Chapter Text
Dazai hated pain.
He could feel the signs of the upcoming heat - everything smelled just the right amount of wrong and unnerving, his mind was less sharp, his body felt heavier and his suicidal urges were even stronger than ever.
He knew he had a few more days before his heat started, but he had already swallowed double the dose of the suppressants that was necessary or healthy.
Dazai couldn't risk revealing his second nature. And with suppressants, he could keep on pretending he was a beta with no scent or lowly urges and carry on his work day.
The sooner he could put the whole heat-thing behind himself, the better.
To his immense annoyance, he was stuck with a mission he was ordered to do by Mori himself.
And life must've really hated him, because he had to work alongside Chuuya today. Not only was the short-tempered (and short in general) alpha annoying beyond belief, but he never bothered to control his scent, the aggressive smell of red wine suffocating even from a mile away.
The job forced them to the pier, where they had to pick up the goods left in one of the shipping crates. The annoying part was that they didn't know which crate.
“We should split up.” Chuuya said and started walking without waiting for his answer. That suited Dazai just fine - he went in the opposite direction, looking over the crates in search of clues.
It felt refreshing to get away from Nakahara's obnoxious scent, even though it was replaced with the putrid stink of old fish and wet garbage. Osamu could feel his stomach churn at the smell, which gave him a pause. He wasn't new to nasty smells or smells of the port - he used to live in a shipping crate before his second nature made itself known. There was no reason his stomach should've been acting up. It's been a while since he ingested any poison or bit into unfamiliar mushrooms growing by the sideroad.
Suppressants side effects? He bit the inside of his cheek. It's been years since he felt any of those, considering that the moment he started to earn money he had instantly poured half of his earnings into the most expensive suppressants he could find on the illegal market. One pill was enough to completely kill any symptoms of the heat, and he swallowed three just this morning.
Whatever it was, the sooner he could finish this job, the better. And Osamu looked over the corner, he was pretty sure he had found the right place. Unfortunately, the clue was the presence of law enforcement.
Detective Agency. Dazai couldn't suppress a grimace when he saw a tall blond man in square glasses in front of one of the shipping crates. The Armed Detective Agency was a thorn in the Port Mafia's side - if those annoying detectives were here, it meant the mission would take longer.
Then again… he could just call it there. But first, he needed to call Chuuya.
It took a couple of beeps before he heard a familiar annoying voice. “You got it?”
“Eighth row, fourth from the left. Blue crater. All yours, slug.”
“Huh? And yo-”
Before Chuuya could've said anything else, Dazai had already flipped his phone closed.
This wasn't his greatest move- Nakahara would surely complain about his lousy work later, but complaining about Dazai was one of his favorite hobbies anyway, and Osamu decided to indulge him this time with the actual reason.
With that, Dazai turned around and started walking away. However, after he took only a couple of steps he could feel a sudden pang of pain shoot through his abdomen, making the brunet halt.
No fucking way. Mafioso's hand curled around his stomach in an attempt to soothe the dull cramp he felt coming. Shit. The irritation of his past days must've triggered his heat early. Whatever suppressants he took might've been expired, or faked, but this wasn't the time to think about why they failed.
He needed to get home, now.
By his estimation, the scent-suppressing patch he stuck between his shoulder blades in the morning would be enough to stop his scent from spreading before his heat kicks in at least halfway. He just had to get to his apartment in time and hopefully overdose on the suppressants.
The pain was so much - each step felt like Dazai was getting crushed by an ocean, wave after wave hitting his body and leaving him shivering and barely able to breathe.
Dark spots danced in his vision, getting more prominent every time he blinked. It's been years since he's gotten this close to experiencing the full force of his heat, but he didn't remember it being like this. The years of forceful suppression were hitting him back all at once.
Dazai felt like he was dying. Oh, how he wished he could die right now. He'd pull out his gun and shoot himself if his hands weren't shaking.
He got away as far as he could, cramming himself into a corner of some old shipping crate before collapsing on the floor. The cold surface was a stark contrast to his hot skin, and Dazai let himself whimper as curled in on himself like a shrimp.
He couldn't see anymore. He couldn't move anymore. There was only pain that wrecked his whole body, needles piercing his abdomen so sharply that he couldn't think about anything else.
He was trembling, surrounded by the overwhelmed smells of the salty sea, the stink of fish, rust of the old containers, wet wooden planks and mold. Dazai's head was spinning. He wished he was dead. He felt like he was dying. He was rotting. His disgusting body was finally falling apart.
