Archive of Our Own

Little snowflakes clung to Chuuuya's clothes, tangling in his hair and trying to swallow him back into the snowfall behind, before he stepped into his building. The last misty breath dispersed around his mouth as the warm air of the lobby hit his face. Redness bloomed across his cheeks, the temperature difference catching up to him, causing Chuuya to feel even more tired than he already was.

With a tip of his hat toward the receptionist, Chuuya sauntered inside the elevator and pressed the button for his floor. He leaned back against the wooden wall with a sigh, dreaming only of warm tea and his soft cotton sheets.

However, any thought of spending an enjoyable evening alone left him immediately when he stepped through his front door and was met with the sight of two black, familiar loafers strewn haphazardly across his hallway.

"Stupid bastard can't even put his shoes away", Chuuya muttered, leaving his own ones neatly tucked in the corner of the genkan, before following the trail of outwear further in.

He found Dazai in the living room, sitting with his back against the couch, as if he couldn't bother to take one more step and curl up on it properly. His head was leaned back against the armrest, the crease between his brows half covered by moist hair and bandages. Dazai's usually pale skin was rosy, especially on the cheeks. Honestly, Chuuya didn't think he'd ever seen Dazai with his face this red except when... Chuuya groaned.

Except when Dazai was sick.

Annoyed already, Chuuya decided to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible so he could give his irritating partner the pills he needed and send him off to sleep. On the couch this time.

"Oi, shitty Dazai"

No response.

"Dazai."

Nothing.

Jaw clenching, Chuuya dug his foot into Dazai's hip, nudging him roughly. "Shitty fish, what's wrong with you?"

Dazai let out a pained groan, his body jolting from the kick.

"Chuuyaaaa", he whined, although weakly, pushing Chuuya's leg away. "That hurt."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Dunno", Dazai sniffed, opening his eyes and looking up at Chuuya, his pupils blown to hell. "Woke up like this"

He sounded loopy, a little out of it; his eyes didn't seem to open all the way, eyelids heavy. Chuuya tilted his head and squinted down at him.

"Did you take anything?"

"Nope!" Dazai said, purposefully popping the 'p' to be annoying. He tried to give Chuuya his best shit-eating grin, but it broke into a pained wince halfway through, as he bent forward with an arm around his middle. Now that was concerning. Dazai did not tend to show pain outright. His chosen method of communicating discomfort was usually to whine into Chuuya's ear and refuse to do anything useful. So seeing the beta actually pained was setting off some alarm bells.

Brows pinching together, Chuuya threw his coat over the armrest of the couch, before squatting down next to the annoyance. Dazai trailed Chuuya's movements with his eyes lazily, but with intention, probably taking mind-snapshots of Chuuya's badly concealed worried face and putting them in the 'to make fun of later' folder. Chuuya only sighed, pressing the backs of his fingers against Dazai's forehead to check his temperature.

"Holy shit, you're burning up"

"Is Chuuya saying I'm hot?" Dazai asked, a cheeky smirk stretching his lips.

"No, I'm saying you're an idiot who got himself sick because he refuses to leave that fuckass container even when it's -15 degrees outside." Chuuya snapped, ignoring Dazai's petulant expression.

"Chuuya's being a silly puppy! It's always warmer outside when it's snowing here", Dazai said, his head swaying and falling back against the armrest. He gave Chuuya a loopy smile again, still stupid, still weirdly off. "It's probably like -3"

Chuuya wanted to strangle him.

Graciously, and for the sake of not getting on Mori’s bad side by murdering his protege, the alpha only closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, counting to ten. Dazai always got on his nerves twice as badly when he was tired. In order not murder his insufferable partner, Chuuya decided to focus on getting him out of his hair. He sniffed at the air, trying to gauge what was wrong from Dazai's scent, but...

"You don't smell sick." Chuuya appraised, then after a second, he corrected himself, mildly confused. "Actually, you don't really smell like anything. Are you wearing scent patches?"

"Silly Chuuya, betas aren't supposed to smell like anything"

"No, you kind of do, it's just milder" Chuuya didn't even know why he was humouring the idiot, but it was easy to respond to his stupid little jabs. He opened Dazai's shirt slightly, pushed his tie to the side, and loosened the bandages covering his scent glands to take a look.

Dazai was indeed wearing scent patches, which was not unusual in itself. What made Chuuya frown was how irritated his scent glands looked underneath, reddened and slightly swollen.

"I think you might be having an allergic reaction to the scent patches", Chuuya told Dazai, trying to catch the side of the patch with his fingers to take it off. "It would explain the fever"

"But not the cramps." Dazai groaned, bending forward slightly and freezing in place, as if staying still would make the cramp go away quicker. "Give me a second.” He grabbed Chuuya's hand, probably trying to push it away but ending up gripping it instead.

His shoulders shook, expression pinched, as he breathed through the cramp. Chuuya gave him a moment, not moving an inch, increasingly puzzled by what was causing all this. Maybe he'd be able to tell better when he got a whiff of Dazai's scent.

When Dazai finally fell back against the couch, Chuuya scooted closer in, peeling off the first scent patch carefully. It would take a little bit for the scent to come back, so Chuuya should probably give Dazai some meds for the fever in the meantime.

Dazai sighed, not trying to pretend to look unaffected anymore. He let his head fall forward against Chuuya's shoulder, making the alpha glance back at him briefly, checking whether he passed out. Dazai only buried his face closer to Chuuya's neck.

"Chuuya smells kind of nice"

"You're being so fucking weird right now", Chuuya murmured, stuck somewhere between trying to act annoyed and fighting off unwanted fondness. He removed the second patch.

The scent hit him immediately.

Thick, honey-like, with a ripe sweetness to it that made Chuuya's mouth water despite himself.

"Fuck", Chuuya jerked away from Dazai in an instant, a hand covering his mouth and nose tightly. "Holy fucking shit"

Dazai let out a small wounded sound, mutually startled by Chuuya's sudden movement. He looked at Chuuya with big eyes.

"What the fuck, Dazai?!" Chuuya, cursed. He felt as if his entire world tipped to the side a little. "Why in the everloving shit didn't you tell me you're an omega?!"

Dazai tensed, curling into himself as he glared at Chuuya fiercely.

"Because I'm not."

"You're clearly in heat!" Chuuya hissed insistently, baring his teeth. Then realisation washed over his face. "Have you been pretending to be a beta this whole fucking time?"

"No!"

"You so fucking have." Chuuya pulled his hand away from his face to tug at his hair, but regretted it the second Dazai's scent hit his nose again. "That's such a you thing to do, to deceive our enemies or some other shit"

"No, I haven't! I am a beta," Dazai hissed, getting properly defensive now, body curled in on himself, his small fangs bared, ready to bite. Chuuya looked at him like he was stupid. He could smell Dazai's scent, could see his body language, and it definitely wasn't beta-like.

