I'm here, and I'm Smueer!

Enjin has been frustrated all day, there’s an annoying buzz lingering in the back of his mind that he just can’t get to go away. Due to the increased frustration he’s been a bit snappy with the others so now he’s trying to pass the time in his room to avoid upsetting anyone. “Dude what the hell is wrong with me?” He groans loudly into the emptiness of his room. Flopping onto his stomach he attempts to close his eyes and sleep this annoying day off. That’s when he feels it. The tell tale feeling of a dampness in his underwear that brings with it the sudden dread and realization.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me…” He sits up harshly and unbuckles his pants some to push his hand between his legs. When his fingers meet the dampness he knows he’s done for, or at least these underwear are. Pulling his hand away he glares at the reddened tips of his fingers. “Son of a bitch!” he tosses a pillow from his bed at the wall groans before getting up and stomping off to the communal restrooms. Each second he takes getting there is another agonizing minute he can see the dampness grow and make him feel even worse.

After cleaning up and applying a fresh sanitary pad he is laid out in his bed again. He’s changed his clothes completely, sleeping pants and his usual reg pull over. If he’s going to suffer he might as well be comfortable while doing it. He’s trying to keep his mind off it, he doesn't even know why he still has this bullshit, he’s gone so long without having one and now here it comes worse than ever to ruin his week. Enjin sighs in frustration, ‘gotta get my mind off it’ he thinks and places a finger to his choker.

A few chirps breaks your concentration on your reading. “Hello?” You answer.

“Sweets, can you come hang out with me tonight? Feelin shitty.” Enjin asks on the other line.

“Feeling shitty? You doing okay? Want me to grab you some soup or something?” You ask sitting up. You hear him lightly laugh on the other end.

“Not that kinda shitty but I appreciate the thought. Just come to my room, I wanna see you.” And with that he hangs up. You wonder exactly what’s eating him, he’s usually always so relaxed. ‘Not everyone can be happy all the time.’ You figure. With a shrug you gather a few things to bring for the night.

When you knock on Enjin’s door you are shocked how quickly he answers it. “Come cuddle with me in the ‘I don’t wanna have sex right now’ way.” He grumbles tugging you inside. You snort at his words but comply anyway, placing your bag down and sliding onto his bed.

“Pretty sure for most people that’s the normal way hon.” You joke sitting up against his headboard and patting your lap. Enjin crawls onto the bed too and lays his upper body on your legs, head resting on your stomach. You slowly card your fingers though his messy hair running your nails along his scalp. “Well for me it’s not.” He pouts indignantly resting his hands on his stomach trying to relax into you. You leave it at that and just continue massaging his scalp while watching his face. Normally it only takes a minute or two of this to get him so comfy he falls asleep with his eyes open but you can’t help but notice the seemingly permanent crease in his brow and how tight his jaw is clenching.

“Enjin, are you in pain?” You ask head tilted. The man sighs and opens his eyes again. He looks at you with an expression that says he doesn’t wanna talk about it. “Okay.” You relent and just keep as you were. About thirty minutes later you hadn’t noticed you were the one that dozed off until Enjin’s cursing wakes you as well as him shifting out of your lap. “Mmn. Everything okay?” You ask, rubbing your eyes. He stomps toward the door and yanks it open before turning back to you.

“Everything is fine!” He snaps before slamming the door behind him. Is… is he mad at you now? The whiplash of emotions seems so strange coming from Enjin, he’s usually so relaxed. Trying not to take his snapping personally you draw your attention to random things on his walls. After a few brief minutes the door is opening again and Enjin is shuffling back in oddly quiet. Looking at you for a moment his face twists in what you can make out as guilt. “…Sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” He mumbles.

“It's okay, being uncomfortable makes me cranky too.” You pat the spot beside you offering him to take the space. When he returns to the bed he sits up against the headboard with you. Pulling you to him and resting his head on yours he tried to get comfortable with little success. Enjin pauses for a moment to think. He should probably just tell you but getting into it makes him a little dysphoric. He already hates what’s happening, he really doesn’t want to mention it right now, still it’s not like you wouldn’t understand. In all the back and forth in his mind he doesn’t notice your hand slip into his until you squeeze it.

“I’m sorry you don’t feel good, Enjin. Anything you want besides cuddling? I can go grab your favorite take out. Or is your stomach upset?” You ask, looking at the man with a clear expression of worry. Okay he can’t keep you anxious like this.

“S’not my stomach Sweets, it’s my…period.” He mumbles squeezing your hand back. “Didn’t wanna tell you because I don’t really like talking about it.” He admits. "I haven't had one in a long time, kind of snuck up on me.” A look of realization takes over your features.

“Oh.” You turn your face forward again. “Okay yeah that makes sense.” You note casually. That explains why he was so horny he last week and how irritable he’s been today. “You want to watch a movie?” You change the subject. Enjin can’t help but laugh but nods.

For the rest of the week you stuck by Enjin’s side. When his cramps radiated to his lower back you rubbed it for him and brought your heating pad. When he got headaches you passed him water without a word. And when his hormones shifted and he did want you to touch him you delivered happily.

“You sick of me yet big guy?” You hum jokingly as you trail kisses along his tattooed neck. Enjin chuckles and rolls his eyes. His long fingers trail up your thigh and rest on the curve of your lower back.

“Sick of you? Never.” He replies simply resting his forehead to your shoulder. Enjin feels incredibly lucky to have a partner like you. He didn’t think he’d ever find someone willing to put up with every side of him, not just his confident and laid back side. You so effortlessly adapt to his vulnerabilities and do what you can to soothe his mind. “I owe you a lot for this week.” He sighs into your skin.

Shifting to pull apart from him you cup his cheeks softly. “You don’t owe me anything Enjin.” You press another kiss to his lips. “I just want you. All of you.” You kiss him again which Enjin wastes no time deepening, craning his body over yours causing you to giggle into his lips.

“I’m yours then.” He confirms with a smirk. No matter how bad he ends up feeling, you’ll be there to help him feel more like himself.

Y'all this is a warning, there is a new scam going around. It starts with an account that looks like normal user accounts messaging you saying that they have reported your account for any number of reasons.

If you get something like this please immediately block and report them, because they are using this method to try and get you to exit your account and then completely blocking your from your account.

My friend has lost her entire account with no point in trying to recover it, they even got into her email. She thankfully got the email fixed but her account is lost now, she has no way of entering it again, and even using other devices haven't helped.

Please stay safe and spread the word 💜💜

One would think that for a leader of an entire platoon of people, a person who brought others together, an unofficial father of a handful of kids, Enjin would have come up with a better strategy on how to court his forever crush.

You simply shrugged, looking him dead in his honey eyes. Making a conscious effort not to laugh yourself out of character.

"You realize all the things I fixed about you that I haven't told you about?"

The magazine fell out of Semiu's hands with a soft thud on the table. She wished she had a camera to film the disastrous expression as it broke apart what used to be a confident smirk.

Enjin peeled himself off the desk, palms tapping against the wooden surface. He never expected you to give him a strong dose of his own medicine. He never expected to love like you more for putting him in his place like that.

"Oh, hell no," Enjin coughed, trying to disperse the lump in his throat. So much for his clever strategy. "Damn, that's...that's crazy."

Semiu stared at you with the reverence of a fanatic worshipper. "Wow. You broke him."

"She didn't—"

"She did—"

"I don't think I'm given the credit that I deserve here for being a better man every day."