In the surrounding stink of death another scent suddenly protruded his nose. Despite the smell being a sweet ambrosia amongst the sea of rot, it only made Dazai's body violently jerk.
He tried to move, desperately scrambling to get to his legs and run, but they were shaking so much that he ended up kicking the floor instead, cramming his body into the corner in hopes that he could fuse into the walls.
“Is anyone there?”
The voice was meek, but the scent didn't lie - it belonged to an alpha, a fact that sent Dazai into a panic, which only made the pain his body was experiencing worse. He tried to grab his gun, his hand blindly gripping on his side, but all he could feel under the shaky fingertips was the leather of his draping coat. Groaning, he tugged it closer and curled into himself, stupidly hoping that, by some miracle, he wouldn't be discovered.
The smell was getting nearer, and the brunet could even hear the approaching footsteps through the sound of his heart violently beating in his ears. No, no, no, don't, no.
He hated that he had to beg.
He hated how weak he was.
He hated his second nature.
He hated himself.
The footsteps stopped right in front of him.
“Sir, are you okay?”
Leave, leave, leave. Dazai’s eyes were shut close, his whole form trembling. The alpha was so close he couldn't escape his pheromones - it smelled like vanilla, so sickly sweet that he felt the urge to vomit.
He wanted to shout, but when he opened his lips, he only managed a measly whimper. Go away.
The person above him was speaking again, but Dazai was hit with another burning hot wave of pain and couldn't understand anything anymore. All he could do was grit his teeth and claw on his stomach, pushing himself against the wall to get further from the scent of vanilla that threatened to invade his senses.
Suddenly, the source of the smell moved away, and Dazai could almost cry happy tears - the alpha had walked away from him. Whoever it was, they must've deemed Osamu disgusting or undesirable.
Now, if only the universe had granted him another miracle today and made the pain stop.
However, the opposite happened. Instead, fate decided to play a cruel joke on him, because after what must've been ten minutes of Dazai panting on the cold floor, face laying in the pile of his own drool, skin covered in sweat and tears and slick that made his legs and behind feel disgustingly cold in comparison to his burning skin, the vanilla-smelling alpha came back. And this time, the words Osamu couldn't decipher were followed by a touch.
Dazai flailed, blindly clawing in front of himself while repeatedly kicking the air with his legs like a horse in a desperate attempt to fight off the alpha. He had only felt a light touch on his shoulder, but he couldn't allow anyone to get close to him.
“Easy, easy, I don't want to hurt you!” The adrenaline had cleared the omega's ears, allowing him to hear that voice again.
He tried to speak again, but all he could do was growl like a stray dog.
“Please! I only want to bring you somewhere safe! I will only carry you, nothing else, I promise.”
Osamu shook his head, going into a frenzy when he felt a hand land on his shoulder yet again, but his fighting was futile. He already felt exhausted, and when he felt another sharp stab in his gut, he could only sob, curling onto himself again. The smell of vanilla clouded his brain, amplifying his headache.
When the alpha touched his shoulder again he could only bristle. It was inevitable - this alpha was about to forcefully take him, use him, claim his body and reduce Dazai to nothing. Another touch, against the underside of his knees - Osamu pressed his legs together as tightly as possible, whimpering at the unbearable feeling between his legs. Instead of forcing them open, the alpha only secured a firm grip, and then Dazai felt his body being lifted, his side pressed against someone's chest. Then, the alpha started moving.
The wave of vanilla pheromones hit Osamu so hard his body shivered. In this position, his head was close to the alpha’s neck, the main source of the sweet scent. Despite the heady, incredibly alluring smell that was washing out the gross stench of the port, Dazai felt an urge to vomit. The alphas produced scents to draw omegas like him in, to cloud their minds with nothing but lust, and Osamu hated when someone else tried to fog his mind.
He tried his best to resist vanilla that was seeping into his senses. With his body pressed against an alpha, the pain temporarily subsided, making Dazai feel like he could breathe. But when he did, all he could feel were more vanilla pheromones that brought him into another kind of daze.
He was fighting both the pain and sweet smell for what felt like forever, but then the alpha was slipping his arm from out of his legs and guiding them to the ground. Dazai couldn't stand, he could only sob at another flash of pain in his gut, slowly sliding down. A hand on his shoulder moved to his back, pressing him tighter into a steady body.
“Almost there.” He heard alpha’s voice, followed by the jingling of the keys. Osamu moved his arms and tried to weakly push himself away.
“Almost there, please, I won't hurt you.”
