A/N: Thus I looked out upon the sea of fics and declared, "There is not enough ABO in this fandom." So I took it upon myself to rectify the situation

"Here's your room key sir."

Ichiro quietly mumbles his thanks, quickly taking the key card and stuffing it in his pocket. He keeps his hood up and head down as he shuffles down the barren hallway to their room, backpack slung over his shoulder. He didn't bother wearing his usual jacket and red headphones. Not only would they just get in the way later on, but he wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. If anyone other than the receptionist had tried to talk to him right now, he would've hightailed it back home to suffer by himself. In fact, even though he's come so far, there's no guarantee he won't do just that if he comes across another couple exiting their room.

Thick wooden doors line the hallway, little placards with room numbers being the only thing hanging on them. If there's anything going on inside any of the rooms, no one outside them is able to hear it. It feels like an eternity before he finally reaches their assigned room. He makes sure to check the key card just in case; God forbid he tries to enter the wrong room. Once he's confirmed he inserts the key card, waiting for the indicator to turn green before attempting the handle. Briefly he wonders if he's the first one to arrive; it certainly wouldn't be the first time, given his partner's erratic schedule. He gets his answer when he's blasted in the face by the refrain to Bakemonogatari's fourth opening coming from the room's karaoke machine.

Ichiro sighs, closing the door behind him as he steps into the room. His partner dances along to the bright instrumental break, long black belt swaying with every movement he makes. His head of pink hair bobs along to the beat; he can't see it, but Ichiro is sure there's an easy smile on his face. Seeing the other be so carefree helps to set his frayed nerves at ease. When the clapping part of the instrumental comes he claps along with it to grab the other's attention. The man whirls around to face him, smile growing bigger and blue eyes shining bright. If he or anyone else had any doubts this was Ramuda, they would be washed away immediately.

"Ichiro~ ! You made it! I was starting to get worried."

"Could've fooled me." There's no heat behind the words as he makes his way to the king size bed. As Ramuda fiddles with the remote to the karaoke machine he takes a seat on the edge, dropping his bag. "You look about as carefree as you always do."

"Cuz I don't want any wrinkles!" Ramuda skips over to the bed. He jumps onto the bed with an exaggerated huff and enough force to have Ichiro bouncing with the mattress. It isn't long before he feels the heat and weight of Ramuda pressed against his back, head resting on top of his.

"Meanwhile you're looking even more stressed than usual," Ramuda nuzzles his hair as he speaks, "I keep telling you to relax or you're gonna get a ton of grey hairs! Lookie, I think I just found one! Where'd it go, where'd it go~ ?"

Thin fingers comb through thick black hair in search of the alleged grey hair. Goosebumps rise along Ichiro's arms as perfectly manicured nails lightly scrape along his scalp. He leans back against Ramuda's chest, content to play along with the other's charade. In the time they've spent together Ichiro has learned that Ramuda will disguise his worries with teasing and seemingly self-centered actions. Trips to his favorite café if he thinks you aren't eating enough; a forced modeling session with insults to your style if he thinks you're not dressed appropriately for the weather. Hundreds of subtle gestures all hinting at what lies beneath the carefully crafted person that is Ramuda Amemura.

This train of thought gradually leads Ichiro back to how it all began. It was early on in the days of The Dirty Dawg, when the pain of Mad Comic Dialogue breaking up was still fresh. They were still getting to know each other before attempting any big battles. It was during one of their gatherings to get to know each other that Ichiro managed to work up the courage to address the two new members.

"Before we get any further with this, there's something I gotta tell you both." Ramuda and Jakurai focus their attention on him. It reminds him of having to give presentations at school, the same uncomfortable feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. But unlike at school he has Samatoki by his side ready to strike at anyone that snickers at his fumbling. Ichiro takes a deep breath, hands curling into the denim of his jeans.

"I'm an omega." Quick, blunt, and straight to the point. He didn't see a need to beat around the bush. "So there might be times I'm unavailable because of…s-stuff. I-If that bothers you, you might as well leave right now!"

Ichiro ducks his head when he finishes. His face feels like it's on fire, and he's ready for the laughs and jeers. The silence between them stretches on, the tension growing thicker in the air. Just when he thinks he could actually choke on it, Jakurai's deep voice cuts through.

