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The first to notice Sukuna’s ring was Yuji, and of all the times for the brat to be observant, it had to be during a spar that he had initiated in the first place– after begging and whining and pleading until his uncle was at his wits' end. That being said, Sukuna still had to hold back on the boy and walk a fine line between being the King of Curses and the reformed Ryomen Sukuna, lest he pissed Satoru off again. 

The last time Sukuna had allowed himself to ease into his old ways, he was swiftly put on antipsychotics to dull his temper (Satoru’s decision, of course), which did nothing for Sukuna at all– or so Sukuna thought. He didn’t feel any different. 

However, he wasn’t about to tell Satoru he was immune to such medication, and instead pretended as though they worked. Unfortunately, that meant Sukuna’s temper was still short– very fucking short on a few occasions– and being interrupted by his nephew during a spar that Sukuna didn’t want to participate in in the first place was definitely one of those times. 

So, when Yuji rolled out of his uncle's attempted grab, only to ask, “Are you wearing a ring?”, to say Sukuna was a bit peeved would be an understatement. The spar quickly ended with Yuji’s back slamming into the side of the building with enough force to crack the siding.

The boy groaned in pain, pulling himself out of the clouds of dust and splinters of debris, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand, and cursed, “What the hell?”

“You dragged me out here in the disgusting summer heat to spar with your sweaty self, yet you waste my time by asking me stupid questions.”

“It wasn’t a stupid question-!”

“You asked if I was wearing a ring.” Sukuna held up his hand, wiggling his ring finger. “Obviously, I am. Or did you think you were hallucinating?”

“I only asked because I noticed Gojo-sensei was wearing a ring this morning, too! Sorry for being curious!” As the boy continued grumbling under his breath and pulling splinters from his hair, he slowly raised his eyes to meet Sukuna’s. “Wait a second. Why are you both wearing rings?”

Sukuna huffed, “Rings are common pieces of jewelry, are they not?”

“And since when do you wear jewelry at all?”

“I’ve always worn jewelry.” 

He raised a hand, tapping on the gauges in his ears. But he knew Yuji’s curiosity wasn’t unfounded– he never wore necklaces or bracelets before, and most definitely not rings, not in this life, nor in his past one either. So, perhaps the ring was a bit eye-catching. 

“Yes, but…” Sukuna could see the gears turning in his nephew’s head, but he wasn’t going to stick around and wait for the boy to figure it out– who knows how long that would take. He took his leave then, taking steps toward the building, but he stopped when he heard, “Gojo-sensei’s ring looks like the one you’re wearing.”

“Mm, isn’t that interesting? Maybe we commissioned the same goldsmith.” 

There, that was a simple explanation that left no room for further questioning from the brat. If Sukuna were lucky, Yuji would drop the subject entirely and not even mention it to his friends; therefore, their intrigue wouldn’t reach Satoru, and the two men could keep their relationship to themselves. 

Of course, it was no secret that Sukuna had shed his rigid exterior– but do not mistake him for going completely soft. It’s just that… perhaps he developed a soft spot for a certain sorcerer, and by proxy, that softness extended to this sorcerer’s students. But trust that if given the chance, Sukuna wouldn’t hesitate to redeem his former title as King of Curses and strip the world of all the progress it's made since his former debut in the modern era. 

Really, the only thing stopping him now wasn’t the white-haired sorcerer– they’d both tried their hand at that in Shinjuku, and look where that got them– but it was Satoru’s disappointment in Sukuna that kept him from being destructive. 

Yes, it was weird that such a moronic notion suddenly meant a lot to Sukuna, and yes, Sukuna was just as surprised as the rest of the world was to see that he’d been tamed, but Sukuna wasn’t going to apologize for it, nor would he allow himself to feel bad. He’d never been one to abide by the expectations of others, so why should he care what a meaningless mortal thought of his new lifestyle and chosen partner? Mind your own fucking business, dammit.

“You okay?”

Sukuna’s feet came to an abrupt halt, and just as quickly, he pivoted to face the sorcerer, but when he opened his mouth to speak, no words came out. He could blame it on the muggy summer heat getting to his head, or even how appealing Satoru looked in his summer clothes, which showed a bit more skin than his usual get-up. The latter of the two made the most sense; Satoru, in a short-sleeved compression shirt, was likely to make anyone speechless, Sukuna included.

Underneath his blindfold, Satoru’s brows raised in question, then furrowed in concern when Sukuna remained quiet. He hooked his thumb into the fabric over his eyes and pulled it up, giving Sukuna his utmost attention. 

And Sukuna didn’t know why he couldn’t form words; he just knew that he couldn’t talk, and no amount of staring was going to change that. Sensing it for himself, Satoru ventured closer– slowly, so as not to spook Sukuna– and when he stood right in front of him, he raised his hands to rest on Sukuna’s cheeks. For a moment, the world slowed down, much like it always did when staring into eyes that blue.

But it only lasted mere seconds before Satoru roughly pulled Sukuna down to his height, bringing their faces closer to the man to inspect– as if he even needed to be that close when he had Six Eyes at his disposal. Sukuna grunted at the quick change of height and immediately tried to pry Satoru’s hands away from his face, though they didn’t budge.

“I see. Something is definitely wrong.” Satoru nodded, concluding his deduction to ask, “What has your panties in a twist?”

“Currently, a little brat has a hold of my face and is refusing to let go.”

He grinned, leaning in closer to murmur, “And this little brat isn’t going to let go until he’s received a kiss.”

Sukuna rolled his eyes, but moved forward to press his lips to Satoru’s before pulling back, this time without hands attached to his face. 

“So, what’s actually wrong? You almost walked right past me without acknowledging my presence.”

“Does your presence require my attention at all times?”

He cocked a brow and raised his hand, tapping on his own ring, the one that matches Sukuna’s. “It does now, but you already know that.”

“Do I?”

Satoru nodded. “Stop trying to change the subject. Something is wrong, and it’s not my clinginess-”

“I beg to differ.”

With that snide remark, Satoru’s easy-going demeanor dropped, taking on the one he never showed his students. This one was reserved solely for the people who try his patience too much, and Sukuna just so happened to be one of those people.

“Lose the attitude, Ryomen. I’m not in the mood for it.”

