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When Kiyoomi was invited to the All-Japan Youth Training Camp, he first felt discomfort.
He was a freshly presented alpha with a hypersensitive nose and he wasn't adjusting easily, like every other alpha he knew. It was like torture, but at least he had been managing to stay sane at the familiarity of the scents of his teammates and family, even if they become overwhelming from time to time.
Now, the idea of being surrounded by people he didn't know and their scents made him feel on edge, but at the end of the day, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he accepted. At least Motoya was gonna be there too.
The first few days were good, he could admit as much. Everyone seemed to keep his distance from him and never forgot their scent patches, which made the whole environment better for Kiyoomi. However, there was this one little inconvenience named Miya Atsumu.
The blond (or more like, yellow-haired) guy could not, for the life of him, mind his own business, always bugging Kiyoomi to practice more, to have dinner together, to just be there, next to him like that's where he belonged. It made Kiyoomi insane but he just couldn't bring himself to tell him to fuck off. There was something annoyingly endearing about Miya, about the way he smiled, poked, and provoked everyone around him to give their all during the practice matches... but he would rather die than say it out loud.
By the fourth day, Kiyoomi was already used to the other guy's presence, a little bit comforted by his dull, almost nonexistent scent that came along with being a beta or not having presented yet.
That day, however, it was obvious that something was wrong with the young setter. He looked a little restless and from time to time, when he thought no one was watching, he would press his hands against his navel and grimace. Kiyoomi noticed, though, and he was curious, maybe even a little concerned.
The moment practice finished, almost everyone rushed to eat dinner, and Kiyoomi would've done the same if it wasn't for that familiar voice, calling for him like the three previous days.
"Omi-kun! Wanna practice some more with me?" Atsumu called, sounding more breathless than he should have.
Kiyoomi turned to look at him.
"Are you sure? You don't look so good," he pointed out. Atsumu pouted and shook his head.
"I'm fine, Omi, just a little tired, I guess. I'll leave ya alone if ya let me set at least ten times for ya, whaddya say?" Miya offered and threw a ball softly at Kiyoomi, who caught it and considered the offer for a moment, before sighing and nodding.
"Alright, but just ten, then you'll go eat something and rest. You look like you need it."
Atsumu beamed at him and gave him a thumbs up to let him know he would do just that after they ended their little extra practice and both got to work.
By the tenth spike, Atsumu looked even worse than before. Kiyoomi gulped, noticing how the slight tiredness from before had evolved to extreme exhaustion and clear pain that probably had Atsumu on the verge of passing out.
"Miy-"
"Omi..." Atsumu panted, one hand going up to his head as if it was hurting. "I don't- I don't feel..."
Before he could say anything else, he let out a pained groan and doubled over himself, his arms now wrapping around his torso in an attempt to ease the pain.
"Atsumu?" Kiyoomi called, a little scared of getting closer, but worried nonetheless.
"I feel awful," the setter confessed, trying his best to stand up straight, but not achieving it.
Kiyoomi opened his mouth again to talk, but the small trail of blood coming out of Atsumu's nose made him panic, instinctively getting close enough to look at him better. Before he could even process what was happening, he caught Atsumu's weakened body in his arms and the gym flooded with a faint scent of honey that was easily perceptible to Kiyoomi, although not in a bad way. This one was bearable and sweet.
Atsumu was presenting... as an omega.
"Motoya! Coach! Anyone! Help!" He screamed, too nervous to actually move away from the crying omega.
"Omi..." was the last thing Kiyoomi heard Atsumu say before he blacked out in his arms.
When Atsumu woke up, his head was throbbing and his belly was hurting like crazy. It took him some time to realize he was at the infirmary and the first thing he saw after he recognized the place was a nervous-looking Omi sitting in a chair next to the bed he was laying on.
"Omi?" He called, his voice weak and filled with confusion. "What happened?"
"You presented, Miya," the alpha explained, not meeting his gaze. "You're an omega."
Atsumu stayed quiet for a bit, his eyes closing as if he couldn't stand the light.
