Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In this world there are things called ‘secondary genders’. Everyone is classified and judged on what their secondary gender presents as, be it Alpha, Beta or Omega. The alphas are at the top of the food chain, be it in business, physical appearance or general social standing. Betas are the more ‘normal’ people of society and usually work in the not-so-desirable jobs and tend to just get on with whatever task it is they are put to without complaint. Finally, omegas are the people who are born to breed. They experience a ‘heat’ every month and can ‘bond’ with an alpha, sometimes even against the omega’s wishes. While not everyone sticks to these stereotypes and tropes, society is usually based on these few facts.

One such omega that was not too fond of the cons of being such a gender was Sugawara Koushi. He’d been with his mate for almost seven years now, having bonded with Daichi in their second year of high school, and now the twenty-three year old lived with his alpha in a small apartment near the river. He lived a pretty peaceful life, what with his volleyball team mates being his ‘pack’ as well as his friends and most days went by without complaint. This particular day, however, Suga had happened to mention wanting to go shopping in town with Nishinoya and Yamaguchi and something inside Daichi had flipped.

“No.”

The alpha’s voice was deeper than usual and Suga could practically feel the command in the word. It was unusual for Daichi to actually use his Alpha abilities and it came as a shock to the omega, his hairs standing on end as he tried to muster up the courage to reply. He chewed on his lower lip and frowned deeply, not meeting his mate’s eyes.

“Why not? We’re just going to grab some lunch and window shop.”

Daichi grabbed his coat and shoved his feet into his shoes a little too aggressively, “It’s not safe for three omegas to go out alone, you know I hate it!”

 He wasn’t wrong. Lately there had been more and more reports of Omegas being targeted by alphas and even some beta gangs, it made Suga shudder as he remembered the images he’d seen on the internet of beaten omegas with their clothes torn. But he’d be damned if that made him stay at home cowering all day. No, he wanted to show the world that he wasn’t just a gender, he was a person and one fully capable of looking after himself.

 “Look, we won’t even be that long,” Suga added a small whine to his voice as he knew Daichi was weak to it and took his mate’s hand in his own, stroking with his thumb, “Do you really think someone would try and mess with Noya?” He laughed a little but was cut off as Daichi spun to face him, eyes livid.

“It’s too damn dangerous, Koushi!” The reverberation in the alpha’s voice was like a slap to the omega’s face and Koushi cowered slightly, mewling as Daichi continued, “You’re not going and that’s that!”

Suga let go of Daichi’s larger hand and glared at the floor, tears pooling in his eyes. His lip was quivering and he wanted to shout, to scream in his mate’s face that he was worrying too much but the aggressive pheromones that were flowing from Daichi had frozen him solid. Body trembling, not with fear but with pure frustration at his own body’s reaction, Suga managed to meet the alpha’s eyes.

 Daichi’s heart felt like it had fallen into his stomach at the sight of his omega cowering in front of him. He hadn’t meant to come on so strong and he could smell the adrenaline flowing off Suga like he was preparing to flee. Without another word he gathered Suga in his arms and began rubbing his neck all over the omega’s face and hair, scenting him to try and calm him down. He felt Koushi relax slightly but tears began to fall from the smaller man’s eyes. Daichi wiped at them with his thumb and pulled his mate closer so that Koushi was resting his head on his chest, his tears quickly soaking the alpha’s shirt.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Daichi cooed as he rubbed the silvery hair of his best friend and lover, “I just don’t want you to get hurt, I couldn’t stand it if someone else touched you.”

Sugawara leaned his head up so that his lips were against Daichi’s neck and he inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm his nerves. He felt like his heart was beating too fast and his breath seemed to catch in his throat as he spoke softly.

“I know...” his voice sounded distant in his own ears, like his head was filled with cotton.

“Suga?”

 Daichi took the omega’s head in his hands and lifted it so that he could look him in the eyes. Koushi’s pupils seemed too big and his eyes somewhat cloudy, the signs that an omega was about to ‘drop’.

“Suga!” Daichi shook his shoulders roughly, which only resulted in the omega flopping like a ragdoll in his strong arms, “Koushi, baby don’t do this, I’m sorry!”

Koushi was only subconsciously aware of what was happening; he could hear his mate’s voice calling his name but he couldn’t seem to reach out to him through the haze that had consumed his body. He felt sick and dizzy and too far away from Daichi. A soft mewl escaped Suga’s lips as he pawed uselessly at the alpha’s arms that were holding him tightly and he faintly heard Daichi’s apologies as his mate’s pheromones surrounded him completely, like a warm blanket.

With little effort, Daichi lifted Suga off his feet and carried him into the living room where he placed him gently on the sofa. He scented the omega quickly, spreading his pheromones on Suga’s wrists, neck and even in his hair in an attempt to bring him back from the drop. He’d only ever seen his mate drop once before, after a gruelling volleyball match that they had lost in their second year of highschool. Suga had thought that he’d been of no help to the team and had suddenly collapsed without warning. Daichi hadn’t even heard of ‘dropping’ before that and had to be taught the basics by his senpai.

“Come on, Koushi,” Daichi whispered into the omega’s ear as he brushed his fingers through his silky hair, “I’m so sorry, please come back to me.”

He was considering ringing Asahi to ask for help when a soft whimper escaped Suga’s pale lips and his eyes fluttered open. He looked up at his mate, confusion marring his usually calm face, and tilted his head slightly as he spoke. 

“Dai?”

Daichi touched his hand to his mate’s cheek, “I’m here, I’m so sorry, Koushi.”

The Omega leaned into the alpha’s touch and inhaled deeply, “I was scared...”

Not knowing if Suga meant his was scared of dropping or scared of him , Daichi nodded and ground his teeth together, angry at himself. When he saw Suga flinch slightly at his unstable pheromones, however, the alpha calmed himself and tried to concentrate on looking after his mate. 

“Shh, you’re okay now. You’re safe,” he placed a soft kiss on Koushi’s mole next to his eye and thanked God that the drop hadn’t lasted too long. He’d heard that the longer the drop, the more difficult it was to bring the omega back.

“Do you want something to drink?”

 Daichi moved to stand but was stopped by Suga’s hand gripping his shirt tightly. He didn’t want to be apart from his alpha when he was still so anxious and so Daichi scooched in beside the omega and let him lay on top of him, curled on his side. They lay like that for almost an hour, just scenting one another and trying to relax, until Suga suddenly leaned up on Daichi’s chest and pouted.

“What?” The alpha asked, an eyebrow raised.

Koushi didn’t meet Daichi’s eyes and instead chose to fiddle with his shirt buttons as he replied, “I’m going to be late meeting Noya and Tadashi...”

 A wave of emotions flooded out from Daichi: anger, frustration, fear .

“I don’t have to go!” Suga backtracked as he watched his mate’s face contort.

Daichi sighed, defeated, “I can’t stop you,” he mumbled through clenched teeth, “But take an alpha with you, please?”

Sugawara brightened visibly and sat up straight, allowing Daichi to sit up too. 

“I’ll ask Asahi if he wants to come!”

He moved to stand up but was pulled back down onto Daichi’s lap as the alpha claimed his lips in a firm kiss and proceeded to scent Koushi for the umpteenth time that day. The omega didn’t protest and just waited patiently until his mate was finished, which he signalled with a low growl of ‘ mine’ . Once he was well and truly claimed, Suga giggled and placed a gentle kiss on his love’s forehead before heading for the door and grabbing his coat.

“Please be careful,” Daichi practically groaned as he watched Koushi’s tight ass as the omega bent down to put on his shoes.

“Promise.” 

“And don’t talk to any strangers!”

“Yes Mom!” 

Suga laughed at Daichi’s blushing face as he headed out to meet his friends, a little more bounce in his step as he remembered just how much he was loved by his mate.

Chapter Text

Yamaguchi Tadashi and Tsukishima Kei had been friends since they were small. Well, smaller- the omega couldn’t remember a time when Tsukki had been short. The point was, they had known one another pretty much their entire lives and now, at twenty, they had finally become a bonded pair.

Tsukishima had confessed to Tadashi in their second year of highschool, much to the omega’s surprise. Everyone else, however, had known it was coming since the moment they’d met the teenagers what with them being inseparable and all. The pair had waited to bond until they were living together and a few weeks prior, after a few years of struggling to find the right apartment, they had finally gotten the keys to a small complex close to where the rest of their pack resided. In fact, it was the same apartment building as Hinata and Kageyama. At first Tsukki had been hesitant about living so close to the hot-tempered setter and his mate but Yamaguchi liked the idea of being close to another omega that he knew and Tsukishima couldn’t say no on the rare occasion that Tadashi asked for something.

They bonded the week they moved in as Yamaguchi’s heat had come early and everything felt just right, how it should be. That was until the university Tsukishima attended announced that they were sending the alpha’s class on a week long trip to Osaka. He drummed his fingers against the hand grip as the train reached his stop and got off automatically, like his body was on autopilot.

How the hell was he going to tell Tadashi that he’d be gone for a week?! It was bad enough leaving the omega at home when he went to his classes; each morning since they’d bonded it was a struggle to force himself out of the door and he knew it was even harder for Tadashi to say goodbye. He’d even heard the omega mewling sadly to himself a couple of times behind the closed door when he returned home, the only thing keeping him sane was the fact that Daichi-san told him that it got better after a couple of months. Hell, it couldn’t get any worse.

The alpha took a deep breath and fumbled with his keys in the lock – he’d told Yamaguchi to lock the door when he wasn’t home for fear of someone entering their home. It took Tsukishima a good minute to finally open the damn lock and he almost fell over his mate as he stepped inside.

“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi wailed and flung his arms around the taller man, nuzzling his face into the alpha’s scent glands like a drowning man being offered a life vest.

Tsukki wrapped his strong arms around his mate and inhaled Tadashi’s scent deeply. It was true that omegas felt the bond more strongly when they were apart but Kei couldn’t keep his mind from wandering back to his freckled love whenever they were separated and felt like he needed to ‘recharge’ whenever they met again. Their embrace didn’t last too long, though, as the fact that he was going away kept nagging at Tsukki’s brain and he felt like he would explode if he didn’t tell his mate sooner rather than later. He held Tadashi’s shoulders and looked down at him, noticing the slight blush on the omega’s freckled cheeks.

“Tadashi...” he kept his tone low, soothing, “Next week my class is going on a field trip.”

Yamaguchi nodded, a drunken kind of smile on his face as Tsukki’s scent encased him, “Okay. Do you want me to pack a bento? Which day is it?”

Kei sighed and traced the freckles on Tadashi’s arm as he explained, “It’s for the whole week. Well, seven days and six nights.”

He felt the omega’s pheromones change and mingle with a high scent. Panic. Yamaguchi paled and his breathing increased rapidly, he was hyperventilating. It wasn’t an unusual sight to see the omega freaking out as he had a tendency to overthink things and have anxiety over even the smallest of issues. It was usually something his alpha could resolve, however, but this time Tsukki was the cause. He let out his own pheromones in an attempt to calm his mate and scented his face and head gently as Yamaguchi whined into his chest.

“Do… Do you have to go, Tsukki?” he whimpered, omega-neediness dialled up to ten. Kei nodded into Tadashi’s silky hair, “It’s part of the exam, I don’t have a choice.”

The omega made a high, mewling sound in the back of his throat and Kei picked him up, letting Tadashi loop his arms around his neck and legs around his waist like a baby monkey. He took him into the living room and sat down on the couch, the pair still entwined.

“It’ll only be a week,” Tsukishima stroked his mate’s hair soothingly but could feel his own annoyance gnawing at the back of his mind. He cursed his lecturer for forcing the field trip on them.

Yamaguchi sniffled and looked up at his alpha, tears gathered in his big brown eyes, “I’ll be lonely.”

He pouted and Tsukishima’s teeth clamped down in a grimace as he tried to control himself. He vowed to give his lecturer a piece of his mind the next time he saw him. Without realising he was doing so, the alpha growled deep in his chest and felt Tadashi lean away from him a little, worry in his sad eyes.

“Ah, sorry,” Tsukki took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly, “I’m just mad at myself for having to leave you.”

Sensing his mate’s frustration and knowing that Tsukki would always blame himself for something like this, Yamaguchi pursed his lips into a thin line and tried his best to look determined. The expression presented as more of one of confusion and the alpha opened his mouth to speak only to be interrupted by Tadashi’s quivering voice.

“O-Only one week, right?”

Tsukki nodded silently.

“Then I-I’ll be a-alright,” Yamaguchi smiled weakly and leaned back into Tsukki’s neck, hiding his worried expression.

“Are you sure? I can always say I’m sick...”

Tsukishima felt his love shake his head against his neck, “No. It’s important for your course.”

“I’ll ask the others to stay here while I’m away, okay?” Tsukki nuzzled Tadashi’s hair and felt the omega relax slightly at the thought of his pack mates helping him through the week.

Big brown eyes looked up at Kei, “Even Kageyama?”

A click of the tongue revealed what Tsukishima thought of the alpha setter but if Tadashi needed everyone around him then he’d bite his tongue and let him have his way.

“Even him, if that makes you happy.”

“Not particularly. I just like teasing you.” That earned the omega a soft bite to the neck and the pair relaxed a little, trying not to think about the coming week.

“Got everything you need?” Daichi asked as Tsukishima put on his shoes.

“Yeah, thanks.” It was time to go. Tsukishima tried to remind himself that it was only seven days but the only thing occupying his mind was the scene that had played out the previous night. Yamaguchi had woken up at around two in the morning, sweating and breathing heavily. At first Tsukki had thought that perhaps his heat had come early but soon realised that his mate was having a panic attack and swiftly moved to soothe him as best he could. It had taken almost two hours but the omega had finally calmed down enough to sleep, his head resting on the alpha’s chest as Kei continued to release his pheromones.

Now that the time had come for him to actually leave, Yamaguchi was hovering at the front door as Tsukishima checked that he had everything he needed for the third time. Once satisfied that he had indeed packed all the necessities, Kei gathered Tadashi in his arms and spent a good ten minutes spreading his scent all over the omega’s slim body. When he’d finished, Tadashi was flushed and a little scent-drunk but much less anxious than before and Tsukki took the opportunity to kiss him fervently before saying his goodbyes.

It had all happened in a blur of scent and colour and kissing and then suddenly his alpha was no longer by his side. Yamaguchi stood by the door, hands wringing together and a soft whimpering coming from his chest. He didn’t know what to do. His entire being was yelling at him to chase after his alpha and stop him from leaving but the rational part of Tadashi’s brain reminded him that if he did so, Tsukki would definitely not go and then it’d be all the omega’s fault if he failed his course. No, he would be brave for his mate and last the week without him. How hard could it be?

Sensing his pack mate’s distress, Suga took Tadashi’s hand and led him back into the living room, where the rest of the pack were gathered. Tanaka and Ennoshita had claimed the armchair, the latter sitting on the Beta’s lap, and Kageyama and Hinata were sitting side by side on the couch. The first years hadn’t yet bonded but were as close as any fated pair that anyone could meet, even if the smaller lad did drive the alpha insane now and then. In front of them, on the floor leaning against the sofa, were Asahi and Nishinoya. The libero was nestled in his alpha’s strong arms not really paying attention to whatever was playing on the TV and Asahi was more occupied with Yuu’s tiny hands in his own.

The sight of all of the couples made Yamaguchi’s breath catch a little and he squeezed Suga’s hand, thankful for the older omega’s calming presence as they joined the first years on the couch.

“So,” Suga kept hold of Yamaguchi’s trembling hand even as Daichi sat on the arm of the sofa beside him, “Is there anything you want to do today?”

It took a moment for Tadashi to realise that Suga was addressing him, his mind was focusing only on his lost mate. No, not lost, he told himself, Tsukki will be back next week. Just one week. Surely he could last that long? It hadn’t been as bad when they weren’t bonded but now that his one and only alpha had claimed him and visa-versa, Tadashi felt an almost palpable pain in his chest from being apart from Tsukki.

“Yamaguchi?” Daichi asked, concern on his face.

The sound of the alpha’s voice startled the young omega and he nodded, not quite sure what he was replying to,

“Mhmm...”

“Don’t scare him, Dai,” Suga patted his mate’s leg and Daichi slouched slightly, a little embarrassed, “We can just stay here today if you like, Tadashi,” Sugawara stroked the younger omega’s hair gently and felt his pheromones calm a little.

“Yeah!” Nishinoya was on his feet, Asahi abandoned on the floor, “We could watch scary movies and play games and-”

“OOH!” Hinata sprang to his feet, mirroring his senpai, “The Wii! The Wii!”

“Tch,” Kageyama clicked his tongue, “I’ll pulverise you at bowling.”

“Or”, Suga gave the pair of rowdy omegas a glare and turned back to Yamaguchi, “We could just chill out and not do much of anything. It’s up to you, Tadashi.”

Yamaguchi tried his best to look somewhat human and smiled thinly, the expression not reaching his eyes, “I think some sc-scary movies would be good.”

Chapter Text

It was only one in the afternoon but the curtains were closed and the lights dimmed in preparation for a movie ‘night’. In order to try and distract Yamaguchi from his alpha, the rest of the pack (with Tadashi’s approval) had decided to watch some scary films and huddle up together. Just the presence of other omegas was somewhat soothing to him and Tadashi felt himself calming down as he snuggled up under one of the many blankets Nishinoya had gathered in the living room.

“So, what’re we watching first?” Tanaka asked as Ennoshita handed him a bowl of popcorn.

“Something really gory to traumatise Asahi,” Sugawara smiled evilly at the bearded alpha and he flinched.

“How about we start off a little easier?” Daichi suggested as Suga made himself comfortable between his legs on the floor.

Hinata, who was on Yamaguchi’s right side leaning against Kageyama, raised his hand like a kid in class,

“Ooh! What about Saw?!”

That earned him a smack on the back of his head from his alpha.

“Daichi-san said something easier, idiot.”

“I know!” Noya was sitting on Yamaguchi’s left atop Asahi’s crossed legs, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre!”

Daichi face-palmed and decided to just ask Yamaguchi what he would prefer, after all they were there to try and distract him not traumatise him.

“Yamaguchi,” Daichi spoke softly so as not to startle him again, “Do you have something you want to watch?”

“Umm...” Tadashi pushed his hair behind his ear, “M-Maybe Cabin in the Woods? I’ve wanted to see it for a while but Tsuk-” he gasped and felt his heartbeat increase a little as a lead weight settled in his stomach.

He’d been wanting to watch that particular film for a while but every time he asked Tsukishima, the alpha had said he wasn’t in the mood or simply didn’t care and told Yamaguchi to watch it by himself. The trouble was that the omega was too scared to watch it alone and the whole point of asking his mate to watch it with him was so that he would be able to hide in Tsukki’s arms and sense the presence of his safe alpha beside him. He realised now, however, that he was suggesting watching it without him and accidentally reminded himself that his alpha wasn’t there with him.

Sensing his distress, Nishinoya nuzzled his face into Yamaguchi’s shoulder and Hinata followed suit on his other side, both omegas releasing calming pheromones to try and help their pack mate recover. Once Tadashi seemed a little more stable, Suga found the movie and pressed play.

Although still a little gory, the movie was more fun to watch than most true horrors and the group soon found themselves absorbed in the plot. Tanaka had knocked over his popcorn twice already as he kept jumping up and shouting at the characters to ‘run!’ or ‘be quiet!‘ and so Ennoshita had finally given up and sat on the sofa, away from the overexcited beta. Hinata and Noya were thoroughly engrossed in the gory scenes and whooped whenever one of the good guys prevailed. Daichi and Suga seemed more interested in slyly making out in the corner, the omega sitting on his alpha’s lap as Daichi nuzzled into his neck, and Asahi had spent most of the movie with his hands over his eyes as his omega twitched and clapped at the screen.

Although the movie did help distract Yamaguchi for a short while, his mind soon wandered to thoughts outside of the blankets and his friends. He wondered what Tsukki was doing right that moment and silently hoped his alpha was missing him as much as he was missing his alpha. A cruel thought, he knew, but a one that made him feel a little better nonetheless. Maybe Tsukishima was on the train, travelling across the countryside as he listened to his music, headphones firmly positioned over his ears in a silent gesture to anyone who might think of starting a conversation with him. Or perhaps he had already arrived where he and his class would be staying and was settling in. That particular thought came with a sharp spike to the omega’s chest; the thought of Tsukki ‘settling’ anywhere without him was just as scary as the zombies currently stalking a girl on the TV. What if Tsukishima wasn’t missing him at all? What if he was enjoying his time away from his nervous, needy omega? Although he knew the thoughts were irrational and ridiculous, Yamaguchi couldn’t help the tightness in his chest and the small ‘yip’ that escaped his lips.

The sudden squeak from Tadashi startled the omegas on either side of him. Hinata flinched at the sound and snuggled a little closer to Kageyama whilst Nishinoya tentatively stroked Yamaguchi’s freckled arm. Tears pooled in Tadashi’s dark eyes and spilled forth onto his flushed, freckled cheeks as he forgot all about the movie and began to drown in his own imagination. It wasn’t unusual for newly bonded omegas to think up strange scenarios where their alpha would choose to abandon them but they were almost always unfounded. Perhaps it was because Tadashi was already such an anxious person or maybe it was the fact that his alpha had indeed left him for a while that sent his brain into overdrive and snowballed all of his thoughts and ideas until they clogged any judgement he might have otherwise had.

Sobs began to hitch his breath and he sniffed loudly, unable to control his emotions all of a sudden as they spilled out of him like a burst water balloon. It was difficult to catch his breath as he whined quietly, embarrassed for making such a scene but completely vulnerable to his omega instincts. It was only when Suga broke free from Daichi’s embrace and crawled over on his hands and knees to sit in front of Yamaguchi that the younger omega began to focus again.

“Hey,” Suga took Tadashi’s arm and stroked his thumb gently on his wrist, “It’s alright, we’re here.”

“S-So-Sorry,” Yamaguchi hiccuped as he continued to cry quietly.

Sugawara thumbed a tear from Tadashi’s cheek and stood up, gently lifting the crying omega’s arm so that he followed his lead. Tadashi stood, albeit a little shakily, and obediently followed Suga into his and Tsukishima’s bedroom.

“He’s got it pretty tough, huh,” Hinata mumbled into Kageyama’s chest as the alpha brushed his fingers through the ginger locks.

“It’s always hard to be apart from your mate,” Daichi leaned back against the sofa, his arms behind his head, “Especially so soon after bonding.”

“I remember when Asahi left me,” Noya settled himself between Asahi’s spread legs and twisted his hands in the blanket over his lap, eyes focusing on the softness.

“Don’t say it like that!” Asahi wrapped his strong arms around Yuu’s shoulders and squeezed, “I was only gone for three days to promote my book!”

“I’m just saying,” Noya continued, “It was hard for me and we’d been bonded almost a year by then! I can’t imagine what Tadashi must be going through.”

“Suga-san will look after him, don’t worry,” Tanaka smiled and shoved some more popcorn into his already full mouth.

“I hope it’s not too stressful for Koushi, it’s not good for him.” Daichi had said it under his breath but the keen ears of Ennoshita had heard him loud and clear.

“Too stressful? I’m sure he’ll be able to handle it.”

“Ah,” Daichi hadn’t expected anyone to hear, “Yeah, I just mean… Never mind.”

“We omegas are stronger than we look,” Nishinoya pulled up his sleeve and flexed his biceps, “Plus there are three of us to take care of Tadashi if needs be.”

“Yeah!” Hinata piped up, all negative thoughts easily expelled, “We can make nests together and scent one another and stuff! Yamaguchi will be so busy he won’t even care if Tsukishima comes back or not!”

Kageyama ruffled his hair, “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“It’ll be fine. Sure, it’ll probably be a little more effort than usual and we’ll have to keep our pheromones in check so that we don’t go too lovey-dovey in front of Tadashi too much but that’s easy enough,” Nishinoya nuzzled Asahi’s neck gently.

“Speaking of which,” Tanaka raised one eyebrow and grinned at Daichi, “I could hardly concentrate on the movie with you and Suga-san sucking face over there! And I can’t even sense your pheromones!”

Daichi flushed beet red and scratched his nape gingerly, “Sorry about that. Koushi’s hormones are a little-” he stopped mid-sentence as he felt six pairs of eyes staring at him. Nishinoya looked like his eyes might pop right out of his head whereas Tobio and Shouyou just looked confused at the sudden silence that enveloped the room.

“OH. MY. GOD!” Nishinoya was suddenly on his feet, blankets flying around him as he jumped up.

“What? What?!” Hinata could sense Noya’s overjoyed pheromones but didn’t know why the heck his senpai was suddenly so happy.

“AH!” Daichi paled and joined Yuu on his feet, arms out in front of him like he was trying to calm a wild dog, “Shh! I’m not supposed to let anyone know yet! Koushi made me promise!”

“Congratulations!” Asahi smiled wide and pulled the still-jumping Noya back onto his lap, holding him there as the tiny omega vibrated with excitement.

“Congrats, Daichi-san,” Tobio bowed his head as Tanaka and Ennoshita moved to slap the alpha heartily on the back.

“Huh? Huh?!” Hinata still looked perplexed and finally Nishinoya turned to him and stated with as much tact as he could muster – not a lot – that,

“Suga-san is pregnant!”

The boisterous group had been so engrossed in their sudden revelation that they hadn’t noticed Suga walk back into the room. He did so just as Noya told Hinata the news and Daichi suddenly felt a cold chill run down his spine. Although he was indeed the alpha of the pair, he was not ashamed to admit that he was scared of his omega mate now and then. Koushi could be vicious when he needed to be and his hormones the past few weeks didn’t seem to be helping the alpha’s cause.

Suga glared at his mate, poison seeming to radiate from his soft lips. Daichi felt the cold draft of rejection from his omega’s pheromones and bowed his head in apology as Noya hugged and scented Suga enthusiastically.

“Congrats, Suga-san!” Noya’s joy was contagious and Koushi couldn’t help but return the small omega’s smile.

“Thanks,” he glanced over at his mate, who’s head was still lowered guiltily, “You weren’t supposed to know yet, though.”

“Daichi didn’t mean to tell us,” Asahi said as he peeled Noya off of Suga so that he too could hug him, “It was an accident.”

“How far along are you?” Hinata was kneeling at Suga’s feet, hands pressed to the expecting omega’s belly, which did have the slightest of curves to it now that the redhead looked closer.

“About two and half months,” Suga replied, a slight blush on his cheeks as Kageyama yanked his mate away.

“So cool,” Hinata beamed as Tobio clicked his tongue.

“Don’t get any weird ideas,” the dark-haired alpha grumbled. Although the brief image of Shouyou with a protruding belly and rosy cheeks popped into his head and made his own cheeks heat up a little.

“Alright, that’s enough now,” Daichi was suddenly by his mate’s side, his alpha pheromones a little stronger than usual in a display of ownership. They screamed mine! and Koushi couldn’t help but lean a little closer to his mate, inhaling his alpha’s scent deeply.

“Okay, Dadchi, we know he’s yours,” Nishinoya grinned, impressed at his own joke as Daichi flushed crimson and Suga laughed loudly.

“Where’s Tadashi?” Ennoshita finally asked as the group made themselves comfortable amongst the blankets, the omegas scooching ever closer to Suga.

“Oh,” Suga smiled warmly, “I helped calm him down a little and he ended up crying himself to sleep on the bed. I think it’s best we let him rest a while, it’s been a traumatising day so far.”

“Hopefully the rest of the week will be better,” Asahi added softly.

“Hopefully.”

Chapter Text

The faint smell of beef wafted into Yamaguchi and Tsukishima’s bedroom, stirring the young omega from his light sleep. He didn’t even remember falling unconscious but could vaguely smell Sugawara’s lingering scent on his duvet and recalled the older omega soothing him earlier. Tadashi’s eyes felt puffy and raw from too many shed tears and his pillow felt damp beneath his freckled cheek; his throat was hoarse from sobbing and he sensed a dull ache deep inside himself, longing for his alpha. Feeling he’d made more than enough of a fuss, however, the omega forced the emptiness to the back of his mind and shuffled out of the room, following his nose into the kitchen where most of the pack was gathered.

 “Ah!” Suga’s arms waved helplessly in front of him as Hinata plucked a giant handful of thyme from a pot on the windowsill, “We don’t need that much, Shouyou-chan!”

The little redhead looked crestfallen but shoved most of the herb back into the pot and, with Suga’s guidance, added a little to the bubbling pan on the stove. Tanaka and Ennoshita were busy setting the small table enough for nine - a task in and of itself as the table was more suited for four – whilst Kageyama and Asahi tried to find some more chairs in the living room. Daichi seemed to just be hovering awkwardly behind Suga, flinching whenever the omega checked on the boiling pan or used one of the few knives Yamaguchi owned, much to Nishinoya’s amusement. The head alpha seemed to almost pass out when Suga suddenly spun around upon sensing Tadashi’s appearance and placed a large hand on his own chest to try and stop his heart bursting forth from it. He’d been more anxious and on edge since he’d found out Koushi was expecting and it was the first time since then that they’d been around so many people. It was taking a lot of effort to keep his alpha tendencies in check. After all, he didn’t want to scare poor Yamaguchi when he was already so fragile.

“Tadashi!” Suga stroked the younger omega’s arm gently, “How are you feeling?” 

“A- A little better, thanks,” his stomach gurgled and a faint blush peppered his cheeks, “Hungry, I guess.”

“Well you did sleep for like six hours, dude,” Tanaka rubbed a glass on his sleeve and smiled widely, “It’s almost seven!”

“Ah, s-s-orry,” Yamaguchi twiddled with his sleeve, ashamed that he’d left guests in his home without a host for so long.

Ennoshita slapped Tanaka’s arm with a tea towel and turned to Yamaguchi apologetically, “Don’t worry about it! You obviously needed the rest!”

 A thick, heavy aroma of beef stew suddenly enveloped the small kitchen as Suga announced it was ready to serve and everyone gathered around the table, squashing in as best they could. Hinata ended up sitting on Kageyama’s lap as there weren’t enough seats and Noya decided to let Suga have his chair and perched himself on top of a blushing Asahi as he ate. Daichi ended up on a beanbag chair that Asahi had found in the spare bedroom and looked comically shorter than everyone else as he slurped his stew.

“Oh!” Noya wiggled in Asahi’s lap as he quickly swallowed his mouthful of stew, “Tadashi doesn’t know yet!”

Yamaguchi had been concentrating on the sensation of the warm stew heating up his insides that he jumped a little at the mention of his name.

“Oh yeah!” Hinata beamed, “Tell him, Suga-san!”

The expecting omega’s pale brows knitted together slightly, “I’m not sure now is the right time...”

Daichi placed his hand on his love’s and smiled, gently releasing some of his pheromones to calm his mate, “I think now is the perfect time.”

The pair exchanged a reassuring look and Suga turned to Tadashi, who had settled beside him instinctively when they’d taken their seats, “Daichi and I...” Koushi glanced sideways at his alpha once more and saw the faintest nod from him, “We’re expecting!”

 A pregnant pause fell on the group as they waited for Tadashi’s reaction. Would it remind him too much of his absent alpha? Would it set off his anxieties and spiral him into an even worse panic attack? All of these scenarios played through their minds as they waited with baited breath for the lonely omega’s response. So, when Tadashi’s face creased into a wide smile, eyes crinkling and cheeks glowing, a weight seemed to lift from the table and everyone felt a little more relaxed.

“Wow!” Tadashi whispered, awe in his voice, “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you!”

 Daichi sat up a little straighter – well as straight as he could on the uneven surface of his makeshift chair – pride swelling in his chest, not only at his expecting omega but at his precious pack member’s pure reaction. Yamaguchi never failed to surprise the rest of the pack with his emotional rollercoasters but they wouldn’t have him any other way. Suga gathered him in his arms, almost spilling their bowls of stew, and scented Tadashi’s head and face thoroughly, receiving a wild blush from the younger omega and a guffawing laugh from Tanaka.

“You know,” Noya brought his bowl up to his mouth to try and get every last drop of stew, “It’s not that surprising that Suga-san is going to be a mum,” Asahi’s agreeing ‘mmm’ reverberated through Noya’s tiny frame as he sat on his alpha’s lap, “He’s always kinda been the mum of the group anyway.”

“Yeah,” Hinata nodded, “I remember calling him ‘mum’ by accident a few times during practise.”

“Dumbass,” Kageyama mumbled into Hinata’s neck.

“Hey!” Suga tried to sound annoyed but his pink cheeks and curled up lips betrayed him, “I’m not that old!”

“What I mean,” Noya licked his spoon clean, “Is that you’ve got this peaceful, caring aura that makes us all feel safe.” he smiled, pleased with his choice of words.

The smile quickly melted, however, when he saw Suga’s eyes fill with tears and his nose redden, lips trembling. He swiped at his tears as Daichi got to his feet and wrapped his arms around his omega’s shoulders, scenting his hair lightly. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Koushi get so emotional over the past couple of weeks but it still startled him to see his mate suddenly weeping over the smallest things.

“Sorry!” Noya looked shocked, “I meant it in a nice way!”

Suga shook his head, hands swiping at his face in annoyance, “I know, it’s fine! My hormones are just a little unstable at the moment. I feel like a crazy person.”

Daichi pulled Suga’s chin so that the omega was looking up at him, “Shh, it’s okay,” he kissed him firmly and sat back down once he determined that his mate wasn’t going to cry any more.

“Man,” Tanaka leaned back, arms behind his head, “We’ve had too many tears today.”

“Agreed,” Daichi nodded and stood to gather the empty bowls.

Quietly, almost inaudibly, Yamaguchi echoed the head alpha, “Agreed.”

It had been three days since Tsukishima had left for Osaka and Yamaguchi felt like he’d dealt with his absence as well as could be expected. The group had decided to sleep in the living room together, the omegas making sure he was cocooned between them safely and he’d been so exhausted from crying that he’d slept through the first night. The second night had been a little less peaceful as Tadashi had woken up every hour and finally given up on sleeping altogether, napping later in the day. Tonight, he was once again snuggled in the blankets between Nishinoya and Hinata and he’d managed to sleep until almost four in the morning. His omegan body could feel the strain of his missing mate but he felt like he could deal with it if he kept himself busy enough and forced his brain to think of something else other than Tsukki. The one thing that he couldn’t switch off, however, was the nagging thought that something was wrong. Before he’d left, Tsukishima told him that he would call every night before bed so that Tadashi could hear his voice but it had been three nights and still no phone call. Suga had tried to tell him that perhaps he had no signal or battery but the more he didn’t hear from his alpha, the worse the strain on his body seemed to get.

He lay there, nestled in the blankets like a newborn pup, staring at the dark ceiling. Various scenarios played through his mind of his alpha being in trouble or hurt or maybe even just forgetting to call. If that was the case, Tadashi was going to throttle his mate when he got home. He was contemplating trying to get back to sleep when a sudden shuffling down the hall caught his attention. Tadashi had thought that everyone was gathered there on the living room floor, save for Tanaka and Ennoshita who had claimed the sofa, so who the heck was making noises at the other end of the apartment? Maybe a cat had got in through an open window or maybe, just maybe a burglar was in there with them, rifling through his stuff and leaving his weird scent on everything.

Not usually one to be brave but also not wanting to look like an idiot if the noise was nothing, Yamaguchi slithered out from under the blankets and tiptoed over his sleeping pack members, careful not to stand on anyone’s hands or exposed toes. Hinata posed especially difficult to step over as he tended to sleep like he’d just parachuted out of a plane, arms and legs askew as he snored lightly. Thankfully, Tadashi managed to make it out of the living room without standing on anyone and padded down the hallway as quietly as he could, hugging the wall like a spy on a secret mission.

“Ugh...”

