Untitled Part 9
Chapter Nine: Owl Boy
Daichi~
"Hey, man. I really am sorry. We just get...somewhat protective...when it comes to our Omegas," Daichi said apologetically, taking another step back from Bokuto's bristling figure.
Asahi nodded in agreement from his position next to him, brown eyes filled with regret.
It was the truth. He felt absolutely terrible about preemptively attacking his own teammate. He, like most of his Alpha housemates, had become almost overtly aware of Omega threats of late. Rightfully so.
"Your Omegas?" Bokuto asked and furrowed his brows in question as he shuffled his feet from side to side on the hot pavement.
"Uh, yeah..." Daichi faltered, unsure of how to explain the complex subject.
"The silver haired one that was on the porch earlier is Daichi's. There's a short one with spiky blonde bangs that belongs to Asahi. And the tall, snarky one that bowled into Keiji is mine," Hajime stated matter-of-factly, the last word rolling off his tongue with a possessive growl.
Daichi was momentarily stunned by the straightforwardness of the statement. It was uncharacteristic of the normally stern Alpha and something about the wording left him bothered.
"I wouldn't say that they belong to us, per say..." He quickly added in before trailing off, unable to come up with a better term to describe their new relationship with the Omega housemates.
"Yeah, right. My bad," Hajime nodded in agreement and a slight flush of embarrassment spread across his cheeks-- once again, stunning Daichi with his display of emotion.
What exactly happened to him in the past few days? First, the kid ropes them into fixing an Omega residence and now he suddenly starts blushing and calling Oikawa his?
Bokuto let out a gut-busting laugh, slightly keeling over to grab his stomach. "Well, if Hajime is involved in this Omega-loving business, then I know it must be serious!"
Daichi was immediately disrespected by the sarcastic statement. He began to growl out, and his housemate's followed suit to show their dissatisfaction.
Bokuto took another hesitant step back. "Woah, okay. Sorry guys," he conceded, his large hands out in front of him. "I didn't mean that the way it came out, okay?"
"Good," Asahi barked back and Bokuto's yellow eyes widened in astonishment-- surprised by the uncharacteristic show of aggression from the giant teddy bear.
"Okay well..." The owl continued, shrugging off the tense situation once more. "What's up with that quiet one...I think his name is Keiji?"
He was....genuinely interested, Daichi pondered to himself, that was...unusual. Bokuto's sole focus in life had always been volleyball, nothing more, nothing less. In fact, he was surprised that the owl had been able to keep his marks high enough to remain on their team at all.
"He isn't anybody's partner," Hajime replied with a small shrug and Daichi silently bookmarked the word-- it was the perfect way to describe their blooming relationships with the Omegas.
"Yeah, he definitely has been the most aloof of the bunch," Asahi added, nodding in agreement.
"Hey," Daichi chimed in, turning to face his housemates, suddenly remembering his previous conversation with Suga. "Did you guys know that he can fully suppress his Omega scent? That's crazy, right?"
"Really? Wow, I wonder if they can all do that..." Asahi half mumbled in question, stroking his goatee as he pondered.
"Apparently, they can't. It's Keiji's thing. Suga told me that's the reason he doesn't partner up with the other Omegas when he goes to class," Daichi replied to the bunned giant, pointing a knowing finger up to the blue sky above them.
"Yeah, there's no way Shittykawa would be able to do that. He's too outspoken," Hajime lazily added to the expanding conversation.
Asahi's large hand stroked his goatee as he nodded. "Mmm. Nishinoya is too energetic and careless with his scent."
"Hey, have you ever smelled Keiji, like at all before today?" Daichi questioned, completely forgetting Bokuto in their conversation.
When Keiji unleashed his calming scent, he had nearly fallen over in shock. It was a cool smell of ice and steel that certainly suited the quiet Omega. At least, from his perspective it did-- the boy was rather aloof, a mild scent seemed like the perfect fit.
There was a few moments of quiet reflection before Asai exploded into a train of thought. "No, I mean, I can smell Suga sometimes. It's like fresh baked pastries, right?" Daichi nodded in confirmation and the bunned giant continued. "Oikawa sometimes smells like clean laundry, or the ocean."
