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The lecture hall smelled like cedar and something burnt.
Kimi Antonelli pressed his wrist against his nose, trying to filter out the overwhelming mix of alpha scents that saturated the room. His own glands itched beneath the scent-blocking patch he had applied that morning, a constant reminder of what he was trying to hide.
He sat in the back row, as always. Third seat from the left. The spot gave him a clear view of all exits and enough distance from the clusters of alphas who dominated the front rows. Professor Chen's voice droned on about molecular biology, but Kimi found it hard to focus when the alpha two seats away kept releasing waves of irritation every time his phone buzzed.
"Excuse me."
A voice cut through his concentration. Kimi looked up to find a boy standing in the aisle, holding a laptop bag and looking at the empty seat beside him.
"Is this taken?"
Kimi shook his head once, then turned back to his notes. He didn't need to look again to know this was an alpha. The faint trace of ozone and rain that accompanied the boy's movement told him everything. He shifted slightly, making sure his scent patches were secure.
The boy sat down with minimal noise. Kimi appreciated that. Most almas seemed to think the world needed to know they had arrived.
Ten minutes into the lecture, a pen rolled off Kimi's desk and landed near the alpha's foot. Before Kimi could reach for it, the boy picked it up and held it out.
"You dropped this."
Kimi took the pen. Their fingers did not touch. "Thanks."
"I'm Oliver. Oliver Bearman." The alpha extended his hand.
Kimi stared at it for a moment too long. Physical contact with an unknown alpha was not something he welcomed. But refusing would draw attention. He shook Oliver's hand briefly, pulling away as soon as politeness allowed.
"Kimi."
"Just Kimi?"
"Just Kimi."
Oliver smiled. It was a small thing, barely a curve of his lips. "Alright, Just Kimi. Nice to meet you."
The lecture continued. Kimi tried to focus on DNA replication, but he remained acutely aware of the alpha beside him. Oliver took notes efficiently, his handwriting neat and compact. He did not fidget. He did not release stress pheromones like the other alphas. He simply existed in his space without demanding more.
It was unusual.
When the lecture ended, Kimi packed his bag quickly. He wanted to leave before the crowd thickened, before the hallway became a battlefield of competing scents and accidental brushes.
"Same class tomorrow?" Oliver asked, packing his own things at a normal pace.
"Probably."
"I'll save you a seat if you want. Back row, third from the left."
Kimi paused. He had never told anyone why he chose that specific spot. "How did you know?"
"The sight lines are good. Easy escape route to the east stairwell. Less traffic than the main exit." Oliver shrugged. "I noticed."
Before Kimi could respond, Oliver walked away, disappearing into the stream of students heading toward the doors.
------
Alex Albon hated heat suppressants.
They made him nauseous, disrupted his sleep, and left a metallic taste in his mouth that no amount of gum could fix. But he took them anyway, because the alternative was worse. Much worse.
He stood outside the chemistry building, waiting for his roommate George Russell, who was supposedly "just finishing up one quick thing" in the lab. Alex checked his phone. Twenty minutes had passed since George sent that message.
His stomach churned. The suppressants were wearing off earlier than usual. He could feel the familiar warmth beginning to build at the base of his spine, a warning sign that his next heat was approaching faster than anticipated.
"You look terrible."
Alex looked up to see George jogging toward him, lab coat still on, goggles pushed up into his messy brown hair.
"Thanks. Really feeling the love."
George fell into step beside him as they started walking toward the dining hall. "When did you last eat?"
"Breakfast."
"It's four in the afternoon, Alex."
"I know what time it is."
George grabbed his arm, stopping him mid-stride. The touch was firm but gentle, alpha to omega, protective without being possessive. Alex hated how much he craved that feeling.
"Let me get you food. Real food. Then we can talk about whatever is making you look like you're about to pass out."
Alex wanted to argue. He wanted to say he was fine, that he could handle himself, that he didn't need an alpha hovering over him like some damsel in distress. But his body betrayed him with a low growl from his stomach.
