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Shivers rack his frame, gentle in their subtlety but firm nonetheless. The frostiness of the air bites and nips at the exposed skin of his cheeks until he nestles further into the scratchy sheets sitting beneath him. He tucks his knees close to his chest, curling up to savor the little warmth the fuzzy blankets give him.
He brings a gentle hand up to his eyes, rubbing in slow circles until dots press into his vision. There’s not a single beam of cherished daylight spilling into his room, there’s no people milling about their days, coffee cups settled in their hands and bags shining under their eyes. In fact, there’s no chatter polluting the air at all.
All that sits in the quietness of the night is him, his shallow breathing, and the sheets rustling from his full body shivers.
Now, Aaron is no stranger to the cold. Whether it be from the way frigid air nips at his skin during wintertime, or his perpetually numb fingertips, he’s always been cold.
He remembers begging for it to go away, when he was young and scared and his mother wouldn’t hold him as she used to. She wouldn’t tuck him close to her heart, and rub her long fingernails against his scalp in rough strokes.
Then the soft strokes turned into hair being pulled free from the confines of his scalp, then it turned to his face in her stomach, just barely escaping the rough push his shoulder would receive as a signal for him to let her go, then it turned to no warmth at all.
That was when he used that anger locked deep inside his little bones, he would coax it up high, that red, hot, aching, rage until it formed an ember, just enough of the growing fire to keep him content as his small hands shook from the bitter air.
Then the anger went away, and he was lost once more, for it was familiar, and then it was gone.
The pills came next, a desperate attempt at happiness and warmth, so desperate it was addictive and destroyed the last fragile tendons of trust he’d built with the people who used to care.
The suppressants came last.
They were a faux remedy, a bitter solace that should never have found its way into his clutches, because they made everything so much more. When he was on them, the fire brewing under his skin didn’t have to be coaxed, it stayed under his skin silently, violently . Always ready to burn down whatever was in his way.
Then that went away too, the anger wooshed out of him, extinguished the day he finally stood up and said no more.
The day he told Abby the truth his anger fled, and he was left raging and burning and hollow.
The spark of hope is new.
It’s a little flame billowing in the wind, it heats his skin gently, and it’s a silent companion he’s finally glad to have. It isn’t violent, it isn’t angry, it just is .
So why isn’t his companion here now?
His hand trembles, longing racking his frame. He feels the corners of his lips downturn until it settles into a frown, he curls his numb fingers close and feels a tear run down his cheek because he’s-
He’s alone.
It’s the first time he’s been alone, well and truly alone, at night for a while, especially when he was asleep. The pack wanted to stick together, at least for a few nights, and so they did.
It had been wonderful, warm and gentle, and oh so lovely.
They’re gone. Why are they gone?
His thoughts move sluggishly, syrupy and slow and not logical in the least.
He blinks his eyes in apparent confusion, shuddering as he reaches up to check the time on his phone. The brightness blinds him and sears his vision, but he forces his eyes to stay open.
It’s only 11:30.
He groans, slamming it down and burying back into the fuzzy blankets of his nest.
The others are probably at night practice, he thinks in a moment of clarity he surprises himself with, getting stronger and faster and better .
Both good and bad, he thinks to himself, remembering the way Kevin’s muscles ripple under his shirt as he moves.
Good and bad, because there are no strong arms nor the gentle thump of a heartbeat to soothe him from his misery tonight.
He could go seek out Nicky, but the last thing Aaron heard from him was that he was going to call Erik. Those calls have always lasted a long time, and his cousin always ended up with tears sliding down his cheeks sooner rather than later.
The calls are his, they’re Nicky’s, and he’ll let his cousin have this one thing to himself after everything he’s done for Aaron.
So, he sits shivering in the dark, teetering over the edge of a cliff, and praying not to fall when nobody is there to catch him.
—
Before long his back starts to ache from his hunched over position, but he doesn’t dare straighten it, he’s just barely gotten his clutches on a rare bit of warmth, and he doesn’t plan to jeopardize it by fixing his fucking posture.
He glances at his phone, lying face up. He longs to see the time, to watch the minutes crawl by as he waits for his pack to return home.
He mournfully uncurls an arm from his knees, shivering at the chill that embeds itself there and taps on the screen. It lights up, and the numbers read 1:00.
He groans, feeling tears bead in his eyes.
He doesn’t know why he’s longing for them so much, he misses them every night, but tonight it feels physical , it feels so much more than before, like his body is missing a limb, a piece of his soul to put it back together again.
It feels like a hole in his chest, and he squeezes his eyes shut until shapes infect his eyelids.
Prying them back open, he lays down on his side, quietly whimpering when his back pops in complaint.
He buries his nose in the blankets, letting out a soft whine at the faint scent there. His scent retention has improved, as the doctor said it would, but it still wasn’t great and the faint scent there just made his body ache for more.
Aaron could call them, he knows he could. If he called them, they’d come running, he knows that, it’s been tested time and time again. It’s a truth he can count on, a familiar comfort he groups with all of the others, a collection of honesty in a world of deceit.
He weighs the pros and cons, a list maker at heart, and decides against it. He can survive without them just fine, besides, it’s the first time they’re going to the court at this hour in a while, not wanting to leave Aaron alone.
They’d asked him to tag along, said they’d even get dinner after, Kevin even proposed dessert. But, Exy sounded terrible for his aching muscles so he groaned and convinced them to go anyway.
He’s deeply regretting that now, but hey, what’s a Minyard without a few stupid mistakes? He’s practically an expert by now.
He shouldn’t disturb their night, they’ll be back in a couple hours anyways. With that thought in mind, he shuts his eyes and tries to force his body into a restless sleep.
And if it doesn’t work, well then…nobody has to know about that.
