Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For Fushiguro Megumi, no two days were ever the same. 

Being an emergency vet who worked odd shifts certainly saw to that. Day shifts at the hospital were usually okay, with most of his patients being actual appointments and not so much emergency walk-ins, but once 7-8pm hit and most veterinary clinics closed, it was as though all hell broke loose. 

Emergency appointments, urgent lab tests, emergency surgery, all manners of pets needing to stay overnight and under careful observation. Megumi rarely ever got a breather, often working overtime when the situation called for it, and often he felt he spent more time at the hospital than he did in his own apartment.

Still, the moments in between – when his shift ended and he finally went home to rest, or his days off – were ones he always made sure to enjoy to his fullest. 

Facetime calls with his sister every few weeks to learn how she was doing now that she lived in the other end of Japan. Visiting his dad whenever his days off happened to fall on a weekend. Going out to a bar with his friends even though he didn’t really like it because they pestered him into it; he still liked them, though. Staying inside for as long as he possibly could reading a new book all snuggled up with his dogs. Taking his dogs on long walks and hikes. 

No two days were ever the same and yet, in a way, they were. Megumi was content in his routine, in his life, happy to spend it helping animals and living his days peacefully. 

The current day, however, was anything but peaceful.

Megumi had been on call the previous night, praying he wouldn’t get called in since he’d agreed to take in an extra shift the next early afternoon to cover for one of his coworkers who’d needed to unexpectedly attend something or other at their kid’s school. Unfortunately, his prayers went unanswered because at midnight he was having to head out of his apartment, battling the cold chill of the early Autumn nights as it practically slapped him in the face while he disgruntledly walked the distance to the hospital.

Of course they’d called him ten minutes before the subway closed. And of course Megumi didn’t want to have to call a cab and had resorted to walking instead, some good 20 minutes when he could have done it in 5.

What would have been a simple surgery turned into three – one after the other, because there were more emergencies and one of the vets on shift had missed work again – and when Megumi finally left the hospital at almost 4:30 he bit the bullet and called an Uber because he wanted to get home sooner rather than later.

He passed out nearly as soon as his head hit the pillow, after petting his dogs and trying to make them settle from how energetic they were, and to his dismay he was woken not very long after – 9am, to be more precise – by those very same dogs who were eagerly begging for food and a walk.

Megumi felt sluggish as he dragged himself out of bed, and even more so as he forced himself to put some clothes on and take Kuro and Shiro outside after they finished eating. His body was still warm from sleep and the mountain of blankets he liked to pile on top of his duvet, which ended up being a good thing as the cold air of the morning shocked his body into wakefulness. 

Kuro and Shiro happily trotted ahead of him and led him to the nearest dog park, one they always liked to go to, and Megumi let them off their leash after looking around and seeing it was empty – save for two or three birds trying to pick seeds from the ground. 

He let them play together for a good half hour before making the executive decision to head back home. It was still early enough in the day that he could squeeze in a one hour nap before he had to get to his 1pm shift, and he blissfully sank into his couch, burrowed under the blankets he always had set aside for that very same purpose, and snuggled up into their warmth as he fell back into a deep sleep.

His one hour nap turned out to be two hours, which– was not ideal but was fine. He still had time to take a shower and grab something to eat on his way to the hospital, so not everything was bad. 

His shift ended at 7pm – only six hours, since it was a partial cover – and was busier than ever. He didn’t know what it was about Fridays, but they were guaranteed to always be as busy as they could come. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say people deliberately chose to wait until the very end of the week to bring their pets in for care, but he knew it was just a strange phenomenon that existed every single time he was on shift during a Friday. 

When he checked his phone as he rode the subway – the first time he was able to check it since he’d started his shift – it was to find Nobara and Yuuji had completely blown it up in the short span of six hours. With an odd sense of dread, he opened the group chat the three of them had to find they were, of course, trying to talk him into going out. Again. 

Kugisaki Nobara (15:06:29): hey losers we’re going out tonight

Kugisaki Nobara (15:06:42): and no, you can’t say no @Fushiguro 

Itadori Yuuji (15:10:54): i’m in!!!!! where

Itadori Yuuji (15:11:23): the place we went to last time?

Kugisaki Nobara (15:12:03): nah

Kugisaki Nobara (15:12:17): i got us into titanic sur mer

Itadori Yuuji (15:16:32): WOW!!!!

Itadori Yuuji (15:17:54): omg that’s so exclusive how

Through Maki, that was how, judging by the rest of the texts in the group chat. 

Zen’in Maki was his aunt, and Nobara also happened to have a pretty desolate crush on her ever since they’d met through Megumi. Nobara always made it out to be a pretty earth sweeping, life changing moment; in truth, Megumi had met Yuuji and Nobara when they’d sat next to each other at a class or another in college – Megumi right in the middle, since no other seats were open – and the two of them had immediately latched on to him and to each other after spending only a very long hour together. Right on their first day Megumi – together with Yuuji and Nobara, who had decided they were now a trio and would do everything together – ran into Maki on campus as she was on her way to the sports pavilion and Nobara had simply been… enchanted. At least he thought that was the right word.

Unsurprisingly, eight years later Nobara had yet to make a move, and Maki had yet to notice her friend’s infatuation.

Maki being able to get them into such an exclusive place, however, was quite the surprise. Maki may be a Zen’in by name, but she had formally separated from the family back when she’d still been a teenager. Megumi had been kept from the Zen’ins his whole life since his father had long split from them back when he was born, leaving Tokyo behind and taking his wife’s name as he did too, but every now and then he’d get Naobito – the head of the family – trying to reach out to him. 

Megumi never really understood very well how the whole ‘clan’ thing worked, since his dad – Toji – had firmly kept him away from the entire subject. “They’re very traditional,” perfectly summed up what Toji had told him. “You know I don’t like that type of shit.” Simple Google searches had always yielded the same results – the Zen’ins were filthy rich, the Zen’ins owned a chain of hospitals across the country, the Zen’ins were very charitable – but Megumi knew there had to be more. His father had left for a reason. 

That being said, Megumi grew up without really knowing the majority of his family, save for his dad and Tsumiki, and then when he was fifteen he met Maki in high school. The Zen’ins were mostly home tutored, but Maki had long since broken off with the family, so–

So, if Maki was getting them into Titanic sur Mer, it surely had to mean only one thing: her twin sister was involved.

Scrolling through the rest of Yuuji and Nobara’s excited messages, he weighed the pros and cons of going out that night. Pros: he’d be with his friends and he’d get to relax some after what had been a very stressful week. Cons: loud music, lots of people, drunk people trying to flirt with him, and what was sure to be a very painful hangover the next day.

The cons definitely outweighed the pros, but Megumi still found himself taking an extra long walk with his dogs once he got home, leaving them extra food in their bowl in case they got hungry while he wasn’t there, and he stood for far too long in front of his closet as he awkwardly tried to find something that was adequate for the club. Whatever he picked, he knew it would never be Nobara-approved; she always sniffed disdainfully at whatever he and Yuuji wore.

“I’ll be back later,” he told Kuro and Shiro, who were already settled comfortably at the end of his bed, curled into themselves. “Be good,” he added, petting them both before finally leaving to go meet up with Yuuji and Nobara.

The air was crisp and cold, cutting into his face and seeping into his bones as he walked the short distance to the subway station nearby. Another con of going out that night: having to be cold in order to not sweat his ass off at the club. 

When he got to the greasy fast food place they’d agreed to have dinner at, he quickly realized he wasn’t meeting just his two best friends. Maki was also there, which meant so were Okkotsu and Inumaki – Okkotsu constantly sneaking looks at Inumaki’s bare midriff as though he was thinking about whether or not he should cover him up in his jacket.

“Are you sure they’ll let all of us into the club?” Megumi asked, dubiously, as they waited in line to order their food. Yuuji and Inumaki had gone to look for a table large enough for all of them, so Okkotsu and Megumi were in charge of ordering their food. “How did Mai get so many of us into the list?”

“We’re going in with Mai,” Maki explained, “we’re meeting up with her at the door. So it’s fine.”

Dinner was cheap and greasy, exactly what they needed before spending a night out drinking, and before he knew it they were already walking towards the club. Mai was, indeed, standing outside the door waiting for them, hands stuffed into her puffy cropped winter jacket as she watched them walk towards her. Aoi Todo – Yuuji’s self-proclaimed ‘brother’ ever since they’d had one single class together in university – was with her, adding to the already fairly large group, but it seemed like no one else would join them.

The club’s entrance was unassuming, a simple, unmarked door squished in the middle of what appeared to be the back of two residential buildings in a pretty dark alleyway. Titanic sur Mer wasn’t exclusive simply because it was difficult to get into; it was also that you needed to know where to go, and it didn’t exactly feature in Google Maps. 

“Hey,” Mai greeted, giving them all a once over, “Kamo's inside.” Figured. The Kamos were also a pretty influential clan and a business partner of the Zen’ins, as far as he knew. Kamo Noritoshi was pretty weird though, so Megumi hoped he wouldn’t run into him. “Let’s go.”

Mai rang the doorbell, giving the bouncer inside what was probably a code of some kind, and they got in easily, the bouncer barely sparing them a glance as Mai told him they were all together. 

The hallway past the entryway was just as narrow as the door had been, the only lighting coming from a weak overhead light and what appeared to be red light at the end of the hallway. They squeezed in together, one feet in front of the other as they steadily walked, and when they turned right towards the red light and went down the stairs – creakier and more unsteady than he expected, given how only the elite of the elite supposedly frequented this place – it was as though they were suddenly in an entirely different world.

A large dance floor opened up in front of them, dark with the exception of the ominous red light from the two long bars on each side of the space. The music wasn’t really Megumi’s vibe and the dance floor was already nearly packed, but he was there to get some drinks in and relax so that was what he did. 

He’d expected the club to be different – less like a club and more like a lounge, with tables and expensive looking people drinking their overpriced drinks. Maybe there was a private section of the club that he’d simply not noticed during his initial perusal, but for now it simply seemed like the type of club he went to back when he was in university and looking to destress.

He didn’t have to wait long to get a drink, opting for something that would easily get the job done – a shot of tequila with a gin and tonic as chaser. Yuuji and Nobara joined him as the rest of the group split up – Maki and Mai pretended not to talk to each other even as they got shots together, Todo went off to find Kamo and Okkotsu and Inumaki predictably disappeared to, very likely, go make out somewhere – and they licked their salt, downed their shots and bit into their lemon slice together. Megumi’s eyes squinted as he soothed the burn of the tequila with the lemon, but Nobara and Yuuji were, as always, unaffected.

They went to the dance floor with their drinks of preference in hand, Megumi still not feeling quite loose enough to dance but trying his best anyway. In the center of the dance floor it was so dark not even the red could help him, the only light – fluorescent, making everyone’s teeth seem whiter than they really were – coming from the DJ booth somewhere between the two bars, which made it easier for him to let himself go.

One drink became two, then three, followed by another shot and yet again another shot because Todo surprised them all, followed by another drink – a vodka with redbull; Megumi knew he shouldn’t be mixing so many drinks –, and somehow in the middle of it all Megumi realized he was drunk. Halfway close to wasted, even.

His body was far too heated, not even the draft of the industrial sized air conditioning helping to cool down the effects of the alcohol burning through his veins, and his vision was starting to get blurry as he moved his body with the crowd, not a shred of self conscience present to make him doubt himself. He needed to take a break, splash some water on his face and neck, get some air that wasn’t thick with sweat and alcohol. 

“Going to the bathroom,” he shouted in Nobara’s ear. She gave him a thumbs up but he wasn’t sure she’d even heard him, busy as she was laughing at something Maki was saying in her ear, their bodies so close together Megumi suspected something might finally happen between them. 

He had no idea where the bathroom was. He walked around, vaguely aware of bumping into people as he made his way through the crowd, not even bothering to apologize. They were fine. They all had their eyes closed as they moved to the beat of the music or they were far too engrossed in whatever make out they had going on.

With the single shred of lucidity he had left, Megumi headed towards the bar, leaning over to ask the bartender where the bathroom was. 

As it turned out, there was a hallway near the end of that bar, the entrance to it so poorly lit you could barely even see it. Fortunately, the hallway itself was as dimly lit, and seeing as none of the doors he was seeing had any sort of sign on it to indicate they were a bathroom, he simply chose one at random and turned the doorknob to go inside.

Very quickly, Megumi realized he wasn’t in a bathroom. His drunken mind could barely process what it was seeing, but there was a group of men huddled over a table, smoking and drinking and playing cards – probably poker. They were all talking so loudly that they didn’t even notice him, so Megumi quickly closed the door back behind him and stepped back.

“Lost?” he heard someone ask, voice so deep Megumi thought he was imagining it.

The music was more muted here, in this hallway, but Megumi had still not been able to realize there’d been someone walking up to him. He turned around entirely too quickly, stumbling on his feet and nearly falling on his face, only for strong arms to grip him by the forearms and hold him up.

He might be drunk, but he was definitely not drunk enough to allow just any random, sleazy guy to touch him. Megumi sharply looked up, intent on pulling away from the stranger, only for his breath to hitch in his throat as he finally took in the guy’s face.

The guy was hot. Not hot in a ‘yeah he’s objectively hot’ kind of way, but hot in a ‘holy shit, I’d let this guy bend me over right here and right now, is he even actually real’ kind of way. 

The man in front of him was tall, at least 10 cm taller if not even more, but what really struck Megumi was how big he was. He was all broad shoulders and bulging biceps, visible even through his leather jacket, but Megumi found he really couldn’t look away from his face. Hair cut into a buzzcut, seemingly pink though Megumi didn’t know if it was a trick of the light. His eyes looked red under the dim lighting of the hallway, maybe a reflection of the red from the main room creeping into where they stood, and the only word Megumi could think of to describe him was handsome. Whoever this was, they were disgustingly handsome and very much aware of it, based off of the confident smirk on his face. 

“Well?” the guy prompted, and Megumi felt a shiver run down his spine as he heard his voice again. He wouldn’t mind hearing it a little closer to him. 

“Bathroom,” he finally let out, recomposing himself. “The bartender told me it was here.”

The hot guy – that was what Megumi was going to call him in his head from now on, he’d decided – raised an eyebrow at that, mouth twisted in amusement. Megumi couldn’t help but notice neither of them had yet let go of each other. “The bathroom is definitely not over here,” he said, looking at him so intently that Megumi felt himself blush under his gaze. “I can take you, though.”

Megumi was faintly aware of the fact that he was not quite being himself. On an ordinary day, Megumi would never be caught dead blushing at some stranger in a club or nearly stuttering as he tried to speak; but it wasn’t an ordinary day and the man in front of him was definitely anything but some guy, so before his muddled brain could comprehend it he was already being walked back towards where he’d come from, back to the main floor, only for the man to stop them right at the beginning of the hallway and point to a distinctly marked door. 

“This is the bathroom,” he said, chuckling as Megumi only let out a little “oh”.

Surprisingly enough, the bathroom was empty – definitely not the average club experience – and Megumi took care of his business swiftly, wanting to hurry so he could try to catch the stranger again, maybe make his way into his bed before the end of the night. 

He still splashed some water onto his neck, still feeling overheated though now due to an entirely different reason – but significantly less dizzy, thankfully – and, to his surprise, when he walked back out of the bathroom he found the stranger still standing there waiting for him.

“You’re still here,” he blurted out, blinking at him dumbly. 

The hot guy grinned, showing off perfectly straight teeth – Megumi wanted to lick them. “Wanted to make sure you were okay,” he said, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. “You going back out on the dance floor?”

Megumi shrugged, stepping slightly closer to him. They were close to the main room again so the music was louder; that was his excuse, at least. “Is there anything better to do around here?”

“I’m glad you asked,” the hot guy said. 

☾

Megumi was also glad he’d asked. 

The hot guy – Sukuna, he’d learned since – had led him to a private room, also in the hallway but much different from the one he’d stumbled into. They’d had drinks sent to the room, carried in by the bartender who’d told Megumi where to find the bathroom earlier, and if he seemed surprised to find him there then he really hadn’t shown it.

Maybe it was a regular thing. Sukuna seemed to be comfortable in that space, obviously a club regular, and maybe he was in the habit of luring drunk strangers into his private room so he could seduce them. Megumi didn’t know and, to be truthful, he also didn’t care.

The private room was small and bathed in soft light, an L shaped couch on one of the corners with a glass center table in front of it, and a table – for poker, very likely – on the other end of the room. There was no one else there save for Megumi and Sukuna, low synth rock music playing in the background as they chatted; or, more accurately, as they flirted.

There was ample space on the couch but they were sitting so close together their knees touched, both clad almost entirely in black but able to feel the warmth of each other’s skin through their clothes. 

Sukuna had removed his leather jacket at some point, showing off the muscles Megumi had already known were there, and Megumi had done the same, feeling like he should have put more effort into his outfit if only to snare Sukuna a little better. Maybe he should have worn a crop top like Inumaki had. Regardless, going off the way Sukuna leaned into his space constantly and by how his hand was now sitting firmly on Megumi’s thigh, it seemed he didn’t have too much to worry about.

“I’m an emergency vet,” Megumi was saying, licking his lips as he felt his throat go dry when Sukuna slid his hand up just a little more, “I work really odd hours and get the wackiest cases, but I love–” his breath hitched when Sukuna squeezed, and he felt liquid heat rushing to his core. All he wanted was to squeeze his thighs together, but Sukuna would know, “I love animals,” he concluded lamely, leaning further into Sukuna’s side.

“That’s so admirable,” Sukuna murmured, nearly whispering the words in Megumi’s ear. “Have pets of your own?”

“Two dogs,” Megumi let out, fisting his hand in the front of Sukuna’s shirt, licking his lips again, “Siberian huskies.”

Sukuna chuckled, nuzzling his cheek with his nose, “Big dogs,” he commented. “I like you.”

‘I like you too,’ Megumi wanted to say, but he was sure he would sound pathetic and not sexy in the way Sukuna did. He stayed quiet instead, eyes half lidded as he looked up at Sukuna, wishing he would make the first move and lean in. Close the distance between them.

“What do you do?” he whispered instead, desperately trying to gain control of the situation.

“Boring old businessman,” Sukuna said, smirking. He knew what he was doing to Megumi. He had to know. “Not very interesting.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” Megumi said. He had no idea how old Sukuna was – didn’t feel like asking either – but he was sure he was not old. Older, definitely. But not old. Not when he looked like that. 

“You’re so much more interesting, Megumi.” The way Sukuna said his name made Megumi curl his toes in his boots, made him actually squeeze his thighs together despite how obvious it made it to Sukuna how much he wanted him. “I want to know everything about you.”

With another squeeze, Sukuna finally leaned in, closing the distance between them and slotting their lips together. 

Megumi had kissed a fair share of people in his life, but he was sure he would never again kiss someone like Sukuna. Their lips fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Every time they broke apart they were pulled right back into each other, Megumi’s lips parting under Sukuna’s so Sukuna could lick into his mouth. Sukuna tasted like the whiskey he’d ordered, not too strong and mixed in with something that was undeniably his. 

All Megumi could feel were Sukuna’s hands on his body. The hand that had been on his thigh had slid up to his waist, pulling him so close to him he was nearly sitting on his lap; his other hand had come to rest on Megumi’s nape, so large his thumb could fit right against his throat. Sukuna’s scent was all around him, sharp and fresh from his cologne with something else that Megumi couldn’t quite put his finger on.

His brain was fuzzy again, his friends completely forgotten. Their tongues slid together, spit mixing. Megumi was on Sukuna’s lap now, feeling the bulge in Sukuna’s pants,  shamelessly grinding against it. There was a tension building in his belly, hot and delicious, but Megumi needed more. 

“Sukuna,” he whispered, panting against Sukuna’s lips as they broke apart, a wet line of spit keeping them connected, “take me home?”

Sukuna’s hand tightened on his waist, his other hand sliding down to join it. His hands were so large they could easily circle his waist, fingers meeting in the middle. Megumi fought to keep down a shiver as he thought about it, thought about Sukuna gripping his waist as Megumi bounced on his cock later that night.

“Yeah,” Sukuna breathed out, placing another kiss – softer – on Megumi’s lips. “I’ll take you home.”

Megumi climbed out of Sukuna’s lap and fixed his clothes, watching as Sukuna slipped on his leather jacket and downed the rest of his whiskey. Sukuna picked up Megumi’s jacket from the couch and offered it to him, helping him put him on, and Megumi blushed despite himself. How ridiculous – he’d just been in the man’s lap and now he was blushing because he was being courteous.

The walk back towards the exit of the club was a bit of a blur – all Megumi could focus on was the warmth of Sukuna’s hand on his back, leading him through the crowd towards the stairs. Even if Megumi had wanted to, there was no way he could even attempt to locate his friends in the crowd to let them know he was leaving; Sukuna was all there was in the world at that moment.

Sukuna nodded to the bouncer – a different one; Megumi had no idea how many hours had already passed since he’d arrived – and he let them out.

“I’m calling my car,” Sukuna said, wrapping an arm around Megumi’s shoulders to keep him warm as they waited. He was texting someone on his phone, likely his chauffeur – did he have a chauffeur? Probably, if he was rich enough to have his own private room in Titanic sur Mer –, when suddenly his phone went off, ringing unnaturally loudly in the quiet of the alleyway. “Sorry,” he said, making a face at Megumi as he picked it up.

Maybe Sukuna was an international businessman. That would explain why he’d be getting a call so late at night, and why he’d be speaking so curtly to whoever was on the other hand. He was speaking Japanese though, but Megumi didn’t linger too long on that. 

Sukuna sighed as he ended his call, and when he turned to face Megumi with that look on his face – like he was sorely disappointed –, Megumi already knew what he was going to say. “I’m sorry,” he started, using his now free arm to wrap around Megumi as well, fully embracing him. “It was a work call, I–”

“I understand,” Megumi cut him off, smiling. The entire thing had seemed like it was too good to be true, anyway; he’d had fun, regardless. “Thank you for the drink, though,” he added. “I had fun.”

Megumi shivered from the way Sukuna was looking at him, intently and with an unreadable expression, and he was surprised when Sukuna leaned in to kiss him again. Slow and sensual, sliding their tongues together as naturally as breathing. 

“The car is arriving any minute now,” he said, pulling Megumi even closer to his chest when they broke apart. “I’ll still drop you off.”

It was far more than Megumi expected from a would-be one-night stand, if he was being honest. He wouldn’t mind calling himself an Uber but Sukuna clearly felt bad – missing out on fucking Megumi to work instead – so he was happy to let him; it was less money he spent and a nice way to stroke his ego after going home drunk and alone, with only his own hand and the bullet vibe that was almost reaching the end of its days to keep him company.

True to his word, Sukuna asked for his address so they could drop him off, a screen between the driver and themselves so they could have some privacy, and Megumi snuggled into his side as they drove, eager to get one last taste of Sukuna before he went back to his life and never saw him again.

“We’re here,” Sukuna told him when the car pulled into the parking lot of his building. Megumi had dozed off, the ride not even that long but he’d been tired from his near back to back shifts, and Sukuna’s chest had proven to be a very comfortable pillow. “You good?” he asked, watching as Megumi blinked his bleary eyes open and looked around at his surroundings.

“All good,” Megumi said, managing a small smile. “Thanks for dropping me off, you really didn’t need to.”

“Oh, I did,” Sukuna said, grabbing his waist – he seemed to like having his hands there; Megumi couldn’t say he minded – and kissing him again. One last kiss. He was sweeter than he looked. “I wish I could go up with you.”

“Me too,” Megumi whispered, stealing another kiss. Quick and fleeting. Just like their almost-hookup. “Thanks again.”

He didn’t want to move, but Sukuna had been called in to work and now that he knew he would be going home alone he wanted nothing more than to drag himself to his bed and pass out, clothes and everything. With much difficulty he started to pull himself away, one hand reaching for the door handle, when he felt Sukuna’s hand grip his wrist.

“Sukuna?” he asked, confused. 

“Your number,” Sukuna said, handing his phone to Megumi. It was already unlocked and open to a new contact form. Megumi felt his heart beat a little bit faster, even if he knew Sukuna was just being polite – he wouldn’t text him the next day, or even the day after. 

“Okay,” he said, taking the phone and inputting his number. “Here.”

Sukuna took his phone back, pocketing it again, and placed one last kiss on Megumi’s lips, holding him by the nape of his neck. “I’ll text you tomorrow,” he promised.

“I’ll be waiting,” Megumi lied. It wasn’t so much of a lie, though; he knew he’d be waiting, pathetically hoping he and Sukuna could still see each other again and make good on what they’d started back at the club. He just knew better. 

Kuro and Shiro were asleep on his bed when he got home, though they perked up once they heard the noise from the front door and lazily made their way to it, greeting him. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, changed out of his clothes. All the things he’d thought he’d be too exhausted to do.

The next morning he woke up with the covers kicked away from him – he’d been too hot during the night, the alcohol still coursing through his veins and making him overheat as he sweated it out – and a pounding headache. He hadn’t realized he’d drunk that much, but at least – so far – he wasn’t nauseous. That was the best he could have hoped for. 

After feeding Kuro and Shiro and fixing himself some breakfast – eggs and toast, black coffee, nothing heavy – he finally went to search for his phone. He hadn’t paid it any attention the previous night, remembering to plug it in to charge while he slept but not paying any mind to any notifications, and now he saw his friends had been worried. Or, at least, they’d been worried up until a certain point, because it seemed Nobara had seen him leaving with Sukuna and had put two and two together. 

Nothing seemed out of place – countless messages in the group chat, a message from Tsumiki, a promo message from his usual supermarket. Except. There was one unsaved number in his messages, having texted him at an ungodly hour. 

Could it be? Megumi had been so sure Sukuna wouldn’t text, would forget about him easily. 

Unknown (06:37:54): Good morning, Megumi

Unknown (06:38:21): It’s Sukuna

Unknown (06:38:47): Are you free this weekend?

Chapter Text

Ryomen Sukuna was nothing like Megumi expected.

Less than 24 hours after they initially met in the dimly lit hallway of a club Megumi would have ordinarily never stepped foot in, Megumi took the subway to meet Sukuna outside of what was one of the most exclusive restaurants in Tokyo. Sukuna had offered to pick him up, but Megumi had wanted to meet him there instead; he was nervous, and he needed time to collect himself before meeting someone he’d only interacted with before while he was drunk.

When Sukuna had sent him the name of the restaurant he’d booked for their dinner, Megumi had immediately Googled it. To his surprise, he found the place was so exclusive it served only one table per night, and was only open a few times each month. How Sukuna had managed to book them a table for that very same night on such short notice was a mystery, but it only came to show Megumi they were definitely in very different social standings. Why Sukuna was interested enough in Megumi to wine and dine him after a failed drunken hookup was completely beyond him.

In fact, Sukuna was so out of his league Megumi felt the need to enlist Nobara’s help on what to wear, which led to a frustrating two hours of his life of Nobara going through his closet and Megumi nearly pulling all of his hair out. 

She’d lectured him at first – how could you just disappear with some stranger without telling us, no way to find you, location turned off, what if he was a murderer –; when she was done, she’d been all too happy to share how ‘he looked to be really hot Fushiguro! Tell me everything right now’ and Megumi had let out a sigh of relief.

“This is the best we can do,” Nobara had finally announced, much to Megumi’s relief, laying out the chosen outfit on his bed. “Now, for makeup–”

“Get out,” Megumi had said flatly. He was trying to dress to impress, but there was no need to do quite that much. 

In the end, even if Megumi knew he couldn’t possibly compare to the people who usually frequented such a fancy place, he felt fairly comfortable with his clothing of choice – high waisted dark green slacks, a matching blazer, a simple black t-shirt and white sneakers. He’d forgotten he even had those pieces, buried at the very end of his closet from when he’d attended a cocktail party during his Master’s days, but he was suddenly very glad for it.

True to his word, Sukuna was standing outside the restaurant when he arrived. He was even more handsome than Megumi remembered, but he was glad to know his mind hadn’t been playing tricks on him – Sukuna was fine. He wore dark, fitted dress pants, a matching blazer and a simple white dress shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off his tanned forearms and tattoos, much to Megumi’s surprise – two matching thick black circles around his wrist and forearm, just as firm and strong as Megumi had imagined earlier that day when he’d woken up still pent up from the previous night’s teasing. 

Megumi wasn’t sure he was going to be able to last the night next to him. 

“Megumi,” Sukuna greeted as Megumi walked up to him, voice just as deep as he remembered it, caressing every syllable in a way that made Megumi’s stomach swoop. “You look better than I remembered, if that’s even possible.”

Sukuna was smooth. So smooth. Megumi would be lying if he said that didn’t do it for him. The fact that they’d skipped learning each other’s last names and had gone straight to the intimate use of their first names only added to it. “Likewise,” he admitted, finding it was much easier to not crumble into a stuttering, horny mess when he wasn’t drunk off his ass. 

Megumi glanced around, taking in his surroundings. For such an exclusive place, he was surprised to find they were smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood, rows of houses lined up neatly all around him.

“Are you sure this is it?” he asked, dubiously. 

Sukuna chuckled and reached out to take a hold of Megumi’s hand. His heart fluttered uselessly in his chest, not having expected him to be so physical with him quite so early on and right where everyone could see them. “Come with me,” Sukuna said, and Megumi followed.

They were greeted by the chef – a woman, a rarity still even in modern times – and led to the dining room. There was one single table right in the middle, already set for two, decorated with covered tealights. The lighting in the room was dim, intimate, and Megumi worried he wouldn’t know what to talk about when Sukuna’s attention would be on him and him only. 

The truth was, this was his first date. 

Megumi had never dated in high school, too preoccupied with his grades to make sure he could get into vet school and– truthfully, no one was willing to go against a man like Toji anyway, and by the time he got to university he was far too busy trying to make it through vet school to care about things like that. 

So he had his hook ups every now and then, usually while he was drunk and trying to relieve the stress from vet school, and later on when he was done with that he didn’t really have the time to go on dates either, even if he was asked every once in a while – always for drinks though, never dinner –, which meant at 26 he’d never really been wined and dined, not really. 

Dates were messy, complicated, an unnecessary step before the main event; with Sukuna, however, he found he was willing to give it a try, even if he couldn’t really explain why. Maybe because no one had ever put that much effort into trying, no one had ever pursued him with so much enthusiasm. 

Once they were seated, a waiter came in and asked what they’d like to drink. Megumi stayed quiet, leaving Sukuna to look over the wine chart and settle on something for them. 

“Red or white?” Sukuna asked him, and Megumi’s stomach swooped; he hadn’t expected him to ask at all.

“I’m not a huge fan of red,” he admitted, “but I’m willing to have my mind changed.”

“Do you trust me?” Sukuna asked, mouth curving into a smirk.

Megumi nodded – if he acquiesced verbally he feared it’d come out far more personally than it needed to – and Sukuna ordered a bottle, some name Megumi had never heard before, and gave the chart back to the waiter.

“This place is pretty exclusive,” Megumi commented, once the waiter was out of sight. “How did you get a reservation so last minute?”

Sukuna chuckled, looking at him in a way that let him know he knew exactly where Megumi was trying to get at. “I know the owner,” he said, tilting his head towards the kitchen, where they could hear the chef bustling about. “She’s one of my clients and she owed me a favor.”

Before he could ask exactly what Sukuna did – or in which sector, at least – the waiter came back in, holding a dark tinted bottle of wine in one hand and a bottle opener in the other. The waiter methodically opened the bottle and served Sukuna with a small portion.

Sukuna tasted the wine, letting it swirl and settle in his mouth, before nodding at the waiter. 

“Try it,” Sukuna asked, looking at him expectantly once the waiter left. 

“Will you be disappointed if I don’t like it?” Megumi asked, holding the glass by its stem; Sukuna looked on approvingly.

“I could never be disappointed in you,” Sukuna said, and he sounded so genuine that Megumi actually believed him. 

To his surprise, the wine was… okay. 

“You seem surprised,” Sukuna said, clearly amused at his reaction. “I take you like it then?”

“I do,” he confirmed, unable to keep the surprise from showing in his voice. “I never thought I’d find a brand of red I’d actually like.”

“Good to know I’m already having such a positive impact on your life,” Sukuna said, mouth curving into something more sensual, more teasing, “when we’ve only just met.”

It got easy from there. 

Megumi could flirt, he could tease, even if he wasn’t used to feeling quite so much attention on himself and from such an intense person as Sukuna. He was worried Sukuna would want to get too personal too fast, that he’d end up feeling nothing short of uncomfortable, but to his surprise Sukuna kept their conversation easy. Light.

The dishes started being served routinely – 11 in total, including appetizers and no less than 3 desserts – and if you were to ask Megumi what exactly he’d eaten in each of them, he genuinely wouldn’t know what to say. There was bread, cheese, fish, meat – different cuts and meats he didn’t even know you could get anywhere –, a mixture of Italian and Japanese that was oddly not as off putting as he’d imagined. 

He was full by the end of it, though not so much that he felt like he’d get nauseous if he were to take more than three steps, and pleasantly surprised when Sukuna simply informed him the bill had already been taken care of in advance. 

“Let me drive you home?” Sukuna asked, after he helped Megumi put his blazer back on. 

Decidedly more comfortable around Sukuna and very much wanting to invite him up to his place, Megumi was quick to nod. Sukuna took his hand again, pulling him closer to him to ward off the chill of the evening as they walked to where he’d presumably parked his car. They took their time, Megumi drifting closer and closer to Sukuna as they went to the point where their arms were pressed close together by the time they got to the car, with Megumi telling Sukuna about the latest craziest story he’d had at work.

They reached the car – different from what Megumi remembered from the previous night, though that was likely attributed to the alcohol – and Sukuna held the passenger door open for Megumi. It was only when Sukuna slid into the driver’s seat next to him and gripped the steering wheel with one hand while he started the car that Megumi realized he was going to have a very hard time during their ride.

Megumi had always heard about how hot men who drove with their sleeves rolled up were, but he’d never really gotten the appeal. With Sukuna next to him, however, he very much got it. He got it so much he wanted to crawl out of his own skin and cover himself with it just so Sukuna wouldn’t be able to see how affected he was.

In an attempt to free himself of his own far too lewd thoughts, Megumi cleared his throat, “Do you need me to put in my address?” he asked, motioning towards the GPS on the car’s screen.

“No need,” Sukuna said, opening it and scrolling to a pre-saved location – Megumi’s address. “I still have it from yesterday.”

Megumi’s heart skipped a beat or two and he settled into his seat, strapping on the seatbelt. Fortunately, the drive out to his place wasn’t too far and they entertained themselves by going through Sukuna’s Spotify playlists. Megumi hadn’t thought Sukuna was a big music guy, what with how he was a ‘busy businessman’ – his own preconception, he knew –, so he was surprised to see not only he had far more playlists than Megumi did, they also had very different music tastes.

“Jazz I could see,” he mused, pressing on a song to play it and immediately going back to his playlists so he could keep snooping, “but reggaeton?”

“What’s the problem?” Sukuna asked, chuckling. His eyes were mostly on the road but every now and then they’d meet Megumi’s, full of amusement. 

“You just don’t give off that vibe,” Megumi explained.

“Oh?” Sukuna raised an eyebrow at him, turning to gaze at the road again. “And what vibe do I give off then?”

Megumi blushed, focusing intently on the screen in front of him so Sukuna wouldn’t see it. “You’re just…”

“Old?” Sukuna asked.

“Very serious,” Megumi said, at the same time, and they both laughed at each other. “You’re not old.”

“I’m older than you,” Sukuna reminded him. Megumi still didn’t know just how much older, but he wasn’t in a rush to find out. “I don’t think I’m that serious, though.”

Megumi hummed, finally settling on a jazz playlist and letting it play the rest of the way. “You’re not,” he assured him, “but, like you said, you’re a boring, old businessman – forgive me for assuming.”

“A fair point,” Sukuna said, arriving in Megumi's neighborhood in record time. He parked the car close to Megumi’s building instead of leaving it running by the door, which could only mean he’d had the same idea as Megumi. “I’m looking forward to getting to know your taste in music, then,” he said, engaging the handbrake but leaving the car on. Waiting to see what Megumi wanted. “Next time.”

Next time.

“Next time,” Megumi agreed. Turning to face Sukuna fully, “Do you want to come upstairs?” he blurted out, with much less finesse than he’d practiced in his head the entire ride back. “For a nightcap.”

“A nightcap,” Sukuna mused, lips curving upwards with amusement. “I’d love to.”

☾

They barely made it past the front door. 

Sukuna nearly mauled him when they got into the elevator, crowding him against the back wall and kissing him like he’d been dying to do it all night. Maybe he had been; Megumi knew he was. 

This was the side of Sukuna he’d been wanting to see. The one that he knew had been lurking under the surface the entire time, the one so intense Megumi felt his knees go weak at the thought of it. Sukuna took and took and took, and Megumi tried to take just as much as he could in return.

They parted briefly for Megumi to unlock his front door, nearly dropping his keys from how excited he was, and as soon as they were in and the door was locked behind them Sukuna was pushing him against it, grabbing his thighs and hauling him up so he could kiss him again, lick into his mouth and make him see stars. 

Until Kuro and Shiro swiftly interrupted them, that was.

“Oh they are big,” Sukuna stated, even as he didn’t let go of his grip on him and kept him pressed against the door. “What do they want?”

“Another walk,” Megumi said, resigned to his fate. He’d meant to take them on a longer walk before dinner but since Nobara had ended up taking more time than expected to decide on his outfit for the night, well. He felt Sukuna’s grip on him relax, then; worried he’d want to leave, “but I can– after–”

“After?” Sukuna asked, clearly amused. “You mean after I fuck you so hard you can’t walk straight? That’s when you want to walk them?”

Megumi swallowed, feeling his mouth dry up at the thought. Well, when he put it like that. “Alright,” he conceded. “I’ll be quick though, you can–”

“I’ll go with you, obviously,” Sukuna said, finally letting him slide back down to the floor. Kuro and Shiro were already around them, going back and forth between Megumi and Sukuna in circles but spending more time near Sukuna, sniffing him. “I don’t mind a walk after everything we ate.”

To his surprise, Kuro didn’t mind that Sukuna was the one holding his leash instead of Megumi. Kuro and Shiro were loyal and protective to a fault, to the point where they’d taken nearly a year to stop being suspicious of Yuuji and to the point where Nobara, to this day, still refused to be left alone with the two of them. 

In their defense, Megumi thought they were all exaggerating. Kuro and Shiro would never do anything to them, not unless they tried to attack Megumi. Still, seeing them take to Sukuna so easily eased something in his heart.

“Did you even walk them before our dinner?” Sukuna asked, clearly amused as he watched the two dogs frantically chase each other at the empty dog park. “They’re filled with energy.”

“I did,” Megumi said, grateful that the dark of the night hid the blush that was quickly spreading through his cheeks as he remembered exactly why he hadn’t had time to fully tire them out. 

They let the dogs to their devices, letting them play as they chatted some more – Sukuna told him about how he’d never had pets growing up but had ended up fostering a kitten for a few weeks after finding it hiding under his car engine; Megumi told him about how he’d like to adopt a pair of bunnies in the future – and afterwards they walked back to Megumi’s place, Megumi’s free hand enclosed in Sukuna’s and being warmed inside the pocket of his jacket.

Everything seemed like it happened much too slowly once they were back in Megumi’s apartment. Taking off Kuro and Shiro’s harnesses; hanging their coats on the coat rack by the door; slipping off their shoes and lining them under their coats. They took a long look at each other once there was nothing else in the way – Kuro and Shiro tuckered out on the couch after all the fun – and Megumi wordlessly took Sukuna’s hand on his own and led him to his bedroom, turning off the light in the living room as he did and bathing the apartment in nothing but shadows. 

His room was mostly dark, lit only by the pale moonlight filtering in through the large window, and Megumi made sure to lock the door behind him once they were inside, ensuring Kuro and Shiro wouldn’t burst in and interrupt them again. 

“Well, look at that,” Sukuna murmured, placing one hand on his waist and pulling him even closer to him, his other hand coming up to cup Megumi’s cheek, “looks like I have you all to myself now.”

Megumi’s breath hitched despite himself, hands instinctively shooting out to hold onto Sukuna’s biceps. His hands weren’t big enough to circle them even half of the way. “Seems like it,” he said, voice raspier than he expected. Clearing his throat, “What do you intend to do now?”

Sukuna lowered his head, brushed his lips against Megumi’s ear, “I intend to make good on what I said.”

His lips traveled towards Megumi’s then, lightly tracing his jaw the entire time, and when their lips finally slotted together Megumi felt like he was a new man, life being breathed into him after a long drought. 

Sukuna turned them, walking them over to the bed in the middle of the room. Megumi’s fingers made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, opening it so he could finally – finally – get a look at his toned chest. It was better than he imagined, all hard muscle and defined lines. Megumi wanted to lick it, map the entirety of it with his tongue, but Sukuna was already pushing him onto the bed, kissing and licking down his neck as he smoothly undid the buttons of his shirt. 

His mouth trailed a hot path down Megumi’s collarbones, down to his chest. Open mouthed kisses pressed to the scars on his pecs, a tongue laving over his left nipple as one of Sukuna’s hands played with the other. Megumi had always been sensitive there, embarrassed by the way he couldn’t keep himself from moaning as Sukuna bit lightly over his nipple, soothing the sting with his tongue; but with the way he could feel Sukuna’s bulge brushing against his leg as Megumi writhed under him, he could tell Sukuna definitely didn’t seem to mind.

Everything was hot – the air of the room, stifling despite the chill coming from the small opening Megumi had left in the window; Sukuna’s tongue, Sukuna’s skin, Sukuna’s everything. Everything was too much and not enough all at once, and Megumi felt like he would die if he didn’t move, if he didn’t get to feel more of Sukuna.

A nibble on the soft flesh of his belly. A hot stripe licked from his bellybutton to the hem of his pants. Sukuna made quick work of his pants, popping open the top button and pulling the zipper down, and Megumi’s heart beat a little faster as he realized despite how obvious he’d been the previous day, despite the top surgery scars Sukuna had just licked, he’d forgotten to tell him—

“Oh,” was all Sukuna said as he looked down at the shape of Megumi’s cunt, visible through his soaked briefs. “Nice,” he added, looking stupidly dazed.

“You don’t mind?” he asked, even if Sukuna looked very much into it, already moving down the bed and not bothering to reply as he mouthed at his cunt through his briefs.

Megumi whined, wanting more. He wanted skin on skin, Sukuna’s face in between his legs, the whole gist. “Sukuna,” he whined, uncaring if it made him look desperate. He was, after all. 

“You want it that much?” Sukuna asked, hooking his fingers into the waistband of Megumi’s briefs, kissing the exposed skin as he pushed them down slowly, torturously. 

Gasping as Sukuna finally pushed the fabric all the way down, fully exposing his slick cunt, Megumi let out a strangled, “I do, I do, pl– please.” It was music to Sukuna’s ears, it seemed, because he wasted no time in burying his face between his legs, just the way Megumi had dreamed of, tracing his tongue through Megumi’s folds to lap up the slick there. 

All the blood had rushed down to Megumi’s core, clit swollen and standing for attention, begging Sukuna’s tongue to tease it. Sukuna didn’t, though; he skirted around it, licked into Megumi’s hole, pushed one finger inside. 

“More,” Megumi begged, pulling on Sukuna’s hair – wildly unsuccessfully, given he didn’t really have any – in an attempt to bring him closer to where he wanted him. Instead, all it did was get Sukuna to stop. “Sukuna,” he whined again, eyes wide open in desperation. 

Sukuna emerged from between his legs, bottom half of his face shiny with slick, mouth curved into the most annoying smirk Megumi had ever seen. “You know Megumi, you should be more polite,” he told him, matter-of-factly. 

“Polite?” he gasped out, hands still hanging on to Sukuna’s head in a feeble attempt to pull him closer. “Sukuna, you’re eating me out, it’s hardly the time to be polite.”

“If you want something,” Sukuna said, shifting to hold himself up his forearms so he could lean in and kiss Megumi, tongue licking into his mouth sensuously in the way Megumi wish he would do somewhere else, “then you need to ask for it,” Sukuna murmured, right against his lips. 

“I was asking,” Megumi said, frustrated. “Just–”

“But not properly,” Sukuna said, kissing him again. He took his time, sliding their tongues together, nibbling on Megumi’s bottom lip, before pulling away again. “Now, Megumi,” he started, leaning back far enough that he could look into his eyes, “what do we say when we want to ask for something?”

Sukuna wanted to tease him; that was fine with Megumi. Two could play at that game. Never one to back down, Megumi looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Please, Daddy.”

If he’d known it would have that effect on Sukuna, he probably would have done it sooner. “Change of plans,” he said, and suddenly Sukuna was manhandling him so he could lie flat on his back, Megumi hovering over him, thighs straddling his face.

“I’m not sure about this,” Megumi said, worried he would suffocate him to death. “What if you can’t breathe?”

“I’ll happily take that risk,” Sukuna informed him, before pulling Megumi down to him by his thighs and burying his face in his cunt again. 

This time, Megumi saw stars. Sukuna’s nose was long and hooked, perfectly bumping into Megumi’s clit as rode his face. He came embarrassingly fast, one hand braced on the headboard and the other clutching the pillow next to Sukuna’s face. When he moved off of Sukuna’s face, dragging himself backwards to sit on his lap instead, Sukuna’s face was red and wet with Megumi’s squirt.

“Are you okay?” he asked, still trying to catch his breath, feeling his cunt clench and unclench against Sukuna’s bulge. He was probably soiling Sukuna’s pants but he couldn’t bring himself to care; Sukuna could afford to pay for dry cleaning, he was sure. 

“I think I almost died,” Sukuna said, somewhat dreamily. “Come here.”

Megumi went, draping himself over his chest, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Are you tired?” he asked, worriedly, eyeing the way Sukuna had his eyes closed, looking like he was 10 seconds away from falling asleep. He still wanted Sukuna to fuck him.

Sukuna chuckled, lazily opening one eye and draping one arm over his back, pulling him even closer to him. “Tired?” he asked, clearly amused by the small pout on Megumi’s face. “Sweetheart, we’re only just getting started.”

☾

Megumi shouldn’t have doubted Sukuna. 

That much was clear by the way Sukuna fucked him open with his fingers at first, long and so much thicker than Megumi’s, Megumi sprawled out sideways on Sukuna’s lap, face down. His cunt throbbed and pulsed around his fingers, eager to feel Sukuna’s cock spearing him open, yet knowing no amount of begging would make Sukuna take anything but his time. 

“Daddy,” he cried, desperate, Sukuna already three fingers deep but refusing to do more. His thrusts were slow and measured, refusing to give in to Megumi’s desperation, and the only friction Megumi could get was from when he squirmed and managed to rub his clit against Sukuna’s pants.

“Are you in a rush, Megumi?” Sukuna asked, nonchalantly, curling his fingers just so to hit Megumi’s sweet spot, chuckling at the way Megumi’s hips bucked against his hold. “Weren’t you worried I was too tired?”

“Not in a rush,” Megumi gasped out, feeling tears of frustration gathering at the corners of his eyes. “Just– Daddy, I need your cock,” he cried out, desperately rubbing himself against Sukuna’s legs. “Please,” he added, for good measure.

“I’m not sure you can take my cock,” Sukuna noted, removing his fingers so he could stare at Megumi’s gaping hole. “You’re so small,” he said, stroking one of his ass cheeks and giving it a squeeze, “even your hole is small.”

Megumi swallowed, cheeks burning as he realized he liked hearing Sukuna say things like that, his cunt clenching around nothing. “Please, I can take it,” he begged, voice trembling. He turned his face so he could look up at Sukuna; pleading, tear-filled green eyes meeting vibrant brown eyes. “Daddy, please, let me sit on your cock,” he pleaded, turning it up a notch.

Oh so benevolent, Sukuna allowed it. Megumi scrambled to sit back on his knees, watching eagerly as Sukuna slid his pants down his hips, uncaring of the large stain Megumi had left right over his crotch. He did it slowly, knowingly teasing an all too eager Megumi who wanted nothing more than to see what was under his briefs, see for himself what kind of monster Sukuna was hiding in his pants. 

As with all things, Sukuna didn’t disappoint.

His dick was huge. Thick and veiny, with a red bulbous head already shiny with precum, a neat row of four barbell piercings along the underside of his shaft. Megumi wanted to lick it, to take him into his mouth and feel the bump of Sukuna’s piercings against his throat. Another time, though, because right now, he really, really, really wanted to sit on it. 

“Come here, sweetheart,” Sukuna said, sitting straight up against the headboard and patting his lap. “Come sit on Daddy’s lap.”

His words sent a jolt all the way to Megumi’s pussy, fire burning low in his belly as he moved to straddle Sukuna’s lap, teasingly rubbing his sopping cunt against the head of Sukuna’s cock as he settled in place. 

Sukuna’s hands flew to his cheeks, spreading them as he watched the way Megumi slowly started to slide down his cock. Megumi choked on a moan as Sukuna’s piercings brushed against his walls, delicious little bumps of pleasure inside him, resisting the urge to fight against Sukuna’s grip and sit himself all the way down without ceremony. 

He let out a low moan once Sukuna fully bottomed out. His cock was so big he could nearly feel it in his throat, would definitely feel him bulging in his belly if he moved his hand over it. His organs were surely being rearranged every time he raised himself up and down, thighs burning from the exertion, but the pleasure was so great, mixing with the pain, he could barely even make out his surroundings anymore. 

“Fuck,” he could hear Sukuna cursing, eyes traveling between Megumi’s face and the sight of his cock disappearing inside his cunt, unable to decide which one was more appealing. “Fuck, Megumi, you take me so well,” he grunted out, hands moving to Megumi’s hips so he could aid him in his movements, fingers digging deep into his flesh; sure to leave a mark. 

‘Not too small?,’ he wanted to ask, but he couldn’t, not with the way his entire focus was on the way his cunt swallowed Sukuna’s cock, the way all his senses were honed in on one singular point of contact. He could hear himself gasp, could hear himself pant harshly above Sukuna, bouncing up and down his cock. 

“Tired,” he whined, feeling his rhythm falter from how heavy his legs felt. “S’kuna–”

Sukuna was already moving them, shifting so his knees were on the bed and Megumi was spread out below him, hips raised so Sukuna could thrust into him. The different angle caused his cock to brush against the spot inside of him, making Megumi keen and try to squirm away. Sukuna held him firmly in place, fucking into him at a brutal pace. 

“You said you were tired,” Sukuna said in between pants, a crazed glint in his eyes. Megumi tried to hold onto his arms for stability but gave up, letting himself fall on the bed and twisting his hands on the sheets under him, unable to do anything but moan as Sukuna kept pounding into him, “so I’m doing all the work for you, baby. Is it too much?” he asked, a hint of cruelty in his voice. Megumi loved it. “Do you want me to slow down?”

“No, no, no,” he wailed, feeling his orgasm build inside of him, desperate for Sukuna to keep fucking him like an animal, “don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t– aaah,” he cried out, desperately gasping for air as Sukuna moved one of his hands from his hips to his cunt so he could flick his thumb against his clit. “Aaah, Sukuna, Sukuna, I’m– ah!”

“That’s it,” Sukuna panted out, sweat falling copiously down his temples, “cum for me baby, come on.”

Megumi came so hard he could swear his vision turned white. All he could hear was static, fuzzing out Sukuna’s voice and the sound of their skin slapping together, vision blurred from the tears in his eyes. 

When he came to, Sukuna was still fucking into him, having barely slowed his pace as Megumi came down from his orgasm. “Sukuna,” he gasped, feeling utterly boneless, “slow down–”

Sukuna slowed his pace, but only so he could laugh at Megumi. “No slowing down, baby,” he informed him, sliding his cock out with a loud squelch – Megumi had squirted again –, still very much hard and leaking copious amounts of pre cum. 

The thought that they’d forgotten to wear any kind of protection suddenly occurred to Megumi, but just as quickly as it appeared it disappeared when Megumi realized Sukuna was manhandling him into a new position. He was on his stomach now, hips propped up on a pillow and face pressed sideways into another one as Sukuna slid into him again in one smooth motion.

Megumi couldn’t take it anymore, clit sore from his orgasm and lips swollen around Sukuna’s cock, but Sukuna was relentless; he fucked into Megumi even as Megumi babbled to stop, please, Daddy I can’t take it anymore, ignoring his pleas in pursuit of his own pleasure. 

It was exactly what Megumi had wanted. Exactly what he’d thought Sukuna would be like. He wanted Sukuna to use him and abuse him, make him into his personal sex toy and then spoil him afterwards. Wanted him to call him sweetheart and baby and act like he was the most interesting person in the world. 

When Sukuna came, he didn’t pull out; Megumi felt as his warm cum filled his insides, coating his walls in pearly white, and he sighed in contentment as his thrusts finally slowed.

“Did I live up to your expectations?” Sukuna asked, trailing soft, open mouthed kisses down Megumi’s spine.

“I can’t believe you’re asking me that,” Megumi mumbled, cheek slumped against a pillow. “Did I?”

“Most definitely,” Sukuna said, draping himself over his back, laughing as Megumi scrunched his nose at the way his sweat transferred over to his back. “I knew you’d exceed them, even.”

Megumi snorted, burying his face into his pillow to keep from giggling. He was comfortable where he was, Sukuna’s heavy weight on his back, careful not to crush him; soon, though, he knew they’d need to separate, and he wasn’t sure what to expect from Sukuna. Would he want to stay the night? Would he leave with a vague promise to call him soon?

“Your bed is filthy,” Sukuna said, voice muffled from the way his face was buried into Megumi’s neck. “Wanna take a shower?”

☾

Sukuna stayed the night.

He carried Megumi to the bathroom, thankfully an en-suite so his dogs wouldn’t get in the way, and they both stood under the shower for a long time, Megumi slowly regaining his strength. 

They changed the sheets together afterwards, throwing the soiled ones into a heap on the floor next to the bed so they didn’t have to leave the bedroom. Without Megumi needing to ask, Sukuna slid under the covers and molded his chest to Megumi’s back, his own personal heater. 

“This okay?” he whispered, arm tightening around his middle as Megumi snuggled further into his chest.

“Yeah,” and then he was out cold. 

The next day, when he woke up, he thought maybe he’d dreamed it. Maybe Sukuna had left him still full of cum on top of his soiled sheets and had sneaked out of the apartment, because he woke up deliciously sore but glaringly alone in bed, Kuro and Shiro curled up sleeping at the foot of the bed. 

Bitter disappointment filled him for a few seconds, even if he’d never intended for Sukuna to be more than another one night stand to begin with, before he finally took full stock of his surroundings and realized there was sound coming from outside of his bedroom. 

Sliding on some socks and briefs and throwing on an oversized sweater, Megumi padded towards the dog, two sets of dog steps following behind him instantly, only to find Sukuna’s back turned to him from behind the island counter separating the open area kitchen from the living space. 

Sukuna was cooking. In his house. After he’d stayed the night.

“Hey,” he said, feeling a little shy as he stepped towards the kitchen area. It was the first time anyone had ever stayed the night, used to either himself doing the disappearing if he was the one going over to someone else’s place or used to his hookups not even pretending to stay the night. He wasn’t sure what to do now. What exactly was the protocol?

“Hey, sweetheart,” Sukuna greeted, turning around to face him in nothing but an old apron Tsumiki had gifted him sometime during college, decorated with little cartoon puppy faces, and his pair of briefs from last night. “I hope you don’t mind but I helped myself to your kitchen,” he said.

Megumi didn’t mind at all. He was just shocked Sukuna had anything to work with in the first place. 

As if reading his mind, “You didn’t really have any food, though,” Sukuna said, crossing the last few steps between them and running a hand through Megumi’s hair, lightly scratching at his scalp. “Please tell me you usually keep your fridge better stocked.”

Blushing, Megumi let himself lean into his touch, into his space, and wrapped his arms around his waist. The apron was ridiculous but on Sukuna it looked far too cute. “I just had a few shifts nearly back to back and didn’t have time to go shopping,” he explained, ducking his head into Sukuna’s chest. “What did you make, then?”

“I ordered some groceries,” Sukuna said, patting Megumi’s butt before extricating himself. He went back to the stove and turned the heat off, and Megumi watched on dumbly as he opened and closed cabinets with all the ease in the world, as if he were in his own house, searching for plates and mugs for them. “Oh, by the way,” Sukuna turned around with one plate in hand, spatula in the other, “I also ordered that.”

Megumi’s gaze traveled to where Sukuna’s was, and he saw a small brown paper bag on the island counter. Plan B.

“Thank you,” he said, blushing despite himself as he remembered how neither of them had even tried to pretend they’d been worried about it the previous night. “How much was everything? I’ll PayPal you or–”

“No need,” Sukuna said, walking back over to Megumi so he could make him sit on one of the stools, sliding a plate in front of him shortly after. “Eat up,” he said, walking over to sit next to him with his own plate in hand, “you need your strength.”

Sukuna had made omelets. They were perfectly spongy, filled with what appeared to be shredded chicken and carrots, along with a small rice bowl on the side and green tea. 

“It’s so good,” Megumi praised, chewing through his words but wanting to tell him all the same, “wow, are you sure you’re not a chef?”

“It’s just a simple omelet,” Sukuna said, but he was sitting with his back a little straighter, clearly feeling proud of himself. 

“How long have you been awake, though?” he asked, washing down his food with some tea. “This must have taken you ages.”

“Not very long,” Sukuna said. “But long enough for your dogs to have begged me for food as soon as I left the bedroom,” he revealed. “I hope you don’t mind that I fed them.”

“You fed them?” Megumi asked, genuinely in awe. He might not be sure on what the exact one night stand protocol was, but he was sure Sukuna was definitely not following it at this point. “That’s… thank you,” he said, looking at Kuro and Shiro, who were patiently lying on the floor next to them, knowing as soon as they were done they would go on their walk. 

They were just finishing doing the dishes, side by side as Sukuna stole small kisses every time he caught Megumi looking at him, when Megumi’s phone rang from somewhere in the living room. His phone had been on do not disturb since last night, and he’d set it so only a call from one specific number could get through, which meant–

“I have to go to work in an hour,” Megumi told Sukuna, who was busy playing tug of war with Kuro, once the call was over. “Someone called in sick.”

They hadn’t really made plans and Megumi didn’t know whether Sukuna had intended on sticking around for a bit longer or whether he even wanted to see him again but, either way, their time together had been cut short, this time because of Megumi’s work.

Sukuna smiled, letting Kuro win by letting him have the knotted rope and got up from where he’d been crouching to walk over to Megumi, placing one hand on his lower back to bring him closer to him. “How about we take these two for a walk and then I drive you to work, then?”

It seemed like a great idea, honestly. Megumi wanted nothing more than to spend as much time as he possibly could with the man he’d met literally less than 48 hours ago, but, “Your pants aren’t really in good condition,” he said, feeling his cheeks heat in embarrassment. “I can walk them myself.”

“Just lend me some pants,” Sukuna said. “It’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t fine. Megumi’s largest, most oversized sweatpants were sinfully tight on Sukuna, who had to be uncomfortable but seemed largely at ease as they walked down the street and took the dogs to the dog park. It was oddly sweet, the fact that he was going to so much effort for him, and so unlike the initial impression he’d had of him. 

He wanted to keep spending time with Sukuna, wanted to keep getting to know him even if, in many ways, he felt like he’d known him for a much longer time. 

“Thank you for driving me,” he said, when Sukuna parked in the hospital’s parking lot, already back in his clothes from last night, even if slightly disheveled. Megumi was in his usual casual clothes, sweatpants and sweatshirt, ready to change into his scrubs once he went inside. He wondered what kind of clothes Sukuna wore when he lounged around the house, if he ever even did. “And thank you for last night,” he added, undoing his belt strap and leaning closer to Sukuna. “I had a really good time.”

“I’m the one who needs to thank you,” Sukuna said, cupping one of Megumi’s cheeks with one hand. Megumi leaned into his touch, resisting the urge to nuzzle into it. Sukuna made him stupid. Their lips met, softly and so unlike the kisses they’d exchanged just last night, and Megumi felt himself melting in his seat. “Can I see you again?” Sukuna asked, when they broke apart.

“Definitely,” Megumi breathed out, eyes half lidded. 

Sukuna made him so, so stupid. He didn’t mind, though.

Chapter Text

Early morning sun rising in the east. The loud noise of humans and animals alike; humans chattering between themselves, cats meowing loudly from being trapped in their carriers, dogs whining from being cooped up in the hospital waiting room for too long. Bright overhead lights glaring down on his already tired eyes as he made his way out.

Megumi had just worked a night shift – would be working them for the next two weeks, all the way from 10pm to 7am – and he couldn’t wait to be back home. Before that, however, he was meeting Sukuna.

They hadn’t seen each other in two days, not since Sukuna had taken him out for dinner and then spent the night. Megumi had gone on to work an extra shift, directly cutting into his would-be free weekend, and he’d simply collapsed into bed when he’d gotten home, finally sleeping off the exhaustion from the previous days.

Monday after his unexpected shift the previous day had been spent in a sort of daze, waking only to walk and feed the dogs and then go back to sleep, either in bed or on the couch – it didn’t matter –, ignoring everyone and everything. By the time Tuesday came around Megumi was feeling much better, with enough energy to tidy up around the house and go grocery shopping so he could whip himself up a couple of meals for the next few days.

When he finally got around to checking the phone he had been accidentally ignoring since Sunday morning, however, he sorely regretted it.

Rows after rows of texts and group chat messages, missed calls and voicemails – Tsumiki asking if everything was okay because they didn’t Facetime like they usually did on Sundays; his dad asking when he was gonna visit, are the dogs okay; Nobara demanding for details of how his date had gone with a confused Yuuji who didn’t have the faintest idea of what was going on. He felt tired just from looking at them and having to respond – to Nobara’s at least – but he quickly regained interest when he noticed texts from someone else.

Sukuna.

He’d thought a lot about Sukuna, even while he was asleep – dreaming of moments that hadn’t happened yet; Sukuna in his kitchen; Sukuna cuddling him on the couch; he and Sukuna reading together in bed –, but he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes open for long enough to look at his phone and even think about the possibility of Sukuna trying to get in touch with him. After all, they’d just seen each other.

Sunday

Sukuna (19:21:43): Thank you again for such an enjoyable time

Sukuna (19:23:07): I can’t wait to take you out again. Think you’ll be free this week?

Monday

Sukuna (14:36:08): Hey Megumi, everything okay? Don’t be mean to paranoid, just want to make sure nothing’s happened to you

Sukuna (18:54:03): 1 missed call

Sukuna (21:37:05): 1 missed call

Sukuna (21:39:54): 1 new voicemail

Coming from anyone else, Megumi would think it was desperate. Suffocating. Far too much from someone he’d met while drunk at a club and had only seen one other time since. Coming from Sukuna, Megumi couldn’t help but get a warm feeling in his chest, spreading to all over his body. Sukuna had tried to schedule another date the very same day they’d parted ways. Sukuna had been worried about him. 

At 6:13am, far too early for anyone sane to be awake, – except for Megumi, who’d just had an entire sleep marathon – and before his brain could catch up to his movements, Megumi called Sukuna back. To his surprise, he answered. 

“Megumi,” Sukuna’s voice greeted him, deliciously raspy from sleep, “I’m glad you called.”

“Did I wake you?” he asked, clearing his throat after realizing his voice was just as raspy as his. “I’m sorry.”

“No need for apologies,” Sukuna said, and Megumi could hear rustling in the background; Sukuna shifting in bed to position himself better, “waking up to your voice is the best way I could think of to start my day.”

In the darkness of his room, illuminated only by the thin sliver of light coming from between the blinds of his window, Megumi allowed himself to flush to what was surely all the way down to his toes. There was something about Sukuna that made it so the cringiest, most playboy-esque things he said seemed straight out of his wildest fantasies, out of a romance novel.

“Aren’t you a big flatterer,” he rebuked, in an effort to maintain his composure. “I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier,” he continued, not giving Sukuna any time to recover, “I slept for most of yesterday.”

“I figured it was something like that,” Sukuna said, and Megumi noted with some disappointment that his voice was much less rough than before. “How was your shift on Sunday?”

