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Day 4, Feb. 17 – Fantasy AU, Courting, “Trust me.”
---
It was the cat nip.
He blames it all on the god forsaken cat nip.
Kiyoomi hears a soft sigh from somewhere beneath him, making him tense, his breath hitching. He watches the golden haired fox squirm in his arms, seeking his warmth, before eventually deciding to burrow his face in between the juncture of Kiyoomi’s neck and shoulder, right above the fresh mating mark. He reaches down and rubs the twitching ears, hearing the other purr quietly.
“Hey,” he says half-heartedly, reluctant to get out of the bed himself. “We need to get up love, we’re going to be late.”
A grumbled reply. It sounds suspiciously like, “Screw work.”
“What was that?”
The omega nuzzles deeper into him, the thick scent of peaches making Kiyoomi heady. Damn, he thinks. He’s worse than cat nip.
He cups the other’s face, the corners of his lips tugging upwards as golden eyes slowly flutter open. Bathed in the mellow sunlight, he looks absolutely ethereal. Almost…. delicious.
Kiyoomi bites his squishy cheek.
“Omi!”, Atsumu screeches, fully awake, kicking him out of the bed. Worth it.
Yeah, he’s down bad.
And it’s the cat nip’s fault.
---
Five months ago
To be fair to wonderful and terrible creation of nature called catnip, the enigma named Miya Atsumu, also known as the Bureau of Supernatural Entities’ most competent agent, (or as Kiyoomi liked to call him, a pain in the ass) was as vexing, infuriating, and charming as the day he first met him.
The door to the laboratory bangs open, making Kiyoomi flinch. It’s a miracle how it’s still standing upright under the horrific abuse of poor manners it had been subjected to.
“Omi-omi!”
The alpha sighs. Here we go again. He doesn’t bother turning around. “What do you want Miya?”
“Ya gotta help me! Look at this! Damned poltergeist was takin' his shit too far!”
He turns, finding barely a foot of space between him and glistening amber eyes. Kiyoomi’s not sure whether he should move closer so he can inhale more of that heavenly scent of ripe peaches or run as far away as his feet can take him.
He decides to act like a normal person and takes a few steps backwards before heading to the opposite end of the table, pretending to be immersed in the bright green liquid bubbling in a flask. Atsumu follows, plopping down on the stool opposite him. Kiyoomi finally appraises him, eyebrows rising as he takes in the white, cakey-looking powder dusting the fox.
“Please tell me you didn’t just track a dead man’s ashes in my lab.”
“I would but,” he pauses. “Dammit, what did ya say this was?”
He sighs, exasperated. “Come here.”
The fox’s tail swishes, scattering the ash further. Kiyoomi wrinkles his nose, instinctively grabbing the swinging appendage to stop it from scattering the dust. “Stop that,” he hisses. Something inside him stirs as he hears the omega whine lowly, eyes cast downward. He smells really good right now.
Kiyoomi grabs a vial of dark purple liquid with one hand, the other clutching on the neckline of Atsumu’s shirt, promptly throwing both out of his lab.
“’M sorry Omi! I’ll shaddup so can ya get this off…?”
“Take a bath and put the essence of lavender in the water, it should clean everything.”
He pointedly ignores the loud thanks of the fox and slams the door shut on his beaming face.
He most definitely did not find it cute.
---
He tells Motoya this much as his cousin drags him off for drinks at a relatively clean bar that was modeled after a 16th century tavern. The owner was a vampire, one of his cousin’s acquaintances, and apparently, vintage takes a whole new meaning when you’re an immortal undead.
“I dunno cuz,” Komori slurs, nursing his fourth cup of draught. Kiyoomi barely touched his mug. “It sounds to me like you don’t mind being his personal potion dispenser.”
“I am the Bureau’s head alchemist, not some glorified babysitter of their exorcists.”
“You know,” his cousin says, grinning. “I heard his twin’s mate is the resident of the healer department isn’t he? Why don’t you make him their problem?”
“I tried,” he grumbles. “Apparently, their potions don’t ‘work well with him’ or whatever the hell that means so he keeps coming back for my elixirs.”
“Or maybe he keeps coming back for you.”
“That’s a shitty way of flirting.”
“Then show him how it’s done cuz.” Kiyoomi stares at Motoya, who is already on his feet, slowly shuffling to the counter to get his fifth refill. A slow smirk forms on his face.
