Archive of Our Own ^beta

To Fushiguro Megumi, the idea of love was a foreign one.

He knew about the basics, which had proven to be nothing more than common knowledge and years of listening to Itadori and Kugisaki’s whines from yet another crush. There were many signs behind that supposedly utopical feeling, such as the butterflies in your stomach, the cold sweat around your palms and neck, the jittery anxiety that made way through your body whenever your loved one was close, the fireworks that exploded upon their touch, and the lustful fire that crawled up your insides and left you breathless. But at the same time that Fushiguro was aware of the existence of those sensations, he had never experienced any of them. What he knew about love came from fantasy novels, from his mother’s gentleness when she was still alive and Tsumiki’s tender gestures before the accident that left her in a coma. Fushiguro even dared to assume that, despite the constant annoyance, Itadori and Kugisaki showed him a different kind of love, too.

Romantic affection was like a blank page of a book Fushiguro had no idea how to start writing, unknown territory of a land he had never set foot on. In all his 21 years of living, Fushiguro never allowed himself to love or even to be loved by someone else in return. He had dated a few times, and though many tried to win his heart, Fushiguro showed them little to no interest at all. Those people barely knew him and based their assumptions on something as frivolous as appearance to claim their infatuation. No matter how strong their feelings were, they were bound to leave eventually once they discovered that Fushiguro had nothing special to show, he was just a normal guy with maybe one too many problems and way too many layers to hide under.

It still amazed him that some people had been brave enough to stay.

“Fushiguro! Nice to see you here!” Itadori waved at him from afar, breathing heavily due to the exhaustion after his karate class. His eyes were closed and a bright smile made its way across his sweaty face. “Thought you’d be heading home after the archery practice.”

Sitting on the floor, Fushiguro shook his head. “I have an essay for tomorrow so I’ll be spending the afternoon at the library,” he explained, handing over Itadori’s water bottle and wrapping his arms around his knees next.

Itadori quickly took a place next to Fushiguro, throwing his head back and groaning when it hit the wall behind harder than it should.

“Idiot,” Fushiguro said and laughed quietly. He curiously looked around when high-pitched giggling sounds reached his attentive ears.

A couple of girls stood near the dojo’s entrance, pointing at someone from the karate club and hiding their faces in embarrassment.

Fushiguro didn’t need to follow their fingers or amused gazes to know who the person they were excited about was, but he did so anyway. Light pink hair and a dark brown undercut momentarily obfuscated his vision, not because of the color or hairstyle itself but to the impact of seeing the man who wore it so effortlessly. His kimono was partially opened, a deep V parting from his waist and exposing not only his sculpted chest but also the thick black lines of his tattoos, matching the color of his belt.

A sight for sore eyes that definitely didn’t pass unnoticed by Fushiguro’s.

Sukuna was a first year economics undergraduate who was famous for his karate skills - when he bothered enough to show up for practice, incredibly good looks, lousy personality and an inability to date a person for more than a week. His love life worked like a perfect cycle from Monday to Sunday, as well-timed as a ticking clock and as certain as the sunrise, determined to start at an established time and end with the same punctual and heart-breaking excuse.

“You’re just not interesting enough, so I couldn’t fall in love with you.”

Fushiguro huffed, an involuntary response to his own thoughts, and muttered quietly. “I can’t believe he’s your cousin.”

Itadori’s eyebrows shot up, slightly surprised by Fushiguro’s words. “Don’t even start,” he groaned. “I told you before, our mothers were twins but they didn’t get along, so we never spoke much. Last time I saw him was three years ago at his mom’s funeral and I think he’s been by himself since then.”

Fushiguro only hummed in response, glancing discreetly at Sukuna while he packed up his things and barely paid attention to whatever was coming out of his sensei’s mouth. He often wondered what was so special about him that made so many people fall to their knees in front of him and desperately beg for a week of his attention. Was it the looks? His smooth and deep voice? Or maybe people actually enjoyed being treated like trash nowadays as in a new twisted degradation kink?

Fushiguro’s frown deepened the longer he thought about it and yet he hadn’t found a satisfying answer.

A fake cough brought Fushiguro out of his reverie and forced him to look up, meeting Kugisaki’s sharp gaze.

“I can see the smoke coming out of your ears, Fushiguro! What’s got you so troubled?” She placed both hands on each side of her waist and followed the direction of her friend’s previous gaze. Her eyes widened slightly when she noticed who he had been looking at so intensely. “Oh, is it Monday already?” She asked rhetorically. “He’s got a new toy yet?”

“I don’t think so,” Itadori replied. “But from the number of people waiting for him outside, he might have one soon.”

“I just don’t understand why they keep asking him out. He’s a jerk,” Fushiguro, who couldn’t get over that seemingly innocent fact, mentioned.

“A very hot jerk.” Kugisaki added, and Fushiguro rolled his eyes.

“Not the point.”

“Okay, but I’ve heard some rumors that he gives all of his attention to the person he’s dating. It seems that despite the shitty attitude he’s actually a gentleman, not to mention how good looking he is.” Kugisaki’s eyes had no shame as they traveled through Sukuna’s body.

Fushiguro snorted. “Somehow I find the gentleman part hard to believe.”

“So you agree to the good looking part?” Kugisaki teased, grinning widely and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Fushiguro felt a rise of temperature around his cheeks. “Again, not the point.” He lowered his head on his knees, hoping it would hide his blush. “I get it, he’s...handsome,” Fushiguro said through gritted teeth, almost as if it hurt admitting so. “But that’s obviously not enough to make up for his terrible personality.”

Kugisaki shrugged, offering Itadori a hand and helping him get up. “I guess we’ll never know until one of us goes out with him.”

She quickly changed the subject, turning to Itadori and Fushiguro and inviting them to eat sushi downtown. Itadori eagerly agreed, saying there was a new place he wanted to show her, but Fushiguro had to refuse due to his essay.

The afternoon breeze was refreshing when Fushiguro made his way to the campus’ library, caressing his face in a cold yet gentle touch and brushing through his wild strands of dark hair, messing them up even more. The temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold, enough to be comfortable in a thin navy cardigan and a pair of dark jeans. Blue skies met his light green irises, both almost a complement of the warm autumn colors that created a carpet of leaves over the ground.

Quietness welcomed him as soon as Fushiguro stepped inside the library and he sighed in relief. Although Fushiguro liked being around Itadori and Kugisaki, he appreciated some time alone to organize his thoughts and soothe his anxious mind from its own instability. While many people considered silence to be suffocating, to Fushiguro it was nothing but comfortable, peaceful even.

There weren’t a lot of students inside, for which Fushiguro was glad. He walked leisurely through the hallways, breathing in the characteristic scent of a hundred books and looking out for the ones needed for his immunology essay. Seeing that his favorite study room was vacant, Fushiguro made his way towards it. He reached out for a pen and a pair of headphones, allowing himself to relax upon the gentle rhythm of a classical music playlist as his hand moved in synchrony through the blank paper sheet.

Time slipped by unnoticed and when Fushiguro set down his pen to check the time it was almost five in the afternoon. He rolled his neck tiredly and extended his arms upwards, hearing a few joints popping loudly and feeling his muscles stinging from the archery practice earlier. Tiredness spread through his limbs, one by one, and all Fushiguro wanted now was to head home, feed his dogs and lay awake in bed until he managed to finally fall asleep.

Fushiguro gathered his things and made his way out of the library. As he walked down the stairs, Fushiguro’s phone vibrated in his back pocket and that was enough to startle him, consequently making him miss a step. His eyes widened in surprise for a second, only to be promptly shut in the next one as Fushiguro got mentally prepared for the impact of that disastrous fall.

That, however, didn’t happen.

A hand moved quicker than gravity and suddenly Fushiguro felt a tight grip around his wrist, stopping his body from moving forward and pulling Fushiguro back until his head collided with a sturdy chest.

“You should watch your step, Fushiguro Megumi,” a velvety voice mumbled softly, making blood flow into Fushiguro’s ears.

Fushiguro turned his neck to the side and raised his eyes to meet a pool of vibrant red; a pair of irises that were at the same time frightening and soft around the edges. He gasped silently, his wrist now free from that previous strong grasp. The place where those fingers were wrapped around still tingled lightly, and Fushiguro looked at it curiously, averting his eyes from the man who stared at him with raised eyebrows and whose voice still echoed inside Fushiguro’s ears.

Fushiguro frowned in clear confusion as he remembered those words.

“How do you know my name?” He asked.

The surprise in Sukuna’s sharpened features was clear, as if he wasn’t expecting that immediate response from Fushiguro.

“You’re from the archery club,” he replied nonchalantly. “I’ve seen you practicing before.”

Fushiguro’s suspicions grew heavier. “You’re barely at your own karate classes.”

A playful smirk made its way through Sukuna’s face. “Missed me, darling?”

Fushiguro snorted, almost unable to suppress the twitch of his lips. “Fuck off. And don’t call me that.”

“That’s what I get after saving your pretty face from getting all bloody and bruised? What a shame.” Sukuna clicked his tongue and shoved both hands inside the front pockets of his black hoodie, still wearing that mischievous smile on his face.

“Thanks,” Fushiguro mumbled, not before rolling his eyes in disdain. “What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be hanging around with your new date?” His words sounded more venomous when spoken out loud.

“If you’re jealous, we can easily arrange that, sweetheart,” Sukuna said, complementing after Fushiguro turned around and started to walk away. “But I’ve been studying actually. There’s a test tomorrow and as much as I like numbers, sometimes they’re not very fond of me.”

“Why are you avoiding the second question?” Fushiguro asked when Sukuna caught up with his steps, curiosity getting the best of him.

Sukuna chuckled, intertwining his fingers and placing them behind his head. “No one’s asked me out yet,” he confessed.

“I see. So they finally grew tired of you,” Fushiguro mentioned in a teasing tone.

“I doubt that.” Sukuna’s smile turned devilish. “I’ve been pretty busy today, but I bet there’s someone waiting for me at the parking lot.”

“Why do you keep doing this? Don’t you have a type?”

Sukuna hummed out loud, considering Fushiguro’s question for a moment before answering. “Because I haven’t found someone who caught my interest yet, not enough to make me fall in love.” Fushiguro could feel Sukuna’s gaze burning on the side of his face, but he refused to turn. “I like honest, loyal and strong people, someone I can look at for hours and feel nothing but pride, someone who can make me yearn for more even after giving me their all.”

Fushiguro remained silent and swallowed dry, hoping Sukuna’s eyes would move from his face. They didn’t, but this time Fushiguro met them defiantly. He expected Sukuna to look down on him, to show disdain and maybe a little bit of pity since those mentioned qualities didn’t quite match his own personality. Fushiguro would rather hide his emotions than say them out loud and didn’t consider himself strong - not mentally and much less physically, leaving loyalty as his only noteworthy trait.

What he saw the moment he dared to stare back, however, was the complete opposite of his assumptions.

The first thing Fushiguro noticed was the softness and sheer fascination in Sukuna’s eyes, gentle and warm, pulling him closer like a moth to a flame. Following down the lines of Sukuna’s jaw, Fushiguro saw a similar feeling reflected in his smile, one that had lost its previous playfulness, giving space to a strange fondness to blossom instead. His entire expression was odd, but it still managed to steal all the air from Fushiguro’s lungs like a sly thief lurking in the shadows, just waiting for his chance to strike.

Fushiguro instantly wondered what it would feel like to have that sort of attention to himself, to be at the receiving end of all that unhinged devotion. His hands were shaking inside the front pockets of his jeans, practically begging for a chance to be held by those calloused fingers tainted with black nail polish. Would their grip be as tight as the one that prevented him from falling or would it be gentle like the hidden promise behind his red irises?

Even though to love and to be equally loved in return seemed ridiculous, something that existed only in fairy-tales, a small part of Fushiguro was dying to know what that ruckus was all about. He wanted to learn about it, to see if it was as ground shaking and life changing as it was shown in movies, and most importantly, if it felt as good as most people often said it did. That’s why he had been into a few relationships, hoping that one of them would finally give him that kind of feeling.

But they never did.

Curiosity always seemed to get the best of him, and this time was no different.

If someone asked Fushiguro what drove him to blurt out his next words, he’d have blamed it on the frenetic pace of his thunderous heart beats, or maybe on a stupid and abrupt epiphany that made him realize how badly he wished for all of those things he never had the chance of experiencing.

“Go out with me.”

Fushiguro could swear he heard a gasp coming out of Sukuna’s slightly parted lips as his face started to go through a hilarious transformation, losing its previous composure and looking completely dumbstruck instead. His eyebrows now almost reached his dark hairline and his eyes grew impossibly larger and brighter - if that was even possible.

