While you were sleeping…
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Hours creaked by without a sound from the attic.
Midday passes again.
Sukuna is most assuredly losing his mind while being stuck outside of your body. He's used to your icy silences and having his remarks and inquiries going completely ignored as you gave him the quiet treatment fairly often. He usually had the reprieve of your memories to delve into for his amusement when you refused his attention. The solitude of being alone with his thoughts only is wearing his patience thin.
He spent restless hours walking the churchyard grounds and keeping a watchful eye on his servant who shared in his unnatural insomnia. Specifically the way the boy kept smiling up at him and immediately looking away. Sukuna finds his morose thoughts dissolving into more comforting cravings as the hours crawl by. His vices being few and far between meant that his focus pulled without his consent to Junpei's lips, which he now knew were very soft and responsive. When their kiss ended so did the music, leaving the two no further reason to be seated close to one another.
Wherever Junpei ventured, his master stayed close behind, nearly matching him with each step. Oddly he's less unnerved by this than he previously was. It's comforting knowing that he isn't alone.
"What are you doing?" Sukuna asks when he spies the boy plucking and crushing lilac flowers together in both hands.
"I like how they smell. It's nice."
Junpei rubs his bare arms to spread the oils from the petals onto his skin. He makes sure to swipe over his neck as well
Sukuna swallows hard, already catching the scent on the breeze as it floats by. He's aware that humans care very much about their personal smell, using oils and perfumes as attractants for one another. Is that what his servant is doing?
"I miss my old shower," Junpei murmurs aloud.
Bathing daily was a simple pleasure he always took for granted. Of course that thought only reminds him of his last bath with Master Sukuna… in your body. Should he tell you about that whenever you wake up? Hopefully you won't mind, but of course you probably will. You barely have any privacy as it is. Junpei knows he shouldn't still be thinking about how warm your skin felt against his, but he can't help himself. He's already cleaned most of everything else. Maybe he can make the room a bit nicer for you too before you wake up.
"They should have woken up by now," Sukuna grumbles while casting his eyes wearily up to the tapestry fluttering in the open window of the room where you still lie sleeping. The sunrise is still hours away, and he's dreading spending another day apart from you already.
Junpei snaps a few dead sprigs from the lilac bush in his fingertips. "I think we can wait a little longer just to make sure they're well rested."
He's busying himself with idle garden chores, but in reality your friend is also anxious for you to get up soon. Every time he looks over his shoulder, Sukuna is either boring holes through his back with an ambiguous yet intense gaze, or longingly glancing back at your window. Clearly pining over your absence.
"It's not good to sleep for so long," the annoyed older man mutters aloud.
What if you have a nightmare without him there to remove it? You need to eat soon too. He can't take care of you the way you need while he's in this accursed dirt vessel. Even if you haven't been grateful for his services to you or even aware of it, the absence of you is disturbing to your Curse.
When he turns his head back to Junpei, he finds the boy has wandered a bit further away. He's standing with his back to Sukuna and the church, pulled to a specific mulberry tree that seems to be emitting a strange low humming.
"Oy! Come away from there. What are you gawking at?"
"That noise….I think it's a beehive," Junpei replies, hypnotized by a low continuous droning sound. Rather than turning back, he steps closer.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sukuna demands as he watches the boy's hand vanish within the gaping hole at the crook of the tree's main branches.
Junpei doesn't answer his master, but pulls back. A satisfied grin on his face as he turns back around with a thick slab of golden honeycomb in his hand.
"Everything here is supposed to be safe to eat, right?"
Not wanting the little whelp to feel too smug, Sukuna frowns in disapproval.
"You're lucky you didnt get stung."
His servant only shrugs, still focussing on now dripping from his fingers.
"I don't think they were too worried. They didn't try to even land on me."
He gathers the sticky golden syrup on two fingers and plops some into his mouth.
Sukuna wrinkles his nose at his servant's disobedience. It's annoying how free-spirited he is. Any other slave of his would have been broken down into a sniveling wretch at such flippancy in his presence, and he would enjoy inflicting that punishment too.
"And what are you going to do with that now? You're making a mess."
Looking up at his increasingly annoyed master, Junpei offers the honeycomb to him in a nearly helpless gesture, still sheepishly grinning while licking his fingers.
"Would you like some?"
The innocence in his eyes awakens an odd sensation within your Curse. He stares hard at that beguiling little smile, still shining with honey. He can smell flower petals lingering on the boy's skin. The offer hangs in the air unanswered as his claws twitch.
Stop it, he commands himself willfully.
He stretches out his hand, opening his second mouth to devour the offering up in one hasty gulp. It's no accident when his tongue sweeps over Junpei's palm, licking away the residual stickiness and causing the boy to shiver visibly but not enough to pull back. Instead he smiles demurely, for once not turning away from Sukuna's burning gaze. With his initial apprehension of the man fading away, he finds it easier to look upon the strangely familiar face.
