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Tonight again he was observing the castle.
Another night of loneliness after a day of loneliness. Stuck in this room for months and gradually forgotten by everyone else.
He was dying but it was like he was already dead for everyone.
He was dying of an incurable illness that took away his strength his energy and his smile.
Maybe it was better that nobody was visiting him to see him like that.
People under his window were living without second thoughts. Busy living, no time to stop and think it seems. There was an irony in the way he was like them only some months ago and everything crashed down. It was so easy to die, something that mortals easily forget until their bodies remember them how vulnerable and ephemeral they are.
And away from the town, he was still observing the castle that nobody dared to get close to. Alone, like him. Left to wither in people's indifference.
Yuji smiled bitterly at the way he was relating to a castle. But it was the easiest thing to see from his window. He never paid real attention to it until living in his room become his life.
He will die soon enough, he thought. And it will stop hurting.
He had enough of the scenery for tonight. He could still read and fall asleep on a book.
He grew envious of the characters in the book he read. « At least their life has a meaning,» he thought.
What was the point of him dying so young?
Why was he even born if it's to end up dying?
« Ouch... »
He frotted the paper too hard and cut his finger. How stupid.
He put his finger in his mouth and tried to focus on the text.
Yuji just wanted to forget his circumstances and read about better ones.
Just forget.
But he didn't even really start that a sound coming from the window reached his ears. He looked at the source of the sound and furrowed his brow. What was that?
… a bat?
In the city? He thought about how it was impossible that it could happen but still accepted this reality by walking toward the window. The bat was visibly trying to enter.
How weird.
Yuji opened the window and the bat directly entered before reaching the floor. Yuji distractedly advanced toward it, saying « What do you want, little guy ? »
Without a warning, the room quickly filled itself with smoke, to the point that the animal wasn't visible anymore. Just trying to breathe in this strange atmosphere made Yuji cough, and too busy coughing he didn't notice that the form of the bat was changing.
When the smoke finally disappeared thanks to the opened window, he wasn't facing a little animal anymore but a person.
Just by his clothes, Yuji could deduce that it wasn't just anyone. And then there was this crimson gaze on him, these tattoos on this face with a smile that had no sympathy but on the contrary, only meant bad news for him.
For a second his instinct told him to fight or to run.
It's a vampire. He did hear of them.
He is going to get killed.
… get killed…
« Hm ? Aren't you afraid ? » said the man facing him as he got closer,
Yuji let him lift his chin.
The vampire met Yuji's eyes with an icy expression.
« It was over for me even before that I meet you. »
« Oh? And may I know why?»
« If you want to suck my blood just be quick. I won't pass the end of the month. »
Yuji thought that he was going to die either way.
He fought he fought, he fought so much, and he did so well, but sometimes efforts mean nothing, sometimes even if you try your hardest you're still crushed.
The creature of the night usually liked the thrill of the fight but the cold expression of his prey while he was letting himself be eaten was making him feel a pleasure different than usual.
Usually, mortal give up and let themselves be bitten after have been hypnotized and have realized that they aren't master of themselves anymore.
Yuji didn't expect it to hurt so bad.
He should have guessed it would hurt. He couldn't contain a whimper at the sensation of teeth piercing his flesh, his blood now being drunk by the creature.
He didn't know how he ended up in his bed, and the pain made him fight back a little but in the end, it was useless.»
« A-ah! Ngh… it hurt… »
The vampire just bites harder, making Yuji almost scream.
Why did he expect him to care about his pain?
...Is he going to die tonight?
So at least… his death will be useful to someone…right ?
Sukuna was prepared to bite harder, and sink deeper into Yuji's flesh when he felt his hand in his hair. What he didn't expect is to have his head held like his prey was helping him to devour him. He couldn't stop himself. He didn't taste something this good in a long time. The faint scent of this brat's blood in the crowd was what lead him to this place and he did a good choice by hunting him down.
Ah. Be careful to not take too much or he will not be able to take much blood.
He stopped himself.
The young man was breathing heavily, looking away from him. His cheeks reddened while the vampire was biting him.
Honestly, he'd gladly stay longer but he had every chance to drink too much and break him.
The vampire put two of his fingers on the younger man's eyelid.
