Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I refuse.” Yuuji knew what was coming the instant those words left his lips. A slim, bony hand caught the back of his neck with surprising force, yanking painfully at his pink hair until the boy gasped in pain, head forced upwards to stare into the face of his tormentor.

Kaori smiled sweetly down at her teenage son that knelt by her feet, her grasp unrelenting even as the boy struggled. “We’ve been through this, my peach,” she said, tightening her grip ever so slightly. “Do you want to learn the lesson again, perhaps?” Yuuji caught the thinly veiled threat. It had been directed to him many times before when he dared raise his mother’s ire. He had learnt it over and over again through teary vision and trembling hands as he carefully wrapped clean bandages over the bloody lashes on Nobara’s back.

“No,” Yuuji finally gritted out, desperate to keep Nobara away from his mother’s cruel hands. “No, please. I’ll do it. I will.” Kaori released her grip then, satisfied at Yuuji’s obedience.

“And what exactly is it that you will do, hmm?”

Yuuji clenched his fists into the silk of his kimono. “I will marry the emperor…and enter the Imperial palace.”

“Good boy.” Kaori patted Yuuji’s head gently, a mockery of true motherly affection because never once since birth, had she ever treated him as her son. Yuuji knew his mother hated him. His birth, his existence, was a constant reminder for her failure to marry into the imperial family herself. Instead, she was married into the minor noble family of the Itadori. Yuuji had heard whispers amongst the servants… His mother flew into a rage when she discovered she had birthed another son instead of a daughter who could inherit her wish to become empress. She had refused to touch or nurse him, a wet nurse had to be brought in for the child instead.

“I am so pleased, my dear Yuuji,” Kaori murmured into Yuuji’s hair. “My precious son, of my blood, rightfully where you belong.” Her delusional words made Yuuji’s skin crawl with disgust. His mother talked as if Yuuji would be appointed as an honourable imperial consort, when in reality, he was only the latest addition to the emperor’s vast harem. A lowly concubine. The Itadori were not a well-off noble family and it already had an heir in the form of Yuuji’s elder brother, Choso. The second son was not needed. So they effectively sold him to the imperial family in exchange for gold coins and a piece of land. That was all Yuuji was worth to his family.

“My lady, we bring Yuuji-sama’s kimono.” A servant bowed low by the entrance. In her hands was a heavy tray of neatly folded silks of every colour. The first of many gifts the Imperial Household bestowed upon those accepted to enter the emperor’s harem. Kaori’s smile widened at the sight.

“Excellent,” she said. “Dress him quickly. He must only be seen in garments given by the emperor from now on. Burn everything he used to own.”
       Yuuji made a small noise of protest but quickly silenced it upon his mother’s sharp glare. He bit his lip, humiliation burning in his cheeks as servants entered the room and helped him to his feet, beginning to undress him right in front of his mother who watched with sadistic satisfaction. “I truly wish you only the very best in life, Yuuji,” Kaori offered her last words sweetly, and promptly left.

Yuuji’s mind went blissfully blank; he didn’t know how long had passed.

And then, before Yuuji could comprehend what he was doing, he ran.

He couldn’t run as fast as he liked, the layers of ceremonial silk that the servants had managed to dress him in restricted his movements and slowed him down, but Yuuji was always a fast runner. He knew every twist and turn of the Itadori estate and it didn’t take him long to lose the servants that ran after him. Finally safe, Yuuji climbed the last hurdle between him and the boundless freedom of the forest, and never once looked back.

It started to rain sometime after Yuuji escaped the manor. He didn’t know how far he had run, only that he had run for a long time and soon, night would fall. Everytime he stopped to catch his breath, or thought it was safe to find shelter, his pulse would run high again with anxiety and Yuuji would set off in any direction, as long as it took him away.

He came to a small river, thanking the gods for sweet, sweet water, taking what little cover he could from the only sakura tree that grew on its bank. Yuuji didn’t care that the rain was now pouring down in earnest or that his expensive silks were muddied and filthy. He knelt by the river, cupped the water to his dry lips and drank deeply.

“You shouldn’t be out in this downpour.”

The sudden words startled Yuuji out of his reprieve and he quickly clambered to his feet, head turning wildly to locate the person who spoke them. His blood chilled at the thought that one of his mother’s aides had found him already but there was no one. Yuuji was drenched to the bone... and completely alone.

“That kamon… The Itadori’s precious son, perhaps?” Yuuji could hear the amusement in the person’s voice, low and definitely male. A bandit? “Up here, brat.”

Yuuji lifted his gaze and his breath hitched. It was difficult to make anything out in the darkness of the evening with rain in his eyes, but in the dimness, atop a branch of the sakura tree, Yuuji could clearly make out the shape of a person beneath a bamboo parasol and brilliant ruby eyes. Four of them.

A scream ripped out from Yuuji’s throat but was quickly muffled by something warm and firm pressed against his lips. It took a further few seconds for Yuuji to finally process that something -no, someone- was kissing him.
       “Irresistibly sweet, too,” the person muttered against his lips.

Something hot burned within Yuuji’s chest, rage and humiliation building at the sheer audacity of this stranger to...to kiss him?? Summoning all his strength, Yuuji shoved him back roughly and the person easily moved away, chuckling as he did so. “H-How dare you!”

“Ah, was that not an acceptable greeting to you? My apologies.” He didn’t sound apologetic at all and Yuuji bristled at the nonchalant tone. “I am Ryoumen Sukuna. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Itadori Yuuji.” And then, the person grinned, all sharp teeth flashing in the dark.
       This time, Yuuji truly felt pure, icy fear in every nerve of his body. Everything within his body screamed at him to flee, but his legs would not move, no matter how much Yuuji willed it. His heart pounded loudly in his ears. Yuuji has heard of yokai before, vile creatures of the night that fed on humans. The particularly nasty ones devoured the livers of children to extend their lifespan. And of all those despicable creatures, there was one yokai whose name was feared above all because none could match his thirst for blood and gore. The master of the Hyakki Yakou, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons that once terrorized the streets of Kyoto with their viciousness and cruelty-- Ryoumen Sukuna.

“You’ve heard of me,” Sukuna commented as if he could read Yuuji’s thoughts, amused.
       “Yokai aren’t real…”
“And yet, here I am.”

Above them, lightning flashed and the skies began to rumble. Yuuji shivered, teeth chattering and suddenly very aware of how long he had been standing in the rain. His fragile silk clothes were definitely ruined beyond repair now, as soaked as they were, and they stuck uncomfortably to his freezing skin. He needed to find shelter soon; if only he could escape from-

“You are an impulsive one, aren’t you?” Sukuna said, and suddenly, Yuuji found himself no longer assaulted by the rain, courtesy of a bamboo parasol held above him by the yokai himself. Sukuna had come closer to share it with him but Yuuji was freezing and even though there was a small space between them, Yuuji found himself leaning into the warmth that Sukuna radiated. “Poor thing, alone and lost in the rain. Will you accept if I offer you my assistance?”