—
He wakes up to a few texts polluting his home screen, one from Kevin and a couple from the Fox group chat he muted in a fit of annoyance when they kept texting when he was trying to study. He frowns as he opens them, noting the time to be 9:00.
To: Kevin🌹
Kevin🌹: sorry love, the car broke down, Andrew’s pissed but we won’t be back until after afternoon practice, morning one is canceled as a “treat” from Coach, but I just think he doesn’t want to work today. If you need anything please call us, darling.
He frowns and disregards how his eyes become misty.
It’s fine, everythings fine, he doesn’t have to call.
Aaron: It’s ok, Kev. Glad we don’t have practice either way.
Kevin🌹: 😭
Aaron: I’m sure you’ll live.
Kevin 🌹: how can i when you hate a sport as good as Exy?
Aaron: There was not a single capitalized word in your text except for exy.
Kevin🌹: it’s is the most important thing in my life.
Aaron: Kevin.
Kevin🌹: wait
Kevin 🌹: no
Kevin 🌹: Aaron>exy
Aaron: Huh?
Kevin 🌹: 1. i capitalized it, you’re more important than exy now. 2. There’s a greater than symbol in there, because you’re greater than exy.
Kevin 🌹: see I didn’t capitalize exy again.
Kevin 🌹: and it’s totally not hurting my soul or anything.
Aaron: Oh my god you NERD
Kevin 🌹: you're one to talk.
Aaron: What’s that supposed to mean?
Kevin 🌹: sorry to break it to you love, but you’re a bigger nerd than me.
Aaron: Says the one who reads history books in their free time.
Kevin 🌹: the medical books you read are hurt you aren’t thinking of them.
Aaron: Ok, ok fine. We’re both nerds. Happy now?
Kevin 🌹: very.
Aaron: Great, now, where are you guys staying? Do I need to get Matt up to drive you?
Kevin: we should be fine, none of us have classes today and Neil doesn’t look like he wants to leave anytime soon. i think they enjoy pestering me.
Aaron: lol
Kevin 🌹: i thought you loved me.
Aaron: I have to take my brother's side, it’s twin code.
Kevin 🌹: … twin code?
Aaron: yes.
Kevin 🌹: that’s not a thing.
Aaron: Are you a twin?
Kevin 🌹: no…
Aaron: exactly.
Kevin 🌹: fine, point taken
Kevin 🌹: I’ve gotta go love. Neil’s trying to see how hard he can smack a ball into the plexiglass and I’m worried he might actually crack it.
Aaron: what the fuck.
Kevin 🌹: no clue but I’d rather not leave him to his own devices, I love you lots and I’ll see you when you get here for afternoon practice.
Aaron: I love you too.
The shaking of his hands subsides with every word he types out, and he slowly breathes as his mind finally quiets.
See? I’m fine. He’s fine. Everybody is safe and absolutely fucking fine.
Just knowing his pack is safe does wonders for him, and he even allows himself a satisfied smile as he toes the line between asleep and waking.
Eventually though, all good things must come to an end, so with a grandiose sigh (because he’s nothing if not dramatic) he peels himself out of the comfort of his bed to get ready for his lecture.
He dresses comfortably, knowing today should be kept relaxed without his pack there to catch him if he stumbles to the edge of the cliff once more.
Metaphorically of course, because cliff jumping is probably not his preferred way of death.
Probably.
He stomps on that thought, trying to shake the shivers that crawl up the different ridges of his spine like a fucking ladder or some shit.
Ok this is just getting annoying now.
He doesn’t let that stop him from grabbing a granola bar on his way out the door, he stops by a coffee shop first, letting his hands soak up the warmth from the cup with a satisfied half smile.
Katelyn is already seated when he gets there, organizing her loose papers into her folders and arranging her pens out into a neat, precise line.
It was one of the first things he noticed about her, how she wasn’t afraid of what people thought of her glittery pens. She didn’t do it for them, she did it for herself, and that drew him to her, the way she just didn’t care.
He supposes that’s why they became friends after all, because he was broken and she didn’t care about what people would whisper into each other's ears.
All she cared about was how he was doing.
It was nice, to be looked at without a head turn to see if anybody was watching. Katelyn was safe, a beta, and smelled faintly of strawberries and fun.
Nothing phased her either, he told her that he had killed a man and the only words she had to say were, are you ok?
He wasn’t then, but she held him until his chest stopped aching, and that was better.
The single time he had ever seen her at a loss for words was when she smelled his real, omega scent for the first time. The first and only time she’d ever been quieted by reality.
She was left alone a lot as a child, left to fill the silences in her parents' wake with snarky words and bitter sighs.
They are alike in some ways, and it soothed him, so they stayed friends for all this time, and he knows he’s certainly not letting her go, and he can say with absolute certainty that she’s not letting him go either.
“Aaron, get your ass over here. I’m trying to figure out where the- fucking hell- blue pen went and your tiny ass better get over here and help me.”
He takes everything back, he hates her.
But it doesn’t stop him from getting on the floor to help her look. His eyes comb over the cracks and crevices, looking for any tinges of blue hiding in the shadows. He frowns when he doesn’t see anything, and traces his gaze back up to scan Katelyn’s face, blinking at the speck of blue in her hair…
What the fuck , he thinks, blinking owlishly at her as he pulls the pen out from her orange ponytail.
“How did it even get there?” Aaron asks, huffing a laugh at her bamboozled expression.
She shrugged with a sheepish smile, “I fell asleep on my notes again, it might’ve rolled into my hair.”
Aaron fixes her with a look, holding out the pen for her to take and flopping down onto his designated chair. He scans the lecture hall, noting the distinct lack of students there. He frowns a little, shrugging as he starts getting out his notebooks, laying them out in a grid like formation (he’s a STEM major, please refrain from judgment for his own sanity) until they are all within reach as his professor bursts in 2 minutes late, door slamming against the wall.
