They found ten top-of-the-line Alphas for their stupid dating show: a business executive, a singer, a painter, a software designer, a professional soccer player, some "fetish-y" public servants—a firefighter, a police officer, and a nurse—and two models for good measure. Ben very carefully negotiated the rules of the show to provide minimal contact between the contestants and Kotetsu. The dating show actually ended up looking more like a game show, unlike other dating shows, which showcased actual outings between the contestants and prize. On the "Tiger Tamer Challenge," the contestants faced weekly challenges, rankings, and eliminations, and only the winner would meet Kotetsu face-to-face.
In preparation for the first episode, Kotetsu would be presented with ten anonymous samples of the Alpha's Scents, to be ranked in relation to each other and create a starting seed of likely winners. The studio thought this was a cute, ironic twist—that viewers would fret over whether Kotetsu would discover who had his favorite Scent based on the Alpha's performance—but Ben explained behind their backs that he hoped to turn that tension on its head. This setup could start poking holes in the idea that the strongest-Scented Alphas were always the most ideal mates.
From there, the challenges would start, testing the Alphas in various skills that were deemed essential to their ability to 'protect' and 'provide' for Kotetsu the way a good Alpha should. They'd test physical fitness, logical prowess, ability to cook, ability to 'romance' (an artsy challenge, or something) and other meaningless displays of talent. Kotetsu and a panel of judges (seriously, judges) would provide commentary, and then score the Alphas. The show's director encouraged Kotetsu to stay neutral—criticize and praise the contestants honestly, don't show too much favoritism—but otherwise he could say whatever he wanted. Then, the lowest-scoring Alpha from each round went home, until at the end of ten weeks, only one Alpha remained.
And the prize for that Alpha was a date with Kotetsu.
The winner would have an evening to try and sweep Kotetsu off his feet, all while video cameras followed him and prepared to document Kotetsu's submission. That was the part Kotetsu dreaded. All the rest of it, he could grit his teeth and stumble through, but it would take all his willpower to make it through the date without breaking anything. Or anyone.
Well, of course he wouldn't actually break anyone. He was still a hero. But these Alphas, trying to treat him like something less than a hero, severely tested that resolve.
When filming started, they dressed Kotetsu in a suit designed to emphasize (stereo)typical Omega traits, like a small waist and thin limbs. It shocked Kotetsu to realize that he actually possessed an 'Omega waist,' and that his favorite waistcoats only emphasized that charm point to potential Alphas. As for his identity, the studio presented Kotetsu with a teensy domino mask, much smaller than his usual cowl. It technically hid his identity, but showed off much more of his face, particularly the cheeks—possibly so the cameras could catch every single blush. With such a flimsy defense on his face, he almost wondered why the studio bothered pretending his identity was still hidden, but he just crossed his fingers behind his back that it did enough to conceal him, and no one would know it was Kotetsu T. Kaburagi up there on TV.
They filmed as the show's MC laid out the rules and introduced 'Wild Tiger,' asking him a few questions about his Omega background and his attitudes toward mating.
"Your press conference made it sound like you would never consider having an Alpha in your life. But that's a very extreme position, don't you think?"
"Extreme or not, it's what I think," Kotetsu squared his shoulders, so the cameras couldn't make him look weak.
"What if you met an Alpha that you really, really liked? One who was perfect for you?"
"That doesn't matter. I don't see myself—in that situation."
"What would your ideal Alpha be like?"
"Someone who wants me for more than just my Scent. Someone who knows me. He'd treat me as a friend first, a lover next, and an Omega last. And he'd have to back down when I tell him to. None of this 'dominance' talk."
"That's a tall order for an Alpha," the MC commented.
"I won't accept less. If an Alpha like that doesn't exist, then I just won't mate. Even if that Alpha does exist, I probably won't mate."
The MC's smile faltered a little. Kotetsu had stayed mostly on script, but went a little overboard with his denials. "Well, Tiger… There will be plenty of time to see exactly what these fine Alphas are, um, capable of over the course of the show! How about we start with the Scents?"
The samples looked like the ones from the infamous doctor's office: glass jars with stoppers and little cotton scraps inside. The concentration wasn't as strong, either, but each one had an intensity that still startled Kotetsu. He wafted flask after flask, vision blurring as he breathed that warm, electric odor. He felt really stupid, standing around and smelling things as cameras filmed him, but they'd probably edit this segment together with biographies of the Alphas, and lay commercials over the most boring parts. Working on a non-live program had its perks.
Gradually, Kotetsu organized the Scents into a rough order of preference. They all smelled similar—like Alphas—but as he focused, he detected nuances between the samples. One smelled darker; that other one, softer; and that one at the end reminded him of silver…
After a long time, Kotetsu identified the five he was pretty certain he liked best and put them in order, but after so long inhaling Alpha pheromones, Kotetsu felt about to collapse. He had no more tough-guy act left for the cameras, so rather than make a fool of himself, he shoved the remaining flasks in a random order from sixth to tenth so filming could end. Once dismissed, Kotetsu stumbled away, wishing for a stiff drink to toss into his throat, something strong enough to eradicate his sense of smell completely, at least for a few hours.
