Night had finally fallen on a day full of twists and turns and emotions... Gojo had decided to dine with his two protégés in the shelter's kitchen, enjoying their adorable company around the rudimentary table far more than the instant ramen they shared together.
Throughout the simplistic but invigorating meal, Yuji kept a slightly worried but above all protective gaze on the sleepy young hybrid over her rehydrated pasta, struggling awkwardly with her chopsticks. The latter was undoubtedly suffering the after-effects of her dangerous period of fasting followed by the assimilation of an orb as unexpected as it was powerful, turning her fragile body upside down beyond reason. It would undoubtedly take an indeterminate period of time for him to get over it...
"I think..." she finally said, nosing more and more towards her half-empty bowl, her two-tone, feline eyes closing in spite of herself. "I think I need to go to sleep... Thanks for the meal. Do you mind if I go to bed?"
"Of course not, sempai!" replied the high-schooler in quick succession, rising to his feet in a chivalrous leap. "Do you need any help? Would you like me to carry you to bed?"
The bearer of the sixth eye couldn't help but let out a slight laugh, not missing a beat of the spectacle offered by the two kittens he'd taken under his wing, earning himself a slightly incensed look from the teenager.
"Thank you, Yuji..." resumed Kali as she straightened up in turn, slightly unsteady on her legs, giving them a faint smile. "But it's all right. It's not far anyway. I wish you both a good night. See you tomorrow..."
After grabbing the remains of her meal and clearing them from the table, the young lady took off at a slightly zigzagging pace, as if drunk with exhaustion. She first entered the corridor leading to the bedrooms before retracing her steps, obviously remembering that she still hadn't got rid of her garbage. As if in a second state, she threw them into the garbage can before resuming her journey under the amused gaze of the professor and the much more concerned Itadori.
"Gojo-sensei..." began the latter, sitting back down heavily in his chair. "Is she going to be all right? Wouldn't it be safer if she didn't sleep alone, until we're sure she's all right?"
"Oh?" replied the moon-haired man, an amused smile stretching across his lips as he gave his interlocutor a slightly mischievous glance. "What do you propose, Yuji? That you sleep together until... further notice?"
Instantly the demonic receptacle's face flamed as he quickly lowered his head, eager to escape the incredibly blue eyes of his most perceptive interlocutor. He replied in a stuttering whisper that deeply amused the adult.
"I... uh... No... I mean... it's not like... just to be safe... it was just an idea..."
"If you're that worried about it, you should offer it to her..." cut in Satoru's gibberish as he scraped the bottom of his empty instant noodle pot with his chopsticks, falsely detached. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
The fire filling the tender, innocent face of the future shaman intensified still further as he came to slide his hazel gaze down the dark corridor leading to the deserted sanctuary's chambers, particularly the European's. He swallowed before weakly unleashing a machine-gun-like tirade, defending himself against certain impure ideas springing up despite himself in his mind, where two naked bodies were tenderly curled under the sheets of one and the same bed...
"but-she-doesn't-need-to-rest-I-wouldn't-disturb-I-would-say-that-just-like-that-because-I'm-concerned-and-that-she-looks-exhausted-but-not-sleeping-with-a-girl-that-doesn't-have-to-go-out-together-for-that-and-I'm-not-her-little-buddy-infinitely-not-that-that-would-disturb-me-but..."
"We breathe, Yuji!" Gojo cut him off expectantly, coming to place a fatherly hand on the top of his skull to extract him from his monologue. "I was only joking... She's safe, Kali, for now. So rest assured and let her rest, you'll see her in the morning."
The interested party fell silent in the moment, drowning in embarrassment, suddenly realizing just how much this collocation with the half-demon could continually plunge him into terribly dangerous situations... Was it deviant to look forward to it?
"You... You're right, Gojo-sempai..." the young man blurted out, trying as best he could to calm his unseemly thoughts. "I'll see her tomorrow..."
"Exactly!" resumed the powerful exorcist, rising to his feet in a supple movement, towering over his protégé with his tall stature, who was staring at him, a little lost. "But I'm counting on you to stay focused on your training, Yuji... Don't forget your goal! You always want to get stronger, don't you?"
The spike hit home instantly, the miner rising to his feet in turn, a determined gleam igniting his golden-hued eyes.
