Chapter Text
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I met you in the dark, you lit me up,
You made me feel as though I was enough.
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Sano Manjirou – or Mikey – as he’s better known as, doesn’t think in heteronormative terms. There is no boy meets girl, boy woos girl, boy and girl live happily ever after, in his worldview. Because nothing in the world is as simple as that.
And most importantly, Alpha’s aren’t built that way.
Alphas don’t pick their mates; they just are mates.
Mating is a matter of compatibility, not just attraction. An inborn knowledge of what will complete you, what will make you stronger. There is no other way about it.
Male or female, it makes no difference.
Finding your mate, or so his older brother Shinichiro had told him, is like finding a piece of yourself you never knew was missing.
And Mikey has never believed in love at first sight. It was quite frankly a ridiculous concept; how can you simply see someone, and from the line of their neck, the curl of their hair, the sparkle in a pair of eyes, simply fall head over heels in love?
Shouldn’t you have to at least get past the introductions, the awkward hellos, and first names?
Except, on a cloudless day, under the early morning summer sunshine, he watches Hanagaki Takemichi hop off the school bus with an equally tired-looking Chifuyu, rumpled and yawning and clinging to his Starbucks coffee, like his life depended on it, like the small cup was the savior of his whole world, and his heart flips over in his chest.
And he thinks, oh!
There’s sunshine splashing Takemichi dyed hair, making it practically glow like a halo of gold and it pours over his face. It settles into the curve of his ever-present smile as if it’s found a home.
And again – Mikey never has believed in love at first sight. And he’s seen Takemichi before, so, so many times.
Hell, they’ve known each other for years. Ever since that fateful day when Mikey took Takemichi under his wing, back when Takemichi was in middle school, getting beat up by someone older and bigger than him all in the attempt to save his friend.
And in all those years of knowing each other, they’ve grown closer than most, going for bike rides in the middle of the night, trying and failing to build a huge and frankly ridiculous treehouse in the garden of the Sano household. Pillow forts that eventually turned into pillow fights and late-night studying for exams and laughing at the awkwardness of puberty, when all their friends grew bigger and more defined, but Takemichi and Mikey stayed relevantly the same size.
Well, that was until Mikey came down with what everyone thought was a nasty stomach bug, only for him to present as an Alpha, and he returned a few days later to gang meetings with a voice that sounded rich and velvety smooth. No longer holding the childlike tone that everyone was used to, instead, it was deep and intimidating.
A deep baritone that made people stop and pay attention to him. While Takemichi’s voice remained high and adorably squeaky. And it surprised everyone when Takemichi presented as a beta. Betas were level-headed and scentless, not at all presenting as the omega everyone expected him to be, and he would squawk in indignation when anyone – gang member or not – would call him a mousey little cry-baby.
But looking at Takemichi this time feels new. Like he’s just turned around and the word had turned with him, different now, bright, and obvious and clear.
Like a first.
But love doesn’t work that way.
Does it?
He believes in love, certainly, he’s seen it in his sister's face when she looks at his best friend. But not this kind of instant knee-weakening, bolt-from-the-blue epiphany-style revelation.
He can’t suddenly meet ocean saturated eyes and a gentle smile, expressive features, and pocket-sized muscles and just know.
He looks at Takemichi again when he yawns and scrunches up his nose and makes a sleepy-kitten-like face at the sun. Trying his hardest not to trip over his shoes, the adorableness fails to resolve any of the sudden confusion in Mikey’s head or heart.
Can he just – know? Now? After all this time?
Thinking of the blonde teen, makes him think of the sugar cookies he’d make after he got home from school and then bring to Toman meetings to share, like a mom at a damn soccer game. Early morning coffee, because the blonde had stayed up binge-watching a new show that Chifuyu had been raving about. Laughter and sunshine and bad superhero jokes, and Star Wars references that he, or anyone else in the gang for that matter, never understood, but Mikey loves hearing them anyway.
