Chapter Text
The first thing Sukuna remembered hearing was the sound of his own crying. High, sharp and panicked once he saw the light. There were other voices too. His mother screamed in horror once she saw him. Her son had extra limbs, a sealed belly mouth with what seemed to be a slight second face with four eyes. The slick and blood all over him made the sight even worse. There were meant to be two infants in her hands, she was sure of it. There were two faint sparks of cursed energy coming from her belly for her entire pregnancy, tears of joy spilling down her face, but the two seemed to fuse into one being.
"I should have killed you when I had the time." Those were the last words Sukuna heard from his own mother, the words that shattered his soul into pieces. After that, he ran away from home. It was dark and cold, and only the quiet curses hid from his presence in the forest he ran through. He stole food when he could, ate bugs when he couldn't. Life was tough for him. No one wanted a monster that wandered the peaceful streets where women and children happily enjoyed their days.
Years passing by seemed slow for him, his only chores being stealing food and going back to the hut with bloodied knuckles. Sukuna knew he was strong, so he took advantage of it. He was growing taller each day, wider with his muscles flexing his never-frail body that could crush a human with one step. Villagers avoided his shadows, sorcerers not daring to exercise such a powerful being that even the police feared.
At 37, life was wearing out. He suspected he was immortal by now, his skin seeming too younger than a healthy monk. He still lived in that old shed he found abandoned all those years ago when he was still a child, now it was a home for him. Right now, it just needed some renovations, after all, the space was making him claustrophobic. Luckily, he already had the materials he needed to improve it, the bamboo sticks holding the extended wall in place whilst the clay dried up from the sun that began to settle.
He lay there on the straw mat, the small fire pit burning to keep him warm as he slowly shut his eyes. He could hear straws beneath his rustling as his body shifted, annoying cicadas creaking in the silence of the night. It felt normal as usual until something rang in his ears. A whimper. It was quiet and far, one that didn't sound like it belonged to an animal. Sukuna didn't move, belly mouth stopping mid yawn as his ears concentrated enough to hear the slight wind. His mind must be playing tricks with him again, closing his eyes in frustration to slowly doze off again.
A thun came through, one that was unmistakably true. Sukuna sat up immediately. Someone or something must be lurking around his area, probably waiting to attack him in his sleep. He was already onto his feet, lower hand already curling around a sharp axe, ready to strike. Outside was dark, not dark enough for Sukuna detect the disruptive cicadas near the trees. No one was this stupid enough to go deep into the forest, not even a sorcerer strong enough to cut his skin. He peered around, all four eyes scanning the area for the animal hiding around. His nose caught something, a scent. It smelled like peaches blooming on top of a rotting corpse, there was definitely a human omega somewhere. He followed the trail, and there, between the overgrown grass, lay a small limp child disgarded like a broken doll. Sukuna just stared at the boy, his feet flipping the body over to get a better look at the situation, only for his eyes to widen in shock.
"The king's brat..." He muttered, dumbfounded. He knew this kid from years ago when the boy was just a baby. He was ordered to go through a trial that the king prepared, who was already tired of Sukuna's daily crimes. They punished him with another soul-permanent blank tattoo line wrapping around his wrist, yet the man actually enjoyed how it finally matched the others he had. He could see from a distance a pink-haired child swaddled up in the hands of his mother, who seemed loving to her child. It reminded Sukuna of those dark days he had, no one else to comfort him. Now, he might just receive a beheading from the current situation. The boy was bleeding from a wound, a piece of an arrow lodged into one of his lungs, whilst the snapped part rested on the grass.
He crouched down where the boy lay, his palm pressing against his chest that seemed to barely rise. He was covered in dirt, not something you would see a prince enjoying. Sukuna felt it, a heartbeat. This one was weak, slowly dying any moment now if he walked away. He had to walk away, king's don't thank beasts for their kindness or encouragement. He would probably be thrown away before he even got to the palace, but he wouldn't mind it though. He stood up, staring down at the lifeless child in the grass before turning his body around to leave.
The kid whimpered again, a sound so quiet and high it was like a final plea for a saviour to come. Sukuna exhaled through his nose. He scooped up the boy with his lower hands, cradling him against his chest as he began to move towards where his home was. Inside smelled like fear and iron. He dumped the body near the mat and stared at the arrow inside the boy's lung. He pulled it out with one quick movement, blood already draining out, but was stopped when cursed energy swarmed around the hand that pressed against the delicate ribs. The wound knit itself shut, muscle and skin sealing quicker than he thought.
His thumb pressed against the boy's neck. It fluttered in response but was still weak. He felt satisfied for some reason, even though there would be no reward for him. At least the boy wouldn't die tonight. Standing up, Sukuna headed outside. The forest was still, quieter than before. He listened carefully, there. A deer, meat that would be good for the boy. He lifted two fingers, stretching them towards the deer that couldn't handle his dismantle. The cut was clean, skin and bone slicing smoothly for the animal to crash against the grass.
Back in the hut, the glowing wood cracked against the meat, the skewer heating up against his hand. The boy was still asleep, chest rising more with his lips slightly parted. The roasting smell made his belly mouth drool, eager to get a nip at the rich, juicy muscle. Sukuna ignored the desire, withdrawing the hacked meat to watch it sizzle. Sukuna doesn't even know what he's doing, only that this was a risky move. He'll just toss the boy back to the palace and forget this even happened, that was the right thing to do.
