Chapter Text
The languages of love are something that Umas have deeply ingrained in their minds. Perhaps because they are extremely sociable individuals, but it is true that they are considered even more inclined to investigate this topic.
Perhaps it is due to their long history among humans, but many Umas favor quality time above all else, but something that they all have in common is the language of physical contact.
Almost like magnetism, many express their love with hugs, kisses, tail grabs, ear rubs. All kinds.
Although there is only one expression of love that Umas tend to compare among themselves, rare for some reason, but existing for some purpose.
And it always happens in the spring.
—Did you see that? Did you see that?— El Cóndor Pasa opened his mouth, showing her gums. —My fangs are growing!—
It was common knowledge that Umas had somewhat sharp teeth, some developing them later than others (many surprised by Twin Turbo's teeth). What is the purpose of having sharp fangs, some might ask? Well, for biting, of course.
It could be said that there are two ways to win over an Uma as another Uma: with your running style or with your biting style. Researchers have tried to figure out the reason for this behavior. After all, even though they are omnivores, they tend to have a preference for vegetable foods, such as carrots as the greatest example.
However, this more carnivorous attitude may be due to a kind of mating ritual. It is said that Umas with an adornment in their right ear tend to develop more prominent fangs, and that many of them like to mark their partners with bites near the nape of the neck, something they may have inherited from their wilder ancestors.
It's not that they are monogamous by nature; in reality, many tend to fall in love with several at once due to the aforementioned characteristics, so as a way of demonstrating power, the fangs develop to leave more visible marks.
—Better late than never.— Seiun Sky looked at them and then lost all interest.
—Oh, come on! You don't even have sharp fangs.— Cóndor protested.
—I don't need them either. My partner is happier with my soft fangs.— Seiun leaned back on his table, almost purring like a cat in the sun.
What Seiun said was also a problem, as it was a mark made by the Umas, many times they used too much force, which could cause severe bleeding, and in some cases even blood loss.
—You're taking all the fun out of it.— Cóndor crossed her arms.
—You don't seem to be the dominant one in the relationship either, I don't know what you're so happy about.— Seiun whistled, watching as Cóndor turned redder than her mask.
—That's not the point!—
—What point? — Grass asked, approaching the duo, with King Halo behind her.
Cóndor went from being a Doberman to a Chihuahua, ears and tail standing up.
—We were just talking about how useless it is to have fangs if you're not even going to use them.— Seiun emphasized her point.
—I must admit they are adorable.— Grass laughed tenderly, revealing her developed fangs, not long enough to look like a vampire's, but visible and sharp.
Condor gulped, Seiun raised an eyebrow. —See what I mean? You don't need them.
Condor growled in protest, the almost complete group suddenly realizing a member was missing.
—Hey. What about Special?— King Halo looked at her empty seat.
—Classes haven't started yet. We can go to Suzuka and ask her.— Cóndor suggested.
—I'll stay here then.— Seiun raised her hand. —I'll let them know and take notes in case they're late.—
—And I'll stay with her. I'm still surprised you understand your own notes.— King leaned on Seiun's table.
The roommates looked at each other for a moment and nodded simultaneously. —Okay. We'll be in touch.—
—Special didn't go to class?— Suzuka was completely on alert. —I remember she was sleeping when I went for a run, but she was fine.— Her ears drooped with concern.
She looked back, her turquoise eyes pleading with Air for help, concern written all over her face. The vice president sighed and waved her off.
—Let's go then.—
The trio's walk was almost a perfectly synchronized trot. When they reached the dormitories, they went straight to Suzuka and Special's room without waiting to see what they would find.
There were bite marks all over the room, especially on her stuffed carrot and Suzuka's pillow. For a moment, she even thought they might be from a wolf or some animal other than Special, until they smelled the air.
Like someone had sprayed air freshener, the smell was strong. Wet earth, almost like freshly cut grass. Those most in love with Special bristled their tails, raising them almost automatically. Cóndor could only cough.
—Dios apesta.— The masked woman covered her nose. —But she doesn't seem to be here.— It was obvious, but it seemed to bring the two with wagging tails back to their senses.
—Ye-es. It seems so.— Grass hesitated.
Although they were all girls, what helped maintain a kind of hierarchy of tastes also came from their smells. Each one had a distinctive scent, which helped announce something very important: the mating season.
If their fangs served to mark, their scent served to delimit.
