READER'S POV

,,Absolutely fucking no", Megumi and I said in unison, staring at Nobara who held up two SpiderMan suits with exaggerated flourish.

,,Oh come on! It's a costume- themed party! Yuji and Choso are coming too!", Nobara pouted, shaking the costumes in front of us like we'd suddenly have a change of heart.

,,I never attend parties, Nobara", Megumi grumbled, crossing his arms and fixing her with a deadpan look, ,,You know that."

,,And I don't want to go to any other party because last time-", I froze, clearing my throat, ,,Well... Last time, I was basically just babysitting you."

Before Nobara could defend herself, the doorbell rang. Her pout turned into a sly grin and she bolted out of the room, leaving the Spider-Man suits behind like a threat.

I leaned my back against the wall beside Nobara's bed and sighed heavily, looking at Megumi.

He groaned and ran a hand through his black, messy hair:,,I can't believe Nobara wants us to wear Spider-Man suits. Why is this even a costume-themed party? It's April, not Halloween."

,,Don't ask...", I shrugged, ,,But you know her. She's going to drag us there regardless. Might as well accept it and save our energy."

Before Megumi could respond, Nobara returned, dragging Yuji and Choso into the room.

Yuji was dressed as Mario, complete with the red hat and moustache, grinning like he'd just won a gold star. Behind him, Choso loomed in a green Luigi costume.

,,Why aren't they wearing Spider-Man suits?", I asked, narrowing my eyes at Nobara.

,,Oh, they actually wanted to come, so I let them pick their outfits...", Nobara said with a grin, ,,But you two? You need some... Encouragement."

,,And what about you? What are you going to wear?", Megumi raised an eyebrow.

,,Me?", Nobara's grin widened, ,,I'll be Princess Daisy from Super Mario."

I gasped, crossing my arms in front of my chest:,,Hey! That's not fair! You three get cool costumes and we're stuck looking like knock-off Avengers?"

,,Don't complain, honey. Unless you'd like to be Donkey Kong- I'm sure there are still a few costumes left at the shop", Nobara chuckled and Yuji joined in, nudging her with his elbow.

I slumped back against the wall, glaring at both of them while Megumi muttered something under his breath. A party. Again. This time I hope that this won't lead to another encounter with Sukuna.

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The decorations in the house were over the-top with dizzy danglers swaying against the walls and dim red lights bathed everything in a surreal glow. Balloons were scattered haphazardly across the floor and taped to the ceiling. People milled around in elaborate costumes- vampires, minions, pirates, all perfectly fitted, glamourous and dripping with effort. And there I was, standing beside Megumi with my Spider-Man suit.

I tugged at the fabric, already regretting every decision that had brought me here. ,,This is a disaster", I muttered, glancing around the crowd.

Nobara, Yuji and Choso were already on the dance floor, laughing and moving like they were having the time of their lives. The music thumped, the bass vibrating through the floor like a second heartbeat.

Megumi stood stiffly with his arms crossed over his chest, frowning. I shook my head and sighed:,,Should we just join them?"

He looked at me and his frown deepened:,,Hell nah. Over my dead body. Why don't we sneak out instead?"

,,Well...", I smiled but before I could say anything else, Nobara materialized out of nowhere and threw her arms around me. The smell of her cologne and sweat hit my nostrils and I turned my head to look at her red face.

,,(Y/N)! Let's dance", she yelled, her voice strained in a way that made my stomach twist. Without waiting for an answer, she pulled me away and towards the edge of the dance floor, out of Megumi's sight.

,,Okay... Don't freak out..", Nobara started, swallowing nervously, ,,But Sukuna has been staring at you the whole time."

My stomach plummeted:,,What..?"

,,Don't look!", she hissed, smacking my arm when I instinctively started to turn my head, ,,Just act normal."

,,How am I supposed to act normal when-"

,,He's dressed as a vampire", Nobara interrupted, peeking over my shoulder, ,,He's still staring. He's not even trying to be subtle about it."

I groaned, running a hand over my face:,,Great. Now I'll have to deal with him again."

Nobara frowned:,,Yuji is here...We should try our best and avoid him."

,,Yes", I sighed, ,,I know-"

,,He's coming!",Nobara whisper-shouted, her face draining of colour.

The air shifted, growing heavier, as if the entire room had fallen under a spell.

I took a deep breath before turning around. My jaw dropped. Sukuna looked dangerously good, his vampire costume simple but effective- a crisp black shirt with the top buttons undone, revealing hints of muscle and tattoos. A blood-red cape draped over his shoulders and his crimson eyes catched the light in a way that made my breath hitch.

He was moving through the crowd with the predatory grace of someone who owned the room. His smirk was firmly in place, his fangs peeking out slightly under the dim light.

,,Oh my god..", Nobara muttered, ,,We are so dead. What should we do???"

My attention shifted back to Nobara and I swallowed:,,We're leaving.. Now."

I grabbed her arm, ready to make a run for it but before I could even take a step, a hand caught mine, the grip firm but not harsh. I froze and heat rushed to my face.

,,Leaving so soon, princess?~", Sukuna's voice was low and smooth, like a dangerous melody.

I looked up at him, my breath catching in my throat. His smirk widened, the tips of his fangs peeking out in a way that made my heart skip a beat.

This can't be happening. Not now. Not here. Not with Nobara watching and Megumi, Yuji and Choso somewhere nearby.

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears. I am doomed...

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to be continued...

I know I have ended this chapter with a cliffhanger and I'm sorry for that TwT And I'm sorry for the late update- I had a writer's block :,)

Anyway... I'll publish the next chapter -hopefully- soon ;)

-Have a great day/night <3