Chapter Text
Zanka looked at the score on his test in shock, feeling defeated. He had studied, really studied, but that didn’t change the fact that a score of 68 was staring back up at him in bright red. He groaned and slumped in his chair, covering his face with the piece of paper. He distantly detected undertones of spicy cinnamon before hearing a voice.
“What’s up yer ass?” Riyo commented, grabbing the test. Zanka let her; there was no point in trying to hide it. He’d end up telling her regardless. She leaned against his desk, eyes widening when she saw the ugly number. “Yeesh. Dang man, that sucks. And you worked so hard, too.”
“Thanks for the reminder,” Zanka grumbled, sitting up and snatching the paper out of her hands. “I can’t believe I’m doing this badly. I even went to office hours!” Smelling faintly of distress, Zanka shoved the offensive paper into his folder and started packing up his bag. “I have to bring my grade up by the end of this month, or I’m not passing this class.”
Riyo hummed and tipped her head back, tapping the edge of the desk with her finger. “If you want, I could ask someone from the soccer club to see if they’d be willin’ ta tutor ya.”
“Why can’t you tutor me?”
“Didja forget? The last time we tried that, you said I was a terrible teacher in some not-so-nice terms!” She laughed, jabbing at his shoulder. Zanka returned the action with a playful, half-hearted sneer as he made his way out of the classroom.
It was true, the first (and last) time they studied together was back in freshman year, and Zanka nearly pulled his own hair out because he couldn’t understand what she was trying to teach him. It devolved into yelling and frustration, which quickly led to them being kicked out of the library.
“Y’know, you could always ask Enjin–”
“No.”
“I’m just saying, he did extend the offer to you over that summer course.” Riyo shrugged. Zanka still shook his head. Enjin was part of the staff for their freshman orientation, which is where Riyo and Zanka had met. The two just clicked as friends and have been inseparable ever since.
During orientation, Enjin introduced himself as the main counselor, in charge of all the undergrads who participated as group leaders, and encouraged anyone to come up to him with questions or concerns. He recently obtained his PhD and became an assistant professor for one of Zanka’s future courses. Zanka really looked up to him. How could he not? Enjin was still in his 20s and achieving things like a well-paying job at a top university. Which is why Zanka could never ask for help from him.
“I’d rather study with you again than tell Enjin I’m struggling.”
“Whatever, man,” Riyo sighed, rolling her neck. “I ain’t got a dog in the race.”
“It’s just– I would feel like a fraud if I accepted help from someone else. My family already thinks my major is a waste of time. What will they do if they find out that I failed a gen-ed subject!” Zanka groaned, rubbing his hands down his face.
“Hey, it’s not the end of the world if you fail a class,” Riyo said, skipping next to him. “Plus, it’s not like they gotta know you got help for it, right? You don’t gotta tell them jack.”
“I guess, but you know I’m already on their shit list cause I presented so late.”
“See, I don’t get what the big deal is. You still presented as an alpha after all, even if you were about four years too late. Why does it matter that you were a late bloomer?” Riyo smacked her piece of gum.
“It’s…” Zanka trailed off, sighing. “It’s hard to explain.” Zanka opened the door to the outside, frowning as the crisp air haunted his skin.
The beginning of October marked the arrival of chilly weather. Zanka didn’t enjoy being cold; it made his nose run and his ears red, and the drastic temperature changes from inside to outside took a toll on his senses. He doesn’t get as irritated as he used to, but he still struggles occasionally. Because he presented so late, he’s had less time to adjust to being an alpha than others. It just meant he had to work harder to stay on top of his senses and instincts.
He and Riyo didn’t share too many classes this semester, but this period was one of the lucky ones. Riyo was undeclared, so she was still trying out a lot of different courses and hoping something stuck by the end of their sophomore year. Zanka, on the other hand, declared as an English major, much to his family’s dismay. They were really pushing for him to go into Law.
Riyo was a good companion, and Zanka has come to see her as akin to a sister. They both came from bad homes, and while their situations were vastly different, they understood each other.
It was still a bit jarring that he had bonded with someone so quickly and so deeply. He had always struggled making friends back home, finding that there was always some sort of barrier (he blames his family). But here, the strings on his back are looser, and the shadows at the back of his neck don’t seem as suffocating. He can connect with people without fear of his family looming over them, and he’s become more outgoing thanks to Riyo’s influence.
They finally reached the main bridge that connected the two sides of the university. The South Campus is where Zanka spent most of his time; it’s where the liberal arts and humanities buildings were located. The North Campus held the buildings for social studies and labs for STEM majors. Zanka learned during his tour that the university actually used to be two separate schools, but had merged within the last 30 years due to financial stress. However, that didn’t stop the rivalry that had accumulated throughout their history, and healthy competition between the campuses remained steady. The South Campus was bigger, so it also housed most incoming freshmen and students who remained undeclared.