And – and he’s in love with Takemichi.
Just like that.
Or maybe not just like that. Maybe it’s the kind of epiphany that sneaks up slowly, disguised as contentment, the way he’s felt at Takemichi’s side all along.
He stares some more, not as surreptitiously as he means to be, under the happy sunshine. Takemichi spots him looking at tilts his head, not lessening the kitten resemblance, curious and drags a half-asleep Chifuyu over with him.
“Good morning, Mikey-Kun.” He smiles slightly at him, “Is everything okay?”
“What? Yeah – fine, why?”
“You’re here early, and you’re staring at me. Do I have something on my face? Did I forget to brush my hair again?” his fingers tugging at his wayward blonde locks.
Mikey just continues to stare at him. Dumbstruck and speechless while students mil about around them.
“Do you want my coffee?” Takemichi offers. “You can have some. We can share if you like?”
Gosh, why is this kid so sweet.
“I – “Giving up. Giving in.
It’s all he can do, “What’s in it?”
Takemichi regards his morning cup of coffee mournfully, handing it over. “It’s unfortunately not flavoured, and they were out of creamer at the store. So, I just kind of poured in too much sugar. It’s not the same.” He finished sadly.
Chifuyu finally perks up, complaining that Takemichi didn’t offer him a drink as Mikey takes a sip, blushing slightly at the thought of the indirect kiss they’re sharing.
There’s definitely too much sugar, he manages to swallow regardless, drowning the sudden awareness of admiration and exasperation and affection and adoration in scalding liquid. All the while Chifuyu is muttering in the background that Takemichi is ‘playing favourites’.
“Sorry,” Takemichi says, for no easily explicable reason, easily ignoring the muttering from the other teen beside them.
“What? Why? You did warn me. How are you drinking this, without acquiring diabetes on the spot?!”
“I’m trying not to think about it too much,” Takemichi tips his face up towards the sun. Practically purring like a kitten, it somehow feels like the sun purrs in reply. “I love being warm.”
“I love you,” Mikey almost says. No, no. He needs to get some sort of grip on himself, not on Takemichi.
Oh, bad idea. Unbelievably bad.
“You-you're going to get sunburned. You know that you get sunburnt easily, remember the time at the beach?”
“I know, don’t spoil my fun.” He says and huffs out a laugh when Chifuyu wriggles out of his grip to go say ‘Good morning’ to Baji who’s actually arrived early for school, for once.
“I’m hardly ever properly warm.” Takemichi continues, “Not unlike you or Baji-kun, who walks around practically naked.” He eyes Baji’s haphazardly buttoned shirt, the skin of his abdomen exposed to the air. “I’m done with that by the way, you can have the rest or toss it in the trash.”
Nodding, Mikey grasps the edge of Takemichi’s sleeve and tugs him towards the entrance of the school before the first bell rings, leaving the other two to their own devices.
A few years ago, if anyone asked Takemichi to describe his school life, he would have to say that it was uninteresting, dreary, completely, and utterly boring.
Sure, he got good grades, mostly B’s and the occasional C. But since graduating middle school and going into high school, his school life had to take a drastic turn.
In order to be closer to each other, he, Chifuyu, and Hakkai decided to attend the same high school. Only faintly amused that Mikey and Baji were in the year ahead of them in the same school, being forced behind a year due to their lackluster grades and playing hooky.
His school days now were filled with laughter and cheeky note sharing in class. Their teacher never noticed, and Chifuyu was a master at keeping a straight face, even when Takemichi and Hakkai weren’t.
They developed a non-verbal shorthand, a way to communicate without words – a raise of an eyebrow, a quirk of the lips, a slight tilt of a head, and they’d all be on the same wavelength.
It was as if all they had to do was look into each other’s eyes and know exactly, what the other was thinking. Takemichi had an inkling, a feeling that it was due to their dynamics, that allowed the three boys to be in harmony with each other.
