READER'S POV

My legs moved on their own accord, carrying me toward Yuji's house. Shivering from the cold and rain, I knocked softly on the door, silently hoping Yuji would answer.

Yuji had always been the one I could turn to, a safe space without judgment. He knew what I needed, even when I didn't have the words.

But when the door swung open, it wasn't Yuji who greeted me.

Sukuna stood there, wearing an oversized hoodie and joggers,his expression unreadable. His wide eyes caught mine, and a heavy silence settled between us, making me suddenly feel small and exposed under his gaze.

,,(Y/N)?", Sukuna finally spoke, his voice tinged with an edge of surprise. , ,,What are you doing here?"

,,I...", I started, my teeth clattering despite myself ,,I'd like to see Yuji..."

,,Uh...Well... Yuji isn't here...", Sukuna cleared his throat, lookint to the side and I could see the slight discomfort in his eyes.

I sighed and bit my lip. Great.. What should I do now? The way back to my dorm is an hour long and I'm freezing. However, I didn't want to be a burden, so I straightened my back and crossed my arms in front of my chest:,,Oh...I'll...I'll just come back another time-"

,,Wait...", Sukuna's head shot back in my direction, his eyes locking onto mine. He let out a resigned sigh and stepped aside, gesturing me to come in, ,,You're soaked. You shouldn't be out in this weather."

What?

I hesitated. Is this a trick? Or is he being nice for the first time?

But then I remembered that I actually shouldn't be talking to him:,,I...I'll be fine-"

,,You're shivering, idiot", Sukuna said, his tone leaving no room for argument, ,,Get inside before you get a cold."

I blinked, feeling slightly embarrassed as I slowly stepped in, the warmth of the house hitting me like a wave.

,,Who's at the door?", Choso's familiar voice called from the kitchen, and when he appeared, his eyes widened in concern, ,,(Y/N), what happened to you?"

He hurried toward me, shrugging off his hoodie and handing it to me:,, Take this. I'll get you some dry clothes. You'll freeze in those."

I grabbed his hoodie, feeling warmth spreading in my chest:,,Thanks, Choso."

,,I can borrow you a shirt if you don't like wearing a hoodie without one", the deep voice behind me made me shiver a bit and I turned around, my eyes locking with Sukuna's.

Choso glanced at him, unfazed:,,That's a good idea. Come on, Sukuna, let's get some clothes for her. (Y/N), go grab a towel from the bathroom. We'll be right back."

I felt overwhelmed by their kindness and stood awkwardly in the entryway for a few seconds before I walked into the bathroom near the living room, opening the closet and grabbing a towel.

Choso and Sukuna appeared a moment later, giving me their clothes. I took them and closed the door so I could change into the clothes. As expected, Sukuna's black shirt was too long and Choso's joggers barely stayed on my hips. But they were warm and dry, the faint scent of Sukuna's cologne on the shirt making my heart race for reasons I couldn't explain.

Lastly, I pulled Choso's hoodie over my head and walked into the living room, seeing Sukuna sitting on the couch and watching a movie. He glanced up when he saw me, his lips twitching up in an amused smirk:,,You look like a dwarf in those clothes."

I scowled:,,Shut up."

,,Not a chance", Sukuna's smirk deepened, ,,You're too cute to let it slide."

Cute?! Heat rose to my cheeks and I shook my head:,,I'm not cute."

,,Oh, yes, you are", he leaned back on the couch, his eyes flicking to the seat next to him, ,,Are you gonna stand there all night like a garden dwarf, or are you actually gonna sit down?"

I shot him a glare before sitting on the couch, making sure to put some distance between us.

Choso then appeared with a cup, setting it in my hands:,,Here, drink this. It'll help warm you up. Yuji should be back soon."

As I sipped the warm tea Choso had handed me, I tried to focus on the movie, but the weight of Sukuna's presence near me kept pulling my attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shift slightly, as if debating whether to say something.

But before he could speak, Choso sat down next to me and slid his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him in an attempt to keep me warm. His comforting warmth was enough to ease the chill in my bones and I smiled.

,,Choso..", Sukuna's voice cut through the air, low and tight, sending a shiver down my spine. I looked over at him just in time to catch the way his eyes darkened, his mouth twitching into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. The air in the room felt heavier suddenly, as if something was about to snap.

,,Yeah?", Choso replied, completely unaware of the shift in atmosphere.

Sukuna's gaze flickered between Choso and me, his jaw tightening as he took a slow breath, clearly holding something back. The look he gave me was... strange. Almost possessive. His eyes locked onto mine, and my heart skipped a beat, the way his stare made me feel like I was both seen and... claimed.

Choso, still oblivious, didn't seem to notice the tension building in the room. He smiled warmly at me, as if nothing had changed. But Sukuna? His eyes narrowed slightly, and his posture stiffened.

"I'll be in my room," Sukuna finally muttered, his voice colder now, like he was forcing the words out. He shot one last look at Choso, then he walked out of the living room.

I sat there, frozen for a moment, trying to make sense of the sudden shift. The air felt thick with unspoken tension, and my pulse raced—partly from the heat of the room, but mostly from the way Sukuna had looked at me.

Gosh, this man is driving me crazy...

▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

to be continued...