Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Megumi received the call from Gojo's private detective, he didn't know what to do with himself. It was like his whole body went into autopilot trying to digest the news and not get his hopes up.

He called Yuji right away, telling him what they found and how. Nanami, their detective, didn't like giving them details unless he was absolutely sure, but this time, Nanami told them in advance that they located where the operation was keeping a pink haired alpha who matched Sukuna's description, the illegal organization was in the middle of transporting him as he was easily known as one of their best money makers. It was almost amusing to know that no matter what, Sukuna would find a way to stand out.

It almost made Megumi laugh, if it weren't for the horrible implications it brought along with it. To become a well known alpha in the fighting pits meant to be in a lot of fights. It meant to survive a lot of death matches. It meant to kill a lot of other alphas in order to make it to the next.

Nanami had informed them that his team planned on intercepting the transport vehicle and retrieving Sukuna. There were no updates on Choso yet.

A few years prior, fresh into summer break from college, Megumi and the Itadori’s had planned on going on their annual vacation. Choso and Sukuna had just gotten off of work and were heading over to pick up Yuji and him. Sukuna was on the phone with him when they were attacked. The yelling and pain filled groans still haunt Megumi to this day. That was 5 years ago.

They haven't heard much news for the past 2 years, it was like the two alphas dipped off the radar for a while. Megumi remembers having dinner with Yuji one night in those last two years where the poor young alpha let himself get drunk and sobbed into Megumi's arms until he fell asleep. They both had assumed the worst and thought Yuji's brothers finally succumbed to the brutality of the alpha rings.

But then news of a pink haired, heavily tattooed alpha rapidly took over. They knew it was him because of a failed mission about 3 years ago, Megumi knew that the ring leaders tattooed their champion alphas to show off how skilled they were. From the profiles and documents they gained, they found Sukuna's profile and found out that each band represented about 10 kills. Sukuna at the time had two bands around his right wrist and one around the same upper bicep, Choso had one around one wrist. It seemed both Sukuna and Choso gained an inked stripe across the bridge of their noses, their exact meaning unknown.

Many of the profiles included alphas with bands around their arms, very few had the stripes on the face. Typically the handlers doctored up their faces and trained them to avoid damaging that area for breeder alphas. So any markings on the face were typically avoided.

So Sukuna's marks signifying over 30 kills was hard to imagine. How could one alpha do so much? But these ring leaders were ruthless, the more kills Sukuna gained, the more matches they put him in. It was a terrible, horrific cycle. But tonight, it was coming to an end.

Nanami called him back, they were able to take possession of the transport vehicle and secured three alphas, one fitting Sukuna's description. They were near certain it was him.

Megumi was on his way now to pick up Yuji from his apartment and meet them at the hospital. Tonight, this horrible nightmare might end and bring back some hope with the discovery of one brother finally returning home.

---

Yuji was a mess of tears when Megumi arrived at his doorstep. The last time they had a close call and failed, the state Yuji went into made Megumi very concerned for his mental and physical well being. Megumi had to get involved with Yuji’s neighbor, who he dislikes strongly, just to keep an eye on him.

“You're certain it's him?” Yuji asked him, eyes red rimmed and puffy, yet they held a never ceasing glimmer of hope.

Megumi looked deep into his eyes, telling himself he would be strong for his friend no matter what happened. This news was just as much life-altering to Megumi as it was to Yuji.

He has known the Itadori brothers since they were all little. They lived in the same neighborhood and Megumi found Sukuna playing at the playground one day in his spot under the slide. Annoyed at first, he quickly negotiated with the stubborn boy to play with him if he was going to be there anyways. It wasn't long after that Megumi met Sukuna’s twin; Yuji, who was much easier to get along with. 

The three of them quickly became attached to each other, especially since Megumi had just lost his Alpha father and was now living with his Omega father. A bittersweet smile quirks his face when he remembers teenage Choso trying to reason with a snot-nosed Sukuna because he didn't want to share Megumi with his brother Yuji. 

‘He’s an omega, he can choose to play with whoever he wants, you're an alpha, you can't be seen fighting other alphas, even if he is your brother’ Choso had chastised.

‘But I want him to only play with me!’ Five year old Sukuna had cried, angry tears in his big red eyes.

Choso had sighed and looked at Megumi and Yuji who had been watching from the sandbox.

‘I don't want to play with you if you're going to be mean’ Megumi had huffed, crossing his arms. The alpha/omega dynamics didn't make sense to him at the time, all he knew was that his father told him to never put up with a bully and Megumi liked Sukuna so he had to stop him from being one.

‘I wasn't being mean to you ’ 

‘Still counts. Yuji is my friend too’ Megumi had defended. And with the threat of the silent treatment afterwards, Sukuna quickly gave in and apologized to Yuji. Choso looked relieved that Megumi could handle the two so easily. It was like a perfectly cruel twist of fate, Megumi missing his alpha parent and finding three alpha brothers to befriend, while they were missing their omega parent and found comfort in Megumi and his omega dad; Satoru.

Shaking the memory away, he’s forced back into the present, where it's nearly twenty years later and Sukuna, as well as Choso, have been missing for the past five. Megumi knows deep in his core that he’s not the same freshly graduated teenager that told him to meet him at the bridge after their graduation ceremony for a little private celebration. The same alpha who shamelessly scent marked him whenever they went out in public as a group to ‘protect him from strange alphas’. His brothers would make fun of him and scent mark Megumi as well. Megumi didn't mind, he missed it honestly. He missed their little group so much.

Yuji hasnt scent marked him in a while, he found out Megumi got written up for smelling like an alpha at work a few months back and hasn't tried anything since. Megumi tried to keep it from him but it was too late.

He could never keep anything from Sukuna either. Bastard read him like a book.

“You're certain it's him?” 

“Yes I’m certain.” Megumi decided, he hoped it wouldn't come to bite him later.

---

They arrived at the hospital that Nanami’s team took the rescued alphas to. Satoru would have been there with them too but he has a bad history with pit alphas, it was how Megumi was conceived after all.

Nanami called him on their way there and told Megumi that one of the alpha’s had died during transport, apparently he wasn't sedated like the others like they expected and attacked everyone in sight as soon as Nanami’s team tried to intercept and collect. Deemed feral and unreasonable, protocol requires he be put down on sight.

Megumi’s blood zipped through him when Nanami told him the news but quickly assured it wasn't Sukuna. Just to be safe, Neither of them told Yuji about the third alpha. The less he knew, the better. 

The alpha was squeezing his hands together so tightly he was cutting off the circulation. Megumi was grateful he kept the call private, the last time he mindlessly opened a call with Yuji in the car, they heard about an alpha ring operation that had gone horribly wrong, the feral alphas had gotten loose and attacked everyone including officers and bystanders. Every single alpha had to be put down. 

Yuji shut himself in his apartment for a week without a word to anyone, It took Megumi getting an extra key from his landlady and essentially breaking in to check if he was still alive. Megumi still berates himself for letting it last that long, anything could have happened within that week but Megumi wasn't doing so great himself. Of course he imagined that Sukuna, and Choso, were a part of that group of alphas and it made him physically sick. In fact, he hasn't had a heat in years solely due to the stress of it all. Not that a heat was anywhere close to the top of his priorities, his doctor said it was normal to experience irregularities under stress and so he let it be.

That's all in the past now, they have made actual progress this time. Sukuna was found and retrieved successfully. A little hope was given back to them.

Of course, Megumi wouldn't let the hope take him too far, they've been let down before, and he needs to be there to catch Yuji if it happens again. He won't simply believe it until he sees it. He can't.

Finally parked the car; illegally, but who cares right now. The two of them rush inside, the hospital is clearly busy at this ripe time of 3 a.m. A child is crying, some woman is yelling at an officer, a nurse is running by with papers astrew. Megumi already feels overwhelmed.

Nanami said he would meet them at the entrance, Megumi is scanning the crowd for a tall blond alpha.