Takemichi was a beta, through and through. There wasn’t any possible way that he wasn’t. Sixteen years old and he hadn’t presented as an Alpha or Omega.
He was completely scentless.
He was extremely disappointed about a lot of things, especially in regard to his own body that he couldn’t change (no matter how hard he tried). A skinny, lanky body that wouldn’t gain any muscle mass no matter how hard he tried.
And he half-heartedly thinks that his dynamic is the reason why his first and only girlfriend broke up with him. Hinata Tachibana presented as an alpha after they graduated middle school, and despite their relationship, Hinata was drawn to a slight, willowy omega in her class.
If he were being honest with himself, that had hurt but he’d gotten over it, well – eventually, with the help of his friends and commander. Instincts were instincts, and they weren’t something anyone could fight.
The worst part of him presenting as a beta though was that Mikey was an Alpha. Almost everyone in Toman was. Asides from Hakkai and Angry being Omegas and Chifuyu being a beta.
But Mikey, wonderful, beautiful Mikey was an Alpha. Mikey, with his stupid confidence and unwavering faith in his gang, and how stupidly good he was at hand-to-hand or – more like - leg-to-head combat, and how stupidly hot he sounded when sparing with the others.
Takemichi would have gotten on his knees for him in a second if he only asked. His feelings for his blonde commander growing more and more each passing day.
But an alpha needed an omega, and Takemichi was just a plain, ordinary beta, and Mikey, brilliant, bright Mikey deserved the best.
He deserved an omega.
So, Takemichi contented himself with watching him with adoration from afar and being his 1st division captain up close, his teammate, his dearest friend.
That had to be enough.
If it wasn’t, then he was going to lose his mind. He had to be okay with what he had, there was no other option.
“I am content just being near him, watching him,” Takemichi tried to remind himself on a daily basis.
“I am content.”
Despite how much he tried, he wasn’t content. At all.
It seemed to get harder and harder to be okay with how things were as the days passed and he spent more time around Mikey. Watching him and Baji spar in the empty gymnasium though, that was fucking him up. Mikey had tossed his shirt a bit ago and now the sweat on his body was free to drip down his chest.
Mikey and Baji had decided to try and teach the 1st division a few self-defense moves in their free time. And Takemichi chewed on his nails in a nervous habit as he waited for his turn.
Baji had called a timeout when he hit the gym mat, huffing out a breath and taking a pause to drink from the canteen Chifuyu offered him.
“Takemitchy!”
Takemichi straightened up and looked at the former 1st division captain, trying not to glance behind him at Mikey’s gleaming chest. “Yeah, Baji-san?”
“You’re in!” He lifted his hand and thumbed in their commander’s direction. “You are fairly good in hand-to-hand combat, but you still need to keep sharp. Go work off some energy.” He ended the sentence with a sly wink.
Takemichi huffed a laugh, going hand-to-hand with Mikey didn’t seem like a good idea, he knew he was going to get his ass handed to him in a million different ways. Being beat up by the object of his affection wasn’t that big of a deal though, at least he’d be able to secretly press down on any bruises Mikey left later at night in his bed under the cover of darkness.
He made a face at Baji, before making his way onto the gym floor.
Mikey cocked an eyebrow at him as he walked up to him, eyeing the stance they had taught him before taking his own.
Mikey didn’t waste any time, lunging at him. Takemichi panicked for a split second before side-stepping out of the way, but a hand shot out and grabbed him by the shirt to throw him down on the ground. Takemichi let out a startled cry as Mikey straddled him.
“That all you got, Takemitchy?” The elder asked, amusement lighting his dark eyes, and it set Takemichi’s nerves on edge, he cursed under his breath, “I’m just getting started.”
Mikey hummed deep in his throat before moving and Takemichi heaved himself up, throwing Mikey underneath him and sitting on his legs to keep him down. A hand shot out again and got him in the solar plexus and for a moment, Takemichi’s world tilted.
