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"It’s nothing serious, it’s simply stress," the doctor said. "Haruchiyo’s body is completely fine, his womb and eggs are in perfect conditions as well."
"Huh? Then why isn’t he getting pregnant? They’ve been married and trying for a year but still nothing has happened!" Takeomi said, turning to look at his younger brother. "Are you even trying?!"
Haruchiyo rolled his eyes and looked away. "I am," he said in a low voice.
"Do you know how important it is that you get pregnant?!"
"I know, but I don’t want to do it, and he doesn’t want to either," Haruchiyo said.
"Then make him want to! Stop wasting time!" Takeomi was running out of patience. It was almost as if Haruchiyo didn’t understand how delicate the whole situation was.
It all started when Shinichiro told Takeomi that he wanted his younger brother to have a kid. After taking the position of general and having seen a lot of death during the war, Shinichiro’s perspective on life changed. Life is fleeting, he thought.
Shinichiro wanted a niece or nephew. He wished for his brother to experience the joy of life.
Mikey was an alpha, and Takeomi’s younger sibling—who was also Mikey’s childhood friend— was an omega.
It was enough to be a match.
Takeomi was the most excited about it. Having his younger brother married to Mikey, the king, meant his whole life was secured. And not only his, but his siblings’ and probably their children and grandchildren’s lives as well.
Power, money, a new start for his family’s name… He could have it all!
Oh, how perfect!
Haruchiyo wasn’t happy with the agreement at all, but sadly, his opinion wasn’t taken into account. That’s not how things work. Takeomi had raised him alone after their parents had died and gave him a somewhat comfortable life, which made the older alpha practically his owner until he married someone. You owe him that. Haruchiyo had no choice but to comply.
Mikey was civil towards Haruchiyo, but it was clear that he wasn’t excited about the arrangement either. He was only doing it out of obligation and to make his brother happy.
They announced the engagement between their families a week later.
Mikey and Haruchiyo’s wedding took place in the gardens of the palace, three months later.
The council members and other upper noble families weren’t happy that the future king was to be married to an omega from the Akashi family, one that had lost its grace and power.
Takeomi trusted Shinichiro, yes, with his whole life. He was his best friend, and he would never do anything to harm him or his siblings, but Takeomi couldn’t say the same of the old hags who were members of the royal council. They were already talking about "Haruchiyo’s infertility" and how much of a failure he was for not getting pregnant after a year of being married. Takeomi wasn’t stupid, he knew that they were already looking for ways to exclude his family from the succession line.
There had been some rumors about Shinichiro frequenting the Imaushi household in the past few months. It was all the royal council talked about. The Imaushi family was a noble and wealthy family that had been funding the army, and they also had an omega son, Wakasa Imaushi, who was around Shinichiro’s age.
While Shinichiro had given up his position as next in line for the throne for the sake of leading the army, his kids—if he had any before Mikey did— would have more right to the throne than Mikey’s. The Imaushi family knew that as well as the council.
Then Haruchiyo’s worth would be the same as that of a mere concubine. Useless. The only way to restore the Akashi family’s previous glory was through Haruchiyo’s womb.
It wasn't like Takeomi could bring it up to Shinichiro. What would he say?
Hey, Shinichiro, can’t you wait until Mikey gets my brother pregnant before marrying Wakasa? Pretty please?
The ongoing war against the neighboring kingdom was at its climax, and although it seemed they had the upper hand, any mistake at that point could be fatal.
Their first night together hadn’t been as beautiful as Haruchiyo had been told it would be. Even when they had arranged the wedding to coincide with his heat to make ‘things easier’, it still hurt. A lot. Haruchiyo cursed at the maids that had been preparing him for that day.
There was no magically falling in love or finally feeling complete. No.
Haruchiyo’s heat had triggered Mikey’s rut and it took away all of Mikey’s rationality.
The mark, the knot, the roughness… It was all like a nightmare.
Haruchiyo had hoped that night would’ve been enough to get pregnant. The idea of having to go through that again made him shiver. He didn’t want to nor did Mikey after he saw how traumatized Haruchiyo had been once his rut ended.
"You gotta keep trying until you get pregnant. That’s your duty as his omega," Takeomi had told him. "Just one baby, that’s all I’m asking from you. One baby and it'll be enough to restore our family’s legacy."
Haruchiyo felt like throwing up at how easy Takeomi made it sound.
"Just one baby."
No matter how much he "prepared" down there, it wasn’t enough. It was never enough.
