Chapter Text
It was hot as they traveled from Balmora after selling off some items. At least selling Dwemer crafts and metal was good for profit to keep House Dagoth afloat—otherwise it would be hard to make due, even with specialty goods like carmine from those little red beetles they farmed. Nix meat and ash yams could only go so far to feed a people, after all. Even still, House Dagoth wasn’t very big due to the low resources.
Nerevar prodded the Nix-ox to keep moving after it took a drink, the beast chittering angrily at him.
“Yeah yeah,” Nerevar scoffed. “I don’t wanna walk either, big guy.” He grabbed the tunic he was wearing, wiping the sweat from his brow.
His shirt had been torn to shreds by a cliff racer, but luckily Voryn gave him one of his spare undershirts. He was prepared to go without a shirt, but Voryn reminded him of the last time he got horribly sunburnt, so he complied, glad that he had from how harshly the sun was beating down. Nerevar inhaled the soft, spicy scent from the fabric as he wiped his face, the scent of his own body mixing with it.
A lot of alphas smelled off-putting to him. Either too strong, too musky, or just plain gross for seemingly no reason. Voryn though… Nerevar had to admit he did smell pretty nice. Something comforting and nostalgic about the scent of his skin and pheromones. There was a bit of incense that clung to his skin and all of his clothes, as well as a spiced quality to his pheromones. Just the slightest hint of musk too, and not to mention it mingled well with Nerevar’s scent which was like citrus and herbs—fresh, bright, and bold. It made a good combination.
It was nice to inhale, though he hoped it didn’t make him seem weird to admit it. He’s heard it was common for omegas to enjoy the scents of those close to them. Typically young children were scented regularly by family members, but since Nerevar’s grandparents and parents were dead and his uncle gone, Nerevar had adjusted to being without it. Only Voryn really scented him when they were kids, nuzzling against him affectionately to ensure Nerevar smelled like the rest of House Dagoth rather than an outsider.
It brought back fond memories. As much as Voryn’s scent had changed from when they were younger, there was something nostalgic about it that tickled at his chest.
“We’ll be stopping soon to make camp.” Voryn announced from the cart he was in. It was still afternoon, but it made sense. If they didn’t stop here for the day, they would have to make camp closer to the swampy, wet area of the bitter coast. And finding a decent place to camp there for a whole caravan when everyone was exhausted and annoyed was a pain in the ass.
Nerevar was thankful for it though; he was beginning to get exhausted. Normally he did better on caravan trips, able to march for hours at a time due to his high stamina, but right now he was getting… Exhausted. Maybe it was the heat getting to him, or maybe he just wore himself out the day before.
Another hour, and Voryn stopped them at a good place with solid ground. Everyone began the annoying task of making camp in the afternoon, sun glaring in their eyes. Their lord’s tent came first, before everyone else’s, Voryn then read in the shade watching them pitch the rest.
Fuck, now Nerevar was hungry too… Irritably hungry. He had eaten enough for breakfast and lunch, why was he starving? He groaned, dipping into his dried rations early, before curling up in his own tent kept close to Voryn’s. Normally he helped everyone else set up, but he was too tired right now, eager to just get out of the sun.
He laid on his bedroll, tossing and turning. As the sun set, he knew he should give a few prayers to Azura, maybe even crawl out to grab a bite to eat and see who was on guard duty for the night, but…
He was so uncomfortable. He felt exposed, hot, and miserable as he tossed and turned, his skin starting to burn. At some points he ended up dozing off to sleep, before waking up covered in sweat and his body jerking.
“Nerevar?” Voryn asked, climbing into the tent after night finally fell. “You didn’t come out for dinner—” Nerevar could barely crack open his eyes to look at Voryn, taking in the other’s flushed, shocked expression. Before Nerevar could ask though, Voryn shyly averted his eyes, covering his mouth slightly.
“I… You’re…” He mumbled under his breath.
“What?” Nerevar asked, irritated. Usually he tried to watch his tone when they were on caravan trips; it made the others act out thinking they could smart mouth their young lord like Nerevar did.
“I didn’t think… You went into heat.” He muttered, still unable to meet Nerevar’s eyes.
Nerevar was frozen at that sentence, turning it over in his head.
He wasn’t—right? He couldn’t be. He wasn’t due for a couple more months. He just had it.