The two stared at one another, neither of them backing down. The competition would have continued forever if not for an outside force stepping in to break the tension.

“Sensei, can I ask you something– oh…” Yuji, who entered the hall behind Satoru, stopped when he realized who occupied the space. All too quickly, Yuji forced a laugh and turned on his heel. “I’ll come back-”

“Yuji-kun,” Satoru began cheerfully, not taking his eyes off the man in front of him. The student wasn’t able to see the glare Satoru had on his face; if he could, Yuji might’ve considered ignoring his teacher and leaving anyway. “You were sparring with Sukuna earlier, right?”

“I– um, yes…”

“And how was it?”

“It was… fine. I guess.”

“Anything of significance to note about the session?”

All four of Sukuna’s eyes flicked to the idiot standing at the end of the hallway, who awkwardly shuffled in place. “Well, there was-”

“Brat, you’ve three seconds to leave before I-”

“Don’t threaten him,” Satoru snapped, then turned to finally address his student with eye contact. “Answer me, Yuji.”

“If you’re smart, you’ll keep your mouth shut-”

“No, if he’s smart, he’ll tell me the truth.”

Yuji’s eyes widened. “That kinda sounds like a threat, Sensei.”

“I wouldn’t hurt you.”

“But I would,” Sukuna added, “so walk away now-”

“Yuji. Stay.”

“No. Go away. Or I’ll make you.”

“You know I won’t let him. I’ll keep you safe.”

The brat’s eyes flicked between the two men. It was easy to see that he was weighing his options. On one hand, if he listened to Gojo, Sukuna would attack someone, which would inevitably draw Gojo into the fight. But if he didn’t listen, Gojo would be upset with his student (and much like Sukuna, Yuji didn’t like feeling Gojo’s disappointment either).

“I don’t want you two to fight.” 

“Don’t worry about us, Yuji-kun.”

Once more, he looked between the two men before he exhaled one breath while saying, “I asked him about the rings, and he got mad.”

At his sides, Sukuna’s hands balled up into fists. It was a means to hold back the invisible cuts he was itching to throw in his nephew’s direction. 

Satoru’s tense shoulders slackened as he questioned, “The rings?” He glanced back at Sukuna, then at Yuji again, before realization dawned on him. “Oh, you mean these rings!” Satoru grabbed Sukuna’s hand, raising it along with his own. When Yuji nodded, Satoru continued, “There’s an easy explanation for that! Sukuna and I-”

A large hand covered his mouth and immediately drew him backward. When Satoru’s back pressed firmly against the wide chest, Sukuna grumbled, “Last chance to leave before I make you, brat.”

With that, Yuji didn’t hesitate to retreat down the hallway, leaving the two men alone. Only then did Sukuna release Satoru’s mouth to find a cheeky grin plastered there.

“Not a single word out of you-”

“You’re nervous to tell people, aren’t you?!”

“More like embarrassed,” Sukuna grumbled before stalking down the hallway, venturing in the direction of his room– the one that they secretly shared. It was only natural to have Satoru right on his heels to pester him. 

“If you were truly embarrassed, you wouldn’t have taken the ring in the first place, and you wouldn’t have agreed to marry me. But you did because you love me-”

“Can you not say that so loud?” Sukuna winced as his own volume betrayed him. “And don’t call it a marriage– we aren’t married.”

“No? We’re just connected via the binding vow that can’t be broken unless we both mutually agree to split up?” Sukuna groaned and pushed into the room, letting Satoru enter before slamming the door shut. As the sorcerer collapsed backward on his bed, he added, “Sounds like a marriage to me. Just without the courts and paperwork and stuff. The way we did it was easier, and it has more meaning because our lives are literally at stake. I mean, think of the repercussions of the cheating clause we added. It’s like… totally a marriage, but hardcore.”

“It’s actually a prison.” Sukuna’s dry tone brought a chuckle out of his husband. He approached the bed and pulled Satoru up to slip onto the mattress. The sorcerer didn’t hesitate to take his place over Sukuna as if it were his god-given right. 

“A prison you willingly locked yourself up in.”

Sukuna looked off, clicking his tongue. “Yeah, maybe.”

Satoru mocked him, repeating his words in a deep voice as he leaned over, pressing his hands into the pillow beneath Sukuna’s head. “Are you seriously nervous to tell people about it?”

“What makes you think it’s not because I’m actually embarrassed to be married to you?”

Satoru sat up and motioned to himself. Shamelessly, Sukuna let his eyes travel down the muscled torso, then back up the thick, scarred biceps, finally settling on a pretty face. 

“Not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m super attractive, and I’m smart and funny, and I’m strong enough to take you on. Why would you ever be embarrassed to be married to me?”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “It’s a good thing I didn’t marry you for your humility.”

“Your god complex is just as big as mine,” Satoru tutted and leaned forward again. “You know, I don’t have anything else to do until this evening. We could stay here until then.”

“Is that your way of asking for a nap?”

“No, that’s my way of asking to fuck. We can nap after.” Satoru rolled his hips forward at the same time he captured Sukuna’s lips in a kiss. For a moment, Sukuna entertained the thought of it before he pushed Satoru away.

“I’ve been sparring all morning.”

“That’s okay. You just lie there. I’ll do all the work.” 

When Satoru pulled his shirt off, tossed it aside, and immediately started kissing his husband, Sukuna pushed him away again and groaned, “I’m offended you think sparring against that brat has left me even the slightest bit exhausted. What I meant is that I’m covered in sweat and dirt.”

“I know. That’s kind of the point.” He leaned into Sukuna’s neck and inhaled deeply. “Smells good.” Then he licked a stripe up this column of his throat. “Tastes good, too.”

Sukuna exhaled a disgusted scoff and pulled Satoru away from his shoulder. “You’re a freak.”

The grin on his mouth never wavered, even as it traced over Sukuna’s pulse. “I’ll remember this the next time you insist on bending me over the nearest surface the second you see me bleeding after we spar.”

Sukuna tilted his head subtly to give Satoru more room. “That’s different. Clearly, you’ve never taken the time to appreciate how perfectly the red complements your skin tone. It’s a pretty sight.”

“And yet, you still call me a freak.” Satoru nipped at his ear and sat up to slide off his lap. He pulled off his pants, but when Sukuna went to do the same, he stopped him. “No need to take those off.”

