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As an elementary school teacher, the primary adults you interacted with when it came to the children in your care was parents, followed by grandparents. The main support system around children, attending pickup and parent-teacher meetings. But Itadori Yuuji was a part of the minority, you seemed to see his uncle Sukuna just as often as you saw his mother Kaori. Little Yuuji always seemed just as pleased to see his uncle as his mother, sometimes moreso, but you supposed that was none of your business - he was a happy kid, of course he was excited to see the adults in his life.
For your part, you were always far more happy to see Sukuna. He was handsome, sarcastic and biting in a way you’d always been able to appreciate, and well.. you shouldn’t think it, because it was none of your business, but you just didn’t like Kaori. You hated to say it, because women supporting woman and everything, but there was just something about her that rubbed you the wrong way. You’d met Yuuji’s lovely father Jin, and you’d privately spoken to your best friend just to say.. you really weren’t sure what he saw in her. Maybe that was too far, because again it truly was none of your business.. but you couldn’t help thinking it. The woman just unsettled you in a way you couldn’t explain. Okay - you’re justifying yourself to yourself, take a deep breath.
Anyway.
She just wasn’t your favourite parent, and you liked Sukuna better. That was no crime.
One thing you’d slowly come to learn over the course of pickups with Sukuna was that he also was not his sister-in-law’s biggest fan. Far from it, actually. You’d found out one day when you’d been just a little too obvious about your relief to see him. You’d not intended for it, but it’d been a particularly long day and you’d not been quick enough to mask your reaction on seeing him.
“Long day?” Sukuna asked with that smirk that gave you butterflies as he approached, kneeling down preemptively to catch Yuuji as he sprinted towards his uncle to be lifted up.
“Something like that.” You’d replied, watching the interaction between the two pink haired boys with a smile.
“You looked relieved to see me, now I’m not gonna complain about a pretty girl looking at me like that, but it makes me think there’s someone you were dreading to see.” He mused as he fixed Yuuji’s collar and hair absently, like it was a habit to do it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr Ryomen.”
“None of that shit, I’ve told you, call me Sukuna.” He said, looking down with you a disapproving raised brow that oddly made you think he’d make a good teacher himself, in another life maybe. Older kids, probably the troubled ones. It was people like him who were good with kids like that.
“Alright, Sukuna, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You tried again, amusement tugging at your lips. He waited patiently as you briefly spoke to a parent, handing over their kid and waving them goodbye.
“Oh so you’re not matching my energy, and dreading seeing Kaori?” He asked, and his expression was just a little too knowing. You shook your head slightly, but chose not to comment.
“Alright, I’ll see you around.” Sukuna said, but the look on his face told you that he’d heard everything he needed to in your silence. You just waved him and Yuuji goodbye, but you had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time Kaori would come up between you and Sukuna.
Sure enough, it kept coming up. You never said anything that could be twisted, but you were learning that your face said plenty when Sukuna asked the right questions. You never said a bad word about Kaori, it was far from professional and God forbid Yuuji hear it, but it was nice to have someone to bond with. What Sukuna said about his own sister-in-law was really his business, and not yours. You were just listening, and being polite. And providing the appropriate facial and bodily reactions to the information. And maybe direly clawing at the bars of your enclosure with the desire to actually reply. You really wish you could.
Sukuna walked up to the classroom door with a little extra swagger in his step today. You watched him from there in the doorway, keeping track of the children as they left with their parents and guardians, making sure nobody went missing. You know, your job. He looked different, like he’d actually styled his hair maybe, and the jacket he was wearing looked new. Not that you’d notice that sort of thing, of course. Nope, not you.
“Lookin’ good today, pooks.” He remarked, leaning up against the brick wall beside the door as he so often did, like he was comfortable there and in your space. He’d started calling you the ridiculous name after Yuuji had once boldly stood between the two of you and asked his uncle, without shame, whether you were his ‘pookie’. The name had unfortunately stuck after the laughter had cleared. Not that you minded it so much, he always managed to say it like it wasn’t utterly ridiculous, and instead made it sound almost soft. Like he was saying it with feeling that shouldn’t be there.
“You look like you’ve cleaned yourself up today, Sukuna.” You turned to call for Yuuji, but Sukuna stopped you, gently gripping your wrist.
“Hey, just a second,” he said, softer than you’d ever heard his voice. You turned back to face him, because you couldn’t help being curious, even as you tried not to get your hopes up. You’d felt like something was simmering between the two of you, but you could’ve just been reading the whole thing wrong. It was a possibility.
“Yeah?”
“Let me take you out,” he seemed to rush it out, like he was concerned that he’d lose his nerve, “just for.. coffee, or something.”
“When?” You simply asked, and Sukuna almost looked like he hadn’t been prepared for that part.
“Uh- Saturday?”
“Is that a statement, or a question?” You asked him with a soft laugh, brow lifted with amusement.
“A statement. Let me take you out, for coffee, on Saturday.”
You made a show of looking like you were considering it, weighing up your options, before you just nodded.
“Saturday. I’ll see you at 1pm.”
“Meet at the park, opposite here.”
He was there when you arrived at 12:45 on Saturday, leaned up against the metal railing around the park. His hands were shoved into his pockets, one earbud in, the other hanging from the wire just in front of his chest.
“Sukuna.” You called, prompting him to look up and meet your eyes.
“You’re early.”
“So are you.” Neither teased for it, you were in the same boat after all. He did offer you his hand though, and you were powerless to do anything but take it. He was being so sweet, you just couldn’t refuse him.
Conversation with another person had never flowed so easily. It was like the two of you had been friends for years rather than brief acquaintances for just months. He paid for the first coffees and the pastries, but when you stayed long enough to need more drinks, you paid. It was only fair, though Sukuna had tried to beat you to it with his card. Unfortunately for him, you were the fastest card tapper this side of the river.
You ended up staying in the coffee shop right until closing, and then Sukuna walked you home too, your arm linked with his, your other hand on his upper arm as you just kept talking. You’d have thought that somehow you’d have run out of topics by now, and yet there always seemed to be something more to say, another topic to explore.
“You know, when I started talking to you about Kaori, I didn’t expect to get this far.” Sukuna commented as you stepped up towards your front door, a small smile on his lips.
“It’s funny what disliking the same person can do for you.”
“So you finally admit it then?”
“I didn’t say I was talking about us.” You replied, pushing your key into the lock. Sukuna groaned at your non-response, and all you could do was laugh. He was so utterly ridiculous.
“Do I at least get a second date?” He asked, taking one more step forward, not quite closing you in but enough that you had to tilt your head slightly more to look up at him.
“Are you going to ask me properly?”
“You’re hard work, aren’t you?” He said shaking his head, but the action was fond.
“Is that a problem?”
“If it’s you? No.”
That hung heavy in the air between you, and when Sukuna took your hand you let it happen, his fingers lacing with yours just to guide your hand up to his lips, kissing your knuckles.
“Do I get a real kiss?”
“Are you going to ask properly?” He retorted, mirroring your own words.
“Kiss me.” You whispered, and Sukuna leaned in without hesitation to press his lips to yours.