 A quiet moan echoed from the bathroom and Tadashi froze as he listened for more. When almost a minute passed and there was no more sound, the omega continued until he was at the bathroom door and peered into the lit room, dark eyes wide and wary. What he didn’t expect to see was Suga-san sitting on the floor, draped over the toilet and it took Tadashi a moment to reorganise his thoughts from ‘kill the intruder’ to ‘help the omega’.

“Suga-san?” he stepped into the bathroom as Suga turned his head slightly, “Are you alright?”

Suga waved his hand weakly, “I’m fine, Tadashi. Just morning sickness,” he leaned back into the toilet bowl and retched, shoulders heaving with the effort.

“Sh-Should I go and get Daichi-san?” Yamaguchi half turned to fetch the head alpha but stopped when he felt a wave of uneasiness from Suga’s usually calming pheromones. The younger omega knelt down beside the silver-haired man and rubbed his back gently.

“He’ll just worry more,” Suga pushed his hair back from his sweating face, “His alpha instincts have kicked into overdrive these past few weeks.”

Tadashi nodded and poured Suga a glass of water from the sink, “I noticed he was very… wary in the kitchen the other day.”

“Ha!” Koushi sat back onto his butt, nausea finally easing a little, and took a big gulp of the water, “He thinks I’m made of glass!” he paused and placed a hand on his barely-there bump, “God knows what he’ll be like when I actually look pregnant.”

 After another gulp of the cold water, Suga felt like he could finally stand without throwing up and got to his feet. He eyed Tadashi, trying to determine whether or not the omega was coping with his absent alpha and finally spoke, a gentle, motherly tone in his voice, “How are you doing?”

He shrugged, “Okay I suppose. I still have a huge hole in my heart but I don’t feel like I’m dying any more.”

“Always good,” Suga chuckled.

Tadashi nodded, “It’s just… Tsukki-” he visibly flinched, his alpha’s name seeming to burn his lips, “-he hasn’t called yet. He said he’d call every night, what if something’s wrong?”

 A soft arm wrapped around Tadashi and he suddenly felt guilty for making the pregnant omega look after him instead of the other way around.

 “I’m sure everything is fine,” Suga saw the shadow over Yamaguchi’s eyes and added, “But maybe we should call him in the morning, just to make sure?”

The younger omega seemed to brighten a little and nodded vigorously as the pair exited the bathroom, only to walk face-first into a distraught-looking Daichi. The alpha’s hair was sticking up like he’d just stuck his fingers into an electrical socket and his eyes were wide and wild, making Tadashi pull back a little.

“Daichi?” Suga’s voice was light, almost laughing, “What the heck are you doing?”

 “I woke up and you were gone!” Daichi yelled and then snapped his teeth together to quiet himself as he took in his mate’s safe and calm appearance, a slight blush colouring his cheeks.

“I’m fine, Dai. Just a little morning sickness,” Suga placed a hand on his belly in an attempt to quiet its unhappy gurgling.

Before he knew what was happening, Suga was suddenly encased in Daichi’s strong arms, his alpha’s scent encapsulating his entire body. He didn’t realise he’d been so tense until his mate’s pheromones relaxed his muscles and he let himself lean on his alpha a little more.

“You should have woken me up, Koushi,” Daichi grumbled.

“Tadashi looked after me,” Koushi mumbled into Daichi’s night shirt.

The alpha looked towards Yamaguchi, “Thanks, he doesn’t know when to ask for help.”

That earned Daichi a karate chop to the ribs from his omega and a muffled ‘shut up’ into his chest.

 Behind the three, another small group had appeared. Apparently Daichi’s sudden realisation that Suga was missing had sparked something in the other alphas and they stood there in the dark hallway, hair mimicking their leader’s and confusion on their faces.

 “Everything okay?” Kageyama asked, voice gruff from sleep.

Suga rolled his eyes and pushed away from his mate, “Fine, everything’s fine. Jeez, don’t you lot start acting frantic, too.”

Daichi gaped, “I am not ‘frantic’!”

“Paranoid, then,” Suga stuck out his tongue and laughed at his mate’s face.

Chapter Text

Thankfully everyone managed to get back to sleep after waking so early in the morning. Even Yamaguchi managed to catch a few more hours of sleep because of Suga’s promise to try and call Tsukishima when they woke up. He found himself worrying a little less and woke up at around eight when he heard the rest of the pack chatting and making breakfast in the kitchen.

“You used the last of the jam!"

"So? I was hungry.”

“But Tobiooo!” Hinata whined at his not-yet-mate and the alphas in the room flinched at the omegan want in his tone.

“Just have porridge instead, idiot,” Kageyama took another bite of his toast and licked the jam from his lips, “You don’t even like raspberry jam.”

“Oh,” the fiery omega tilted his head, “It’s raspberry?” He suddenly lost all interest in his love’s toast and skipped over to Suga who was stirring some porridge on the stove, “Can I have some of that?” 

Suga nodded, “Yep.”

“I want syrup on mine!” Noya yelled from his seat at the table and Daichi buried his fist in the omega’s hair as he passed,

“Get it yourself, then!”

“Syrup it is!” Suga emptied the porridge into equal parts in various bowls and reached into the cupboard for the golden syrup. He opened it and squeezed the bottle, watching as the goopy substance spiralled onto the squidgy mess in the bowl. Suddenly his stomach rolled, the sight no longer bringing him pleasure but instead making him feel sick to his stomach. He slapped a hand to his mouth and darted out of the room and down the hallway, Daichi quickly following behind.

Hinata stood in silence for a moment before slowly grabbing his own bowl of porridge and handed Nishinoya his as he sat down at the table. Yamaguchi opted for cornflakes and an orange juice and ate robotically as he waited for Suga’s return. He knew it was selfish of him to rely on the pregnant omega so much but he needed to call Tsukki, just to make sure everything was okay.

Noticing Tadashi’s fidgeting, Noya spoke up, “Everything okay?”

“Ah, well,” he took another gulp of orange, “Suga-san said he’d help me call Tsukki today.”

Noya cocked an eyebrow, “You need help to do that?" 

“I...”

It suddenly dawned on Tadashi that he did not in fact need help to call his own mate. He’d been relying on the others so much that he’d pretty much forgotten that he could indeed take care of himself and suddenly felt like a moron for even thinking that way. He excused himself and headed for his and Tsukishima’s bedroom to find his phone. He hadn’t seen it since Tsukki left and eventually found it in the bottom of the sock drawer, battery dead. Anxious to call his alpha as fast as he could, Tadashi opted to ask one of the others if he could borrow theirs but surprisingly enough no one had their phone with them.

“I didn’t think I’d need it as I’d be with pretty much everyone I call anyway,” Nishinoya shrugged.

A murmured sound of agreement travelled through the group. It appeared they’d all felt that way, save for Tanaka who’d brought his to play games on but when he checked, his battery was also dead.

“Guess I’ll just have to wait ‘til mine’s charged,” Yamaguchi sighed. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to wait another few minutes to speak to his alpha, he’d waited three days already.

As the group moved to do the dishes and get dressed, a loud BANG! came from the front door, startling Hinata and Kageyama who were having a sly make-out session in the living room. The alpha stood in front of his omega as they moved towards the peep-hole, expecting to see a drunkard or the police, judging by how loud the banging had been. Kageyama leaned into the hole, one eye closed, only for the door to swing open and bash him in the face. Hinata yipped and jumped back, arms out ready to fight whoever had dared hurt his love.

Upon hearing the commotion, the others – save for Suga who had been warned to stay in the safety of the kitchen and Yamaguchi who was looking for his phone charger – gathered in the entryway in preparation to defend their territory. Strong alpha pheromones and a low growling sound filled the small space and the omegas could feel themselves getting a little whoozy from the closeness of the air.

Yamaguchi heard the door opening from his bedroom and rushed out, a part of his mind still annoyed that he hadn’t found his phone charger and would therefore have to wait even longer to speak to his mate. He realised, however, that a possible intruder was probably more of a pressing issue and so went to find out what was happening. As he stepped into the entryway, Tadashi’s breathing stopped and his bones felt like they had suddenly turned to rubber. He would have collapsed right there on the tiles were it not for two strong arms looping around his waist and lifting him off his feet. He hung there for a moment, limp and un-breathing like a freshly caught fish and confused as to what exactly was going on. The arms around him tightened and a soft, breathy voice spoke into his dark hair, a familiar scent drifting down onto him.

“Tadashi,” the one word seemed to bring life back into his body and Yamaguchi found his feet once more as he looked up into the golden eyes of his alpha. 

“Ts-Tsukki?” he gasped, tears pricking his eyes.

“I was so worried,” Tsukishima rubbed his scent across Yamaguchi’s cheeks and neck and the omega whined in his throat, “I came straight back when you didn’t answer my calls.”

“Eh?” Tadashi’s cloudy mind managed to cling to what his alpha had said, “What do you mean?”

The taller man pushed on his glasses and pawed a tear from his mate’s face, “I called like I said I would but you didn’t answer. I thought something must be wrong!” strong pheromones filled with worry and relief washed over the omega as Tsukki tried to control himself but even those negative scents were still from his alpha and Tadashi couldn’t help but inhale them deeply, his body having thirsted for them the past few days. Suddenly the omega felt an enormous guilt settle on his shoulders.

“Ah… My phone died...”

Tsukki frowned deeply, “I tried calling the others’ too-”

“We didn’t bring them,” Nishinoya said matter-of-factly as the blonde alpha gritted his teeth.

“My battery died too, I didn’t even notice what with Tadashi’s pining and Suga’s news,” Tanaka shrugged.

“So you’re fine?” Tsukishima’s shoulders relaxed and he buried his head once more in Tadashi’s hair.

The omega nodded feebly, “More so now you’re back.”

“You were pining for me?” Kei’s cheeks reddened and he hid his face against his mate’s shoulder.

Tadashi could only nod against his alpha’s chest, emotions now completely in charge of his actions. He knew he’d been missing his mate but just how much was suddenly obvious. It was as though he’d been missing a limb and now that Tsukki was back, he was complete once more. He couldn’t help the soft mewling that came from his throat as he tried to scent Tsukishima as much as possible as his alpha scooped him up and carried him into the lounge, princess style. They settled on the sofa, Tsukishima only half noticing the bundle of blankets and pillows gathered on the floor as he rubbed circles on Tadashi’s back.

“You know,” Kei started, his deep voice vibrating into Tadashi’s hair, “I even rang that idiot to try and find out if you were okay.”

The omega looked up, “Kageyama?”

Tsukki nodded and glanced at the dark-haired alpha as Hinata fussed over his bleeding nose, “He’ll have some very colourful voice messages when he gets home.”

Yamaguchi giggled into his alpha’s chest and nuzzled a little closer, the whining in his own chest still a constant sound that he couldn’t control, his omegan body taking over. Not that he cared about anything other than being as close to Tsukki as humanly possible, though. No, his instincts were telling him to hold onto him tightly so that his alpha wouldn’t suddenly leave again. He honestly didn’t think he’d be able to handle it more than once in his life.

Tsukishima felt his t-shirt getting damp where Tadashi was resting and he lifted his mate’s head so that he could look closely at his freckled face. He remembered every mark, every curve of his lips and arch of his eyebrows and he vowed never to leave his omega for so long ever again. 

“You can stop crying now, I’m here,” Tsukki used his thumb to brush away Tadashi’s tears

“B-But you came back early...” Yamaguchi hiccuped, “Because of me, you’ll fail your course.” That wasn’t to say that the omega regretted Tsukki coming back so soon but he did feel a pang of guilt when he thought about how much effort his alpha had put into university so far. For all of that to be for nothing would be terrible.

“I won’t, shh,” Kei pulled Tadashi impossibly closer, “My professor said I can do some portfolio stuff instead. I persuaded him it was for the best.”

Blinking with wide eyes, Tadashi frowned up at his alpha, “You didn’t hit him did you?”

“He probably killed him,” Kageyama grumbled as he wiped the last of the blood from his nose.

“I just told him it would be in his best interests to let me leave,” Tsukishima smirked evilly and Yamaguchi felt a chill run down his spine.

They stayed entwined on the sofa whilst everyone else tidied up the blankets and breakfast dishes and then the rest of the pack began to gather in the living room on Daichi’s request. The head alpha looked uncharacteristically nervous as he stood in front of the TV but relaxed a little when Suga looped his fingers through his and squeezed, reassuring his mate that everything would be fine. Daichi cleared his throat purposefully and stood a little straighter.

“I was going to save this for the end of the week but, as Tsukishima has returned early-” Tadashi squeezed Tsukki’s hand gently as Daichi continued, “-I’ll say it now.” he looked towards every member of his pack, each one waiting patiently for whatever was about to leave his lips, “Koushi and I, well as you now know, we’re expecting-” Tsukishima’s eyes widened a little but he didn’t interrupt, “-and that got us thinking about… stuff...” the brunette’s dark brows knitted together as he struggled to find the right words.

Suga rolled his eyes, “What Daichi is trying to say is that we’d like you lot to be around a little more. Well, a lot more.”

Noya nodded enthusiastically, “Of course we will! We’ll help as much as we can!”

“We can even look after the pup once it’s born!” Hinata added with a smile.

Suga chuckled and nodded, appreciative of his pack mates generosity, “I know, I know. But what Daichi and I were thinking was something more… permanent.” He looked at the confused faces and continued, “I know it’s old fashioned and kind of out of style to do so nowadays, but we were thinking of maybe buying a pack den?”

Hinata turned to Kageyama, eyes wide and bewildered, “What’s that?” he whispered.

 His alpha shrugged, “I’m not sure." 

Tsukishima rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue at the oblivious pair, “It’s when a pack lives together in one big house.”

“So we’d all be living together?” Tadashi asked, a lilt of excitement in his tone. He hated to admit it but he’d thoroughly enjoyed being with his pack the last few days and he definitely felt safer being around other omegas that he knew.

“It won’t be easy at first,” Daichi added, “We alphas tend to get a little territorial but as a pack I’m sure it’d be good for us.”

The omegas in the room seemed to be buzzing with an invisible electricity, excited at the prospect of being so close 24/7. The alphas, however, were a little more apprehensive. Tsukishima and Kageyama were throwing daggers from their eyes and Asahi had paled and gone very quiet. The ace wasn’t exactly the most ferocious and he imagined he’d be set back even more living with such strong and capable alphas. That wasn’t to say he thought it was a bad idea though, just the sight of Noya beaming with joy was enough to make his decision for him.

“We’re in,” Asahi said as his omega scented him happily.

 “Us too!” Tanaka turned to Ennoshita, who had been living with him for a while, neither beta admitting to their hidden feelings for one another, “Right, Chika?”

Ennoshita shook himself out of his daze and nodded, “Yeah, it’s a good idea.”

“Kageyama?” Suga asked, cautiously aware of the young alpha’s tendency to react with his body rather than his brain. 

Tobio looked at Hinata, who was practically bouncing off the ceiling at the idea, and nodded, “We’ll go too.”

Tadashi turned to his mate, a little nervous at to what Tsukki would think, “Kei,” he whispered, “We’re going too, right?”

Unable to resist his omega’s pleading eyes, Tsukishima nodded and grumbled, “We’ll give it a go.”

Chapter Text

It had taken almost three weeks to find a suitable pack den. Daichi wanted somewhere that they could afford to pay for but also a building big enough to house ten people and extra space for pups. He and Suga had visited numerous locations throughout the area as they wanted to stay within reach of the universities and work places of everyone but most places were either far too small or so big that they wouldn’t be able to afford the rent. It was only due to a chance meeting in a coffee shop that Daichi heard of a residence that sounded like the Goldilocks of pack dens.

The head alpha had been standing in line waiting for his latte when he overheard a couple in front of him talking about an old farmhouse that had been recently converted into a den and that the owner had unfortunately had to put up for sale quickly as he had to go abroad for work. Feeling a little rude for eavesdropping but almost desperate by this point, Daichi had asked them where the farmhouse was and he and Suga had visited it and put in an offer the next day. It was the perfect size for their pack and had enough rooms for everyone, including a modern kitchen and a large living area.

Moving day came around faster than anticipated; most of the pack had visited the house and agreed it was perfect, whereas Kageyama, Hinata and Noya had simply trusted their pack’s decision and turned up when it was time to move in. Asahi and Tsukishima carried in a large L-shaped sofa, almost knocking Noya out as he scooted underneath them to rush back to the van, and Daichi, Tanaka and Ennoshita focused on bringing the mattresses and wardrobes inside the home. Most of the omegas were appointed to arrange the furniture once it was inside – Noya especially seemed to have an eye for where certain scatter cushions and ornaments should be placed – and Suga had strict instructions to simply stand and point at what went where.

He was starting to get agitated with just standing around doing nothing when everyone else was so busy and so decided to head to Asahi’s car to carry in some of the kitchen supplies. Surely Daichi couldn’t complain at his mate carrying a ladle for God’s sake. Well, apparently he could.

“Koushi? What are you doing?!”

Daichi dropped one end of a wardrobe he was carrying, leaving Tanaka teetering awkwardly, as he stormed over to his omega, alpha pheromones in full swing. His protective mode had been amped up to a ten the past couple of weeks as Suga had finally started to look a little pregnant and he seemed almost psychic when Suga was doing something the alpha felt was ‘dangerous’ or ‘hazardous’ to the baby.

Suga popped his head back out of the car boot and rubbed the headache that was burrowing its way into his temples, “Just getting some kitchen stuff.”

“You shouldn’t be carrying anything!” Daichi moved to slam the boot shut but Suga stood his ground, eyes firm.

“I can carry some cutlery, Dai!” the omega tugged his t-shirt down angrily as it’d rode up his small bump a little, “I’m not made of glass!”

Daichi shook his head, refusing to give in, “It’s not good for you. Leave the lifting to the rest of us,” he released a low growl in his throat, a warning not to disobey.

That seemed to tip Suga over the edge and the omega was suddenly red in the face as he spun around and lifted the box of cutlery from the car, tears pooling in his eyes. He turned and marched past his mate, leaving the alpha gaping after him. Something inside Daichi snapped and a loud, angry growl rose up from his chest. Tanaka and Asahi stopped in their tracks and Hinata buried his head against Tobio’s chest, a quiet whimper escaping his lips. They’d seen Daichi angry before but this was something different, something primal, and it made Suga freeze in place.

“Do not disobey me, omega!”

The words dripped from Daichi’s mouth like acid and Suga whined, chin dipped to his chest. His head was throbbing and his chest felt tight as he tried to take another step forwards, only to be halted by his alpha’s voice once more.

“Koushi!”

Even from his place across the lawn, Suga felt the possessive pheromones of his alpha wash over him and he suddenly felt like he was no longer in control of his own body. The bonding mark on his neck burned and his arms fell limply to his sides, causing him to drop the box of cutlery to the ground with a loud clatter. Daichi was about to speak again but Asahi stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Suga with his own broad frame. That seemed to help ease the tension a little and the head alpha looked to his meek friend, pupils wide.

“Asahi?” he shook his head as if trying to blow away the cobwebs that had clouded his mind, “I was… I didn’t mean to...” he lowered his head, ashamed of giving in to his instincts so easily. He hadn’t even felt like himself when he was shouting at his mate, he only knew that something inside him, some primal urge, had forced his hand and made him act that way.

Meanwhile, Yamaguchi and Nishinoya had rushed to Suga’s side once Daichi’s ominous pheromones had faded from the air and were helping him stand up straight, Tadashi with his hand on the omega’s back. Suga looked flushed and his head ached even more than before but there was one emotion overpowering every other sensation. Anger. He gently pushed the younger omegas aside and strode over to where Daichi and Asahi were standing, the latter sensing an enraged omega and swiftly stepping away from the pair.

“Kou, I-”

The alpha’s apology was cut off by a firm slap to the face.

“Do not,” Suga spat angrily, despite tears streaming down his cheeks, “Do not decide what is best for me and the pup!” he inhaled shakily and tried to keep his voice from breaking, “I kn-know I need my alpha’s protection but I don’t need your control!” He bit his lip to stop it quivering and balled his shaking hands into fists, making Daichi brace for impact once more. The blow didn’t come, however, and instead the mates just stood staring at the ground, neither one with any idea of what to say to make everything better.

After a few minutes of stunned silence, Suga’s mewling cut through the tension. He hadn’t wanted to give in to his omegan body but the shouting and arguing had exacerbated his headache into a full-blown migraine and he felt sick to his stomach, partly because of his condition but also because of his alpha taking control of him so briefly. It wasn’t a pleasant experience to become a puppet of your mate and certainly not something he wanted to repeat.

“Koushi...” Daichi reached out a hand to his mate and released soothing pheromones as he took a step closer. Suga flinched but didn’t step back as his alpha pressed a hand to his cheek, “I don’t know what happened,” Daichi continued with a soft tone so as not to startle the omega, “Something in my stupid alpha brain thought I was protecting you but I know you’re strong. I know you’re being the best mum ever already.” He placed his large hand across his mate’s stomach and Suga placed his smaller one on top of it, melting a little into his alpha’s touch.

“Your brain is stupid,” Koushi mumbled, eyes on his bump.

“Mhmm,” Daichi nodded and took his mate’s hands in his own causing Koushi to look up at his face.

The omega let out a gasp at the sight of the alpha’s bright red cheek and touched his fingers to it, “I hit you...”

Daichi chuckled, “Yeah.”

With their foreheads pressed together, Koushi whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Not as sorry as me.” The head alpha turned to Asahi, who had taken to wringing his hands awkwardly beside his friends, “Thank you for stepping in. I don’t know what I would have done-”

“Nothing,” Asahi’s eyes were dark and his face serious, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to Suga-san. Ever.”

Daichi stood a little straighter and nodded firmly, happy that his pack members were so strong and loyal and proud of Asahi for standing up to him for once.

The omegas were watching the scene unfold in silence until Noya turned to Yamaguchi, a huge grin on his face, “I am so turned on right now.”

The rest of the day progressed much smoother; Suga went to lie down in his and Daichi’s new room, the alphas brought in the rest of the larger furniture and the omegas made sure everything was in its right place. They also decided on who should have which room, finally settling on using the main house’s bedrooms rather than the rooms in the barn conversion that was connected to the main farmhouse by a glass conservatory. Everyone wanted to be as close to the rest of the pack as possible, perhaps save for Kageyama and Tsukishima.

It was starting to get dark and everyone was gathered in the main living area. Ennoshita and Tanaka had managed to get the fire going in the huge hearth and the pack was gathered on the long sofa and oversized armchairs as their tired eyes were hypnotised by the flickering flames. Hinata was just dropping off to sleep on Tobio’s lap when Suga shuffled into the room, rubbing his tired eyes and yawning loudly. His alpha glanced up from his chair but didn’t move to his mate’s side, not yet sure as to whether he was back in Koushi’s good books or not. Instead he opted to ask the room in general,

“Anyone hungry?”

A unanimous tired ‘yes’ answered his question and Hinata was suddenly more animated as he whipped out the menu for the local pizza place.

“Prepared much?” Kageyama scoffed as his boyfriend thumbed through the menu, stomach growling loudly.

“Where did you even whip that out from?” Tsukishima curled his lip in disgust.

“I am starving,” Suga perched on the arm of Daichi’s chair and the alpha couldn’t help but drag him onto his lap, he needed to feel connected with his mate and nuzzled his nose into Suga’s scent glands thoroughly as the omega let himself relax into his embrace.

It seemed that all had been forgiven between the pair and the rest of the pack felt more at ease just seeing them smiling once again. Happy pheromones filled the air as the pizza menu was passed around and then Noya called the order in, ending his call with,

“Make it fast! We have an expectant omega and he’s eyeing our youngest with hungry eyes!”

A cushion hit Yuu square in the face and Daichi high-fived his mate, applauding his aim.

Almost an hour later a knock alerted the group that the pizza had arrived and Hinata bounded to the door like a rambunctious puppy, eyes wide and bright. He returned a moment later with a pile of teetering pizza boxes, only his orange hair visible over the top until he was pounced on from all sides, left only with his own food in his small hands.

“Oh my God,” Suga mumbled through a mouthful of cheese and dough, “This is so good!”

Daichi was about to agree when he glanced down at his mate’s pizza box and saw that he’d demolished almost an entire pizza in less than five minutes. His eyes widened and he turned to look at Suga, a little impressed but also cautious of how he’d feel in the morning, what with his sickness and tendency to be glued to the toilet bowl every morning. He placed a light hand on Koushi’s lower back and spoke quietly so that only the two of them could hear.

“Maybe you should slow down, love. You don’t want to upset your stomach.”

Suga swallowed another slice and rolled his eyes, “Don’t worry, I’m fine.” He eyed Daichi’s forgotten slices, “Are you going to eat those?”

“I think Suga-san and Tsukishima should have an eating competition,” Noya uttered as he licked his greasy fingers.

Tsukki cocked an eyebrow, “Why me?”

Noya shrugged, “You’re like super tall so I bet you could eat the most out of any of us.”

“You do know that being tall doesn’t equate to how large your stomach is, right?”

Another shrug from the omega as Yamaguchi piped in,

“Have you seen Shouyou and Kageyama eat? They’d win for sure!”

The rest of the group nodded in agreement. All except Suga, who finished off Daichi’s pizza while he was distracted.

Chapter Text

After everyone had finished their pizza (Suga having had half of Daichi’s too), the pack relaxed into their new surroundings, feeling warm and safe surrounded by their pack members and mates. It was a new, unusual sensation for Yamaguchi; he was used to being around Tsukki one on one and now he felt something gnawing inside his chest, like he wanted to grab his mate’s hand and drag him away from the rest of the group so that he could have him all to himself. When his alpha glanced down at Tadashi, who was sitting between his long legs on the floor, Kei noticed his omega’s unease and pressed his lips to the bond mark on the back of his freckled neck.

“What’s wrong?” he mumbled into Yamaguchi’s nape, causing the omega to shudder slightly.

“Nothing...” he tried to feign nonchalance but couldn’t fool his mate so easily.

Tsukishima pulled Tadashi’s chin around so that his omega was looking at him, “I can feel your unrest, tell me what’s up.” He released his pheromones to encase his love and felt Tadashi relax a little.

“It’s silly, I don’t want to say,” Yamaguchi hid his face in his hands, catching the attention of Noya, who was resting his head on Asahi’s lap on the sofa.

“What’s up, Tadashi?” The tiny libero’s voice was sleepy but he propped himself up on his elbow to better see the younger omega.

Feeling more eyes move to him, Tadashi blushed and shook his head more vigorously, “Nothing, really!”

Daichi spoke quietly so as not to wake Koushi, who had fallen asleep against his chest, “Don’t pressure him so much,” he smiled warmly at Yamaguchi, “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to. We just want to make sure you’re okay, alright?”

That seemed to open up something inside the omega and Tadashi chewed on his lip before looking up at Nishinoya, trying to avoid meeting Tsukki’s eyes as best he could, he whispered up at his senpai,

“I think I feel a little… jealous,” he frowned deeply and a pinkish hue made his freckles stand out even more. He waited for a laugh or an eye-roll from his mate but was instead answered by Noya sitting bolt upright, almost knocking Asahi in the chin.

“I thought it was just me!” Noya chirped, a big smile on his face. Yamaguchi jumped a little at his friend’s sudden outburst but Noya continued, “All day today, since we moved our stuff in, I felt like I wanted to just grab Asahi and yank him into our bedroom and fu-”

“Yuu!” Asahi floundered a little, turning crimson at his omega’s crass choice of words.

Noya grinned but continued with a little more tact, “Like, I wanted to have him all to myself, away from everyone else, you know?”

Yamaguchi nodded enthusiastically, thankful that he wasn’t the only one having such feelings. Sure, ever since he and Tsukki had bonded he’d wanted his alpha all to himself, every omega did, but now that he was surrounded by so many other omegas and knew that it was a permanent situation, Tadashi had become suddenly more possessive.

“How do you think us alphas feel?” Daichi sighed from his spot on the armchair and rubbed his tired eyes, “I was starting to think I’d made the wrong decision, bringing us all together, when I smelled all the different pheromones and scents,” his chestnut eyes became warm and he smiled, “When Asahi stopped me earlier, though, I realised it was the best decision for everyone. We have the best, most loyal pack and I think we can make this work.”

The bass in his voice had rumbled through his chest, waking the sleeping omega there and Suga smiled up at him, sleep glazing his pale eyes.

“It was definitely the right decision,” Koushi mumbled, still half asleep, “But if anyone goes after my Daichi, I’ll claw their eyes out.” And with that he began to snore softly once more.

Laughter encased the room at the pregnant omega’s sudden declaration and Daichi smoothed his hand through his mate’s hair lovingly, chuckling at Suga’s random outburst. Maybe it was because he had been so sleepy or maybe it was something to do with his hormones but Koushi certainly knew what he wanted and nobody was going to tell him otherwise. It warmed his apha’s heart to know that he had such a headstrong mate.

“And with that extremely weird thought,” Tsukishima stood, pulling Tadashi with him, “We’re going to bed.”

“Us, too,” Asahi scooped up Noya and followed the others down the long hallway towards the bedrooms.

Daichi carefully threaded his hands under Suga’s knees and behind his head and carried him to their new room before heading back into the living area and throwing a blanket over a sleeping Kageyama and Hinata. He mouthed a ‘goodnight’ to Tanaka and Ennoshita and they too headed for their rooms.

The betas had chosen separate rooms but were right next door to one another, in case of ‘emergency’ Tanaka had said when they’d chosen them. What he’d really wanted to say was ‘let’s share a room’ but he’d chickened out at the last minute and settled with being Chikara’s neighbour. Since they’d been living together previously, Ryuu had started to realise that he liked his beta friend as more than a friend when he’d seen Ennoshita exiting the bathroom after a shower. The dark-haired beta’s torso was toned and tanned nicely and Tanaka had felt his face heat up at the sight, which he had blamed on the air-con not working properly. Now that they were living with the rest of the pack, Tanaka hoped he could finally confess to his friend and maybe even start courting him if everything worked out. He bid Ennoshita ‘goodnight’ and flopped on his bed, thoughts of courting the other beta at the forefront of his mind.

Yamaguchi felt a lot better now that he knew the other pack members also felt a kind of unnecessary jealousy. He even thought that it had ebbed a little since getting it out in the open and in the rational part of his mind he knew that no one else was going to be stealing his alpha from him, especially not one of his own pack. Now that he had that figured out, however, there was the case of being in a new bed in a new house to deal with. He’d never been one to enjoy sleepovers or staying in strange places even as a kid because they always smelled unfamiliar and not quite right and now, as he lay face up in his new surroundings, Tadashi was having trouble getting to sleep. He rolled onto his side and buried his face into Tsukki’s back, trying to inhale as much of his mate’s pine scent as possible, but it was still overpowered by the weird new scents of the farmhouse. Sighing, Yamaguchi shuffled out of bed and stumbled down the hall to the bathroom to relieve himself, hoping that it was just the need to pee that was keeping him awake.

After doing his business he padded back along the hallway, bare feet cold against the wooden panels in the floor, and yawned loudly as he scooted back into bed. Long freckled arms slid underneath his mate’s shirt and connected across Tsukki’s belly and the omega was rewarded with a grunt as his cold hands touched the flesh.

“Nnn… S’cold, Kou...”

Yamaguchi froze where he lay, a ball of icy dread settling in his stomach. He was in the wrong bed. He was in Daichi-san’s bed. The head alpha’s scent was overpowering under the covers and Tadashi felt himself shivering at being so close to the powerful leader. He felt so stupid, how the heck had he managed to wander into the wrong room, the wrong bed?! Before he could wrap his head around it, Daichi turned over so that he was facing the omega and paused, blinking into the dim light. Yamaguchi’s jaw clicked open but he couldn’t remember how to speak as he stared into the alpha’s confused face.

“Dai, could you get me a glass of water?”

Suga plodded out of the en-suite, hair tousled and eyes sunken. He looked ill but Yamaguchi didn’t feel the slightest bit sorry for him. No, instead his mind was cluttered with the pregnant omega’s sleepy declaration of war earlier and Tadashi felt utter panic rising in his throat as he began to mewl quietly.

“Dai?” Suga, still groggy from having just thrown up, curled his lip. Was his alpha whining? “What the heck are you-”

Daichi’s low growl interrupted the omega and Yamaguchi yipped as he tried to scramble out of the bed. When it came to fighting off an angry alpha or a hormonal omega, he decided he’d take his chances with Suga-san.

“Tadashi?” Suga cocked an eyebrow at the younger omega as Tadashi finally untangled himself from the sheets, “Why are you in our bed?”

He glanced from Suga to Daichi and back again, trying to think of the best way to placate both of them, “I- I got the wr-wrong room.”

Suga didn’t reply. Every nerve in his body was telling him to get to his alpha and scent him thoroughly to get rid of the intruding omega’s smell. The look of utter horror on Tadashi’s face, however, made him pause and try to think rationally.

“Okay,” Suga stepped towards the omega, hands out, “Let’s get you back to your room, okay?”

Tadashi nodded silently, still trembling a little from Daichi’s overwhelming presence. They were almost at the door when it swung open violently and a distraught looking Tsukishima stumbled in. His blonde hair was sticking in all directions and without his glasses he was squinting at the scene in front of him. With the presence of another alpha, Daichi was on his feet and standing between Kei and Koushi within seconds, a low warning growl reverberating through his throat.

“Hey,” Koushi slapped Daichi’s shoulder, “It’s alright,” he turned to Tsukishima, “Tadashi got the wrong room, that’s all,” he glanced at his mate, “Everything is fine.”

With wide eyes, Tadashi wrung his hands as he spoke in a whisper towards Suga, “You’re n-not going t-to ‘claw my eyes out’?"

Koushi’s mouth fell open and his eyebrows rose dramatically, “What?”

“Ah,” Yamaguchi’s shoulders relaxed as his alpha placed his hands on them, “Never mind. Sorry, Suga-san,” he bowed and shuffled a little closer to Tsukki, “Sorry, D-Daichi-san.”

“Um… Yeah,” Daichi rubbed the back of his head awkwardly as the younger pair left him and his mate in peace. He quickly moved to scent Koushi and carded his silvery hair gently, “Are you okay?”

Suga nodded, all thoughts of throwing up at the back of his mind, “Why would Tadashi think I was going to ‘claw his eyes out’?!”

Daichi just laughed and tugged his omega back to bed.

In the hallway, Tsukishima hadn’t waited to get back to their room to firmly claim Tadashi’s lips and the shorter omega squeaked a little as Kei’s tongue threaded its way into his mouth. When he thought his alpha was finished with his display, he hugged him tightly and nuzzled his head into Tsukki’s shirt, crumpling the cartoon dinosaur with his nose.

“You really have no sense of direction do you?” Tsukki smirked evilly as they headed back to their room.

“It was dark and everywhere smells weird! I couldn’t tell which room was which!” Tadashi pouted and his alpha smiled at the sight. “How did you even know I was in that room?”

“I didn’t,” Tsukki closed their bedroom door and plonked his backside on the bed, “I ran into Tanaka’s room first. He almost clubbed me on the head with his alarm clock!”

Tadashi laughed loudly as he tucked himself back into bed with his alpha, once again inhaling his pine-like scent and eventually he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

The first morning in the pack den was no less than pandemonium. Daichi was the first awake and decided that he would make breakfast for everyone as a kind of welcoming gesture to the pack. The only trouble was, the alpha wasn’t exactly a renowned chef and he ended up burning the rice and toast on his first try. He even had to open the windows in the kitchen so that the smoke wouldn’t set off the fire alarm. The second attempt went a little better and he was just setting the plates and cutlery on the big table in the kitchen when Kageyama plodded in, eyes still lidded from sleep.

“Morning,” the younger alpha mumbled as he poured himself some orange juice and gulped it down in one go.

“Morning,” Daichi echoed as he shovelled some rice into his mouth, “Did you sleep okay?”