Oh two can play this game.
---
The next time Atsumu drops by, he is in a decidedly less cheery mood.
He hears a barely mumbled greeting before the fox heads straight for the chair behind Kiyoomi’s desk, slumping into it with his eyes shut, looking utterly exhausted. The alchemist’s brows furrow as he turns down the heat from the distillery and tugs his face mask down, sniffing the air delicately.
The usually light and airy fragrance of peaches has turned sickly sweet, cloying at the back of Kiyoomi’s throat. He doesn’t necessarily dislike it per se, but if Atsumu doesn’t stop emitting that scent he might be prompted to do something stupid, like licking the sweat drop that was making its way down the man’s throat.
He leans across the table, looking him over. “Long day?” he asks softly.
“Mmmm.”
Kiyoomi takes a small red pill from the bottle on the desk, the rattling sound causing the omega to stir and crack an eye open. He walks slowly, as if approaching a cornered animal, intruding into the fox's space until Atsumu had to tilt his head back to look at him straight in the eye. “Omi…?”
“Open your mouth.” He hums, pleased, as Atsumu complies, allowing Kiyoomi to pop the pill in his mouth. He almost laughs at the other man’s drowsy expression. “It would work better if you swallowed, Miya.”
Atsumu turns a lovely shade of crimson before turning his face away, though he doesn’t seem to notice that his ears are twitching uncontrollably. Kiyoomi tugs his face mask back up, concealing his smile.
“Go home if you’re that tired.”
A yawn. “Can’t. Shouyo-kun ain’t done filing da paperwork for da ghoul extermination yet so…”
“You’re tired and your heat is coming up, I’m sure they can forgive your absence just this once.”
The fox stops chewing, eyes wide. “How’d ya know?”
“You’re marking my chair.”
Atsumu stands abruptly, apologies already halfway out before tripping over his own feet. Kiyoomi catches him by the waist, holding him up and against his chest. Atsumu freezes, clutching Kiyoomi’s shirt. The scent of mint starts wafting off of him as he slowly pulls Atsumu closer, reaching for the coat behind him, slung on the arm of his chair. He pulls back a bit, draping the black fabric on the omega’s shoulders, subtly scenting the collar of the coat. He looks into the warm eyes staring at his own and blinks slowly.
“Go home,” he says again, voice firmer this time.
“Okay”. And that was that.
When Atsumu returns to the laboratory a week later to return his coat, he doesn’t fail to notice the sweet scent of peaches clinging on the fabric underneath the scent of a familiar fabric softener.
It becomes his favorite coat to wear.
---
A month later, he’s roped by his coworkers into a joining them for dinner in an izakaya. It’s not one of his usual haunts, so he sulks in the corner of their table, speaking only when asked, and not accepting any more drinks after his third cup.
But because karma is a bitch, his sour mood only served as a drive to motivate his coworkers into making him ‘relax and have a good time.’ Apparently, being with his peers for almost three years did not harness their senses to account for his tastes; otherwise, they wouldn’t have dragged him to a bar that looked like it had been constructed in the 20th century when speakeasies were still a thing. He suspects that their determination to go in was fueled by the rumors of sirens performing there rather than their supposedly original intent of making Kiyoomi unwind.
He takes up a stool at the bar counter, furiously wiping on the seat and the polished wood before ordering a glass of whiskey. He’s too sober to deal with this.
Halfway through his drink, he feels someone clutch his arm, and he tenses on instinct. The urge to growl at the stranger instantly fades away when the scent of peaches reaches his nose.
“Omi,” Atsumu whimpers, clearly tipsy. The sound sends heat rushing through his veins. He wants to hear it. Again.
Against his better judgement, his hand finds its way to the small of the golden fox’s back, steadying him. “Miya, what are you doing?”
“7’o clock,” he whispers. He looks a little frazzled, if not annoyed. It was also then that he picks up the scent of lemons on Atsumu, sharp and acrid. It makes him pull the fox flush against his chest, eliciting a small yip from Atsumu as the fox splays his fingers against Kiyoomi’s chest to regain some balance. “Creep won’t take no for an answer. Help me out a little?”
