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Chapter Text

The sweltering heat was getting to you.

Your kimono sticks to your skin causing nothing but discomfort as you continue to aimlessly wander in the field. At your ankles, tall blades of grass tickle at your skin with every step. You were wasting time as per usual; slacking off from your work with the excuse that you needed some fresh air. 

Originally, you planned to disappear for five minutes. But five minutes soon turned into ten and then twenty and before you knew it two hours had passed when you found yourself standing in a random field on the outer edge of your village. 

What you wanted to derive from your walk was discovering a new species of flowers. Specifically for Miko, a little girl in your village. She wasn’t much older than five years but you’ve recently been taking her under your wing whilst her parents carry out work within the village. 

Taking a wrong turn on your path you ended up wandering onto an open field where an array of flowers greeted you. Unfortunately, the sea of dandelions, daisies and bluebells were not new to your eyes. Letting out a sigh of disappointment you made to turn back, returning empty handed before your eyes landed on something in the distance.

A peach tree.

Small and lone, it was almost easy to miss to the naked eye – merely mistaking it to be a regular tree as  the shades of  greenery seamlessly blend in together. But shades of scarlet orange seemed to catch your attention and with curiosity filling you up by the second, an impulse drew you closer towards your target. 

The rays of the sun beamed happily at you as you make your way, the material of your attire once again proving unfit for the current summer weather. Fortunately, by the time you reached the tree the heavy leaves and cool grass provided respite from the severe wave of heat.

Observing the tree, it leans over you with a slight slant where a plethora of ripe peaches hang from the branches. They vary in sizes and colors: some a little more scarlet than others, some greater in size and some naturally misshapen but nonetheless it has your mouth watering at the mere sight.

Peaches were considered to be a luxury within your village where only those who were wealthy could afford them through trading from other nearby villages and towns. No one in your hometown had the time nor the money to consider growing peaches naturally, the seeds often hard to obtain.

But now this luxury was a mere arm stretch away. They hang loosely above your head, cruelly taunting you. 

It wouldn’t hurt to take one, would it? Looking around, you see no one around for miles. Just a vast space of greenery and mother nature as your witness. Based on your observation you conclude that the tree doesn’t necessarily belong to anyone, it stands alone and unattended. The peaches seemed to be more than ready for harvest. If someone did own the tree then surely the peaches would have been picked by now. 

A plump peach sits perfectly in your eyesight – ripe and juicy and scarlet orange. It practically tempts you to reach out and take it. After walking for over an hour, it’s no surprise that your hunger has taken the best of you and a mere rumble from your stomach confirms it all. 

Still hesitant, your fingertips reach out. Your movements are slow and cautious in fear that someone would catch you in the act. In a blink, the peach is plucked from the branch with a small green leaf attached to the stem. 

With the ripe fruit finally in your palm, all fear and hesitation leaves your body as swift as a breeze. As soon as your lips wrap around the succulent a sweet yet tangy flavor hits your tongue, addictive from the very first bite.

 It’s rare to find peaches within the village. A true luxury for those who can afford it when it’s in season. The last time you recall indulging in this treat was during your childhood yet it was harvested too early, made clear by the  bitter sour taste which  eventually threw you off the summer fruit ever since.

But this was pure nectar. Sweet and tender, you can’t help but let the juices run down the sides of your mouth. With sudden hunger,  you devour the fruit in mere minutes leaving nothing but the stone behind. You wipe your mouth diligently, getting rid of all traces of evidence. 

But you weren’t satisfied.

A few branches upwards, you spot a peach of a similar size. The perfect shade of orange and red combined. Just a mere glance was enough to get your mouth watering again, your thirst unquenched. 

Reaching, you resort to standing on your tippy toes to pull the peach away from its native home. With confidence, you bite down as soon as you obtain your treasure where the identical taste of pure nectar makes its home on your tastebuds once again.

Almost half finished, you make a mental note to return to this very tree and bring a basket, perhaps you could take some for the whole—

“Are you aware that you are currently trespassing on my grounds?”

A voice came out of nowhere. Rough and low and obtaining a certain sharpness in tone that  your entire body freezes. Like a crashing wave, your blood turns cold. The grip on your peach now loosened causing the summer fruit to fall to the grass with a light thud.

Following, you drop to your knees and bow your head.

You don’t have to see the figure to know who exactly the voice belongs to. His aura is enough.

Menacing and murderous it makes your heart stop momentarily, your lungs stop providing you oxygen and all heat leaves your body, leaving your blood to run cold. Your heartbeat thumps so loudly in your ear that you don’t even hear the words which leave your lips.

“My Lord.”

