Work Text:
The door to Sukuna's old fashioned-styled home creaked open, announcing his wordless arrival. The bitter smell of copper and damp earth clung to his skin and hair, a slight sheen from half-dried sweat making tanned skin glisten in the warm light of the front room. Softer smells, like food and floral perfume wafted from deeper within the house, coaxing Sukuna to remove his shoes and leave them neatly by the door.
Quietly, Sukuna trudged through the dimly lit hallway until he reached the kitchen doorway, where the smell of meat and rice filled his lungs. He watched Uraume from behind as they cooked, their brows knit firmly in concentration. It was endearing how they took such simple tasks so seriously. Sukuna stepped into the kitchen, hovering behind his spouse. Uraume, bless their soul, didn't spook easily, simply glancing over their shoulder at their husband with a soft and welcoming smile. "Welcome home, Sukuna-sama. How was your day?" They asked, a sweet toned hum underlying their voice.
Sukuna rest his chin on their shoulder, sighing heavily and closing all four of his eyes. "Truly awful. I hate having to leave you behind to do things." His bottom lip jutted out a bit, eliciting a small giggle from Uraume. "I know. Soon I will join you out there again, once it's less harmful to have me by your side in battle. I promise." They reached an arm back, scratching Sukuna's head like he was a big dog. "Why don't we set you up in a bath while dinner cools? I'm sure you're exhausted, dear." Sukuna nodded briefly at Uraume's words, pulling away from them to walk towards the bathroom.
Sukuna stayed still as Uraume undressed him. Their gentle hands untied his kimono, sliding it off of broad, tattooed shoulders. They folded it over their arm as they loosened his pants as well, folding both articles of clothing neatly in a laundry hamper. Sukuna didn't often wear shirts, simply because his other two arms got in the way, but he sported a baggy kimono to keep him at least a little protected from the elements when he went out (per Uraume's request).
Sukuna relaxed into the bathtub of steamy water, resting his upper pair of arms on the rim. He leaned his head back into Uraume's hands, letting out a small purr as they pet his head. "I made you a Calendula bath today. The woman at the market said it helps her husband's muscles relax after he comes home from work." They stroked his cheek, running their finger along the dark stripe of the tattoo that wormed around Sukuna's face. "It's lovely, Uraume." Sukuna muttered, turning his face to kiss their palm affectionately.
Uraume reached down, pulling out some homemade shampoo from a little bamboo basket that resided by the tub. They grabbed the cup that had been dedicated to the bath, dunking it under the water and covering Sukuna's eyes. They poured the hot water over his head, thoroughly wetting his hair before setting the cup aside. "Do anything fun today, Sukuna-sama?" They asked, dumping some of the homemade soap onto Sukuna's pale pink strands, dampening their hands before beginning to scrub gently at his scalp.
Sukuna closed his eyes, relaxing in his spouse's hands as they massaged his head with manicured fingers. "Today was uneventful and dreary, I would have much rather stayed at home and tended to you instead." He admitted. Tension seeped out of his muscles and into the warm Calendula steeped water, his body going boneless in the tub. He yawned, sharp canines catching the light. Ever since marrying Uraume, he had improved hygiene, mostly because they held him down and scrubbed him like he were a feral animal. But, because of them, he probably added a couple years onto his life span. At least in this era.
Uraume dipped their hands into the water, rinsing off the suds from the soap and grabbing the cup again. They filled it, pouring it over Sukuna's head until all the soap was out of his hair. Sukuna stayed still as they did this, a soft purr reverberating in the back of his throat with each touch from their hands. He opened both sets of eyes, looking up at Uraume and blinking slowly. Uraume smiled at him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "You smell better already. Less like a battlefield, and more like a man." They teased, drying their hands on their kimono. They placed their palms against Sukuna's shoulders, beginning to work out the large knotted muscle underneath his skin.
Sukuna hunched over a little to help Uraume reach better, resting his forehead against his arm. He could fall asleep just like this, but he wouldn't, simply because Uraume was almost three feet shorter than him and more delicate than he was. He was a behemoth, they wouldn't be able to drag him out of the bathroom without spraining something.