Kiyoomi lets out a snarl at the alpha eyeing Atsumu from the other end of the bar counter, snaking both arms to curl around the omega’s lithe figure. How dare he put his hands, his scent on Kiyoomi’s veritable treasure, on Kiyoomi’s omega?
The thought makes him pause, slightly unsure when that development happened. This was supposed to be a game isn’t it?
Then he thinks of Atsumu coming in his lab one day with another alpha’s scent on him and his whole resolve crumbles.
Screw the game, he’s a fool to think he could play without getting caught up with his feelings for –
He noses the scent gland at the fox’s neck, stopping when he feels the other tense up.
“Atsu,” he murmurs, feeling the omega shiver. “Trust me.”
“Okay,” he hears him say, clutching on Kiyoomi's shoulders for dear life. “Okay.”
Kiyoomi runs his hand along the arc of Atsumu’s spine, rubbing out soothing circles as he scents him, sending a warning glare to the other alpha.
Mine.
After the jerk retreats, he backs off gently, keeping his hands on the fox’s waist. Atsumu’s eyes were half-lidded, and if he listens closely enough, the deep reverberations coming from him may have been the start of small purrs.
He leans forward, pressing their foreheads together. And then, he blinks slowly. Once.
Twice.
Kiyoomi had to call Osamu so he could pick Atsumu up from the bar because he had to make sure that his drunk coworkers got home safely, but Kiyoomi left that night with high spirits and the sweet scent of peaches clinging on his lips.
Maybe he had to thank his coworkers after all.
---
It becomes a habit for Atsumu to come ask for Kiyoomi’s help all the time. It slowly evolves from providing him elixirs and letting him use his lab to do paperwork to shared sweaters, subtle scenting, even the occasional ride home. He keeps waiting for Atsumu to draw the line somewhere, but the fox doesn’t seem to have any intention of doing so. If anything, he seems to revel basking in the alpha’s attention.
So Kiyoomi decides to continue their dance.
For their joint team building exercise this year, the bureau dumped their task force in a homey, rural village just a little way from the mountains. It was supposed to be a fairly uneventful hiking trip, but the supernatural rests for no one, not even the bureau.
The whole group trudges back into the inn, faces streaked with mud and clothes ripped in some places. Even the hype brought about by Bokuto’s cheers and Hinata’s chattering was grower dimmer, all of them exhausted and drained from fending off a whole mountain’s worth of malicious yokai.
A small sneeze catches his attention, making Kiyoomi’s ears perk up. He glances at Atsumu, whose hands are stuffed into his pockets, slightly trembling. He makes his way towards the omega, running a hand through the other's damp hair. He frowns.
“Take a bath. You’re going to catch a cold.”
“Hey!” Hinata’s voice rings out. “I called dibs, Atsumu-san lost to me earlier!”
Atsumu shrugs, smiling up at him. “Ya heard him. ‘Sides, I’ll be fine Omi-omi, it aint that cold.”
“Take one in my room then.”
His golden eyes grow wider. “Ya don’t mind?”
Kiyoomi drapes the towel given to him by the hostess earlier, wrapping it over the fox’s ears, using the ends to wipe away the grime on his nose. He blinks slowly, watching Atsumu’s face scrunch up a little as he cleans him. “Hurry up.”
He watches the omega scramble towards his room, fondness coloring his gaze. His roommate raises an eyebrow at the intrusion, gaze sliding over to Kiyoomi.
“You just gave up your hot water privileges for Atsumu,” Suna says, handing him a cup of tea from his place in the kotatsu. He sits down, accepting the steaming drink from the alpha.
“He was going to catch a cold at that rate.”
Suna hums, green eyes glinting as the scent of cedar makes itself known. “You know,” he says conversationally. “Your subtly will do you no favors if you’re courting a Miya.”
Kiyoomi’s eyes wander towards the mating mark at Suna’s neck. That was from experience then. But… “I’m in no hurry.”
The scent of cedar grows stronger, smokier. “If you’re just messing with him, I swear to God I’ll – “
He flashes his canines, his own scent of mint cutting through the air. “You should know me better than this by now. You think I’m courting an omega, courting Atsumu, for fun?”
Suna stares at him in surprise, backing off. “Holy shit, you actually admitted it.”
Kiyoomi huffs, looking away. He hears singing coming from the bathroom, and decides that Atsumu was probably going take his time. “Call me when he’s done.”
