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Suguru adjusted his tie, trying to make it sit right against his uniform shirt. He hated it. It felt so constricting around his throat. His previous high school didn’t have uniforms, and they especially didn’t make him wear ties.
He stared at his reflection in the mirror, making sure his hair was properly tied back with his bangs framing his face.
Well, time to get it over with.
He could hear chatter coming from the classroom before he even stepped inside, and when he walked through the doors, he felt as though every pair of eyes darted to him. He tried to ignore the whispers and the faint scents in the air— some sharp, some earthy, others sweet. It made him hyper aware of his unpresented status.
At seventeen, most people had already presented, but for Suguru, nothing had happened yet. His scent was faint, if you could even call it one. Most people assumed he was a beta, and honestly, he thought so too.
He looked around the room. A group of girls sat near the windows, giggling to one another. A few loners sat towards the back, and in the center of it all sat a boy with white hair and rounded, tinted glasses, watching him carefully.
Suguru could tell he was an alpha, even if he couldn’t make out scents as well as others.
The white haired kid laughed at a joke his friend made and Suguru chose to ignore them, walking to an empty seat near the side of the room.
“Hey!” A voice called out. Glasses kid was talking to him. “New kid, huh?”
Suguru sighed. He was used to people trying to pick on him just because they didn’t know him well, and his past experiences set him on edge.
He looked up, locking eyes with the smirking boy now standing over him.
“What’s your name?” the boy asked, leaning into his space.
“Geto,” Suguru said flatly.
The boy ignored his tone. “I’m Gojo Satoru. Want to sit with me and the guys at lunch?”
“No.”
That seemed to amuse Gojo. He tilted his head, studying Suguru like he was a puzzle he wanted to solve.
Then, before Suguru could react, Gojo reached out and ruffled his bangs. “Your hair is funny—”
Suguru snapped, jumping up to his feet and grabbing Gojo’s wrist before kicking his leg out to force Gojo onto his back.
The classroom went silent.
Suguru was crouched over him, fingers curled around Gojo’s wrist. “Don’t touch me.”
Gojo didn’t even look angry. If anything, he looked entertained, a small smirk on his lips.
“Wow,” he said, almost dreamily. “Feisty, huh?”
Suguru glared. This wasn’t the reaction he had expected. Especially from an alpha. He expected some sort of retaliation, even some posturing. But this…?
He pushed back, releasing his hold.
“You’re weird,” Suguru muttered.
Gojo grinned, sitting up, looking entirely unbothered. “I think we’re going to be good friends, Geto.”
After that first encounter, Suguru thought that would be the end of it. He’d put Gojo in his place, and usually after something like that people would move on.
Gojo Satoru, though, was persistent.
“Geto!”
Suguru stiffened hearing Gojo’s loud voice echoing through the crowded hallway. He ignored him as he worked on unlocking his locker.
“Getooo,” Gojo whined, leaning casually against the locker next to Suguru’s. “You didn’t have lunch with me yesterday.”
“Never said I would.”
“I still feel betrayed,” Gojo sighed dramatically. “You wound me, Geto. Right here.” He pointed at his chest, right over his heart, as if Suguru would care.
Suguru slammed his locker shut. “Not my problem.”
He marched off, fully expecting Gojo to stay behind, but instead he heard footsteps following him.
“What class are you going to now?” Gojo asked, as if they were friends. “Math? History?”
“Why do you care?” Suguru sighed.
“Just curious,” Gojo said. “Wait, it’s Chemistry right? Same as me? You could be my partner. I’ll tell Nanami to find someone else. He doesn’t like being paired with me anyway—”
Suguru turned to glare at him. “Do you ever shut up?”
Gojo grinned, apparently pleased to have gotten a reaction out of him. “Not really. People love that about me.”
“People have lied to you,” Suguru said, walking away.
This time Gojo didn’t follow, but he did hear him laugh.
Gojo had become his shadow.
“Let’s eat lunch together today,” Gojo said as they walked out of class.
“No.”
“Aw, come on. You don’t even know my friends yet. You’d like them.”
“I’m fine eating alone.”
Well. He was used to it at least.
Gojo pouted. “So cold, Geto. You’re really making me work for it, huh?”
Suguru rolled his eyes. “Why do you even care? You don’t know me.”
Gojo’s grin faltered for a second. “I just think you’re cool,” he said honestly. “And I don’t meet a lot of people who can knock me on my ass.”
Suguru wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
“So if you insist on not joining me and my friends,” Gojo continued. “Then I’ll just join you for lunch. Where do you sit?”
“I sit alone,” Suguru glared.
“Great. Then we’ll sit alone together.”
Suguru groaned as Gojo continued to chatter away.
A new routine had started.
Suguru would sit at the far end of the courtyard under a tree, bento in his lap, and Gojo would plop down beside him with a fancy lunchbox and his endless yapping.
At first, it annoyed him.
But over time…things changed.
Suguru found himself relaxing to his endless stories. Gojo was funny in a way that was hard to resist, and his persistence made his chest warm in a way he couldn’t explain.
One day, Suguru came to realize he hadn’t told Gojo to leave him alone in over a week, and when Gojo shoved half of his dessert onto Suguru’s plate, Suguru actually took it.
“See?” Gojo said, pressing his shoulder against his as they leaned back against the tree. “I told you we’d be great friends.”
Suguru couldn’t even deny it.
Suguru didn’t notice when the next shift happened.
“Hey, Suguru, you want the last piece of this?” Gojo asked one afternoon, holding out a neatly wrapped mochi from his lunchbox.
Suguru shook his head, focusing on his book he had brought out to read during their lunch break. “No thank you.”
It wasn’t until later that Suguru realized that Gojo had called him Suguru.
Not Geto. Not Bangs. Just Suguru.
And, weirdly, it didn’t feel strange. It felt so natural that Suguru didn’t even think to correct it.
The next day, Suguru had just pulled out his chopsticks when Gojo walked up to him, taking a seat beside him while waving his phone in his face.
“Suguru! You’ve got to see this,” he said, showing him some silly cat video.
Suguru chuckled, once again not questioning why Gojo kept using his first name.
A week later, the dynamic shifted again.
“Hey, Gojo,” one of Gojo’s friends called out, tossing him a can of soda from across the room.
Suguru was sitting beside him, quietly eating his lunch. It was pouring outside, and they couldn’t sit under their usual tree.
“Thanks,” Gojo said, catching and cracking open the drink, not even sparing his friend a glance. “Suguru, you want to go to the arcade after school?”
Suguru considered it, pausing mid-bite. “Hm. I’m busy.”
He wasn’t.
“Liar,” Gojo accused.
“I am.”
“Doing what?”
“None of your business, Gojo.”
Gojo snorted. “Fine. Another time, then. Also, call me Satoru already.”
