fushipurro - Tumblr blog

fushipurro · 11 days

Text

don't kill me but i ended up revising this chapter too after some thought today LOL i was just rereading it to refresh my head for the next chapter and wanted to fix some shit i wasn't happy with like the conversation with satoru and more of the ending bits if you just wanna check those out again✌️

Red Lights Red Flags

Chapter 7 - Moonlight

<- Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter ->

☆ Content: 18+ MDNI, f!reader, ronin!toji, courtesan!reader, jjk historical au, mentions of alcohol/past suicidal ideation, past non-con elements, forced prostitution, angst

☆ Word Count: 4.2k

When was the last time you can honestly say you’ve heard the quiet you’re experiencing now? Not since before you became a courtesan, that’s for sure.

Granted, you’re currently seated inside one of several horse-drawn wagons journeying through a rough mountain pass, so it’s hardly silent. But compared to the noise of the Red-Light District? This is perfect.

This is peaceful.

In every direction visible to you from your window to the outside, there are trees dotting the landscape reaching far into the distance alongside fields of budding flowers, sprouting up from beneath a thin sheet of snow. For once, it may just be an early spring.

The forest surrounding you on either side is alive and well with motion too, from the birds flying overhead to the rabbits darting between shrubs in search of food, all of them share on commonality.

Freedom.

They’re able to live their lives soaring high above the clouds or across the ocean expanse into the horizon. If you could, you’d choose to be exactly like them.

To be a graceful bird that can fly to wherever the breeze takes you. No cage to be confined to, no crowd to sing for ─ only the sun on your back and all the world before you to roam.

There’s also the option for something more terrestrial such as a fox, or even a deer. Happily able to run across the forest floor and more.

Time slips away from you as you imagine all the possible scenarios for lives unlike your own. Before you know it, the sun has long since fallen behind snow-kissed peaks, veiling the earth around you into darkness.

It isn’t long then after for the caravan to reach its destination, stopping abruptly in its tracks. The doors to the back open for you and the other courtesans to step out, following in turn through the front entrance of a large estate.

The buildings that decorate the property are old ─ Heian era if you had to guess. Even now at night, servants continue to care for the old walls for this even older family you’ve come to visit.

All your life, you’ve only known the taste and smells your home village had to offer, but here? It’s otherworldly.

Rich scents of cypress, sandalwood, and various other incense fill the air of this temple-like house. A welcome change to the intoxicating smells of sweat, sex, and sake you have become all too familiar with in your day-to-day life.

Occasionally, you might notice something nostalgic from a faint breeze, a scent to take you back to the times of your youth. Those moments tend to be short-lived as your current reality weighs heavily on your soul.

“Don’t look so worried, my little Marigold,” Shion coos to you. No matter how you may try and hide yourself, there’s never a point around her.

Sometimes, you swear she can even read your thoughts. Perhaps those witch accusations aren’t too farfetched for her.

But how can you not worry?

“The Gojo family are similar, but much different from the Zenin Clan.” She smiles, helping to bring some reassurance to you. “You’ll see in due time.”

Tonight, you’ve come alongside three other gardens besides Shion’s, including those from Botan’s, Tsubaki’s, and Murasaki’s. The Gojo family spent what can only be described as a fortune for this upcoming celebration ─ one in honor to the heir of their Clan.

No normal family would ever dream of affording not one, but four women at the top of their field in the pleasure district.

You still hold many doubts, but for now, you’ll have to put your faith into Shion’s words. Unlike her, you’ve never had the chance to meet any of the Gojos.

You’re aware they’re as prominent as the Zenin family with the two serving Emperor Tengen directly alongside the Kamo Clan. There are a dozen other distinct families, but the founding three are without a doubt the most important.

The courtesans you’ve come with are all divided into their respective groups and further escorted into several rooms for each. Here, you are to spend the next while preparing for the upcoming night ahead of you all.

You and a few others assist in preparing Shion, setting her up into one of her most extravagant pieces saved for events like this. Her kimono is pure white in color, coupled by aster flowers in shades of a blue along the fabric.

The rest of your garden wears more subtle robes of solid blue coloring to separate you from Shion’s highly regarded status. Tonight, you are merely a servant, while the top flowers are the stars of the show.

“My, my, don’t you look pretty in this shade?” Shion beams, her eyes admiring you up and down. “I should have you wearing something like this more often. You’re as beautiful under the moon as you are the sun.”

“Are you certain tonight will go alright?” Your voice is wary, still laced with uncertainty.

She wraps her arms around you from behind, drawing a mirror up in front of your face. “Don’t think so hard, I promise all you will need to do is keep their cups full and their egos high. You’ll be just fine.”

If Hanami were here and heard you speaking like this, you’d surely be punished one way or another. It’s one reason you’re thankful she chose to stay behind, though that’s mainly due to having a business to run.

You’ve heard stories from other brothels in the district that their courtesans are all treated like family. Girls sticking together, making sure the experience is pleasurable as can be ─ no pun intended.

They’re respected as working individuals and humans like anyone else. Men will try and deny women of their power, believing us to be beneath them. At the end of the day, it’s our laps they come crying to to get it up for them.

Sadly, of all the brothels to lose yourself into debt with, your father chose the one with a motto to curse your soul.

To Hanami, it’s business and nothing more. You’re here to sell your body for her gain, with no in-between. Everything is a competition where beauty reigns supreme if you wish to prosper and stay alive. It works to keep her pockets full, but it’s left many buried six feet under as consequence.

Since joining Shion’s garden, she’s brought you some respite, even filling some of the void in your heart only a mother could. Compared to Botan, she’s a far better person in a world so cruel.

You finish all the necessary preparations, stepping outside the room with your garden. Servants arrive to escort you deeper into the estate to a courtyard that’s been readied for a celebration to take place in.

Leading the pack in front of Shion is Murasaki ─ the Wisteria. She’s fitted in a stunning purple kimono decorated in her signature flower, vibrant in color. It pairs perfectly with her long, silky black hair she prides herself with.

The ladies following her are wearing a lighter lavender color, each one oozing a refined nature they’ve been trained with under Murasaki’s guidance. It’s never been a question that she’s the favored courtesan of your brothel, second only to Hanami back in her prime.

Behind your group is Botan, wearing her signature peony robes and her garden in an equal shade of pink. Even as the youngest of the four, she’s full of experience and her personality with the men keep her well regarded.

Trailing behind last is Tsubaki, another woman of similar refinery to Murasaki. Her kimono is patterned with camellia flowers, and her followers all in red. She’s on the older end of working courtesans, even heading into her retirement years, but to the proper suitor ─ she’s akin to finely aged wine.

You enter the courtyard and you’re visibly taken aback. The size is larger than any you’ve ever seen, as expected of a rich old family. There’s a center stage built up for the main performers of the night, and several tables for guests to sit around and view from.

Shion casts you another reassuring smile before turning away and taking her place with the other three flowers. Each are tasked with song and dance, showing off all the skills they’ve honed from years of training.

Other courtesans pass by you to begin their duties as the Gojo family arrives. You close your eyes for a moment, breathing in and out before following in turn to grab a pitcher of alcohol.

Just fill their cups and praise them. Easy enough, right?

And for a while, it was easy. The Gojo family and their guests are so utterly enamored by the four on stage that the women coming and going from their tables could hardly catch their sight. There are even a few times you forget you’re a prostitute by trade.

It wasn’t until you round a table to greet another guest that a woman in pink washes reality over you.

Literally.

“Oops! I’m so sorry.” She feigns an apologetic look, hiding her snickers behind the sleeves of her robe.

Your robes are soaked clean through, uncomfortably so. The fabric sticks to you heavily and the intoxicating smell only serving to make you dizzy.

A few bat an eye to the commotion, but ultimately don’t spend too long as some lesser servants aren’t important to them tonight. The girl trots off with a look of satisfaction, all the while Botan stares down at you with a subtle smirk staining the purity of her looks.

You excuse yourself from the crowd, slipping away before you cause any more problems, even if you aren’t to blame for this.

Tears sit heavily on your eyes, threatening to fall as you make your way back the direction you came from. This whole thing sucks, undoubtably so, you think to yourself.

Earning a name for yourself and acquiring protection from another only goes so far if at the end of the day, you’re can’t even protect yourself first.

As you round a corner, it’s déjà vu all over again ─ like lightning striking the same spot twice when you collide with something once more.

In this case, it’s not something, but rather someone.

The dizzying nature of the alcohol hitting your nose renders your body weaker. Whatever you ran into has left you on your butt against the ground.

You open your eyes to see a boy, standing completely unbothered by you. His hair is the most perfect shade of white you’ve ever seen, like the moon on earth.

“I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

He meets your gaze, and it feels as though you’re actively being spirited away. It’s like your surroundings have suddenly morphed to that of an ocean floor with the light of the heavens casting rays through the push and pull of the sapphire tides as you stare up in wonder.

He responds with a curt reply, “Who are you?”

You address yourself properly, ignoring the subtle disdain, “I’m a courtesan here for the event tonight.”

“Why are you out here then?” The boy narrows his eyes, but they soon find their way to the dark splotches staining your apparel.

“I…spilled is all,” you reply, unconsciously avoiding eye contact. “I’ll return shortly once I change into more suitable attire.”

“I don’t buy that,” he bluntly declares, grumbling something beneath his breath. It suddenly feels weird having to explain yourself to a child, but it might’ve been worse for you if you had bumped into anyone else.

You flash him a look conveying your confusion as you attempt to excuse yourself. He doesn’t say anything more, and after a minute of walking you realize he’s following right behind you.

What’s with these families and having kids around courtesans? First the Zenins, and now this? Whether or not this boy is a member of the Gojo family, or some other guest is unknown.

Worry replaces your sorrows the further along the path you make it. What if someone were to see you both together out here? Thinking about the possible punishments you could endure over a misunderstanding is painful, given that this is a military family we’re talking about it. At worst, you may not even leave here alive.

“What’s your name?” you nervously ask.

“Satoru.”

“…Is that your family name?”

“My given.”

How helpful. But hey, it’s something as opposed to calling him kid or blue-eyes white dragon hair.

You eventually arrive at the room you changed in previously. Satoru follows you in, so you end up utilizing a folding screen to change into another matching robe. It’s a bit of a challenge on your own, but it makes you grateful to not be in something as elaborate as Shion’s.

“Are you finished yet?” he calls out, rather impatiently.

“Yup, good as new!” you answer, coming out from behind the screen and to a mirror. Thankfully all the alcohol missed your hair and makeup, so that much is fine.

He pushes himself off from the wall he was leaning on, opening the door to leave. You end up following him this time around without question, assuming to be heading back to the courtyard.

The moon is high in the sky as you stand a few paces behind Satoru. Your eyes bounce between rooftops to trees, the hints of green reminding you of Toji.

You can’t help but wonder how he’s doing or even what he’s up. Does he even know you’re gone? You had no warning yourself when you left, and you find yourself missing the comfort his presence brings you.

It’s strange to even feel this way about someone you’ve only met a few months ago. In a way, it’s like you’ve known him your whole life, but that can’t be true.

Perhaps this is what others mean when they talk about star-crossed lovers that find each other in every lifetime. If you put your heart together as one, would they fit perfectly like two pieces of a puzzle?

As a Zenin, he must be familiar with the Gojos, but how much do they see of each other? They’re two great families serving for the attention of the same Emperor ─ there are bound to be differences or rivalries of sorts present.

“I apologize again about earlier,” you say to Satoru, looking back his way. “You’re not injured in any way, are you?”

He looks back at you from over his shoulder. “I’m fine,” he answers, shutting his eyes while treading forward down the winding pathways.

Your suspicions of him being related to the Gojos only grow more confusing the further along you go. You should’ve arrived at the courtyard already, but the sounds of music are nowhere close. Either he’s completely lost, or his knowledge of the layout is exceedingly well for a child inching towards his teenage years.

But then you see a new sight in front of you. A garden with a large pond in the middle. Satoru stops near the edge of the water, staring idly down at the fishing dancing in the pool below.

You join him at his side this time, allowing silence to hang over the two of you. The tranquility here is unlike anything else, causing you to push your duties to the far recesses of your mind.

“Why do you let them treat you like that?”

The suddenness of his question takes you aback. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” he states without missing a beat, his voice stern.

“There’s nothing I can do,” you reply.

“I don’t understand that weak-minded thought.” “Why not fight back or run away if you don’t like it?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Yes, you do.” His frustration grows more evident from your words. “You always have a choice.”

But what choice do you even have?

Your debt isn’t paid off. Hanami would never let that go ─ would never let you go.

Others have tried and if they weren’t killed in the process, she’d hire someone to bring them back, breaking them down until they couldn’t possibly run away again.

You’re nothing but a tool at her disposal. A hole to fuck time and time again.

Should you even get away, then what? It’s your father’s debt, would she go after him next? You’ll never be able to fully forgive him for selling you, but you don’t wish him harm. Not when he’s been trying to become a better father and reconcile with you as of late.

What about the rest of your family?

Ishiro and Miyuki would hopefully be safe within their own families away from it all, but what about Koichi? You wonder how he’s been doing all this time; does he even know what happened?

