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The doors opened with each step Colby took, because, in the eyes of the world, he’d always been viewed as one of the important people, one of those, who will eventually change the world by their presence alone. It was in his very own blood, after all, his DNA making him into a natural leader, who knew exactly what to do during any moment.
Except for the fact that Colby had never fit into these usual stereotypes of an Alpha.
But Colby was a younger sibling, and the younger siblings forever had expectations to fulfil. It was one of the rules of the universe that couldn’t be broken, especially when born as an Alpha with another Alpha for an older sibling.
At first, he was lucky enough to be spared from the expectations — he was just a little kid, after all, but as he got older, he started to notice. His mother constantly asking about the people he’d been hanging out with, wrinkling her nose every so often. On the other hand, his father kept reminding him of his role in this world, as everyone had one. And Alphas were meant to be the strong leaders.
Colby tried to argue with them, tried to tell them that it seemed far too stupid and old-fashioned. It’d never really worked, no matter how much he screamed and yelled and slammed his door. Nothing would’ve made them budge.
On those occasions, Gage would come into his room uninvited, sitting down on the edge of Colby’s bed with a tired smile on his face.
“Do you also want to call me stupid?” asked Colby, on the verge of sulking. Sure, his parents didn’t exactly use those words, but he knew how to read between lines.
Gage shook his head, before plopping down on the bed. “Nah,” he replied, looking at the ceiling, “I just came to see if you’re alright.”
“Why do you care?” huffed Colby, tilting his head up. Listen, he should’ve known better than to act like a little kid, but he was just starting puberty and the hormones affected Alphas far too much, okay? It wasn’t really his fault.
Gage heaved a deep sigh, rolling his eyes. “Because I know you hate everything about this,” he mumbled, gesturing vaguely with one hand. “All the stereotypes and whatnot. And I know that Mom and Dad are more… strict about it.”
“You don’t mind it,” whispered Colby, pulling his knees to his chest. “You seem alright with it.”
Gage only shrugged, tilting his head to the just enough to look at Colby. “We might be brothers, but we’re still two different people, no?” he mused. “Children can be raised in the same family and still come out different. You’re allowed to be different.”
Colby let out a shaky breath, swallowing around nothing. “I just don’t like the fact that I have to find a specific person, y’know? It feels, I don’t know…”
“Suffocating?” offered Gage.
“Yeah,” whispered Colby, nodding his head. He hunched his shoulder, as if to make himself smaller, trying to take in a deep breath and force his lungs to expand — his chest was feeling too tight.
“You’re allowed to love whoever you want,” murmured Gage. “And I believe that some day there will be a person that will love you just as fiercely. Because that’s what you do — you love with your whole heart.”
“Is it a bad thing?” asked Colby, his voice small.
“Nah,” replied Gage with a smile. “You just have a big heart, that’s all. So, don’t be afraid to use it, yeah?”
When Colby was forced into the band camp, he didn’t really know what to think of it. He was sure his parents wanted him to find more friends that would’ve been Alphas — they’d always encouraged Gage to do the same thing, as it’d always been the most proper thing to do.
So, in his own act of rebellion, Colby chose to go against their wishes. On the very first day, he found a small group of Betas and decided to pretty much invite himself in. And, maybe, he sought out this group for one specific person in particular.
Samuel John Golbach was a strange kid. Not bad by any means, but definitely strange. He’d always kept to himself and stayed in the background of the things, as if he was trying to make himself invisible. His parents had always used to say that Betas didn’t have any actual role in society, being forgotten.
Well, Colby fucking hated that.
That might’ve been one of many reasons why Colby decided to keep hanging out around Sam, essentially dragging him out of his shell that the other boy insisted on staying in. And each time he focused all of his attention to Sam, he was rewarded by the most beautiful smile and the brightest laugh.
