Chapter Text
In a small shack tucked away in part of the Hida Province, when the wind was still and the sky was both bright and cloudless, a woman gave birth to identical twins.
As soon as the first one came out, he was immediately silent. The first thought had been that he was dead, that was until one of the midwives wrapped a towel around him. It was as if the sudden warmth had instilled life in him. His arms wiggled around and his mouth opened in a silent wail.
Soon after, his brother was born. Within moments of being exposed to the cool air, he began crying. While both boys had matching pink tufts of hair and face shape, it was evident that their behaviors would already be drastically different.
The father took both boys in his arms, bringing him over so his wife could see. Servants and midwives surrounded her, making sure to stop any bleeding and to clean up. Sweat beaded the woman’s forehead and she was pale, yet this was normal for any woman who had just given birth.
Both babies went still as the man revealed them to his wife. Shakily, she reached out, her fingers gracing the eldest twin’s cheek.
“I have a name… for both of them,” her voice was a whisper, yet the man listened, awaiting their names.
“He’ll be Ryomen” Her finger lingered a little longer on the eldest twin’s cheek. She gave him a weak smile, and the father wondered whether she was debating on which to give what name.
She turned to the younger one, he was now squirming in his father’s arms. For a newborn, he already had boundless amounts of energy.
“And he will be Yuji” She closed her eyes seeming content with her decisions, and for a moment, the man thought his wife had fallen asleep.
When she opened her eyes, she took another look at her two sons. She relaxed taking in their features, slightly amused that they took more after their father than her. She then placed her gaze on her husband. The man who she had known ever since she had been a little girl. And the man she would see in her last moments. The woman wasn’t sure how she knew, but she was glad she would leave the world seeing the people she loved. Even if she only had met her new sons for a couple of minutes.
Sensing a change in atmosphere, the man came closer to his wife, clutching her hand.
“What’s wrong Sayua? Please tell me what’s wrong?” He had been excited to finally meet his sons, spending months envisioning what they would be like. But at what cost?
Sayua shook her head, tears began to fall down her cheeks. She suddenly grabbed her husband’s hand, and he nearly winced at how weak and light it had felt.
“Please, Haru, please look after them,” When only moments ago, Sayua’s eyes had been a tired red, the color had now disappeared, replaced as the light vanished and her eyes turned dull.
Haru shook his wife as if he could revive her. He looked desperately at the people around him. He had made sure to find a jujutsu sorcerer with a healing technique, yet they all looked at him the same expression: frowns and looks of helplessness. Was this really meant to be? Was his wife really beyond the help of a healing technique?
And so, while the sky was still blue, a chill laced the air. Almost as if they were aware of their mother’s passing, Ryomen began to shift around and Yuji let out a cry.
A week after the birth of the boys, a servant had been assigned to care for them. Haru had been overcome with grief, desperately trying to find a reason his wife had to die. The sorcerers and doctors had told him it had been due to complications. But his wife was sorcerer herself, something like complications would not have been enough to kill her. As a way to cope, Haru allowed himself to think, letting himself believe it was more than blood loss and damage to her body that had been the cause of her death.
The servant made her way to the twin’s room, which really only consisted of their two cribs and a cot nearby, so one of the caretakers could sleep while watching over them.
She approached Ryomen’s crib first. Although both boys were identical, she preferred him as he was much quieter compared to his brother.
She scooped him up, shaking her head. She thought sadly knowing that they would both have to grow up without a mother. She knew they still had their father, although, after witnessing his mental state over the couple of days, she was worried how long it would take for him to get over his wife’s death.
She hadn’t noticed anything wrong right away. Not when she first picked up Ryomen, but rather when she had placed him down on the changing table.
At first she had thought it was ink. Black lines hugged the sides of his face, up near his eyes and down by his chin. On his forehead, there was even what appeared to be a symbol. The servant scanned the rest of his body. On his wrist, ankles, thighs, and chest he had black rings. She knew that tattoos were sometimes hereditary. However, if these tattoos had been hereditary he would have been born with them. He wouldn’t have developed them.
Anxiously, she quickly checked Yuji, they were identical twins after all. Her frown deepened as she peered over his crib, watching as he wiggled and turned in his sleep: the younger sibling had no markings on him. Fear began to pool in her stomach, and she tried to conjure up any reason that would make sense for Ryomen’s appearance.
She glanced at Ryomen one more time, while she hadn’t sensed it before, suddenly it felt as if the energy in the room had shifted in favor of him. Not wanting to spend any more time around the child than she already had, the servant fled out of the room, seeking the boys’ father.