According to your father, he’s unsure where Koichi is after having run away from home. Knowing Hanami, she’d be able to find him with ease. She’s done it before to others.

You must protect your family, even if that makes you a martyr in the end, all to ensure the safety of those who matter to you.

“If I run, I’m as good as dead,” you declare with a sorrowful tone. “I would never be able to win in a fight either.”

“Then you train!” He turns to you a hot-blooded glare that makes you flinch. The anger comes off his words like steam, melting the very snow around you both. “Train until you’re strong enough to beat anyone who challenges you!”

You know full well his anger isn’t directed at you, but rather for you. He reminds you a lot of how Koichi is ─ that stubborn bull with a soft-spot to keeping you safe.

“Is that why you fight?” you ask after the atmosphere has had a chance to settle. Satoru’s eyes have fallen back to the koi occupying the pond, letting his emotions settle like the current.

“I fight so that I can become the strongest.”

For a fleeting moment, like a scent carried in the wind, a memory sparks in your head of a scene many moons ago ─ a boy with a similar reasoning to train and fight.

His features are but a blur, another mystery to ponder in your tragic life. Perhaps one day you’ll have all the answers you desire, or maybe in another lifetime.

“There you are, Young Master Gojo!” a feminine voice calls out, startling you.

You turn your head to see a woman trotting up, no doubt a servant. Her eyes dart between both you and the boy in question. Her choice of words however has your eyes widening.

Young Master Gojo? As in the heir being celebrated tonight?

“What’s going on?” she inquires further, a hint of annoyance dancing across her face. “You’re one of the prostitutes, are you not? You shouldn’t be out here with our Young Master.”

“It’s fine,” Satoru declares, effectively silencing the woman. “She’s here with me.”

The words catch in her throat, lips parted to speak but she has no say in the conversation. She swallows her distaste. “Your father is requesting your presence.”

Satoru closes his eyes, turning on his heel away from the pond to the servant’s side. Before you join them, you look back once more.

There, in the reflection of the moon, a breathtaking white koi appears. It swims in circles around the shape of the moon, disrupting the surface until you could make your own mirrored face.

…When did I start crying?

You wipe your tears away, careful to not smear away your makeup. You’re met with several glances upon your return to the courtyard, namely Botan’s harsh, heavy stare. They must be wondering why you’re following so closely to the heir after disappearing for some time. You would be too if you were them.

For the duration of the night, you keep your head low to avoid any further conflicts, performing only the duties expected of you. No one else bothered you, and by the end of the event, you felt free to breathe without fear.

To prepare for the journey home, the Gojo family allowed you to rest there for the night, and in the morning provided an adequate meal to satiate your hunger.

The route back is the same as you came, giving you the chance to stare off at the clouds. Only this time, it wasn’t so quiet with all the thoughts looming at the forefront of your mind.

Should you try and run, train to fight, or continue accepting the fate handed to you?

You almost ran away from it all once before, but your thoughts were different then.

What’s changed?

Back then, there was only you and the abyss calling out your name. Today, that bleak void was nowhere to be found. In its place was your family; those you desire to protect above anything else.

Is your freedom truly worth it if it means putting those you love at risk?

After several hours of travel, the caravan finally arrives back at the brothel. You can’t say you missed the place ─ more so hating that it provides a similar feeling of ease one would feel returning home.

But this is no home to you.

You spend some time helping to unpack, all before you receive a summons to the Rose Room. The fear of wait awaits you holds tight around your mind, body, and soul alike.

The air feels suffocating to breathe as you posture yourself before Hanami, clenching your nails to your palms in tight fists that threaten to draw blood.

Yet… you’re taken by surprise ─ praise even, for making a good impression on the heir to the Gojo Clan.

She is in fact aware of the incident before you met Satoru but is willing to forgive and forget in light of having a link to an excellent source of business. Funny how things can work out in the least expected of ways. Hanami freed you to return to your room having earned some peace and relaxation after a job well done.

You enter your room, turning to close the door when suddenly a pair of thick, muscular arms reach around and pull you flush against their body.

“Toji!?” You nearly yelp from his action if you hadn’t recognized his feeling beforehand. “What are you doing here? It’s the middle of the day!” you shout in a whisper to the man.

His chin falls to rest over the top of your head. There’s a subtle sound that fills your ears indicating that he’s inhaling the scent of your hair ─ of you.

“Missed ya last night.” You bring your hands up to his wrists, relaxing into his hold. “Wanted to make sure you were safe, and I was here when you got back.”

“I missed you too.” A soft smile graces your face. You let your thumb idly draw shapes over his skin, closing your eyes to enjoy the moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to tell you, it all happened so sudden.”

Toji lowers his head onto your shoulder, a low rumble coming off his throat in what could be viewed as a purring sound. “’s alright, hun. Where were ya, anyways?”

“The Gojo Clan,” you tell him, not missing how his body begins to tense.

There’s a brief silence that follows, leading up to him sighing into your ear. You can’t help the shiver that runs through you like lightning. “How’d it go?”

You clear your throat, regaining yourself before your knees give out. “It wasn’t too bad. I even met the heir ─ Satoru.”

Another sigh from the man, heavier this time.

Toji frees you from his grasp, navigating to an open cushion to sit on. “You met him?” he nearly growls with contempt, crinkling his nose.

“I did,” you start, moving to a spot closer to him. “He was…unique. I’m unsure whether to say he’s nice or plain arrogant, but I don’t think he’s a bad person.”

He rolls his eyes, “He’s a spoiled brat, that’s what.”

You question whether these are his own beliefs or that of the Zenins, assuming your earlier notion about rivalries between the founding families are accurate.

So much of what goes on within these clans and government affairs are shrouded in mystery ─ kept hidden away from the people of Japan. The most you’re aware of is the history of your country as taught to you in school, or when celebrations are held in honor of victorious battles. The phrase taught to you by your father years ago still holds true today.

“We must always pay our respects to them, and for their service.”

Who knows what truths lie hidden away to those closer to the source like the Zenins or the Gojos.

You change off this topic to lighten the mood, deciding to catch up on everything since your last meeting together with Toji like you two always do. You’re glad no one intruded on your time, feeling your heart heal with every laugh he grants you.

Later in the night, you share a kiss with Toji before waving him off. A promise to see each other again soon. You watch him slip away into the alleyway below your window, only needing to blink once before he’s gone and out of sight.

All the while, one other particular room receives their guest for the night.

“You’re here early, Daisuke,” the woman greets, her tone laced with sin. “What has you so excited? Is it me?”

“It’s as you believed, my dear.” The man lowers himself into his seat as the woman coils her way around him like a venomous snake. He downs a serving of liquor before a malignant grin stretches from ear to ear. “It’s time to make your move.”

☆ Notes: may or may not have been inspired by that one episode of apothecary diaries a few weeks ago. bless that anime for helping me with the immersion.

fr though this chapter was annoying as hell for me to write with trying to understand kid vs adult gojo personalities and the direction I wanted this to go especially for future events in the story. Had to rewrite this several times over before I was happy with it. Toji is one of the few characters whose personality I’m confident with in understanding.

☆ Taglist: @fandomtrash5092 @catmania-choco

#SURELY i can start working on the next chapter now #it's so easy for me to think of what i want to do but writing it is another thing #i'm so sorry

50 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 12 days

Text

Red Lights Red Flags

☆ Synopsis: After recently being sold to a brothel, your new life as a low-rank courtesan began. Try as you might to survive until your debt is paid off, life just keeps kicking you when you're already down. One day, you're tasked with serving none other than an infamous samurai by the name of Toji Zenin who makes you a promise he intends to keep.

☆ General Content: 18+ MDNI, f!reader, ronin!toji, courtesan!reader, AU - historical, forced prostitution, graphic violence/murder, implied/referenced alcohol, abuse, suicidal ideation, implied sexual assault (not by toji), pregnancy, eventual romance, hurt/comfort, heavy angst, domestic fluff, mutual pining, dubious morality, period-typical sexism, trauma, implied/referenced character death, eventual happy ending

Masterlist | AO3

Chapter 1 - Services

Chapter 2 - Marigold

Chapter 3 - Shadows

Chapter 4 - Trust

Chapter 5 - Gold

Chapter 6 - Memories

Chapter 7 - Moonlight

Chapter 8 - WIP

#toji fushiguro #jjk #jjk toji #toji zenin #jujutsu kaisen #toji x reader #jjk au #toji x female reader #toji fushiguro x reader #toji x you #courtesan!reader #ronin!toji

73 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 12 days

Text

welcome to the revised version of light in the dark <333 i am sorry to whiplash you all with not only a new title but also a whole new color scheme 💀

as far as the changes go, we went from 22k to 34.5k overall words so while the plot did NOT change, i do recommend giving it another reread because i am very happy with how it came out and i'm super excited for the path i'm going with this story now! if you notice any mistakes, please do let me know, this was a lot to fix and reupload in one afternoon

In the Shadows of Love

Chapter 1 - Green Flag

Masterlist | Next Chapter ->

☆ Synopsis: You've lived most of your life trying to convince yourself that you're happy, but let's face it, you're far from it. Time continues to pass you by, leaving you feeling stuck — losing hope that life will ever get better.

That is, until a new neighbor and his son move into the vacant spot next-door.

☆ Content: 18+ MDNI, depression, fluff, angst, insecure/intrusive thoughts, mentions of smoking

☆ Word Count: 3.9k

Four in the morning. That’s the time displayed on your phone.

For many, that’s roughly the time others wake up, gearing up for a day of work or school. You however, that’s when you hope to be asleep by. The time just before the sun has a chance to peak above the horizon or the birds start their morning symphony.

It wasn’t always this way, nor do you remember when this routine became your norm. You tell yourself the life of a night owl is one of ease ─ a better way to live. You have unintentionally conditioned yourself into this lifestyle without knowing any better, and even then, you still can’t deny the positives feelings you get from it.

The nights feel as though they move slower than the day, and to you, it beats the alternative of selling your soul away to the 9-5 corporate job. Sure, you still had to go out and get a job ─ it’s an inevitable in life to those born without generational wealth to fall back on. Instead of some soul-crushing office job, you chose to become a model.

Not some high fashion runway Vogue or Louis Vuitton model, of course; that’d be a bit too much for your self-esteem to handle. Nor would you even want to be one, either.

You chose the side of modeling that gears more towards marketing, styling, or the occasional photoshoot here and there, but overall, as much work-from-home as you can get.

Your days typically begin sometime in the afternoon.

A cycle of waking up, feeding your cat, work, chores, whatever else you need to do before a night of indulging yourself with all your many hobbies before starting the cycle all over again.

Reality can be a blur at times with late night thoughts that make you question if you’re truly happy with how things are or if that’s just what you tell yourself to get through to tomorrow.

Putting your phone down on your nightstand, you made yourself comfy beneath layers of blankets in the highlight of your home, your bed.

Sleep is one thing you always look forward to. No thinking necessary or responsibility, just allowing your many dreams to consume you and feed that lust for adventure life can’t guarantee you. You’re more than ready to see what awaits you tonight. Maybe you’ll see dragons and knights, four-armed monsters and cursed beings, the possibilities are endless.

What more could you want?

All your hopes for that and more come crashing down when you wake with a jolt after having just fallen asleep, only to hear that the crash wasn’t a metaphor.

You groan, your voice burdened by your tired state. “Nooo, Tsumiki… come back– fuck.”

You stretch your arm out, feeling for your cat who decided to ditch you from the sudden noise and into one of her many hiding spots. The time on your phone now reads nine in the morning ─ a painful reminder to the cons of being nocturnal.

You’re the minority.

Through the thin walls of the old apartment building you live in, you can faintly make out whoever is disturbing your vampiric slumber, “What do you think, kid?” Their voice is deep, and smooth like honey yet ignites goosebumps down your back.

But wait, kid? As in a child?

Wouldn’t that be your luck.

You’ve been safe for a while with one side of your walls being vacant, but it seems luck has run out, and with a family no less. You only hope their day-to-day noise level is less than that of all the boxes and furniture being thrown around every second.

And just like that, your spare pillow is now your new best friend, sandwiched between your head and your arm to drown out the world.

At some point you managed to fall asleep again ─ if you can even call it that. A better description would be the state in-between, where you’re barely conscious yet still able to rest. By three in the afternoon, the alarm on your phone is your second rude awakening.

So much for any dreamworld adventures to make you forget the crushing weight of reality.

It’s beyond tempting to hit snooze and give it another shot, and maybe you could this time around, given the lack of noise emanating from the other side of the walls. Tsumiki however, says otherwise. With pinpoint accuracy, her tiny paws dig harshly into your bladder and every other vital organ as she impatiently mewls for her afternoon feast.

“Fine, I’m getting up,” you drawl out with a sigh, throwing aside the covers to your oh so warm cocoon…

No, no. Tsumiki needs her breakfast. Her needs always come first before your own, no matter what.

You crack open a can of wet food, adding in all your special additives to ensure she’s getting everything healthy her growing body needs. Once she’s good to go, you follow up with your own lackluster toaster meal, devoid of any extravagant sides. A trip to the grocery store is in order, but that can wait until after you’ve finished your work for the day.