Perhaps, some people needed to be noticed. Sometimes, all it took was to remember a few crucial details to make the person feel like they belonged and finally stop them from hiding in the shadows. And so, Colby took it upon himself to get to know everything there was about Sam. Because he saw the boy with so much darkness surrounding him on every step, believing he’d never been enough, purely because the world had never been kind to him.
Colby was meant to be many things, some of them were strong and aggressive. Back in the day, Alphas were always meant to be kings. But what was a king with no kindness? And compassion? Why couldn’t he choose to care about people and stay among them, instead of ruling over them?
It seemed like it always boiled down to one specific problem — the last thing that Colby wanted was to be a king. Because, really, it seemed like a lonely life to be apart from the rest of the people. Becoming a king meant being away from Sam. And, at that point of his life, he couldn’t have possibly imagined a world in which he wasn’t right next to his best friend.
Colby really hated to admit that his older brother was right, but it did seem like he’d finally found someone, who could’ve loved him just as fiercely — no matter what type of love it was.
The filming took far too long, even as it was a good filming session. But it left Colby feeling drained, his body ready to collapse any moment. But, hey, they got enough content, even as there was one persistent ghost that insisted on messing with Sam — it was rather funny. Do not tell Sam, though.
But not even the satisfaction could’ve stopped the exhaustion that was slowly seeping deep into his bones, making his steps sluggish. Truth be told, he barely step the night prior, so trying to stay present and somewhat entertaining was sure a fucking challenge.
“I might actually fall asleep on my feet,” mumbled Sam, as he unlocked the door. The things were scattered everywhere from their frantic search for a spirit box — listen, Colby misplaced it by accident, okay? He did already mention that he didn’t sleep, did he not? Well, it was actually just a bit more complicated than that. The whole not sleeping thing had been going on for a while now, as he kept waking up throughout the night. Not too fun, honestly.
Colby made a vague grunt in response, rubbing his eyes. “I feel fucking spent,” he muttered after a moment, draping his jacket over a nearby chair.
“Yeah, you look fucking dead, dude,” noted Sam, raising one eyebrow. Colby watched as his best friend took a step closer, immediately pressing one hand against his forehead, then his cheek. The sudden gesture made Colby freeze for a brief moment, before his body relaxed, almost on instinct. “You alright? You’ve been off the whole day.”
Colby shrugged in response, not quite meeting Sam’s gaze. The last thing he needed was to worry his best friend over his little sleeping problem — he was meant to be the strong one, or whatever the fuck the society was expecting off of him, no?
He sucked in a sharp breath, even as he leaned into Sam’s touch on his cheek, his eyelids drooping. “Just… I don’t know. Feeling a little weird. Guess I woke up on a wrong side of the bed,” he replied, wanting to make a joke, but it fell flat even to his own ears.
Sam frowned, as he heard the response, but he had yet to pull his hand away. Instead, he traced Colby’s cheekbone — the movement slow and deliberate — making his eyes flutter shut. His body always reacted to Sam’s presence, and it never mattered that the other man was a Beta.
Maybe, in some cases, some bonds were simply too strong for their own biology, huh?
“Did you even sleep last night?” asked Sam, his voice light. Oh, and Colby knew that tone far too well — his best friend was so very close to scold the shit out of him, but still decided to hold back. Well, that was rather considerate of him.
Colby groaned, letting his body fall forward, as he leaned his entire weight against Sam. Even though, his best friend heaved a sigh full of exasperation, he still put his hands on Colby’s back, drawing mindless patterns with his fingers. The motion was soothing, and it was a surprise that Colby didn’t fall asleep right there and then. “I haven’t been sleeping well,” he admitted after a beat of silence.
“Why didn’t you come to me at night?” asked Sam, keeping his voice gentle.
And why didn’t Colby come to Sam? Well, the answer was just a tad bit complicated. Yes, he’d been feeling like he was meant to be the strong one that everyone had always wanted him to be — he’d been fighting that particular stereotype his whole life, and while, for the most part, he’d been doing rather well… sometimes, it got to him.
