Cheri ᥫ᭡

𝚝𝚢𝚛𝚒𝚚 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎-𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝

ᯓ★ pairings: tyriq withers x black oc (nori reed)

ᯓ★ warnings: cursing | smut | teasing | alcohol

ᯓ★ authors note: I haven’t written a one-shot in years. I only write chaptered books so excuse my rustiness.

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

summary: Nori’s friend’s drag her to a random club located in West Hollywood. Even though she initially didn’t want to go, her mind is swayed once a random, 6’5 man gives her just a bit of attention.

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀: 𝟰,𝟬𝟭𝟭

“Why aren’t you dancing?” Tia asked, doing that universal little bounce women did in clubs when they wanted to look occupied without actually sweating.

Nori shot her a flat look. “You know I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”

“You never want to go outside,” Jai added from beside her, already halfway through her drink. “Have fun for once.”

Nori rolled her eyes. “It’s loud as fuck. We can dance at home.”

“Girl, you’re twenty-six,” Tia said. “One day you’re gonna turn thirty and wish you actually enjoyed your twenties.”

Nori exhaled through her nose, annoyed because they weren’t exactly wrong.

She liked house parties. Day parties too. Places where people could actually hear each other speak without screaming over bass-heavy music.

But clubs?

Absolutely not.

Too many bodies packed together in one dark room. Too much sweat. Too much alcohol. Too many men brushing past you like personal space didn’t exist.

And the smell.

God, the smell alone made her want to leave.

She scrunched her nose at the thought.

“I’m going to the bar,” she muttered before slipping away from the group.

She squeezed through the crowd, ignoring elbows and spilled liquor until she finally reached the counter.

The bartender looked up. “What can I get for you?”

“Do y’all have piña coladas?”

“Of course. You want Bacardi Coconut in it?”

“Yes, please.”

He nodded and started making the drink.

“You don’t have a dress on.”

Nori ignored the comment at first, assuming whoever said it couldn’t possibly be talking to her.

“Yo,” the voice said again, louder this time.

She turned, brows furrowing slightly.

“You talking to me?” she asked, pointing at herself.

The man laughed softly. “Yeah, I’m talking to you.”

Now that she was actually looking at him, she had to admit he was fine.

Like… offensively fine.

Tall. Tan skin glowing beneath the dim lights. Sharp jawline. One of those smiles that looked dangerous without even trying.

And unfortunately for her, he knew he looked good too.

“You got jorts on,” he said.

Nori looked down at herself before shrugging. “Yeah. I know.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Most girls come to the club wearing dresses. Or those little lace one-piece outfits that basically look like lingerie.”

“That’s probably because they actually wanted to be here.”

His head tilted slightly at her response.

“You don’t wanna be here?”

“Nope.”

The bartender slid her drink across the counter, condensation already forming along the glass.

The stranger glanced down at it. “So that’s your coping mechanism?”

That earned her first real laugh of the night.

“Yeah,” she admitted, wrapping her fingers around the drink. “This is my coping mechanism.”

“That’s not a good coping strategy, you know. Could turn into something worse.”

“I’ll try to control myself.”

A brief silence settled between them before he spoke again.

“So…” he dragged out, leaning one arm against the bar. “You wanna talk about why you hate it here so much?”

Nori eyed him over the rim of her glass before sighing.

“Sure. Why not?”

She slid into the empty seat beside him.

“I’m listening,” he said.

“Okay, first of all,” she began, gesturing around the club, “the fact that we basically gotta yell at each other to have a conversation.”

“Mhm,” he nodded. “Fair.”

“I like actually talking to people when I go out. In here, everybody keeps saying ‘what?’ every five seconds.”

He chuckled. “Understandable. What else?”

Nori took another sip of her drink.

“It’s like one giant ego competition. Who can pull the most girls. Who got the most money. Who bought the biggest section.” She shook her head. “Everybody in here performing.”

“That’s also true,” he admitted with a laugh.

“And lastly…” She leaned closer like she was sharing a secret. “It fucking stinks in here.”

That made him laugh harder.