Nothing beats getting all your chores done in the hours after waking up. That way, the rest of your day (read: night) is all for yourself and no one else. What better way to get everything finished too than by singing along to all your favorite songs with the occasional break to stretch.

By seven at night, you’re finished and dressed for the store. Some days you can bring yourself to look the part of a model, other times ─ like today ─ you’re too exhausted to care. So, you fit yourself in your choice of comfy clothes, designed by laziness, and without so much as a red sole on your preferred footwear. You’re going to the store after all, not some Hollywood premiere.

A glance through your peephole reveals an empty hallway, perfect for your liking. The less neighbors you have to pass by or talk to, the better. Once past the threshold, you spot the remnants of boxes just next-door, further proving to your dismay that you’re now stuck with someone on both sides of your home. Getting down the stairs and out the building proves just as easy. Excellent timing on your part to avoid homebound traffic, earning some peace and quiet on your walk to and from the store.

So you hope, at least.

On a better day you would’ve chosen an actual grocery store to go to, but for now, the closest convenience store will have to do. They’re convenient for a reason, might as well utilize it.

Despite only buying enough to last a few days, at best, you still end up with your arms full on the trip back. Each step you take leaves you cursing under your breath for not being able to afford a car. The world’s too expensive for a young, single woman without any family to get help from.

It’s already hard enough leaving the safety net of your home, and your tired arms now feel as if they’re ready to fall off. To top everything off, a lone man comes into sight, resting on the stairs to your building with a cigarette in hand.

He doesn’t look familiar, and in fact, a closer look from the nearby lighting reveals that he’s… actually quite handsome. Hell, he could be a model if he wanted to, and you’d be surprised if he wasn’t one already. His black hair falls neatly over his face, his physique unmatched from what you see around the hems of his black sweater. The scar down his lip adds an air of mystery, that at the same time raises some alarms in your head.

There’s always the chance he lives in the building. It’s not like you’re familiar with every tenant in the complex. But at the same time as previously established, you’re a young woman who’s walking all by herself, long after sunset. Anyone can be a murderer or kidnapper for all you know.

Best to just avoid him, and hope for the best.

You attempt to shuffle by him up the stairs, keeping your head held down and away, but his voice stops you right in your tracks sending a chill down your spine, “Need a hand with those?” He gestures to your bag with the hand that holds the foul cancer stick. There’s something familiar about him, but you can’t place it just yet. Not when your anxiety is shooting sky-high.

The bags tremble slightly in your arms as you turn partially to the man. “N-no, I uh…” You thickly swallow, mumbling softly after, “I’m okay, thanks.”

You move to continue up the stairs, but misplace your foot, fixing to tumble downwards only to be caught just in time by a pair of hands on each side of your shoulders.

“Woah, easy there. I don’t mind helping, doll,” he insists. You don’t protest when he reaches for the bags in one arm, too frozen in place to react beyond budding embarrassment. He opens the door to the building but stops, looking back at you. “You comin’?”

“Y-yeah.”

Great instincts, now let’s hope he’s not about inflict every crime in the book there is upon you. Ending up on the morning news in a body bag is not the type of modeling you had in mind.

His green eyes follow your form as you walk past him, silently thanking him for being chivalrous enough to hold the door open. You take the lead up the stairs, trying not to make it too obvious when looking back over your shoulder, praying he doesn’t pull a gun on you.

The smart choice would be to lead him to some other home in the building. For instance, someone that you’re familiar with to offer a sense of security. Unfortunately, you have about as many friends as you do cats.

Which in this case is… one. If you can even call your boss a friend.

Perfect.

The man quirks a brow as you arrive in front of apartment 4-C, your home. “Huh, looks like we’re neighbors.” He nudges his head to 4-D, the previously vacant housing. “Just moved in today,” he adds.

“Oh,” you reply, visibly stunned. Well that alleviates more of your worries and explains the familiarity you felt. The voice you had heard earlier in the day belongs to him. “I guess we are,” you laugh nervously, stumbling to unlock your door with unsteady hands.

You step inside, keeping the door parted for him to enter. He wastes no time following after, placing the bags down on the countertop in the kitchen alongside your own. Tsumiki runs into the room moments after, stopping to take a cautious sniff of the man’s ankle.

“Who’s this?” he asks, leaning down to pet the now-purring kitten with one thick digit. “Friendly cat you’ve got here.”

“Her name is Tsumiki,” you tell him, still unable to help how meek you sound. You can’t help but feel a bit more at ease with your cat’s quick approval of the man.

There’s a low hum from his throat with approval, “Cute name.” He picks her up into his arms, huffing out of amusement at all the air biscuits she starts making with her tiny little paws. His eyes meet yours unexpectedly, about stunning you in the process. “What’s yours?”

“Huh?”

He simpers. “Your name?”

You avert your gaze to your groceries, playing with the fabric of your sleeves as you tell him your name, no louder than a whisper.

“Even cuter,” he remarks, thankfully not making any comments on how flustered you must look right about now. He does wink however, not that you’re even looking his way to see it, but he does.“Name’s Toji Fushiguro.”

“Nice to meet you, Toji.” You offer up a smile, trying to keep your voice steady. “Thanks for helping with the bags, by the way.”

Toji’s eyes spark with subtle interest. “Told you it wouldn’t be a problem.” He pauses, momentarily looking around. “Guess I should get goin’ now before I’m late for work.”

At this time of night? Though it’s not like you’re one to talk, let’s be real.

He places Tsumiki gently back onto the ground, turning back to leave. You end up having to pick her back up in order to stop her attempt at escaping with him.

Betrayed by your own cat.

He tells you his goodbyes, turning the key into his own home, finalizing the fact that he is your new neighbor and not some degenerate criminal. Well, hopefully. You never know these days.

Maybe this whole thing won’t be so bad after all.

Tsumiki meows with evident disappointment, pawing away at your front door once back inside. It looks as though Tsumiki’s deemed him a green flag with her pawprint seal of approval. “Well, you seem to like him. Don’t you, girl?” She meows in response, and you can only imagine what her mews translate to in your tongue. The most likely answer would be a series of complaints for not making him stay longer to give her more attention like you don’t do that enough.

The remainder of your night is spent as usual, mostly tucked away on the couch, enjoying some quality TV time and whatever else you like to do. Tsumiki’s bakery works wonders on your stomach, kneading and purring away until the covers of sleep pull themselves up and over you, whisking you off to the world of dreams.

The next day starts with a slew of curses leaving your mouth that could put a sailor to shame.

Your sleep deprivation caught up to you with impeccably awful timing, paired with a few missed calls from your boss, and a voicemail to match.

“I apologize for how late notice this is, but I need you in the office at three o’clock. We have a meeting with a prospective client, and they would like to meet you.”

Your eyes dart to the time registered on your phone as you listen in. The meeting is at 3 and it’s… 3:30.

Lovely.

You shoot up from the couch and into some much nicer clothing and whatever makeup you can scrounge to cover the bags resting below your eyes. With your purse in hand, there’s no time to even think about running into a neighbor as you leave. You exit the building like a bat out of hell, flying past Toji and his son on the sidewalk without even realizing.

He calls out your name, but you don’t respond nor even hear it over the sound of blood rushing in your ears, drowning out any and all outside noise.

His son looks on with confusion at the scene. “Rabbit…”

Toji stifles a laugh, “Might as well be one.” He follows you with his eyes, panning down to see that you’re running in heels of all things. It’s a wonder how a set of stairs almost got you the night before.

You aren’t sure how long you’ve been running for. Being as late as you are, there wasn’t any time to order a ride. At the very least, it’s not like your agency is situated in the heart of the downtown, so getting there by foot is doable.

By the time you do arrive, the client is long gone, and other employees are leaving their shifts as well. You make yourself as presentable as you can in what seconds you have to spare before entering his office to hear everything you missed.

In the midst of the discussion, you apologize, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Nanami. I swear it won’t happen again.”

“No matter,” his exhale comes in the form of a sigh. “The client is willing to excuse it this time, and it’s fortunate they still wish to advance to the next step with us.” For a second, you can see some underlying frustration in his eyes, believing yourself to be the cause. “There will be consequences if this happens again, I do hope you understand.”

You lower your head in shame. “Y-yes sir ─ thank you…”

Even if it it’s true your sleep was disrupted the day before from outside of your control, you still feel as though you’re the only one to blame. You could’ve set more alarms, taken a nap ─ or better, not stayed up till dawn.

You’re snapped from your thoughts by a hand on your shoulder. “Don’t stress, this will be good opportunity for you,” he reassures. “Now go home and rest, I’ll be in contact.” You nod, taking your leave from the office.

You take your time on the walk home, losing yourself in your mind once more. Staying up at night to enjoy the silence is nice and all, but is it worth setting yourself back? You can’t afford to lose your job, or worse, not be able to afford your bills and all of Tsumiki’s food and care.

Speaking of which, food was one of the last things on your mind, but upon seeing the neon lights of the convenient store, your stomach growls on cue.

“…Guess I’ll grab something then,” you mutter to yourself.

You scan each aisle, grabbing a few simple snacks, and eventually coming across a comfort food that would taste perfect right about now in place of a full meal. It’s nothing too fancy or expensive, just enough to quell your noisy stomach and anxious body.

“You were in a hurry this afternoon,” a gruff voice sounds from behind you. It startles you, enough so that you lose your grip on the item in your hands. Toji catches it effortlessly, observing the contents in his hand. “Shit, didn’t mean to scare you.”

You take a moment to catch your breath, letting the vicious thumping of your heart calm down enough to speak. “It’s okay, I’m sorry.”

Toji gives you a questioning look, examining your appearance with emerald eyes that practically see right through you. “Something happen?” he inquires.

“Oh, uh– it’s nothing important.” You wave him off, shifting your head to the side. You almost forget he’s even still holding onto your food when the next thing you know, he’s putting it into his own basket alongside whatever else he’s buying. “Um, Toji?”

“My treat.” He winks, moving ahead down the aisle expecting you to keep up.

“I can’t let you do that, it’s too much,” you plead.

“Doll, this is nothing,” he claims. “It won’t break the bank for me.”

You don’t try and argue further, resorting to pouting when he turns his back to you to grab a few other items. With this view, you’re able to take in more of his appearance.

This time, instead of black sweats, he’s fitted in dark jeans, an equally dark shirt, boots, and muted olive parka that goes wonderfully with his eyes. You had noticed his scar looked rougher up close, with a few more hide away on his skin, out of sight. Toji looks over his shoulder, inadvertently catching you staring at him. You blush, quickly averting your gaze to the ice cream selection at your side.

After checking out, you thank him, sticking close to his side on route back to your shared apartment complex. Toji stays silent for the first few blocks, occasionally glancing in your direction without you even realizing, as you do the same.

Normally you’d be content with the peace, but your mind says otherwise even if you have no clue what to talk about. He ends up being the first to speak up anyways, “What do you do for work?”

You figure he must be asking based on how your appearance, especially when you know now that he spotted you earlier. “I work in the fashion industry, mainly advertising…” your voice trails off into a more meek tone, “…also some modeling gigs here and there, believe it or not.”

He hums, acknowledging your words while sparing another glance filled with newfound curiosity. Given your self-confidence, you’re not quite sure what to make of the stare, wondering if he’s silently judging you.

“W-what about you?” you ask, mentally scolding yourself for stuttering.

“I’m a bartender over at a joint called Star Plasma. You should come by if you ever want a drink, I’ll make it special for you.” He briefly pauses, keeping his eyes directed at you while scratching the back of his neck. “You look like you could use one, did somethin’ happen?”

You stop dead in your tracks, looking down at the concrete path below. He stops just in front of you, half-turning to see the glossy coating on your eyes. “I…kind of got in trouble at work, all because of a stupid mistake.” One called not setting a proper alarm or having your phone not set to silent, you later realized.

“I know all about that,” he responds, and in a way, it’s reassuring. “Can’t be that bad if you still have a job, right?”

“Yeah, I suppose,” you slowly exhale. The next words out of your mouth are barely that of a whisper, almost completely inaudible, “I’m hating myself for it…”

Toji doesn’t say anything in the immediate moment, turning his head up to the flickering streetlamp overhead. After a minute he goes on to say, “Don’t beat yourself up, we all make mistakes.”

Tell that to a perfectionist.

“Come on then,” he urges. “Before the ice cream melts.”

You continue walking, muttering, “Right, sorry.”

“Don’t be, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

The two of you are quiet the rest of the way home. Once outside the front doors of your respective apartments, he holds out one of the bags for you to take.

“Here you go,” he says as you accept it from his hands. “I threw in a thing of ice cream too. Figured you might like some with the way you were staring earlier.” He smirks.

You glance into the bag and find a small tub of your favorite flavor tucked away. Your mouth parts in shock, the surprise evident on your features. “How did you know I like this flavor?”

“Lucky guess, I’m glad it paid off.”

Toji’s front door suddenly opens from the inside, and a young boy comes running out, latching onto the older man’s leg. One look is all it takes to see that he’s the spitting image of his father, save for the trademark scar on the lip and hair kept under control. The boy sees you and decides to shield himself behind his father, peering around his leg with a cautious expression.

