DARK RED [ITADORI Y.]

―XXVI. ONLY ONE

CHAPTER XXVI. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE FOR ME

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SUKUNA sat at the stream, my dress in his hands as he dipped the material into the water, scrubbing it together with his hands. The blood that stained the fabric was shifted loose, spiraling and shifting down the way of the brook. I sat above him on a patch of rocks, a pair of trousers, and a blouse adorning my body. They were Sukuna's that Rin had stitched together for him. They'd been hanging outside and were untouched by the flames.

"What..." My voice was grainy and weak, making me clear my throat to try and sound at least a little put-together. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"We need to leave here before anything," He replied, wringing the water from my dress before standing up. "We have to get far away."

"What about Rin?" I asked, feeling tears brim in the corners of my eyes. "S-She's still in there..."

At first, it hadn't processed in my mind what was really happening. It hadn't registered that Rin had been consumed by flames. It almost didn't feel real, even when I sat by the water, scrubbing the blood from my face and hands. I'd killed someone—multiple people. I was a murderer now, and my sister was dead.

"We'll come back for her," He said, adjusting the saddle on our horse. "Once everything settles, we'll come back and make a nice grave for her. Rin likes spider lilies, doesn't she? We'll get some and put them with her. Maybe even plant a few."

"How can you be so sure everything will work?" I asked, taking his hand as he helped me onto my feet.

"Do you doubt me?" He asked, pulling a cloak around my shoulders, fixing the hood over my head.

"I don't," I muttered. "But I do not trust the villagers. I fear them."

"You shouldn't," Sukuna frowned, placing his hands on my waist. "I won't let them do to you as they've done to your sister. Rin filled the void as my sister as well. I curse them for what they've done."

I sighed as I placed my hands on his shoulders, leaning my head on his chest. Sukuna's hands moved from my waist and wrapped around me instead. He placed his face into the crook of my neck, making his dirty blonde hair tickle my cheek.

"When this is all over," I murmured. "Promise you won't leave me."

"Why would I ever?" Sukuna replied, his lips ghosting over my neck, making my face warm. "You're the only one for me, Eris."

...

I felt Sukuna shift away from me. I slowly opened my eyes to see him dousing the fire that warmed us, and briefly illuminated the area around us. I watched as he picked up the ax we took from the cottage, the one that I had used to kill the village men. He looked around, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"S-Sukuna?" I whispered, sitting up. "What are you doing?"

"Hush," He murmured. "Be quiet, Eris."

I moved the thin blanket away and got to my feet. I shuffled towards the boy, reaching out to grasp the back of his shirt. I looked around with him, but I couldn't see anything from how dark it was. But he must have thought it was safe, as he turned back around, and placed his arm around my waist.

"What was it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"It was nothing," He said. "It was probably just a deer. Go back to sleep."

"Aren't you going to?" I asked.

"I'll keep watch," He said.

"We've lived out here for ages," I yawned. "It'll be okay, Sukuna."

He seemed hesitant, but in the end, he followed me back to the place we'd been sleeping. He didn't get underneath the blanket with me, instead wrapping my body in it before laying beside me. He propped himself on his elbow as he draped an arm over my stomach, almost as if to make sure I would stay there.

It was odd. Sukuna was almost...paranoid, which is very unlike him. I could hardly see his face from how dark it was, but there were moments when I would see his eyes shift around the forest. I could occasionally feel him tense, the hand he held me with tightening before releasing. He was acting very strange.

I had only fallen back asleep for maybe an hour before I felt him jolt upright. He must have fallen asleep. I shifted around, pulling the blanket from me. I muttered his name, but I didn't get a response. I opened my eyes, repeating his name.

"Sukuna?" I called, quickly sitting up when I found he was no longer beside me. "Sukuna! Sukuna, where have you wandered off to?"

I untangled my legs from the blanket before I stood up. I looked around me, slowly feeling my heart start to beat faster. I looked through the darkness of the forest, trying to make out the shapes in the distance.

"Sukuna, come on!" I called, my voice rising in volume. "This isn't a game! You know I don't like the dark..."

Suddenly, a shrill scream filled the air. I felt all the air on my body stand on end as my blood ran cold.

"ERIS, RUN!"

Oh, Gods. That was Sukuna's voice. But why? Where was he? What was going on?!

"ERIS, RUN! GET AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN!"

It was then that I felt the rumbling beneath my feet. It grew heavier with every passing second, making my feet feel numb. I knew what would be brought with it, and I knew I couldn't waste another second.

I ran to the mare stationed at the tree. I fumbled to untie the reins from the branch before I grabbed the saddle and climbed onto it. I quickly jerked the horse to the side, kicking her into motion. She protested with a loud neigh as she tried to buck me off. I was quick to regain control and flee from our small campsite.

I flipped the hood of my cloak up, gathering the reins in my hand. I dared to look back over my shoulder. I saw the area being lit by men holding torches. I felt my eyes when I saw Sukuna.

A cloth had been shoved into his mouth, tied tightly behind him so he couldn't spit it back out. They must have done it so he couldn't warn me again. Blood ran down the side of his face, and my stomach twisted at the large gash in the side of his face. He appeared to be unconscious, hanging over the side of one of the men's horses.

I wanted to turn back, fight them, and take Sukuna back. They even dared to put their hands on him! But...he told me to run. He didn't want me to fight them.

"Don't let this witch get away!" One of the men shouted.

"After her! She's getting away!"

I forced the horse to go faster. Unlike them, I was used to navigating through the forest. And soon enough, I'd lost them through the trees. I kept going until the sun had risen, and my mare couldn't run any longer. It was only then that I stopped, now far away from the province I'd once lived in. I let my mare rest before continuing, settling for a light trot rather than the fast sprint I'd made her do for so long.

It would only be a matter of time before I would encounter these damned humans again. And when I did...

I'll paint every single crevice of the Earth red with their blood.

[Chapter XXVI. End]
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