Weeks of Spring

"That's what happens

when your heart breaks

you tell yourself no one

will ever be allowed inside again

but then someone comes along

with light in their eyes

and suddenly your heart

goes to war with your head"

Courtney Peppernell, "Pillow Thoughts"

Shota spend the next few weeks in a busy haze of preparing for the school year, hero work and hooking up with Harry.

Their get-togethers always happened at the Omega's house and damn, they happened often. The Alpha couldn't remember when he ever had had this much sex outside of a rut.

And the sex was amazing.

Harry was amazing.

The younger man was sensual, passionate but also funny and kinky in all the good ways. Now that there were clear rules to their fling, their interaction had lost most of the awkwardness of their first two encounters. Within the safety of the new structure, Harry had relaxed considerably around Shota and the hero speculated the Omega had quite some experience with casual, sex-based relationships. This whole thing seemed to be well-known territory to the green-eyed minx.

The new found relaxion had caused a strange ease between them, Shota seldomly experienced with other people. Even with his friends he tended to be short and grouchy. A loner with little tolerance for stupidity or foolishness. Really, it was a testament to Yamada's and Nemuri's caring nature that they were putting up with him for so long.

But with Harry things were a bit different.

Since it wasn't a real relationship - since this was just about sex - Shota didn't feel the need to play any stupid games, that usually came with dating. He could be his unfiltered, deadpan-self.

And admittedly, it helped that his Alpha seemed the most content in Harry's presence. Ever since the forced rut his inner Alpha had been more restless than usually but calmed down as soon as he was close to the Omega…

Even to his own surprise, Shota enjoyed being around the younger man.

The unusual Omega fascinated him.

In their first conversations, there had been a harshness and cold impatience to the green-eyed man's words and actions, clearly meant to shoo the pro hero away. Shota could relate to the need to keep people away from him.

The way Harry had held himself on those occasions, tall and unafraid… had impressed the logic driven hero and teacher.

The Omega had it made clear from the beginning that he was no pushover.

So, it hadn't astonished Shota to find out that the Omega was as intelligent and witty as he was beautiful. Harry wasn't afraid to show pride and confidence, not only in his body but in his mind as well. He could pull Shota into teasing bantering without getting on the hero's nerves and could almost as easily let those discussions transit into steamily make-out sessions.

No, what had caught the underground hero off guard was the man's softness, shining through every now and then… The little caring gestures that came interwoven with Harry's tough attitude.

Shota had started to detect more and more gentle and thoughtful sides hidden behind high walls of sass and snark.

More than once the Omega had made sure Shota ate or pushed an isotonic drink at the hero before he left again. Harry mostly did this with a dirty joke - about having to feed some protein and liquids back into him - and mischief twinkling in those green eyes.

Sometimes Harry would carefully massage the hero's tense muscles when they lazed around, still bathing in the afterglow of brilliant orgasms. It showed the way, Shota had now his own cat-themed coffee cup in Harry's kitchen. Something that had him choking up a little every time he saw it.

Having this arrangement with Harry felt… easy… comfortable…

And so, Shota kept coming back for more.

Some weeks they had met up, up to five days out of seven and by now they had probably fucked on nearly every flat surface the Harry's house provided…

And it was a damn big house with a big living room, a big kitchen, a big master bedroom and damn spacious shower, which Shota now associated more with mind-blowing blow jobs and hot steamy sex rather than getting clean.

But as great things were, they kept to the boundaries Harry had set.

They had sex with each other. Shota came over at all odd times. Sometimes before a patrol sometimes after. One time even for an early morning fuck against the kitchen isle but the hero never stayed the whole night. He always left to sleep home or at school.

Mic and his other colleagues had started to look funny at him, while Kayama had winked at him, commenting that he looked very relaxed.

Shota had wordlessly buried his head into his scarf and closed his sleeping bag in her grinning face.

If he had blushed nobody needed to know.

And while Harry and Shota never talked about their work, they still gradually started to learn little bits and pieces about each other.