But another reason was Sam’s scent.
His whole life, everyone swore up and down that Betas didn’t carry any scent — Colby begged to differ. Maybe, he’d always been just a bit more sensitive to this, but he could smell it clearly, especially these days. The scent of lemon soda clung to Sam’s skin, making his brain go into so many directions at once.
Colby hated it. For years, he’d done everything to fight against the most primal instincts, just to challenge the status quo of the world. And yet, here he was, feeling like he was just about to lose his mind, Sam’s scent driving him up the wall.
So, yes. The whole situation was complicated.
“I didn’t want to bother you,” whispered Colby, forcing himself to string a coherent sentence. It was hard, so fucking hard, especially when he was so close to Sam’s neck where the scent was much stronger. Despite that, he couldn’t force himself to move away, allowing himself to fully inhale the scent.
“You don’t bother me, dude,” mumbled Sam. “Do you want to share a bed tonight?”
Colby pulled away just enough to look at Sam, opening and closing his mouth. Realistically, he knew it would’ve helped with the whole sleeping problem — sharing a bed had always been something that made him feel safe, allowing his body and mind to relax. But, at the same time, there was the whole scent thing.
Despite that, he nodded. Perhaps, he wanted to indulge in this. Just this once. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
Sam scoffed, shaking his head. “I don’t,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “Seriously, it’s fine. Especially if it’s gonna help you sleep better, yeah?”
Colby smiled ever so slightly upon hearing the quick answer. “Thank you, man.”
When they both took a shower and changed into pajamas, Colby found himself sighing in relief — the smell of lemon soda was still there, but definitely less prominent now, making his mind finally take a step back from all the primal shit that it’d insisted on doing these days.
Colby let Sam drag him to bed, intertwining their fingers on instinct. It’d always been their thing — being this close and constantly seeking each other out. Really, the last thing he needed was for his stupid instincts to fucking ruin everything.
The moment they both lied down, Colby found himself scooting closer to Sam, resting his forehead against his best friend’s shoulder, as he curled himself into a ball. See? He kept trying to tell people that he wasn’t the intimidating Alpha that society tried to portray him as, but no one had ever believed him.
It was… exhausting. Colby had spent countless times proving other people wrong upon the very first meeting. Because each person had a clear picture in mind — an Alpha, who was far too aggressive, loud, and scary-looking. But he grew up as a timid child, far too different from the Alphas in his family.
Always the odd one out.
And, well, it never bothered him that much to be different, but it got tiring hearing the critique over and over again. All the things he should be doing and how he should be acting, and how he should be as a person. Colby was fucking sick of it.
But the one person that had never put any expectations on him had always been Sam. The Beta had never made him feel like there was something wrong with him, or that he was meant to change. Because Sam — for whatever reason — had always liked him for who he was.
Despite that, Colby couldn’t stop that little nagging voice inside his brain that kept making itself known anytime things got too good. What if Sam was going to get sick of him one day? Betas were pushed aside and ignored and denied opportunities in some parts of the world, while Colby had always had everything handed to him on a silver platter, so…
How long before Sam got fed up with the clear imbalance?
Okay, no. And this was why he couldn’t trust his brain when he’d barely gotten any sleep.
“Here,” murmured Sam, draping a duvet over Colby’s body. “You’re gonna get cold, you idiot.”
“No, I won’t,” mumbled Colby, practically half-asleep, burying his face in the crook of Sam’s neck. The scent was still clinging there, making his entire body melt right against Sam with a soft sigh.
Colby had forgotten just how nice it was to share a bed with Sam. Was he meant to be the protective one all the time? Sure, and he was, do not get him wrong, but it was so fucking nice to let his constant guard down and let his body simply relax. Because being around Sam meant being safe, no matter where they were.
Sam chuckled quietly next to him, before wrapping one arm around Colby, pulling him closer. Yeah, this was exactly how it was meant to be — Sam and Colby against the world. Colby just needed to get out of his head for five seconds, before he was just about to lose it.
