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Cursed Guardians (A JJK Fic)

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He had won. 

He had finally won. 

Sukuna let out a sigh and let his body relax on top of the warm sand. The beach he was currently resting in was surprisingly tranquil. The waves were calm and the breeze was comforting. Such sensations had nearly been forgotten by the ancient curse. During his destructive rampage, he had paid no attention to the environment around him. He was too focused on killing those wretched sorcerers and any who defied him. Now that he had won, he could appreciate the new world he had created. He’d be the true King of Curses. King of the World. 

There was a problem, however. 

He was a king with no subjects.

After defeating the limitless user, no one was left to stop Sukuna’s plans to subjugate the entire world. His power had returned to him, restoring his true, godlike form. No vessel needed. Because of the overwhelming surge of power Sukuna received once the white-haired freak was killed, he entered a mindless state. He was so caught up in his own destruction and violence that he didn’t notice who he was destroying. The plan he had concocted for centuries was tossed to the side as he committed a genocide to all forms of life on Earth. There were no humans left to terrorize or curses to dictate. 

Even Uraume was not spared of his senseless cruelty. When he had realized that his most loyal assistant was killed by his own hands, it was already too late. Sukuna had slaughtered everything. The plant life had no hope of recovering, any wildlife had been incinerated, and the oceans were empty. Such destruction was not in his plans. Sukuna knew he was seen as an irredeemable monster, a psychotic murderer, a megalomaniac through and through, and the list of titles continues. While Sukuna did agree with most titles, he did not agree with being called mindless or anything that insinuated he was an idiot. 

It had taken time to become the curse he was now known as. Sukuna had been human once, a fact he forgot more often than not, which meant that he was not born with his incredible powers. He was patient and persistent in his journey to grow stronger. Eventually, entire villages fell at his hands and his hands alone. With his intellect and abilities, he became a one man army. No one stood a chance against Sukuna. Even his public execution had been planned, convincing the townspeople to burn him at the stake with a piece of wood Sukuna had carved ancient runes into. The runes imbued him with cursed energy as Sukuna perished to the flames, ensuring he would be reborn as a curse. 

Sukuna never did anything without a plan. He was strategic and the strongest. The former aspect was often forgotten by his opponents. While the sorcerer with the six eyes technique was born strong, Sukuna was not. He was not an arrogant fool who would deny such a thing as having no weaknesses. Such delusions would make Sukuna more vulnerable. Gojo was born a prodigy, Sukuna made himself a prodigy. His efforts had paid off in the end as he had become the most feared creature in the world. 

And yet…

He had acted like a mindless beast until the world he was supposed to rule over became nothing but a hollow husk. 

There was nothing Sukuna could do. There was nothing Sukuna could do to reverse it. 

This was not part of his plan. He was not supposed to be the only inhabitant of this planet. The desolation he had wrought was too much . Sukuna had gone too far. Such a concept was foreign to the curse, but it was true. No one survived his wrath. He would have to live out the rest of his existence in solitude. 

“Are you happy?”

If Sukuna had regular hearing, he would not have heard the weak whisper of the boy next to him. Fortunately, his senses had always been heightened, and his godlike form only served to strengthen his senses even more. Even so, a weight settled in his gut when the boy, who was known for being anything but silent, spoke in such a manner. 

Yuuji sat next to the giant entity without an ounce of fear. In fact, there were no emotions that could be detected on the teen’s scarred face. The normally expressive boy had been reduced to a shell of his former self. Itadori had been so quiet that Sukuna momentarily forgot about his existence. He had let the teenager live as a form of revenge. As his vessel, Sukuna learned things about Yuuji that he never wanted to know. Most notably his morals, something that annoyed the curse to no end. 

Despite his many years of living, Sukuna had never seen someone as selfless as Itadori Yuuji. He could not remember a single soul who had even a fraction of the boy’s kindness. Above all, the pink-haired teen prioritized the lives of others far more than his own. It infuriated Sukuna to have such an idiotic being as his vessel. At first, Sukuna planned to kill Itadori immediately after regaining his true form. When Sukuna went to end the boy’s life once and for all, he had paused at the broken look in Yuuji’s eyes. Yuuji had been staring at his beloved sensei’s and best friend’s lifeless forms with such agony that Sukuna found himself unable to harm the teen. He had expected Itadori to stand up in a fit of rage and initiate a battle that Sukuna had been craving ever since Yuuji ate his first finger. Nothing of the sort came. Yuuji was kneeling on the bloodied ground with a stream of silent tears flowing down his face. He was in a completely vulnerable position, yet Itadori did not seem to care as he continued to look at Megumi’s and Gojo’s mangled corpses.

“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.” Yuuji spoke so brokenly that his words were nearly indecipherable. He bowed his head until his forehead touched the muddy ground. His arms wrapped around his waist as sobs began to wreck his body. It seemed like Yuuji had no control over the force of his sobbings, which were so strong that his ribs seemed to strain with each heaving breath. Tears and snot started to flow in a nonstop current. Between his sobs, painful whimpers and endless apologies left the boy’s quivering mouth. 

Sukuna stood there as if he was paralyzed. The boy he had come to know had been shattered beyond repaired. The boy whose morals were so strong that Sukuna’s own dismantle technique could not slash through. The boy who never backed down from a fight, even if the odds were not in his favor. 

The boy who had shown an amount of kindness that Sukuna had never experienced before. 

He could not bring himself to kill Itadori Yuuji. 

“What?” Sukuna was brought out of his thoughts as he remembered the question Yuuji had whispered to him. A question that Sukuna had no proper response to. 

“I asked if you were happy.” Yuuji whispered in the same lifeless tone as before. He continued to look at the waves and the horizon in the distance with a glossed over look in his eyes. His arms were wrapped around his knees, his head sat atop them. “Are you?”

Sukuna, for once, was struck silent. Of all the questions that Yuuji could have asked, this was the one that he would have least predicted. A strange feeling coursed through his chest, moving to wrap around the base of his throat. It was heavy and painful, not allowing him to speak anymore. All he could do in response was glance at Yuuji with confusion clear in his four eyes. 