Haru peered at both boys, side by side, switching between the two and taking in the differences between their appearances. Just a day ago, they had been exact replications of each other, but now, with Sukuna’s markings, it was evident that they were no longer the same. To Haru, one was a blessing, and the other, a curse.
“I found him like this, I’m not sure when he developed these markings,” The servant wearily said. Unease crept upon her, not only due to Sukuna’s appearance, but Haru’s face had begun to appear more maniac.
Haru spun around, grabbing the servant’s shoulders and giving her a slight shake. Tears began to make their way down his cheeks, yet a smile was pasted on his face.
“A-are you alright?” The servant tried backing up, but Haru just gripped tighter.
“It feels as if a weight has been lifted,” his voice was barely a whisper, “I have finally found him, the one responsible for my wife’s death.” Suddenly his face fell, turning tight as the meaning of his next words fell upon him.
His face scrunched up, and he flipped around, clutching the sides of Sukuna’s bed, “it's him! It's God’s way of telling me! He cannot even be called my son anymore, rather he is the curse that killed his own mother!” While deep inside Haru, beyond his heart where his core resided, he knew that the child had not been responsible. Yet, his heart yearned for reason, the tears would not stop flowing unless there was understanding. Why was it that his wife had to die? So, he pointed his finger at the one that seemed the most suspicious. Resembling a curse and with no way to speak up, Haru deemed his own son a murderer.
When Sukuna was six, he discovered his cursed technique.
He sat still on the grass, letting himself feel the energy and weight of the world. Just as his instructor said, discovering individual cursed energy was allowing one to understand every aspect of the body.
While it felt like an eternity to Sukuna, within seconds a wave of energy overcame him, snapping his eyes opened. He embraced the source of power, letting it flow throughout his whole body. It felt natural, almost comforting to Sukuna.
He was only six, yet he was already criticized and spit upon by his family. They told him that he had been the reason that his mother had died, and the Gods had made that clear by marking his face. Maybe, Sukuna thought, that with his new power, people would look past his own appearances and realize that he was strong. Maybe then, he would find a place in his family.
“Yuji, take a look at this!” Sukuna prodded his twin. Yuji sat next to him, slightly shaking as he was concentrating so hard, trying to find his own flow of cursed energy.
Yuji opened one eye, looking slightly annoyed that his brother had interrupted him. “What-” He stopped short, noticing the energy flowing out of Sukuna’s hand. Yuiji snapped both eyes open, leaning over so he could observe Sukuna.
“Awww lucky! I wanted to discover my own technique before you did!” Sukuna smirked, almost laughing at his brother's pouting face.
Sukuna canceled out the energy, suddenly appearing serious.
“Yuji, do you think dad will finally like me now that I can do something special?” Yuji frowned at Sukuna's question. He had firsthand witnessed his father’s cruel punishments and remarks to his brother. Often their father sneered at Sukuna, telling him that he was going to kill them all like he did with their mother.
Sukuna was often subjected to cruel punishments. If he acted or spoke in a way that seemed dangerous or “evil” he was hit, either by the servants or his own father. They told him it was for his own good, so he didn’t end up turning into a monster. But honestly, Sukuna believed it was so he could be a punching bag, someone each one of them could take their anger out on.
Yuji came forward, grabbing Sukuna’s hand. At least Sukuna had his twin, the one person who had loved him. The one person who didn’t believe he was the devil.
“Dad’s always talking about how having a cursed technique is important in the family.” Yuji looked down for a moment. “They’re telling me I have no cursed energy. Meanwhile, you have something special about you, something you can make your own and protect yourself with.”
Perhaps Yuji was right. With his new power, Sukuna could protect others and himself. Maybe then he would be seen as something other than a monster.
“Yuji-” Sukuna began. Yuji stood up, pulling his brother along. He let out a wide grin.
“Common Ryo, I’m starving. Let's go eat and brag to everyone about your new power. Sukuna smiled, nodding and letting himself be dragged along by his brother.
Unbeknownst to the brothers, their father stood on a balcony watching them. His frown only deepened. Despite only just discovering his own cursed energy, Sukuna had an absurd amount of energy flow. More than Haru had ever seen in his life. While Haru had decided to spare Sukuna’s life, remembering his wife’s dying words to take care of them, it didn’t mean that he was going to excuse any dangerous behavior. Haru departed, preparing himself to tell the servants that if Sukuna hurt anyone or exhibited dangerous behavior, they were to kill him.