Soon Dazai's body was lifted again. He let out another sob - he didn't want to move, his stomach was shot with pain every time he moved, he didn't want to move, but soon he was placed down. Not just anywhere, on something soft. The alpha’s arms left him, and Dazai felt a tiny bit relieved. He curled his shaky body into himself, bringing arms to his stomach and trying to breathe.
The pain was still insufferable. The scent of vanilla was still in the air, not as strong now that his nose wasn't right beside the alpha's gland, but still pressing him from all sides, inescapable. But with nobody else touching him, Dazai could savor this moment of peace. Before those hands came back and claimed his body.
But the touch did not return. Through the damped noise in his ears Dazai could hear the alpha walk around, his approach followed by the rustling of fabric nearby.
“You should drink. Please.” A voice mumbled before Osamu felt something press against his lips. The panic rushed through his body, making him tremble, before he felt a cold liquid touch his lips. Water. He awkwardly swallowed a few gulps, his throat refreshingly cold in comparison to the rest of his body.
As Dazai started to breathe more clearly, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly, he was hit by another wave.
It hurt. It hurt so much a scream reaped out of his lips. He was pretty sure he was dying.
“Easy, easy- Ah-” The voice sounded panicked now. Dazai was clawing at his stomach, tears running down his face again. He was dying.
Alpha was saying something again, but the brunet couldn't decipher the words. He was biting down on his own lip, feeling like his body was about to fall apart before something touched the back of his neck.
It felt like a boulder rolled off his chest - the pain subsided, the scent of vanilla enveloping him instead. The hurt was still there, his stomach still felt like the inside was poked with a million tiny needles, but he felt less crushed now.
The pain became a constant buzz, only occasional stab in the gut making Osamu whimper, but he let the darkness that clouded his eyes overtake his mind, the smell of vanilla slowly seeping into his senses as he plunged into a slumber.
~~~
With each passing minute of his heat Dazai was losing his grip on his mind more and more.
Slowly, he was becoming what he dreaded the most - a slave to his instincts.
Thoughts slowly trickled out of his mind like sand seeping out of the cracked hourglass, the feeling of emptiness overtaking his entire being, especially his lower body.
He was unbearably hot. His cheeks were wet with tears, and he was burning with the need to be filled. He could no longer thinks of how pathetic he looked, because all that mattered was how pathetic he felt.
And yet, even as his body yearned for another to join him, he still flinched away from every touch.
The alpha did not try to touch him much, which made Osamu feel both relieved and depressed. When touch did come, it was followed by something else. When a gentle hand palmed the back of his head, a water bottle touched his lips. A hand cupped his cheek whenever a piece of food was pushed into his mouth, soft fingers gliding over his throat to make sure he swallowed. A featherlight touch slid over his forehead before a cold wet cloth wiped away his sweat.
Sometimes, when it felt like the pain might actually kill him, Dazai felt a light touch on the back of his neck, bringing him a few seconds of blissful relief and letting him breathe again.
The aroma of vanilla felt like a fortress around him, a place where he was locked up but safe.
Still, Dazai's instincts screamed at him to be bred properly. His legs were still tightly shut, the last shreds of his consciousness desperately fighting his lust. But, with nothing inside of him came the bitter feeling of rejection.
The emptiness hurt his body. The rejection hurt his heart.
Dazai bit his lip, tears running down his face and making him look even more disgusting than he already was. No wonder alpha wasn't touching him. He was so repulsive.
“Shhh, it's okay.” Through his sobs and the fog of his heat he could hear alpha's soft voice. Those gentle fingers brushed the tears away from his cheeks. Osamu closed his eyes, but didn't flinch away. “You'll get through this. You're doing so well.”
He was doing well. The alpha said to him, making something in his chest swell even though his body ached with disagreement. Alpha said he was doing well.
His tears have stopped after a few deep breaths. He could feel the calming pheromones wash away his distress, and Dazai let himself inhale the tangy scent. Even when a fresh wave of pain rocked his body, he held a whimper behind his gritted teeth.
“There, it's going to be fine.” The soft voice reassured him, and Osamu blindly nodded. Fine. It was going to be fine.
And then, the alpha was pulling his hand away.
No, no- Blindly, Dazai's hand shot out to catch it. Despite his body feeling exhausted his grip was tight, ripping a gasp of surprise from the alpha's lips. Osamu tugged the hand back to his face, nuzzling the fingers.
The touch felt grounding, like an anchor that kept the omega from drifting deeper into the ocean, the pain fading in the background as he savored the warm brushed against his face.
