Chapter Text
Satoru Gojo did not believe in luck. He had conquered his own body’s shortcomings, defeated even death. He did not need to rely on something so petty and insignificant as luck. But as Utahime loved to remind him, his hubris would get him in trouble some day. That day, it seemed, had arrived in the form of two pink lines. He stared dumbly at the flimsy plastic, willing it to change, to turn into a monster he could exercise, something that made more sense than this. Something that didn’t make his heart clench and his stomach roll.
Pregnant. He was pregnant. Wordlessly, he teleported himself into Shoko’s office, still clutching the test tightly. It was a wonder the plastic didn’t shatter under his fingertips. He wasn’t built for delicate things.
“Fucking hell Satoru–” Shoko sputtered, “warn a person before–”
“I’m pregnant.” He blurted out, all-seeing eyes staring blankly at his friend.
“What?” Her face dropped, a blend of shock and dread painted across her features.
He repeated himself, voice even flatter than before, “I’m pregnant,” he tossed the test onto her desk. The sound of plastic hitting wood seemed to reverberate through the room.
“How–how is this possible?” She looked at the test like it would come alive and attack her.
Satoru snorted, “well, when an alpha and an omega love each other very much–” his voice tightened, and he cleared his throat, “you know the rest.”
She shook her head, “but–then the father–”
Gojo laughed mirthlessly, “yes! Everyone’s favorite genocidal maniac! I sure know how to pick ‘em!” He slumped into a chair across from his friend, rubbing a hand anxiously over the side of his neck, where the raised scar tissue seemed to almost burn.
“Satoru…” she cleared her throat, “what are you going to do with it?”
His hand unconsciously settled across his stomach where it, he couldn’t bring himself to call it his child, was growing. He shook his head, “I have no idea.”
Shoko folded her hands in front of herself and leaned towards him, “may I speak bluntly?” Satoru nodded, not meeting her eyes, “I think keeping it is dangerous. I think you being who you are, and the father… Being who he is, this child has the potential to be an incredible threat. There are many who would want to see this child dead.”
Gojo lifted his head, “I would never let them.” His voice held more resolve than Shoko had heard from him in days, “if I choose to keep it… I will never let them touch it.”
She sighed and took a long drag from her cigarette, “what about your pregnancy? We don’t know how your technique will be affected, if it will, or if it’s even safe for you to carry to term.” She tapped her cigarette on her ashtray, “what if it kills you?”
Satoru clenched his jaw, “you think a clump of cells is stronger than me? Don’t make me laugh.”
“You know that isn’t what I meant,” she growled, “There are too many unknowns. If you ask my professional opinion, I would say to terminate.”
Silence settled over them like a dense fog. Shoko wondered for a moment if she had gone too far, Satoru had already been through so much in the last week alone, but he asked, voice barely above a whisper, “but as a friend… what would you say?” He raised his head enough so she could see those wide blue eyes filled with an emotion she couldn’t name.
She sighed softly as she snuffed out her cigarette, “I would say… as a friend, only you can know what you want. If you want to keep this baby, I will do all I can to protect the both of you.”
Satoru looked away and nodded, “thank you Shoko.” He stood abruptly, “I’ll see you later,” and vanished. Shoko sighed, positive that no matter what he chose, she’d have her hands full. She lit another cigarette.
Satoru laid on his side in his room, his phone shut off. ‘Let someone else deal with the world’s problems for once,’ he thought bitterly. He sighed and rolled onto his back, looking up at the ceiling, but not really seeing it. He sighed again, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. He had a headache coming on.
‘If Suguru was here he’d know just what to say,’ a voice rang in Satoru’s traitorous heart.
“But he isn’t here,” Satoru muttered to no one, “it’s just you and me.” He rested a hand on his stomach, the sheer weight of his choice coming to settle on his shoulders. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. “It’s just you and me.” There was a heavy knocking at the door, Satoru groaned and rolled over, and shoved a pillow over his head.
“Satoru I know you’re in there, open the door.” Yaga’s voice didn’t leave much room for discussion.
“It’s unlocked. Jeez there’s no need to yell,” he grumbled into his pillows.
Satoru heard Yaga cross the room and pull a chair up to his bedside. “Shoko talked to me.”
