Behind The Scenes: The Secret Omega CHAPTER 9 - The Meeting

a bit out of the blue but it seems like a good time to remind everyone who follows me here that i really do not want you putting any of my work into any sort of ai. i know i can't stop you but like.... please don't put my writing that i work really hard on into an ai that will reproduce it but Worse. it would mean the world if you all could just Not. thanks!

Behind the Scenes: The Secret Omega CHAPTER 1 - Origin

AO3 Link SUMMARY: It's been a week since Kimiko's encounter with her ex. It's now the day of her pack placement and she's late for the first time in a long time. CHAPTER 1 - Origin

Of all the times to be late.

Making her way through the crowded sidewalk as quickly as she can, Kimiko tries her best not to bump into people. Her heels dig into her feet as she adds more pressure to them to prevent herself from failing as she weaves through people. The hair she spent so long trying to make look presentable is starting to fray from sweat and she’s letting off more of a panicked energy than she would have liked. She was on her way to the most important meeting of her life.

Everything that she had worked so hard on for the past five years led up to this moment and she was about to throw it all away by being late for the first time in forever. She had planned every second of her life from the times she woke up to the quick breaks she took to be at the top of her game. Of course, no amount of planning could prepare her for the hour delay her train had due to a villain attack further down the track.

Luckily, she had planned enough time to be about an hour early regardless. That way, she had time to prep with her grandmother, since she would also be attending this meeting. However, the delay forced her to go through everything in her head and try and get into the right headspace. 

As her feet hit the stairs leading up to the building she needed to be in, a sense of reassurance filled her. Looking at her phone, she was only 10 minutes late. Still not ideal and certainly not a good image but it was better than nothing. She quickly speed-walked through the halls of the building, knowing exactly where she needed to be. The familiar receptionist greets her and quickly ushers her toward the normal meeting room.

“Thank you, I am so sorry I-,”

“Don’t worry about it. Just get in there and do your best,” they encourage, practically pushing her inside.

Quickly, she makes her way to the chair she had become so acquainted with the past five years, apologies pouring out of her mouth as she takes a seat.

“Ison,” her advisor greets. “So nice to see you. I heard about the delay, so no need to worry. I’m just glad you were able to make it.”

She lets out a deep breath in relief. Heart hammering in her chest, she knows she’s probably letting off a variety of unpleasant waves. Her grandmother’s hand rests on her back reassuringly as she takes a deep enough breath to steady herself.

“I am so sorry. Thank you for still meeting me today. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course, Ison. Feel free to take a moment to collect yourself, the matchmaker went to get some water so you have a few moments.” 

“Thank you,” I say, letting out another very large breath. The advisor gives her a small chuckle as she focuses on relaxing.

“Quite the odd morning for you,” her grandmother quips. Kimiko nods and smiles at her. No doubt, her grandmother worked some of her charm on the matchmaker, preventing them from leaving altogether. Taking one final long breath, her heartbeat returns to normal and she focuses on centering herself, stopping any further unpleasant waves. Feeling more complete, she responds,

“Quite.”

Her grandmother gives her signature giggle and helps get her hair more put together while she focuses on straightening out her outfit. The door opens as they finish up and the matchmaker walks in, water in hand.

“There you are, Ison. Good to see you are joining us today.” She gives a polite bow in response. 

“Thank you for still seeing me today. I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience.” 

“You’re lucky your grandmother was here,” they comment as they take the seat across from her, next to her advisor. Their differing personalities create an unusual atmosphere in the office. It’s different from the warm presence she’s used to. “She was able to convince me that this was out of the norm for you which is the only reason I stayed.”

Politely, she nods in response, knowing that she should say nothing but wishing she could explain everything. Obedience is one of the traits that she’s known for so trying to state her case would only hurt her chance of being paired well even more. She lets her head hang, showcasing her obedience further and hoping it’s enough to win over the person who will decide her fate.

They let out a noise of approval before drinking some of their water. She dares not to take her eyes off the floor in front of her, but she knows the folders on the desk are all of her potential candidates. Excitement and nervousness fill her but she focuses on staying composed.

Since she had recently graduated from college, her advisor finished up her folder and passed it along to the Prime Society’s head matchmaker. They would go through their list of alphas and alpha-led packs to determine where she would fit best. She has a lot of things working against her, so she worked hard for the past 5 years to do everything she could to boost her appeal.

“Well,” the matchmaker starts. They put down their water and Kimiko hears them readjust in their seat. “You are a most interesting case indeed. No quirk, no parents, and nowhere to live in just under a month is that correct?”

“Yes,” her grandmother responds for her. “I’m moving in with one of my daughters, but I’m confident that Kimiko will have a new home by then.”

“I see,” they respond. “Well, that being said, you still have quite the profile here—a degree in general studies with a variety of skills and knowledge. Looks like you took cooking classes, a financial literacy course learned three languages, and volunteered as a teacher’s aide at your local grade school. All of this plus you’re following the diet and exercise routine our doctors have set for you. You’ve shown tremendous discipline and it’s turned you into a perfect candidate for anyone in the Society’s Pack Program.”

Her heart soars at the praise. She looks up at the matchmaker, a smile sits on their face. Throughout her studies, she was often told that she was pushing back omega’s rights, her beliefs were too old-fashioned, or that everything she was doing was just a waste of time. This moment canceled out every negative comment and threw out every name she had been called out the window. What she did worked and it impressed the matchmaker.

The only person who took the time to understand why she did what she did was her good friend, Naomi. She was in one of the English classes Kimiko took and they bonded over learning a language to impress an alpha. There was an American hero who moved into her complex that she was dying to impress.

“So, I haven’t met many prime omegas or alphas. But it seems like having babies is really important for you all.”

Kimiko giggles at her comment. “I mean, you’re not wrong. As you know, primes possess the ability to easily overpower any of the other secondary genders. Many prime alphas used to be in high-ranking positions, using that ability to easily stay in power.”

Naomi nods as she follows along.

“ That was until quirks emerged into the world though. Large groups of alphas would rally together and use their quirks to take down primes and their families. Eventually, the power primes had was lost and their rarity increased exponentially. That led to The Society of the Prime Alphas and Omegas.”

“And they want babies?”

“Ha ha! I mean, yeah, essentially. The Society wanted to ensure the future generation was prosperous and well taken care of. Making sure the number of primes doesn’t dwindle to the low number it was previously, is The Society’s main priority.”

“Ok,” Naomi says, mulling over her answer. “But how do heroes fall into this, because I know they’re a big part of it.”

“The Society paired up with the Hero Commission and required that any Prime that was registered with the Commission had to either start a pack of their own or they would be assigned a mate to start a pack with. As you know, while the offspring of two Primes don’t guarantee the presentation of a Prime, the odds increase significantly. Since heroes are usually strong individuals, they want to make sure that they have offspring so the next generation of Primes is also strong.”

“Ooooh,” Naomi responds. “So I was right, babies are important to you guys.” 

They both laugh. “Yes, babies are important.”

The matchmaker’s smile seems to fall a little bit as they look over the table at all of the files between us.

“While you are an extremely capable candidate I must admit it was still hard to place you.”

The pride she was just feeling falters.

“Not for the reasons you would normally think though. See, most candidates rely on their quirk or their family’s name to push them into a good pack. Normally I can play around with corresponding quirks or determine family assets to place a candidate but you’re a bit more special than that.”

She lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“When I looked at your file I knew we had to place you with someone extraordinary, not just any alpha that was looking to add another omega to their pack. A hero seems like the most suitable fit for your talents. That’s where the problems started to arise. See, about 2 years ago we had a push for quite a few of our high-ranking heroes to accept omegas. The thought process was that if packs had babies all around a similar age, it would make it easier in the future to establish additional packs.”

She nods her head and takes in the information, but continues not to say anything.

“Well, since we had gone through quite a few heroes that I thought would have been a good fit for you, I started looking at your current options. I’ve pulled together some matches and we’ll have you both meet with them today.”

Her stomach drops. She should probably be more joyous at this moment, but now she’s concerned that they’re placing her too high. She’ll have to be on top of my game with whomever she’s paired with. 

“However, I do want you to be aware that some of them have already told me ahead of time that they do not want to take on an omega right now. They’re just meeting you out of respect for my position and sadly I cannot make them take on an omega.”

“Sad, really,” my grandmother jokes. Kimiko lets a small smile grace her face before returning her composure.

“Believe me, if I could I would. So many of these heroes are stuck on the idea of finding their mate on the field like a bunch of love-sick puppies.” The matchmaker groans and shakes their head. At one time, Kimiko had believed the same thing. She was destined to go through her life and just eventually run into her mate, but as she matured, she realized that dream wasn’t realistic. 

“Now then, I’m going to explain how this process is going to go. We’re going to be in one of the tea rooms today.”

Immediately her stress returns. Performing tea ceremonies all day was the last thing that she wanted to do. The matchmaker must see her tense because they let out a small chuckle.

“Because of the number of candidates we’re going through today, we don’t have time to do proper tea ceremonies. Though, something tells me that I would be very impressed with your skills.” 

Kimiko breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. 

“Thank you, I appreciate that.” Thankfully, the matchmaker doesn’t comment on her speaking out of place which she realizes she’s doing as she thanks them. Instead, they just give her a small smile and continue.

“We’re going to have you meet with eight different possible alphas today. Both myself and your grandmother will be there to help guide the conversation, but ultimately we’re looking to see if there’s a connection made. You’ll have 45 minutes to talk with the alpha and then 15 minutes to discuss your thoughts and eat, drink, or use the bathroom if you need it.”

She nods and waits for them to continue, but there’s a long pause so she takes it as a sign to speak.

“That sounds perfect. Thank you so much for this opportunity.” Kimiko can feel her grandmother beam at her response. Her caution to be overly cordial and traditional repeated in her mind. The matchmaker stands from their desk, which Kimiko and her grandmother mimic.  

“Shall we, then?” they prompt.  They follow them out of the room and into one of the tea rooms that face the garden. Kimiko looks out and smiles, enjoying the view of the various flowers blooming in the beautiful April air. This time of year is always her favorite, especially since all of the cherry blossoms are in bloom. 

She takes her seat at the tea table next to the window so she can glance out between alphas. Her grandmother sits to her right and the matchmaker is at the head of the table next to her. While they take a more comfortable position, Kimiko sits in the traditional seiza position to flaunt her posture and show a sense of elegance. Since her grandmother had her sitting this way constantly at home, it’s not as uncomfortable as it would normally be. 

The table is set for all of them and tea is starting to be poured by their hosts for the day. Seeing the opportunity to center herself, Kimiko takes deep breaths and tries to neutralize any negative waves flowing off of me. Before she knows it, a folder is placed in front of her grandmother with the first alpha on it. 

“Let’s begin.”