“Huh?”
“Call me Satoru,” Gojo repeated. “I mean we’re friends, right?”
Suguru didn’t bring up the fact that the rest of his friends never called him Satoru.
Satoru didn’t either.
As more time passed, Suguru found himself more entrenched in Satoru’s orbit than he ever thought possible. They had become friends— close friends.
And it wasn’t just Satoru either anymore. Through him, he had met others from his group, some that he liked more than others. Shoko was definitely one of his favorites. She was witty and laid-back, and often the one to reign in Satoru’s annoying tendencies when Suguru wasn’t the one to do it. He liked her dry humor and the way she didn’t beat around the bush.
Nanami was another. Quieter and more serious, but in a way that Suguru appreciated.
Haibara had a bright personality, and he had made him feel welcomed into the group right away.
He didn’t click with everyone in Satoru’s friend group, but that was fine.
The most important thing was that Suguru finally felt like he belonged.
Satoru had started to hover… like he was waiting for something.
He also started to act more… well, just more.
He’d pick up Suguru’s bag without asking when they left school together. Or sometimes he would slip his cherished varsity jacket over Suguru’s shoulders on colder days, ignoring his protests with a casual, “You looked cold.”
He never hesitated when it came to complimenting him either.
“You look good today, Suguru,” he had said last week. “I mean, you always do, but…”
Or his gaze would linger just a second too long.
“I like your hair like that,” he said the other day, pulling out the bang he had tucked behind his ear. “Leave it.”
It wasn’t just that Satoru was more present— it was how present he was. How attentive. He wasn’t like this with anyone else in their friend group.
He treated Suguru the way an alpha would treat an omega they were interested in.
But that didn’t make sense.
Suguru was a beta, he was sure of it.
Suguru brought it up one day while they were hanging around outside after their classes had ended.
“Satoru?”
“Hm?” He turned to look at him as they lingered at the gates of the school.
“Why do you do…all that?” Suguru asked, gesturing vaguely.
“Huh?”
“You know, like…getting me snacks or gifts…carrying my bag…giving me your jacket…”
Satoru tilted his head, a small smile on his lips. “Because I want to.”
“That’s not an answer,” he mumbled, feeling a heat creep up his neck at the intense look in Satoru’s blue eyes.
“You’re my best friend, Suguru. Of course I want to take care of you.”
“But you don’t do this for anyone else.”
Satoru’s smile turned fond. “Because you’re not just anyone else.”
Suguru clenched his fist, hesitating. “You know I’m not an omega, right?”
Satoru laughed softly, shaking his head. “Yes you are.”
Suguru looked at him like he was crazy. “No I’m not! I’m a beta.”
Satoru just chuckled. “You’re not a beta. My nose doesn’t lie.”
“You’re actually delusional, Satoru,” Suguru said, exasperated.
“Maybe,” Satoru shrugged. “But even if you were a beta, it wouldn’t matter.”
Suguru was sure he was blushing now. “What?”
“It wouldn’t matter,” Satoru repeated. “You’re Suguru. That’s all I care about.”
Suguru stared at him, his mind a mess as he tried to process what he had said.
“Aww, did Suguru short-circuit?” Satoru cooed, crowding into his space.
Suguru shoved him away, his face hot. “You are so annoying!”
Satoru just laughed.
…Satoru was right.
His first heat surprised him.
He started off feeling restless, like his skin was a live wire, and that anything would set him off. It wasn’t until he woke up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat and trembling with a desperate need, did he realize what was happening.
His scent— a scent he didn’t even realize he had— filled the room with something warm and sweet that made his own head spin, his nose suddenly so sensitive. He clutched at the sheets as painful wave after wave of intense cramps steamrolled through him.
He didn’t believe it at first—
He was a beta.
Betas didn’t have heats.
But as the minutes ticked by, he couldn’t deny it any longer.
The next few days were a haze of burning and ache. His thoughts turned to mush, consumed with a primal need and instincts he didn’t understand. His parents tried to help him, bringing him water and food to eat, cold compresses and medicine, but nothing really helped.
At one point, in the midst of his fevers, he thought he heard Satoru’s voice downstairs. Something about how Suguru wasn’t answering his texts. He didn’t know how his parents replied, but he eventually heard the door slam shut.
By the time it was all over, Suguru felt drained, emotionally and physically.
Reality hit hard.
He wasn’t a beta.
He was an omega.
When he returned to school the following week, Suguru felt the stares on him just like he did the first day he transferred here.
Omegas weren’t rare, but they weren’t exactly common either.
He now wore a ribbon collar around his neck— a soft, black strip of fabric— but it didn't really help. Most omegas covered their mating gland in some way, and Suguru wanted something subtle, comfortable, and less obvious.
It still didn’t stop the alphas in the room from noticing— their eyes on him for a bit too long… their interest palpable, especially now that Suguru could make out their pheromones in the air.
Suguru ignored all of them, but he couldn’t ignore Satoru.
Satoru leaned against his desk, a grin spreading across face as they locked eyes. He pushed away from his seat and walked over to greet him.
Suguru’s breath hitched as Satoru’s scent hit him. It was electric, but also laced with something spicy and sweet. It was so Satoru.
His mouth instantly watered and he pressed his lips together, embarrassed.
Satoru’s eyes gleamed, his nose twitching as if he smelled something he liked.
“Welcome back, Suguru,” Satoru said, his voice an octave lower than usual. He stepped closer. “You smell good.”
Suguru was sure his face was red. “Satoru—”
“What?” Satoru’s gaze dropped to the ribbon around his neck. “I told you so.”
Suguru glared, but there was no heat behind it.
He took his seat right beside Satoru.
The first few days after his return to school were annoying. It felt like everyone was talking about him. It was exhausting, but Suguru managed to ignore most of it.
Most, but not all.
Satoru made sure of it.
“See? I knew it,” Satoru said again the next day. “I told you from the start, didn’t I? My nose doesn’t lie.”
“Yes, yes,” Suguru sighed, rolling his eyes. “I should never have doubted the big, strong, prime alpha and his infallible nose. You were right, Satoru. Congratulations.”
“Congratulations is right,” Satoru said, sitting up straighter in his seat like he won a prize. “This is great, Suguru.”
Suguru couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm.
Satoru may have been the first to figure out he was an omega, but he certainly wasn’t the last.
Once word got out, Suguru started receiving a lot of attention.
At first it was just polite greetings from alphas he barely knew. Maybe some longer-than-usual conversations with classmates who suddenly seemed very interested in him.
But then, the requests started rolling in.
“Hey, Geto,” someone would say, pulling him aside between classes. “Would you maybe want to hang out after school? Just us?”
Or, “I’ve been meaning to ask…are you seeing anyone? Because if not—?”
Suguru declined as politely as he could, but they were persistent.
