Chapter Text
Megumi dreamt of an argument he and Yuji had once, he can't even remember what it was about exactly. But the omega had kicked him and ran into the spare bedroom, pushing the bed against the door. Yuji had pounded on the door, shouting and pleading at him to open it. Megumi just curled up into a ball and put his hands over his ears.
He woke up feeling anxious, immediately got dressed and waited for Uraume to give him his breakfast. The omega wonders what sort of punishment they got last night. Uraume never does come in, instead he's rudely interrupted by Sukuna coming in with his tray of breakfast.
“Good morning doll” He's all smiley, suspicious. It gives Megumi the creeps.
“Good morning sir”
“Eat up and then wait in the hallway for me” Sukuna double taps the little desk and then leaves. A shiver runs down his spine. Megumi can't shake the feeling that this is all a set up, Sukunas getting his hopes up and is then going to tie him up and laugh at him.
Still, Megumi eats, every second is closer to hopefully getting out of here. Some bites he doesn't even chew, just swallowing whole. Things will be better once Yuji is here, and they can just go home and never talk about it again, Megumi doesn't want the painful reminder.
The corridor outside Megumi's room smells faintly of disinfectant and something warmer, laundry detergent from the sheets, maybe. He stands just inside the doorway with his bag already packed, fingers curled around the strap so tightly his knuckles have gone pale.
A week. Seven days that had felt longer than he wanted to admit. The doctor stands opposite him, posture calm in that practiced way that never quite matched how much power he actually held in a moment like this. Is this all a trick?
“Well” Sukuna sighs gently, glancing between the floor and the omega, “You’ve made solid progress this week. I’m satisfied you’re ready to go home”
The words should feel like relief. They do! But they also feel like a sudden drop in his stomach, as if his body hasn’t quite decided whether ‘home’ is something he is allowed to have yet.
Megumi nods quickly anyway. “Thank you sir” Voice steady because he has rehearsed all morning. “Im glad…” The alpha studies him for a second longer than necessary, then slowly approaches until he's right in front of him.
“You know he won't believe you right? If you said anything it would just mean you need more help and he will drag you back here, you understand?” His voice is low, Megumi keeps his eyes forward, staring at Sukuna's chest. “It's happened before, I've had patients come back within the hour, you're not stupid, are you sweetheart?”
”No sir…” Megumi would kill himself before he's ever back here. Never again. Sukuna gives a satisfied hum before lightly touching Megumi's lower back, taking his bag and leading him downstairs.
Every step is just a tiny bit closer to being away from here, and Megumi's heart is hammering. Then at the front door stands Yuji. Nervously tapping his thigh and whistling, rocking back and forth on his feet. Megumi doesn't hesitate to speed walk to him.
“Yuji!-” And Megumi rushes forward to wrap both arms around the alpha's torso. Then he gets second hand embarrassment. Too loud, too urgent. He corrects it quickly, taking a step back and softening.
“I mean… Hello” Megumi almost reaches for him. Almost. His hands hover awkwardly between them before folding back together, fingers lacing tight enough to hurt. Yuji's expression shifts, not quite discomfort, not quite recognition. Something uncertain.
“You don't have to be so… Formal” He laughs awkwardly, hand reaching forward to Megumi again but he seems to cringe and pull away.
“Whatever you want!” The omega interrupts quickly. Too quickly again. Megumi lowers his eyes. “I mean… I thought it would be appropriate” A pause. He can feel it stretching, thin as glass.
“I’m ready to come home now” He adds, quieter now. Careful. Measured. “If that still pleases you” That’s better. That sounds right. That sounds like what they taught him.
Yuji pulls a face, spluttering a little, face red all over. Megumi hates that, hates not knowing what Yuji's looking for, what he’s seeing, what he’s doing wrong. “You- You don’t have to say it like that!”
“I-” Megumi's stomach drops. He swallows. Adjusts. Fixes. “What do you want me to say?”
Because Megumi will say anything and everything if it means he can leave here as soon as possible.
“Er… Whatever you want?” Yuji shrugs, another difficult answer. Megumi needs instructions, what'll help him avoid punishment?
“I’ve improved” He nods, the words rushing now, fragile and desperate beneath their careful tone. “I'll follow your orders. I won't argue. I'll keep things… Orderly. I can show you, if you’d like. At home!” Take me home. There’s something in his eyes he hasn’t learned to hide yet, something raw, something pleading and desperate.
Please take me with you. Please don’t leave me here.
Yuji exhales slowly, like he’s trying to understand something that doesn’t quite make sense anymore. “You don’t need to prove anything right now”
But Megumi does. The omega steps closer, this time committing, his hand lightly catching Yuji's sleeve, not forceful, not demanding. Just… There. Clingy. Sukuna told him not to be clingy. But he also told him to rely on him. To defer. To attach. He doesn’t know where that line is.
“I can be better” He says softly. “I am better” Megumi's fingers tighten just slightly, like he’s afraid Yuji might disappear if he lets go. “I just… I’d like to go home now… Please Yuji, if you don't mind”
“Yeah- Yeah of course! I can't wait for you to come home!” The alpha admits, nodding thoroughly, excitedly. Sukuna clears his throat behind Megumi, almost making him flinch. Now he straightens a little, as if reminding himself this was the ending part.
“You’re all set” The doctor tells, addressing Yuji. “He’s stable. We’ve gone through the aftercare plan. If there are any problems, you know where to find us”
“Right” Yuji nods. “Got it. Thank you!” There was a brief pause, professional and polite.
Then Sukuna steps back and adds, almost casually, “My services are for life Mr Itadori. So if at /any/ point you feel the need for another session just call. I can make a home visit” His smile feels cruel. Megumi feels something twist in his chest at that. It sounds like an invitation, but it hits like a warning.
Megumi forces his face to stay neutral. He even manages a small nod, though his hands have started to sweat against the fabric of Yuji's sleeve. He keeps his gaze on the floor tiles, counting the lines between them like they can anchor him.
He would not come back. Not ever. The thought is absolute, sharp edged, irrational in its certainty. Yuji turns back towards him now, expression softening as the clinical part of the conversation ends. “Ready?”
That single word, simple, ordinary, nearly undoes him. Megumi nods again. Yuji bends forward to grab the suitcase and Megumi briefly dares to glance at Sukuna who's smirking at him. Megumi hugs Yuji again, almost like he's trying to piss the doctor off. He can't get him now, not with Yuji here.
His husband notices immediately. “You okay?” And he pets Megumis back hesitantly like he's a skittish wild animal who might run away.
“Just missed you” Megumi excuses. Theres a flicker of surprise in Yujis expression, quickly replaced by something warmer. Not pity or concern in the sharp, clinical sense he’d grown used to this week. Something softer, an awareness that the alpha is being trusted in a way that hadn’t been available before.
He doesn't pull away. In fact, he shifts slightly so their arms can stay in contact as they start walking to the car outside. Megumi almost feels faint as Yuji opens the back to put the suitcase in and then scuttles around to open the passenger door for him.
