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The day started off as it normally did. The wind blew gently through the tall grass, and the falling leaves sang a hushed tune. Birds chirped are their wings carried their little bodies from place to place. It was the time of the year where they start to migrate to cities, with how cold the villages like these can be for such fragile feathered creatures. The woman got up, turning to the direction of the window as she felt the autumn breeze burn just a bit colder on her face. She'll have to get Touko to find her winter clothes again, as she'd forgotten where in her house she'd put it. Slowly, she rose from her futon and gently folded everything up, her movements practiced and precise. She then gently put the fluffy mattress away into the closet, with her reaching a hand out to feel around her a bit. It takes a bit of time to get used to being blind, as she lost her vision quite recently due to a bad reaction towards two medicines she took for different illnesses. They've gotten rid of them but brought along a whole new problem after healing her of such burdens.
She slid the cabinet door shut and started stripping her pajamas, carefully folding them as to not leave any unsightly creases on them. She hated feeling those on her clothes, it makes her feel as if she's falling behind everyone else. She hated that. The woman mostly couldn't accept not being able to look at the beautiful things in the village. And the fact that she could no longer practice the one thing she was incredibly proud of: embroidery. She'd loved it, sewing the patterns and making scenes on a fabric that made it look like it came from another planet. The one thing that had made her incredibly proud of herself.
And she could no longer do it.
She'd lost her ability to perceive the world around her, and by extension, her wonderful ability.
But she learns to adapt.
Such is life for people in the village.
The woman took her time dressing herself, gently running her hands on the fabric of her clothes to make sure that everything's in place before sitting down on a stool in front of her vanity. She brushed her incredibly long hair, even she was surprised at how long it's gotten. To be fair, many moons have passed after she'd lost her sight. The fact that her hair now reached the ground shouldn't be surprising at all, with how remarkably meticulous her hair routine has always been. She should go to town today, have someone cut it down to waist-length and sell it to the salon. She heard they've been looking for long luscious locks these days for this new thing they do to their customers. Feminization, if she correctly remembers Touko's devious, sarcastic words as he made fun of the guys going in those brothels.
As if they both didn't grow up in one.
But that's besides the point.
The woman gently tied her hair into a modest hairstyle, making sure that not one lock was out of place. She then carefully made her way out of her home, gently picking up a small coin purse and hiding it in her pockets before picking up her basket. She'll wake Touko down on her way to the center of the village. The woman hummed, gently picking up the stick she'd often used to feel things on the ground as she walked. She gently ran the tip over the ground, feeling around for any rocks and holes some mischievous kids might've dug while playing in the woods. A few moments of waving the stick, it hits a particularly hard thing, something akin to a tree trunk of some sort.
"Huh, I didn't know a tree was planted here.", she murmured to herself as she turned to the left, carefully avoiding what she thought were tree branches (though they felt just a bit too thick, according to the wind blowing but who knows?) before gently waving the stick once more.
"R..Run, Ham...i...r..un..."
"Touko..?", the woman carefully calls out, her voice almost getting carried away in the wind. She didn't talk much and once she'd become blind, she started hating loud noises too. Mostly cause it felt offensive to her ears as they grew just a bit more sensitive to sound. She could've sworn to have heard Touko's voice as she turned around, still holding that stick before she felt someone grasp it, roughly pulling on it.
"You gonna keep hittin' me with this, woman? Can't you see where the fuck you're goin'?", an unknown man's foreign voice rings out loudly, making her cover her ear as she flinched back at the sudden loud noise. "I'm sorry, no I can't. Anymore, atleast...", she responds and that silences the man for a second before he barked out a laugh. She only raises an eyebrow to that before gracefully bowing her head. "I sincerely apologize."
