07 - sweet venom
TOJI SAT IN HIS OFFICE, EATING lunch alone was routine for him. He actually enjoyed the quietness that gave him the chance to think about anything and today's topic was his wife. No matter how hot his blood turned at the thought of her, it didn't stop him from using his office phone to call Choso.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"What is she doing?" Toji asks, getting straight to the point. After sending his wife with Maki, Choso was sent shortly after to make sure that the two girls weren't doing anything they shouldn't. Maki had always been his favorite out of the Zenin family but he would put it past her to help a woman in need in the chance that y/n had confided in her about the sham of a marriage. Of course, Toji made sure to let Choso know that neither of the two should know about his presence. He knew that Choso being there to keep watch wouldn't go well with either of the self-proclaimed independent women.
Choso was silent and Toji's patience was running thin, it's only been three hours since he had left home and it was unusual to be on edge like this. Toji chalks it up as being a skeptic to letting y/n have too much freedom but that was bullshit and he even knew it. "They just left a shoe store and are walking down the strip to get ice cream. Would you like to know their orders too?" Choso asks with a hint of sarcasm that has Toji rolling his eyes in annoyance, he paid for his time, not his words.
"No, but I'm ordering you to shut the fuck up." Toji's tone comes out harsher than expected but he couldn't be bothered to care. And like the smart man Choso is, he listened. "Let me know where she goes next, " he says before hanging the phone up without so much as a bye. With a sigh Toji rubs his hand along his jaw, feeling the muscles continue to tense. His whole body was tense and normally that would call for a visit from someone who he was actively ignoring at the moment. He needed another solution.
So instead, Toji stands up to take a walk.
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You and Maki walked into the fourth store of the day, it was Maki's choice and you decided to sit down to let your feet take a break as she continued to shop. You already had a handful of bags which was another reason you didn't feel bad about skipping, the damage to Toji's card was just beginning.
As you sit there waiting, you see someone in the corner of your eye who's wearing all black slowly walking through the racks of clothing with their head down, as if they wanted to be hidden as much as possible. They look up a few seconds in your direction and when you turn to meet their gaze, their head drops. You furrow your brows and stand up to walk to the other side of the store where Maki is actively flirting with the employee.
"Do you think you would be able to see my nipples through this?" is what you hear Maki ask, pulling a white t-shirt to her chest.
When seeing you behind her, the poor boy's face turned beet red and he didn't dare to look below Maki's neck. He nodded anyway, "I-i believe so."
You could only imagine the smile on Maki's face when hearing his stutter. "I'll take it then," she says, and that's when she turns around to see you and gasps. "Great timing y/n, come help me choose what looks good."
Maki walks to the dressing room with you trailing behind and the worker just watched, wondering what happened. So were you. "Was that, like.. a moment I just interrupted?" you ask quietly.
"Definitely not. Moments come and go, his has passed," she says before walking into a dressing room and shutting the door behind her. You take a seat on the loveseat that was provided in the dressing room area.
"You like intimidating people, sounds like someone I know."
The door opens and Maki steps out in the white t-shirt it indeed did show her nipples, not that she cared. You watch her turn to admire herself in the mirror. "Are you talking about him who shall not be named?" she questions without taking her eyes off herself and she takes your silence as an answer.
A sigh leaves her lips as she turns to sit down next to you, "We're just an aggressive family, dominant. Toji was made with just an extra dash of assholeness so that too plays a part in his shit mood." she pets your hair a few times and pokes your nose lightly. You knew she was right but that didn't make the situation any better. "He's also angry at a lot of people, which is why he always looks like he has a stick up his ass. He's always on alert" That makes you laugh and seeing you laugh makes Maki feel accomplished.
You give a nod in response and decide not to speak further since this was the time you had away from Toji, you shouldn't even be thinking of him. "So, are you getting this shirt?" you ask.
"Yes, it would be a crime against the girls." she holds her own boobs.
"Woo! Take it off!" someone cheers from behind you two. You look to see Nobara walking towards you with Yuji and Sukuna behind her. "I know the invite was just for one but they literally tracked me down, little shits," Nobara explains as she sets down her bag and gives you both a hug.
"Hi love and that's ok, the more the merrier." Maki stands to give Nobara her seat. Yuji and Sukuna say hello to Maki before making their way to you.
"Hey y/n," Yuji leans down to give you a hug, he smells like Nobara's perfume.
