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Gojo had just gotten back from his mission. He shot off a quick text to Megumi letting him know that he was back in town and that he would be at the school in a little while. Megumi didn’t respond but Gojo didn’t worry Megumi hardly ever responded to texts.
Gojo was pissed at the higher ups for making him take a mission so far away from his pup. The actual mission was finished in under 5 hours but the travel caused him to be gone for almost a week. Sure he could have teleported but he knew the point of his mission was to be away from Megumi.
No matter how often they say any different Gojo knows that the higher ups care a lot about Megumi’s presentation. The constant far away missions further prove his theory. It is a common belief that pups with more distant parents present as alphas which is not true and has been proven in hundreds of studies but people will believe what they want to. Gojo is surprised that being away from Megumi angers him so much. Even as an alpha he had never been particularly territorial or protective, alas Megumi seems to bring out a different side of him.
Gojo realizes that he can’t go to Megumi smelling angry. So he decides to stop and look in little shops that he normally wouldn’t look twice at. He buys a few things: a bottle of good wine for Shoko, coasters for Nanami to replace the ones he set on fire, and for Megumi a blanket to replace the one that was destroyed in the same fire that incinerated Nanami’s coasters. Gojo smiles to himself thinking back to the incident.
Gojo casually scents the blanket as he walks rubbing his wrists along the soft fabric imbuing the fabric with a calm, protective alpha scent. The motion is repetitive and soothing which serves to calm him down even more. After Gojo deems himself acceptable he heads toward the school still at a leisurely pace.
Gojo feels his phone vibrate in his pocket, he checks the caller ID.
Megumi<3
Gojo smiles at the ID, before answering the call.
“What’s up Megumi?”
Megumi doesn’t say anything and for a minute Gojo thinks that Megumi dialed his number on accident but before he can hang up he hears heavy breathing.
“Megumi?”
The breathing stops for a minute as if Megumi is about to speak but instead of words a high pitched whine comes out instead.
Megumi had been feeling off for a little while now, it started a couple of hours after Gojo left. He didn’t feel bad enough to call Gojo and ask him to come back. He knew Gojo’s mission was important and if something went horribly wrong Shoko was due back from her mission in 2 days so all Megumi had to do was hold out for long enough.
Over the course of the days Gojo was gone Megumi’s condition got worse. He had no idea what was going on with his body. He felt feverish with a prickly feeling under his skin that he couldn’t seem to get rid of. Megumi also found himself unnaturally hungry; he had run through nearly all the non-perishable snacks that were stocked in the dormitory. The cycle of fevers and hunger are only interrupted by periods where he couldn’t even leave his room without feeling like bursting into tears, his whole body telling him that his room is the only place he’s safe.
Megumi mentally runs through a list of potential illnesses trying to find out if what he seems to have contracted is dangerous enough to contact Shoko. Megumi’s discomfort only grows as the days continue on but he still holds out on calling Shoko because she, unlike Gojo, tends to need time for herself after her missions and he doesn’t want to bother her for something that isn’t life-threatening.
As his illness progresses Megumi notices another symptom, he needs Gojo. It starts off mild only barely there in the back of his mind. When he notices it he tries to reason with himself that it’s just the part of his brain that thinks he needs his pack to keep him safe and comfort him Gojo isn’t officially his pack and he technically has no claim over him but Megumi’s body seems to recognize him as his pack alpha anyways.
Within hours of this new symptom appearing it becomes unbearable. Megumi attempts to ignore it and when that fails he shoves his face into his pillow hoping to pick up the scent of Gojo from the last time he had been in Megumi’s room. It was faded but he could still smell it which calmed him a little but it’s not nearly enough to alleviate his pain. Megumi hears his phone get a text but he ignores it, he’s in too much pain to move let alone pick up his phone and read the text and potentially respond.
The small amount of Gojo’s scent Megumi had been able to pick up becomes undetectable in a matter of minutes which worsens Megumi’s condition because his body seems to think Gojo abandoned him. Megumi can feel the tears running down his cheeks as he lifts his head up from the pillow. Megumi looks through tear-blurred vision to find his phone because he needs Gojo. Megumi looks through his contacts until he finds Gojo’s number and calls it. It rings a few times before Megumi can hear the click of the call connecting and he nearly sobs in relief.
“What’s up Megumi?” Gojo’s voice comes from the phone but Megumi can’t find the strength in him to respond.
“Megumi?” Megumi realized that he must have spaced out because now Gojo is calling his name but Megumi still can’t get any words out.
Megumi opens his mouth in an attempt to speak but all that comes out is a whine.
“Shit, Megumi it’s okay I’ll be there soon just try to calm down alright?”