"'s that why my whole body hurts like this? Oh, my god, please, someone turn off the lights, it's too bright in here," he mumbled the last thing and sighed when the room was swallowed in darkness.
"For your question, yes and no." The doctor answered from his place on the desk that Atsumu hadn't noticed before. The teens turned to look at his silhouette.
"Whaddya mean?"
"Well, looking at the symptoms you have, you know, cramps, headaches, exhaustion, and weakness to the point of passing out and even a nosebleed, I'd say you have burning heat syndrome, which isn't that much of a common illness in omegas," the doctor explained. "It is sadly incurable and will get worse with age without the presence of an alpha during them. This isn’t a formal diagnosis but it’s quite possible that’s the reason you feel this bad. It’s not normal to be in this much pain."
Atsumu tried sitting up to no avail and whined when his back hit the bed.
"Ya gotta be kiddin' me. That sounds so shitty," he spat, but his voice was laced with frustration and even sounded broken, like he was swallowing the lump in his throat.
Kiyoomi hesitantly placed a hand on top of his and squeezed it, in an attempt to comfort him and Atsumu looked at him with glossy eyes, not daring to ask why was he there, instead appreciating the silent support of who he already considered a good friend (actually his crush since he arrived, but it wasn't the time to think about that).
"What does it involve?" Atsumu asked after a couple of seconds.
"Well, some of its main symptoms are, like I said, weakness, exhaustion, fainting, headaches and migraines, nausea, nosebleeds, the feeling of burnout before, during, or after the heats, bad cramps, a muted scent, difficulty producing slick and, in extreme cases, infertility," the doctor said, thinking it would be better to drop the bomb now rather than later, for the sake of the young omega. “I advise you to get tests done to confirm or deny anything.”
"Oh, god," Atsumu whispered and his tears started rolling.
"I know it's a lot to take in right now, Miya-kun, but it's necessary you rest for what's left of the week, as your body isn't in condition to move around that much. Sending you home this weak could be bad for you, so we recommend you not leave until the week finishes and not join the practice."
Atsumu nodded, not looking up at the doctor. Even if it was dark and no one could see him, he didn't want to deliberately show his sadness.
"Alright," he whispered and raised his hands to his face to wipe his tears. Kiyoomi let go of him.
"I'll go talk to your coaches and then you'll be free to go to your room if you feel like it. Also, as you're still in heat, I'd recommend you ask any of your peers here if they could scent some clothes or accompany you throughout these days. That'll help with the aching."
The doctor walked to the door of the infirmary and opened it, making sure to block the light with his body, before he left to find the coaches.
"No, thanks. I want to be alone," Atsumu mumbled mostly for himself.
"Are you sure? I could-"
"Thanks, Omi-kun, but I really wanna be alone right now, so, if ya could also leave..."
Kiyoomi closed his mouth with an audible click and gulped. He didn't know why he offered his presence. He just did. Something about Atsumu being alone after being thrown that kind of information made him feel uneasy. He kind of wanted to comfort the omega, but if Atsumu didn't want that, he would respect that decision.
"Alright," the alpha said after a few seconds and got up from his seat to get out of the room. "Still, if you need anything, let me know."
He didn't receive an answer, so he just left.
He found Motoya still in the cafeteria, apparently waiting for him. A few others were gossiping and looking at him as if he would actually talk to them about everything that happened. He ignored them and grabbed his dinner to go sit with his cousin.
"Kiyo, what happened? Everyone's freaked out," Motoya whispered, obviously trying to keep their conversation private.
"Miya went into his first heat, but it was bad. He passed out and didn't look in heat at all," Kiyoomi said after a couple of minutes in silence. It probably wasn't his place to say it, but he needed to lay a base for what he wanted to ask next.
Motoya raised his eyebrows and gasped.
"That's so weird," he mumbled and Kiyoomi nodded.
"The doctor said he was probably gonna have painful heats for the rest of his life basically, and that he was gonna need an alpha for them to be at least a tiny bit bearable," Kiyoomi explained after some bites of his dinner.
