Chapter Text
1.
“Lord Sukuna, may I please borrow some of your time?”
Sukuna stared down at you with both pairs of his arms crossed. You stared at him expectantly, your hands behind your back. He clicked his tongue.
“Thank you, my Lord!” You smiled up at him and held out a large, empty basket. He took the basket, glancing it over for a moment as you turned around and started walking away. He followed suit.
You led the Demon Lord out into the gardens, humming a soft tune to yourself as you walked between two long rows of fruit trees. Peaches were ripe for picking at this time of season.
“This tree looks perfect,” you stopped and so did Sukuna. He watched as you rolled your sleeves and reached up, picking off one peach from its branch. After a second of checking it, you tossed it into the basket Sukuna was holding.
After ten minutes passed, Sukuna grew bored. This was a waste of his time, carrying a basket for peach-picking. This level of domesticity was unbefitting for a ruler like him. He could easily strike you down with just one—
“Lord Sukuna, why don’t you have this peach?” You stood right in front of the Demon Lord, your hand holding up a peach to his face. He actually looked a bit surprised.
He leaned down a bit and you smiled, pressing the peach up against his lips. He took a large bite out of it. “How is it?”
He took a couple of seconds to chew. “Sweet.” You laughed. And suddenly, he remembered why he was doing this.
“You should eat more peaches this month, Lord Sukuna,” you said as you turned back towards the peach tree. He held the basket out again. “I‘ll ask Uraume-san to add more to your dishes.”
“Don’t annoy them with this,” Sukuna stared down at the basket, half full with peaches.
“Then shall I cut one for you every morning?” You offered nonchalantly. “Or maybe one as a dessert? Something sweet to cover that iron taste from dinner.”
Sukuna closed his eyes in thought, a sigh escaping him. This level of domesticity… “I’m not a fan of sweet things.”
“That’s a shame, Lord Sukuna,” you sighed, disappointed, and continued with your peach picking.
You… “… After dinner.”
You looked up at him, a smile forming on your lips. You laughed rather sweetly. “Speaking of Uraume-san, the plum trees should be ready to pick soon.”
2.
“How was your dinner, my Lord?” You asked, sat down beside Sukuna. He’d just finished eating the last of Uraume’s dinner. Delicious as always, you’d assume.
“Fine.” Sukuna responded bluntly. You laughed softly.
“Would you like any dessert?” You brought up a rag to Sukuna’s face, carefully wiping the corners of his mouth. He let you.
Before he could respond or you could add on, two servants came in to clean up Sukuna’s plates. He reclined back against one of his hands and you stayed silent, letting them clean up everything. One servant glanced at you for a little too long, but you didn't bring it up.
Sukuna furrowed his eyebrows as he watched both servants leave, clicking his tongue in displeasure. You frowned. “Here, my Lord,” you quickly raised a peach slice up to his mouth.
You smiled when he ate it. “I asked Uraume-san if they could make anything with all the peaches we collected,” you said, feeding slices to Sukuna when he finished chewing. “I even offered to help out in the kitchen, but they didn’t look too pleased.”
Sukuna scoffed, glancing down at you with subtle amusement. He glanced down to the plate in your hand, a single peach slice left. Just as you were about to take it, he reached down and took it himself. “Leave the cooking to Uraume.”
You sighed, but understood the sentiment. “I understand, Lord—“ you felt a sudden sensation on your lips. It was the peach slice. You took it into your mouth and chewed, smiling when you felt the peach’s juice on your tongue. You laughed as you wiped your mouth. “Thank you, Lord Sukuna.”
“Stick to picking fruits.”
3.
“Uraume-san, will you accompany me down to the nearby village?”
“For what reason?” Uraume looked up from their up, their gaze landing on you as the two of you walked through the palace’s corridor. Two acquaintances taking a nice stroll.
“Just a sudden urge,” you laughed softly, looking down at Uraume. “Maybe we can find some new ingredients? Something foreign?”
“You have high expectations for grocery shopping.”
“Maybe I do,” you smiled at them and they sighed. “I’ll ask Lord Sukuna—“
“Ask me what?” Uraume stopped in their tracks and you jumped, looking behind and coming face to face with Sukuna’s chest.
“Lord Sukuna,” you smiled as you turned to face him. “I was going to ask if you’d permit me and Uraume-san to leave the palace for a few hours, to go to the market.”
Sukuna furrowed his eyebrows. “What would you need from those people?”
“I was curious if there was anything new in the market,” you explained, a bit sheepishly. You were a terrible liar, even Uraume could sense that. Sukuna stared down at you, brows knitted together and his lips pouting ever so slightly. He glanced away.
“Don’t bring any attention to yourselves.” You raised your eyebrows, but smiled up at the Demon Lord.
“Thank you, Lord Sukuna,” you stepped and turned away, waving at the two of them. “I’ll get ready, Uraume-san, I’ll meet you outside. I’ll make sure to find you something as well, my Lord.”
The two watched you make your exit, Uraume finally letting out a sigh. Sukuna would let you get away with anything. “My Lord, you really do spoil them.”
Sukuna huffed a bit. “If someone dares to attack the two of you, slaughter them.”
“Of course.”
4.
The seasons were starting to change. You’d noticed it when you were sitting outside on the veranda, a cold breeze blowing past you. You sneezed.
You rubbed your nose and sighed, looking forward at the palace garden. Sukuna had no need for a garden, yet here it was, tended by a servant every day, three times. Soon enough, all the autumnal flowers would start to bloom and you couldn’t wait for them. For now, you’d have to enjoy the buds.
You felt a large weight on your shoulders and you looked up. A robe.
“You’ll get sick sitting out here.” Sukuna looked down at you, pouting ever so slightly.
“My Lord, don’t worry, it’s not so cold out here,” you laughed it off, pulling the robe closer around your chest, its warmth surrounding you. Sukuna sat down beside you. Even sitting, he towered over you. He reclined against a pair of his arms.
“What are you doing out here, my Lord?” You asked, your gaze falling back to the garden in front of you. Sukuna’s gaze followed suit.
“There’s a rat in the palace.” You frowned.
“A rat?” You glanced up to Sukuna and a pair of his eyes met yours. “It won’t eat through the plants, will it?”
“No, it won’t,” he replied. “It’s somewhere in the kitchen. Uraume will deal with it.”
“Perfect,” you smiled up at him. “Maybe Uraume-san won’t leave a mess in the kitchen this time. Their frost would make the palace chilly.” You shivered for effect.
“They’re capable of luring out a rat,” Sukuna said simply, reaching out to pull you closer to his body. You sighed and nodded.
“You’re right, my Lord.” You rested your head against Sukuna’s chest. After a moment of staring at the red buds, you closed your eyes. “Spider lilies are beautiful when they bloom, aren’t they, Lord Sukuna?”
Sukuna furrowed his eyebrows. “I suppose so.”
“Once they bloom, may I pick one for myself?”
He clicked his tongue. “Pick as many as you want.”
You laughed softly. “Thank you, my Lord.”
Another moment passed and suddenly, you heard a loud commotion from inside the palace. You turned your head back, but Sukuna only sighed heavily. Another moment and you see a servant run from the kitchen’s direction, Uraume chasing after them.
“Ah, the rat’s been found, Lord Sukuna.”