From the steps, Sukuna's voice calls a final goodbye, professional, distant now that the moment has passed. “Take care. And don’t hesitate to reach out if needed” Relief hits Megumi so fast it makes him feel more dizzy.
“Is your assistant not here to say goodbye?” Yuji asks. Megumi has to bite his lip, hurry the fuck up Yuji! Lets just fucking go home! But actually, Uraume hasn't been around all morning, Sukuna was the one to give him his breakfast tray, weirdly.
The other alpha, who has walked them partway down, pauses at a respectful distance. His expression doesn't change much, but something in his posture shifts subtly, almost imperceptible. “I’m afraid they’re tied up right now”
“Tied up?” Yuji questions.
“With something urgent” He clarifies after a beat. “They won’t be available before you leave, I do apologise" There was a small pause after that. Just long enough for the words to settle in an odd way. Tied up…
“No, that's fine! Tell them I said thank you” And Megumi gets into the car, Yuji shuffling around the other end of the car to open the drivers door and get in. The omega buckles up, if Sukuna wants to take him back he'll have to drag him out.
A heavy tension rises in him, quiet and instinctive. Not a thought exactly, more like a pressure behind the ribs, a sense that something doesn't line up the way it should. Megumi swallows it down. Because there is a different feeling stronger than that one.
Going home.
Megumi doesn't question Uraume being ‘tied up’ in something. Not because he is convinced the explanation makes sense. But because the alternative meant staying in this space a moment longer. And everything in him, every tired, frayed part of him, chooses the exit.
Megumi doesn’t look back at the building.
He doesn’t need to.
He can still feel Sukuna watching him.
Yuji starts the engine and they slowly begin to drive away. The car is quiet. Megumi sits perfectly still in the passenger seat, hands folded in his lap again, thumbs pressed together so tightly they’ve gone pale. He hasn’t moved since they pulled away.
The omega keeps his eyes forward, but every so often, he glances at the window, searching for something familiar. Something that proves this is real. They pass the pharmacy. Good. Then the park with the iron fence. Better.
Still, his chest won’t loosen. Beside him, Yuji adjusts his grip on the steering wheel. He glances at Megumi once every 30 seconds, like even he doesn't believe they're both here. Megumi has noticed every single one.
“You’re quiet” Yuji notes. Probably just trying to clear the awkward silence between them.
“I’m just tired… Sorry” He answers immediately. That’s acceptable. Tired is harmless. Tired doesn’t need fixing.
“Dont be sorry!” Yuji shakes his head. “The bed is freshly made, I got out all your nesting supplies too! I thought we could have a quiet night. It might be stupid but I got popcorn and stuff, thought maybe we could-” He hesitates in his rambling, like he’s unsure of the phrasing. “-Have a movie night- Or something. It's fine if not though!”
Megumi's heart stutters. A plan. A normal plan. Not an evaluation or correction. He turns to him slightly, just enough.
“That sounds lovely” He says, careful and warm. “Whatever you prefer” The words come easily now.
Yuji frowns, just faintly. “It’s your big day! I wanna do something you want to do”
“I know” Megumi dips his head quickly. “I just mean… I’m happy with anything you choose” Because choosing wrong is how Megumi got in trouble in the first place. Because wanting the wrong thing means he's not ready to come home.
Megumi's gaze flicks to the rearview mirror. No car following too closely. No sudden turns. Still, the feeling clings to him, thin and sharp, like a thread wrapped too tight around his ribs.
The alpha exhales, slower this time. “Did something… Happen there?” Megumi's stomach tightens instantly.
“No” Its so quick it even surprises Megumi. He forces a small smile, turning it toward Yuji, softening his eyes the way they taught him. “Nothing bad happened. I just… Really want to be home”
That last part is true. True enough to steady his voice. Home has walls that don’t lock from the outside. Home has doors he understands. Home doesn’t watch him while he sleeps.
Megumi shifts slightly in the seat before he can stop himself, shoulder brushing closer to Yuji's arm. Not quite leaning, he’s careful not to overstep, but near enough to feel the warmth of him through the space between. Grounding. Real. For a moment Yuji doesn’t say anything. Then, more quietly, “You know you don’t have to- ”
“I want to… If this is okay” This time, it’s not rushed. It’s firm. Almost. His fingers curl slightly into the fabric of his trousers, anchoring himself. Please don't let them take me away again. “I want to be here… With you” He adds.
Another glance in the mirror. Still no one. Still going the right direction. The omega lets out a breath through his nose, slow and controlled, just like they taught him. Almost home. Almost safe. Unless this is part of it. Unless the door will be locked when they get there. Unless he’ll hand him back to Sukuna.
His throat tightens, but he keeps his expression smooth. Perfect. Grateful. Fixed. Like an omega who doesn't need any doctor's help. The car finally turns onto their street. And for the first time, his shoulders drop, just a fraction.
Megumi recognises the houses, the cracks in the pavement. He recognises the way the light hits the windows at this hour. This is real. It has to be.
“There we go” Yuji says gently, pulling into the driveway. “Nuestra casa” Our home. He nods quickly, blinking once, twice.
“Yes” Megumi says, almost whispering. Home. Before it can be taken away again. There's some tears in his eyes that quickly get blinked away. Home…
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
The way Megumi is acting is so uncanny valley. It isn’t how he used to be.
Before, he had opinions. Small ones /and/ big ones, most of the time irritating ones, but they were his. Megumi would argue about the thermostat. He'd leave mugs on the table and forget them and tell Yuji when he was being overbearing, well, in a harsher way than necessary.
Now he's waiting behind Yuji for permission to enter the house. He opens the door and waves him in first out of habit more than intention. The omega pauses on the threshold like he’s confirming it’s allowed. Home, he thinks again, watching the omegas reaction carefully.
Megumi exhales when he steps inside. Not dramatic. Just… Relief. Like his body had been holding something rigid for too long and finally found permission to soften. That should feel like a success. It doesn’t, entirely.
“So… What do you wanna watch?” Yuji asks, setting his keys down, and kicking off his shoes.
“Whatever you prefer” Megumi replies softly. immediately. He squats down to carefully untie his laces and slot his shoes into the little stand.
There it is again. That phrasing. That careful flattening of himself. He turns to look at him more directly. The omegas coat is still on. He hasn’t moved deeper into the house yet, like he’s waiting for instructions. For structure.
“You wouldn't wanna watch Human Earthworm, you hate that movie” Yuji snorts, and Megumi rises back to his feet. Just giving a shrug.
“I don't mind” The omega nods back. Then he stands politely, hands behind his back, eyes down on the floor. Yuji bends down a little just so he's looking at Megumi's eyes.
“Hey” He says, softer. “Can I ask you something?” And Megumi tenses before he even finishes the sentence.
“You can do whatever you want” Ew. Yuji hates that. He hesitates. This wasn’t supposed to be difficult. It’s just a question. A simple one.
