Sorry it took me so long to post this last chapter, but I was busy with uni and also, Sukuna is freaking hard to write xD


It's been three whole days. Since that, the only time he has heard of Sukuna was when the curse laughed at him as Panda made him eat dirt for the umpteenth time this afternoon.

Granted, it's not like Sukuna is the greatest person to have hanging out inside your head, but at least he talks when he gets bored and his commentary, when not targeted towards Yuuji, is surprisingly entertaining.

Also, his vessel can somehow feel his anger, and this is starting to give him a headache.

He has been laying in bed for the past twenty minutes when he finally gathers the courage to reach out:

"Hey… Sukuna…"

The answer is something between a reluctant "yes?" and a growl.

"Look," Yuuji continues before he could chicken out, "I'm sorry for what I did. That was… rude?"

"Understatement, brat."

"Hey, come on. It's not like you don't dig into my memories once in a while."

Sukuna sneers.

"And what are going to do about it?" he taunts.

"Not sulking for days, that's for sure."

"… Do you actually enjoy drowning?"

"No, no! Please, don't?"

Yuuji tenses up, but even after a bit he's still tucked safely under his blanket, so he lets out a sigh of relief. It's not because it doesn't last that getting killed feels any less unpleasant.

However, because he has no sense of self-preservation, he decides to test his luck:

"Why did that piss you off this much?" he wonders.

"First of, I don't remember giving you permission to go around my mind."

"Oh, like I usually obey you..."

"You should try."

"Will that make you nicer?"

"No."

"Then I don't see why I should. No, seriously, Sukuna? Is it because… um…"

He trails off, thinking that if he says that, he's definitely not going to like the consequences. He can already feel Sukuna getting suspicious.

"Finish your sentence," he demands.

"No, it's nothing."

"That was not a question, brat."

Yuuji sighs. What would be safer, trying to sidestep the issue, or answering? Well, he has already dug up his own grave; time to lie in it. He also has to admit he's still curious.

"Were you angry because you consider it a weakness?"

(He isn't sure he has even paused at all between the words.)

There is a long silence.

"Technically," Sukuna finally says, "that's how I turned into a curse, so that's what made me strong.

"Okay?"

So, his theory is disproved. He still doesn't have an answer to his initial question – but also, he hasn't been pulled into Sukuna's domain yet, so according to his book, everything is fine. This time, he doesn't dare to press the matter any further. He can still feel the curse listening to his every breath, though.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" he tries after a while.

Immediately, he has the feeling the answer isn't going to be positive.

"Why did you do that?" Sukuna asks instead – and from his tone alone, his vessel is well aware that he has to watch his next words.

"Er, I… I just wanted to know more about you… I was curious?"

He didn't really mean it to come out as a question, but it did.

"That's all?"

"Yes?" Yuuji squeaks. "I mean, what else?"

"…"

He feels that weird sensation deep within his chest and sighs internally. Here we go.

Red waters, throne of skulls, titanic ribcage; he knows the deal. Of course, he has appeared on all fours down there, Sukuna a few steps away, towering over him. The curse's expression is closed-off, but his hands are tucked into his kimono sleeves for now. Yuuji sits up slowly.

"… You called?"

His voice echoes weakly into the domain. There are no sounds around other than the beating of his own heart.

"Is it the moment where I apologize one more time? I'm sorry," he repeats without waiting for an answer, "for being noisy. Just don't kill me this time, okay? I promise I won't try again."

He taps his fist lightly against his chest. Sukuna barely lifts an eyebrow.

"And… " Yuuji hesitates. "I'm sorry for what happened to you too? I'm sure you have done worst since then, but still. That was… wrong."

The curse laughs.

It doesn't sound like it had in the past. It isn't a nice sound at all.

"You are stupid, Itadori Yuuji."

"Eh!"

It's weird to hear his name in Sukuna's low tone, he can't help but notice. Usually, he is "brat" and nothing else, to the extent he wondered for a while if the curse even bothered to learn his name. (Apparently, he has.)

