『𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡』𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘰

⁰³

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[ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ]
𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐘𝐒

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Because he wanted to save face instead of feeding into everyone's worries, Reo chose to act normal the following day, as if nothing had happened and he hadn't heard about the scandal. He woke up, got ready for work, texted Nagi about hanging out on the weekend, and talked about a Netflix show during lunch with Niko instead of launching into a monologue about the pain of unrequited love.

Everything was fine and dandy (on the surface) until he came home. Nagi was at the door of his apartment, waiting for him. Reo's mask melted away with the rest of his defenses. He was far too exhausted to cover his expression anymore.

Nagi, bless him, didn't ask. Reo would've said he was frustrated by work anyway. What was one more lie in a pile of secrets?

"Wasn't expecting you today," he said as he opened the door, kicked his shoes off, and passed a hand through his hair.

His omega told him this was probably why Nagi didn't like him. Because Reo was too relaxed around him, he looked like shit, and Nagi had rarely seen him all elegant like he was at banquets and work parties. When he acted high and mighty, when he played the game. Anyone would die to have the attention of an omega like that. Nagi must still see him as the clumsy kid who threw up from anxiousness after getting his first C.

Nagi walked in behind him and took a seat at Reo's sofa, making himself comfortable. He snapped Reo out of his thoughts with his words, "Sorry, I didn't plan to come tonight." They had agreed on Saturday, and both men were too busy for spontaneous meetings.

"So what do I owe the pleasure?"

Reo busied himself filling a glass of whiskey. He also chose to stay in the kitchen so he wouldn't have to see Nagi and the hickeys adorning his skin. "You talked to the magazines?" Nagi spoke again, soft.

Reo nodded. Was his throat closing up or was it just his imagination? He drank to clear it up.

"Well, I had to thank you for that. You know how hard Chigiri and the others have it with the press. Even if our captain is an omega, they were just waiting for someone to fuck up before grilling us all. Thanks," the alpha added.

Another small nod. Nagi stood up and Reo could sense him coming close, his addictive scent assaulting Reo's senses.

Nagi's hand lay between his shoulder blades. "Are you okay?"

Maybe Nagi didn't know the power he had over him. Maybe he had no idea how much he had hurt Reo the night prior. Show him, his omega demanded, show him we're his, we could be...

"It's nothing," Reo shrugged. He downed the glass in one gulp that made Nagi squint his eyes in question. "Work's been a pain, I've had a long day."

"How was the party yesterday?"

"Good enough, I spent the night with Yukimiya, hiding from anyone my dad might want me to meet. You know how persistent he gets."

"I guess."

Nagi stopped him when Reo's nerves forced him to try and serve himself another glass. "What?" Reo tried to giggle, "Told you I had an awful day."

"Yeah, but it's a weekday." Nagi argued, "You don't drink on weekdays."

Reo finally looked at him because Nagi wasn't letting go of the bottle and he was so close that Reo could breathe him in. He couldn't identify another scent intertwined with Nagi's, yet he could still see those marks under Nagi's jaw, all the way to the collar of his shirt.

He couldn't stop his retort, or the bitterness it was laced with. "Well, you don't hook up with people but we're trying new things this week, apparently."

"You also think I had sex with Chigiri?"

"No, no I don't. But you've been sleeping with someone, or seeing someone, and I had to hear it from the tabloids instead of you, so forgive me for being a little exasperated."

"Well, I'm not seeing anyone," Nagi said slowly, so serious that Reo might have believed him if he didn't have the proof right in front of him. "I would've told you if I were."

"What's up with the marks, then?" Reo replied, stepping back to distance himself. Nagi was trying to do that soothing thing with his scent that made Reo want to purr and there was no way Reo was lowering his guard around him so easily.

Nagi had the audacity to look done with the conversation, "Wrestling with Barou, it got out of hand, we kinda bit each other a few times into submission."

"Those are hickeys."

"They are not." He insisted. "You think I would let Barou of all people suck my neck?"

Barou was an alpha, wasn't he? He was bigger than Reo, taller, stronger... Reo blinked, questions popping up in his head out of control. "Are you into alphas, Nagi?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" But he didn't deny it! "I don't like Barou. Again, if I liked someone, I would have told you already. You're my best friend."

See? He isn't interested in anyone overall, it's not personal, though we could ask, we haven't shown him yet, we haven't told him- Reo was not about to fucking confess, was he? The alcohol hadn't subdued his omega; he needed to rest, needed away. Reo got on top of the kitchen island and rubbed his temples as he sat, spreading his legs without thinking. Even then his stupid omega was making space for the alpha to slide between his thighs.

"Sorry, I- I'm under a lot of stress right now." He lied.

Nagi could see right through him, though. "Are you jealous?" he asked, voice unreadable, "Is this some territorial stuff because we scent each other, for example?"

Yeah, and what type of normal friends who weren't part of a pack scented each other so much? "Sorry."

"It's fine." Nagi grabbed his hand, caressed his knuckles to comfort him. Reo hated him for that, hated how his heart somersaulted inside his chest as if it hadn't learned its lesson.

Nagi didn't say anything else. He was a simple guy, sometimes too quiet. He never started confrontations and it was always Reo bringing up the heavy topics. Maybe Nagi didn't like that about him, how stubborn he could get.

And Reo needed to know before his insecurities would swallow him whole.

"Nagi, do you... Uhm, you have a rut partner or something? I know we don't usually talk about this stuff but I'm curious now. Chigiri is cute, after all, and he's your friend too."

The alpha didn't seem fazed by the question. In fact, he was awfully straightforward. "I've had partners in the past, but it's never been serious. Not that I don't want to mate anybody, I don't know. You would've smelled it if I were serious about someone. What about you?"

"Me?" Reo swallowed with difficulty. "Same."

"I thought so," Nagi replied, seemingly indifferent. "If you were in love you would talk all the time about it, that's just who you are, passionate and all."

Reo laughed at that, finding it more ironic than funny. "I would be unbearable, my omega doesn't ever shut up."

"Yeah, that..." Nagi didn't elaborate. He watched Reo like a curious animal for a second, searching for something before letting go. Then, finally, Nagi looked away, "Anyway, we could watch a movie if you've had such a bad day, it isn't so late."

Reo agreed, knowing deep down he only accepted so that Nagi would spend the night at his place and borrow his clothes the next day. If Reo cuddled up against Nagi on the couch, he would blame it on the clinginess of his omega. He refused to address his relief after knowing Nagi had no one else.

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