But the memory keeps intruding. Stupid Yuta and his calls for help that Maki told him about. Makis omega is afraid of his own shadow, but surely it'll be different for Megumi? But why is he acting so… Strangely? He swallows.
“Did anything happen there that made you uncomfortable?” Yuji hints. There's only silence. It arrives instantly and fills the space between them like something physical. Megumi lifts his eyes back up and looks at him. The alpha watches his throat move as he swallows.
“No” Megumi says finally. A pause too long to be nothing. A voice too controlled to be casual. Then, quieter, almost obedient in its precision, “Nothing happened that I couldn’t handle”
“Did he touch you?” The alpha blurts before he can stop himself. Megumi's eyes widen slightly, not fear exactly, but calculation. Like he’s searching for the correct version of himself to present. There's a longer pause this time. They can hear the house ticking around them. Fridge humming. A distant pipe settling. Everything ordinary enough to feel obscene.
“No” Megumi tells. “I lied before because I wanted to come home, I'm sorry” There's a fraction of hesitation to his voice. It should be reassuring. It isn’t and Yuji can't figure out why. Maybe because it doesn’t sound like someone denying an event. It sounds like someone trying to pass a test.
The omega is standing very still now. Hands folded behind his back again. Shoulders slightly drawn in, as if he’s bracing for correction that isn’t coming. Yuji should push further. He knows that. He should ask again, differently. He should call the clinic. He should check.
Instead, he hears his own thoughts shift, quietly, selfishly, almost imperceptibly. His omega is home. And whatever happened, if anything did, it has changed him in a way that makes him easier to keep close. Easier to predict. Easier to anchor.
“Lets just watch the movie” Megumi nods. Yuji lets it go, because he just wants to watch the movie. Megumi needs him now in a way he didn’t before. That should matter more than a suspicion he can’t prove. His jaw tightens.
“Okay” The alpha says at last. One word. Letting it go. He reaches for Megumi's coat without asking, just taking it gently from his shoulders. He doesn’t resist. Just simply allows it, like everything else.
“You want sweet or salty popcorn?” Yuji asks, holding up both bags as they finally enter the living room.
“Whatever you want” Megumi nods, sitting on the very edge of the sofa. Eh. That's getting annoying. The alpha almost tells him to stop saying that. But he doesn’t. Instead, he walks past him into the living room, turning on Human Earthworm.
Yuji tells himself that whatever doubts he has can wait. Because Megumi is here. He's compliant and safe. And because some part of him doesn’t want to risk losing this version of Megumi by asking a question he might not like the answer to.
Finally he sits beside Megumi, hands twitching to reach out and touch. Yuji knows he's an alpha, and Megumi is his omega. If he wants to touch he can! And will! It just feels awkward to start.
The movie begins playing, though Yuji definitely isn't watching. Carefully, the alpha reaches out, petting Megumi's shoulder. If he was his normal self, Megumi might hit him, but he doesn't. Instead he turns his head to Yuji, a small smile plastering his face.
He shifts beside him, then, without much ceremony, moves onto his lap, settling in as if it is the most normal thing in the world. Not flirtatious or deliberate. It's tired, seeking closeness, wanting somewhere warm to rest. Yuji goes completely still. Hands hovering. The flush across his face is so evident.
It's the first time he’s done something like this. Megumi seems completely unaware of the effect he has on the room just by existing in it. Yuji doesn't want to draw attention to it just in case he scares Megumi off.
His hands continue to hover for a moment before resting carefully at Megumi's waist, as if Yuji needs permission from the universe itself. He doesn't seem to notice his reaction at all. Megumi just adjusts slightly, getting comfortable, his attention still on the screen.
Yuji does attempt to focus on the film. He really does. But its so fucking hard when Megumi is right there, close enough that he can feel the weight of him leaning into him, close enough that everything about his body feels suddenly too aware of itself. His ears are warm now too.
The alpha sits there, very still, very red, trying to act like his entire world hasn’t just narrowed down to the simple fact that Megumi has chosen him for this moment, without even thinking about it.
Yuji sits stiff on the couch, Megumi’s body heat soaking through his clothes while the movie plays on. Then Megumi squirms a little. The movement runs straight down to the alphas cock. Yuji takes a deep breath. Then Megumi squirms again, eyes flickering to the alphas face.
Is he… Is he doing this on purpose?
“Yuji…” Megumi whispers, then he rolls his hips again, forward in one slow, deliberate grind. The pressure drags straight over the hard line of his cock trapped inside his sweats. Yuji’s breath hitches. Hands flying to Megumis waist on instinct but he doesn't push or pull, just clings.
He does it again, firmer this time, rocking his clothed pussy against the alpha in a steady rhythm. Heat blooms fast between them. Yuji’s face burns crimson, ears glowing red. He can feel every shift of Megumi's weight, every press of his folds through the layers separating them. His cock throbs violently, already leaking, the wet spot growing against the cotton.
“Megumi- Fuck, I…” His voice cracks. Megumi answers by grinding harder, circling his hips so the head of his cock catches right where he is hottest. Yuji’s thighs tense under him, his fingers digging into her sides. He tries to hold back, attempts to savor it, but the friction is too much, too sudden after years of nothing but fantasies.
What would Dr Ryomen do? He wouldn't ask, he would just do it right? Over the years, Yuji has thought about this so many times but now it's happening he can barely feel his legs.
“Were… Were gonna have sex?…” It comes out more a pathetic question than anything.
“We're gonna have sex!” Yuji repeats again, more confident this time, he's in charge here. “Take this o-off” He demands, tugging on Megumis bottoms. For some reason Yuji is still surprised when Megumi gets up and strips of them. Holy shit, he's about to have sex…
The alphas hands tremble as he guides Megumi back down, his weight settling fully onto his lap. Yuji's cock stands rigid beneath him, and he lines himself up with shaking fingers until the head presses against his entrance.
"Please... Just let me…" He whispers, voice cracking with need, almost whimpering. With a slow push, he sinks into Megumi's wet heat, inch by inch, until his ass rests flush against his thighs and Yuji is buried to the hilt inside the omegas cunt.
A broken sound escapes Yuji. He's doing it! He's having sex! The alpha can't wait to tell his mother.
He starts thrusting immediately, short, frantic jerks of his hips that makes Megumi bounce on his cock. Each movement is clumsy and eager, his grip on the omegas waist tightening as he drives upward again and again. Sweat beads on his forehead whilst Yuji fucks him with desperate, uneven strokes, the wet sounds of his cock sliding in and out filling the space between them.
"Fuck… Megumi… Feels so good” The alpha pants, almost on the verge of tears, thrusting harder, his balls slapping against him with every sloppy pump. His rhythm stays erratic, needy, like he can't control himself now that he is finally inside his omega. Yuji buries his face against Megumi's shoulder, moaning into his skin while his hips keep snapping up, stuffing him full over and over.
Megumi is digging his nails into Yuji's arms. Hiccupping. One hand on the alphas thigh to try and slow down the thrusts but it doesn't work. His pace grows faster and more frantic. The alpha wraps his arms around Megumi's torso. Practically forcing him to take every inch as he ruts upward like he is afraid he'll pull away. Precum leaks steadily from him, mixing with Megumi's wetness and making the slide even slicker.
