Summary: Kentas is still getting used to how humans do things, now that he's a traitor to his Clan.
Contains: Kentas/M-21
Set after season 8.
This fic took me waaaay too long to write. I'll blame it on my inability to do romance. If this…even really counts as that, pfft. This is something like the fifth version of this fic, urgh.
Much thanks to Key, Myriade and Hellse Bunny, who listened to me screech over this while I was headwalling about the fic and Myriade for betareading.
Alternate summary: Kentas' nose tells him a lot of things.
Scent
By Dark Ice Dragon
Kentas closed his eyes as he sat cross-legged on the beach. Between staying inside the suffocating human city or on one of the islands dotted around the country, it was an easy choice. It was quieter here, the only lights coming from the stars and the moon peeking out from behind the clouds, reflected by the waves.
It let him think about the situation without distractions. He gritted his teeth, his hands tightening into fists. He'd recovered from all the wounds inflicted by that noble but he was still a traitor to his Clan. He had dedicated his entire life for his Clan but now… He breathed out in a hiss. His Clan wasn't what he thought it was.
He sensed a familiar aura approaching long before he heard leaves being crushed underfoot. There was no urgency to the other's pace, no killing intent, so he didn't scramble to his feet to face them but he did get up in time for their arrival.
He snapped his hand up when something small sped out of the tree line, heading straight for him.
The object crinkled when it slapped into his palm and Kentas' nostrils flared at the burger scent.
"What's this for?" Kentas asked, watching M-21 step out from the tree line.
"I wasn't sure if you recognised dinner yet," M-21 said with a lazy smirk, walking over to Kentas.
Kentas arched an eyebrow, looking at M-21's empty hand.
"I already ate," M-21 said. "You didn't show up for dinner."
"Oh." Kentas shrugged, folding his legs under him again as he unwrapped the burger. "I wasn't hungry."
"But you're still eating it," M-21 said, watching him. He sat down next to him, close enough that their knees touched.
"Of course I am," he said before he bit into the burger. Someone had caught, killed and prepared what he was eating. "I'm not wasting food."
That made M-21 smile a little before the corners of his mouth tilted down again. "Am I going to have to find you every time you miss dinner?"
Kentas snorted, eating more of the burger. "You think I'm going to waste away by missing a chance to eat?"
One corner of M-21's lip curled up and Kentas paused, recognising that expression from when they were in the lab. The one that made Kentas tense, just waiting to see what he would say next.
"Who knows," M-21 said, the smirk firmly in place, "maybe you are. Think you can prove you're still as strong when you're hungry?"
There was that mouth again, the one that had the noble screeching in anger as she tore into M-21's body in retaliation. Kentas could feel himself responding to the taunt, but more in anticipation than anger.
"Pfft," he said, finishing the burger. "I'm done eating." And like he said, he wouldn't waste food. "You still want to go?"
There was a light in M-21's eyes as he lifted his lip, baring his teeth. "Yeah."
Kentas couldn't help lifting his own lip in reaction, rumbling deep in his chest. "Are you trying to start a fight?" He wouldn't say no to one if M-21 was offering and it seemed like M-21 was. It was just…amusing that M-21 was trying to provoke a fight rather than just asking for one.
"And if I am?" M-21 swept to his feet, tilting his chin at Kentas.
As Kentas got to his feet, M-21 held his ground, just as challenging and fearless as when he'd stared down the noble, mocking her even as she wielded the scalpels in his face.
Kentas chuckled, flexing his hands, seeing M-21 do the same. "Then we're going to fight." It would give him a chance to think of something else from what was on his mind.
xOx
Kentas' blood roared through him as he landed on M-21, pinning him down with one hand to M-21's chest. He pressed the claws of his other hand to M-21's throat, not hard enough to break the skin, but he had the feeling that might be the only way he would be able to get M-21 to accept a loss, knowing him. M-21 hadn't backed down when the noble had stabbed the entire length of her scalpels into him, so the pinpricks of his claws were nothing in comparison.
He couldn't stop the deep growl in his chest or his grin as he stared down at M-21, feeling blood running down his arms. The fight had been different from what Kentas was used to — werewolf fights tended to be who could overwhelm the other first, but with M-21… M-21 wouldn't stop talking. He commented on everything, needling where he could, testing both Kentas' physical and mental defences.
It had been exhilarating trying to match him that way. It had been fun. He'd fumbled a few times with his retorts and M-21 had zeroed in on his openings, like he was seeing right through him. M-21 hadn't dug as deep like he had with the noble, but it had been enough to make Kentas react, to want to return the favour.
M-21 snapped his hands up, gripping Kentas' arms, but not pushing. Yet. He growled back, panting hard as he smirked up at Kentas. "What, that it?" There was only a slight strain to his voice. "Thought you said you wouldn't waste away if you missed a meal. Or were you holding back to protect my feelings?"
That wasn't it. M-21 was a lot stronger than the first time they'd fought and Kentas loved it. The pushing, the testing to see if the other could hold and where they backed off.
"I wasn't trying to kill you." They were only sparring, not trying to end each other. "Hnn… You've gotten stronger," Kentas told him as he leaned down to nuzzle M-21's neck, just under the jawline, and inhaled. He was surrounded by M-21's scent, his blood, and Kentas couldn't stop growling harder, the sound practically thrumming through his entire body.
