𝓡ina

she turned four years old only a three days ago, and he had missed it. but today, he was flying back to japan and you two planned to surprise little hime!

first, you took hime to the park, in her hand was a doll and her hair was in neat braided pigtails, tied with red ribbon. sukuna had bought her tons of gifts before he left.

after she got tired, she waddled back to you after hogging up the swing and slides the whole time. she took her doll and dug it in the sand.

"no, no, hime! take her back out, we're going home now! i have a surprise!" you exclaim, jogging towards the sandpit where she was throwing sand everywhere.

"but mama—" she whined, but complied with one quick glare.

she pulled her doll out and followed close behind you as you walked into the apartment building and towards the elevator.

and now for the surprise...

"hey."

you pull out your phone and press record. sukuna and hime would reunite for the first time in months, after all.

hime turns back for a second but continues walking.

sukuna stood behind her, his smile (which appeared rarely) fading into a confused frown.

"hime!" he calls out again, holding out a pink stuffed monkey. "look what i bought for you!"

and then she screams. loud.

"mama! this man is gonna kidnap me save me! help me! he's bribing me with that monkey! and he knows my name! do something! stranger danger! i'm gonna die! help, someone—anyone!" she screamed.

"no, hime, it's fine, that's your dada! look that's dada! he's safe, not a stranger." you rush in to hush her.

people were turning over to watch as hime made a scene, but you got her out of there, back into the apartment.

"mama, he's following us! quick!" she shrieked.

"no, no. hime, that's your dada! he's safe. not a stranger, see?" you try to convince her by kissing him, which finally shut her up.

The apartment fell into a strange silence.

Hime peeked out from behind your leg with wide, suspicious eyes.

"..dada?" she repeated slowly.

sukuna nodded once.

"...yeah."

his chest tightened.

"i was gone for work."

"for forever!"

"oh, you're right...i missed your birthday..." he admitted quietly.

"uh-huh! i had cake! it was chocolate cake."

"...i'm sorry, baby."

your husband, ryomen sukuna, stood there apologizing to someone who barely reached his knee.

hime rocked back and forth on her little feet, then waddled over and snatched the monkey out of his hand and immediately sprinted behind you again.

"you're welcome."

"hime, what do you say?" you nudge her.

"...thank you."

so that was settled.

VERDICT: "four months is a long time when you're four years old—not guilty!" SUKUNA'S REMARK: "this court is biased..."

ܸ  ‧ ⊹ EVIDENCE #2: AQUARIUM DAY ₊˚ ໒ྀི⠀⁺

Date: 05/12/2015Time: 8:45 p.m.

sukuna finally had a few days off and he was determined to spend quality time with hime.

as of late, he couldn't shake the feeling that a distance was growing between them. she still still sat on his lap and got piggyback rides, but she seemed to reach for you quicker than him. the favouritism gnawned at him more than he'd liked to admit, not that he was jealous or anything...well, just a little bit.

one night, after hime had gone to bed, you found him smoking on the balcony alone.

"kuna? what's wrong?" you ask, stepping into the cool night air.

"do you think..." he started hesitantly. "she doesn't love me?"

"kuna..."

"i'm serious."

"she does love you."

"then why's she always clinging onto you and always glaring at me?" he exhales smoke. "you know what? forget it. she'll grow up hating me and—"

"kuna!" you interrupt his pessimistic monologue and he glances up at you. "i think she's just at that age. why don't you take her out somewhere this week? just you two."

"where?"

"just do whatever you feel she'd like."

"thanks, baby, i love you."

"love you too, kuna. now put that out and come to bed with me." you kiss his cheek before stepping inside.

"yes ma'am." he smiles.

and so he planned a trip to one of hime's favourite places: the aquarium.

he studied up on marine life for the next three days as if he was back in college and had finals: humpback whales, sea lions, giant manta rays—but especially orcas.

they were her favourite.

Date: 05/15/2015 Time: 9:12 a.m.

soon it was aquarium day!

by the time hime shuffled sleepily out of her room, rubbing one eye with her stuffed monkey tucked under her arm, breakfast was already waiting on the table.

she climbed into her chair with a sleepy yawn while you set a plate of pancakes in front of her.