You turned to him fully, a hint of a smirk dancing at the corners of your lips. Enjin's orbs fell on your lips for the shortest second, thinking you'd finally, finally, ease into his trap, and then—

"I give you a lot of credit, En'," you nodded, luring him in with a sheepish bat of your eyelashes. "That's why you never realized."

Enjin didn't speak to either of you for the rest of the day.

Bonus:

Like any rational best friend, you decide to pay Enjin back for his game. That's why you approached him in the common room, amidst the chaos of another party. You caught him alone, just as he refilled his glass with another round of beer.

You tapped on his triceps lightly, and part of Enjin hated how fast he recognized the warmth of your fingers on his tattoos. He truly meant to keep up his butthurt act, but couldn't, not when he saw the soft smile lighting up your face.

"Hey, hottie," Enjin chuckled, tilting his head to acknowledge you. "Came to apologize for earlier?"

Dickhead.

"Actually," you muttered, fumbling with your fingers. Any other sane person would have seen right through your act. Not your loverboy. Not that you would know Enjin was your loverboy. "I hoped to clear the air between us."

You almost felt bad for what you were about to say when you caught the glimpse of tenderness flashing through his eyes. You chose to ignore it; if you had heeded it, you knew your heart would race a million miles per hour.

"Yeah?" He said, voice lowering an octave. "What about?"

"What expectations do you think I've lowered to be your friend?"

The glass Enjin was holding shattered like a bomb against the floor.

>> Gris: he couldn't continue with his joke because you were too sincere

Gris really shouldn't have listened to the youngsters. He shouldn't have allowed himself to be convinced that some trends (which were objectively wrong in his mind) would be a good idea to try out, with his partner, nonetheless.

That's what he got for loitering around with the Akuta team when you were out on assignments.

"Come onnnn, Gris," Riyo taunted, half a smirk accompanying her words. "She's witty, you know she's gonna like that for a change."

Enjin blew the nicotine out of his lungs. "Bet. I do it all the time with my vice-captain."

Gris snorted. "And how well did that turn out?"

"That's besides the point."

"That's the entire point," Gris stressed, feeling a premature headache kicking in. "While she has a great sense of humor, I just don't see why I would—what was that again—ragebait her."

Amo rested her chin in her hands, eyeing Gris with a stern look. "Sometimes, these conversations help you deepen your bond with your partner! Amo thinks it's worth experiencing these situations with your lover."

Zanka folded his arms over his chest. Maybe Amo swayed him more than she managed to sway Gris, but he'd never admit that. "Could be worth trying."

In the end, Gris accepted the proposal with half a heart. He found you in your shared room, shortly after you had returned from your mission with team Beauty. You had just showered and changed into comfier clothes for the night.

"Hello, handsome," you greeted, and wanted to rush into his arms, but stopped in your tracks when you noticed the crease on his forehead. "Something happened?"

Gris hesitated for a moment. "I wanted to ask you something."

You braced yourself for a nightmare to come. "Yes, sure. Anything."

The sooner he got it over with, the better.

"What's something you think I just had to accept about you?"

You blinked at his words, trying to make sense of his question. You nodded and sat down on the bed, and Gris hoped he would just be buried 6 feet under because he couldn't stand that stretching silence.

"Well," you said, peeking up at him. "I have no choice but to be honest here."

"Wait, flower—"

"I am absolutely not perfect, and I have been a class A bitch to you the entire week because I'm getting my period."

Gris opened his mouth to say something. He closed it right back, fair eyebrows furrowed. You continued, your voice picking up the pace.

"I made you run around to get me my favorite snacks and some fucking stupid foundation all the way in Canvas because Rudo knocked mine over and spilled it. I am so sorry for yelling at you because you accidentally stepped on my toe, I know you were just trying to get Guita's cat down from the tree—"

"Sweetheart—"

You were absolutely relentless.

"And I have to confess I ate the last two slices of pizza tonight and I absolutely meant to keep them for you, but I was so fucking hungry—"

Gris took a step closer to where you were gesturing vaguely through the air. "Sweetheart, wait—"

"And your favorite pair of boxers has a fucking hole in it because I accidentally washed it at a high temperature with the other clothes—"

You stopped rambling when Gris knelt beside the bed and grabbed your hands in the comfort of his big ones. Much to your surprise, he was grinning ear to ear.

"It was supposed to be a joke."

You just stared at him with a dumbfounded expression.

"What was?"

"I was supposed to ragebait you."

Silence. Utter, monumental silence. Then, you burst out in hearty laughter, falling over in Gris's arms.

"That is absolutely not how ragebaiting works, baby," you managed through laughter hiccups. "I thought you were mad at me!"

"I'm not mad at you, love. Couldn't be," Gris chuckled and pulled back just enough to cradle your face. "I'm glad I asked, though. Didn't we agree you'd tell me when your chest got heavy?"

You leaned into his touch. "Not even that I destroyed your favorite boxers?"

"Stupid boxers," Gris pressed a kiss to your forehead. "I'd do anything for you. I'm sorry are two words you'll never have to say to me. Although..."

You always knew Gris was a fast learner. He winked at you.

"I am a bit hungry now."

>> Bro Santa: he hoped he'd pop out the M question, and he didn't know how

One could just say that Bro Santa did not really have the best ragebait-o meter when it came to the Cleaners.

While playing poker on their usual boys' night, he listened to Enjin getting absolutely blasted by his longtime secret crush, and on the other hand, he listened to how wholesome Gris's interaction turned out to be.

Your relationship with Bro Santa was nothing short of divine. He adored how laid back you were, how you always seemed to find the right words to say, how you were always the funny one in the couple. You knew how to balance him out, how to care for the children like they were your own.

There was never anyone else for Bro Santa. Everyone and their mothers knew that. Not that he cared to hide it, anyway.

"So," Enjin said, drawing a new flop from the deck. "When's the wedding? Hope we're invited!"

"Have you asked her yet?" Gris doubled the pot. "I know you were planning for it."

"Not yet. But you guys gave me the best idea."

A couple of days later, the Cleaners organized a film night on the rooftop of HQ. Bro Santa found you sitting on a secluded blanket and handed you the margarita you had requested.

"Thanks, babe," you smiled and made space for your big man to sit beside you. Bro Santa leaned on his side, propped against one elbow to angle his head in your direction. His other hand lay leisurely in the pocket of his pants, allegedly, like he wasn't holding on to that velvet box for dear life. "Where are the kids?"

His eyes softened. You were so beautiful under the twinkle of the night sky. "Enjin's keeping an eye on them for the moment. I wanted to enjoy a quiet moment with you. I missed you while we were away."

"Oh?" You challenged and nudged his foot with yours. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had something to hide."

In case Bro Santa needed any sign that you were meant to be his wife. You read him like an open book.

"Nothing to hide really," but he bet you could see right through his white lies. "I wanted to ask you something."

You never anticipated what his ulterior motive was, even though you couldn't shake the feeling that he was, in fact, hiding something.

"Okay, color me intrigued. Tell me."

Bro Santa took a sharp breath. "Is our relationship good, or have you just never had any better?"

You almost laughed in his face. He'd tried those tactics with you before, so you decided to play along.

"I'm afraid I never had any better," you replied, feigning ignorance. "The last guy cheated on me, so the bar is with the trash beasts."

Bro Santa laughed. Nervous laughter, all things considered. The line between farce and truth seemed thinner than ever.

"But that doesn't mean our relationship is not good, right?"

You took another sip of your drink. "Mm, how would I know now, really?"

You expected him to quip back. Say something smart, play dead, scoff, or any reaction that you knew he would give back. You panicked a little when he didn't and remained quiet instead.

