"He only means well, Senpai." Aiichirou stated in an unusually calm manner. Unusual, in that he had literally placed himself in the direct path of an angry alpha.
"He means 'well'? He means to mess around with my baby sister. Yeah—that doesn't sit 'well' with me, Nitori. Now move."
Rin loomed over his smaller roommate, who—after realizing that Rin intended to elicit a physical confrontation with their swim captain—pressed his palms either side of the dorm room's doorway and locked his elbows.
Ai looked up at his red-faced roommate. His spread arms preventing Rin from leaving the room.
"I understand you're just concerned about Kou-chan and I agree that you and the captain should discuss his intentions. But it's best that you wait until you're less emotional…" cooed Ai, whose serene smile and calm expression was off put by the obvious stress of his body.
The muscles of his arms were flexed as strong as the young boy could, taught knowing that his senior could strike out at any minute and try to pass him.
"I am not fucking emotional, Nitori! Now get out of my way or I will break your god damned arms!" Rin raised his voice as he stood up and over his roommate.
He felt his body temperature shoot up as every bone in his alpha body urged—no, commanded—Aiichirou to back down.
No response. Ai just stood there, arms still spanned out between Rin and the door to the hallway.
God damn, why can't he just act like a fucking beta for once and listen to me. Rin thought, reaffirming that wolf intimidation flat out doesn't work on his roommate.
"Stay the hell out of this," lashed Rin, growing even more upset at Ai's lack of supplication. "This doesn't concern you!" He was about to put his hand on the younger boy when Ai spoke up.
"You know the school's policy on fighting: zero tolerance! If someone reports you, you'll be asked to leave the team. And they're harsher on alphas like you, Senpai. They could even expel you if the wanted!" Babbled Ai, determined to break through Rin's hot head and appeal to his sense of practicality.
"Oh shut the fu—" Rin was interrupted by Aiichirou as he continued to press his point further, this time towards a more emotional appeal.
"That would really disappoint your mom—not to mention crush your chances at getting picked up by Olympic scouts next year! Your father's dream! Your dream! What about that? I know you care about those things, Senpai! And I care about you. So it does concern me!" Ai managed to scream out using only one breath.
A lifetime of swim must have had some affect on lung capacity, right?
Damn him, Rin thought as he backed off. He turned around and sat himself gracelessly onto his bunk.
He hated when Ai was right—a problem he eventually got used to. The kid was always the more levelheaded one of the two.
And he really hated being yelled at by a beta he couldn't intimidate—a problem he had to get used to. If he wanted to keep Ai around, he had no choice but to accept it.
He wasn't going to just dump the only real friend he had because Ai happened to be some kind anomaly in the wolf's hierarchical system.
Sensing that he was cooling down, Aiichirou left his post at the doorframe and sat himself down beside Rin.
"And honestly, Kou-chan is a smart girl. She manages an entire team of swimmers, even as an omega. She wouldn't have agreed to date Mikoshiba unless she was sure he was worth her time. She's just as much of a fighter as you, Senpai. Give her a call tonight; it would be best if you talk it out with her before you start on the captain…"
Ai leaned his head against Rin's shoulder, lightly rubbing his temple back and forth against his bicep.
With Ai's soothing movements, Rin felt all the storming anger and testosterone drain from his body.
Rin had to really concentrate on not accidentally scent marking his roommate; it would be really inappropriate for an un-paired beta to be walking around with an alpha's scent.
Weird, Rin thought. It is true, betas don't usually behave this way nor do they elicit this kind of behavior from other alphas.
Rin didn't really mind how touchy Ai was. And unlike with Nagisa, Rin really didn't find it annoying. Touching Aiichirou didn't feel awkward or forced. It felt kind of intimate—like Ai sincerely wanted to share a feeling with Rin, a feeling he couldn't express through speech.
He kind of like it.
Rin let his cheek rest on the top of Ai's head, drawing in a long breath of Ai's shampoo. This long breath turned into several short and purposeful sniffs.
Smells different today.
"D'you use a different soap or something?" Rin asked, getting up and reaching for his gym bag.
Before reading Nagisa's late-night text messages and haphazardly deciding he needed to walk into Mikoshiba's dorm room and kick that goofy grin off his face—he had been packing to go to the pool before 8am classes.
"No, Senpai. Why?" answered Nitori, who decided that Rin had cooled off enough to be trusted with freedom of movement.
He also stood up to move to his cluttered desk, sat down and returned to the textbook he had been reading before Rin's outburst.
"You smell different, today." Rin said, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking to the door. He still had an hour left to work out before class and it would do him good to swim off any left-over testosterone from his recent flare-up.
"Hmm," Ai sighed, turned his face towards Rin. He smiled softly up at his roommate.
"I feel different, today." He said softly, nodding a goodbye to Rin—who already turned towards the door.
"Yeah, I'll uh… I'll have to be in the library during lunch so I guess I'll just see you at practice." Rin mumbled, stopping only when the door was opened and he had his back completely facing Aiichirou.
"And…uh…thanks, Ai. Thanks for calming me down. For, uh...everything." Rin said, quickly and awkwardly, before he shut the door with a sharp 'click'.
Extra Scene:
SENDER: Kou_M_Kitty
TEXT: He's been flirting with me for months now! And he's asked me out like sixteen times, already!
I like his attitude, I like his dedication. He's got great lats, and incredible traps.
It took a long time to make this decision, Niisan. I would appreciate it if you respect it.
SENTCOPY: MatsuokaRin22
TEXT: At least you could have fucking told me, Gou!
If Nagisa hadn't said anything, I would have had to wait ten fucking years until I got fucking wedding invitations in the fucking mail!
I'm your older brother, Gou. You need to tell me when you're thinking about dating some alpha!
SENDER: Kou_M_Kitty
TEXT: Well you never call me or try to come home on the weekends, I thought it wouldn't matter.
Excuse me for not updating you on my life when you show no interest in it anyway!
SENTCOPY: MatsuokaRin22
TEXT: Thought it wouldn't matter? Wth, Gou, he's the captain of my swim team!
SENDER: Kou_M_Kitty
TEXT: Which was actually another reason why I asked him out!
Managing a swim team and all, we have a lot in common33
SENTCOPY: MatsuokaRin22
TEXT: Did you tell Mom?! Does Mom know?!
SENDER: Kou_M_Kitty
TEXT: Of course she does! She's the one who asked him to stay the night.
She didn't want him going back and forth to school with an two hour long drive both ways!.
We're going to the mall tonight to buy new sheets for your bed. He's staying in your room, btw.
SENTCOPY: MatsuokaRin22
TEXT: Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me.
SENDER: Kou_M_Kitty
TEXT: Lunch break is over, Niisan. I have to go to class now.
Tell Nitori-kun I said hello!
