Chapter Text
The water was hot enough that Sukuna's skin was reddened and sore, but remained under the spray of water with his head tilted back. Eyes closed. Simply listening to the sounds echo around him. Installing a shower into the second floor, had been the only major decision he had made since purchasing the tattoo shop. Out of all the big and small changes made, this had been his only input.
Having the second floor to the shop was helpful, a very small space with only a bed and a couch in it. He had moved things around in the floor plan and incorporated a shower int the layout of the room. There weren't many nights he spent on the second floor, but whenever he did, Sukuna appreciated having the shower there. Not only is it important for meeting with clients that following day.
It's also time carved out in his day where everything falls silent around him, save for the water pelting down on him and creating sharp, burning streaks across his chest and down his legs. He knew he was putting off what would come after leaving the shower. Sukuna never claimed to be someone who enjoyed talking things out, and he knew that must be what Yuji was expecting.
Shoko had driven like crazy down the streets with speed far exceeding comfortable limits, in order to get to the shop quicker. Somehow, she hadn't arrived much later than Yuji had come home from the store. He hadn't been standing there long, staring at Megumi with wide eyes and a twitch to his fingers before she had come through the front door and made her way back to where they were.
After she came in like a whirlwind, questioning to the two men who had witnessed everything and somehow communicating with her patient at the same time. Sukuna had directed a begrudging but accepting Yuji, out of the doorway and back out into the main room of the store. Lights still shining heavy above them as the sun steadily dropped down outside. Bathing the streets in increasing amounts of darkness.
"What the hell, 'Kuna?"
Given he had been more focused on Megumi then really pulling answers out of Gojo, it's not like Sukuna actually had much to offer Yuji in the way of answers. it wasn't like he knew who had stabbed the kid or why he had been stabbed, nor whether it was a part of a bigger fight or something more calculated and direct. Sukuna would get those types of answers out of Gojo tomorrow, when Megumi was better off.
Unfortunately, Sukuna knew more then he had ever let on to Yuji. Not about the random kid who had been dragged in bleeding out between Gojo and Geto, but about the grander background of it all. The backdrop to the situation that befell the men tonight. Information he had kept close to his chest, the reason he had Gojo swear he wouldn't come by his store carrying any of that with him.
For years now Sukuna had been doing tattoo's for Gojo's men, that was mostly what those back rooms were sectioned off for. Those were done on days that Yuji was out of the store and had been rarer as the years bled on. Sukuna wasn't the only one whose hands tattooed loyalty and promises onto his men, but Gojo had wanted to maintain the relationship, and the pretense of it being transactional kept them both content.
"Kid." Sukuna started but didn't continue for a while, collecting a beer on his way upstairs to the second floor.
"Talk to me!"
It wasn't often Yuji got frustrated especially not with Sukuna, who he seemed to have endless patience for, but there was a worry to his features that was bleeding into anger if he let it fester. Like a wound opening up that Sukuna could treat if he was a little bit more honest and open. Yuji was hungry, he hadn't eaten but he followed Sukuna up the stairs to the second floor without a thought.
"We'll talk about this tomorrow."
"No, we won't" It was spoken like a preordained vision, as if Yuji had watched something like this play out before.
Honestly, it's like he had after all. It wasn't like this wound had opened up in Yuji tonight, nor had it gotten so deep already in the under-an-hour they had been in this situation. Yuji had sucked it up a lot over the years, picking and choosing his battles as he watches things slip through his fingers. Knowing he will simply never grasp all of Sukuna in his hands, all his history and his future.
There hadn't been blood on the floor when Yuji walked in but there might as well have, the way Yuji had slowly pieced things together with unsure thoughts and shaky fingers. He had been a little transfixed on he shirtless boy on the table, sure, but he had also taken in the bloody knife discarded off to the side and the blood on Gojo. Even the blood Sukuna hadn't quite cleaned off his own hands.
When Sukuna sat himself down on the low couch, Yuji went to join him but his hesitance gave him enough time to think better of it. Biting his tongue with an anger bubbling under his skin, he resigned himself to the inevitable and just went over to the bed. Burrowing himself under the covers and dropping out like a light, or at least pretended to. Sukuna was busy staring at the ceiling.
He'd slept on the couch before, this time he wasn't so sure he slept as much as he had spaced out for hours at a time. At one point he vaguely remembers getting up to put Yuji's phone on charge for him, knowing the busted thing had a short battery life and would need it. Later he thinks he also went and washed his hands more thoroughly downstairs, breezing past Geto who was leant against the room's doorframe that held Megumi.
At some point he must've gone under completely though, startled awake by a bang on the wall near the entrance to the room. Sukuna only vaguely spotted Yuji's retreating figure out the door as he opened his eyes. Looking down at his phone showed that it was still early, but the reminder glaring at him from his lock screen promised a painfully long day ahead of him.