"good morning, baby."

"...mornin', mama."

you brushed a hand over her messy pigtails before sitting beside her.

"hime," you began carefully, "mama's feeling a little sick today."

her little face immediately fell.

"...you are?"

"just a tummy ache," you reassured. "but dada still wants to take you to the aquarium."

"...oh."

you knew that tone, but the last thing sukuna needed was to hear her all disappointed after spending days preparing for today.

"but..." you smiled knowingly, "...he bought matching shirts!"

hime paused. "are they pink?"

you nodded, and almost instantly, the disappointment melted away.

"...okay."

only a little.

but it was progress.

right on cue, sukuna stepped out of the bedroom.

he'd traded his usual dark clothes for a pastel pink shirt and held up a tiny dress in the same shade.

she took the dress from his hands before waddling off toward her room, her stuffed monkey dragging against the floor behind her.

you watched her disappear down the hallway before glancing over at your husband.

"see?" you smiled. "she's excited."

"she's probably excited about the aquarium, not the part where i'm going with her."

"kuna."

"what?"

"if she's willing to match with you, i'm sure she's excited to go with you."

he looked unconvinced.

"...i'll take what i can get."

a few minutes later, little footsteps pattered back into the kitchen.

hime stood in the doorway, smoothing down the front of her dress with both hands.

"...look."

the pink dress reached just below her knees, with little puff sleeves at her shoulders.

"pretty?" she asked.

"you look beautiful, sweetheart." you smile down at her.

"the prettiest girl in the world." sukuna's voice came out quieter than he'd intended.

"sap." you giggle as he goes to get ribbons for her hair.

"sit." he says and hime sits between his legs on the ground as he braids her hair skillfully.

"are you done yet?" she asks.

"...almost."

he tied the last ribbon into a neat little bow before giving each pigtail a gentle tug to make sure they wouldn't come undone.

"all done."

hime was already scrambling to her feet before he'd even finished speaking.

she ran over to the hallway mirror, standing on the tips of her little sandals.

"...mama!"

"hm?"

"look!"

the pink ribbons bobbed as she turned her head left, then right, admiring herself from every angle.

"well, would you look at that, you're a princess."

she spun once, the skirt of her dress fluttering around her knees.

then she looked back at sukuna with bright, expectant eyes.

"can we go see the orcas now?"

"yeah."

he reached for the small backpack waiting by the front door, making one last mental checklist.

tickets? check.

wallet? check.

water? they probably had some at the aquarium...

"...ready?"

she hurried over and slipped her tiny hand into his without a second thought.

"ready!"

you walked them to the door, crouching to kiss hime's forehead before standing on your toes to kiss your husband too.

"have fun, okay?"

"we will. won't we, baby?" he nudged hime.

"mhm."

Time: 11:28 a.m.

the aquarium was already packed by the time they arrived.

little hands tugged excitedly at sukuna's sleeve the moment they stepped through the entrance.

"dada! fish!"

"i see 'em."

"look!"

"i'm looking."

she was practically vibrating with excitement, bouncing from one foot to the other as colorful schools of fish swam overhead.

then she spotted something farther down the hall.

"jellyfish!"

before sukuna could blink, she bolted.

but before she could go too far, the leash attached to her bag went taut.

hime bounced backward with a confused little "oof."

"no running away, i know you're excited."

"...okie."

but only a little bit later...

"penguins!"

she took off again, and just like it did before, the leash caught again.

"...hime."

"sorry."

another thirty seconds or so.

"shark!"

she ran again and once again, as expected, the leash stopped her.

sukuna pinched the bridge of his nose.

hime didn't seem to mind the leash in the slightest, she was too busy staring through the glass. on top of that, it was a usual thing for her since she was a runner.

"woah..." she says, face pressed into the dirty glass.

"back up, baby." he pulls her shoulder back slightly.

"excuse me, mister?"

sukuna looked up.

a woman stood a few feet away, arms crossed.

"uh...yes?"

"why is your daughter on a leash?"

he glanced down. "because she runs...?"

