Chapter Text
Shōyō
The cold bit at Shōyō’s skin as he moved through the dark forest. The moon absent from the sky made for no light through the bare branches of the trees, but he knew the terrain well and moved with fierce determination. One… two… the sound of his feet crushing leaves and smaller sticks kept him focused. Snow had begun to fall, covering the ground with a white and treacherous layer that helped his steps become more silent.
His whole body hurt, his face red from the cold, his legs sending electricity to his body as a sign of exhaustion, his arms heavy, holding tightly the little bundle of blankets close to his chest. In his arms, a baby slept peacefully, oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them. Shōyō had managed to escape the raiders, but he knew they were not far. Their shouts and the clamor of destruction still echoed in his ears, reminding him of the tragedy he had left behind.
Every time the wind blew, Shōyō shivered, fearing that the sound might betray his position. He turned his attention momentarily to the little bundle in his arms, some bright red locks of hair were picking out of the blankets but Hinata couldn’t distract himself from the run. Three… Four
Tears mixed with the snow on his face, but he couldn’t afford to stop, not now at least, - keep going - that was it. His thoughts were a whirlwind: his home reduced to rubble, his neighbors murdered, his mother killed… offered to the raiders by his father, cowardly trying to save his own Alpha ass. Shōyō could only look in terror filled with desperation, push of fleeing with his only remaining possession: his sister. At least he could see the same desperation in his father’s eyes when the raiders cut his throat, the same look of desperation that Hinata had when he presented Omega, the same desperation his mother had when his father became aggressive, the same desperation they shared when Natsu was born and her scent started coming up sweet alongside the powdery pup scent. At least at the end of his life, Hinata’s father was able to feel a fraction of the distress and desperation most Omegas felt daily.
Shōyō continued running between the trees, hoping to find some shelter, someplace where he could hide and protect his little one. Fear was a constant shadow, and the cold grew increasingly relentless. Yet, the love he felt for his sister gave him the strength needed to keep going, to overcome exhaustion and despair. Any other person would have already given up, Shōyō took a deep breath, he could do it, his body was gifted with athletic superiority, and he could outrun them. He could not let sorrow defeat him. As the forest plunged deeper into the winter's darkness, Shōyō moved forward with the only certainty that he must protect his sister at all costs, no matter what the night might bring.
Five…. Six… he heard them, their harsh voices and coarse laughter, the darkness only appeared to help the awful sound expand and envelop the young Omegas. He clutched the small girl against his chest even closer. Surely they were tracking them by smell, Hinata’s sweet orange smell was acrid by the fear, the trees like twisted shadows, seemed to conspire to slow him down, and more than once he stumbled, falling to his knees in the cold mud. But he always rose, whispering comforting words to the tiny creature in his arms, though inside, fear throbbed like a second heartbeat.
In the distance, he heard the sound of rushing water, a noise that filled him with both hope and terror. The river. If he could cross it, maybe—just maybe—he could lose the raiders in the darkness. His feet, numb from the cold, carried him to the edge. The water was as dark as the night itself, and the current seemed faster than he had remembered. Seven….how many times had he and his mom visited the river, to get water, do laundry or just escape from the fists and screams of his father? How many summers he had come all the way here to grab herbs and flowers? This river didn’t look like the one he grew up with, this was a force of Nature, Heartless, Cold, Angry, Ruthless. Could it be that even nature despises them? Was even fate against Omegas in this world?
Shōyō walked a little closer to the water, behind him, the voices grew closer, his pursuers nearing with every moment. If someone could do it, it was him. Eight… He looked at his sister, rosie cheeks, bright red hair, dark eyes, not yet the final color. She looked just like him, just like their mother. Thank the gods, he could only pray for her eyes to be the soft chocolate color of their mother, and not like his, ambar, almost gold like their sire. He took a deep breath, the soft baby powdery smell was very strong as it was in all small pups, but just under that a sweet citrusy smell just like Shōyō’s, an Omega smell, for some pups it was very easy to tell, for other not much, but he was certain, Natsu was an omega, like him, like their mother. He gave her a small kiss on her head, and the little girl let out a giggle that threatened to make Shōyō cry again.