You had never personally come across the king of curses in your lifetime but the rumors and stories spread within the village were enough to keep you away from the estate. Stories of murder, violence and even cannibalism had reached your ears. No one in the village dared to step foot near the estate unless absolutely necessary. For example, trade or to make an offering.

“I asked you a question. I advise you to not make me repeat myself.”

“Y-yes my Lord.” You cringed heavily at your stutter, unable to get your throat to clear up from the sudden fright of his presence. “I made a mistake, my Lord, I was not aware I was trespassing.”

“Well, you are aware now.”

“Yes.” your voice shook. “And you have my deepest and most sincere apologies. It won’t happen again.” You swallow thickly, letting a pause carry through the sweltering summer heat. “Please spare me my life, your Lord.”

“What was that?”

“Spare me my life, your Lord, I beg of you.”

He was exactly what the rumors described. A tall, massive figure towering over you. Tinted pink hair sticks to his forehead, a cause of the summer heat. There’s nothing but pure muscle gazing at you through the black drape loosely thrown over his shoulders. Black tattoos decorate his body, designed to perfect symmetry. It would be impossible to ignore the four arms which crossed over his broad chest or the four eyes which peer down at you in pure disgust.  He was on a different level to you, completely different. 

He was a monster.

“I didn’t give you permission to look at me.”

You duck your head with inexplicable speed.

Sweat drips down your nose, trailing to the top of your lips. Your hands are glued to the soil and blades of grass tickle at your nostrils. Your fingertips dig into the soil searching for some sort of security. Traces of brown mud enter your fingernails as you tense, waiting for the first moment of pain. 

He was going to kill you. 

He was going to kill you all because you took the wrong path. 

You were going to die because of your mindless wandering and lack of awareness that you were heading in the direction of Lord Sukuna’s estate. You were going to die because you decided to slack off from your work and not return when needed.  You were going to die all because you were curious about a peach tree and grew greedy. You should’ve been satisfied after eating your first yet instead you stayed long enough to be sentenced to death.

You were going to die and it was all your fault. Bile rises up your throat at the thought, goosebumps running across your arms. You squeeze your eyes shut as silence passes often interrupted by the rustle of greenery surrounding you.

A minute soon passes and then another before you gulp heavily. 

Was he going to kill you or not?   

You beg for him to get it over and done with, hoping for your death to be quick and painless. You offer up a silent prayer for your family. Thankfully he didn’t ask you to state your family meaning that they would be safe. 

As long as the king of curses  didn’t hurt them or anyone in the village, you’d be glad to die.

Still crouched over, you await the moment. 

But it never comes. 

Instead, what happens yet seems completely out of the ordinary.

“You may rise.”

What?

Did you hear correctly? No, no, no– you must have misheard. You must have.

“I won’t repeat myself.” Sukuna announces gruffly. 

Holy shit.

Shaking, you manage to make it to your feet maintaining your balance. The front of your kimono is stained with brown dirt but that worry is barely at the forefront of your mind. Instead, you wonder why on earth you weren’t killed.

 No words are able to leave your lips, your throat clogged up. Sukuna merely glances at you with disinterest, his stance unchanged. 

Finally, after a minute, your lips seem able to work and you get your words out.

“Aren’t you going to kill me?”

He glances at you as if he had forgotten you were standing right there in front of him. That’s how insignificant you were.

“I don’t waste my energy on pathetic little nuisances like you.” His voice is loud and thick with dislike for you. His voice drops a few octaves before announcing a threat. 

“If I find you on my estate once again without my permission I won’t hesitate to take the life you so rightfully begged to keep, understood?”

A breath hitches in your throat. 

“I understand, my Lord, thank you.” You bow your head once more to show the utmost respect.

A silence creeps in and suddenly all of nature disappears. A witness to your trial with near death, the leaves on the peach tree fail to rustle and the once chirping birds submit to an eerie silence. Goosebumps rise over your skin once more, your body still cold from Sukuna’s deadly aura. The heat you were once complaining of is now a distant memory.

“I’ll give you ten seconds to disperse off my property. Ten –”

You’ve never taken off faster in your entire life.

Chapter Text

“...And I told him to stick his peaches where the sun doesn’t shine.”

“And then what?!”

“Well, he was so shocked that I spoke to him in that manner and his jaw fell wide open. Then I told him that I wasn’t scared of him and informed him that the tree was public property.”

“What did he say back?” Multiple sets of eyes peer into your face with eagerness and pure excitement. 

You pause for a moment –  for dramatic effect. With a deep breath, you speak again.

“He said, ‘do you not care for your life? ’

“What did you say back?! What did you tell him?!” A dark haired child rose in front of you, his eyes wide. 

“I said I wouldn’t regret dying after tasting those appetizing peaches, so if he killed me right there and  then I would nonetheless be happy and satisfied.”