Eventually, it escalated to alphas who didn’t even share his classes, waiting outside his classroom door to catch him during lunch or after school.
It was during one of those encounters that Satoru stepped in.
An upperclassman had come to their door, catching Suguru just as the bell rang. He was tall, but not as tall as Satoru, Suguru noted.
“Hey, Geto,” the upperclassman said. “I was wondering if you wanted to grab dinner sometime this weekend?”
Before Suguru could even respond, Satoru’s voice called out from inside the classroom.
“He’s busy that day!”
When Suguru turned around to glare at him, Satoru stared back, feigning innocence.
“What?” Satoru said. “It’s true. Aren’t we hanging out this weekend, Suguru?”
Suguru narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t wrong, but—
Suguru turned back around, smiling sweetly. “Sorry. Maybe another time.”
The upperclassman looked disappointed, but nodded before walking off.
“Really?” he deadpanned, staring at Satoru.
“I should be the one saying that,” Satoru scoffed. “What do you mean maybe another time?”
“You don’t have to scare people off, you know,” Suguru crossed his arms.
“I’m just making sure no one wastes your time.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous is people trying to ask you out when I’m right here.”
Suguru tried to give him a deadpan stare, but he couldn’t control his blush.
Suguru couldn’t exactly pinpoint when their friendship had started to feel different, but he had a feeling it started even before his presentation.
Satoru always found an excuse to be in his space, whether it was leaning over his desk, or brushing their shoulders in the hallway, or just sitting too close when they hung out under the tree after school. Or maybe it was the way Satoru’s words always toed the line of friendly and flirting.
“Nice ribbon today,” Satoru said, picking at the edge of it before Suguru could swat his hand away. “Matches your eyes. Cute.”
Suguru could feel the heat in his cheeks. “Stop it.”
“I’d stop if you didn’t look so good,” Satoru said casually.
It wasn’t just his words, though. It was also his lingering glances. Or the way Satoru always seemed to know when he needed a break. Or how he always got Suguru his favorite snack. Or how he texted him goodnight and good morning every day without fail.
Suguru couldn’t ignore it much longer.
Their high school senior year dance was announced. Suguru wasn’t the type to get excited about celebrations like that, and he honestly figured he would skip it, but Satoru had other plans.
“You’re going to the dance with me,” Satoru said as they sat outside.
Suguru choked on his drink. “What?”
“You heard me,” Satoru said, pushing his glasses into his hair.
“You didn’t even ask me,” Suguru said, frowning.
“Fine.” Satoru turned to face him, leaning in close enough that Suguru tilted back instinctively. “Suguru, my best friend and favorite omega, will you go to the dance with me?”
Suguru’s chest warmed. “I don’t even like dances,” he blurted out.
“Neither do I,” Satoru said, shrugging. “But I think it could be fun if you’re with the right person. And I’ve got you, so...”
Suguru tried to ignore the way his heart beat quickly in his chest. “Is that how you’re asking?”
“Yeah. So that’s a yes?”
Suguru looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment. Then, “Okay. I’ll go with you.”
Satoru whooped, throwing an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close, rubbing their cheeks together so their scents could intermingle.
Music blared from the speakers as students mingled in clusters around the gymnasium that was decorated with lights and banners. Suguru spotted Satoru waiting for him at the entrance.
Satoru’s face lit up when he saw him.
“Suguru, you’re going to make me look bad,” he teased, his hand sliding around the small of his back. Suguru was wearing a fitted black button-up and dark, high waisted slacks that really emphasized his waist and rear. He usually wore baggy clothing because he was self-conscious about his body, so putting it on display was rare for him. He had even replaced his usual ribbon with a sparkly black one. “You look good, Suguru. Really, really good.”
Suguru’s ears burned. “Thank you, Satoru. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
And it was true— Satoru looked annoyingly good in his crisp white shirt and navy vest like he had just stepped out of a magazine.
“Now let’s go,” Satoru said, hooking their arms together. “I want to show you off.”
After an hour of chatting with friends, Satoru managed to drag him onto the dance floor, ignoring his protests. Despite his initial reluctance, Suguru found himself smiling as Satoru spun him around and eventually held him close during the slow dance.
Suguru had to admit he had fun.
After a while, Satoru went to grab drinks for them, returning with two cups of punch. Suguru sipped on it as they moved towards the edge of the dance floor to chat. He didn’t even realize he had set the cup down until later when Satoru wandered off to say bye to one of his friends, leaving Suguru alone for a moment.
He spotted the cup on the table beside him and picked it up, noticing the surface was fizzing slightly as he raised it to his lips. He frowned, but his mind was elsewhere, so he drank it anyway.
Eventually, Suguru started to feel…off.
The lights seemed too bright and the music too loud. His thoughts grew a bit hazy and his legs felt unsteady.
He tried to look for Satoru, but he couldn’t focus, and instead stumbled out into the hallway in search of the restroom.
He didn’t make it far before someone stepped into his path.
“Geto.”
Suguru blinked, trying to focus on an unfamiliar alpha in front of him. He might have been an upperclassman who once tried to ask him out, but he wasn’t sure.
“You okay? You look a little out of it,” the alpha said, feigning concern.
“I’m fine,” Suguru mumbled, trying to sidestep him, but the alpha moved to block his way.
“Come on, I’m just trying to help,” the alpha said, reaching out to grab his arm. “Don’t be like that. Let’s go somewhere private. Maybe you drank too much.”
Suguru wanted to say the drinks weren’t even alcoholic, and he wanted to punch the guy in his face for his audacity, but he felt so weak.
The alpha steered him towards an empty classroom nearby, closing the door behind them.
Suguru’s head was spinning, his mind growing more and more cloudy, like he was going to pass out at any moment. Something was wrong, he knew that much, but his body wasn’t cooperating. His limbs felt sluggish as he tried to push the alpha away.
“Don’t touch me,” he grumbled. Even his voice sounded weak. He hated it.
The alpha ignored him, gripping his wrist and twisting him around so his hips were pressed against the edge of the desk, his arms splayed out to keep himself from collapsing. The alpha leaned in close, his hot breath brushing against Suguru’s neck as he tugged off the ribbon tied around his throat.
“This thing’s cute,” the alpha sneered. “But it’s not going to stop anyone from getting to your mating gland. You should have worn a real collar if you really didn’t want anyone claiming you. You’re just asking for it at this point.”
Suguru flinched as the alpha tossed his ribbon aside, leaving his mating gland exposed. He felt panic build in his chest, but his body felt like it was made of lead.
“You’ve got Gojo all over you,” the alpha said, sounding annoyed. “He’s been scent marking the hell out of you. It’s everywhere— on your clothes, your skin, your hair. It’s like he’s trying to warn everyone to back off.”
