Archive of Our Own

(With shortness of breath
You explained the infinite
And how rare and beautiful it is to even exist

- Saturn, Sleeping At Last)

Satoru’s coming home from some stupid mission that wasn’t worth his time at all, thanks to the fucking higher-ups that love to parade him around and put him to use just to show that they still can every now and then. Perhaps just to prove that he’s unwilling to rip all their throats out – at least for the time being.  

He’s thinking about everything he has to do when he gets back to the apartment – laundry, paperwork, and check on Megumi and Tsumiki, and make sure they don’t have anything he needs to sign – when a woman stops him in the street and calls out his name. Normally, people that know him by name wouldn’t dare to stop him in the streets like this, especially when he’s this heated and ready to go home as it is. He's sure his scent is rancid with annoyance. But she stops him, anyway.

She’s petite, with long strawberry blonde hair that’s still impeccably styled and curled, even this late in the evening. She’s an omega and her scent bleeds distress all over the place. He’s felt her presence long before she called out his name from the dark alley, but he stops all the same. Turns his blindfolded eyes toward her and listens. It’s an old, long-learned habit though, he doesn’t need to be turned towards someone to really see them.

Immediately, he recognizes the woman – she’s Suguru’s assistant. His weird, fucked up cult assistant. The one that deals with all of the equally weird shit that Suguru gets up nowadays. In his days spent apart from Satoru.

Of course, he doesn’t recognize her from any of his own first-person encounters, at least not until now. But he knows her face from a bunch of security and spy-captured footage thrown at him during the Suguru-related meetings he’s had to suffer through in the past. The ones where he has to pretend like he doesn’t care about the content, pretend like he’s detached from the whole thing.

The whole thing being Suguru, his estranged mate.

Well, maybe not even mate anymore. They bonded so long ago, back when they were teenagers. Back before everything went down – Amanai Riko, Fushiguro Toji, Suguru’s defection, and the village. But at least in the chemical sense – they are still mates. They never broke their bond.

Normally, he doesn’t go around following strange omegas into the night, especially not omegas that are cursed users, nonetheless. But she looks at him with her eyes wide, barely hiding the fear behind them, and says, “It’s Geto-san, he – he’s asking for you.”

And because Satoru’s weak when it comes to Suguru – to his mate – he follows her. It’s definitely not the first time in the last handful of years that Satoru’s been at the beck and call of his mate. They meet up sometimes, unfortunately, when nature runs its course and decides to demand that they need each other, heats and ruts are greedy like that and don't care about circumstances and betrayals. However, there’s never usually a middleman involved in the situation, and this new addition to the equation makes anxiety coil in Satoru’s belly.

The omega leads him to a dingy apartment complex located in a less favorable part of the city. She stands in front of him as she unlocks the door with her shoulders set and steady, but he can tell the omega’s nervous. No, she’s stressed. Her hands falter as she tries to fit the key into the lock.

“I told you,” the omega mutters, her hand stilling on the door handle before she turns it. But she doesn’t look at Satoru, her eyes stay firmly in front of her. “It’s – it’s not good.”

Satoru smells it before he sees it. But the whole apartment wreaks of an omega in distress, or worse, an omega that’s in pain, on the fringes of full-blown heat. Worse, an omega that’s fertile. He knows instantly that it’s Suguru, from the way his shoulders tense and his nostrils flair with the onslaught of the scent. No other scent would fuck with him this badly. Also, he’d know Suguru blind – his scent’s no different.

“What – so he’s in heat?” Satoru asks. It’s the most likely answer given the scent of need and fertility that’s permeating the space. His canines are threatening to show, a growl is rumbling at the back of his throat, and he nearly has to cover his nose. The scent is that strong.

Before responding, the woman quickly shuts the door to the apartment and readjusts a charcoal stopper at the base of the doorframe, probably to block the scent from leaking into the hallway. She also jacks up the settings of an air purifier in the corner of the room, like that’ll help the situation at all. It’s a nice effort, but the true reason the scents probably not flooding the hallway and bringing a gaggle of feral alphas to the doorstep is the curse – one of Suguru’s curses – spinning in the living room, filtering out the scent.

Satoru recognizes the curse immediately. Suguru used to manifest it whenever he went into heat in a less desirable spot like the rare occasion it happened when they were on a mission or something, or even back at the dorms when they were in school. Said there was a story about an omega getting attacked by an alpha that caused it to be a curse in the first place.

Suguru’s assistant stands up, anxiously brushes nothing off her clothes, and gives Satoru a worried look, “Well – it’s much worse than that. You’ll – you’ll have to see for yourself.”

Satoru’s jaw tightens and he clamps down on the instinct to act all alpha and get in her face and demand a better answer. He doesn’t like this at all – but he’s better than that, snapping at a random omega, he really is. But the strong scent – the scent of his mate – is messing with his ability to keep cool and collected.

“Where is he?” He asks only for performative reasons because he knows where Suguru is. He’s known which door he’s been behind from the second he walked into the apartment.

The woman sighs and gestures her head towards the second door on the left. Satoru takes it as a sign to enter, he’s tired of beating around the bush and waiting. So, he immediately turns and wrenches the door open. He hears the omega behind him but doesn’t really process what she’s saying.

“Wait – the pups! The girls are in there – don’t scare them!”

Satoru doesn’t hear her at all because he’s too busy trying to process what he’s seeing. First, it’s the intense scent of Suguru permeating the room – smelling like he’s nearing heat almost, but that’s not it. Because he sees the pups the assistant’s talking about – there are two of them – and that doesn’t fit the whole heat thing. The two girls are little, probably about Megumi’s age, maybe even younger. But he can’t even really focus on that facet of information right because both pups are curled around Suguru in his nest.

Suguru – whose scent is fertile and desperate, but very much not in heat like Satoru thought at first. Suguru – who is lying on his side in his nest built on a mattress on the floor with his two pups and a very round and prominent and pregnant belly poking out from underneath the shirt that’s tight and straining across his swollen abdomen.

Very much the opposite of when Satoru last saw him – when? The last time he saw his estranged mate was when he helped Suguru through his heat. How many months ago was that? Fuck.

He doesn’t know what to say, or even how to react. He just stands there in the doorway probably looking so dumb and opens and shuts his mouth a couple of times. It’s rare that Gojo Satoru’s left speechless, but this is certainly one of those times.

Suguru’s dark eyes are heavy and laden when they open and meet Satoru’s. He doesn’t offer an explanation, he just whines and reaches out a long arm towards Satoru, and his knees almost crumble in response.

“Girls,” the woman says quickly, ushering them over with an exaggerated movement of her arms, “Come with me.”

One of the pups – the one with the blonde hair – pouts and crosses her arms. “We don’t want to leave Geto-sama,” she says firmly and looks at her sister for support.

Satoru knows – he’s always known – that Suguru took two girls with him when he defected. No, when he slaughtered that whole village. Suguru’s never brought them up when they’ve been together, but Satoru’s still known, and it’s not like he talks much about Tsumiki and Megumi when he’s nursing Suguru through his heats. He just – well, it’s different to see the girls in person.