Fushiguro’s eyes turned to the ground when no answer came from Sukuna’s mouth. A blush of sheer embarrassment made its way through his face, coloring his cheeks in a light shade of pink. His hands were closed in fists inside his pockets, gripping tightly onto his jeans to keep himself grounded.

“Just forget about it. I’m so-” He was about to apologize and leave, but Sukuna’s voice stopped him from doing so.

“Wait.”

Fushiguro lifted his head to see one of Sukuna’s arms extended towards him. He raised his eyebrows silently, as if that was his way of giving Sukuna permission to keep talking.

“Alright, I accept your offer.” That sinful smile was back on his face, darkening his features as he took a step forward. “Starting now, you’ll be mine for a week.”

Sukuna approached him like a lion about to jump at his prey, slowly and deftly. His voice had dropped impossibly lower, sending chills down Fushiguro’s spine. “At the end of it we’ll see if you were able to…”

Fushiguro held his breath as Sukuna stood right in front of him, placing a finger under his chin to keep their gazes properly locked. Sukuna leaned over as if he was about to press his lips against Fushiguro’s, but he turned his head at the last second, leaving the ghost feeling of a kiss behind and whispering into Fushiguro’s ear.

“Make me fall for you, Fushiguro Megumi.” The sultry tone of Sukuna’s voice was enough to quickly spread the blush from Fushiguro’s cheeks to his neck.

Sukuna let out a deep chuckle before moving his face away, although his hand lingered on Fushiguro’s chin longer than it should, tracing a gentle path down to his Adam’s apple as it bobbed against his fingertips.

Fushiguro was the one who forcefully broke their gazes to look the other way. His feet moved backwards on their own to put some distance between him and Sukuna. “Cool,” he managed to say without stuttering too much. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Where do you think you’re going, darling?” Sukuna asked, but this time Fushiguro paid him no attention and kept walking towards his bike while aware of Sukuna’s presence behind him.

“Home,” Fushiguro easily replied. “I’m tired and I have dogs to feed.”

“That’s cute, but as your boyfriend I’m going to drive you to your house.” Sukuna’s certainty left no breaches for doubts, his words as absolute as a king’s command.

However, Fushiguro simply refused to bend at someone else’s orders like that. His furrowed brows indicated just how annoyed he was by Sukuna’s words.

“I’ll be fine by myself.” He swung his legs over the bicycle’s seat and felt a pair of hands meeting his own over the handlebars.

“Come on, I’ll help you put the bike in the trunk.” Sukuna started to guide the bicycle towards the parking lot where his car was, but Fushiguro slapped his hands away.

“Let go, Sukuna. I’m not going with you.” Fushiguro sighed, already regretting his decision of asking the guy out.

“You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?” Sukuna said, amusement overlapping his frustration. “Okay, let’s do things a little differently, then.” He jogged backwards, eyes still fixed on Fushiguro. “Don’t go anywhere without me, darling.”

And that was how Fushiguro found himself cycling near the curb side-by-side with a sleek graffiti Audi RS7. When Fushiguro first saw the car, he raised an eyebrow and Sukuna just shrugged it off saying it was a family gift. Now, the driver’s window was down, giving Fushiguro a full view of the car’s neat inside - and obviously of how good Sukuna looked with his light pink hair slightly messed up by the wind and a single hand on the wheel. The car was moving at three miles per hour, though Fushiguro was quite sure it could easily speed up to a hundred times more than that. Still, Sukuna acted like he couldn’t care less about how fast they were going, as long as he could take Fushiguro home.

They barely talked along the way. Sukuna asked one or two questions regarding Fushiguro’s home; who did he live with and how many dogs did he have, but most of their time together was spent in silence. Sometimes Fushiguro would steal a few glances at Sukuna, only to find him looking straight back at him with those enticing red eyes, which might have made a blush or two to color his pale cheeks. None of them felt obligated to fill in the gaps with meaningless conversation, and for that Fushiguro was glad as the pressure of Sukuna’s gaze on him all the time was already suffocating enough.

Fushiguro’s stomach flipped uncomfortably, filled with a certain uneasiness due to having someone he had just met following him home. He knew Sukuna was no threat, but his presence made Fushiguro more alert of his surroundings, suspicious of Sukuna’s real intentions.

“We’re here.” Fushiguro announced, stopping in front of a simple white house like the others in the neighbourhood. “Thanks for tagging along. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sukuna.”

“Wait, give me your phone.” Sukuna reached out his hand through the window, smiling when Fushiguro compiled without any kind of protest. He typed quickly, probably adding his own number and sending himself a message to save Fushiguro’s. “There, now you can send me a goodnight text.”

Fushiguro rolled his eyes at Sukuna’s wink. “Sure. Bye, then.”

After a final wave, Fushiguro heard Sukuna’s car engine purr loudly before distancing itself at a much faster pace than before. He made his way inside, greeting his two dogs for a couple of minutes and following a straight path to the shower, then to bed.

As night fell, the brightness from Fushiguro’s phone illuminated half of his face and small parts of his bed. He laughed quietly at Kugisaki’s pictures from her day out with Itadori, yet he always returned to his contacts and stared at Sukuna’s number apprehensively. The phone almost fell from his grasp as a new notification popped up, showing Sukuna had sent him a goodnight text. Fushiguro huffed in half amusement half disbelief and stared at the ceiling, wondering what the fuck he had agreed to.

And Sukuna’s message was left unanswered.

The morning after, Fushiguro was woken up by a call. It wasn’t unusual for Itadori or Kugisaki to reach out before heading to campus, often asking Fushiguro to meet them for breakfast at some cute coffee shop Kugisaki discovered on the internet. He placed the phone against his ear and mumbled a husky ‘what’ while still refusing to get up.

“You’re definitely not a morning person, are you, princess?” Sukuna’s voice traveled through the speakers and Fushiguro trembled, tightening his grip on the phone.

“What do you want?”

Sukuna chuckled, as if Fushiguro’s disrespect was incredibly amusing. “Do you have class this morning? We could get some breakfast and I could drive you to the campus later.”

“Not until ten. And you don’t have to pick me up, I’ll just meet you there if you insist.” Fushiguro rubbed his eyes, hoping to get rid of any remaining traces of sleep.

“Too bad, I’m already outside.” Fushiguro stared at his phone quietly, considering Sukuna’s words before sitting abruptly.

“What!?” He stumbled out of bed to shove the curtains aside, only to see that Sukuna really wasn’t lying. There stood him with his hair slicked back, leaning against his fancy car wearing a simple short-sleeved white t-shirt and black jeans. He waved when he saw Fushiguro at the window.

“Take your time, darling. I’ll be here waiting for you. And don’t even think about picking up your bike today.” Sukuna threatened lightly, his voice dropping to a considerably lower tone.

“Fine.” Fushiguro closed the curtains and walked to his wardrobe, picking up the first long sleeved shirt he saw and throwing it on the bed. “But I have to take my dogs out for a walk first.”

“I’ll go with you,” Sukuna said, and Fushiguro just sighed. He was about to open his mouth to say his dogs weren’t exactly friendly, but decided to keep that information to himself.

“Cool. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Fushiguro dressed up quickly and stopped at the bathroom to brush his teeth before getting his dogs on their leashes. They were obedient, trained when they were puppies, but since Sukuna was there, Fushiguro didn’t want to risk them getting aggressive. He opened the front door and his eyes found Sukuna’s instantly.

“Hey.” Fushiguro raised a hand and watched curiously as Sukuna crouched down to greet the dogs.

They approached slowly. One of them acted friendly, wagging his tail and licking Sukuna’s hand, but the other bared his teeth at Sukuna, growling low and refusing to get close. Fushiguro leaned down and patted his head, whispering against his black fur and encouraging him to move forward. Soon the black dog joined the white one, though at least five minutes were spent on sniffing Sukuna’s hand until he felt comfortable enough around Sukuna, allowing the man to pet him.

“He reminds me of you,” Sukuna mentioned, smiling softly when the dog playfully bit his hand. Fushiguro raised an eyebrow and Sukuna explained, his eyes never once leaving Fushiguro’s. “A little suspicious, doesn’t trust easily. I can see that at any moment he’ll try to bite me for real if I’m not careful.”

“My sister and I got them for Christmas when we were twelve. She named the white one Shiro and I named the black one Kuro.” The corners of his lips were tugged upwards as the fond memory came to his mind. Fushiguro shrugged. “Kuro liked me more, so I guess that’s why he’s more like me.”

“Cute.” Sukuna got up and patted his hands on his jeans before nodding ahead. “Let’s go or you’ll be late for class.”

“What about your classes?” Fushiguro asked.

Sukuna hummed in confusion. “Ah, don’t worry about that, they only start after lunch today.”

Fushiguro almost stopped walking, staring at Sukuna with a frown. “So you woke up early just to take me out for breakfast and drive me to campus?”

“Yeah,” Sukuna replied quickly, as if there was absolutely nothing strange about that. “Is there a problem with that?”

Fushiguro was still looking at him funny, as if he was trying his best to solve the puzzle that was the man beside him. Maybe the rumors about him being a gentleman were true after all. Still, that didn’t make any sense to Fushiguro.

“Well, yes. You should be sleeping instead of being here.”

Sukuna tilted his head to the side, his brows slightly furrowed. “If I get to spend some time with you, then it’s worth it.” The answer slipped easily from his lips with no minimum trace of doubt in it.

Like it was true.

But that didn’t mean Fushiguro believed him.

Fushiguro snorted. “The people you go out with must love to hear that.”

This time Sukuna stopped in front of him, holding Fushiguro’s gaze and looking almost angry at his previous words.

“I have absolutely no reason to lie to you or anyone else, Fushiguro Megumi. If I say something, it’s because I mean it. Understood?” Fushiguro nodded silently, stunned by Sukuna’s imposing tone and tightening the grip around his dog’s leashes. “Good. We should head back, it’s getting late.”

Sukuna walked ahead, but turned as soon as he noticed that Fushiguro remained frozen in his spot. He offered him his hand and a soft smile, his previous anger had been carried away by the very same breeze that made Fushiguro shiver.

“Come,” he said.

Fushiguro followed, but refused to take Sukuna’s hand, keeping one inside his pockets and the other guiding his dogs across the sidewalk on their way back home. That didn’t stop Fushiguro from looking at Sukuna’s hands curiously, however, noticing the clear differences between them. While Sukuna’s were large and decorated by a few scars and painted nails, Fushiguro’s were slender and more delicate. Probably the only thing they had in common were the calluses on their palms, but Fushiguro couldn’t know that with precision from afar, not without touching it directly.

Not that he wanted to anyway.

They had breakfast in a coffee shop near the campus, one with light yellow walls and a characteristic vanilla scent. Though his memory wasn’t that great, Fushiguro was almost a hundred percent sure he had been there with Kugisaki before. He asked for a milk bread and a cup of black coffee, which Sukuna insisted on paying, while Sukuna only ordered an americano.

Sukuna went ahead and chose a table away from the entrance but next to a large window, but his attention, instead of being focused on the outside, was directed solely at Fushiguro. He sipped from his cup of coffee calmly like he had all the time in the world, casting flames with his ruby eyes on Fushiguro’s face.

Not used to that kind of attention, Fushiguro felt the fire spreading through his face like the sunlight crossing the windows. It was unsettling, bordering uncomfortable, as Fushiguro wasn’t used to being in the spotlight. He was a constant shadow presence, hiding in the background and hoping nobody would notice him. But Sukuna wasn’t having that, he pushed him into the light like he was the only actor on stage, rehearsing for a monologue that would never happen.

“You know it’s kind of rude to stare at someone while they’re eating,” Fushiguro mentioned, his voice trembled slightly as he tried his best to sound unfazed.

“It’d be a waste of a pretty face like yours if I couldn’t stare at it,” Sukuna replied, leaning over with his elbows on the table and resting his jaw on his hand.

“Well, stop that. I don’t like it.” Fushiguro took a sip of his own coffee, wishing the caffeine didn’t make his heart beat any faster or else he might as well head straight to the nearest hospital.

Sukuna went silent for a while, a deep sigh leaving his mouth right after a minute or so. “As you wish, then.” He looked at the time and pointed his thumb back at the exit. “Do you want to head to the campus now?”

“Yes, please,” Fushiguro said, cleaning the tiny crumbs of milk bread from his mouth with his fingers.