"I haven't presented, so that means I'm a beta." Dazai was panting now. Chuuya didn't remember the last time he'd seen Dazai ruffled over such a thing.

“Dazai. You're in heat.” Chuuya stressed. “If you hadn't before, you're presenting right now.”

Dazai's expression was tight.

His scent was clearly distressed.

Chuuya sighed heavily, feeling twice as exhausted as he did a moment ago.

“Listen,” he started, sitting up straight. “You can stay here for the worst of it. I have a spare room and probably all of the things you'll need.”

“Can't you just get me some heat suppressants, and I'll get out of here?”

“You can't take heat suppressants when you're presenting.” Chuuya frowned. “That's the worst thing you could do.”

“I don't care, just give me the pill, and I'll go.”

“No.”

“Just-”

Dazai's face twisted in pain as another bad cramp hit. He pressed his forehead to his knees and breathed through it, just sitting still, shaking.

Chuuya pressed his lips together as he watched, the previous tension replaced by concern. Slowly, he scooted over back to Dazai's side, quietly sitting next to him and releasing his scent to try and calm Dazai down. They sat like this until the cramp went away and Dazai’s shoulders slumped.

“I can give you some painkillers and a heating pad,” Chuuya said quietly. “But I really think you'd feel better if you were in bed.”

Dazai turned his head to the side, looking at Chuuya through his fringe, his eyes tired.

“Okay.”

Chuuya helped Dazai get up and led him to Chuuya’s room, figuring it would be better if Dazai had at least one familiar scent around. The guest room was clean and managed, but Chuuya didn’t spend any time there whatsoever, so everything smelled like laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. For a presenting omega in heat, it might feel too cold and impersonal.

He sat Dazai down on the bed and looked around, creating a mental list of things he needed to get. Painkillers, a heating pad, blankets, and food? He looked Dazai over critically, trying to gauge what else he'd need.

The omega was sitting on the bed, all energy apparently lost with his agreement to stay and deal with the heat the proper way. His shoulders were slumped, eyes downcast, cheeks red. He seemed to be deep in thought.

Chuuya worried at his lip, not liking how quiet Dazai was. His partner was a loud, pretentious asshole every time of the day, on every day of the year when Chuuya was around. Which meant that Dazai shutting up and acting all sad and pathetic was always a bad sign, never failing in making Chuuya uneasy. It felt as if he had been sneakily conditioned to worry about the bastard whenever he fell quiet like this.

With a sigh, Chuuya moved these thoughts to the back of his head, focusing on the present. He had to get the supplies.

“I'm gonna go grab some stuff for you,” Chuuya said, leaning down to look at Dazai's face, brushing his bangs to the side. His forehead was still burning hot, making Chuuya press his lips together into a thin line. He added an ice pack to his mental list. “Get comfortable or whatever, I'll be right back"

"Mhm."

First, Chuuya went to the kitchen, grabbing some protein bars, the ice pack and bottled water. He eyed the canned crab contemplatively, but it would be too much of a mess to eat on the bed, and no omega liked their nest smelling fishy. Well, maybe if they weren’t a fish themselves (and Dazai definitely was). But no can do, Chuuya’s house, Chuuya’s rules.

Second, Chuuya stopped by his hallway wardrobe, pulling out some blankets for the nest Dazai was surely going to build. He chose the ones with little animals on them, somewhat convinced that Dazai would take to them more than the plain coloured ones.

And lastly, Chuuya grabbed some painkillers from his bathroom, the stronger ones; anything weaker wouldn't work on Dazai. He should probably come back for more blankets later, but for now, the four he had thrown over his shoulder would suffice.

When he came back into the room, Dazai was already naked and curled up in the messiest and most disorganised nest Chuuya had ever seen.

The sides of it were made from pillows covered by sheets and blankets, with random t-shirts scattered across the entire thing. The origin of the clothes was not a mystery for long because when Chuuya looked towards his closet, he was met with the answer: cabinets opened wide, crumpled clothes spilling out, strewn across the floor haphazardly. A Dazai-made mess if Chuuya ever saw one.

He could only huff tiredly and move his gaze back to the omega curled inside his nest for now. The closet was a problem for future Chuuya.

Setting the food and water on the bedside table, Chuuya moved closer, peering into the nest for a better look, curious. Dazai was lying tucked against one of the walls, a blanket halfthrown around his middle, his face buried in one of Chuuya's favourite pillows.

The sight of Dazai's naked body had long since stopped embarrassing Chuuya in any capacity. Injuries, missions, or emergencies made it so that nakedness became nothing more than a convenience when the moment called for it. That didn't mean, however, that Chuuya didn't sneak a curious peek sometimes.

Dazai wasn’t wearing his bandages.

They seem to have ended up discarded somewhere on the floor, swimming amongst the rest of the mess and leaving the omega completely bare, exposed. Chuuya’s eyes lingered on the scarred skin, fingers itching to touch, to feel the bumpy texture under his fingers and the warmth of Dazai’s body. Make sure his blood was still pumping.

"I've brought you more blankets," Chuuya said instead, unceremoniously dumping them on the omega's head.

In place of an answer, Dazai simply pawed at the bunched up softness until it covered him whole, burying himself underneath, hiding away.

Chuuya bustled around the room a bit more, moving some things a room over for himself and bringing some extra stuff for Dazai, one of them being the promised heating pad. He turned it on and placed it where he thought Dazai's middle was. The omega immediately snatched it under the blankets, letting out a happy little purr.

A warm feeling filled Chuuya’s chest at the sound, his cheeks warmed as he felt a responding croon building up in his chest. He choked it down.

“Mackerel,” Chuuya poked the lump of blankets a few times. “Do you want painkillers?”

What answered him was a garbled sound, softened by the pile of blankets on top of Dazai's head, but soon enough, Dazai's head popped up from between them as he sat up. He looked up at Chuuya, all groggy, his hair sticking out in odd directions.

“Gimme.”

Chuuya rolled his eyes but obliged, popping two pills onto his hand and giving them to Dazai alongside a bottle of water. Dazai swallowed the pills down with little issue, trying to hand the bottle back to Chuuya, but the alpha only gave him a pointed look.

“Drink it all,” Chuuya said. “You dehydrate quicker in heat, so drink up, or I'm forcing it down your throat.”

Dazai scrunched up his nose and glared at Chuuya, clearly annoyed, but listened nonetheless, finishing the water bottle in a few gulps.

“Is alpha happy now?” Dazai teased, licking his lips as he looked up at Chuuya with dark eyes. The heat was definitely starting to get to him. His scent was spicier, a hint of chilli to the ripe peach.