Suguru tried to kick his leg back to push the alpha away, but he couldn’t.
The alpha laughed, all snarky and mean, his hands gripping his hips as he pressed against him. “But here’s the thing— he hasn’t actually claimed you, has he? No bite… No bond… Hell, no one’s ever even seen the two of you hold hands, let alone kiss. So as far as I’m concerned, you’re still free game.” He leaned in closer, his lips ghosting over his ear. “And if I knot you and bite you and claim you first, there’s nothing he can do about it—”
And then, all at once, his suffocating presence was gone.
A loud crash came from behind him, followed by the sharp crack of a fist connecting with flesh.
Suguru turned around, his vision swimming, as he saw Satoru— Satoru— standing over the other alpha, his expression furious.
“You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve,” Satoru growled, his blue eyes icy with rage. He grabbed the alpha by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the desk.
“Satoru—” Suguru croaked, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of another punch.
The other alpha tried to stammer out an apology, but Satoru wasn’t listening. He kept slamming his fist into his face, over and over and over again. The air was thick with Satoru’s angry alpha pheromones, which only made Suguru’s head spin even more. There was blood on Satoru’s knuckles and blood dripping from the other alpha’s face—
If Satoru continued with what he was doing, Suguru was genuinely terrified he would kill the other guy.
“Satoru, stop—” His voice shook as he stumbled forward, placing a hand on Satoru’s shoulder.
Satoru froze, his arm cocked back and chest heaving, as he glanced at Suguru.
Suguru’s face was pale and he was sure he was trembling. Satoru’s anger melted away, concern taking its place.
“You okay?” Satoru asked, voice quiet.
“I…I think he put something in my drink,” Suguru said, tightening his grip on Satoru’s shoulder. “But I’m okay. Just…stop. He’s not worth it.”
Satoru’s jaw clenched before he loosened his hold and stepped back, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself down. He bent over to pick up Suguru’s discarded ribbon, holding it out to him.
Suguru took it with shaky fingers, but Satoru wasn’t done— he took his hand into his own, squeezing tightly.
“Let’s get you out of here, Suguru.”
Suguru nodded, letting Satoru guide him out of the room.
Satoru ended up getting suspended for a few weeks. The school couldn’t forgive him even if he did it in Suguru’s defense— not with the way he left the other alpha bruised and bloodied. That guy ended up being expelled.
When Suguru apologized to Satoru for the whole situation, Satoru just scoffed.
“I would do it again, Suguru. In a heartbeat.”
On the day Satoru was supposed to leave, he found Suguru by his locker.
“Hey,” Satoru greeted him.
“Hey,” Suguru replied, eyes dropping to the floor.
He still felt guilty.
Satoru shrugged off his varsity jacket— the one he always wore— and held it out to him.
“Here.”
Suguru blinked. “Huh? Why are you giving me this?”
“Because,” Satoru said, stepping closer and cupping his cheek in his free hand. “I’m not going to be here for a while, and I need to make sure everyone knows who your alpha is.”
Suguru’s face turned a deep scarlet, but he took the jacket anyway.
“Wear it for me, Suguru,” Satoru said softly. “Yeah?”
Suguru slipped it on. It was slightly too big for him, the sleeves hanging slightly past his wrists, and the shoulders just a tad wide, but it was warm and it smelled just like Satoru— sweet, electric, and comforting.
“You look perfect,” Satoru said, stepping even closer.
Before he could think of even responding, Satoru leaned in and kissed him.
Suddenly, it didn’t matter that there were other students all around them. Nothing mattered but Satoru. Satoru and his warm lips, pressing against him insistently, coaxing him to kiss back. And when he realized what was happening— he did. He melted into the kiss, throwing his arms around Satoru’s shoulders as Satoru wrapped his arms around his waist. A low rumble came from Satoru’s chest as he nipped at his lips, eventually parting, both of their cheeks flushed and red.
Suguru was acutely aware of the silence that had fallen over the hallway, and his face burned even more after realizing everyone was staring at them.
Satoru didn’t care. If anything, he looked entirely pleased, draping his arm around him as he grinned at the crowd.
“Yeah, that’s right!” Satoru said loudly. “He’s mine. And if any of you even think about putting the moves on him, just know I’m ready to get suspended again. Bet on it.”
Suguru groaned. “You’re the worst,” he lied.
Satoru just laughed and pulled him closer, kissing his cheek. “You love it.”
He did.
Somehow, he did.
Satoru told him the suspension was one of the best things that happened to him.
“You’re not supposed to be enjoying this,” Suguru said, arms crossed as he stood in the doorway to Satoru’s home.
“Why not?” Satoru asked, moving to his couch. “You’re here, aren’t you? It’s like a vacation.”
Suguru stepped inside, setting his bag down. “I’m not here to entertain you. I just…I don’t know.”
Satoru smiled. “You came to see me.” He reached out, tugging lightly on the tail of his ribbon. “So sweet. You should come every day, Suguru.”
Suguru…wasn’t opposed to that.
Suguru would walk to Satoru’s house after classes with the pretense that he was dropping off schoolwork for him to keep up with. Which, frankly, was completely unnecessary because Satoru, somehow, always knew everything.
If it rained, Satoru would send a car to pick him up. He found himself looking forward to it. Satoru would open the door before Suguru could even knock, like he had been waiting for him all day.
They tried to study sometimes, but it didn’t last long. Satoru’s attention span was too short when it came to him, and Suguru was too easily persuaded by Satoru.
Satoru’s hands always seemed to find their way to him, with either a casual touch on his arm or a slow, deliberate slide around his waist.
…They ended up making out every time.
One afternoon, Suguru was flipping through a textbook when Satoru spoke. “You don’t have to read that right now, you know? I can think of some better ways to spend the afternoon.”
“Like what? Watching another movie you won’t pay attention to?”
Satoru crawled over to him. “Something like that.” He reached out, brushing his fingers against his cheek before he tugged at his ribbon.
Suguru stiffened. “Stop doing that.”
“Why?” Satoru asked, sitting back on his heels. “You know you don’t have to wear it here. It’s just us.”
“It’s not proper, Satoru. An omega shouldn’t be walking around with their mating gland exposed. It sends the wrong message.”
Satoru frowned. “You aren’t walking around. You’re sitting on my bed. With me. Alone.”
“I’m supposed to wear it.”
He could feel Satoru’s gaze on him. “I get that, Suguru,” he said, a little quieter. “But, you know…I’m not going to bite you or anything. Not without your permission.”
Suguru didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
He leaned in and kissed Satoru softly, slow at first to make Satoru forget what they were just talking about.
Satoru was quick to respond, his hands sliding around his waist, pulling him closer until he was sitting in his lap. Satoru’s lips moved against his, his tongue licking at the seam of his mouth until Suguru parted his lips. Suguru groaned into his mouth as the kiss deepened.