The other alpha is already on his phone, thumbs flitting over the screen. Presumably texting his mate about the latest development in his twin’s love life. “You still joining us for the movie marathon later?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“’Tsumu’s coming along. Something about proving that his movie tastes are better than Bokuto’s.”
“Fine.”
----
As luck would have it, Kiyoomi ended up being the last to take a bath. The others were already halfway through A Walk to Remember when he comes in the common room, hair still damp from the shower. Bokuto, Hinata, Inunaki and Barnes were all cramped on the couch, while Meian and Suna were sharing the kotatsu, passing the snacks around. He follows the light scent of peaches, moving to stand behind the ancient armchair. He leans down, burying his nose in the head of golden hair, trailing a finger down the unmarked nape of the omega’s neck.
“I thought you didn’t like romance movies,” he murmurs, careful not to disturb the others.
Atsumu hums, whispering back. “We’re havin’ a contest. Whoever cries first loses.” He looks up, tugging at Kiyoomi’s arm. “Sit next ta me.”
“Atsumu, you’re seated on an armchair.”
“So?”
Kiyoomi looks at the him with a deadpan stare, eventually relenting when the other begins to pout. That wasn’t very good for his heart.
“Stand up,” he says, pulling the fox out of the seat before settling down and depositing the omega on his lap.
“Omi!” he squeaks, squirming in his hold. He tightens his arm around Atsumu, black tail curling around his waist, allowing Kiyoomi to pull Atsumu back against his chest. “Shh,” he croons, lips brushing the shell of omega’s ear. “You’re too loud.”
Atsumu’s breath hitches. He hears a plaintive mewl before the fox eventually submits, giving in and making himself comfortable in his new seat.
Kiyoomi takes that as his cue to rest his chin on Atsumu’s shoulder, blinking slowly. He barely pays any attention to the movie, more occupied in playing with the fox’s fingers.
None of them end up going to bed that night, the innkeeper finding all of them sprawled out in the common room the next morning.
He pays Suna two thousand yen to convince him to send the picture of Atsumu curled up in his lap, face hidden in the crook of Kiyoomi’s neck as both of them slept on the supposedly one-person armchair.
It becomes his new home screen.
---
See, the thing is, he wasn’t the only big cat in the Bureau. And if Suna, a canine of all creatures, could pick up on his gestures, the other cats sure can.
Which is why he now has to deal with the snow leopard in front of him.
“I don’t understand Sakusa-san,” Kageyama says, tail swishing back and forth. “What do you mean you aren’t together with Atsumu-san? He reeks of you, and he spends half of the day with Shouyo.”
He sighs, not wanting to have this conversation now. Never, if possible.
“I agree with Tobio, Kiyoomi, it is unlike you to dance around the issue,” Wakatoshi says, passing him the mortar. He takes it silently, grinding the root of mandrake.
“I’m not.” He grumbles, panicking a little at the thought that he may not be as discreet as he thought he was.
There was a knock on the door, and Kiyoomi snaps his head towards it gratefully, expecting Akaashi, who was supposed to pick up his current dissertation papers on the newly discovered properties of the Philosopher’s stone. His heart sinks when it opens, revealing Suna, who was fiddling with something on his phone. He looks thoroughly exasperated, eyes lighting up in relief when he spots Kiyoomi.
He greets the other alphas hurriedly, before shoving his phone in Kiyoomi’s face. “Sakusa-san, please talk some sense into him, or send him elixirs, I don’t know, he’s had a cold since we returned and he won’t take any potions because he said they taste disgusting.” He throws up his hands in the air. “Potions are practically tasteless!”
“He says that they smell vaguely of the ingredients you use,” Kiyoomi says absent-mindedly, taking the phone, amusement rising at the omega’s petulant messages. “It’s the smell that he can’t stand.”
Ushijima cocks his head to the side. “Elixirs use denser materials though. I don’t see why he’d prefer it over potions.”
He presses the call button, lifting the phone to his ear. “I use sage and moonflowers, they nullify all the scents and tastes of the other ingredients and enhances their medicinal and spiritual value.”
Kageyama’s eyebrows rise, and he hastily takes out a notepad, writing the information down. Suna appraises him, impressed. “Where’d you get that from?”