Chuuya felt his cheeks warm.

“Is Chuuya gonna be a good alpha and fuck me stupid when I turn into a little brainless, heat-brained omega?” Dazai spat, his scent darkening, growing bitter as if he was mad. Not at Chuuya, however, but at himself.

It was hard to read him like this. Chuuya could still smell the sweet-heat and spicy-desire on Dazai under the bitterness, alongside a salty tinge of unmistakable upset. He wondered whether Dazai knew all along that he was an omega, saw the signs, connected the dots, but hated the idea so intensely that his body clamped up, delaying his presentation. It was definitely more probable than whatever stupid idea Chuuya had before.

Chuuya inhaled deeply, trying to figure out the scents around him, feeling the taste of self-hatred on his tongue. He frowned, pressing his lips together.

“Only if you want me to.”

Dazai looked away from him, scent souring with anxiety.

“I don't know what I want.”

Chuuya felt an intense instinctual need to make Dazai feel better, the alpha in him already thinking of Dazai as under Chuuya's care. He calmed his scent down, pushing away the turmoil in his head in order to focus on the omega.

“Having me around to… help would be definitely easier on you, but it's not a requirement.” Chuuya started, weighing his words carefully, not wanting Dazai to feel cornered. “Especially since we've had sex before. I'm familiar.”

“This would be different”

“It would,” Chuuya agreed, looking away from Dazai as he said his next words. “But you trusted me to take care of you before, and I did. All I'm saying is that you can trust me with this as well.”

Dazai watched him with an unreadable expression on his face. Chuuya couldn't blame him for feeling unsure; it was rare for things between them to become this serious.

“Okay,” Dazai said finally, eyes finding Chuuya's once more, looking honest for once. “I'll trust Chuuya.”

Chuuya couldn't help the small smile stretching his lips; something in him was deeply satisfied with gaining the omega’s trust.

“Alright,” Chuuya cleared his throat, feeling a little warm. “For now, just stay here, I guess. I'm gonna go take a shower. Shout if you need anything.”

Chuuya said and scurried out of the room, grabbing some pyjamas on the way. Once he was safely locked away in the bathroom, he buried his face in his hands, sliding down the door dramatically. Shit, he thought, I'm fucked.

Stupid Dazai and his stupidly pretty, brown eyes.

Once he somehow got over his flustered turmoil, Chuuya managed to take a shower and sort himself out a little. Despite desperately wanting to relax and soak in warmth, he turned the water to the coldest setting, painfully aware he was gonna have to stay awake for another while still.

He got out of the shower and changed into his pyjamas before going back to check on Dazai.

The omega was lying sprawled out on the bed with his eyes closed, the heating pad pressed to his belly and the ice pack strewn across his forehead. It made a bit of a funny view, but Chuuya bit his tongue, not wanting to make his job harder.

“You good?” Chuuya asked, looking Dazai over, his eyes lingering.

Dazai only groaned, squinting at Chuuya through his fringe. He looked a little dazed, a little out of it.

“I think it's getting to me,” Dazai complained quietly, sniffing at the air, his pupils dilated. He threw the heating pad and ice pack somewhere to the side, burrowing face-first into his nest.

“Okay,” Chuuya said, eyeing him carefully. He turned back around to go get some more stuff. “I'll get you some more blankets and-”

"Will Chuuya help me?" Chuuya stopped in his tracks, looking back at the omega in his bed, a naked, nesting omega in his bed. Gods. He sounded different now, his voice smooth and low, inviting. When Dazai realised he had Chuuya's full attention, he went for the kill, so goddamn cunning even like this.

With a small sound, Dazai pressed his face into the soft blankets, trying to act coy, baring his neck for Chuuya, his scent permeating the air around them, furthermore cementing his place in Chuuya's space. "Will alpha help?" He murmured, his single visible eye dark with need, pulling Chuuya in.

Chuuya felt his mind short-circuit at the image, his eyes unable to look away from the omega who was trying to seduce him. Dazai was trying to seduce him. Chuuya blinked a few times, trying to wrap his head around it.

It was a little clumsy, almost adorably so. It was the way Dazai’s hair fell into his eyes, the way he didn’t really know what to do with his hands, and also, probably the worst of all, there was the fact that it was working.

Enamoured, Chuuya trailed his gaze along the curve of Dazai's back, watching as the omega ground his hips against the bed in small circles, eyes jumping back to Dazai's face, when he let out a sweet, soft sound. Fuck.

Hopelessly drawn in, Chuuya went to climb onto the bed to get to the pretty omega hiding between the blankets. Dazai’s scent was everywhere. Chuuya could feel it on his tongue as he inhaled, the spicy-desire tinge to it making his nose feel tingly. In his enamoured haste, Chuuya's knee caught on the side of the nest, causing a few of the pillows to fall over.

He turned, fully intending to correct his mistake, but before he could move an inch, a low growl rang out in the room. Dazai’s soft eyes turned wild as Chuuya violated the safety border of his nest. Freezing, Chuuya looked at Dazai, surprised and slightly amused. The omega was glaring at him fiercely, hissy and displeased with the clumsy alpha barreling into his carefully crafted nest.

Dazai curled into himself, slipping between his blankets and pillows, dark eyes turning sharp again, as he hid himself from the alpha's gaze, his previous plea seemingly forgotten.

It was so typical of Dazai to close himself off the second something did not go according to his plan and was out of his control, that it made Chuuya's chest feel suspiciously warm. He didn't dwell on it, though, instead backing away for now, giving Dazai his space but keeping his attention fully on Dazai. Chuuya circled the nest before lowering himself to his knees, leaning against the bed. Eyes level with the displeased omega’s, peering at him apologetically.

"Sorry," Chuuya said, making sure his scent was nothing but calm waves and warmth, letting it flow freely. "I didn't mean to ruin your nest."

Dazai hissed at him.

Alright.

With his eyebrows raised high and imminent sleepiness weighing him down, Chuuya put his chin on his fingers and looked up at the scorned omega, trying for his most pleading expression.

When the low croon filled the space around them, Dazai peeked out from his blankets to look at Chuuya, curious despite his anger; drawn in. Trying his best to remain looking pitiful and apologetic, Chuuya watched Dazai back, committing all of the microexpressions to memory. Dazai's pupils dilated again, giving him that soft look, enhanced by the fluffy hair sticking out in odd directions. He was worrying his lip between his teeth, as he had always done when he was thinking, fingers curling into the fabrics, unsure whether to allow himself to reveal too much. To allow himself to want.