Over the last couple of years, Satoru’s mind has concocted a lot of images of Suguru’s actions that night to reframe them to be more bearable. Making it so he could frame it all in a way where Suguru was innocent or something. It made it easier to bear, that Suguru was enraptured and seduced by some awful curse that made him turn and bolt – made him leave Satoru and the life they’d planned behind.

And well, he just never expected the girls in question to look so – so normal.

Maybe this new divot of information would’ve shifted the entire narrative that Satoru’s made up in his mind. It almost is better this way, to learn the real truth of it, better than all the horrible images and narratives his mind has made up to be angry and resentful of Suguru and his decisions.

Because – the twins, the pups, the girls – they’re just little girls. They remind him so much of Tsumiki, even. And Tsumiki’s so innocent and pure. She likes painting her nails pale, bright colors and putting on fancy, overpriced face masks with Satoru. Megumi’s like that too, so young and innocent, and both of the Fushiguro siblings are incredibly independent, but they still need so much care and affection and – they’re just kids.

But he can’t even focus on that right now, can’t give it the attention that it truly deserves, because Suguru’s in front of him all wanting and needy and pregnant. Because – what the fuck.

The woman looks exasperated, but she’s not really saying anything. She’s still just gesturing for the girls to come to her. Suguru sighs and touches the little girl’s shoulders, he looks so much like a mom, and it tugs at Satoru’s aching heart.

“It’s okay, Nanako,” Suguru soothes, “Go with Manami-kun.”

The little girls both give Suguru a wary look, but he smiles. It’s a genuine Suguru smile, Satoru knows the look fondly. It’s the kind where his eyes get a little crinkly at the edges. He can’t help but notice that Suguru also looks so tired as he whispers, “It’s okay. I’ll be okay.”

The other little girl, the one with the black, choppy bob, whispers, “The baby, too?”

Suguru smiles again, pushes the girl’s hair away from her eyes, and nods. He whispers something in the girl's ear that Satoru doesn’t quite catch, but she nods. At that, both of the little girls detach themselves from Suguru and walk toward the assistant, both eyeing Satoru like he’s a spectacle to them as they do so. Maybe he is, in a sort of way. Satoru doesn’t know what Suguru’s told the girls about him – if anything at all.

The woman – Manami, he's learned – gently pulls the girls out of the room and promptly shuts the door. And Satoru and Suguru are alone in a dimly lit room. Now that they’re alone, Satoru still doesn’t know what to say, he still feels shocked – or stunned maybe. Suguru pushes himself into a sitting position and leans back against the wall. Satoru can’t help but notice the way his gravid belly rests in his blanketed lap.

“You probably have questions,” Suguru says. His chest is sort of heaving from the exertion of the change in position.

Part of Satoru – maybe the gentle, lover part – feels concerned and wants to comfort his mate through his apparent discomfort. But the other part – the raging, dejected alpha – is upset and hurt. Because why would Suguru keep the pregnancy and God, the baby, from him?

If it’s even his, a meaner part of his brain propositions. He crushes that thought immediately – Suguru’s mean and sometimes even cruel, but he wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t let someone else inside of him. Satoru’s sure he would’ve at least felt that betrayal through their bond.

Still, even with that revelation, the latter part wins out, and the anger and hurt flood Satoru’s mind and senses. He shakes his head, hands clenching at his side, “Yeah, Suguru. I do have questions. What the fuck!”

Suguru has the nerve to laugh all teasingly and loopy at Satoru’s outburst and rests his hand on the curve of his belly. Satoru fumes at that, even though another part of him is flooding with hormones from their bond that are begging him to curl around and cuddle Suguru.

“It’s not funny, Suguru. Why would you keep this from me? Why now?”

Even with the warning, Suguru smiles, “Well, your child’s being very stubborn and is refusing to come out. I’m nearly two weeks overdue if my estimate is right. I’m having heat symptoms or something and it’s not good.”

“What’s that got to do with me? That’s – that’s serious. Shouldn’t you go see a doctor or something?”

Satoru’s heard of this happening before, his mother told him that it happened to an unmated member of the Zen’in clan long ago. She had no alpha and it messed with her body – she couldn’t give birth and went into an unnatural heat, but the clan was too disgraced by her actions to do anything about it. Satoru heard that she died – it was a story the clans used as an example. It used to make him feel sick to think about, but he knows that there’s modern medical assistance available now to combat that.

Suguru gives him a disgusted look like he can’t believe Satoru would suggest such a routine thing. “I don’t want to see a doctor. The last thing I want is some monkey putting their hands on me – or the baby. They’ll just pump me full of drugs, or cut her out or something, and I don’t want that. This way’s better, it’s natural.”

Suguru’s beating around the bush and overexplaining and being clinical. Satoru hates it. He’s already upset and hurt and no amount of pushing away the inevitable of why Suguru’s called him here is going to soften it.

“What way?”

“You’ve never heard that old wives’ tale?” Suguru cocks an eyebrow in the mean way that only he’s managed to perfect so expertly, but his cheeks flush just a bit, “Sex and alpha pheromones and everything can help to jumpstart labor.”

Satoru sees red, and has to hold back a growl, “You want me to fuck you, that’s what this is?”

Suguru completely ignores the heated, angry scent Satoru’s giving off, and acts like he doesn’t even register it. He just keeps talking, gesticulating like he’s giving a lecture and not stomping on Satoru’s heart, “Well – essentially, yes. It might help move things along. There’re certain chemicals in alpha – uh, come – that stimulate labor and whatnot, but –”

It’s fucked up. It’s so fucked up.

Suguru’s done a lot of messed-up things, Satoru should be used to it by now. Hell, together they’ve put each other through a lot of unnecessary pain over the last few years since Suguru left and they never did anything to suppress their bond. There’s been a lot of messy, secretive meetups, nursing each other through heats and ruts from time to time, but Satoru never thought Suguru could hurt him like this.

Even in those rare moments together, there was always the mutual understanding that they still cared about each other – still loved each other. It was never said explicitly, but at least Satoru thought so. Never thought Suguru would try to use him like this, like nothing more than breeding stock or something.

“No, I’m not – what the fuck, Suguru. You can’t just keep this from me for nine fucking months and call me here at the last second to what – just fuck you into labor or something?”

“It’s not just that,” Suguru bites back. His tone is harsh, but he’s not meeting Satoru’s eye. No, he’s looking down at his lap.

When they were young, or younger, Suguru used to always do that when he had something he wanted to say but was too embarrassed to actually get the words out. Satoru used to think this was a cute habit, a part of Suguru’s otherwise hidden omega nature poking through his tough exterior. Not now though, now he’s just pissed off. He doesn’t want to play games or dance around the issue, he wants Suguru to be honest with him.

“What is it then, Suguru?”

“I – well,” Suguru pauses, looks like he wanted to say something else but quickly changed his mind because he talks fast, “I think my body just needs an alpha nearby, so it can figure everything out. Go into labor, I don’t know.”