"Thank you for confiding in us Ichiro." Ichiro jerks his head up to meet Jakurai's kind smile. He stares in disbelief as the doctor continues, "I know it must have been very hard to gather the courage to tell us. Please rest assured that not only does this not change my opinion of you, but that I will gladly assist you with whatever medical treatments and information we develop."

Ichiro can hardly believe what he's heard. He'd imagined so many possible outcomes for this situation, yet the idea of getting actual support beyond polite platitudes never crossed his mind. He can't stop the wide smile from breaking out on his face as he replies, "Tha…Thank you doc! I really mean it!"

Ramuda pulls the lollipop he was sucking on out of his mouth, his own smile bright and wide. "And in the meantime, you and I can have lots of fun together~ ! "

"You bet Ramuda-"

Ichiro stops dead, the implication of those words slamming into him like a verse from Samatoki. He blinks once, twice, even three times in case it changed the meaning of what he heard or the grin on Ramuda's face. When that doesn't work he clears his throat, voice much quieter than before, "I…what…"

"Just lemme know when you need me, 'mkay? I promise I'll be super gentle, unless you like it rough~ ."

The deathly thick silence is back, only now punctuated with Ichiro's wheezing gasps for breath. Samatoki's hand is at his back, rubbing in an attempt to coax him to breathe normally. Ichiro is vaguely aware of Jakurai tilting his head to the side to stare at Ramuda curiously.

"Ramuda…are you by chance an alpha?"

"Yup~ !"

Ichiro swears he thinks he hears Jakurai mumble something close to 'fascinating', but he's also pretty sure his brain is about to be fried by the blush on his face. Samatoki shoves a bottle of water into his hands. He stays close to Ichiro, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, as he addresses Jakurai with a growl, "Ain't there some kinda medicine you can give 'im Doc? I don't trust Pinky to even know what a damn condom is, much less how to use one."

"Don't worry, I shoot blanks! So even if I fill his belly with my super special cream, he won't get a baby at all~ !"

During Samatoki's address Ichiro had managed to take a sip of water to try to calm himself. He promptly choked on it when Ramuda said that. He manages not to spray it everywhere, but he does cough violently into his elbow. Samatoki is back to rubbing his back, the irritation clear in his voice as he shouts, "Jesus Christ, don't just say shit like that! Think before ya speak ya asswipe!"

"Sowwy~ ," Ramuda says in a tone that doesn't sound sorry at all. Samatoki growls again before fully turning his attention back to Ichiro. Samatoki growls again before fully turning his attention back to Ichiro. After what feels like a century Ichiro manages to get back to something resembling breathing. He leans back heavily in his chair, exhausted from the coughing fit. It's only as the room quiets down again that Jakurai speaks up.

"To answer your question Samatoki, I'm afraid there isn't. Between the wartime efforts, restoration of the world, the armed conflicts that followed, and the Party of Words taking over Japan, medical research hasn't had the opportunity to devote itself fully to this new condition and its treatments. All we've been able to do is confirm that it is a genetic mutation on the X chromosome that has made itself prevalent in some children who have reached puberty after the Third World War. Since it is expected to only grow more prevalent we are of course focusing research on it, but…it will still take some time, especially with the growing interest in the effects of Hypnosis Mics. I am sorry, Ichiro."

Ichiro shakes his head, offering Jakurai a weak smile. "'t's not your fault Doc. I just had shit luck in the life lottery is all."

Jakura returns his smile before continuing, "Anecdotal evidence does suggest having a partner reduces the length and intensity of a heat. However, having a partner carries other risks, including pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Ultimately the choice is up to you, and only you, Ichiro."

He emphasizes the last part with a look in Ramuda's direction. Ramuda pouts, crossing his arms over his chest. "Geez, I was just trying to be helpful! If one of us is hurting then all of us are hurting, right?"

"And I appreciate it Ramuda," Ichiro interjects before either Jakurai or Samatoki can reply. He does his best to give Ramuda a smile to let him know he isn't mad. "Lemme just think about it, okay?"

The arrangement didn't happen immediately; like he said, he had to think about it. But after talking it over with Jakurai, with Samatoki, even with Ramuda himself, Ichiro couldn't find a reason not to try it. Thus began a friends with benefits type situation that outlasted the life of The Dirty Dawg. When his heat was approaching Ichiro would let Ramuda know, Ramuda would make the necessary arrangements, and they'd spend a few days hold up together to ride it out in a little love hotel equidistant from their homes.

