CH. 16 'If it bothers you so much' OR 'Why run when it's obvious?'
Rinami sat on the couch in the living area of the penthouse pretending to read a book. She'd call it pretending because in reality she'd been reading the same sentence over and over again for at least 20 minutes, her mind too focused on other things to properly comprehend whatever was printed on the page. Finally giving up, she dropped the book on the coffee table and shuffled towards the kitchen for some water.
Her face was becoming haggard and dark circles were forming around her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping well and eating was really only done by force so that she wouldn't pass out. Ever since she'd dropped her plans for the trip to Kyoto, her mind hadn't been able to steer away from Sukuna and her own iniquities. She'd been struggling heavily with the weight and meaning of it all, and it was taking a toll on her mental and physical health.
When it came to Sukuna she found it increasingly hard to refuse his advances even if she wanted to, and it gave him a control over her that she immensely disliked but seemingly was unable to shake. As she stood pondering this to herself, she noticed him in her peripheral. Turning to look at him, she saw the familiar look of lust in his crimson eyes and immediately felt heat and dampness between her legs. Shit. This is why I can't refuse him. How does he manage to do this to my body with just a look? Almost as if he could read her mind, a dirty smile crossed his tattooed face. "Hey. You need some extra training?" He called out.
She flushed and for a moment even contemplated just making a run for it. Her body needed to recover. He was pushing her to her limits both sexually and in her sorcery. She turned to escape and found herself face to face with his handsome, leering face in hers. "Are we starting off with a game of tag today?" He leaned in, his breath warm on her face. "Am I it?"
Rinami took a step back her pulse pounding, but Sukuna moved along with her, the devilish grin never leaving his face. She kept moving back until she hit the wall. Chuckling he placed his hands on the wall on each side of her body, pinning her in place.
"Running? Really?"
Sukuna leaned in and slowly licked from her ear down her neck, getting a rush when her knees buckled and he had to lift her back up. He had been feeling off since the other night on the couch with her. Not like himself. Weaker. Softer. And he hated the feeling.
He'd thought that her 'lesson' in the bathroom the other day would right side things, but he sensed that somehow even that hadn't fully shifted the power dynamic in the direction he wanted.
Using one hand to hold her in place he took his other hand and slid it directly down the front of her pants, stroking his finger right across the slit between her legs. As expected, she was soaking. He pulled his hand out with a laugh. "Why run when its obvious you want it?" He paused, his face growing serious as he grabbed her chin and pulled her face towards his. "Do you really want me that badly?" He needed to hear it. Needed to exert some control over this situation that continued to rapidly grow out of his hands. "Say it."
Rinami struggled. What was going on with her? Why couldn't she resist him? Her lack of control when it came to him had grown beyond a major annoyance and it was genuinely distressing her now. She wondered absently if this wasn't some power of Sukuna's that she hadn't known about. Had he been tricking her somehow? Maybe these weren't her feelings and he'd been manipulating her this whole time. She frowned. That wasn't true. She could feel this pull from deep within her -it wasn't a technique or any power. Sadly, it was just her, and she was just weak. The same weakness that had allowed her to so easily turn her back on her own colleagues and friends. So why was she even still trying to fight this?
She stared at him- her eyes sad and lost- and the last of her resolve finally flickered out.
"I do."
Her shoulders slumped and her head dropped in defeat. What else was left? She'd aligned herself with Sukuna and it didn't seem like she could get out from under him even if she tried. Did it really matter what happened from here? It all seemed pointless.
Sukuna's mouth tightened. He hadn't gotten the high he'd expected to from her response. "Say it clearly." He directed. "Look at me."
Empty and blank, her eyes slowly dragged up towards him. "I do. I want you that badly". Her dulled amber eyes while pointed at him, seemed to look through him, and Sukuna watched as they welled up with tears.
Suddenly he couldn't stand to look at her anymore. He pushed himself from the wall and away from her. "Alright, well I've got shit to deal with" he whisked around, refusing to acknowledge her any further and swept out of the room without a backward glance or another word.
Once he was gone from the room, he took a moment to steady himself. He let out an angry grunt of frustration. This was not going his way. He had absolutely zero interest in a timid, broken girl, and if he had been the one to break her, he wasn't sure how he'd come to terms with that. It was the exact opposite of everything that he found appealing in her. He put his hand to his head and cursed. He'd just wanted to regain control over the situation, but maybe he'd gone too far. Shaking his head he stormed off, he didn't know how, but he was going to have to figure out a way to fix this. Quickly.
*8*8*8*
He went straight to the rooftop, where he called for Uraume and waited. She was there in less than a minute.
"Uraume. Find Gojo"
Sukuna didn't know why, but he was fired up and he felt the need to take it out on someone. He'd gotten an incredible kick out of taunting Gojo about Rinami and now that she'd gotten even more powerful, another push might not hurt and it might even make him feel a little better.
Uraume didn't ask questions, she turned and sped off without another word.
Sukuna stood and waited, staring out into the sky, his mind shifting between thoughts of Gojo, his upcoming plans, and of course Rinami and the fractured shadow of her that he'd left behind in the apartment.
"Uh, I've found him master, he's at Jujutsu High. It looks like he's currently in the middle of a battle with that Plant-curse. You know the one from that group that's been approaching you."
