I Don't Like Him! (SUKUNA X MEGUMI)

7

Hey *runs away before I'm beaten to death*

The next practice went off much better. Apparently Sukuna had given the boys a thorough talking-to when it came to bullying Megumi, and though he still got the occasional side-eye or nasty glare every time he missed an easy shot or did something stupid, Megumi had a much smoother experience than last time.

He couldn't help feeling grateful towards Sukuna, but he couldn't help feeling annoyed, either- he hated being pitied in any way, and he couldn't help but have the niggling little feeling at the back of his mind that Sukuna had taken pity on him and told the other players off on his behalf. He could take care of himself- he didn't need Ryoumen-damn-Sukuna to do it for him, like some sort of.....some sort of....protective daddy.

He'd practiced a bit on his own as well, at home, and he tried much harder than he had last time, even managing to score a goal or two before half-time of the match they were playing. He got a small clap on the back from Mahito, and a gruff nod of acknowledgment from Geto, and couldn't help feeling rather proud of himself. He was only about to head to the bleachers to chug down some water before the match restarted, when a large, familiar figure appeared in front of him, blocking his way.

For once, Megumi did not scowl- he smiled up at Sukuna, feeling strangely happy. 'Hey, Sukuna.'

'Hey, Megumi,' Sukuna seemed a little taken aback by Megumi's bright smile, but he grinned back regardless. 'I was watching you play today- you've still got a lot to learn, but you've improved....a lot. I must say, I'm quite surprised. Have you been practicing by yourself?'

'I guess,' Megumi shrugged. 'I mean- I don't really get a lot of free time, at home- you know, homework and stuff- and my dad, he-' he stopped abruptly, and went red. 'I just...I did whatever little I could, but yeah, it isn't enough.'

'Of course it isn't,' Sukuna replied. He bent down to Megumi's level, and Megumi blinked slightly as the sports captain's face tattoos shone brightly in the sun, dazzling him. 'Have you considered taking extra coaching?'

Megumi stared. 'Coaching? I don't know...I don't really have that kind of money to spare-'

'You don't need any money,' Sukuna interrupted him. 'You're part of the team, you're entitled to free coaching.'

'I don't know,' Megumi hedged. 'I've never though about it before....and coaching from who, exactly?'

'Me, obviously.' Sukuna straightened up. 'Who else?'

Megumi gaped. 'You want me to take basketball coaching....from you?'

Sukuna looked down at him, lifting an eyebrow. 'Yes. Anything wrong with that?'

Megumi swallowed. 'No, of course not- but, I mean- there's really no room at my house, and my school schedule is packed already-'

'You can come over to my place,' Sukuna said, casually, as though every word he was saying wasn't making Megumi's heart pick up pace by about a hundred miles a minute. 'I've got a basketball court of my own, back home- I could coach you there, individually. Just you and me, alone together for about an hour or so on weekends- a week or two of proper training and practice and you'll be well up to team standards, maybe even surpass the others. You've got it in you, the ability, the speed, the footwork- you just need to bring all of those out, and I know the perfect way to do it. What do you say?'

Megumi stared blankly back at him, unable to form words, unable to react to the sudden, unexpected proposal. Sukuna shrugged his shoulders and picked up the whistle lying around his neck.

'Think about it,' he briskly told Megumi, and then raised his lips to the whistle and blew it. 'Half-time over, everybody! Back to positions!'

...........

'Are you kidding me?' Yuuji's eyes were wide as saucers once Megumi finished narrating everything that had happened that morning during break. 'Ryoumen Sukuna actually agreed to coach you, himself? For free?'

Megumi nodded. He was having a hard time believing it himself. 'Yeah.'

'And you said yes, right?' Yuuji gripped his arm, tightly. 

'I didn't give him a reply, actually,' Megumi bit his lip. 'He told me to think about it.'

'Why the fuck would you want to think about it, dumbass?' Yuuji groaned. 'Bro, Ryoumen Sukuna's willing to train you- for free- and you know what you're supposed to do when Ryoumen Sukuna agrees to train you for free?'

'I'll tell you what you're supposed to do,' Nobara quipped, through her mouthful of chicken drumstick. 'You're supposed to say 'I'd rather you make the offer to Itadori Yuuji, not me- he's the biggest simp of yours to ever exist.''

Yuuji scowled at her. 'Ha-ha. Very funny.' He turned back to Megumi. 'You're supposed to accept, dumbass. Accept. You're not gonna get a better coach than Ryoumen Sukuna in your entire lifetime- and plus, it's Ryoumen Sukuna, for fuck's sake. He's actually inviting you over to his house, to train you- think of all the amazing stuff you could see there! His giant mansion, and his nine-feet-deep swimming pool, and his gigantic basketball court, and his three fierce German shepherds-'

'and his diamond-laced boxers, and gold-encrusted briefs, and his own personal rainbow-coloured-swans,' Nobara rolled her eyes. 'Lay off Megumi, Yuuji. It's his decision. It's up to him whether he wants to accept the offer or not.'

'I suppose,' Megumi said, slowly, 'it would be the sensible thing to do....I do need to catch up to the others before we go playing matches against other schools, and I end up getting frightfully embarrassed- and I guess Sukuna really is the only person who'd be willing to coach me for free...'

'That's my boy,' Yuuji said, proudly, clapping his back. 'Now you're talking sense. Now you go right up to Sukuna and tell him you're ready for him to give you personal coaching-'

'Wait a minute,' Nobara grabbed Megumi's hand as he rose, urged by Yuuji, to go over to talk to Sukuna a few tables away. She pulled him down once more, and looked into his eyes. 'Megumi, you sure about this?'

Megumi looked at her uncomfortably. 'What do you mean?'

'I mean, you two hate each other, don't you?' Nobara pointed out. 'And he still really hasn't taken his revenge on you for punching him in the guts the way you did on the first day- what if this is part of some twisted plan of his? To call you over to his place and humiliate you in some way?'

Yuuji groaned. 'Why the fuck would you put something like that into his head, Nobara? Of course Sukuna's not gonna do that! He's not that petty.'

'Hey, I'm just worried about him, okay?' Nobara glared at him. 'I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Megumi, would you? Are you completely sure about this, Megumi?'

Megumi stared pensively into her eyes for a moment, then nodded and rose back up again, looking determined. 'Don't worry, Nobara. I'll accept his offer. And I'm going to be perfectly fine.'

Now, is he?