Chapter Text
"Please let me go, I'm begging you, please!"
The piercing sound of a knife running across honing steel crawled through the dark room. A single light bulb swayed from side to side, causing shadows to creep into the corners of the room.
"Mister, my parents have money, they'll pay you, please just let me go!"
Heavy steps slowly etched out of the darkness. Muddy boots dropped onto the cement with every lumbering stride forward. The piercing sound continued.
The woman tied down to the table had tears streaming down her cheeks, and as the ominous silhouette moved closer, she grew more scared, "I'll do anything. Please!"
Sharp red eyes bore into the woman's own, and she desperately pulled at her restraints to no avail. The chains rattled violently, and her skin burned from the agitation.
A wicked grin spread across the man's face, his pearly white canines glinted in the dull light of the swinging bulb. He raised the sharpened clever above his head.
The woman screamed.
CRACK!
~
"Thanks again, Sukuna! You're so timely with these deliveries," The older gentleman praised the farmer graciously, a smile strewn across his wrinkled features.
The farmer turned from the back of his truck with another crate in his hands, "Yeah, yeah, you owe me double for this punk-ass."
"Of course, Sukuna, I wouldn't have it any other way," The old man laughed and hobbled into his store to fetch the money.
Sukuna's thick muscular arms flexed as he lifted the crate and stacked it with the others just inside the door to the stock room. His white tank top was sweaty and became a bit transparent. Various brown stains covered the fabric, some fresher than others. His prominent black tattoos shimmered with sweat, and his dull pink hair stuck to his forehead.
It was mid-afternoon, so the sun was out in full force. What terrible heat to complete a delivery in.
Sukuna grabbed the bottom of his shirt and lifted it to wipe the dirt from his forehead. His well-defined stomach was pulled taut, revealing his abs in the process.
He let his shirt drop back down to his filthy jeans as he walked into the air-conditioned store. He didn't care that the dirt from his boots tracked across the recently mopped wooden floors. The teenager in charge of cleaning frowned, but the instant Sukuna glanced at him, the boy scurried away.
Sukuna walked over to the old man's office and opened it without knocking. The geezer was just pulling the money from his safe as Sukuna entered. He extended a shaky hand to the well-built farmer, who snatched the stack of money without hesitation. He stood there for a moment, counting it. Once he was satisfied, he shoved the wad of cash into his back pocket and turned around without a word.
The old man spoke as he walked out, "I'll see you around!" Sukuna kept his mouth shut as he made his way out of the grocery store. A few of the patrons shot him passing glances, but most didn't want to make eye contact with the towering man.
Ryomen Sukuna is well known in his small town. He's not only one of the few farmers who provide meat, but he's also exceptionally good at it. He has the best prices for the best product. Cow mostly, but occasionally, pigs and chickens as well- among other things.
He closed the tailgate on his old white truck and climbed into the driver's seat. A black dog with thick fur and pointed ears wagged its tail from the passenger seat, panting from the heat. Sukuna turned the key, and the truck hummed to life. He rolled the windows down, and the dog was quick to stick his head out and feel the breeze.
Sukuna inherited the farm from his father. His mother had passed from birth complications, and his father died from a bad chainsaw incident on the farm.
Supposedly.
Most of the people in the town respect him. Due in part because they're afraid of him. He's got a brash attitude, and he has some well-known anger issues. Yet the townsfolk stay friendly with him because of the good work he does. He keeps to himself a lot, not letting strangers come to his farm at all. People wonder how he maintains all that livestock by himself, but no one has bothered to ask.
The drive home wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. Sukuna enjoys the fact that his farm is so hidden. Tucked away in the forest like a secret lair. He turned off the main paved road and onto his gravel driveway, rolling past thick brush and unruly thorn bushes that tried desperately to creep onto the driveway. It was dark under the cover of the trees. They provided a nice getaway from the harsh rays of the sun.
Though the edge of the forest came into view, the only thing stopping him from continuing was the large metal gate across the road. He slowed to a stop before throwing the truck into park and stepping out. He doesn't mind doing this every time he comes and leaves. He doesn't usually leave much anyway.
He pulled the key from his pocket and undid the padlock, swinging the gate open. He drove through and stopped to lock the gate behind him. Once past the gate, he had to drive about another half-mile before coming up to the two-story farmhouse that he calls home. The siding was cracked, and ivy was growing up to the second floor. There were a few steps leading up to the porch, which was shielded from the sun by an overhang.
Sukuna parked in front of the building and got out of his truck, his dog jumping out with him.
