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In a room almost void of color, she lies on a bed clutching her stomach. The bleak white walls in this padded room don’t provide any comfort. In fact, its surgical, desolate nature contrasts with the girl’s pink, disheveled hair that splays across the messy bedsheets. There is no comfort in the white bedding or her red gloves that lay ripped up on the floor. There is nothing: no water, no food, no relief. She knows the pain won’t subside any time soon. She’s not sure if it ever will.
‘Pain’ is a word she’s overly familiar with, but it does little to properly convey her suffering. Her real pain shows in the way she tears her red gloves off her hands in desperation for relief that’ll never come. It pours as a heatwave that repeatedly crashes into the girl, suffocating and drowning her all at once. It’s present in the emptiness of the desolate room, where the only colorful things in it are her clothes and her bright pink hair.
It’s the pain that always spreads first, making the room feel smaller. Then comes the low voices, making the room inescapable. Bleeding through the heavy door at the front of the room, the voices belong to people insignificant to the girl. They’re distant but sharp and couldn’t care less about whose ears they’ll land on. They’re faded and barely audible, to the point where they don’t seem real. Yet, they very much are.
“So the increase in intensity and frequency of the heat periods… that’s a direct result of Aleph-1’s influence?”
“Precisely. A minor inconvenience, but the girl will still go to Startorch Academy as the plan proceeds.”
“And what of the omega? Will she need a mate for the heats? Will it compromise the Thernodian?"
There’s silence after the question, then a laugh: not one of humor, but of ridicule.
“A mate will be unnecessary. The girl will manage; she’s had plenty of experience in being alone.”
“That makes sense, I imagine getting a mate every time would be difficult and inconvenient anyway…”
The voices fade off into nothingness, but the sentiment remains: inconvenient, difficult, alone. It’s a fate written by voices that slip in between the cracks of her confinement. She pulls the blanket closer, wrapping her arms around herself in a way she knows no one ever will. This fate, the girl knows, is unavoidable.
Her eyes grow heavy as sleep starts presenting itself as temporary relief. In this moment, now lies the omega in heat alone, in an empty room with nothing else but her hands for relief. She breaks her silence with cries of her own with a voice not distant or faded, but raspy and real.
“...curse you, Aleph-1.” Tears slide down her cheek as Denia’s eyes close and her scenes of lonely white fade to eventual darkness.
…
…
“..-enia. Denia. Class is dismissed, you are free to leave if you don’t have any questions about the assignment.”
Denia’s eyes open groggily as she lifts her head off her desk. In front of her stands Professor Moryne in an empty classroom, looking a bit awkward. Well, more awkward than she usually looks. At least it wasn’t a strict professor who caught her this time. Professor Mornye? Yeah, she’ll probably get away with a warning or something. She stands up slowly, stretching her arms above her head and letting a fake yawn slip past her lips, “Oops, my bad, professor. You know how it is, late-night study sessions. It won’t happen again.”
The professor's slight frown leads Denia to believe that her double lie definitely did not work, but that’s what she was expecting anyway. They both know that Mornye's smart enough to know that 1: Denia definitely isn’t tired from studying and 2: this will most likely happen again. Probably even next week, at the same class, same time.
“Very well. I would offer some assistance with the material you missed, but it appears Sigrika has been waiting for you for quite some time now. So you are free to leave, but please contact me if you have any trouble.” Following Mornye’s line of sight, Denia sees a familiar sight of orange hair curiously peaking around the classroom door. Upon being caught, Sigrika’s expression shifts from one of concern to shock. “Ah, sorry! I’ll just wait out here, no rush!”
Denia playfully rolls her eyes at the fleeing girl. “Would you look at that, saved by the Solsworn. Thanks, professor, see ya.” She nonchalantly waves at Mornye who gives her a simple nod. She quickly moves to leave, but not without another yawn escaping her; this time it's a genuine one. It’s a pain in the ass to be caught napping during a class, but it can’t be helped that Denia feels more exhausted than usual. And it’s not from assignment deadlines or late Tetris nights, but from her stupid heats. It’s been 2 months since the last one, and she still feels like she’s still trying to catch up on sleep. As if being an irregular omega wasn’t enough, she’s still suffering even when she’s not in heat.
Her weird omega tendencies were growing a bit more… aggressive recently. Her heats are getting more frequent and lasting for longer. She’s always been sensitive to other scents, but now certain smells are just overwhelming or plain gross. Denia practically needs to cover her nose walking past Mornye, even though she’s also an omega. At least she smells better than that alpha, Lynae, does; the smell of disgusting scent of gasoline already follows her from her work with her bikes, so her alpha scent makes it 10x worse. These changes have done nothing but make Denia’s day-to-day life even more miserable, but that’s just what she has to deal with: annoying heats and even more annoying alphas.