“I’m serious,” she continued. “People got enough money to buy bottles but somehow skipped deodorant.”

“Aight, you funny—”

He paused suddenly.

“Wait. You never told me your name.”

“You never asked.”

He lifted both hands in surrender. “You right. My fault.” A grin spread across his face. “So what’s your name?”

“Nori.”

“Okay, Nori.” He extended his hand toward her. “I’m Tyriq.”

She blinked.

Then laughed.

“Are you serious?”

His brows pulled together. “Uh… yeah? Why?”

“I’m sorry,” she said through another laugh. “You just do not look like a Tyriq.”

“I heard that my whole life.”

“I’m sorry, Tyriq,” she repeated, still smiling.

He narrowed his eyes playfully. “You lucky you cool.”

Heat crept into her cheeks unexpectedly.

Which irritated her a little.

She hadn’t expected to enjoy talking to anybody tonight, especially not some random man at the bar.

“Can I get a double shot of Patrón?” Tyriq asked the bartender.

Nori glanced at him. “Damn.”

His head turned toward her immediately. “You just gon’ judge me all night?”

She laughed. “No, no. I’m just saying… a double shot is bold.”

“How?”

“You taking it alone? You got friends here?”

Tyriq grabbed the shot glass once the bartender handed it over.

“I mean…” His eyes flicked toward her. “You drinking alone too. Do you got friends here?”

Nori pressed her lips together, fighting a smile.

“Exactly,” he said smugly. “Since you judging me, you might as well take one with me.”

She looked toward the bartender.

“Can I get a shot too? Just a regular one, though.”

The bartender nodded.

“Lame,” Tyriq muttered.

“I’m already drinking rum,” Nori defended. “I’m not trying to lose consciousness around a stranger.”

“None taken.”

The second shot arrived quickly.

Tyriq picked his up, then looked at her. “Hold on. Let me make a toast first.”

Nori suddenly became very aware of how charming he was.

And that was dangerous.

Because now she was actually having fun.

Which was the entire reason she avoided places like this to begin with.

“Cheers,” Tyriq said, lifting his glass slightly, “to you not wanting to be here.”

Nori laughed softly.

“And hopefully,” he continued, eyes settling onto hers, “I made your night a little better.”

The look in his eyes nearly made her forget herself for a second.

They took the shots together.

The tequila burned all the way down.

“Maybe just a little bit,” she teased.

“Just a little bit?”

She nodded.

“Well,” he said with a shrug, “that’s better than nothing.”

His gaze stayed on her another second before he asked, “You dance?”

“Not really.”

“Well…” He leaned slightly closer. “You wanna try?”

A man that looked like that had not given her this much attention in a very long time.

And honestly?

Why not.

“Are you gonna teach me?”

Tyriq stood, holding his hand out toward her.

“I can show you a little something.”

Nori tried not to smile.

Failed miserably.

She placed her hand in his, and he led her into the crowd.

At first, she stayed stiff while he showed her a few simple moves, laughing every time she messed up.

“You from around here?” he asked over the music.

“Texas,” she answered. “But, I live in Koreatown.”

“Damn. Texas is lit though.”

“It definitely is.”

He laughed. “So what do you do for fun then?”

“I like day parties. Game nights. Movies. Stuff where I can actually hear myself think.”

“Those sound like vibes for sure.”

“Yea, all the peaceful things.”

As they kept talking, moving together became easier.

More natural.

The liquor settled warmly into her system, loosening her nerves little by little until she found herself stepping closer to him without even realizing it.

Tyriq noticed immediately.

“Oh, okay,” he teased. “So now you feeling confident?”

Nori laughed. “I think the alcohol finally hitting me.”

“Yeah?” He grinned. “Me too. You wanna sit down for a second?”

“No,” she said honestly.

Then she turned around.

Slowly.

Pressing the length of her body against his.

Tyriq’s hands hovered carefully at his sides before he leaned closer to her ear.

“Can I put my hands on your waist?”

“Of course,” Nori murmured.

She reached back, grabbed his hands herself, and guided them onto her hips.

