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Brisk cool air chilled Megumi's fingers as she took a drag of her cigarette, blowing out the smoke in slow puffs. Scooting closer into the cold cement walls of the empty ball field's outdoor restroom, she tugged on her leather jacket over her uniform to block the gust of wind cutting through her body. Megumi tapped her phone screen on. She didn't have much longer until school let out with only skipping her last class of the day.
Snuffing out her cigarette, she flicked the butt onto the road and pulled out a marker from her jacket pocket. At this point in the afternoon, Megumi had scrolled and scrolled on her phone so long that her brain felt like mush, or maybe that was the nicotine buzz. Either way, she was bored of scrolling.
Megumi uncapped the marker and started doodling on the front of her thighs. Semi-faded bunnies and snippets of song lyrics drawn on from earlier that week already decorated her skin. She was too young to get actual tattoos, being only seventeen and a broke high schooler, but this would suffice for at least the next few months until her birthday.
Tsumiki will probably gripe at her when they both get home. It was the same spiel day in and day out that she was ruining her perfect skin and that Dad wouldn't be happy if he saw. Not that Megumi cared what he thought. The bastard was rarely home anyways.
And when he was home, he always made comments about how Megumi was nothing but a letdown and was going to end up in a ditch one day if she failed out of school. It pissed Megumi off every time he ran his mouth. They'll just have to live with the fact that she simply wasn't gonna live up to the picture perfect image her deadbeat father expected both of his daughters to uphold.
Hearing the final bell for the day ring in the distance, Megumi capped the marker and hoisted herself off the ground, dusting off the stray blades of grass off her skirt and pulling her school bag over her shoulder. She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and hiked back to where the mass of students spilled out of the school, laughing amongst their friends before heading home in different directions.
Megumi walked along the sidewalk, kicking rocks onto the road as cars passed by. Uncaring if there were other students trailing behind her, she fished her lighter from her pocket, hoping to get one last smoke in before arriving home. Flicking the metal piece with her thumb and sparking it to life, a red car sped by causing the cold wind to whip through her hair and the spark die out before lighting her cigarette.
If it were anyone else, Megumi would have cussed after the vehicle for driving too close to the sidewalk at too fast speeds, but she could only giggle inwardly at Sukuna's boyish flirting, showing off to impress the high schooler as he drove his younger brother home from school. The days Yuuji had sports practice, Sukuna would arrive at the school to pick Megumi up instead. The college student often would make small detours, stopping to eat food with his girlfriend before eventually dropping her off a block away from home. Other times, he'd pick Megumi up before school let out so they'd have more time to do something fun together whether that was catching a movie or perusing the shops. Megumi savored every minute of their little dates.
Crossing her fingers, Megumi hoped tonight would be a night that Toji didn't come home or at least passed out drunk on the couch early. It would make sneaking out way easier. Megumi stopped counting the amount of times her dad caught her halfway out of the window, his hands on his hips as he stood in her bedroom doorway. Toji grounding her did little to stop Megumi from successfully sneaking out of the house. She only got smarter by purchasing a speaker to play music at night, one that had a timer to cut off at a certain time, making it seem that she was still home and simply heading to bed.
Rounding the corner onto her street, Megumi threw the cigarette to the pavement, crushing it under the sole of her loafer. She tugged her bag to her front and pulled out a perfume bottle, giving herself a few sprits to mask the smoky scent clinging to her clothes.
Door already unlocked, Megumi stepped inside the home and kicked off her shoes as she greeted Tsumiki who was in the kitchen fixing dinner for the two of them. Per usual, there was no sign of Toji that she could see.
Megumi padded straight to her bedroom, kicking the door shut and dropping her bag over the back of her desk chair. Tsumiki shouted down the hall telling Megumi not to get to comfortable as she'd have dinner ready soon, her voice muffled through the wooden door. Megumi rolled her eyes, flopping onto her bed and turning on her phone.
Flipping to her texts, she opened the thread between her and her boyfriend, who somehow had time while driving to take a picture of her from behind before he had zoomed past her. Her skirt had blown up from the windy day, revealing a small glimpse of the light blue panties she was wearing. Below the picture Sukuna had sent a string of suggestive emojis that had Megumi grinning at the screen. She sent back a GIF of an angry cat, knowing that Sukuna would only see it as her being cute.