"Oh, my god. Why the fuck did you leave him alone knowing this? He obviously just feels comfortable around you here and you're the closest thing to a friend to lend some help," his cousin nagged him but Kiyoomi just unconsciously pouted.
"I tried staying. He asked to leave because he wanted to be alone, so I did."
Motoya frowned and hit him in the head, making him flinch in surprise.
"What the hell, Motoya?" Kiyoomi hissed.
"Atsumu's a newly presented omega with chronic heat pains, he's probably scared, Kiyoomi. I know that you were just trying to respect his decision, but he needs someone, and that someone, right here and right now, is you," Motoya said, giving Kiyoomi the
answer to the question he didn't even get to voice out.
"So, you think I should go to him?" He asked and received an enthusiastic nod.
"Why did you stay with him in the first place?" Motoya raised an eyebrow with a knowing expression that pissed Kiyoomi off slightly. "You care about him. Admit it, three days were enough for Miya Atsumu to sweep you off your feet even if you say he’s annoying."
"Now you are just sputtering nonsense," Kiyoomi groaned, but deep down he knew Motoya was right, at least to some extent.
"I'm just saying, 'Omi', that you should go to him. He probably needs it and you know you want to do it," Motoya said calmly, but his voice was filled with that security one only uses to say a 100% true fact.
Kiyoomi looked down at his half-eaten dinner and sighed.
"Alright, you win. I'll go after taking a shower."
Kiyoomi was carrying a small tray with miso soup and two tuna mayo onigiri from the cafeteria, walking through the hallway of their temporary bedrooms. His hair was damp and he was wearing his pajamas already.
He reached Atsumu's door and lightly kicked it a couple of times since he couldn’t use his hands. He heard a small groan from inside the room and heavy, almost sluggish steps getting closer to the door.
"Thank ya fer yer concern, coach, but I'm fine. I want to be alone right n-" Atsumu's bloodshot eyes focused on the person standing in front of him and his exhausted expression transformed into one of confusion. "Omi?"
The young alpha looked at Atsumu and felt as if his heart was being squeezed. Atsumu had clearly been crying for the past hour or so and his tan, usually glowy skin looked pale and sickly. He was wearing a big hoodie and some sweats that looked comfy. His hair was flat against his forehead and a little humid. Kiyoomi thought the omega might have taken a quick shower before shutting himself off in this room, while he slowly ate dinner with Motoya.
"I, uh... I brought dinner. For you," Kiyoomi said, extending his arms to show the food. "I wasn't sure if you'd be hungry, so I just brought something light."
Atsumu just stayed there for a second, before grabbing the tray hesitantly.
"Thanks, Omi..."
Before the omega could close the door with his foot, Kiyoomi raised his voice.
"I- I also wanted to check on you." He took a step closer but didn't invade Atsumu's personal space. "I know you said you wanted to be alone, but maybe being alone isn't what you need."
Insecure about what he had said, Kiyoomi raised his shoulders as if to shrink into himself.
Atsumu opened and closed his mouth a couple of times and then sighed.
"Omi, I-" The omega interrupted himself with a sharp inhale and his grimace was enough for Kiyoomi to understand a new wave of pain was crashing into his body.
Instinctively, Kiyoomi took the tray from Atsumu's hands and dared to enter the room to place it on the nightstand before rushing back to Atsumu's side.
"Let's get you back to bed, alright?" He said softly, before wrapping an arm around Atsumu's back to give him more support.
The omega immediately let half of his weight fall on Kiyoomi, but he didn't complain. He just made sure Atsumu could turn around and walk to his bed, where he quickly lied down and curled in on himself in an attempt to subside the pain.
Unconscious, small whimpers left his lips along with shallow breaths, and it was obvious his eyes were seconds away from shedding new tears. With the uncertainty of a new alpha that wasn't used to following his own instincts, Kiyoomi lowered his hand until his fingers could caress the yellowish locks and then rubbed his wrist gland against Atsumu's hair to scent him.
Atsumu looked up at him with those glossy eyes filled with pain and now confusion too.
