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-I hope it doesn’t take too long. I need to train…
-Your health is more important than Magift. So deal with it, Leona.
-Tsk…
Some weeks after Vil’s rut, the blond asked Idia to check on his partner, who was next to his heat. Due to his concern about any possible internal damage, the Ignihyde Dorm Leader asked S.T.Y.X to send two doctors from the Isle of Lamentation, to examine the lion, who was looking at them with a tinge of anxiety.
-I’m here, kitten -. He heard his Alpha’s voice, soothing him-. If anything happens, I’ll destroy them.
-Do not threaten my specialists! – Exclaimed the yellow-eyed classmate, while giving Leona a gown. – Go change. Then we’ll start.
-It’s a pain in the ass…
Shaking his head in disapproval, the Pyroxian went outside and sat on the waiting room, wishing for the process to finish soon. As if the Great Seven heard him, after an hour, Idia called him back.
-Vil-shi, your boyfriend wants your presence. We can wait for the results together.
-Finished so soon? – Asked the blond, while getting in the room. There, in a stretcher, his Omega was sat, looking at Idia in a more relaxed stance. – How do you feel, liebe?
-Fine. Those herbivores were more understanding than I expected.
-They’re Omegas as well, Leona-shi. – Clarified Idia, smiling and sitting on his place, while watching the screen-. They will explain the details of every procedure to keep you safe and calm.
-Thank you for the attention, Idia. You told me that we need to wait, is that correct? – Vil went beside his lion to hold his hand. He smiled at the feeling of the other squeezing it gently.
-Yeah, it takes a couple of hours to get the results, but Leona-shi seemed impatient, so I preferred to let you wait here. Anyway, the procedure is over, so he can change to his clothes.
-I’ll go then. This place is cold. – Once the one from Afterglow Savannah went to the change room, the Pyroxian sat beside the blue flame-haired boy, with a curious expression.
-Idia.
-I’m going to tell you if you’ll get a bigger family soon. Please wait.
-Have you talked to Azul about your feelings? – The blond raised a brow when the other stopped his writing on the keyboard, blushing and crouching on his place.
-I don’t want to talk about it.
-But…
-Please, Vil-shi -, interrupted the Ignihyde Dorm Leader, scared-. We’re just good friends. It’s better that way.
-… Something happened?
-Well…
-Oi, why is your base so cold? You got a lot of machines, and yet, seems like Pyroxene in winter.
-How do you know about my birthplace’s weather…?
-Hiiiih! Just sit down here and wait! I’m going to check the results! – Taking the chance to run, Idia went out of the room, ignoring the blond’s glare at his lack of answer.
…
-Well, I don’t know what kind of miracle follows you, but no baby is on the road.
-Fuck.
-Leona!
After another hour waiting for the engineer, the Lion-Queen duo got the answer they wanted to know, with different reactions. While the Alpha looked relieved, the Omega lion seemed annoyed.
-I’m starting to think I’m barren at this point. – Complained the dark-skinned student, crossing his arms-. Vil fucks me way too good to save me from…
-Leona, please! Do you know the meaning of discreetness?! – Idia laughed nervously at the confession, glancing at the Pyroxian’s flustered expression.
-No, you are not, Leona-shi. It’s just a matter of coincidence that Vil-shi’s rut occurred when you were low on pheromones. Also, Moon Tea and contraceptives seemed to be quite effective. But please, keep in mind that it’s a matter of time before your rut and heat get aligned in terms of date, so you’ll need to be prepared for that double event. It’ll be like fighting against two bosses in a MMORPG…
-Ah?
-As if fighting against one isn’t bad enough…
The Pyroxian wanted to keep talking, until he looked at Idia and Leona’s expressions, who were surprised and confused respectively.
-… What?
-Do you play videogames?!
-What is an em, em… that thing?
-I don’t play actually, but my colleagues always speak about those types of videogames. And it’s a type of game where people can play and fight together, Leona. I’d like to explain it with more details, but you don’t like those things.
-They’re flashy. I prefer the other one, with Hydras… - At his confession, the lion stopped talking and growled at the other two’s malicious grins.