"yeah, well she's a child."

"correct."

"children aren't dogs, so why do you treat her like she is one?"

before he could answer—

"dada!"

hime had already spotted a stingray and darted forward, but as expected, the leash caught her after two steps.

she barely reacted, and jumped around in place.

"look! look! it's smiling!" she giggles.

sukuna smiled despite himself. "so it is."

the woman scoffed. "stop avoiding me. i believe that is unbelievably dehumanizing, don't you think?"

his attention finally returned to her.

"ma'am," he spoke evenly. "if i take this off, she'll be halfway across the building before i catch up."

"then hold her hand."

"i'm over six feet and she's a little over three feet, it would be uncomfortable for the both of us."

"she deserves freedom, carry her instead."

hime looked between the two adults, completely lost.

"...dada?"

he crouched beside her. "it's okay, hime, i got this, just look at the turtles."

she nodded and happily wandered toward the glass.

"she prefers walking over being carried." sukuna explained calmly, but the woman raised her voice.

"someone should report this! it's abuse!"

a few heads turned and people slowed down.

sukuna sighed.

"hime, c'mere."

he scooped her into his arms with one hand, unclipping the leash with the other before stuffing it into his bag.

"there, happy now?" he looks at the woman and turns back to hime. "we're getting lunch real quick."

"but...orcas..."

"the orca show's in an hour or so, we'll make it. promise." he kissed the top of her head.

without another word, he walked away from the growing crowd.

Time: 12:00 pm.

the aquarium café was thankfully quieter.

the lunchtime rush hadn't quite started yet, leaving only a few families scattered around the tables.

sukuna found an empty booth tucked into the corner and set hime down on the cushioned seat.

she immediately began swinging her legs beneath the table, her little monkey sitting next to her on the table.

he glanced at the menu. a little pricey, but hopefully it would be enough food for them both.

"what do you want?"

"dumplings!"

"just dumplings?"

she nodded enthusiastically.

"got it."

a few minutes later, he returned balancing a tray.

a plate of dumplings.

hime clapped her hands.

"food!"

"careful, it's hot."

he slid the plate toward the middle of the table.

"blow on it first."

she obediently puffed little breaths onto the first dumpling before taking a bite.

her eyes lit up. "yummy!"

sukuna hums and reached for one himself, but stopped after noticing that there were only fourdumplings, not including the one hime just ate.

so he just left it for her and drank some water.

another disappeared.

then the last one.

"all gone."

his stomach chose that exact moment to growl—loudly.

"did your tummy make that noise, dada?"

"it wasn't me."

"it's hungry."

"it wasn't me." he insisted, but his eyes drifted toward the menu board.

yeah, nevermind.

between the aquarium tickets, parking, and lunch...his wallet had taken a beating.

he quietly folded the receipt and tucked it into his pocket.

"c'mon."

he stood, offering her his hand.

"let's go see the sea otters before the orca show starts."

"okay!"

she happily slipped her hand into his, completely oblivious.

as they walked away from the café, sukuna's stomach growled again, but he ignored it.

there'd be time to eat later.

right now, hime was tugging excitedly toward the next exhibit, chattering nonstop.

and he answered every question like he was an expert.

Time: 12:58 pm.

they made it to the stadium just as the announcer welcomed everyone to the next performance.

rows upon rows of blue seats overlooked the massive pool below.

hime practically bounced the entire way to their seats.

"dada! hurry!"

"i'm walking."

"faster!"

"i'm already walking faster."

once they settled into their seats, hime scooted all the way to the edge, her little sneakers swinging over the concrete.

"...when do they come out?"

"soon."

"how soon?"

"soon."

she accepted that answer for approximately five seconds.

"...now?"

"still soon."

before she could ask again, a loud splash echoed through the stadium.

the trainers emerged first.

then...

a black-and-white fin sliced through the surface.

"orca!"

another surfaced.

they leapt together in perfect sync, sending water soaring into the air.

hime shook sukuna's forearm.

"dada, look!"

"i see. they're saying hi."

