𝑫𝒀𝑵𝑨𝑺𝑻𝒀 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑳𝑺 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 - 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓

MIKAZUKI STARED AT HIM WITH WIDE EYES, the Eternity in her blood desperately looking for the lie between the folds of reality. The tendrils of her Cursed Technique came back empty, meaning he must have found a way to protect himself from her intrusion. Either that or... no. The sorceress shook her head, but even as she looked at him and heard the words echo in her head, she knew he meant it. He did love her – and she him, but none of that was enough to make up for all the sins he had committed nor to quench the thirst for revenge Mikazuki still felt with each breath.

Asahi looked away, sighing once again as he let his finger trail over the wall, pulling at the peeling layers of the wallpaper.

"It's not only the looks, you know?" he added eventually.

Something about the way he said it – about how the words trailed out of his mouth, made it feel like a dark confession he couldn't help but share. Like he was sinner and she his sin eater, his door to the pearly white gates of heaven which he had always known would deny him – just as they would deny her, when the time came.

"You have her temperament, too. Miyazaki was... reckless. But she was also fierce and unforgiving" Asahi's hand moved away from the wall as he turned towards the sorceress "I see so much of her in you. Sometimes I can't help but wonder..."

Mikazuki waited for him to continue, breath hitched as the words continued to flow in her mind, but when nothing but silence followed his confession, she sighed.

"I appreciate the compliment, but why are you really here?" she asked, her tone curt as she eyed him carefully.

There was nothing in her gaze, not a single thought or sentiment behind it. She was as cold as ice, not that he could blame her. Of course Mikazuki didn't trust him – as she should. Asahi was dangerous, he was the King of Sorcerers, the crack before the lightning, the storm before the calm, the warning of the thundering skies. Meanwhile, in his eyes, she was just a girl. A very scared little girl, hiding behind an armour made of gold and ice, but none of those things were enough to shield her from the monster living in the shadows.

"Can't a father wish his own daughter a happy birthday?" he asked wistfully, yet the silence that greeted him turned his gaze into tamed fury instead "But you're right, I'm actually here to give you something. An early birthday gift, if you will"

Mikazuki narrowed her eyes.

"I thought you didn't do presents" she said in a chilled tone.

Asahi didn't seem to catch the bitter tone in her words and, if he did, he simply ignored. Mikazuki's hand reflexively shot towards her ear, the kanji that had been branded in the small patch of skin still visible despite her long hair. She hated it – how the word Gold had been scribbled by his own hand, said material burning into her skin. It was the last gift Asahi had ever given to her and one she would never forget. Instead of reminiscing about the past or even noticing the hatred swimming in her eyes, Asahi pointed towards the box, wiggling it back and forth.

"I don't, but this one isn't from me. Not really, at least" he walked over to Mikazuki, his confident strides matched by hers as she stepped back until her back hit the wall.

Asahi's eyes glimmered, a laugh building in the back of his throat as he looked down at his daughter. Even now, she was still scared from his touch, although considering the marks still etched into her skin across her neck, maybe she was right to loathe him. Fear him. Whatever. The man sighed, putting his hands up as a grin played on his lips.

"I have no intention of hurting you, this is just a gift" he stressed.

Mikazuki swallowed past the lump in her throat, pushing herself of the wall and reining in her anger and fear. She would be an idiot not to fear him, even if it felt like ten steps back from her plans. One day – she reminded herself, hoping the words would lull her mind enough to bear his touch – I will kill Kinzoku Asahi.

Asahi watched as his daughter relaxed, a pleasing smile appearing on his face as he stepped behind her. He cracked open the box, the gleaming coming from the inside nearly enough to blind them both for a second. Mikazuki leaned forward, gaze resting on the beautiful necklace neatly positioned on top of the plush velvet. The sorceress found herself unable to take her eyes off of it – it was the most exquisite piece of jewellery she had seen, and Mikazuki had seen plenty of it during her short twenty-eight years as a wealthy heiress.

The stones were of a complete black, the smooth surface mixed in with white lines that resembled lightning cracking through the void darkness of the gemstones encased in gold. Asahi carefully lifted the piece, passing it over her head and laying it down against the naked skin of her neck. The rocks felt heavy against her sternum, the cold chain turning her skin into ice.

"This necklace belonged to Miyazaki, your aunt. She had it custom made, the chain is made of pure 24 karat gold while the stones are made of graphite mined in South America" Asahi explained softly as his rough hands worked around the clasp "Miyazaki wanted to pass it on to her heirs, but when it became clear that wouldn't happen–"

He shook his head, fingers lingering on Mikazuki's neck before he resumed his speech.

"When it became clear I would have to kill her," he corrected himself, his words somewhat soft and clumsy "she asked me to give it to my daughter"

Asahi sighed, hand resting over Mikazuki's shoulder. Although the touch of his fingers was light, something about the way his hand clamped down on her shoulder and then collarbone felt predatory, like a wild serpent coiling itself around its prey, slowly suffocating it and draining the life out of it.

"I never gave it to Niko because she wasn't worthy of Miyazaki's legacy, I even doubted offering it to you because of your... indiscretions" he adjusted the hem of his golden kimono with his free hand while the other one tightened around her neck "Things are different, now. You're everything she would have wanted and more. A true Kinzoku, bearer of our holly blood and blessed by the sun"

Something about the words sounded oddly familiar, but Mikazuki wasn't able to place it – not when she could feel his long nails digging into her skin.

"Thank you, it's a lovely gift" Mikazuki said, her voice choked as fear began pooling at the pit of her stomach.

Asahi's fingers flexed in response, the pressure of his hand becoming too much to bear as he continued to dig into the space between her neck and her shoulder. His hand clamped down harder and the man leaned forward until his lips brushed Mikazuki's ears. The sorceress froze in fear, all the struggle leaving her body when she felt his hot breath ghosting over her face. This was the monster she had been afraid would resurface, the true beast that lived inside of Kinzoku Asahi and that she had unwittingly set free upon her return. He was vicious, now.

"This isn't a gift, Mikazuki" he said, darkness creeping into his tone as he tightened the golden chain of the necklace, stones coming up under her chin and cutting the delicate skin of her neck.

Mikazuki gasped, sputtering for air as she felt the sharp edge of the chain cutting her throat. Asahi didn't even blink, making sure to keep his hand pressing down on her shoulder and pulling harder on the chain.

"This is a warning, to remind you of the agreement we made and the price you will have to pay if you ever break it" he continued to tighten the necklace, cutting into her skin and reducing her oxygen "I am done playing games with you. Disappoint me again and I'll blow a hole through your sister's skull. Is that clear, daughter dearest?"

The pressure suddenly disappeared and Mikazuki fell to the floor on her knees, lungs finally filling with fresh air while she continued to sputter. It took a moment for the sorceress to realise Asahi was gone, but by the time she was able to pull herself back together, the bell tolled, announcing the beginning of the birthday party. Mikazuki spit golden blood on the carpet before wiping her mouth.

Fine. You want to play with fire? She thought, fixing herself up as she stared at her reflexion in the mirror. Then I'll be the fucking flame.