"Of course, Sensei! That's my main goal!" He affirmed, solemnly placing a hand flat on his heart. "My weakness has cost people I love far too dearly... I don't want that to happen again!"
"Well... Perfect! Then I'm counting on you, Yuji!" Satoru enthusiastically gave her a thumbs-up, before resuming with a sigh. "I've got to run... I've still got to keep a low profile, just so no one suspects you're alive...I'll be going back to Tokyo for a few days then!"
"Oh..." dropped Yuji, a little disappointed that his eldest was leaving so soon.
"But I'm counting on you, Yu-Ji-Kun!" the man with the infinity eyes tried to play it down, quickly clearing away their dinner while giving him a knowing wink. "So much for your training and looking after our adorable hybrid kitten!"
Immediately a flush of pride invaded the teenager, making him imperceptibly bulge his muscular torso, accepting the mission with the utmost seriousness.
"Count me in, Gojo-sensei!" nodded the latter, more than delighted with the mission he'd been entrusted with. "You can leave without fear, I'll take care of everything!"
"That... I have no doubt..." breathed the S-class, a slight smile playing on his lips after the uncompromising declaration of the bearer of the King of Plagues. "See you in a few days... I just hope you don't get into too much mischief while I'm gone!"
"No worries, Professor... I'll see to it personally!" assured the high-school student, inwardly amusing his interlocutor... Leaving together unsupervised a hybrid kitten as complex as she is emotionally inexperienced, a tiger in the throes of a hormonal explosion, chivalrous to the core and totally smitten with her, and an ancestral demon king with an insatiable appetite who hadn't had anything to eat in a thousand years... Really, what could go wrong?
After a final farewell to his pupil, the snowy-haired man left the sanctuary, unable to help wondering, as he made his way up the stairs leading to the exit, just what might happen in his absence... Perhaps it would be better if he tried to come back every day after all, to keep an eye on the duo of young people left to their own devices, with their feelings in turmoil and Sukuna's discreet but irrefutable presence, ready to seize the slightest opportunity to make trouble...
Satoru sighed as he reached the top of the steps, inking his infinity gaze on the perfect sphere of the pale moon above him in the night sky. Yes... It would certainly be best if he kept an eye on what was going on here... If only his obligations to the exorcist order would let him! Really... What a nuisance, all those constraints...
He then disappeared into the night, using his immeasurable powers to propel himself towards Tokyo in an instant, all his attention remaining focused on the clandestine walls of the improvised refuge... He was already looking forward to his return...
...
The night was now well advanced, with the full moon towering over the sleepy city, bathing the darkness in a soft, pale glow. At this ungodly hour, even the hardiest night owls were beginning to hear the bewitching call of Morpheus, eager for rest.
He, on the other hand, was only just awakening, opening his double bloodshot eyes to the ceiling of the living room where his host had finally dozed off... Immediately, as he slowly took control of Yuji's sleeping body, Sukuna let out a deep sigh. He slowly stretched his limbs, suffering the muscle cramps that ran through them, resulting from the improbable position in which the kid had dozed off in front of the luminous magic box facing him, the only current source of light illuminating the silent space.
What a pain in the ass this kid really was...
Transitory with excitement at the arrival of the hybrid within the walls of their new home, Itadori had decided to treat himself to a... movie marathon', in his own words, on the shiny rectangle enclosing an unlikely miniature people, convinced that these tales he was watching relentlessly would make him stronger.
Such foolishness... Only practice in the field was of any real interest, all the rest was useless pretence good for weaklings shying away from combat.
The teenager had been fighting sleep for hours, exasperating the King of Plagues to no end, who was impatiently awaiting the opportunity to take control of their common envelope, grumbling at the top of his macabre throne.
What's more, the adventures of the microscopic dwarves inhabiting the mysterious box were a terrible bore that evening, not helping him eat his heart out - quite the contrary! It was all honeyed nonsense that almost nauseated him, dripping sentimentality, stupid outpourings of tears that left him cold... A real HELL!
He'd already witnessed some pleasant epics through his receptacle's eyes since their arrival here, involving blood spurts, attacks by unknown half-decomposed monsters with insatiable appetites, mass murders, psychological torture... But on this night, the 'films', whatever they might concretely be, had been nothing but torment for him. And then they dared to say he was the demon...
Fortunately, his time had FINALLY come... Yuji had yielded to the call of sleep, leaving him master of this place... And it was about time!