“Hey, I told Rudo he can meet with us for lunch, hope that’s okay?” Riyo said, and Zanka was thankful for the subject change, even if he wasn’t fond of said subject.
“Ugh, that freshman omega?” Zanka made a gagging sound. “You can’t keep torturing him; he’s gonna combust one of these days. Thank god you’re not an alpha or else he would’ve been dead by now.”
“Hey now,” Riyo elbowed him in the side. “I’m ruining him just fine as a beta, thank you very much,” She chuckled, a smug look on her face. “It’s so much more fun this way. You wouldn’t understand, Mister I-Don’t-Like-Ome–”
“Will you shut it!” Zanka slapped his hand over Riyo’s mouth, his scent flaring in annoyance. “God, I hate you sometimes.”
Riyo laughed, the smell of arrogance floating around her.
“Y’know not everyone is as close-minded as you may think,” Riyo spoke, muffled by Zanka’s hand. “I bet I could even help yaaaa,” she sang, smirking. Zanka sighed and let his hand fall, and began walking again.
“I don’t wanna talk about it, okay? I’d rather focus on not failing this class if I can help it,” Zanka mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. “Seriously, I can’t afford to get a bad grade here.”
“Alright, alright, dude, I get it. But remember, there’s no shame in asking for help,” Riyo relented, stretching her arms out in front of her. “And just don’t get pissy when I’m… preoccupied,” she teased.
Zanka stuck out his tongue at her.
They made their way to the dining hall, spotting Rudo waiting outside. Riyo immediately began to torment him, throwing her arm over his shoulders and questioning why he was out in the cold. Zanka couldn’t help but snort and roll his eyes, especially when the freshman could barely stutter out a response. Riyo was one hell of a flirt; he’ll give her that.
Once inside, Zanka’s body relaxed. The smells were intense, but he had grown accustomed to them over time. There was a strong mix of alphas, betas, and omegas, which was hard to adjust to when he first got here as a freshman. Sure, he’s been around all secondary genders before, but never in such a concentrated area with this volume. He had attended an all-alpha high school, even if he hadn't presented until his junior year. His parents’ mindset was that being around a lot of alphas would help him present, and if he turned out to be a disappointment, he'd be just transferred.
Due to that, he hadn’t been as prepared for college life like Riyo was. Plus, the different kinds of cuisine clashed in a unique and borderline overpowering way. Not to mention the sounds. It was louder than Zanka expected; he’s always had sensitive ears.
Initially, he struggled to be in the dining hall for more than 15 minutes, barely enough time to get a meal and leave. But with Riyo’s help and minimal exposure over a few months, Zanka was able to tolerate it fairly well and began to associate the communal area with positive feelings and memories.
The trio eventually found a free table and sat down with their preferred meals. Rudo, of course, has pizza, and Riyo a hamburger. Zanka was elated to see that they were serving Thai food and helped himself to noodles.
“So, Rudo,” Zanka started, deciding to be friendly. “Have you landed on a major yet?”
Rudo paused mid-chew and looked like he was about to respond before glancing at Riyo and thought better of it, electing to swallow his food before talking. “I think I’ve landed on materials science & engineering.”
“Are you smart enough for that?” Zanka snickered. Even though he hasn’t known Rudo for long, he’s a good addition. Zanka enjoys poking, and Riyo enjoys prodding.
“Screw you!” Rudo said, slamming his hands down on the table. Riyo laughed at his reaction, causing the other to flush. “It’s just– I wanna figure out a way that I can help beyond just reusing and recycling. I wanna help prevent things from ending up as trash.”
“We know, kid,” Riyo mused, tousling Rudo’s hair. “We’re just worried that your little brain can't handle your grand ambitions!” Rudo grunted, trying to lean away from her teasing. His red-velvety scent spiked with embarrassment.
“I–I can do it! I just gotta put more effort into it!”
“Listen, it’s gonna take more than gusto to get through engineering,” Zanka stated. “I get that you wanna help, but if you aim too high, you’re just gonna end up burnt out.”
Rudo pouted and just shoved more pizza into his mouth. Well, there’s only so much Zanka could do.
“So, Riyo–” Zanka started.
“Heh-hey! Lil' Miss Redhead!” A loud voice interrupted him. “Good game on Saturday! You ready for this weekend?” A tall alpha approached them, his presence large. His complexion was darker, and his face was covered in piercings, with thick locs held in place by a purple beanie. Damn. Zanka had to take a moment to recenter himself. It’s been a while since he’s been around this kind of guy, one who knows he’s hot and flaunts it. It irritated him. Riyo stood up, clasping his hand in greeting.