The underground hero had discovered that Harry was already 28, about to turn 29 in late July – meaning the Omega was quite a bit older than Shota had initially thought and only two years younger than himself. Which made Harry's special circumstances even more clear.

No, proper Omega was still unbonded at the age of 28.

Harry had confided with a huge grin that it was considered quite scandalous in the better society. That Harry was considered to be a frivolous and deeply questionable figure.

A persona non grata to most balls, galas, functions and such society gatherings that were normally part of running a successful business like KURO labs.

And while it was blatant discrimination, Harry didn't seem to mind it too much.

"I went for a while but it caused too much trouble. Do you have any idea just how boring this crap is?" The Omega had laughed brightly.

Shota had frowned at him, unsure if Harry was really so blasé about it… or if he was just very good at pretending to be unbothered by it.

"But isn't bad if you don't get invited?" He had asked.

"Naah, I'll just send one of my underlings" Harry had winked at him. "I don't need approval of those stuck up, old men anyway and me being there, would just offend their delicate sentiments anyway. I learned that trouble isn't worth it."

Shota thought that there was only a tiny hint of bitterness to those words.

The underground hero had even become a witness to the bullshit Harry had to put up with in his own neighbourhood. He had been on the way to the Omega's house when he had heard raised voices.

"… not proper!"

An elderly woman with a pinched expression had been standing in front of Harry's door, harping at the house owner, who regarded her with a carefully blank expression.

"This is a respectable neighbourhood, Potter-san. I am not stupid, I know what you're doing… entertaining all those Alphas in your home like that… " Her pale cheeks coloured in an unbecoming shade of red.

"Watanabe-san…" Harry sighed, but didn't get to say more when the harpy continued to patronize him.

"The way you conduct yourself is truly a shame for any decent Omega! Flaunting your despicable behaviour like this, setting a bad example to our children and distracting our men! It's people like you bring a bad reputation to your gender and our neighbourhood! And I will not stand for that! I have connections to the major, you hear me!" She had hissed, poking a bony finger at him threateningly.

Instead of telling her to mind her own damn business, Harry had smiled sickeningly sweet at the hag, while making eye contact with Shota.

"Ah there you are, Alpha." He had purred at the surprised pro hero, waving him closer.

Watanabe's eyes had widened in obvious alarm, as she had taken in Shota's rumbled appearance with the black tracksuit, long unkept hair and three- to five-day stubble.

The woman had gawked when Harry had all but snuggled against Shota in the most suggestive way, looking at her with bashful expression, peering through dark lashes at her, cheeks colouring a little.

He had adopted an unusually meek stance.

"I apologize Watanabe-san but it's so hard to resist my disgraceful urges." The Omega had whined, sounding a little breathless. "I mean no harm to our community and the respectable men here, so I try to curb them the best I can."

Face flushed either in shame or in excitement, Harry had been biting his lip and had thrown Shota a heated look. A picture perfect image of a lewd, needy Omega.

"These good men help me with that. To lessen the pressure on myself and to sate my appetite, so I won't inconvenience any one here." Long black eyelashes fluttered almost innocently over high cheekbones.

Watanabe had paled drastically at those words, stepping hastily back from the Omega as if afraid to catch some of his lecherousness. With something close to a shriek, she had thrown Shota one last repulsed look before fleeing home.

Harry had then pulled him into the house with a sign.

"Bitch." Shota had hissed angrily, glowering at the floor before turning to look at Omega. This had been a far cry from the reaction he would have expected from the sassy and snarky man. "Why didn't you tell her to fuck off and mind her own business?"

Rolling his eyes, Harry had snorted.

"Because I know her type. With her sensitivities offended like that, this will keep her away for a while and most importantly it will keep her and any woman in a five mile radius from sending their men here to bother me." The Omega had smirked wryly at him. "And I really like this house, if possible, I'd like to avoid having to move again."

"Move again?" Shota had frowned.

"Let's say this isn't the first upset housewife, I've dealt with. If they want, they can make your life quite difficult." Harry had sighed again, looking tired all of a sudden.

The hero had also learned that the Omega was British and was already living for 12 years in Japan.