“Then how do you expect me to fuck you?” To answer, Satoru pushed Sukuna’s shirt up to reveal his strong, muscular torso. With the fabric bunched up above his chest, Satoru traced his finger over the horizontal seam that crossed his husband’s lower stomach. “That’s not fair.”

“But it is, because I watched you throw Yuji into a wall today. So, you’re lucky I’m even letting you touch me right now.” He saddled himself on Sukuna’s torso, scarred hands pressing down into the tattoos marked on his chest. “But if you say please, I might let you kiss me.”

Sukuna cocked a brow and let his maw’s tongue swipe against Satoru’s entrance. He exhaled a gasp and jolted forward, far enough that Sukuna could pull him in for a kiss without having to ask for it. It was a useless negotiation tactic; Sukuna wasn’t apt to plead for anything, no matter what, and Satoru would end up riding Sukuna’s cock anyway, once he realized how much he needed it.

His lower hands slid up porcelain-white legs, tracing over the ridges of the pinkish scars Sukuna had left on Satoru’s body all those years ago. His other hands occupied Satoru’s upper half; one gently thumbing over his nipple, and one loosely wrapped around the column of his throat–

A knock on the door had both men freezing in place. With a disgruntled sigh against Sukuna’s mouth, Satoru pulled back just in time to hear a muffled, “Sensei, I never got to ask you that question.”

“How important is that question, Yuji-kun?”

“Uh… define important.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Sukuna grumbled, but helped Satoru off his lap. 

“No, you won’t,” his husband chided and began pulling on his clothes again, pausing to tell his student, “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Yuji mumbled something back that Sukuna didn’t catch. 

“Since you’re so fond of the brat, I could promise to do it painlessly-”

His threat was cut short by a pair of lips pressing into his own. It was a brief kiss– a peck, really– one that didn’t satiate the need in the slightest. His attempt to deepen it went unanswered when Satoru pulled away. 

“No killing my students. Pretty sure that’s part of our vow anyway.”

“No worries. I’m sure I could find a loophole of some kind.”

“You know, they’d probably back off if they knew the extent of our relationship. Maybe while I’m gone, you can think of ways to break the news to them. Or at least prepare yourself for when I tell them myself.” Satoru chuckled when a sound of protest escaped Sukuna’s throat and grabbed his blindfold to pull it over his eyes. “You should take a shower while I’m gone. And wash the sheets. They’re covered in your sweat.”

“I’ll have you know, I was going to do that before you cornered me in here-”

“Bye, Kuna,” Satoru interrupted, and then he was gone, pulling the door shut behind him.

* * * 

The two young men shifted awkwardly on either side of Sukuna. 

Usually, he relished the tension with a sense of appreciation. He rather enjoyed the way people walked on eggshells around him, and watching them suffocate on the strain in the air was all too entertaining. 

However, there was a time and place for such entertainment, and standing outside of an abandoned hospital, when Sukuna could be napping at the dorms, was not that time. Instead, he was annoyed, and the men’s antsy behavior was aggravating him immensely.

“Well, are you two just going to stand here, or are you going to get to work? We don’t have all day.”

“Maybe you could wait over there, like across the street. Maybe even down the block,” Yuji suggested, and on Sukuna’s other side, Megumi huffed, seemingly just as annoyed as Sukuna. “I just feel like you’re going to be overly critical.”

“I’m not here to critique your skills. I’m merely here to observe.”

“Yes, but… why?”

Sukuna sighed, “Since it has the potential to develop into a special grade, you two might require help.” Yuji and Megumi made a sound of protest, but before they could voice their concerns, Sukuna continued, “Trust me, I don’t want to supervise you insolent brats either, but your sensei has persuaded me. So, go. Now, before I go in there and do it for you.” 

“And Gojo-sensei couldn’t come because…?”

“Because he’s taking care of something overseas,” Megumi amended, finally stepping forward. “Doesn’t explain why he entrusted us with you, after everything that’s happened.”

“I, too, would like to know. But I’ll have to interrogate him about it later. For now, go do your job.”

With that, the two boys left for the building, leaving Sukuna standing just outside the site. Briefly, it crossed his mind if he should cast a veil, but with one look at the surrounding area, he deemed it unnecessary; no one was around anyway.

The sounds of fighting ensued not long after, leading to a few broken windows, but Sukuna merely glanced in their direction before letting his eyes stray around to more interesting things. When the terrain proved to be too boring, his mind wandered toward a certain white-haired sorcerer and the persuasion used to get Sukuna out here today: a sloppy blowjob and wide blue eyes, teary and pleading. 

Truthfully, all Satoru would have needed to do was ask, and Sukuna would have agreed. However, he’s more apt to believe that the blowjob was more for Satoru’s benefit than Sukuna’s.

Between the sounds of distant fighting, he heard a shrill ring– his phone, which Satoru forced him to carry around, even if Sukuna wasn’t versed in technology. He knew how to make and take phone calls, but that’s about it, and no amount of Satoru showing him all the features of the phone was going to change the fact that Sukuna wasn’t interested in it. 

He fumbled through his clothes to find the pocket in which he placed the stupid device, and once he pulled it out and saw the image Satoru set as his contact photo, Sukuna’s disgruntled feelings faded. When he accepted the call, he was graced with his husband’s face rather than just his voice– a video call, as Satoru had told him before.

“What do you want?”

Despite his gruff greeting, Satoru only smiled, blue eyes glimmering with delight. “I wanted to talk to my husband, obviously. I’ve missed him.”

“You’ve only been gone for a day.”

His pink lips formed a plump pout. “So? I’ve still missed you. Thought about you the entire time.”

“Mm, I’ve not thought about you once.”

Satoru snorted, “Now, I know that’s a lie. You’re at the exorcism site, which means you’re watching after Yuji and Megumi, so I know you’ve thought about strangling me at least once.”

“Well, perhaps that’s true.”

Satoru grinned and shifted on camera, showing the hotel bed he was relaxing on. “Speaking of, how are my students?”

He spared a glance back at the building, catching sight of Yuji hanging from the window on the highest level with a small curse latched to his leg. While that should have been enough for most people to worry about his safety, Sukuna knew that if Yuji fell, Megumi was there to catch him. And if he didn’t, well, that was one less brat to annoy Sukuna.

