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When Sukuna first saw the blonde sorcerer’s smile, it was in defeat but with an enthusiastic acceptance of death, one that he was familiar with that it made him pause for a second, but the kid’s will was stronger than his surprise, that Sukuna was immediately was pushed back into the kid’s soul without a second thought.
But that pull doesn’t deter Sukuna from admiring the unique soul of the blonde sorcerer who accepted defeat and death like it’s a new brand adventure to conquer. And as Sukuna warned and punished the patchwork curse - Sukuna’s words correlate with what he’s feeling at that very moment. Even though he doesn’t understand it fully, his anger is very much real, and that curse shouldn’t touch what is his.
“There won’t be a second time. Know your place, fool.”
—
Another time that he saw that smile was when it was directed at the boy; it was a fond one, tired but rather happy about something, and again Sukuna already knew that smile, but he ignored it in favor of listening to some other details.
The words that Nanami has said towards the boy are achingly so familiar to him, just like the kind smile, and then a sudden memory of that smile returns to his consciousness.
A gentle breeze of wind while he finished a bowl of fresh fruits, a gentle hand patting his head when he accomplished the task that was given to him, a surprisingly tight hug from weak arms that cocoons him from the harshness of the world, the feeling of warmth and the meaning of home flooding his chest when he heard some words of endearment that he was supposed to hear from his birth parents but was given to him by someone who he cherished him even though they are not blood-related.
“If you ever need something, you will always have a place here.”
And when Sukuna peeks from the boy’s vision, he sees that smile again. ‘She’s been reincarnated.’, was his last thought before the boy’s soul buried him underneath again.
—
And then he saw the smile again; he knew that it was not directed at him, but it was so familiar that one might seem that it was for him. And the message that the blonde sorcerer is leaving the boy is very familiar to Sukunu’s heart.
“You got it from here.”
“Leave, *Musuko-kun! Run and don’t look back. Live and explore the world for me.”
And then memories of his past assaulted him. Of a kind smile of a loved one, his one and only.
“Oka-san?” Sukuna gasps from the boy's consciousness. Not his real mother - not the woman who has given birth to him, but the washerwoman of the village who has treated him like one. The washerwoman who was ridiculed and stoned because she shows kindness towards him - the town’s freak. The only human who treated and loved him like a son and therefore executed by drowning by the town.
But everything is late because the patch curse hands have already landed on the blonde sorcerer’s body.
“No. No! Not again!” Sukuna grabs Itadori’s consciousness, bombarding him with his memories, and then using his shock to emerge and kill Mahito himself.
Nanami stood shocked as the king of curses stood before him, panting from anger as his face distorted into an almost demon-like feature one could mistake that Sukuna’s already in his true form, not to mention the gore that surrounded them from Mahito’s mangled corpse that is now slowly turning into dust. Nanami had seen him before when Itadori had saved him from Mahito’s domain, but it was different from what was in front of him now.
Out of all the things that were running through his mind, the first thing that he blurted was, “Thank you for saving me.” before the pain overwhelmed him, and unconsciousness embraced him tight.
Nanami didn’t hear Sukuna’s reply if there was any. But he really should fight for at least five seconds to listen to what Sukuna’s saying to him.
—
Sukuna appeared before Kenjaku and Uruame, surprising everyone; in his arms was the heavily injured Nanami Kento.
“Uruame,” Sukuna speaks, and as Uruame comes closer to him, he deposits Nanami’s body carefully into their arms, “Heal him, but not fully, but do not let any harm befall him.” And if Uruame is confused about Sukuna’s wishes and command, they do not show it. They retreated into the shadows as the other sorcerers shouted Nanami’s name.
Sukuna was able to handle Kenjaku’s attack as he stole the prison realm and unsealed Gojo from his prison, using the opportunity of surprise to gain the upper hand between the two factions. He looked at the newly released Gojo, who looked very different from when he was sealed mere hours ago. He smirks as Megumi fills him with what happened.
“What do you want from Nanami, Sukuna?” Gojo asks with a tinge of seriousness that he didn’t express before.
“You should have taken everything seriously when you still have time.” Sukuna taunted Gojo, “What’s the use of being the most powerful if you can’t save those that you love? What’s the use of your six eyes if you can’t immediately see what is true and what is fake.”
Gojo’s whole demeanor changes; he growls like a rabid dog, and Sukuna can only laugh.
“I ask you a question,” Gojo says, his stance changing like he’s challenging Sukuna into a fight. “Where’s Nanami, and what do you want from him?”
“What do I want from him?” Sukuna repeats with a carefree tone, looking at the sky, remembering the unpolluted air and bright blue sky when he was still a human child as past-Nanami scolded him for playing too long in the sun. His attention was once again brought back by Gojo and the irritating humans who were shouting at him; even Kenjaku’s questions irritated him, too. But Sukuna’s not interested, and his mind is already wandering about the blonde sorcerer that he’s going to take care of.
“The only reason why I’m helping you is because you have shown respect and have taken care of my Oka-san when he’s still under your roof.” Sukuna says, as he points towards Gojo, “But my help ends there. You should thank me because I’m removing myself from your opponents for the time being. But get in my way, and I will personally kill you all with my bare hands.”
—
Nanami awoke in a very traditional bedroom. His skin is healed, but he can’t feel his cursed energy, like someone has put a restrainer in him, preventing him from using it. As he opened the shoji, he was greeted with fresh air and bright blue sky - a memory that he was sure was not his suddenly flashed into his mind.
A warm day, a boy with a bright smile, fruits that he was cutting, and the feeling of contentment as he sees the child eat everything that he give him.
“Eat well, Musuko-kun, so that you can be the strongest!”
“Ah, you’re awake.” Sukuna’s voice brought him back to reality.
—