The children sit in a small circle around you, some expressing their glee aloud as their faces were filled with awe of your encounter with the king of curses.

“I squared up to him, unafraid to fight and he walked away first.” You let out a laugh. “His tail was between his legs like a dog,  I doubt he’ll ever come back to that tree!”

“Does he actually have a tail?” a child asked. 

“I thought he had 6 arms.” another child spoke, curiosity filling their tone. 

“I thought he had 9?!”

“No, there was no tail. The king of curses only has 4 arms and really ugly eyes.”

“How many?”

“Four!” You reply and you giggle as the children shudder. “All the better to see you with, I think. Very scary.”

One child says, “I don’t ever want to see him!”

“He’s a monster!” Another spoke. 

“Well, you won’t ever meet the monster if you all promise to obey your parents and not misbehave?”

They nod diligently, hanging onto your every word. One by one they disperse, breaking off into their own stories about the king of curses now based on the new information you had told. 

Among them, your eyes fell upon Miko. She stood alone, waiting for the others to drift away before speaking. You’ve known her to be the shyest girl in the village, with the other kids she doesn’t seem to speak or interact. You usually find her off on her own in the corner, playing on her own in a corner. 

Recently, you’ve taken her under your wing. Whilst her parents work away in the village, you made sure that not all of her hours are spent entirely alone. Interacting with her, you take her along with you on your errands or play along with her games. Even in your company she’s still a quiet kid but you don’t mind as long as she has someone to be with. 

She waits until the majority of children have gone, their conversation too loud to overhear her question. It slips out so quietly you almost think you’ve missed it but you manage to read her lips. 

“Can you get me one?” Miko looks down at her sandals, shy and timid.

You hum, wanting to know what she’s referring to. 

“A peach.” She speaks again, her small lips moving. Again her voice is quiet and her eyes are glued to the ground. “Could you get me one?”

Your heart yearns at the sight. You knew all too well that her family doesn’t have much. They barely manage to get the bare necessities monthly, so the simple act of indulging in the taste of a sweet ripe peach wouldn’t just be a luxury but equate to rich reward for her entire family and their hard work.

Crouching, you meet her eyes. 

“If you’re not scared of the king of curses could you do it?” She mumbles. “If you’re sure that he won’t come back.”

A small part of you hesitates, maybe your exaggeration went too far. The truth of the story weighs heavy in your gut and a part of you considers confessing your dishonesty. But just one glimpse into Miko’s warm coffee eyes and you melt again. You couldn’t break her heart and say no. It would kill you.  

Your gut churns as you mull over your answer. 

There was no part in your body capable of telling her ‘no’ so the corners of your lips flip up into a smile. 

“Of course, I can.”

/

The king of curses is away at battle. For the next two weeks to be presumed. 

Him and his army traveled past the village, heading down with their carts and horses. Obviously, you weren’t present and chose to  hide away to watch from afar. Even from a large distance you couldn’t help but feel his presence, his overwhelming aura seeping into every crevice of your skin.

But at least now you had your chance.

Just one week after his departure, you gained up the courage to return to the forbidden peach tree. You’d hope no one would be present at the estate, perhaps a few servants here and there, but you doubt they would commit to the long walk to the edge of the estate for a mere peach tree.

With a large basket in hand, you set out as early as you could, the sunrise warming up your cheeks. Rays of orange and red mix in the sky, the sunlight fixing its spot in the blue summer sky. 

You retrace your steps you had previously taken a few weeks prior, straying away from the original path. Again, the grass blades tickle at your ankles. Certain that the king of curses has disappeared, you take your time through the field watching as different species of birds fly over your head and how the bees keep obedient to their flowers, collecting their sweet nectar. 

Soon the shadow of the tree comes into view. 

At first glance it seems to be unchanged, however a new difference you picked up on is the range of new peaches available. With adrenaline running, you don’t hesitate to pluck the peaches, multiple at a time. In a span of five minutes your basket is already half full, emerging from your task. You start with the peaches which are easier to reach before dealing with the dreadful task of resorting to your tippy toes.

Before you know it, your eyes are caught once upon a scarlet red peach, perfectly ripe and round. Of course you have to get it, this one would be especially for Miko you think.

The only problem which rose was that the peach was located on the highest branch, straining, it was only a few inches away from your fingertips.

“Almost—” you strain, your tongue pokes out the side of your mouth.

“Seems like insolent fools never learn.”

A rough voice echoes into the distance at the exact moment that you manage to pluck a peach from the highest branch.  At the sound of a gruff tone,  a shiver runs up your body and the peach falls from your hand, dropping to the grass and rolling away.

