Archive of Our Own ^beta

Almost there. Almost there. Almost there.

The consistent anthem of his incoming destination replayed silently in Yuuji’s mind, pumping additional energy to the burning muscles in his legs as he raced across the campus grounds of Jujutsu Tokyo University. It was a prestigious university in Tokyo, Japan, with less than 10% acceptance rate. It was nearly impossible for someone like Yuuji, who resided in a low-income household with scarcely anything valuable to his name. While the other students possessed some well-distinguished title to their name, Yuuji had no influential rank that was passed down to him except for long overdue hospital bills his grandfather, Wasuke, left after his death that Yuuji and his brothers continued to pay off little by little.

To the rich folk, he was a simpleton.

“Ma!” A squeaky voice cried out from the baby carrier he wore.

But Yuuji was a single parent pushing himself to provide everything best for his pup.

Yuuji swerved sharply to the left, narrowly dodging a pair of female Omegas who peered at him. Their looks of ire quickly switched to awe when they saw a small girl pup with a beanie cap and two fuzzy ears of stripes resembling a tiger. She was strapped securely in a pink tiger-patterned baby-sling attached to her dam’s shoulders, facing her dam’s chest. Two beady eyes in golden hues greeted them for a second before burying her head under the lapels of her dam’s unzipped jacket, needing to hide from the stranger’s intrigued stares. Her shyness elicited a simultaneous coo from the two females, dismissing Yuuji’s breathless apology as he ran past them. He silently prayed he wasn’t too late.

Today was his first exam for his Japanese Mythology class. It was an elective he wasn’t too keen to enroll in, but it was either Acting or this class. Besides, Yuuji was horrible in acting, unlike Eso, who’d win multiple awards for his exemplary drama queen acts.

Yuuji should be awarded for being an Omega with the worst memory.

He forgot to find a babysitter on all the days today. 

Well, technically, that wasn’t true.

Yuuji had a few people in mind—his three older brothers, Chousou, Eso, and Kechizu, but they all bailed out at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. As the family"s youngest sibling, Yuuji expected to be notified in a few days at the very least. Not to receive all text messages from his three eldest brothers confirming they could not babysit the morning of his exam. First, Eso had his project presentation due for his fashion design class. Second, Kechizu was booked for the morning shift at the local cafe across the street from the university. Third, Chousou had back-to-back appointments at his tattoo shop all morning to the closing evening shift.

Aside from his siblings, Yuuji couldn’t ask his friends, Megumi and Nobara, who also had exams scheduled for the rest of the week.

Alas, Yuuji was left to figure out everything for himself.

“Ma-ma!”

Then again, it was his duty as a dam to handle everything, even if there was no extra help for his pup.

“It’s okay, Yukina.” Yuuji sped up when he saw the doors of the building where his class was. “We’re almost there. Hang on, okay?”

“Ba!” Yukina’s chubby index finger pointed at one of the doors opening after a student headed out.

“Good eye, my tiger cub!” Yuuji patted her head, earning a prideful yip from Yukina. She nuzzled his chest, seeking warmth even though she was layered with a pink parka with two sweaters underneath. Her tiny body now held the shape of a giant marshmallow, squishy and adorable.

Yuuji still loved her all the same. 

He placed a hand on the back of her head to prevent her body from jostling violently (even though the baby-sling was strapped firmly on him) as he pushed his legs to run faster for the last few inches to slip through the slot of the closing door. He continued running down the hall after the door shut, maneuvering as gracefully as possible through the crowd of students walking in and out of classrooms with the additional weight of his pup swaddled on his chest. He didn’t need to look where he was going since his feet followed the familiar route he took to his first class on Mondays. Catching a glimpse of the name plaque beside a pair of dark mahogany doors, JPN MYTH 200 , Yuuji squeezed himself through the narrow leeway between the entrance and the hall with a protective hand over his pup’s head as he pulled the brass door handle and hurried inside.

Yuuji froze the second he set foot past the corridor. The deafening click of the door closing echoed in the auditorium, causing everyone’s heads to turn to him. Their stares blazed with curiosity, flitting between him and the back of Yukina’s head.

All the seats in the auditorium were occupied except for a seat in the inner corner to the left side of Yuuji. He chose that seating arrangement on his first day because he was late and wanted to avoid sitting in the front row to avoid being chosen to answer questions. He favored rushing in and out of class. Now, he started to regret that decision as the realization of showing up late to the exam aggravated the knotted rope of anxiety in his gut. 

Not only was he the last one to arrive, but the thick scent of sweet peaches doused in cinnamon spice alerted Yuuji of an immature mistake he never made in his lifetime—forgetting to use a scent blocker patch. Now he knew why he received odd leers from Alphas as he sped through the university campus. He always placed the patches on his scent glands: the two on either side of the base of his neck and the main one on his nape. He forced himself to calm down, hoping not to pollute the auditorium with his unmasked scent further. Although it was not mandatory to use scent blockers, Yuuji dutifully wore his scent patches daily due to his status as a Prime Omega. 

Prime Omega’s scents tended to be more potent, especially after birthing a pup. Their scent was one of the main factors in signaling to others that they possessed higher authority. Yuuji didn’t favor allowing his scent to be free reign—not because he feared the judgment of his social status, but because he did not want others to treat him as a superior figure. He instead wanted others to treat him equally.

That wasn’t the case now that everyone knew his secondary biology.

Yuuji’s eyes darted to the intense, piercing crimson gaze belonging to a lone figure standing below at the base of the auditorium.

Sukuna Ryoumen.

The Prime Alpha was a profound professor who retained numerous historical landmarks across Japan, including the Malevolent Shrine, one of the nation’s historic shrines that belonged solely to the Ryoumens. The Ryoumens were once a royal family that ruled most of Japan during the Heian era. They were worshipped as gods, and devoted disciples delivered extravagant treasures. Japan wouldn’t have prospered as it had throughout past generations because of their formidable reign.

And who else could be a better fit to teach at a noteworthy university in Tokyo other than the noble heir of Ryoumen Corporation himself, Sukuna Ryoumen?