Sukuna laughed. "So another one of those damn curses again? They sure are an interesting bunch…. Well, perfect timing then. Set everything up again. I'm making a visit"
Uraume opened her mouth. "A visit? Straight into the school?"
Sukuna looked at her, slightly perplexed. "Yeah, and why not?"
Pressing her lips together the small woman shook her head, her white hair shaking around.
Sukuna grinned. "Good. Then let's go."
"What is it this time Sukuna?" Gojo looked behind him at the large hole that his hollow purple had just created on the school grounds. He had no way of knowing for sure if it had killed that curse, but it looked like for now he'd have to leave it up to the other sorcerers to take care of.
He turned back to Sukuna with a look of utter annoyance "If you're here to run your mouth again about your sex life with Rin, I'll pass on this round."
Sukuna clasped his hands behind his head as he strutted forward. "Can't help it if I'm a master at reading body language, and yours tells me it's a topic that really gets a rise out of you, if you know what I mean. It's kind of hard to resist" He smiled broadly.
"Y'know, I wonder, if you're so bothered by it, then why'd you let her go so easily? It must have crossed your mind how much of this would have been avoided if you hadn't?" He snickered. "I mean I think it's pretty obvious to both of us that that she's painfully loyal. Do you think she would have left you? I mean really…she already knew how shallow and emotionally unavailable you were and for some reason she still stayed. Until you dropped her and kicked her away that is. Or did you only start to regret that now that it's come back to bite you?"
Gojo's mouth tightened into a straight line. "Enough of this Sukuna. I want to see Rin"
Sukuna raised an eyebrow in mock. "You do? But does she want to see you? I know you don't want to believe it, but she's not my prisoner. She might belong to me, but Ami has always been able to leave if she wants and she's completely free to come and go as she likes." Sukuna grinned in earnest as Gojo's body tensed up at his words
"It's true Gojo. Everything that I do to her, she does willingly- asks for it even. When she falls into my bed, it's my name she's screaming out… If she wanted to see you she could do it, she doesn't need my permission. If she hasn't…". Sukuna shrugged. "I guess that should tell you all you need to know"
Gojo gritted his teeth, he wouldn't give up so easily and he wouldn't be deterred by Sukuna's words. "Fine. Where is she? I'll go to her myself."
Sukuna's eyes danced with mischief. "Now that, is information that I don't have to share. Sorry Gojo. If you want her you should have went after her when she left all those years ago, cause today, you only get her if she wants to come to you."
Anger flared in Gojo. It might be time to just tear down this barrier and then rip out his throat for good. "What exactly do you want Sukuna? You're using her for what? To get to me? For power to try to take me down? What?"
Sukuna looked amused. "Using her…huh… You sure think a lot of yourself."
"Just cut the shit already. She doesn't deserve this, she's not a pawn. Just hurry up and tell me what you want."
Sukuna sneered at Gojo "And what? You'lll give it to me- just like that? Is that how much you love her? Would you give me whatever I asked just to get your hands on her?"
Gojo didn't reply. He reached up a hand, pulled his blindfold down, and looked at Sukuna, his eyes blinding blue with the effects of the limitless
"Oooh!" Sukuna laughed hoarsely. "Are you getting serious now?"
"I've been serious. I want to see Rinami. Now"
Sukuna suddenly became serious as well. All traces of humor falling from his face. "I've already told you, you can't. Not unless she wants to see you. She's mine and I'd never willingly hand her over to you. So used to getting what you want, right Gojo? You can drop her like she's nothing and come back for her when it suits you? She may not get it, but I can see your true feelings for her and I don't give a shit. You can offer me the entire Jujutsu society plus your head on a platter and you still can't have her. I can take what I want by force, but unlike you I won't just discard what's important to me"
Understanding finally dawned in Gojo's eyes.
"You can't be serious…"
His eyes studied Sukuna in earnest, searching his face and body for clues that he might be mistaken. Stepping back, Gojo sucked in a breath, his mind reeling and processing the information.
His eyes caught Sukuna's staring back at his with a cold, steely gaze.
"You love her. You actually do love her."
Sukuna didn't budge and his face gave nothing away. "I've said what I have to say about it. I'm not gonna just hand her over to you."
Gojo began to laugh. It wasn't a humorous laugh. It was dry and devoid of any joy. He looked coldly at Sukuna. "Fuck you. There is no way. No way in hell I'll let you ruin her like this. You can call it whatever the hell you want. I'm going to fucking kill you."
Sukuna snorted "You can try, I suppose" He turned to walk away "Though how sad it would be to have to take your last breaths at the hands of the woman you love…"
*8*8*8*
As Sukuna exited the open portal and stepped back onto the rooftop, he had to admit that though it had made him feel a bit better, that talk with Gojo had also brought up some new concerns. It wouldn't be long before Gojo actively started trying to find Rinami again. Sukuna realized that he may have underestimated the sorcerers feelings for her. That might have been a good thing in the beginning, but now at this stage…. It was a problem. A big problem that could end up derailing his plans, especially if-
His thoughts stalled in his head. He'd been returning to the room from the roof, lost in his thoughts about the conversation. As he'd opened the door and looked up he found Rinami sitting on the couch, her arms wrapped around her knees, her body obviously tensed up, and a pained expression on her face. He felt heat in his stomach. This couldn't be good.