"Pretty much, yeah," Hajime replied, stifling a yawn against the back of his hand.
"Oh, hey! I could even smell a hint of roses off of Yachi...even though it was mostly shrouded with fear. But, yeah. I don't think I've ever smelled Keiji's scent before today," Asahi finished, a quizzical look on his soft face.
"Yeah, and the calming scent he released was so mild anyways. I could hardly smell it~~" Hajime added and Daichi couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's Oikawa-like tone.
"What are you laughing at," he chirped, narrowing his dark eyes.
"Oh, nothing. Just wondering when you're going to take the plunge with Oikawa."
"Eh, like eleven days."
"I-I'm sorry, what?" Daichi blubbered, startled by the abrupt and open statement. "You're, what?"
"Yeah. His heat is in eleven days."
"You've already talked about mating?!" Asahi blurted out, his eyes wide with interest. By smell alone, Daichi could tell that he and Nishinoya had yet to even sleep in the same bed together.
"Mmm. We're good to go," Hajime drawled, reaching his hands above his head in a satisfying stretch. "I'm surprised that you and Suga haven't. Has his cycle already passed or something?"
"Man, I don't know. I want to, but I think he's had some pretty shitty past experiences with the whole thing. I don't want to push him," Daichi remarked, not wanting to share anything too personal about his Omega.
He did his best to stifle a protective growl at the thought of Suga's tragic, yet unknown past. It was Suga's pain...the boy would divulge it when he felt comfortable enough to do so. Plus, Daichj was still confused about his own immense desire to mate with an Omega-- especially so soon after meeting him. Maybe that was just an excuse he told himself to deal with the silver boy's subtle rejections...Hajime and Oikawa certainly didn't seem to have the same worries.
"Yeah, shit. That's tough," Hajime grumbled with a tone of genuine concern that surprised him. "I don't know, man. Good for you. Just keep taking your time, it'll work itself out," he added and Daichi found himself immensely grateful for the unexpected support.
"There's no way I'm letting you beat me to the punch!" Asahi chirped, successfully lightening the pensive mood.
"Ya right, Asahi. You're never going to mate with Nishinoya if you don't man up and confront him about it," Hajime poked back with confidence, always ready to quip at his housemates with ease. "You haven't even slept together."
"Hey, I was wondering-" Bokuto attempted to jump into the conversation, but his words were quickly drowned out.
"I'm going to ask him, okay! Get off my back!" Asahi whined out, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I just need a little more time!"
"I will bet you one hundred dollars that you won't nail the kid down as your official partner in the next...two weeks," Hajime challenged, eyes glistening with unchecked humor.
"I second that bet!" Daichi added in with a sly smirk. He rarely pestered Asahi, but right now, he couldn't help himself-- the bunned man was such an easy to target.
"Sh-shut up, that's not true!"
"Then take the bet."
"Yeah! Take the bet!"
"HEY!" Bokuto yelled, startling them from their playful bickering.
"Oi, I forgot that you were even here," Hajime quipped at their grumbling teammate. "Normally, you're so fucking obnoxious. What's your damage?"
"Yeah, why are you so quiet, man?" Daichi pushed, his own curiosity getting the best of him once again.
Normally the owl was obnoxious. Why wasn't he acting like his normal, upbeat self? Had his encounter with Keiji...and with the Alphas...had it rattled him?
"Huh? I don't know. Stop hassling me! I'm just thinking about some stuff..."
"Out with it," Hajime barked, growing irritated with the length of their conversation. Daichi understood the frustration-- he wanted to return to his Omega too.
"Well, I guess I'm just curious s'all. I'm not exactly one to jump in to defend an Omega...before today...I just kind of...smelled you guys on Keiji and shit went black. Before I knew it, I was in the fray."
Daichi and his housemates sat in a stunned in silence, listening intently to Bokuto's recollection of the events. The bizarre, and irritating, story added another piece to his already complex puzzle-- his Alpha housemates had developed abnormally strong feelings towards the Omegas in a short period of time, his own personal desire to mate with Suga was perplexing, and the unusual pack instinct frustrated him to no end. Now, an Alpha from outside their circle of housemates had jumped in to protect an Omega...one that he had never even met.