“Just an alpha?” He’s so angry and Suguru just keeps lying. He knows he’s lying. Satoru walks over to where Suguru’s sitting on the bed and leans over him. Suguru looks up at him through his dark lashes and he just – he looks so soft and round and omega – and his scent’s all sweet and making Satoru feel all weird. His guts heating up with excitement and he kind of hates it. How his body is reacting so strongly when he feels so angry and hurt.

When Satoru doesn’t say anything else, Suguru crosses his arms over his belly and stares hard and mean. “Yes, and you’re an alpha. So, are you going to help me or what?”

“That’s what you want?” Suguru swallows and nods, doesn’t even bother to dignify Satoru with a verbal answer.

Except, “What – you don’t want to?”

And that – it pisses him off so bad. Of course, he wants Suguru. He always wants Suguru, but this – it’s all a bit too much.

It’s also hard as fuck to fight his more primal instincts when Suguru’s scent is so strong and practically begging Satoru to both breed him and take care of him and the pup. It’s confusing and overwhelming, and he knows it’s not right – something’s not right with Suguru. And he can’t help but give in to the instinct to assist him, or at least go to him because it’s so strong right now.

He kneels on the floor, thighs pressing against the edge of the mattress, and Suguru’s eyebrows shoot up like he’s surprised Satoru’s actually going along with this shit show, and it only serves to make Satoru angrier. If it’s his come, he wants – or whatever – that’s what Suguru will get. Since he clearly doesn’t see Satoru as anything more than a knot, or breeding stock, like he’s some prized stallion for the taking.

He moves Suguru onto his hands and knees and his inner alpha screams at him to be gentle with his the very pregnant omega. It’s hard to fight that, even with his anger simmering, so he takes a couple of the pillows in the nest and shoves one under Suguru’s elbows, then he’s gentler when he wedges another pillow under Suguru's belly because it looks heavy.

He yanks Suguru’s sleep shorts down his thighs and he’s not wearing underwear. Of course, he’s not because he clearly just wants to make Satoru suffer. He feels between Suguru’s thighs, and his sex is sopping, like he gets off on hurting Satoru – maybe he does. Satoru shoves two fingers inside in one go and Suguru’s breath hitches, fingers tightening around the pillow by his head. He doesn’t complain though, doesn’t make any indication that it hurts, so Satoru keeps going, pumping his fingers in and out.

Suguru keens when Satoru curls his fingers, but he doesn’t feel like making Suguru feel good. Is only trying to ready him to take his cock like Suguru says he wants, so he pulls his fingers out, ignoring the way Suguru whines. Satoru shoves his pants down his thighs and takes his cock out, pumps it a few times, and lines it up against Suguru’s hole. Rubs the tip in between his pussy lips to get it wet because the alpha in his head is screaming at him to be gentle – the baby, there’s a baby.

God, the baby. He falters, loses the act he's got going, “You’re sure – this is, safe?” 

“Yes,” Suguru groans, head tilting back and exposing the long expanse of his neck to Satoru. He’s probably doing it on purpose, it’s a textbook sign of submission between alpha and their omega. Probably doing it to toy with Satoru and the anger in the pit of his gut burns bright. He grabs Suguru’s thighs and pushes inside of his pussy in one swift motion. It makes Suguru gasp and keen and he tries to reach back and grab at Satoru.

Satoru pushes his hand away, “Don’t.” And Suguru has the nerve to whine and look all dejected. He could’ve been meaner and turned on his Infinity barrier but – well, he just doesn’t. He knows why but doesn’t feel like digging deeper into that.

Satoru shakes it off, squeezes his eyes shut, and feels glad he still has the bandages wrapped around his eyes. Even in this position, he doesn’t want Suguru to see him. He keeps his pace fast and hard, pounding into Suguru and pulling all these wanton moans from the omega.

Satoru sits back on his knees and pulls Suguru onto his lap. With his hands free from holding himself up, Suguru starts playing with his chest, which looks so swollen – looks more than breasts than the hard pectoral muscles Satoru’s used to seeing on his mate. Suguru squeezes his nipples, rolls them between his fingers, and gasps when his fingers get all wet and his nipples start leaking with – with milk. Satoru smells it too, the saccharine, honey scent of it, and his mouth goes dry.

He didn’t want to knot Suguru, planned on pulling out at the last second so he could get the fuck out of this place as fast as possible, having finished what Suguru wanted from him, and –.

Well, he doesn’t know what he planned to do after that. It doesn’t matter because that plan comes crashing down when the sight of Suguru all leaking and smelling so sweet makes him come prematurely like he’s a teenager again, and his knot locks them together.

“Satoru, I –” Suguru complains and starts trying to raise his hips to try and rub himself against Satoru’s thighs. He didn’t come.

Satoru’s angry. He’s angry at Suguru. He’s angry at this situation. He’s angry at himself for even going this far. But he’s so fucking weak when it comes to Suguru. He always has been. His chest is heaving and he’s trying to catch his breath and he just doesn’t want to hear Suguru right now. Everything just hurts.

“Stop talking. Please, just stop.”

Suguru pouts and he quiets but keeps wiggling his hips against Satoru’s and it makes him hiss. He has to take deep breaths and focus on waiting for his knot to go down. But, the thing is – he really doesn’t want to leave. He doesn’t know what he’ll do once he gets out of here. He doesn’t know how he’s supposed to live with the knowledge that Suguru’s carrying his baby and is planning to give birth to them in this godawful safehouse. Even worse, is planning to raise them without Satoru. But he also doesn’t think he can stay and just be a knot or whatever to Suguru.

He’s looking right at Suguru’s back. His hair’s brushed over onto one of his shoulders and it takes everything in him not to lean forward and bury his nose against the exposed juncture of his neck where his scent is the strongest. Or worse, to bite. And, in this position, it would be so easy to wrap his arms around Suguru’s middle and feel the swell of his belly – he really wants to feel – stop.

Think of something else – think of anything else.

As soon as his knot goes down, he pulls away, sets Suguru back onto the mattress, and zips his pants.

“Wait, where are you going?” Suguru sounds frantic and turns to dig his fingers into the fabric of Satoru’s jacket.

“I’m leaving, Suguru. I gave you what you wanted. Obviously, a knot is all I’m good for to you.”

“Stop, please – it’s not just that.” Suguru’s eyebrows are knit together, and he still looks desperate, but he’s not saying anything. His scent is rancid and distressed, ever the omega in need of an alpha.

Satoru’s exasperated, he’s completely over this. He doesn’t think he can take much more hurt, or confusion. Suguru acting all mean and uncaring, but his scent saying the exact opposite.

“Then what is. Tell me.”

Suguru’s dark eyes are all watery and his voice barely more than a whisper, “Well, I want you here. For the birth too, I mean. It’s selfish, I know but I –”

It feels like a punch to the gut and cuts Satoru where it hurts the most. It’s what he wanted to hear, but it still feels awful because the circumstance is so messed up. So backward.

Suguru’s his mate, his omega. Of course, he wanted to have children with him. He used to have a lot of daydreams about their future together, of their babies and all that fluff. And whenever their rut and heat cycles used to sync up, Satoru’s hormone-addled brain used to cook up these images of Suguru all full and round with his baby – their baby. Part of him knew it was mostly related to Suguru’s heat and his rut and all the needy scents Suguru was always giving off practically screaming Breed Me Breed Me Breed Me.

