Starlight Mission

Vacation

Riku's rut ended four days later, and he apologized to everyone for the incident since he had allowed his Alpha to rampage instead of being able to hold it in. For the next three days, he waited for Iori's heat to end, intending to give the Omega some space before approaching him again.

"Iori?"

Iori glanced up from his notebook on his table when Riku opened the door after he was given permission to enter. Riku was holding a tray of pancakes topped with honey and butter.

"Mitsuki made some pancakes for you. He said that you'd be hungry after your heat." Riku explained as Iori nods and sits on the floor with him, "I also made some warm milk with honey."

"Thank you, Nanase-san."

Iori dug into the pancakes after thanking him for the food as Riku watched in silence before speaking again.

"How was your heat? Was it difficult?" Riku asked

"Maybe a little different from normal, with the bond and all." Iori admitted

"Me too... Before meeting you, my ruts were a little easier too, but now... It's a little hard without thinking about you." Riku admittedly a little sheepishly

Iori held down a blush and cleared his throat, "... Me too."

Riku blinked in surprise before chuckling a little, "Then maybe we can officially start dating soon... No, never mind, if it makes you uncomfortable, then I should probably continue courting you first. We haven't told the President yet either, unlike Mitsuki and Nagi-"

Riku quickly clamps his hands over his mouth but it was already too late, considering him having heard Iori dropping his utensils on the plate. He flinches a little at the strong scent of disbelief emitting from Iori's scent glands.

"Nanase-san... Can you repeat that again?"

Riku gulps and slowly takes his hands off his mouth, "Uh... You mean the 'telling the President' part...?"

"No, you were saying something about Nii-san and Rokuya-san." He lets out a short gasp, "Are those two... Are they dating?!"

"I-Iori, calm down! Nagi may not look like it, but-"

"Oh.my.god! They are?! When and how?!" Iori exclaimed before his eyes widened in realization, "During my heat... So they started dating while I wasn't around?!"

"Iori!" Riku tugged at Iori's sleeve before pulling him close, releasing calming pheromones from his scent gland, "Please calm down and just listen!"

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Iori settles back down but Riku doesn't let him go yet.

"I know you are worried about Mitsuki after his... incident. But Nagi's different! You know that! He's not like the Alphas you've met before, right?" Riku asked, now looking up at Iori, "Sure, he flirts with women a lot and stuff, and maybe he seems just a little childish, but he protected Mitsuki when I was on a rampage!"

Iori snaps his eyes toward him, "You know that's not it, Nanase-san. Nii-san has been used and tossed aside for most of his life by other people, most especially Alphas. I can trust you and Yotsuba-san, but not Rokuya-san yet, not when it's Nii-san's happiness at stake, at least. I need to know that he won't let Nii-san face the same pain he had experienced since young."

Riku hummed in thought, keeping his grip on Iori, "... They are currently in the living area, and if you are feeling better after eating, maybe you can go talk to them...? I'll follow you too."

Thanks to his pheromones and his pleading wide eyes, Iori finally gave in and nodded after letting out a heavy sigh. Satisfied that Iori had calmed down, Riku lets him go and they converse while Iori finishes his breakfast, albeit a little faster now.