At the sound of Sukuna's voice, he stiffened, a barely perceptible flicker of confusion passing through his eyes.
The arms wrapped around him from behind held him so tightly he could barely breathe. He let out a muffled grunt, and those hands immediately froze before easing their grip, leaving only a loose embrace around him-
They trembled faintly, as though their owner was doing everything he could to restrain his strength and keep from hurting him.
Familiar fluctuations of cursed energy flowed around him. The energy of Reverse Cursed Technique swiftly enveloped his body, bringing a warm, gentle sensation.
Somewhat bewildered by this sudden change, he slowly opened his eyes.
What he saw was the other man's neck, shoulders, and back pressed close against him-all trembling just as faintly.
He parted his lips, and that scene from his dream suddenly surfaced in his mind-
Beneath a tree in the darkness, Sukuna, covered in blood, smiled in his direction and spoke softly:
[Don't... be afraid...]
That was what he had told him.
Don't... be afraid...
That fine, relentless ache surged up again, as though it would gnaw his heart apart bit by bit.
His breathing faltered for a moment. He pressed his lips together, forcing down the sudden pang of sorrow rising in his chest.
His tense body slowly relaxed, little by little.
He lowered his head, looking at Sukuna as he held him, and hesitated-
He raised both hands, tentatively placing them on Sukuna's back-
-and gently patted it in reassurance.
"...Mm..."
After thinking for a moment, he still gave a quiet reply.
"...I'm here."
The arms loosely embracing him abruptly froze.
They tightened around him again. The fingertips against his back trembled as they curled inward, pulling deep creases into his clothes.
He could hear the other man's low,