Six hours later

Mentally, she is exhausted from being at the top of her game all day. She tries her best not to show it, focusing on her breathing and the energy she’s putting out. She’s met with mostly heroes and one older alpha with quite a bit of influence. They’ve all been quite polite, but she can tell that they’re all not quite interested which has her a bit disheartened. She’s thankful that the last one was a big eater because she was able to get in a couple more snacks than they had been offering her throughout the day, but she’s still quite hungry.

The matchmaker is discussing something with one of the hosts before they start to reset the table for the next alpha. They clear their throat before addressing Kimiko.

“It would seem that our next match has decided to decline the invite last minute, so we will be moving forward with the last match of the day. They are working on retrieving them now.”

She’s a bit grateful, knowing it means she’ll be able to relax and eat soon, but the idea of being rejected still bothers her. She takes notice that the place settings are being changed from one to two as the folder is set in front of her.

As she’s done with the previous folders, she grabs it and opens it in front of her grandmother so she can also make a judgment. They’re greeted by two photos and a summary of the alphas below them.

Hizashi Yamada

Age: 29

Quirk: Voice

Occupation: Hero, English Teacher, and DJ

Interests: English and music

Aizawa Shouta

Age: 30

Quirk: Erasure

Occupation: Hero and Teacher

Interests: Cats

“Two alphas?” questions her grandma.

“I know two Prime Alphas for one pack is a bit unusual, but I think Ison would make the perfect addition to their pack,” states the matchmaker. “Their personalities complement each other very well. They’re both heroes as well as teachers at the U.A. Hero Academy and they’re both very strong and highly intelligent alphas that I think will make excellent mates for you.”

“Wow, they sound very reputable,” notes her grandmother.

Looking over the photos of the two alphas, Kimiko’s heart sinks. She knows both of these men and doubts either of them wants anything to do with me. Yamada seems very outgoing and is probably not going to like that she’s not. The other alpha was the one who helped with Kyo outside her apartment last week, Eraserhead. The tired expression he was wearing that night seems to be in every photo they have of him. Glancing over to her grandmother, she can tell she recognizes him too, but she doesn’t say anything. It sinks in that their relationship is most likely very private and Kimiko swallows hard. 

“Your impressive skill set also fits in with their busy schedules and heavy lifestyles. I think you’re more than capable of handling not just one, but the two very chaotic lifestyles as they have,” the matchmaker notes, taking her out of her thoughts.

“What an honor,” her grandmother says. Kimiko nods in response. The room is quiet which signals that they’re looking for her input so she quickly adds,

“They seem like very wonderful men. I would be very honored if they would have me.”

“There is one thing we should let you know about before you decide to move forward with this choice.” The matchmaker leans forward a bit and makes direct eye contact with Kimiko. She return their gaze without staring them down, but the hairs on the back of her neck start to stand up in concern.

“Due to their age, should you choose to join a pack with these alphas,” their gaze is still intense as they speak. “A pregnancy is expected within a year.”

Kimiko’s grandmother lets out a small, surprised gasp. She had been aware that something like this was possible, so the comment didn’t phase her. She responds with a nod.

“You’re ok with that?”

“Yes,” she responds, the words coming out of her mouth with no hesitation. “I am sure.”

“Well, ” the matchmaker says, clapping their hands together. This signals they’re ready for the alphas. “Let’s see what happens then.”

“Sounds good,” she says, trying to cover up the new wave of nervousness that washes over her. 

The doors open and the two men from the photos appear. While she’s been around plenty of Prime Alphas, something about these two seems to have Kimiko’s instincts going haywire. The pull in her chest I felt the night I met Eraserhead comes back. She takes a deep breath and tries not to make an indication that they don’t know each other unless he says something. It’s possible he doesn’t recognize her, especially since she doesn’t look the same as she did that night, so she’ll just wait to see if he brings it up.

“Hello, boys. This is Ison Kimiko and her grandmother, Ison Yuki.”  As the matchmaker introduces her, they respectfully bow, before taking a seat at the table across from me.

“I’m Yamada Hizashi,” the blonde man says, “so good to meet you. This is my husband, Aizawa Shouta.” The man to his right gives another short nod in recognition but doesn’t seem to have any interest in speaking at the moment. She hopes this isn’t a bad sign.

“Such charming gentlemen we have here,” her grandmother quips. Kimiko finds herself smiling at her comment. 

“Why don’t we have some tea before we get into the interview, hm?” This line has been used by the matchmaker with practically every interview today, yet feels oddly perfect this time around. Our hosts enter the room, pour some tea, and leave some small bites for everyone to eat. Meanwhile, her file is placed in front of the two alphas to look over. Deciding it’s best to take one last glance, she let her eyes rake over their file once more. Soon enough, tea is served and our hosts leave.

“Now then, Ison,” the matchmaker prompts her as they have been with the previous interviews. “Why don’t you tell these gentlemen a little about yourself.”

“Of course,” she says with a smile. “My name is Ison Kimiko. I’m 25 years old and I do not have a quirk. My parents passed away in middle school during a villain attack and I’ve been living with my grandmother ever since. 

After high school, I joined the Society’s Pack Program with a focus on becoming the most well-rounded omega for my future pack. I graduated with a degree in general studies earlier this year learning how to cook, clean, and take care of finances and I can speak three languages. 

This past year I volunteered at Masegaki Elementary School and feel confident being able to work with smaller children. In my free time, I enjoy reading and journaling but I also take time to do more physical activities like pilates and hiking if I can.”

Yamada seems to be interested in what she’s saying but it’s hard to gauge what Aizawa is feeling. He’s had a cold demeanor since he entered the room but she doesn’t believe it’s because of anything she’s said or done. 

“Miss Ison here is also extremely modest. She’s been the Pack Program’s role model for all new members with how much she’s excelled,” the matchmaker adds. Her heart soars at the praise, this wasn’t something that they’ve brought up any other time today. Kimiko gives an appreciative smile as they continue. “Of all of the matches we’ve seen today, I must say that this is the most interesting. Not just because of your relationship,” they say, gesturing toward the alphas. “But because you both share a common past.”

They all look to the matchmaker, puzzled. Is it possible that they know that Aizawa and Kimiko met last week? Her mind starts to race trying to put the pieces together. The matchmaker looks between their confused faces before explaining themselves further.

“They both lost a friend in the Tasomiya Ward attack your parents were in,” the room goes deathly quiet as they all process what was just said.

“Oh, how horrible,” Kimiko’s grandmother responds. Kimiko can feel a wave of sadness leaves her, so she tries to reign in her emotions.

Her grandmother pats her back in reassurance. She nods and focuses her breathing again, stopping any further waves.  The boys also seem to share in her sentiment, taking a moment to process. 

“While it may be a difficult subject to discuss now, I believe this may be something you can bond and grow from with one another.”

She gives a solemn nod and takes a chance, addressing the alphas, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Us too. Uh, about you,” Yamada responds a bit sheepishly. There’s more to be said, but now doesn’t seem to be the right time so she tries to move the conversation forward.

“Thank you, I really appreciate that,” She hopes the smile on her face lightens the mood a bit. “So, I have to know. What is it like teaching at U.A.?”

“It’s great, definitely keeps you on your toes!” Yamada seems to perk up, shooting her some finger guns that cause her to let out a small giggle. Something sparkles in his eye and he continues, “I used to teach the first-year students, but I was able to convince this guy to start teaching there and now he’s the first-year teacher. We’ve been there about three years now, this next class will be our fourth year teaching there.” Yamada gives Aizawa a playful shove and receives an eye roll in response.

“As of right now, I’m the English teacher,” Yamada proudly says. Kimiko perks up at this new bit of knowledge.

“Oh how funny, English was one of the languages I learned in school. I’m nowhere close to being a teacher but I did have lots of fun learning!” 

“ Far out ,” he responds in English, making her giggle again. 

“How is it teaching the first years?” She direct the question towards Aizawa. He seems to think about his answer before a familiar deep, throaty voice answers,

“It’s like trying to wrangle a bunch of circus monkeys.” Her laugh escapes her before I realize it’s left her mouth and she rushes to cover it.

“Sho!” Yamada scolds his partner.

“She asked.” Kimiko can’t help but smile.

“I can understand the sentiment. It often felt that way with some of the children I worked with as well.” Aizawa gives her a small smirk back and she takes that as a win. “You both have very interesting hobbies. Yamada, you’re a DJ, is that right?”

“Yeah, for my show Put Your Hands Up Radio !” he answers enthusiastically, seeming to put on his DJ act. The finger guns are back and he wiggles his eyebrows. “It's on Friday nights, you should tune in!” 

“Wait,” she pauses, putting the pieces together. “You’re Present Mic?” The smile he gives Kimiko in response could rival the Cheshire cat.

“The one and only! I take it you’re one of my little listeners?” It’s her grandmother who answers as she blushes.

“Oh goodness, is she ever. She stays up late to listen to you practically every Friday on the radio in her room. What’s the name of the program you’re always gushing about, dear?” Kimiko is sure her face is completely flushed.

“Loveline?” She offers, knowing that’s exactly what she’s talking about.

“Yes! That’s the one. She goes on and on all of the couples that call into that.” Kimiko wants nothing more than to melt into the floor, but Yamada seems to take pity on her.

“Well, it’s always good to meet a listener. Thank you for tuning in.” The wink he gives her does nothing to calm the redness that’s exploding across her face. She finds the courage to push past it though.

“No, thank you. I appreciate what you do, it’s helped me get through my studies.”

“Aw, gosh. I’m glad to hear that. Just promise me you’ll keep listening if this doesn’t work out.” His comment slightly stabs her in the heart but she again pushes past it.

“Of course, don’t think I could go without it,” she beams. Aizawa seems to be regarding her, so she tries again to get him to open up a little bit.

“Aizawa, you like cats, is that right?” Yamada gives him a knowing look.

“I do,” says the voice that is currently causing her stomach to do backflips. 

“Have you had any?” He reaches for his phone in his pocket and flips it around to show Kimiko his screen. An orange tabby all sprawled out on its back stares back at her.

“This is Sushi,” Aizawa comments with a small smile. “I got him from my friend when I was in high school.”

“Awwww,” she coos at the photo. “He’s so cute!” Aizawa gives a small chuckle at her reaction, causing a warmth to spread through her chest.

“Don’t tell him that. It’ll go to his head.” His genuine comment has her grinning like a doofus.

“Ok, I’ll try not to,” she giggles as he puts his phone away. It seems like she’s gotten Aizawa to open up a bit more which makes her heart soar.

“So, how did you two meet?” she asks, genuinely curious.

“Aizawa and I met our freshmen year at U.A. during the sports festival. He beat my butt during our duel and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Aizawa and I finished school, started working as pro-heroes, and officially became mates just a little after that. It’s been a little over 10 years.”

“Oh wow. 10 years, that’s amazing. Congratulations.” 

“Thank you!” Yamada says, beaming. “I know two alphas aren’t the norm, but we love each other and couldn’t see each other being in a different pack.”

“That’s very sweet,” Kimiko’s grandmother comments and Kimiko nods enthusiastically.