"Mi amor," you began and snuggled closer to him, keeping your eyes cemented on his, "I was kidding. You are all the wishes I blew candles on and all the hopes I've had for a better future. Of course, I don't think our relationship is good because it is the best."

When Bro Santa stood up, panic turned into fear that he rejected you, that you struck a sensitive cord. You watched him get down on one knee, and your brain couldn't process his actions out of the fear drumming in your chest.

"That's a relief," he started, tiny cracks surfacing in his voice, fingers trembling when he opened the velvet box. You covered your mouth in shock. "Because I want, I hope, you'll grant me the pleasure of building our future as one, mi cielo."

Tears pooled in your eyes.

"Will you—"

You threw your arms around his neck, overwhelmed by a proposal you never saw coming. Not like that anyway.

"Yes," you breathed, sobbing in the crook of his neck. "Yes, I will. You're a psycho."

Bro Santa held you close, kissing the crown of your head. "You're the psycho. You almost got me there."

"Who even ragebaits their girlfriend into marriage?"

He choked through laughter. "Well, it's actually a funny story."

>> August: when ragebaiting turns into unrequited confessions

There seemed to be a trend going around the HQ.

August paid little attention to whatever people did or said around those parts because he had a handful of costumes to make for the Doll Festival. When he was in the zone, there was nothing that could really, truly, make him lose his focus and redirect his attention.

Except, the ongoing trend was a tad too intriguing to ignore.

"It's just you're an asshole," Zanka declared, shoving an entire sandwich in his mouth. Even though Rudo was not the one to agree with him, he just had to for that particular statement. "If you think you can compare to Bro or Gris, you're delusional."

"Ouch?" Enjin scoffed, munching on a burger. "'m not an asshole. I just had a bad approach to it, it's all. We've declared war on each other now."

Rudo couldn't listen to Enjin's self-imposed narcissism. "You asked her if she would leave you to go with another attractive man she saw on the street, and you almost cried because she tossed you away."

"What's that about?"

Enjin would have to treat August for saving him from that terrible misery.

"Enjin's just too much of a coward to confe—"

Enjin kicked Zanka in the shin under the table, and the teenager almost hit him with the Lovely Assistaff.

"Hey Auggie," Enjin continued without a care in the world. "We're ragebaiting each other these days. Bro got engaged thanks to that!"

Since truths are often told through jokes, it seemed a reasonable approach August could use with you. It had a 50% success rate, after all. What was there to lose?

One afternoon later, August found you in the small HQ library. He didn't have to look too much for you, really; he knew all the places you liked in the HQ. You two had grown arguably closer during the past couple of months since you joined the Cleaners. And boy, were you everything August had hoped for in a muse.

Charismatic, smart, sassy, not taking shit from anyone, charming above all. For scientific reasons, of course. You never bit off more than you could chew. You never openly flirted with August, but you knew he preferred oily nuggets over salads. You never openly said you liked him, but you respected his craft enough that you boasted about it to everyone who'd care to hear.

You never got too close, but you always stopped by his studio before you left on a mission to say goodbye.

"If I was quieter, would you like me more, or less?"

You were startled by his voice that you stepped outside of the chair you were climbing on to get a book from a top shelf. August rushed over in time to catch you, and you both fell to the floor with a loud thump. You landed on top of him, his glasses and hair disheveled, and your hands resting on his clothed chest.

Perhaps you didn’t register your exact predicament when you opened your mouth to reply.

“Quieter how?”

August looked at you like you were speaking a different language. Surely you did, because you looked that much more like a literal goddess on top of him, head tilted to the side, that soft shade of lipstick shining like a goddamned calling home—

“I like my man loud, August.”

You blinked. He blinked. You sprung away from him, crawling next to the shelf, your face losing its lively color.

“No, wait, I didn’t mean—well, I did, but not quite—didn’t lie though—“

August had never been that quiet before. Not when his fat ass crush was rambling about her preferences in a man which just happened to be him. Not when his fat ass crush was at a loss for words.

That had never happened before.

“Fuck,” You concluded and jumped to your feet. You patted your clothes, looking anywhere but at the blonde man smirking at your feet. “Stop. Fuck. I have to go. Bye.”

August had raised the success rate of the newest strategy in town to 60%.

The mission had been simple. Rudo wanted the limited-edition caramel smoke bombs disguised as candy drops for a job, and they were expensive. His solution was even simpler: send Enjin to charm the vendor into giving them a discount. “You talk too much anyway,” Rudo had said, arms crossed. “Make it useful.” Enjin scoffed at first, but he went along with it. How hard could it be to flirt his way into cheaper sweets anyway?

Your candy stall stood somehow bright and colorful against the muted streets, glass jars PACKED with jewel-toned sugar drops and caramel sticks dusted in gold. You were carefully tying a red ribbon around a paper bag when Enjin approached…leaning casually against the wooden counter like he owned the place. He flashed you an easy and small grin and greeted you smoothly, his words with just enough charm to make it obvious what he was doing. Compliments had just rolled out effortlessly, playful and exaggerated, as he hinted at wanting something “a little sweeter” than just a sample.

You looked up at him calmly, not flustered in the slightest. If anything, you seemed amused. When he subtly steered the conversation toward discounts, you tilted your head and studied him for a moment before smiling. You told him you might consider lowering the price—but only if he told you his name. When he said “Enjin,” you repeated it thoughtfully, calling it cute in a tone that was far too casual. That single word made him pause, just for a fraction of a second.

You leaned forward over the counter, resting your chin omto your hand as you asked if he came here often. He answered smoothly, recovering quickly, trying to keep control of the interaction. But then you lowered your voice slightly and mentioned the “tall grumpy one” across the street who had been very obviously watching the entire exchange. Enjin went stiff. You smiled knowingly and pointed out that he could have just asked for a discount instead of performing rehearsed lines.

Before he could recover, you leaned in just a bit closer and told him he was much cuter when he wasn’t trying so hard. The words hit harder than any comeback he’d prepared. For once, Enjin didn’t have something clever to say. You handed him the bag of sweets…full price…and cheerfully informed him there would be no discount today, though maybe he could try again tomorrow without the “mission.”

When Enjin returned to Rudo, he was noticeably quieter than usual…shocked almost! He handed over the bag without a word. Rudo immediately noticed the unchanged total and narrowed his eyes. “You failed.” he stated flatly. Enjin stared straight ahead, jaw tight, and muttered something about an “unexpected counterattack.” Rudo blinked once, then sighed heavily in disbelief. From across the street, you waved sweetly at them. Enjin froze all over again, and Rudo followed his gaze before looking back at him.

“You’re going back tomorrow, aren’t you?” Rudo asked.

When you first met Enjin he had just joined up with the cleaners, young Riyo in tow. He wasn’t a standard Omega by any means, gruff and untrusting, holding himself much more in line with traditional Alpha standards. His scent was overwhelming a deep amber and cider when relaxed but a pitch and sour undertone when angry. You catch it when he snaps at you and that’s when you realize why he behaves this way.

You got too close to Riyo when introducing yourself. Overstepping with a pup he has been caring for. His protective and territorial nature flares which was more than likely a result of outside stressers. It’s not uncommon on the ground for Omegas to be treated as second class by shitty people in powerful positions so logically you figure Enjin was in such a situation at some point; clawing tooth and nail for his own protection. Likely Riyo’s too.

Enjin comes to you later apologizing half-heartedly and grumbles that he’s ‘working on it.’ You just smile and wave him off; “It’s already forgiven and forgotten.” And return to your book. His scent eases with the tension in his shoulders as he leaves.