And, maybe, he needed to do something about the whole problem with Sam’s scent. There was no way Colby was going to allow his instincts to take over — the last thing he needed was to somewhat hurt Sam.
Colby would’ve much rather killed himself, then ever put Sam through any sort of pain.
The only solution to the whole scent problem that Colby had managed to find was… well, not the greatest, but it was the only thing that seemed to be working. He’d been avoiding Sam, trying to spend as little time as possible in their shared spaces.
It seemed like his body was reacting more and more to the scent, all the rationality evaporating. He fucking hated everything about it — had he mentioned it already? Probably, but he was going to mention it over and over again.
Colby had heard about Alphas, who completely let their instincts take over, hurting others in the process. He still remembered hearing about something like that happening — in a house just down the street from where he grew up — of a man hurting his significant other, when his instincts took over. Colby was just ten at the time, and everyone around him treated it like such a normal thing.
And Colby was meant to believe that being an Alpha was a blessing? When he'd always been meant for destruction and nothing else?
If those thoughts weren’t enough, his parents weren’t helping, either. And, listen, he loved them, he really did, but their very traditional rhetoric — even well into his adulthood — still got on his nerves. No, he wasn’t going to go out of his way to look for an Omega to settle down with, no matter how much they insisted on it.
Because Colby had always wanted something more than what the traditions were telling him. To be frank, it’d always seemed like such a sad way to live. Could his special someone not be another Alpha? Or even a Beta?
His train of thought got interrupted, as he heard the door open. Colby didn’t even have to look to know who it was, keeping his gaze at the ceiling above him. Perhaps, it was going to give him some answers to his never-ending problems.
“You good?” asked Sam, his voice tight.
Colby hummed vaguely in response, propping himself on his elbows. “Guess so,” he mumbled, not quite meeting Sam’s gaze. The last thing he needed was to worry his best friend. And, really, what even were his worries? Didn’t Sam have it worse, after all? Oh, no, poor Colby with too many expectations! What was he going to do?
“You’ve been weird,” noted Sam, as walked further into the room. “Did I do something?”
No. Yes. Maybe. It was complicated. And it was all Colby’s fault, because it seemed like he wasn’t as in control as he’d believed. Couldn’t life be simple just once? Only once. That was all he was asking for. How was he even meant to explain what was happening in his brain? That Sam’s scent was soon going to drive him crazy, and that he had to actively fight against himself?
“No, no. Of course not,” murmured Colby, finally sitting up properly. He frowned, taking in a deep breath. He refused to dump all of this on Sam — the scent, the relationships, the instincts… all of it. That was for Colby to deal with, after all. “What makes you say that?”
Sam only shrugged vaguely, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. “It’s just a… feeling, I guess,” he mumbled, sounding almost unsure. He went quiet for a moment, biting on his lower lip, as if he was debating himself on whether to continue or not.
The thing about knowing someone for so long was that each tiny movement had more significance than other people believed — it was no secret that the two of them knew each other on an almost intimate level, pretty much reading the other’s mind at that point. Because Colby knew himself, therefore he knew Sam. One soul was split into two separate beings.
Wasn’t that stronger than any relationship that the society deemed worthy and proper?
“You’ve been barely talking to me these days,” blurted out Sam, his words coming out jumbled with the speed he said them. “And—and I don’t understand why. You’re terrible with your own emotions, and I get that, but I can’t help you, if you don’t tell me anything. I want to help you.”
Colby stared at Sam for a long time, biting his lower lip so hard he tasted copper on his tongue. Then, he sighed, patting at the empty spot next to him and gesturing for Sam to sit down. It seemed like his bullet-proof technique of avoiding his own feelings didn’t work. Damn it. Well, perhaps next time.