At the curse’s abnormal silence, Yuuji lifted his head to make eye contact with Sukuna. It felt like the first time that Sukuna had seen the teen in years. So much had happened that he felt like centuries had passed. Yuuji’s face seemed wrong to Sukuna. It was covered in scars, along with the rest of his body. When he had forcibly removed himself from Yuuji after consuming the twentieth finger, the teen had suffered immensely. All the tattoos that Sukuna had showed up on Yuuji in the form of thick, ugly scars that caused the teen constant pain despite the scars looking fully healed. The fact that Sukuna had not noticed until now disturbed the curse in a way he did not expect. What troubled the curse even more was that no sadistic glee had arisen from seeing the damage Sukuna had caused. Instead of pride or smugness, the feeling in Sukuna’s chest and throat got worse. It hurt . 

Itadori let out a breathy chuckle, moving to sit with his legs crossed. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked such a stupid question. Of course, you wouldn’t ‘dignify it with a response’.” The teen paused. He put his hands in his lap in a desperate attempt to hide their trembling. His head hung low, and he broke eye contact with the stunned curse. “Can I ask another question though? Promise it won’t be as dumb as the first one.”

With no refusal from the powerful curse, Itadori took it as a sign to continue. “All I want to ask is why. Why did you do this? I thought you wanted to kill jujutsu sorcerers and humans…not everything . Why go this far? I..I don’t understand... And above all else…Why haven’t you killed me yet? That’s what frustrates me the most. You killed EVERYONE except for me!” A spark of the fire Yuuji used to have reappeared. He looked back at Sukuna with a fierce glare. However, just as soon as it came, it left. The fire died inside the teen instantly. He looked back down, wrapping his arms around himself. His voice grew wobbly as tears filled his eyes. “ Why? Why haven’t you killed me? Is it to prove some p-point? Because there is no one left to prove it to! I know I failed! I know I’m weak! You killed everyone, and I c-couldn’t protect them! I just want to see my friends again…… Please …… I-I…I don’t want to be here anymore…” The last part broke Yuuji into a fit of  agonizing sobs. His hands covered his face while his fingers were pulling harshly on his hair. His body trembled from head to toe. Pleas left his lips, but it was like the boy was speaking gibberish with how unstable his voice was. To make things worse, Yuuji began hyperventilating along with his frantic sobbing. The poor teen could not get in a single breath. It was a sight Sukuna could not stand. 

The painful weight constricting his throat and chest suddenly disappeared. Sukuna grasped the folds of his kimono tightly with one of his clawed hands. Before the horrid feeling could return and silence him, Sukuna blurted out his response. “I can’t!” 

That seemed to shock Itadori so much that his rapid breathing and sobbing began to slow. It was enough for Yuuji to get the air he needed. Of course, Yuuji was nowhere close to being calm, but at least he was not in danger of passing out. Bloodshot eyes locked onto Sukuna’s with a look so utterly lost and devastated that Sukuna felt his body moving before he could register what exactly he was doing. Four strong arms wrapped around the smaller boy in a secure embrace. Instantly, the sharpness in his throat and chest returned with such an intensity that Sukuna let out an audible gasp. With lack of a better term, Sukuna felt bad . Very bad. 

Then it dawned on him. 

Sukuna felt bad for Yuuji. The curse that had slaughtered billions felt guilty. 

Despite the absurdity of the feeling, Sukuna felt his eyes burn. 

As the strange embrace continued, Yuuji’s breathing became normal, and his sobs stopped completely. Tears still leaked from his eyes, which were opened wide in shock. While Sukuna did not enjoy the sensation of his kimono getting wet from the tears and snot, he could not bring himself to reprimand the crying teen. Even as the boy buried his head into Sukuna’s torso in a poor attempt at hiding, the ancient curse found himself not feeling disgusted at the touch. 

Meanwhile, Itadori felt absolutely pathetic. He was hugging the curse responsible for the death of his loved ones. Of the world . Sukuna was the sole being responsible for the disappearance of all life on Earth. And he was hugging the entity so tightly as if he was terrified of Sukuna letting go . He probably was terrified. In all honesty, Yuuji could not remember the last time he was embraced in such a way. It felt like he was betraying his friends by clinging onto the curse who killed them. And yet…Yuuji continued to melt further into the warm embrace. It was completely out of character for Sukuna, but Itadori was not in a state to care. He was always a touchy person that had gone most of his life touch starved. Gramps usually yelled at his attempts to hug him as a kid, so Yuuji refrained from hugging his grandpa ever again. Most friends he made in school were from sports and calling them friends was a stretch. The best he would get was an arm around his shoulder or a pat on his back. 

Then there was Jujutsu High. 

Megumi rarely hugged him. It just wasn’t in the teens' nature. The hugs he did receive were awkward and short. Yuuji enjoyed them, but he would feel terrible if Megumi continually forced himself to hug Yuuji when the introverted boy was uncomfortable with it. Instead of hugs, Megumi showed his affection through threats or brief shoulder pats. The sorcerer would also summon his remaining Divine Dog, named Cocoa by Kugisaki, for Yuuji to pet or his rabbits for Yuuji to hold. Expending his cursed energy in such a way just to make Yuuji happy was more than enough affection for the pink-haired teen. 

Nobara hugged him slightly more often than Megumi but not by much. She hugged him tightly and for several minutes after punching him for ‘faking’ his death. She also hugged him after he helped her with her many shopping trips or if he did her hair. He had learned how to style hair because his hair was quite long when he was little due to Gramps constantly forgetting to schedule a haircut. Eventually, Yuuji taught himself how to style and eventually cut it. His skills proved useful in getting Nobara into a good mood or forgiving him whenever he accidentally ruins one of the girl’s clothes. Her hugs were strong and warm just like Nobara herself. 

Gojo’s hugs were quite frequent, especially during Yuuji’s time living in the basement. Out of everyone, Gojo and Yuuji had the most in common. He knew his sensei was an experienced sorcerer with an intelligence that Yuuji could never hope to achieve. However, the times where his teacher let himself goof off with Yuuji were the teen’s favorite ones. Because of Gojo’s technique, it meant so much more when Yuuji hugged him. Gojo would willingly turn off his Infinity so Yuuji could embrace him or the other way around. Whenever the older sorcerer hugged him, Yuuji felt extremely cold but secure. It might be due to his technique that Gojo constantly felt like he was made of ice, though Yuuji had never thought to ask. Even so, Yuuji knew he was the safest with Gojo closeby. 