“Hell yeah it was! Dude, how the hell didja even make that last goal? Even though it fucked us, I couldn’t help but admire the play.” Riyo sounded excited, even though Zanka picked up that this guy wasn’t from her team.
“Secret!” The alpha said, zipping his mouth shut. “Gotta keep everyone on they toes, y’know.”
“Just you wait, we’re gonna make North Campus eat shit this weekend!” She grinned, lightly pushing against him. Zanka eyed this new guy carefully, catching a devious glint in his gaze before it was quickly replaced with curiosity.
“Yo Riyo, who’s this?” The alpha grinned at him, leaning his arm on Riyo’s shoulder, flashing his teeth. Zanka immediately bristled, feeling the subtle challenge.
“Ah, this is Zanka. He’s my bestie,” She turned to look at the other alpha. “But I’m like, his only friend, so,” Riyo teased.
“Hey! Fuck you, Riyo!” Zanka scolded and crossed his arms. Rudo snickered, and Zanka resisted the urge to kick him under the table.
“Oh yeaaaah, I remember,” the alpha laughed; it crackled and went up and down in pitch. He hates it. The new scent finally wafted over to Zanka, and he had to bite down on his tongue to remain stone-faced. This alpha smelled like pomegranate; sharp and… metallic? He straightened up as Riyo took her seat again. “You came to most our games last year, right?” He looked at Zanka, and for a moment, he felt he had been caught doing something wrong. “Ain’t see ya around this semester, where you been?”
“... Busy,” was all Zanka managed. It wasn’t a lie, but it was a lame response. Sophomore year was kicking his ass, and he’s been spending more time in the library. “I’m sorry, who are you?”
“Name’s Jabber! ‘S good to finally put a name to the face… Zanka,” Jabber smirked, again showing his teeth with a knowing look in his eye. Zanka didn’t like the way that made him feel. Why would Jabber remember his face? He glanced at Riyo, desperately looking for a lifeline.
“Poor Zanka isn’t doing too hot in some of his classes this year,” Riyo explained as she leaned her chin on her hands, a cooing tone in her voice. Of course, she made it worse. Why would she help him when she could torture him instead? “Chemistry is proving to be real hard for him.” Zanka couldn’t help the glare he sent her way; couldn’t stop his lip from curling ever so slightly to bare his canines. “I was thinking about asking if you’d be down to tutor him,” she directed towards Jabber. The other seemed to take a second too long tearing his eyes away from Zanka to return her look.
“Hm? Oh, for sure! Biochem’s my major and allat.” Huh. Zanka dropped his scowl and looked intensely at the other. Biochem was hard, really hard. Succeeding in it required the knowledge from multiple subjects and the skill to combine them all. “I also got a computer science minor.”
“Computer science–!” Rudo piped up, and Jabber looked surprised at his voice. If Zanka didn’t know any better, he’d say Jabber didn’t notice Rudo at all until he spoke. “Um, does computer science overlap at all with materials science and engineering?”
“Why? Ya also need help, Lil’ Man?” Jabber tilted his head and leaned down towards the omega. Rudo, to his credit, didn’t budge when Jabber invaded his space; his expression screwed up into a frown. The kid was growing, at least.
“I really want to make the world a better place, and–and that means being smart about some things… but right now I’m not.” Jabber smiled and mirrored Riyo’s previous action, and started roughly ruffling Rudo’s hair. He barked out a mocking laugh, and Rudo pawed at his arm, trying to dislodge it.
“Hey-! Knock it off!”
“I like ya, Lil’ Man! Whatsya name?”
“Rudo, but quit–!” All of a sudden, both their movements halted, and Zanka immediately felt on edge. The smallest hints of a new smell arose, one that tasted like an old silver fork while eating dessert. Zanka nearly gagged. Jabber whipped his hand away quickly and took a step back.
“Hey, ah…” he laughed out nervously, clutching his right wrist. “Ma bad, ain’t mean to.”
Rudo seemed to be dumbfounded, and Zanka realized what just happened.
They accidentally scented.
Scenting held more meaning than just exchanging smells. It was reserved for family members, close-knit platonic bonds, and lovers. Rarely, it also revealed fated mates. When fated mates scented for the first time, unique marks would appear on their wrists.
He and Riyo just recently started scenting each other, and that was after a year of intense kinship. These two dumb fucks accidentally did it two minutes after meeting. He anxiously looked at Riyo, who seemed to share his concern.
The first time Zanka and Riyo scented each other was right before summer break. He had been nervous. Not because he wanted marks to appear, but because he didn’t. He really liked their relationship for what it was and didn’t want it to change. And thankfully, marks did not appear. Riyo feigned being offended when Zanka was relieved, arguing that she’d be a great mate, listing things she loved about herself. Zanka rolled his eyes but played along, retorting with a list of his own about why he “hates” her and why they’d never work out as a couple.
