Kyoko loved having a pack. She'd always dreamt of being in one growing up - had even play-acted it with Sho, when they were very young. That was before they'd presented, though. Kyoko had desperately wanted to be an omega, to be the perfect wife for her Sho-chan. She'd been trained for it, after all - okami Fuwa had taught her the best ways to make nests, how to soothe and flatter, and how best to detect and handle an alpha's moods. All of that had crumbled away when she'd presented as an alpha. That might not have been so bad had Sho not been one, too. They'd still gone to Tokyo as planned, but one day, she'd caught him telling his manager - a beautiful omega named Shoko - that he would never go for another alpha. That as an alpha, he only deserved the best omegas.

She shook her head and closed her locker. That was all in the past - she was on her way to being an actress now, and she had her very own pack! Kanae and Chiori were the best packmates a girl could ask for. Even if she didn't see them as often as she'd like (they were all so busy these days), it was wonderful to have people to rely on - people she could trust. People who would help her at her lowest points, and those for whom she could do the same.

Which is, in a way, what led to her current predicament. That is to say, one Tsuruga Ren, sitting on the couch in the LoveMe room, looking at her with pleading, hopeful eyes. For a beta, he was very good at that look.

"Tsuruga-san, are you sure you want to join my pack?" she bit her lip, fidgeting with the strap on her cellphone. She and her packmates all had matching ones that she'd handmade for them and imbued with her scent.

"Absolutely. Don't you want me to?" The pleading look in his eyes increased, and she had to look away.

"Fine, just - let me check with the others. It's a pack, not a dictatorship." She turned away and typed quickly.

Kyoko: Tsuruga-san wants to join our pack. Yes or no?

The replies were swift, which she silently thanked them for. She'd have to get them something nice soon.

Chiorin: lol what

Moko-san: Sure, it'll be good for networking. But don't expect me to cuddle him, u know I don't do that

Chiorin: wait are u for real

Kyoko: yes he's in the loveme room staring at me with big eyes

Chiorin: pics or it didn't happen

Kyoko: I am NOT taking a picture of him! That'd be so rude!

Chiorin: chill lol. But I'm with Kanae-san on this, good for networking. Idk if I'm comfortable scenting him rn tho, idk him that well.

Kyoko: No worries! Thanks girls, talk later!

Kyoko swallowed, sent a few emojis to express her love, and then turned back to Ren. "Okay, they said it's fine. You can join our pack."

He unleashed Jacob's ladder on her, and her eyes just about fried out. She blinked a few times, cleared her throat, and said, "Okay! Ground rules - getting to know the pack."

He nodded. He didn't really know the other girls that well.

"You already know me - Mogami Kyoko, alpha. I'll skip this part." She didn't notice the disappointment in his eyes. "Then there's Moko-san, but only I call her that, she'll get mad if you do. Kotonami Kanae. She's an omega, but she's not a big fan of cuddling. Minimal scenting only, unless she's going to be on a shoot with someone who's being a jerk. Then I scent her a ton so they can smell that there's an alpha involved." She rolled her eyes at the fact that this was a necessity. "And lastly, there's Amamiya Chiori, whom we call Chiorin. She's a beta who joined LoveMe on purpose to regain her passion for acting. She's okay with casual scenting when we see her."

What she did not say was that Moko was the pissiest omega to ever live, and was actively fighting to get herself spayed. She also did not mention Chiori's giant complex around being a beta in the entertainment world. Ren could learn those things on his own.

"So!" She clapped her hands together. "Where do you stand on scenting? I like everyone to be comfortable."

He blinked at her, not having expected the question. "I… don't know. I've never really thought about it." The last time he'd been scented, he was still in California. "It's been a while."

She pursed her lips. "That's no good! Even alphas and betas need to be scented from time to time to stay healthy and balanced. It's not just omegas!" She took a step forward. "May I?"

Internally, he was doing joyful backflips. Externally, he said, "Ah - sure," and tilted his neck to one side, exposing his scent glands.

Kyoko nodded decisively and bent very slightly (he was tall, even seated) to scent him. Japanese pine filled the room, wrapping around Ren like a blanket.

And then she caught a whiff of his scent: Cornflowers.