"How far into it are you?" At some point Ramuda had moved from nuzzling his hair to nuzzling his neck. His breath is warm against his skin as he speaks, "I can't tell thanks to that geezer's medicine."

The referenced medicine is a currently experimental shot Ichiro takes once a month, courtesy of Jakurai. Even when approaching heat, it prevents him from spreading pheromones everywhere. Now if only they could make one to actually stop the damn thing. "Far enough that coming over here was a nightmare. Felt like everyone could tell what was goin' on. Honestly would've gotten here earlier, but we had so many requests and I didn't want to disappoint anyone."

Ramuda hums in acknowledgement, arm wrapping around him in a hug. "Poor Ichiro, always so sensitive during this time. I wonder what other parts of you are sensitive today~ ?"

It's the only warning he gets before Ramuda's hands reach up to squeeze his chest. The touch ignites the prickling discomfort beneath his skin into a burning arousal. The material of his hoodie is suddenly too stifling; he wants it off, wants to be able to feel Ramuda's bare hands against his flesh. He can feel as well as hear Ramuda's giggle at his reactions against his throat.

"Hehe, looks like your titties are sensitive this time too~ ."

Ichiro's sure his ears are bright red now. He tries his best to keep his voice and glare strong against the growing onslaught of pleasure. "Th-They're not fucking tits!"

"Sure they are," Ramuda coos. Ichiro fights back a noise of pleasure as the touches shift from mindless groping to light, targeted circles around his nipples. Through the thick material of his hoodie it's nothing more than a ghost of a touch. One that elicits memories of firm, sometimes even cruel, touches given during the throes of passion. He presses his thighs together to try and quell the slowly growing ache between them.

Ramuda pays no mind to his growing arousal, merely continuing his explanation, "Babies drink their milkies from their mommy's titties, and you're able to have babies and feed them milkies, so that makes these titties~ !"

He punctuates his statement by firmly pinching Ichiro's nipples through his hoodie. Ichiro's head falls back against Ramuda's shoulder a sharp cry. As the pleasurable lightning strikes the pit of his stomach his mind goes blank, unable to focus on anything besides the aching of his chest and groin. The embarrassment and shame, his stress and worries, all of it is burnt to ashes to be carried away by the rising tides of desire. What little fight he may have had left is drained when he catches the first whiff of pheromones from Ramuda.

He always struggles to describe the smell, especially considering the strong scents of Ramuda's creams and cologne that cling to him. The best Ichiro has even been able to manage is that it's a surprisingly heady, masculine smell. It leaves him feeling warm and uninhibited, like how he imagines the people stumbling out of bars must feel. He chases the feeling, nuzzling Ramuda's neck as if doing so will elicit more of that intoxicating scent. In this state he isn't even bothered by Ramuda's giggles at his actions.

"C'mon, let's get those clothes off before you melt~ ." Ramuda's hands slip under the edge of his hoodie to press against his abdomen. His hands provide a cooling relief as they drag along his skin, bringing the material up with them. Ichiro obediently raises his arms when asked so that Ramuda can pull the hoodie off to toss it to the side. He flops back against the other, nosing under his jaw as Ramuda works on his belt.

"You too," he manages to mumble. The ability to speak clear coherent sentences is rapidly leaving him. It took far more effort than is should have just to get those two words out.

"I will, pinky promise~ ," Ramuda presses a quick kiss to his forehead, "Just lemme see how wet you are first, okay?"

Ichiro hadn't realized Ramuda managed to get his belt and jeans undone until he shoves his hand down his boxers. Those soft, slim fingers easily wrap around his aching cock to smear the fluid already leaking from his tip. He bucks into the touch with a groan, the friction barely scratching the hormone-fueled itch beneath his skin. Ramuda's giggle floats through the air as he strokes him with slow, firm movements.

"Hehehe, looks like lil' Ichiro is all ready to go~ ! Too bad we won't be needing him though. Poor thing~ ."