“Megumi,” Toji kneels down, rubbing his hand along the course of his son’s spikey hair. “Meet our new neighbor,” he says, your name punctuating the sentence.

You smile, lowering yourself to his level. “Hi Megumi, it’s nice to meet you,” you greet.

He shuffles more behind Toji’s leg, and you can’t blame him for being nervous around strangers. He mumbles out, “Rabbit lady,” before darting back inside his home, leaving you surprised.

Toji eyes the door, sighing, “Sorry about that, he’s shy around new people.”

“No worries, he’s adorable,” you softly giggle, standing back up to normal height. “Thanks again for the food.”

Toji looks at you with slightly wider eyes, stunned by the sudden display of laughter. “Yeah, no problem. I’ll see you around then, neighbor.”

You wave goodbye, entering your own home and greeting Tsumiki who must’ve heard you through the door given how she’s right there waiting. Toji was right about the ice cream. Between that and the conversation you had with him; you’re already starting to feel better about the earlier turmoil.

Maybe being neighbors with him won’t be so bad after all.

☆ Notes: During my revision of this series, I gotta admit that my original upload was messy as HELL... i had waaay too many ideas and no cohesive plan for where i wanted the plot but that's all fixed now and i'm super excited for how this series will develop over time and i hope you all enjoy the new version of this series!

sorry for the name change whiplash btw, i've been thinking for a while that "light in the dark" was a little too basic and then thought of this new one on a whim so here we are :)

#jjk #toji fushiguro #jjk toji #jujutsu kaisen #jjk au #toji x female reader #toji fushiguro x reader #toji zenin #toji x reader #toji x you #megumi fushiguro

136 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 12 days

Text

In the Shadows of Love

That is, until a new neighbor and his son move into the vacant spot next-door.

☆ General Content: 18+ MDNI, f!reader, model!reader, soft toji, AU - no curses, emotional hurt/comfort, depression, eventual romance, slow burn, mutual pining, gangs/gang violence, mentions of smoking/alcohol, infertility, implied/referenced self-harm, suicide ideation, angst, domestic fluff

Masterlist | AO3

Chapter 1 - Green Flag

Chapter 2 - Rabbit

Chapter 3 - Night Owl

Chapter 4 - Debut

Chapter 5 - Imperfections

Chapter 6 - Vega

Chapter 7 - WIP

Previously Titled: Light in the Dark

#jjk #jjk toji #toji fushiguro #toji zenin #jujutsu kaisen #toji x reader #jjk au #toji x female reader #toji fushiguro x reader #toji x you #model!reader

84 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 15 days

Text

OKAY I'm like this 🤏 close to being done with the revamp. just have to proofread but otherwise the posts will be updated this weekend hopefully!

the word count for the series has literally gone from 22k to 34k and I'm much happier with the result so bear with me please if you wanna read it💀

having a bit of a writer's block atm so in an effort to curb that and do something, I'm working on rewording some of my earlier chapters of red lights and light in the dark ✌There won't be any huge changes in the plot-line for each chapter so rereading won't be a requirement, and it's definitely not all going to happen overnight

#cant wait to get back to our regular chapter updates #this writing shit is hard but im trying #lowkey want to start a sukuna fic on the side....#lilith posts

4 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 18 days

Text

WIP 》 pay attention to his eyes...

| I would like to say a lot but I'm just going to smile because of what happens in this scene 🤣

#he's so pretty i want to die #i love how flowy and curly his hair is aaaaaa #one of these days i'm writing a sukuna x reader cause i have IDEAS #lilith reblogs #sukuna art #ryoumen sukuna

642 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 24 days

Text

don't kill me but i'm like halfway through light in the dark 💀 this is taking a lot longer than i expected (this series needed a lot more restructuring) but it definitely feels worth it to me :3

#sometimes i write 300 words in 3 hours and other times 3k words #at least it's helping me see where i have problems #lilith posts

4 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 29 days

Text

INVERSE FUNCTION (1)

yandere sukuna x fem!reader; stalking; insp: this song [pls listen to this after reading]

divider by @benkeibear; jjk isn't mine; pls don't plagiarise/translate/repost this ❤️❤️

Sukuna is hooked on you.

He has no idea since when, why or how– but he has a very good idea of the degree he is hooked on you— each and every small bit of you–

Your sleepy face, first thing in the morning as you open the windows to your room, and stare at the sky then the empty street below. Your peppy walk out the apartment, not even an hour later as you head to your classes, always so punctual– so neatly, cutely dressed.

The warm smiles you offer everyone you come across— be it the kids waiting for their bus, the florist, the barista who serves you coffee, or the many classmates you've whenever you step into the class, words of greeting leaving you and brightening the room, more than the sun.

And not to mention the endearing look of concentration your pretty features wear, when the classes start.

Sukuna swears he has to actively, very painfully, restrain himself from walking right up to you and kissing your face off, each and every time your eyebrows gather together and your lips pucker into a pout– only for your teeth to sink into your lower lip not a moment later, the flesh there growing angry red, deliciously so, as you continue taking notes of the lecture.

Although... the man thinks his favourite look on you has got to be the one you wear in the evening: when the classes are over, when all your friends have finally left, when you're by yourself, no longer smiling as brightly as you do. Seeming so tired, so very fragile, as you trudge on the darkening streets back to your flat...

It makes something weird, but not wholly unpleasant, curl up within his chest. So strong that it makes him want to pick up into his arms, and keep you there forever, safe and sound and well-rested. Forever with him, tucked in the safety of his embrace—

Sukuna is not too sure, but he thinks this feeling might be why he has suddenly decided to break into your house today, instead of watching you from afar like he has always done. Or maybe, just maybe...

Watching you from a distance is no longer enough for him.

He has to enter the place you call 'home'.

He has to soak up every drop, memorise every fleck of your life here.

Starting from the random tiny doodles scribbled on the canary yellow walls— to the thick hardcover books and notebooks in neat stacks on the sofa, the table, the floor— to the pressure cooker kept on the oval burner of your gas stove— to the queen-size bed in a floral bed sheet, visible if he walks past the translucent screen between your bedroom and living room— to the sketchbook lying on the bed– its pages filled with– filled with–

Sketches Of Him!?!?

Him working in the garage on a car. Him smoking at the bus stop you travel from. Him dozing in class, head propped up on a fist. Him busy eating sandwiches, binoculars on the bench beside as his gaze stays somewhere above—

The sketchbook is filled with drawings of him, him, and only him—

Something stirs and stutters and stomps on his sternum; albeit he is unsure why. Is it the fact that he finally realises he is standing right in the middle of your bedroom– the most intimate place in your life? Or is it because he is staring at these many sketches your dainty fingers have made of him– so beautiful, so careful, so unlike him?

Can it be the unease clawing at him, stemming from your knowledge of him being in places close to you, where and when he should never be? Or– maybe or– is it the thrill tingling his fingers, when he realises, you too have been at places close to him, where and when you must never ever be...

A door opens and shuts behind him.

Sukuna swerves back to find you standing outside your bathroom, in nothing but a flimsy nightgown, hair still soaking wet whilst the towel hangs off your bare shoulders.

Your eyes jump from him to the sketchbook in his hand then to him— before crinkling into two pretty half-crescents as you smile... Sort of–

"Tea or coffee, stranger?"

follow the series here 🥰🥰 // masterlist

#love this kind of dark content #lilith reblogs #sukuna x reader

893 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 29 days

Text

colored these sketches using different ways for no reason

I think it looks fine J:

#he's so pretty i want to lick him all over #ryoumen sukuna #sukuna art #lilith reblogs

4K notes · View notes

fushipurro · 30 days

Text

Sukuna is babygirl and I will not be taking further questions at this time.

#so true #lilith reblogs #sukuna art #ryoumen sukuna

224 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 1 month

Text

UPDATE: I have finished going through the first six chapters to bring it up to my current writing standards. As mentioned before, the plot did NOT change, this was just a healthy/overdue rewording.

It's not required to reread for future chapters, but I do recommend it since I added more details and dialogues since now I know where the story is going and how it will end <3 I am MUCH happier with the results

will work on doing the same for light in the dark next week! I considered doing the same for lessons in love, but I'll leave that alone as a testament to how far my writing has come since starting my fanfic journey.

apologies for chapters delays!

Red Lights Red Flags

Chapter 1 - Services

Masterlist | Next Chapter ->

☆ Content: 18+ MDNI, f!reader, historical AU, ronin!toji, courtesan!reader, forced prostitution, graphic violence, implied/referenced alcohol, abuse, suicidal ideation, sexual assault (none of these are because of Toji), pregnancy, eventual romance, hurt/comfort, murder, angst with a happy ending

☆ Word Count: 4k

It wasn’t all that long ago you began working as a courtesan in the Red-Light District ─ or rather ─ forced to become one.

This was never the life you envisioned yourself having. Growing up, surrounded by family, life was simple, easy, without any complaints until your mother passed away from an illness that plagued her years before her demise.

It’s because of this tragic part of your history that your father decided to drink his misery away, finding solace in the embrace of courtesans at the very establishment he sold you to. “You’re the spitting image of her,” was about all he could say before handing you off to your new life.

A voice shouts your name from the kitchen, “Come here and help deliver this tray to the VIP room!”

As you’ve come to learn through rather forceful methods, you’re in no position to argue or even think of denying. So, without a moment to breathe, you enter the kitchen and receive the tray containing one of the more intricate dishes the brothel has to offer. No doubt there’s an important guest present, several even given the other low-ranked courtesans gathered alongside you.

You and the other unfortunate souls make haste to the designated room, arriving before a set of hand-painted shoji doors that detail an assortment of vibrant flowers ─ the primary theme for this particular brothel. The leader of the group announces your arrival before sliding the doors open, politely bowing upon entry. You follow suit, taking note to the identity of the clientele.

The Zenin Clan.

One of the three largest clans in this section of Japan, gifted in brute force military talent to enforce the everyday laws of Emperor Tengen. Their appearance here is commonplace, mainly reserved to courtesans higher up the chain. It’s rumored they discuss their plans for war within these walls, and that it’s preferred for them over the sanctuary of their own estate. Something about their “family pride” and other misogynistic values you’re barely able to stomach for appearance’s sake.

This is your first time even being in the room with such highly valued guests, and a heavy reminder to not make any blunders or there will be hell to pay.

You are among the last to enter the room, with only one Zenin still awaiting a tray. A man bearing a loose, dark colored robe and an equally dark head of hair. He has his face turned towards the courtesan at his side, hiding the rest of his features from you. But of everyone in the room, he seems the most out of place. Going as far as to ignore the banters of his family to focus solely on the woman clinging to his arm.

Slowly, you approach, taking notice that it’s not just any woman at his side, but one of the few elite courtesans the brothel has to offer. Botan, a youthful beauty that holds the imagery title of the peony flower to distinguish her from the rest. She’s leaning heavily into the Zenin man, forcing his arm to rest between the valley of her breasts with eyes ignited in playful lust.

While setting the tray of food and sake in front of the man, the peony’s gaze flickers to you, her expression turning to one of disdain. “About time,” she sneers, raising the sleeve of her loosely tied kimono to cover the arrogant smile on her face. “We can’t keep our favorite guests waiting now, can we?”

“My deepest apologies, Master Zenin.” Your voice is meek, bowing until your forehead meets the tatami mat below.

You hear a scoff from the woman. “Leave us,” she spits with added aggression, and you have no choice but to oblige. While making your exit, a brief flash of green hits you that causes you to falter, if only for a moment before the sliding doors come to a complete close.

Your shift for the remainder of the night is as usual. Equal parts cleaning and servicing other customers. It’s a relatively tame night as far as standards go, and in all honesty, not everything about this line of work is the stuff of nightmares.

There are however plenty of times where it is, and those are the nights that truly haunt you. Men who come through the front doors looking only for a pretty enough face they can ruin, going as far as they’d like so long as you’re able to function again the following night. You’ve had the displeasure of being one of those poor souls one too many times. Some courtesans do well to hide the pain or take pleasure in some twisted way over it, but you? It’s become much too hard to ignore the dark thoughts that linger in your mind, pulling you into an abyss the longer you allow yourself to even entertain the idea.

You didn’t want to be here. Not now and not ever.

You miss your mother, your siblings, sometimes even the father that casted you aside for a bottle of sake. And now all that’s left is for you to drown in this horrifying decadence.

While preparing yourself in one of the communal rooms, you hear the proprietor calling your name. “You’re needed in the Peony Room. Now.”

Botan?

“Uhh– right away, Hanami!”

One thing to note about this brothel is that nearly all the courtesans named after flowers also have their own personal room. It’s a given for the higher ranks, and seldomly so for the other flowers. For a low rank like you to be invited to the Peony Room of all places has your stomach twisting into knots.

This can’t end well.

Nevertheless, you make your way over to her room, easily found by the hand-painted peonies across the sliding doors and the carving of one on a sign above the framing. You take a bow, announcing yourself before entering the room.

