They knew what they were getting into. Heath and Hozumi were fully aware that Heath would graduate a full year before Hozumi, and that their bond would be stretched to the utter limits of sanity before Hozumi could join his mate in Tokyo.

But still, Heath was loyal to his omega and helped him through his heats as best he could. Likewise and when these things did not sync, Hozumi attended Heath during his ruts. And by far, between bouts while their bodies and hormones recharged, their favorite thing to do was cuddle.

Heath found Hozumi most beautiful in times like this, while the omega drew circles on his chest and smiled with bruised lips. His blonde hair a mess, his cheeks rosy, and normally impishly glinting eyes soft and tired. When the white sheets of Heath's bed were pulled up his pale chest and his neck was covered in bruises that would probably hurt by morning. His eyes were blown wide, and yet he looked like an angel in Heath's eyes.

"What would you do," Hozumi started, a pensive frown lurking at the corners of his mouth. "if I dropped out of school to follow you to Tokyo?"

Heath barely needed to think before answering. "I would wait a year to go to Tokyo, and you would have no choice but to stay."

Blue eyes shot up to gaze at Heath's face. "You wouldn't actually." The effeminate omega looked puzzled for a brief moment. "Would you? I mean, you could choose any school in the country and they would be happy to have you. Every year you wait is another set of schools that will decide they don't want you enough to keep the spot open."

The alpha shrugged. "It's my decision, and I'm thinking I'll just wait another year for you to catch up. Then we can go together."

Hozumi made a face and rolled over, giving heath his back. "If you do that, then I'll run away to Tokyo and you'll have no choice but to follow."

Heath grinned and scooched closer to his mate on the bed. He wrapped his arms around Hozumi and planted kisses on the omega's pale shoulder. "Wherever you go, I shall follow. Nothing will ever change that."

Hozumi squealed and tried to wiggle away, but Heath held him in place. This was done by digging his fingers into Hozumi's sides, which only made him giggle more. Heath gently nipped at Hozumi's ear and wrapped his arms tighter around the second-year's waist.

Hozumi pushed himself back towards his mate and hummed in heat-heightened pleasure. "I don't want you to sacrifice your future for me." He turned his head to meet Heath's lips. Heath pressed closer to the omega in his arms, deepening the kiss with a smile and a groan.

The alpha looked at Hozumi. "I would rather take you over any other future."