The feeling of his hands settling against her waist made her stomach tighten instantly.

His palms were large, rough enough to contrast against her soft skin, and his grip held just enough pressure to make her hyperaware of every place he touched her.

Nori kept moving against him anyway.

Maybe even closer than before.

Tyriq lowered his head near her ear again, his voice warm beneath the music.

“I think you lied to me.”

She smiled faintly. “About what?”

“You said you couldn’t dance.”

Nori laughed as she turned around to face him again. “I promise you, I’m gonna forget how to do all of this the second I wake up tomorrow morning.”

Tyriq laughed too, keeping his hands comfortably around her waist.

“Hm,” he hummed. “Well, I guess you gon’ have to let me know in the morning.”

“Do I?”

“Mhm.”

The way he looked down at her made her heartbeat stumble slightly.

His eyes lingered too long.

Too confidently.

Nori glanced away first, resting her arms loosely over his shoulders.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Tyriq tilted his head innocently. “Like what?”

She finally looked back at him. “Like that.”

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“My fault,” he said softly. “You just look really good.”

The warmth rushing into her cheeks was immediate.

“I do?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Absolutely.”

Her smile turned shy despite herself. “Thank you.”

Then her eyes drifted over his face again.

The sharp line of his jaw. His buzz cut. That mouth that kept making her nervous every time he smiled.

“You look really good too,” she admitted quietly.

His brows lifted. “I do?”

“Absolutely.”

Tyriq pressed his lips together, trying—and failing—not to look pleased with himself.

“See,” he said, nodding slowly, “that’s what I like to hear.”

Nori rolled her eyes, laughing softly.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. They just swayed together naturally while the music pulsed around them.

“So,” Tyriq finally asked, “what you doing after this?”

Nori glanced across the club toward Tia and Jai. Both of them were still watching from a distance, clearly trying not to be obvious about it.

“Probably going home,” she answered.

He nodded slowly. “Mm.”

“What about you?”

“Same thing.”

Nori smirked. “Mm.”

Tyriq laughed under his breath.

Then his eyes dropped to her mouth again.

“I like your lips, by the way.”

The comment hit her harder than it should have.

Something low and nervous twisted in her stomach.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“They look soft.”

His voice lowered slightly.

“Kissable too.”

Nori pressed her lips together instinctively before tilting her chin upward just enough to look at him properly.

“You think so?”

“Mhm.”

Her pulse quickened.

“You wanna find out?”

Tyriq held her gaze for a second before answering.

“Only if you want me to.”

The fact that he asked made her smile.

“You’re gonna have to lean down pretty far to reach them, though.”

A slow grin spread across his face.

“I’ll lean as far down as I need to.”

Then he did.

His hand slid slightly higher along her waist as he leaned toward her, giving her enough time to pull away if she wanted to.

She didn’t.

Their lips met softly at first.

But the second kiss lingered longer.

Warmer.

The noise of the club seemed to blur around them as they melted into each other gradually, moving in sync without even thinking about it.

Tyriq’s thumb brushed lightly against her side while he kissed her again, slower this time, like he was trying to memorize the feeling.

When they finally parted for air, his forehead nearly rested against hers.

“You taste good,” he murmured with a quiet grin.

“You taste pretty good too, Tyriq,” Nori murmured back.

His eyes darkened almost immediately.

“Yeah?” he asked quietly. “You wanna run that back or what?”

Nori smiled before sliding her hand behind his neck. Her fingers massaged the warm skin there gently as she pulled him back down toward her.

This kiss lasted even longer.

Deeper.

The careful teasing from before disappeared almost instantly, replaced with something hotter and more intimate. Tyriq’s grip tightened around her waist as he pulled her closer against him, like he physically couldn’t help himself.

Nori could feel the tension in the way he held her.

The way his breathing changed.

The way he kissed her like he was trying not to lose control.

When he finally pulled away, he let out a short breathless laugh and shook his head.

“Okay,” he muttered, stepping back slightly. “If I don’t stop right now, this gon’ get bad for me.”

Nori’s brows furrowed in confusion at first, until she noticed him subtly adjusting his shorts.