He's handsome, Junpei muses to himself, though he's still unable to shake the creeping sensation of deja vu. Why does he feel so…sad?
"What's wrong?" Sukuna asks.
"Nothing…I'm fine."
Untucking his bangs from behind his ear, Junpei turns back around. His cheeks are tingling. Is he blushing? Hopefully not, though he isn't sure if that's something he can even do now. Absently he begins picking more sprays of purple lilacs to keep his hands busy.
"Would you carry something upstairs for me?" he asks as sweetly as he can without turning around.
Sukuna is about to tell him to do it himself before he realizes that by "upstairs" the boy means the attic.
"Fine," he mutters. Any excuse to check on you..
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THUUNK!
"Watch out! Be careful with that," Junpei hisses in a bare whisper as the table corner hits the frame of the attic entrance.
Sukuna scowls down furiously, irritated at being shushed by an underling.
"It's a narrow doorway. I have to turn it to make it fit," he grates between his teeth.
" 'Kay, just, you know, keep it down. Move slower maybe?"
Muttering under his breath, your Curse works to free the first table leg into the attic. He casts wary glances at your slumbering body, still rolled onto your side and facing away from him. Finally he works the table through and sets it down gently. Satisfied, he steps gingerly across the floorboards to view you closer.
Once the way is clear for him to enter, Junpei climbs up the ladder, carefully balancing the items he's holding. Fortunately he only needs to take three steps up before being high enough to place everything at the ledge and climb the rest of the way. A little unnerving, but not impossible.
While cleaning the additional rooms and kitchen, he came across several useful items such as bowls and cups and a nearly perfect ceramic tea set with only minor chipping to the rims of each cup. Best of all, he found a tea tray to carry everything on to make it easy to transport without spilling anything. Though he didn't bring any tea this time. The kitchen sadly didn't have any that was usable since years of stale air had brittled the leaves into dust inside their packages.
For now all he had was water from the garden well in a polished copper cup and the lilacs he'd picked. He sets these into the cup as a mock-vase and places it squarely in the center on the table.
"What's that?" Sukuna asks while pointing.
Junpei shrugs haplessly. "I thought it might help the room look nice."
Clearly he overestimated what a few loose flowers were capable of. The walls are still rotting and covered in graffiti, more than any paint job could hope to restore. He can't possibly mend a broken window either. There's far too much work to be done and not enough resources to take care of it all. It's tiring just to think about. Also pointless. Surely the three of you can't remain here forever. Do you have any plans for your future?
Studying the worried expression on his servant's face, Sukuna appraises the meager little structure the boy is attempting to decorate. It's a pitiful excuse for an altar, and judging by his face Junpei is clearly anticipating a beating for such shoddy work, which he very well deserves. However, this being his first act of adoration without being prompted, your Curse is generously inclined to forgive this, but there is much yet to teach.
"Needs a few more elements, wouldn't you say?" he asks.
"Hm? Elements?" Junpei doesn't know what this means.
"I see water…You should also add earth. And fire and air," Sukuna recites with the patience of a monk. Though this should all be elementary knowledge to the little whelp if he inherited an inkling of Stolas's knowledge. Why do all humans have to be so naturally thick-headed?
Considering his master's words carefully, Junpei wonders aloud, "Earth…like dirt from the outside."
"Yes," his Master confirms with a light hand resting on the boy's shoulder. He bends low and selects an empty bowl that had been brought up on the tray.
"Go fill this and bring it back."
"Oh! Okay."
"And no–"
"No rocks. Understood, Master." Junpei confirms as he descends down the steps.
When his footsteps disappear, your Curse approaches your bedside once again, kneeling and rearranging your covers. Your breathing is even and heavy. You're deep in dreamless sleep thankfully. Sukuna's hand slips beneath the futon edge, pulling out a small wooden box you would recognize if you were awake. He slides it open and empties the contents into his hand with a sorrowful expression. A quick peek out the window confirms that Junpei is down in the garden on both knees sifting dirt through his fingers. He'll be back shortly.
Your Curse is still torn in his decision, studying your slumbering expression with nothing short of anguish on his face. This closeness is torture for him. He wants to hold you, to play in your hair absently while you rest, or bring his lips to yours and pretend for only a second that everything is fine. But how could it be?
Sukuna sighs heavily. He hears the sound of Junpei's shoes creaking on the ladder rungs and departs from your side.
"Here," his servant offers the bowl forward, only to be directed with a sweep of Sukuna's arm to indicate that he should place it himself.
"Earth is North. Make sure it sits north."
