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“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you,
I could walk through my garden forever.”
- Alfred Lord Tennyson
Toge stops dead on the sidewalk, rain pattering against the dome of the umbrella he’s holding tight in one hand. The street is gray, puddles of dark clouds under his shoes, the gentle roll of thunder sounding far off. Passersby are forced to move around him, some less than happy about it, but Toge is frozen, his breath catching in his throat.
Ahead of him but across the street is Yuuta. He’s in dark jeans and a button up black shirt, his school bag slung over one shoulder as he holds on to a large umbrella. His midnight hair is ruffled from the weather but he’s tall and broad and Toge yearns just looking at him.
But there’s something else. Someone is standing under the umbrella with him. A girl probably about Toge’s age with long brown hair and brown eyes in a collared blue dress and jacket. A classmate maybe? She’s not carrying a school satchel though, just a small purse tucked under her arm. She’s smiling up at Yuuta as she chats with him. Toge has a hard time seeing Yuuta’s expression from where he is but the alpha seems relaxed, at ease.
The girl’s an omega, Toge can tell instantly. She smells tangy, like orange peels.
Toge swallows, trying to get a hold of himself. He doesn’t understand why he’s so upset. Yuuta is just standing there chatting with a friend. It shouldn’t matter that the girl’s an omega. Yuuta’s allowed to have friends. He’s allowed to talk with other omegas. Toge’s being ridiculous and he doesn’t understand why . It’s true that he and Yuuta have been more… intimate lately, could that be it? Still, they aren’t mated, Toge doesn’t have a claim mark on his neck. He still wears his collar.
Maybe it’s because he’s too used to the pack and the easy dynamics they all have with each other. He’s not used to seeing Yuuta interact with others. It’s just different. Toge just needs to get used to it, is all. He can—
The girl lifts a hand and lays it on Yuuta’s forearm, the one he’s holding the umbrella with. She laughs daintily at something he says, eyes sparkling. Her scent sweetens, sugared orange slices.
Toge whimpers.
Yuuta lifts his head suddenly as if scenting something, turning‒
Toge slaps his hand over his mouth and steps sideways into the alley and out of Yuuta’s view.
He’s breathing heavily behind his hand, almost hyperventilating. He needs to calm down. Hiccuping, he hunches down and wraps an arm around his knees, just focusing on breathing in and out, his knuckles white around the handle of his umbrella. He rests his chin on his knee cap, blindly watching raindrops drip onto the concrete before him. There’s something wet on his face too, curving down his cheek.
He’s stupid. So stupid.
Shakily, he reaches into his back pocket and takes out his phone. His fingers fumble through a text message and then he simply crouches there, miserable and angry with himself.
It takes ten minutes but eventually a pair of fashionable boots enter his field of vision. He tilts his head up, tears in his lashes, to meet Nobara’s concerned gaze through the transparent plastic of his umbrella. Her brows furrow with one look at him and she puts a hand on her hip, clutching her own umbrella.
“What the fuck did he do?”
And of course Toge can’t explain. Yuuta didn’t do anything. It’s Toge. Toge’s the problem.
He sniffles, watching her with watery orchid eyes, and Nobara sighs. She holds out a hand for him.
“Come on, let’s get a drink and you can tell me about it.”
They head to a nearby cafe, shaking off the rain as they sit near the windows. Toge sips his hot tea, feeling a little more settled while Nobara shakes her iced coffee to hear it rattle, watching him like a hawk.
Nothing happened, Toge signs, ashamed. He shivers a little, curling into his coat, fingers pressed for warmth to his cup.
Nobara motions at all of him. “This does not happen because of ‘nothing’. You smell hurt.”
Toge takes a shuddering gasp, the panicky feeling starting to rise in this throat again. How do I make it stop?
Nobara looks really worried now. She sets her drink down and scoots her chair closer to him until she can press the whole side of her body to his, full body contact from shoulder to ankle. She takes one of his hands in hers and squeezes hard.
