Chapter Text
The forest roared with precipitation in the early hours of the morning. The birds were quiet as wind swept through ruffling branches and muddy soil.
Sukuna awoke then, with cold limbs and sore muscles. His futon, though, was a welcome relief. Sukuna shifted his blankets around and sat up, but he froze when a zip of pain hit his neck. He palmed his neck with a groan. His muscles were annoyingly locked tight. He kneaded the soreness on his nape. He sat on his bed briefly, breathing in the pleasant scent of rain, the pattering outside soothing his awaking mind.
Sukuna pulled his haori tightly around his body as cold slipped through the cracks of wood unpleasantly. It was inevitable, the amateur architecture of his hut, yet he didn’t mind. Although his feverish body said otherwise.
He stood up slowly, taking his time to stretch his limbs out. His muscles screamed with aches and pains. With a grunt he trudged toward his makeshift fireplace, wooden floorboards creaking under his weight, and began placing chunks of wood from the day before. And with a flick of his wrist, a spark of fire engulfed the stack. Sukuna sighed contentedly once the room finally started to warm.
Now he could finally start thinking without being sidetracked by shivers.
Sukuna estimated today was the last day of his pre-heat before his full blown heat struck. The fourth day since his instincts began preparing, and the fourth morning being awoken by rain.
⏩️
The rain finally settled around midday, as it had been for the last four days. Sukuna carried a basket full of everything he needed for his heat. Medical teas, blankets, fruit…everything ready for him to enjoy in his nest. How he obtained them wasn’t exactly ethically, however now, when he’s in need of them, it’s entirely irrelevant. Sukuna smirked at that. These stupid villagers need to understand that if he gets what he asks for, he’ll leave them alone, that’s a fair bargain if he’s ever heard of one.
The forest was lively now, Sukuna could hear from a distance how birds chirped and insects screamed their songs. It’s relaxing, a walk in the forest. Uninterrupted. Yet he was being interrupted now, once he realized that the wails he was hearing wasn’t a bird’s mating call or a hundred cicadas’ chorus, instead it was—
Sukuna turned to where he knew the wails were coming from. He stood still. He should ignore it, go back to his home into his nest, scent his new blankets and rest. He should do that. His brows furrowed and he continued walking. His needs were more important than the imposing need to check out the noise. The cry.
Everything cries. He’ll continue on his way.
Just then the wailing got louder, like it was taunting him to check. So with a grunt, he turned back to where he first heard it. He shifted his basket to get past overgrown grass, following the sound. Sukuna made it over to a tree, its roots the width of his wrists, and nestled between that a basket sat. Thin sheets and a pup within it.
Sukuna stared dumbfounded. What was a pup, of all things, in a forest all alone? He looked around, trees among trees was all he could see, so he sniffed the air, trying to catch any other scent other than his own. After a few moments, he caught nothing. He looked down again, sighed, and crouched down to it. The pup continued crying uncontrollably, its tiny little hands thrashing around.
Thus, after setting away his basket, he picked the little pup up. All his four limbs inspected the pup, checking for injuries amongst other things. The small creature fought against his hold, a fierce little thing, but it calmed down once Sukuna’s calming omega pheromones were released. He checked the basket then. Maybe the pup’s dam or sire could’ve left something. But in the end there was nothing.
Sukuna put the pup back in the basket. He was done. He satisfied his curiosity. Now he could go back. His instincts bristled at the thought. He pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed. If he wasn’t so close to his cycle he wouldn’t be so reluctant to leave. By now the pup was quiet, its curious eyes looking up at him. It nibbled on its own hand, plump cheeks rosy from crying. Though its other hand reached towards him.
That was his cue to leave. He grabbed his basket, stood up and for one last time looked down. The pup's eyes started to water and it pouted so terribly sad to not have the omega that it began bawling once again.
Sukuna hesitated again. His omega was convincing him of a horrible idea. He has still an omega in the cusp of his heat, he had himself to take care of. But…
With a sigh, he let his omega win this once.
He gathered the pup's basket onto his other hands, and turned to get out of the forest towards his home.
⏩️
Sukuna returned home with more than he had intended. By now, the evening sun took its course before nightfall, and Sukuna, sweaty and feverish, prioritized the pup in his arms. His incoming heat was ignored.
His haori had been discarded elsewhere on his nest, he wore his loose kimono with the sleeves bunched up. Sukuna sat outside on his engawa with a basin in front of him, he bathed the pup.
The pup thrashed about, undoubtedly because of the cold river water, but Sukuna did the best in his power to keep the basin from tipping over. He was thankful for once in his life about all his limbs. Sukuna cradled the baby girl’s head with one hand, the other two bathed her, with the remaining one held onto the basin.
“Stop moving, cheeky brat,” Sukuna huffed. The pup continued kicking and thrashing water around, strictly disobeying his commands.
With a couple more huffs, Sukuna pulled the pup out the water and wrapped her up with soft fabrics. He dried the pup carefully before placing her into a safe divot in his nest.
Sukuna then turned to dispose of the used water, and closed his home for the day. After doing so he sat outside his nest, chin propped up by his fist, and just stared at the pup dosing off.
What the hell was he doing?
He wanted to strangle his inner omega for making him feel this way. For taking advantage of his vulnerable emotional state. He wasn’t excited for how these next few days would play out. Who wants to take care of some pup while in heat?
His instincts were all out of wack, but he’s reached a new low.
What’s he going to do once she gets hungry? He’s not lactating for god’s sake. Plus he’s going to be forced to get more resources if she stays, which it’s already hard enough trying to survive on his own.
He just dug deeper for himself.
He’ll see what to do tomorrow, but right now, he’ll prepare everything actually intended for himself.