Chapter Text
Atsushi
The first time Atsushi smelled him was when the Alpha had stood dripping at the river bank; the dank smell of city river water almost hid it, but he could still smell the heady scent of cloves and clean metal. He could smell it on the Alpha’s skin, could smell the scent of someone else concentrated at his bandage wrapped neck, and could smell the rightness of it. The two scents mingled together.
Atsushi knew the Alpha felt it, too, by the look in his eyes and the interest in his scent; but, Dazai —he found out his name later— didn’t say anything or act on his instincts, so the Omega didn’t bring it up either. He had never met anyone whose scent called to him like Dazai’s, had never met someone who he had wanted so much so quickly, but he didn’t have the confidence to approach the Alpha first and voice his needs and desires.
So Atsushi ignored it and willingly fell under Dazai’s tutelage. If this is what I have to do to be close to him, that’s what I’ll do, the man-tiger thought after he had gotten the offer to join the Armed Detective Agency, and took it. Maybe I’ll even meet the man whose scent is on his neck…
When he met Akutagawa, it was not under the best of circumstances, the older Omega trying to capture him with Jun’ichirō and Naomi caught in the middle. But the Tiger, with its keen senses, picked up the Omega’s scent and carefully stored it in their memory; Akutagawa smelled like burning wood and fresh lavender but he felt the Tiger huff, “He does not smell like ours.”
It didn’t matter that the mafia’s dog was an Omega, Atsushi wanted him instantly, just as he had when he met Dazai. But he had defended himself and Jun’ichirō and Naomi— the Tiger thought: “ They are mine now. They are ours. Protect what is ours”— even though his instincts, his Omega instincts, screamed at him: “Don’t hurt him! He’s our mate, don’t hurt him!”
Oh, that’s what I felt… Atsushi realized as Dazai stood between the Omegas, touching them and reducing their abilities to nothing, the silverette’s body shutting down. I want Dazai and this Omega as my mates… we belong together.
Even while unconscious, the Tiger sat in their mind’s darkness, tail flicking moodily.
Their necks smelled like each other and it was no big leap that, beneath the bandages, Dazai had the Omega’s teeth deep in his skin and, beneath the expertly tied cravat, the Omega had Dazai’s teeth impressions, too. Mating bites. Was that why the Omega looked so betrayed when Dazai stopped them from fighting? Was that why Dazai was always near him but rarely touched him? And never gave into whatever was pulling them together? Yes, that had to be it. They’re happy with just the two of them. They don’t want or need a third wheel, Atsushi realized with a painful feeling of betrayal, though he had no right to feel like that. I won’t bother them then.
The Tiger growled in protest, “But they are ours!”
Exactly. That was exactly why he couldn’t insert himself into their relationship. He had to respect the wishes of his mates, even if it was causing his chest to hurt. Atsushi never had someone to protect and love but now that he felt the irrational, unconditional emotions welling within him, it was more painful to think that his meer affection and desires hurt and inconvenienced them.
Were they destined mates? He felt stupid for even thinking it, but he had overheard tales of such a thing in the orphanage; he had thought it a myth, a fairytale, but now… if they weren’t destined, Atsushi would be instantly repelled by Dazai’s and the Omega’s mingling, mated scent. But he wasn’t. Immediately after meeting Dazai, he had his Heat, thinking of nothing but the Alpha and another man, Dazai’s mate, who remained faceless.
When he realized he had encountered Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, member of the Port Mafia and a violent criminal, it did not temper his attraction to the Omega. He only pretended that he didn’t curl up on his futon at night and practice saying their names out loud. Ryūnosuke— Ryū. Osamu. My Alpha. My Omega. My mates.