Gojo snorted, “well, did you come to congratulate me?” He extended a long arm behind him and flattened his palm, “where’s my present then?”
Yaga said nothing for a moment before he lowered his voice to a rumble, “are you doing alright?”
Satoru’s eyes widened, and he turned his face tighter into his pillow. How foolish he must seem. Cowering in his bedroom like a lovelorn teen. He sat up straight and turned to face his former teacher. “I’m perfect,” he plastered a smile on his face.
“Is that so? So you’ve made a decision about the baby then?”
He blinked and crossed his arms, “straight to the point, as always.” Satoru looked away, feeling, for the first time, cowed under Yaga’s gaze, he shrugged and hummed noncommittally, “no idea!”
“Gojo… you should take this more seriously.” Yaga’s gaze was sharp and bordering on judgemental.
Satoru chose his poisoned, honeyed words carefully, “it seems everyone thinks they know my mind and what’s best for me today! How nice to have so many people concerned. But I, unlike the rest of you, am the strongest and–”
Yaga’s eyes narrowed as he interrupted him, “you’re more than that now, Satoru. You’re pregnant. You’re the strongest, and you’re pregnant. That will change things. We are concerned about you,” he ignored Satoru’s derisive snort, “and while we might not be as strong as you, that child will certainly be walking into a lion’s den of danger. Everyone who wants to see you dead, imagine their ire turned to an infant. You cannot be everywhere at once. You must think about that.”
Gojo wrapped his arms around his midsection, glowering at his former teacher, “believe it or not, I have been thinking about what’s best.” Yaga raised an eyebrow but Satoru continued, “and I’ve thought about what I want. What…” his fingers danced over the spot low on his neck, “what I want from life.” He shook his head, “and I think… Yaga… is it foolish for me to keep it?”
His eyes were pleading and Yaga sighed, “I think it is foolish. But you’re a fool, so it would be a normal decision for you.” Gojo’s eyes widened, “whatever you choose, I will support you. If I need to risk my life to protect your child I will.”
Gojo tilted his head to one side with a slight smirk, “careful Yaga, I might start to think that you like me.”
Yaga stood and brushed off his pants, “you’re insufferable. But your child has done nothing wrong, and it is the responsibility of adults to fight for the happiness, safety, and joy of the children who come after us.” He turned and pulled the door open, “if you or your child need anything, let me know.”
“Yaga!” Satoru called out to him, the man turned and Satoru smiled warmly, “thank you.” Yaga just nodded and closed the door softly behind him.
Satoru swore to himself that he would not cry or scream like omegas do in movies. He would remain stoic and solid until the end. That lasted for the first hour, and then Shoko told him that he had to wait for his contractions to get closer before he could push the infernal thing out of himself. “For fucks sake Shoko get this damn thing out of me!” He growled, not sounding as threatening as he would have liked, with the wobble to his voice.
“We cannot rush this, and you have to stay in control of you’ll rip this place, and all of us, apart!” She took a fortifying breath and continued, “breathe, Satoru. You’ll get through this.” He choked out an affirmation and squeezed his eyes shut. ‘What a risky and stupid situation I’ve gotten myself into.’ She shook her head and nodded to Yaga, who fortified the seals protecting the room, one more time, just to be sure.
Satoru screamed when it came time to push. The sound ripped from a place deep within himself and Shoko prayed she’d never have to hear it again. She realized, with a drop of dread, that Infinity was still activated, and it was trying to protect him from the thing that was causing him pain, but would kill the child. “Satoru,” she forced her voice to be calm, “Satoru you have to drop Infinity.”
He whined and shook his head vehemently, “can’t–it hurts Shoko–” a tear slipped down his cheek.
She took his hand carefully, and stroked across his knuckles, “I know it hurts, but if you don’t your baby will die. You don’t want to hurt her right?” Again he shook his head, “so breathe, and let go.” He took a shuddering breath, and she felt his shield fall, “good job Satoru, let’s finish this, give me one more push.”
“Give me my baby,” he murmured sleepily, but demandingly.
“Ok, ok, let me just finish cleaning her off,” Shoko placated, before turning around and holding the small bundle in her arms. “She’s beautiful, just perfect,” she said as she handed the child to Satoru’s outstretched arms.