Immediately, Yuuji recoiled in horror. “What are your intentions?” he demanded.
        “Purely-”

“Yuuji-sama!”
        Once again, Yuuji’s heart was seized with terror. He knew that voice, that was definitely one of his mother’s maids, and she was definitely close to their location. He couldn’t afford to be caught now!

Sukuna’s eyes glimmered with mirth. “Looks like there are people here to pick you up. Shall I return you to your family?”
        “No!” Before he could stop himself, Yuuji’s hands shot towards Sukuna, desperately holding onto the yokai’s pristine white kimono. He couldn’t believe he was begging for a yokai to help him but anything was better than returning to his manor. To his reality. “No, please, yokai-sama. Please. Please, take me with you!”

Sukuna raised a questioning eyebrow. “What are you running from, brat, to choose a yokai as the lesser of two evils?”
       “Please!” Yuuji was close to promising the yokai anything. He caught himself before he did, he knew how those stories ended. “You offered me your assistance. I accept! Please take me with you, I’ll go wherever you’re going, yokai-sama.”

Sukuna stared down at the human who had escaped in such a hurry, he had nothing else on him except for the ridiculous ceremonial robes that indicated a future consort to royalty. Pink locks that looked incredibly soft were it not heavy with rain, fell messily into amber eyes so fiery, Sukuna could not look away.

“Yuuji-sama! Where are you?”

“What if the place I take you to is hell itself?” Sukuna asked.
        “...Yokai-sama, I was raised in hell.”

Ah, Sukuna could not possibly look away now. So he took the owner of those sweet amber eyes and bitter words into his arms, and whisked him away.

Chapter Text

“Yokai-sama, may I open my eyes now?”
     “Not yet.”
Yuuji fell silent, not daring to question Sukuna any further. His stomach was in knots, not only from being unable to perceive where the yokai was taking them, but also from the sheer effort it took to not lean into Sukuna, his warmth an inviting reprieve from the coldness of the rain and his own soaked garments. Yuuji admitted he was not fully aware of the consequences when he pleaded Sukuna to take him away, but it was certainly not this.

The yokai had easily swept Yuuji off his literal feet, cradling the boy close in his arms as he walked away from the riverside at a leisurely pace. Yuuji protested at first, but all Sukuna did was hold him closer until Yuuji’s cheek was pressed tight against the yokai’s shoulder; no further room for argument. His face burned and Yuuji didn’t want to know whether it was from the mounting embarrassment he felt or the heat of Sukuna’s skin through his clothes. When Sukuna told him to close his eyes, Yuuji gladly obeyed, relieved that he would be spared of not knowing where to place his gaze as the yokai carried him to wherever they were going.
   

 Their walk continued for quite some time and despite trying his best to stay as still as he could, Yuuji grew restless. His inability to see anything allowed stray thoughts to fill his mind. He was also still unsure whether the yokai could be trusted; Yuuji had not felt any malicious intent from Sukuna and he prided himself as a good judge of character, but even if he wound up served on a platter for the yokai to feast upon, Yuuji knew he had only himself to blame. His shoulders slumped, despair beginning to creep in the edges of his already fraying mind. What if-

     That was when Sukuna finally chose to speak. “What is it, brat?”
Yuuji stiffened, “N-Nothing at all.”
     “Did you think I could not feel you shifting in my arms every few minutes?” Sukuna asked. “I only told you to close your eyes, not to be silent. Speak.”

Yuuji hesisted for a moment. He considered whether the company of his own thoughts were better than a supposedly bloodthirsty yokai, who had admittedly saved him from a certain fate. The image of his mother’s cruel sneer suddenly flashed bright in his mind.
     Yuuji chose to speak.

“I-” Yuuji curled further into himself, unsure of even the words that were about to leave him. “You could put me down, yokai-sama. M-my clothes… I don’t wish to get your own clothes dirty because of me.”

Sukuna said nothing, the crunching of gravel beneath assured steps was the only sound that filled the space between them. Everything else was silent, even the rain had disappeared, along with the noises of the forest.

“Yokai-sama?”
     “...Sukuna.”
Yuuji’s brows furrowed in confusion. “You may call me Sukuna. I believe my earlier introduction was sufficient, even if it was rather...abrupt,” Sukuna said simply, amused at how the boy in his arms shifted nervously again, undoubtedly recalling what had transpired. “And I refuse.”

“R-Refuse?”
     “You don’t know where I’m taking you.” Yuuji made a small indignant noise, about to protest but Sukuna merely continued on. “Settle down, I did offer to help you so I would not hurt you. There are things humans should not see and paths that humans should not walk, but I assure you I keep my promises.”

“But you are...a yokai.”
     “That I am.”
“You...are evil.”
     “I am.”
Yuuji didn’t know what he expected. The yokai answered him easily, making no effort to hide the truths of himself from Yuuji. Whether it was to assure or to trick him into lowering his guard...Yuuji could not understand it at all. He questioned whether it was right to assume Sukuna meant to eventually harm him, after all-- “...I am not a good person, too,” Yuuji said quietly.
     “Is that so, little human?”

“I…” Yuuji swallowed thickly. “I ran away from my responsibilities. These clothes… They were precious gifts from the emperor. I...am supposed to bring honour to my family...by entering the palace.”
     “As an imperial consort?”
Yuuji shook his head, tears beginning to well beneath his eyelids. “Not yet, not officially. My family is not of good enough standing to secure that position but if I please His Majesty, then perhaps-”
     “So, you are an offering to the emperor. A concubine.” The boy bowed his head in shame at Sukuna's words. In human terms, Yuuji was not merely a boy. He was a young man at the prime of his life, evident by the strong frame and lean muscles, solid and firm in Sukuna’s hold; his lips were unbearably soft when Sukuna kissed them.
     

The first thing the yokai noticed was his pink hair that would remind anyone else of the colour of fleeting sakura blossoms. However, it reminded Sukuna of the colour of raw, tender flesh. And those eyes. Sukuna licked his lips. Humans used to bring him offerings too, precious ones just like Yuuji, for...other purposes.
     “I recall humans generally enjoy the privileges that come with belonging to the emperor, regardless of status,” Sukuna said.

It was true. Even the lowest servant to the emperor was in a better position relative to anyone else in the country. They were treated as the emperor’s property and unable to leave the palace, but they were also accorded rights of their own and a fair chance to rise to the top of the imperial harem. Yuuji had nothing to lose: he would be able to escape his family, live in luxury within the palace where servants would wait on him hand and foot and all he had to do was give up the already miniscule freedom that he had. It wouldn’t even make a difference.
     Even so, there are things Yuuji would never willingly give up. “I promised someone long ago that I would marry him.”