Nanami’s hugs were secretly Yuuji’s favorite. They were extremely warm and lasted as long as Yuuji wanted. He knew Gojo would go crazy if he found out that Yuuji favored Nanami in something and not the Infinity user. It was hard not to indulge in Nanami’s hugs, something that Yuuji realized was a privilege that no one else had. When Yuuji had first met the blonde, he had thought that Nanami hated Yuuji’s guts. In fact, it was the opposite. Nanami protected Yuuji with such ferocity that could scare the most powerful of beings. He always reminded Yuuji that fifteen is a child’s age, so he should act like one. He always said how it was an adult’s responsibility to put a child’s life above their own. He said this with such certainty that Yuuji nearly cried every time Nanami said it. Nanimi always prioritized Yuuji’s health and happiness above all else. For instance, after the failed mission to kill the curse with the patchwork face, Nanami had hugged Yuuji when he saw the teen breakdown and blame himself for the death of Junpei and the curse escaping. Ever since, Nanami allowed Yuuji to hug him without complaint. In fact, Nanami would wrap his arms around Yuuji and soothe them down his back. Each time, Yuuji would start crying into Nanami’s chest, resulting in the man humming to Yuuji until the boy felt better. 

Gojo was incredibly protective of Yuuji, and the teen saw him as a silly older brother most of the time and a caring parent during quieter times. However, Nanami acted like an attentive father all the time, making it impossible for Yuuji to see him as anything but. Nobara and Megumi were his family as well. They both acted like older siblings that kept him out of danger or younger siblings that always squabbled with each other. Ijichi was caring in his own nervous way, reminding Yuuji of an uncle he’s always wanted but never had. Despite his over the top mannerisms, Yuuji adored Todo as well. Todo had taught him so much and taught him in a way that Yuuji’s thick-headed self could understand. It had taken a while, but Yuuji loved Choso and saw him as his older brother. Choso loved Yuuji as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Learning that both of them were Kenjaku’s biological children was strange, yet it only served to make their bond stronger. He also loved the second years, especially Yuta who had the most soothing voice Yuuji had ever heard. He had even been incredibly fond of Junpei, the boy who he failed to save. Still, the brief time spent with Junpei was full of so much laughter. Junpei’s bright smile was something Yuuji would never forget. 

He loved them so much. 

He had people that cared about him.

He had friends.

He had family. 

He couldn’t imagine his life without them.

Yet he had to. 

They were all dead. 

They weren’t in his life anymore. 

They would never be in his life ever again. 

Yuuji let out a soft whimper as he tried to hide himself completely in Sukuna’s embrace. He wanted to be angry. He had every right to be angry at the monster before him. The monster who spared him instead of letting him see his loved ones again. Sukuna was horrible. He had committed such atrocities that were forever burned into Yuuji’s mind. Despite this, no anger came.

There was nothing left inside of Yuuji. He was numb. He was so tired . He didn’t want to fight anymore. There was no point in defending an empty world. There was no one to protect or help.

He just wanted to die already.

His grandpa had wanted him to die surrounded by loved ones. Those were his last words, and Yuuji had done everything he could to honor that request. Having and giving others a proper death became Yuuji’s strongest goals. It was what fueled him to continue on despite the cruel world he was living in. It was what kept a bright smile on his face and hope in his soul. 

If Yuuji died now, he would have no loved ones to hold his hand or say comforting words on his deathbed. He would die alone . The one thing that Gramps begged him not to do. It was his last request. Gramps used his last breaths to tell Yuuji to help others and have people surrounding him when he died. Yuuji failed his grandpa. He couldn’t even honor his promise to his grandpa. He never thought he would fail in that of all things. Yuuji was supposed to do everything in his power to keep his promise. But he didn’t. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“What?”

The speed that Yuuji used to snap his head to look at Sukuna should have broken his neck. It was like the world had been flipped upside down. Left was right. Up was down. Hot was cold. And Sukuna had apologized . 

Sukuna sighed, further surprising the teen. “I’m sorry. I can’t kill you, and I don’t fucking know why. I just can’t.” The curse’s words were soft and sounded defeated. His four crimson eyes stared at Yuuji with a maelstrom of emotions that the boy had no energy to decipher. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“You didn’t?” Yuuji wanted to rage at that. Out of all the times that Sukuna chooses to be merciful, it was when Yuuji wanted to die the most . He wanted to scream at Sukuna that the curse was lying and that Sukuna did mean to kill off the entire planet. All that Yuuji could manage was a whisper as numbness settled into his soul again. 

“No. It was never in my plans to leave this planet devoid of life. I didn’t intend to touch anything outside of Japan either. Jujutsu sorcerers and curses only reside on this island, nowhere else. I had no reason nor want to exterminate all life on Earth.” 

“Then why did you do it anyway?”

The emptiness that returned to Yuuji’s features and voice displeased Sukuna. Now that he had identified the guilt that had been suffocating him, Sukuna noticed how said guilt became heavier. “To put it simply, I lost control. Once my true form was regained, the amount of power I gained blinded me to everything besides total destruction.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Regret what exactly?” Sukuna responded carefully. He knew that saying yes to such a vague question would be misleading, and Sukuna had no need to lie. 

Yuuji went quiet for a long, long time. His expression remained empty and his dull golden eyes held no hints of what the teen was thinking. A shivering breath left the pink-haired boy and he buried his head into Sukuna’s torso again. “Do you regret not getting to try ice cream?”

At first, the curse was incredibly confused by the odd and seemingly random question. It took him several long moments before a memory resurfaced with such force that Sukuna could not even try to repress it.

-

Hey, Suku!

Don’t ever call me that again, brat. The fuck do you want?

I have a question for you, and it’s really really important that you answer it!

Hm. It is quite bold of you to assume that you are worthy enough for your brainless questions to be dignified with a response. 

That’s a shame. Well, I’ll go ask Gojo-san because he’ll definitely answer my question ‘cause you-

Ask me the damn question this instant, brat. Don’t you dare call for that insufferable sorcerer.