"I'm... I'm gonna-" And Yuji's voice breaks. His thrusts turn wild, hips jerking upward in quick, shallow pumps. Then his whole body seizes. Slamming deep one final time and coming hard, cock pulsing inside his omega as thick ropes of cum floods his pussy.
Yuji keeps twitching and grinding up into Megumi as he empties himself completely. Cum leaks out around his shaft and drips down his balls while he groans his name like a prayer.
Yuji stays red faced and panting, blissed out and still half hard, the evidence of his quick release pooling around his cock while the movie keeps playing like nothing had happened. Was that good? Did he do well? He unhands Megumi and leans back.
“Did you come too?” And there's just a nod from Megumi. He is super wet so he must have enjoyed it! Slowly he slides off. The omega lies on his back on the sofa, his bare legs over Yuji's thighs. Even that feels intimate. Megumi just… Lies there. Yuji tucks himself back.
The movie is almost finished by that point. “Are you hungry? I think we should order something” Yuji suggests. Megumi just nods. He's so quiet, a shell of himself. But the alpha is still high on the after thoughts of their sex, and Megumi is being good. So he just orders food. Megumi puts his pants on before the food arrives.
“Would you like a napkin?” Megumi asks. And Yuji pulls a confused face before declining. Weird. They eat whilst watching the Human Earthworm sequel. Yuji keeps glancing at him, double checking the omega is still there, he's still okay.
By the fourth movie is when he sees Megumi's silent yawn, deciding it's time to retire to bed for the night. Megumi grabs his pyjamas and Yuji waits impatiently on the bed for him. Their first night together since the first week they were married… Though that doesn't really count because all Megumi did back then is cry. Finally he comes in, ready for bed.
“I didn’t know how you’d want it” The alpha admits. “Which side. Or- Anything”
“Anything is fine” Megumi shrugs, not meeting his eyes still. Yuji's hands tighten together.
“Ill take this side!” Chipper, trying to bring the mood up and somehow make it less awkward. Silence fills the space after that, heavy but not dramatic. Eventually, Megumi sits down too, leaving a careful distance between them.
The mattress shifts slightly under their weight, unfamiliar in its sharedness. Yuji lies down first, slowly, as though demonstrating something he has been taught. Then he hesitates, glancing at Megumi like permission is still something he needs. He doesn't answer with words. The omega lies down as well.
For a while, they stay like that. Just two bodies under the same roof, carefully not touching, as if contact might still require authorisation. Then, very cautiously, Yuji moves closer. Not all at once of course, like he's scared Megumi will flee. Just reducing the space between them in small, uncertain increments.
When his arm finally rests near the omegas, he pauses again, waiting for some invisible rule to intervene. Nothing does. He exhales, almost disbelieving.
“The doctor said this part would feel natural” Yuji whispers, like he might be reporting on something he’d memorised. “Being close. Like this”
Megumi stares at the ceiling. “Does it?”
Yuji thinks about it too long before answering. “I think I’m just glad you’re here” After a moment, he adds more quietly, “They made it sound like I was supposed to be relieved. Like I was waiting correctly all this time”
Megumi turns his head slightly. The alpha's expression isn't triumphant. Not possessive. Just tired in a way that doesn't fit the script he’d been given.
Slowly, carefully, Yuji lets his arm settle around him, he doesn't pull or hold him tight. As if he is afraid even comfort could be done wrong. And for the first time since Megumi has returned, the silence in the room doesn't feel supervised. Outside, the house remains perfectly arranged, as if nothing in it had ever been wrong.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
The house is quiet in the way only midnight can make it quiet. Everything soft, edges blurred, lights turned low off even the furniture looks like it's trying not to be noticed. Megumi moves carefully down the stairs anyway.
Each step feels louder than it probably is, each creak criminalising Megumi further. His socks make no sound. The house is solid and still. It is just him and his thoughts turning every small movement into something oversized. Megumi keeps telling himself he is just getting water. That is all it had to be.
In the kitchen, he stands for a second without actually filling a glass. The tap runs for a moment too long before he remembers to turn it off. The sound of it disappearing feels abrupt, like a jarring cut in a film. Megumi reaches for the house phone instead, strung up on the wall.
He presses the memorised numbers before he can overthink it. It rings as always. Once. Twice. Then the familiar click of voicemail. Tsumiki's voice comes through, cheerful and distant, asking him to leave a message like always. Megumi swallows.
“Hey Miki…” He cleared his throat. “It’s me. Just… Wanted to check in. I think I’m home for good now. I’m sorry if you called me when I was away, I'm okay… Call me when you can, love you” Its how it always goes, it's been a good year since he and Tsumiki last spoke. Megumi calls her number at least once a week in secret.
He ends the call before it can turn into anything longer. The omega stares at the phone for a moment, thumb hovering like he might try again. But he doesn't. Maybe Tsumiki isn't answering because all went well and she had a new phone and is sleeping off a hard day at a fancy school. That's the whole reason Megumi got married after all.
Upstairs, the house creaks softly, settling, or breathing, or something in between. He jumps slightly, then immediately hates himself for it. Megumi opens the fridge, closes it again without taking anything, and once again fills a glass halfway at the sink. Megumi doesn't drink.
That was when he hears footsteps on the stairs. Slightly alarmed creaks that rush down. Yuji appears in the doorway a moment later, hair slightly messy, shirt thrown on loosely like he’d only just realised he wasn’t asleep anymore.
There is a second where neither of them speak. Megumi understands what he probably thought, but there's no way the omega would ever try that. There's nowhere to go anyway. Yuji glances at the glass.
“You okay?” He asks, voice still thick with sleep.
“Yeah. I was just getting water” Megumi lifts the glass slightly as proof, like it matters. His husband’s eyes flick to him, not suspicious, just observant in a way that feels harder to escape when it is this quiet. Then he nods slowly.
“Alright… You weren’t there when I woke up”
“Im sorry. I didn’t want to wake you” That part is true. Or at least close enough that he can stand behind it. Yuji steps fully into the kitchen now, leaning lightly against the counter. He looks at him for another beat, then softens a little.
“Are you not sleeping well again?” He asks, voice laced with genuine concern.
Megumi gives a small, careful shrug. “It’s fine” But the word fine doesn't land the way he means to. There is a faint silence between them again, different from the earlier one. Less heavy. More aware. Yuji reaches out and adjusts the sleeve of the omega's shirt absentmindedly, a small, grounding gesture.
“You know you can be honest with me right?” He tells gently. Which makes something in his chest tighten, not painful, exactly. Just… Exposed. He looks down at the glass again.
“I know…” It comes weakly. Yuji doesn't argue, he just nods once again, like he is willing to accept even the shaky versions of the truth for now.
“Come back upstairs. It’s cold down here” Megumi digs his nails into his palm to stop himself looking at the phone attached to the wall. He puts the glass down without drinking from it.