Something dark simmered, ugly and powerful, coiling and uncoiling within Sukuna like a vicious serpent.
     “Sukuna-sama, may I ask you something?” Yuuji asked hesitantly.
The use of his name pleased Sukuna and he silently released the serpent, feeling it slither into the depths, unseen but waiting. For now, he was content to turn his attention wholly to the curious thing in his arms. “Of course.”

“Why... did you kiss me?” The question came out more honest than Yuuji had intended and he immediately buried his face in his hands, grateful that his eyes were still closed and he need not endure whatever mocking expression the yokai would have on his face. He shouldn’t have brought it up. Sukuna had framed the kiss as a friendly greeting, but it kept lingering at the back of Yuuji’s mind much to his own bafflement. He supposed he was simply curious.

     “...Because you looked so incredibly lonely. And a person as beautiful as you, should never have to feel such deep loneliness.” There was no trace of mockery in Sukuna’s voice. Yuuji couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to open his eyes, he needed to see.

“Ryoumen Sukuna...what are you?” How could one be afraid of the answer to one’s own question?
     “Open your eyes, Yuuji. I will show you.”

Instead of bright, welcoming light, the first colour Yuuji saw when he eventually opened his eyes-- was red. Crimson red, deeper than the roses that Nobara carefully tended to in the estate courtyards. It spilled across his vision, assaulted his senses with an oppressive metallic tang. His breathing turned ragged as the scene unfolded itself before him.

Crimson blood sprayed into the air like rain from a headless body, still standing before them. Yuuji heard a dull thud somewhere, but he could not pry his eyes from what he saw. He wanted to gag from the smell, all his instincts screaming at him to run. He did not know what occurred but everything within him pointed to the yokai calmly carrying him to be the source of such brutality. Yuuji did not dare to turn and confirm his fears.

The body eventually crumpled onto the bloody ground with an even louder thud, twitching slightly before going completely limp.
     “Welcome back, my lord.” Another person, white haired and dressed in monk’s clothing casually stepped over the lifeless body, bowing respectfully to Sukuna. Yuuji noticed a portion of their hair was dyed in red, veins running cold at the thought that it was perhaps from the blood during the spectacle. Was this person also a yokai? Was Sukuna simply demonstrating what he planned to do with Yuuji?

“You mentioned there were two,” Sukuna said to the person.
     “The other is dead. He preferred to take his own life over facing your judgement.”

Sukuna let out a snort. “Let them know I have returned,” he ordered before turning his attention to Yuuji, who was still in shock over what he witnessed. Carefully, Sukuna lowered his arms and let the boy down, slowly enough until Yuuji regained some strength in his knees to stand and even then, Sukuna kept a firm hand on Yuuji’s back until he was sure.
     “Why did you kill him?” Yuuji asked breathlessly, his heart racing in his chest in cold terror. “Are you going to kill me too?”

“Do you think I would?” Sukuna asked, all four eyes trained on the human before him. They gleamed with amusement, eagerly assessing Yuuji’s reaction.
     “You said you wouldn’t,” Yuuji replied and he saw the immediate approval in those eyes, the yokai obviously pleased that Yuuji remembered what he was told during their walk.

“I did.” Sukuna nodded. "He needed to die because he allowed something precious to me to be placed in harm's way." He gestured towards something in front of them and Yuuji followed his gaze to the lavish entrance of a large manor that stood a short distance away. People lined both sides of the inner pathway, bowing so low, Yuuji could not make out their faces at all. It was obvious that Sukuna was the master of this manor and to these people. Was this the hell that Sukuna had alluded to?

Without any warning, a heavy material was dropped onto Yuuji’s head and he yelped in surprise, hands coming up to shove it off before Sukuna’s hand stopped his attempt. Confused, Yuuji looked up to Sukuna for an explanation and his breath caught in his throat. He wasn’t able to get a good look before, but bathed in dim light, the yokai that stood before him looked absolutely ethereal.
     Sukuna had pink hair, much like Yuuji’s own, slicked back to reveal black tattoos across his forehead and the length of his jaw. Yuuji thought he saw more peek out from behind Sukuna’s neck and his mind wondered whether there were more beneath the expensive white kimono he wore. To his dismay, the front of Sukuna’s kimono was already dirtied with mud and rain, no doubt due to Yuuji, but the yokai seemed to pay no attention to it at all.

“Keep it on,” Sukuna said firmly. The material on his head was Sukuna’s dark blue haori. Sukuna himself was a head taller than Yuuji and his haori felt large and comforting. Yuuji nodded, pulling it tighter against him. “My manor is filled with yokai. If they knew you were a human, they might be tempted to taste a limb or two,” he continued with a grin and Yuuji honestly didn’t know if Sukuna was being serious or otherwise. Sukuna laughed at the stricken look on the human’s face and led them towards the manor, the cooling dead body on the ground completely forgotten behind them.

Yuuji saw no one else once they entered the manor, and yet he felt watched from every angle. It was unnerving. He kept close to Sukuna, almost apologetic at how his wet garments trailed water onto the polished hardwood floor. They passed corridor after corridor until they reached an inner sanctum. The white haired person was already waiting, head bowed respectfully.

“Yuuji, Uraume will help you remove those clothes and provide you with new ones,” Sukuna said. He quickly noticed Yuuji’s anxiety rising sharply at his words and placed a comforting hand atop Yuuji’s head. “These are my private quarters. You are safe here.”
     “Sukuna-sama-” Yuuji started.
“I will rejoin you soon.”

Reluctantly, Yuuji followed Uraume. Despite Sukuna reassurances, he felt more vulnerable than he had ever been and kept glancing back over his shoulder, certain that someone, something, was watching him.

‘Ryoumen-sama brought someone back to the manor.’
     ‘Who is it?’
‘They trail water behind them when they walk, perhaps a Yuki-Onna?’
     ‘Yuki-Onna are not to Ryoumen-sama’s tastes, are you sure?’
‘We couldn’t see their face; they wore Ryoumen-sama’s haori. He has forbidden us to look at them-’
     ‘Ah, it must be a true beauty that Ryoumen-sama has stolen and is selfishly keeping for himself.’

It took everything within Yuuji to not bolt when he heard the disembodied voices. He must be delirious as Uraume did not seem to react to anything, as if they were unaware of the whisperings coming from the shadows and the walls. Yuuji trembled, biting hard at his lip, praying with everything he had that he had not escaped the proverbial frying pan and into the raging fires of hell.

They came to a stop in front of a room and Uraume pulled the shoji doors open, gesturing for Yuuji to enter.

Suddenly, Yuuji vividly remembered the stories and folklore of yokai passed down from generation to generation. All the children knew about them by heart.
     Yokai were creatures of the night. Some played pranks on humans, others terrorized them. The worst of them fed on human livers and human flesh. And a thousand years ago, the Hyakki Yakou of Ryoumen Sukuna flooded the streets of Kyoto to kidnap humans worthy enough to be offered to their master and kill the ones that weren’t. It was said that when the night ended, Kyoto was almost empty and the streets were slick with blood.
     In a single night, Ryoumen Sukuna devoured a thousand human lives.