"So, you came here when you were just sixteen?" Shota had blinked in surprise, while watching Harry cluttering around the kitchen.

"Hmmhmm. I had just inherited the firm at that time and I had nothing else left in Britain that was worth staying for. So, I decided to come here. A fresh start and all that, you know?" Harry had spoken softly and with a nonchalance, Shota had started to associate with topics that the Omega didn't really wanted to delve into too much.

There had been so many implications hidden in those few short sentences, that Shota had had to hold himself back from asking about them.

Instead, he settled on: "You came alone?"

"Yes."

Shota had just hummed pensively.

"Sounds brave. Sound lonely."

Harry had thrown his head back, barking out a laugh.

"Yes, to both, but I found ways to fill the void, quite literally. I was young and reckless back then."

"Sounds dangerous." The hero had frowned into his coffee.

"I wanted it that way." Harry had shrugged, darkness swimming in those brilliant green eyes, when he had searched for Shota's gaze. "I didn't mind getting hurt. Back then everything hurt."

Aha.

Remembering the first years after Oboro's death, Shota thought he understood a little.

"What changed?"

"Well, turned out that still very much I minded if others got hurt by my bullshit. I cleaned up my act after that, got more careful with myself and others." The smile on Harry's face had been a sad one filled with regrets but as fast as it had come as fast the brit had hidden it again under another snarky remark.

"Nowadays I'm more sensible and I do what every responsible adult does when he feels down and eat and drink my feelings away. I have a close relationship with Ben, Jerry and Jack."

There had been more instances like this. Moments when Harry revealed bits about himself. Puzzle pieces, that Shota couldn't help but collected carefully and diligently. They gave him little glimpses that slowly but surely painted a picture of a moved life, with its fair share of pain.

There were hints of an unhappy, maybe even abusive childhood.

"Wow, you can really cook?!" Shota had exclaimed the first time Harry had insisted on force feeding the pro hero, before letting him leave on patrol.

"Of course, I do." The chuckling Omega had raised an eyebrow at him.

"I expected that you have a cook or a house keeper. I didn't think rich people knew how to use the kitchen." Shota had admitted.

"I wasn't rich when I grew up. It was required that I pulled my weight around the house. I learned to cook early. My aunt taught me." Harry had muttered, looking amused but there had been a slight terse twist to his lips when he had spoken about the house and his aunt.

It took some time before Shota realized that the green-eyed man had danced around calling it home.

Another issue that had become clear over the weeks was that Harry held a certain distaste for most things concerning daylight heroics. The Omega was astonishingly out of the loop for someone his age. Most people had at least one favourite hero.

Mic's radio show had been playing in the background one evening as they lazed around in postcoital bliss, when Yamada had started to announce the results of some latest popularity rating which had caused Harry and Shota to roll eyes simultaneously. The Brit had then promptly switched to another channel.

"What? Didn't it feature your favourite hero?" The pro had huffed.

"God, no! Seriously, I just can't stand this charade." Harry had grumbled darkly.

Shota must have twitched at that and honestly, he had been surprised. As an underground hero he didn't particular like the flashiness and attention that came with most daylight heroes, but…

Wide green eyes had snapped up to look at him, before Harry had winced.

"It's not like…" The Omega had blushed. Huffing in exasperation, he had dragged a hand through his tussled hair. "I know that heroes do an import job. It's a dangerous career choice… I don't need to see the scars and bruises on your body to know that." Harry mumbled while his fingers travelled over an old and long healed scar on Shota's side in a non-verbal apology.

"Seeing and hearing so many heroes engage in vain and fake rubbish, feels like they're in it for all the wrong reasons. Being a hero is not a fun game." Harry had glared out of the window, eyes focused on something far away.

"The working media part has become part of the job description. At least for those heroes who work in the daylight. Us underground heroes get to keep away from that. We don't have to rely so much on approval rates." Shota explained, raking his fingers through the upset Omega's hair, who just let out another sound of resignation.

Not quite able to curb his curiosity Shota asked: "You really don't have a favourite hero? Like not at all?"