“Um, maybe you shouldn't…” The alpha tried to lightly pull his hand back. Osamu let out a whine, tugging it back, even closer, until he was aggressively rubbing his face against it like a cat in a desperate need of attention.
Dazai needed many things right now. Something inside of him, mostly. But for now he focused on the touch, the touch that didn’t bring pain, the touch that made his feverish body less hot and yet more warm at the same time, the touch that was nothing like he had ever felt, soft and gentle and sweet with the scent of vanilla.
But this was still the barest of touches, and it was nowhere near enough to satisfy his body. The heat was relentless, and soon Dazai was spasming again. A few whimpers tumbled past his lips, and he sought refuge in the alpha's presence. Osamu pulled the hand closer, until his nose was pressed right against the wrist, against the scent gland that was there.
“It's okay, it's okay…” The alpha mumbled, releasing more pheromones to calm Dazai down.
The omega took a deep breath. The richness of vanilla washed the tension away from his shoulders. If he found the sweetness to be rotting at first, now he was basking in it.
He didn't know where he was, but the sweet smell was taking care of him.
A touch of his neck, and another wave of blissful relief washed over Dazai, making him let out a small moan.
“You should try and get some sleep.” He heard the alpha say through the fog of his brain, and he couldn't refuse.
Focusing on the scent of vanilla and not the cramps in his stomach, Osamu plunged into sleep.
~~~
He woke up alone.
Black veil was still clouding Dazai's vision, but all of his other senses felt sharper. He was painfully aware of the layers of sweat that coated his body, of every brush of his clothes against his burning skin, of the coldness of slick that covered his thighs and the clawing emptiness inside his gut.
He trashed around his nest, desperately seeking relief, seeking the alpha - he was still enveloped by the calming smell, but it wasn't enough-
Has he been abandoned?
The thought and the panic that it sent through Dazai made the omega shiver, ache so strong it felt like it would rip his gut apart. In search of comfort he hugged his own coat, but the pain continued to rock his body.
“Ah- what happened? What's wrong?” A fresh wave of vanilla barged into the room, followed by the soft surface Osamu was laying on dipping as someone knelt over him, soft voice holding a note of panic. “Are you alright?”
Alpha. Dazai instantaneously sat up and all but threw himself towards the voice.
“Woah-” Omega hit the alpha’s chest, hands clinging to the deliciously warm body. The surprised alpha fell back from his knees, hands coming up to steady Osamu. “Is something wrong? No? You shouldn't jump up like that…”
Osamu barely understood the words, his mind focusing on the gentle voice. It felt like a calming wave, lulling him back into peace. Soft touch pressed against his neck, and the brunet let out a sigh of relief.
“Here-” He felt the alpha reposition him back into lying down. “Back into the nest. Good. That's better, yeah?” A touch ghosted over Dazai's hair, making his body shudder. He craved this, craved affection, craved to be touched, craved to be filled up-
The alpha was pulling back, and Osamu made a noise of displeasure, his arms squeezing the torso harder. Don't go, don't leave me again, don't leave me alone.
“Come on now…” The alpha muttered, but Dazai only nuzzled closer. The warmth felt like heaven, washing away the pain from his body.
“Okay, okay, I'm here.” The voice sighed after another attempt of tugging away made the omega whine and cling even harder.
Dazai felt better than the day before, but it only meant he no longer felt like the pain was actually going to kill him. Now it was just a slow, deliberate torture that felt like it was crafted especially for him by the most wicked of his enemies.
It felt like he was burning from the inside, and yet the warmth of the body he was enveloping in his arms brought him relief. Instead of his cramps, Dazai tried to focus on the gentle fingers that ran through his hair, melting at the soft touch. With his nose buried right against the alpha and his shirt, the brunet felt the vanilla scent in all its glory, relishing in the strong but sweet presence.
After minutes, hours, days - Osamu couldn't tell - the alpha was pulling back. Dazai growled in protest, but only got an apologetic pat on the head.
“I'll return, I promise. You need to eat.” The omega stubbornly shook his head. He didn't want to eat, he wanted to be touched, touched more. But he was pushed back, his body suddenly feeling extremely cold.
“I'll be back.” The sweet voice promised while Dazai let out a pitiful whine.
It felt like forever before the alpha returned, and Osamu took minimal time to plaster himself against the warm body, almost purring when he got to bury his nose into the alpha's neck and inhale the scent.
The alpha made a squeaky noise and hesitantly pat Dazai's back, making the omega melt.
This felt good, this was comfort, and Osamu never wanted to let go.