“Hold on tight to me,” she instructs, then takes out her phone, shooting off a text message. He struggles to clasp her hand. The tea he drank feels queasy in his stomach now. Why can’t he calm down?
He wants Yuuta. He needs Yuuta.
It’s Maki that comes for them though. She breezes through the cafe door five minutes later, tall and lean and confident. She takes one look at him, shaky and pale, and frowns. She walks over to his other side, rolls up her sleeve and presses her wrist to the back of his neck.
“Take a deep breath for me,” she orders, that alpha note in her voice that commands obedience. He inhales raggedly and the scent of fresh pine goes straight to his head.
His shoulders drop and his whole body leans to one side, Nobara getting a grip on him to keep him upright. His head clears though, like a fog rolling back, and a tingly warmth spreads from the top of his head all the way down to his toes. His stomach settles. He almost cries in relief, craning his head around to give Maki a look of such utter gratitude that she tsks at him. He can tell she’s secretly pleased though.
She takes her wrist away, rolling down her sleeve. “Alright, tell me what’s going on here.”
He tries. Embarrassed, he describes what he saw and how it made him feel, acknowledging that his reaction was over the top. It’s dumb, I know. Yuuta didn’t do anything wrong. It just… it hurt me. He lays a hand over his own chest. In here. Maybe I need to learn better control? Is there something wrong with me?
He peers between Nobara and Maki, the two of them now sitting across the table from him, listening intently.
“It’s gotta be Rika,” Maki says decisively. She leans back in her chair with a sigh of the long suffering. Next to her, Nobara’s eyebrow is twitching, clearly irritated.
“Men suck,” she declares.
Toge blinks at them. Who is Rika?
Neither of them appear to notice him, too involved in their back and forth.
“What could she be doing back in Tokyo after all these years?” Maki asks. Nobara shakes her head.
“Why the hell would she touch him? Was she trying to scent him?! There’s no way she didn’t smell another omega on him with how clingy he is.”
“What a moron.”
“What a bitch.”
Toge clears his throat. The two girls turn their heads to look at him as if suddenly realizing he’s still there. He signs again, Who is Rika?
Maki adjusts her glasses. “She’s a childhood friend of his. They lost touch long before either of them had even presented. Her family moved to Kyoto. Her father was some sort of business man.”
Nobara snorts. “Friend, ha! From what I heard, that girl had some sort of weird obsession with him even as a little kid.”
Toge bites his lip to keep it from trembling. And Yuuta… he loved her?
Maki huffs. “In the way that a seven year old loves a friend that plays in the sandbox with him.”
Toge looks down, rubbing his fingers absently against his chest. I don’t understand. Why does it hurt so much?
Maki and Nobara exchange a long look. It’s Nobara that leans forward, her expression almost sympathetic as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Toge, is there any chance you’ve fallen in love with Yuuta?”
Toge’s really grateful for his part-time job at the flower shop.
Gojo had helped him get it, playing translator between Toge and the little old lady that owns it, Nakamura Kiyo. Kiyo is amazing at design and arrangements but she’s getting older and has trouble bending and lifting things in both the small greenhouse and storage area. Toge helps tend to the growing flowers as well as ordering and stacking the floral supplies that Kiyo needs to make her bouquets. So far it’s been a great partnership with the two of them communicating mostly by pen and paper, though Kiyo has learned a few signs since Toge started. Toge thinks she’s the cutest grandmother he’s ever seen.
He’s a little late for his afternoon shift but manages to get there in one piece, entering the tiny shop to greet Kiyo who is puttering behind the counter. He stows his umbrella and coat and then makes his way back into the greenhouse. Rini, the white shop cat, rubs his ankles as he starts his watering routine. Soon enough he loses himself in the smell of the flowers and the drumming of the rain on the greenhouse glass. He prunes dead leaves and checks on the seedlings, adding rich soil when necessary. Toge finds the plants soothing - they’re silent, like him, but there’s meaning in their blossoms. Daisies for faith, forget-me-nots for true love, hydrangea for pride, iris for good news… They all have their hidden words.