Slowly, the King of Scourges rose to his feet with a slightly stiff movement, rolling his muscles under his skin to relax them, stretching his entire body. He then glanced towards the door of the room, a mischievous smile on his lips, enjoying what was to come. He certainly had some catching up to do with the teenager...
He nonchalantly thrust his hands into the pockets of the dark shorts he was now wearing, stepping into the dark corridor that lay before him. He made his way effortlessly into the ancient underground sanctuary, pinned by his target's unmistakable energy imprint, and strode briskly through the abandoned refuge. He quickly came to a closed door, paused for a moment and took hold of the handle with his purplish fingernails. Without further ado, he lowered the mechanism, sliding the wooden panel open without a sound, inwardly savoring the wave of complex energy that immediately collided with his skin, electrifying him completely.
Truly... Today, as in his time, hybrids were certainly beings apart, tightrope walkers between the world of humans and plagues, blending the best of both their flavors... It was... rather appetizing, he had to admit...
Slightly swallowing without realizing it, Sukuna entered the darkened room occupied by the European, striding up to her bed, scrutinizing her with his appreciative, carnacious gaze. It had to be said that she offered a most attractive sight, thus innocently asleep, lightly rolled on herself, a sheet thrown back in the middle of her bare, slender legs, gently embracing with one hand the soft fabric of the wide cushion on which her head and autumn hair rested...
The drowsy, peaceful girl was wearing very little fabric at the time, barely concealing her generous curves, calling out for the worst abuse he could have inflicted on her, inflaming the blood in her veins... She wore only a thin, loose, pastel-colored t-shirt with a very wide neckline that slid down one of her milky shoulders, and frilly, low-cut panties that let her admire the tantalizing curve of her buttocks... A real invitation to crime...
He came to sit on the mattress, level with her hips, devouring her with his bloodshot eyes. Her angelic face, her mother-of-pearl skin, her sensual forms, the complex perfume emanating from her... It all made him want to melt into her and devour her in the instant, making him salivate with anticipation... But that would be such a waste... He had to bet on the long term, not knowing how long he would be kept in this detestable situation where Yuji retained control of their shared body... Rushing was not an option, as he had other plans for the hybrid...
He placed a hand on her perfectly rounded shoulder, savoring the improbably cool softness of her skin beneath his fingers, further heightening the tension in his male body in need of carnal pleasures... He was going to have to use all his self-control with her, he could feel it...
Concentrating once again on his true objective, seeking to appease his hunger just a little, he came to shake her a little, seeking to wake her up.
"Shrimp... Hey, shrimp..." he whispered, only managing to get a slight murmur out of her as she rolled over even more, burying her face in her pillow. He sighed, watching her in silence, delighted to be insensitive to this kind of cuteness... Truly, the women of this age!
"Oh... Shrimp... get up!" he resumed, coming over to give her a dry flick on the temple, making her jump slightly.
Kali, caught in the deep mists of sleep by the attack, came to press one of her hands to the badly led spot on her skull, rolling to the other end of the mattress to flee the unknown origin of the attack. She muttered something in an incomprehensible language, drawing a deep sigh from him. Really, he wasn't helped!
He came and leaned over her, placing his arms on either side of her shoulders to tower over her, a falsely disgruntled gaze trained on her.
"I've eaten for less, shrimp..." grumbled the King of Plagues, in an apparent bad mood "Come on, let's wake up!"
"Hmmm... " finally let out the interested party, slowly turning towards him against the mattress while stretching a nothing, stretching her generous chest in his direction pulling a rapt and hungry pout. The gourgandine... She wore nothing under the thin fabric covering her torso, revealing the roundness of her full, enticing breasts, the areola of her nipples just waiting to be manhandled by his expert care... She wanted to give him a hard time, obviously! "Suku... san?"
"Impertinent..." laughed the person with a thousand impure thoughts, playful, moving even closer to her. "At least try saying my full name, will you? Or should I add that to the list of things you'll have to make up for?"
The European fluttered her eyelashes over her drowsy improbable eyes, emerging with difficulty from her exhaustion and sleep, scrutinizing the tattooed face of her demonic vis-à-vis, lost between dream and reality.
"Sukuna... san? Is that you?" she sighed, slightly incredulous, as she went to rub her eyes with the backs of her hands, obviously trying to gather her wits.