The closeness and the rich vanilla scent smoothened Dazai's pain, but after a while he could feel the irritation building up again. He was still achingly empty, craving anything, preferably an alpha inside of him. In search of relief Osamu moved his hips, trying to find any friction.
“Woah-” The alpha’s hands came up to Dazai's shoulders to prevent him from climbing on top. “Omega-san, slow down!”
Osamu whined, trying to rub himself against the alpha, but then a hand landed on his hip, pinning him back down.
“I’m sorry.” Dazai tried to wiggle, moaning at the pain that was still blooming in his abdomen, demanding he should be claimed, but the alpha made no move to do so. A hand moved from the brunet's shoulder to his neck, a wrist rubbing against his scent gland and making Osamu relax his body.
Tears pricked the corners of his eyes - the alpha was rejecting him, he was a bad omega, the vanilla-smelling alpha was disgusted with him, was rejecting him, would leave him for others to pick Osamu apart - but the alpha cupped his cheek instead, running a comforting thumb over it.
“Shhh, it's okay.” The soft voice murmured against his hair, and soon he was tucked back against the alpha's chest, hand rubbing gentle circles over his back. “You'll get through this. You're doing so good. Such a strong omega.”
Dazai closed his teary eyes and nuzzled closer.
He spent the whole day hiding in the alpha's arms, whining whenever he was left alone and crawling back into the embrace when the vanilla scent returned. The omega’s pain was rarely subduing, but his body felt less alien now. His limbs didn't feel as chained and filled with lead, and the buzz disappeared from his ears, allowing him to hear alpha's sweet voice more clearly.
On the third day of his heat, Dazai's vision finally cleared.
First thing he realized upon opening his eyes was that he could see with both of them - the bandages around his head were gone. Second thing was the alpha that was lying next to him, still asleep.
He knew this man.
Dazai's mind was still foggy and he couldn't recall his name, but the asymmetrical silver hair was unmistakable - it was the weretiger, the newest member of the Armed Detective Agency and Port Mafia’s latest target number one.
Out of all people to find Dazai at his lowest and most vulnerable, it was someone from the Armed Detective Agency.
Osamu sat up, propping himself by a shaky arm, and took a greater look at his surroundings.
He was in a small, bare bedroom in what looked to be a simple dorm, sitting in the middle of a nest of blankets and shirts he knew he didn't throw together, because Dazai never nested. The alpha was only halfway in the nest, laying on the blankets but off the futon that Osamu occupied. The brunet could see leftover water bottles and food containers, but no weapons, no ropes, nothing to subdue him with once he gained enough consciousness to speak.
He lowered his gaze back on the silver haired man. By the strenuous budge in his pants, Dazai could see that the alpha was affected by his heat as well. But he never tried to force himself on Osamu, even when the dazed brunet begged for it. His touch was always harmless.
Ignoring another cramp, Dazai slid his hand over to his waist. The boy has not even taken his gun away. Osamu felt the handle with his fingers, his eyes glued to the tiger’s face.
He could shoot him, right now. Wait out the rest of his heat, cover his tracks and be on his way.
Nobody will know.
Nobody will know about his second nature.
Dazai watched alpha’s chest rise and fall. Observed his slim figure, skinny face. He didn't look like a typical alpha. Even his scent was on the sweeter side. Rich, savory vanilla.
Dazai let go of the gun, slowly laying down and cuddling back to the alpha.
He was the enemy, but right now, Dazai didn’t have the strength to care or rationalize.
Right now, the tiger boy was an alpha. An alpha that was protecting him. An alpha that was taking care of him.
Osamu caught his arm, bringing the wrist to his nose and inhaling the scent of vanilla that smelt like peace. He ignored another cramp in his stomach, biting his lip that by now ached like the rest of him, and nuzzled the scent gland more.
The alpha's eyelashes fluttered as he slowly woke up, and Dazai was met with the view of a golden sun swimming in the purple sky.
He watched those intricate eyes open, blinking the traces of sleep away, before widening at the realization that Osamu was watching him.
“Hello?..” The alpha murmured, still sleepy. Dazai looked at him for a short while before letting out a sigh and closing his eyes, nose still pressed against the tiger’s wrist.
But it seemed the detective didn't want to let this go. “Are you feeling better? Can you see me?” He sat up and tried to wiggle his hand out of Osamu's grip, making him growl in displeasure. “Come on, Omega-san!”
Dazai opened his eyes, shooting him an annoyed look. That made the alpha gasp.