Well, annoying alphas and one that she can…somewhat tolerate. Leaving the classroom, she sees Sigrika: standing with her hands behind her back, bouncing on her heels like she doesn’t have any worry in the world. She’s an alpha, although some would argue she’s ‘THE alpha’ (which Denia rolls her eyes at every time she hears that). Being the Roya’s heliodic six successor gets her more respect, apparently, but maybe Sigrika needs it. After all, if Denia’s an irregular omega, then Sigrika’s definitely a non-traditional alpha.
Denia has observed the Royan alpha before they (somehow) became friends. Sigrika is outgoing, helpful, and physically capable. But she’s also overly trusting, annoyingly helpful, and too…soft. She doesn’t butt heads with other alphas or make advancements towards omegas, and Sigrika barely gives off a scent for some reason. That’s probably why Denia can stomach hanging around her so much. She hates most alphas and refuses every and any offer made to her. But, if she was forced to keep one around, then at least it’s one that doesn’t think with a heavy ego and her libido. And if some egotistical alphas have a problem or anything bad to say about Sigrika, Denia knows Sigrika is more of an alpha now than any of these rutheads will ever be.
“Siggy, what are you even doing here?”
“Nia! I’m here for you. I wanted to catch you as soon as your class finished, but I’m a bit late. A classmate asked me for help on this rune, so I got caught up, but it all worked out, I think. Professor Mornye said she was just going to let you sleep in before I came to get you. I know sleep’s always been rough for you, but are you sure you’re also getting enough water and food-”
Sigrika is frantically looking over Denia as if she’s been wounded in some battle instead of caught sleeping during a class. Denia just scoffs at her, “Siggy, I’m fine. I don’t need your pity or little favors.”
“It’s not pity, Denia. I’m just worried, you know. You’re allowed to rely on me and take things from me.” Her smile spreads on her face and softens as her eyes slightly crinkle at the creases. “Speaking of taking things from me, I made you this!
Sigrika pulls out something from her bag and presents it in front of Denia. In her hands appears to be a green pillow: small enough to be brought out in public but big enough for Denia’s face to fit on it comfortably. Its pastel green cover complements the dark gold hand-stitches around the edges. “I got lessons from my mother, and I’ve only just started sewing pillows, but I think it turned out ok!”
“Siggy, what is this?”
“I just said, it’s a pillow, for you! For your naps or whenever you need to relax.”
Denia lets out a deep sigh and pushes the pillow slightly back, “You know I don’t need this.”
“You might not need it, but I want you to have it. It’s a gift from me to you.”
Denia can’t help but grimace as a small burst of annoyance pangs her. ‘Is it because you think I’m such a useless omega and end up napping everywhere that you felt the need to give me a pillow. You want people to think that I need you to comfort me? That you have me under control?’ Before any of these thoughts leave her mind, she looks up at the alpha, who’s still looking back at her with that warm smile and smiley eyes. She takes a small breath. She needs to chill, it’s just Siggy. She curts her venom.
“Hmm, give me one good reason why I should even take it, let alone use it.”
Tilting her head, Sigrika put one of her hands to her chin to think. “Well, it’s a cute, comfortable squishy pillow, only one of its kind! It’s small and compact, so you can bring it with you everywhere. But it’s also soft and warm, so it’s still relaxing to rest on.”
Denia opens her mouth, with a retort on her lips, but Sigrika just keeps going. Her eyes and tone soften as she continues, “….and even when I can’t be there to help you, or if you don’t want to tell anyone what’s going on, that’s ok. At least I know you’ll have someplace safe to rest your head on.”
Denia’s retort falls off her lips. Her brain’s processing Sigrika’s words, but her heart registers them just fine. So when it grows heavy, Denia can’t help but direct her gaze away from the alpha. Even though they’ve only been friends for a short amount of time, Sigrika just keeps trying and pushing to help her. No matter how many times she pushes away, the alpha keeps coming back. Denia doesn’t understand it, and she doesn’t know if she wants to.
“…it probably has your scent all over it, you know. Something like that would be annoying for me to have.”
“Oh, does it? I’m sorry, I’m really bad with these things. Father always said I’ve never been good with scents.” Sigrika raises the pillow to Denia’s face. “Do you smell anything?”
“Wait, I don't want to smell-” her face is met with the green plush touching her face. It’s indeed soft, but more shockingly, Denia doesn’t recoil from the scent. In fact, she feels herself unconsciously leaning closer into it, like it’s drawing her in. She’s never smelled anything like it. Even though Sigrika gave off a faint scent, it never smelled so defined and intense. Until today.
“Oh, does it smell bad to you? I know smells can bother you, I can take it back if it does-“ Sigrika pulls the pillow back slightly, but as if acting on instinct, Denia reaches out and clutches onto it. Before either of them can react, she pulls it back to her face and lets out a low but desperate whine.