On their way to the university, Fushiguro had his eyes fixed on the blurred colors of the suburban landscape. He could no longer feel Sukuna’s gaze on him, and the soft beat of a melodic dubstep was the only thing filling the silence that extended between the two. Fushiguro leaned further onto the seat and dared to take a look at Sukuna’s profile, following the curves of his shoulders only to find out his fingers were tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel at the end. There were two silver hoop piercings on Sukuna’s right ear that Fushiguro hadn’t seen before. They looked good on him, just like the tattoos and the black painted nails.

“So I can’t stare at you anymore but you can do so freely? That’s a little unfair, don’t you think so?” Their eyes met briefly before Fushiguro turned his face away, once again finding entertainment among the different shades of autumn on the outside.

“Are you going to your karate class today?” Fushiguro quickly changed the subject.

“It’s not on my plans, but I might show up to see you shooting a few arrows.”

Fushiguro snorted. “Giving me another target to practice? I see.”

Sukuna’s chuckle was deep, and Fushiguro caught a glimpse of a smile on his face before it became serious. “I won’t go if you don’t want me to.”

For a moment, Fushiguro actually considered agreeing to that, but decided against it in the end. He shrugged, mumbling quietly, almost as if he didn’t want Sukuna to hear.

“It’s an open class anyway, so it’s fine if you go.”

“Do you want me to be there?” Sukuna asked as soon as he parked the car, turning to look at Fushiguro, who was almost throwing himself out through the window.

“Maybe. It’s what a boyfriend would do, isn’t it?”

That was their current relationship, wasn’t it? A one week boyfriend, that was what Fushiguro had asked for.

So he might as well make the most of it.

Before Sakuna could say anything else, Fushiguro added. “Just go, I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Alright. I’ll see you later, Fushiguro Megumi.” Sukuna waved a hand and Fushiguro swiftly got out of the car, heading to class in quick steps.

The day went on without much hassle, though Fushiguro was anxious for his club activities. The small change in his behaviour didn’t go unnoticed by Kugisaki, who asked right away what was going on. Fushiguro decided not to tell her about Sukuna - not yet at least, as it would only create a bunch of unnecessary questions and judging glances. So he just told her he had an archery championship coming up in the next few weeks, which was actually true, that’s why he wanted to do well during practice. Kugisaki hummed softly, as if she knew that wasn’t the real reason behind his nervousness, but gave him a pat on his shoulders, saying he was going to do great no matter what.

Fushiguro sighed in relief, glad she didn’t pry any further on the subject.

His heart skipped a beat when the professor finished the powerpoint presentation, announcing the end of their last class. He texted Kugisaki and Itadori, and packed up his things, heading straight to where the archery practice took place. There was no sight of that familiar faded pink hair, and Fushiguro’s shoulders instantly dropped as he tried his best not to feel disappointed.

He greeted his sensei with a short bow and went inside to change into his practice clothing. Fushiguro’s fingers worked on putting on his glove as he went back to the shooting range. He picked up his bow, testing the string to see if it was ideally tight and waited for his name to be called. After one last look around, Fushiguro sighed heavily and took one step forward, picking up an arrow and drawing the bowstring in a perfect shooting stance.

Fushiguro breathed in deeply, eyes locked on the target, ready to shoot the arrow when the atmosphere around him suddenly changed. He felt a penetrating gaze on the back of his head, crawling onto his skin like an insect that burned upon its touch. It almost made him drop the arrow he had been holding so firmly until then; it was disconcerting. His hands were trembling and his heart was beating frantically against his rib cage.

Nervousness was something Fushiguro was used to dealing with as an archer, there were always a pair of attentive eyes on him, watching and evaluating his every move. He thought he had learned how to tame it, how to keep it under control.

But there was something very different in the way Sukuna looked at him. It was maddening, almost thrilling, to be the one who received Sukuna’s attention. He looked at you like nothing else mattered and everything around became a blur, as devoted as a priest praying to his deities.

Fushiguro risked one, two, three shots; all of them ending far from the target’s red center. He was breathing heavily when a hand landed on his shoulder. The touch startled him and he took a step backwards, meeting his sensei’s worried eyes. Fushiguro whispered a quick apology and once he was behind closed doors, he sat on the floor and hugged his knees in a tight embrace. He tried to calm down his wrecking anxiety by taking a few deep breaths, but at this point it was useless; he could still feel the marks that Sukuna’s gaze left on his skin.

When Fushiguro realized he was alone, his pulse started to finally decrease its pace. His brain was still fuzzy and his hands were still trembling, yet he managed to get up and change clothes. He took his time to clear his mind and only came out after making sure no sounds could be heard from the outside, meaning there was nobody left.

A deep voice surprised him, however.

“That was unusual. Do you want to talk about it?” Sukuna was leaning against the wall, arms crossed against his chest.

“No,” Fushiguro answered bluntly, walking past Sukuna and ignoring him completely. He should’ve expected him to be there.

Sukuna followed him close behind. “You’re very talented, and I know you’re aware of that. So what pulled you off?”

“Nothing, just drop it.” Fushiguro’s brows were furrowed in displeasure.

“If you’re not going to give your all, then it’s just a waste of time, honestly.”

Fushiguro suddenly turned around and grasped onto Sukuna’s white shirt, pushing him against the nearest wall. His eyes were feral when they met Sukuna’s alarmed gaze.

“It’s not a waste of time,” he said through gritted teeth, carefully punctuating each and every word. “I told you, just forget about it. I was nervous and I fucked up, okay?” You made me nervous and I fucked up, that’s what he truly intended to say but those weren’t the words that left his lips.

Fushiguro expected Sukuna to look at least a little more sorry, but he just laughed out loud instead.

“You’re full of surprises, Fushiguro Megumi.” He took Fushiguro’s hand on his own, gently kissing his knuckles and making Fushiguro speechless. “Come on, let me take you home.”

Fushiguro was still mad, adrenaline running through his veins and making him aware of Sukuna’s every move as he drove him. Gradually, however, he felt his body relaxing against the leather seat, catching the spicy smell of Sukuna’s cologne and breathing it in like his favorite flower. Fushiguro surrendered to the melodic beats coming through the speakers and was eventually lulled to sleep by their soothing rhythm, somehow finding peace amidst his conflicted thoughts.

When Fushiguro woke up, it was already dark outside and they were parked in front of his house. He looked alarmed at first, staring at Sukuna as if he had just seen a ghost since falling asleep in front of people was not something Fushiguro usually did.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

He sounded angry, but Sukuna seemed completely unfazed by that, simply shrugging in response.

“You looked like you needed some sleep.”

Fushiguro stared at his lap for a second, thinking about the way he had lashed out his frustrations at Sukuna, who had done absolutely nothing wrong and even managed to drive him home safely.

He sighed deeply. “I’m sorry for earlier, the truth is I’m not used to having all that attention to myself.” Nobody has ever looked at me the way you do, he thought.

“Does it bother you?” Sukuna seriously asked.

“I’m not sure. Give me some time to think about it and I’ll answer you.”

Sukuna nodded quietly. “Let me take you out on a date tomorrow after class,” he suggested out of nowhere.

“Okay.” Fushiguro felt a smile on his lips as he lifted his head to stare at Sukuna.

“Have a goodnight, then. I’ll be here to pick you up tomorrow morning.”

Fushiguro had his hand around the car’s door handle, pausing his actions to turn around briefly. “Thank you, Sukuna,” he whispered softly.

Sukuna seemed surprised by Fushiguro’s words, his eyes going wide and mouth agape. He offered him a tender smile in return. “I’ll always be here, darling.”

Fushiguro left the car laughing in disbelief due to Sukuna’s boldness.

That night, Fushiguro’s heart was more at ease than ever before as he dreamed of ruby eyes and soft features.

Fushiguro was at the library after his parasitology professor dismissed them an hour early. He had a pair of headphones on while he furiously took notes on the subject, eventually turning a few pages of one of the five books scattered across the wooden surface, occupying almost all available space.

A well-manicured hand fell heavily on the table and Fushiguro jumped back in response, almost falling from his chair.

“I think we need to talk, Fushiguro.” Kugisaki picked up his phone to pause the music and took a seat next to him. “I heard about what happened yesterday at the archery class.”

Fushiguro started to scribble on the corner of his notes, the lines forming something similar to a rabbit. “I got distracted, that’s all.”

Kugisaki hummed, clearly not buying his lousy excuse and tapping her long nails against the table. “I also heard you’re dating Sukuna.”

Fushiguro stiffened in his seat, nervously gnawing on his bottom lip. “Please don’t tell Itadori.”

Kugisaki leaned back casually, running a hand through her short hair. “Don’t worry. As much as I’d love to see his face when he hears his best friend is dating his cousin, I won’t be the one to break the news.” She looked at Fushiguro, curiosity making her eyes shimmer under the library’s artificial lightning. “So, how does it feel to date the most wanted piece of ass on campus?”

Fushiguro twisted his nose at the nickname. “Please don’t call him that.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “He’s been nice. It's almost like having a personal chauffeur.” Fushiguro barely felt his lips curving into a soft smile as memories from the previous day filled his mind.

Kugisaki seemed surprised, her eyebrows raised suspiciously as she picked up her phone to quickly type a message. “You’re dressed nicely today, going out without me or Itadori?”

Although Fushiguro treated his date like it was nothing important, he might have unconsciously picked up his best pair of dark jeans and a deep purple sweatshirt that, according to Kugisaki, made his green eyes pop. “It’s a date, Kugisaki. If you want to be the third wheel, however, I’ll gladly invite you.”

“And see you being disgustingly sweet with your hot boyfriend? No, thanks. Besides, I’m seeing Maki today.” That explained the meticulously applied makeup and Kugisaki’s favorite navy blue dress. Kugisaki had been trying to get Maki’s attention for a while now, and though Fushiguro and Itadori insisted on saying she should just go for it, Kugisaki’s steps were still cautious.

Fushiguro wished her good luck and picked up his things, seeing his last class was about to start.

His feet moved incessantly during the entire time. Fushiguro’s eyes were glued to the large window on his left instead of to the projected slides in front of him, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of that almost familiar Audi. Sukuna mentioned during their morning drive that he wanted to take Fushiguro out to see a movie, and asked him what his favorite genre was only to laugh out loud when Fushiguro answered ‘sci-fi’ without even blinking. Fushiguro fidgeted with the sleeves of his sweatshirt, wondering if Sukuna would be dressed casually or if he would make an extra effort to look good - not that he needed to, he thought. If Sukuna managed to steal his breath away wearing a battered white shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants that morning, Fushiguro was afraid of knowing what his reaction would be when seeing him truly dressed up for the occasion.

Once the class ended, Fushiguro crossed the campus in quick steps until he reached the parking lot. There, leaning casually against the expensive car, stood Sukuna. He was wearing a deep red button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled past his elbows, stretching the fabric around his biceps and making them look even bigger, and a pair of dark blue jeans. His hair was slicked back as usual, and once his eyes found Fushiguro’s, they became soft, though his gaze remained just as piercing.

“Hey,” Fushiguro said shyly, cheeks burning in embarrassment like an automatic response to Sukuna’s intrinsic intensity. Instead of running away, however, he chose to stare back.

“Hello there, sweetheart.” His smile widened slowly. “Get in the car, I’ve already got us the tickets.”

On their way to the cinema, Sukuna asked about the movie they were about to watch - something involving aliens and other dimensions, and Fushiguro excitedly explained the plot without giving too many spoilers. Sukuna listened carefully, making small comments and questions to show he was paying attention to every single word that left Fushiguro’s mouth. He wasn’t particularly interested in the subject, Fushiguro knew that because Sukuna mentioned sci-fi was one of his least favorite genres, yet he had agreed to it and didn’t seem bored by the conversation at all.

The gesture was enough to make Fushiguro relax inside the car, and talk more about the movie he had been so excited to see. He would be lying if he said that kind of attention was unwanted and didn’t bring a smile to his usually stoic face. It made his stomach flutter, a subtle and almost imperceptible tingling that started to happen lately whenever Sukuna was around, though Fushiguro insisted on blaming it on his anxiety. Despite the initial discomfort it brought, Fushiguro found himself getting used to it, as if Sukuna’s overwhelming presence didn’t bother him as much as it did two days ago.

As if he had started to actually enjoy having him close.

Sukuna insisted on paying for everything, from the buttered popcorn to the small sour candies Fushiguro was fond of. Fushiguro complained about it, almost taking Sukuna’s credit card from his hands, but ended up accepting it all with a pout.

The place was practically empty except for a couple of students who sat at the front. Sukuna guided them to their seats in the back row and Fushiguro felt a wave of nervousness hitting him as hard as brutal waters against a rocky shore when the trailers began to roll. He stared at Sukuna’s hand on the armrest, wondering if he should reach for it or just leave it be. His eyes traveled to Sukuna’s face, one that expressed serenity instead of turbulence like Fushiguro’s.

