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Pedro walked past the lab building, towards the gym. He wanted some peace for himself, and the heavy weight lifts always give him just that. Listening to some rock bands, he kept a stern face, walking to his usual spot and taking the same dumbbells he always uses. It was fine, he did his routine for a few minutes on the mat. That’s when it hit him. A sweet, unfamiliar scent caught his nose. Well, nothing wrong with having scents right?
Everything was wrong with Pedro.
He didn’t know why, he started to ache everywhere. Every single cell of him itched, did he not shower properly? Did he mix up his shower gel with Fabio’s? surely his cinnamon shower gel can’t be a new allergy for him… right?
Pedro couldn’t take the heat anymore, his skin red from the reaction. He got up from the mat, put away his dumbbells, and headed to the doors. That’s when he saw him…
Aldeguer… A name he thought he left in high school… Talking too… Fabio?
He needed to do some talking when they got back home. The mission now, find fresh air and get rid of the sweet scent that’s been stinging his head. God knows how long has it been since he had an allergy reaction to anything.
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
“Oh, that’s my childhood friend! I didn’t know he also studies here?” The young rose spoke to his new senior.
“Pedro? He’s my dormmate! What a small world we live in. You should come over sometimes.” The older Frenchman replied. He was showing Fermin the ways around the academy.
Both of them were confused on why Pedro was walking out hastily, but Fermin might have an idea… The sharp, salty breeze of Pedro stung him in all the right way. Oh, me and him being mates, are not rumours?
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
Back in primary… before they both presented…
“Pedrito! Why are you red?” The younger boy cried out, horrified at the sight of his friend all covered in red while his mom patted some sort of powdery lotion on his back. He came for football, but stopped the intention when he saw his friend suffering.
“Mom, it hurts…” Pedro only cried, hiding his face in his pillow, laying on his stomach. “He has an allergic reaction, Fermino… The doctor said it’s roses that made him like this” Pedro’s mom replied to Fermin.
He set down his football and sat next to Pedro, now white from the lotion his mom helped spread. He turned his body around, now facing Fermin. “Fermen… go and play with the others, mom says I have to rest…” His voice straining, clearly he’s holding back his cries from the younger boy. “No, Pedrito. I no want to play if you’re not with me. The other boys are no fun!” Fermin bit back.
Giggling, he slowly lost his cries. They ended up playing with the toys in Pedro’s room. People thought dinosaurs couldn’t ride motorbikes, but these boys imagined differently. The room was filled with their laughter until the night ended.
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
Pedro was still struggling. He’s confused, roses were the only thing he had an allergy to. But who would wear a strong flowery scent to the gym? Or… no, it can’t be… he thought to himself.
In a world where everyone has a distinct scent latched onto them, what kind of person would have a rosy smell? Surely not the boy with thick eyebrows and the sweetest smile everyone in the neighbourhood loved. Surely not the boy who was so kind to visit every day just for a moment to talk. Surely not the boy who never left him in every moment of his life… until he himself walked away…
It couldn’t be Fermin Aldeguer… no…
“I’m home! Pedro, you never told me about your childhood friend?” Fabio’s voice boomed through the house in excitement. Thank goodness for pill medication for it reduced Pedro’s redness before Fabio came home.
The Spanish put his medicine away and walked out of the kitchen, looking unimpressed. “Yeah, I barely told anyone about me before college. Not that it matters.” He crossed his arms, ready for whatever Fabio was going to ask. “Why were you running out of the gym earlier? I never seen you like that” He asked with a confused face. Never in the few months they stayed together did he ever see Pedro run from… nothing?
“Uh… It’s hard to explain… when I was a kid I found out I had an allergy to roses, touch, scent, taste, everything. I can’t be close to any kind of rose,” Fabio nodded, his head tilted, almost like he was remembering something. ,”But I don’t understand. I never experienced that here! Nevertheless in the gym out of all places!.”
And it clicked with Fabio. “Pedro, the boy I was with… he had a rosy scent…” Pedro stopped in his tracks. “What? Fermen?” His eyes wide, not believing his dormmate. “Yeah, Fermen, Fermin, that boy you were friends with. His scent was so strong, probably an alpha.” Fabio casually spewed out, earning an alarmed look from Pedro.
The shark grabbed his shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. “Fabio, help me.”