You hug him back and move over to make room for him as well. "Hi Yuji," you say before your eyes move to Sukuna who hasn't said anything, just looking. "Hey."
He leans against the wall and crosses both arms over his chest, "What's up y/n," he murmurs. "you can finally see sunlight."
"I know," you smile at him, "it feels amazing."
Sukuna pushes himself off the wall and nods toward the door, "Let's go outside then." he noticed you weren't shopping and took the chance. The worst you could say was no and that would be that.
But, you don't say no. Instead, you tell Nobara where you'll be and she sends you off with a kiss on the cheek and a promise to meet up soon. Walking with Sukuna wasn't as weird as yesterday, mostly because he was very reserved. Silence would have to do. "Have you been shopping all day?" he asks first.
You two stop to sit on the edge of a large round watch fountain in the park. The sun was warming your legs, and you tilted your head to feel the sun on your face. "Just a few hours. What were you doing before deciding to stalk Nobara?" you turn your head to ask him.
"Yuji and I were helping our grandfather clean out his attic, he's moving and we don't like him going up there alone. Our grandfather didn't want us to waste this beautiful day so he sent us away." Sukuna says and you smile at that, it was sweet of them to help their grandfather. Your grandparents had passed when you were a baby and your parents never talked about them much. You also never asked.
"How sweet," you say, "Is he moving far?"
Sukuna shakes his head and reaches into his pocket for his phone which has buzzed. "He actually bought the house next door to Yuji which makes him closer." the smirk that was once on his face was wiped clean off, "We have to go." he stands abruptly which causes you to do the same.
"Why? What's wrong?" you question with furrowed brows. Instead of answering you Sukuna grabs your hand and tugs you even further from where Maki and everyone else was. You don't fight Sukuna verbally but pull your hand from his grip.
"We're going somewhere more private," he says and the vagueness of his answer has your stomach turning in knots, how would Toji feel about me going somewhere private with Sukuna? Would he even care?
It was obvious that Sukuna knew this city like the back of his hand which made you trust his judgment. "What's wrong with where we just were?" you turn to look back at the water fountain and your breath gets caught in the middle of your throat at the figure dressed in all black watching you and Sukuna. Following you and Sukuna. Quickly your head turns forward and pressed further to Sukuna's side while keeping up with his stride. Who would follow you around in the city?
"He's been following us since we left the store," Sukuna says as you blend in with a crowd of people waiting to cross the street. When the white walking man is displayed, Sukuna grabs your hand and makes a run for three blocks, you assume to get the stranger off your trail. You were thankful when Sukuna ducked into an alleyway since the bags you were carrying weren't light in the slightest. "We should be good if we wait for a few minutes, I'll text Yuji to go the opposite way and we'll meet when the coast is clear." he doesn't wait for a reply before beginning to type away on his phone.
You watch in silence, two questions running through your mind. One, who was the person in black, and two, why did Sukuna suddenly make you feel safe? He had noticed the man following you two which was impressive since clearly, you had no idea what was going on in your surroundings. Once Sukuna hits send, his attention turns back to you. "Five minutes should be enough for him to get far on his own." Sukuna turns an empty bucket upside down and takes a seat, you remain standing. Until Sukuna pats his lap, "Sit," you give him a look as if telling him to be serious. Sukuna raises his hands, "Standing is cool too."
The alley was dirty and there were no more empty buckets which meant standing was your only option unless you accepted Sukuna's offer. You shake your head from that thought, standing would have to suffice.
After the five minutes were up, Sukuna surprises you by taking the bags from your hands and tilts his head to nod towards the street opening, "Ladies first."
Without any hesitation you lead the way out, looking around immediately for the same guy you were trying to get away from. You don't see him though, you see something much worse. Your husband. Toji is across the street and walking in your direction but he doesn't see you. For a second you think you can get away, but as if sensing your presence, his dark and cold eyes meet yours then immediately a glare is thrown at who just emerged from the alleyway behind you, holding your shopping bags.
"Shit," you whisper under your breath and take a big step forward when feeling Sukuna's front brushing against your back. You didn't want to see Toji commit murder but it looked like it was too late for that because Toji makes it to you in a matter of seconds, eyebrows furrowed. "Hi." you look up at him and offer a hint of a smile which he doesn't reciprocate just as you thought.
"Sukuna, step away and go find your friends." Toji ignores you and addresses the man behind you. "Tell Maki y/n is leaving and will see her later."