"Fine."
The dining hall was crowded. They found a table near the windows, away from the main flow of traffic. George disappeared to get food and returned with two trays loaded with pasta, vegetables, and bread.
"Eat," George commanded, sliding a tray toward Alex.
Alex picked up his fork. "You're bossy."
"Someone has to be."
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Alex felt the food settling in his stomach, grounding him. The warmth in his spine receded slightly.
"My heat is coming early," he said finally, keeping his eyes on his plate.
George set down his fork. "How early?"
"A week. Maybe less. My cycle has been irregular since I switched suppressants."
"We should go to the health center. Get you proper medication."
"I don't want proper medication. I want my body to stop betraying me."
George reached across the table and placed his hand over Alex's. "Your body isn't betraying you. It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do. You're an omega. That's not a weakness."
Alex pulled his hand away. "Easy for you to say. You're an alpha. You don't have to deal with this."
"No, I just have to deal with watching the person I care about suffer because society taught him his biology makes him weak."
Alex opened his mouth to retort, but the words died in his throat. A new scent had entered the dining hall. Something sweet and sharp, like honey mixed with citrus. It cut through the usual cacophony of smells with alarming precision.
George stiffened. "Do you smell that?"
Alex nodded, his mouth suddenly dry. An omega was in distress. Nearby. Close enough that their pheromones were flooding the room despite what must have been heavy-duty blockers.
They both turned toward the source.
A boy stood near the entrance, pale and swaying slightly. He was tall, with dark curls and wide green eyes that darted around the room in panic. His hands were clamped over his neck, trying to contain the scent that was spilling from his glands.
"Charles," George breathed.
"You know him?"
"He's in my advanced physics seminar. Charles Leclerc."
Even as George spoke, several alphas in the vicinity had turned their heads. Alex watched as predatory interest flickered across their faces. Charles was broadcasting a pre-heat signal, whether he meant to or not. In a room full of alphas, that was dangerous.
"I need to help him," George said, already rising.
"George, wait—"
But George was already moving. Alex followed, because staying seated while an omega struggled felt wrong.
George reached Charles first. He positioned himself between Charles and the staring alphas, using his broader frame as a shield.
"Charles. Hey. Look at me."
Charles's gaze snapped to George's face. His breathing was shallow, rapid. "I don't know what happened. My suppressants... they were working this morning, I swear..."
"It's okay. You're okay. Can you walk?"
Charles nodded shakily.
"Good. We're going to leave. Alex is going to help me get you to the health center. Keep your hands on your neck. Don't let your scent spread."
Alex moved to Charles's other side. Together, they formed a barrier around the distressed omega, guiding him through the dining hall and out into the corridor.
The fresh air helped. Charles's breathing slowed. His scent began to stabilize, though it still carried that desperate edge.
"I'm sorry," Charles whispered. "I'm so sorry. I ruined your dinner."
"You didn't ruin anything," Alex said firmly. "This happens. It's biology."
"It's humiliating."
George glanced at Alex. Something passed between them, an understanding born from months of living together, of learning each other's rhythms and fears.
"It's not humiliating," George said. "It's inconvenient. There's a difference."
Charles let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob. "You're kind. Both of you. I don't even know your names."
"George Russell. This is my roommate, Alex Albon."
"Thank you, George. Thank you, Alex."
They reached the health center. A nurse met them at the door, taking Charles's arm and leading him inside. Before the door closed, Charles turned back.
"Can I buy you coffee sometime? To make up for this?"
George smiled. "No need. But I'll take a rain check on the coffee."
Charles's answering smile was small but genuine. Then the door swung shut, and he was gone.
Alex leaned against the wall, his heart pounding. "That was intense."
"Pre-heat pheromones. Strong ones." George ran a hand through his hair. "He needs better suppressants. Or a different approach entirely."
"What do you mean?"