Enjin ends up thinking of you as a typical Omega. Motherly and overbearing much to his displeasure. You watch yourself when around Riyo trying not to overstep into his role. So you end up doing your usual thing fussing over the younger cleaners and looking out for the older ones. You even ‘bother him’ (his words) about things he needs regarding scented items for his nest, suppressants, or making sure he’s eating well.

When his first heat, with the cleaners, looms his attitude is immediately worse. He’s snapping at more than just you and when he does snap at you it’s louder and meaner than before. Initially you just adjusted and tried not to bug him as much but at some point it felt like he was purposefully seeking you out to gripe at you over anything. Eventually it all came to a head when one of his outbursts left you in tears needing to excuse yourself to avoid others seeing you get emotional but your scent change is immediately noticeable to the rest of the room. Your usual buttery sweet scent or fresh bread and cinnamon swapped out for an acrid bitter scent like rotting apple peels.

Unfortunately for Enjin as the newcomer in an already established pack dynamic he was immediately reprimanded harshly for his behavior. Corvus was even notified of the incident by Semiu prompting him to have a meeting with Enjin to try and weed out the discord in his pack.

Corvus comes to talk with you after explaining more of Enjin’s situation, with his permission. Your initial analysis was confirmed. Enjin came from a sketchy background and his secondary gender status immediately labeled him as a tool or nuisance depending on the situation. Under immense stress and pressure he was forced into a state of constant frustration and kept on high alert for his own safety, likely Riyo’s too. Treated like a feral animal. Being in this constant state can spur an Omega’s protective nature fiercely causing them to lash out with aggressive strength and agility. Something the people keeping him under their thumb used to their own advantage. A weapon for killing.

Now with his heat just around the corner to throw all those intense feelings and memories in his face he just couldn’t keep it all in. Thinking about how you would feel after all that, you definitely understand why he’s been acting this way towards you. Enjin went from being abused for his nature to witnessing someone willfully and happily living with theirs. You who was safe and content as an omega and he who never got the chance to even explore that, much less live it. He must feel overwhelmed by the difference, he’s not used to having so many people around that don’t want something from him. He doesn’t trust any of you. Your constant pestering but feel like you’re taunting him.

After your conversation with Corvus you decide to take a different approach. You gave Enjin more space, wanting him to be as comfortable as possible. His heat passes without another incident. You still acknowledge him, still make sure he eats, but you don't do more than that. You don’t go out of your way to speak to him or seek him out to check in. Months go by like that.

You do start to gain a closeness to Riyo though much to your surprise. The girl was smart and observant, something you noticed when she first arrived. You compliment her on those qualities often. She notes many people don’t notice how she watches. You reply that you people watch too; you want to keep your pack happy so you take note of things they react to. You noticed she likes having meals with everyone, yearns for connection despite Enjin’s unfriendly demeanor.

After that she follows you around when she isn’t busy or with Enjin and you pretend not to notice, don’t bother glancing when Gris comments on your new shadow. One day Enjin comes looking for her and finds you both in the kitchen. You mill around cooking and Riyo sits on the counter talking like she’s known you forever. Your smile and gentle behavior irritates him but watching how comfortable Riyo is with you stirs something in him. A longing he can’t ignore, a feeling he can’t place perfectly and that irritates him too.

That night he comes to your room, just two knocks and you're answering. Always quick to come when needed. He rolls his eyes. When you take in his presence your smile falters only a bit but he notices. He leans on your door frame crossing his arms and doesn’t speak for a moment. When you open your mouth to ask he raises his hand to stop you. He gives it another beat before he breathes out a sigh though his nose. “I want you to teach me.” He glares at the other side of the door frame.

“I’m sorry?” You don’t understand at first.

He groans as he turns his eyes to you trying to ease his frustration. Looking at you like his request should have been obvious. “I want you to teach me how to be an Omega…how to care like you do.” He grumbles clenching and unclenching his hands. His scent reads angry but you do notice a hint of anxiety bubbling just under it. If you weren’t observant you wouldn’t have noticed it. He wants to change, he’s trying the best he can with what he was given.

You agree.

First things first you need an idea of what he does know. You sit him down in your room, you figure he wouldn’t want you in his space. You ask him about the time he first presented. He shuts that down hard. You ask if he has ever been scented by friends. He denies having any friends. You ask if he’s ever taken suppressants on a routine schedule. Never took them before coming here. You ask if he’s ever had a partner before. He lashes verbally but not as bad as usual.

“Well I guess we’ll start from the basics.” You smile at him patiently. You take a handkerchief out of your closet and press it against your wrist, rubbing it into the gland a little. You smell test it and when you’re happy with it you hand it over. “I know you don’t care much for me but scenting is something you’ll have to learn regardless of your status.” He takes the cloth in both hands and brings it to his nose. If he dislikes it he doesn’t comment about it. “Your scent lingers in every room you go into, everything you touch smells a little like you. That’s not necessarily bad but it’s common to have more control over the glands and how your scent gets distributed. Right now it comes off like you stake a claim to everything you touch, including people.” You explain. “While no one expects you to grovel to Corvus or anything you might end up sending the wrong message.” He nods.

“Okay… how do I fix that?” He asks, placing your handkerchief next to his on your desk. You don’t have to think about the answer.

“Practice.” You say simply. You nod to the handkerchief, “you can hang on to that, if you wash it in the sink for a few minutes the scent will come off. I only scented it a bit so it’s not so strong. The first couple times you’ll overdue it. So you might need a couple items to practice on. I can ask the others for some things.” Before he can fervently deny this it’s your turn to hold a hand up to silence him. “I’ll tell them it’s for me, I’ll have to make something up to get them not to scent them beforehand but I’ll figure it out. They won’t ask questions even if my excuse sounds dumb.”

“People really trust you huh?” He mutters. You nod.

“They’ll trust you too, they already do by default because Corvus trusts you. But your behavior so far has been a bit off putting.” You offer him a shrug. “Gris mentioned he wanted to get to know you better. He doesn’t want to push you though.” You roll your wrist as your hands move with emphasis to your words.

Her rubs the back of his neck as he looks towards the window. “Because I snapped at you.”

“Because you snapped at me.” You confirm. When he looks back at your eyes you can tell he wants to apologize. “Like I said, it's forgiven and forgotten.” You smile as you lean back on your hands.

He looks you over with a cautious gaze. “How do you do that? Forgive so easily.” He crossed his arms and leans flush into the back of the chair.

“It does me no favors to hold a grudge. The stress makes me stink and that makes me more stressed.” You fidget with your leg while speaking. “If I humble myself to see things from other’s perspectives it helps. Not everyone can be happy go lucky all the time.” You finish.

“You could have fooled me.” He snarks.