So Megumi told him. He told him about a girl who had burst into the hospital crying because her cat had been lethargic all day and refusing to eat and how, in the end, the cat was just refusing the new brand of kibble she’d bought; told him about how he’d needed to operate on the tiniest little chihuahua he’d ever seen; how the cutest, cuddliest cat had needed to stay overnight because he’d had a seizure as a reaction to a vaccine and he’d managed to play with him during his break. 

(He didn’t tell him about the cat who couldn’t keep any food down and was down to an alarming weight because his intestines were too irritated, though, or about how the cat’s owner had broken down crying in front of him when he’d told him if he didn’t react well to the medication there would likely be very few other solutions. That was too sad, and Megumi didn’t want to bring the mood down.)

In turn, Sukuna told him about his Sunday. He’d gone home, done laundry, cooked lunch. Went for a run in the early evening. Read a book after dinner – what kind of books did Megumi like? So Megumi told him; told him about how he usually preferred non-fiction but wasn’t above trying new things; how he preferred to watch documentaries but was well versed in romantic comedies because of Nobara and Yuuji. To his surprise, Sukuna liked sci-fi movies – “we should watch one someday,” he said, and Megumi was quick to agree.

“So when are you free?” Sukuna asked – as though he was also not busy, busy enough to have to go into work late on a Friday night – and Megumi’s mood immediately soured because, well–

“I’m doing nights for the next two weeks,” he revealed, unable to keep the pout off his face. The rare times he’d tried to turn a one night stand into something more frequent this had always been the obstacle; he wasn’t sure if it would be any different for Sukuna. “So I work from 10pm until 7 every day, and my next day off isn’t until,” he clicked his tongue, quickly swiping out of the call so he could check his calendar. Great. It was on Thursday, followed by another shift on Friday, and then Sunday night off, “Thursday,” he finished, somewhat dejectedly. 

Sukuna hummed in the background, a little far away – Megumi hoped he was also checking his own calendar. “We could meet Thursday,” he said, voice back to its usual volume, “I’ll move some meetings around and we can have dinner and catch that movie.”

Megumi’s heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. “Are you sure?” he asked, tongue feeling dry like sandpaper. 

“Of course,” Sukuna replied, easily, like it was completely normal to move things around to accommodate someone whose shifts were always unpredictable. “I’d love to see you before that, though – how do you feel about breakfast?”

Megumi felt great about breakfast, especially if it meant seeing Sukuna, so now here he was, on a cold Wednesday morning, waiting at the hospital entrance for Sukuna to pick him up. 

Any exhaustion he was feeling quickly disappeared as soon as he caught sight of Sukuna, car coming to a stop directly in front of Megumi. Sukuna’s windows were tinted – he hadn’t noticed that last time – but he knew it was him, so he was quick to slide into the passenger seat. Sukuna was unstrapping his belt and reaching for the door when he slid in, obviously on his way to–

“I was going to open the door for you,” he said, expression surprised as though he’d been caught in the middle of committing a crime. 

“No need,” he said, though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like the idea of Sukuna opening the door for him. Who still did that? It was 2024. Nobody did that and nobody was like Sukuna, that he was very much sure of. 

Sukuna drove them to a pastry shop not far from Megumi’s neighborhood. It was a bit on the smaller side, just a handful of small, squared tables scattered next to the counter, but thankfully the line wasn’t big and most people seemed to be there solely for coffee to-go. 

Their tastes were different, yet still somewhat complementary – Megumi ordered black coffee and matcha swiss rolls, not fond of overly sweet things, while Sukuna ordered a matcha latte and doraiyakis. 

“Isn’t that too sweet?” Megumi asked, amused, as he watched Sukuna add an extra packet of sugar to his latte. 

“You’re sweeter,” Sukuna said, winking at him. Megumi felt his cheeks heat up almost instantly, and needed to duck his head and take a big gulp of his coffee in an attempt to avoid Sukuna’s gaze. Predictably, when he chanced a look back at Sukuna he found the older man still laughing at him, clearly enjoying Megumi’s reaction to his words. 

“Stop making fun of me,” Megumi muttered, mouth curving into a pout without his permission.

“I’m not,” Sukuna said, even as his shoulders still shook with laughter, “you’re just too cute.”

Breakfast was nice. Megumi didn’t think he’d ever seen any of his hookups in the daylight which made it a whole new experience for him, especially so when Sukuna was going out of his way to meet him so early and had been rudely woken up by him at 6am the previous day. 

They chatted about everything and nothing; what Megumi had for dinner last night and whether Sukuna needed to shampoo his barely-there hair; what was better, cats or dogs and why was it dogs?; which sci-fi movie they should watch on Thursday; which flavor of popcorn should they get? 

When they finally made their way out a whole hour and a half had passed. Megumi had barely even noticed any time go by; he hoped he didn’t make Sukuna late.

“Let me drive you home,” Sukuna offered, already lacing his fingers with Megumi’s, and Megumi hopelessly followed along.

“Won’t you be late for work?” he asked, even as he let himself be led to the car and held on to Sukuna’s grip tightly. 

“My first meeting isn’t until 10,” Sukuna said, flashing a triumphant smile when this time he was able to open the door for him, “and your building isn’t far.”

It was true; Megumi could have walked. Instead, he was happy to sit for all of the seven minutes it took Sukuna to drive to his apartment building, listening as Sukuna explained he was meeting with one of his suppliers.

“Supplier of what?” Megumi asked, finally getting the in he’d been waiting for to find out what exactly it was that Sukuna did for a living. 

“Galvanized steel,” Sukuna said, without missing a beat. “I own a construction company,” he explained, and Megumi eagerly gobbled everything up, “so when our suppliers don’t meet their deadlines or fail to provide the amounts they committed to, we don’t meet our deadlines. Some of our clients are more generous than others when it comes to these delays, and we risk either being dropped from the project or needing to pay extra from our own pocket to cover the cost of getting materials from a different supplier with much less notice.”

Sukuna had parked his car already, having turned off the engine so they could finish talking. Megumi wished he didn’t have to go.

“So you’re gonna be the big, bad guy?” he teased, leaning into Sukuna’s space. Both of their seatbelts were off, both of them turned towards each other. Megumi wanted to climb onto his lap but he knew the lack of space would just be awkward. 

“Someone has to be,” Sukuna said, lips upturning into a smirk. His hand came up to cup Megumi’s cheek, large thumb stroking the skin under his eye. Megumi could swear his heart skipped a beat. If it started happening too often he might need to go to a cardiologist just to keep seeing Sukuna without the risk of heart failure. 

His hand moved from his cheek up to his hair, fingers tangling in his dark tresses, fingertips scratching lightly at his scalp. Megumi resisted the urge to close his eyes and purr like any ordinary street cat. 

“I was thinking,” Sukuna started, voice lowered, “what if on Thursday night I come over and cook us dinner and we watch the first Alien movie?”

Megumi’s eyes fluttered open – when had they shut closed in the first place? – and he focused his gaze on Sukuna, vision slightly blurry at the edges. “You want to cook for me?”

“Of course,” Sukuna said, fingers never stopping their motions. “If you were amazed with an omelet I can only wonder what you’ll think when I make something even better.”

“I’ll help you,” Megumi said, even if he knew he really wouldn’t be much help and he’d also much prefer to stand close to Sukuna and watch him cook, maybe even wrap his arms around him from behind like in those cheesy movies and bask in his warmth. 

Sukuna chuckled, very likely having reached the same conclusion, and he leaned in to kiss him, – their first kiss that day! Megumi hadn’t realized how much he’d been craving it until he had it – warm and firm and lingering. “You can make the popcorn,” he said, before leaning in once again.

This kiss was deeper, wet and open mouthed, only making Megumi crave more. He needed to go home and sleep and Sukuna needed to go to work, but there was a fire burning low in his belly and there was something he’d been wanting to do ever since the first time he’d locked eyes with Sukuna.

“Sukuna,” he whispered, eyes slightly cross eyed when they broke apart from how dazed he felt. All from just a kiss. “Let me suck you off.”

Sukuna froze, hand immediately falling from where it’d still been tangled in Megumi’s hair. “What?” he croaked out. 

“I wanna suck you off,” Megumi repeated, hands already reaching for Sukuna’s zipper. “The windows are tinted; no one will see.”

“Meg–”

Whatever protesting Sukuna intended on doing quickly died in his mouth once his cock was pulled free, already hard and red and slapping against his stomach on its way out. Megumi eyed it hungrily, shifting in his seat to make himself comfortable. The angle was awkward, sideways rather than on his knees looking up at Sukuna the way he would have liked, but he made do. 

“I can’t fucking believe you,” Sukuna said, looking down at Megumi who was busy licking along his shaft, green eyes fixed on Sukuna’s and peering up from under long eyelashes. “You– fuck, we just had breakfast–”

“I’m craving dessert,” Megumi said, before tonguing along his slit, eliciting a hiss from Sukuna. 

Sukuna’s cock was heavy against his tongue as he lapped at the head, sucking on it only to release it again, teasing Sukuna with little kitten licks. 

“Megumi,” Sukuna growled, clearly fed up with the teasing, one of his hands already back in his hair, tighter this time, “stop teasing me.”

“But it’s fun,” he said, blinking up at him, all innocent eyes. Coy smile, thinking Sukuna would just shut up and take it. 

Instead, “Didn’t you want it so bad?” Sukuna asked, fingers tightening around his tresses, so much so Megumi yelped in pain, “Didn’t you want to suck me off so bad you decided to do it at 9am in the parking lot of your building where anyone can walk past?” Megumi whimpered, needing to rub his thighs together to at least gain some friction but having his movements heavily restricted, “Then take responsibility and fucking act like you mean it,” and then Megumi’s head was being pushed down, down, mouth forced open to take in Sukuna’s length.

Sukuna worked him up and down his length frantically, barely giving Megumi even a second to adjust, and all he could do was dig his fingers into Sukuna’s thighs and take it, let himself be used like the cockloving little whore he always felt like around Sukuna. 

It was too much; Sukuna was too big, too thick, his scent was too intoxicating. Megumi struggled to breathe, tried to swallow around his drool as much as he could, hollowed his cheeks; anything to try and have just a little bit of control left. 

He looked like a mess, he was sure; eyes all teary and unfocused, unable to see Sukuna clearly, and drool dripping down his chin. 

“Fuck, baby, you look so good like this,” Sukuna babbled; one hand on his hair, the other tenderly cupping Megumi’s face, like he wasn’t brutally fucking his mouth. “You’re so pretty,” he continued, clearly lost in his pleasure, “you’re so fucking pretty,” he babbled on. Megumi choked on a particularly hard thrust, tears falling from his eyes, but Sukuna’s pace never faltered. “You can take it all, can’t you?” he asked, stroking Megumi’s cheek.

Megumi moaned around his cock, unable to do much more. He’d do everything Sukuna wanted; he’d suck his cock for hours if he wanted, he’d crawl onto his lap and call him Daddy, he’d quit his job and become nothing but a cocksleeve for Sukuna if he wished it so. 

Sukuna abruptly pulled him off his cock then, leaving a dazed Megumi to look up at him in confusion. Had he done something wrong? Didn’t Sukuna like it?

“Daddy,” he whispered, trying to get closer to his cock again, but Sukuna kept him firmly in place. It was only when he was being pulled onto Sukuna’s lap, with his back to Sukuna’s chest, that he realized Sukuna had been adjusting his seat to make more space. “Was I not good?” he asked, turning his head to look back at Sukuna.

“You were amazing,” Sukuna said, leaning forward to kiss him once, twice, before holding him up so he could push down his jeans, his briefs, leaving him bare, “you could never displease me,” he continued, two fingers already slipping through Megumi’s wet folds. Megumi was so wet the slick was dripping down his inner thighs, two of Sukuna’s fingers easily slipping in and stretching him. “You were so good I need to fuck you now,” and Megumi was being pulled back down, Sukuna’s head easily breaching his cunt.

He sank down on Sukuna’s lap, a loud gasp leaving his lips as he was filled, Sukuna’s cock hitting him so deep he didn’t know what to do with himself. Sukuna didn’t give him any time to adjust, effortlessly thrusting into Megumi and bouncing him in his lap like he was nothing more than a doll. Megumi tried to fuck back, leaned forward to rest his elbows on the steering wheel to gain some leverage but Sukuna dragged him back, eager to have him close, fusing their chest and back together.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Sukuna gasped out, and Megumi moaned, using one hand to furiously rub at his clit in time with Sukuna’s thrusts.

Sukuna was close, thrusts speeding up and losing any sense of pace, mouth latched onto Megumi’s neck and collarbone trying to suck everywhere he could reach. Megumi was close, so close, trying and failing to keep up with Sukuna’s rhythm, orgasm just out of reach. 

In the end, what did him in was Sukuna’s hand on his throat. Megumi hadn’t been expecting it, but one moment his hand had been on his hip and the other it was at his throat, squeezing it lightly. His hand flew to Sukuna’s forearm, squeezing it tighter in an attempt to let him know–

“Oh?” Sukuna murmured into his ear, clearly pleased as he got the message; his hand squeezed tighter, making Megumi choke on his breath, and just like that–

Megumi came, crying out as his cunt clamped down hard on Sukuna’s cock, taking Sukuna right along with him. He felt a burning pain on his shoulder, mixing deliciously with the pleasure, and warm cum flooding his insides.

It wasn’t until he’d come down from his orgasm, head thrown back and cushioned against Sukuna’s chest as Sukuna littered soft kisses all over his neck and shoulder, that he realized two very important things: number one, his shoulder was throbbing in pain because Sukuna had bit down hard enough to create an indent on his skin; number two, they’d forgotten to wear protection. Again.

“Let’s go together to the pharmacy down the street,” Sukuna suggested, once they were clothed and a safe distance away from each other again.

“You’ll be late for your meeting,” Megumi pointed out, even if he didn’t really care.

“Those fuckers can wait five minutes,” was all Sukuna said. It was 9:45 though and Sukuna still had to drive back, so it wouldn’t be just five minutes; once again, Megumi really didn’t care.

They left the pharmacy ten minutes later with a box of plan B, a box of condoms – for Thursday – and a box of birth control. Just in case.

☾

Later that evening, after Megumi had taken a shower, walked his dogs and swiftly proceeded to sleep the rest of the day away, he decided to call Tsumiki as he made dinner. He was free to walk around while he talked due to the headphones over his ears, and he propped up his phone against the electric kettle so Tsumiki could see him, at least partly. 

“Finally,” Tsumiki said, looking as cheerful as ever. She seemed to be home, and upon closer inspection it seemed she was actually lounging on her couch, comfortably settled as she held up her phone to her face. “Been busy with work?”

“Something like that,” he said. 

He wanted to tell her about Sukuna, even if it was much too soon, but not straight away. Instead, he asked how she was doing, how was work, – Tsumiki had moved away to Hakodate for work, to be a teacher; she could have been one in Tokyo as well, but he couldn’t blame her for preferring somewhere quieter – when would she visit, would she bring her new boyfriend, until finally Tsumiki got tired of being interrogated and, not beating around the bush, “What do you want to tell me?”

Annoyed that she’d seen right through him, as she always did, “What are you talking about?” he asked, turning his back to her to get spices from his spice drawer, “I couldn’t call you on Sunday so I’m calling you now.”

“And why couldn’t you call me on Sunday?” she asked, ever so patient. “You had a day off, if I recall.”

“I was on call,” he clarified, back into view, “and I got called into work for the afternoon and part of the night.”

Tsumiki hummed, snuggling further into her pillows. “And why didn’t you call on Monday then? Tuesday?”

Megumi sighed heavily, finally giving in – the way he’d meant to since the beginning – and leaning over the counter to face her fully. “I met someone.”

“Tell me everything,” so he did. He told her about how he’d met Sukuna at a club and they’d hit it off, how he’d almost taken him home; how Sukuna had texted him mere hours later and asked him out; how they had dinner and walked his dogs and– he didn’t go into detail; how Sukuna had tried getting in touch with him as he slept his Monday away and they’d had breakfast that very morning.

He tried not to gush, he really did. Megumi had never felt this excited about someone before though, so it was no surprise when Tsumiki quickly saw right through his façade. 

“You’ve met him three whole times and you have that stupid look on your face,” she teased, entirely too amused. “Someone’s in love.”

Megumi rolled her eyes; trust Tsumiki to blow things right out of proportion. “I’m not in love,” he hissed, feeling his cheeks heat up. “I literally met him last week.”

Tsumiki laughed, happy to have been able to rile up her brother. “Fine, fine,” she relented, “but you’re well on your way.”

He turned away from her again so he wouldn’t have to answer her, giving his stir fried chicken and vegetables one last stir. “Needless to say,” he said, eyes firmly locked on his wok, “whatever you do, absolutely do not tell Dad.”

“Why not?” she asked, laughing again. “He’s been worried about you, blowing up my phone because you haven’t answered any of his calls. I’m sure he’d like to know what’s been keeping you busy.”

“Tsumiki,” he said, trying to be firm but only sounding as anguished as he felt at the thought of his father knowing about Sukuna, “don’t even think about that. I’ve met the guy three times.”

“And you’re meeting him again,” Tsumiki insisted. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes, but still,” he said, turning off the stove. “A lot can happen in the meantime. Besides, I’m visiting Dad next week; if I have something to tell him, I’ll tell him in person,” which was Megumi language to mean he was absolutely not gonna tell him anything at all.

“Alright,” Tsumiki relented. He could hear rustling in the background, and when he looked back at his phone he saw Tsumiki was on the move, going somewhere else in the house. “I have to go,” she said, looking back at the screen and waving with one hand, “Hiro is here, we’re having dinner.”

Hiro. Tsumiki’s new boyfriend, a local from Hakodate, who Toji apparently approved of despite them never meeting. “Have fun,” he said, picking up his phone to see her better, “tell him I said hi,” he added, before they hung up. 

He ate dinner on the couch, watching TV flanked on either side by Kuro and Shiro, and he walked them afterwards, leading them around the neighborhood and past the coffee shop he and Sukuna had gone to just that morning. He made it back home with only a few minutes to spare to finish getting ready for work, and by the time he arrived at the subway station nearby there was a new text on his phone. 

Sukuna (21:26:49): Have a nice shift at work tonight 😘 can’t wait to see you tomorrow

If he smiled like an idiot the rest of the ride to the hospital, no one needed to know.

☾

Megumi was stressed. Sukuna was on his way over to his apartment and he was decidedly not ready. 

His shift at the hospital had been long – longer than it was supposed to be – which naturally meant when Megumi got home his dogs had been fussier and demanded more of his attention, he went to bed later than he was supposed to, and then Yuuji had called some time while he was sleeping, rudely waking him up, which meant Megumi was so out of it when he went back to sleep that he ended up sleeping through his alarm.

He’d meant to do things. He’d meant to tidy up the apartment, dust the shelves, vacuum the floors; shave everywhere and exfoliate, even if he’d already shaved last Saturday; contribute something to their dinner, even if it was just store bought dessert.

Instead, he was running around like a headless chicken, trying to dust only the most noticeably dirty shelves, vacuuming only the spots where most dog fur had gathered, and walking his dogs quickly so he’d still have time to take a shower. 

He’d just gotten out of the shower, throwing on the first clothes he could find, when Sukuna rang the building’s doorbell. He quickly buzzed him in, towel still wrapped around his wet hair, before moving back to the bathroom, hurriedly rubbing the towel through his hair in an attempt to make it dry faster.

The result wasn’t very good: his hair was messy as always, even as he tried to style it minimally, his clothes were nothing to write home about, and his apartment was a mess. Still, he didn’t really have time to dwell on it because Sukuna was already ringing his doorbell and Kuro and Shiro were already barking excitedly at the door.

When Megumi opened the door, any and all insecurity instantly melted away. Sukuna stood in his doorway, one grocery bag in each hand, looking as effortlessly stunning as he always did. Dark jeans, tight black wife beater and the same leather jacket he’d been wearing when they first met. Not for the first time, Megumi wondered what Sukuna had ever seen in him, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth and dwell on it either.

“Sukuna,” he greeted, slightly out of breath. They stared at each other, Megumi wondering if he could just walk up to him and kiss him; Sukuna made the decision for him and easily closed the distance between them, setting the bags down on the ground so he could kiss him. 

The thing with Sukuna was, when he kissed him, he put his all into him. Sukuna wrapped himself around Megumi as naturally as breathing; one arm around his waist, pulling him closer; one hand cupping his cheek the way he always liked to do. He was all around him, everywhere, all at once, and Megumi always felt like he was drowning in him.

It was over all too soon, though; one of the dogs barked – Kuro, it seemed like – and Shiro tried to jump up to greet Sukuna, and Sukuna laughed as he let go of Megumi to pet them. Megumi could barely believe how comfortable they were around Sukuna.

When Kuro and Shiro calmed down and Megumi was able to close the door, they moved to the kitchen. Chicken stock, butternut squash, boneless pieces of beef and lots of ginger – Sukuna was making them beef stew. 

Megumi wanted to help – for a little bit, at least – so Sukuna gave him the incredibly complicated task of cutting the butternut squash into smaller chunks while he got the rice started and seasoned the meat. 

Sukuna clearly knew what he was doing; searing the meat perfectly in a skillet before transferring it to a large casserole to cook over high heat with the stock and a variety of sauces and spices that Megumi never really bothered to stock at home. Once everything was well stirred he covered the pot, lowered the heat and turned around to face Megumi, who had been standing partially behind him the whole time resisting the urge to just give in and wrap his arms around him.

“We have a good amount of time now before we need to check on the stew,” Sukuna said, setting a timer on his phone. “How about we have some wine?”

Sukuna had brought red wine – two bottles, just in case – and they sat on the couch with their glasses halfway full, dimmed lights creating a cozy, intimate atmosphere. They sat as close to each other as they possibly could without sitting in each other’s laps, talking about everything and nothing. 

Somewhere between exchanging stories of their college days – Sukuna had, surprisingly, studied Literature and not Business like Megumi had thought –, when Megumi dramatically retold Sukuna about the time Yuuji and Nobara thought he’d wandered off into the ocean and accidentally drowned himself during a beach party one of Yuuji’s friends had organized only to find him peacefully sleeping in Yuuji’s car with his phone on do not disturb, he accidentally let slip his last name.

“Fushiguro!” he tried to imitate a very pissed off Nobara, who hadn’t appreciated the fact that she’d combed the entire beach and had even dipped her toes in the freezing water for someone who was very much safe and sound, “Be sorry you’re not actually dead because I’m going to kill you!” he concluded, laughing at the memory. “Her priorities were all wrong that night.”

“Fushiguro?” Sukuna asked, looking at him with an intrigued look on his face. “That’s your family name?”

“Oh,” he hadn’t even realized he’d said it. He hadn’t been purposefully hiding it, but it’d been fun to have that little game going between them, neither of them knowing each other’s last name, “it is, yeah. What’s yours?”

“Ryomen,” Sukuna revealed.

“Ryomen Sukuna,” Megumi repeated, slowly testing the syllables in his mouth. “What a choice.”

“I know,” Sukuna said, clearly amused. “My parents were never very fond of me, it seems.” Megumi shot him a look, trying to see if he’d say more, but he didn’t. It was fine. He wasn’t eager to tell him about the mess that was Fushiguro Toji either. “Fushiguro Megumi,” Sukuna said, and oh– Megumi felt a shiver run down his spine at the way he said it, somehow making it sound even more intimate than just his first name. “The name sounds familiar, but I don’t think I’ve ever met a Fushiguro before,” he said, watching him intently. “Any chance the Fushiguros are also in the construction business?”

Megumi laughed, snuggling closer to Sukuna. “I don’t think so,” he said. “My dad is a bit of a handyman, though. He just does odd jobs around town to get by.”

“Tokyo?” Sukuna asked, one hand coming up to casually play with Megumi’s hair. 

“No, he doesn’t live in Tokyo,” he revealed, wondering if he should share quite so much. Was Sukuna even really that interested? “He’s from Tokyo and he grew up here, but he moved away with my mom before I was born.”

Sukuna hummed, seeming to mull his words over. “And then you came to Tokyo for university and decided to stick around, I assume?” 

“Exactly,” he said, throwing an arm around Sukuna’s middle. He was so comfortable. “I visit my dad whenever I have a free weekend,” he explained. 

“Just your dad?” Sukuna asked, hand moving from his hair to rub his arm instead. 

“Just my dad,” he confirmed, feeling a small lump form in his throat. “My sister lives much further away so I don’t get to see her as often,” he said. “She usually visits around the holidays.”

If Sukuna was curious about his mom, he didn’t press, which Megumi was thankful for. They stayed wrapped up in each other, each lost in their own thoughts, when suddenly Sukuna’s phone buzzed from where it sat on the center table, signaling it was time to check on the beef.

This time, when Megumi followed Sukuna to the kitchen, he wrapped his arms around his middle as he watched him stir the stew, fragrant and deliciously brown. He gave it a few more stirs before adding the butternut squash Megumi had cut earlier, along with some more lemon juice, and then the stew was covered again and left to simmer for a few more minutes.

They set the table together, Megumi bashfully lighting some candles and setting them on the small dining table where they would sit across from each other, Sukuna serving their stew and rice and carrying the plates over to the table.

More wine was served, Megumi served the dogs their very own special food – gourmet wet food – and then they were sitting, legs easily tangling together under the table as they ate. 

The stew was delicious, far more delicious than the omelet Sukuna had served him and definitely better than anything else he’d ever tasted (including Yuuji’s ginger meatballs, bless him), and Megumi shamefully resisted the urge to moan as he took the first bite of the perfectly tender, practically-melting-in-his-mouth stewed beef.

“Well?” Sukuna asked, staring at him expectantly. Megumi hadn’t even noticed he’d yet to taste his own food, instead busy watching him like an eagle for his reaction. 

“This is the best food I’ve ever tasted,” he admitted, because why wouldn’t he? Why did Sukuna run a construction company? He should be a chef. He told him as much, and Sukuna shook his head as he laughed.

“I considered it,” Sukuna revealed, much to Megumi’s surprise, “back when I was deciding what to do after high school. But I didn’t come from much so my options were slim, but also,” he continued, pensively sipping at his wine, “I worried I’d get sick of it if I did it professionally. I didn’t want to risk it.”

A valid point. Kuro and Shiro finished their meals and sat next to them, giving them pleading looks every so often as though that would actually sway them into giving them some of their food, and Sukuna huffed out a laugh as Megumi deliberately turned his head away so he wouldn’t see their pitiful state.

They didn’t have dessert, but they did have popcorn – Megumi did, a half opened box that he’d had stashed since the last time Yuuji had gone over to watch a movie –, so Megumi set out to prepare it, making two batches – one sweet, one salty – so they could mix them and eat as they watched the first Alien movie.

“What do you know about the Alien franchise?” Sukuna asked, as they settled on the couch with a blanket. Two full glasses of red wine, a big bowl of popcorn, no lights on and Sukuna; Megumi didn’t really need much more than that. 

“Literally nothing,” he admitted. “Yuuji may have talked about it once or twice but I tuned him out.” In his defense, the first time Yuuji mentioned Alien he thought he was talking about an alien, more specifically, E.T. He simply hadn’t cared.

Alien turned out to be a good movie. Great, even. Full of tension but not as scary as Sukuna had made it out to be, though Megumi made sure to play up his fear so he could cling to Sukuna the entire time, basking in the way he wrapped him in his arms protectively. 

By the time the credits rolled the movie was all but forgotten, both of them far busier with feeling each other up under the blanket and exchanging heated kisses. The alcohol from the red wine burned in Megumi’s veins, making him feel all loose and silly. He wanted to drag Sukuna to his bedroom and be railed into the mattress but he also wanted to stay right there, nothing but clouds in his head and the taste of Sukuna’s lips on his. 

The TV went dark as the movie ended and they were shrouded in darkness. Megumi’s apartment was completely silent with the exception of the noise from their lips smacking together or the faint buzz from his refrigerator. Megumi was on Sukuna’s lap, legs on either side of his, crotches rubbing together frantically. Kuro and Shiro were curled up somewhere on the floor, blissfully sleeping.

“You drive me crazy,” Sukuna whispered in between kisses, hand fully splayed over Megumi’s ribcage, “I want you so fucking bad,” he continued when they broke apart again, lips starting to kiss a trail down Megumi’s neck, hot and wet and everything Megumi wanted, “I want you all the time.”

“Me too,” Megumi whispered, taking hold of Sukuna’s face with both hands to bring their lips back together, tongues sliding against each other again. 

In the end, they didn’t stay in the living room for very long; they stumbled into the bedroom soon after, unable to keep their hands off each other for more than long enough to take their clothes off on the way. Megumi bumped hard against his bedroom’s door frame in his haste to pull Sukuna along, and they both stopped to giggle at each other, far too drunk to care.

The sex was sloppy; Sukuna ate Megumi out lazily, no real hurry in mind as he licked into his cunt, nose bumping into his clit every so often. “You taste so good,” he mumbled, pulling away every so often to babble praises at him, “I bet you taste good everywhere,” and then his tongue was in his ass, furled hole easily giving way.

“N-Not there,” Megumi gasped out, hands fisting the sheets under him. No one had ever gone there before, his hookups usually forgetting all about his ass once they saw he had a pussy, but Sukuna– going as far as to even– “A-ah!”

“I was right,” Sukuna said, crawling back up to kiss him, Megumi tasting himself in his tongue and he really, really shouldn’t like it as much as he did, but fuck–

Sukuna slid into him easily after that, not before finally remembering to slide on a condom – Megumi had put the box on top of his pillow so they wouldn’t forget and, even then, they almost did–, and then he was fucking him, languidly, exchanging wet kisses the entire time. 

“So tight,” Sukuna breathed out, littering Megumi’s neck with kisses, little nibbles, anything, “fuck, you’re so– Meg–”

“More,” Megumi whined, wrapping his legs around Sukuna’s frame and digging his feet into his ass, egging him on, “please, more, I need–”

“I know,” Sukuna grunted out, thrusting harder, faster, “I know what you need, baby.”

And then he was pulling out, manhandling Megumi into all fours, spreading his legs how he wanted them. Megumi arched his back, waiting for Sukuna to slide back in, looking over his shoulder at Sukuna who was–

“What are you doing?” he asked, eyes wide, and Sukuna only leaned down, closer and closer to his cunt, and he– spit on it. “Fuck,” he whispered, feeling his cunt throb as Sukuna’s spit mixed with his slick and Sukuna’s own precum. Sukuna watched, transfixed, slid his fingers over his folds to mix everything together, pushing the spit into his hole. “Sukuna,” he urged, seeing he wasn’t moving fast enough, “fuck me, please, come on, you can’t leave me hanging like this,” he begged, pushing his ass closer to Sukuna’s face, “Daddy, please–”

Sukuna slapped one of his ass cheeks, hard, making Megumi instantly stop talking. “You’re such a fucking brat,” he growled, locking eyes with Megumi. “Daddy will fuck you, but you need to learn to be patient.”

“Patient?” Megumi scoffed, looking at him incredulously. “You can’t be serious–”

Sukuna slapped him again, on the other cheek this time. “Say you’re sorry,” he said, letting go of Megumi’s cheeks and putting distance between them on the bed. 

“W-What?” Megumi croaked out, confused. He started to move, trying to shift so he could face Sukuna, but was instantly stopped by Sukuna’s glare. 

“Stay as you are,” Sukuna ordered. Megumi didn’t know why he obeyed, but he did. “Say you’re sorry,” he repeated. “Say you’re sorry and you’ll be patient next time, and then I’ll fuck you.”

Megumi’s lip trembled, wanting to resist but wanting to be fucked even more. “So if I don’t say I’m sorry, what?” he asked, trying to harden his tone, “You won’t fuck me?”

Sukuna shrugged, seemingly unbothered. “We’ll go to sleep,” he said, “try again tomorrow.”

Megumi’s lips hardened into a thin line. Sukuna, he– fuck, why was this side of him so hot? 

“Say you’re sorry,” Sukuna insisted, tone smooth and pleasant. “Come on, Megumi.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Megumi let out, legs quivering in an effort to keep holding himself up. He wanted to resist, he really did, but Sukuna using that tone on him, being so demanding– it was doing things to him. Slick was already dripping down his inner thighs, and he wished Sukuna would lap it up with his tongue. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” he continued, “I’ll be more patient next time.”

Sukuna smiled, pleased, and Megumi felt relief settle into his chest. “Good boy,” Sukuna praised, hands returning to their rightful place around Megumi’s hips, body moving back into position. Megumi shivered, nearly purring from how happy he felt at being praised by Sukuna. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he said, stroking Megumi’s backside soothingly with one hand, “Daddy will fuck you now,” and he slid back in in one go, cock slamming into him so suddenly Megumi nearly lost his balance.

To Megumi’s immense relief, Sukuna did good on his word. Sukuna set a punishing pace, slamming into him so hard his balls repeatedly slapped against his clit. Megumi was completely lost in the pleasure, little ah ah’s mixing in with Sukuna’s grunts, the air filling with the scent of sex and sweat, trying to grind back as best as he could. Sukuna’s piercings dragged deliciously against his walls, his cock hitting him so deep he could nearly feel him in his cervix.

Sukuna draped himself completely over his back, caging him in, thrusts speeding up, and then he was reaching around Megumi with one hand, fingers moving to where they were connected so his pointer finger could rub his clit, and Megumi could feel the pressure building and building and–

He cried out as he came, cunt clenching around Sukuna’s cock and milking him for what he had, and Sukuna thrusted three, four more times before warm cum flooded into the condom. Sukuna stayed inside, grinding into Megumi as he kept coming, and Megumi’s arms finally collapsed, taking Sukuna right alongside him as he fell face first into the bed, panting heavily. 

“Jesus fuck,” Sukuna gasped out, kissing Megumi’s shoulder as he too panted for breath, tightening his arm around his middle, “what the fuck, Meg.”

“What do you mean ‘what the fuck, Meg’?” Megumi asked, turning his head to glare at him. “I didn’t do anything, it was you who– who–”

Sukuna laughed, planting a kiss on his lips, coming back for seconds, “You pushed me into it,” he said, and Megumi squawked in offense. Sukuna kissed him again, swallowing any protest he had, and then he lightly slapped him on the butt before pulling himself away and out. “You drive me crazy,” he said, but he looked at him fondly so Megumi didn’t think he minded very much. He knew he didn’t. “Shower?”

Megumi groaned, displeased with having to move at all, and he shook his head as Sukuna started to turn him. “In the morning,” he pleaded, big green eyes looking pitifully at Sukuna’s near-red. “Please? I don’t want to move.”

“Don’t look at me like that,” Sukuna complained, but he was laughing along, fluffing up the pillows in Megumi’s bed and rearranging one under his head so he’d be more comfortable. “Fine,” he said, even if Megumi had already known he’d agree, “I’ll get a towel to clean us up.”

Sukuna was so reliable. So sweet. Megumi never wanted to let him go. “Hurry,” he mumbled, already feeling his eyes close from sheer exhaustion. His ass cheeks stung, likely still red from Sukuna’s slaps, and his shoulder still throbbed from the previous morning when Sukuna had bit him so hard he’d nearly drawn blood. Maybe it was tacky, but he liked having Sukuna’s marks on him. Proof that he’d stuck around.

“Oh baby,” Sukuna murmured when he returned, warm damp towel in hand and a nearly asleep Megumi in front of him. “I’ll make it quick.”

He made it so quick Megumi didn’t even notice anything, eyes closed and mind only really half there. The bed dipped under Sukuna’s weight when he returned, wrapping his arms around him and caging him in his warmth, pulling the duvet from where it had bunched under Megumi’s feet to throw it over them. 

“‘Night,” Megumi mumbled, snuggling into his chest, lightly kissing one of his pecs. They were so firm. 

Sukuna’s chest rumbled with barely concealed laughter, and he leaned down to kiss his forehead. “‘Night, Megs.”

Chapter Text

“Oh careful, don’t let them get close to the pine trees.”

“Really? Why?”

“It’s caterpillar season and they’re toxic to dogs.”

It was a Friday morning and Megumi was walking his dogs. With Sukuna. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence; ever since Sukuna had gone to his apartment to cook for him and introduce him to the Alien movies, they’d been practically joined at the hip.

Megumi’s next day off had been spent with Sukuna – in fact, Sukuna had picked him up from work on Sunday morning and they’d proceeded to spend the entire day in bed, getting up only to use the bathroom, feed the dogs and themselves and walk the dogs, separating only for a few couple of hours in which Sukuna was called away by work to handle an emergency; some deal that was at risk, according to him – and, since then, Sukuna had picked him up from work every morning and driven him to his apartment.

Sometimes they stopped along the way and got breakfast somewhere, sometimes Sukuna drove them straight home and made breakfast for Megumi. Sometimes Sukuna had to leave for work immediately after they walked the dogs but managed to return some time before Megumi had to leave for his night shift, other times Sukuna stayed and fucked him into the mattress and headed to work only later in the day. The fact that Sukuna owned his own company made it significantly easier for his schedule to be flexible, something they happily took advantage of.

It felt like a dream and, at the same time, it didn’t. Spending time with Sukuna felt as natural as breathing, like he’d found the missing part of himself and now couldn’t bear to stay away for a minute longer than absolutely necessary. His friends weren’t exactly happy about it, but they bore with it anyway. Nobara called it the honeymoon phase and told him she’d be there to tell him ‘I told you so’ when they eventually got sick of each other and had their first fight; Yuuji was just sad he hadn’t seen Kuro and Shiro in a while and they hadn’t watched the latest Human Earthworm movie together yet.

Megumi knew they were right, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. Not yet, at least, and not when he knew they weren’t that serious about it; Nobara had blown him off enough times whenever an opportunity to hang out alone with Maki came up and Yuuji had had a whole MIA arc when he’d gotten a girlfriend in their last year of university who’d get pissed off if he hung out with them too often.

“I had no idea caterpillars were toxic to dogs,” Sukuna commented, worriedly trying to get Shiro away from the pine trees scattered along the sidewalk as they walked around the neighborhood.

“Not all of them,” Megumi explained, “but around this time of year these caterpillars start descending from the trees and heading to the ground, and they can cause severe allergic reactions in dogs to the point where they can, well,” he trailed off, hoping Sukuna would understand.

“Oh,” was all Sukuna said, clearly surprised. “Shit. We have so many pine trees here.”

Megumi laughed, holding out his free hand so Sukuna could take it; even without saying anything, Sukuna immediately switched Shiro’s leash to his left hand and interlaced their fingers together, pulling him slightly closer to him.

Was it crazy that he’d only met Sukuna less than two weeks ago and he already felt like they’d known each other for years? Soulmates, even, constantly entering the cycle of reincarnation and finding each other anew in each lifetime?

They had breakfast at a café that morning. The sun was out, making them feel warmer even if it was only in their heads, and a new place with outdoor seating and a dog friendly policy had just opened up a few blocks away from Megumi’s apartment.

Kuro and Shiro stretched out next to them, soaking in the bright sunlight, and Megumi and Sukuna enjoyed their grilled fish with rice and a side of miso soup. Sukuna snuck pieces of salmon to the dogs every so often, whenever he thought Megumi wasn’t watching, and Megumi studiously focused on his meal every time he did so. They ordered coffee to go afterwards – black for Megumi and a vanilla latte for Sukuna – and they walked back to Megumi’s apartment hand in hand, slowly, wrapped in their own little bubble.

“Do you have anything to eat for lunch today?” Sukuna asked, pulling him even closer so he could lift their joined hands and place a kiss on the back of his hand. “I can make you something if you don’t.”

Megumi ducked his head, suddenly feeling bashful. Sukuna was always so worried, so willing to do things for him. He wasn’t used to it; for years Tsumiki had been the only one to really care, to try and provide for him as best as she could whenever Toji fucked off for days at a time, and by the time he moved out – with Tsumiki having moved out the year before for university – he was more than used to fending for himself. 

Sukuna liked doing things for him, though. He liked picking him up for work and, sometimes, driving him to work too. He liked making him cute bentos to take to work so he could eat during his break. He liked making extras for breakfast so Megumi wouldn’t need to worry about cooking when he woke up in the early afternoon.  

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, but Megumi knew they would get to his apartment and Sukuna would go and whip something up anyway. 

When they got back home Kuro and Shiro immediately ran to the kitchen, silently begging for their food, and Sukuna headed to the fridge. He wouldn’t be able to stay long that day – he had a business lunch outside of Tokyo – so Megumi fed the dogs, headed to the shower and left Sukuna to his own devices in the kitchen. 

Sukuna was in bed when he finished showering, fully bare save for his briefs, and Megumi raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. “Shouldn’t you be heading out?”

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep,” he said, patting the empty space next to him. 

Megumi felt his cheeks heat up – he wasn’t a child who needed to be put to bed – but he went anyway, sliding under the covers and snuggling up to Sukuna, soaking in his warmth. Sukuna always ran hot, perfectly balanced against Megumi’s cold. The sun to his moon. The yang to his yin.

“Text me when you get home,” Megumi mumbled, knowing perfectly well he would see it only much later, probably even after Sukuna’s lunch. 

“Sure, baby,” Sukuna said, wrapping his arms tightly around him to bring him closer and pressing a kiss to the top of his forehead. “I’ll stop by for dinner, okay?”

Megumi hummed, already slipping into a deep sleep. 

☾

On Saturday afternoon, Megumi hit the road.

He didn’t own a car, had never felt the need for it, but every once in a while when his days off fell on a weekend and Toji complained he hadn’t gone to see him in a while, Megumi rented out a car and went to visit. 

Fushiguro Toji lived nearly three hours away from Tokyo, in a small mountainous town near Karuizawa. He and Megumi had moved there when Megumi was only eight, and he’d eventually met Tsumiki’s mother and married her. Megumi had gained a sister but he hadn’t really gained a stepmother, because Tsumiki’s mother ended up running off with someone else not long after, leaving her own daughter behind. 

Megumi would like to think Toji had tried his best to provide for them, but he knew that’d be a lie. He’d been more or less present while they were kids, doing odd jobs around town and putting just enough food on the table, but once they’d started middle school he’d taken to disappearing. A few days at first and then weeks at a time, always coming back unexpectedly and buying them enough food to scrape by until his next return.

Tsumiki got a part time job at 15 and Megumi did the same the year after. It wasn’t much but it was enough that they could breathe a sigh of relief, have enough money to go to the arcade after school with their friends or get smoothies at the convenience store down the road without having their friends pay for them. 

Not that Megumi had ever had very many friends, but that was a different story.

Then Tsumiki had graduated high school and she’d left too. She hadn’t left him – she’d made sure to keep in touch nearly every day, always giving Megumi a space to vent even if he always put on his aloof act and acted like he didn’t miss her all that much – but he’d still been alone in the house, counting down the days until he, too, could move away and still be alone, only by choice.

Toji cleaned up his act when Tsumiki first visited for the holidays, though. She gave him an earful – she tried to do it when she thought Megumi had already left for his part-time job but he’d still been in his bedroom, so he’d heard everything – and after that Toji had really, truly, started trying. 

He spent more time at home after that, started calling Tsumiki every few days to find out how she was, and started making sure he was home for dinner with Megumi every night. 

Megumi didn’t truly come to appreciate Toji until New Year’s, though. 

He might not have had many friends, what with his tendency to pick fights in middle school and beat up everyone who looked at him the wrong way, especially when he’d started transitioning, but Tsumiki had always been the opposite. Tsumiki had always been nice and cute and popular, and she’d always been the one to drag Megumi to her friends’ parties, even when he didn’t want to go, to make sure he got ‘some form of enrichment’.

New Year’s during her first year at university had been no different. She’d gone home to visit for Christmas and see all her old friends, and then she’d proceeded to drag him to a New Year’s party on December 31st. Toji had stayed home, quietly nursing his beer and watching old movies on the TV.

Things had gone wrong. Tsumiki disappeared off to god knows where, hooking up with some guy she’d always had her eye on during high school, and Megumi had stayed behind quietly nursing his drink, already bored out of his mind and wanting to go home. 

He’d gone outside for a smoke when it happened. Some guy from his school – Tsutsumi, maybe? Yeah, he thought that was it – followed him outside, got frustrated when Megumi repeatedly shot him down, and then–

Megumi managed to get away, but Tsutsumi still got away with far more than anyone ever had at that point, groping Megumi under the cover of the night while using his superior strength to keep him still and quiet. Megumi had eventually been able to run off and called Toji as a last resort to go and pick him up. 

“What the hell happened to you?” Toji asked, eyeing his disheveled state. “What the fuck is that on your neck?”

Tsutsumi had choked him at one point, cutting off his airflow in an attempt to make him stop trying to break from his grip and try to alert someone – anyone – around them. His neck hurt and he was sure it would bruise, and Toji– well, Toji hadn’t liked it.

“Nothing,” he’d tried to say, trying to make the neckline of his shirt ride up so Toji would stop looking, but Toji had reached out and pulled it down instead, and he’d seen red.

“Who the fuck did this to you?” he’d asked, visibly enraged, and Megumi had had no choice but to give in and tell him.

When classes resumed, Tsutsumi was nowhere to be found. 

“He looked terrible,” he’d heard some girls whisper between themselves. Tsutsumi was in the hospital, apparently. Nearly beaten to death. Nobody knew who’d done it.

“I heard his parents are moving away,” another group gossiped.

Megumi never saw Tsutsumi again, and Tsumiki never dragged him to parties after that. Not long after, Megumi moved away to Tokyo. Toji never visited Tokyo – never wanting to step foot into the same place as the Zen’ins again –, but Megumi visited him during the holidays.

The logistics for his visits got more difficult over the years; Megumi got Kuro and Shiro and didn’t want to bring them on the shinkansen so he’d needed to get his license and start renting cars for his trips and his job was too chaotic to spend more than a day and occasionally a night at his father’s house. Every now and then, however, he made the long drive there. 

This time, he’d be spending the night.

His shift ended at 7 and Megumi was only able to slide into bed nearly an hour after that, so he only really started to make his way out of Tokyo in the early afternoon, still exhausted and with red rimmed eyes but awake enough that he wasn’t a danger to anyone – including himself – out on the road.

Despite how little he did it, driving was one of Megumi’s favorite activities. It was stressful too, when he needed to actually navigate through the traffic in Tokyo to get to the highway and everyone honked at him because of how bad he was at it, but once he was out on the highway and a good half hour away from Tokyo, surrounded by trees and with a good distance between himself and other drivers, he actually enjoyed it. There was nothing but himself, his dogs and the low hum of the radio out there, nothing but a straight road and familiar post signs on the side of the road.

Kuro and Shiro slept the whole time, lulled by the humming of the car and the quiet surrounding them, and soon Megumi was pulling up to Toji’s driveaway, parking his rental next to Toji’s jeep. 

Toji had said he’d be home waiting for him and, true to his word, when Megumi got out of the car, letting out a very excited Kuro and Shiro, his dad was already at the front door waiting to greet them, bending down to pet the dogs. It was already late afternoon, the sun having almost finished setting, so Megumi dropped his overnight bag in his old room and went with Toji to walk the dogs before they got started on dinner.

He’d take them into the mountain the next day, in the morning, for a long hike the way they liked it, able to run free and jump into the lake even though it was cold as all hell, while Toji busied himself with whatever it was he always did on Sunday mornings. For now, they’d need to settle for a shorter walk, full of semi-awkward silences between father and son, skirting around the edges of the woods while using only the very last remnants of sunlight and the faint light from the occasional streetlight post to see where they were going.

“You seem well,” Toji noted, not looking at him as they walked side by side, “you gained weight.”

Megumi didn’t answer immediately, furrowing his brow as he took in his words. Had he really? He hadn’t noticed. He’d always been so scrawny all his life, having managed to put on some muscle only after having started T, so he’d long stopped thinking about it. If he had gained weight, there was definitely only one reason for it: Sukuna.

“I’ve been trying to eat better,” he lied, “more consistently.”

Megumi had stopped caring about eating regular meals back when he’d still been in middle school, and it was a habit he was never quite keen on losing even long after money stopped being a concern. So he hadn’t been trying to eat better, not really, but Sukuna had definitely been trying enough for the two of them. 

Sukuna. Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna. It seemed not even being hours apart and hundreds of kilometers away from each other could make Megumi stop thinking about him. Based on the messages they’d exchanged throughout the day, it seemed Sukuna couldn’t either.

His answer didn’t seem to convince Toji, because even though he let him off the hook then – changing the subject to something safer, like what did Megumi think about Tsumiki’s new boyfriend? – he was back on it later. 

They were back at home, in the kitchen as they cooked together. Toji worked on the meat, cooking a separate, unseasoned portion to feed to the dogs, while Megumi worked on the sides. 

“Tsumiki mentioned you were busier lately,” Toji commented, gaze focused entirely on the meat he was searing. 

“I’ve been working nights,” Megumi offered, already inwardly cursing Tsumiki because he was sure that hadn’t been exactly what she’d been getting at, “and some extra shifts sometimes.”

Toji hummed, gaze never straying from the pan in front of him. “She mentioned it wasn’t exactly just work, though.”

Megumi froze, hands hovering over the carrots he’d been chopping into thin slices, not quite knowing what to respond. He and Toji rarely talked about anything too personal, always choosing to skirt around any bigger topics. Toji had never known about any of his flings and Megumi was always happy to keep it that way; on the other hand, if he were to think about it, Sukuna wasn’t really a fling. 

Still, he simply hummed noncommittally, sliding the chopped carrots into a bowl so he could free the cutting board to chop some cabbage, and kept his eyes trained on the vegetables in front of him.

“Nothing to say?” Toji asked, clearly amused by his reaction. 

“You seem to already know everything so what exactly do you expect me to say?” he asked, tersely. 

Toji laughed, turning back to his own task, but Megumi could still feel the occasional glance sent his way, his dad not trying to hide it in the least. “Maybe I just want to hear it from you,” he said, “know who’s the person who finally managed to get your attention away from work.”

Megumi paused, slowing his movements as he stopped to think about what Toji was saying. Maybe it really was as simple as his dad wanting to get a glimpse into his life after so many years of them barely caring about each other. When Toji had started spending more time at home and less time doing whatever shady business it was he always did, it’d been awkward; he and Megumi were near strangers, even if he’d gone to pick him up and had enacted his revenge on the one guy who dared to lay his hands on Megumi, and they’d struggled to connect.

When Megumi moved to Tokyo he’d only called Toji whenever Tsumiki would remind him to do so, and he’d been surprised whenever Toji made the first move and was the one to call him. Now, it seemed he was making the first move again; maybe it was time for Megumi to give another inch.

“I met someone,” Megumi admitted, gaze fixed on the cabbage in front of him. Toji was listening, he knew, and he could feel the burning of his gaze even without seeing it. “We’ve been… seeing each other.”

Toji hummed, turning back to the meat. “I see,” he said, placing the meat on a clean bowl so he could put the frying pan away and get a large pan. “What’s he do?”

“He owns a construction company,” he said, moving on to cut potatoes for their stew. “We met during a night out.”

“So you hooked up,” Toji concluded, crudely.

“Not a hookup,” he defended, even if that had, indeed, been the original plan. Toji didn’t need to know that, though. “It’s been a few weeks,” only two, “and we’ve been on dates since.” Sukuna had pretty much been spending any and all free time Megumi had with him. It was a little beyond dates.

“Alright, alright,” Toji conceded, throwing his hands in the air in mock defeat. “I’m gonna need a name, though,” he said, suddenly turning serious. 

Megumi turned to look at him with a furrowed brow. “I’m not telling you his name.”

“‘M not gonna do anything,” Toji said, leaning his hip against the counter, “but I’m gonna need a name. Just in case.”

“Just in case what?” Megumi pressed. Toji was dangerous and involved in less than illicit activities – that he’d always known, even if he’d never known or wanted to know any details. He’d seen what happened to Tsutsumi, but that had been warranted; he didn't want to risk anything happening to Sukuna.

“In case he turns out to be an asshole,” Toji said, grinning wide, “or in case he’s secretly involved in… less than savory activities,” he explained, shrugging. “I just wanna know.”

“He owns a construction company,” Megumi argued, but he couldn’t deny that it was maybe for the best if Toji did know. He was three hours away, anyway. What harm could there be? “His name is Ryomen Sukuna,” he finally revealed, after they stared each other down for a few long seconds. “I’ve looked him up,” he lied. He’d meant to, but there’d never been any time, “he’s legit.”

To Megumi’s surprise, Toji’s eyebrows rose all the way up his forehead. “Ryomen Sukuna?” he repeated, raising his voice. “Are you serious?”

Megumi frowned, feeling his heartbeat speed up as he realized Toji seemed to know who Sukuna was. Was Sukuna–? “Why?” he immediately asked, gripping the counter next to him tightly. “Do you know him?”

Toji eyed him for a long moment, arms crossed as he looked down at him with an unreadable expression. Megumi had a feeling he was deciding whether to tell him the truth or not, and he didn’t like it one bit. 

“Tell me,” he demanded, crossing his own arms. “You clearly know who he is. Is he involved in– bad stuff?” he finished lamely.

“Bad stuff?” Toji asked, laughing. “Oh, kid… What exactly is ‘bad stuff’?” he repeated, slightly mocking him.

“You know what I mean,” he snapped. “Get on with it.”

Toji stared at him again, considering something yet again, and finally, “He’s not in any ‘bad stuff’,” he revealed, uncrossing his arms to do air quotes with his fingers. Megumi felt like a weight was lifted off his chest, even if he’d never even considered Sukuna could be anything but a ‘boring old businessman’ up until a few minutes ago. “But he’s a well known name in the construction business; I’ve done a few jobs for his company over the years.”

“But you don’t go to Tokyo,” he said, confused.

“His company does jobs all around the country,” Toji said, laughing at him again. “His company is extremely successful; did you never bother to try and Google him?”

He hadn’t, not really. He hadn’t really had that much time ever since they’d learned each other’s last names and, frankly, he hadn’t really cared to. 

They finished making dinner; Toji trying to get more details out of Megumi while Megumi pushed him back, the dogs happily digging into their unseasoned cooked meat as Toji plated their dinners and Megumi finished setting the table.

Toji told him about how one of the farms nearby had just had one of their dogs give birth to a litter of 6 puppies and had offered him one, but he wasn’t sure he wanted it; Megumi surprised himself by saying he actually thought Toji getting a dog would be a good idea. Toji spent far too much time on his own, far too much free time to spend on things he probably shouldn’t; a dog might do him some good. Keep him from getting into too much trouble.

They parted ways after dinner; Megumi was tired, not having slept nearly as much as he needed to and having another three hour drive in front of him the next day, and Toji took his usual place on the couch, in front of the TV. Kuro and Shiro decided to stay with Toji, happily curled up next to him on the couch as Toji nursed his beer and watched some criminal show.

Megumi brushed his teeth and slipped on the pajamas he’d packed in his overnight bag, sliding into his old single bed. His room had stayed the same over the years; the same dark green duvet cover and gray sheets, shelves filled with books he hadn’t been able to take with him to university because he wouldn’t have enough space for them, old textbooks and clothes from his adolescence. Toji had kept everything the same, including Tsumiki’s room, refusing to get rid of anything and clinging to the past. 

His phone was nearly out of battery, definitely needing to be charged during the night, but still had more than enough battery for him to check his unread messages from Sukuna. They’d chatted on and off during the day, small little life updates from Megumi saying he was leaving Tokyo and had arrived at his dad’s house, Sukuna saying he was heading into a construction site and wouldn’t be able to chat for a while, or Megumi sending him pictures of Kuro and Shiro near the woods. 

It was still early, a few minutes to 11pm, but Megumi wasn’t sure if he’d be bothering Sukuna if he were to call. What if he was out with friends? Out at the club he’d met him in, even? 

For the first time, jealousy reared its ugly head as Megumi thought about exactly what Sukuna could be doing with his night. It wasn’t something he’d ever had to worry about before, and even in the short period of time he’d met Sukuna he’d never stopped to think about what he did with his nights when he wasn’t with him since they spent every bit of free time together. Now, though…

What if Sukuna met someone else? Someone older and more available, for whom he wouldn’t have to work their unpredictable and frankly inconvenient work shifts? Or maybe not even that. Maybe just a one night stand. They’d never discussed exclusivity, even if they’d dared fate more than once when it came to using protection, and while there was no question for Megumi on whether he’d hook up with someone else if given the chance – the answer being a resounding ‘no’ –, he didn’t actually know if Sukuna thought the same way. 

They weren’t exclusive, so it would be fine. Wouldn’t it?

He was calling Sukuna before he could think twice about it, hearing the phone ring once, twice, three times, before–

“Hey babe,” Sukuna answered, and Megumi breathed a sigh of relief as he realized there was no loud music around him, no sign that he was anywhere but home. Or in a hotel room with someone else, a nasty little voice whispered in his head. Or their place – maybe he brought them there even though you haven’t been there yet. He chose to ignore it, even if his heartbeat was quickly picking up at the thought that Sukuna– Sukuna– “Megumi? Is everything okay?” Sukuna’s voice cut through his thoughts, halting the spiral he was inevitably falling into.

“I’m fine,” he said, voice so much smaller than he intended it to be. “I just miss you,” he admitted, even if it made him sound pathetic. 

“I miss you too,” Sukuna breathed out on the other end, and Megumi could practically hear the smile in his voice. His heart settled somewhat, the nasty voice in his head swiftly silenced. “I’m glad you called, babe,” he continued, “though I’d much rather have you next to me.”

Megumi felt his cheeks heat up – flatterer, that’s what he was, always knowing just what to say – and he shifted under the covers, trying to tamp down his embarrassment. “Are you still going over tomorrow?” he asked, deflecting, not wanting to admit once again how much he missed him. Needed him. 

“Of course,” Sukuna immediately said, not missing a beat. “I’m free all day tomorrow so I’ll go meet you as soon as you’re back.”

Bang!

The faint but unmistakable sound of a gunshot echoed in the background, clearly audible on Sukuna’s line. Megumi immediately sat up in bed, heart hammering away in his chest as he was startled out of his mind. 

“Sukuna?” he asked, anxiously, “What was that? Are you okay?”

“Everything’s fine, baby,” Sukuna soothed him, voice completely calm. “I just have a movie in the background and forgot to mute the TV.”

“But it– sounded pretty close,” Megumi said, hesitantly. He’d grown up hearing the sound of gunshots going on in the distance all the time, a common occurrence in the neighborhood he and Toji had lived in before moving to Toji’s current place, before Tsumiki had entered their lives, and he knew the difference between the sound of gunshots on the TV and real gunshots. 

“It was pretty loud, babe,” Sukuna agreed, still sounding the way Megumi did when he tried to soothe a particularly feral cat back at the hospital, “I’m sorry. I put on my airpods when you called and they were probably canceling out the sound of the movie but the gunshot was too loud and it got picked up anyway.”

Megumi felt himself relaxing, the tension in his body slowly leaving him until he found it in himself to recline against the pillows again. Part of him was still not convinced; the other part of him, however, wanted to believe Sukuna wouldn't be so calm if something had truly happened and, most importantly, wouldn’t lie to his face. 

“Okay,” he whispered, feeling more settled.

“Now,” Sukuna started, a rustling sound in the background – probably making himself more comfortable on the couch, “how was your day?”

☾

Sunday morning was gray and foggy, making Megumi long endlessly for his own bed, a steaming mug of hot tea and Sukuna. Instead, he was hiking along the usual trail with Kuro and Shiro, who were just as eager and energetic as they always were, thriving in every environment, happy to lead Megumi further into the mountain.

Toji had stayed home, tinkering in his garage.

Those had always been his favorite days, back before Toji had cleaned up his act and returned home for good. Back then, he and Tsumiki never knew what Toji would be like when he finally deigned to show his face back at home. Would he be drunk and dead to the world? Would he be snippy and ready to lash out at them for the smallest things? Would he be loud and rambunctious, taking people home with him – friends or hookups, it didn’t matter – and causing Megumi and Tsumiki to lock themselves in one of their rooms for the night in hopes he would forget they existed?

But sometimes he’d just be in his garage, working on only gods knew what – they certainly didn’t, since it was always kept locked and only Toji had the key – and leaving them alone to their own devices.

When Toji had tried to change his ways, Megumi had kept him at an arm’s length. It was different for Tsumiki, even if he often thought he was unfair for thinking so; but the truth was, she hadn’t been there for those first few years before she and her mother were in the picture, and when she got Toji to try and make amends during his last few months at home she still wasn’t there, not really. 

Megumi didn’t like to think about it, so he often avoided it. It is what it is, and that was that; Toji had changed and Megumi had slowly learned to view him as more than a stranger – not really a father, more like a distant relative he visited every now and then – and it somehow worked just fine between them.

Kuro and Shiro sped up ahead of him, happy and wild and leash free in the middle of nowhere, already smelling the lake up ahead. It was cold out and the lake would probably be freezing, but they’d be sure to want to go in regardless, so Megumi had brought towels in his backpack in an attempt to warm them back up afterwards. 

Snapping a picture of the lake – water not quite as blue and glistening as during the summer, but still just as pretty –, Megumi sent it off to Sukuna, who’d already texted him earlier that morning, and sat down cross legged on the short pier as he watched his dogs bound into the water, breathless with excitement. 

Kuro and Shiro waded in the shallow end of the lake, jumping around and splashing water at each other, venturing towards the deeper end occasionally as they swam freely. Megumi watched them, making sure to call them when they went too far, and scrolled through the messages in the group chat he had with Yuuji and Nobara.

It’d been a while since he saw them, far too busy with night shifts and Sukuna, so they were trying to plan a dinner for sometime next week. Megumi was back on the day shift – early afternoon, actually, starting at 1pm and finishing at 10, with the possibility of getting called in to cover for emergencies – so they were still unsure on what to do exactly and, either way, Nobara was far too excited about something else.

Kugisaki Nobara (10:37:49): do you think this is too much

Kugisaki Nobara (10:37:52): [1 picture attached]

Kugisaki Nobara (10:37:58): i have this same shirt in a different color too

Itadori Yuuji (10:43:27): you look good

Kugisaki Nobara (10:43:57): that’s not what i asked!!! 

Fushiguro Megumi (11:07:34): isn’t your date only at 7 lol

Nobara had finally managed to land a date with Maki. The details were foggy and Megumi hadn’t really pressed for more, but they somehow involved a night out, Mai hitting on a drunk Nobara, and Maki getting fed up with it and finally doing something about it.

Nobara was on cloud 9. Megumi was slightly terrified at how intense she was being about the whole thing; if anyone could handle her, however, that would surely be Maki.

He stayed there for a while, exchanging messages back and forth with his friends and Sukuna, who sent him a picture of his breakfast in return, and then he called the dogs back, patiently toweled them dry, gave them some treats, and they started to make their way back down.

They stopped at a nice viewpoint along the way, having gone around the other side of the mountain to descend it, and Megumi snapped another pic, even if the view was partially obstructed by all the fog. Kuro and Shiro were more tired, clearly ready for food and a nap on the drive back.

Toji was already halfway done making lunch when they got back, grilling fish and boiling cabbage and potatoes, so Megumi settled for feeding Kuro and Shiro and packing his things back up, folding his pajamas to them back on his overnight bag and putting away his toiletries. He was anxious to get back on the road and go back to Tokyo, get to see Sukuna again and maybe – maybe – ask him about exclusivity. 

It’d been all he could think about since last night. He’d been avoiding thinking about it, just letting things flow and go at their own pace, perfectly aware that talking about something like that was probably insane after only knowing each other for two weeks; now that he’d allowed himself to do it, though, it was like he couldn’t stop.

They’d been spending virtually any and all free time they had together – surely that counted as far more than two weeks, right? At the very last a whole month of dates had been condensed into the space of two weeks; or at least that’s what it felt like.

He and Toji said goodbye after lunch, dogs already in the car waiting for the trip to start, overnight bag already in the passenger seat, Megumi and Toji standing next to the car out in the frigid cold. 

“Take care,” Megumi said, fingers twitching as if to reach out for a hug. They never hugged, though. They weren’t really close like that. 

“You too,” Toji said, looking at him thoughtfully. “And as for that Sukuna guy… watch your back, will you?”

“Huh?” Megumi blinked at him, surprised, feeling annoyance rise up in him. “Why are you saying that?”

Toji shrugged, always so casual and with a cocky smile Megumi had seen far too often over the years. He suddenly felt like he was 16 again, being subjected to awkward interactions with Toji and never quite knowing what he meant. “He’s pretty well known, even if not to you,” he said, leaning his weight against the side of the car as he crossed his arms. “A public figure, one might say. Dating him might not be the best decision.”