“Finally, someone shows up,” hisses the courtesan. You’re unable to see anything other than your view of the tatami mat, but Botan most definitely rolled her eyes. “My lovely guests have been waiting too long for some entertainment. Play us some music, would you?” She adds on with a smile that’s anything but genuine.

“My apologies for the wait, esteemed guests,” you murmur, deepening your bow.

Before Botan has a chance to say anything more, another voice chimes up with a much deeper, more gravely tone, “Lift your head.”

You do, and you’re met once again with a pair of green eyes that tug on something deep in your heart for whatever unknown reason. Only now are you able to see his features in full. Raven hair drapes down over said greenery, a pointed nose with a chiseled jawline, and most interesting to you is the scar brandishing the side of his lip.

He looks to you with a narrow, intimidating gaze, deep in thought but with a hint of softness buried even deeper. At his side is man who is undoubtably not a member of the Zenin Clan, perhaps even a foreigner. The Zenin tonight wears a navy-blue robe, while the other adorns a soft shade of brown similar to his own hair and stubble.

Entertaining guests with the art of music is one of the few parts of this lifestyle you can safely say you enjoy. There’s no need for polite conversations, hard scrubbing, or forced prostitution. Just you and the sounds your fingertips create to ease the atmosphere. Your instrument of choice for the night is the Koto, and you have a feeling the Zenin approves from the way his eyes refuse to leave you.

A few times they meet yours, and you have to be careful lest the nervousness take over and you miss a note. More and more, Botan’s gaze burns into you as even she has trouble holding the attention of the man at her side. He lets her hang off him but does nothing to reciprocate besides idle chatter mostly geared towards the man named Shiu Kong. Much to Botan’s dismay, neither end up staying the night for any sort of romance, and that only adds to the fire burning beneath your feet.

“Thank you for your patronage,” is what you and the other courtesans say to the men, bowing as they exit the room. After a few moments, you’re tugged back harshly by your hair.

“Lowly bitch!” she spits, tugging at your hair as you bring your hands up to her wrists, only for them to be slapped away. “Toji is mine, you hear? Stick to the pigs better off for someone like you!”

“Hanami told me to come here!” you protest, further proving your thoughts from earlier. As if you would want to spend the night with the jealous peony herself over any other courtesan.

A harsh slap comes down upon your face, leaving behind the feeling of fire from her hand. “You don’t get to talk back to me! Don’t you dare forget where you rank here.” She huffs, giving you the most disgusted face riddled with envy despite hownone of this was in your control. “Get out of my sight.” It’s an order you’re more than happy to accept, clutching the burning flesh of your cheek and trailing tears as you rush out.

(cw: implied non-con | skip to next line break to avoid)

Every brothel in the Red-Light District comes with their own set of rules and a hierarchy, so to speak. All about maintaining positions of power or holding sway over the people; it’s a whole other level of depravity that goes beyond sexual favors. At the end of the day, human nature and negativity always comes back to one thing, and one thing only.

Greed.

That’s why despite the fact that Hanami is the owner and proprietor, if one of her best moneymakers comes to her with a proposition that offers zero chance of impacting her funds, she’ll gladly accept. In this situation, Botan’s envious nature stoops to an even lower level.

It wasn’t enough that she needed to reprimand you through physical force, but she felt the need to ─ as she so kindly put it ─ remember your place.

Your workload increased exponentially the following week. If something needed to be done, you were the first (and only) one given the task. Hanami had her own discussion with you, highlighting just how disappointed she is that your presence is bad for Botan’s business. Even though really, how is it any bit your fault?

The cherry on top of this are all the distasteful customers being sent your way to deal with. Drunken, egotistical scum of the Earth who on normal circumstances would be sent away for some other brothel to deal with, but not anymore. “You want to make up for Botan’s business, don’t you?” As if you aren’t the one shouldering a pile of a debt.

This agonizing week grows longer by the minute, and the light at the end of the tunnel seems as distant as the stars above. The awful thoughts in your head have returned tenfold tonight, glued to the forefront of your mind like your soul was thrown into a pit of brambles, thorns wrapped tightly around your body until the water runs red.

“Quit your squirming, whore!” one of the men shouts, following up with a resounding clap to your face when dared to so much as whine. “Fucking bitch.”

The other three in the room chuckle, each of them reaching out to stake claim on your body in an effort to hold you down. Screams and cries were futile attempts.

No one will save you.

These men are infamous to the district, barred from entering the premises of a dozen shops and counting but tonight, their business is a treat for Hanami and the root of your torture. As long as she makes her money and her highest ranked flowers are happy, you’re just discarded meat for the wolves to feast.

This night went on for several hours until the light of dawn came and faded away those very twinkling lights you’ve come to memorize, round after round of pleasing each of the four. By the end of it, you’re bloodied and bruised, unmoving from your spot on the floor. To say your appearance is disheveled is an understatement for the horrors you had to bear head on.

A few other courtesans near your rank in blue came to check on you afterwards. Enough to set you upright and help clean you off, but not enough to stick around and become the next target for Botan’s fury.

So much for the love, honor, and happiness a peony flower offers.

Not even the suffering of the previous night is enough to spare you another night of pleasuring clients.

Hanami’s cursed soul reigns supreme, making sure your skin is peppered in fair-colored powders to hide any hideous marks and tainting your worth. It’s one thing to let you be on the receiving end, but another let it get in the way of making her money.

You’ve had enough, you decided. After tonight, one way or another, you will find a way out of this hellhole.

For now, you were instructed to head over to where you’ll service your client for the night, someone who ensured they’d have you all to themselves that entire time to come. The feeling of dread is endless in your body as you make your approach, and every bang and cry along the way sends panic to your heart and the need to take a breather.

To you, it felt like an eternity kneeling outside the plainly patterned doors to whatever demon is awaiting you inside. Just one more night, becomes a mantra through hushed whispers, inspiring the confidence to finally present yourself to the maw of man.

“Lift your head.”

You comply, and faster than you normally ever would to meet the green eyes of Toji Zenin for the third time in only a week. You fearfully glance around to discern who else is in the room, but you come to find that it’s just the two of you.

His expression is unreadable as ever, but he pats the tatami at his side to beckon you closer. “Come here,” he says, with your name punctuating his command.

Like a trained puppy, you approach, sitting neatly and folded ─ albeit tense and riddled with stress. Within that moment, his hand reaches out and causes you to flinch, shutting your eyes tightly to avoid what you feel is coming.

You fully expect pain to follow, but the soft grace of his fingers under your jaw begs to differ. You feel the heat of his breath as he draws himself closer, but to your surprise, there is no clash of lips to signal any erotic advances.

Slowly, you open your eyes, tensing when they meet with his own. It sends a strange feeling similar to electricity through your body, like old nerves reigniting from a familiar sense. He turns your head with his hand, as if analyzing your features. Jade homing in on areas makeup fails to cover given the damage inflicted upon you.

He doesn’t say anything when he releases the feather-light grip on your face, nor when he leans back into his seat to give you some space. You’re unsure what to say, but given what anyone else who comes here desires, you can all but guess as you begin undoing your robes with eager to get this night done and over with.

However, the same hand used to hold your face return over your own, stopping you from further undressing. He shakes his head. “I didn’t call you here for this.”

“I-I’m sorry, Sir…”

You lean back, attempting to fix your robes in a fit of embarrassment and even panic. Did you do something wrong? Are you not performing your duties properly?

“Close your eyes and open your mouth for me.”

Huh?

You obey with cautiousness evident in your features, trying not to let your body shake in fear of the shuffling noises you hear. You don’t know who Toji is, what he’s like, and especially how he treats women. From what you can see beneath another set of loosely fitted robes, he’s the definition of muscular strength. The type of guy who’s able to snap you like a twig if he so desired.

What lands on your tongue actually ends up being the savory taste of your brothel’s very own meal from the singular tray he had placed in front of him from your arrival.

“Eat up,” he says, placing said tray in front of you instead of himself. “You need it more than me, sweetheart, I can see your bones.”

In a way, he’s right. Meals were already selectively given to lower ranking courtesans depending on your earnings, and more so when Botan began heavily restricting your servings if you were even granted anything more than what’s needed to stay alive.

You lower your head. “Master, I… I can’t, it’s my duty to serve you first and foremost.”

“Your master is telling you to eat,” he huffs. “And I want ya to call me Toji.”

He lifts another mouthful of food up and you know saying no isn’t an option. Deep down, you’re grateful to finally have a real meal instead of the bottom of the bowl scraps you’ve been having. It’s reminiscent to Toji, seeing you polish off every bit of food like a starved animal.

“So how’d you end up in a place like this?” he asks, resting a fist against his cheek.

“The same reason as others, I suppose… I was sold by my father to pay his debt,” you tell him with a sullen look on your face.

Divulging this information to clients is frowned upon, but you don’t see the harm in it or the need to lie. Few courtesans willingly sell themselves to the business. It all comes back to money at the end of the day. With wealth, comes power and the control others desire.

“That so?” Toji leans into your space once more and the look he gives you makes you feel oh so small when compared to him. He reaches out, his fingers grazing a violent bruise around your neck hiding away under powders. “Who did this to you?”

You recoil in response, as does he. Flashbacks run in your mind of the men and all the ways they beat you. You don’t even notice how your own fingers softly sit over your throat or the stray tears descending from your eyes.

Toji sighs, “What were you up to before all this?”

You’re grateful for the change in conversation, swallowing the lump in your throat as your breathing steadies itself. “My father was away for work often, so I always helped my mom around the house and with my siblings.” A look of longing fills your eyes with a glossy coating. “I loved my life, but then my mother fell ill and w-when she passed… everything just fell apart.”

He hums in acknowledgement, grasping the hand shaking on your lap and offers soft circles of comfort.

“It was just me and my younger sibling, Koichi. My father became a drunk a-and–“

You snap back into reality, realizing how comfortable you’re letting yourself be when this is work. “I’m sorry– it’s not right for me to go on like this after you paid for my services.”

The hand you pulled back to your chest is retrieved by his own, pulling you into chest. “Shh, it’s okay.” His arms coil tightly around you, offering you a vague familiar sense of comfort.

Teardrops cascade down your face between muffled apologies. His rough palm runs smooth down your back hoping to settle you back down. Toji doesn’t offer you any words of comfort, but you’re okay with that. The embrace he holds you in is warm, inviting. It’s something you haven’t felt for many moons now and never thought you’d experience again. After tonight, you were ready to greet death and the cold embrace they offer, but now confliction is at an all-time high.

Eventually the tears run dry, and you lift your head from his chest. There’s a noticeable wet spot left behind that has you grimacing. “I’m sorry for messing up your robe…” Your voice is hoarse from the relentless sobs, and it makes you hope no one outside these four walls heard enough to care.

“Don’t be, this is nothin’,” he grins with a hint of something more hidden in the forest of his eyes.

Toji is by far the biggest mystery you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. An enigma. For that, you hope to find a way to repay him.

You shimmy back into a proper position, drying your face off before flashing him a smile of your own. “May I play for you?” you ask, directing his attention to a Koto setup in the room. He nods, and you move to the wooden spectacle.

Brothels typically train you in the art of music, but when it comes to the Koto, that was all your mother’s doing. For the kindness Toji has given you tonight, you return the favor with various melodies all from your childhood. Reminders of the better days when you yourself were once happy.

He remains focused like the time before, maybe even more so. His eyes are unwavering, admiring every pluck of string and harmonic tune. This goes on for a time until your fingers tire and you’ve run out of all those memorable pieces. At the end, you’re much calmer than you were before, finally being able to relax in full.

“You play as beautifully as you look,” he tells you, sending a flood of goosebumps down your neck.

You shrug, “It must be pretty terrible then…”

“Come here.”

“Huh?”

He taps the tatami surface in front of him until you move yourself back over. There, he reaches up with one hand on your shoulder and the other holding your head up.

“Those bruises don’t make you anything less than you are.” He says your name right after with a cold expression but his voice betraying that. “You are beautiful, and I’ll kill the fuckers that did this to you.”

Who knew such brutal words could spark such opposite feelings in your heart?

“Toji…” you drawl, flashing him a look of concern rather than the fear he might’ve been expecting.

His lips stretch further apart like the maw of a hungry wolf. “You think I’m joking?”

“N-no, but–“

“I’m not going to watch you get hurt again, not anymore,” he says, and you can’t help but feel there’s a certain undertone you’re not understanding. For whatever odd universal feeling, you believe him.

Toji stands, walking over to a closet in the room before pulling out a spare futon. You look to him with confusion written all over your face, watching as he sets it up adjacent to his own as he settles down onto the available space of the one.

“You coming?”

“W-what would you like me to do, Mas– Toji?”

His chest rumbles a low husky laugh as he pats the second bedroll. “Isn’t it obvious? It’s late and I’m sure you could use the extra beauty sleep.”

“I thought I was already beautiful,” you half mumble under your breath in a teasing manner, making your approach to his side.

He huffs with amusement, surprising you with how he managed to even hear your softspoken voice. “You are, don’t worry.”

You plop down onto your side facing the samurai, your heart beating a mile a minute. You understand that he’s giving you space, thankful he hasn’t once forced himself upon you like he so easily could.