After a year of no success and the fact that Shinichiro and Wakasa’s wedding had finally been announced for the next year, Takeomi had enough and decided to take Haruchiyo to a doctor and have him examined.
It’s stress, the doctor had said.
Stress.
First of all, why was Haruchiyo even feeling stressed?
He only had to lay back and open his legs!
Was he unaware of the risk he was putting not only on them, but also on future generations of his family?
Takeomi just hoped Mikey hadn’t gotten tired of Haruchiyo yet.
Haruchiyo was pretty and his body was every omega's dream. Not a single alpha would be able to resist an omega like him. Haruchiyo's only flaw was that he couldn't simply do what was expected of him like a good omega would. He always had something to complain about. It was irritating.
"Go back to the carriage, I’ll be with you in a second," Takeomi ordered him. He didn’t want to get any angrier than he was.
Haruchiyo didn’t want to deal with Takeomi either, so he nodded and left.
"I think I might know why Haruchiyo’s stressed," the doctor said.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You’re putting too much pressure on him."
"Oh, what do you know?!" Takeomi said, "Do you know who am I?!"
"I do," the doctor replied in a calm voice. "I know how important it is for you that your brother gets pregnant. It’s a hot topic among the wealthy and noble families right now. Look, I can tell your brother is a good kid. He understands what he has to do and he is willing to ‘fulfill’ his duty."
"Pfft, Haruchiyo? A good kid? that’s a good one," Takeomi said sarcastically. "Are you a clown, perhaps?"
The doctor ignored Takeomi’s last comment. "I have plenty of experience with omegas like him. You see, all omegas are simple creatures once you understand what moves them."
"What do you mean?"
"Omegas, especially those from the royalty, are possessive, jealous beings. I've heard all the royal servants are betas, is that right?"
Takeomi nodded.
"Well, there you have it. He’s acting that way because he feels like he has no competition, and he probably doesn't. Who’d look at a beta when you have a beautiful omega waiting for him? Haruchiyo is a pretty omega and he knows it, which is why he doesn’t put any effort into being a good omega."
"So…? What should I do?"
"Throw an omega there; let them be as close as the queen and king as you can. You could even make them your brother’s personal servant," the doctor said. "That new omega has to be as pretty as your brother. Only then will your brother react. He’ll see the king eyeing the new omega and he’ll do anything to have the king’s attention back again."
Oh.
It makes sense, Takeomi thought. Omegas are so conceited.
Takeomi bought one of those toy omegas. He was still in shock as he looked at the omega in front of him. Did that count as slavery? No, that doctor had said the omega willingly accepted that job. Although the chances the omega knew what was truly happening were low… He looked younger than Haruchiyo. How would Haruchiyo react? Every now and then the scar on his right eye burned. Takeomi hoped Haruchiyo wouldn’t take it that badly.
"Follow me," Takeomi ordered him. He needed Haruchiyo to get pregnant or else they’d lose everything. "From now on you’ll serve my younger brother, Haruchiyo," Takeomi said as he guided the omega towards Haruchiyo’s private room.
"H-Haruchiyo? Isn’t he king Manjiro’s omega?"
"Yeah, he is. What’s your name?" Takeomi asked.
"Takemichi," the omega replied.
"Your last name?"
"I don’t have one," Takemichi replied.
An omega without a last name. Takeomi couldn’t help but feel pity for him, but it was also reassuring in a way. No one would make a fuss over a simple servant’s death. "What did you use to do before coming here?"
"Uh, I used to live with my mom until she died. Then Dr. Tetta picked me up and fed me. That’s why I owe him my life and I’ll pay my debt to him by giving myself to your brother," Takemichi said. "I’ll make sure to serve your brother well."
Oh god.
"What are you doing here?" Haruchiyo asked Takeomi when he saw him enter his room like it was his own. Even after he had told him countless times to knock first. "Why are you bringing an omega with you?"
"This is Takemichi; he’ll be your personal servant from now on. The doctor said you were stressed, so I hope a personal servant will help you somehow. I’ve already discussed this with Shinichiro and he had no problem with him," Takeomi informed Haruchiyo. "You can ask Takemichi for anything you need. He can cook and sing pretty well."
Takemichi immediately kneeled down. "It’s a pleasure to serve King Manjiro’s omega. I’ll do my best to not let you down."
King Manjiro’s omega.
That’s what he was, huh?
Haruchiyo looked at Takemichi and then at Takeomi with an annoyed expression in his face.