—Haven't you done it with Spe yet, Suzuka?— Cóndor fanned the room, opening the window to air it out.
—Of course not! We-e've been progressing little by little, but not like that.— Like her romantic partner, Suzuka felt even more sensitive than usual, feeling her fangs grind and clench.
—¡Carajo! We have a Spe in heat loose out there!— Cóndor cursed, turning back to Grass and shaking her to bring her back to human reasoning. —Come on, Grass! We have to find her!—
And although Grass wanted to protest, Condor's dominant scent, spicy and powerful, awakened her sense of smell.
—Let's split up!— Once in the hallway of the dormitory, she looked at Condor and Suzuka. —Tell me where Spe might be.—
Suzuka thought for a moment. —She could be by the stream, in the training area, and especially in the dining hall.—
—¡Perfecto! Grass, go to the stream. You need to run more than any of us to stabilize yourself.— Grass took off without question.
—I'll go to the training fields. Where do you think she might be?— Cóndor was already getting ready to run and sprint.
—The wooded area.—
—Got it, boss!— That left Suzuka alone and with only one possible place to go: the dining hall.
It seemed that Suzuka's instinct was right, because when she arrived at the dining room, she saw the brown spot called Special devouring her food.
As the cooks were not there due to the time of day, fruit was laid out for anyone who wanted a snack.
Special crushed the poor apple until it was coreless, so close to the edge that if it weren't for its own unconsciousness, it would have eaten even the seeds.
Once again, the room was filled with thick air, plowed earth, damp with the smell of thick weeds. When Special's beast recognized a different scent in the desolate room, its almost black eyes looked at her.
Her fangs, not long but wide and pointed, were blooming. It was obvious that she was unaware of anything, so unfocused that when she stood up she almost stumbled to steady herself.
Experiencing the worst chill of her life, Suzuka was preparing to run away. If she was lucky enough, she would be able to take her to the doctor.
In the blink of an eye, Special began her pursuit. Suzuka led the way like perfect bait, guiding her. She wouldn't lie that she was surprised that Special was running so fast in her pajamas and barefoot, but now was not the time for questions, only for running.
Between curves, straights, and hallways, she managed to successfully guide Special to the academy. She was grateful for her running skills right now, breathing heavily after so many turns to exhaust Special in the process.
When she saw two white spots and a brown one in her path, she screamed at the top of her lungs.
—Move out of the way!—
McQueen, Teio, and GoldShip looked at the scene. Suzuka was running like a bullet through the hallways (where running was prohibited), and behind her was Special in her pajamas.
—God, what a terrible smell!— Teio covered his nose, close to the wall.
—Wait... terrible smell!?— McQueen connected the dots.
Further ahead, climbing the stairs, Vodka and Scarlett, as could be seen every millennium, were talking normally.
—Watch out!— Suzuka screamed again, her scream almost like a siren.
—Holy shit! Wasn't running allowed here? — Vodka staggered on the step, grabbing the railing.
—I do-on't think Vodka is running for fun! Did you see Special?!— Scarlett trembled with fear, her tail curling up.
—Let's follow them!— Vodka began to follow the strong smell. Scarlett had no choice but to follow her too.
The plan was a complete success. Fortunately, both the trio and the duo followed them, with Gold Ship helping to keep Special quiet while McQueen and Teio looked for the doctor.
Scarlett had brought her some water. And Vodka was guarding the door.
—This is extremely strange. I don't know anyone whose heat is... like this.— Scarlett looked at Special, trapped in a sack, writhing and whimpering.
—Gold Ship?— She looked at Suzuka. —Could you at least get her head out of there? I'm afraid she's not breathing.— She approached her girlfriend. Gold Ship decided to sigh, incredibly serious in this situation. Quickly and out of nowhere, she took out a pair of scissors and cut where her head was hidden by the bag.
Her breathing, eyes, and fangs remained the same. What was new were the tears on Special's face, undoubtedly frightened. Perhaps it was Gold Ship's scent, which, although dominant, was not overpowering, somewhat relaxing the uncontrollable Special.
The dark amethyst seemed somewhat lighter, pleading with her eyes. She couldn't give in now, in such a sensitive state that any misstep would be bad for the little one.
Just as she was about to caress her, Gold Ship seemed to growl. Suzuka backed away, though not enough to stop looking at Special.
