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Zeb took a last look to his room, looking for any imperfection on his work. After almost a minute of contemplation, he decided that this would be the best he could offer to his partner, mate, considering their current circumstances and the materials at hand. One part of him, the part that was a proud full lasat who wanted to properly court his lover in his people way, found the nest he had been working for weeks lacking of everything he had wished be able to provide to his mate.
Alex deserved better. His lover deserved the softest of the pillows and the finest fabrics and clothes as well as the most homely and beautiful room in which they could relax and rest secure. Instead, he had to use one of the room in Yavin IV which was barely largest enough for both of them and the pillows and sheets were, mostly, the ones provided by the Rebellion and the few ones that weren’t he got them from second/hands stores when he ran supply mission in Out-rim planets.
He let out a sigh, trying to let go his own criticism and disappointment. They were fighting a war! And even if it wasn’t the most traditional or fancy nest, the most important thing was they being together as a couple sharing Kallus’ first heat together and his mate’s comfort. That last one was essential to the Lasat: He wanted everything to be perfect for the human.
The ex-captain of the Lasan’s Royal Guard had known so little about human court rites or second sex etiquette before he met Sasha since it wasn’t something he put attention. He had been aware of the fact the humans and near humans had a second sexual denomination which affects them physical but he wasn’t really informed about of the small details than involved being an omega, in the Empire or the Rebellion, Kanan was a Beta and Sabine and Ezra were Alphas (Both of them were still too young to deal with ruts). When he had his affairs with others beings, they weren’t usually humanoids and when they were, they were usually betas so, he hadn’t had a contact with omegas (or alphas) outside casual contexts.
However, after meeting Kallus he found himself interested on this little difference between human biology and their sexuality spectrum in contrast with his specie. At first, it was because he wanted to know more about his enemy to understand him better but, then, Bayrin changed everything and he started to learn about Omegas because he was kind of personal invested in the man. If someone of his family noted the change in his behaviour, no one said anything.
Kanan had helped him to understand the biological aspects of it as the Jedi explained him the differences between Alpha, Beta and Omega -as well as the little details and conditions depending on the primary sex (male, female or intersexual)- theoretically and some of the most share cultural view about it but, due the Jedi’s private nature, it was Sabine who helped him understand the most of it.
The Mandolorian was more mature than her age equivalents usually were and she was sensible enough to not mocking him when he started asking questions. It wasn’t like Zeb was clueless or was a dumb -He acted like one but he wasn’t one- and he could intuit most of human behaviours but he didn’t want to insult any human’s sensitivities with cultural misunderstood. With Sabine’s guidance, he realized that humans and near humans weren’t so different to Lasats in courtship and mating rites except a little more bigot and close minded, especially when it was referring to inter-species intercourses.
For the Lasats, it didn’t matter sex or gender identity as long as all the parts were adults and they consented the relationship. It wasn’t expected that every relation ended in physical intercourses or resulted in kits so, unlike the empire, same sex relationship was common. Any mating was perceived as destined by the Ashla and blessed by it as well.
When Zeb realized he was in love with Sasha, after a few months of an easy but deep friendship, he grew nervous since he wasn’t sure that the blond was attracted to male identified beings or not humans. The fear that some of the prejudices of the empire had let a deep wound in the manmade the Lasat uneasy but he wasn’t a kit and he did what any other sensible adult should do: He talked with Sasha. They both were mature enough to express themselves clearly and they were conscious that they were in war and they could lose the other any day, the loss of Kanan and Ezra as well as Hera’s mourning was still fresh in their minds.
Zeb was alleviated and blissful when his beloved let him know that he reciprocated his feeling. He immediately wanted to let everyone know about his intention to be with this strong human and declare him to protect and provide. Nevertheless, they decided to keep their relationship between them and their close friends; Kallus was a private and discreet man and he didn’t want to bring the attention over themselves.
Yet Kallus let Zeb court him the Lasat way with two conditions: The first one was that he would let responded every gesture with an equivalent of his own and the second one was that they wouldn’t do the usual human courtships, the ex-imperial preferred to ignore his second sex and he wanted those others did the same. The former captain understood that his beloved didn’t have good experience regards he being an omega so, he accepted his conditions without problems.
It was kind of complicate to follow Lasat’s traditions without making obvious they were a couple but Zeb tried his best to compromise. He couldn’t show off how good hunter and a fighter he was, and it wasn’t needed since the blond already knew it, neither he could build and decor a house for his mate but he could give him his soul, represented in a piece of jewellery made with his own hands. After a few week of being together, they privately exchanged a pair of bracelets that they were on their left wrists; the ones made by Zeb were made of carved wood and crystals and Sasha’s were made of sculpted metal. In Lasat, this ceremony would be public and they would throw a party after it but there, in Yavin, they did in the Ghost with Sabine, Hera and Chopper as their only witnesses and they shared a small dinner with them.
But no matter if they tried to not focus in the omegahood of Kallus, they couldn’t ignore it forever since it was part of the man. When the blond had to change his suppressants regimen because his usual medicines weren’t available for him as the rebellion was facing a shortage, they had to face the biology of the ex-imperial since in the process of changing medicines, he would have to experience a heat.