Most alphas needed an escort in today's world, there were however a handful of exceptions, Nanami being a high ranking officer and detective was one of them. Which usually brought attention to him. The average person wasn't accustomed to a lone alpha walking freely. Megumi just needed to watch where people's eyes were drawn to.

Once the initial curiosity of people scenting Yuji walking in, with his heavily distraught alpha smell, and then their relief at seeing Megumi next to him was over, he observed as they looked towards a corridor where the alpha detective was standing talking to a beta officer.

Megumi gripped Yuji’s hand tightly and guided him towards Nanami.

“Ah, young Fushiguro, young Itadori,” Nanami greeted, “My team just arrived a few minutes ago, the alphas are still sedated. Due to circumstances, we had to increase their dosage,” Nanami gave Megumi a look when he said ‘circumstances’. Yuji didn't seem to notice.

“Can we see him?” Yuji sounded hopeful and determined. His voice surprisingly stronger than it has been in a while.

“They want us to go through clearances first but yes.”

The next few minutes felt like hours, signing paperwork and confirming that they knew the risks of entering a room with a potentially feral alpha. As a safety precaution they had an omega nurse come to them and dress Yuji in scent patches to mute the alpha smell that could trigger Sukuna.

Megumi could still scent Yuji’s coppery burnt marshmallow smell, he remembers it being more like toasted marshmallows and strawberries, but he hasn't scented that in a while. Only the alpha-ness of his scent was submerged, which meant he was wearing incredibly expensive scent patches, courtesy of Gojo he’s sure. It would be cruel to reunite the brothers while not allowing them to scent one another.

The patches cover both sides of his throat, his armpits, his wrists and he was instructed to place them on his inner thighs as high up as possible as well. It clearly didn't faze the alpha as he followed without hesitation and as quickly as he could, stretching his sweatpants right out in the hallway.

Megumi could feel it too, the nerves, the adrenaline pumping through his body. He had no idea what they were going to see beyond those barricade doors to the alpha wing. The last time either of them actually saw Sukuna and Choso was 5 years ago, and the last photo of them was 3 years ago. So much could have changed.

Megumi was scared.

With Yuji cleared, and Nanami suited with regular scent blockers, the three of them were led through the card-locked metal doors by an omega nurse.

“Despite our efforts, they've begun to wake up,” The nurse informed them as they hastily walked, “Whatever rut drugs they fed them is burning through any medication, they're metabolic rates are too high for us to compete with.”

“What does that mean?” Megumi asked for all of them.

“It means we either need to hit’em with something harder, which could lead to worse outcomes, or we need to scent neutralize their ruts in order for them to calm down” The nurse said.

They arrived at a door with the room numbered ‘143’ 

“Scent Neutralize?” Megumi asked.

“Yes, a scent compatible omega will neutralize an alphas rut hormones, allowing us to do our best to treat them properly, we have a few u niversal c ompatible o megas on staff who are on their way but there is no guarantees” She told them, she really didn't sugar coat anything, Megumi couldn't tell if he preferred it or not.

The nurse checked her watch, she seemed a bit torn, “This one is showing more preferable signs of recovery but I can't let you in until the U.C.O arrives.”

The blinds on the room window were drawn but Yuji still tried to look through them, pressing himself against the glass. Megumi could see him shaking ever so slightly.

Sukuna was just on the other side of this wall. Megumi was hit suddenly by the terror of it all. Would he be anything like the alpha he remembers? Logically he knew there was bound to be some differences. The fact that he was alive after all this time meant that Sukuna had to kill other people. Could Yuji and Megumi live with that knowledge?

Yes. Megumi already decided, he already was willing to forgive the alpha for surviving. If he was in his shoes, he’s sure he would do the same. He decided a long time ago that he wouldn’t forgive him if he died in the ring. So he can't give up on him now, now that he was so close.

Yuji probably felt similar.

It was them against the world, it alway has been. Megumi would defend the alpha brothers against all of society. They were his pack. And it had been torn apart for far too long.

What he thinks he feared the most, was not what Sukuna had done, but what Sukuna would think of him. Was the alpha he knew still in there? Did he remember Megumi?

“Im here, my name is-” the rest of her words blurred together, Megumi couldn't care less about who this omega was. Somewhere deep inside him, his gut bristled at the thought of this omega’s pheromones having any effect on Sukuna. “-Give me just a moment to assess the situation before you enter the room, pit alphas can be tricky” She smiled and winked which rubbed Megumi the wrong way.

She knocked on the door twice before swiping her key card and walking into the room. Every single one of them was silent, straining to listen inside the room. All Megumi could hear was the maddening beat of a heart monitor, it was elevated as far as he could tell.

Then, like a drop of rain, he heard the omega say, “You can come in”

Yuji was first, but not before giving Megumi one final look, like he was steeling himself for what was about to become their reality, Megumi understood. They both entered into the room like it was now or never. Megumi could hear Yuji’s breath hitch, or perhaps that was his.

There Sukuna was.

Hooked up to tubes and monitors, Megumi could see the sunkenness of his eyes and cheeks, not so much that he looked skeletal, far from that, but that he held all the stress in the lines of his face. Just lying there in his hospital gown, Megumi could still tell he was muscled and leaner than before. His pink hair was shorter like it was shaved recently, patchy in some spots, likely from getting torn out. And then there was the most glaring difference, his tattoos. All over his face and leading down his neck and shoulders were more black stripes and jagged lines. If Megumi didn't know any better, he could say they almost suited him.

The air in the room stilled.

Megumi saw the tears running down Yuji’s face before he felt his own streaking his. Despite the differences, it was still Sukuna.

Slowly, like approaching a dangerous animal, Megumi went to the side of the hospital bed.

“Careful, Fushiguro, your scent might be irritating to him,” Nanami warned.

Right. Megumi couldn't let all the emotions flood back to him just yet. They haven't even determined if he was feral or not. He’s sure they were breaking protocol just to see him so soon.

Megumi couldn't take his eyes off of Sukuna’s face, he feared if he did, the alpha would disappear again, which is why he slowly slipped his hand onto the hospital bed and touched his fingertips to his. They were warm, hot even.

Yuji joined him at his side, although he fisted his fingers into the thin sheet Sukuna was laying under, desperate to touch but hesitant on what he could or couldn't do.

“ ‘Kuna” Yuji rasped, that single word dripping with relief and sorrow.

Megumi could feel something in him harden with conviction. Now with Sukuna in front of them, he was going to do everything in his power to keep him there. No matter what the law says, Sukuna was staying with them.

Nanami told them months ago what the procedure would look like. Once Sukuna was obtained by his team, he had to legally be handed over to the alpha behavioral authorities to see if he was clinically feral or not. If he was speaking and functional he would have to go through a series of tests to prove him ready to re-enter society. If he failed those tests he would have to go through essentially retraining to give him a chance to try again.

If he was diagnosed clinically feral, he would have to be put down for the safety of everyone.

Statistics put the recovery of pit alphas at about 40%. Which isn't great, But Megumi has seen Sukuna beat worse odds. He will pull through.

“When can we expect to talk to him?” Megumi asked the room. Eyes never straying.

Though he could smell the U.C.O. pumping out calming pheromones that were also working on him and he hated it. She smelled of freshly baked bread, which wasn't a bad smell but Megumi especially didn't like it at this moment.

“We’ll have to run a few tests first before we can lay off the sedatives, but for now-” The heart monitor started speeding up, obviously alarming the nurses as they went quiet to listen.

“What does that mean!?” Yuji asked

“-Call the Doctor!”

Just then there was a crash from the room next door to them and then the clear roar of an alpha pierced the air.

“No, Security first!”

“What was that?” Megumi worried, nobody seemed to be listening to him and Yuji anymore, Nanami unclasped his firearm and went to the doorway to peer into the hall.

“The other alpha just woke up, his U.C.O didn't work.” their own nurse informed them.