Puzzled nonetheless, Junpei obediently triangulates where north would be on a table. It's a blind guess. In a light huff, Sukuna corrects him, sliding the bowl to the top.
"There. That's north. Now water is placed in the west."
Okay, that's easier. Junpei moves the lilacs in their cup to the table edge on the left.
"Good. Next, air elements in the east."
Air? What, should I blow on the table?
Just then it occurs to him what he can use. Your friend pops up excitedly and vanishes downstairs again. When he returns, he's holding several loose gray feathers.
"Will these do?" he asks, holding his breath that he won't be yelled at for offering up something so ludicrous. But much to his surprise, Sukuna only chuckles.
"You know what? Sure. Why the hell not? Put them on the table."
Following orders, he drops them into a second empty cup and sets it across from the lilacs to represent East.
Earth, water, air…that only leaves–
A spark behind his shoulder startles Junpei. His master's features are illuminated by a single flame extending from his fingertips as he lights a cone of incense. One of the few things he'd found in the church that he kept for himself, choosing to burn it while you took your rare moments of rest.
"Fire," he supplies as he sets the incense on a separate plate. It's placed at the final edge of the table completing the elements. Pale wisps of smoke arise and curl into the rafters. Junpei senses that he's just accomplished something, though what it is he's still not certain.
"Junpei…"
His master calls him by name, sending a tiny shiver down his spine.
"Y-yes?"
"You have placed your offerings upon this altar seeking my favor which is granted under one condition. I will ask for you to swear your loyalty unto me."
Huh? Loyalty?
Junpei balks, his eyes widening. He thought he was just decorating, what's all this about an altar?
Your Curse places his hand on top of the boy's head lightly. A tingle trickles down his spine at the touch, but he doesn't dare move. In this position he's at the mercy of his master.
"The cursed technique you possess… I can reverse it for you."
"You mean my shikigami? Why?"
Sukuna cocks an eyebrow thoughtfully. "If being cursed is truly no burden, I can adapt it to be even stronger. Or remove it if you wish. What would you rather I do?"
The spectral being used to give him strength and make him special, but in the end his shikigami was just another tool used to hurt everyone around him. Using Moondregs reminds Junpei of Mahito, afterall he was the one who'd bestowed the shikigami unto him in the first place after doing God knows what to his body. How does it make him any better than the Curse he despises if he keeps using it?
"What's your decision?" Sukuna asks again, tipping his servant's head back to meet his expression.
"I….I want to know true strength," Junpei utters at last.
"Even if I remain cursed, I want to be useful in a fight."
To protect who I love, he adds silently.
Sukuna turns his head in your direction.
"How much do you care for them?"
"...Very much," he confesses freely.
How else is he supposed to answer? You've given him life, and even more, a will to do something with it that actually matters: to be at your side as long as you'll have him.
"You make them happy…. I see the way you look at them. It's clear what your longings are, but will you act on them?" Sukuna implores.
Longings? Does he mean…..
Looking up, the seriousness on his master's face tells him that his assumptions are correct when he recognizes the same expression he saw before they kissed.
"The solace of another. Will you seek it out yourself, or be ready if they reach out to you?"
For a moment Junpei sits in stunned silence, wondering the same thing over and over. Of course he would love to, but where would he even begin? You'd gotten comfortable enough to initiate contact with him recently, but the idea of approaching you that way ties his stomach in knots. You kissed him in the park while in the midst of danger. It was a brash and spontaneous gesture meant to focus him back to the present when he was hysterical….but you could have slapped him to the same effect.
"I-I don't know how to do stuff like that," he confides in a hushed whisper.
Tentatively slipping past the mountain of fear and regret, Sukuna's voice is soft and promising.
"I can teach you."
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When the sun begins to set, you make your way up the staircase of the steeple spire to the roof's precipice. You've had two days of rest and plenty to eat during the late afternoon ever since you woke up. After an incredibly long stretching session to reawaken your sore muscles and joints you're finally ready for the sky.
Oh. Except for one thing.
Sukuna is still in his earthen vessel, surprisingly tolerating it better than he typically does. The first few times you'd attempted it and been successful, he'd immediately destroyed himself, refusing to leave your body willingly.
You turn and find him already staring at you expectantly. Waiting for the invitation to return. Odd. He normally doesn't display such restraint. Though maybe restraint isn't the right word. He's practically scowling at you as if to say Get on with it already!
"Ready to go?" you ask him with a small jerk of your head.
"Am I ever," he gripes.
He begins tearing his claws through his chest to destroy his vessel the instant he's given permission. His presence infuses with yours again in a surge of warmth as the crumbling dust of his vessel is swept away by the wind.
"Sukuna..." you address him inwardly.
"What?"
"Don't ever leave my body without permission again."