A squeaky yawn yanked Yuuji from his thoughts. Glancing down, Yukina dozed off. Her chubby hands clutched fistfuls of his yellow hoodie as she squished her left cheek further onto his clothed chest, using it as a pillow to her full advantage.

Yuuji scoffed fondly, shaking his head. His pup had such perfect timing to take a nap.

“I"m glad you could join us, Itadori.” Sukuna drawled as he leaned against his desk with his arms crossed. Yuuji hardly interacted with the professor, always submitting his assignments online and passing pop quizzes with average grades. However, Yuuji always sensed the professor’s gaze on him even from his seat in the back row of the auditorium; he felt the unmistakable heatwave of the Prime Alpha’s gaze locked on him during all lectures. It wasn’t…unpleasant per se. Yuuji had no other word to describe it precisely, except it was bizarre to be under the professor’s watchful gaze in all the classes he attended.

An enigmatic glint flickered in Sukuna’s eyes the second he eyed Yukina before meeting Yuuji’s petrified gaze. His unreadable expression stirred uneasiness in Yuuji’s belly.

Then Sukuna beckoned him to come hither with a curt, sideways chin nod.

“Come forward.”

Yuuji’s back straightened like a rod under the husky tenor, gulping fearfully as he stared silently back at Sukuna, who merely raised a brow—waiting for him.

As much as Yuuji wanted to ignore the professor’s direct order, he didn’t like being the center of attention. He also didn’t want to cause more trouble than he already had.

He needed to stop being a coward and face his punishment once and for all.

With a sharp intake of breath and a quiet prayer of salvation, Yuuji headed straight down to his professor’s desk, aware of the heat of everyone’s eyes on his back. On his descent, he couldn’t help but study every detail of Sukuna’s chiseled facial features that were adorned with black ink. Pink hair, darker than Yuuji’s own, was slicked back with a lock hanging loosely in the front, framing the structure of his cheekbones and illuminating the prominent angular jawline that had every Omega, female, and male, along with Betas, all over the entire campus swooning over. Obsidian-rimmed rectangular glasses accentuated his meticulous yet esteemed appearance as a professor, resting on the bridge of his perfectly shaped nose. The ironed merlot shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows drew Yuuji’s attention to the black double-ringed tattoos on Sukuna’s wrists, spurring interest in the Prime Omega to search for more tattoos hidden under—

What .

The .

Hell .

Yuuji shook his head as he blushed furiously at the absurd thought of undressing his professor.

Wait, that was even worse!

Yuuji blamed it on his hormones, which were more challenging to control after having Yukina. It didn’t help much that being a Prime Omega caused him great difficulty controlling his desire to find a perfect mate. First of all, he didn’t have the time to be dating. His main priority was to take care of his six-month-old pup while attending and passing every class in every semester to remain on the scholarship he was granted for a whole ride to this university. He usually took suppressants to subdue his heat, learning his lesson from the one-night stand that had him figuring out how to support a pup without the additional support from the sire who left without a trace. Fortunately, Yukina had uncles and aunts willing to help Yuuji raise her.

It would have been nice if anyone could babysit her today so Yuuji could avoid his impending demise.

The faint scent of myrrh and cloves hardly settled Yuuji’s pounding heart as he approached Sukuna. His lithe figure was soon enveloped in the shadow of his professor’s looming height, proving everyone’s speculation of Sukuna being a descendant of the King of Curses, Ryou, with his ominous presence that sent anyone within near range cowering in fear. Yuuji nervously licked the chapped surface of his lips as he forced himself not to cower under Sukuna’s probing stare.

“Professor, I can explain—”

Sukuna held up his right palm, silencing all protests as Yuuji’s mouth clamped shut. The professor looked over the black rims of his glasses, fixating his gaze on Yukina, who was fast asleep and blissfully unaware of the scolding her dam would receive.

“There’s no need for an explanation,” Sukuna said. He handed the single packet of paper to Yuuji, who blinked owlishly down on it. “The exam will begin shortly in ten minutes.”

Yuuji’s eyes widened. Ten minutes left to spare?! He could have sworn he had far less time than that. He was fortunate to make it on time, but could he take the exam with his pup? 

Yuuji looked down at Yukina. The right side of her face was squished against his chest, quiet snores emitting from her parted lips with a bit of drool dripping from the corner. If Yuuji had brought the stroller, Yukina would have rested comfortably instead of cramped in the baby carrier. Sadly, he rushed out the door with her backpack filled with necessities and his laptop. Still, Yuuji was unsure how he’d finish his exam by successfully avoiding interruption with his pup’s nap.

Because if there was anything Yuuji had learned from being a new dam, a pup unexpectedly awakened from a nap was a traumatic event he wanted to prevent from re-occurring.

Before he could dwell on how he’d take his exam without disturbing his pup, Sukuna extended his arms in a quiet invitation.

“Give her to me.”

The offer startled Yuuji to the core. His maternal instincts blared alarmingly in his head. His fingers elongated fully from their prior position on the back of Yukina’s head while placing his other hand on her bottom, clutching her to his chest. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, wondering what kind of game Sukuna was playing. It didn’t matter that this Prime Alpha was his professor; he was still a stranger with unknown intentions that could significantly endanger his pup. Sukuna could be scheming like all the other professors at other universities in Japan who condemned single-parent Omegas studying in college and forbade them from bringing their pups to their classes. Yuuji heard stories of single dams being thrown out of colleges because of their unmated status and having a pup. While the Jujutsu Tokyo University president was notified of Yuuji’s pup and permitted him to attend all classes in person, Yuuji never told any of his professors about Yukina. If available, any of his brothers would watch over her while he attended classes. Sometimes, they’d let her stay over the weekend, allowing Yuuji to finish his homework and work flexible shifts at the cafe on campus to earn extra financial support (even though Chousou, Eso, and Kechizu insisted they could help him financially).