« Sleep. »
And it was enough to have him fall asleep.
For a second he worried that the smell would attract another predator of the night, but the mark of a pureblood like him on his victim should be enough to warn them to not even entertain the idea to play with what is left.
And he left for the night.
What woke up the young man the next day was the sound of the window closing. The maid noticing him waking up told him: « Yuji-sama, you shouldn't let the window open. It's bad for your health. »
He just smiled while apologizing, thinking deep down « what health? »
« Sleep. »
He thought about last night.
The pain in his neck.
And yet how he didn't fight off. And the thought crossed his mind that his death would be useful to somebody, even if it was a monster. He was tired to fight death. Would he just gladly welcome this angel of death then?
Yuji wondered if he'd come back tonight.
And that same night.
He was back.
From one moment to another he was at his window again, looking at him from afar.
« Ah. You're there.
« Did you wait for me? «
The vampire was intrigued by this behavior. The human's gaze seemed strangely in peace as he looked straight at him.
« Can I give you my last request?»
« Why do you think I am even interested?» The other one replied,
« Well so far you didn't assault me yet and you're listening to what I am saying right now. So I guess I am not that boring to you yet. »
He replied nothing. Yuji continued. He sat solemnly.
« My name is Itadori Yuji. You're going to be the last person who will see me alive, so please remember me. »
The other man finally entered totally in the room and got closer. He touched his chin again.
« Sukuna. »
He smiled at him. There was no warmth. He was surely incapable of having any. But Yuji smiled anyway, a smile that he wouldn't show to anyone else.
A smile devoid of warmth too.
Being bitten a second time wasn't as scary and painful as the first time, strangely. Maybe because he was also poisoned? He felt dizzy anyway. Sukuna's body was so cold but Yuji still held onto him.
Somewhere, even in misery, he was happy that he wasn't alone.
A human's body was… surprisingly warm, isn't it?
Sukuna was outside on the top of the building. « Please remember me,» he said.
As if.
Even so, the warmth and the name still lingered, on his body and in his mind.
The next day, the third time.
At the vision of Sukuna at his window, Yuji opened his shirt collar. He thought about him all day. He thought about death all day. It wasn't that different, except maybe that death now had a name: Sukuna.
And now he welcomed him with an open shirt and arms.
A means to an end. For both of them.
Whether it was to have a drink or choose how you die.
That's all it was supposed to be.
Yet two days after Sukuna went with something in his hand. Yuji looked at what he had with a puzzled expression.
« What is it… ?»
« Cranberry juice. Drink. »
Sukuna put the box of juice forward with an unreadable expression as Yuji took it still confused. The box was still fresh in his hand, guaranteeing that at least the juice would be agreeable to drink, which it was after Yuji served the drink in a glass he had in his room.
Yuji looked at Sukuna who was still standing and taped the side of his bed to invite him to sit down and Sukuna didn't move.
« Why are you doing this?»
« Cranberry juice is good for the blood.»
« Oh, I see. »
Despite that, Yuji smiled. He didn't taste anything similar before.
« Thank you. »
Sukuna raised an eyebrow.
« Why are you thanking me? I am not doing that for your sake. »
To his surprise Yuji lightly chuckled as he replied :
« Well, it doesn't matter. I still get to drink something different for once. So thank you. »
The room was silent again, and Yuji asked :
« You really want to stay like this? »
Suddenly Sukuna sat on the bed and brought Yuji closer, without a word, visibly about to bite him. Yuji kept talking without any bother :
« See it's more agreeable to be like this, right? »
The days followed. Cranberry juice wouldn't change that Yuji is slowly dying, night by night. Just making his destiny achieve him faster.
He still held Sukuna in his arms whenever he was biting him. He still talked to him. And Sukuna was as cold as ever. When he fainted after having his blood sucked, Yuji couldn't possibly know that Sukuna was the one to hold him.
He caught himself finding Yuji more and more beautiful as he was dying because of him. It won't last any longer than that…
Yuji's hair was gently stroked by Sukuna as he gazed at his face with an expression that Yuji wouldn't be able to decipher if only he was awake.
Then the next day, he didn't come.
Then the day after, he didn't come.
For a week, he didn't come.
So the day he did, he was directly welcomed by Yuji embracing him, close to the window he just came from.