A muted nod was his response and the head alpha realised that was probably all he was going to get from Tobio so opted to finish his breakfast in silence. It was a short-lived peace, however, as the rest of the pack swiftly gathered around the table, ready to eat.

“Good morning, Dai,” Suga planted a kiss on his mate’s cheek and sat down as Daichi handed him a bowl of steaming rice, noticing his omega’s nose curl up at the sight of the food.

“Try and eat something, please?” the alpha pushed the rice closer but Suga pressed his lips into a firm line and shook his head.

“Maybe later. I still feel a little sick.”

Daichi lifted him onto his lap easily and rubbed circles on Suga’s small bump to try and ease his sickness. When he felt his mate relax into his touch he smiled and nuzzled his nose against Koushi’s scent glands, inhaling his sweet raspberry fragrance.

“I have to go to work today,” Daichi mumbled into Suga’s neck, making the omega’s hairs stand on end, “I won’t be home late, though.”

“I’ve got plenty of stuff to do around the house,” Suga sensed his alpha tense a little and added, “Nothing too strenuous, promise!”

“We’ll keep an eye on him, don’t worry!” Nishinoya added another spoonful of rice into his mouth and winked at Yamaguchi, who nodded in agreement.

Most mated omegas chose not to attend university or work, simply because they preferred to be home-makers and stay at home mothers. It wasn’t mandatory, of course, simply an easier decision for their gender and something most omegas felt ingrained into their very physiology. Nishinoya had tried going to university when he’d first left school but had found that he was treated like a precious gem or something too fragile to be friends with and he hated it, opting to let Asahi be the breadwinner in the pair. Which, when he thought about it, had worked out quite well as his alpha was now a children’s author who worked mainly from home anyway.

Yamaguchi decided from the start that it just wasn’t for him but he did work a couple of days a week in a flower shop, just to get himself out of the house now and then, and Tsukishima was in his final year at university where he was studying geography. Daichi was a security guard at a local hotel, a typical type of job for a strong alpha, and Suga was one of the few omegas who had a steady job – he worked with children at a nearby kindergarten, something he loved, but was on leave as pregnant omegas were usually able to stop working as soon as they found out they were expecting. It was simply easier that way as pregnant omegas tended to be a little unstable and extremely needy, especially when separated from their alpha.

Tanaka and Ennoshita both worked in the town, the former in a garage and the latter in a coffee shop. Betas weren’t always treated as equals to the other genders but they were certainly hard workers, which is why most businesses and workplaces consisted of mainly betas and a handful of alphas in the higher positions.

That left Hinata and Kageyama. The unmated pair were both attending the same sports college where they were able to hone their volleyball skills and hopefully progress onto becoming professional players. At first, Hinata had been a little dubious as to whether it was the right decision for him but after showing the rest of the students his jumping and general talent for the game, he was quickly accepted and treated pretty much the same as the others.

As the pack sat around the table, chatting and eating and, in Tanaka and Noya’s case, spilling their beverages, they all looked happy. And that was exactly why Daichi had suggested the pack den in the first place. Sure, they weren’t as common nowadays but being together with everyone, having more alphas to protect them and more omegas to take care of one another was something that couldn’t be bought. The head alpha’s dopey grin made Suga chuckle from his spot on his lap and the silver-haired omega kissed his lips gently.

“What was that for?” Daichi asked, a smirk on his face.

Suga shrugged, “No reason. I just love you,” he gestured to the bustling table, “I love this.”

That made the alpha smile even wider and he squeezed his mate’s cheeks as he claimed his lips firmly, “I love you too,” he groaned, “But I have to go to work.”

Suga spun around so that he was facing his lover. He pressed his small bump to Daichi’s toned abs and wriggled, a sly smile on his face, “Do you have to?”

With as much self control as he could gather, Daichi huffed loudly and stood up, placing Suga back on the seat. If he let him continue he knew that he’d be calling in sick to work and they really needed the money right now. He bent down and kissed Koushi’s forehead before bidding the pack farewell.

“We should get going too,” Tanaka gobbled up his rice and he and Ennoshita waved their goodbyes before getting into Tanaka’s car. Noya heard the exhaust rumble to life as the beta revved it up, probably to show off in front of Chikara.

“I wish those two would just fuck already,” Noya said matter-of-factly, causing Yamaguchi to choke on his toast.

“Who?” Hinata asked, a little impressed at his senpai’s use of the ‘f word’.

Nishinoya held a blank expression, “Daichi and Ryuu,” he waited for Yamaguchi to stop choking for the second time and Suga to stop laughing before he continued, “Tanaka and Ennoshita, duh!”

Hinata made an ‘O’ with his mouth as Asahi questioned his mate,

“Do they even like each other?”

“Are you blind?!” Yuu shoved his spoon into his alpha’s confused face, “If betas had pheromones we’d be drowning in sexual frustration right now.”

“I think Tanaka is just working up to it,” Suga suggested, “Maybe he’s waiting for the right time.”

“Tch,” Tsukishima clicked his tongue, “There’s never a ‘right time’. If you love someone just tell them.” He stole a spoonful of rice from Tadashi and munched in silence in an attempt to quell his blushing cheeks.

“Not everyone is as...” Suga paused, trying to find the least offensive way to say it, “...straightforward as you, Kei.”

Yamaguchi giggled into his hand as his mate huffed beside him and waved goodbye to him and the other college students as they left for the train station. He still felt a little ache in his chest whenever Tsukki left but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been when they’d first mated. Now he just felt like a small hole occupied his heart rather than a gaping chasm.

“Well,” Asahi got to his feet, “I should get going, too. I’ve got a meeting about my latest book.”

Noya followed him to the front door and watched, almost in a daze, as his alpha put on his shoes and coat.

“Yuu?” Asahi’s hand caressed his mate’s warm cheek, “Are you alright? You look a little pale."

Noya shook his head, his not yet styled hair flying in all directions, “I’m fine! Now go! Go make money!”

A firm claiming of his lips gave Noya a preview of what was to come when his alpha got home and he waved, ears red and lips tingling as Asahi got into his car. The thing was, Noya thought to himself, he wasn’t ‘fine’. He was in fact in pre-heat and had been for the past two days. But he knew that Asahi needed to go to that meeting and that it was important to promote his book as much as he could. If Yuu told him that he was about to come into heat then there was no way his alpha would leave the house. Usually an alpha would be able to smell when an omega was about to enter heat but Noya had recognised the first signs and had quickly scrambled for some scent patches he’d had since his university days. Sometimes it was necessary for omegas to hide their scent, especially if they had a particularly fragrant one like Nishinoya and he was thankful that the patches were still in date when he pasted them to his inner biceps two days prior.

“You okay, Yuu?” Suga stood in the entryway, one hand tugging at his night shirt as it rode up his small belly a little, “You’ve been standing there a while.”

Noya spun to face him, guilt spread across his usually happy face, “I’m okay. Yep. Fine and dandy.”

Suga raised a grey brow, “Oh, really?”

The glare of the head omega was one Noya could never lie to and his head dropped, foot tracing the wood grain of the floorboards. He looked like a naughty school boy being caught by the headmaster.

“If I tell you something you have to promise not to tell Asahi!”

Suga gaped, “You’re not pregnant are you?!”

Noya shook his head and something deep inside of him kind of wished he was. Wow, he thought, where did that come from?

“No, I’m in pre-heat.”

“And you let Asahi leave?” Usually Noya was the most clingy out of all the omegas when it came to his heats and Suga knew something must be up for him to be giving up his limpet life.

“His meeting is important, I didn’t want him to miss it.”

Suga sighed, “But what if your heat comes while he’s there?”

Noya shrugged, “He’ll only be gone until tonight. I’m sure it won’t start before tomorrow.”

Suga stepped closer to his friend and hugged the smaller man close, scenting him lightly. It was then that he noticed the weird aroma surrounding Yuu; his usual peachy scent was mixed with something stronger, something like fake flowers or cheap perfume.

“Are you using scent suppressants?” Suga asked, his nose wrinkling a little at the unfamiliar scent mixing with Noya’s.

Noya nodded, “Can you tell?”

“I’m surprised Asahi hasn’t noticed!”

The shorter man chuckled, “He did. A little anyway. I said I was trying a new cologne and Asahi said he liked it.” He sniffed at his arms and his own nose curled at the false scent, “Wow, what a liar!” He laughed, as did Suga.

“And you’re sure your heat won’t come before tomorrow?” Suga asked, a hint of unease in his voice.

“My luck can’t be that bad, surely?” Noya chuckled and placed a hand atop of the small curve of Suga’s abdomen, “Besides, we’ve got other things to busy ourselves with today.”

Suga smiled warmly, “You’re right! Did you hide all the stuff in your room?”

Noya nodded and gave a little salute, “Everything is prepared and ready to go, sir!”

“Good!” Suga returned the salute, “To battle stations!”

The omegas spent most of the morning trying to decide on which paint colour to use in the room they had chosen to decorate. After much deliberation they finally decided on a pale mint green that complimented the peach curtains and brown fluffy rug and got started with the rollers. Most of the paint seemed to end up on their faces or in their hair and by the time their stomachs were grumbling for lunch, the three of them looked like they had contracted some sort of rare form of green measles.

As they flopped down at the dining table with chicken salad sandwiches, Nishinoya pointed his bread in Yamaguchi’s direction and smiled,

“Tadashi, you somehow look really cool with green speckles all over you.”

“Really?” Tadashi placed his hand against his freckled cheek and blushed into his sandwich.

“Yeah!” Noya beamed, “It’s like you have extra freckles!”

“Like I need any more of those,” the younger omega pouted a little as he took another big bite and Noya replied through a mouthful of lettuce,

“Tsukki seems to like them,” he’d purposefully used the alpha’s nickname, knowing that it would illicit a blush from Tadashi and he smiled when his plan came to fruition, the youngster gave the tomatoes in his sandwich some competition.

“Don’t tease him, Yuu,” Suga had meant to sound chastising but it came out as more of a sigh, gaining him two concerned glances from his pack mates.

The eldest omega looked pale; sweat trickled down his temples and his breathing was a little shaky as he stared at his sandwich with what could only be described as repulsion. Another wave of nausea, which he’d been trying his best to ignore, rolled over him and he darted out of the kitchen towards the main bathroom where sounds of retching echoed down the hall. When he finally returned to the other omegas, Suga looked a little better but Noya was unconvinced.

“I wonder why they call it morning sickness when it lasts all day?” Suga asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Would you like some tea, Suga-san?” Yamaguchi asked as he washed up his plate in the sink.

“Nnn, that would be nice, thanks.”

Yuu moved to the seat next to Koushi and nestled his head against the elder’s scent glands, releasing his own sweet pheromones to try and relax him as best he could. It seemed to do the opposite, however, as Suga leaned away, face wrinkled in disgust.

“Sorry, Yuu,” Suga clamped his hand over his nose, “Those scent patches smell really weird.”

“Ah, right. Sorry,” Noya whipped off his shirt, much to Yamaguchi’s shock, and peeled off the two patches before tossing them in the rubbish bin, “Better?”

Suga took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar peachy scent of his friend, “Much.” He took his tea from Tadashi and sipped it a little, the warmth soothing his aching stomach, and slapped the table with his palms, “Right, shall we get this room finished?”

Chapter Text

At almost three in the afternoon, the three omegas had been working on the new room for quite some time. The walls were painted and Yamaguchi and Noya had managed to put together some of the flat-pack furniture (not without struggle and some colourful language from Yuu), including a small wardrobe and changing table. Suga had carefully placed some plush toys and children’s books – including the three Asahi had written so far – on a bookcase and hung a painting of a sleeping elephant on the far wall. He smiled, satisfied with their day’s work. All that was missing was the crib but he hadn’t gotten around to buying one yet as they’d been so busy moving into the den.

“Just one more thing,” Noya disappeared for a few minutes and returned pushing a large box over the threshold of the room, panting slightly with the exertion.

“What’s this?” Suga asked, trying to remember what else he’d bought for the nursery but failing to think of anything.

Noya grinned widely and pushed the box over to the pregnant omega, “Why don’t you open it and see!”

With narrowed eyes, suspicious of his small friend, Koushi peeled back the tape and opened the top of the box before peeking inside. His breath caught and he gasped, eyes wide and teary as he looked at Nishinoya.

“A crib?! When did you…?”

Yuu’s grin grew impossibly wider and he put his hands on his hips in triumph, “Asahi and I went shopping a couple of weeks ago, we couldn’t resist it!”

“But Yuu!” Suga pulled out a white piece of ornately carved wood and stroked his fingers down the smooth surface, “This looks expensive!”

“Shush!” Noya’s face remained a mask of happiness, “It’s our gift so we’ll be super pissed if you don’t accept it!”

Without another word, Suga ploughed into Noya and wrapped his arms around the smaller omega, hugging him tightly. He scented his hair vigorously and nuzzled his face into Noya’s neck lovingly before finally letting him go.

“Thank you!” tears pooled in Suga’s eyes, “I’m so happy!”

“Where are we going to put it?” Nishinoya asked when he’d wiped the tears from his own cheeks

Suga gestured to the wall adjacent to the window, “Against that wall I think.”

“We don’t have to build this too, do we?” Tadashi asked, a little apprehension in his voice. Putting the wardrobe together with Noya-san had not been a fun experience and he didn’t want to have to go through that again.

The smallest omega shook his head and started to open the box with some scissors, “Nope. It’s already put together!”

It took them only a few minutes to unpack the crib and set it up against the wall and finally the room looked like it was fit for purpose. In only 4 and half months there would be a tiny pup sleeping in that crib, giggling and smiling and learning all about the world. Suga’s heart swelled at the image and he thanked his lucky stars that he was with such a loving pack and so safe with his friends. He was in a sort of elated daze when Nishinoya suddenly whined quietly in the back of his throat, causing the other two to look over at him.

“Noya-san?” Tadashi glanced at Suga and then back at Noya, “What’s wrong?”

With wide, worried eyes, Yuu looked up at Suga, shaking his head as if to deny what his body was telling him, “No, no, no! It’s too early!” He panted, heart beating against his chest like a bass drum as he felt the familiar pooling of heat in the pit of his stomach, “Asahi isn’t home yet!”

“Shh,” Suga held the tops of Noya’s arms gently, “It’s okay, we’ll call Asahi and he’ll come right back home,” he gestured to Yamaguchi and the freckled lad nodded, whipping out his phone and dialling Asahi-san’s number quickly.

More whining emitted from the small omega’s throat as Noya felt his temperature rise and his crotch ache more with every breath. He needed his alpha. He needed Asahi.

“Asahi-san?” Tadashi’s voice was high, worried, “It’s Tadashi. No, everything’s fine. Well, sort of,” he paused, listening to the alpha floundering on the other end of the phone, “You see, umm,” the omega blushed as he spoke, “Noya-san’s heat has come...” He nodded a few times and then realised that Asahi couldn’t see him, “Ah, yes. Okay.” A glance at Noya answered the question from the other end, “I don’t think he can talk right now. Okay. Bye.”

Suga’s face showed a silent question as he guided Nishinoya into his and Asahi’s bedroom and Tadashi replied as he followed behind,

“Asahi-san is coming straight home.”

Yuu moaned as he plonked down on the bed, hands clutching at the sheets, “No… The meeting...” he curled up on his side as Koushi stroked his hand through his hair softly purring to try and calm him down.

“Shh, this is more important right now, Yuu,” Suga felt his stomach churn again but swallowed the feeling as best he could, “Your alpha is coming home soon.”

From his place on the bed, Noya writhed, gripping the sheets with his small hands as he felt slick start to dampen his underwear. He was too hot, far too hot, and the bond mark on the back of his neck ached painfully, wanting for his alpha. With difficulty, he peeled off his shirt and started to wriggle out of his pants, feeling like he might simply burst into flames if he didn’t get rid of the scratchy garments. His skin itched and his lungs felt full of steam as he inhaled and exhaled too fast, making him even more dizzy and disorientated. A constant mewling was coming from his throat as he plunged his hand into his underwear in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure on his shaft but nothing could match the feel of his alpha’s big strong hands wrapping around it and it only made the need for his mate stronger as he failed to pleasure himself.

“Tadashi,” Suga stood up swiftly and headed for the door, a hand clamped to his mouth, “Look after him, will you?” Before the other omega could answer, Suga darted out of the room and into the en-suite bathroom attached to his and Daichi’s bedroom where he emptied the tea he’d drunk earlier into the toilet bowl.

“I’m home!” Daichi’s voice echoed in the empty entryway and kitchen and he stepped inside, shaking off the rain from his dark hair. When no one responded, the alpha took off his shoes and coat and padded into the living room, “Huh,” he poked his head into the kitchen, “Hello? Koushi?”

The smell of paint was so strong that he didn’t notice the familiar ‘omega in heat’ scent until he was halfway down the hallway. His pupils dilated and he inhaled deeply, curious as to who it was but also, in every fibre of his alpha being, drawn to the fragrance like a fine wine. Daichi was about to step into Noya and Asahi’s room where he could hear a soft mewling when the sound of retching caught his attention and immediately made him sprint into his and Koushi’s bedroom. There he found his mate just stepping out of the en-suite, hair plastered to his forehead and legs wobbly.

“Kou!” Daichi darted to his side and helped him to the bed, “You look dreadful!”

Suga pouted, “Wow, thanks.”

A large hand brushed back his silver locks and his alpha held him closer, releasing his protective pheromones as he rubbed Suga’s small bump. He rocked the omega on his lap a little and kissed his hair and neck softly.

“Are you okay?”

Tears glistened in Suga’s eyes and his lip quivered as he shook his head, “I’m tired and I feel sick and I’m hungry!”

Daichi chuckled, knowing that his omega had probably been putting on a brave face with the younger omegas all day. He waited patiently as Koushi let out his emotions, careful not to make any comments that might make him feel any worse, as he rubbed circles on his love’s hands with his thumbs.

“And Yuu is in heat and he bought us a crib!” his voice cracked on the last word like it was somehow something terrible and he buried his face into Daichi’s broad chest.

“That sounds nice,” the alpha smiled as he held his omega’s face in his hands, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Suga nodded and sniffed loudly, “So nice, I love it.” He looked up at Daichi and his face suddenly fell, like he’d forgotten to turn off the oven or something, “He’s in heat!”

The alpha nodded, “I know, I could smell it. Where’s Asahi?”

“He’s on his way back,” Suga moved to stand up but seemed unsteady on his feet, “I have to go and help him, Tadashi is by himself...”

“Hey, hey,” Daichi stood up and looped an arm around Suga’s waist, feeling the protruding angle of his hips, “You’re weak, Kou. Have you even eaten anything today?”

Suga waved him off dismissively, “It doesn’t matter, Noya is in pain!”

“Koushi!” Daichi’s voice was low, an alpha tone if ever there was one, “He’ll be fine. Yamaguchi is there. You need to concentrate on yourself,” he rubbed Koushi’s belly gently, “On both of you.”

It suddenly dawned on Suga that he’d been neglecting himself all day and his stomach gurgled unpleasantly, as though his pup was chastising him for not being more careful. He sat back down on the bed, thankful that the room had stopped spinning, and nodded feebly,

“Okay. Sorry, Dai,” he rubbed his belly, “Sorry baby.”

Daichi’s jaw clenched at the sight and the way Koushi said ‘baby’ and forced himself not to pounce on his mate right there and then. He needed rest, not a vigorous ‘seeing to’ and the alpha’s instincts to protect were thankfully stronger than his need to fuck his omega senseless. That wasn’t to say that his strong alpha pheromones were held in check, however, and Suga suddenly looked at his mate, an eyebrow cocked and a smirk on his pale face.

“Pervert.”

Daichi’s mouth fell open and he gripped Suga’s cheeks, squeezing them between his thumb and forefinger, “You just looked so cute!”

Suga slapped his alpha’s hands away and smiled, his mate’s very presence seeming to ease his nausea a little, “I think I’ll take a nap.”

He snuggled under the duvet as Daichi pulled it up to his omega’s chin. As the alpha moved to leave, Suga gripped his wrist and pouted, “Don’t go...”

Needing no more incentive, Daichi lay on top of the duvet behind Suga, wrapping his strong arms around him possessively and resting his hands against the small bump beneath the sheets. He nuzzled into his mate’s hair and closed his eyes as the pair quickly fell into a light sleep, all worries of Noya temporarily gone from their thoughts.

Chapter Text

“The red ranger is clearly the best!”

“You’re an idiot, blue is way better!”

“But red has-”

Hinata stopped mid-argument as he and Kageyama stepped into the den. The overwhelming scent of an omega in heat had the house swimming in pheromones and it made the ginger-haired omega instantly dizzy, his alpha having to steady him as he closed the door. Kageyama was about to go and investigate the source of the scent but stopped when a flustered looking Yamaguchi skidded into the entryway, his face dropping when he realised it was the unmated pair and not his mate.

“Who’s in heat?” Tobio asked as he guided Hinata into the kitchen.

“Noya-san,” Tadashi replied as he dampened a wash cloth under the cold tap, “Asahi-san is on his way back.”

The setter’s eyes widened, “Asahi isn’t here?” He couldn’t think of anything more cruel than leaving your mated omega to fend for themselves during their heat.

“Noya-san didn’t tell him his heat was coming,” Kageyama nodded in understanding as Yamaguchi exited the kitchen, adding, “Will you let me know when Tsukki gets back?”

Kageyama nodded again as the omega left to tend to Nishinoya and turned back to Hinata, who had fallen silent as he sat at the kitchen table. The small omega looked a little dazed, his eyes distant as he traced the grain of the wooden table and he jumped a little when Kageyama began to speak.

“You okay?”

Hinata blinked up at Tobio, eyes sparkling and a little more animated than he had been just moments before, “I want to bond with you.”

The alpha almost choked on his glass of water, spluttering clumsily as he tried to regain his composure and understand what Hinata was trying to tell him. He finally settled on ‘Right now?’, which made the omega burst into a fit of giggles.

Once Shouyou had his laughter under control, he waited for Kageyama to sit down beside him and continued his train of thought, “No, not right now!” he giggled again, cheeks flushing, “During my next heat.”

He looked up through thick eyelashes, waiting for his alpha’s response with baited breath. They’d talked about bonding before but only in passing and usually when Hinata’s heat came they were too busy doing other things to worry about anything else. That wasn’t to say that neither of them had thought about bonding seriously, no, they had each felt the tugging sensation of wanting to be more than just ‘together’ but neither had dared speak of it, feeling it was far too serious a topic for them to discuss. However, when Tadashi had visited Hinata when he and Tsukishima had first bonded and showed the redhead the scar on the back of his neck, it had sparked something in the young spiker and he hadn’t been able to ignore the idea any longer.

“Okay.”

It wasn’t exactly the romantic scene Shouyou had envisioned but then again Kageyama wasn’t one to express many emotions, unless they were annoyance at him, and the omega guessed that was probably as good as he was going to get. He smiled broadly and glomped Tobio, throwing his arms around his neck and perching on his lap as he nuzzled into his alpha’s scent glands.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Kageyama asked as he traced circles on Hinata’s slim back.

“I can’t think of anything I want more!”

The omega purred softly and Tobio claimed his lips firmly, silently showing him how he felt about the situation, even if he didn’t say it out loud. The alpha’s hands were just creeping up Hinata’s shirt, across his toned abs when Asahi suddenly burst into the room like a frantic bull. Hinata yipped as Kageyama stood up, knocking the omega onto the seat beside them, and Asahi’s wide eyes darted between the pair, seeming to scan them for any signs of his mate.

“He’s in your room,” Kageyama decided to get straight to the point and Asahi was thankful. He spun on his heel and sprinted down the hallway, socks slipping on the wooden floor as he barrelled along like a runaway train. He prayed that no one would suddenly step out of one of the rooms as he knew he’d end up sending them flying like bowling pins. His mind raced as thoughts of Noya being all alone when he needed him most flickered behind his eyelids and he silently cursed himself for not seeing the signs. Although Yuu wasn’t one to really show many changes when he was in pre-heat, his scent did usually change and Asahi wondered why he hadn’t noticed it at all. Of course, that made his worrisome brain crank into overdrive and he began to wonder if there was something wrong with him or worse, something wrong with his omega.

Inside Nishinoya and Asahi’s room, the former lay curled up on the bed. The sheets were damp beneath him, partly from how much he was perspiring and partly because of the slick forming between his thighs as he wriggled and moaned into Asahi’s pillow. The scent of his alpha was helping slightly but it wasn’t even close to what he needed.

Tadashi was just patting the wash cloth against Noya’s forehead when Asahi kicked open the door like a deranged SWAT team of one, making the younger omega fall sideways onto the floor in shock. Without moving from the bed, Yuu whined loudly and reached out his hands for his alpha, fingers gripping the air uselessly as Asahi stepped towards him. Tadashi moved to stand and leave the pair to it but Asahi was in full alpha mode and growled deeply at the movement, everything in his being telling him to dispose of anything that might get between himself and his omega.

“Asahi...” Noya panted, “Don’t...”

With the alpha’s attention back on Noya, Tadashi took the opportunity to run out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He stood panting in the corridor, legs shaking from the oppressive pheromones that Asahi-san had been releasing, and closed his eyes to try and calm his racing heart. He almost swallowed his tongue when two large hands cupped his cheeks and lifted his head but the familiar fragrance of his alpha instantly soothed him and he opened his eyes to look up into golden ones.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kei asked as he quickly rubbed his neck against Tadashi’s freckled cheeks, a habit he had whenever he’d been separated from the omega.

The omega spun his mate around and pushed his back towards their room, waiting until they were behind the locked door to let out his breath and speak.

“Noya-san’s heat came and Asahi-san wasn’t here but then he was and it was scary and-”

Tsukki pressed a finger to Tadashi’s lips, silencing him, “You okay? He didn’t attack did he?” Kei’s face held a rare expression of concern, which faded as soon as his omega shook his head, “Good.” He threw his school bag on the bed and shrugged out of his jacket, “So that’s what that awful smell was.”

“What?” Tadashi perched on the edge of the bed, enjoying the view as his alpha removed his shirt and picked out a new one from the wardrobe.

“Nishinoya’s heat,” Tsukki chose a plain white t-shirt and pulled it on, much to Tadashi’s disappointment.

“You think it smells awful?” The omega tilted his head, a little confused, “Aren’t alphas supposed to love the scent of an omega in heat?” He suddenly wondered if Tsukki hated his scent and his eyebrows furrowed at the thought.

“I love your scent,” Tsukishima reiterated his point by pushing Tadashi onto his back on the bed and getting on all fours above him. He growled playfully and nipped at the omega’s scent glands, inhaling noisily and making Tadashi giggle furiously.

“What do I smell like?” Tadashi looked up through lidded eyes, his alpha’s pheromones making him a little scent-drunk.

“You know. I’ve told you before,” Tsukishima moved onto his back and pulled the pouting Tadashi on top of him. He rolled his golden eyes at his omega’s petulance, “Freshly cut grass.”

Tadashi flopped down so that he was lying against Tsukki’s chest, fingers drawing lazy circles on his alpha’s collarbones, “And what does Noya-san smell like?”

Kei scoffed, “Peaches.” He turned to look at his mate and kissed his forehead gently, “Most omegas smell of sweet food, it’s gross.”

“So if I didn’t smell like grass you wouldn’t like me any more?” Yamaguchi teased, trying to keep his face stiff.

“Moron,” Kei ruffled Tadashi’s hair until it resembled a bird’s nest, “I’d love you even if you smelled like sh-”

A pillow to the face shut the alpha up before he could ruin the mood with his vulgarity.

Inside Noya and Asahi’s room the air was thick and heavy with lust. As soon as the alpha had spotted his omega, all other thoughts abandoned him and all reason went out the window. He vaguely recalled growling at Yamaguchi but didn’t have time to be thinking about that right now. His mind was filled with want and need and mine and he gave in to his instincts as Noya clawed at his shirt to try and remove it. When the omega’s trembling fingers made no progress in removing the garment, Asahi growled and ripped it off, buttons flying in all directions as he quickly moved to his trousers, removing them in record time. Beneath him, writhing and panting on the sheets, face red and body ready and willing, Yuu grabbed Asahi’s neck and dragged him down so that he could kiss him deeply, claiming his tongue roughly with his own.

“Asahi… Please!” he begged, eyes scrunched and back arched as he tried desperately to tempt his alpha.

The larger man didn’t need any tempting, of course, and flipped his mate over roughly, receiving a yelp of surprise and arousal from Yuu as he pushed his butt into the air teasingly. Asahi grabbed it firmly, squeezing the plump flesh as he slipped on a condom and lined himself up, already knowing that his omega was more than ready to receive his member. He pushed into the soft flesh gently, nevertheless, never one to enjoy pain or giving pain and moved slowly so that Noya would feel satisfied. The omega mewled loudly and gasped, his own orgasm coming fast as he seemed to have been waiting all day for it. Tears pricked Noya’s eyes and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as Asahi continued to pleasure him over and over.

After their fourth round, Asahi finally pulled out and Noya whined as he tried to grab his mate’s dick to stop him moving away. Asahi knew that his mate needed things other than sex during his heat, however, and laid beside him, gently carding his fingers through the omega’s damp hair.

Unsatisfied as he always was when his heat first started, Yuu reached down and grabbed his alpha’s member in an attempt to get him started again but Asahi took his wrists in his larger hands and held them above Noya’s head, away from their needy genitals for a moment. Another whine filtered through the shorter man’s chest and throat, a begging sound that ignited the alpha in Asahi even more, but the alpha sat up and pulled himself away from his mate, a look of guilt on his flushed face.

“Sorry, Yuu,” Asahi’s voice was deep as he was still firmly in his alpha-mode, “You need to drink something, okay?”

Noya shook his head, “Nooo! I need you! I want you, alpha!” He wriggled atop the bed, eyes glassy and hands wandering around his crotch.

“I’ll be right back,” Asahi gripped the door handle but his omega’s desperate squealing stopped him turning it.

“Don’t leave again!” Noya was on all fours on the bed, crawling closer to his alpha even though it hurt to move so much, “You won’t come back! Don’t go!” Tears streamed down his red cheeks as he hiccuped and sniffed.

Asahi sighed, defeated. Obviously Yuu hadn’t had the greatest start to his heat this time around and it was all his fault. He should never have left him. He should have noticed that his own mate was about to start his heat! Why was he such a useless alpha? Why couldn’t he be strong like Daichi or reliable like Tsukishima? He was weak and useless and-

“Asahi!” Noya’s sudden cohesive voice snapped the alpha out of his reverie and he blinked dazedly for a moment before moving back to the bed, all thoughts of leaving his mate gone for the moment.

“I’m sorry,” the alpha lay on his back as Noya rubbed himself against his broad chest, the omega’s peachy scent filling every pore, “I should have been here.”

“You’re… here now,” Yuu’s breath was laboured again as he felt another wave of heat rush over him, “Take care of me!” He nipped Asahi’s nipple and the alpha sat up and wrapped his arms and legs around his mate, strong alpha pheromones surrounding them both as they kissed deeply.

They were both so caught up in claiming one another that they didn’t notice Tanaka open the door with his hand over his eyes and slide four bottles of water into the room. He gave a silent thumbs-up and closed the door quietly as the pair continued to enjoy Nishinoya’s heat to its fullest.

Chapter Text

The next four days went by in a blur for Nishinoya Yuu. As he squinted into the morning light filtering through his bedroom curtains on the fifth day, he could only remember snippets of the previous hours. Images of his alpha looming over him, claiming him and wiping him down ghosted behind his eyelids but it was mainly a soup of pleasure and heat. He stretched and felt bones pop and muscles strain at the movement, obviously Asahi had taken good care of him during his heat and now his body was paying for it as he sat up and leaned against the headboard. There was an absence beside him and Yuu briefly wondered if the sunlight coming through the curtains was in fact morning light or if it was some other hour of the day. He hadn’t exactly kept track of the time the past few days and for all he knew it could be three in the afternoon.

As if to answer his question, the bedroom door suddenly creaked open and a brown bun popped in. When Asahi saw his omega sitting up he scooted inside and shut the door, careful not to be too loud as omegas coming down from their heat could be particularly skittish. Noya untucked himself from the sheets and dangled his feet over the edge of the bed as his alpha sat down beside him, looking a little worse for wear himself.

“Morning,” Asahi whispered, careful to keep his voice low and pheromones calming.

“So-” Yuu coughed to try and clear the frog in his throat but his voice still came out croaky, “So it is morning then.”

“Yeah,” Asahi stroked Noya’s cheek, feeling how much cooler it felt to the touch, “Do you want to eat something?”

As if in reply, Noya’s stomach growled loudly. During an omega’s heat they don’t tend to think of anything other than their sexual needs and so eating and drinking were usually forgotten. It’s usually thanks to the alpha that they get the healthy amount of liquids or the omega can fall ill. Thankfully Asahi had made sure to keep his mate hydrated the past few days and so the only thing Yuu needed now was a full stomach.

“I’m starving!” the little omega jumped to his feet but wobbled a little. Not eating for four days was bound to leave one feeling a little weak.

“Careful!” Asahi caught him mid-stumble and held him tight against his body as Noya headed for the bathroom, “Do you need to pee first?” The alpha wondered why they weren’t going straight for the kitchen, what with Noya’s demanding stomach.

The omega blushed slightly, his ears turning pink as he spoke, “I need to take a shower. I’m all… sticky.”

Asahi’s mouth formed an ‘O’ shape and he guided his mate into the shower, carefully peeling his sweat (and God knew what else) soaked clothes off. He left him after making sure he wasn’t going to topple over and laid out some underwear and fresh clothes on their bed before heading to the kitchen himself.

“It’s not even cold, idiot,” Kageyama, who was sitting at the kitchen table beside a very well wrapped up Hinata, looked down at him and rolled his eyes, “You’re so dramatic.”

The ginger-nut rubbed his hands together and pulled Kageyama’s sweater a little tighter around himself, having chosen it for its bigger size. He did look cold, even if it was the beginning of June, and Asahi pushed the pot of coffee a little closer to the omega as he sat down opposite them. Hinata thanked him and poured himself a cup, nose wrinkling at the bitter taste.

“How’s Yuu?” Koushi asked through a mouthful of cereal. It was his second bowl. His morning sickness seemed to have abated a little but all he could stomach on a morning was cereal, otherwise he’d lose whatever nutrients he had down the toilet.

Asahi smiled as he grabbed some toast from the rack and tried to ignore the charred edges of it, “Finished his heat. He’s just taking a shower.”

“I must say,” Suga glanced down at his bump, which had once again made his t-shirt ride up, and smiled, “I don’t miss my heats.” At the sink, Daichi coughed pointedly and Tsukishima smirked as the pregnant omega backtracked, “I mean, I don’t miss the actual heat or the stickiness or the sleepless nights.”

“We’ll have to be careful with the next one, though,” Daichi sat down beside his mate and handed him a cup of steaming tea, “The next person in heat I mean.”

Tadashi’s eyebrows twitched inwardly, “Why?”

Suga elbowed his alpha in the ribs firmly, “It doesn’t matter.”

Confused glances moved between the rest of the pack, including Tanaka and Ennoshita who had stood up to head to work, and Daichi ignored Suga as he continued. Although he did move out of range of his mate’s jabbing elbows.

“When Noya was having his heat, Koushi was… affected by it.”

Suga groaned and dragged his hands down his face, “Stop! It’s not a big deal, Dai!”

“Affected how?” Kageyama asked, concerned that it might be something that could affect all of the omegas, namely Shouyou.

“He was...” Daichi paused, suddenly aware of all the eyes on him, “He was very...” he fumbled, trying to find the right words without sounding crude.

