed as though nothing had happened. Eventually your father looked toward you. âWe should spend more time together afterward.â
You smiled politely. "I'd love toâŠBut I actually have plans with Nobara already." a pause âMaybe another time?â You turned toward Naoya with the smallest polite smile. "I'm sure we'll see each other again."
Naoya understood immediately. His glass paused halfway to his lips. "...I'm counting on it." He took another sip. Across the tableâŠBoth fathers looked quietly pleased. Exactly as you'd hoped. They believed every second of it.Â
A few minutes later...You excused yourself once again before walking quickly toward the restaurant exit. The restaurant doors slid shut behind you as the afternoon breeze barely had a chance to brush across your face before you spotted the familiar black SUV waiting at the curb.
Sukuna was already standing beside it. One hand rested on the open rear door as though heâd been expecting you at that exact second. The moment his crimson eyes found yoursâŠSomething inside him tightened.
The worry etched across your face was enough for him to understand something was off. âWhat happened?â instead of answering , you climbed into the suv and sat quietly. Sukuna followed immediately after, shutting the door behind him.You stared out the window for another moment before finally speaking. ââŠMy father is trying to sell me off to the Zenins.â
The words landed like a sharp blade. Sukuna slowly turned his head toward you. ââŠHeâs what?â There wasnât any ounce of disbelief in his voice⊠there was something far more dangerous. Silence.. The kind of silence that came just before entire cities were reduced to rubble.
You swallowed. âAccording to Naoya.â His eyes narrowed immediately. ââŠNaoya.â The name tasted bitter coming from his mouth. âI thought Iâd already taught that insignificant little pest where his place was.â
âHe wasnât threatening me.â You looked down at your hands. âHe was warning me.â That caught Sukunaâs attention. âHe thinks my dad is lying about something.â silence âand that heâd find out why.â Another beat of silence passed.
Then Sukuna asked quietly, ââŠand you believe him?â You shook your head. âNo.. not exactly.â His brow lifted. âI believeâŠâ You looked out the window again.ââŠthat everyone wants something.â
âSo Iâll listen, and take whatever information people are willing to give meâŠthen Iâll decide for myself whatâs true.â For the first time since leaving the restaurantâŠthe faintest hint of approval crossed Sukunaâs features. ââŠWell played.â You looked back at him. âSoâŠâ His voice remained steady. ââŠyou finally understand.â
âWhat?â
âWhy I refuse to let you walk through this city alone.â Before you could answerâŠHe shifted closerâŠclose enough that the warmth radiating from him wrapped around you again. His arm settled comfortably across the back of the seat behind your shoulders.Â
His fingers found one of your loose curls, absentmindedly winding it around them before letting it slip free. âSo many people.â His eyes never left yours. ââŠTrying to decide your future.â His fingers gently brushed beneath your chin, tilting your face toward him.. âBut thereâs one thingâŠâ His deep voice dropped dangerously lower. ââŠtheyâve all misunderstood.â His thumb brushed slowly along your jaw. A quiet scoff left him. âThey seem to thinkâŠâ He leaned in just enough that you felt the heat of his words. ââŠthat they have some claim over you.â
A slow pause. âThey donât.â His eyes searched yours with that same unwavering certainty .âThat decision was made the moment you walked into my life.â he said darkly while his hand lightly caressed against the side of your neck.
The words were spoken so sensually that they almost stole the air from your lungs. Your heartbeat stumbled before you could catch it. Heat spread beneath your skin before you could stop it. You tried to speak, but nothing came out. His intense gaze lingered on your face for another second.ââŠTell me Iâm wrong.âÂ
Your lips parted again, but no words followed at all. He watched you for a moment longer before the faintest hint of satisfaction settled across his features. âI didnât think so.â His thumb brushed your cheek once. ââŠThatâs my good girl.âÂ
The praise settled over you far more heavily than it should have. You looked away first, suddenly finding the passing city outside infinitely more interesting than the way he was looking at you. A quiet chuckle rumbled deep in his chest as his arm settled comfortably around your shoulders once more. âThatâs much more like you.â
The SUV eventually rolled beneath the towering entrance of the penthouse before coming to a smooth stop. Sukuna stepped out first before opening your door like he always did, silently offering you his hand.
