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Hinata looks like he's on the warpath when he starts stalking in his direction, his face set in determination and Takemichi stares for a moment in a trance before he realizes what's happening and jerks out of it.
He quickly turns the opposite way to start walking away from the alpha.
"Wait, Takemichi-"
The omega doesn't wait for the student council president to finish, as soon as he hears the alpha's voice he starts picking up the pace, almost running away as he tries to get himself lost in the crowd of the student body filling up the hallways.
His instinct is to flee whenever Tachibana Hinata is around, no matter how kind the alpha treats him with his patient and gentle manner, at the end of the day they're still enemies.
And Takemichi will be an even bigger fool to fall for any more tricks again.
Tachibana doesn't chase him down though, and he's relieved but a there's pang of something in his chest, unidentifiable to him, or rather he'd wish it was kept unknown.
He doesn't want to examine these other confusing feelings that Tachibana brings up in him.
~~~
It all started three months ago.
Takemichi and his friends are the renowned delinquents of Mizo High school, and they were planning to make a name for themselves off campus too, but that had utterly failed.
Masaru, his cousin, had lied to him and it led him and his friends to becoming Kiyomasa's underlings.
It was the worst days of their lives. Being made to do errands for Kiyomasa and his friends and getting smacked whenever they weren't quick enough and anything they bought at the older boys' request came out of their own wallets so sometimes they couldn't even afford to get the snacks or magazines they wanted.
And that of course had consequences.
They were roughly beaten, and their faces would be swollen for days along with their bodies brushed and aching, together they had to skip a lot for school to avoid any sort of attention to their injuries.
And even though they didn't have the best track record they still kept enough attendance so they didn't flunk out however it became almost unbearable that Takemichi considered running away.
Somewhere far away, where Kiyomasa can't find him.
Because he had been that afraid.
But then a miracle seemed to happen when he was about to give up.
He and his friends were kneeling before Kiyomasa while his friends mocked and jeered and kicked their foots onto their backs. It was humiliating and Takemichi was too numb to feel anything.
He just wanted this to be over with so he can make his escape as soon as possible.
But then an unexpected savior to end their torment appeared.
Tachibana Hinata, their school's most popular boy and student council president, came in with a calm expression that was more intimidating than anything else, especially with his eyes gleaming coldly as he focused on Kiyomasa so furiously. It had even caused Takemichi to slightly shudder when he witnessed it.
And without any awareness, the big brute of an alpha was knocked out by a karate chop to the back of his neck.
The rest of his little gang had watched on in astonishment as their formidable leader fall flat on the ground like a puppet who's strings have been cut in just an instant.
Silence reigned as Hinata stood there, looking ready to battle all of them as he started to undo his tie and roll up his sleeves.
Takemichi had always thought that Tachibana Hinata was just a useless pretty boy up until that moment.
"Well," the alpha had taunted with a serene closed eyed smile directed at the frozen group of boys. "I don't have all day."
So cool, Takemichi had thought with his limbs shaking from either excitement or nerves. Either way he couldn't take his eyes off of Hinata.
The alpha had taken down every single person that charged at him in record time, looking elegant as he did so, almost like he was dancing instead of brawling.
"O-oh, wow," Akkun had breathlessly said beside him and by then, they had all collectively admired the alpha.
And why wouldn't they?
Tachibana Hinata had saved them and given them back their freedom on that day.
And thus begun their friendship, even though it'd seem pretty strange for the student council president to be hanging around rule-breaking delinquents, Hinata always looked after them anyway.
He was attentive and caring, and actually not as vapid as Takemichi assumed, at that point any biased opinions were shattered as he got to know the real Hinata, however the others would always nudge him with pointed glances whenever the alpha was around.
But Takemichi wasn't sure what his friends expected from him.
He greeted Hinata all the time with a sincere smile and the alpha smiled back with a slight bashful edge to his.
In the end, he thought he was doing pretty well.
But Kazushi would groan and call him dense.
And Takemichi would already have moved on by then, trying to talk about other things as he tried to settle back into their original routine that felt new because of the way they've been treated for weeks.