“I love that you both met at U.A. and now you teach there. There’s something really special about that, I love it.”

The matchmaker looks between all of them before jumping into the conversation.

“I hate to break things up here since you’re all getting along so well, but we are almost out of time and I want to make sure there weren’t any questions that needed to be answered before we all split up.”

Her stomach sinks a little, realizing that their time is almost up. This is the most connected she’s felt to any alpha today and she’s sad, thinking that this might be the end. 

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t think it was going to work out at first. I was prepared to come in today and just automatically reject this whole thing,” Aizawa confesses. Yamada gives him a look as he does, clearly upset he brought it up. The happy-go-lucky persona he just had is completely gone. “But now that I’ve met you, I think I was wrong about that.”

A grin plasters itself on Kimiko’s face and she tries not to start tearing up, happy that they seem to like her.

“The only question that I have for you is if you’ve had any previous relationships.”

“Oh my god, Shouta! I didn’t think you’d say that. I’m so sorry!” Yamada scolds. She didn’t expect the question to be so directly asked, but she was ready to answer regardless. A cynical part of her mind wonders if he’s asking because he’s recognized her, but she chooses to ignore it.

“It’s quite alright. In terms of past relationships, I did have one boyfriend, but we were never intimate. He got physically violent with me when I wouldn’t give him what he wanted, so I left.”

“Oh, hun,” Yamada says, voice dripping with pity. Aizawa doesn’t seem to make any sort of reaction and she’s not sure how to take that.

“It’s ok, it was a long time ago. Before I started getting serious about the Pack Program. I think that’s probably what pushed me to make the decision. I wanted to find people with similar goals in mind.”

“I would have thought that would have deterred you,” Aizawa says in a questioning tone.

“You know, my advisor said the same thing. I think it’s more like,” she pauses again to fully think of how she wants to say things. Everyone stares at her as she thinks, so she quickly just tries to find her words and push forward.

 “I think it’s more like he just wanted me for sex, plain and simple. The Pack Program seems more personal, and more focused on a healthy pack. It just resonates with me more than just having sex for sex, seems like less drama too.” Her grandmother grunts in acknowledgment. The matchmaker takes the opportunity to take back control of the conversation.

“Were there any other questions?” They take the silence that follows as confirmation that the conversation has concluded. Kimiko’s stomach drops again, realizing this has come to an end.

“Alright, I’ll think I’ll just jump in then.” She gives them a confused look, this was not something they had done for any of the previous interviews. 

“First, I’d like to explain how my quirk works. Have you all heard the folk tale of the red string?”

“The one that connects us to the one we love?” Kimiko asks.

“Yes, quite. My quirk allows me to see this string as well as show it to others. It’s very helpful in situations such as this,” they give a slight chuckle to themselves. Kimo’s heart speeds up, hopeful for them to say what she thinks they will.

“I was a bit concerned when you two walked in because your string was quite prominent and thick,” the matchmaker says to the two men in front of her. All hopes of hers go out the window and her stomach sinks. There wasn’t a chance to begin with, but the matchmaker carries on.

“Which makes sense given the relationship you two have. I was tempted to almost call off the interview, but then something caught my eye. If you don’t mind,” they reach out their hands. Kimiko carefully reaches over the table and places her hand in theirs. Since Aizawa is closest, he does the same. Yamada hovers his hand out next to Aizawa’s. The matchmaker takes a deep breath and closes their eyes. Between the pinkies of the two alphas, a red string forms. They look at one another and Yamada smiles as they watch it appear.

Then, there’s a flash of light before a thinner, golden string forms between Aizawa’s pinkie and Kimiko’s pinkie. Her breath catches as it continues to extend from her pinkie to Yamada’s pinkie.

“Oh my. Does this mean-,” Kimiko’s grandmother trails off, looking at the matchmaker for answers.

“Yes. True mates.” Taken aback, Kimiko returns her hand to her lap, the men across from her follow and the strings disappear. “I’ve seen it only twice before but there’s no denying it. The three of you are meant to be together.” 

She swallows as she processes this. There are stories told about this to little girls, but nothing like this ever seemed possible.

“Now, from what I’ve been told and what I have seen myself, if the three of you decide to move forward with this relationship there may be some interesting events that may happen. I’m saying this, not to push you into a relationship, but just to be aware of what may happen.”

“Thank you,” Aizawa responds. He looks to Yamada who nods, seemingly answering some quiet question that had been asked.

“If you don’t mind, we’d like to take a moment to discuss with one another before we make a decision.”

“But of course, gentlemen. Let me show you to the door.” The matchmaker gets up and the three leave the room, leaving behind Kimiko and her grandmother. A deep sigh leaves Kimiko as her grandmother readjusts how she’s sitting so she’s more comfortable. 

“Think they like me?” Kimiko asks, trying to soothe her nerves.

“It’s hard to tell,” her grandmother says, her voice low. “We are not our true selves in these meetings. We put on a front, something I can see both of these men doing. They do appear to be good people and there’s no doubt they would be able to take care of you without any issue. I am concerned their relationship may be a deterrent, but what a surprise that you all ended up being true mates-”

“Right?” Kimiko breathes out, interrupting her. “What are the odds of that? That’s something you hear about in fairy tales!” She can feel her grandmother’s side eye before she sees it. She deflates quickly and reels herself in with a small sorry.

“If they do not decide to take you into their pack, you must make sure to do whatever the matchmaker says to break that bond between the three of you. It’s not fair to you to still have that bond if you’re in a different pack.”

“Yes, Grandma. I will,” she responds robotically.

“Let’s not worry about that now though, hm? I’m sure they’ll come back with good news.” She nods in response and looks back out into the garden. The sun has dipped further into the sky, adding warmth and shadows to the garden. A few minutes of silence later, a knock on the door snaps her out of her gaze and she makes sure her posture is as perfect as it can be. The matchmaker comes back into the room and sits back at the table. 

“They’ll probably be a couple more minutes. It seems that they have a bit to talk about.” Kimiko nods and worries her bottom lip before going back to look at the garden. Doubts flood her mind the longer they take. Her head replays their conversation, analyzing everything she said for things that may have upset or displeased them. For Kimiko, it feels like a lifetime has passed when the doors open again and the two alphas make their way back to the table.

“Welcome back, gentleman,” the matchmaker prompts. The two slightly bob their head in response as Kimiko’s stomach starts to tie itself into a million knots. Neither alpha makes a move to talk, so the matchmaker takes it upon themselves to start the conversation back up. 

“Did you both come to a decision?”

“Yes,” Aizawa answers. He looks over Kimiko before turning his attention to the matchmaker.

“We’d like to take Ison out to dinner before we make our decision if that’s alright.” The matchmaker’s head snaps to Aizawa and they start to stammer. 

“Well, that’s - I must say that’s not really the normal-,”

“There are some things that we would need to discuss with her one-on-one before any decision is finalized for anyone here,” Aizawa says firmly. She shifts a little, unsure of what to say or do before glancing over to her grandmother. 

Her grandmother takes a moment to regard Kimiko while the matchmaker still works on collecting themselves.

“I don’t see any problem with that, you boys seem capable enough to take care of her.” She starts to get up, using Kimiko’s shoulder as leverage. 

“Grandma, are you sure-,”

“Just let me know when you’re on your way back home, Kimi. I think I’m going to get some dinner myself.” Kimiko is stunned as her grandmother makes her way out of the room. Once she leaves, her attention goes back to everyone else in the room.

“I’m sorry, she can be a bit mischievous,” she offers. “Dinner does sound nice though, thank you.” She gives a polite bow before looking at the matchmaker. They seem a bit flustered, but they let out a huff, taking back control of the room.

“This is highly unusual, but I will let it slide. Please, just let me know tomorrow if a decision is made so we can take care of any follow-up paperwork or schedule more interviews if needed.”

“Of course,” Aizawa states plainly.

“Hope you’re hungry, Ison,” Yamada quips with a smile. She lets out a breath of air and nods quickly,

“Starved.” The smile on his face grows.

“Perfect, I know just the place to go,” he says with a wink. They all stand up and Kimiko takes a second to readjust her outfit. Yamada comes up beside her and offers his arm. Smiling at his gesture, she gladly loops her arms through his as he guides her out of the room.

“Don’t forget, tomorrow. First thing preferably,” the matchmaker says as they all exit the room.

“Will do,” Kimiko responds. “Thank you.” They give another huff and weary smile before letting us all leave. Aizawa follows behind the pair as they make their way out of the building. She looks around to see if she spots her grandma, but she seems to already be long gone.

“You’re going to love this place,” Yamada prompts. “It’s one of our favorites.” She watches as a blacked-out SUV pulls up in front of the building and someone jumps out to open the doors. A bit curious, she looks up to Yamada to see if he looks concerned at all, but his lack of reaction lets her know that this car is probably for them. Not wanting to seem rude, she tries carrying on the conversation.

“What do you like about it?”

“Well, the food is really good, but they also have seating in the back that’s super comfy.”

“And private,” Aizawa chimes in and Yamada clicks his tongue.

“Sho, you’re gonna scare her.” When his partner doesn’t respond he gives Kimiko’s arm a little squeeze. They walk up to the SUV and he guides her in before taking a seat next to her. Aizawa sits in the passenger seat and gives the name of the restaurant.

“To be honest, we did choose this place because it's private, but they also have good food,” Yamada says, seemingly to placate any negative thoughts she may be having.

“Like what? What do you normally get?”

Yamada starts talking about different dishes he likes as Kimiko looks between the two alphas in the car. Aizawa is a bit more quiet than she’d like, making her concerned about the nature of what they’d like to talk about. She tries not to make it noticeable that she’s concerned and listens in on what Yamada is recommending. He must catch on though, because after a few recommendations, he gives her a pity smile. 

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” His voice has dropped in tone and he sounds the most genuine he has all evening. Kimiko gives a small smile and lets out a breath.

“Yeah, sorry. It’s not you. You’re not scaring me, I promise. It's just that I’m not sure what to say or do.” 

He reaches over and squeezes her arm before looking directly at her.

“Just be yourself,” he says in that quieter, genuine voice. A feeling of warmth and safety blooms in her chest. Seeing himself be more genuine and less of the personality that she hears on the radio has her relaxing and letting her walls down more.

“Okay,” she tries making her response as authentic as his was and from the warm smile on his face, it seems that he appreciates it. 

“The chicken you mentioned does sound delicious. I haven’t had much besides those small tea snacks all day.”

“That sounds awful,” Yamada comments, taking his hand off her arm. “We’ll make sure you eat good, ok?”

“Okay,” she says, smiling. She takes his concern for her as a good thing. Aizawa looks over his shoulder to regard them but doesn’t say anything. Instead, he points out the restaurant to the driver and the car pulls over.

Yamada gets out first and reaches a hand out to help Kimiko out of the vehicle. Her legs are still a little sore from sitting all day, so they wobble and she ends up crashing into him as they get out. He takes the opportunity to chuckle and catch her.