“Yeah” He sighs finally. And they make their way back to the bedroom in silence.
The bedroom light is still off. Megumi was back in bed, but not really resting. His body had the shape of relaxation, turned a little on his side, one arm tucked in, the duvet pulled up, but his mind stays just out of reach of it. Every sound in the house seemed louder than it should have been. Every silence, too deliberate.
“Are you sure you're alright?” Yuji asks, he's been tapping his thigh over the covers annoyingly for the last couple of minutes. It's almost like Yuji knows what happened and doesn't want to say it, like he's waiting for the omega to.
“I’m fine” Megumi answers automatically. It comes out flat. Familiar. A reflex more than a statement. A pause stretches between them.
Then the alpha sighs, not frustrated, more tired in a way that carries everything that had happened over the past week and the strange, unsettled version of Megumi that had come back home. “Did I make the wrong choice Megumi?…” He questions carefully.
His stomach tightens at that. “No” Megumi clears up quickly, mostly because he doesn't want to talk about this. It already happened, it's done. “It was necessary”
“Necessary doesn’t mean it was good” His husband replies. Which makes him go still. Megumi stares at the duvet, fingers curling slightly into the fabric beneath it.
For a moment, the mansion comes back, not sharply or in detail, but in fragments. Bright corridors. That chair. The grandfather clock opening. Sukuna… He pushes it away immediately.
Yuji must have seen it on his face, because his tone shifts, less analytical now, more direct.
“Something did happen, didn't it?” He's a little panicked now, leaning in just a little. “I'm sorry Megumi. I love you so bad- What happened? What did he do?!”
Megumi pauses uncomfortably. If he thinks about it rationally, what Sukuna did, or is doing, is illegal. If Yuji really loves him like he says he does, maybe he could tear Sukuna down. But Megumi would have to tell him everything, the vibrator, the velcro chair, the whip, the rice, everything.
And he's clearly just a mentally unwell omega to everyone else, why would they believe him over a well established doctor? They wouldn't. And Megumi would be embarrassing himself for nothing.
“Nothing bad happened Yuji. I just want to move on now okay? I want…” Megumi takes a deep breath, there's no other option, not if he doesn't want a one way ticket back. “I want a baby, /your/ baby” No…
Yuji's face immediately softens, and he seems to calm down. He lies back, head on Megumi's chest like a child and mother. Anything to get Yuji to stop fucking talking about it.
“I want that too, so bad” And he rubs a hand across the omegas flat stomach.
Megumi can't stop thinking about Tsumiki. How would she react to the news? If Megumi does get pregnant, he should secretly send one of the scans to them in the post. The thought has him tearing up, lips wobbling. What is he going to do with a baby?
“Dr Ryomen told me to think of baby names and I think if it's a girl I'd like to name her after my mother” Yuji hums, practically purring on his chest. Megumi has to take a deep breath in order to stop the sobs that are threatening to come out between his lips.
“That's nice…” Megumi feels his stomach twist. He doesn't want to think about /him/, and he knows Yuji probably isn't done talking yet. Instead he shifts beneath the alpha, taking one of his husbands hands and sliding it underneath his pyjama top to allow Yuji to feel his breast.
"Yuji... Forget that for now. Feel this instead" He presses the alphas palm firmly against his breast, palm over his making Yuji grope at it. Yuji's breath hitches. He lifts his head, eyes darkening with sudden hunger.
"Megumi..." His hands move without hesitation, shoving Megumi's shirt up and swallowing a lump in his throat. He latches onto one nipple, sucking hard while his other hand gets lower and lower. Megumi helps him push his bottoms down, spreading his legs even though every muscle in his body screams to close them.
Megumi reaches between Yuji's legs to free his cock, stroking the thick length once before guiding the head to his entrance. Yuji does not wait. He thrusts in hard, burying himself to the hilt in one rough motion. Megumi bites his lip to keep from crying out. Tears well in his eyes and spill silently down hus temples as he started fucking him with eager, forceful strokes.
Yuji grunts above him, hips snapping forward again and again. "Fuck, you're so tight..." He grabs Megumi's thighs and spreads them wider, pounding deeper. Each thrust makes wet sounds that fill the room. Megumi keeps his arms around Yuji's back, pretending to pull him closer while his face stays turned away. More tears slip free, soaking into the pillow beneath his head.
Being used feels horrible, but he'll do anything to keep Yuji's mind off Dr Ryomen. Yuji's pace grows frantic. He buries his face against Megumi's neck, breathing hot against the omega's skin.
"Gonna cum inside you- Gonna make a baby!" He warns, voice rough. His cock swells and pulses as he drives in one final time, flooding his pussy with thick ropes of cum.
Yuji stays buried inside him, his cock still twitching as the last spurts of cum pump deep into his cunt. His breath is hot against Megumi's neck while he catches his breath. After a moment he lifts his head, looking down at him with a satisfied grin. Luckily it's dark so Yuji doesn't see his tears.
"Did you come?" He asks, voice still rough from exertion. Megumi blinks the tears from his eyes and forces a small, shaky smile. He nods once, swallowing hard.
"Yeah... I came" Megumi lies softly, voice barely above a whisper. His inner walls still clenched around Yuji's softening cock even though he had felt nothing but discomfort the entire time. Yuji's grin widens. He leans down to kiss his collarbone and gives one last lazy thrust, pushing more of his cum deeper inside him.
"Good" He murmurs sleepily. "Felt like you were really into it" If Megumi had the strength he would roll his eyes. Eventually Yuji flips over, using both arms to pull Megumi closer to him as he snuggles into his shoulder. The omega lies still feeling cum leak from his cunt. Blood pooling in his mouth from how hard he's biting the inside of his cheek to stay silent.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
"I'll take those" Megumi offers, though he's already reaching for the empty plates before anyone can protest. Kaori hesitates for only a second before smiling.
"That's very thoughtful"
Megumi inclines his head. "It's the least I can do after that amazing meal" He stacks the dishes carefully, balancing them against one hip with practiced ease. Not a single fork rattles against the china. Yuji watches him disappear into the kitchen, the swing door whispering shut behind him.
Silence settles over the dining room. His father leans back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. "I hardly recognize him"
Kaori folds her napkin onto the table. "No" she agrees. "Neither do I"
Yuji traces the rim of his water glass with his thumb. "People change" His mother gives him an amused look.
"Not usually that much."
Yuji doesn't answer. From the kitchen comes the quiet sound of running water. Kaori smiles to herself. "I remember when he'd barely carry his own plate"
The alpha looks up sharply. "That's not fair" And both parents turn toward him. Jin raises an eyebrow.
"It happened”
"He wasn't very well"
"But he was well enough to argue with everyone"
"He didn't know what he was doing!"
"There you go again" Kaori sighs.
"What?"
"Defending him"
"Hes my husband" Yuji will always be defensive about Megumi, he's come a long way and even before that it wasn't his fault that he was unwell in the head. His mother laughs quietly.