"Well, there's you, I guess. Since I'm sleeping with you, surely must mean that you're my favourite hero." Harry had jokingly nipped on Shota's ear, causing the dark-haired hero to blush a little.

"Don't make fun of me." Shota had grumbled, feeling a little bashful which had promptly sobered the other up.

"I don't really follow heroes beyond what's necessary for work. I have a rough overview who is who. But that's it." Slender hands had run over his naked skin.

"When I was a kid, it was different, I mean which little boy doesn't adore heroes or doesn't want to be one… The idea that someone is out there to protect you, sounds pretty nice, doesn't it?"

Shota had shivered a little at the wistful tone.

Yeah, for a quirkless little boy this must have sounded like a dream, a faraway and impossible dream.

"But in the end, it didn't matter. There are things in this world that even a hero can't save you from. I realised that if I wanted to survive as a quirkless Omega... it'd be better to rely on nobody but myself. I'm simply done waiting for somebody else to look out for me. I'm not a child anymore, I grew up. I faced reality and heroics lost its appeal, I guess." Harry sighed, haunted green eyes were staring into black ones.

"The world can be a cruel place. There are a lot of unsavoury aspects to mine line of work." Shota agreed, thinking about Oboro once again.

He, Yamada and Shota had had such high hopes for the future.

Hopes that had been crushed by concrete on a rainy day, along with a young aspiring hero.

"Self-sacrifice and recklessness are different concepts but heroes especially the young ones are notorious headstrong… they tend to go overboard. That's why I became a teacher. I want to… want to help to raise heroes with potential. And I want them to live longer." Shota shared, old grief colouring his voice into something sombre.

But before Shota had lost himself in the memories of this dark day, Harry had pulled him into a deep, toe curling kiss. When the slender Brit had pulled back, the Alpha had been left wanting more.

A little breathless he had stared at Harry.

There it had been, shining through a soft smile and bright green eyes – this surprising gentleness underneath all this world-weariness the younger man carried around him like a protective shield.

They hadn't spoken much after that, just kissed until Shota hadn't been quite able to remember what they had talked about in the first place.

Despite the rule not to talk about work Harry had also proven quite tolerant and resilient to the aftereffects of hero work.

They had been dat… seeing each other for a month when Shota stumbled through Harry's terrace door.

The state he was in had ruled the front door out… Watanabe-san might have gotten a stroke if she had seen the wet, bloody and muddy underground hero and he didn't want to make more trouble for Harry than necessary.

Alerted by the rough entrance the Omega came rushing into the living room. Green eyes widened at the sight of him, before narrowing.

"When I said no business talk, that I thought that 'Don't bleed all over my carpet!' was somehow included in that!" The irritated younger man snapped at him, coming quickly closer.

Feeling sluggish, after a horrible patrol and getting injured, Shota blinked tiredly. Stupid, he scolded himself other civilians Shota, had tried to date in the past, had been quite squeamish when confronted with a bruised and bloodied lover.

"Ah… sorry. I can leave…" He mumbled, quite unable to feel anything but exhaustion.

"No!" Harry's sharp snapping voice, had him flinching a little.

His head hurt.

"Come in, god damn it!" Green eyes were running over Shota's battered form, trying to assess the damage. A heavy frown was causing deep lines to appear on The Omega's forehead. His lips were pinched, as he poked Shota's ribs.

When the underground hero winced at the contact, Harry's scowl darkened considerably.

Ah, not irritated, worried, Shota's mind slowly offered.

True to his own rules the Omega silently took note of the hero's roughed up state and then proceeded to push him straight to the bathroom with a small resigned sigh.

"Do you need the first aid kit?", was the only question Harry asked, but didn't wait for an answer and went straight through the cabinets.

The Omega complained a bit about the dirt Shota was dragging in and how stupid it was to come here. '…when you should have gone to a doctor or the hospital' was left unsaid, but heavily implied.

The dark haired Brit then proceeded to peel Shota out of his wet and dirty clothes, poking and prodding at some nasty bruises, abrasions and smaller cuts, before seemingly satisfied that the Alpha hadn't sustained any broken bones or internal damage.