Gojo is absolutely panicking as he hangs up the phone he doesn’t think he’s ever been this terrified in his life. He opens the door to the dormitory and is immediately met with one of the worst scents he’s ever smelled in his entire life, distress and hurt are layered so thickly in the air Gojo almost chokes on it.
“Megumi!” Gojo calls out as he approaches Megumi’s room.
When Gojo receives no answer he opens the door and finds Megumi curled into a ball on his bed crying and making little desperate noises to call his pack. Gojo wastes no time; he ditches Nanami’s coasters and Shoko’s wine on the floor so that the blanket is the only thing in his hands as he moves to Megumi’s bedside. Gojo hesitantly reaches out and runs the scent gland on his wrist over Megumi’s hair.
Almost immediately after Gojo touches him Megumi uncurls his body and turns towards Gojo he makes a little unsure noise.
“Shh it’s okay I’m here.” Gojo says as he continues to scent Megumi.
Megumi whines again but the distress that had been coming off of him in waves was mostly gone in its place the sweet scent of an omega in heat is present.
“Oh shit.” Gojo says softly as he realizes what’s going on while Megumi moves toward him, the sound of crying replaced with soft purring.
“Megumi?” Gojo questions softly. “When did this start?” Megumi tilts his head up towards Gojo in acknowledgement but doesn’t speak.
“Megs?” Gojo tries again but Megumi still doesn't respond. Gojo isn’t completely knowledgeable about omegas in general but he’s pretty sure Megumi isn’t supposed to be this out of it even if he is in heat.
Somehow Megumi ends up on the floor in Gojo’s lap covered in the newly purchased blanket covered in Gojo’s scent. Gojo moves to scent Megumi properly, attempting to run the scent gland on his wrist over the gland on Megumi’s neck. Gojo pauses his action when he notices that the glands on Megumi’s neck are swollen, the skin around them an angry red color he checks the glands on Megumi’s wrists and finds them in a similar state. Gojo frowns and rubs his wrist over Megumi’s cheekbone instead before dialing Shoko’s number.
“What do you want, Satoru.” Shoko’s annoyed yet concerned voice demands.
“Megumi’s in heat but his scent glands look all swollen and he’s almost completely out of it. I don't know what to do Shoko. I need your help.” Gojo says his entire sentence quickly in one breath, the panic he feels seeping into his words.
“He’s in heat? I didn’t know he presented.” The annoyance is almost completely gone from her voice but the concern still remains.
“He’s presenting now.” Gojo can’t help but snap at his friend through the phone.
Shoko clicks her tongue and Gojo can hear rustling on her end of the call.
“Do whatever you can to keep him calm. I’m on my way.” Shoko replies before ending the call.
Gojo silently thanks her before returning his attention to Megumi running his fingers through the boy’s hair. “What am I going to do with you?” Gojo questions Megumi. Unsurprisingly, Megumi doesn’t respond, instead he presses himself closer to Gojo and whines when the fingers in his hair slow. “Sorry.” Gojo’s fingers resume their previous pace in Megumi’s hair as he apologizes Megumi’s only response is the whines turning into purrs.
Shoko only takes ten minutes to arrive at the school. She can’t remember the last time she moved that fast but hearing her friend who claimed to be the strongest so panicked made her worried. The second she enters the dorms she can smell the hurt and distress in the air, the scent is slowly being replaced by the sweet scent of an omega in heat and, to Shoko’s surprise and amusement, an extremely protective alpha.
Shoko makes her way down the hall towards Megumi’s room. The door is slightly ajar when she gets there she knocks lightly on the door pushing it open as she knocks. She nearly smiles at what she sees; Gojo sitting on the floor with Megumi in his lap, Gojo's fingers slowly running through Megumi’s hair.
“Satoru?” Shoko says as she stands right outside the door to the room, an unspoken request for permission to enter.
Gojo notices Shoko at the door and waves her in after she calls his name. She shuts the door behind her as she enters and she sits down a couple steps away from them on the floor.
“Will you let me look at him?” Gojo notices that Shoko seems uncharacteristically cautious as she questions him.
“That’s what I called you here for isn’t it?” Gojo replies.
“Yeah okay.” Shoko mumbles as she scoots closer to them.
“I thought about it on the way here.” Shoko says absentmindedly as puts her hand on Megumi’s forehead, an action that makes him tense slightly until Gojo increases the pressure of the fingers that are still in his hair, “He likely went through the preheat period of his presentation soon after you left which normally takes 5-7 days. During that time he was alone despite his need to comforted by members of his pack which put stress on his body in addition to the stress that was already there from the presentation itself which in turn caused his scent glands to work overtime in an attempt to call someone to comfort him which is most likely why they’re swollen.”