Megumi clenched his hands into fists, glaring at Toji without even trying to hide it. Why did Toji think he even had the right to have an opinion after everything? It was slightly irrational, he knew; Toji was still his father, and they’d reached an understanding in the past few years. Of course Toji could look out for him. On the other hand, Megumi was irrationally protective of Sukuna, feeling the urge to defend him to the ends of the earth. 

“I can make my own decisions,” he said, tightly, forcing his body to relax, “but I appreciate the concern.” Even if it’s 10 years too late, he didn’t say.

“Whatever,” Toji said, sliding a pack of cigarettes from the back pocket of his jeans and lighting one, blowing the smoke of the first drag to the side so it wouldn’t get in Megumi’s face. “Don’t be a stranger, yeah?”

They parted ways then, Toji watching from the driveway as Megumi got into the driver’s seat and started to take off, leisurely smoking a cigarette as he watched them leave.

Megumi was so unsettled after their conversation that he didn’t even remember to text Sukuna to tell him he was already on his way. He only remembered when he was already on the highway, unable to do anything about it except stop at a service station, but he found he didn’t even feel like it, too stuck on Toji’s words to think about anything else.

He felt marginally better about it when he stopped at a service station halfway through to drink a cup of coffee and texted Sukuna, only to get a sweaty gym selfie in return where Sukuna’s biceps were in full display. He felt much, much better.

Kuro and Shiro left the car to stretch their legs but quickly fell back asleep once they were back on the road, still tuckered out from their morning hike, and Megumi gradually lost himself in the comfort of driving on a seemingly endless road, mind full of nothing but the low pop song playing on the radio and the sound of cars speeding past him on either side of the road. 

One more hour and he’d see Sukuna again.  

☾

It was uncomfortable. The marble of the bathroom counter was cold against his naked buttocks and the edge of the sink dug painfully into his backside, but Sukuna was kissing him so deeply he was numb to it, the pain nothing but an afterthought at the back of his mind. 

Sukuna’s hands were in his hair, his grip firm so he could turn Megumi’s head this way and that, angle their mouths together the way he liked it. Megumi’s heart was beating rapidly in his chest, blood having long rushed south the minute Sukuna had gotten his hands on him.

Megumi groaned low in his throat when Sukuna moved to kiss down his neck, his collarbones, mouth finding its way to one of Megumi’s nipples, teasing it with his tongue and teeth before moving down, down, down.

His hands flew to Sukuna’s hair, feeling the short, soft hair under his fingers as he tried to press him closer to where he wanted him. Sukuna’s hands were already on his sweatpants, pulling them down before doing the same to his briefs, and staring at his bare cunt like the hungriest man in the world faced with an endless feast.

He didn’t have to wait long before Sukuna was diving in, lapping at his cunt like he hadn’t eaten in years, hands digging into the meat of Megumi’s thighs to keep them spread around his head.

“You taste so good,” Sukuna babbled, alternating between licking into his cunt and sucking on his clit, making little jolts of electricity go through his spine, “I could stay here for hours,” a finger was added alongside his tongue, Megumi crying out at the feeling, “baby I could eat you out forever and I’d never get tired of it.”

Megumi came far too quickly, just like that, only with Sukuna’s tongue, and Sukuna didn’t waste any time in standing back up and unzipping his jeans, dropping them together with his briefs so they could pool at his feet.

“C-Condoms,” Megumi stuttered out, even as his eyes didn’t stray from Sukuna’s hard cock – a dark shade of pink, tip already glistening with pre cum that Megumi almost wished he could lick off.

Sukuna gave him a look, clearly still riled up from their earlier conversation, and merely grabbed Megumi’s thighs again, dragging him slightly backwards so he could angle him better. “We’ll get plan B tomorrow,” he finally said, and Megumi swallowed dryly as he noticed the look on his face. Sukuna looked intense, a glint in his eyes that he’d never seen before, not even when they’d fucked for the first time, and Megumi could only nod at that, silently agreeing to whatever Sukuna wanted, anything.

One smooth thrust and Sukuna was bottoming out, glide made easier from how utterly wet Megumi was, so wet he could feel the counter under him sticking to his skin. Sukuna didn’t give him any time to adjust, fucking into him with so much force that Megumi needed to hold onto his shoulders for balance, trying to wrap his arms around him as best as he could.

“You’re mine,” Sukuna growled, setting a punishing pace, “you hear that? You’re mine and I’m not letting you go,” he gripped Megumi’s thighs even tighter and pulled him closer to him, Megumi nearly losing his balance from the new angle and scrambling to hold on to the edge of the sink instead, toiletries clattering as they fell to the floor. “Say it,” Sukuna demanded, staring at him intently, “say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” Megumi cried out, eyes not fully able to focus from how good he felt, inner thighs burning from the way Sukuna was forcefully keeping them open, “I’m yours, fuck, I’ll never– aah! I’ll never leave you, just– fuck– fuck me, harder, pl-please,” he sobbed, forearms coming to rest on the cool marble so he could fully bend backwards, Sukuna’s cock hitting him deeper with every thrust.

“And there’s no one else, right?” Sukuna asked, pace never faltering as he used one of his hands to grip Megumi’s face, forcing him to look him in the eyes. “Only me.”

“Only you,” Megumi confirmed, breathless, unable to look away even if he wanted to. “No one else.”

They’d had the talk.

Megumi had parked in the open lot next to his building and had found Sukuna’s car already there, having arrived just a few minutes earlier, with Sukuna himself leaning against the side of the car as he waited for him.

Sukuna had kissed him right there, out in the open for everyone to see, and Megumi had blushed profusely afterwards as he led Kuro and Shiro inside, followed by Sukuna who had, of course, immediately grabbed his overnight bag and carried it for him.

They’d settled on the couch, not even pretending like they were going to try and keep their hands from each other, kisses quickly growing heated as their hands roamed each other’s bodies. It was only when Sukuna started to pull Megumi even closer to him, trying to get him on his lap, that Megumi pulled away and blurted out, “Sukuna, we need to talk”.

The mood was instantly broken, Sukuna’s expression quickly growing serious even as he didn’t let go of his grip on Megumi’s waist. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, shifting on the couch so they could face each other, slightly more composed even if their knees still touched. 

“Nothing’s wrong,” Megumi quickly assured him, taking one of his hands and starting to stroke his thumb over his skin, soothing himself more than he was trying to soothe Sukuna. Megumi was the one who was nervous, not wanting to ruin what they had but needing in a very visceral way to ask Sukuna, confirm, make sure that they were on the same page. “I just… there’s just something I’ve been thinking about,” he continued, carefully trying to select his words. 

“You can tell me anything,” Sukuna instantly said, taking his other hand in his, gripping it tightly. 

“Sukuna… are we exclusive?” Megumi asked, not really knowing how else to do it. It wasn’t a conversation he’d ever had to have, not a conversation that ever happened in books and movies. Usually they just dated and that was it, done, all intense moments and no relationship defining conversations. No way for Megumi to take notes for an imaginary future relationship.

He didn’t know how to phrase it and he didn't know what to expect from Sukuna. Would he pull away and say it was soon to think about something like that? Would he tell Megumi he wasn’t interested in anything other than casual? Would he say he didn’t expect Megumi to be looking for something exclusive given how little free time he had?

Reality was nothing like one of those options, though. 

In reality, Sukuna froze, face hardening under Megumi’s gaze as he gave him a long look. “Haven’t we been?” he asked, voice colder than Megumi had ever heard it. Grip tightening on his hand, nearly breaking his blood circulation, “Did you fuck someone else?” he asked, crudely.

“No, no!” Megumi immediately said, his voice coming out in nearly a squeak from how strong Sukuna’s grip was. “I haven’t, I haven’t,” he repeated, eyes wide in shock when Sukuna still didn’t let go, “I just didn’t know if you also–”

“If I fucked someone else?” Sukuna interrupted, moving the hand that Megumi had been holding to his hair, pushing their faces closer together. “Were you jealous, sweetheart?”

Megumi blushed, feeling very much like a sneaky child who’d been caught stealing their favorite candy and eating it out of view. He’d been jealous – so jealous – and he’d never thought Sukuna would be the one to assume otherwise. Still, “That doesn’t answer my question,” he said, narrowing his eyes at him, unwilling to back down. Two could play at that game, after all. “Have you been fucking other people?” 

Sukuna laughed, releasing his hold on his hair, using his hand to stroke his cheek instead. “No, sweetheart,” he said, voice infinitely kinder than it had been just a moment before, “I haven’t even looked at anyone else since I met you.” He kissed him then, leaned in to close the distance between them, and Megumi closed his eyes, savoring it. “I don’t intend for that to change either,” he told him once they parted, using his thumb to stroke Megumi’s bottom lip, wet with spit. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Yeah,” he breathed out, nodding, closing the distance between them again.

Sukuna had fingered him right there on the couch, both of their clothes still on and only a hand down Megumi’s pants, his weight on top of him as he got him off until he cried. Megumi came once, twice, but Sukuna still didn’t relent, drawing orgasm after orgasm out of him, licking away at his tears to soothe him.

He was merciful eventually, carrying Megumi in his arms to the bathroom, intent on cleaning him up. The problem was, once he’d placed Megumi on the counter and himself between his legs so he could wash his face with a damp towel, Megumi had looked far too pretty. He just couldn’t help himself.

At least, that was what Sukuna told him later, in bed, both utterly spent as they read together with Kuro and Shiro curled up at the foot of the bed. It was still early, a couple of hours before dinner at least, but Sukuna had suggested it after they showered together and Megumi had immediately agreed,

He’d dreamed of this. Of them, side by side on the bed, Sukuna’s head in Megumi’s lap as they both read together in silence. Content in the knowledge that they both wanted the same thing, were both as obsessed with each other as could be.

Megumi couldn’t remember ever having been happier. 

☾

It was a Thursday night when it happened.

It was fairly late, close to 11pm even though his shift had supposedly ended at 10, and Megumi was waiting in front of the hospital for Sukuna to pick him up. 

They’d spent nearly every night together that week and nearly all of the previous day; Megumi had had a day off and Sukuna had moved all of his afternoon meetings so they could have a day date, driving him all of 1h30 to the nearest beach so they could play with Kuro and Shiro in the sand and then have dinner at the nearby restaurant, eating the local seafood. Megumi had only spent one night without Sukuna and that had been to have Nobara and Yuuji over, who had needled him endlessly for details on his and Sukuna’s relationship.

Tonight was no different. Sukuna was picking him up and they’d be heading to Megumi’s place. They’d pick up takeout on the way since it was later than usual and then they’d walk Kuro and Shiro after dinner, hand in hand and bundled in warm layers to ward off the cold. They’d watch a movie, maybe, or maybe they’d read in bed, and maybe Megumi would crawl into his lap eventually and they’d grind against each other until Sukuna got tired of it and pushed him face down into the bed so he could fuck him properly. 

Megumi considered all of this as he looked down at his phone, scrolling through three different social media apps while he waited for Sukuna. He’d texted him a few minutes ago saying he was almost there, so Megumi was just killing time, rocking himself back and forth to fight off the cold as he waited. 

The sound of a car frantically pulling up near the hospital door startled him but he didn’t look up, all too used to it; it was late and pet owners could be frantic in emergencies. It was best to get out of their way. 

He heard rapid footsteps getting closer to him and finally looked up so he could see which direction to step in so he’d stop blocking the door. It took him far too long to process the fact that the two people rushing towards the door were not only not holding any pet, they were rushing towards him.

It was too late by the time he realized it. His phone was already crashing to the ground as a hard body slammed into him, and a fist was colliding with his face right afterwards, sending him flying to the floor. He tried to scream but there was already someone on him, covering his mouth with their hand and a napkin and Megumi immediately recognized the smell. Chloroform. 

Was nobody seeing this? Could nobody see him struggle from within the hospital? 

The last thought he had before he finally lost consciousness was that Sukuna would never know what had happened to him. 

Chapter Text

When Megumi came to, it was pitch black.

He felt groggy, not drunk groggy but more like he’d taken a strong anti histamine and had just woken up from an unexpected five hour nap. His head was pounding and his tongue felt heavy and dry in his mouth; he was so out of it it took him the better part of two minutes to realize that he wasn’t home or even anywhere he recognized, waking up in the middle of the night. 

His hands were bound tightly behind his back and he was sitting ramrod straight in a chair, legs bound to each of the chair’s legs. He couldn’t see anything because there was some sort of fabric covering his eyes – a blindfold, very likely –, tied behind his head in a tight knot. Wherever he was, it was eerily silent. All he could hear was the sound of his own breaths, harsh and speeding up by the second as he felt himself start towards a spiral of panic.

Where was he? Who had taken him? What was going to happen to him?

News headlines flashed through his mind: people went missing all the time, often never to be found again. Drugged and taken to a different country, forced into prostitution. Eventually killed, if anyone had any mercy on them. 

He couldn’t move at all, muscles flexing uselessly against the tight bindings, his movements only serving to rattle his chair. Megumi was completely stuck, all too aware of how devoid of any sort of control he was, and he had no hope that he’d be able to escape. 

His phone had been left behind, possibly even broken, and he had no other way to be traced. He’d shared his location with Yuuji and Nobara but until someone – Sukuna, most likely, seeing as he’d been on his way to pick him up – noticed and was able to reach out to one of the two of them, he feared it would be too late regardless; not that there was any point in thinking about it.

In the darkness of his own mind, completely alone save for the thoughts swirling around in his head, Megumi realized he was never going to see any of them again; not Tsumiki, not Toji, not Kuro and Shiro – who would even take care of them? How long until anyone thought to go check on them? –, not Yuuji, not Nobara, and certainly not Sukuna.

Sukuna. 

Would Sukuna think he’d ghosted him? Would he barge into his empty apartment only to find Kuro and Shiro completely neglected and finally realize something was wrong? Maybe he wouldn’t even try.

When would Yuuji and Nobara notice? How long until they stopped assuming he was simply too busy with work and Sukuna to text them back until they finally sounded the alarms? Would they call Toji? Tsumiki? They couldn’t call Sukuna because Megumi had never introduced them, had wanted to keep Sukuna all to himself before his friends inevitably found something wrong with him.

When would Tsumiki and Toji notice? Would Toji assume Megumi simply didn’t want to talk to him so soon after his visit? Would Tsumiki assume the same as Yuuji and Nobara, even if he rarely missed their calls?

The blindfold over his eyes turned damp as Megumi felt hot tears gathering in his eyes. He was more frustrated by the fact that he couldn’t free his hands to wipe his tears off than about the fact that he was crying in the first place. 

It wasn’t like he had anything else to be upset about. In a way, this whole thing was completely his fault. 

He’d let himself get soft. Toji had drilled it into his head for years: never leave your back open; always be aware of your surroundings, even in the comfort of your own home; trust no one. 

Megumi had followed his teachings religiously in his youth, always paranoid in his own home, never letting himself relax even when Toji was home – especially not then. Toji was trouble, always had been, and Megumi was not foolish enough to think trouble wouldn’t eventually find him if he let it. And yet, he’d thought he wouldn’t need to worry once he moved away. Without Toji around, he could do whatever he wanted.

He’d been wrong, though. 

His father would know what to do in this situation. Would have kept a knife hidden in his boot the entire time the way he’d tried to get Megumi and Tsumiki to do over the years, would have been able to break free from the chair he was tied to five minutes into waking up, and would have probably murdered everyone who tried to stop him from leaving in cold blood.

He’d made Megumi learn how to fight when he was younger, had taken him to the local dojo countless times and made him spar until his knuckles bled, pitting him against Maki – who had been training even before defecting from the Zen’ins and had moved in with an estranged cousin who lived close to them – who took immense pleasure in kicking his ass over and over again. Later, when Megumi and Maki moved to Tokyo, their sparring sessions had continued for a while; Megumi had eventually dropped them when he’d first started his internship, though.

In short, he’d gone soft. He’d made friends and had unlearned the harsh lessons Toji had forced onto him, and now he’d been taken because he’d stupidly been busier looking at his phone outside the hospital instead of waiting inside like Sukuna had asked him to.

“I don’t like it when you’re out there in the cold all alone,” Sukuna had told him, but Megumi hadn’t listened. “I’d feel so much better if I knew you were waiting for me inside.”

He’d been so stupid. Now he was never going to see any of them again. Could only pray for a quick death and not a fate worse than. 

All too suddenly, however – and Megumi instantly realized how much he would have preferred to just stay there all by himself for as long as he possibly could –, he heard muffled voices nearing wherever he was, heavy footsteps to match, slamming open a door nearby with force. 

Megumi froze, instincts telling him to stay put quietly, ears straining to figure out what was happening without being able to see anything, and suddenly his blindfold was being hastily pulled down. His eyes struggled to focus and adapt to the harsh overhead light – white, almost like he was in a hospital –, but there were three men in front of him, all tall and intimidating and oh god, he was going to die, this was it, this was the end of the line for him.

“Scared?” one of them sneered, no doubt taking in the tear streaks on his cheeks. Megumi was scared, terrified even, confused as to why he’d been taken in the first place, but he tried to steel himself and regain some semblance of dignity.

“Where am I?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady, “Why am I here?”

“We should be asking you the questions,” one of the other men spat out, imposing form walking menacingly over to him. Megumi didn’t know what he could possibly mean; how on earth would he have the answers to anything at all? Who the fuck even were they? “But don’t worry,” he continued, lips curling into a sleazy grin, “pretty soon you’ll be forced to spill anyway.”

“Spill what?” he asked, increasingly confused. “You have the wrong person–”

“Do we?” the first man asked, smiling eerily at him, “Fushiguro Megumi?”

Megumi tensed instantly, eyes going wide at the realization that this was truly personal, not someone who’d picked him out at random and planned on shipping him somewhere far away, but someone who knew who he was and intended to hurt him. 

“I-I don’t know you,” he said, but he didn’t know anymore. Toji. That was the only possible answer. Toji had had so many of his sleazy friends over at their house throughout the years, had been involved in so many questionable activities under the guise of his work as a handyman. Megumi and Tsumiki had always tried to stay out of view but sometimes they couldn’t avoid it, running into someone in the hall. 

But Toji had retired, he’d said. Was doing honest work, spending his time at home. Had he lied?

“You don’t,” the third guy, who’d kept mostly silent until then, finally spoke up, “but we know you. And our boss certainly knows you too.”

Swallowing heavily, Megumi’s eyes darted between the three men. He was sure he’d never seen them before, that much was certain, and he wasn’t sure how to read them. The two first men were clearly the brashest ones, all too eager to raise their voice and try to put Megumi in his place while clearly uninterested in providing any sort of clarity about the situation. The third man, however, was calmer, quieter, and had already let him on on a lot more than the other two had. 

Turning his attention to him, “How do you know me? I’m just a vet,” he said. His dad would chide him – “why are you telling them more about yourself?” – but the fact was they already knew his name; surely they would know the most important thing about him too.

“No offense kid, but the boss doesn’t really care about that,” the third man said, cutting off whatever snide remark was about to come out from one of the other two, “you didn’t even do anything. The simple fact that you exist has brought you here.”

“What do you mean?” he pressed, pushing his luck. The first man smacked him in the face immediately, – “stop asking so many questions, you damn brat!” – a loud smack echoing in the air as Megumi’s face lolled to the side from the force of it. He could feel his cheek burning up, the man’s hand no doubt imprinted on it, but he merely lifted his head again, focusing once more on the third man, “Please.”

“Fushiguro Toji,” he said, ignoring the incredulous looks from the other two. “You didn’t do anything, but he did; and someone needs to pay for it.”

Megumi’s eyes widened in shock, mind speeding at 1000 km/h. Toji. He’d known it had to be connected to him, to all the shit he’d done over the years, but he’d wanted to hope it wasn’t the case. He wasn’t so bad. Megumi didn’t have to suffer for his mistakes.

“W-What– what did he–” he tried to ask, mouth so slow in comparison to his brain, but that simply earned him a second slap – from the second man this time. 

“Enough,” the second man firmly said, and when Megumi looked back up it was to see he was glaring at the third one, “the boss is coming by soon. He wants to talk,” he said, stressing the word ‘talk’, implying he definitely wanted to do anything but, “you’ll get your answers then.”

Pressing his mouth firmly into a thin line, Megumi looked back down at his lap. Trying to think. If their boss’ problem really was with his dad but he was going after him instead, that could only mean one thing: they couldn’t get Toji. So either they had issues with Toji long before he left Tokyo – before Megumi himself was born – or Toji had gone out of town and wreaked havoc, dipped and hadn’t counted on them finding out he had a son. 

Maybe he could barter with them. Lead them on. Make them believe he could bring Toji to them and have Toji handle it instead. This was his doing and if anyone was capable of doing anything about it it was him, and Megumi knew he’d come out victorious. 

He’d do that. He’d get to Toji. He’d bring him here and he’d handle it and everything would be–

“Oi, quit your scheming,” one of them said – the second one, he thought –, stepping one of his feet roughly with the heel of his boot. Megumi winced in pain but didn’t cry out, refused to, opting to glare at him instead. “You ain’t getting out of here, so quit it.”

The other two were seated at a nearby table, looking bored as the third man shuffled a deck of cards, and the second man walked over to join them. It seemed they were prepared to wait a while for their boss.

The room they were in was small; brightly lit, serving only to draw attention to the grimy state of it. The walls were stained with various stains, like they’d had furniture dragging against it one too many times, and the room seemed to be completely empty with the exception of the chair he was sitting on, right at the center of the room, and the single squared table with three equally dingy chairs to the left corner of the room. An interrogation room. This wasn’t their first rodeo, but Megumi hadn’t dared to assume otherwise anyway.

Megumi sat there and stared straight ahead the entire time, keeping an eye on his kidnappers through his peripheral view, as he tried to think of different scenarios.

Best case scenario would be, of course, if their boss got here sooner rather than later and let Megumi talk. He’d try to butter him (her?) up, plead, say ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I don’t know anything’ and beg them to let him get Toji to come. He’d tell Toji it was an emergency. He’d been kidnapped. They’d kill him if he didn’t come. It wasn’t even a lie. 

It suddenly crossed his mind, however, that Toji might not come. 

Toji hadn’t set foot in Tokyo in over 20 years, after all. He’d helped Tsumiki move when she’d decided to study in Kyoto but he’d only gone as far as to ensure Megumi had his driving license all set before he could rent a car and set off to Tokyo by himself. He’d paid for it and gotten Maki to tag along but that had been it. 

He hadn’t gone to his graduation ceremony. Hadn’t been there when Megumi had officially become a veterinarian under the Japan Veterinary Medical Association. Hadn’t been there for birthdays when Megumi had no longer been able to ensure time off during the holidays. Hadn’t been there for much of his life, if he was being honest.

Maybe Toji wouldn’t show. Wouldn’t care. Would pretend he never got the call and act surprised when Megumi was reported as a missing person or was found dead in a dumpster somewhere. 

He was spiraling again. He needed to calm down and set his head straight or he’d be incoherent by the time their boss got there, and that wouldn’t do. 

Toji had been there for him that wretched New Year’s and he’d be there for him now. He was certain of it. 

All he had to do was wait. Wait, and the boss would get there, and they would talk it out. And maybe it wouldn't be as calm as he envisioned it – maybe he’d have to plead harder for his life, cry, let the snot run freely down his nose – but they wanted Toji so he would give them Toji, and then Toji would give them hell.

What Megumi didn’t account for, however, was the fact that the boss didn’t show up. For hours. 

He didn’t know if it was actually hours but time went by slowly when one was strapped to a chair with no way out. He festered in his own thoughts, thinking of Toji and Sukuna, Sukuna and Toji, Toji and Sukuna – Toji who was his only hope of getting out of wherever he was, and Sukuna who he foolishly hoped would get him out anyway, even if he had no way of finding him and had no connection to this type of lifestyle in the first place.

Megumi was antsy, uncomfortable, the ropes around his hands digging painfully into his skin and his legs nearly numb from being strapped to the chair for so long. His neck hurt and his cheek was still sore from the earlier slap, and he wanted nothing more than to be let out. 

The men continued playing cards, but the second one – the worst one, Megumi had already decided – was feeling just as antsy as he was. He kept shaking his leg under the table, impatient as could be, and more than once he’d sent sour looks Megumi’s way as he loudly complained about how long they’d already spent there, how much longer until ‘boss’ got there, why couldn’t they just have some fun?

“Shut the fuck up,” the third man finally said, leveling the second man with a hard stare once the suggestion to ‘have some fun’ came up. “Boss said not to hurt him.”

“Too much,” the second one argued. “I’m not saying we should beat him up,” he continued, acting like Megumi wasn’t right there, watching as three men discussed the best way to rough him up without leaving too many marks. He felt sick to his stomach, throat dry as his heart beat fast and wild in his chest. What the fuck were they going to do to him? “But we could have some fun, don’t you think?”

The third man – who Megumi was starting to think was the head of those two, somehow – shot Megumi a look, seemingly considering something, before turning back to the second man. “Whatever,” and Megumi’s heart dropped to his stomach, suddenly feeling cold from head to toe, “just nothing visible.”

The second man chuckled, nudging the first one with his hand as he got up from his seat, both of them slowly approaching Megumi. Megumi was frozen in place, unable to do anything but watch as they stalked towards him. The looks on their faces told him everything he needed to know about what they were planning on doing to him. 

They weren’t planning on beating him up. No. They were planning something much worse.

“My turn first,” the second man said, eyes fixed on Megumi’s face, on Megumi’s mouth.

“Why?” the first man asked, stopping his staring to look at the second man. “We should do rock, paper, scissors.”

“It was my idea,” the second man growled, stepping impossibly closer to Megumi.

Like this, Megumi couldn’t avoid him. He was everywhere. His bulge was right in front of his face, and Megumi tried desperately to avert his gaze, look anywhere else, but as soon as he tried one of the man’s hands was on his hair, gripping it tightly to keep his head from moving.

“Easy, now,” he said, voice deeper than it had been before. Megumi hated him so much, wanted to spit on his face, bite off his dick, anything– “Don’t worry your pretty little head,” he said, sneering at him with mock contempt. “You won’t even have to do anything. You just have to stay still.”

The second man was ugly. All of them were, but this one especially so, a layer of rancidity that overcame anything else. He smelled like cigarettes and like something sour, a mix of sweat and a touch of rotten food, and Megumi hated it, hated him. His hand moved from his hair to touch Megumi’s cheek instead, and he resisted the urge to recoil in disgust, not wanting to give the man any reason to hit him again, or do something even worse.

Sukuna liked to touch him like that. One hand on his hair and the other on his cheek, stroking his skin tenderly as he fucked his face roughly. His touch always grounded him, kept him from going too far, from floating away into a faraway land. 

The second man’s touch, on the other hand, disgusted him so much it actually hurt. 

“You really are so pretty,” the man said, and Megumi felt a pang in his chest because Sukuna liked to call him pretty, and he liked it so much when did; this only tainted it, “I can see why Sukuna keeps you around.”

Megumi instantly froze, painfully aware that his eyes perfectly showcased the shock he felt. Did they just say–?

“Thought we didn’t know about him?” the second man asked mockingly, pinching his cheek painfully with his fingers. “You’re an interesting one, aren’t you? The son of Fushiguro Toji dating none other than the Ryomen Sukuna?” He and the first man laughed, visibly in on an inside joke Megumi could only hope to understand.

Why were they talking about Sukuna like that? Where did they know him from?

“How do you know Sukuna?” he asked, voice already rough from disuse, knowing he’d be lucky to get a straight answer out of them.

“What do you think?” the first man asked, stepping closer to them, “the same way we know your father.”

Megumi swallowed heavily, brain trying to unravel the meaning of their words but not working fast enough. What did that mean? Toji had definitely been involved in shady shit, Megumi knew, but Sukuna– he was a businessman–

“Enough chit chat,” the second man snapped, taking hold of his chin roughly to force him to look at him again, “time for some fun, hm?”

The second man stepped even closer to him, crotch directly in line with Megumi’s face, blocking his view from the first man. “Get back,” he said, annoyed, turning his head to the first man, “don’t want you staring at my dick.”

“Not like I want to see it either,” the first man said, but Megumi could hear some shuffling anyway, no doubt the man stepping back and giving them some space. 

He was all too aware that he was trembling violently, jaw clenched tight as he stared in horror at the second man’s crotch. His hands were no longer touching him; instead, he was using them to unbutton the top button of his pants and pull the zipper down, pulling his pants and underwear down just enough to free his cock. 

The rancid odor intensified as he did, and Megumi resisted the urge to gag. He didn’t know how he’d be able to make it. He didn’t want to make it. He wanted to gag and throw up on the man’s dick or, better yet, he wanted to bite his dick off and make sure he never got sucked off by anyone again. 

His head instinctively leaned away as the second man wrapped one of his hands around the base of his cock so he could guide it towards his mouth. He tried to get away as much as he possibly could, all too aware that he was exerting so much force he would end up toppling his chair backwards but he didn’t care – he’d rather fall and hit his head than be forced to suck this man’s dick, wanted to stall as just as possible–

The dream was shattered as the man forcibly yanked his body back with his other hand, gripping his hair tightly to keep him in place. “No running away,” he taunted, smirking down at him as he guided his cock closer, closer. Megumi could smell it, could see the bits of smegma lodged around the head.

All too suddenly, he realized he wouldn’t be able to get out of it. There was no way out. 

Even so, he forced his mouth closed, pressing his lips inwards in a tight line, hoping it would deter him, but it didn’t matter; the smelly cockhead nudged against his lips once, twice, “Oi! Open your mouth, you little shit,” the second man growled, nudging harder, and–

Bang!

The second man abruptly stumbled forward, Megumi having only enough time to jerk to his left so he wouldn’t fall on him, dick and everything. Megumi looked down at his slumped figure to find a bullet wound on the back of his head, rivulets of blood trickling down and pooling next to his head. 

His heart was pounding so violently inside his chest, tuning out the sound of everything else, that it took him a few seconds to realize he was no longer alone with the three men. 

No. Sukuna was there.

Sukuna looked furious. There were other men with him, roughed up and bloody and taking down the other two men, but Megumi only had eyes for Sukuna, the same way Sukuna only had eyes for him. 

Megumi’s green, wide eyes met Sukuna’s brown, narrowed ones, and everything else became a blur. Sukuna was on him instantly, back covered by a short person with white hair and white clothes as he busied himself with cutting off the ropes around Megumi’s wrists and ankles.

“I’m so sorry,” Sukuna kept repeating, over and over again, hugging Megumi tightly to himself as soon as he was free, pulling away to check on his wrists and body, “Are you hurt anywhere? What did they do to you?”

Even if he wanted to reply, to say anything, his body simply refused to cooperate. He was in shock, trembling from head to toe in Sukuna’s hold, unable to do anything else but cling to Sukuna’s shirt and look at him. His vision became blurry then focused and then blurry all over again, and all he could do was shake his head as Sukuna asked him what was wrong, Megumi? Megumi!

“S’kuna…” he murmured, voice scratchy and weak. It was as though now that Sukuna had found him, saved him even, his body was shutting down without his permission. 

There were shouts outside, more gunshots and yelling and what vaguely seemed like an alarm blaring, but all Megumi could focus on was the feel of Sukuna’s arms around him and the musky, spicy scent he thought he’d never feel again, so unmistakably Sukuna.

Everything was blurry after that.

Megumi was only faintly aware of what was happening around him. Sukuna was talking to the other people in the room, ordering them around and then talking more quietly with the white haired person standing close to them. Megumi focused all his energy on watching him, tracing the firm lines of his face with his eyes and drinking in the sight of him like a dying man eager for his very last sip of water. 

He’d thought he was never going to see him again, but here he was. Hard expression, a small cut on his cheek and a swollen lip. He was so handsome Megumi could swoon, and all he wanted was to run his hands through his face and reassure himself he was real, he was really there and not a product of his sick imagination, helping himself get through the horrifying reality of what the second man had planned for him. 

He lifted a hand and touched his face because he could, tracing his bottom lip as Sukuna kept talking, talking, talking, and Megumi kept watching because that was what he did best. 

“I’m taking you home soon, baby,” Sukuna assured him, lowering his voice so they wouldn’t be overheard, “just need to make sure the coast is clear.”

“Where are we?” he croaked out, using his thumb to soak up some of the blood on Sukuna’s cheek. “How did you find me?”

“I’ll explain everything later,” Sukuna promised, gaze soft and so unlike the Sukuna who’d first walked into that room and put a bullet through the second man’s head, “I promise. But only after you’ve rested.”

Megumi nodded, letting himself fall back into his embrace and hiding his head in his chest. He didn’t want to worry anymore, didn’t want to have to think anymore about what to do, how to get away; Sukuna was there and he would take care of it, the same way he always took care of him.

This time, he’d listen to Sukuna.

It seemed like an eternity went by before something finally happened. Things eventually quieted down; no more gunshots, no more yelling, and then Sukuna was lifting him into his arms, holding him up with only one arm while carrying a gun on his other hand.

He’d never seen that gun before, hadn’t even known he had one, and now he felt a little foolish. He should have known. 

“Uraume,” Sukuna said, and the white-haired person – Uraume, apparently – nodded and walked ahead of them, covering them once again. 

Megumi watched the door to the room he’d been trapped in disappear in the distance, Sukuna leading them through a maze of corridors, walking past several men who all nodded at him as he passed them. He ignored the bodies littering the floor, but didn’t close his eyes – if it happened again, if he got taken again, he’d need to remember everything so he could try to escape on his own. 

Not that Sukuna wouldn’t save him again. Or even let it happen again. He had a feeling Sukuna wouldn’t let that happen. 

“We’re almost home,” Sukuna said, voice steady and reassuring, and then they were in the backseat of a car – the same one he and Sukuna had ridden in that very first night, he was almost sure, and Uraume was riding in the passenger seat, speaking with the driver in a low volume.

Resisting the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep, Megumi let Sukuna pull him close to him, arm possessively thrown over his shoulders. Megumi couldn’t recognize their surroundings at all, even when the car finally came to a stop.

In fact, they’d driven past a large, tall gate, entering what seemed to be an exclusive private condominium with security guards stationed at the gate and at the door to each of the high rise buildings inside.

“Sukuna?” he asked, confused. “This isn’t my building.”

“Don’t worry about it for now,” Sukuna said, soothingly, stroking his cheek. “I need to make sure you’re somewhere safe.”

“But Kuro– Shiro–” he tried, and Sukuna leaned in to kiss his forehead, effectively cutting him off.

“I’ll take care of everything,” he assured him, helping Megumi out of the car. The sun was already rising in the horizon – Megumi had spent the entire night out, it seemed – and they were flanked on either side by Uraume and someone else – Megumi hadn’t even seen them arrive – as they walked towards the front door of the building. 

The security guard stationed outside the building nodded at Sukuna and let them through, and they entered the well lit reception, the concierge greeting them from behind his counter as they walked over to the elevator. 

The elevator ride up was long and uncomfortable. Even if the elevator was spacious, Megumi was still in a closed space with two too many people he didn’t know, reeling from the events of the previous hours. His life felt as though it’d changed in the space of what seemed like mere minutes, and Sukuna – sweet, strong and reliable Sukuna – was not who he’d thought he was. Not at all. 

Megumi suddenly felt very alone.

Uraume and the other man stayed outside when they reached the top floor of the building, which opened up into a sleek hallway with only one large front door. Sukuna swiftly unlocked the door, leading Megumi inside, and Megumi was suddenly hit with the realization that he’d never once before seen where Sukuna lived. He hadn’t even known where he lived. 

He’d thought about it once or twice, thinking it weird that Sukuna had never invited him over and instead spent most nights at his place instead, but he’d thought it was just one of those things – more convenient, with Megumi’s irregular shifts and dogs that needed his care. And maybe it was just that, but maybe it was also this too – that he hadn’t really known Sukuna all along after all.

“You live here?” he asked, quietly, looking around at the spacious living room, all modern lines and bare shelves. 

“I do,” Sukuna confirmed, helping Megumi out of his shoes and taking off his own boots, before taking his hand and pulling him along, leading him towards a large hallway and the master bedroom at the end of it. “Do you like it?” he asked, but Megumi didn’t answer.

Megumi barely looked at anything, far too busy coming to terms with the fact that he’d been lied to for weeks, and let himself be pulled along into the equally bare bedroom. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Sukuna said, softly, taking him into the adjoining bathroom. 

Remaining silent, Megumi let Sukuna look over his face, his body, make sure nothing was out of place. “You’re missing some hair here,” he murmured, touching over the spot where the second man had pulled on his hair so hard he’d apparently taken some of it with him, “does it hurt?”

He shook his head, not trusting himself to speak, and let Sukuna continue his observation. Afterwards, when his face was washed and he’d changed into clean pajamas, he looked over Sukuna’s injuries the way he’d wanted to back when they’d still been… in that place. He still didn’t know where it was.

“Are you mad at me?” Sukuna asked, quietly, as Megumi cleaned the cut on his cheek and dabbed some antiseptic solution over it, carefully, lovingly.  

Sukuna had lied to him. He had. But he’d also saved him, hadn’t he? Had found him even when there was no way for him to and had killed everyone who’d been a part of it. 

He’d done it for him. For Megumi.

How could he be mad? “No,” Megumi said, actually meaning it. He threw out the small piece of cotton he’d been using and cupped Sukuna’s cheek, leaning in to peck his lips softly. “I’m just confused,” he admitted, stroking his thumb over the side of his bottom lip, “but I’m so happy you found me.”

Sukuna was the one to close the distance between them this time, swollen lip impossibly warm against Megumi’s, pulling away only to kiss him again, and again, and again.

Maybe, he thought later still, when he was lying in Sukuna’s bed ready to pass out from nerves and exhaustion, surrounded by unfamiliar walls and the eerily quiet, Sukuna’s warmth the only comfort he could find, everything would be fine in the end. It had to be. 

Chapter Text

Megumi woke up to the smell of food wafting from under the bedroom door and the faint sound of Sukuna moving around in the kitchen, setting plates down on the counter and moving frying pans around. 

All of it was so normal he nearly forgot it wasn’t any other Friday morning. Then he looked around the unfamiliar room, walls painted a dark blue and a large, floor to ceiling window showing a breathtaking but largely unfamiliar view of the skyline, and he suddenly remembered everything.

He’d been kidnapped outside the hospital, knocked out and strapped to a chair, slapped around and nearly raped because of something his father did, and then Sukuna– Sukuna, who wasn’t who he thought he was all along – had somehow found him and brought him back to his apartment.

They knew Sukuna the same way they knew his father.

Was Sukuna like Toji then? He’d only had a vague idea of what he did, knowing only that he ‘took on odd jobs’ often out of town, but Toji had never lived quite like Sukuna did. Toji couldn’t afford a high rise apartment in Tokyo, even if he quit his drinking and smoking habits and cut down on all the gambling he claimed he didn’t partake in, and he definitely didn’t have a crew of people deferring to him and following him around.

All Toji had had back then was the money to spend on his shit and to put food on the table – though even that had been scarce. He’d had shitty friends – who looked more like the men who’d kidnapped Megumi and less like Sukuna – who went over sometimes and did drugs with him. That was it.  

Sukuna, on the other hand, had several cars, a chauffeur, employees and a whole legitimate company that Megumi had ended up googling after Toji made a comment about it. Ryomen Sukuna was a known name in the construction business, Ryomen Enterprises often involved in the planning and building of several big projects all around the country. So how could he possibly be involved with people like Toji–

“You’re up already,” he suddenly heard Sukuna say, and his head immediately shot in the direction of his voice. Sukuna was walking in, food tray in hand and a serene look on his face, looking every bit the doting boyfriend – as good as, at least – and not like a criminal. “I have a surprise for you.”

He placed the tray at Megumi’s feet, rounding the bed to drop a kiss to Megumi’s forehead. Megumi wanted to get right down to business and ask Sukuna to explain everything the way he’d promised to only a few hours earlier; another part of Megumi, however, was all too happy to hug Sukuna’s leg in an attempt to pull him closer to him, seeking comfort in him. 

“What surprise?” he asked, clearing his throat to dispel the lingering roughness in his voice.

As if on cue, Kuro and Shiro came bounding into the room, hopping onto the bed excitedly and licking every bit of Megumi’s face they could get to. He vaguely remembered asking about Kuro and Shiro when he’d realized they weren’t going to his place and Sukuna saying he would ‘take care of everything’, but he hadn’t thought he would bring the dogs here, into his own home, letting them shed fur all over his bed. 

“You shouldn’t have,” he croaked out, but he was so, so happy to know they were okay. Knowing he’d been specifically targeted by criminals who seemed to know quite a lot about himself had only left him wondering if they’d also known where he lived, if they would go as far as to hurt his dogs in an attempt to get to him again. Having them here with him was like a weight being lifted off his chest.

“I told you I’d take care of it,” Sukuna said, pushing the food tray closer to him before rounding the bed to get to the other side and sit next to him. Kuro and Shiro quickly settled at the foot of the bed, looking at their food with big, puppy eyes, and when Megumi turned to Sukuna all he said was, “I already fed them while I was making breakfast,” to which Shiro – ever the most shameless one of the two – only whined. 

They ate mostly in silence. Megumi was lost in thought and all too happy to sit with his arm flush to Sukuna’s, while Sukuna tried to sneak extra food onto his plate every time he thought Megumi wasn’t looking. 

Afterwards, Sukuna suggested they walk the dogs. They hadn’t been walked since the previous day, and they hadn’t really had a chance to do anything more than a quick pee on the sidewalk since Sukuna had gone to pick them up while Megumi slept. 

“Uraume stayed behind while I went,” Sukuna explained as they took the elevator down to the lobby, Kuro and Shiro’s tails thumping against the floor where they sat as they anxiously waited to go outside, “I didn’t think they’d take kindly to being picked up by a random stranger.”

Megumi wasn’t sure how they’d taken kindly to being picked up by Sukuna in the first place, nor how they had become so quickly attached to him in the span of a few short weeks, but he didn’t say anything. Kuro and Shiro trusted Sukuna in a way he couldn’t understand, but then again he wasn’t much better – he’d gone and done the exact same thing. 

The sun was already starting to set when they stepped outside – Megumi had slept for far longer than he’d thought – and he wasn’t even surprised to see Uraume watching them from afar as they started to round Sukuna’s building, heading further into the condominium. 

He felt oddly numb as he held Kuro’s leash, his other hand held tightly by Sukuna’s free one, watching idly as Kuro and Shiro sniffed everywhere they could find. 

There was a garden in the center of the condominium, in the middle of the tall buildings surrounding them, as well as a pool and a tennis court. Kuro and Shiro instantly perked up as soon as they saw the pool, tugging on their leashes in an attempt to get closer, and Megumi only sent Sukuna a questioning look.

“It’s fine,” he said, and Megumi moved to remove their leashes and harnesses so they could jump in and swim. “They usually get cleaned every day,” he said, wrapping an arm around Megumi’s shoulder as they watched the dogs dive into the pool, tongues lolling out in excitement as they swam around, “but in the next week or so the condo administration is probably going to close it until summer.”

Megumi hummed, nestling closer to Sukuna’s heat but not really saying anything. There were a lot of things he wanted to say and ask, but he was far more content with living in ignorance for a little bit longer, happy to bask in the weak rays of sunlight next to Sukuna.

Sukuna, it seemed, had a very similar idea. He was all too happy to let the dogs have their fun – swim and run around in the garden chasing stink bugs – and, when it finally became too cold for them to stay outside any longer, with the sun long gone and Megumi wearing only a large pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt Sukuna had lent him, did they make their way back inside.

Uraume was by the elevators waiting for them when they went back inside, and they rode the elevator together in silence, Kuro and Shiro sniffing delicately at Uraume. 

“You’re dismissed for the night,” Sukuna told them when they arrived back at his apartment, and Uraume quickly took their leave, throwing a quick glance at Megumi as they did.

This would be the perfect time to ask, he realized. It was early enough that Sukuna couldn’t get out of it by going to make dinner, the dogs were happy and fed, and there was nothing else outstanding but the conversation they needed to have. 

Yet, Megumi hesitated. No matter what either of them said or admitted to, after that conversation things would change between them, and he wasn’t sure he was quite ready for them to change. Not yet. He wanted to keep the illusion for just a bit longer; the perfect little fantasy where Sukuna wasn’t a criminal and Megumi wasn’t the son of one. 

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Sukuna asked, and Megumi immediately said yes. Delaying it just a little bit further wouldn’t hurt.  

☾

Picking a movie to watch took an infinitely longer time than either of them had anticipated. Megumi wanted nothing more than to sit back and let Sukuna choose, but for whatever reason – and Megumi thought he could guess which one – Sukuna seemed hesitant to go with any of his usual horror sci-fi choices.  

Instead, Sukuna ended up settling on a ridiculous romcom filled with all the usual seasonal nonsense, even if they were only barely into November: city girl travels to a small town in the middle of nowhere during Christmas time for work, falls in love with the simple country boy who either works at a farm, an inn or the local bar, is surprised by her city boyfriend who unexpectedly decides to drop by and ends up having to make a choice (the country boy. The country boy is always the choice). Bonus points if her work obligations mean she would be ruining some small business and she ends up deciding to do the right thing and goes against her boss in the process.

Megumi had seen several of these over the years, courtesy of Nobara, but he’d never imagined a man like Sukuna – hulking and menacing and with faint scars all over his body – to look positively worried as the movie went on and the city boyfriend finally made an appearance. Then again, Sukuna was the guy who’d bought matching aprons for him and Megumi to have at Megumi’s place for whenever Megumi helped him cut vegetables for Sukuna’s cooking, and the man who made him bentos for work nearly every day; maybe he shouldn’t have been so surprised.

“Are you crying?” Megumi teasingly asked, turning around in Sukuna’s arms to face him. They’d watched the movie on Sukuna’s massive couch, lying on their sides chest to back. Megumi had heard some sniffling – which Sukuna had immediately tried to cover up with some poorly timed coughing – when the dramatic moment at the end happened and the city girl went back to the country boy, and that was something he couldn’t possibly ignore.

“I don’t cry,” Sukuna scoffed, pulling Megumi closer so he couldn’t look at him anymore. Megumi’s laughter was muffled by Sukuna’s shirt, so Sukuna only hugged him closer to him until he stopped.

They laid there for a few minutes more; illuminated only by the soft glow of the TV and the pale moonlight filtering through the large glass doors that led to a spacious balcony that Megumi had yet to explore, Kuro and Shiro curled up into big balls in front of the couch as they slept away their worries. Megumi breathed in Sukuna’s scent, clinging to his clothes – his own, the ones Megumi was wearing, the blanket covering them on the couch – and realized he’d never felt safer than in that very moment.

“Sukuna?” he asked, voice small and hesitant, muffled by the way his face was buried in Sukuna’s chest. “Can we talk now?”

He felt more than he heard Sukuna sigh – perhaps knowing they could no longer keep pretending nothing had happened the previous night – and then Sukuna was pulling away, just enough to press a kiss to Megumi’s forehead. “Let’s go to the kitchen,” he said.

Sukuna’s kitchen was infinitely bigger than Megumi’s, and with appliances that were surely three times more expensive. Kuro and Shiro’s food and water bowls – completely new, by the looks of it – were set neatly next to an end counter, just the way Megumi liked to have them when he built his dream apartment in The Sims 4, and Sukuna pulled him to stand in front of the large island counters in the middle of the kitchen, where a large wooden cutting board covered the entirety of one of the countertops. 

“Let’s make some curry,” he said, heading for the refrigerator to pull out the ingredients they’d need.

They worked side by side. Megumi cut onions, carrots and potatoes and Sukuna cut the chicken into slanted pieces. 

“What do you want to know?” Sukuna asked, finally breaking the silence they’d stewed in ever since they’d started their work. 

Megumi’s first question was, naturally, “How did you find me?”

Sukuna’s answer was, predictably, “I have my ways.”

“Sukuna,” he said, pausing to fix him with a flat stare. “What ways?”

“Is it important?” Sukuna asked, continuing to look down at the kitchen he was cutting so precisely, “I found you.”

Maybe Sukuna was as scared as he was that things would change. But, “You promised,” he said, quietly, and Sukuna finally paused in his motions to meet his gaze. “Last night, you promised me you’d explain everything later,” he reminded him, watching the way Sukuna’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed heavily. “You said you were sorry.” He had. Megumi hadn’t even been hearing him properly at the time, mind too fuzzy and heart too busy threatening to jump out of his chest, but he’d said it, and he didn’t even know what he’d meant by it. “I deserve to know the truth,” he added, lowering his gaze.

Another sigh, and finally Sukuna let go of the knife and went to wash his hands before returning to stand next to Megumi, turning him so they could face each other. “I’ve had you followed for a while,” he revealed, and Megumi’s eyes widened in shock because– well, actually, he probably shouldn't be so shocked, but still. “Maybe followed isn’t the right word,” he continued, “more like watched. I’ve had you watched for a while by some of my… employees,” he rectified, “precisely because I knew something like this would be attempted eventually. I didn’t think they’d actually succeed, though.”

“Why did you think this would happen?” Megumi pressed, brows furrowed. It made no sense. Even if Sukuna had him followed because he was a criminal, Megumi had been taken for an entirely different reason. 

“Megumi,” Sukuna started, delicately taking one of his hands in his, playing with his fingers before interlacing their fingers together, “I’m the head of one of the most influential criminal organizations in Japan.”

Swallowing heavily, Megumi felt himself freeze in place even though he’d known. He’d known Sukuna was a criminal and he’d known he had to be in a damn good position in that world to be able to afford everything around him, and yet. “Okay,” he said, voice trembling, “so? I don’t–”

“Megumi,” Sukuna interjected, voice harder than it was before, “I’m the head of one of the most influential criminal organizations in Japan,” he repeated, like that was supposed to mean anything to him. “I have enemies,” he explained, “enemies who would do anything to get under my skin and try to take some of my territory. I tried to keep you hidden from them but it was only a matter of time before they realized who I was spending my time with,” he continued, squeezing his hand. “I’m sorry.”

It still didn’t add up. It made sense; Megumi could be Sukuna’s weakness, if he really mattered that much to him. But that hadn’t been it, not really. He hadn’t been in danger because of Sukuna.

“I had eyes on you anytime I wasn’t with you,” Sukuna continued, unaware of Megumi’s inner turmoil. “I planted people at the hospital,” at that, Megumi’s jaw dropped so fast he practically heard it crack, “and someone in your building–”

“My building?” Megumi asked, completely flabbergasted, pulling his hand away quickly as though he’d been burned. “Sukuna, what the hell?!”

“Keeping you safe was – and is – my number one priority,” Sukuna said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “I won’t say sorry for that.”

Megumi crossed his arms too, two stubborn mules standing in the middle of a kitchen glaring daggers at each other, neither willing to back down. “You invaded my privacy,” he stated, “planted criminals in my own building–”

“Criminals who are under my rule–”

“Still criminals–!”

“You’d be dead if it hadn’t been for those criminals,” Sukuna snapped, uncrossing his arms and taking a step closer to Megumi, jaw set in a hard line, “or worse. You know what those guys were going to do to you – what if my criminals hadn’t been watching you? Following you? Making sure they could give me a location?”

Megumi swallowed heavily, knowing full well he’d been caught. Sukuna was right. It had been for the best. Still– “I just wish you’d told me,” he said, quietly, dropping his arms to hang limply by his sides. 

“Megumi,” Sukuna said, tone infinitely gentler than it had been just a few seconds ago, “I’ve only known you for three weeks.”

He was right. He was right, of course. They’d moved too fast, had known each other for less than a month, and they’d been too trusting. Or, at least, Megumi had. He didn’t know Sukuna, and Sukuna didn’t know him; of course he wouldn’t trust him enough to tell him he was a yakuza boss. 

It still hurt to hear him say it. 

“Why did you bother, then?” he asked, tonelessly, refusing to meet his gaze. He knew he was being childish, awfully bratty, but he wanted to get back at Sukuna somehow. Hurt him the same way he’d just hurt him. “It’d be easier, no? Just letting me die.”

“Megumi,” Sukuna growled, suddenly gripping his wrists so tightly he’d be sure to leave bruises. “Stop saying stupid shit.”

“It’s not stupid,” he argued, hotly, “it’s true! We barely know each other so wouldn’t it be so much easier if you just let me die and never have to worry about me again?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Sukuna snapped, using his grip on his wrists to turn him to the side and crowd him against the counter, vegetables and chicken all but forgotten already. “What the fuck is your problem?” he asked, releasing one of his wrists so he could wrap his hand around his throat instead, applying just enough pressure to make him choke on his breath. “I’m fucking crazy about you, Megumi,” he continued, leaning in so he could whisper it into his ear, voice low and soft like a lover’s caress, “Don’t you know? I’d kill everyone for you.”

Megumi’s eyes widened, breath hitching in his throat. That was as good as a love confession, wasn’t it? A deranged one, but a love confession nonetheless.

“Y-You would?” he asked, feeling the smallest bit of shame for the way his pussy twitched under his briefs, legs aching to rub together and alleviate the ache. 

“I’d do anything for you,” Sukuna murmured, slightly bending his head so he could lick a hot stripe up his neck, nibbling on his earlobe when his lips took their place next to his ear again, “anything to make sure no harm ever comes to you. Even if you don’t like it.”

His hands were all over Megumi, squeezing his waist and thighs, fingers dipping under the hem of his sweatshirt and thumbing at his nipples.

“J-Just tell me the truth from now on,” Megumi gasped out, mind foggy and filled with nothing but cotton, hands gripping Sukuna’s shirt tightly to keep him close, keep his touch on him forever.

“I will,” Sukuna said, kissing down his neck, nibbling on his collarbone, “I’ll start now, sweetheart,” he said, abruptly pulling away to look at him with a crazed glint in his eyes, one he hadn’t seen all that often yet.

“What do you mean?” he asked, struggling to regain his breath.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight anytime soon,” Sukuna told him, pressing their bodies close so Megumi couldn’t even think about getting away, “not until this matter is fully resolved. And that means, little lamb,” he said, leaning in so close their lips nearly touched, breaths mingling together, “you’re moving in with me.”

“What?” Megumi croaked out, completely taken aback. “What– Sukuna, that’s insane–”

“Insane?” Sukuna asked, barking out a laugh. “Have you not been hearing me this entire time? You’re in danger because of me, so I’m going to fix it,” he cooed, before his expression hardened again, “and you’re going to sit back and let me take care of everything. Is that clear?”

It was clear, but it still didn’t sit right with Megumi. Was he supposed to just stay home every day, sitting prettily and waiting for his boyfriend to come home? He had a life, a job, friends–

“That’s stupid,” he protested, searching Sukuna’s eyes frantically for any sort of rationality, “you said it yourself, we’ve only known each other for three weeks. I’m not moving in with you!”

“Don’t start with that again,” Sukuna growled, squeezing his hip threateningly. “This isn’t up for discussion, Megumi.”

“It’s my life–”

“I don’t care.”

“Sukuna!” he cried out, affronted. “You– you can protect me in other ways,” he insisted. Sukuna was assuming one of his rivals was out to get him but that wasn’t true at all. There was no need to go quite this far. “You don’t even know the full story,” he blurted out.

That was apparently the wrong thing to say. Sukuna stilled against him, leaning back just enough to have some distance between them, though his hands were still keeping Megumi caged against the counter. 

“What are you talking about?” he asked, voice dropping an octave.

“I–” he hesitated, realizing he hadn’t thought it through at all. He should have said something already, back when Sukuna had first apologized. Sukuna had promised to be honest, in his own way, and Megumi definitely owed him the same courtesy. 

“Megumi,” Sukuna said, squeezing his hip again. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Megumi averted his gaze, but Sukuna was quick to grab his jaw and turn his head back into place. No running away. No secrets. “I wasn’t taken because of you,” he said, watching as Sukuna’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I was taken because of my dad.”

“Your dad,” Sukuna repeated, looking at him dubiously. “Fushiguro Toji.”

“Yeah,” he breathed out, watching as Sukuna tried to turn the cogs in his head. “He… he used to be a criminal,” he offered, “did jobs out of town every now and then, often stayed gone for weeks at a time. I never knew what he did but I knew it was something shady,” he explained. “The men– they told me they took me because of him. To pay for something he did.”

“I know about your dad,” Sukuna said, licking his lips, “he’s well known in the business. Hell, even I’ve hired him,” he admitted, making Megumi’s head spin because his dad had lied to him, he knew it, “but whenever I hire someone outside of my clan, I always do a thorough background check. And Fushiguro Toji has never had any ties of any kind with the Zen’in clan – so tell me, what could he possibly have done to them to make them come after you, little lamb?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Zen’in?” Megumi asked, feeling all the blood drain from his face. “What do you mean Zen’in?”

“You were taken by the Zen’in,” Sukuna said, eyes narrowing further. Distrust. “Do you know them?”

Suddenly, Megumi saw himself faced with two paths. 

In taking the first one, he could lie. He could say he knew a Zen’in from school and be done with it. Maki. It wouldn’t be a lie, not really. He knew they were rich and influential the same way he’d known Sukuna was rich and successful and they could leave it at that. How was Toji involved with them? ‘I don’t know’. Maybe he became involved after the last time he worked for Sukuna. How would he know?

If he took the second path, however, Sukuna would know he was a Zen’in by blood. An estranged family member of one of his rival clans. Maybe he wouldn’t want to protect him anymore. Wouldn’t want him around. He could even use him as a bargaining chip. Would he do that…? After all, they’d only known each other for three weeks.

“Megumi,” Sukuna pressed, clearly starting to lose his patience.

“Fine,” he let out, trying to push at Sukuna’s chest, feeling suffocated all of a sudden. Sukuna didn’t relent though, not giving him even one inch. “My dad– he’s a Zen’in,” he revealed, steeling himself for Sukuna’s reaction. “He left the clan when I was born. Maybe even before that, I– the details are a little fuzzy,” he explained. “I grew up without knowing any of them and only met my aunt when she also defected.”

Sukuna was completely expressionless. He still hadn’t let go of him, was just staring down at him as though he was seeing him for the very first time. It was unnerving. Megumi didn’t know what to expect, what Sukuna would do to him.

“Sukuna…?” he asked, hesitantly, moving one of his hands to rest on Sukuna’s arm, testing the waters.

“Unbelievable,” Sukuna said, letting out a laugh, then another, and another, before he was full on laughing, maniacally even, leaning in so he could rest his head on Megumi’s shoulder while he laughed. “All this time,” he started, once he finally calmed down enough, “you were a Zen’in this entire time.”

Megumi tensed in his arms, still unsure as to where he stood with Sukuna. “Do you hate me?” he asked, voice as small as he suddenly felt.

Sukuna paused, laughter finally subsiding completely, lifting his head from his shoulder to look at him straight. “Hate you?” he echoed. “Megumi, baby, I could never hate you,” he assured him, stroking his cheek with his knuckles – rough and wounded from the night before –, “you’re simply full of surprises.”

He still didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. “Are you planning on using this to your advantage?” he asked. Needing to know. 

“No,” Sukuna said, moving his fingers from his cheek to his hair instead, lightly scratching his scalp, making Megumi’s eyes flutter closed, “but Megumi, surely you realize now I really can’t let you out of my sight,” he added, voice lowering once again, eyes fixing him with an intense stare, “not until the Zen’ins are dealt with.”

“Sukuna,” he tried to reason, “that makes no sense. I just told you they’re after my dad. I just need to talk to him–”

“They’re after you,” Sukuna corrected, “because of your dad, yes, but also because the old man is about to keel over and die and you’re technically an heir. They’ll never leave you alone, Megumi,” he stated, pulling on his scalp a little, making him wince, “and that just doesn’t sit right with me.”

“Why not?” he whispered, desperately trying to ignore the way his core was pulsating with need again, the way the smallest of Sukuna’s touches set his nerves ablaze.

“Because you’re mine,” Sukuna said, finally closing the distance between their lips, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and sucking, “and nobody touches what’s mine.”

It was hard to resist after that. Not that Megumi could say he tried.

In a move that Megumi had only seen in movies and that in reality was probably clumsier – though his lust addled brain still saw it as nothing but the sexiest thing Sukuna had ever done –, Sukuna slid the cutting board with the vegetables to the side – or tried; all he did was make vegetables fly since the cutting board was slotted in place – and sat Megumi on it. When he realized the cutting board was wet from the vegetables, he cursed and moved Megumi to the empty space next to it, the one they hadn’t been using, while Megumi busied himself with tugging at his shirt, trying to get it off.

Sukuna was all too happy to oblige, removing his shirt and slotting himself between Megumi’s legs, mashing their lips together again. Megumi felt dizzy, all warm and overheated like he was burning up from the inside out, stomach coiled into tight knots in a way that had nothing to do with how scared he’d been just a few minutes ago. 

Megumi wrapped his arms around Sukuna, eager to feel him even closer and forget things were now infinitely more complicated between them than they had ever been. He didn’t want to think, didn’t want anything but he and Sukuna to exist, wrapped around each other without any thought about the world outside. 

He felt like he was being wholly consumed, devoured as Sukuna trailed wet, open mouthed kisses down his neck, stopping in his path only to get Megumi’s sweatshirt off. He let out pathetic little whimpers when Sukuna laved attention on his nipples, sucking on them and tugging on them with his teeth, and when he went even lower, slowly bending his knees so he could come to a kneeling position in front of Megumi, it was–

Awkward.

“This looks easier in the movies,” he let out, panting from the exertion as he raised himself on the counter using his forearms as leverage, hips raised, knees bent and legs spread open as Sukuna took off his sweatpants and underwear.

“You mean porn?” Sukuna asked, laughing. 

Megumi’s cheeks turned bright red, because Sukuna was right – what other type of movie could he even be talking about? – and they only turned redder when suddenly he was completely exposed to Sukuna’s gaze, eye level with his fluttering cunt and swollen clit begging for his attention.

“You’re so wet,” Sukuna said, resuming his position on the floor and staring directly at his cunt, unconsciously licking his lips, “and all for me.”

“Sukuna,” he whimpered, letting himself be dragged to the edge of the counter when Sukuna wrapped his – large – hands around his thighs, pulling him closer, “please.”

“How are you so wet?” Sukuna continued, leaning in to lick a hot stripe up his cunt, groaning when he tasted Megumi’s juices. “Do you get off on being told what to do?” he asked, flicking his tongue over Megumi’s clit, making him shiver in surprise. “Do you like it when I take control and take care of everything?”

“N-No,” he let out, unable to keep from moaning as Sukuna licked into his hole, bullying his way into his tight walls. “You can’t– fuck, you can’t tell me what to do,” he protested, but he knew it was a lie. He liked that Sukuna took care of him, that he was protective to an obsessive degree. Mostly, he liked that he could rely on Sukuna, even if it went against everything he believed in. 

He was supposed to be independent. He’d left his tumultuous past behind and had set out to build his own life. Years of studying hard, pulling all-nighters and having a limited social life, working crazy hours at the hospital, all so he could get stability and get to where he was. It was shameful, really, that he wanted to hide behind Sukuna and let him take care of everything.

“We both know that’s a lie,” Sukuna said, nuzzling his hooked nose against his clit, giving it a hard suck afterwards. Megumi cried out, forearms finally giving out, and he let himself lie flat on his back on the counter, staring dazedly at the ceiling above him. “Don’t worry about a thing,” he continued, licking over his abused clit, “just sit back and let me do all the work,” and then he finally stopped teasing him and dove in. 

If there was one thing Megumi certainly appreciated about Sukuna, it was his pussy eating skills.

Sukuna ate pussy like a starved man. He had no qualms about burying his face between Megumi’s legs, no sort of finesse or etiquette; when he ate pussy, he went to town, letting his nose graze against his clit and licking so deep into Megumi’s cunt he barely needed anything else to cum. He let himself be happily suffocated when Megumi wrapped his legs tight around his neck, and he wasn’t shy about slurping on his juices, letting them smear all over his face.

When Megumi came he simply redoubled his efforts, pulling him impossibly closer, almost like he was trying to crawl into his pussy. There were tears streaming down Megumi’s face, clit sore and aching from overstimulation, but all his efforts to try and pull Sukuna’s head away were for naught; he wouldn’t budge.