Gathering up the stained clothes Harry crunched up his nose at the smell on his stuff, before ushering the hero into the shower.

"Okay, get cleaned up! After that we'll see what needs bandaging." The green eyed man ordered resolutely.

Feeling equally dumfounded and bemused, Shota followed the instructions without argument. Thinking that this still beat having Recovery girl breathing down his neck.

A few minutes later Shota climbed out of the shower, cleaner but also tried as fuck. Only dressed in one of Harry's huge and fluffy towels, that probably costed a small fortune, he went to search for the younger man. Only to find him in front of the washing machine, frowning questioning at a heap of dirty laundry.

"I think removed all sharp objects from your pockets and the rest is already in the dryer... but is this washable at 130 degrees?" Harry mumbled, poking the capture weapon.

"No!" Shota almost shouted.

"Hmm... thought so." Green eyes twinkled in mirth. "Maybe you should have a dry cleaner look at this very once in a while. You know for hygiene reasons and to rescue any small animals that might have been caught in this thing."

Shota felt a muscle twitching under his eye, as he glared silently at the Omega until Harry broke into bright, teasing laughter.

"Sorry, sorry... no bad mouthing your hero stuff... or washing it, I get it. Do you feel better?"

Shota nodded and plopped down next to Harry on the floor, leaning against the smaller man with a tried sigh.

All in all, Shota had felt a muscle twitching under his eye, as he glared silently at the Omega until he broke into bright, teasing laughter.

"Sorry, sorry... no bad mouthing your hero stuff... or washing it, I get it. Do you feel better?"

Shota nodded and plopped down next to Harry on the floor, leaning against the smaller man with a tried sigh.

Gentle hands had started to massage his scalp.

It had been strangely comfortable. Sitting there in front of the drier in nothing of a fluffy towel, watching his clothes move in the machine.

"You know, you could have told me that you were busy. I would have understood, Aizawa. That's the benefit with casual sex." Harry spoke up, shaking Shota out of the sleepy drowsiness that had started to settle around him.

The underground hero just shrugged to tired and exhausted to comment, a strange heavy feeling taking root in his chest.

Gentle hands had started to massage his scalp, causing a warm feeling to spread through his chest.

"Let's patch those ribs of yours up until you see your doctor."

The school year had officially started with twenty new problem children.

And when Shota had grumbled and complained about his new class, Harry had teased him mercilessly.

"Two jobs!" The young businessman was shaking his head. "You're quite the workaholic, aren't you Hero-san?"

"I manage." It was the same answer he was giving his friends when they pointed out how unhealthy his life style was. Not That Yamada had much room to talk, working essentially three jobs.

Harry snorted, tugging teasingly on his beard stubble.

"Yep, totally looks like it, Mr. dry eyes. What do you do, when you're not patrolling or teaching?"

When the hero was about to answer, Harry interjected: "And sleeping doesn't count!"

Shota sulkily grumbled, to which the Omega had just raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

"I come here." The pro hero pouted.

"Oh my! You know, this would sound actually quite sweet, if it wasn't true. My dear, you're work-life-balance is shit. And as much as I appreciate, that you've taken time out of your full schedule to fuck me senseless, you definitely need another hobby." Harry groaned, poking Shota's chest.

The Alpha blinked blankly as a traitorous warmth was spreading over his cheeks and his belly fluttered.

"I like my jobs." Shota frowned, feeling quite petulant and resolved to ignore the embarrassing way his body reacted to Harry's teasing.

"Of course, you do." Harry was giving him a soft and slightly lopsided smile. "But I still can't imagine you having the patience to teach a whole class of bratty teenagers." The young business man snickered lightly.

The underground scowled heavily in response, the kind of glare, that had his students quivering in their boots, only caused Harry to laugh even louder.

"This. This is what I mean." The Omega grinned, poking the deep wrinkle between Shota's eyebrows. "You're so strait-laced and serious. How do you cope with students and they with you?"