A knock on her bedroom door startled Megumi, scrambling to close out of her messages before Tsumiki popped her head in the room. "Dinner's ready."
Tossing the phone onto her pillow, Megumi let out a big sigh, rolling off the bed and dragging her feet to the dining room. Pulling out a chair and plopping down in it, Tsumiki set a plate down in front of her before taking her own seat.
"Didn't see you in the halls after lunch. Where did you go?" Her sister pestered as she took a bite.
Megumi simply shrugged her shoulders, not really wanting to be harassed about skipping school again. She pushed around the food on her plate with her fork before finally eating. She could tell Tsumiki was upset with her but was biting her tongue on the matter.
"Well, this weekend I have plans with a few of the girls so I won't be home much during the day. Try not to get in trouble or start anything with Dad," Tsumiki pleaded but almost dismissively as if she was expecting Megumi to act out no matter what she said.
It's not like Megumi was actively seeking trouble. Overlooking the school truancy and sneaking out to see Sukuna, Megumi was a good student grades-wise, being very tidy at home and keeping to herself most of the time. She was never one who had to study to get good marks and Toji never once had to yell at her for disrespecting the physical house.
"I'll do my best," Megumi mumbled, propping her head up in the palm of her hand.
Not having the appetite to finish the rest of her plate, Megumi stood up from the table and took her dishes over to the sink, giving them a quick wash before placing them in the drying rack. Megumi scurried back to her bedroom, locking her door on the way in and opened her closet.
Sukuna had invited her to go with him to a house party that night. One of the guys he knew was in a makeshift band and would be playing tonight. The original plan was for it to be a small get-together but they both knew better than to expect anything less than a full house.
After selecting a few outfit options from her wardrobe and shuffling over to her floor-length mirror, Megumi alternated holding the hangers in front of herself, contemplating how provocative she wanted to be for Sukuna. Honestly if Megumi wore a trash bag, Sukuna would probably find it hot and tell her that she's setting the newest fashion trend.
Megumi didn't want to seem too young by wearing flashy clothing that she'd later feel uncomfortable in, so she settled on a pair of black denim shorts and an oversized tee and flannel. It covered her figure enough but still showcased her long legs that Sukuna loved so much. She was way taller than most girls but Sukuna still towered over her, at least a whole head taller.
Once changed, Megumi took a seat at her desk, pulling out her mini mirror and makeup and spent the rest of the evening applying her eyeliner and touching up her long hair that had gotten tangled from the wind. After a while, her phone buzzed on the desk next to her, lighting up to show Sukuna's text letting her know he was parked in the usual spot. Quickly packing everything back into the drawer of her desk and dimming the lights in her room, Megumi laced up her boots and turned on the speaker, adjusting the volume so it wasn't suspiciously loud.
Megumi did one last once over, making sure everything was in order and she had everything she needed before lifting up the window and climbing out, hopping down onto the grass. She reached up to quietly shut the window back to then tear out of the yard and race down the street. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, sprinting faster once the red car came into her sights.
Hearing the car unlock, she whipped the door open and threw herself into her seat, eagerly pressing her lips to Sukuna's. A large hand placed itself on her hip before dragging down the round of her ass and squeezing at her bare thigh.
"Hi baby," Sukuna whispered against her lips, his other hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Hi," she whispered back, batting her eyelashes down at the man before settling into the passenger seat. Sukuna leaned over, tugging the belt across her chest and clicking the buckle into place for her. Revving up his engines, Sukuna pulled off the curb and drove them to the party, his hand wrapping fully around the widest part of her thigh.
Megumi could feel the music way before they could see the house, the bass rattling the bones in her chest. Sukuna parked the car as close as he could with all the other vehicles lining the curb. Shutting the engine off and stuffing his keys into his pocket, Sukuna stepped out and circled around the hood to open Megumi's door for her. Megumi lifted herself out of the car and up on her tiptoes to give Sukuna a quick peck before lacing their fingers together, letting her boyfriend lead her up to the front door and into the house.