The loud bang makes several of the students jump, and he snickers under his breath.
They go through this routine every time, and while it had made him flinch back the first couple times it happened, it was also a routine . He cherishes his routines, they’re familiar, inviting, and safe.
He fidgets with his numb fingers as the professor babbles on and on about body systems and stuff he should probably be paying attention to, and he tries, he really does…but he seems sort of…fuzzy today. Hazy, like there’s a fog over his vision that he just can’t seem to lift…
So he stops, and just tries to make it through, maybe he’ll retain something after all of this is over.
He picks up a pencil and starts sketching, squiggly lines filling the page with added pointy stars and hastily drawn circles. He enjoys drawing sometimes, it’s mindless to him, not a hobby per se, but something relaxing he can do, no expectations, no judgment, just him, pencils, and paper.
If he can get his mind to corporate, that is.
He’s finished drawing yet another star when his vision cuts out, going fuzzy and…hazy almost? It feels blurry and cloudy, almost like TV static.
What the fuck is going on with me today…?
He sets his head down on the table, breathing shallowly through the confusion and weariness this brings. Not seeing stresses him out, it always had, it’s why he hates the dark and surprises, they blind him and leave him there, dizzy, disoriented, and firmly out of control.
And just like that, the longing for his pack is back yet again.
He clutches at his K necklace, letting the sharp lines dig into his palm, soothing the sharp, achy longing that feels the need to attack.
Ok what the fuck, first I freeze my ass off in my nest, then I long for my pack so much it physically hurts, then my vision cuts out and I-
Oh.
Oh no.
Oh fuck.
“Katelyn?” He whispers, nudging her with his foot until he gets a raised eyebrow from her, “Do I smell any different to you?”
Katelyn’s brows furrow deeply as she leans it and takes his wrist to scent him, her movements steady and sure. “You kind of do.”
“What do I smell like? What’s different about it?”
She raises an eyebrow, “You smell…sweeter? Like your scent was already sweet and then it went…saccharine almost… enticing . It almost smells like you're in…” She stops.
“Like I’m in what? Katelyn!?”
“Like you’re in preheat…Aaron! We have to go now!” Katelyn says frantically, scanning the lecture hall and glaring at the alphas that stare at him. “Can you call Andrew or Kevin or someone to come get you?”
“No, their car broke down, they can’t come get me.” Aaron whispers, his heart sinking down, down, down.
“Is there anyone else who has a car? Someone safe, Aaron.”
“A safe alpha?” His head is starting to swim.
“Aaron! Stay with me.” She whispers through gritted teeth.
“Who is another safe person from your pack that can drive?”
Nicky…can’t, he doesn’t have a car, his pack is gone and he can’t…
Matt.
“Matt, I can call him, he has a car, he’s safe.”
Katelyn smiles at him reassuringly, fishing out his phone from his bag, plucking it up with gentle fingers and handing it to him. He punches in the numbers and waits with bated breaths…
“Aaron? Buddy? I’m kind of in the middle of something right now, can I call you back or-?”
“No! Matt please…” He trails off, the phone cradled in his palm feels cool to the touch, and he presses it to his flushed cheeks.
Wasn’t I cold before?
“Aaron? Bud, what’s wrong?” The worry in his tone is so prevalent that he feels his muscles start to relax, he’s safe, Matt will protect him until he has his pack with him.
“I need you to come and get me.”
“Ok, ok.” He says, keys clinking together as harsh breaths make their way out of Matt’s throat. “I’ll be back later babe, Aaron needs me to go get him.”
Unintelligible mumbles sound from the speaker, and he feels confusion pounding at his head like waves beating on the shore, over and over and over again. He bites his lip to not let the miserable sound brewing in his throat escape. He doesn’t want to attract any attention to himself, it would be better for him to just get out of the room.
He starts packing up his stuff, pushing the papers neatly into his folders so none of them crease, and rounds up the rest of his supplies.
“Do you want me to go with you?” Katelyn asks, her strawberry scent increasing tenfold. He wants to tell her yes, to come with him and keep him safe, but…Matt’s coming. He’ll be safe with him.
“No, I’m ok.” He looks pointedly at her blank sheet of paper, “Keep taking notes, I’m going to need those.” Katelyn raises an eyebrow at him, but she does as asked and starts jotting down what the professor babbles with a newfound vigor.
“I don’t know, he’s not telling me.” Matt says, voice faintly distorted by the speaker.
Shuffling…more shuffling…a phone handover maybe?
“…Aaron, hi…can you tell me what’s wrong?”
“Dan?”
“Yes, Aaron. We’re gonna try to come and get you.”
“I think…I…”
“It’s ok, bud.” Matt says, car engine starting up, the rumbles make the phone shake and he clutches it tighter as he puts on his backpack and makes his way through the lecture hall. “Take your time.”
“I think I’m going into heat…”
“...Oh fuck.”
He huffs a laugh, “Yeah…is Nicky there? At Fox tower?”
“No, I think he’s in class, where’s the rest of your pack?”
“Stranded at the stadium, car broke down.”
“Double fuck.” Dan chimes in, “Don’t worry kid, we’re coming to get you.”
He eyes his surroundings, guiding his eyes in different directions, cataloging the different people walking by, hushed words falling from their lips as they steal glances at him like he’s a fucking serial killer or some shit…
Not too far off base, one rotting corpse could lead to many afterall.
Maybe it would be better for them to think that, easier. He thinks to himself, eyeing the alphas and their hooded eyes to his right.
“Ok, I’m outside B-12…some alphas keep staring at me.”