"hi!" she waves at the orcas, earning a chuckle from sukuna.

but that laughter died quick as water was splashed on them.

"oh, look, the first victims of the splash zone!" the announcer laughs, but sukuna didn't find it amusing in the slightest.

but hime was happy, so he left it.

when the show finally ended, the crowd stood to leave.

"bye-bye, orcas." she waved with both hands.

sukuna looked down at her. "ready to go home?"

She nodded.

it wasn't until they were halfway back to the parking lot that his stomach growled again.

hime looked up.

"dada, your tummy did it again."

this time, he couldn't deny it.

"yeah, it was me. come, let's get some mcdonald's."

Time: 2:30 pm.

the drive home was much quieter.

the excitement from the aquarium had finally caught up to hime, leaving her sitting in the front seat, a little tired.

a box of chicken nuggets and fries rested on her lap.

sukuna drove with one hand on the steering wheel while the other absentmindedly held a french fry between his index and middle fingers, almost like a cigarette.

old habits.

he made sure to save the real thing for when hime wasn't around.

anyone who knew him back in college would have laughed, but he didn't care.

the real thing stayed tucked away until hime wasn't around, if he really needed it.

hime pushed another fry into his mouth.

every few minutes, she'd hold another fry over to him.

"ah...nom."

"hehe!" she giggled at his antics.

she held up a chicken nugget.

he leaned over and took it with his teeth.

for a while, the only sounds were the radio humming softly and hime happily munching away beside him.

but then, her tiny stomach growled.

"still hungry?"

she nodded sheepishly. "a little."

"eat the rest. finish 'em."

she blinked.

"...what about you?"

"i'm not hungry."

"really?"

"mm. really. finish it all so we can throw away the boxes. and don't make a mess for mama to see we've been eating junk."

"i can eat junk, but you can't because she wants you to eat healthy!"

"yeah, yeah, i'll tell her you said that she's a crunchy mom."

"nuh-uh!"

"yuh-uh."

"well, i'll tell her you stuck your tongue out at her last week!"

that got his attention. "don't you dare!"

VERDICT: "she was ready to throw you under the bus, but she fed you—not guilty!" SUKUNA'S REMARK: "you have a point..."

ܸ  ‧ ⊹ EVIDENCE #3: ELEVATOR HUMILIATION ₊˚ ໒ྀི⠀⁺

Date: 02/13/2016 Time: 6:47 p.m.

the elevator doors began to close, but just before they met—

"hold, please!"

a woman slipped inside carrying three shopping bags.

she was tall and pretty, most likely a model.

the woman smiled politely. "sorry."

sukuna nodded once. "what floor?"

"fourteenth, please."

"hime, wanna press the buttons? you live on 17, so press 17 and the lady lives on 14, so you press 14." he tells hime, who loved pressing the elevator buttons.

"thank you, hime."

"your welcome."

silence settled over the elevator...for about six seconds.

"dada."

"hm?"

"you should help her, she has a lot of bags."

"it's alright, sweetheart." the woman begins, but hime interrupts her.

"no, my dada's very strong, and he tells me gentlemen help ladies whenever they can so he has to help you."

sukuna pinched his nose and sighed. "my daughter won't let it go, allow me."

"thanks." the woman says, smiling down at hime. "so...are you...single?"

"married."

the woman nods, a little embarrassed forr asking, and it went quiet again...until hime decided to open her mouth.

"dada."

"hime."

"you're standing really straight and you're super duper quiet. do you like the tall pretty lady?"

"hime."

"what?"

"inside voice."

"okay..." she says, but continues after a few seconds. "she's really tall. almost as tall as you!"

"hush, hime."

"if mama wasn't here—"

"HIME."

his hand clamped gently over her mouth before she could finish.

the woman burst into laughter.

"i'm so, so, sorry," sukuna says, horrified as he presses the 12th floor button to get off faster.

the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

sukuna handed the woman back her things and walked straight out, dragging hime with him.

"dada this isn't our floor!"

"i know. we need to talk. now."

"oh."

hime blinked up at him, waiting for him to talk.

he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"you can't say things like that to strangers."

"why?"