"Who else, shrimp?... " He smiled before coming over to apply another flick to the middle of her forehead, amused and terrible, a slight pout on his lips. "So? Aren't you happy to see me? Don't I get a teary embrace? Is that reserved for the kid? "
Kali stared at him in surprise, gently rubbing her battered forehead, slowly assimilating his words. That incredible voice... His ruby eyes ... Those dark features adorning his skin... That phenomenal aura... No doubt about it, it was the thousand-year-old king of curses who was there, sitting on his bed, wrapping his arms around him. He was there, in the flesh, instantly warming the still slightly lost young woman's heart. Yuji's guest had obviously once again taken advantage of the latter's sleep to take control of their bodies... And it was she he had come to see... Slightly unaware of the real danger he represented, Kali felt... Honored by the idea. Especially as he seemed... a little jealous right now, didn't he? Yes... certainly... At this slightly preposterous idea, a smile spread across her lips, uncovering her prominent canines and delighting him immediately. Unaware of the risks she was taking by acting in this way, and still a little convinced that she was still asleep, still between two waters, she gently straightened up and innocently wrapped her arms around the millennial demon's neck, snuggling up to him, catching him unawares.
Slightly surprised by her impetuosity, Ryomen scrutinized her, eyes a little wide, hands still on the mattress, as she curled her face against his, burying her nose against his skin, saturating his senses with the complex scent of her skin, her hair...
"You're here... You're right there, too..." she whispered in the hollow of his ear, electrifying him more than he'd care to admit. "I'm so glad you're alive..."
"You're rambling, shrimp... You're completely unconscious..." grumbled the scourge as he let himself go against her, tightening his grip on the fitted sheet with one hand, the other coming to slip enviously under the t-shirt the European was donning. He was then able to discover, with immeasurable pleasure, the vertiginously arched curve of her spine with his fingertips, setting his blood ablaze. He buried his nose close to her ear, in the middle of her slightly untidy hair, intoxicated by her warmth, her scent, the beating of her heart against his chest, the sensation of her blood hitting his jugular vein so close... The demon swallowed as he felt his multi-faceted hunger howl furiously in his gut, throwing off his original plans. She was so tactile... was it due to her foreign origins? Shouldn't he simply eat her, here and now, as she offered herself to him? No, he had to reason with himself... "Why should you be, happy?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" she whispered, gently sliding her fingers through his short hair, savoring the feel of his bare scalp beneath her fingertips, stretching it a little more. She missed all these games so much, her body tensing under these faint caresses... In the end, perhaps he wouldn't have to wait any longer, as the hybrid was obviously terribly playful... The end of the night was shaping up to be very... Sensual...
"Still... what's it to you?" the young woman abruptly dropped in a harsh tone, pushing the demon away by placing her hands on his torso, showering him cold. "I'm not supposed to interest you in the least, me being so weak..."
Touché... The pique he'd sent a few hours earlier, originally intended for Gojo to clear him of any interest in the young woman, was clearly back in his face... The shrimp had a keen ear and a good memory!
"Oh ... ? Did that offend you?" He ironized, a terrible smile on his lips as she wriggled between his arms like an eel, obviously trying to escape his implacable arm that he kept behind her back, amusing her to no end. "It's only a constant compared to your condition... You know very well yourself... No ? "
"That's not the point!" she blurted, a pouty, childish pout on her lips, still trying to get away from him.
All of a sudden, Sukuna came and slammed her against the mattress with all his weight, loosening his grip on her back, cutting off her breath. Their faces were only a breath apart, his torso pressed against her breasts only because his hands remained between them, unconsciously clutching the dark fabric of the T-shirt he was now donning. The thousand-year-old king locked his double gaze in the feline, two-tone one of his opposite number, reading in it a tsunami of troubled feelings that delighted him to no end.
"Yes, it is, shrimp..." he whispered, his lips almost brushing hers, drawing a sigh from her. "You're dying... Am I right? Your pentacle is too unstable, your human body must be suffering... Isn't that why you wear so many seals? To protect your fragile being from your own occult energy?"