“Falling for me already?”

“I guess so,” she laughs back 

Closing the door behind her, she grabs ahold of his arm like she did before. His warm smile sits casually on his face as Aizawa walks ahead of them, opening the door to the nicest restaurant she’s ever seen.

Inside, mood lighting and posh furniture greet the trio. A grand crystal chandelier hangs in the middle of the room, glittering and reflecting the soft lighting throughout the room. Kimiko’s eyes wander around in awe, captivated by the sights. The men check-in, explaining that they called in earlier, but had one more guest than expected. The hostess tells them it’s not an issue before guiding them down a hallway to the left labeled VIP. They walk down a row of small rooms before being guided to an open room. Inside is a U-shaped booth and table with more mood lighting and some small candles.

“Feel free to get comfortable, your server will be with you shortly.” 

“Thank you,” Yamada comments before sitting down and scooching into the booth. He pats the spot next to him and Kimiko quickly sits beside him. Aizawa takes a seat on the opposite side of them and Kimiko’s nerves return. 

“Thank you for inviting me here, this place is very nice,” she comments.

“Our pleasure, we hope you like it,” Yamada replies.

“We did bring you here to discuss some more serious topics, though.”

“Oh, Sho. Let’s at least get some food and drinks before you start killing the mood,” Yamada huffs in response.

“I’m just trying to set expectations.”

“It’s alright, really,” Kimiko says to Yamada. She mimics squeezing his arm like he did to her earlier, earning a grin from the alpha. “I think I’m more nervous that I don’t know what we’re going to talk about.”

“Ok, that’s fair,” Yamada agrees. "We wanted to go over our relationship a bit as well as ask some questions we knew would be difficult to answer in front of your grandmother."

"Oh, well thank you. I appreciate that." A wave of surprise emits from Kimiko.

"Plus, it's hard to gauge what a person is really like in a meeting like that. We'd like to see who you truly are, Ison Kimiko." The intimidating stare he directs at her makes her swallow hard.

A knock at the door eases the tension and a waiter slides the door open. They introduce themselves and get the drink orders as well as a small appetizer that Yamada wanted before leaving the three of them alone again. 

"So, did you want to get into it?" Aizawa prompts. Kimiko looks between the two of them before nodding and taking in a deep breath. The two appear to have a silent conversation before also nodding. 

"I can go first,” says Yamada. 

Kimiko shifts to face him better before giving him her full attention. 

“Is it true that the two of you have met before?” Yamada asks in a slightly playful tone.

Ice shoots through her veins as his words sink in. Aizawa had recognized her. Rather than try to deflect or cover anything up, she decides to be honest.

"It's true. I was coming home from a bar and ended up running into my ex-boyfriend who gave me some trouble. Aizawa swooped in and saved me. Thank you again for that, by the way," she directs the last part to the man in front of her, who shrugs in response. "I'm surprised you recognized me, I looked a lot different than I do now." 

Aizawa stares at her for a few seconds, making her feel incredibly small. 

"It's your eyes," he states matter-of-factly.

"Oh," is all she can think to say in response. A twinge of pain hits her chest as she recognizes those words as Kyo’s. She had not expected that response at all.

“So why were you dressed like that?” Aizawa prompts, crossing his arms. 

“I was escorting a group of my omega friends to the bar, so I was trying to pass off as an alpha. It’s something I’ve done a couple of times, but it was the last time I’ll ever do it again.” He seems to take a second to ponder over the answer, giving a small, single nod.

“When did this start?” His voice is even toned, but it’s obvious there’s more to his questions than he’s letting on. Still, she decides it’s best to answer honestly.

“For one of their birthdays. They needed a bodyguard and couldn’t find one for cheap last minute so we all threw things together and I ended up being the alpha for the night,” she explains, biting her lip. “I’m the only prime omega in the group, so it made more sense for it to be me.” The last part comes out quieter and shakier than she would have liked but she tries to ignore it. Again, Aizawa pauses before asking his next question.

“Besides your ex-boyfriend, were there any other alphas you had problems with?”

“That night we had an alpha follow us and try to cause some issues, but that was the first time it had happened. Normally, I can put on a certain demeanor and alphas will back down. He wasn’t going for it though.”

She takes another second to think before shaking her head.

“That’s it though. My ex was the one to actually get that guy out of our faces, so that’s how we ran into each other.”

Aizawa gives another nod in response, seeming to soak in her answer.

"Speaking of your ex, is he still bothering you?" Yamada asks with a bit of concern. 

"No," she answers quickly. "No, I haven't heard from him since that night. I figured he was either in jail or just wanted nothing to do with me."

Yamada puts his hand over hers and gives it a reassuring rub.

"Ok, well please let us know if that changes."

"I will, thank you,” she says with a small nod. The fact he seems to already be protective about her has her instincts going crazy. She tries not to make it obvious tough.

"That was the same guy you were talking about earlier, right?" His voice has become more soft and gentle.

"Yes." Again, she finds her voice to be smaller and shakier than she’d like. 

That’s when it hits her. Yamada’s been using his alpha control on her. He seems to notice the recognition in her eyes and releases his control. 

His control was unlike any other alpha she had felt before. Normally it’s startling and demeaning being controlled by an alpha. A person’s movements and words feel like they’re being forced out of them. However, his alpha felt more soothing and Kimiko felt more inclined to answer things honestly.

“Sorry, just had to make sure you’d be honest,” he says apologetically. 

“No, it’s quite alright. I understand, really. What I was doing was really out of place and weird, it’s fair to ask questions.” Her head hangs a little in response.

“We just wanted to make sure that you were safe and there wasn’t a chance you had made enemies doing this. Safety is a priority in our pack.”

“Of course,” she says quickly. Her instincts catch into the insinuation that he considers her part of the pack already and she can’t help but smile.

The waiter comes back with a knock before dropping off their drinks and the appetizer as well as taking the entree order. Kimiko decides to go with a dish Yamada recommended earlier in the car and he seems to light up. Once the waiter leaves, Aizawa focuses his attention back on Kimiko.

“Now then, was there anything you’d like to discuss before we move on?”

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” comments Yamada.

“Yes,” she answers. “But they’re mostly about how I would fit into this dynamic.”

“Understandable,” he says back before motioning for Aizawa to talk. 

“I should probably give a little back story,” he starts before leaning back in the seat a bit. “As we mentioned earlier, the two of us are married and have been for some time. We honestly had no plans to take in an omega, but the Hero Association was very adamant about us producing pups. The choice given to us was to either add an omega to our pack or allow a surrogate to carry a child for us. The catch with the surrogate is that they would be under the Association’s care and we would not be able to have contact with them.”

“And that just didn’t sit right with us,” Yamada adds.

“So, we decided that we would try going the other route of looking to add an omega to our pack. We had met up with a couple of omegas before you, but none of them seemed quite as…,” he trails off, seeming to look for the right word.

“Genuine. Let’s just say that,” Yamada chimes in.

“Yeah,” Aizawa agrees with his partner. “It was more apparent that they were just doing it for status than actually wanting to be a part of our pack. And so, that’s why we had planned to decline the invitation this time.”

“We just didn’t want to sit through another uncomfortable meeting.” “I don’t blame you,” Kimiko says warmly. She tries letting out some soothing waves, hoping to placate any negative feelings that may have been brought up by talking about this.

“Heck, this was only my first meeting and it was rough. I could only imagine what it would be like to do it multiple times.”

Aizawa gives her a small smile before looking at his husband, smile faltering a little.

“Yeah, it wasn’t fun. It’s honestly very tough for me to be vulnerable to new people, which is kind of expected at these meetings.”

She nods in agreement.

“Regardless, we came today, expecting another experience like before, and prepped ourselves for another let-down.”

“But then, the whole string thing happened,” Yamada says, voice a bit more solemn than it has been all evening. Kimiko looks to see his expression. His eyes seem far away as they stare endlessly at the table and his mouth is scrunched up a bit.

“When Hizashi and I stepped out to talk things over, we were both very shocked about what had just happened. It felt good to know that we do belong together.”

“Despite what some people might think,” Yamada mutters quietly.

“However, we were a bit scared that it seemed we found an omega. We both agreed that we liked you and the energy you would bring to the pack. I was a bit nervous, considering how I had first met you.”

“But I told him we couldn’t just let you walk away. Not without getting to know you first and finding out if joining our pack was something that you wanted.”

Kimiko looks between the two of them as they talk, absorbing what they say and ultimately feeling flattered that they were willing to give her a chance after having previous bad experiences.

“We’re going to be new to this, it’s uncharted territory for all of us. But, I think as long as we’re open and communicate with one another, it should make things easier,” Aizawa says with a firm nod. She grins at his response.

“I think so too. I’ll focus on being as open and honest as possible if that’s what it takes to make this work. I really appreciate you both giving me a chance.” Her eyes slightly water, so she tries to hide it by sipping her drink.

“I think there are going to need to be some rules made to help this succeed and keep us all safe, but I do think we can make this happen.” Yamada places his arm around her and squeezes her right shoulder. Kimiko's instincts go haywire and she practically feels her brain short circuit in response. She smiles up wide at Yamada in response. 

The waiter returns with the main dishes which all look so stunning and posh. Kimiko stares at her dish in awe, hesitating to disturb its beauty.

“Everything ok?” Yamada asks her, eyes scanning her dish to see what might be wrong.

“Oh, yes,” she says apologetically. “It just looks so pretty, I don’t want to ruin it,” she gives a small laugh as he breathes a sigh of relief. 

“I can understand that,” he says with a smile, eyes locked on her face. 

She blushes before giving in and sticking her fork into the meal somewhat dramatically. He chuckles and they all take a few minutes to enjoy their food. Questions still linger in her mind, so she gathers up the courage to break the silence.

“So, while I know that you’d both be taking me in as your omega. Would I be spending my heats with both of you as well? Or did one of you not want to?” Realizing how blunt her question came out, she blushes. The two stop eating, exchanging looks between themselves.

“Sorry, that was maybe too open, huh?” she asks with a nervous giggle. “I’m just still a little confused at how the dynamic between all of us would work.” As she starts nervous babbling, Aizawa sets down his utensils and wipes his mouth. He lets her stop talking before addressing her question.

“I’m sorry if I didn’t quite make this clear, but you would be the omega to both of us. Meaning we all share one another, heats and ruts included. We’re looking for an omega to take on both of our children and manage our pack when we’re away. That’s something you feel ok taking on, correct?”

“Yes,” she says a bit relieved. “I was hoping that’s what you were going to say, I just wanted to make sure I understood.”

“Did you have any other questions?” He asks, picking up his silverware and continuing his meal.

“Just one right now. Will I have a room of my own or will I be sharing with you?”

“Would you like to have your own room?” he asks curiously. 

“Maybe to put my things in, but I mostly just don’t want to impose.”