"because i'm married to your mama."

"oh." she looked down at her shoes. "sorry."

he sighed. "oh, c'mere."

she shuffled over and hugs him.

"i know you didn't mean anything by it. but don't do it again. okay?"

"did i embarrass you?"

"yes. very much."

"you're blushing."

"that's because i'm embarrassed, hime." he rolls his eyes and pulls away from the embrace to call the elevator down again.

Time: 7:14 pm.

dinner was peaceful.

almost suspiciously peaceful, considering how hime was a literal demon trying to ruin sukuna's marriage less than an hour ago.

you smiled as hime enthusiastically talked about the dance.

you set another dish on the table and sukuna clears his throat.

"baby. as you know, tomorrow's valentine's day."

"and," you looked toward your husband. "you have plans?"

"you know it." he grinned. "just us."

hime gasped. "but mama!"

"...hm?"

"dada already met another valentine!"

sukuna froze. "what...?"

"in the elevator! dada looked at her and carried her bags and he got all red!"

you slowly turned toward your husband. "care to explain?"

he rubbed a hand down his face. "oh, baby, where do i begin..."

"maybe begin with what caused you to do all that?"

"i did not look at her like that."

"then?"

"hime volunteered me to carry her shopping bags and you know her, she wouldn't let it go! and i only went red because she blurted out some embarrassing sh..." he trailed off after you gave him a sharp look. "i mean stuff. so i absolutely do not have another valentine."

"hm. alright then. so where's our date?"

"it's a surprise~" he winks.

"can i come on your valentine date?" hime blurts out.

"of course not! you're going to daycare or uncle jin's."

"uncle jin's, no daycare." you butt in and sukuna nods.

"yes, no daycare. uncle jin is waiting for you. with choso. and...ugh. yuji." he scrunched his nose after naming his nephew.

hime pouted and folded her arms dramatically, but didn't say a word, clearly heartbroken.

sukuna simply leaned back in his chair. "ah, i'm stuffed...you're the best cook, babe."

"stuffed? i still have room..." you wink at him when hime wasn't looking.

"you'll be more full tomorrow." he smirks but hime glanced up from the pea that fell on the carpet and he quickly switched up. "lots of restaurants we have to go to."

VERDICT: "though the entire elevator stunt was embarrassing, she is still a child and you're planning to leave her on valentine's—not guilty!" SUKUNA'S REMARK: "hey, hold on, who said i can't spend time with my wife after having a kid?! hey, come back!"

FINAL CONCLUSION: HIME IS NOT GUILTY, JUST A LITTLE STUPID!

his gloves are off, tossed in the backseat, and his hair is a mess from the wind, curls falling into his eyes.

“…that wasn't so bad,” you say, smiling sheepishly.

“yeah,” he chuckles, leaning back slightly. “just returning another cat back to it's owner.”

you let out a quiet, embarrassed laugh. “about that...”

“don't apologize again.”

“…it's so embarrassing!”

“don't worry, love. as your boyfriend, i'm supposed to be there when you fall anyway. just this time was literal.” he laughs softly.

“i suppose,” you say softly.

and then you lean in.

he freezes for half a second before melting into it as well. his warm palm comes up to cup, thumb brushing under your eye.

the kiss starts soft. hesitant, almost shy—as if he’s asking permission. you lean closer, hand sliding into his fluffy green hair.

his grip tightens in response, and with that, the kiss deepens.

neither of you wants to pull away. you can feel the way he exhales against you, the tension from patrol finally leaving his body as he leans into you more.

you finally pull back a few inches, his forehead resting against yours.

“…i missed that,” he admits quietly.

you smile, brushing your nose against his. “we were together all night.”

“well…not like this. we had to be professional, you know.”

this time, he leans in, less hesitant. still gentle, but more sure.

his hand slides from your cheek to the back of your neck, pulling you closer.

you hum softly against his lips, and he smiles into the kiss.

“…we should probably go,” he pulls away, though he doesn’t move too far.

“probably.”

neither of you start the car.

he glances at your lips. then back to your eyes.

“…one more?”

you don’t even answer—you just kiss him again.