Taking the wake up call for what it was, even if Yuji clearly didn't want to speak with him right now. That is how Sukuna had found himself under the spray of hot water trying to pretend like things outside of the shower didn't exist. It wasn't something that Sukuna could put off forever though and he eventually dragged himself out and picked from the pile of clothes left abandoned here over the years.
It had been somewhat an acquaintance of an acquaintance who had offered the tattoo shop to Sukuna. They'd been discussing something over lukewarm beer and the offer had come up, Sukuna hadn't been sure at first. Having a reliable source of income and the place came with all the interior decor with it, truthfully it was a hard offer to turn away. It had been about eight years since then.
Not one for decorating, Sukuna was glad at least that he wouldn't have to start from scratch himself. Much like his apartment had started out and until Yuji had moved in with him, had consisted of his own bed, a wardrobe and a small television. Over time Yuji had added in a coffee table and replaced the television with a bigger size, he had bought a couch and chairs to sit along the kitchen island.
What was once an almost entirely empty bathroom save for the bare necessities, became overflowing with products and different arrays of what just amount to pure clutter across every available surface. For the most part Sukuna just lets Yuji do whatever he pleases, handing over his card for even the littlest of purchases. The same more or less went for the shop, except he didn't have to start from scratch either.
Yuji replaced the simpler overhead lights with a few different kinds, the biggest ones hanging spaced out evenly throughout the main open space of the store. Dangling chandeliers that look quite fancy for how cheap Yuji managed to score them for. A water dispenser had been put in, which Yuji had tried to swap out for something other than water but had been left sorely disappointed by the results.
Jars of snacks stacked one by one on the elevated part of the front desk, usually for customers but mostly for Yuji to snack on throughout his shift. A coffee machine and different types of tea on a small fold out table near the cold water. A decently sized fridge filled with cold drinks and milk for the other beverages, it sometimes holds beer although Yuji doesn't stock it nearly as frequently as the soft drink.
Most of the store had stayed much the same from the previous owner with its black walls and hard wooden floors, mirrors and hanging paintings throughout the space. It often feels like Yuji is swapping out traditional pieces with what look like painting of anime characters though, Sukuna can't be certain because he's not familiar enough to call Yuji out on it. Either way, he didn't really mind any of it.
Familiar in the way that its kept the both of them employed throughout the years, something they own that also takes care of them. Back rooms that are closed off for certain tattoos and a space for piercings that's only ever functioning whenever Choso comes through. A staircase leads to a small second floor that serves as a place to sleep whenever Sukuna doesn't go home.
If Yuji is sulking over something he tends to spend the night up there although Sukuna doesn't let it slide that often, it's safer then any alternative. Speaking of Yuji, the boys sitting at the front desk, eating a sandwich with both his hands. Knees pulled up to his chest again. A smear of sauce going up from the corner of his mouth to his cheek. He rolls his eyes before turning his attention back to the man before him with his back to him.
Coming downstairs, they had told Sukuna that Megumi was perfectly stable and would be allowed to leave with them today. It was the promise that some kid wouldn't die at the back of his store that kept Sukuna from kicking them out, being considerate even as he complained. Gojo hadn't spilled his guts yet about anything that had occurred the day before, but Sukuna hadn't had the time to spare for it anyway.
The back tattoo he was working on had already eaten up over two hours of his day and he barely had the patience to listen to the clients complaining today. Usually when it came to bigger projects like this, Yuji would hover around and watch for a while. His presence was always unwaveringly comforting to the clients for some odd reason, although, it wasn't really that surprising.
But if Yuji's current expression is anything to go by, he had no plans of moving any closer to Sukuna unless he was forced to be any nearer in his vicinity. Yuji was using the back of his hand to clean his face and Sukuna wanted to tell him to knock it off, though he doubted even a light scolding would go over well with Yuji as he currently is. He kept his silence.
A pain was drilling its way through his wrist and up his arm, and it was something he had worked through before and paid the price for afterwards. For once though, it was Sukuna who called for a break and told the client they would resume in a moment. Even though he didn't seem particularly interested, Yuji had clearly been listening in all the same, and looked over with surprise.
While Sukuna walked away with his wrist in his hand, Yuji went over to the client with offers of drinks. Sparing a few glances back to Sukuna but he didn't fold and go over, and it wasn't long until Sukuna was back out and continuing to tattoo the client. He was focused and barely registered anything going on around him, the quicker he finished this back piece, the sooner he'd be free of clients for the day.
"'Kuna?" Voice quiet and surprisingly close by, Sukuna hadn't even noticed Yuji's approach.
Moving his hand away from the client's skin, he turned his head blankly as Yuji stood almost uncomfortably off to the side as Yuji continued, "My phone's been dead for a while now, can I use your charger?"