"D-Don't tease, you prick." Ichiro hides his face in Ramdua's neck. While logically he knows it's Ramuda's usual cutesy harmless needling, in his heated state it brings forth deep seated insecurities. While a male Omega's cock could perform all the same bodily functions as an alpha's or beta's, they were fairly below average in terms of size and girth. And he knows those things don't define anything about him, he swears he does. It's just…he's surrounded by those stupid stereotypes every day, whether it be well-intentioned praises or media born from ignorance. It's annoying on a good day; on days like today it's an oppressive weight that drags him down into a sea of self-doubt. He doesn't drown though, can't when the obnoxiously loud and wet kisses Ramuda places against his face pull him back up.

"Sowwy~ ! I didn't mean it like that, promise! I'll let you get even later to make up for it, okay~ ? But for now…" Ramuda trails off, voice rising in pitch at the end. He gives Ichiro's cock one final stroke before pulling his hand out of his pants to begin taking them off. Ichiro isn't proud of the loud whine that leaves him or how his push upwards to chase after Ramuda's touch. He doesn't get to ruminate on it for long; Ramuda pulls down his boxers and pants in one quick motion. Finally freed from the stifling confines of those last articles of clothing, Ichiro melts into his embrace with a sigh as the cooler air washes over his overheated skin. He lets his legs spread a little further, unintentionally putting his lower half on display for the man behind him.

He can feel the path Ramuda's eyes take as they drink in every dip, curve, and twitch his body has to offer. Long ago such an intense gaze would have made him as skittish as an injured wild animal. But Ramuda has proven over and over again that, while he'll leer like a ravenous beast, he's able to keep himself perfectly in check and provide whatever it is Ichiro needs. Whether it be heats spent like sleepovers in blanket forts or knotting him until he blacks out, Ramuda obeys every whim Ichiro throws at him. This absolute trust in Ramuda is why the alpha's hungry gaze stokes Ichiro's arousal and confidence instead of bringing fear and uncertainty. Ichiro noses along the underside of Ramuda's jaw, lips curling upwards.

"Aren't you supposed to be checking me," Ichiro teases. It's the last coherent thought he ahs before Ramuda's single finger sinking into him wipes his mind clean. No matter how many times they do this he's always caught off guard by the onslaught of pleasure. His sensitivity probably isn't helped by the fact that, outside of heats, he does his best to ignore every bodily need that arises. But where is he supposed to find the time to masturbate when he's busy running a business, maintaining a division rap team, raising his brothers into fine young men, and trying to stay on top of seasonal anime?

As always, his responsiveness earns a comment from Ramuda. "Wowie~ ! You're so wet! You must really wanna get bred today huh? But you're still so tight! Hey hey, do I need to tell your brothers to give you time to fuck yourself silly~ ?"

Ichiro groans from both the filth of his words and the mental image of Ramuda giving his brothers a sex talk. "Absolutely not."

"Aww, why not? I'm sure if they knew how badly you need it they'd be more than happy to give you alone time!"

"Because you'd have no tact and make it awkward as hell," he snaps. If he weren't in the throes of a hormonal hell he'd probably feel apologetic for his tone. As he is though, Ichiro decides to throw in another barb for good measure. "Christ, what is with you today? You're meaner than usual."

Ramuda's answer is to mercilessly jab two of his fingers into the soft tissue that covers Ichiro's prostate. It has him gasping, body instinctually tensing in Ramuda's arms. Ramuda then begins to slowly but firmly stroke that same spot. Intense waves of pleasure rash into Ichiro with every stroke, dragging him deeper into the burning pits of desire. He squirms in Ramuda's arms; Ramuda merely tightens his hold, keeping him still as he cheerfully goes on speaking while taking him apart.

"Me? Mean? No way~ !" The voice that comes out next is smooth and deep. It commands Ichiro's full attention and sends the butterflies into a frenzy in his stomach. "Mean would be refusing to knot you and only giving you my fingers. It would be taking them out and leaving you empty while I jerk you off until you come instead."

Ichiro cries out; Ramuda isn't particularly gentle when he pulls his fingers out to begin stroking Ichiro's cock. His ass clenches around nothing, as if in hopes of finding something to sate the mind-numbing hunger inside. But there's nothing but a slim hand already leaving his weeping cock to join another in playing with his nipples again. Ichiro arches his back, pressing his chest more into Ramuda's hands and his ass into Ramuda's groin, with a squeal. There's no room left in his mind to feel embarrassed; it's all occupied with a desperate need to fuck and be knotted that's been brought to life by Ramuda.