-Kitten.
-Oi!
-Going back to the topic, - coughed the older Shroud-, I can re-confirm that you haven’t suffered any type of damage related to the rut or to the previous heats, Leona-shi, so you just need to go on with the treatment.
-Right, but just by the way, it’s Vil the one who doesn’t want children.
-I don’t want you to be a parent so early. It’s not the same. – Reprimanded the mentioned Dorm Leader.
-It’s a good point, though. It’s better to have little kittens once you graduated from school. Besides, you should consider that taking care of a baby is a much heavier task than going to classes.
-… One day, I’ll get a little blonde lioness.
-Every time you say that, it makes me feel guilty for preventing an early pregnancy -. Sighed the Alpha, crossing his arms with a weary expression.
-It’s his Omega instinct feeling safe with you that speaks. Don’t take it personally, Vil-shi.
-Speaking of safety, did you talk with the “octopunk”? – Asked the green-eyed lion, nonchalantly.
-Why are you both asking me about him?! – Idia jumped in panic at the sudden question, while trying to stand up. He was looking at the printer in the corner of the room.
-Because we knew about what happened with him…
-So, “octopunk” was really an Alpha, ah?
-Look, he is. But that doesn't mean that…
-But you like him, Idia. – Vil’s comment made the other shake his head in resignation.
-He’s not available.
-Is he mated? That bitch?! – Both Alpha and Omega looked at Leona with indignation and annoyance.
-He is not. And don’t call him that way!
-But… - Started the Pyroxian, noticing that the other’s hair went from a light pink to a deeper shade of blue. He was sad.
-Do not keep asking, please. Just let me give you a copy of the results, so we can finish this. – And after saying that, the yellow-eyed classmate stood up and went to pick the sheets, making the pairing look at each other with concerned expressions.
What happened?
…
Tired and with a pessimistic demeanor, Idia came back to his room, where he practically threw himself onto the bed. The whole process on Leona took a time he didn’t consider and, as he used to tell Ortho, “his social batteries ran out of energy” quite fast.
-“How did they know about… that? So nosy…”
He sighed at the reminder of the event that happened a couple of weeks ago, when he was looking for Azul to play board games…
…
Octavinelle, Azul’s room, at the evening…
-Azul-shi, one of the students from the club told me you went to your bedroom because you fell sick. I hope this isn’t you trying to escape from your unavoidable defeat in this game, fuheehee…
The Ignihyde Dorm Leader had been in his friend’s room before, for different reasons, but all of them related to the Board Games workshop. Proposing new games, rules or just to comment the possible outcomes for a new game, he had to admit he enjoyed those conversations, especially with someone who hates losing as much as him.
Once he opened the door and entered, a strong smell hit his senses, making him drool unconsciously. Immediately noticing the situation, Idia closed the door, locking it, and tried to find his friend, in concern he was…
-“This… this is the smell of a heat. Azul’s in heat.”
Fortunately, he always had suppressants, so it wasn’t a problem aiding him, but…
-“Why do I feel so… attracted?”
Despite dealing with people from different types, this was a new sensation for him. Since when was he… yearning for someone? He was used to his loneliness and isolation, but suddenly, it was as if he needed to satiate something he couldn’t understand.
While he blindly followed the smell towards the bathroom– Sea breeze? Similar to what he smells in the island-, Idia felt the need to take his hoodie off, leaving it on the bed. Why was he feeling hot?
The answer was on the other side of the door, when the blue-flamed boy opened it and got stunned by a much more intense scent, having enough conscience to watch the scene before his eyes:
Azul, always so poised and elegant, was panting and blushing, disheveled and with an expression that seemed frustrated and agonizing. The octomer was on the bathtub, full on water, as if trying to cool himself from a tough summer’s heat.
-Ah… what…? Idia? What… are you doing here? – It was all he could muster, until he got the other’s scent, and his train of thought stopped immediately.
Idia was an Omega.
His Omega.
