Chapter Text
Reo swears he might be losing his mind. Not from mindless hours of studying for exams, or the gruesome training he has had to experience this past week. No, not from anything like that.
The root of his plagues are all from the stupid obliviousness of a certain lazy alpha, one that will do anything but pick up on some clues. Honestly, Reo isn’t sure he’s going to survive much longer.
Nagi just doesn’t get it.
“What? We’re not going home?” The alpha rubs a hand over his eyes, trying to ease out his hazy sleep. He has a small frown. “I’m tired, you’re tired..”
Reo’s blood has long since run cold. He stares, eyes wide with disbelief and lips parted as if feigning words. Again. This is happening again.
Nagi moves his hands away from his eyes and quickly finds his partner’s eyes. The frown on his lips morphs into a pout of sheer confusion. Yet, Reo can’t find himself to stop his useless staring.
There’s a football in his arms. Completely forgotten at the moment, but still heavily resting in the crook of his elbow. Late practice has just ended for the two of them— after some extra time practicing drills. It’s not an unusual occurrence, quite the opposite actually.
However tonight’s ending took an even more common occurrence: Nagi showing the real level of his stupidity.
“Nagi..” Reo says, breathlessly. There’s not an inch of energy left inside of him. But Nagi doesn’t seem to be that disturbed by his tone, he still only looks worn out.
He couldn’t have misunderstood that. Had he? How stupid are alphas?
“Reo.” Nagi counters with an even lazier voice. His elbows rest on the artificial grass under them. They had been training harder than usual, so his jersey sticks to his heaving chest.
All Reo can do is stare at the other in disbelief.
Another failed attempt of getting Nagi to court him, that’s what had happened. At this point he isn’t even sure how many failed attempts he has piled up on his failure list, just that it’s getting long.
Nagi hadn't understood his intention by saying You could sleep somewhere else, when Reo had answered Nagi’s question if he could go get some sleep in his beloved bed. The alpha had somehow taken it as a No, we’re going somewhere else! No sleep!
Maybe it was shameless to invite Nagi into his own bed like that, but it doesn’t matter. The alpha hadn’t gotten it anyways. It had taken overcoming the thousand fluttering butterflies in his stomach to say such a thing— only for its intention to go completely unnoticed.
“Reo? It’s late. I want to sleep..”
Reo gives himself one last second to soak in his own despair before he straightens up.
It’s fine, is what he tells himself. It doesn’t matter that it’s the same thing he has been telling himself for about a month straight now. Because it is fine, he’s totally just overreacting! Whether or not Nagi’s alpha decides to pick up on his subtle hints towards courting should be beyond him.
Yet, it doesn't feel fine.
Reo takes a deep breath and lends the alpha his hand in aid of getting up, which Nagi grabs with a hum of satisfaction. Even though Reo’s inner omega is wailing from rejection, he knows better than to ignore the fact that Nagi had been extraordinary at practice today.
After going all out for about two hours at this point, it’s only natural for Nagi to be completely drained. His speed and reflexes were on top today. Every drill was completed with precision and accuracy, which is something the alpha lacks more often than not.
Reo can’t help but smile. If they continue at this pace they can take the world by storm in no time! Maybe then Nagi will understand his intentions. And well, other than the fact that Nagi is obviously improving from all of his hard work at training— there’s another consequence of it that Reo can’t help but bask in.
Now, his small smile disappears as a flush takes over his whole face. Nagi isn’t looking right now. If he were he would be shocked, so Reo is thankful he isn’t.
During hard taking practices with the team, especially during the evening when Nagi is more tired than usual, the alpha’s scent absolutely skyrockets in potency. The thick obligatory scent patch does nothing to conceal his aroma.
Reo has some trouble staying sated with the small whiffs he gets from the alpha as they pass. He needs more. It’s quite impossible to hold himself back when Nagi leaks his heady pheromones through the air like a scented candle, but he does hold back, even if it means biting his lips till they bleed.
“Reo, will you shower here?”
The midfielder whips his head out of his locker, eyes finding a slumped Nagi by his side. The alpha has a towel over his shoulder. “Oh.” Reo whispers. “No, I’ll wait until I’m home.”