Just as you felt previously, a menacing aura came over you, washing over your body like a heavy tide. Your temperature drops and your mind freezes, his ever so familiar aura now hitting you like a slap to the face. 

Of course, you turn to find the king of curses standing behind you. Tall and treacherous, you cower away, dropping to your knees.

He’s back. One week earlier than expected. 

Bowing your head, your mind runs over the brutal image of his appearance. Blood stains over his body and skin, dry of course and scars litter his chest, shirtless in front of you. 

“I thought I warned you to stay away, did I not?”

You clear your throat before speaking, your voice shakes. “You did, my lord.”

“So why did you not heed my warning? Do you wish death upon yourself?”

“No my lord, I-” you cut yourself off, searching for words which fail to leave your lips. Your hesitation and silence only seems to aggravate Sukuna.

“Speak.” He orders.

“I wanted to bring peaches back for the villagers.”

Sukuna doesn’t speak again. Trembling, you keep your eyes down onto the grass. He must be eyeing your basket right now.

You were definitely going to die. This was it. You had gotten away with it before and by the gods he was not going to let you leave alive again. 

The king of curses wouldn’t make that same mistake twice. 

Suddenly you find your chin in his palm and he forces you to look up at him. His eyes are cold and deadly. No ounce of human empathy or compassion lingers in his pupils. 

“You wanted to bring some peaches back for the villagers.”

You nod, a quiet whisper leaving your lips. “Yes.”

“Pathetic.” He spat.

From then on you expected to feel some form of pain. You have heard multiple stories about his brutal killings, simply decapitating limbs of people without a single care. Some people say it’s best to be killed right away by the King of Curses rather than his cruel method of allowing his victims to bleed out and die slowly.

Your body freezes to expect a pinch of pain, a stab, a slice – anything , anything at all yet it doesn’t seem to hit you. Tilting your head upwards ever so slightly you notice a wound on the right side of his torso. . Blood, freshly red, drips down his side, staining his skin and clothes. 

“You’re injured.” It comes out as a murmur, pathetic and weak. 

Sukuna says nothing more as if he hadn’t heard you in the first place. You bow your head deeper, almost ashamed for pointing it out. Perhaps it would come across that you intercepted the King of curses as weak. A king having a deep wound is something that he wouldn’t want others to know. 

But— you could still use it as some sort of excuse. 

“It’ll get infected.” You speak again, gaining more confidence in your tone. “If you don’t clean it up soon.”

“I have taken care of it.” Sukuna speaks. “It’s just a scratch.“

You let out a scoff. “Barely, you’re bleeding out heavily.” 

“What’s it to you? It has nothing to do with you.” He snaps, his tone rising. 

“I have a speciality in helping people with wounds and illnesses. I could help you.” You raise your head slightly at your offer. You outstretch your hand towards his blood drenched clothes. 

“I do not like to be touched, I will heal myself.” 

You glance up at the king of curses, studying his face. For the first time you sense a feeling of exhaustion within Sukuna’s eyes, heavy lidded and tired. The king of curses was on the verge of passing out.

“I could help you–”

“I don’t need help from a thief .”

“A thief!?”

“The tree is on my property is it not?”

“I–”

“And this is the second time you have been caught stealing, correct?”

“My lord—”

“Correct?” His tone is rough, cutting you off with a sharpness that causes goosebumps to appear on your body. 

You say nothing, looking down at your feet. You can feel his eyes bore into you. “Pathetic human.” He mumbles.

You swallow, saying nothing more. Your hands turn into fists by your side. Just from your expression and energy Sukuna  feels your growing anger with every second that passes.

All of a sudden, the band snaps and you can’t hold in your emotions anymore. The next time you speak, you refuse to cover up your venomous tone.  

“And you’re just as pathetic as me if you can barely heal your own wound. You call yourself the king of curses for what?”

A silence comes after your words, not even the sound of rustling trees or tall grass can be heard. It takes no longer than a second for you to feel deep regret for your words. Similar to your first ever encounter with the king of curses, the fear of death looms upon you. 

If you thought he wouldn’t kill you the first time then he definitely will now. 

You await the moment for him to strike you. A pinch of pain, a slice, a beheading or even a stab to your stomach. Anything to disperse you as soon as possible. 

Instead of a violent action, he chooses to speak again with a challenging invite.

“So how would you suggest you would heal me?”

Did you hear him right?

You stammer, words failing to leave your mouth. “To heal you?”

He stares at you in contempt, “You said you knew how to take care of wounds, do you not?”

“I do.” 

“So…?” Sukuna raises a brow.

Your mind searches for a solution, malfunctioning under his venomous gaze. 

There’s a stream nearby, I could guide you to it so you can clean it.”

A pause.

“Where is this stream you think of?”

