Sorry if you don't want questions like this on Tumblr, feel free to ignore this, but I had a question about dynamics in Primitive Liars. You talk about bonding or mating (I think they're the same thing?) in your story, but I don't know what that means? Could you explain? Unless you're saving that information for the future.
I’m sorry it took me a bit to reply! I don’t mind questions about the PrimLi world at all. Bonding hasn’t been expanded on in-fic mostly because I’m wasn’t sure it was relevant, but also because it’s sort of antiquated. So, here goes:
Mating technically just means consummating during heat. It’s more serious than just ‘fucking’ to most people. Mello wouldn’t think so, but he has a somewhat radical POV. In most societies, sex during heat is considered much more intimate than sex outside of heat.
Bonding is a more serious form of marriage, though either can happen without the other, legally. It means physically changing your body for your significant other, usually (historically, only)the Omega changing for the Alpha . It requires a bite to a primary scent gland, of which there are two, on either side of the neck. There are secondary scent glands in the groin, thighs, and wrists - the last is covered by a thinner layer of skin and much less fat than the others, which is why Alphas/Omegas press their wrists to their nose to distract themselves from outside scents. The bonding process is as painful as breaking skin in a sensitive location with human teeth generally is. Some people use instruments to break the skin more easily. Alpha’s saliva is rubbed into the wound, which chemically alters the Omegas scent gland. They become more attuned to their Alphas scent and significantly less interested in Alphas that are not theirs. As you can imagine, in the past this was predominately used to control and enslave Omegas to their Alphas.
Bonding at multiple scent gland sites or repeating it at a single site, changes you a little more every time. You can be bonded at secondary scent gland sites, but it is regarded as either abusive or taboo - sort of on the level that BDSM has been at in our world. They are also more dangerous places for wounds. There are Omegas that report they have bonded so many times to the same Alpha that said Alpha is the only one they can smell, even during heat. Were the Alpha to to leave them (or die), they would find it incredibly difficult to be satisfied during heat. Although it occurs much less often now, Omegas have been committed to mental institutions because of the residual physiological and psychological effects. The percentage of them that commit suicide is significant.Because of this, modern societies either romanticize the crap out of bonding to their Soul Mate who would not or could not leave them, or reject it as a form of sexual slavery (as it can never really be undone, though you could just overwhelm it by bonding multiple times with a different Alpha). A more enlightened version of bonding was created, where both the Alpha and Omega are bitten, both going through the change - this is the type of bond that Aizawa has, for instance. In Japan, Dual Bonds are gaining popularity (about 60/40 in dual’s favor). People tend to bond once and only once to their SO, on their wedding night, but even that is becoming less and less common.That’s…much more in dept than either you or I probably expected, but I hope it answers your questions!! :) Thank you!