The dog trotted ahead as it knew Sukuna wasn't going inside the house. The man walked behind the house instead. There was another, larger porch on the backside that overlooked the barn and pastures that were full of cattle. Sukuna glanced over the various pens. Chickens and pigs mingled about happily in the smaller paddocks while his cows occupied the barn. His butchering shed and freezer were beside the big red structure.
Another dog came running up to Sukuna as he stood there. This one was much bigger than the black dog. It was a white dog with floppy ears and a happy face. It licked Sukuna's hands and waggled its tail, happy its owner was home.
Sukuna scratched the dog's head before turning.
Protruding from the ground against the back of the house were two metal doors. Cellar doors. They were chained together, but Sukuna had the key. He reached down and undid the lock. Quiet sobs could be heard below. He left his dogs on the surface as he lumbered down the steep dark stairs to finish what he had started.
~
"It's just going to be two weeks, I promise!" You chuckled, the wind wisping through your hair as you drove down the highway.
Your phone was on speaker in the middle console, a young man's voice came through the other end, "That's way too long! You promise you're going to be ok?"
"Yuji, I promise I'll be ok. I'll send you lots of pictures too! It's supposed to have the best views. Some of the trials are super old. Isn't that cool? They do guided tours, and I might take one."
"Guided tours are good, then you won't be alone. Do those!"
You rolled your eyes, "Yuji, I'm an adult, I'll be fine."
"An adult in mourning. Look, I know you're doing this to get away and whatnot, but please just be smart. Emotions do weird things to our brains, and I just want you to be safe."
You chewed on your lip. He was right. He was very right, "I promise I won't be stupid." You finally affirmed after a moment, "I'll text you lots, and I'll call you too."
"You probably won't have the best reception out there, though," Yuji was right, again.
"Well, whenever I do get a connection, I'll be calling you," You nodded to yourself, keeping your eyes locked on the road and two hands gripping the wheel tightly. There was another pause. You spoke up in a quieter voice, "Do you think things would be different if I had just -"
"Hey, don't start that. You know it wasn't your fault. Things happen, and sometimes, there's just no preventing them. I know it was sudden, but don't forget that I'm here for you. Fushiguro and Kugisaki would say the same."
"Thanks, Yuji," you smiled softly. Your eyes flicked to a gas station and then down to your gas gauge. You had about half a tank, but your car gets great gas mileage. You drove past the station, focusing back on your call. "How are those two doing anyway?"
"Good! We're planning on going to see a movie later. Don't worry, it's one you've already seen so you're not missing anything! Also, text Kugisaki when you get the chance. She's been pestering me about you, and it's getting annoying."
You laughed briskly, "Alright, alright, I will."
"Not while you're driving though, that's dangerous," Yuji spoke in a warning voice. You had been friends with him ever since high school. He and the other two got close with you in freshman year, and the four of you just stayed together after that. Now you've just graduated college, and you're on the hunt for a job in the big corporate world. You were so excited about life, and so thrilled to be a part of society.
Until your parents were killed in a car accident. A truck driver was distracted by his phone and didn't see the stopped traffic in front of him. You hated to think about what their last moments were like. The police said they were dead on the scene. They probably died within seconds of the crash.
You put your job search on hold. You needed time to get through this. They may not have always been the best parents, and there were some rough times in your childhood, but you loved them nonetheless.
It's been a few months now, since the funeral and all. You decided to go camping in the more remote parts of Japan. You had a few different locations lined up, excited to visit all of them. Some were historic sites, and some had caves you could explore.
The fear of your life ending too soon had gotten to you, and you wanted to get out and see the world more before you confined yourself to a desk for the rest of your life.
"I'll let you focus on driving, have fun, and stay safe!" Yuji shouted before ending the call abruptly. You chuckled before turning on some music. You weren't shy about blasting it at a loud volume. You picked a cheerful playlist in hopes it'd distract you from the many uncanny thoughts trying to sneak into your mind.
And it did distract you. It made the driving much more pleasant.
~
Sukuna re-emerged from the cellar. Deep red stains covered his white shirt, though there was now an outline where he had clearly been wearing an apron. The apron didn't do much to keep the mess off of himself.
The hot summer day had faded away, and it was starting to get chilly now as the evening light dimed out of sight. Faint orange hues clawed at the sky as the black curtain of night suffocated any last colorful hues radiating from the sun.
Sukuna rolled his shoulders uncomfortably and shut the doors. There was no noise coming from the cellar now. He didn't loop the chain around the handles, nor did he bother to relock the padlock. His dogs were waiting for him on the porch. They stood and wagged their tails happily as they noticed the chunk of flesh in his hands. He tossed it to them. The meat fell to the ground just in front of the steps, and both of the dogs lunged forward to snatch it up.