Maybe Toge does too.
Is it possible that he’s in love with Yuuta?
The idea makes him nervous. He’s never had the opportunity to be in love before. He likes Yuuta so much, cares about his feelings, wants to be close to him. There are times when Toge so badly wants to touch the other boy that he can’t breathe. Is that love? Or just attraction?
And how much of it can be chalked up to the fact that Toge is an omega and Yuuta is an alpha? He knows Yuuta cares about him too and finds him beautiful but it’s not like either of them have made promises to each other. Toge thinks he would describe their relationship as “dating” and, even then, they’d never said they were exclusive.
What if Yuuta wants to date Rika?
Toge shuts off the water hose.
What if the only reason Yuuta and Rika weren’t already together was that she had moved away? Maybe now that she’s back they wished to pick up their old friendship and…
Toge shakes his head. Thinking like this won’t help. It’s only serving to make him sad and panicky again and if he has another meltdown he won’t have Maki nearby to help keep him calm.
Determined to push Yuuta out of his thoughts, he leans down and scritches Rini behind the ears and then goes to clean up the storage room.
By the time the end of the day rolls around, Toge is mentally and emotionally exhausted. He does one last sweep of the shop and then signs goodbye to Kiyo who smiles and wishes him a good night.
Outside, the sky is still gloomy and overcast and getting darker as the sun heads for the horizon. Toge opens his umbrella and starts for the train station. His commute is the same as always - lots of people, lots of different scents. He’s mostly gotten used to the overwhelming nature of it, though it grates a little on his raw nerves tonight. He’s relieved when he finally reaches the steps leading up to the Gojo den.
Almost home. Almost‒
Oranges. Toge can smell oranges.
Toge’s breathing picks up as his steps slow down. Climbing the stairs is now akin to climbing a mountain. By the time he reaches the top he’s gulping in air like he’s been drowning. He sets his umbrella against the side of the main building, toeing off his wet shoes before opening the sliding door and entering the hallway in just his socks. There’s a rumble of voices coming from the kitchen and he heads there slowly. He needs to be normal. Everything is fine. He’s fine.
Yuuji is at the stove cooking, the room warm and inviting after the chill of the rainy world outside. Nobara is standing nearby, apparently assisting by chopping vegetables. Yuuta and Rika are sitting at the kitchen table side by side, the four of them seemingly chatting and catching up. Up close, Toge can see that Rika is cute. She’s slim, with a button nose and long, silky hair. She graces him with a polite smile as he enters, hands folded in her lap.
Yuuta smiles at the sight of him, too. “Toge, welcome back!” Then suddenly he looks confused, brows drawing together as he looks Toge up and down. “Are you okay? You smell like‒”
At the kitchen counter, Nobara whirls abruptly, coming close to put an arm around Toge’s shoulders. “Toge! Let me introduce you - this is Orimoto Rika. She’s a childhood friend of Yuuta’s and visiting from Kyoto. Her family’s in town on business for the next few days.” Toge bows politely and forces his voice to work.
“Nice to meet you,” he says, the words rasping out his ruined throat. Rika looks surprised and Nobara explains.
“Rika, this is Inumaki Toge. Toge has trouble speaking. He prefers to use sign language but may also use his phone or a notepad to speak with you.”
“Oh!” Rika says. She smiles at him kindly. “It’s very nice to meet you, Inumaki. Yuuta tells me you were just adopted into the pack recently. That must be very exciting, to now have so many new family members!”
Toge blinks. Does… does Rika think that he and Yuuta think of themselves as siblings ? Next to Rika, Yuuta is red in the face and even Nobara’s jaw has dropped. What exactly has Yuuta been telling her? Or not telling her?
Toge hesitantly lifts his hands to sign while Nobara picks up her jaw to translate out loud for him. Yes, it’s nice to be part of such a kind family. It’s much different than where I’m from.
