black!fem!reader. bf!yuji wants to help with wash day, but he doesn't quite get it. he tries really hard (and gives you a hard time) cause he loves you.
wc: 1.2k. all characters are over 18! domestic fluff. no pronouns. no capitals idgaf. some comfort in honor of wash day approaching 🥹
yuji itadori was trying his best.
your boyfriend had a fighting spirit. he carried this determination through everything. hell, you'd seen him walk down special grade curses without a second thought. he was the kind of person who believed he could fix everything with the power of love. and he usually did.
your hair hadn't been brushed in three days and your scalp was screaming for reprieve.
"oh babyyyy!" you heard a singsongy chirp from somewhere in your shoebox apartment. probably the kitchen, as the voice was accompanied by the kettle switching off.
"guess what day it is? it's your least favorite day of the week! it's okay because your awesome boyfriend yuji is here to save the day!"
the bright air traveled with yuji into your (unofficially) shared bedroom along with a steaming mug placed on your nightstand. your ever-attentive pink-haired lover placed a kiss on your forehead with a mumbled "good morning."
"my humble helper! what would i ever do without you?"
"probably have to scoop conditioner yourself. now get in there!" he gestured toward the bathroom. "i'll make you breakfast."
"um actually," you strained while struggling to get out of bed, "my back kinda hurts. remember when panda knocked me over?" yuji hissed sympathetically, his face contorted in worry. you continued, "do you think you can help me detangle today? i don't trust myself to stand in front of the mirror for an hour."
yuji's eyes lit up at the offer. help you? that's what he was made for.
"yes! yes, please! my goddess, i will do everything you ask of me and execute it flawlessly!" two fists raised in the air and you practically saw his tail wag.
maybe asking him to help wasn't a good idea...
you handed him your products and attempted to explain your process. he'd seen you do it many times before. take a chunk, split, spray, leave in, comb, twist. easier than training, right?
"take the hair and split it."
15 minutes went by and only one section had been brushed. by you. your patience was wearing thin.
he attempted to finger coil a few strands and you felt a tug.
"yuji. baby. i love you sooo much..."
his fingers stopped squirming in your head immediately, "but?"
"stop playing in my hair."
his face fell, yet he maintained an eager attitude, "aw man! i tried really hard! i'm sorry, sweetness. i will do my research and do better next time. can i still pass you stuff?"
natural hair tutorials began to pop up on your tv's youtube. you caught him reading ingredient labels on your hair products. you found one of his straight pink hairs on your wet brush. he even went to a beauty supply store all by himself.
yuji knew how important your hair was to you and the effort required to maintain it. he had spent hours watching you in awe as your fingers worked quickly crossing strand over strand. he understood that your hair carried your history, your family's legacy, and your strength. you were tethered to your hair like the coils wrapped down into your heart. if your hair looked a mess, you felt like a mess and simply couldn't function properly. and yuji loved you more than anything, which meant he felt obligated to make your life a little easier.
the week came and went, and before you knew it, it was sunday again.
"ohhh babyyyy!" yuji strolled into the room with two steaming mugs and set them down on the nightstand.
you picked up your mug and lifted it to your lips with a subtle mmm "yep. good morning. i'm up."
"can i brush today? i learned how. for real this time."
you were genuinely conflicted, but you'd fix the damage later on. "yes, yuji, you can brush today."
your boyfriend's high-pitched squeal indicated that you made the right decision.
when you stepped into the bathroom you were surprised to see your products waiting on the counter, your spray bottle filled, and an assortment of claw clips in a plastic container. the sight was endearing, more so than any grand romantic gesture. your shirtless boyfriend trailed in behind you.
"aww, baby!" you threw your arms around him to litter kisses on his face.
"shh, let me work." he pressed an earnest kiss to your lips and grabbed a rag from a nearby wicker basket. he put his hair up in a tiny clip at the top of his head so you knew he meant business.
the first section was a little sloppy. wet frizz bunched up at the nape of your neck. by the second section, he was maneuvering around your head like a pro. his left hand was gripping the mid-shaft while his right hand gently worked out the kinks from the bottom. he peppered kisses on the top of your head and whispered sweet nothings in your ear all the while.
yuji cooed behind you, "so good baby, keep your head still."
you pouted at his reflection in the mirror. his eyebrows stitched in genuine sympathy and affection. a small frown formed on his lips somewhere during his focused haze. out rumbles a low, "i'm sorry, sweet girl. i know, i know."
a few denman brush twirls later, the air shifted to something lighter. yuji was farther up your head now. you were humming a song while yuji supported you with ad-libs.
"my girl's so beautiful. look at those inches! ouuu okay shrinkage!" he was getting confident now, and he noticed your shoulders loosening. he was detangling a lot faster. you began to believe your boyfriend's hard work paid off until you felt a tug.
"whoops! my fingers got stuck!" yuji poorly feigned disappointment.
"no they didn't, yuji. you put them there..." quickly catching on to his scheme.
"whaaaat?" dragging it out suspiciously long, "why would i possibly do something like that?" his fingers stalled in your hair.
"because you stay playing in my face," you shoot him a knowing glare with no real bite to it, the corners of your lips twitching upward.
"what if i like being stuck with you?" he flashes a hopeful smile that begets a glint of regret in his eye. you can't help but giggle, charmed by his awful quip.
"yuji. baby. you know i love you dearly, but that was terrible."
yuji's head drops to burrow in your shoulder with a dramatic sigh. his hands drop to your waist while he whines, "god, my girlfriend hates me!" his fingers dig into the skin of your waist as he further nuzzles into your neck, "shoot me dead for wanting to spend more time with my girl."
you fight to suppress your laughter in this grim moment (for yuji at least) and offer a reassuring, "i love you so much honey, you're doing great," as the boy traces circles over the fabric of your hip.
you feel a muffled "but?" in the crook of your neck. you wait a beat before answering. you're not sure you want to kick him while he's down, but you can't ignore the feeling of yuji's face pressing your damp hair against your skin. you take in a breath and nearly wince as the response falls from your lips,
a wounded scream. yuji falls to his knees with a practiced flair. he wraps his arms around your hips and looks up at you from the floor with wide doting eyes. your wet curls are now a distant memory. eyes still locked with yours, you watch yuji lean in to place gentle kisses across your thighs.
as you lace your fingers through his hair, you begin to think that maybe being stuck with him isn't so bad.
yuji knows its STRICT in here. poor baby is trying his best. BLACK JJK READERS RISE UP 🙏