The doctor finally made an appearance, carried on the backs of Teio and McQueen. It was a funny scene by the standards of this situation.
When the doctor was set down on the floor, he quickly began searching through the drawers, finding a syringe and filling it with a clear liquid.
—This should calm her down enough so we can examine her better.— Directly into her neck, her already moist eyes released more tightly closed tears. Her labored breathing seemed to calm down instantly, and her eyes began to blink slowly until they closed gently.
—Don't worry, it's just a tranquilizer.— A sigh of relief filled the room, and Gold Ship took the sleeping Special out of his bag and laid her on the stretcher.
—Okay, I need a summary of everything.— The doctor known as Teio pushed up his glasses. Suzuka stepped forward.
The doctor found himself at a loss.
—Then it's obvious she's in heat, the timing is right for both of you.— He looked at his clipboard, where he had noted all of Suzuka's events. —You were smart to bring her here, Suzuka, well done.—
—I also appreciate your hormonal control, Gold Ship, it was a great help.— Gold Ship scratched her nose with a certain smugness.
—But now let's get to the heart of the matter.— The Spica team, united by an unfortunate incident, pricked up their ears. —I just want to confirm one thing first.—
The old man's eyes looked at the young woman with orange hair. —You're her romantic partner, right?— Suzuka nodded. —And you told me that Special hasn't lived surrounded by other girls her age, or even any girls at all.—
—That's correct.— Suzuka confirmed again.
I have a theory. It's quite strange, but it's still a possibility.— He coughed a little, trying to come to terms with this possibility himself. —This is Special Week's first heat.—
Six pairs of eyes blinked several times.
—Wait! Wait! Her first heat?— Vodka looked at the sleeping Special, looked back at the doctor, and then back at the girl.
—Most of you reach sexual maturity at 12 or 13,— he said, waving his hand from side to side. —Basically when you get your period.— A certain discomfort settled in the air.
—However,— he paused, —reaching that maturity and... using it are not the same thing.— He scratched his chin. —All of you have lived close to people your age with pheromones and smells of your age, which is what activates the instinct, but it also regulates it based on your hierarchy. As they told me, it seemed that Special had controlled himself somewhat when Gold Ship showed her hierarchy, turning Special from someone aggressive to someone fragile.—
—So, is Special basically suffering from her first heat due to indirect isolation?— McQueen picked up on the idea. —Then what should we do?—
—Not that you should. But rather, that you mustn't.— He pointed to the group, except for Suzuka. —Only you can really do something. With her hormones now calmed down, she will be completely different from what you saw before, and because of that, you can do certain things.— The doctor adjusted his glasses once more, like a nervous tic. —I can say it in front of everyone or just tell you, whichever you prefer.— His voice softened, knowing that the subject was personal.
—I... sorry, guys.— Suzuka looked at the group, her mouth feeling bitter. Although the group was completely receptive, they left with looks of concern and compassion.
When the room emptied, with only Special's breathing in the background, the gray-haired man searched through the drawers.
—I'll be direct with you, Suzuka. There are two ways to solve this.— His hands rummaged through the drawers.
—The first option is, let's say, the safest, but the loneliest for her.— He found what he was looking for and started searching elsewhere. —Although we don't expect this kind of heat, we have isolation rooms for these situations, similar to dorm rooms but with things to satisfy sexual pleasure.—
—I-I see.— Suzuka's voice faltered.
—The other option involves you as her romantic partner, but this will also depend on the trust between the two of you.— He picked up a bottle that looked like hand cream. —But in general, in both options, Special would have to perform the act, calm her hormones, and stabilize her.—
Approaching the young woman, he handed her two things, what looked like a pill and the bottle.
—I can explain it to her, or you can try to explain it yourself. Either way, I'll contact the director to have one of the rooms prepared.—
Suzuka looked at both items, then stood up firmly and addressed the doctor.
—If I accept the second idea, could it be in our room?—
—I'm afraid that wouldn't be the best option. It's true that Special's comfort will be important now, but those rooms aren't equipped for such strong heat, and it could cause a rebound effect on the others.— A kind look fell on the young woman. —But we can bring objects of sentimental value to help. Your scent would also be crucial.—
—I understand.— A movement of the sheets alerted the only occupants of the room. Special slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes.