It was nice having someone to scent, it was comforting in a way he’s never quite grasped before, not even with his family.
Zanka noticed Jabber take a quick look down at his wrists, looking visibly relieved when they were just as bare as before. “‘M flattered my guy, butcha ain’t my type,” Jabber said, slipping into a persona of ease, like he hadn’t just been panicking a second ago. He was trying to lighten the mood, Zanka realized. Rudo sputtered and flipped off the other.
“W–well, you’re not my type either, asshole! I’m not into guys!” At that, Zanka and Riyo couldn’t help but chuckle. The stiff atmosphere dissolved, and Zanka snuck a peek at Jabber. He was still holding his right wrist like it burned him. The alpha rubbed at it a few times before shoving his hand in his pocket.
“Nah, guys ain’t my issue,” Jabber droned. “I ain’t like omegas,” Jabber said smugly, and poked at Rudo’s temple, snickering when Rudo smacked his hand away. Riyo snorted.
Zanka’s heart stopped beating for a second. Someone else? Another alpha who doesn’t like omegas? Was he hearing this right? And he said it so easily, too. Zanka felt like this was somehow a mockery and a punishment. He did his best to remain emotionless, but he could see Riyo out of the corner of his eye, staring at him. He didn’t look her way, focusing on the alpha in front of him, which made things harder. Jabber held himself with such confidence, and Zanka grew bitter because of it.
“Anyways, if either of y’alls need help, hit me up! We could do a group thing if that’s better, too,” Jabber said with a smile, eying Zanka, and again flashing those god damn teeth. It made Zanka want to challenge him for real, bare his teeth, sink his nails into his flesh, and hurt him. Wait, what?
Jabber looked at him inquisitively. Zanka tipped his chin up, returning his gaze with a mildly challenging look of his own. No matter what Jabber had said or made him feel, Zanka was never one to back down. Jabber shrugged and made his way towards Zanka, who braced himself and glared at the other, trying to not be distracted by the glittery, shiny pieces of metal adorning Jabber’s face and decorating his hair.
“Or not, y’know… Whatever works…” Jabber patted his shoulder, and Zanka didn’t miss the way he minutely dragged his left wrist over Zanka’s jacket as he pulled away. The fucker winked, too. He just barely resisted the urge to snap his jaws at the other alpha for getting too close. The touch was fleeting, barely there, just enough for only Zanka to smell it. He choked down a growl, still feeling a low vibration in the back of his throat, and hardened his glare, feeling defensive, like Jabber took one look at him and saw past everything, right down to his core.
His scent was also intoxicating, even though it wasn't much. It was bitter-sweet, sharp, and heavy. Dangerous. Zanka would have to swap out his jacket before his next class, lest he wants to smell like irritation and just overall alpha who couldn’t keep it together.
“I gotta jet. Rudo, Zanka,” Jabber pinned him with a weighted gaze before looking back up at the others. “Nice meetin’ ya. Lil' Red, see you this weekend, be ready to lose again!” Jabber waved and slinked away.
“Never!” She sang, leaning back in her chair to see him leave. Once she steadied herself, she looked at Zanka with a shit-eating grin.
“I told ya,” Riyo said, smug as ever. Zanka finally looked her way and scowled again.
“Told me what?” Zanka deadpanned, even though they both knew what.
“I told ya not everyone is as close-minded as you may think. Gimmie your phone,” She said, holding out her hand. Zanka thought about refusing her, but after a few moments' hesitation, he relented and handed over his device. She unlocked it and added Jabber’s number, checking with her own phone to ensure it was the correct one.
“Alright, your turn, rookie,” Riyo held her hand out to Rudo, who just blinked at her.
“Oh– umm, yeah okay.” Rudo struggled to get his phone out of his pocket and into Riyo’s hand.
“What’s wrong? You don’t have to text him, you know,” Riyo said, even as she added Jabber as a contact.
“I know, I just can’t believe…” Rudo groaned, rubbing his face. “I just can’t believe the first time I scent someone at college was by accident! And even worse, it was with a guy! That guy! There’s no way I’ll live this down!”
Well, now Zanka knows he isn’t the only one pissed off, at least. Maybe he could learn to actually get along with this omega.
“Zanka, are you even an alpha? How did you not react to him at all?”
Or maybe not.
“You lil’ shit!! ‘Course I am!” Zanka yelled, standing up and leaning over the table. “Unlike you, I got self control!”
“H-hey! That’s uncalled for!” Rudo matched his energy and also stood up, banging the table in the process.
“Oh, it’s 100% called for!”
“And here we go,” Riyo mumbled, with a fond grin as Zanka started bickering back and forth with Rudo. She finally began to eat her lunch, stealing bites from the others’ plates because they were too engrossed in their argument to notice.