Kali stared at him for a moment, mute, the color deserting her adorable face, before fleeing his inquisitive gaze, turning her face to the side. This certainly confirmed his certainty. Obviously, he'd been right... He straightened up a little on one hand, devouring this deliciously complex and rare entity with such an attractive appearance that he completely dominated it, exalting his senses by advance at the mere idea of all that could happen very soon, once his plans were in place... A Machiavellian smile blossomed on his lips and in the depths of his double-millennial eyes. Everything was going great!
"You know, shrimp..." he whispered with the tip of his lips in his deep voice, coming to ruthlessly grab his interlocutor's chin to force her to look him in the face again, planting his bloodshot gaze in hers golden, troubled. "There might be a way to offer you more time... And provide you with a modicum of stability in your condition..."
She stared at him silently for a handful of seconds, apparently trying to gauge the words he'd just uttered, incredulous and abruptly on guard. This apparent distrust... It was certainly Gojo's doing once again... Had he warned her against him? But it didn't matter. He would win in the end, he didn't doubt it for a second.
"And how would that be possible?" resumed the young woman, staring bravely at her millennial vis-à-vis, clearly unconvinced.
"Oh... actually... it's quite simple..." he ironized in a breath, fully enjoying his effect. He gently slid the thumb of his hand, still clasping her chin, over her full lips, imagining the exquisite sensation of biting them to the point of bleeding. Soon... "You're going to offer yourself to me, shrimp ..."
His words dropped like a stone into the water, leaving the interested party speechless for a while. The young woman stared at him with round eyes, fire coursing through her veins as red flushed her cheeks and her heart beat erratically. He... What had he said? He wanted to sleep with her in exchange for her survival?
"Wha... What?" she finally dropped, fluttering her eyelashes, still in shock. Undeniably, Ryomen had just thrown her off balance to the highest degree.
"Oh, shrimp ..." he resumed, giving her a sardonic look. "Don't look at me like that... I'm not just talking about your body... I'm talking about an inviolable pact between you and me... I want you to offer yourself to me, all of you, body and soul, and in exchange I'll feed the instability of your circle with my occult energy..."
"A... an inviolable pact?" repeated Kali in a weak voice, feeling icy water run down her back, remembering her discussion with Gojo a few hours earlier. This kind of oath was... terribly risky, apparently, especially when it was made with a being as dangerous as the King of Plagues... But also one of the most... fair'? ... Each party putting their lives on the line should they break their word. "Like... Like you did with Yuji?"
Sukuna sighed, a little annoyed. How the hell did she know about her pact with the kid? Another one of Gojo's tricks? It was probably a bluff...
"Let's not get the kid mixed up in our affairs, shall we?" he evaded, a seeming smile on his lips. "You know... Your nature is so complex that, I must confess, even if you accept the pact, not everything will be settled. You'll still have to complete your circle, you still won't be free on that level...But at least it will stop nibbling away at the human part of you day after day... Isn't that tempting?"
"Po... Why are you telling me this?" gasped the European, every moment a little more confused by the conversation. "You could perfectly well have me believe that everything would be settled once the oath was over, since I don't know anything about it... Why tell me the limits?"
"Oh, shrimp, you're so uneducated, it's almost adorable..." Sukuna ironized, straightening up a little, still towering over her. "A pact can only be made between two beings with the utmost honesty. Otherwise, it's impossible to seal it. So I tell you what I can do for you... And what I want from you. Then it's up to you to accept my conditions without concession."
She swallowed, thinking hard.
"And... What if I have some too?" she questioned, her golden prunes animated by a terribly vivid gleam, intriguing him just a little.
"Of what, then?" he murmured as he went to seize a lock of autumn hair tinted black on its end from the young woman, playing with it between two fingers, savoring its extreme softness.
"Conditions." she dropped determinedly, catching the demon unawares as he turned his full attention back to her, eyebrows raised in surprise. Was she looking to... negotiate? Now that was unexpected.
"Terms?" he repeated, doubtful. "What impertinence, shrimp! What could you possibly want, if I offer you survival?"
"You're asking me to offer you absolutely everything about myself in exchange, aren't you?" She came and crossed her arms under his chest, scrutinizing him with an almost unsettling assurance. "It's a bit... my life for my freedom, isn't it? That's pretty extreme... And what would stop you from destroying me if I didn't meet your expectations in the end? After all, you could kill me faster than my pentacle!"
The little girl had just dried him out! She was a lot smarter than he'd given her credit for, catching him a little off guard. However, he wasn't going to be taken aback so easily for so little!