There was a scream and then Megumi could hear officers yelling, ‘Unhand the Omega now.’ ‘Don't make me use this!’ ‘Stand down!’ and many more commands that were clearly not being followed as someone screamed and he heard a vicious snarl, then Megumi felt all the blood drain from his face when he heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot going off.

There wasn't a moment to process, he hadn't even realized he looked away from Sukuna until he felt his body being slammed back into the blinds of the room's window.

His breath was stolen from him when he found himself looking into the piercing, glowing, red eyes of an Alpha in rut. Sukuna.

His brows were pinched in fierce anger, yet they were so cold. Not an ounce of recognition behind his stare. The thought of Sukuna not recognizing him rattled Megumi to his core. The blinds made a grating screech as he was pressed harder against them. The alpha had his hands around Megumi’s throat, he barely noticed until his vision started to blur. Sukuna was choking him.

“Sukuna!” Yuji cried somewhere.

“Stand down Alpha.” Nanami commanded.

Nanami. Megumi glanced to the side and saw Nanami holding his gun at Sukuna, no doubt he would shoot him if he didn't release Megumi. Omegas came first in the eyes of the law, if an alpha threatened an omega’s life at all they were given few chances to not be killed on sight.

“No! Wait!” Megumi begged, holding his hand out to Nanami while his other hand gripped Sukuna’s wrist gently.

“Sukuna, please!” Megumi gasped as the alpha squeezed his throat tighter, eyes darkening. It scared Megumi to note that Sukuna didn't look like a person in this very moment. He looked every bit the wild animal society deemed him as.

“Its me,-” his eyes were watering, his head felt light and heavy all at the same time, “Megumi”

If he didn't break through to Sukuna, either he would die or Sukuna would. He didn't make it this far to lose him now. He can't lose him again. He won't.

Nanami still aimed his gun at Sukuna, waiting on any sign from Megumi, Yuji pleaded from the side, obviously terrified to make an actual sound, any tip in the wrong direction could lead to the death of Sukuna after all this time and effort spent finding him.

Megumi held his stare into the void of Sukuna’s hollow eyes, begging the pitiful powers of the universe to not let this alpha slip through his fingers like this. He pumped out peaceful calming pheromones instinctually.

The rutting alpha leaned in close to him, scenting his neck with his long fingers still wrapped around it. He heard a growl resonate from the alpha.

Like a Miracle, Sukunas eyes shifted, Megumi couldn't say for sure but it was like they softened the tiniest bit, a little piece of human slipped back into his gaze. The growl immediately ceased,

The alpha opened his mouth, before shutting it, clearing uncomfortable and pained. His arms twitched before loosening from Megumi's throat, air rushed back to his head and lungs so fast, Megumi couldn't help but gulp for air. The motion of him gasping forced Sukuna to completely release him and step back. 

The alpha glanced around the room, eyes landing on Yuji, he looked so confused and lost. He then focused back on Megumi, barely paying attention to the petrified nurse or Nanami with the loaded gun.

Swallowing audibly and wetting his throat, Sukuna opened his mouth again, this time with more strained effort, What came out was deep and gravelly, clearly without use in years, 

“Megumi?”

Chapter Text

Sukuna POV:

Waking up in a blinding white room smelling faintly of omega wasn't new to him at this point.There was the familiar pulsing heat drenching his body in sweat, even the ache in various body parts was a part of him now. His head felt so heavy, his limbs, every inch of him was weighed down by something beyond fatigue, beyond the drugs.

How much longer can you keep this up?

That little conscious voice in his head was quieter these days, reminding him of…something. He doesn't know anymore, he knows it's not his voice even though he hasn't heard his in a long time. The only thing making it past his throat anymore is the gruel they give him and the growls he can't stop.

No, that voice was softer, critical, playful, everything .

Why can't he remember? Doesn't matter, there's danger nearby. Alphas? No, worse, Omegas.

If his endless torment gave him anything it was a strong connection to his survival instincts, and they were making him aware of the five people currently in the room with him. He can hear their breathing, their whimpers, smell the salt of their tears.

He’ll taste their blood soon.

He can barely remember the last time he felt thoughts forming behind his eyelids.He should take advantage of the opportunity. If only he had the energy to open his eyes again.

He feels too heavy, he should sleep.

Everything was too calm and too loud at the same time, there was an insistent beeping driving him mad. Perhaps he was already mad? His instincts told him to fight, to resist , if there were unfamiliar omegas in the room, they were probably going to try and make him breed again. They haven't made him in years, deemed too dangerous for clientele.

Despite his raging animalistic greed to fuck and claim, he knew the old him hated it. The relief never came, his body working itself over until he collapsed from pure exhaustion which sometimes took days depending what drugs they used. The bastards would switch it out to prevent him from developing a tolerance.

The last time he was put onto the breeding bed, he became close to consciousness again, he saw the omega on top of him. Using him. He wasn't him. He broke free of his restraints and killed the disgusting rotten thing. He knows he severely injured two more who were there to watch. In retaliation they held him down and whipped him until he almost bled out and then marked his face with ink.

Once they stopped making him pleasure and breed rich omegas, the horny side of his endless rut never saw light again, instead it fueled him into a better fighter, a stronger fighter.

He couldn't lose, he had somewhere to get back to, somebody?

Who?

There was someone standing over him, his scent extinguished his desire to lash out immediately. It startled him, the feeling that washed through him was familiar and not at all at the same time, he didn't even flinch when whoever it was touched his fingers. At least it wasn't his dick for now.

He doesn't even remember them coming close, maybe he's not as conscious as he thought. He's barely retaining scraps of reality. He prefered it when he couldn't remember anything at all.

The one next to him, it was an omega, one whose scent was…pleasant? It doesn't matter, omegas were horrible, terrible creatures who only meant him harm. At least tha alphas who did hurt him were only trying to survive like he was. There was another omega close by pumping out godawful pheromones that scratched his dry throat.

He’ll kill them all. He was ‘Ryomen’, the Curse of Death itself.

But he was so tired.What good will killing a few more measly omegas just to go on and kill countless alphas?  

I know you, you can't give up.

“‘Kuna” 

He felt his blood slow at the sound of a whisper amongst all the noise, the echo of some former time. Was that..? No, It can't be.

The new drugs are making him hallucinate. What a cruel twist of fate it would be to be in this horrible pit of hell, maybe it was hell itself, to imagine a voice he had forgotten, a scent he couldn't let go of, and be stuck in this nightmare.

No, he can't, all he knows is that those things were once his sanctuary, the only thing he had left, he can't let them be soiled by the daunting reality of his life. Even if they're not what they used to be, he would rather forget again than have them tainted.

There were more voices, more talking but he couldn't detangle it from the mess in his head. His body felt like it was tearing itself apart in the slow burning kind of way.

The drugs were making him feel his rut again for the first in a long time, or at least feel it differently. Before, it burned through him so persistently that he eventually went numb to the rage, just let it take over his mind. This time however, its like its coming in waves, each time his body feels it full force, becoming too relaxed in the in between that it hurts everytime it comes back.

Just stop already, I can't-

Yes you can.

If he felt less miserable, he'd roll his eyes. At least some buried part of him would have. These memories of emotions, likely a past life, they haunt him. He doesn't want to feel that anymore, he doesn't have a life to remember.

He's a beaten dog fighting to survive because he doesn't know anything beyond killing to entertain. What does survival even mean to him anymore?

Not dying.

No…It meant something before?

Before what?

If his body doesn't kill him, his mind will. It feels fractured, like the mush it was turned into is trying to return to a form again, or shattered glass being shoved back together without hope of returning to the pristine window that it once was.

What is that?

There's a scent in the air? its picking up rapidly, it's pungent and strong, irritating to his core. Alpha.

There's an alpha nearby, kicking up aggressive pheromones. Maybe he isn't breeding right now, he's about to fight.

He thinks he understands now, he's about to fight another alpha over an omega. He's done that before, but last time he killed the omega too. Have they forgotten what he's done? He is not their prime alpha stud they want him to be.