"Go sit next to him, Takemichi," Takeomi said. "You’re Haruchiyo’s from now on."
Takemichi nodded and went to sit at a prudent distance from Haruchiyo.
"Haruchiyo, don’t forget about your duty. The king is coming to the palace in two months," Takeomi said as he was leaving. "I take it you’ve already heard the news, right? Shinichiro and Wakasa will get married next year. This is your last chance to give Mikey a baby. Don’t disappoint me."
Haruchiyo gritted his teeth.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Akashi-sama?"
Takemichi felt a shiver run down his spine from the look Haruchiyo gave him. He immediately looked down.
"Don’t disappoint me."
Takeomi’s last word echoed in Haruchiyo’s head.
Was he that much of an omega failure?
Haruchiyo wanted to laugh at himself. Why did he even care? He never wanted to be Mikey’s omega in the first place.
That’s what’s expected from you. It’s the only way to bring back the glory for your family.
The mark on his neck began to burn.
"How old are you?" Haruchiyo asked coldly.
"F-Fifteen," the servant answered.
The omega was only a year younger than him.
It hurt a bit when he thought about it.
"Do you know how to make tea?" Haruchiyo asked. He might as well use the omega for the short time he had left.
"Yes, I know, Akashi-sama," the omega replied immediately.
"Go make me tea, then," Haruchiyo said.
Takemichi nodded and stood up to look around the room. "Uh… Where is the tea and the ut—?"
"I said make me tea," Haruchiyo insisted.
Takemichi gulped. "A-Alright. I’ll search for them."
Takemichi left Haruchiyo’s room and went outside to ask the other servants for some help on where to find the utensils he needed. The other servants felt pity for him; they all knew how hard it was to please Haruchiyo, and so they did their best to help Takemichi.
Twenty minutes later Takemichi came back to Haruchiyo’s room. He let out a sigh of relief when he noticed that Haruchiyo was still there and hadn’t left him as the other servants told him he used to do.
Takemichi served Haruchiyo the tea and left the cup on the small table. He then went to his original seat.
Haruchiyo looked at the tea on the table and took it.
Haruchiyo's desperation grew as he learned of Mikey's impending arrival in two months and Shinichiro and Wakasa's marriage next year. He knew what he was supposed to do: welcome his husband, talk to him, spend the night in his room and try.
Haruchiyo wanted to scream.
Thankfully, the tea dissipated the bitter feeling in his throat.
Takemichi proved to be a not-so-useless servant.
Haruchiyo had hoped he’d be able to use it as an excuse to get rid of him, but through the whole first week, the younger omega had done everything in his hands to give his best.
It took a few days for Takemichi to learn his routine. He worked twice as hard for every mistake he made and learned to not take Haruchiyo’s coldness to heart. It was understandable given his obligations.
Every day, Haruchiyo had to wake up and study. The math professor came first, then literature, physics, and history. Apart from that, Haruchiyo had to learn the languages of the two neighboring kingdoms that they had recently formed an alliance with. By the second week, Takemichi had memorized his schedule, his favorite meals, his preferred clothes, how he liked his hair brushed… his dislikes, the biggest one being his own older brother, Akashi Takeomi, whose presence stressed Haruchiyo to the point of ruining his day.
Takemichi couldn’t blame him.
Takeomi only came to visit Haruchiyo to remind him of his duty as King Manjiro’s spouse. He never asked his brother how he was feeling or what he had been up to, no, it was always "You’re a disappointment," "Don’t forget about your duties," "You’ll ruin our family’s future," "Try."
It reminded Takemichi of the way Dr. Tetta used to treat him back home. Even if Takemichi was just an orphan and Haruchiyo was one of the kingdom’s monarchs, he could understand, to some extent, how Haruchiyo was feeling: like shit. But what broke his heart the most was that Haruchiyo only looked down and took the horrible words Takeomi said as if he was used to them.
Someone like Haruchiyo didn’t deserve to hear those words.
Without intending to, "Akashi-sama" had turned into "Haruchiyo-sama".
By the third week, Takemichi found that he couldn’t stand it any longer.
"Ah, Akashi-sama, this servant can’t stand the harsh way you treat Haruchiyo-sama," Takemichi suddenly said.
Takeomi was taken aback by the sudden interruption. "W-What?"