Before either of you could step insideââIâm telling you it was already leaning!â
âIt was not leaning!â
âIt literally was!â
âYuji!â
âIf you break one more expensive vaseââ A loud clatter echoed through the foyer. Sukuna slowly closed his eyes. ââŠI leave for one afternoon.â The front doors swung open. Instantly, the arguing stopped.
Yuji froze. Megumi looked up from the shattered vase. Nobara blinked once before all three of them focused entirely on you.
Nobody movedâŠFor exactly one second. ThenââY/N!â Yuji practically sprinted across the foyer before throwing his arms around you so suddenly that you nearly stumbled backward.
âOh my GodâŠâ His voice cracked. âWe thoughtâŠâ He swallowed hard. ââŠWe thought something happened to you.â His hug tightened for only a second before Megumi grabbed the back of his hoodie and pulled him away. âDonât crush her idiot.â Yuji immediately let go. âOhâright.â
âSorry.â He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before suddenly remembering something. âOh!â He hurried over to the kitchen counter before returning with an overstuffed convenience store bag. ââŠI still have your snacks I promised you.â You blinked. ââŠYuji.â
âI kept buying new ones..because the old ones expiredâŠthen those expired.â You couldnât stop yourself from laughing. Sukuna watched quietly while standing near the doorway with his arms folded across his chest. He wouldâve bought you every snack in Japan if it meant hearing that sound again. Nobara wasted no time wrapping you in a hug of her own before smacking your shoulder. âYou scared the absolute hell out of me.â
âI was this damn close to barging in here and finding you myself.â She pointed dramatically toward Sukuna. Yuji raised his hand. âI offered to help.â Sukuna lifted a brow. âIâm still waiting for you to try.â
âI value my life,â Yuji answered immediately. Megumi sighed âAs you should.â
Nobara looked around the penthouse before slowly turning in a circle. ââŠY/N. this place is ridiculous.â
âYouâve got enough space for twenty people.â She gasped dramatically. âWait- You have two staircases?â Yuji looked equally offended. âI didnât even know people could own two staircases.â Another laugh escaped you. âYou guys are idiots.â
âThat's our girl.â Nobara smiled. âI missed you.â Without another warning, she grabbed your wrist. âGirl talk. Immediately.â Before anyone could object, she was already dragging you toward the second floor.
Yuji watched the two of you disappear before glancing toward Sukuna. ââŠShould we stop them?â Sukuna watched until you vanished around the corner before quietly shaking his head. âNo.â
A deep sigh escaped him. ââŠGood luck getting Nobara to leave now.â Yuji laughed. âI wouldnât leave either.â The smile lingering on Sukunaâs face disappeared the moment you and Nobara were out of sight. His expression hardened. âYuji. Megumi.â
âMy Office.â Neither of them argued. The three disappeared into Sukunaâs office before the heavy wooden door quietly shut behind them. Without a word, Sukuna slid several photographs across the polished desk.
The pictures scattered between them. Megumi picked one up first. ââŠY/Nâs dad ?.â Another photograph. Several men exchanging thick envelopes inside a dimly lit warehouse. Another. Luxury vehicles arriving just after midnight. Another. Traditional tattoos disappearing beneath tailored suits.
Megumi slowly looked up. ââŠYakuza.â Sukuna nodded once. âSomething about him changed recently.â Yuji frowned. âWhat do you mean?â
âIâve been keeping an eye on him for monthsâŠhe called her every other day. Made sure he checked on her well being.â a pause. âHe acted like a father.â Sukuna tapped the photograph with one finger. âThen suddenlyâŠNothing.â
âNo calls. No texts. No concern for Y/N at allâŠUntil today.â Silence settled over the room. Megumi folded his arms. ââŠMaybe youâre just too involved in her life.â
Sukuna slowly looked at him. ââŠToo involved?â A humorless laugh escaped him. âYouâd rather I stay out of her businessâŠand find her dead somewhere because I ignored my instincts?â Neither of them answered. His gaze drifted toward the window. âI already failed her once before, I wonât fail her again.â Yuji exchanged a glance with Megumi before nodding. ââŠWhat do you need?â
Sukuna pushed another photograph toward them. âWatch him. Donât confront him..and donât let him know youâre following him.â
âI want the names of every person he meetsâŠand listen to every conversation you can get.â Megumi gave a single nod. âUnderstood.âÂ
Meanwhile, upstairs⊠Nobara had managed to turn the enormous bedroom into nothing more than two girls gossiping beneath oversized blankets, laughing over ridiculous videos, planning matching outfits, teasing each other about future shopping trips and the dozens of aesthetic get ready with me videos the two of you absolutely insisted you were going to film together.
