Those days in the hospital were some of the longest in Kotetsu's entire life. Nothing but blank ceilings, empty walls, cold floors, bland food (the mayo got confiscated on Day Three: he didn't tuck the packets under his pillow in time) and boring paperwork to occupy his time. The aching stiffness of lying down for hours did not help any, and Kotetsu struggled not to count the minutes until his release.
Kotetsu did have a chance to oh-so-subtly ask one of the nurses about what Scent therapy actually meant. It started when doctors noticed that Omegas reported less pain and discomfort when their mate was in the room. However, Alphas couldn't feasibly stay by their mate's side twenty-four hours a day (not for lack of trying, apparently). So, science invented the next best thing and exposed squares of cloth to pheromones, usually an Omega's mate, to create a dual painkiller-sleep aid that Omegas used like a security blanket. Like Barnaby said, Scent therapies were usually offered to Omegas with extended hospital stays and conditions that would be aggravated by too much movement. The nurse added that bedridden Alphas couldn't be given the same treatment, so their Scent therapies were usually prescribed as a stimulant to help with physical therapy. Of course, asking so many questions about Scent therapy immediately made the nurse ask if Kotetsu wanted to try it, leaving Kotetsu to awkwardly splutter, "No, no! That's not for me! I'm just—just curious!"
Either way, the highlight of each day was when Barnaby managed to visit. He brought news of the outside world: reconstruction efforts, news reports, and messages from the other heroes. He kept Kotetsu up-to-date on the finger-pointing, too, as leaders tried to assign blame, but all Kotetsu really cared about was that the people were safe. Barnaby continued to demonstrate his stupid new trick of teasing his partner. On Day Four, he brought a Rubik's cube for Kotetsu to fiddle with, explaining, "Since you're doing well with your paperwork, I brought a game for you." As Kotetsu struggled to differentiate between the wickedly difficult block-monstrosity and a real game, Barnaby listened quietly, smiling, before he decided he'd had enough fun tormenting Kotetsu and replaced the cube with a rented portable DVD player and a few movies.
"Just a few more days, Kotetsu," Barnaby reassured him. "You'll be out soon." And with Barnaby there, Kotetsu actually felt reassured.
On the day of his release, Kotetsu practically danced his way out of the hospital. His everything still felt pretty sore, but his return to real life and work bolstered his mood like nothing else. The most important reconstruction patches had already been placed, but Kotetsu dove right into their remaining assignments, clearing away rubble, rusting exosuits, defeated Mad Bears, and Ouroboros's calling cards. The whole city buzzed with the excitement of survival, a feeling that everyone had come this close to dying—and yet, here they were, alive and well.
After a month of repairs, the mayor's office declared Sternbild fully recovered from the Ouroboros attack, which was apparently cause enough for a big celebration with massive congratulations in the newly and super-speedily refurbished stadium. Kotetsu didn't see the need for what basically amounted to speeches, but even he could see the reason behind it (after Agnes explained it to him). The heroes saved the day, but the government had been absolutely humiliated by failing to call in the army or even the police. The aftermath of Ouroboros boosted faith in heroes at the cost of faith in the government, which could destabilize the city and make life worse for everyone. And it was an election year, too.
Compared to other public functions, the "We Survived" party actually tried its best to de-emphasize the heroes, something Kotetsu appreciated. Yes, all the heroes were present in their fancy formal wear, yes, the political types thanked the heroes for taking out Jake and the exosuits, yes, the sponsors made speeches too, but the heroes weren't even on the main stage! That was for the mayor and the police commissioner and all the people who didn't actually do anything, but needed some credit just so Sternbild wouldn't crack apart. The heroes got pushed off to the side in one of the VIP-box things, some cushioned folding chairs set up and then corded off. At least with everyone being ignored, Kotetsu had no reason to take this lack of acknowledgement personally.
But man, can the mayor's speech get any more boring?
Kotetsu disguised a yawn by fidgeting with one of the white fangs on his mask. Talking about things like history and values, wasn't this supposed to be a party? It didn't help that Kotetsu had been seated right next to Barnaby, with his sweet-spice-drunk Scent drifting into Kotetsu's personal space. Kotetsu glanced at Barnaby out of the corner of his eye, looking his partner over for the Had Enough signals he learned from their shared office space. They'd been sitting together for longer than Barnaby could usually tolerate, but Kotetsu couldn't see a single sign of tension in his partner's body. Then again, he could only see half of Barnaby, so there was really no telling what was going on over there.