Then he smelled it, a strong scent, like something spicy with a hint of smoke. His body tensed. There was no time. Nine…. There was no choice. Ten…
The cold of the water struck him like a dagger when he jumped, clutching the pup tighter. He felt the weight of winter in every stroke, the soaked fabric dragging him down, but he couldn’t stop. Natsu began to cry feeling the cold, the sound faint amid the roar of the current and the deafening pulse of his own heart. The icy water bit at his skin, numbing him, but he kept fighting, moving further from the shore, further from the threat he had left behind.
The raiders would reach the river and see him on the other side, he knew. But they wouldn’t be able to cross, they were not as fast as him, if he could keep his head above the water, perhaps the forest on the far side would protect him, and perhaps the river would be their salvation. He wished for it with all his soul.
The future was uncertain, but at that moment, it didn’t matter. Only the now mattered, only the next breath. One more. One more, for himself and for the little one who depended on him to survive in this brutal world. One more… for their mother who was too kind to join them in life. One… he heard the arrow fly by his head falling into the water… two… the second one flew even closer, Run… Faster… is so close, the water is again by your waist, only some more steps… Three… the brutal pain in the middle of the back hit Hinata and the world seemed to disappear into darkness… Four… the next arrow went at the left shoulder. A little more, just get behind the rocks for cover, they won’t be able to see a target… Five…
He woke up.
The redhead jolted awake, cold sweat clinging to his forehead and his heart racing wildly in his chest. The nightmare still lingered in Hinata’s mind like a persistent shadow. The memory of the attack just a month ago replayed with the intensity of an endless cycle.
Yet, as he opened his eyes to the dimness of their new home, the silence was almost unreal. The cottage, though modest, was imbued with a calm that starkly contrasted with the chaos of my dreams. The only light came from the soft glow of moonlight passing through the windows. Hinata looked frantically around to see Natsu sleeping in her little section of the nest. She was peaceful breathing, lulled by sleep, her safety and comfort were the only certainty amidst his inner storm.
With his heart still racing, Shōyō moved closer to the smaller nest. Her tiny body, wrapped in blankets, moved slowly with the rhythm of his breath. She was a constant reminder that despite the horrors of the past, Shōyō had found refuge here, in this secluded corner of the world.
Hinata leaned over her, making sure she was comfortable and safe. The acrid scent was becoming more and more sweet until it became the natural late summer scent, like walking around an orange tree plantation on a warm day. Once his heartbeat was stable and the sense of imminent danger had disappeared he covered himself with the blanket and tried to go back to sleep.
No matter the comfort of the nest, Hinata’s mind was still racing a little, he took a deep breath and sat back, he had been incredibly lucky, lucky that he had managed to cross the river, lucky that Natsu didn’t freeze to death, lucky that the arrows didn’t hit any vital organs. Yes… but the most important thing to be grateful for was Sugawara, who had found them a few hours later, Shōyō cold from the water giving warmth to his sister and with a bloody back with arrows.
Hinata didn’t even know the older Omega, and he had shelter them, Suga tended his wounds, and even gave them a room so they could nest and recover and most of all, be safe. Shōyō couldn’t help but let a few tears run down his face. Even after being there for something close of two months and almost fully recovered, Suga didn’t even let him ask for a number to repay him, and dismissed every attempt when Hinata said that he’d move out. Gods the silver-haired man basically had scolded Shōyō with kindness screaming he wasn’t intruding or using space. Sugawara Kōshi was the older sibling Hinata always had wanted.
He was left there… sitting in the darkness with his thoughts until the signs of morning made for a good excuse to wake up, the first light of day streamed through the windows of the modest building, “Silver Crow’s Apothecary” was the name. It fits very nicely in Hinata’s opinion. For what he knew the apothecary and herbal remedy shop had been opened by Suga’s parents as an extension of their family’s Minka and apparently the silver hair was very distinctive of the Sugawara family. The shop, with its shelves brimming with jars of dried herbs, ointments, and potent tinctures, holds a protective aura.
Shōyō made his way to the small kitchen behind the shop area, put some firewood in the kamado, and started boiling some water, before also setting the irori, the main fireplace, looking through the window there was a very thin layer of snow covering the back garden, the small greenhouse was also covered, he liked snow but not the cold.