"Can I come in, omega?" Chuuya murmured between his croons, head tilted and expression inviting, calm. Dazai sniffed at the air, trying to be subtle but failing miserably. He was trying to guess Chuuya's intentions from his scent, but falling short, probably due to the sudden difference in the smells around him. Presenting was intense in itself, but Chuuya couldn’t imagine how overwhelming it must be for Dazai, having presented this late. Chuuya smiled at Dazai, surprised with himself at how easy it came to him. Letting out more of his pheromones, Chuuya caught the omega's gaze once more, holding it.

"Please?" Chuuya whispered.

He watched as Dazai blinked a few times, breathing in deeply through parted mouth, cheeks reddening under Chuuya's attention. He nodded slowly.

"Okay.” A muffled murmur into the blankets.

Chuuya didn't waste time, climbing into the nest carefully, making sure not to mess anything up this time. Dazai watched him intensely, curled up and tense.

"Thank you", Chuuya said, settling in the part of the nest furthest from Dazai, letting the omega have his space for now. Dazai didn't let the alpha out of his sight as Chuuya settled between the blankets.

Softness hugging him from every side, Chuuya felt the day weighing down on him once more, tiredness lining his shoulders and annoying him with the insistent ache in his muscles. Chuuya sighed deeply, his irritation making itself visible through the crease between his brows and a salty tinge to his scent.

"Alpha doesn't like it?"

Startled, Chuuya opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. He didn't even realise when he closed them. Dazai looked at him with big eyes, his scent all sour-anxiety and salty-upset again.

Realising his mistake, Chuuya sat up urgently.

"No, no. I like it!" He corrected hurriedly, looking around for some sort of way to prove himself. He snatched a shirt lying to his side, scenting it and holding it out to Dazai. Chuuya really didn’t want to come across as an asshole, especially since he was supposed to be helping. "It's really nice! Would you like this shirt?"

Dazai reached for the offered piece of clothing slowly, eyeing Chuuya like he was crazy. It's alright, Chuuya thought, as long as he won't throw me out again. The distressed notes disappeared from Dazai’s scent completely as he focused on the offering he received.

Dazai brought the shirt to his face, sniffing at it softly, before turning and carefully placing it on one of the pillows, the one /right next to his face./

Chuuya felt as if an arrow of the becursed cupid shot right through his heart, his cheeks suddenly burning with warmth.

He watched as Dazai snuggled into the nest, pressing his face into Chuuya's scented shirt with his cheeks rosy and scent burning with honey-sweet attraction.

Chuuya licked his lips, slowly sitting up straight. He wanted to move closer, to breathe Dazai’s scent right from the source, to touch. Carefully monitoring Dazai’s body language, Chuuya scooted closer to him, his nerves vaguely slipping into his scent.

Dazai perked up from where he was lying, half-lidded eyes watching Chuuya’s every move, his cheek smushed against the pillow with Chuuya’s shirt on it, making the alpha feel a little shy.

“Can I scent you?” he asked.

Dazai purred lowly in lieu of an answer, seemingly happy to be receiving Chuuya's attention. Vain little fish.

Taking that as agreement, Chuuya plopped himself down next to the omega, immediately having to fight the urge to just sink into the soft pillows and pass out.

Despite its messiness, Dazai's nest was actually cozy, soft and warm, which, combined with the omega's low purring and his scent clinging to everything around, made a perfect environment for good sleep. Chuuya forced himself to open his eyes before the atmosphere managed to drag him into the arms of Morpheus.

Dazai blinked at him from across the pillow, expectant.

Not waiting any longer, Chuuya reached out his hand, presenting his wrist for Dazai to sniff at, keeping things slow so the omega had time to make his own choices. Dazai, however, seemed disinterested in Chuuya's slug pace and good intentions, grabbing his wrist and immediately bringing it to his neck, his purr intensifying as their scent glands brushed, their scents mixing.

Mildly amused, Chuuya rubbed his wrist against Dazai's neck in slow circles, watching the omega relax, his eyes falling closed.

The warm cedarwood combined with sweet peach, the spicy notes of chilli meeting peppercorns, making their noses tingly and their bodies warm.

Emboldened by Dazai’s positive response, Chuuya shuffled closer, moving his hand to gently tilt Dazai's head to the side, baring his neck. The alpha buried his nose against Dazai's other scent gland, pressing a small kiss there before scenting Dazai properly.

The omega shivered, letting out a small breathy sound, as he buried his fingers in Chuuya's hair, pulling him closer.

After a while, Chuuya started pressing wet kisses against Dazai's skin, going all the way up to his jaw, before sucking on that sensitive spot next to his ear, until a red mark appeared.

Chuuya could feel Dazai's hand slipping under his shirt, unabashedly sliding his fingers against his abs, then his pecs, before blunt fingernails dragged down his chest back to his belly, making him hiss.

“Off,” Dazai tugged at Chuuya's t-shirt insistently, his breath getting quicker as desire warmed the space around them. “Now”

Sitting up, Chuuya quickly tugged his shirt off, throwing it somewhere to the side, before pressing himself back against Dazai's side, eager to feel the omega's skin on his. The alpha continued sucking red marks on Dazai's neck, tasting Dazai's skin with his tongue.

Utterly lost in Dazai's blooming scent, it took Chuuya a while to notice the omega was growing restless, hips rutting against Chuuya's leg in small circles. Chuuya bit his lip, glancing down.

Dazai's cock looked almost painfully hard. It was red, the head weeping precum onto Chuuya's sweatpants, a small wet patch forming. Chuuya could feel his mouth water at the sight, his cock twitching in his pants.

Pausing his assault on Dazai's neck, Chuuya reached down and wrapped his hand around Dazai's cock, squeezing him briefly, causing Dazai to moan. He gathered some precum from the tip and spread it across Dazai's shaft, twisting his wrist with every upwards movement, building up a pace.

Dazai’s sounds became louder, his expression deliciously desperate, as he watched Chuuya jerk him off. He moved his hips in clumsy thrusts, trying to match Chuuya's pace.

Dazai's need slipped into his scent, sweet honey dripping down Chuuya's throat as he inhaled, making him feel dizzy with desire. It clung to Chuuya's lungs, filling him with an urge to please Dazai in every aspect, to touch him, make him feel good. Chuuya pressed his face back into Dazai's neck, breathing him in.

“Alphaaa,” Dazai whined, his head thrown back against the pillows, hips slowing down. “Need more.”

Chuuya shushed him softly, letting go of Dazai's cock to reach around and press careful fingers against his hole. He was wet, slick immediately coating Chuuya's digits as he rubbed slow circles around the omega's entrance, teasing a tip of a finger inside.

Dazai let out a happy purr as Chuuya's finger entered him, a dreamy expression on his face; happy, he was getting closer and closer to getting what he so desperately needed.

After peppering a few more kisses alongside Dazai's neck and chest, Chuuya flipped him over to his front in one smooth movement, before putting a pillow under Dazai's hips so he'd be more comfortable. Dazai turned his head around to look up at Chuuya, his eyes hazy, captivating.