They both freeze. Denia can not believe she just did that. Frantically looking around, she sees no one else near them, but that doesn't stop her from feeling mortifyingly embarrassed. Sigrika is just standing there, mouth open and frozen from shock. Desperate to move on and forget, Denia clears her throat and composes herself. “Ahem, it’s fine. I’ll keep it, whatever. Your scent’s …bearable.”
“Oh, okay, that’s good. May I ask, what does it smell like?” It seems like it's her turn to feel a bit bashful as she earnestly asks Denia. No alternative intentions display on her face, just genuine curiosity.
“…you don’t know what your own scent smells like?”
“Well, I've asked Lynae and Nivora about what I smell like, but they say it’s always hard to tell with me. I don’t really pick up scents from anyone, so it’s even harder with alphas, including myself. Even when omegas are in heat, I barely smell or feel anything, and I've never had a chance to ask an omega about it before, so…” Sigrika’s voice trails off as her ears turn a slight shade of red.
Never in a million years would Denia be willingly describing a scent to her friend who’s an alpha, but in that same vein, Denia never thought she’d ever get a friend in a million years. First time for everything apparently. There’s no harm in just smelling a pillow, and she owes Sigrika anyway.
“Fine. Your scent is like…” Denia holds the pillow back up to her nose. Wrapping her arms around it as she buries her face in it, she inhales deeply. She didn’t need to in order to tell Sigrika; she remembers it flawlessly, but Sigrika doesn’t need to know that. “…it's sweet. And almost tangy? Like ice cream but maybe sour… like yogurt? Yeah, something like yogurt. There’s something else too, not sure what.” The scent infiltrates her lungs with a warm and pleasant feeling. Why don’t all alphas smell this good? Sigrika’s scent is so intoxicating, almost cleansing. Denia fails to notice in the moment how this newfound scent seems to lighten the burn in her chest just a little bit.
“Wow, you got all that from one sniff? Hm, I do eat a lot of yogurt. I hope I didn’t just spill some on it, that would be a bit embarrassing… let me try to smell.” Instead of taking it away from Denia, she simply leans in a bit. Denia’s heart skips a beat as she notices Sigrika leaning in closer to her neck to read the pillow.
“Oh wow, I do smell something strong. But it’s not really like yogurt. It smells a bit like a cleaner, I think? Does that make sense, like maybe jasmine or lilacs?
“Lilacs… that’s- wait. Does it smell like soap?” Denia’s heart feels like it stops for a moment.
“Yeah, exactly like that! Like soapy bubbles! It’s really nice, actually.” Sigrika sniffs one more time as Denia completely freezes. She knows that scent, too well. The supposedly calm burning scent of lilacs is countered by memories of that desolate room. A scent so suffocating that Denia’s sick of it, but she never has to smell it unless it’s her-
Oh.
Oh no.
“Siggy, I’m-” her words of warning fall short as Denia feels her knees buckle. That feeling of cloudiness quickly begins filling her head, and her body feels too warm and too weak. Expecting to fall to the ground, Denia closes her eyes to brace for impact, but instead of the hard ground, she’s met with a soft body. The scent is back again: fresh yogurt.
Sigrika catches her and holds her up. Denia watches as her eyes scan her. They turn from very concerned, to slightly confused, and finally to dead serious. Sigrika knows now, too—Denia’s in heat.
Denia doesn’t know what to expect. She, and probably everyone on campus, knows for a fact that Sigrika’s never been with an omega before. Heck, she's pretty sure Sigrika’s never even been affected by an omega in heat. So how will she react? Will she look at her with pity, or in disgust, or in fear? Familiar voices sound off in the back of Denia’s mind. Is she being an inconvenience? Sigrika will leave her, just like they all predict. She’ll be alone just like she always has been-
“Don’t worry, Nia, I’ll get you somewhere safe. I’ll be quick.” Sigrika cuts off Denia’s spiraling as she turns around and moves to put her on her back. Before she can even touch her, Sigrika lets out a groan as Denia's scent reaches her nose again. It’s affecting her, and Denia knows she shouldn’t be here. Denia tries to stand up to walk on her own, but she stumbles again. Sigrika grabs her arm again, before she can fall.
“O-one second, Nia. Let me help you… It’s just, this is a lot.” Her voice stutters and her face is flush but Denia can tell she’s serious. Sigrika quickly grabs her royan mask and a piece of fabric from her pocket and ties it quickly around her nose.
“Just so I can focus. Hold on tight, I got you.” Denia lets out a yelp as Sigrika finally shifts Denia onto her back, wrapping Denia’s arms around her own neck and lifting her under her thighs. Sigrika’s strength is nothing new to Denia, but she still finds it incredibly impressive for how small she is. They sprint off in the direction of Denia’s dorm.