She then turned away from the man, reaching a hand up her eyes to make sure her eyelids were closed as she then continued to make her way to Touko's house, missing just a little bit of a whimper coming from the bloodied body stabbed through a tree by the same man she just hit with her stick. Blood seeped into the fallen leaves and into the cracks of the tree and the Earth as Touko let out a quiet laugh. "Keep moving, Hami... Someone else is going to save you..", he murmured as his vision darkened, his senses slowly leaving him as he thought to himself how lonely it must've been to never see the world that felt so connected around you.
"'Hami'?", the man uttered, raising an eyebrow before he let out a laugh, grinning down at the dead man whose body he stabbed right into the branch of a tree. "What's she, a pet?", the curse king laughed as he walked off, following the woman's careful steps down the mountains.
.
.
.
"Touko?", the woman called out as she slid the door to his house open. She gently placed the basket down, gently yawning as she went and called for her brother again. "Touko, are you still sleeping?", she calls out again, letting out an easy-going chuckle as she goes and walks to his room, running her hands on the smooth wooden wall, guiding herself towards Touko's room. Touko had smoothened them down for her once her sight failed her, a truly thoughtful young man he's grown up to be. "Touko, wake up and help me find my winter clothes, you dingus.", she softly calls out, not noticing the presence of a towering figure following her along, his footsteps quietly matching hers as she giggled and called for her brother.
Touko, that's his name? The man whose body he'd impaled into a branch of a tree, is that him she's calling out to? The man lets out a quiet laugh, which makes the woman pause in her steps. "Hello? Who's there...?", the woman asks as she turns around, accidentally hitting the tall man again with her walking stick. She quietly gasped, thinking it was probably Touko but placed her hand on her hips, playfully furrowing her brows as she calls out to the man she thought was her brother. "Touko, stop messing with me, dummy. Help me find my stuff and also, come down to town with me. I heard there might be a cure for the side effects."
The man raised his eyebrows looking at the woman, whose face earlier was as icy as a frozen lake, now blooming into smiles like a flower field.
"Touko ain't here."
Silence followed the moment as her smile slowly dropped. The man took a few steps towards the woman, with her unconsciously taking steps back as he approached her. She suddenly felt the man's towering figure as he got closer and closer, her mind screaming at her to run and leave. But she stood her ground, her face freezing back into place as she spoke. "Are you one of those drunkards that Touko has ended up helping in the pub again?", the woman said, raising an eyebrow. "If so, leave. Now.", she said, pointing the stick straight at the direction of the door. "Before I beat you with this stick."
The woman had always done this, always kicking people out of Touko's house. She didn't want her doormat of a brother having anybody here, except a possible lover. The man, of terrifying presence and build, only looked down at the woman, whose eyes were closed and whose expression mirrored that of a brothel owner's, dealing with men with no gold to give for their girls and their services. He smiled, a deep laugh rumbling from within him as his lower arms held his stomach as he laughed. This only made the woman's eyebrows furrow even more, with her clicking her tongue before feeling a pair of unnaturally big and strong hands around her waist, picking her up as if she weighed like nothing but a pound of feathers. "N'if I don't?", he says, raising his eyebrows as his thumb drew tight, controlled circles on her waist. He didn't think he could have developed an affection this fast, especially with a human woman such as her. He leans in. "What punishment 're you cookin' up in that pretty little head o' yours?", he softly asks, gently tapping her forehead with his finger as his fourth arm stayed tucked into his yukata.
She furrowed her brows again, leaning away from the sound of the man, only to be met with a warm hand on her head probably shielding her head from a corner as she struggled. Or tried to, atleast. She couldn't really thrash around, as her legs couldn't even reach the man holding her up like he was admiring a porcelain doll. "Get your hands off me.", the woman said, her voice still as soft as a flower's petals as she spoke, trying to kick and loosen the man's hold on her. "Or I swear, when I get away.."
"What? You swear what?", he challenged her as he pulled her closer to him, close enough so he's able to catch a whiff of the scent of flowers in her hair. Sweet and so deliciously common, this scent.