He needed answers, not more questions! He wanted nothing more than to see the puzzle completed.
***
Suga and Daichi were basking in their post-Monday sex scents, feeling content and satiated. While Daichi felt overly relaxed in the presence of his Omega, his previous conversation with Bokuto was still fresh in his mind, clouding his pleasant thoughts.
"So, Bokuto said something interesting today," he said, unsure of where to start the explanation.
"Mmm, he's your teammate right? The one that looks like an owl? It's weird that he just showed up at the house with Keiji," Suga purred in response from his seated position, perched in Daichi's lap.
"It is weird, but not as weird as when he told us that he could smell Keiji. I mean, I haven't even smelled Keiji before today, and I live with him! And what's more, he told us that he jumped in to protect him because he smelled us on him."
"Really!?" Suga blurted out loudly, looking up at his with astonished, hazel eyes. "That's rare. I mean, extremely rare. Keiji doesn't let anyone smell him, unless he wants them to."
"Do you think it's because he was shaken up from his...run in," Daichi asked, unable to help himself from growling out the last words-- he hated th thought of the small Omega being cornered against his will.
"I highly doubt it. Stuff like that has never affected his ability in the past," Suga lectured, receiving a protective snarl from Daichi in response.
Stuff like that. Past. Keiji hurt by Alphas...before.
"Relaxxx, my Alpha," Suga purred, gingerly rubbing his silver hair against Daichi's scent glands. "Maybe, something about Bokuto caught his interest. That, or the owl Alpha has a really perceptive nose."
"Huh," Daichi remarked, grateful for the calm scent that Suga was lacing into the air-- he wanted to live inside the sweet, chocolatey smell. "Bokuto does not have a good nose, I can tell you that for sure. He has the attention span of a squirrel."
"Well, that solves the great mystery, then. Seems like he caught Keiji's attention," Suga reckoned, slightly adjusting against his broad chest.
"Actually, Bokuto inserting himself into our affairs did give me an idea, though. And I'd kind of like to have your thoughts on it."
"Ready and waiting for input! In more ways than one," the Omega cheekily replied, looking up at him with glassy, taunting eyes.
"Don't make me fuck you into these sheets again," he snarled out, inhaling the boy's silver locks to get another fix. Suga granted him another soft purr at his touch, playfully shimmying against his ass against his lap.
"Stoooooooop. Stop. Just for a second. Let me get this out first, then I'll fuck you until you can't take it anymore," Daichi pleaded, tightening his grip around the cheeky Omega's waist. "Bokuto reminded me of our volleyball game this weekend, and I was thinking that you should bring the flock. Tanaka and Kuroo are out of rotation, so they can sit in the bleachers with you guys. Keep you safe and stuff. Plus, I kind of want to gather a bit more information on this whole...thing. I mean, I can understand our Alpha housemates wanting to protect the nest, but Bokuto? We keep getting more questions instead of answers. Maybe going out as a group will help flesh some of this stuff out."
Upon finishing his proposal, he prayed that Suga understood that he had the nest's best interests in mind. Moreover, the prospect of his Omega watching him play in one of his season games excited him. He wanted to show off...just a little.
"I agree, it would be interesting to see how the group interacts in public. And, if you think they'll be safe, then I'm all for it. You've more than proven yourself as a worthy Alpha," Suga said sweetly, the heartwarming words sending butterflies through Daichi's chest.
A worthy Alpha. He would show him just how great an Alpha he really was. Grabbing the silver Omega, Daichi flipped him over and pinned him beneath his own weight, feeling his knot rearing up for round two.
Keiji~
Bokuto had begun following Keiji on his walk to campus in the mornings. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the owl boy had made it seem like a coincidence. Oh, Keiji, what a surprise, I didn't know you walked this way too, he had said-- as if he would fall for such a bullshit story. By Thursday, the Alpha was standing on the sidewalk in front of the yellow house, shuffling from side to side on the balls of his feet, waiting for him. When Friday rolled around, he was startled to find the owl waiting for him outside of the Humanities Building, unapologetic and eager to walk him home. He didn't like to admit it, but he had grown accustomed to the energectic company. He had even caught himself subconsciously releasing his natural fragrance more readily around the Alpha-- something that made him very nervous.