Where was he even supposed to start? It wasn’t like he could just dump it all on Sam, could he now? It didn’t even seem fair, if he was being completely honest, but his best friend was far too stubborn for his own good, so it wasn’t like he was going to drop it anytime soon.
“I just…” Colby trailed off, pulling one knee to his chest. He needed to approach this carefully, bit by bit. “On some days, everything feels like too much, y’know? It’s like most people want to put me into a neat, little box and then get mad when I don’t want to stay inside.”
Sam scooted closer, frowning ever so slightly. “Is this about your parents?”
Colby froze immediately, his shoulders tensing, as he heard the question. Was this about his parents? Yes. No. Maybe. It was about everyone, to be fair, because the world worked in a certain way, and barely anyone wanted to break the traditions. Because, really, staying in the neat boxes had always seemed easier than ever challenging the status quo — why bother changing something if it worked fine, eh?
“Yeah,” Colby breathed out, rubbing his eye. It was a start, approaching the issue bit by bit. “They’re acting like I’m supposed to settle down like Gage did. The sooner, the better,” he huffed, rolling his eyes.
“Times change, though, don’t they?” mused Sam, leaning back on his hands. “It’s not like it’s required to find your mate and do all that.”
Yes, times were changing, but not fast enough. And some people still refused to change their ways of thinking altogether. The expectations and stereotypes had yet to disappear, and he still had to explain himself over and over. No, he wasn’t aggressive. No, he wasn’t that much of a leader. And, no, he didn’t blindly follow his instincts, thank you very much.
Colby nodded, picking on a loose string of his sweatpants. “It’s not like I don’t want it,” he admitted, his voice barely audible, “but I don’t understand why it has to be an Omega. Shouldn’t I be looking for someone based on who they are as a person and not what their secondary gender is? I’ve always found it stupid.”
Sam only hummed, as he gestured for Colby to continue.
“Why can’t I fall in love with another Alpha? Or—or a Beta?” added Colby, looking up to meet Sam’s gaze properly. “I understand that, in their heads, following the traditions makes the most sense, but it just feels…”
“Suffocating?” offered Sam, keeping his voice gentle.
Oh, Colby had that exact description before. It did sum up the whole issue quite well, though. Yes, it seemed like was wrapping its hands around his lungs, squeezing so tightly until he was desperately gasping for air. Fighting against made the feelings worse, but he’d already decided on what he wanted in life.
“Yeah,” whispered Colby, dragging one hand across his hand. Then, he let his body fall uselessly on the bed, heaving a deep sigh. “I’m just so tired, dude.”
“I’m sorry,” said Sam, biting the inside of his cheek. “You deserve to choose whoever you want.”
Colby didn’t reply, he just outstretched his arms towards Sam. After a moment, his best friend lied on the bed next to him, resting his head on top of Colby’s chest. Colby wrapped his arms around Sam, letting his eyes close for a brief moment. Then, he buried his nose in Sam’s hair, taking in a deep breath.
The scent of lemon soda was clinging to Sam, and Colby knew it wasn’t going to help the whole instincts situation, but, maybe, he just wanted to indulge in this, alright?
But then, he caught a different smell mixing in with the scent he’d grown so accustomed to. No, he wasn’t going to get jealous over this. No, absolutely not. Colby had absolutely no right to get possessive over someone, who wasn’t even his. And, even if Sam did belong to him, it was still a crazy thing to get jealous about.
Colby was better than his primal instincts.
Despite that, a muffled growl made its way out of his throat, his shoulders tensing. “You smell like other people,” he whispered, before he could’ve thought about it.
Sam only shrugged. “I went grocery shopping today, since it was my turn,” he explained. “Well, at least I smell like something.”
“No,” blurted out Colby, unable to stop himself.
“What?” Sam frowned. “What do you mean no?”
Colby opened and closed his mouth, before letting his head fall against the pillow. Okay, approaching his issues bit by bit did not work out here. Curse him and his big mouth. Or maybe Sam was just making him go slowly insane. Yep, let’s blame Sam, instead.