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
The next few weeks, Pedro avoided Fermin at all costs. Changing directions even if the boy’s far from him, wearing a face mask to avoid his scent, even his doordash orders are increasing. Fabio is worried about his mate, he sure does. But Pedro was stubborn, nothing Fabio advised got into his head. He avoided Fermin like it was a death sentence.
One day, he couldn’t take it anymore. The Frenchman barged into Pedro’s room unannounced. Only to be greeted by a boy curling in a poorly made nest, watching a sad movie on his laptop.
He sighed loudly before sitting at the edge of the bed. “Why did you come in?” Pedro was unbothered, focusing on the movie in front of him. He cried when the woman lead found out the guy insisted on assisted death in Switzerland. Yes, he was watching Me Before You and now, the characters are on vacation, trying to convince the man to change his mind.
Fabio stumbled on his words, not really knowing how to ask without being rude. “What happened? Surely something must have happened for you to go crazy over him–“ Pedro shot up from the bed, facing Fabio now,“I’M NOT CRAZY OVER HIM! I just, I don’t want to see him,” The reaction scared Fabio, but he needed answers, he had had enough of Pedro ignoring him at home.
“Yeah, but why? Why is it so hard to just be? Why do you go through all of this effort?” He looked deep in Fabio’s eyes before replying. “I left town. I left him. All because I believed it’s better to start anew with only my family by myself. I pushed everyone away, Fabi. I wanted to change myself. But that feeling I have for him, gosh. I wanted him, but I was chasing my own dream too. I am afraid to see him now. I never said goodbye…”
Fabio absorbed everything Pedro just dropped. The silence between them was louder than anything, until Pedro broke down. “I was bad, Fabio. I presented before him, I was having changes, and did not know how to act. The last thing I remembered was we had a fight. I was overwhelmed with myself, and he came just asking if we could play. But something in me urged me to push him away, to have him far from me even when it hurts . Deep down, I regretted the fight. But I could never forgive myself for pushing him away,” he wiped the tears before continuing, now engulfed in Fabio’s embrace ,”Because after I left for boarding school, it hit me. My first heat. And nothing nor anyone was enough. Until I came back once for holiday, and saw him. He’s my mate, I knew it. But I can’t find myself with him, Fabio.”
Fabio patted his back, comforting him of his cries. He pulled Pedro back. “Look, I’ve gotten pretty close with him. Do you want to man up and see him?”
Pedro looked back at him with glassy eyes and pouty lips, nodding slowly, catching his breath. “But, I don’t want to talk to him. Promise?” He held out his pinky, latching to the elder. “Promise”
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
“Is all of these necessary?” Fabio pointed to the boy all covered with a jacket, sunglasses and a face mask. “No talking. You promised.” Pedro replied, earning an eye roll from him.
They’re going to the mall. Fabio and his friend’s group are meeting up for lunch. And Pedro will… tag along… with no mouth open, apparently. Fabio parked their car and walked inside, heading into the Italian restaurant on the ground floor.
“Oi, Fabio!” Tony blasted from the corner. Fabio greeted him back and sat down with Pedro. “Guys, this is my dormmate, he’s a little shy so he won’t speak much.” Pedro waved a little at them with a small “hi”. They ordered their food and chatted a bit while waiting.
“Sorry I’m late, I had to send my dormmate somewhere else first.”
Oh, that sweet voice of his. Pedro peeked through his sunglasses and looked at the boy now sitting in front of him. But Pedro felt something terribly wrong.
Fuck…
His pocket is empty. Where is his patch? He started to feel it. His throat itched. *coughs* oh, play it cool Pedro.
“Are you okay? Do you want some water?” Fermin asked him, completely oblivious of who was in front of him. It’s not like it’s the first time Fabio dragged a friend of his to a hangout.
“No, thanks” Pedro replied meekly, barely masking another cough. God, it hurts. He did pass by him a few times in college. But he never stayed near Fermin for longer than 5 seconds, how would he know his system would react this badly towards the rose scent? Even with the toughest, supposedly “scent blocking” face mask, the smell stung his nose.
Fabio noticed how slurry Pedro sounded. “You okay? Wanna leave early?” He just shook his head. Stubborn, still needed to be in front of Fer-
And he blacked out.
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
“Thank you, doc. I’ll tell him later”
Pedro heard an unfamiliar voice. Or familiar? God, he wished it was not a stranger. Slowly, he opened his eyes to the sight of a hospital room. “Lucky, you’re coming out this evening if they have your medicines ready by then.” A boy chuckled while making his way to Pedro’s bed. He’s still blurry about what happened.