And below that, hidden, the undeniable scent of an omega.

LINE BREAK

Kuon had hated his presentation from the moment it happened. It was one of the many, many reasons his life had gone to shit at fifteen. He'd grown up expecting to present as an alpha, like his Dad - this was yet another way that he considered himself to be a massive disappointment. So once he'd come to Japan, he'd started scent blockers and heat suppressants. He wouldn't be taken seriously as a male omega, not in the way he needed to be. So he'd hidden his status away with the rest of his old life, and masqueraded as a beta. After all, betas were far more common than alphas or omegas, even if the entertainment industry had a disproportionate amount of the latter two statuses.

He'd also made sure to establish himself as something of a lone wolf, to pardon the pun. But that was before he'd met Kyoko again. At first, he hadn't believed she could be the same girl, but she had soon proven him wrong. Then, she'd formed her pack, decked out in garish pink, and he'd writhed with jealousy. He could smell her on the other girls when he'd passed them in the hallway, and their scents always lingered on her. It was a sense of closeness he longed for at his very core. He'd found himself inexorably drawn to her, and today, he'd finally given in and asked to join them - to join her, to be close to her, to be the one to bear her scent.

But he'd made a grave miscalculation in his wish: To be scented by her was to have her touch his scent glands, and this was the end of a very long day, when his blockers had almost worn off. If she had been a beta, this might not have been a problem - but Kyoko was an alpha. And her nose, he knew, was incredibly sensitive. She'd mentioned to a costar on Dark Moon the week before that it helped her with her cooking.

And now, that incredibly sensitive nose had just found him out.

She drew back a bit, and he saw the realization in her eyes. A thrill of fear ran through him. What if she was repulsed? What if she detested him now, for lying? What if -

She just nodded to herself like something made sense, and leaned right back in to start scenting him.

Oh. Oh. So this was why people wanted to be in packs - wanted to be scented. The smell of Japanese pine surrounded him, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so safe. He'd only wanted this because it was Kyoko, but now - his hand came up unconsciously and weaved its way into her hair, tugging her closer.

And then she pulled away.

He let out a low whine.

"Hey, it's okay," she hushed. "I know scenting feels like a lot when it's been the first time in a while." While her words were steady, her face was beet red. "Please - please let me up."

Then he realized that his hand was still in her hair. He released her, pine sticking to his fingers. "I'm sorry, Mogami-san, I didn't realize."

She laughed awkwardly as she stepped back, then settled on the other end of the couch. "It's - it's okay. Like I said, it can be pretty intense if you've not been scented in a while." She cocked her head then, curious pine filling the air. "I'm sure it's especially so in your case."

Right. That. "You could say that."

She glanced up at the camera in the corner of the room. "Let's not talk about this here. Are you done for the day?"

He nodded. "I have an early night, for once."

"Then let's go."

They remained silent until they were in his car, when Kyoko asked, "Do you want me to scent something for your nest?"

"My what?" He blinked, then realized what she was talking about. "Oh, I - I don't have one. I've never built one." Mom always had built big ones for all of them, back in the day. It had been nice until his parents' scents faded, leaving him alone in a cold nest.

The pieces were falling together for Kyoko. One: this man did not eat properly. Two: he had not been scented in ages, despite being an omega. Three: he didn't. Have. A nest.

Her senpai, while a wildly talented, godlike actor, was a complete disaster of an omega.

"Okay, I'm going to give you directions. We're going to make a couple stops, and then we're going to your place, okay? I'll help you build a nest." Misreading his expression, she quickly added, "You don't have to let me in it! I just - nests are really good for everyone to have, regardless of status. I have one in my futon, with things the others scented for me. Even Moko has one."

He simply nodded. She's just doing this because I'm a pack member now, he told himself. It's not special treatment.

The first stop was a nest supplies store that he hadn't even known existed. When he made to unbuckle, Kyoko stopped him. "You don't want people knowing your status, right? Wait here. I'll get stuff for you. What colors do you want?"

"You pick, I don't care. But here -" he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. It was a struggle, but she eventually accepted the money.