Their teeth sunk into it, and they fought over it for a moment, tugging back and forth until the meat ripped in half, blood trickling out of it as the dogs settled and began to dig in. The once clean fur of the canines was now tainted with red. Though it stood out far more on Sukuna's white dog.
He continued into his house, and he removed his boots right outside the door. He doesn't mind getting other places dirty, but his house he prefers clean. Once inside, he made his way up the stairs to the bathroom, where he stripped himself of his clothes and cleaned himself of any lingering blood or dirt.
It didn't take him long, but he spent a few minutes enjoying the warm, relaxing water running over his body and tense muscles. When he was satisfied, he dried himself off and changed into a clean set of clothes. A black hoodie and matching sweatpants. He threw his dirty clothes in the wash in an attempt to remove the stains, but he knows it'll never work. Not that he cares, no one ever assumes the blood is from an animal other than his livestock.
He is a butcher, after all.
He sauntered over to his fridge and opened it. The light stretched across his dark kitchen and the cold air bit at his skin. He scratched his chest through the thick fabric before scoffing in disapproval.
He should've gone shopping while he was in town today, but he had been distracted by the heat to actually pick up anything. The only food in his fridge was meat. All of varying sources. A majority of it wasn't even from his livestock. However, there was nothing to go with the meat.
He shut the door and ran his hand through his hair as he walked to the front entrance and slipped on a cleaner pair of boots that weren't caked in dirt and mud. He grabbed his ring of keys that usually clipped into his belt loop, but instead of clipping it on, he just slid them into his pocket.
The faint mooing from his cattle could be heard as he trudged over to his truck and got in. He turned the key and flipped his lights on. After messing with the radio for a second, he turned around and drove out. He doesn't like being in public if he doesn't have to be. He finds it annoying and irritating to be around a lot of people at once. Sukuna didn't really rush through the grocery store, but he certainly didn't stand around. He knew what he wanted to grab, so he made quick work of his list.
He paid and tossed his two bags into his passenger seat, pulling out of the lot and back onto the road. His headlights weren't very bright, but they were bright enough to get him where he needed to go. The radio was quiet, just loud enough to fill the empty space. Beyond his headlights was nothing but darkness. That was until the glint of reflective lights of another car appeared.
He slowed down to investigate. The interior light was on, making it easy to spot the young woman sitting in the driver's seat. At the sight of the headlights slowing down, she stepped out of her car, flagging down Sukuna. He pulled up behind the vehicle and watched as the woman approached his window. He waited in his truck until she was right beside him.
"Thank goodness you stopped, I'm so sorry, but I ran out of gas," You were so relieved, seeing as your phone had no connection, and you hadn't seen a single other car for nearly an hour. Sukuna eyed you for a moment, then looked at your car. Without a word, he opened his door. You stepped back in surprise. Once he was standing, you became nervous. This man was much bigger than you, and his baggy clothes just added to the effect.
"Um," you cleared your throat, shaking away the initial shock, "I have plenty of money. If I could just get a ride to the nearest gas station, that would be amazing." Sukuna flicked his eyes toward you before wandering toward your car. You fidgeted with your fingers as you hesitantly followed behind the towering man. He peered into your car. You had some bags in the backseat, and what he could tell was camping gear.
He was trying to see if you were with anyone.
But the clutter in your front seat and the lack of room in the back made it clear you were alone.
"It's okay if it's an inconvenience," you swallowed nervously as he turned back to face you.
"I'll take you," His voice was gruff and demanding. You were a little alarmed, and there were a lot of red flags around his behavior.
"A-Are you sure? I don't mind waiting..." You suddenly regretted asking him.
"I don't mind," He gestured to his truck. The wind picked up, and it was cold. You weren't really dressed for the cold. You just had on shorts and a tee shirt due to the heat.
The chilly breeze urged you to listen to the man, and so you did. He walked to the driver's side and watched you keenly. You attempted to open the passenger side but found the handle to be locked.
After your third attempt, Sukuna came back around to your side, "It can get stuck sometimes." He was referring to the handle, of course. He stood close to you, his arm gracing yours for a moment.
Then it all happened so quickly. He was fast, much too fast for you.
He grabbed your head and slammed it into the side of his truck. It was already so beat up that no one would question another dent. You cried out and staggered back, still standing. Sukuna was a little annoyed he didn't knock you out on his first try, but it didn't deter him.
He swiftly grabbed you, pinning you to the ground. Your head was spinning and throbbing in pain. You cried out again as he wrapped his hands around your neck. He was careful not to fully crush your windpipe. He didn't want to kill you. Not so soon.
Black spots filled your vision, and you gasped for air. You clawed at his arms and kicked at his body, but it was no use. He overpowered you so easily.
Your world was spiraling out of control, and everything faded to black.