"Yes dear, but you've complained about him for years” He remembers the phone calls. Megumi won't come to Sunday lunch. Megumi punched me for locking the spare room. Megumi doesn't think I should make every decision.
Each time he'd come here frustrated, wanting someone to tell him he wasn't imagining things. His parents always had. They nodded knowingly. He's stubborn. He'll settle down eventually. He just needs guidance. At the time, it comforted Yuji. Now those conversations feel strangely distant. Megumi returns carrying a fresh pot of tea.
"I thought everyone might like some” And Kaori beams.
"What a lovely idea!” Megumi pours each cup without asking who takes milk or sugar. He remembers. One lump for Jin. None for Yuji. Milk first for Kaori. He places Yujis cup beside him with a gentle smile.
"Thank you” Their fingers brush. Megumi's hand is so warm and soft. It's like that when they make love too. The omega withdraws immediately, folding his hands neatly behind himself. Kaori watches every movement.
"I must say, it's wonderful to see you taking such pride in your role"
"I've learned how important it is” Megumi smiles politely.
"And do you enjoy it?"
"Very much"
"No regrets?"
"No maam” Megumi's expression never falters. Yuji notices the questions becoming less like conversation and more like an examination. His mother notices it too. She always has that look when she's deciding whether something has been done properly.
"That doctor must have been extraordinary” Yuji doesn't think it's worded very nicely, especially with her tone. He feels his shoulders tense.
"They've helped Megumi" He says evenly. "That's all that matters”
His mother glances at him. "Im agreeing with you sweetheart"
"I know”
"Then why do you sound defensive?" Because they're talking about him like he's a new appliance, he thinks. Because every compliment feels like they're congratulating themselves.
"Would anyone like another?" Megumi asks, lifting up a cookie tin. Jin takes one.
"So polite now"
Kaori smiles warmly. "I always knew there was a wonderful husband hiding underneath all that attitude. It would have been such a shame to throw that pretty face away”
Megumi simply nods. "Thank you…"
No irritation. No sarcastic smile. No clever reply that would have sent his mother pursuing her lips. Yuji should be relieved. For years he'd imagined family dinners exactly like this, peaceful, effortless, free from awkward arguments and pointed remarks.
Instead, he finds himself missing the sound of Megumi disagreeing. Megumi used to fill a room. He'd laugh too loudly at terrible jokes. Challenge Jin over politics. Roll his eyes when Kaori criticised his cooking. Kick yuji gently under the table when he was being too unserious.
Those moments had embarrassed him. Now the silence somehow embarrasses him more. Kaori reaches across the table and pats Megumi's hand. "We're proud of you."
"That means a great deal” Megumi’s just looking at his lap. His mother looks almost emotional.
"I admit I didn't think we'd ever hear those words” And Yuji sets his cup down a little harder than he intends. The clink echoes around the room. Three pairs of eyes turn toward him.
"I think that's enough with all the comparisons" He can tell it's getting to Megumi now and he hates it. Megumi doesn't like talking about the treatment for some reason, he's made that clear. He's better now, why can't they stop bringing up the past?
"I was only complimenting him"
"You keep talking as though the omega he was before wasn't good enough”
His father snorts at that. "He wasn't" The words arrive so casually they hang in the air for a moment before Yuji fully absorbs them. He looks at his father. Jin shrugs.
"He fought you over everything"
"We had disagreements"
"He embarrassed you”
"He challenged me"
"Exactly"
Yuji opens his mouth but nothing comes out. Megumi gently places one hand on his forearm.
"It's alright" His voice is soft enough that only he hears it. "I know they mean well" Yuji looks at him. Megumi smiles with complete sincerity. Calm. Patient. Content. The tension drains from his shoulders almost immediately. He covers his hand with his own.
"Please excuse me" Megumi then says as he stands. He gives everyone a gentle smile before disappearing into the hallway. A moment later, the bathroom door closes. Yuji's mother waits until the door is shut.
"So"
Yuji already knows that tone.
"So" He repeats. His father folds his hands on the table.
"Things are... Better between you?" Yuji feels warmth creep into his cheeks.
"Yes”
"Better how?"
He clears his throat. "We don't argue anymore" Kaori smiles with quiet satisfaction.
"I can tell" Jin nods.
"And your marriage?"
"It's good”
"Good?" His father clarifies. "Or healthy?"
Yuji shifts in his chair, staring at the bathroom door down the corridor.
"Healthy” Things are amazing between them now. His parents exchange an approving glance. Kaori lowers her voice instinctively.
"And he's being properly affectionate?" She leans across the table closer to him. Yuji hesitates. The question makes him a little uncomfortable, but only because of the subject, not because it feels unusual. His parents have always spoken this way.
His father had sat him down before his wedding and explained that a husband has duties just as an omega does. His mother had asked embarrassing questions after their engagement without the slightest hint of awkwardness. Privacy has never really existed in this family.
"Yes…" Yuji answers. Jin nods once.
"And you're sharing a bed again?"
"Yes”
"No difficulties?"
"Nope" Which makes Yuji extremely happy. Megumi seems to let Yuji come on to him whenever he wants, they don't even have to use the bed! Megumi never says no! Kaori smiles.
"I'm so pleased to hear it" Yuji now stares down at his teacup. His ears feel hot. Memories of just this morning flooding behind his eyes. His father continues as though discussing the weather.
"And are you making time for each other often enough?" The alpha gives a small, awkward nod.
"We are"
"How often?" And Yuji nearly laughs from embarrassment.
"Dad..." Jin just simply waits. He has never understood why people find these conversations uncomfortable. After a long moment, Yuji answers quietly. "Like everyday" He shrugs. Kaori looks relieved.
"Oh, good" Her and Jin nod thoughtfully.
"That's sensible” Yuji rubs the back of his neck.
"I really don't think-"
"We're only asking because we'd like grandchildren" His mother interrupts gently.
"I know”
"And Megumi seems ready now" Ready? "As long as the two of you continue making an effort, nature usually takes care of the rest” Semen in stomach or something.
Yuji used to think babies were yucky growing up. They're messy and loud and he never had a sibling so still now he hasn't the first clue on childcare. But it's what all couples do right? Get married and have babies? He bets Megumi's babies will be real cute!
"I always said he'd settle once he understood what marriage required" Jin takes a sip of his tea. Yuji opens his mouth to agree.
"He's trying very hard” Once again, defensive.
"We can see that”
"So I'd appreciate it if we didn't keep comparing him to how he used to be" The words surprise even him.
"We don't mean anything by it, Yuji" Kaori blinks innocently.
"I know"
"And we're proud of him"
"So am I” He pauses. "I just don't want him feeling like he has something to make up for. The therapy has really wiped him out…" For a moment, neither of his parents speaks. Then his mother smiles softly.
"You're quite protective of him, it's cute" Yuji glances again toward the hallway where Megumi disappeared.
"I suppose I am" The bathroom door opens, and his omegas footsteps approach. Almost immediately, the conversation shifts to lighter things, as though it had never happened at all. Eventually the sun is setting and Yujis getting angsty, he wants to get home and fuck Megumi against the door.