“Sukuna, please,” he cried out, wishing not for the first time that his hair was just the slightest bit longer so that he could pull on it and force him to look up at him, “please, I can’t take it anymore.”

Sukuna finally gave him a break, leaning his head back – face glistening from his slick all the way down his nose – and looked up at him with a cocky smirk on his lips. “What do you want?” he asked, voice hoarse.

“I want you to fuck me,” Megumi said, sitting up straighter so he could place his palms on either side of his face and keep him from going right back to business, “right now.”

Sukuna only grinned in reply, amusedly watching Megumi’s increasingly frustrated expression. “I’ll fuck you, baby,” he cooed, stroking his thighs soothingly, and Megumi felt himself sag with relief, “but you need to give me one more.”

“W-What?” he asked, faltering. “Sukuna–”

“Just one more,” and then his face was already deep between his legs again, tongue against his clit and two fingers stuffed in his cunt, and Megumi was gone.

By the time Sukuna finally slid into him – Megumi’s ass barely sitting on the counter, legs wrapped around Sukuna’s waist and weight almost entirely supported by Sukuna – Megumi was all pliant and docile, drool dribbling down the side of his mouth, agreeing readily to everything Sukuna said. 

“You’re mine”, “I’m gonna fuck a baby into you”, “I’ll keep you pregnant all the time”; Sukuna could be admitting to the murder of his own mother and all Megumi would say was “yes” and beg for more just as long as he kept fucking him like that, rough and fast and with his fingers digging into the meat of his ass as he pounded into him. 

“Say you’re mine,” Sukuna grunted out, thrusts starting to falter as he snaked a hand down between their bodies, rubbing Megumi’s abused clit once again, “fuck, say it.”

“I’m yours,” Megumi mumbled, vision blurry, desperately trying to hold on to Sukuna’s shoulders, “I– fuck, I like you so much,” he whined, closing his eyes and leaning his weight further into Sukuna’s, burying his face in his shoulder, “Sukuna–!”

His third orgasm hit him like a truck, eyes rolled back and vision entirely white, legs spasming and toes curling as his cunt milked Sukuna’s cock for all it was worth. He barely even felt Sukuna cumming, a rush of warm cum filling him up deliciously, threatening to spill out with every movement Sukuna made.

Sukuna kissed him as they came down from their high, slowly and sweetly, licking into his mouth with a gentleness that was completely antithetic to the way he’d just fucked him a few minutes earlier. 

“I like you a lot, Megumi,” he murmured, setting him down on the counter again so he could stroke his cheek, press tiny little kisses all along his cheeks and jaw, “I like you so much you can’t even begin to imagine it.”

“I can,” Megumi whispered, only for Sukuna to cut him off with another kiss.

“You can’t,” he refuted, smiling against his lips. “You really, really can’t.”

Afterwards, he carried Megumi to the ensuite bathroom, just like that, legs still wrapped tightly around his waist, bodies still intimately connected, and they showered together. Sukuna washed Megumi’s hair and Megumi lathered soap all over Sukuna’s body, exchanging wet kisses under the spray of the shower.

Their curry was eventually finished – Megumi finished cutting the vegetables while Sukuna grated an apple and got the rice going. They exchanged languid kisses as they waited for their food to cook, stopping only to skim the foam from the surface of the broth once the water was boiling and then another time to add in the curry cubes. 

Kuro and Shiro were fed and then it was their turn to eat as they watched the fourth Alien movie in the living room, sitting cross legged next to each other, knees and arms touching. 

“You don’t have to come,” Sukuna said afterwards, kissing him stupid as they put on their winter coats to face the chilly November night as they walked Kuro and Shiro for the night. “I can walk them by myself.”

“I want to,” Megumi insisted, if only to spend a little more time with him. “Besides, if I don’t go you’re gonna let them get in the pool again and then they’re going to get sick.”

He was absolutely right, of course. Sukuna didn’t say a word as Kuro and Shiro immediately sped up towards the pool as soon as they spotted it, and Megumi shot him an annoyed look. ‘I told you so’, he wanted to say, but he didn’t because Sukuna looked all innocent – somehow – and Kuro and Shiro were incredibly happy.

Instead, “You’re giving them a warm bath afterwards,” he warned him, and Sukuna only shrugged and grabbed his hand, pulling him closer to him, and kissed him under the moonlight and the pale glow from the garden lights littered around them. 

Chapter Text

In hindsight, Ryomen Sukuna should have known Fushiguro Megumi was going to be trouble. Luckily, Sukuna and ‘trouble’ often went hand in hand, so he didn’t really see any issues with it.

They met on a cold October night.  

Sukuna was supposed to be doing business at Titanic sur Mer – or, better said, overseeing it – but he’d run into a man with the most alluring green eyes on his way back from the toilet and his priorities had quickly shifted. He didn’t know what it was that drew him to Fushiguro Megumi – just Megumi, at the time – but something within him fundamentally shifted the moment he held Megumi in his arms for the first time and looked into his (admittedly cloudy) eyes. 

Surely Megumi felt it too, because he was all too eager to cling to him and accept being taken back to a private room so they could talk more comfortably.

While he’d spent his time in that particular private room many other times before, he could confidently say that none of them had ever been for a reason as pleasant as being in the company of someone like Megumi. He’d drunk in that room, smoked, done the occasional drugs and even beaten and killed a person or two, but he’d never really picked someone up at the club and felt his way up their leg before while on the precipice of drowning in their eyes. Titanic sur Mer was a synonym of business for Sukuna and business was not to be mixed with pleasure; at least, not until that night.

A message was quickly shot off to Uraume so they’d know to handle business by themselves and then he was lost in all things Megumi, unable to fully keep his hands to himself as Megumi explained how passionate he was about animals.

It was cute, in a way that made Sukuna want to eat him up even if he knew he really, really shouldn’t. Megumi was clearly younger and innocent in a way that the kind of people who usually frequented that club weren’t. To top it off, he was clearly drunk. Was Sukuna really going to throw so many of his own rules to the wind and go home with Megumi?

As it turned out, he learned the answer fairly quickly – and it was a resounding yes.

Or it would have been, definitely, if Sukuna hadn’t gotten a call from Kashimo at fuck o’clock in the morning and hadn’t needed to limit himself to dropping off Megumi at his own house and bidding him adieu. And even if he knew that his brief tryst with Megumi 100% ended there and he shouldn’t ever seek him out again, should never let him get involved with him and his questionable lifestyle–

“Your number,” he said, handing his phone off to Megumi with a new contact form already opened and ready to go. 

“Okay,” Megumi said, sealing his own fate as he typed in his phone number. 

And as Sukuna told himself he was lying even as he promised Megumi he would text him the next day, he already knew the only person he was fooling was none other than himself.

☾

Sukuna was born in an ambulance as his mother tried to make her way to the hospital. He was gifted with a pair of healthy, vigorous lungs from day one, and he made good use of them as he screamed his little heart out not more than two minutes after being popped out. Maybe he screamed because he already knew the way his life would turn out; or maybe he was just too ignorant and he thought someone actually cared enough to soothe him when he tried.

His mom left the hospital less than six hours after giving birth to Sukuna, leaving nothing but a family name, a reluctant first name and a soft, green blanket behind. And a whole baby, of course.

Ryomen Sukuna was handed over to the care of the State and the orphanage in his area, and grew up with the unwavering knowledge that no matter what he did, he would always be utterly and unfailingly alone. Families came and went, from Japan and elsewhere, looking for babies and children of all ages to adopt and raise as their own. Over the years, Sukuna watched them all come and go, unsurprised to see their eyes never lingered on him for too long.

“Cursed,” some of the caretakers would whisper when they thought he wasn’t near, “I’m telling you, that child is cursed.”

“What kind of mom names her own son after such a disturbing legend?” others would whisper. “That poor boy has been marked for life.”

The thing was, Sukuna didn’t really mind. He knew, deep in his heart, there was something off about him. Something weird and twisted that made him utterly repellable to everyone else. Over the years, he came to appreciate it.

When families would visit the orphanage, he wouldn’t need to worry about putting on his best clothes and being on his best behavior, and he didn’t need to worry about getting top grades either because he didn’t have a family to impress. 

Knowing he wasn’t going anywhere and was the master of his own fate, for better or for worse, was freeing. Sukuna marched to the beat of his own drum and was perfectly content with the knowledge that he’d remain on his own once he turned 18 and it was time to move on from the orphanage.

In retrospect, it shouldn’t have been surprising that he entered the world of organized crime.

He got a job as a kitchen helper when he was 16 so he could have his own spending money, and somehow – read: with the help of Kenjaku, a tall, lanky guy who constantly wore a fake smile on his face and who he knew from high school, and also Sukuna’s weed smoking buddy every now and then behind the gym – that became a front for his most profitable endeavor: selling weed.

“What if you got a steady supply of weed and made some money on the side?” Kenjaku asked him one day, when Sukuna was high off his mind during his break at the diner, barely holding himself up against the wall by the back door. 

Selling weed only opened the door for other, more profitable things, like selling cocaine, delivering drugs to high profile businessmen, eventually driving what were clearly criminals from one place to another, and so on and so forth. Kenjaku was always the one giving him work, telling him it was for his uncle, and Sukuna never questioned it; not when the money was good and he could afford to move out from the bedroom he’d initially rented out in a flat with 5 other guys and into his own flat while managing to pay for his college tuition on top of that.. 

And then, one day, shortly after they finished university, Kenjaku told him he’d taken over the business.

“Your uncle retired?” he asked. He’d never met Kenjaku’s uncle, had never gone to the base of operations if there was even one, and had never bothered getting to know more than 2 or 3 people by name. 

“He died,” Kenjaku said, vaguely, sitting across from him at some underground club where Sukuna had gone to deliver heroin a few times.

“So you killed him?” Sukuna asked, amused. Kenjaku didn’t answer, but his smirk was enough of an answer. 

Kenjaku was always a bit of an enigma for Sukuna. 

They met in high school and they couldn’t be more different if they tried; they were both well known, but while Kenjaku was liked by everyone and well known for being the weed dealer on campus, Sukuna was disliked by everyone even if he wasn’t the one to start shit. Sukuna was happy to stay in his lane and do his own thing, but he still managed to offend most everyone.

It was Kenjaku who first seeked him out; school had already finished for the day but Sukuna was hanging back to check out a couple of new books from the library, all too eager to read anything that weren’t the same twenty books circulating in the orphanage since before Sukuna was born. He’d been walking out of the library, ready to find a nice spot under a tree to start reading before going to his shift at the diner, when he’d run into Kenjaku.

“Sukuna, right?” he’d asked, fake smile only slightly sliding off his face as Sukuna remained impassive. “Wanna smoke?”

Technically, anyone looking from the outside would call them friends. They spent years hanging out, smoking weed and doing more illegal things than they could count. They talked about school and the people in their lives – Kenjaku, his ‘customers’; Sukuna, the people at the orphanage – and they had fun, but they didn’t know each other. Not really. 

The only thing Sukuna knew with 100% certainty about Kenjaku was that he too, undeniably, had that same weird and twisted thing inside of him, which meant Sukuna never truly let his guard down around him. Not even when Kenjaku named him his right hand man.

“This is our base of operations,” Kenjaku said, leading him into a large three story gated house, nodding at a couple of men – both of which Sukuna had encountered in a past job – as they walked past the front door.

Sukuna had expected something a little bit more traditional; like a genkan and sliding doors and tatami mats. Maybe some old people dressed in kimonos or yukatas, since it was getting warmer. Instead, it was just– a house. Stone walls. A genkan that led into a large hallway with a staircase in the middle, a kitchen to the right and a living room to the left. Offices and bedrooms in the upper floors. Not many people around.

There was one person, though. A woman. Sukuna had never seen any woman associated with them during one of his jobs. He’d been starting to think they weren’t allowed in. 

As it turned out, they weren’t. But this wasn’t any woman, this was–

“My sister,” Kenjaku explained, interestedly eyeing the way Yorozu stared at Sukuna like a very hungry wolf. “She just finished high school and is taking a gap year before college.”

“I’ve heard so much about you,” she crooned, moving to sit closer to him. They were in Kenjaku’s office, a large room with two couches positioned in an L, a bar and a desk. Yorozu had been sitting on one couch when they arrived and Sukuna sat on the end of the other while Kenjaku moved to the bar to pour them a drink; a few minutes later, somehow, Yorozu was nearly sitting in his lap. “I have a feeling we’re going to get along really well now that you’re so close to my brother.”

Sukuna wasn’t interested, not really. He hooked up with a few women here and there, a man or two if they were pretty enough, but only when he was in the mood for it. Yorozu, on the other hand, was not only clingy and outright annoying, but also came with the whole being Kenjaku’s brother thing. Sukuna wasn’t interested in complicating things.

Yorozu tried for months. 

She asked Kenjaku to let her go on jobs with Sukuna, tried her luck when he was sober, when he was drunk and when he was high off his mind, and she even tried in the aftermath of Sukuna killing someone for the first time – a collection job gone wrong, nothing more but self defense; yet, Sukuna never budged.

“We’d be such a powerful couple,” she said one day, lost in her usual daydreaming as they headed to Sukuna’s car after collecting their usual tax from one of their clients – a job Sukuna could very well do on his own, “can you imagine it?” He didn’t want to, so no. “You’d be as powerful as my brother, you could run the organization together. A family thing. You and me married to each other, me taking the reins of all the girlfriends and wives of your subordinates, and you and Kenjaku in charge of everything else. We could do everything.”

When Sukuna looked back, years later, he could easily pinpoint that as the moment he’d realized he could do more. Be more. He’d never really pictured himself at the top, all too happy to keep earning his money and paying for his flat and going out whenever he felt like it. He could buy alcohol and weed and drugs and he could sleep with whoever he wanted when he felt like it, and he didn’t really think there was more to life than that. Had he ever even been meant for more?

But then Yorozu had gone and opened her big mouth and now Sukuna couldn’t stop thinking about being at the top. Taking over. The true master of his own fate.

☾

By the time Fushiguro Megumi let him into his bed the first time, Sukuna had already decided he wouldn’t leave.

He stayed the night after their first date, where he’d decided to pull out all the stops because for some reason Megumi was different from every other meaningless hook up he’d ever had and he wanted to make sure he put in the effort, and he slept with Megumi tucked into his arms the whole night, slightly drooling on his bicep. He didn’t mind.

Sukuna made him breakfast the next morning, and suddenly it was two weeks later and he was happily playing househusband, cooking for Megumi at any possible chance and picking him up from work every time their schedules allowed. Even when they didn’t, Sukuna made sure they did.

It was crazy. He knew. 

He’d spent his whole life never really caring for anyone other than himself and never giving anyone the time of day unless it benefited him anyway, throwing them aside when he tired of them, but Fushiguro Megumi was different. Megumi had burrowed his way into his heart without even meaning to, opening his heart and his home to him without seemingly expecting anything other than Sukuna’s company in return, and now Sukuna was in too deep.

While Sukuna may have never had a conventional romantic relationship, not in any sense of the word, he still knew enough to know that moving this fast in the span of two weeks was unusual. And yet, Megumi let him and corresponded in kind. So why should Sukuna hold himself back?

Uraume – Sukuna’s right hand –, however, was clearly getting tired of it; shocked at the turn things had taken in such a short amount of time. But, most of all, they were weary of just how careless Sukuna seemed to be.

“You saw the background check yourself,” Uraume insisted, scowling as Sukuna merely hummed and reached for another spice. He was cooking lunch for Megumi and bringing it to the hospital for him; he’d told him he’d forgotten to pack any that day, and Sukuna knew that meant he’d just get something quick from the vending machines. “The kid’s dad is serious business. He’s been laying low for a few years but–”

“I’ll worry about that when we get to that,” he said, dismissively. “Megumi doesn’t seem to know about what his dad gets up to or used to get up to, so it’s unlikely he’ll figure it out anytime soon.”

Uraume sighed, but didn’t press him. They knew it was a losing battle anyway. “And his protection? You want to allocate more people to the hospital? Sukuna-sama–”

“One more,” he ordered, his focus entirely on perfectly arranging the strips of breaded chicken on the bento box to make them into a cute shape, “Megumi spends a lot of time there.”

They nodded, rapidly typing into their phone – ordering men around, no doubt. Then, when Sukuna was finished with his art, finally turning around to give them his undivided attention, “Sukuna-sama,” they said, tone unwavering, “are you sure about this? You’ve been putting in a lot of effort for someone you’ve known for such a short time.”

“So?” he asked, even though he knew; he knew and they were right, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when he’d never felt this way before about anyone. Megumi was–

“It just seems out of character,” Uraume said, tactfully. “Very sudden.”

“I understand,” he said, turning back to the counter again to close the lid on the bento, reaching for a soft towel to wrap it in. “But Uraume,” he said, keeping his back turned to them, “don’t ever question me again.”

A beat passed. “Apologies, Sukuna-sama,” they said, “it won’t happen again.”

☾

Sukuna was 25 when he married Yorozu. Yorozu was 22 and fresh out of university. 

They had a private ceremony. Both he and Kenjaku had made too many enemies over the years, at a constant stand still with the Zen’in clan for control over Tokyo and its outskirts, so they opted not to draw attention to themselves. Besides, neither of them had much family to begin with.

Yorozu had only Kenjaku – their uncle having ‘mysteriously’ died and their parents having died when they’d still been children – and Sukuna had no one. So they held the ceremony at Kenjaku’s family estate, hired a Shinto priest for the formal ceremony and held the reception party at a lavish hotel nearby. 

Some of their allied clans from other cities attended as did the entirety of their clan, and Yorozu looked up at Sukuna with heart eyes the entire time they had their first dance, her clad in a virginal white dress and him clad in a suit that covered up the entirety of his tattoos, with the exception of his neck tattoo.

“You two will do great things together,” the Kamo clan leader told them – he and Kenjaku; nobody really cared about the bride, not when she was simply a means to an end, that end being fortifying Kenjaku’s clan – that night before going back to Kyoto, too paranoid to spend the night in Tokyo, “I look forward to continuing our alliance.”

If Yorozu was put off at all by the lack of attention she received – so different from how western weddings went, where the bride was always the center of attention – she didn’t show it. Having grown up in that setting, she knew all too well what to expect. 

Or, at least, she knew what to expect when it came to the wedding itself. As for the actual marriage, it was possible Sukuna hadn’t really clued her in.

Yorozu thought they were marrying out of love; Sukuna, on the other hand, was only marrying her out of convenience. Sukuna couldn’t even bring himself to feel a little bit bad; she’d been the one to plant the idea in his head in the first place.

He’d spent three long years playing the role of the (almost) perfect boyfriend: he took her on dates, let her have the first hit when they tortured anyone, and every time she started going off on her tangents about true love and how they were meant to be, he fucked her hard enough to shut her up for a few good hours so he wouldn’t have to hear it. 

She probably thought things wouldn’t change after their wedding; she wanted to keep going on jobs with him and thought they’d start to spend nearly every waking hour together. Sukuna, however, had very different ideas. Namely–

“Ane-san’s don’t go on jobs,” he told her the day after their wedding, as he got dressed to go on a three day job out of Tokyo. “You knew that.”

“But–” she tried to protest, from where she still laid naked on the bed, having woken up to the sight of her new husband preparing to leave. Sukuna barely spared her a look.

“Didn’t you say, years ago, that you’d take the reins of all the girlfriends and wives of the clan? Do that, then,” he ordered, and then he was leaving, no kiss goodbye or even a glance back. 

The first year of their marriage wasn’t easy on Yorozu, but it was definitely a productive one for Sukuna. He opened his construction company with family money – a wedding gift from his brother-in-law, who was thrilled at the prospect of Sukuna expanding the company outside of Tokyo and potentially undermining some of their allies from all over Japan – and spent virtually all his time between setting up and running the company and traveling around to secure ‘business partners’ and contracts outside of Tokyo. He also met and recruited Uraume, a short, lanky teenager from his old orphanage, during one of his philanthropic visits to the building he liked to donate to every few months – it was a good way to recruit new people for the clan. 

Kenjaku was all too happy to let him, ignoring all of his sister’s protests, thinking only about how much more money they could make. Thinking he had Sukuna right where he wanted him.

It wasn’t until the second year of Sukuna and Yorozu’s marriage came and went that Kenjaku realized maybe Sukuna wasn’t quite the ideal brother-in-law he thought he’d groomed him to be. 

On a warm, sunny morning in the middle of August, Kenjaku arrived home from the club, where he’d spent the entire night gambling and overseeing the work of one of their newest recruits, Mahito – a guy Sukuna could personally not wait to get rid of – only to find his sister bleeding out all over the expensive rug in his office as Sukuna helped himself to a glass of whiskey on the rocks.

“Did you do this?” Kenjaku asked, perfectly indifferent to the sight in front of him. “Am I next?”

Sukuna looked at him, but didn’t answer. Instead, he motioned his head towards Uraume, who had been silently waiting near the doorway. Uraume quickly nodded back at him and left, locking the door behind them, leaving Kenjaku and his brother-in-law alone.

“Is this really such a surprise?” Sukuna asked, languidly taking a sip of his whiskey. 

“I should have known,” Kenjaku said, simply, walking over to his sister’s lifeless body and poking her limp hand with one of his shoes. “You became very ambitious. Clearly I should have made a bigger effort to get you on my side. I should have known family would never mean all that much to you.”

“Family,” Sukuna echoed, slowly tasting the letters in his tongue. “Yeah. Truly doesn’t mean much to me.”

And, Sukuna knew, it never would. At the root of his being, Sukuna was always meant to be on his own. 

☾

After Megumi’s kidnapping, Sukuna doubled security around the condominium. 

Megumi was still upset that he’d essentially forced him to move in with him and kept him from going back to work. He’d been upset when Sukuna first told him and he was still upset two days later, acting all frustrated over it and grumbling about how he was missing his shifts without notice, and what would happen to his apartment, and his friends, and seriously Sukuna, do you realize I’ll get fired for missing work? Still, he couldn’t help but notice, he never even tried to make a run for it. He simply stayed.

Naturally, Sukuna gave him everything he wanted.

He had the men stationed at and near Megumi’s building collect all of his things and they’d both watched as everything was unloaded from one of Sukuna’s company trucks and taken to the apartment via several elevator rides, Kuro and Shiro barking excitedly as they watched familiar things get carried up.

“You– even the furniture–” Megumi stuttered, clearly aghast. “This isn’t going to fit anywhere.”

“We’ll just pick what we want,” he said, bending down to kiss his cheek, even if he meant that they’d just keep whatever Megumi wanted to keep, not really caring if it meant getting rid of his own furniture. He wasn’t attached to it anyway.

By the end of it, Sukuna’s apartment was unrecognizable. There was a mix and match of furniture – Megumi’s couch was cozier but Sukuna’s bed was sturdier, but Megumi’s duvet was comfier – and Megumi looked shocked as Sukuna casually ordered his men to get rid of whatever furniture Megumi didn’t want, his only request being that nothing in the kitchen get thrown out, leaving him to make whatever decision he wanted.

However, “My phone’s gone,” Megumi said, reaching for his laptop as they sat on the couch afterwards, the bare living room now full of small little trinkets and fake plants. “I need to order a new one.”

“Oh, I forgot,” Sukuna said, before getting up – much to Megumi’s dismay, who had been leaning into his side for warmth – and going into his office to retrieve the phone he’d had Uraume buy him the day before, as well as his previous SIM card. “Your phone was ruined but we managed to get your card back at least.”

Megumi was staring in shock at the phone, looking between him and the box in his hand in disbelief. “That’s– so expensive,” he said, carefully taking the box that Sukuna was handing him, “I can’t pay you back in full right away.”

“It’s a gift,” he said, waving him off. “I’m sure you’ll want to talk to your family and friends.”

They discussed what Megumi would say. Sukuna had taken care of the hospital, much to Megumi’s relief, letting them know he’d been involved in an accident and would need some time off to recover – a doctor owed them money, so it was easy to get a doctor’s note – but he hadn’t reached out to anyone else.

For obvious reasons, they both agreed that Megumi wouldn’t divulge any of the details of what had happened. His friends could absolutely not know of either of their involvement – direct or indirect – with the yakuza, even if one of them was apparently dating someone who was just as connected – another Zen’in’ – and, as for Fushiguro Tsumiki, it would be best for her to be left in the dark, especially with her living so far away from any of them and in an area where criminality was low.

As for Fushiguro Toji, well–

“Would you look at that,” Fushiguro Toji said, by way of a greeting, “it’s my beloved son-in-law.”

The two of them simply stood there, out in his driveway, staring each other down. Sukuna was taller than him but Fushiguro Toji was still intimidating, all ripped muscles and solid build despite being clearly over 50 already. 

“Does Megumi know you’re here?” Fushiguro continued, smiling amusedly.

“No,” Sukuna said, uninterested in going around in circles. “Did he tell you he was kidnapped last week because of you?”

Without a single pause, “No,” Fushiguro answered, cocky smile slipping from his face. Then, “Let’s go inside.”

Sukuna and Megumi had agreed that Fushiguro Toji would also be left in the dark for now. Megumi had initially wanted to let his dad know of what happened so he could directly settle matters with his clan; Sukuna had convinced him it would actually be easier if his dad were kept in the dark and away from Tokyo so he and his clan could deal with the Zen’ins. What he didn’t tell him, however, was that he actually had a very different plan.

“All these years later and those cunts are still after me, huh,” Fushiguro commented, blowing the smoke of his cigarette carelessly into Sukuna’s face as they shared a glass of sake inside, sitting across from each other at the dining table. “You think the old fart is dying?”

“So I’ve heard,” he confirmed, taking a sip from his glass. “My best bet is Naoya wants to ensure he inherits the head position and is eliminating competition. One of his brothers was found dead last week.”

Fushiguro hummed, leaning back in his chair contemplatively. “Naobito would be crazy enough to name Megumi his heir,” he said, taking another drag. Then, straightening up again to look Sukuna in the eye, “What exactly is it you want to do?”

Sukuna’s lips slowly spread into a smile as he leaned in, placing his elbows on the table to support himself as he laced his fingers together. “Let’s get in touch with Zen’in Maki.”

☾

Sukuna arrived home from Karuizawa that day close to 9pm to find Uraume wasn’t stationed outside the apartment door like he’d ordered them to. Instead, they were inside the apartment, sitting around the low center table as they played cards.

“What are you doing?” he asked, intrigued by their quiet. When he got closer to them, after taking off his shoes and patiently rubbing Kuro and Shiro’s heads, who’d immediately bounded over to him when he’d stepped in, he realized they were playing– “Poker?” Glancing at Megumi, “Do you usually play?”

“No,” he said, angling his cards down so Sukuna wouldn’t see them when he rounded the table to give him a kiss, “Uraume’s been teaching me.”

He truly didn’t know when or how Megumi had started spending time with Uraume when Sukuna wasn’t home and he especially didn’t know whether to encourage that or not, but– Megumi could use the in person company, he supposed, now that he spent his days in the condominium with nothing but his dogs, Uraume as his shadow and Sukuna when he was home. 

Megumi was allowed his freedom, in a way; he was allowed to walk around the condominium, as long as Uraume or Sukuna were with him at all times, and he was allowed to order things and food online just as long Uraume was the one receiving any package, just in case. Sukuna tried to spend as much time as he possibly could at home, conducting most of his operations remotely and getting Uraume to act in his place, but whenever he had to leave, well–

“Stop staring,” Megumi admonished, looking annoyedly at him. “You’re making me nervous.”

“But I could also help you,” he tried to reason, but neither Megumi nor Uraume were having any of it, quickly ushering him away. 

Sukuna resigned himself to his fate, leaving them to it as he went to take a shower, throwing Uraume a look that clearly said he didn’t want to see them when he was back. He may appreciate them spending time with Megumi and getting to know him, especially given Megumi wasn’t going anywhere and was there to stay, but he didn’t want them intruding on their alone time; especially not after he’d spent the majority of the day out of Tokyo getting to know his dear daddy in law behind Megumi’s back.

He’d understand one day.

When he left the en suite bathroom clad in only a towel, intent on throwing on some comfortable clothes before joining Megumi in the living room and suggesting they get take out that night, it was to find Megumi already waiting for him in the bedroom, wearing nothing but a short, dark green silk robe. He laid reclined amidst the mountain of pillows he’d arranged in their bed, long, bare legs in display as he looked at him coyly.

“Is this all for me?” he murmured, walking over to the bed feeling as though he was in a trance, eyes locked on the stunning picture in front of him, unable to look away even if he wanted to. 

“Who else?” Megumi asked, smirking as Sukuna let his towel fall to the floor before getting on the bed, crawling over to where Megumi was already spreading his legs to make room for him.

He leaned in to press their lips together, Megumi’s arms immediately coming up to circle around his neck and pull him closer, and he let himself melt into his touch, his bare skin warm against the cool silk of Megumi’s robe. Megumi parted his lips and Sukuna licked into his mouth, slowly and all consuming, sliding their tongues together.

One of his hands gripped one of Megumi’s bare thighs as the other slowly crept up the edge of his silk robe, meeting bare skin that grew hotter the closer he got to his center. His thumb grazed the edge of Megumi’s folds, no panties or briefs to hinder his path like he’d thought.

“You really want this, huh?” he murmured against Megumi’s lips, breaking their kiss so he could suck on his bottom lip as he moved his hand fully to between his legs, running a finger through Megumi’s slit only to feel the wetness already gathered there. “So eager,” he continued, flicking his clit with his thumb, teasing a finger against his entrance, “my pretty little housewife waiting for his husband to come home all day so he can be fucked.”

“Sukuna,” Megumi whined, hips bucking up against his finger, trying to get him to slip it in, “please.”

“Am I right?” he asked, not letting him answer straight away as he kissed him again, easily fucking his tongue into his mouth as he kept teasing his entrance. “Am I, sweetheart?” he asked again when they broke apart, Megumi’s breaths coming in short, little pants.

“Daddy,” Megumi pleaded, clearly not wanting to admit to something like that; that he liked waiting around for Sukuna in their big apartment and liked getting fucked at the end of the day, after Sukuna cooked for him and let him use his money to get anything he wanted, even if he never used it anyway. 

“Answer me, sweetheart,” he said, cupping his mound and rubbing his clit with his thumb, leaning his head down to leave a trail of hot kisses down his neck as he waited. Megumi’s pants grew louder, squirming restlessly in his hold in an attempt to try and rub his wet folds against his fingers. “Tell daddy the truth,” he whispered, licking a hot stripe back up his neck, teasing his entrance again.

“I like it, daddy,” Megumi whimpered, eyes glazed over as he looked up at him with shiny tears, “I like waiting for you to come home so you can fuck me any way you want,” he gasped out, groaning low in his throat as Sukuna’s fingers finally breached his cunt, easily slipping in without any resistance from how wet he was. 

His blunt nails were digging sharply into Sukuna’s back, arms still around his shoulders in a vice grip as Sukuna thrust his fingers in and out, picking up his pace as Megumi’s moans grew louder.

“Daddy, daddy,” Megumi chanted, trying to kiss him but missing in his haste, raising his hips in time with Sukuna’s thrusts, “enough, e– please, you need to fuck me,” he pleaded, words stumbling over each other in his desperation, “please daddy, please–”

Sukuna was rarely, if ever, a merciful man, but when it came to Megumi, he found he could rarely say no to anything he asked for. 

“Have you been taking your birth control?” he asked, leaning back to spread Megumi’s legs wider, chuckling at the way Megumi eagerly wrapped them around his hips to force him closer.

“Yes, daddy,” Megumi said, batting his eyelashes at him, “It’s been more than a full week so it should be effective now.”

In theory, it should. That was, of course, if Sukuna hadn’t replaced the birth control pills they’d gotten at the pharmacy for a pack of fake ones. Then again, Megumi didn’t need to know everything. 

Lining himself up, Sukuna slid in with one smooth thrust, groaning as Megumi’s walls sucked him in and clenched around him, unwilling to let him go far.

“Megumi, baby–” he gritted out, trying to keep himself from losing control, “you’re so fucking tight–”

Sukuna captured his lips in a bruising kiss, kissing him until he was dizzy and pliant and his hold on his cock eased, and then he was moving, pulling out only to thrust back in roughly, feeling the way Megumi bounced under him with every thrust.

Megumi pulled him closer and closer, buried his face in his neck and moaned breathily against his ear, and Sukuna struggled to stay in control. His fingers dug deep into the meat of Megumi’s thighs, both keeping him in place but also helping him ground himself, and the room was filled with the sounds of their moans and grunts and the sound of skin slapping against skin. 

“A-Aah, I’m so close,” Megumi whimpered, letting go of the tight grip he had on his neck to lie back fully and look up at him, cheeks flushed and tears in his eyes, fingers reaching behind his head to grasp at the pillows, “daddy–”

His walls clenched around him again, nearly sending him over the edge, so Sukuna rose to his knees to change the angle, his cock sliding deeper into Megumi as his thrusts became shorter and faster.

Megumi braced his hands against the headboard and cried out at a particularly hard thrust, lost completely to his pleasure as Sukuna reached one hand down to rub his clit.

Sukuna paused his movements only to spit on Megumi’s clit before rubbing it again, thrusts never faltering in their pace, and Megumi groaned low in his throat as he came, cunt clenching around his cock impossibly tight and nearly taking him with him.

“Too much,” Megumi gasped out, eyes flying open as Sukuna kept rubbing his sore clit, tears threatening to fall, “Kuna– no more–”

“One more,” Sukuna gritted out, so, so close to the edge but wanting to take Megumi with him again, greedily, “just one more, baby.”

“Daddy,” Megumi cried out, squirming under him in an attempt to get away, too weak to properly fight back, “no, no–”

And then he was coming again, taking Sukuna with him as he filled him with his seed, clenching around him so hard none of the cum could possibly spill out. 

The whole family thing – a wife or a husband and kids –, none of it had ever been appealing to him. Settling down, doting on someone and putting them first, being responsible for a tiny human being and ensuring they didn’t grow up as fucked up as he was. It simply wasn’t for him, not for a man like Sukuna, and yet.

Megumi made him want to be that kind of man. The kind of dad who drove his kids to school every day and attended every parent-teacher meeting. The kind of dad who didn’t let them have sweets before bed and made them brush their teeth but then caved and let them eat pancakes the next morning at breakfast. The kind of dad that made Megumi proud to be with him even though he was one of the most dangerous men in Tokyo.

“Mmm, Kuna,” Megumi murmured, stretching languidly in bed after Sukuna cleaned them up, robe already discarded and lying somewhere on the floor, reaching out with one hand to try and pull him back to his side, “I missed you today,” he said, burying his face in the crook of his neck when Sukuna caved and lied down next to him, cradling him in his arms.

“Yeah?” he breathed out, brushing Megumi’s disheveled bangs away from his face. “What did you do while I was gone?”

“Took the dogs to the garden and stayed there for a while, reading,” he said, closing his eyes as Sukuna ran his fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp every so often, “and then I invited Uraume in for lunch.”

“You ate the leftovers from yesterday’s dinner?” he asked, smiling amusedly at the way Megumi nuzzled into his touch. He was one purr away from becoming a real cat.

“Mhm, there was more than enough,” he confirmed, eyes fluttering open to look at him fondly. More fondly than Sukuna remembered anyone ever looking at him before. “What’d you do today?”

“Had to go out of Tokyo today,” he said, carefully choosing his words. Giving him only a half truth. It was for his own good, or so he told himself. “Needed to meet with an ally clan for business.”

Megumi hummed, only half listening as he struggled to keep his eyes open, snuggling further into his arms. “I’m glad you’re home now,” he said, words starting to slur, “I’ll make us dinner tonight, okay?”

“Okay, baby,” he agreed, chuckling, knowing full well they’d end up ordering takeout once they woke up, too late and too spent to do anything else. Not stilling his movements, keeping his fingers running through Megumi’s soft hair, “What do you want to have for dinner?”

He was met with silence initially, and then a soft snore, barely audible to begin with. Hiding a smile in Megumi’s hair, Sukuna closed his eyes and let sleep slowly take him too.

Chapter Text

Megumi was so sick of being home he was starting to feel like he was losing his mind.

Undeniably, it was nice at first, once he got past the nerves and stress of worrying about losing his job and feeling like he was completely cut off from the outside world and, of course, trying to process the fact that he’d been kidnapped, nearly raped and then trapped in his boyfriend’s house for the indefinite future without having any sort of say in it. Once he was able to get past all that, he was happy to admit he enjoyed the break and the opportunity to catch up on his reading, especially after Sukuna had all his things moved into his apartment.

He tried his best to pass the time. 

Read and reread his favorite books, watched a few movies Yuuji had been badgering him about for months, and even got into baking; if Sukuna would cook for them, then Megumi would bake. His attempts weren’t very good, at least not at first, and he saw as Uraume watched with some exasperation as grocery orders arrived nearly every day with more ingredients for Megumi to experiment with. 

Then, one day, around the one week mark after Megumi started his forced confinement and after yet another grocery order arrived while Sukuna was out, “If you really want to learn, I can teach you,” they said, as they handed him the two paper bags that had just been delivered downstairs.

“You know how to bake?” he asked, surprised. 

“I know how to cook too,” they said, and then Megumi was letting them in, handing them his phone with the recipe for a kabocha squash pie opened and bookmarked.

“And you want to make your own pie crust?” Uraume asked, eyeing him wearily. “What made you think you could do this by yourself?”

“I’m going crazy in here,” he told them, honestly. “Why wouldn’t I try making the pie crust by myself?”

Uraume’s face remained impassive as always, but they seemed more willing to help as they helped Megumi put all the ingredients they’d need out, laying them neatly on the black marble countertop islands where they would work. 

Megumi flitted about, getting bowls and measuring cups out of the matching dark wood high cabinets, and taking out utensils to place them neatly next to the ingredients as Uraume silently studied the recipe.   

“Have you ever made pie before?” Uraume asked when they were finally done reading, examining the ingredients and utensils Megumi laid out appraisingly, seemingly satisfied with what they saw.

“No,” he admitted, beginning to feel a little anxious about the fact he’d invited Uraume to teach him instead of just doing it alone and trying to learn by himself. Yes, he was feeling cooped up, but at least even his failed attempts at baking helped settle him somewhat. If Uraume were to start judging him, this little session could end up having the opposite effect. “I’ve tried making only cookies and cakes.”

“That’s good,” they said, rolling up the sleeves of their white dress shirt and turning to face the counter. “Let’s begin.”

Baking with Uraume was, to his surprise, really not that bad. 

They weren’t a big talker, preferring to show rather than giving him extensive explanations, and patiently showing him how to correct something and letting him do it again instead of simply taking over and doing it themselves. 

Megumi’s worries that Uraume would judge him and turn his peaceful baking session into yet another reason for stressing were quickly dissipated, and they spent the better part of an hour in near silence, working around each other until Uraume was the one to break it, seemingly trying to engage Megumi in conversation about the person in common in their lives.

“Sukuna-sama can be very set in his ways,” Uraume said, keeping their eyes on the stand mixer as the puréed kabocha they’d taught Megumi how to steam – he’d never steamed anything before – blended in with the rest of the ingredients for the filling, “but he only does what he thinks is right.”

He wasn’t sure where they were trying to get at – whether it was a misguided attempt at getting Megumi to feel better about the fact that he was essentially trapped between four walls or whether they were simply that bad at making conversation – but he only nodded, keeping his eyes on the same place as Uraume’s. 

“Do you always agree with everything he says?” Megumi suddenly asked, realizing how his words could be taken as rude but not really caring anymore, “Or do you just– go with it anyway?”

Uraume paused, hands stilling where they’d been reaching for the bowl of pie filling, before resuming their movements just as quickly. “I owe Sukuna-sama my life,” they said, like it was that simple. “It’s not my place to question him.”

Humming thoughtfully, Megumi moved aside to let Uraume shuffle closer to him with the bowl so they could pour the filling into the baked pie crust. Surprisingly, they motioned for Megumi to do it instead. At his questioning look, “It’s difficult to screw up this step,” they said, so Megumi went and poured the batter in, slowly but surely, watching as Uraume smoothed out the surface with a spatula. 

“How long have you known Sukuna?” Megumi asked, curious.

Uraume looked to the side, mentally calculating, before, “Just under eleven years,” they said, and Megumi’s eyebrows nearly rose up to his hairline because– Uraume looked so young. They looked like they were his age. “I was a teenager when we met,” they added, noticing his expression, “I was a few weeks away from turning 18.”

That meant Uraume was two years older than him, but it didn’t really tell him how they met, or even how old Sukuna was. In fact, being confronted with the long history between Sukuna and Uraume only made him even more acutely aware of the fact that he barely knew anything about the man whose apartment he was now living in. He didn’t know the basics, from where he was from to how old he was, and he definitely didn’t know anything about the way he grew up or how he’d gotten to where he was. 

It made him feel small, in a way, especially when he considered the fact that Sukuna knew a lot more about him than that. Sukuna knew all about his friends and his family – not all of it but more than enough – and even his coworkers, and Megumi knew– nothing.

“I grew up in an orphanage,” Uraume continued, offering up more of their life as they checked the temperature of the oven and directed Megumi to carefully place the pie in the middle rack, watching as he walked slowly to make sure no accidents happened. “Sukuna-sama regularly visits the orphanage and donates to it, and when I turned 18 he offered me a job. The prospects for kids who grow up in orphanages and never get adopted are not very good, so I owe Sukuna-sama for everything I have.”

“So he’s charitable,” Megumi mused, crouched on the floor in front of the oven, watching as the pie began cooking. “Why that specific orphanage, though?” he asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Or does he do the same with others…?”

“You should ask Sukuna-sama directly,” Uraume said, clearly unwilling to disclose anything further about Sukuna’s life without his knowledge, effectively cutting off the conversation. Megumi was still curious, but he understood; he should ask Sukuna, he should know more about him from him and not from the person who was tasked with shadowing him every time he was gone. “Let’s foil the edges,” they said, cutting through his thoughts.

“Foil– huh?” he asked, confused.

“The edges of the pie,” Uraume explained, looking around the kitchen for something. “Do you know where the aluminum foil is?”

Fortunately, he did. As it turned out, the edges of the pie crust could easily become burnt seeing as they’d pre-baked it, so they took out the pie for long enough to spread aluminum foil all over the edges before setting it back in to continue cooking.

Uraume helped him clean up, wiping down the counters as Megumi ran their dirty dishes through warm water and set them in the dishwasher, and then they sat in the living room with Kuro and Shiro as they waited for the pie to be done, drinking tea and watching a comedy show that Uraume said they liked even though they didn’t laugh a single time. 

“Thank you,” Megumi said later that day, once the pie was finished and sitting prettily on a cake display stand that Megumi had managed to find in one of the cupboards, cooling off until Sukuna got home. “I’ll save you a slice for tomorrow.”

Uraume’s eyebrows raised just slightly enough for Megumi to tell they were surprised, but their face quickly returned to their usual stoic expression. “Thank you,” they echoed, “I enjoy cooking and baking quite a lot, so this was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.”

They went back to the hallway after that, saying that Sukuna should be back soon, and Megumi was left alone again, lost in his own thoughts of Sukuna and all the things he didn’t know about him as Kuro and Shiro tried their best to make him feel better.

After that day, Uraume became a near constant presence in the apartment while Sukuna was gone, helping him bake or teaching him how to play poker – Megumi had asked after they’d watched a movie set in a casino and he’d admitted to never having been in one – but Megumi still didn’t ask Sukuna any of the questions burning in his mind, hesitant to ruin something that seemed so fragile between them. 

☾

Two weeks passed without him barely realizing it, and Megumi only grew more restless, tired of being home all the time and unable to do anything more than let life go past him.

So, he decided to do something about it. 

“I need your help,” he told Uraume one day, and less than two hours later they were elbow to elbow in the kitchen, making a whole dinner spread so Megumi could butter Sukuna up and beg him to let him go back to work.

They made a slow roasted duck, with hoisin sauce, chinese scallion oil pancakes, fluffy white rice and a fresh cucumber salad on the side, and Uraume even helped him hunt for the perfect red wine to pair it with – stolen right from Sukuna’s collection. 

While the duck roasted for what was predictably the last hour under Uraume’s watchful gaze, Megumi showered as quickly as he could, shaving everywhere and cleaning himself thoroughly, putting on the lacy wine red underwear he’d bought especially for this and blushing the entire time as he stood in front of the floor length mirror in the bedroom to inspect himself. 

He didn’t know what Sukuna would find so special about it, but he’d hinted at it before – how he’d look so beautiful in lace, how he wanted to buy him cute underwear just to rip it off afterwards, etc etc etc. Megumi usually couldn’t bear to listen to him when he said things like that, thinking he’d just look ridiculous with a bra and panties, especially so given how his curves were so undeniably masculine years after he’d transitioned, but that night he was willing to pull out all the stops. 

Sukuna undeniably had the habit of distracting him with sex or turning the conversation on him every time Megumi asked something he didn’t want to answer, but Megumi was intent on turning the game on him, one way or another. 

The duck was on a plate at the center of the dining table when he was done, covered by a steel plate cover that Uraume had managed to dig up somewhere, and they were nowhere to be found as he settled on the couch to wait for Sukuna to arrive, fighting the urge to bounce his legs with how keyed up he was. 

He didn’t have to wait long. Sukuna arrived and was pleasantly surprised to see dinner was waiting for him on the table – no doubt like the little housewife he thought he was turning Megumi into – but he insisted he needed to shower first. Megumi spied the bits of dried blood on his knuckles and told him only to not take long.

Sukuna carved the duck for them and placed large pieces in Megumi’s plate, and Megumi poured wine for the two of them and served the rice, kissing Sukuna’s cheek as he went to sit back down. 

“What’s the occasion?” Sukuna asked, hungrily eyeing the strip of bare skin visible from where Megumi’s oversized knit sweater slipped off his shoulder. Then, sitting up straighter to take a better look, “Is that a strap?”

Megumi flashed him a smile, but took a sip of his wine before answering, tilting his head back as he did. His tongue darted out to lick at the small drop threatening to fall down the side of his lips when he finished, and Sukuna’s eyes were fixed intently on him, avidly tracing every tiny movement he made. He felt intoxicated despite having only had a handful of sips the entire wine, vibrating with anticipation for the way he intended to seduce Sukuna so he could talk him into doing what he wanted. “I just wanted to do something nice for you,” he finally said, ignoring the second part of his question. “You’ve been so accommodating since that night.”

“So have you,” Sukuna murmured, taking a sip of his own glass, eyes never straying from his face, “there’s no need to thank me.”

“Maybe I just wanted to do something nice regardless,” Megumi said, lightly batting his eyelashes. “Can’t I?”

“You can do whatever you want,” Sukuna said, sitting immobile and continuing to burn a hole through his head as Megumi simply hummed in acknowledgement and ate away, savoring the perfectly tender duck. Uraume was truly amazing. 

Sukuna eventually ate his own food, showering him with compliments the entire time and ignoring when Megumi said Uraume had helped him during the afternoon. The air between them was charged with tension, Sukuna clearly knowing Megumi was up to something as Megumi tried to act as casually as possible.

When they were done with their food, nothing but the last of the wine left, Megumi got up from his seat only to round the table and plop himself directly onto Sukuna’s lap. Sukuna’s hands immediately shot up to hold him, one hand on one of his thighs and the other wrapped around his waist, and Megumi was all too happy to wrap his arms around his shoulders and lean down to kiss him. It was only a peck, a small thing, barely there, but Sukuna’s eyes were already halfway through to half lidded and Megumi could already feel the way his body was heating up under his touch, already anticipating how they would (hopefully) end their night. 

“You want something from me,” Sukuna said, voice low and rumbling in his ear as Megumi scattered wet, open mouthed kisses all over his neck, feeling his brain deliciously foggy from the mix of the alcohol and Sukuna’s warmth all around him.

“I just want you,” he murmured, pulling away to flutter his eyelashes at him as he looked into his eyes, the picture of innocence.

Seducing Sukuna was easy. They’d been weak to each other from day one, so all it took was a few well placed nibbles along his ear and jaw, a hand deftly unbuttoning his dress shirt and sliding against his skin, and Sukuna was putty in his hands. He could feel the outline of Sukuna’s cock against his ass, nudging against him ever so slightly, and Megumi shamelessly rubbed himself against it, relishing in the way Sukuna groaned low in his throat. 

“Stop teasing me, sweetheart,” Sukuna said, a light warning coloring his tone, and then Megumi was getting up, taking one of his hands and leading him into the bedroom as he looked back at him sultrily. 

“I have a surprise for you,” he said, lightly pushing against Sukuna’s near-bare chest, tattoos teasingly peeking out from under his dress shirt, urging him to sit at the edge of the bed.

“I can’t wait,” Sukuna said, watching intently as Megumi took off his clothes – first his joggers, smirking at the way Sukuna’s eyes visibly darkened when he spotted his lacy underwear, and then his sweatshirt, Sukuna’s eyes hungrily tracing every bit of uncovered skin and widening as he finally spotted his matching bra. “Megs…” was all he was able to say, voice hoarse as he stared at him looking a little like a lost puppy.

“Do you like it?” he asked, walking over to Sukuna and kneeling in between his legs, sliding his hands up his thighs, feeling the muscle strain under his touch. 

“What do you think?” Sukuna murmured, grabbing his chin and pulling him closer to slant his mouth over his, tongues sliding together easily. 

They worked in tandem, then; Sukuna unbuttoned the rest of his dress shirt and threw it somewhere to the side of the bed and Megumi took care of unzipping and pulling down his pants, leaving him clad in nothing but dark blue briefs and his raging erection, straining against the fabric.

He mouthed at it wetly, running his tongue over the clothed cock and feeling the shudder that went down Sukuna’s spine, amused by the way Sukuna tightened his fists on the duvet before taking him out of his misery and pulling his briefs down to join the pants Megumi had thrown to the side.

Megumi licked a hot stripe up his shaft, feeling his cock pulse in his hand and the taste of salty pre-cum as he ran his tongue over his slit. Sukuna’s cock was hot and heavy in his hand, thick and veiny and deliciously curved. He ran his thumb over his barbells and moved down to tenderly lick over his ballsack, sucking them as best as he could as he slowly pumped his cock with his hand. 

“Megs, baby,” Sukuna groaned out, fingers of one hand already wrapped around his hair, itching to pull, “you’re killing me here.”

In response, Megumi simply licked over his shaft again, wrapping his lips teasingly around his cockhead, sucking it once, twice, before moving back down again, sitting back on his knees to peer up at Sukuna innocently. 

“You can fuck my face,” he said, trying to give Sukuna the illusion of control and whimpering when Sukuna’s fingers tightened in his hair, pulling on his scalp, “don’t you want to, daddy?”

Sukuna did want to, so he did. Less than thirty seconds later and Megumi was stretching his throat around Sukuna’s cock, taking him as deep as he could, as Sukuna pulled on his hair to move him up and down his cock, rocking his hips to meet him in the middle.

It wasn’t long before Megumi’s eyes filled with tears, his fingers digging into the meat of Sukuna’s thighs as he fucked his face the way he’d asked him to, feeling the drag of his cock heavy on his tongue. Sukuna was relentless, picking up pace as he groaned above him, sweet little nothings spilling from his lips as he looked down at Megumi’s tear-filled eyes and watched the way his cock slid in and out.

“You’re so good for daddy,” he babbled, fingers tighter, pace ever faster, “dressing up for me the way I told you I’d like and having dinner on the table when I come– fuck.” Megumi groaned around his cock, feeling his vision blur as he tried to hang on and not choke around him, trying to keep his mouth relaxed. “Fuck, and you’d just let me– aah, do whatever I want,” he continued, thrusts faltering as he reached his climax, “you’re so fucking good for me, fuck, s’like you were made for me–” and then he was coming, spilling his load down Megumi’s throat, forcing his head to stay in place as he did. “Swallow everything for daddy, baby,” he ordered, in a low voice, so Megumi did, ever obedient.

He coughed once Sukuna finally let him go, sliding his cock out of his mouth and hooking his thumb over Megumi’s bottom lip to double check; make sure he’d really swallowed everything.

“Good boy,” he praised, and Megumi sent him a half-hearted glare, still recovering from how rough he’d been. “Don’t be like that,” Sukuna soothed, chuckling as he pulled Megumi up to his lap, sitting him atop one of his strong thighs, “let daddy make it up to you.”

Daddy made it up to him by scooting up towards the headboard and lying flat on his back so Megumi could ride his face, his one request being that he keep his underwear on, so Megumi simply slid his panties to the side and promptly sat on his face, moaning loudly as Sukuna’s tongue immediately dipped into his folds, sending a jolt of electricity down his spine.

Megumi held on to the headboard and rode Sukuna’s face, clit bumping against his hooked nose the way he was completely addicted to and Sukuna’s tongue fucking into his tight hole, and after he came he crawled down his body to sink onto his cock instead, already fully hard again, feeling the drag of his barbells against his walls as he sank down.

“Let daddy fuck you, baby,” Sukuna asked – nearly begged – but Megumi didn’t relent, rolling his hips as he tried to ignore the way his thighs were already burning from the exertion of having ridden Sukuna’s face and moved straight to riding his cock right afterwards. 

He gave in eventually, letting Sukuna sit up against the headboard as he sank onto him again, if only so he could be closer to Sukuna as he neared his climax. 

“Daddy,” he whimpered in his ear, arms wrapped tight around his shoulders, chests flushed together as Sukuna thrust up into his heat. His pace was already becoming more erratic, closer and closer to the edge, which meant it was the perfect timing for– “You’d do anything for me, wouldn’t you?” he asked, pressing hot kisses along the column of his neck, “Anything I want?”

“Anything,” Sukuna groaned out, fingers digging painfully into his waist as he kept up his movement, thrusting up to meet Megumi as he rolled his hips, “anything baby, everything I have is yours.”

Megumi surged up to kiss him, a wet, sloppy, filthy thing, more panting into each other’s mouths than anything else. Sukuna was the first to break their kiss to make Megumi lean back so he could mouth wetly at his still-covered nipples, tongue laving over the lacy fabric as he kept fucking into him.

“Daddy,” he whispered, as soon as Sukuna was done, face buried in his neck, “daddy, will you say yes to anything I want?” he asked, grabbing one of Sukuna’s hands to lay it over his belly, both of them groaning as they felt the slight bulge from Sukuna’s cock.

“Anything,” Sukuna said, thoughtlessly, more worried about biting and sucking on Megumi’s neck and shoulders than anything else.

“Anything at all?” Megumi repeated, breath hitching as Sukuna’s hand moved from his belly to his engorged clit, pleasure mixing with the pain from the way his clit still throbbed from his earlier orgasm.

“Anything,” Sukuna repeated, and Megumi could tell he was so, so close, thrusts erratic, so–

“Let me go back to work, daddy,” he whispered, kissing all over his jaw, “say yes.”

Sukuna came then, groaning low in his throat as he spilled into Megumi’s heat, and Megumi came soon after, cunt clenching rhythmically around Sukuna’s cock, coaxing any remaining cum out of him. 

“What the fuck, Megumi,” Sukuna said, voice low as he rested his forehead against Megumi’s while they regained their breath, looking right into his eyes, “Did you really try to trick me into saying yes while I came?”

“It was a coincidence,” he lied, knowing full well Sukuna would see right past it.

Megumi wasn’t a bad liar per se, but it was definitely not his top skill. He was much better at hiding things. For instance, he’d successfully hidden the fact that he’d gone ahead and watched the show he and Sukuna were watching together in a fit of boredom while he’d been away one day, made worse by the fact that he and Uraume had watched it together, sharing a bucket of popcorn between them. Sukuna was none the wiser a few days later when they finally sat down to watch the new episodes together, and Megumi successfully faked every single gasp and shout of indignation.

Then there was also the fact that Megumi simply pretended to take his birth control pills every night and instead merely chugged them down the drain with Sukuna being none the wiser about it, but that was a different story. 

This, however–

“Megumi,” Sukuna said, sighing tiredly as though they’d had this conversation multiple times when, in reality, they hadn’t, “you know why I’m doing this. It’s safer for you if you stay on the downlow for a while.”

“It’s been two weeks,” Megumi countered, grimacing as he lifted himself from Sukuna’s lap and felt some of Sukuna’s cum start to leak; Sukuna fixed it easily by adjusting his panties so they covered his crotch again. “Sukuna–”

“Go pee first,” his boyfriend said, not unkindly. “I’ll clean us up afterwards.”

Megumi did as he was told, stumbling out of the bathroom less than two minutes later and watching as Sukuna walked past him to fetch a warm, damp towel. He waited silently as Sukuna cleaned them both up, and then Sukuna dragged him back to where all their pillows laid scattered and pulled him into his arms, making them lie on their sides facing each other.

“I’m not going to risk you getting hurt,” Sukuna said, very seriously, and Megumi couldn’t help the way his heart melted just a bit. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”

Megumi’s breath hitched, not having expected Sukuna to be quite so earnest, but he was determined to see this through and get his way. “Baby, I understand,” he said, surprising Sukuna by using a pet name; usually he just called him daddy, “but I feel like I’m going crazy. I know you’re trying your best and you spend as much time with me as possible and I also have Uraume,” Sukuna raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t interrupt him, “but even if you were here all the time with me I’d still feel the same way.”

“Surely you enjoy taking a break from work every now and then,” Sukuna pointed out. “You’ve been doing so many things now that you have this free time–”

“I have too much free time,” Megumi said, reaching out to hold one of his hands, absentmindedly running his thumb over the back of his hand. “I just– I miss working. I’m a vet because I like what I do, and it pains me to know I could be out there helping animals and I’m not.”

Sukuna looked conflicted, a deep furrow between his brows, so Megumi reached out to smooth it down with his thumb, chuckling at the way Sukuna’s eyes followed him with a look of deep betrayal for even putting him in this position in the first place. “What if it happens again?” he asked, a resigned expression on his face.

“I’m sure we can figure something out,” Megumi said, scooting closer to him to peck at his lips. 

“You’ll have Uraume with you at all times,” Sukuna said, grabbing his arm so he could keep him in place as they stared into each other’s eyes intently. “Uraume will go with you to work and you can’t leave the hospital without them.”

“Okay,” Megumi whispered, barely able to believe it had worked and he was getting what he wanted, even if Uraume would quickly get very sick of following him around. He was sure they could work something out later on. “Anything.”

“I mean it, Megumi,” he said, keeping him from scooting closer again. “If you disappear from Uraume’s sight even once you’re coming back here, I won’t be so lenient a second time.”

He was well aware he meant it. There was an intensity in his eyes that caused a shiver to run down his spine, but Megumi was quick to agree, confirm, sign some of his freedom away in exchange for going back to a semblance of semi-normalcy. 

They stayed as they were, seemingly suspended in time for however long they could, exchanging small, closed-mouth kisses every once in a while, silent all the way until Sukuna rolled over to lie on his back and pulled Megumi closer to him, wrapping an arm around him so he could lie his head on his chest.

“You said Uraume helped you with dinner?” Sukuna asked, breaking the silence. 

“They did,” he confirmed, eyes closed to snuggle against his chest. “They’re a really good cook.” After a pause, “Good baker, too. They helped with my kabocha pie.”

Sukuna remained silent for a while, but Megumi noticed his hand had stopped rubbing up and down his arm. “You’re becoming close,” he remarked. Megumi waited for him to continue but a beat passed, then two, and he realized he wasn’t going to say anything else.

“What did you expect?” he asked, moving his free hand to trace lazy circles on Sukuna’s naked chest, pondering his next words. Up until then, he’d struggled with the thought of how he could potentially approach Sukuna’s past and get him to open up to him, but now that he was mentioning Uraume. Well. “Don’t worry, though,” he continued, knowing full well how his next words would come across but being unable to help himself, “not as close as you are.”

His boyfriend’s fingers tightened where they laid over his arm, and Megumi knew he’d struck a nerve.

“What are you implying?” he asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

“I’m not implying anything,” he said, nuzzling his head against his chest. “Uraume explained how you two met and how long ago it was. I didn’t realize you had such a long past together.”

“Megumi,” Sukuna said warningly, voice dropping an octave. “Speak plainly. I’m not interested in whatever maze you want to put me through to get to where you want. What do you want to know?”

Megumi swallowed, irrationally feeling tears prick the corner of his eyes just from Sukuna’s tone. Was it stupid to feel like this? Like his heart was dropping to his stomach at the thought of Sukuna not wanting to share anything with him, keeping him in the dark? Sukuna had been the one to say all those things – that he was crazy about him, that he had no idea how much he liked him or– or even that he would kill everyone for him – and yet Megumi felt as though, if Sukuna weren’t willing to share more of himself, that it was all very one-sided. That Sukuna was just keeping him around for fun, and nothing else. 

And if that were the case, how long until he tired of him?

“Baby,” Sukuna repeated, effectively bringing him out of his spiraling thoughts by grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at him, “what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know anything about you,” he blurted out, feeling the way Sukuna’s grip on his chin loosened at that, expression twisting in confusion. “I– I feel like I don’t know anything about you but you know everything about me,” he said, quietly. “You know all about my shitty dad and my sister who lives far away, and I’ve told you all about my best friends and anyone that matters in my life, but– I don’t know anything about you. Sukuna, I don’t even know how old you are.”

“I’m 36,” Sukuna offered, eyes softening as he listened to Megumi. Then, suddenly chuckling, “Megs, I don’t know how old you are either.”

Blinking, Megumi realized he was right. He hadn’t mentioned it either. “Oh,” he said, letting out a small laugh. “I’m 26. 27 next month.”

Sukuna was horrified as he realized there was little more than a month left until Megumi’s birthday and he hadn’t thought about what to get him, but when Megumi revealed his exact birth date – December 22nd – he turned thoughtful. Megumi hugged him tighter and rested his chin on his chest, looking up at him inquisitive.

“It’s just a little poetic,” Sukuna explained, smiling to himself. “My birthday is on the 21st of June.”

The Winter Equinox and the Summer Equinox. It was poetic, and Megumi couldn’t help but drop a kiss right on top of his chest.

“The reason I didn’t tell you about myself is that I don’t have any of those things,” Sukuna explained a moment later, quietly. “I don’t have a family and I don’t really have friends either. I have associates,” he remarked, in a contemplative tone, “but I don’t really have friends.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, so Sukuna explained.

It was simple, actually; Sukuna had been abandoned by his mother at birth, had never really known who either his mom or dad were, and had grown up in the very same orphanage he’d eventually met Uraume at. 

It’d been easier to get sucked into criminality and even easier to stay there, committing small crimes but making more money than he’d ever dreamed of making. What else could a guy like him have wanted?

“What changed?” he asked, engrossed in his story. “Clearly you– well, you gained some ambition.”

Sukuna hummed, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. “I was made the right hand of the clan by its new Head – Kenjaku, the guy I knew from high school who got me started – and then that made me realize I could have more.”

Megumi furrowed his brow at that, before shifting his position so he could drape himself completely over Sukuna, forcing him to look him in the eyes. “So the clan was led by Kenjaku’s family?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“And then you took over? Without being in the family? I didn’t know that was possible,” he prodded, genuinely interested. He didn’t know much about the clans or the yakuza to begin with, despite his family being so intimately involved, and he had a feeling this wasn’t the type of thing you could easily google.

Sukuna cleared his throat, looking back up at the ceiling. He was doing that a lot that night. “Kenjaku disappeared one day,” he explained, absentmindedly running his fingers over Megumi’s back, lightly grazing his skin with his fingertips. “Usually the Head position would go to his heir, but Kenjaku didn’t have any other surviving family. So I was made Head.”

“Oh.” It made sense. No surviving family, of course the clan would go to the Head’s right hand, his most trusted person. “So did you ever find out what happened to him?”

“No,” Sukuna said, large, warm hand settling comfortably over his ribs, “we never found out what happened. He was there one day, and the next no one ever heard from him again.”

It was unsettling. Not for what could have happened to Kenjaku – Megumi couldn’t care less, didn’t know the guy and would never know him either, all those years later – but for what it meant for Sukuna. Sukuna could just as easily disappear one day without a trace, leaving a confused Megumi behind.

There was no good reason for him to vocalize such a terrible thought, so he settled for hugging Sukuna tighter to him. Maybe, with enough time, he could show Sukuna he wasn’t alone anymore. Give him a reason to keep himself as safe as he tried to keep him.

Chapter Text

“Megumi.”

“Sukuna.”

“…”

“...”