Okay, I won’t. Now, I have to know, O Lord Sukuna. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

What.

C’mon! I know you have one!

Brat, I have no knowledge of this ‘ice cream’ you are referring to. 

Oh yeah, you’re old as shit. Well, ice cream is this really awesome dessert that comes in a lot of flavors like chocolate or vanilla. It’s cold and really creamy and perfect for when it’s hot out. The flavors are usually sweet, but I have tried some weird ones that aren’t. I think I tried one that tasted like chicken-

Why are you talking to me about such nonsense?

Because I’m bored, that’s why! We have been in this basement for weeks, and I don’t have my phone anymore! 

Tsk. Of course your pathetic mind would grow restless after such a short amount of time.

Hey! You’re still responding to me, so that must mean that you’re bored too. 

I am not. 

You are. You’ve been much more chatty ever since we started living in the school’s basement. I don’t think there is any harm in learning more about each other. 

I will never cease to be amazed by your stupidity, brat. 

Rude. BUT! You still haven’t answered my question!

I do not care about such pointless things! I am an immortal curse, food is not necessary for me and hasn’t been for thousands of years! 

So you didn’t have any form of dessert when you were alive?

The era that I was born into was horrid. I have no fond memories of it, and if there were any confectionaries, I do not remember the taste of it. 

Maybe I can help! What if I make or buy a dessert, and you summon one of your mouth things to eat it! 

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard.

You didn’t say no.

……

Yes! I’ll ask Gojo to purchase some ice cream to start off! I bet you are going to get such a bad brain freeze! It’s pretty painful, you know. I think you won’t be able to handle the coldness. 

How dare you assume such a thing?! I am not weak! I can handle temperatures so low that it would make your very blood turn to ice! 

You’re on!

-

They would never have that ice cream competition or any other fond talks for that matter. The months they spent in the basement were the most peaceful moments Sukuna had ever experienced. It was shocking how easy those memories faded away once Sukuna gained more and more of his fingers back. Remembering those many talks the two had made Sukuna squeeze Yuuji tighter. 

Yuuji hated being alone, so he enjoyed asking Sukuna questions about his life and interests. In the curse’s mind, this was Yuuji’s way of trying to get information to use against Sukuna. When he realized that the simple questions Yuuji asked held no information that would benefit the sorcerers, he interacted with the boy often. No one had ever shown such an interest in Sukuna’s life before. Uraume was more of a loyal assistant than a friend. They never asked him about what his favorite color was or what his favorite type of flower to smell was. Yuuji had done so with such enthusiasm that Sukuna found himself indulging the teen with endless answers. When Yuuji was not asking him a random question, Yuuji would cook for himself and Gojo. The teen was an incredibly talented cook, receiving constant compliments from Gojo and hums of approval from Sukuna. Yuuji always made large portions because of how much Gojo had to eat to sustain his bottomless pit of cursed energy. At the same time, Yuuji made so much so that he could give Sukuna a taste of the meals he created. It was a kind gesture that the curse never anticipated. He was introduced to the world of comforting cuisine and addictive junk food thanks to Yuuji. 

At some point, Sukuna had started initiating conversations with Yuuji instead of waiting for the boy to say something. The curse found great joy in making Itadori burst out laughing in the middle of training with Gojo by telling a horrid joke. A majority of the curse’s satisfaction came from embarrassing Yuuji and catching the Six-Eyes sorcerer off guard. However, a small part of him felt a warmth whenever he would see Yuuji’s bright smile and joyful laughter.

It was as if leaving the basement made Sukuna’s fondness for the teen leave as well. 

He had never reflected on their time in the basement until now. Sukuna found it easy to toss away the newly formed bond to focus back on his plans to destroy the jujutsu world and regain his full power. Because his plans had failed from his own forthcomings, Sukuna found himself feeling a sense of guilt that had not existed during any of his genocides or attacks. 

All his efforts to be the King of Curses again were for naught. While his power and form were restored, the purpose of doing so was gone. He could not rule over subjects that were dead. He could not enjoy a world that was empty. The reason why he had kept holding onto the mortal realm was the hope of being reincarnated and returning to his rightful place as King of Curses. Not allowing himself to die caused Sukuna to be in a strange limbo for thousands of years. He had to spend so many centuries unable to feel the sun on his skin or have anyone but himself to talk to. Sukuna stayed in that horrid limbo, planning what he would do once he was reincarnated, for so long that he had forgotten what it was like to be alive . He had planned to spend the rest of his immortal life enjoying the warmth of the sun, the beauty of the forests, or even the softness of an animal's pelt whilst conquering his enemies. 

Sukuna destroyed all that he was looking forward to. After everything that he had done to ensure that he would win, he still lost. The curse was left questioning everything that he had done, repeatedly asking himself if it was worth it or not. No concrete answer came, which was an answer in its own right. Throughout his many years of living, Sukuna had not experienced this amount of uncertainty or doubt in any of his plans. Although, all of his prior plans succeeded. This was the outlier, therefore, Sukuna’s reaction would be different as a result. This utter failure to execute his meticulously prepared plans left Sukuna’s entire being reeling. 

He had lost.

He had finally lost. 

It was a lie to say he had won. Sukuna was unfamiliar with the concept of losing. He had prided himself on his ability to come out on top no matter who his opponent was. Whenever he saw beings weaker than him, Sukuna felt so disgusted by them that he killed the pathetic creature without hesitation. The weak had no place in this world, in Sukuna’s world. Failure was one with the weak while victory was one with the strong. 

Was Sukuna weak, now? The beliefs he had carried for centuries were being turned against him. The weak failed. Sukuna failed. Such a thought only served to further unsettle the curse. The path he had taken led to the death of Uraume, the death of wildlife, the death of all plant life, the death of humans and curses he was supposed to dictate, the death of sorcerers who were the only ones that could give him a worthwhile fight. 

There were endless paths Sukuna could have taken, but he chose the one that would end in the most mayhem and death. An intrusive thought wormed its way to the forefront of Sukuna’s scattered min d. What if he did have that ice cream competition with Yuuji?