The slightest fear of being outed by someone from any of his classes was one of the many reasons Yuuji initially hesitated to introduce his friends to Yukina. Being a single dam, unmated, anyone could change within the blink of an eye. After getting to know his new friends throughout half of the first semester, he tested their loyalty one night by inviting them over for a hangout and introducing them to Yukina. To Yuuji’s surprise, they were quickly captivated by Yukina’s adorableness and pledged to give both her and him full support. Thus, he fully trusted his close-knit group of friends never to share Yukina"s existence with others.

However, gossip will spread all over campus after today’s exam.

Yuuji hoped Sukuna wouldn’t allow the class to do that, and neither would he. He knew if Sukuna ever tried to hurt Yukina in any way, he’d sever his head cleanly without a second thought to his reputation as a scholar student. He could care less if he was suspended from the university; no one was ever going to inflict harm on his pup, even over his dead body.

A low growl in warning shook Yuuji away from his rampant thoughts. Blinking in surprise, he grasped the guttural sound produced from his vocal cords. 

As he floundered for a proper apology, Sukuna cut him off once again.

“Either she stays with you or with me,” he explained meticulously in his lectures, detached from emotion but direct to the point. “You decide.”

Yuuji swallowed as he debated his choices. He knew it was the initial instinct to trust a professor from a student’s perspective. Yet, from an Omega’s perspective, relying on an unknown Alpha was complicated, let alone looking over an unmated Omega’s pup. An unmated Omega never accepted any Alpha to care for their pups unless the Alpha was part of the pack they were in or the Alpha was their mate. The only Alphas Yuuji trusted to watch over Yukina were his brothers, Megumi and Todo (his other friend who first claimed him to be his brother). No other Alpha ever babysat Yukina.

But he had to take this exam to pass his class, and time was running out.
With a deep, resigned sigh, Yuuji handed the diaper bag to Sukuna, who set it on his desk. The younger Prime Omega carefully unbuckled the slot where Yukina rested. As Yuuji gently slid her out, a soft whimper halted his hands from unlocking the strap of the baby-sling. Yukina’s eyes fluttered open, but her dam’s subdued croons vibrating under her head lulled her back to sleep. Yuuji hesitated as he contemplated removing the baby carrier without waking Yukina again.

“Allow me.” Sukuna offered, not moving until Yuuji granted him permission with a single nod. He closed the remaining space between them and skillfully unclasped the straps of the baby carrier without causing any more sudden movement. Stunned by the professor’s expertise, Yuuji refocused on his current task, repositioning Yukina from one arm to another as Sukuna slid the straps off his shoulders. Yuuji was immersed by Sukuna’s deft fingers, effortlessly adjusting the straps before slipping them up his shoulders and snapping the front buckles located in the front. Yuuji admired the perfectly fitted baby-slip on the Alpha’s wider torso width.

It was almost as if Sukuna had learned from caring for a pup—

Hang on. Why was Yuuji even thinking about his professor siring a pup?

And why did the thought of Sukuna being mated send a pang of ache to his chest?

Pull yourself together, dummy . Yuuji frowned. Of course, a Prime Alpha who looks remarkably like a god is bound to be mated.

Sukuna, clearing his throat, jerked Yuuji back to the present. Glancing at Sukuna’s outstretched arms, he hesitated for a minute. He knew Yukina would be back in his arms after the exam, but there was an inkling of doubt lingering in his mind that he’d never see her again once he’d passed her over to Sukuna. 

“You can come get her once you finish your exam,” Sukuna affirmed, seeming to sense his brief moment of unwillingness.

The professor’s words were enough to ease Yuuji’s qualms. 

Yuuji held Yukina for a minute longer, unzipping her pink parka and slinging it over his shoulder before pulling the fuzzy tiger-eared beanie off her head. He figured his pup would receive twice the body heat from Sukuna since Prime Alphas" temperature ran higher than Prime Omegas. His hands gently smoothed out the stray, static pastel pink locks of her hair. Brushing her front bangs back, Yuuji gently kissed her forehead and scent-marked her by gingerly rubbing his cheek against hers. This was an old method dams used to scent their pups when they would be absent for a while, a bit of comfort that would console their pup’s separation anxiety.   

Also, this wasn’t the first time Yuuji would be separated from Yukina due to dropping her off with his brothers or friends if he had to go to class or his part-time job at the cafe. But sitting at the far side of the room while his pup was in an unknown Alpha’s arms would be tough for Yuuji to endure for two hours. 

It mattered as long as he would reunite with her afterward. 

Yuuji exuded a deep sigh, relenting as he reluctantly transferred Yukina into the baby sling. He situated her in the same position he had her earlier—her back facing others as her face lay on the cushioned back of the baby carrier. For a second, Yuuji wondered how tiny and fragile Yukina was compared to Sukuna’s colossal height. The mere action of Sukuna laying one of his hands on Yukina’s back, its gigantic size covering her puny body, plucked Yuuji’s heartstrings very peculiarly.

“Please take care of her,” he pleaded in a mere whisper.

“She’s in good hands,” Sukuna asserted. 

Yuuji’s cheeks tinted rosy pink at the genuine honesty in the Prime Alpha’s unwavering stare, spinning on his heel as he bounded up the stairs to his seat with his exam in hand.

“You all have two hours to complete the exam,” Sukuna announced in his powerful, authoritative voice when Yuuji sat down. He eyed Yukina, who remained undisturbed under the professor’s vociferous pitch. “All cellular devices are to be kept away until the end of the exam. If you must use the restroom, raise your hand so Uraume can collect your exam until you return. Once you are finished, flip your exams over with the back sheet facing upward. You will remain in your seat until the two hours are over. I won’t tolerate any cheating or dishonesty. Anyone who dares to oppose these rules will be automatically dropped from the class and be immediately suspended from the university.” Sukuna’s eyes hardened to crimson steel as he stared down at every student in the room, ascertaining the severity of his threat. “Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the class responded in unison.

Sukuna nodded. “Very well. You may start…” He glanced at the old-style Japanese clock, the minute hand passing the kanji 十二. “Now.”