He is a killer.

Everything becomes too loud, but his instincts focus on the omega next to him. It’ll be easier to fight the alpha if he isn't being distracted by this cloying scent. Kill the omega, kill the onlookers, kill the alpha. Easy. 

He can feel his body ramping up to fight because of  the increasing aggression from the alpha nearby,regardless of his tired aching body, the rapid drumbeat of his heart is settling to his unrestrained mind. If only it were not echoed by increased volume around him and mixing scents. There's one he can't identify but it sits too close to home for him. It's all too much.

He will get rid of it as soon as his body responds. A loud sound deafens the room, it acts as the perfect catalyst to get his body to react, before he knows it he’s launched forward by his charged muscles, wires and tubes tearing from his body, pulling and trying to restrain him.

The unsuspecting omega is small compared to him, easy enough to wrap his hands around his throat. The room explodes with tension, everyone stops moving. He notes the person to his left is the main source of the tears, he cant for some reason figure out what he is. Doesn't matter, he’ll kill him swiftly.

The omega winces but curiously doesn't try to pry him off, brave or stupid? He notes that the omega remains calm, even calming the other scentless man in the doorway, the other omegas behind him however tense and gush out their disgusting scents trying to placate him. He squeezes harder.

“ Ꞩᵾҟᵾꞥⱥ , please”

The words mean nothing to him, everyone pleads for their life in his hands, but something in him makes him notice how beautiful the omega’s green eyes are, vivid and deep.

Sukuna

The voice whispers to him, he doesn't understand. What does his mind want from him? Who is Sukuna?

“Its me, Megumi” 

Megumi? Who are these names-... that scent is familiar? The deeper he takes in the smell of the omega in his grasp the clearer a memory forms in his mind, something of his distant past comes back to him, he leans in closer to reveal it.

~

He was driving, arguably reckless, but the omega in his passenger seat was laughing and asking for more so it didn't matter.

“Come on Sukuna!”

He had just gotten his license at 18 as soon as alphas were allowed, they were enjoying their last summer before college, he wanted to show off his driving skills.

He remembers they were out driving in the middle of nowhere well past curfew, he remembers having the time of his life, laughing and grinning until his fangs ached.

“Again Sukuna, do it again!” The omega- No, Megumi had giggled hanging onto the ‘oh-shit-handle’ of his cheap car that he adored anyways. He was trying to do a donut but ended up just drifting in the center of a field somewhere. Tall grass surrounded them about waist height.

When they came to a stop, he only mildly panicked that he took it too far with that last slide. He put the car in park for lack of visibility and to regain composure.

“You're a natural!” Megumi cheered, “I've been driving for three years and I don't think I could have pulled that off” The scent of the omega was intoxicating, the overwhelming joy and satisfaction wafting off the omega was heady to his senses.

“Would you believe me if I told you I haven't had a single day of practice before this?” he had laughed, wanting only to sit and soak in the scent pouring from the omega in his car. Was it more than usual or was it just because they were in a small space with little ventilation?

“Fuck! There's no way” Megumi had expleted with a tone he hadn't expected.

He blinked, confused.

“What? You don't believe it?” He put his arm behind the passenger seat to turn his body more towards Megumi.

“No, I.. shit, We might have to go home” Megumi clutched his stomach, “ Like right now”

“What's wrong? Did I make you sick?”

“No it wasn't you, “ Megumi nervously laughed, “ My heat just arrived early is all” He grimaced at what must have been a cramp.

“...oh” he looked down at Megumi’s abdomen and then back to his face. He looked and smelled disappointed that their fun was being cut short due to unfortunately timed biology.

This could actually be his chance though! He’s known Megumi basically his whole life and the omega always disappeared for a few days every couple of months to wait out his heat since he presented.

Ever since he learned what heats were and the way Megumi complained about how bothersome and lonely they were, he wanted to help the omega out! From a friendship standpoint of course, no one could know about his unwavering crush he’s had since he met him. He wanted to offer himself to the omega as a heat partner and now was the perfect opportunity!

“Sorry it's kinda gross…” Megumi's face was dusted with a light blush, looking out the windshield rather than at him, “We can roll down the windows, that should be fine until we get home,” Megumi was slightly squirming in his seat, likely uneasy from his lack of response.

“It's not gross,” he blurted, “Your heat smells good- I mean your scent! Your scent isn't gross to me!” he already failed judging by the perplexed look on Megumi’s face.

When silence followed, he barreled on ahead, he couldn't just leave it like that.

“Shit. What I meant was- well, if you want to go home, I'll take you right now, but if you don't and want to stay hanging out here with me,” he paused for a second to gather his composure, “ I could help you. Y’know with your heat?” Even with an air of confidence washing through him, now it was his turn to look out the windshield with blush high on his cheeks the further he went on. Its a good thing it was dark out.

“You want to help me?” Was what Megumi finally said after what felt like a torturous amount of time passed.

“Well yeah,” he shrugged, looking Megumi in the eyes to convince not only himself but also the omega that he was being sincere, “I just thought heats sound awful alone and that you’d like the option of sharing and knowing that im willing, y’know, and- mmph”

Megumi had kissed him during his rambling, right on the mouth, it was swift and rough, lips really just colliding but it stole the breath out of his lungs, his whole world came to a halt to bear witness to this moment.

Before he knew it, Megumi pulled back, slowly, eyes half lidded and focused on his mouth. The golden glow of omega was already taking place over his green irises. “You are serious, right?”

His heart was pounding in his chest, he felt a sweat break out across his skin.

“Dead serious.” he swallowed the dryness in his throat, his lips tingled.

“Okay” and then Megumi was climbing over the console between them and right into his lap. Holy shit! All he can remember is his mind blanking a few times in the next few moments, along the way of Megumi figuring out where to put his long limbs, Megumi had complained that the steering wheel was digging into his back and so he adjusted the seat which resulted in the both of them sliding back abruptly, making Megumi grind his hips right into his own.

“Mm fuck!” They laughed into each other's mouths as they adjusted again accordingly.

Now Megumi was seated right on top of him, knees finding purchase in the crevice on either side of the driver's seat, his hands rested on the highest point of Megumi’s thighs while Megumi’s hands fixed over his chest, one giving an experimental squeeze.

“Are you-” Megumi kissed him again, silencing his words once more, this one felt more wet, as if Megumi had licked his own lips and then his, “- comfortable” he finished when Megumi broke the brief kiss.

The omega smiled above him, “Very.” he had said, leaning down to steal his lips again, this one taking its time. He could smell the slick Megumi was producing, the invigorating scent washed over him.

The headier the scent the more Megumi opened up his mouth, inviting him in to explore. And venture he did, slipping his tongue inside and tasting the omega, dragging the tip over his omega fangs. One or both of them were moaning as Megumi bucked his hips over the bulge in his pants.

When a devastatingly beautiful omega was rutting in your lap, how could one help it?

The hand not squeezing his pecs had slipped up the side of his neck and to the short hair at the back of his head, gripping tightly, pulling his head back. He groaned when Megumi broke the deep kiss to drag wet kisses from the corner of his mouth to the expanse of his neck, playfully licking at his mating gland.

While the omega copped his own feel, he moved his hands up so that they encompassed the omega's cute little ass, squeezing and kneading the flesh. 

“Fuck, Sukuna” Megumi breathed when he rucked his hips up to meet Megumi’s. The angle wasn't great so he quickly reached down and leaned the seat back, it made Megumi practically fall more onto him, bringing them impossibly closer. “Yes, much better!” the omega purred.

He was in heaven, the scent of the two of them mixing and sticking to every corner of the car, their perspiration dampening every window, they haven't even taken their clothes off yet.

Speaking of which, he snaked his hands to the hem of the omegas shirt and started to lift, silently asking permission. Confused only for a second, Megumi then understood and helped him lift the shirt off, revealing his soft pale skin.