Her eyes narrowed playfully before lifting back to his face.

Tyriq laughed under his breath. “I’m just being honest.”

A smirk tugged at her lips.

“Maybe I want it to get bad for you.”

His expression shifted instantly.

Nori’s hands were still resting behind his neck, slowly massaging him while she looked up at him innocently, despite the words that had just left her mouth.

Tyriq puffed his cheeks slightly before exhaling.

“You gotta relax with how you talking to me right now,” he warned, laughing softly. “Especially if you don’t mean it.”

“Oh, I mean it.”

His brows pulled together as he stared down at her.

“So what you tryna do then?”

Nori shrugged lightly. “Whatever you wanna do.”

“See, that’s the problem,” he replied. “I’m tryna do whatever you wanna do. So what’s up?”

She laughs. “You tell me.”

Then she tilts her head slightly.

“How far you live from here?”

“Like ten minutes.”

Nori went quiet for a second, clearly thinking.

Instead of pushing her, Tyriq reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. He removes his driver’s license and hands it to her.

She blinks at it in confusion.

“Uh…?”

“Take a picture of it,” he said. “Send it to your friends. I’ll give you my socials too.” He shrugs casually. “I don’t need them worried about you leaving with some random dude.”

Nori stares at him for a second before smiling.

“That’s actually really thoughtful.”

“Yeah,” he says with a grin. “I’m not a dickhead.”

She laughed softly before taking a picture of the ID and texting it to Tia and Jai along with his Instagram.

Almost immediately, her phone lit up with dramatic messages from both of them.

Tia: BITCHHHHHH.

Jai: HE FINE AS HELL. STAY SAFE THOUGH. WE GOT YOUR LOCATION!

Nori rolled her eyes, smiling to herself as she locked her phone.

Tyriq found her hand again and guided her through the crowd toward the exit.

As they stepped outside, the cool night air hit her skin instantly, calming some of the heat that had built up inside the club.

Nori glanced back long enough to wave at her friends, who were both staring at her with shameless excitement from the entrance.

“So,” she said as they walked through the parking lot, “what made you talk to me?”

Tyriq shoved one hand into his pocket while leading her toward his car.

“If I’m being honest?” he said. “I saw your face from across the club first.”

Nori tried not to smile.

“Then I walked to the bar and saw you again,” he continued. “Then I noticed you had on jorts.”

She laughed. “So you were plotting.”

He shrugged. “If you wanna call it that.”

Tyriq clicked his key fob, and the headlights of a black Audi flashed nearby.

Nori looked at him. “Oh, you drive an Audi? What the hell do you do?”

He opened the passenger door for her.

“I act sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” she repeated suspiciously as she climbed inside.

Tyriq just grinned before closing the door.

A few seconds later, he slid into the driver’s seat and pulled out of the parking lot.

The inside of the car felt quieter than the club had. More intimate.

Nori turned slightly toward him in her seat, her fingers slowly tracing along his arm while he drove one-handed.

Tyriq glanced at her briefly before chuckling.

“I thought you was innocent.”

“I am,” she replied. “A little.”

“Innocent girls usually don’t leave the club with a man they just met.”

Nori looked out the window for a second before answering honestly.

“You wanna know something?”

“What?”

“This is actually my first time doing this.”

Tyriq looked over at her again.

“I kinda believe that.”

“Why?”

“Because you spent half the night complaining about being outside,” he teased. “I feel honored.”

“Good,” she grins.

The silence in the car was thick, charged with everything they weren’t saying. Tyriq’s hand stayed on her thigh, his thumb stroking slow, lazy circles that gradually crept higher, pushing under the hem of her jorts. Every pass made Nori’s breath hitch.

By the time he pulled into his parking spot, her core was aching.

Tyriq cut the engine and looked over at her, eyes dark.

“You sure?” he asked, voice low.

Nori unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned across the console, and kissed him hard. Tyriq groaned into her mouth, one big hand sliding into her hair as he kissed her back like he’d been dying to.

They barely made it inside his apartment.