“Thank you, Toji.”

He doesn’t respond just yet with anything more but a calm yet reassuring face, not while you’re visibly awake at least. Over time, you find yourself inching closer and closer to the warmth that radiates from his body, lulling you into the most restful night you’ve had in years.

Toji’s gaze falls to all the marks over your skin, evidence of the trauma you’ve suffered. Regret fills him deeper than you could ever imagine, and in time he hopes to restore you to what once was.

“I will save you from this.”

☆ Notes: I wrote this series on a whim when I got the idea, and honestly didn't plan much of the future until like chapter 6 so if you're reading this now, just be aware that I rewrote the first six chapters! plot's the same, but i'm much happier with it now so i hope you guys still enjoy it!

#jjk #toji fushiguro #jjk toji #toji x female reader #toji fushiguro x reader #toji x reader #toji x you #toji zenin #ronin!toji #jjk au #jujutsu kaisen #courtesan!reader

174 notes · View notes

fushipurro · 1 month

Text

Scene redraw for the blu-ray. Begging Gege for a Toji flashback in the manga, I cannot have enough of him.

#he's so hot i cant take it anymore #life is good #feral toji....#toji fushiguro #toji #jjk toji #lilith reblogs #art

2K notes · View notes

fushipurro · 1 month

Text

slice of lifey vibes with trueform sukuna! youre like a servant-turned-girlfriend to him and dont mind me making it the clumsy girl trope sorry... lots of falling over and making a fool of yourself oops- mostly lighthearted, eventual romance, fluffy, very minor/implied smut. mentions of cannibalism, murder.

the warning of ooc sukuna goes without saying <3 hope u enjoy nonetheless <3

dividers by @/saradika, @/firefly-graphics and @/animatedglittergraphics-n-more

word count; 8.1k

how can someone be this useless?

its not uncommon that you trip over your own feet. the food you try to make always ends up charred and inedible. and anything that wounds up in your hands seem to either break or get misshapen. seriously, uraume considers you an eyesore.

very much like a stressed mother in law, they try to whip you up into shape to best please lord sukuna, but you can't do a thing right. goodness gracious.

there are only a handful of servants here at the lord's estate, mainly due to how he dislikes crowds and has a low tolerance for people in general, and will only accept a few for maintenance of his abode only. and yet, an awfully incapable and bumbling girl like you finds yourself at such a place. uraume wouldn't be surprised if lord sukuna lopped your head off one day, if he managed to catch sight of your silly mistakes.

the servants have very minimal contact with the lord. he's often out tormenting whomever challenges him on the battlefield, and even when he's home, none of you are brave enough to be loitering about in areas where he's currently present. uraume is the only one who usually speaks with him directly.

today, you've been reluctantly given the job of wiping down the floorboards of the engawa before the courtyard. you quite like this, because it's nice and sunny outside, and so you'll get to admire the butterflies while you work.

theres a pretty little pond with koi fish here as well, and you've been permitted to feed them some vegetable and seafood scraps, so you'll be doing that afterwards.

you've run up and down against the wooden flooring a couple of times with a rag, and soon enough, you get catch eye of a bright blue butterfly that flutters around the garden. you stand on the edge of the engawa, absorbed with the view. it's not everyday that you get to be here, after all. allegedly, this is lord sukuna's favourite spot to lounge about when he's home.

you get so distracted that you don't notice the intimidating presence behind you, even though he's a man whose aura bleeds all over the place, wherever he may be. sukuna looms over you and is silent as he ponders taking your head for annoying him by standing about in front of him like an airhead with an incredibly lacking sense of survival.

no, he shouldn't. he'd get more annoyed if your blood spilled over the floorboards, and he'd have to wait until the stench of your blood flees the area. however, before he can say a word of 'get lost', you manage to notice the shadow of the figure behind you.

you turn around and see him close up for the first time. a strange noise escapes your throat. you get so startled, your feet loses its balance, and you go backwards off the edge of the engawa. the dirty rag is thrown up in the air in a frenzy by accident as you try not to fall over.

thud! you're on your back on the garden floor. making haste, you frantically get into the position you were taught to get into by uraume, if you ever happened to come across lord sukuna by any chance. you kneel and lower your head until your forehead hits the ground.

and with such nice comedic timing, the dirty rag you'd thrown into the air falls directly onto the back of your head. you shut your eyes tightly and bite your lip in sheer embarrassment. you then realise that your humiliation is not what's really important right now. you might lose your life here.

perhaps you should apologise? are you even allowed to speak to him? what would you be apologising for, anyway? for breathing in the same direction as him? for not noticing him right away?

when uraume runs into the scene, what they witness is rather... unique. the useless servant girl on her knees and with a dirty rag on her head, trembling frantically. and lord sukuna, who seems to be viewing her with what seems to be mild amusement, and not annoyance.

"sukuna-sama... i apologise for any tardiness displayed by the servant. i didn't realise you would be coming here as soon as you came back."

usually, he enjoys a full meal before going out to the courtyard.

amongst your frantic thoughts, you almost tear up at the sound of that familiar voice. uraume-san! can they save you? i mean, sure, they only care about lord sukuna and him only, but surely they wouldn't want your blood to taint this perfect courtyard, right? especially when it's his favourite view!

"we shall accept any form of punishment you see fit for us."

we!? who's we?! you internally sob.

"it's fine."

a deeper voice responds. it's the first thing he's said since you noticed him.

"you can take her away. i'm going to stay here a while."

you hear the large man sit himself down.

"you. stand up and head back to your quarters."

you get up as quickly as you went down. the rag drops to the floor and you have to bend down to pick it up again with speed. you bow deeply again before following uraume out of the area. you can finally breathe again.

"consider yourself lucky. it seems sukuna-sama is in a pleasant mood today."

you later get scolded by uraume after you tearfully explained how you managed to get dirt all over your back and ended up with rag over your head.

meanwhile back in the courtyard, sukuna replays that scene of you in his head--of you turning around with eyes as wide as saucepans, something about you left an impression on him, and its not just because of way you made an absolute fool of yourself.

later, he comments to uraume about how you seemed a little different than the usual ones they pick to have as servants.

"shall i get rid of her? servants can always be replaced if you desire it, sukuna-sama."

"no, leave her. i was only curious."

uraume is left a little stunned. curious? over a mere servant girl? they are in no place to judge, but goodness, it's a rare thing for lord sukuna to be curious about somebody.

uraume has absolutely no qualms of disposing a person if they end up being no use to the lord. however, they never step out of line and act upon their own judgements alone. if there is someone who has piqued his interest, then uraume shall make sure that nothing interferes with their master's source of entertainment.

it's been a while again since you last saw lord sukuna. and you're quite thankful for it, after that humiliating first impression you gave him.

the days have been somewhat peaceful, with only the occasional grumbling from uraume, upset by your helplessness in preparing and cooking food, as usual. after multiple cuts and burns, they decided that you were not to come even a metre into the kitchen area.

that's fine by you, anyway. cleaning and sweeping while you hum your silly tunes is what you prefer.

night arrives with the moon hanging up brightly, like it always does. you think it's going to be another uneventful closure to the evening, but uraume soon appears at the servant's quarters, looking for you. they look a little uneasy. the very few other female servants whisper amongst themselves.

"sukuna-sama has requested for you. come with me."

oh...

you feeling like crying.

there is nothing that you can do. 'requested' so they may say, but everyone knows rejection means possible death. so you follow uraume outside.

walking with them in the corridor, every step feels like it's bringing you closer to disaster.

"uraume-san... what exactly is sukuna-sama requesting me for...?" you ask cautiously.

"i'm unaware know the details myself. but he's in the middle of a bath. perhaps there's a splatter of blood he can't reach on his back."

yes, but why has he chosen me out of all people?!

but you know better than to question such orders. your hands become clammy with sweat.

you reach the bath area too quickly for your liking, and uraume ushers you inside without further concern for your wellbeing. their only concern is hoping that you don't do anything to displease the lord.

lord sukuna sometimes has a tendency to act upon his own whims, but even uraume was surprised when he suddenly asked for the servant girl he met in the courtyard...

the warmth of the misty steam inside caresses your face gently and also makes your kimono stick to you uncomfortably... making you sweat even more.

lord sukuna is sitting in his oversized, wooden bathtub wordlessly, his back turned to you. splashes of crimson against his skin, just as uraume had said. you take a quiet, deep breath.

kneeling before him as per protocol, you bow your head, despite the floors being soggy with water.

"sukuna-sama. how may i assist you this evening?"

the eyes on the side of his distorted face dart down to look at you.

"it's fairly obvious, isn't it? wash the blood away."

"right away."

you stand up straight, and it was apparently too fast for your poor blood pressure, getting you dizzy momentarily. foolishly so, you still decide to take a few steps with haste on the wet, slippery floor. with a loud yelp, you slip and land on your bottom. you want to scream.

"i-i apologise..." you say tearfully, getting back up.

"...not a dull moment with you, as i figured." he uses a tone of mockery.

there's a hint of a chuckle in his voice, and you're only glad he's amused rather than annoyed at your stupidity. your backside hurts again. it hasn't even been that long since the bruises stopped hurting from the last time you fell over!

you grab a cloth to start scrubbing the man down, holding back your tears. the metallic scent is prominent, and your mind begins to wander about exactly whose blood you were currently wiping away into the bathwater. you try not to think about it too much.

it's not new information that lord sukuna kills mercilessly, and even feasts on humans should he feel like it. you've seen the types of "ingredients" uraume has used in the kitchen at times, and the blood that paints the bottom of the sink. these were all things you needed to get used to seeing and knowing as a servant at this estate.

you keep your face stern as you clean him down delicately, thoroughly. the damp, warm cloth runs along the muscles on his back, neck and shoulders. you squeeze out the blood and dip it back in clean water, before wiping again. he has a delightfully toned body, with many tattoos. and more muscles than you could ever count. you take note of the neck tattoos that resemble the lines on a butterfly's wings. it draws you in, but you have to make sure you don't get too distracted.

you notice there's some blood on his hand as well. you move towards it and clean it down, gentle in the way you go over each finger. you're holding hands with him inevitably as you have to lift it up, and this makes you realise how large this man is. your hand seems almost like a child's in comparison to his. there's something rather exhilarating, yet also terrifying about this size difference.

the hairs on the back of your head rise, for some reason. you notice how his big red eyes are boring into you from the edge of your vision. you feign ignorance and focus on cleaning.

time passes in haste as you finish wiping down the last spot of visible blood from the lord's body.

"all the blood has been cleaned away, sukuna-sama," you tell him.

"is that so?" he asks, looking down at his own body. "but there's a spot left over here," he objects, pointing to the side of his neck, vaguely.

"i- i'm sorry, i must have missed that area. i shall clean it immediately-"

you crane your neck to look towards where he was pointing, your face getting closer to his. the place he mentioned is clean. no blood in sight. you meet his eyes. his lips curl upwards, seemingly pleased.

"finally, you look this way," he says, capturing your gaze.

you freeze on the spot, face heating up.

"your... your neck seems clean... sukuna-sama," you respond quietly, unable to think of anything else to say.

"i was only teasing. was it not apparent?" he smirks at you, and you feel that your heart may burst any second now. from either fear or excitement. or both.

"pardon me. i should have noticed sooner," you say, moving your face away from his.

"...i digress. where's the fun in that? just remain gullible for me."

he flicks your forehead, making you whisper 'ouch!' under your breath.

"understood?"

"yes, my lord."

without further conversation, he stands up to his full height, the water droplets racing down against his skin. you hurriedly grab some towels for him... doing your best to avoid looking at his... ahem. when you hand over the towels, your eyes are shut tight. sukuna gives a deep chuckle.

"silly girl."

since the bath, lord sukuna has developed a tendency to call you over during unpredictable moments, and for unpredictable errands. then, he disappears again for a while. and merely moments before you get too comfortable without his presence around you, he returns to repeat it all over again.

recently, he's taken towards looking for you himself, rather than asking uraume about your whereabouts. it scares the other servants when he barges into their spaces, but he pays them little mind.

this afternoon, he finds you sweeping down the leaves away at the front of the estate, humming to your heart's content.

"i come to check what's making all that noisy ruckus... only to find out that it's you."

your whole body goes stiff at the voice, and you reflexively try to get on your knees, but he stops you.

"keep your head up," he commands you.

"your face is worth gazing at, after all," he adds, albeit under his breath.

the compliment doesn't even register into your head as you immediately stand back up, broom in hand. you thank him for the pardon.

"are you done with the sweeping, yet?" sukuna suddenly asks, looking around with his arms crossed. well-- one pair of them, at least.

"not yet, sukuna-sama. but only a little bit to go," you respond with honesty.

"come to my chambers with a plate of fruits and a knife with you, once you're done. don't take too long."

after that, he promptly takes his leave without further explanation. you stand still for a moment, as you always do. every interaction you have with him leaves you in a bit of a daze. often, you wonder if he's a part of your daydreams.

you shake your head and continue to sweep, silently, this time around. don't take too long, he had ordered.

after you're done with that, you make your way into the kitchen on your tiptoes. you wonder if uraume would believe you, if you were to tell them that you're entering upon sukuna's own request.

but once you make your appearance to the entrance of the kitchen, uraume is already there, ready with a tray with a plate of assorted fruits on it. and a knife sitting next to the plate. the sight of the sharp utensil makes you feel nervous, somewhat.

you take the tray without a word, and head towards the lord's chambers.

three sharp knocks.