He was about to turn to the pantry to grab some eggs and bread when a small figure appeared next to the stairs, Yachi Hitoka.
“Good morning Yachi,” said the redhead, almost immediately the blonde girl turned around startled “Oh.. sorry I didn’t mean to scare you”. The look in her eyes softened and she entered the kitchen “Oh… no, no Hinata is okay, Is just morning…” —and afternoons and night— though Shōyō.
Hitoka lived in the Silver Crow long before Hinata arrived, as far as he knew. The blonde omega was almost Suga’s sister. She had come into his life when Sugawara’s Father was still alive and she helped with the Apothecary and finances. She also slept in a small bedroom in the attic, and sometimes in a hidden nest just behind the high shelves of the store.
Yachi offered a soft smile and walked into the kitchen, she walked closer to the fire to warm up a little before moving with agility among the kitchen utensils. Despite the rudimentary appearance of their home, there was something in the way Yachi handled the ingredients and the fire that revealed a special skill and passion for cooking. Her hands, calloused from work, were in constant motion as she prepared a simple yet nutritious mixture of oats and honey.
“You don’t have to make breakfast for everyone every day, Yachi,” Said Shōyō cheerfully as he moved the kettle and prepared some tea.
“I enjoy it, It makes sure to wake up my mind for the day, I hope you slept well. You look almost fully recovered.” Said pointing to the bandage visible on his shoulder. Shōyō turned away his eyes avoiding the attention.
“Yes… good sleep, Natsu was calm the whole night so… I think I rested well enough” said trying to move on the subject. “I should prepare some milk for her”
Yachi sat in one of the zabuton and wrapped a blanket to protect herself from the morning chill, her scent was very bright, lilac with a hint of honeycomb, calming and serene. She looked up with a smile. “She’s so lucky to have you, Natsu... I mean, and if you ever need someone to help you out I’m more than happy” she blushed a little “I mean… Suga and I, or just Suga, whoever you feel comfortable with… is that tea?..” said drinking from her cup embarrassed.
Hinata could not help but laugh a little “Of course I am comfortable with you and Natsu… I’ll bring her in a moment” Shōyō walked back to the room, Natsu was already awake putting her fingers on her mouth as if the most interesting thing in the world. “Hi princess… mamma is here…” said Shōyō picking her up. The little pup was giggling, she also had gained some weight thanks to Suga, her cheeks looked rosy from the morning chill but she didn’t seem to mind, as long as she was in his brother’s arms.
When Shōyō returned to the kitchen, Sugawara was already sitting at the little table “Morning Hinata, how’s baby Natsu” said while taking a spoonful of cereal. As if she was answering for herself Natsu let a little scream followed by a giggle, it was amazing to Shōyō how the older omega could always make Natsu giggle and smile, he wasn’t sure what it was, was it the clean linen smell? the warmth in his smile? The confidence when holding her? He wasn’t sure but he was glad to have help.
In response to the giggles the silver-haired chuckled “Happy and hungry I see” said while watching Hinata feed her the milk from a bottle. Everyone continued eating, the comforting silence surrounded the four omegas.
“Have you heard anything interesting lately?” Yachi asked as she added a spoonful of honey to her food.
Suga nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, actually. I heard Udai-san will be coming back soon from the Shiratorizawa Kingdom, I hope he brings more botanic books. I think some of them could have useful information for our own remedies.”
Shōyo’s face lit up with interest. “That sounds exciting, who is this Udai-san?”
Sugawara smiled kindly, “An old friend, he is a cartographer, travels a lot, his family has always been at the service of the Emperor and the Noble Houses, but he lives here, at the artisan district. I’ll introduce you when he returns” He started to rise and approach to grab Natsu “Now, finish your breakfast, I’ll handle Natsu, and Hitoka will bathe her while I change your bandages, you're doing great but we can't be overly cautions”
Hinata sat a little straighter hearing that “Yes… thank you Suga-san” The oldest omega smiled “Oh Shōyō, don’t mention it, you're healing way faster than I would have expected" He laughed a little as if the extreme gratitude of the young omega was amusing to him "Depending on how the wounds look, I could think about letting you start helping around the store, I would help you regain full mobility after all.”