The second the door shut, he had her pressed against it, hands gripping her ass as he lifted her slightly. Nori wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning softly when she felt how hard he already was through his shorts.

“Fuck,” he muttered against her neck, grinding into her.

Nori’s head fell back against the door as he kissed down her throat. Her hands pushed under the hem of his black tank top, sliding up over his warm, solid torso. Tyriq pulled back just long enough to yank the tank top off in one smooth motion, tossing it somewhere behind him before crashing his mouth back to hers.

He carried her down the short hallway to his bedroom, kicking the door open. He set her on her feet and quickly peeled her top off, then unbuttoned her jorts and shoved them down her legs along with her panties. His eyes dragged hungrily over her naked body.

“Goddamn, Nori…”

She reached for him, running her hands down his chest and abs as he backed her toward the bed. When her knees hit the mattress, she sat, eye-level with the very obvious bulge in his shorts. Tyriq watched her, breathing hard, as she hooked her fingers in his waistband and pulled his shorts and boxers down.

His thick, heavy member sprang free, already leaking at the tip. Nori wrapped her hand around him, stroking slowly, and looked up at him.

He cursed under his breath. “You really tryna kill me tonight.”

She took him into her mouth, working him wet and deep until his hand gently tightened in her hair.

“Shit… just like that.”

After a few minutes he pulled her off with a shaky breath and pushed her back onto the bed. He spread her thighs wide and ate her pussy like he was starving—messy, hungry, and focused. Two thick fingers pushed inside her while his tongue sucked on her clit, making her back arch hard.

Nori came on his tongue, thighs shaking, moaning his name loud enough that she was glad he didn’t have any roommates.

Tyriq kissed his way back up her body, then reached into his nightstand drawer. He tore open a condom packet, rolled it down his thick length, and settled between her thighs again. The head of his member nudged against her soaked entrance.

Nori wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer.

Tyriq pushed in slowly, stretching her open inch by inch. They both moaned when he bottomed out, buried deep inside her.

“Fuck,” he breathed against her neck, voice strained. “You feel so good.”

He started moving—deep, rolling strokes that quickly turned harder. The room filled with the sound of skin slapping skin, her soft moans, and his low curses every time she clenched around him.

Nori’s nails dug into his back as he hit that perfect spot again and again.

“Right there—Tyriq, fuck, don’t stop—”

“Come on me,” he growled, thrusting harder. “I want you all over me.”

She came hard the second time, crying out as her core pulsed around him. Tyriq fucked her through it, then flipped her onto her stomach, pulled her hips up, and slid back in deep.

This angle made her see stars. He fucked her harder, one hand gripping her ass while the other reached around to rub her clit.

“Again,” he demanded, voice rough. “Come again.”

Nori came a third time, shaking and whimpering into the sheets. Tyriq followed right after with a deep groan, burying himself to the hilt as he came hard inside the condom.

They stayed locked together for a long moment, breathing heavy and sweaty. Eventually Tyriq pulled out carefully, tied off the condom, and tossed it into the trash before collapsing beside her. He pulled Nori against his chest and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Nori smiled sleepily against his skin.

“That was….” she murmured, voice hoarse. “So good.”

Tyriq chuckled low, the sound rumbling through his chest.

“Did I make you feel good?”

“Mhm,” she hums.

They stayed tangled up like that for a while, breathing each other in. Tyriq eventually got up to dispose of the condom properly and came back with a warm cloth for her. After cleaning her up gently, he climbed back into bed and pulled her against him again, her head resting on his chest.

“You can spend the night if you want,” he said quietly, voice still a little rough. “No pressure though. If you don’t feel comfortable, I don’t mind taking you home. Whatever you wanna do.”

Nori traced a lazy pattern on his stomach with her fingertip.

“You literally gave me your driver’s license to send to my friends,” she teased with a soft laugh. “I think I’ll be okay sleeping here tonight.”

Tyriq grinned and squeezed her hip. “You will, I promise.”

She smiled and snuggled closer, letting the steady beat of his heart lull her to sleep.

Sunlight filtered through the blinds, warm across Tyriq’s face. He stirred slowly, reaching out on instinct for the warm body that had been curled against him most of the night.