-Azul-shi… - The one from the Isle of Lamentation realized he was kneeling on the floor, panting as his companion, and tried to get up, just to feel something soft but sticky catch his waist, pulling him closer to the bathtub, and sitting him on a mound of tentacles to make him feel comfortable. He couldn’t help but groan at the true form of his…
Friend?
He never expected Azul’s octomer form to be so imposing and attractive. Or maybe it’s his darkest kinks speaking by himself. He didn’t know.
-Idia -, the mentioned boy had never heard such a voice on the one from the Coral Sea. It was a soft, yet deep voice-. My friend. My…
-Azul-shi, you’re an Alpha in rut…
-I feel better. With you beside me, Idia. – Normally, the pale boy would’ve reacted in a disgusted way with such type of comments, but he reddened at the extent his usually blue-flamed hair took pinkish and reddish hues.
-It’s the rut. Don’t…
-No. It’s you. Your sweet scent, your smile, your warmth… everything about you makes me feel better, and with the will to claim you as my partner.
Even in his haze, Idia could understand the message, widening his eyes in fear, and holding the tentacle that was now caressing his face, trying to stop it.
-You don’t know what you’re saying. – He mustered.
-Am I horrible for you, Idia? –The low tone in the octomer’s voice, tinted with concern, made the other hold his breath-. Is it because I’m a dumb octopus…?
-What? No, it’s not… We’re not even from the same species!
-It doesn’t matter. Let me do it. Let me take care of you, my beautiful Omega. – As he spoke, Azul hold his schoolmate closer, at the point of smelling the other’s neck, smiling at his gasp and shudder-. You are so perfect for me, Idia.
Had he been entranced by the Octavinelle Dorm Leader’s rut, the technomancer would’ve accepted at once. He really would’ve accepted to be claimed by him.
But he was more scared than anything.
Scared and insecure.
-I’m sorry! I need to go! – And ignoring the other’s “wait!”, Idia got out as fast as he could from the bathtub, and ran to his bedroom in Ignihyde, hiding himself on his bed and noticing he wetted it with his clothing. However, he didn’t care about it now. He just wanted to hide himself in his blankets and cry. And he did.
He cried at the idea that, the only way Azul could feel attracted to him was in a rut. That hurt more than any failure in a game or social event.
-“’Dumb octopus’ he says… I’m a dumb human, thinking that you might…”
Feeling wet, tired and sad, the pale-skinned boy cried until he fell asleep.
…
Sighing again and getting comfortable to sleep, the Ignihyde Dorm Leader looked at the roof of his bedroom, remembering the incident. He didn’t know how people noticed, but the fact that Leona and Vil were concerned meant that they heard something crucial about it.
-“Ah, it wasn’t that bad. It was just an accident.”
He tried to think that, but in reality, he avoided Azul in order to not speak about what happened, in hopes both could understand that it was just a heated moment, no pun intended.
With the Seven supporting him, he won’t see his friend for a long while.
…
-Idia-san, do you have a moment, please? We need to talk.
As expected, not even the Great Seven supported his idea. As soon as Idia came back to the Board Games club classroom, a few days later, he got surprised by the octomer, who looked serious, but a bit messier in his clothing. Noticing his paler countenance, he’s probably thought about what happened between them more than he would’ve liked.
-Ah, Azul-shi… - He didn’t know what to say, to be honest. It was a situation he’d never expected to be.
-…Please, I won’t take much of your time. Have a seat.
-Ah, okay, but I just want to tell you that I haven’t said anything about… - As soon as he sat down, in front of his friend, the one from Coral Sea took a piece of clothing from his side of the table. It was something he knew very well.
-M-my hoodie…- He reached to take it, but jumped when his companion’s hand took his, gently.
-That evening, – Azul started, looking at the Ignihyde Dorm Leader-, you got into the bathroom without this, and I didn’t understand why.
-I… I felt hot, and I didn’t know why, until I saw you in the bathtub. I didn’t know you were an Alpha.
-That’s certainly strange, Idia-san, because that was the first thing we had to say in the Dorm Leader meeting. – The grey- haired classmate looked at the other cunningly, raising an eyebrow and fixing his glasses. The pale boy shuddered and avoided his gaze.