He heaved out a breath and Mikey used that weakness to push him off. When Takemichi finally got his body breathing again, he found himself face-first on the floor with one of his arms twisted behind his back.
“Hey! That was unfair!” He cried out.
“When it comes to survival, nothing ever is,” Mikey told him, applying more pressure to Takemichi’s elbow to make him wince and groan a little in pain.
Takemichi bucked a little, freezing when it put more pressure on his arm. One wrong move and his shoulder would dislocate, or his bone would fracture, and he really didn’t want to go through the pain of a broken bone.
Luckily, Mikey released his arm and backed away from him instead of keeping him pinned there.
As soon as Takemichi stood up, Mikey was back on him, fists flying and legs reaching out to try and trip him. Takemichi blocked and dodged with everything he had until his chest was heaving and sweat was dripping into his eyes.
Did Mikey ever get tired? How did he keep coming at him without slowing down?
Alpha stamina, Takemichi reminded himself. The thought turned him on more than he would have liked to admit.
He was on the floor again, Mikey on top of him as they grappled for the upper hand. Takemichi managed to roll them over, letting out a satisfied holler that made the audience around them laugh before he found himself once again on his back. They rolled around like that, arms flailing and legs kicking, hands desperately trying to grab each other.
Takemichi half wondered if Mikey was this violent in bed if he rolled around and manhandled the people he bedded like he did when he fought.
Distantly, he could hear Chifuyu mutter, “Get a room,” from somewhere to his left.
At some point during the fray, Mikey’s groin knocked against his and he hissed, realizing that he was growing hard. Mikey either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it as they kept sparring. Takemichi tried his hardest to will his hard on down, thinking about Kisaki naked, or Mucho’s brutal fists. All that did was manage to distract him and before he knew it Mikey had his hands pinned to either side of his head and was sitting on his crotch with a smug smirk curling at his lips.
“Give in yet?” He teased.
Takemichi didn’t answer, instead biting his tongue as he tried not to moan when Mikey sat a little more firmly on his crotch. Mikey’s eyebrows shot up so far, they might have been in his hairline when he realized what exactly he was feeling underneath him.
Takemichi couldn’t remember the last time he was so embarrassed. He refused to make eye contact with the other, staring at the ceiling above him as he whistled to try and play it off.
Play it cool. Play it cool!
Mikey huffed and got off of him and looked up to where Baji and the others were watching them. “I think that’s enough training for today. I’m going to go shower.”
Takemichi himself stood up and tried to inconspicuously pull his shirt down to cover how hard he was. Mumbling about needing a shower too, he left only instead of going to the gym locker-room himself, he made a beeline to the boys’ restroom and slammed the cubical door closed, hand dipping into his pants to pull out his hard cock.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered to himself, a dizzy haze filling his head.
He stared at his dick for a moment, wondering if he was actually going to jack off to the thought of his commander completely handing his ass to him while fighting. He thumbed the tip of himself, hissed, and then gave in and started stroking himself.
When his shirt was stained with cum and his chest heaving did, he realize, that no, he couldn’t content himself with watching from afar and being comradery up closer.
He wanted Mikey like he wanted the air in his lungs.
With that realization, he also knew it would be harder to pretend that he didn’t want to kiss the fuck out of Mikey whenever he was around him.
When Mikey caught up with him after Toman’s meeting, Takemichi wanted nothing more than to book it down the stairs screaming because there was no way he wasn’t there to ‘idly talk’.
Instead of crying out for help and running away, he smiled at him and tilted his head in curiosity.
“Can I help you, Mikey-Kun?” he asked, trying to play innocent as best as he could like he hadn’t jerked off to him earlier in the school’s restrooms.
Mikey looked back at the others leaving the shrine before pushing Takemichi further into the hall of worship.
Takemichi let himself be manhandled further away from everyone, a heavy sinking feeling in his gut.
This was it. This was where Takemichi Hanagaki died, slain by the man he loved because he couldn’t keep his arousal in check.