“What do you mean?” Yamada asks, picking up the conversation.

“Well, like I’m not sure if you want me to share your bed or have my items out around the house with yours or if you’d like me to have a room.” The two men shared a concerned look between themselves.

“Sorry, I know that might be a weird question, but you two are already established and I don’t want to -”

“Let me stop you there,” Yamada interrupts. “We may already have our things situated, but you’d be a part of our pack. Like Aizawa just said, you’d be our omega. Our house would be your house, our things would be your things. If you feel like you need a space that you can have to yourself, you’re more than welcome to have that space but don’t think that you’d ever not be welcome in our space.”

Kimiko is stunned by his words. She merely nods in response, a little choked up by his sentiment. 

“I have an idea. Why don’t you come back to our place after this and see things so you decide whether or not you need a room of your own if you were to join us,” proposes Aizawa.

“Ok,” she says, nearly bouncing with excitement. With that question being answered, they all go back to eating.

Once they’re all almost done with their meals, Aizawa starts the conversation back up again.

“Ison,” he says, grabbing her attention. “Since you brought up heats, do you mind if I ask you some questions regarding yours?”

“Shouta, oh my god!” Yamada scolds, causing her to giggle.

“Yes, that’s quite alright,” she says, placing a placating hand on Yamada’s arm and letting out some soothing waves. “I’ve been asked a couple of times today about my heats so I’m not bothered by it.” 

“You were being asked about your heats?” Yamada asks, clearly very shocked. She giggles again at his reaction.

“Yeah. Since it had on my file that I had difficult heats, I had quite a few questions about that.”

“I must have missed that,” he responds. “Still, I think those would be questions better asked in private than in front of your grandmother for heaven's sake! That’s why we asked you out here so you didn’t have to be embarrassed about answering. The nerve of some alphas,” he shakes his head at his last statement.

She smiles wide, thrilled knowing that they took her feelings into consideration about answering questions in front of her grandmother. 

“Thank you for that,” she says gratefully. “That little note did make for some awkward moments, but I’m more than happy to discuss my heats with you both.”

“I appreciate that,” comments Aizawa. She smiles back and takes another sip of her drink.

“Do you mind explaining why it said your heats were difficult?” he prompts her.

“Of course. It’s more of a medical opinion than anything.” Her response gain two confused looks, which was the typical response she gotten today.

“During my heats, I tend to drop very easily. While most omegas can regulate going in and out of their drops depending on how comfortable they are and things like that, I for whatever reason don’t have that capability.

This causes issues because I’ll drop really hard and not be able to get myself to find release properly. So, I tend to get heat colds afterwards because my body’s temperature had been so high for so long that it makes me sick.

The Society doctors were able to put me on a hormone regulator that lessened the amount of heats I had a year, but this last year they had me detox from all of that so I would be ready for a pack as soon as I found one. This led me to have to spend my last couple of heats in the Society hospital so they could keep me safely away from any unwanted alphas and make sure I didn’t get too sick.”

“Oh, that must have been rough,” Yamada says sympathetically.

“Yeah, it wasn’t really the best since the hospital always smelt so sterile and it wasn’t easy to make a comfortable nest, but I was able to get through them because of this one sex shop that I found.”

“Oh?” Yamada prompts with a smirk.

“Yeah, it’s near the mall I go to. It’s run by Midnight, the pro-hero. Do you guys know her?” The two alphas smile at one another and Yamada chuckles.

“Yes, we know her,” he says. “What do you like about her shop?”

“Oh, well first off she’s super sweet.”

“You’ve met her before?” he asks with a smile.

“Yeah, why? Is that a problem?” she asks, worried that they might not like her.

“No, not at all,” Yamada says. “Go on, what else do you like.”

“Well, she helped me figure out what kinks I had and then helped me to find toys I liked from that. It helped to shorten the length of my heats since I was taking care of it by myself. She’s been a lifesaver and she’s always so nice when I go in. 

I thought she wouldn’t remember me the second time I went in but she did and introduced me to her other workers and they’ve been so nice too. It’s just been good to find a place I can feel comfortable in and get things that are actually helpful.”

“Yeah, that’s Midnight,” Aizawa states. “She’s always there for those that need it. Even if her ways can be a bit unorthodox at times.”

“So, I take it, you know her then?” she asks, looking between the two.

“We do,” Yamada says with a bit of a chuckle. “We work with her and our agencies are in the same building.” 

“What? That’s so funny!”

“I’m starting to think I understand this string thing a little more,” Aizawa comments. Kimiko’s heart flutters. “We’ve all been somewhat connected to one another for a while now, just didn’t realize it.” 

She smiles, looking between the two.

“Yeah, really.” There’s a moment of silence as they all seem to take that fact in.

“Sorry to take away from how sentimental that got, but do you mind if I ask you more questions about your heat?” 

“Not at all,” Kimiko says with a smile. 

The waiter comes back in to check on us and she giggles.

“In a moment,” she says to Aizawa.

“Of course,” he says with a wink. Her insides melt and she misses the waiter asking her a question.

“Ison?” Yamada prompts. “Did you want dessert?”

“Oh, no. Sorry, no I’m good, that you very much,” she startles. No one else orders so the waiter announces they’ll clean up the plates and be back with the check in a little bit. After they leave, she addresses Aizawa with a giggle,

“You can ask now.”

“Thank you,” he says. “Sorry to have distracted you.” He winks again and she blushes.

“Is there anything that you need that we can provide you with for your heats?"

"Um, I don't think so," she answers while trying to think of anything. "Midnight helped me find toys and things to help me get through heats on my own but I think with two partners I should be more than okay." 

"What kind of toys helped the most?"

"Well, the toy that helped the most was one of her larger knot toys. Since I'm more coherent after being knotted, she suggested a large knot to prolong the time it would take for me to disconnect from it and she ended up being right. That paired with these audios that talk me through my heats made things go a lot smoother.”

“Audios?” Aizawa asks.

“Uh, yeah. They’re audios made for omega drops. They talk you through orgasms and tell you you’re doing a good job, stuff like that.” She nervously rubs her arm, worried that they’re going to think she’s weird for liking these things. “But, that’s pretty much it.”

“Thank you for telling us,” Yamada says, reaching his hand out to her shoulder. She smiles at him as he rubs his thumb back and forth. “I’m sure we’re going to be more than able to help you through your heats when they come.”

“Thank you,” she responds, her voice somewhat small.

“When is your next one expected?” Aizawa asks.

“About two months from now. My last one was a month ago, right before finals which was the worst. I’m pretty regular now though so every three months like usual.”

“Yikes, before finals?” asks Yamada.

“Yeah,” she says with a small laugh. “It was not very fun. I was trying to study in between waves, but it’s kind of hard to focus. Luckily it ended a couple of days before my first final so I had some time to prepare, but it was still stressful.”

“Dang, you poor thing. That must have been so rough. Don’t worry, your next one will be far less stressful,” he winks at her, and her stomach backflips. 

“Um, is there anything helpful I can do during your ruts?” she asks, trying to direct a question towards them. The two alphas take a moment to think, which leads her to another question.

“I mean, how are you taking care of them now?”

“Oh, we usually help each other through them,” Yamada explains nonchalantly. “So I can’t think of any specifics right now. Once we know our dynamics a little bit better I think that’ll probably change. For example, during Sho’s ruts, I tend to take on a more submissive role, even if it triggers my rut in response. With you added to the mix, that may switch things up a little, we’ll just have to see.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I was curious how that worked with the two of you. To be honest, I haven’t heard how things work out in alpha/alpha relationships so this is all really new to me.”

“That’s understandable,” Yamada says. “It’s not a very common relationship structure. Honestly, it was a bit rocky at first.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Sho’ here may not look it, but he’s actually a big softie.” Kimiko looks at Aizawa who gives Yamada a dirty look, making her giggle. “It caused him to be overly protective of me in the beginning, which caused some scuffles, but we got through it. I didn’t want to be babied or seen as lesser than by another alpha, but once we talked things through, we realized that it all came from a place of love and we were able to work through it.”

“Oh, that makes sense. Since you’re both alphas you both have that desire to protect and not be protected, so if you both feel that way it clashes, right?”

“Pretty much,” Yamada says with a smile.

“That’s really cool that you guys were able to get through that though. Probably why you guys seem to have such a strong bond.”

“Yeah,” Yamada says in a sweet tone, looking at Aizawa. Kimiko takes a moment to enjoy seeing this sweeter, more tender side of their relationship.

Another question enters Kimiko’s mind that has her feeling a bit nervous.

“Have either of you ever been with an omega before?”

“I have,” Yamada says, slightly raising his hand. “I had a short fling with an omega girl in high school, but soon realized she wasn’t a good fit. Shouta has not though.”

The man in question doesn’t make eye contact with the omega. An embarrassed blush spreads across his face.

“It’s been a long time since then though so I’ll probably be rusty,” Yamada says with a small chuckle, playfully elbowing Kimiko. 

“Well then, that’s perfect.”

“Hm?” he prompts me, quirking his brow.

“Well, it’ll be like it’s all of our first time. Not just mine,” she explains. Her shy counterpart gives a small smile at her words.

“I like that,” Yamada says with another soft squeeze to her arm. A moment of comfortable silence passes between them as the two men seemingly have another silent conversation. Aizawa smiles and nods to Hizashi, who in return locks eyes with Kimiko.

“Well, Kimi. I guess it’s time that we should officially ask you.”

The world gets so loud yet so quiet at the same time as she waits to hear the words she’s been wanting to hear since their meeting.

“Would you like to be a part of our pack?”

Excitement fills her from head to toe and she can’t help from frantically nodding. Her words come slightly delayed but she fumbles out,

“Y-yes. Please. I’d like that very much.” The men respond with soft chuckles.

“Welcome to the pack,” Aizawa warmly.  

Happiness and pride burst from the omega. All the time she had spent working towards her goal was worth it. She’s achieved her goal - she is now part of a pack. She can’t help but wish that her parents were still alive so she could share this with them. They had wanted nothing but the best for her and she knows they would be beyond thrilled with this outcome.

 The waiter comes back in with the check and Aizawa hands him the money right away. The waiter thanks them for coming in and Yamada prompts the newly formed pack to leave. Kimiko follows them both out of the restaurant and they end up back out front, the black SUV waiting for them. 

“Thank you again for dinner,” Kimiko says to Yamada as he sits next to her.

“It was our pleasure,” he responds with a smile. “Did you still want to check out our place?”

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Aizawa says from the front seat and asks the driver to take them back to their place.

