The Bond
After showering, she sat in the tub. The hot water and steam were almost always helpful to her aching muscles. But the conversation with Sukuna was still replaying in her mind. What if a curse really had attached itself to her without her knowledge, she shuddered. The idea was so violating, so disturbing, especially since she was not able to see the thing. If it were, in fact, a thing.
She looked at her body in the bathwater. She surveyed her skin carefully, willing herself to be able to see it, to see even the tiniest shred of evidence that a curse was with her. She sighed, knowing full well the futility of it. She had not seen a curse until she had laid eyes on Ryomen Sukuna. And he was quite the powerful curse. Anyone could see him. Probably.
She took another deep breath. The tendrils of steam wafted up and over her body as she soaked. In all honesty, she'd never thought that she would have made it back to the cabin. Going back to Sukuna was a risk. There was something undeniably alluring about him and his shrine. Perhaps it was the ominous aura that emanated from the darkness that enveloped his domain. Perhaps it was something else entirely.
Eventually, she drained the tub and toweled off. She combed her wet hair in the mirror, she peered at her reflection. She didn't feel any different and she didn't look any different either. Her face looked back at her in exactly the same ordinary way it always had. She wondered if the curse was looking back at her as well.
The sudden thought made her turn, she did not want to imagine what the curse looked like. She wished she had never even mentioned anything about her lack of cursed energy to Sukuna. He would probably use any knowledge he had against her. He had lied about how the test would not hurt her. He'd been surprised when she didn't react. But when he said she would be able to come and go from his domain, he had done as he promised. Maybe he could be trusted somewhat. Maybe just a little.
Laying in bed that night, she felt torn. Part of her wished to be at home, snuggled in bed with her cat, Momo. His warm, buff colored coat was as soft as the fruit for which she named him. She missed his gentle purring, the way he kneaded the bed beside her. It was such a comfort to have him near, but he was safe at home with her parents.
She sighed, not wanting to acknowledge the part of herself that still wanted to go back. The part that knew she would go back. To talk with a powerful curse was an opportunity that she could not pass up, even if defied all sense and logic.
She shut her eyes, trying to sleep. She could feel herself growing more agitated. The ticking clock, the crickets chirping outside, even the noise of her own breathing seemed to grate on her last nerve. Sachi sat up, and wrapping a blanket around herself, she went to the kitchen.
After she had boiled the water for the tea, she let it steep as she thumbed through the pages of one of the library books. She scanned it for any information regarding curses that could siphon cursed energy from their victims. Sipping her tea, she continued to read, but was unable to find any helpful details. She found only the information she already knew. Curses came from negative emotions. When negative emotions build up- there you have it- a curse. None of this explained how she could have her own curse, when she wasn't experiencing such extreme emotions like grief or anger. She wasn't an angry person. She was happy. She liked making other people happy. She was good at it too.
Maybe Sukuna was just toying with her. That would be just like him. Except he seemed so sincere in his curiosity about this, it felt honest. It felt genuine. She sighed, knowing that she would need rest, especially if she were going to go back to see him tomorrow.
When she began to set out that next morning she donned all her usual garb, her coat, her scarf, and her winter boots. The snow crunched underfoot, icy from the cold night before. She shoved her bare hands into her pockets at the first icy breeze. Her fingers grazed the cold metal in her pocket. She brought her pocket knife, not that it would do much good if she needed a weapon, but it might come in handy.
She made her way to the cave and down the tunnel with more ease than before. It was a shame she could not always depend on this route to visit. It was a nice way to be able to clear her head and think. But, now she was back in the darkness of Sukuna's domain. The lack of sunlight felt particularly noticeable today.
She didn't hear him, but decided to crawl out from the tunnel. She cleared her throat. Surely he knew she was here already, but she felt odd that he didn't speak first. When she looked around, she noticed that the room looked a bit different. The candles and throne were still at the center of the dark space, but the corpses, where had they gone? She shook her head, not wanting to think about the possible answers to that particular question.
He was sitting calmly. His eyes fixed on her like an animal watching their prey. With each flicker of the nearby candlelight, his eyes seemed to light up with an even brighter shade of red. He smiled. The silence felt ominous. The soundless air between them seemed thick with whatever perverted thoughts lay just behind his smirk.