“You can’t be serious,” Sukuna said, giving him the most unimpressed look he could muster from where he was sitting against the headboard of their bed, phone in hand as he replied to work emails before they went to sleep.  

“Of course I’m serious,” he said, rolling his eyes as he slid into bed next to Sukuna, wrapping his arms snugly around his middle. “I don’t see what the problem is,” he added, voice slightly muffled from the way his face was buried against Sukuna’s thick sweatshirt.

Sukuna had been explaining the problem for the past ten minutes. Megumi was pretending he didn’t really see anything wrong, in his view at least.

It all started with an invitation.

A few weeks earlier, he and Sukuna had agreed that Megumi would tell his friends and family that he’d been MIA for a few days because he’d been down with bronchitis and was still recovering at home. Everything was fine! Really! No need to come over, I don’t want you to get anything; plus, I’m staying at Sukuna’s so he can take care of me and the dogs! But he was still recovering, so he was off work for a few days while drinking copious amounts of chicken soup and taking antibiotics.

Tsumiki had been concerned, frowning through the screen as if she could somehow scan Megumi’s health condition through her phone, and she’d only been assuaged by Megumi promising to call her every two days whilst he recovered. (She’d teased him about being at Sukuna’s too, but fortunately had taken pity on him on account of him being on bedrest. He only felt the tiniest bit guilty for lying shamelessly to her face after that.) 

When he was ‘cleared to go back to work’ (a.k.a. when he managed to convince Sukuna to actually let him go back to work), they went back to their usual Sunday night calls. 

Yuuji and Nobara, on the other hand, had taken the news very differently. 

On the one hand, Yuuji had restlessly offered to bring him food and take care of his dogs for however long he needed him to; when Megumi told him there was no need because he was staying at his boyfriend’s until then, he’d sulked and sulked until Megumi promised he could have a play date with Kuro and Shiro once he was feeling up for outings again (even if he knew that would likely be very difficult given his new lifestyle).

Nobara, on the other hand, had become suspicious of it all, especially so when Megumi told them during their group Facetime call that he was staying at Sukuna’s.

“You barely know him,” she snapped, pointing her finger vaguely menacingly at the screen, “I need to see for myself that you’re doing okay and that you’re not actually being coerced into just saying you’re okay. Is he attic wifing you?” and Megumi had choked on his tea and coughed so hard Kuro had woken up and started barking in his direction, startled.

“I’m not his attic wife,” he croaked out, once his cough subsided, “but I really am sick, Nobara. I promise once I’m feeling better we’ll hang out and you’ll see for yourself, but this bronchitis is viral and the risk of you getting it is too high–”

In the end, Nobara had eventually relented – in part due to Yuuji, who had taken his side, bribed by the promise of a play date with his favorite nephews (Megumi only partly hated when he referred to Kuro and Shiro as such) – but she hadn’t forgotten his promise, and so as soon as Megumi announced he was back to work, she’d immediately tried to push him into going out.

“I just recovered,” he said, at first, but one week later he was all out of excuses. His next day off also perfectly aligned with Yuuji and Nobara’s schedules, which meant–

“It’s one thing for you to go back to work,” Sukuna was saying, almost like a parent lecturing their kid even as he ran his fingers gently through Megumi’s mess of a hair, “but to go out to a club? Are you asking to get into trouble again?”

“I’m just asking to see my friends,” he said, resting his face on Sukuna’s hard stomach and looking up at him from under long eyelashes, “it’s suspicious if I keep avoiding them.”

“Then do something else,” Sukuna said, firmly, turning his gaze back onto his phone. “Go for a walk, go to the park– hell, go for dinner. But not a club.”

“Sukuna, I’m 26, not 46,” he reminded him, lifting one of his hands so he could rest it over one of his boyfriend’s pecs, squeezing it lightly. “Come on,” he pleaded, trying to look as pitiful as possible – impossible, he knew, since Sukuna could see right through him. Still, “Just one night.”

☾

“Remember the rules,” Sukuna told him as they got ready to leave, fastening his watch over his tattooed wrist as he watched Megumi sprinkle some perfume on.

“I remember,” Megumi said, adjusting the top he was wearing before turning to give himself a once over in the mirror.

The rules were very simple: stick to Sukuna the whole night and absolutely do not wander off without him.

Convincing Sukuna to let him go out to a club with his friends had been tough, and Megumi had had to resort to the big guns – in other words, he’d seduced Sukuna into it, which he was thankfully still not immune to –, but his boyfriend had eventually relented under one condition: Sukuna had to go with them, and Megumi had to be with him at all times. 

Megumi was aware that bringing his new boyfriend with him on a night out with his friends wasn’t helping his case after he’d just spent several weeks supposedly alone with said boyfriend while his friends thought he was chained up in his attic and being used like a sex doll; not that Megumi would have minded the sex doll part very much. In fact, they had used their ample free time to fuck like rabbits on every surface of Sukuna’s apartment, Megumi making sure he left marks of himself everywhere like an overeager dog.

Still, he couldn’t really help the giddy feeling bubbling up inside his chest at the thought that, for once, he actually had a boyfriend to introduce to his friends. If everything went well, he might even introduce him to his family in the future. 

He knew he and Sukuna didn’t have the healthiest of relationships, what with how fast they were moving, how co-dependent they were quickly becoming and all the dirty little secrets between them; and yet, the simple fact that Sukuna was willing to meet his friends made his heart beat faster than ever. How could something like that possibly be wrong?

They were going to a club neither of them had ever gone to before. It’d just opened, taking over an old, beloved hole in the wall Megumi and his friends had loved going to after class back when they’d been broke and in college – the difference being that now they were only slightly less broke –, and Nobara had insisted they check it out, since they’d apparently taken over the bar next door as well to expand the space.

In the end, he was so happy to be going out, something he typically didn’t even enjoy all that much but now sorely missed since his forced confinement, that he didn’t even care when his friends turned out to clearly dislike Sukuna.

The club was still relatively calm when they arrived, not very packed and with the way to the bar relatively unimpeded. It was, by all means, still a hole in the wall, despite the expanded space – the main entrance opened up directly to a small staircase leading them downstairs, with a dark, barely-lit area to the left as the designated dancefloor and a smaller, slightly more illuminated area to the right with the bar and a few tall tables. 

Megumi spotted Nobara and Yuuji as soon as he and Sukuna reached the bar, sitting around a tall bar table away from the dancefloor while they sipped on their drinks, so he was quick to grab Sukuna’s hand as soon as they had their drinks in hand and drag him over to them.

“Hey guys,” he greeted, needing to raise his voice slightly to be heard over the music in the club, feeling his heart beat wildly in his chest from the nerves of introducing a boyfriend to his friends for the first time, “been a while.”

“Megumi!” They both shouted, and Yuuji immediately reached out to draw him into a hug, always so tactile, while Nobara settled for a short half hug, more interested in observing the tall man next to him. 

“Good to see you’re actually doing okay,” Nobara said, never one to beat around the bush, eyes raking up and down Sukuna’s body with poorly disguised distrust. “I was starting to think you were being kept as a prisoner by the big dude next to you.”

“Nobara,” he said, warningly, squeezing Sukuna’s hand reflexively. Then, turning towards Yuuji, “Guys, this is Ryomen Sukuna, my boyfriend; Sukuna, these are Itadori Yuuji and Kugisaki Nobara.”

“Nice to meet you, Ryomen-san,” Yuuji said, immediately reaching out his hand for a handshake, his usual grin slightly more subdued as he took in his figure. Not that Sukuna looked any better; his face was set into a neutral expression, betraying nothing of how he actually felt.

“You too,” Sukuna said, evenly. “Nice to meet you, Kugisaki-san,” he said next, turning to nod at Nobara who hadn’t moved an inch to greet Sukuna either. 

“Nice to meet you,” Nobara said, looking between them intently. Then, laying a few slaps on the table in front of her in what was meant to be an inviting gesture, “Now, why don’t you tell us about how you and Megumi met?”

She’d already heard this story told a million times and from seven different angles, so much so that even Yuuji seemed resigned as their group of four settled around the small, sticky table to go through it all over again. But they – Megumi included – had never heard Sukuna’s side of the story, so even if he’d been there, he was still curious to hear it.

“I was meeting with a supplier for some drinks, celebrating the closing of a deal,” Sukuna told them, fingers of one hand absentmindedly playing with Megumi’s over the table, “and then I ran into Megumi on my way back from the toilet.”

“So you just ditched your supplier?” Megumi asked, slightly amused. 

Sukuna shrugged, clearly unbothered. “I asked Uraume to take over and keep them entertained.”

“Who’s Uraume?” Nobara cut in, eyes narrowed in Sukuna’s direction.

“My Chief of Operations,” Sukuna said, smoothly. “My right hand.”

The rest of the story was as they knew – Megumi was drunk and accepted to go into a private room with Sukuna, they got to know each other and–

“Why did you have a private room already booked for yourself?” Nobara interjected again, fingers drumming impatiently against the table. “Already planning something?”

“I take clients to Titanic sur Mer often to close deals,” he said, seemingly unfazed by Nobara’s line of questioning. She was like the bad cop in classic police shows, aggressive and anything but subtle. Did that make Yuuji the good cop, then? Maybe, if only he was able to get a word in edgewise; instead, he was simply sitting there, looking deeply uncomfortable as their friend questioned Megumi’s new boyfriend. Unfortunately, he was all too used to it; Nobara always did it to his girlfriends too. “It’s fairly common, when you’re a business owner,” he continued, taking a sip of his whiskey first. “Entertainment is key.”

The rest of the story went by as smoothly as it possibly could while Nobara cut in with her questions every now and then, and by the end of it Megumi had already downed his drink, half of Sukuna’s, and was ready to head back to the bar to get another one. Before he could, however–

“Who gets a business call at five in the morning?” Nobara questioned, arms crossed in front of her chest in blatant distrust. “You sure it wasn’t a secret wife?”

Sukuna barked out a laugh, comfortably slipping his arm around Megumi’s middle. “No secret wife,” he said, clearly amused. “The construction business starts early.”

Nobara hummed, downing the rest of her drink in one go. Right when it seemed she was about to let it go and everyone looked ready to leave the table, “Don’t you think you two are moving a little too fast, though? Aren’t you much older than my friend over here?”

“Nobara,” he hissed, less than happy with her continuous interrogation, “cut it out.”

“We’re moving at the speed we want,” Sukuna said, shrugging. “Better than taking forever to get to it, don’t you think? Aren’t you the one who’s been trying to get with a girl for– what, ten years now?”

“Eight,” Nobara hissed, sending a betrayed look in Megumi’s direction. Megumi ignored her; she deserved it, really. 

They vacated the table after that, all of them needing a new drink after such an intense conversation. Sukuna topped up his whiskey and Megumi got a vodka with apple juice, and when they turned to go to the dancefloor they found Nobara holding up shots of clear liquid with a lemon slice on top, ready to hand them to them.

“Tequila!” she shouted, before holding up the small bottle of salt.

Yuuji surprised them by buying a second round. Then the rest of their friend group – Maki, Okkotsu, Inumaki and Panda – showed up and Megumi lost count of how much he had to drink. 

By the time they got to the dancefloor, the alcohol was already slowly working its way through Megumi’s bloodstream, heating him up from the inside out; making it easy for him to sloppily grind on Sukuna as they exchanged wet, open mouthed kisses, uncaring of the people around them.

Sukuna’s hands were hot against his skin, trailing a fiery path from his hips to where his top was riding up, leaving a strip of his midriff bare and open to Sukuna’s touch. 

The alcohol was making him dizzy, so dizzy, and he wanted nothing more than to drag Sukuna onto one of the couches near the bar or maybe even into a toilet stall so they could have even more fun, even if it meant they could potentially get kicked out for their behavior. He didn’t care, though. He was having too much fun.

“Where did you learn to dance like this?” Sukuna murmured into his ear, turning him around so his chest was flush against Megumi’s back, hardness pressing against his ass with every movement.

“I don’t know how to dance,” Megumi panted out, fully aware that Sukuna couldn’t even hear him over the sound of the loud music blaring all around them.

They stayed glued to each other all the way up until Sukuna turned him back around and asked him if he wanted another drink, and then they held each other’s hand as they moved through the crowd, fighting not to get separated as Sukuna opened the way for them ahead as he pulled Megumi along behind him.

“Megumi!” he heard someone shout near his ear, and suddenly he was being yanked off of Sukuna by a strong grip on his other arm.

Sukuna looked behind him, alarmed when he realized Megumi’s hand had slipped off his, only to see Nobara dragging him away whilst Megumi could only sport an apologetic look. Nobara had always been a little extra.

“What are you doing?” he asked, confused when Nobara dragged him over to a dark corner near the toilets, far enough away from the music that they could talk at a normal volume. “Do you want me to go to the toilet with you?”

“What?” she asked, looking at him like he’d grown two heads. Then, rolling her eyes, “of course not, I– look,” she said, placing her two hands over his shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes. “Megumi, we need to talk about your boyfriend.”

“Nobara–”

“I’m serious,” she insisted, letting go of his shoulders so she could cross her arms defiantly. “Look, I’m sure you like him very much and he clearly likes you just as much,” she said, never breaking eye contact, “but you have to admit your relationship is fucking weird. He’s weird.”

Megumi frowned, feeling himself sober up the more she talked. “Nobara–” he tried again, but she simply kept talking.

“You’re moving really fast and you spend all your time with him, we barely see you,” she complained, tapping her foot nervously against the floor. “Do you even know anything about him? He’s older, and I’m sorry to say but I think he’s just playing with you, making you think what you have is special while he’s just looking to–”

“Stop,” he hissed, glaring at her so hard a vein nearly popped in his forehead. “You don’t know anything about our relationship so cut that out.”

“This is your first relationship, what makes you think you know anything either?” Nobara snapped, glaring right back. They stood there glaring at each other for a few moments, neither of them backing down, until Nobara softened her approach. “Megumi, I’m just worried about you. It’s just weird, I’ve never seen you like this,” she said, uncrossing her arms and taking a step closer to him. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Ordinarily, yes. Probably. Unfortunately, he couldn’t really tell her Sukuna was actually a yakuza boss and he’d been kidnapped by a rival clan that actually turned out to be from his own family, chasing after him because of his dad and not because of his yakuza boyfriend. If she didn’t approve of Sukuna now, he couldn’t imagine what she’d think of him then.

So, “I know,” he said, gaze softening too, “but I promise everything is fine. We’re just… going through that annoying sticky phase Yuuji always goes through too whenever he gets a new girlfriend.”

Nobara snorted, rolling her eyes before wrapping one of her arms around one of his. “I guess you’re right,” she said, starting to walk back to the bar with him. “Hey, so, did I tell you that Maki and I are going on our fourth date this weekend?”

☾

The ride back to their apartment was both quiet and filled with tension. 

Megumi had known Sukuna would be pissed. They’d had two rules for their first night out following his kidnapping, and Megumi had managed to break them both. Still, Sukuna had been perfectly pleasant when he and Nobara returned from their conversation, saying only “there you are” and slipping his arm around his middle, casually, and he’d even managed to share a semi-pleasant conversation with Nobara, who’d been slightly less wary of him after their conversation.

When Nobara left to go find Maki again, Megumi immediately turned towards Sukuna, an apology at the tip of his tongue, only for Sukuna to coldly dismiss him with a “we’ll talk at home”, handing him the drink he’d gotten for him earlier.

“Sukuna–” he started again, but Sukuna merely gave him a look – a warning – and Megumi dropped it. Sukuna wasn’t the type to cause a scene in public, that much he knew, and Megumi wasn’t too keen on it either, even if he was still slightly light headed from all the alcohol. 

Still, neither of them was quite in the mood to keep messily grinding on each other knowing they had unresolved issues to discuss, so it wasn’t long before Megumi was bidding his friends goodbye – feeling the heavy stare of his boyfriend on the back of his head as Yuuji hugged him tightly once more – and going back out to the cold November chill, huddled close to Sukuna’s bigger form for warmth. 

One of Sukuna’s cars was already outside waiting for them, with Sukuna not having wanted to drive knowing he’d be drinking, and they spent the entire ride without talking to each other, holding hands but not really touching otherwise. 

The prospect of Sukuna being upset with him over something that hadn’t really been his fault made something clench in his chest. He’d wanted to be good and play by Sukuna’s rules, show him he had nothing to be worried about and they could resume their normal lives, and then he’d gone and– and–

“We’re here,” Sukuna said, squeezing his hand and effectively bringing him back to reality. “Let’s go.”

The elevator ride up was just as quiet as their car ride had been, especially given they were joined by one of Sukuna’s men, and even after they entered the apartment the only noise that could be heard was from Kuro and Shiro, waking up to greet them but quickly settling back down to continue their sleep on the couch.

“Sukuna?” he asked, disoriented, as Sukuna merely took off his shoes and started walking away towards the bedroom. 

“Let’s go to our room,” Sukuna said, with a tone of finality, not even bothering to turn around.

Megumi followed after him with a heavy heart, standing awkwardly in the middle of the bedroom as he watched Sukuna go and lock the door after him so the dogs wouldn’t go inside if they woke up.

“Sukuna,” he said softly, crossing the room to close the distance between them, arms wrapping immediately around his middle and eyes looking up at him pleadingly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to– Nobara, she dragged me away and–”

“Megumi,” Sukuna interrupted, firmly taking hold of his arms and detaching him from him, “the rules were very simple.”

“I know,” he immediately rushed to say, “but–”

“How am I supposed to trust you after this?” Sukuna admonished, cold gaze boring intently into Megumi’s. “Anything could have happened to you. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” he said, feeling tears pricking the corner of his eyes. 

He understood Sukuna’s concerns, but he didn’t really understand what was happening otherwise, not used to feeling like this – like he was a disappointment, like he was bad and anxious that Sukuna wouldn’t think he was good enough anymore. Would Sukuna tire of him if he wasn’t good for him? Would he give up on him and simply send him back to his apartment, where anything could happen to him?

Megumi was used to not really caring about things like that and to never sticking around anyone for long enough to develop any sort of deeper feelings. With Sukuna, however, it was different, and he was suddenly terrified that he’d leave. 

“Daddy,” he tried again, not used to seeing Sukuna act so cold towards him, “are you mad at me?”

Sukuna gave him a long look, expression still cold and closed off, before his shoulders untensed and his face softened. “I’m not mad,” he said, smoothly, moving his hands from where they were still holding Megumi’s forearms to smooth them up and down his arms soothingly. Megumi let out a sigh of relief, letting himself move closer to Sukuna again, back to his small pocket of safety, “but you still disobeyed me.”

“I can make it up to you,” he murmured, sweetly, thinking of how he could surprise Sukuna with breakfast in bed for once instead of the other way around. 

Humming consideringly, one of Sukuna’s hands moved to rub circles over the exposed strip of skin on Megumi’s lower back. “I know how you can make it up to me,” he said, voice lowering an octave. 

Megumi shivered in anticipation, instantly realizing what he meant. Yeah. He could definitely make it up to him like that too. “Whatever you want,” he said, inadvertently sealing his own fate.

“Let’s see then,” Sukuna said, leading him by the hand towards the bed. “Stay there,” he ordered, leaving him by the foot of the bed before going to settle against the headboard, still fully clothed. Then, “Take off your clothes.”

He was quick to obey, pulling his top over his head and shimmying out of his skinny high rise jeans, leaving him in only a pair of lacy panties, this time in a dark forest green – he’d been intent on teasing Sukuna that night either way. “Should I take these off too?” he asked, knees already falling on the bed so he could crawl his way over to Sukuna.

“Keep them on for now,” Sukuna said, his hands automatically reaching out to settle on Megumi’s ass as he settled over him. Their lips met in a chaste kiss once, twice, and Sukuna’s hands slowly slid up his ass towards his back, pulling him closer to him, “I want to take them off you later.”

“You should take yours off too,” Megumi said in between kisses, already feeling his body heat up and quickly forgetting why they were even there in the first place.

Sukuna chuckled, grabbing Megumi’s nape and making him stay in place as he leaned away from him, putting distance between them. “Eventually,” he said, hands moving back down to Megumi’s hips so he could direct him to sit on his lap, ass directly against the bulge in his pants. “First we’re going to play a little, though.”

“Play?” Megumi asked, confused, only for his eyes to widen as Sukuna leaned to the side, hand rummaging through his bedside table drawer, pulling out– “What the fuck,” he blurted out, staring at the gun in Sukuna’s hand.

“Language,” Sukuna admonished, as though he didn’t swear like a sailor most days. 

“Sukuna,” Megumi started, lips suddenly dry from how nervous he was. “What are you–”

“Suck on it,” Sukuna ordered, coldly, barrel turned towards Megumi. When Megumi tensed on his lap, practically frozen in place, he added a firm, “now.”

“Daddy,” he said, pleadingly, looking up at him with wide eyes, instantly sobered up from what little alcohol had still been making his head fuzzy.

“What’s the matter?” Sukuna taunted, dragging the muzzle over his bottom lip and down his jaw, slowly, like he was caressing him. “Don’t you trust me?”

Megumi swallowed dryly, eyes following the gun’s every movement, not quite knowing what to say. He trusted Sukuna, but–

“What if you accidentally–”

One of Sukuna’s hands moved to grip Megumi’s hair then, keeping him in place as he pressed the muzzle more firmly against his jaw. “I don’t make mistakes,” Sukuna said, visibly starting to grow impatient. 

His heart was racing in his chest, pounding hard against his ribcage and so loud he was sure Sukuna could hear it. He trusted Sukuna. He did. And the very possibility of Sukuna getting mad at him and doing something worse was more than enough to make him slowly lean forward, as much as he could given the way Sukuna was still holding him in place, before licking his lips and parting them.

“Go ahead, daddy,” he said, fighting the urge to close his mouth again.

Satisfied, Sukuna eased his grip on his hair and slowly slid the barrel of the gun all the way from his jaw and up to his lips, running it through them to wet it first. 

“Lick it,” he said, licking his own lips as he watched Megumi slowly dip his tongue out, tracing it around the barrel he feared so much. “Good boy,” and then the barrel was forcing its way in his mouth, slowly and carefully, inch by inch.

Megumi closed his eyes in an attempt to think about something else, anything but the fact that he had a loaded gun in his mouth that could go off at any moment and kill him on the spot even though Sukuna was supposed to be the one person that could keep him safe, but Sukuna was quick to tighten his grip on his hair again. 

“Keep your eyes open,” he ordered, watching the way Megumi’s eyelashes fluttered open, already wet and starting to clump from the tears forming in his eyes, “I want you to look at me while I fuck your mouth with this gun. Understand?”

He blinked and nodded his head as minutely as possible, scared that any more vigorous movement would somehow cause the gun to go off. Sukuna continued his motions, slowly thrusting the gun in and out, watching transfixed as the barrel disappeared between Megumi’s open lips and reappeared again, coated with a thick layer of saliva. 

“Good boy,” Sukuna whispered, and Megumi shamefully felt the stirrings of desire at his words, even as the rest of his body remained tensed as Sukuna fucked his mouth.

He was so tense he could feel the way his short fingernails dug into Sukuna’s shoulders, thighs trembling as he sat on his lap and felt the way Sukuna’s bulge grew larger against him. If Sukuna’s shirt had been off, then no doubt he would be close to drawing blood from how his fingers clenched and unclenched around his skin every time the gun slid further into his mouth. 

“You’re being so good for me,” Sukuna continued, slightly increasing his pace, “you’re so scared but you’re being so good for daddy,” he murmured, finally sliding the hand he was keeping in Megumi’s hair down, bringing it to his chest so he could play with his nipples, rubbing and pulling until they turned red.

Megumi was scared, but he was also aroused, both from Sukuna’s words and from the way he played with his chest, whimpering around the gun as Sukuna dipped his head to take one of his nipples into his mouth and suck, biting down gently as Megumi unconsciously started to rub himself against his pants. 

“Stay still,” he murmured, and then the gun was finally sliding out of his mouth with a small pop, replaced with the warmth of Sukuna’s lips and tongue. They kissed messily, Megumi drinking him in desperately as his arms went around his neck and he rubbed himself harder against his pants, easily forgetting what Sukuna had just had him do. 

“Daddy,” he whimpered as they parted for air, tugging at the buttons of his tight dress shirt, “take this off.”

This time, fortunately, Sukuna was in a much better mood, quickly complying as they both made quick work of his buttons so Megumi could slide his hands over hot skin, feeling the irregular lines on his back from fading scars. 

He’d wondered about them when they’d first gotten together, wanting to ask Sukuna but never getting to it; now he knew better. It was obvious how he’d gotten them. 

Sukuna was a dangerous man. He was past any delusions at this point. To think he could turn that against Megumi, however– “Was it loaded?” he asked, panting as one of Sukuna’s fingers trailed over his clothed slit, pushing the fabric into his soaked folds. 

His panties were pushed aside and Sukuna dipped his finger into his folds, chuckling at the way Megumi immediately clenched around it in desperation. He felt so empty. “I would never put you in danger,” he said, trailing hot kisses down the juncture of his neck, sucking marks into his skin. “Of course it wasn’t loaded.”

Megumi cupped his face with his hands, drawing him into a deep kiss. Of course it wasn’t loaded. Sukuna would never put him in harm’s way, would never risk something like that.

“But if you pull something like that again,” Sukuna continued, abruptly plunging two more fingers into his cunt alongside his initial one, making his hips buck in surprise, “that might not be the case next time. Do you understand, baby?”

Nodding, drawing him into a kiss again before pulling back, “I understand, daddy,” he lied, hands flying towards his belt so he could unbuckle it, “it’ll never happen again.”

Ha. As if Sukuna would ever even be capable of such a thing. 

☾

The next day, Megumi stayed in bed as Sukuna made them breakfast in bed. Making it up to him.

Chapter Text

Megumi’s life was irrevocably changed on a cold Tuesday morning at the end of November. 

He’d been sick for a few days. Despite the fact that he worked mostly with animals and that Sukuna either picked him up himself or arranged to have someone take him to the hospital every day, and despite the fact that, additionally, he spent most of his shifts with a mask on, he was apparently not immune to whatever virus had been taking down one member of the hospital staff after the other, making at least one person call in sick every day.

The symptoms were all the same: nausea, dizziness, general discomfort and queasiness. 

Sukuna took care of him as best as he could the whole time, making him tea in the morning and at night, making him hearty meals and ensuring he never went without anything. Whenever Megumi’s stomach was too weak to hold its own against the virus and he needed to dash to the toilet to empty his stomach of its contents, Sukuna was always there to hold his hair back and rub his back, consolingly, asking if now he would finally call in sick to work.

“I was just out for weeks,” he’d say, feeling bad every time he thought about calling in for the day. Maybe it was karma, even, punishing him for lying about a bronchitis he’d never had. Now he had something that was probably worse.

The thing was, unlike his coworkers, Megumi simply didn’t seem to get any better. Most of his coworkers were back to work after 3-5 days; Megumi was going on a week and a half still needing to throw up every morning. 

“At least go to a doctor,” Sukuna insisted, frowning at him as he parked his car in the hospital’s parking lot, watching Megumi weakly reach for his seatbelt to unbuckle it. “I can’t come pick you up tomorrow, but Uraume can take you–”

“I’ll think about it,” Megumi assured him, before they walked out together into the cold. 

Uraume was off in the distance, he knew, permanently assigned to watching over him every time he went in to work, but not needing to escort Megumi inside when Sukuna was the one to drop him off. He escorted him instead, holding his smaller hand in his as they walked side by side, throwing him concerned looks every time.

He’d been more doting than usual after the night at the club, clearly having thought he’d been too rough with Megumi and trying to make up for it without words, and Megumi eagerly soaked up his attention. When Megumi got sick, Sukuna redoubled his efforts, spending more time at home and adjusting his own work around Megumi’s shifts, spending hours curled up around him in an attempt to offer him as much comfort as he could. 

Megumi couldn’t complain, didn’t want to; he just wished he felt less nauseous so that he could at least enjoy it and properly bask in it.

The day before his life changed forever, however, he was feeling better, waking up without any nausea for once which, combined with the fact that it was one of his days off, made it so he was eager to go out and enjoy life. 

He woke up already anticipating a new bout of nausea, body tense in wait for when he would inevitably need to run to the toilet and wake Sukuna up with his dry heaving, only to realize he was– fine. No nausea, no tingling sensation at the back of his throat, no sense of hopelessness. Nothing. 

It was like nothing had ever even happened in the first place, so he excitedly woke Sukuna up – who’d rolled into bed later than usual, having had to leave in the middle of the night for ‘business’ after kissing Megumi goodnight and tucking him in – by peppering small kisses all over his face, draping his smaller body form all over Sukuna’s so he could wake him faster.

“Sukunaaaaa, wake up,” he whined, laughing when Sukuna grunted and sleepily attempted to open his eyes, clearly confused by whatever was happening when they’d both agreed to sleep in that day.

“S’wrong?” Sukuna asked, voice heavily laced with sleep, one of his forearms going up to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight streaming in through the window. “‘R you sick?” he asked, speech slurring as he battled against his body in an attempt to remain awake.

“Nothing’s wrong. In fact,” he started to announce, grinning brightly while wrestling Sukuna’s forearm away from his face, “I’m not sick anymore!”

In response, Sukuna lifted his arm from his face and draped it over Megumi’s back instead, pulling him closer to him. “That’s great, baby,” he said, voice muffled by Megumi’s hair, “let’s go back to sleep then.”

Megumi was nothing if not merciful, so he allowed it. They dozed off for a little while longer, warm and snuggled up in each other’s arms, and they only woke when Kuro and Shiro inevitably became tired of waiting for them to get up on their own, scratching at their bedroom door and whining loudly like they hadn’t been fed in five days.

“Do you have to go anywhere today?” Megumi asked later, as he sat on Sukuna’s lap during breakfast, watching as Sukuna scarfed down a large piece of his mushroom omelette before picking up Megumi’s avocado and egg toast and bringing it to his mouth so he could feed him. 

“Only wherever you want to go,” Sukuna told him, ever the sweet talker – no doubt having to move around meetings to accommodate Megumi’s apparent clingy mood on his day off –, dabbing at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. 

He should feel like a child, being so coddled and pampered while on daddy’s lap, but after a whole week and a half of being so unwell he was starting to think he might actually be dying, he thought he earned it. Sukuna wasn’t complaining at all, all too happy to dote on Megumi in any way he could. 

Their entire day was almost like a long, uninterrupted date: they walked the dogs after breakfast, exploring Sukuna’s quiet and upscale neighborhood and the big park that nobody hardly ever used, and afterwards they went out for lunch in Shinjuku, at a high rise restaurant Megumi had never even imagined existed, with the nicest view of Tokyo he’d ever seen.

They walked around the district afterwards, with beanies on their heads and sunglasses covering their face so no one would recognize them, Megumi sporting a large scarf that covered nearly half his face for additional warmth. 

There was a small market selling colorful ceramic dishware on one of the side streets, narrow and filled with people haggling their prices, and they picked out a few new plates and bowls for their meals. Further ahead, there was a long road filled with food stalls, so they filled up on street food and fizzy sodas from a nearby vending machine, and sat down on a small bench eating their assortment of snacks as they saw people walking by.

The sun was already setting by the time they went back to Sukuna’s car, hands carrying the bags with their purchases for the day – their ceramics but also some homemade, gourmet dog treats they’d found being sold at a small shop –, ready to take a long, hot bath before cooking dinner together. 

“Did you enjoy your day off?” Sukuna asked him as they settled in the car, engine still turned off so he could rub his thumb over Megumi’s cold knuckles, stroking them before lifting his hand so he could kiss the cold away. 

“So much,” he said, smiling up at him. “It was great to feel like a normal person again.”

Sukuna chuckled, giving his knuckles one last kiss before releasing his hand so he could start their ride back. “I bet,” he said, turning on the engine and setting the GPS to route their way back to their place. “You really had me worried there for a while.”

“It was just a virus,” he said, fondly rolling his eyes at him. The truth was, he’d been worried too, but he didn’t want to admit to that lest he worry Sukuna more. He was glad it had turned out to be just a more stubborn than usual virus, reluctant to part ways with the cozy nest it had built for itself in Megumi’s body. 

The next day, however, as Megumi woke up with a familiar sense of nausea in his stomach, bile threatening to rise in his throat, he realized he’d been right to be worried all along. It couldn’t be a virus. It had to be something else. 

If you walk in the rain, you’re bound to get wet; a silly proverb he’d heard a few years ago but that had never fully left his mind, if only because it was true. 

On a cold Tuesday morning towards the end of November, Megumi snuck into the women’s toilets at the hospital, the staff ones near the break room where he knew some of the doctors and nurses liked to stash a healthy amount of pregnancy tests together with their menstrual products. Just in case.

He took three, just in case, promising to himself he’d find a way to replenish what he’d taken by the end of the week without Sukuna or Uraume noticing he’d gone into a pharmacy to buy something like that. He’d have to think of a way, but first–

First, he needed to pee into a cup and pour some of it over these tests. He knew he should take them in the morning for maximum efficacy, but he didn’t really feel like he had time to lose. Not when Sukuna was two breaths away from kidnapping him and taking him to see a doctor, and if he was actually pregnant– well, he didn’t know how he’d explain that one to Sukuna. Not off the top of his head, at least.

So he peed in a cup and he poured some of the liquid onto all three tests as he locked himself in a stall in one of the men’s rooms, and then he waited. And waited, and waited, and waited. He read and reread the three different pamphlets multiple times, even if they all said the same thing in different words, and he nervously scrolled through his social media apps, liking and reposting things without actually looking at them. Too wired to do anything but tap his foot nervously on the floor as he waited.

Three torturously slow minutes later, Megumi took deep breaths as he prepared to look at the pregnancy tests.

One by one, he peeked, pointing the flashlight of his phone at them to make sure he was seeing correctly. 

There wasn’t really any doubt, though, since all three tests showed the exact same thing: two bold vertical lines on each, confirming the fact that he was very much pregnant. 

☾

To this day, Megumi didn’t really know why he’d decided to do what he did and simply never took the birth control pills Sukuna had bought him. 

Pregnancy had never been in his plans, starting a family not really something he envisioned himself doing someday – though he did imagine he’d end up babysitting Tsumiki’s babies sometime soon – and since he and Sukuna were a little too into sex without condoms it only made sense for him to be on birth control. However, the very moment he’d picked up the small orange tablet and popped off the one he was meant to take that day, he hadn’t been so sure.

What if he just… didn’t take them? What if he got pregnant eventually? The idea of being bound for life to Sukuna was more appealing than it should be, especially considering how short of a time they’d been together at that point. Maybe it was crazy, but he’d heard crazier things.

He’d just take his time and think about it, or so he told himself, and suddenly it was weeks later and he was pregnant. 

Somewhere in his body, under all the layers of flesh and fat and muscle, there was a tiny, tiny being that was the perfect combination of his and Sukuna’s genes, and that knowledge made him feel giddy and warm, made him stare unbelievably at the mirror in the men’s bathroom as he pictured himself with a larger than life belly.

He and Sukuna were gonna have a baby. Wasn’t that something special?

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to tell Sukuna about it right away. For one, he didn’t know how. Didn’t know how to start explaining that he hadn’t been taking birth control at all this entire time, and he’d lied to him and begged him to pump him full of his cum time and time again, knowing full well this was a risk all along. And then, of course, there was the fact that he didn’t know how Sukuna would react.

Sukuna might be crazy protective of Megumi and willing to do anything for him, even the things Megumi didn’t want him to do, but if Sukuna didn’t want this baby and if he truly believed that was what was best for Megumi, then well– who was to say he wouldn’t make him get rid of it?

So Megumi had a few things to figure out. That was fine. Preferably too, he should do it sooner rather than later as Sukuna was bound to notice he’d keep being nauseous in the mornings; and if he did, one of two things would happen: either Sukuna would put two and two together and figure it out, or he wouldn’t and he’d make Megumi go to a doctor instead. 

That day, Megumi got rid of the evidence and went home after his shift, beaming when Sukuna was the one to pick him up while holding up a bag from a nice little bakery nearby, where they sold Megumi’s favorite spiced gingerbread cake. 

“Is that for me?” he asked, eyeing the bag interestedly. He wasn’t the biggest fan of sweets, but anything with ginger in it was fair game. 

“Maybe,” Sukuna teased, holding the bag up above his head. “I’ll give it to you if you give me a kiss.”

He didn’t even need to ask. Megumi was happy to give him more than one kiss, anytime. 

Megumi happily munched on his cake as they drove back home, telling himself he’d take just one more bite every time, yet by the time Sukuna was parking in the garage the cake was already long gone, comfortably settled in Megumi’s stomach. 

He was doing early shifts for the next two weeks, starting at 8 and finishing at 5, which meant they were able to walk the dogs while there was still some light out, though not much as the sun was already setting, and then they went out shopping for a Christmas tree and decorations because Megumi had gotten it in his head he wanted to decorate that year, now that he finally had someone to celebrate the holidays with. 

While he’d usually visit Toji for the holidays and sometimes Tsumiki would be able to make the trip back and spend some days with them too, it was never a given that he had days off during Christmas – seeing as he was sometimes on call –, meaning he’d spent some lonely Christmases in the past. Yuuji would invite him to spend the evening with him and his brother, but Megumi never accepted, not wanting to intrude.

But this year–

“I don’t understand,” Sukuna said, shaking his head later that night as Megumi lounged on the couch, petting Kuro’s head as Shiro slept somewhere off to the side. “Why did you make us go Christmas shopping today, specifically, if you only want to decorate next week?”

“You decorate on December 1st,” he said, frowning. “It’s tradition.”

“It’s western tradition, who cares when we decorate?”

Megumi did. It was his first time and he wanted to do it right. Sukuna, on the other hand, didn’t really care for it – and he’d said so multiple times – but whatever Megumi wanted, Megumi got, so he was all too happy to go along as long as it made Megumi happy. 

Sukuna went to get his laptop and settled on the other end of the couch with it, and Megumi happily snuggled up on the couch, socked feet snug against Sukuna’s thighs as he prepared to scroll on his phone contentedly. To his surprise, when he unlocked his phone it was to see Yuuji had messaged him sometime during that day.

Itadori Yuuji (19:37:08): hey megumi :) 

Itadori Yuuji (19:38:43): think we can see each other tomorrow? 

Ah shit. Megumi had promised he’d let Yuuji hang out and play with his dogs sometime soon. Sukuna would be fine with it, surely. 

Fushiguro Megumi (21:47:39): Sure! We can meet at the park near your house? Kuro and Shiro miss you

He opened Instagram, intent on scrolling the night away, but Yuuji’s reply was near instantaneous.

Itadori Yuuji (21:48:23): actually, i was thinking it could be just you and me?

Itadori Yuuji (21:48:35): at my place

Itadori Yuuji (21:49:16): i need to talk to you about something and some privacy would be nice

Megumi’s brows furrowed as he read Yuuji’s messages. Whatever Yuuji wanted to talk to him about, it must be serious – he’d never say no to a playdate with his dogs, not when he loved to play catch with them and ply them with homemade treats. 

Sneaking a glance at Sukuna to see if he’d noticed anything, he laid on his side as he contemplated what he could do. Sukuna would likely not be happy knowing Megumi would be alone with Yuuji at his apartment; he’d seen the way he’d looked at them in the club, knew he was far too possessive for his own good, and even if he liked that about him, it could actually be a hindrance this time around.

“Hey, Sukuna?” he said, getting his boyfriend’s attention. “I’m meeting Yuuji and Nobara at Yuuji’s place tomorrow after work, okay?”

Sukuna hummed absentmindedly, not looking away from his laptop. “I’ll get Uraume and someone else to take you.”

“Alright,” he said, shooting a quick text to Yuuji to let him know he’d stop by after work.

☾

“Senji will stay downstairs and I’ll stay out in the hallway upstairs,” Uraume informed him the next day as they parked near Yuuji’s building, impassively taking in their surroundings and taking note of everyone who was walking by.

Yuuji’s neighborhood was a quiet one, not very business driven and mostly made up of rows of two story houses and small condominiums with short buildings. 

“Won’t that be too conspicuous?” he asked, imagining Uraume standing guard near Yuuji’s apartment door, scaring all the little old ladies living on his floor.

“Sukuna-sama’s orders,” they said, and Megumi didn’t press. He knew he’d been lucky Sukuna hadn’t questioned him further on this little home visit after the stunt Nobara had made him pull at the club. 

Senji – a lean but muscled guy with dark hair and a scar all across his right eye – stayed downstairs, casually smoking a cigarette against the building wall as he scrolled on his phone, pretending to wait for someone, whilst he and Uraume went up to the second floor. 

Uraume stayed by the elevator, and Megumi kept moving forward towards the door labeled 2F, where Yuuji lived with his roommate Junpei. 

“Megumi!” Yuuji greeted him loudly, flinging the door open as soon as he rang the doorbell. “You came!”

“I told you I would,” he muttered, hoping Uraume wouldn’t think to question him later as to why she didn’t see Nobara walking in or out the entire time he was there. 

Yuuji was nervous. That much was obvious by the jittery energy he was giving off, flitting nervously all around Megumi as he offered him tea or beer or water or “really, whatever you want Megumi!”, laughing nervously when Megumi merely looked at him with suspicion. 

They’d been friends for a long time, almost ten years, and Yuuji’s behavior was anything but normal. 

“Settle down already,” he said, sitting on one end of the couch and silently motioning Yuuji to do the same. “You’re making me nervous with the way you’re acting,” he muttered, annoyed. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

To his surprise, Yuuji’s expression suddenly turned serious, having apparently only needed Megumi to prompt him to cut to the chase. 

“Megumi,” he started, turning his body fully towards Megumi so he could look at him intently, prompting Megumi to do the same, “I’m going to tell you something and I want you to pay attention to it and, most importantly, keep an open mind.”

Megumi had found out less than a month ago that his boyfriend was a yakuza boss and only yesterday he’d found out he was pregnant. He was very open minded, but he wasn’t going to tell Yuuji that. Instead, “Go on,” he encouraged him, nodding at him.

“My brother – Choso, you know him,” he started, and Megumi nodded in acknowledgment, “he’s… he has his butcher shop, you know that, but he also– well, he also sometimes dabbles in a few other different things,” he said, and Megumi narrowed his eyes because– no way in hell did Yuuji mean–

“What other different things?” he asked, narrowing his eyes, but he already knew. It was clear as day. Choso–

“The yakuza,” he said, and Megumi barely resisted the urge to swear. Of course. Did everyone work for the yakuza?!

“He’s in a clan?” he asked, heart starting to race in his chest.

“Not exactly,” Yuuji said, looking off to the side thoughtfully. “He’s more like… a freelancer.”

Jesus christ. “He’s muscle for hire,” Megumi concluded. Just like his dad.

“How do you know that term?” Yuuji asked, surprised. 

“Just go on,” he urged him. “Why are you telling me this? Is he in trouble? Wait–” A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he didn’t like it one bit. Not at all. “Are you going to start working for the yakuza?”

“No, no, no,” Yuuji immediately said, lifting his hands and waving them in denial, practically tripping over his words. “No, nothing like that! It’s just–” He hesitated, looking at Megumi for a long moment before finally squaring his shoulders and continuing. “I saw him last weekend and we were catching each other up about everything and then one thing led to another and– well, and I told him we met your new boyfriend. Sukuna.”

Megumi froze, immediately realizing what Yuuji was going to say. It was obvious. Choso was involved with the yakuza and Yuuji had told him he’d met Sukuna, and now he knew Sukuna was in it too. 

“And?” he asked, trying – and failing – to look casual.

“Look Megumi, I don’t want to tell you what to do with your life,” Yuuji started, jaw set and a glint in his eyes that he only got when he was about to say something that he knew he likely wouldn’t like, “but your boyfriend’s a criminal. He’s really bad news, and you– you should leave him,” he concluded, getting up from the couch to start pacing around the living room instead, body filled with tension. “I know you’re not gonna believe me but Choso knows him and I believe Choso,” he said, wagging a finger in his direction before he resumed his pacing again, “and look, he said he’s never met anyone worse, so–”

“Yuuji,” he snapped, making him finally stop moving and turn to face him again. “Calm down, I– I know,” he said, giving him a look. “I know he’s in the yakuza.”

Yuuji’s mouth dropped open in shock, and he quickly sat on the couch again, closer than he had been earlier. “And you’re still with him?!” he asked, far too loudly. 

“Keep it down,” he hissed, only mildly endeared when Yuuji threw him a sheepish smile.

“Sorry.” Expression turning serious again, “But seriously Megumi, you’re still with him? Don’t you realize how dangerous he is?”

“I know,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Look, I probably know way more about it than you do and I know Sukuna’s dangerous, but it’s fine, okay? He’s taking care of me and making sure no one hurts me because of him so everything’s fine.”

“You’re serious,” Yuuji said, lips parted open in surprise. “Megumi, he’s the head of one of the most dangerous clans in all of Japan.”

“I know.”

“He’s worse than the Zen’ins, which– wait, did you know the Zen’ins were also a yakuza clan?” he asked him, abruptly seeming to remember Megumi was technically a Zen’in.

“I’ve discovered that recently,” he said, unwilling to go into detail. If Yuuji was already this freaked out then he couldn’t imagine what he’d be like if he were to find out Megumi was kidnapped by the Zen’ins and that his dad was also involved in the yakuza. Had even worked for Sukuna at one point. “Look, I know all of that–”

“No, you clearly don’t know,” Yuuji countered, expression hardening as he looked into Megumi’s eyes. “Megumi, I’m sure you think your boyfriend tells you everything about himself and his line of work, but I can assure you, he doesn’t. Because if you knew everything then you wouldn’t be with him anymore,” he argued, hotly. “I’m only saying this because I worry about you, and I don’t want to find out you’re dead through the news in a few weeks when your body is dumped somewhere after an argument.”

Megumi’s expression hardened instantly as well, no longer willing to entertain Yuuji when he was slandering Sukuna right to his face. “Yuuji, nothing gives you the right to accuse my boyfriend of potentially murdering me over something stupid,” he gritted out, hands trembling where he was fisting them on the pillows thrown over the couch, resisting the urge to do something stupid like punch his own best friend in the heat of the moment. “Sukuna would never do something like that to me, so stop–”

“You don’t know everything,” Yuuji insisted, and suddenly they were both standing, glaring at each other whilst clenching their fists, an invisible wall inevitably erected between the two of them. “Megumi–”

“I’m gonna go now,” he announced, not wanting to do something stupid and irrevocably change their friendship forever. “I suggest you calm down and really think about what you’re saying to me.”

“Megumi–”

“Goodbye,” he said, turning to stalk towards the front door. Before he could leave, however, Yuuji surprised him by gripping his wrist tightly, turning him back towards him.

“Megumi, listen to me,” he pleaded, anguish written all over his face. “You may not believe me, but– ask him, then,” he said, his large hand gently squeezing his wrist. “Ask him about Yorozu.”

Who? “Yorozu? What are you–”

“Ask him about her,” he insisted, hand sliding down from his wrist to his hand, squeezing it once before letting go. 

“Who’s Yorozu?” he asked, feeling completely lost.

“His wife.”

Megumi’s heart dropped to his stomach as cold settled all over his body. What the fuck was Yuuji talking about? Sukuna’s– wife?

“What?” he croaked out, all the fight leaving his body as he stared at his best friend in shock. “What did you just say?”

“Ask him,” was all Yuuji said, putting more distance between them. “I’ll be here for you no matter what,” he added, before leaving him all alone in the small entrance hall, quietly going back to his living room.

Numb and in self-pilot mode, Megumi laced his sneakers back on, shrugged on his thick jacket and fixed his scarf around his face again. The nausea from earlier that morning was back in full force, but he was so numb he didn’t think anything would come out if he tried.

Uraume was by the elevator where he’d left them when he came out, and they threw him an odd look as he joined them and pushed the button to call the elevator.

“Is everything okay?” they asked, taking in his closed off look.

“Did you hear anything we talked about?” he asked, ignoring their question.

“No,” Uraume said, looking slightly confused despite how impassive they managed to look all the time. “Did something happen?”

“Everything’s fine,” he answered, deflecting, stepping into the elevator as soon as it arrived.

The ride back to their place – Sukuna’s place – was quiet, with Senji and Uraume sitting in the front seats while Megumi had the back all to himself.

Yorozu. Sukuna’s wife.

Did Sukuna have a secret wife? Nobara had joked about it and Sukuna had easily denied it, but what if it was true? Could he possibly have a wife living in her own residence somewhere far away from Tokyo, away from all the criminality? A wife he visited every now and then just to keep up appearances within the clan?

But wouldn’t Megumi have noticed if he had a wife? Wouldn’t there be anything in the news or even around the house, wouldn’t Sukuna have a wedding band? 

“You seem troubled,” Uraume said, later, as they rode the elevator up to the top floor, with Megumi still wearing the exact same expression he’d had on back when he first left Yuuji’s apartment. “Anything I can help with?”

“No,” he said, voice perfectly even. What would be the point in asking Uraume? They were far too loyal to Sukuna; they would lie for him in a heartbeat. “Everything’s fine.”

He left Uraume outside as he went into Sukuna’s apartment, and he ignored Kuro and Shiro’s excited yelps as he made a beeline towards the bedroom. He rummaged through Sukuna’s half of the closet and through the drawers of the dresser, and he did the same in the bathroom. Nothing.

The living room didn’t yield any further luck, and neither did Sukuna’s office, where Megumi had been in only a handful of times. 

There were no traces of a wife, or a secret girlfriend, or anything of the sort. Sukuna might work in an unorthodox field of work, but he’d never given Megumi any reasons to suspect him of infidelity – he’d been the one to get mad when Megumi suggested they hadn’t been exclusive, he was the most possessive one, and he always, always let Megumi look as he worked on his phone or his laptop, not bothering to hide any incoming messages or calls from him. 

But then why had Yuuji been so sure there was a wife? And what did he mean when he said Megumi would leave him if he knew everything?

Tired and feeling emotionally drained, Megumi settled on the couch as he waited for Sukuna to arrive, wondering how he could possibly bring it up without implicating Yuuji or his brother. He picked up his phone and considered texting Yuuji, continuing their earlier conversation, but it didn’t feel right. 

As a last resort, he decided to google the name he’d given him. Yorozu, had it been?

Yorozu, he typed into the search bar. Nothing relevant came up, only random Linkedin profiles.

Yorozu Ryomen Sukuna, he tried instead. To his surprise, there was more. So much more. There were multiple news articles, all dated six years earlier. He clicked on one and started to read.

RYOMEN YOROZU TRAGICALLY PASSES AWAY AT THE AGE OF 25

Leaves behind heartbroken husband following brother’s disappearance

Megumi read one article, and then he read another, and another, and another. Neither of them necessarily offered up more information, but the more he read the more he realized: Sukuna had lied to him. Or, at the very least, he’d omitted things from him.

Sukuna had told him about Kenjaku, but he hadn’t told him about Kenjaku’s sister, nor the fact that he’d married her years earlier. The clan being passed to his leadership following Kenjaku’s disappearance suddenly made a lot more sense – he’d been family, after all – and so did Yuuji’s words. 

Nobody knew how Yorozu had died. She’d simply passed away one day, in perfectly good health, and the official medical records had only shown she’d died of a sudden heart attack even though she’d didn’t have any pre-existing medical conditions. 

It was obvious there was more to her death than met the eye, especially knowing she’d been born into the yakuza and had married Sukuna, who had taken care to completely erase her existence from his life. Megumi just didn’t know what it was.

Yuuji had told him he was worried Sukuna would kill him after an argument. Was that what had happened? Was that what Choso knew that neither he nor the news outlets knew?

Had Sukuna killed his wife?

Chapter Text

To say Megumi was stressed was an understatement. 

Ever since he and Yuuji met one week earlier and he’d discovered yet another piece of Sukuna’s past that the man himself hadn’t offered upfront, it had been all that was in his mind. Every time he had time to spare he would find himself obsessively googling everything about the late Ryomen Yorozu or about Sukuna – or both –, and he would never feel satisfied with any new piece of information he unearthed.

Like how their small, intimate wedding made the papers and Yorozu — tall, beautiful and with eyes as light as a blue summer sky — looked ethereal. Or how the influential Gojo clan had attended with their famous teenaged heir, hair white and eyes so blue they could rival the ocean in Okinawa. Or even how in the year following their wedding Sukuna had started his construction company with a sizable investment from his brother-in-law’s own business, which had been transferred to Sukuna’s name after his disappearance. Sukuna had sold it immediately. 

It was definitely something, more than enough to increase the ever growing doubt in his mind as to whether Sukuna had killed Yorozu and whether Kenjaku had really simply disappeared, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Not when he struggled against his own body every single day in an effort to hide his developing pregnancy from the one man he was more and more intrinsically tied to.

He didn’t know if he was being able to successfully hide his bouts of nausea from Sukuna or if Sukuna was just turning a blind eye to it, knowing Megumi was hiding something, but the truth of the matter was he was all too happy to leave Megumi alone in the mornings when he locked himself in the bathroom to take a shower. Megumi would lock the door, turn on the shower and then throw up into the toilet, arms trembling as they held onto the porcelain bowl and cold sweat ran down his face. Afterwards, he would take an actual shower, rinsing off the sweat and trying to make himself look less pale, and he’d join Sukuna in the kitchen for breakfast.

“Everything okay?” Sukuna would ask, rubbing his hand over Megumi’s belly as if he knew and warning bells would immediately start ringing in Megumi’s head, telling him Sukuna knew, he knew, he had to know. But if he did, he never mentioned it.

To add to everything, there was the fact that he and Yuuji had barely said a word to each other since their meeting at his apartment, and the strain in their relationship was starting to get to him. He’d never spent so long without talking to him. Yuuji was his best friend.

He’d contemplated it, fingers hovering the keyboard with their text conversation open multiple times, but in the end he’d always ended up tapping the back button and giving up. “I’ll be here for you no matter what,” Yuuji had said, but Megumi was too much of a coward to ask Sukuna about his ex-wife. 

Their relationship was already so complicated; did he really want to change everything between them, irrevocably?

So life went on and Megumi tried to handle the stress as best as he could, but after a week and a half passed he was no longer able to avoid doing something that was weighing on his mind: going to the doctor to get a proper ultrasound and find out if everything was okay with his pregnancy.

It was consuming him, knowing he was pregnant but not knowing anything else – what if something was wrong? What if the baby was growing in the wrong place and he’d have a miscarriage because he waited too long to go to the doctor? He couldn’t easily bypass security or Sukuna and go to a doctor to have it checked, and if he told Sukuna he wanted to go in for a routine appointment he’d just direct him to a doctor he knew, where Megumi would have no chance of continuing his little charade. Therefore, Megumi was forced to take matters into his own hands.

While, in general, Megumi had people watching him every day at the hospital, they weren’t exactly attached at the hip. There were members of Sukuna’s ‘team’ appointed to key areas of the hospital but, in general, Megumi had enough freedom to roam the hospital without being followed by one of them. It would be too suspicious, and Megumi would have no way to justify any of it to the hospital director or the head of security. 

Megumi checked in with them every once in a while, making sure to be seen by one of them so they’d know everything was okay, and that was it for the most part.

Therefore, it wasn’t hard to disguise himself enough that he was able to slink out of the hospital unrecognized for enough time to attend an ob/gyn appointment and come back. He’d called a cab, looked like any other patient – minus the pet, but that was easily explained – and he’d be back in enough time to change back to his regular scrubs and be seen by one of Sukuna’s men. 

It was a good plan, if not for the fact that it still failed regardless. Ten minutes after Megumi checked in at his usual clinic and sat down to wait to be called in, he wasn’t even surprised when none other than Sukuna himself walked into the lobby and straight over to him, plopping himself down on the empty seat next to him.

“Funny running into you here,” Sukuna commented, giving him an unimpressed look. “Didn’t think to warn anyone you were leaving the hospital?”

Swallowing dryly, Megumi considered his options. He had none. “It’s just a routine appointment,” he lied. “I forgot to tell you.”

“And you couldn’t tell Uraume so they could have one of the guys take you?” he asked, keeping his voice light and casual even as his jaw clenched. “Nice try, Megs.”

Megumi didn’t know what to say, which was a good thing because before he could even open his mouth he was being called in. “Fushiguro!” one of the nurses called, looking around for him. “Fushiguro Megumi!”

Knowing there was no reason to keep hiding this from Sukuna, Megumi sighed in defeat and got up from his seat. “Come on,” he said, slipping one of his hands into Sukuna’s and dragging him along, “you should be there anyway.”

If Sukuna was confused, he didn’t show it. He followed Megumi obediently and sat silently next to him in the doctor’s office, listening as he and his doctor exchanged pleasantries, having already known each other for a few years.

“What brings you in today?” she asked, looking between the two of them curiously. “Your routine appointment isn’t for another five months.”

“I’m here for a bit of a different reason,” he said, stealing a quick glance at Sukuna who was already looking back at him, clearly curious. It was now or never. “I’m pregnant,” he admitted, unable to see Sukuna’s reaction from the corner of his eye, “I found out a little over a week ago and I wanted to make sure everything was alright.”

Sukuna didn’t make a sound, but when Megumi got up from his seat to follow his doctor into the examination table he saw that he was sitting up very straight, clearly frozen in place. 

“Would you like the person accompanying you to be here for your ultrasound?” she asked, politely, nudging her head in Sukuna’s direction.

“Yes,” Megumi said, nodding very quickly, even if he had no clue how Sukuna felt about it all. He’d been the one who’d wanted to follow him though, so… “Sukuna?” he called out, already lying on the table with his shirt pulled up, shivering as his doctor rubbed gel all over his still-flat belly. 

His boyfriend got up from his seat, tall as a mountain but somehow less imposing than usual, almost awkward, and he went to stand by Megumi’s side. Megumi wanted to hold his hand but he didn’t know if he could, if Sukuna wanted him to.

“So here is your uterus,” the ob/gyn explained, pressing on his belly firmly as she maneuvered the transducer around, “or your womb if you would prefer. This is where the fetus will develop and grow.”

Megumi squinted at the screen, but he couldn’t really make out anything other than random white spots on the screen, surrounded by the darkness of his womb. “Is– Is there one?” he asked, hesitantly, worried that despite the multitude of tests he’d taken he didn’t actually have anything. No tiny little ball of cells growing in there. 

It happened, he knew. He was terrified. 

“There is,” his ob/gyn said, giving him a gentle smile. Then, keeping the transducer pressed firmly on a spot on his belly, she reached one of her hands out towards the screen, pointing at a small white spot. “See this? This is your baby.”

He couldn’t really see anything. If anything, his baby looked like a pea, small and barely there. Maybe even smaller than a pea.

“Based on what I see, I would say you’re five weeks along,” she continued, moving the transducer along his belly again as she looked at the embryo from different angles. “When was the last time you had a period?”

“I…” He didn’t know. His periods were irregular from the testosterone injections, mostly gone for a few years other than a few surprises here and there, and he didn’t tend to keep track of it. “I don’t know.”

“And contraception? Do you take anything?”

Swallowing dryly, Megumi tried to think of what to say. Anything. Anything at all. “I’m on the pill,” he lied, unable to look at Sukuna, “but… I don’t know, maybe I missed it a couple of days? I– I’m not sure.”

It wasn’t even that Megumi felt guilty about it. He didn’t. He just hadn’t expected to be put in a situation where he was on the spot and he would need to potentially admit, in front of Sukuna, that he’d been throwing his birth control pills down the drain. Couldn’t it just have been a happy accident?

The doctor gave him a look, almost as if she knew, but luckily she didn’t press any further. The rest of the appointment went by in a blur – she gave them a copy of the ultrasound, using a sharp black pen to circle their little pea, but also sat them down to let them know that since the pregnancy was still at a very early stage, anything could happen.

“There’s a higher chance of miscarriage up until the 12 week mark,” she told them, sliding a small pamphlet towards them with pregnancy-related information. “There’s also options if you would like to terminate the pregnancy…”

Megumi tuned her out. That was everything he didn’t want, so he just sat there dazed, looking but not looking at the small pamphlet, idly listening as she explained all the different exams and appointments they would need to have over the next few weeks and the prenatal care he would need to be mindful of. Sukuna asked a few questions – what should Megumi not eat, should he take any vitamins, etc etc etc – and Megumi just sat there and pretended to listen, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed.

They said their goodbyes soon after and then Megumi was being led to Sukuna’s car, both of them walking side by side in silence as they processed the events of the last hour. Megumi felt numb as he strapped on his seatbelt and sat quietly as Sukuna turned on the engine and prepared to drive. 

Everything was suddenly very real. He was pregnant. He had a tiny human growing inside of his body and its safety was entirely his responsibility. Megumi might not have given much thought to whether or not he ended up pregnant after skipping all of his birth control pills, but all of a sudden it was as though something clicked in his brain and made him fiercely protective of the tiny pea growing in his womb. 

He couldn’t let anything happen to it.

Lost in his own thoughts, Megumi didn’t even register the fact that Sukuna was driving him back to the hospital rather than taking him straight home like he assumed he would.

“Sukuna?” he asked, his confusion blatantly showing in his face.

“Finish your shift,” Sukuna said, his voice so even Megumi couldn’t tell how he was feeling. Was he angry? Worried? Was this what was finally going to cause them to split? “I’ll pick you up when it’s over.”

“Okay,” he whispered, unwilling to question him on it. Sukuna wasn’t supposed to be there or even supposed to pick him up after work; he’d had meetings, and he told him Senji would be the one to escort him that day. Clearly, Megumi’s little escapade had changed everything.

The rest of his shift went by in a blur. He met the most adorable pair of kittens and had to perform surgery because they’d eaten the strings of some Christmas tree ornaments and now they were throwing up, and then he was ushered to an examination room where a poor dog had tripped down the stairs of his owner’s duplex and hurt two of his legs. 

He was thankful for the rush of the hospital and the large influx of patients, because it meant for the remaining two hours of his shift he was able to disconnect from everything else and focus solely on the animals in front of him who needed his care and attention. He dreaded the time when Sukuna would come and pick him up, because he knew the conversation they were about to have would likely not be pretty, and could either make them or break them. He hoped it was the former.

When 5pm finally arrived, Megumi steeled himself and walked into the lobby of the hospital, immediately spotting Sukuna’s tall form by the entrance.

“Hey,” he said, softly, slipping his hand into Sukuna’s. “Thank you for picking me up.”

Sukuna nodded and lifted his hand up to his mouth so he could kiss the back of it, but he didn’t say anything. They made the short walk back to his car, and once again the ride home was silent. Sukuna still looked impassive and Megumi was unable to guess what was going through his mind, whereas he only felt wildly anxious.

“Megumi,” Sukuna started, when they were finally back home and sitting side by side on the couch, a small distance between them but that, to Megumi, looked far too big. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

Megumi fidgeted in his seat, fingers twitching against the fabric of his pants. How honest should he be with Sukuna? 

“I didn’t know what to do,” he finally said, keeping his eyes downcast. “I didn’t know how you’d react and when I found out I was surprised but also, I… I really wanted to keep it,” he admitted, “but I was worried you’d want me to… get rid of it.”

There was a pregnant pause, and Megumi finally looked up from his lap to find Sukuna was sitting very still, his face going through a mix of surprise and hurt, only to finally settle on a guarded expression. Always hiding how he truly felt. 

Looking at Megumi, a small measure of vulnerability peeking through his eyes, “Is that really what you think about me? You think I’d force you to have an abortion?”

“I– I don’t know,” he said, quietly. Feeling like the worst person in the world for what he was about to say but knowing it was necessary. “I don’t really know you.”

At that, Sukuna’s expression morphed into one of frustration. “We’ve been over this before,” he said through gritted teeth. “Haven’t I opened up to you? Haven’t we both been learning new things about each other? Megs– fuck, what do you want me to do?” he asked, and for the first time in a while Megumi was finally able to see the crack in his expression, the anguish in his eyes. “Our relationship is new, of course we’re still getting to know each other.”

“But you still hide things from me,” he told him, hotly. Sukuna looked ready to argue against it, lie to him some more, so Megumi took a deep breath, steeled his nerves and revealed, “I know about Yorozu.”

Sukuna’s lips parted in surprise, all the frustration slowly bleeding out of his face. “What?”

“I know about her,” he insisted, intently watching his face. “You were married. And she died.” Sukuna was blinking, clearly trying to figure out how he could have possibly known, probably looking for his next lie. “You killed her, didn’t you?”