Nagi hums. His eyes scan the showers for something Reo can’t decipher, then the alpha throws his towel back into his locker with a soft thud. Reo raises an eyebrow and a question starts to form on his tongue—
“I won’t bother showering if you’re not there to lather me up..”
The alpha looks unbothered, completely clueless to the extent of his words. For the second time today all Reo can do is stare at the taller with a horrified expression.
And for the fourth, or fifth time today— Reo sends a quick prayer to anyone listening that his pheromone patch will do its job. It can’t fail him now, not when he knows how much happiness he reeks of.
Does Nagi have any idea what he’s doing to him? One second he’s completely ignoring his obvious signs of acting like a suitable mate, then the next he’s practically begging to be jumped!
The alpha pays him no mind and finishes packing his bag to leave. Once a minute has passed, Reo knows he should do so as well. Even if Nagi's words continue to swirl inside of his mind, on an endless repeat.
Maybe.. he could ask him for a shower together at his place? Or somewhere more special? Reo bites his bottom lip as he ponders the thought. Maybe that will get the cogs moving in Nagi’s head..
“Reo.” The alpha suddenly says, way closer than Reo had remembered him being. “Baya’s here.”
“Ah!” Reo turns his head around from Nagi’s own. He was right, the alpha has moved closer. So close that he can still smell the remnants of his sweat.
Is that.. weird? Reo shakes his head subtly to himself, of course not. He can’t control it anyways. Nagi just smells so.. good.
Maybe it’s the close proximity of the alpha’s warm body, or the intoxicating nature of his scent, but Reo feels most of his composure falling apart. The remaining self restraints he had bundled together fall apart with it— coming undone to the primitive urge to take.
“Nagi.” Reo whispers, almost like a confession.
The alpha turns back to him from his position at the exit. He has his phone in hand, back to gaming the second he got the time to. Nagi barely manages to say anything before Reo has taken a step forward. A Reo who wears a soft smile, one that looks teasing.
Like he’s seizing up a prey.
Reo sees the way the alpha’s adam’s apple bobbles as he swallows at the sudden violation of personal space. It’s the same signs of reciprocity that he always faces. With it comes the hope that his signs of courting will be accepted, taken with pleasure.
It has never been reciprocated before, but maybe this time it’ll be different? Reo hopes it will. Hopes Nagi can finally get what he’s trying to do.
“Your shower is so small, treasure.” One of the midfielder’s hands goes up to hold Nagi’s shoulder. It tenses at the sudden touch.
“Don’t you want to take mine instead?” He lids his eyes, flashing a smile. “Join me?”
Reo bites his bottom lip, trying to look seductive. It’s something he has seen all of the girls do to him when they meet him in the hallway. While he doesn’t find it that attractive, maybe some people do? Maybe Nagi?
When the alpha doesn’t reply, Reo slides his other hand up to his chest— easily running along Nagi’s practice jersey. The alpha follows his movement with hawk eyes.
Everything is completely right. The atmosphere is perfect, romantic with a hint of indecency. Flirty fire and a humid breeze from the open window. Yes, this is it. This is it—
“.. What’s up with you?”
Reo’s hands halt in their subtle stroking. Without being able to help it, he lets out a small croaky sound. A sudden warmth wraps around his wrist, then another one follows on the other. Nagi holds them with a soft grip.
Oh, no. Reo’s lips turn down into a frown. There’s absolutely no way.
“Wouldn’t that be a hassle?” Nagi asks with bored eyes. “We’d have to take turns showering..”
Reo splutters, hands shaking slightly in Nagi’s hold. The taller seems to notice from the sudden shift in his hold: vicer.
Another attempt to throw into the pile of failures.
Nagi hadn’t gotten it. Like every other attempt at mating he has tried to showcase. His hints of indecency had gone straight through the roof.
Nagi lets go of his wrists and brushes his odd behaviour off. The alpha leads the way to the car, happily complaining about the soreness of his muscles. Reo nods along for him. Yet, his teeth never unclench.
The drive to drop off Nagi at his apartment isn’t awkward. It’s impossible for it to be at this point of their friendship, or so Reo hopes. The tension he feels is one sided— one Nagi isn’t experiencing.
Honestly? Reo feels like screaming into his pillow out of frustration.
Why can’t the alpha feel it as well? The urge to bond, to be together, to scent and bind their souls together until there’s nothing left of what was before? Don’t even get Reo started on how many times he has imagined scenting the other.