Once the thought appeared, it did not go away. Images of Yuuji laughing as Sukuna ruffles the teen’s hair. Images of Yuuji and Sukuna having a dramatic debate over who the best character was in a dumb movie franchise. Images of Yuuji hugging Sukuna only to reveal that he had covered the elder with flour. Images of Yuuji and Sukuna trying to push each other into a pool. The pure happiness and warmth the images emitted were so strong that Sukuna felt like he was looking into an alternate timeline that did not exist. Additionally, Sukuna felt like he was intruding on the memories of a real person despite the images being conjured by Sukuna’s own mind. 

It was a path that could have existed if Sukuna had altered his plans. He would have simply planned to regain his body, nothing more. He would not have started a worldwide genocide. But what’s done is done. He could not alter the past.

“Sukuna?” 

Said curse was broken out of his downward spiral by the boy he was conjuring joyful memories of. The ancient being felt the tiny arms clutching onto him release. Yuuji’s head was bowed, tear droplets staining the smooth sand beneath them. As tears continued to fall onto the sand, it became darker and heavier from the wetness. It was as if the tears were transferring their burden onto the pure white sand below. Itadori fell to his knees, arms hanging limply by his sides. Caught off guard, Sukuna stepped back. It felt like he was a grand tree looking down onto a mere ant. Seeing the boy on the ground while Sukuna’s monstrous form towered over him made his gut twist unpleasantly. In the past, Sukuna had always seen Yuuji’s smaller stature as pathetic. He reveled in the way he loomed over the teen, whether on his throne upon hundreds of skulls or in his larger form. Such feelings did not arise, which frustrated Sukuna slightly. Unfamiliar feelings and thoughts were infecting Sukuna’s cruel nature. It felt as if his very soul, which was supposed to be colder than the dead, was being enveloped in warmth. Warmth that surely didn’t belong to him. Nevertheless, it seemed like Sukuna had no way to reverse the softening of his whole being. The King of Curses knelt on one knee before the boy. While the curse was still much taller than the boy, the sentiment was still present. Kneeling before a sorcerer, a human, a child. It was something no one had managed to achieve from the King of Curses. Sukuna put one of his large, clawed hands on the boy’s impossibly tiny shoulder. “Yuuji.”

Yuuji’s lips wobbled when he heard the curse say his name for the first time. To make things worse, the ancient being said it was such concern that Yuuji wanted to rage and wail at the same time. The warmth of Sukuna’s hand was a stabilizing presence instead of a threatening one. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Itadori desperately wanted the warmth to come from anyone else besides Sukuna. It should be Gojo’s voice, soft with worry, asking him if Yuuji is okay and saying ‘Sensei’s here, Yuuji-kun. I won’t let anything happen to you. You’re with the strongest after all! Don’t worry, okay? You will always be safe with me.’ While Gojo reassures Yuuji, Nanami would envelop the boy in his comforting embrace without saying a word, simply humming a soothing tune and rubbing the poor boy’s trembling back. Megumi and Nobara would practically force Yuuji to take a day off, showing Yuuji how much they cared for him with Nobara painting his nails and Megumi cooking the chicken meatballs Yuuji had taught him so he’d have something warm to eat. Eventually, he would try to sleep, and Choso would enter his room, kneeling next to Yuuji’s bed, and begin to gently card his fingers through Yuuji’s hair to make Itadori’s tossing and turning cease. 

That’s what his family would do if they saw Yuuji in his current state. They would show him how much they adored him, letting them reciprocate the love Yuuji so often expressed to them. It would have been so nice. Yuuji would have the void in his heart be filled with the love of the people who meant the most to him. He wouldn’t be alone anymore. 

“Yuuji.”

But he was . Fuck, he was alone . He was really alone.  Yuuji bit his lip harshly to prevent any more sobs from escaping. All the strength in his limbs had gone, his once unwaverable will to keep going had been ruthlessly shattered as the reality of the situation settled in. Once he saw Gojo and Megumi’s corpses, his will to live died with them. The steady weight of Sukuna’s clawed hand was offering comfort that his pitiful body accepted. He did not have the strength to shove the curse’s hand off or lift his head to glare at the monster. Another hand went in his hair, smoothing his messy hair with soothing strokes. The void within him grew bigger. Choso was supposed to do that. Not him. Not him. NOT. HIM.

“I want to leave…” Yuuji murmured with his broken voice. “Please…”

“I know, Yuuji.” Sukuna felt pain surge through him that was more agonizing than any other injuries the curse had ever experienced. “I know. 

“ Please . I want to go. I want to leave! I want to see G-gojo-san and Megumi-mi  and No-Nobara and N-N-Nanamin! I want my brothers back! Ch-Choso a-and and Todo a-and Yuta! I want to be with them , Sukuna! Please! I don’t care what you do, just let me die!” Yuuji’s lip split from the amount of force the boy was using to restrain himself. Blood pooled from the deep wound, but Yuuji did not stop with his frantic pleas. “I miss them, Sukuna! I can’t take it anymore! I want to be with them! Let me be with them ! PLEASE!” His last pleas had become shrill as Yuuji’s pleading intensified, his voice cracking from the strain.

The pain within Sukuna was indescribable. Said pain should not exist, but it did. It felt like the pure agony that a father felt for their sick child, unable to help their little one feel better. The hopelessness as the child’s pain grows, and the father has no way of soothing the precious child. The fury the father feels as his child is seen as a lost cause, tossed aside as other sick children are prioritized by parents that can pay better. The father is incredibly young and stands outside the medical hut helplessly. The desperation the father has to heal his ill child, who grows weaker as his pain grows stronger. The horror of seeing his child wail about how much it hurts and how he wants it to stop. The emptiness the young father feels once he feels the sunshine his child emitted fade away. The pure torture the father feels as the healers he travels days to see state that the light of his life, his baby boy, his little tiger was already dead. 

‘I’m sorry, Ryomen-san. He has been dead for days. There is nothing we can do.’

‘We know the grief you feel is immense, Ryomen-san, this plague has been hitting the entire valley quite hard.’ 

‘Ryomen-san, you must let go! That child is infected. We must burn it with the others!’

‘Yuuji is gone, Ryomen!’

Those memories were not his. They couldn’t  be his. It should be impossible. Sukuna’s human life was nothing but a blur. He could not remember a single thing besides his last deeds and execution. What came before did not matter in his quest for power. His past was insignificant. 