Dan huffs, “Well tell them to fuck off…be careful, Aaron.”
“I’m being careful.” he says as a wolf-whistle pierces the air. The sound startles him and he stumbles, just barely catching himself against the wall, his hand scrapes along the brick, but he doesn’t react, he’s trained reactions out of him, hiding them away until they’ve stopped showing up “...sort of.”
“We’re trying to get to you, buddy. Dan? Can you call Allison and Renee? They have classes around there and I don’t want Aaron to be left alone with random alphas without at least some protection.”
“I can protect myself.”
“Sure kid,” Dan agrees, but the ringing of her phone contradicts her statement immediately. “You can protect yourself when your mind is clear and you’re not vulnerable, right now you're neither so I’m calling them…what room were you outside of again?”
“B-12.” He answers with a sigh, his fingertips going numb once more. He shivers, squirming in the clothes he decided to wear. They feel scratchy now, uncomfortable without the scents he longs for staining the fabric.
“I’m going to hang up now.” He says, ignoring Matt’s protests.
He stands there a little while longer, breathing through the shivers and bracing himself for the pain to come.
Cramps.
Cramps are fickle things, they can come in waves or drown you completely, they can bring you to your knees or just lightly tickle your muscles, there’s no inbetween and no way to tell and the only way to soothe the pain is an alpha’s scent and he doesn’t have one and-
A wave of pain crests over him and he whimpers, leaning against the wall and bracing for more.
It’s fine, pain is a constant for you, it used to be a companion, a friend, what happened?
Not anymore, it’s not constant anymore and it hurts so bad…
“Breathe. They’re coming to get you.” A voice says, except…it was new. Breathy and comforting and gentle.
It hurts…
“I know, breathe, put your coffee cup on your stomach.”
Why?
“It’s something warm.”
He doesn’t question it further, the voice sounds like they know what they’re talking about anyway. He can trust them, as horrifying as that sounds.
He pushed the paper cup into his abdomen, whining quietly when the pain melts back into a dull ache. It throbbed, but it didn’t burn him, and that was enough.
Thank you…
“Of course, love.”
Who are you?
“Your inner omega.”
…
“Yeah, took me a while, huh?”
It’s not your fault, I made some stupid decisions to keep you away.
“Haven’t we all? Watch your hand, it’s slipping.”
…sorry.
“It’s no trouble, I’m just staying until you have some company, then I’ll go.”
You’re going to leave?
“With company, and not for long, I’ll come back the next time you need me.”
Promise?
“Promise.”
Allison’s golden ponytail catches in the light, and he feels relief crash into him, so strong it leaves him gasping, reeling back against the brink wall.
The voice left him, for better or for worse, with Allison Reynolds.
“Renee should be here soon, don’t worry you’re not stuck with me for long.” She says, turning to the alphas. “Hey bitches! Ever seen a crazy beta before? Because I’m about to go fucking ballistic if you so much as look our way again!”
Aaron looks her up and down, deciding she means no harm and is in fact, there to help him. “…Thank you.”
“Sure kid.”
Aaron frowns, “Why does everybody keep calling me that?”
“Oh?” She asks, grin sharp as a knife, “Would you rather sweetheart, or honey, or darling, or baby, or-“
His cheeks flush and he stands up on his tiptoes to put a hand over her mouth.
“I get it. Please stop.”
“Sure thing, babydoll.”
He glares, huffing semi-playfully and semi-not when his eyes catch on rainbow hair and peaceful eyes.
Renee .
She takes a sniff of the air and frowns, coming closer to plant a kiss on Allison’s cheek.
He doesn’t let his surprise show, choosing instead to shift on the balls of his feet and pull out his phone to call his cousin.
It rings out 4 times.
“Aaron, honey? Why are you calling me? Is something wrong?”
He feels his muscles untense, just a little, at Nicky’s familiar tenor, voice light and concerned.
“Listen, don't freak out.”
Nicky huffs, “the amount of times you’ve started a call with that is concerning but go on.”
“I’m going into heat.”
That shuts Nicky right up.
“Where are you?”
“I’m with Renee and Allison outside of B-12, Dan and Matt are coming to get us, don’t worry.”
“What’d you call me for if not to worry?” Nicky laughs, but by the sound of his labored breaths, his cousin must be making his way out of the lecture hall.
“Nicky, you don’t have to come…”
“If you think I’m letting my baby cousin, one of my pack omegas go through their first real heat for the first time since they were 14 alone then you’ve got another thing coming.”
“I love you, Nicky.”
“I love you too, bug. You’re the only reason I’m sprinting this early in the morning so, I must really love you.”
A giggle slips out before he can stifle it and the girls look at him like he’s crazy, but Nicky starts crooning and muttering praise to him and the fluttery feeling in his belly makes a reappearance and he wants his cousin's scent like yesterday .
“You’re in B-12, right?”
“Yes, I think I see you…?”
“Yes! That’s me, honey. I see Matt’s truck over there, must’ve made it just in time.”
He hangs up the phone just as Nicky skirts to a stop beside him, the warm, sweet cinnamon and saccharine chocolate smells heavenly, and he tackles Nicky into a hug, burying his face in his neck and whining when a hand comes to bury itself in his curls.
Nicky presses kisses to his cheeks, babbling happily to him in different languages.
“Oh cariño…you look a little flushed.” Nicky frowns, separating himself from the blond to feel his forehead.
“It’s the fever, probably from the heat.” He shrugs but leans into his cousin's hands regardless, soaking up the soft touches his cousin is happy to provide.
“Aaron!” Matt yells, jumping out of the truck to run up to him.
“Matt…thank you.”
“Of course, buddy.” He looks over at Aaron then back to Nicky and frowns, “Does he have a fever…?”