"...As you command," he murmurs after a long pause.
You don't care how it sounds or how he chooses to take it. You're responsible for your Curse and his actions regardless of where he is. That's the choice you made when you became his vessel.
Brightening your expression, you give Junpei a nudge and step up to the concrete ledge.
"All aboard! First class is now seating," you open your arms wide to him.
Eagerly he jumps up to grab hold of you as your boots leave the rooftop, hugging your neck tighter than usual. He must have really missed you for the past couple of days.
He smiles in content without your noticing, wishing that the flight could last a little bit longer, but your destination is relatively close. There were no other large structures built near the forest other than the old church and the music school. The solitude of the borderlands beckoning for silence and reflection.
"Doesn't look like anyone is around to see us. Hang on, we're going down," you announce.
"Ready," your friend announces, happy to have any excuse to tighten his hold again.
Just a quick visit. No trouble, no fuss, you think to yourself, not wanting a repeat of the last time you ventured out for your own pleasure.
You touchdown on the roof, landing easily with your passenger. Generous forestry provides ample separation from the noise of Tokyo. It's quiet without the blare of distant traffic, but the music is here beneath your feet. You can feel the vibrations from each instrument being tuned thrumming through each of your feathers. Chills run down your arms and you catch traces of hushed whispers and tittering chatter among the noise.
"So many humans…" Sukuna comments.
"It must be a pretty big orchestra, especially if we hear them all the way from the church." You shrug as your wings retract.
Junpei takes a look over the open roof, making note that there is absolutely no place to take cover if someone should decide to come up here. The doorway to the emergency exit sits dauntingly, assumed to be locked from the outside. You'd probably be able to hear if someone is coming anyway. Eventually your friend relaxes and takes a seat with his back against the brick of the building while you remain on high alert.
He smiles while looking at you, bathed in golden sunlight with the last of your inky black feathers protruding through your coat. It's impossible for him not to be captivated. When you turn and find him gazing at you with such open adoration, it's you who looks away first with fierce burning in your cheeks.
"They, uh…should be starting soon." you mutter, feeling strangely self-conscious.
It shouldn't feel like a big deal, but that smile on Junpei's face is stirring up butterflies inside of you that you thought were long gone. Maybe it's just because he missed you being around. Sukuna couldn't have been pleasant company for him. He probably just ordered your friend around the whole time.
"Did not…" Sukuna grumbles with some offense taken.
"Hmpf. Yeah, right."
"What was that?" Junpei asks as you sit beside him.
Oops. You'd said that last part out loud.
"Nothing. It's nice…being out I mean. Thanks for talking me into it."
"Actually it was Sukuna's idea. He thought this would cheer you up since last time went so….Well, you remember," he adds sheepishly.
Huh. Now that takes you by very real surprise. Sukuna being thoughtful?
The music beneath your feet strums to life, distracting you from responding. More Tchaikovsky. The conductor is partial to his works for certain. This is a movement called Serenade for Strings. A gentle breeze lulls you to close your eyes and lean your head back as the harmony of singing violins and deep cellos intertwine.
The simple pleasure of the moment creeps gradually, slowly building to a placid grin. It's your own private concert. A slight movement stirs beside you. You open your eyes and find Junpei sidling closer to you, his shoulder brushing yours quite deliberately. He keeps this small contact while keeping his eyes downcast and hidden behind the curtain of his dark hair.
"I never really liked this sort of music before, but I think I definitely appreciate it more now thanks to you."
You nod. "I feel the same way. It used to be hard to focus on music without any lyrics, but when we– ...when I heard it for the first time, I realized I could hold onto one thing that felt human."
Your friend turns to you with concern. "Is that something you worry about?"
You make a rude noise that would have gotten you shushed had you been in an actual theater. "I mean, what's to worry about? The things I've done….I figure I'm damned no matter what I do now."
"But you still do so many good things too. Maybe you aren't?" Junpei suggests hopefully.
"Sure feels otherwise," you mumble, remorseful that you've sullied the beauty of this moment with more of your lousy self pity.
A tickle across your skin makes you look down. Junpei's index finger is shyly tracing over the black bands at your wrist, identical to his own.
"I don't think you're damned at all…You're incredibly strong but still kind. You care about others even when you act like you don't, and you're working to keep the city safe while its people probably didn't do the same for you. I think you're amazing and… beautiful." His voice trails off bashfully when he realizes he's overstepping.
While he speaks, his fingers slowly inch over yours and hold them lightly. Your first instinct is to pull away from this tenderness. You'd held his hand at the amusement park but that was in a much more desperate circumstance. Touching someone this way is all too familiar and frightening. The swell of guilt from your past is impossible to ignore.
"He cares for you," Sukuna rumbles gently without a trace of jealousy.