The warm amethyst clashed with the green, almost automatically, the brown ears drooped, it wasn't as if she had lost her memory, she remembered everything and above all Suzuka's look of fear when she saw her. She covered her face in shame, not wanting to see her.
—As you wish, Silence Suzuka.— The doctor did not impose himself; his calm voice encouraged the older woman to approach. Sitting on a stool near the bed, the doctor did not leave the room either, watching from a distance but close enough for any emergency.
—Special.— It was a whisper. —Can you look at me?—
—No-o.—
—Not even a little? I miss seeing your adorable face.—
—I-I don't think I'm very a-adorable right now.—
A soft scent filled the air, fresh like the cold morning breeze, yet warm like a glass of milk with honey, comforting and kind. Special's eyes were no longer covered by her hands, the shy amethyst shining between her fingers, still refusing to part from her embarrassed face.
Suzuka had gotten up at some point and sat on the edge of the bed in the infirmary. She wasn't one to use her scent much. When Umas get excited or feel strong emotions, they usually have these very distinctive smells. Some like to hide them, others wear them like a badge of honor. For her, her scent wasn't bothersome; it reminded her of that vision of an endless field where she wanted to run, and the smell of warm honey reminded her of her favorite drink.
However, she had loved Special's scent very much, perhaps that should have been a sign for her. Special had always been expressive, not only with her words, but with her whole body, from ears to tail. And how could she not love her scent? The smell of wet earth, strong but fresh and pure, so strong that when you inhaled it, you could almost forget all the different smells of the city. A smile spread across her lips when she saw her shy girlfriend. She moved closer, letting her forehead rest against hers. The gesture itself caused Special to lower her hands in a sign of defeat.
—I'm sorry, Suzuka.— She didn't move, afraid of herself. She squeezed her fists, holding her breath, not wanting to be a menace again.
—It's not your fault, Special.— Suzuka pressed her scent closer to her, wanting her to smell it. She could tell by her girlfriend's slow breathing that she was trying not to inhale too much. —Can you look at me now?—
Special trembled. The scent was strong, almost minty, forcing her nose to open up. Special's eyes ascended cautiously, and when they made contact, she saw her girlfriend's determined eyes, not dominant in the literal sense, just constant, warm, and strong, like when she concentrates on a race.
With the same caution with which you approach a stray cat to pet it, Suzuka enveloped Special's body. At first gently, then tightening her grip and holding on.
—It's okay, you're safe.— Special was chained, and Suzuka was the key to all those chains. At some point, Special was crying, soaking his purple uniform. —I love you, Special. None of this is your fault. None of it.— The gentle words calmed the guilt.
Trying not to interrupt, the doctor in the room coughed. Suzuka looked over her shoulder, understanding and nodding, still holding a tearful Special in her arms.
—Special, sweetheart. I want you to listen to me carefully. Can you do that?— She sweetened her voice, cradling her girlfriend even more, who gladly accepted and sank deeper into the warmth. Special's ears gave Suzuka the cue she needed to continue. —Hehe, okay. So, don't feel bad, but all this has happened because... well.— She paused to swallow. —You're in heat, dear. And the doctor says it's your first heat. Have you ever felt anything like this before?—
—When I woke up this morning, what I felt was my head spinning, my teeth sensitive, and that I missed you so much,— she murmured into her chest. —Not really, no. I've had dizziness before, and I've felt like biting into something, and... obviously I've missed you too.— Slowly emerging from the refuge called Suzuka, she still had a guilty look on her face. —But nothing like this!— She growled, really growled loudly, like an animal would. She covered her mouth immediately.
Suzuka's hands moved to her cheeks, caressing them. —It's normal, it's your first heat. Think of it like a pot that's been filled with lots of water. If you put it on the stove, the slightest bit of heating will cause it to spill. Do you understand?—
—I think so.—
—I guess it was partly my fault for bothering you so much.—
—You didn't know anything either! You don't have to apologize!—
—Then why don't you forgive yourself if I already have? It's not something you could control, and no one got hurt.—
—That's because... because I saw it in your eyes.— She took one of his hands, which were still on her cheeks. —I saw the fear and I couldn't just stop. What kind of beast am I?—
—A serious glutton,— Suzuka joked a little.
—Hey!—
—But it's not something you can control, you were overwhelmed. Now what we have to do is control her.— She kissed her hand, the palm.
—How?— She watched and noticed how Suzuka's scent became more intense.
—Do you trust me?—