“But I just went into heat a month ago.” Planning around his job as caravan guard was tricky for that reason. Luckily, Voryn typically went into ruts around the same time, so they tended to stay home together. “I’m not—”
Nerevar could feel how sluggish his body was though. He was hungry, but too restless to crawl out and get a bite to eat. Not to mention he felt exposed—he could curl up in his bedroll to feel more secure, but his body felt much too warm.
“... Shit.” Nerevar swore under his breath. He was fully going into heat—not any of that faux heat netchshit some omegas went through either. And he wasn’t even near his room so he could feel safe and secure. He was on a caravan trip, exposed, some of the other canvasari complete strangers who would be able to smell him…
Nerevar felt nauseous at that, his hunger vanishing as he suddenly got the urge to flee into the wilderness. He’d rather that cliff racer had ripped him to pieces than one of those smug, piece of shit alphas he didn’t know hold him down and try to mate with him—
“Shh…” Voryn approached cautiously, gingerly stroking at his arm. Nerevar stiffened at the contact. He usually disliked anyone touching him in heat, and he’d never had Voryn nearby when he went into one before. It’s not that he didn’t trust Voryn as his closest friend—he did very much—but it was still a foreign feeling to his body. They were kept apart during heats and ruts, like all young adults and teenagers. Not to mention, he knew Voryn was uncharacteristically aggressive in ruts. “It’s alright. I’ll help you.”
“How are you going to help me?” Nerevar asked, ready to dismiss the idea entirely.
“I’ve been told spending a heat with an alpha, even when traveling, helps alleviate the worst symptoms.” Voryn explained, trying to keep his voice level.
“If I spend my heat with you, you’re going to go into a rut.” Nerevar scoffed. Again, Voryn was aggressive in a rut: destroying furniture, punching and burning his brothers, breaking windows, screaming… Getting in a fight with Voryn while feeling so vulnerable was the last thing Nerevar wanted.
“It’s either that or you’ll have to deal with it alone.” Voryn’s brow was furrowed in more concern than irritation, at least. “And I don’t want those s’wits that got brought along grabbing you as they please, trying to make you their omega.”
Nerevar shivered at the tone Voryn used, feeling his heart beating faster. It sounded almost possessive, and so very welcomed when his thoughts were slowly getting muddled.
“... I don’t want that either.” Nerevar admitted softly. He didn’t want any alphas looking at him and making snide remarks, or worse—openly trying to court him or take him by force. “I don’t want that, I’m just…”
“I know it will still be uncomfortable and awkward,” Voryn’s tone was soft and soothing, “But I want to help you, Neht.”
Nerevar closed his eyes as Voryn stroked his hair, sighing shakily.
“Your family will be furious, won’t they…?” Voryn’s brothers would want to rip him limb from limb when they found out Voryn spent a rut with Nerevar of all people.
“Let them throw a fit.” Voryn dismissed it. “I’ll take responsibility. Besides, it’s not as though I’d be the first person to spend a rut with someone without mating with them.” That was true; however ‘taboo’ it was, it was fairly commonplace for nobles to spend heats or ruts with servants from time to time and take the edge off. As angry as they’d be, Voryn wouldn’t be doing something outside the norm they couldn’t just sweep under the rug.
“... Would you be alright with it?” Nerevar asked softly, turning to nuzzle into Voryn’s hand, letting the other caress his face and scent him properly.
“Of course,” Voryn smiled. “It might be uncomfortable at first, but,” Voryn glanced back at the entrance of Nerevar’s tent suspiciously. “I want to keep you safe.”
Nerevar took a deep breath, sitting up, and wrapped an arm around Voryn.
“Thanks,”
—
Voryn had ordered the others to take down Nerevar’s tent. He gave the excuse that Nerevar was feeling ill and Voryn would be tending to him, but Nerevar could see the skepticism in their glances. The other canvasari knew what was really going on by the scent coming off of Nerevar, and while they took the tent down they complained all the while that of course they would have an omega going into heat near them but that it would be Nerevar of all people. Stubborn, headstrong Nerevar who got spoiled rotten by Voryn. And of course they wouldn’t even get to ‘enjoy’ it, muttering to themselves that Voryn and Nerevar were probably already fucking before this.