She hears the voices of other students as they rush past:
“Sigrika! I need help on this- woah do you smell that?”
“Is that the heliodic six alpha, with an omega?”
“What is Sigrika doing with her of all omegas? Denia can’t even-”
“Sigrika, I really need your advice on this if you could just look for a quick second-”
Denia closes her eyes. There are too many people looking at her. They’re judging her and usually she wouldn’t care, but when she’s in this state she can’t bear this feeling. She needs to leave. She needs to go and take care of this herself-
“I’m helping Denia right now. You all need to move, please.” Sigrika's tone shifts unexpectedly, causing the other students to freeze. It’s commanding, threatening, and protective in nature, but still so…Sigrika. Denia didn’t know she had a voice like that in her, and didn’t know why she was using it for her. The crowd dissipates after the shock wears off but before Sigrika could continue, another kinder and louder voice stops her once again.
“Huh, Sigrika? And Denia? Whoa, are you guys ok? That’s a strong smell.”
Lynae is leaning on her motorbike. Denia can smell it, the offending gasoline scent radiating off the alpha. Without thinking much of it, she quickly buries her head in Sigrika’s shoulder. Tangy. Citrusy. Like oranges maybe? Of course Sigrika would smell like oranges.
“Is Denia in heat, woah we should get her to the heat isolation rooms. Do you wanna put her on my bike? I can probably get there faster.“ Lynae moves closer to get a better look at the pair, and Sigrika freezes. Denia can feel a low rumble reverberate through Sigrika. It almost sounds like… a growl? It’s low and gravelly enough that Lynae can’t hear it now, but with the way Sigrika tightens her grip on her, it won’t stay that way for long.
Denia moves in closer to Sigrika. She pulls herself closer to the back of her neck and releases that calming scent of jasmine. In return, she indulges in the new orangey scent. She whispers in Sigrikas’s ear, “It’s ok. Lynae’s your friend, you know that Siggy. Come back to me.”
That seems to snap Sigrika out of whatever funk she got herself into. “Oh, Lynae, th-thank you for the offer, but I got Denia. I’m just trying to drop her off in her room quickly. Thanks for your help, okay bye!” She rushes past Lynae and continues to Denia’s room. Out of earshot of the alpha, Sigrika whispers, “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what came over me.”
Denia should be upset. She can’t shake the feeling of the stares from those alphas and omegas when she’s on Sigrika’s back. She could hear their voices now, saying that she doesn’t need to rely on Sigrika to protect her from ‘threats.’ Saying that she’s better than that or she should expect herself to be better than that. But in reality they didn’t say any of that. In reality, she's in Sigrika’s arms and Denia doesn’t need to prove herself to anybody. The weights of expectation she puts on herself set on her fall ever so slightly off her shoulders, and for the first time in a long time, she feels free. Sure, she doesn’t need an alpha, but it feels so good to have one that makes her feel safe. “You’re fine, Siggy.”
Denia just snuggles deeper in Sigrika's neck, breathing in as much of her scent as she can. “Oranges. It’s oranges. You smell like yogurt and oranges…” She mutters in her heat-daze voice. It makes sense for Sigrika to be sweet. So much sense to Denia that she can’t help but nip at Sigrika’s neck. She wants to taste the captivating sweetness, but the nips just aren’t enough. They quickly transform from small kisses to light licks.
“Nia, you can’t! I mean, you can just…I guess maybe but not right now!” Sigrika shifts Denia’s weight around so she can quickly move the pillow, the same one she had tried giving Denia, up to her neck, blocking Denia from continuing her affection.
Denia whines again in desperation, but Sigrika carries on and eventually makes it to Denia’s room. Thinking about it, this is the first time Sigrika’s ever been allowed inside. Denia’s pretty good at denying Sigrika’s request to visit, but right now, she’s not exactly in the mindset to do so. Sigrika moves to plop Denia on her bed, but Denia gathers what bit of coherent thoughts she has left and points to a white door in the corner of her room.
“Siggy there… my nesting… room.”
“Right! Of course.”
She opens the door and sees a small, barely illuminated room with nothing but a white bed. Sigrika isn’t an expert in what omegas need for heat, but she knows that they most definitely need water or food and probably more blankets than this. She hasn’t seen a lot of nesting rooms before, but if Sigrika didn’t know any better, she might’ve mistaken this room for a jail cell.
She lays Denia in the sad excuse for a bed and, concerningly, looks around. Grim white walls clash with the bright and cheery vibe of Denia’s actual room. “Nia, there’s barely any blankets or… anything in here. You don't have any necessities, and you don’t let anyone see you during your heats…How do you spend so much time here but don’t even have water?”