“They’re still alive, if that’s what you’re asking.” He turned back to the call. “Honestly, they’re more than capable of handling this on their own, even if it were a special grade.”

“Yeah, maybe. But they’re still young, and after everything that’s happened-”

“You still worry. I’m aware. You subject me to the torture of your anxious rants every night.”

“It’s not every night. Just… most nights. But I’m getting better.”

Sukuna exhaled a laugh. “If you say so, sweetheart.”

“Keep up the attitude, and I won’t bring you home any souvenirs.”

“Oh, no. What will I do without the confections that you end up eating all by yourself anyway?”

Satoru’s nose crinkled at his bland comment. “Sometimes, I forget you’re old as dirt, then you use the word confections instead of just saying candy, and it reminds me that I’m actually married to an ancient curse user.”

“The most infamous and powerful curse user this world has ever seen,” Sukuna corrected him. “But I’ve since been reformed to meet society’s standards, per your request; therefore, I ask that you bring me the tea that I like as an incentive to keep being good.”

Satoru snickered, “I don’t think they have that over here, but I’ll look around tomorrow. I think most of the shops are closed right now; it’s kind of late, and I’m exhausted. The debriefing process was sooo fucking long.”

“What could you possibly need debriefed on? I read the report– the mission is pretty simple.”

“I know,” Satoru sighed wistfully. “But the Jujutsu higher-ups over here sort of treat foreigners like they’re stupid. As if I’m not the pinnacle of jujutsu performance– they must’ve missed the memo that I am Satoru Gojo.”

“Your lack of humility pleases me,” he lilted with pride, but Satoru waved him off. 

“You know what I mean. Six Eyes relays all the details that matter; I did not need them to explain Jujutsu to me for two hours today, after a twelve-hour plane ride.” He let out another huff and rolled onto his back. “Anyway, the mission is a piece of cake. I should be back home tomorrow night, just in time for orientation with the new first-years.”

“Good.” A warmth settled in Sukuna’s chest– it was disgusting. “I don’t like when you’re away for too long.”

Satoru cocked a brow, a teasing grin already forming on his mouth. Sukuna realized his mistake then.

“See, when you say things like that, it makes me think that you miss me.”

“Please. I only want you to return so you can resume responsibility for the brats. I’m tired of feeling like I hold their lives in my hands.”

“Thought you said they can handle things on their own?” That smirk on his mouth never wavered, and Sukuna’s thumb hovered over the button to end the call. Sensing it, Satoru continued, “So, either you miss me terribly, or you have to admit that you care for my students on some level.”

“I’m hanging up now-”

“Wait!” 

And Sukuna did. “What?”

“I love you.”

He didn’t hesitate to hang up that time, but rather than slipping the device back into his pocket, he began drafting up a message to Satoru that begrudgingly stated that he loved him, too. Just as he hit send, the two boys returned, battered and bruised. Sukuna glanced up, eyes flicking between them.

To Yuji, he stated, “Your footwork was sloppy-”

“You weren’t even watching! You were on the phone.”

“I saw enough. And you,” he glanced at Megumi, who cocked a brow, waiting for the unneeded criticism. “You could’ve been worse.”

“Whatever. Job’s done. Let’s go.”

The walk to the train station was quiet and awkward, and the ride back to Tokyo was even worse, though Sukuna didn’t mind it now. 

He liked the stares he received for his looks; he liked that it made the brats uncomfortable, and he liked how society went out of its way to avoid him at all costs. Since he could no longer instill fear in people through violence, thanks to Satoru, he was delighted to know his appearance made up for it– it was the little things.

“How many more stops?” he asked, forcing the two boys to stand so that he could take his place on the bench.

“Three,” Megumi answered through gritted teeth, anger wafting off of him in waves. 

It made Sukuna grin. “You look like you want to kill me.”

“I don’t like you.”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “Pity.”

When he crossed his arms, their eyes followed the motion, honing in on the jewelry adorning Sukuna’s finger. Rather than Yuji asking about it this time, it was Megumi.

“Why do you and Gojo have the same rings?”

“They commissioned the same goldsmith,” Yuji answered, not even paying attention to the looks Sukuna was getting from his friend; he was too busy staring at his phone.

“But why?” Megumi pried.

Sukuna wondered if the proper place for this discussion was the middle of the train car.

“You’re a smart kid. Surely, you can figure it out.”

It was only then that Yuji finally looked up from his screen, taking note of the way the other two were locked in a heated staring contest. “Figure out what?”

Slowly, Megumi shook his head, almost as if to convince himself. “I know what you’re insinuating, and I know it’s a lie. Gojo isn’t like that– he would never do something like that.”

“He’d never do what?” 

Yuji’s question went unanswered as Sukuna explained, “There is more to Gojo than the assumptions you’ve made about him. Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think you do. Though it’s no fault of your own, Gojo wears a mask like a second skin, but he is no liar, unlike me. If you’re so curious about the answers to your questions, if you don’t want to believe what I’ve already told you, ask him. I’m sure he’d be delighted to answer.”

“Fine. I will.”

Tension thickened, the staring continued, until finally Yuji broke the silence. “What are you two even talking about? I’m confused.”

* * * 

Sukuna felt the sorcerer the moment he stepped onto the school grounds. He waited in their room for Satoru to show up for an hour, and when he didn’t, he begrudgingly got out of bed to go search for his husband. Locating him was rather simple; Satoru was practically a beacon for Sukuna to follow, but with his overwhelming output, that meant it was harder to sense the lower levels of energy that circulated the area.

So, when he pushed into the room– Satoru’s classroom– he didn’t expect so many sets of eyes to immediately flick to him, and none of them he recognized. All of them crowded in front of Satoru to listen to him recount his mission and receive the gifts he’d gotten for them.

The warmth in the atmosphere chilled instantly when the students felt the extra presence, and the only thing keeping it from freezing over was Satoru’s smile and seamless ability to break the tension by teasing, “Geez, you guys act as if you’ve never seen a reincarnated curse user before.”

Sukuna let his eyes sweep over the sniveling room of students– their fear was palpable; it was pathetic. 

“When will this affair be over?” he asked Satoru, “I’ve something to talk to you about.”