So warm.
So, so warm.
"Stop sniffing me like a dog and get those hands off me.", the woman says, hitting the man's lower jaw with one end of the stick, pushing his face away from hers. The man only let out a laugh, feeling nothing from the hits he's getting. "Oh my lady, I'm Touko's friend. Ya can't just hit a dear friend like that, can ya?", he purred out, making her pause for a moment before wiggling her legs, making his hands slip and loosen around her. As her feet touched the ground, she pushed the man's hands away from her, her expression still guarded and doubtful as she took a few steps back. "I see. Where's he off to then?", she asked the man as she stood there, her stick in hand like a rich noble's cane.
"He's off to the river, 'said he'll catch some fish before winter fully sets in.", the man says, his eyes curling at the lie he's told, watching the woman's cold expression soften at the thought of her brother's hard work. She only lets out a sigh, trying to prevent the small smile forming on her face as she then passes by the man, picking the basket up. His eyes followed her every move, eyebrows raising and falling at the sight of the little expressions she couldn't hide.
What a cute lady.
"Well then. If you see him, tell him to come home quickly. It's getting colder outside.", she says as she started to make her trek back down the mountain. The man only followed, humming in recognition as his eyes and body obediently followed her, like he had a leash attached to his neck and she held the other end. "I'd much rather accompany you down the mountain.", the man says, holding his arm out towards her as he caught up to her. "He told me to look after you for a bit, and I don't break my promises."
The woman only hummed, slightly smiling at the thought of her dear brother finally making good friends such as this man. If it weren't for his weird behavior, she would've considered him the perfect friend for her brother. The woman felt the weight of the basket getting taken away from her hands, making her pause as she furrowed her brows. "Hm? Could you please give that back?"
"No can do, miss. Can't have you carryin' somethin' so heavy down these rocky parts now, can I?"
"You can, yes. I've lost my sight but I'm careful enough without your help."
"I know."
"So could you give that back?"
He only led her hand to his arm, smirking down at her as he responds.
"No."
She furrowed her brows as he laughed at her expression. What a cute lady, he thinks to himself as he carefully leads her down the mountain, his eyes fixated on her every move as they went. It was as if he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight of her, his entire being calming down as he watched her move. Gasps and murmurs filled the streets as they watched the lady walk down the mountain, holding a stranger's arm. An obviously dangerous stranger's arm. His long, black nails glinted under the light of the sun, his eyes making a sweep of his surroundings and making sure that none of them made moves towards them as he led her to where she needed to be. Some folks in the village has heard of him and the atrocities he's committed but they never thought they'd see the man here nor did they expect him to be following this woman around like a puppy of some sort.
"Where to?", he asked, his gaze shifting back to her as she stood there, taking in the nice scent of the village. Produce in season, valuable items, perfumes and fabric, and the smell of workers and nobles mingling into this nice, comforting scent she's started to like. Though, the murmuring is a tad annoying but the buzzing is a part of life. "To Jinho's stall. The one with the fresh produce.", she responds, pulling out her coin purse. He raises an eyebrow and looks around before leading her to the stall with the freshest food he could find.
"Jinho?", she calls out. The older man stared up at the tall, muscular being holding the blind woman's basket. Jinho opened his mouth, looking away at the man as he spoke, "M'here, Hami. M'not goin' nowhere.", getting up from his seat, he went and retrieved the small box where he kept his money. The old man honestly does not care much at the sight of strangers like these. He's seen much stranger things in his younger years, with the boom of those sorcerers in the cities and all.
"Oh, well", she flashes the man a small smile, "Then can you take a look at the ones I've brought and see if you could take them?"
"I will, if that big guy you have there gives it to me.", the old man states, motioning towards the man whose hands made no moves putting the basket down. The woman then turned a bit, holding her hands out to the tall man, who hummed and placed the basket near the old man, letting out a small 'no' at the lady's outreached hands. "'Nuff carryin' things for you, miss lady.", he says, placing a hand at the small of her back. And my goodness was it small compared to his hands. The man gently ran his hands up and down the lady's back, furrowing his brows. This lady sure ain't eating properly, is she? He clicked his tongue.
