Subject to Study (Naga!Brothers x Reader)

Chapter 49

"I -- excuse me, what?" I couldn't help but stare at the pattoni naga, his dark copper eyes holding my gaze as I tried to make sense of what he said, "Todo...humans don't go into heat."

"Clearly," His eyes narrowed a little, the neutral look starting to fall into a frustrated frown, "I don't know what it's called for your species, but your scent is...getting really strong."

I lightly pressed my right hand onto my lower abdomen, "Women ovulate...so maybe that's what you're smelling?"

"Ah-view-late?" Todo slowly pronounced the word, obviously foreign on his tongue.

"It's what happens to female humans when their body is getting ready to potentially produce a child," Letting my hand fall to my side, I closed my eyes for a moment, "In really simple terms, it is what other species would consider heat, but it doesn't affect humans like it would other animals. We don't have noses that can function like yours can, so we don't really know when that cycle starts unless we plan for it."

Todo didn't say anything, simply listening to my words in silence.

"Todo, I need to know," My mind started to work overtime, trying to figure out if there was a way that I could set up boundaries now before mistakes were made. I had no idea what the nagas were like, and since there weren't any female nagas, there was a chance that they didn't know how they'd react, either, "Do you know if there's anything I can do to dissuade you and your brothers from trying anything?"

"Well, we're not going to turn into mindless creatures that only want to lock with you, if that's what you're worried about," He scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest, "It'll just be...harder to talk to you about anything else."

I took several steps back from him, "Okay, so distance is key, then."

"Distance isn't going to do much when we can all smell you...you know that, right?"

"I didn't realize that I could affect you all like this, okay? It's news to me, so I want to make sure that nothing happens."

"How could we talk to you about this?!" Todo held his hands out to me in exasperation, "'Oh, hi (y/n). Nice scent you have today. Say, it's so sweet that it's maddening when you leave, so please come closer so I can have it all to myself'? Yeah, that would've gone well for you."

"At least that would be better than not telling me until I'm on your home turf where I can't do much about it. I don't have many options to keep myself safe here," I turned to pace back and forth a few steps, my hands running through my messy hair, "If I had known that this would have posed a problem, then I would've prepared for it."

"Stop..."

"I don't even know how I can stop my scent from being broadcast to the entire island! I literally can't do anything about it because your scent glands are so different from mine."

"(Y/n)..." Todo's voice was quiet against my own voice bouncing around my head, trying to organize thoughts and ideas of what I could do.

"Maybe I could find a place to bunker down for a few days or so, since that's how long ovulation usually lasts. I'd have to do something for food and water, but--"

"(Y/n), stop!" Todo grabbed my shoulders roughly, pulling me down to the ground and stopping my pacing instantly. I was left stunned as he held himself up over me, his face twisted up with a pained annoyance, "Your panic isn't doing me any fucking favors, okay?!"

I blinked a few times, catching my breath as I watched the naga above me slowly lift himself off of me, sliding his hands down my arms before completely letting go. Todo looked away from me as he recoiled from where I lay, his eyes downcast and focused on the ground.