“I was super turned on,” Suga glared at his alpha, furious that he’d made him say it, “But as I said, it’s not a big deal!” his cheeks flushed, “I don’t even know why we had to bring it up!”

“Because it wore you out!” Daichi huffed.

“Maybe it wore you out and that’s the problem!” Suga jutted out his jaw and folded his arms petulantly.

“S-So are you saying we should use suppressants until Suga-san has the pup?” Tadashi asked, ever the level-headed omega who just wanted everyone to be safe.

Suga shook his head, “No, that’s not healthy. Just keep doing whatever you were doing and don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”

A sudden burst of energy and a light peach fragrance filled the room as Nishinoya’s presence once again graced the pack. He high-fived Tanaka and plonked himself down beside Hinata, who scented him lightly as Asahi handed him some cremated toast.

“So,” Noya crunched loudly on the toast, not even registering its burnt flavour as he was so hungry, “What did I miss? Anything exciting?”

The room fell into an odd silence until Tsukishima stood up and grabbed his bag, nonchalantly speaking as he headed out into the entryway, “Your heat made Suga-san ultra horny and Daichi-san couldn’t keep up.”

“Hey!” Daichi yelled after Tsukishima as the tall blonde made a swift exit, a grin still plastered on his face.

Tanaka and Ennoshita followed suit soon after.

With another slice of toast making its way to his lips, Noya looked quizzically at Suga and Daichi, “Why?”

“Why did it affect me or why couldn’t Daichi keep up?” Suga asked, knowing his alpha was getting more and more irritated but enjoying the range of colours currently occupying his mate’s face.

“I could keep up!” Daichi confirmed, “I did!”

Suga patted his love condescendingly and smiled, “Okay, okay. You did.”

The alpha was about to reaffirm himself but Noya ignored their spat and asked, “Why did it affect you?”

Suga shrugged, “Not sure. I did read something in a pregnancy book about some pregnant omegas showing signs of a heat, even though they themselves aren’t having them. Must be that.” He turned to Daichi and clamped his hand in his, “But like I said, it’s not a big deal, really.”

“As long as you’re sure,” Yamaguchi stood up to clean his plate, “We wouldn’t mind taking suppressants ‘til the baby is here.”

From the corner of his eye, Suga saw Hinata and Kageyama flinch slightly and his suspicions were only confirmed when they nodded reluctantly, both trying to keep their expressions blank. He knew the pair had been wanting to bond for a while, even if they themselves wouldn’t admit it, and he guessed that they didn’t want to put it off any longer. Who was he to deny them that?

“Honestly, just be normal. I’m sure it won’t be for the entire pregnancy, it’s probably just my body adjusting.”

Hinata’s smile returned and Kageyama looped his arm around his waist gently, feeling the omega shiver slightly at his touch. When the shivering didn’t stop, however, Tobio looked down at his love with concern in his blue eyes.

“You’re still cold?”

Shouyou nodded, “Aren’t you? It’s freezing!”

“Maybe you caught a cold?” Asahi suggested.

Hinata shrugged and picked up his bag for college, “Maybe!”

He and Kageyama left for college as the other pack members washed up the dishes, Noya grabbing another slice of toast before it was swiped. It was warm outside, even so early in the morning, and so he, Tadashi and Asahi went into the garden to try and plant some of the flowers Yamaguchi had brought home. The freckled omega had brought them from the shop where he worked and said he might even bring back some seeds and bulbs to grow their own vegetables. He was a little too excited at the prospect of growing potatoes and the like but Tsukishima had encouraged it, enjoying the glow it brought to his mate’s face. In fact, the last time he’d seen Tadashi so animated about something new was when he’d first shown Kei his float-serve in high school, even if he had flubbed it on the first try.

A dull groan wafted through the door of Suga and Daichi’s bedroom as the alpha stepped inside. At first he thought something was wrong but a quick sniff of the air confirmed there was only frustrated pheromones coming from his omega, nothing dangerous or worrisome.

“Look at this!” Koushi was standing sideways in front of the full-length mirror in the closet door, trying desperately to yank down his t-shirt, which kept pinging back up to reveal the bottom of his bump. He did it once more to reiterate his point and sighed dramatically, “I’m officially too fat for my t-shirts.”

The alpha stepped behind him and wrapped his arms around his omega, hands resting on the bump, which did seem a little more pronounced than it had just a week ago.

“You’re not fat, Kou,” he scented his mate’s neck softly, receiving a low purr from the contact, “You’re busy growing our pup.”

Suga pouted, “Yeah? Well, our pup is stretching my shirts.”

“Why don’t you wear one of mine instead?”

That made the omega’s eyes widen and he tilted his head to look up into chocolate eyes, “Can I?”

Daichi laughed and tightened his hold, “Of course! Although I don’t know how I’ll keep my hands off of you looking so sexy.” He was rewarded with a rough kiss and then Suga was suddenly gone, choosing which of his alpha’s shirts he wanted to wear.

The pair joined the others in the garden at the back of the farmhouse. Well, it was more of a fenced-off field but Yamaguchi was doing his best to dig up some flowerbeds and decide where the best plot for a vegetable garden would be. He’d made some rows of upturned soil below the kitchen window for wall flowers and was currently lifting some large stones out of the way so that he could start work on a place for daffodils and tulips. Noya was on seed duty, carefully scattering the tiny particles into the upturned soil, and Asahi was busy using a spade to carve out a path shape. Tadashi said they could get some paving stones to make a proper path at some point and he’d sounded so determined and confident about it that the other two simply followed his orders.

“Wow,” Daichi sounded impressed, “This is going to look great!”

Tadashi beamed at the praise and scratched his cheek coyly, “I hope so...”

“Anything we can do?” Suga asked, itching to have something to do other than ‘supervise’.

“Um...” Tadashi glanced at Daichi with a silent question of ‘Can I give Suga-san a job?’ and the alpha nodded, “Maybe water the seeds Noya-san has planted?”

The pregnant omega’s face seemed to light up at the prospect of doing something useful and he bounded off to unravel the hosepipe from the side of the house, returning with it over his shoulder like a hunter bringing home a dead deer. He hummed as he watched the water spray from the end of the pipe, blissful in his alpha’s shirt (which covered his bump completely and hung off his shoulders a little) as the sun warmed him comfortably. The scene seemed like one from a story book until Daichi, who had been helping Asahi dig a path, jokingly yelled,

“I think you missed a spot, Kou!”

Without a second thought, Koushi raised the hosepipe and pointed it towards his alpha, drenching him in the powerful jet of water. Noya almost imploded as he laughed at the drenched leader, which made Daichi tear the hose from Suga and chase the tiny libero around the garden, spraying water everywhere. Asahi tried to protect his mate but only succeeded in getting a face full of water; he looked like an extra from a horror movie as his bun loosened and his long hair stuck to his face in dark tendrils. Yamaguchi took cover behind Suga, who he hoped was immune from the water fight, as the other three continued to whoop and yip as the battle continued.

They were so engrossed in their water fight that only Suga noticed the appearance of Coach Ukai and his heavily pregnant mate, Takeda, as they popped their heads around the corner of the house. Suga didn’t have time to warn them or tell the others to stop but everything came to a halt when Ukai got an unexpected blast of icy water to the face.

The blonde man spat a fountain of water from his mouth and said blankly, “Nice to see you, too.”

Chapter Text

After much apologising from Daichi and an offer of a dry towel and a borrowed shirt, Ukai and Takeda joined the others in the living room. The glasses-wearing omega shuffled uncomfortably on the sofa beside his mate, his eight month pregnant stomach making it more of a hassle than it should have been and finally he huffed loudly and gave up on any sort of comfort, opting to simply lean against his alpha instead. Ukai chuckled and looped his arm around Ittetsu’s waist, his pheromones automatically releasing a calming aroma as he chatted idly with Daichi.

“...so we thought we’d come and say hi while we still can,” Ukai said that Takeda was finding it more and more difficult to get around and so they were planning on staying home until it was time for their pup to arrive.

"I don’t think we’ll be up for many visitors, either, especially after the birth,” Ittetsu smirked at his alpha as he averted his eyes, “Keishin’s alpha side has been on turbo-mode for the past few months. If someone knocks on the door he thinks it’s a burglar or some sort of baby-thief!” The omega chuckled, as did Daichi and Yamaguchi.

“Yeah,” Daichi rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, “I can believe it. Sometimes I feel like I’m going insane trying to protect Koushi from every little thing. Right, Kou?”

Suga didn’t respond. In fact, he hadn’t been listening for the past five minutes. Instead, he’d been transfixed by Takeda-sensei’s enormous bump, watching closely as it rippled every now and then with the movement inside. He wondered if he too would be that big, it seemed enormous on the short man’s frame but was in fact quite a normal size for eight months, and Koushi pulled Daichi’s shirt a little further down over his own tiny (in comparison) mound.

“Koushi?” Daichi touched his mate’s hand, causing him to jump slightly and finally drag his eyes from Ittetsu, “You okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Suga painted a faint smile on his face, “Sorry.”

Noticing the younger omega’s fascination, Takeda scooted forwards on the sofa and patted his stomach gently, “Would you like to feel it?” he asked Suga, who’s eyes lit up.

“Can I?”

Takeda nodded and Suga quickly knelt down in front of him, the bump looking even bigger up close. He subconsciously heard a low and very quiet growl coming from Ukai but was too preoccupied with concentrating on the baby-filled belly before him to register the warning sound. Thankfully, Takeda slapped his mate’s arm to shut him up and leaned down to speak to Koushi quietly,

“Put your hands here,” he took Suga’s hands and fanned them out across the top of his bump, “Now wait.”

Suga’s eyebrows knitted together as he stared firmly at his hands, impatiently waiting for a sign from the pup. Then, suddenly and stronger than he’d expected, his fingers were moved up and down by the squirming of the unborn baby. Koushi gasped and looked up at his former teacher with sparkling eyes.

“Wow!” It moved!” he turned to Daichi, who almost burst from the cuteness of his omega’s reaction, “It moved, Dai!”

It didn’t take any more convincing than that for Nishinoya and Yamaguchi to place their hands on the bump and they too had precious reactions as the pup wriggled under the skin, so much so in fact that Asahi almost teared up at the sight.

“That’s so awesome!” Noya placed his cheek against the pale blue of Takeda’s t-shirt and giggled when he felt something press into it, “It kicked me!”

“She,” Keishin corrected, face as smug as could be, “Our pup is a she.”

“She,” Koushi whispered the word like it was precious and turned back to where his hands remained on the bump, “She...”

“Do you know what you’re having, Sugawara-kun?” Takeda asked as he leaned back against the sofa, allowing the omegas to reluctantly drop their hands from his belly.

Suga shook his head, “Nope. We’re going to leave it as a surprise I think.”

Takeda yawned loudly and apologised, face flushed with embarrassment.

“Looks like we’d better get going,” Ukai helped his mate to his feet and headed for the door, “Feel free to call us to chat whenever!”

Takeda pulled Suga aside as his alpha helped him put on his shoes and the older omega whispered with a smile on his face, “Don’t let Sawamura-kun boss you around too much, okay? These alphas can be a handful when their mate is expecting.”

“I heard that,” Keishin kissed the omega’s forehead and they headed out, Koushi staring after them until they were completely out of sight.

 "ACHOO!”

“Ew,” Tsukishima wrinkled his nose as he stepped past Hinata in the entryway, “Cover your mouth, at least.”

“Sorry,” the tiny omega rubbed his nose with his sleeve as Kageyama followed him inside and closed the door.

“I told you not to come to practise today, moron,” Tobio removed his shoes and coat and guided Shouyou into the lounge before forcing him to sit down on one of the big armchairs. The omega did as he was told for once and flopped onto the chair with little protest, sinking into the soft cushions as Kageyama went to make some tea.

It was weirdly quiet in the house without the combination of Nishinoya and Tanaka but the latter was still at work and so everyone else was a little more chilled out. Even the TV wasn’t switched on, the only sound filling the room being the soft snoring of Suga, who was fast asleep on the sofa. Sleeping seemed like a nice idea right then, Hinata thought as Tobio handed him some tea and settled on the arm of the chair. The alpha reached out his hand and placed it on Shouyou’s forehead, instantly feeling the heat from the omega’s skin. It wasn’t the usual heat heat of an omega but it certainly wasn’t a normal temperature for a healthy person.

“You’ve got a fever.”

Hinata shook his head and slurped the hot tea, “That’s okay.”

Kageyama scoffed at his nonchalance and rolled his blue eyes, “Like hell it is. I knew you weren’t feeling well!”

A low groan came from the omega and he nuzzled into Kageyama’s legs, whining softly, “I’m sorry.”

With a sigh, the alpha rubbed his face against Hinata’s hair and proceeded to the kitchen to try and find some cold medicine. He didn’t even know if they had any first aid equipment in the house yet, what with it being their new home and all, but he just hoped someone had been competent enough to buy some painkillers and plasters at least. Four drawers and three cupboards later and there was still no sign of any sort of medications; Tobio was trying to remember where the nearest convenience store or pharmacy was when Asahi-san appeared in the doorway, hair a little askew as he’d just gotten out of the shower. He absorbed the younger alpha’s baffled expression and deduced that he was looking for something from the constant aggravated sighs coming from the raven-haired lad.

“Did you lose something?”

Kageyama sighed once more, making Asahi tense a little before he realised the irritation wasn’t aimed at him, “Do you know if we have any cold medicine?”

“Do you have a cold?!”

“No, not me, Hinata,” Kageyama noticed Asahi-san’s distraught expression and wondered just how the Ace managed to get through the day without internally combusting.

“Maybe in the bathroom?” Daichi’s voice made the two other alphas turn, unaware that he’d even approached, “I think Koushi bought some first aid stuff before we moved and put it in the bathroom cabinet.”

“Which one?” Kageyama asked, stone faced as usual, “Which bathroom?” There were four bathrooms, three of which were en-suite, and he really didn’t fancy having to go into someone’s private bathroom to hunt for medicine. God knows what he might find.

“Uhh...” the head alpha looked snookered, “I’m not sure. I’d ask Kou but he’s taking a nap.”

“I’ll help you look if you like,” Asahi offered and Kageyama accepted it. The faster they looked the faster Hinata could get better.

 Asahi started in his and Noya’s en-suite bathroom. He didn’t think he’d seen any first aid boxes or medicine in the cabinet above the sink but he also didn’t trust his scatty memory and so looked nonetheless. As he thought, though, there was nothing but an extra toothbrush and, for some reason, a half eaten chocolate bar. Judging by its position on the very lowest shelf, Asahi guessed it was Yuu’s.

Inside Daichi and Suga’s room, Kageyama swiftly moved into the bathroom, trying to avert his eyes from anything in the bedroom. He hated snooping around in other people’s spaces, especially somewhere as intimate as a bedroom, as it smelled so strongly of them and made him uncomfortable. When he reached the bathroom, there was nothing remotely medical in sight and upon opening the cabinet all he found was an unopened tube of lubricant. He slammed the door shut a little too aggressively and swiftly exited the bedroom, sweat forming on his temples.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s room didn’t have an en-suite and neither did his and Hinata’s bedroom. That just left the main bathroom down the hallway and the en-suite attached to Tanaka’s bedroom. Why the beta had been gifted with an en-suite was beyond him; why on earth would a shaven-headed, non-omega need a bathroom so close? When they’d first moved in, though, Daichi-san, Suga-san and Asahi-san had insisted that the beta have his own bathroom as it would ‘save time’ on a morning. Kageyama shuddered at the thought of whatever Tanaka was getting up to on a morning that took up so much time but shook it from his mind as he headed for his room.

When he reached the bedroom door, however, Tobio suddenly realised that he was about to snoop around in Tanaka’s room without his permission. Betas weren’t exactly known for their aggressive behaviour but he didn’t want to be disrespectful towards his senpai and certainly didn’t want to be on the receiving end of one of Daichi-san’s rants. He was shuffling back and forth, frowning deeply and muttering to himself when Tanaka rounded the corner, completely unnoticed by the alpha. Tanaka tilted his head quizzically as he took in the scene before him and concluded that his younger pack member had come to his room for advice on something, clearly he was the all-knowing member of the pack. He sauntered over to him, head bobbing and smile smug.

“Kageyama!” Tanaka slapped a hand to the alpha’s back as Tobio flinched from the sudden contact, “What can I do for you, my boy?”

Confused as to why Tanaka had suddenly transformed into his grandfather, Tobio shook the beta’s hands from his shoulders and quickly explained his situation. Tanaka’s face lost its smug glow as he realised Kageyama was just looking for some medicine but he opened the door and let the alpha mooch around his bathroom nonetheless. He too didn’t want Hinata to be suffering any longer than he needed to.

As Kageyama concluded that there was nothing of use in the beta’s en-suite, Ennoshita’s voice drifted into the bathroom from Tanaka’s bedroom and the alpha stepped out to see the other beta perched on Tanaka’s bed, a copy of a new manga in his grasp.

“Oi, Tana-” Ennoshita stopped mid-sentence as he realised it was Kageyama and not his beta pack mate, “Oh, sorry Kageyama. I thought you were Tanaka.” He blushed a little and tried to hide his downturned mouth. Why the hell was Kageyama in Tanaka’s bathroom? Were they an item now? Ennoshita knew the alpha wasn’t yet bonded but he didn’t think he and Tanaka got on that well. Why did he even care about what those two were doing? It was none of his business, right?

“Um...” Kageyama moved towards the door, “Tell Tanaka I couldn’t find any, I’ll look in the main bathroom.”

Silently, Ennoshita nodded as the alpha left and he too made his way towards his own room, head lowered and mind still filled with questions he didn’t dare ask. Tanaka returned with a bag of chips and a mouthful of cookies and caught Chikara just as he stepped into his own room.

“Oh, Chika!” he choked a little on his cookies and swallowed roughly, “Did you get that new man-”

Ennoshita slammed his door shut, leaving Tanaka to stand and stare, cookie crumbs falling from his lips.

Chapter Text

“Suga-san… Suga-san wake up...”

Yamaguchi dodged a swipe of the pregnant omega’s hand as he tried to wake him for dinner. Daichi-san had asked him to wake his mate as he was currently busy trying to keep Tanaka from strangling Kageyama in the kitchen. For reasons unknown, the beta had charged into the kitchen and grabbed the young alpha by the collar, shouting something about upsetting Chikara and ‘ruining the mood’ he and the other beta had created. Daichi had been willing to let the two of them duke it out until he felt Kageyama’s pheromones turn sour; as much as he knew Tanaka could take care of himself, when it came to an angry alpha a beta was still at a disadvantage in terms of pure strength and ferocity.

Daichi pushed against his pack mates’ chests and spoke with as much of a commanding alpha tone as he could, “Stop!” Hinata and Nishinoya lowered their heads as the alpha’s voice echoed around the room, “What’s this about, Tanaka?”

The beta shrugged away from Daichi’s touch and jabbed a finger towards Kageyama, “He did something to Chikara!”

Daichi turned to ask Kageyama what exactly he’d done but the younger alpha just looked confused and so Daichi turned his attention back to Tanaka,

“I don’t think he did anything on purpose, Ryuu.”

Tanaka glared at Tobio and stuck out his jaw aggressively, “Well Ennoshita was fine until I left him alone with him !” He grabbed for Kageyama once more but Daichi intervened again, stopping his hand.

With a heavy sigh, Daichi rolled his head to look at Kageyama, who still looked utterly baffled by the whole confrontation, “Are you sure you didn’t say anything to Ennoshita? Or do something?”

Kageyama shook his head, “Nothing. He thought I was Tanaka when I came out of the bathroom and then he looked a bit weird and left.”

Daichi’s eyes silently said ‘So?’ to Tanaka and the beta finally stopped struggling. He rubbed his shaved head, annoyed at himself for reacting in such a way, and growled impatiently,

“Why did he slam the door in my face, then?” He wasn’t asking anyone in particular but Tsukishima cocked a blonde eyebrow and asked,

“Did you actually ask him why he did it?”

“Of course he didn’t.” It was Ennoshita. He’d smelled the pasta cooking and subconsciously drifted to the kitchen until he found himself watching the alpha and beta arguing (or more like Tanaka shouting at Kageyama with no response from the alpha). He sat down at the table and jumped when Tanaka took a seat beside him immediately, the beta looking like a puppy wanting to be adopted from the pound.

“So...” Tanaka wriggled in his seat, “Why did you slam the door in my face?”

Ennoshita shrugged, “I think I was just a little surprised.” At Tanaka’s blank expression, he explained, “I wasn’t expecting you and Kageyama to become a pair, it shocked me a little.”

From the other side of the table, Hinata made a sound not unlike someone standing on a baby seal and Ennoshita looked at him with pity in his dark eyes. He knew all too well the feeling of being rejected by the one you loved and just hoped it wouldn’t affect the tiny omega too much in finding a mate. Ennoshita smiled at Shouyou kindly and said,

“Don’t worry, Hinata, I’m sure you’ll find an alpha who’ll want to bond with you soon enough.”

Confused and a little anxious, Hinata looked up at Kageyama with dinner plate eyes, “D-do you not want to bond with me anymore?”

The alpha rolled his eyes as Tsukishima sniggered and Tobio spoke slowly so that Hinata would understand, “Of course I do, idiot. These two-” he gestured to the two betas, “-have the wrong end of the stick.”

“We do?” Tanaka asked, daring to let a little hope into his heart.

Noya laughed and shook his head, “Ryuu, you’re always so dense!” He leaned his head on his hands, elbows on the table, and grinned sharply, “You too, Chika. Why don’t you actually talk to each other?”

Blushing, Ennoshita turned to Tanaka, “So you’re not courting Kageyama?”

Tanaka curled his lip and made a gagging sound, much to Tobio’s annoyance, “What?! No!”

“Ah… I see...” Chikara gnawed at his lip as he tried to catch up with his own thoughts.

“Is that why you were so angry?” Tanaka asked, voice raised slightly, “Because you thought he and I were...” he gulped, too grossed out to actually say it, “Because you thought we were together?”

He stopped for a moment and tried to piece together the puzzle, cogs whirring and gears turning in his slow brain as he desperately attempted to figure out what was happening. Before smoke started to plume from his ears, Tanaka slammed his forehead against the table and groaned, unable to decipher exactly what Ennoshita had been so mad about. Luckily for him, the other beta knew that he would never figure it out and so decided to show him in the only way Ryuu would understand.

“Ryuu...”

Tanaka looked up at him, a little surprised to hear his first name. That’s when Ennoshita took the opportunity to grab his pack mate’s chin and pull his face close. He brought their lips together forcefully, Tanaka’s eyes almost popping out of their sockets, and finally released him with a loud ‘pop’ as their lips separated.

“Wh- Ho- Hmm?!” was all Tanaka managed to say as his brain finally caught up with his lips.

Ennoshita flushed crimson and chewed on the inside of his cheek, “Do you understand why I was upset now?”

Tanaka nodded robotically, “You really want me?” He’d meant to say something more romantic but the fact that his crush had actually made the first move had shook him so much that he didn’t really remember how to string a sentence together.

Chikara chuckled softly and felt his heartrate steady a little more, “Obviously.”

“Yes, Ryuu!” Noya cheered as he leaned across the table and high-fived his best friend. Though Tanaka had never told him about his crush on Ennoshita, it was obvious to almost everyone else what his feelings were and it was a huge relief now that things were out in the open. Not least to the two betas themselves.

“Well,” Daichi busied himself with draining the pasta, a little at a loss as to what to say or do now that the arguing was over with, “Who wants garlic bread?”

Suga shuffled into the kitchen, following the deliciously aromatic smell of the garlic and sat down between Daichi and Nishinoya. He felt a little dizzy but chalked it down to hunger and the fact that he’d just woken up and thanked Yamaguchi as he handed him a plateful of steaming pasta. His fork twirled in the red sauce lazily as he caught up on what had happened between the betas of the pack and then his attention was drawn to Hinata who looked awfully pale and was somewhat quiet, a very unusual state for the tiny redhead.

“Shouyou?” Suga spoke quietly so that the other conversations wouldn’t be interrupted, although Kageyama still stopped eating at the sound of his partner’s name. The younger omega looked across the table, eyes heavy and cheeks flushed, as Suga asked, “Are you feeling alright?”

Unexpectedly, Hinata shook his head and his bottom lip quivered, “Not really,” tears pooled in his bright eyes as he added quietly, “My head hurts and I feel sick.”

He leaned into Kageyama and buried his face in the alpha’s shirt as the conversation around the table teetered into silence. They could all feel Hinata’s unstable pheromones and it worried the pack to have one of their own feeling unwell.

“His heat?” Yamaguchi whispered to Tsukki as he leaned a little closer to his mate for comfort.

Tsukishima shook his head as he sniffed the air, “No. I can’t smell it.”

“I think he’s just sick,” Suga stood and stepped around the table before crouching beside Hinata, “Do you want Tobio to take you back to your room?”

Hinata looked up at Kageyama and seemed to think for a moment before shaking his head, “I want...” he blushed, although his cheeks were already so flushed it was hard to tell, “Can Suga-san?”

Suga exchanged a questionable look with Daichi but the alpha just shrugged and so the pregnant omega nodded and helped Hinata to his feet before leading him out of the kitchen, leaving Kageyama to sit awkwardly beside the empty chair. Although he wanted to be with Hinata, he also knew that he wasn’t really one who knew how to help look after someone who was sick and guessed that Shouyou sensed that too. It still irritated him that he chose Suga over him, though, and he had to imagine he was glued to the floor in order not to follow the two omegas out of the room.

“Access denied,” Tsukishima mumbled into his pasta as Yamaguchi tried not to giggle next to him. They each received a scornful glare and a warning growl from the raven-haired alpha and Daichi had to warn them not to tease him so much, unless of course they wanted to do the dishes for the rest of the month.

Once out of the kitchen, Hinata paused in the living room and pointed to the smaller sofa. When they’d moved in, the pack had clubbed together to buy a new L-shaped sofa that they could all fit on – well, if they squeezed close enough together – but Noya and Asahi had also brought their old two-seater sofa just for some extra butt space if necessary. It was a little threadbare and the cushions almost sank through to the floor when someone sat on it but it was comfortable enough. That was where Hinata wanted to sit.

“You don’t want to go lie down in your bed?” Suga asked, baffled by Hinata’s odd behaviour.

Another shake of his head and the smaller omega tugged Suga over to the sofa and sat down, sinking low in the cushions. He rested his head against Suga’s arm and the silver-haired omega automatically began stroking his ginger curls, releasing soothing pheromones as he did so.

“You know,” Hinata began, “When I was sick at home, my Mum would sit with me like this,” he nestled a little closer and Suga could feel the heat from his fever against his neck, “She’d make chicken broth and sing to me until I fell asleep.”

“Well I’m no singer but I could rustle up some broth if you like?” Suga moved to stand but Hinata held his sleeve and he sat back down. “Did you take some medicine?”

“Yeah,” Hinata coughed and flinched as it rocked his aching head, “Kageyama found some in the bathroom.” He yawned and moved his head to Suga’s lap, the medicine finally kicking in and making him drowsy.

“You should really go to bed, Shouyou. Sleep it off and you’ll feel better in the morning.”

The drowsy omega shook his head, orange curls flicking side to side, “I want to stay with you, Mum,” he mumbled as he drifted to sleep, long eyelashes finally resting against his flushed cheeks as his breathing evened out.

After almost twenty minutes, the rest of the pack had finished their dinner and washed the dishes and filed back into the living room. Tobio sat on the floor beside the small sofa and the rest of the pack flopped onto the larger one. All except Daichi. He looked like he wanted to somehow rescue Suga but at the same time he couldn’t deny that his omega looked every bit the loving mother as he sat with the sleeping Hinata across his lap. His mate soon caught his eye, however, as Suga whispered aggressively,

“I really need to pee!”

Daichi’s cheeks puffed out with caged laughter but he managed to keep his voice quiet enough so as not to wake the sleeping omega, “What should we do?”

“Just stand up,” Tsukishima suggested casually, earning him a whack on the arm from Tadashi.

“Can’t you slither out from under him?” Noya asked as he wriggled around on the sofa, demonstrating his idea.

“I’m not a snake, Yuu!” Suga snapped, still whispering.

“Roll him,” Tanaka made a motion with his hands, “Like sushi!”

“To where?” Ennoshita sounded amused.

“The floor!” Tanaka stated, oblivious as to why it was even a question.

“He’s ill!” Suga clicked his tongue, “I might pee myself if we don’t do something soon.”

Asahi looked distraught as he flailed his arms uselessly, “Maybe just pick him up and move him?”

“No,” Daichi’s voice was deep, serious, “Koushi isn’t lifting anything.”

“Hurryupanddosomethingthen!” Suga closed his eyes and pressed his mouth into a thin line as he concentrated on not wetting himself and the sofa and then suddenly Hinata’s weight was gone from his person. He opened his eyes to see Kageyama cradling his omega in his strong arms, his lips pouted slightly.

“I’ll put him to bed.” And with that, the alpha left the room.

Suga wasted no time in hopping to the bathroom, leaving the rest of the pack to wonder why they hadn’t suggested that in the first place. Sometimes Kageyama was surprisingly resourceful.

“Movie night?” Nishinoya asked as he reached for the remote.

A unanimous affirmation passed through the group and they waited for Suga’s return to choose what to watch, finally deciding on a French horror movie that Ennoshita recommended. It was going to be a fun night.

Chapter Text

As the credits rolled for the movie they’d been watching, Tsukishima stretched and listened as his back popped loudly. He and Yamaguchi had been sitting on the long sofa to start with but had quickly migrated to the floor as the blonde couldn’t stretch his legs out properly what with the six other people occupying it. Resting on his torso, eyes closed and snoring softly, Tadashi mumbled something in his sleep about raw fish and the alpha smiled, it was something he’d heard before – not that particular topic but his mate chatting idly in his sleep like he was having a private conversation with the Invisible Man. It always amused Kei to wake up in the middle of the night and listen to his mate chatting about food or the weather but it didn’t happen very often, usually only when Tadashi was nervous or in unfamiliar surroundings. Perhaps moving into the new den had been more of a struggle than the freckled omega was willing to admit. Kei made a mental note to ask him about it tomorrow.

“Let’s just stay here,” the distinct whine of an omega came from where Asahi and Noya were stretched out on the sofa, “I’m too tired to move.”

Asahi smiled down at his mate, who had made himself quite comfortable next to him, squashed between two large cushions and draped in a warm fleece he’d brought from their room. The alpha’s shoulders sagged, defeated by Yuu’s content expression, and he lay down beside him as the ‘big spoon’ as Noya shared some of the blanket with him.

“Kou,” Daichi whispered to Suga, who was fast asleep, his head resting on his alpha’s lap, “Koushi, wake up.”

Suga stirred and frowned up at Daichi, pissed that he’d been woken up, “Nn, what?”

The alpha just wanted to grab his mate’s pouting lips between his teeth but he restrained himself, instead opting to try and get Suga back to their room with as little fuss as possible, “It’s time to go to bed.”

Another disgruntled noise sounded from the omega and Suga rolled onto his back so that he was looking up at Daichi through silver lashes, “Don’t want to,” he puffed out his cheeks mischievously and rested his hands on his bump, “We’re comfortable here.”

Surprised at his playful attitude, Daichi grabbed Suga’s face between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed the air from his cheeks, “Fine,” he grinned, “I’ll leave you here alone and go sleep in our bed.”

The head alpha gently pushed Suga from his lap and got to his feet. He was about to make his way to their room when a strong grip caught his shirt and he turned to see Suga standing behind him, bottom lip jutting out as he gave in to his alpha.

“I’m coming, too.”

Daichi growled playfully and swooped Suga off his feet, scooping him into a princess hold as he dashed towards their bedroom and slammed the door behind them.

“Err,” Tanaka cleared his throat and turned to Ennoshita sitting beside him, “Should we head to bed, too?”

Chikara blushed at the unspoken question in Ryuu’s words and nodded, following the other beta into his room as Noya whooped loudly from the sofa. The omega’s loudness stirred Yamaguchi from his mumbling sleep and Tsukishima took the opportunity to direct him back to their room, both bowing towards Noya and Asahi as they stepped into the hall. Yuu turned so that he was face to face with his alpha, closer than they would usually be in bed due to the cramped width of the sofa, and rubbed his nose against Asahi’s whilst draping his right arm and leg over the taller man’s body. Asahi leaned down into Noya’s neck and kissed it, growling deeply from his throat as his hands roamed the omega’s wild hair, eliciting a soft purr from Yuu.

“We can’t do anything here,” the omega panted as Asahi licked the scar from their bond on his neck, “It’ll get dirty.”

Without a word, the alpha stood up, Yuu’s body still firmly wrapped around him, and quickly moved to their bedroom. He flung the tiny omega onto the bed, Noya yelping excitedly at his alpha’s strength, and dived on top of him making the bed springs bounce wildly.

It was almost four in the morning when Tsukishima was woken up by Tadashi’s strangled yelp beside him. The alpha’s eyes burst open and he turned on his side, squinting into the darkness to try and see what it was that had scared his mate so badly. The noise Tadashi had made sounded like someone had hurt him but when Kei sniffed the air for any sign of an intruder the only scents he caught were those of himself and his omega.

“Stop!” Yamaguchi thrashed around in the sheets, entangling himself as he flailed wildly, “I don’t like it!” He turned towards Kei and the alpha suddenly realised that Yamaguchi was still asleep, his eyes half open as he tossed and turned.

“Hey,” Tsukki spoke softly as he released soothing pheromones and brushed his fingers against Tadashi’s freckled face, “Shh, it’s okay it’s me, Kei.”

The omega’s eyebrows furrowed and he muttered something incoherently but the touch of his mate seemed to calm him a little and he finally woke up, eyes fluttering open to look at Tsukishima in the dark. Tsukki noticed the shimmer of tears amongst the galaxy on Tadashi’s cheeks and pulled him closer, angry at whatever inner demons he had been fighting.

“You’re okay now,” Kei cooed as he rocked his omega gently, “I’m here.”

Tadashi’s breath hitched and he stumbled over his words, “There was… I tried to run… I-” his breathing wasn’t slowing down and Tsukishima read the telltale signs of one of Tadashi’s panic attacks rearing its ugly head.

“Hey,” the alpha gripped his mate’s shoulders, forcing Yamaguchi to look into his eyes, “It was a dream, you’re fine now. I’m here.”

More tears spilled from the smaller man’s eyes and his body trembled as he continued to hyperventilate, cheeks growing red with the strain of trying to breathe. Kei hadn’t seen him so bad in a long time and he guessed that his earlier thoughts of Tadashi finding the new home hard were correct. He didn’t really know what to do; usually when Tadashi woke up he would start to calm down, especially after seeing Tsukki’s face and feeling his pheromones but somehow it wasn’t working now. The alpha felt utterly useless as he held Tadashi to his chest, trying his best to breathe slowly so that his omega would follow suit.

“I’m sorry,” Tadashi sobbed into Tsukki’s chest, gripping his pyjama top like a vice, “I don’t want to feel like this!” he hiccuped and inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm his breathing.

“Feel like what?” Tsukki asked, “Is it the den? Because we can leave if you hate it so much.”

Kei felt Tadashi shake his head against his chest, “No, I love it here.”

“Then what? What is it?”

Yamaguchi leaned back, his breathing a little better, and looked up at his mate, “S-Suga san said that he was affected by Noya-san’s heat,” he wiped his cheeks to rid himself of the tears, “And m-my heat is next but I don’t want to hurt Suga’s pup!”

Kei felt himself deflate a little, the tension releasing from his muscles. He didn’t know what he was expecting but he was thankful that it was just his omega and his usual overthinking ways. Tadashi had a tendency to blame everything on himself and bottle up his feelings until they came out all at once, in a tidal wave of tears.