Today has been a long day. Both emotionally, inner omega, and physically exhausting. Reo eyes the closed door to his closet. He stops himself from walking in, but quickly lets himself when he realises he deserves it. Deep down in the bottom of his piles of clothes is one of Nagi’s forgotten hoodies, one he quietly hides away from the alpha.
Without thinking about it, he drops the hoodie on the cabinet next to his sink before heading to shower.
Once the omega is safely tucked into his plush bed with the hoodie on, fresh out the shower but not any less tense in his shoulders, Reo finally lets himself unwind. Today has been a long day, and even Nagi’s fading scent on the hoodie isn’t helping.
He wishes the last two attempts had been the only failed ones of today, but there’s more. At class he had subtly tried to hint towards spending Valentine’s Day together with the alpha. In a special way. Yet, Nagi had looked at him with a confused expression and said with a straight face:
“Why wouldn’t we be together on Valentines? Who else would I be with?”
Again, does he ever think?
Reo groans into his pillow. It’s soft and white, which only brings his wailing omega to think about something else. Resting his head in Nagi’s soft bundle of hair.. No. That’s dangerous territory to think about.
Yet, every night he lets his mind wander to what could be if the alpha finally starts to reciprocate his attempts of mating. Would Nagi let him relax in the crook of his neck, to breathe in his calming scent while playing with the soft hair at his nape?
A small book sits on the edge of his nightstand. Thin and firm, a simple notebook that Reo is currently dreading to open up. However, the second the image of an accepting Nagi fills his mind, followed by the ghost feeling of a mark on the back of his neck, the omega quickly reaches for it without a word.
Ever since he realised he was attracted to his best friend— and that his omega was head over heels for such a suitable mate— Reo had started to think out the most perfect way of putting himself ‘out there’.
To get the alpha’s attention his goal is to simply make himself seem like his most suitable mate. Even Nagi’s quiet alpha would at some point give in to his acts and affection.
Only, Nagi hasn’t been making it easy to get through his thick skin.
Reo sighs and slides down his cushioned pillows. The soft texture of the white fluff does nothing but make his inner omega tremble with a need of comfort— but he pushes the urge down and hugs the blankets tighter.
To get to Nagi a lot needs to be done with perfection. Because of his esteemed smarts, Reo quickly decided he’d plan it all out. A set of stages of love and subtle hinting, the perfect way to Nagi’s heart.
With a heavy heart the omega crosses out a few listed ideas for catching Nagi’s attention: the ones that just now lead to nothing.
Then starts the good part. The planning.
There’s still a few ideas he hasn’t tried yet. All of them seem more promising than most. Almost a little daring. A week ago Reo wouldn’t even be considering these ones, but the situation has changed. Nagi is showing no signs of mutual interest. He has to change things up fast.
Plus, he’s needy. Incredibly so.
A fluffy white pillow won’t fill the void of an empty heart and neck much longer.
Reo starts with the same amount of subtle forwardness that he usually has. Letting Nagi down slowly is important, especially when things are gonna escalate quickly if everything goes according to plan.
The first thing he does the next day was to get to work on his plan. After reading through his well structured plans, Reo gets to scenting Nagi’s hoodie. Even if it breaks his heart— and omega— to completely overshadow the lingering deep lemon scent. He pushes those sorrows away. It’s for good.
The short message he sends the alpha is quickly replied to by an even shorter message. That’s fine. Everything’s fine, everything will work out. Reo repeats those words once, twice and then thrice before his lift starts to speed across the long roads to Nagi’s apartment.
The omega takes his phone out of his pocket, turning on the camera to make a makeshift mirror. Right now, he looks exactly how he imagined himself looking like:
Slightly disheveled, hair untied and bangs covering his face, Nagi’s hoodie and last but not least— a shamelessly uncovered neck and shoulder.
It had taken a lot of dodging to not let his parents see him looking like this. But it’s all worth it if it spurs the reaction he wants from the alpha.
He’s so immersed in his reflection that the car stopping makes him startle. Then, the door opens and the whole inside of the limousine is filled with the gentle scent of lemons. Carried by an even gentler breeze.