Barnaby noticed the glance and turned toward Kotetsu a little, a small smirk on his lips and a little tease glinting behind his glasses. Kotetsu looked away immediately and tried to stifle yet another yawn.
"Are you tired?" Barnaby asked in a low voice.
"Just bored," Kotetsu answered.
"Understandable," Barnaby said, folding his arms. "He hasn't taken a single strong stance yet. This is basically a campaign speech of vauge platitudes."
"…Oh," Kotetsu hadn't even been paying close enough attention to get that. Whoops. Way to be an informed political citizen, Kotetsu. Whatever, he'd leave the hard thinking for when he wasn't sitting next to Barnaby, with that dreamy electricity running through his body.
"Kotetsu?"
"Hm?"
"Since the speech is so boring, I was wondering if you'd be willing to try something, to pass the time."
Kotetsu wrinkled his brow. What could he and Barnaby do while stuck here listening to speeches? Play rock-paper-scissors? Tell jokes? Start up a game of I Spy? Kotetsu couldn't imagine Barnaby suggesting any of that, even this strange, new, smiley-Barnaby. So he asked, "What?"
"May I sit closer to you?"
"Huh?"
Barnaby at least had the courtesy to appear a little bit bashful, staring at his knees rather than directly at Kotetsu. "Just for a little while," Barnaby added. "To make the time pass faster."
"Wait, but won't—uh—" Kotetsu didn't even know where to start. What about the effect of Kotetsu's Scent on Barnaby? Or suddenly crossing a new line? Or the particulars of proximity? Deciding to go with that last one, Kotetsu continued, "How close are you thinking?"
"Close enough for… cuddling."
"You wanna cuddle?"
"Yes, that's right," Barnaby said. "Would you like to?"
Kotetsu's imagination supplied, God, yes, please! But Kotetsu shoved it aside. "Won't it just get harder for you? My Scent is a stimulant."
"Your Scent is nowhere near your most irritating quality."
"Watch it," Kotetsu growled.
"I wouldn't ask for this if I hadn't thought it through," Barnaby leaned just a little closer, his voice low, his Scent powerful. "You smell incredible. I don't know how to describe it in words," he mumbled, the sultry tone tingling across Kotetsu's skin. "And if I smell a tenth as good as you smell to me, then it must be overwhelming."
"Y—You're flattering yourself," Kotetsu said. "Why are you asking for this? Why now?"
"I'm bored, like you," Barnaby replied. Actually, Kotetsu didn't feel bored at all—but that might be because he had forgotten the mayor's speech in favor of focusing on Barnaby. His partner continued, "I understand this is a lot to ask of you. But… do you trust me not to claim you?"
Kotetsu stared at Barnaby for a minute, very aware that he already knew the answer to his partner's question. He did trust Barnaby to leave him unclaimed. Barnaby had earned that trust ages ago, even before Kotetsu felt Barnaby's trust reciprocated.
"Kotetsu?" Barnaby prompted.
"They—there's cameras," Kotetsu said. His resistance flickered.
"I don't mind. I'll have to talk to the press either way."
"…Cuddle?"
"Yes."
"Um… okay," Kotetsu relented, still reeling at his own compliance. He'd been resisting for so long, and seeing Barnaby like this finally cracked his resolve. He could cuddle and still be a hero, right? Cuddling never hurt anyone. Actually, no, Kotetsu knew many cuddles from his, well, younger days that had evolved into kissing and touching and—and—
And Kotetsu had to trust that Barnaby would never go that far. Even when Kotetsu himself felt like all of that and more would be perfectly okay, Barnaby wouldn't. Because it wasn't okay! Even if he felt like it was, it was… complicated. All Kotetsu knew was he wanted to sit there with Barnaby and smell his Scent and feel his breath on his neck…
A burst of applause interrupted Kotetsu's daydream. The mayor's speech was over, but Kotetsu didn't clap with the crowd. His arms felt too heavy. Meanwhile, Barnaby stood up just enough to scoot his folding chair closer to Kotetsu's, eliminating the tiny distance between them. Kotetsu watched as Barnaby took hold of his hand and threaded it across the back of Barnaby's chair. It rested there as Barnaby leaned his head against Kotetsu's shoulder, the topmost curls brushing against Kotetsu's collar. His arm pressed flush against Kotetsu's side, and their knees almost touched.
Had Kotetsu ever been this close to Barnaby? Scratch that, had Kotetsu ever verbally agreed to be this close to Barnaby? With Barnaby's weight and warmth against him, a corner of his mind started spinning in panic. No, this was a total violation of his choice! He was choosing Omega, all because of Barnaby! How could Barnaby turn him upside-down like that? He needed to stop this, somehow, soon!
