ABSOLUTION ↪︎ toji f.

05 | to the wolves

5 YEARS BEFORE
05 . 14 . 2002

          SOAKING WET AND SLUMPED OVER A GUY BUILT LIKE A GREEK GOD would usually be a pretty good day for Sumire. Usually. Except Fushiguro looked ready to bolt— like a wild animal desperately afraid of being leashed. It looked like hatred, like pure smoldering rage locked in his eyes.

Sumire was only able to take a deep breath after Jiji gave her the all good— apparently the Elders trusted her enough to not bug her house. That was always a good sign.

Noticing this slight relaxation, though, Fushiguro takes the opening to switch their positions, forcing her back against the wet tile and towering over her. Again— under normal circumstances Sumire would probably be blushing. But all she can concentrate on are the ripped sutures strewn across his torso, dripping blood at the excessive movements. It was going to be such a bitch to have to sew those up again.

"Why'd you help me?" Fushiguro growls, snapping her out of her annoyance. Suspicion clouds his voice like he hadn't just spent the night in her bed while she took the couch. Didn't it occur to him that if Sumi wanted to to turn him in, she would've done it by now? The audacity of this man— she scoffs at the distrust casting shadows over his eyes.

Sumi leans reaches up to shut the shower off, a chill immediately settling over her shoulders at the loss. Then, she grabs her phone.

Sumi types out her response and hands Fushiguro the phone. It's a truce, a sign of her willfully putting her weakness into his control. She hopes it's enough to placate him. Or at least to get him off of her.

"The name Zenin Toji, sounds familiar— I know who you are, I think. You were dealt a bad hand, and now you're playing it. Killing innocents isn't okay— but I get it. I'm not nearly moral enough to say that I wouldn't have done the same in your shoes."

Toji's expression wavers a bit before it snaps back into that cruel grimace that sat so prettily on his features ever since she came back. "And you're willin' to risk your life on that? They'll call you a criminal."

Sumi can't help the laugh that bubbles up, borderline hysterical. He thought so lowly of the woman who had saved him twice now. She leans over to pluck the phone from his hands.

"I have nothing more they could take except my humanity. Handing you over to them, who will surely execute you, is the same as giving them my heart."

Fushiguro raises an eyebrow, mocking. "I'm a killer, darlin. Letting me go means the deaths of more people."

Sumire scowls. He really took her for an idiot. Sure, she hadn't told him her reasoning for saving him— but honestly? She didn't think she needed to. Most people would just be grateful that they weren't being thrown to the wolves.

She snatches the phone back and types out a message under Fushiguro's sharp gaze. Once finished, she shoves the phone into his chest, using the momentum to push him off of her.

(She knows he lets it happen— Fushiguro could probably stop it if he wanted to, if his muscles were anything to go by— but it still makes her feel better.)

"I'm not an idiot. I'm just the kind of selfish bitch that only cares to save those right in front of me. Besides, you're responsible for the lives you'll take later— not me."

There's a stretch of silence. Sumi feels Fushiguro's gaze on her back as she wrings her soaked hair into the sink.

Is this enough? Is it enough that she's literally turned her back to him, handed her the only way she could call for backup, and opened her home to him? If it wasn't then maybe she should seriously consider ripping his throat out. Or at least asking Moro to do that for her.

"Didn't take you as a pink lace kinda girl, by the way." Fushiguro's voice is suddenly at her ear. She looks up to see him leaning over her shoulder, very clearly looking at the outline of her bra stuck to her wet, white t-shirt.

Instinctively Sumire does what any woman would do— she swings a fist at Fushiguro's pretty, pretty face. He catches her fist before it connects, grinning like he'd gotten away with murder.

"Fuck you." Sumire mouths angrily, and to her eternal horror, he pulls her forward.

"Anytime darlin', you just gotta ask." Toji purrs, hot breath ghosting against the shell of her ear. Every part of her feels like it bursts into flames.

Sumi decides that she much prefers him bleeding out.

NOTE!
thank you all for being patient. writers block is painful— sorry for the short chapter.
please please leave a vote + comment if you liked, the serotonin keeps me going!!

ALSO: i added a reminder in the prelude chapter. please read it but tldr— this is NOT A PORN BOOK and never will be. stop adding it to your smut reading lists please i'm begging