M-21 smelled good and Kentas wanted to open his mouth and bite the skin that was right there.
Kentas froze, his eyes snapping wide as he realised M-21 wasn't responding and he backed off, shaking his head.
"Sorry about that," Kentas said, making sure to put himself downwind from M-21. It didn't help. The entire area smelled like him.
"What for?" M-21 said, getting up with a grunt. He wiped at the blood on his shoulders; his wounds there had already healed.
"You're not interested," Kentas said as M-21 got to his feet. Why else would he be apologising? M-21 had made it clear he wasn't reciprocating and Kentas had almost missed that.
M-21 snorted as he let go of his transformation. He shook out his hands, flexing them. "And you're shit at picking up hints."
Kentas blinked at him, starting to frown. Before he could say anything, M-21 swayed on his feet, going pale.
Kentas dashed to his side, catching M-21 before he hit the ground. He'd lost consciousness, but his breathing was slow and easy.
"Thought you wouldn't last that much longer," Kentas murmured, one corner of his mouth quirking up. M-21 was a lot stronger than before, but there was still a limit to how far he could push himself.
He let go of his own transformation and scooped M-21 into his arms, leaning his head again his shoulder. Kentas' nostrils twitched, wanting to scent him but he stopped himself. He should get M-21 back to his house.
Adjusting his grip to make sure it was secure, Kentas turned and headed in the direction of the city.
xOx
The house was on the outskirts of the other side of the city. It wasn't too far, but far enough to give Kentas time to think as he hopped across the rooftops.
M-21 had said he'd missed hints. Of what? Was he wrong about M-21 not being interested?
He frowned, turning that over in his head.
M-21 hadn't responded when he'd nuzzled his neck. There had been no lift of his chin to give him better access, no answering growl.
But…M-21 was human. He wouldn't know werewolf signals, and Kentas didn't know how humans signalled they were interested in each other.
Kentas dipped his head, inhaling M-21's scent. His sweat and blood still lingered but there was nothing else there to say he had been unwilling. There was no fear, no anxiety.
M-21 hadn't been averse to it.
Kentas huffed, a small smile curling his lips.
xOx
The front door opened before Kentas reached it, Tao holding it open for them. He must have seen them coming.
"You two okay?" Tao asked, helping to take off M-21's shoes once he'd closed the door.
Kentas nodded, slipping his own boots off. "He's just exhausted after a couple of spars."
"Heh." Tao patted M-21's feet after putting the slippers on. "Don't wear him out too bad, 'kay? A tired M-21 is a grumpy one."
Kentas snorted. "I can handle that." Once he had the slippers on the adjusted his grip to make sure M-21 was all right.
"I dunno," Tao drew out as they went into the house, "M can be really grumpy."
Kentas just shook his head, a smile twitching his lips.
"Anyway, Boss is downstairs if you need him," Tao said, heading for the kitchen.
Kentas grunted in acknowledgement, going deeper into the house. They wouldn't need to be looked over — all their wounds had healed while Kentas was going back to the house, the dried blood flaking off their skin the only indication they'd been injured.
He went upstairs, finding M-21's room more through following his scent than knowing where it was.
Once inside, he nudged the door closed with his heel and laid M-21 down on the bed.
Hn. He pulled over the chair in the room, sitting down on it, his legs stretched out as he crossed his arms. It shouldn't be too long until M-21 gained consciousness again.
Kentas looked over when he heard M-21 stir. "Hey."
M-21 opened his eyes, focusing on Kentas. "Hey..." His voice was a little rough, almost a growl under the surface. "Figured it out yet?" M-21 smirked.
"You're interested in me as well?"
M-21 gave him a slow nod, watching him. "So, now what?" M-21 said, rolling over to face him.
Kentas hummed, standing up. "This." He reached over, watching M-21. When M-21 only glanced at his hand, not pulling away, Kentas cupped the back of M-21's head. He leaned down to press his forehead to M-21's, their noses touching.
He could feel M-21's breath against his lips, smell his scent, and he growled softly as M-21 leaned into the touch, hands going up to Kentas' shoulders.
When M-21 tugged at his shoulders, Kentas let him lead him onto the bed.
He lifted his chin when M-21 leaned in and scented his neck, his breath tickling. They were close enough that Kentas could feel the hum in M-21's chest.
"Go back to sleep," Kentas said, seeing M-21's eyes already starting to droop again.
"Asshole," M-21 muttered as he yawned.
"Ah?"
M-21 smirked. "If you're going to badger me to sleep, I'll kick your ass the next time you make me hunt you down to give you dinner."
Kentas smirked back. "Yeah, we'll see."
And they would. At the rate M-21 developed, he'd probably be stronger than Kentas within the next few phases of the moon, if not less. Kentas looked forward to see it.
With a final yawn, M-21 pressed himself up against Kentas and drifted off to sleep.
They would talk about the differences between werewolf and human signals. Once M-21 had rested.
Kentas wasn't tried, so he just buried his nose in M-21's hair and drowned himself in his scent.
I headcanon that the reason that Frankenstein and M-21 were headbutting at the end of season 1 was because Frankenstein was trying to get M-21 to react rather than withdrawing in on himself, to try and get him back to his usual self. So that was part of his motivation here with Kentas, trying to do the same.