Rika nods. “I understand. My family has been very busy lately, we hardly spend any time together.” She turns to Yuuta. “Did I tell you that…”
Toge takes a shaky seat at the table across from them, listening with only half an ear as Rika tells about her father’s business and the plans they have while they’re in Kyoto. He nods politely when needed and tries to appear engaged but his ability to contribute to the conversation is limited. He can only watch painfully as Rika laughs at something Yuuta says, nudging the alpha’s shoulder with hers good-naturedly and then leaning comfortably against his side.
“Dinner’s ready!” Yuuji calls and Toge stumbles to his feet. The legs of his chair make a scraping noise across the floor as he does so, drawing everyone’s attention. Toge feels his cheeks heat.
Please excuse me. I’m not feeling well after being out in the rain today. I think I’ll go lay down for a little while.
Nobara translates for him, a frown on her face while Yuuji looks crestfallen.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat, Inumaki? I could make you some soup.”
Toge shakes his head. He’s touched by Yuuji’s concern but he knows very well he won’t be able to keep anything down. He feels queasy as it is. If he can just get away for a bit and regroup, he’ll be okay. He’ll be fine. It’s fine.
Yuuta is halfway to his feet, obviously worried. “Toge, are you sure you’re okay? Do you need‒”
Toge’s not sure what Yuuta is going to say so he interrupts him, making a negative motion with one hand and waving the alpha off.
I think I just need to rest. Please stay and enjoy dinner with your friend.
He bows again to Rika and then makes his escape, avoiding eye contact with Yuuta as he heads towards his bedroom. Lately he has been sleeping sometimes in Yuuta’s room but he needs the safety of his nest now. Yuuta won’t enter without an invite so he’s safe to… safe to…
Tears drip silently down his face as he changes out of his clothes and into sweatpants and a cozy shirt. He doesn’t bother washing his face or brushing his teeth, simply leaves all the lights off and crawls into his nest, a plethora of blankets, pillows and assorted clothing items from his pack members piled high on a rolled out futon on the floor. He curls under a large purple blanket that Yuuta had given him, rubbing his cheek against the softness of it before closing his aching eyes.
Not five minutes later, his bedroom door slides open but he’s not alarmed. He doesn’t even open his eyes, breathing in the cinnamony smell of Nobara as she crawls into his nest with him, snuggling right up against his back, throwing an arm around his waist.
“Big dumb alpha,” she grumbles against his shoulder. “Maki’ll beat his ass in training tomorrow. I’ll make sure of it.”
She hugs him tight from behind and they cuddle there together until Toge falls into an uneasy sleep.
Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.
Yuuta walks Rika to the train station since it’s late, waves goodbye, and then heads back home anxiously. It’s still raining, the drops gently pattering against his umbrella as his strides eat up the ground. He’s worried about Toge. The omega had come in that evening looking pale, rain in his silver hair. His scent had been… not right. Toge had said he didn’t feel well but Yuuta feels like there’s more to it.
He hurries back, putting away his shoes and umbrella before heading to Toge’s room. That the omega had gone to his nest and not to Yuuta’s room also didn’t sit right. There was definitely something wrong.
He rounds the corner to Toge’s room, anxiety increasing, but stops dead at the sight of Maki outside the door. She’s leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest, phone tucked into one hand as if she had been talking with someone. She tilts her head at him when she sees him.
“What’s going on?” The question comes out a little harsher than he means it to. He’s just worried and he doesn’t like the way Maki has placed herself between him and Toge. His inner alpha paces, uneasy.
“You tell me,” she says, straightening. “What was all that?”
Yuuta is honestly confused. “What was all what? You mean Rika? I ran into her earlier today completely by accident. She wanted to catch up while she’s in town.”
“You smell like her. Heavily.” The light flashes off Maki’s glasses and her face is stern. “You can’t come here smelling like that.”
Yuuta’s taken aback. He hadn’t really noticed the smell. Rika’s scent doesn’t smell like much to him, a little citrusy maybe. He had noticed her touching him a bit but he’d chalked it up to them being childhood friends. They’d played tag together as kids, chased each other around the playground. Rika was just comfortable with him, that’s all.