The phone continues ringing. Kiyoomi’s experimented on it for hours on end, and it had been worth it to see that blinding smile accompanied by a soft purr of ‘thank you, omi-omi’.
But they didn’t need to know that.
The line clicks, and all thoughts fade away as a familiar but raspy voice comes through. “Sunarin, I thought I told ya I ain’t takin’ yer shitty ass potion, It’ll just make me puke again.”
“I’ll drop by with some elixirs, do you need anything else? How are you feeling?”
There’s a pause on the other end and a startled yip. “O-omi?”
“Mm.”
Another pause. “I'm fine ya know! Sunarin was just makin’ a big deal outta it.”
“Stop lying, I can hear you sniffling. Tell me what’s wrong.”
He hears a long, low whine coming from the other end, and the urge to rush to the omega’s side becomes almost too unbearable. “My head hurts like a bitch.”
“Anything I can do to make you feel better?”
“Those red pills you always give me. And Onigiri. Want ‘Samu’s tuna onigiri.”
He walks past his desk, grabbing a few bottles and vials, stuffing them in his bag before slinging his coat over his shoulder. “Alright, I’m coming, give me twenty minutes.”
“Omi…”
He stops in his tracks. “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
There it is. He blinks, slowly. Somewhere next to him, he hears a surprised hiss. “Of course. I’ll knock when I arrive, so sit tight; don’t do anything stupid.”
He hangs up and passes the phone back to Suna, looking up to see three pairs of eyes looking back at him curiously. Kiyoomi bristles, uncomfortable with the attention. “What?”
Ushijima slowly takes over the station he abandoned, stirring the bubbling concoction that was starting to change color. “Go, I’ll take care of this. The draught is almost done anyway.”
Kageyama is slightly less helpful. “He’s not here, so why bother blinking Sakusa-san?”
He bolts, and as the door closes he hears Suna ask. “Is the blinking an important thing for panthers?”
Kiyoomi decides to let his future-self deal with that mess. He has onigiri to pick up.
---
Maybe he has to tell Atsumu after all.
The fact of the matter is this:
Kiyoomi is a literal black panther, more specifically, a melanated jaguar.
Atsumu already knows this; Kiyoomi spent an hour lecturing him on how panthers are actually a classification and how melanated big cats belonging to the Panthera family like lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars are all technically black panthers if nature decided to give them a black coat instead of a spotted, striped or beige one. Nevertheless, after they’d watched the Black Panther it didn’t stop Atsumu from greeting him with “Wakanda forever!” for a whole week after Kiyoomi agreed to let himself be dragged to the cinema to watch the movie with the fox.
What Atsumu doesn’t know is this:
The Felis family, which consists of other “small cats” show their affection, and some say love, by slowly blinking.
Atsumu also doesn’t know that the Panthera family and Felis family share this trait.
What Kiyoomi knows is this:
It’s not exactly fair to be courting Atsumu with his own customs while Atsumu remains oblivious to the said courting.
What Kiyoomi does not know is this:
Suna had texted Atsumu the moment he figured out what the slow blinking meant.
---
Kiyoomi knocks on the door, balancing the plastic bag on his arm and clutching onto the warm drink in the other. He hears some shuffling, and a muffled reply from inside before the door swings open, bringing the scent of peaches to him. He’s greeted by the welcome sight of tired gold eyes, brightening just a little bit at his arrival.
“Hey,” he whispers, keeping his voice down so he doesn’t aggravate the other’s headache any further. “I got your food and elixirs.”
Atsumu steps aside, making room for him to enter the genkan. Kiyoomi feels his lips twitch into a smile as he notes the way the fox’s tail swishes around, betraying his excitement.
“Eat this first, you can take the elixirs after. I wasn’t sure how much you wanted, so I got the fatty tuna and every other flavor.”
He places the onigiri and the matcha tea from the café down the street that Atsumu always brings them to during break time on top of the kotatsu. The omega watches him, half-buried in blankets. “Hey Omi?”
Kiyoomi pauses, dropping everything and making his way towards Atsumu. He puts the back of his hand to Atsumu’s neck, concerned at the excessive warmth emanating from him. “Fuck, you need to take those elixirs.” He cups the fox’s face, resisting the urge to scent him when he practically melts under Kiyoomi’s touch. “Does it hurt?”
Atsumu nuzzles into his palm, breathing deeply. “No, not anymore.” He looks up at Kiyoomi, and then blinks.