Chuuya got rid of his pants, figuring it would be more convenient to do it now and shuffled back towards Dazai's hips.

Eager hands squeezed the globes of Dazai's ass, spreading his ass cheeks apart to get a better look at his winking hole. Chuuya slipped his finger inside again, this time going deeper, curling it as he caressed Dazai's delicate walls, searching for…

Dazai moaned, his hips jolting back onto Chuuya's digits, desperate to get him deeper, to get more stimulation.

With a curse under his breath, Chuuya added another finger, spreading them apart and scissoring Dazai's hole to loosen him up just that little bit more. He fluctuated between thrusting and stretching, finding that bundle of nerves again and ramming against it, making Dazai choke on his moans.

"More,” Dazai hiccuped. He squirmed, pushing his hips back for Chuuya, chasing the pleasure he needed to breathe. With a twist of his head, Dazai turned dark eyes blown wide, pupils swallowing the iris. "Alpha more.” He begged.

Chuuya slipped a finger inside. So wet, so hot, so perfect. Dazai's body invited Chuuya in eagerly, muscles clenching and unclenching around his finger, pulling him further in greedily. Transfixed and dazed by Dazai's intensely pleased scent, Chuuya caressed the silky walls, feeling them twitch and clench around his digit. He played with Dazai's hole, tugging on it, teasing, pulling his finger out just to look as the ring of muscle clenched, oozing slick, before pushing his finger in again. He could go on like this all night.

Dazai, however, had other ideas.

When pushing his hips back for Chuuya or whimpering pleas didn't work, Dazai resorted to reaching for his ultimate weapon. The one thing no alpha would be able to resist.

With a frustrated little growl, Dazai trashed under Chuuya until strong hands loosened their hold and pulled back. The omega gave himself a second to mourn the loss before spreading his legs apart eagerly, knees sliding against soft sheets, as he slowly positioned himself, mind overcome by the linear intensity of instinct.

Dazai folded his arms above his head, remembering his alpha's command to keep them there and lowered his chest while simultaneously pushing his hips up, up, up.

Dazai's spine fell into a natural arch, body positioned perfectly, just right.

Satisfaction filled Dazai's mind as Chuuya's arousal flooded his nose. The omega purred quietly, happy with himself. The fact that his alpha wanted him, desired him, was all Dazai needed right now.

Especially if his alpha was Chuuya.

With a rabbit-heart, Chuuya watched Dazai present himself to him. He made a gorgeous picture, body curved in all of the right places, an endless expanse of smooth skin, textured by years of life in the darkness. Chuuya's eyes followed the line of Dazai's spine, shivering slightly as the little purr and Dazai's self-satisfied scent washed over him.

Breathless, Chuuya watched, the deep hunger building slowly, gradually. Cedarwood and amber filled the room around them, thick and overwhelming, making the vulnerable omega gasp. Smouldered, the woodsmoke joined, hazy and spiced with peppercorns, its warmth nipping at Dazai's senses through the fog of the smoke, drowning him yet keeping him tethered, making desire pour in Dazai's belly with every inhale.

Entranced by the thick, heated scent of desire, Dazai parted his mouth to feel more of it, to taste the spice of the pepper on his tongue and choke his lungs with smoke, to be filled and marked in every way by the alpha who desired him so deeply.

Dazai wanted every part of his body to be claimed, marked and owned by Nakahara Chuuya.

Chuuya grabbed Dazai's hips, pushing them down, keeping the squirming omega firmly in place, right as he wanted him. When the tops of Chuuya's thighs brushed the sensitive skin under Dazai's knees, the omega whined again, sensitive and needy for the promise of release. Chuuya could hear Dazai's breath growing heavy, an eager eye watching him over his shoulder. He didn't have to say anything, Chuuya could hear it in his mind like a holy mantra: 'More, more, more, more, more, more'. Dazai was always a greedy man.

Chuuya panted, fingers grabbing and pressing into soft flesh. Dazai's eyes swallowed him whole, drowned him in the persistent need for touch, connection and sex until it became his own; until all he could smell was their intertwined pheromones, all he could feel were their bodies touching. Overcome with the need to provide to satisfy, Chuuya pressed closer, holding Dazai down securely, firmly, drinking up his little sounds, eager to coax out more.

Here was Dazai Osamu, his form bare, his mind foggy, his body trembling. All in the centre of Chuuya's palm - mellable, begging to be owned. It was such an intoxicating feeling, Chuuya's mind raced alongside his heart, rationality forgotten in the face of pure, all-consuming desire.

Chuuya moved his hands to Dazai's ass, gripping the omega's asscheeks and spreading them apart to get a better look at his wet, glistening hole. He could feel his mouth water at the sight, a deep, satisfied croon rumbling in his chest as he rutted his hips forward, rubbing his cock against Dazai's opening, letting it catch.

Dazai moaned underneath him, his belly clenching in anticipation of what he desperately needed. He pushed his hips back to urge the alpha on, breathing fast and lips bitten raw. Truly, denying him any more would've been cruel.

Chuuya pushed in slowly, the hot, wet feeling causing him to tilt his head back with a groan. He took his time bottoming out, watching Dazai's back muscles tense attentively, letting him get used to the feeling of being full, listening to his little panted moans. Dazai felt amazing around his cock, soft walls clenching, sucking him in, making it really hard to stay still.

"F-Feels good." Dazai whimpered, his eyes closed tight, belly clenching with arousal, making Chuuya curse under his breath.

"Yeah?" Chuuya asked, voice a little shaky, a little unsteady. He reached down to press his hand against Dazai's belly, heat washing all over his body when he realised he could feel himself through it. He pressed down on the small bump, hearing Dazai moan at the sensation, his walls clenching tightly around Chuuya's cock.

"Fuck, 'zai can I move? Please, can I?" Chuuya muttered frantically, feeling almost crazed with anticipation, his whole body thrumming with the need to move, to fuck Dazai until he couldn't stand.

"Alpha can,” Dazai panted, caught between the overwhelming feeling of fullness and the added pressure from Chuuya's hand. His cock wept onto the sheets, untouched, red and heavy with need. "Alpha can. Please, please, PLEASE! "

The last plea turned into a desperate moan as Chuuya pulled out almost all the way before snapping his hips forward, punching the air out of the omega's lungs. Dazai barely had a moment before Chuuya was moving again and again and again, leaving Dazai gasping, mouth stuck open with an interrupted breath.

Chuuya was unrelenting, his body working hard to give pleasure to his partner, thrusts precise, maddening. Sweat dripped down his back as he moved, working his combat-trained muscles not to kill for once, but to grant someone a different kind of death nonetheless.