Satoru’s hands wandered, one resting firmly against his hip, rubbing against an exposed patch of skin, while the other hand found its way to the nape of his neck, brushing just below the ribbon’s knot.
Suguru shivered, his heart rate picking up as Satoru peppered kisses along his jaw and neck.
“You’re not playing fair,” Suguru said breathlessly.
“Who said I’m playing?” Satoru teased, his teeth scraping against the edge of his ribbon. “I’m dying to know what it feels like. What you taste like.”
“Too bad,” Suguru murmured.
Satoru chuckled, leaning back just enough so their eyes met. “One day,” he said. “One day, you’ll trust me enough to take it off.”
Suguru hummed, pulling him back in for a kiss.
Satoru returned to school as if nothing had happened. His grin was huge with Suguru in his arms.
The message was clear: Suguru was his.
No one dared bother Suguru after that. Even the boldest alphas thought twice before approaching him. Satoru’s scent on him alone was enough to make it clear that Suguru wasn’t up for pursuit.
Time passed quickly, and suddenly graduation came and went. Suguru and Satoru ended up going to the same college. Satoru claimed it was fate, but Suguru knew better. Satoru and his family had their connections, and Satoru definitely made sure they wouldn’t be apart.
It was a new chapter of their lives, and though it came with its challenges, it also came with new freedoms.
Satoru had his own apartment off campus, and no matter how busy things got, he always made time for Suguru. He told Suguru he should just move in with him, but Suguru thought it was too soon. They hung out together frequently enough anyway. One evening, they were sitting together on Satoru’s bed. Suguru was cross-legged, his textbook open in front of him, while Satoru was sprawled out beside him, his attention firmly fixed on Suguru.
“You’re staring again,” Suguru muttered without looking up.
“Can’t help it,” Satoru replied, reaching out to fiddle with Suguru’s ribbon.
Suguru swatted his hand away. “You’re supposed to be studying.”
“I am,” Satoru said, propping himself up on one elbow. “I’m studying you.”
Suguru rolled his eyes. “Gross.”
Satoru chuckled, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek.
Things were starting to heat up lately. Satoru’s touches lingered longer, Suguru’s kisses growing bolder.
And his heat was coming up.
They hadn’t talked much about it, not since starting college and practically living together. Through high school, Suguru didn’t have many heats, especially since he presented so late, but when he did, he spent them alone at home.
Satoru was the one to broach the subject.
“I was thinking…” Satoru started, uncharacteristically nervous. “About your heat… if you’re comfortable with it, maybe we could spend it together?”
Suguru flushed. “I’ve been thinking about that too,” he admitted quietly.
“You have?” Satoru asked, eyes widening slightly.
“Mhm,” Suguru nodded. “I’m already on birth control, so we wouldn’t have to worry about that. And…I trust you, Satoru.”
Satoru smiled softly. “You know I’d never do anything you didn’t want, right? I’ll be there for whatever you need, but I don’t want to pressure you either.”
“I know,” Suguru said, returning his smile.
Satoru leaned forward, pressing the pads of his fingers against Suguru’s neck, right on top of his ribbon. “I won’t even take this off,” he promised. “Not unless you want me to.”
Suguru felt his cheeks heat up, but maintained his gaze. “You’re really fixated on that.”
“Can you blame me?” Satoru teased, leaning in to press a kiss to the edge of his ribbon. “You’re my omega.”
Suguru blushed harder. “Oh?”
Satoru’s chest rumbled as he purred, rubbing their cheeks together. “Come on, Suguru. You have to know that by now, right?”
He figured, but he never wanted to assume.
“You really want me, Satoru?” he asked. “You’re not just saying that because you want to sleep with an omega during their heat?”
He was joking, but Satoru stared at him, offended. “Suguru! I literally couldn't care less about other omegas. I only want you.”
Suguru cupped his face in his hands. “I know, Satoru.”
“Don’t say stuff like that,” he pouted.
“I just don’t want you to regret anything.”
“I won’t,” Satoru said confidently, pulling him into a reassuring kiss.
When Suguru felt the stirrings of his heat, he sent Satoru a text to give him a heads up before holing himself up in his dorm room, already prepared with extra blankets and pillows he thought he might need.
Satoru arrived just like he said he would with a bag filled with water bottles, snacks, and other essentials. He gave him a smile, closing the door behind him and stepping into the room with the ease of someone who had made himself at home in his space a long time ago.
“You sure, Suguru?” he asked.
“Yes,” Suguru said, holding out his arms and welcoming him into his nest.
He wasn’t sure about a lot of things, but he was sure about Satoru.
By the time his heat truly hit, it all started to blur together. He was feverish and filled with an overwhelming, aching need; his thoughts muddled and disjointed. He clung to Satoru instinctively, burying his face in his alpha’s chest and breathing in his comforting and familiar scent.
Satoru stayed close the entire time, his arms wrapped protectively around Suguru. His scent made Suguru’s mouth water and the area between his legs leak.
“You’re doing so good,” Satoru murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I've got you.”
He remembered feeling Satoru guide him onto his back. He remembered feeling his kisses all along the length of his body, his strong arms wrapping around him as his breaths came out in soft, uneven gasps. His mind was hazy with need, the air thick with his own scent, but also laced with Satoru’s.
“I got you, Suguru,” Satoru repeated, his voice sending a shiver down his spine.
He wanted more— needed more.
He barely registered the way he was clinging to Satoru, his fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, wanting him to take it off. The need was unbearable, twisting inside of him, making him press closer. He wanted relief and he only wanted it from him.
“Yes, Suguru,” Satoru breathed against his neck. “Only me. Only me.”
Suguru vaguely realized he was likely blabbering out loud, begging him for more.
Satoru kissed his way up his face until their eyes met.
“You’re beautiful, Suguru,” he murmured, stroking his thumb across his cheek. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”
Suguru whined. He didn’t know how to respond— couldn’t think past the haze of desire.
Satoru kissed him, slowly and deeply. He tasted surprisingly sweet to him, like the candy he would sneak in between meals, but there was something else beneath it— something that made his body sing.
Satoru’s first touch beneath his shirt made him gasp. Satoru swallowed that gasp with his mouth, his grip tightening as if he was barely holding himself back.
“Tell me what you need,” he whispered against his lips, voice rough.
“Satoru,” he pleaded. “Alpha, please. You know. You know—”
Satoru chuckled, brushing his nose against his cheek. “Yeah,” he admitted, kissing the corner of his mouth. “But I want to hear you say it.”
Suguru shivered as Satoru’s hands slid down his back, pressing against the small of it to pull him close. His body burned for more.
“Satoru, Satoru, Satoru—”
“Tell me,” he murmured, pressing his lips against the curve of his throat, right over his mating gland, over the thin fabric of his ribbon.