Slowly.
Once.
Twice.
Kiyoomi’s not sure if he just hallucinated the entire experience. Maybe Atsumu’s not the only sick one if he’s having fever dreams.
“Omi?”
He clears his throat. “Yeah?”
“Can I,” the omega hesitates, his scent becoming sharper as his nervousness tinges the air. Kiyoomi runs his hands through golden hair, brushing it away from the other’s face. His alpha instincts preen in delight as Atsumu keens into the touch.
“Shh,” Kiyoomi murmurs, stroking his hair and trembling ears, releasing his own calming scent of mint. He allows Atsumu to scramble on his lap, face buried in the juncture of Kiyoomi’s neck and shoulder. “It’s ok, it’s alright, I got you.”
“Just until I get some sleep.”
“Mm.” I’d keep you in my arms forever if you’d let me.
He hears Atsumu’s breathing even out slowly, and not long after, steady purrs fill the air.
Kiyoomi looks down at the fox between his arms and blinks.
Once.
Twice.
---
He’s still not sure on how to go about telling Atsumu that he was practically courting him for five months when the cat nip incident happens.
It goes like this:
It’s 9pm, and Kiyoomi is getting coffee from the pantry. It’s ridiculous really, but he refuses to go home and leave the distilling process to the mana machines. Call him paranoid, but he’d sleep better at night knowing that he did everything by hand.
And so here he was, reheating the afternoon coffee, the fumes fogging up his reading glasses. His phone rings and he answers it without looking at the caller ID. “Sakusa speaking.”
“Omi-omi! Love of my life, heart of my soul, gem of my existence, cause of---“
His tail twitches at the plethora of sweet nothings coming from the teeny speaker. He silently thanks every god in existence that no one was there to witness his reddening face. “What have you done now?”
Nervous laughter fills his ears. “So, uh, ya remember the bet I lost to Sunarin the other day?”
“The one with the tequila, the goat, and the log book of the accounting department?”
“Yeah, uh so about that….”
“Spit it out Atsu.”
“Can ya help me sort out all the ingredients Sunarin ordered today?”
His burrows furrow. “You’re not a herbalist, a potioneer, or an alchemist.”
“I know! That’s what I told him but he said I could always--,” he cuts himself off abruptly. Huh, weird.
Kiyoomi sets his coffee down, rummaging through the cabinets for sweeteners. “What made him think that this was a good idea?”
“I know!” he hears the omega’s wail filter through the call. “But ‘Samu’s heat was startin’ so he took off after he cashed in his favor.”
Ah, that explains the insanity of letting Miya Atsumu sort potion ingredients of all things. “Anyway, Meian-san said he saw ya were still here on his way out, so help me out Omi? Pretty please?”
He makes his way down the storage room, holding two cups of coffee, phone tucked between his ear and shoulder. “What makes you think I’ll agree?”
“I’ll make you those umeboshi onigiris ya liked.”
Dammit, that’s not fair. He grips onto the handle of both mugs tightly with one hand, abruptly ending the call. Opening the storage room door, he sees the fox crouching amongst the boxes, pouting at his phone.
Kiyoomi sighs. “This is going to take all night.”
Atsumu looks up, eyes turning into little crescents. “Omi!”
God he’s adorable.
He silently hands Atsumu the other mug, surveying the boxes. “I’ll tell you where to store them, so finish your coffee first before you start lifting all these.”
---
It takes them until 11pm to finally sort out all the new arrivals, even reorganizing the shelves by alphabet according to Kiyoomi’s insistence. Atsumu groans, flopping against the newly labeled racks, the sleeves of his button up rolled back to expose his forearms, his first three buttons popped open to reveal the lines of his neck and collar bone.
It doesn’t help that all their physical activity in the small, cramped room naturally prompted their bodies to release both perspiration and pheromones. The smell of peaches and mint entwined hang heavily in the air, and he tries not to stare at the muscles of Atsumu’s torso, defined by his white, sweat-riddled shirt, narrowing down to his thighs that made his pants look like it was painted on him.
It’s absolute torture.
Kiyoomi stops ogling the sight before him and attempts to focus on the little notepad he listed the ingredients with, checking off the last three items. “We’re done.”