“Well you’re certainly testing that patience these days.” You tease, when his expression changes to surprise at your words you laugh. “Let’s move on to the next thing.”

~~~

You two spend the next several hours going over more basic Omega behaviors and general traditional leanings for all status types. You also end up explaining the common overlapping of the secondary genders. Mentioning how you mistook him for an Alpha at first is due to his general vibe before speaking with him. You explain there’s plenty of people who behave outside of the traditional dynamic and how that’s okay. Especially now a days.

You also provide examples of a few cleaners who don’t quite fit the mild when it comes to ‘traditional’ standards. Tamsy was by far the best example, elegant and pretty faced like an omega but cocky and assertive like an alpha. Then there’s Semiu who despite her Beta status is very commonly mistaken for an Alpha due to her bold confidence and fighting ability. Last example was Tomme. She was an Alpha who often took a back seat to conflict, more interested in her hobbies and work, much more go with the flow like a typical Beta you admired.

“What I’m getting at is; there’s so right way to be an Omega. I’ll be the first to admit I’m a cookie cutter example of ‘tradition’ but a part of that is just because of who I am as a person.” You open up. “I like to help out my pack, I like to feel needed. My secondary gender just happens to highlight those qualities.” Enjin notices how your brows crease as you think more on that. Your scent even tinges a bit sour.

“Does it bother you sometimes? Being an Omega?” He asks cautiously.

“…I’ve never been ashamed of it.” You give it a beat. “But sometimes I hate that I’m so predictable, so; unoriginal ya’know?” You look him over. “I think that’s why I wanted to get to know you better too. Maybe the fact that you’re so against the grain interests me.” You admit with a sigh. “That’s the selfish part of me that wants interesting people to find me even a little interesting too.” You laugh but your smile doesn’t reach as far as it usually does.

He ends up leaving your room really late, he thumbs the cloth in his pocket and wonders for a moment how long your scent would linger if he doesn’t wash it.

~~~

The next time you both have free time you check in on his progress with the items you brought him. They range in strength of scent, a bit inconsistent but not unusual for someone just figuring it out. You praise his effort and notate where he can improve. He bristles a bit at the criticism but you emphasize it’s constructive and he’ll improve with time. He’s less irritable with you which is nice. When you’re done with that you bring up a new lesson for him to work on.

Nesting.

Scenting plays a big role in nesting so it’s a natural progression to his learning. You feel a bit like you’re teaching a cub who just presented for the first time but you know better than to bring that up. You provide him with a couple new items that you went out to purchase on your own. Some new blankets and an extra pillow. Some new shirts that you guessed the size of so there’s a few options. And lastly a new sheet set, this type is specifically made for nesting, durable and comfortable as well as moisture wicking if Enjin decides to have a partner for his next heat. You don’t bring that up but based on his looks you imagine he’ll have options if he does.

At first he’s a bit overwhelmed by the gifts and wants to deny them. You insist it’s all a part of the learning process and it’s customary for Omegas to be gifted items like these by other more experienced Omegas. You again don’t mention that it’s a more common occurrence for someone half his age. You also try to ignore the giddy feeling you get from gift giving.

You start by stripping his bed together and putting on the new sheets. He asks about the thickness of the material and the glossy underside meant to prevent leakage. You relent and explain its functionality which embarrasses both of you despite you both being well into adulthood. “I usually didn’t have to worry about stuff like that.” He mentions. “Never stuck to once place long, never needed a bed for more than one night.” You don’t comment but you file that away as something he shared with you unprompted. It’s progress.

“Well now that you’re here you may need it. It’s at least comfortable from heats. If not for the slick than for the sweat. Can’t stand being too hot.” You try to stay casual in your explanation hoping to make Enjin more comfortable. Both. Adults. You remind yourself. This is a normal thing for Omegas to talk about. He also doesn’t comment on that.

Next you lay out all of the blankets old and new for him on the floor to choose from. “Okay just take a minute to feel all of them and then make your decision based on what feels right.” You instruct. He does as he’s told awkwardly and hesitantly. Then looks at you like this is stupid. Which from his perspective probably is stupid, you remember how your first next building experience was, very frustrating. “Just try your best. If you don’t like it, we'll remake it.” You pick up one of the blankets. “I usually like something soft like this near my head so I can run my hands over it if I get overwhelmed. It’s comforting.” You explain. Enjin considers it and takes the blanket from you to inspect it. When you think he’s going to begin he surprises you by handing it back.

“Can you…scent it first.” He doesn’t look at you but you notice a red flush creeping up the back of his neck. You suppress a giggle as you take it from him. You press the material into your neck, the neck is the easiest spot for scenting larger things or people which you explained to him last time. He watches you do it intently before you hand it back to him with a smile.

“How’s that?” You ask. When he whiffs it takes a few seconds for him to reply.

He hands it back. “A little more.” You’re a bit surprised but you don’t show it. He must really want your scent to linger. Maybe he hasn’t gotten used to noticing the strengths of scents and needs more time to get used to it? Either way you scent the blanket more without complaint and hand it over again. It’s safe to say it reeks of you now. He sniffs it again before nodding in approval adding it to the bed. When he picks up another blanket he runs his hand over it then places it down again before picking up another to inspect. You watch from the side lines silently praising him as he instinctively begins building the nest. He’s a natural at this part.

When he finishes you compliment his work. It looks good. But the real test is sturdiness. Will the walls of his nest withstand abrasive movement? You have him sit in it. Then you tell him to thrash around a bit. He, again, looks at you like you said something stupid. “Like right now?” His eyebrows furrow. You nod like it’s obvious.

“I can turn around if you’re embarrassed.” You offer plainly. Though you kind of do want to see him flail like an idiot you’ll compromise for his comfort. “If your walls fall apart while you’re in a vulnerable mood you’re going to be really upset. This part’s important too.” You emphasize.

“Fine turn around.” He grunts. Aw man.

You comply like you’re asked and even cover your ears for good measure, something you made your guardian do when you had to do this part. It was really embarrassing for you at that moment. Everything about being that age was embarrassing, maybe it’s more embarrassing for Enjin since he’s a grown ass man.

When he’s done he taps on your shoulder and you’re happy to see when you turn around that his nest managed to stay intact. You clap a bit and smile at him. “That’s great! You’re a real natural Enjin, good job.” You praise. His chest puffs a bit with pride, you're definitely feeding his ego.

“Was it easy like this for you?” He asks. You immediately bristle.

“Uh no… it actually took me several days to get it right.” You admit scratching your neck feeling a bit embarrassed. Enjin looks very surprised by that so you relent and explain further. Maybe admitting your struggles will make him less insecure. “I remade it several times due to not liking the overall feel, then I couldn't get the sides to stay strong enough to not come undone.” You think back on the memories of all your failed attempts. “I even got so mad at one point I threw the blankets all over and tore a pillow up. Feathers everywhere. It wasn’t my proudest moment.” You laugh at yourself. Enjin laughs with you. For the remainder of the night you decide to go over scenting again and talk more about your own experience learning all this stuff. Enjin seems receptive to hearing about it.

When your eyes start to feel heavy you decide to excuse yourself to bed. “Goodnight Enjin.” You yawn as you step out of his room. He bids you goodnight too as you close the door.

“Well you two seem to be getting along much better.” You hear a familiar voice behind you. You nearly jump out of your skin. You really weren’t expecting anyone to be up. Your breath catches in your throat and it takes you a minute to relax again. Turning to get a good look at your surprise visitor you’re met with none other than Corvus. Your boss. Your boss who just caught you leaving your coworkers room at an unreasonably late hour. You’re immediately flushing beet red.

“H-hey boss.” You squeak out. You’re not sure why you feel like you’ve been caught red handed doing something bad but you do. “Yeah I’m helping him get better acclimated to headquarters.” It’s not a lie but not exactly a truth either. You just don’t want to embarrass Enjin by exposing that he was vulnerable enough to ask for your help. At the same time you know it’s silly to try and hide something from Corvus, he practically knows everything going on within the cleaners HQ.