“Please,” he begged. “Fuck me, Satoru. Alpha.”
He could hear Satoru’s rumbling purr as his lips traced the outer shell of his ear. “Gonna take my time with you,” he said. “Make you feel so good you’ll never want anyone else.”
Suguru let out a choked moan, tangling his fingers in his hair to pull him down for another kiss— hotter and needier than before.
Then Satoru’s hands were everywhere, sliding over his body, mapping every inch of his heated skin.
By the time Satoru finally pushed inside him, the world blurred, pleasure eclipsing everything else. Suguru clung to him, his breath ragged, his body trembling as Satoru whispered filthy, reverent things into his skin— how perfect he felt, how good he was taking him, how he was made for this.
The heat was unbearable, and yet, with Satoru, it was everything he never knew he needed.
But then there were the bites.
When Suguru woke up at the end of his heat, his entire body ached. He blinked, his head a little fuzzy, as he turned to find Satoru sitting at the edge of the bed. He was shirtless, his entire back filled with crisscrossed scratch marks—
Oh.
He felt his face grow hot.
Satoru glanced over when he heard him shift.
“Morning,” Satoru said softly.
Suguru sat up, wincing at the ache between his legs, bits and pieces of the past few days flashing through his mind.
“What happened?” he asked.
“You don’t remember?”
“Not everything,” Suguru admitted, cheeks flushed. He remembered Satoru’s hands on him, his scent surrounding him, the way he murmured sweet words into his ear.
Satoru’s expression shifted. “Suguru… I didn’t… I mean, I tried to be careful.”
At first he was confused. Then he noticed the faint sting on his skin. He pulled back the blanket and saw the marks scattered across his shoulders, arms, and even his thighs— small, crescent-shaped indentations.
“You bit me,” Suguru said flatly. “A lot.”
Satoru winced. “Not your gland,” he said quickly. “I promised I wouldn’t. But it’s hard to resist when you’re like that, and—”
“It’s okay,” he said, laughing softly, his hand going to his neck. The ribbon was still there, but it was frayed, the ends tattered and barely holding together. “You definitely thought about biting here too, though.”
Satoru grinned, cheeks pink. “I mean, I think about that even outside of your heat, let’s be honest. And during it? My instincts were going crazy.”
Suguru shook his head, smiling. “It’s alright. We just have to be more careful in the future, especially during your ruts.”
Satoru paused, jaw dropping. “My ruts?”
Suguru nodded. “If we’re sharing my heats, shouldn’t we share your ruts?”
Suguru could hardly describe the joy on Satoru’s face. Satoru threw himself on top of him as if they hadn't already spent the last few days tangled together.
“Now can I fuck you outside of your heat?” Satoru asked.
“Incorrigible, truly,” Suguru laughed.
“That’s not a no.”
“That’s not a no,” Suguru agreed, spreading his legs and pulling him down for a kiss.
Later, they laid together in bed, Satoru cuddled against him, his nose pressed against Suguru’s neck. Their intermingled scents hung in the air and clung to the sheets. Suguru rolled to his side, removing his frayed ribbon and examining it. It was barely hanging together, and it was proof enough of Satoru’s self-restraint. His mating gland felt tender, as if it had been kissed, nibbled even, but never bitten.
“I should start wearing a collar,” he considered out loud.
Satoru, who had been absentmindedly stroking his back, froze. “What?”
“A collar,” Suguru hummed. “My ribbon’s not enough anymore.
Satoru propped himself up on an elbow. “Why?”
“Just to be safe,” he admitted.
Satoru’s lips pressed thin as he scanned his face. Then he shifted closer, holding onto his chin to tilt his face towards him.
“Would it really be so bad?”
Suguru blinked. “What?”
“If we bonded.”
Suguru blinked. He had thought about it of course, but…
“We’re still so young,” he said slowly. “You… I don’t want you to make a choice you’ll regret someday.”
Satoru scoffed, leaning over to nip at his cheek. “Stupid. You’re stupid,” he murmured. “I’ve wanted you since day one. I’ll want you forever. Why would I regret it?”
“Because you could have anyone you want,” Suguru said, looking away. “Because once we do this, there’s no going back.”
Satoru hissed, then— before Suguru could react— he flipped them over so Suguru found himself on back, Satoru’s arms caging him in. Satoru’s face hovered just inches above his, his expression serious in a way Suguru rarely saw.
“Suguru,” he said. “You’re all I’ll ever want. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”
Suguru’s breath hitched.
Satoru’s fingers brushed over his cheek, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear. His voice was softer when he spoke next.
“You know I love you, don’t you?”
Suguru’s heart thudded in his chest.
He did know. He had always known. But hearing it— having it said out loud, just like that, with no teasing, no games— made something deep inside him shiver with want.
He could sense Satoru’s scent tinged with happiness, warm like the sun against Suguru’s skin.
Satoru was so utterly in love that Suguru could feel it.
“…You mean that?” he asked.
Satoru pressed his forehead against Suguru’s. “Did you really think I’d just spend your heat with you if I didn’t care? If I didn’t love you?”
Suguru had no answer for that, because no, of course not. Satoru wasn’t like that. If he gave himself to someone, he gave them everything.
Satoru pulled back to look him in the eye again. “I love you,” he said, firmer this time. “And if I have to say it a million times until you believe me, I will. I love you. I love you. I love you—”
“I love you too,” Suguru said, his voice shaky. He reached up to tangle his fingers in his hair. “I love you, Satoru.”
Satoru grinned, leaning down to nuzzle against his jaw.
A few weeks had passed since they first shared his heat and confessed their true feelings to one another. Everything was the same, but everything was also different. There was something permanent about the way they orbited each other.
Suguru still wore a ribbon— a new ribbon, but a ribbon nonetheless. Even though Satoru always tugged at it when they kissed, like he wanted to undo it.
Even though Satoru clearly hated it.
That was why Suguru was so surprised when Satoru handed him a small, carefully wrapped box one afternoon.
“What’s this?” Suguru asked.
“Open it,” Satoru said instead of answering.
Suguru raised an eyebrow but did as he said.
Inside he saw a collar.
It wasn’t a thick, showy kind that some alphas insisted their omegas wear— the kind meant to display ownership.
This one was simple and elegant. It was a soft, black leather band that was smooth and comfortable, with a discreet silver clasp at the back with the initials G.S. engraved on it.
“I thought you didn’t want me wearing one,” Suguru said, though he was smiling.
“Yeah, well,” Satoru rubbed the back of his neck. “If it makes you comfortable… and happy… Then I want you to have it.”
Suguru would be the first to admit Satoru could often be loud and arrogant, but…he also knew he was soft when it came to him. He always had been.
He took off his ribbon and slipped the new collar around his neck.