He felt Yuuji lean into his hand that had been stroking his hair unconsciously. Sukuna had not realized he had done such an action. The boy had gone silent again. Somehow, Yuuji’s silence had a sense of finality to it. It was as if the shattered pieces of Yuuji had been further shattered until it had turned into dust. Dust that was blown away by the breeze of the beach, becoming one with the countless grains of white sand. 

Sukuna decided to ignore the calamity within his mind and soul. He stopped kneeling to sit on the sand, placing Yuuji on his lap. The boy’s smallness continued to shock the god-like curse. There were no more vengeful, sadistic thoughts. He didn’t want to use the boy’s vulnerability against him. He didn’t want to harm the boy anymore. The defeat Sukuna had experienced was immense. Once the curse accepted his loss and banished any more violent desires, he felt a strong wave of pure adoration and regret for the broken teen in his arms. The affection he had for Yuuji was so familiar to Sukuna despite the curse never experiencing such an emotion. He often ridiculed the behavior of humans. Deeming their emotions and companionships as pathetic. For the umpteenth time, Sukuna’s own beliefs had turned on him. 

Despite seeing himself as above all other beings, Sukuna still experienced the very emotions he had despised. Humans were not supposed to turn into curses the way Sukuna did. Perhaps this was his punishment for going against the rules of nature. The human self he had once forgotten was now returning with a vengeance. 

Yuuji’s form was limp for the most part. The only proof that he had not died were his shaky breaths against the curse’s kimono. With his soul being pulled in opposing directions, Sukuna was at a loss of what to do with the boy. He couldn’t bring himself to kill him, yet he also knew how horrid it would be to live on this desolate planet. Sukuna hated both options.

Sukuna could make a third one. There had to be a way for him to start over and undo what he had done. He could create a new world that would not end up the way this world did. Briefly, the images of Sukuna and Yuuji laughing and smiling popped up again. That feeling of the images being memories from a different world. A different time. 

In this form, Sukuna had seemingly endless powers. He was a god. As a god, Sukuna should be able to make a new world, a new timeline. If he couldn’t, then Sukuna and Yuuji would be stuck on this miserable planet with no hope of happiness. Happiness. That is what he wanted for Yuuji. 

He had to try

“Yuuji. I never got to answer your question earlier. My apologies.” Sukuna kept his voice low since it felt like he would spook the poor boy otherwise. Yuuji did flinch at the curse’s sudden words, but he quickly went back to being limp and motionless. Although, Yuuji did give the slightest nuzzle into Sukuna’s torso, the only source of warmth the boy had left. He used his lower set of hands to hold Yuuji and the upper set to card through his hair and rub his back. As gently as he could, Sukuna placed his chin upon Yuji’s hair. It felt necessary to have as much contact as possible since this would be the last time this world would exist if everything goes right. “I do regret not getting to have that competition with those frozen confectioneries with you.”

Yuuji stiffened the second the words left the curse’s mouth. As Sukuna’s answer was processed in Yuuji’s tired mind, the teen let out a quiet, amused huff. A few tears slipped down Itadori’s already stained cheeks. However, the smallest of smiles made its way onto Yuuji’s scarred face. 

“I have lost this battle that I started. I am not delusional enough to say I experience any degree of victory. All my efforts were wasted, and I have only myself to blame. Now, I find myself doubting my prior actions, wondering what could have been if I hadn’t been so power-hungry.” Sukuna felt a twisted grimace appear upon his features at the admittance. “I felt such a sense of contentment during my time spent with you in that dreaded basement. I have not experienced such serenity ever since. I should have realized how much more fulfilling my existence felt when I was not focused on violence and cruelty. That contentment, that serenity, that fulfillment was all due to you, Yuuji. You are truly an incredible boy, and I am ashamed that I never told you that. I am ashamed that it took the destruction of the entire world to see your extraordinary self. The amount of strength and kindness you possess are unmatched compared to the many, many beings I have encountered these past several centuries.”

The more Sukuna spoke, the easier it became for him to speak of his regrets and the apparent love he had always had for the small boy. Sukuna saw the small smile on Yuuji’s face wobble in the attempt to contain his tears. It did not work as more tears fell, but Yuuji’s smile grew a bit wider. Sukuna paused for a moment, considering how he should go about explaining his plan to Yuuji. When he glanced down at the boy, the answer came to him. “I have failed, but I may be able to try again. However, I will not use this chance to redo what I have done. Quite the opposite actually, I want to return this world back to its former glory. I do not think I can make our world the same as it used to be. There will be fundamental changes to everyone because there are always consequences with meddling with time.” He felt Yuuji gasp sharply, starting to shift beneath him. Sukuna lifted his head off the boy, only to be met with Yuuji’s astonished gaze. The once dull color of his eyes brightened, returning to its golden glow. A genuine smile appeared across Sukuna’s lips for the first time in centuries. “If all goes well, you will have a new life with your friends and family again. I can’t guarantee how your new life will go, but I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are protected and cared for.”

Yuuji’s smile grew even more until it was the same bright smile the teen was known for having. Hope had returned from its once extinguished flames. There was a hint of confusion in Yuuji’s eyes, but it was overshadowed by the sheer joy of possibly getting to be with his loved ones again. Nevertheless, Sukuna noticed the teen’s bewilderment. “I am well aware that such actions are out of character for me. However, I find my soul softening as memories and feelings I had once forgotten resurfaced. I don’t know when in this conversation that this change occurred, but I know I do not feel like the curse I was previously. There are various reasons for this, but I don’t wish to burden you with such information.” Sukuna could feel his power beginning to fade. It was an infinitesimal amount, something that would have almost gone undetected if Sukuna were any less aware. But he was aware. The curse took the feeling as a warning that he was running out of time. If he waited any longer, he would not be able to reform the foundations of time. 

“The window of opportunity I have to make such a fundamental change seems to be growing smaller by the minute. It was foolish of me to believe that my true form would last. I am supposed to be dead, afterall.” Sukuna placed a hand on the center of his chest. His soul was both changing its shape and growing weaker. It began to resemble the pitiful souls humans were supposed to have. His time as a curse was truly ending. “We must act quickly if this plan will work.”