Three days later, the episode aired during prime time. Kotetsu lay up in the bedroom with a pillow over his face while Tomoe watched the pilot downstairs. The studio forbid Kotetsu from watching the program while it aired to prevent favoritism—as if he even wanted to see that stupid show—but Tomoe wanted to watch, for some reason.
"Sometimes, a good scare is fun," she explained, but Kotetsu found that reason quite lacking. He knew Tomoe would never doubt his commitment to her over a program like this, but he still didn't like the idea of his wife watching him at his worst.
After the program ended, Tomoe opened the bedroom door, clicked it shut behind her, and lay down beside Kotetsu. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.
"I can tell you don't want to be there," Tomoe said. "The show plays it up like you're nervous, but you really hate it."
"Of course I hate it," Kotetsu mumbled into the cloth and feathers still covering his face. "This isn't what being a hero is about."
Tomoe pulled the pillow off his face and kissed his cheek. "I'm still proud of you, Wild Tiger."
Kotetsu adjusted his arm to cuddle Tomoe back, and he breathed deeply. Tomoe smelled like lavender soap and fresh cotton and a light dash of perfume. Nothing tried to override Kotetsu's brain and turn him into something he wasn't. She let him be himself. That was all Tomoe wanted from him: his self.
Ten weeks later, the soccer player won the whole thing. Kotetsu ranked his Scent eighth, one of the flasks he threw down low because he felt too hazy from all the previous Scents. And now, they were going on a date. A televised date.
Kill me now.
He didn't want to do it. He wanted to pick where they went, so he could pick somewhere gross or boring and drive the Alpha off. He wanted to scrub his neck so hard that he'd never smell like an Omega again. He wanted to run home and never look back.
But he couldn't. No one would let him. He did the next best thing and hid from the studio crew, cell phone jammed against his ear as he talked with Tomoe, just listening to her voice as she recounted her Pregnant Lady Adventures: the errands she ran, her feelings on the weather, anything she read or heard, if her body hurt, if the baby kicked. As she spoke, Kotetsu reinforced his survival mantra, I'm married. I love Tomoe. I love my family. He won't take that away from me. This would be a test of endurance, resistance, and strength. A few eagle-eyed technicians would find him, but never the same one twice. Kotetsu played off the hour-long talk as "just a quick call home." Everyone thought he was nervous about meeting the Alpha who won the Challenge. Kotetsu didn't mention the true reason: he feared losing control of himself.
Even with his heart trampling the rest of his internal organs, the Alpha behaved… respectfully. When they first met, he offered Kotetsu a handshake rather than going for a hug, a gesture that would have put their faces very close to each other's necks, the center of their pheromones. Either the Alpha thought he didn't need the advantage of overwhelming Kotetsu with Scent, or he really was a different kind of Alpha. No matter the reason, Kotetsu gratefully took the few extra minutes of clarity, and it gave the evening a hopeful start.
The Alpha's date-plan was actually just to play soccer in a local park. They found a field with some goalposts and kicked a ball around, a very physical, friendly activity. Kotetsu had no real love (or talent) for the sport, but he had high strength and agility as a hero, and the exercise helped counteract the sleepy-drunk feeling of Alpha pheromones. The Alpha tutored Kotetsu in proper kicking techniques, then they practiced passing the ball around, and they even staged a mock shoot-out with one as the goalie and one as the striker. Kotetsu learned how to juggle the ball on his knees for a few bounces, too.
After an hour or so of soccer, the Alpha asked if Kotetsu wanted to go for a walk around the rest of the park, to see the trees and flowers and whatnot. Walking side-by-side would close the distance between their pheromones, but Kotetsu had no reason to reject the invitation. So, they started along one of the park's paths, a rather neutral and comfortable stroll. They made small talk, get-to-know-you questions appropriate for a first date, and Kotetsu only had to decline answers and protect his identity a few times. On the whole, the tone stayed friendly, and even the closer proximity didn't drag Kotetsu down.
Maybe this won't be so bad. Kotetsu thought. For all intents and purposes, this felt way more like hanging out with Antonio than being pursued by an Alpha. The studio could do something pretty with this, too: Wild Tiger, calm in the presence of an Alpha, leaving each other on good terms. The audience would draw their own conclusions about whether the Alpha tamed Kotetsu off-camera, the sponsors could tease the ambiguity, the Alpha wouldn't feel publicly humiliated when Kotetsu turned him down… That'd be the best solution for everyone involved.
Just as evening started to fall, the Alpha paused their walk at a secluded gazebo. The camera crew filed around for the best possible view of whatever might occur.
"Did you have fun today?" the Alpha asked as they watched the sunset.
The way he phrased the question rang all the alarm bells in Kotetsu's head, but to answer truthfully… "Yeah. It's been fun."
"I'm glad." The Alpha took two steps closer. His Scent, hanging vaguely in the background, now dominated the space, heavy and intoxicating. Already Kotetsu's knees started to tremble, and he leaned more heavily on the gazebo's railing.