“You smell like other people. You don’t smell like you,” mumbled Colby, swallowing around nothing.
“I’m confused,” mumbled Sam, shaking his head, as he propped himself on one elbow to look at Colby properly. “Last time I checked, I didn’t smell like anything. Betas don’t really have a scent.”
Wrong. Or, well, almost wrong. Over the years, Colby had noticed that while it was true that some Betas possessed no scent whatsoever, others Betas had a very weak scent that easily could’ve gone unnoticed. With the sole exception of Sam — his scent had always been extremely clear to Colby.
“You do have a scent,” Colby replied after a moment. “Sure, it’s mild, but I’ve always had a… I don’t know. A better sense of smell, I guess?”
Sam blinked slowly, as if the words had yet to fully register. Then, he asked, “What do I smell like?”
“Lemon soda,” said Colby immediately, as another wave of scent hit him — he could still smell the citrus with sugar, even as other people’s scents were mixing into it, making his nose wrinkle. “Kinda sweet, kinda sour. A little bitter. Guess it describes you well,” he quipped, his lips curling up in a smirk.
“The fuck is that supposed to mean?” huffed Sam, swatting Colby slightly on the chest, even as a small chuckle escaped his mouth. “Do you like it?”
“Yes,” answered Colby, not even bothering to lie. Because, realistically, what even was the point? He’d always liked Sam’s scent, as it became a sign of comfort, safety, and home.
“But you hate the fact that I smell like other people?” continued Sam, and Colby nodded in agreement. “Can you do anything about it?”
Colby swallowed around nothing, before his gaze shifted to Sam. He’d never thought he would ever get into a situation like this. Over the years, in any relationship he’d ever been, he had never put too much thought into this. Well, the solution had always been there, in the back of his mind, he simply had never cared enough to do something about it.
“I could scent you. It would make it… easier. Not to smell other people, but me on you,” Colby said after a moment, licking his lips.
“I’ve never…” Sam trailed off, biting on his lower lip.
Colby shifted their positions, so they could both sit up, facing each other. “I know,” he replied, his voice gentle. He knew that Sam had never been scented before, as it’d always seemed pointless — Betas and the myth of them having no scent and all that. At the same time, Colby really wanted to stress the fact that he hated giving into his instincts, especially in front of Sam. “And I’m fully aware this might be just so fucking weird for you, and I don’t ever give into these instincts, or whatever they are, and I hate it, but I hate the fact that I smell others on you more and—”
“Hey,” said Sam, gently cutting Colby off. Colby sucked in a sharp breath, letting his lungs expand properly. “Sure, it might be a little strange, but, y’know, whatever helps you out, man.”
“Really?” breathed out Colby, leaning in.
Sam scoffed, rolling his eyes, “Yes. Stop acting like you’re bothering me, yeah?”
Well, how could he not? Colby couldn’t stop his brain from going into too many directions at once, and now Sam was offering himself, as if it was no problem at all. God, this man…
Despite that, Colby reached his hand out, watching with wide eyes as Sam tilted his head back to bear his throat, letting his eyes close. Would he be dramatic, if he were to say that this must’ve been the best sight he’d ever seen? He wasn’t sure if he cared enough.
Carefully, as if not to startle Sam, Colby rubbed the inner side of his wrist against his best friend’s neck. The scents were starting to slowly mix together, making his shoulders untense ever so slightly. He kept his touches gentle the entire time, watching for any signs of discomfort from Sam.
“Feels alright?” asked Colby, his voice soft. He remembered hearing people talk about scenting as a very intimate act, but he’d never fully understood what they meant — until now. The way Sam was bearing his throat, as they sat together in comfortable silence, while their scents mixed together… yeah, it was really fucking intimate.
Sam only hummed in response, and Colby could see how relaxed his best friend’s body was. Betas were never meant to be that sensitive to the scents of other people — was it possible that Colby was an exception to this rule?
