Chapter Text
He didn't know why he agreed to help. It's not like him and Eggchan are friends or anything. Heck, it's not like him and Wemmbu, of all people, are friends or anything. Far from it.
So why? Why was he so curious - bugged, even - by the taller boy sudden disappearance? Why is it that Egg had come to him - him, specifically - asking for help to find Wemmbu after he seemingly ran off to nowhere mid-class? He should know better than to ask for help from his rival.
But there was something in Egg's tone that indicated a more dire matter, an emergency, and for some reason he felt inclined to help. Not out of concern, of course, but he have to make sure that his rival is in top shape to go against him in their rematch in the upcoming PvP championship.
Classrooms after classroom, no sight of him. He almost gave up until he walk past the old, abandoned classroom in the top floor.
Right, he thought to himself, he always ran up here and hanging in the unused rooms like it's his territory.
But something wasn't right. Flame wasn't dumb, and very soon he picked up a strange scent in the air. Faint, but familiar.
Pale oak wood.
He found himself following the smell like a hellhound now - the mesh cloth of the blindfolds blocking most of his view help him concentrate on it better. Mixed in it was the scent of lavenders - of distrust, of grace, of him. His pace quickened to the source of the smell, and with an impatient grunt, pushed the classroom door opened.
There he was, sprawling across the floor in the most undignified position ever, wincing and breathing heavily. His long, violet hair falls on the floor beautifully, the silky strands illuminated in the sunset orange light. His pale skin glistening with sweat, flushing red with heat, his pheromones wavering and spiraling out of control. But it was his expression, a mix of frustration, need and vulnerability in his eyes, and the way it all blended into shock at the sight of Flame at the door, that caught him in a trance.
Like a butterfly trapped in a spider's web, struggling to free itself.
"Flame...? What are you....hah... how did you even..." He sputtered, eyes glazed over with unshed tears and haze, but Flame couldn't hear a single word.
An omega. In heat. The reality struck Flame harder than his loss at the tournament months ago.
It couldn't be.
If anyone came up to Flame and asked him what he think about Wemmbu, he would say strong. Cunning. Tricky. Devious. Dishonorable. Handsome, even, if we're talking facts. But never an omega. Because how could it ever occur to him, that the very rival he had tried to take down, the one who had beaten him so thoroughly (albeit using cheap tricks) was hiding his gender?
He stared, as if stunned, until another stifled groan pulled him out of his train of thought. He rushed over, crouching down as he checked him. There is no way. It must be a coincidence, it must be, it must be-
The strong smell of lavender (with a note of vanilla) hit him like a truck, and he had to summon all his will to not succumbed to the carnal desire of claiming an omega. He never knew Wemmbu, the menacing redstone genius with a streak of mischief could ever smell like flowers of all things. He should smell of redstones, of netherite and-
And of what? Of an alpha? Of what he's "supposed" to be in his eyes?
He pushed the thought aside, not wanting to think about it. It was a line he wasn't prepared to cross. "Fuck, bro, you look rough... you alright?"
Wemmbu only breathed in return, heavy shallow breath that seems so uncharacteristic of him. "Do I... look okay to you... you jackass..."
"Obviously not." Flame replied, his tone wavered as he reached his hand out ready to drag him up. "We need to get you to the nurse office. Now."
"I don't... hrk... don't need... your help..." he mumbled, groaning as he swatted Flame's hand away. It died down with a sharp hitch as Flame's arm wrapped securely around his slim waist (cursed the omega features and fast metabolism) and sling him over his shoulder like a sack of potato. "Let me... down..."
"Not when you're writhing like a dead fish on the floor." Flame hissed through gritted teeth. Wemmbu was lighter than he had imagined, but in this state, much more dangerous than he has ever been. For both of them. "It's unacceptable to leave a person in need when they're suffering. Consider it me upholding my morals, not a trick to take advantage of you."
The taller one just kept his mouth shut, either racking his brain off for a comeback or just too out of it to speak, and honestly Flame couldn't care less. He ran across the campus, making his way towards the nurse office as if he's a soldier in the trenches carrying a ticking time bomb.