Sukuna noticed his unsettledness and soon leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“Is everything okay?”

Fushiguro nodded, stuffing a hand full of popcorn into his mouth and offering Sukuna some, but he just raised a hand to deny it. “Thank you, but I’m not really hungry.”

He kept eating quietly as the movie started. Sukuna’s hand was still a constant presence in his peripheral vision, begging for attention as if it could actually speak. The more Fushiguro tried to ignore it, the more he wanted to feel Sukuna’s hand against his, to see if his body temperature was as warm as it seemed, to know if his grasp would be gentle or as harsh as his whole persona.

A jump scare was all it took for Fushiguro’s doubts to be cleared, instinctively holding onto Sukuna’s hand and hoping it would ease the loud beatings of his heart. The warmth he found, however, only made them worse. As if the touch burned his skin, Fushiguro moved to pull back his hand, but Sukuna was faster, easily intertwining their fingers and giving Fushiguro’s hand a light squeeze.

“You know you don’t have to wait for an excuse to hold my hand if you want to, right?”

Fushiguro sat back, glad for the darkness that surrounded them as both of his cheeks were set aflame by Sukuna’s words.

“It was an impulse.” He rolled his eyes, acting nonchalantly and pretending the cold sweat in his palms didn’t exist.

When Sukuna’s attention was back to the movie, Fushiguro took some time to look over their now joined hands. Sukuna’s was indeed broader and Fushiguro found calluses in it as he curiously traced its lines with his fingertips - just like he had guessed. Fushiguro’s, on the other hand, looked almost like belonging to a porcelain doll next to Sukuna’s, with his longer and more delicate fingers and the same calluses from years of holding tightly onto a bow.

Sukuna’s grip was tight at first, as if he was afraid that Fushiguro would run away when given the chance, but it slackened over time. What was meant to keep him in place now shifted into a faint presence to give him safety. He held Fushiguro’s hand like his most precious possession, like the most valuable piece of art in a museum; careful and tenderly, the opposite of the threatening aura he emitted.

Fushiguro felt Sukuna’s warmth running through his body like a constant river flow, further relaxing his muscles upon the cushioned seat.

He stared at the movie screen with tired eyes, hypnotized by Sukuna’s silent lullaby. As the plot became predictable, Fushiguro felt the fatigue of his muscles and the remnant pieces of yesterday’s stress growing heavier, just like his eyelids, those he allowed to stay closed for a few seconds before opening them again. The time between each blink became longer and Fushiguro’s head lolled to the side, finding comfort on Sukuna’s shoulder.

Although he wasn’t sure, Fushiguro thought he felt a whispered breath against his forehead before he completely fell asleep. The sensation of a lingering kiss on that very same place kept him conscious for a few minutes more before darkness embraced him at last.

By the time Fushiguro woke up, the lights were already back on and the screen was white. He blinked twice, trying to think of what had happened when he heard a laugh right next to him.

“The movie’s over, my angel. It was terrible, though I’m glad you managed to get some sleep.” Sukuna’s voice forced him to look up.

“Let me guess, they killed the alien only to find out there were more of them, then they managed to escape to another planet?” He brushed his eyes using the back of Sukuna’s hand, still intertwined with his.

“Well, aren’t you a smart one?” Sukuna’s sarcasm dripped from his lips, making Fushiguro laugh.

“They can’t get enough of that plot.” He pressed his nose against Sukuna’s arm in search of that casual heat, pulling back shortly after realizing what he had just done.

Sukuna hummed. “Do you want me to take you home now?”

“Sure.” Fushiguro looked around, his mind still a little fuzzy from sleep. He noticed the room was empty except for Sukuna and him. “I feel like we should’ve been kicked out of here by now.”

“They tried,” Sukuna explained while he helped Fushiguro to get up, “but I told them to fuck off.”

Fushiguro snorted, not once doubting Sukuna’s words. “It impresses me that they actually listened to you,” he said as they walked towards the exit.

“Oh darling, they wouldn’t dare wake you up. I can assure you I was very convincing.”

Fushiguro felt a shiver running through his spine. “For how long did I sleep?” He scratched the back of his head, almost tripping if it wasn’t for Sukuna’s grip around his hand.

“I’m not sure, half an hour after the movie ended maybe.” Sukuna opened the passenger’s seat for him, waiting until Fushiguro was comfortable enough to close the door.

Fushiguro was ashamed for leaving Sukuna like that, certainly that wasn’t the date Sukuna had been hoping for. The blush on his cheeks darkened when he thought about what Sukuna did during that time. “Please tell me you didn’t watch me sleep the whole time.” He sank further into the seat.

“What else was I supposed to do?” Sukuna arched an eyebrow, holding back a smile that threatened to appear.

Fushiguro groaned loudly, hiding his face behind both hands. “I can’t believe you. I’m not even sorry for ruining our date anymore.”

Sukuna huffed, the sound muffled by the engine starting noise. “First, you didn’t ruin anything, darling. I had a wonderful time. Second, I just think you’re pretty and very nice to look at.”

Fushiguro stared at Sukuna curiously through his fingers before lowering both hands onto his lap. “You actually mean that.” He affirmed, though his sentence sounded more like a question.

“Of course I do,” Sukuna said. “You’re beautiful, Fushiguro Megumi.”

Fushiguro shook his head, not completely believing Sukuna but accepting whatever he had to say. He turned to contemplate the blurred city lights through the window as they approached his neighbourhood.

“You’re not that bad yourself,” he mumbled, watching Sukuna’s surprised reflection and smiling softly at the sound of his deep laugh.

It took Sukuna a few minutes to answer, doing so after he pulled over in front of Fushiguro’s house. “Thank you, Fushiguro.”

“Megumi,” he corrected. “Just call me Megumi.”

“Megumi.” Sukuna tested the weight of each syllable on his tongue. The sly smirk on his face was enough to show how much he’d enjoyed it. “Have a good night.”

“You too. Thanks for the date and sorry for sleeping. I had fun, though.” Megumi waved him goodbye, and his hand paused on the car’s handle, as if he was waiting for Sukuna to stop him or do something - give him a parting gift, anything. When he turned around, however, Sukuna was staring at him with eyes that held the brightness of a thousand stars.

A sight to behold, indeed. One that had carved a path onto Megumi’s head and haunted his dreams the moment his head touched the soft pillow on his bed.

But Megumi didn’t see that as a bad thing, not anymore.

The next morning, Sukuna showed up at Megumi’s doorstep holding a paper bag filled with freshly baked bagels he had bought on his way to Megumi’s house. The smell of them was enough to make Megumi’s stomach growl loud in hunger and his mouth water, begging for a taste, which was heavenly, Megumi soon found out.

Inside the car, Megumi held one of the treats in front of Sukuna’s mouth as he drove, but Sukuna shook his head to deny it, keeping his lips tight shut.

“You need to eat something. How can you handle the karate classes if you don’t follow a proper diet?” Megumi complained, stubbornly waiting for Sukuna to take a bite at least.

“I barely go to them. They just haven’t kicked me out yet because I’m the best fighter they have.” Sukuna gently held Megumi’s wrist and sank his teeth onto the small bagel, humming happily afterwards.

“Why’s that?” Megumi asked curiously.

“My father taught me to fight when I was a kid. I grew up participating in lots of different tournaments, and my bedroom wall certainly appreciates the decoration,” he chuckled. “I continued practising, even after my father passed away, it became a hobby. I’m a shodan, the first rank of the black belts, which is one lower than our sensei. So you can say the classes are not very challenging to me and that’s just boring.”

“Still, you should go and keep training.” Megumi’s brows furrowed slightly. “If you stop, then all your father taught you will be a waste.”

“This isn’t something so easily forgettable, not like a class you take for a month and forget everything about it the next year. Fighting is all about muscle memory.”

“So is holding a bow in a shooting stance,” Megumi added. “Yet I’m always practising to improve my skills.”

“Alright.” Sukuna seemed to have given up on the discussion. “What's your point then, darling?”

“Go to your class today and let me be the judge of how good you really are.” Megumi smirked, a silent challenge settled on his bright green eyes. “And if you pass the test, you’ll get a reward.”

Sukuna’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “A reward, huh?” A devilish smile slowly was drawn on his lips. “I’ll give you a fucking show, then.”

“Better make it worth my time.” Megumi teased, not holding back his own playful grin.

“Oh sweetheart, I’ll make sure to keep your eyes on me all the time.” Sukuna wrapped an arm around the back of Megumi’s seat and leaned over to whisper into his ear.

Megumi’s cheeks warmed up, but he didn’t fall back when Sukuna approached. For a second, he lost himself amidst the bloody waters that now stood so close that Megumi could easily drown in them if he took a step forward, watching the black of Sukuna’s pupils slowly growing and tainting what once was red. He felt Sukuna’s breath tickling his jaw and stole a glance towards his slightly parted mouth, those plump lips tempting him to do something he might regret later. Unconsciously, Megumi ran the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip and heard Sukuna inhaling sharply in return.

The background noise faded subtly, and all Megumi could hear were the mismatched palpitations of his heart. His sense of touch was numb except for Sukuna’s hot puffs of air that caressed skin as gently as a warm summer breeze. The same one that now could be felt on Megumi’s cheeks as Sukuna tilted his head to the side.

When Sukuna’s breath reached Megumi’s lips, he closed his eyes, bracing himself for a kiss that would set him on fire at once.

However, what Megumi felt was no more than a whisper.

“I’ll be there to see you hit those targets today, so make sure to not disappoint me.” Sukuna breathed out with a sinister smile plastered on his face. He unlocked the door and brought a hand to Megumi’s cheek once his eyes were open, slowly tracing the colors of what was possibly a furious blush. His fingers went down until they closed around Megumi’s chin, forcing their eyes to meet again. “See you later, Megumi.”

Dizzy from the adrenaline rush that now ran through his veins, Megumi picked up his things with trembling hands and muttered a small ‘bye’, almost tripping on his way out. He could hear Sukuna’s deep chuckle as he walked further into the campus.

Megumi placed a hand over the left side of his chest, feeling the strong thumps of his heart that had yet to calm down. He stopped, taking a deep breath and laughing at himself as he stared at the clouds in the sky. With his fingertips, Megumi touched his own lips as a single thought filled his mind.

He really wanted to kiss Sukuna.

Itadori invited him and Kugisaki for lunch that afternoon, sharing with them his excitement over the new engineering project he’d be doing that semester. Kugisaki kept sending Megumi those suspicious looks while Itadori gestured widely, apparently explaining what his robot would be able to do when finished.

When Megumi’s phone vibrated in his pockets, he knew it was Kugisaki asking about his date. He sent her a quick answer, telling her he knew Itadori would have to leave soon since he had an early class, then they’d talk.

As soon as Itadori was gone, Megumi told Kugisaki everything; about the car ride, the movie, the sleeping part and what happened afterwards.

“Man, he’s so into you!” She screeched, grinning wildly.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Megumi replied. “It’s just a one week thing and he probably acts like this with everyone else.” He swirled the green tea inside the aluminum can before taking a sip.

“Look, I know he’s famous for being a gentleman and all, but I don’t think he’s ever done this much for someone else. So if I were you, I’d totally go for it.”

Megumi sighed, eyes locked on his shoes. “I’m nothing special. He’s probably dated people far more interesting than me. When Sunday comes around, I’ll be just another person on his list.”

When Kugisaki’s hand fell on his shoulder, Megumi tilted his head to look at her, finding a reassuring smile on her face.

“Don’t put yourself so low, Fushiguro. You’re really smart, dedicated and actually kind of funny when you get comfortable around someone else. We love hanging out with you, and I’m sure Sukuna thinks the same too. Believe me, he doesn’t seem to be the type of guy who’d be happy if someone else fell asleep in the middle of a date.”

At that, Megumi laughed. Internally, he agreed.

“Besides, I bet he just can’t resist this pretty face.” She gave his cheek a painful pinch while talking with a high pitched voice. “Or your bright green doe eyes when you look at him like this.” Kugisaki made a pleading face, quickly batting her eyelashes and making fun of Megumi, who shoved her away.

“Stop,” Megumi said, trying to keep a serious face but failing miserably.

“Seriously, don’t let those thoughts get in the way of what you really want. If you’re interested, then show him. You might be surprised.”

“Isn’t that what we always tell you about Maki?” Megumi teased, arching one eyebrow suggestively.

“You know the saying, right? Do as I say, not as I do.” Kugisaki patted Megumi on the shoulder twice before getting up and offering him a hand. She locked her arm with Megumi as they walked through the campus. “I’ll tell you all about Maki later, but now I wanna hear about your hot boyfriend.”