"You coming to our game tomorrow?" Bokuto chirped out from beside him, his spiked hair glistening in the evening Friday sun.
"I already told you, yes," Keiji drawled back, stifling a yawn.
The school week had exhausted him, but Bokuto's scent was...reinvigorating.
"Right, right. Then, you'll get to see my wicked cross-court smash!" The owl loudly proclaimed, turning his head to flash him with a beaming grim.
Keiji hated to admit it, but he liked the Alpha's wide smile, and the cocky, joyous scent that often accompanied it.
"I'll judge it when I see it," he snarkily replied, happy to knock the owl down a peg. However, when he slumped his shoulders, once again entering one of his classic pout sessions, Keiji chimed in once more to fix his sullen mood. "I'm sure it's as good as you say it is."
As much as he enjoyed teasing Bokuto, he always felt bad when he saw the sullen look on his face. The guy was sure as hell easy to get to....it was a wonder that he exuded so much confidence...that shit could disappear on a dime.
"Hey, you smell really nice today," Bokuto stated matter-of-factly, stretching his arms up into the orange sky. "I like it~"
At the abrupt comment, Keiji nearly fell over in frightful panic. Apparently, the owl could shake off his sulky moods, faster than the speed of light.
"W-what?" He stuttered as he furiously attempted to reign in his scent, only to find it extraordinarily difficult to do so.
Why did he have no conscious control over his fragrance around this guy? He huffed out a puff of frustrated air at the notion, was it because his body...wanted the Alpha...to smell him?
"Very icy today. Much more than yesterday. I guess on Fridays, you're less stressed and ready for the weekend!"
"Wait, what do you mean? You can only smell me today?" Keiji questioned, desiring information.
He did not like this increasing loss of control with his scent-- it had been years since he felt this...inexperienced.
"Nah, I could smell you all week, but it was more metallicy. Today, ya got some ice mixed in. Chilly. I like it," Bokuto explained, shoving his large hands in the pockets of his grey sweat pants, eyeing Keiji down will probing, owl eyes.
Keiji met his gaze, subtly shivering from their yellow depths-- they were eyes that could see through anything...including his bullshit. For a brief moment, a pleasant thought flickered across his mind before he shoved it away with great force, willing it to never come back again. He was never going to mate. Not with an Alpha. Not with Bokuto. Not ever.
"So..." he started, unable to hide the upset from his tone. "You're saying that I normally smell like metal..."
Of all the wonderful things that Omegas had for fragrances, he landed with...metal. What an awful thing to smell like. It was cold, dense, industrial-- there was not a single appealing aspect to it. He shook his head and forced a wry smirk, why should he care? Omega scents were solely used to attract Alphas, something which he had no desire to do in the first place. He should be grateful for the full fragrance. However, even with that idea in mind, he couldn't help his ego from feeling somewhat bruised.
"Yeah!" The owl boy proclaimed loudly, glancing up at a flock of birds passing above them. "Like an ice colllllllld metal."
When he remained silent, Bokuto rolled his neck over to eye him down, questioning his upset disposition. "Wait, did you not know what you smelled like?"
He gave the owl a side eyed look, then let out a puff of air at the ignorance and rattled off a quick explanation.
"Well, Omegas can't smell their own natural scent, or each other's, for that matter. It's mostly used to attract Alphas."
To attract a mate.
"It's more like, we smell each other's feelings, but there's no perceivable fragrance...just...emotion. I guess the only time an Omega really knows what sort of fragrance they give off, is when an Alpha tells them."
"Reaaaaally," Bokuto drawled, finally tearing his gaze away, much to Keiji's relief.
He felt like the Alpha was undressing him with his golden eyes-- it was making him rather uneasy.
"Well, I'll tell ya then! You can thank me later. Your silver haired friend smells like fresh pastries and that guy, Oikawa, smells like the ocean...and sometimes clean laundry. It kind of flickers back and forth."