“In a moment, we’re almost done. Just wait there.” Sukuna huffed at his order, but followed it anyway. “Anyone who can tell me his name will get extra credit when we go over jujutsu during the Heian period.”

“Oi, don’t turn me into a history lesson,” Sukuna snapped, making Satoru snicker to himself.

“I was only kidding. If anyone has any other questions, now is the time to ask them.”

A couple of hands shot into the air; the first girl called on asked, “Is he a teacher, too?” She pointed at Sukuna and even looked him in the eye.

“God, no. That would be inhumane, and he’d definitely scare you all off on the first day.”

Satoru’s answer made Sukuna roll his eyes. “I’m waiting in the hall.” With the classroom door shut behind him, he leaned back against the wall to wait– and also listen in on the conversation being had inside.

More questions ensued, some more ridiculous than others.

“Who is he?” And Satoru answered, “Don’t worry. We cover an entire section about him later, and I can guarantee that you’ll all be sick of hearing his name very soon."

“Why does he have four arms?” And Satoru answered, “He was born that way, but again, we’ll cover it in another section.”

“He also has four eyes, too. Why?” And Satoru answered, “It’s like you’re not even listening to me.”

And then, someone asked, “Why do you both wear matching rings?”

Disgustingly enough, Sukuna’s heart thumped just a little faster in his chest, and a warmth spread up the back of his neck.

And Satoru once again answered, “Uh, well… we’re together.”

Somehow, he managed to say that without slipping up at all– why can’t Sukuna?

“Like, together together?”

“Like, we’re married, actually.”

And there it was, spoken to someone outside of their relationship. Surprisingly, it didn’t feel as weird as Sukuna thought it might. In actuality, it felt… normal. 

“On purpose?”

Satoru snorted, “Yes, on purpose. You think I’d be forced into it?”

“Well, Sensei, he looks scary enough to try something like that.”

“No way. He’s a total softie– well, I think he’s a softie.” He paused before adding, “Um, you guys shouldn’t think that about him. He’s actually really scary to everyone else. You should be scared of him. Honestly, if you see him, just walk the other way.”

His warning amused Sukuna immensely, and it also pleased him; Satoru was warding off the brats for him.

A few more questions were exchanged before the classroom door slid open. The student on the other side froze when she noticed Sukuna still looming in the hallway. And as her sensei taught her, she lowered her head and quickly walked down the hallway, with all of her classmates doing the same. 

The last to exit the room was Satoru, who held out a bag between them and jostled it around. “Here is your reward, my king. Thank you for keeping the chaos to a minimum while I was gone.” With an open hand, Sukuna accepted the gift. “It’s not the exact tea you like, but I think it’s kind of similar. Instead of notes of geranium, this one has orchid. But, because I’m the best husband ever, and to make up for the discrepancies in your tea notes, I swear to save you one whole piece of-”

Whatever Satoru was talking about was instantly swallowed when Sukuna abruptly pulled him in. It was so quick, in fact, that very briefly, his hands met the infinity between them before Satoru dropped it completely. But rather than a kiss or even a hug, Satoru was tossed over Sukuna’s shoulder. 

He didn’t protest against it and just let Sukuna carry him back to their room. Just as soon as they stepped inside, Sukuna closed the door, locked it, and then took Satoru to their bed to drop onto the mattress. The man exhaled a sated breath and curled into the soft bedding, obliging Sukuna when he ordered Satoru to raise his feet to remove his shoes. The next to go were his pants and then his shirt. When all the clothing that remained between them was their boxers, Sukuna finally situated himself on the bed beside Satoru, tugging the man into his four-armed hold.

For a few moments, they were both silent, just soaking up the presence of the other. And when that proved too boring for Satoru, he pulled himself over Sukuna to straddle his lap. 

“Megumi cornered me as soon as I got here today,” he began softly, tracing a finger over the markings on Sukuna’s chest. “Started asking me a lot of questions about us.”

“I’m sure he did.”

“I sort of… deflected most of them. Wanted to talk to you first.” The tracing touch stopped. “I know you’re adamant about keeping this a secret, but I’m not sure how we can hide it. He’s pretty smart– I’d say he has it figured out already, if he weren’t living in denial. He probably thinks I’m crazy.”

“You are crazy.”

Satoru chuckled, “Yeah. I know. But for him, this is like a new level of insanity that he hasn’t had the pleasure of witnessing yet. Anyway, I think I have him convinced for now, but-”

“You can tell him– or anyone else. If you want to.”

His eyes brightened, and he sat just a little straighter. “Really?” 

“Why not? You already told your new group of runts.”

“I was wondering if you heard that.”

“I did, and… it didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.”

The sorcerer smiled and dipped down, resting his hands on the pillow beneath Sukuna’s head. “Why are you nervous to tell people in the first place? And be honest, because I’m starting to actually think it’s because you’re embarrassed of me.”

Sukuna snorted, “That’s not it at all. I just don’t appreciate having other people poking around in my business. If no one knew we were married, they wouldn’t have to question the practicality of our relationship. They wouldn’t have to wonder if I forced you into this or not; they wouldn’t want to watch us like we’re starring in the newest soap opera. You and I are both well aware that our relationship isn’t conventional, and we don’t need ignorant, closed-minded fools in our ear, telling us what we already know. A thousand years ago, it wouldn’t have been an issue, but since you’ve revoked my murderous privileges, we are now forced to be under the watchful eye of people who would never understand what it truly means to change. Plus, keeping this a secret ensures that you’re just mine for a little bit longer.”

As Sukuna’s long-winded explanation came to an end, Satoru sat there stunned, unmoving, and silent. This might’ve been the first time Sukuna had ever been so transparent with him. 

Luckily, he seemed to recover quickly enough and leaned down further, just barely letting his lips touch Sukuna’s. “What if we just let people find out on their own? Let them form their own assumptions and think whatever they want until they get bored.”

“And you really think that will work, even with everyone being so nosy?”

Satoru grinned. “Eh, probably not, but it’ll save us from having to sit everyone down and explain that when two people love each other very much, they take the next step. And if we don’t do anything to hide it, they should catch on pretty quickly, and if we’re lucky, the idea of us being married will make them so uncomfortable, they’ll leave us alone about it entirely.”