« Why didn't you come for all this time? Please don't do it again... »
… his body was so warm.
Yuji was so warm.
So instinctively, he held him tighter, giving no words to justify himself.
« I won't give you my blood if you don't tell me where you were. »
That's how Yuji proceeded to pout at him once on his bed. Nothing stopped Sukuna from just pinning him down and taking what he wanted but as the possibility presented itself to him, he smiled with great amusement.
« Are you jealous? »
« Am I supposed to be jealous of someone else?» Asked Yuji
Sukuna snickered.
« You're… different than usual.»
« You too. Why are you possessive of your killer? »
… Yuji was taken aback but didn't answer either. He didn't want to tell him what he felt this last week when he spent every night alone.
Without any warning, Sukuna brought him closer to him and inspected his face for a moment. He didn't have much time left even without losing his blood every night for a week.
As if it was to prove him right, Yuji felt very tired.
« So? Are you going to drink it? »
« Loin des yeux, loin du coeur » was an expression saying that once you are away from someone you'd think less of them.
That couldn't be more wrong for Sukuna.
Did he miss his blood or his warmth?
Sukuna let him embrace him like he always did when he sucked his blood. And finally, he had his answer.
Three days later, Sukuna declared.
« Tomorrow or after tomorrow you're going to die. »
« Ah? Ok. »
Yuji visibly didn't care anymore as he kept holding Sukuna even after he finished pushing him closer to death. Then without a word, the vampire held the human back and made him lay on his lap, under the surprise of the mortal.
« You should sleep now.
_ Usually your hands are so cold… I wonder why they're warmer now? »
...it's because of you.
Even though he was immortal, a pureblood at that.
He was changing.
«All because of you. »
It was really close to being over, thought Yuji.
The nurse who was charged to check on him every day asked for his family to come to see him at the last moment. But he didn't want them to come, nor did what was left of his family care that much.
Blood that was shared without it being intentional just has no value compared to the one you give yourself right?
He wanted to either be alone… or be with him.
At the window, Yuji opened his arms to Sukuna, saying his name. White skin, obviously exhausted. Sukuna took him in his arms, and without any effort left by the window. Yuuji let it happen while just asking :
« Nobody will see us? »
« I cast a spell for that. »
He didn't go that far though. Just a good enough sight for him.
« Yuji. »
« Hm ? »
« How is the scenery? »
«It's great. »
« Would you like to stay at my side after this? »
That was unexpected and Yuji didn't know how he could ask that as he was dying. He laughed.
« That's a bit late for that don't you think? »
He smiled at Sukuna's grumpy expression.
« You never smile, don't you? I would have liked to see you smile, Sukuna. »
And he couldn't help but keep going.
« And… knowing you more too. »
…
« This family… isn't mine. The one I belonged to is dead and the people I am with… I don't love them and they don't love me. Even if we acted as we did. »
« I am tired to act like everything's ok. It's nice to let everything go for once. My body and my soul…at least I'll be useful to you.»
Without any warning but like it was the natural thing to do, Sukuna kissed his lips. Yuji kept his eyes closed as Sukuna moved to his throat Yuji caressed his hair with gentleness.
It wasn't painful.
Instead, he felt strangely comfortable. Like embraced by an angel of death. He felt himself go, his soul leaving his body.
Farewell to this exhausting life, he thought.
Farewell.
Cold.
So cold.
Is it how death is supposed to feel?
Wait… no if he's dead he isn't supposed to feel anything right?
He shot his eyes open and notice he was in the dark. Yet he's sure, he's still in his body.
« Hum… somebody ?! »
He said that in a hesitant voice and it seem like someone heard him since he heard someone walk toward where he was. A dim light penetrated where he was lying down and Yuji realized he was in a box surely at his size.
Someone helped him to get out and once he had his feet on the floor he noticed that he was standing on a tapisserie. His eyes had no difficulty getting used to the obscurity and in front of him was standing someone in a pricy costume.
They had rather long hair but arranged in a ponytail. They bowed to him and said :
« Welcome to your new life Itadori-sama. Sukuna-sama wishes to see you as soon as possible. Please follow me. »
… Sukuna? At the mention of his name, Yuji froze in place but quickly started to follow the other person.
