Itadori Sukuna furrowed his brows onto this... rabbit who for some reason, called out to him. For some reason, the human before him looked a lot like someone he knew from long ago. Although, this one looked more cowardly than that lunatic. "Itadori Sukuna."
The rabbit was about to apologize but a thin wisp of blue smoke came from the human's bracelet and an incredibly familiar person appeared before his eyes.
"Yo, looks like you really did find him with your personality, A'Xiang. Although, you can't die of embarrassment before this ancestor sees you get married to that child."
"What married?!" The human shrieked in fright, completely forgetting about Sukuna who lost his voice. Fortunately, they were near an old park that anyone barely visits. "I, I'm not planning on, on marrying!"
"Yet." The... spirit clicked his tongue, wagging a finger. "Anyways, go home first. This ancestor has some business with this guy—" he pointed at the bewildered Sukuna staring at him. "— so, shoo, A'Xiang. Go. Go."
"B, But—"
"Go."
"Eep— yes, ancestor!"
The human ran away like a startled rabbit... forgetting the grocery bags on the ground.
"... that child...""Dear," the spirit looked at Sukuna with a loving smile, sending shivers down his spine. "Would you please be so kind and bring this to our child?"
"... what the fuck? Lunatic Shen, have you turned even crazier when you died? When the fuck did we have a child that cowardly?" Was the questions Sukuna blurted out on instincts.
"Oh, shush, A'Xiang is a cute child. I didn't like him at first either but you'll grow fond of him."
"Plus... how the hell are you still alive?" Sukuna stammered. Though he was beyond happy to see him, Sukuna had been so... devastated when Shen disappeared on that certain day. "How are you—"
"I never died," Long Shen interjected, causing Sukuna to zip his lips in bewilderment. "Though this Excellency 'disappeared' in your eyes, I have always, always stayed by your side, Sukuna. How could I, when this Excellency promised you?"
The curse, no, rather, this human Sukuna felt his chest squeeze tight. He took one step forward, so shaky and nervous, and he reached out to grab Shen's hand.
He was afraid.
Would he be able to hold him?
Or would his hand pass through Shen's?
In his hesitation, it was Long Shen who decisively grabbed his outstretched hand. There was no temperature but just the fact that Sukuna could hold him, filling him with inexplicable joy.
"Shen—"
"No. I know that look. We can't do it."
"Why not?!"
"You're the only one going to feel it, idiot! This Excellency won't feel a single thing! Be a little considerate, won't you?!"
"But—"
"And, though this Excellency was a male entertainer for a while, I don't accept underage customers."
The word 'underage' struck Sukuna right through the heart.
"But I'm not really underage—"
"No means no."
"Shen—"
"Anyway," Long Shen completely disregarded Sukuna's plea. "Shall we stalk our child? This Excellency is eyeing this one potential son-in-law. I think he goes by the name of Fushiguro Megumi."
Sukuna, who was about to act cute, paused for a moment, giving Shen a knowing look. "Shen, doesn't the surname Fushiguro ring any bells?"
"Hm? Whatever do you mean?"
"Chiyemi," the moment that name was uttered, Shen glanced at Sukuna with wide eyes. "It seems like your wish to adopt that girl is about to come true, in a way." Plus, Chiyemi and Megumi both have blessings in their name. Sukuna thinks that his lover wanted to name his future child with that meaning—blessings.
So, for some strange reason, he was attracted to Chiyemi and looks forward to having Megumi as a son-in-law.
"Ha," Long Shen erupted in laughter but Sukuna was stunned when he saw the complicated light in his eyes. "Fate is so humorous. Everything I wanted in the past, I can have now. But right now, how can I enjoy them? When I don't have a body to—" Long Shen bit his lip.
Sukuna fell into silence. Wordlessly, he picked up the forgotten groceries on the ground and at the same time, he held Shen's hand in his in a natural manner. If other people were to see him, they would just think that Sukuna was carefully holding the groceries in hand.
The former King of Curses began to walk in the direction Xiang, that rabbit, ran off to earlier, and dragged the weightless shaman with him.
"Shen," his voice had gone soft, unlike when he got into an argument with his twin brother. "Even without a physical body, you can enjoy the things you want to do. The memories we make will still mean a lot, and they'll be things you'll treasure for a long time." He suddenly paused and scowled in annoyance.
"Fuck, I sounded like Yuuji just now."
"Pfft—" the gloomy shaman chuckled, feeling at ease after hearing Sukuna's words. "—Yuuji? And who's that?"
"... my fucking twin brother. He's the most insufferable brat I've met, just second to you. He can chew my ear off, talking about the most random things, and he likes competing with me in sports. Ha, who the fuck he thinks he is? I'm the Sukuna, as if a human brat like him could win."
"Ah ah, don't forget that a human brat subdued you in the past. Who's to say there'll be no one else this time around?"
"Fuck you—"
"Why, thank you."
"... anyway," Sukuna was speechless so he ignored Shen's provocation. "I'll introduce you to that brat when I feel like it. I think you'll like him. In other humans' eyes, he's what you consider cute."
"Oh? This Excellency looks forward to meeting him, then."
"I'm cuter so don't even think about teasing him."
Shen raised his free hand in surrender. "The only one this Excellency would flirt with is you, okay? What kind of shaman do you think this Excellency is?"
"The one that said that good-looking humans are like snacks he likes to taste from time to time."
"... you're forever going to hold that over me, aren't you?"
"The fuck do you think? You said that while I was railing you."
"..."
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