"How presumptuous you are, shrimp..." he hissed as he straightened up completely, sitting on the edge of the bed, three-quarters of the way with his back to her. "Listening to you, it's as if I intend to hold you captive by my side for the rest of eternity ... As if I wanted to impose something like that on myself!"
The interested party in turn sat down on the bed, moving a little closer to him as she sought to catch his gaze again, which nevertheless refused her, a little annoyed.
"What do you want from me then?... I don't understand..." she murmured as she pulled herself up beside him on the edge of the mattress, her bare shoulder and knee brushing against his, electrifying him again despite himself.
Sukuna couldn't help sliding his ruby gaze over to her, searching for the impertinent gold of her eyes. How could she blow hot and cold alternately like that? She was... difficult to grasp... Was this something typical of women of this century? Yet he didn't get the impression...
"I told you, shrimp..." He murmured as he came to embrace his interlocutor's waist with one arm, drawing her even closer to him, bringing his mouth dangerously close to hers. "I want you to offer yourself to me... I want you to be my slave... Whenever I wish... Wherever I wish... As I wish... In exchange, I'll feed your pentacle with occult energy continuously through our link, until you complete your transformation... you won't need to hunt anymore, except for pleasure... I could even teach you a few things, if you'd be so kind... All you have to do is say one sentence... That you offer yourself to me, body and soul, with no limits whatsoever..."
"That's awfully tempting, Sukuna-san..." she murmured as she went to curl her face against his, drew in a smile the line of his jaw with the tip of her little trumpet nose, making him imperceptibly lift his face to facilitate this pleasant task. She had to accept... Certainly ... She finally whispered in his ear: "But I'm sorry, I can't accept such a proposal. I refuse to give up my freedom just to survive. It's against my principles."
As he assimilated her words, frowning, once again taken aback by this unexpected twist, Kali drank in another handful of seconds of his immeasurably powerful aura, snuggling up to him, suspecting that this would surely be the last time he let her after his refusal. It was a terrible shame, she had to admit... It was so... exhilarating to hold onto his skin... She could have spent hours there...
"I hope you'll forgive me..." she resumed in a caressing voice as she pulled away a little, slipping him a complex look that he failed to decipher, lost.
"You... refuse?" the incredulous demon finally resumed, turning to his opposite number, following his train of thought with difficulty.
"Prasad always told me to be wary of offers that are too tempting. And also that anyone who wanted to enslave me was not a trustworthy person..." Declared Kali as she went to rest a finger on her chin, thoughtful, before dropping onto the mattress, arms crossed. "Freedom's important. I couldn't live without it."
Freedom over life? This was... unexpected...
"I'll really have to talk to that Prasad one day," grumbled the King of Plagues, a little moodily. Between this unknown man from the end of the world, Gojo and the kid, it seemed as if everyone was trying to throw a spanner in the works regarding his plans for the hybrid! "He's really spoiled you too much..."
This last thought drew a slight laugh from the hybrid, who immediately thought back to the snow-haired exorcist having said exactly the same thing to him a few hours earlier. The two men openly hated each other, even though they had an absolutely delirious amount in common... How ironic!
"Are you making fun of me, shrimp?" grumbled Yuji's guest, turning to place his hands on either side of Kali's face, hovering over her moodily, his pupils terribly constricted. Clearly, her refusal had displeased him very much...
"No, absolutely not..." apologized the stranger, a little more on guard, wiping the rims of her feline eyes with a finger, smiling at him full-throated though. "Prasad would be terribly honored to hear from you, even if it's to scold him for the way he's been educating me... He calls you the Maharaja, you know."
"The... What?" the scourge questioned, sulkily, expecting another dig. Kali straightened up with a supple movement, coming close to whisper her answer against his lips, her breath caressing his skin with delight.
"King... It's an Indian word." she explained as she inked her feline gaze into his, as if seeking to observe his thousand-year-old, bloody soul through her eyes, curious. "He told me you were the most powerful man ever to walk this earth. He may even respect you more than he loves me..."
Fuck... all he'd have had to do was bend over just a few centimeters to be able to come and devour her mutinous mouth... All those years of deprivation had made him terribly sensitive to the slightest of her carnal desires...