“How does it look?” Suguru asked as Satoru stared at him, lips parted.
Something flashed in Satoru’s eyes. “Like you’re mine.”
Suguru didn’t miss the way Satoru’s scent wrapped around him, pleased and content, like he had done something right.
Satoru’s rut had come.
Suguru had prepared for it. He wasn’t naive. He knew ruts were slightly different from heats. He knew Satoru would be stronger than usual, and likely rougher than usual too. He knew his control would fray.
Satoru was a little restless at first, his hands searching for Suguru constantly, but he was still himself.
Then his rut hit with full force, and Suguru realized just how much Satoru usually held back.
Satoru’s entire body weight pressed him down as he touched him desperately, gripping, grabbing, just needing. His hands were everywhere. His mouth pressing kisses along the length of his body and sucking marks on his skin.
He was insatiable, and Suguru was his willing subject.
Suguru always thought Satoru was big, but he wouldn’t be surprised if something about his rut made him even bigger.
“Fuck,” he groaned when Satoru turned him around, forcing him onto his hands and knees before sliding deep inside of him with one hard thrust. Suguru was hot and dripping a combination of his own slick and Satoru’s spend, fingers digging into the sheets as Satoru thrust against him, his heavy balls slapping against his skin. He wasn’t even sure how many times he had come already, or how many times Satoru had come inside him. He was aching and sore, having been knotted a countless number of times already. He wasn’t even sure he would make it through Satoru’s entire rut without passing out. He had already woken up a few times from a quick nap to Satoru rutting against him.
But there was something about being in this position— something about presenting that sent Satoru into a whole different type of frenzy.
“Mine,” Satoru rumbled against him, nails digging into the sensitive skin of his waist, as he leaned down, pressing his chest to Suguru’s back. “Mine. You’re mine. My omega. Mine—“
Then he felt a sharp tug against his throat— a large amount of pressure— then a snap—
His collar.
Suguru barely had time to register the fact that Satoru had ripped through his collar before his lips were on his neck, dragging over the bare skin where his mating gland lay, exposed.
“Satoru—”
Satoru growled, a deep, primal sound, lips parting—
Suguru moved fast, shooting his hand up, slapping over his mating gland just as Satoru’s teeth closed down— right into the back of his hand.
He yelped in pain as Satoru’s body trembled over him, his breath hot and ragged against Suguru’s skin. Satoru groaned, tongue dragging over the bite, as if tasting the wound would soothe the frustrated instincts clawing at him.
Suguru shivered, gasping as Satoru sucked at the mark on his hand instead, like he was trying to convince himself it was enough.
It wasn’t.
But it had to be.
Right now it had to be.
Suguru wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that— Satoru draped over him, still fucking him, his lips moving from the wound on his hand to his shoulder, then to his throat, licking and mouthing at the spot he had wanted so badly to bite.
When Satoru’s rut finally ended, Suguru lifted his marked hand, staring at the imprint of Satoru’s teeth embedded deep into the skin.
Satoru shifted at his side. “Shit. Sorry.”
Suguru snorted, too exhausted to be mad. “For what? Biting me or ruining my collar?”
Satoru paused, considering. “For biting your hand. I can get you another collar.”
Suguru laughed softly, turning to face him. “And if you bit my mating gland?”
“I don’t think I would apologize for that,” Satoru admitted sheepishly.
Suguru couldn’t help but smile.
They were going to need a new collar. A stronger one.
Satoru got him a new, sturdier, reinforced collar. One meant to withstand an alpha’s strength even when they were their most desperate. It was less comfortable than Suguru was used to, but he only wore it during their mating cycles. It would work during Satoru’s rut, Suguru was sure of it. It was supposed to work during his heat too, but…
Satoru was holding him down, whispering sweet things against his burning skin as he pressed himself deep inside of him, giving him almost everything he needed.
Almost everything.
Every kiss and every touch was nice, but not enough.
Suguru’s body craved more. He craved his alpha on a deeper, more permanent level. His heat left him crawling with need, left him restless, whimpering, clawing at Satoru’s shoulders even as they rocked together, connected at the hips.
“Bite me,” he gasped.
Satoru stilled, his body tensing.
Suguru tangled his hands in Satoru’s hair, arching his back as Satoru’s knot filled him. “Please, please, alpha. Satoru—”
Satoru groaned, his grip tightening, almost bruising.
“No,” Satoru grit out. “You’re not thinking straight.”
“I am,” Suguru whined, panting, rubbing up against him desperately. “I need it. I need you to—”
Satoru growled a warning, an alpha sound demanding his compliance. Satoru brought his hands up to the heavy collar still locked around Suguru’s neck. Suguru trembled, baring his throat instinctively. His omega instincts were screaming at him— this was his alpha, his mate, why wouldn’t he claim him?
Satoru groaned again, muffled against Suguru’s sweat-damp skin, his lips pressing over the collar’s surface. “Stop looking at me like that,” he breathed. “You know I can’t—”
If Satoru wouldn’t do it, then he would, Suguru decided. His fingers reached up, fumbling with the clasp of the collar until it fell off with a click. Then Suguru tilted his neck, baring his mating gland, his scent spilling into the air, sweet and cloying and begging his alpha to claim him. Take him. Have him— mark him as his.
Satoru froze.
“Please,” Suguru whimpered. “Alpha—”
Satoru moved fast, and for a second Suguru felt elation at the thought that his alpha would claim him—
Then he felt the collar pressing back against his throat as Satoru refastened it with shaking fingers.
He didn’t understand.
His omega brain couldn’t comprehend why his alpha— his mate— was rejecting him.
Suguru whimpered again, curling in on himself, his hurt leaking into his scent.
“You… don’t want me?”
Satoru flinched. “You know that’s not true,” he ground out, holding on to him.
But in the state of mind Suguru was currently in, he didn’t. All he knew was he was begging for something that Satoru refused to give.
The rest of his heat passed as a feverish blur. He remembered flashes of Satoru’s face, but he looked unusually tense and strained as he held him and kissed him, like he wanted to devour him but wouldn’t.
When he eventually woke up, his body was sore, and the heavy collar was still around his neck, but the clasp felt loose— like Satoru had almost taken it off but stopped himself.
Like Satoru wanted to claim him just as much as Suguru had wanted to be claimed.
It kept happening over and over.
Suguru’s heat would come, and he’d beg for Satoru’s bite.
Satoru’s rut would follow, and he’d try to bite him.
The collars never lasted.
They went through dozens. Some ended up shredded in the fury of Satoru’s rut. Others ended up discarded during Suguru’s heat. Some were snapped clean in half, others barely clung together, ruined by teeth and claws.
Eventually they bought a reinforced, locked collar.
Satoru couldn’t rip this one apart with brute strength, no matter how wild he got, and Suguru couldn’t unlatch it himself during his heat haze.
