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Akashi tried his hardest not to grimace in front of the mirror as his mother adjusted his bow tie again.
“Mother, why do you even bother doing this every year?”
The beautiful omegan lady chuckled, “Seijuurou, you’ve never been fond of the mating waltz, have you?”
“Why would I? Father always comes home disappointed every year because I didn’t choose anyone.”
The lady smiled into the mirror. She lovingly caressing her alpha son’s face, “This year…for sure.”
Akashi sighed, “That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
“Mother’s intuition.”
The Mating Waltz was an elegant event. It was where unpaired alphas and omegas gathered in a huge ballroom to dance the night’s waltz. Alphas would lead omegas with the traditional dance accompanied by soothing music. Each time the omegas were twirled, they would be switched to be paired with another. This will go on until they find the one they’re most suited with. If they ever find them that is.
Akashi had participated for 6 years with no luck. He couldn’t stand any of the omegas’ scent. He couldn’t even dance with them for much longer than a single chorus of the chosen song. He honestly wanted to give up at the age of 20. But his mother urged him on. He could always pair up with a beta. But betas were incapable of handling his strong alpha pheromones.
He needed an omega to ground him and vice versa. Truth be told, Akashi had wondered if perhaps he was destined to be a lone alpha all his life. The alpha looked out the window of his car and sighed. Once they had arrived, Akashi put on his black mask and tied it neatly. He exited his car with elegance and grace, mirroring his status and origin. It was a masquerade ball after all. With his black swallow-tail coat beautifully flowing down his body, Akashi made his entrance.
What omega wouldn’t want to charm him?
The grand ballroom was famous for its ambiance. It had luscious red curtains, romantic candles and an array of delicious hors d'oeuvre. And finally, the main highlight was the sparkling chandelier above the dance floor.
Akashi made his way to the middle, in midst the crowd as he waited for the waltz to begin.
Suddenly, his nose twitched, his spine tingled and his eyes widened. There was….a scent. Or something in the air that was different from previous years. Akashi turned sharply, trying to pinpoint where the scent was coming from. His eyes anxiously searched around the sea of alphas and omegas but to no avail. The scent was too faint but it was definitely wafting from someone.
The waltz music started serenading.
Akashi mindlessly paired up with a female omega and guided her to a slow waltz. He must have looked so awkward because Akashi was trying to focus on the scent. It was such a delectable smell. It wafted around Akashi’s nose and clouded his senses.
The alpha soon twirled the omega and released her to be paired with another alpha. He randomly paired himself with a different omega.
‘Not this one.’
Akashi switched again.
‘Not this one either.’
And again.
‘Nope.’
Honestly, it was frustrating. The smell was there but faint. Without warning, the scent hit his senses again. Akashi turned and carefully analyzed the surrounding pairs. Sadly, he then realized that it wasn’t exactly the person he was looking for. But for sure, the alpha dancing beside him had that faint scent on him.
It meant that that tantalizing scented-omega had danced with that particular alpha. Akashi’s blood boiled. How could he let that omega dance with another alpha? …whoever that omega was…
Instantly, the scent grew stronger as though-…As though the omega he was looking for had just danced past him.
Akashi involuntarily let go of the omega he was dancing with, “I’m- Forgive me.”
The female omega tilted her head in confusion but she was soon swept away by a bold female alpha.
Akashi stood dumbfounded.
The smell was drifting around him, teasing him, taunting him.
The red-haired alpha was left standing in the middle of the ballroom, confused and frustrated.
He was lost.
Until… soft hands entangled Akashi’s and the color of pure white came into sight. The alpha froze. A person had intimately approached him and casually positioned them in a pre-dance position.
“Hello, Akashi.”
The smell was so strong that Akashi took some time to register the omega in his arms. Blue orbs striking out of a silky white mask. Soft skin clad in a beautiful white swallow-tail coat. Plump lips curving upwards in a warm smile…
The omega’s scent and features brought Akashi to a past memory of when he was merely a child. He used to play with someone… Someone with blue hair and the smile of an angel…
“..Kuroko…!” Akashi whispered in shock.