"sukuna-sama. i've come with the items you sought for. may i come in?"

"you may."

you slide the door open, and sukuna is there, waiting on the tatami mat while holding a kiseru in his hand. once you enter, he sets it aside after one more puff.

"put it here," he points towards the empty space in front of him.

you place the tray down where he gestured towards, and then sit yourself in front of him. there's a moment of silence as you flicker your gaze from looking at him, to the fruit before you.

"well? what are you waiting for? prepare it for me."

oh, no. you had prayed with every ounce in your body, that he wouldn't request for such a thing, but of course it didn't work. now, you have to display your terrible cutting skills to the very head of this estate.

hands trembling, you reach out for the knife and pick up a peach from the plate. you make a cut towards the seed in the middle. then, you cut diagonally to get one slice out. sukuna opens up his hand, waiting for you to place it in the middle of his palm. you do so, and the piece looks so pathetically tiny that you almost feel ashamed.

"faster," he demands, with a small smile on his face.

you swallow thickly, and try to speed up your cutting. the pieces get more and more jagged and unsightly. but sukuna doesn't display any signs of anger or annoyance.

"such poor knife skills. no wonder uraume left you to do the cleaning only. is that really the best you can do?" he taunts you, laughing through his nose.

"i'm afraid so... i apologise for my lack of skills, sukuna-sama," you confess, trying not to make your lower lip wobble from the anxiety and dejection. did he bring you here just to mock the way you cut fruits?! your brows furrow in determination and you try harder.

after the peaches, you grab a persimmon. they're trickier to prepare, since you have to carefully peel the skin off them as well. you purse your lips.

things go somewhat smoothly at first, but then you start to slip up again. it's slippery, and the blade of the knife slices through your thumb.

"ah-" a small noise leaves your lips and you watch as a drop of your blood runs down your palm. sukuna matches your gaze and narrows his eyes at the same scene.

"such a helpless, troublesome woman."

he grabs your wrist and slowly brings your thumb to his mouth. your eyes widen, and you're speechless as you watch him run his tongue up the trail of your blood and then suck on the small incision on your thumb.

you're like a steaming kettle, with the way your blood rushes through your veins, temperature rising with how flustered you are. sukuna looks at you with your finger still in his mouth.

"su-sukuna-sama... you needn't do such a thing-"

a shiver runs down your spine when you feel his tongue swirl around your wound. he then releases it from his mouth, with a smirk, still holding onto your wrist.

you retract your hand suddenly, due to an indescribable feeling growing in the pit of your stomach. you then begin to fear that snatching your hand away like that might've offended him.

"my apologies, sukuna-sama! if you will excuse me-!"

you stand up and run, and he lets you scurry away, with the same sweet, arrogant grin on his face. down the hallway, he hears you trip over yourself before exiting. it makes him chuckle.

you're a fun way to pass time, when he's not slaughtering millions on the battlefield.

back in your own quarters, you lean yourself against a wall and pant, being out of breath. what had just happened? he... he licked the wound on your finger. and that did something to you. your insides feel all squirmy.

you look down at your thumb, only to realise that the cut has mysteriously disappeared.

after running away from sukuna abruptly like that, you had expected to uraume to chase you up and drag you to him, where you'd be executed for fleeing. but it never happens.

in fact, you haven't seen him again for a while. however this time around, his absence does nothing to keep you relaxed, as you're always on your toes, not knowing when he'd next make an appearance before you. you wonder what he will do to you next, when he does come back sooner or later.

before you can drown in those concerns of yours, uraume sends you outside to hang some laundry out in the sun. some white sheets, freshly washed. you struggle a bit, to carry the large bucket of sheets out to the yard.

the laundry line is a bit high, so you need to grab a small stool as well to successfully get the sheets over it. the wind is gentle, and the sunlight pours endlessly from the skies. truly a perfect day to dry the laundry outside.

the sheets are large, so you find it difficult to squeeze the moisture out by yourself, but you suppose they will eventually dry anyway, thanks to the nice weather. you smile as the cool breeze runs through you, making you feel pleasant.

from afar, sukuna observes this scenic view of you, surrounded by the pure white of the swaying sheets around you, smiling as the wind jostles your hair slightly and the sun accentuates your features rather beautifully.

he walks towards your light.

you're busy trying to hang another sheet on the second line this time. you wish the stool was a tad bit taller. this is rather challenging. even standing on top of it, you need to get on your tippy toes to reach properly. and it doesn't help that the water-weight makes the cloth heavier...

a large hand brushes aside the sheet that covers you from view, startling you. you nearly topple over, but a pair of strong arms catch you, keeping you standing upright.

"how ridiculous. don't you get tired of doing that every time?" he sighs. his second pair of arms are crossed, while the first pair hold you so warmly.

"i'm sorry..." you mumble, staring at him with wide eyes. it's like he appeared out of your thoughts. could this perhaps be a daydream of yours? he fixes your stance so that you can stand on the stool properly again. despite your height boost from this stool, sukuna is still a bit taller than you.

"it feels strange, having you meet me eye-to-eye like this..." sukuna comments, while staring down at you curiously.

and it does feel strange, being almost at his height. how close you feel to him now. maybe this offends him.

"i shall get down immediately," you tell him respectfully, trying to get off the stool. his arms come around again to keep you still.

"ack-!"

"tch. don't overreact. i didn't mean it that way," sukuna mutters, tutting at you.

you stand stiffly with your hands by your sides as he inspects you, anxious yet also excited to find out what his intentions are this time around. every touch he lands on you makes you skin jump, in an intoxicating way.

you focus your vision particularly on the odd looking side of his face. it looks like it has a strange texture. would it still be skin? you want to try and touch it. and... his extra eyes look cute. you gasp at yourself for having such disrespectful thoughts about him. all four of his eyes then focus on your face, as if to notice your gaze, and you feel as though your heart may leap out of your throat. there's a part of sukuna that makes you question whether he can read your mind or not.

"you're curious about this face of mine, are you?" he asks, while smiling.

your jaw hangs open in shock, and you don't know whether to tell him that he's correct or to apologise for your insolence.

"what a strange expression you're making," he chuckles, "so easy to read."

it's not that he can read minds, it's only because you're openly letting yourself known to him, whether you're aware of it or not. transparent, like a perfectly pristine and delicate glass cup. shall he leave his fingerprints on you? shall he leave some cracks in that fragile vessel of yours?

his hands come off your body, and you have to concentrate to keep your balance on the stool, no longer being able to rely on his hold to stand still.

"continue with your duties. i shall call for you later," sukuna states sternly, looking off at the sheets that still wave gently in the wind.

"you didn't squeeze out enough water. it's dripping," he points out the soaking wet ends of the sheets.

you practically jump off of the stool and get to work. in the meantime, the lord has disappeared again. you look into the distance to catch a glimpse of him if you can, but he's nowhere to be seen.

and he never got around to clarifying about what happened to his face. perhaps that's a clear sign to mean that he's not interested in talking about his past.

upon finishing the laundry in completion, you make your way to the kitchen, due to the time being close to serving the lord's evening meal.

the other servants and uraume included, are running around to prepare his dinner to perfection, as usual. for the most part, you're left with nothing to do at these times since none of them trust you with handling the food.

lord sukuna did say he was going to call for you later. you wonder if you'll be able to help bathe him again. or if this time, he'll make you do something different. you're plagued with such daydreams as the servants bustle about behind you.

by the time the busy period finalises, the moon hangs high up amongst the stars, and the darkness of night consumes all. and yet, he still hasn't requested for you at all. you suppose when he said he'd call for you later, he perhaps meant tomorrow or the day after. you never know with the lord. trying to navigate him is like trying to look through the murky depths of the ocean at night.

right when you were about to return to your quarters with everyone else, uraume suddenly approaches you.

"sukuna-sama wishes to see you. make your way to the courtyard now."

your stomach starts stirring once again.

the courtyard is beautiful, even at night. sukuna sits in the now moonlit area, drinking from a sake cup in a languid manner.

it takes courage to speak up behind him.

"did you wish to see me, my lord?"

sukuna turns slightly to the side to look at you, before facing the front again.

"...come. pour me another glass, will you?"

"certainly."

as you pour him more of the crystal clear wine, you have to stay vigilant in order to not accidentally splash any of the expensive liquid outside of the cup from your shaky hands.

tonight, the lord's gaze rests not on you, but on the moon above. you watch along with him. there is nothing but silence in the first few moments you have with him together.

"the moon is beautiful tonight," he finally says, while taking another sip of his sake.

is it normal for one to be envious of the moon? even so, thanks to the moon, you are able to see him bathed in its light, making him look almost ethereal.

"yes it is, sukuna-sama," you agree with him.

there's another momentary silence between the two of you, before you bring up a sudden question.

"...do you enjoy watching the moon often?"

"not often, but at times. it would get boring if i did it everyday."

like almost everything else in life.

"i see. that is most understandable."

the chirping of crickets is audible within the garden, and you pour him another glass of his sake after he finishes his previous cup.

you look up at the black canvas of a sky, littered with specks of white all across it. it's easy to get lost in the sight. and much more comfortable than looking at something like the sun, which could burn the delicate areas of your eyes. you begin to get immersed in the view, and your previous train of thoughts ebb away.

you don't notice the way sukuna has stopped gazing at the sky. he's watching you, instead.

"you must know by now... that i favour you more than the other servants," sukuna brings up carefully.

you stop staring up, and turn around slowly to blink at the man.

"...is- is that true, my lord?" you ask, wondering if he really means that. you don't want to get ahead of yourself.

his brows furrow. how dim-witted can you be?

"perhaps actions will speak better than words."

that phrase alone makes your heart feel like it could leap out of your throat.

"sit closer to me."

you swallow dryly, and shuffle closer to the larger man. he sets his cup down beside him, and brings you even closer to him. his hand holding your waist. sitting with him, hip to hip.

sukuna begins to lean his face down closer to yours. your hands grab your own kimono in tight fists, questioning the reality of this scene, feeling skittish yet also giddy, all at the same time.

"don't run away, this time. i won't allow it."

the way his breath ghosts over the skin of your face, how close his voice is to your ears, sends goosebumps all the way down to your legs. is he going to kiss you? can you handle that?

his lips reach yours, and the softness of them is unreal. this must be a dream. he tastes of the rice wine was sipping on before, and he's doused in the same moonlight as you are, and he's now kissing you. a mere servant.

your ears pound with your own heartbeat, and your hands grip onto your kimono so tightly that it's bound to leave wrinkles behind. they shake slightly. sukuna's large hand comes over one of them, and grabs your wrist delicately.

"relax", he's telling you.

and so, you share your first kiss with him, under the moonlight.

quite a bit of time has passed since that day.

you could say that nothing much has changed - you still have your duties as a servant, and the lord still leaves his home vacant for periods of time.

however, on days when he has returned...

you gently sway your legs that hang off the edge of the engawa, on the very same courtyard as that fateful night. sukuna lays his head on your lap, eyes closed and completely at rest, both sets of his arms relaxed as the breaths he takes are slow.

your hand is unable to stray far from the soft bed of his hair, fingers combing through the peach-coloured strands, nails raking against his scalp with the right amount of strength, the way he loves. he gives the occasional purr when you go over his favourite spots.

it's odd, when merely a few weeks ago, you had trouble initiating these harmless touches without explicitly asking for permission beforehand.

"sukuna-sama, may i touch your hair?"

"would it be alright if i could hold your hand, sukuna-sama?"

"may i press a kiss against your cheek, my lord?"

you giggle to yourself as you remember his response to your endless series of questions and requests.

"tch... quit asking me about every little thing. just do it. i'll let you know if i don't like it."

and from then on, you've been bravely placing your hands on him whenever you wanted. and he hasn't been displeased by you, as of yet.

you freely caress the side of his face that you would describe as... unique. you're always curious about the nature of it, even now. but you don't invasively ask questions. you wonder if you'll ever feel brave enough to, one day.

his larger eyes open up narrowly in an abrupt manner, and they squint at you. it makes you nervous, in the way that heart fluttering way. you never get used to the feeling of being under his intense gaze.

red, with ringed irises. you've started to enjoy this colour more ever since you started to meet his eyes more often. you stare back at him but, oh- he's closed them up again.

your hand continues to softly caress him.

sukuna remains mellow, not really falling asleep, but also not in a state of full alertness. your lap serves as a great pillow.

this continues, until suddenly your touches become slower and more distracted. and he can tell your attention has been divided to something else.

the dismayed lord cracks open one eye to check what might have served as a distraction to you.

a butterfly...?

your eyes follow the pretty blue creature, landing on the flora of the garden, in it's carefree nature. a small smile blooms on your face and your hand's movements dwindle, which should displease him. he could cleave the thing into little bits, and let its remains scatter the lush garden.

but, he doesn't. sukuna lets you indulge in these small moments of joy, simply because he's gotten rather softhearted. he doesn't enjoy seeing you get upset at him. though he has control over you as your lord, his hand can't extend all the way to your heart and mind.