After Megumi’s classes, he anxiously walked towards the small dojo where the archery practice took place. The first thing he did was apologize with his sensei for his attitudes last Tuesday, and in return, he received a gentle pat on the back along with a few reassuring words. For those, a breath of relief left Megumi’s lips. Although his sensei was known for being stern, his empathy and forgiveness were also notorious among those who had the pleasure of working with him.

Megumi followed his routine of changing clothes and meticulously checked his bow afterwards. His fingertips ran up and down the bowstring, searching for any kind of fuzziness and rubbing some wax to keep the fibers from getting dry.

As he stepped outside to the target’s area, Megumi’s eyes were instantly drawn to Sukuna’s figure. He offered him a shy smile, simply to acknowledge his presence, and the one he got back in return was enough to set his pulse into a quicker pace. Megumi held Sukuna’s gaze, no longer finding it as disconcerting as before, though that didn’t mean it was any less intense.

The more time they spent together, the more Megumi saw himself meeting Sukuna’s eyes instead of running away from them, even if they left him almost breathless and slightly tachycardic. They made him feel funny and left a burning sensation through every path they traced over Megumi’s face and body. But most of all, they made Megumi feel special, as if for once in his life there was someone whose attention was focused on him and only him.

When Megumi drew his bow, he could sense that same pair of ruby eyes on him. This time, however, Megumi was ready to accept them and transform that fascinating energy into his personal motivation. He wanted to impress the owner of that heated gaze, to show how much he deserved his exclusive faithfulness.

“The bow is a mirror that reflects the archer’s heart.” His teacher’s words echoed inside his head.

And right now, the fire that surrounded Megumi’s heart was wild, but restrained.

He burst into flames like he had been doused in gasoline, his body covered by a thin veil of warmth that although it burned, never caused him any pain; a supernatural power he had just awakened. The arrow went straight for the target’s center, cutting through the air with an amount of dexterity that only a few possessed, and carrying with it Megumi’s frustrations from his last attempt. One, two, three times, Megumi shot until there was no more space left in the target and no more arrows to use in his quiver. He did it effortlessly, like in his veins ran the ancient blood of a true hunter.

His bow was lowered as Megumi dropped his shoulders and abandoned his shooting stance. He looked at the pierced targets proudly, barely believing he was the one who did that. A few strands of hair were pushed back from Megumi’s forehead and he exhaled loudly. The people around seemed astonished by such a beautiful display of skills, so much that no one dared to speak a single word.

Then, breaking the barrier of silence, Megumi heard someone clapping loud from behind.

Even without looking, he already knew who it was.

The others followed Sukuna’s rhythm, congratulating Megumi with whistles and shouts. His sensei greeted him personally, squeezing his shoulder gently and telling him how happy he was.

But Megumi’s smile belonged solely to Sukuna.

“That was incredible,” Sukuna said the moment Megumi sat beside him, leaning his head on the wall behind him.

“Thanks. It felt good,” Megumi confessed.

He thought about the sensations he had felt moments before, the same ones responsible for the light tingling on his skin, still high on ecstasy. A picture of Sukuna’s face came to his mind, how his gaze had somehow given Megumi strength instead of making him run like a scared wild animal.

Suddenly, Megumi had the answer for Sukuna’s question from two days ago.

“Remember when you asked me if I was bothered by the way you look at me?” He blurted out, nervously gnawing on his bottom lip while shifting his attention to his colleague who was about to shoot next.

“I do,” Sukuna answered simply.

“I don’t think it does. Bother me, I mean,” he stuttered. “It’s nice sometimes, when you’re not being a creep and looking at me while I sleep.”

Sukuna chuckled. “In my defense, you have an adorable sleeping face.”

Megumi groaned, covering his embarrassment with both hands. “That’s not the point, Sukuna.”

“I know, darling.” Sukuna placed a hand on Megumi’s head. “Look at me. Please,” he added, just for the sake of being minimally polite.

Megumi obliged, even though his cheeks were probably colored in pink. “What?” He frowned after staring at Sukuna for an entire minute and hearing nothing from him.

“I’m glad it doesn’t bother you.” Sheer honesty dripped from Sukuna’s words as his hand slipped to the back of Megumi’s neck.

His touch made Megumi shudder and his eyes flickered to Sukuna’s mouth on their own. “Great.” He tried to sound as impassive as possible, but the tremulousness in his voice gave him away.

Sukuna sighed out loud and stood up, brushing the dust off his pants. “Are you ready to be surprised by my skills this time?” He grinned, offering Megumi some help and leading the way towards the dojo.

“Yeah, good luck with that.” Megumi teased, his fingertips traced the back of Sukuna’s hand before completely letting it go once they were inside.

It was still early, meaning most students hadn’t arrived yet. Sukuna’s sensei shouted from the other side of the room, happy to see his best fighter showing up for practice, and Sukuna gave him a short nod in response. He lowered his duffle bag, reaching for his kimono and a pair of loose white pants.

“Don’t you guys have a locker room or some other place to change?” Megumi asked quietly, trying his best not to stare at Sukuna’s impressive physique while he got rid of his clothes.

Sukuna arched an eyebrow. “We do, but I don’t have a reason to be shy.” His grin was nothing but mischievous when he posed with his hands on both sides of his hips, wearing only a pair of tight black boxer briefs. “Do I?”

Even though Megumi knew it was a bait, he took the bite, sizing Sukuna up and admiring every curve of his sculpted body as he followed the black lines of his tattoos. His eyes lingered on the small trail of dark hair on Sukuna’s lower abdomen, drawing Megumi’s attention to the faint outline of his cock.

Megumi gulped, looking away almost instantly and feeling his face burning up. “Didn’t take you for someone who fishes for compliments.”

“Darling, I don’t have to fish for compliments when you look at me like that.” Sukuna chuckled when Megumi rolled his eyes and finished tying the black belt around his waist, hiding his body from view.

Sukuna’s sort of laid back personality completely changed the moment he stepped into the tatami. He greeted his training partner with a short bow, a hand enveloping the other tightly closed into a fist. His feet were set apart then, and Megumi recognized the fighting stance from the times he had watched Itadori. Sukuna’s feet were light as he jumped around his opponent, like he had a couple of feathers attached to them, making him glide across the mat with little to no effort. A kick landed on his partner’s face, and Sukuna tilted his head to the side with a smile. Megumi was slightly impressed with his impeccable speed.

The true show, however, had only just begun.

A successful string of punches and kicks followed right after the fist one, and Megumi was sure that if the fight was an official one, Sukuna would have reached the required eight-points lead and won the prize. The other never stood a chance against Sukuna, who smoothly brushed the opponent’s punches away whenever they were thrown against him. They danced around the tatami and Sukuna’s grin only grew larger, as if he was truly having fun, completely enraptured by the fight.

Megumi couldn’t deny that he was beautiful. The light pink hair had darkened considerably, falling on Sukuna’s forehead as it got drenched by sweat. There was a glint in his eyes, one different from all the others Megumi had so far witnessed, a fire lit by excitement that continued to burn until everything turned into ashes. It was breathtaking, as if those flames consumed all the oxygen around to burn even brighter.

There was a warmth spreading gently through Megumi’s body. It started deep in his gut and traveled upwards, caressing his chest and making his heart flutter only to taint his pale cheeks in shades of pink afterwards.

He tried to suppress a smile when the fight ended and Sukuna slowly made his way to him, faking indifference.

“So, are you impressed, sweetheart?” Sukuna pushed back his hair and twisted his nose in disgust when he noticed how sticky it was.

“Was that all?” Megumi said with a straight face.

Sukuna huffed, a smile full of teeth blossoming on his face. “Don’t pretend you didn’t like it, I know you couldn’t take your eyes off of me.” His chest heaved as he spoke, a little exhausted from the fight.

“It was okay.” Megumi shrugged, but was unable to hold the lie for much longer, especially when Sukuna looked as if someone had just kicked his puppy. “I’m joking with you. It was really great, I can see why you’re known for being good at this.”

“No shit.” It was Sukuna’s turn to seem unimpressed by the compliment. “I might fight one more round and then I’ll take a shower. Don’t go anywhere, I’m still thinking about that reward.” He winked at Megumi and drank some water before going for another session of kicks and punches that were just as impressive.

“You really like fighting, huh?” Megumi mentioned on their way back to Sukuna’s car. One round turned into five, and time had slipped by without them noticing as Sukuna was too busy fighting and Megumi was too hypnotized by him.

“It makes me feel good. Besides, I have to earn my title of king of the tatami.”

Megumi laughed. “Is that what they call you?” He said mockingly.

“It’s ridiculous, I know. But who wouldn’t want to be a king?”

Megumi’s imagination ran free, picturing a clear image of Sukuna wearing a deep red robe to match his own pair of rubies and a golden crown studded with diamonds, sitting on his throne and looking down at everyone who dared to lay eyes on him; a demonstration of power and dominance.

The thought brought a blush to Megumi’s face.

“It suits you,” Megumi mumbled, meeting the eyes that were watching him curiously.

The parking lot was nearly empty when they arrived if not for a few cars parked around, probably belonging to those professors who stayed there until late to grade tests or to prepare their next classes.

Megumi made a beeline for Sukuna’s car, but when he was about to reach for the handle, Sukuna turned around on his heels and leaned back onto the door, blocking the way.

“What do you say, Fushiguro Megumi? Were my fighting skills good enough for a reward?” A teasing grin was drawn on his lips as he spoke.

Megumi shifted on his feet, more interested in the gravel beneath them than the man in front of him. He thought about Kugisaki’s words from earlier and his heart started to beat faster in anticipation.

A single step forward was taken and Megumi could feel Sukuna’s breath brushing against his nose, their slight height difference now becoming obvious. Megumi blinked twice before meeting Sukuna’s eyes, gasping silently when he saw how dark and hungry they were, nothing like the bright red ones he had seen just moments ago. Those were lust filled, as if Megumi was about to be eaten alive.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “They were.”

Megumi shivered when he felt one of Sukuna’s hands around his neck and the other pulling him closer by the waist, slowly, giving Megumi enough time to back away if that was what he truly wanted.

That, however, was the last thing on Memgumi’s mind.

“Then what are you waiting for, Megumi?” Sukuna’s words left a tingling sensation on Megumi’s mouth, just like it did that morning.

Megumi’s eyes flickered to Sukuna’s lips then back to his eyes. He cupped each side of Sukuna’s face, caressing his sharp cheekbones softly before pulling him down. The tips of their noses bumped against each other, and Megumi’s lips parted on their own, exhaling a shuddering breath before closing his eyes and finally diving in for a kiss.

The first press of their mouths was gentle. Megumi could feel the texture of Sukuna’s plump lips against his, not chapped but not smooth either, just the right amount of roughness. Their warmth worked like a sparkle, igniting a fire that suddenly settled in Megumi’s abdomen and embraced him sweetly like the arm around his waist that only pulled him closer. Megumi’s fingers lost themselves in between Sukuna’s wet hair strands, seeking for more of that strange sensation that made his stomach flip. His teeth pulled on Sukuna’s bottom lip, barely hard enough to bruise, and the growl he heard in response made him whimper against Sukuna’s mouth.

What started innocently was now almost sinful, a fire so devastating that could easily burn down an entire forest. Megumi pressed his tongue against Sukuna’s lip to soothe the bite and Sukuna took that as an opportunity to deepen the kiss. Sukuna tasted like the bitterness of his morning coffee, like the sweetness of the bagels he had eaten, like the minty fragrance of his toothpaste; all combined into an unique and intoxicating flavor. Megumi chased after it, hungry for more, exploring every corner of Sukuna’s mouth with sounds that were quickly swallowed down.

The hand around Megumi’s waist tightened its grip, forcing their bodies to collide abruptly. Megumi could feel every curve of Sukuna’s body pressed against his.and it was suddenly too hot to breathe.

A thin line of saliva connected their mouths when Megumi gasped for air. His eyes were wide as he opened them to stare at Sukuna, who looked just as disheveled with his messy pink hair and shiny lips.

Megumi laughed quietly, trying to hide his surprise and his happiness. No one had ever made him feel like this from a single kiss.

“I've wanted to do this since this morning,” he confessed.

“Then do it again,” Sukuna whispered in a raspy voice, and this time he met Megumi halfway.

Sukuna’s hand traveled to Megumi’s hips and flipped them over so that Sukuna was cornering Megumi against his car while still kissing him senseless in an even hungrier kiss. Their mouths were pressed hard until they became numb. Their tongues danced in an erratic rhythm until they grew tired of moving.