“I will return shortly to assist you,” Uraume said, never once meeting Yuuji’s eyes. “And after you are done, Sukuna-sama requests you to join him for a meal.”

Chapter Text

“Ah what luck, I was so sure the noble Itadori clan’s precious child was a princess.”
     “He may be male but it’s still true what the rumours say... his beauty puts the moon to shame.”
“Even the emperor’s maidens pale in comparison. The sheen of his hair, that smooth skin, those eyes. Ryoumen-sama has excellent tastes. I’m sure his liver would taste absolutely divine.”
     “Yes, only the finest for our lord. How dare that human scum they call emperor even attempt to steal this beauty for himself.”
“Truly, he is not worthy.”

The great hall erupted in murmurs of agreement. Yuuji could feel the weight of their collective scrutinizing gazes on him. Curious. Hungry. His mouth felt dry. He clenched the fine black silk of his new kimono tightly, determined to not give in to the breathlessness and rapid pounding in his chest.

“Gawk at my guest any further and I will personally claw your eyes out.” Sukuna’s smooth voice cut through the noise, immediately silencing the crowd. He moved with an ethereal grace, and joined Yuuji on the dais set at the head of the room, surveying the gathered yokai with mild disinterest. “I thought I forbade you lot from looking at him.”

“How cruel, my lord. The gods wouldn’t have created such a beauty only for him to be hidden away. We were merely appreciating him.” The yokai that spoke had a singular eye, his head oddly resembling a volcano shape. He narrowed his eye at Yuuji and Yuuji frowned back, perturbed that he was the one being stared at when this yokai was clearly one of the stranger looking ones amongst the others in the hall.

“Be careful Jogo, you only have one eye to lose.”
     “My deepest apologies, Sukuna-sama. I am only expressing how all of your loyal followers feel. We didn’t expect you to pick up such a prize during one of your excursions.”

It was obvious they held their leader in high regard and despite their apparent fascination, Yuuji knew they viewed him as little more than Sukuna’s newest possession, or perhaps a tasty snack. His pulse jumped. He couldn’t breathe. A large hand suddenly caught his own. Clawed fingers gently worked through the death grip Yuuji realised he had on his clothes, coaxing them loose. He turned to Sukuna but the yokai’s attention was on the still-talking volcano head, only a single unblinking lower eye trained on Yuuji. A thumb brushed over his knuckles, back and forth, reassuring. Yuuji felt his breath deepen, pulled into the same rhythm. Even if anyone noticed, they said nothing at the gesture. Yuuji didn’t pull his hand away.

Meals were carried in by servants, tray after tray laid neatly before each person as the yokai began to grumble and report their grievances to Sukuna, who appeared to maintain his disinterested disposition. Yuuji briefly thought of how similar it felt to when his grandfather held court at the estate a long time ago. It was not as large, mostly peasants who came to plead when the harvests were poor, but the atmosphere and the curt responses given mirrored his grandfather’s. While both of them commanded respect and attention with natural ease, Sukuna’s presence evoked far more fear and awe from his followers. They bowed and grovelled at his feet, flinching at even his slightest movements. Sukuna gave no promises, but it occurred to Yuuji that the words he chose seemed to belie a deeper concern. His own observation caught him briefly off guard.

Unnerved, Yuuji turned his attention to his own tray, laden with dishes that he could easily recognise. Except for a single plate of reddish meat, delicately plated on a shallow pool of red. He was hungry, his stomach grumbled, but it still turned nervously at the chance that it was... 

“You should eat,” Sukuna said, startling Yuuji out of his thoughts. He looked up. While he was deep in contemplation, Sukuna had apparently ended his discussions and the meal had begun in earnest, the hall filling with conversation and occasional abrupt laughter. The energy in the space had descended into an excited thrum, not unlike the banquets that were commonly held by human nobles in their own homes. Sukuna had an elbow on an arm rest, a long pipe in the other hand that Yuuji had not noticed before.

“How could I when you’re still holding my hand?” Sukuna gave him an indulgent look and after a brief moment, lifted his hand without a word.
     Yuuji almost felt disappointed at the loss of contact.

“Uraume is an excellent cook, I’m sure you’ll find the food to your liking.

“What about you?” Yuuji deflected. But Sukuna knew what he truly wanted to ask.

“Me? I eat humans, remember?” the yokai purred, making a show of licking his lips. He didn’t miss the shudder that went through the pretty human, or how those brilliant amber eyes tried to discreetly scrutinize Sukuna’s own plate of meat. It was venison-- not that Yuuji needed to know. “Of course, I don’t expect you to share my preferences if you don’t wish to.” He grinned, offering the plate to Yuuji. It was an invitation that Yuuji immediately shot down, reaching instead for a bowl of fruit. Sukuna grinned wider.

“Please stop teasing me.” The request was quiet but firm. 
     “I will, when you stop running circles in your head.”

Yuuji made a small surprised noise at the back of his throat. He didn’t think his thoughts were so obvious. “I suppose that’s fair,” he relented with a sigh, picking up his utensils. He felt more at ease now, without the weight of a thousand eyes on him. Only one. Sukuna pulled deeply at his pipe and released, never once taking his gaze off Yuuji, clad in the clothes he had gifted. Black, edged in red. His expression softened, lips curled in a gentler smile. It felt private, something meant only for the both of them and Yuuji felt his heart stutter in his chest.

His fear had turned into a much smaller thing now, easier to tuck away. He supposed it was a good thing. His voice turned tentative. Curious. “Do you really eat humans?”
     “Not recently.”

He levelled Sukuna with an annoyed look and the yokai barked a laugh. “I won’t lie to you and say I’ve never enjoyed the taste of human flesh.” He paused, watching Yuuji’s expression carefully. “Afraid?”

“Not at all.” 

Even his responses amused Sukuna to no end. He enjoyed the sharp tongue and streak of stubbornness. Despite his earlier shock, Yuuji seemed to cope progressively well with being in the company of the myriads of yokai which made up Sukuna’s followers. It didn’t hurt that the human was also easy on the eyes. 

Sukuna wasn’t deaf, he had heard the rumours swirling around Kyoto for years. About how the Itadori clan was prophesied to bear a princess with a priceless gift. She was said to be beautiful beyond comparison, raised in utmost secrecy to protect her against the envious eyes of other nobility and vicious yokai who’d seek her liver. No one outside the estate has ever seen her. Despite that, the whole city seemed to be aware that the princess came of marriageable age just three days ago and had been promptly offered to the emperor. Curious, Sukuna merely wanted to catch a glimpse of the fabled beauty before she was shuttered behind imperial walls. Wondered if she would be pretty enough for him to want to steal a kiss, instead of a liver.