A rustle. One that was too deliberate and nearby. His head snapped around, his whole body frozen in place. The boy was standing there, not shaking, not afraid, but just two hazel eyes fixed on Sukuna's face. Neither of them moved for a long time, just staring at each other before the fire popped. It made the boy jump, and he looked at the fire pit, then back at the strange man sitting on the ground. His small fists curled against the side of his dirty yukata. He stared down at his blood-soaked clothes, scanning the ripped hole in the fabric that seemed to make his eyes widen from the realisation.
"D-Did you heal me?" The little boy asked, his head hanging low with embarrassment, as he asked the man. Sukuna stared. No one has ever asked him a question like that before, especially a child who should be afraid of him. He grunted as he nodded his head, staring at the boy who seemed to focus on even responding properly. His face lit up, hazel eyes shining like lanterns in the dark. Before Sukuna could even react, small arms wrapped around his neck. They squeezed him with strength that was surprising, a warm, intentional hug being given to him that he never knew existed. The man didn't even know what to do in response, hands hovering in the air before ploping back down to the ground in defeat.
"Thank you, thank you!!" The boy squealed. He finally let go of the man before taking a step back, head up to study the man's strange face. His gaze fixed on the four eyes that seemed more vibrant than the blood on his robe, the black tattoo lines around his skin reminding him of the orders his father gave to criminals. His mind finally clicked in, jaw-dropping as he finally remembered who this person was in front of him.
"Hey, I know you! You're Sukuna, that evil man my father talks about!" He breathed out in excitement, making Sukuna's jaw tighten in response. Of course, the brat knew who he was, everyone knew. But it seemed like the boy was afraid. He ddin't scramble back or scream, just wiping his nose with the back of his hand before continuing.
"Thank you! In return, I'll tell them to reward you. Gold, land, anything you want-"
"No thank you," Sukuna interrupted the boy's pride, watching his face stay still before his smile turned to a frown. He stared down at his blood-drenched yukuta. The arrow he was shot with was gone, the hole it should have left behind already sealed up by the work of the criminal. Yet, Sukuna still refused anything as if he wasn't struggling already, trying to live without being hunted down.
"I don't care, and I said you'll get a reward!" He puffed up his chest, declaring his own orders as if he were the king, just like his father. Sukuna stared at the boy for a few seconds before turning back to the fire, his back against the child, who seemed dumbfounded at this ridiculous gesture. Small fists balled at the side of his robe, cheeks puffed up in anger as the child stormed up to the man who didn't seem interested in him.
"I-if you don't listen to me then..." The boy's brows furrowed, his words cutting mid-sentence as he tried to think of a threat. Sukuna had no friends, no family, nothing. Just his stupid hut and his self-awareness.
"Then I'll tell my papa where you live!" He shouted, feet stomping against the ground before stopping completely. Sukuna's head snapped around, eyes glaring at the boy who had been sweating from the air feeling too thick around his skin. He picked at his nails, head hanging low, but still staring at the man's annoyed expression. Sukuna scoffed, turning his head back down whilst he lifted the knife from the ground to continue cutting chunks of meat from the dead deer. The child was interested, slowly walking towards the man with toes stretching to get a better glimps at what was going on over the broad shoulders.
He watched Sukuna make a long line across the detached deer leg, gently peeling away the furry skin before tossing it aside. He watched him repeat the same steps for the other limbs, staring at the way he plunged the knife into the tough meat that seemed like nothing for the man. Sukuna seemed to stop midway, his body freezing until his buff arm shoved the boy away, making him nearly fall back against the straw mat.
"Stop leaning on me..." Sukuna muttered in an abrupt tone, rubbing the back of his hand against his irritated temples, already going back to work. The boy crossed his arm, kicking the loose straws that flew out in hopes of getting a reaction. However, Sukuna didn't care in a way that made the boy wonder if anyone even respected him as a prince. The boy still walked over gently and carefully this time. He approached Sukuna, fingers curling into the dirty fabric of his clothes, whilst he waited for Sukuna to move. The large hand's stopped working, the man jerking his chin when he faced the boy standing near him.
"Umm, can I watch?" He asked quietly. Sukuna took a moment to take in the question. Already annoyed with the boy, he let him sit on his lap, his lower hand tapping against his left thigh, which seemed to be bigger than the boy's torso. He smiled, rushing over to comfortably settle on the man's thigh to watch him work, the scent of peaches becoming stronger with a sense of excitement. Sukuna didn't mind. It was the first time anyone had ever smiled at him without screaming in terror from his appearance.
This boy was different, someone who seemed resilient and confident when it came to getting what they wanted without feeling any fear. Sukuna thought more, tried thinking of the boy's name. He's been to the palace office more times than he could remember, yet he somehow couldn't remember a familiar name that kept sticking to his brain all those years ago.
"Yuji..." A bell rang in his ear. The boy's name was Yuji, he remembered now. He overheard the king talking about his son once, something about him lacking 'proper' behaviour like the rest of the family members. It made him frown, thinking about it. The boy was young, still exploring his childhood without some old hag nagging in his ear about being aesthetically pleasing to the public. Yuji had a lot of potential as a king, someone who could develop skills and power to make Japan the strongest country against all others.
"Hey, are we friends?" The childish voice broke through his thoughts, Sukuna staring down to see the boy looking back at him. He thought it was stupid, being friends with a criminal, your own father, criticised for being a monster. It made him wonder how his father would react, the veins in his eyes pulsing from fury when he sees Sukuna holding Yuji with all four of his arms wrapped around his delicate body.
"Sure..." He whispered. The response made the boy happy, the corner of his lips curling in delight before snapping back down to watch the man's work continue. This would be an interesting moment for Sukuna to remember...
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