╔═══════
封印
═══════╝

"say, are you really going to seal me away once you collect all those beads and shit?", sukuna asked, arriving at the boarder of the tsumikana village as kiyo had went straight towards the boulder, where the cursed tool had emitted a strong evil energy.

"that's the original plan", kiyo replied.

"so is that a yes or a no?"

"depends. if you're ever let free, what do you plan on doing?", kiyo asked, to which sukuna had snorted.

"whatever the hell I want of course".

"does that include killing people and hurting others?", kiyo inquired, glancing at the male seriously as he grinned, stifling a chuckle.

"if they're getting on my nerves, why not?", sukuna joked. "plus, destruction keeps me entertained".

kiyo only hummed as she hiked up the slightly steep slope of the small mountain, to which the girl had accidentally twisted her ankle as she fell to the ground, quietly wincing as she attempted to stand back up.

"tch. how the fuck are you so damn clumsy?", sukuna insulted as he watched kiyo gently rub her left ankle.

"it's okay. I can still wal—"

"no you can't", sukuna interrupted, immediately swooping the priestess off the ground as kiyo had only awkwardly held her bow and basket of arrows.

without the girl noticing, another pair of arms had appeared and taken the baggage from kiyo's hands, making her glance up at sukuna's face that was a bit too close for her liking.

"thank you", kiyo mumbled, to which sukuna had grinned.

"if you're really thankful, then you should—"

kiyo immediately covered the male's mouth, not even wanting to hear what he had to say as she finally removed her hand when she was sure that sukuna had shut up.

the priestess softly sighed as she just wrapped her arms around sukuna's neck, feeling the demon king's strong support as she laid her head on the male's shoulder, her breath fanning the yōkai's scarf.

sukuna felt kiyo's forehead graze his jawline, making him slightly smile as he listened to the girl's leisure breathing, which meant that she had successfully fallen asleep.

finally arriving at the top of the small hill, sukuna had witnessed the weapon that was stuck in the boulder, to which he had softly cursed underneath his breath, carefully placing the sleeping priestess against a tree along with her bow and arrows.

"well shit", sukuna muttered as he easily pulled the trident-like tool out of the rock, realizing that it belonged to him.

running his hands over the sharp — slightly dulled — tip of his cursed tool, sukuna gripped tightly onto staff part of it as he widely grinned, remembering the feeling of killing hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children.

"sukuna-sama, I have come to welcome you", a demon with human-like features had suddenly appeared, dressed in a monk attire as their neck length white hair dropped along with their head when they bowed.

"huh? who are you?", sukuna scoffed, to which a sudden realization had hit the demon king in the head.

"is it you, uraume?!"

"nice to see you again after all this time", the monk slightly smiled, to which sukuna had only hummed as he then raised a brow.

"you put this here?", he asked, referring to one of the many weapons he once used in battle.

"indeed, sukuna-sama", uraume answered, glancing over at the sleeping priestess as they straightened up their posture, about to walk over.

"don't wake her", sukuna stated, to which uraume had stopped in their tracks as they nodded.

"as for this...I don't need it either. get rid of it for me", sukuna commanded as he threw it at uraume, who was very careful with their next words.

"sukuna-sama, are you sure that—"

"are you doubting my decisions?", sukuna interrupted, his voice raising ever so slightly, waking the priestess as uraume had only dipped their head.

"ryōmen?"

"took you long enough to wake up", sukuna scoffed, helping the girl stand as he supported her weight so that kiyo wouldn't have to apply too much pressure on her left foot.

"sorry", kiyo smiled. "by the way, who's this?"

"it's uraume", the monk answered.

"they're my loyal servant", sukuna briefly explained, to which kiyo wasn't sure whether she was about to get attacked or not.

"gojō kiyo, pleasure meeting you", the priestess introduced, trying to broaden her mind as she scolded herself for always thinking negatively.

"anyways, uraume's going to take care of that weapon that's been causing issues or whatever. what did you want to do next?", sukuna asked, to which kiyo had wondered what had happened while she was asleep.

"oh...umm...would you like some help then, uraume-san?", kiyo questioned.

"uraume can handle it alone", sukuna replied, answering for the monk.

"mm...then in that case, should we head down to the village? I'd like to rest a day or two for my ankle to get a bit better before we head back first", kiyo suggested.

"sure whatever", sukuna quickly agreed.

"would you join us once you're done with the cursed tool then, uraume-san?"

the monk glanced over at sukuna, who just shrugged.

"if sukuna-sama doesn't mind my presence—"

"just come find us once you're done", sukuna stated as he swooped the girl up once more, carrying the priestess's weapons with only two arms this time as he knew kiyo wanted him to look moderately "human" when around the other living creatures.

"yes, sukuna-sama".

kiyo watched as uraume had disappeared with the weapon, to which she had wondered whether this was truly alright or not.

"not trusting them or not trusting me?", sukuna suddenly asked, to which kiyo's gaze had snapped upwards at sukuna.

"it's not that...", kiyo mumbled. "I've just never met them before and I don't want the higher ups to—"

"screw the higher ups. why don't you just kill them all?"

kiyo lightly chuckled, as satoru had the same thought too.

"that's not how life works", kiyo replied.

"aren't you ever tired of living beneath others?", sukuna scoffed, to which kiyo had tapped the demon king's shoulder, signaling for him to let her down, as they were reaching the boarder of the tsumikana village.

"it's just my duty. someone's got to protect those in need", kiyo answered, holding sukuna's hand as she slightly limped across the road.

"and it makes me happy to see others living safely", kiyo smiled as she watched little kids run around with a tether ball, meanwhile the villagers were busily selling all kinds of food and little trinkets.

"you're happy seeing others happy? that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard", sukuna scoffed.

"have you never felt happy seeing someone happy?", kiyo asked, arriving with sukuna at the medical shop as they entered to find the clerk greeting them.

"welcome! how may I help you today?", the man asked before sukuna could answer kiyo's question.

"good afternoon. I was hoping to get my ankle checked and perhaps some medicine? also, do you know of any inns nearby?", kiyo inquired.

"oh well, do take a seat right this way and as for inns...there's one a block away from here. it's not hard to miss", the male answered as he went to go retrieve the doctor.

"thank you", kiyo smiled as she handed the clerk the money, after the male doctor — since females weren't allowed to pursue many careers — had examined the girl's ankle, much to sukuna's displeasure.

"how many rooms?", the cashier asked as the two had arrived at the inn after receiving some medical herbs from the pharmacy.

"tw—"

"one", sukuna interrupted, to which kiyo had tried to argue with the innkeeper to change it to two, only for the middle-aged woman to chuckle and give them one key.

"no need to be shy miss. we hope you two enjoy your stay here", the woman smiled as sukuna had simply snatched the key and helped kiyo upstairs.

kiyo couldn't believe what had just happened as she just gave up on resisting and only sighed as she took a seat, meanwhile sukuna had only scoffed at how small and cramped it was.

"wouldn't it be better if we got two rooms? you could've shared one with uraume-san", kiyo said.

"they'll figure it out themselves", sukuna waved off.

"if you say so...", kiyo hummed, wondering if it'd be a bit inconvenient for sukuna to go buy her some supplies.

"say, ryōmen? may you do me a favor?"

"huh? what now?", sukuna groaned.

▃▃▃▃▃

a/n: hey babes!! I'm so sorry for not updating earlier; I slept a LOT today b/c I'm a pig (oink oink).

anyways, gege didn't specify uraume's gender, so I'll be sticking to they/them pronouns for them :)

if you enjoyed, don't forget to comment + vote. I love y'all!! <3