“A small one, it’s a normal pre-heat symptom but I would like to get him back to bed.”
Matt nods, eyes flicking over him slowly, “Ok, we should get going then…do you think our scents would help, Aaron? Or do you need us to keep them to ourselves.”
Aaron blinks, “You can do that?”
Renee nods, “We can, it takes practice and concentration, but we’ve learned.”
“Oh…I don’t know? I think Matt’s and Renee’s would help, but when the others get back and smell me, in heat, with another alphas scent on me they’ll probably go ballistic. I can’t promise Andrew won’t maul you.”
Matt winces but nods determinedly, “Ok, we’ll keep them to ourselves until we’re back.”
“Hey assholes!” Allison shouts across the field, eyes filled with rage, they turn on their heels in just enough time to see the alphas flinch.“Either stop staring or go fuck yourselves.”
The alphas take their prying eyes away.
Nicky smiles gratefully, “Thank you, Ali.”
She nods with a glare, “Don’t call me that, they needed to be knocked down a peg.”
“Alright guys,” Dan interrupts, hand reaching to grab Matt’s, “let’s go.”
Nicky nods with a smile, looping his arm over Aaron’s shoulders and guiding him to the car.
The touch feels nice, gentle and grounding and something he wants to bury his face into and never let go.
Nicky takes the touch away to open the door, and before a pang of longing can overtake his senses, the touch is back in the form of a gentle hand gripping his. He feels a little shaky so he takes his coffee cup off his stomach, hissing at the pain that rushes back in. Nicky guides him to sit in the third row, the very last one, there’s a metaphor there that he doesn’t bother with as he shoves the coffee cup back onto his aching abdomen, waiting impatiently for the pain to go back to a dull ache instead of burning at his skin.
The pain boils and blossoms and flares, before it sets itself back into the tiresome ache he’s been waiting for.
Dramatic much?
“Hey honey,” Nicky starts, setting himself down beside Aaron before gently stretching out his hand to take Aaron’s and massage it with his warm fingers. “Do you want to call Drew? I’m sure Matt can go pick them up after we drop you off.”
Aaron pauses before shaking his head, “They’re at court, and I’m sure Matt doesn’t want to keep chauffeuring people around.”
Matt huffs a laugh from the front seat, “Aaron, I’m pretty sure Andrew will actually combust if he wasn’t there for you during your heat. It’s an alpha’s instinct, he’s going to want to be there.”
Aaron deflates, slumping back into his seat with a groan, “Are you sure you’re ok driving them?”
“Yes, Aaron.”
“Ok, fine. I’ll call.”
“Atta boy!” Nicky says to the tune of Aaron’s swat, “Ok! Ok! I’m sorry, jesus.”
He takes out his phone and clicks on Andrew’s contact, letting Nicky’s warm hand soothe his pounding heart.
It rings and rings and rings…
“Aaron?”
“Hi, Drew.”
Andrew huffs over the phone and Aaron can’t stop himself from grinning.
“What do you want?” He says gruffly but Aaron can hear the worry embedded there.
“...Listen Drew, don’t freak out.”
“Oh fuck Aaron what did you do?”
He hears scrambling from the other end, the phone being yanked into somebody’s hands and harsh breaths over the speaker, anxiety ridden and rapid.
Kevin.
“Darling? What happened?”
He can hear chuckling from the other end, but he can’t focus because as soon as Kevin’s voice washes over him he melts into the seat.
Nicky’s eyes widen, amused to no end.
“Kevin?” His cousin whispers, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Shut up,” he mouths, tapping Nicky’s face before grabbing at his arm to toss around his shoulders.
“Whipped.” Is all he gets in response before he’s squeezed into his cousin's chest.
“I’m ok, Kev. Kinda.”
“I don’t like “kinda.”” Is what he gets in response before his boyfriend shouts something over to Neil. “I’m putting you on speaker, Neil’s jogging over here.”
He sighs, “Ok, Andrew’s still there?”
“Yes.” His brother says, voice gruff and unrelenting in its disquiet.
“...You guys can’t freak out.”
“Why?” Neil says, confusion apparent in his tone, and Aaron can picture them all so clearly , his brother's stance, his crossed arms and concerned glare, Kevin’s still body, excluding his fingers that are surely wringing together in a complicated dance Aaron has untangled, and Neil’s antsy steps back and forth when he’s nervous. “What’s going on?”
He misses them all so much, longs for them like oxygen in his lungs, like blood in his veins.
They are a part of him in every single way and he wants them back .
“I may or may not be going into heat.”
Stunned silence greets him, and Aaron kind of wants to laugh because of fucking course this would happen to him.
Apparently fate hasn’t run out of tricks just yet.
“C’mon Kevin, Drew, we’re running.”
“...What?”
“We’re running over to you.” Neil says, like it’s obvious.
“I-what?”
“Aaron.” Andrew says, “Where are you?”
“I’m in Matt’s car, he came to pick me up and take me home.”
“Who’s all with you?” Neil asks.
“Matt, Dan, Renee, Allison, and Nicky.”
“Nicky’s there?” Kevin asks, relief apparent.
“Yes. We’re going back right now. Matt was going to come get you guys after he dropped me off.”
“If you think we’re waiting for Matt Boyd , a person who obeys all of the fucking laws about speeding and shit to come get us you’ve lost your mind.” Kevin says, phone whistling in the wind.
“...You guys have already started running, haven’t you?”
“Yup,” Neil says, grinning, “You can’t stop us.”
He sighs, affection and fondness tugging at his heart.
He’s gotten soft.
“Be careful, there could be cars.”
“I’ve run this route a thousand times, we’ll be back before you are with Matt driving.” Neil says.