But the kisses continued, as if they couldn’t get enough of each other.

“Again,” Sukuna ordered as Megumi threw his head back the moment Sukuna’s mouth moved down to his neck and left him with a bruise that would be certainly hard to hide on the following day.

“Again,” Sukuna said teasingly when they were inside the car, before fastening their seat belts, falling into each other’s arms for a couple of minutes more, like time was the least of their concerns since all that mattered was the feeling of their kiss.

“Again?” Sukuna asked one more time when they stopped in front of Megumi’s house. This time, Megumi’s mouth was sweet when pressed against his, a small goodbye peck and nothing more. Sukuna smiled after the kiss, caressing the soft skin of Megumi’s cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Megumi nodded, keeping his eyes closed and tilting his head to meet Sukuna’s hand, basking in its warmth. “Yeah. Have a good night, Sukuna.” He blinked his eyes open and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Sukuna’s soft gaze.

“I certainly will.”

The moment Megumi saw Kugisaki on Friday morning, he was instantly dragged to the nearest bathroom. Screeches and curses were thrown at Kugisaki when they walked in, but she just told them to fuck off. She placed her backpack on the sink and picked up her makeup bag.

“Take off your shirt, Fushiguro,” she instructed as she reached for a light concealer and a foundation of the same tone.

Megumi blinked twice, staring at his black turtleneck and then back at his friend. When Kugisaki noticed he was still dressed, she huffed in annoyance. “What are you waiting for? I have class in ten minutes but I can’t let you walk around with a hickey like that on your neck.”

“How did you… ?” Megumi asked, looking in the mirror and searching for signs of the bruise. He thought the turtleneck would be enough to keep it hidden.

“Your uncle got you this as a birthday gift, but you never wore it because it’s too tight. Besides, I can see the purple spots on your skin.” She pointed at the places through the mirror. “See? Now get this thing off.”

Megumi folded the piece of clothing carefully, shivering from the cold. “Thanks,” he mumbled, watching Kugisaki spread the concealer with a small brush.

“Someone had a good time yesterday, huh?” She teased him with a devilish grin. “Care to tell me about it?”

Megumi turned his head to the side. “It was nothing. He came to my archery practice and I watched him fight afterwards. Then, we kissed.” He shrugged like it was nothing, but his stomach flipped when thoughts of yesterday filled his mind.

“Did you like it?” She picked up the foundation, covering Megumi’s hickey with excellence.

“It was nice, better than the other people I’ve kissed before.” Thinking about it, no one had ever demonstrated that amount of desire towards him. They had no reason to, especially since Megumi had nothing interesting to show. But Sukuna was different, he kissed like he meant it, like he wanted Megumi to belong to him and only him.

Kugisaki hummed, deep in thought as she finished her task. “There, all done.”

Megumi traced his fingers through the previous purplish spot and thanked Kugisaki again before putting on his turtleneck and walking to the door.

“Fushiguro,” Kugisaki called and Megumi turned around. “Before you go, I wanted to give you something.” She pressed a pair of tickets onto Megumi’s chest, not letting them go until she finished speaking. “You know, Maki knows a girl who dated Sukuna a few months ago and she said that even though he paid for everything during their dates and acted like the sweetest guy, he never offered to drive her to campus or back home, never brought her breakfast or asked her to come to his karate practice. That’s why I think he really likes you.”

Megumi looked at the tickets, his eyes widening in surprise and sheer excitement when he realized what they were for. “It’s that photography exhibition I told you and Itadori about,” he whispered, not even trying to hide his emotions.

“You should invite Sukuna to go with you,” Kugisaki suggested.

Slowly, the previous signs of happiness vanished from Megumi’s face. “But it’s two weeks from now, I can’t invite him.”

“You can and you should. Believe me, he won’t say no,” Kugisaki said as she pushed Megumi towards the door. “Now go, if another girl screams after seeing you in the ladies’ room my ears will start bleeding.”

When Megumi’s last class before lunch was about to end, he felt the weight of those tickets inside his backpack, silently challenging him to do something he might regret later. A blank paper sheet was on his desk, the professor’s explanation had turned into nothing but background noise to Megumi’s loud thoughts, focused on Kugisaki’s words and Sukuna’s figure; the latter a constant presence in his mind ever since they started their arrangement.

He was aware that whatever Sukuna and he had, it was limited by a frivolous thing called time, a determinative variable that indicated new beginnings and undesirable endings. Megumi knew that by Monday everything would go back to normal, his boring routine would return, and Sukuna would find himself another person to date.

But things didn’t have to follow that predestined path if Megumi acted on it and took a risky turn to the dark and uncertain road instead of the one illuminated by the sun.

What if Kugisaki was right? What if Sukuna actually liked him more than all his previous dates? What if he saw something in Megumi that no one ever did before, something worth enough to keep? A diamond in the rough, just waiting to be molded by the hands of the one who would conquer his heart at last.

A part of Megumi refused to believe in that idea, but another part wished more than anything for that to be true.

Ignited by a sparkle of hope, Megumi reached for the tickets and threw his backpack over his shoulder before leaving the classroom in search of Sukuna. In his mind, Megumi rehearsed the words he wanted to say when asking Sukuna to go to the exhibition with him. Although Megumi tried to convince himself it was just a stupid invitation, his body thought otherwise. His heart was beating quickly in fear for what Sukuna’s answer would be and his hands started to tremble, being shoved inside the pockets of his jeans.

He spotted a glimpse of light pink hair and his feet started to move even faster. Despite seeing Sukuna earlier that morning, the thought of seeing him again made Megumi inexplicably anxious.

Megumi’s heart dropped when he saw there was someone else beside Sukuna. A blue-haired guy with boyish looks had his arm around Sukuna’s shoulder casually, twirling his blue locks with the other hand as he laughed out loud and showed Sukuna his brightest smile. Sukuna didn’t seem to share the same amusement, looking blankly ahead as the guy tried to put him under his spell.

Still, Megumi felt a sting on the corners of his eyes.

He was angry at the situation, but most of all, Megumi was angry at himself.

He should’ve known that getting his hopes up would only lead him to a bigger fall, should've learned by now that people didn’t willingly choose to stay by his side, afterall, he had nothing to offer them aside from a pair of bright green eyes and ridiculously long eyelashes.

It was stupid of him to think that this time would be different.

That what they had would last more than a week.

Megumi stomped forward, catching Sukuna’s attention when he was close enough to be heard.

“Meguim?” Puzzled, Sukuna looked at Megumi’s eyes and then at the tickets being shoved against his chest.

“Here, so you can take your next date,” Megumi said through gritted teeth, anger and frustration dripping from each syllable that left his mouth.

“What the fuck? Wait!” Sukuna tried to keep Megumi close by grabbing his wrist, but Megumi stepped aside, staying out of his reach.

“Don’t,” Megumi warned him. “I don’t want to talk to you right now. Give me a fucking break, Sukuna.”

“Let me drive you home and we can talk about this.” Sukuna’s voice was calm but desperate at the same time.

“No, I’ll go by myself.” Megumi turned his back to Sukuna, ignoring all the curious looks and nosey whispers. He was relieved when he realized Sukuna decided not to follow him, exhaling tiredly.

Megumi skipped his afternoon classes and went home. It was a thirty-minute walk, which was more than enough to help him sort out his feelings and start thinking straight once again.

His heart was heavy yet empty inside his chest, beating slowly as if it was missing fuel, a reason to keep the blood pumping. It ached, physically and emotionally, making Megumi wish he was in his bed right now, curled up with his dogs to ease the pain that almost brought him to his knees.

The reason behind all those things was still a mystery to Megumi. He didn’t know why he had this sudden urge to scream and cry his heart out until there were no tears left, nor why he felt like shooting a dozen arrows straight through that strange blue-haired guy’s chest.

But maybe if he knew, that would explain why it felt so wrong to simply walk home alone.

And why he had never missed somebody’s company the way he missed Sukuna’s right now.

Although he couldn't pinpoint exactly why or how, Sukuna made Megumi feel different. He got used to the sultry gazes, the mischievous grins, and even the pet names. In a strange and unexpected kind of way, they made him feel good - happy even, like no one ever had before.

Before Sukuna, Megumi’s life had been black and white, and now all he could see was red and all he could feel was warmth.

And the sudden thought of not having all that made him incredibly...sad.

But there was no logical reason to be like that when it wasn’t truly over yet, right? Sukuna hadn’t officially broken up with him, so Megumi still had two days left until his own Cinderella spell came to an end. Why would he mourn over his loss now when he hadn’t lost anything in the first place?

With that thought in mind, Megumi came up with a plan. And by the time he stepped inside his house, he had a smile on his face.

If two days were all he had, then he would make the best out of them.

Megumi sipped from his bottle of beer even though he disliked the bitter taste. He had accepted Sukuna’s invitation for lunch first thing in the morning - after going through dozens of unread messages and unanswered calls, and was now in his apartment, which was surprisingly neat with its cream colored walls and a few potted plants scattered around. Sukuna’s burgundy couch was big enough to comfortably fit four people, with a big TV screen right in front of it.

The smell coming from the kitchen was heavenly and Megumi could practically taste the shogayaki’s ginger in his mouth. He had insisted on helping, but Sukuna simply shook his head, saying that the guests were supposed to relax and be patient.

Megumi wondered if that’s how he treated his other dates too.

There was still a certain tension between them for the amount of things left unsaid on the day before. The white elephant in the room grew bigger as time slipped by, but none of them seemed to pay it any attention.

Until someone did.

“Are we going to talk about what happened yesterday?” Sukuna patted his recently washed hands on his black apron and leaned against the counter, facing the couch where Megumi was sitting.

“No.” Megumi shook his head to emphasize, or maybe that was just the alcohol already messing up with his brain.

“Alright,” Sukuna didn’t seem very happy, but he didn’t press further onto the subject either. “If you ever want your tickets back, let me know.”

“Keep them,” Megumi said, “or use them. I don’t really care.” He threw his head back onto the cushions and looked impassively at Sukuna, who frowned at him in response.

“Fine,” Sukuna’s voice was just as cold, maybe even a little angrier than usual. “Lunch is almost ready. Help me set the table?”

Megumi nodded shortly, leaving his beer on the table and picking up the steaming bowls of rice. Sukuna’s kitchen wasn’t exactly big enough for two people to walk around leisurely, meaning Megumi bumped into Sukuna a few times during his short travels. Every time their shoulders brushed or their arms touched, Megumi’s body reacted with a shiver of its own, yearning for more of Sukuna’s warmth, one that no amount of alcohol could ever provide him.

He enjoyed the feeling nonetheless, at least while he still could.

They mumbled a short ‘itadakimasu’ while sitting across from each other. Sukuna hadn’t touched his chopsticks yet, patiently waiting for Megumi to take the first bite and share his thoughts.

The food was simply delicious. It was truly a shame that Sukuna was so inclined in becoming an accountant - or whatever he wanted to be after he got his economics degree, since he’d certainly be an amazing chef. The pork melted in Megumi’s mouth as the salty ginger burned down his throat. He couldn’t help but moan at the taste.

“This is really good,” Megumi honestly smiled at Sukuna, maybe for the first time since they saw each other on that day, and that seemed to ease the mood between them, softening Sukuna’s features.

“Glad you liked it. Isn’t the ginger too strong?” He asked, still not touching his share of food, pleased with how Megumi eagerly ate his.

“No, it’s perfect.” Megumi glanced over at his forgotten beer and twisted his nose, not wanting to ruin the taste of such a good meal.

Sukuna chuckled softly. “I’ll get you a glass of water, darling. You should’ve said something if you’re not a fan of beer.”

“Who said I’m not?” Megumi raised an eyebrow.

Sukuna came back from the kitchen, placing the tall glass of water in front of Megumi before sitting again. “You keep scowling at the poor beer bottle like it murdered one of your dogs every time you take a sip.”

“No, I don’t,” Megumi mumbled, eating another portion of rice.

“Yes, you do. Besides, I can tell from the flush in your cheeks that you’re a lightweight, so we better stick with the water.”

Megumi rolled his eyes, annoyed to be treated like a child. “I’m finishing this after lunch. I just don’t want to spoil the food by drinking it now.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Sukuna finally began eating, not even bothering with how cold his food probably was from the time he had wasted staring at Megumi.

“Who taught you to cook like this?” Megumi asked once his stomach was full.

“I learned a few things with my mother, but I had to struggle with the rest on my own. I used to hate cooking at first, but I’m more into it now, even if most times I just cook for myself.”

Megumi folded the napkin he had just used and gulped before blurting out. “What about your dates? You don’t cook for them?” He tried his best to hide his apprehension.