"Every day. Every day you visit Haruchiyo-sama, disrespecting him by entering his room without permission and demanding that he hear you repeat the same words over and over again. "Haruchiyo-sama has been working on these beautiful paintings in front of you for days," Takemichi said, pointing to the paintings hung around the room. "He’s been learning two other languages that I cannot remember and has been praised by his professors for his brilliant talent in math, arts, literature, physics, history… He’s been working hard and fulfilling his duties as a monarch, but you refuse to see it!"
Haruchiyo’s eyes opened wide.
"Who do you think you are, servant?" Takeomi said, "Don’t you know who I am? I am Haruchiyo’s older brother!"
"Yeah, but Haruchiyo-sama is King Manjiro’s omega! You shouldn’t talk to him in that way unless you-!"
"Enough, Takemichi," Haruchiyo said, and Takemichi immediately covered his mouth with his hands and looked down, now fully aware of what he had done.
He talked back to a member of royalty, Haruchiyo’s brother.
"Haruchiyo, that servant must be punished!"
"Leave," Haruchiyo said, ignoring his brother’s demands. "I’ll deal with him alone."
"No, I’ll stay here and—"
"Leave," Haruchiyo repeated in a cold tone. "I said I'd deal with him alone."
Takeomi gulped, then he looked at Takemichi, who was still looking at the floor. "Even if Haruchiyo does all those things you mentioned, he’s still missing the most important one. Someone like you should already know what that is. After all, that's the only reason you're here.And with that, Takeomi left.
A few minutes later, when Haruchiyo was certain Takeomi couldn’t hear him anymore, he burst out laughing. Takemichi was shocked at first, but soon enough he joined Haruchiyo.
As Haruchiyo’s stomach began hurting from laughing so much, a sudden thought appeared in his mind.
What did Takeomi mean by his words?
Needless to say, Takeomi didn’t come back the next day or the day after that.
Maybe it had to do with the guards, whom Haruchiyo had requested be outside his room.
Takemichi and Haruchiyo kept an only master-servant relationship to the outside people, but they became really close friends after the incident. Haruchiyo finally stopped feeling alone in that palace, and Takemichi was happy to see him feeling better. Even the other servants noticed the sudden change in him.
"Ah, Takemichi, what did you do to make him smile again?" One of the kitchen helpers asked him. "I had forgotten how beautiful his smiles were."
"Yes! He looks much better," a young girl from the staff added. "He usually becomes insufferable around this time."
"Huh? Why?" Takemichi asked.
"Don’t you know?! The king is coming in a few days!"
Oh.
Come to think of it, Takeomi’s boring speech used to be about Haruchiyo having to give his alpha a baby. It made sense that the king's return would cause Haruchiyo to experience that stress once more.
"Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it! I heard that being happy makes getting pregnant easier," the kitchen helper said. "I’ve heard that the Imaushi family has been providing the army with new technology and resources. And it's not just to serve the kingdom; they'll want their kin to inherit the throne."
"Uh? But didn’t King Manjiro’s older brother give up his right to the throne to give it to him?"
"Yeah, that’s what he did, but Shinichiro is still the firstborn, and even though King Manjiro wears the crown now, if his older brother were to have kids before him, then King Manjiro’s kids would come in second place. And I’m sure the Imaushi omega won’t waste any time getting pregnant," the kitchen helper said. "And then his family will pressure Shinichiro into declaring his kids as the next heirs and leaving King Manjiro’s kids outside, using the excuse that his omega is infertile."
"That’ll be the worst! All of the Imaushi are stuck-up assholes. I’ve served them a few times when they visited and it’s been like hell!"
"Right! They burned every servant's hands with hot water because they claimed the tea we made for them was too hot!But it wasn’t!" a younger servant added. "Serving them is a nightmare! I prefer Akashi-sama even if he’s a bit cold."
"Haruchiyo having kids now would really benefit him and his family. His children would have to be recognized as the next heirs, despite the royal council's displeasure, and the Imaushi Family would have a difficult time getting their blood on the royal line."
Takemichi gulped. If he, who was just a servant, was feeling so much pressure for the events that would happen if Haruchiyo didn’t get pregnant, he didn’t want to imagine what Haruchiyo was feeling.
Why was having babies that important?
"Takemichi, the dumplings are ready! Go give them to Akashi-sama," another servant said, pushing a small food tray toward his hands.
"A-Alright. Bye-bye!" Takemichi said as he dashed towards Haruchiyo's room.
He knew the story behind Haruchiyo and Manjiro’s arranged marriage. Both weren’t so happy about it, but they weren’t hostile towards each other either. They just accepted what was given to them and tried to give their respective families what they wanted.
The keyword was try.