The freedom was euphoric and Takemichi didn't want to waste another second of it.
~~~
But good things don't last.
Takemichi learns that the hard way.
"-and about the delinquent problem we've discussed -"
It's the voice of the vice president, Takemichi muses, Kisaki Tetta has always been by Hinata's side so he was rather used to seeing them together even though Kisaki would get this look on his face. Something that Takemichi never bothered to figure out since he knew the beta disliked him anyway. He wasn't exactly following those rules he wanted everyone to adhere by.
However the words catch up to Takemichi and he just stills. His feet stop moving when he's an inch away from the slightly ajar door of the student council office. His heart hammers in his chest though and his ears ring when he hears Hinata's response.
"I already told you," the alpha says firmly, "I have the Mizo gang handled so don't worry about them anymore."
Takemichi may have been called dense about a lot of things but he isn't slow on the uptake this time. He realizes what those words mean, and the intent behind them.
At first he doesn't want to believe it. Because Hinata has always been so genuinely kind to them, he's made sure that they weren't getting into any more trouble for their own sakes.
"Don't fight anyone," Hinata had told him once when it had been the two of them on the rooftop, as he looked into Takemichi's eyes with his warm brown eyes. Then he had touched Takemichi's fading bruise on his cheek softly. "I don't ever want to see you get hurt again. Can you promise me?"
Takemichi's heart had reacted strangely and he was slow to respond but he managed to stutter out, "I p-promise. "
After what happened, he didn't have the mental fortitude to get into anymore anyway, he was still spooked by big alphas. A fear he was trying to overcome.
At that time, Hinata had been honest. He knows that. Yet his mind starts to second guess and he begins to doubt because of what he just heard.
It's true that Hinata saved them, and he won't ever try to warp that heroic moment into anything else.
He knows that Hinata is a caring person, his heart is big so he saw a bunch of students getting beaten by their seniors and came to help. It was in his nature to.
But after that...maybe the alpha realized he had an opportunity so all those other interactions were purposeful with an ulterior motive...
He abruptly turns, and walks away from the door with a cold feeling washing over him. His heart twinges as his face becomes numb.
Hinata is the student council president, he reminds himself harshly as he clenches his hands to his sides, and his fingernail dig into the palm of his hands.
I'm...just a troublemaking delinquent...
Complete opposites that don't fit together well at all.
His eyes well with tears but he's quick to blink them away as he shakes his head.
He doesn't want to cry over this.
Because the betrayal feels a little too much like heartbreak.
So ever since then, he had chosen avoid Tachibana.
He can't bear to be close to the alpha again.
~~~
Takemichi releases a deep breath and wipes away the sweat from his brow when he's made it on to the rooftop, away from the crowd.
Skipping out on another class.
But he doesn't feel bad about that as he sits down against the wall with his knees drawn up to his chest.
This is the only place where he can find peace and only during school hours, too, otherwise it wouldn't be empty.
He shuts his eyes as a breeze hits him because it cools him down and he feels refreshed by it. He even believes that he can reach a state of zen this way, however as he starts to meditate to clear away his lingering thoughts, the door suddenly slams open beside him, making his heart jump to his throat.
His eyes snap open to stare at Tachibana.
The alpha's brows are furrowed and his lips are pressed in a severe line but his eyes still stare at Takemichi with that unreadable soft emotion.
"You've been avoiding me," the alpha says, but his voice is a bit strained.
Takemichi shifts restlessly in his spot since he isn't sure how to handle this situation. He's never thought about a confrontation happening, he's still surprised that Tachibana had skipped class at all.
For you , his brain tries to tell him like it's something meaningful but he's quick to dismiss it.
"So what," he retorts after he's gathered his wits.
"I want to know why," Tachibana says, patient as ever, it seems to be the only way he knows how to speak to Takemichi despite everything. He steps closer after that, closing the distance between them and Takemichi can't move away even if he wanted to.
He feels trapped for some reason under that gaze.
Tachibana's way too sweet honey tea pheromones aren't hiding anything either even though he can't really parse out most of the emotions or intent being displayed, all he can make sense of are the alpha's brown eyes.