“Shh,” the alpha rubbed his omega’s head, “Suga said it was alright, he coped with it. And you can always take suppressants if you really don’t want to go through your heat, okay?”

Tadashi made a kind of choking sound in his throat and a lone, fat tear rolled down his cheek slowly. He looked up at Tsukki and whispered, as though someone else might hear him,

“I don’t want to take suppressants.”

Kei shrugged and stroked his thumb over Tadashi’s hand, “Then don’t. Like I said, Suga said he could cope with the effects-”

“I don’t want to take suppressants-,” Yamaguchi interrupted, “-because I want...” his dark eyes looked away from his alpha, unable to keep contact as he breathed, “I want a pup, too.”

Tsukishima was silent, even his breathing stopped for a moment and Tadashi had to look back at him to make sure he was still there. The omega panicked at his mate’s lack of expression and began to ramble,

“I know it’s selfish of me and I should wait until Suga-san has had his but I’ve been thinking about it for a while and Suga and Daichi seem really happy and I want that happiness, too. And Takeda-sensei came over and we felt his pup – she’s a girl – and I want to know what it feels like from the inside and-”

He was cut off by firm lips claiming his own. The kiss lasted only a few seconds but it was enough to take his breath away and when Tsukki finally opened his mouth to speak, the alpha’s voice trembled a little, overwhelmed with emotions he’d never experienced before.

“You really want this?”

Yamaguchi nodded, panting a little, “I really do,” he paused and his eyes widened, “Do you?”

Kei smiled and pushed Tadashi down so that he was kneeling over him, pheromones dominating and in charge, “Of course I do, Tadashi,” he leaned down and nipped at his omega’s neck, sucking until it became red, “I want anything that makes you happy.” He continued kissing down to Tadashi’s collar bone and traced his tongue along it slowly before resting his forehead on the omega’s chin, “When is your next heat due?”

“I-In about a week.”

Tadashi gripped the sheets as his alpha moved his attention to his stomach and finally stopped, his large hands resting on his mate’s hips, tracing the curves and angles of the omega’s body like a blind man reading Braille. Kei scattered kisses across Tadashi’s inner thighs, each time he moved from one area he brushed past his cock teasingly until the omega began to mewl helplessly beneath him, pushing his hips up towards his alpha. Tsukki smiled wolfishly and leaned back on his ankles, kneeling above his wriggling mate as he enjoyed the view. He licked his lips and slid his hands beneath Tadashi, cupping his ass firmly, to which he was rewarded with a small yelp from the freckled omega.

“Shall we get some practice in before next week, then?” Tsukishima asked, a twinkle in his golden eyes.

Daichi woke up to the sound of drawers being opened and closed in quick succession. It took the head alpha a moment to realise that he hadn’t been woken by the sound of his omega throwing up (a usual occurrence the past few weeks) and he slowly sat up to look across the room at Koushi, who was kneeling on the floor in front of the wooden chest of drawers surrounded by discarded items of clothing.

“Kou? What’re you doing?”

The pregnant omega didn’t turn around but replied, “I can’t find your swimming trunks.”

It was too early in the morning to try and decipher what his mate meant and so Daichi just asked him straight out, “Why do you need them?”

Suga sighed dramatically and spun around, making his alpha jump a little, “We’re going to the beach.”

Daichi’s eyebrows rose, “We are? When?”

“When I find your swimming trunks.”

Before the alpha could question him more, Nishinoya’s head suddenly popped through the door-jam, smiling and eager as ever, “Did you find them?”

Suga shook his head, “No. Maybe he could borrow some of Asahi’s?”

“I’ll go ask!” Noya disappeared once more.

Realising he wasn’t getting anywhere fast, Daichi rolled out of bed and crouched down beside Koushi as he helped him tidy away the underwear and socks his mate had strewn across the floor. He leaned closer into Suga’s neck and inhaled deeply, his dark eyes widening suddenly. Noticing his alpha’s odd expression, Suga’s face contorted and he leaned away a little, baffled by Daichi’s sudden change.

“What?” the omega asked as he got to his feet, “What is it?”

Daichi, too stood up and nuzzled his face into Suga’s scent glands, making the omega giggle and twist away, “Your scent changed again.”

Just a few weeks prior, Daichi had noticed a sweeter smell mingled in with Suga’s usual raspberry fragrance but now it seemed to have been amped up and the omega smelled more like fresh cream. Suga sniffed his own arm in an attempt to smell the change but couldn’t smell anything other than laundry detergent and soap.

“Do I smell bad?” he asked, a little self-conscious.

Daichi shook his head, laughing, “No, you smell pregnant. You smell fresh and… tasty!” He pretended to bite at Suga’s belly, rolling up his shirt to get to the bare skin and making his mate laugh to the point that he had to whack Daichi on the head to stop him and prevent a wet accident right there on the carpet.

“So we’re all going to the beach today?” Daichi asked from the bathroom as he brushed his teeth.

Suga buttoned a thin yellow cardigan over his t-shirt, trying to hide the strip of skin that peeked out from beneath it and yelled from the bedroom, “I thought it’d be fun since we’re all free!”

“And you’re sure you’re up for it?” Daichi was in the doorway, teeth clean and chest bare as he stepped over to the wardrobe.

“I feel great!” Suga rubbed at his bump, “I need to get out of the house, though. I was going stir crazy I think.”

“Nah,” Daichi chose a yellow shirt and then realised he matched a little too well with his omega and swapped it for a grey one, “You were already plenty crazy.”

A shoe thwacked into the wardrobe beside the alpha and he spun to face Suga, mouth agape. The omega simply shrugged and smiled,

“Sorry. Guess it was just me being ‘crazy’,” he stuck out his tongue and chuckled as Daichi continued to get dressed, this time a lot more cautiously.

Chapter Text

“So we’ll take the train as it stops pretty much at the beach anyway,” Suga finished explaining his plan to the pack members who hadn’t been present when he and Nishinoya had decided on their day trip.

Hinata was still in bed with the flu and Kageyama had opted to stay behind with him to make sure the omega was looked after properly. Not that he really knew what to do to look after someone, but the alpha supposed it couldn’t be that difficult. He excused himself as the others finished planning for the day and reminded himself that Suga-san and the rest would be just at the end of the phone if he desperately needed something.

“And we all have to go?” Tsukishima pushed at his glasses and crossed his legs. Suga noticed that he and Yamaguchi were continuously holding hands as they sat on the sofa, something they didn’t usually do when the entire pack was gathered.

“Don’t say it like that!” Tanaka swiped at Tsukki’s head but the blonde ducked out of the way, “It’ll be fun!”

“Yeah!” Noya bounced where he sat on Asahi’s lap, “Right, Tadashi?”

The freckled omega nodded feebly, immediately forcing his alpha into submission with his cute smile, and they each quickly grabbed some swimming trunks and towels before heading off to the train station. It was only a short walk there but the heat was stifling and Suga hoped it was a little cooler by the sea or they’d all be lobsters by the time they got home.

They managed to catch the train just as it pulled in, the tunnel filling with cooler air for a moment as it pulled to a halt. Tanaka and Noya raced for their seats and kneeled on them so that they could look out of the windows like over-excited school children as Ennoshita and Asahi perched beside them. Suga and Daichi got the seats to Ennoshita’s right and Tsukishima pulled his omega a little further down the carriage, away from their rowdy senpais.

“Ah!” Koushi turned to his alpha, “I forgot to pack sunscreen!”

Daichi grinned proudly, “Good thing I remembered it, then.”

The pregnant omega blushed as his mate pecked him on the cheek and interlaced their fingers, letting the rocking of the train relax them. It was working until they pulled into the next station and a group of loud alphas stepped aboard. There were three of them, each with facial piercings and booming voices, and they stood holding the pole just in front of the Karasuno pack, shouting about some girls they’d seen and kicking one another in a mock-fight. When one of their kicks almost collided with Suga’s knee, Daichi let out a threatening growl from his throat and the strangers paused, turning to look at him. Nervous that Daichi was going to make a fuss, Suga touched his hand to his alpha’s knee, silently telling him everything was okay.

“Oh, sorry,” the tallest alpha with a buzzcut loomed over the pair, “Did I hit you?”

Suga shook his head, eyes on the floor as the strange alpha’s presence overwhelmed him, “No, I’m fine.”

One of the other alphas crouched down in front of Suga and Daichi immediately growled again, this time leaning across his mate protectively. The alpha stood back up, hands raised in surrender as he grinned wickedly.

“My bad,” he laughed loudly, causing Suga to flinch, and gestured to Daichi, “Seems like Daddy here is a little overprotective.”

The third alpha scoffed, the strong aroma of alcohol wafting from his lips, “Ha! Like he could take any of us! If we wanted that filthy omega, we could just take him!”

That was the final straw. Daichi was suddenly on his feet, snarling and baring his teeth at the three strangers as they tensed, a little taken aback that he’d actually reacted. He grabbed one by the collar and leaned into his face, pheromones releasing a feral scent into the train.

“Get away from my omega,” Daichi snarled, dark eyes locked with the alpha’s.

“Or what?”

Asahi was on his feet now, his own instincts telling him to protect the omegas. He stood taller than the strangers and tried his best to act menacing as he spoke, “Or you deal with all of us.”

The addition of the Ace, with his facial hair and overall ‘wild’ appearance, caused the alphas to step back a little, their smug expressions fading to more nervous glances between one another. And when Tanaka joined the fray, his expression that of a madman, two of the strangers stumbled over their own feet in an attempt to move away. The alpha with the buzzcut, however, seemed to think that he still had a chance at winning the battle and moved to step around Daichi and Asahi slyly only to walk into Tsukishima’s broad chest. It took him a moment to realise he needed to look up to see the blocker’s face and finally he too stepped back, haunted by the blonde’s evil smirk.

Daichi watched, subconsciously growling from deep within his chest, as the three strangers moved into another carriage and then sat back down next to Koushi. Asahi and Tanaka returned to their seats after making sure the alphas weren’t going to return and Tsukishima and Yamaguchi decided to sit opposite their pack mates, close enough to help if anything else should happen.

“You okay?” Daichi asked as he held Suga’s hands in his own.

The omega nodded, although his trembling hands said otherwise, “I-I’m okay,” he cleared his throat, embarrassed at his own reaction, “Their pheromones were just a little overwhelming, I think.”

“Yeah,” Noya nestled his head against Asahi’s neck and breathed deeply, “Their scents were gross,” he looked up into his mate’s chocolate eyes, “Good thing we have these big brave alphas of ours, eh Suga-san?”

Suga nodded and forced a smile, “Sure is.”

Daichi rubbed his hand against Tanaka’s short hair lovingly, receiving a beaming smile from him, “Don’t forget our ‘ big brave’ betas, too.”

The rest of the train ride went a lot smoother, although Daichi noticed Koushi had moved closer to him so that their thighs were constantly touching and the pregnant omega held his hand a little tighter whenever the train stopped to let people on. No one else bothered them, though, and they soon arrived at their destined station, filing off as Daichi made sure no one was left behind. It reminded him of the times they would go to face off against another school and he smiled at the memory, heart swelling with pride at his talented pack.

“Last one in the sea is a bench-warmer!” Noya yelled as he raced off down the sand towards the blue of the ocean, Tanaka hot on his heels and Ennoshita not far after. They seemed like they were still at school and Daichi shot Asahi a pitiful glance as the Ace scurried after his mate. Of course, Tsukishima simply rolled his eyes at their antics as Yamaguchi drew circles on his mate’s hand, holding it tightly.

“Shall we find somewhere to set out our things?” Daichi asked, making Suga flinch a little.

The omega had been distant since they’d gotten off the train, like he was in a world of his own, and it worried Daichi a little.

“Kou?” the alpha nudged his shoulder gently and Koushi finally looked up at him, “Are you feeling sick?”

Suga shook his head, partly to confirm the negative but also to shake the cobwebs from his dawdling mind, “I’m fine. Let’s pick a sunny spot!” And with that he started down the beach, weaving in and out of families and children digging holes in the sand.

They chose a spot a little further away from the rest of the families as Daichi said there were a lot of alphas around and he didn’t want a repeat of what had happened on the train. There was enough space to lay out their blanket and prop up a parasol, though, and the quiet suited Suga more anyway. He rubbed some sunscreen on his face and took off his cardigan to apply it to his arms, noticing his mate eyeing his noticeable bump under his t-shirt.

“Stop staring,” Suga pouted as he handed Daichi the sunscreen.

The alpha took off his shirt, revealing his toned abs and slightly tanned complexion, “Why?” he started to rub the lotion on his arms and stomach and Suga found himself almost hypnotised by his mate’s god-like physique.

“Because you look like that ,” Koushi gestured to Daichi’s sculptured figure and then looked down at his rounded belly, “And I look like...”

“A snack.”

Suga blanched, “A what ?”

The alpha felt his cheeks heat up, “I heard Noya say it… I think it means sexy or something.”

A burst of laughter broke from Suga’s mouth as he guffawed at Daichi’s attempt to be ‘hip’ and he wiped tears from his eyes as he tried to regain his composure, only to see his mate’s pouting face and be hit with another round of giggles. The alpha pulled Suga closer and placed his palms on his stomach, resting his forehead against Koushi’s as he whispered quietly,

“You look beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Suga’s stomach growled, interrupting the moment, “Ah… I think the mention of snacks has made me hungry.”

They called the others over and unpacked the bentos Suga and Yuu had made that morning, distributing them between the eight of them so that everyone had at least one of everything. Noya gobbled up his portion like there was no tomorrow, as did Tanaka, and the two of them soon headed back into the ocean like eager children not wanting to waste any time doing anything other than playing. Asahi sighed and traipsed after them, feeling every bit the babysitter. Even from the beach, the rest of the pack could hear them whooping and laughing as they splashed in the water.

“So,” Koushi turned to Ennoshita, “How’s it going with Tanaka?”

The beta shrugged, biting into a rice ball, “Nothing’s really changed,” he smiled thinly, “Well, I knew what I was getting into from the start.” He laughed, as did Suga, and watched Tanaka dunk Nishinoya under the water playfully.

“Shall we join them?” Yamaguchi asked Tsukki, anticipation twinkling in his dark eyes.

“You want to go in the sea?” A blonde eyebrow rose. Tadashi wasn’t usually one to go out of his way to play around, always too nervous thinking about what could go wrong. But if he really wanted to, Tsukishima wasn’t about to stop him.

The omega twiddled his fingers in the toggle of his shorts, “It’s really hot so I think the water would be nice.”

Kei chuckled and nestled his chin into his mate’s hair, “Sure, it’ll cool us down.” They excused themselves and Ennoshita followed them down to the water, immediately being dived upon by the other beta.

“Want to join them?” Daichi asked Suga as the omega tidied away the last of the trash into a plastic bag.

“I’m good,” Suga replied, a yawn interrupting his expression, “But you go down if you want to!”

The alpha pulled his mate closer so that Suga was sitting between his legs, back resting against his bare torso, “Like I could leave you here alone,” he scented Koushi’s hair, inhaling the new creamy fragrance of his omega, and added, “Sleep if you’re tired.”

“Nn, I think I will,” Koushi mumbled, already feeling the blanket of sleep starting to cover him. Within minutes he was breathing quietly against his alpha as Daichi watched his pack frolicking in the ocean.

“We should have brought a ball!” Noya huffed as another wave made him stumble forwards into Asahi.

“Hey!” Tanaka grabbed Chikara’s arm, “Let’s see who can go furthest out!”

The black-haired beta yanked his arm free and whacked Ryuu on the back of his head, “Like we’d do such a dumb thing! That’s a sure-fire way to drown!”

“Hmm...” Unphased by his rejection, Tanaka rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he tried to come up with something fun to do. His eyes suddenly brightened and he clapped, splashing Ennoshita, “What about the Dirty Dancing thing!”

Blank expressions confirmed that no one knew what he was rambling about.

“You know!” the beta continued enthusiastically, “Where he lifts her up!” He raised his arms in the air gracefully.

“Oh!” Noya jumped to avoid being covered by a wave, “I know the one!” He turned to Asahi, face serious, and leaped towards his alpha with his eyes closed, totally trusting. Thankfully Asahi had realised what they were talking about and lifted Yuu with ease into the air above his head as Tanaka crippled the song from the movie.

Tsukishima laughed behind his hand and Ennoshita rolled his eyes. Tadashi, however, was somewhat impressed and looked to his alpha, a wide grin on his freckled face. Tsukki’s smile quickly faded and he shook his head vehemently,

“No. No way, Tadashi!”

“ Please , Tsukki!” the omega whined, causing something to stir within Tsukishima, “We could do it!”

“Why?” The alpha looked less than impressed.

“For fun !” Yamaguchi pouted and slapped the surface of the water so that it splashed his mate full in the face, almost knocking Tsukki’s glasses off. He realised his mistake when Kei dived for him, a growl emanating from his throat, and tackled him under the water, hands tickling any piece of freckled skin he could find.

From the beach, Daichi laughed at the scene, stirring Koushi from his short nap. The omega rubbed his tired eyes and yawned as he received a peck on the cheek.

“Was I asleep long?”

Daichi shook his head, “Only about ten minutes. Thirsty?”

Suga nodded and reached out his hand for some water only to be given an empty bottle. He tipped it upside down and raised an eyebrow at his mate.

“Ah...” Daichi shrugged, “I guess we were all pretty thirsty,” he moved to stand up, “I’ll go get some drinks from the shack over there.”

“That’s okay,” Suga got to his feet, knees popping as he did so, and stretched, “I’ll go. I need to walk around or I’ll just fall asleep again.”

“Then I’ll come with you,” the alpha tried to stand but Suga pushed down on his shoulders, forcing him to sit.

“Someone needs to look after out stuff. Stay,” Koushi smiled and pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the snack shack, “It’s right there, I won’t be long.”

“But-”

Koushi silenced his mate with a kiss and sauntered off towards the shack, wiggling his hips a little more than necessary as he felt Daichi’s gaze from behind. He reached the shack, which faced away from the ocean, and got in line behind some giggling beta girls. Their bikinis left nothing to the imagination and Suga could smell the strong pheromones of some very horny alphas behind him, obviously enjoying the show. When the scents grew stiflingly close, however, the pregnant omega dared a peek behind him only to come face to face with the three alphas from the train.

“Well well well, if it isn’t our little silver fox,” the alpha grinned toothily and inhaled loudly, “You smell just ripe for the picking.”

Chapter Text

Suga felt the blood drain from his face as he turned around and met the eyes of the three alphas. They loomed over him, each one a few inches taller, and seemed to surround the omega, blocking any means of escape. Buzzcut leaned closer, nose almost touching Koushi’s silver hair, and inhaled deeply as he grinned.

“Pregnant omegas sure do smell good,” he ran his fingers gently down Suga’s face, eliciting a shudder from the omega, “How about you come with us for a little fun?”

Suga shook his head, eyes on the sand as the strong pheromones of the strangers overwhelmed him and made his head foggy with the scent of lust. When one of them reached out to try and touch his stomach, the omega yelped and stepped back, desperate to protect his pup. The beta girls in the queue in front of him had noticed the heaviness in the air and ceased their giggling in favour of walking away, their instincts telling them that something dangerous might happen if they stuck around. Suga wished he could ask them to stay or to go and find his alpha but his voice seemed to stick in his throat as the presence of the three alphas wrapped around him tightly, cutting off his air and making it hard to breathe.

He flinched when Buzzcut leaned down and cupped his chin in his hand; the alpha smelled like alcohol and sweat and his scent seemed to be something strong like gasoline. It made Suga’s stomach churn and he paled even more, hand clamped across his nose and mouth. A pregnant omega’s sense of smell was extremely acute and anything other than the scent of his pack mates made Suga nauseous.

“Come on,” Buzzcut was too close, so close that Suga could taste the alcohol on his breath as he spoke, “It wasn’t a request, omega. You’re coming with us.”

Although he was so terrified that his knees were shaking, Suga’s protective instincts kicked into overdrive and he stood his ground, a low growl rumbling from his throat. It caught the alphas off guard and they chuckled at his seemingly weak attempt at intimidation. The omega refused to play by their rules, though, and pushed the short-haired alpha back firmly, one hand on his bump.

“Get a-away from me!” Suga snarled, teeth bared.

A tidal wave of furious pheromones washed over him as Buzzcut snapped; the alpha grabbed Suga’s t-shirt, pulling him towards him, and snarled loudly, “You don’t want to disobey me, omega,” he stuck out his tongue and licked Koushi’s cheek, making the omega whimper, “I want a taste and that’s exactly what I’ll get.”

“Stop!”

Suddenly Suga saw red. He tore himself away from the alpha’s grasp and kicked him as hard as he could in the groin, a wave of sinful pleasure washing over him when the alpha dropped to his knees clutching at his beaten junk.

“Holy shit!” One of the other alphas moved to help Buzzcut, who had resorted to writhing around in the sand, only to stop in his tracks when two other people joined the party.

“Suga-san?” Yamaguchi paled as he absorbed the scene before him and froze where he stood, feet refusing to move any closer to the heavy cloud of alpha pheromones

“Hey!” Nishinoya’s booming voice made the strangers turn to look at him, shocked that the tiny omega was so loud, “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Ha!” the alpha with a mohawk held his stomach as he laughed at Noya, pointing down at the libero, “Look at this little guy!” he leaned his hands on his thighs and teased, “You want to play too, cutie?”

Noya smirked, a hand on his hip, “And what exactly are we playing?”

Yamaguchi had thawed a little when Nishinoya spoke so confidently and moved closer to Suga-san to try and help in some way. The strangers’ pheromones were still extremely overwhelming, however, and it was taking all of Tadashi’s strength to just walk never mind being useful at all..

“We were going to play nicely,” Mohawk cracked his neck and stepped closer to Noya, “But your friend here broke the rules,” he gestured to Suga, who was visibly trembling now that his adrenaline had worn off.

“Well,” Noya’s voice cracked and he coughed to try and hide the fact that he was so scared, not only of the alphas but for Suga, who seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack, “I’m afraid we don’t have time to play right now. Our alphas-” he emphasised the word to remind them of what happened on the train earlier, “-are on their way over.”

That made Mohawk and his companion a little skittish; they began to look around for any signs of Daichi and the others and even Buzzcut got to his feet, albeit a little wobbly. He seemed to be the leader, at least of this small group, and he motioned for them to leave, still grasping his crotch with a sweaty hand. Before they left, he turned to Suga and forced a toothy smile,

“I’d make you mine if you weren’t already bonded. I like an omega with guts!” He laughed loudly and winked, something Suga wished he could unsee, and then the trio of alphas quickly made their way off the beach, tails between their legs.

Once they were out of sight, all of the strength seemed to evaporate from Suga and he fell to his knees, panting loudly. A soft whimpering was coming from his throat but he only heard it in the back of his mind, like he was listening to someone else do it. His hands were clamped over his stomach in a protective vice and when Noya knelt down beside him, Suga flinched and drew back as though scared that the other omega would try to hurt him. Yuu didn’t move closer but instructed Yamaguchi to fetch the others, which the younger omega did obediently.

“Hey,” Noya spoke softly as he sat beside his pack mate, “You’re okay now. Those alphas have gone,” he chuckled, nose crinkling, “I wish I’d seen you kick him in the balls, though.” Suga didn’t reply. He didn’t so much as acknowledge that he’d heard Noya speak, instead he trembled from head to toe, eyes fixated on the sand in front of him.

“-oushi… Koushi!” Daichi skidded in the sand and stopped in front of his mate, eyes like saucers as he looked to Noya and Tadashi for answers, “Did they hurt him? What happened?!”

Noya shook his head, “We got here after Suga-san had kicked one of them, he was on the floor already.”

“Koushi was?!” Daichi squawked.

Another shake of his head, “No, the alpha with the buzzcut. I think Suga-san must have nailed him in the balls.”

Tanaka clapped his hands, “Ha! That’s our Suga-san all right!”

Daichi didn’t have time to be impressed at his mate’s bravado, he was too occupied with trying to get him to simply respond or show some sign of consciousness. He placed his warm hands on Koushi’s cheeks and whispered, soothing pheromones drifting around them both.

“Koushi, it’s me. You’re safe now.”

Finally Suga blinked and his eyes focused on Daichi’s concerned face, the omega’s eyebrows wrinkling as he noticed his alpha’s strained expression. He reached out and touched the crease between Daichi’s eyebrows as he spoke, voice strained,

“Don't frown so much, you’ll get wrinkles.”

At that moment in time Daichi didn’t care if he turned into Benjamin Button, he was just glad that his mate was in one piece. Strong arms wrapped around the omega and Suga inhaled his alpha’s smoky fragrance as Daichi scented his face and neck. He stopped when he felt Suga begin to tremble again, his entire body vibrating uncontrollably, and watched as tears spilled from the omega’s eyes. Feeling somewhat useless, Daichi kissed the salty water from Suga’s cheeks and pressed his lips against his forehead and neck for good measure.

“I’m so sorry I let you come by yourself,” Daichi ground his teeth and his eyes darkened with self-loathing, “I never should have left you alone!” He hugged Suga closer, never wanting to let go.

“It’s alright,” Koushi didn’t take his hands from his stomach but leaned his chin against his mate’s shoulder, “I wanted to show you I could...” he sighed, “I suppose that didn’t work out so well.”

“How come they left?” Tanaka asked as Daichi helped Suga to his feet.

Noya threw up a peace sign and grinned, “I told them our alphas were on their way over.”

“But we didn’t even know where you’d gone!” Asahi turned an odd shade of green as he imagined what would have happened if his mate’s bluff hadn’t worked.

Noya shrugged, “They didn’t know that.”

Daichi felt the same as Asahi, happy that the omegas were unhurt but mildly panicked at the thought of Noya’s plan going haywire. He didn’t know what he’d do if something happened to his mate and unborn pup; it must have shown on his face because suddenly Koushi was reaching up to touch his cheek, a pitiful expression on the omega’s pale face.

Daichi sighed and took the reaching hand in his own, noting the coldness of it, “I know. We’re all okay, that’s what matters.”

“Train?” Ennoshita had taken Tanaka’s hand, much to the other beta’s delight.

The head alpha nodded and the group proceeded to head for the station, each alpha clinging a little closer to their mate than before.

When the rest of the pack were getting on the train to head home, Kageyama was in the kitchen attempting to make something that resembled porridge. He’d heard that sick people liked to eat porridge and a quick rifle through the cupboards had confirmed that they had an instant packet of the oats, ready to make. ‘Instant’ seemed to be an overstatement, at least for the raven-haired alpha, as he’d been trying to get the right consistency for a good twenty minutes with nothing but three bowls of mush to show for it.

“Tobio? What’re you doing?” Hinata’s voice sounded like it had spoken through sandpaper as he stood in the doorway in one of his alpha’s t-shirts and nothing more. His orange hair was tousled from sleep and he rubbed at his tired eyes, looking even smaller than usual. The word ‘sexy’ reared its head in Kageyama’s mind for a moment but he shoved the thought away, saving it for a more appropriate time.

Kageyama ceased his glaring at the last packet of porridge and helped the omega sit down at the table, worried he’d topple over if he didn’t sit.

“I was trying to make porridge,” the alpha pouted and turned his face towards the three bowls of goop, “I don’t think I’m doing it right.”

Hinata made grabby hands at the bowls, “Gimme one! I’m sure it’ll taste alright!”

With a nervous glance at the redhead, Kageyama handed one of the bowls over and plopped a spoon into it, noticing how it didn’t penetrate the surface of the porridge. He winced as the omega took a big spoonful and shovelled it into his mouth, chewing noisily, and waited with baited breath for the verdict.

“S’not bad,” Shouyou coughed a little but continued to eat, his cheeks red from his fever.

“At least your appetite hasn’t faded,” Kageyama grinned as he tried some porridge from another bowl, instantly regretting it. He lifted his hand to Hinata’s forehead and it came away clammy, “You’re still feverish, you should go back to bed after this.”

Hinata whined as he swallowed the last of his goopy mess, “But I’m cold… And I’m all sweaty, too. I want a bath.”

Knowing he wouldn’t win that particular argument, and he had to admit, Hinata did smell a little ‘ripe’, the alpha nodded and washed up the bowls before leading Shouyou towards the main bathroom. The omega sat on the toilet lid as Tobio filled the bath, the only sound his coughing now and then. That was something he loved about their relationship; sometimes they didn’t need to talk to understand one another and yet at other times they would shout and bawl at each other to try and get their point across. There was never a dull moment between them and Hinata couldn’t wait until they were bonded, finally making them a proper pair.

“Okay,” Kageyama turned the taps off, “Strip.”

Eyes wide, Hinata covered his chest bashfully, “You pervert! At least turn around!”

Tobio scoffed, “I’ve seen you in your heats, don’t go all shy now.”

The alpha tugged at the t-shirt to try and strip the omega but Hinata tried to resist, arms and legs flailing wildly, causing him to pause as he coughed violently. That seemed to sober him a little and he obediently let Kageyama remove the shirt before being lifted into the tub. The warmth of the water soothed his aching body and he tried to breathe in the steam deeply to try and help his stuffy nose. It seemed to work a little and the omega let himself relax as Kageyama started to sponge his arms and back gently. The couple was enjoying their quiet moment together, totally relaxed in the steamy room, when the bathroom door burst open and Tanaka stumbled in with his trousers halfway down his legs.

“Need to pee! Need to pee!”

The beta only noticed the other two midway through his stream and averted his eyes as he mumbled an apology, trying not to look directly into the demonic gaze of Kageyama.

Chapter Text

Thankfully, Tanaka had made it out of the bathroom alive as the rest of the pack returned home. (The beta had ran ahead of the group returning from the beach in fear of the possibility of having to find a tree to pee behind). Suga, Noya and Yamaguchi gathered on the sofa silently, each omega still a little shaken from their run-in with the strange alphas, and began scenting one another to try and rid themselves of the stench of the horny men. Omegas were known to scent each other when they needed calming down or reassuring of their pack bond and it certainly helped them now as Yuu and Tadashi visibly relaxed into the soft fabric of the sofa. Suga felt a little better after returning home and being surrounded by familiar scents but the scene behind the shack kept replaying behind his eyelids whenever he closed his eyes. It made him shudder and he wrapped his cardigan a little tighter around his bump, trying to think of anything other than the alpha licking his face with his alcohol-fuelled breath.

Tadashi fanned himself with his hand as Tsukki handed him a glass of water, taking one for himself too. It certainly was hot outside but it seemed to have affected the freckled omega more than his mate, causing the alpha to wonder if it really was just the weather or perhaps something more… interesting. Tsukishima sat beside Tadashi and leaned into his neck, sniffing softly as his blonde hair tickled his mate’s cheek.

“What’re you doing, Kei?” Tadashi asked as he finished off his water in one bug gulp.

Satisfied that he couldn’t smell a change in his omega’s scent – although it was mixed strongly with Suga-san’s and Noya’s so it was a little harder to tell – Tsukki handed Tadashi his water and let him finish it before replying.

“I thought maybe you were in pre-heat,” he shrugged, “But you don’t smell like it so I guess not.”

The omega noticed the slight downturn of Tsukki’s lips and smiled, a glint in his eyes, “I’m sure it won’t be long,” he leaned closer to the alpha’s ear, so close that Tsukishima felt his hot breath on his skin, and whispered, “You can put a pup in me soon.” Tadashi giggled at his mate’s reaction, loving the fact that he was the only one who could make Tsukki turn that certain shade of crimson.

“You little...” Kei growled deeply and scooped Tadashi into a princess hold before darting back to their room, the sound of giggling and squealing could be heard until the bedroom door slammed shut and then the rest of the den was once again left in quiet.

Nishinoya sighed like an old man as Asahi and Daichi returned from the kitchen with four iced teas and some cookies, “I remember when Asahi and I were just newly bonded...”

“It wasn’t that long ago, jeez,” Asahi took a giant bite out of a cookie as Noya moved to sit on his lap, always preferring his alpha to the furniture.

Daichi was beside Suga on the sofa, thighs touching and his left hand resting on Koushi’s stomach, gently rubbing circles on it with his thumb. He still felt somewhat guilty but knew that his omega was stronger than he thought and could handle himself, especially when it came to protecting their pup. He just wished Suga would say something to him, maybe even cry or shout, at least then he’d know he was alright. He’d been silent on the train, too, just staring at his hands as they travelled home. Daichi didn’t think Koushi even realised he was shaking so much and even now, as they sat in their den, safe as could be, the pregnant omega’s shoulders jostled slightly with an unseen fear. It pained the alpha to see him that way and he took his mate’s hand, silently ushering him to their bedroom, away from anyone’s gaze or questioning glances.

Once behind the safety of their bedroom door, Suga sat in the centre of the bed, legs crossed, and frowned down at his glass of iced tea as the ice cubes jingled against the glass like tiny frozen wind chimes. He vaguely wondered why they were moving so aggressively, like there was some sort of miniature earthquake, and finally realised it was his hands shaking, not the ice itself that was causing the tinkling sound. Without warning and without consciously thinking to do so, Koushi let out a loud, whining sob like he’d been holding it in his chest for hours. Daichi was immediately by his side, rubbing circles on his back as the omega gave in to his emotions and weeped into his own hands, fat tears streaming down his cheeks and dripping onto his shorts.

“I… was so… scared!” Koushi sniffed and tried to catch his breath but it caught in his throat as another sob broke through, “I th-thought they were… going to… hurt our pup, Dai!”

He looked up at his alpha, eyes wide and terrified and Daichi felt something inside him shatter at the sight of his mate so helpless. He gathered Suga in his arms and rocked gently, like a mother soothing a crying child. Calming pheromones filled the room, stronger than he would usually release but necessary to try and soothe his frightened omega and stop him worrying so much about what-ifs. Daichi moved to kiss Suga’s cheek but the omega pulled away, a hand against his face to block the alpha’s touch. A little hurt but conscious of his mate’s feelings, Daichi whispered softly,

“It’s just me, Kou, I won’t hurt you.”

Suga smiled meekly through his tears and shook his head, “It’s not that...” he pulled his sleeve down and wiped roughly at his cheek, making it red with the friction.

“Hey, don’t!” Daichi held Suga’s hand to stop him before he drew blood, “What is it?”

With his eyes focused on the floor, Suga mumbled, “He licked my face,” Daichi had turned to stone beside him and so the omega continued quietly, “It sm-smelled like beer...”

It took a moment before the alpha could speak without shouting (he didn’t want to scare Koushi any more than he already was) and he gently took his mate’s hand before pulling him to his feet.

“I’m sorry, Dai,” more tears spilled from the omega’s eyes as he imagined how angry and hurt Daichi must be at the thought of another alpha touching him, “I tried to stop him but-”

A finger pressed to his lips and he stopped speaking, instead listening to Daichi’s soft tones, “I’m not mad, Kou,” he frowned, “Well, not at you anyway. Shall we get rid of that bast- of that other scent?”

Koushi nodded and put his tea down as Daichi took him into the en-suite and into the shower. They both stood - fully clothed - under the warm water, letting it wash away any residue of the strange alpha’s scent and soothe their tensed muscles. For the first time since the encounter with the alphas, Suga felt safe and let himself be wrapped in his mate’s strong arms as the water cascaded over them like their very own private waterfall. Once they’d finished and removed their soaked clothes, choosing to throw Suga’s away completely, the pair lay down on the bed and Daichi held Suga close as the omega drifted into an exhausted sleep. He didn’t dream of anything in particular but was overwhelmed with a sense of security and love and even when his face was covered by the invisible blanket of unconsciousness, his alpha could tell that Suga was calmer and more at ease.

The rest of the day passed peacefully and even Hinata started to feel a little better – Kageyama of course believed it was all down to his healing porridge. The entire pack decided to retire to their beds earlier than usual, however, what with it being such a stressful day, and each pair had their own idea of what to do to relax once in their selective rooms.