They weren’t successful, and the pressure grew on them with each day. Takemichi knew Haruchiyo was having a hard time with it, he wondered if Manjiro would be feeling the same way or if he didn’t care about his own kids being next in line to the throne as much as Haruchiyo’s brother and the servants did.
"What took you so long, Takemichi?" Haruchiyo asked as soon as Takemichi entered his room—he was the only one allowed to enter whenever he pleased, besides the king, of course.
The room was completely dark, the only things illuminating it were the moon and the small candles that were on each side of the room. Haruchiyo didn’t have any lessons for the next day, which meant he could stay up late and they could talk all night.
Takemichi placed the tray on Haruchiyo’s bed and climbed up to it too. "Sorry, Haru-kun. I got distracted talking to the kitchen staff," Takemichi scratched the back of his neck.
"Again? I don’t like it when you talk to them," Haruchiyo suddenly said. "I-I mean, they talk to you like you’re like them! You’re not. You are my personal servant. They should treat you with respect too!" Haruchiyo was glad it was dark, and Takemichi hadn’t noticed the blush on his cheeks.
Takemichi chuckled. "It’s okay, I don’t mind the way they talk to me."
"Well, I do," Haruchiyo said. "Stop talking to them."
"Sure thing, your highness," Takemichi joked. "I’ll let you put a lock on my mouth and eyes, so the only person I talk to and see is you."
Was it bad that Haruchiyo found the idea not so bad?
"I heard King Manjiro is coming in a few days," Takemichi changed the subject. "How is he like?"
"Not bad, I guess. We used to be childhood friends," Haruchiyo replied in a dry tone. Why was Takemichi asking him about Mikey? "It could’ve been worse."
"Do you love him?" Takemichi asked, as if he wanted to prove something to himself.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but Haruchiyo noticed a spark in Takemichi’s eyes, and, for some reason, his heart began beating faster.
"I don’t. I- I mean, I like him as a friend—or at least I used to like him as a friend," Haruchiyo sighed. "The whole thing about being bonded and marked has made it complicated. We weren’t prepared for what it truly meant to be bonded. The first few weeks were hell, but it became more bearable with time."
"Bonds can be both a blessing and a curse," Takemichi replied, surprising Haruchiyo. "When my mom was still alive, she used to tell me how in love she was with my father and that she finally felt complete the moment he marked her. She said it gave her a reason to live." Takemichi sighed. "I don’t remember much of my father, he was always away for work and only came at night. He died when I was five, and my mother followed him a few years later."
Haruchiyo stayed in silence, unsure of what to say.
"Dr. Tetta said it was because of the strong bond my mother and father had. It was making my mother sick to the point she couldn’t take care of herself anymore," Takemichi continued. "There were lots of people who loved my mother, the neighbors, her friends, me… but none of it mattered, the bond kept eating her away."
Haruchiyo had read about similar cases in some books, where it often happened to "destined" couples. The death of one of them would slowly deteriorate the health of the other, resulting in their deaths. Haruchiyo doubted it would have the same effect on him or Mikey.
"I like you, Haru-kun." Takemichi moved closer to Haruchiyo and rested his head on his shoulder. "Don’t let the bond consume you."
"It won’t." With some hesitation, Haruchiyo laid his hand over Takemichi’s waist. "So promise me you won’t let someone mark you."
Takemichi nodded. "I won’t"
As expected from him, Takemichi woke up earlier to bring Haruchiyo his breakfast. The first thing he noticed was that the hall looked busy. Servants were running left and right, and there were more guards than usual. Takemichi stopped the first servant he came across and asked him what was happening.
"It’s the king! He’ll get back today!" the servant said. "Don’t waste time, go prepare Haruchiyo to welcome the king!"
"I-I’ll get him some breakfast first!" Takemichi ran to the kitchen.
"Be quick!"
When Takemichi returned to Haruchiyo's room, he discovered that the other was awake and had already bathed.
"Haru-kun, they said the king would arrive today," Takemichi said as he went to assist Haruchiyo in getting dressed.
"Yeah, I know. Takeomi yelled that before I told him to fuck off," Haruchiyo confessed and took a deep breath. "Takemichi… Have you ever seen the king?"
"Uhm… not really," Takemichi replied. "I mean, I’ve always seen him from a faraway distance, I don’t know what he looks like in reality."
It made sense, Haruchiyo thought. Mikey disliked being painted or having portraits of him hanging around the palace like other people did. "There’s one thing I want to ask from you."