"You must come again next Sunday" His mother says, reaching for Megumi's hands. "I'd love to show you that pie recipe" Megumi smiles with effortless warmth.
"I'd love that. Thank you for having us"
"It was lovely to finally spend time with you like this" Yuji notices her wording. Finally. As though every visit before today had somehow not counted. "I'll call you tomorrow Yuji" She says before leaning forward and kissing his cheek.
"Alright, ill see you later" He waves. The drive home begins in comfortable silence. Streetlights slide across the windscreen in slow golden bands. Megumi folds his hands in his lap, watching houses drift past the window. Yuji glances at him every few minutes.
"You were wonderful today" Its everything hes dreamed of, his omega getting on well with his parents. Megumi turns toward him with a soft smile.
"Thank you"
"They really like you"
"I'm glad"
"I'm proud of you"
"That means a lot" His smile grows just a little. Silence settles again. The radio plays quietly in the background. A few miles later, Yuji notices Megumi rubbing at one eye. He looks over. The omega quickly lowers his hand.
"You alright?"
Megumi nods. "Mhm" Another tear slips down her cheek. Yuji's smile disappears.
"Megumi?"
"I'm s-sorry" His voice is quiet, like if he's any louder he'll break.
"For what?"
"I don't k-know" He wipes at his wet face, but more tears replace the ones he's brushed away.
"Oh..." Megumi looks genuinely confused.
"I don't know why I'm crying" Yuji reaches across the centre console and rests his hand over his.
"You don't have to apologise" Yuji always feels guilty when he tries to initiate sex after Megumi's been crying, it feels so awkward.
"I'm not upset"
"I know" Can we fuck?
"I had a lovely afternoon"
"I know” Please? Megumi lets out a shaky breath. Another tear falls. He stares at it as though it belongs to someone else.
"I feel..." Megumi stops.
"What?" The omega frowns faintly. The expression looks unfamiliar on his face now.
"I don't know…"
"Does something hurt?" Yuji asks.
"No”
"Did my parents say something?"
“No” He answers almost immediately. "They were very kind."
"They were"
"They made me feel welcome" Megumi's voice catches unexpectedly. A sob escapes before he can stop it. He covers his mouth with both hands. "I'm sorry…"
"Megumi-"
"I s-swear there's nothing wrong, I just…." Yuji squeezes his hand.
"You don't have to explain" The alpha isn't the best at comforting him. Megumi closes his eyes.
“I think I'm just tired” Megumi sniffles. And Yuji frowns, does this mean they cant fuck? Megumi should at least put it in his mouth, he's surprisingly good at that. Yuji taps nervously on the steering wheel, biting at his lip a little.
“Can we have sex before you sleep?- You don't have to do anything! I'll do all the work, maybe it'll release some tension for you!” Yuji clarifies, and he pats Megumi's thigh. The omega doesn't speak for a long moment before nodding.
“Sure…” Eh. It's not the most enthusiastic yes, but it's not a no! Yuji smiles to himself as Megumi still has tears running down his cheeks.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
The bedroom has always been too small for the two of them, but now it looks huge with Megumis stuff taken out. Megumi sits cross legged on the floorboards, folding the last of his clothes into neat, deliberate squares. Tsumiki lies on her side across the bed, one arm dangling off the edge like she has no strength left to lift it.
Neither of them has said much for a while. The house is quiet in the way it always is when their father isn't home. Tsumiki breaks the silence first, doing Megumi a favour. "You don't have to do it, you know. We could get by somehow"
Megumi doesn't look up. "I do"
"You don't”
"I do" Megumi says again, softer this time. He presses the crease into a shirt with more force than necessary. "It's already decided anyways"
Tsumiki sits up suddenly. "Decided by who?"
Megumi hesitates. The pause says everything and she snorts once, sharp and humorless.
"Him. Of course it's him" He folds another shirt. "It isn't that bad" Megumi insists and Tsumiki stares at him, practically boring a hole into the back of his head.
"You haven't even left yet"
"I know what it is"
"No" Tsumiki frowns, voice tightening. "You don't. You think you do, but you don't" And Megumi finally looks behind him. His sister's eyes are red. It makes something in his chest twist.
"It's going to be fine" Megumi says gently again, even if he has no idea if that's true or not. She lets out a sound that is almost a laugh and almost a sob.
"Stop saying that” The alpha swings her legs off the bed and sits forward, elbows on her knees. "You always do that. You always say it's fine before it even has a chance to be anything else!"
Megumi lowers her gaze, giving a shrug. "I don't want you to worry”
"That's not your job”
"It feels like it is" And Megumi turns back around to continue packing, he'll miss their shared room, he'll miss Tsumiki. Silence settles between them again. His sister gets up and crosses the room, stopping just in front of him.
"You don't have to do this for me" Megumi's fingers tighten around the folded fabric.
"It's not just for you" He says quietly. Tsumiki doesn't answer right away. Toji hasn't shouted today. That almost feels worse. She sits beside him on the floor. Their shoulders touch. For a moment, neither of them move.
"I'm scared…" Tsumiki admits suddenly. Megumi looks at her. It's surprising because Tsumiki rarely says things like that out loud.
"I'm scared too" Megumi adds quickly, like admitting it once wasn't enough to make it real. She reaches for his hand. His sister grips it immediately, too tightly.
"It'll be alright" He says, but this time it doesn't sound certain. It sounds like something he is trying to build out of air. Tsumiki shakes her head.
"If you say so…" Her eyes are sad. Megumi swallows a lump in his throat. The truth sits between them, heavy and unspoken. Their father doesn't need them anymore in the same way, not really.
Megumi is the one being traded forward into a different life. Tsumiki is being left behind in the one they already know is breaking. "I hate him," She says suddenly.
"Miki..." Megumi flinches.
"No" Tsumiki says, voice shaking. "I do. I hate him. I hate this house. I hate all of it" Megumi's grip tightens.
"You shouldn't say that”
"Why?"
"Because it doesn't help" And Tsumiki pulls her hand back. There it is again, that reflex. That smoothing of pain into something manageable. She looks at him for a long moment.
"You always do that" Tsumiki says quietly, she shakes her head.
"Do what?"
"Make everything smaller" Megumi's mouth opens, then closes again because he doesn't know how to answer that. Tsumiki leans her head against Megumi's shoulder.
"I'm going to miss you…" She says, softer now. Megumi closes his eyes.
"I'll call"
"It's not the same”
"I know" They sit like that for a while. The room feels colder than it should. Finally, his sister speaks again.
"Promise me something."
"What?" Megumi asks, even if he's scared of what it could be. Tsumiki pulls back just enough to meet his eyes.
"Don't let that alpha make you disappear" The words land awkwardly, like something too big for the space they're in. The omega frowns slightly.
"He isn't going to make me disappear…" Megumi mumbles, Tsumiki searches his face.
"Okay" She says, but she doesn't sound convinced. Megumi smiles, small and careful.