But he wanted it, all the same. The want went deeper than the surface level of hormones and pheromones and bonding chemicals. Worse, he let himself want it. The whole thing, him and Suguru, and all their kids – because they’d have a lot of kids – all running around and making noise in their house. They’d be a family – their kids would want for nothing and would be able to say that their parents really loved each other. Everything neither Satoru nor Suguru had as children.

Not like this though – this is so far from what he imagined for them.

The anger is still there, but it doesn’t feel as strong as before. Maybe it’s the way Suguru’s scent is all sweet and permeating and messing with his head. But what he’s left with is this deep, aching hurt.

His throat feels tight when he finally manages to respond to Suguru’s cut-off statement, “You what?”

Suguru shrugs, he looks embarrassed like he’s admitting something new to himself as well, “I guess I just wanted you to meet her, too. She should meet both of her parents.”

Satoru should probably be asking more questions, getting to the bottom of this. Of, why Suguru kept something so immense from him. He wants to do that, he really does, it feels like his heart’s pulsing and bleeding out, but he’s caught up on one thing Suguru’s said – she.

“It’s – you’re having a girl?” Satoru wants to sob. A daughter, their daughter.

Suguru flushes, and it’s so cute, he’s still aching and hurting, but even Satoru can admit to that.

“It’s just a guess—I don’t know for sure. When I picture the baby, I just see a girl. It’s stupid, I don’t know.”

It feels like Satoru’s heart is in his throat. Suguru’s giving off a scent that’s so full of love and sweetness and it’s making him weak in the knees. He can’t stop himself from opening his big, dumb mouth and saying, “It’s not stupid.”

Suguru shakes his head and laughs, but it’s cut off by a wince and a pained sound erupts from his throat. His shoulders tense and his hands grip his belly tightly. His scent smells afraid. At that, something breaks inside of Satoru like he can’t fight his instincts anymore, the ones that are screaming at him to help his omega, so leans forward. He grabs Suguru’s shoulder and helps him into a sitting position.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing – she’s just big. It kind of hurts when she moves now.”

Satoru’s not sure what to say, but it feels like he should apologize, “I’m sorry.”

Suguru laughs, but it sounds a little watery, “It’s not your fault.”

Suguru’s hands are rubbing up and down his belly and Satoru can’t help but stare. The movement must wake the baby up or something because Suguru’s skin shifts underneath his shirt. Suguru must notice that he’s staring because he asks, “Do you want to feel?”

Before he can think better of it or can remind himself to be angry and upset, Satoru nods. Because yeah, he really does want to feel – it’s his baby, after all. Suguru wraps a hand around his wrist and places his hand at the crest of his belly, right underneath his chest.

“That’s where her feet are,” he explains, and Satoru’s eyes widen as he feels the pressure of her little kicks against the palm of his hand. He drags Satoru’s hand along the curve of his belly, “That’s her back, I think, you feel it? Then, you feel that – that’s her head.”

A weird, broken laugh comes out of Satoru’s mouth when he feels the outline of her little skull. This feels fake – no, it feels surreal.

“Does that hurt?” It feels like it must hurt, her little head is pushing against Suguru’s tight, stretched skin like she’s trying to get closer to Satoru’s touch.

Suguru laughs, too, “Yeah, it kind of does. Her head’s always pressing on my cervix or something now, it’s not the best feeling.”

Suguru’s never usually this honest, with himself, or even with Satoru. So, it’s strange to hear him so open and – raw. It’s doing something to Satoru, making him feel all exposed and raw, too.

“I’m sorry,” Satoru breathes out, he’s not sure what else to say, but part of him, maybe the instinct part, feels like it’s his fault that Suguru’s going through this, a product of his knot and whatnot, even though it’s been kept from him. This close, he can smell Suguru’s scent so intensely and it’s making his brain feel all foggy. He smells like Satoru right now.

“It’s not your fault,” Suguru whispers back, laughing a little, and grips Satoru’s wrist a little tighter. The baby – their baby – is shifting underneath Satoru’s palm. “I wanted to have her. I wanted her so badly.”

“You did?”  

Suguru nods and looks straight into Satoru’s eyes. He doesn’t look mean or accusatory or anything negative. He just looks honest. “Wanted to have your baby. Our baby.”

He’s sort of scared to ask, or to find out the answer, more like it. Can barely look Suguru in the eyes when he asks, “Then, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to tell you.” Satoru goes on to argue because that’s not fair. It’s one thing to say Suguru wanted to tell him the whole time and it’s another thing to call him here under these less than favorable circumstances, totally at the last second, and act so mean about it. But Suguru shakes his head, so he decides to keep listening. “I didn’t find out for a long time, like well into the second trimester. I wanted to tell you, but it’s all just so –.” He stops himself like he’s trying to find the right words.

“So – what?”

“I mean, there are so many barriers. You can’t father my child. It would reflect badly on you. Our current circumstances don’t allow this to be a possibility for you.” He gestures to his belly and then points a finger at Satoru.

“Says who?”

“Be realistic, Satoru.” Suguru’s frown deepens.

“But – you wanted to tell me?”

“Yes,” Suguru sighs and looks down at his lap, “I wanted to tell you the whole time. I wanted you with me so badly sometimes. But I just didn’t know what to do – I never expected that this would happen. But believe me, I wanted to.” Then, he smiles at Satoru, and it’s a real, genuine Suguru smile – the one where his eyes get all crinkly – and it makes Satoru feel so in love and woozy.

“And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you – I’m sorry I was so mean at the start, I had big romantic plans and everything, but I guess I just kind of panicked at the last second.” He looks embarrassed and it’s so like Suguru. Suguru tends to get mean when he’s anxious and out of depth, and Satoru always sort of falls for it – lets himself play into it without realizing what’s actually going on.

And – Satoru can’t help himself. It’s deeper than hormones and their bond and all the scents swirling around the room. It’s so much deeper than that. It’s all the years he’s spent loving Suguru crammed into his chest at once. He leans forward, takes Suguru’s face between his hands, and kisses him hard. Suguru kisses him back with the same intensity, grips tightly on Satoru’s jacket, and tugs at the fabric.

“Please, Satoru,” he whines, breaking away from their kiss.

“What? Tell me what you want,” Satoru smirks, pressing a light kiss on the side of Suguru’s mouth.

Suguru flushes, but he doesn’t back away from Satoru’s challenge. Gives it right back to him with his cute, mean conviction, “I want to come.”

“Oh? My poor Suguru didn’t come earlier, huh?”

“No and that’s not a very nice way to treat your very pregnant omega,” Suguru pouts all cute and sweet and teasing. More like his typical self – at least the one Satoru knows – than he’s been throughout this entire encounter.

“No, it isn’t, huh?” Satoru smiles wickedly, then softens it by tucking a strand of Suguru’s hair behind his ear.

“Yeah, so what are you going to do about it?” Suguru challenges, eyebrow raised and hips rocking back and forth against the mattress.