“Over there.” You point behind him.

“So be it.” He speaks in a gruff tone. “Lead the way”

You manage to get your feet whilst succumbing to a daze.

How have you managed to escape the punishment of death a second time from the King of curses?

Glancing behind you, the basket of peaches tempts you. There would be no point in taking it and running, you knew that he could kill you in an instant. The plump peaches would have to wait, for now you have to focus on surviving Sukuna.

You leave the basket behind.

Chapter Text

It’s silent between the two of you apart from a repeating swishing sound from the tall blades of grass under a gentle breeze. They obediently move out of the way as you lead the king of curses to a nearby stream.

He doesn’t speak a single word to you, his heavy footsteps and menacing presence is all you need to know that he’s still behind you. Sweat drips down the bridge of your nose and your kimono sticks to your skin like a magnet, a reaction from both the sun and Sukuna’s presence.

It’s only another minute or two before the silence is broken by the sound of water flowing. Like a symphony it provides a melody to the hot summer day. Stones of all shapes and sizes under a plethora of gray and brown allow the water to flow off them in a rhythmic flow. 

You come to a stop directly on the bank. Sukuna halts and raises an eyebrow to wait for your next instruction. “Sit here, my lord.”

Sukuna lets out a grunt before obeying. His massive body spreads beneath you, taking up most of the space available on the bank. The earth is damp and littered by rocks but you manage to kneel in a position which succeeds in not hurting your knees. 

Sukuna’s facial expression is blank, already bored of your company. You hesitate on what to do next, you need something to clean his wound with like a cloth or a–

Your thoughts are interrupted at the sound of material tearing. A part of his kimono is ripped and then given to you .

Sukuna tears off a generous chunk with his teeth before passing it to you without a sentence leaving his mouth. You murmur your thanks and dip the material into the stream, allowing it to be heavily soaked. You make sure to strain the material, not leaving it too damp. 

You reach over the the wound but Sukuna’s hand quickly wraps around your wrist to stop you,

“I can do it myself,”  he mutters. 

“You can barely see where–”

“Let me.”

It’s stern and firm. But also final. 

If he seethes, you don’t hear him only witnessing Sukuna gritting his teeth as he dabs at his wound. From your distance you watch the gaping wound spill out even more blood, dripping onto the dark soil.

After a few moments of silence you gain the courage to speak. 

“Can’t you uh– sorcerers , heal yourself?”

A tut leaves his mouth, annoyed at the audacity to question him. 

“I mean I don’t know much about curses or sorcery but that’s what I heard.”

 “I managed to heal the worst of it. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

You let out a sigh, “Right.” You continue to watch in silence, the hum of the stream and crickets nearby filling in the conversation. 

“Is all your fighting done?”

You don’t know what urges you to ask him questions or continue the conversation. Maybe you can’t take the silence anymore or maybe it’s because you want to distract him from getting any thoughts of killing you. Either way Sukuna doesn’t glance at you and you wonder if he’s ignoring you. 

He dabs a little more at his wound before responding to you. 

“Is it ever done?”

You take that as a no. Since you were a child you’ve hated conflict. There has always been constant news of other villages succumbing to war and destruction and since your childhood it has left you with irreparable fears that the same might happen to your village. 

With the arrival of Sukuna Ryomen, his takeover of the village was rather peaceful in the fact that nobody challenged him. 

“Why here?”

Sukuna knew what you were asking and there was no need for you to elaborate. He continues to clean at his wound, the once pure kimono square now bloody from his wound.  “Why did I choose to build my kingdom here?”

‘I wouldn’t call it a kingdom per-say…’ you think.  Recently you’ve been pushing your luck with the king of curses and it can’t happen again. Instead you nod, keeping your thoughts to yourself.

The king of curses falls quiet continuing to clean his wound, his brows are furrowed creating a crease between them. He thinks hard in the silence and again the hum of the stream eases the tension so slightly. “The tree.”

“The tree?” you question.

“The tree.”

“You mean the peach tree?”

“What other damn tree would I be talking about?” his tone shifts to one that is impatient and annoyed. He glances at you and notices an expression of disbelief on your face. 

“You infiltrated our village all because you liked the peach tree?”

Sukuna frowns, his restraint on his temper loosening. ‘It was dying.’ He snaps. “And it was convenient to me and my ruling to settle here. This way I can keep an eye on the other regions nearby.” 

You scoff a little. You find it hard to believe that a man with so much power and energy would bother to care about a simple tree. Of course Sukuna doesn’t miss your attitude and elaborates on his point. “Nobody from the damn village gave a shit to care about it and it’s evident that this field was largely neglected. You bastards missed out on an opportunity to use it for crops and whatnot.”