-I… I might have forgotten about that…
-I haven’t forgotten you’re an Omega. I know you missed that first meeting because you were scared to be the only one of your type. Surprisingly, even with his Alpha “scent”, it was clear that Leona-san had your same classification.
-… and Riddle-shi – Idia added, causing the octomer to laugh.
-He was expected to be so. But even with that information in mind, you went to my room, and got into my bathroom, knowing I was in rut.
-D-Don’t misunderstand! I wasn’t trying to do anything wrong!! – The Octavinelle Dorm Leader smiled warmly at the sudden blushing from his friend, at the extent even his hair turned pink-reddish-. I just wanted to help with suppressants…!!
-You know that Alphas are wild when Omegas are near, especially in the rut, Idia-san. And considering your “Omega protection” project, you have enough knowledge to understand that suppressants are not enough to calm an Alpha down.
There was a dense silence in the room, with a now pinkish flame-haired boy trembling, without taking his hand away from the octomer; and with the grey-haired student looking at the other with a fondness that was alien to him.
-What happened that evening? Tell me the truth, Idia.
-Dropping formalities? You’re serious with this, Azul. – Sighing and closing his eyes, the technomancer spoke: - I… I l-like you. And your smell attracted me. I got scared because I don’t know what you feel, and the rut might have made you confused, so…
A light squeeze on his hand made Idia look at his companion, getting surprised at his flushed expression and averting gaze. Had it been with his Octavinelle set of clothes, he would’ve hidden his face with that peculiar hat.
-You know me enough to understand that I am not the type of person who loses his mind with anything…
-But money -. The bluish-eyed companion sighed in resignation at the pale boy’s muffled laughter.
-You really know my weakness. Nonetheless, I wanted to tell you that everything I said about wanting to have you as my... partner, was true. I wanted to explain you about my type of Alpha, but you ran away.
-I got scared! – The one from the Isle of Lamentation exclaimed with panic. He looked distraught, as if something very wrong happened-. You were saying things that might make you regret once the rut is over! What did you mean with “let me take care of you, my beautiful Omega”, and “You’re so perfect for me”?!
For a moment, Azul looked at him silently, thinking carefully about the words he was going to use. However, that thought seemed to disappear, as his expression changed into one of determination.
-The words I said at that moment were what I meant, Idia. But first, allow me to explain something important, regarding our types.
-Oh no, the lore is coming…
-Indeed. Now, listen: I know that in your world, the Alpha-Beta-Omega classification have quite a rigid order, with the first being the absolute dominant type. In my species, however, it’s more… flexible.
-Can Omegas dominate Alphas?! – The pale student asked, impressed.
-Not really, they’re still the “submitted” type, but contrary to what I’ve seen here, they can refuse any advances from Alphas, so our ruts and heats are more controlled, not because we are “less bestial”, but because we want to build a family with a mate who, in most of the cases, will be on our side for the rest of our lifetimes.
As soon as the Ignihyde Dorm Leader wanted to speak, Azul sighed.
-That didn’t happen with my mother and father, though, but at least they found other partners…
-Wait! You can split from a claimed partner!? – Idia babbled so fast, that even the one from the Coral Sea took a time to process the question, smiling when he understood.
-Yes. Alphas and Omegas claim to each other, for equality purposes, and if they want to break up or divorce, they just do it.
-I don’t understand the relationship between this and what you said that evening, though.
To the technomancer’s surprise, Azul coughed and keep blushing, while looking at him.
-What I said that day wasn’t a product of my rut. I actually want you to be my partner. My Omega. Ugh, that sounds a bit primitive, so I prefer to say that I’d like to be in a relationship with you. And before you put my words into question, you said that we aren’t from the same species, and because of that, the feeling is different. I… felt the need to claim you, that’s true, but I guess I could control it because merfolk have a scent that is more intense than its human counterpart. Yours is… pleasant to smell. Softer and sweeter.
-Does that mean that my scent…? – Idia started, insecure.