George looked at Alex with an expression that was hard to read. "Some omegas do better with a bonded partner. Someone who can help regulate their cycles naturally."
Alex felt his face heat. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm stating a biological fact." George pushed off from the wall. "Come on. Let's get you fed before your suppressants decide to give up completely."
------
Three weeks later, Kimi found himself sitting in the same seat in the same lecture hall, waiting for Oliver Bearman to appear.
He told himself it was coincidence. He had always sat in the back row, third seat from the left. Oliver had simply chosen to sit next to him that first day. There was no pattern here.
But when Oliver slid into the seat beside him with a quiet "Hey," Kimi felt something loosen in his chest.
"Hey," he replied.
Professor Chen began the lecture. Kimi took notes. Oliver took notes. The alpha two seats away released frustration pheromones when his phone buzzed. Oliver did not react.
At the halfway point, Professor Chen stopped to answer a question from the front row. Oliver leaned closer to Kimi.
"There's a study group forming for this class. Thursday evenings. Want to join?"
Kimi considered the offer. Study groups meant close proximity to multiple alphas. It meant potential scent triggers. It meant vulnerability.
"Why me?"
Oliver tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
"Why ask me specifically? You don't know me."
"I know you take good notes. I know you pick the best seat in the room. I know you're smart enough to be bored by half of what Professor Chen says but polite enough not to show it."
Kimi blinked. "You noticed all that?"
"I notice a lot of things." Oliver's gaze was steady. "So. Study group. Yes or no?"
"Yes."
Oliver smiled that small smile again. "Good."
------
Max Verstappen did not believe in fate.
He believed in preparation, in strategy, in controlling variables until the outcome was inevitable. Fate was what people blamed when they failed to plan properly.
Which made his current situation deeply irritating.
He stood in the doorway of the campus library's fourth floor study room, staring at the omega who had claimed "his" corner desk. The omega was hunched over a laptop, typing furiously, surrounded by scattered papers and empty coffee cups. His dark curls were messy, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and he smelled like honey and citrus.
Max recognized the scent. He had encountered it three weeks ago, in the dining hall, when the omega had nearly gone into premature heat in public.
Charles Leclerc.
As if sensing his presence, Charles looked up. His eyes widened. "Oh. Hello."
"This is my study spot."
Charles glanced around the room. "There's no reserved sign."
"I've been studying here for two years. Everyone knows this is my spot."
"Well, I didn't know. And I'm already settled." Charles gestured at his mess of papers. "Maybe try a different room?"
Max stepped inside. The door clicked shut behind him. "I don't need a different room. I need this one."
Charles's jaw tightened. "Look, I don't know who you think you are, but—"
"Max Verstappen."
"—but I was here first. So either you find another spot, or we share."
Max considered this. Sharing was inefficient. But arguing would waste even more time. He pulled out the chair across from Charles and sat down.
"Fine. We share."
Charles stared at him for a moment, then shook his head and returned to his typing.
For twenty minutes, neither spoke. Max worked through his problem sets while Charles continued whatever frantic writing project consumed him. The only sounds were the clicking of keyboards and the occasional rustle of paper.
Then Charles's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, frowned, and typed a quick response.
"Problem?" Max asked, surprising himself.
Charles looked up. "My brother. He keeps asking when I'm coming home for break. I keep telling him I don't know."
"Why don't you know?"
"Because I might have a research opportunity over the break. But I won't know until next week. And my brother doesn't understand why I can't just decide now."
Max nodded slowly. "Uncertainty is uncomfortable for most people."
"You sound like you speak from experience."
"I prefer certainty. I plan accordingly."
"And yet here you are, sharing a study room with a stranger instead of having your guaranteed spot."
Max felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "Adaptation is also part of planning."
Charles laughed. It was a bright sound, unexpected in the quiet of the library. "I like that. Adaptation is part of planning. I'm going to steal that."
"Feel free."