"What are ya doing, Omi?" He asked, but his body visibly relaxed a little after being covered in that nice apple-cinnamon scent.
"I don't know... I just felt like my scent could help," the alpha tried to explain. "I'm sorry for doing it without your consent."
"It's okay. It helped," Atsumu assured him and his gaze fell to the open door.
Kiyoomi followed its path and immediately understood.
"Well, I, uh- I'll leave you alone now. Call me if you need anything," he said, walking stiffly to the door, but the moment he grabbed it to close it after him, Atsumu called.
"Actually, Omi, could you, uhm... Could you stay here? With me?" He sat up on his bed with a small hiss of pain but managed to stay up to look at the alpha. "It's okay if you don't want to, tho."
"I want to," Kiyoomi answered without missing a beat. "I want to be here with you, that's why I came."
"Oh. Okay." Atsumu's cheeks turned red, but it was impossible to see thanks to the dark room. His faint scent of honey, however, turned sweeter and Kiyoomi easily picked up on that.
The alpha smiled and got back in before closing the door.
Atsumu moved on the bed to give him space and Kiyoomi accepted the small place a bed fit for one person could offer.
"Could you do it again?" Atsumu whispered. "Scent me? It felt nice and so far it's the only thing that has helped with the pain."
Kiyoomi felt his heart rate pick up.
"Sure, anything you need."
He turned to look at Atsumu's silhouette and the omega did the same, but stayed still when Kiyoomi raised his hands to rub his wrists against Atsumu's head and arms.
The small, pleased sigh that the omega let out was enough for Kiyoomi to feel calm about all this, about Atsumu.
"Do you feel better?"
"Yeah, a little. It still hurts, but I can take it," Atsumu mumbled.
Kiyoomi nodded and looked down at his own hands. He was playing nervously with his fingers. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? Maybe it was the fact that this felt too intimate but, strangely, it didn’t feel wrong.
"Could I ask you something?" The alpha murmured and Atsumu hummed. "How do you feel about all this? About being an omega and, well, the possibility of the burning heat syndrome?" After a few seconds of silence, he added: "It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I thought that maybe talking it out could help, but I didn't mean to overstep any of your boundaries."
Atsumu shook his head, but Kiyoomi didn't see.
"It's okay, Omi," Atsumu quickly reassured him, but it took him some more time to actually speak. "I don't mind being an omega, you know? I think omegas are pretty cool and strong because my mom and grandma are omegas and they've done even the impossible so Samu and I could live peacefully," he paused and took a deep breath. "They told me I'd probably present as an omega because of some little, unconscious habits I have and I felt flattered, you know? That they thought I was gonna be just like them and I couldn't wait to present. I wanted to be an omega, but not like this. Not defective."
Atsumu's voice broke at that last sentence and only then Kiyoomi realized he had been trying really hard not to cry, but everyone had a breaking point.
The sobs started and Kiyoomi felt his heart shattering at the sound. He really wasn't the best at comforting people, he knew, but he would try. He would let his instincts take the wheel for now. Hopefully, it would turn out okay.
He opened his arms, offering a hug, and Atsumu quickly let himself fall against the alpha's chest, accepting the gesture. Kiyoomi closed his arms around Atsumu and let the omega hide his face in his t-shirt, deciding to ignore the uncomfortable growing wetness in it, breathing in and out slowly to stay calm. Atsumu needed this.
One of his hands started stroking the yellowish hair and the other went up and down his back, while Atsumu let out all of his frustrations with wails and sobs that would be heart-wrenching for anyone that heard him.
For the long minutes it took Atsumu to calm himself, Kiyoomi thought of his words. Defective . That couldn't be true at all. Atsumu was, although annoying, an amazing and beautiful person that gave his all to the things and people he loved. It was just that his body didn't adjust well to heats, like Kiyoomi's nose to scents.
"No one will ever want me."
Kiyoomi frowned the moment he heard that weak whisper come out of Atsumu's lips, after all that crying. His voice sounded strained and overwhelmingly sad, even desperate to be proven wrong, which Kiyoomi took upon himself to do.