“Thank god, ‘m starvin’ after all that. Say, omi do ya wanna eat some---?” As he stretches, his fingertips brush against the edge of a box’s corner in the upper shelf, making it tilt precariously. Kiyoomi’s eyes widen as he dashes forward, leaning over Atsumu, using his back to shield them as the box tumbles over, dousing him with a spicy sweet scent.
“Shit! Omi, hey omi-omi look at me! Are ya ok? Did it hit yer head?”
He registers the warmth of a palm on his face, fingers sifting slowly through his hair, most likely looking for injuries. Somehow, the omega in front of him smells better than usual. It makes him relax, though he feels winded for no reason at all too.
“What the hell is this? Smells weird.” Atsumu holds up the dried leaf between them, examining it curiously. Kiyoomi draws closer, trying to banish the fog from his head, and immediately retreats, scrambling back as he recognizes the tiny herb.
“Fuck.”
The fox looks over worriedly, an arm stretched out in his direction. “Omi, what— “
“Get away from me.”
Atsumu recoils, the tone and the alpha’s command making him press his body against the shelf. Hurt passes through his face for a brief moment before hardening to anger. “What the actual fuck? Did ya just command me Sakusa?”
Kiyoomi can barely think through the haze of scents wrapping around him, but he knows he crossed the line. He never thought that he would hear Atsumu say his name with so much revulsion. It startles him enough to find words to explain himself.
“That,” he says, swallowing thickly. “is catnip. And not the normal kind; those are the ones we use in potions to make heats and ruts more comfortable for felines.”
“That ain’t a damn excuse.”
He hisses at the fox’s clipped tone, before remembering that he was the one at fault here and clamping down on his inner alpha. “Miya,” he grits out. “in case you haven’t noticed, the room is thick with your scent. And I just told you that an ingredient that acts like a goddamn aphrodisiac for cats has been dumped on me.”
He shifts on his feet, tail swishing wildly as his eyes glint emerald. “I’m a wild cat, and an alpha.”
“Oh.”
The sour scent of the omega’s resentment thins out, making both Kiyoomi and his inner alpha settle down a bit. “You should go,” he says, shoving his hands in the pocket of his lab coat, hunching in of himself. “Before I lose control and do something stupid.”
He hears the sound of shoes scuffing against the polished floors, making him look up. His breath stutters in his chest as he finds himself looking at wide gold eyes. “Like bitin’ me?”
Kiyoomi averts his gaze, not knowing how he should answer that.
He hears a sniffle and his panic instantly crests as he turns and sees unshed tears threatening to fall down the fox’s eyes.
“Hey,” he whispers, hands hovering over the other’s shoulders. “Please don’t cry, I don’t know what to do when you cry.”
Atsumu whimpers, the only warning he gets before the floodgates open and Kiyoomi’s resolve snaps.
He gathers the wailing omega into his arms, scenting him and rubbing his back, trying to calm him down.
“Hey, it’s ok, you’re ok, I got you. I’m so sorry love, tell me what’s wrong please?”
The fox’s ears were flattened on his head, making his expression truly pitiful. “Ya hate me that much omi?”
“No, no, of course not,” he mutters, lips brushing the other’s temple. “What made you think that?”
“Ya sounded so angry an’ ya,” he blubbers, hands clutching at the front of Kiyoomi’s shirt. “Ya said it was stupid claimin’ me.”
Ah, he fucked up didn’t he?
He noses the line of the fox’s jaw, pushing Atsumu flush against him. “Of course I said it was stupid – I had a whole plan for it, I’m not claiming you in a storage room because of cat nip Atsu.” Kiyoomi leans back, tilting the omega’s head up, making gold eyes meet green. “When I claim you, stop gaping, yes I said when, it’s going to be because you allowed me to.” He lifts Atsumu’s trembling hand, kissing it reverently. Then he blinks, slowly. “It’s going to be because you love me the way I love you.”
Kiyoomi watches as Atsumu blushes, his sweet scent of peaches thickening and white tipped tail wagging enthusiastically. Then he leans forward, making Kiyoomi stiffen up. The omega purrs, gently lacing his arms around the alpha’s neck, pulling him down slowly until he was practically slumping against Atsumu.
“Omi?”
“Hmm?”
He feels a kitten lick right over his scent gland, making him shiver. However, even that sensation doesn’t compare to the small nip that follows, along with the silky smooth voice that flows through his ears.