The first hour passed with sporadically occurring noises of pens scribbling and pages flipping in the auditorium. Yuuji’s eyes frequently flickered down to Sukuna, who casually strolled around the perimeter of his desk. The professor’s keen gaze surveyed the entire lecture hall, watching for any cheaters present.

Yuuji held his breath when their gazes met for a second, blushing faintly at Sukuna’s raised brow as if questioning why he wasn’t finishing his exam. Yuuji sent one last glimpse at Yukina, who slept peacefully with her left cheek squished on the cushioned bedding of the baby-sling. The edges of Yuuji’s mouth curved upward at the sight of drool seeping from the corners of Yukina’s slightly parted lips. He hoped Sukuna didn’t mind getting drooled by his pup. 

Yuuji read the last question on the page before him, his right leg bouncing up and down vigorously as he circled the answer his gut was leaning towards. He thanked the gods in the heavens above; the exam was multiple-choice, giving him a higher chance of getting the question right, at least by 50-50.

As he turned the page, Yuuji internally cried in relief at the small number 50 beside the next set of questions. He was halfway through the exam! The taste of liberation was within his fingertips as he reached the second-to-last question on the page when he sensed something amiss. Skimming over the questions on the current page, he answered all the questions, yet something still didn’t feel right. His head snapped upwards concurrently when a discordant whimper disturbed the silent ambiance in the auditorium.

Yukina.

Yuuji’s eyes zeroed in on his pup. To a blind eye, her body was motionless, but Yuuji’s astute eyesight spotted Yukina’s arms twitch before her whole body squirmed restlessly.

Oh, no . Yuuji bit his lip as the urge to run down and snatch her out of the baby sling to prevent a tantrum grew with every passing moment. Yukina’s whimpers increased in volume over time, soon catching the attention of some students who glanced up from the exam. Now was not a good time for Yukina to throw a tantrum.

Then, gentle choruses of raspy growls killed off Yuuji’s intuition, gluing his rump back down on his seat. Yuuji saw Yukina’s body tense briefly before sagging languidly and quickly falling asleep. His mouth slackened in disbelief as his eyes tracked down the noise source, meeting Sukuna’s striking garnet gaze that eased the jittery nerves of his motherly Omegan instincts.

Yuuji sent the professor a grateful smile as he resumed completing his exam with the quiet lullaby of Sukuna’s raspy croons in the background.

Within nearly thirty minutes to spare, Yuuji checked over his answers once, twice, and thrice. Flipping the exam over, a vast sigh slipped out of his mouth as he slumped back in his chair. His head lolled back of his seat, closing his eyes for a second while blocking out everything else. He completed his last exam for the semester. Yuuji felt his body sink more deeply in his chair, his rapid heartbeats slowing down from the adrenaline he had sported from this whole month preparing for the exam. A nap sounded like a good idea right now—

“ Ba! ”

Yuuji’s eyes flew open at the familiar shrill shriek. How could he forget about his pup?!

Looking down at the front of the assembly hall, Yuuji’s heart leaped in his throat at Yukina, who was adamantly touching Sukuna’s face. Her chubby fingers clumsily traced the tribal tattoos outlining the professor’s sharp contours, her eyes widening in wonder with every black stripe her fingers made contact with. At first, being hired as a professor at a distinguished university nationwide was dubious for someone with tattoos. Yet, Sukuna proved the university committee wrong with all the achievements he had obtained through extensive research and in his high school and college studies.

Yuuji’s heart pulsated funnily in his chest at Sukuna’s softened expression. The usual stony-hearted professor allowed Yukina’s fingers to roam wherever on his face as she pleased, her squeaky yips reverberating quietly in the auditorium. Sukuna’s crimson eyes were trained solely on her, rumbling soft growls to her squeaky warbles as if sharing a private conversation with her. One that only she and him understood.

It was a heartfelt moment that left Yuuji yearning for something out of his grasp.

Sukuna’s response conjured a smile on Yukina’s face, her two central upper incisors peeking out. It was enough to manifest the tiniest grins on Sukuna’s mouth.

The touching sight had several students in the classroom cooing since they had never seen the austere professor being gentle with a pup. It left Yuuji with odd emotions he didn’t want to deal with.

Sukuna raised his head to give the class a stern glare, silencing the unnecessary cooing as everyone ducked their heads down and hastily returned to finishing their exams except Yuuji, who kept his gaze on him. Simultaneously, Yukina turned her head, and her eyes shone with immeasurable joy when she spotted Yuuji.

“Ma!” Her arms flapped towards his direction, her high-pitched squeals resounding in the hall. “Ma!”

Yuuji instantly sprung from his chair, hurrying down the staircase as he jumped off the last two to reach the bottom. He worriedly glanced between Sukuna and Yukina, pondering if his pup was hungry or needed a diaper change.

Wordlessly, Sukuna stepped closer and permitted Yuuji to take Yukina back in his arms.

“Hey, cub.” Yuuji crooned, and Yukina chirped in greeting when he pulled her out of the baby sling. Their noses rubbed against each other in an Eskimo kiss. “Mommy’s here.”

Yuuji stopped when he sniffed out a familiar stench he had known from the first day she was born. Soon, Yukina wriggled as her face scrunched up in discomfort. “It’s okay, cub. We’re going to freshen you up. Hang on.” Yuuji snatched the diaper bag off Sukuna’s desk, shushing Yukina’s feeble cries as he hesitantly looked at Sukuna. “Can I—”

“Uraume.” Yuuji held back a shriek at the white-haired graduate student, appearing silently beside him like an assassin sneaking up on the next victim on their hit list. “Watch over the class,” Sukuna ordered.

“Yes, Sukuna-sama.” Urauma bowed.

“Follow me.” With a firm hand on the back of Yuuji’s spine, Sukuna ushered him towards the door with a dark-tinted window a few feet away from the desk. He opened the door for Yuuji, allowing him to head in first, then entered after him.

“The restroom is on the left side of the hall.” Sukuna pointed down the hall. His black nail polish distracted Yuuji’s attention for a second, admiring Sukuna’s perfectly trimmed nails. “It’s right across from my office. Feel free to use it at your convenience.”