Waves of happiness pour from Kimiko and the pair seem to soak in the waves. Within about 10 minutes, they pull up to a tall, modern-looking skyscraper that’s behind a large, concrete fence. The gated entrance looks both luxurious and secure. The building looked like something that would be seen in magazines or influencer’s social media. Yamada watches Kimiko admiring the building before her before leaning over and saying,

“Welcome home.” PREVIOUS | NEXT

Haven’t had a writer’s block this bad since middle school

Quick little 500 word New Year Soap blurb that was on my mind. Not the usual guy I write about, but I feel like he'd fit best in this scenario. Best wishes to everyone in the new year! ✨

~

This year had been a relentless storm of chaos. You cycled through two different apartments, three different jobs, and four heartbreaks with boyfriends who seemed to fit your life about as well as shoes two sizes too small. The year ended in a crescendo of disaster with a holiday shouting match between you and your parents. They lectured you about responsibility, stability, and your future, while you barely resisted the urge to scream back that life wasn’t a neat little checklist.

Needing an escape, you found yourself at a dimly lit, slightly sketchy bar for New Year's Eve. It wasn’t fancy, but at least it wasn’t crowded. The bartenders were surprisingly pleasant for people stuck working on a holiday, and their strong pours had done an admirable job numbing your frustration. 

You perched on a creaky barstool, your gaze drifting to the overhead TV broadcasting the glitzy Times Square celebration. The screen showed bundled-up couples and families huddling together, their faces glowing with excitement as the clock ticked down. "60 seconds to midnight," one of the anchors chirped.

Your stomach churned, not just from the booze but from the creeping melancholy that always seemed to hit when you least wanted it. A year of missteps and failed connections had left you longing for something, anything, to cut through the static of loneliness. Your eyes wandered down the bar, scanning the room like a radar looking for a friendly signal.

That’s when you saw him. A broad-shouldered man with a charmingly confident grin and a slightly rebellious mohawk slid into the seat next to yours. His presence had an almost magnetic pull, and when he turned to meet your gaze, his smile was warm enough to melt a little of the ice inside you.

“Happy New Year,” you offered, your voice light but tinged with hope.

“Same to you,” he replied with a playful edge, the kind that promised an interesting story.

As the bar filled with the sound of the countdown, the bartender appeared with two glasses of champagne, sliding one in front of you and the stranger. “On the house,” he said with a wink.

“You got a New Year’s kiss lined up?” the man asked, his grin widening.

You felt your cheeks flush, a mix of embarrassment and excitement bubbling up. “Not yet,” you admitted, glancing down as the countdown hit 10 seconds.

Something bold and reckless surged through you, the kind of courage that only a New Year’s Eve countdown and a few too many drinks could summon. You turned to him, caught his gaze, and leaned in. 5 seconds.

Your lips met his just as the bar erupted in cheers and shouts of “Happy New Year!” The kiss was electric, a jolt of warmth that cut through the haze of the year gone by.

When you pulled back, he looked momentarily stunned, but a snarky grin quickly spread across his face. He raised a hand toward you, palm up. Sitting in his open hand was a single Hershey’s Kiss.

vigilantes TODAY did indeed sink in literally just now

writing? oh, i’m definitely writing. in my head. during the most inconvenient times. like in the shower or when i’m about to fall asleep. actual typing? no, no, we don’t do that here.

👻👻

I hope none of you disappear in the coming days. Seriously don't do anything that can't be undone.

Behind the Scenes: The Secret Omega CHAPTER 7 - End of the Vaca

AO3 Link SUMMARY: The end of the hot springs vacation and the beginning of the rest of the week.

CHAPTER 7 - End of the Vaca

Kimi’s eyes open the following morning to Hizashi’s smushed face. Smiling, she takes note of where she is, on the edge of the bed facing towards Hizashi. Lifting her head up, she can see Shouta cuddled up to his back. Happiness fills her chest as she looks at her two mates cuddling with one another. Slowly, she manages to detangle herself from Hizashi so she can get up to use the restroom.

Coming out of the bathroom, she admires the telltale signs of the sun starting to rise from the windows. Not wanting to wake her mates, she quietly goes into the closet and grabs some clothes. She changes into a long-sleeved shirt and baggy sweatpants, grabbing her phone as she leaves the room. 

Strolling around the onsen, she enjoys the stillness of the morning and the colors that emerge from the sky. Stopping in an open hallway that shows off a rock garden, she takes a moment to close her eyes and enjoy the serenity of the morning. 

“Good morning, dear.”

Kimi squeaks as she opens her eyes to find the onsen owner at the end of the hallway.

“Good morning, so sorry,” Kimi says with a respectful bow.

“Oh no, dear. I’m sorry for spooking you.”

The onsen owner makes her way next to Kimi, looking out to the garden. 

“I was just enjoying the view. It’s so lovely this morning.”

“Isn’t it? You know, you should really take the opportunity to see the waterfall once the sun rises, the colors are just magnificent.”

Kimi looks at her with intrigue, making the owner smile.

“You should make it if you leave now. You remember where the trail was, right?”

“Yes, thank you. That sounds very lovely.”

“I’d go with you but I have some things to take care of before breakfast.”

“I understand, thank you so much. I’ll take a photo for you.” “Thank you, dear,” the onsen owner waves her off, and Kimi heads to the trail. 

The trail itself is not a difficult hike. The ground is pretty flat and there’s enough light that Kimi doesn’t need a flashlight. Not wanting to miss the display the owner was talking about, she hurries along the trail while quickly admiring the various plants she passes by.

The roar of the waterfall soon greets her as she rounds a curve of the trail. A long wall of waterfalls greets her with two heavier-flowing waterfalls in the middle. They fall into a large pool of water below that flows into the river that goes to the onsen. A plethora of rocks and plants surround the waterfalls, making the scene seem surreal. 

Kimi holds her breath as she gets closer to the rocks at the edge of the pool. The sun flirts right behind the waterfalls, still not high enough to be above them. Realizing she’s early, she makes her way to a larger rock further in the pond so she can get a good photo. The slippers she has on don’t give her a solid grip so she takes them on, slightly shivering at how cold the boulder is. She takes a few photos of the scene around her, getting lucky with snapping a couple of photos of the wildlife that flits by. 

After a few minutes of admiring the scene, a glare off the water flashes in her eyes. The sun peaks its way from the top of the waterfall and Kimi fills with excitement. She watches as the water glimmers and shines from the colors of the rising run. She stands in awe at the display before remembering she wanted to take photos. She nabs a couple of photos before putting her phone in her pocket.

Taking a deep breath, she once again takes a moment to absorb the morning peace. The past week went by in a blur and it feels to ground herself and focus on being in the moment. Taking a closer look at the boulder she sees that it’s flat enough and large enough for her to do some of her routine stretches comfortably. 

Focusing on her breathing, she gets through her basic warmups before moving on to some of the yoga poses she likes. She enjoys feeling the rumble from the power of the waterfall coming through the rock as she moves through it. 

Shouta and Hizashi come running up the trail and find her moving into one of her favorite positions. Her hips move above her head while moves her knees above her before extending out, essentially putting her in a headstand on her arms. So focused on what she’s doing, she doesn’t notice her mates watching her. 

Shouta shouts out her name a couple of times until it startled her out of her concentration. Her balance wavers for a moment until she catches herself and lowers herself. As she stands up, she catches the worried looks on her alpha’s faces and immediately a wave of guilt crashes over her. Silently, she grabs her shoes and makes her way over to the pair, head hung low. A pang of disappointment shoots through her chest and she knows immediately that she messed up. 

“Good morning, sorry, I-”

“What made you think this was a good idea?” Aizawa asks. His voice is harsher than Kimi has heard before and she’s physically taken aback. Immediately, she hangs her head, trying to appease the alpha.

“I’m sorry,-” Shouta interrupts her before she can continue. 

“You came out here by yourself, while it’s still partially dark out with no protection. What if there was something out here that wanted to hurt you? What would you have done?” 

Kimi silently takes the berating, keeping her head down. Hizashi slaps a hand on Shouta’s shoulder reassuringly, making him let out a frustrated breath.

“We were just really worried about you, hon,” Hizashi says, his voice far less harsh than Shouta’s.

“We woke up and you were gone, it startled us. Thankfully the owner told us where you went.” 

Kimi can tell that Hizashi’s still displeased and she can’t blame him. Waves of grief and guilt roll off of Kimi.

“You’re right, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking ahead. The owner was just telling me about how pretty the sunrise looks and I just got carried away. I’ll try to be more aware of my actions. I’m sorry to have worried you” 

Her voice is timid as she responds and she bows in submission, utterly disappointed in herself. When she stands up, she can’t bring herself to look her alphas in the face. Hizashi takes pity on her and tries to break the tension.

“You’re ok, hon. We’re just a bit on edge from the new marks.”

Realization hits Kimi like a bus as she connects the dots. Since they’re freshly mated, their instincts are yelling at them to keep her safe the way hers are yelling at her to keep them pleased. Of course, they would be so frantic. A pit forms in her stomach and tears prick her eyes. 

Impulsively, she wraps her hands around Shouta and tightly hugs him. It’s a bit awkward because his arms are crossed, but that doesn’t deter her from staying latched on.

“I am SO sorry. That was so cruel of me, I’m so sorry.”

She focuses on releasing calming waves to help soothe them and it seems to help because after a few moments, he relaxes and wiggles his arms out of her embrace to return the hug.

“It’s ok. I’m sorry for being so stern,” he responds slowly, his tone back to its usual level. Kimi releases him and tightly wraps her arms around Hizashi who gladly squeezes back.

“What do you say we head back and see if breakfast is ready?” 

Kimi smiles up at him and wordlessly nods. Hizashi smiles back in response before grabbing her hand and leading the group back to the onsen.

“So was it a really pretty sunrise?” 

“Yes,” Kimi responds shyly before pulling out her phone to show pictures.

“Oh wow! That is gorgeous,” he says before handing the phone to Shouta.

“Yeah, sorry. I thought I was going to be back before you woke up, just didn’t want to disturb you. Especially after you said you guys don’t sleep much.”

Hizashi playfully bumps Kimi and she tries not to run into Shouta.

“Don’t worry about it, hon. There are no hard feelings here, ok? Let’s try to bring back some positive vibes into this morning, yeah?” He shoots her finger guns and she can’t help but giggle.

“Yeah,” Kimi agrees, feeling a bit better. 

Shouta hands Kimi back her phone.

“It did look nice. Sorry to have disturbed you.”

“It’s ok. You’re right, I should have been more focused. I just got carried away, my bad.” 

“You enjoy doing yoga?” Shouta asks.

“Yeah, I haven’t gotten much of a chance since the interviews so I just kinda jumped at the opportunity.”

Shouta nods his head, taking in her words.

“You’ll have to show me some time then.”

“Yeah?” Kimi asks, voice laced with excitement.

“Yeah. I’ve heard yoga can be really good for you.”

“It is! It’s so good for you! I mean, it seems like you probably have a really good workout plan but it’s really good for joints and balance and things like that. I mean I could go on forever about how much it’s helped me. Oh hey, it might even help with your sleep.”

Kimi can tell she’s starting to ramble and cuts herself off.

“Oh, count me in,” Hizashi jokes. Kimi giggles.