Eyes open wide, Sukuna stared at him in shock. “Why would you assume that?”

“Sukuna,” he said, giving him a look. “Please. I’m not stupid. She just suddenly died one day and then her brother disappeared. It seems pretty obvious.”

Sukuna looked at him, leaning back on the pillows with a calculating look on his face. Megumi expected him to come up with something, some sort of explanation that could possibly make everything suddenly make sense and all the pieces fall neatly into a rose-tinted puzzle. Instead, “And if I did?"

“It wouldn’t surprise me, with your line of work,” Megumi murmured, averting his gaze again. “But it would make me question whether you’d do the same thing to me.”

With a sigh, Sukuna finally shuffled closer to him, throwing his arm around him to bring him flush against his side. “Megumi,” he said, quietly, his other hand lifting to cup his cheek and bring them face to face, “baby, I would never do anything to harm you. You have to know that.”

“She was your wife,” he whispered, acutely aware that he was trembling in Sukuna’s hold, body trapped between wanting to melt into him while remaining on high alert.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” he said, stroking his thumb over his cheekbone. “She didn’t mean anything to me.”

“Why marry her, then?” he wondered, brow furrowing in confusion. “Why should I believe you when you could just be saying this to make me trust you?”

Sukuna sighed again, and then he was rearranging them on the couch, making them sit face to face even as he kept Megumi wrapped in his arms. “I hated her,” he told him, looking very resigned. “She was annoying and she hit on me for months. Women don’t really get to do anything in yakuza clans other than sit and be pretty and take care of their husbands, but because she was Kenjaku’s sister he was always more lenient with her and allowed her to go on jobs with me.”

“Were you already Kenjaku’s right hand back then?”

“Yeah, that was when I first met her,” he explained. “I visited headquarters for the first time and she was there.” Megumi nodded, letting his body sink further into Sukuna’s warmth as he relaxed, content to simply sit there and listen. “I put up with her for an entire year while she took a gap year before college, and then one day she said something and– it got me thinking.”

Furrowing his brow, Megumi was quick to ask, “What did she say?”

“She said something about how Kenjaku and I could run the clan together if she and I got together. Until then, I hadn’t really given it much thought, you know. I was happy with my life and I made good money working under Kenjaku. But then she said that and suddenly I wanted more.”

“So you just– married her? Just like that?”

“No,” Sukuna said, chuckling. “I dated her. I asked her out one day and she was so happy she didn’t even question what got me to change my mind. We dated for a few years and then we got married,” he explained, absentmindedly rubbing his hand in circles over Megumi’s waist. “As soon as we got married Kenjaku was quick to invest in my construction company since it would allow us to expand our influence outside of Tokyo and, yeah. The rest was history,” he finished, lamely.

“The rest was not history,” Megumi said, narrowing his eyes. “Sukuna. Her death.”

Resigned, Sukuna steeled himself to finally admit to it. “What do you want me to say?” he asked, running a hand through his short hair. “I wanted more, so I killed them. I needed them out of the way and that was the best option.”

Sucking in a breath, Megumi felt himself tense in Sukuna’s arms. He’d really– he’d–

“You really did it,” he murmured, lowering his gaze, not knowing whether he could bear to keep looking at Sukuna. “You just– killed them. Just like that.”

“Baby,” Sukuna said, cupping his cheek again, bringing his gaze back to meet his, “I’m not a nice man. You knew this.”

“I know,” he whispered, fighting the urge to look away again.

“I’m the head of my clan. I had to have gotten here somehow.”

“I know,” he repeated, and to his embarrassment he could feel tears start stinging the corner of his eyes, gathering there against his will. “I just– I don’t know what to think.”

“Megumi,” Sukuna said, in a low voice, looking intently into his eyes. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

That was the problem. He didn’t know. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know, because he had a feeling that if he started thinking too much about it he wouldn’t be able to stop and he’d end up doing something stupid.

“We’re having a baby together,” Megumi whispered, finally realizing the gravity of the situation. “He’s going to be born into a yakuza clan.”

Like a switch suddenly being turned on, Sukuna’s hand moved from his cheek to his waist, fingers digging into his sweater almost painfully. “What are you thinking?” he asked, voice deepening even further. “Are you going to leave me?”

Megumi laughed, incredulous. “Would you even let me leave?” he asked, baffled beyond belief. “You, who made me move in with you less than one month after we knew each other and who keeps me under watch 24/7?”

Laughing right along, Sukuna answered as earnestly as he could. “No, baby. I’m afraid not.”

“Sukuna–”

“I love you too much to ever let you go,” he declared, taking Megumi by surprise. 

Megumi’s breath hitched, and he found himself sitting there frozen in shock, unable to look away from Sukuna’s eyes. “You what?” he breathed out, voice trembling like crazy.

“I love you, Megumi,” Sukuna repeated, looking at him like he’d suddenly grown two heads. “Is that really such a surprise?”

Maybe it shouldn’t be. Not when Sukuna had already said crazier things, like when he said he’d kill everyone for Megumi if need be. 

Megumi had never been in love before, didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like nor whether it was possible to feel it in the short amount of time he and Sukuna had known each other, but he thought it probably did feel like this. Like he needed to do everything possible to keep Sukuna in his life, even if it meant being a little crazy and not taking his birth control pills. 

Love probably felt like forgiving Sukuna for anything and everything, and turning a blind eye to the fact that he was a murderer who had no qualms in admitting it.

Sukuna had bared himself to Megumi, had finally told him everything; why should Megumi even want to leave him?

“I love you too,” he said, feeling the words settle in his body, his bones, spreading like blood in his veins. 

He loved Sukuna. Of course he did. 

Everything was a blur from there. Acting without thinking, Megumi crashed his lips onto Sukuna’s and all but climbed into his lap, wanting – needing – to be as close to him as possible. Sukuna was all too eager to reciprocate, licking into Megumi’s mouth at the first chance he had and sliding their tongues together, practically devouring him.

They moved together in tandem to take their clothes off as fast as they could, sweaters flying off to somewhere behind the couch as they immediately moved to try and rip each other’s pants off as fast as humanly possible. Parting from Sukuna reluctantly, Megumi got up for just long enough to shimmy his pants down his hips and tug Sukuna’s pants down as well before climbing back into his favorite seat. Their clothed groins rubbed together, creating delicious friction as they panted into each other’s mouths.

“Sukuna,” Megumi whimpered out, shivering when Sukuna moved to mouth wetly down his neck, sucking on the juncture of his jaw, “daddy, I need you.”

“I know, baby,” Sukuna murmured, running one hand down Megumi’s back, sliding it under his panties to cup one of his globes; finger dipping down, down, sliding through already slicked folds. “Let daddy take care of you.”

Megumi stuck out his ass as far back as he could, trying to give him easier access, and Sukuna skillfully stroked over his folds, dipping his middle finger in and listening to Megumi moan, before sliding his finger further up to find his swollen little nub.

He rubbed himself on Sukuna’s finger, moaning wantonly as Sukuna spread his legs under him so Megumi’s would open further. They kissed again, all wet and filthy as Megumi sucked on Sukuna’s tongue and nibbled on his bottom lip, groaning when Sukuna’s finger left his clit only to plunge into him instead, slide made easy by how wet he was.

“F-Fuck,” he whimpered, fucking back against his finger. “More, daddy– I need more,” he cried out, arms tight around Sukuna’s shoulder as he kept rocking back and forth.

Sukuna complied easily, sliding another finger into him, pumping it in and out at a leisurely pace as Megumi’s despair increased tenfold. He was nice and full but it wasn’t enough, he needed Sukuna’s cock in him and he needed it faster, rougher. Needed Sukuna to slam into him and carve a place for himself all over again.

Unfortunately, they’d forgotten a very important thing. Or, better yet, two.

“Fuck, Megumi,” Sukuna groaned, annoyed, as Kuro and Shiro woke up from their nap with all the noise they were making and slowly approached them, trying to sniff around. “Fuck’s sake!”

“Kuro, Shiro, go away,” Megumi whined, burying his face in Sukuna’s neck in exasperation. “Fuck– let’s– Sukuna, you need to fuck me,” he told him, looking into his eyes with desperation.

Luckily, they were on the same page, because Sukuna was suddenly moving his hands to hold onto the back of Megumi’s thighs and getting up, keeping him held securely in his arms. Megumi’s legs immediately flew to wrap around Sukuna’s waist, and he watched breathlessly as Sukuna carried him into their bedroom without any effort, large biceps flexing under his touch.

“Oh my god,” he breathed out, feeling his head fog as Sukuna closed the door behind them and immediately slammed Megumi into it, keeping him pinned in place, “that was so hot. You’re so hot.”

“Yeah?” Sukuna asked, capturing his lips in a kiss again. “What about you, huh? Do you have any idea how crazy you make me?”

Megumi did know. He’d been witness to it more than enough times, knew very well the extent to which Sukuna wanted to keep him all to himself. He wanted it too. Wanted to be small and sit in a little pocket near Sukuna’s heart all day and keep close to him always. Wanted to feel protected by him all the time, especially now that they were having a baby.

“And now you’re carrying my baby,” Sukuna continued, ignorant to the thoughts running wild through Megumi’s mind. His fingers dug deep into Megumi’s thighs, sure to leave a bruise the next day. Megumi wanted more of it, so much more. “You’re gonna drive me crazy with it, baby,” he whispered, leaning in to suck a mark into Megumi’s collarbone, soothing it with his tongue.

“I’m going to get huge,” Megumi whispered, throwing his head back against the door to bare his neck for him, “my body’s going to change completely.”

“I can’t wait,” Sukuna said, hoarsely, grinding his erection against Megumi’s groin as he kept sucking marks into his skin. “Can’t wait to see your belly all swollen with my child, your perfect body filling out and getting soft. Here,” he said, punctuating it with a squeeze to his thighs, “here,” he continued, pushing Megumi higher against the door so he could be eye level with his perky nipples, sucking one into his mouth, “and here,” he said once he was done, effortlessly continuing to hold Megumi up as he moved one of his hands towards his belly, caressing his still non-existent baby bump.

“Kuna,” Megumi whined, cheeks flushed from embarrassment, “stop, you’re not gonna like–”

“I’m gonna love it,” Sukuna told him, looking at him with a serious expression. “I’m always going to love you and your body no matter what.”

Megumi crushed their lips together, hands on each side of Sukuna’s face to keep him in place as he licked into his mouth, desperately trying to feel him closer. 

“Fuck, enough,” he panted out, rubbing himself suggestively against Sukuna, “just– fuck me, please.”

Sukuna chuckled, but still reached down with one hand to free his cock from his boxers, tugging them down just enough. “So impatient,” he crooned, slowly pumping his cock once, twice, driving Megumi crazy with the way he still held him up with just one arm. Crazy. Absolutely crazy. “Want me to fuck you against this door, baby? Or–”

“Yes,” he said, impatient, digging his feet into Sukuna’s ass to get him to stop talking and start fucking. “Yes, daddy– come on–”

Not needing to be told twice, Sukuna tugged Megumi’s briefs down, needing to put him down for a second so he could shimmy out of them. Megumi practically jumped back into his arms afterwards, naked and with his cunt so wet that Sukuna’s head easily caught onto his hole.

“Come on,” he urged him, glaring at the way Sukuna laughed so blatantly in his face. Annoyed, “If you don’t want to fuck me just say so. You sure are taking your time for someone who’s so crazy about me.”

Chuckling again, Sukuna lined himself up and bottomed out with one thrust, smirking at the loud moan ripping from Megumi’s throat. “It’s called teasing, sweetheart,” he said, making Megumi glare harder, “but don’t worry – I’ll give you what you want.”

And he did. From one second to the next Megumi was suddenly being pounded into, guts rearranged from the force of Sukuna’s thrusts. The room was filled with nothing but the sound of their skin slapping together with each thrust and the pants coming out of their mouths, and Megumi groaned as his head repeatedly banged against the door. He didn’t care, though. If he was feeling any pain then he was long numb to it, only able to feel the wet slide of Sukuna’s cock against his walls, filling him and stretching him deliciously. 

“Oh my god,” he cried out, stars bursting behind his eyelids as Sukuna changed the angle of his thrusts and hit the sweet spot inside of him, barbells dragging deliciously against his walls. “Daddy, o– oh my– I’m so–”

“Does it feel good, baby?” Sukuna asked, bending his head down to lick a large stripe up his neck, tasting the salty tang of his sweat. “Is daddy fucking you well?”

“Yes,” he moaned, clenching around his cock as he felt his orgasm slowly approaching, “so good, daddy, so– you’re so–”

“Yeah? Am I the best one you’ve ever had?” he asked, slamming into him repeatedly, not holding back. “Has anyone ever fucked you this good before?”

“No,” Megumi wailed out, eyes shooting open to stare at Sukuna, “daddy, no, you’re the best, there’s no one like you– please–”

Leaning in closer, pressing the side of his face against Megumi’s so his lips could graze against his ear, “Who do you belong to, sweetheart?” he asked, jackrabbiting into him, “Tell me, baby.”

“Ngh–”

“Tell daddy who you belong to,” Sukuna demanded, biting his ear playfully. “Come on.”

“You, daddy!” Megumi cried out, cunt spasming as his orgasm approached. “Only you, no one else,” he promised, tears freely streaming down his face without him even noticing, snaking a hand down his body so he could rub at his swollen clit. “I’m– oh, I’m cumming–!”

His cunt clenched around Sukuna’s cock with a vice grip as he came, squirt dripping all over his legs, but Sukuna’s rhythm never faltered, not letting up as he fucked Megumi through his orgasm.

“Keep rubbing your clit, baby,” he urged him, thrusts becoming faster, “come on baby, cum again for daddy.”

“Daddy, no,” Megumi whined, but he still did as he was told, rubbing his clit through the pain and the soreness as he felt his second orgasm fast approaching. 

Sukuna came right as Megumi did, warm cum shooting into his womb as Megumi clenched around him again and milked him for all he was worth.

“Fuck,” Sukuna whispered, in between his heavy breaths, resting his sweaty forehead against Megumi’s. They looked at each other then, both struggling to catch their breath, and all they could do was laugh. “Fuck Megs,” Sukuna repeated, leaving a kiss right over his eyelid, then his forehead, then his nose, “that was something else.”

“I know,” Megumi whispered, scrunching his face when Sukuna got too close to his open eye, “you’re– you’re amazing,” he said, feeling finally relaxed after endless days of stress. “I love you,” he blurted out, the words slipping out easily from his tired brain. “I really do.”

“I love you more,” Sukuna murmured, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. Then, finally letting him down, sliding his hands from under his thighs to wrap around his middle so he could support him, “Let’s take a shower, baby.”

Megumi’s legs felt like jello, trembling and gooey and barely holding themselves together, so he gingerly held onto his boyfriend and let him walk them into the en suite bathroom. His legs slowly regained feeling, and he let himself be sat down onto the closed toilet seat as Sukuna flitted about the bathroom, filling the bathtub with warm water and salts for them.

“I thought we were showering,” he said, confused.

Turning to him with a smirk, “I don’t think you can stand, baby.”

☾

It was later that day, much later – after they took their bath and made dinner together and then walked the dogs –, when they were already in bed winding down before sleeping, that Sukuna finally asked him the question he’d been dreading since the moment he first revealed he knew about Yorozu.

“How did you know about Yorozu?”

He didn’t sound mad. At best, he seemed curious and just a little bit amused. So, coyly, “Can’t I have my own secrets?”

“Megs, we just had a whole conversation about telling each other things and I’ve come clean to you,” Sukuna said, giving him an unimpressed look. “Just tell me.”

“Well, how did you know I was at the clinic?” he shot back, crossing his arms. “Matter of fact, how did you know where the clinic was?”

“Baby, I can track your phone,” Sukuna answered, shaking his head at him in mock disappointment. “Did you really not know?”

“Oh.” That… made a lot of sense. Of course Sukuna was tracking his phone. If anything, he’d be surprised if he wasn’t. “Well, what if I just googled you and found out that way?” he asked, uncertainly. Sukuna wouldn’t hurt him, but he wouldn’t be so sure about him hurting Choso. Or worse, Yuuji.

“Yorozu’s name doesn’t show up linked to mine in any capacity unless you google her specifically,” Sukuna explained. “I made sure of it. I also don’t have anything lying around that was hers or related to her, I burned everything.” Damn. He really didn’t like her. “Just tell me the truth. I won’t be mad.”

“A friend of a friend,” he eventually said, trying to keep it vague. “One of my friends has a brother who does jobs for the yakuza every now and then and he knew about you and warned him. He mentioned that he’d met you or something after you all met that night at the club.” Megumi was glad the rest of their group had shown up that night, otherwise Sukuna would easily figure out who it had been. 

Sukuna hummed, mulling his words over in his head. “I see,” he said, plopping down on the bed and making himself comfortable with his head on Megumi’s lap. Megumi’s hand automatically shot down to stroke over Sukuna’s hair, gliding his fingers through the soft strands. He hadn’t cut it in a while so it was no longer buzzed, but it was still too short for Megumi to properly hold onto. “And what did they say about me, then?”

Chuckling, Megumi scratched his scalp gently, reveling in the way Sukuna’s eyes closed in contentment at the gesture. “That you were a bad man,” he teased, keeping his scratching up at a particular spot Sukuna seemed to enjoy most, “that I should leave you because you might kill me.”

“Hmmmmmm.” Was Sukuna even still paying attention? Probably not. He wouldn’t be surprised if he fell asleep right then and there. “And what did you say?”

“I said that I knew,” he murmured, smiling at him when Sukuna’s eyes fluttered open, “and that it was fine. I told him you were taking care of me and making sure nothing happened to me.”

Frowning, “Then how did Yorozu come up?”

Megumi shrugged, resuming his scratching motions. “My friend told me I didn’t know everything. If I did, I wouldn’t still be with you.” Then, “Said I should ask you about Yorozu. When I probed further, he said Yorozu was your wife. After that, I just came home and googled her name and the rest was history.”

“Interesting,” Sukuna murmured, mostly to himself. “Someone who still knew about Yorozu, even though that was so long ago… very, very interesting.”

“Sukuna,” Megumi interrupted him, in an admonishing tone. “You’re not going to do anything to my friends, right? Or the friends of my friends?”

“Right, right,” Sukuna said, rolling his eyes. A terrible habit he was picking up from Megumi. “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

He didn’t know whether he was lying or not. For his own peace of mind, he chose to believe him. 

Keeping up his scratching motions, Megumi let himself sink further into the pillows, eyes gently closing as he fought off sleep. They should go to sleep, actually, but he still hadn’t brushed his teeth. Sukuna was so comfortable in his lap, though; he was like a cat he couldn’t bear to move.

“Megumi,” Sukuna suddenly said, startling him out of his thoughts. Opening his eyes in confusion, Megumi looked down to find Sukuna looking up at him with a serious expression. “You being pregnant… It changes things. You know that, right?”

“What do you mean?”

Turning his head to the side so he could leave a kiss on Megumi’s clothed belly, “The stakes are even higher now,” he said, grabbing Megumi’s hand – the one that had been scratching his scalp – to bring it to his mouth, kissing over his knuckles. “I was already worried sick about you before, but now that you’re carrying our child…”

Megumi could see where Sukuna was going with this. Narrowing his eyes, he was quick to urge him to continue. “Go on,” he said, lowering his voice.

“I want you to stop working,” he said, looking up at him with a steely look on his face.

“Absolutely not,” Megumi immediately said.

“Megumi,” Sukuna started, rubbing his thumb over the back of Megumi’s hand, kissing it again, trying to soften him up, “if something happens to our baby–”

“Nothing is going to happen to our baby,” Megumi said, mildly annoyed. “You have a whole SWAT team following me every day.”

“And clearly they’re not doing their job well enough if you managed to sneak out without them noticing,” he snapped, glaring daggers at Megumi. “If you’d been kidnapped instead, anything could have happened to you in that period of time.”

Sighing heavily, Megumi moved his free hand to Sukuna’s hair, trying to soothe him. “Sukuna, you’re being crazy again,” he told him, stifling a laugh when Sukuna only glared harder. “However,” he added, “you do have a point. Anyone could go into the hospital and try something without your men noticing. Or Uraume,” he quickly added. 

“So you agree.”

“No,” he instantly said, stilling his movements on Sukuna’s scalp. “I think you should teach me how to fight,” he told him, watching how Sukuna blinked up at him in surprise. “Teach me how to fight and teach me how to fire a gun,” he said, decidedly. “Then even if something happens… you’ll know I can handle myself.”

Sukuna didn’t look convinced. “What about when you’re too pregnant to move as fast? What then?”

“I’ll have to go on leave eventually,” he told him, trying to settle his mind. “Until then, though… wouldn’t it be better if I knew how to defend myself anyway? Now it’s the Zen’ins but then it’ll be someone else, all things considered.”

Megumi could see he was getting to him, from the way Sukuna’s eyebrows relaxed and his eyes looked to the side thoughtfully. Consideringly. 

“Fine,” he eventually relented, looking resigned as he once again gave in to what Megumi wanted, and Megumi let out the breath he was holding. “Let’s do that, then. I’ll teach you how to fight. But if I see you’re not up for the challenge,” he added, giving Megumi a no-nonsense look, “then you need to reconsider.”

He was quick to agree, not really worried. How hard could it be, anyway?

Chapter Text

As it turned out, learning how to defend himself during the first trimester of his pregnancy was infinitely harder than Megumi anticipated.  

Without any warning, his morning sickness doubled down with a vengeance, keeping him nauseous and running into the toilet every few hours even during his shifts. Sometimes it would last all day, sometimes all morning, and other times – rarer times – barely even an hour. 

Sukuna would be with him every time, or at least every time Megumi was home and not bent over one of the toilets in the hospital, rubbing his back soothingly and brushing his hair out of his forehead the same way he used to do when they first thought Megumi had just come down with a virus. Afterwards, he’d bundle Megumi up in a thick blanket and lead him slowly to the kitchen, setting a mug filled with chamomile tea in front of him so he could drink it as Sukuna prepared breakfast.

All of a sudden, Sukuna was infinitely more worried about the food Megumi ate. He made him take prenatal vitamins every morning, watching him with a keen eye to make sure he took them, a stark difference from the liberty Megumi had been afforded when it came to taking his birth control pills. There were more and more veggies at every meal, his sugar intake was carefully watched throughout the day – as much as Sukuna could see him, anyway – and Sukuna no longer agreed to take out nights quite as much as he did before.

“Baby, you need to watch your health,” he would say, every time Megumi looked up at him with pleading eyes, thinking of the greasy scallion oil noodles from his favorite hole in a wall diner or the cheesy pizza from the italian place two streets over. “There are so many conditions you could develop during pregnancy, didn’t you hear what the doctor was saying the other day?”

Similarly to ‘the other day’, however – the other day referring to when they’d had their first ultrasound, Sukuna being completely taken by surprise – Megumi tuned him out every time. 

It wouldn’t be so bad if he hadn’t also started getting cravings. Cravings and a deep exhaustion, willing him to sleep even if just for five minutes in between appointments at the hospital, having to be woken up by one of the assistants urging him to go see his next patient. 

Most of his cravings he could satisfy by himself, making use of the small kitchen area in the staff lounge room where they kept a variety of ingredients and appliances stocked for when shifts ended up being longer than initially planned; others, not quite so easily.

Sometimes he’d crave a nice, salty cucumber salad, which he could easily whip up by himself since cucumber and soy sauce were always a staple in the staff kitchen. Other times he’d crave a McDonald’s milkshake with a side of fries so he could dip them in it but Sukuna would refuse to either order it or go get it himself; too greasy, he said. “Why don’t I make you the homemade version of it?” and Megumi would instantly wilt. He didn’t want the healthy, homemade version of a milkshake with fries; he wanted the McDonald’s version, the one loaded with sugar and salt and everything he needed to have in moderation.

But then he’d get so sleepy it wouldn’t matter anyway.

He’d fall asleep standing in line at his favorite coffee shop before work where he still insisted on going despite having to make the switch to decaf, needing Uraume or one of Sukuna’s men to nudge him so he’d move along; he’d fall asleep while watching Kuro and Shiro play at the park, feeling the weak morning sunshine hit his closed lids as Sukuna kept an eye on them. 

None of this was exactly conducive to productive training sessions with Sukuna, of course. A dead on his feet, perpetually hungry Megumi could only do more harm than good, after all. 

Predictably, Sukuna took advantage of this fact to try and steer him away from the idea. “You shouldn’t be exerting yourself so much, Megs,” he’d say, “you should really try and relax as much as possible to make sure the baby is healthy.”

The guilt tripping worked, to an extent, but not enough to deter Megumi. He knew that was what Sukuna wanted; wanted him to sit and be pretty and concede to not working anymore so Sukuna wouldn’t be sick with worry all the time and could be the ruthless yakuza boss he’d always been. Unfortunately, Megumi really wasn’t up to complying with something like that.

Their training started out slowly. 

Megumi had been more physically active during high school and university, but not so much once he’d become a full time vet surgeon, working odd shifts and trying to keep up normalcy around his weird schedules. He was fit, but he needed to build up his physical endurance again.

“I feel like this is counterproductive,” he said one day, after yet another run around the neighborhood with Sukuna and the dogs, panting heavily as they walked back to the gated condo during their cooldown period. “I know what you’re trying to do,” he accused Sukuna, narrowing his eyes in blatant distrust. “At this rate I’ll be six months pregnant and we’ll keep going on these runs and then you’ll just say it’s too dangerous to actually do any fighting.”

Obviously, he’d seen right through Sukuna. “Is it really so wrong to want to keep you safe and sound?” Sukuna asked, resigned. 

“We had a deal,” Megumi reminded him, and that was all it took.

Two days later, on a chilly Tuesday morning when Megumi was off work, Sukuna led him into a part of the condo he wasn’t familiar with yet. 

“This is the condo gym,” Sukuna told him, leading him into a large open space, filled with treadmills and ellipticals and also weightlifting machines. “Anyone with the code can use it, but they also have these small private rooms,” he explained, leading him into a small room, well lit and with a few dumbbells and steps pushed up against one of the walls. 

The rooms were only private in the sense that they weren’t training smack dab in the middle of the open space, because the walls facing the open space were clear and made of glass and anyone could easily see into them. Megumi tried not to feel disappointed as he realized he couldn’t get Sukuna to fuck him in there during an intense session while they were both hot and sweaty.

When they actually began training, however, he quickly realized that would have never happened anyway, not even if they’d been training naked in their bed. 

“Let’s start by seeing where you are at now,” Sukuna instructed, arms crossed over his chest as he towered over Megumi, who stood somewhat unsurely in the middle of the room. “Try to attack me.”

“Shouldn’t we do this the other way around?” he asked, raising an eyebrow in question. “Isn’t the goal for me to know how to defend myself?”

“Just do what I say,” Sukuna urged him, uncrossing his arms and getting into a defensive stance, “come on.”

Megumi tried to be tactical about it. To strategize. Sukuna was a big guy, and he had muscles to boot. He needed to be smart about the way he attacked him or he’d be flung to the side pathetically like a small, harmless fly.

As he should have probably expected, despite the multiple ways he tried to attack Sukuna – first going for his right side, then his left, then deciding to just go for it and try to trip him before just deciding to shove at his chest as hard as he could –, Sukuna easily evaded him every time. Sukuna didn’t even need to push him off, because he always made sure Megumi wasn’t able to make any contact to begin with.

“Do you see now?” he asked, maybe around the 6th time Megumi failed, expression impassive and breathing perfectly even as Megumi’s chest heaved under him on the matted floor. “Do you understand?”

“Understand what?” he asked, mildly desperate, not really knowing what Sukuna had taught him other than the fact that he was weak and hopeless. 

“How defense works.”

He didn’t, at least not that day, but over the next few days he definitely felt like they made progress. One time he was able to land a punch on Sukuna’s bicep, even if his hand had hurt like hell afterwards, and by the second week of their sparring sessions they were already able to grapple, Sukuna straddling Megumi on the floor of one of the private rooms as Megumi struggled to break free, trying to knee him in the groin.

Megumi would like to say being under Sukuna like that, helpless and defenseless, being held down easily by his boyfriend’s heavy weight, didn’t send jolts of want directly down to his core. If he did, he would be lying.

It shouldn’t really turn him on, not when the main reason they were having these sessions in the first place was so he could learn to defend himself in case he was ever attacked like that time back in the beginning of November. And yet. 

Did Sukuna feel the same way? Would he be upset with Megumi if he found out his dirty little secret? Probably not; they’d done worse, hadn’t they?

He didn’t really get the chance to act on any of it until one Thursday, late at night. It was hours after Megumi’s shift ended, after Sukuna picked him up and dropped him off at home because he still needed to go and take care of some business, and even after Uraume made dinner with him and they ate together on the couch as they watched a comedy show. Megumi walked the dogs with Uraume afterwards, staying within the confines of the condo especially since it was far too cold for him to want to go any further, and when they walked back towards the building entrance Sukuna was there waiting for them. There was dried blood on the side of his forehead.

“Sukuna-sama,” Uraume greeted, nodding at him. “Anything else you need me to do?”

“You’re dismissed for today,” Sukuna told them, “just check Gojo’s email when you have time.”

Nodding again, and then once more at Megumi, Uraume was quick to get away, off towards where Megumi knew the garage was, leaving him and Sukuna alone.

“Hey baby,” Sukuna greeted, pressing a soft kiss to his lips as he brought a hand towards his belly. He always did that, nowadays. Always made sure to greet their baby. “Sorry I’m late.”

It was no problem. Megumi was well used to weird schedules and late nights, to Sukuna occasionally needing to step out only to slip into bed with him in the middle of the night. He was happy to wait every time, as long as he always came back.

They dropped the dogs off at the apartment and headed down to the community gym, having already decided in advance they would train that night. Megumi was off the next two days and Sukuna had rearranged some things, so they were looking forward to spending two days just on their own, looking at baby things and maybe even taking a day trip somewhere, where no one would know them. 

The gym was empty at that time, far too late for anyone to be out and about, though Megumi knew the time didn’t really mean anything; lots of people might want to sneak in a late night workout before bed. Hopefully, however, they wouldn’t. 

Sukuna was ready to lead Megumi into the first available room but Megumi simply kept walking, going all the way up to the furthest private room, turning on lights as they went.

“Why are we going so far?” Sukuna asked, cocking an eyebrow at him in a way that suggested he might possibly know what Megumi had in mind. Not that Megumi thought he would give in easily, though.

“Just in case someone comes in,” Megumi said, airily. “So we don’t bother anyone looking for a late workout.”

“Never stopped you before,” Sukuna mused, whilst following his lead all the same.

They started their session the way they usually did. Some stretches, some squats for a quick warm up. Megumi tried to attack Sukuna and Sukuna evaded him easily, only for Megumi to land a hit on his second try. Not enough to make Sukuna fall to the ground but enough that Megumi easily landed a second hit and then a third. 

Afterwards, it was time for Sukuna to attack him.

There was something in the air that night, something primal and animalistic winding around Megumi’s bones. Maybe it was the fact that he knew Sukuna had just come back from doing whatever he did in the yakuza, aided by the fact that he could clearly see the dried blood on his forehead, the blood on his knuckles if he looked more closely. 

Megumi wanted Sukuna to hold him down, face down against the floor, and fuck him until his knees got bloody. He wanted him to make him take it as he yelled at him to stop. Wanted Sukuna to split him open on his cock and make him squirt all over the floor. Enough that he’d be embarrassed to come back and show his face the next day.

“Quit looking at me like that, sweetheart,” Sukuna said, voice low and rough as he stared at him intently.

“Like what?” he asked, batting his eyelashes innocently at him.

“Like you want me to eat you,” Sukuna replied, licking his lips afterwards.

“Isn’t that the whole point?” Megumi asked, bending his knees further to prepare himself against Sukuna’s attack. “For you to try?”

Sukuna pounced on him in the blink of an eye; one second he was still standing there, grinning at him, and the second he was closing in on Megumi, trying to push him to the ground. 

Megumi evaded him, weaving in and out of his hold in an almost choreographed dance, terribly enjoying the way Sukuna openly grinned and huffed in amusement as Megumi put up a fight that they both knew he didn’t want to win. 

He went down easily the next moment, after Sukuna managed to grab his wrist and twist his arm behind his back, forcing him to lie with his face pressed against the cushioned floor as Sukuna held himself above him, easily holding him down despite the way Megumi squirmed in an attempt to get away.

“Now, now,” Sukuna taunted, lowering himself just enough so that his bulge rubbed tantalizingly against Megumi’s clothed ass, showing him just how affected he was, “why are you trying to get away, sweetheart?”

“Get off me,” Megumi growled, playing his part.

“I don’t think you want me to,” Sukuna replied, a note of laughter in his voice. Instead, he bent his head lower, lower, low enough that his lips grazed Megumi’s ears and he could whisper, “Say ‘Tokyo’ if you want me to stop at any point.”

Megumi nodded, feeling a shiver run down his spine, trying not to groan at the way Sukuna rolled his hips more firmly against his ass. 

From there, everything happened very quickly. Megumi continued to try and get away, half hearted attempts that only succeeded in spreading him wider for Sukuna. He bit one of Sukuna’s wrists when he used it to hold himself against the floor next to Megumi’s head, catching him off guard, and in retaliation Sukuna bit his neck as he slid into him in one smooth thrust, after he pushed his sweatpants and briefs down in one motion. 

Sukuna fucked him hard and fast, keeping one hand on his nape and the other around both of his wrists, keeping them bound tightly together behind his back. 

Megumi screamed and cried and begged, “Please, please, stop! No more, please–!” and Sukuna ignored him, telling him to be a good little lamb and take it. 

“You open up so beautifully for me,” Sukuna babbled, picking up his pace as he neared his orgasm. “Fuck, you were just begging for this, weren’t you? You barely even tried to push me off.”

“No,” Megumi whimpered, feeling tears stream down his face. He wasn’t scared; he was just incredibly fucked out, swollen clit throbbing between his legs, begging for friction of any kind.

“It’s true,” Sukuna insisted, burying his face in Megumi’s neck as his thrusts became shorter, grinding his hips into Megumi’s so hard that he was almost dragged forward on the floor if not for Sukuna holding him in place. “You’re so fucking tight– god, you were made for me. You’re so pretty, you’re so hot– I had to have you–”

And it was so easy to get lost in it. To close his eyes and pretend Sukuna was really some stranger who’d lost control, who couldn’t help himself after catching a glimpse of Megumi’s eyes. Love at first sight. Obsession at first sight. 

“Please–” Megumi begged, but he didn’t even know what for. Was he begging for Sukuna to stop? Or was he begging for him to go on, to fuck him so hard his legs felt like jelly afterwards? 

Sukuna released his hold on his wrists so he could reach under him and rub at his clit but Megumi didn’t try to fight back. His wrists were sore and numb from the continued position, and he couldn’t crawl away in that state even if he wanted to, not when Sukuna was digging his fingers painfully into his neck to keep him in place, lightly cutting off his airflow.

It was too much. It was everything he wanted.

Megumi came with a cry, desperate and strangled, squirt sliding down the sides of Sukuna’s cock and sticking to the floor. Sukuna came soon after, digging his teeth painfully into the juncture of Megumi’s neck again as he spilled warm cum into Megumi, painting his walls white and adding to the mess on the floor. 

They laid there together for a few moments, struggling to catch their breaths as they stayed connected, and Sukuna only remembered to take his hand off Megumi’s throat when he choked on a breath, immediately apologizing and hurrying to drop a litany of soft kisses all over his nape, somehow trying to make up for it. 

“Was this what you wanted?” Sukuna asked, nibbling softly on his lobe as he did, warm chest rumbling against Megumi’s back. 

“Yeah,” Megumi breathed out, bending his arm and reaching back to wrap it around Sukuna’s neck, keeping him there. “F-Fuck, that was– so good.”

“It was,” Sukuna agreed, kissing his cheek sweetly, starting to pull out. Grimacing when he saw the mix of his cum and Megumi’s squirt pooling on the floor. “I feel bad for the cleaning staff, though.”

They righted their clothes and themselves slowly, using Sukuna’s shirt to clean up their fluids as best as possible even as they grimaced in disgust. Knowing it wasn’t really enough to disguise the smell of sweat and sex permeating the air.

Shortly afterwards they were leaving the room, strategically leaving the door open so the smell would somewhat clear out before the cleaning staff got there in the morning, only to freeze when they reached the open space. 

There was someone there. A woman, walking quickly on the treadmill, headphones over her ears.

“You don’t think she heard us, right?” Megumi asked, both dreading and willing her to turn and meet their eyes, needing to know. 

She suddenly turned her head, seemingly realizing she wasn’t alone anymore, and her eyes narrowed at the sight of them. 

Oh. She’d definitely heard them, and she didn’t look too happy about it.

“Let’s go, baby,” Sukuna said, grabbing his hand and leading him out, both of them picking up their pace. 

They didn’t go back for a few days. 

☾

Megumi was nervous. He wasn’t stressed, not the way he’d been back when he was trying to hide his pregnancy and Yuuji’s words were weighing on his mind. He was nervous, all fidgety and wanting to get up from his seat and pace up a storm through the restaurant.

Tsumiki was visiting. 

They hadn’t seen each other in person in two years. Tsumiki hadn’t been able to spend the holidays away from Hakodate and Megumi had only been able to visit Toji for a few hours on the 25th of December anyway, and before that they’d seen each other for a full 48h around New Year’s, since Tsumiki had been able to visit and Megumi was only able to take New Year’s off during the holiday season.

This year, Tsumiki had been able to take a good three weeks off work, and she was using them to travel around Japan with her new boyfriend and then spend some days over at Toji’s during the holidays. Along the way, they made a stop in Tokyo.

It was a few days before Megumi’s birthday, a few days past the middle of December, and they were meeting at a restaurant. Sukuna had made the reservation, some upscale thing with a stunning view of Tokyo, all fancy meals and soft background music. Sukuna and Megumi would meet Tsumiki and her boyfriend there before they would go off to explore Tokyo together for the day and make their way to the next destination the next day – they would head to Kyoto before turning back and going to Toji’s.

Megumi missed his sister, but he was nervous about her meeting Sukuna. She was the most important person in his life; what if she didn’t like him?

“Nervous?” Sukuna asked, smoothing one large hand down his back in an effort to soothe him.

To say Megmi was nervous was an understatement. He was about ready to climb the walls and crawl his way over to the ceiling.

“Of course not,” he lied, trying to make a conscious effort to still his legs. 

“Worried your sister won’t like me?” Sukuna’s voice was light and even, but Megumi could tell there was still an undercurrent of uneasiness there, like he knew exactly how much this meant to Megumi. 

“Please, of course she’s gonna like you.”

Tsumiki and her boyfriend showed up then, all easy smiles and warm demeanor, and Megumi instantly felt himself relax. He slid out of his seat to stand and let himself be hugged by his sister, letting her fuss over him as Sukuna and Hiro stood to the side, nodding at each other in greeting but otherwise not really moving to greet each other. 

“You look tired, Megumi,” Tsumiki fussed, running her thumb over the bags in his eyes worriedly like a good older sister. Megumi rolled his eyes and batted her hand away, glaring at her half heartedly. “But you look good! And who is this?” she asked, finally turning towards Sukuna.

“Ryomen Sukuna,” Sukuna easily said, voice smooth and deep as though he were trying to impress one of his suppliers or clan allies, holding out his hand for a handshake. Tsumiki took it, and it was clear in the way her eyes raked over the entirety of Sukuna’s form that she was sizing him up. Evaluating him. Megumi wanted to turn around and leave. “I’m glad to finally meet you.”

“Likewise,” she said. Turning to Megumi with a pointed smile, “I wish I could say I’ve heard so much about you but unfortunately I feel like I haven’t heard nearly enough.”

“Tsumiki,” Megumi hissed, eyes narrowing further. Tsumiki had never really had the chance to tease him and humiliate him in this kind of setting because Megumi had never brought a guy ‘home’ before, so of course she was loving it. 

“This is Hiro,” she said, dropping Sukuna’s hand and motioning towards her boyfriend, who’d been standing there watching the whole thing with a polite smile. He seemed nice, if a bit awkward. 

They sat down, Megumi and Sukuna next to each other as Tsumiki and Hiro sat side by side, and a waiter immediately appeared to take their drinks order. Tsumiki suggested white wine for the whole table, only to pause and raise an eyebrow when Megumi said he’d prefer not to drink.

“I recently had a stomach bug,” he explained, which wasn’t exactly a lie considering he’d really thought he had one for a good while, “so I still don’t feel well enough to drink.” 

She didn’t look like she believed him, but she didn’t press the matter either. Megumi settled for some tea and a small bottle of sparkling water, while the rest of the table ordered the house wine. 

“So tell me about yourself,” Tsumiki prompted, looking directly at Sukuna. “Megumi truly hasn’t told me much.”

It was a lie. Megumi had told her that Sukuna ran a construction company, but she clearly deemed it insufficient. Still, Sukuna gladly humored her, boldly holding Megumi’s hand over the table and running a thumb through the back of his hand the entire time. 

He told her as much of the truth as he possibly could – he’d grown up in an orphanage and had gone into business with an old high school friend a few years later. First he worked for him, and then his friend invested in his business. Now, business was booming.

“You’re much older,” she noted, and Megumi huffed a laugh as he watched Hiro choke on his drink, sending Tsumiki a wide eyed look.

“I’m 36.”

“Megumi’s 26,” Tsumiki quipped, not even reacting when Megumi kicked her under the table. 

“Almost 27,” Sukuna added, all too amused to keep playing Tsumiki’s game. “Will you be around for his birthday?”

“Unfortunately no,” she said, frowning. “Hiro and I will be in Kyoto at that time.” Turning towards Megumi, “Megumi, did you manage to take any time off for the holidays? You could join us in Karuizawa.”

Megumi made a face. He hadn’t even tried that year; the thought had barely crossed his mind. “I forgot to ask,” he admitted. “I don’t think they’ll grant me any last minute time off now.”

“You should still try,” she insisted, looking to Sukuna for support. “You could both go up to Karuizawa. We could all spend the holidays together! And Sukuna, you could meet Megumi’s dad.”

This time, it was Megumi who choked on his drink, warm tea spilling down the sides of his mouth. Sukuna meeting Toji? Please.

“That would be an amazing idea,” Sukuna said, not at all fazed by the fact that Toji had done some work for him in the past. Not that they’d met, but they definitely knew of each other. “Megs, think you could try? Even if we don’t go for a few days, if you could get at least one day we could take a day trip, or even spend the night.”

Megumi looked up at him in disbelief. Sukuna was looking right back at him, expression impassive save for the slight tick in his mouth, a barely-there curl of his lips. Bastard. “You want to meet my dad?” he croaked out, not wanting to imagine his dad and his daddy sitting together at the dinner table as they all ate KFC. Please.

Sukuna shrugged, taking his hand off of Megumi’s so he could lift it and brush some hair away from his forehead, tucking a longer piece behind his ear. “Why not? I’ve met your sister; the holidays are as good a time as any to meet the family.”

“Fine,” he conceded, still throwing a glare Tsumiki’s way. She only smiled wider at him. “I’ll try,” he said, stressing the last word, “but don’t get your hopes up.”

“As long as you try,” Tsumiki mused, lifting her wine glass and lightly tapping it against Megumi’s teacup, “that’s all that matters. It’s been a while since we’ve spent the holidays together.”

The food arrived shortly and, luckily, the conversation subject shifted with it. Megumi prompted Hiro to talk about himself, noticing the way Tsumiki gently encouraged him to share more and bring him out of his shell. Hiro and Tsumiki were like night and day, perfect opposites of each other, but Megumi thought they went well together regardless. 

Hiro was a sweet guy, and he clearly liked Tsumiki a lot. She clearly liked him too, going by the way she laughed at everything he said, making him blush since he wasn’t really that funny. It was just what love did to you.

He briefly worried about Hiro meeting Toji; Toji would chew him up but Tsumiki wouldn’t really let him, more than able to stand her own against him. Not that he thought Toji would try – after all, Hiro was clearly a good guy.

Sukuna, on the other hand… Well, he hoped his time off request wasn’t approved. He wasn’t even sure he’d try and request it in the first place; a little white lie never hurt anybody, after all.

“We’ve actually just moved in together,” Tsumiki told them as she and Hiro split dessert, a nice fluffy spongy cake filled with strawberries and cream. Sukuna had tried to split with Megumi but Megumi – filled with cravings that he couldn’t really announce to the whole table – had insisted on both sharing Sukuna’s dessert and getting one for himself.

Tsumiki raised an eyebrow in surprise as she watched Megumi devouring a piece of rich chocolate cake at the same time as he dipped his fork into Sukuna’s tiramisu. 

“You’ve never been a fan of sweets,” she said, taken aback. “Is everything okay?”

“I think my tastes are changing,” he simply said, hoping she wouldn’t read too much into it. “So did you find a new apartment or did one of you move in with the other?”

“We found a new apartment,” Tsumiki said, still watching him like a hawk the whole time. “Hiro was living with his parents and my apartment was a little small, so it was better to get a different one once my lease ended.”

Megumi nodded, looking longingly at his chocolate cake as he wished he had something salty to dip in it – like fries. McDonald’s fries. McDonald’s fries dipped in ketchup and mayo and chocolate cake. Oh god he needed to ask Sukuna to get them a slice to go so he could get fries on their way back. 

“By the way, your lease is ending soon, isn’t it?” Tsumiki asked, and Megumi only nodded absentmindedly. He was thinking up ways to convince Sukuna that it was important he get those fries. “Are you planning on renewing it? Would be good to get a slightly bigger one for the dogs, no? Maybe finally get that backyard?”

“Oh I already canceled it,” he said, mourning as he popped the last piece of cake into his mouth. 

Tsumiki paused, giving him a look. “You canceled it? So you’ve already found a new place?”

And that was the moment Megumi realized he’d spoken without thinking. He didn’t used to be that way, but he supposed it was true what they said about pregnancy brain; it was turning him into an idiot.

“I’m still looking,” he said, vaguely, unconsciously moving closer to Sukuna. “Just thought of getting ahead of it.”

“But where will you stay if you don’t find anything in the meantime?” She sounded genuinely worried, and Megumi couldn’t help the twinge of guilt flashing in his chest. Clearly, Tsumiki noticed his guilty expression. “Megumi?” she pressed.

“I’ve been staying with Sukuna,” he admitted, only slightly relaxing when he felt Sukuna’s large hand on his knee, squeezing it in support. “Since I was sick with bronchitis.”

Tsumiki blinked in surprise, one time, two times, then three, all in rapid succession, and Megumi suddenly felt very nauseous. His morning sickness was still kicking his ass; or maybe he was just preparing himself for–

“I see,” she said, very calm. “Say, Sukuna,” she started, turning to look at him directly, “how long have you and Megumi been together? I can’t remember.”

“Two months,” Sukuna easily replied, seemingly unfazed, “almost three.”

“Hmmmmmm.” 

Hiro looked back and forth between them, eyes wide as he no doubt knew exactly that Tsumiki’s fake calm was just that, fake, and he didn’t even attempt to eat more of their shared cheesecake slice, opting instead to let her finish it on her own. 

“That was a nice cheesecake,” he offered, trying to diffuse the tension, prompting only a polite smile from Tsumiki.

“It was,” she agreed, dabbing her mouth with her napkin. “Megumi?” she called, with a fake smile on her face the whole time, “Would you come with me to get some air on the terrace?”

It was posed as a question, but Megumi knew it was anything but. Resigned to his fate, Megumi squeezed Sukuna’s hand one last time before getting up and following his sister to the terrace, neither of them saying a word the entire time. 

They sat on an L shaped loveseat on one of the farthest ends, lined with cushions and pillows. It was a space designed for smokers, for people wanting to enjoy a nice cocktail either before or after their meal as they looked at the Tokyo skyline. It was pretty and Megumi would have liked to enjoy it, but first he needed to face his sister.

“Megumi,” Tsumiki started, sitting with her body fully facing him, “I’m a little worried about you.”

“Tsumiki–”

“Don’t say anything until I’m finished,” she interjected, giving him a look. Megumi wanted to argue, but he opted to stay silent. “Megumi– Sukuna seems like a great guy and he’s definitely charming so I can understand why you’re so into him, but you seem to be going a little fast.”

“I know,” he admitted, fully aware that he was pouting but doing nothing to stop it regardless.

“This is your first relationship,” she reminded him. “Frankly, I’m very surprised. You’ve never been the type to do stuff like this.”

Sighing, Megumi threw his head back as he stared up at the sky. The sky was littered with thick, grey clouds; it was going to rain soon. 

“I’m not the type to do stuff like this,” he agreed, keeping his gaze up high, up in the clouds along with his mind. “Sukuna’s… different, though.” Righting himself with another sigh, hating that he had to be so honest about feelings, Megumi looked at his sister again. “I promise I’m fully aware of what I’m doing.”

Tsumiki gave him a look, seemingly considering his words. “I believe you,” she eventually said, scooting a little closer to him. “I know how rare it is for you to actually like someone, so… I trust that you wouldn’t fall madly in love just like that. I just worry.”

“I know,” he said, mustering a small smile, immediately averting his gaze in embarrassment. “Thank you for worrying.”

Laughing, Tsumiki reached out to hold his hand, patting it gently with her free hand. “Now Megumi, are you going to tell me the real reason as to why you weren’t drinking and you’re downing sugar like it’s water?”

“If you already figured it out, why are you asking me?” he asked, frustrated. He tried to take his hand away, but Tsumiki held on tighter, grip almost bruising. With a hiss, “Tsumiki!”

“So you’re telling me that not only did that man get you to move in with him in less than two months, but he also got you pregnant?” she asked, eyes glowing fiercely with poorly concealed anger. “Is that what you’re telling me?”

“Tsumiki–”

“And you,” she hissed, eyes narrowing as she took him in fully, “you didn’t wear protection? Didn’t insist on it? Megumi–!”

“Will you fucking stop that,” he snapped, wrenching his hand out from her grip. “Tsumiki, I’m not a kid! Yes, we used protection and it still happened, will you stop that?!”

Composing herself, Tsumiki had the decency to at least look a little guilty as she took in his words. “Sorry.” After a pause, “Does he know?”

“He does. He’s happy about it too,” he added, bumping her shoulder with his. “I know it’s weird, though. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it sooner.”

“How far along are you?” Tsumiki asked, looking at him from every angle and finally sneaking a hand to lay over his belly, feeling him up. “Oh, not long. That’s good, at least.”

Snorting, Megumi batted her hand away. “I’m eight weeks along now, more or less. Morning sickness is killing me,” he confessed, feeling queasy just from thinking about it. “Every single day my head is stuck in that fucking toilet bowl.”

“Yikes,” Tsumiki grimaced, leaning away from him a bit. “And the sugar is the famous cravings, I assume?”

“Yeah, though that was only because I couldn’t make it weirder,” he said, chuckling. “The entire time I was eating that cake I was thinking about how I wanted to take a slice home with me so I could convince Sukuna to stop at McDonald’s to get some fries with mayo and ketchup.”

“You wanted to eat them together?!” Tsumiki asked, looking appalled. “Jeez…”

“Yeah, but Sukuna doesn’t give into my cravings very often,” he revealed, rolling his eyes. “He listened to the whole lecture from the doctor about gestational diabetes and vitamins and being healthy and he’s really into it,” he complained.

“Well somebody has to pay attention to that,” Tsumiki teased, digging one of her fingers into his sides. Then, sighing, “He really treats you right, doesn’t he? I can trust him?”

Tsumiki would die if she knew exactly what Sukuna was like. When it came to the way Sukuna treated Megumi, however… 

“You have nothing to worry about,” he said, and he meant it too. “He’s really great.”

“Fine,” Tsumiki conceded, playfully rolling her eyes. “He does seem to make you really happy, so… I guess I’ll approve.”

Megumi snorted, faintly amused. “You didn’t need to approve.”

“You’re right,” Tsumiki agreed, getting up from the loveseat and standing in front of him with an odd glint in her eyes, like she was terribly amused by something– “though I can’t wait to see what Toji will think when he meets Sukuna over the holidays,” she continued, making Megumi tense, “or when you tell him about the pregnancy. Because you will tell him, right?”

☾

Tsumiki and Hiro went on with their trip, happily bidding them goodbye, and Megumi was left with the absolute certainty that, no matter what, he couldn’t get that time off request approved. In fact, he shouldn’t even submit it in the first place.

Except then he and Sukuna went home and Megumi fell asleep on the couch with his legs tucked over Sukuna’s lap, and when he woke up he was teary eyed at the thought of not being with his family for the holidays even though he usually couldn’t care less. Therefore, the next day, he submitted his time off request to his manager.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she told him, and Megumi promptly burst into tears. Two days later, the request was approved.

Two days after that, it was Megumi’s birthday.

Sukuna had probed him in a way that he probably thought was inconspicuous but was, in fact, anything but, trying to figure out what Megumi wanted to do, only to wilt every time Megumi told him he didn’t really care about his birthday and would be happy just spending the day like they usually did. 

He was sure Sukuna would definitely do more than that, especially considering how over the top their very first date had been, when he’d first taken him to that very exclusive one-table-only restaurant. And it wasn’t even that Megumi wouldn’t like it if he did, it was just that… he was really fucking exhausted. Sleepy all the time. Queasy. Never really knowing whether he’d be able to hold any food down on any given day. He didn’t really feel like dressing up and going god knows where.

Still, the day started really well. He was working that day until 6pm, but Sukuna still woke him up with breakfast in bed – a tray filled with his favorite mushroom and soy bean omelette, a hearty miso soup, lemon and ginger tea and some gingerbread cookies to satisfy his cravings –, spoiling Megumi endlessly. 

“You really didn’t have to,” Megumi croaked out, horrified at the way his lip was starting to wobble and his eyes were filling with tears. He was doing that a lot lately. Apparently it was pregnancy hormones; he wanted them to stop. “This is so nice, Kuna.”

Sukuna chuckled, drawing him closer to him and the finishing touch that morning was the way he fed Megumi his breakfast, holding up pieces of omelette and bringing them to his mouth. 

Thankfully, Megumi didn’t feel any morning sickness up until that point; Sukuna took advantage of that and ate him out, making him cum on his tongue and fingers twice as Megumi grabbed onto fistfuls of his short hair, grinding his cunt against his face in a way that felt incredible. 

“Y-You didn’t have to,” he repeated, dazed as he laid in bed languidly afterwards, only to blush and go all wide eyed when Sukuna told him he was just having dessert. 

“You liked your gingerbread cookies, didn’t you?” he asked, crawling up Megumi’s body to kiss him, letting him feel his own taste as he licked into his mouth. “It’s only fair that I also get some dessert.”

His shift went by quickly, without any major incidents or any cases that nearly tore his heart out, and just as he’d been there to drop him off that morning Sukuna was also there to pick him up after, all tall and handsome and looking every bit like the love of his life. 

“Let’s just make a quick stop before we go home,” Sukuna said as he started the engine of the car and began to drive off.

Ah, so this was it. What Sukuna had likely planned. Megumi was so happy he didn’t even mind. Looked forward to it even. 

To his surprise, however, Sukuna started to turn onto–

“Oh, this is Nobara’s street,” he said, slightly taken aback. “What a coincidence.” It wasn’t really a coincidence when Sukuna parked in the parking lot of Nobara’s building, though. “Sukuna?

“Come on, baby,” he said, holding onto his hand and leading him towards the front door of the building, punching in the entrance code. How did he even know that? Had he been talking with Nobara to–?

“You said you didn’t want to do anything special for your birthday,” Sukuna started to explain as they went into the elevator, pushing the button for the 9th floor – Nobara’s floor, “and I would never presume to know better. But I knew you definitely would enjoy seeing your friends, since you don’t get to do it often these days. So…”

“SURPRISE!!”

They were greeted by a chorus of voices as Sukuna pushed open the door to Nobara’s apartment, taking Megumi aback for a minute.

All of his friends were there. 

Nobara, Maki, Inumaki and Okkotsu, Panda with a stylish Christmas sweater for some reason, even Kamo and Todo, Uraume, standing next to the dining table with a large brown cake, and they were all there for– him. All except–

“Happy birthday, Megumi!” Nobara squealed as she threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him off his feet. “I know you don’t like surprises but I hope you like this one!”

He did. He liked it so much he felt his words choking in his throat and tears welling in his eyes, much to his consternation. Was this what the next few months would be like? Endless crying at every tiny thing? 

“I do like it,” he admitted, managing a small smile, “I can’t believe you’re all here.”

“Weeeell, not all,” Nobara said, rolling her eyes in obvious distaste. “Yuuji couldn’t make it, unfortunately. Couldn’t change his shift.” Right. Of course. It wasn’t because of their argument, it was because of work. “We’re here, though! And it’s actually all thanks to your boyfriend,” she told him, nodding with her head towards Sukuna, who was still standing next to him. “He was the one who reached out to me.”

Turning his head, Megumi fixed Sukuna with a smile, resisting the urge to laugh at the obvious blush spreading through his cheeks. “Thank you,” he said, reaching out for his hand to squeeze it affectionately. “I’m having the best birthday thanks to you.”

He’d never seen Sukuna look so awkward, used to seeing him look confident and immensely sure of himself, so all of this was extremely amusing. He didn’t think he could be any more in love than he was. 

The party was a flurry from there. Everyone rushed to Megumi’s side, eager to congratulate him and wish him a happy birthday. There were bottles of beer clinking against each other, Nobara’s kitchen islands were filled with an assortment of finger food, and Uraume proudly – as proudly as possible, at least – told him they’d been the one to bake his birthday cake. It was made out of gingerbread.

Megumi held the same beer bottle all night, as he and Sukuna routinely pretended that Sukuna was handing him a new bottle. It was always the same though. 

At one point, Inumaki called for a round of shots so Megumi only pretended to drink his, handing it to Sukuna without anyone noticing so Sukuna could down it for him instead, and when Megumi slid over to where Uraume was standing and asked them if they’d be cool to drive them home after if needed – since Megumi had recently developed car sickness while driving, much to his consternation – Uraume was quick to say they’d already anticipated it. 

He was happy, so so happy, surrounded by his friends who had taken time out of their own busy lives to celebrate another year of Megumi on earth with him. Still, Yuuji’s absence weighed on him. 

Near the end of the party, however, Nobara approached him. He’d just come out of the toilet and Sukuna was talking quietly with Uraume by one of the windows, with most of the guests having already left. 

“Megumi,” Nobara called out, motioning with her hand for him to follow her into her room. He went after her easily, stepping into the room he’d been in so many times over the years together with Yuuji, desperately trying to give Nobara fashion advice even though they were both terrible at it. “Now, I’m not sure what’s happening between you and Yuuji or why you’ve barely said two words to each other in our group chat in weeks,” she said, as she rummaged through her closet, “but… Yuuji asked me to give this to you since he couldn’t make it tonight.”

She was holding a small gift bag in her hand, swinging it slightly from side to side. The bag was plastered with colorful ‘Happy birthday!’ signs, and Megumi smiled as he imagined Yuuji picking it out for him, thinking of him despite the terse way they’d ended their last conversation.

“Thank you, Nobara,” he said, taking the bag from her. Then, finally allowing himself to ask what he’d wanted to ask all night but didn’t know how to, “How’s he doing?” 

Nobara shrugged, taking a seat on her bed. “He’s alright. Same old. You know what Yuuji’s like,” she said, eliciting a chuckle from Megumi. “He’s been having to take more shifts at the fire station since his car broke down a while back and he needs the money to fix it so I really do believe he actually couldn’t make it, but… well, he misses you.”

Megumi sighed, standing there awkwardly with his small gift bag in hand, not quite knowing what to do with himself. He missed Yuuji too. He wasn’t sure what to tell him, though. ‘Hey, I know you warned me and all and yes, my boyfriend really did murder his own wife in cold blood, but I’ve decided to stay with him anyway’? 

Yuuji wouldn’t be very happy about that. At least, if he didn’t reach out, then he and Yuuji could stay in this limbo forever, being friends while not really being friends, never putting a definite end to their friendship. He was being selfish, he knew, but Yuuji was his best friend. He wasn’t ready to lose him.

“I miss him too,” he admitted, eyes downcast, not quite knowing what else to say. The truth would do.

“Then talk to him,” Nobara urged him, getting up again to stand right in front of him. Forcing him to make eye contact. “Megumi, please, it was bad enough in second year when you guys stopped talking to each other, I can’t go through this again. Stop being idiots!”

Right. Megumi’d almost forgotten about that. He and Yuuji had stopped being friends for a short period of time because Megumi hated his new girlfriend and Yuuji kept canceling on him to spend time with her. At one point, he’d decided to tell him to not bother asking him to hang out anymore. Yuuji was upset and tried to give him his usual puppy eyes but Megumi didn’t budge for weeks. Nobara had nearly crawled up the walls from how mad she was going, listening to both of them bitch about the other to her. 

“You’re right,” he conceded with a sigh, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “I’ll talk to him,” he promised.

He would. They hadn’t spoken in weeks. Yuuji had been his best friend for years and had always been there for him; always invited him to spend the holidays with him and Choso so he wouldn’t feel lonely on the years he couldn’t be with his own family, always went on picnics with him and his dogs and made them homemade treats. Yuuji had always had his back, and it wasn’t fair of Megumi to keep him in the dark forever. 

Nobara hugged him again, swaying slightly on her feet – from one too many shots, no doubt – and then she walked him back to the living room, where Uraume and Sukuna were waiting for him.

“Ready to go?” Sukuna asked.

They said their goodbyes, Nobara wrangling him into going out soon – as if – and Maki asking him to send her regards to Toji and Tsumiki, and then they went back to Sukuna’s car.

“You didn’t bring yours, Uraume?” he asked, not having really thought about the logistics of having Uraume drive them back. 

“I had someone drop me off,” they said, sliding into the driver’s seat. Sukuna sat on the passenger seat next to them, antsy about having someone else drive one of his cars, and Megumi made himself comfortable in the back. 

The drive home was peaceful and quiet, even though Megumi felt as though his left hand was burning from where it still held onto Yuuji’s gift bag. He wanted to open it but he wanted to do it in private, preferably where neither Sukuna nor Uraume could see him cry again. 

His opportunity came soon after they got home, Uraume waving goodbye at them in the parking lot as they headed back to their own car.

“I’ll walk Kuro and Shiro alone, baby,” Sukuna offered during their elevator ride, pressing a kiss to his temple, “you go on and get ready for bed.”

Usually, Megumi would protest; this time, he eagerly accepted, snuggling into Sukuna’s arms before the ride ended. 

Sukuna left soon after they reached the apartment, leashing the dogs after they were done eating their dinner, and Megumi headed to the bedroom so he could check his gift alone, away from prying eyes. 

The gift bag opened easily under his touch, nothing but a small staple holding the middles together, and Megumi stuck his hand inside only to find a card and a mug. The mug in itself wasn’t surprising – he and Yuuji had a long standing tradition of giving each other mugs for their birthdays, even if they’d long forbidden other people from giving them new mugs since they already had so many. What was surprising was that Yuuji seemed to have taken their tradition a little bit further this year, and had opted to paint his own mug.

Megumi’s dogs were on the mug. The strokes were sloppy and inconsistent, but those were undeniably Kuro and Shiro, drawn and painted by the inexperienced hand of Itadori Yuuji. Yuuji, who Megumi hadn’t talked to in weeks.

The card was new. Usually they exchanged gifts in person, so he could understand why there was one.

It was store bought, a generic ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’ illustration printed on the cover, but on the inside Yuuji had written him a few words.

Megumi,

I’m sorry I can’t be there to celebrate with you in person. 

Happy birthday! I hope you have a fantastic day (and evening) and a very happy new year. 

I’m always here for you.

All the best,

Yuuji

There were a few doodles on the corner of Yuuji’s writing, poorly drawn versions of Kuro and Shiro with a grinning Yuuji, and Megumi hurriedly put the card to the side when he realized there were tears falling onto it, worried Yuuji’s message would smudge.  

Yuuji always wished people a happy new year for their birthdays. Something about how they’d just finished a whole year on planet Earth and would be starting a new one, so it made sense to wish them a happy year on their birthdays too.

“You start your first year when you’re first born,” he’d explain to anyone who wanted to hear him, “so it only makes sense.”