Yuuji smiled humbly. “Thank you. I won’t take long.” He pivoted on his heel to stop himself from gazing longer than necessary into Sukuna’s all-consuming stare. His pup required his attention first and foremost. He sped to the last door on the hall"s left side. Opening the door, Yuuji stood in shock as he examined the modern black-and-white monochrome-styled restroom. White walls with black trimmings surrounded the spacious room with black polished tiles. Two black leather seats were placed on one side of the lobby area, and a mini-table of gold rims was situated in the center of the chairs. A couple of magazines were stacked neatly on the mini-coffee table. On the opposite side of the room was the sink with a wall-length mirror that extended to the alabaster ceiling. The matte obsidian nozzle of the sink contrasted with the ivory marble countertop.

Yuuji wondered if Sukuna personally requested a model for this restroom.

Yukina’s whimper broke Yuuji from his stupor, reminding him of the main priority. He spotted another door adjacent to the sink. Scampering towards it, he pushed it open and nearly tripped over his feet at the spacious restroom.

Yuuji frowned when he saw only the toilet behind the door and a glass-paneled shower on the other side of the room.

Shutting it, he peered at the ivory counter, ruminating about the only option available.

“Ma!” Yukina whined, slamming her palm on her dam’s chest.

“I know, baby, I know.” Yuuji sighed as he plucked a towel from the basket beside the sink. He grimaced at the cloth"s high-quality fleece material as he flattened the towel on the counter before placing Yukina on it. “Cub, please try not to move as Mommy cleans you up, okay?”
“Ma!”

Yuuji put Yukina in a fresh, new diaper in record time. He kissed her cheek, blowing a raspberry to reward her excellent behavior. Yukina burst into giggles, kicking her legs. Her pealing laughter stretched the corners of Yuuji’s lips into a full-fledged smile. He cherished every moment with his pup, promising to make her smile and hear her merry laughs as he lived. Cleaning the sink area with a new towel and disposing of the two towels in the sterling silver trash bin next to the door, Yuuji exited the restroom in a hurry to return to the lecture hall.

He stalled amid the corridor when he sought Sukuna leaning against the door of his office across from the restroom. Yuuji hoped he didn’t take too long, fearing another possibility of points being deducted from his exam. His insides churned under Sukuna’s crimson stare that appeared to penetrate through the layers of his clothes, searching for something while examining Yuuji from head to toe.

“Did you find everything to your liking?” Sukuna crossed over to them, trailing his eyes back up at Yuuji. His attention switched over to Yukina, who outstretched her hand. She grunted as she struggled to reach for Sukuna, forcing him to take the final step to close the distance separating her dam and him. Yukina let out a delighted “ Ba! ” when her hand clasped tightly around Sukuna’s pinkie.

Yuuji couldn’t help but snort at Sukuna’s dumbfounded expression. He blushed when Sukuna’s focus returned to him, clearing his throat. “Yes, we did. Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.” Hearing Sukuna’s guileless response provoked Yuuji’s heart to somersault ruthlessly in his chest. The atmosphere surrounding them in the narrow hallway somehow intensified. The proximity between their bodies toyed with Yuuji’s senses, blurring with the mixture of their scents melding into something new and electrifying . It was unlike anything Yuuji had ever experienced, but his inner Omega was calling for it.

“Ma-ma!” Yukina’s shrieks severed the venereal mood. Her other vacant hand curled into a fist and slapped Yuuji’s chest. “ Ma-ma! ”

Yuuji jerked away from Sukuna, placing space between them. He shoved away the longing for warmth from the Alpha as he looked down at the deep scowl on his pup’s face. “What is it, cub?”

“Pa-pa!” Yuuji winced at the higher pitch of Yukina’s squeal.

“Yukina, inside voice.” He scolded gently.

Yukina whimpered. “Pa-pa.”

“You’re free to go.” Yuuji’s head swivelled to Sukuna. His aloof expression was far too perplexing than usual, his shoulders rigid like stone. His eyes were cold, too austere for Yuuji to denote any emotions. “You finished your exam, yes?”

“Uh yeah, but I have to stay until the last person finishes the exam,” Yuuji repeated his professor’s words from earlier.

Something passed through Sukuna’s gaze too quickly for Yuuji to decipher. “There’s no need to. Your pup requires her sire’s presence.”

Yuuji’s brows creased in the center, disliking Sukuna’s terse remark as Yukina cried out again. “Pa-pa, pa-pa!”

“I know, my sweet cub.” Yuuji kissed the top of Yukina’s head, rubbing her back. “I’ll feed you in a bit, okay?”

“Feed?” Sukuna asked.

“She’s hungry.” Yuuji stated matter of factly as Yukina nearly screamed, “ Pa-pa! ”

Sukuna stayed silent as he mulled over the explanation.

“There’s no sire in the picture.” Yuuji contended quietly.

Understanding flashed through Sukuna’s eyes, his stoic expression crumbling into chagrin. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Silence reigned amongst them in heavy awkwardness.

Sukuna coughed in his fist, clearing his throat. Embarrassment tinted the tips of his ears in pink. “I apologize for assuming something that is none of my concern. Please, forgive me.”

Although Yuuji could easily report his professor for overstepping boundaries, he smiled at him. “As long as you don’t deduct points from my exam for using your private restroom,” he said.

Sukuna rolled his eyes. “Fine, brat.”

Their eyes met briefly with matching mirrored mirthful grins, restoring the ardent moment between them.

“Ma-ma!” Yukina’s jarring demand terminated the once again. “Pa- pa !” Yuuji winced under the firm smack on his chest, still sore from feeding last night.

“Yukina. That’s enough.” The pup went still under her dam’s strict tone, whining in shame to vocalize her dislike of being under the spotlight of her dam’s stern gaze. She nuzzled her face on her dam’s chest, a sign of forgiveness that pups usually did for their dams. Yuuji’s resolve softened gradually, nudging her cheek with the edge of his nose. “Please, be patient, my cub. I’ll feed you as soon as possible.” He promised with his face buried in Yukina’s hair that smelt like the perfect mixture of his scent and her sweet vanilla and cinnamon scent.