Dazai's eyes rolled as Chuuya's cock hit his prostate, his mouth opening around a moan, pressed into the sheets with Chuuya's next thrust. Chuuya gripped his hips tightly, pulling Dazai back onto his cock as he fucked him hard and fast. The sounds of skin slapping skin echoed through the room, wet and dirty, accompanied by their little noises. Panted breaths, muffled moans, the rustling of the sheets between Dazai's clenched fingers.

Chuuya was lost.

Heavy breaths, the tight grip of Dazai around him, sweat glistening on scarred skin. Chuuya's tongue followed the line of Dazai’s spine up to the back of his neck, tasting him, teeth aching with the need to bite. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t, but gods did Chuuya want to. Sink his teeth in, mark Dazai as his for all to see, no stupid bastard who’d dare to touch him left alive. The alpha leaned forward on his hands, bracing himself against the bed for better stability, before snapping his hips harder, faster.

Dazai moaned, voice breaking prettily around the syllables of Chuuya’s name. The alpha focused on that. He wondered what pretty expression was on the omega’s face then. Were his gorgeous eyes open, staring at the sheets below, or were they closed tightly? Were his lips red from teeth worrying the soft tissue? How did the lines of Dazai’s face shape around pleasure?

Overcome with a sudden need to see, Chuuya moved away, pulling out with a small groan. Dazai turned his head in displeased, anxious confusion, the sudden emptiness and lack of touch uncomfortable and cold after being filled and touched so nicely.

Not giving the omega much time to overthink, Chuuya gripped Dazai’s waist and flipped Dazai over onto his back effortlessly, punching the breath out of the omega’s lungs. Dazai bounced on the soft mattress, the world spinning around before his eyes. He blinked a few times, just to be met with the sight of Chuuya looking down at him with dark eyes, fingers gripping Dazai’s thighs, tugging him towards himself in one smooth move.

“I want to see your face when I knot you”

The desire and heat festering in Dazai's lower belly until then spread across his entire body in seconds as he watched Chuuya tower over him, manhandling him so easily, pushing him around as if he weighed nothing.

Keeping Dazai's legs nice and spread, Chuuya pushed his cock inside him once more, purposefully slow, watching Dazai’s face.

He was a gorgeous sight, mouth parted around the soft melody of pleasure, warm body trembling with the unsure motions of a new position, a new point of view to fulfilling his needs. Chuuya touched pale skin with his lips, mouth working against thin and thick scars, tracing devotion against the plains of his partner's chest, eyes stuck on Dazai's face, drinking his reactions up like a man starved. The texture of Dazai, his scent and taste had Chuuya completely captivated.

A loud moan on his lips upon a particularly perfect thrust, Dazai's face scrunched up, overwhelmed, his lashes fluttering under the onslaught of sensations. Chuuya was quick to shush him gently, rolling his hips harder, with more intention, body and mind eager to please and satisfy. He grasped at Dazai's hips, holding him down as he drove into him, the sounds of them wet and filthy, their scents combining in the air in an intoxicating mixture of sex and trust.

Long fingers twisted in the sheets as Dazai's legs fell open, his body arching into the alpha, chasing the high so readily presented to him with squirming hips and quiet pleas on spit-slick lips.

"Alpha" Dark eyes rolled as his body jumped with Chuuya's movement. "More"

Chuuya sped up, watching Dazai's body jerk, the omega's moans only encouraging him to push further, own him, claim him. So everyone who looked at him, inhaled his scent, touched his body, knew exactly who Dazai Osamu truly belonged to.

"Mine,” Chuuya growled lowly, sweat-moist bangs clinging to Dazai's skin as he pressed his forehead against his omega's sternum, feeling his rabbit heart beat away. His, his, his. Something desperate was budding in his chest. "Mine."

Dazai shivered under him, long fingers curling in copper locks, clenching, tugging. "Yours"

Moans filled the room, a soft and captivating melody. Chuuya moved, touched and kissed, hazy eyes looking at Dazai's face, eager to prolong the concert, to listen to the song longer.

More.

Dazai's fingernails caught on the skin of Chuuya's back, digging in, dragging down, marking a path of stinging lines, only adding to Chuuya's pleasure. Chuuya bit at Dazai's nipples in return, tonguing at them while looking up at his omega's flushed face, painted with pleasure and abandon. He teased the sensitive bud with his tongue, licking obscenely, just to see Dazai's reaction. Dazai's little panting sound grew louder, encouraging, as he peered down at Chuuya, with wet eyes.

So pretty, Chuuya thought, so gorgeous.

They were both lost to the dance of their bodies, to the easy path their instincts were guiding them through. Chuuya snapped his hips forward faster, breaking the slower rhythm they were following. His cock drove deeper inside of Dazai, ramming against his prostate every time.

"Alphaaa,” Dazai whined, needy, breathless. He was close. Chuuya could feel it in the way Dazai's body fluttered around him, the way his scent intensified - pleasure oozing out of his scent glands, potent and intoxicating.

Chuuya was hyper-focused on Dazai's body. The way his thighs trembled against Chuuya's, how his chest rose and fell sharply with desperate breaths, trying to swallow the mix of their scents up alongside the air. He mouthed at his omega's chest, scattering lovebites and wet kisses across pale, salty skin, as his hips began to stutter.

"Fuck!"

"Chuuya!"

Dazai came first, spine arching beautifully, pushing his chest into Chuuya's mouth, as his thighs trembled, clenching tightly around Chuuya's waist, bringing him closer, closer, closer. Dazai's nails tore at Chuuya's back, but Chuuya didn't care, mouth opening in a loud moan as Dazai's walls clamped down around him, squeezing his cock tightly. Chuuya could feel himself tensing up, muscles spasming, as he thrust a few more times sloppily before he was gone as well, body falling forward, barely catching himself on his forearms.

Dazai was trembling underneath him as stars danced before Chuuya's eyes, both of them shaken by their little earthquake of sensations, bodies spent and twitching with aftershocks. Chuuya could feel the base of his cock swelling, knot locking them together, stretching Dazai's spent hole further.

Dazai whimpered tearfully, one of his legs kicking out in unconditioned reflex, before falling to the bed twitching. He was so full. So, so full. The feeling of being knotted so thoroughly satisfied something deep and instinctual in him, something stubbornly ignored until he started feeling warm and dizzy, his legs leading him to his partner's apartment, instead of the container, until Chuuya found him in his living room, vulnerable and lost in the fever of heat.

It felt good. It felt so, so good, so relieving to finally, finally let go.

Before he knew it, Dazai's chest started shaking with small, tearful sobs, yet his scent carried no distress, just clear, watery relief, curling around ripe peach and diluting it into a softer kind of sweetness. Tears slid down Dazai's cheeks as he sobbed quietly, pressing his lips together to muffle himself. He was met with Chuuya's worried face.