Whiny pop-punk singing filled the air, people bopping their heads to the beat of the drums and strumming guitar. Sukuna beelined them to the kitchen, immediately taking two cans of beer from the fridge and cracking them open. He handed one to Megumi and then took a large swig out of his own can.
Every couch and chair in the house was already taken, leaving Megumi to hop up on the kitchen counter. Sukuna gladly wedged himself between her thighs, setting his beer down on the marble to free both roaming hands pushing up under her shirt.
"I love showing you off, baby. I can't wait until your birthday so I can parade you everywhere," Sukuna confided, pressing wet kisses into the column of her neck, his hands gripping her chest giving her small tits a squeeze. Megumi took a gulp of her beer and then another before locking lips with her boyfriend. People came and went from the kitchen but they paid no attention to the strangers, too lost in each other to care about who's watching.
"Not much longer until then. Time's gonna fly anyways," Megumi promised with a toast of their beer cans.
And the months did indeed fly by. Before they knew it, it was December and Megumi had turned eighteen. The week after, Megumi had drafted up a letter and the necessary paperwork to drop out of school. It had been their plan for a few weeks now that they run away together, knowing that Toji and the general public would never approve of the pair being together, not with the circumstances they met in.
Hearing the car horn honk outside her house, Megumi hiked the duffel bag packed full of her clothes and other belongings onto her shoulder. She stopped in her doorway on her way out, giving the room one final looked before shutting the door behind her and leaving her childhood home forever. Upon seeing her step out on the curb, Sukuna exited the car and took the bag from his girlfriend, stuffing it in the trunk for her as she buckled in.
"You ready to get out of here?" Sukuna asked, double checking for any second thoughts before they officially skipped town.
Megumi nodded, her head rolling to the side against the headrest to get a good look at him. She had been ready for a long time now, looking forward to live life freely together and without any scrutiny from family. Sukuna leaned in to peck her on the cheek before taking off down the street. Megumi stuck a cigarette between her lips, lighting it and taking a couple drags before giving the rest to her boyfriend.
"We should get married to celebrate."
Megumi's eyes crinkled in humor at the whimsical comment. It wasn't so outlandish to imagine being Sukuna's wife. They've been dating for about a year and a half now, meeting when Megumi was just sixteen outside of a pub that she had snuck out to. Her boyfriend never once treated her any less than a princess, caring for all of her financial and emotional needs when her family did not.
"Well, let's go get me a dress and you a suit," Megumi suggested. Her tone was teasing but at no point was she joking. She giggled as she watched the gears churn in Sukuna's head as he realized just how serious Megumi was. Foot pressed hard to the gas pedal, Sukuna squeezed her hand promisingly.
After about an hour or two of driving, they pulled into town and stopped at small mom and pop thrift store. With a firm slap on her ass, Megumi split off in her own direction, leaving Sukuna to browse the men's section by himself. The shop had a few wedding dresses to select from, ones that were in style maybe a decade ago but definitely not now. Ultimately she chose the dress with a built-in corset and that was off the shoulders. The fabric laid in a petticoat shape, poofing out in tiered layers before expanding into a small train. Megumi fell in love with the dress. It was perfect, simply all she needed.
Drapping the fabric over her arms, she met Sukuna at the register. A suit jacket sat on the counter, soon joined by the dress once scanned into the machine. Megumi tucked herself into Sukuna's arm as he paid the clerk.
"Is there a bathroom I can use to change in?" Megumi politely inquired, bowing respectfully at the clerk once she pointed off to the side.
Megumi pressed a kiss into Sukuna's shoulder before heading over the the single stall bathroom and locking the door. Not wanting to waste any time, she ripped her clothes off and tugged the dress over her head. Tying the laces on the back-boning of the dress proved a bit difficult to do on her own but she managed to at least get it tight enough so the dress wouldn't fall off her body. Megumi gathered her clothes up in her arms and exited the bathroom, rejoining Sukuna at the door, who took her hand into his own and gave her a small spin.
Waving thanks to the clerk, they headed back out to the car. Goosebumps prickled on her skin from the bitter winter air, running her hands up and down her arms to warm herself up. Taking notice of his soon-to-be wife's discomfort, Sukuna popped the truck and retrieved her leather jacket from her duffel bag. He held the garment open so Megumi could snake her arms inside the coat.