“Did ya know that for us only family and mates are allowed to cuddle and scent each other like this?”
He tightens his hold on Atsumu, bunching the fabric of his shirt in his clenched fists. “Why are you telling me this?” he asks, sounding breathless.
“’Coz I’m polite Omi-omi, when I wanna court someone, I want them ta know.”
Ok, he deserved that. “It was fun watching you trying to figure it out.” He distinctly remembers Suna typing into his phone more around Kiyoomi’s presence ever since that lab incident with Ushijima and Kageyama happened, so he must’ve told Atsumu something. “Bet you had help though.”
Atsumu nudges him away, pouting. “Mean.”
“Brat.”
“Jerk.”
“Asshole.”
The fox nips his nose lightly. “Ya love me though?” he says, though it sounded more like a question.
Kiyoomi cradles his head, leaning his forehead against Atsumu’s. “I love you, veritable treasure of mine.”
The fox sputters, mumbling something about sappy rom com lines. Kiyoomi doesn’t hear, or understand, as the fog returns, clouding his mind.
Sweet. His lovely golden omega smells so very sweet, the scent of peaches with the undertones of cat nip making him salivate. His grip on the omega’s waist tightens, and he pulls him closer, as if trying to meld their bodies together.
“Atsu,” he growls, feeling the fox shudder against him. “Tell me to stop.”
His eyes shine gold. “Why?”
“You want this?”
He nuzzles further into him. “I’m exactly right where I wanna be Omi.” He cocks his head to the side, tilting in seemingly innocent question. “What do you want Ki-yo-o-mi?” he says, breathing lightly into his jaguar ears.
Kiyoomi snarls in retaliation, releasing more of his scent. “Behave pup.”
He uses the voice of an alpha again, but this time, he can tell that the omega doesn’t mind, scrabbling for purchase on Kiyoomi’s shoulders. “Omi, want ya, need ya, please?”
“I’d take you here if I could love, but I’m not about to claim you in a decrepit closet of all things.” He mimics the fox’s courting gestures from earlier, following the line of his throat and nipping the skin where his pulse jumps. Atsumu whines, low and needy, hands tightening in his hair. He feels the fox squirm, caged between his legs, the tell-tale smell of arousal wafting in between them.
It’s far too strong to be honest, even with the catnip. Unless – “Atsu, love, are you going in heat?”
The omega mewls, still shifting, color high in his cheeks. “Ain’t my fault,” he says, words slurring together. “Ya smell real nice right now omi-omi.”
Dammit. Kiyoomi might as well ascend now. He’s lived his life well. It’s a good way to die. “Last chance,” he croons, tugging the fox’s tail lightly enjoying the garbled sounds coming out of the Atsumu. “You sure?”
Atsumu lets out a yowl, irritated. “I swear ta fuckin’ god Omi, if ya make me say this one more time I’m going to gut you.”
Kiyoomi laughs, thoroughly amused. “I think I’ll be the one doing that tonight, hold on tight pup,” he says, as he grips the back of Atsumu’s thighs and hauls them both up. The omega mushes his face into his chest, legs instinctively locking themselves to wrap around Kiyoomi’s waist.
“Fuck,” he whines, the scent of peaches growing stronger.
Kiyoomi looks down at him, genuinely confused. “You alright?”
“That was hot.”
“What?”
“Shut it omi, it aint every day that someone picks up a 6’2" bureau agent like’s he weighs nothin’ ya know?”
He grins and calls Atsumu his big baby the whole walk to his car.
---
It’s a full moon, and Atsumu’s skin and hair and eyes are bathed in soft sliver light as Kiyoomi takes, and takes, and takes,
And claims.
---
So yeah, it’s the cat nip’s fault.
But he really can’t hate the innocent plant when he wakes up to the scent of peaches, the warmth of a body curled around his, and a claiming mark on both their necks.
He watches Atsumu get up from the bed groggily, biting his lip as he notices Kiyoomi watching him wake up with a soft smile on his face, waiting on the floor where he landed after Atsumu kicked him out of bed.
“Mornin’ Omi, ya gonna sit there all day or are ya goin’ to make us coffee?”
“Whatever you want treasure.”
And then he blinks slowly.
Once.
Twice.
Atsumu grins.
---