The woman stood there, patiently waiting for the old man to look at the stuff in her basket, humming and nodding at the quality of her produce as he took a good look at them. They're shiny, glossy and so darn delicious to look at. "They're good. About 250.", the old man says as he then takes out the two stacks and a half of silver coins from the box, putting them into a small leather coin purse for the lady and holding it out to her hands. "Gimme a few seconds to have these out o' this basket."
"Thank you, sir."
"No need to.", the old man says as he quickly places the produce on his stall, making sure the light of the sun hits them juuust right for hungry customers' eyes. "Off you go now.", he says giving the basket back to the woman, who gracefully bows her head to the man and leaves, with the tall man taking it off her hand again. The woman only furrowed her brows and lets out a sigh before telling him where to go next. "The salon. I need a haircut.", she says as she gently touches her perfectly slicked back bun, checking if any strand were out of place. "My hair has gotten too long."
The King of Curses could only cock his head to the side, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her hair. He liked long hair, especially on women like this one. Regal and classy, but still so incredibly sharp under all that beauty. She's adorable too, he thought to himself as he held a hand in front of his face, a smirk forming on his mouth. The two walked for a bit, a silence wedged between them like an invisible wall. She didn't talk to him, and he didn't utter a word, just staring. Staring at her. At the way the fleeting rays of the sun danced on her fair skin. The way her hair shone, and the way light was reflected off it as she moved. He watched her every move, his eyes drinking the sight like a hungry peasant seeing what's inside a noble's castle. His eyes roamed her figure, admiring her like a view. Like she's a living painting.
She stopped for a moment, making the King of Curses stumble to a quick halt. He didn't want to fall over her, with how thin she already was. He'd absolutely crush her. The woman gently turned, with Sukuna's eyes following where she turned to. She was looking at a luxurious mahogany house, accented with gold and perfume. It exuded wealth, something that seemed so far out of reach and very out of place in a small village such as this. "Is that the direction of the salon?", the woman asked and the tall man couldn't help but let out a snort. "No, and you better not go there either, you pretty thing.", he says, gently pulling her away from the direction of the brothel. He leaned his head down and whispered, placing a hand on the small of her back. "Let's go now."
Women in the brothel saw the intimate action, a worried expression on their faces as they looked at their dear sister. They grew up together, and dreamed together. Hami dreamed big, and worked even harder, hard tonight to earn a good amount of money to set her sisters free. To set even the Madam free from a life here, under the red, hazy light of the darker parts of the village. But then that wretched quack fumbled and gave her medicine that caused her body to have an adverse reaction to one another once they came in contact. The Madam had the man flayed and ripped to pieces in the town square without Hami's knowing. That was also when Hami and Touko were told to move into the mountains, away from the events happening in the village, with the Madam paying mercenaries to hunt down quacks. They went on for three years,with the Madam's anger slowly being quelled with her monthly visitations with the two. They've built their own home, with Touko's skills coming in handy to build two houses for the two (though he barely even comes home to his, as he insists on taking care of his older sister and helping her with the garden), a shed, and a nice garden that's been feeding the two and helping them generate a good amount cash for any other expenses.
The Madam glared at the tall man, Argus-eyed behind the fiery red silk of her fan. "Is it him?", she asked her informant. The woman only nodded her head, her expression grim as she opened her mouth. "Touko..is dead...because of him.", she croaked out, gritting her teeth. Bile rose from her throat as she remembered seeing how Touko's body was found. Tree branches stabbed through his torso, blood soaking into the dirt and leaves around him, his hands broken and bloody.. The woman quickly excused herself, slapping a hand on her mouth as she rushed out of the room.