“You can- Can you understand what I'm saying?” The brunet didn't feel like wasting his energy on speaking, so he just let out a little hum. The tiger almost jumped up, looking overjoyed. “Oh thank God- How are you feeling? Okay? Fine? In pain? Your heat is still going, right, you're probably still in pain-”
Dazai narrowed his eyes in annoyance, closing his eyes and turning to the side. Of course he was in pain, and he wasn't in the mood for a game of twenty questions.
“Sorry, I'm sorry-” The detective hurriedly apologized, running his fingers over Dazai's hair. The omega relaxed under the touch, but it was gone way too soon, as if the alpha ripped his hand away. Osamu's eyes flew open, looking at him in confusion.
The tiger looked guilty, flexing his fingers in the air as if he regretted his touch. That confused Dazai even more, sending a pang of pain through his chest and making his body shiver.
“I'm sorry.” The alpha said again, but this time he sounded more serious. “I'm sorry I brought you here witho-”
Frowning, Osamu interrupted him by yanking on the tiger's arm with all the strength he could manage. The silver haired man yelped in surprise, falling back on the nest. Dazai hugged his waist, burying his head against his chest.
Later. They could talk later, but for now he was still in heat, the pain was still splitting his stomach apart, and the newbie detective was so pleasantly warm Dazai wanted to press all of himself against him.
“Omega-san…” The alpha whined, but Osamu only rubbed against his shirt even harder.
“... do you need anything?”
Dazai needed many things. A rope around his neck was what he would've preferred, but for now he shook his head.
“My name is Atsushi Nakajima, by the way.” The alpha said after a while.
Right, that was it. Dazai hummed. Atsushi.
Regaining a piece of his mind was both a blessing and a curse - from one side, Dazai could control himself better, if the refusal to hump a leg of a kind stranger could've been called ‘good self control’. But at the same time, the last day of heat felt like an eternity. Being more aware of himself made him more aware of the pain, which while wasn't as crashing, was still very much unbearable. If Dazai didn't know it was the last day, he might've gotten his gun out of his pants and shot himself after all.
Atsushi was as comforting as before - he still helped Dazai to eat and drink, put a cold cloth over his head when his fever spiked up, wiped away his sweat and drool, every touch careful. His pheromones coated Osamu like a protective blanket that brought him comfort any time the detective left his side even for five seconds.
Finally, when Dazai woke up on the next day, the pain was gone.
His muscles still felt sore, his clothes and bandages disgustingly sweaty, pants drenched in slick that made his thighs uncomfortably cold, but the pain was no more.
Somehow, Osamu had survived his heat.
Slowly he rose into a sitting position, wincing at how heavy his limbs felt. Maybe his body no longer felt like a raging bonfire of suffering, but the three days of experiencing nothing but pain did leave Dazai incredibly exhausted. In fact, he felt so shitty that the thought of curling back into the nest and sleeping through another day was incredibly tempting, but he resisted.
“Ah, you're awake!” Upon opening his eyes, Dazai saw the alpha next to him sit up as well. With his vision back to normal, the yellow and purple eyes seemed even brighter. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I want to jump off the highest building in Yokohama.” Osamu said dryly, his voice painfully hoarse.
The detective jumped up at his words, before frowning.
“Your fever has passed, but if you're still in pain I can call a doctor-”
“No, no.” Dazai waved his hand in dismissal. “Nevermind that. Actually, I feel like drowning instead. Can I borrow your bathroom?”
Atsushi blinked at him.
“I can fill a bath for you…” He answered slowly, his eyebrows knitted in worry. “...but I'm not going to let you drown.”
Osamu clicked his tongue. “Bath it is then.”
The tiger gave him another concerned look but moved away, disappearing in what Dazai presumed was the bathroom.
“Do you remember my name?” The detective called from there. The question made Osamu chuckle.
“Atsushi-kun.” He replied and stood on his shaky legs. He felt like a newborn deer as he stumbled over the blankets and pillows. Since Dazai was close to a blackout, no way he assembled that nest. It must've been the boy's doing.
“Yeah! Can I, um, ask for yours?”
That gave the brunet a pause. He was careful enough for his name and appearance to be unknown to the general public and police, but the Armed Detective Agency was a different story.
Then again, Dazai was still unsure whether or not the tiger even knew that he had brought a mafioso to his home.
A few shaky steps and he made it to the bathroom entrance, steadying himself against the doorframe. He watched the silver-haired alpha sit on the edge of the tub, observing as it was filled with water. Meanwhile, the mafioso had observed him for a reaction.