To create a new world was completely different than summoning a domain. However, the base concept was similar. Sukuna must create something from nothing. His main priority was to give Yuuji the lives he had lost. His Malevolent Shrine was a physical manifestation of Sukuna’s soul, it became the primary place where Sukuna resided. Each detail that his innate domain had was due to Sukuna’s will and his will alone. If he were to create a world that prioritized Yuuji’s happiness above all else, he would need the boy’s soul. Only Yuuji’s own soul would know what would make the boy feel the safest and happiest. Taking his soul would come at a hefty price. 

In other words, he would have to kill Yuuji. 

It was laughable that the time where he needed to kill the boy the most was the only time where Sukuna didn’t want to kill him. However, he knew there was no other way. If there was another option, Sukuna did not have enough time to think of one. He released Yuuji from his tight hold. The boy knelt on his knees on the ground, his hands on his laps. Unlike last time, Yuuji did not tremble, and he was smiling. The words Sukuna wanted to say were trapped in his throat. His left hand on his upper set of arms was raised in the air. He felt paralyzed. 

Itadori placed his head on Sukuna’s palm. He looked at Sukuna with nothing but gentle acceptance in his golden eyes. The teen nodded at the frozen curse. 

Yuuji already knew. 

Gathering his fading resolve, Sukuna steeled himself and pressed his palm firmly into the boy’s forehead. He tried to show as much reassurance in his features as possible. The hope of a second chance was too powerful for the both of them to ignore. Sukuna let out a breath and closed his eyes, not knowing that Yuuji had done the same. 

There was a moment of silence between them. Yuuji was completely relaxed, looking more at peace than Sukuna had ever seen him before. Sukuna breathed deeply and readied his cursed energy. 

With one strike, Itadori Yuuji was no more. 

Sukuna caught the boy’s lifeless body. A hole was in the center of his forehead, the wound pouring out rivulets of blood. The teen’s tortured life had met a painless death. Even after killing the boy who had made such an unexpected impact on Sukuna’s damned existence, Sukuna had to do something worse. He needed the teen’s soul, not his body. 

Flames began to envelope the corpse of the child Sukuna had made suffer. Unlike his other times setting his enemies ablaze, there were no screams of pain from his victims or laughter from Sukuna. The flames took on the peach color of Yuuji’s hair. Each flick of the flames were caresses to the boy’s scarred body. His flesh wasn’t being melted off in the gruesome way Sukuna was familiar with. Itadori’s limp form simply turned into small sparks of pink light. The brightness the boy was known for was now more literal than metaphorical. Sukuna could not help but smile at that. 

Eventually the only thing left of Yuuji were the bright pink sparks. They were formed into a large sphere with several tendrils reaching out. Each tendril had peculiar characteristics. The sparks had taken on different shapes and colors for each item found on a tendril. For instance, one had roses while another had wisps of  shadows, both were curled around their chosen tendril in a protective embrace. There was a tendril that was wrapped in spotted fabric. There was a tendril that had blood shielding its entirety along with a purple scarf. The brightest of all the tendrils was one that had black and white rings with blue spots. The rings interlocked with one another, resembling an unbreakable shield. There were many more tendrils that had the oddest of items wrapped around them. A human-shaped earthworm, a pair of glasses with purple frames, a miniature pachinko machine, and even a miniature set of hands that seemed to be clapping. 

This boy was truly loved by many. Sukuna could not recognize who each corresponding tendril represented. He had a suspicion that the one with the interlocking rings with eyes belonged to the Six-Eyes sorcerer and the one with the shadow wisps belonged to the Ten-Shadow user. Even though he did know the names of those particular sorcerers, he felt like he was not allowed to speak their names anymore. No matter, he would not need to for this plan to work.

As gently as he could, Sukuna grabbed the soul. Yuuji’s soul was so fragile, and Sukuna was not accustomed to handling such delicate things. Warmth welcomed him the moment he touched the soul. Some of the tendrils backed away while others were in a striking position one would see on an aggressive snake. With his current power level, Sukuna knew he could conjure things with a wave of his hand. Additionally, he had summoned whatever he had wanted in his innate domain. Willing a new world to manifest with the help of Yuuji’s soul was the only method Sukuna had thought of. It had to work. It had to. 

“Please fucking work.” Sukuna murmured to himself. He sunk his hands deeper into the soul, going at a pace that a tortoise could rival. When he felt like he had a stable hold on such an intangible object, he made his bottom set of hands begin to stretch the soul. He gathered cursed energy into each of his four palms. The soul brightened at the additional energy, strength returning to its wavering form. Carefully, Sukuna withdrew his upper set of hands. A crimson outline of Sukuna’s cursed energy surrounded the curse. He lifted the soul into the air. 

The sunny beach turned dark and the waves stilled. Yuuji’s soul was bright enough that the sun no longer needed to light the world. Sukuna noticed the darkening of the sky and the stillness of the air. Despite killing all life on Earth, Sukuna still felt like he was being watched. It felt ironic that Yuuji made the world pause instead of Sukuna. What remained of nature all stopped to observe the boy’s soul. Sukuna closed his eyes to concentrate on the boy’s now pulsating soul. He breathed deeply several times until the curse entered a meditative state. 

A calmness enveloped Sukuna’s mind, allowing all other thoughts and distractions to fade away. His arms copied the waves of the sea, back and forth and left and right. Each movement caused Yuuji’s soul to grow wider and taller. After copying the motions of the ocean, Sukuna began to have his arms resemble the twirling winds. His lower pair of arms curled upwards to the right and his upperset curled upwards to the left. He would rotate which set of arms moved left or right. This caused the soul to swirl until it resembled a portal. The curse stopped his circular movements once he realized Yuuji’s soul was the appropriate shape. It was time. He brought forth every ounce of power and will he had left. All he had to do was say what he wanted. That is how it always worked. 

“Let this world restart. Let life return to its surface. The life I had taken away.” Once the last word left his mouth, Sukuna felt power drain from him rapidly. Unbeknownst to Sukuna, whose eyes were still closed, the markings along his body started to fade. 