His hand met cool sheets instead.

Tyriq’s eyes opened fully. The spot beside him was empty, the pillow still slightly dented. He sat up, frowning as he looked around the quiet room. No sign of her clothes on the floor. No sound of the shower running.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and noticed a small piece of paper on the nightstand, propped up against his phone.

He picked it up and read:

Thank you for making my night 10x better. Hopefully you’re not a dickhead like you said you weren’t, and you’ll give me a call or message me back when you wake up. - Nori

A slow smile spread across his face as he reread the note. He shook his head, chuckling under his breath.

Tyriq leaned back against the headboard, still holding the note, thumb brushing over her handwriting. He reached for his phone, already thinking about what to text her first.

pairing: basketball!sukuna x reader

summary: sukuna doesn’t do well with soft and pretty things, he always ends up breaking them.

content: angst + happy ending + shitty gojo + avoidant sukuna.

word count: 2.0k

notes: once again un proofread. hope it sounds okay :p

Sukuna liked to call you his pretty bunny. It wasn’t just because of your soft and round cheeks that puffed up when you smiled. It wasn’t just because of your warm and vanilla scent that he found himself melting into. It was because of your big golden heart that he thought had no place being around him.

Sukuna didn’t do well with soft and pretty things, he always ends up breaking them.

That was what his shitty father had told him before he’d tossed both him and his little brother Yuji out on the street to fend for themselves. It was what his friends repeated time and time again everytime you showed up to one of his games.

But he ignored it, at least tried to. You made the worries seem so insignificant. You made him feel so human, if even for a moment.

But he knew that you deserved better. Better wasn’t him. It never really had been.

“Oh I didn’t expect you here!” You opened the door wider when you realized who it was.

Sukuna stood awkwardly at the threshold as if he hadn’t been here so many times, as if he was a stranger. You eyed him curiously before tugging his sleeve. “Are you gonna come in?”

He eventually did step in, but he moved no further than the doormat. He was only here for one thing after all.

You could sense something was up, he knew you could. Because you didn’t try to reach for him again. You just fiddled with your fingers and looked up at him. He wanted to smooth the furrow between your brows and kiss away the worry but he stopped himself.

“We need to breakup,” he stated. There was no build up to the moment or no slow roll into the decision. There was just his statement and that was it.

“What?” Your voice wasn’t any louder than a whisper.

“Look. I need to focus on basketball and having you around isn’t helping me. You’re holding me down.”

Because saying that, was admitting you held a weight in his life. You were too important and that wasn’t something he knew how to handle.

Every word he said felt like a bullet he was embedding in your chest. Your face fell, your eyes watered, and your fingers shook.

“What?” You repeated.

“That’s all I came here for.”

He turned around. “Sukuna.”

Your voice halted him in his steps. “Don’t do this.” You asked. Less of a plead, more like a please.

“It’s not personal,” he responded. But it was. It really was.

You didn’t speak again and he didn’t stick around to find out. Sukuna knew you wouldn’t chase after him, you had more respect.

You had told him once how you never believed in begging.

“If I have to beg you to stay with me, then do we even need to be together?” You’d said.

And it had made sense then. But as he drove from your street for the final time he held onto the hope that maybe you would. Because if you did, then he would listen. He wouldn’t have sabotaged everything you’d built. But you weren’t a begger and he was a coward so that was something that would never happen.

-

You lay in bed staring at the ceiling. That had been your routine for the last week. Wake up, try to fuel your body, and go to sleep. Your days consisted of the same stupid pattern and you were getting sick of it.

It was stupid to let the breakup ruin your life, but it was more stupid to act like nothing had happened. How could you go on as if your entire other half hadn’t been ripped from your side and there were no stitches to mend your wounds. He probably didn’t even care.

But it was always like that. Your big heart expanded too much; it loved harder than it had ever been loved. And with Sukuna you thought maybe it had changed. You quickly realized that it hadn’t.

But that wasn’t true either. Maybe not. But you still felt that way.