Sukuna’s chopsticks were halfway to his mouth when they stopped moving. “I never brought anyone home before,” he confessed, resuming his previous actions.

Megumi’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, I see.” He hid behind the beer bottle so that Sukuna wouldn’t notice the deep blush on his cheeks. “Thanks for the meal, then.”

“Anytime, Megumi.”

“I can wash the dishes if you want,” Megumi offered, cleaning the table as soon as Sukuna finished eating.

Sukuna placed a hand on Megumi’s back, pushing him towards the living room and out of the kitchen. “There’s no need, I’ll take care of that later.” He reached for the remote and gave it to Megumi before sitting next to him on the couch. “Pick a movie, let’s watch something.”

Megumi scrolled through Sukuna’s Netflix account for some good five minutes before choosing a random animation about pets, one he had watched at least three times already. He scooted closer to Sukuna, forcing their thighs to meet and feeling that familiar lukewarm sensation coming from Sukuna’s body. Standing close to him was like kneeling in front of a fireplace during a cold snowy night with both arms stretched forward to catch every single fire particle.

Sukuna looked at Megumi curiously, opening his arms and inviting Megumi in. “Come here.” He waited until Megumi’s head rested peacefully on his shoulder, sighing in content.

Megumi still fidgeted on his seat, folding one leg under the other and trying to find a comfortable position without needing to move away from Sukuna’s side.

Noticing his restlessness, Sukuna decided to do something. “Let me help you with that,” he said before reaching for Megumi’s legs and throwing them over his lap. “Much better.”

Needless to say that Megumi’s attention shifted from the psychotic bunny on the screen to the soft circles being drawn on his knees. The touch was barely there, but Megumi could feel every inch of his skin warming up from the path traced by Sukuna’s fingertips. A well-delivered punch line made Sukuna laugh and the to and fro movements of his chest rocked Megumi’s head gently. Although Megumi wasn’t tired, there was something about being completely enveloped in Sukuna’s presence that made him close his eyes involuntarily - which happened not only once but twice already.

This time, however, he blamed it on the alcohol.

With drowsy eyes, Megumi risked taking a glance at Sukuna, who had a hint of a smile on his face and eyes locked on him.

“You should be watching the movie,” Megumi said, trying to hide a yawn with the back of his hand. “It’s really funny.”

“You’re far more interesting, I’m afraid,” Sukuna replied, brushing Megumi’s raven locks out of his forehead. “It seems like you’ll fall asleep at any minute now,” he whispered, as if afraid of startling Megumi by speaking normally.

“Alcohol makes me sleepy,” Megumi mumbled, playing with the hem of Sukuna’s t-shirt.

“I’m starting to think that I’m the one who makes you sleepy. Am I that boring, darling?” Sukuna sounded hurt, but there was playfulness in his voice too.

“No!” Megumi answered almost instantly, lifting his head from Sukuna’s chest to look at him properly. “I mean, you’re not,” he repeated in a less enthusiastic tone. “You make me feel comfortable, that’s all.”

“I’m glad.” Sukuna scratched Megumi’s scalp tenderly. “I can take you to bed if you really feel like sleeping,” he suggested, but Megumi shook his head with his eyes closed, too focused on Sukuna’s touch.

“Here’s fine. You’re warm.” The words left his mouth without any filter; definitely the alcohol speaking. “I’ll just take a nap,” he mumbled with no strength as his head fell on Sukuna’s chest again.

Sukuna chuckled, bringing Megumi closer until he was fully seated on his lap with his legs extended to the other side of the couch. “Sweet dreams, Megumi,” he whispered against his temple.

A sweet vanilla scent brought Megumi back from his slumber.

He frowned at the beige blanket on top of him and patted across the couch in search of his phone, squinting at the brightness once it was on and realizing he had probably been asleep for the last three hours or something. A thunder echoed from the outside and he jumped in surprise, slowly getting up to see nothing but a foggy landscape through Sukuna’s window, a heavy rain pouring down on the outside.

He breathed in deeply and licked his lips at the chocolate smell that now grew heavier.

“Did you have a good nap?” Sukuna’s voice came from behind and Megumi turned around, finding two steaming mugs of what he guessed was hot chocolate in Sukuna’s hands.

“Yes, thank you.” Megumi nodded. “Smells good.”

“Careful, it’s hot,” Sukuna warned him as he handed him one of the mugs. “I hope it’s to your liking.”

Megumi smiled at the tiny marshmallows inside before taking a sip. “It’s good.”

The drink made his toes curl with just the right amount of sweetness and a hint of cinnamon, like Megumi had ordered it straight from his favorite coffee shop. Apparently, Sukuna had been paying attention to that as well.

Despite all the things Megumi had heard about Sukuna, he never thought he’d find himself inside his apartment sharing a cup of hot chocolate like they had been dating for years - like they had been dating for real. It stirred something unpleasant inside Megumi’s stomach and a bitter taste filled his mouth instead, making him want to throw up.

He stared at the mug silently, but his thoughts were louder than the rain crashing onto the windows of the small apartment.

Rumors said that Sukuna was a jerk who broke people’s hearts for fun, someone who enjoyed watching people on their knees only to throw them away the next minute. He was the villain, a guy who hid behind a gentleman disguise and gave others the hope of finally being the one who’d break the curse cast upon his numb heart, though that never happened.

Yet Megumi learned soon enough that the last word he’d use to describe Sukuna was ‘bad’.

Frankly, in Megumi’s eyes, Sukuna was actually a very sweet person when you got used to his initial rudeness and cold sense of humor. He was the type of person who’d carry you to bed after you fell asleep on the couch for the tenth time that same week, who’d wake up at three in the morning to grab you a glass of water, who’d make you a hearty soup when you’re sick.

Sukuna was everything Megumi had always wanted but never thought he truly needed.

He was the one who listened to his every word even when he didn’t understand a thing about what was being spoken, who walked Megumi’s dogs with him and actually liked them, who brought Megumi breakfast and insisted on paying, who complimented Megumi on his beauty, on his brain and on his archery skills.

Sukuna saw Megumi at his worst and thought no less of him, encouraging to be better instead.

The truth was Sukuna made him feel alive.

But why would he act so nicely towards him when by the same time tomorrow they’d never look at each other again? Why go that far when Megumi would become just another person in his personal list of conquests?

None of that made any sense, but there was one thing Megumi was sure of now.

He didn’t want this to end.

“Megumi?” He whipped away the tears on the corners of his eyes when Sukuna called him. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Megumi lied. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.” Outside, the rain showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, and Megumi shivered from the cold breeze that came in through the window’s cracks.

“According to the forecast, the weather won’t get better until tomorrow morning. Do you mind spending the night?” Sukuna asked while picking up Megumi’s mug, which he had barely drank from.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that? It’s your house.” Megumi frowned at the polished floor, refusing to meet Sukuna’s eyes.

“I’m fine with it, but I’ll also take you home if you don’t want to stay.”

Megumi almost asked Sukuna to take him home with the excuse of having to feed his dogs even though they had already eaten in the morning, but he decided against it. Instead, he faked a smile and sat back on the couch, covering his legs with the same beige blanket from before.

“Then I don’t mind.”

Sukuna looked at him strangely, as if he knew Megumi wasn’t being honest, but nodded nonetheless.

“Do you want to take a shower? I can lend you some clothes,” he offered.

Megumi shook his head. “It’s fine, I already took one before coming here. But I’ll accept the clothes.” He followed Sukuna to his bedroom, where a clean pair of gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt were given to Megumi.

“You can take the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch.” Sukuna insisted even after Megumi’s initial complaints. “I promise to drive you home first thing in the morning.”

Megumi grabbed Sukuna’s wrist before he left. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Sukuna smiled, twisting Megumi’s hand in his and kissing it gently. “Anything for you, darling.”

When the door fell shut, Megumi took his time to stare at every corner of Sukuna’s room, which was surprisingly as neat as the rest of his apartment. There were indeed plenty of shelves filled with different gold medals and trophies from the tournaments Sukuna had told Megumi about.

He ran his fingers over their polished golden surface, more specifically over Sukuna’s name engraved in them, thinking if he would get a place in Sukuna’s personal shelf as well after tomorrow.

Megumi sighed and changed clothes. Though Sukuna and him were almost the same height, Sukuna was larger, meaning his shirt was loose around Megumi’s shoulders. He looked at his reflection through the bedroom’s mirror and choked out a sob at how domestic this felt - if only they were something real. The air was filled with Sukuna’s scent, the same spicy one that Megumi found inside Sukuna’s car and couldn’t possibly get enough of, reminding him of how much he wished Sukuna was there with him instead.

Maybe then his heart would stop desperately aching for something it couldn’t have.

Tears fell from Megumi’s eyes as soon as his head touched Sukuna’s pillow. He thought about Sukuna’s kiss, about his soft eyes, about his touch; about everything. Like he always did before sleeping since they first met.

Staring at his empty hands, Megumi cried silently, slowly trying to accept the fact that in less than twelve hours, Sukuna would no longer be his and they would go back to being strangers once again.

Megumi woke up with his alarm clock at nine in the morning. He cursed loudly when he picked up his phone, completely forgetting about his weekly visit to the hospital where Tsumiki was admitted. After quickly changing into his clothes and folding Sukuna’s properly, Megumi checked his tired reflection through the mirror, noticing the dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep since he had spent most of the night awake.

He tiptoed his way towards the living room, afraid of waking up Sukuna, only to find out he was already making them breakfast.

“Are you that eager to go home?” Sukuna raised an eyebrow at Megumi, seeing he had his clothes back on. “Take a seat and get some breakfast first.”

“About that, I forgot I have somewhere to be now, so I probably should get going.” Megumi pointed at the door and scratched the back of his neck nervously. “Thank you for letting me stay here.”

“Wait.” Sukuna appeared in front of him, blocking the way. “Let me drive you, just give me the address.”

“It’s a family thing, you really don’t have to, Sukuna.” Megumi tried to reach for the door’s handle, but Sukuna grabbed his hand first.

“I want to. You don’t have to explain a thing and I won’t ask about it either,” Sukuna pleaded with his bright red eyes.

He was determined to take him no matter what, so Megumi really had no other choice than let him.

“Fine, let’s go then. I have to be there at ten.”

The temperature had considerably dropped after the rain, making that cloudy Sunday morning unusually colder than usual. With no signs from the sun, the sky was lifeless, sad even, as if it knew what that day meant. Megumi played with the sleeves of Sukuna’s leather jacket, one Sukuna insisted on Megumi wearing since his clothes were too thin for that weather, and looked at the blurry images through the window as they drove across the streets.

Sukuna stayed true to his words, not asking Megumi a single thing when the hospital’s address was typed into his phone’s GPS. He remained quiet except for the times he asked if Megumi had slept well or if he was hungry, seeing he barely had time to finish making them breakfast.

At least this time, Megumi told him the truth, omitting the part where he cried himself to sleep.

When they arrived, Megumi’s legs were restless, anxious to get out of the car and see his sister even though he knew there would be no changes to her current state.

“Thanks for the ride, I’ll be back in half an hour. You don’t have to wait for me, I can just call for a cab later.”

Sukuna huffed and crossed his arms, as if Megumi’s suggestion was simply insane. “I’ll wait and then we can get a decent breakfast. I know a place nearby.”

“Okay, sounds good.” Megumi raised his hand to wave it at Sukuna before closing the car’s door and shoving both hands inside the jacket’s pockets.

The nurses greeted Megumi as soon as they saw him at the hospital’s front desk, telling him it was nice to see him again. Megumi nodded and smiled politely at them, asking the same old questions regarding his sister’s health. One of them led Megumi to Tsumiki’s room, where she was resting in the exact same position and with the exact same tubes attached to her body.

Nothing ever changed, yet Megumi was there, fulfilling the promise he had made when his sister got into a coma two years ago. There were good days and bad ones, and Megumi had been there for all of them. He hadn’t given up on her, still hopeful even if most doctors told him it was a delicate situation and Tsumiki might never wake up.

After a gentle pat on the shoulder, the nurse left Megumi alone with his sister.

He dragged the plastic chair closer to her bed and flopped down into it with a sigh.

“I met someone this week, nee-san,” Megumi said, grasping tightly onto Sukuna’s jacket. “Actually, I’m dating someone this week. It’s too complicated to explain, but you don’t have to worry about that since it’ll be over soon.” He forced out a laugh to hide how much he wanted to do the opposite.