"Dazai, what's wrong? Does it hurt?" the alpha asked, gentle fingers holding Dazai's face, thumbing away his tears.

Dazai only shook his head.

"Feels good. Feels s'good." Dazai said, hiccuping. He tried to cover his face with his hands, embarrassed, but Chuuya pushed them away gently, looking at Dazai with soft eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart..."

Mindful of his knot still lodged inside the omega, Chuuya moved closer to Dazai, pressing gentle kisses against Dazai's face, kissing away his tears. A deep croon rumbled in Chuuya's chest, relaxing Dazai's muscles and making his mind pleasantly blank. They stayed like that for a while, until the tears stopped flowing and Chuuya's croon was joined by a quiet purr.

Pressing one last kiss against Dazai's temple, Chuuya grabbed a random t-shirt lying around and wiped them both down to his best ability. Chuuya wasn't particularly happy about having to use clothes to clean up, but Chuuya could feel his body getting heavy, exhaustion finally catching up to him. He wasn't sure whether he could stay awake till his knot went down.

After he was done, Chuuya moved them both to the side, the dirty t-shirt discarded somewhere on the floor, and held Dazai close. The omega was still sniffling quietly from time to time, but his purr was steady, body relaxed. Chuuya buried his face against Dazai's shoulder shamelessly, pressing sleepy kisses to his neck, scenting him or just breathing Dazai's content scent in. Dazai curled around Chuuya, burying his face into his curls and purring softly.

They drifted off, lulled to sleep by the comfort of their nest, their hearts beating in tandem.

==♡==

Chuuya woke up to a warm sun on his skin, the scent of sweet peach tea and a hand on his dick.

He blinked a few times, unwilling to open his eyes and commit to awareness just yet, but the insistent touch managed to coax him out of the lull of sleep.

Dazai was pressed to Chuuya's side, rutting his hips against Chuuya's waist and jerking him off clumsily.

The short, uncoordinated movements of Dazai's hand made Chuuya groan, causing the omega to perk up, realising he was awake.

Dazai sat up quickly, abandoning his previous activities to bother Chuuya instead. He leaned over the alpha, placing his hands on each side of Chuuya's head and looked down at him.

“Alpha,” Dazai demanded. “Knot.”

Chuuya looked up at him groggily. It wasn't that he was opposed to morning sex, but after how exhausting yesterday had been, all Chuuya really wanted was to press his face against the nearest pillow and doze off again. He wondered whether he could somehow convince Dazai to let him sleep some more, but judging by how wet and red Dazai's cock looked, Chuuya had little to no chance at succeeding.

"Five more minutes?" Chuuya tried anyway.

"No!" Dazai exclaimed, scandalised. "No! I need it!”

He escaped Chuuya's sleep-weakened hold easily, throwing his leg over Chuuya's hips and straddling him. Chuuya barely had time to react before Dazai was pressing his cock inside himself, making them both groan.

Dazai was a devious sight, his face slack, eyes clouded with heat, his mouth opened in a silent moan. Chuuya reached out to touch, sliding his hands up and down Dazai's thighs, as he watched the omega adjust to the stretch.

“Good?”

Dazai blinked down at Chuuya stupidly, as if he had forgotten Chuuya was there entirely, making him laugh.

“You couldn't think your way out of a paper bag like this,” Chuuya chuckled, grinning up at the omega.“Could you?”

Dazai didn't care to answer, choosing to lean down instead. He buried his face into Chuuya's neck, nose pressed against his scent gland, breathing him in. The alpha sighed, putting his palm against the back of Dazai's neck in return, holding him close. They laid like this for a while, just pressed close, basking in each other's scents.

Only then did Dazai start moving his hips in small circles, clumsily trying to get Chuuya's cock deeper inside.

Chuuya buried his fingers into Dazai's soft hair, scratching at his scalp, his movements still a little slow with sleep. Dazai's warm body was pressed close to Chuuya's, skin on skin, little breaths tickling the side of Chuuya's neck. Hooking his chin on Dazai's shoulder, Chuuya looked down appreciating the curve of Dazai's spine, the way his hips clenched and moved, lazy arousal pooling in his belly at the sight, the feeling.

The hand playing with Dazai's hair slowly slid down the back of his neck, following the pretty arch of the omega's spine, up and down, up and down. Chuuya felt the little bumps, tracing them with his fingers, flat palm gliding across soft skin.

He enjoyed the slow rhythm of it, their bodies pressed so close and intimate, but inevitably Dazai grew frustrated by the lack of release. What surprised Chuuya, however, was the lack of whining. Instead, he was met with soft little sounds, pleading and small, as Dazai kissed and nipped his way up Chuuya's throat until their eyes were level.

"Alpha,” he whimpered. "Knot, I need..." His head fell forward with a moan, Chuuya's cock catching on a good spot inside him, making the omega roll his hips harder, chasing the feeling. "Please." a murmur against the corner of Chuuya's mouth.

Chuuya could feel his heart flutter at the soft kisses and softer expressions Dazai was giving him. It looked... Almost loving. As if they were just a normal couple dealing with their cycles, tucked into the safety of their home, their shared nest, and lost to each other for a while.

It was easy to forget the lives they both led in this small corner of the world.

Chuuya could not get over how nice and pliant Dazai got during his heat. He'd thought the omega would be wild, near feral, hissing and growling and fighting for control, but no. Dazai was so lost in it that his instincts took over that smart head of his completely, which, in Chuuya's opinion, was good. Dazai deserved a break from his stupidly big brain sometimes, and if a good fuck was all it took, Chuuya was happy to deliver.

Dazai panted against Chuuya’s mouth, hips quickening their pace, moving faster, increasingly desperate. His scent became sweeter, honey melting in the air, encouraging the alpha to do what Dazai needed. His body is begging for Chuuya's knot.

And well, Chuuya was only just a man.

Holding Dazai's hips in a vice grip, Chuuya braced his feet against the bed and moved his hips down, before snapping them upwards, driving his cock into Dazai in rough, slow thrusts.

The omega whined, falling forward against Chuuya's chest, fingernails digging into his shoulder. His face was buried in the sheets right beside Chuuya’s head, loud, breathy moans muffled by the pillows.

“Fuck!”

It didn’t take long for Dazai to end up on the brink, hips snapping back against Chuuya’s thrusts, desperation bleeding through into his scent. He smelled like a ripe peach, the skin tight around its sweet flesh, ready to fall from the branch, yet unable to do so on its own.

Chuuya panted, desperately wanting to grab Dazai's pretty, red cock and make him fall apart, but unfortunately, he needed to keep both his hands on Dazai’s hips. Switching positions right now would be too frustrating an ordeal, so Chuuya decided on the next best thing.