He hadn’t expected a young man, desperately escaping from an unyielding fate. He certainly didn’t expect for the collar of his kimono to be seized, to be demanded to provide help to this brazen human. He, especially, didn’t expect such molten amber eyes, bright with grim determination and words that carved an emotion within Sukuna that he had not felt for centuries. The human in his arms flickered between emotions so quickly: relief, resentment, wary, hopeful, curious, shy; all as clear as day on that beautiful face even with his eyes closed. His lips were soft and warm. His skin was electric, every brush against Sukuna during their walk sparking something almost possessive, unfolding deep in his belly. Sukuna would incinerate the person who’d even think of taking this human away from him now. Watch them writhe in deathly agony, make them regret. He wanted this splendid, gorgeous creature as his own.

Sukuna raised a cup of sake to his lips, smirking, as he watched Yuuji enjoy his meal beside him. In Sukuna’s hall. In Sukuna’s manor.

“Truly a human raised in hell.” He meant it as a compliment.

Sukuna walked Yuuji back to his room. No one said anything as they departed but there was not a single soul who wasn’t aware that the direction they were headed could only lead to the manor’s private quarters. Yuuji glanced back slightly, noticing the lack of Uraume’s presence. 

They were alone again, just the two of them, standing in front of wide open shoji doors. Sukuna’s arms were tucked into the folds of his kimono. He said nothing but there was a small hesitation in the silence. It hung in the air, not real enough to be spoken into existence. Yuuji’s rabbit heart raced. He wondered whether Sukuna was... lingering. He shook his head, thought better of it. He wondered why his feet wouldn’t move and let him leave, either. 

Yuuji had been cold and overwhelmed when he first arrived; barely had any time to orient himself before Uraume ushered him out once he was dressed. Now, with nothing else to say, he curiously peered into the room he was given.

The room itself was nothing much different than what he was used to in the Itadori manor, spacious and airy— with the exception of a sprawling six panelled screen that divided the main space from a more private space behind it. Yuuji inhaled a quiet breath at the sight. 

It was an artisan’s masterpiece, surely, and Yuuji had been educated adequately enough to know that it would have cost a fortune to commission. But it wasn’t the gold gilding, nor the almost realistic illustration of pine trees, flowing rivers and spring flowers that captured his attention. A pair of cranes soared through the panels together, their splendid wings open and outstretched, glimmering in iridescent colours. It was as if only the two truly existed and everything else served only to complement their beauty and grace. Such a thing... Yuuji immediately glanced down at his feet, embarrassed. Cranes were thought to live for a thousand years and they mated for life. The screen’s imagery was a subtlety no one in society could have possibly missed. Its extravagance hinted at a precious wedding gift, from lord to lady, to be displayed in only the most private of rooms, for the most important of guests-- if at all.

Yuuji’s blood rushed hot at the realisation that he had rudely borrowed the personal rooms of the lady of the manor without even greeting her.

He felt foolish. “I don’t think I can accept this room for my own use,” he said.
     Sukuna lifted a brow. “Is it not to your liking?”

Yuuji swallowed. “It’s clearly inappropriate for me to use the lady of the manor’s own rooms. If there are no other occupancies, I’m fine with sharing with the servants, truly. I’ve imposed too much on you already.”

“You would prefer to share a room with my servants than accept my hospitality?” Sukuna’s tone turned dark at the thought. 

“I didn’t mean-” Yuuji winced at his own words. There was nothing more foolish than a lone human surrounded by yokai, even if he were a guest of their master. 

For a sheltered human, he was quite perceptive. But tied to bothersome human sensibilities that Sukuna could care less for. The yokai snorted.

He placed a hand atop Yuuji’s head, ruffling the soft pink hair between his fingers and eliciting a yelp of protest from the shorter human. “If it bothers you so much, then the room is simply a room, brat.” 

“It's only fitting that a beautiful person deserves beautiful things.” Sukuna saw the darkening blush high on Yuuji’s cheeks; almost lost hold of his words. “But even if it displeases you, you should still reside somewhere close to me, unless you truly wish to lose a limb or two sooner or later. You’ve seen how they watched you, you’d be a tasty snack in seconds.”

“That’s not funny.”
     “I wasn’t joking, brat.”
“Don’t call me brat either.” 

So many demands. Sukuna’s expression filled with mirth and then, in interest, as Yuuji caught hold of the edge of one of Sukuna’s sleeves. “And also…thank you for helping me.” He continued, quieter, as he looked away. It reminded Sukuna of a lost child.

“I’ve merely done what I said I would,” he replied. An urgency slowly rose within him; it occurred to Sukuna that if he lifted the human’s head, he would see those pretty eyes slim with silent sorrow. Sukuna stepped closer. Yuuji didn’t move away but the dim lighting still obscured part of his expression. “But anything else you ask for would not come for free. I am a yokai, after all.” 

“…I’ll still need some time to figure out what to do from now on.” Yuuji’s voice was conflicted. He knew what he wanted but his consciousness was still in turmoil. In the end, running away was a selfish decision. His mother was not a forgiving person. There will be consequences to pay, even if it was not necessarily by him. There was a stone lodged within Yuuji’s ribs, each grinding breath a stark reminder of the decisions he made. 

Sukuna resisted the urge to brush away the pink locks that fell into Yuuji’s eyes. He wanted to see. The need gripped him like a vice. “No matter what choices you make, I don’t think the decisions you come to are wrong,” he offered instead, words unbidden but he said them anyway. “If it is too much, then lean on others. There is no need to bear burdens on your own.” 

Yuuji’s surprise reflected Sukuna’s own, even if he refused to let it show. Lips gradually twisted in a sardonic smile. “Will I have to pay for that bit of unsolicited advice?” Yuuji asked.

“Perhaps.”
     “Name your price and maybe I’ll think about it.”

“It’s not something you haven’t given before,” Sukuna drawled, staring intently at Yuuji’s alluring lips. Mischief sparkled in the yokai’s eyes. “I’d say a kiss would be sufficient payment.”

“That’s a steep price for something that you probably thought was just cool to say.” Yuuji hummed in thought. He had turned to face Sukuna fully now, framed by soft moonlight like a creature of the heavens. His expression opened up into a mix of exasperation and bashfulness. Ah, it was even better than the yokai had imagined. 

Sukuna’s grin widened, “I’ve lived long enough to have a few gems to spare. How about I throw in three more?” 

Yuuji couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him. Whatever this was, it was easy, and something small and tight, like a bud, slowly unfurled within him... just a little bit. It tempted him to lean in. To let his guard down. It sweetly promised to never let Yuuji go. Tears pricked his eyes, it felt nice to be wanted for once. Even if it will turn out to be utter lies. Yuuji hated himself slightly for it, even as his vision swam.

A clawed thumb carefully brushed his tears away. “Do I terrify you so much that you’d cry at the thought of kissing me?” Sukuna murmured.