There was a beat of silence and you don't dare turn around to see what expression Sukuna had on his face. But you feel the handful of shopping bags get dropped on the concrete floor and footsteps receding, leaving you alone with Toji. As hard as you tried to be ok, anger was starting to eat at you because of Toji's rudeness and how dismissive he was to Sukuna, someone who was trying to help you. You decide to save your breath from fighting him on the subject and grab your bags to follow Toji to who knows where.
Toji watches you move in silence and keeps his stance to block you from moving forward. "Are you angry at me, Koneko?" he questions as if he hadn't stopped you from spending more time with your friends and away from him. You assumed this was your punishment for ditching Maki but it wasn't as if anything happened. It was only after you shook your head that the end of his lip turned up in an almost smirk. "You see that ring on your finger? That means you're mine, mine to pick and poke at until you tell me everything that's running through that stubborn head of yours." he attempts to grab your hand but you pull back, something that made him even more displeased. You didn't care.
"I may wear this ring, sleep in that prison you call home and I'll even call you my husband." you look him in the eyes and struggle to keep the contact but you manage. "But my body nor my thoughts will ever be truly yours, Toji. There's no part of me that will ever be yours." you keep your voice firm although your heart is pounding in your chest and your mind is screaming at your mouth to stop moving before you end up six feet under or worse, chained in Toji's home cell. "Pick and poke all you want but you will get nothing in return. I'm only yours on paper." you exhale after that and try to avoid the nauseating feeling in your stomach from Toji's intense stare. Now you wanted to know what was running through his stubborn head.
There was a moment of silence and all you could hear was the public passing around you and Toji without a second glance since they were petrified to even make eye contact with the ruler of the land. "I see," he speaks in a tight tone that makes you subconsciously straighten your spine up to stand taller.
"Do you?" you question before you can think it through and you think you can actually see steam coming out of Toji's ears from anger. That's when you decide to shut up.
"Crystal clear." he practically grits out from clenched teeth before turning around and because you didn't want to walk home, you follow him.
The car ride home was silent and you watched the outside world pass. Thankfully Toji put on music so it wasn't completely silent but the tension was there, it filled the whole car. It was the second time you had talked to Toji as if he wasn't a criminal, but something in you believed he wouldn't hurt you physically. Mentally, maybe. When getting back to Toji's home, you take your bags and immediately walk inside where Aya is with two glasses of water waiting. For her troubles, you grab a glass while passing and offer a smile before making a beeline to your room. Toji entered behind you and shut the heavy double doors harshly and you don't look back to see what expression he was throwing your way.
The rest of the night continues uninterrupted by your husband. Aya makes your dinner, a sandwich, and soup with a side salad. After you cleared all the plates, she came back to clear the table. "Would you like a dessert?" she asks before she is fully out of the door but you were already following closely behind, obviously eager to get back to your room to stay in until summoned again.
You hadn't meant to come off rude to Aya since she was the only person to treat you with the same respect. But at the same time, you didn't care since this was only a temporary life and Toji would probably move in another woman to take your place once the year is up and Aya will have to take care of her, you being a distant memory.
You don't talk to Toji the next day or for the next five days. You ate your meals alone and only saw Nanami for morning workouts. It was very routine for you to waste your day away watching a series that made you feel the smallest ounce of comfort. That was your normal until you felt a pain coming from your lower abdomen which made you want to curl up. That could only mean one thing really.
Quickly you go into your ensuite and when you pull down your pants to see the spotting it causes you to groan to yourself at the timing. Immediately you check every drawer in your room for some type of pad or tampon but of course, there was none. By now it was nighttime and you weren't sure where Aya would be to help but you couldn't free bleed all over Toji's stuff so you wrapped a robe over your sleep shorts and t-shirt before venturing out.
Since you had no concept of time you couldn't prepare yourself for your period or at the very least get the correct supplies. Now you were cramping and bleeding in your underwear with a makeshift pad of toilet paper that made you cringe every time you took a step. The house was quiet and you make your way downstairs since you vaguely remember where Aya's side of the house was when you needed to use her restroom.
Passing the kitchen you turn the corner of the long hallway and bump into something hard, no, someone. You look up from the hard chest and into Toji's eyes, he is already looking down at you and his hands grip your arms to keep you from falling back. He feels your muscles tense and drops his hands but you continue to feel the heat from them on you. "It's late, what do you need?" he asks as you continue to look up at him with gaped lips. You haven't seen or heard him since you had angrily word vomit all over him.
