Sukuna laid on a stump half asleep, while a woman in a white and red kimono watched him peacefully.

It was early in the morning and she had sent his followers to terminate a small group of sorcerers that had been piling up in a nearby village. While she waits for their report, she carefully watched her master sleep.

He trained her so well, she was his right hand lady. She lead his followers, and had his word upon things. Yet still he never killed her to become a curse. He kept her human; he kept her as a sorcerer. Whether it be because of her extraordinary powers from the lady Inari, or for other, more personal reasons.

It had been an entire year since the incident, and her bond with Sukuna grew rapidly. So much that she even developed romantic feelings for the king. She knew it would be an impossible fleet for those feeling to be returned. So she kept them to herself. (y/n) was happy enough just being by his side.

With a large parasol in hand, she stood beside him, blocking the summer heat from his body. Sukuna never really slept deeply, just enough to regain energy. So his time asleep, was very short.

His lashes flicker under the shadow of the parasol, before a cursed human jumps down from a tree.

"M'lady, the sorcerers rendezvousing in the village are all above grade 1. Approximately 5 at most." The man says, bowing before the King of Curses and (y/n).

She lowered the handle slightly as her mind is lost in thought.

Why so many? Only bad things come from a cluster of high ranked sorcerers.

As she loses sight of her purpose in holding the parasol, a bright ray blinds Sukuna, causing him to wake.

"At least learn to hold a parasol properly, (y/n)" Sukuna grumbles, scaring the cursed human.

"Oh, my lord. I'm very sorry, but I'm a bit disturbed." She replies back. His brow raises as his eyes lock onto the cursed human who still had his head bowed.
"There are at least 5, grade 1 sorcerers in this village Lord Sukuna. I do not wish you to risk taking them on." She says in a worried tone.

"Don't tell me what to do woman." He snaps back. She held her tongue, bowing as he raised to his feet.

"You. Go back into that village and return with a better report. Don't assume things in my presence" He says towards the cursed human in a demanding tone, causing the curse to apologize before disappearing into the woods.

"Lord Sukuna, please do try and be more rewarding to your followers. They do try their best." She says frowning while folding up the parasol.

"What? So shall I reward them, as I do you?" He crouches down to her eyes, peering into them. A smug smile lifts from his lips as he watches her cheeks grow red.

"T-that is not what I meant, my lord." She held her breath tightly while clutching the parasol in her arms.

"Meh," He shrugs his shoulders while standing up straight.
"They are the ones who wanted to follow me. It is not my job to give them special treatment." He turns his heels and walks off into the forest, (y/n) following behind.

"If they so wish to serve me purely for the purpose to worship me, then so be it." He folds his bottom arms and led his upper arms to the rhythm of his stride.

"Of course you would say that my lord." She let's out a small giggle, trying to hold her laughter back.

She felt his gaze on her, but it didn't bother her. She knew he couldn't hurt her and knew he wouldn't, even if he wanted to.

Her face went pale as she remembers the cursed humans report. She believed him and knew that kind of thing would tempt Sukuna into a battle. The war between Sukuna and the sorcerers has transcended across all of Japan now. They're gathering the best sorcerers to build an army against him. All by the lead of Akio.

"Sukuna." She whispers, halting in her place.

"Hm?" He stops and looks back confused. Her face was hung low in sadness. Even though he hated to admit it, he couldn't bare her looking miserable, unless he was the cause of it.

"Akio, is building an army more efficiently than we anticipated. I-it worries me. What if they find a way to kill you?" Her head hung low as she fiddled with the parasol in her hands. She heard his footsteps get closer to her and sees a hand peak from between her hair.

He tilts her chin up, forcing her to peer into his eyes. He was surprised that she genuinely felt worried for him. They both knew, she would be the only one to walk out alive in this war against the sorcerers and curses. So he knew she was worried for him and not herself.

To his realization, he was touching her. They both look shocked as they look down at his hand. She hesitantly touches his fingers on her chin, with her eyes widened with tears.

"You can touch me?" She says softly. He releases his hand, looking down at it, trying to figure out what triggered the ability to touch her. Sukuna's face loosens as the realization hits him. He clenches his fingers into a fist, and immediately faces away from her.
"Lord Sukuna?" She watches his back as he stood idle, staring into the distance. After a while of silence between them, he quietly says.