Before he could admire for too long, the omega slipped his hands underneath his shirt too, hand hot against his abdomen, making his muscles jump in anticipation. Delightfully, the omega wasn't feeling like teasing, feeling up his body as he too asked without words to see more of him. More than happy to let the omega take his shirt off too.

Within moments, they were both topless and quickly resumed making out, unable to keep their mouths off each other. Megumi’s small omega chest was unbelievably attractive to him, he had such subtle abs tracing down his core that softened into a barely perceptible pouch between his hips, the deep ‘v’ of his hips drew his eyes to the bulge in Megumi’s pants, undeniably as turned on as he was.

“Holy shit, Megs” he was breathless, terrified and exhilarated all at once.

Megumi nipped at his neck, dragging his lips back up the taught tendon of his throat.

He squeezed and pulled the omega tighter against him as he found his way back to his mouth, once again they were kissing, passionate and soft. He remembers humming from the satisfaction, he barely even noticed the omega slip his hands down his abs and past the hem of his jeans. At least until  Megumi cupped his bulge over his pants and forced a groan from his throat.

He opened his mouth to take in air, a much needed reprieve from the omegas skilled mouth on his, only it invited the in-heat omega to further delve his tongue inside, licking at his fangs and claiming his lips for himself.

“Mhm, Megu-” The omega was getting rough, he couldn't tell if he should be worried or dive right in. Kissing him until he was dizzy and then bringing him back full force with a squeeze to his dick. The smell of slick only reigning heavier over them. It was without doubt they were both so incredibly turned on.

“Fuck, S’kuna,” Megumi whined, “Please”

Distracted by each other, they didn't notice a figure approaching until a loud rhythmic bang sounded against the driver door.

“Police, open up now.”

“Shit!” he cursed. Scrambling to reign in his instinct to growl and pull Megumi closer to him. However, it was Megumi who let loose a territorial growl towards the officer.

“Shh, omega, its okay, “ he tried to sooth while rolling down the window, he could instantly scent that the officer was a beta. Considering Megumi’s current state of being pissed off, he decided to take control of the situation.

“Can I help you, officer sir?” Be polite, alphas don't get very far if they're not well behaved.

The older beta man was shining a flashlight into the car, looking between Megumi and himself.

“Can I ask what you fellas are doing out here at this hour? Looks to me like you're destroying some poor soul's field?”

He can see the moment the beta finally scents that there is an Omega present, and he lowers his gaze from the glowering displeased omega. Instead turning his sights to him and making direct eye contact with the alpha.

A small sense of panic rushed through him, alpha destruction of property could land him in deep shit if this officer is the spiteful type, and with the way he sneers at him, he probably is the alpha hating kind.

“No, officer, we weren't intending to-”

“Were you the one driving?” Based on his tone, he felt like answering truthfully here would be worse. Megumi picked up on it as well and knew better than most how alpha driving is perceived by society.

He was quick to reply, “No, I was.” His answer was firm and hard to challenge, the beta not daring to argue. He did however hesitate before looking towards the outside of the car. Likely taking notice of its cheap rusted state.

“Whose car is this?” The officer leaned back, shining his flashlight along the length of the vehicle.

This one he couldn't lie about with how easily it can be proven otherwise, “Its mine, officer” He answered, trying not to let the peeved ness slip into his tone. He knew Choso went through similar treatment when he got his first car too but it at least wasn't until a few months in.

“Really?” he sounded skeptical, “Can the omega confirm?”

Megumi rolled his eyes, still sitting firmly in his lap, both of their arousal gone with the interruption, except for Megumi’s scent still coming in slow ebbs. “Yes. This is his car.” The omega had no such qualms of holding back his attitude. The officer didn't even mind, he was below the omega on the totem pole regardless.

“I see,” He looked back towards him, “Are you old enough to drive, son?” There he goes shining that light back into his face. Aiming his disapproving stare right at him.

“Yes, officer, I can give you my license if you don't believe me.” He barely hid his irritation, the omega in his lap made his instincts flare past his control on a normal day, let alone rutting against him and smelling like his very own blessing.

“I'd appreciate it if you watched how you speak to me, alpha.”

Megumi growled again, “Is there something we can do for you?”

The cop at least looked a little chastised by Megumi, still feeling out where his dynamic fits between them,“My apologies, omega, I can see that you are entering heat, yes?”

Megumi nodded.

“I suggest you head home then, it's not safe out here alone with alphas.” The beta cop said as he dragged his eyes from the omega to him. “Need I remind him that there is a curfew.”

“The curfew is no longer enforced, officer,” Megumi said bitingly “ And he’s out here with me, I get to decide what I do with him.” He said with finality.

Megumi pinned the officer in place with his omega dominating gaze, his displeasure and annoyance written all over his face. The man looked like he was torn between his hate, his job, and the whims of the omega. All pulling him in different directions and making him squirm under the pressure.

If it wasn't for the sour mood that fell over them, he might have been re-aroused by the Omega's power alone. Who is he kidding, Megumi definitely turns him on, regardless of the mood.

“Well then, do as you please, but I still have to ask you to take it somewhere else, the Omega of this property doesn't want anyone out here.” A brief look of pity fell over the man's face, “She is far less forgiving of unwanted alphas.”

Megumi, exhausted from his sudden onset heat, looks to the side and sighs, “Fine, we’ll leave”

The officer nodded his approval and waved them off with a warning, heading back to the car they didn't notice pull up behind them.

Megumi sighed again, sounding drained before slumping against him, the omega’s nose right to his neck and he could feel the tiny breaths from the omega breathing in his scent, their naked upper halves chest to chest. Despite what he thought earlier, it was clear the mood was killed. 

“We cou-”

“-Can you take me home?”

He didn't respond for a moment, trying to decipher exactly what Megumi wanted. To go home and finish what they started? Or go home and leave this where it ended. How could they leave it, right? They've been friends for forever and they just made out for the first time. Where else do they go from here? He must have taken too long to answer because Megumi sat up from him and continued,

“I'm sorry, that moment of clarity made me realize that we didn't plan this out, and I don't want to drag you into something we didn't discuss first. You're my best friend, Sukuna, so I'd hate to ruin anything between us, okay? For now, that was all just heat impulse, it doesn't have to change anything”

He could scent the rejection in the air but he couldn't tell if it was from him or the omega, either way, it burned the inside of his lungs. Somewhere deep in him, his self preservation begged to reclaim what they had before, to stay in the safe zone and fix this little moment they had. He can't lose Megumi.

“I…Yeah, don't sweat it, Megs, you're my best friend too, nothing will change that.” He gave the omega his most convincing smile, and to hide his own disappointment plus one last feel, he playfully smacked the omega on the ass. “Just a little fun between omega and alpha, now get off my dick, would’ya?”

The clear worry that held the omegas face quickly morphed into a cheeky smile, he rolled his eyes in a way that told him they would be just fine. Gracefully rolling off of his lap and back into the passenger seat. 

“Is that what you call that tictac in your pants?”

He just put the seat back to its original position when he heard what Megumi said, hit mouth agape,

“Tictac?” he said aghast.

Megumi giggled and it was the most precious sound in the world to him. “Im fucking with you,” The omega pushed against his shoulder, “When were you ever going to tell me that you were hiding a monster under there? Holy shit, Sukuna” Megumi laughed.

“As soon as you were going to tell me where you learned to kiss like that?” He returned. 

He didn't want to know, but this familiarity between them was everything to him and it wasn't lost. No awkwardness, no figuring out where they stand with each other now. They were good, they were gonna be okay.

Megumi was his best friend.

~

Megumi is his best friend.

The Megumi that was standing in front of him now , nearly eight years later, with his fingers curled around his throat. His body so desperately wanted to kill the omega in front of him but his torn up mind refused to follow his body's demands.

This was his Megumi and he called him Sukuna.

He was Sukuna.