Was it the smell that had bothered Toge? He feels terrible now for not noticing. He should have thought about that. He should have‒
He looks over at Maki, suddenly horrified. “Does Toge think I…? I didn’t realize, Maki. I need to‒”
Maki cuts him off. “You need to go take a shower. You can talk to Toge in the morning.”
Yuuta swallows. “Is that why he smelled like you earlier? He was upset?” It kills him to think Toge may have needed comfort and didn’t feel like he could ask for it from Yuuta.
“You’re not the only one who cares about Toge,” she retorts, giving him the side eye. He nods, chastised. He knows, he does. The whole pack loves Toge. That Maki is standing there outside the omega’s door says something.
He relents. “Thank you,” he says softly. He means it. As tough as she can be on him sometimes, Maki’s loyalty is steadfast. That she’ll protect Toge, even against Yuuta, means a lot to him.
She makes a shoo-ing motion with her hand. “Get out of here, idiot.”
He goes, disappointed but determined. He'll make it up to Toge and explain everything. He’ll make it right.
The next day dawns sunny but cool, autumn starting to get in full swing. Toge’s in jeans and a nice gray sweater Nobara got for him because she said it “did something for his hair”. Even Kiyo compliments him, pinching his cheek as he helps her open the shop. With the weather being somewhat nice, they decide to leave the shop doors open and put out a display of chrysanthemums on the sidewalk.
Toge starts working on this, arranging the various bushels of color, and so he’s outside when, a few hours later, Rika appears.
“Inumaki.”
He startles, dropping the shears in his hand, his heart in this throat. He straightens up from his half-crouch over the flowers, unsure of himself. What was she doing there? How had she known he would be there?
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you,” she says, tucking a wayward lock of brown hair behind her ear. “Yuuta mentioned you worked here.”
Toge nods slowly. He feels very uncomfortable. Not only is he at work but Rika doesn’t know sign language so his avenues of quick communication are limited.
Rika appears to be aware of the situation. “Look, I know you’re busy and can’t really talk to me anyway but I wanted to come by and tell you something.” She takes a deep breath. “I love Yuuta.”
Toge is rooted to the earth, his breath caught in his lungs. His whole body feels frozen, he’s not sure he can even blink. Rika seems to take his silence as a motion to continue.
“I think I’ve always loved him, even as a child. I haven’t seen him in years but when I ran into him yesterday everything just came rushing back for me.” Her expression settles, becoming more serious. “What’s more though is that I think he loves me too. We have shared years together, shared memories, and he still looks at me the same way he did then. I know I can make him happy.” She clears her throat, brows drawn together. “I came here today to ask you to step aside, Inumaki. Ask yourself - what can you really offer him? I was told your family has disowned you, you have no plans for the future, you can barely even speak …” She shakes her head. “Yuuta and I have a history you can’t possibly understand. Do you really want to get in the way of that? Don’t you think we deserve a chance to finally be able to be together?”
Rika’s words batter him like bullets, each one cutting him deep. He’s got one hand clenching the front of his sweater, the soft fabric bunched between his fingers as he tries to ease the pain in his chest. It hurts so much, so much. Every insecurity he ever had about himself so easily given voice and then hurled at him like an arrow. He’s pierced clean through.
All he can do is stand there, panting in pain, tears caught in his lashes and blurt out the last truth he has to defend himself with. The words sound miserable, broken into jagged pieces.
“I love Yuuta too.”
He swallows against the pain in his throat as Rika’s eyes widen. She looks suddenly furious.
“You barely know him! You can’t possibly even know what love is! I don’t‒”
“That’s enough.”