"I'm very strict and I don't coddle them, because I want them to push them to strive even higher. Those who can't rise to that challenge, don't have what it takes to survive as heroes. I'm not wasting my time with hopeless cases." The underground hero deadpanned.

"So, you're expelling them?" Harry asked.

"They need to know consequences…" Shota stated firmly.

"… before they get themselves or others hurt or worse." The Omega finished, nodded in understanding.

"Yeah…"

"But you haven't expelled any of new ones, yet." Harry observed.

"No, I haven't."

The green-eyed man simply hummed in clear amusement while Shota buried himself in his capture weapon. Black eyes watching carefully as the Omega sauntered to him with swaying hips, before climbing into the hero's lap.

"You're a good man." Harry muttered fondly before pulling Shota into deep kiss. "I think you deserve a reward for working so hard, Aizawa-sensei." The words purred sensually into the ear and the inciting smell of lemongrass and camelia thick around them had Shota shivering like a hormonal teenager.

The hero wasn't proud of himself but what happened after that, had him glowering and glaring in slight arousal and overwhelming embarrassment at anyone who called him 'Aizawa-sensei' for the next two days.

To say that he had probably traumatised quite a few students would be an understatement.

All of this had led to Shota waiting in front of Harry's door one Thursday evening, the house being dark and empty... which was unusual, normally the younger man was home by now.

The underground hero was getting nervous.

Sure, they hadn't arranged to meet today but...

It had been an impulsive idea on Shota's part and now he was standing in front of Harry's house like a creep, wondering where the Omega might be...

Was work keeping him longer than usual? Was he stuck in a meeting?

.

.

.

What if there had been another accident on his way home...? What if someone had attacked the omega?

A surge of protective rage went through the Alpha's body at the thought that anyone would dare to lay hand on Harry. He was not going to allow that!

Should he search for him to make sure he was alright? Shota wanted to protect his Omega. He would...

Fuck!

Shota scowled darkly into the night.

What are you going to do, you fool? He mocked himself.

You're not his mate, you're his fuck buddy!

The dark and heavy feeling that had been growing for a few days now, was spreading through his chest. Shota didn't want to analyse what this ugly feeling was… or what it meant…

But one thing was for sure. No-strings-attached had never sounded so bitter before…

Coming here, tonight had been a terrible idea.

Trying to keep a clear head, the underground hero was about to leave when a black sleek car parked on the street before Harry's house.

Well, what did they say, curiosity killed the cat…

Shota stayed hidden by the shadows, watching how Harry and another man got out of the car. The stranger was handsome and tall, maybe in his late thirties, well-groomed and dressed in an expensive suit. The underground hero couldn't help and compare the stranger's attire with his own rough and ill-kept appearance. Shota was grinding his teeth. He hadn't cared want people thoughts of his garb in years… to feel so inadequate right now…

Harry's bright laugher rang through the night.

The Omega was laughing at something the stranger in the suit had said. The man was smiling fondly at Harry's happiness and then proceeded to push a stray lock behind Harry's ear, letting his hand linger for a second.

Shota's Alpha was howling in displeasure, as he observed the easy familiarity between Harry and that other guy, that reached its peak when both men hugged before saying good bye.

Only years of training to control his emotional responses and by default his Alpha, stopped Shota from storming over to them and ripping that bastard's hands of Harry.

With clenched teeth and balled fists, Shota pressed himself into the shadow of the doorway, hoping that the man in the suit would take his fucking car and leave before Shota would have to explain to Naomasa why he had assaulted a civilian.

"Aizawa?!" Big green eyes peered into the shadows, as Harry exclaimed in stunned surprise, pressing a hand against his chest. "Damn, you scared me."

The Omega was breathing a little breathlessly, passing Shota to open the front door and Shota should have probably said something but he couldn't find the words. His whole brain was busy with just one thought.

Alpha.

The guy in the suit was another Alpha. And his stink was all over Harry. It clung to the Omega's clothes, to his hair and skin.

"What are you doing here? Did we agree to meet tonight and I forgot?!" Harry asked, looking thoughtful.