"Making a move on the first date?" Kotetsu sounded a lot more stable than he felt. "Kind of rude, don't you think?"
"I can't let this chance pass me by. You smell even better than they said."
"Well, I put you eighth of ten, what does that tell you about my interest… in… uh…"
His train of thought wavered. The Alpha was nearly on top of him, his dreamy-woozy Scent filling the air. No matter how adamantly Kotetsu rejected Alphas, they still smelled fantastic.
"I'm warning you. Back down," Kotetsu managed to gasp.
"Come on, can you blame me for being curious about you?" The Alpha trailed one hand up Kotetsu's arm, reaching around his neck and gently tilting his head back. Kotetsu let it happen, conserving his strength and giving the Alpha a little more time to back off, but this athlete was not helping his case.
"Last chance," Kotetsu added, now struggling for mostly-clean breaths.
The Alpha just laughed, leaning in closer and inhaling deeply. He hummed in Kotetsu's ear, "You've found your Alpha now, Tiger. It's me. Understood?"
That's it. The action was so familiar to him he barely had to think about it. He grabbed the Alpha by the hair, pulled him off his neck, and twisted him into a headlock. The Alpha struggled, and Kotetsu's sluggish muscles couldn't hold him for long, so he took it a step forward and knocked the Alpha all the way to the ground, pinning his arms behind his back in Captured Criminal position.
"What the hell?!" the Alpha kicked uselessly.
"You were doing so well. I was starting to think you were actually different," Kotetsu clicked his tongue. "But then you went and treated me like an Omega."
"You are an Omega!" the Alpha grunted from the floor.
"And I'm a hero, too! Do you even care about that?" Kotetsu's grip tightened. "I've said it once, and I'll say it a hundred times! I've never needed an Alpha, and I definitely don't need one now! All this dating show proves is that gay Alphas don't give a shit about their Omegas."
With that last sting, Kotetsu released the Alpha and strode away, glaring into the lens of the main camera before pushing past. He kept walking, not even stopping at the TV trailer to change clothes or remove any recording equipment.
He was going home, like he should have three hours ago.
Kotetsu couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun.
He and Tomoe had the final episode of the Tiger Tamer Challenge recorded on cassette and playing on TV, with a shochu in Kotetsu's hand and a mango-limeade in Tomoe's as they laughed at the mess of a finale the studio had struggled to create. They trash-talked the Alpha, booed the editing, and talked through the dialogue, and Kotetsu felt like a teenager again, sticking it to The Man.
The editors had done well sequencing the idyllic soccer scenes. The pink sky, the green field, the relaxed atmosphere; they just added some music and choice narration to paint the perfect evening. That strategy continued during the park-walk, but the cameras captured predatory glances that Kotetsu had missed at the time. Tomoe added unhelpful wolf-whistles any time the studio showed the Alpha's leering face, while Kotetsu grumbled and cursed the world. In the final gazebo confrontation, with the Alpha's hands crawling all over Kotetsu's body, the man himself groaned and buried his face in his hands while Tomoe teased him with sarcastic complements, "You totally have this situation under control! And you're standing your ground so well! Listen to those very effective warnings!"
And in the end, at the dramatic turn-around, both Tomoe and Kotetsu cheered, toasting Wild Tiger's triumph and the strength of their marriage. Not to mention, Kotetsu thought he looked pretty badass knocking that Alpha to the ground, if he did say so himself. The Kaburagis hollered petty insults at the presumptuous Alpha, putting down his face, his attitude, his career, until Kotetsu realized something was amiss.
"Hey, wait, wait, rewind it!" Kotetsu ordered, and Tomoe fiddled with the remote until she sufficiently backed up the tape.
"—roves that gay Alphas don't give a — about their Omegas."
Tomoe's jaw dropped. "You swore on TV!"
"I wasn't thinking!"
"You're a family-friendly icon!"
"That wasn't for Hero TV!"
"Your fans are going to see this—the kids who look up to you!"
"Kids wouldn't be interested in this kind of crap!"
"You don't know that!" Tomoe couldn't even scold him anymore, she was laughing too hard. "Think of their impressionable little minds! Think of the poor, traumatized children, scarred forever because big, bad Wild Tiger used a bad word on TV!"
"They didn't even hear the word! The station bleeped it!"
"You're lucky they did!" Tomoe sighed, still giggling, and swished her mango-limeade in its glass. "Ahh, what did you say, anyway?"
"I said 'shit.' They don't give a shit."
"Shit," Tomoe rubbed her belly. "Did you hear that, baby? Your daddy says words like 'shit.'"
"So does your mommy," Kotetsu scooted closer and gave kisses to mother and baby, while the tape played out its final narration.
"Wild Tiger has rejected the winner of the Tiger Tamer Challenge! Not even the finest Alphas in Sternbild can match this tiger's temper! But, this is just the beginning. Every Alpha will want their shot at this Omega's wild hand! The Omega hero could be claimed at any moment, but on this day, the Crusher for Justice, Wild Tiger, roams free!"