It hurt more because you knew he was just running. He’d been running almost his whole life and he was waiting for something to tell him to stop. He had to be strong for Yuji and being strong for Yuji hid the darkness in his chest.

You’d miss Yuji. The pink haired boy always lit up when he saw you.

You looked out the window, seeing the moon begin to peek through the glass. You weren’t really okay right now, but maybe you would be.

-

“Dammit you almost cost us the game,” Satoru, wheezed out the moment he’d made it back to the locker room. They’d went 80-76 against Tokyo Jujutsu University and despite being the teams golden player, he’d nearly sold the whole match.

But it wasn’t Toji’s job to tell him that. Sukuna ignored him, gulping down the water in his bottle. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

“Am I talking to a ghost or what?” the white haired man asked.

Sukuna squeezed his eyes shut and counted down. He focused on his breathing but it was so displaced it only stressed him out more.

“Shut the fuck up,” Toji came in next, smacking Satoru with his sweaty towel.

Satoru winced, his face slightly shriveled in disgust. “Don’t ever touch me again asshole.”

Toji smirked, giving Sukuna a slight nod. The latter didn’t react but he was thankful for the interjection.

“Are you coming to the after party?” Toji asked him, sitting beside him and swinging his towel in a circular motion.

“Might,” he responded.

“Heard your little bunnies gonna be there,” Satoru teased.

Sukuna’s brow twitched.

“Though I guess she’s not really your bunny anymore. Maybe she’ll come hop over to me instead.”

Sukuna stood up abruptly getting into Satoru’s face. “You wanna say that again?”

Satoru shrugged, his face overtaken by a smug grin. “Nah. Said it once. It’s probably on its fifth replay in your head by now.”

Sukuna clenched his fist.

“Do you ever stop talking?” Toji asked, shoving Satoru in the other direction.

But if Satoru was right? The idea of you being at a party without him there to protect you? He couldn’t stand it.

He was going to be there.

-

“You’re all by yourself little bunny,” a voice whispered in your ear.

You jumped, nearly dropping the cup you had in your hand. Jo- jogo? Was it yoyo? No that didn’t sound right. You think it was something like-

“Gojo? You remember me right?” He asked.

You looked around for one of your friends but he was right, you were all by yourself. You hadn’t even wanted to come but after they had barged in and demanded you at least socialize you’d had no choice. You wanted to try at least for then.

“Hi.”

Your fingers tapped nervously on the side of the cup.

“I hope you don’t mind me bothering you. I couldn’t leave a pretty girl all by herself you know,” he smiled widely as if it hurt to do so.

He was nothing like Sukuna who only shared a smirk if something amused him or a soft smile reserved solely for you. You missed Sukuna.

“I have to go find my friends,” you blurted.

You couldn’t stand being around him any longer. But when you went to go he reached for your arm, stopping you in place. “Hey, hey come on now. I just wanted to talk-“

“You have five seconds before I break your nose,” a rough familiar voice stated.

Sukuna, who had managed to appear beside you when you needed him most. As if he could hear your pleas for help. Gojo let go and the breath you didn’t know you were holding escaped as well.

Sukuna leaned down to look at you, making sure you were untouched. It had been a week since you’d seen one another and with each second that passed being around him the wound became so much fresher. “Are you okay?” He asked, only where you could hear it.

You nodded.

“I want to go home.”

“I’ll take you,” he reached for your hand.

“I didn’t peg you for a loser. You just can’t share huh?” Gojo stated.

Sukuna stiffened and your body lit up with anxiousness.

You gripped his shirt, tugging on it. He sighed before turning away from his friend.

“Afraid I’ll break your little bunny? I think we’d have a lot of fun. I could teach her how to really hop.”

Sukuna crushed his cup in his hand and stepped forward.

“You really want to do this right now?” Sukuna stated.

At this point a crowd had begun to form. People who were clearly watching and others who were trying their best to look uninterested. It was a mess.

“Sukuna, come on,” you pleaded.

But he was like a man scorned. He didn’t want to listen and Gojo like the evil man he was being was having a field day with it. You glared at the boy.