But it all felt so… good. All of Kotetsu's favorite smells swirled in the air like a beautiful cocktail, each one highlighted by Barnaby's rich, pleasurable pheromones. Barnaby shifted in his seat and sighed, the puff of air on his skin making Kotetsu shiver.
"You okay?" Kotetsu checked, almost hoping Barnaby himself would decide to back out.
"Better than okay," Barnaby whispered, finally sitting still, just breathing Kotetsu's scent in return. The warm, tingly odor unbalanced his mind, and he stared down at Barnaby, at his gold curls, his pale skin, his eyelashes so long they nearly brushed the lenses of his glasses with each blink. If Kotetsu hadn't been sitting, he surely would have collapsed, smelling Barnaby so strongly.
But I shouldn't be doing this. Kotetsu thought. Regardless of the threat to his choice, it wasn't fair to give Barnaby false hope. He had to tell his partner to get up, so he set an internal count.
On three. One. Two. Thr—
A set of explosions resounded overhead, loud crackles and bangs sending sparks of colored fire flying in a ring of sparkling stars. Fireworks! No one told Kotetsu there would be fireworks! Oh, they pulled out all the stops for this, didn't they? A smile broke out on Kotetsu's face as the stared up at the blue, gold, and red blasts of glitter in the sky, his resolve to refuse Barnaby lost.
With the dazzling bursts above and Barnaby's Scent surrounding him, Kotetsu's body settled completely into his chair, every muscle uncoiled and relaxed with a strange but familiar bliss, the feeling of lying half-drunk in a hammock on a lazy summer afternoon, only multiplied by Hundred Power. If Kotetsu never moved again, that'd be perfectly alright with him. The beauty of the lights, the warmth of Barnaby's body, and the sense of peace and security all washed away his stress and fear.
Alphas did smell amazing, yes—like all that was good in the world, like pleasure and heat and everything that made Kotetsu's pulse race. And Barnaby, like an Alpha among Alphas, had the only Scent Kotetsu had ever encountered that felt like it resonated with his very soul. And Barnaby called Kotetsu's Scent ten times better—but that was impossible. How could anything be better than perfection? If Kotetsu had to spend the rest of his life with an Alpha, then Barnaby… no, Barnaby was still out of the question, not because Kotetsu hated him or distrusted him; he just had to protect their partnership, that's it. But Kotetsu knew he'd never find anyone with pheromones as wonderful as Barnaby's, a Scent that turned Kotetsu's world into paradise.
As the volleys of fireworks continued, Kotetsu noticed something a little strange. Barnaby had been almost completely still for the last—oh, Kotetsu couldn't count the minutes, time had passed. Either way, Barnaby hadn't moved an inch, save his breathing, but now small twitches trembled through his body. His breath was a little faster, and Kotetsu felt his exhales heavier on his neck. Looking down from the fireworks, Kotetsu blinked and struggled to clear the light-burns from his eyes, when he noticed Barnaby had both his hands clenched on his knees, knuckles white with exertion. And if Kotetsu listened closely, right there—he heard a very, very small moan.
Like a rubber band about to snap.
He's at his limit… but he's still sitting there. No bites, no licks, no kisses, no touching Kotetsu hadn't explicitly agreed to. Kotetsu had never dreamed of such a situation: a powerful Alpha like Barnaby, breathing his Scent, and ignoring it.
But this couldn't continue. Barnaby had reached his limit, Kotetsu could see that. So he parted his lips, but his vocal chords were too dry to make a sound. After a few slow swallows, he managed, "Ah—Bunny?"
Barnaby's head snapped up, his crown narrowly avoiding a collision with Kotetsu's jaw, and he glared at Kotetsu with feral passion barely bridled by his promise. And as Kotetsu gazed into his desiring eyes, Kotetsu's body burned for Barnaby to forget that dumb promise: Kiss me. Just kiss me. Please. You're the...
Before Kotetsu could summon the will to lean or speak, Barnaby pulled back, drawing the center of his Scent with him. He peeled one hand off of a knee and adjusted his glasses.
"Thank you… Kotetsu," he said, a ragged edge rippling in his usually suave voice. Kotetsu's heart pounded harder just haring it, and when Barnaby rolled his shoulders, his muscles masked but definitely present under the strong lines of his suit, it crossed Kotetsu's mind to rest his head on Barnaby's shoulder in return, Scents be damned.
In the end, he did nothing.
The fireworks continued, beautiful bursts of light on a dark sky.