A/N: Hello! Well I hope everyone is being safe with this Corona Virus Covid-19 crisis. I want everyone to be safe. While I have nothing to do, my goal is to write. This came to mind. Let me know If you think this deserves a continuation or if I should stop while I am ahead.

-Traditional Twist

Chapter 8: Rut begins

The moment Tokoyami left the Asui household, he felt the first itch. That itch that crawls under the skin starting at the base of his neck and crawled to his toes. That itch that made his fingers twitch and coil. The itch that made him feel anxious and that made him furious at the same time. His hands were getting clammy. Sweat was trickling down his glands. His rut was coming. And it was coming faster than he wanted.

"I feel stronger," Dark Shadow spoke from within. "This rut is coming on quick."

Tokoyami growled at his quirk, then stopped. Growling normally didn't happen until a day into his rut. This was bad. He had never had a rut come on so quick. He was going to need supplies. As he walked into the nearest store, he pulled out his phone to call the only other person who had seen him at his worst.

"Tokoyami!" Shoji's voice rang with excitement. "Is Tsu's heat over? How was your first week with your soulmate? Did her family like you?"

"It went well. Her family is very kind and supportive."

"That's great! Was it weird at all?"

Tokoyami grabbed a shopping bag and walked down the aisles of the random store. Hoping that the sound of picking things up would disguise then gruff tone to his voice "It was peculiar at first. I mean, this was not exactly what expected to happen. Though having the whole week and her family really helped "

"I bet! I know you were not expecting to find your soul mate during combat training," Shoji said.

"Yeah. It was very unexpected. I'm just glad Tsu said I was helpful throughout her heat."

"Did she help you through your rut as well?"

Tokoyami groaned. He wanted a distraction to make it through the store. His arm was grabbing objects that felt right. A low growl snuck through his beak. "I didn't claim Tsu until a few hours ago. It was the last day of her heat."

"But you claimed Tsu… right?" Shoji prodded

"Yes." Tokoyami felt that itch grow again. It was in his clammy fingers. He was ready to throw something.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Is your rut starting now?"

It was no use lying to Shoi. He would figure out what was going on. "I can feel the paranoia of darkness building," Tokoyami admitted. "I told Tsu I'd see her at school."

"Did you tell her that before your rut started, or did you lie to her so you could leave?" Shoji was a minimalist in lifestyle and in conversation. He always knew how to cut straight to the point.

"I felt my rut begin as soon as I claimed her," Tokoyami's muttering turned more into a growl. "This is the fastest one has ever come on."

"Tokoyami," Shoji's concern couldn't be hidden, "Tsu's your soulmate! She's supposed to help you through this. You should have said that it was starting then!"

"I know! Fuck! I think that's why I called you. I… I can't face the idea of being abandoned during another rut." Tokoyami grabbed several large fluffy blankets and stuffed them in his bag."I'm sorry my rut is making me agitated."

Shoji heard the crinkling in the background. "Where are you?"

"A store. I'm not sure which one. I'm…" Tokoyami looked down at his bag now filled with a wide variety of materials. He didn't even remember grabbing half of these things. "I'm buying stuff for a nest I think."

"You need to get home quick. Instinct buying is never a good sign. Can you send me Tsu's address? I think I understand what you are asking me."

"Sure, Shoji. Yeah, I will send it to you."

"Tokoyami, do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Turn that flood light on in your living room as soon as you get home."

Tokoyami growled as Shoji mentioned the light. "I will."

"I mean it," Shoji said.

Tokoyami didn't have a response so he hung up the phone. Something seethed within him. Dark Shadow laughed in his head. "Tsu will be coming. Don't fuck it up like last time."

Tsu had been silent since her mother picked her up from the Omega home. It was needless to say that the visit with Tokoyami's mother had not gone according to plan. Now Tsu sat in the passenger seat. Her mother, Beru, patted her knee.

"I'm sorry, Tadpole. This seems like your meeting was more of a let down."

"It's okay mom, ribbit," Tsu said with a sigh. "I'm just so sad for Fumikage. He doesn't deserve someone who would abandon him when he needed them."

"This is a shame. He probably took great care of his mother. It's selfish really," Beru said.

Tsu nodded. "I need to show Fumikage that someone cares for him."

The pair pulled up to the house and went inside. Upon entering their home something strange was inside. On the couch a large, white haired teen with multiple limbs, sat next to Ganma. Tsu ribbed in surprise to see her classmate. "Shoji?"