"That's not true, Atsumu," he said slowly and softly, not wanting to startle the obviously distressed omega. He thought of his next words carefully and felt his face burning. "You're everything anyone could ever wish for."
"What?" Atsumu asked with a shaky breath. He wiped his tears away with the back of his hand and looked up at Kiyoomi.
Even in the dark, Kiyoomi could see those hazel, glassy eyes that held the faintest hint of hope in them. Kiyoomi repeated himself without hesitation but was still slightly embarrassed at the thought of being so sincere.
"I don't get why anyone would wish to have someone like me," Atsumu babbled after hearing Kiyoomi twice. What the alpha said felt nice, but he had to be realistic. He was a pathetic omega with a weak scent, a high probability of being unable to bear children, and terrible heats for the rest of his life that would hurt more than what they would feel pleasurable as they should be.
Still, Kiyoomi hugged him tighter and Atsumu felt the need to cuddle against his chest. He expected the conversation to end there with the bitter truth, but the alpha had other plans.
"Well, for one, your scent is just perfect," Kiyoomi said in a low, soothing voice that was almost a rumble. "It's not overwhelming to me. It's actually the only scent that's bearable for my oversensitive nose and you smell so sweet."
Atsumu stopped breathing for a second after hearing that. Omi actually liked his very faints cent, because to him it wasn't faint. He probably was able to smell it the same way Atsumu, with his normal nose, could smell the alpha's scent without a problem. The thought of it made him blush. Omi could smell him and he said it was sweet .
"Really?" Atsumu whispered and Kiyoomi hummed.
"Yes, really. I like it very much," the alpha confessed with red cheeks. He gulped and sighed. "As for the other things, Atsumu, you're still perfect."
For me , was what he left unsaid.
"How?" The omega asked, voice laced with insecurity. He just couldn't believe that someone, let alone Kiyoomi, would think he was perfect after knowing everything wrong with his body, even if the scent thing was a pro in the eyes of the alpha. "Heats are supposed to attract potential partners, not make them run away with all the inconvenient pains, and what about children?"
"I think we're too young to be talking about children," Kiyoomi joked and he felt victorious and overjoyed when he heard the breathy chuckle of the omega. "But there are a lot of options out there if you really want to be a mom in the future, like medicine, IVF, adoption... Children can come in many ways." Atsumu stayed silent and Kiyoomi took this as a gesture to continue. "And, look, about the heats... A worthy mate wouldn't give a fuck, because they should care about you and be with you for who you are, not just for sex. They... They should come to you when you need it and stay there to comfort you and give you whatever you need, like-"
Kiyoomi stopped himself right before that last word. Like me . God, he was so stupid. This was not the time to be letting out his newfound feelings. Atsumu needed his comfort and presence as a friend, not a new burden to carry along with his possible diagnosis.
It seemed like they didn't think the same because Atsumu sat up and wiped the tears that had been silently falling down his face for god knows how long. Kiyoomi felt exposed when that sweet gaze fell over him even in the dark and he started to get fidgety. His eyes darted to the now cold miso soup on the nightstand and he pressed his lips in a thin line.
"Like ya right now, Omi?" Atsumu asked in a whisper so low that for a moment, the alpha thought it was just his nervous imagination. "Ya came even when I toldja not to, ya brought me food and scented me and... I'm sorry, what am I saying?" Atsumu cut himself as if he had come to a realization the more he spoke. "I'm obviously misinterpreting this, yer just being a good friend, right? There's no way ya would like me like that. I must be so desperate to believe that someone- that ya would actually like me, defects and all-"
Atsumu laughed, but it was obvious he was seconds away from crying again and Kiyoomi understood. Kiyoomi knew all this was the worst emotional rollercoaster to be on right now. He knew Atsumu was going through a lot and his small calm moments wouldn't last more than a couple of minutes before he started bawling his eyes out again, but he also knew that there was no way in hell that he would let Atsumu think a thing like that. He would not let the omega go through another crying session with wrong information.