They returned to their work. But something had shifted. The tension in the room had dissolved, replaced by something tentative, something almost curious.
------
The study group met in the basement of the science building, in a cramped room that smelled like old books and cleaning solution. Kimi arrived early, wanting to assess the space before others arrived.
Oliver was already there.
"You're early," Oliver said, looking up from the notebook he was reading.
"So are you."
"I live in the building above. It was easier to come straight down."
Kimi took a seat across from Oliver, leaving an empty chair between them. "Convenient."
"Very." Oliver closed his notebook. "Nervous?"
"No."
"Liar."
Kimi's eyes narrowed. "I don't know you well enough for you to call me a liar."
"You're right. I apologize." Oliver leaned back in his chair. "Let me rephrase. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"
The question caught Kimi off guard. Most alphas assumed omegas would adapt to them. Few bothered to ask what they needed.
"Don't touch me without warning. Don't loom. And don't expect me to be grateful for basic courtesy."
Oliver nodded. "Noted. Same rules apply to me, actually. I don't like being touched unexpectedly either."
"Alphas usually love physical contact."
"Usually and always are different words."
The door opened. Two other students entered, a beta and another alpha. Kimi tensed, but Oliver's presence anchored him. The study group proceeded normally. They reviewed material, discussed concepts, clarified confusion.
Afterward, as everyone packed up, Oliver fell into step beside Kimi.
"Walk you to your dorm?"
"I don't need an escort."
"I know. I'm offering company, not protection."
Kimi considered this. "Fine."
They walked in silence through the darkened campus. The air was cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant rain. Kimi kept his hands in his pockets, hyperaware of Oliver's presence beside him.
"Can I ask you something?" Oliver said.
"You can ask."
"Why do you avoid alphas?"
Kimi's steps faltered. "That's a personal question."
"I know. You don't have to answer."
They walked a few more paces. Kimi thought about deflecting, changing the subject, shutting down the conversation entirely. But something about Oliver's quiet patience made him want to speak.
"I had a bad experience. With an alpha. Before I came here."
Oliver did not press for details. "I'm sorry that happened to you."
"It's not your fault."
"I know. But I'm still sorry."
They reached Kimi's dorm building. Kimi stopped at the entrance, turning to face Oliver.
"Thank you. For tonight."
Oliver nodded. "Same time next week?"
"Yeah. Same time next week."
------
Alex woke to the unmistakable sensation of his heat beginning.
The warmth that had been building at the base of his spine for days now bloomed outward, spreading through his abdomen, his chest, his limbs. His glands throbbed. His skin felt hypersensitive.
He groaned and rolled over, reaching for his phone. The screen showed messages from George, sent hours ago.
Coming back from lab soon. Need anything?
Alex?
If you're reading this and you're in heat, stay put. I'll be there.
Alex typed back with shaking fingers. Too late. It started.
The reply came instantly. On my way.
Alex curled into himself, riding the initial wave of discomfort. Heat was not painful, exactly. It was overwhelming. Every sensation amplified. Every scent magnified. His body demanded things he was not ready to give.
The door opened. George's scent hit him first, pine and something warm, like fresh bread. It should have been calming. Instead, it made Alex's heart race.
"Hey." George's voice was soft. "I'm here."
"You shouldn't be. You're an alpha. Being near an omega in heat—"
"I know the risks. I also know you need support."
Alex squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't want you to see me like this."
"Too late for that." George sat on the edge of the bed, keeping careful distance. "What do you need? Water? Food? Another blanket?"
"I need you to leave before I do something stupid."
George was quiet for a moment. "Define stupid."
"Something that involves your knot and my complete loss of self-control."
"Ah." George exhaled slowly. "Alex, we've talked about this. If you want to pursue a bond, I'm open to that conversation. But not during your heat. Not when you're vulnerable."
"I know. I know." Alex pressed his face into his pillow. "I hate this. I hate feeling like my body is making decisions for me."