“Hey, Reo.” Nagi steps inside the limousine, dressed in their school uniform and holding a light black bag.
Reo pockets his phone and puts on the brightest smile he can muster. "Good morning, treasure. Did you sleep well?”
Nagi sits down on the seat opposite of him. Not having him next to him makes Reo’s head spin dangerously, but the omega pushes those feelings aside.
The alpha still hasn’t looked at him.
“It was fine..” Nagi slurs on his words, still half asleep. His head falls to rest against the seat behind him. “I want more..”
Okay. Nothing new there. Reo feels his eyebrow twitching before it does. Can he look? A reaction. He needs a reaction or he feels he might crumble.
Daring, that’s what he has to be.
“You can rest on my shoulder.” Reo hums, trying to sound as clueless as he can. “Wouldn’t that be more comfortable? You could get some sleep.”
Nagi has never said no to this offer before. Reo knows he loves being able to rest on him. But this is different. If Nagi follows through and rests on his shoulder he will most definitely be presented with his bare neck. It’s a perfect part of his plan.
Now, all Nagi has to do is say yes—
“It’s a hassle getting up.”
Deep down Reo’s core, an invisible force of an omega sobs. Pieces and shards of it fly everywhere, leaving only a weak fragment left. Reo swallows down forcefully in an attempt to soothe his omega. It doesn’t work.
The rejection is so stupidly unintentional that Reo feels his heart tremble like a leaf.
Nagi didn't get it. Not even a fully exposed neck and invitation to soak in it is enough to push his alpha out of a shell. It hurts. And it hurts even more to accept that.
“Ah..” Reo mumbles, voice thin. It’s impossible suppressing the crushing sorrows coming from his core. Every drop of blood inside his body has stilled completely. The omega prays for his scent patch to push through— just like the day prior. The last thing he needs right now is to smell sour.
“Reo?”
Nagi’s sudden presence shocks him out of his hazy mind. The alpha is sitting up in his seat, eyes looking over Reo like he’s perplexed.
Small sparks of hope.
“Yes?” The omega forces out of his parched throat, hopeful. He clears his throat with a gentle cough. “What is it?”
“You’re acting weird.”
Reo widens his eyes at the alpha’s sudden curious eyes. The beaten omega inside of him lights back to life. A small smile starts to turn up his lips, all the while Nagi continues to furrow his eyebrows at him.
Finally, he’s actually affecting the alpha. Does he have his attention now?
Nagi rubs a hand against the back of his neck. “You smell.. strong.”
Strong?
The omega threads lightly over his next words. Nagi is feeling something, he can’t scare him away now. Just some more steps and then the plan will be saved. Nagi will realise how seizable he is, and he’ll do something about it.
However, the reaction Reo painfully awaits never comes. Nagi doesn’t flush or stutter, he doesn’t even sit next to him. The lack of attention feels like an outright rejection, but it isn’t what hurts the most.
Nagi’s nose wrinkles up in disgust. One of his hands moves up to cover it, to shield himself away from..
His scent.
Reo feels his heart stop beating.
“.. Are you okay? It smells so—“
“Don’t.”
The words leave his stuttering lips before Reo can register it. It’s a pathetic attempt of saving his already rejected omega, one that only makes it worse.
“Huh?” Nagi frowns, oblivious to the state of his partner. The hand on his nose lowers itself down to his lap.
“No, it’s nothing—“ Reo quickly follows up with. “We’re almost at school. Don’t worry about it.”
And with that, the omega pushes down the last despair inside of his erratic heart and moves the hoodie up his neck. It hurts to know that something as daring as this hadn’t worked, but there’s nothing to do but clean the failure up.
Once his neck is fully covered, Reo bites his bottom lip and sinks further into his stiff seat. The subtle scent of lemon is long gone. His finger twitches when the realisation hits that he wasted the hoodie’s precious scent for something like this. There’s no way the sweet lemon scent will ever reappear..
Nagi hadn’t been affected like he thought he would. That’s fine. Even if it hurts to face something that feels so cruel, everything's still fine. There’s still much more to try—
“Wait.”
The alpha reaches out with a push off his seat, easily landing right next to Reo. Reo sputters at the sudden move but can’t say anything before Nagi is pulling at the hem of his hoodie.
“This..” the alpha starts, mumbling to the point of it barely being heard. “Isn’t this mine?”