And he was hurting Megumi, with an effort he convinced his muscles to release the omega and forced himself back. With the tiniest scrap of clarity peaking through his wobbly vision he took time to take in the others around him, he still didn't recognize most of them, but he knew his own face anywhere, at least one from long ago and Megumi, he was still as recognizable as ever, right in front of him after so so long.

His soul craved to speak his name, to bring it into his world again, to feel the syllables on his tongue once more.

His body still refused to work with him, creaking and scraping with years of misuse. He must say his name, he wills it. If he remembers how to speak that is.

Choking on the air trapped in his lungs, he finally manages a raspy, “Megumi?’ 

Before he can believe what he’s seeing, he feels a deep and heavy exhaustion take over him, like a slow moving wave that towers over him and blocks out the light. The last thing he recalls is collapsing to the floor and his Megumi rushing towards him.

Megumi POV:

While Sukuna was distracted, Megumi saw one of the nurses rush to the IV that was still attached to the alpha and rush him with a sedative. Within seconds, the heavy alpha was hitting the floor.

For a moment everyone felt the tension leave the room when the alpha’s breathing evened out. Everything was eerily calm. Megumi glanced over to see that Nanami was finally, finally, lowering his weapon, the tension in his shoulders releasing and looking like it took a few years off his life.

They spent so long looking for Sukuna, if he ended up having to shoot him after all this, he knows it would have ruined the older alpha. He’s become a part of their little family over the years.

“Thank you for not shooting,” Megumi told him, the alpha looked at him and gulped before the tiniest nod followed.

“Let's get him strapped down and wait for the sedatives to wear off again. We’ll be ready this time and see if he is still coherent when he wakes.” Megumi announced, resisting the urge to feel the marks he knows are around his throat. He’ll have to sign something saying he’s aware an alpha caused him harm and that he isn't going to press charges against him.

The nurses made quick work of fixing the alpha to a stronger, sturdier bed frame. They’ll have to go from there when Sukuna wakes up, hopefully aware again. The fact that he spoke and recognized him is outstanding and brings him the scariest level of hope he’s felt before.

Maybe they would be okay.

Chapter Text

Megumi couldn't let the nerves get to him. The whole situation was fucked. Three alphas were rescued from a ring operation and two of them were shot for ‘endangerment’ and ‘being unable to reason with’ and the last one nearly strangled an omega. Him.

The authorities were not going to let this slide, they might even take Sukuna away for ‘public safety’ or they could even use this to fuel their case against rescuing alphas from rings at all. He can barely think about having to fight and argue between the press and legalities over the years.

He had to get this under control and quickly.

While they were returning Sukuna to the hospital bed, a couple of security officers charged into the room, rushing with words; ‘is everything alright in here?’ and ‘We heard commotion in here?’

Megumi held no power over the omega nurses, even pleading with them with his eyes and shaking his head, they still had rules to follow.

“This alpha reacted to the other one and attacked this young omega” They all looked at him.

“Wait! But we got it under control! He recognized me, please!” Megumi put an arm out across Sukuna’s sleeping body as if to shield him from the officer's narrowing looks. 

“Is that true, Ma'am?” They referred to the head nurse but the UCO nurse confirmed.

“The alpha said his name and seemed to regain control of himself, but for our safety, we quickly sedated him. We don't know what would have happened next but I think it's worth waiting to see” She told them.

Maybe Megumi judged her a little too soon, she wasn't so bad afterall.

“Please,” He begged, Yuji stayed silent, any input from him would be moot, it would be best if he silently supported Megumi and set an example of a well behaved alpha

“We need to assign more guards,” one of the officers said as he turned towards Nanami, “The alphas you ‘rescued’ are too dangerous.” He said rescued like it was a word unworthy to use for alphas, especially Pit Alphas drugged and abused against their will.

Megumi wanted to growl in Sukuna's defense, but he held his composure. He's had to fight his whole life for the alphas he cares about. His alpha father defended him when he was young and he lost his life for it. He won't let it happen to Sukuna or his brothers if he can help it.

Omegas can be dangerous too. Megumi wanted to say, but he held his ground. He would protect his alphas either quietly or screaming.

Seemingly satisfied with the restraints now secured to all of Sukuna’s limbs, Nanami took the officers out of the room to reason with them in the hall. Leaving one in the doorway to keep an eye on them while she spoke to the nurses.

“Megumi?” a quiet voice piped up, Yuji was beside him, fresh tear tracks streaking his face, “What are we gonna do if they take him?”

“I won't let that happen.” 

Yuji looked between his eyes for a moment, he looked unconvinced but he silently nodded anyway. 

They both took a seat next to Sukuna, the emotions were high and it drained them both.

He's alive! He's alive and he's here.

Megumi heartbreakingly recalls the look of horror on Sukuna's face when he recognized him, but he also remembers the glimmer of hope that flashed through them.

One alpha is home now, one more to find.

He can't help but to think about Choso, he felt like his older brother too. Only 4 years older than Megumi himself but he basically raised Yuji and Sukuna on his own. Their parents haven't been in the picture for a long time, they don't even know about the kidnapping or the rescue. It wasn't uncommon for parents to abandon their alpha children, even if he didn't understand the notion.

Mr. and Mrs. Itadori had left the picture shortly after the twins had presented, leaving them in the hands of a pre-teen Choso. 

Megumi still had his omega dad, but Satoru was only a kid when he had Megumi and he didn't know what happened to him until he was about 6 or so when the omega services took him in after his alpha fathers incident.

The report said Toji had attacked a male omega in public. Claimed the attack was unprovoked and vicious. Megumi was only a toddler, but he knew his father was protecting him, he knows it in his gut, he thinks he remembers a blade but he can't be sure. The bitter resentment fills his scent when he recalls his earliest memories. They took his alpha dad away from him and placed him with unfamiliar and unfriendly faces until they finally sought out his biological omega parent.

He hated Gojo Satoru at first. He hated him and he ran away. Why didn't he want him the first time? Why didn't Gojo stay with his father? Who in their right mind wouldn't like Toji, after all he was so kind and he smelled so safe. Megumi missed his alpha father more often than not, ever since he thought he lost Sukuna and Choso.

Choso was kind and Sukuna was safe. Megumi knows he’s simplifying it too much to cope with his grieving mind, he knows that each of these alphas are all very different and complex but they all embody perfect alphas to him, and that's all he needs. That's all he wants to convey to the cruel world they live in.

Once he found out about Satoru and how he was involved with Toji it made more sense to him why things played out the way they did. Of course he didn't fully understand until he got older.

Alpha’s aren't the only ones who are victims to the rings.

When Satoru had presented, he was one of the first omegas born in about four generations of betas. A rarity. Something about the Gojo’s trying to make a beta purity lineage that failed, for whatever reason beta genes don't carry very far, there has to be an alpha or omega sprinkled in to produce viable offspring. And so a tradition emerged where the ‘special breeds’ were paired off with the most prime specimen of the opposite gender to carry on the next litter of pups. Satoru was sold into the pits for one year to be mated off to the champions, after he was then brought back into the family estate to bear any pups.

The greedy ringleaders struck a deal with Satoru to only have to mate with one champion if they got to keep his pup and send him home as if he couldn't get pregnant. Young, naive and scared, Satoru took the deal. Just in time for that one year cap, Satoru had pupped and birthed his and Toji’s son.

The ringleaders were hoping Toji’s offspring would be another champion alpha they could use; when Megumi showed up, small, frail, and screened as an omega,they knew their efforts had been wasted. It was likely that night that his father took him and escaped, right after Satoru was sent home.

Megumi forgave Satoru for leaving them once he knew the story, he was a victim of the system too, forced on him from his family. But after he brought Megumi home, at barely 21, Satoru turned his family’s world upside down, uprooting their history and values until it was destroyed and rebuilt. He was the head Omega now and there weren't many Gojos left.