"And I smell like...metal," Keiji quietly indicated, exuding a disappointed scent that he didn't have the energy to stop.
"Eh, Suga's scent is way too sweet for my tastes, and Oikawa's reminds me of the time I almost drowned during summer vacation while I was in middle school," Bokuto declared casually, kicking a loose pebble down the sidewalk. "Yours is...nice, I guess. It's not overbearing, like most of the Omegas I've smelled. I don't know, it's crisp. I like it.
Keiji couldn't help but smile at the truthful undertone in the statement. While it wasn't a beaming Bokuto type of smile, it was nonetheless genuine. There was no denying that the owl made him feel comfortable enough to allow his scent to roam about more freely-- albeit, against his conscious wishes. Withthat thought in mind, he suddenly realized just how exhausting it was to keep his fragrance on lock, in a near constant state of suppression. Crisp steel and ice, he mused with a sly smirk, maybe it wasn't so bad after all.
Daichi~
Daichi hurried through his school work, wanting to have it finished before the end of the night. He wanted zero distractions for the weekend-- he had enough on his plate, thinking about both the logistics of the volleyball game, and the safety of the Omegas that were going to attend. Gathering up his papers, he sniffed the air in his room, trying to ascertain Suga's position within the house. After a few moments of sifting through the various familiar fragrances, he noted that the Omega was in the nesting room on the floor above him. He rounded the flight of stairs and knocked on the oaken door before him, sensing Suga's growing irritation, radiating from within it.
"Oh, Daichi. Come in," he heard Suga call from beyond the door, granting him access its tea green confines.
"What's wrong?" He questioned, closing off the dark hallway behind him.
Suga stood a few meters away, shuffling things around in a flurry-- obviously looking for something important.
"I was hoping that I would be able to find that study from the seventies," the silver Omega called over his shoulder without looking, flipping over a few blankets with irritation. "You know, the one that I had checked out? Our conversation the other day reminded me of it, but I've looked everywhere! It must have been lost during my run-in with those Alphas."
A deep, throaty growl escaped Daichi's throat-- the reminder of Suga, the Alphas, and the Cultural Building stirred his instincts from their pleasant slumber, telling him to barricade the Omega inside his room for all eternity. Stop, his conscious mind commanded, Suga was his own person. He was not his. He had no right to force his instinctual protection over him.
"Keiji said something to me the other day that made me think about the pack mentality you had mentioned," he went on, actively ignoring Daichi's instinctual snarls. "Remember, you said that Bokuto had told you that he could smell you guys on Keiji? Keiji told me the same thing, so he's not lying..." He pondered out loud, trailing off before quickly turning around to face Daichi with wide, chocolate eyes. "Not that I'm calling Bokuto a liar! I didn't mean that the way it came out!"
Daichi chuckled, feeling warmer now that he had the Omega's full attention.
"No, I know, I know. Don't stress about it."
"Okay, but it's weird, right?"
It certainly was interesting. Bokuto normally didn't give a shit about Omegas, yet he could smell the owl's scent on Keiji every single day this week. It wasn't because his teammate had scented the Omega, but the smell was prominent enough for him to tell that the two boys had been spending a lot time together-- right under their unsuspecting noses. Was the kid trying to court the Omega? Had he felt the pack instinct, as well?
"I know we already talked about this, but I didn't really give it my full attention until now," Suga pronounced with an eccentric interest that was not lost on Daichi.
The Omega was a scholar, through and through. He had come to understand that the silver boy loved the challenge of solving a mystery, a trait which he greatly admired. The way Suga's hazel eyes glazed over with acute curiosity, the the animation behind his words when he discussed a subject that had peaked his interest-- these were the things he had grown to love.
"I just," Suga began once more, this time releasing a heavy sigh of exasperation. "I don't know what to do with all of this information. I mean, I don't know about you, but my primary education doesn't explain any of this stuff! All my teachers ever did was drone on and on about how to stay safe, the mating process, puberty, childbirth, etcetera. Nothing useful to what we're experiencing. Like, the only thing I know about fragrances is between Alphas and Omegas. Did they teach you anything about Alpha on Alpha scent mixing, or the variations of it? Anything that might be helpful?"
