Chapter Text
The quaint village of Teikō lay tucked away in the east. Caught precariously between the curve of a rolling river and a wall of dense forest pines, it lingered, untouched by time and modernisation.
Being so isolated from the rest of Japan, the villagers took pride in their traditions, and every year, on the first day of spring, they gathered together for the annual mating run.
This year, like every other, the omegas were clustered on one side of the village square, chatting quietly amongst themselves and ignoring the rowdy alphas across the way. A nervous group of faceless teenagers, they were completely concealed from sight, dressed head to toe in lite, coloured fabrics. This was done to make sure that the alphas couldn't see the omegas before they disappeared into the forest, therefore entrusting themselves entirely to fate.
An ancient but futile tradition.
Living in a tiny village like Teikō the alphas had no trouble identifying the omegas by scent. Not to mention the couples who’d been sneaking around for months, were not above giving fate the metaphorical middle finger.
Standing on one side of the market square, Taiga shamelessly eyed an omega in pale pink. The way the silk accentuated the subtle curve of his hips, rolled sensually over his shoulders and around his narrow waist, should be illegal.
He licked his lips, suddenly feeling parched. From between a tiny opening in the fabric Tatsuya's storm grey eyes caught his with a teasing gaze. Embarrassed, Taiga looked away with a scowl.
“The hell are you trying to do? Get disqualified before the run even starts? You’re not even supposed to be looking there bro,” said Daiki, grabbing Taiga in a headlock and spinning him around.
The eldest son of a warrior clan, Daiki towered well above most of the other alphas in the village. Taiga noted that he was wearing the plain, black yukata he wore everyday, making it clear to anyone who cared, that he had no interest in the day's events whatsoever.
This would be Daiki’s third run. Not for lack of skill, but rather a lack of interest. It was the worst kept secret in the village that Daiki typically bailed early on mating runs so he could hide in a tree and take a nap. Taiga had attempted to question him about it multiple times, but was always met with a shrug.
”Why bother,” said Daiki, “when the only one who can match me, is me.”
The arrogance of that prick.
“That’s not how it works.” Taiga told him the night before, for what felt like the hundredth time. “You need a mate. We all do.”
“And what would you know about it Mr. “I’ve been chasing my pseudo-brother around for a decade, and still can’t work up the courage to ask him out”?
“It’s not like that!” Taiga exclaimed. “We were raised together. The elders won't approve.”
“So what, you’re just going to keep circling each other forever? Stepping in every year to protect his honour?” Daiki laughed. Of course he would find the whole thing terribly amusing, the asshole.
“It’s normal for bears to take their time during courtship.” Taiga muttered under his breath. “We’re not like you ally cats”
“Hey, who’re you calling an ally cat you dickless fuck!”
“Come down here and call me that!” Taiga roared up the tree, where Daiki was lazing on a branch, swinging one leg back and forth and tossing a leather ball into the air.
The Aomine clan had recently returned from Tokyo where traders from America introduced Daiki to a new sport. Daiki took to it with a passion. He traded the merchants all his furs for the leather 'basketball', and was now inseparable from it. Taiga was tempted to make a 'kitten with a ball of yarn' joke, and he totally would have, if he himself wasn't so taken with the sport. And, well, Daiki had the only ball.
“In any case, I heard Haizaki’s back on the prowl,” Daiki voiced casually. “Apparently the mourning period is now up for that poor sap he mated three years ago.”
Taiga stiffened. It was well know in the village that Haizaki was bad news. Although his mate’s death had been ruled an accident, there was no hiding that she had been found black and blue floating in the river, with some injuries, Shintarō disclosed to them later, appearing to date back several months.
“So I take it you won’t be sleeping this year?”
Daiki shrugged.
“Someone has to protect Tetsu, and I know your attention is going to be elsewhere.”
Taiga couldn’t deny that. Tetsuya was his best friend, but losing Tatsuya to another alpha, especially one like Haizaki, would be more than he could bare.
“I can’t believe they’re even letting him run,” growled Taiga, kicking a rock. “He’s a psycho.”
Daiki didn’t reply, but nudged Taiga’s shoulder with his foot.
“Just mate Tatsuya, no one can make a move on him then.”
“Easier said than done,” sighed Taiga. Daiki groaned. He pulled his foot up and swung his legs around, jumping down with feline grace.
“Yeah, alright, whatever. I’m bored, I’m going to go toss the rock for a while. You wanna come?”
“Sure.”
Now Taiga watched Tatsuya from across the market square as he fixed the pale blue drapery around Tetsuya’s shoulders. Standing next to him, looming like the a sulking, overgrown child, was Atsushi who towered all in purple, sucking on a sugar cane. This would be his third run as well, but while Daiki actively avoided the contestants, the contestants actively avoided Atsushi.
Easily dwarfing even the tallest alpha in the village, Atsushi did not make for an attractive mate. The purpose of the ran was for the alphas to capture and subdue the omegas, allowing them to demonstrate their superior strength and ability; but it was clear to everyone, like the grass is green and the sky is blue, that nobody would be subduing the sloth without his say so.
On the other side of Atsushi a mischievous figure, all in black, was busy pillaging his pockets for treats. Taiga smiled, that could only be Kazunari Takao, the tanuki. This would be his first and only run, since it was well known that he would mate with Shintarō from the Midorima clan of healers.
It started as an unorthodox affair that led to more than one disapproving ‘tut’. The Takao clan were, after all, a destitute lot of thieves and vagabonds, while the Midorima’s a well respected pillar of the community.