While Sukuna wasn’t sure that it would actually work– he was convinced that the world was just way too nosy of its own good– he was tired of talking about it. It had been two whole days without seeing Satoru, and the last thing he wanted to do was talk about other people. So, rather than continuing the conversation, he only nodded and pulled Satoru in for a kiss.

He let his hands wander the expanse of exposed skin, much like he always did. Touching Satoru’s scars, appreciating the smooth feel, always left him captivated– his husband was truly a marvel. While he didn’t voice his gratitude most of the time, he hoped all the unspoken words were loud in his touch.

The subtle roll of his hips and a slender, yet calloused hand guiding Sukuna’s wrist between their bodies was the first indication of how far things would go, and Sukuna would do nothing to stop it. He let Satoru move his touch where he wanted it, always feeling comfortable to let his husband lead, and always following without a fight. 

However, there were a few times when he allowed himself to feel concern, namely, the moments when he thought Satoru might be biting off a bit more than he could chew.

Carefully, he pulled Satoru away from his mouth to ask, “Are you sure you want to do this tonight? You have a big group of first-years to manage tomorrow morning.”

The warning went unheeded as Satoru slid down Sukuna’s torso and began tugging off his boxers. “Trust me, I can handle it.” But when two hardened cocks sprang free, he paused, staring at them in silent contemplation. “Well, maybe just one of them for tonight. And wear a condom– I already showered, and don’t feel like dealing with the mess. And we have to be quiet. I know there are students out exploring the campus right now.”

Sukuna let out a huff. “If you insist.” 

Relaxing back on two elbows, he reached for the nightstand drawer, just in time for a warm, wet mouth to wrap around his cock. A pleased groan rumbled from Sukuna’s throat as he reached down to rake his fingers through white hair. He didn’t let him continue for long, only until those pretty blue eyes began glistening with unshed tears, before urging him to move forward.

Satoru crawled up, situating himself over the maw before claiming Sukuna’s mouth once more. It was practically routine at this point, so when Sukuna’s hands traveled down to Satoru’s ass to present him to the larger tongue, he didn’t fight it. He arched into the feeling with a shiver and pulled back just enough to get a breath when the tip of the tongue inched inside just barely enough to tease. 

“...fuck,” Satoru whispered softly, limbs slowly turning into jelly. 

Sukuna watched the expressions on Satoru’s face, enjoying each one and committing them to memory– his husband really was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, but it was too early in the night for Sukuna to be getting sappy, so he stowed away the comment for later use.

The tongue went just a bit deeper, and Sukuna murmured, “I never said thank you for the tea.”

Satoru’s eyes fluttered as he exhaled a shaky, “Mhm.”

“So, I’ll say it now; thank you.”

The chances of Satoru comprehending anything else Sukuna said after that were slim to none; Satoru had always been so sensitive, to the point he lost most of his focus with a tongue in his ass. 

In the beginning, before they were in a relationship, before they were married, Sukuna thought it was rather hilarious that the world’s strongest sorcerer could be rendered useless by just a little touching. But now, Sukuna found it endearing and cute, maybe even a little sweet. He took pride in knowing that Satoru trusted him this much– trusted him not to have a change of heart and revert to his old ways in a moment like this. Of course, Sukuna would never, but it was nice to know that Satoru didn’t expect him to either.

Satoru’s hips rolled against the tongue, hoping to take it deeper, but Sukuna wouldn’t let it. This was just the foreplay, and just like Satoru, Sukuna was eager for what was to come, too. After all, it had been two days, and two days of separation for people who are obsessed with one another takes a toll. 

He relished the whiny curses that left Satoru’s mouth and pressed kisses up the column of his throat. With two hands, Sukuna reached around Satoru and rolled the condom over his length before asking in his ear, “Think you’re ready?” 

In response, Satoru nodded. The large tongue gave one last lick to Satoru’s rim before retracting back inside the maw. With two hands on his waist and two hands on his ass, Sukuna repositioned Satoru over his cock, and slowly lowered him down, only to be stopped halfway.

“Wait,” Satoru slurred, “Not like this.”

“Then how do you want it?” 

When Satoru rolled off Sukuna’s torso to lie face down on the bed, he only chuckled and repositioned them in the middle of the bed. He pulled Satoru’s ass off the mattress, placing him on his knees, and before pressing inside, he gave himself a moment to appreciate the muscled back and narrow waist displayed in front of him. 

A groan escaped him as he lined himself up properly, tracing the tip over his rim and just barely inching inside. Satoru gripped the pillow in his arms just a bit tighter as cold chills spread up his spine. 

“You have the prettiest skin, Satoru.” 

His words earned him a quiet, needy whine that he took full advantage of, using that moment to finally thrust inside. Already, there was a telling, gentle shake in Satoru’s body as he pushed back against Sukuna’s hips, silently telling him to make this quick. And Sukuna, being the good husband that he was, followed Satoru’s command.

The quiet pats of Sukuna’s hips meeting Satoru’s ass filled the room, getting louder and louder with each thrust. They paired nicely with the slurred curses Satoru was breathing into the pillow. Both were mindful to keep the noise to a minimum, especially with all the new students wandering the property.

But as mindful as they liked to be, there were always limits to be exceeded, and Satoru’s low, drawn-out, “f-fuuuck me,” happened to snap any thread of control Sukuna had. 

The quick change of pace had Satoru gasping and trying to lift himself up on shaky arms. One of his hands moved forward to splay out on the wall and keep the bed from banging into the drywall, alerting literally everyone else trying to sleep in the dorms of what was taking place in Gojo’s bedroom. 

“R-Ryo, you– I, oh-” Sensical words evaded Satoru. His other hand moved behind him to press into Sukuna’s thigh in an attempt to get him to slow down, though the effort was in vain. That hand was snatched up and pinned to his back, along with the one he had planted against the wall. “Fuck,” he cursed again, face pressing into the pillow. “Too loud– it’s too loud-”

“Then close your mouth, sweetheart.”

Even with his cheek sufficiently pressed into the pillow, Sukuna caught the glare on his husband’s face before it morphed into the blissful expression he’d come to recognize. Brows furrowed, eyelids fluttering, lips just barely parted enough to take in air and exhale pretty sounds– Satoru was gorgeous like this, always so expressive and easy to read.

