Chapter 3
So far so good.
Sukuna knew he had a lot to make up for to get the brat of the brat on his side, even if it meant lowering his self worth to appease a child. This all happened a few weeks ago when he saw Kiyoshi by himself. Swallowing his pride, Sukuna approached him but also wore the divine mask given to him, altering his form. When the child saw him, he was startled.
Sukuna smiled to him. "Hey… I am sorry I scared you before." He said in as gentle of a tone as he could. "Also… thank you for the meat you gave me. You know your father said I can't have beef anymore back then, right?" he asked.
Kiyoshi nodded his head nervously. "Dad said not to talk to you," he whispered.
Sukuna smiled once more. "Then this will be our little secret, okay?"
The child was easily won over, after all, he only scared him once. If he did it constantly then the trust between them would never happen. But slowly, he began to win over the brat. A few simple tasks here and there, sneak him a cookie or two after being told no. Offer to play with him… that alone took every fiber of his being to accomplish!
But slowly, he has earned the brat's trust and even the brat appears to see him as a friend more than anything.
Children as easily fooled.
Then again, like father… like son.
Today happened to be another little play session with the child, despite how stupid it was, Sukuna endured as he began to see the path out of this mess. But he still has some time to build up this child's trust.
"Ppsss, Sukuna…" he heard a whisper.
He was lingering outside of the massive kitchen used for everyone to eat at, the boy snuck in for a snack. "Find something good?" he whispered back.
The child shook his head. "Nothing too good for you, you like meat right? I know uncle Eso was making beef jerky, but I think he hid it."
"Tch, of course he would…"
"Would baloney be okay?"
At the moment, anything would do for him. "Sure," he whispered back.
The boy vanished once more, only to return with two pieces of baloney… the child obviously has no idea how much he could eat. Two pieces is barely a taste.
Still, he keep reminding himself, this is all for his own cause, and soon, it will pay off. "Thanks kid,"
He was quick to eat it, until he heard. "KIYOSHI!"
The boy jumped at his father's voice. The brat glared down Sukuna but was giving him a rather… disturbing look. His eyes they changed to that of a dragon! "Dad… we were just getting a snack!"
"Yeah, a snack." Sukuna replied in as innocent of a tone as he could.
The brat didn't buy that, he was quick to grab his son and pull him away. "You are not to be left alone with him!"
"But he doesn't scare me anymore!"
"I don't care if he does or doesn't, stay away from him…" His former vessel then turned to him. "STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!" he roared.
The odd thing is this, despite the fact it sounded like an order. It wasn't really.
"Dad… he plays with me!"
"What?!"
His glare came upon him once more. "He asked me to play with him. Being bounded to you by this blasted collar… I was compelled to obey him…" he said rather carelessly.
The brat growled at him. "Go home, Kiyoshi"
"But…"
"NOW!" he ordered.
The child jumped to his voice, but it brought a smirk to Sukuna, after all. He just scared his child for doing what children do… The seed of trust has been planted and will flourish the more the brat scolds his child… it's just how things are!
When the boy ran off, Sukuna was suddenly held by the throat and lifted off his feet!
When did his vessel get so… right… dragon…
He had to keep reminding himself of that, had he not been such a beast. This would have shot his pride right through the heart!
"You are planning something. I know you well enough that you have something in mind and you are trying to involve my son in this… I will say this ONCE and only ONCE. Don't you dare came near my child again… stay away from my son, or I'll do something about it… something you will never recover from!"
Sukuna was dropped, but he couldn't help but smirk. "That child seeks me out, I don't go looking for him. Perhaps it's not me that's the threat to that boy, but you!"
A low growl came out of the brat, until…
"HERE BOY! HERE SUKUNA!" followed by a playful whistle usually used to get a dog to come.
Instantly his good mood was gone. He was compelled to stand up once more and go to Suiryu who called out for him.
Suiryu happened to be at the entrance of the domain.
"Ah! Good boy!"
He sneered at the knock off. "What?" he demanded.
Suiryu merely smirked at him. "You're coming with me tomorrow, in fact, for the next few days, you and I are going to hang out together. I need a roadie!"
He paused to the decree. "What the hell is a roadie!?"