I can't do this again…
Sukuna takes control over your hand, parting your fingers to allow Junpei's to slip through. "Yes, you can. This time will be different," he vows.
Your throat tightens. More empty promises from your Curse mean nothing to you. He says your name softly, attempting to let the familiar warmth from his energy fill your body the way it used to when he brought you comfort. It does little for you now.
"Please stop hiding yourself away. This cannot be your life forever,"
he pleads with you, squeezing your fingers to hold Junpei's hand.
"You'll hurt him eventually. I know you will because you can't help yourself."
You expect him to argue and deny, but instead he asks quietly, "What harm can I possibly bring to a dead boy? Besides, who else does he have?"
Your jaw clenches. You have nothing to say to that. He's right. Bringing Junpei back into the world means he has to live on the outskirts of society just like you do. Normalcy is no more for either of you. Any human hopes and dreams you once had are irrelevant now. Your future is whatever you choose.
The music builds beneath you, rising to its crescendo. Junpei turns to find there are tears streaming down your face. Your fingers are laced with his, holding tightly. He lays his head on your shoulder, saying your name again for no reason, setting it as the only lyric to the melody.
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Thursday 8:15 pm, Taito Hospital: top floor
In the hospital wing reserved for Jujutsu sorcerers, a clamor rings out as a nurse with short black hair runs from a patient's room with a clipboard flying after her, narrowly missing as it clatters against the wall.
"I said get out!" a shrill cry repeats before the door slams shut. There are no deadbolts to lock, but nurse Tao knows better than to try entering again anytime soon.
She sighs while straightening her glasses and scoops up the chart papers that came loose. She's seen her fair share of intense emotional outbursts from patients over the years. No one is ever excited to see her. Trauma cases are very delicate to navigate, especially when the patient can't recall their assault. Many of the required questions can be triggering.
Mai Zenin however seemed to have no regard for her treatment. Only asking repeatedly for her superiors to call for her release so she could be discharged. Her request was denied then resubmitted only to be denied again. Her sanity from remaining cooped up in a hospital room is on its way to doing her more harm than good. Refusing all meals in rebellion, her food trays have all been sent back untouched. Nothing they've offered is accepted by the sorceress, and thus the staff's hands are tied. It's been the same ever since the first time the Jujutsu doctor Shoko Ieri visited to make her rounds on the in-patient students. Aoi Todo was stabilized the day before, and with daily healing sessions he is expected to make a full recovery within a week. Unheard of for any victim of a hit and run, but Shoko's reversal healing is as incredible as it is rare. Momo Nishimiya was the luckiest. After being tested and cleared of any concussion, she was released after less than a day.
There's a ding at the elevator and Shoko Ieiri steps onto the floor. The weary expression she recognizes on the nurses face tells her all she needs to know. They don't waste time with greetings anymore.
Nurse Tao hands the girl's chart to Shoko.
"Still no progress. This isn't the first time I've seen this. The brain can shut out memories it thinks will cause us harm. Very useful as an evolutionary trait to protect us, though it does make it hard to investigate the details. She's pretty upset about her discharge being turned down twice."
"We can't have her released if she keeps rejecting all treatment. Has she remembered anything? Or at least consented to any examinations yet?" Shoko asks, thumbing through the paperwork.
The hospital nurse shakes her head remorsefully. "I'm afraid not. Despite how she was discovered, she remains adamant that she wasn't assaulted but refuses to be touched even to have her vitals taken."
The Jujutsu doctor leans forward to peek through the glass of the door. Mai is in her uniform rather than her hospital gown, sitting in one of the visitor chairs with her knees drawn up to her chin. Her face is turned away as she stares out the window. Her hospital bed is made up from when she'd been brought here. Sleep simply wasn't possible. Her eyes are beginning to sink in, gaunt from fatigue. She watches each patient departure from her window driving herself mad with ravenous jealousy.
"Well I hope she's at least in the mood for a visitor," Shoko mutters as she hears the ding of the elevator behind her and its doors sliding open again.
"Family visits always cheer patients up," the nurse smiles hopefully at her colleague, who only purses her lips knowingly.p
"Yeah, well probably not this time."
There's a knock at her door, but Mai chooses not to turn around. No one worth her attention ever comes in. Usually it's pesky nurses and hospital staff she doesn't even need. When she sees the familiar face of her sister reflected in the window glass, her scowl plants itself firmly. She turns around.
"What the hell do you want?" she snarls.
"Hey. I heard you've been going a little stir crazy here, so I thought you might like something to pass the time," Maki offers over the shopping bag she's holding.
Mai does not reach to accept it, snapping her head back around to glare outside again. "Fuck you! Don't bring me your pity or your stupid Sudoku puzzles!"