Ramuda doesn't show any sign of being affected by his display. All he does is press his mouth against Ichiro's ear and whisper, "Mean would be making you come from nothing but your tits. Is that what you want today? To come over and over while never being filled?"

The idea pulls a sob of his name from Ichiro's throat. He grinds his ass against Ramuda's cock in an obvious move to entice the other to fuck him. Ramuda doesn't take the bait; he tugs on Ichiro's nipples harshly instead. A brief flash of pain lances through the haze of pleasure in Ichiro's mind, clearing a path for though just long enough for him to hear Ramuda's order.

"Answer me Ichiro."

"No," Ichiro manages to quickly gasp out. The fingers on his nipples ease in their torture. That's all it takes for the floodgates to open. "No, please, I wanna be knotted, want you instead me, please give it to me please!"

Ramuda shushes him, bringing his hand up to run through his hair. Ichiro leans into it, desperate for the comforting touch. "Of course you can have it. I need you to get up for me though so I can get it out for you, okay?"

Ichiro nods; he gets up from his seat on the edge of the bed. He watches as Ramuda swiftly undoes his ridiculously long black belt, zipper, and button to his black pants. Ichiro's hole clenches at the mouthwatering sight of alpha cock springing forth. While not as big as some of the alphas' cocks displayed in textbooks, its length and girth are well above average for someone of Ramuda's size. The sight of it sends Ichiro scrambling back into Ramuda's lap for it while the other shrugs out of his teal hoodies and loosens the bolo tie around his neck.

Ramuda is quick to wrap his arms around Ichiro's waist. His hands take their place on Ichiro's ass, groping the plump flesh and stretching his hole in a tease of what's to come. If it weren't for his single-minded focus of getting filled by Ramuda's cock, the shudder that wracks his body could have been enough to get Ichiro slumping against the smaller man. But Ichiro is determined to be sated; it only takes a brief few seconds of fumbling o grasp Ramuda by the base to steady him before Ichiro finally impales himself on the alpha cock.

Ichiro throws his head back with a drawn-out moan at the wave of relief that washes over him. There's no burn or pain to the stretch of accommodating Ramuda, just a pressure deep in his abdomen that soothes every ache and frayed nerve he has. He lets his eyes slip shut so he can fully immerse himself in the calm and pleasure that it brings. But it's a short-lived reprieve; all too soon the carnal hunger returns, his body begging for the cock inside him to move. He gives in to his wants, rising slowly on his knees before sinking back down again. The bliss of every inch of Ramuda dragging against his walls is enough to wrench a loud moan from deep within Ichiro.

He's not alone in the feeling; he manages to hear Ramuda's quiet moan mixed with his own. It draws Ichiro's attention just enough to gaze down into the blue eyes staring up at him. They burn with a lustful fire, intense like everything else about Ramuda. Ichiro swears he can feel sparks from that fire dancing along his skin, its touch both a tease and a threat to set him ablaze. In the past he would have shied away; now he meets the challenge headfirst like any other. His hand fists along the front of Ramuda's white dress shirt, pulling him closer as Ichiro leans down to slant his mouth against Ramuda's.

There's no hesitation in the way their mouths move together. One of Ramuda's hands comes up to tangle in Ichiro's hair as their tongues rub against each other. Drool quickly gathers in the corners of their mouth, adding to the mixture of fluids they've shared. Kissing Ramuda is always a treat; not only is he skilled but his taste is addictive. Always fresh and clean, like he's brushed just prior to kissing Ichiro, with a hint of whatever fruit sweet lip balm he wears to keep his lips soft and glossy. Ichiro could and has spent some heats just kissing Ramuda without any sex involved.

A slight change in angle has the entirety of Ramuda's cock rubbing up against Ichiro's sensitive prostate. Ichiro pulls away from the kiss with a startled gasp and a grind downwards. He wants Ramuda deeper; he wants to be able to feel the shape of the other long after he's left, to be intimately branded as belonging to him. Ichiro loops his arms around Ramuda's neck, resting his forehead against the other's as he moves faster. Ramuda responds in kind, shifting his grip on Ichiro and planting his feet on the mattress so he can meet every eager downward thrust of Ichiro's with a powerful upward thrust of his own. The bed squeaks in protest at the force of their bodies but Ichiro could care less. He's too busy drowning in the feeling of being fucked and every sinful noise Ramuda makes to care.