Kyoko strode into the store, determination rolling off her in waves. He was part of her pack now, so he was hers to protect, including from himself. She snagged a shopping cart and set about gathering only the softest, most reasonably priced blankets and pillows. She also snagged a special present for him that she paid for with her own money. Call it an extra, belated birthday present, or a welcome-to-the-pack gift. Either way, it would be great in his nest.

The elderly cashier sniffed curiously when Kyoko started unloading the cart. "Unusual for us to see lone alphas in here, miss."

"My new omega needs some help with nests." She was so focused on her mission that she didn't notice she'd called him hers, not her pack's.

"Good luck to you both," the cashier said with a smile and handed Kyoko the receipt.

"Thank you!" She bowed and left with her bounty. Ren's eyes widened at the sheer volume of fluff entering his car, but he didn't comment on it as she directed him to the grocery store. That was a quick trip - save for a lecture about higher prices don't necessarily mean better quality - and then they were schlepping the goods up to his apartment.

"Please clear where you want to build your nest, Tsuruga-san, and I'll start on dinner." She then hefted the groceries into the kitchen, leaving Ren in a pickle.

Where do I want to build my nest? He looked around his barren apartment, confused. Would it be too forward to build it on my bed? Would she think I'm making a move on her? Would the guest room work, or would she think that means I don't trust her or something?

In the end, he wound up clearing the floor of the living room. The living room was a neutral zone. It was where Mom had always built their family nests. It was a safe choice, even if he desperately wanted to have her scent everywhere.

Damn it Kuon, focus.

"Okay, that'll have to simmer for a bit, so we can start building if you're ready!" Kyoko emerged from the kitchen, making Ren nearly jump out of his skin. She faltered. "Sorry, did I scare you?" Am I coming on too strong?

"No, I just wasn't paying attention. Yes, let's start."

"Okay, so first -" she dug into one of the bags, emerging with a cutesy plush sheep pillow, "-for you! I got it with my own money as a gift, so… welcome to the pack!" Her cheeks tinged pink as she realized how ill-fitting of a gift it was. "If - If you don't like it, I can return it."

He could smell the embarrassment rolling off of her as he gently took the sheep from her hands. "Thank you, Mogami-san. It's adorable." You're adorable.

She flushed darker and turned abruptly to rifle through the bags. "Okay! Let's, um, start building the base." She pulled out some thick, squishy blankets and wrinkled her nose as the scent of the store hit her. "I'd usually wash these first, but this is just a learning nest, so it'll work."

He understood those words individually, so he nodded and caught the other end of the blanket when she fluffed it towards him. "Like this?"

"Yup! The goal is to make it super comfy. Somewhere good to relax or even sleep in." She paused for a moment and sniffed, checking on dinner, then nodded. "So next, you have a decision to make. Do you want this to be an open nest, or do you want it to be more of a blanket fort? Because we could put some sheets over the top if you do."

"A blanket fort sounds fun," he said, fond half-memories of childhood floating through his mind. "I'll go grab some sheets."

While he went to find some sheets (and overthink which ones she'd approve of), Kyoko busied herself with scenting the sheep. It's fine, she told herself. I did this for Moko-san and Chiorin when I got them their pack gifts, too. This is normal pack behavior. It's normal for me to want a member of my pack to have my scent.

"Are these good?" Ren had returned with the most expensive sheets he owned, figuring that that made them the best. He handed them to her, exchanging them for the sheep that was now one of his most prized possessions. Gods above, it smells like her.

It took great restraint, but she did not comment on the thread count - she could feel how pricey these were. "Any would have been fine. Would you mind grabbing some chairs from the other room to prop up the other side of the sheets? We should do that last, but it'll be good to have them ready."

He did as he was bid, then helped her assemble the rest of the nest under her tutelage. They secured the sheets on the chairs, and then Kyoko held up the end of the sheet for him to crawl inside.

He was awash in pine-scented comfort. He sprawled out (they'd made the nest nice and big at Kyoko's instructions - he was tall, after all, and she'd correctly guessed he'd want to be able to stretch his legs), almost purring. She peeked in without entering, a proud smile stretching across her face. Cornflower contentment seeped out from beneath the sheets, giving her all kinds of warm fuzzies.

Ren couldn't remember the last time he was this comfortable - no, this cozy. This would be even better if he was in his pajamas. But the one who would make this nest perfect was still hovering outside. "Aren't you coming in?"