“Let’s not make her wait any longer.” Sukuna rested a hand gently on Yuuji’s back like prior, escorting him back into the auditorium. Yuuji returned to his seat, but Sukuna steered him towards his desk.

Startled by the sudden change of direction, Yuuji dug his heels into the soles of his tennis shoes. “Wait, sir—”

“Please, sit.” Sukuna wheeled out his desk chair and set his hands on the back with a slight urgency.

Yuuji hesitated momentarily, wanting to turn down his professor’s offer, but debated continuing the extra few miles to his seat while Yukina was on the verge of a tantrum. Besides that, he didn’t need to draw more than enough attention from the class than he already had.

“ Ma-ma. ”

Yukina’s faint whimper encouraged Yuuji to accept Sukuna’s request. When he sat on the leather chair, Sukuna rolled him in, but after helping Yuuji put on the baby-sling with the straps re-adjusted to fit Yuuji’s more petite shoulder frame appropriately and assisted in depositing Yukina safely back in the baby carrier. Sukuna left the dam to tend to his pup, walking to the front of his desk.

“You have less than an hour left to finish your exam,” Sukuna announced as some quiet groans of discontentment responded across the auditorium.

Meanwhile, Yuuji fished out a small stack of three pink containers from Yukina’s diaper bag. He opened the top one, which contained chopped-up strawberries. Rummaging in the smaller compartment in front of the diaper bag, he pulled out a bib with a cute design of a pink striped tiger and bolded words underneath: “Beware Hungry Cub” and a foldable utensil with a fork and spoon on either end.

“Pa-pa, pa-pa!” Yuuji shushed Yukina’s squeaky cheers as he quickly smashed the diced strawberries with the fork"s teeth until they were a smooth candy-red paste. Rubbing the fork clean with a spare napkin, Yuuji flipped the utensil to the spoon side and gave it to Yukina, who eagerly snatched it from his hands. She was far more independent than pups around her age, sending a minuscule wave of sadness in Yuuji at how fast his pup grew.

Yukina messily scooped out the strawberry puree and hastily inserted it in her mouth, smacking her lips heartily as she dug in for another spoonful. Yuuji kept her under careful watch, wiping stray glops of the jelly dripping from his pup’s mouth to avoid spillage. He wouldn’t risk dirtying his professor’s desk, which would undoubtedly land him a zero on his exam.

“30 minutes left!” Sukuna yelled.

“Ba!” Yukina screamed, slamming her other palm flat on the desk like a gavel. Chuckles broke across the lecture hall as Yuuji looked down at his pup in horror.

“Yukina!” He chided as he glanced at Sukuna, worried about being kicked out of class for his pup disrupting the class.

Instead, the corners of Sukuna’s mouth vaguely tilted upward into an amused grin. “Remind the class they have 30 minutes left, princess.”

Yuuji failed to restrain the blush on his cheeks at the nickname, even though it was directed towards his pup.

“Ta-ba!” Yukina shrieked loud enough to cause some ear bleeds.

“You heard the princess, everyone. Thirty minutes left.” Yuuji’s breath hitched at Sukuna, who reached over to his desk to pat Yukina’s head gingerly. The dauntless gesture should have set off the Prime Omega, yet something inside Yuuji’s Omegan side yearned for more of Sukuna’s gentle caresses on him instead. Their gazes met for half a second, a playful glint appearing in Sukuna’s garnet eyes before averting his gaze back to the class.

Within the time left, Yukina finished every drop of her strawberry jam. She happily clapped as Yuuji cleaned her mouth with her bib before putting away all the containers and bib back in the diaper bag. He bounced her lightly on his lap, watching Sukuna stride to the front of his desk as he declared resonantly like a regal god.

“Time’s up. Flip your exams over and pass them to your left. Stay seated as Uraume will collect them,” Sukuna ordered.

Yuuji stood to go to his seat but was stalled by Sukuna"s call, “Uraume already picked up your exam.”

“Oh.” Yuuji was surprised, unsure what to say besides a meek “Thank you.”

Sitting back down with Yukina straddled on his lap, Yuuji’s gaze followed Sukuna, who helped Urauma gather the exams at the end of each row. He stopped temporarily to speak quietly to some students, answering their questions before continuing to the next row to collect the rest of the tests. Once all the exams were picked up, Sukuna returned to his desk alongside Uraume. Together, they compiled the test packets into one large stack.

Yukina thwacked her hand on the desk, spluttering incorrigible syllables as she pointed at the neatly stacked exams. “Ta-ba-ba-ma!”

“Precisely, princess. All exams are accounted for.” The tender smile on Sukuna’s face did weird things to Yuuji’s heart. Turning around to face the class, Sukuna’s expression relapsed to its distant facade. “I’ll post grades on Monday. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me, as I have other engagements to attend today. Also, be present for class on Monday. You are all dismissed.”

The class whooped and clapped synchronously, more than grateful that the exam was over, as they all stood and rushed out of the auditorium, ready to enjoy their weekend of freedom. Some pupils waved goodbye at Yukina, who waved back at them with gleeful chirps in a bid of farewell.

After the last student left, Yuuji carried Yukina out of the baby sling to put on her jacket and beanie. Kissing her rotund cheek, he placed her back in the baby sling and walked out of the auditorium with Sukuna. Adjusting the diaper strap on his shoulder, Yuuji bowed to the professor. “Thank you so much again, Mr. Ryoumen. I promise it won’t happen again.”

“Calm down, brat.” Sukuna nonchalantly disregarded Yuuji’s apologies. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers, appearing more casual, with his body settling at ease as he spoke to Yuuji on the side of the hall now deserted of students. Although the glass panels on the opposite wall were tinted, Sukuna’s flawless characteristics stood out brighter than the sun and everything else. “Things happen when we least expect them to. Besides, it was nice to have some company, ain’t that right, princess?”