Satoru’s hands clenched into tight fists on a particularly hard thrust, but with the next one nudging right into a certain spot, any bit of rigidity in his body evaporated, and he practically melted into the bed. 

“There– right there! Don’t stop, please!”

Just as Sukuna was about to taunt him for being so loud, he felt something prickle against his hand, specifically, the hand he was using to pin Satoru’s wrists to his back. Without slowing, he looked down at the reddened, limp palms, sparking and flickering with the smallest amounts of blue and red. 

The sight pleased him greatly, left him feeling delighted– no one truly knows what Satoru Gojo looks like when he loses the control he prides himself on, but Sukuna knows. Sukuna’s looking at it right now, and it’s stunning.

“S-Sukuna,” Satoru pleaded brokenly. 

The sparks of red and blue in his palm combined, putting off such a faint trace of electric purple, but it was enough. It turned Sukuna on, but at the same time, reminded him of who he was dealing with– his all-powerful husband, who wields such a lethal weapon. 

“I know, sweetheart,” he cooed, releasing Satoru’s hands from behind his back. “You can’t help it, can you?” 

He pressed the sparking palms into the mattress, his own hands covering the top of them and interlocking their fingers. Sukuna eyed their matching rings, which glinted in the dim light of their room, and realized then how much he adored them, even if the rings had caused him quite a few headaches. He liked what the bands signified between himself and Satoru.

He let his lower two hands slide down Satoru’s torso, appreciating the marks and scars as always before one settled on his hip, and the other wrapped around his leaking cock. With the first stroke, Satoru was sobbing into his pillow; overstimulation had set in a while ago because he was just that sensitive. 

Sukuna took pity on him, and rather than continuing the teasing, he focused on making Satoru finish. It didn’t take much; a few quick strokes and a few bites up his neck, and Satoru was clenching so tightly around Sukuna’s cock while shooting his release onto the mattress below them. 

Sukuna worked him through it, and when Satoru whined once more, pushing back against him, only then did Sukuna let go. He sat back on his knees and let Satoru roll to lie beside the puddle of cum rather than in it– because he was a good husband like that.

He moved off the bed and discarded the condom before turning back to Satoru, who looked like he had passed out only seconds after his orgasm. “Hey, don’t fall asleep yet. I need to change the sheets.”

From the pillow, Satoru mumbled, “Just put a towel on it.”

Sukuna’s nose crinkled. “The towel fabric is too abrasive for your sensitive baby skin. You’ll wake up with a friction burn, and it’ll be all my fault because I didn’t make you get up so I could change the sheets.”

Satoru groaned and only curled harder into the pillow. “And you just think you know everything, don’t you?”

“I at least know this much because it’s happened before. Twice. So, get up.” 

He made his way to the linen cabinet to get the extra bedding, and from behind him, he heard Satoru’s feet hit the floor. While rummaging through the pillow cases to find the matching set of sheets, he felt two arms circle his torso, and a set of lips press against his spine.

“You didn’t cum,” he heard Satoru say.

“That’s okay. You definitely needed it more than me.”

“We can go again.”

“Not a chance,” Sukuna snickered and turned to face his husband. His eyes flicked over the swollen pout, the pink flush in his cheeks, and the residual tears that made his blue eyes so much brighter. He raised a hand to brush away a tuft of messy white hair from Satoru’s forehead and stopped himself before he said something out of character.

Satoru smiled, though it was not of the innocent sort. “We can fuck whenever, you don’t have to make heart eyes at me like a whore.”

Sukuna rolled his eyes and pushed Satoru away from him, ignoring the way he stumbled back. While he pulled the dirty sheets from the bed, he felt Satoru come up behind him, and without hesitating, he gruffed, “If you touch my ass, I’ll put you over my knee and blister yours.”

He heard Satoru click his tongue in disappointment. “When is it my turn to fuck you? Remember when you promised me before we got married? You said I could top you.”

“I have absolutely no recollection of ever promising you something of that sort.”

“Pretty sure you did,” he lilted, which Sukuna didn’t even pretend to entertain. “Please? Pretty please? I can make it good for you, I swear! I have experience on top and everything!”

Sukuna paused for a moment before continuing with the task at hand. “Refrain from mentioning your past experiences to me in the future. And it’s not a matter of whether you’d perform well or not, it’s that you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

Satoru scoffed, “The hell does that mean?”

“It means exactly what I said.” With the sheets changed, Sukuna turned and sat down on the bed. “You lose control of yourself, and suddenly you’re playing with Hollow Purple in your hands-”

“I do not!”

Sukuna chuckled, “You do. Now, imagine you’re balls deep in my ass. Think you’d be able to handle it? Maybe, maybe not, but if you fire off something like that at me when my back is turned, you’d probably kill me.”

Satoru blinked, then frowned deeply. “I never worry about you killing me by cutting my body into little pieces.”

“I’ve never given you a reason to, have I?”

“I don’t know, Ryomen, I’m literally covered in scars from head to toe because of you.”

“Yes. And they’re beautiful.”

They stared at one another until realization dawned on Satoru. “You’re scared it will hurt to have a dick in your ass, aren’t you?”

Sukuna groaned and slumped back on the bed, rolling to face away from Satoru with a firm, “I’m not talking about this anymore,” which was a dead giveaway that Satoru had hit the nail right on the head with his guess.

“Aw, Kuna,” Satoru cooed, sliding onto the bed behind Sukuna. “You don’t have to be scared. I mean, it’s a little uncomfortable at first, but I’ve taken both of yours at the same time, and-”

“Sweetheart.”

“Hm?”

“Shut up and go to sleep.” That seemed to do the trick, although it left Satoru grumpy. Still, he settled into bed, dropping the topic for Sukuna’s sake. And it was only because he listened to orders that Sukuna turned around and pulled him close. “If you’re still interested in my ass when our anniversary rolls around, I’ll consider it, alright?”

* * * 

It was early the next morning when there was a knock on their dormitory door. Sukuna, being an early riser, was already awake and steeping the new tea Satoru had gifted to him. He had half a mind to let whoever was on the other side of the door stay out there until a reasonable hour. However, their incessant knocking would surely wake up Satoru, who still had an hour before he needed to start getting ready for his day.