“His name is Sukuna and I know you’d hate him at first, he’s everything you always told me to stay away from, a selfish jerk who thinks he’s better than everyone else. A bad influence, I guess. But I also know you’d warm up to him after seeing how he looks at me, how happy he makes me.” At that, Megumi showed a saddened smile. “It’s a scary thing, I’ve never felt like this with absolutely no one else, not even with that high school crush you said I loved.” There was a pause in Megumi’s words and he took a deep breath, gathering enough courage to say what had been on his mind for a while now.

“It was about time, but I think I understand that a little better now, thanks to him.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “You said that one day I’d find someone who’d look at me with stars in their eyes, who’d treat me like I’m special and worth having around,” Megumi couldn’t hold back the sob that left his mouth..

“And I think I found it. Too bad he isn’t staying, though.” His head fell on Tsumiki’s bed, staining the pristine sheets with his own tears.

After a couple of minutes, Megumi lifted his head, staring at his sister’s face. “I miss you, nee-san.”

Megumi stayed a little longer, telling his sister about college and the upcoming archery tournaments. The mood became more lively when he mentioned Itadori and Kugisaki, saying they were both just as funny and were still dragging his ass around the city for the stupidest things.

He was glad to have them around, though he left that unsaid.

A knock on the door indicated that Megumi’s time was up, and he bowed in a thankful gesture at the nurse before leaving. His chest felt lighter after getting those thoughts out, but clenched just as painfully when he saw Sukuna waiting for him outside his car.

“How did it go?” Sukuna asked, tilting his head and searching for something in Megumi’s slightly swollen eyes.

“Good,” Megumi replied with a short nod. “I’m kind of hungry, though. How about that breakfast you promised me?”

Sukuna clicked his tongue, whipping away a single tear that was still on Megumi’s cheek. “Sure, let’s go.”

For the first time since Megumi met Sukuna, he was bothered by his silence. It was deafening, louder than the cheesy pop song playing on the radio and the birds chirping on the outside, and Megumi’s heart ached, desperate for a glimpse of Sukuna’s attention like a spoiled child.

Now that he realized what he wanted and knew how it felt to have Sukuna, the thought of losing him was simply unacceptable.

Megumi didn’t know what to do to stop himself from falling apart at the idea of no longer having Sukuna around or seeing him with someone else. He couldn’t help but wonder how much time he had left before it was all over and Sukuna broke up with him for good. There wasn’t much he could do now, he doubted Sukuna would fall in love with him in a few hours when he clearly hadn’t over a week.

And if Megumi’s heart shattered a little more because of that, he was the only one to blame.

With a deep sigh, Megumi decided to speak.

“Two years ago my sister, my mother and I were in a car accident. My mother didn’t make it and Tsumiki has been in a coma since then. I’m the only one who came out alive, although I have a few scars to remind me of that.”

Sukuna raised both eyebrows in surprise. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said slowly. “And how do you take care of yourself now? Financially, I mean.”

“My uncle came to our mother’s funeral and said he’d be responsible for me and Tsumiki’s hospital bills until I could handle them. I have a scholarship thanks to the archery club, so that helps too.”

Megumi blinked in confusion when the car stopped moving and Sukuna’s hand met his jaw tenderly. Sukuna’s thumb grazed the soft skin under Megumi’s eyes, making his heart beat faster inside his chest.

“You are an amazing person, Fushiguro Megumi,” Sukuna whispered.

Megumi huffed. “I’m just living my life as I’m supposed to, there’s nothing grand about that.”

“I disagree. I know a lot of people who wouldn’t be handling that as smoothly as you.”

Megumi rolled his eyes. Sukuna had no idea how hard things were at first and how much Megumi still struggled to deal with the loss of his mother and his sister’s state, but knowing he cared enough to recognize Megumi’s efforts still made his stomach flutter.

“Okay?” Megumi mumbled, breaking Sukuna’s gaze to look through the window. “Are we here? I wasn’t kidding about being hungry, you know.” As if to make a point of his words, Megumi’s stomach growled.

“I can see that,” Sukuna said with a grin. “Alright, let’s eat something before you pass out inside my car.” His hand traveled down to Megumi’s neck, squeezing it softly before taking his hand away. Megumi missed its warmth almost instantly.

The coffee shop was small but the atmosphere inside made Megumi feel overly comfortable, almost as if he had just crossed the front door to his grandparent’s house. Judging by the way Sukuna greeted the old lady at the cashier with a hug, he was a regular. The scene itself made Megumi smile as he took a seat and waited for Sukuna to bring their order.

“My father was a dear friend of theirs and we used to come here a lot. I still come by myself when I have some time to spare. I like here.” Sukuna explained, placing a cup of black coffee in front of Megumi and giving him a couple of vanilla sugar sachets.

“Looks like your type of place, it’s nice.” Megumi stirred his coffee slowly before taking a sip and humming happily. “The coffee’s good, too.”

“You’ll love the donuts I ordered for you.” Sukuna grinned smugly behind his warm drink.

Megumi didn’t doubt Sukuna for a second since he knew Megumi like the back of his hand, sometimes even better than he knew himself. It was as if Sukuna had a little notebook with all the things Megumi enjoyed, from the way he liked his coffee with a touch of cinnamon to how he preferred to have the windows down while Sukuna drove them through the city to smell the remaining cherry blossoms from Spring.

That was one of the many things that made Megumi so captivated by him.

Sukuna accepted Megumi for who he was, for all his flaws and his strengths, too. He was honest, not mincing his words even if they hurt Megumi, because in the end he just wanted to encourage him to be better, and never once he took Megumi for granted, treating him like the queen who would one day stand beside him.

He was the perfect boyfriend, and for that, Megumi would always be grateful.

Still, as all good things were destined to come to an end, Megumi didn’t expect that to last.

“So,” Megumi spoke after they finished eating, “is now the time you’ll break up with me?” His eyes were fixed on the napkin between his fingers.

Sukuna inhaled deeply, placing his hand next to Megumi’s though not quite touching him. “About that, Megumi…” He started to say, but was interrupted by Megumi’s phone that was now vibrating with Itadori’s name on the screen.

Megumi frowned at the call and declined it. “Sorry, what were you saying?” He asked, and not even five seconds later, Itadori was calling him again.

Sukuna tapped on the table twice before getting up. “You can go outside and take that if you want, I’ll settle the bill.”

Megumi huffed at his phone in annoyance and accepted the call when a warmer breeze brushed through his face. “What do you want, Itadori?”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were dating my cousin.”

“Fuck,” Megumi muttered, blocking the microphone so that Itadori wouldn’t hear him. “I am and I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.”

“What the fuck, Fushiguro!? Does Kugisaki know about this?”

Megumi breathed in deeply, getting ready for how Itadori would jump at him after knowing the truth. “Yeah, she does.”

“Oh, great. Feels amazing to be left out,” Itadori sarcasm felt like a bullet shot into Megumi’s chest. “But what the hell were you thinking, Fushiguro? Sukuna is a jerk! He dates people for a week and then throws them away. I don’t want you to get hurt like everyone else.”

“I wasn’t,” Megumi confessed. “And he’s not that bad, Itadori.”

“No, no way. This can’t be happening,” Itadori repeated those same words for a while. “Please don’t tell me you like him.”

Megumi closed his eyes tightly. “I think it’s a little worse than that,” he whispered.

“Megumi…”

“I’m in love with him.”

It felt incredibly good to finally say that out loud. Those words took with them the weight on Megumi’s shoulders, partially freeing him from a burden he had been carrying for far too long now and at the same time giving him new things to be worried about.

Megumi couldn’t exactly pinpoint how or when, but he had fallen in love with Sukuna without even noticing. All the signs had been obvious from the start but Megumi refused to acknowledge them. The butterflies in his stomach, the cold sweat around his palms and neck, the jittery anxiety that made way through his body whenever Sukuna was close, the fireworks that exploded when their hands touched, the lustful fire that crawled up his insides and left him completely breathless when they kissed.

Thanks to him, Megumi finally learned the things he had been dying to know about.

He finally understood the concept of love.

“You’re not joking, are you?” Itadori asked, although he probably knew the answer already.

“Dead serious, unfortunately.” Megumi's chuckle reflected Itadori’s. “This might be hard to believe, but I’ve never felt this good before.”

“You do know today’s Sunday, right?” Itadori seemed concerned, speaking slowly like he was testing the waters around Megumi.

“Yeah, actually he must be coming back soon to-” Megumi lost his tongue the moment he turned around and saw Sukuna standing behind him with an expression just as shocked.

“To what? Megumi? What happened? Hello?” Itadori sounded desperate, his voice screeching through the phone’s speakers, now hanging low in Megumi’s hands..

Without taking his eyes off Sukuna, Megumi pressed the phone against his ear again. “I gotta go, talk to you later, Itadori,” he mumbled before swiftly ending the call.

“Did you and the brat have a nice chat?” Sukuna acted nonchalantly, walking towards Megumi slowly.

“How much did you hear?” Megumi went straight for the point.

Sukuna considered the question for a brief moment. “Enough,” he replied, now standing right in front of Megumi, who could no longer hold back the tears that started to fall.

“Then let’s just end this stupid thing.” Megumi’s words became incoherent, and he couldn’t keep them from leaving his mouth. “I wasn’t expecting to fall for you and I apologize for making things harder than they should be.”

“Megumi…” Sukuna tried to catch his attention, but to no avail.

“I hope that someday you find someone capable of making you feel like I did during this entire week. Thanks for showing me that what people say about being in love is true.” Megumi showed Sukuna his trembling palms. “Give me your phone and I’ll delete everything, all our conversations and my dog’s pictures. I swear you’ll never have to see my face again and we’ll just go back to being strangers.”

Sukuna reached for Megumi’s hands and placed something in them that certainly wasn’t what Megumi was expecting.

He stared at the exhibition’s tickets with a frown, a little surprised that Sukuna had kept them with him this whole time. “Why are you giving me this?”

“Because I want to go with you,” Sukuna explained, and Megumi became even more confused.

“What? But that’s two weeks from now.” Sukuna’s lips were tugged upwards.

“Precisely, my love.” Sukuna whipped away the tears in Megumi's eyes. “I need to tell you something. When I first laid my eyes on you I thought you were the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen and I was hypnotized by your every move. I watched you from afar, at your archery practice and when you showed up to see my cousin’s fights. I was completely enamored by you, but I knew I didn’t stand a chance, so I started to date other people hoping I’d forget about you and find someone else to make me interested, but that never happened.” He cupped Megumi’s face with both hands as he spoke, leaning down until their foreheads touched.

“My heart has always been yours, Fushiguro Megumi. And this week with you only strengthened my feelings, making me realize how truly amazing you are.”

Megumi was still trying to process all that information, too much for his desperate brain to work with at once. Sukuna’s words played inside his head like a broken record, until Megumi turned off the radio, looking dumbfounded yet hopeful when his lips parted. “Does that mean…?”

“That I’m completely in love with you,” Sukuna finished.

Megumi didn’t know who leaned in first but soon all he could feel was Sukuna’s mouth against his in a bruising kiss. He moved desperately, holding tightly onto Sukuna’s shirt as if his life depended on it, afraid that Sukuna would be gone as soon as he let go of him. Sukuna tasted just as good as the first time he had kissed him, and Megumi soon found himself once again addicted, swiping his tongue over Sukuna’s bottom lip with a hungry moan and taking what had always been his. Sukuna’s reaction was just as fierce, pulling Megumi impossibly closer and showing how passionate he had been and how serious his feelings were, like his words hadn’t been enough to express the feelings that made his heart beat louder.

The kiss became softer and lazier as both of them understood there was no reason to rush, not anymore. They opened their eyes slowly and a silly smile could be seen on both of their faces.

“Will you go out with me, Fushiguro Megumi?” Sukuna asked before kissing him soundly again, not able to stay away from those lips.

“For another week?” Megumi teased, but the answer he received was more than he expected to hear.

“For the rest of our lives.”

Finally free from their shackles, they were no longer hostages of time, in fact, that was the least of their concerns.

“What are you going to say when people ask you out today?” Megumi turned to Sukuna as soon as he parked the car inside the campus.

Sukuna’s hand found his, intertwining their fingers as he spoke. “I’ll tell them to fuck off like I’ve always wanted to.” He kissed Megumi’s knuckles sweetly.

Megumi didn’t seem surprised by his boyfriend’s words, raising an eyebrow at him. “I’m serious, Sukuna.”

“So am I,” Sukuna replied easily. “Why would I pay them any attention when I have you, sweetheart?”

No matter how used to Sukuna’s boldness Megumi was, his words still managed to make him blush.

Megumi leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss on Sukuna’s lips. “See you at the archery practice?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, my love.”

Because they had all the time in the world now.