He was brought back to the present when Yuji gripped his arm, his scent had coiled and affected the alphas near him, Sukuna’s scent was trying to spike with his, trying to both assess the nearby threat and calm him down. Sukuna was trying to protect him even in his unconscious state. Yuji’s too had flared but only to appease Megumis’ seemingly angry pheromones. 

“Im sorry,” Megumi took a calming breath, “ im okay.”

Yuji looked at him with worried eyes, Megumi wanted to steal that look away from the sweet alpha and never have to make him worry again.

Enough time had passed that the news spread about the alphas and the incident that happened as a result that the press was here.

He could hear the different kinds of commotion in the hall building, reporters all speaking at once trying to get their questions answered. Megumi sighed, he hated reporters. Ever since he stuck his nose into the ‘busting rings business’ they've been at every one of his failings, boring into him about his wasted efforts and questioning his reasoning for trying to save rabid dogs like pit alphas.

When they couldn't get anything out of him, they harassed Yuji to no end, he had to move three times because of them.

He could feel the headache forming before it arrived.

Megumi instead watched Sukuna’s face, tracing over every detail, his eyes landing on the occasional faint scar hidden beneath the ink. There was one slashed through his eyebrow, but he remembers when he got that one. 

The bitter sweetness of a memory takes hold of him, of simpler times when they were playing tag in the wooded area on the edge of the Gojo estate. Sukuna was chasing him ,and Megumi managed to evade the alpha, laughing and keeping just out of reach. Megumi was quick and light on his feet and with effort Sukuna was too, that is until he couldn't side step fast enough and slid right into a tree, the rough bark scratching him up.

When Megumi worried and came in close to check if his friend was okay, the sneaky alpha tagged his shoulder and took off in a fit of laughter.

When they returned home by dinner, Sukuna looked more banged up than he felt, blood dripping down the side of his face, Megumi’s step father:Suguru, had fussed over the boys, making sure they were okay, telling them to come home straight away if any of them were hurt like that.

The corner of his mouth quirks at that, despite the twinge in his chest. He wants to hold Sukuna, wants to climb up onto the hospital bed and cry into his neck for all the years he has missed him.

But the nurse advised against it, no more contact until they can get his rut under control first, then they assess from there. Call him harsh, but he couldn't care less about what happened to the other alpha, he knows that Sukuna is different. He knows that he is strong.

“Mr. Itadori is sedated right now, he can not be evaluated.” Came Nanami’s firm but polite voice out in the hall. Based on his tone, the local authorities were here. They were the least bit helpful in their investigation tracking Sukuna down.

Megumi could feel his hackles raise.

They never took Nanami seriously no matter his credentials or vouches from his employers, he was an alpha and that was all they understood.

“Stay here.” Megumi said as he rose from his seat, placating a hand on Yuji’s arm to assure him.

Megumi stepped out into the hallway to come to Nanami’s aid and protect his alpha’s in the room from being in the presence of these assholes.

“Officer Mahito, what are you doing here?” Megumi asked in a monotony tone, not letting on that he was surprised to see him. The omega cop made Megumi uncomfortable on good days, he had a not-so-hidden side to him that rubbed him the wrong way. He also seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with Nanami who was happily mated. The point is he couldn't be left alone with Nanami under any circumstances or things could go bad for his head investigator and friend really fast.

“Ive come to evaluate an unregistered alpha.” He stated all too happily. Pushing his way into the room while the reporters outside were ushered backwards. Nanami looked to Megumi for assurance and Megumi nodded for him to take care of the crowd first. He could handle Mahito while Nanami and the other guards worked to guide everyone back behind a security door a few paces down the hall. Nanami was steadfast in ignoring their questions.

Quickly following Mahito back into the room, Megumi’s eyebrow twitched, “Sukuna is a registered alpha?” He has been since his scent presented at ten. He went with Sukuna when he had to go because Sukuna was scared. They gave him an ID card with his alpha registration number and a golden ‘α’ symbol on his other documents. He remembers that they gave him a small candy bar for his good behavior and Sukuna split it with him; his way of saying thanks for going with him.

“Ah, but not in this division. All alphas in division twelve must renew their registration every year.” Officer Mahito smiled, “And Mr. Itadori here has not been renewed in five years. We can only assume he’s been present here for some time now without paying his registration fees and he will be looking at a large fine if he is allowed back into the public.” His eyes glowed with the nonsense fuel he was adding to the already tragic inferno that was their circumstances.

“You’re kidding.” Megumi said, hoping.

“Afraid not.”

“But his last known residency was in division five, same as me, with a lifetime registry?”

“Ah, but we’ve confirmed that he hasn't lived there in over five years.” Mahito hummed while stopping in the middle of the room, turning towards Megumi.

“He’s been Missing for five years, he’s in a medical coma right now! Can't this wait?”

“It doesn't matter, he was found near here. My hands are tied, Megumi.” Mahito shrugged his shoulders and sighed dramatically.

Megumi could feel his headache turning into a burning frustration, just one problem after the next. Like a mounting pile of shit that the system keeps dumping on him for being close to these alphas, for putting his time and energy into other human beings who he cares about, just to be punished for it over and over again.

Mahito hummed as he looked to the omega nurse who was adjusting Sukuna’s IV drip and then to the beta guard in the doorway who paid them no mind, his only focus was on the twin alphas. In a lower voice, Mahito regarded Megumi, “ I could of course reschedule the evaluation if you’d be willing to make a deal with me.”

To say Megumi didn't trust Mahito would be an understatement, he stared into his creepy searching eyes as he made a questioning look at the other omega. Megumi looked to where Sukuna was lying unconscious, every fiber of his being just wanted him safe. His gaze cut back to Mahito who was looking in the same direction. 

“What Kind of deal?” He carefully asked.

“Sell me Itadori’s working contract.”

Megumi’s eyes widened. “No.” He said it without hesitation, it broke past his lips before he could control his volume. The outburst caused the others in the room to look at him with varying levels of concern. Megumi waved his hand at Yuji to stave off his worries and lowered his voice again to talk to Mahito. “Absolutly off the table. I'm not selling any contracts.”

Alphas needed a ‘working contract’ owned by an omega to be eligible to work anywhere or live in most places. Basically proving that there was an omega that was in charge of them and that they had permission to be there. It also served as an insurance if the alpha were to cause damages or harm, the omega with their contract would be partially responsible. In very rare cases an alpha could hold their own contract, but those were more exceptions than actual possibilities.

Once alphas turn 18, they need an adult omega to sign their working contract. Megumi held both Sukuna’s and Yuji’s contracts, stating he gave them blanket permission to live/work anywhere and vouched for them if they needed it. Being a year older than the twins had its perks. Last he was aware, Satoru still had Choso’s since he turned 18 before Megumi did and there wasn't any need to switch it to him by the time he was old enough. Sukuna didn't trust anybody but Megumi to hold his so he was happy to provide trust and relief to the alpha by signing.

He knew of horror stories of alphas who had their contracts held by ‘trusted’ omegas only to be confined to only living with the omega or only allowed to work where the omegas wanted them to work, effectively trapping the alpha with whoever owned their contracts. If Mahito were to obtain or buy the contract of an alpha, he could change any previously established terms and do whatever he wanted with the alpha’s freedom.

With the help of Nanami and the rest of Satoru’s legal team, they were able to secure near complete freedom to the alpha brothers when they came of age. Megumi would never sell their contracts to anyone.

“Of course not the broken one, I can see your very attached to that one,” Mahito chuckled while plucking lint off his uniform and examining it, “ I would like to discuss a price for the other one,”

He wants Yuji? Since when? That made him even more uneasy.

“I said I'm not selling any contracts. That is final.” He held up a hand when it looked like Mahito was about to interject, “There is no price you could name that would change my mind.” His eyes burned with fury and resolve.

Mahito met his gaze with an air of unbotheredness, then he broke the tether with a calculated blink and looked unseeingly through Megumi, “ Then I guess I'll have to report an unregistered hostile alpha at this hospital and his omega contractor refuses to let me evaluate him.”