Yukina squealed, stretching her hand out. Sukuna outstretched his right pinkie for her to grip like she had previously. He smirked lightly and fixed Yukina’s beanie with his other hand. “Thank you for making my day less unbearable with a classroom of brats, princess.”

“Ba-ba-Ta!” Yukina squealed enthusiastically.

Yuuji and Sukuna shared a laugh. “Well, thank you again, sir. Have a good weekend.”

“And you both.” Sukuna’s intense gaze darted to Yukina, moving his pinkie bound tightly in the pup’s clutches in place of a farewell. “Bye-bye, princess. Be a good pup to your mommy.”

Oh, god . Sweltering heat engulfed Yuuji in flames, coiling tight in his navel. Hearing an innocent word roll off Sukuna’s tongue like smooth butter sent Yuuji’s insides into a pile of melted goo. He wouldn’t mind hearing Sukuna’s voice again later tonight in his dreams.

All lewd thoughts dispersed into thin air the minute Yuuji heard a tiny sniffle. Glimpsing down, Yukina’s eyes consisted of a luster layer of unshed tears.
“Yukina! What’s wrong, my cub?” Yuuji exclaimed as his eyes skimmed every part of her face.

“Is she all right?” Sukuna questioned as he also searched for anything hurting the pup.

Yuuji shook his head. “I don’t know—”

“ Da-da !” Yukina seized the rest of Sukuna’s fingers with her other hand, latching onto them like a lifeline as she sobbed. “Da-da!”

Yuuji’s jaw dropped as Yukina’s cries shrouded him in cold dread. Oh, no . His eyes whisked to Sukuna’s gaze, full-blown in bewilderment. He had to divert the situation before it veered towards the direction opposite of where Yuuji wanted it to be heading.  “Yukina, cub, we need to go—”

“ No! ” Yukina hollered. Yuuji flinched as several curious glances of students passing by them fell upon them. “Da-da, Da-da, no! No, no g— go !”

“Yukina, please .” Yuuji hissed softly, feeling embarrassment crawl onto his skin like the prickling needles of a sea urchin, poisoning his heart with mortification. He did not dare look at Sukuna, feeling humiliated with each passing minute. This was why he never accepted dates with Alpha’s. Pups were known to imprint on an Alpha as their sire if the biological sire was not present, and they were comfortable with that Alpha. Of all the Alphas on campus, Yuuji did not expect Yukina to imprint on his professor as her sire.

Yuuji was too ashamed to meet Sukuna"s gaze as he blubbered out. “Sir, I’m so sorry—”

“Daddy isn’t going anywhere, princess.” Yuuji’s heart stopped beating as he gawked at Sukuna gingerly wipe away her tears with his other hand, stroking the apples of her cheeks dampened with tears with the back of his knuckles. “Want to have lunch with Daddy?” He asked as he cupped the side of her face.

“Da-da!” Yukina whimpered, turning to nuzzle Sukuna’s palm on her cheek. “Da-da, da-da!”

“If it’s all right with Mommy.” Sukuna’s eyes darted to Yuuji.

Yuuji swallowed hard, wishing Sukuna would stop playing games with his heart, or he would undoubtedly go into cardiac arrest. “Surely we don’t want to ruin any plans with your mate—”

“There’s no mate in the picture,” Sukuna said bluntly.

“Oh.” Yuuji stared at Sukuna silently, feeling an impulsive sense of deja vu in the empty hallway from earlier.

Sukuna licked his lips, then asked. “So, is the on-campus cafeteria here any good, or are you up for a road trip to a favorite restaurant of mine? It’s on me.”

“Da-da!” Yukina screeched, exuberantly swinging Sukuna’s pinkie as if she had already agreed for herself and her dam.

Yuuji chuckled. “Well, I don’t think we can turn down an offer like that, now can we?”

Sukuna smirked. “‘Afraid not, brat.”

| 3 years later |

“During the Heian period, the King of Curses, Ryoumen Sukuna, was one of the profound curses in ancient Japan. Some claimed him to be the god of all gods,” Sukuna read off from the notes on the presentation slide in the auditorium. He strode around his desk, his eyes flickering around the lecture hall. His eyebrow rose at a handful of students seated in the first two rows, snickering quietly.

“Is something amusing?” Sukuna wondered.

The students jolted, sitting upright as one of them replied. “N-no, sir.” Their voice trembled under Sukuna’s stern glare. “Just that…well..your pups are adorable.”

Sukuna glanced down at his pup, Ryoichi, fast asleep in the baby sling strapped to the Alpha’s chest. Sukuna placed a hand protectively on the back of his son’s head, treading his fingers tenderly through his pup’s locks, which matched a darker pink shade like his. Ryoichi was a quieter pup than his sibling but had a short temper like Sukuna when disturbed from his nap time.

Sukuna’s eyes darted to his other pup, Yukina, sitting at his desk. She was focused strenuously on completing a math worksheet with the tip of her tongue sticking out from the corner of her mouth. Her hair was styled in two messy buns. She scribbled down her answer on the paper. She murmured under her breath, counting her fingers slowly as she figured out the following equation. Her expression was a replica of her dam when concentrating on solving a dilemma.

“Indeed, they are,” Sukuna admitted with a tiny smile that vanished as quickly as it appeared. He grabbed a stack of papers from the corner of his desk, lightly tugging on one of Yukina’s pigtails. He chuckled at Yukina, swatting his hand away with a low growl as she re-focused on doing her homework. “Now then, pop quiz.”

The class groaned harmoniously as Uraume assisted Sukuna in passing out the pop quiz. The last ten minutes were spent in silence as Sukuna strolled around his desk to stand behind Yukina, looking over her shoulder as he skimmed over her answers, which were neatly written on the worksheet.

“Check over number 4,” Sukuna pointed out.

Yukina paused, looking over the question of where Sukuna’s index finger touched. Her brows furrowed as she re-read the equation, her eyes lighting up in realization. “Ah!” She erased the answer and rewrote the correct response, beaming brightly at Sukuna. “Thanks, Daddy!”