“That doesn’t explain why he’s so out of it though.“ Gojo responds.
“Actually it kind of does. As a response to being alone and his body not getting what it needed he just sorta shut down. This is likely only the first or second day of his actual heat though so it should sort of wear off before the end of it.” Shoko explains as she digs a small jar out of her coat. “This is a soothing balm. It should help with some of the pain and swelling on his glands but before I use it I want to make sure that they aren’t infected.”
Gojo hums in response to Shoko’s words and shifts slightly so she’ll have better access to the glands on Megumi’s neck. Shoko reaches out slowly the tips of her fingers barely brush the glands on Megumi’s neck before he whines in pain and tries to twist away. In a matter of seconds Gojo has pulled Megumi impossibly closer to himself and growls at Shoko, a low deep sound that promises pain to anyone who dares get close. Shoko pulls her hand back and stares at Gojo with a look he can’t decipher.
“Shit, Shoko I’m so sorry.” Gojo apologizes quickly.
“It’s fine.” Shoko says plainly but her eyes look slightly amused. “From what I did see it doesn’t seem like there’s any infection so we should be all good to apply the balm.” Shoko picks up the small jar and tosses it to Gojo.
Gojo catches the jar with ease before looking at Shoko for instructions.
“Just take a small amount on two of your fingers and gently rub it into the glands.” Shoko states while making small motions with her hands as she speaks.
Gojo follows her instructions, wincing slightly at every little pained noise Megumi makes.
“I never took you for the protective type, Satoru.” Shoko says, smirking.
“I said I was sorry.” Gojo retorts. “And to think I bought you wine.”
“You bought me wine?” Shoko asks curiously.
“Yeah and I bought Nanami some new coasters.” Gojo says as he motions vaguely to the area he had dropped the stuff he bought when he first got in the room.
Shoko laughs at the memory of the fire that destroyed Nanami’s coasters. “I can’t believe you actually bought him more. Did his threat finally get to you.”
Gojo smiles at the memory of Nanami angrily telling him all the things he would do to him for starting a fire in his apartment and irreparably damaging his coasters. “Nah I was just feeling nice and I had time to kill.”
“Are you just gonna sit there with him for the next week or are you going to make a proper nest?” Shoko asks motioning to Megumi who is purring tiredly, his eyelids drooping.
Gojo suddenly turns serious as he realizes something: “Megumi can’t be an omega.” he whispers.
“What?” Shoko asks, confused.
“The higher ups.” Gojo responds and watches as her face twists into something that reflects their shared hatred for the people in charge.
Memories of omega students being sent on missions above their skill level and coming back only to be buried and memories of omega students with stronger cursed techniques being married off to someone who would, in theory, be a perfect mate and make perfect children with strong techniques flashed through Gojo’s mind. He would sooner kill himself then let Megumi go through either of those things.
Shoko says “If you take him to your apartment and make him a nest there I can clean up here and get rid of the smell. Only the three of us will ever know Megumi is an omega.”
Shoko’s always been good for that, Gojo thinks, she’s a quick thinker and won’t hesitate to do what she thinks is right no matter how morally wrong it may be and Gojo loves her for it.
“You’re a lifesaver.” Gojo says.
“What are friends for?” Shoko responds with a small smile.
Gojo stands with the now sleeping Megumi and is gone in a flash. They reappear in Gojo’s apartment Gojo carries Megumi to his bedroom and lays him gently on the bed before hurrying to retrieve armfulls of blankets and pillows from the hall closet.
It doesn’t take Gojo long to make a semi-decent nest big enough for the both of them. Megumi doesn’t wake up until Gojo picks him up to move him to the nest.
“Gojo?” Megumi slurs tiredly.
“Yeah I’m here go back to sleep you’re okay.” Gojo mumbles softly as he sets Megumi down in the nest. His only response from Megumi is a low hum before the boy is sleeping again.
Gojo is beyond relieved that Megumi seemed less out of it; he also finds himself to be exhausted so he lays down and curls himself around Megumi before letting sleep wash over him.
Satoru Gojo is good at everything. Fortunately for him and unfortunately for the people around him this includes lying.
So after Megumi’s heat is over he finds himself grateful for this ability as he stands in front of the higher ups.
“Fushiguro Megumi presented while I was away on my most recent mission.” Gojo states simply.
“His designation?”
“Beta.” The lie falls smoothly off of Gojo’s tongue.
The higher ups try to hide their disappointment at this news but Gojo sees through them easily. He will not allow these people to decide Megumi’s future more than they already have.