"Hm? What is it? I’ll do my best to help you!"
"When the king comes, can you stay here and not go out?" Haruchiyo asked. "I don’t want him to see you."
"Alright…?" Takemichi replied, not sure why Haruchiyo would ask him something like that.
"Cool," Haruchiyo smiled. "Now brush my hair."
Takemichi smiled and nodded.
After spending the past few weeks together, Haruchiyo had discarded the idea that Takemichi would willingly betray him. For someone like him, being the personal servant of a monarch was the best thing he’d ever achieve in life.
The thing was that Takemichi was the kind of person who could make himself a place in the hearts of those around him. Haruchiyo had grown up with Mikey and knew he was the type of alpha who’d immediately fall in love with an omega like Takemichi. After all, those were nonexistent in their social circle.
And if Takemichi reciprocated Mikey’s feelings… He wouldn’t blame him for that. From what he had told him, Takemichi had barely interacted with any alphas throughout his life, much less with those from the royalty, who could give him anything he wanted. The fact that Mikey was already bonded and couldn’t be bonded with someone else could play against Haruchiyo.
Takemichi was fifteen and impressionable. Mikey was the fucking king.
Haruchiyo’s read many books with the same premise. They all ended the same way.
"And the cold king saw the warmth he had never experienced in the eyes of the beautiful servant."
"And they lived happily ever after."
"The jealous queen was banished, and so the king was free to love the servant."
"The bond between the king and the former queen was long forgotten."
The most explicit ones even described the affair the king and the servant had.
"Fucking his spouse’s personal servant behind his back made the king feel more alive than ever."
"The servant’s body was like a drug the king couldn’t stop taking."
Haruchiyo couldn’t have that. He wouldn’t let anyone touch his Takemichi.
If Takemichi and Mikey were to meet… anything could happen. What if Manjiro decided to take Takemichi as a concubine? He wouldn’t have to mark him. What if he decided to impregnate him? Haruchiyo wouldn’t have any right to protest because then his ‘infertility’ problem would be brought up and he could even get kicked out of the picture.
Haruchiyo doubted Takeomi would be happy with that happening. Takeomi would lose his mind.
"Don’t disappoint our family and legacy."
With Shinichiro and Wakasa’s wedding right around the corner, there would be no need for Manjiro to marry a ‘proper’ omega. What if Shinichiro had kids? Those fuckers from the royal council would be more than happy to let Manjiro divorce him and marry someone else.
Not only would Haruchiyo lose his Takemichi, but he’d also ruin Takeomi’s efforts to make their family powerful again.
In the end it all came down to one answer: to have a baby with Mikey.
He only had to give Manjiro a baby and Takeomi would shut up. Only one baby and he’d secure his family’s legacy. Only one baby and Manjiro wouldn’t have any excuse to take Takemichi as a concubine and kick him away.
After that he could do whatever he wanted in his free time. He didn’t even have to raise his own kid. There were plenty of servants that would do a better job.
Was it that pathetic that he grew deeply attached to someone after knowing them for two months?
Was he really that lonely?
Could it be that he also fell into the category of "impressionable" omega?
All Haruchiyo knew was that he had strong feelings for Takemichi. He had yet to decipher what kind of feelings they were.
[ Although the wet dreams that often involved the other omega should’ve been enough. ]
Just like Haruchiyo had ordered him, Takemichi stayed the rest of the morning in his room, waiting for him.
Haruchiyo left the room alone and went to the main hall, where Mikey would be welcomed. The most important people in the kingdom were there, waiting for his presence as the King’s omega. Haruchiyo could already see some of the council members murmuring among themselves and his older brother giving him disapproving looks for being a few minutes late.
Ugh.
After a few moments, the doors were opened, and Mikey entered.
Per protocol, Haruchiyo was the first one to greet him. He gave a brief speech that he had to memorize by heart. Mikey did the same and kissed the back of his hand.
Done.
After him came all the bootlickers and council members who wished to have a few seconds of the king’s attention. They all surrounded Mikey, so it was the perfect moment to leave without raising too much attention. He wanted to see Takemichi one last time before going to Mikey’s room.
However, before he could exit the door, Takeomi grabbed his wrist.
"This is your perfect chance to fulfill your duty!" he said as he pressed harder on his wrist. "Mikey won’t leave again for the rest of the year; if you don’t get pregnant this time, I swear to god I’ll—"
Haruchiyo punched Takeomi in the face. "I know that!"
Takeomi had to let go of him as his nose started bleeding and staining his clothes. "You—!"