“In the meantime.” Kevin interrupts, “If we are not, in fact, there before you, I want Nicky to take you up to our room, start building a nest and tell Matt to stop at the store as soon as he drops you off so we can stockpile shit in the dorms. None of us are going to want to leave you when we get there.”
“I think I’m pretty early on, my scent hasn’t changed too much yet or anything, just crampy.”
“Oh mon amour, I’m sorry you're hurting-hey!”
“Aaron, what hurts?” Andrew says, slightly out of breath but fiercely protective, it makes Aaron squirm.
The fluttery feeling of being cared for is new, it makes him feel like he’s walking on a cloud when it arises, and he always misses it when it’s not there.
It hasn’t become his companion yet, but a distant friend was more than he could have hoped for a year ago so he’ll take what he can get.
“I’m jus’ cramping, Drew. ‘ts normal.”
“Go grab a heating pad from under Neil’s bed when you get there, don’t worry about a nest, Neil will take care of it, you rest.”
“It’ll be the best goddamn nest you’ve ever seen!” Neil yells, faint but confident all the same.
Aaron snorts and looks out the window to track their progress.
“We’re just off fifth, about 5 minutes before we’re back.”
He hears Andrew curse under his breath, then a yell for them all to go faster.
“It’s ok, Drew. I’m just chilling.”
“Of course you are.” He says with a growl, “I won’t rest easy until I see it anyways.”
Aaron’s voice softens, “I know, and you will, soon.”
That seems to satisfy him and they sit in silence until he meets Matt’s eyes in the rear view mirror.
“What Matt?”
The backliner averts his eyes, breathing shallowly.
“Matt?” Nicky asks, frowning.
“I can…I can just smell him.”
Aaron sucks in a breath, sharp and quick and panicked.
“You will keep driving this car Matt Boyd or so help me god I will maul you myself. ”
“I’m not going to stop! Fuck, no that isn’t what I meant. It doesn’t smell sexy , we aren’t in a trashy rom-com, that doesn’t exist and you know it, it just smells heavenly , I want to hold him so fucking bad.”
Aaron swallows thickly and feels some of the weight in his stomach lift.
While heats are inherently non-sexual things, trashy alphas always had to find ways to take advantage of helpless omegas, and heats were an easy way to catch them off guard.
Aaron blames the movies sleazy people go to see, the ones that make him blush and look down whenever one of the Foxes puts them on.
Heats don’t make him out of his mind with lust, they just make him achy and tired, they make him long for an alphas scent to soothe the burning of his skin, they make him delirious and out of control and weak .
So while he never expected Matt to be one of those alphas, he’s glad he got the confirmation, Matt’s a good guy, better than that, Matt’s his friend, he would never.
Aaron feels the tension seep out of his body, feeling safe in the car once more.
“Aaron?” Andrew says, a hint of a frown on his lips.
“I’m here, sorry Drew, go on.”
“We’re almost there, we can see it.”
“Good.” He looks out the window, giving a laugh of delight when he sees them, his pack, sprinting at full speed towards him. “I see you guys.”
Neil reaches the car first, waiting impatiently for them to pull to a stop before opening the door and slipping inside, the smell of strawberries and sugar fills the truck, amplified and all-consuming in the best way.
“Neil,” He breathes, grabbing the omegas hand to let himself be guided out of the car. He’s pulled into his arms soon enough and he buries his face in his neck, arms going to loop around his shoulders as Neil’s go to his waist.
“How are you feeling?” He mumbles into his hair, squeezing tightly.
“I’m ok, maybe a little crampy.”
Neil squeezes him tighter, “a little?”
He makes a small whine at the gesture, nuzzling back into the safety of his neck, “Maybe a lot, I put a coffee cup on there to try to get it to stop, but-” He looks around, “Actually where is my coffee cup?”
Nicky hops out of the truck, coffee cup in hand and a wide grin on his face.
“Neil,” he says, a smile coating his words, “Fancy seeing you here.”
Neil scoffs, but doesn’t let Aaron go, “Hey yourself,” He frowns at Aaron, “We’ve got to get you behind closed doors.”
“Why?” Allison says, climbing out of the car slowly, “Scared of someone taking advantage of him?” Her tone is condescending and it makes them both bristle.
“They can try.” Andrew says, stopping right next to Aaron.
“Andrew!” He says, grin lighting up his face, he sees the corners of Andrew’s lips quirk up, and he tries not to laugh in sheer delight when Andrew holds out his arms for a hug.
Aaron takes it, letting the scent of smoky lavender soothe the burns on his skin, he shudders, nuzzling into Andrew’s scent gland. His brothers arms tighten around him, and he can vaguely feel Andrew telling Neil something, but he’s so tired and his alpha is finally here wait-
Kevin. Where’s Kevin?
His scent must spike with something unsavory because Kevin’s there in an instant.
“Missed me sweetheart?” He says, and Aaron melts, peeling himself away from Andrew to jump into Kevin’s arms.
“No.” He mumbles into his neck, inhaling warm sandalwood and cedar as quickly as he can directly from the source. He feels more than he hears Kevin’s answering chuckle.
“No?” He teases, muscles relaxing with his omega in his arms, “Then why are you clinging to me like a koala?”
Aaron grumbles but doesn’t move, grinning as Kevin accepts this and starts to move with Aaron in his arms, hands moving to pick him up.
“Aaron?” Matt says.
“I’ll deal with you later.” His brother says, glaring, but it softens at Renee’s look of disapproval, “Thank you for taking him home.”
Matt smiles, “of course.”
Andrew shoots one last look at the upperclassmen, one filled with apprehension, before following his pack up to their nest.