He just nods and pats your shoulder as he carries on. “That’s great. I’m glad I won’t have to worry about any more spats between you two.” He chuckles as he turns the corner to retire to his room. You feel like he’s misunderstanding... Whatever, you’re too sleepy to worry about it right now. You settle for trudging to bed instead of worrying about it. You need to catch what little sleep you can manage before your mission tomorrow.

~~~

You’re relaxing in the common area after your latest mission. It’s been a couple weeks of non stop work and all your free time has been dedicated to helping Enjin establish his identity as an Omega. You’ve been working on ques and territorial behaviors. He’s a little prickly with emotions in general so getting him to understand other peoples is a work in progress... To say you’re beat is an understatement. You enjoy helping you really do but you just feel incredibly drained right now. An exhausted pull is weighing down your bones so when you got the opportunity to sit and relax, just close your eyes a second, you eagerly took it.

“Hey girl, your scents been all over Enjin lately. What's that about?” A voice breaks the silence. Your eyes slowly open as you turn to see Riyo leaning both arms on the armrest of the chair you’re relaxing in. You manage a weak ‘huh’ in response. She laughs. “Your scent. Enjin smells like your scent, has for nearly a month now.” She waives her hand for emphasis. “You guys hooking up or what?” Her tone is all cheery and teasing but you can smell her scent shift in an odd way. Then it hits you. Riyo thinks you and Enjin are hooking up, Enjin is Riyo’s closest family having looked out for her for years, Riyo is wary of your intentions and is feeling protective of her guardian.

“We are not.” You regard her promptly though still tired. “He asked for me to help him out with Omega stuff, if you want to know more though you might want to ask him. It’s not really my place to speak on it.” You whisper to her. She still takes a moment to read your face closely. Still ever the observant one you smile. She nods and apparently decides that’s all the explanation she needs.

“When you’re done would you mind brushing out my hair?” She asks chipper as ever. “It’s so much nicer when you do it.” That’s high praise, you laugh in your head.

“Mhm no problem.” You nod yawning. “Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you in your room.” You smile at her.

When you gather your things and head to Riyo’s room you notice an odd smell lingering. You can’t place it at first but as you near your destination you notice it gets stronger. It’s musky but also floral, like roses. You don't know anyone with that scent, maybe Riyo spilled perfume in her room? As you approach her door you notice it’s a bit ajar. That’s very unlike her… when you come up to it you find the scent overwhelming. That’s when it finally hits you. This scent isn’t familiar because Riyo didn't have a scent like this before. This is why her scent was so odd to you minutes ago. It’s shifting because she is presenting.

When you peak in you notice she’s doubled over on her floor. She’s likely in a lot of pain. Presenting is never comfortable. It’s a big onslaught of emotions and the quick physical changes are often painful. While you want to help her you’re keenly aware you aren’t suited to deal with this.

This musky tone is undoubtedly Alpha.

You quickly shut the door fully before calling out to Riyo though it. “Riyo I’ll be right back! I’m gonna get someone who can help you!” You quickly rush down the hall to find Tomme, another female alpha that’s what you need! Someone as gentle as Tomme is perfect! Once you relay the situation and send her Riyo’s way you can find Enjin. As her Guardian his scent will provide comfort and ease her stress, something that has to be heavily managed in these early stages. If you can’t get her adjusted and eased quickly she could get sick from how weak the hormones and body changes will make her.

When you reach Tomme’s door you knock like a mad man. When she opens the door you’re immediately tugging her with you as you run back to Riyo’s room. You don’t give her a second of explanation but as you close in on Riyo’s room again you don’t have to. She shares a knowing glance with you and even lets her scent ease your nerves as she knocks on the door. Her tone is soft as she opens the door to speak with Riyo. Riyo growls back at her, very guarded in this vulnerable moment. Her scent is still strong but now the floral part has been replaced by something bitter, a clear sign of distress.

You call to Riyo from the door again. “Riyo I’m going to get Enjin, please let Tomme help, she knows how to help you!” You give Tomme one last nod before booking it in the direction of Enjin’s room. It’s not far from Riyo’s so you're not sure how he hasn’t noticed the change in the air yet. You don’t. Have a chance to knock before the door is opened. Enjin looks surprised to see you but you don’t give him a word in edgewise. “Riyo!” You huff. “Riyo is presenting!” You can’t catch your breath yet but he doesn’t need more than that.

He’s immediately pushing past you to get to Riyo’s room. You follow quickly behind. “I got Tomme to sit with her but you need to bleed your scent into the room so she can calm down.” You explain as you nearly trip over your feet to keep up. When you both reach the door he can definitely tell Riyo’s distressed. It’s not as bad but given Riyo doesn’t know Tomme super well that’s to be expected.

“I’m gunna go grab Eishia. She’ll help Tomme with her care. She’s going through a pre rut state right now. She could be more temperamental and violent around others. Tommes here to keep her in check and Eishia can explain the steps she’ll need to take to stay comfortable and healthy in this process.” You rush out that jumble of word vomit hoping Enjin got all that. You glance quickly at his pull over before pulling it off of him and shoving it into his hands. “Scent this for her, she’ll need your scent to help her feel safe and keep her calm.” You instruct. He does it without question as you turn to again run down the halls.

When Eishia is alerted she sends you to fetch water and non-perishable foods for Riyo while she grabs a go bag she keeps for moments like these. Many cleaners are young so this isn’t the first presentation you’ve all managed. When you return to the room you notice Enjin sitting by the door looking overwhelmed. You take a minute to knock and deposit the supplies to Tomme before the door closes again. That’s all you can do for now. Best to stay close though in case they need you to run anything else. You sit down on the other side of the door mirroring Enjin.

“It’ll be okay. It’s scary for the first time but she’ll be fine.” You try to ease Enjin’s mind.

“Yeah? You know all there is to know about Alpha presentation too?” He sneers. Okay you’re back to snippy Enjin. You try not to hold it against him. It’s a high stress situation. It’s his kid after all. You don’t want to make things worse so you say nothing. You just sit there in silence awkwardly. “Why are you even still here? You got everyone she needs to be here, there’s no reason for you to stick around.” His voice is deathly serious.

“I was thinking if she needed anything I’d be here.” You try to smile but he cuts it off with a frustrated sigh through his nose.

“I’m here. I’ll handle it, I can be what she needs. Go.” His words are sharp and to the point as he waives you off. Maybe you’ve overstepped again, like the first time. You try to push down your flaring anxiety so your scent doesn’t give away your hurt feelings.

“Right. Okay...” Is what you manage as you stand. You don’t bother looking at Enjin, you don’t really know if you can right now. You just swallow your pride and slink back to your room. He was right,

there isn’t a need for an extra hand. Riyo has everything she needs to be ready. When this presentation passes you’ll take solace in the fact you did what you could for her in the moment. Still you can’t deny the stinging you feel when you think about what Enjin said. ‘I can be what she needs.’ Maybe you should have told Enjin first, talked with him about how he wanted to handle this. Was there even time for a discussion? Ugh! You flop onto your bed covering your face with your hands. Then you finally let your scent free to envelop your room in a loom of anxiety and guilt. You feel like the worst Omega in the world right now.

~~~

Riyo’s presentation lasts a week, after the first day of supervision and prep when was left to her own devices with Enjin keeping standby outside her door. Occasionally you’d see him running to get her something or speaking with Tomme likely about her state and what to do next. When you catch his eyes once he glares back at you so you keep your head down when you notice him.

When Riyo is back to active duty she’s actually excited to see you. It’s a small relief that nearly brings you to tears. She thanks you for looking out for her and you insist you’re happy you could help in any small way. Before she could speak more to you Enjin calls her away to head out for a mission. You don’t recall any missions being on the roster for today but you say nothing, just keep your head down.

The next month is another blur of missions and small tasks you go out of your way to keep busy with. You almost feel like you have too much free time now. Others notice your shift in mood but don’t say anything directly to you about it. HQ seems to have collectively decided to give you space which is honestly the last thing you need! It feels isolating. You’ve never felt so lonely, so… rejected. You feel like you’re spiraling and no one notices or maybe just doesn’t care.