"Don't worry (y/n), I'll be fine." And walks off leaving her clueless to his thoughts.

•••

When night fell, the same cursed human appears before them, barely holding onto life. (y/n) gasped, hurrying over to his side. He collapsed to the ground heaving loudly.

"Takibi! What happened to you!" She yells, holding his back. Sukuna turns around, glaring down at the two.

"Th-they *cough* ambu- *cough* ambushed us," (y/n) leans him back against a boulder. He took a few more blood curdling breaths before clearing his throat.
"Akio...He has gathered over 10 sorcerers to take you down *cough* Lord Sukuna... 4 of which are of special *cough* grade, from the north." His body was covered in stained blood that was mixed with the blood of humans and fellow curses. Sukuna watched (y/n) try her best to cover his wounds.

Sukunas eye's frowned at the word North. There was only one sorcerer family who posed a threat to him who originated from the North.

"My Lord... they wiped us out." His pulse slowed and his skin went cold like the night breeze. (y/n) could smell the death exceeding his soul.

Sukuna was in a situation he never thought would have him on edge. He wasn't afraid of them, but feared they would take (y/n) in the commotion of the battle.

"(y/n) let's go." He bluntly says, hurriedly walking into the forest. Her eyes widen, as she still sat beside the cursed human.

"Wha- No! Sukuna he's dying!" She yelled out, determined to keep him alive by pressing harder on his open wound.

"Leave him to die. He's done his job." Sukuna says glaring down at her. She returns his glare and held her ground, listening to the man cling to life.

"No!" She demanded back. Sukuna's eyes glistened with rage, with his hands clenched in a fist.

"Fuck (y/n)!" He knew she wouldn't budge until he did something. He scowls, taking the curse by the neck, letting his body hang from the ground.

"Sukuna! What are you-" she yells, before realizing he was healing his wounds.

Before long, he drops the curse to the ground who coughed up spit and gagged for air. (y/n) pats his back gently and smiles. She glances up to Sukuna who was still glaring at her.

"Thank you." He rolls his eyes and turns his head, treading his way into the forest. She helps the cursed human to his feet and studied his face.

"Thank you, M'lady." He says, rubbing his neck. They both follow Sukuna into the forest, moving further from the village, infested with sorcerers.

"Lord Sukuna. Your face twitched at the mention of the sorceress from the North. Who are they?" (y/n) mutters, afraid he would get angry at bringing up the subject. Instead he replies in a mellow tone.

"They're a family who I use to work for." Her eyes widen, as she remembers that he use to be human.

If Sukuna worked for that family, then it would mean they hire exceptionally skilled sorceress. He reacted to 4 sorcerers, unlike any other. Is he being cautious of them?

She thought to herself, watching his back muscles move against his skin.

"It's also the family in which Akio was raised in." He idles himself, looking back at her. He knew he would eventually bring them into the war, but so soon? It made his blood boil.

"Takibi!" Sukuna suddenly yells, breaking the silence.

"Y-yes Lord Sukuna?" He stiffens his body, holding his chin high. In the process of Sukuna healing him from near death, he had vowed to devote himself and his life to Sukuna and Lady (y/n).

"I need you to take a message to Seiichi." Sukuna says, striking (y/n) from her haze. She hadn't seen Seiichi for a very long time, and the sudden mention of his name stirs her.

"Seiichi? What message do you have for Seiichi?" She looks back and forth from Sukuna and Takibi.

"From now on I will not have the utmost advantage, defeating this family and protecting you at the same time." He turns to the cursed human and narrows his eyes.
"Tell him to rendezvous at her village. He'll understand the rest. Go!" He yells.

Takibi bows deeply to him and vanishes into the night. (y/n) runs up to his side tugging at his kimono.

"Sukuna, you're scaring me. What's happening?" He takes her face in his hands, surprised at how soft her skin was.

Now that he could touch her, he had to force himself to keep his urges in check. Without noticing, he had gazed into her eyes for a lengthy amount of time.

"Sukuna?" Her cheeks burned red, as his intense gaze stunned her like a rabbit.

His eyes were so beautiful. They burned with rage, but gazed with admiration. She was completely lost in them. Now that he could touch her, she would allow him to do anything with her if he continued to look at her like this.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but not wanting to tell her at this moment. She would hate him, and that was the very last thing he wanted her to do.

"Let's go." He whispers, releasing her from his hands.