He’s upstairs before he knows it, listening to Nicky’s laughter and Neil’s exasperation. The lock on the door clicks as it swings open, singing a creaking melody that makes Andrew sigh. He sees some tension seep out of his brother’s muscles, seeing his pack safe and sound in his territory must be doing wonders.
“Kevin.” Andrew says, sharp and commanding, “Grab Aaron some comfortable clothes, preferably with our scents on them. Nicky, start cooking something for him, something he’ll actually eat, mind you, so none of the vegetables bullshit.”
“But vegetables are good for you!” Nicky protests, but it doesn’t hold much weight as he’s already moving.
“Neil, start a nest, one made for heats. You know what I mean.” Neil blinks and nods, darting into their bedroom to, presumably, do just that “Great, I’ll call Abby and Coach to let them know we’ll be absent for a couple days. Everybody got it?”
They all nod.
“Good, let’s try to get this done before the heat hits, capiche?”
“Capiche.” They echo, starting to move towards their respective tasks.
Kevin grabs his hand, gentle but firm all at once. He smiles at him, growing even wider when he catches a peak at the A peaking out from under his collar. He touches his own K necklace, the shape of it burned into his fingertips.
“Do you want to take a shower or just change? It’s up to you, love.” Kevin says, kissing his knuckles gently.
“It would have to be quick, I can feel myself progressing…”
“Ok, do you want me to go in with you? Or do you want to bathe yourself?”
“If you go in with me we’ll never come out again.” He says dryly, a sharp grin forming at Kevin’s blush.
“Ok, ok. Point taken, I’ll grab you some clothes and a towel, you just go get started.”
He nods, spinning on his heel to make his way to the bathroom. Pulling the door open, he switches the water on and pulls off his clothes. The pants stick to his skin, and he sighs as he peels them off of him. His shirt goes next, and before he knows it he’s stepping into the spray, careful not to get his hair wet.
The water is moderately warm, but it never gets truly hot the way he craves, so he waits for Columbia to scrub himself raw and get the dirt and grime off of his skin.
But oh how he wishes for hot water now, to soothe the shivers racking his spine, to calm his aching body, to scorch his skin and have the pinpricks of white-hot pain ground him just a little.
It would help his head not feel so floaty, so covered in fog and faraway.
Regardless, he gets out of the now slightly cold shower and finds a towel and clothes set down on the counter. He wraps the towel around his body and takes stock of what Kevin grabbed.
Andrew’s sweatpants, Kevin’s hoodie, and his own boxers sit folded on the counter, still and so, so enticing. He grabs the boxers and slides them up his legs to rest on his hips, and grabs the sweatpants to do the same, they feel warm, so they must have sat on the radiator for a little bit before they were given to him.
He smiles at the gesture, head growing fuzzier by the minute, as he slips on Kevin’s hoodie, flipping up the hood until he’s drowning in the soft fabric.
Softer than usual… he frowns, plucking at the fabric before realization washes over him.
It's special fabric, he thinks, eyes wide in awe, made specifically for omega’s skin,
He loves them all so much.
He slips out of the door, fiddling with his necklace as he goes to seek out the rest of his pack. He goes to the kitchen, taking stock of the steamy food on the table, a bunch of Mexican delicacies that he’s been eating since he was 16.
The foods have grown comforting by now, growing with him into something he likes, loves even.
He takes stock of the heaping spoonfuls being served onto his plate, and aims a gentle smile at Nicky, whose head lifts to meet his gaze.
“Awww, honey! You look adorable.” Aaron raises an eyebrow, but goes to sit where Nicky directs him to anyway.
“The food smells good.” He offers, leaning into the kiss placed on his forehead.
“Thanks, hun. Hey everybody! Food is ready!” Nicky screams, sitting diagonally across from Aaron with a wink.
Andrew and Neil wander out from the bedroom, hand in hand, Kevin in tow.
“It looks great, Nicky.” Neil says, sitting next to the beta.
“Thanks Neil! At least one of you has manners.” He huffs playfully, faux annoyance coating his features.
“I just told you it smells good.” Aaron points out dryly, settling even more with his family's scents around him.
Andrew sits at the head of the table, both omegas next to him with Nicky and Kevin bringing up the rear.
“ Andrew .” Nicky whines, “Doesn’t my food look good?”
Andrew offers a raised eyebrow and a single nod in return. Nicky smiles, straightening up and raising his arms.
“I commence this feast to begin!”
They waste no time digging in, nothing pausing their chewing except muffled giggles and snarky retorts to faux insults.
It’s normal, comforting and familiar, and he relaxes, head going hazy with every instance of Andrew’s thumb moving to stroke the path made along his knuckles, with every time Kevin’s arms flex around him, squeezing him tightly, with every bite of delicious food he takes.
It feels like home.
He breathes out a sigh of relief and melts back into his family’s hold, trusting them to catch him when he takes that final leap over the edge of the cliff.
He knows he won’t regret it come morning.
—
They finish eating and start clearing their plates in record time, too anxious to sit around and wait much longer for the inevitable to hit.
He’s been banned from dishes, the others proclaiming that he should go get comfy in his nest.
As if I could get comfy without them, He thought wryly, letting Kevin take his plate to the sink.
Andrew stares at him, not willing to do dishes on a normal day, let alone one like this.
Aaron’s lips quirk up.
“Drew, do you want to start heading over?”
Andrew gives a short nod in response, standing up and holding out a hand for Aaron, which he takes gratefully. His legs feel useless, shaky even, so it’s challenging to get to the bedroom, shuffling behind Andrew with hopes that he doesn’t notice how slow he’s moving.
Andrew notices, of course, he always does.
“Yes or no?” Andrew asks, voice soft but strong as steel.
“Yes.” Andrew nods, and crouches down low, motioning for Aaron to get on his back.
Aaron hesitates.