-Is the only scent that attracts me here? Yes, it is. And I wouldn’t prefer it any other way. I really meant it when I said you’re perfect for me.
-… Am I perfect for you because of my money…? – The blue flame-haired joked, laughing nervously, causing the other to stare at him with an unamused expression.
-If that were the situation, I would’ve chosen Kalim, and I would’ve accepted to be a submitted Alpha, so no, that’s not the reason.
-But, Azul, what you said was quite corny…
-Yet, you learned it by heart, didn’t you? - The octomer’s grin made Idia hide his face behind his free hand.
-It was something weird to say coming from an Alpha in rut!!
-Yet, it’s the truth. You don’t seem to know it, but besides being smart and hard-working, you’re passionate and innovative. You always find new ways to fix things, and… - The other hesitated to keep talking.
-Finish your sentences. It can have a legal void you wouldn’t like to overlook. – The one from the Isle of Lamentation grinned back at the other’s reddened face.
-Cunning. You’re attractive for me. I like your smile and awkward laugh, and your amber eyes glowing when you win a game. Can you believe me now?
This time, the silence came from both for the same reason: it was enough information for both, and despite avoiding their looks, they didn’t move their hands away from the other’s.
-This is the part where I have to requite or reject your feelings. Ah, it’s so troublesome. No romcom or galge prepared me for this… - The technomancer started, sighing in resignation at the idea of making choices.
-Just answer the question. I do not ask for anything else, Idia…
-I do. I believe you. And even if that’d be a comfortable answer for me, it’s a bit unfair to let you with the embarrassing part.
-You, worrying about me? What a charmer -. The sass from Azul made the other roll his eyes, but continued talking.
-Azul, you’re out of the norm. Normie, yes, but not normal.
-Thank you, I guess?
-I meant in a good way! – The Ignihyde Dorm Leader rushed to say-. I don’t know how or why, but I enjoyed talking to you since the beginning! Playing games, or talking about classes, or even about topics we don’t understand from each other… it’s 10 out of 10! I feel OP when you cheer me up, and even when I don’t like going out of my room… - At his ramble, Idia breathed and calmed a bit-, I like coming here just to see you, Azul.
Unexpectedly, the octomer unhanded Idia’s hand, and the otaku got scared, just to see the Alpha stand up in order to walk to his side and sit down closer, taking the other’s hand immediately.
-Then, do you accept my feelings? Would you like to be my partner?
-You said “Omega” that day, also -. The correction made Azul smile affectionately.
-Well, that’s a fact. I will be your Alpha as well, but I’m asking you about a more formal relationship. Would you… like it?
At the Octavinelle student’s shyness, the one from the Isle of Lamentation nodded nervously.
-I’d like to.
-May I… kiss you? – At the question, the amber-eyed boy jumped in fear. – You can refuse! No need to…
-I-I don’t know how to… but we can… a bit… if you want…
Looking at each other and holding their hands, Azul smiled gently and got closer to Idia, noticing he closed his eyes and tried to relax, to no avail. In answer, the octomer hugged him and kissed his cheek, letting a sigh of relief at the other’s more relaxed stance.
-It’s alright. We can go slowly. There’s no need to rush things if you feel uncomfortable.
-… Sometimes, I envy Leona-shi and Vil-shi for being so close to each other. – When the blue flame-haired Dorm Leader confessed that, Azul hugged him again, gentler.
-Don’t worry about it. We’ll be on that stage sooner or later, but please, let’s enjoy our time together, and how this goes.
-Thank you, Azul. For being like this.
They kept in that position for a long while, enjoying the other’s warmth and scent. Both confirmed that one smells of sea breeze; the other, of a fruit known in the land as pomegranate. So it was, until the moment Azul looked at Idia with a strange glow in his eyes.
-… So, Leona-san and Vil-san are in a relationship! Oh, I’ll charge so much for my silence…
-Hiiiiih!!! No, Azul! I’ll die!!
But looking at the octomer’s dark grin, it was clear that he will enjoy torturing both Dorm Leaders.
And frankly, he will like it too.