"Oh, I didn't. I know you have no patience for stuff like that. Here."
She reaches inside and tosses her sister a small blue box.
"I know you only smoke when you're stressed, so I got you a few packs."
Glaring down at the cigarettes, Mai is tempted to crush the peace offering in her hands. She was never a smoker by full definition, but they do calm her down. It's annoying how well her sister knows her habits.
"You get the lighter if you talk to me. Deal?" Maki bargains.
Mai scoffs. "What's there to talk about? These idiots won't let me leave because they think someone attacked me."
"Well? You did vanish out of your clothes and end up two blocks over. How did that happen?"
"I don't fucking know! One minute I had the target on lock, literally in my sights. Then I lost them in that stupid funhouse and…"
She trails off as the flashes of fear and pain stab their way into her conscious mind. Something cold grabbed her neck. After that her mind was blanked as if someone selectively took out those specific memories. Her throat constricts as she remembers only the echo of horrible laughter. She rips open the cigarette pack, tapping one out into her palm.
"I heard they found you wearing someone else's shirt too…" her sister continues, trying to stir up anything that could be helpful.
Mai shrugs her shoulders while inching open the window partially. "I guess so. Shit was disgusting. It was all bloody."
"They're still testing the blood. Any idea who would have dressed you?" Maki asks gently. She flicks the lighter flint for Mai.
"No. Sukuna's vessel was wearing some sort of trench coat or something different."
She stops, her words faltering as she remembers what she saw in the split second she fired in the funhouse. It wasn't just Sukuna's vessel, but the Curse himself was somehow manifested outside of you. It was only for a second, but she's positive of what she saw even though it made no sense. Sukuna couldn't exist without a host body unless he's reunited with all of his fingers. She must be remembering it wrong. Or she hallucinated.
"What is it?"
"I told you I don't remember!" Mai snaps.
"I was standing there one moment, ready to take the target down. But I lost my gun and I got thrown back and…And that's all I know."
"Are you sure it was just you and Sukuna's vessel?"
Thinking back, Mai has to shake her head while taking a long first drag.
"We saw a second person with Sukuna's vessel, but I never got a good look at his face."
That catches Maki's interest. "Another Curse user?"
"Couldn't say. They were both running away from me."
"Running? Instead of fighting you back?"
"Of course! I had them both cornered until they lead me into those fucking mirrors."
"That's where they found your clothes. And your empty gun," Maki nods.
"Empty? No, I only fired five times. There was one round left."
Maki says nothing. In the report Nanami turned in, her sister's gun was found empty with two sets of fingerprints on the grip and a third on the barrel. Only two were identified so far. The shirt Mai was found wearing tested positive for gunshot residue on its left sleeve. And that's not all that was found on it.
"Mai…When did you run into Nanami?"
"How the hell should I know?" she huffs.
"I don't mean the time. I mean when did you first see him?"
"...when I realized I wasn't in uniform,"
"So you didn't see him at all before then?"
"No. Why?"
"A tracking device was placed on your– I mean, the shirt you were wearing. One of ours."
Mai doesn't seem concerned. "So? Nanami probably tagged me when he found me 'cause I was a liability or something."
"Yeah…Makes sense." The older Zenin agrees breezily, not wanting to argue further.
Nanami's report dictated that after being found Mai locked herself in his car until being brought to the hospital. He would have had little reason to think she'd run off. How did she get so far from her clothes to begin with?
"Are you sure that nothing else happened? You need to tell us if–"
"Maki!"
"Yes?"
"I know what you're worried about, and…. I promise I'd know if I went through something like that. I'm fine. You can stop wringing your hands over me. 'Kay?"
"Okay. I believe you. It's just…freakish how you were found. No one knows how you got there."
"Yeah well, join the club. I don't remember much of anything" her sister mutters darkly, taking another drag off her cigarette.
She spots a bright red NO SMOKING sign on the window and pulls at the edge of one corner, peeling it off the glass. Maki watches in silence while her several theories try to connect.
"Someone touched me," Mai says finally, sounding full of disgust.
"I thought you said–"
"Not like that. I meant literally. Someone reached out and grabbed me, then everything just went blank…" Absently she traces the back of her neck, recalling the icy chill that followed.
That reminds Maki of the most gory detail of the report from that night she'd nearly left out.
"They found something else too. A hand."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Nanami and his partner picked up a whole human hand at the same place where your clothes were found."
"Huh," she grunts.
"The weirdest part is... there's no fingerprints. Forensics reported it was in the early stages of decomposition too. Meaning it wasn't even from a living person. It's from a corpse."
The younger Zenin frowns, her stomach fairy turning at the news. How the hell did part of a corpse end up at the scene?
"Gross," is all she mutters, flicking ash outside.