“Hmm, I don’t know,” Satoru shrugs and Suguru looks at him like he’s stupid. It makes Satoru laugh, and he only laughs harder when Suguru holds the same expression. But Satoru’s feeling softer now. “Did it hurt – earlier?”

Suguru smiles softly but shakes his head. He blushes and now that Satoru’s actually looking at him, without the edge of anger tinting his vision, his face looks round, softened by the pregnancy. “No, it was good.”

Satoru smirks, “Just good… Hmm, is that so?”

Suguru doesn’t dignify him with a response, instead, he just rolls his eyes and lays down on his side with a dramatic sigh. Satoru’s feeling light and silly, so he laughs and lays down next to him, curling his body around Suguru’s. Suguru’s only got a shirt on still, so Satoru pushes a hand under his top, cups one of his breasts, and rolls his nipple in between his fingers. The motion makes Suguru hiss, and he grinds his hips against Satoru’s as best as he can being so laden by his heavy belly.

“You’re not being very nice,” Suguru whines.

“Aww, I’m not?” Satoru teases, but he leans back and takes off his jacket and shirt so he can press his bare skin against Suguru’s. His cock is getting hard again with the way Suguru’s pressing against his groin.

“Yes,” Suguru lets out a whine, “Put. It. In. Satoru.”

“Now, you didn’t ask very nicely, Suguru,” Satoru tsks, though he’s still pinching Suguru’s nipples. It’s making his fingers all wet and he can’t help it – he sticks them in his mouth and sucks the moisture off. Suguru gasps, looking at him like he’s insane.

“I can’t believe you did that.”

“Why? It tastes good.”

“You’re sick – like actually sick.”

Satoru laughs, but he shimmies out of his pants and kicks them aside, then takes his jacket and shirt off too. He rubs his cock against Suguru’s vulva and gets the head of it all shiny and wet. Lines it up against Suguru’s hips and pushes into his pussy, more slowly this time. He’s still all wet and loose inside and the possessive part of Satoru’s instincts reminds him that it’s because of him. It’s because of his come inside of Suguru. Because he knotted him.

Of course, it’s more intimate this time. Satoru’s not as consumed by hurt and anger. And Suguru’s not keeping up his façade of being uncaring and hurtful and mean. Now, it just feels like Satoru and Suguru, like they’ve always been.

Satoru’s slow to start this time just rocking into Suguru sort of lazy, just enjoying the feeling of being close to and inside of his mate. He allows himself the luxury of burying his nose in the crook of Suguru’s neck and breaths in the sweet scent of him. Suguru’s always seemed sweet, even more than the average omega, and Satoru always took it as a sign that he was perfect for him – his mate was his favorite flavor. But now, somehow, he manages to smell even sweeter, there’s more depth to his scent because of the baby and it’s driving Satoru crazy and making his heart feel all weak.

He keeps that pace for a while, not even chasing his own orgasm, but maybe teasing a little to stave off Suguru’s. Of course, Suguru notices because he grips Satoru’s wrist and drags it to his breast with a whine, “Please, I need more, Satoru.”

“More?” Suguru squeezes his eyes shut and nods.

Satoru squeezes his breast, then leans over his body to suck hard at Suguru’s nipple, and the omega lets out a choked sob at the stimulation. Satoru pops off and makes a show of whipping the liquid off his face and Suguru watches him with heavy-lidded, lust-filled eyes. He wraps a hand around Satoru’s head and pulls him down so he can kiss him, and Satoru obliges. Let’s his mate get all caught up in the kiss before he draws his hips back and gives Suguru a hard thrust. Suguru throws his head back and cries out, fingers gripping hard on Satoru’s forearm.

“Please,” Suguru whimpers, pussy clenching hard around Satoru. He keeps up that pace, thrusts driving hard and fast into Suguru and bringing out all these lewd sounds from him. Suguru’s getting close, Satoru can tell, his thighs are shaking, his eyes are squeezed shut, and he’s making all these hot, breathy sounds.

Satoru decides to be nice, and he reaches under Suguru’s belly and takes hold of his leaking cock. Rubs the precum all over the shaft and starts stroking in tandem with his thrusts and Suguru lets out a beautiful moan that shoots straight to Satoru’s cock. After that, it doesn’t take long for Suguru to start shaking apart, and he grips Satoru’s cock so tightly it feels like he sees starts.

Even through his orgasm, Suguru whines, “Bite me, Satoru. Please, bite me.”

Suguru is squeezing around him so tight, his scent is filling Satoru’s nose, fingernails digging into the skin on his forearm, and with all these factors, he comes for the second time. He leans forwards and clamps his teeth around Suguru’s neck. Planting a new mark where his old one healed over years ago.

Suguru wails but he quickly relaxes against Satoru’s chest and his scent is the image of a pleased and well-satisfied omega. Suguru’s chest is heaving from exertion, but he takes Satoru’s hand and places it against the swell of his belly and makes him press down. And Satoru feels, he feels their baby twirling around and kicking at Suguru from the inside, and it all feels like too much and not enough at the same time. Suguru’s crying all weepy and he doesn’t realize he is too until his mate wipes a stray tear away from underneath his eye, the bandage ripped off and forgotten somewhere in their lovemaking. Satoru buries his face against Suguru’s neck and breathes in his scent to calm himself down.

“I love you,” Suguru whispers, reaching back to run a hand through Satoru’s already mused hair.

“I love you, too,” Satoru laughs, heart aching but not in the sad way it was earlier, more like from the love that’s bursting out of the seams of it now. He rests a hand on Suguru’s belly and can feel the baby inside, so he says again, “I love you.”

Suguru lets out a laugh that’s half a sob and rests his hand on top of Satoru’s then laces their fingers together.

They lay like that for a while. Just quiet and wrapped in each other’s arms, Satoru still inside Suguru, even with his knot slowly deflating and his cock softening.

Satoru presses a kiss to Suguru’s temple, “Do you still feel like you’re in heat?”

Suguru makes an irritated sound, probably upset that his snoozing’s been interrupted, but shakes his head. He rubs a hand up and down his belly, “No, it feels better now. I don’t feel as frantic.”

“If I stay, we’re doing this my way, okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you can’t give birth in this dump. There’s no way I’m letting you do that.”

Suguru tenses, “I’m not going to a hospital.”

Satoru sighs and presses a kiss onto his exposed shoulder, “You don’t have to, but I don’t want to stay here. I want you to come to my place. At least, let Shoko check you out or something.”

Suguru doesn’t meet his eye and goes back to his old habit of toying with the blanket. “I – I guess that’s okay.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just – the girls, I want them to come too,” Suguru frowns, still not meeting Satoru’s eye, “But, I know it’s hard for alphas to accept pups that aren’t their own, but – I can’t leave them. They’re mine.”

“What? Of course, Suguru. I’d never make you leave them,” Satoru assures him. In fact, he’d planned to bring the two pups along, and was already making plans about fitting the twins into his life and thinking about how they’d interact with Megumi and Tsumiki. Wait – Tsumiki.