“Pedro, I’m here for you. Don’t worry.” Fermin said as he sat down on the chair next to him. He’s still stubborn. “Where’s Fabio? Why are you here?” Pedro looked to the ceiling, not brave enough to lock eyes with the boy. Actually, he was holding back tears. Where is his dormmate? Why did he leave them alone?
“He went downstairs to get snacks. You blacked out earlier. You’re allergic to me.” Fermin answered calmly. A sad smile was on his face.
Allergic to him. His body is weak to his own mate.
“Oh.”
Was all Pedro could let out. He did not know what to say. A thank you would’ve been nice. Not that it mattered to the younger boy. But Pedro could not say anything, fear of crying, of breaking down overtook him.
“Pedrito, you remember that name, right?” Fermin asked to which Pedro could only nod shyly. “Well, I still keep in touch with your mom,” I know, “She told me everything about you. But she never told me that you study here. And I talked to Fabio in the car. Oh, I still remember your allergy to roses that day I came to fetch you. Pedrito, I also saw you at the gym running away all disturbed by yourself.”
Pedro laughed at the thought of Fermin just as confused as Fabio during the gym incident. “But I sort of knew why you ran. It was me, right? I presented the day you came home for holiday. And I was afraid, afraid that you might not be able to talk to me, to see me. You talked to Fabio and avoided me for almost a month. You also, put on this whole show today just to see me,” Pedro finally had the strength to even hold his arms up and close his face. The heat on his cheeks now unbearable, embarrassment engulfed him.
“Gosh, Fermen. How much did he tell you?” Holding back a laugh, Fermin held Pedro’s hand and rested it on his cheeks. “Pedrito, he told me everything.” The look on his eyes made Pedro melt. “And let me tell you, my feelings also never left. Every day, I think about you, think about if we will ever meet again.”
Yes, Pedro wanted to cry then and there but Fermin shushed him out by caressing his cheek. He looked at the watch in his hand and pressed something on Pedro’s neck. A patch. That’s why I could talk to him for this long now. Pedro thought to himself silly.
The way Fermin treated him, he felt like he didn’t deserve it. Not after never saying anything to Fermin that he was leaving town. “Fermen. I’m sorry. For everything, for leaving you. I didn’t understand what happened to me, I acted too harsh, I shouldn’t have fought with you, I could’ve at least sent you a message where–“
And Fermin cut him with a kiss.
Oh.
Oh.
Pedro closed his eyes, indulging the sweet taste of his lips. Fermin finally pulled away after what felt like forever. “Shut up, Pedrito. I have always forgiven you all these times. Plus, you have always been hot headed” he cheekily rolled his eyes.
“Am I interrupting ?” Fabio said. He just came back from the mart downstairs. The two lovebirds? They didn’t even bat an eye to look at Fabio. They were both in trance busy trying to find the details in each other’s eyes.
┈┈・ ✦ ・┈┈
It had been a few months since the disguise-hospital-admission incident happened to Pedro. The two of them have been trying to learn again since then.
Today was ice cream day. Pedro had decided it was fun to go to the state fair.
“Did you pack your patches?” Fermin asked before walking out the car. Pedro just nodded while checking his bag for his medicine. Always prepared in case he became red in front of his alpha, because of his alpha. They locked arms while walking to the fair, eyes everywhere at the sight in front of them.
“Pedrito, look! A shooting game!” Fermin pulled Pedro to a booth with a gun and cans. He asked Pedro what he wanted and he just pointed to the shark plush holding a rose. Fermin smiled widely before paying and taking the gun from the booth owner.
*ting!*
And he hit the cans in one shot. Both of them jumped from joy as the booth owner rolled her eyes from the fact that they won the game. She handed them the plushie and they walked away, to an ice cream stall.
Turkish ice cream. Fermin spent the whole time laughing his ass off towards Pedro because he couldn’t grab the ice cream until the end. It took him five minutes to finally get them both an ice cream.
They walked to a spot near the lake and sat down.
“Today was fun, Fermen. I wanna ride the roller coaster next!” The younger boy just agreed with him.
They wished the day wouldn’t end. Fermin held up the plush they got. “Look, that’s you. All angry and sharp like a shark. And that’s me, sweet, soft, pretty, nice–“ He earned a small smack from Pedro. Fermin was about to laugh it off when Pedro pulled him in for a kiss. His lips now taste like a salty chocolate mix from the ice cream. Something Fermin might just get addicted to.