Megumi felt his heart thud at the quietly delivered threat. “What is it you want with Yuji?” Megumi would never even consider selling Yuji’s contract to anyone unless the alpha himself asked. He’s only asking Mahito because if he can keep him talking he might have enough time to think about a way around this legal mess he could find himself sucked into.

“I'm happy you asked. You see, my last alpha couldn't handle the jobs I assigned him, he was much too weak both physically and mentally. Poor thing just couldn't keep up, you know how it is." Mahito sighed. “The department requires that I hold an alphas contract, typically they're assigned but I just can't seem to find one that suits my needs. Young Itadori is sturdy. I just know he would be able to handle a contract under me.” The omega grinned at Megumi, as if his explanation didn't horrify him.

“First of all, they're working contracts, not pleasure ones, and second; holding their contracts doesn't mean they have to serve you.” Megumi stated calmly. “It makes you responsible for them, and if you keep breaking them like you're implying, you shouldn't be allowed to hold any contracts.” Megumi tried to hide the absolute disgust he felt over the reality that some alphas actually live under omegas like Mahito.

“Huh, what a funny omega you are, Megumi,” He laughed, “You truly amuse me.”

The omega walked away from him, heading towards the brothers. Megumi noted that Sukuna’s monitor readings seemed calmer than earlier, a good sign.

“A shame,” Mahito tsked. “Such a handsome alpha. It'd be such a waste if he were to not make it. Pit alphas have such low survival chances, even with rehabilitation.” He acted as if he was simply offering information to Yuji who looked at Mahito with such wide fearful eyes and then he flicked them to Megumi. He quickly put himself between Mahito and Yuji, forcing the offending omega back with his territorial pheromones. 

“Thats enough.” Megumi barely held back from growling, “He’s stable and we have the resources and paperwork to help him before your part of the job is needed. So leave.”

“Im supposed to believe that those bruises on your neck mean that he is stable?”

Megumi stopped himself from stuttering at the reminder, but the memory of recognition in Sukuna’s eyes gave him all the strength he needed to solidify his resolve. “Leave, Now.”

Mahito held up his hands in mock placency, “Okay, you’ll be seeing me again soon, Megumi. Make sure you think about what I said.” He backed towards the door, the other officer providing no emotion as to what he felt about the situation in the room, only silently stepping out of the way to let Mahito through. Megumi followed him to the door, making sure he left, watching as he disappeared down the hall with his slow leisure pace. Once he was out of sight, Megumi hit the wall with the side of his fist just outside the door.

The officer didn't even flinch, he looked down at the omega and offered the slightest raised brow for his outburst. “Your scent patches are fading, sir.” he stated.

“Im not wearing patches.” Megumi automatically replied.

“I see, my mistake. You have admirable control of your scent if I'm only just now scenting you”

Megumi side eyed the beta, “..Thanks” 

“Do you need medical attention?”

Megumi blinked, the damage to his throat must really be showing now, it hurt but he could ignore it for now, a bruise will heal.

“Im fine”

The beta didn't question further, the both of them were distracted by the commotion at the security doors.

The reporters.

They pushed past Nanami, Mahito must have egged them on and let them through, that bastard. With a quick glance into the hospital room, Sukuna unconscious and Yuji beside him rubbing the scent patch on his wrist nervously, Megumi assured himself that they were okay for now and he closed the door to the room before the reporters could peek inside. Megumi stood in front of the door as a final barrier to protect the brothers.

The story hungry savages rushed to him with questions and Megumi let his usual scowl take over his features.

“Is it true you have a feral alpha in that room?”

“Did the feral alpha attack you?”

“We heard reports of gunshots, can you confirm?”

“Was this feral alpha the one you’ve been looking for?”

“Was the alpha put down?”

They all rushed him with too many questions and too much eagerness to hear about another failed rescue. Megumi glared into the cramped crowd of reporters.

“You all can get lost now. We found him and the search is over.” He meant it as a final statement, but of course they took his demeanor and his words as an admittance of defeat. They erupted into more questions and confirmations, trying to get more out of him but the sound all blurred together, adding to his headache.

If anything, the words he said rang in his mind and made his heart ache at their future. Yes, the search was over, but their battle was far from it. He knew that Sukuna saying his name was huge but was it enough? He saw the alpha, the killer in his eyes, he read the paperwork they gathered across the years, Sukuna was a killer. And when he wasn't, the bastard ring leaders tortured him for it and documented it. Megumi has seen some of the things they did to him and he isn't one hundred percent confident he can bring Sukuna back.

In the corner of his eye, he could see the other medical team carting in a gurney and a body bag prepped for the alpha that didn't make it.

The reality weighs heavily on him, making it easy to ignore the reporters giving out another burst of excitement and questions when a new face arrives.

“Megumin!” a familiar voice shouts at the end of the hall. Obnoxious in an annoying way but grounding all at once.

Satoru Gojo, his omegan parent. He was much more of a public face than Megumi ever was, the reporters switched gears quickly to ask Gojo how his new business was taking off and what he thinks about the dismantlement of the previous Gojo name.

The man smiled, charming and sly, before locking eyes with Megumi. “No comment.”

Megumi knows he takes after his father more, but there were just some looks Satoru made that reminded him they're made from the same cloth. LIke the one now, where Gojo made a face at some of the more intrusive comments being made about the alphas in the room behind Megumi, or about what he was going to do with them. Of course he aimed the look more for Megumi to see and not any of the flashing cameras.

“Megumin dear, I came as soon as I could.” Gojo said as he wrapped an arm around Megumi’s shoulders and tucked him face first into his chest. Megumi has learned by now not to struggle and it will be over sooner.

“D- Gojo, this isn't a good time, we need to get Sukuna somewhere safe and secure before local authorities take custody of him.” Megumi said lowley into Gojo’s button up shirt. Subtly breathing in his comforting parental scent. 

“Don’t worry kiddo, leave it to me” Is all Gojo said before snapping his fingers and a small team of personal Gojo family guards started corralling the reporters back and clearing the hall once again.

“Where is Nanami?” Gojo squeezed Megumi’s shoulders and let him go.

“Right here, Sir” Nanami appeared through the crowd, like parting waves, the omegas and betas avoided Nanami like he was a disease, even with scent patches, it was obvious he was an alpha and he got some weird looks from some of them. The alpha was used to it by now, what he could never get used to was Gojo walking right next to him and slinging an arm across his shoulders so casually and comfortably.

Gojo didn't particularly like alphas but Megumi could count the exceptions on one hand.

“Were you able to shake Mahito? I saw you handling him well”

Megumi could see Nanami fighting the urge to roll his eyes as he nodded, “yes sir.”

“Good, good. We can deal with him later, for now let's get Megumi’s alphas up north.”

Megumi blinked at that, ‘Up North’? “Wait, I thought we were transporting them to your hospital? Why up north? What's north?” Megumi asked Gojo. Worried the plan was changing.

“The hospital won't take in a feral alpha, no matter what I tell them. They're prepared to put him down or turn him into local authorities. So I removed them all from my pay roll and we are taking him to my northern summer house.” Gojo said, tone hardly giving a hint to how pissed he was, but Megumi could tell. “ It’ll be empty this time of year and I've already modified the whole property to account for a raging alpha; no insult intended” Gojo eyed Megumi over his glasses.

Megumi caught himself taking it all in, barely noticing the insult, “ He’s not a raging alpha,” He said automatically but Sukuna could still easily rage at any moment, at best he’s unstable. Megumi knew it was best to prepare for the worst and yet he still wanted to deny it.

“Kiddo, I know you want to believe in him, but-”

“-But nothing. I will make everything right. I have to.” Megumi said, challenging his father to defy him.

“Okay, Megumi, okay” Gojo finally said.

“Let's get him out of here!” Gojo announced to the team he brought along. Varied responses of 'yes sir' echoed. 

Megumi was uncertain of the future ahead, but he was damn certain he would do his best by Sukuna and his brothers.