⤷ ゛all the ‘distracting you while you work’ shenanigans with sukuna catch up with you, because someone tells on you to your boss. so no more makeout sessions on the lifeguard stand, okay sukuna?ˎˊ˗
contents. sukuna x fem reader | beach lifeguard!reader | sukuna naturally having no regard for public opinion and safety, but this time someone snitches | previous part here
the afternoon had been slow, blissfully so. no cramping swimmers, no lost children, no jellyfish incidents. just the gentle lap of waves and the warm sun on your skin.
he’d shown up an hour ago, fresh from the shop, still smelling faintly of motor oil and sweat. he’d planted himself directly below your stand, leaning against the wooden post with his arms crossed, talking your ear off about some customer who’d tried to haggle him down on an engine rebuild.
and it didn’t matter that you had to concentrate really hard to hear him say something that could have been said on a phone call. at least you wouldn’t have to crane your head this low.
“the guy wanted me to do it for half price,” sukuna was saying, gesturing animatedly. “half! i told him i’d rebuild his engine for free if he let me use his car as a demolition derby entry. he didn’t find it funny.”
“that’s because you’re not funny,” you said, scanning the water.
“you’re something alright.”
he grinned up at you, that infuriating, knee-weakening grin of his you’ve come to adore. “come down here and say that to my face, sweetheart.”
“you’ve been working for hours. take a break.”
“your break,” he interrupted, “is a federally mandated right. i’m just looking out for your wellbeing.”
you shot him a questioning look over your sunglasses. “you’re looking out for your own wellbeing. specifically, your hands. and where they want to be.”
he didn’t have the decency to look sheepish, instead he was pretty irritated by the lack of said hands-on action. “can you blame me? you’re up there looking all…” he gestured vaguely at you. “authority figure. it’s doing things to me.”
“and yet you keep dating me.”
you bit back a smile, turning your attention back to the water. “i have no excuse.”
he laughed, low and warm, making your smile widen. and then he started climbing, which made your smile instantly disappear.
but he was already halfway up, moving with that lazy grace that made you want to both strangle him and kiss him senseless. he reached the top and settled his forearms on the platform beside your thighs, hot skin pressing against yours. the high stand was creaking in protest.
“i told you not to do this anymore,” you said flatly.
he leaned in, and your breath caught in your throat. crimson eyes gleaming under the sunlight, tousled pinkish hair you liked to play with, tattoos on his face you have traced dozens of times. he smelled like summer and gasoline and something so uniquely him. his lips brushed your ear.
fuck, he was irresistible.
“just five minutes, pretty girl,” he murmured. “then i’ll leave you alone.”
“okay, ten minutes. but i’ll be very quiet.”
you snorted. “you are physically incapable of being quiet.”
a woman stood at the base of the lifeguard stand, arms crossed, tapping her foot. she was in her forties, wearing a sunhat and an expression of pure, righteous indignation. behind her, a man in swim trunks held a clipboard, looking deeply uncomfortable.
you recognized him, it was tanaka. one of the other lifeguards. the one who always played his music too loud and never restocked the first aid kit.
“can i help you?” you asked, your voice carefully neutral.
the woman jabbed a finger toward you. “you! lifeguard! are you aware that i’ve been watching you for the past twenty minutes?”
you blinked. “i… no. i was scanning the water—”
“you were canoodling!” she shrieked. “with this man! up here! in full view of the public! while my child was in the water!”
your stomach dropped. you glanced around and saw a small boy splashing near the shore, clearly fine, clearly supervised by the woman’s husband.
“ma’am, with all due respect, your son is perfectly safe—”
“he could have drowned!” she continued, undeterred. “while you were up here playing grab-ass with your boyfriend! i’m filing a complaint!”
you opened your mouth to argue, but sukuna spoke first.
“first of all,” he said, his voice silky and dangerous, “we weren’t canoodling. you wouldn’t even know what that looks like.”
the woman gaped at him. “excuse me?”
you pinched his forearm, where it was still resting close to your thigh.
“yes. i was asking her about safety regulations.” he looked at you, completely deadpan. “tell her, babe.”
you stared at him. “the… uh, yes.”
“exactly. very serious. don’t you think?”
the woman’s face was a storm of confusion and fury. “i don’t believe you!”
“that’s your right,” sukuna said smoothly. “but i’d love to hear what you do believe. that i climbed all the way up here to do something inappropriate? in broad daylight? with children nearby?” he shook his head sadly. “i’m offended. truly.”
tanaka the lifeguard stepped forward, clearing his throat. “actually, i saw you kissing. earlier. before the kid got in the water.”
you felt your blood run cold. you did kiss sukuna when he just got to the beach, but it was just a second. “tanaka.”
“i have a responsibility to report this,” he said, not meeting your eyes. “supervisor’s already been called. she’s on her way.”
sukuna’s expression shifted. the lazy amusement drained away, replaced by something colder. he climbed down the ladder in one fluid motion, landing in front of tom.