So, with an annoyed grunt, he pulled the door open, not surprised to find Yuji standing there, confused brain working overtime to fit the pieces together. The brat’s eyes jumped from Sukuna’s bare chest, his sweat pants, his rumpled hair, and the mug of tea in Sukuna’s hands. 

Sukuna dipped the tea bag in the water a few times and asked, “What do you want, brat? It’s six in the morning.”

“I– uh… what are you doing here?”

He sighed, “I live here.”

“No, I mean, what are you doing in Gojo-sensei’s dorm?”

“Again, I live here.”

Yuji shook his head. “No. This area is for faculty members.”

With a sip of tea– very similar to his favorite, he’d make sure to relay the information to Satoru– Sukuna nodded. 

“Yes. For faculty members and their spouses.”

“Spouses?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” Sukuna snapped. “Did you need something? Because you’re disrupting our morning routine.”

That seemed to snap him out of whatever conflict was raging on inside his head. “I need to talk with Gojo-”

“About what?”

“None of your business,” Yuji bit out. 

“But it is my business if you want me to let you in to talk to my husband.”

Yuji’s face curled up in disgust. “Don’t call him that.”

From behind him, Sukuna heard a bit of stirring and the sound of light footsteps, followed by a hand tracing over the back of his shoulder blades. Satoru tapped him a few times, a silent order to move out of the way, which Sukuna did, and with pleasure, he watched Yuji’s eyes widen. 

Satoru reached out a tired hand, patting the side of the brat’s cheek with an exhausted and raspy, “Good morning, Yuji-kun.”

“G-Good morning, sensei.” Yuji dropped his gaze to the floor and forced a laugh, entirely flustered to see Satoru in nothing but a pair of loose sleep shorts and the stupid Digimon socks he insisted Sukuna slide onto his feet last night before bed. “I-I just um… well, you know– I uh…”

Sukuna knew what Yuji’s bashful attitude was for– the brat had had his fair share of pervy thoughts regarding his sensei during his teenage years when Sukuna lived inside his vessel, so he’s sure seeing Satoru in such a state of undress is a near wet dream for the kid. But those fantasies came from a time when Satoru was far leaner and slender. 

The Satoru that stood between them now sported a physique that not only ensured peak performance but was also the most attractive body Sukuna had ever seen. To be handsome and pretty and fucking ethereal all at the same time was a feat, which was just another reason why Satoru was truly magnificent.

Though Sukuna would have to be dying before he ever admitted that to Satoru– his ego was already large enough, Sukuna didn’t need to make it worse.

“S-Sorry, it’s just… wow, that’s a lot of scars– Sukuna really did all that?” Satoru, still finding his way out of sleep, cocked a brow. “A-And now you’re just um… living with him? He said you were t-together, like together together, but you wouldn’t be with someone who did that to you, right? Well, of course not, you’re smart– not that you’d be dumb if you were with him, I mean-”

“Yuji,” Satoru interrupted him, “You know I adore you, but it is six in the morning, so as nicely as possible, spit it out.”

Yuji exhaled a breath, and in it, he asked, “Are you two married?”

“Uh…” Satoru glanced over his shoulder at Sukuna, wordlessly getting his approval on whether or not he could spill. When Sukuna only shrugged, seemingly more interested in his tea than the conversation, Satoru turned back around. “Yeah. We are.”

Yuji really looked as though he might throw up. “Like… together, together? You mean, romantically?”

“And sexually,” Sukuna answered, reaching over Satoru’s shoulder to flick Yuji in the forehead, “So, fuck off already, before you see something you shouldn’t.”

Yuji’s palm covered his own mouth in a look of horror. “Oh, god. You’re being serious, aren’t you?”

“As a heart attack,” Satoru answered, subtly shoving at the man behind him in an attempt to get him to stop being a dick.

“But after everything he’s done-”

“Ah, shh. We aren’t talking about that this early in the morning. Now, go spread the word, alright? I'd better hear rumors circulating by noon.”

* * * 

By lunch time, the number of rumors spreading around the school pleased Satoru, and he relayed each one of them to his husband as they ate the food Sukuna made for both of them. They were sitting in the courtyard on full display, uncaring of the wandering eyes that were constantly pointing in their direction. Satoru had his head resting in Sukuna’s lap, and on the sorcerer’s chest was the bowl of fruit he was picking at. 

In between bites of strawberry, he explained, “But the craziest one I’ve heard yet was that you have a secret technique that lets you control minds.” Sukuna snickered at the thought, and Satoru continued, “They think you’ve brainwashed me into not talking about this secret technique, and they can’t ask you about it because that’ll only amplify it.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Undoubtedly. They also started a rumor that you’re a cannibal.”

“Well, that’s not really a rumor, is it?”

“You don’t eat humans anymore. Or, is it ‘once a cannibal, always a cannibal,’ type of thing?”

“Why would I know the answer to that?”

“I don’t know. You’re the former cannibal.” Satoru popped another strawberry into his mouth. “Either way, I’m holding off on telling them who you really are until we cover that lesson in class. That way, there’s less of a chance of them running off.”

“Wise choice.”

There was a long stretch of silence that passed between them, but it was a nice, pleasant type of silence, where Satoru ate his strawberries, and Sukuna absent-mindedly carded his fingers through white hair.

“There’s a group of kids staring at us,” Satoru mumbled, amused. “Guess you were right about the soap opera thing.”

“I’m right about most things.”

Satoru only hummed over his answer and began soaking up the moment again. That is, until a shadow fell over them both. Without turning, it was easy to know who it was. “Megumi-kun. You’re blocking the light-”

“You two are married? Like… for real?”

Satoru sat up as he explained, “Well, theoretically, yes. But in the eyes of the law, no. Since you know, same-sex marriages still aren’t legal here, and I think that law extends to reincarnated curse users, too. But it doesn’t really matter because we made a binding vow instead-”

Apparently, that was all Megumi needed to hear before he was storming off toward the school again. Satoru watched after his retreating back, then sighed, “That went more smoothly than I had anticipated. At least he didn’t try to punch me.”

“How long do you think he’ll be mad at you?”

“Mm, hard to tell. His record for ignoring me is five months, and that was when I ate all the candy I brought home for him after one of my missions when he was nine.”