“I-I don’t need any of that. What I need is to get all this off of me.” Denia’s patience has worn thin. The heat is closing in, and she needs to deal with it. She claws at her gloves, eventually ripping them off with her teeth.
“Okay. Uhm, I’ll be right back. I’ll just get you water and food for when you’re done.” Sigrika’s dead set on helping Denia with her heats after she refused the last time. She stands up to leave quickly, but then Denia grabs a part of her dress and stops her. Denia’s eyes are hazy, and her body is shaking.
“Stay. You said you wanted to help. So help me.” Her speech is slow, and her voice is raw, but her words are urgent. Any feelings or restraints involving pushing Sigrika away that Denia harbors dissipate instantly. Overshadowing them is that familiar fiery pain. It doesn’t just hurt, but it beckons. It begs and pleads for an alpha’s soft touch. She specifically needs her alpha’s soft touch on her arms or her face or her legs—anywhere and everywhere. Denia frantically slips her dress straps off her shoulders, fully revealing herself to Sigrika.
Even under the influence of a heat, Denia sees the effect this has on Sigrika. Her wide eyes intensely rake over Denia’s body; if her stares could burn marks of the love and adoration Sigrika carries in her gaze into Denia’s skin, she’d be covered in them from head to toe. She knows Sigrika wants to indulge in her so clearly, and Denia wants her to break so, so badly.
She watches as the alpha attempts to push her mask closer to her face in a crude attempt to block the scent that already fills her lungs. Constantly shaking her head and trying to distance herself from Denia, whose grip remains. “When I said help you, I didn’t mean like that. Denia… I would. It would be an honor. It’s just right now, you aren’t thinking straight. I’m unsure if I am either. For now, I just want to get you some water when you're thirsty and food when you’re hungry later-“
If Sigrika wants to play this game, Denia will play. She’s always been told that she plays too much with her food. “I’m hungry now, Siggy. I’m actually starving.” Denia’s voice deepens as she finally yanks Sigrika down by her clothes. She falls with a yelp and is almost lying over Denia. She manages to catch herself with her hands next to Denia’s head, propping herself up. Sigrika hovers above her as Denia takes in their position. Her legs fall in between Sigrika now, all according to her plan.
The skin-to-skin contact is not enough for Denia. Honestly, she’s been patient for too long; she needs her alpha now. Tracing her fingers along Sigrika’s jaw line and cupping her cheeks, Denia giggles at the way Sigrika’s breath hitches. She’s nervous, and it’s so amusing to watch her deny herself. Denia’s fingers grace her collarbone and linger on her neck as she puts extra pressure on her scent glands. “Where do I have to press to get you to break for me, Siggy. Will you tell me, pretty please?”
Sigrika remains silent, but Denia isn’t oblivious. She sees the way her arms shake, smells the way her scent intensifies, feels the way her body heaves, and hears the way her heart beats. If only she could taste the evidence of the alpha’s weakening resolve… maybe another time. Denia continues moving her fingers down. “Is it here or right here?” Her hands pass over her arms and on her shoulder blades until finally reaching the spot she wants.
Dragging her pointer finger down her spine, she finds the gap in between Sigrika’s clothing and her place of interest: her tacet mark. Even though she can’t see, Denia knows it here; she’s stared at it way too much to ever forget its location. Outlining its shape, Sigrika shivers and then moans when Denia applies pressure to it. Her arms still remain up, but her legs buckle immediately, not able to withstand Denia’s teasing.
“What a reaction… but we both know that’s not your spot, Siggy. This is.”
Having her in position, Denia lifts her thigh between Sigrika's legs, grinding it against her length. Sigrika’s resolve crumbles. A guttural moan spills from Sigrika’s lips at the sudden pleasure, and her arms buckle immediately. Bullseye. She falls on Denia’s chest, narrowly avoiding the chains on her as she groans in pleasure. Her breathing is sporadic, and Denia enjoys the way her breaths exhale onto her bare chest. “Nia…I can’t. I’m trying to hold myself back… y-you told me before that you don’t need an alpha for your heats...”
“That’s the thing, Siggy. I’ve been told my whole life that I don’t need anyone or anything. I always told you I never needed you or your help, but you still came anyway. I don’t need you, but now I want you, and I don’t want anybody else.” She frantically whispers this to the alpha before yanking her back up to her face by her mask: that useless mask that definitely wasn’t helping anyone anymore. Slowly, as if unwrapping a present, Denia unties the covering. It falls onto Denia’s face, slightly blocking her view, but Denia doesn’t even care. The scent it carries is a reward in itself.
“I can feel how much you want me. Why don’t you feel how much I want you?” Denia pulls her in, kisses her nose, and then grinds herself up into Sigrika’s thigh. She gasps in shock at the pleasure that rushes over her own body like an ocean wave. God, she needs her now. Denia sees it on Sigrika’s face the moment she feels her. Looking down, she sees how wet Sigrika's thigh is now in dim white light.