“It is.” Reo forces out. It comes out sounding stressed and rushed. “Sorry— do you want it back?”
The omega’s already frail heart made asking the question almost impossible. Whatever answer he’ll get from the alpha could very well be the last punch to his shattering glass. It could break the remnants of hope Reo has left.
He plays with the sleeves of the hoodie as the anticipation grows. Nagi continues to hold onto the fabric, eyes locked on it.
“You smell like me.”
What.
Reo widens his eyes as the words sink in, but he doesn’t have time to squeal out of happiness because Nagi isn’t done.
The alpha lifts his gaze back up to his own purple ones. “It’s weird.”
Every last timber of hope vanishes in the blink of an eye.
Reo opens his mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. There’s nothing he can say to save himself from this ultimate rejection. Nagi doesn’t like his scent on him, and that’s final.
It hurts.
“Oh.” He lets out, not caring about the raw emotions leaking through. The stupid alpha beside him won’t notice it anyways.
Every night he dreams about being engulfed in the scent of the alpha. For everyone around them to know exactly how things are, that they’re each other’s and no one else’s.
Apparently, that want is one sided.
Without even hesitating Reo starts to lift the soft hoodie off of himself. Just being close to it makes his inner omega sob in disarray, and his head swirl in despair. If Nagi doesn’t like it on him, then he should take it back.
But just as the fabric is about to go over his closed off face, two hands stop his own.
“Reo? What are you doing?”
The two soft hands start pulling hard on the fabric. It’s strong enough to make Reo gasp, kicking him out of his drowning in despair.
Once the fabric is fully pulled away from his face, all Reo can see are big grey eyes. Staring down at him with fervor. Something flashes in them, something strong.
“Ah..” the omega lets out, not sure what he can say in this situation. I’m sad you hate your scent on me, or worse— I can’t live with the fact that you don’t find me suitable.
He doesn’t have to say anything, because Nagi breaks his thought process off before he can come up with anything.
“Don’t take it off.”
“Huh?”
“My hoodie. Don’t take it off.”
Reo raises both eyebrows. He has handled Nagi making no sense multiple times in the past. But right now he can find nothing to explain Nagi’s point. The alpha continues to stare, like he’s expecting Reo to get what he’s trying to convey with no effort needed.
But Reo doesn’t get it. All he can do is stare back.
Then, Nagi’s eyebrows furrow and his nose wrinkles up again just like he just did. Reo’s panic from it only intensifies when Nagi starts subtly sniffing the air around him.
Does he smell bad? Is his discontent apparent all the way from his core to his scent? Fuck, Reo curses himself. I should’ve brought two patches with me.
Nagi hates the sour smell, and Reo’s being a total bother by stinking down the place. It was foolish to believe the alpha would worry about him for being vulnerable, or to expect anything at all—
“.. Reo? What’s wrong?”
The omega tries to smile as genuine as he can. It looks strained, that he can see from Nagi’s grimace at it. “I told you—“
“You grow quiet when you’re upset. Just like now.”
He noticed that?
“I’m not upset.” Rep tries to convince him.
Nagi seems to be growing frustrated. He’s wearing a scent patch just like him, but Reo can guess that it’s straining against the alpha’s growing emotions. “Then what’s up with you?”
Reo waits one second, then one more, and then Nagi is leaning forward to his face—
He panics.
“If you don’t like your scent on me, it’s— totally fine. It’s fine, and you should take your hoodie back before it starts smelling like me.”
Nagi doesn’t miss a beat.
“I never said I disliked it.”
An inevitable gasp leaves Reo’s already parted lips.
“I never said I disliked it.” Nagi echoes, repeating his last words with a non characteristic tone of certainty. “I only want it to smell like you, though.”
Reo opens his mouth to reply, to sprout some nonsense like he usually does. Because it's always him that talks; it’s always Reo.
“My scent. I don’t like it. It’s ruining the smell of yours on.. my hoodie.”
Gawking at the alpha’s words, Reo can only stare like he has had life sucked out of him. Nagi likes his scent? He wants his hoodie to smell like Reo?
“But..” Nagi suddenly ponders off. “It’s weird..”
“What is?” Reo chokes out, desperation leaking through his voice. Nagi looks like he wants to flee. But right now? The omega won’t let him. “Nagi.”