Once out of the room, Yuji immediately understood that he should be in a castle, certainly the one he was observing before his death. Yeah… his death huh? He followed still until he reached a room with a large door. The other person tocked at the door.
« Sukuna-sama, Itadori-sama woke up.
« Enter. »
They did and then put themselves on the side to let Yuji enter the room which he took a little time to understand, still confused by the whole ordeal.
Once in the room, that's where he finally saw Sukuna again.
Even though he was wearing something more casual than what he usually wore when he visited him, Yuji couldn't contain the effect it had on his heart. A simple white chemise half opened as he was holding a glass of wine, the red liquid fitting with the aura radiating from the master of the castle.
He left the glass on the table to go toward him.
« Yuji. »
His hand was raised to Sukuna's lips. It woke up Yuji from his admiration, now replaced by embarrassment.
« How are you? »
« Am I dead and now in heaven? »
Sukuna chuckled.
« If it was heaven I wouldn't be here. »
« ...you make me feel like it's where I am though... »
Yuji put his hand on his mouth, aware of how ridiculous it could sound. He managed to ask :
« Why am I here? Weren't you supposed to kill me? »
« That's what I did. But dying doesn't mean it's the end when it's from a pureblood vampire. »
…
« I turned you into a vampire. »
The information struggled to come to Yuji's brain, but when he did Yuji's frowned.
« I feel like you should have told me before. You know like giving me the choice. »
« I wanted to, but I was sure you'd refuse and let yourself die. I didn't want you to be gone. »
« Kind of selfish aren't we? »
« I never hid that from you. »
« Haha... »
But Yuji wasn't exactly mad. Maybe it was because he wasn't stuck in his room anymore.
« Why do you have such a large window? As a vampire, aren't you supposed to be sensitive to light? Asked Yuji, changing the subject »
« ...because I don't fear light »
Sukuna was puzzled as to why he changed the subject. He seemed to be more interested in the way the room was decorated now. He heard Yuji chuckle again, seemingly thinking about something else.
« What makes you laugh like this? »
« Your decorations remember me, my grandpa. »
… Sukuna didn't expect THAT at all. Honestly, he was almost offended but Yuji's smile kept him from replying to this. Yuji smiling at him like that…
« Are you mad that I turned you into a vampire?»
« Depend. I can't taste food anymore.»
« Not all vampires have the same ability. As a turned and a past human you can still eat food and drink beverages, but it's the same as a snack. It won't replace blood.»
« Do I have to kill humans now? »
Sukuna came close to him and like it was natural, opened his collar shirt under Yuji's intrigued gaze.
« I am the one who turned you. We are bound together now. You can drink mine and I can drink yours, and not need anyone else anymore. »
While he was explaining this to him, Yuji felt his body grow hotter. His neck felt still sensitive. Sukuna's hand traveled from his neck to his cheek as he smiled at him.
« You're cute. »
It just made him blush harder. That was adorable…
« Now that I am here again it means… I can learn about you and you can learn about me too, right? »
Ugh… he was too cute, looking at him with this pleading look. He really took a good decision not killing him. After all, he had better offer him, and to prove it, he picked up Yuji and walked toward his four-posted bed.
« Do you want to spend the night with me? It'll be a good way to learn about each other don't you think? »
Yuji became all red, trying to get words out but he quickly changed into a pout expression when Sukuna laughed at how panicked Yuji was. Despite that, he didn't stop his movement and got both of them in bed.
This time Sukuna was the one to embrace Yuji, his warmth radiating into his own cold body when he held him. Yuji, surprised, held him back.
« Sukuna… I don't have my room. »
« You don't want to spend the night with me? »
« It's just… it's a lot to take in you know? »
« … stay with me tonight. »
Even though it seemed like order, the tone indicated more that Sukuna didn't want to let him go.
« Hehe… you can be cute too, Sukuna... »
« Don't call me that. »
« Why would you have the right to call me cute and not me? »
« Because I am not cute. »
« If you think so… »
…
« Hey Sukuna ? »
« Hm? »
« Thank you… for this new life. Thank you. »
Sukuna's body was still cold but he was used to this now.
It's how he knew him, and it's how he will learn about him from now on.
Because for some creature roaming this earth, death bound them rather than made them part.