Obviously, Zeb wanted to be there for his mate and he let him know it. At first, Sasha had been shaken by the willingness of the Lasat as if he couldn’t believe it but, after a long and serious conversation, he accepted his help. The talks with Sabine proved useful since he knew everything his mate could need and he quickly started to recollected it, the small supply cabinet they had in their room was full of vitawater, ration bars and Kal favourite snacks, but he hadn’t been as fast to build the nest as, for what he understood, it was too important for any distress omega in heat and he didn’t want to screw up.
Building the nest was one of the things that were contradictory in Lasat culture since, for humans and near humans, the omega was the one who were supposed to build it but the lasats, when a carrier was part of a couple, usually left the building of a safe space to the sire. As he didn’t want to overstep Sasha’s boundaries, he asked him and the omega had shyly admitted that he had never built a nest in his life but he didn’t mind if Zeb build it; he really would prefer if the lasat did it.
That should have tranquilized Zeb but, as time passed, he noticed how the blond became more wary, more than usual, of his surroundings and only knew peace in their room or the Ghost and the Lasat knew that his instincts were kicking off and he needed a nest. So, the former captain was responsible of building between shifts at the same time made overworked himself trying to “compensate” the time he would spend in his heat -which increased the stress of the Omega-.
Following Sabine’s advices and some pointers made by Rex, who mentioned some people he knew -Cody and Obi-wan- as reference, he collected every cushion, pillows and sheets he found and, after passing a scent and softness check for Kal, he used them in their nest, Sasha’s nest. And, yet, the familiar feeling of dissatisfaction was still crushing him.
The door clicking opened called his attention and he turned around to find his mate there with a furious blush and a sweat over his forehead. They had knew the blond’s heat was closer but Sasha had insisted on finished some decoding before taking his leave; it seemed that the heat had won over the intelligence man’s stubbornness.
“Is everything alright? How are you feelin’?” He asked worried getting close to his mate and taking his hands between his and kissed them.
It wasn’t the first time he smelled an Omega, in and out heat, but he had never found it attractive or enticing as his Sasha’s scent. He smelled better than usual, making difficult for him to not take his lover at the moment, but the fact that his own odour was mixed with the other’s made it better since they were already mated. Scent and odours were important for Lasats and it give him a big satisfaction be able to smell himself in his mate.
He had always known that odours were important for humans too but they didn’t have a nose as delicate and keen as Lasats or Wookie. He could detect some undertones that were imperceptible to humans. Yet, some humans found that scents that he found delightful repugnant, like his own natural odour and how often Ezra (and other fellow rebels) remaindered him. But the real reason behind his “strong” smell was because usually scents was one of the things that they used to call the attention for potential partners.
His Sasha’s scent was incredible. It’s wasn’t particularly sweet and it had earthy undertones that reminded him of Lasan and Lira San, that reminded him of home. It was as if the human was made for him by the Ashla. The former captain couldn’t remember meeting someone whose scent were so good…
“It’s beautiful” Kal said with small voice. Taking Zeb back to reality and making him to look up, to look his mate to the face. He was surprised by Alex’s teary eyes.
“Mmmm?” Zeb exclaimed confused but concern for the other’s wellbeing. However, Kal didn’t look at him immediately since he was watching around the room, enchanted by the lasat’s work.
“Our nest, it’s perfect” He explained and, then, gave the most sweet and bright smile to his mate. “It’s so beautiful” He repeated almost sobbing. “Thank you”.
“No worries, darling” He answered as he took his face between his hands. “It’s all for you,” he said softly as he wiped the tears away and caressed his lover’s face. “I love you, Sasha”.
“And I love you, Zeb” He responded with broken voice. “My Zeb…” He murmured before he got closed to the lasat and kissed him.
When they separated, the human continued to kissing him, the lasat way, enjoying the feeling of the softness of his lover fur against his cheek. Zeb took a deep breath and, being closer and more exposed to the other’s scent, he couldn’t avoid the low groan of pleasure and excitement that escaped for him when he smelled how wet the other was between his legs, his heat was coming quicker than expected.
The lasat felt a little embarrassed by his reaction since it sounded so animalistic but, as usual, that didn’t frighten his mate as he was used to his reactions. For the contrary, the Zeb could smell the spikes of excitation in his love’s scent. He playfully let out a purring at the same time he gave small kisses and licks on the other’s mate before he said to his ear:
“Why don’t you go and explore your nest, love?” He groaned and Alex just nodded before he slowly separated for him and, with shaky legs, he walked toward their bed and started to scented the pillows and sheets.
Zeb took his comm out of his pocket and sent a short text to his family to let them know about Sasha’s status and, then, put it away since he didn’t plan to be distracted by anything. The only thing that would made him go out of the room, and he would take Kal with him, was an attack of the Empire.
When he looked at his mate and he felt his heart melted with how adorable (Yes, he used the world adorable to describe Alexasandr Kallus) he looked on the nest. The omega had taken out of his shoes and cocooned himself under all the pillows and cushions on their bed. He seemed to be enjoying having a nest for himself for the first time in his life and Zeb felt proud of being able to give him that little comfort.
“Are you coming?” The blond asked with a low and raspy voice awaking something wilder in the lasat who just smiled at the invitation to come into the nest.
“Of Course” He purred.