When Mikey stopped and pushed him against the wall in the empty shrine, Takemichi knew this was the end.
Rip Takemichi. He was dead. Mikey was going to kill him right here, right now.
“Takemitchy~ Did you seriously get turned on, while we were sparring?” The elder finally asks.
Takemichi balks and laughs nervously. “Aha, you know – adrenaline and stuff.”
It was lame excuse, even Takemichi knew it, and the way Mikey kept looking at him made him swallow nervously and he fidgeted slightly, waiting on the others response.
Mikey pressed a gentle hand against Takemichi, keeping him pinned to the wall. “So, what, are you lonely?”
Takemichi could literally feel his pulse speed up as Mikey kept talking. “Um –“
“Or was it that you were getting your ass destroyed,” the older teen in front of him continued. “Maybe you just like being roughed up.”
Takemichi chewed the inside of his cheek. “I – “
“Or perhaps, was it because of me?”
Takemichi knew Mikey wasn’t trying to be seductive because that just wasn’t Mikey. He was looking at him like he was a puzzle that he was aggravated he couldn’t piece together. Even if he wasn’t trying to turn Takemichi on, he was doing an amazing job.
Mikey leaned in close looking like he did when he was watching his favourite dorayaki stand making his favorite snack, like he was trying to make sense of what was in front of him.
“So, it is me?” Mikey raised his hand and asked very quietly, “Can I touch you?”
Takemichi froze for a second and tried ridiculously hard not to overreact. He started into Mikey’s dark eyes for a second before slightly nodding his head.
Mikey took a step forward, leaving a normal conversation distance, and entering Takemichi’s personal space.
Takemichi’s breathing turned shaky and only inches between them. Mikey raised a hand and gently cupped Takemichi’s cheek. Without a second thought, Takemichi turned into it and heard Mikey take a sharp breath in reaction.
Mikey leaned into Takemichi’s neck and took a deep breath, inhaling his sweet scent and let out a low groan as it filled his lungs.
Takemichi shivered at his reaction.
“You smell – you smell intoxicating as fuck.” Mikey’s voice dropped lower and quieter. “I’m not kidding, Takemitchy~ Everyone has different scents, but lately, yours – “he leaned back in and took another deep breath, shuddering on the exhale.
“Yours, I’ve never smelled anyone like you before.” Mikey started nuzzling Takemichi’s neck with his nose.
Takemichi’s throat went dry, and he gulped down a knot in his throat, as Mikey continued to snuffle at his neck. “Believe me when I say, no one has ever smelled as good as you do. I wanted to devour you in the gym, in front of everyone.”
Lies, it all had to be lies. He didn’t have a scent if anything he smelled of his body wash and the deodorant he sprayed on earlier.
Takemichi felt like he was spinning in circles, unable to find his balance. He stumbled back against the wall, almost tripping over his feet, but Mikey caught him. The hand that was holding him, moving to the small of his back, the other clutching at his hip.
“Careful,” Mikey murmured, holding him close enough that their lips brushed together, and Takemichi sucked in a breath. He felt his brain short circuiting, thoughts filled and chanting whispers of ‘MIKEY, MIKEY, MIKEY!”
He pushed forward and pressed his lips more firmly against Mikey’s, who parted his lips in response. He pressed against the hands holding him desperate to get closer because this was all that he had wanted for the past forever. A thumb rubbed at where his scent glands would be if he were an omega, and that was what snapped him out of it.
Hands pushed against Mikey’s shoulders to get him away. The blonde-haired man pulled away immediately, looking at Takemichi with eyebrows furrowed and confused eyes.
‘He deserves better than me,” Takemichi told himself as he struggled not to pull him back in. ‘An alpha deserves an omega, not a beta.’
“I,” Takemichi but his lips, “I gotta go.”
He ran straight down the stairs of the shrine and ran all the way to his home, refusing to look back and trying to convince himself that he was doing the right thing. He wasn’t going to be selfish like this.
Mikey deserved more than he could ever be.