"Oh? ..." he breathed regretfully as she pulled away from him again, falling back gently against the mattress, frustrating him to a terrible point. "Maybe I'll rethink my opinion of him then ... You should do the same with regard to my proposal ..."
"It depends..." she whispered, a most irreverent gleam burning deep in the gold of her pupils. "It's not a trivial decision... I'll have to think about it at my leisure, away from the lightning intensity of your somewhat urgent gaze..."
A light chuckle escaped the demon's lips in spite of himself as he stared incredulously at the little thing facing him. Didn't she realize who she was talking to and who she was obviously having fun messing with? Wasn't she supposed to fear him a little, or at least fear his wrath if she upset him? Didn't she realize that he could rip her head off without even moving a finger? Surely, she couldn't wait to adjust her 'education' to his way... "You won't accept the pact tonight, then?" he finally dropped, returning to sit on the edge of the bed.
"No, sorry." She merely replied, straightening up in turn to come and stand beside him, not in the least aware of the dangers she might have incurred had he not been so certain of her ultimate success. In the end, it was all in the balance, he was sure.
"Impertinent little shrimp..." he resumed, coming over and grabbing her chin dryly, glaring at her with his piercing, determined double stare, a Machiavellian smile stretching across his taunted face. "Know that even if you fight it, the time will come when you'll have no choice but to accept, I guarantee it... "And on that day... He'd have to pay for all his irreverence towards her person, he'd make sure of that, reveling in it in advance ...
"You're very sure of yourself..." she murmured, sustaining the demon king's terrible attention, a little troubled by the prophecy he'd just whispered to her. How could he be so sure? He was bound to know more about her and her orb than he'd ever want to freely admit, upsetting her a little. Ryomen was proving to be a far more formidable adversary than she'd imagined, and a ruthless businessman at that... He knew he held all the cards, while she only had the distraction of her complex nature as a bargaining chip... She was in no way in a position of strength, and he knew it...
"And I'm always right, you'll learn that the hard way, shrimp." The demon smirked, coming over to give him another flick in the middle of the forehead, amusing him terribly. He rose to his feet with a supple movement, planting his hands in his pockets with detachment, turning his back to her. "I'll leave you to think about it, kid... But you'll soon realize that what I'm proposing is the best solution available to you."
"I never said it wasn't..." sighed Kali as she gently rubbed her battered skin, a slightly pouty pout on her lips. "But that's not why I'll accept it, just so you know!"
She turned her determined gaze towards him, crossing her arms under her chest, obviously ready to resist him for some time yet. Sukuna let out a light laugh, finally rather delighted at the idea. His victory would be all the better for it... Let her try to get away from him if it amused her! Whatever she might try, the result would remain the same, he was sure. By pulling so hard on the fragility of her body as she had done in recent days, it was as if she had thrown herself willingly into his arms, since only the pact he was proposing could save her from death... She'd give in, sooner or later...
"We'll see about that, shrimp..." he murmured as he stalked off into the darkness, leaving the hybrid's room shaken by all these events, a demonic glow reviving his bloodshot eyes. "We'll see about that!"
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Word from the author:
M: EEEET Hi everyone! How are you all doing? Frankly, I could have called this chapter 'Sukuna Strikes Back'!
Sukuna, proud as a cock: I think I've done pretty well!
Kali, a bit sulky: He's not going to let me off the hook with this pact thing, is he?
Sukuna, a terrible smile on his lips, leaning towards her: EXACTLY. Might as well accept right away, then, eh?
Yuji, who comes belly-down, pulling Kali away from the demon: Not even in your dreams, you vicious old man! Over my dead body!
Sukuna, putting a finger on his chin, mutinously: Oh? Is that a proposition, kid? Why not, I could shake you out of your silliness...
Gojo arrived in his turn to stand between Sukuna and the two kittens stunned by the idea, Yuji white as a sheet, Kali blushing: Paws down, you obsessive!
Sukuna, a little offended: But he's the one who suggested it!
Yuji, still in shock: Mai-mai-mai-but not at all! You're twisting my words, demon! You're not touching my body!
Sukuna, raising an eyebrow: We'll see about that too...
Yuji, frightened, turning to M: Wait... He's kidding, isn't he?
M, fleeing his gaze: Yes, so I have no idea... I just report what you do, I'm not responsible for what happens ... If you do something stupid or dirty, I'm not to blame!
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