Eventually the time comes when you have to hold up in your room for your heat. When the burning under your skin starts you nearly have a breakdown. Your emotional state is far from good enough to support a heat right now. You still know better than to choke down suppressants, once it’s started it’s not stopping. When you ask Corvus for leave he’s already prepared he knows everyone’s cycles, having to schedule around them. What surprises him is when you ask if you can take your leave outside of headquarters. That’s unlike you. You haven’t spent a heat outside of headquarters since you joined. He allows it anyway. When you retreat from his office he makes a mental note to ask around.

You end up spending a good portion of your savings to hold up in a semi nice hotel. If your pack doesn’t want you around maybe you should do them a favor and give them a break from you. You figure it’s been a long time since you spent money on yourself so why not spend it on hiding away? You didn’t bring much aside from water and food, you didn’t even bring your normal nesting supplies. You just didn’t have the energy. When your clothes get sticky you whine and shrug them off. When the cold seeps into your damp skin you burrow yourself into the blankets. You’re treating this like it’s a cold which logically you know is a terrible idea but you push your logical thought to the very back of your brain. You’re far too busy wallowing.

It goes on like this for three days, small sips of water not nearly the amount required, small nibbles of food but you have no appetite. Then the worst happens, the exact thing you were worried would happen to Riyo. You took such poor care of your needs your body tumbles itself into full heat sickness. Your body retches what little to no content your stomach has and your scent linger with the smell of rot. Your body is so weak you can barely lift yourself off the floor of the bathroom. When your body gets chills that don’t stop you end up pulling the comforter around you and cocooning yourself.

When your choker rings you don’t hear it. You left it on the nightstand on the other side of the main room. Too far to hear from your spot curled up on the bathroom floor. Your vision is getting hazy at the edges by the fourth day, you know you have to drink or eat something but you just can’t move. It’s like your body is a stiff statue that refuses to move no matter what your brain says.

When your eyes feel heavy you don’t notice them slip closed, you don’t feel yourself slipping into unconsciousness.

You don’t hear the knocking.

You don’t hear it turn into loud banging.