The alpha looks so uncertain, lost and hurt. But there's also determination flashing in his gaze.
"Please," Tachibana says quietly. "Tell me what I did wrong so I won't do it again. I can't stand it. Being away from you....it's-"
"Why do you care?" Takemichi bursts out suddenly because he can't listen to the alpha sounding like this again, towards him.
As if-
He can't even think it. He doesn't want to.
"You want to get rid of us anyway," he spits out. Sure, he and the rest of the Mizo gang have stopped trying to make themselves popular by getting into any more fights, but they're still renowned delinquents at their school, old habits are hard to break after all.
Even though Kiyomasa had pretty much ruined any joy they had so now they're still trying to acclimate to the way things were before.
And he's made that stupid promise with Tachibana.
"What?" Tachibana actually sounds aghast, "Where'd you get that from? Thats the last thing I'd ever want to do, I like that you guys are-"
"I heard you guys, we're just a delinquent problem and you had us handled ," he outright says because he doesn't want the alpha to lie to him.
He hates liars.
A stupid lie had been the reason for all of that suffering in the first place. And he doesn't want to think the worst of Tachibana.
But Tachibana is quiet.
And that hurts more than anything.
Because it means that Takemichi is right.
"Leave me alone," he says harshly, wishing his voice wasn't shaking with emotion, that he didn't sound like he was on the verge of tears.
"Takemichi-"
"Shut up, and leave me alone. I don't care," he says, hating himself even as upset as he is at the other boy.
But the alpha doesn't listen. He stands there in front of Takemichi and even leans in to breach whatever space is left between them, so even at a time like this, the alpha's radiating warmth draws him in.
Cozy and safe.
"How," Tachibana's voice is low as he speaks right into his ear, "can you ever expect me to leave you alone when you're like this?"
And Takemichi startles at the touch against his skin, the boy's thumb is wiping under his eye, and that's when he belatedly realizes that he's shed a tear.
His breath hitches.
"Go away," he says stubbornly, ignoring how vulnerable he sounds. And probably looks to the alpha.
Tachibana chuckles wryly, and his gaze is tender when Takemichi glances at him.
Its the same look he's seen many times before but now it seems a little sad.
"I wasn't trying to stop you and your friends," Hinata says. "I was trying to protect you guys, from the student council and anyone else. I did it in the only way I knew how but I never thought my intentions would be seen in a negative light. Do you think I could ever hurt you?"
And the alpha gives him that look, the one that always has Takuya or Suzuki nudging him with pointed glances. It's intense but somehow soft.
Takemichi shakes his head, trying to ignore the erratic beating of his heart. He might be getting a clue but he doesn't want to think too fully of himself.
Because there's no way such a perfect alpha like Tachibana Hinata will ever be interested in someone like Takemichi.
"You're a trickster," he accuses to stop that train of thought, he needs to focus on his anger after all, "a kitsune. A liar. A-"
"A kitsune?" Tachibana cuts in fondly. "You really think that highly of me, Takemichi?"
"No," he mutters, and he watches as Tachibana's eyes dim a bit, it doesn't give him any satisfaction though so he corrects, "You're not any of those things."
He's the one at fault for quickly assuming the worst, and looking at Tachibana- Hinata now and knowing that he'd put in all that effort-
Well, it makes him feel foolish. He had just been too stupid to think that day and he's always been stubborn so he didn't want to change his mind so soon.
"You're a hero," he says eventually to fill the encompassing silence that felt like anticipation. The back of his neck, his ears and cheeks feel warm after that, probably from embarrassment since it's such a cheesy thing to say.
But it's what he believes.
And Tachibana's eyes become large as he stares in wonder but he doesn't seem to be breathing which worries Takemichi. Then the alpha's face becomes rapidly red so he's blushing furiously.
Takemichi can only stare.
Tachibana's always been objectively pretty, but right now he manages to surpass that bar.
The alpha sucks in a deep breath and gulps, and his eyes are shiny now.
"I like you," the alpha suddenly confesses in a strong voice, "It's an understatement of my feelings for you but I don't think you're ready to hear about that.. I just want you to know that I've liked you for years. I rescued you guys because it's what you did for me back then...it inspired me a lot. So hearing you call me a hero it's...making my heart stir like crazy right now."