She knelt and gave him a smile. "Only if you want me to. It's bad manners to enter someone else's nest without permission."

He filed that under things he should probably have known already. "Please come in."

She bit back a giggle. Her omega was so cute like this - wait, no. Bad Kyoko. Her pack's omega. Don't you dare presume to think of him as yours.

Ren, who would have been thrilled to know her line of thought, scooted over to make room for her. "So what now?"

Kyoko sat back on her heels just inside the nest pensively. "Well, it depends on your comfort levels and what you need today." When he looked at her blankly, she continued, "Moko-san and I sometimes run lines in the nest, or just chill together and read. Sometimes I'll play with her hair, if she's in the mood for it. Chiorin likes snuggling sometimes, but we usually just do each other's nails. Sometimes Maria-chan will have me over to her nest, and we'll play with her dolls or practice spells. She likes cuddles, too." Maria was too young to be a proper member of a non-family-unit pack, but Kyoko didn't mind. She was her precious little sister, after all.

Cuddles? Cuddles are an option? Cuddles with Kyoko? He kept his face carefully blank. "Whatever you're comfortable with."

She crossed her arms. "No, this is your nest. This is about you, Tsuruga-san."

"I… have not had pack cuddles in years, so… if that's okay?" He needed to play this very, very carefully so he didn't scare her away. Even so much as him kissing her cheek on Valentine's day had frightened her before, so -

"Sounds good!" She crawled towards him and snuggled up against his side.

Okay, what the hell? Not one to look a gift Kyoko in the mouth, he wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand carefully on her waist. Pack privileges rock.

Kyoko settled in, breathing in the soothing smell of cornflowers. It mixed with her own pine, conjuring the image of a flower-filled forest, or perhaps a flowery meadow ringed with pine trees. This is normal, she reminded herself. This is exactly the same thing I do with Chiorin, Maria-chan, and even Moko-san when she lets me. Her heart was not pounding rapidly in her chest at his touch, thank you very much. She was completely calm about this situation and was enjoying it a normal amount. Her grudges were not hiding in a bunker about this. Nope, definitely not. She was 100% normal about snuggling with Tsuruga-san in his nest.…okay, so maybe she was freaking out a tiny bit. But that was just new pack member nerves! She was not feeling anything else about it. That would not be allowed. After all, these were certified Mental Health Snuggles.

Ren was also being exceptionally normal about having the love of his life snuggled up with him. He was going to get a good grade in Pack, which was normal to want and possible to achieve. This moment was not going to haunt his dreams for the foreseeable future, especially not when Kyoko shifted just so and rested her head on his chest.

Scratch that, he was not being remotely normal about this. He was actively dying. Kyoko - his pack leader, his alpha - was snuggled up against him, smelling so damn good. His whole apartment was going to smell like pine for weeks. He was never going to wash this shirt again. Or the blankets. He was going to carry the sheep plush around, huffing it. He was never going to recover from this.

They stayed like that for quite some time, until Kyoko's nose detected that dinner was ready. When she went to sit up, he instinctively clamped his arm down around her waist. "Tsuruga-san," she whined, pushing against his chest for leverage. "The food's going to burn."

"Ren."

"What?" she squeaked.

Seriously? She's all over me like it's nothing, but the mere thought of saying my name makes her blush? "You should call me Ren. We're pack now. You're even in my nest." He loosened his grip on her waist just a little.

She bolted into a seated position, just to dive into a dogeza. "I'm so sorry!"

He blinked at her, confused. "Wait, for what?"

"I was too presumptuous, too familiar, I should have known my place, I-"

"No, that's not what I meant -" He scrambled to sit up, but his hand slipped on one of the blankets. He fell sideways, knocking into one of the chairs that was holding up the top of the nest. It collapsed on top of them, effectively cutting the building tension.

Ren was the first to laugh. Kyoko soon joined him, fighting her way out of the sheets, cheeks flaming. "I… okay, R-Ren-san, please call me Kyoko."

He opened his mouth to reply. It would have been a truly adorable moment, had Kyoko not yelped "The food!" and scrambled out to the kitchen.

Ren just chuckled to himself, awash in the scent of pine. I could get used to this.