“let me get this straight,” he said, his voice quiet. that tone didn’t mean anything good. your hand flew to grip the ladder as you descended swiftly after him. “you watched us kiss. once. for like… five seconds. and you decided to call your boss?”
tanaka took a step back. “it’s protocol—”
“protocol,” sukuna repeated, laughing without humor. “you want to talk protocol? i’ve seen you lifeguards. i’ve seen you ignoring swimmers while you scroll through your phone. i’ve seen you sleep on the job. but this is where you draw the line?”
“you weren’t the one what? doing fuck knows what?” sukuna stepped closer, and tanaka flinched. “does it bother you that she’s better than you?”
tanaka’s s mouth opened and closed like a fish.
at that moment, a middle-aged woman in khaki shorts and a polo shirt strode onto the scene. your boss, miya-san. she looked tired, sunburned and deeply unimpressed.
“what’s going on here?” she asked, surveying the chaos.
the sunhat woman immediately launched into her tirade. “this lifeguard was engaging in inappropriate behaviour with this man! up on her stand! while my child was vulnerable!”
your boss turned to you. “is this true?”
you opened your mouth, but sukuna cut in again. “it’s not true.”
“i’m talking to her,” michimiya said flatly.
“ma’am, with all due respect—”
“you have no due respect,” miya-san snapped. “you’re not an employee. shut up.”
sukuna’s eye twitched, but he fell silent, crossing his arms with barely contained fury.
you took a breath. “ma’am, i was scanning the water. he came up for maybe a minute. that’s it. i never took my eyes off the swimmers for more than a few seconds.”
tanaka pointed at you. “she’s lying! i saw—”
“you saw nothing,” sukuna growled. “and if you don’t shut your mouth, i’m going to—”
he subsided, but his glare could’ve melted glass.
miya-san sighed, rubbing her temples. “tanaka, did you actually see her neglect her duties?”
tanaka hesitated. “well… not exactly neglect, but—”
“did you see her miss a swimmer in distress?”
“did you see anyone actually in danger?”
“no, but she was kissing him!”
miya-san turned to the sunhat woman. “ma’am, was your child in danger?”
the woman’s face reddened. “well, no, but he could have been!”
“so your child was fine. she was watching. and tanaka,” she turned to the lifeguard, “you filed a complaint because you saw her kissing her boyfriend. is that correct?”
tanaka’s face went pale. “i… it’s against the rules—”
“actually, it’s not,” miya-san said. “we don’t have a rule against pda or something. we have a rule against negligence. and from what i can see, no negligence occurred.”
the sunhat woman sputtered. “but—”
“ma’am, i appreciate your concern. but if you’d like to file a formal complaint, you can do so at the main office. tanaka, you can go back to your post. now.”
tanaka scrambled away, looking thoroughly humiliated. the woman huffed and stormed off, dragging herself to her husband and son.
miya-san turned to you, her expression unreadable.
“you’re lucky i like you,” she said. “and that you’re actually good at your job. but next time…” she glanced at sukuna, who was still radiating barely suppressed violence and barely keeping it in. “tell your boyfriend to keep his hands to himself until you’re off the clock.”
“yes, miya-san,” you said meekly.
“and you,” she pointed at sukuna. “i don’t know who you are, but you’re a menace. keep your distance.”
sukuna opened his mouth to argue, but you shot him a desperate look. he closed it.
miya-san walked away, muttering something about “stupid horny lifeguards” under her breath.
the moment she was out of earshot, sukuna turned to you, his expression softening.
“are you okay?” he asked.
“i nearly got fired because of you,” you said, but there was no heat in it. you rubbed your face with both hands, suddenly feeling exhausted.
“hey, why me? you nearly got fired because of that bitch tanaka,” he corrected. “and that woman. and her perfectly fine child.”
he stepped closer, cupping your face in his big hands. his eyes ran over yours features for a bit before he sighed. “i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have come up there. i knew it was a risk.”
“but i couldn’t help it. you’re too…” he trailed off, searching for the word, but then he opted to just give you a very meaningful look, dragging his eyes over your whole figure.
you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at your lips.
“if you get me fired,” you warned, “you’re paying my rent.”
“and you’re buying me dinner.”
“and you’re never climbing my lifeguard stand again.”
he grinned, slow and wicked. “i make no promises.”
you shoved him, but he caught your hand, pressing a kiss to your knuckles.
“same time tomorrow?” he asked.
you sighed, long and dramatic.
“same time tomorrow. now get out of here,” you said, pointing toward the parking lot. “go fix a car or something. i’ve got a beach to guard.”
he pressed one last kiss to your neck, smirking mischievously. “i’ll be back later.”
he walked backward, still smirking, watching you with those infuriatingly attentive eyes. then he turned, jogging across the sand toward his beat-up chevelle, and you allowed yourself one moment to watch him go.
you turned back to the water, a small pleased smile in place.
okay, you thought. one more look. just one.
you glanced over your shoulder.
he was already looking back.
you groaned, but you were smiling.
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