He’s sure Suguru will accept Megumi as his own and welcome him into his pack. Firstly, because Megumi smells like him, after having lived with Gojo for a few years now. Sure, he’s Fushiguro Toji’s son, but he’s nothing like him and he’s got a powerful cursed technique, Suguru will accept him without a doubt.

But well, Tsumiki smells like Satoru, and he’s welcomed her into his pack as one of his pups. But she doesn’t have any cursed energy. She’s a –. Satoru can’t even bring himself to say it in regard to his sweet Tsumiki, but he’s suddenly terrorized with the fear that Suguru will reject her. He doesn’t know what he would do at that point.

He must be giving off a scent rank with anxiety because Suguru grips at his arm, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just – one of my pups. She’s a non-sorcerer.”

Suguru doesn’t say anything, and Satoru holds his breath as he waits for his mate to respond. It feels like an infinity passes by as he waits, but Suguru just says, “Does she smell like you?”

Satoru nods, “Yes, she’s lived with me for the last three years. She smells like me – she’s, my pup.”

Suguru smiles, a pure, genuine Suguru smile, “Then, I’ll like her just fine.”

Satoru huffs out a sort of broken laugh, “You promise?”

“I promise.” And Satoru can’t help but kiss Suguru another time. He pours every ounce of love for his mate into the kiss.

It feels like it’s too good to be true, all his dreams and fantasies are starting to unfold in front of him.

Sure, there’s the issue of Suguru’s past and everything. Then worse, the higher-ups and all the bullshit they love to dump onto Satoru, but at the end of the day, there’s not much they can do to hold him back. Especially when there’s something that Satoru truly wants standing in between them. He’s the sole head of the Gojo Clan and the Strongest Sorcerer, they can’t do anything to stop him, even if they tried.

“Well, I want the girls to be okay with you,” Suguru admits, “I want them to accept you as an alpha, first. Is that okay?”

“Yes. Of course, that’s fine.” Then Satoru feels a little more anxious, “Are – are you sure they’ll like me?”

Suguru smiles at him so fondly, “Yes, I’m positive they will. They’re outspoken little girls, but they’re very kind at their core.”

“Ah, so like you?”

“Shut up.”

“You know, there’s a joke about apples and trees somewhere in there.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“But you love me, right?”

“Sure, I do.”

After their bout of teasing, Satoru helps Suguru back into his clothes and assists him in tidying up the nest. It didn’t get too messy, thankfully, but Satoru wants to make a good impression with the girls – at least a second impression. Suguru gives him the cue to go get the girls and Satoru anxiously pokes his head around the edge of the bedroom door. He finds that the twins are curled together on the sofa and they both turn their heads from the television to look at Gojo.

Manami’s out on the balcony and it looks like she’s talking animatedly on the phone, so Satoru ushers the girls over with a whisper, “Hey, your papa wants to talk to you.” He’s not sure where that name came from, but Satoru thinks it fits Suguru just fine, though the girls share a confused look.

“Who?” The blonde twin – Nanako, as Satoru’s been told, asks.

“Sorry, Geto-sama. He wants to talk to you, too.”

The twins share another look between each other and then look back at Satoru and nod. They both hesitantly stand from the couch and follow him into the room. The girls linger by the door for barely a second, it only takes Suguru opening up his arms for them to rush over to him, and cuddle close to him. Both whispering sweet things like how they were worried about him and the baby and the like.

After they’ve gotten their fill of cuddles and the like, Suguru pulls away and makes them look into his eyes. “Alright, girls. There’s someone I’d like you two to meet –”

Nanako cuts him off, “We already know him. That’s Gojo Satoru – he’s your best friend, duh.” Satoru can already tell she’s a little stubborn, spitfire, and he thinks he’s going to like her just fine. She’ll be a good match for Megumi’s stubborn little attitude if this all goes well.

Suguru laughs, “Yes, but well – he’s more than that. You know how I’m an omega?” Both the girls nod in tandem, so Suguru continues. “He’s also my alpha.”

Nanako and Mimiko both look at Suguru with dumb expressions. Mimiko smiles shyly, “We know that. He smells like you – smells like he’s your alpha. And you told me he’s the baby’s dad.”

Suguru looks a little surprised, but he just laughs and bops Mimiko on the nose, “You’re right, but I wanted to tell you anyway. Because, well Satoru wants us to come and stay with him until the baby’s born, okay? But I don’t want to go unless you girls are sure you like his scent – are sure that you trust him as an alpha. Does that sound okay?” Again, the girls both nod and Suguru gestures for Satoru to sit on the mattress again.

“Okay, who wants to go first?” Suguru asks. Nanako volunteers and stands in front of Satoru looking incredibly brave and stern. Maybe a little too stern for a seven-year-old, but it only adds to her character, Satoru thinks – he’s used to stern seven-year-olds anyway.

Nanako leans forward to scent Satoru, but freezes at the last second, looking a little shy and embarrassed. “Hey, it’s okay – I promise I don’t bite,” Satoru teases and Nanako gives him a wavering look. However, the joke seems to do the trick because she leans forward and scents him.

Nanako pulls back and gives Satoru a smile, “He smells okay.”

“Just, okay?” Suguru laughs.

“No, he smells good – he smells like a good alpha,” Nanako clarifies, then scampers away to cuddle close to Suguru again.

It’s Mimiko’s turn next and she’s a little more anxious about it, Suguru practically has to peel her off of him. But she still scoots over towards Satoru and scents him. In fact, she scents him a second time and gives him a shy, but wide smile before scampering back over to hide her face in Suguru's neck. Satoru just barely hears her say, “I like him.” And it makes his heart soar with acceptance and pride for his new pups. Maybe that's a bit presumptuous, but if he has his way - it'll be true. 

Suguru gives him a hopeful look and nods – meaning, everything went well. Satoru smiles back at him. Before he enacts the warp portal, he warns, “Okay, if there are any pillows or blankets you would like to keep, please hang on to them tightly.”

Suguru makes a surprised sound and quickly explains the mechanics of warping to the girls, and they both scramble to latch on to a few blankets. Suguru does the same, looking just a tad bit frantic as he grips onto several blankets and to the girls. Satoru chuckles at the sight and warps the four of them into the master bedroom of his apartment. He lets Suguru and the girls get situated for a moment, but it honestly doesn’t take long for Suguru to start his grumbling and begin to nest in Satoru’s den, which makes the alpha inside of Satoru very pleased with all sorts of thoughts about Suguru’s pleased omega scent.

He leaves Suguru and the girls to creep into the room that Megumi and Tsumiki share. There’s another room that he’s offered for one of them to take as their own, but they insist that they prefer to share with one another.

Tsumiki is the first to stir and blinks up at him with sleepy eyes, “Gojo-san?”

“Hey,” he whispers and smooths a hand over her hair.

Megumi whines and sits up, giving Satoru a very grumpy frown. He rubs his eyes then scrunches his nose. “Why does it smell so weird in here?”

Tsumiki scents the air and agrees, “Yeah, he’s right.”

“Well, that’s why I wanted to talk to you guys,” Satoru starts, and the siblings share a look between the two of them. “This is very sudden and it’s a little strange. It might be a little scary, too.”