Kuroko was still smiling at him, “Would you like to have this dance?”
The red-haired alpha smirked.
Grasping Kuroko’s hand and hip, Akashi expertly led the omega into a spectacular waltz. Kuroko looked…stunning. He had grown magnificently. Kuroko’s curves were insinuated by his lean body. His face was without a single blemish. And he still retained his dazzling eyes and blue hair as well.
“It’s been awhile, Kuroko.”
“It sure has. How has life treated you?”
Akashi actually deadpanned, “Miserably.”
“That’s what your mother told me.”
The alpha twirled Kuroko but did not let him go to be switched with another, “You met my mother?”
“I needed her permission to court her son again.”
“Agai-?” Akashi remained silent.
He remembered spending endless summers with Kuroko….before Kuroko went away…forever.
“You left because you knew?” Akashi asked curiously.
Kuroko leaned his head onto the alpha’s shoulder. The omega opted for a slow waltz instead, “I was crazy for you… But you hadn’t matured yet. And I had to get away or we might have accidentally mated when we were 10.”
“You mean I would have humped you the second I matured and sniffed you as an adult?”
Kuroko looked mildly disturbed but he nodded, “Pretty much.”
“And you left me all these years because?”
Kuroko snickered and lifted his head towards his alpha. He brushed their noses together, “I love the letters your mother sent to me. She always wrote that you didn’t bring anyone home. Yet again.”
“Mean.”
They continued dancing, staring at each other, wrapped in their own world. Kuroko closed the gap between their bodies and tilted his head to reveal his bare neck.
Akashi eyed the vulnerable spot and appreciated the submissive gesture. How could he resist? The alpha leaned downwards and inhaled Kuroko’s scent. It was as sweet as he remembered. The alpha chuckled fondly, tickling the omega’s sensitive skin, “I missed you…”
Kuroko rubbed his face against Akashi’s head, “Me too..”
For hours and hours, they danced. Even when the other alphas and omegas had left, Akashi and Kuroko continued their waltz. They knew. There would be no regrets in their future lives together.
As they came to their final twirl, both of them parted and bowed traditionally. Akashi smiled and lifted his hands towards Kuroko’s bowed head. He gently untied the mask and took it off to fully see his omega’s face.
Kuroko opened his eyes and greeted his alpha with a smile, “Akashi..”
Akashi held back the urge to just hug Kuroko again. Kuroko was all he would ever need. In every way possible.
The alpha took his own mask off before cupping the blue-haired omega, “Kuroko..”
In the empty ballroom, their bodies inched closer and closer. Finally, their lips touched and sparks ignited in their first kiss as mates.
After their kiss, Kuroko bumped Akashi’s forehead, “How was your last waltz, alpha Akashi?”
The red-haired alpha laughed breathlessly, “Perfect.”
Akashi groggily woke up and patted the side of his cold bed. Wait…cold bed?
The alpha abruptly got up and realized that his omega was no longer next to him. After the masquerade ball, Akashi had brought Kuroko home, introduced the omega to his ecstatic parents and fell asleep due to exhaustion. But he was certain that they cuddled for hours. Naked.
Akashi rummaged his bed for signs of Kuroko but only found a single piece of paper.
Reading the two single words on it made Akashi’s heart flutter from excitement. The alpha smirked and his eyes sparkled.
‘Catch me’
Kuroko hurriedly got on a plane and sat next to his beta friend, Kagami.
“Oi Kuroko.. You sure about this?”
“My grandmother said to see if an alpha qualifies, you gotta be sure he’s willing to chase you down.”
“And you’re flying half way across the world to prove it?”
Kuroko nodded determinedly. As the doors to the plane was closed, Kuroko felt his spine tingled. It was the same feeling he had when he saw Akashi walked into the ballroom. Could it mean, that as of that moment…. Akashi was already on the same plane…?
Just then, Kuroko could almost visualize Akashi’s smirk. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to try running away from an alpha he had avoided for 15 years or so.
The seat behind Kuroko creaked as a familiar voice spoke, “Think you could escape me?”
Kuroko gulped, ‘Grandmother. He qualifies.’