“Anytime, princess.” Sukuna kissed her forehead, ignoring the soft coos from several students who oversaw the affectionate moment between their professor and his pup.

“Time’s up! Flip your quizzes over to the back and pass them to the right. You are dismissed once Uraume has collected the quizzes from your row.” Sukuna yelled to the students, making their way to the exit. Remember to have your synopsis ready for review by the next class!”

Yukina’s head shot up at the familiar scent of sweet peaches and warm cinnamon spice—one she would recognize anywhere, even if she were on the other side of the world—a smell that was home to her. Spotting someone with pink cherry blossom wavy tresses who entered amid the students leaving the auditorium, she flung herself out of the massive leather desk rollaway chair. She raced up the stairway while ignoring Sukuna’s scolding calls.

“ Mommy! ”

Yukina lunged at Yuuji’s arms wide open the instant they met halfway and spun her in the air, kissing her cheeks. Yukina’s squeals of elated giggles sprouted grins upon the last few students who paused to watch her be embraced warmly by her dam. A sense of nostalgia urged them to call their dams and sires once they returned to their dorms.

“Mommy! I missed yew,” Yukina whined as she fiercely rubbed her cheek against Yuuji’s scent gland on his neck.

“Oh, my sweet cub. I missed you too.” Yuuji crooned, scent-marking his pup as he forced down the tiny cloud of sadness of how much his pup had grown over the few years. He yearned her to stay small. “Did you finish all of your homework?”

“Yes!” Yukina chirped.

“All of it?” Yuuji raised a brow in question.

“Yes, she did,” Sukuna answered for Yukina as he walked up to them, carrying the diaper on one shoulder and Yukina’s pink tiger-patterned backpack on the other. “Our princess completed every homework sheet in her folder.”

Yuuji nodded proudly. “Good.” He gazed at Ryoichi, who was now wide awake, warbling squeaky growls with his arms outstretched towards his dam. Yuuji leaned over to kiss his forehead and cheeks, withdrawing once his pup was properly scent-marked. “Hello, my little prince.”

Yuuji then turned his attention to Sukuna, his gaze tendering in affection. “Hi, Alpha.”

“Omega,” Sukuna greeted huskily, curling an arm around Yuuji’s waist to yank him closer and crash their lips together in a soul-crushing passionate kiss. Yukina’s gag of disgust didn’t ruin the brief moment of bliss between the Alpha and Omega, even as they drifted apart with a subtle smack of their lips parting. “You still taste sweet like this morning,” Sukuna whispered hotly against his pulse, nuzzling the crook of his neck.

Yuuji blushed tenfold as recent memories of Sukuna breeding him before the sunrays peeked over the horizon earlier today flashed in his mind. He blocked the rush of heat before it nearly immersed his entire body in blazes of lust by pushing Sukuna away. Sukuna obliged with a final kiss, their eyes wordlessly promising a continuation later.

“Yuckie!” Yukina retched. “Mommy and Daddy have cooties now!”

“Ba-Ma-Da!” Ryoichi squealed as if in agreement with his sister’s statement.

“Oh?” Yuuji’s finger bopped the end of her nose, joking. “When you get older, I’ll tell ya the same thing!”

“Ew, no!” Yukina crossed her arms as her nose scrunched in disgust. “I won’t ever kwiss anyone! It’s gr-woss!”

“Good. Because no brat is worthy of being with my Princess,” Sukuna grunted as Yukina chirped in glee.

Yuuji rolled his eyes at Sukuna’s prideful remark. “Hopefully, you don’t eat your own words when she does bring someone over to visit.”

Sukuna snarled quietly. “Over my dead body.”

Yuuji sighed, patting the back of Sukuna’s hand as he entwined their fingers together and led them out of the auditorium. “C’mon, we’re going to be late. Remember we’re meeting Chousou, Eso, and Kechizu at the new restaurant near home?” He explained.

“Ah, yes. How could I forget when Chousou kept blowing up my phone about it, all the while checking up on his niece and nephew as if they weren’t under my supervision,” Sukuna grumbled.

Yuuji winced, remembering Chousou’s not-so-pleased reaction when he saw Sukuna and Yuuji walking back together from lunch three years ago. He swore Chousou was close to fainting when he heard about Sukuna being the one holding Yukina while Yuuji took his exam. Yuuji will never forget the same night, listening to Chousou lecture about the dangers of allowing an unknown Alpha to babysit his pup. It didn’t help much to Chousou’s grudge against Sukuna when he begrudgingly gave his blessing for Yuuji to be courted by the professor, glaring murderously at the older Alpha throughout their wedding ceremony when he found out just how much older the Alpha was compared to Yuuji.

It was a nine-year difference compared to Yuuji, who was twenty-one years old, but it was considered a tragedy to Chousou.

At every encounter Yuuji’s brothers and his pack got together, Chousou and Sukuna would have a silent Alpha stare-down until Yuki, Chousou’s mate, and Yuuji locked up the two Alphas in a storage room at Yuki’s new restaurant. Four agonizing hours later, Chousou and Sukuna exited without another sneer toward one another. Although it took some time for Chousou’s hatred towards Sukuna to lessen, the eldest sibling of the Itadori household finally perceived how devoted Sukuna was to Yuuji and the pups over the past few years he and Yuuji were together. With a final threat to castrate Sukuna with his bare hands if he ever harmed Yuuji and the pups, Chousou competed for his niece’s and nephew’s affection daily to grate Sukuna’s last nerve.

Yuuji knew his eldest brother would always be overprotective of him, no matter how old he was.

“Well, it was his fault for canceling at the last minute today again . Besides,” Yuuji gently nudged Sukuna on the side with his elbow as he grinned up at him. “It’s not every day your hot professor is a last-minute babysitter.”

Sukuna scoffed, appearing unaffected by his mate’s bold statement, but the faint rosy tint on the top of his ears and cheeks gave him away. “Cheeky brat.”

Yuuji laughed, feeling happier than he had in a long time.