Sigrika pants heavily, and Denia feels that it’s over. Any minute, Sigrika’s going to stop her pain and take her. But her panting slowly turns into steady breathing, and Sigrika shakes off her state of arousal. As if she locks back into what she needs to do, she lifts herself off Denia. “Nia, I want to help you so badly. I feel like I need you more than I need to breathe right now, but I can’t. Not like this, not when I can’t tell you what this means to me. Please forgive me.”
Sigrika finds the strength to pry herself from Denia’s grasp, leaves the room, and slams the door behind her. Her scent follows her, except for some lingering traces on the cloth that Denia removed earlier that she now carries in her hands.
Sigrika left. And everything seems to stop for Denia. The room suddenly feels too familiar. The walls look too constricting, and the pain surges again. Denia moans, in pain this time, as the flames of her heat desperately search for an alpha that isn’t there anymore. The voices follow soon after as always, but it’s not those semi-familiar ones. The time, it’s her own:
‘She’s gone. She left. Were they right? Is my fate really sealed? Is this it? Why….why do I have to be alone? I don’t want this anymore. I can’t do it anymore. I want her. No, I need her.’
She lets out a loud cry that echoes through the room, and tears follow soon after. The pattern repeats itself. The white walls, the ripped-up gloves, the pain, the voices, and then the tears. It’s the same never-ending cycle, and Denia’s at the center of it all.
…
“…Nia, are you ok?” A semi-muffled voice slips through the cracks of the door, and this time it’s not one that is distant or sharp. It’s warm and soft.
Denia sits up, her tears stopping. Sigrika didn’t leave. At least not completely. She’s outside the door. Denia frantically crawls towards the door and tries opening it, but it doesn’t budge.
“No, of course not. Don’t ask stupid questions. I was better when you were in here with me. Open the door.” She tries to open it again, but it’s useless.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t. I can’t be in there either, Nia, we both know that.”
Logically, Denia does know that, but right now she can’t think. Her heat is realizing the source of her relief is on the other side of this door, and that’s all that matters. “I don’t care, Siggy. I need you, I need your scent, I need something.” She smells the mask again, but it’s not enough. “The scent on your mask is already fading too fast. Ugh, Sigrika, it hurts too much without you. Please help.”
“My scent…my scent. Wait, the pillow. I think it’s still there.” Denia whips her head around, scanning the room. Sure enough, in the far corner lies a green plush pillow with that familiar gold stitching. Denia rushes over, scoops the pillow into her arms, and deeply inhales.
The sweet smell of yogurt and oranges calms her down just a bit, but her hunger remains the same. “It’s still not enough, Sigrika.”
“I know, but this is all I can give you right now.” Her voice sounds a bit closer to the door, as if she’s leaning up against it. Denia moves to also rest her back against it, hoping that even though there’s a wall in between them, it might provide some sort of comfort. It doesn’t.
“I need you closer. I need you to touch me. I need, god I need to…” She needs her release. She looks down at her hands, and she almost sneers at them. Her hands aren’t what she wants. She only wants Sigrika: Sigrika's hands, Sigrika’s thigh, Sigrika's mouth, Sigrika’s-
…pillow. Sigrika’s pillow is in her lap. Denia quickly shifts it so it’s between her legs. Holding herself up against the door, Denia cants her hips forward onto the pillow. She rocks back and forth, feeling herself grind into the pillow that smells so much like the comforting scent she’s now addicted to. Her pleasure shows in the amount of moans and whines that escape her mouth.
“Sigrika, Sigrika, god…Siggy. I’m- I’m on your pillow, but it’s not the same. I wish it were you, I need it to be you.” Denia sputters out words in her aroused daze. Just chanting Sigrika’s name over and over again as she gets closer to her release.
Sigrika’s been suspiciously silent for a few minutes, but then Denia finally hears her: a small moan that seems to be muffled, as if blocked by a hand, followed by a few drawn-out whines. “Nia…what would…ahh.. What would you want me to do…? If I were inside there…with you?”
Her shortness of breath, her pauses and stutters between words, and the sudden increase in this sweet scent that seems to drift through the door all register to Denia. Sigrika is touching herself too. And that drives Denia insane.
She’s imagining all the things Sigrika could do if she were inside this stupid room with her. They flood her mind, and all Denia can think about is Sigrika.
“I need your hands on me again. Not just my face or my chest, but lower. You wouldn’t even need to think about where to put them. I’ll move them myself.” Denia puts her hands to use and touches her chest, indulging in the fantasy that they don’t belong to her but instead Sigrika’s.
“I could do that for you, my hands are yours.”
“Then, when I get my fill, I’d push your hands back and tie them with this stupid mask thing so you couldn’t touch me anymore. I’d make you sit down and take off whatever’s blocking me from all of you.”
