Bonding and Bite Marks

Two in the Morning

"It's late..." Lin murmured as he looked out of his bedroom window. Naru had gone out to meet Mai hours ago, which wasn't concerning. He could do as he pleased, and he expected they'd gone elsewhere after dinner since he'd been a little more dressed up than usual. What concerned him was the lack of a text message or call to let him know he intended to stay out. John hummed as he sensed Lin's agitation, releasing his soft cotton candy scent to soothe him.

"He's probably decided to stay at Mai's," John replied reasonably from his place on the large bed, where he was propped on his back with a book. It was another of Gene's romance novels. They had a similar taste in literature, it seemed. The more explicit scenes made him blush, but the story itself was really gripping. He lowered his book to watch Lin, noting the tenseness in his shoulders as he stood staring out the window. "Come to bed, Koujo." John put his book aside as he got to his knees and crawled over to Lin's side of the bed, close enough that he could lean forward and snag the back of his shirt.

"You're probably right..." But something was still bothering him. In the back of his mind, something felt wrong. It wasn't like Naru not to message him. Perhaps so close to his heat, it could be excused. He sighed as he felt a smaller set of arms wrap around his waist. John had gotten to his feet and crept up behind. His muscles relaxed as John's smaller body pressed up against him, nuzzling into his shoulder blades. "Are you trying to seduce me?" Lin teased lightly as he gently took one of the smaller hands that pressed against his chest.

"I'm calming you," John corrected, letting his sugary scent wrap around Lin like a comforting blanket. It was almost disturbing how he could manipulate his mental state by just releasing a little of his scent. Lin sighed softly as he felt some of the tension in his joints ease. He loosened John's hold and turned to embrace him, burying his nose in his fluffed blonde locks. "Will you come to bed?" John asked in a murmur, looking up into Lin's one visible eye with his usual gentle warmth.

"In a while," he replied as he ran a hand through John's fluffy locks. John looked a little put out but nodded his understanding. Lin left the bedroom with his phone, deciding to try to get through one more time. He'd leave a message and hope Naru got back to him some time in the morning. One thing he felt certain of was that he wouldn't be sleeping that night. A sigh huffed out as he dropped onto the sofa, lying back so that he could stare up at the blank ceiling. He wasn't sure how long it had been, but within a few minutes of finally closing his eyes, he felt a small weight drop on his chest. He rested a hand on the soft fur, feeling the small, soothing hum of a purr against his chest. It seemed he wasn't the only one who'd noticed Naru's absence.

Naru wasn't in the habit of doing things like this, especially not since Gene's passing. Staying out late had always been one of Gene's less endearing qualities, though he'd really only done it as a cry for attention. He almost hated that it had worked so well. Lin wasn't sure he ever would have succumbed to Gene's wiles if he hadn't played up and made him worry so much. Would things have been better if he hadn't? That seemed impossible to answer. The sting of grief probably wouldn't have been any less. Whether or not they'd been romantically involved, he'd loved Gene all the same. Perhaps it might have made his current relationship better. He wouldn't have had any reservations about giving himself to John completely, and John wouldn't have suffered any insecurities about his position. But if we hadn't become romantically involved, would Gene have been so eager to leave for Japan at all? He was quietly sure part of the reason he'd left was to make him miss him. To make him fully realise his feelings for him and stop gently pushing him away.

Lin sighed as he opened his eyes, blinking the heavy sting away as he stared up at the faded grey surface. It would be white by day, but he hadn't bothered to turn the light on, so the whole room was shrouded in darkness. It had been a while since he'd reflected on his time with Gene. He usually kept such thoughts in a tightly closed box, barely even daring to crack the lid. Since mating John, he'd tried to do it less and less. It never seemed appropriate. Although they hadn't made any formal declaration or had a ceremony, he considered himself married to John. John was his omega, the one he'd decided to spend the rest of his life with. How could he give himself to John if he allowed his thoughts to linger on Gene? It wasn't exactly being unfaithful, but it felt similar. Then again, I wasn't exactly ready to take a mate when all this started...

What would life look like right now if he hadn't mated John? The thought was painful. If he hadn't mated John that night, he may have died from the stress of his heat. If he hadn't died, he may have been mated by someone else. Some other, faceless alpha would have gone into John's hospital room to see him through his heat. They might have fallen in love. John would be mated to someone else at this very moment. Perhaps Rei, the psychologist John still saw sometimes. The thought made heat swell in his chest at the memory of how close he'd come to losing him. If Rei hadn't sent him that message, if he hadn't been making a point, John would have left him.

A trill sounded as Sebastian raised his small head and opened his mouth with a wide yawn. Lin huffed softly as he shook his head and blinked his tired yellow eyes, looking up at him with a silent question. Shaking his head, Lin tickled his ears and neck. No, Naru wasn't back yet. The thought set worry swirling in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't accepting his calls, and he hadn't called back. He hadn't even read the messages. If they're in a club, it's not unreasonable...The music is loud, they might be dancing...He couldn't imagine Naru voluntarily doing such a thing, but Mai could make him do a lot of things.

He wasn't sure whether it was a good or bad thing that Mai was the same. She hadn't answered his calls or read his messages, either. On the one hand, it could mean they were both enjoying their night out in some loud place and couldn't hear their phones. On the other, it could mean they were both in trouble and unable to answer. Looking at his phone, Lin found it was approaching two in the morning. A lot of clubs would start closing within the next two hours. Perhaps they'd check their phones at that point, when they went to call a taxi.

"I know, I'm worried too," he murmured as Sebastian's small head nudged his hand. He continued scratching his small neck, enjoying the rumbling purrs against his fingertips. Sebastian let out a small meow and Lin huffed. "You're right, he deserves to be grounded...unfortunately, he's a little old for such things." Sebastian flicked his tail, almost as if he understood as he trilled. "Lock him in his room? That would be false imprisonment." Such treatment of omegas had been commonplace at one time, but with the rise in rights and independence, such things had been outlawed years ago. Sebastian trilled again, reaching up one small paw to rest on his collarbone. "Oh, well, so long as you won't tell anyone." He chuckled softly as he stroked his small black head and glanced across at the open curtains. There was a faint glow from the streetlights below, but the world outside was still. As it should be at such an ungodly hour...Closing his eyes again, Lin decided that he really would have to talk to Naru and Mai the next time he saw them.