Toge turns, trembling, to find Megumi coming up behind him, Yuuji only a step behind. Megumi’s face is a thundercloud, brow furrowed, jaw clenched. His eyes glitter menacingly. Toge has always thought of him as steady, cool as ice - he’s never seen the beta look so angry before. Yuuji has always been easier to read. Standing next to Megumi, the pink-haired beta looks pissed. He comes around to Toge’s side, standing slightly in front of him as if to protect him from any more of Rika’s words.
“You need to leave,” Megumi continues, his voice sharp as a cold knife. “This is Toge’s workplace and what you’re doing is both inappropriate and cruel.”
Rika turns red with what looks like a mixture of embarrassment and anger. “I- I just wanted to talk with him, I never meant-”
“And you’re done now,” Megumi says, cutting her off. “Leave.”
Rika seems to struggle with herself for a moment, but then turns with a jerk and walks off quickly. Toge’s knees wobble and Yuuji grabs on to him to keep him from face planting into the sidewalk. Megumi comes around and threads his arm through Toge’s on the omega’s other side and then the three of them are huddled together on the sidewalk, Megumi and Yuuji’s backs to the street, shielding him from view.
Toge holds on to them tightly, blinking back tears. Yuuji’s got his phone in his free hand. He looks over at Megumi worriedly.
“Should we text Yuuta? I think he’s in class right now but he might be able to ditch.”
Toge shakes his head before Megumi can reply, signing awkwardly. I don’t want to bother Yuuta.
Megumi frowns at him. “You wouldn’t be bothering him, Toge. He’d want to know about this.”
Yuuji’s mouth hardens. “I’m texting him.” He starts texting one hand-handed. Toge makes a protesting noise but Megumi squeezes his arm comfortingly.
“Tell him we’re taking Toge home,” Megumi says. “He can meet up with us there if he can get away. I’ll go speak with Kiyo.”
They let Kiyo know that Toge isn’t feeling well and needs to go home for the day. Toge’s not sure if she saw any of the drama outside of the shop but she doesn’t say anything. She just pats his cheek gently and tells him to feel better. He has Megumi tell her he’ll come in early the next day to make up for it.
Then Yuuji is grabbing his coat and bundling him up and they head out, Yuuji and Megumi walking on either side of him. Toge’s mind is reeling, he can hardly string a thought together as he processes the confrontation, replaying everything Rika had said to him.
Yuuji, though, is slowly bubbling over with resentment.
“It’s not right,” he says hotly. He’s glaring at the sidewalk under his feet as if it’s personally offended him.
“Yuuji,” Megumi warns quietly.
“Well, it’s not!” he barks back. “Yuuta doesn’t care about all that stuff she said.” He glances over at Toge earnestly. “Don’t believe a word of it, Inumaki. He doesn’t need you to be able to speak poetry or have your whole life figured out. I know for a fact that Yuuta likes you because you’re you. ”
Toge stares at him, wide-eyed. He knows Yuuji’s right - Yuuta’s never needed or wanted him to be perfect, but it was still nice to hear, especially since nothing Rika had said about him was technically untrue. Toge couldn’t speak much, his family had disowned him, and he was only just figuring out what to do with his new life. He doesn’t have all the answers and he certainly doesn’t have the childhood that Rika and Yuuta shared.
But, maybe, it’s okay anyway? He signs that hesitantly.
So it’s okay if I love Yuuta as I am?
Yuuji’s gaze drifts to Megumi who clears his throat. The black-haired beta looks a little emotional.
“I think it’s more than okay. Being true to yourself might be the only way, the best way, to love someone.”
Yuuta bursts into the kitchen, panting from exertion, wild-eyed and windswept. He’d run all the way from the train station, anxiety rising to a fevered pitch.
“Where is he?! Is he okay?”
Yuuji and Megumi are both at the kitchen table. They appear to be making onigiri.
“Let’s talk first,” Megumi says, carefully shaping the rice ball in his hands. He doesn’t even look up. Yuuta pauses in the doorway, uncertain and a little frustrated. Were they trying to keep Toge away from him? He needs to see him, to make sure he’s okay with his own two eyes.
Yuuji seems to sense that. “He’s okay,” he concedes, “but we need to talk about Rika before you go and see him.”