“My scent. On you.”
Weird, he sure likes calling it that. Reo knows his omega is trembling with fear at the sudden jab, but this time Reo knows it’s different. If he can get Nagi to talk he’ll finally understand—
“I like it. Wear my clothes more.”
Reo feels his heart throw itself against the rib cage around it. This is his Nagi, the dumb alpha he’s grown accustomed to these past months. The oblivious alpha that doesn’t seem to realise the impact of his words.
“Reo..” Nagi mumbles, not helping the omega’s sudden spike of heart rate. “Why are you upset?”
This again. “I’m not—“
He stops, abruptly. Because Nagi is sniffing the air again, not even trying to be subtle about it. He even shifts his body closer to the omega’s— to get closer.
It’s too close.
“Nagi?” Reo breathes out, hands curling up over his chest to try to make himself somewhat smaller in a desperate act to get away. His scent of distress will give him away if the alpha gets closer.
It’s too late, Nagi has already noticed that. “Reo.” The alpha says back. “Why are you upset?”
“I’m not upset, stop saying that.”
Reo tries to scoot away from the alpha. It should be an easy task, considering the luxurious smoothness of the plush seats, but the omega is stopped by Nagi’s forceful grip.
Something flashes in Nagi’s eyes. Reo catches it, gasping softly. Nagi is moving.
The alpha grabs ahold of his arms. And before Reo can realise what's happening, Nagi is pushing their bodies together like two puzzle pieces. Reo swears he can hear the sound of them physically snapping together.
“You stop.” Nagi grumbles from between his neck, nosing around the hem of the hoodie there. “You..” He starts saying something else, but Reo can’t hear it.
How’s he supposed to? Does Nagi actually expect him to respond like he usually does when he’s on the brink of passing out?
Reo takes shallow breaths— body completely still in the hold Nagi has him in. He can’t move even if he wants to, which right now he doesn’t. Nagi’s grip is too strong, too all consuming. Without being able to help it all of his limbs become liquid.
Nagi’s soft skin smoothes over his neck and jaw, the alpha gliding back and forth like a man possessed. Reo holds his breath and holds on to him as hard as he can.
It feels amazing. Rewarding. Gratifying. Like he’s finally reached a point of satisfaction.
The omega inside of him is equally as pleased with the attention. Reo sighs, almost gasping instead from a sudden clench in Nagi’s grip. Both of his arms are covered in goosebumps. More starts to form as Nagi shifts, dragging him even closer with a hand around his back, cradling the omega safely into his arms.
Reo has no idea what got Nagi to start nosing down his neck, but he won’t let it go to waste. He brings an easy hand up to rest behind Nagi’s ear— playing with the hair there. The alpha takes in a sharp breath. Pleased.
“N—Nagi..”
“Reo.”
The omega sucks in a few fast puffs of air, trying to steady his hammering heart. Nagi must be feeling it from how close he is to his chest. “What are you doing..?”
Nagi doesn't respond right away, and Reo thinks he feels partly relieved from it. “Reo’s upset..” the alpha mumbles, not moving away from his attack on Reo’s neck.
Nope. Not anymore. Not when every accidental flick of Nagi’s nose against his skin makes him grip the other even closer, or from how insanely hot the gland in his neck is burning from the attention.
When the alpha finally looks up and into his eyes, Reo has to stifle a moan. Nagi has a special haze to his eyes, one he has never seen him with before. The alpha looks away, shy. As if he isn’t cradling Reo in his arms.
Reo smiles softly. This is it. It’s actually happening. Nagi has finally reacted, he’s going to confess right now. Tell him how he wants to give courting just the amount of attention that Reo wants to give it—
Nagi rubs the back of his neck.
“.. When are we at school?”
For fuck’s sake.
Nagi’s gone faster than he was there. Reo grits his teeth together, crossing his arms at the now unresponsive alpha.
Another fail. Another failed attempt at courting the alpha, attempt that is going to the pile of failures he has under his belt.
Yet— there’s still that feeling of satisfaction in his core. Reo’s warm and sated. Frustration is seeping through his chest, his warm chest. He’s getting closer, so close that tomorrow might hold the finish line.
Plus, the hoodie smells of Nagi again.