Megumi just levels an unimpressed look at him, “Scary? How –?”

It might’ve made Satoru laugh if he weren’t suddenly so nervous about this – about explaining all of this to the kids. “You know how you guys always ask me about the mark on my neck?” He pulls down the collar of his jacket and flashes the mating bite Suguru gave him when they were teenagers. The siblings kind of look at him warily but nod. “Well, my omega – he’s here and he’s going to stay with us for a little… because, he’s having a baby. We’re having a baby.”

Satoru braces himself for their reactions, expecting the pups to be upset or angry, “I’m sorry – I know this is very sudden. I just found out –”

Tsumiki cuts him off, her hands are laced together and she’s smiling at him so widely, “A – a baby? We’re gonna have a baby?”

It surprises Satoru and a laugh bubbles up from his chest, “Yeah – yeah, we are.”

Tsumiki throws her arms around Satoru’s neck and squeals, “Ahh, I can’t believe this!”

Satoru pulls her back, “You’re not mad?”

Tsumiki shakes her head, “No – of course not. Are you happy?”

Satoru nods, feeling like his heart is seconds from bursting out of his chest, “Yeah, I’m happy.”

“Then, of course, we’re happy too,” Tsumiki looks back at her brother, who pretty much looks unphased, “Right, Megumi?”

“Huh, yeah, we’re happy! But I have a question for you – late,” he adds the last part as a whisper and that makes Satoru a little nervous, but he nods all the same.

“Do you guys want to meet him?” Tsumiki nods excitedly, and Megumi – well, he just nods. It’s then, as the three of them are walking down the hall to his bedroom, that Satoru remembers the other pups, Nanako and Mimiko, and smacks a hand over his forehead and quickly tries to reel the kids back in to explain the two additional pups before they enter the room.

But it’s too late because Tsumiki’s already pushed into Satoru’s bedroom, and Satoru watches as her eyes take in not just the pregnant omega, but the two pups clinging to him. Tsumiki turns around and looks at Satoru with her mouth agape, “Who are those pups?!”

Megumi tugs at Satoru’s pant leg, and looks at him accusingly, “Wait are they your pups, too? Like, the same as the baby, I mean.”

Satoru balks, “No, Megumi, they’re your age – I was like thirteen or something when you were born.”

Megumi furrows his eyebrows and looks exasperated, “Well, I don’t know how it works!”

It only serves to make Satoru laugh harder, but he takes a deep breath and rests a hand on Tsumiki’s shoulder, “Is that – okay?”

Tsumiki gives him a toothy grin, “I’ve always wanted a sister! I always tell you!!”

It’s true, Tsumiki’s always been begging and groaning about sisters – always talking about how she wants one. Satoru always told her his hands were tied on the matter. But now – well, it’s a reality, in more ways than one, even. If the baby in Suguru's belly turns out to be a girl, too. 

Satoru shrugs, but before he can speak, Suguru interrupts him. He’s lounging against the headboard, one hand on his belly and the twins on either side of him. He cocks an eyebrow, “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Satoru?”

Satoru grins and takes Megumi and Tsumiki’s hands, “Of course, of course. Tsumiki, Megumi – this is my omega Suguru, and his pups, Nanako and Mimiko.”

“Hi!” Tsumiki waves, looking so sweet and cute and welcoming.

“Hi…” Megumi’s a little shyer, sort of hiding behind Satoru, but at least he’s saying hi, that’s a good step for him.

Suguru smiles, “It’s very nice to meet you both. I’m sorry for dropping in so suddenly.”

Tsumiki shrugs, “It’s okay!”

“You’re – you’re sure?”

“Yeah, of course! Right, Megumi?” Her brother nods, still being just a little bit shy.

“Would it – do you want to scent me, just to be sure it’s okay that I stay?” Suguru offers and Tsumiki nods. She leans forward and scents Suguru and he scents the girl back. Satoru’s relieved that they both seem to have accepted each other into this weird, blended pack they’ve hastily created. It’s the same with Megumi as well when he gets the nerve to scoot forward and scent Suguru.

Nanako tugs at Suguru’s arm, “You should let them feel the baby!”

Suguru smiles, “Would you like that?” Tsumiki bobs her head excitedly, then lets Suguru take her hand and lead it to his belly. The baby must be kicking up a storm because Tsumiki’s face blossoms into a wide smile and she turns to look back at Satoru all amazed and cute.

“Do you wanna feel, too, Megumi?” Suguru offers and Megumi nods. His eyes get comically wide, and it makes everyone laugh.

After, Megumi looks up at Satoru and tugs on the hem of his jacket so he’s level with Megumi. Megumi leans forward and whispers in his ear, “You know my question earlier,” Satoru nods, “So – how did you get the baby inside of Suguru?”

Satoru has to bite down on a laugh because Megumi’s looking at him very seriously, but it’s hard to keep a straight face because he can see Suguru’s chuckling too. “That’s a great question, Megumi. And I will most definitely answer it for you in the morning, how does that sound?”

Megumi makes a grumpy face, but nods, all the same, much to Satoru’s relief.

They settle in for the night with ease and it seems like everyone's getting along just fine. The kids barely seem phased by the change at all. However, Nanako and Mimiko aren’t ready to leave Suguru’s side just yet, so they opt to stay with Satoru and Suguru tonight. Of course, not to be left out Megumi And Tsumiki decide to stay in Satoru's room as well.

Satoru has this really big bed with a soft mattress and sheets with a ridiculously high thread count. He didn’t pick it out, or really any of the furniture in his apartment. It was also chosen by some decorator hired out by the Gojo Clan. He remembers thinking it was sort of an extravagant purchase when he moved in. Even on the occasions when Tsumiki or Megumi crawls into his bed after a nightmare, he never needed a bed this size. But now, he’s glad he’s got it – because all six of them fit perfectly.

He throws his arm over Suguru and lets his hand linger on the swell of his belly. His heart feels all full and mushy and he’s just really, really happy.

There are still so many things they’ve got to figure out. Just because they had sex and they’re having a baby together doesn’t mean everything between them – all the hurt and anger and resentment – has disappeared. They still have to figure that out. On top of that, Satoru still has to figure out how he’s going to explain this new situation, he knows he will, but it’s still sort of looming over him. Worse, there’s the baby, that has to be born sooner or later, and that’s more than terrifying in and of itself.

“You’re thinking too loud,” Suguru whispers, lacing their fingers together.

“I know,” Satoru sighs.

“We’ll talk more in the morning, okay?” Suguru squeezes his hand. Satoru nods and then buries his nose against the back of Suguru’s neck. Yeah, they’ll talk in the morning.

When morning comes, though, the opportunity to talk is more difficult to carve out. Satoru and the kids wake up before Suguru and he’s quick to usher the kids out of the room with the promise of pancakes. Thankfully the kids aren’t too hard to bride because Suguru needs his rest, especially before he gives birth.

Both sets of siblings seem to be getting along just fine, Satoru muses as he watches the four all talking animatedly amongst themselves. They’re watching some cartoon while Satoru makes a huge pile of pancakes. It all feels so domestic, he’s not sure what to do with everything he’s feeling right now.