"Yeah…It's a pretty big mystery to everyone. So, you know, tell us if you remember anything at all."
"I know," Mai mutters, having heard this numerous times before already.
"And if you remember anything that troubles you….You can call me too," Maki offers with sincerity. Though she doubts that her sister would do such a thing.
The door clicks shut behind her. She left without even saying goodbye, as was their custom. The roads they traveled through life wind closely together, yet seldom cross without hazardous results. This could be chalked up to a nearly positive memory for the Zenin's however. No one even drew blood this time.
Mai stares down at the parking lot, waiting to watch her sister leave. She taps out a second cigarette and swears loudly when she realizes her sister had taken back the lighter.
So much for small consolations.
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Dusk falls and the orchestra gradually brings its rehearsal to a close. Junpei sits up, readjusting from his position with a stretch. He'd spent the entire hour leaning on you in what was sure to be one of the most blissful moments of his life.
"I guess we have to leave now, huh?" he asks knowingly.
You nod. "Yeah but this was really nice."
Realizing you still haven't let go of his hand yet, Junpei beams with exuberance, positive that he's making a very foolish expression but he doesn't care. The thrill of touching you gives him more confidence than he's ever had before.
You stand first, pulling your friend to his feet. "Maybe we can do this again next week too instead of listening from a distance."
"I'd really like that," he agrees.
Manifesting and stretching your wings again, you hold your arms open to your friend.
"Let's go," you smile.
He hugs your neck, sighing as you embrace him and the feeling of weightlessness takes over. Your feet leave the roof and you take to the cool night sky together.
Although he's no longer afraid while you're holding him, Junpei keeps his eyes closed while resting his head on your shoulder. When he opens his eyes and scans the ground below, he notices that you aren't taking the same route back.
"Where are we going? The church is the other way, right?"
You nod and give him a meaningful squeeze. "Before we go back…There's something else I want to do. Something for you."
"Ah! You don't have to do anything for me," he attempts but you ignore him, flying with an oddly pensive expression on your face.
After a few more minutes in the air, you begin your descent. You land in a clearing surrounded by trees and a high wrought iron gate surrounding the property on all sides. There is well kept grass beneath your boots, the air still pungent with its recent clipping. It's quiet here but that's expected.
You're standing in a graveyard.
"What are we doing here?" He hugs his arms around himself while looking around with clear nervousness. The sight of headstones in eerie rows of gray and white sends chills down his spine.
"You don't recognize it?" you ask while giving him a sympathetic look. Lightly you place a hand on his arm and gingerly lead him across the grounds.
"This is where you buried your mom," you explain in a low whisper.
"It…it is?"
He looks around again, trying to recall anything about the day when he laid his departed mother to rest, but that day is one dark blur.
He was asked if he wanted her casket open. No. Absolutely not. No matter how skilled the reconstruction was, all he would be able to see if he looked at her face would be the other half of her body lying across the room where he found her. That image was burned into him like a searing brand. It drove him to his demise in the end. He couldn't face her, and he couldn't face life without her.
Tears blur his vision unexpectedly. He says your name so softly that his voice cracks.
"Oh... I-I don't know If I can be here."
He twists his fingers anxiously together in front of him and tries to swallow the lump in his throat. All at once, he's at the funeral again. Hearing his estranged aunts and cousins offering their condolences while squeezing his shoulder with empty pressure. Her casket was cherrywood. He picked it because it sounded the prettiest. She was buried in a cerulean blue dress he'd never even seen her wear before. When he realized he forgot to bring shoes for her, he cried so hard that he threw up in the men's room before the service.
You take one of his hands in yours. He's shaking.
"Junpei….You loved your mother, didn't you?"
"S-so, so much. She was all I-I had! It wasn't fair!" He's openly crying now, hiccupping sobs while wiping his eyes with the neck of his shirt.
"Then let's go see her. I'm sure she misses you too."
With slow steps you guide him along the grave rows toward the place where you had come only a month before. It isn't hard to find the marker. The dirt is still disturbed from when you were last here.
Noticing this, Junpei's eyes dart to yours with concern. Momentarily forgetting his grief, he looks hurt now. With good reason, you remind yourself.
"What happened? Who did this?" he asks.
You take a shaky breath before speaking again.
"This is where your body came from. I made you….from the dirt from this spot."
"But…Why here? Why couldn't you use the church dirt?"
"Because it wouldn't have worked for you. It…it just wouldn't. I had to use grave soil from a close relative of yours. It's really lucky that you didn't choose to cremate her. In a way, your love for your mother is what made it possible for you to be here."
He says nothing, but his expression softens, as does his grip on your hand. Staring at the smooth stone that bears his mother's name, Junpei finds himself thinking of heaven and hell once again.
"Can she hear me?"