“No!” Yuuji shook his head, horrified at how quickly his emotions overcame him before he realised how close Sukuna was. The yokai had leaned down, fingers still ghosting over Yuuji’s flushed skin. “You helped me. You’re not… terrifying to me at all.”

“Should I be offended by that, as a yokai?” Yuuji felt the rising urge to smack that smug look off Sukuna’s face but ended up huffing instead. He knew those words were well-intentioned, so Yuuji could hide behind the pretence of annoyance. It comforted him once again.

“No,” Yuuji didn’t know why his words came out as a whisper. He had his hands on Sukuna’s broad shoulders, guiding the yokai down until he could feel the warmth of the other’s breath on his face. “Not at all.” He closed his eyes.

A screech reverberated in the air. 

Before Yuuji knew it, a pair of clawed feet dug into the back of his kimono as an arm grabbed him from the front, black silk ripping violently between two opposite forces and he found himself pushed firmly behind Sukuna. The yokai stepped between Yuuji and the assailant, hands flexing in irritation. “What?” he snapped. 

Yuuji has never seen such a freakishly large owl before. Its beady eyes glinted from behind a bony white mask, with rows of human teeth where its beak should be. It could not possibly be natural. The owl was aggressive, screeching loudly as every flap of its wings brought forth large gusts of wind around it. Despite that, Sukuna remained unfazed. “And what if I don’t?” he sneered.

Another screech, low and threatening. It was as if they were communicating at some level Yuuji didn’t understand. 

The lower pair of Sukuna’s eyes glanced at Yuuji. “He came to me of his own volition. If he does not wish to leave, then so be it.” There was no room for negotiation, Sukuna was done talking. “Begone.” Something unseen promptly sliced the bird into shreds, gore and guts dripping onto the wooden floor before it vanished without a trace. As if nothing had happened at all. 

“What was that?” Yuuji breathed, still staring at the now-clean spot on the floor. Nothing else had stirred. Not a leaf out of place. But that creature… Yuuji had a feeling he'd seen it before. 

“It seems someone has enlisted the help of those pesky onmyouji from the Zen’in clan to help track you down,” Sukuna replied with a click of his tongue, scowling. “They’re persistent. I’m sure they won’t rest until they drag you home.”

A sharp inhale. Yuuji knew that clan name. He had heard Nobara mention it before when Maki came to visit. They weren’t just onmyouji. There was a certain fate that awaited you if you were hunted by the Zen’in. They were hands and blades in the dark. 

No one has ever crossed the emperor and lived. 

“Yuuji?”

     All Yuuji could hear was the crackling sound of roaring flames that rose high. So high, black smoke blotted out the midday sun and the putrid smell of burning flesh filled the air. There were no more screams, there was nothing left. 

     His entire body trembled.

"Yuuji.”

His mind slowly came back into focus. The fire disappeared, soot and ash became hardwood floors. But not for long. Not if Yuuji did nothing. The time to decide has come.

Chapter Text

Yuuji didn’t count the days. He thought at least two had passed before he finally mustered the courage to venture beyond the safety of the yokai lord’s private wing. Another two before he found the annex where the kitchens were. It bustled with life (startled briefly by his sudden appearance) but the yokai there were smaller, friendlier. They were too busy to pay much mind to their lord’s latest acquisition, human or not. But they were curious. Yuuji felt their eyes on him whenever he moved.

He thought they were evil (as all yokai were) but they were also good.

One day, he received a sweet-smelling orange fruit from one of the smaller yokai with brown, furry pointed ears— a child, he had assumed. The next day, he received two. “For Yuuji-sama,” they would say, dropping gift after gift into his lap, watching anxiously until he lit up and offered to share.

“Only for Yuuji-sama,” they continued to say but Yuuji would have none of that. He was lonely and yokai children were still good company even if Yuuji always lost during their games.

“You should be careful with what they give you,” Uraume said, expression unchanging as they approached him lounging under a tree at the edge of the orchard. Yuuji eyed the slice of watermelon he received that day. He bit into it. Its juice trickled down his mouth, cool and refreshing. “It tastes alright,” he replied.

Uraume shook their head patiently. “They are tanuki. Still younglings, but the tendency to play tricks on others is apparently an inherited trait.” The white-haired yokai frowned briefly, recalling an unpleasant event. “Once the novelty of your presence wears off, you’ll see. No one in this estate is safe.”
     “Not even the lord himself?”
     “No, but his sake does have a tendency to disappear and reappear at odd places. It is terribly annoying to deal with when Sukuna-sama is in one of his moods.”

Yuuji burst into laughter then. It filled his chest, made everything seem slightly more normal. If he tried hard enough, he could pretend he was laughing with Nobara as they picked ripe herbs from the estate gardens for the kitchen staff.

His heart twinged. Uraume saw his expression change.
     
“Why hasn’t Sukuna-sama called for me?” Yuuji asked. It must have been a week since he first arrived. He had many nights to spend thinking— about the attack, the Zen’in, his abandoned home, his uncertain future. He thought about a stolen kiss once, and one that almost happened. He wondered if the yokai lord deigned to trouble himself over such trivial things too. He decided that perhaps flattery and seduction was simply amusement to one who lives a seemingly eternal life. A passing fancy.
     “You needed time. He is waiting for you to go to him.” Yuuji looked up in surprise, but Uraume said nothing else.

Yuuji realised that he had been waiting. He did not know which he feared more: judgement or indifference. He took his time, stalled, afraid of what his decision would cost. It was not a difficult decision, there was only one real option for him to choose: return to marry the emperor or see everything he had ever loved be utterly destroyed.

He was naïve to think running away was an option in the first place. Even if he were to cut ties with his family, the emperor would never give up so easily and innocent lives would be lost, their blood on Yuuji’s hands. He could never live with that.

Yuuji had made his decision a long time ago.
He decided he would go to Sukuna at dawn.

Sukuna exhaled thin wisps of smoke into the air. They swirled, rising, merging into the lifting fog that dawn had brought in, along with the stirrings of other early risers. The chill didn’t bother him, but his mind brought forth a recent memory of a human shivering in his arms. Made him recall how he drew pleasure from the way the boy tried not to lean into his warmth, struggled; ultimately curling closer when he thought Sukuna wasn’t paying attention. The yokai’s gaze drifted to a corridor across the pavilion where he stood, the one that led to the rooms where Yuuji now slumbered quietly.

“Did you get a taste?” a familiar gruff voice asked from somewhere nearby, almost lazily.

Sukuna couldn’t be bothered to turn. He pulled deeply at his pipe. Released. Felt the earthy taste of tobacco on his tongue. “Sweet. Like peaches,” he replied. “And that was only just a kiss.”

“Imagine what his blood would taste like.” Irritation flared sharply. Sukuna had no doubt Yuuji’s blood would taste like sweet ambrosia, but the thought that others were thinking of the same made a snarl rise to his lips. His subordinate was quick to notice. “Ah, apologies my lord.” He continued, casually brushing off the veiled threat. “More importantly, I heard there was a shikigami’s presence here recently

Sukuna wasn’t surprised he noticed it. “You would know better. It was one of Zen’in’s.”