“Touch yourself for me, omega.”

Chuuya growled into Dazai’s neck, mouthing at his scent gland. Dazai whimpered against the sheets, a hand reaching out to grip his cock, jerking himself off with quick, rough movements.

When Dazai came, Chuuya was right behind.

The alpha could hear Dazai moan, could taste the salt of his skin, smell his peach-sweet scent. Dazai was all around him, filling Chuuya’s senses, until there was nothing around left for Chuuya to focus on but Dazai. His walls squeezed around Chuuya’s cock like a vice, making his vision go white.

They panted in tandem as Chuuya’s hips collapsed back onto the bed, taking Dazai with, muscles burning with exertion. Chuuya wrapped his arms around Dazai, palms sliding up and down Dazai’s back, helping him come down from the orgasm as the insistent pressure of Chuuya’s knot filled his insides.

Dazai purred quietly, lips pressed against Chuuya’s head, his finger playing with Chuuya’s moist hair. Chuuya cringed a little, becoming suddenly aware of how clammy his skin felt and how oily his hair probably was. The omega didn't seem to care too much, though. The vibrations of Dazai's purr soaked into Chuuya’s chest, slowly relaxing his muscles and prompting a deep croon in response.

They waited until the knot went away while enjoying each other's presence, soft touches and shared warmth. Chuuya combed Dazai's hair with his fingers, scratching at his scalp now and then.

“Hey,” Chuuya murmured, turning his head to look at the content omega, brushing Dazai’s fringe away from his eyes. “You up for a bath?”

Dazai hummed, peering at Chuuya with one eye open.

“Maybe,” He muttered, looking more lucid than before, more aware. “Will Chuuya wash my hair for me?”

“Come on, mackerel,” Chuuya said, a smile playing on his lips. “I’ll carry you. ”

==♡==

Chuuya left the water in the bathtub running while they briefly washed up in the shower. The alpha tried and failed to hide his satisfaction when he had to hold Dazai up for a while, the omega's legs too shaky to stand properly just yet.

Dazai looked mildly annoyed for the most part, but once he sank into the warm water of the bath, the crease between his brows smoothed over. He curled up in the middle of the tub, resting his head on his knees and closing his eyes.

Feeling the shift in the mood, Chuuya eyed Dazai carefully, trying to judge whether he needed space or closeness. Dazai answered that question for him fairly quickly, looking up at Chuuya from where he was sitting with tired eyes.

“Is Chuuya not joining me?”

That was all the encouragement Chuuya needed. He slipped into the water behind Dazai, leaning back against the edge of the bathtub with a contented sigh. This was truly all Chuuya had dreamed about since yesterday evening: a sinfully long, warm bath.

Happy to finally get what he wanted, Chuuya let himself soak a little bit more before reaching for the shampoo and tapping Dazai on the back.

“Lean back for me, I'm gonna wash your hair.”

Dazai listened, obediently tipping his head back for Chuuya slightly. What worried the alpha, however, was the fact that he did so without a sound. No height joke, no whining, not even a sigh.

Chuuya made quick work of washing Dazai's hair. He massaged the shampoo into the omega's scalp, fingernails scratching Dazai's head pleasantly. Once the hair was covered in foam and bubbles, Chuuya turned the showerhead on and washed them all away, mindful of Dazai's eyes, before repeating the process once more. The familiar motions felt calming, putting Chuuya's mind back at ease.

The calm didn't last long, though, because thoughts of his sulky mackerel soon came back to him when he was rinsing the conditioner off Dazai's brown strands.

The omega's distant behaviour made him worry. It was less big, bright eyes and curious hands, and more tired posture and quiet, contemplative rumination. Chuuya wasn't stupid; he could recognise when Dazai was spiralling, and he was aware that the emotional comedown from his heat might've been a potential trigger.

So instead of slipping away, Chuuya moved closer. He wrapped his arms around Dazai's middle, pressing himself against the omega's back.

"You back with me, mackerel?" Chuuya murmured against moist skin. Gentle fingers brushing the soap bubbles away in soothing motions.

All he got in reply was a low hum. Pushing Dazai to tell him how he felt right now wouldn't give Chuuya any positive results. Instead, he continued tracing random patterns on Dazai's chest and belly, lips trailing soft kisses against the omega's spine. He could smell that Dazai was feeling lost, untethered; he wanted to ground him a little.

Their bodies were pressed almost flush together, and Chuuya couldn't help but enjoy the warmth of Dazai's skin, how their chests expanded in the same rhythm, their scents mingling in the steamy air. He hoped that Dazai liked it too.

A moment later, Chuuya pressed his cheek between Dazai's shoulder blades and closed his eyes, holding the omega close.

They stayed like this for a while, basking in each other's presence, until Dazai finally moved, long fingers skidding up Chuuya's thigh to rest on his knee, his other hand covering Chuuya's, where it rested on Dazai's belly.

"Chuuya's awfully nice to me recently."

"I can be nice sometimes,” Chuuya replied. ”Can't spoil you too much, though, or you'll become even more of a brat.”

Dazai huffed. It was weak but made Chuuya happy nonetheless. He pressed his smile into Dazai’s skin with another kiss.

Then Chuuya bit him.

“OW! CHUUYA YOU STUPID DOG!” Dazai shouted, jolting around to give Chuuya a scandalised look, hands pushing at Chuuya's face. “That hurt, you slug for brains!”

Chuuya chuckled as he fought Dazai's assault off, soon having both Dazai's wrists captured, a satisfied smile stretching his lips. He pressed a kiss against the faint bite mark and offered no further apologies.

"You're so annoying," Dazai complained, disgruntled, but let himself be pulled down to rest against Chuuya's chest, as the alpha leaned back against the edge of the tub.

"Weren't you saying how nice I am just now?"

"I changed my mind,” Dazai stated, fingers playing with Chuuya's wet hair. ”Chuuya's the same slimy slug as always."

"Right back at ya, mackerel."

There was something so reassuring about their banter, something familiar, an unchanged part of their relationship that stayed constant no matter the circumstances. Chuuya was glad that Dazai's heat didn't make anything fundamental in their relationship different; however, insufferable Dazai was, Chuuya liked him just like that.

They stayed like that for a while, soaking up the warmth of the water and bickering about everything and anything.

With the mood brightening and the water turning lukewarm, Chuuya unplastered himself from Dazai's back, which was met with a displeased sound from the omega. Grabby hands reached for Chuuya as he got up.

"Don't you want to go back to your nest?" Chuuya asked the pouting omega as he slipped out of the bath and quickly patted himself dry.

"I don't wanna moveeeee.”

The only response Dazai got was a towel thrown at his head.