They arrive back at the onsen shortly and are greeted by a staff member who informs them that breakfast will be prepared in their room shortly. They make their way into the room and wait in the living room for the meal.

It ends up being just as extravagant as the other meal. Though a different staff member is hosting this meal, it seems that the previous one informed the kitchen of Kimi’s food preferences. She’s thankful when she realizes that there are more options for her to eat and happily accepts more food than the previous meal. 

After their bellies are full, Hizashi lets Kimi know that the plan is to go into a nearby town to walk around.

“Oh good. I’m going to have to work off this meal. I ate too much,” she giggles.

“Saaaaame,” Hizashi whines. “But it was just so good!”  

“I agree,” Shouta adds, also dealing with a super full stomach.

Kimi’s instincts creep into her mind, making her hope that they’ll have the same reaction to her cooking.

“Well, I guess I should get ready,” she says, getting up to make her way to the bedroom.

“Sounds good. Just don’t worry about getting too dolled up, I’ve got a bit of a surprise in store.”

Kimi flashes Hizashi an intrigued look before making her way to the bedroom to get ready. 

Kimi’s back in the SUV about half an hour later. The boys piled into the vehicle as well after placing the boxes with the kimonos in the back. 

“The surprise doesn’t have anything to do with our kimonos, does it?” Kimi playfully asks Hizashi.

“Maaaaybe,” he teases, purposefully not answering her question.

They make the quick drive over to a small traditional town. Kimi fawns over the traditional-styled buildings and the people walking around dressed in traditional attire.

As she exits the vehicle, she starts to feel underdressed, but Hizashi assures her that she won’t be there for long before leading her into a nearby business. A group of three women immediately rush Kimiko away to a room in the back with a vanity. Flustered, Kimi asks for clarification while they sit her down and start working on various tasks.

The woman currently brushing out Kimi’s hair explains that Hizashi set up a photo shoot for the three of them in the kimonos he purchased. The woman pulling out various makeup brushes comments that the men will be joining her shortly, so they have to work quickly. Lastly, the woman pulling Kimi’s kimono out of the box Hizashi provided says that after the photo shoot they’ll be able to visit the town’s local temple and recommends some places for lunch.

For the next half an hour, they work on getting Kimi prepared for the shoot. Her kimono is wrinkle-free, her makeup is done and all the women work together to get Kimi’s hair done up in a half-up half-down style with various hair pieces and flowers that match her kimono.

When handed a mirror, Kimi stared for a couple of seconds too long, trying to recognize the woman in the mirror. While she can still see herself, parts of her she didn’t know existed have been highlighted and accentuated in a way that makes her feel like a princess. 

“Is everything ok?” one of the women asks, concerned by Kimi’s lack of response.

“Yes,” Kimi breathes out, breaking her trance. “I just. I look so beautiful. Thank you! I’ve never seen myself like this before.”

The women giggle and coo over Kimi’s reaction making her laugh as well. They help guide her to stand up and bring her to a floor-length mirror so they can get her in the kimono. Kimi watches with fascination, moving her body as they request. She can’t help but feel like the traditional dolls her grandmother would buy her when she was little. While she’s not in the most regal of attire, it’s hard for her not to feel like royalty.

“Ok, my dear. You’re all finished. Let’s get you into the next room to get some photos, ya?” 

The women guide Kimi into the studio the next room over and she pauses in the doorway. Her alphas turn to watch her enter the room and their eyes trail all over her face and kimono. She can’t help but blush under all the makeup under the heat of their glares. In return, she lets her eyes roam over their matching kimonos and slightly touched-up appearances. 

“Princess, you look amazing,” Hizashi blurts out.

Kimi smiles wide, making her way over to the pair. They all take a moment to look one another over before the photographer steps in and starts to get them in specific poses. They spend a good time in the studio taking various photos of each other and single portraits as well. Once satisfied with all of the shots, the photographer leads them outside to take photos amongst the town. They get a lot of candid shops of the throuple admiring various shops and also have them pose in front of some other places. 

About two hours after they start taking pictures, the photographer takes their leave and the throuple continues to explore the town. They get some lunch, tour the local temple, and leave their offerings before making their way back into the town. They pick up a couple of trinkets at a small gift shop before deciding to head back to the SUV.

Shouta texts the driver as they pass another business and Kimi stops, staring into the shop window.

“Something catch your eye?” Hizashi asks, moving to stand next to Kimi.

“Oh, kind of. Sorry, we can keep going. I thought I saw something but it’s not actually what I thought it was?”

Hizashi takes a closer look at the products, noticing it’s a variety of jewelry.

“What were you looking at?”

Kimi points to a series of hairpins.

“The green hairpin there kind of looked like my mom’s at a quick glance, but it’s the wrong flower.”

Kimi starts to walk away from the window, but Hizashi gently grabs her arm and starts to walk into the business.

“Well, it may not be what you thought it was, but let’s see if we can find anything you like, hm?”

Kimi pales.

“Oh, no. You’ve already spent so much. Really, I’m all good. Thank you.”

Hizashi ignores her protest and greets the owner before exploring the various glass cases. Kimi hugs the wall, eyes following Hizashi as he goes from case to case, asking questions to the owner. She can’t help but feel out of place in the shop. Shouta quietly stands next to her, also watching his partner.

“Was there a hairpin that you liked?” Hizashi asks Kimi from the other side of the shop. 

She shakes her head before realizing the action may come off as rude so she quickly tries to correct herself.

“Oh, they’re all nice. I just thought it was the one my mom had, but it wasn’t. But, again they’re all really nice!”

She looks up to Shouta, hoping he’ll say something to help her out. He merely looks down at her with a bored expression, making her more nervous.

“I was genuine when I said you have to get used to ‘Zash spending lots of money on you. I know it may be weird to get used to, but it’s kind of his thing. You can’t really fight it, trust me. You try to fight it and he just spends more money.”

He gives a knowing look to his partner, who gives a self-deprecating laugh back. 

“Okay,” Kimi timidly agrees before walking over to the case Hizashi is at and looking at the different pieces of jewelry. She ends up settling on a hairpin that matches the flowers on her kimono and the store owner even helps put it in her hair. They leave with the hairpiece and a few other pieces of jewelry that Hizashi liked. They walk back to the SUV with their goods from the day and head back to the onsen.

“Would you guys mind if we take a dip in the spring before dinner? My feet are really sore from the shoes.”

“I have no problems with that,” Shouta says from the passenger seat.

“Me neither,” Hizashi chimes in.

“Thank you,” Kimi says back with a smile. “Sorry, I’m used to heels, not sandals.”

“Ha, you sound like Nem,” Hizashi comments. “She wears heels for everything.”

“Sounds about right,” Kimi laughs. “I don’t know, I just got used to them so now flat shoes just hurt. I either need heels or something with a high arch.”

“Noted,” Hizashi teases. 

Later that evening, they all hug their bellies, full from another amazing dinner. They hopped in the spring when they got back and allowed themselves to relax for the evening. Currently, they all lay in bed, this time with Shouta in the middle and the other two on either arm.

“This has been so nice,” Hizashi comments, snuggled up into Shouta’s chest. 

“Mmhmm,” his partner vocalizes. “Thank you for getting this set up.”

“Of course. This was a one-in-a-million chance that we’d even be able to do this with how busy our schedules are. No way was I going to give up this opportunity.” 

“Mm, speaking of which. There are some things I need to take care of when we get back tomorrow.”

“Aw,” Hizashi says, dejected. “I thought you got this whole week off.” 

“I did, but I still need to go into the school to take care of some things for next week. I’m surprised you were able to get all caught up.”

“Well,” Hizashi trails off. “I figured I would just get caught up when I got back in.”

Shouta tsks. “‘Zash!” 

“I was just really excited to spend time with our lovely omega, ok?”

Shouta rubs his temple, annoyed.

“I swear, Nezu just hired me to keep you and Nem in check.”

“Aw, don’t be mad Sho’. I’ll get it done, promise.”

“You better,” Shouta warns. 

Kimi smiles into his side, enjoying watching the two playfully bicker. She enjoys getting to peek into what they were like before she entered the picture and she’s glad they can still be themselves. 

“What are you smilin’ about over there?” Shouta asks playfully.

“It’s just cute to see you two interact,” Kimi admits. “You’re like an old married couple.”

“Old?” Hizashi exclaims. 

“No, wait. I didn’t mean-”

“I heard that, ‘Zash. She called us old!”

“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“Well, I never!” Hizashi playfully scoffs. 

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! You’re not old!” Kimi rushes to apologize and lets out a soothing wave to try and appease the alphas.

Shouta starts to laugh, making his partner laugh. Kimi’s face is red with embarrassment and she looks between the two, ensuring they’re not upset.

“I’m sorry,” Shouta says between laughs. “You’re just so cute when you’re flustered.”

Kimi breathes a sigh of relief and settles into the alpha more.

“It’s more of an ongoing joke with Hizashi because one of his students called him old. Now he does everything he can to prevent sounding like an old man to the kids.” “Kids these days can be so rude,” Hizashi groans.

“I’m just glad you’re not actually upset,” Kimi comments.

“Princess, I think it would take a lot for us to get mad at you.”

Kimi smiles at Hiashi’s words. 

“That’s good to know.” 

The three of them share a moment, enjoying basking in each other’s scents. 

“Have you been enjoying yourself, princess?”

Kimi giggles.

“Do you even need to ask? Yes! This has been all so great. Thank you for everything. I’m so grateful to be here and be in this pack. You guys are more than I could ever ask for.”

“I think it’s my turn to blush,” Hizashi teases. Shouta breathily laughs.

“I’m glad you’re having a good time. It’s going to be a lot different when we get into the swing of things, but I’m glad we can share this time together.” 

Kimi smiles up at him.

“Just let me know what I can do to make it easier on you guys.”

Shouta gives a non-committing nod and pulls his two partners closer. Kimi reaches her neck out and kisses him on the cheek before settling back into his arm. 

“Oh yeah? Two can play at that!” Hizashi says before mirroring Kimi’s actions.

“Hey, chill. There’s enough of me to go around.” 

“I’ll say,” Hizashi says, wiggling his brows. Kimi laughs and Shouta rolls his eyes. 

Returning back to the apartment the next day was both exciting and sad for Kimi. She was looking forward to getting into a routine, but she was sad that her vacation with the guys had ended. Even though she was still going to see them for a good majority of the week, she knew that her focus was going to be on getting things in order so she didn’t need them when they got back to work. 

Sushi greeted everyone at the door with loud meows and leg rubs before bounding back into the apartment. The trio dropped off their luggage in the bedroom before making their way to the living room to lounge. They discuss dinner plans and Hizashi mentions wanting to take out Kimi for some shopping tomorrow while Shouta takes care of some things at his work. 

Kimi finds herself staring at the two while her two alphas chat about the upcoming week. A long-lost feeling starts to creep from her stomach into her chest. She recognizes it as the comfort she felt when she was living with her parents. The warm, protective glow that would hug her like a comfy sweater embraced her like a long-lost friend. Tears come to her eyes and tumble over before she even recognizes she’s crying. Hizashi startles when he catches the change in her scent and locks eyes with her tear-stained face.