It disgusted Nerevar, making his whole body itch to hear them muttering and complaining as they took the tent down. Nerevar was currently laying on his own bedroll, various bags and a few cushions from the cart Voryn rode in as a makeshift nest around him, with Voryn’s bedroll on the other side.
Nerevar didn’t know how you were supposed to start this sort of thing. He imagined most omegas only really climbed into bed with an alpha like this for sex, and Nerevar was at a loss. Did he just lay down and go to sleep? He still felt far too restless…
“Ah…” Nerevar gasped softly as Voryn climbed in beside him after grabbing Nerevar a bowl of food, setting it aside before starting to scent him. It felt…
Nice. Comfortable. He closed his eyes, the heat in his body settling into a warm, fuzzy feeling.
“I don’t want them enjoying your scent,” Voryn whispered. “So let me just…” He trailed off, nuzzling gently against Nerevar, as Nerevar let himself be surrounded by that musky, spicy scent all over again.
In turn, Nerevar couldn’t help but nuzzle back, his hands clenching and unclenching at Voryn’s robes.
“You smell nice…” Nerevar muttered.
“I’ve been told smelling an alpha helps with heat.” Voryn replied back softly. Not to mention, Nerevar was in fact thankful it would cover up his own scent. He got nauseous imagining what those bastards were doing with his tent that smelled like an omega in heat. He was likely going to burn it and buy a new one rather than even consider what disgusting things they could get up to.
“Relax…” Voryn whispered. “I’ve got you. They can’t hurt you.” Nerevar disliked how this up close he couldn’t hide his pheromones from showing his displeasure. Usually he was good at suppressing it, keeping it hidden for the most part, but in heat with Voryn literally breathing down his neck? Impossible.
“I just… Was making a mental note to buy a new tent.” Nerevar muttered. “I don’t want to think about what they might do with it…” Voryn growled at that, tightening his hold. Nerevar knew instinctively the sound should have frightened him—omegas were jumpy and defensive while in heat, after all—but for some reason it… Didn’t.
Again, it seemed almost possessive. Like Nerevar was desirable. Like Nerevar was his .
Nerevar bit the inside of his cheek, pushing those thoughts aside. Voryn was just getting territorial; that was normal for alphas. He’d known Nerevar since they were children and Nerevar was his guard. It wasn’t about wanting to mate, that Voryn already made clear, but just protecting someone close to him. In a way it was possessive, but not in a romantic or sexual sense. He just didn’t want anyone attacking and forcibly mating with someone in his ‘pack’ so to speak.
“Your scent is so much more reactive like this…” Voryn whispered, before nuzzling against a scent gland. “Not to mention sweet…”
“That’s… Normal for being in heat.” Nerevar whispered, his hips squirming slightly. His neck was sensitive too—and didn’t Voryn know the fucking taboo not to go poking around an omega’s neck, especially when they were in heat? Then again, Nerevar should really push him away; he disliked alphas even looking at his neck to see if he was bonded or not, but for some reason Voryn was…different. “Ah…” Voryn gave one soft, experimental lick, earning a soft gasp and shudder from Nerevar, before he finally sat up.
“You should eat.” Voryn brought the food over now. It was just saltrice porridge, common on the road, with some spices to add flavor, with ash yam flatbread alongside it. Voryn dipped the bread in, scooping some of the porridge with it, and brought it up to Nerevar’s face.
Voryn was trying to feed him like mated pairs fed each other. Nerevar’s cheeks and ears went red as he realized it, before shutting his eyes tightly, before shoving the thoughts aside. That couldn’t be it. Voryn was just—he was just worried, that’s all. Not to mention he probably didn’t even know about that behavior and this was ignorant to the implications.
“Neht, even if you aren’t hungry you should—” Voryn went to scold him, before Nerevar leaned in and took a bite, making Voryn smile warmly. The porridge was mostly lukewarm by now, but delicious from how hungry Nerevar was. “That’s it… Good boy.” Voryn stroked his hair as he fed Nerevar, the scent starting to make him feel lightheaded and fuzzy again. His thoughts were so cloudy in fact he wasn’t thinking right, going in to lick Voryn’s fingers after he finished the bread, earning a soft moan before Voryn tried to cover it with a chuckle. Nerevar took the remaining bowl and spoon, eating on his own and trying to force the feeling down, but Voryn continued to affectionately stroke his hair.