"Your body is making suggestions. Your mind still gets the final vote."
"Does it? Because right now, my mind is screaming at me to climb you like a tree."
George laughed, a low rumble. "I'm flattered. Truly. But I'm also responsible. And I'm not going to take advantage of you."
Alex lifted his head. "You wouldn't be taking advantage. I'd be giving consent."
"Would you? Or would your biology be giving consent for you?"
The question hung in the air. Alex hated that George was right. Hated that his own desires were tangled up with his physiology until he couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.
"Stay," he said finally. "Just stay. Don't touch me. But stay."
George nodded. "I can do that."
------
Charles was in the library again.
Max found him in the same corner desk, surrounded by the same chaos of papers and coffee cups. This time, Charles looked up and smiled when Max entered.
"You're back."
"Did you think I wouldn't be?"
"I hoped you would be." Charles gestured at the chair across from him. "I saved your spot."
Max sat down. "You didn't have to."
"I know. I wanted to."
They worked in companionable silence for an hour. Max found himself glancing at Charles more often than necessary, watching the way his brow furrowed when he concentrated, the way he chewed on his lower lip when thinking.
"You're staring," Charles said without looking up.
"I'm observing."
"There's a difference?"
"Staring implies lack of purpose. Observing implies gathering information."
Charles looked up, a smirk playing at his lips. "And what information are you gathering?"
"That you bite your lip when you're stuck on a problem. That you drink your coffee black. That you mutter to yourself in Italian when you're frustrated."
Charles's smirk widened. "Impressive observational skills."
"I told you. I plan. I prepare. I observe."
"So what's your conclusion about me?"
Max leaned forward. "That you're more interesting than I initially assumed."
"Interesting good or interesting bad?"
"Undetermined. Still gathering data."
Charles laughed. "Well, keep me posted on your findings."
"I will."
------
The study group had become a regular fixture in Kimi's schedule.
Thursday evenings, 7 PM, the basement room. Oliver was always there first, always saving the seat next to him for Kimi. The other members had stopped questioning it.
Tonight, the group had finished early. The other two members left, leaving Kimi and Oliver alone in the room.
"I have something for you," Oliver said, reaching into his bag.
Kimi tensed. "What?"
Oliver pulled out a small box. "Scent-neutralizing patches. Higher quality than what the campus store sells. My family sends them to me."
Kimi stared at the box. "Why would you have scent-neutralizing patches?"
"For you."
"I mean, why do you have access to them? You're an alpha. You don't need these."
Oliver hesitated. "My sister is an omega. She has a sensitive system. Our parents invested in high-quality products for her. I learned which brands work best."
Kimi took the box. The packaging was simple, medical-grade. He recognized the brand name. These were expensive.
"I can't accept this."
"You can. You need them. I saw the rash on your neck from those cheap drugstore patches you've been using."
Kimi's hand flew to his neck, covering the irritated skin. "You noticed that?"
"I notice everything about you, Kimi."
The words hung in the air. Kimi's heart pounded. "Why?"
"Because you're worth noticing."
Kimi looked down at the box in his hands. The weight of it felt significant, not just physically but emotionally. No alpha had ever done something like this for him. No alpha had ever seen him as someone worth caring for.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
"You're welcome."
They sat in silence for a moment. Then Kimi spoke again.
"I was attacked. Before I came here. By an alpha who thought I was provoking him just by existing."
Oliver's expression did not change, but his posture shifted, becoming more attentive. "You don't have to tell me this."
"I want you to know. So you understand why I am the way I am."
"I understand. And I'm not going anywhere."
Kimi met Oliver's eyes. "Promise?"
"Promise."
------
Alex's heat passed.
He emerged from it exhausted but relieved, wrapped in clean sheets and wearing clothes that did not feel like sandpaper against his skin. George had stayed the entire time, sleeping on the floor, fetching water and food, maintaining a careful distance that Alex both appreciated and resented.