Eventually, evening crept in through the windows. Yuji complained that they had been there for hours. Megumi reminded him that nobody had forced him to stay. Nobara rolled her eyes so dramatically you nearly laughed again.
âAlright,â she sighed dramatically, climbing off the bed. âI guess Iâll get out of your hair for today.â She walked over before wrapping both arms tightly around you and squeezed with enough force to nearly knock the air from your lungs. Her voice had softened just slightly. âDonât ever disappear like that again.â You hugged her back just as tightly. ââŠIâm sorry.â She pulled away before pointing a finger directly at your face. âIâll be back tomorrow.â
A low growl sounded somewhere behind you. âWe know.â Nobara slowly looked over your shoulder. Sukuna stood leaning against the bedroom doorway with his arms folded across his chest. His expression was unreadable. ââŠI certainly hope you do,â Nobara answered with an exaggerated smile.
Megumi pinched the bridge of his nose. Even Sukuna let out the smallest sigh. Then all three eventually disappeared down the hallway, their voices growing quieter until the front doors finally closed behind them.
Silence settled over the penthouse once again. You stared toward the doorway for another moment. âIâm lucky to have them around..â
You turnedâOnly to realize Sukuna was suddenly standing directly behind you. You hadnât heard him move at all. His presence surrounded you before you even felt the warmth of him.
His voice was low enough that it sent a small shiver down the back of your neck. âDinner will be ready soon.â His breath ghosted softly across your skin. âGo wash up.â a pause âIâll be waiting.â Before you could answerâŠHe was already gone.
The shower should have washed everything away..The exhaustion. The confusion. The lingering ache buried somewhere beneath your ribs. InsteadâŠEvery drop of warm water only seemed to make your thoughts louder.
Your fatherâŠNaoyaâŠChoso..Sukuna. Nothing made sense anymore. The people you trusted most had become strangers. The people you feared had somehow become the ones protecting you. You rested your forehead against the cool marble wall and closed your eyes.
ââŠWho am I even supposed to believe anymore?â The question disappeared into the rising steam. No answer came. By the time you reached the dining room, the table had already been prepared.
Candles flickered softly between elegant dishes. Fresh flowers rested in crystal vases. Everything lookedâŠalmost painfully normal.
Sukuna already sat at the far end of the table. His eyes lifted the moment you stepped into the room. Something inside him visibly relaxed. He stood before quietly pulling your chair out for you.
The gesture surprised you. ââŠThank you.â He simply nodded. Neither of you touched the food immediately. The chefs quietly finished placing the final dishes before bowing respectfully and disappearing from the room.
The dining room was already quiet. Somehow, after the chefs left it became quieter ..silence stretched between the two of you like thin glass. FragileâŠwaiting to break.
Sukuna knew that silence. Heâd lived long enough to recognize it. You wanted to ask him somethingâŠBut you simply didnât know how. He decided to spare you the burden. So insteadâŠHe reached for you. His fingertips brushed against yours first, giving you every opportunity to pull away if you wanted to, but you didnât. Your hand slipped naturally into his.
He guided you to your feet until only inches separated the two of you. The dining room went silent. His hand rose to your cheekâslow, almost disbelieving, as though you might dissolve if he moved too quickly. "I know that I frightened you," he murmured. "When it comes to you, I become unreasonable y/n." a pause. â..You are the only thing in this world capable of making me forget who I am.â a slow breath. â..and Iâd choose that weakness everytimeâ.
His forehead dropped to yours. A long moment passed before he kissed you, and when he did it was not gentleâit was the kind of kiss that comes after a long time of wanting, desperate and without apology, his hand slid from your cheek to the back of your head. You felt the full size of him then, the heat, the barely-contained stillness of a man who had decided something. Like two people learning how to breathe the same air again after nearly losing each other.