Wait what?
Takeomi looked at his younger brother with curiosity. Yes, he was happy that Haruchiyo had finally understood what his obligations were, but it still worried him to see him so determined.
Dr. Tetta was right. Haruchiyo was jealous that Mikey would fall in love with the servant.
Omegas were such shallow creatures.
Haruchiyo was completely tired by the time he entered his room. Being around so many people and in his brother’s presence always drained the energy out of him. He wished he could lie in his bed, cuddle with Takemichi, and sleep until the next day, but he couldn't. Not when he already had the answer to solve all the problems in his life. He’d only take a nap, and then he’d spend the night in Mikey’s room.
As Haruchiyo took off all the complicated garments and clothing he had to wear, he wondered where Takemichi could be. He hadn’t heard his voice since he entered, and Takemichi wasn’t the most silent person there. He always had something to talk about when they were together.
Haruchiyo put on some comfortable clothes and began looking for Takemichi. His gardens, his small tea salon, his studio, his library… Takemichi was nowhere to be seen.
Could it be that Takemichi disobeyed his order and went outside?
Could it be that Takemichi’s goal has always been Mikey?
Before jealousy could get the best of him, Haruchiyo heard the rustling sound of the sheets.
Takemichi had fallen asleep in his bed.
Haruchiyo’s heart melted at the sight. He felt a strange feeling of pride blooming inside him. Takemichi was covered in his scent. Without thinking twice, Haruchiyo climbed to the bed too and laid next to Takemichi, who was still asleep.
The sun was still up, so Haruchiyo could properly admire every detail in Takemichi’s face. The strands of hair that covered his forehead, his eyelashes, his closed eyes, the rosy tint on his cheeks, his plump lips slightly parted, his unblemished neck...
Haruchiyo got closer to Takemichi.
There was something in his scent that smelled just so good. Haruchiyo felt like he couldn’t get enough of him. Before he noticed, Haruchiyo found himself pressing his nose against the crook of Takemichi’s neck, trying to get as much of the scent as he could. His hands went to each side of Takemichi’s waist.
He was getting wet.
"H-Haru-kun?"
Haruchiyo opened his eyes in surprise. He knew he needed to get away from Takemichi; he was in an embarrassing situation—but he couldn't bring himself to care. After all, Takemichi was his servant, wasn't he?
His.
"Don’t be s-so close, I’ve got a fever," Takemichi said while trying to push him away. "I-I think I’m sick. I don’t know what’s happening, I suddenly began feeling hot and-and—"
Haruchiyo took advantage of Takemichi’s open mouth to insert his tongue and kiss him like he’d always dreamed of doing. Takemichi was too surprised to react or push him away.
"Mhn," Haruchiyo moaned once he let go of Takemichi’s lips. It tasted even better than he had expected.
Takemichi’s flustered cheeks and teary eyes made Haruchiyo want more. Takemichi was still processing what was happening.
If he stopped right now, maybe he could tell Takemichi that it was a mistake, that he hadn’t actually meant that to happen, and they could still go back to how things were, that he was just curious, that—
"Haru-kun, w-what are you d-doing?" Takemichi asked with a trembling voice.
Fuck it.
He rolled over on top of Takemichi, pinning both of his servant's arms over his head with one hand while removing Takemichi's pants with the other. Takemichi instinctively closed his legs, trying to cover himself.
Haruchiyo gulped.
There was an evident wet patch on the white fabric of Takemichi’s underwear.
Takemichi’s dick was hard and leaking.
Haruchiyo was heaving. He stared at it for a few seconds and then looked at Takemichi, as if waiting for his permission to continue. He wanted to take, take and take, but there was a small part of him that wished for Takemichi to let him, that wished for Takemichi to reciprocate his feelings and let him show him how much he loved him, that assured him that he wasn’t doing anything in vain.
It was the first time someone had looked at Takemichi with so much desire and love that it made Takemichi feel giddy. Haruchiyo’s pink hair was on either side of his face. Takemichi freed one of his hands and slowly brought it to Haruchiyo’s cheek, caressing his cheek. The other leaned against his touch and closed his eyes, whispering a needy "please".
Takemichi moved his hand to the back of Haruchiyo's neck and drew him closer, kissing him shyly.
It felt right.
That was all Haruchiyo needed to keep going. He deepened the kiss as if he wanted to devour him.