He was right to an extent. The field was so far out from the village that no one really made the effort to use it. You could only come to visit on your days off when you had hours to spare and neglected your other responsibilities. 

All of a sudden the king of curses rises. You didn’t get a chance to look at how clean his wound was but judging by his swift movement you figured he was slowly healing by now. 

“Come.” he orders.

“Where?”

“Come.” 

You don’t bother to ask anymore questions. 

With one last glance in the direction of where your peach basket was left behind you turn and follow the king of curses.

/

Following Sukuna, you return to his estate. During your journey you went through every single possibility of where he was taking you. A returning thought and one that was probably most likely was that he was leading you towards your death. Of course, he wouldn’t forget about punishing you for trespassing and stealing from him not just once but twice. 

And the king of curses never makes a mistake twice. 

As you make your way to the front gates your mouth drops in awe of the building in front of you. Obviously it's suited for a king and the building itself holds the same menacing aura as its owner. There’s a certain level of detail that you’re sure Sukuna requested, maintaining his reputation even when he is not around.

Once you reach the front gates of the estate, a servant awaits him. 

“Uraume.” Sukuna greets. 

The white haired figure bows. If they’ve been waiting a long time for their lord to return they don’t show it. “My lord where have you been? And who is this?”

You and Sukuna speak at the same time. 

“She was stealing on my property.”  “I saved his life.”

Uraume glances at you first before looking at Sukuna. Of course, they begin with an explanation from their master.

“Stealing?”

“She was taking peaches from the tree on the edge of the estate, I caught her in the act.”

“Is she set for punishment?”

There’s a long pause and you hold your breath waiting for Sukuna to make his decision. A wave of anxiety washes over your body and you  feel your palms begin to sweat. Without thinking you speak up, making known of your good deed for the king of curses. 

“I saved his life by cleaning his wound.”

Uruame snaps their head towards you as does Sukuna. “You were injured, my lord? Why wasn’t I informed.”

“Because I don’t want the fuss.” He mutters. With a sigh Sukuna speaks again without looking at you. “You’re invited for dinner tomorrow.” 

“Tomorrow?” you and Uraume speak at the same time.

“Tomorrow.” He repeats. “So you don’t walk around thinking I owe you anything.”

He begins to walk away, entering his estate. “Don’t be late.” He warns. “Otherwise I’ll bring up your crimes for punishment.”

“Death?” You ask.

Sukuna turns to shoot you a sadistic smile. “ You’re a fast learner , peach.”

Chapter Text

The dinner is awkward to say the least. 

Sukuna is seated across the table from you with his many eyes staring at you. He studies you like you’re some sort of painting hung up, similar to the ones hung across the walls leading to the dining room. Everything about the property is massive, or as the saying goes, fit for a king. It’s no wonder he’s nicknamed the king of curses as everything on his property is mighty. His seat, directly opposing you, is tall and wide. Enough for him to sit comfortably with his knees drawn in and his arms to rest on either side of the chair. The other pair of arms are hidden within his kimono, a shade of black representing coal or a black pebble near a lake. 

Feeling his eyes rest on your figure, you’re uncomfortable as ever especially when coming to terms with the appearance of his property. Everything is clean and polished and the servants never speak unless spoken to. And even when they are, the simple words that come out of their mouths are ‘Yes, my lord’ with no objections to whatever Sukuna says. These same servants are the ones who serve your food, placing a bowl of stew in front of you and Sukuna. On the table, sits an array of dishes: loaves of freshly baked bread and exotic fruits, sauces and puddings and meats that you can only predict come from the wild. There’s a churning in your stomach that makes you nauseous as you think back to all the rumours that surround Sukuna. Particularly concerning the types of meat that he consumes.

Even looking down at your stew makes the bile rise a little in your throat. You swallow it down, forcefully, like a needle in your throat. You can feel his eyes staring at you, crimson eyes drinking you in. They never falter even as he takes a bite of his own stew and you do your best to avoid them. You stare down at your stew, the spoon weighing heavy in your hands as you create ripples. It smells delicious of course, the smoke rising from the bowl practically taunting you to take a bite. You wonder who is responsible for cooking for the king of curses, the great responsibility of cooking for a being who could kill you in the blink of an eye. The bowl is filled with chunks of meat and vegetables as far as you can see but there is something that keeps you from indulging in this dish.

“Is something the matter?” Sukuna speaks up out of nowhere, snapping you out of your daze. 

You finally meet his eyes, taking in his position with his arm resting on a propped knee. “Not at all, my lord.”

Liar. He wants to say but he keeps it to himself, holding back in order to not scare his guest. His only guest for the last couple of years. 