Uraume dug their thumbs into Sukuna's shoulder blades, rubbing the tightened muscle firmly to loosen it up. It was definitely an arm workout, but it helped their husband relax, so it was worth it. They rubbed his neck, dragging their knuckles down his spine and working on his second pair of shoulders. Slowly but surely, Sukuna's tenseness melted away under Uraume's hands, leaving his back aching in a relieving way. Uraume pecked his shoulder once they finished the little massage, walking away from the tub and grabbing a fluffy towel.
Sukuna rose from the water, stepping out of the bathtub and onto the stone bath mat by the edge. He bent down, letting Uraume roughly towel dry his hair. They giggled quietly at his messy hair, which stuck out in every direction from being dried. Sukuna wrapped himself in the towel, planting a kiss on Uraume's forehead and leaving the bathroom with them.
"Once you're dressed, we will eat. I made lamb and long grain rice for dinner, with some fresh wine." Uraume patted Sukuna's chest, parting ways with him in the hallway and travelling to the front room to set up the table. Sukuna watched them go, an annoying longing feeling clawing at his chest. He was the king of curses for God's sakes, and here he was, fawning over someone who used to be his servant. He'd never let anyone aside from Uraume see this gentle and spongy side of him for as long as he lived.
Dressed in a night robe, Sukuna left the bedroom and appeared in the front room, kneeling at the table across from Uraume. Uraume in question dished out a large spoonful of rice onto Sukuna's plate, patting it down and topping it with some of the steaming lamb and sauce. They set the pots down in the middle of the table, pressing their hands together in front of them and bowing slightly. "Itadakimasu." They said sharply, looking at Sukuna expectantly. Another thing Uraume had implemented on Sukuna was manners, and he was still getting used to it. "Itadakimasu." Sukuna repeated, earning a pleased smile from his spouse.
He wasted no time scooping a large mouthful of rice and lamb into his mouth, chewing like he hadn't eaten for years. Uraume didn't seem to mind, also beginning to dig into their food. "I spent a lot of time at the market today," they said between chews, washing it down with some wine. "I found some new tree gel to try on your hair. The seller said it's more of a firm hold, so your hair doesn't get all messy while you're working. It smells lovely, too." Sukuna couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. Uraume had taught him what it was like to be wanted and appreciated, and it ceased the angry fire that constantly burned in his gut.
"How kind, 'ame." He said, wiping the back of his mouth with his hand. Uraume's cheeks flushed pink at the nickname, their eyes focused down on their dinner. "It's my pleasure, Sukuna-sama." They said softly, just barely hiding the giddiness they felt.
Sukuna was finished with his plate embarrassingly fast, but he stayed seated until Uraume was finished. He helped them wash the dishes and store away the leftovers. "I think I'll bring some to the market tomorrow." Uraume said, their eyes sparkling as they closed the door to the food storage room. Lately, they had been going more and more. They had actually been making nice friends there, and it was beyond freeing to be able to be social with others in the village. "I think that's a great idea." Sukuna hummed in reply, brushing some snow white hair out of Uraume's face. Uraume leaned into Sukuna's touch, sighing happily. "Shall we get you to bed?" They said, taking his much larger hand in their own.
Sukuna nodded in agreement, allowing Uraume to pull him by the fingers towards their shared bedroom. Uraume pulled a white colored jinbei from their dresser, pulling their day clothes off. Sukuna watched them intently, taking in their milky skin and body like it might disappear if he blinked. Uraume tied the jinbei around their body, the soft fabric brushing against their shoulders and hips. They turned around, crossing their arms at Sukuna's staring. "Lay down," they chided, shuffling over to Sukuna's side of the bed.
Sukuna obeyed, letting Uraume tuck him in like he were a child. They kissed his forehead, turning off the light in the room and climbing into bed next to their husband. Sukuna wrapped all four arms around Uraume, pulling them close to his chest like they were a big teddy bear. Uraume happily nuzzled into Sukuna's neck, pressing little kisses right below his earlobe.
"Goodnight, Sukuna-sama." They whispered. "Goodnight, Uraume." Sukuna mumbled in reply, rubbing circles on Uraume's back as they both drifted off.