"No, we didn't…" Shota forced his lips and tongue to work, to say something. He swallowed heavily. "I was in the area and thought I'd swing by. Usually, you're home by now… I was getting worried."

Shota thought his voice had sounded even and calm, but maybe not… because green eyes narrowed and Harry smiled grew tense.

"That's sweet of you, but you should have messaged me. I could have told you; I'd be busy."

"I am not stupid, I know what you're doing… entertaining Alphas in your home like that…"

The underground hero remembered the accusations just all too well, Alphas as in more than one… Shota and Harry had agreed to keep things casual, nothing had been said about being exclusive…

Something cold and ugly settled in Shota's stomach, sending ice through his veins and venom to his tongue.

How many others were there? How many lovers did Harry entertain?

"Where were you?" Nothing could hide the possessive jealousy leaking of every syllable, of every letter.

"Work." Harry answered sharply, green eyes gleaming, warning Shota to back the fuck off.

"You can come in if you want but I still have important things to do tonight. So, the only pleasure I can offer, is my company."

It was an obvious attempt to defuse tension and deflection. But it only caused the bitterness in Shota to increase. All he could see and hear was that his Omega was rejecting him, while he still reeked of another Alpha.

"Is that so? Or is this the polite way to tell me you already sated for today?"

"What?" Harry hissed angrily. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Who was the guy who brought you home? He was awfully handsy." Shota growled back.

His chest hurt under the onslaught of dark jealousy.

Green eyes widened at the implication before they narrowed in displeasure and anger.

"That's none of your business, Aizawa."

Harry's harsh dismissal, chilled Shota to the bone.

See, just a fuck buddy. He doesn't want you as a partner. You're just catering to his needs.

Shota felt sick and so fucking angry.

"So, I don't deserve to know who else is fucking you? How many others are there? Wasn't me coming over nearly every day not enough? Maybe Watanabe-san was right and you're just a men-eating sl…!"

SLAP

The burning in Shota's cheek was an almost welcome contrast to the icy cold in his veins, but what really shook him was the expression on Harry's face.

The green eyed man was breathing hard, hand still raised… he looked… strong, fearless Harry, who had brushed off every insult until now, looked hurt.

And angry.

But it was the sight of tears swimming in those big eyes that tore Shota's heart apart.

"Harry, I' so…"

"Shup up!" Harry hissed, obviously furious. "Before you say any more bullshit! And no! I don't owe you an explanation. This exactly the kind of territorial Alpha bullshit I was talking about! We agreed that this was casual, didn't we?"

The young man taking deep breaths, running a hand through his styled hair, messing it up. His smell was leaking through the scent patches.

Sour and spice.

"What if I changed my mind?" Shota tried to reel himself in, but the damage was done.

Harry inhaled sharply, green eyes wide and full of compunction.

"If a casual relationship isn't what you want any longer, I won't string you along. Go home and think about what you want. Call me when you've decided."

The Omega's face was carefully neutral when he said this and suddenly bereft of Harry's earlier strong emotional response, Shota almost whished that the other would scream and argue with him.

Everything would be better than this blank coolness.

Giving Shota a last, long hard look Harry shut the door in his face.

The underground hero didn't know how he got home. But somehow, he sat on his couch, staring numbly at his floor. Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut. Things had been going well with Harry. If he had managed to control himself to put a lid on his stupid possessive jealousy.

No Alpha bullshit, Harry had laid down as a rule between them and Shota had thought that this would be the easiest rule to abide to…

Just what was it about Harry that Shota was so continuously unable to stay cool and rational.

Fuck!

The truth was that Shota was an idiot.

And that he liked Harry. A lot.

Not in a I-want-to-fuck kind of way, but in a I-want-a-committed-relationship kind of way.

Fuck!

Fuck!

Shota's eyes were burning terribly. He should go to sleep.

There was nothing he could tonight anyway.

Tomorrow he had scheduled his class for rescue training at the USJ, his students needed him to be alert and as well-rested as possible.

After they'd wrapped up the exercise, Shota would try to talk to Harry again.

Maybe he would know what to say by then.