“Of course she is…” he said softly, “look at who birthed her.” Shoko snorted but the fond smile never left her face. Satoru turned all of the power of his eyes to looking at his child for the first time. The little spark he’d felt when he was pregnant bloomed into a raging flame. He would protect this child, nothing would ever harm her. He could state those things as fact. Just as the sun rises and sets, he would do anything for her. He stroked a hand down her head gently, the dark hair pressed flat to her head was the softest thing he’d ever touched. She wiggled in his arms, fussing. He cooed down at her, “my perfect girl…” her eyes creaked open and his heart stopped in his chest.
Shining, cerulean eyes looked up at him, he could count the stars in them and never tire of looking at her. What a beautiful and terrible burden he settled on his child. What a gift, and what a terrible curse.
Without looking up from his daughter's face, he whispered, “she has the Six Eyes.”
Yaga and Shoko’s eyes mirrored each other’s panic, but settled as Gojo started to laugh, a pure, joyful sound. The first genuine laugh they’d heard from him in a while and they watched as he pressed kisses to her face and hands. At the very least, they knew that his child would never doubt that they are loved.
Satoru pursed his lips as Yaga restated just how necessary it was for Satoru to go on this mission. “No one else can handle it. For you, it should be closer to a vacation.”
Satoru rolled his eyes under his blindfold and threw up his hands, “fine! But don’t expect any souvenirs!”
He grumbled the whole way as he walked to the estate just off campus. He saw his new first years and waved them over enthusiastically. To be met with the less than thrilled faces of his students. In that moment, struck by a brilliant bolt of inspiration, he called out to them, “Hello all! I have a wonderful training activity for you!”
The teenagers looked at him warily, barely concealing their distrust, “what do you want?” Maki, ever the straightforward speaker demanded.
Gojo rocked back on his heels, “well, I’m getting called to a mission and I need a teeny favor from you all. It’s very important, and will strengthen your bonds as a team, and as sorcerers.” Maybe a stretch of the truth but there would be lessons learned.
“Salmon,” Inumaki nodded.
“Thank you Inumaki-kun! Come along everyone!” Gojo ushered the students through the garden gate, whistling all the while.
A blur of blue and black tackled Gojo's waist, “papa!”
The teenager’s eyes widened comically as Satoru scooped the child up in his arms, shifting her to one hip. “Adorable students, this is my daughter. Say hello Natsumi.”
The girl smiled broadly, wide blue eyes sparkling, “hello! I am Natsumi! My papa is the strongest!”
Satoru gave his students a self-satisfied grin as they stared in shock.
Yuuta broke the silence first, “sensei you… this is your–”
“Daughter! Yes, Yuuta-kun! And you all are going to watch her while I’m gone!” The teenager’s jaws dropped comically low, “now, now, think of it as training! Sometimes you’ll have to be in charge of keeping someone weaker than you safe! I’ll make it extra easy, you all can stay here, use anything you like. I’ll be home in a week, and,” he smiled, but there was a layer of danger to his tone, “if anything happens to her while I’m away, I’ll be very upset.” Like the sun passing behind a cloud, the darkness in his expression was gone, “but I’m sure that nothing will happen! You can all continue your training, and I’m sure that everything will be perfect.” Satoru set the gangly child down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before sauntering off.
Natsumi stared up at the teens and they stared down at her. She pointed to Panda, “you’re a panda.”
He nodded, a little dumbstruck, “yes.”
She pointed to Maki, “you have glasses.”
Maki glanced at her peers, “I do.”
She pointed to Inumaki, “I like your scarf.”
Inumaki tilted his head slightly, “salmon.”
She nodded sagely, then turned to Yuuta before cocking her head to one side like a curious puppy, “you have a big shadow.”
Yuuta jumped, he felt like this child was seeing more of him than he was comfortable with, he held his arms tightly to his chest, “I… I’m sorry.”
Natsumi smiled, “why? If papa wasn’t scared I’m not, and he has the best eyes in the world!” She giggled, “but he loses things all the time, and I have to help him find them.” There was a smug sort of pride in her voice, and shown in the confident tilt of her chin. “Do you want to play?” The teens nodded dumbly, pulled into the rhythm and orbit of this child, “ok! Let’s play knights and…” she pointed to Maki, “you’re the bad guy!” She grabbed Yuuta’s hand and started off at a run, dragging the stammering teen behind her, “quick! Mr. Panda! Mr. Scarf! The bad guy will get you!”