“Drew…are you sure?”
“It’s a yes.” Andrew says, surety coating his throat.
So he jumps on, Andrew’s hands supporting his legs as he carries him to the bedroom, pushing the door open with a nudge from his foot. He carefully crouches down to set Aaron down in the nest, letting Aaron squirm around to get comfortable.
He finds his spot smack-dab in the middle, letting the myriad of scents soothe his aching senses. He buries his face in a particularly scented shirt, finding that it smells of a mix of Neil and Andrew.
His brother watches him with a mixture of trepidation and protectiveness, anxious and loving all at once.
“Are you ok, Drew?”
“...”
“Andrew.”
“Mostly.”
“ Andrew.”
“I’m just…” He huffs out a breath, shaking out his hands in a nervous tick he’s used since he was small.
Aaron would know, he’s used the same one.
“I don’t want to mess this up for you.” He finishes dryly.
“You won’t.”
“Aaron-”
“Trust me?” Aaron asks, holding out a hand.
Andrew slides over carefully to take it, silent on the balls of his feet. It makes Aaron’s heart ache more than his body ever could.
“Yes or no?”
“That’s my line.” Andrew mutters, a breath almost like a laugh escaping his lungs, he looks back up at him, hazel eyes on full display, “It’s a yes, Aaron.”
He tugs him in, letting Andrew collapse next to him. He curls close into his brother’s body, and lets his arms encircle him in a bubble of safety he’s been craving for hours.
He snuggles close, letting his brother’s hand move to cradle his head to his scent gland, he breathes in smokey lavender and sighs.
If he didn’t know any better, he’d say Andrew was scenting him too judging by the way his muscles untensed.
Aaron smiles, warm and satisfied, knowing that he was safe and ready to fall.
—
His heat passes in a hazy mist of colors and solid warmth, people going back and forth, people scenting and soothing him, people feeding him scorching hot soup and ice cold juice, people, and people, and more people.
It’s the best heat he’s had yet, not cold and alone on a bathroom floor, but warm and safe within his pack’s arms.
He wakes up after the third day, blinking blearily, comfortably full, and so, so cozy and comfortable he finds it hard to want to move.
He’s nudged out of it by a warm hand petting through his hair, their fingernails scratch at his scalp and he melts into it with a drowsy purr.
“Hey love,” The voice says, dipping in to kiss his hair, constellations of sandalwood and cedar reach his nose, a scattering of stars across the sky.
He blinks his eyes open to reach tender emerald eyes, warm and drizzly like melted gemstones.
“Hi…” He says, carefully sitting himself up to survey the room around them. Their nest is still the same homely structure it was before, filled with solace and love, and the floor looks mostly clean too. Bowls and glasses litter the bedside table, used fairly recently if he’s judging it right (and he is).
All in all, it shouldn’t be too hard to clean up, he shrugs and flops back down into the nest, cuddling back into his alpha’s arms.
“Do you want me to call the others in? Your fever broke this morning, so they decided to get a headstart on cleaning everything before coming back.”
“Andrew let you stay with me?” He asks, surprised.
“Oh not at all, he was very apprehensive-”
“Good word.”
“Thank you.” He’s awarded with a winning Kevin Day smile, a mocking version of the ones he puts to use in front of a camera. “He put up one hell of a fight but Neil dragged him away and made him shower. He’s gonna be fucking livid he wasn’t here for the wake up though.”
Aaron shrugs with a smile, settling down once more and letting his heartbeat settle, he feels calmer, sated now that he’s had his heat. There’s no restless energy churning under his skin, just waiting to burst out. It’s nice.
“Oh you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Andrew says, towel draped over his neck and glare firmly in place.
“Hi Drew, how was everything?” Andrew’s glare softens as he comes to flop back into the nest.
“It was ok, it went as it should, except you should’ve probably been more lucid for it, according to Neil.”
Aaron nods, “Abby told me something about that, the next one should be more normal, something about my hormones not knowing what to do with themselves.”
Andrew huffs out an amused sigh and Aaron glares at him, lifting himself up to a sitting position so he can get a better glimpse of his brother.
He looks tired but…content somehow, like he’s done something good.
Aaron narrows his eyes into slits, “What did you do?”
Andrew raises an eyebrow and they stare at each other until Andrew gives up and puts his hands up in a gesture of mock-surrender.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“You’re weirdly happy, why?”
“I’m happy? Says who?”
“ Andrew. ”
“Fine. I may or may not be slightly less miserable. I just helped you through your heat, which soothed my instincts well enough, then I went to the upperclassman and made them part of our pack again-”
Aaron breaks out into a blinding smile, scent turning soft and happy, the undertones of pain and fever evaporate until all that’s left is a beaming, glowing, delighted smile.
Andrew’s eyes soften at the sight of it, and he raises a hand to run through Aaron’s hair, letting his nails scratch along his scalp and push his hair back from his forehead.
“I’m so proud of you, Drew.” He murmurs, gentle and loving all at once.
Andrew melts , climbing into the nest and clinging onto Aaron like there's no tomorrow.
“Awww.” Kevin says teasingly, eyes glinting with undisguised amusement.
“You’re just jealous.” Andrew murmurs, before letting out an undignified yelp when they’re both pulled down onto Kevin’s chest.
“Not anymore.” Kevin says smugly, happily snuggling them both.
Aaron relaxes into it, a single thought bouncing around in his head.
They caught me, they didn’t let me fall.
It’s more than he could’ve ever imagined, after everything that’s happened to him.
To go from being constantly numb, and cold, and alone, to being glowy, and loved, and protected is a rush he didn’t know he needed.
He snuggles into the other’s arms, not bothering to protest Nicky or Neil joining in.
He’s home, these people are his home.
And that’s enough.