"I apologize. If it's a bad time for you, I can just-"
"Nonsense." he almost laughs. The sound of his laughter was an odd sound to say the least. "Besides, I think I've found a solution to our little issue."
Sachi looked surprised.
"About you needing a more convenient way to get in touch with me, without using cursed energy. The reason for your lack of cursed energy, I'm sorry to say, is something I think you'll need to discover for yourself."
"So you know what it is then?"
Sukuna laughs again, "I have an idea."
"And you won't tell me?"
He smirked again, his voice low, "That would take all the fun out of it."
Fine. So he knows what kind of curse I have and how it works. Maybe. But, there's no point in pushing, it'll most likely irritate him. She considered.
"And about the way for me to meet you?" Sachi led.
He smiles, eyeing her in a way he had not before. His gaze made her feel vulnerable. But there was something else there as well, something she couldn't place.
"After you left, I gave it quite a bit of thought. It was a difficult puzzle to solve." his eyes roamed her form in an almost predatory way, "You were right, without the help of a cursed object, or cursed technique, or even cursed energy for that matter, it would be incredibly hard for you to enter my domain in any way except that which you already have."
She looked at him expectantly, but his posture remained controlled and calm. As he looked at her again, she could hear an underlying tone of mischief in his voice.
"But it's not impossible." he continued, "You just need a little help. A sort of shared energy so to speak, a bit of a personal touch."
She furrows her brow, "What do you mean?"
Sukuna leans forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "What I mean, little mortal, is that the other way for you to enter my domain is to have a personal connection with me. And I've got just the method in mind to establish this bond."
She raises her eyebrows, but he ignores the gesture in order to continue his explanation. He softens his voice, "How badly do you want to be able to freely enter my domain?"
Sachi panics internally. She had crossed the line one too many times. He'd lured her into a false sense of security, just to watch as he pulled the rug from beneath her feet. There was no way he'd let her leave now, despite doing so yesterday. But, would she have been any safer if she'd stayed in the cabin? Surely he wouldn't take kindly to being ignored. She was trapped either way. The only option she had left was to get as much information out of him as possible, and bide her time.
"What are you suggesting?" Sachi asks, refusing to answer his questions without more details.
"I'm suggesting a bond, little mortal. But, not just any bond. Something closer, more intimate."
He leaned back on his throne again, studying Sachi's expression, silently gauging her response to the unnamed proposition. His eyes were fixed on her, predatory and unyielding as he watched her mind calculate what to say next.
She looks at him flatly, realizing his meaning. "Now why would you want that?"
Why? Of all the questions, she asks me why? Sukuna wonders to himself, masking his surprise with a confident smirk. He let his eyes roam over her body more deliberately before returning to her face.
"Perhaps because I find you interesting. You're a far cry from the typical sort of human I've had the misfortune of encountering. You're fearless. And you ask many questions. And," his eyes cut down to her body once again, "Truth be told, I find the idea of knowing you more intriguing with each of our meetings. You certainly can't blame me for wanting more intimate knowledge. Can you?"
"Just... How intimate would this bond be?" Sachi said hesitantly, "How would you do it?"
"I thought you'd never ask," he responded, "Would you like me to show you?"
Sachi shook her head, taking a small step back, unwilling to look him in the eyes. "Nope. No. I'd like you to talk me through it first at least."
"I suppose that's fair. The bond I'm proposing is called a 'Binding Vow'. Have you heard of those before, little mortal?"
She cocks her head. Furrowing her brow she tried to recall if she had read anything about such a topic. But, it did not seem familiar to her. She shook her head. Sukuna nodded, unsurprised by her lack of knowledge on this.
"I thought as much. A Binding Vow is a rare and powerful thing. It's a magical agreement between individuals that binds them together through supernatural means. A Binding Vow can take many forms, but the basic concept is always the same. It's a promise that cannot be broken. At least, not without severe consequences. In this case, the Binding Vow I'm proposing would connect us so that you could enter my domain from anywhere you are, at any time and still leave when you please."
"How would this bond be achieved?"
"Now we're getting to the interesting part. The formation of the bond is quite simple actually. It just requires three components."