Nishinoya and Asahi (well, mainly Noya) decided to play some video games to relieve their stress, the omega winning consecutive matches one after another. He whooped and clapped whenever Asahi scored a point, though, still encouraging the Ace to do his best. Asahi didn’t particularly mind losing, especially as it made the omega so happy to win, and simply enjoyed his time together with his mate in such a relaxed atmosphere. After losing for the seventh time in a row, the alpha was getting a little frustrated, however, and opted to play dirty by distracting Yuu with some underhanded tactics. He was propped up against the small sofa in their room on the floor with his tiny mate between his legs, and slowly snaked a hand under the omega’s shirt, tracing his toned stomach and pinching his nipple lightly.

“Nn… No fair,” Noya tried to wriggle away but Asahi held on tight, nestling his lips to Yuu’s scent glands, causing the omega to drop his controller and ‘die’ in the game, “Look! You killed me!”

The omega spun around so that he was facing the broad alpha and pouted, folding his arms tightly across his chest. Asahi laughed and moved in close before biting the protruding lip. Shocked by his mate’s audacity, Noya gasped as the alpha claimed his lips firmly and pushed his tongue into the omega’s mouth to trace his palette teasingly. When he finally let Noya take a breath, it was shaky and hot and it was all the omega could do to clutch his mate tighter and silently beg for more. Asahi complied, finally happy that he could win at something.

In Tanaka’s room, Ennoshita was sitting awkwardly on the end of the other beta’s bed, fingers threaded on his lap as Ryuu tried to get the TV to work. Somehow one of the wires had come loose and he couldn’t figure out where it was supposed to go. His plans of wooing Chikara with a movie were swiftly going down the drain.

“Just leave it, we’ll figure it out tomorrow,” Chikara patted the bed beside him and blushed a little, “We can just entertain ourselves.” Tanaka’s entire face turned beetroot and his mouth fell slack at Ennoshita’s proposal and the black-haired beta suddenly realised what he’d said, “AH! I mean, like a card game or something!”

“A card game?” Tanaka cocked an eyebrow as he sat down beside Chikara, a sly smirk on his face, “Really?” He made lustful eyes at the other beta and clasped his hands together like a maiden, “And here I thought you were suggesting something lewd.”

Two could play at that game, “And what if I was?”

A choking sound came from Tanaka’s throat and his blush reached his ears, “Y-you were?”

Ennoshita rolled his eyes. Why were they acting so coy around one another? They were both adults, both clearly besotted with one another so why did they continue to beat around the bush? He took the initiative and pulled Tanaka by the collar so that their noses touched and kissed him firmly, releasing the other’s lips with a loud smack . Obviously impressed and somewhat grateful that Chikara had made the first move, Ryuu threaded his fingers through the other beta’s dark hair and pulled him close before pressing their lips together once more, this time for a little longer. Both were panting hotly when they’d finished and Tanaka decided to try his luck with going a little further; they’d only ever gone as far as kissing and if he was being honest with himself it was starting to drive him a little crazy. He wanted to explore every facet of his lover, every curve and freckle and taste.

Gently, Tanaka pushed Ennoshita so that the latter was on his back on the bed. He looked practically ready to eat as he lay with his arms splayed and face blushing, dark eyes not daring to look away from Tanaka as he leaned over him, all muscle and heat. Chikara even licked his lips, mouth dry with anticipation, as Tanaka took off his shirt and moved to unbuckle his belt with slightly shaking fingers. Hands met his as he struggled with the clasp and Ryuu bit his lip as Chikara loosened his belt and pulled down his shorts and underwear to reveal his waiting cock.

“Hmm...” there was a pause as Ennoshita touched the tip with the tip of his finger, glancing up at Tanaka to see his reaction which, as he’d guessed, was one of utter impatience, “I suppose this will do.”

Tanaka pushed him back down, more forceful now, and grinned toothily, “Oh, I’ll show you! Prepare for the greatest night of your life!”

Ennoshita laughed loudly as Tanaka dove on top of him, complete happiness overtaking every other emotion for the moment, and let himself enjoy the rest of the night with the person he loved (even if it was this beta dork).

Meanwhile, in Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s room, the alpha had promised his mate a night of passion but had fallen asleep when Tadashi was in the bath, leaving the omega to crawl into bed and practice his favourite past time – staring at the ceiling. Even with the window propped open he was still ridiculously warm, and moved to lie on top of the covers rather than under the duvet with his love in the hopes of cooling down a little. He was thirsty too, perhaps his bath had been too hot. With a sigh, Tadashi slid off the bed and whipped off his shirt so that he was just in his bed shorts and shuffled down the hallway to the kitchen in search of something appropriate for a midnight snack. He was thinking something along the lines of crackers or salted peanuts.

To the omega’s surprise the kitchen light was already on and Suga was sitting on the counter with a bowl of ice cream, legs dangling happily as he ate directly from the tub. He paused with the spoon midway to his mouth at the sight of Tadashi and blushed, a little embarrassed that he’d been caught in the act.

“I see you couldn’t sleep either,” Suga pointed out as he licked the spoon clean.

Tadashi shrugged and poured himself a glass of water. He downed the entire thing before answering, “Thirsty mainly."

Suga’s eyebrows rose, “I see that.” He offered the tub of ice cream to the younger omega as he scooted off the counter, trying to lead a better example, “Want some?”

“Aren’t you eating it?”

The pregnant omega patted his bump, “I shouldn’t have too much, really.”

“Thanks,” Tadashi took the tub but instead of eating any he popped the lid back on and pressed it against the back of his neck, sighing as the coolness touched his hot skin.

“You know,” Suga started, “It’s not really that hot in here,” he waited for Tadashi’s response but he was too busy rubbing the ice cream tub against his sweating forehead, “What I’m saying is, I think you’re in pre-heat.”

The tub almost slipped from Yamaguchi’s hand and he quickly placed it on the table so as not to drop it, “B-but Tsukki said I didn’t smell like I was!”

“When?”

“When we’d been scenting each other on the sofa...” his face contorted a little, “Ah, maybe I smelled of you and Noya-san then, though.”

Suga chuckled and beckoned the younger omega over, “Come here, let me smell. Apparently pregnant omegas have super noses or something.”

Shyly, Tadashi shuffled closer and let Suga press his nose into his neck, inhaling deeply. It felt a little strange to let someone other than his alpha smell him so closely but Tadashi remained still as Suga flared his nostrils and then stood back, a hand on his chin as he tried to act superior. Tadashi couldn’t help but smell the change in Suga-san’s own scent and subconsciously moved his lips as his mouth watered at the sweet, creamy fragrance.

“You smell great, Suga-san,” he hadn’t meant to say it out loud and felt his cheeks heat up as he thoughts left his lips, “I- I mean, your scent changed a little...”

Suga laughed again, “Yeah, apparently I smell scrumptious now, huh?” He smiled and patted Tadashi’s bare shoulder, “And you smell like your heat is maybe a day or so away. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it came tomorrow morning.”

Tadashi’s face creased into a huge smile and once again his thoughts made their way out of his mouth before his brain could command otherwise as he whispered, “Time to make my own pup...”

Suga blinked and tried to hide his own smile as Tadashi made his way back to his bedroom. The silver-haired omega would keep that particular secret to himself for the time being.

Chapter Text

When Tsukishima felt Tadashi climb back into bed and press his warm hands to the alpha’s bare back, the aroma of freshly cut grass mixed with something deeper, more intense filled his nostrils. It was the unmistakable scent of his omega in pre-heat and immediately sent his alpha instincts into overdrive. He remembered – how could he forget – their talk about having their own pup when Tadashi’s next heat arrived and felt his patience dwindle to a dull ember as he turned over to face the freckled omega and nuzzle his face into his hot neck. Yamaguchi moaned but pushed the alpha away a little, the temperature becoming a little too much for him under the sheets.

Although every omega experienced their heat in the same sort of way, not every omega had the same symptoms and experiences during the time before their heat. Some got extremely clingy, not wanting to leave their alpha’s side like Nishinoya. Some tended to daydream more often and zone out into their own little world, often becoming clumsier and some, like Tadashi, went through the more physical symptoms. More often than not, the few hours of pre-heat for Tadashi were ones of extreme physical heat and a feeling of irritability that he couldn’t control. Sometimes he’d even send Kei away until his heat was almost upon him just so that he wouldn’t feel as annoyed by every little thing the alpha did. Now, as he lay next to his mate, Yamaguchi could sense the first stirrings of annoyance nipping at his heels.

“S’too hot, Tsukki,” Tadashi mumbled as he kicked the duvet off himself and tried to use his hand as a fan. He knew he did indeed want to try for a pup with Kei during this heat but at that particular moment in time he also felt irked by his alpha’s very presence.

Tsukishima knew all too well his mate’s symptoms and actions during his pre-heat but always liked to push his luck in the hope that one day Tadashi would just give in to him and let him have his way. His instincts, paired with the omega’s mouth-watering scent, made Tsukki lose all rationality and he moved closer to Yamaguchi until he was hovering over him on all fours.

“Stop,” Tadashi whined and tried to wriggle his way out from under the tall alpha, sweat trickling down his face and neck, “I’m not ready yet.”

The sight only made Tsukishima more aroused and the alpha gripped his mate’s wrists, pinning him in place whilst he flicked out his tongue and traced his freckled collarbone, tasting the sweet yet salty perspiration as the omega shuddered beneath him.

Kei smirked, “You promised me a pup, remember,” he continued his tongue-tracing down Tadashi’s chest and smiled as he mewled helplessly beneath him.

“No, Kei, please!” Tadashi began to pant, his breath coming out in hot puffs as the alpha lapped at his flesh, “My heat… isn’t here yet!”

Tsukishima ignored him and released his own pheromones, encircling the omega in a hot, heavy cloud of sexual tension and lust. It was too much for Tadashi and he finally lost his temper. He snarled and brought his foot up to roughly push Tsukki off of him. The alpha flopped sideways, not because he was overpowered but because he knew he’d reached his limit with teasing Tadashi and had to give in for now. He would never do something against his mate’s wishes, especially when he was in such a vulnerable state, and always stopped when he thought Yamaguchi had had enough.

“It’s too damn hot for that!” Tadashi puffed out his cheeks and stood up to stand by the window to try and get some air into his lungs and escape the intense heat of the room.

“Why don’t we take a shower?” Tsukki suggested, his golden eyes implying more than just an innocent wash was in mind.

Tadashi turned to face him and nodded, dark hair shimmering in the moonlight, “I think I will,” he saw his alpha’s smile broaden and shot any hopes he had down with, “Alone.”

Everyone in the den could tell someone was in pre-heat. Hell, everyone knew exactly who was in pre-heat as Yamaguchi was the only omega in the pack that didn’t smell like food. It didn’t really bother the omegas as they were pretty used to the distinct aroma of that short time before their heat but they could sense that it was affecting the alphas a little, especially when Tadashi finally showed up for breakfast wearing only his underwear and some bunny slippers.

Kei had left the omega asleep in their room as he hadn’t gotten much sleep due to his body being so overheated, so when Tadashi shuffled into the kitchen red-faced and breathy the alpha almost choked on his coffee.

“What are you doing?!” Tsukishima yanked Tadashi onto his lap and tried to cover his bare chest with his long arms, “Get back to bed!”

Tadashi wriggled where he sat and whined in a high tone, making the alphas around the kitchen table grit their teeth and avert their eyes. Of course they’d seen Tadashi once or twice in pre-heat in high school but only ever because he’d forgotten to take his suppressants or his heat had come early. But for the freckled omega to be so blasé about showing the pack his current state it was certainly out of character and even a little dangerous, what with him seeming so vulnerable and smelling so damn good.

Suga, who had just finished his second bowl of cereal, felt the tension in the air as Noya tugged on Asahi’s wrist a little tighter and Hinata plonked himself on Kageyama’s lap to distract him and cleared his throat purposefully,

“Tadashi, maybe you should go back to your room for now.”

The younger omega shook his head and stood up, away from Kei’s grasp. He sauntered over to the fridge and opened the door wide before leaning into the coolness, eyes closing as the icy air enveloped his bare torso.

“It’s too hot in that room,” Tadashi kept his head in the fridge as he spoke, “And Kei is so clingy!”

Tanaka and Noya tried – and failed – to hold in their laughter as Tsukishima blushed violently and buried his head in his hands. Suga bit his cheek to stop himself smiling and moved over to the fridge and the overheated omega.

“Come on,” the pregnant omega took Tadashi’s wrist and guided him away from the fridge and out of the kitchen, “I’ll make sure your room is cool enough and Tsukishima will stay here for now,” he glanced at the blonde alpha, who clicked his tongue but remained seated, “He can come and see you later, okay?”

Tadashi nodded and let himself be led back to his and Tsukki’s room. Once inside, Suga opened the window as wide as it would go and quickly brought a rotating fan from his and Daichi’s room and set it up on the bedside table. The air blew into Yamaguchi’s face coolly and he sighed as it helped reduce his temperature just a little. He knew in the back of his mind that he was acting strangely but he couldn’t help it; whenever his heat was near he would lose all rationality and act like a spoilt brat until it was finally upon him. It usually didn’t take more than a couple of hours, however, and Tadashi was starting to worry a little as to why his heat hadn’t yet started. Tsukki wasn’t the only one impatient to have a pup.

From his spot across the room, Suga noticed the crease between Tadashi’s brows and wondered just what had the younger omega so frustrated. Sure, he knew about his plans to try for a pup but now that his heat was imminent surely that meant the wait was over and the fun part could begin?

“What’s wrong?” Koushi asked as Tadashi let the fan blow his hair from his face.

“I usually don’t have this long before my heat,” Yamaguchi flopped back onto the bed, “Why isn’t it coming?”

Suga sniffed the air lightly. He could certainly smell Tadashi’s heat coming but why it hadn’t broken yet he didn’t know.

“I don’t think it’ll be much longer. Try not to worry about it.”

Tadashi sat up and twiddled his thumbs in his lap as he spoke, “Tsukki and I… We’re going to try for a pup this time,” he dared a glance up at Suga, feeling a little guilty for some reason.

Suga tried to look surprised, “Good for you! I think you’ll be great parents!” He rubbed at his small bump and smiled, “It’s not easy but I know it’ll be worth it in the end.”

“I was the one who suggested it but I think Tsukki wants it too...”

“Of course he does! He loves you!” Suga was beaming but Tadashi still seemed somewhat troubled, “Why don’t you seem as excited as I thought you’d be?”

“I...” the younger omega looked up at Suga with watery eyes and trembling lips, “Now that it’s time I’m a little scared.” He looked ashamed and swiped a stray tear from his freckled cheek, angry at his own emotions. To his surprise, Suga chuckled and Tadashi’s eyes widened as Koushi spoke gently,

“When Daichi and I started ‘officially’ trying I was terrified,” he shrugged nonchalantly, “We gave up the first time because I was shaking so much and it still took two more heats for me to actually fall pregnant. It’s a scary thing and a big decision, don’t be ashamed to feel scared or worried,” he walked over to Tadashi and ruffled his hair, “But make sure you tell Tsukishima all of this, okay? He’s your alpha and he only wants the best for you. The worry might be making your pre-heat last longer, too.” He glanced at the door and raised a silver brow, “You can come in now!”

With his eyes to the floor, Tsukki stepped into the bedroom and gave a brief nod of thanks to Suga as the pregnant omega made his exit quietly, leaving the pair alone in their room. The alpha perched on the end of the bed as Tadashi shuffled over to him on all fours, resting his forehead on his mate’s back so that he didn’t have to look him in the eye as he spoke.

“Did you hear all of that?” Tadashi asked as Kei sat patiently in front of him.

The alpha nodded and adjusted his glasses, “Yeah, sorry.”

“Are you mad at me?” the omega whined a little and Tsukki turned to face him, gripping his freckled face in his hands.

“Of course not! I’m scared too!” he shied away a little as Tadashi’s eyes bulged and stared at him like he’d grown a second head, “Like Suga-san said, it’s a big decision,” he looked back at his mate and smiled warmly, “But if we make it together we’ll be fine.”

Tadashi’s breath hitched and he nodded before looping his arms around Tsukki’s neck tightly and kissing him. As their tongues entwined, the omega felt a sudden rush of release deep within himself and his heartrate increased a little as his feverish temperature seemed to crack and change into a more intense heat . Finally, Tadashi thought as he wrapped his legs around Kei’s waist and the alpha reacted to his mate’s heat arriving. They smiled as they kissed and Kei lifted his omega onto his lap as they embraced one another aggressively, all heat and sweat and panting as they started their first attempt at creating a new life.

In the bathroom, after peeing for the third time since he’d woken up just an hour ago, Suga sensed the sudden change in the air as Tadashi’s heat arrived and felt his own body reacting to it. He felt abruptly hotter and his breathing increased until he felt so light-headed that he had to slide down to the floor on his backside to prevent himself from passing out on the tiles. When Noya’s heat had arrived Koushi had felt the same sort of symptoms as though he was having his own heat and now, as he sat on the cold bathroom floor, he could sense it happening once again. He moaned and felt his erection pressing against his zip but felt so dizzy that he couldn’t even move to close the door to give himself some privacy, nevermind try and relieve himself in any way. Nevertheless, his sweating hands fumbled with the zip as he tried to free himself but he only managed to awkwardly tangle his underwear in the teeth and make it somewhat impossible to get his hands to his awaiting member, especially as his trousers were a little too tight to begin with.

Thankfully, or perhaps not depending on your point of view, that was when Hinata shuffled into the bathroom to brush his teeth. The redhead was still a little out of it what with having the flu and it took him a few seconds to realise that Suga was on the floor, panting and mewling as he tried to free his dick from its cloth prison. The younger omega blinked dazedly and then spun on his heel to go and fetch Daichi, his face as red as his hair. Suga simply rested his head against the bathtub and waited patiently for his alpha to come and rescue him once again.

Chapter Text

Why was Daichi taking so long? Koushi had been sitting on the bathroom floor for almost five minutes and there was still no sign of his mate. Had Hinata actually gone to find the alpha or had Suga just assumed that? He truly hoped that Shouyou was coherent enough to know that he needed Daichi and had not just run off to hide his embarrassment at seeing Koushi panting on the floor.

Not only was he uncomfortable because of the strange ‘false heat’ symptoms, Suga was also starting to feel a dull ache in his lower back from sitting against the bathtub on the cold tiles. He tried to stand but his legs felt like rubber and he was conscious of the fact that his entire body was weak with need and the symptoms of his condition. Maybe he should ask Daichi to take him to the hospital so that they could get something to stop the strange effects his pack members’ heats were having on his pregnant body. After all, it wasn’t something he wanted to experience so often and certainly not something that would be appropriate in the later stages of his pregnancy. Who knew what would happen if he experienced the same sort of thing in his eighth or ninth month. He didn’t want to put his pup in any unnecessary danger either, the thought of that made him whine helplessly and he felt tears pool in his brown eyes at the mere thought of it.

“Koushi!” Daichi skidded across the tiles in his bare feet, a towel wrapped around his lower half and his hair dripping wet as he knelt down beside his mate, “Are you alright? I was in the shower! What happened? Did you fall?” His tongue almost tripped over the fountain of questions that spewed from his worried mouth but he relaxed a little as Suga seemed to relax from his presence.

“Tadashi’s heat is affecting me, I think,” Koushi bit his lower lip as his crotch throbbed and he grabbed uselessly at his twitching dick only to meet that damned zip again, “I can’t get it, Dai,” he mewled softly as his alpha helped him stand.

Daichi had to hold on tight to his omega as Suga wobbled unsteadily on his feet and moaned at the ache in his crotch and back. It seemed even worse now that he was standing and Koushi hissed through his teeth when Daichi tried to walk him out towards their bedroom, making the alpha stop immediately for fear of hurting his expectant mate.

“What is it? Did I hurt you?” his brows furrowed as Suga shook his head and shuffled into the hallway.

“My back…” Koushi rubbed at the base of his spine, “The floor was uncomfortable.”

His alpha led them back into their bedroom where Suga carefully lowered himself onto the bed, wincing slightly as his butt touched the mattress, and started to take off his t-shirt. He struggled with it but managed to tear it over his head, making his silver hair stand on end wildly around his flushed face as Daichi got to work on his trousers. The alpha managed to unzip them and pull them and his underwear down to his ankles, leaving the omega to lie back on the bed, legs dangling over the edge. Suga looked like a fallen angel, his bump prominent in that position, and Daichi couldn’t help but drool a little at the sight.

Suga smiled coyly, “Like what you see?”

“Maybe,” Daichi crawled over him, pheromones thick and heavy as his skin brushed against his mate’s burning flesh. Gently, he stroked his hand over Suga’s middle, following the curve and pressed a kiss to the centre of his bump.

“Ngh,” Suga moaned and whined a little in his throat, “Dai, please, it’s too much!”

Knowing that was his cue, Daichi moved down to Suga’s hips and crotch and pressed another kiss to his waiting cock, which twitched happily from the contact. The alpha could smell the sweet raspberry scent of his mate mixed with the newer fresh cream aroma and licked his lips as he took Suga’s length into his mouth, savouring it like a fine wine. It didn’t take long for Koushi to peak and the omega bucked his hips as Daichi released his hold with a pop, quickly grabbing a tissue from the night stand to catch any mess. When he looked up to get a good view of Koushi’s ‘moment’ - something he always liked to watch as Suga tended to look most beautiful at that particular point – he noticed the streaks of tears running down his mate’s temples and felt the change in the air as Suga’s pheromones turned a little sour with worry. Daichi moved to his omega’s side and helped Koushi sit up before asking,

“Is something wrong?”

With his hormones in slightly better check, Suga wiped the tears from his face and sniffled weakly, “What if this keeps happening?” he placed his hands on his small bump, “What if I keep being affected by everyone’s heat until the pup is due? It’ll be dangerous, Dai!”

Truth be told, Daichi hadn’t really thought about that. Sure, he knew it probably wasn’t good for Koushi to be having these ‘fake heats’ but he hadn’t thought about the lasting effects or the damage it could do later in the pregnancy. His hands joined the omega’s on his stomach and he kissed Suga’s beauty spot as he whispered,

“Let’s go see the doctor, okay?” Suga nodded feebly, “Do you think you can go today or do you still feel… hot?”

“I’ll go today,” with his worry out in the open he felt the fog clear from his head a little and rested his head against his alpha’s, “I want to make sure I’m doing everything right for our pup.”

Daichi kissed him again, “Me too.

As Suga and Daichi put on their shoes in the entryway to go and see the doctor, Hinata suddenly popped his head around the corner. He still looked a little flushed from the flu and his voice was hoarse from coughing but he seemed to be on the road to recovery as he smiled merrily at the pair.

“I hope everything goes well at the hospital, Suga-san!” he chirped.

Suga smiled, “Thanks Hinata,” he scented the younger omega lightly on the neck and ruffled his hair, “We won’t be long!”

“Take care!”

The redhead watched the pair leave and returned to the living room where the rest of the pack, save for Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, were gathered. Nishinoya sighed loudly from his spot on the long sofa and stretched his short body so that his head was on Asahi’s lap and his feet on Tanaka’s. The beta grabbed them and yanked hard so that the tiny omega ended up hanging from Tanaka’s hands upside down off the edge of the sofa as he spoke.

“I’m bored!” Noya whined as he struggled to free his feet from the beta and ended up sliding out of his socks onto the carpet.

“Ditto,” Tanaka threw the socks at Noya with a disgusted face, “Sundays are so lame!”

“Why don’t we go into town or something?” Ennoshita suggested.

“There’s that new ice cream shop!” Asahi licked his lips at the thought of trying one of the sundaes he’d seen in the shop window with the nuts and cream on top.

“OH!” Hinata coughed a little, “Yes! Let’s go there!”

Kageyama, who was sitting beside the ginger omega, pinched Hinata’s cheek firmly and growled, “You’re still ill, you should stay here.”

Big watery eyes blinked up at Tobio, making the alpha’s chest clench, and Shouyou’s lip protruded slightly, “But I feel a lot better than I did! And ice cream will be nice for my throat!” The omega put on his best innocent face, “Please, Tobio, let’s go!”

The raven-haired alpha rolled his eyes and gave up, “Fine! But if you’re ill when we get back you can take care of yourself.”

Hinata clapped his hands happily and joined Noya and Tanaka in a small victory dance as Tsukishima snook past them into the kitchen. Tadashi had fallen asleep and it was a good opportunity for the alpha to grab some supplies to try and keep his omega hydrated during his heat as he tended to have a one track mind for the few days he experienced it and usually forgot to do anything other than fuck and sleep. He grinned at that particular thought as he carried some bottles of water back down the hallway towards their bedroom, only to meet Asahi standing in the doorway. Shit , Tsukishima thought as he glanced past the older alpha and saw Tadashi sleeping naked on top of their bed, I forgot to close the door.

He could smell the intoxicating pheromones of his omega from there and guessed that Asahi could too, judging by the way his pupils were blown and his nostrils flared. The last thing Kei wanted to do was start a fight over Tadashi but his alpha instincts had already kicked in and were screaming at him to protect his omega at all costs, even if it meant sparring with Asahi-san. Clinging to the last remaining rational parts of his brain, Tsukishima cleared his throat and tried to speak casually.

“Excuse me, Asahi-san,” he moved to walk around him but Asahi stood firm as he turned to face Kei, eyes dark and all reason seemingly distant from the older alpha’s mind. Tsukishima growled deep in his chest - as did Asahi - and stood up a little straighter, his height helping him ascertain dominance, “Please move, Asahi-san.”

The air was thick with tension, both alphas refusing to give up the delicious smelling omega in the room just metres away, until Nishinoya suddenly appeared from down the hallway wondering where his mate had got to. The short omega immediately felt the domineering alpha pheromones in the air and darted to Asahi’s side, tugging on his arm to try and move him away from where Tadashi lay helpless on the bed.

“Asahi,” Noya mewled as he pulled harder, “Come on, let’s go!”

He didn’t feel particularly offended that his alpha was intoxicated by another omega, it was in his nature after all and with such a delectable specimen in front of him it was no wonder Asahi’s alpha-side was rearing its head for once. It did, however, bother Yuu that he was now being ignored in favour of squaring off with Tsukishima and so the omega did the only thing he could think of to distract his alpha from the fight. He bit him. Omegas didn’t have particularly sharp teeth as they weren’t really made for fighting but they were strong enough to break the skin on Asahi’s forearm and make the alpha spin around in shock to look at his mate, releasing the rubber band that had been about to snap between him and Kei.

“Yuu?!” Asahi squawked, “Did you just-”

Noya grinned toothily, “Yep! Now stop starting fights and let’s go get ice cream, you big ape!”

It suddenly dawned on Asahi as to what he was just doing and he spun on his heel, head bowed at Tsukishima, “I am so sorry!” he fumbled with his words as he tried to find the best way to apologise, “ I just caught a whiff of Yamaguchi and… I’m sorry! I wasn’t myself!”

Inside the bedroom, Tadashi stirred and began to whimper for his mate and so Tsukishima bowed silently at Asahi and Nishinoya and scurried into his room before slamming the door behind him.

“Well,” Noya kissed the bite mark on Asahi’s arm, “I’m glad you didn’t try to kill each other.”

Asahi sighed and let his shoulders sag, “I don’t know what came over me.”

Yuu shrugged and led the way back towards the living room, “You were actually acting like an alpha for once,” he grinned wickedly as he linked his arm through his mate’s, “It was pretty hot.”

Before Asahi could internally combust, Tanaka lifted Yuu into the air and carried him towards the door whilst yelling something about them being late for the ice cream. Ennoshita exchanged a confused yet redundant look with Asahi and they followed the rest of the group outside, choosing to walk into town as it was nice weather for once and nobody fancied being stuck in a hot car with the sun beaming down on them, especially not with two over-excited omegas and a nut-job beta.

Thankfully there weren’t many people in the ice cream parlour, aptly named ‘Cream and Punishment’, and so Ennoshita and Kageyama chose the booth by the window whilst the others ordered at the counter. Hinata couldn’t decide on what flavour he wanted and ended up ordering three separate scoops, whereas Nishinoya and Asahi opted for the large nutty sundaes and Tanaka the mint chocolate one. It was nice to just relax for once without worrying about anyone’s heat or money worries and as they joined the others in the booth the sweet smells of the parlour sent the group into a sort of chilled out stupor as they waited for their desserts. Even when the ice creams arrived – Ennoshita had a plain vanilla scoop whilst Kageyama had chosen a strawberry milkshake – they sat in silence and simply enjoyed one another’s company, feeling safe with their pack mates.

Shouyou was battling against a brain-freeze as he people-watched out of the window and suddenly spotted Daichi and Sugawara walking past. He knelt on the seat and pressed his face to the glass until the head alpha caught his eye and mimed a scolding from the other side of the window before he and Suga stepped inside. The pair ordered and joined the others at the booth, squeezing in beside Noya and Ennoshita on the ends of the seats, and Koushi sat back, letting his head rest against the soft seat behind him.

“How did it go at the hospital?” Ennoshita asked as he handed Tanaka the last of his ice cream to finish off.

Daichi glanced at Suga but the omega had his eyes closed, “Not bad. The doctor said it wasn’t uncommon for pregnant omegas to have some heat symptoms, especially when living with other omegas, and gave Koushi some pills to take.”

“So he won’t be affected any more?” Hinata asked, glad that his upcoming heat wouldn’t cause Suga-san any discomfort.

“Shouldn’t be,” Daichi nodded at the waitress as she handed him and Koushi their desserts.

At the arrival of his peach sorbet, Suga opened his eyes and began devouring the cool ice quickly, thankful for the cold sensation it sent through his body. It had been stifling in the hospital and on the walk back through town he thought he might faint from the heat. The sorbet, however, was an oasis in the warm weather and he felt himself relaxing as it began to lower his overall temperature. Unfortunately, the ice cream seemed to have had the same effect on Hinata and the redhead had started to shiver, teeth chattering as he tried to finish his third bowl. Kageyama rolled his eyes at the omega but shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Shouyou’s shoulders nonetheless.

“I’ll be right back,” Suga slid out of the booth and headed for the bathroom, the cold making him suddenly need to pee.

As soon as the pregnant omega was out of sight, Daichi leaned over the table and began to speak quickly and quietly, “Okay, so it’s Koushi’s birthday on Wednesday and I want to throw him a surprise party,” he narrowed his eyes at Hinata, “That means he can’t know about it,” Hinata nodded seriously as the head alpha continued, “Any ideas for presents?”

“Asahi and I were thinking of something for the pup?” Noya licked his spoon clean as Daichi shook his head.

“No, this will be the last time in a while that everything will be about Koushi and not the pup,” Daichi’s cheeks pinked a little, “We can have a baby shower another time but I want this to be just about him, okay?”

The others nodded in understanding and Suga returned to a table surrounded by very sheepish looking pack mates. He wondered what on earth had made them all so suspicious and chalked it down to his pack just being weirdos as he finished off his sorbet with a smile.

Chapter Text

Wednesday came around far too fast for Daichi’s liking. He’d desperately been trying to put everything together for Suga’s surprise party but still didn’t feel prepared enough. He wanted it to be an extra special birthday for his mate as it would be his last before their pup was born and he wanted it to be a day devoted only to Koushi. Of course, they’d have a baby shower in a few months where the pack could buy things solely for the pup and Koushi would no doubt love it but for now Daichi wanted to concentrate on treating his omega.

The plan was to take Koushi into town for the afternoon, just the two of them, so that the others could set up the party in the den and then bring Suga home at around six to surprise him. Daichi had originally planned to have the party a little later in the evening but Nishinoya reminded him that the pregnant omega had been nodding off at around eight for the past few weeks and he at least wanted Koushi to be conscious for the party. Apart from that small revision the plan was all set but Daichi, being the perfectionist ex-captain that he was, still felt a little under-prepared. He just hoped he’d remembered everything now that the day had finally arrived.

He sat on the edge of the bed as Koushi finally stirred and wrapped his arms around his alpha’s waist, inhaling Daichi’s smoky scent deeply.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” the alpha pressed a kiss to Koushi’s hair, “Happy Birthday!” Another alteration to his original plan had been to scrap the idea of pretending to forget that it was Suga’s birthday altogether. Asahi suggested that it might upset him and Daichi decided he didn’t want his mate to spend his birthday feeling miserable, or worse – angry. Heaven knew what Suga would do if he found out Daichi had been pretending the whole time and the alpha certainly didn’t want to incur the wrath of his hormonal mate.

Beside him, Suga stretched, his bones popping as he did so. He sat up against the headboard and Daichi joined him, a strong arm draped around his waist as the alpha took a small package from the bedside table and handed it to Koushi. The omega blushed shyly as he tore open the colourful paper. Inside was a framed photograph of their high school volleyball team, including Ukai, Takeda and the managers. Everyone – save for Tsukishima who looked a little miffed and Kageyama who just looked awkward – was smiling brightly, red-faced as they’d just finished a particularly tough match against another school.

Daichi glanced at his mate to try and gage his reaction and began to flounder a little when he saw that Koushi was crying quietly,

“Ah!” the alpha waved his arms uselessly, “I’m sorry! Is it awful? I thought-”

Suga shook his head and wiped his tears away swiftly before turning to his mate with a warm smile, “It’s perfect. I love it!”

The colour returned to Daichi’s face and he held Koushi’s cheeks between his hands before kissing him firmly, the omega immediately melting into the embrace. He would have stayed there all morning were it not for the fact that his bladder felt fit to burst and so he gently pulled away from the alpha’s lips and shuffled into the en-suite, his cheeks still flushed. Daichi sighed, a drunken grin on his face, and prayed that the rest of the day would go as smoothly.

At around lunchtime, the head alpha gently nudged Suga awake. The omega had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room and, although he looked so peaceful and content, Daichi really needed to get him out of the den so that the others could prepare for the party. Wide, brown eyes stared up at Daichi and Suga pouted, a little upset that he’d been woken from a particularly pleasant dream. Nevertheless, he sat upright and blinked away the dizziness as his mate’s cheeks pinked in front of him. He briefly wondered why Daichi was so flustered but chalked it down to his alpha instincts acting up again and let him squirm a little before asking what it was he wanted.

“Let’s go out for lunch,” the alpha replied as he helped Suga to his feet, “A birthday treat!”

Suga tilted his head a little, momentarily checking his stomach for any signs of queasiness, and when he decided he didn’t feel the least bit sickly he nodded, “That’d be nice, thanks Dai.”

The pair left the house, Daichi winking at Asahi as they left, and the rest of the pack quickly got to work on setting up the party. Noya was on balloon duty and burst at least six before getting the hang of the helium tank, making Asahi jump with fright every time one of them popped loudly. The tiny omega also enjoyed making Hinata laugh until he started to cough violently when Noya inhaled some of the gas and spoke in a high-pitched chipmunk voice. Shouyou was then ordered to sit down and shut up by Tobio who didn’t want to see his flu making a comeback any time soon. The raven-haired alpha was attempting to hang fairy lights across the ceiling but was currently tangled up in them like a fish in a net and kept cursing under his breath as yet another knot appeared in the string. Thankfully Ennoshita was there to rescue him and they soon got the room twinkling like the night sky.

Asahi had baked a huge sponge cake and decorated it with orange and black frosting and was currently pulling warm cookies from the oven, the smell immediately attracting Hinata and Yuu like two hungry puppies. The Ace had to slap their hands away from the hot tray a few times before he finally gave up and rested it on a high cabinet where neither could reach. Tanaka was pouring various nibbles into bowls, although only half of them seemed to be making the trip into the porcelain and not his mouth, and then he moved into the lounge to help Chikara paint the big ‘Happy Birthday’ banner that the beta had laid out on the floor.