"It'll be just fine” This time she doesn't argue. Tsumiki just nods, like she's agreeing to something she doesn't believe but has no strength left to fight. Megumi folds the last piece of clothing and places it in the trunk. He closes it gently.
Downstairs, a door slams. Their father calling for something no one wants to hear. Tsumiki squeezes his hand once more before letting go. When Megumi stands, Tsumiki doesn't stand with him. And Megumi doesn't say goodbye the way she wants to. He only says the thing he has learned to say when nothing else is allowed to be true.
"I'll be okay" The omega repeats, more trying to comfort himself than her. Tsumiki doesn't answer. “Youre the one I feel bad for, having to stay with Toji“ Megumi suddenly laughs.
His sister scoffs, punching his shoulder at the bad joke, Megumi doesn't want her to be upset, she's the whole reason he's doing this. So she can go to school and not have to worry about paying for the house on top of everything. It's not like they'll never see each other again or anything.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
The house is fuller than it used to be, it always seems to be now. Not just with people, though there are always people now, but with sound. Glasses clinking and chairs scraping. Laughter that rises and falls on a schedule that feels practiced rather than spontaneous.
Megumi moves through it carefully, balancing a tray of snacks in one hand, the other resting instinctively against the curve of his stomach. The doctor says he's 35 weeks along now, just a few more weeks and he'll be ready to pop any minute. They don't know the gender yet because Yuji insists on keeping it a surprise, as long as they're healthy.
“Perfect timing” Yuji calls from the living room. “Hes always like this, you know. Runs everything effortlessly!” The alpha brags. A few of his friends laugh. The sound isn't unkind. It just doesn't quite feel like it includes Megumi.
The omega sets the tray down and smiles in the way he learnt to smile, small, neutral, correctly placed. Someone compliments the food. Someone else asks about the nursery. The conversation moves around him like furniture being rearranged.
Eventually, Megumi drifts back toward the kitchen. It's quieter there. Not silent, nothing is truly silent anymore, but quieter in a way that feels like permission to stop performing for a moment or two. He leans against the counter, letting his shoulders drop slightly. Just for a second. Just enough that no one would notice. Megumi's reflection in the kettle looks faintly unfamiliar.
The door opens behind him and he straightens immediately, automatically. Luckily it's only Yuta, Maki's omega. They've never truly spoken, only a few words of greetings and goodbyes. Not like Megumi is dying for a conversation with him anyways. “You’re hiding” He accuses.
“I’m not” Megumi replies quickly, setting some empty dishes in the sink and getting some drinks from the fridge, making himself busy, useful. Yuta’s eyes flick down, briefly, to his stomach, and then back up again.
“You saw him too, didn't you?” He asks cryptically. Another pink haired alpha flashes behind Megumi's eyes and he shakes it away, almost spilling a drink. The kitchen seems to narrow around the question. Megumi's hand tightens slightly on the edge of the counter.
“He saw me too” It comes out straight, probably the clearest Megumis ever heard Yuta speak. You did? Did he also fuck you?… The other omega doesn't move closer, but doesn't step away either.
“He never goes away” Yuta says quietly. “Dr Ryomen…” A beat of silence. From the other room, laughter rises again, Yuji's voice in the centre of it, confident, easy, certain.
Megumi forces a small shake of his head. “You must be mistaken because I don't know who that is, sorry” The words feel familiar in his mouth. Like something he has said before and would likely say again. The other omega studies him for a moment longer, then gives a thin smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.
“Of course” And then Megumi leaves the kitchen as calmly as he had entered, folding himself back into the noise of the house as if he had never stepped out of it. Only when he is alone again does the silence feel slightly heavier than before. Megumi rests a hand on his swollen stomach, not as reassurance exactly, more like acknowledgement.
In the other room, someone laughs at a joke he hadn’t heard. And he picks up another plate, because there are still guests, and the snacks still needed serving, and the evening, like everything else, has not finished yet.
Megumi moves quietly between the kitchen and the dining room, balancing a tray of fresh drinks with practiced grace. His big belly presses gently against the edge of the tray, forcing him to hold it a little farther away than usual.
"You shouldn't be carrying all that" Yuji stands and reaches for it immediately.
"I'm alright" Megumi smiles.
"You've been on your feet all afternoon, why don't you come sit?”
"I want everything to be nice" I want to have no time to think about anything.
"It already is" Yuji insists, and Megumi gives him a grateful look before setting the tray down on the coffee table. His friends thank him as he pours each cup. They compliment the cake. The sandwiches. The house. One of the other omegas smiles at him.
"I don't know how you're managing all this while being so close!" To that Megumi just shrugs and laughs softly.
"It's no trouble" But Yuji must have noticed him shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His ankles have been swollen for weeks, amongst a plethora of other things.
"Sit down" The alpha insists again quietly.
"I will in a moment, I swear"
"You've said that three times"
"There are still dishes"
"They can be done later” In all honesty. Megumi doesn't want to sit down with Yuji and his friends. He hates all the meaningless noise and questions and Yuji knows that but has either forgotten or just doesn't care. Megumi excuses himself with the same gentle politeness he always uses.
"If you'll all excuse me for a few minutes” Everyone smiles.
"Of course" And Megumi climbs the stairs slowly, one hand trailing along the banister. Every step feels like such an effort now. He closes the bedroom door behind him and the laughter downstairs becomes muffled. Distant.
The omega stands in the middle of the room, one hand resting against the curve of his stomach. The baby shifts beneath his palm and Megumi smiles automatically. Then the smile fades. The room is perfectly tidy. The bed is made. His folded laundry sits in neat piles waiting to be put away.
Everything exactly where it belongs. Exactly as it should be. The omega lowers himself carefully onto the edge of the bed. The silence presses in around him. His eyes wander across the room. The wardrobe. The dressing table. The framed wedding photograph.
He stares at it. At himself.
There's another kick and he places both hands over his stomach. "Hello" He whispers. The word catches in his throat. Without warning, tears fill his eyes and Megumi shakes his head. He wipes them away before they can fall.
"I'm happy" Megumi says it aloud. "I'm so happy" His voice sounds strange in the empty room. The baby moves again. A sob escapes before he can stop it. Megumi presses both hands over his mouth to silence himself. Another follows. Then another. Within seconds Megumi is crying so hard he can barely breathe. He bends forward, shoulders shaking.
Megumi should be happy. He isn't in that much pain, the baby is healthy and the nursery is complete. Yuji is so kind and helpful and doting towards him. Everything he has ever been told he should want is right here. So why does it hurt?
The tears keep coming. The omega searches for a reason. An explanation. There is only an endless heavy feeling. It has been weighing over Megumi a lot lately, a dark cloud constantly over his head. Megumi cries a lot for no reason lately.
From downstairs, Yuji calls for him gently, "Megumi? Are you alright?" And he closes his eyes for one brief moment. When he answers, his voice is calm.
"Yes" Megumi opens the bedroom door. "I'll be right down”