“Whatever you want, Denia… I’m yours.”
“I’d get in your lap and tell you not to move. You don’t need to do anything; let me take you. Just watch me ruin you, the same way you ruin me. Please, Sigrika.” Denia loses control and just mindlessly humps into the pillow. She’s so close.
Denia thinks Sigrika’s close too with her increase of whines. “You would feel so good, Denia. I want it, all of it.” Her voice is gravelly and slow. “I’ll be good for you.”
Nia jerks, her panting getting harder. She gives a breathless laugh, “You promise?”
Sigrika’s words come out shaky, “Yes, I promise. I’d do all that and more. If you let me, I’d show you all the ways I know to prove I’m yours. Let you mark every part of my body until the only thing I can say is your name.”
God, Denia’s right there, she just needs a little more. She needs this. “Just come, Siggy. Fuck come inside.”
“…the room?”
“Come. Inside. Need you to come inside…” She paws at the door again.
“…I will Denia, but you need to let go first. You can do it, it’s ok, I’m here.”
“Sigrika…”
“I’m here for you, I’m there. You’re riding me, right and I’m watching you take me. And as soon as I feel like you tighten up on me, I’d bare everything. I’m yours, my neck is yours. I’d let you bite me if that’s what you want. Just mark me, Denia.”
“Oh fuck, Sigrika. Yes, god, fuck.”
Denia feels like she dissolves in that moment. She cries out as she bites her own lips hard enough to bleed. Everything is a blur but she thinks she hears Sigrika whimper. Both of then are silent as the reward of relief finally comes. Her own scent of calming lilac bubbles seems to mix with this new sweet scent. Not as acidic as yogurt and not as tangy as oranges, but it’s overwhelmingly sweet. Like frosting. Denia happily breathes it in as sleep overtakes her.
.
.
Denia wakes up with her body somehow on the bed and clothed. She’s wearing one of her old sweaters and a loose pair of shorts. She feels lighter than she’s ever felt during a heat. She knows she’s just in the rest period and will soon feel the urges again, but for now, she can relax.
Upon opening her eyes, she expects the same old room with the exception of her new favorite (wet) pillow. What she doesn’t expect is the maker of said pillow holding a bottle of water, staring at Denia like she’s been caught in a crime. Looking at the room fully, she guesses that Sigrika’s been adding things into the room: colorful blankets, various plushies, food, and water. The number of items in here alone drastically changes the vibe of the room. She also noticed how Sigrika's clothes are different. Now she dons a Startorch Academy sweater, a pair of matching sweatpants, and…are those the academy’s modified omega scent nose plugs?
“Oh, you’re awake! Did I wake you? Oh shoot, I was trying to hurry out before you woke up.” Sigrika frantically drops the bottle down, accidentally causing the other bottles she lines up to fall like dominoes. Well, at least she seems to be back to her usual self. “Oh god, wait, I can fix this-”
In another scenario, Denia would laugh at Sigrika’s mistake, but she’s still living off her newfound clarity. “Ugh, Sigrika, just come over here.” Denia scoots to the one side of her bed.
Sigrika straightens up with a serious expression. “Denia, I’m serious, I don’t want to be bed you during your heat-”
“Not for that, idiot. I’m fine, right now anyways. Can’t you just, I don’t know, hold me for a second? I won’t try anything.”
Sigrika's gaze softens. “You want me to just hold you?”
“I’ve never had anyone in here before, let alone this much stuff and this much…color. It’s a nice change, honestly. So just come here and hold me before my heat flares up again and you voluntarily exile yourself like the stupid chivalrous alpha that you are.”
That bright smile Denia’s used to seeing greets her again, and Sigrika finally caves into one of Denia’s wishes. Before slipping into bed, Sigrika brings a bottle of water for Denia to drink fully. Once she fully finishes it, Sigrika gets into the bed, wraps her arms around Denia, and pulls her closer to her, making sure to tuck Denia's head into her neck.
Sigrika explains how, after Denia fell asleep, Sigrika had to rush over to her room to clean herself up and then over to the infirmary in fear that her rut might activate. She was able to make it in time, and Dr. Luuk gave her the medication she needed to calm down. Sigrika groans and covers her face in embarrassment after explaining that she had to tell Dr. Luuk why she was afraid of her rut coming early.
“You know what makes it worse? Professor Mornye was in the infirmary too and said she heard some rumor that I was carrying an omega in heat around campus! I had to look both of them in the face and explain what happened with us. I told them we didn’t do anything, but then Dr. Luuk just went ‘Whatever happens in the bedroom is none of my business, you’re both adults. We just want to make sure you’re both okay.” And that’s very nice of them, but nothing happened and now they don’t even believe me!”