All of the chatter and excited pheromones had caught the attention of Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, who had finally finished his heat, and the pair wandered into the living room to see what was going on. Tadashi looked a little weak what with not eating for four or five days and Kei guided him to the sofa so that the omega could sit down rather than fall.

“How’re you feeling?” Hinata asked as he scooted over to Tadashi, who smiled warmly.

“Good, thanks!” he glanced at Tsukki and couldn’t help the blush that coloured his cheeks, “Very good.”

It must have been catching because Hinata’s cheeks reddened too and he had to look away from the flirtatious pair before continuing, “We’re making a surprise party for Suga-san!”

Tadashi’s hand shot to his mouth, “That was today?! I forgot! What am I going to do? I didn’t get him a gift!”

Noticing the sourness of worry in his mate’s pheromones, Tsukishima was quickly by his side, rubbing Tadashi’s back in gentle circles as he spoke softly, “Hey, don’t worry. I knew your heat was going to be around this time and got him something in advance.”

Tadashi’s eyes sparkled and he smiled, “You did?!” he looped his arms around Kei’s neck and nuzzled his scent glands lovingly, “Thank you, Tsukki!”

“Smooth, Tsukishima,” Noya grinned wolfishly at the blonde and Kei turned his face away, lips slightly pouted.

Tadashi finally released Tsukishima, who decided to use his height to help Noya pin up some balloons, and turned his attention to the betas on the floor, “Anything I can help with?”

With a paintbrush in his hand and paint somehow on his cheek, Tanaka grinned and thrust a brush into the freckled omega’s hand before gesturing to the banner, “Help yourself! We’ve done the letters but we need some patterns or something around the edge.”

“Maybe some stars or confetti?” Ennoshita suggested as he finished off the ‘Y’, his tongue out in concentration.

“I know exactly what I’ll paint.”

Tadashi smiled and got onto his knees to start on the banner as Kageyama flopped down next to Hinata on the sofa, his usually smooth black hair tousled from his battle with the fairy lights. He didn’t have much time to rest, however, as Asahi asked for some help in carrying the kitchen table into the living room and then Hinata finally got to lend a hand by placing the bowls of nibbles on said table. Everything looked just right and Noya felt impatient as he and the others returned to their rooms to change into something more ‘party-like’; he wanted the festivities to start now rather than when the guest of honour finally returned home.

Meanwhile, after a small lunch of chicken salad and iced tea, Daichi and Suga window shopped for a while as they simply enjoyed one another’s company. It seemed like months since they’d spent time just the two of them and they were both content to spend the day holding hands and chatting about nothing in particular. They strolled through the centre of town, admiring the blooming flowers in the window baskets and the ever-excited dogs being led by their owners in the hot sun. Suga spotted a newborn baby in a pram and rushed over to coo at it as the mother glowed with pride and Daichi exchanged an awkward smile with the alpha father.

The pair stopped for shaved ice at a market stall and explored the different craft exhibits whilst enjoying the cool snacks, Suga even bought some supplies to try and make a baby mobile for above the crib, his smile almost reaching his ears as Daichi handed over the money. It felt like the best birthday he’d ever had; nothing too extravagant or over the top but just spending time with his alpha and enjoying the fresh air. Koushi felt like nothing could interrupt their perfect day, that was until he suddenly felt light-headed and wobbled a little on his feet. He brought a hand to his head as his eyes glazed over and his entire frame tilted so that he ended up leaning against Daichi, who quickly gripped the omega’s biceps to stop him falling.

“Koushi!” The alpha moved his mate to a bench near the fountain in the middle of the marketplace and sat him down carefully, “Kou?”

Suga leaned forwards, his hand in his silver hair as he tried to stop the world spinning, and inhaled and exhaled a few times before finally turning to Daichi, his face pale and clammy, “I’m okay. I think...”

“Should I call an ambulance?” Daichi’s voice was raised and they’d gathered a small group of concerned onlookers, much to Suga’s annoyance and embarrassment.

The omega shook his head and sat back, one hand on his bump, “No, it’s alright. I just got a little dizzy.”

“Are you sure?!” Daichi looked half crazed, “You almost fainted! We should be sure there’s nothi-”

Koushi’s hand slapped against the alpha’s mouth, silencing Daichi, and he glared at his mate as he spoke quietly, “I’m. Fine. People are looking. Shut up.” When he thought Daichi wasn’t going to continue freaking out, Suga took his hand away and gestured to the small crowd gathered around them, “I’m okay! You can go away now!” He turned back to his concerned mate and sighed, “Can we go home now please?”

After waiting ten minutes to make sure Suga wasn’t going to keel over again, the pair began the walk back through town towards their den. As much as Daichi knew it was for the best to get the omega back home, he also couldn’t help but notice that it was only 5pm and was desperately trying to text Asahi to warn him of their early arrival. Koushi noticed his mate glaring at his phone screen and squeezed Daichi’s hand a little tighter,

“Something wrong?” he stood on his tiptoes to try and see the screen but Daichi pulled his hand away and plastered an obviously fake smile on his face.

“Nope! Nothing at all! Not a thing!”

Not convinced by the alpha’s appalling acting, Suga curled his lip and grabbed for the phone, only to be thwarted by Daichi’s extra strength. The omega pouted and pulled his hand from Daichi’s embrace,

“Sure seems like something to me,” Suga whined in his throat as they walked through the farmhouse gate and across the lawn towards the front door, “I hate it when you hide things from me.”

They stepped inside the den, Suga only registering the heightened scent of excited pheromones in his subconscious as he focused his energy on sulking at Daichi, and took off their shoes in the entryway before moving to the living room. The pregnant omega had just opened his mouth to scold Daichi for keeping secrets when the entire room erupted into a loud chorus of ‘SURPRISE!’

Chapter Text

“SURPRISE!”

Suga snapped his mouth shut and stared at the group of friends in front of him. Asahi was standing in the middle with a large cake covered in brightly lit candles – he looked a little nervous to be holding it if Suga was being honest – while the rest of the pack smiled brightly at the pregnant omega, excited pheromones swirling around the room and making everything feel a little lighter. Nishinoya pulled a party popper a fraction late and it banged loudly, slithers of paper floated to the ground and into Suga’s silver hair. He turned to Daichi, a blush on his face as his embarrassment took over.

“This is what you were hiding from me?”

Daichi nodded and smiled lopsidedly, still a little ashamed that he’d had to lie to his love, “Sorry, Kou. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“It is !” Suga swung his arms around his alpha’s neck and nuzzled his face into his scent glands, mumbling into his neck, “Thank you so much!”

“Come and see what we’ve done, Suga-san!” Hinata couldn’t hold back his excitement any longer and he grabbed Suga’s hand to tug him further into the living room.

The fairy lights certainly were effective; they lit up the ceiling like a thousand tiny stars and Suga felt his eyes prick with tears at the pretty sight. Colourful balloons floated in corners and against the ceiling and on the far wall a banner that read ‘Happy Birthday’ took centre stage. Suga noticed the carefully painted volleyballs littered across the sign and listened as Hinata explained that Yamaguchi had chosen that particular detail. The redhead then gestured to the large kitchen table that had somehow been dragged into the lounge; it was covered in plates of various salty and sweet nibbles, cupcakes, sandwiches and homemade baked goods that smelled wonderful.

“Wow,” Suga breathed, genuinely awed by the amount of effort his pack-mates had made just for him, “This looks great, guys!”

“Right!” Hinata’s smile seemed to reach his ears, “We all pitched in. Even Tsukishima!”

The blonde clicked his tongue, “I did more than you, shrimp!”

Before the arguing could escalate, Asahi cleared his throat purposefully and lifted the cake he was holding a little higher, “Umm… Could you blow out these candles so I can put this down, Suga?”

The silver-haired omega chuckled at Asahi’s struggle and quickly moved to blow out the candles, eyes closed as he made his wish. When he opened them again the cake was in the middle of the table and Asahi was wiping the sweat from his brow, thankful that he hadn’t dropped the fruits of his labour.

“Asahi baked the cake you know!” Noya puffed out his chest, a proud mate if ever there was one, “And the biscuits and cupcakes!”

Daichi raised an eyebrow at the bearded alpha, “You did? I didn’t know you were so into baking.”

A little embarrassed, Asahi scratched his ponytail and glanced aside, “I’m actually thinking of opening my own bakery in town.”

“WHOA!” Hinata almost choked on the cupcake that was currently occupying his mouth, “THAT’S AWESOME, ASAHI-SAN!”

Kageyama whacked the back of the omega’s head, partly to shut him up and partly to stop him choking to death and ruining the party. No one wanted a dead omega as a centre piece.

“Why don’t you open your presents and then we can eat!” Tanaka began to carry over some of the wrapped boxes and plonked them down on the floor in front of the sofa as Suga sat down.

“Open mine first!” Tanaka shoved a small rectangular box onto Suga’s lap and the omega took it obediently, tearing open the rather haphazardly wrapped parcel. Inside was a paper fan which, when he flicked it open, was painted with a beautiful crow in mid-flight. Its opalescent blue-black wings shimmered in the twinkling lights prettily.

“I love it, Ryuu, thanks!” Suga fanned himself with it for added effect and the beta grinned toothily.

“I thought you might get too hot in the summer months what with the pup and all,” Tanaka blushed a little and scratched at his chin but smiled once more when Koushi rubbed his head lovingly.

“It’s perfect.”

The omega placed the fan aside carefully as Hinata and Kageyama stepped forward and handed him their gift. It was a little more carefully wrapped and even had a red bow on top, which Suga peeled off delicately. Before he’d even opened the box he could smell something floral and, once opened, it revealed a set of skin lotions and bath bombs, each smelling of different flowers.

“For some ‘you’ time,” Hinata spoke like he’d been given lines to say and glanced at Daichi for confirmation that he’d said it right. When the head alpha winked, Shouyou relaxed his shoulders and smiled, “We wanted you to relax sometimes, too!”

The shared looks hadn’t gone unnoticed by Suga and he chuckled before pulling Kageyama and Shouyou onto the sofa to sit beside him, “Smells great! I’ll start using them tonight!” He bent down and picked up a slim envelope, turning it in his hand to see if it said who it was from.

“That’s from me,” Ennoshita sat down on the armchair opposite and shrugged his shoulders, “I can return it if you don’t like it.”

Suga shook his head and opened the envelope. He pulled out a laminated card and read its contents aloud, “Two days and two nights stay at Starry Night Hot Springs,” his mouth dropped open at Chikara’s generosity but the beta encouraged him to read on, “This pass ensures that ten people may stay for the allotted time,” Koushi stared at Ennoshita, eyes wide, “This is too much, Ennoshita! It must have cost a fortune!”

The beta shook his head, “My aunt owns it so I got a good discount. Plus, it’s for all of us.”

Tanaka dived onto Chikara’s lap and ruffled his black hair, “You’re so cool , Chika!”

“Thank you. Really,” Suga handed Daichi the pass for safe-keeping and turned to Noya as he knelt down beside the sofa. The small omega was vibrating as he handed Suga his gift, a huge smile plastered on his mischievous face.

“That’s from both of us,” Asahi placed a large hand on Yuu’s shoulder as Suga opened the gift, careful not to tear the pretty sparkling paper.

The package was heavier than the other gifts and Suga had to balance it carefully on his lap in order not to knock it off the sofa. Inside the box there were two separately wrapped parcels and he tore open the heavier one first. It was a pastel blue, oval-shaped vase of some sort. It wasn’t tall, though, more long and shallow and made of polished clay. Koushi eyed Noya and Asahi suspiciously and opened the other parcel. It contained a pack of seeds and a small booklet explaining how to grow your own Bonsai tree. The omega’s mouth made a small ‘o’ shape as he finally figured out what it was they’d bought him.

“Apparently it can take up to like twenty years to fully grow,” Noya explained as Suga flipped through the booklet, “So we thought you and the pup could work on it together as he or she grows, too.”

A single tear spilled down Suga’s cheek and Asahi floundered as Daichi stepped behind the sofa and squeezed his mate’s shoulders, leaning down to whisper into his ear,

“We’ll make sure they both grow perfectly,” he smiled at Asahi and Nishinoya, “Great idea, thanks.”

Suga was still a little choked up at the idea of growing the tree with his child but smiled warmly at his pack-mates and accepted the final parcel, this one from Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. The pregnant omega noticed Tadashi trying to get a better view of him opening the gift, almost as if he himself didn’t know what he’d bought him, and so he patted the space beside him on the sofa and Tadashi parked his bottom down, eager eyes wide as Suga tore open the paper. Whatever was inside was soft and felt like fleece as he pulled it from the confines of the wrapping paper, taking a moment to fully absorb what it was he was looking at.

Staring back at Suga, on the cover of a very soft cushion, was Daichi’s face. His mate had never enjoyed his photograph being taken but that particular image of him looked like it had been taken candidly, or maybe as a surprise attack. The alpha looked shocked and kind of irritated, frozen on the soft fabric for all eternity. On the sofa beside Suga, Tadashi’s face was contorted into one of horror; he looked ashamed at the gift and was glaring daggers at Tsukki when Suga finally let the laugh out that he’d been desperately trying to hold in so as not to offend the pair. He wiped tears – of laughter this time - from his brown eyes and tried to catch his breath between guffaws.

“This is amazing!” he held it up next to Daichi’s real face and another bout of laughter erupted from him, “It captures you perfectly, Dai!”

The alpha snatched it from his mate and whacked him over the head with it, his own face contorted by laughing so much. Yamaguchi, however, still looked mortified as he yanked Tsukishima’s wrist so that the alpha was bent over next to him.

“What the heck is that?!” he angrily whispered into Tsukki’s ear, “It’s awful!” He turned to Suga, “I am so sorry, Suga-san! I was still going through my heat so Tsukki bought it without me!”

Kei tugged his wrist free gently and cleared his throat, speaking to the whole room, “That was just the free gift I got with the actual present.” He handed Suga a small box covered in dinosaur gift wrap and straightened his glasses in an attempt to hide his blush.

Quickly, so as not to torture poor Tadashi any longer, Suga unwrapped the box and looked at the picture on the box inside.

“Oh! Thank you!” Suga smiled widely and showed the box to Daichi, “An instant camera!”

Yamaguchi’s jaw slackened at the sight of the gift, the really great gift, and he threaded his fingers through Tsukki’s as he whispered a ‘sorry’ towards his mate.

“I’m going to capture even more great moments like this one,” Suga patted the cushion with Daichi’s face on and stuck out his tongue as the alpha tried to snatch it away.

The rest of the evening continued with laughter, too much food and far too many candid photographs of the pack doing various ridiculous things. Suga managed to capture Noya balancing on Tanaka’s shoulders – well the actual photo was of the tiny omega falling from Ryuu’s shoulders but the beta insisted that it still counted – and he even took one of Kageyama with cake icing on his nose before the raven-haired alpha realised it was there, much to Hinata’s delight. Asahi got a good shot of Suga and Daichi having a sweet moment touching Suga’s bump and Tadashi somehow managed to take a perfect photo of his thumb as it was in the way of the lens. By the time the party was starting to filter out, there was a small pile of photographs on the sofa, evidence of a time well spent.

As Nishinoya, Yamaguchi and Asahi started to clear away the plates and tackle the washing up, Suga was beginning to nod off in the armchair. He was laid across Daichi’s lap and every few seconds his head flopped towards the alpha’s shoulder before snapping back into position in a feeble attempt to stay awake. It wasn’t working, however, and Daichi quickly decided to retire to their room for the evening. He stood up, his mate in his arms like a princess, and thanked everyone for the party before heading down the hall to their room where he carefully laid Koushi on the bed. The omega stirred and propped his elbow on the bed as Daichi changed into his pyjamas.

“I think this was the best birthday ever,” Koushi lay on his back as his mate peeled off his pants and pulled on his bed shorts for him.

Daichi’s hands made their way under the omega’s t-shirt, sliding up over his small bump as he pulled the shirt over his head, “Mhmm, good,” he kissed Suga’s collarbone, nibbling a little as Koushi gasped.

“I’m so ~ahh~ happy here,” Koushi lifted his hands above his head as Daichi moved to kiss his lips, only to come face to face with his own mugshot on the cushion. At some point someone had snook into their room and placed it on the bed, it may even have been Suga himself in preparation for this very moment.

“Oh, for...” Daichi slapped the cushion aside to reveal his mate’s blushing, chuckling face and in that moment he believed that he’d never seen Suga looking so beautiful or so happy and he stopped his groping for a moment to fully absorb the scene before him, feeling utterly grateful that he got to spend the rest of his life with such a wonderful mate.

“Thanks for the party, Dai,” Suga’s voice was muffled by sleep as he and the alpha snuggled under the covers, “I love you.”

“We all love you, that’s why we did it,” Daichi looped his arms around his love’s torso, inhaling his sweet scent deeply, “Now get some sleep you old geezer.”

“Hey,” Suga mumbled, already half asleep and too far gone to really put up much of a fight, “I’m not that old!”

Chapter Text

Almost a month had passed since Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had had their first attempt at creating a pup. The time seemed to have dragged on, going in slow motion as the pair waited impatiently for the moment they could finally use a pregnancy test and see if Tadashi was expecting. Omegas had to wait at least twenty days after mating to use a test successfully, anything earlier and the test wouldn’t work properly. It was a trying time for the two of them and not one Kei wanted to repeat if possible, he just wanted to know the results already.

The alpha didn’t even realise he’d been dreaming about Tadashi taking the test until he was woken up by a draft coming from the bedroom door, which stood ajar. He felt for his glasses and looked through them at the alarm clock: 3:54am. His hands reached over to loop around Tadashi only to rest on the crumpled sheets, his omega nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he’d gone to the bathroom or to get a glass of water but something in the back of his mind was telling Kei to go and check, just in case. He yawned as he shuffled down the hall and his eyes suddenly widened as the scent of freshly cut grass – Tadashi – mixed with an overwhelming wave of negativity that hit him square in the chest. It was as if he was feeling the emotions himself but he knew all too well that they were indeed his mate’s feelings, flowing into him through their bond.

Kei rushed into the bathroom where Tadashi’s scent was strongest and found the freckled omega sitting on the edge of the bathtub, staring at his hands with his head lowered. He was mewling softly as tears dripped onto his bare thighs, so engrossed in his own head that he didn’t even notice the alpha approach until Tsukki sat down beside him and wrapped a long arm around his trembling shoulders.

“What’s wrong?” Kei could already guess what had his mate so upset but he needed to hear it from the omega himself, just to clarify his doubts.

Tadashi looked up into his mate’s golden eyes, his own rimmed with red as he swiped at his tears. He shook his head and handed Tsukki a small plastic stick, “I wanted to surprise you with the good news,” he sniffed loudly and shrugged, “But it was negative.”

The alpha looked blankly at the small piece of plastic that had upset his mate and wanted to snap it in half for being so mean. Stupid really, that an inanimate object could inflict such pain, but he hated it nonetheless. He hated its stupid pink case and its stupid single blue line. But he needed to be strong for Yamaguchi and forced a slim smile onto his face as he stroked his other hand through the omega’s hair.

“That’s okay,” he wiped a stray tear from Tadashi’s starry cheek, “It just means we get to try again, right?” He smiled again, this time a little more genuine, “And that was the fun part, wasn’t it?”

The omega’s lip twitched into something almost resembling a smile and he leaned his head against Tsukki’s shoulder, “I just had high hopes, you know? But you’re right, we’ll definitely do it next time!”

He nuzzled Kei’s scent glands and the alpha responded with a kiss to his forehead before he felt Tadashi jostling against his neck. Thinking he was crying again, Tsukishima lifted his mate’s head, only to find an expression of humour rather than misery. He tilted his head in confusion as the omega pointed to the stick in Kei’s hand.

“Tsukki,” he chuckled, “You do know I peed on that right?”

The plastic stick clattered to the floor as Kei realised his mistake and Tadashi couldn’t hold in his laughter any longer. The alpha allowed it this time, even if it was at his expense, he was just happy to see his mate smiling once again. Plus, he thought as they walked back to their room hand in hand, they could look forward to trying for a pup once more when Tadashi’s next heat rolled around. That was always fun.

“Kou, have you seen my blue shirt with the white collar?” Daichi hopped on one leg as he pulled on a sock, already knowing he was going to be late for work at the rate he was going. When his mate didn’t reply he huffed and waved his arms in front of the omega’s face as Suga stared into space from his spot on the bed, “Earth to Koushi, have you seen my work shirt?”

Suga’s orbit was interrupted as Daichi flailed in front of him and he blinked up at his alpha, eyes wide and innocent, “Huh? No, I haven’t seen it.”

“I’ll have to wear my old one,” he raked through the wardrobe until finally finding the older shirt and started buttoning it up, all fingers and thumbs as the clock ticked loudly like it was clicking its tongue at how late Daichi was going to be.

Something seemed to suddenly snap into place with Koushi and he frowned up at his mate, a little irked as he asked, “You’re at work today?”

The alpha stopped buttoning and started on his tie as he nodded, “Yeah, I told you last night.”

“You did?” Suga pouted and tugged on his pyjama top, which was pulled taught across his substantial bump, “I don’t remember.”

Finally, Daichi stopped flapping and perched on the end of the bed next to his mate. He placed his palm flat against Koushi’s belly and leaned in to scent the omega, releasing a little more pheromones so that the aroma would last until he got home. Beneath his touch, Suga relaxed a little and leaned into Daichi’s neck to inhale his smoky scent a little more. He looped his arms around the alpha’s neck and whispered into his ear,

“Do you have to go?”

Something tugged at Daichi’s conscience but he pushed it away. He was only going to be working for another month or so and needed to keep his resolve until then if they wanted to be living on anything other than bread and water for the next few months. With a sigh, the alpha pushed Koushi to arm’s length and took his soft hands in his own slightly calloused ones, kissing each long finger as he spoke.

“We need the money, Kou,” he held Suga’s hands to his nose and inhaled his sweet scent, “It’s only for the next few weeks and then I’ll be home to take care of you, okay?”

“Promise?”

Daichi nodded and released another wave of soothing pheromones, “I promise. I’ll be home around six,” he stood up and pressed a firm kiss to Koushi’s silver hair, “Love you.”

And with that he was gone. Suga sighed shakily and rubbed his belly, which growled loudly, interrupting his moment of contemplation. He chuckled and nodded, lips in a firm line as he shook any negative thoughts from his mind.

“I suppose you’re hungry now, huh?”

At five and a half months along, Koushi finally looked pregnant; his t-shirts all rode up his bump and he was struggling to find anything that fit other than sweatpants to wear on his lower half. He didn’t really mind, though, it all just showed that his pup was growing and getting stronger and his constant hunger certainly indicated that the baby in his belly was going to be demanding from the get-go. The omega sighed and made his way to the kitchen, tugging on his pyjama top subconsciously as the smell of warm pancakes filled his nostrils.

In the kitchen, Yamaguchi was at the stove with the frying pan as he poured in some pancake mix whilst Tsukishima devoured his third of the morning. The tall alpha had broken up from university for the summer, as had Tobio and Shouyou, and they were all currently waiting in line for Tadashi’s scrumptiously-smelling breakfast. When said omega saw Suga pad into the kitchen, however, the line was disrupted as he handed Koushi the newest pancake.

“Oh!” Suga made himself comfortable at the table and didn’t hesitate to tuck into the sweet delight, “Yum! Thanks, Tadashi!”

The others waited patiently for their turn and then joined the silver-haired omega at the kitchen table, quiet for once as they savoured the flavours of the various spreads they’d chosen. Suga was about to ask for a second pancake but paused when he caught Tadashi staring at his stomach, eyes wide and freckled cheeks slightly pink. A faint crease had formed between the young omega’s eyebrows, unusual for the ever-smiling Yamaguchi, and Suga couldn’t help but notice the way Tsukishima kept glancing through his glasses at his mate, as though making sure he was still present. Knowing they’d been trying for a pup, Suga wondered if Tadashi’s fascination had something to do with the fact that he might be expecting too. He smiled and snapped the freckled omega from his daze.

“Oh, sorry for staring, Suga-san,” Tadashi’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red, “I zoned out for a second there.”

“That’s okay,” Suga leaned over the table a little and spoke quietly, “How’s everything going?” He tried to gesture between the pair with his eyebrows but ended up looking a little deranged.

Tadashi chuckled, “Good, thanks...” Tsukki took his mate’s hand and entwined their fingers together as he took a sip of coffee and Yamaguchi sighed, “Well, I took a pregnancy test.”

The argument Hinata and Kageyama had been having about which topping was better (jam or syrup) fell silent at Yamaguchi’s words and the redhead’s eyes widened.

“You’re pregnant?!” Hinata gaped.

Tadashi shook his head, eyes on the table, “No, it was negative.”

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Suga rubbed his bump with one hand and took Tadashi’s hand with the other, “It’ll happen when it’s meant to, don’t worry.”

The younger omega nodded, thankful for such a supportive pack, “I know,” he turned to his mate, “We’re staying positive, right Tsukki?”

Kei mumbled a ‘shut up, Tadashi’ but smiled and ruffled his mate’s hair nonetheless.

The small group finished their breakfast with a little more chatter than before and then Tadashi suggested they all head into the garden once they were dressed to check out the new flowers he’d planted and to see if the vegetable patch had sprouted anything of interest yet. He’d planted some potatoes, tomatoes and even some cabbages a few weeks prior but wasn’t quite sure of how to care for them and worried that he was doing something wrong.

It was already hot outside, even though it was still morning, and Suga could have sworn he could see ripples of heat rising from the garden path like a mirage in a desert. He fanned himself with his birthday gift from Tanaka and watched as Hinata darted to the flowerbeds and gazed in awe at the brightly blooming tulips and daffodils that now lined the outside of the house. They looked like a painting, too colourful to be real, and Tobio couldn’t help but compare the omega’s hair to that of the flower’s petals.

“They’re looking good,” Tsukishima placed his hand on Tadashi’s shoulder as the omega crouched beside the vegetable plot and eyed the tiny sprouts of a tomato plant suspiciously. He looked like he didn’t quite trust the new plant to produce what it should and Tsukki had to hide his smirk when his mate suddenly poked at the new leaves as though scolding them for being so slow. The alpha was about to tease him some more when a disembodied voice suddenly echoed into the garden.

“Hello down there!”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes as he spotted Nishinoya in the large oak tree at the bottom of the garden. The tiny omega was perched on a branch halfway up the tree with what looked like a bundle of rope in his arms. It swung down to where Asahi-san was standing below, the alpha looking more and more anxious with every movement his mate made.

“What’re you doing?!” Hinata seemed to have teleported to the tree and now stood in its shadow, neck bent so that he could look up at his shorter senpai.

“We’re making a swing,” Asahi held up the piece of wood in his arms that shaped the seat as Noya secured some metal staples into the thick bark above.

“It’s for the pup,” Yuu smirked, legs dangling as he straddled the branch, “But it’ll be strong enough for adults too!”

The rest of the group had gathered beneath the tree but with every swing of the hammer by Noya, Asahi was getting more and more agitated. The omega looked unsteady as he braced himself against the trunk and his feet kept slipping, giving his alpha a small heart attack every time his sneaker dangled over the edge, dislodging a piece of bark each time.

“Um, Suga-san, maybe you should stand back a little,” it was Tsukishima who had spoken as he grabbed Yamaguchi’s arm and pulled him away from the ever-teetering Noya, worried that his senpai was about to plummet to the ground like a baby bird falling from the nest.

Suga nodded and stepped back into the glare of the sunlight just as Nishinoya’s foot slipped one last time and the libero tumbled off the branch into the open air. Yuu’s arms flailed helplessly as he dropped from the branch – which was a good twelve feet off the ground – and fell to the earth below. Asahi tried to catch his mate, the seat of the swing tossed aside without a second thought, but he was a fraction too late and heard the sickening crunch of bone as Nishinoya’s body collided with the lawn.

“YUU!”

“AHH!” Hinata tugged at his orange hair desperately, “SENPAI!”

Asahi was at his mate’s side instantly, large hands hovering helplessly over his small frame as the omega lay motionless on the grass. He looked even smaller than usual, like an abandoned puppy left in the street, and for a brief moment the alpha couldn’t see his mate breathing. It was only when Suga knelt down beside him that Asahi saw Noya stir and his own heart started beating once again. The omega opened his eyes, squinting up at his mate’s face – which was framed by the gleaming sun, making him look even more like a Jesus figure – and he smiled, humoured by the image. Of course, Asahi thought he was simply smiling at him out of relief at being alive and the alpha carded his fingers through Yuu’s hair in an attempt to soothe him whilst Suga checked him over.

Suga knew first aid from working at the kindergarten and thoroughly checked Yuu for any signs of concussion or spinal injury before letting him sit upright. He then moved onto his limbs and concluded that his legs were fine before taking a closer look at his arms. Noya’s left arm was fine, save for a couple of scratches, but his right arm looked a little odd.

“Um… Can you bend your arm for me?” Suga asked as he gently held Noya’s elbow.

Thinking everyone was just making a big fuss, Noya did as he was instructed only to be rewarded with a huge stabbing pain that shot from his wrist to his elbow like a bolt of electricity. He hissed through his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the definite look of horror that would be currently etched on his mate’s face.

“Yeah,” Suga released Noya’s elbow and laid a heavy hand on Asahi’s shoulder, “He needs to go to the hospital.”

Chapter Text

Without having to hear another word from Suga, Asahi scooped Noya up into his arms and dashed towards the side of the house where his car was parked. Hinata ran into the house and got the keys after being ordered to by Suga and then the group was scrambling to get into the vehicle, everyone trying to fit at once. It was only a five-seater, however, and they quickly realised that not everyone was going to be able to go to the hospital with Nishinoya. Tsukishima was the first to try and resolve the situation swiftly as he took Yamaguchi’s hand and entwined their fingers.

“We’ll stay here and let the others know what happened,” he turned to Suga and suggested, “Maybe you should stay here too, Suga-san.”

Although Koushi had wanted to go with Noya for moral support (for the ever-worrying Asahi more than anything) he understood that Tsukishima was trying to look out for him in his own, straightforward way and nodded as he stepped aside to let Hinata and Kageyama into the car. Shouyou rolled down the window as Asahi started the engine and promised he’d take care of their smallest omega, determination in his bright eyes.

Asahi stepped on the gas a little too forcefully and Hinata and Kageyama slammed into their seats with force, the alpha quickly helping Shouyou with his seatbelt so that the omega wouldn’t suddenly end up through the windscreen if Asahi-san happened to brake swiftly in his mad dash to the hospital. Although grateful for his mate’s tenacity, Yuu placed his good hand on his alpha’s thigh and tapped it gently,

“I know you’re worried,” another wave of strong alpha pheromones wafted through the car and Hinata felt his head grow foggy as Noya continued, “But we want to get there in one piece, Asahi.”

The car slowed a little as Asahi tried to control his emotions and he took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. He’d always been one to worry over every little thing and, even though he was indeed an alpha, he grew anxious when something troubling happened and would usually jump to the worst possible conclusion, especially when it involved his tiny mate. Knowing he was being relied upon now, however, Asahi nodded firmly and set his jaw, determined to be the best alpha and mate he could be when Noya needed him most. With a sweating hand, he brushed through his omega’s hair, which still had a few leaves stuck in it, and got his pheromones in check.

“Sorry, Yuu,” he glanced in the rearview mirror at his slightly nervous passengers, “Sorry guys, I just… I just need to make sure Yuu’s okay.”

Noya huffed, “I’m fine!” Although the small flinch as his right arm knocked against the door didn’t go unnoticed by Asahi.

It seemed to take hours to get to the hospital but it had in fact only been about thirty minutes since they’d left the den. Asahi parked haphazardly on the side of the road and Tobio noticed a sign that read ‘NO PARKING’ briefly before following the older pack members into the building. Noya had protested against being carried in like a damsel in distress and so Asahi simply pushed at the omega’s back, making his shorter legs move as fast as possible towards the emergency waiting area. He felt like a criminal being pushed towards his cell but knew that any more struggling or protests would lead to the alpha simply picking him up again, the last thing Noya wanted.

After giving Yuu’s name at the reception desk, Asahi joined the others as they sat in green plastic chairs – the one Hinata occupied had someone’s name carved into it and an obscene drawing of the male anatomy – and waited for Noya’s name to be called. A little girl sitting opposite them with bright ginger hair waved at Shouyou and he returned the gesture with an added smile, making the girl huddle a little closer to her mother. That was the most action they saw as they sat for another hour in the pastel blue room that smelled of bleach and old soda. A few times a nurse called someone’s name and they glanced her way but after three or four false alarms the boys were starting to lose faith and Noya was starting to look a little pasty.

“How’re you feeling, Noya-senpai?” Hinata asked as he leaned forward in his chair.

“Hmm?” the small omega had been staring at the ‘Out of Order’ sign on the vending machine opposite and he had to shake his head a little to regain his focus, “What?”

Asahi brushed hair from Noya’s forehead, feeling the slight clamminess of his skin, “He said ‘how’re you feeling’?”

If he was being honest with himself, Noya felt a little sick. He stomach was gurgling unpleasantly and his mouth was dry but the pain in his arm was definitely the icing on the cake. When he’d first fallen it hadn’t really hurt too bad but after sitting for over an hour with what he assumed was a broken bone his arm was now throbbing painfully with every beat of his heart. It was hard to concentrate on anything else and he didn’t even notice he’d started to whine softly until Asahi’s eyes bulged and the alpha sat forward, arms raised helplessly at his side.

“Does it hurt?! Should I get a nurse?”

Noya shook his head and the whining subsided, “No, it’s okay, I’ll wait...” he turned to his kouhais, “Could you maybe find a working vending machine and get me a coke?”

Hinata saluted obediently and dragged Tobio to his feet before marching off down the hallway in search of a soda machine. Once alone, Noya allowed himself to lean into Asahi’s broad shoulder and whimper a little, finally letting his omegan instincts take over.

“Shh,” Asahi cooed as he stroked Noya’s hair, “We’ll get you fixed up soon.”

Noya sniffed, “It hurts pretty bad,” he laughed softly, “I almost fell on you!”

“Well I tried to catch you but I guess I just don’t have those libero reflexes.”

Yuu chuckled into his mate’s shirt as he inhaled Asahi’s scent, “You should work on your receives, Ace.”

“Nishinoya Yuu?” A lady in a nurse’s uniform glanced around the room and the pair followed her down a short corridor into a small room.

Once inside, Yuu perched on the end of the small bed, ruffling the paper cover as he struggled to balance with only one working arm and Asahi stood beside him, too agitated to sit. The nurse worked a practised smile onto her tired face and asked the omega a few questions about what happened before examining his arm. Thankfully he was wearing a t-shirt and so she could see the damage without Noya having to remove anything.

“I’m just going to press in a few places.”

The nurse – she said her name was Akiko – pushed gently against Noya’s skin in a few places until the omega suddenly whimpered and flinched back, tears pricking his eyes. Asahi held his good hand and squeezed it a little tighter as Akiko nodded and typed something into the computer before ushering the pair towards the x-ray department.

Meanwhile, Kageyama and Hinata had managed to find a working vending machine and stepped back into the waiting area with four cans of soda only to be greeted by a few stranger’s faces and no sign of Asahi or Noya. They exchanged a cautious glance and Hinata whispered, wary of the numerous pairs of eyes watching them as they stood motionless in the centre of the room.

“Where did they go?”

Tobio shrugged, “Maybe they got called in?”

Hinata didn’t seem convinced, “What if something bad happened? What if Nishinoya-senpai’s arm fell off!”

The alpha shoved a can of lemonade into the omega’s stupid face to shut him up and was about to go and ask at the reception desk where the others were when the familiar boisterous tones of Nishinoya filled the air. The short omega was grinning widely, a spring in his step as he waved his right arm in the air for all to see. It had been plastered with a bright green cast and was draped in a sling over Noya’s shoulder, obviously meant to keep it in a certain position but not doing a very good job of it as yet.