⁂
The silence was deafening as he laid Wemmbu down on one of the beds, the nurse office vacant and empty. Usually he'd found the nurses or Parrot here, huddling away at the alchemy stand or sitting at the desk, but not today. Shit. He doesn't know what to do.
What do Omega's do when they're in heat? Take suppressants? Wait it out? Or...
As if sensing his distress, Wemmbu called out weakly. "My phone... left pocket... call Egg... he have my stash..."
Flame does as he was told, fishing out Wemmbu's phone. As soon as the omega unlocked it, he opened up the contact list and dial Eggchan's number.
It didn't take the beta that long to arrive at the nurse office, out of breath as if the guy just flew across the campus. "WEMMBU!!!" He shouted, immediately rushed to the demon side and chug a bottle of potion down his throat. "Drink up bro... 's okay now... i gotchu..."
Wemmbu coughed, but drank it all greedily, the bittersweet liquid slid down his throat like a relief. His pheromones flow began to stabilize, and it took a while to kept the scent under check. Eventually, his breathing evened out, his eyes flutter shut and he murmured something incoherent as he fell asleep.
"... is he okay?" Flame asked, hesitant. He wasn't entirely sure what role he played here, seeing that Egg had literally take care of everything.
"He should be now. The usual suppressant doesn't work on him, so he need me to bring him a different brew. Potent, but it makes him sleep through his cycle." Egg sighed, standing up from the bed and shook his hand. "Thanks. I know you and Wemmbu aren't on the best term with each other, but... I'm glad you found him first. Before things got out of hand."
"Mmm, 's nothing." Flame mumbled, not quite looking Egg in the eye. They both know now that if Wemmbu's secret got leaked, his life here would be much harder than it is. "I... won't tell anyone."
"That would be for the best." A rare smile flashed through Egg's face as he carry Wemmbu on his back, his wings flapped in gratitude. "I- no,we owe you a favor, Flame."
And in just a moment, they were gone, leaving Flame behind with his own thoughts.
⁂
That night, Flame couldn't sleep.
Only a thought at first. He thought of the smell of his scent, a smell so pungent it still lingered in his lungs hours after.
Wemmbu always smell of wood. Sometimes spruce, sometimes birch, and sometimes, when he used to hang out with Mane, jungle wood. This time, it was pale oak. It reminded Flame of the small house he had seen on his socials months ago, a pristine, half-finished white cabin in the woods followed by a caption: "two bros building a home without getting jumped challenge >:3".
It was only today that Flame learnt that the avian demon could smell of something else. Flowers were commonly associated with omegas, taking on all kinds of floral scent like a blooming garden. Something he would never imagined Wemmbu to be associated with.
How did he never realized it?
He should have known, the moment they first met in the kendo club. Wemmbu was tall, lanky, enough muscles to lift a mace, but not enough to wield it efficiently. The first year was led inside by Mane, where Flame was training his swordmanship, and that was the first time Flame found out they were in the same class that year. Maybe he should have realized back then.
Or at last year tournament, when he wielded the mace with ease, wings flapped and glided him across the arena, dealing devastating blows as Flame held up his forte. But even the sharpest blade couldn't held up against him.
Wemmbu, deviously tricky at PvP, master of mace combats on air, his beloved Gambit carved fear into any opponents who knew of his insane feats. Redstone major, always that one model student who listen well and took notes diligently, topping the monthly exams like it was child's play. An immaculate face card, clad in grace, regality and a deadly charm of someone who sees life as a battlefield of wits.
A perfect balance of brains, brawns and beauty. A perfect rival.
And to think that was the doing of an omega, all along.
He felt ashamed of himself. He was always taught that he must always be a man of honor, one that protects the weak, the defenseless, the omegas. And here he was, for an entire year, bashing on an omega, fighting matches after matches of intense PvP, even going as far as to hunting him down.
Flame groaned, burying his head into the pillow. How would he even face him after this? Ditch the rivalry, and waited hopelessly for another who could challenge him the way Wemmbu does?
He couldn't. His pride, his morality, his conscience... it doesn't allow him to lay hands on him again, no matter how much he was itching for another fight.