A particularly loud groan from Ramuda pulls Ichiro out from under the haze of ecstasy. He looks down to see the other pressing his face into his shoulder, panting into damp skin. "Fucking hell," Ramuda bites out, "You feel too good babe. 'm gonna fucking lose it."

The petname and admission make Ichiro clench tightly around Ramuda's length. He wraps his arms around the other, holding him to his chest, and whines, "Do it. Wanna…wanna take your knot. Wanna come with it in me. Fucking give it to me already, want it so bad, Ramuda-!"

"Touch yourself," the commanding growl cuts through his babbling. One of Ichiro's hands automatically shoots down between them to roughly fist his cock. It's nowhere close to the rhythm their bodies have set, but it hardly matters when he can feel the beginnings of Ramuda's knot pressing against his entrance. The additional pressure is all it takes to send the bottle cap holding his orgasm back flying off. Pleasure floods his body, leaving Ichiro incapable of anything beyond coming with a shout of Ramuda's name that borders on a scream.

Ichiro's enthusiastic bouncing slowly tapers off as the rapture of orgasm ebbs away. He can feel the press of Ramuda's knot against his entrance but is too tired to try and bear down on it. He slumps against his lover, chin hooked over Ramuda's shoulder. Ramuda clicks his tongue, running his fingers through Ichiro's sweaty hair.

"So you're just gonna get your rocks off and leave me high and dry? That's not very nice of you Ichiro." Ichiro unintentionally clenches around Ramuda at the sound of his voice. It's still deep and commanding, but the tone is teasing as opposed to earlier. In his more collected moments Ichiro will wonder if this is the true Ramuda.

Ichiro wants to respond, tries to even, but suddenly the world is spinning. It takes more than a few seconds and a lot of blinking to realize Ramuda has manhandled him to lay on his back in the bed. He struggles to sit up, ignoring how his body yearns to sink into the mattress, so he can chide Ramuda on the rough treatment. But the feeling of thick, pulsing flesh pushing back inside him knocks him flat on his back against with a surprised shout.

Ramuda doesn't wait for Ichiro to get ready. He holds up Ichiro's legs with his arms from his position on his knees and sets a quick pace. It's not as fast as before but, because of how sensitive Ichiro is from orgasm, it's more than enough to send him scrambling for a hold on the pillows and sheets. All of it is. The depths that Ramuda's cock reaches inside him, the feeling of his knot growing thicker and almost slipping inside him. The sound of their skin slapping together, the slick noises coming from between them, his loud rhythmic moans, the quieter rhythmic grunts from Ramuda. The hard line of Ramuda's jaw, the furrow in his brows, the searing lust in his eyes. It all scorches his defenses, leaving him vulnerable to his most basic instincts.

"Please," he begs, "just give it to me already! 'mma die without it Ramuda, need it so bad, please!"

A bestial snarl is the only answer his please get before Ramuda is shoving his knot inside. Ichiro screams as another orgasm is ripped from deep within his core the moment they're locked together. One of the few actual 'perks' to being an omega are the orgasms that always occur once an alpha knots. They leave him a sweaty, drooling, twitchy, dazed mess that's unable to control how his ass clenches around Ramuda to coax the alpha's seed further inside him. They also take forever for him to recover from; by the time he can hear anything past the ringing in his ears, Ramuda's knot has already begun to deflate.

"Welcome back~ !" Ramuda's voice is back to its usual high-pitched, sugary sweet self. While Ichiro was busy losing his mind Ramuda had finally removed his white dress shirt. "Did you have a nice trip?"

"Fucking fantastic. Would've brought you a gift except I forgot my wallet," Ichiro deadpans. Ramuda laughs, blue eyes glittering with mirth.

"That's okay, you'll just owe me later~ !" Ramuda rubs Ichiro's thighs and hips. Ichiro sighs, relaxing at the sensation. Full of semen, getting his aches rubbed away…it'd be enough to send him straight to sleep. Or it would be, if Ramuda hadn't pulled out. They both hiss at the spark of pain from oversensitivity; any thoughts of sleep are immediately dismissed.

"Think you can move?" Despite his body's protests, Ichiro gets himself to sit up. He rolls his shoulders and stretches; everything twinges, but it's no worse than a particularly grueling day of manual labor.