"Of course she can. I can give you some time to talk to her if you want," you offer, preparing to step away to give him privacy.
He stops you, refusing to let go. "Wait. Can I introduce you?"
Oh, shit…
"Um. Yeah, sure you can. I'd love to meet her," you nod, trying to conceal your discomfort.
Why not meet her? You've already desecrated the poor woman's graveside, you should pay your respects to her too.
You wait for him to begin as a full minute passes with him sniffling and squeezing your hand tightly. When he does speak, his voice is a hoarse whisper.
"H-hi, Mom…It's been a while. I'm doing okay. B-better than okay actually. I wanted you to meet somebody. A friend I made," more tears begin to flow down his face but his words come easier as he introduces you by name.
"You would really like them. They're taking care of me. I know you still would if you were here. I, uh, had to quit school. Sorry. I know you wanted me to finish, but..I…I'm okay. I have new friends to look out for me. So you don't have to be worried."
He chokes back another sob and you put a supportive arm around his back. Junpei forces on the bravest smile he possibly can.
"I love you, Mom. And I miss you. I always will."
You stand in respectful silence, letting your friend take all the time he needs to purge the bitter grief pouring out from him. It's so hard to watch, but you don't let go of him for even a second. When he's through, he turns to you and hugs your neck, still sniffling quietly.
"Thanks for bringing me here."
"Of course. You can even bring some flowers from the garden for her if you want."
Finally a real smile shines its way through. He looks at you gratefully.
"Yeah. She'd love that for sure."
Throughout the entirety of this grim yet cathartic visit, your Curse remains silent, observing human grief with little empathy. Sukuna does not comprehend loss or the notion of mourning someone who has died, but he can feel the overwhelming sadness twisting within you. This is all too foreign for him to weigh in. Instead he pulls childhood memories of your own mother, one you aren't even aware that you forgot entirely, replaying it again and again for his eyes only.
You and Junpei walk hand in hand, taking in the quietness of the property.
"It's a nice place," you comment.
Your friend sighs in what could almost be called relief. "It sure is, but I think I'm okay to leave now. Thank you again. I didn't really know how badly I needed to see her."
"I figured you did…..I…I didn't know Mahito was the one responsible for her death too,"
You remember his words when you faced the patchwork Curse in the funhouse mere nights ago. Junpei was so full of rage on her behalf. She must have been a much better mother than you had, that's for certain.
As if reading your mind, Junpei turns to you. "Is your mom still living?"
There's a long icy pause before you respond.
"No. She died about a year ago."
"I'm sorry," he says automatically, sounding very sincere.
"Don't be. It was no loss of mine. We weren't close."
"Still…she was your mom. Right?"
You stop walking, trying to look apologetic. "Yeah, but…at the same time, no. She wasn't. A mom hugs you, tells you that you're special, makes you feel safe and…loved. Like everything is always going to be okay. So by that definition, I didn't have a mom."
"Gosh…I'm-I'm so sorry." He can only reiterate his earlier sentiments, feeling pained to do so.
"But you shouldn't feel bad for having a good mom. I'm glad you did. You deserve love."
It falls so easily from your lips because you believe it, but when your friend stares down at the ground and softly mutters "You too," you have to fight back the urge to argue with him.
He looks over his shoulder at his mother's grave one last time.
"We can go now…But I do want to come back soon and bring some flowers for her."
"Of course. Anytime you want," you promise.
Ending his silence, Sukuna addresses you privately.
"Why did we come here? He's miserable now."
Strange. It nearly sounds as if he's scolding you.
"No, he isn't. Look."
Through his tears, your friend is still smiling. It's hard for him to accept that the life he once knew is gone, but at least he has this one connection. His mother was someone worth remembering thankfully.
"Memories make us stronger."
"They don't have to be positive either I suppose," he theorizes darkly, already making comparisons.
"I guess not," you mumble.
"What's that?" Junpei asks.
You shake your head. "Nothing. I was talking to Sukuna. Sorry."
"Oh, I figured you were. I meant what's that?"
Your friend isn't looking in your direction, instead his attention is pulled to a red glowing light pulsating in the distance. It looks like it's coming from one of the surrounding businesses up the street, but you were positive most of them were closed permanently. Who would be open this late?
Then the sound of heavy bass reaches your ears, thumping deep within your chest with each beat hypnotically.
"It's house music," you realize, nearly laughing when you recognize it.
"Someone must be having a party."
Minutes pass as the two of you stand in rapt attention, held in place by the pulsating beat. Unwittingly your hand covers your heart, imagining the throbbing as your own organ pumping its prime directive again. Such a simple desire being so suddenly granted demands your curiosity.
It's Sukuna who suggests what you're all individually thinking.
"Let's get a closer look."
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To Be Continued…..