Satoru knew he had nothing to worry about. But by the end of the week he was practically vibrating with anxiety. ‘Had they eaten enough? Did anyone get hurt?’ He shook his head, they would have called if anything serious had happened. He rested his head against the car window, barely resisting the urge to just teleport home.
He couldn’t get through the gates fast enough, he kicked off his shoes carelessly, and sped-walked to his daughters bedroom, he opened the door slowly and a fist clenched around his heart. Her bed was empty.
He hadn’t sensed anything, no cursed energy or the presence of anyone. What if someone without cursed energy had come in? Someone like… he shook his head sharply, surely one of his students would have handled it? He dug his fingernails into the palm of his hand, cursing himself for leaving, for not getting back sooner, for not finishing his mission quicker. When a slight movement in the living room caught his attention. He entered the room cautiously, looking for any sign of an attacker and halted in his tracks.
All of his students were piled together, futons pushed side by side, with his daughter at the center. She clung to Panda, who snored loudly. Inumaki and Yuuta were on her other side, she had a handful of Yuuta's shirt clenched tightly in her fist. Maki had retreated as far as she could to Panda’s other side.
Satoru squashed down a laugh and let out a relieved breath. He reached over and pulled a blanket further over Natsumi’s shoulders, and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, she glowered in her sleep and snuggled further into Panda’s fur. Satoru smiled fondly at his child and his students, gratitude and pride burning twin flames in his chest. He slid the screen door shut softly.
Suguru knew something was different about Satoru as soon as he laid eyes on him again. ‘Did he have a new mate?’ That idea made his skin crawl, and something dangerously close to possessiveness wrapped its fingers around his throat.
He smelled different. Not glaringly so, but a little sweeter, warmer. Suguru ran through the other alphas he knew were still around.
Nanami? He couldn’t see the younger man putting up with Satoru’s antics for long.
Yaga? He thought of Satoru too much like his student, even with the difference in their strength. Maybe it was someone Suguru didn’t even know, ten years was a long time. But that made him even more irrationally upset.
Before he knew it, his feet had followed the well-traveled path to the high-walls of the Gojo estate. It was foolish for him to be here. Dangerous, even, but he couldn’t help it. He had to know. His hands found familiar purchase on the loose stones, ‘they really should’ve fixed these by now,’ he thought with a smirk. He peered over the walls and his heart froze in his chest, a young pup, who couldn’t be more than 10 years old, ran around the yard, long dark hair flew out wild behind her. Her laugh rang out clearly through the courtyard, the older woman chasing after her never had a chance.
Suddenly, Satoru walked through the garden gate and the child shrieked with glee, the one word she shouted dropped a stone on Suguru’s heart, “papa!” She sprinted to him, and he dropped down to scoop her into his arms and lift her high into the air, laughing all the while. He pressed kisses all over her face as she squealed and giggled.
Suguru’s blood boiled, and he knew the truth with utmost certainty. That was his pup. Satoru had carried his child, raised his child and he never knew. Ten years of a family he never knew he had. A harsh, dark coil of regret and anger settled into his core, he slid down the wall and stalked an angry path away from that house, before he did something he’d regret.
A part of him screamed to rip the place apart until he could hold his pup close to his chest, scent her, so everyone would know that she was his, to take her away from this place and protect her himself. But he knew that Satoru would never let that happen. So he bided his time, waited until night fell, when the house was asleep, and climbed back over the garden wall.
He knew this was foolish.
He had no choice.
Satoru would kill him.
He didn’t care.
He had to see his pup, had to have her know that he was her father. He slipped silently through the familiar halls. Following his nose. He slid the door open and was greeted with Satoru’s soothing scent, and a new one under it. Like a whisper of honey under all of that sage. He crossed the room slowly, all of his attention focused on the sleeping pup bathed in moonlight under her open window. ‘That’s dangerous.’ He found himself thinking, ‘someone could sneak in and–’ he almost laughed as he realized he was worried about someone else doing exactly what he was at that very moment. ‘This is different,’ he thought, ‘I am her father.’