Now they sat on Alex's bed, eating takeout from the Thai place down the street.
"Thank you," Alex said between bites. "For everything."
"You don't have to thank me."
"I do. I know it wasn't easy for you. Being that close to an omega in heat."
George set down his container. "It was challenging. But I managed."
"Because you have incredible self-control."
"Because I care about you more than I care about my instincts."
Alex felt warmth spread through his chest that had nothing to do with his heat. "George..."
"I mean it. I would never do anything to hurt you. Ever."
"I know." Alex reached out and took George's hand. "I trust you."
George squeezed his fingers gently. "That means everything to me."
------
Charles and Max had developed a routine.
Every evening, Charles would claim his corner desk in the library. Max would arrive thirty minutes later, sit across from him, and they would work in silence until one of them decided it was time for a break.
Tonight, Charles initiated the break.
"I'm hungry. Let's get food."
Max looked up from his laptop. "It's eleven PM."
"And? The dining hall is open until midnight."
"You want to eat cafeteria food at eleven PM?"
"I want to eat anything at eleven PM. I've been working for six hours."
Max closed his laptop. "Fine. But I'm choosing what you eat. You've had three coffees today. You need actual nutrition."
Charles raised an eyebrow. "Bossy."
"You need someone to be bossy with you."
They walked to the dining hall together. The late-night crowd was sparse, mostly students in pajamas grabbing snacks before finals. Charles loaded his tray with pasta and vegetables while Max watched with approval.
"Satisfied?" Charles asked.
"Getting there."
They sat down at a table near the window. Charles ate with enthusiasm while Max picked at a salad.
"You're not hungry?" Charles asked.
"I ate earlier."
"Then why did you come?"
Max considered the question. "Because you asked me to."
Charles paused mid-bite. "That's... surprisingly sweet."
"Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."
"What reputation? The grumpy alpha who hogs library desks?"
"The grumpy alpha who graciously shares library desks."
Charles laughed. "Right. Graciously."
They finished eating in comfortable silence. As they walked back toward the library to collect their belongings, Charles spoke.
"I like spending time with you."
Max felt something shift in his chest. "I like spending time with you too."
"Even though I stole your study spot?"
"Especially because you stole my study spot."
Charles bumped his shoulder against Max's. "Good. Because I'm not giving it back."
"I wouldn't expect you to."
------
Winter arrived, bringing cold air and shorter days.
Kimi found himself spending more time with Oliver. Study sessions bled into meals, which bled into walks across campus, which bled into late-night conversations in the common room of Oliver's building.
They were sitting there now, on opposite ends of a worn couch, a textbook open between them that neither was actually reading.
"Can I ask you something?" Oliver said.
"You can ask."
"Have you ever considered bonding?"
Kimi's heart stuttered. "Why are you asking?"
"Curiosity. And maybe hope."
"Hope for what?"
Oliver set the textbook aside. "Hope that you might consider bonding with me."
Kimi stared at him. The words did not compute. "You want to bond with me?"
"Yes."
"But I'm... I'm difficult. I don't trust easily. I have baggage."
"I know. I want you anyway."
Kimi's throat tightened. "Why?"
"Because you're strong. Because you survived something terrible and you're still here, still fighting. Because you make me want to be better." Oliver leaned forward. "Because when I'm with you, I feel like I'm home."
Kimi could not speak. Tears pricked at his eyes, unwanted and undeniable.
"Kimi." Oliver's voice was soft. "I'm not asking for an answer right now. I just wanted you to know. So you could think about it."
"I don't need to think about it."
Oliver's expression flickered. "You don't?"
"No." Kimi took a breath. "Yes. I mean yes. I want to bond with you."
Oliver's face broke into a smile, wider than Kimi had ever seen. "Really?"
"Really."
Oliver crossed the space between them, slow enough that Kimi could retreat if he wanted. Kimi did not retreat. When Oliver's hand cupped his cheek, Kimi leaned into the touch.