Yuuta tightens his grip on his phone. “You said she confronted him on the street, shouted at him.”
Megumi nods. “When we got there she was giving him a list of all the reasons why he wasn’t good enough and he should just step aside so she could be with you.”
Yuuta pales. “What?”
He’d told her the evening before, on their walk to the train station, that he and Toge had been dating for several months. Had he not been clear that he was perfectly happy in his relationship? Or did she think he would drop Toge once she herself expressed interest?
“He was pretty devastated,” Megumi says quietly.
“Please,” Yuuta begs, “Tell me where he is.”
“Don’t fuck this up, Okkotsu,” Yuuji says seriously. “He’s in the garden.”
Yuuta ends the call on his phone and then takes a deep breath. He makes himself walk calmly into the garden though everything in him wants to run. Toge had taken over the garden though, after the attack by the Inumaki’s, reclaiming it as a quiet, peaceful place. He’d spent hours weeding and replanting and placing new soil and Yuuta was not about to scare him by rushing in like a maniac. No matter how much he wants to.
He smells the omega before he sees him, the delicate scent of camellias underneath a dozen others. Toge is kneeling in the grass, his fingers brushing over some cosmos that are flowering in one corner of the garden. Yuuta swallows. He looks lovely there, the gray of the sweater he’s wearing almost matching the silver of his hair. Even his violet eyes look rather misty in the sunlight as he turns to meet Yuuta’s gaze, sitting up straight at the sight of him.
“Yuuta?” Toge’s voice is so small and hoarse. Yuuta’s heart breaks.
“Toge,” he whispers, and then he’s running anyway, unable to bear it anymore. He drops to the ground before the omega and embraces him roughly, pulling him close. Toge goes easily, shifting into his lap and wrapping his arms around Yuuta’s neck. He rubs his smooth cheek against Yuuta’s temple and the alpha tightens his grip on the small boy in front of him. He doesn’t deserve this, Toge’s sweet care, but he’s greedy enough to want it anyway.
“Toge, I’m so sorry,” he babbles, pulling back a little to frame Toge’s face with his hands, searching his purple eyes. “I made such a mess of everything.” Toge tilts his head into Yuuta’s palm. He says nothing. “I called Rika a few minutes ago,” Yuuta continues, watching him carefully. “I had to make sure she understood.”
Toge’s hands lift hesitantly as if he’s unsure of himself. Yuuta can’t stand it. Toge should never be unsure of his place in Yuuta’s life.
Understood what?
“That I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Toge’s lovely eyes go wide.
“I thanked her for her friendship when we were little, but it’s been years now and we were just kids - friendship is all it ever was. It was wrong of her to ambush you like that. She should have talked to me first but she knows now what I should have told you awhile ago.” He leans forward, pressing his forehead against Toge’s. “I love you, Toge. You’re so precious to me. I don’t want anyone else, just you.”
“Yuuta,” Toge whispers. He threads his fingers up into Yuuta’s dark hair. “Yuuta.” He pulls back a little to look Yuuta full in the face. “I love you, too.”
Yuuta releases a shuddery breath. He can’t help but crush his lips to Toge’s, immediately plundering the omega’s soft mouth, drinking up the whimpery little sounds the other boy is making. He tangles his fingers in silvery hair and pulls gently, breaking the kiss to tilt Toge’s head to the side, Yuuta’s lips sliding down to just above the silver collar around the omega’s neck.
“Toge, Toge, Toge…” Yuuta chants his name sweetly, and then not so sweetly sucks a bruise into the milky skin just above the protective collar. Toge jolts in his arms, whining and squirming, his fingers digging into Yuuta’s shoulders. The alpha pulls back, inwardly admiring his handiwork. Mine.
He says it out loud because Yuuta has always been selfish when it comes to Toge.
“Be mine” he croons. It’s not even really a question.
Toge’s breathing hard but he smiles, flushed with pleasure.
"Yours."
END.