     “Nue.”
     “Obviously.” There weren’t many creatures which could slip into the yokai lord’s manor unnoticed by the countless other yokai that lurked the grounds. Even for an airborne foe, Nue was only able to get so close because it was summoned to a precise location. “It seems he’s worth something to them. Even more so alive than dead,” Sukuna murmured. The caster knew Yuuji’s exact position in the manor, knew it was a lost cause to send a shikigami to try to capture Yuuji. They tried anyway. Something dark shifted, just beneath the surface. “Humans have tragically short memories. It’s only been some odd hundred years but perhaps I should pay them a visit again to remind them of their place.” The surface rippled.

“Those onmyouji aren’t worth your time.” His subordinate scoffed. “But why invite further trouble upon yourself? The boy is easily within reach. He’s yours. Everyone can sense it.”
     “Split his skin. Drink his blood, taste his flesh and be done with it, as you always have. There’s no shortage of noble bloodlines in this era to feed your cursed energy.” Plentiful, like cockroaches. Tastes like vermin, too.

But this one— Yuuji, didn’t. Sukuna couldn’t decide whether it was pure desperation and fear that added to the exquisite taste of his lips or was it simply because he hasn’t devoured humans in recent memory. But he knew it thrilled him, compelled him to seek it again. He could practically taste the sweetness in the air between them before they were interrupted last night.

“And yet Uraume has not prepared me a decent meal in years. I had to go hunt for it myself.”
     “With all due respect, none of us understand why you haven’t taken your fill of the boy yet. You cannot be seriously thinking of taking him as a bride.”

Slowly, the yokai lord flexed his fingers. He stared at the ten digits. His bones ached. They felt too big for this yokai form, yearned to grow into its rightful flesh. Sukuna pulled at his kiseru again. Bitter, this time. Centuries worth of resentment coated his tongue, lips curled down at a particularly unpleasant memory in a distant past.

His subordinate was quick to notice his souring mood. “But there is something not right about this,” he said, diverting his lord’s attention back to the matter at hand. “The human possesses some cursed energy but it’s nothing extraordinary. And humans may value their noble bloodlines but a second son of a declining branch hardly has any value beyond being a convenient replacement. It makes no sense for the Zen’in to be interested, much less challenge you for it.”

“Is that not why I picked you up, Zen’in stray? Do your job and perhaps we would already be done with this farce.” Sukuna tapped his kiseru against the wooden railing impatiently. “You claim to be the best and yet there are still onmyouji crawling about, in my own estate no less.”

     “Have patience, they are already dwindling in number fighting amongst themselves and I am investigating a particularly interesting rumour in the imperial palace. As for the Zen’in—” A dry chuckle. “I save the best for last.”
     
“How cold. Spoken like a man who sold his own son for his freedom.”

The yokai that made up Sukuna’s night parade were rowdy and loud; that much was certain from their first acquaintance with Yuuji. It put him on edge. But as rowdy as they were, Sukuna’s private wing was always mercifully quiet. Devoid of other yokai and their curious eyes. The ones Yuuji had seen about were Uraume and a handful of household staff, the latter never even daring to raise their eyes to him. Not even when he stopped them to ask if he was allowed to meet Sukuna. “There is no place forbidden to Yuuji-sama,” they answered, adding to Yuuji’s confusion. “But we could relay a message to Uraume, that Yuuji-sama requests Sukuna-sama’s presence in his rooms tonight.”
     
Yuuji let out a panicked noise at the mere suggestion, quickly denying. “Please, just lead me to his rooms. If he’s occupied, I can wait.”

He didn’t have to. The shoji doors to Sukuna’s quarters were wide open. In a distance, its master rested against the column of a pavilion with a pipe in his hand, two eyes closed. The other two were wide open.

Yuuji stopped in the middle of the open hallway, his heart stuttering slightly when he realised half of Sukuna’s garnet gaze on him from across the expanse of the private courtyard. Their gazes met, separated by the distance of stone arrangements and sand formations between them. The thought of continuing his way over to Sukuna barely formed in Yuuji’s mind before the yokai was already there, just an arm’s length away, looking down at Yuuji from where he now stood before him.

Something heavy settled in the air. Or perhaps his chest. Yuuji pushed through anyway.
     “I need you to send me home,” he bit out.

“The Sun is barely up, and I already have a human ordering me around,” Sukuna said, although his words lacked any real bite. “So, this is the conclusion you’ve come to? To return to the home you abandoned?” Garnet eyes studied Yuuji carefully, keenly aware of the tenseness in Yuuji’s shoulders, the slim line of his lips. “Is this conviction or fickleness?”

     “You don’t understand—”
     “And you do?”

Dark brows stitched together in frustration at the question. He knew what Sukuna was implying, knew how weak-willed he must appear to be to such an unfaltering otherworldly being. “I’ve made my decision,” Yuuji repeated, voice was clear and determined. He didn’t feel that way at all. “But there is something I must do first.”

Sukuna arched a brow.

******

A flash of metal. Short and sharp. The blade slid out smoothly out of its wooden sheath, singing in the air. Sukuna didn’t feel it at first, only heard Yuuji’s horrified gasp as the younger man’s hold on the blade loosened completely. His palm felt slick, hot liquid ran down his wrist and dripped onto the ground between them. It’s been awhile since he’s shed blood so freely, Sukuna had nearly forgotten he was able to. Garnet eyes narrowed at the blade he had caught in his hand, fingers still gripping tightly onto the edge. He was still not healing. Strange.

“This is an onmyouji’s blade,” Sukuna muttered, looking up at Yuuji in wonder. “One specially made to kill yokai.”

“What?” Sukuna saw his expression turn to horror. Yuuji immediately surged forward, trying to pry Sukuna’s fingers apart. “Then let go of it! Why are you still holding on?”

“If I let go, then you might use it to do whatever you had in mind before.” Sukuna tilted his head towards the younger man’s wrist but Yuuji quickly turned it away from the yokai lord’s view.

He continued to pry the blade free, more frantically than before. It marred his beautiful features, creased with worry and concern for something so trivial. It was still beautiful, but in a different way. It occurred to Sukuna that perhaps part of the beauty was because it was not for himself, but for someone else. He had a suspicion that Yuuji tended to put others ahead of himself; his plea to Sukuna that night was so heartfelt, it felt like it was the first time Yuuji truly wanted something with all his soul. And all he wanted was to run.

Sukuna wondered what could make such a gorgeous creature have so little regard for himself.

He opened his fist and the blade fell to the ground with a dull thud. Frowning, Yuuji held on to Sukuna’s hand, even after the bleeding stopped and the wounds repaired itself.
     He held on, touching his heated forehead to it silently.