“Let Yuuji be happy. Let him be protected. Let him be loved in the way he deserves.” Sukuna felt another wave of weakness overcome him. His knees began to slightly tremble. He bit his lip as he forced himself to continue. “I want to be there for him, but I am aware that I have done nothing to deserve a second chance. Let his family and friends have this new chance at life.” 

Behind Sukuna, six voids of varying colors manifested. From left to right, the colors of the voids were blue, yellow, black, orange, purple, and red. Mangled limbs began to emerge along with strange clicks and hisses emitting from the voids. Sukuna chose to ignore the noises as he pushed through the weakness spreading to each inch of his body. His bottom pair of eyes disappeared completely. The tattoos he had had ever since he became a curse were vanishing in quick succession. Only the tattoos on his wrists and jawline remained. 

“Let everything be born anew. Let a new timeline emerge while this one is forgotten.”

Sukuna’s lower set of arms disappeared. The portal grew bigger, a myriad of colors spread from the center of the soul. Each entity from the voids had now fully escaped. 

“Let this world be fit for Yuuji.” The entities entered the portal without hesitation.

Sukuna’s tattoos on his wrists and jaw disappeared.

“Throughout hell and earth, I alone am the disgraced one.” Sukuna had a tiny smirk at his twisting of the infinity-user’s infamous phrase. The trembling that had started in his knees had spread to all areas of his body. He was gasping for breath and sweating buckets as he used the last of his cursed energy into manifesting everything he had requested. The world went dark for the curse as his godly form returned to the body of a human. 

No longer was he a towering curse with power that can defeat billions, he was simply an average sized man that lacked extra body parts and tattoos. 

And thus, the King of Curses was gone.

Ryomen stood before the portal blazing with light. He opened his honey colored eyes to look fondly into the manifestation of his son’s being. It emitted the warmth his boy held for everyone around him. The environment around the young man started to decay. Violent gusts of winds were pushing him forward, towards the odd portal. Ryomen was never one to ignore a hint, so he walked towards it with a fond smile. 

“I can’t wait to see you again, my little tiger.”

Cursed Guardians Masterpost!

Hello, dear readers! For any visiting from AO3, hello :D! For those reading exclusively on Tumblr, here is a guide to the cursed souls that are in this fic. This will include a guide to the names and inspirations behind the cursed souls, concept art of the characters (particularly the cursed souls), fanart I have received :D, likely a future Q & A or FAQ, and more! Let's get started!

AO3 Link

Start Fic On Tumblr Here

CURSED SOUL NAMES

Gojo = Infinite

Nanami = Overtime

Choso = Supernova

Todo = Boogie

Megumi = Chimera

Nobara = Resonance

CURSED SOUL DESIGN INSPO

Gojo = Infinite (Based on Eastern Dragon for overall design, Harpy Eagle for talons and beak, White Peacock for vibes and tendency to spread his tail)

Nanami = Overtime (Based on Mummies for his wrappings, Lava Monster for the left side of his body (I pictured Te Ka from Moana the most), Daki from Demon Slayer for her ability to control and weaponize her cloth sashes)

Choso = Supernova (Based on Black Main Coon for overall body, Porcupine for his spines (but I also wanted to incorporate his iconic spiky spacebuns with the spines), Antman for his ability to shrink and enlarge (purely bc I really like Paul Rudd)

Todo = Boogie (Based on Tibetan Mastiff and Grizzly Bear for overall body, Cubone from Pokémon for the skull helmet he wears, and his pendant is a reference to the pendant Todo is seen wearing during the Shibuya Arc (he's seen kissing it in the intro for anime-onlys)

Megumi = Chimera (Based on Hexxus fom Ferngully bc of his goopiness, Susuwatari from Studio Ghibli bc of his ability to shrink into his own shadow and his sea urchin-ness, Gaster from Undertale for more goop inspo)

Nobara = Resonance (Based on a Marionette Doll for her body and movement, Biollante from Godzilla for here weaponized roses, and Mannequins from Resident Evil 8 purely for the creepy factor she can have)

CURSED GUARDIANS CHARACTER CONCEPT ART (Not Complete)

Infinite

Chimera

Overtime

Resonance

Boogie

Supernova

Sukuna

Ryomen

Baby Yuuji

CURSED GUARDIANS FANART!

I received some beautiful pieces of fanart from one of my readers who is an incredible artist. All the works so far featured are drawn by @n0bluev! Check them out on Tumblr!

All fanart is tagged with #cursed guardians fanart

Fanart by @n0bluev: Infinite Chimera Baby Yuuji Cursed Soul Shenanigans

I am honored by all creations made from this fic! I'm always open to any submissions or questions! This fandom can be quite unhinged at times, but also very sweet. Y'all are the best!

No one:

Patton in the latest episode:

Just wanted to say your jjk fic is AMAZING! Tumblr recommended it to me on my fyp and I’m so happy to have picked it up,,,v excited to see how “Mr.Grey” contributes to the story 🫶🏼🫶🏼💕

Thank you!!! That means a lot to hear that! The reception of this fic has been incredible <3

Mr. Grey will be VERY important to the story. Not yet tho ;)

Shit u right

yall haven’t written the next chapter of ur fanfic and it really shows

the absolute chaos we could have had 😭

wish we could've seen more of these three together ;_;

This isn’t a personal attack. These are just facts. I do them all aaaa

growing up without a fidget toy moodboard

CHIMERA FANART by @n0bluev on Tumblr!

Another beautiful piece by @n0bluev! I was astonished that they drew something from my story again. It means so much for a silly little fanfic writer like me to get such amazing fanart.

It's the goopy boi! Chimera looks amazing in this! He looks mysterious and cool and AHH

I could not draw the goop nor his eyelights, and this fanart captures it so well! The green is the only color I wanted on him, and it truly pops. They also included the ability Chimera has to shift his eyelights around. AH! He just looks so awesome in this! This piece really shows the ink I imagined he would be made of. The same ink Megumi's domain has. I could never get it right when I drew him. But look! HE'S SO GOOPY AND INKY! It's just as amazing as the Infinite fanart I received. (I definitely did not praise that work enough! Infinite looks amazing and the bandages were done so well as well as his fur and talons. He's THE bird boi)

Thank you so much again for this @n0bluev :)