His hand settled carefully against the small of your back as your fist curled into the fabric of his shirt. Neither of you seemed interested in counting the seconds that passed. The rest of the world simply ceased to exist.
When your foreheads touched again afterward, Sukuna let out the roughest breath. âDinner will have to wait.â
Still holding your hand, he led you from the dining room. Neither of you looked back as the lights were left glowing softly behind you, the untouched dinner forgotten in favor of something neither of you had realized youâd been missing quite so desperately as he guided you to your shared bedroom..
His hands moved with deliberate slowness, tracing the curve of your waist, fingers leaving trails of fire across your skin. You shivered beneath his touch. His hands moved with practiced precision, unbuttoning your dress as his lips traced a burning path down your neck. you arched against him while tangling your fingers in his pink hair as his mouth pulled you closer to the sensitive hollow of your throat. The silk beneath you was cool against your scorching body, your skin glowed under the moonlight as he peeled away the last of your clothing.Â
"You have no idea how crazy you make me," he murmured against your collarbone, his voice rough with desire. You gasped as he found your mouth again. You arched beneath him, fingers threading through his hair needly, responding to his touch with an urgency that surprised you. His hands explored your intoxicating physique for what felt like hours as he pressed you into every inch of the mattress, making you feel reverently alive.
The room held its breath around you and him as moonlight spilled softly across the tangled sheets, painting silver across warm skin and dark tattoos alike.
You rested against Sukunaâs chest, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your ear. One of his arms remained wrapped securely around your waist while the other lazily traced slow circles along your bare back, his fingertips gliding across your skin with surprising tenderness. Every so often his hand would drift upward, disappearing into your hair before gently combing through the strands as though reassuring himself you were still there.
Your fingers absentmindedly traced one of the black markings stretching across his chest before you let out a quiet breath. ââŠSukuna?â
âHm?â His voice was low, almost sleepy. You hesitated. âI want you to meet my dad.â His hand stopped moving for the briefest moment. You felt it. Just a tiny pause. Then his fingers resumed their slow path across your back. âYou do?â You nodded against him. Sukuna looked down at you. His expression softened into something so warm it almost caught you off guard. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. âI supposeâŠâ He brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear. âIt is only proper.â
You tilted your head. âWhat is?â He chuckled quietly. âIf Iâm expected to keep you for the rest of eternityâŠâ
ââŠthen Iâd better introduce myself to the man whoâs supposed to entrust his daughter to me.â Heat immediately rushed to your cheeks. âSukuna.â
âYou act like I already agreed to all of that.â
âYou havenât?â His eyebrow lifted with mock surprise. You rolled your eyes despite the smile threatening your lips. âYou are unbelievable.â
âSo Iâve been told.â His thumb brushed lightly against your cheek. âButâŠâ His expression became a little more serious. âIâll agree.â You blinked.âOn one condition.â
âThere it is,â you muttered. âI knew there was a catch.âA quiet laugh escaped him. âI want him here.â He glanced around the room before looking back at you.
âIn our home.â A pause âIâd rather speak with him where I know I can keep you safe.â You studied his face. There wasnât manipulation there, only caution..and after everything that had happenedâŠYou couldnât exactly blame him. You let out a long sigh before finally nodding. ââŠFine.â
Sukuna leaned forward and pressed one last lingering kiss against your forehead before pulling you closer beneath the blankets. âGet some sleep. youâve had enough excitement for one lifetime.âYou smiled against his chest. âI doubt that.âA quiet laugh rumbled beneath your cheek.
Outside, the rain continued to fall. InsideâŠwrapped safely in his armsâŠfor the first time in what felt like foreverâŠTomorrow didnât seem nearly as frightening.
ps..thank you all for your patience I support ilysm plz don't hate me đ„č
taglist: @ejk31 @cloverrwritess @classycreationlight @dylsw @natsolox @444urimagination @eskibirfotograftanoydular @lovelyjjelly @bleepybl00p @simpfor141 @mitsukichiis @chaelin26 @almila0x @pixiemignonette @morgxjoseph @jiha8 @speedracr444 @wukn @motleyroses87 @nyanziplz @tojis-ball-sack @malevolentshrinemaiden @datcrazyybratt @duckiiiuii @r-a-v-e-n1 @lotusmonster


