And yet, during each cycle, they still ended up trying to convince each other to get the key.
“Alpha,” Suguru would whimper, squirming under him, and baring his throat, hoping to make Satoru go feral. “The key— please, get it. Unlock it. I want you to—”
Satoru would growl. “No.”
Then, their roles would reverse when Satoru’s rut would hit.
“Let me in, baby,” Satoru would grunt, thrusting deep, nuzzling against Suguru’s collar like an animal. “Where’s the key, huh? I know you have it.”
“No,” Suguru would breathe, tilting his head back to deny him, resisting, even as his own omega instincts screamed at him to give in.
It was the same thing over and over again. It was a cycle of desperation and self restraint that left them starving. Because despite the way Suguru craved Satoru’s mark, and despite the way Satoru’s entire being seemed to scream at him to claim what was his—
It felt too soon. They were young— just college students, and mating was permanent. A life altering decision.
Suguru knew he wouldn’t want anyone else, but what if things changed? What if, years down the line, Satoru regretted it?
It was thoughts like those that prevented him from getting the key everytime Satoru begged to bite.
So they continued to resist their instincts. Neither of them gave in. Not yet.
It happened during their senior year of college. They held back for years. People questioned them too.
“Why not just mark each other?”
“You two are obviously going to be together forever— what’s the point in waiting?”
Even they questioned it.
But Suguru had his insecurities. And Satoru, despite his desperate wanting, would never try to force his claim. Would never try to make Suguru do something he didn’t want to.
Eventually, it became too much.
Suguru could feel the way it gnawed at Satoru’s alphas instincts— He understood the way he felt because Suguru felt that way too. Felt as if something was missing.
Their bond was missing. It felt like it should have existed already— tethering them together.
They had been together for years, and weren’t bonded.
He could see it wearing on Satoru more and more. He would notice how his scent would turn bitter when Suguru was gone too long or when he returned to their newly shared apartment after a day apart and it didn’t smell like each other. He would notice it in the way Satoru would tense whenever another alpha looked at Suguru for too long, because though Suguru was his, he wasn’t his. Not in the way he wanted.
Suguru had enough too.
Because Satoru was Satoru. He was beautiful, smart, talented— And other people were drawn to him too. Despite the fact that Satoru only had eyes for Suguru, it still bothered him when people tried to flirt with him… When people tried to steal him away. And the worst part was— they could.
Because he didn’t bear Satoru’s mark— and Satoru didn’t bear his.
Suguru had enough.
Their cycles had started syncing over the years. It was inevitable, really. They had spent so much time together, tangled up in each other’s scents and bodies. What had once been separate heats and ruts had slowly started aligning until they were completely in sync.
And so, mere weeks before graduation, Suguru decided it was time.
He wanted this. He wanted Satoru.
So he sat him down and told him.
“I want to bond with you.”
There was a beat of silence while Satoru just stared at him.
Then Satoru was on top of him, pinning him to the couch, his hands gripping his waist, face buried in his neck as he pressed kisses to his skin.
“Are you serious?” Satou murmured, lips dragging over his uncovered mating gland. “You mean it?”
Suguru laughed, holding on to Satoru’s back in a tight hug, wrapping his legs around him. “Yeah. I mean it.”
A deep, pleased sound rumbled from Satoru’s chest. He felt Satoru’s hands tug at the bottom of his shirt, slipping beneath the fabric, his touches frantic and possessive.
“Gonna bite you right now,” Satoru muttered, kissing up his jaw, nipping at his earlobe.
“No, you’re not,” Suguru said, still laughing as he pushed lightly at Satoru’s shoulders, but Satoru was immovable.
“Yeah, I am,” Satoru said, sounding serious.
Suguru let out a pleased exhale when Satoru licked a stripe up his throat before his lips latched onto his pulsepoint, sucking gently. “No,” Suguru said, trying not to moan. “At the beginning of our next cycle. Let’s do it then.”
Satoru whined, his hold tightening. “That’s so far away.”
“It’s only a few weeks.”
“Too long,” Satoru groaned dramatically. “I’m in agony, Suguru. I’m in Suguru withdrawal. My fangs ache. I want to bite you.”
Suguru rolled his eyes, smiling as he ran his fingers through Satoru’s hair, scratching at his scalp lightly until he melted against him. “We waited this long,” Suguru murmured. “We can wait a little longer, right? Do it properly.”
Satoru huffed but didn’t argue. Instead he pressed a long, lingering kiss against Suguru’s mating gland before lifting himself up to look at him.
“Fine,” Satoru said, pretending to sulk, but his scent gave away his joy.
Suguru breathed it in and smiled.
Suguru got rid of all of his collars. He wouldn’t need them anymore.
When the time came, it was perfect.
Their bodies fit together like they were always meant to.
They had done this so many times before— held each other through their heats and ruts, their bodies molded as one every time they fell apart and came back together again— but this time was different.
This time there was no resistance. There was nothing between them.
No restraints. No barriers.
No collars.
Satoru held him by the waist, pulling him close. His scent was hot and thick, wrapping around Suguru like a blanket, filling his lungs, sinking into his skin. His lips traced every inch of Suguru’s body, remapping the angles and curves he already knew by heart, eventually lingering over the sensitive gland at his nape.
Suguru arched beneath him, the desperate, instinctual need to be marked taking over every thought.
He didn’t even have to say anything.
Satoru knew.
“Suguru,” Satoru murmured, his voice rough. “Let me.”
Suguru didn’t even hesitate.
“Yes.” He tilted his head, baring his throat, submitting to his alpha.
Satoru bared his fangs, leaning down, and sinking his teeth right into his mating gland.
Immediately, Suguru cried out as pleasure and relief spread through his body so intensely he trembled. The bond flared to life, rushing between them.
Satoru growled as Suguru’s blood filled his mouth, licking at the wound he left behind.
Then he turned his head, presenting his own mating gland to Suguru.
Suguru dragged his lips over Satoru’s neck, feeling the pulse beneath his skin, and— he bit back.
Satoru shuddered, groaning, his fingers flexing where they pressed against Suguru’s back, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them.
The bond snapped into place, locking them together in a way that went beyond anything they had ever experienced before.
Suguru could feel everything. He could feel Satoru’s love, his devotion, his unwavering adoration for him wrapping around his very soul.
It made him feel whole.
Satoru was looking at him with his eyes half-lidded and glowing bright blue, his lips parted, pupils blown wide.
“You’re mine, Suguru,” he said. “Completely now.”
Suguru smiled.
“And you’re mine.”
Suguru didn’t need a collar anymore. He sure as hell didn’t need a ribbon. He didn’t need any of that, not when he was wearing Satoru’s mark on his neck.
Suguru didn’t need anything else.
He belonged to Satoru.
And Satoru belonged to him.