Denia laughs at Sigrika's horrible Luuk impression. “And they just let you come back into an omega’s room while she’s in heat? Wow, such irresponsible faculty.”
“Well… they don’t know about that part, but I promised you I’d bring you stuff. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”
Denia takes in another whiff of Sigrika’s scent and tightens her own arms around her. “Yeah, I know…I’m sorry, by the way. For dragging you here and not letting you leave at first.”
“It’s ok. I really didn’t mind, I just didn’t want you to do something you might’ve regretted when your heat ended.”
Denia looks up at Sigrika. Her own eyes are so heartfelt and genuine. Denia doesn’t know what she ever did to deserve someone like her, but she doesn’t want to ever let her go. “I wouldn’t have regretted it, but I’m glad you stopped me. I don’t want it to seem like I’m using you. You’re too important to me for me to do that.”
"You're important to me, too, Denia.”
Denia takes a deep breath. If she’s going to do this, she wants to do it right. Not that she exactly knows what ‘right’ entails, but she wants to take the first steps. “I can’t tell you…everything, but I grew up in a place where I couldn’t rely on anyone for anything. I was treated like I was lesser for being an omega, and I guess at one point I believed them. I believed it when they said I was made to be alone. I believe that every alpha was just trying to prove how much I’m just a useless omega who can’t change her own fate.”
Sigrika takes her time to respond. Denia thinks about pulling herself out of Sigrika’s embrace, in fear that she may have ruined everything, but Sigrika’s arms tighten around her. She looks up and sees the beautiful smile she’s gotten so attached to. Finally, she responds, “You don’t need to apologize for the horrible actions of others. They fed you lies to weaken you. You may not need an alpha, but that’s your choice to make. And you’re strong enough to make that choice.” Sigrika pulls her in closer and kisses her forehead.
“It doesn’t matter what the people in your life before said. Caring for you is the easiest thing I've ever done. And I want to show you that. If you want, that is. I don’t just mean helping you through your heat, but every moment alongside that. Especially moments where you’re having a bad day. Or when you feel a little tired or a little hungry, you can rely on me. If it took years for people to convince you you're unlovable, give me years to prove them wrong! I want to be yours as much as I’d be proud to have you be mine.”
At this very moment, Denia doesn’t know what to do. She feels overwhelmed with too many emotions, she can’t help but just cry. It’s the same ending for the cycle that takes place in this white room. But now, instead of a bleak, desolate room, the room is filled with water, and food, and a kind, sweet alpha that catches her tears for her. Her tears aren’t from her pain anymore.
“Nia, are you ok? Was it something I said?” She readily wipes Denia's tears, and that almost makes her cry more.
“I’m ok, Siggy. I just want it too. Everything you want and more.” Denia takes in Sigrika’s scent again. It’s a bit different this time. She didn’t really smell it at first, but now she smells it as clearly as she did after her release. “Mm, frosting...”
“Huh? Frosting?”
“That’s the third thing. You asked about your scent before all this happened. I have you answer: smells like yogurt, oranges, and frosting.”
“Oh! Hm, well…Do you like it, my scent?” Sigrika looks bashful when asking. It’s cute, Denia thinks, that she cares about things like this.
“I feel like I proved plenty before that I really like your scent. You know, with everything that literally just happened.”
“Not anything heat-related or sexual! I was just wondering if it was a bit overwhelming since you know, you always mention alpha smells are too strong or too gross…”
It’s a bit weird now that Denia thinks about it. Why does Sigrika smell so different compared to every other alpha she’s ever met? Maybe it’s just a happy coincidence. “You’re not a normal alpha. You should know that.”
“I know,” Sigrika says with a slight frown.
Denia playfully taps her arm. “That’s a compliment, genius. I don’t want normal. Nothing about me is normal.”
Sigrika instantly perks right back up. For someone who’s trained herself in hiding her emotions all the time, being with someone like Sigrika is so refreshing. “That’s good then! We don’t need to be normal. I think we just need to be us.”
Be us, huh? Denia ponders a bit before turning her head towards Sigrika’s neck and biting lightly down near her scent gland.
“Wait, Nia!” Sigrika turns red, unable to keep her small moan from slipping out of her mouth.
“I know omegas can’t mark alpha’s, at least not in the same way you can do to me. But I’m staking my claim early. Well temporary. The real thing needs to be during my next heat.”
Sigrika stares at her embarrassed for a moment before bursting out in laughter. “You know I had to change my clothes completely because the professors were saying you already scent-marked me. I think you already staked your claim. Someone’s already jealous.” She says in a sing-song voice.
“... okay. And didn’t you almost growl at Lynae?”
“That- that was an accident!”
For the first time during a heat, Denia smiles and laughs. And she thinks this won’t be the last time she does so either. Because she’s not alone anymore.