(and may the world burst into flames if you ever end up disliking him.)

he recalls... you were also staring at a butterfly the day he first met you, weren't you? so distracted that you didn't notice his presence. he doesn't understand your affection for such a fragile creature.

but...he supposes that he's the same.

what came over him, that he wound up caring for a silly woman like you?

as if to reaffirm your concept of being 'silly', you suddenly give a small sneeze, facing away from the front. his head gets jostled in your lap, which makes him frown and sigh.

"my apologies, sukuna-sama... perhaps it was due to the pollen from the garden..." you give your excuse sheepishly.

well, no matter. he'll keep you with him for as long as he desires. perhaps he can use your butterfly-infatuation to his advantage.

not long after, once the sun dips over the horizon and the area becomes a little chilly, sukuna decides he wants to take a bath before the day comes to an end. and you'll be coming along, of course.

...by now, you've been with him in the bath area at least a dozen times before.

nevertheless, you never seem to get used to seeing him in his naked glory.

sukuna is sitting in his tub, and you're running a warm, wet cloth over his shoulders, scrubbing lazily. he was already quite clean enough today, in your opinion.

a feeling of deja vu hits when your gaze falls onto the tattoo on the back of his neck. you remember having such a thought before. though it's not the strongest resemblance, you see it regardless.

without much resistance, you give in to the desire, and bring your lips to the area to give him a small kiss. it takes him by slight surprise.

"the tattoo on your neck resembles the lines on a butterfly's wings, sukuna-sama. it looks elegant, and wonderful," you tell him.

...he is not displeased with that comparison, strangely enough.

"is that so? no wonder i've felt your stare on it multiple times before," sukuna responds.

you never realised that he'd caught onto that. were you always staring that prominently? you continue wiping him down with the warm cloth, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden.

sukuna thinks for a moment.

"how about you join me in here, tonight?" he asks, out of the blue.

"p-pardon?!"

"tch, acting so timid. go on, get yourself cleaned. i'm waiting."

you feel your face heat up at the thought of being... naked with him. anxiousness starts running through your body. you wonder if he really means it, or if he's trying to fluster you again. your lack of action causes him to raise an eyebrow.

"what, you don't want to?"

"no, no! i do, my lord! i'm just... a bit taken aback."

you spring into action. heart pounding as you shed your clothes. he doesn't turn his head or peek at you from where he sits, but your eyes dart to him to check anyways. you clean and rinse yourself adequately, with shaky hands.

"shall i lend a hand in scrubbing your back?" sukuna suddenly calls out. there is sarcasm in his tone.

"that wouldn't be necessary, my lord... i can do it myself..." you respond bashfully.

you only pray that you don't slip over on the way to the tub.

when you do eventually finish up, you walk carefully towards him. walking past where he sits, you reach the other side of the tub. you avoid his eyes as you enter at a slow pace, arms making an effort to cover your breasts. you're finally seated in the same tub as him. the water is steaming, and it's quite deep. still, you hang on to the edge and keep yourself a little distanced from sukuna.

"aw come on. it was mere moments ago that you kissed the back of my neck. so shy all of a sudden?"

"that- that was a different situation, sukuna-sama..."

"the only difference now is that we're both nude," he shrugs.

"nevermind that...the water looks a little deep for you," he says, almost mockingly so- "come. i'll let you on my lap."

you cannot tell whether he is only teasing, or if he actually wants you on his lap.

"quickly- don't run my patience thin."

you make your way towards him without further hesitation.

sitting on his lap, you find that he's oddly comfortable. an arm of his loops around your waist, holding you tight against him, as if to prevent you from running away.

the lord takes your hand and caresses it between his thick fingers. your back leans against his bare chest and abs as you relax yourself more. you wonder if the mouth on his stomach doesn't feel uncomfortable when you sit against it like this.

sukuna's extra arms begin to get more and more handsy with you. you feel his large palms on your breasts, squeezing the flesh gently. not that you find it unpleasant, but it makes you feel all squirmy and restless and hot. when he touches your chest like that, you can't help but turn your head slightly to give him a needy look. it makes him lean down and kiss you warmly.

his tongue explores your mouth in a thorough manner, encouraging a growing heat inside of you. you start gripping his hand harder, though you doubt he feels a thing from it.

when lord sukuna kisses you, you can't tell whether time is passing too quickly, or too slowly. you lose the ability to think of anything else, other than his soft lips and his rough tongue. and you believe that he's aware of this fact himself. why else could he be smiling against your lips like he is right now?

you don't know how long you'd kissed him for in that bathtub. but by the time you stepped out of it, your hands were wrinkly from the prolonged moisture.

and you came out with... feelings of unsatisfaction. rather than getting a little further than kissing, sukuna had stopped abruptly and told you with a smirk that he was ready to get back to his chambers now.

upon getting dressed again, you linger awkwardly around the man, wanting more but not knowing how to inform him of it. the lord looks at you keenly.

"well? aren't you going back to your chambers?" he asks with a sly undertone.

"...i would like to escort you to your room... my lord," you tell him, averting his gaze.

"oh? i don't recall needing an escort, when my room's right around the corner. but if you insist." you can't see what kind of expression he's wearing right now, but you imagine he's smiling at you teasingly. like he always does.

you trail behind him as he walks over to his chambers.

for sure, it doesn't take long until he reaches his room. sukuna slides open the door and makes his way to his large futon in the middle of the tatami floor. he makes himself comfortable, and lays on his side while you watch him from outside his room.

"you're still here. well? are you planning on tucking me into bed next?" he asks with his usual mockery, chuckling through his nose.

you frown cutely, feeling a deep sense of unfairness in the pit of your stomach.

"i was just about to leave, sukuna-sama," you respond a bit haughtily, getting bold with him.

"is that so. then run along," he ushers you, following that with a big yawn. your frown gets deeper.

you begin to slowly close his door, but then stop when it's only cracked open slightly. you brace yourself for the request you are about to make.

"sukuna-sama... could i sleep beside you, tonight?" you ask meekly.

his lips curl up similarly to that of a cheshire cat. finally, you're getting honest with him. he loves the feeling of having you run about in the palm of his hand.

"i thought you said you were going to leave?"

"please...?" you muster your best puppy eyes.

the lord smirks again, and eventually beckons you in with his index finger. you perk up, and step into his room with excitement, running into his futon like a dog, tail wagging from the happiness of being with its owner.

"you're like a silly mutt. foolish, but cute. i like the way you beg for my affection."

you're not sure on how to feel about being compared to a mutt, but you suppose it's not the worst comparison in the world.

"woof," you say quietly, shuffling closer to him. he laughs deeply at you. from your tight embrace with him, you feel the vibrations from his chuckling against his chest.

...there's always something hot or warm about sukuna.

his whole presence feels like a roaring fire at times, burning with his strength and charisma - the flames and temperature threatening to scald anyone around him.

but,

right here, when you're in his arms, the fire becomes tame. still an unrelenting and strong flame, but something more controlled and comfortable to be around.

you close your eyes with a smile, satisfied with this outcome.

"oi. i don't recall saying you could sleep yet."

that makes your eyes bolt open with confusion. sukuna furrows his brows and grabs your face, squishing your cheeks together.

"you're in my futon, and all you can think about is sleeping? i don't know how to feel about that."

"oh... was there something else you wanted from me, sukuna-sama?"

he looks further displeased by your question and suddenly grabs both your wrists, pinning them above your head. you gasp, surprised by his sudden shift in mood.

"we should continue with where we left off, shouldn't we?"

another hand comes up to hold your neck gently for a moment, before he slides it down slowly to your chest, the warmth from his palm trailing with it, reaching your clothed breasts, making your head spin with arousal.

"were you not anticipating something like this? when you asked to stay the night beside me."

he leans down and presses his lips against the space just below your ear, making you shudder. he likes this reaction, and continues kissing down your neck.

"s-sukuna-sama..."

"what a lewd tone you're using with my name. i hope you're prepared for the consequences of that."

he overtakes your senses with another searing hot kiss. hands clawing away at your kimono. teasing touches to your chest. his flames are threatening to envelop you, producing yet another unique kind of heat.

but you've never welcomed anything else more in your life. you'd gladly burn to ashes if it means being so close to your lord, your light.

...it's safe to say that you woke up the next morning with more bruises and bite marks than the number of fingers you have on your hands. and the lord lays beside your exhausted frame, aimlessly curling a lock of your hair around his finger with a satisfied grin on his face.

during one quiet afternoon, uraume beckons you towards them.

"i've been ordered to dress you lavishly. come with me."

you follow them without question, wondering what the sudden occasion could be. lord sukuna has left for the battlefield once again, so he's been missing for a couple of days. is he due to come back this evening?

such hopes fill your mind.

you stand awkwardly as uraume fits a rather elegant and expensive, but beautiful looking kimono onto you. it feels odd. you could even say you feel a bit guilty; in what world would someone dress a servant so extravagantly? nonetheless, you accept the treatment with silence. you get lost in your own daydreams, while uraume prepares you for whatever's been arranged for you.

by the end of it all, they angle you to face the mirror properly, their hands placed on your shoulders.

"it's complete. feel free to take a look at yourself."

you turn your face to one side, and then the other, all while keeping your eyes on the mirror. you look... stunning.

"th-thank you..." you tell uraume, quite speechless.

"please withhold that gratitude for lord sukuna. he was the one that arranged for this, after all."

you're then told to wait at the courtyard, for the lord's return. tingles of excitement run through your veins, and reaches the tips of your fingers, at having your hopes confirmed. he's due to return tonight.

quite a bit of time passes. yet, no signs of him coming back yet. you swing your legs back and forth languidly over the engawa, looking up at the sky aimlessly. though you shouldn't be doing such a thing when you've been fitted with a lovely kimono, there's no one around to scold or stop you from your usual habits.

you sigh, wondering when he'll be back. your eyes wander around the garden, this time. under the moonlight, there's a singular butterfly that flutters about, appearing in good timing as if to help cure your boredom.

you step out onto the grass and approach it, lending out a finger towards it to see if it decides to land on your hand. it takes a bit of effort, but after some gentle movements and patience, it eventually stops to linger on your index finger for a while. it allows you to admire every ridge, and all the patterns on the wings in better detail. you wonder whether you'll ever get another opportunity to observe a butterfly so closely again in the future.

a few footsteps resound behind you, getting you startled. when your body moves slightly from the scare, the butterfly flees and seemingly disappears out of sight.

yet, right now, you have no room to feel disappointed by a mere butterfly.

sukuna is smirking at you from a distance, looking very pleased with the way you're dressed for him. he steps down and walks into the garden as well, approaching you languidly, one arm concealed under the sleeve of his kimono.

"welcome back, sukuna-sama. i've been awaiting for your return," you greet him, smiling.

"were you now? missed me that bad?" he asks, reaching out to caress your cheek.

"yes, my lord. i missed you so much. not a day goes by where i don't think about you."

"why, how sweet...perhaps you deserve a reward for your honesty."

"a reward...?" your eyes grow wide and you start getting embarrassingly overjoyed at the idea of a reward given to you by the lord himself.

"so eager. you seem like you're truly getting committed to playing the role of a mutt."

you try to change your expression in haste, but you end up looking more bashful than anything. sukuna laughs at another one of your strange expressions.

"i'm only teasing."

he then pulls his arm out of his sleeve, revealing something you never thought you'd see in his hands.

a hairpin... specifically, one with a large blue butterfly on it. embedded with pretty jewels, and shaped to perfection. it would've been something difficult to obtain. for someone who's always busy creating chaos, when would he have had the time to find such a thing amongst everything else?

"i thought you would enjoy having something like this. do you like it?"

"oh... like would be an understatement, sukuna-sama. i adore it. is it really for me?"

"who else could have it? don't ask foolish questions."

it could only ever belong to you.

he places the pin into your hair, graceful and elegant with his hands. it makes you feel overjoyed. heat rises to your cheeks and they hurt from how much you're smiling.

"not bad at all. it was worth obtaining."

your hand rises to where the hairpin is, and you touch it gently, letting your fingertips feel the texture of the pin and it's butterfly pattern.

"am i... am i pretty, my lord?" you ask sheepishly, looking up at him with your doe eyes.

he's smiling at you rather gently, his eyes mirroring your reflection within them as he gazes down at you in silence. his lack of a verbal response almost makes you nervous, however.

sukuna reaches out to hold your hand, and pulls you closer towards him. he's glad that nobody else is around, for he's certain they would've also felt so drawn to you, like he is right now.

he palms your cheek again, before letting his thumb brush over your lips delicately.

you never sever your gaze from him, continuing to await his reply.

"... you're beautiful,"

he finally relents.

sukuna then presses his lips against yours, underneath the moon's blessing. once again, and forevermore.

fin.

Masterlist

#THIS IS SO FUCKING GOOD AND CUTE AAAAAA #lilith reblogs #sukuna x reader

3K notes · View notes