Megumi always laughed at him, but he secretly agreed. It made sense.

Mind made up, Megumi took his phone out of his pocket and tapped his way over to his text thread with Yuuji. The last messages they’d exchanged were from three weeks earlier, when he’d told Yuuji he was on his way to his apartment.

Fushiguro Megumi (23:17:08): Hey Yuuji

Fushiguro Megumi (23:17:57): I got your gift. Your drawing skills are something else but Kuro and Shiro are really cute. Thank you

Fushiguro Megumi (23:18:35): How have you been?

Itadori Yuuji (23:21:57): hey megumi :) 

Itadori Yuuji (23:22:04): i’ve missed you

Itadori Yuuji (23:22:17): how was the party?

Chapter Text

“Baby, I told you to put that down.”

“Sukuna, I already told you I can carry my own–”

“The baby–”

“Sukuna–!”

Two days after Megumi’s birthday, he and Sukuna hit the road in the early morning. 

Megumi had been allowed to take three whole days off work to travel for the holidays, and so he and Sukuna would be staying at Toji’s until the morning of the 26th, when they would travel back and spend the entire day by themselves before going back to work. Sukuna assured him anything he had to do could be done remotely – and anything in person could and would be handled by Uraume, who Megumi was starting to think probably didn’t get paid enough – so on the night of the 23rd they’d packed their bags to make sure they could leave bright and early the next day.

For the first time, Megumi didn’t need to rent a car, because Sukuna already had one. In fact, as he finally came to find out, he had several.

Sukuna had purchased multiple cars over the years, both for business and for his own enjoyment, and he kept a number of them in the private garage at the condo. Megumi counted at least five as they walked past them, most of them in various shades of black and grey, only to be completely surprised as Sukuna led him towards an SUV.

“That’s so… daddy of you,” he said, far less eloquently than he would have liked. “Why do you have an SUV?”

Next to him, Sukuna cleared his throat. “It’s a recent purchase.” Megumi didn’t press further on the matter.

The SUV would be more convenient for the two of them to take the dogs comfortably with them, along with their suitcases – filled not just with clothes but also with presents for Megumi’s family – and Kuro and Shiro excitedly climbed into the ample backseat, where Sukuna had already laid out a blanket for them to lie on. Megumi climbed into the passenger seat while Sukuna loaded their suitcases into the truck. 

He was joined by Sukuna soon after, who busied himself with putting on his seatbelt and starting the engine, reaching his right hand out to squeeze Megumi’s before settling it on the gear shift. 

Megumi missed driving, but it made him far too nauseous. At this point, anything did, actually, so he’d had to take an anti sickness tablet before leaving the house to make sure he’d be able to last through the whole car ride without getting sick. The effectiveness of the pills was still to be confirmed. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to a supermarket before we leave Tokyo?” Sukuna asked, keeping his eyes on the road as he left the condo and started to head towards the inner city. Unfortunately, Sukuna’s condo, for as private and exclusive as it was, was situated in an area that it made it so they’d need to actually cross part of Tokyo before getting into the highway trek they needed. Megumi was already dreading the holiday traffic.

“I’m sure,” he assured him, giving him a smile. “My dad insists that the food up there is better anyway, so he’d probably refuse to cook with anything we bought anyway.”

Frowning, Sukuna gave him a quick glance before turning back to the road. “I always buy high quality ingredients.” It was true, too. Sukuna didn’t play when it came to food, it was just…

“Yeah yeah, but he gets meat and eggs and milk all straight from the source up there,” he explained, biting back a laugh when he noticed how Sukuna instantly perked up at that. “Some of his neighbors have chickens, others have cows, and the local market has meat and fish from all the local producers and the fishermen in town.”

If anything, at least Megumi knew that Sukuna and Toji were bound to have one interest in common. As for the rest, he wasn’t sure. 

The truth was, despite how insistent he’d been on getting these days off and having him and Sukuna go up to Karuizawa to spend time with his family, he’d only gotten more and more nervous the closer they got to the date. Tsumiki and Hiro were none too wise about the illicit activities both of the men got up to, and Megumi worried the truth would end up coming out with the two of them in the same room.

Or worse, he worried he and Toji would hate each other. Scratch that, he worried Toji would hate Sukuna. 

Megumi didn’t really give a damn as to what Toji thought and he wouldn’t exactly stop seeing Sukuna for it either, but he and his dad had achieved such a balanced relationship over the past few years that he was reluctant to have it change yet again. Maybe he should have considered that before getting involved with someone like Sukuna, but then again he hadn’t really known what he was getting into until the Zen’ins kidnapped him and Sukuna revealed his true identity. 

There was no turning back though, and so their car ride went on. 

The anti sickness pills proved to be more or less effective; Megumi did get queasy somewhere around the one hour mark, but he was able to fight it by staying off his phone and cracking open a sliver of his window to let in some fresh air. They stopped for air and for a quick bite at a service station around the two hour mark, and one hour later they were arriving at Toji’s house, parking the SUV next to what was Tsumiki and Hiro’s rental as Kuro and Shiro excitedly shoved their faces out through the window, panting in excitement at not only being let out but also jumping into Toji’s arms.

Toji was outside when they arrived, clearly having expected them – Megumi had texted Tsumiki to let her know they would arrive soon, so that was probably why – and he was all too happy to open his arms and let the dogs jump on his shoulders as soon as Megumi opened the backseat door for them. 

Sukuna was stiff next to him, busying himself with taking the luggage out of the trunk and setting it on the floor. Just as Megumi was reaching for one of his hands so he could hold it, Toji abruptly came up to them, dogs in tow and one hand stuffed in one of his jean pockets.

“Hey, kid,” he greeted, looking at him directly. There was a cigarette in his mouth, already ready for him to light it. “And you are?” he asked, turning his head to look at Sukuna.

“Ryomen Sukuna,” Sukuna introduced himself, holding out his hand towards Toji. Toji took it; Megumi could tell they were gripping each other tightly in a pointless show of force- “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” A pause. Toji raised his eyebrow at Sukuna, looking terribly amused. Eventually, “Sir,” he added.

“Seriously?” Megumi asked, unable to keep the exasperation out of his voice. “Sukuna, don’t call him that.”

“It’s called respect,” Toji said, taking out his lighter and using it to light his cigarette, “not that you would know what that is.”

“Whatever.” Megumi rolled his eyes – something he was sure he would end up doing a lot for the next two days – and bent down to take one of the suitcases, but was quickly intercepted by Sukuna again, who insisted on carrying both of their suitcases and the small backpack Megumi had used to store the presents. “Sukuna, seriously?”

“Megumi.” Sukuna said his name in such a way that it made Megumi immediately stop, knowing he wasn’t playing around. Sukuna was taking the whole subject of his pregnancy seriously, more than seriously enough for both of them, and if that meant conceding on letting Sukuna carry everything for him, well. There were worse things.

When he turned to look at Toji again, however, it was to find him looking between the two of them with a highly interested look. Studying them. 

Bastard.

“Let’s go, I’ll show you where our room is,” he said, breezing past Toji. 

“What do you mean ‘our room’?” Toji asked, following them all the way up to the front door, mindful to not go inside while smoking; Tsumiki’s rules that had stuck around for years despite her living on the other end of the country. “You’re not sharing a room. Your little boyfriend’s sleeping on the couch.”

“Tsumiki and Hiro are sharing,” Megumi replied, giving into his instinct to keep arguing with Toji. Toji always brought out the worst parts of him, even so many years later. “Cut it out.”

“Tsumiki’s older,” Toji pointed out, smirking insufferably. 

“By one year!” Megumi yelled out, already on his way up the stairs while Sukuna trailed behind him. There were no other sounds in the house, no sort of reaction from Tsumiki to Megumi’s arrival, which made him believe she and Hiro were probably out on a walk exploring or something of the sort. 

To his credit, Sukuna looked perfectly unphased by the whole thing, dutifully following Megumi with their bags and depositing them on the floor of Megumi’s childhood bedroom as he looked around the space. 

“I’m disappointed,” Sukuna announced, a frown on his face as he kept looking around. “Isn’t this your childhood bedroom? Where’s the embarrassing high school pictures and stuffed animals? Or the awards for Maths school competitions?”

Rolling his eyes, Megumi took a seat on the bed and leaned back on his hands to watch Sukuna. Sukuna looked huge in his room, not only because he was impossibly tall but also because he was such an adult, all grown up in this space that Megumi had taken up during his teen years. Megumi felt like he was a teen all over again, fighting to keep the blush out of his face.

“I don’t really have those,” he admitted, trying not to fidget from his discomfort. “I always kept mostly to myself so I never really took pictures with friends or all that stuff you mentioned.”

Sukuna hummed, taking one last look around – leaning in next to Megumi’s old dresser to peer at an old picture of Megumi and his sister – before coming to sit right next to him on the bed. “And you didn’t like stuffed animals?” he teased.

Megumi didn’t know how to answer that. It was complicated. He didn’t know if he liked them because he hadn’t really tried having one. 

“I never wanted any,” he admitted, shifting positions to bring his socked feet up to the bed, drawing his knees to his chest so he could hug them. Making himself smaller. “I thought if I had any then people would think I was a girl.”

Sukuna didn’t say anything for a long moment, and Megumi instinctively shrunk further in on himself.

They’d never really talked about it, about Megumi’s gender identity and his transition. It had been something that had already been there when they’d met, something that Sukuna had simply said “nice” to and never seemed to have any issues with, but they’d never gone any further than that on the subject. 

“I’m sorry.” The words were said quietly but echoed loudly in the space between them, and Megumi turned his head to look at Sukuna in surprise. 

“What–”

“I’m sorry you were made to feel like you couldn’t have certain things so people wouldn’t look at you the wrong way,” Sukuna clarified, lifting one hand to bring it to Megumi’s cheek, thumb gently running over his cheekbone. “Did anyone give you a hard time because of it, growing up?”

Megumi shrugged, nuzzling into Sukuna’s hand. “Kind of. At first, at least. I always knew I was a boy but I only started changing the way I looked between elementary school and middle school. Suddenly I showed up with chopped hair and baggy clothes instead of the long hair and dresses Tsumiki’s mom always made me wear and some people were loud about it.”

Some boys. A lot of girls. Teachers too. Megumi wasn’t allowed to use the boys’ locker room before PE classes but he didn’t feel comfortable using the girls’ locker room either, so he’d just close himself in one of the boys’ bathroom stalls and change there before and after class. Teachers looked at him disapprovingly and tried to get him to just use the girls’ locker room – because even if he was ‘confused’, his body was still that of a girl’s – and when he refused they’d send notes to Toji. Toji ignored them all.

When Toji was finally called to the school to discuss both that and the way Megumi was beating up all the boys at school – but not the girls who bullied him because he was a boy and boys shouldn’t hit girls –, he only waved them off dismissively.

“My son is a boy. Treat him like one.” And that had been that.

He started testosterone in high school and for his 18th he got top surgery with money he’d managed to save over the years from his part time jobs. Tsumiki pitched in a little and Toji pitched in a lot. 

“So you beat up all the bullies, huh?” Sukuna asked, highly amused. “I’m not sure why I’m surprised. You beat my ass yesterday too.”

Megumi snorted, ever grateful for the way Sukuna simply accepted him time and time again, never making a big deal out of things that didn’t need to be a big deal. “Hardly,” he scoffed, laying his head sideways on his knees as he kept looking at Sukuna. His boyfriend. Future father of his child. 

They stayed there for a few minutes, Sukuna’s hand on Megumi’s hair as Megumi’s eyes fluttered close every so often, until Toji called out to them to come downstairs, joined in by Kuro and Shiro’s excited barking.

Well, this was it. No use in delaying the inevitable. Sukuna and Toji would be spending time together and Megumi was going to be a grown up and try not to snap at either of them too often. 

Toji was in the kitchen when they arrived downstairs, laying out two large bowls of water for Kuro and Shiro.

“I hope you kept the bedroom door open,” Toji said, not needing to turn around. “You’re too young to be fooling around under my roof.”

“Stop that,” Megumi snapped, immediately breaking his own promise. He and Sukuna sat at the small dining table, and Megumi watched fondly as Sukuna peered interestedly at the chunks of meat and fresh produce laid out on the counter, ready to be cooked into lunch. 

When Toji joined them, he immediately pretended he didn’t know who Sukuna was. 

“My son tells me you own a construction company,” he said, fingers twitching in the direction of the cigarette pack lying next to his hand. “What else can you tell me about you?”

“I’m 36 years old and was born and raised in Tokyo.” Megumi’s head whipped around to look at Sukuna incredulously. Was he seriously pretending like–? 

“Really? Don’t you think you’re a little too–?”

“Enough,” Megumi interjected, looking between Sukuna and Toji with bewilderment. “Are you really going to sit here and pretend like you don’t know each other?”

The two other men paused, exchanging a long look before looking back at him. “What do you mean, sweetheart?” Sukuna asked, delicately.

Megumi rolled his eyes – both at the fact that he was faking carefulness and at the term of endearment right in front of his dad. “Dad,” he said, turning to Toji, “I know you used to be muscle for hire. I also know you’ve worked for Sukuna before.”

Toji raised an eyebrow at that, grinning despite being taken aback. “Is that so?”

“That is so,” he snapped, narrowing his eyes at him. “I also know you knew the entire time that Sukuna was a fucking yakuza boss but when I asked you about it you pretended like you didn’t know that. Thanks, by the way.”

“You asked your dad about me?” Sukuna asked, surprised.

“Obviously,” he said, sniffling. “I told him I was seeing you and he got me to tell him your name, and it was obvious he’d heard of you before but he only gave me the ‘Ryomen Sukuna is a very well known businessman’, bla bla bla bla bla spiel. When I specifically asked if you were dangerous he lied to my face.”

“Well, are you saying Ryomen here is putting you in danger?” Toji asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at Sukuna with a challenge poised on his face. “Because we can take care of that right now.”

“Stop that,” Megumi hissed, not giving Sukuna a chance to talk. 

Sukuna and Toji stared each other down regardless, neither of them saying a word as Megumi looked exasperatedly between them. Frustrated, he got up from his seat and picked up the leashes Toji kept hanging next to the back door. 

“I’m going to walk the dogs,” he announced, already busy setting Kuro and Shiro’s leashes as the dogs circled him excitedly. “One of you feel free to come with me – or not, if you’d rather keep up your dick measuring contest.”

He left through the back door without a backwards glance, not bothering to wait for a response.

Less than three minutes later, as he walked towards where his usual trail started, he heard steps fall into place beside him.

“I left the kid in charge of lunch,” Toji announced, voice gruff as if he was actually feeling chastised by Megumi’s outburst. “Hope he doesn’t fuck it up. Does he even know how to cook? He told me he could.”

“He does,” Megumi confirmed, handing one of the leashes over to Toji. “He does most of the cooking between us.”

Toji hummed, thinking it over as he easily matched his pace. “Do you spend that much time together for him to do that?”

“We live together,” he told him.

When it came to Toji, he found it was easier to admit certain things. He cared far more about Tsumiki’s opinion on something than he did about Toji’s and, to a certain degree, he liked seeing how far he could push before Toji snapped. In this case, however, he wasn’t interested in seeing Toji snap; he just wanted him to accept Sukuna and move on, since Megumi had no intention of not seeing Sukuna anymore. 

“How long has it been since you’ve been seeing each other?” Toji asked, mirroring Tsumiki’s words from just a few days earlier.

“Almost three months,” Megumi said, tensing slightly. 

“I see.” Toji fell silent after that, neither pushing nor pulling him in any direction, both of them all too happy to keep walking and walking and walking. Finally, after a blissful few minutes of silence, “Aren’t you scared?”

“Scared?” he echoed, turning his head to look at him. “Of what? Sukuna?”

“I’d hope not,” Toji grumbled out, running a hand through his hair. The gesture reminded him of Sukuna, which– Megumi immediately put that thought away. “But I mean, of what he is. You could easily be targeted because of him.”

And yet Megumi had been targeted because of him, instead. Still, he and Sukuna had a deal and he wouldn’t tell Toji about it, even if some part of him wanted to. The other part wanted to bury it in the past and forget it ever happened.

“We’ve talked about it,” he admitted, conceding a little. “It’s a possibility, and we’re taking steps to prevent it. Or at least to… make it better, if it happens.”

“What steps?”

“Well, I have Sukuna’s men keeping an eye on me all the time,” he explained. “At work, if I go to meet my friends, if I go to get coffee somewhere… there’s always someone with me.”

“Smart,” Toji commented, “but not enough. What else?”

“Sukuna’s also teaching me how to fight.”

“How to fight, huh?” Toji mused, rubbing his chin with his hand. “One on one?”

“One on one,” Megumi confirmed, stretching his legs when they stopped at a viewpoint along the way, looking down at the expanse of the forest beneath them and the tiny houses along the way. One of them was Toji’s. He could almost identify it if he squinted enough. “I’m getting better at it.”

“And what about weapons training?” Toji asked, sitting down on a rock and pulling out a bag of treats from his pocket, holding them up for the dogs to take. “Like knives, for instance? Or a gun?”

“We haven’t gotten that far.” He wasn’t sure if that was even in Sukuna’s plans. He’d probably think it was too dangerous. “I don’t think Sukuna wants me to go that far,” he admitted. “He hates the idea of me being in danger so much that he just tries to protect me and shelter me as much as he can.”

He had no idea why he was telling Toji this, but the truth was, he was the only person he could tell this to. Everyone else was out of the question. Uraume was far too loyal to Sukuna and would definitely feed him everything Megumi told them, and his friends, well. They couldn’t know. Yuuji could, but their friendship was still in far too tentative terms for him to tell him anything related to that topic. 

“I figured it would be something like that,” Toji said, petting Kuro and Shiro’s heads as he held more treats just out of their reach. Teasing them. At Megumi’s questioning look, “He seemed very protective of you,” he explained. “Not that that’s a bad thing, but I’d rather think my son could protect himself if it came to that.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying,” he said, trying and failing to bite down the frustration in his voice. 

“Well, then it’s a good thing you’re here, don’t you think?” Toji asked, giving him that dangerous grin Megumi never got to see very often anymore. Not since Toji had retired from his illicit activities. 

“What do you mean?”

“Good ol’ dad can teach you, after all.”

☾

They went out to a nearby field after lunch. 

Hiro and Tsumiki arrived just as Megumi and Toji returned with the dogs, and the kitchen was already permeated with the most mouthwatering scent Megumi had ever smelled. 

Toji’s neighbor had given him two whole chickens and a large cut of ribeye from one of their cows, so Sukuna had expertly roasted one of the chickens for lunch, leaving it juicy and succulent, and paired it with fragrant rice and stir fried vegetables.

Conversation flowed very differently with Tsumiki and her boyfriend there. There was no talk of organized crime nor any instances of Sukuna and Toji sizing each other up, and Toji even begrudgingly admitted that the food was ‘okay’, reluctantly impressed with Sukuna’s cooking skills.

“It’s not just okay,” Tsumiki said, eyes wide open in amazement, “this is delicious! Megumi, you didn’t tell me Sukuna was such a good cook.”

“It’s how I won him over,” Sukuna joked, but they were both well aware that that hadn’t been it. He’d won him over long before Sukuna went to his house and cooked dinner for him. If Megumi were being honest, Sukuna had won him over the very first time they’d met. 

Toji was as polite as he could be towards Hiro, clearly aware of the way Tsumiki eyed him like an eagle every time he so much as directed one word towards him, and Hiro, for his part, was doing a very good job at tamping down his nervousness at being around two men like Sukuna and Toji. It couldn’t be easy, Megumi mused.

Megumi and Tsumiki put the dishes away after lunch, content to catch up on their own as the men all went off to do whatever – Hiro went up to Tsumiki’s room, Toji went outside to smoke and Sukuna was playing with the dogs in the living room – and, once they were done, Megumi went outside to meet his dad.

“Sukuna’s gonna work a little in my room while Tsumiki and Hiro watch a movie and stay with the dogs,” he told him.

Sukuna had been the one to say he needed to go and get some work done in the first place, looking mildly apologetic, and Megumi had held in a sigh of relief since he wasn’t sure how to get away with something like ‘my dad is gonna teach me how to fire a gun’ without raising alarm bells in Sukuna’s head.

They went to a nearby field. Far enough away from most houses that no one would hear the shots being fired, but close enough that they didn’t need to overexert themselves and go up to the mountains again. 

Just like Megumi had seen in more than enough movies, Toji propped up an array of empty cans – trash from drunk teenagers in town who never bothered to pick up after themselves when they snuck out to get drunk without being seen – on top of a fence. 

“Now,” Toji started, hands on his hips as he looked at Megumi with a serious look on his face, “let’s start with the stance.”

No holding the gun with just one hand, no putting one heel even slightly behind the other. Toji showed him how to get into a fighter’s stance, similar to the one he and Sukuna practiced so many times over the past weeks, with a strong base and ensuring he had enough balance to fire the gun.

Next, the grip.

“You want to hold it high,” Toji explained. Confused, Megumi simply pointed the gun upwards. “No, I mean– like this–”

He readjusted Megumi’s hands, bringing the web of his hands all the way up to the rear edge of the backstrap.

“Then you need to be firm. Firm stance, hard grip. Do you know how the gun safety works?”

He didn’t. Toji showed him how to tell if the safety was on, showed him how to see how many bullets he had left in the magazine, explained to him what a magazine actually was and how it worked, and then it was time to actually shoot at one of the cans. 

“What should I do?” Megumi asked, somewhat helplessly, aimlessly pointing the gun in the direction of a can. “Do I squint and focus with just one eye? Do I just look head on and hope for the best?”

“Fix your stance first.”

Megumi’s first shot was awful. He wasn’t prepared for the recoil and nearly dropped it, only to glare when he realized Toji had the gall to be laughing at him.

“You didn’t prepare me for this!”

“There isn’t enough preparation in the world to shoot a gun, kid,” Toji told him, shoulders still laughing with laughter. “This is something you’ll learn just by doing a lot of it.”

So that’s what they did. 

They stayed in the field for close to three hours. Megumi’s arms ached from holding the gun up at a high angle for so long, and he lost count of how many times he got it right or wrong. He was starting to get hungry and sleepy, and Sukuna would likely come looking for him if he didn’t come back soon. Probably. And he didn’t think he wanted him to find him learning how to fire a gun, even if he was being taught by his own dad. 

“Already tired?” Toji teased, glancing at Megumi’s grumpy frown. “Missing your little boyfriend too much?”

“Shut up,” Megumi grumbled, glaring at him half heartedly. “My arms hurt,” he sulked.

“It’s enough for today,” Toji agreed, taking the gun back from Megumi. “We should start to head back. Let me just smoke first.”

Megumi waited as Toji smoked, looking out at the field as he mentally recapped what he’d learned that day. He was more or less confident that he’d be able to shoot someone if it came down to it, with more or less good aim, but the difficult part would be actually getting a gun for himself. Surely Sukuna must have one lying around somewhere?

“You know, it’s not too late to dump him yet,” Toji abruptly said, staring off into the distance as he let out a puff of smoke. “Live a more carefree life.”

Surprisingly, Megumi didn’t even take him seriously enough to get upset. Toji was just talking out of his ass as always. 

“I don’t want to,” he said, truthfully. 

“Suit yourself,” Toji said, taking another drag of his cigarette. “Don’t come crying to me when something happens down the line and you figure out your perfect little boyfriend isn’t so nice after all, though.”

“What makes you think that hasn’t happened yet?” Megumi asked, leaning his weight against the fence they’d been using for practice. “And I’m still here.”

Toji hummed, finally turning his head to look at him. “You’re still here,” he echoed, thoughtfully. “You like him that much? Or are you just that fucked up?”

Megumi shrugged, lips curving into a small smirk. “Probably both.”

Chuckling, Toji threw the butt of his cigarette to the ground, stomping it with his boot. “Yeah, I’m not surprised.” 

They started to walk back towards the house together. Megumi felt like this was probably the right time to tell Toji he was going to be a grandpa, but he didn’t really know how to begin. Should he just blurt it out? Try to be casual about it? Immediately jump into self defensive mode? No, that would be stupid.

Instead, he settled for saying, “You should probably get used to Sukuna being around.” When Toji gave him a look, one that clearly said ‘oh really? And why is that?’, he finally let the cat out of the bag. “I’m pregnant.”

Toji paused in his steps, standing frozen in place as he looked at Megumi with a hard expression. “What did you just say?”

Megumi looked back at him, finding it was much harder to say the words the second time around. “I’m pregnant,” he repeated, trying to keep his voice even and confident.

“That fucking bastard,” Toji said, and then he was marching quickly towards the house, ignoring Megumi’s startled shouts and hurried steps behind him. Like this, Toji was a force of nature, like a big barrel tumbling on the ground and running over everything and everyone in its way.

Megumi ran after him, trying to catch up to him and stop him in his tracks, but before he could Sukuna was already walking down the dirt path leading to them, clearly having thought to look for them after being done with his work.

“What’s wron–” he started to ask, but before he could Toji was already marching up to him. Before Sukuna could tell what was coming to him, Toji was already swinging his fist and punching Sukuna in the face, nearly sending him flying to the floor with the brunt force of it.

“Who the fuck gave you the right to get my son pregnant?”

☾

Megumi lifted the cotton wad soaked in antiseptic and pressed it to Sukuna’s face, ignoring his hiss of pain.

“Megumi,” Sukuna started to scold, but Megumi only pressed harder.

“Who told you to go and fight my dad?” Megumi hissed, pulling on his hair with his free hand. “You did this to yourself.”

“He started it,” Sukuna grumbled, but he stayed quiet the rest of the time.

Toji had thrown the first punch, and Sukuna hadn’t been one to simply sit there and take it so he’d thrown the second. The second had led to the third, and then the fourth, and then there had been guns being drawn so Megumi had finally stepped in – literally in the middle of them – and they’d both hung their heads in shame as he yelled at them.

All in all, not a fun time. 

They’d both trailed after Megumi all the way back home, not saying a word either to him or to each other, and when they’d stepped through the back door they’d both tried to slink away to go lick their wounds but Megumi had simply forced them to sit at the dining table and talk like adults, much to the amusement of Tsumiki, whose movie had long finished and was all too happy to watch.

“So you told him you were pregnant,” she surmised, looking at the state of the two idiots. Cut lips, bruises on their faces and swollen eyes. The portrait of two clowns, Megumi liked to call it. “Did you seriously not think this would happen?”

He hadn’t. He should have known better.

Sukuna and Toji’s first attempt at conversation quickly escalated into another argument, with both men resting their hands on their concealed guns as a silent threat – Tsumiki definitely noticed, but wisely kept her mouth shut –, so Megumi had to intervene again. Their second attempt went much better.

“You will take responsibility for this idiocy,” Toji said, eyeing Sukuna with a death glare.

“I don’t need you to say that to me to know what I have to do. I was already going to do it and not out of some sense of obligation like you obviously seem to think I do,” Sukuna said, voice deep and calm but lethal all the same. “Obviously, I want this baby.”

“So you caused this,” Toji quickly assumed. “You wanted to tie Megumi to you so you got him pregnant.”

Both Megumi and Sukuna paused. They’d never discussed how it’d happened. Sukuna had never asked and Megumi had never brought it up either. 

“It was an accident,” Megumi lied, crossing his arms over his chest. “Does it really matter? Just focus on being a decent grandpa or I won’t let you see the kid.”

That did the trick for Toji. Unfortunately, this seemed to make Sukuna think he was off the hook.

“And you,” he started turning to face him fully, “get your shit together and grow up before the baby comes. You can’t go around getting into fights with my dad over stupid shit.”

And then the conversation had been over just like that, Tsumiki laughing her ass off as she went back to rejoin Hiro while Toji went up to his bedroom to clean himself up. Megumi went up to his bedroom and Sukuna silently trailed after him, sitting tersely on the bed as he watched Megumi return from the bathroom with a first aid kit.

“You know, you never did ask me about it,” Megumi said, not quite knowing why he was forcing this topic. Was he trying to cause another fight? He didn’t know. 

“About what?”

“How it happened. How I got pregnant even though I was on birth control.”

He kept cleaning Sukuna’s face the entire time, dabbing at his cuts and wounds with a tiny cotton pad, soaking it in antiseptic every time it dried out. 

“I trust you,” Sukuna said, but there was an edge to his voice that Megumi could easily recognize after having spent so much time with him over the past three months. 

“Do you wish I hadn’t gotten pregnant?” he asked, quietly. 

He wasn’t looking at Sukuna, not anymore, eyes focused somewhere on his cheek and all but avoiding his eyes. Sukuna gently stopped his dabbing motions with a hand on his wrist and maneuvered him into sitting on his lap, tilting his head with his hand to make him look at him.

“Now why would you think something like that?” Sukuna asked, not unkindly.

“We never– we didn’t talk about it,” Megumi explained, just as quietly as before. “You bought me birth control and a shit ton of plan B before that and then I was just– pregnant and we didn’t even discuss it. We started to talk about it but then we got… derailed,” he said, reminding him of the one conversation they’d had about it, back when Megumi ended up confronting him about Yorozu. “It’s one thing for you to take responsibility and be excited about my pregnancy after the fact, but… this wasn’t exactly what you wanted, was it?”

Sukuna chuckled, lifting one of Megumi’s hands to his face, turning it so he could kiss his palm. “I worry what you’ll think if I say that I did actually want it, more than I should have.”

Megumi’s breath hitched in his throat, taken by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“It was all I could think about,” Sukuna admitted, nuzzling into his still open palm, “you pregnant, carrying my child, us starting a family. It was way too soon but damn if I didn’t want it.”

“I wanted it too,” he blurted out, looking down at Sukuna with wide eyes. “I– Sukuna, I never took those pills.”

A pause. Sukuna slowly moved his palm back down so it wasn’t hanging between their faces anymore, looking at Megumi with a look of amazement. “They weren’t real.”

“What?” he asked, taken aback.

“They weren’t real. They didn’t do anything, they were just a placebo.”

Megumi was too stunned to speak. All he could was stare at Sukuna and blink rapidly, letting his works sink in. So they’d both– “You’re fucking crazy.”

“Look who’s talking.”

They were kissing before they even had time to think about it, Megumi shifting in Sukuna’s lap so he could straddle him instead, pushing at his chest to make him fall back on the bed. 

He’d never had sex in his childhood bedroom, but the idea was sounding more and more appealing by the minute. There was something about the sight of blood on Sukuna’s face that was highly appealing to him, no doubt his mind assimilating nothing but the fact that Sukuna was a tough guy who could fight and protect him, appealing to all his primal instincts.

Heat was quickly rushing down to his core, and Megumi was one second away from starting to rub his hips against Sukuna’s when suddenly Toji’s voice boomed from behind his bedroom door, startling them out of their makeout.

“Time to get dinner started, big guy,” Toji called out, no doubt directed at Sukuna. “Stop whatever the fuck it is you’re doing to my son and come downstairs.”

Sukuna reluctantly parted from Megumi, patting his butt gently before making him leave his lap. “You want us to get along, don’t you?” he asked once he saw Megumi’s betrayed look.

The one good thing about it was that dinner was actually really good.

Sukuna took the second chicken from Toji’s neighbor and turned it into homemade fried chicken, cutting it into various strips, homemade nuggets and fried chicken wings. Tsumiki cut up several potatoes into thin strips and fried them, and Toji took care of the shrimp gratin, mixing butter rice with shrimp, béchamel sauce and then a layer of cheese on top before putting it in the oven. There was also cake, courtesy of the local bakery in town that Tsumiki and Hiro had gone to in the morning.  

Megumi would have secretly preferred the actual KFC Christmas special, but now Toji was on Sukuna’s side, telling him that homemade food was healthier and he needed to watch what he ate, and Megumi was stuck rolling his eyes as he listened to the two men bicker over who knew what was best for him. 

Once all the food was ready, they all ate in the living room, sitting on the plush carpet Tsumiki had offered Toji a few years ago as they all sat under the kotatsu, legs and feet toasty warm as they indulged in the food and watched Christmas TV.

“This is nice,” Tsumiki said, once most of the food was gone, having already set her chopsticks aside. “Megumi, aren’t you glad I insisted we all spend the holidays together?”

Megumi grumbled under his breath, letting out a small noise of assent, but he still snuggled closer to Sukuna, practically leaning all his weight against his side as he finished eating his extra large slice of cake. 

It was nice. Much nicer than it had ever been before, actually. So nice he could actually imagine a little girl or a little boy fitting in there and being doted on by his entire family. 

Pregnancy made him sick.

The rest of the night was spent right there, under the kotatsu as they watched bad Christmas movies, and Megumi was the first to fall asleep sitting up.

“Baby,” Sukuna murmured in his ear, rubbing his back in an attempt to wake him up, “wake up. Let’s go to bed, come on.”

Megumi whined, burying his face against Sukuna’s arm, and Sukuna chuckled, letting him. Completely whipped. “5 more minutes,” Megumi mumbled, nuzzling into his arm. “I want to see how it ends.”

He had no idea what he was talking about, naturally. He didn’t even know what movie was playing anymore. Judging by the chuckles around him, everyone else knew as well as he did that he hadn’t been paying attention for a long time.

“Come on, baby,” Sukuna tried again, and he went.

Tsumiki and Hiro went upstairs too, leaving Toji downstairs to nurse his beer and watch TV in peace and quiet, flanked on each side by Megumi’s dogs. Sukuna helped Megumi walk upstairs, keeping him from falling back asleep, and then he looked at him disapprovingly when Megumi threw himself on the bed without changing into his pajamas.

“Megumi,” Sukuna called out, stern voice in place in an effort to get him on board with what he wanted, “you’re not sleeping in your outside clothes.”

“But daddy, I’m so tired,” he whined, voice muffled against the duvet.

Still, he went. He changed into his pajamas reluctantly, shivering the whole time as he felt the temperature difference more acutely now that he wasn’t sheltered under the kotatsu, and he even let Sukuna drag him into the bathroom so they could floss and brush their teeth side by side. 

Their toothbrushes matched. They were electrical and Megumi had bought them on a whim when he’d seen a Christmas sale. His was black with a green accent and Sukuna’s was black with a red accent. It was one of the corniest things he’d ever done.

Predictably, by the time they climbed into bed together and snuggled under the covers, after Sukuna turned off the small light from the bedside lamp and plunged the room into darkness, Megumi was wide awake. 

“I knew this would happen,” he whispered, kicking Sukuna’s shin in aggravation. “If you’d let me sleep on my outside clothes I’d be dead to the world right now.”

“We both know that’s not true, sweetheart,” Sukuna whispered right back, stroking over Megumi’s hair soothingly. 

Megumi snuggled closer, fully tangling his legs with Sukuna’s under the covers, and he buried his face in his neck. Sukuna no doubt thought that would be the last of it, going by the way he relaxed almost immediately, only to be startled into attention again when Megumi started kissing down his neck.

“What are you doing?” Sukuna asked, tilting his head to give Megumi better access.

“Continuing what we started earlier,” Megumi whispered, trying really hard to keep his voice down. He knew first hand how thin the walls could be, even if he’d never had to worry about something like that before. “It’s Christmas eve, it’s the most romantic night of the year.”

“Megs, your sister and her boyfriend are right next door,” Sukuna lamented, even as his hands started to roam Megumi’s body, slipping under the hem of his warm pajama top. “Your dad is downstairs.”

Sukuna was still far too concerned, so Megumi kissed him to shut him up, pressing his lips firmly against his. “You’ll just need to make sure I’m quiet as a mouse,” he whispered, slanting his lips over his again. 

It wasn’t easy.

They kissed more desperately then, tongues sliding together as they tried not to moan out loud, hips flush together as they rubbed desperately against each other. Sukuna turned him around eventually, warm chest flush against his back through their pajama tops as he fumbled with their bottoms to kick them off towards the foot of the bed. 

“You’re already so wet,” Sukuna whispered, his breath warm against Megumi’s ear as his hand dipped low to brush against Megumi’s folds. Megumi’s breath hitched in his throat when Sukuna breached him with one finger, and Sukuna was quick to use his free hand to place it over Megumi’s mouth, trying to make sure he stayed quiet. “Remember you need to keep it down, baby.”

Megumi couldn’t keep it down, especially not when Sukuna finally lined himself up and slid into him in one smooth thrust, burying himself in his tight walls. Sukuna kept his hand over Megumi’s mouth the entire time, burying his own face against the crook of Megumi’s neck in an effort to stifle his own sounds. 

They were still loud. The bed rattled and groaned under their combined weight, the headboard hitting the wall every time Sukuna thrust into Megumi. They both hoped against hope that Tsumiki and Hiro were already fast asleep and wouldn’t hear, and that Toji wouldn’t notice a thing from where he was. 

Sukuna bit Megumi’s shoulder when he came, trying his hardest to muffle his sounds of pleasure, and Megumi cried out against Sukuna’s palm when it was his turn, knowing if anyone was awake they would have likely heard. There was no going around it.

When they were done, they laughed and laughed, trying to be as quiet as possible, as all the while Megumi’s cheeks burned at the thought that they’d really gone and had sex in his childhood bedroom while his entire family slept nearby, all because he couldn’t keep himself in check. Not like Sukuna had rejected him either.

“You realize my dad is never gonna like you after this, right?” Megumi whispered, smiling wickedly up at Sukuna. “You really fucked up with this one.”

“You mean you fucked up,” Sukuna whispered, biting his ear in retaliation. 

“My dad wouldn’t believe you.” He was facing Sukuna again, feeling like a kid in middle school again whispering in the middle of the night to Tsumiki so they wouldn’t get caught awake. “And you wouldn’t throw me under the bus like that, anyway.”

Sukuna merely grunted against him, and Megumi knew he had won. Especially so when Sukuna was the one to slide out of bed so he could get them a warm towel from the bathroom to clean them up, feet padding softly across the floor in an effort to not wake anyone up.

☾

The next morning, Megumi found he was unable to look anyone in the eyes. 

Sukuna sat smugly next to him at the dining table, giving him a look that screamed ‘see what you did?’, and all the while Tsumiki kept throwing him knowing looks while Hiro simply looked deeply uncomfortable. Megumi didn’t know how to feel about the fact that he’d likely traumatized his future brother-in-law forever. 

Toji, on the other hand, had been far louder about it, though not any more direct than Tsumiki or Hiro. Instead, he’d limited himself to making innuendos about it, saying that the house was probably haunted and he’d need to get the psychic from down the street to check it out before they all left to make sure that whatever evil spirit had caused a ruckus the previous night didn’t latch itself on to one of them and followed them all the way back to their respective cities.

If Megumi could dig a hole and bury himself in it, he gladly would.

For their last day in Karuizawa, Megumi took Sukuna to see the lake. The dogs went too, all too happy to get more exercise in, and they walked and walked and walked all the way until they reached the lake, glistening under the atypically strong winter sun.

“You sent me a picture of this once,” Sukuna said, squeezing his knee as they sat cross legged next to each other, watching Kuro and Shiro chase each other around the lake. It was far too cold at that point for either of them to try and swim in the lake, thankfully, but Megumi still kept a close eye on them, ready to bring out blankets and towels if needed.

“I did.” Megumi remembered. It was right at the very beginning, when they’d been seeing each other for maybe less than two weeks? He couldn’t remember that well anymore. “It wasn’t as pretty that day, though.”

That day, he remembered, he’d gone home and had ‘the talk’ with Sukuna, the one about exclusivity. And now they were here, together and with a baby on the way. 

They were a little bit crazy.

Toji cooked lunch that day, pairing the rib eye steak he’d been gifted with roasted vegetables, rice and a salty cucumber salad especially for Megumi, who was having one of his cravings. Tsumiki and Hiro insisted they should all go to the local Christmas market after lunch, so Toji stayed behind with the dogs, not wanting to be around so many people. 

Dinner was takeout from the Christmas market, an assortment of street food with ramen to go from one of Megumi and Tsumiki’s favorite restaurants, and afterwards Megumi and Sukuna still went to walk Kuro and Shiro. Megumi snuggled close to Sukuna’s side, shivering from the cold and feeling infinitely more confident with him as a second pair of eyes. The streets around Toji’s house were barely illuminated.

That night, Megumi kept his hands to himself, batting Sukuna’s hands away when he teasingly tried to get in a repeat from the previous night. 

“But last night was so good,” Sukuna whispered, making Megumi glare as he picked up on the way his shoulders were shaking in an effort not to laugh in his face.

“You’re terrible,” he hissed, slapping an errant hand away again, “I do not want a repeat of this morning!”

All in all, by the time they all gathered around Toji’s driveway the next morning, luggages packed and stomachs full from breakfast, Megumi was actually a little sad to be going back. He’d enjoyed himself, despite everything. Toji had even surprised him that morning by going into his bedroom while Sukuna finished showering and Megumi was in the middle of packing to give him his very own handgun.

“It’s fully loaded but I got you some extra ammo here too,” he said, patting the small case he was handing him. “Just in case you ever need it.”

To Megumi’s mortification, he found himself holding back tears. Again. “Thank you, dad,” and he actually meant it. “For teaching me, too,” he added.

Sukuna was none the wiser. He didn’t need to know everything.

There were hugs and kisses – mostly between Tsumiki and Megumi – and then awkward handshakes between all four men, and the most enthusiastic goodbye ended up being between Toji and the dogs, who would surely miss the one person who sneaked them more treats in a day than Megumi usually gave them in a week. 

“I’m glad you insisted we spend the holidays together,” he murmured when Tsumiki dragged him into a tight hug, hugging back as best as he could.

“I know,” she whispered right back, squeezing him tightly before letting go. They right themselves and Tsumiki made her way to the rental, where Hiro was already waiting behind the wheel. “Keep me up to date with the baby!” Tsumiki shouted, already with one foot into the passenger seat of their rental. “See you soon!”

“Yeah, what she said,” Toji said gruffly, an unlit cigarette already hanging between his fingers. “I wanna know if everything’s okay and all that.”

“Sure,” Megumi said, giving him a small smile. “See you soon, dad.”

Toji drew him into an awkward half hug and Megumi patted his back in return, and then he was also climbing into the passenger seat of Sukuna’s SUV, watching with amusement as Kuro and Shiro stuck their heads out the window to pant excitedly at Toji and say goodbye.

When they were already on the highway, a good fifteen minutes away from Karuizawa, Sukuna finally spoke again. “See, you had nothing to worry about in the end.”

Chapter Text

New Year’s came and went. 

Megumi was invited by his friends – Yuuji not included, who was actually working all the way through New Year’s Eve – to celebrate at what Nobara called a small home party that he knew very well would be much bigger and louder than, but he was quick to decline.

The first trimester of his pregnancy, which all of his friends were still unaware of and would continue to be so until he entered his second trimester at least, was kicking his ass. Besides, Megumi would be working up until 10pm on New Year’s Eve, so all he wanted to do was go home, have dinner with Sukuna and maybe, if all went right, be railed into the mattress as the clock struck twelve.

His imagination wasn’t far off; Sukuna picked him up from the hospital on New Year’s Eve as soon as his shift was done and drove them home, where homemade toshikoshi soba noodles were already waiting for them, along with some still-hot grilled fish, traditional New Year’s rice porridge and kagami mochi with dai dai for dessert.

“I think it’s too late to eat dai dai,” Megumi told him when they finally reached dessert, smirking when Sukuna gave him a surprised – yet still amused – look. 

“You never know,” Sukuna said, peeling the bitter orange and taking out the little white bits for Megumi, “maybe I’m already thinking about a second one.”

Megumi’s face scrunched up in distaste, grimacing at the thought of getting pregnant right after pushing one baby out of his vagina – something he had yet to process and fully acknowledge would happen to him in a few months. No thanks. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned him.

They ate dinner in front of the TV, watching New Year’s sitcom reruns and sitting around the rectangular center table as their legs touched underneath it and the dogs cuddled up to their sides. Afterwards, they rinsed the dishes under warm water and placed them in the dishwasher, exchanging lazy kisses all the while. When Sukuna reached for Megumi with his hands full of soapy water he couldn’t even find it in himself to mind; he was too happy.

When the clock struck twelve, Megumi only knew because of the sound of fireworks going off in the distance and distant cheers. He wouldn’t really know otherwise because he was basically bent in half on the bed, lying on his back, as Sukuna pushed into him again and again, relentlessly dragging his pierced cock through his walls as he fucked into him with abandon. 

“Happy new year,” he whispered, afterwards, smiling all dopey as Sukuna pulled out of him and let his legs fall back to the bed, feeling like his entire body was made of jelly.

“Happy new year,” Sukuna whispered, bending down to give him a kiss, then two and then three, before finally pulling back altogether and sitting up. “I take it a shower is out of the question right now?”

“There is absolutely no way you can drag me out of this bed,” Megumi confirmed, so Sukuna went to get a towel to clean him up instead.  

The first day of the year was spent lazing around. Megumi was off work as was the majority of the staff, so he and Sukuna drove to the nearest beach with the dogs and took a long walk by the shore with them, bundled up in thick winter coats and scarves as they watched Kuro and Shiro closely to make sure they didn’t run off. 

For many people, the beginning of the year was always a time of motivation. ‘New year, new me’ or so it usually went, but for Megumi it wasn’t quite like that. Megumi always found he was far too lazy in the beginning of the year, still recovering from the languidness of the holiday season.

Sukuna, on the other hand, was busier than ever. 

Business – his actual construction company, the one that did several jobs a year and was quite well known – was booming, all their clients eager to resume business and get things done as fast as possible, and even in his other line of work he was also busier than before, leaving him more often with one or two of his men, having to ‘handle some things’ with Uraume. 

“You’ll know soon enough,” he would tell him every time Megumi asked, faltering only slightly in the face of Megumi’s pout but quickly putting up his even expression back on. “Things will ease up soon.”

If Sukuna said so, who was Megumi to question him? 

It wasn’t as though he was any less busy too, despite his lazy mood; emergency consults and surgeries were ramping up, a result of pets eating things they shouldn’t have during the holidays or even in the aftermath of them. In addition, there were also several neuterings and spayings happening, and an influx of new patients – lots of people adopted new pets over the holidays, after all. 

With so much happening all the time, everywhere, it was only natural that something was bound to slip. 

It happened some two weeks into the new year. Megumi was back to working the night shift, having started back in it only three days earlier. One of Sukuna’s men had driven him to the hospital and he’d joined two others in doing its usual security perimeter while Uraume and Sukuna would supposedly have a busy night. Still, Sukuna had told him he’d pick him up once his shift was over so they could have breakfast before going to bed.

“If everything goes well, I’ll even have a surprise for you,” he’d told him, softly, before kissing him goodbye and ushering him into the car.

Megumi’s night was going slowly. The rush of the holidays was finally settling down and he was just done eating a homemade chicken sandwich in the staff lounge when one of the assistants knocked on the door and called him over to an emergency appointment. 

“Sorry, we can’t find Dr. Yamamoto anywhere,” she said, looking apologetic as she eyed the clock on the wall above the fridge. Megumi had started his break less than ten minutes ago.

“It’s okay,” he said, easily getting up from where he’d been lounging on the couch to go wash his hands. “This way I’ll easily keep awake.”

Dr. Yamamoto was more geared towards regular appointments while Megumi was usually called into surgery; still, he was all too happy to take on regular appointments as well, happy to keep busy instead of falling asleep on a corner somewhere. 

Megumi stepped into the examination room and smiled at the man who was already there, standing next to a cat carrier. He couldn’t really see the cat inside, since the carrier was covered by a thick blanket that fell over all sides, but that was pretty normal; it was a good technique for calming down antsy cats.

“Hi, good night,” he greeted, checking the patient record quickly on his computer. It was a new patient, who had never gone there before. Fujiwara Aoto, coming in with a male cat named Mochi. Typical. “Fujiwara-san, correct?” The man nodded in response, a large smile curved in his direction. It was creeping Megumi out a little bit. “And Mochi?”

“Correct,” the man said, grinning even wider. He looked weird; his face and neck had tattoos mimicking stitches, looking almost as though he’d been stitched together. His hair was long and dyed a grayish-blue color. Still, despite the odd tattoos littered around his body, the most disconcerting thing about him was definitely his smile. He smiled at him like he wanted to eat Megumi up, and Megumi didn’t like it one bit.

“What brings you and Mochi here today?” he asked, already pulling on a new pair of gloves and adjusting his mask over his face as he stepped closer to them.

The blanket was still covering the carrier, and no sound was coming from it, which was odd. If the blanket was there for an antsy cat, then most antsy cats would have already made a sound by then, sensing a stranger or a new location despite their covered sight. 

Still, there was absolutely nothing coming from Mochi, and the man – Fujiwara – was staring at Megumi far too intensely. A sense of unease quickly crept up his spine, but Megumi told himself he was being stupid. 

“Mochi’s been throwing up since this afternoon,” the man said, smoothly, keeping a grin on his face the entire time. Creeped out, Megumi went to stand on the other side of the examination table, keeping a healthy distance between himself and Fujiwara. “I didn’t see him eat anything out of the ordinary, so I’m worried it’s something serious.”

Nodding, Megumi looked back down towards the still covered carrier. “We’ll take a look, of course. Would you mind removing the blanket? Might be best if you’re the one to do it so as to not scare him.”

“Of course.”

The man reached his hand under the blanket, lifting only the edge closest to him and away from Megumi’s sight, before a click sounded as he opened the carrier door and–

With a gasp, Megumi saw as the man held up a gun, pointed straight at his face.

“What the f–”

“Ah ah ah, don’t be naughty,” the man said, giggling maniacally as he circled the examination table to get closer to him. “Now, Fushiguro-kun, let’s get to the real reason I’m here, hmmm?”

Megumi felt himself tense up as the man came closer and closer, keeping his gaze firmly set on the gun pointed at him. He’d left his gun back in his backpack in his locker, not really able to carry it around inconspicuously in his scrubs and coat, believing he’d be safe and sound at the hospital. 

He’d been so stupid. 

His eyes darted quickly towards the closed door as he tried to think of what to do, but the man quickly caught on to his intention. Laughing in his face, “No use in trying to run from me, Fushiguro-kun! The moment you step out of that door without me, the rest of my colleagues are ready to start shooting up the place,” he told him, laughing happily at Megumi’s look of horror. “I have to say though, it was really nice of Ryomen-san to assign some of his men to watch over you. Too bad they can’t be everywhere, right?"

“What do you want?” Megumi asked, throat impossibly dry as his thoughts flew all over in his brain. If every single one of this man’s ‘colleagues’ was disguised as a patient or even one of the staff then it was very possibly Sukuna’s men wouldn’t even be aware of anything until they striked, which meant– 

Which meant Sukuna had no idea Megumi was trapped with some weirdo. The only way Sukuna would know would be if he made a run for it, but then he’d be putting patients and staff alike in danger, and that simply wouldn’t do. 

“I think you know what I want,” the man, clearly amused. “You were able to run away last time, but this time we’re going to sit,” he said, free hand shooting out so fast Megumi didn’t even see it coming, gripping his hair hard as he forced him to walk over to one of the chairs in front of his desk, “and we’re going to talk about Fushiguro Toji. After that, well. After that, I’m going to kill you.”

Frustrated, Megumi tried to sit more comfortably as the man kept a tight grip on his hair, forcing him to look at him sideways as he amused himself with swinging his gun wildly in front of his face. The safety was clearly off. “What about Toji? I told you already, I can call him–”

“No calls,” the man singsonged, waving his gun. “We just want to know where he is, that’s all.”

“What for?” he gritted out, narrowing his eyes. 

Blinking, the man’s grip on his hair eased up for just a bit, before he laughed so hard he nearly ripped his hair off his scalp. “What for? Well, obviously so we can let him know you died. Duh!”

What the fuck. What the fuck! 

Megumi was panicking. There was no way out he could think of, not unless he wanted to take down innocent people along the way. The only option was–

“In that case, before you kill me,” he said, quickly running through his makeshift plan in his mind, trying to lean his head as far back as he could as he tried with all his might to keep his racing heart inside his chest, “at least tell me who you’re working for.”

The man gave him a look, curious and searching. “You really don’t know?”

“No,” he lied, relishing in the way the man finally let go of his hair, leaning back on his own chair as propped his chin thoughtfully on the gun. “I’d like to know at least that before I die.”

“Hmmmmmmm.” Unlike the three men who’d kidnapped him that time in November, this man seemed far less calculating. He was also far more sadistic, though. “There should be no harm in it,” he pondered, shifting the gun so the tip of the barrel was running down Megumi’s cheek, making him shiver with fear. “After all, you’ll be dead soon after anyway.”

Brimming with anticipation, Megumi tensed in his seat as he watched the man shift in place, gun backing away from his face but still in close range. His only chance was to somehow take the man out for long enough to call Sukuna and get help. If he got lucky, he could even tie him up without alerting any of his ‘colleagues’ until Sukuna’s men arrived.

“Well?” he asked, well aware of the way his voice trembled – both in fear and anticipation.

“I wonder how you’ll like to know that your own family has a hit out on you,” the man said, laughing loudly at the look of fake confusion plastered all over Megumi’s face. “The Zen’ins, d’you know them? Your precious little family. They waited and waited for Fushiguro Toji to return, to no avail. Did you know he was the heir of the family?”

He didn’t. He didn’t know much about them, not even after they’d kidnapped them. In hindsight, maybe he should have tried to find out more. 

Nodding, the man continued his story, leaning in excitedly, the gun in his hand almost forgotten. “Yeah yeah, he was the heir of the Zen’ins, was gonna succeed that old fart– Naobito, you know him?” Megumi shook his head – another lie –, oddly transfixed as the man kept talking. “Yeah, Naobito. Word on the street is he’s almost gone, and he’s gonna make you heir. Isn’t that funny? Hahahaha!”

“What?” he blurted out, completely taken aback. That was the last thing Megumi expected to hear. “Why?”

“Oh, this is so much fun,” the man said, crossing his legs and propping his elbow on one of his legs, supporting his chin on his hand, “you’re like a little deer. All helpless and innocent, and so, so dumb. You really don’t know anything, do you?”

“I don’t– we don’t talk,” he revealed. It wasn’t a big secret; if he worked for the Zen’ins, shouldn’t he know that?

“I know,” the man said, grinning wide, “and that’s so funny. You don’t even know who’s really behind this, do you?”

Brow furrowing in confusion, Megumi looked at him with distrust. “You said it was the Zen’ins.”

“And it is,” the man confirmed. “But I didn’t say which one.” 

At that, Megumi’s mind finally snapped back to attention, remembering why he’d started that conversation in the first place. He didn’t have time to waste there, making idle conversation about something he could always find out after – either from Toji or from Sukuna; either would do. 

“Well,” he started, trying to keep the man engaged enough that he wouldn’t notice any subtle movements, “you just said Naobito was going to make me heir, and he’s already dying, so he’s not the one with a hit out on me,” he pondered, shifting in place in the guise of getting more comfortable when, actually– “Which means it’s someone who’s powerful enough in the family to be either next choice for heir or close enough to it,” he concluded, pretending to think about it. He wasn’t thinking about it. He genuinely didn’t care. “But I don’t know anyone other than my dad and my aunt…”

“This is so tragic,” the man said, sounding all too elated. “About to die at the request of someone whose name you’ll never even know. Do you want me to tell you, little dove?” he asked, eyes shining with barely concealed bloodlust. “One last secret for the ride?”

Megumi nodded, slightly leaning forward. Waiting. 

The man leaned closer, ever closer, lips nearly grazing the shell of his ear. “Zen’in Naoya,” he whispered, and Megumi suddenly socked him in the face, hitting him so hard he was thrown to the side and off the chair. 

The gun flew across the room and slid on the floor in front of them, spinning wildly until it stopped on its tracks near the examination table. 

The man immediately started to crawl towards it but Megumi was faster, launching himself at his back and keeping him in place. His fingers wound their way into the man’s hair and he pulled hard, keeping him in place and bashing his head against the hard, white floor underneath, not even blinking at the sickening crunch that was heard every time his nose met the ground.

A red stain was quickly forming under them but Megumi couldn’t stop. There were no thoughts in his head, nothing but an uninterrupted beep in his head and static in his ears urging him to go, go, go, keep moving, take him out, knock him out for just long enough to call Sukuna, do whatever you have to do–

Megumi dragged himself off the man as soon as he was unconscious and he crawled towards the gun, clutching it tightly in his hand as he pulled his mask down and took a deep breath, trying to ease his heavy breathing. His hand dove into his coat pocket and he took out his phone; there were a few unread notifications, no doubt texts from Sukuna checking in, but he ignored them as he opened his text thread with Sukuna and pressed the call icon.

Crawling back towards the opposite side of where the man lay unconscious, Megumi felt his heart drop to his stomach as the phone kept ringing and Sukuna didn’t pick up.

Pick up pick up pick up, he thought despondently, but it was to no avail; Sukuna wasn’t picking up, no doubt busy like he’d said he would be, and Megumi– Megumi didn’t know what to do except keep trying.

He called him again and again, despair crawling up his throat with every unanswered ring, until finally, on the fourth try–

“Sukuna!” Before he could say anything else, “Listen to me, the Zen’ins have infiltrated the hospital. There’s one of them with me right now but I knocked him out but– you need to let your men know, if the rest of them think I’m fighting back they’ll attack everyone–”

“Baby–”

He’d rattled everything off in one breath, desperate to get the words out as quickly as possible. He didn’t need Sukuna to go there and he didn’t need him to stay on the phone, all he needed was to get him on the line for long enough to let him know to alert his men.

Unfortunately, Megumi was so preoccupied with finally reaching Sukuna and getting the words out that he’d taken his eyes off the unconscious man. It had been less than a minute, a matter of seconds, but it was apparently enough time for the man to regain consciousness – or maybe he’d never lost it in the first place and had been cleverly biding his time – and creep his way back to Megumi again, silent as a mouse.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” a voice suddenly said, and Megumi snapped his eyes up to stare at the man’s figure looming over him, face caked with matted blood and nose crooked from where it had mashed repeatedly against the floor. “I told you what would happen if you called for help.”

“Is that fucking Mahito–” he heard Sukuna say, frantically, but it was already too late; Megumi’s phone flew to the side with the force of the punch the guy landed on his face, and then they were grappling, the man – Mahito, apparently – straddling Megumi as he struggled underneath him.

It was a really, really good thing he and Sukuna had had all that training together, because otherwise Megumi didn’t think he’d make it. Even now, he struggled as Mahito’s hands found their way around his throat, squeezing and cutting his airflow in a way that made him more and more lightheaded, even as he continued trying to get the man off him.

A sharp pain spread through his abdomen as Mahito kicked him hard in the stomach, making Megumi panic because the baby the baby the baby the baby, nothing could happen to the baby, but he still managed to knee him in the groin and push him off him. He immediately crawled towards where the gun had slid over to, right near one of the legs of the examination table, but Mahito was faster and launched himself at his back, trying to keep him from moving. 

Megumi cried out as Mahito pulled on his hair but kept going anyway, pushing past the pain as he kicked his leg out to throw him off like he would a wild dog. He didn’t look back, didn’t have the time to, but it wasn’t hard to realize he’d managed to land a kick on his face.

“Fucking bitch,” Mahito hissed, but Megumi paid him no mind; his fingers closed around the handle of the gun and he flipped over to his back just as Mahito threw himself at him again, all wild eyes and blood streaming down from his nose in rivulets. 

There was no time to think, no time to second guess himself, so before he could, Megumi was pulling on the trigger and driving a bullet straight between Mahito’s eyes.

Suddenly, everything was quiet.

The continuous beep in Megumi’s head was gone and all he could hear was the frantic sound of his heart beating fast in his chest, steady and loud in the quiet of the room. Mahito’s body was heavy over his, but Megumi took a few seconds to process everything that had just happened.

He’d killed a man. He’d had to.

There was no time to lose on thoughts like that though. Things got messy really quickly. His relief at finally getting rid of the guy was short lived as he pushed his bloody, limp body off him and tried his best to straighten himself out; before he could limp his way over to where his phone had fallen to, the sound of screaming could be heard in the background, followed by shots being fired in the distance.

Shit.

Megumi’s heart dropped to his stomach as he realized he’d made a mistake. A grave one, at that. Mahito had warned him, told him that if his men heard any commotion they wouldn’t hesitate to start shooting staff and patients alike, and by shooting him he’d– 

Shit shit shit.

He gripped the gun tightly in his hand and made for the door, but before he could reach it it was already being slammed open, and an unfamiliar guy was making his way inside. His eyes looked between Megumi, scuffed and bloody but otherwise fine, and Mahito, lying limp on the floor with a hole between his eyes.

The guy raised his gun at Megumi but Megumi raised his first, shooting at him before he could think. The man fell on his face, unconscious. Megumi didn’t know if he was still alive or not, and at that point he also didn’t care. Realizing everyone would be more than likely coming for him, Megumi wasted no time in jumping behind his desk, hoping this would give him at least some advantage over the armed men.

Two more men came in, some dressed in scrubs as they’d obviously infiltrated the staff for the night. Megumi jumped up from his hiding place and aimed towards their arms and legs, not enough to kill them but just enough to incapacitate them, and then he ran towards them so he could steal their guns and disarm them. 

One of the men was bleeding too much from his leg wound, Megumi having hit him on the thigh – likely the femoral artery, going by how much they were bleeding out; so much for not killing them – but the other one, the one he’d managed to shoot on the arm, managed to hoist himself to his feet and threw himself at him, landing a brutal punch to his stomach.

Megumi gasped out in pain and doubled over, hands flying to his stomach protectively as if he could keep his baby from being hurt. He didn’t even know if the baby could feel anything, hadn’t really done that much research on it – Sukuna had, he’d gone and bought every parenting book there was and had been reading them aloud to Megumi every night before bed, but Megumi would just fall asleep instantly and never hear anything, so he didn’t know. He hoped he couldn’t, though. 

He tried to aim the heel of his gun at the man’s stomach but the pain had slowed him down, the panic in his brain turning him stupid, so the guy easily dodged his attack and kneed him in the stomach again, laughing at Megumi’s sob.

“You’re tougher than we thought, I’ll give you that,” the man said, pulling out another gun and pushing the tip of the barrel painfully against Megumi’s cheek, forcing him to walk backwards against a nearby wall. “Now be a good little lamb and–”

Bang!

His eyes widened as he watched the man’s ear get blown off, copious amounts of blood gushing down the hole on the side of his face as he fell on his side, eyes wide open in shock. Megumi immediately looked towards the door, where the bullet had come from, only to find–

“Sukuna!” he cried out, running over to where Sukuna was already meeting him halfway. He tried to go for a hug, desperate to bury his face in Sukuna’s chest and only leave his embrace when everything was fine and safe and dandy, but Sukuna stopped him before he could, cupping his cheeks with his hands as his eyes darted rapidly around his face, taking him in.

“Baby, are you hurt?” he asked, the urgency in his voice making him nearly stumble over his words, fingers unconsciously digging painfully into his cheeks. “Megs–”

“I’m fine,” he breathed out, stealing quick glances at the open door behind them. “What–”

“My men are taking care of everything,” he assured him, finally letting go of his face so he could wrap him in his arms, keeping one arm securely around him as the fingers of his free hand ran soothingly through his hair, trying to calm him. Megumi didn’t even realize he was trembling that bad until he started calming down, his breaths slowly evening out as the adrenaline started to subside. 

“The patients–” he started, suddenly realizing the mess they were in, but Sukuna quickly shushed him.

“Everything is fine,” he said. “My men have already stepped in and taken a hold of things and no one was hurt. No patients, no staff and no animals,” he added, knowing how likely Megumi was to care more about the animals than any of his coworkers. 

“But what about the police?” he asked, frantically. “What if someone called–”

“The police are already here,” Sukuna told him, smirking at his confused look. “I’ve got men in the police and a few others disguised as them. Nobody knows it’s a different yakuza gang swooping in to rescue them,” he explained.

They allowed themselves a few moments longer as the noise around them died down, and then Megumi reluctantly stepped out of Sukuna’s embrace, letting his boyfriend give him a full once over to make sure nothing was wrong.

“Is any of this your blood?” Sukuna asked, turning his head this way and that, moving down to look at his arms.

Shaking his head, Megumi let him. “I was only hurt in the stomach,” he admitted, feeling Sukuna’s fingers tighten around his biceps in concern, “but everything’s–”

Fine. Everything’s fine. That was what he wanted to say, but as he dragged his gaze down to his stomach and further down to his legs, he realized everything was not fine. His light green scrubs pants were dotted with blood. 