"Atsumu," he called and the omega turned to him, his lips were wobbly. "I like you. I actually like you a lot, but I felt like this wasn't the time to tell you about my feelings because you're already going through a lot. I'm sorry I'm now giving you that burden too, but I can't watch you cry and suffer because of a wrong idea. I like you, Atsumu."
Kiyoomi gulped after he finished talking. Saying his feelings out loud made him realize how serious and real they were. In such a short period of time, Atsumu managed to carve a place for himself in Kiyoomi's heart. It was a little embarrassing to talk about it so freely, but if that would make Atsumu feel better, then Kiyoomi would talk and never stop. That on its own made obvious how enamored Kiyoomi really was, as he wasn't that much of a talkative kind of guy.
Atsumu looked shocked in front of him for a couple of seconds, before all of his previous emotions came flooding back. His eyes watered at the same time he let out a sob.
"Yer not bein' serious, Omi," he said, voice shaky and almost incomprehensible. "Yer not- ya like me? Like, like me, like me ? As in, romantically?" The omega babbled while he tried to stop his tears from flowing, wiping again and again in the worst and most adorable attempt at looking composed Kiyoomi's ever seen.
"Yeah, I like you, like you . As in, romantically. As in, I want to take you out on dates, hold your hand, and kiss your annoyingly pretty face and smartass mouth. As in, I want to be there with you in each heat and help you every way I can. As in, I want you to be happy and I want to make you happy."
While he talked, Kiyoomi got redder and, as he got closer to Atsumu, he realized the omega was blushing just as hard. He took Atsumu’s hands in his to keep him from frantically moving and let them go when Atsumu seemingly stopped. He then cupped the omega's face in his hands to make him focus on him.
Objectively, Atsumu was an ugly crier, but Kiyoomi had never seen a more beautiful omega in his life. He wiped his tears and lightly pressed his fingers against those cute, soft cheeks.
Atsumu looked at him and pouted.
"Ya like me," he murmured and Kiyoomi took this as his way of assimilating every bit of the new information.
"I do."
Atsumu sniffed and laughed, raising his hands to wipe at the mess his face was, again.
"I like ya like ya too, Omi," he ended up saying after he managed to calm his breathing.
Kiyoomi smiled and his arms snaked around Atsumu to pull him close in a hug, going back to their cuddling position. His left wrist rubbed against Atsumu's back to scent him again and a gentle kiss was placed on the omega's head.
“That’s good to hear,” he whispered.
Atsumu purred and it surprised the both of them. It was known that omegas only ever purred when they felt completely safe and comfortable.
"I-"
"It's okay," Kiyoomi interrupted and smiled even bigger. He started stroking Atsumu's hair and the purring came back in a matter of seconds. "How are you feeling now?"
Atsumu nuzzled his face against Kiyoomi's neck and sighed happily.
"Better now, it really doesn't hurt as much, but now 'm hungry," he mumbled and Kiyoomi felt tickles on his neck, but he didn't dare to move.
"Well, I brought you some food, so you should eat."
"Right," the omega stayed in his place for a little longer, before deciding to finally move away from Kiyoomi with an unconscious little whine that made the alpha chuckle. "I'm gonna turn on the lamp."
"Alright."
The room was filled with dim light, enough for them to see each other perfectly. Kiyoomi watched as Atsumu moved to the nightstand to grab his dinner.
He looked at his red-rimmed eyes and noticed the peaceful expression that completely differed from the first he saw when he knocked on the door. Then he saw those adorable blotchy cheeks with tear tracks all over them, he felt the urge to kiss them and he knew he was done for. Going a little lower, his eyes widened at the red thin line staining Atsumu's philtrum.
"Hey, Atsumu..." He called and sat up on the bed.
"Yeah?" The omega asked, turning to look at him, onigiri on his hand.
"Don't panic, but you're having another nosebleed," Kiyoomi noted, standing up to get closer. The omega sighed and closed his eyes with a resigned smile.
"Oh, gosh."