Haruchiyo took off Takemichi’s underwear, and more slick came down Takemichi’s hole. Haruchiyo slid his fingers over it and pushed it back into Takemichi’s hole. Takemichi’s legs fell to each side of him as Haruchiyo began to slowly thrust his fingers in and out. It was so wet and warm. Small moans left Takemichi’s mouth the more Haruchiyo played with him.
Haruchiyo broke the kiss to have a better look at Takemichi.
There was something about the way Takemichi looked under him—pretty but lewd at the same time—that made Haruchiyo even more ecstatic. Was that how alphas felt when they fucked their omegas?
"No one but me can touch you," Haruchiyo said as he teased the tip of Takemichi’s dick with his fingers. "My omega," Haruchiyo said between breaths. "Mine, only mine."
"I’m y-yours," Takemichi moaned. "All of me is yours. I love you, Haru-kun."
Haruchiyo let himself be drowned in pleasure. It all felt like a fever dream. He woke up a few hours later, just as the sun was setting. Takemichi was still lying next to him, sound asleep, with his neck covered in bites and hickeys. Haruchiyo wanted to stay with him, but his sense of responsibility forced him to get out of bed and ‘fulfill’ his duty. He kissed Takemichi’s forehead and prepared himself to visit Mikey’s room.
Mikey noticed the trace of a different scent mixed with Haruchiyo’s. However, it was too light, and it was soon overshadowed by Haruchiyo’s scent. It was like nothing he’s ever smelled before, not even when the other was in heat did he smell that good, desirable. Slave to his own nature, Mikey didn’t ask any questions and welcomed Haruchiyo into his bed.
It didn’t feel that bad, Haruchiyo noticed. Even with Mikey between his legs, all he could think of was how he’d fuck Takemichi again and again once Mikey had finished.
The knot still felt uncomfortable inside him, but it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle anymore.
Two months before Shinichiro and Wakasa’s marriage, Takeomi announced Haruchiyo’s pregnancy. Shinichiro was delighted by the news. He’d have a nephew or a niece and he wouldn’t have to deal with all the stuff about the ‘rightful successors’ that Wakasa had been bugging him about.
Shinichiro's excitement grew when the midwives told him Haruchiyo was expecting two babies.
Eventually, Mikey and Takemichi met. As Haruchiyo had predicted, Mikey immediately took a liking to Takemichi, often joking with him or trying to invite him to ‘secret’ places. Takemichi politely turned down all his invitations and advances.
"I belong next to Haruchiyo-sama as his servant," Takemichi said. "He needs me as much as he needs you."
Those last words were enough to make Mikey back away. Despite Mikey’s nonexistent romantic feelings for Haruchiyo, he did respect him for carrying his baby.
Six months later, Haruchiyo gave birth to two healthy babies.
On that same day, Mikey found out about Haruchiyo and Takemichi’s affair.
After the midwives had shown him his babies and he had given them a name, Mikey decided to go to Haruchiyo’s room against the midwives’ advice. "Akashi-sama must be so tired, your majesty. He should rest for a while before accepting guests."
Mikey ignored them, he had only intended to thank Haruchiyo and then leave to comfort his babies. However, what he saw prevented him from turning back and leaving.
Haruchiyo was laying on the bed, evidently tired and pale, with some hair sticking to his forehead, but he was still smiling. "I-I made it. It’s finally over."
Next to him was Takemichi, who was holding Haruchiyo’s hand as if it were made of glass. His eyes were fixated on Haruchiyo, looking at him with such love that made Mikey feel ashamed. "Shh, you should rest now, Haru-kun. I’ll take care of you."
Haruchiyo nodded; tiredness was overtaking him. "K-Kiss me, please."
It was the first time Mikey had seen Haruchiyo so needy. Perhaps it was the hormones… or because it was Takemichi who he was talking to.
"Of course, Haru-kun." Takemichi smiled and leaned down to kiss Haruchiyo. It was a chaste kiss, but Mikey could tell there was more to it.
Suddenly, everything began to make sense.
The different scent that was sometimes mixed with Haruchiyo’s.
The heat suppressors Haruchiyo had been requesting weren’t for him, but for Takemichi.
Haruchiyo’s overprotectiveness over Takemichi.
The way Haruchiyo would look at Takemichi when he thought he wasn’t looking.
Oh.
Haruchiyo was fucking his servant.
It felt weird.
Come to think of it, maybe he should’ve expected that something like that was happening, especially after Haruchiyo’s sudden change and willingness to go to bed with him.
Mikey walked away, thinking that he could let Haruchiyo have that.