“Speak up.” He repeats. It’s much better than out rightly calling you a liar, in fact, it gives you a chance to explain yourself. A chance for him to hear out his guest.You settle your hands on the table wondering what is the most appropriate approach to answer him.

 “It’s just…” you take a breath to hesitate,  “...there are rumours about you my lord.”

Sukuna raises a brow. He’s not new to this. Of course there are rumours about him. About his appearance, about his ruling, about his mortality – or rather lack of therefore – and about his battles and war, about his wins and losses and about what he truly desires to gain from this cursed world.

“What is this rumour?” He asks before raising a cup to his mouth to drink from.

Again the words don’t seem to be able to get themselves in order on your tongue. It’s like you’re trying to gain the confidence within yourself to speak a foreign language but you don’t know where to start or what order to put the words in but you know you have to hurry,  Sukuna’s patience is thinning and it shows. His finger now taps on the table, like a sort of countdown for you to speak, a countdown before the bomb is set off and if that doesn’t cause sweat to appear on your brow then you don’t know what does. 

“There’s a rumour…” you begin slowly, tentatively as if you’re testing him. Whether he passes or fails is not in your control and whether you’ll still have your life in your hands is also not something you can decide. “...that you engage in cannibalism.”

As soon as you’ve finished your sentence, Sukuna’s lips curve into a smile. This is not a new rumour, in fact he’s heard it himself.  It intrigues him how they come up with new rumours everyday. How the villagers are concerned with what he consumes and the threat that looms over their head that if they step out of line they will be the ones who end up on his table. It may not be confirmed true but any fear that revolves around Sukuna Ryomen is good enough.

“Where did you hear this rumour?” he asks, his tone low, so low that there’s a vibration which causes your body to tingle. You feel compelled to confess everything, his mere stare enough to get any truth out of your mouth. 

But you can’t do that. Not to the people you’ve grown up with over the years and who have looked after you in your youth. Not to the people who went out of their ways to protect each other when Sukuna Ryomen decided to make this village his permanent home. You couldn’t set them up like this, so you have only one choice. Lie. Lie straight to the face of Sukuna Ryomen who has the power to kill you with one swipe of his finger. Either lie or deflect his question.

“I do not know the source.”

That in part was a half truth. It was a well-known rumour that spread across the village that even you had added to. It was only a couple of days ago that you were engaging in these rumours and telling stories over the fire to the children about the king of curses eating humans for dinner. You claimed that if they were caught misbehaving they would be next on the menu.

Sukuna doesn’t speak for a while, creating a tension filled silence that makes you scared to even breathe in his presence. If there’s something you admire about him it’s the way he can hide his expressions, his stoic face making it difficult to even know what he’s thinking. Like the skin of a snake that refuses to break or crack under pressure, the skin slipping off only when it wants to. But even then that is only one layer disposed of. Awaiting his response is anxiety inducing, knots twisting in your lower stomach. He’s playing you and you know it. Every second that you sit feeling uncomfortable is a level of control that he has over you. 

His tongue traces over the curve of his bottom lip, taunting you. “On the occasions that I do…does that bother you, thief ?” His nickname for you stings, like being burned by the tip of a flame but you knew better not to speak up on the nickname. You would settle for it without any complaints. 

“No, not at all my Lord.”

He studies your face again, letting your discomfort sink into your bones again. “If it means anything to you, I made sure Uraume used sheep meat.” Your relief is obvious as your shoulders drop.  

Thank the gods, you think to yourself, fingertips now confident to wrap around the spoon again. You take a long awaited bite and it’s as delicious as you thought. The flavours explode on your tongue, it’s rich with a spicy kick. As soon as you take one bite you can’t help but continue until your bowl is nearly empty. You’re so engrossed in your meal that you don’t even care about the figure watching you from the other end of the table, he invited you for dinner so the least you can do is appreciate his honour. You’re almost tempted to ask for more, dabbing a cloth at your mouth. Expectant, Sukuna watches you with a grin like he was watching the final moments of his prey enjoying freedom.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” he asks, his tone sultry. 

“I did. Give my compliments to the chef.”

He hums in response, taking another sip from his cup. Now there’s the return of the silence, it’s not uncomfortable but it’s more so expectant and waiting for the other person to speak. You both have questions that you want to ask each other, curiosity taunting each other. By the curves of his lips you can tell there is a question awaiting, even by the dark gaze of his eyes you can spot him trying to figure out the right moment to throw you off guard. 

But you refuse to give him the chance to indulge in that opportunity. 

Leaning forward, you gain the confidence to speak first, your voice echoing in the chamber of the dining room. “Why didn't you kill me immediately the first time?”