“Is it that important?”
Atsushi's head perked up and turned towards him, an alarmed expression painting his face.
Obstructed by his coat, the omega rested his hand on the handle of his gun.
“Omega-san, you shouldn't stand up just yet!”
Osamu stilled, taken aback by the detective's words and scolding stare.
“Please sit down.” Atsushi stood up and ushered him towards the table.
Dazai obediently took a seat, watching the alpha hesitate about his next move.
“You don't have to tell me, it's just… I, um, actually I have to tell you something.” The tiger took a deep breath before bowing forward, his body bending at an almost perfect angle. “I'm sorry I brought you to my home without your permission! I had found you in a port warehouse, and you seemed to go into heat with no alpha nearby, and when I tried to ask you questions you were unresponsive, but I couldn't just leave you there alone like that- I've seen omegas go into heats, but I've never seen the one so bad, I was thinking I should call a doctor, but the only doctor I know is an alpha, and I didn't want to to scare you even further-”
Dazai’s face soured at his description. Thank the stars the boy hadn't called any doctors, or Osamu might've actually had to use his gun to correct this problem. He did not want people to know about his second nature.
His scent must've soured too, because Atsushi flinched, and words started spilling out of his mouth even faster. “I'm so, so sorry I scent marked you without your consent! I swear I didn't touch you inappropriately in any other way! I only scent marked you because you seemed to be in so much pain, I had never seen a heat so bad, and I wanted to help you! Please forgive me!”
The tiger could barely breathe by the time he finished speaking. Dazai watched the mop of the silver hair in front of his eyes, his nose picking up the bitterness in the vanilla smell.
“Atsushi-kun.”
The detective’s body jerked when Dazai spoke, but he remained in the same pose, head down.
“I think the bath may overflow.”
“Ah!-”
The alpha gasped and ran back to the bathroom, shutting the water off.
“It's fine! It's all fine, just let me bring you some clothes-” Atsushi let out a nervous chuckle.
“While I'm in the bath, can I ask you to go get me something, Atsushi-kun?” Osamu asked, watching the nervous tiger with amusement.
“Yes, of course! Whatever you need!”
That was good, because this was extremely important for Dazai. “Can you fetch me a scent suppressant? A patch or some pills?”
“Oh- Yes, of course. You can go ahead, and if you don't need anything else I'll run to the pharmacy.” The detective repeated, nodding his head. It wasn't the oddest of things to ask for, but the omega still appreciated the lack of questions.
Shedding his bandages felt like a blessing. The bathtub was quite cramped, especially for his long legs, but for the moment it didn't matter. Dazai let out a blissful sigh as he submerged his body into warm water, his aching muscles sighing in relief.
Now that his body felt less disgusting and his head felt more clear, Osamu could decide whether or not he'll be disposing of the tiger.
Right now, surprisingly, the tip of the scale was weighing on no. For one, the Port Mafia needed him alive for the bounty. For two, Atsushi's apology was so tooth-rottenly sincere there was very little chance that this whole thing was a set up to extort Dazai.
But on the other hand, there was his worst secret. His nature as an omega.
…which the boy didn't exploit. Even without knowing that a mark on Osamu's neck would bring him control over one of Yokohama's most dangerous Gifted, the alpha didn't even use his body to simply get off.
Dazai was happy - it was literally the best case scenario considering that his heat had got him in a fucking public port full of shady people, and somehow he was walking out of it still a virgin to being penetrated, but at the same time there was a small, minuscular scratch on his pride.
His damned second nature. He didn't want an alpha anywhere near him, and yet he still felt miffed about being undesirable.
A curse, what a curse it was to be an omega.
Mellowed out by the warm water, Dazai had almost drifted back to sleep, but a knock on the door tore him out of slumber.
“Omega-san, are you alright?” A pause. “You're not actually drowning, are you?”
“I'm fine.” The brunet called back and stretched before sitting up. As romantic as drowning himself in the bathroom of his first heat partner sounded, it wasn't a suicide he wished for, so it was time to get out of the bath.
He still took his time showering, scrubbing the scents off of himself as best as he could. After that was done and he finally got out, he saw the clothes that the silver haired man laid out for him. Dazai lifted a plain white shirt and instinctively brought it to his nose, inhaling the scent - the garment was clean, but he could feel small notes of vanilla.
He put the shirt back, looking for any bandages. He found some in a compartment behind the mirror - two rolls were barely enough to cover Dazai's head, neck and wrists. Manageable.
