Work Text:
Yūji carefully tipped the cup over the spider on the windowsill, trapping it with a soft plastic lid. He held the cup up to the light, watching the little creature crawl around inside.
“Uncle Sukuna!” he called, hurrying into the living room on socked feet. “Look what I got!”
Sukuna looked up from the book in his hands. His expression stayed calm as Yūji thrust the cup toward him.
“It’s a spider,” Yūji said, bouncing a little. “My new pet. I caught him all by myself. Isn’t he cool?”
Sukuna set the book aside and leaned closer, peering into the cup. “You caught that all on your own?”
Yūji nodded hard, cheeks pink with pride.
“That’s very clever of you,” Sukuna said. He reached out and ruffled Yūji’s hair. “You were careful, and you didn’t get bitten. I’m proud of you for that.”
Yuji beamed. He sat on the floor by Sukuna’s feet and watched the spider for a long time, talking softly to it about how they would be best friends. After a while his eyelids grew heavy. He yawned, then yawned again.
“Come here,” Sukuna said. He guided Yuji onto the couch and pulled a soft blanket over him. “Nap time. Your spider will be right here when you wake up.”
Yūji mumbled something sleepy and curled up against Sukuna’s side. Within minutes his breathing evened out.
Once Yūji was deeply asleep, Sukuna carefully took the cup. He walked outside to the garden, knelt by a shady patch of dirt near the bushes, and gently tipped the cup over. The spider scurried away into the leaves without any trouble.
Sukuna stayed there a moment longer, then returned inside and set the empty cup on the table.
When Yūji stirred later, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked around, then frowned.
“Uncle? Where’s my spider?”
Sukuna sat down beside him and rested a hand on Yūji’s back.
“I let him go,” Sukuna said quietly. “While you were sleeping.”
Yūji’s lower lip trembled. “But he was my pet.”
“I know,” Sukuna said. “You did a good job catching him, and you were gentle with him. But spiders belong outside with their own families. They need space to run and hunt and live the way they’re meant to. Keeping him in a cup wouldn’t have been kind for very long.”
Yūji looked down at his hands. “Did he go home?”
“He did. Back to the garden where he can be with other spiders if he wants.” Sukuna smoothed Yūji’s hair. “You were brave and careful today. That matters more than keeping him.”
Yūji was quiet for a little while. Then he leaned against Sukuna’s side.
“Okay,” he whispered. “I guess that’s better.”
Sukuna wrapped an arm around him. “Good boy. How about we go outside later and look for more bugs without catching them? Just watching.”
Yūji nodded against his uncle’s shoulder, already starting to feel better.