"No, not a single thing. I mean, not anything useful to this pack shit, anyways. Everything we learned mostly pertained to Alpha on Alpha violence."
"What do you mean?"
"Like," he started, trying to put his thoughts into words. "When two Alphas get into a spat about something, which happens a lot, the Alpha with the more dominant scent can sometimes force the lesser Alpha to submit without any need for physical altercation. But, I mean, it's all dependent on the personality of the people too. Like, I've known some pretty scrappy Alphas in my time..."
Scrappy Alphas like Yuji, he mused with a knowing smirk, the kid wasn't the most dominant Alpha around, but he had never seen him back down from a fight. No matter how dominant his opponent was.
"While that is good to know, you're right, it doesn't help us," Suga replied with a sweet smile that melted Daichi's insides. "So, aside from the article, we have zero resources on Alpha scent mixing, fantastic. Just who am I supposed to ask about this stuff? I suppose I could ask Miyo, but it's not like the education system has changed in the last fifty years. I just wish those stupid Alphas didn't toss my bag around so much. I should've gone back to the scene to find it," he finished his ramblings with a deep, mournful sigh.
Stupid Alphas, indeed. If Daichi ever ran into them again, he was certain that his instincts would flare up to such a degree that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from slaughtering them. He would be glad to.
"Daichi, if you're going to growl every time I bring up a gross encounter between Alphas and Omegas, you're going to break your vocal cords," the silver haired boy chastised him, successfully snapping him out of his bitter anger with a fresh, sweet scent.
"I know, I'm sorry. I can't help it. It's instinctual," he said apologetically, shaking his head at his upset.
He wished that he had better control over his internal beast, but he knew in his heart that it was never going to happen-- especially now, after everything he had witnessed and learned. He was growing more and more sympathetic to the Omega cause with each passing day.
"I know~~" Suga purred back, closing the distance between them. "I guess I shouldn't give you such a hard time about it. I am grateful for it, I promise."
Although the words were genuine, Daichi couldn't help but pick up on a very subtle tone of hesitation. Suga was still unsure of his intentions, perhaps rightfully so. Daichi couldn't fault him for it. From the subtle hints of information he had gathered during Suga's various ramblings, it was clear that his sole experience with Alphas was in their desire to claim ownership over him. It was an instinct that Daichi had been actively fighting against. He didn't want to own Suga, he wanted a partnership-- where both parties brought skills to the table that the other was lacking. It might take time, but he would prove to the silver boy that he supported his desire for anonymity-- even if it took the rest of his life to do sk.
"Hey, do you remember anything from the article?" He finally asked boy after a few moments of silent reflection. "Anything at all?"
Suga hunched down to shuffle a few papers on the floor, then sat back on his haunches and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Not really, that's kind of why I checked it out. I was too tired to even take notes on it. So stupid of me."
"Maybe we can find it in another library?"
"Yeah, maybe. I mean, I already scoured the internet this morning, but there are no electronic versions of it. So, that's not a bad idea."
"Do you remember a name? Or even a place from it?"
"Well, there was this one name that stuck out...Kaito Hirano. He was this Alpha member in one of the control groups. At least, I think he was."
"Maybe we can track him down?" Daichi suggested, knowing that it was a long shot. He just needed something, any lead he could get that could help him answer his burning questions.
"I guess it's worth a shot. It's not like we have any other leads! I'm going to do some research on the professors at our University, as well. Maybe one of them could help us out."
"Yeah, good idea. You'll let me know if there's anything I can help with? I'll gladly chase down a few leads for you."
"Of course," Suga replied, rising up to full height to gingerly kiss him on the cheek. "But, let's put it to bed for this weekend? I'm excited to see you play in your match."
Daichi smiled, his muscles turning to jello from the smell of Suga's joyful fragrance. He couldn't wait to show off his volleyball team the following afternoon, even if he was a bit nervous. However, he was sure that having his Omega there, watching him play, would make him work harder than he had ever before-- and his team certainly needed the drive. They were up against Date Tech, and it was the last game of the summer season.
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