“Megumi?” Sukuna asked, but Megumi wasn’t listening. Not really. 

There was a loud beeping noise echoing through his head again, drowning out everything else, as he stared in horror at the blood between his legs. Bright red, so much of it that it bled through his briefs and his pants. 

“Sukuna,” he whispered, trembling again from how terrified he felt. The baby. His baby. Their baby. This was all his fault, he hadn’t been careful enough, he hadn’t listened, he’d let himself be caught, he–

“Baby, we have to go,” Sukuna urged him, trying to get him to move. Megumi was rooted in place, eyes stuck on the red of his blood contrasting against the light green of his scrubs, body frozen despite how much he wanted to move, leave, get help. “Sweetheart–”

“No no no no no no no no,” Megumi said, hands flying to grip Sukuna’s biceps as he stared at him with wide eyes, stricken with horror, “Sukuna no, I can’t, the baby–”

“We have to get you to a doctor,” Sukuna insisted, desperation laced through his every word, “Megumi–”

Megumi shook his head wildly, all too aware that he was acting crazy but not really being able to stop. If they went to a doctor then he’d have to find out if something was wrong, and if something was wrong then he’d have to live with it for the rest of his life, knowing full well Sukuna had warned him this could happen and that he’d still pushed and pushed to go back to normalcy even though there was possibly never going back. 

“Baby,” Sukuna said, voice so quiet it was nearly a whisper, “you’re bleeding even more now.”

Letting out a strangled sob, Megumi’s feet finally started moving again, and he let out a choked out “let’s go, let’s go!” as he pushed at Sukuna’s chest, and then they were moving again, hurrying through the corridors of the hospital as they dashed towards the entrance. Two men dressed like police officers nodded at Sukuna as they left the examination room, heading inside after they left.

They passed several more police officers – one of which was Uraume, their unmistakable white hair with a red streak bobbing up and down as they pretended to take notes for their fake police report while chatting with one of the hospital’s security guards – and several staff members, all looking shaken and upset but giving them curious looks as they passed by. Some of them looked horrified as they took in Megumi’s state, but Megumi paid them no mind.

There were actual police cars outside and even a police van, and Sukuna nodded at one of the police officers standing there as they passed him. “Got them all?” he asked, throwing a cursory glance at the men visible in the backseats of the police vehicles.

“Yes, Sukuna-sama.”

“Good. Uraume will give me a report later,” he told them, before wrapping an arm around Megumi’s shoulders and ushering him quickly towards the parking lot, where he’d haphazardly parked his car as close to the door as he possibly could. 

“How are you feeling, baby?” Sukuna asked, opening the passenger door and helping him get inside, clearly trying to keep his voice even but failing at the sight of Megumi’s blood soaked pants. 

There was so much blood. Megumi was terrified. He wanted to answer, to assure him he was fine despite how scared he was, but he couldn’t; he felt weak, his movements more and more sluggish as his body erupted in cold sweat. 

“Baby?” Sukuna insisted, panic audible in his tone. “Baby, what are you– don’t fall asleep, come on–”

Sukuna’s voice was distant, fading more and more into the background as Megumi’s eyes struggled to stay open. He was so tired. Sukuna’s hands were on his face, and he vaguely registered him shouting something along the lines of “stay awake, come on, you have to stay awake” but suddenly there was a bang!, and the last thing Megumi saw before he finally passed out was the blood streaming down Sukuna’s shoulder, bright red and sticky.

Chapter Text

It was quiet when Megumi woke up. 

There was some sort of background noise that he couldn’t quite place, almost as though there were people talking right outside of their bedroom but from really afar, and Megumi struggled to adjust his eyes to the light. Usually, if Sukuna woke first he’d be careful to leave the curtains closed just enough that the smallest amount of light could filter in; he was never one for throwing open the curtains and leaving Megumi to wake with the sun burning his eyes.

He didn’t even remember going to sleep last night. He’d been at the hospital working a night shift, Sukuna had told him he’d pick him up after his shift and Megumi had been having a slow night, so then–

Megumi’s eyes flew open as he tried to sit up too quickly as the memories of the previous night flooded to him. His strange patient, their fight, killing someone for the first time, Sukuna coming for him, the blood–

The baby. Their baby.

His hands immediately shot down to his stomach, as did his eyes, only to find nothing was amiss. Not that there would be anything to note; he’d had the smallest of bumps, barely there and only noticeable to anyone who was actively trying to find a difference. It was so small not even Sukuna had noticed a difference yet.

Sukuna.

There’d been a shot and Sukuna’d been bleeding too. Megumi couldn’t remember anything else, his eyes had been struggling to stay open, all he remembered was the pure sense of panic right before he lost consciousness.

“Megumi,” he heard, a barely-there sound, and he whipped his head to the side only to find Sukuna there, sitting on a chair next to the bed with his head propped on his arms as he slept next to Megumi’s leg. His back would probably kill him when he woke, but Megumi was so relieved to see he was there and without any wounds on sight that he couldn't even think of anything else. 

“Sukuna,” he whispered, moving one of his hands so he could card his fingers through his hair, softly, trying not to startle him awake. “Baby, wake up.”

They were in a hospital. 

It was hard to tell at first, especially since it was a much nicer hospital room than Megumi was used to seeing, but the all white bed linens, walls and decor along with the sterile smell were unmistakable. He was dressed in a hospital gown, no longer in his bloodied scrubs, and there were IV drips and tubes of something else hooked up to his arms and wrists. 

The curtains of the large windows in his room were wide open, and Megumi noted with surprise that there was even a door to a small balcony, with a table and two chairs. 

Sukuna had seemingly pulled out all the stops for him, and he must be exhausted, but Megumi needed him to wake up so he could ease, even if just a little bit, the swirling ball of anxiety swimming in his stomach and gradually crawling its way up to his chest, making it harder and harder to breathe.

“Sukuna?” he repeated, a little bit louder, and when Sukuna still didn’t stir he didn’t hesitate to tug on his hair, made easier by the fact that it’d grown out, earning a small groan from his boyfriend.

“Megs?” Sukuna mumbled, sleepily. “What are you–”

His eyes opened suddenly and his head shot up, red-rimmed eyes immediately locking onto Megumi’s face, searching him for any signs of discomfort. 

“How are you?” Sukuna immediately rushed out, hands flying to envelop Megumi’s. “How do you feel? Are you in any pain? Baby, talk to me–”

“I feel fine,” Megumi croaked out, slightly overwhelmed, feeling the panic grow in his chest. “I just– Sukuna, you were shot and I was bleeding and I don’t know what happened to the baby. What happened? How long has it been? Is our baby…?” he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Sukuna was bounding onto the bed then, far too small for two grown men but neither of them cared. Sukuna slotted himself next to Megumi, one big arm around his back as he brought him closer to him while his other hand soothingly stroked Megumi’s cheek, comforting him. “Everything is fine,” he assured him. “The baby is fine and not in danger and I’m fine too.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, trying to get the words out despite the tight knot in his throat.

“I’m sure.”

According to Sukuna, he’d been shot at, but the bullet had only merely grazed his shoulder, so he’d been treated quickly. “Doesn’t even hurt,” he assured him, but Megumi fussed over him all the same, tenderly running his fingers over where his skin was still tender. Megumi, on the other hand, had taken a bit more work. 

He’d been rushed to the hospital immediately, a fancy private hospital where Sukuna had several connections, and he’d been seen immediately. The bleeding had been the biggest cause for concern, and the doctors explained it could be a case of placental abruption; meaning, there was a chance the placenta had detached itself, in which case both Megumi and the baby could be at risk. 

Fortunately, the bleeding stopped on its own and the baby was fine, and Megumi’s case hadn’t evolved past a mild one. He could go home and rest, but he’d need more frequent checks-ups than regular pregnancies and he was highly encouraged to ‘take it easy’ for the rest of his pregnancy, a.k.a. go on early parental leave. 

If Sukuna had expected Megumi to refuse, then he was in for a surprise when Megumi immediately agreed to it. It was one thing for Sukuna to want Megumi to stop working simply so he could be out of danger’s way; it was an entirely different thing for Megumi to go on early leave to make sure their baby would be healthy and fine.

“What if something has happened in the meantime?” Megumi fretted, regardless. “Can we get an ultrasound before I get discharged so we can listen to the baby?”

Sukuna didn’t know, but he’d make sure it would happen regardless.

In the meantime, “Sukuna,” he started, suddenly remembering something, “the guy who pretended to be my patient–”

A dark look crossed Sukuna’s face. “Mahito,” he growled, “the biggest scum to walk this earth.”

Right. When Megumi had called him last night Sukuna had been able to tell right away who was with him just from hearing his voice. He wondered how they knew each other. “He said something interesting,” he continued, putting that thought away for later, “about the Zen’ins. He said they have a hit out on me because Naobito wants to make me heir.” If this was news to Sukuna, then he hid it very well; then again, Megumi was betting he knew a lot more about it than he’d ever let on. “Do you know anything about this?”

Sighing, Sukuna let himself sink further into the pillows, thumb rubbing absentmindedly over Megumi’s wounded knuckles. “Remember when I told you I’d have good news when I picked you up at work in the morning and I’d explain everything?”

With a nod, Megumi adjusted himself so he could rest his head comfortably on Sukuna’s chest, silently urging him to go on. 

“Megumi, have you ever met Zen’in Naoya?”

Zen’in Naoya was, apparently, one of Megumi’s many uncles. Megumi had heard of Naobito a few times ever since he moved to Tokyo for university, with the head of the family having tried to reach out to him via phone, email and even letter a few times, going to the extent of sending a car out to try and get him to go to the estate once, but Megumi managed to evade him every time. Naoya, however, was an entirely different story.

“Naoya is one of Naobito’s many children, and also your father’s cousin. Naobito has always left the matter of his succession open and many have speculated over the years that he was waiting for Toji to eventually return and take up the position. Naoya was always fascinated by your father, but he was content and secure in the knowledge that Toji didn’t want to rejoin the family and you had no desire to be a part of it either.”

Apparently, Naoya was ruthless. He led his own faction within the Zen’in clan, the Hei, and that very same faction was the one responsible for giving headaches to the majority of the other yakuza clans not only in Tokyo but in the rest of Japan. The clans would reach an agreement with the Zen’ins only for the Hei to step in and covertly take out several of their men the next day. It was hell.

“Naoya was raised to believe he could do whatever he wanted, not believing that his position could be at risk,” Sukuna explained to an increasingly confused Megumi. “When Naobito’s health took a turn for the worse, since he’s not getting any younger, he started taking down some of his older brothers to ensure his position.”

“Taking down?” Surely he didn’t mean…

“It’s exactly what you think it is.”

So, Naoya was ruthless. If Megumi was indeed a threat to his position, then it was no wonder he had a hit out on him. Still, that didn’t really explain why Naobito would even consider making him heir in the first place.

From what little he knew, Toji had parted on bad terms with the clan. He never said anything, never explained what his time in the clan was like, but he knew enough from Maki’s own experience to hazard a good guess, and was well aware Toji’s lip scar was a result of his childhood spent in the family. 

“Toji’s always been a good asset. He’s strong, reliable and just as ruthless as Naoya; the difference is, he’s smarter than him. My guess is Naobito doesn’t really want you as the heir – he just wants Toji to hear about it so he can come take your place instead.”

“In any case,” he continued, as Megumi tried to process everything, “none of it truly matters anymore, because last night we took the Zen’ins down.”

Megumi tensed, immediately leaning away from his embrace so he could look him fully in the eyes. “What?”

“We’ve taken down the entire Zen’in clan.”

As it turned out, Sukuna and Toji had been keeping quite a few secrets from him. More accurately, just the one, but it was possibly the biggest one. 

Sukuna had visited Toji right after he’d been kidnapped, and they’d been working together ever since. 

“So you’re telling me you went to my dad’s house, pretended you’d never met him before, and the entire time you were both plotting the Zen’in clan demise behind my back?”

Megumi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so he opted for neither. In the grand scheme of things, there were more important things at hand. Like–

“Maki was in on it?”

Not only had they reached out to Maki, she would also be taking over whatever was left of the Zen’in clan which, according to Sukuna, wasn’t much. They’d been planning everything together since early November, and they’d done it on a day when they knew the Zen’ins would all be at the estate, since they were celebrating Naoya’s engagement to one of his cousins. Incest was, apparently, a common thing in the family.

“We didn’t expect Naoya to actually outsource the task of killing you, though,” Sukuna mused, arms tightening around him for a moment. “What’s worse is he went and gave the job to Mahito’s gang.”

“Who’s Mahito?”

Mahito had been just a highly impressionable kid back when Sukuna took over as Kenjaku’s right hand. Younger than Uraume but much more eager to put bullets between people’s eyes, Kenjaku took him under his wing and taught him that killing was fun and edging their victims only made it that much more enjoyable. 

He’d disappeared after Sukuna got rid of Kenjaku and his sister, having known perfectly well Sukuna couldn’t stand him. As it turned out, he started his own gang of hitmen called The Curses, and they catered to whoever paid the highest price, indiscriminately. 

“I’ve been trying to kill him for years,” Sukuna said, before peppering Megumi’s face with tiny kisses everywhere he could reach, “I can’t believe you did it so effortlessly.”

Megumi wanted to argue it hadn’t really been that effortless, but he didn’t quite have the energy to. His brain was nothing but mush at that point and his eyes were struggling to stay open, so he let himself sink further into Sukuna’s embrace as his boyfriend kept talking, something about how Toji and Maki were still wrapping things up and Uraume was still at the hospital, but he couldn’t focus well enough.

The next time he woke, Sukuna was still in bed with him, and Toji was towering over the bed, looking at them with the least amused expression he could muster.

“The hell is he doing in bed with you?” he asked, louder than he probably should have considering they were at a hospital and Megumi was still recovering. “Oi, Ryomen!” he bellowed, lifting his leg and nudging one of Sukuna’s thighs with his boot, curling his lips in distaste. “Wake up and get the fuck out of there.”

“Dad,” he hissed, thoroughly embarrassed. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Toji was fine. Megumi would be lying if he said he hadn’t been the least bit worried ever since Sukuna revealed Toji and Maki were taking down the entire Zen’in family practically by themselves – well, not by themselves, since they were backed by the Ryomen clan, but some of Sukuna’s men had been restationed at the hospital after Megumi’s call, significantly cutting down their support – but not enough to actually show it.

Now that Toji was there, in one piece and right where Megumi could see him, his chest felt a lot lighter.

“Is Maki okay?” he asked, after Sukuna woke up and made a show out of kissing Megumi right in front of Toji, earning himself a kick in the shin from a thoroughly embarrassed Megumi and a scowl from Toji, who only truly stopped himself from beating up the father of his future grandchild because a nurse was in the room fussing over Megumi. 

“She’s fine,” Toji said, dismissively. “She’s always been tough, and she’s only gonna get tougher now that she’ll lead the clan. And she went and got herself a girlfriend in the yakuza too, she definitely knows what she’s doing.”

Megumi paused at his words, willing his brain to cooperate. “What did you just say?”

If he thought Sukuna and Toji had been keeping things from him, then it was nothing compared to what the rest of his friends had been keeping from him (and Yuuji, probably? He wasn’t sure) too. 

Nobara worked for the Gojo clan since she was 18, having been trained by her grandmother – who also worked for the Gojo clan – over the years and inducted through her. Okkotsu was apparently also a member of the Gojo clan, having joined a few years earlier after a rival clan killed his childhood best friend. Megumi had known his childhood friend had died, but he’d always heard it framed as a regular car accident.

Apparently, Okkotsu had been instrumental in convincing Inumaki to join the Gojo clan too, after he defected from the Inumaki clan after moving to college. The Inumaki clan – along with the Kamo clan, to his surprise – was based in Kyoto and known for its trademark face tattoos, but Inumaki despised being raised in it. 

The only one of their friends who was not a part of the yakuza whatsoever, neither directly nor indirectly, was apparently Panda. 

“It’s a good thing Maki is dating that chick from the Gojo clan, actually,” Toji was saying, as Megumi laid there and let an extremely apathetic doctor check over his vitals and prepare him for his ultrasound, hoping she was in on the whole thing, “now the Zen’in and the Gojo clan can finally reach a truce.”

The doctor – Shoko – was indeed used to treating criminals and their affiliates, so she wisely kept her mouth shut and stoically pointed out their baby on the screen, letting the three of them listen to the heartbeat and ascertain for themselves – Megumi especially, who had been worried sick – that he was, in fact, still growing and well.

“No intense physical activity for the next two weeks,” she declared, as she signed her release papers. “Come back for a check-up in one month.”

With that, they were free to go.

“Are you staying in Tokyo?” Megumi asked Toji once they were in the underground parking lot of the hospital, next to Sukuna’s car. “You can stay with us,” he offered, ignoring the small tch from Sukuna somewhere behind him. 

“Nah,” Toji said, leaning casually against the hood of the car. “Gotta get back home. Told the neighbor I’d feed her chickens for her while she’s away.”

“Didn’t realize you were such a friendly neighbor,” he commented, the corners of his lips quirking up in amusement.

“So much you don’t know about me.” Maybe Toji thought that was true, but it wasn’t. Megumi was perfectly aware Toji had been sleeping with his chicken neighbor for maybe over a year, and that he was instead hurrying back not to feed her chickens but to spend the night with her. Still, he wasn’t about to let him know that. 

Toji left, off to go find his truck and drive back, and Sukuna and Megumi made their way back home, sitting in comfortable silence throughout the entire ride. 

Everything seemed surreal. Megumi thought he should probably be more freaked out, but the truth was his life had changed so much in such a short span of time that nothing about the previous night seemed too far-fetched anymore. The fact that all his friends were apparently in on it didn’t even faze him.

“Did you know?” he asked, turning slightly in his seat to look at Sukuna curiously. “About my friends all being in the yakuza?”

“I only knew about Okkotsu,” Sukuna told him, taking his eyes off the road for only long enough so their eyes could meet, “the other ones are too small fry for me to know who they are.”

“Does that mean Okkotsu’s important? Like, the Gojo Head’s right hand?” 

“I wouldn’t go that far. Gojo’s right hand is his husband, not some kid.”

Megumi didn’t even know who Gojo was, but he didn’t feel like getting into the details. He was sure he’d find out soon enough. 

They got home soon after and Uraume was already there, waiting for them, standing stiffly by the front door to the apartment. 

“I tried taking the dogs out for a walk but they refused,” they said, eye twitching slightly in annoyance. Upon further look, they looked slightly frazzled. 

“I’m sorry, they can be a little picky,” Megumi told them, trying not to laugh in their face. He wasn’t sure they’d ever forgive him, though he could probably win them back easily later. Still, he wasn’t sure how much more he’d keep seeing Uraume now that the Zen’ins weren’t out for his blood anymore. So, “Do you want to come inside for some tea? Sukuna can go walk the dogs.”

Sukuna made a noise behind him, a strangled kind of sound, but he didn’t say anything. Probably too conscious of the fact Megumi could have died right alongside their baby. He wondered for how long he could milk that one to make Sukuna do even more things for him. 

“I’m only here to report to Sukuna-sama,” Uraume said. Megumi’s face fell, but he quickly schooled it back into place. Still, Uraume clearly caught his expression, because they were quick to add an, “but I can come back tomorrow.”

Megumi went inside the apartment, leaving Sukuna to talk quietly with Uraume, and Kuro and Shiro followed him around as he refilled their water bowl and filled their food bowls, petting them as they circled his legs eagerly, clearly having missed him during his longer-than-usual absence. 

“I’m so happy to see you too,” he murmured, crouching down to be at their level so he could hug them, burying his face in their soft fur as he pretended his eyes weren’t rapidly filling with tears. He hated pregnancy hormones, “so happy. I love you so much.”

“What’s this?” Sukuna asked, coming into the apartment to find them like this, the dogs excitedly wagging their tails. “Keep that up and I’m gonna get jealous, baby.”

Getting up and leaving the dogs to their food, Megumi walked the short distance over to Sukuna before wrapping his arms around his waist too, comfortably burying his face in his chest. “I love you so much too,” he said, smiling to himself as he felt Sukuna’s breath hitch. It wasn’t something he said often; it seemed Sukuna needed some reminding every once in a while. “I’m so glad I met you.”

“Are you sure, sweetheart? I turned your life upside down,” Sukuna mused, tenderly running his fingers through his hair. 

Megumi nodded, not trusting himself to speak. It was a bit crazy, but he’d do it all again five times over if it meant he got to meet Sukuna every time and keep him in his life. 

☾

Two weeks of no intense physical activity proved to be harder than Megumi expected.

For one, Sukuna coddled him to extreme levels, to the point where if Megumi tried to lug a basket filled with clean laundry from the laundry room to the bedroom, Sukuna would feel the need to intervene and take it from him instead. He’d managed to convince Megumi to stop going on longer walks with the dogs, leaving that entirely to him while Megumi joined them only for short trips to the condo’s garden.

Sukuna did everything for him – he ran him a bath every day, made food for all times of the day in advance if needed, catered to his every whim and made sure any craving Megumi had – minus fast food – was swiftly taken care of, even if it meant three of his men had to run around Tokyo trying to get everything he wanted.

Megumi was bored, considering he was also off work for the foreseeable future, but what was really doing him in was, well– intense physical activity unfortunately included sex.

For two weeks, Megumi tried to convince Sukuna it was fine.

He would wear large t-shirts with nothing but his briefs underneath and sit on Sukuna’s lap, lightly grinding their groins together, and Sukuna would drag him back onto the couch and bundle him in blankets so he wouldn’t get cold; he’d sidle up behind Sukuna while he showered and run his hands down his torso, mapping the hard lines of his abs with his fingers until he reached his prize, and Sukuna would make him turn around so he could keep him in place and wash his hair for him. 

At night, Megumi would sometimes even give in and beg, turn his big, green eyes filled with fake tears on him and tell him “please, I need you, you don’t have to be rough, you can be so gentle with me” but Sukuna wouldn’t budge despite the hard bulge visible through his briefs, only dragging Megumi to sleep draped over his chest, holding him tightly in his arms so he wouldn’t try to rub himself on him and tease him.

Megumi’s fake tears would nearly turn real from how frustrated he was, but he also knew he couldn’t get himself off as well as Sukuna could. Case in point, one time he’d been so desperate he’d just gotten naked and started fingering himself on their bed, waiting for Sukuna to get out of his shower so he would walk in on him and finally fuck him, and Sukuna had only stood by the doorframe, gripping it so hard Megumi thought he might actually break a piece of it off, jaw clenched as he watched Megumi try (and fail) to get himself off.

“Sukuna, please,” he’d breathed out, a whining note in his voice, legs bent and spread open to give Sukuna an unfiltered view of his cunt, all shiny and so wet there was slick pooling on the sheet under him, as two of his fingers slid in and out, “please, I need you so much–”

“You can get yourself off, can’t you?” Sukuna asked, voice low and hoarse, like he was physically restraining himself from walking over and fucking him silly. “Do it, then.”

“I can’t,” Megumi cried, sliding in a third finger but not being able to do much more. Sukuna’s fingers were longer and thicker and reached places Megumi couldn’t even dream of; he’d never be able to get himself off like this. “Daddy, I can’t, I can’t, I need your help–”

“Well, but you didn’t listen, did you?” Sukuna asked, eyes glinting with something dangerous as he finally walked into the bedroom fully, hair damp against his forehead and towel hung low on his hips, not making a move to get on the bed with him at all. “Daddy told you over and over again that you needed to be good and wait, but you chose to disobey me. Why should daddy help you?”

“But daddy–”

In the end, Sukuna only watched. He sat on the big chair in the corner of the room where the dogs liked to curl up and sleep on sometimes, even if it was much too small for the two of them, and he looked on intently as Megumi tried and tried, to no avail, to get himself off.

His orgasm never came, and Sukuna simply carried him to the tub afterwards, petting his hair as Megumi calmed down from his crying fit as he let the water wash away the remnants of his slick.

“Will you start listening to daddy, now?” he murmured, lips pressed to his temple.

“Yes, daddy.”

Of course, as soon as the two weeks were up Megumi demanded Sukuna drive them to see Shoko again so she could confirm he could go back to his normal life. Sukuna grumbled the entire time, saying he was just being difficult, but he drove them nonetheless, and he sat there with his arms crossed as Shoko said that Megumi could, indeed, retake his usual physical activity again, preferably gradually.

Megumi could tell that meant he’d get some resistance from Sukuna, but he was determined to get him to fuck him like there was no tomorrow as soon as possible.

Sukuna eyed him warily as soon as they were back home, almost like Megumi was a wild animal that would try and attack him at any point, but Megumi surprised him by going about his life as normal, telling him they should go get some groceries before walking the dogs.

That night, he didn’t try to initiate sex. He didn’t try the next one either. Sukuna was surprised – and pent up – but by the third night Megumi could tell he’d started to relax. Good.

On the fifth night, Megumi locked the bedroom door so the dogs wouldn’t get in and proceeded to crawl all the way from the foot of the bed to where Sukuna was propped up against the headboard, clad in a large t-shirt and nothing else.

“You waited longer than I thought to try and seduce me again,” Sukuna noted, one corner of his lips quirked up in amusement. 

“Were you disappointed?” Megumi asked, straddling him, feeling his already wet cunt rubbing up against Sukuna’s clothed bulge. “Seems like you want it just as much.”

“You know I always want you,” Sukuna said, and then they were kissing, crushing their lips against each other as their teeth clashed, Sukuna taking his breath away with barely any effort. God, he drove him mad. 

They’d kissed during the past two weeks, but not like this – not in this filthy, desperate, all-consuming way, tongues sliding against each other as Sukuna hooked his thumbs into Megumi’s mouth to taste him better, keep him in place so he could lick into his mouth like he was trying to eat him. 

Megumi was ready to take him there and then, pull down Sukuna’s briefs and sink into his cock in one smooth movement, desperate as he was to feel full again after two tortuous weeks of nothing. Sukuna, however, had other plans.

“Get down,” Sukuna told him hoarsely, moving his hands to his hips so he could lift him and settle him on his back on the mattress, head propped up on a mountain of pillows. “I need to–”

And then he was crawling down, down, down, hands desperately pulling up his t-shirt so he could mouth at his nipples, suck on them like he was trying to get him to lactate early, only to end up burying his face in his untrimmed pubes once he was done, inhaling deeply to take in a lungful of his scent.

“S-Sukuna!” he let out, embarrassed. “What are you doing?!”

His hand was on Sukuna’s forehead, trying to get him to move away, but his boyfriend didn’t budge, all too happy to stay right where he was as he started lightly lapping at his clit.

“You smell so good, baby,” Sukuna babbled, hands firmly keeping Megumi’s legs open and in place, dragging him closer to his face. His tongue lapped at Megumi’s slick where it dripped down to his asshole, flattening his tongue over his furled rim before giving it a light suck.

Megumi whined – that wasn’t where he wanted him – and then Sukuna was licking into him, fucking his tongue into his cunt as his nose rubbed deliciously against his clit,  and it’d been so long and he was so pent up, so frustrated, still reeling from his failed orgasm the other day, that he was sure he wouldn’t last long.

“D-Daddy,” he mewled, and then Sukuna pushed his face further into his cunt, almost like he was trying to get sucked into him, and he came all over himself, squirt coating the lower half of Sukuna’s face.

Sukuna emerged from between his legs with a wolfish grin, not bothering to clean himself up before moving to hover over Megumi again, kissing him filthily as he let Megumi taste himself.

“I missed your cunt so much,” he said, and Megumi kissed him again to shut him up, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment.

“I want to suck you off too, daddy,” he said, because he really, really did, especially since Sukuna had already pushed his own briefs down and his cock was hanging between his legs looking delicious, precum already beading at the tip as Megumi barely kept himself from drooling.

“Later, baby,” he said, already lining himself up, “daddy’s gonna fuck you now.”

Megumi was barely stretched, hadn’t taken anything other than Sukuna’s tongue, but there was nothing quite as good as the slight burn as Sukuna started to push in, his bulbous head stretching his walls bit by bit as Sukuna kept going, the slide made easier by Megumi’s copious amounts of slick.

It’d been too long, far too long without feeling this full, and as Sukuna bottomed out all he could was this was it, this was home, this was how it was meant to be. 

“I’m so full, this feels so good,” he vaguely heard himself say, babbling as he circled Sukuna’s neck with his arms and held on for dear life as Sukuna started to move, “you need to keep me full all the time, I was so empty without you, daddy, please–”

“Yeah, I’ll keep you full all the time,” Sukuna promised, beads of sweat forming at his temple, “fuck you every time you want. Is that what you want? Want me to be at your beck and call so I can fuck you every time you feel like it?”

“Yeah,” he breathed out, barely aware of their conversation.

“Want me to leave work every time you call just so I can come home and fuck you?” he asked, thrusts becoming harsher as Megumi adjusted, legs going around his waist to cling to him as Sukuna fucked him deep.

“Want you to fuck me all day,” Megumi whined, raking his nails down his back, crying out as Sukuna bit into the juncture between his shoulder and his neck. “A-ah! Sukuna!”

Megumi came again soon after that, toes curling in the air as he let out a long, drawn out moan, and then Sukuna was pulling out and flipping him onto his stomach, pushing his thighs together as he slid in again, making Megumi cry out against the stack of pillows under him.

He didn’t know how long Sukuna fucked him for, but by the end of it he was barely cognizant, all fucked out as he curled into Sukuna’s warmth while his tears dried on his cheeks and Sukuna ran his fingers through his hair. 

“I don’t think I can move my legs,” he mumbled, but soon after he was on his knees in the shower as he pushed his nose into Sukuna’s balls and inhaled, trying to breathe in as much of his musky scent as he could before he licked over his balls, trying to put one into his mouth.

“Megs, baby, stop teasing,” Sukuna said, his voice hoarse as his fingers tightened around Megumi’s hair and his cock filled out for another round, twitching valiantly above Megumi. 

“Who said I’m teasing?” he asked, breathless. “Maybe I just wanna eat you up.”

Sukuna ended up fucking his face after that, his back flush against the cold tiled wall as Megumi kneeled in front of him with his hands wrapped around his thighs in an attempt to stay rooted in place. It’s not like he could go anywhere, anyway; Sukuna’s fingers in his hair firmly kept him in place as he fucked into his mouth repeatedly, pounding into him relentlessly.

“You look too good on your knees, baby,” Sukuna told him, dark pupils locked into Megumi’s glassy eyes, focused on the tears steadily falling down his cheeks, “you look so good while I fuck you.”

After that, they finally gave each other a rest, moving from the shower to the tub so they could soak contentedly together, Megumi laying with his back against Sukuna’s chest as their toes peeked out from the water.

“Worth the wait,” Megumi murmured, sinking further into his embrace as he let his eyes fall closed.

☾

It was around mid February that Megumi finally decided to tell his friends about the pregnancy.

He was 12 weeks along at that point, already entering his second trimester, and he was itching to start telling everyone. He was able to move more freely now, without the constant threat of the Zen’in clan trying to kidnap or attack him anymore, but his still secret pregnancy weighed on him every time he met his friends and was forced to make an excuse to not be able to drink, or explain why he was suddenly eating so much more than normal on their outings. 

Unsurprisingly, he decided to tell Yuuji and Nobara first before telling the rest of the group. Megumi decided to invite them over to their apartment one bright Saturday afternoon, intent on killing two birds with one stone: they’d find out they were living together and, while they were at it, he’d tell them he was pregnant too.

“Woah, your boyfriend’s rich rich,” Nobara said, whistling as she and Yuuji stepped out of the elevator and into the large apartment. Kuro and Shiro bounded up to them, excitedly circling their legs, and she looked at them with confusion etched on her face. “Your dogs are here?”

In truth, Megumi wasn’t sure that Nobara didn’t know either who Sukuna was or that they were living together. She and Maki were dating, and he couldn’t necessarily rule out the possibility that Maki had kept her up to date on everything that had happened, especially now that she was leading the remnants of the Zen’in clan and building it back up. 

Yuuji’s expression, however, was decidedly guarded. He and Megumi had more or less made up over the past month and a half, but they had yet to actually meet in a more individual setting and actually discuss the bomb he’d dropped on Megumi the last time they’d met at his apartment.

“Sit down,” he told them, ushering them towards the couch. Sukuna was out, having gone to take care of some business, and Megumi was all alone with his friends and his dogs. 

Looking around, he wasn’t sure that what he was about to say would exactly come off as news. There were traces of him everywhere in the apartment, from framed pictures of the two of them to all of his books on three large floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. His favorite blanket was thrown over the couch and Kuro and Shiro’s toys littered the floor next to the center table, not to mention his favorite mug was still sitting on the center table, waiting for him to pick it up and put it in the dishwasher. 

“I have something to tell you,” he started, opting to sit on the floor across from them so he could easily see their faces. Yuuji looked at him apprehensively, whereas Nobara only looked entertained. “Do you remember when I was sick and stayed over at Sukuna’s so he could take care of me?” Both of them nodded. “Well, Sukuna and I have… been living together ever since,” he admitted, unconsciously holding in his breath as he waited for them to react.

Yuuji and Nobara exchanged a look before looking back at him. “Megumi, baby, we know,” she told him, voice exaggeratedly solemn. “It was kind of easy to figure out when we tried to stop by and someone else opened the door and said they’d been living there for a month.”

“Oh.” In all fairness, with everything going on in his life he’d barely realized so much time had passed. All things considered, he’d moved out some three months earlier. 

“There’s also the fact that your boyfriend mentioned it when he reached out to me so we could plan your surprise birthday party,” Nobara added, sounding highly amused. “I have to hand it to you though, I had no idea you’d be able to try and keep this from us for so long.”

“It wasn’t on purpose,” he retorted, but Nobara didn’t seem particularly bothered. Yuuji was quieter than usual, but Megumi had already prepared to keep him back for longer so they could talk anyway. “Anyway, that’s not all.”

At that, both of them seemed genuinely surprised. “There’s more?” Yuuji croaked out, looking concerned.

Megumi had, fortunately, prepared himself well for this next part. Picking up the black leather journal he’d left lying on the center table intentionally, he took out the small ultrasound he was keeping in between its pages and handed it over to them with the picture turned face down.

“Oh my god,” Nobara whispered, eyes wide and glued to the ultrasound, fingers trembling as she held it carefully. “Is this– is this true?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed, feeling a knot form in his throat.

“How long?” Yuuji asked, quietly.

“I’m 12 weeks along now,” he revealed, unable to stop himself from smiling. “The doctors don’t recommend telling people before the 12 week mark because that's when there’s a higher likelihood that– things will go wrong,” he explained, stumbling over the words as he remembered that things nearly did go wrong. 

“You’re crazy,” Nobara whispered, eyes still glued in awe at the ultrasound, before finally dragging her eyes away and back to him. “You got pregnant one month after you met your boyfriend and you’re moving at the speed of two lesbians u-hauling it. You’re fucking crazy, but– you’re happy?”

“So happy,” he admitted, eyes flicking over to where Yuuji sat, jaw clenched and eyes wide as he kept staring at the ultrasound. 

“Then I’m happy for you,” Nobara announced, settling back on the couch satisfiedly, handing the ultrasound over to Yuuji since he couldn’t stop staring at it. “And you, Yuuji?”

Megumi held in his breath, waiting to see what he’d say. Would he be mad at him all over again? Would he stop wanting to be his friend now?

Instead, Yuuji swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and handed the ultrasound back to him. “Congratulations, Megumi,” he told him, sincerely, “I’m happy for you.”

They stayed over a bit more after that, chatting and snooping around the apartment, wanting to see how ‘the rich lived’ and where the baby room would be, and afterwards they all went down to the condo’s garden with the dogs, Nobara whistling at the big pool and loudly proclaiming he better invite them all over there during the summer since that was his duty as the new ‘friend with a pool’ of the group. 

Nobara left first, saying she’d agreed to meet Maki at the gym, and Yuuji stayed behind a little longer, panting hard after a difficult game of tug of war with Kuro. 

“Hey,” Megumi called him over, patting the space on the bench next to him so they could sit and watch the dogs run around chasing squirrels. 

“Hey,” Yuuji panted out, still catching his breath as he sat next to him, supporting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward on the bench. “Damn, your dogs tired me out. I don’t remember the last time I played so hard with them.”

“They’ve been more energetic lately,” he agreed. “Sukuna and I take them for runs almost every day but they’re still like this at the end of the day.”

They fell into comfortable silence, and Megumi took the time to think about how he could approach the subject. In the end, Yuuji did it for him.

“Hey,” Yuuji started, lightly fidgeting with his fingers, legs bouncing in place from the nerves, “did you ask him? After our conversation?”

Megumi was surprised, but he was quick to take the ‘in’ Yuuji was offering anyway. “I did,” he confirmed, keeping his voice light. “I looked up her name after our chat and put two and two together before talking to him, but yeah, I did.”

“And you still stayed,” Yuuji mused, lightly slapping his knees before leaning back on the bench, looking up at the sky. It was sunny that day, the sun having come out after three long days of storming. 

“I know you don’t understand.”

Yuuji shrugged, turning his head to look at him. “I kinda do, actually. I don’t think he’s all that bad anymore.”

Eyebrows raising in surprise, Megumi was quick to ask him what he meant by that. “What made you change your mind?”

Letting out a laugh, “Choso! I knew you asked Ryomen about Yorozu because he chased down Choso and I after that.”

Shit. He’d hoped maybe Sukuna would have let it go with how busy he’d been, but clearly not. He should have known better. “Did he… hurt you?” he asked, hesitantly.

“Nah.” Yuuji easily dismissed that notion with a wave of his hand. “Basically he slashed all four of my tires and then he tracked down Choso and offered him a spot in his clan. Choso couldn’t really refuse because he was worried he’d come after me instead, but he said he’s really changed his mind since he started to work for him.”

“Why?” he asked, curiously. Sukuna was quite forthcoming with the type of person he was, and Megumi was well aware of it. Sukuna was not the same man in business as he was when he was with him, and that was fine. It was encouraged, even. So, for Choso to change his mind so quickly…

Sighing loudly, “I don’t know, something about how protective he is over you and the lengths he’ll go to to make sure no one hurts you. I didn’t witness it myself but I trust Choso’s judgement and, well, it doesn’t seem like he’ll just… get rid of you that easily,” he concluded, awkwardly trying to dance around the words ‘kill you’. 

Megumi smiled, well aware that Yuuji was right. Sukuna would never get rid of him, even. He suspected he’d sooner off himself before he had to do something like that.

“I’m glad,” he said, gently bumping his shoulder against Yuuji’s. “I really missed you.”

Yuuji let out a laugh, a bubbly and infectious little thing, and bumped his shoulder right back. “I missed you too.”

Later that day, long after Yuuji was gone and the dogs had sufficiently tired themselves out, Megumi walked up to Sukuna, who was standing in front of the stove as he supervised their dinner, and hugged him from behind. He inhaled deeply and took in a lungful of Sukuna’s scent, a mix of freshly washed laundry and mint, and he felt his body relax against Sukuna’s, all the tension disappearing in a heartbeat.

“Baby?” Sukuna asked, rubbing his forearms gently. “Is anything wrong?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head against his back, tightening his arms further around him. “I’m just so happy to have you.”

Sukuna gently gripped his arms and loosened his hold on him, just enough so that he could turn around and hug him fully, making Megumi bury his face in his neck. “You’re too sweet, Megs,” he murmured, fingers carding through his hair, “and you make me the happiest I’ve ever been.”

“You’re sweeter,” he said, remembering the time Sukuna had told him the exact same thing, paired with a cheeky wink back when they barely knew each other. 

Laughing, Sukuna brought his face up for a kiss, then two, then three, only to let go of him reluctantly when he remembered dinner was still being cooked on the stove. Megumi was all too happy to go back to his previous position, clinging to his back and peering at the big pot on the stove, filled with what appeared to be a hearty beef stew.

He still remembered a time when every dinner and lunch was for one and all his days were spent either working himself to the bone or by himself at home with his dogs, in quiet contentment. Sukuna had come in and turned everything upside down, given him things he hadn’t even known he’d wanted, and now–

Now he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Chapter Text

Getting blood out of Sukuna’s clothes never became any easier.

Megumi had never been very good at doing laundry before; limited himself to throwing all his clothes in the washer, selecting the least damaging program and praying his clothes turned out okay. After he moved in with Sukuna, he learned. Mostly, if he was being truthful, Uraume taught him.

Sukuna still came home with blood on his clothes most days and Megumi started to pay attention to which ones so he could apply a baking soda paste to any stain before blotting it with a damp cloth and washing the rest of their clothes with it.

Still, he knew, Sukuna thought about retiring eventually. An early retirement. He’d mentioned it once or twice in passing but never anything substantial. Apparently, their unborn baby was turning him soft. 

They didn’t know the gender yet. Megumi hadn’t particularly cared and Sukuna had only wanted to do what Megumi wanted to do. But then Nobara and Yuuji had insisted — please, please, please, you need to have a gender reveal at the baby shower — and Megumi hadn’t known they were going to have a baby shower in the first place but he eventually relented when Tsumiki joined in on the request.

So now here he was, early Saturday morning, having woken up earlier than usual and not having been able to go back to sleep despite Sukuna’s warm weight behind him, transferring their dirty laundry over to the washer as he let Sukuna sleep in. It had always been the other way around, with Sukuna waking earlier and making them breakfast, but pregnancy had changed Megumi. Their baby was much too active and Megumi was far too sensitive to any of their movements.

Their baby shower was today and Megumi would be lying if he said he wasn’t the tiniest bit excited. 

Nobara and Tsumiki had taken it upon themselves to plan the whole thing and told him all he and Sukuna needed to do was show up and look nice – “as nice as can be, at least,” Nobara had added, side eyeing Sukuna –, no need to fret over anything. Truthfully, Megumi almost wished he had more to do, just so he wouldn’t be so buzzed from the anticipation of it. 

Everyone would be there. His friends, Uraume – the only one from the clan Sukuna cleared as close enough to be invited to something so intimate – and even Toji and Tsumiki were traveling on purpose. Now that the Zen’ins were gone he tended to travel to Tokyo more often, though rarely for longer than a day. Megumi had asked him once, tried to trip him up and get him to admit he was seeing the chicken neighbor, but he hadn’t budged. Considering he’d hidden the full extent of his involvement with the yakuza for over 20 years, Megumi wasn’t that put off. 

He added in detergent and softener before selecting the program, and then the washer was turning on with a small succession of pings, far fancier than any washer Megumi had ever had before. He let himself stand there for a little bit, softly panting from the exertion of pulling himself up. 

That was new. At 7 months along and as his pregnancy progressed, Megumi’s life became more and more conditioned. His lower back hurt, his ankles were starting to swell to a near-permanent level, and sleeping was becoming more uncomfortable than ever. Sukuna had gone out and bought him a pregnancy pillow the very first time Megumi complained about his position, and before that he’d gone and interviewed a selection of personal trainers to make sure Megumi was getting adequate exercise during his pregnancy and not accidentally hurt himself or their baby.

Megumi was thankful, he really was, but it still didn’t change the fact that he was uncomfortable as fuck sometimes. He couldn’t wait to see how he’d feel when he was even further along. 

It’ll all be worth it, he told himself as he padded softly back to their bedroom, stopping for a brief moment just to look at Kuro and Shiro sleeping peacefully on the couch as they enjoyed the early morning sun coming in from the large floor to ceiling windows. 

Sukuna was still asleep when he re-entered the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. He was still wearing his pajamas, so it was easy enough to slide right back under the covers, shifting around until he found a comfortable position. The comfortable position, of course, ended up being on his side, with his arm and leg thrown over Sukuna’s large form as though he was his pregnancy pillow instead.

“Mmm, baby,” Sukuna murmured, arm immediately stretching to wrap around Megumi’s shoulders, “good mornin’.”

Megumi thought Sukuna was always a sight for sore eyes, but he was especially so in the mornings, voice still rough with sleep and eyes slightly swollen and unfocused as he immediately turned his head in Megumi’s direction. 

He was so in love he didn’t know what to do with himself, sometimes.

“Did you just wake up?” Sukuna asked, pressing a kiss to his temple. 

Shaking his head, Megumi snuggled further into Sukuna’s warmth, burying his face in his neck as he breathed him in deeply. “Your baby was kicking me in the ribs,” he explained, eyes closed in contentment. “I went to do laundry.”

“Baby,” Sukuna immediately said, disapproval lacing his voice, “that’s too–”

“Sukuna,” Megumi interrupted, in a warning tone, “stop treating me as though I can’t do anything.”

They’d had this argument far too many times throughout his pregnancy. Sukuna insisted on coddling him, not wanting him to lift even a finger if he could help it, while Megumi insisted – and rightly so, in his own opinion – that he’d go crazy if Sukuna kept doing everything for him. “Ieiri-san cleared me for light activity,” he always reminded him every time Sukuna pulled the ‘you have a high-risk pregnancy’ card. “I can bend over and do the dishes.”

Megumi would actually prefer to bend over and be fucked by Sukuna, but even when it came to that Sukuna was very particular about. 

When Megumi entered his second trimester, his hormones went into overdrive. Suddenly, everything Sukuna did made Megumi slick up at the most inconvenient times and beg to be filled up by him. Sukuna would be making dinner, bare biceps on sight now that the weather was warmer, a droplet of sweat running down his temple from the heat of the stove, and Megumi would squirm in his seat as he watched him; sometimes Sukuna would just walk by as Megumi did something around the house and just a whiff of his cologne would make him go into heat.

Being jumped by Megumi became the new norm for Sukuna, but as Megumi’s baby bump became more and more pronounced, he became more and more precautious. “I read that actually we shouldn’t do it in this position anymore,” he would say, when Megumi would roll on his back and spread his legs, dripping cunt fully in sight. “Baby, stop, let me put some pillows under your belly,” he would say, when Megumi would present himself on all fours and beg to be fucked. 

It was… sweet. But so, so frustrating sometimes, considering Megumi wanted to be filled with Sukuna’s cock all the time.

Like right now.

Sukuna hadn’t even done anything special, but that was enough for Megumi. Just the smell of him – a light sheen of sweet from the night, that unmistakable scent of him and the slow beat of his pulse on his neck as Megumi breathed him in was enough to send a jolt down to his cunt, and suddenly Megumi was ready to go.

“What are you doing?” Sukuna asked, chuckling as Megumi went from nuzzling into his neck to pressing wet, open mouthed kisses along his exposed skin, licking a hot trail up to his jaw. 

“Mmm, Sukuna,” Megumi breathed out, lifting one hand so he could cup Sukuna’s cheek and angle his face down, bringing their faces together, “you know what you could do to make my morning better?”

“Breakfast?” Sukuna suggested, laughing when Megumi bit his cheek in retaliation, pulling back to pout at him. “No? What is it, sweetheart?”

Megumi could say it, had no issue with it even; however, he preferred to take Sukuna’s free hand in his own and lead it to where he wanted it, sliding their hands together under the waistband of his loose boxer briefs, making Sukuna press the pad of his middle finger to his already wet slit. 

Sukuna hummed, keeping his hand where it was but not moving it further, leaning down to kiss Megumi slowly, languidly. “What is it you want, baby?” he asked, teasingly, voice low and irritatingly seductive. “Hmm?”

“Daddy,” Megumi whispered, big doe eyes turned on Sukuna pleadingly. “You know what I need.”

“You have to say it,” Sukuna tutted, sliding his finger teasingly through his folds, too superficially for Megumi to get any real enjoyment from it. “Come on.”

Megumi moaned, cunt spasming as Sukuna dipped one finger into his hole only to instantly take it back, tightening his leg around where it wrapped over Sukuna’s. “Daddy,” he whispered, breathlessly, “I need you.”

Sukuna’s fingers moved then, sliding over his folds and over to his clit, using his slick to rub it teasingly. “Like this?” Sukuna asked, murmuring the words into his mouth. 

“More,” Megumi mewled, grinding his hips against Sukuna’s hips. 

One of Sukuna’s fingers dipped into his hole, slipping in easily from how wet Megumi was. Megumi loved Sukuna’s fingers, always had, but one was definitely not enough, and especially not at the slow snail pace Sukuna was setting.

“Daddy,” he whined, narrowing his eyes at him, “are you gonna take all morning? Come on–”

“Oh?” Sukuna slid a second finger into him, keeping his tortuously slow pace. “Someone’s impatient.”

“Yes, I am,” Megumi hissed, bringing his hand back down into his briefs so he could wrap it around Sukuna’s, trying to urge him to go faster, “you know I need you to fuck me but you keep messing around with me and it’s not cute.”

“I’m not trying to be cute,” Sukuna said, turning his head so he could nip at Megumi’s ear, lick over the shell of his ear, “but don’t you agree good things take time?”

“No,” Megumi snapped, whining in frustration as he tugged on Sukuna’s hand to no avail. Sukuna was determined to frustrate him to no end, languidly thrusting his fingers into his heat as Megumi fell apart under him, thumb kept firmly away from his clit. 

Sukuna pressed a kiss to his cheek before slipping his fingers out, leaving a trail of slick up the swell of Megumi’s belly as he took his hand out of Megumi’s briefs. 

He led Megumi to his knees, kissing his shoulder as he helped prop his belly up on their pillows.

“Can you hold yourself up?” he asked, kissing down Megumi’s back. Megumi trembled under him, arching his back as Sukuna reached all the way down to his lower back, feeling his hands move to spread his cheeks, exposing his fluttering hole.

Megumi nodded eagerly, audibly gasping at the first lap of Sukuna’s tongue over his folds. He tried to push back against Sukuna’s face but was held back by the firm grip of Sukuna’s hands on his hips. It didn’t really matter, though; Sukuna ate him out like a starved man, slurping noisily as he greedily licked into his cunt and gorged himself on his slick. 

His arms gave out, and oh– Megumi missed when he’d still been able to collapse onto his stomach and be fucked into the mattress by Sukuna –, but now he could only hold himself up by his forearms and hope he could last the entire time. 

“You okay, baby?” Sukuna asked, pulling off from his cunt and laying himself over Megumi’s back so he could kiss him, the bottom half of his face wet with slick and spit. 

“Need you,” Megumi whined, barely coherent.

Luckily, Sukuna was in the mood to comply. Maybe he noticed how fucked out Megumi already was, maybe he could tell Megumi wouldn’t last long in that position; in either case, he was quick to line himself up and thrust in, the tiny bumps of his piercings dragging slowly along his walls as he bottomed out. 

Sukuna fucked him slowly and deliberately, drawing out small noises from Megumi with every thrust. It was so, so good; Megumi’s fingers dug into the sheets as Sukuna expertly fucked into him, crying out when he angled his thrusts just so in a way that made him almost feel like he was in his throat. 

“A-Ah,” he gasped out, fingers twisting the sheets under him as his face was pushed into the pillows with every thrust, ass pushed up as he tried to fuck himself back. “More, daddy, please–” he begged.

“Fuck, Megs,” Sukuna grunted out, fingers digging painfully into his hips as he tried to control himself, “I can’t go any harder, the baby–”

Megumi groaned in frustration, holding himself up again. “The baby’s fine, Sukuna–”

Sukuna was so sweet, so cautious, the absolute best thing that had ever happened to Megumi, but Megumi was so horny and he just wanted to come, and–

“Come here,” Sukuna said, and then Megumi was being made to sit back on his cock, angled forward as one of Sukuna’s hands stayed firmly on his hips and the other went around Megumi’s belly so he could support his weight, 

“Ahhh, fuck–” 

“Wait–”

Pulling out, Sukuna shifted under him so he could spread his legs, and then he was making Megumi sit on his cock again, guiding his movements as he thrust into him at the same time.

It didn’t take long after that. Megumi sneaked one hand to rub at his clit and he came quickly, cunt spasming around Sukuna’s cock as Sukuna fucked him through it, and then Sukuna was pulling out and guiding him to all fours again so he could cum on his back, pumping himself furiously with one hand as the other caressed Megumi’s baby bump reverently. 

Afterwards, Megumi pouted as they lied back to cool down, cheek pressed against Sukuna’s sweaty pec. 

“You didn’t like it?” Sukuna asked, tension audible in his voice.

“I did, it’s just…” he trailed off, burying his face further into Sukuna’s chest. “I miss seeing your face when you fuck me.”

It seemed laughable, but it was true. Ever since his bump had started getting heavier and larger, the number of positions they could do it was extremely limited. Missionary and any sort of variation of it was strictly off the table, riding Sukuna was far too tiring, and even sitting on his lap was becoming harder with his belly between them. 

“Baby…” Sukuna murmured, caressing his cheek with one hand and gently turning his face so Megumi would look at him. “I miss seeing your face when we fuck too,” he told him, very seriously. “You know I’ll make it up to you as soon as I can, right?”

“I know.” 

Sukuna kissed him gently, melting the pout off of Megumi’s lips, and they stayed there for a few moments, waiting for their heartbeats to calm and their breathing – Megumi’s in particular, who was especially winded – to even out.

“Today is a special day,” Sukuna said, after a while. “Why don’t we take a bath together?”

They took baths together every now and then, drawn carefully by Sukuna on days when Megumi felt especially frustrated by his pregnancy and the changes it caused to his life. 

There’d been that time when Megumi had first started showing and people started throwing him odd looks on the street, because ‘is that a pregnant man?’, they would whisper, uncaring of the fact that he could clearly see and hear them. Then there’d been that time when Megumi’s pecs had started swelling up and he’d looked at them in the mirror and burst into tears because he’d had top surgery for a reason and the recent changes to his body were making him feel insecure. To make matters worse, a few months after that, he’d started lactating; that time, they didn’t need a bath, because Sukuna sucked all his milk off and fucked him so hard Megumi forgot why he was worried in the first place. Afterwards, he still drew them a bath and assured Megumi he was just as he’d always been and pregnancy wasn’t changing that. 

And now, well. Now Megumi’s chest was still sore and swollen and he still lactated every few days and needed Sukuna’s help in relieving him of the pain, but he was handling it well. Or better, at least. He just wished he wasn’t so damn horny all the time, not when his range of movement was more and more limited.

“Are you nervous about today?” Sukuna asked, fingers threading through Megumi’s damp locks. “Since you couldn’t go back to sleep.”

“Excited,” he clarified, leaning his head back against Sukuna’s shoulder. “I haven’t seen Tsumiki since the holidays.”

Sukuna hummed, dropping a soft kiss to Megumi’s neck as he kept scratching his scalp. Megumi’s hand searched for his free hand underwater and he laced their fingers together, as they let themselves stay there, quietly.

They had all the time in the world. It was still early morning and the baby shower wasn’t until 3, though they’d need to go walk Kuro and Shiro eventually. For now though, they could just stay there in each other’s arms, let themselves relax until the water cooled down.

Taking advantage of their laced fingers, Sukuna lifted their joined hands and brought them to his lips, gently kissing over the back of Megumi’s hand. Unlacing their fingers, he placed Megumi’s palm over his as he admired his ring finger. 

“I still can’t believe you said yes,” Sukuna admitted, quietly. 

To be fair, not many people had. Despite her own long term involvement with the yakuza, Nobara still had her reservations about Sukuna. She usually swallowed them down because she liked to visit and make use of the condo pool, but when she’d noticed the discreet engagement ring on Megumi’s finger she’d been unable to hide her shock.

“You just met,” she’d admonished.

“I’m having his baby,” he’d reminded her.

The thing was, Megumi couldn’t imagine a world in which he would ever say no to Sukuna. Not when they’d gone through hell and back together and not when Sukuna knew him so well he’d known to have the proposal in private, in their apartment, illuminated by the fairy lights Megumi had hung over the ledges of the balcony. 

“Of course I said yes,” he told him, lacing their fingers together so he could squeeze his hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Sukuna said, easily, “but you know I’m also crazy about you.”

“I know,” he said, because he did too. Was it supposed to be news, after everything? Maybe he should have made this clearer to Sukuna before, but it was never too late, “I’m crazy about you too, you know?”

Sukuna chuckled, bending his head so he could kiss his forehead. “I know, baby.”

“Then stop that,” he told him, closing his eyes contentedly. “Just hold me.”

☾

They were early. 

Megumi could tell Nobara was giving him the stink eye for daring to show up before everything was 100% put together, but in his opinion she shouldn’t have organized the baby shower in the condo garden if she didn’t want him to be able to show up at any point.

Clearly, she disagreed, because she’d yelled at him as soon as he’d stepped one foot into the garden, and then she’d yelled even more when Kuro and Shiro dove thoughtlessly into the swimming pool and splashed water over her.

“I told you to only show up at 3! It’s 2:45! Go right back up–”

“We needed to walk Kuro and Shiro,” he told her, innocently, and when she’d looked one second away from bursting into flames, Tsumiki had conveniently showed up and diverted Megumi’s attention by leading him to the far end of the garden, away from the baby shower preparations, with Kuro and Shiro in tow. Sukuna had stayed behind to discuss security details with his men. 

“I really like this place,” Tsumiki commented, gently leading him away towards a bench shaded from the sun so Megumi could sit. It was June, which meant the afternoons were getting warmer and warmer, and the added weight Megumi was carrying didn’t make it any easier. He didn’t know how he was supposed to survive until July or August like this, especially as he gained more weight and the temperature got even hotter. Maybe he’d need to get Sukuna to take him away for a few days, to somewhere where the weather was more temperate and they could be by the sea. “Are you going to keep living here?”

Megumi assented with a hum, absentmindedly rubbing his belly as he looked out at the glistening pool water, keeping an eye on his dogs. “We already have the nursery ready and there’s an extra spare room if– well, you know.”

If he and Sukuna decided to have another one. They hadn’t talked about it yet, especially since Megumi wasn’t having the easiest time with his pregnancy, but considering he’d seen Sukuna browsing minivans two days earlier he could easily guess his fiancé was right there along with him the moment Megumi said ‘let’s have another baby’. 

Tsumiki reached one of her hands out to hover over his belly, silently asking for permission, and Megumi assented with a soft nod. She placed her hand gently on his belly, stroking it, only to jump back in surprise as she felt a strong kick.

“Oh wow,” she said, letting Megumi take her hand and place it over his belly again, feeling the baby kick up a storm. “Is it always like this?”

“It depends.” A small smile bloomed across his face as he watched the look of absolute fascination on Tsumiki’s face. He wasn’t a big fan of letting anyone other than Sukuna touch him, but Tsumiki would always be the exception. “Sometimes they’re calmer, but other times I feel like they’re trying to learn how to tap dance in there.”

Sukuna joined them then, sunglasses covering his eyes and hair falling over his forehead – he’d been complaining about needing to cut it for a while, possibly even buzz it again – and told them ‘the short girl’ said they could go there now.

“Sukuna, her name is Nobara,” Megumi scolded, though only halfheartedly. 

The baby shower was nice. Megumi didn’t quite know what to expect since everything he knew about baby showers was that they were cutesy and frilly and he didn’t really like any of that stuff, but in the end it ended being just an excuse for everyone (minus Megumi) to drink beers and have a barbeque around the pool. Toji and Sukuna expectedly fought over who got to man the barbeque but in the end Toji won because Megumi dragged Sukuna away.

“He’s still treating you right, yeah?” Toji asked, a bit later, watching Sukuna and Uraume talk quietly with Maki to the side as they munched on some burgers – beef for Toji, chicken for Megumi since he couldn’t indulge in red meat quite as much as before. 

“You know he is,” he said, rolling his eyes. Then, pushing his luck, “What about your chicken neighbor?”

“Cut it out,” Toji immediately said, a small, nearly imperceptible pout forming on his lips. Megumi was all too aware he’d gotten that habit from him.

The rest of the baby shower seemed to go by in a whirlwind. Yuuji wanting to touch his belly while Sukuna seethed next to Megumi, Inumaki throwing a fully dressed Nobara into the pool, Maki having to hold back Nobara from beating him into a pulp; nothing out of the ordinary.

And then, finally, it was time for the big reveal.

“We know you don’t like over the top stuff,” Tsumiki intro’ed, holding up a big platter filled with cream frosted cupcakes.

“So we couldn’t do fireworks or glitter balloons,” Nobara interjected. Megumi had no doubt she’d tried pitching the idea; he was lucky Tsumiki was there to shoot them down.

“So here we have some cupcakes,” Tsumiki concluded, “to finish the day with something sweet. They all have a regular custard filling except for one, which is colored according to the baby’s gender.”

Everyone reached for a cupcake and the platter was emptied in a matter of seconds. Megumi stared at the cupcake in his hands for a few seconds, feeling oddly nervous. He wasn’t sure why; it wouldn’t change anything. And yet…

“Alright, let’s just bite into our cupcakes,” Nobara said, loudly, before taking a big bite of her own cupcake, nearly going cross eyed in her hurry to look at the inside. “Oh, it’s regular custard,” she announced, disappointedly.

Everyone bit into their cupcakes expectantly, Megumi included. To his utter disappointment, his cupcake was also filled with custard.

All around them, there were disappointed noises as everyone stared at their cupcakes only to find custard instead, except–

“Megs,” Sukuna said, quietly, still as a stone next to him. “Look.”

Megumi looked. Whipped his head around so fast he nearly got dizzy. In Sukuna’s hand was his half-bitten cupcake, small crumbs coating Sukuna’s palm.

In the center, pink.

They were having a girl.

☾

Life was different after Shiori was born.

Sleep became more elusive and Megumi spent the better part of a month without stepping foot outside their apartment, taking turns with Sukuna to walk the dogs and take showers. He didn’t know where he began and where Shiori ended most days, and sometimes the only reason he lost sleep was because he would lie awake at night, on his side, staring at Shiori on her crib right next to the bed and making sure she was still alive. 

Sukuna stayed home with him too. Gave Uraume near free reins and told them to go with it, didn’t allow anyone but them to contact him in case something urgent arose. Nothing ever did. 

“I hope you gave them a pay raise,” Megumi teased one day, when he and Sukuna were lying on the couch watching a movie as Shiori napped, baby monitor on the center table in front of them so they’d know if she woke up.

“Of course I did,” he said, drawing lazy circles on Megumi’s hipbone as they laid chest to back. “I’ve been thinking of retiring, though.”

Megumi stilled against him, surprised. “What?”

He felt him shrug from behind him, before Sukuna wrapped his arm around Megumi’s middle and drew him closer to him, cuddling him. “I’ve spent too many years active. Wouldn’t be bad to calm down a little and enjoy our family.” Would be nice to not leave Shiori and Megumi in danger of losing him.

They’d talked about it, once. Megumi had told him he was thinking of quitting the hospital and working in a private clinic instead, where his hours would be more stable, and Sukuna had suggested he open his own somewhere he knew the Ryomen clan actively kept safe. Uraume was no longer his shadow and Sukuna’s men weren’t around 24/7 anymore even throughout his pregnancy, but any time Megumi left the apartment on his own he still made sure to carry his dad’s gun anyway. Just to be safe.

It had been decided that once his parental leave ended, he would put in his notice at the hospital. Sukuna would work from home more often than not, but now–

Well, Megumi wouldn’t say no to Sukuna having a more stable life.

“We should move,” Sukuna continued, nuzzling into the side of Megumi’s neck. “Get a nice, little private house on the outskirts. A good neighborhood to raise Shiori.”

“Are you sure?” Megumi asked, hesitantly, grabbing Sukuna’s hand and bringing it closer to his chest. “It’s your clan–”

“They’ll be fine,” Sukuna said, dismissively. “Nothing matters as much as you do.”

Megumi believed him. 

He was all too aware of the way Sukuna looked at him, like he’d hung the moon and the stars and even more, and he’d been there to witness the very first time Sukuna had held Shiori, when she’d been just the tiniest bundle at the hospital, swaddled in blankets with only a small tuft of shockingly pink hair peeking out.

Sukuna had taken one look at her and his entire face had gone soft. He kept looking at her like that ever since. Sometimes Megumi would wake up to find Sukuna in bed next to him, lovingly holding Shiori in his arms as he looked down at her sleeping.

He never wanted to go without that sight.

“Let’s do it,” he whispered, turning carefully in his hold so they could be chest to chest, looking up at a surprised Sukuna. “I want it.”

“Okay,” Sukuna whispered, leaning in so he could kiss him. He pulled away but Megumi leaned back in, slid their lips together once, twice. “Let’s do it.”