He'd probably gone back upstairs at some point to look for it but Sukuna had brought it downstairs with him, keeping his phone charged as he plays whatever playlist Yuji had built for himself on Sukuna's account. Sukuna hadn't needed the same type of focus as yesterday so he didn't feel the need to play one of his own favourite albums, it's probably why Yuji looked less likely to injure him then he might have.
"Yeah, 'course." Sukuna's voice sounded spaced out even to himself.
With the hand that wasn't holding the tattoo gun, he pointed over to where his phone had been sitting on charge. Yuji might've given him a thanks, but his back was already to him and Sukuna was turning back to the man in front of him. It wasn't like Yuji didn't sulk or get upset with him, there was a relative consistency to it whenever Yuji didn't get his way, but this was different.
This felt fragile and breakable, which made Sukuna incredibly uncomfortable. His work was almost complete and he could see Yuji was back to the front desk, writing things down in one of their notebooks with the bright red pen he fancies. Sukuna is just grateful Yuji didn't ditch him today and leave him to figure out the front desk and deal with the clients outside of getting the tattoos themselves.
As the last of the tattoo was filled in and Sukuna took the tattoo gun away he spoke over his shoulder, "Yuji, get ready to ring the client up and then we'll talk."
Moments passed between Sukuna and the client as they checked everything over and discussed things further until he was sent off towards the front of the shop to where Yuji was sitting. When Sukuna had spoken, it had caught Yuji's attention immediately that his name had been used. He'd been expecting some form of admonishing, getting told off for his behaviour and reprimanded.
Now though, he had been sitting there staring wide eyed at Sukuna as the words played over and over again in his head. Confusion and hope warred against each other in his head, they were going to talk about it? Yuji can recall the feeling of dragging information out of Sukuna in the past as if pulling teeth. Excruciatingly painful, a long drawn out process that left both of them wired up.
But this wasn't anything so careful, Yuji hadn't really even started to work on getting Sukuna to open up. In all honesty, he had mostly given up on the fight before it had even started, this seemed far too big of a topic for Sukuna to ease up on. Yet here he was. Completely of his own volition his time. Giving up parts of himself to actually talk to Yuji.
Once the customer was sent over to Yuji, he almost messed up the process. Being in as much of a daze as he was. Behind him, Sukuna slipped away into the rooms further back where Megumi and the rest of them were resting up. For all the buzzing under Yuji's skin and the gnawing desire to rush through this and run headfirst into this impending conversation. He stayed sitting.
Was polite with the man who asked what Yuji thought about the tattoo, and Yuji smiled and complimented it even though it was mostly in favour of Sukuna's artistry and less about what the man's idea itself. Watching the man's retreating figure, as he turned to look at Yuji once more before leaving down the street. Yuji took in a deep breath and held it in his chest, exhaling and locking the front door.
It shouldn't be a big deal; whatever it was they were going to discuss. Surely there wasn't much Sukuna could hide from Yuji; they had spent so much of their lives around each other. But they hadn't exactly spent their entire lives in as close quarters as they did now-a-days. There was a period of Sukuna's life that Yuji was less than familiar with, and it was often a touchy topic.
Most of the things Sukuna wouldn't share with him, secrets he wouldn't divulge and experiences he wouldn't wish for Yuji to know about all came from that era. There was a guilt to Yuji with it though. The desire to know meant that Sukuna had to dig into all those old wounds and open them up, things he had cleaned up and patched over, over the years.
Sometimes Yuji wished he could just stop himself from poking and prodding at Sukuna further. Just accept everything as it was now, but these things affected their lives and not just Sukuna's. Their lives have been too intertwined and involved with one another to separate their histories. What Sukuna knew, Yuji needed to know as well. But the more Yuji thought about it.
The more he felt like he was making their life into some large soap opera. Yeah, their past wasn't the best, but their lives couldn't be that different to the average person. Whatever they were going to discuss would surely just be, something. A low stake reveal. Nothing that may even matter at the end of the day between them. Sukuna is a closed off person for the most part, he's like this with most things.
No matter how big or small the information was, Sukuna was always difficult with sharing. This didn't mean he was going to unload some massive revelation onto Yuji's lap, it could be anything. Yuji grabbed a lollipop from one of the jars at the front, so he had something to do with his hands as he spotted Sukuna come back out from the rooms further back. They made eye contact.
Holding it was no problem; he had been staring after Sukuna for most of his life. Which is why Sukuna was the one who looked away, up towards the staircase leading to the second floor of the building. He made his way up with Yuji trailing behind him, like a tumbling newly born puppy whose curiosity for the world and uncertain nervousness was all that was pushing him forward. Going up two stairs at a time.
It had been left in the same state as when they'd both gotten up this morning. The bed was messy with pillows moved about to fit how Yuji sleeps and a blanket he basically threw off of himself when he woke up. On the couch was the extra pillow and blanket Yuji had put there at some point for extra comfort. More neatly folded and presentable than the bed itself.
"Sit and then we'll talk, I can't talk to you when you look like you're about to bolt."