He looked down on the sleeping pup, her breath came steady and even. Deep in sleep. ‘What does she dream about?’ She clutched a doll Suguru recognized as one of Yaga’s tightly to her chest with a stab of resentment. ‘Was everyone involved in her life but him? Did she even know about him?’
Her long dark hair was spread across her pillows like spilled ink. Some of it had fallen across her cheek, Suguru reached down to push it away from her face when he sensed someone behind him.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Satoru’s voice was laced with venom, and Suguru could feel malice roll off of him in waves.
Suguru retracted his hand and turned slowly, “I was checking in on my daughter,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“If you touch her,” Satoru’s brilliant blue eyes were sharp and dangerous, “I will kill you where you stand.”
Suguru believed him. Satoru couldn’t kill him when he left, but he had no doubt in his mind that Satoru would rip him apart when it came to his pup. Suguru raised his hands in defense, “I didn’t touch her. I swear.”
Satoru’s lip curled, “and I should believe a single word that comes out of your mouth because?”
Suguru sighed, “I suppose you wouldn’t, but as she is my pup too…” Satoru’s face twisted further, “at the very least by blood, I swear to you I would never hurt her.”
Satoru crossed his arms across his chest, “regardless of blood, you gave up your chance to be her father a long time ago. She is not yours.” He tilted his chin up, “besides, she isn’t a sorcerer. Not a drop of cursed energy in her.”
Suguru narrowed his eyes, ‘not a drop?’ “Impossible.” He shook his head, “a joining of the two of us? Don’t make me laugh.”
“Who’s laughing Suguru?” Satoru’s face remained flat, impassive, “your daughter, would you call her monkey like the rest? Would you kill her to satisfy your dream?” He practically spat the word out, “would you trade her life for your utopia?”
Suguru looked back at the sleeping child behind him, he thought about how easy it would be to kill her right there, how small her neck was, how fragile. His beliefs, the lives he had already taken to achieve his dream, when weighed against the sleeping child in front of him, felt like nothing. He had made no such exception for his parents. Why was this causing him such pause? His mouth moved before he could stop himself, “she looks like you. I would never hurt her.”
Satoru’s mouth drops open, “Suguru–”
“Papa?” A small, sleepy voice startled the pair.
Suguru saw a pair of brilliant, star filled blue eyes blink slowly behind a curtain of midnight hair and before he could act, he found himself dropped into a bush outside the Gojo estate.
“Papa? Was there someone here? I thought I saw–” she sniffed the air slowly, “it smells like a storm.”
Satoru chuckled softly, “no pup it was just me, I’m sorry if I frightened you.” He lied easily as he crossed the room and gently pushed her hair from her eyes that mirrored his own. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
The child shook her head, and snuggled back into her pillows, “will you stay till I fall asleep again?”
Satoru smiled, “of course. I have the day off tomorrow, do you want to go play with Yuta-kun, Inumaki-kun and Panda?”
The girl's eyes lit up, “can we?”
Satoru nodded and pressed a long finger to her nose gently, “yes, but only if one little pup goes to sleep.”
The girl giggled and nuzzled her face into Satoru’s hand, “ok papa. I love you.”
He smiled, “I love you too Natsumi.”
Satoru sat next to his child’s bed until her breath evened out, and the moon dipped back towards the horizon. He looked at her sleeping face, and thought with a shake of his head, ‘Suguru you fool, she looks like you.’
Suguru pulled himself from the bush, “damn you Satoru…” he muttered as he brushed himself off roughly. ‘Those eyes…’ he shook his head, ‘of course his child was a sorcerer.’ He found himself chuckling before it devolved into a full chested laugh, how powerful his child would become!
He straightened himself up, feeling an air of certainty settle over himself. He would not fail now. Now that he has a legacy to leave behind, a child who could grow up in a world that would celebrate and worship her as she deserves to be. A world where she would never need to bow low to accommodate for someone else’s weakness, she, like her fathers, could stand atop a world that was built for them.
No, he could not fail now. If not for himself, then for the future he hoped his daughter would have, he would make that dream come true, no matter the cost.