When he spoke, his voice was small, sombre, “I have nothing else to offer you. The Zen’in know where I am, they’re not known for mercy. I’ll only be imposing on you further by staying.”

     “Have you forgotten who I am? I’m not bound by your human reasonings. I’m more than capable of keeping you here, if that is your wish.”
     “I don’t ever wish to return.” There was no hesitation.
     “Then so be it.”

Yuuji shook his head, the possibility of it long abandoned. He saw clearly now— the adrenaline that pumped his veins had long run its course. “It would be selfish of me. I would be safe, but what about everyone else? The emperor doesn’t tolerate disobedience and I’m not someone worthy for people to be killed over,” he said, as if it was the entire truth of it. “I’m not even fleeing a worse fate. I’d lack for nothing in the imperial palace. I can’t just let people die for nothing.” There it was— in the slump of his shoulders, heavy with the weight of the world. It contrasted sharply with the side of him that Sukuna had seen, watched; there was something heavier that bent his will. And all this talk of other people. The yokai lord resisted the urge to snarl.

Sukuna searched Yuuji’s expression. It closed under his scrutiny. His gaze dropped to the bloodied blade between them. “Was slitting your wrist supposed to be some kind of offering to me?” he asked flatly.

Amber eyes widened. “Not in that way. I only meant—” Yuuji fell silent. He realised he was still clutching Sukuna’s healed hand and carefully let go. His own felt unsettlingly empty now. “What do the other yokai expect you to do with me here?”
     “Their expectations hardly matter.”
     “I know the way they look at me. I’m human, just another tasty liver to devour so their lord could gain more power. I know they think you brought me here to eat me one day.”

Sukuna felt otherwise, but said nothing.

     “But I’m not ready to die yet,” Yuuji continued, stronger “You said your assistance does not come free and I need your help again now. I don’t care if you think I’m fickle-minded, maybe I am. And…I thought maybe my blood would at least please you somehow.”

     “You think I would be pleased by the sight of you, bloodied?”

Red crept up Yuuji’s neck. He turned away, unable to bear the weight of Sukuna’s gaze. Words were simply words. There was nothing in between. He wasn’t done yet but Sukuna’s patience was already running thin. He stepped closer and Yuuji moved away, suddenly feeling the coolness of the wooden wall at his back.

“And the blade?”
     “A dear friend gave it to me.”

Sukuna picked it up, inspected the ornate carvings around the hilt that was decorated with jade. It would have looked nothing more than a decorative item to any ordinary person but the blade felt well-balanced in his hand, its edge shining sharp. Sukuna turned it over and the Zen’in’s crest gleamed at him, slightly raised from the wooden hilt. So this was how they tracked Yuuji. But that wasn’t why he felt embers of deep displeasure spark to life. “You befriend onmyoujis and yet still sought a yokai for help?” he asked.

“I was desperate. I wasn’t really thinking back then. And you…felt like the only way out.” Like safety.
     “Do you think I am the way out now?” Sukuna stepped closer, the blade tight in his grasp. Yuuji couldn’t read his expression at all. His pulse jumped. “How many humans do you think have met me and lived to tell the tale?”

     “That depends.” Yuuji’s voice was stronger still. The corner of Sukuna’s mouth curled upwards. “How many humans have you kissed and then offered to help? I do believe that you’re a ruthless yokai who has devoured many humans before. But I don’t believe you’re someone who deceives a person just to relish their reactions.”

Smart, smart boy. “If I want someone’s pain, I’ll take it. I have no need for deception,” Sukuna hummed in agreement. “Intrigue me then. What would I possibly want from you that will compel me to help you again?”

Yuuji couldn’t think of a single thing. He froze in place, more and more aware of how close Sukuna was to him now. He had to tilt his head up to look at the yokai properly. The memory of a particular night came unbidden in his mind. He felt the chill of the air on his skin, and the warmth of someone else’s. Yuuji’s voice was barely a whisper. “My heart.”

“Your heart.” Sukuna repeated, slowly, tasting the feel on it on his tongue.
     “What use is a liver? I'll give you my heart, beating from my chest.”

Ah, his physical heart. More than Sukuna expected. Less than he had hoped. His own line of thought caught him by surprise and he barked an amused laugh. The human he had practically pinned to the wall looked affronted at his display of emotion, almost pouting.

Yuuji looked away, red with embarrassment. “Is it not good enough for you?” he muttered.
     “Hardly,” Sukuna replied, thoroughly amused. Gently, he tilted Yuuji’s head back up with a clawed finger. “You are truly a contradiction. But very well, I’ll play along. When can I collect my debt, then? I assume you’d like to keep living for now.”

He did. Sukuna watched Yuuji consider all his options, narrowed his eyes in anticipation when he finally came to one. “When you most need it,” Yuuji decided. “As you had helped me at my lowest, I’ll help you at your weakest. Even if I gave you my liver—my heart— now, it would do nothing much to add to your already vast power and I would’ve died ahead my time. But come to me when no one else can help you. And I’ll give my entire heart to you. A life lived solely because you allowed it to. It should…be worth something.”

It was. It’s worth far more than what Yuuji was asking for in return, that the exchange felt almost one-sided, skewed towards Sukuna. But Yuuji didn’t need to know that.

Sukuna had never intended to deny anything Yuuji asked of him from the start. If the boy had opened his eyes, he would’ve seen the way other yokai scurried around him, fearing to even step on his shadow. Sukuna had made an example of the one yokai who did, ripping it into pieces and stringing it up on one of the side gates, furthest from Yuuji. If he spared more thought, he would’ve realised that Uraume only ever brought him the finest silks to wear. Far superior to the emperor’s gifts, spun by giant spider yokai, tsuchigumo, itself. There was no lady of the manor that Yuuji was so horrified against upsetting by borrowing her rooms. There were only Yuuji’s rooms in Sukuna’s private wing, decorated and maintained as fit for the master’s wife.

Sukuna’s hyakki yakou quietly questioned their master’s sanity but none dared oppose him. Sukuna let them wonder and speculate, he had no need to explain himself. Whether it was whim or infatuation, Sukuna didn’t care. But now the object of his fascination wished for different things and it vexed him to no end that Yuuji would place others ahead of himself, when he should only be looking at Sukuna. Did the yokai not save him? Did he not treat Yuuji kindly when his own family effectively sold him off?

The yokai lord looked at Yuuji again. He saw Yuuji in the robes of the emperor’s concubine. Something sharp gleamed in his mind’s eye.

“I accept,” Sukuna said. “I’ll allow this, but only on one condition. You may do what you wish. Marry the emperor. Become the newest concubine in his collection. But know that I have no respect for human customs. I will let you leave but I will not let you go.”

Yuuji’s heart stuttered in his chest again. It thumped louder and louder, beating in his ears. Tentatively, he asked, “What does that mean?”

Sukuna’s smile was all fangs. “It means the day will come when you ask me to whisk you away again. And from day on, you will never again desire to leave me.”