"I think I'm good." Ramuda's face lights up at the confirmation. He hops off the bed, skipping his way to the bathroom. How the other manages to have this much energy after such an intense round of sex is beyond Ichiro.

"Then let's get all squeaky clean! I even brought all my bath stuff~ !"

"You do know they give us complimentary stuff right," Ichiro calls out. The thundering of the bath filling up and the sound of the shower spray hitting the tiles are his only answers. He guesses he shouldn't be surprised. Ramuda is particular about everything, of course he'd bring his own bath supplies.

It's a herculean effort, but Ichiro manages to get out of the bed and into the bathroom. Steam has already filled the room while Ramuda has already taken up residence in the tub. His head is tilted back, eyes slipped shut, the perfect picture of relaxation. Ichiro finds his attention drawn to the pretty, pale slope of Ramuda's neck, unmarred by any blemishes. Yearning blossoms in his chest as the sight, making the task of washing himself almost impossible. He manages it though, all so he can slip into the tub and rest against Ramuda's chest.

This close he's able to smell that masculine scent of Ramuda's underneath the fruity body wash and shampoo. Saliva pools in his mouth; the smell ignites the sparks of yearning into a fire. There's no hesitation as he leans up and bites the juncture of Ramuda's neck and shoulder. Not hard enough to make him bleed, but enough to leave an imprint of his teeth. He feels the grunt Ramuda makes against his lips, the hand that slides up to pet his head. After holding for a few seconds he pulls away, looking up into Ramuda's eyes.

"You've been doing that a lot more than you used to." It's not accusatory; he says it as simple as if he's describing the weather. Ichiro shrugs, sinking down into the tub more.

"Have I? Didn't realize. I can stop if you want."

Ramuda makes a noise of disagreement, "It's fine. I told you whenever you wanted, didn't I?"

Ichiro hums, eyes slipping shut as the memory washes over him. It had been a conversation from when he began to consider having Ramuda help him sexually. The topic of marking naturally came up during their discussion. Ichiro had been vehemently against it; marking was meant for couples who were serious about each other, who were married or planning to get married. Marking an omega caused a change in their body chemistry that would repel any other alphas. But anecdotal evidence showed that omegas who had partners help them through heats would complain of symptoms of depression is no marking was done. So Ramuda had made a simple suggestion: if he felt that way, Ichiro could mark him whenever he wanted to during his heat. He reasoned that Ichiro seeing a claim on Ramuda would help. And he was right; any time he felt off after an orgasm, one bite at Ramuda's neck was enough to stave it off.

But lately…lately that single bite hasn't been enough. Lately he's been wanting more than just monthly marathon sex, pillows forts, and love hotel karaoke. Lately he's been wanting to take Ramuda to those popular cafes he always posts about or accompany him shopping. To watch movies at home curled up on the couch, popcorn and candy strewn between them. To walk side by side with him as they talk about everything and nothing, all while taking his smaller hand in his much larger one. To do everything and anything together, so long as it meant Ramuda was by his side.

But they can't. They're from separate divisions, forced to fight each other for territory and Chuohku's amusement. If they grow closer than this, it increases the chances of Chuohku finding out. And if Chuohku finds out, then they'll surely rip them apart much like they did with him and Samatoki. Put them into an impossible situation where they're forced to choose between their loved ones or their relationship. And Ichiro could never do that Ramuda; doing it once was already too painful. So he'll hide these feelings for both their sakes, only letting them come out in the shape of his teeth against Ramuda's neck.

"You're a pretty good person Ramuda," Ichiro mumbles. The warmth of the water is finally getting to him. It's growing more difficult to keep his eyes open. He settles more against Ramuda, head resting against the other's chest. Gradually his breathing evens out as he falls into a deep slumber.

Ramuda continues to pet Ichiro's head. Once he's sure the other is fast asleep he presses a kiss to his crown. He breathes a sigh of relief as the possessive agitation in his chest settles at the scent of his shampoo on Ichiro's hair. He doesn't know when it made its home there, only that it shouldn't have. Ichiro deserve to settle down with a proper alpha, not an artificially created puppet of Chuohku's that tore them all apart. His arms tighten around the other as if he'll disappear just from those thoughts.

"If only you knew," he murmurs quietly into the black strands.

A/N: Did you know wolves are stuck together anywhere from 15-30 minutes when they mate? Well now you do!

Btw I will talk your ear off about this universe if you let me.