"Tsu. How are you?" A tentacle mouth spoke.

Tsu and Beru walked over to the couch and sat down. "I'm fine. What are you doing here Shoji?"

Shoji rubbed the back of his neck. "I… I'm here to talk to you about Tokoyami. You see, he started his rut."

Ganma suddenly coughed. "That quickly? It hasn't even been a day."

"And he probably wouldn't have ever told you when it started. You see there are some things you should know about Tokoyami," Shoji said.

"Would it not be like a normal alpha's rut?" Beru asked.

Shoji shook his head. He turned his attention to Tsu. "This is really more difficult and awkward to explain than I thought. Tsu, why do alphas have ruts?"

"To keep their Omega safe during heat. To make sure pregnancy happens. There are a lot of reasons." Tsu stared at Shoji and answered flatly. It was as if she was reading an answer from a Health textbook.

"But what is the main reason," Shoji asked.

"I guess to protect the Omega," Tsu said.

"Right. And who is Tokoyami's Omega?"

Tsu pointed to herself. "I am."

"Exactly. Tokoyami is in rut for you. He is in protector mode. He needs something to look after. Here is the problem, during his first rut, his mother left him half way through it. His trauma is triggered every rut. He has this need to do it right. If it's not right he takes all that anger and frustration out on himself. Now whenever he goes into rut, he needs to hear clear directions on what to do, or else he gets terrifyingly angry. When he is scared and mad, Dark Shadow grows. He has no control of his quirk when he is in his rut. It's… It's a lot."

"Are you saying Tsu could get hurt?" Ganma asked.

"The opposite, actually," Shoji corrected. "Tokoyami is more likely to hurt himself. You're going to have to keep him reassured. And if he loses control of Dark Shadow… we will need a plan for that."

Beru patted Shoji on the leg. "You are such a sweet friend to worry about Tokoyami so much. You forgot that Tsu and Tokoyami are soulmates. She can calm him with her hum and scenting."

"I'm just speaking from experience. I thought as a beta I could help Tokoyami the last rut he had. I showed up to work on a project. He told me to leave. I thought I could help. I mean, just watching how physically angry he was. I couldn't leave him home alone. So I stayed. I don't regret it necessarily, but I wish I would have been better prepared. There was a lot of physical fighting. I just don't want Tsu to walk into something unprepared."

"I appreciate that, Shoji, ribbit.I want to go take care of Tokoyami. What do I need before going over?" Tsu asked.

"Pack a bag for you to stay for a while. Then We need to go get some food and things. Tokoymi has gotten some things but… he's instinct shopping at this point."

Tsu nodded. "I'll get my bag."

Shoji and Tsu didn't speak much on their way to the grocery store. She followed Shoji to the fruit section. He grabbed a bag and began to fill it with apples. "Tokoyami loves apples. This will help calm his anxiety."

"Ribbit." Tsu started to collect apples as well. "I feel like you are holding something back, Shoji"

Shoji nodded. "I am."

"What?"

"I don't want to scare you, but Tokoyami is not easy to deal with. You never know how long a rut will last. Maybe this will be a short one since you are with him. But he is really damaged."

"I can see why," tsu said. "I met his mom today."

Shoji dropped the apple in his hand. "You what?"

"I went to the omega home where she is staying to see if she could tell me anything about his rut. She told me to leave after that. She just left him, didn't sh?"

"Could you imagine what would have happened if Tokoyami left you halfway through your heat?"

Tsu shook her head. "Let's get the rest of what we need quickly. I don't want Tokoyami alone longer than he needs to be."

When they arrived at Tokoyami's house, there were several angry noises escaping from the apartment walls. Shoji grabbed the door handle. "Please, Tokoyami may be angry, but he is quite delicate now. Be gentle with him."

They opened the door and walked inside. Tokoyami stood in the middle of the living room. Several blankets, pillows, cushines, and more were stacked in a well organized disk. Tsu was in awe at how impressive the design was. "Is that a nest?" She asked.

Tokoyami turned his head towards her. "Omega?"

"Alpha, ribbit."

Tokoyami turned back to the nest. "Fuck! It's not good enough." Dark Shadow sprung from his chest and disassembled the structure, and Tokoyami turned to the nearest wall and punched it. His hand bruised as he pulled it from the hole in the plaster.

Tsu turned to Shoji with wide eyes. Shoji nodded. "This is not even the worst reaction."