Both shirt and pants were too short for Osamu's lanky body, but it didn't matter when he could properly put on and button up his coat. It reeked of the combination of his scent and vanilla, but if Dazai was careful he should be able to sneak into his house without flaunting his scent.
When he left the bathroom, Atsushi was fidgeting at the small table. The alpha's head snapped towards the brunet before the tiger jumped to his legs. The oddly colored eyes lingered on Dazai's face, making the omega tense.
“Sorry about the bandages.” Ah. That's why the detective was looking at him with concern. “I was worried you might've had an injury there that needed to be taken care of, and your head was the easiest one to check, but since I didn't find anything I left the others be…”
Dazai was a bit irritated, but in the grand scheme of things the detective taking the bandages off his face was a small one.
Osamu didn't bother answering. He walked up to the table and grabbed the scent patch that laid there. It was a cheap brand for everyday people, but Dazai couldn't complain. One bath and a shower wasn't enough to clean off the smell of vanilla from his body, and that should've masked his own scent for a time being.
Dazai ripped open the package and stuck the patch on his back. A cheap thing like this needed time to work, so Osamu sat down.
Atsushi looked at him in confusion, but when Dazai gestured for him to sit down as well the boy quickly obeyed.
The brunet almost chuckled. Who was an alpha here?
“Atsushi-kun.”
The tiger flinched, lifting his gaze from his knees to Dazai's face. Osamu gave him a smile, but it held no reassurance or warmth.
It only carried order.
“You see, nobody knows that I'm an omega. And I would very much like to keep it this way.”
Dazai leaned on the table, voice friendly but eye burning. Atsushi nervously swallowed.
“So how about we agree that I was never here, and you've never seen me, okay?”
“Okay…” The tiger gave him a few jerky nods.
“Great!” Osamu grinned and pulled back, no longer threatening. “Well, while I wait, why don't you tell me about yourself a little?”
The detective blinked, taken aback by the brunet's sudden change in attitude.
“What do you, uh, want to know?” He asked meekly.
“Let’s see… What kind of alpha takes in an omega in heat and keeps it in his pants the whole time?”
Atsushi threw him a surprisingly indignant look.
“Any normal, proper alpha! Just because omega is in heat it's not an open invitation, especially to strangers!” The loud, assured tone was a stark contrast to his previous meek voice.
“How noble…” Dazai hummed in amusement. “Why did you bring me to your home then?”
“Because I didn't want any… bad alpha to prey on you.” The tiger nervously scratched the back of his neck. “And you really looked like you needed help.”
Dazai pursed his lips. Without a help from an alpha, that heat might've actually killed him. The years of illegal suppressants made themselves known.
“And do you heroically pick up stray omegas often?”
“It's not heroic.” Atsushi frowned. “I grew up in an orphanage, and the staff… didn't really care what happened to omegas there. So I used to help them. I, um, only seen one male omega before though.”
Dazai wasn't surprised - omegas were quite rare, and male omegas were rare even between omegas. Him being one was just another proof that life hated him.
“Can I also ask you a question?”
“You can, but it doesn't mean I'll answer it.”
Atsushi narrowed his eyes on him.
“Are your heats always this… bad?”
Dazai’s face twisted in displeasure. The quirks of his second nature was the last thing he wanted to tell somebody, but… Atsushi had seen the worst of it already.
“Dunno. I've been suppressing them for seven years.”
The detective’s eyes widened.
“Omega-san, that's horrible!” The tiger pressed his hands against the table, leaving over to stare Osamu in the face. “You can't suppress your every heat, it's horrible for your body! If I knew, I would've called a doctor!”
“I'm glad you didn't.” That's what kept you alive. “And I'm fine now. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as it looked.” It was much, much, much worse, and he did feel like dying, but he didn't want to admit anything to those resolute yellow and purple eyes.
That gaze looked straight into him in a way that made Dazai unsettled. Maybe it was because he was at the mercy of this alpha while he was at his lowest. Maybe because he was facing the white tiger. Maybe because Dazai felt like those eyes could see behind his mask.
“Well…” Osamu stood up, biting back the grimace as he felt his body protest. “This is where I leave you.” He smiled at the surprised alpha. “Remember, Atsushi-kun, I was never here.”
“Um, yes, I remember.” The detective stood up. “Please take care of yourself, Omega-san.”
Dazai hummed, grabbing his dirty clothes. With a wave of his hand and a quick check to make sure no one was outside, he left the strange alpha behind.
He burned his clothes at a junkyard, the smell of smoke replacing the last notes of vanilla in his senses before he returned home.