Takemichi blushes and gapes, his mind frizzles even from the words he's trying to process. "H-huh, I don't remember doing anything like that before..." is all that he can respond with because he has yet to accept the confession as something he actually heard.
There's just no way.
"Yeah, I figured, you're distant to those you don't care about," Hinata says, only sounding impossibly fond. "But we met when we were ten, and I never forgot you since that day. I even thought to myself, that's going to be my omega one day."
"Preposterous," Takemichi spits out as his face flames up.
"Ah, you've been paying attention in class," the alpha actually sounds proud and that makes Takemichi gnash his teeth.
"Shut up," he says but without any real heat then adds more quietly, "I don't know what you want from me."
No one's ever told him that they liked him before, or treated him the way Hinata did, so sweetly like he was an omega in need of protection and care. But Hinata isn't overbearing either. Or arrogant.
"I've only ever wanted to be by your side," Hinata says and the alpha really doesn't know the definition of holding back because he continues, "however way you'll have me, but I'll never stop liking you, I don't think I can, because I've liked you for most of my life."
And Takemichi stares with wide eyes and a heart that feels too full in his chest as it beats irregularly.
"C-can we stay here?" He blurts out, and he sees that Hinata is confused and a little disappointed that his confession isn't getting any type of response, but Takemichi is thinking about it.
He needs more time however to sort through the mess of everything that led them here.
"I want to be alone with you," he tries to explain. He wants to spend some time with Hinata and talk and maybe understand better because the other boy is smarter than him about a lot of things. And has more awareness too apparently.
Understanding dawns on Hinata's face and he even smiles affectionately at him.
The alpha indulges him without much thought either, not seeming to mind that he's breaking his perfect record by skipping the rest of their morning classes.
And Takemichi believes it then, that Hinata likes him, a whole lot, probably more than he knows but he settles for what he can grasp onto.
It's simply comfortable the longer the sits there next to the alpha, who's shoulder brushes against his, and before he realizes it he's blurting out in the middle of their conversation, "I think I like you, too."
"Takemichi, you can't just say that," Hinata sounds faint. "I might take it the wrong way-"
"Stupid, I said I like you too," Takemichi says. And he stares intently into the alpha's eyes. "Now what?"
Hinata stares quietly, then he beams. "We should date."
And Takemichi doesn't know a thing about dating, but he assumes he can learn by trying it out.
Hinata is the only alpha that he feels safe with and he's also someone that he likes.
So he agrees.
~~~
"Did you guys make up yet?" Kazushi asks when they all meet up at lunch in one of the clubrooms, and Takemichi nods stiffly but he thinks it's obvious because he and Hinata are holding hands.
But the others don't react to it, as if nothing has really changed.
"Good," Takuya sighs out in relief, "you really had us worried there for a second. I mean, Hinata over here was so vicious-"
Hinata laughs sheepishly over Takuya's words, but it sounds rather forced. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that, you caught me on a bad day."
Takuya and Akkun stare at the alpha blankly while Kazushi and Suzuki laugh.
"It's because Takemichi wasn't around," Kazushi says after that in amusement.
And Takemichi glances at the alpha and sees him pouting a bit.
Cute, he thinks, and more instinctively than anything he tugs on the alpha's hand, and Hinata instantly looks down at him.
The immediate attention makes Takemichi's lips wobble, as he tries to hold back a smile but he thinks after everything, he deserves this, so he stops trying.
And lets himself smile so widely that his eyes curve shut.
Because he didn't think anyone can like him so much but Hinata does, and he's open about it.
Takemichi had just been too deep in denial to allow himself to realize it any sooner, but now that he knows, it makes his own confusing feelings easy to understand.
But everything is so quiet.
It has him opening his eyes.
Hinata is staring at him with such an intense look, his warm brown eyes dark and-
"Woah," Suzuki says, a little shrill, cutting through the tension, "keep that in the bedroom."
The others laugh, and Takemichi ducks his head as his entire body feels like it's about to combust but there's a smile spreading wide on his face.