Seeing as the Midorima clan lived deep in the woods, and the Midorima’s were particular about not overexerting themselves, Kazunari was hired as a rickshaw driver to cart Shintarō to and from the village. If you asked Kazunari, he’d tell you that it didn’t take more than a few rides “for love to bloom”. And it was best to ask Kazunari since Shintarō remained tightlipped as ever and carried around a wicked set of surgical knives.
There was a rumour going around that Shintarō’s sire tried to buy off Kazunari’s to force him to put an end to the relationship, but was turned away. This surprised absolutely no one. For all the things the Takao’s lacked, love in the clan was not one of them.
A sharp laugh caught his attention, and Taiga's focus switched to an eye-catching figure dressed in vibrant gold. That was undoubtably Ryōta Kise, the most sought after omega in the village.
Ryōta was talking to two omega’s he could not place, holding a smaller omega around the shoulders. The other omega, draped in slightly less ostentatious gold, with his fingers tangled nervously in the front of Ryōta’s robes, was likely Ryōta’s younger cousin Ryo.
Labelled good-naturedly by the villagers as ‘sakura-chan’ for his cute looks and mild disposition, he would, without a doubt, be felled by the first available alpha.
'That is if his legs will even carry him to the forest,' thought Taiga, noting the way the fabric shivered on Ryo, clearly shaking with fear.
Then again maybe all was not lost for him yet. It was well known that Ryōta adored his little cousin. He probably intended to drag him along with him to wherever he went to hide every year.
Ryōta made it no secret that he wished to remain single a while yet. He enjoyed the frivolous life that came with being the sole scion of a wealthy clan, and spent most of his time trying to bring the village into the modern age. Travelling to and from Tokyo with the Aomine’s to pick up on the latest fashion, bringing back fabrics and various bric-à-brac which he sold in his village store.
The Aomine’s had hoped that the regular trips to Tokyo would result in a fortuitous joining of two well-to-do families, but for all that Daiki and Ryōta were very good friends, even the thought of mating each other was nauseating to them.
“You ready?” asked Teppei, clapping Taiga on the shoulder. Taiga spared him a look and nodded. As the oldest, unmated alpha in the village it was suspected that Teppei would likely remain so; but he had heart. And as it proved, too much of it for his own good.
Several years ago he saved an omega from being gang raped by a pack of alpha’s from the neighbouring village of Kirisaki Daiichi. The injuries he sustained were catastrophic. For months it was unclear if he would even survive. But Teppei, diligently nursed by his elderly grandparents, surprised them all when he was up and working the family farm within the year.
But, although he healed beyond expectation, there was only so much the Midorima’s could do; and everyone knew that his noticeable limp was why every year the omega’s politely but strategically avoided him.
Taiga had seen Teppei move in a hunt and knew he was more than capable of subduing a mate, but even though Teppei participated in the run every year, to please his grandparents no doubt, he was not the sort of alpha who’d ever coerce an omega into a bond. Quite the opposite, thought Taiga, he’d probably request ten different forms of consent before so much as sending them a confession letter. An image of Teppei ticking off boxes on a consent form made Taiga smile.
“Yeah,” said Taiga, stretching his arms. “You?”
“Yeah,” Teppei smiled. “I feel like this will be a good year.”
Taiga nodded.
“Have you heard that Haizaki is running this year?”
Teppei frowned.
“No, I was not aware. Be careful Taiga. Look out for Himuro-san.”
“I will.”
"He'll have to fight Atsushi for the honour," laughed Daiki, striding past them on his way to the observation deck where his sire was waving at him. Teppei laughed.
"Yes, I doubt he'll get past Murasakibara-san. Very little can," he said, with a gentle smile. Taiga sighed, like he could forget that Atsushi plastered himself to Tatsuya in any given opportunity.
“Did I hear that correctly? Is Haizaki joining the mating run?” asked Shintarō stepping off a rickshaw that pulled into the square. “That is unacceptable.”
“Well, apparently, the elders are trying to boost the population," said Teppei. "I heard that Kirisaki Daiichi are getting restless. Their numbers are growing too large to be contained within their land. There is a good chance they’ll be trying to expand into our territory within the next two decades, so the elders want to be prepared."
“But at what cost? That animal shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the omegas,” said Shintarō, adjusting his glasses with the tip of one bandaged finger. It was a Midorima tradition to wrap the hands in gauze since the fingers were considered to be most valuable for the healing arts.
Junpei and Yukio joined them a moment later. Like Teppei this was far from their first run, and like him they'd always kept their cards close to their chests. Giving nothing away, appearing to be in no hurry to take a mate.
“Perhaps we should split up so we can keep an eye out,” said Teppei. “That way if we spot Haizaki taking an omega by force we can intervene.”
“I think you’ve intervened enough,” said Junpei, dryly.
“And I’ll do it again,” replied Teppei, with the sort of iron conviction that left everyone in no doubt that he would even if it killed him.
“I doubt Haizaki would try something at a public event though,” added Yukio. “He’s mean, not stupid.”
“You’d be surprised,” muttered Taiga, remembering the day Haizaki grabbed his sister by the throat for daring to turn him down at the solstice dance.
“Yo,” Daiki called out, jogging up to them from the observation deck, where his father and the other elders were taking a seat to observe the run. “They’re about to ring the gong. You losers ready or what?”
“You’re one to talk,” growled Taiga, but flexed his heels and lowered himself into a sprint start. He was ready to run.