"May I kiss you?" Oliver asked.
"Yes."
The kiss was gentle. Soft. Everything Kimi had been afraid to hope for.
When they pulled apart, Oliver pressed his forehead against Kimi's. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret this."
"I know."
------
Alex and George had fallen into something undefined but comfortable.
They shared a room. They shared meals. They shared late-night study sessions and early-morning arguments over who used the last of the hot water. George still helped Alex through his heats, maintaining that careful boundary, never pushing for more.
Until one night, when Alex broke.
"I want to bond with you."
The words came out in a rush, tumbling over themselves. George looked up from his book, startled.
"Alex—"
"I know you said not during heat. I know you want me to be sure. I'm sure. I've been sure for months. I just didn't know how to say it."
George set his book aside. "Are you certain?"
"I've never been more certain of anything."
George crossed the room and knelt in front of Alex, taking his hands. "If we do this, it's forever. Do you understand that?"
"I understand."
"No take-backs. No regrets."
"No take-backs. No regrets."
George kissed him. It was not gentle. It was hungry, desperate, months of restraint finally breaking. Alex kissed back with equal fervor, pulling George closer.
When they broke apart, both breathing hard, George pressed his forehead against Alex's.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
------
Charles noticed the change immediately.
"You bonded."
Max looked up from his laptop. "What?"
"With Alex. You bonded. I can smell it on you."
Max's eyes widened. "You can smell bonding?"
"Omegas can detect these things." Charles leaned forward. "Congratulations. George is a good alpha."
"He is." Max paused. "Wait. How do you know George?"
"He helped me when I had that pre-heat episode in the dining hall. Him and Alex."
"Ah. Right." Max nodded slowly. "I remember you mentioning that."
"I didn't mention it. I just told you I had an embarrassing incident."
"Same thing."
Charles rolled his eyes. "Whatever. The point is, I'm happy for them."
"And for yourself?"
Charles raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Max set his laptop aside fully. "I mean, have you thought about bonding?"
"With whom?"
"With me."
Charles's breath caught. "Max..."
"I know it's sudden. I know we haven't known each other long. But I've never felt this way about anyone. And I don't want to waste time pretending I don't."
Charles reached across the table and took Max's hand. "I haven't thought about bonding with anyone. Because I didn't think anyone would want to bond with me."
"I want to bond with you."
"Even after seeing me at my worst? Falling apart in a dining hall?"
"Especially after seeing you at your worst. Because I know you'll let me see you at my worst too."
Charles squeezed his hand. "Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes, I'll bond with you."
Max's rare smile appeared. "Good. Because I already bought the bonding certificate."
"You what?"
"I planned ahead. Adaptation is part of planning."
Charles laughed, bright and surprised. "You're impossible."
"I'm yours."
------
Spring arrived, bringing warmer weather and blooming flowers.
Kimi sat on the grass outside the science building, Oliver's head in his lap. They had bonded officially two weeks ago, a quiet ceremony with only a few witnesses. Kimi's neck bore the mark of Oliver's claiming bite, a permanent reminder that he belonged to someone, that someone belonged to him.
"I never thought I would have this," Kimi said softly, running his fingers through Oliver's hair.
"Have what?"
"Peace. Safety. Someone who sees me and doesn't run away."
Oliver opened his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I know."
Nearby, Alex and George were playing a game of frisbee with some friends. Alex laughed as George fumbled the catch, the sound carrying across the lawn. Their bond was visible in the way they moved around each other, always touching, always aware.
Further away, Charles and Max sat on a bench, sharing earbuds and a bag of chips. Charles was talking animatedly about something while Max listened with that focused attention he gave to things that mattered.
Kimi looked at the scene and felt something settle in his chest. Contentment. Belonging.
"Hey," Oliver said. "What are you thinking about?"
"That I'm glad I trusted you."
Oliver smiled. "I'm glad you did too."