"I need Aya," you say, your eyes darting to the closed bedroom door that must be Aya's room. You wondered if Toji visits her in her room and how close their relationship is.
"For what?"
"I would prefer Aya," you tell him and attempt to walk around him but he moves as well to block your way. "Toji.." you almost cursed since your cramps were worsening by the second and you didn't want to bleed through the tissue, that would be mortifying, to say the least.
Toji takes your chin between his pointer and chin and brings your eyes back to him. You don't dare attempt to move from his hold. "Nothing gets to you, without going through me. So tell me Koneko, what do you need?"
You contemplate lying to him but quickly decide not to choose this battle. "I need something.. for my.. you know." you look down and his eyes follow. "Monthly.." you throw out for him to hopefully catch as a hint. It only takes a few seconds before his eyes widen slightly in surprise then back to emptiness.
"I'll run out to get it, do you have a preference?" he was already walking past you, to get to the pharmacy you assume. Quickly you grab his arm for a second before pulling back as if he was literally fire.
"Let me go with you, please." you almost beg, much to Toji's surprise. You watch as he looks down at where you grabbed him before meeting your eyes for you to continue. "A lady always has a specific..." you trail off again, finding this to be your most embarrassing moment with Toji. "Just please, let me get it." also thinking about Toji running in to get your kotex wasn't something you could see him doing with his head held high like it usually is. It also wouldn't hurt to see the outside world.
Toji takes a second to think about it before his answer comes out clipped, "What color is the box?" he knew that much.
Your shoulders drop in defeat and before he takes the option of getting tampons away, you give a very detailed description of the Kotex box. When he seems to be confident in himself, he leaves. Back in your room you turn on the shower and spend your time cleaning thoroughly. As you were rinsing the soap off your body there was a knock at the door. Your heart speeds up as you say, "It's unlocked."
You don't have to hear their voice to know that it was Toji. You could see the blurred outline of him through the shower doors. Neither of you said anything and all you could do was watch and hold your breath while doing so. Toji's figure walks to the counter and you hear the plastic of the bag is set down. "I got the ones you wanted, and other ones just in case it wasn't what you wanted," he says, breaking the silence.
You almost laugh and reach to turn off the water, your towel was hanging over the glass door so you didn't have to step out to wrap it around yourself. "Thank you, I'm sure I can make do." you stood in the shower still since he hadn't left and you didn't know what would happen if you stepped out in nothing but a towel in front of your husband and you didn't want to find out.
Thankfully, Toji took the silence as a hint and walked out of the restroom, shutting the door behind himself. When opening the bag you were pleased to see that he had gotten the correct box and almost smiled when seeing a chocolate bar that was also with the three tampon boxes.
Back home you were able to have sweets once a week, your mama was worried you would get addicted to sugar and she drilled into you at a very young age that no one loves a pretty face that comes with a few extra pounds. So that once-a-week ritual quickly stopped. The chocolate bar you were holding was looking back at you with temptation as you contemplated throwing it away which was ridiculous since your mama wasn't here and you were a grown woman, eating chocolate is normal.
You unwrap it and take a bite as you walk back into your room, jumping back a step when you see Toji casually sitting on your loveseat. His eyes get their fill of you which he doesn't bother to hide and your cheeks heat. You wonder what he thought about every time he looked at you, you cringed at the fact that it's probably your father who he hated. "Everything ok?" you question almost shyly and busy your mouth with another bite of the delicious chocolate.
He takes a beat to answer, "I should be asking you that. Everything ok?" he questions back and stands up, taking slow steps toward you. He was only a short distance away so he gets close enough for you to smell him within seconds.
You look up and nod, "Great. Thank you, again." it was odd to thank him twice in one day, or even at all.
You and Toji stand in silence, and his eyes never leave yours. Quickly you struggle to breathe under his gaze and your throat closes in fear, maybe thrill. Your eyes drop and you watch the steadiness of Toji's chest rising and falling, only for a few seconds before he snags your chin to meet his eyes. Your breath gets caught in your throat; all you can do is look at him and the corner of his lips lifts up into a smile. "Goodnight, Koneko," he says in a whisper, and his thumb swipes at the bottom of your lip. You continue to watch as he brings the thumb to his mouth so he can lick off the chocolate. All you could do was watch; the English language had escaped your mind as Toji left you alone again to wonder what the hell just happened.
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