You don’t hear someone kicking the door in.

~~~

Your eyes open to a plain grey ceiling. That’s weird, you remember the ceiling in the hotel bathroom being blue. There's a beeping sound close to you that’s really annoying but your arms are too weak to help you sit up and figure out where it’s coming from. Wiggling your nose you notice there’s something blowing air into it, a cannula? It’s then you notice you’re in a med room. It’s not HQ you notice when you look around. It’s a small cramped room with X-rays hanging and a pouch with something into it feeding directly into the back of your hand. What on earth is going on? You squint. Where are you?

The last thing you notice is a weight on your lap. Managing to crane your back up you make out red hair laying in your lap.

“Riyo?” Your voice sounds hoarse.

The girl groans and rubs her eye as she sits up, “Enjin I already said I’m not heading back till she wakes up.” She swats at nothing, eyes still half closed from sleeping. You could almost laugh at her behavior. You manage to slowly pull yourself into a sitting position.

“Riyo.” You call her again. At that she whips her head in your direction quicker than expected, you’re a little worried she might give herself whiplash.

“You’re awake!” She grins wide as she moves to hug you tight. You return it with one arm the best you can. When she releases you again you’re not prepared for her to pinch and pull your cheek harshly. “And just what the hell were you thinking letting yourself nearly die?!” Now you feel like you’re going to get whiplash, emotional whiplash. You tap her arm a couple times and thankfully she releases you. “Seriously, who even does shit like that? What were you thinking?” You can hear a strain in her voice you’ve never heard from her before. Her scent relays how worried and relieved she is at the same time. Not that you couldn’t tell by the just barely noticeable tears lingering on her lash line.

Before you can say anything else someone else enters the room. Enjin. Exactly who you wouldn’t hope to see at this moment. Just looking at him you can feel a heavy rock forming in your stomach. He’s carrying what looks to be two bags of what you assume is food? But you don’t really get to guess since he drops them on the floor immediately after seeing you. It’s burgers you note when you watch one tumble half way out of a bag.

It takes him less than a second before he’s closing the gap. His arms envelop you with twice the strength Riyo used. Your groan alerts Enjin to his overzealous grip and he quickly releases you again. “Sorry!” He apologizes quickly. “I’m just…I’m just really glad you’re okay.” His voice is meek, a tone you didn’t think could come from him. You can’t manage even a half hearted smile. You notice a new scent in the air, one you’ve never smelt from Enjin either, though it’s definitely coming from him. It’s a mix of fear, relief, and quilt. It’s bitter and acidic, it sticks to your throat like tar so quickly you can almost taste it.

“When we found you at the hotel you were unresponsive. We rushed you to the nearest clinic but you’ve been out for the past 8 hours.” He sighs, running his hand down his face. “I’m sorry I got upset with you. I’m so sorry.” He pulls up a chair to sit next to you with Riyo. “It wasn’t you, I just-“ he sighs, frustrated with himself. “I just feel like I’m still failing.” He admits to you and maybe himself for the first time. “I’ve thought out how to handle Riyo’s presentation for years now, how I’d go about it, and how to help her.” His brows scrunch as he glares holes into the blanket in front of him. “When you ended up stepping up for her I got… insecure. I took it out on you.” He shakes his head before looking you in the eyes. “I keep doing that, taking things out on you when all you do is try to help me.”

He takes one of your hands in his not breaking eye contact. “I have no excuses. I was a jackass.” His tone is firm. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” He leans back in the chair, hand still holding yours. “But for what it’s worth; I am sorry. No forgiving and forgetting this time, I want you to give me shit for this forever.” He finishes. You hum weighing his words.

“Okay you’re not forgiven.” You smile at him giving his hand a little squeeze. Contrary to your words your scent sweetens the air. It blankets all three of you comfortably causing Riyo and Enjin to physically relax.

“How did you even find me?” You ask glancing between the two. Riyo smirks in Enjin’s direction immediately.

“Well…” Enjin flounders a bit, sounds like he doesn’t want to say. His nervous habit of rubbing the back of his head gives him away too.

“It was this.” Riyo interjects pulling out your handkerchief from Enjin’s coat pocket which he quickly tries to snatch back from her.

“You should have seen him following your scent like a bloodhound all over the town.” Riyo grins, patting Enjin on the back. He removes his hand from yours to shield his red face from both of you while Riyo continues. “He was like a man obsessed. You should have seen it.” She laughs. Her scent wells along with yours and you can smell the floral roses from before. You laugh with her.

As you and Riyo chat away and laugh together at Enjin’s expense your ears eventually pick up an interesting sound. It’s a low pur that you almost miss. When you glance back at Enjin you notice he’s looking at you with an unmistakably fond expression. You smile at him and reach over to shove his shoulder playfully. “You’re really turning on the charm huh? What happened to you wanting me to ‘give you shit forever’?” You laugh.

He looks at you questioning, like he didn’t know what you were talking about. Then he feels it, an odd vibration coming from his chest and radiating up his throat. He even notices the small purring sound, he didn’t realize was coming from him. His hand lays on his chest to feel it more and it stops. His gaze whips to you with a kicked puppy expression and it’s then you realize this may just be the first time he’s ever purred in his life.

“Was… was that the first time?” You ask, watching his face. He nods slowly. “What were you thinking about?” You ask, maybe you can help him make it come back. He places between Riyo and you, the former just as curiously observing him.

“I was just thinking about how nice it is to see Riyo content like this.” He whispers almost to himself. “You make her much more at ease.” He smiles at you. “You really are good at this.” And just like that a small purr trails his words. In his surprise and excitement of hearing it again it almost immediately stops but all three of you hear it. You grin wide before pulling Enjin in for a proper hug. When you get him well slotted against you, your own purr kicks up. You want him to experience this tenderness so you let the hug last and let your vibrations help him relax into you. You even motion for Riyo to join you and she does without complaint. Enjin’s own purr meets yours before you know it which spurs up a well of emotions.

When you eventually pull away you feel Enjin’s face press lightly against the crook of your neck. When you’re sitting normal again you notice his scent doesn’t leave you, if anything it’s stronger, more invasive. Did he just?

“Did you just scent me?” You raise an eyebrow at him smiling. He looks like a kid bought red handed.

“No… maybe.” He fidgets with his hands a bit. “Is that okay?” He asks nervously. You don’t respond verbally, instead you grab his wrist and press your face to it like he did your neck. Your own scent mixes with his and when you’re happy with the strength you release his arm back to him.

“Yeah it’s fine. But remember that scenting another person is usually reserved for family members or mates.” You chide wagging your finger at him. “I care about you too but some people might get the wrong idea and think you’re hitting on them.” You laugh.

Riyo feels like she should tell you how oblivious you’re being but she also wants to enjoy her show as long as possible. You two really entertain her, that's for sure. She ends up pushing herself up to sprawl over your lap, dramatically complaining about her lack of attention. You just laugh and lean in to kiss her forehead. She responds by gripping your hand and pushing your wrist against her cheek. “Me too.” She smiles at you expectantly while reaching her free wrist out to you.

When you’re all done you three absolutely reek of each other. If a stranger notices the three of you on the street later they would easily mistake you for a young mated couple and their pup. You of course are overjoyed. Enjin and Riyo are just happy to see you so happy.

You get discharged by Alice the same day, she of course drills you on proper self care during your heats and instructs Enjin and Riyo to keep an eye on you for the remainder of your cycle. You feel like your eardrum would have suffered less if you didn’t insist that you could care for yourself. “CLEARLY NOT!” She gripes at you loudly before ignoring you to instruct Enjin further about your hormones and moods; specifically how to handle this spiraling behavior if it happens again. He listens with stone cold focus like it’s the most important information he will ever receive in his life. You roll your eyes.

When you three return to HQ you’re greeted with many hugs and clearly relieved pack mates. Corvus even manages to ruffle your hair with a reminder to take better care of yourself. “This place wouldn’t be the same without you.” He insists before returning to his office. The Guita and Dear crowd you and as she complains about missing you while he tugs at your clothes. You promise to make their favorite dessert after dinner to make up for your absence.

When you finally make it to your room, Enjin is still one step behind. When you tidy it a bit you notice he’s still awkwardly hovering in the doorway. “Enjin you okay?” You raise an eyebrow at him while you tuck your nests walls out of habit.

“Mhm.” Is all he reply’s with as he watches you. You breathe out a laugh and pull him further inside and close the door.

“I’m not going to collapse if you leave me alone for five seconds, you’re gonna have to pee sometime.” You joke as you settle cross legged in your nest. He doesn’t say anything, just keeps watching you like a hawk. Jeez you really did worry the guy. He feels so guilty he won’t even leave your side, is what you think. In reality Enjin is losing a very intense internal battle. His logical side knows, based on what he learned from you, that he shouldn’t invade your personal space and stress you out while your heat is still ongoing. The other selfish side of him wants to crawl right into your nest and tangle all his limbs with yours. He wants to breathe in your scent like he breathes air. Your scent is so sweet, how could he not? Right?

He wants to bite you.

It’s an invasive itching thought that pops into his head with no warning. That scares him a bit. Biting? Marking? He wants to mark you? Does he want to court you? Marking definitely implies something deeper than courting… Now he’s the one spiraling. You give him ten more seconds of awkwardly standing in your room before you just end up pulling him into your nest. If he’s so worried he might as well make himself comfortable.

You fluff the two large pillows you keep at the head of the nest and finally relax into the softness of the nest. You let out a content sigh while doing so that sounds very tantalizing to Enjin’s ears. He’s very stiff while sitting beside you which distracts from your wanting to nap. You’re family now aren’t you? Pack families are so rigid. You pull him down to may beside you. Then it’s just the two of you laying side by side in silence. His breathing is unsteady and nervous. You try to ease him by allowing your scent to fill the room. You even place an arm on his chest and try purring to help him relax. Your eyes close to rest while doing so. It does the opposite of helping.

Now he wants to devour you. He wants to litter you with bite marks. He wants to help you through your heat in a not so friendly way. He definitely gets what you mean when you talk about the overlap in dynamics, he’s sure no overage Omega would think the possessive and dominant thoughts he’s thinking right now. His hands twitch as they move to rest on your hips.

Your eyes open again and he thinks if you bat your eye lashes like that everyday he’ll be in real trouble, he’d give you anything. You don’t even get a chance to say a thing before his lips overtake yours. His kiss is gentle, not hesitant, but soft. His hands still shake a bit when he grips your hips a little firmer. Your lips follow his instinctively when he separates them. You bring him in closer and wrap your hands around his shoulders. Your lips move together perfectly. His lead leaves you breathless. His body shifts to hover half way over yours and you respond by tucking yourself farther under him. When his hands move up your sides slowly you arch into him. Pressing your warm exposed skin into his firm cool body. When his tongue invades your mouth you allow him to take further control of the pace. Your scent shifts as a need stirs. You are still in heat. Then he pulls away again and you whine at the loss.

“Wait, I wanna do this right.” He says more to himself than you. “You deserve to be courted properly.” His huffs catching his breath. You glare up at him and grip his shirt before pulling him closer.

“I don’t want you to do things the proper way.” Your voice is low and heated, he’s never heard it like that before and he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t making him hard. “I like the kind of Omega you are.” You seal it with another kiss that you take the lead on. Your hands wander under his shirt to caress his muscled form. Your heat definitely makes you more bold that’s for sure. He allows you to take the lead, you’ve been so good about showing him the ropes, maybe his instincts can take the lead this time.

~~~

[4 YEARS LATER]

Rudo had a burning question on his mind. On the sphere dynamics are kept to a strict traditional standard. Is the ground different? Why is he watching two Omegas display mated behaviors like it’s perfectly normal? He was already shocked to learn Enjin of all people was an Omega but to see you another, more standard Omega, willfully accepting his gifts, his flirting, and his wandering hands was wild to him to say the least.

Riyo follows his intense gaze to see just what the kid is looking at, then laughs. “Oh yeah, it’s a real trip huh? Total opposites really do attract like they say.” She leans her elbows while watching you two with Rudo.

“It was weird for me too.” Zanka mumbles deadpan while focusing more on eating. He also comes from a city that values tradition. Since being taken in though he’s been unlearning that. Riyo gets why it's weird for them but for her it’s been the norm for a long time. It’s honestly more surprising you put up with Enjin’s personality rather than his status. Though to his credit he’s really mellowed out. After you two started courting he dropped trying to squeeze into a box he never quite fit into. He does display occasional Omega behaviors, the amount of stray kids he brings home can attest to that. He's also good at pep talks and saying just what someone needs to hear though Riyo credits you for that. He wouldn’t be the guy he is today without you.

To most strangers he definitely still reads Alpha, it’s convenient in a pinch, especially if he needs to intimidate someone.

He’s confident, cocky, and rough around the edges.