"C'mon, I'm ready for you to be my husband," Megumi reveled with love thick in her voice. Like every time before, Sukuna held the car door open for her and they wasted no time driving to the courthouse. Dragging some poor soul off the street for their witness, they filed their paperwork inside and signed the marriage license together.
The judge ordaining them was an older man, and repeatedly did he gush about how lovely it was to see young people so in love and wish them a happy and prosperous marriage. Once everything was finalized, the judge announced them as husband and wife and encouraged them to share their first kiss as a newly wed couple.
When informing the man they were new to the area, the judge suggested they celebrate their union at the town tavern where there would be live music playing and half-off food specials tonight. Sukuna thanked him for the suggestion before bowing in gratitude on their way out the door. Megumi clutched the marriage license in her hand as they walked to the car, tracing over the ink with her finger; now sharing a last name with Sukuna felt unreal to her.
Sukuna briefly unlocked the car so they could tuck the documents into the glove box. The aforementioned tavern was just a few minutes of a walk into downtown so the pair chose to enjoy the scenery together on foot where they had been in the car all day. Snow lightly fell around them as the sun dipped below the horizon.
As they got closer, laughter and cheers from people hanging out on the sidewalks grew louder. A few congratulations shouted around the pair as they passed by and walked up to the door of the tavern, Megumi giggling in pure glee. This was her new reality.
Just inside the door, they were stopped at a table by a security guard, who held up his hands indicating to see their IDs. As they presented the cards, Megumi's eyes roamed around the place. People hung over the bar with drinks in hand, others pushed against the stage dancing to the music.
Bringing her gaze back to the table before her, a newspaper laid on the surface. The paper was flipped to the local news section displaying a missing persons ad—one that boldly printed her name and physical description. Feeling rage and panic swell within her chest, she pointed at the newspaper.
"You mind if I borrow that?"
The security guard shrugged his shoulders, not really looking like he gave a shit if he had it or not. Thankful for him not asking any questions, Megumi snatched up the paper and folded it in half.
"I'm gonna run to the bathroom. Meet me at the bar?" Megumi shouted into Sukuna's ear, her voice drowned out by the band. Sukuna nodded, taking the IDs back from the security guard.
Leaving her husband behind at the door, Megumi weaved through the crowd, holding both the newspaper and the train of her dress in her arms as she pushed open the bathroom door. Locking it behind her, she plopped down on the toilet lid, dress pushed up her legs haphazardly. Graffiti littered the walls, the toilet, the door—anywhere she could lay her eyes on was vandalized.
She gave the newspaper a good shake before reading how she disappeared from home after turning in paperwork dropping herself out of school. It read on saying that her father and sister greatly missed her and urged anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the local police. The ad must have been Tsumiki's doing because no way in hell would Toji want her back home.
Fed up with the story, Megumi stood up and unlatched the small window near the ceiling of the bathroom, plucking her lighter out of her pocket. Making herself comfortable on the toilet lid again, she flicked the lighter a couple times before it ignited. The flame held steady as Megumi hovered it under the newspaper, the corner catching fire and burning rapidly in her hands.
Once the flame grew too big, Megumi dropped the paper on the floor and watched it turn into a pile of ashes. Call it a metaphor or whatever, her past life was left behind, her memories burning away along with the ink on the paper. Megumi was finally feeling free, like her true self. She didn't need any more reminders of the home that forced her to conform to society's social standards.
Careful to not drag her dress on the floor, Megumi stamped out the pieces still smoldering with her boot and washed her hands of the ash. Not wanting to worry with how long she had been gone, Megumi didn't bother wasting time to latch the window back, instead hastily leaving the bathroom in search of her husband who was leaned up behind a free chair at the bar nursing a glass of beer.
Megumi smiled to herself as she approached him, laying a hand on his bicep in greeting. The man paused mid swig to look down at his wife in surprise before pulling the chair out and motioning for Megumi to take a seat.
"Everything okay?"
Megumi nodded, pulling Sukuna down by his collar into a sweet kiss. "Never better now that we can spend the rest of our lives together in the way we want to."