“Guys – breakfast is ready.” The kids cheer and scramble to the table and start piling their plates high with food. Satoru chuckles and tells them he’s going to check on Suguru.

The bed’s empty, but he hears water running from the bathroom, so he peeks his head around the partially opened door. Suguru’s washing his face and he’s changed into new clothes – Satoru’s clothes. His hair’s tied in a towel, but there’s another towel on the floor. Satoru bends over to pick it up, but Suguru stops him, “Hey, wait – don’t grab that yet.”

“Huh, why?”

“I think my water broke.”

Satoru freezes, “What? You – think?”

“I mean, I’m pretty sure.”

“Suguru! Are you having contractions?”

“Well, they started last night after we all went to bed, and I didn’t really think anything of it. But then I couldn’t really sleep because it kept happening. And then this morning, it was still happening when I woke up, and right when I got out of the shower all that happened,” he gestures to the sopping towel on the floor.

“Shouldn’t we do something?”

“I don’t know –”

“Suguru, come on isn’t there –?”

Suguru cuts him off and he sounds upset and frantic, “I don’t know! I’ve never had a baby before, and I don’t think you have either.” Satoru just looks at him dumbly, not quite sure how to react or respond to that.

“Sorry, I’m sorry – I guess I’m just scared,” Suguru admits, though he’s looking down at his belly. Satoru sighs and wraps his arms around Suguru’s shoulders. Suguru goes down easy and leans against Satoru’s chest.

“I’m sorry, too, I’m just worried about you.” Worried is probably an understatement, but Suguru doesn’t need to know that now. So, Satoru just presses a kiss to his mate’s forehead, “How far apart are the contractions?”

“Six or seven minutes,” Suguru says and Satoru’s anxiety kicks back into high gear.

“Is that – is that bad?”

“I don’t think so, I’ve read that it’s not like serious, serious until they’re three minutes apart or something.”

Satoru sucks in a deep breath, that really doesn’t make him feel much better. He takes Suguru’s face between his hands, “Should I get Shoko?”

Suguru looks like he thinks about it for a second, but shakes his head, “No, not yet at least. I think I want it to be just you and me for now.”

Satoru’s heart seizes and it all feels like a little too much again. Like he’s getting everything he’s ever wanted in the span of a few hours – his mates and a family – and he might snap out of it in a second and find it all gone.

“Alright, just you and me for now, okay?” Suguru visibly relaxes and nods. Satoru holds up a finger, “But – if I think anything’s starting to go wrong, or like you or the baby are at risk, I’m calling Shoko.”

Suguru nods again in agreement, but there’s an odd, faint smile on his face. He holds a hand to his belly. “She’s okay – I can feel her cursed energy. She’s healthy.”

“Huh, you can feel hers?”

“Yeah, I’m sure you can too,” Suguru prods and then holds Satoru’s hand to his belly, “Do you feel it?”

Satoru’s not sure why he didn’t think of it before, but he harnesses the power behind his Six Eyes and focuses deeper into Suguru’s aura of cursed energy and – he feels hers too. And it feels pure and wonderful and whole. Somehow like a perfect mixture of his own cursed energy and Suguru’s too. He looks at Suguru with his eyes full of awe and wonder, because it’s amazing to think that there really is a little person inside of Suguru, a person that’s half Satoru and half Suguru. It makes him feel just. A little weepy.

“You feel her?” Suguru asks again.

“Yeah, I feel her. Her cursed energy – she’s amazing.” Suguru smiles at him with his eyes all crinkly and Satoru can’t help but kiss him. His mate, the one he never thought he’d have like this again, but he does. His mate whose carrying their baby, despite all the odds and regularities telling them it shouldn’t have been a possibility, not for them. But it is – and it’s theirs. At least for now.

It takes nearly the entire day. Suguru pacing around the apartment and groaning in pain and begging for Satoru to make it stop. The kids were all very worried but were distracted enough by the prospect of their new dynamic as a foursome of pups to be too anxious about Suguru giving birth. So that allowed Satoru to tend to Suguru for most of his labor.  

But just as day turns to night, Suguru and Satoru’s child is born into Satoru’s waiting hands.

Their daughter.

She feels light in his arms, but she’s easily the most precious thing his hands have ever held. He wipes off her face and she lets out a strong wail, her little face pinking up almost instantly. She’s got a strong set of lungs. She’s strong.

He coos and strokes her dark hair, the same color as Suguru’s, and whispers, “Shh, it’s okay, angel – I know, it’s scary out here, but your papa and I will always keep you safe, yeah?” She’s a little gross, but he kisses her forehead anyways and holds her close to his chest and she quiets at the sound of his heart beating.

“Satoru, please,” Suguru wails and he holds out his arms toward Satoru. The look of longing in his eyes is intense as he waits to see his daughter, and Satoru gently places her against Suguru’s chest. His mate manages to wail harder as his hands rub up and down their daughter’s back.

“She’s perfect, she’s perfect.”

Satoru’s crying too and he leans forward to kiss Suguru. He rests his head against Suguru’s forehead, “She is and she’s ours – all ours.”

Suguru nods but he’s still a mess of tears among the blood and sweat that also goes into bringing a child into the world. But he’s strong and healthy, the baby is too, Satoru can feel both of their cursed energy whole and bright and strong.

Still, he asks, raking a hand through Suguru’s hair, “You’re okay, you feel alright?”

Suguru nods, “Yeah, I feel good. I feel – really happy.” A new wave of tears washes over him, and Satoru holds him close.

There’s still so much Satoru needs to do. First, he needs to assist Suguru through all the afterbirth steps they’ve both become experts on after scouring the internet for hours during Suguru’s labor. He also needs to get a hold of Shoko – and then explain everything – so she can make sure Suguru and the baby are alright. Then, he’s got to fight to keep Suguru in his life, he’s still positive he can do it, but he doesn’t know exactly what it’ll take – because the higher-ups and the fucked-up clan system of the Jujutsu World never cease to amaze him with their demands. But maybe this – his new family – will be enough motivation to change it for himself. Either way, he’ll deal with it when he has to because right now, he’s too focused on his mate and their daughter. He watches as Suguru traces a finger across the baby’s eyes and nose and little mouth, mapping out her features, and trying to find the familiar ones.

It’s far from the picture-perfect vision he used to dream up for his and Suguru’s future back when he was a teen. The one where Suguru never left, and they faced hardships. One where they don’t have to navigate through these past few years of turmoil and shared hurt – their bond was almost broken before Satoru found out about the baby.

But he thinks back to making pancakes for the kids and their laughter this morning, and this reality is damn near close – no, it’s better even. Because this reality actually belongs to him – it’s tangible, it’s something he can reach out and cling to. It’s his, it’s really his – and it’s Suguru’s too. And they’re going to figure it out – all of it, eventually.

Yeah, it'll take time, but Satoru’s no stranger to infinities. In fact, he’s a wielder of them. He’s all too aware of the passing of time, but he doesn’t feel it down. Because he feels like he could stay in this moment for an entire infinity.