“Everything ok?” he asks, voice doused with concern. Shouta whips his head in her direction, also catching on to her sudden change in emotion. 

“Yes, yes,” she rushes to assure them. “I’m all good, I promise. It just really hit me all at once that this was my home.”

“Do you not like it?”

Kimi laughs.

“No, it’s not that at all. I love this. It’s just been a while since I’ve felt-. Well, like I’m a part of a family? I guess. I’m not really sure what this feeling is. It just feels good.”

Hizashi gets up from his spot on the couch and wraps his arms around Kimi tightly. 

“Ok, good. You scared me!”  

Kimi giggles.

“I’m sorry, I’m ok, I promise,” Kimi says, allowing herself to relax into Hizashi’s body. Shouta reaches over and lovingly strokes her hair, making her eyes close. She savors the moment, enjoying being encompassed by her alphas. She’s so happy to be able to be so open and she takes a second to be proud of herself for voicing what she feels. She knows most of the credit goes to her alphas for creating such a comfortable environment for her to speak up, but she’s still proud nonetheless. 

They spend the night cuddling up on the couch, watching some movies together, and enjoying being in one another’s presence. Shouta doesn’t get as snuggly at his two other packmates, but he does hold Kimi’s hand the whole night. She remembers him saying that he’s not the type to cuddle so she doesn’t take it personally overly. Occasionally she’d look over and he’d catch her eye, smiling at her and that was good enough for her. She’s sure that now that they’re back at home, his mind is probably focused on other things and he’s got more of his guard up. While she wishes he was as cuddly as he was back in the hot springs, she accepts that this is now the reality.

At one point in the night, Hizashi blurts out,

“Oh! Kimi.”

“Yes,” she says, slightly startled by his outburst.

“Do you still have that disguise you wore?”

Not expecting that question, she responds back with,

“Huh?”

“The one you wore when you met Sho’,” he explains.

Taking a second to think, she stares at him with a confused look before remembering the first actual time she met Shouta, not the interview.

“Oh. Um, I think so, I believe I packed it. But I can get rid of it if you need.”

“Actually, I’d love it if you held onto it. When we go out tomorrow, I’ll be in disguise just in case and I think you should do the same.”

“Oh, ok,” Kimi responds sheepishly. “I’m ok with that. Did you want me to use the alpha spray too?”

“Nah, that’s ok. I’m enough alpha to go around,” he boasts, causing Shouta to laugh.

“Ok, ‘Zash, sure,” Shouta teases.

“I am!” Hizashi pouts back, placing a hand on his hip. This causes Shouta to laugh more.

“Of course, of course.”

“ Anyways, ” Hizashi continues, “you should be good with just the disguise. That way if a reporter or paparazzi recognizes me, your identity will still be safe.”

“Makes sense,” Kimi agrees.

“Oh, we can also go get some more fun disguises! I know just the place. You can get different wigs and-” 

Hizashi continues spouting out different ideas, making Kimi smile.

Who knew the very thing I was worried would hurt my chances of being in this pack would actually be helpful, she thinks.

The next morning, Shouta leaves for his hero work and Hizashi and Kimi make their way to the local shopping district in disguise. They go through various shops looking at mostly clothes. Lots of things catch Kimi’s eyes but she fights herself by asking Hizashi to purchase them. Hizashi catches on when they reach a department store that has a whole section that Kimi likes.

“If you see something you like, just let me know. I was really surprised by how little clothes you have and I just want to make sure that my omega has the things she needs,” he chides.

“Yeah, I tried not to have a lot of things so I didn’t have to worry about packing a lot or needing a lot of room,” Kimi admits. “Plus, I’ve heard that some packs choose what their omega wears so I just didn’t want to be a burden.”

“Well don’t worry,” Hizashi says while pulling her closer. “You’re not a burden to us. Unless you make us guess what things you like. That would certainly be a huge issue to try and guess what you like.”

“Ok, ok. I’ll let you know what I like,” Kimi giggles. As they continue through the store, Kimi hands Hizashi a lot more clothes, making him smile. She gets a lot of simple but well-made dresses as well as a couple of pairs of shoes for both indoor and outdoor use. As they go to a couple more stores, Hizashi also adds a couple of bags of things to their collections full of clothes for both him and Shouta.

“I swear Shouta would be in rags if I didn’t buy anything for him,” Hizashi comments as they continue their walk through the shops.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one getting spoiled,” Kimi giggles. Her eyes catch a window display as she finishes her second. Hizashi follows her gaze and guides them into the store before Kimi can even think of denying him. 

She walks into a store she only ever dreamed of going into. The designer heel brand was always something she wanted to own but could never afford. Her current shoe selection mimicked their looks but didn’t have the same quality behind them. Her eyes wander over all of the different shoes on display, denial weighing heavy on her tongue. A worker comes over before she can voice her thoughts and starts talking with Hizashi.

“Yes, I’d love to get my darling new omega some heels here and maybe a matching bag to go with it. She wears heels all the time so we need to get some we don’t have to worry that will break on her.” 

“Of course, sir. Let’s get her foot measured so we can make sure that we’re getting her the best size as well. My dear, if you could please come take a seat over here.” 

The salesperson gestures to a dramatically large chair on the other side of the room. Kimi politely nods and makes her way over to the chair. Her mind holds onto Hizashi’s wording of “some” heels, meaning more than one, but tries not to freak out.

She settles into the chair and the salesperson sits in a smaller chair next to her feet. They take her measurements and come back with some various shoes in her size. They talk about the benefits of each shoe and she’s just glad that Hizashi seems to be listening because her head starts to swim when she sees how many numbers are on the price tag. She tries to focus back on what the salesperson is saying but gets distracted by a pair that’s next to her chair.

“Could I please try these on?” she asks, a bit shy.

“Of course!” the salesperson says enthusiastically. They help her into the shoes and she stands, admiring how comfy they feel without her having to break them in. 

“Oh wow, these are quite lovely,” she comments.

“Right? Don’t they just feel divine? Especially if you’re wearing heels all day, these are a must-have.”

“Oh perfect,” Hizashi notes. “We’ll get those then.”

“Any other’s stand out? I don’t think those have a matching bag, right?”

“No, but these ones over here do.”

The salesperson helps Kimi try on a couple more pairs and hands her a couple of purses. She can’t help but feel a bit out of place, not knowing what to look for or what she’s even looking at with some of the things she’s handed.

Hizashi seems to fill in for her lack of knowledge and soon there are a couple of pieces put to the side with the heels she liked. Guilt creeps into her stomach but she tries to fight it off, remembering what Shouta told her previously.

When Hizashi gives his card to the salesperson, Kimi gnaws at her bottom lip.

“Are you really sure?” she asks shyly.

“Yes,” he says, slight irritation in her voice. The salesperson comes back with Hizashi’s card and they all exchange a pleasant goodbye before the pair leaves the store. Kimi feels a bit bad about irritating her alpha and tries her best to explain.

“I’m really sorry. I’m genuinely not trying to offend you. I’m just not really used to having someone openly spend this much money on me. It’s been really tight since my parents passed and I’ve had people take advantage of me for that.”

Hizashi pauses before giving her a puzzled look.

“How so?”

“Well for starters, my friends would pay me to pretend to be an alpha when I really didn’t want to,” Kimi starts, knowing Hizashi was aware of that.

“That’s right,” he says, trailing off.

“But mainly it was my ex. He would just hold all of the purchases he made against me. If he bought something he knew I couldn’t repay, he acted like I was indebted to him forever, even if it was a gift. That’s what led to-,” Kimi stops, not sure if she’s ready to share that story with Hizashi yet. He looks at her expectantly and she continues, deciding to cut the story short.

“It just got really bad one night and he pushed it too far and that’s when I broke up with him.”

Hizashi puts a soothing hand on her shoulder before slowly pulling her into him. Embarrassed by her confession, she accepts the hug and relaxes into his chest. When she pulls away, her eyes are a bit teary.

“Thank you for listening,” she smiles up at him.

“Don’t thank me for that,” he jokes, though his voice is still gentle. “I could listen to you all day. I appreciate you sharing that with me though. I can say that Sho and I would never hold purchases above your head and if we think you’re spending too much, whichIhardlydoubtwillhappen, we’ll have a discussion about it, ok?”

“Ok,” Kimi beams. 

“You know, Sho’ had a similar issue when we first started dating,” Hizashi says, leading them through the shopping center again.

“He felt that he couldn’t reciprocate my gifts and would challenge me a lot if he thought I was buying him too much. So, we ended up agreeing to leave the really big gifts for birthdays and our anniversary.”

“That makes sense,” Kimi comments.

“I really hope you’ll let me spoil you a little more often than that though,” Hizashi says with a playful shove, making Kimi giggle.

“We’ll see,” she says with a playful smile.

“Well, that being said, there is one more purchase I would like to make today. Feel free to turn it down if it’s too much, but it would mean the world to me if you accepted it.”

Sheepishly, Kimi agrees and lets Hizashi take her to a very high-end jewelry store. They walk out with an adjustable necklace that allows Kimi to have it tight against her neck or below her clothes. Kimi accepts it without a fight, considering it to be an unofficial collar. Even though collars died out and became old-fashioned generations prior, she always thought the idea was charming and dreamed of having one someday. The segmented, graduated diamond necklace was more modern than the collars she had seen in classical paintings, but it still fulfilled the desire she had.

“Thank you again for all the amazing gifts, Hizashi,” Kimi says as they start to head back to the SUV. 

“Of course, honey,” Hizashi quips. “Anything for my sweet little omega.”

Later that evening, they share dinner with Shouta and fill him in on their day’s adventure. Shouta shares some small details about his day, saying that it was mostly uneventful. Kimi’s thankful that he’s safe but doesn’t voice her opinions. Rather, she directs her feelings into bringing out dessert for everyone. They chat a bit before Shouta once again reveals he will be absent the next day. He was called in for a quick bust in the afternoon but has to go in early for debriefing. Hizashi relays his displeasure but ultimately decides that it would be a good time to take Kimi to their agency for a tour.

He explains that not a lot of people know that he and Shouta are in a pack together so they definitely will be keeping Kimi a secret from his agency as well. Still, there are some things for Kimi at the agency, so he wanted to give a tour since she’ll be there pretty often. Kimi responds with exuberant interest and mentions how excited she is. She goes to sleep that night, excited for the following day where she can catch a glimpse into the other aspects of her alpha's lives.

PREVIOUS | NEXT

Just woke up from a dream that was a crossover of multiple fics I have planned out/half-written. I know it would be an amazing fic but if I were to post it, it would only make sense to me. So I guess now I gotta write and post everything so that way I can focus on this other fic. Gotta plan this shit like a fucking Marvel movie lmfao.