It’s a natural question and it’s a question that you’ve been asking yourself over the past few weeks. Just what was it that stopped the king of curses from slicing you in half? What made him pause over his actions and allow a mortal being like you to survive? He doesn’t reply straight away, evidently keeping the anticipation up to make you even more uncomfortable. A hand strokes his chin as he thinks, keeping up a performance. Hands grip the sides of your seat, trying to hide the nervousness within you, sweaty palms slipping from the sides of the seat. 

Interestingly enough, he doesn’t answer your question, instead deflecting to ask his own. “What did you aim to do with the peaches?”

Your first thought is to reply with a retort and argue about why he didn’t answer your question but as soon as you spot a slight smirk on his face you already know his tactics. He’s playing you like a game, testing you almost, to see how far he can push you until you snap. But once again you won’t give him the satisfaction. You answer the question as honestly as you can. 

“I wanted to bring peaches down for the children of the village.” You answer. 

Sukuna lets out a mean spirited chuckle. “How moral of you.”

“It’s a luxury for them that they rarely have the chance to indulge in, I didn’t know the tree belonged to your grounds.”

Sukuna hums, barely making a reply. You assume he has little care or consideration for the children of the village or perhaps no consideration for the village at all. When he first arrived,  he barely gave a glance towards the villagers, setting up his home at the top of the mountain whether they liked it or not. And of course, no one opposed — at least never directly to his face — they respected him out of fear not admiration, knowing what he could do to them. 

“There’s this one girl,” you say, after a few minutes of silence, “her parents work most of the time and she asked me personally for a peach.”

“Am I supposed to care?”

You let out a huff, “These are your villagers, Sukuna.”

He doesn’t twitch at you dropping off his title.  “I rule over them but I do not owe them anything.”

“You owe them more than fear and causing death to their families.”

“They cause their own deaths by defying me.”

“They are afraid of you!” You begin to raise your voice, passion and frustration sinking into your tone. 

Sukuna’s certainly not afraid to meet your tone back, “I consider you pathetic if you think I should have any morals towards them like you, I do not waste my time picking peaches for the community. I have wars to fight and curses to kill. Do you think my hands are made for such kind actions? I cause destruction and violence and someone like you could never change that.”

His words are sharp, cutting at you like a knife. There’s clearly no changing his mind and there’s nothing you can say that will make it better. There’s a bulge in your throat, making it hard to swallow and you hold back from tears forming in your eyes. You won’t let him get to you, you remind yourself, you have defied him twice and even he cannot give a reason why he saved your life. Only now you realise that you have some mysterious power over him. There’s something about you that makes him weak. Yes, he’ll shout and argue with you but he gives you the chance to stand for yourself and fight back. The threat of death has been against you but it has never been finalised by him. 

After a moment of silence you speak again but you don’t meet his eyes. “I’m not asking for you to change.”

Bored, he replies. “Then what are you asking for?”

“A chance to bring the peaches home as a treat.”

Sukuna scoffs and rolls his eyes. His chair makes an obnoxious screeching sound as he slides his chair backwards to stand. “I think it’s best for you to be leaving now.”

You swallow, your mind racing for any last words to convince him further. “Please, just a basket full and nothing more–”

“To get it through your thick skull, I am warning you to leave.” His voice is gruff and the threat is obvious within his tone. Footsteps approach you from behind and Uruame is at your side. You watch Sukuna leave the room leaving you without a single glance. So much for his thanks for saving his life. 

You make your departure from his grounds with Uraume leading you to the gate, they thank you for coming tonight and being in Sukuna’s presence.  You make your turn to leave before a voice stops you.

“Listen here, Uraume.”

You turn to see Sukuna but his eyes don’t meet yours, clearly he’s here just to give Uraume another instruction. Your feet begin to move down the path, making your descent. 

“Send down a weekly allowance of summer fruits from the allotment and the peach tree to the village.”

Now his words make you stop in your tracks. You don’t turn, simply listening to the conversation. It’s obvious he wants you here to hear him.

“Will you be taxing them for your services, my lord?” Uraume asks. 

You can feel his eyes piercing through the back of your head as you await his answer. There’s a long pause as he considers. You don’t guarantee that he would be willing to give away anything for free and that some way or another you and the villagers would be required to pay. Either with your lives or by materials.

Fucking brat, Sukuna thinks to himself. He doesn’t even need to see your face to know the look of desperation that must be expressed. The softness in your eyes that pleads for mercy, the twitch of your mouth ready to plead, the gentle actions of your body. 

Finally he gives an answer to Uraume. “Free of charge.” he announces, his tone bitter.

Only now you turn and it takes every bone in your body to not squeal in pure excitement and hug the king of curses. Of course, it wouldn’t be appropriate so you stick to giving your thanks and providing a sweet smile to him that makes him weak. 

“Don’t make me regret it.”