"Hey, Sukuna, can I ask you a question?" he blurts out without thinking.

He doesn't really get a "yes" in response, but it's probably not a "no" either, so good enough. He continues:

"How old were you when you- erh… turned into a curse?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Same answer as just now, I'm curious. You looked quite young."

There is a short blank, and before his words remind Sukuna that he has been digging around in his memories without authorization, Yuuji adds :

"I just wanna know how old you are. In, um, conscious years? Not as disgusting soap-tasting fingers."

"Soap-" The curse pauses, pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm not going to ask. And the answer is, I was eighteen."

"Wh- You-" Yuuji stammers before gathering his thoughts again. "So, you're not that much older than me? Sensei told me your reign as a curse didn't last very long, according to… the re-… records…"

He gradually stops as he notices Sukuna's expression change oh so slightly, a dangerous glint in his blood-red eyes. He isn't sure what exactly has ticked him off, but the more Yuuji reflects on what just came out of his mouth, the more he realizes why he should have kept it shut, for once. If he has tried to play a game of "what's the quickest way I can get kicked in the face?", this is definitely what he would have thrown out – Gojo, the fact that he's been digging around the curse's business, and, worse of all, questioning his power…

Well.

He is suddenly hit, not by a foot like he was fully expecting to, but by what feels like… a memory?

It's clearly Sukuna's, he recognizes the unsettling feeling of his cursed energy. But what's overwhelming, downright nauseating, this time around, is a spilling, burning mixture of rage, hatred, and pain. There is nothing else – no sound, no light, no feeling.

When the whirlwind of emotions dies down a bit, it's just the darkness, the emptiness – the loneliness. It's worse.

Yuuji is back in the red waters before he has the time to understand what just happened. Sukuna looks just as taken aback as he is.

"… What was that?"

As the answer doesn't come, he's left to guess by himself. It felt like what he imagines death to feel like – life just cannot be this void. But Sukuna didn't die, he turned into a curse, and-

Then, was killed.

Wait, do scattered, severed relics-fingers have a consciousness somehow?

Yuuji's eyes meet crimson ones and he knows he's right. He opens his mouth again, not quite sure of what he's going to say, but-

"Now fuck off", Sukuna cuts him off before he has time to utter a single word. "Or I will kill you again."

"I didn't m- Oh."

He blinks a few times, surprised to be faced with the blankness of his room ceiling once again. He doesn't think he has ever been forced out of Sukuna's domain without at least getting kicked.

Not that he is complaining, though.

He turns around, adjusting the pillow under him. Outside, the night is dark; clouds are obscuring the moon and up to the tiniest star. It's silent too, only the distant rusting sound of the forest life and Yuuji's breathing can be heard. He knows Fushiguro is just next door, and the other students aren't far either, but they are surely fast asleep by now. He pulls the blanket a little tighter around him.

"'Night, Sukuna," he whispers out loud.

He wasn't expecting an answer, but it came nonetheless:

"Yeah, yeah, good night."

Yuuji hums. That almost sounded nice, right? He will take it.

"And I was angry," Sukuna continues, "because I don't like going back to this time. Especially not to remove ill-mannered brats from where they don't belong."

"Yeah, I got it. I'll stick to my own mind."

"You better."


In case that wasn't clear, the "memory" at the end was when Sukuna was finally defeated and kind of trapped as relics. I'm not sure if he was conscious during this time in canon, but I thought it would be cool if he was (and by that I mean, you know, complete isolation is a great way to drive someone into insanity). Yuuji talking about the fingers and his death made him think back to it, and it like went through their mental link? (Okay idk either xD)
Oh, and the fingers tasting like soap, that's actually canon and it made me giggle so I had to include it - and also it's way less disgusting that thinking of them as mummified flesh UGH

Well, anyway, hope you enjoyed this fic! And to everyone who already left kudos and reviews, it's thanks to you I finished writing this 3