“What the hell is your problem?” You asked, pushing Sukuna behind you gently before turning to face Gojo.

Sukuna’s hand kept a tight grip on yours. You knew what he was thinking. He wanted to beat Gojo and you were worried for him. Not as if he’d lose, but you didn’t want him in that position.

You could feel Sukuna behind you, his body heat surrounding you.

Gojo let out a low whistle. “I just wanted to talk. No need to be so jumpy bunny.”

“Firstly, stop fucking calling me that. Secondly, shut the fuck up,” your voice kept a steady tone but it carried a venomous bite.

People watched as if paused in time.

“Maybe if you give me a kiss.”

“Okay. I’ll kiss you then, but you have to close your eyes first.”

His eyes widened as if you agreeing was the last thing he’d expected. His eyes went behind you and his face took on a smug expression.

“Bunny,” Sukuna whispered, his tone low and panicked. His grip tightened on you. You couldn’t see him but you knew if you could his brows would be furrowed in angst.

“He wants a kiss? I’ll give him one,” you stepped forward.

When Gojo closed his eyes and leaned forward with puckered lips, you cocked your fist back and met them with your fist. A resounding crack went through the room.

“Hows that for a kiss?”

-

Sukuna was livid. The moment you made it to your apartment he ushered you to the bathroom silently and located the first aid kit. Your face was a bit sheepish and under his withering glare you seemed to grow even more so.

He grabbed your hand, his shaking almost imperceptibly. You watched him in silence. Sukuna made quick work of disinfecting the small cuts on your knuckles before placing a plaster on it. When he finished he held your hand for a moment.

“I’m fine,” you stated, your voice low.

You’d been in worse positions. But when Sukuna looked up at you, his irises were painted with anxiousness. Your breath caught in your throat. You’d never seen him so pained before. “I’m fine. I promise.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because he was pissing me off.”

“You could’ve been hurt.”

“I’m fine,” you repeated a third time.

It was silent again and this time it was a bit more awkward. It was filled with unsaid words and overwhelming emotions. It was starting to make you sick. The reality of the situation began to settle on you.

You rubbed your hand with a wince. “You can go now. I didn’t mean to worry you,” you went to step past him but his hand on yours stopped you.

But unlike Gojo his was gentle. If you wanted to, you could remove it without barely a shuffle.

“I- fuck I don’t know what to say. This is all my fault.”

“He provoked you Sukuna. You didn’t do anything.”

“No I…I mean this,” he gestured in between the both of you. “It’s my fault.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat. At the reminder you began to grow irritated. “I saw your game. I’m glad you were able to focus.”

You walked into the kitchen and ruffled through the fridge for something to eat. He followed after you like a kicked puppy.

“Y/N-“

“No!” You gripped the handle tightly before shutting it and giving up on your search. You turned to face him and pointed your finger im his face. “You don’t get to act regretful when you made your choice. You didn’t ask me how I felt, you just made it. And I thought we were better than that. I thought that you were better than that.”

“I know.”

“No you don’t know. I’d rather you have just cheated on me or something because at least then I’d have an actual explanation for why you wanted to leave me. But I know you. I knoe you didn’t want to give up, but you did anyways. You gave up.”

“I know,” his face fell.

“But as upset as I am. I don’t want this. I don’t want to give up.”

He looked up at that, his eyes brighter than before. Sukuna rubbed the back of his neck, choosing his next words carefully.

“I’m not a good person. I’m not easy to love. I’m made of jagged edges and mismatched pieces. But that’s always been my burden to carry. I didn’t want it to be on you. I got scared at how serious it was and I backed out. But I regretted it the moment I did. If you had chased after me I would have came back.”

“But that’s not me.”

“I know. Trust me I know my- I know my bunny.”

Your heart skipped a beat before you scoffed. “Gosh he seriously pissed me off. He kept terrorizing me with his own rendezvous of thst name. But it’s not made for him,” you stuck your tongue out.

Sukuna chuckled. He stepped closer to you. “It’s made for you, from me. Because you’re the only good thing I have going for me, bunny.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead and you melted into him.