“Do you think you can use your words, Sammy?” added Colby, his voice becoming firmer ever so slightly. He needed a verbal confirmation, if he were to continue, after all.
“Yes,” breathed out Sam, barely audible. “Feels nice.”
Colby chuckled lightly, feeling far too pleased with the whole situation. “Thank you. You’re doing so good, Sammy.”
Sam made a soft whine in the back of his throat, making Colby suck in a sharp breath. He needed to hear it again, or so help him God. Fuck, no, bad Colby! And this was why he’d never given into his instincts, because suddenly he became fucking shameless.
“Does… does it make you feel better?” asked Sam, forcing his eyes open.
Colby tilted his head from side to side, pondering over the question. Well, it was definitely better than it’d been before, that was for sure, but there were still some of different smells that were making him grind his teeth in discomfort. “Kinda? It’s not—well, it’s still not completely there, but I don’t wanna freak you out more, so—”
“Do it,” blurted out Sam, not letting Colby finish the sentence.
“You don’t even know what I want to do,” argued Colby, shaking his head — his best friend was sure something. He forced to pull his hand away, even as his entire body was screaming at him to continue.
Sam shrugged in response. “I don’t care. Do whatever, I don’t care.”
“Are you sure?” asked Colby, his eyebrows knitting together. “I don’t want to, I don’t know, force myself on you, or something, just because my mind is being all primal and shit.”
“It’s you,” breathed out Sam, putting his hands on Colby’s shoulders, trying to anchor himself. “I trust you. You should know this by now. So, do whatever you want with me.”
Colby couldn’t fight the growl this time, the words making his mind go haywire. He pushed Sam into the sheets, looking at his best friend with wide eyes. Despite that, he took in a deep breath, before biting his inner cheek — the pain was grounding enough to clear his mind at least a little.
“You can stop me. Stop me anytime it gets too much,” whispered Colby, his voice bordering on frantic, carefully tilting Sam’s head back. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Or scared. And I don’t want to hurt you.”
Sam chuckled quietly, burying his fingers in Colby’s hair, combing through it. “You worry too much.”
Of course, Colby worried. Because people like him had always been meant for destruction, so how exactly he was supposed to hold something this fragile?
Despite that, Colby didn’t reply. Instead, he lowered his head, before pressing his tongue right against Sam’s pulse point. The scent was the strongest there, and he could feel himself slowly getting drunk on it. He could hear the soft gasp coming out of his best friend’s mouth, before Sam tightened his grip in his hair.
“How do you feel, Sammy?” asked Colby, when he pulled away for a moment.
Sam hummed. “Good. I feel good,” he whispered, gently scratching his nails against Colby’s scalp. “You? Is… is it better now?”
“Yeah,” breathed out Colby, before placing light kissed across Sam’s throat. Then, he tugged on the hem of his shirt, kissing his collarbones, too. “You smell like me.”
There was no more trace of other people. Just Sam and Colby, like it’d always meant to be.
“Do I?” mused Sam, his lips curling up in a lazy grin. He giggled, the sounds making Colby grin widely. “Do you like it?”
Colby pulled away, looking at Sam properly. The last bit of agitation was now gone, as he allowed himself to take in the sight before him — there was nothing better than seeing Sam like this, truly. He pressed their foreheads together, sighing softly. “I do. Just so fucking much.”
“Are the instincts less wild now?” asked Sam, sliding his hands to Colby’s back.
“They are,” replied Colby after a moment, clearing his throat. He lied down next to Sam, curling against his side with a soft hum. “Thank you.”
Colby had never imagined he was ever going to scent his best friend, but here they were, anyway. And, well, he’d never been more grateful for Sam, if he was being honest. Because no matter how he looked at it, Colby was always going to need Sam in his life. At that point, his life wasn’t just his; his best friend held the other half of it in the palms of his hands.
Well, it wasn’t like Colby wanted it any other way.