“Whoa!” Shouyou’s eyes bulged at the cast, examining it like a fine piece of art, “So cool, senpai!”

Noya nodded, a smug look on his face, “Right?! I chose the colour, too."

Kageyama yanked the redhead by his collar, wary that he might accidentally knock Noya’s arm, and Asahi seemed to relax a little. The older alpha looked worse off than his mate, pale and sweating, but he also looked somewhat relieved that his omega had finally been treated and they could now take him home and look after him. He didn’t like the weird smell of hospitals and he was uneasy when other people were touching Yuu, even if they were doctors.

“The doctor says it’ll take about a month to heal,” Yuu said as they headed back to the car, “And I have to keep it dry. He gave me some painkillers too, just for the first week or so.”

“And no more tree climbing,” Asahi added as he peeled the ticket from his windscreen and frowned at the small fine he’d received for parking so recklessly.

“Let’s go home,” Noya sighed and listened to his gut gurgle, “I’m starving!”

Back at the den, Suga had been sitting in the garden at the wooden picnic table Tanaka and Ennoshita had put together, reading a book about pregnancy. He now sat frozen, however, as he stared wide-eyed at his rounded stomach. The book was set aside and he didn’t even notice as it flopped lazily off the edge of the bench into the grass below as he was so transfixed by his abdomen. He waited a minute, then two and then it happened again. Something moved under his skin, a ripple of undulation that he could feel from inside his belly like a foreign entity occupying his body. He placed his hand atop the bump and waited but when he felt the flutter again he could only feel it from the inside, like a group of tiny butterflies with wings brushing against the inside of his skin. Softly, without even realising, tears spilled from Koushi’s eyes as he smiled down at his bump, his pup and he whispered a soft ‘hello’ as the fluttering subsided for the moment.

When Tadashi and Kei entered the garden with sandwiches and freshly made lemonade, they were startled to find Suga sitting staring at his stomach with damp cheeks and watery eyes. So much so, in fact, that Yamaguchi shoved the plate of sandwiches he was carrying into his mate’s already-full arms and ran to the pregnant omega’s side, leaving Tsukki balancing the glasses and plates like a cheap circus act.

“Suga-san! Are you okay? Did something happen?!” Tadashi had his hands on Suga’s shoulders, eyes wide and fearful.

Suga shook his head, finally peeling his eyes from his stomach, “Not really. I just… felt it."

“You did?!” the freckled omega’s voice went up an octave, “Can I?!” Suga shook his head and Tadashi took is as a ‘no’, his own head lowering disappointedly, “Oh… Okay.”

“No,” Suga lifted Yamaguchi’s chin gently, “I just mean you can’t feel it from the outside yet, I tried.”

“Oh!” Tadashi brightened instantly and gestured for Tsukki to join them at the table, which the alpha did, albeit with difficulty.

They were just finishing off the sandwiches when the others returned from the hospital, Noya immediately showing off his new cast like a trophy he’d received and Asahi looking like a man just returning from war. Suga laughed at the bearded alpha’s worn expression and reminded him that everything was okay, it could have been much worse.

“Does it hurt?” Tadashi was inspecting Noya’s cast, long fingers gently tapping the rough surface.

Yuu shrugged, “A little. But the doc said that it should stop in a few days.” He turned to Suga, “Did we miss anything exciting?”

The silver-haired omega shook his head, “Nothing in particular.”

“Suga-san felt the pup move!” Tadashi gushed, somehow more excited than Suga himself.

“Shut up, Tadashi,” Tsukishima poked his mate in his rosy cheek and Tadashi blushed brightly.

He suddenly realised that he’d been a little too enthusiastic about telling everyone and turned to Suga, eyebrows raised as he spoke apologetically, “Sorry, I got a little too excited.”

Suga chuckled, “That’s alright. Just let me be the one to tell Daichi, okay?”

“He’s going to freak out when he finds out he missed it,” Kei grinned slyly, “I can’t wait to see.”

Chapter Text

“It’s not here, either,” Tanaka scratched his shaven head and shrugged, “I guess I must’ve left it at work or something.”

Ennoshita’s eyebrow rose quizzically, “Your shirt? Why would you take your shirt off at work?”

Another shrug from the beta, “No idea. Maybe I got hot?”

Chikara laughed and handed his boyfriend - it still felt strange to say - another t-shirt. Tanaka had wanted a certain one when he’d gotten home from work but couldn’t find it anywhere, hence their detective skills rearing their heads. He soon forgot about the shirt, however, when he and Chikara moved into the living room where most of the pack were gathered, save for Daichi who was on his way home from work, and clocked Nishinoya’s arm in its cast and sling.

“Whoa, Yuu!” the beta clambered onto the sofa next to his best friend and scanned his small arm with wide eyes, “What the hell happened?!”

Noya shrugged, wincing a little as the painkillers started to wear off, “A battle wound. I fought a tree and lost.”

“Ouch,” Tanaka’s nose curled up as he made himself comfortable next to Chikara and started to watch whatever nonsense game show was on TV.

The rest of the pack was doing the same; Yamaguchi was munching on some peanuts as he and Tsukki zoned out with the show, Asahi and Noya were watching too, although the alpha had most of his concentration on his mate as Noya seemed somewhat uncomfortable with his sling and kept trying to readjust his arm awkwardly. Hinata and Kageyama migrated to the kitchen to attempt to make something for dinner – everyone had an assigned day for dinner duty but not every member of the pack was up to the challenge to not give everyone food poisoning. And finally Suga lay sideways across the armchair, legs dangling over the armrest as he snored softly, one hand on his bump protectively.

When the sound of the front door opening and closing reached their ears, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima exchanged a mischievous glance and waited for the head alpha to announce his return. Earlier, when Suga-san had felt the pup move, Kei couldn’t help but think of how irked Daichi would be that he’d missed its first movement and he waited impatiently for Suga to wake up and tell his mate all about it. Petty, yes, but entertaining nonetheless.

“I’m home,” Daichi was already removing his tie as he planted a gentle kiss on Suga’s forehead, rousing the omega from his doze.

Upon inhaling his mate’s scent, Suga smiled and sat himself upright as Daichi planted a kiss on his belly and squashed himself onto the chair beside him. They scented one another in silence, Daichi’s strong alpha pheromones momentarily making every omega in the room a little heady as they had become extremely potent the past couple of weeks, perhaps because Suga had finally started to look pregnant and the alpha felt the need to claim him even more so than before. Not that anyone minded; it just meant that Daichi loved Suga all the more.

“Welcome home,” Suga sighed, a little scent drunk and still a little dozy from sleep.

“Anything exciting happen today?” Daichi asked, stroking his fingers through his mate’s silver hair as Tadashi and Kei leaned forward a little, anticipating the alpha’s reaction.

“Noya snapped his arm clean off,” Tanaka stated as he gestured wildly to Yuu’s cast.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had been so preoccupied with how Daichi would react to missing the pup’s movement that they’d almost forgotten about poor Nishinoya’s broken arm. They watched now as the tiny omega shook his head and leaned a little closer to Asahi, letting the alpha explain just what had happened.

“Why didn’t anyone call me?!” Daichi seemed annoyed that he’d been kept out of the loop.

“What would you have done?” Suga asked, a smirk on his face, “Ran home and caught him?”

Daichi shook his head, “No, but… I’m the head alpha, I should do something.”

Another shake of the head from Yuu, “Asahi was here, it’s fine. I’ll be better in no time.”

Whilst Daichi poured himself a nice tall glass of guilt, the pair in the kitchen were fighting their own war, this time against a large pan of pasta. They’d set the pan on to boil with enough pasta in it to feed an army, neither alpha nor omega knew how much was the right amount and didn’t want anyone going hungry. And the large pan was currently bubbling angrily on the stove, the metal lid wobbling and clinking as the boiling water raged beneath it like a volcano about to erupt. Hinata was too busy with the sauce to notice his pasta’s peril, however, and groaned as he tried to remove the lid from the jar only for it to suddenly spin off into the stratosphere, covering his face and neck in the thick red pulp. That was the last straw for Kageyama. He exploded into a fit of laughter as the omega pouted, still diligently pouring the sauce into a smaller pan to heat it up.

The redhead looked extremely cute covered in sauce and trying his best to cook, so cute in fact that Tobio wrapped his arms around Hinata’s waist from behind and licked some of the tomato mess from the back of his neck. The spot where their bond mark would be, should be. Shouyou’s heat had come a week or so after he’d had the flu and the pair had started the process to become a proper mated pair only for the omega to chicken out at the last minute. He said he really did want to be mated with Kageyama but the timing didn’t feel quite right somehow. Suffice to say, the alpha had been a little damaged by Hinata’s words but his love for the omega outweighed his alpha pride and he promised himself he’d wait until they were both truly ready.

He felt the omega shudder beneath his touch and smiled thinly, blue eyes sparkling teasingly.

“Don’t,” Hinata mumbled as he tried to concentrate on stirring the sauce, “I’m cooking, it’s dangerous!”

“’Cooking’?” the alpha cocked an eyebrow, “Is that what this is?”

That earned him a slap on the cheek with a wooden spoon just as Daichi shuffled into the kitchen to see how long dinner was going to be. When he absorbed the scene of Hinata’s face and neck covered in red, the head alpha almost passed away, thinking the omega had been attacked or perhaps scolded. He quickly realised it was simply sauce, however, and managed to compose himself enough to ask,

“Um, how long do you think it’ll be?”

Kageyama removed the dancing lid from the pasta pan and an enormous plume of thick steam filled the kitchen. He replied with a shrug that Daichi couldn’t see through the haze.

“Um...” Hinata wafted his arm in front of his face to clear the steam, “A couple of minutes? Someone can set the table now if they like.”

“Right...” Daichi didn’t hold out much hope for their food but called the rest of the pack into the kitchen as he quickly changed into something other than his uniform.

When the alpha returned, the entire pack was already tucking into the pasta, which had somehow turned out okay. Kageyama and Hinata beamed as Tanaka asked for a second helping and Shouyou almost fainted when Suga and Asahi also held out their bowls for more. Noya was struggling to use the fork with his left hand and kept launching the pasta swirls across the table as he tried to spear them carefully. He was starting to lose patience with it when Asahi gently took the fork and loaded it with pasta before aeroplaning it into his mate’s open mouth. Yuu chewed it grumpily, already sick of being an invalid.

Opposite, on the other side of the table, Suga had stopped eating abruptly and grimaced as he rubbed at his chest and took a long swig of water. It didn’t go unnoticed by Daichi, heck if Suga breathed the wrong way it didn’t go unnoticed by Daichi, and the alpha gently patted his mate’s back as he asked,

“You okay?” He’d tried to be quiet as he knew Koushi hated a fuss but the lull in the conversation had fallen at just the wrong time and everyone’s attention turned to the pregnant omega.

Suga cleared his throat and nodded, “Yeah, just a little indigestion. I think the pasta sauce is a little rich for me.”

Shouyou gasped, “Ah! That’s all my fault! I spilt it over me so I put in an extra can of chopped tomatoes to make up for it! Sorry, Suga-san!”

The silver-haired omega waved off Hinata’s concern, “Don’t be silly. It tasted great, I just need to sit for a minute or two.”

Daichi continued to rub circles on Koushi’s back, “Shh, just relax.”

“Speaking of relaxing,” Chikara put his fork down and tried not to catch anyone’s eyes, “Those tickets I got you for your birthday,” he glanced up at Suga, who looked a little better already, “For the hot spring? They’ll be out of date soon...”

“OH!” Tanaka stood up and knocked his empty bowl over, “Let’s go!”

Daichi looked concerned as he glanced between Yuu and Suga, “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like the best time what with Yuu’s arm and Koushi’s… Koushi."

Somewhat of a cold breeze seemed to blow in the alpha’s direction as his mate glared at him, lip jutting out as he pouted,

“Koushi’s what?! I’m not ill! I can still do things!”

“Ah, I just meant-”

“And I can go, too!” Yuu grinned, “As long as I keep my arm dry it’ll be fine!”

Daichi sighed, defeated by the headstrong omegas, “Okay, okay!” he turned to Ennoshita, “When would be the best time to go?”

“Well, it’s two days and two nights, right?” the beta shrugged, “I guess when everyone can make it. I’m not at work the next few days and no one’s back at college ‘til next week, right?”

Tanaka whipped out his phone, thumbs manically texting. After a few seconds he gave a thumbs-up, “Someone’s covering for me at work, I’m good to go!”

“Dai?” Suga stared at his mate, eyes wide and pleading as the alpha shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“I’m at work the rest of the week…” he saw Koushi’s eyebrows knit together and grabbed the omega’s cheeks between his palms, squashing his face, “I’ll get someone to cover. Or I’ll call in sick!”

Tsukishima’s blonde brows rose, impressed, “Wow, Daichi-san. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

The next morning, Koushi was roused from his slumber by a loud, obnoxious honking. At first he thought he was still dreaming, maybe about a giant goose or monster trucks. But as the sound continued, the omega realised that he was in fact awake and the noise was coming from the front of the house. He shifted into an upright position, which took a little more effort than he was willing to admit, and shuffled to the window to see what the commotion was all about.

Outside, in front of the farmhouse, stood a large people-carrier. It was almost a van but the sliding doors on either side had windows through which Suga could see Tanaka and Ennoshita dusting off the seats. Asahi sat behind the steering wheel with Yuu beside him (the cause of the manic honking) and Tsukishima and Yamaguchi stood off to the side, hold-all bags in hand. Somewhere in the house, Suga could hear Hinata and Kageyama shouting at one another and he could faintly smell Daichi’s strong alpha pheromones as he moved around inside the en-suite joined to their bedroom.

A moment later, Daichi popped his head into the room and removed the toothbrush from his mouth before speaking to Suga,

“Oh, you’re up!”

“How could I not be with that noise?”

“True,” Daichi gave his mate a minty peck on the cheek, “Have you seen my cap anywhere? The one with the football on it.”

Suga shook his head and moved into the bathroom to freshen up before quickly getting dressed. He hated to admit it but he was now resigned to wearing only his largest t-shirts (and Daichi’s) and sweatpants. A few of his jeans still fit but it was a struggle getting the fly all the way up, not to mention fastening the button. Still, he packed one pair in the hope that he’d be able to squeeze into them at some point during the trip. It wasn’t that he’d put on much weight with the pregnancy, in fact he was keeping as fit as he could, it was just that the circumference of his bump was growing by the day and there was no way around it, pardon the pun. He rubbed circles in it as he knelt on the floor, happy that his pup was growing big and strong, even if it did mean sacrificing his trendier clothes.

After shoving some socks and underwear into his bag, Suga then followed Daichi out of the den, locking the door behind them. Every member of the pack looked excited for the trip, even Tsukishima had a slight blush to his cheeks in anticipation of the hot springs, and when they’d all finally gotten settled in the car there was an air of childlike delight surrounding them. They were going to have a great, relaxing time for the next couple of days. Time to unwind and be totally carefree…

Hopefully.

Chapter Text

The entire pack had been in the car for almost an hour. And boy, had it been a lively one. Not ten minutes into the drive, Hinata had felt sick to his stomach and Asahi had to pull over to let the redhead regain his ‘land-legs’ before getting back into the car. It seemed to help a little, along with Kageyama’s soothing rubbing on his stomach, and eventually Hinata stopped looking so green and fell asleep against the alpha’s shoulder. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had an earphone each and were listening to Kei’s music – or at least trying to as Tanaka and Noya loudly pointed out random landmarks and passing dogs like they’d never been in a car before. Ennoshita was doing his best to give Asahi directions to the hot springs, although he’d never actually been there before, and Daichi and Suga were simply watching the world pass, fingers interlaced against the omega’s bump.

A loud gurgle erupted from Tadashi’s stomach and his freckled cheeks pinked as Tsukki smirked down at him.

“Hungry?” the tall alpha asked as the song changed in his ear.

“A little,” Tadashi shrugged, “Not desperately though. I can wait. It’s only eleven.”

Asahi glanced in the rearview mirror after hearing the others speak, “You sure? There’s a little diner coming up in a mile or so, we could stop there for something if you like?”

Yamaguchi bit his lip, not wanting to cause any unnecessary stops and slow their progress, “I’m fine, honestly. We should keep goi-”

“Let’s stop,” Koushi interrupted as all eyes fell on him, “What? I’m starving !”

Daichi chuckled and placed a peck on his mate’s cheek, “Alright, early lunch it is!”

The diner was small but practical. It was set up like a 50’s style American diner, complete with a black and white checked floor and red booths. A long silver bar ran the length of the place and as the group chose two booths by the window, a young girl in a baby pink uniform took their orders whilst pouring them some complimentary coffee.

“This place is pretty cool!” Hinata fingered the classic ketchup bottle as he turned to Asahi, “How come you knew about it, Asahi-san?”

“Yuu and I came here for his birthday once,” the alpha smiled warmly at the memory, “It was the first time we came out together as a bonded pair,” he noticed Kageyama glance at Hinata, almost greedily, but averted his eyes, “It was… different to say the least.”

Noya popped a painkiller in his mouth and gulped down some coffee, “He couldn’t keep his hands off of me,” he grinned wickedly, “Who can blame him, really,” he winked at his blushing mate, “Asahi almost punched a guy, too. It was a great birthday.”

Hinata’s eyes bugged and he gaped at Asahi, who’s head had lowered at recalling that day, “You did?! Why?”

“Well,” Asahi scratched the back of his head, trying to think of the best way to describe what it was like when they’d first bonded, “When you bond with someone, you form a connection that lasts forever. And you can suddenly feel a lot more with your mate. It’s hard to explain but I got really jealous and just kind of flipped.”

“He may not look it,” Yuu added, “But Asahi has a pretty powerful alpha side to him.”

“I’ve noticed,” Tsukishima adjusted his glasses as Tadashi tilted his head at him in confusion. The alpha ruffled his mate’s hair and continued, “It’s nothing. Just something that happened during one of your heats.”

Before anyone could comment on the matter, the waitress returned with plates piled with pancakes, waffles and two burgers – Daichi and Tanaka had decided it was never too early for a proper lunch. Hinata quickly smothered his pancakes in syrup and licked his lips in anticipation of the sugary treat as Kageyama eyed him cautiously.

“Maybe you should hold back on the syrup, I don’t want you throwing up on my lap in the car.”

Hinata took a huge bite and shook his head, “I’m fine now! I’ve gotten used to travelling!”

“You literally almost blew chunks on the way here!” Tobio whacked the back of the omega’s head and Hinata’s nose connected with the syrupy mountain on his plate. He pouted but continued to eat nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Koushi had a mouthful of waffle and blueberries and was eyeing Daichi’s fries lustfully. As the alpha turned to speak to Asahi, Suga took the opportunity and stole a couple (much to Tanaka’s amusement) and when Daichi turned back all he could do was watch as the omega dunked said fries into a pile of whipped cream on his plate and stuffed them into his waiting mouth. The alpha’s nose curled up but the look of pure joy on Koushi’s face stopped him berating him and instead he offered his mate the rest of his fries. Of course, Suga accepted the offer and began dunking more into the cream, each time with a look of utter delight on his face.

“That good, huh?” Daichi asked, nose still a little upturned at the strange concoction.

“Mhmm,” Suga nodded, mouth crammed with potato and cream.

“Another hour and we should be there,” Ennoshita tapped his phone, hoping the map was accurate, “It’s not too far.”

“Ohhh!” Hinata bounced where he sat, eyes scrunched, “I can’t wait!” His eyes suddenly burst open and he leaned across the table towards Chikara, “Are there monkeys there?! I wanna see some monkeys!”

The beta shrugged, “Err, I’m not sure. Maybe?”

“OHOHO!”

Hinata looked like he might internally combust and so Daichi called for the bill and they piled back into the car, bellies full and bladders emptied in preparation for the last leg of their journey.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Asahi leaned over Yuu to look at the GPS on his phone. It did correlate with the road they were on but that didn’t change the fact that they seemed to be driving towards a large industrial complex, rather than a secluded onsen.

“That’s the address I have,” Ennoshita shoved Tanaka’s snoring head away from his shoulder to look through the seats towards Asahi, “Do you see any signs?”

Asahi squinted through the windscreen for any signposts or the like and finally spotted an old, weathered wooden sign. He could just make out the symbol for hot springs on it underneath the moss and turned the car away from the warehouses they’d been heading towards and drove down a small lane bordered by tall bamboo. The road wound lazily and they began to steadily climb higher, towards mountains and more picturesque landscape. It certainly looked like they were finally going the right way.

“Shouldn’t be too long now,” the driver announced, confidence in his voice despite his lack of knowledge as to where they actually were.

“I’m bored ,” Hinata tugged on his seatbelt as Kageyama snored softly beside him, “I wish I could sleep again.”

“Here,” Suga handed the redhead a wad of paper and gestured towards Tanaka, who was still fast asleep against Ennoshita, “See if you can get a hole in one.”

Beaming like he’d been given permission from his mother, Hinata took aim and tossed the ball towards Tanaka’s open mouth. The car rolled a little, however, and the beta’s head flopped sideways, an elusive goal. Not to be deterred, Suga handed Hinata a second ball of paper as Daichi clicked his tongue,

“What if he chokes?” the alpha questioned their sense but didn’t stop Hinata trying for a second time.

This time the paper landed square in Tanaka’s gaping mouth and he coughed dramatically as he sat upright, like someone had prodded him with a hot poker. The rest of the pack couldn’t contain their laughter as he flailed at whatever demonic presence had woken him up and then realised it was just paper, not an atomic bomb.

“You think you’re funny, huh?” he grinned wickedly and grabbed for Hinata, the omega dodging his long arms nimbly, “I’ll get you back!”

The rest of the journey was pretty uneventful; Hinata did finally fall asleep again, as did Yamaguchi, and the others simply enjoyed the ride through the countryside, smiling as they spotted the odd deer or tractor chugging along the road.

It had started to rain when Asahi turned onto a dirt road and parked up next to a large sign that read ‘Starry Night Hot Springs’ but the area still looked picturesque as the pack unloaded their bags and stepped inside the old traditional building, Ennoshita leading the way. The beta smiled when an older lady in a pink kimono stepped out of a side room and shuffled quickly towards him, arms outstretched and pale eyes crinkled with happiness. She embraced him and told him how handsome he’d gotten before peering around to look at the others.

“Ah,” Chikara looked a little flushed, not used to the formalities, “Obaasan, this is my pack,” he turned back to his friends, “This is my aunt, Ennoshita Aina.”

Gently pushing Ennoshita aside, his aunt moved towards the group and Daichi stepped forwards, bowing as he spoke,

“Nice to meet you, I’m Sawamura and this is my mate, Sugawara,” he stood upright as Suga stepped beside him and smiled politely.

“Look at you!” she hovered over Suga’s bump but didn’t touch, “Your first?” Koushi nodded as Ennoshita’s aunt patted his arm, “Now don’t go staying too long in the water, you hear? It can get very stuffy in there!”

Koushi smiled and bowed a little, “Thank you, I won’t.”

Daichi introduced the others but left Tanaka for Ennoshita, believing it was probably best that he introduce his boyfriend on his own. For a moment, Tanaka thought that Daichi had just forgotten to mention him and he looked a little crestfallen until Chikara interlaced their fingers and pulled Ryuu a little closer to his aunt.

“Obaasan, this is Tanaka Ryuu. He’s my… my partner.” His cheeks were scarlet and Tanaka’s had started to follow suit but their anticipation was short lived as Aina-san pinched each of their cheeks and smiled warmly,

“Lovely! Now let me show you to your rooms!”

As it was only a small inn, the pack could only occupy two rooms, choosing to let three pairs in one and two in the other. Suga somehow convinced them that he needed a room with less people, although his reason for why was a little shady, and so he and Daichi were sharing with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi whilst the others settled in the slightly larger room. The actual rooms were very traditional, as expected, and Hinata wasted no time in sliding open the doors that opened on to the springs outside.

It was still raining but the droplets seemed to disappear before they reached the surface of the pools because of the steam rising from them and it didn’t feel cold at all, quite the opposite actually, even though the omega was wearing only a towel around his waist. The redhead leaned out and looked to his right only to see Tsukishima leaning out of the room next door. Although not connected inside, the separate rooms opened out onto the same hot spring, so they could enjoy the healing waters together as a pack. Hinata waved giddily at the blonde but Kei simply rolled his eyes and disappeared back inside, sliding the door shut behind him. Disappointed but not surprised, Hinata stepped back inside his room and beckoned for Kageyama to hurry up so that they could get into the water as soon as possible.

“Hold on, idiot,” Tobio slid out of his trousers and grabbed a towel to cover his modesty before kicking off his underwear.

“Oh!” Asahi had been trying to find his hairbrush and noticed the younger members stripping off, “Are we going in already?”

“Why wait?” Tobio slid open the door and whipped off Hinata’s t-shirt before shoving him outside, followed swiftly by the two betas.

Asahi turned to Noya, who had removed his coat but was struggling with his t-shirt as the cast was preventing him from getting it off, and yanked at his mate’s shirt until it finally revealed Yuu. The omega’s hair was wild from the struggle but he was smiling and managed to wiggle out of his pants before following the others outside.

“Don’t get your cast wet, Yuu!” Asahi yelled as he hopped out of his boxers.

“Yes, mother!” the omega stuck out his tongue and beckoned his mate over, “You coming?”

Without warning, Asahi charged at Noya and scooped him up before sliding into the water. The alpha held him above his head like a prized fish and Noya squirmed as the others laughed at his predicament, Tanaka almost choking as he swallowed some of the water. Finally Asahi caved and brought Yuu down into the steaming water, making sure his right arm was left safely out, and the omega pouted at him, one arm folded across his narrow chest as he sat on Asahi’s lap.

“Not funny,” Noya mumbled.

Undeterred, Asahi nuzzled his mate’s neck, scratching it slightly with his stubble, and whispered, “Is that any way to talk to your mother?”

Chapter Text

From inside their room, Yamaguchi and the others could hear the rest of the pack splashing in the water outside. Daichi briefly wondered why there was quite so much noise but decided against going out and scolding them, it was a vacation of sorts and sometimes it was good to let off some steam – figuratively and literally. He watched as Tsukishima and Yamaguchi changed out of their clothes and headed outside, the latter with his arms wrapped tightly around his freckled torso like a shy highschool girl. Turning to Suga, Daichi took of his shirt, revealing a toned, tanned torso, and asked,

“Shall we join them?”

For a moment, Suga was somewhat transfixed by his mate’s bare top but he quickly dragged his eyes to look into Daichi’s and felt his cheeks heat up as he replied,

“Maybe later.”

The alpha sensed the slight change in Suga’s pheromones – a tinge of sourness associated with worry or concern – and he stepped over to the omega, a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”

Suga averted his eyes and tugged at his t-shirt that threatened to ride up over his bump, “Nothing...”

Daichi cupped his mate’s face between his strong hands and frowned, “Hey, this is me you’re talking to, you don’t need to lie.”

Biting his lower lip, Koushi lifted his head and stroked slender fingers down Daichi’s firm abs, tracing the subtle curves of each muscle. The alpha moaned softly as Suga sighed.

“It’s just… everyone’s naked and everything is exposed, you know?” He dared a glance up into Daichi’s brown eyes and pouted slightly when his alpha’s lips curled into a small smile.

“You can leave your swimming trunks on if you want to.”

Suga chuckled and shook his head, his mate missing the point altogether, “That’s not what I mean,” he made a fist and pressed it against Daichi’s abs once more, “Everyone is so fit and toned and I’m so...” he gestured to his curving belly, “It’s embarrassing.”

Suddenly two strong alpha hands were underneath Suga’s shirt, cupping his bump firmly. The omega yipped and blushed deeply as Daichi stroked his thumbs over the tight skin, heat radiating from his fingertips.

“You are the most attractive you’ve ever been,” Daichi pressed his forehead to Suga’s, “You get more and more beautiful every day and it’s taking everything I have not to constantly jump you,” Suga couldn’t help but smile at that as his mate continued, “The pack loves you and cares for you and not one of them thinks that you’re unattractive,” the alpha’s face darkened for a moment, “In fact, I’ve caught a couple of the alphas drooling in your direction a few times since you’ve gotten pregnant.”

Suga slapped his arm, eyes wide and cheeks pink, and relaxed into his mate’s touch, “Thanks, Dai,” he let the alpha pull off his t-shirt and took his hand as they headed towards the onsen outside before whispering into Daichi’s ear, “Oh, and feel free to jump me anytime.”

It was Daichi’s turn to blush as they both stepped down into the steaming water and Suga giggled at the head alpha’s tomato complexion as the entwined their fingers beneath the surface of the water.

The entire pack was quiet for almost five solid minutes, an achievement in and of itself, until Yamaguchi suddenly yipped loudly from his spot in the corner of the bath and sprung into the air like someone had lit a flame under his butt. His freckles seemed to stand out even more than usual as he flushed crimson as everyone’s eyes darted in his direction. It was quickly obvious – to everyone but Hinata and Kageyama anyway – what had been the cause of Tadashi’s sudden jolt as Tsukishima just couldn’t hide the wide grin that formed on his smug face. He chuckled under his breath as his mate instinctively covered his crotch and Kei tilted his head, admiring his view from the back.

“You’re cruel, Tsukishima,” Suga tried not to laugh but couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face as Tadashi splashed back down into the water to hide his dignity.

“What?” Tsukki tried to feign ignorance, blonde eyebrows raised, “I think there was a snake in the water.”

“A SNAKE?!” Hinata scrambled onto Tobio’s lap like a freshly caught fish flopping on land, only to be thrown back into the water.

Kei nodded, face serious, “A python I think,” he grinned as Yamaguchi settled back down beside him, arms folded across his chest and lips pouted.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Tadashi mumbled, “It was more like an earthworm.”

That sent Tanaka into a fit of guffawing laughter and it was Tsukishima’s turn to pout. His mood didn’t last long, however, as Tadashi snuggled closer to him and rested his head against his shoulder, eyes closed in relaxation. Nishinoya was doing the same against Asahi, who kept manoeuvring his broad body to make sure his mate’s broken arm remained dry, and Suga soon found himself leaning against Daichi, totally content in the moment.

“Whew!” Hinata rubbed his forehead, which was as red as his hair, “It sure is hot in here.”

“That’s the point, idiot,” Kageyama shoved the omega’s dripping face away from his own.

“I’ve gotten used to it now,” Tadashi spoke with his eyes still closed, “I’m not that hot any more.”

“Same,” Ennoshita stretched his arms above his head and rested his elbow on Tanaka’s shoulder.

“Really?” Hinata was practically panting, steam seeming to rise from his skin as he fanned himself with his hands in an attempt to cool down, “I feel like I’m going to explode!”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Tobio grabbed Hinata’s wrist to drag him back into the water but the moment he touched his skin, the alpha felt a spark of something hotter than the water.

Noticing Kageyama’s troubled expression, Daichi sat forward, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s too early, isn’t it?” Kageyama asked no one in particular and turned back to look at his steaming boyfriend, “Shou, it’s too early.”

Nishinoya and Suga exchanged a concerned glance and the pregnant omega crawled over to where Hinata was standing in the water, eyes lidded slightly and panting like he’d just finished a marathon, “Shouyou? When was your last heat?”

“Mmnn,” the redhead scrunched his eyes and tried to think but his thoughts were cloudy, like he was wading through syrup to try and get to his memories, “Dunno...”

“It was only a couple of weeks ago,” Kageyama mumbled as he lifted the sweating omega out of the water and sat him down on the edge. As soon as he was out of the water, Tobio could instantly smell the distinct aroma of Shouyou’s heat, hot and heavy and delicious. “Why is he having another so soon?”

Suga shrugged, “I’m not sure. Sometimes unbonded omegas can have sporadic heats if they feel unsatisfied-” he noticed the raven-haired alpha’s dark expression and quickly back-peddled, “Um, unsatisfied with not having a bond, I mean!” He sighed and smiled warmly, ever the mother figure of the pack, “What I’m trying to say is, Hinata clearly wants to bond with you. And as soon as possible, I’d say.”

“Ugh!” Tanaka rubbed at his cropped hair, “Does that mean we have to listen to those two going at it for the rest of the trip?”

A firm elbow to the ribs from Chikara shut the beta up but everyone seemed to have the same question in mind. The walls were thin here and the last thing they wanted on a relaxing trip was the heavy scent of an omega in heat hanging in the air. Heck, some guest houses didn’t even allow omegas in heat to stay there because of the disruption it caused. Maybe they would have to cut the trip short.

“We could go back home, Hinata and I...” Kageyama imagined the two of them on a train or bus with Hinata’s heat in full swing and frowned deeply, “...maybe not.”

“We’ll just have to...” Hinata panted and his glassy eyes focused on his mate for a brief moment, “We’ll just have to bond here.”

Tobio’s eyes bulged and he grabbed Hinata’s shoulders firmly, “We can’t! Not here!”

The omega moaned and pressed his hand against his throbbing crotch, “Please ! I want to now, I’m ready!”

A thick, heavy aroma filled the air as Hinata fell deeper into his heat and Daichi noticed Tsukishima and Asahi looking more and more uncomfortable as the pheromones spread out further and further. As the head alpha he had to make a decision but he couldn’t just force the pair to bond, that was something they had to decide for themselves. He settled on giving them a choice and spoke firmly and loudly to try and distract the other alphas,

“The rest of us will go get some dinner in the town,” Daichi grabbed his towel and stood up, “Kageyama, you and Hinata can make a decision on what you want to do. We’ll give you as long as we can so try and figure something out while we’re gone, okay?”

Kageyama nodded and helped Shouyou back into their room whilst the others quickly changed and headed out into town to look for somewhere to eat.

It seemed awfully quiet in the room once the rest of the pack had left; on the way out, Ennoshita had told his aunt about the situation and she promised to make sure Kageyama and Hinata weren’t disturbed and so now they sat – or lay in Hinata’s case – on the futon on the floor, the omega’s pheromones quickly filling the entire room with his delicious scent.

“Tobiooo~” he whined as he squirmed naked on the futon, knees curled at his chest and cheeks flushed. Sweat trickled down his face and torso and a damp patch was forming on the fabric beneath his ass.

Kageyama crawled over to him and placed his hands at either side of the omega’s head, looming over him like a predator. He inhaled deeply and felt his cock press against the towel wrapped around his waist as he bent down and licked Shouyou’s jawline, eliciting a high whine from the omega. He bent down further and whispered into his ear, deep voice thick with lust,

“Do you want me to make you mine, omega?”

Beneath him, despite the heat coursing through his veins, Hinata shivered. He bit his lip and nodded, tears trickling down his temples as he looked up at the alpha, his alpha.

“Bond with me, alpha,” he whispered back as Kageyama wrapped his strong hand around his twitching cock, receiving a breathy yelp from Hinata.

“You’re sure?” Kageyama cupped the omega’s ass with both hands and squeezed as he continued to trace his tongue along Hinata’s jawline.

It took a moment for the redhead to be able to reply but he finally giggled, causing Tobio to freeze in place.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” Hinata pulled his alpha down and claimed his lips in a firm kiss that lasted what seemed like forever.

An animalistic growl reverberated through Kageyama’s chest and he flipped Hinata onto his stomach in one swift movement. Resting on his hands, the alpha observed his boyfriend’s smooth back and traced his finger down his spine, making him wriggle beneath him. It felt like a thread of intense heat snaked between their skin and something not unlike a static charge made the hair on his arms stand on end. This was it. This was what he’d been waiting for since the moment he’d locked eyes with the tiny omega all those years ago. They would finally be bonded, be a proper pair and no one would be able to separate them ever again. Kageyama pressed a kiss to Hinata’s nape and the omega turned his face to look up at him, eyes glassy and lips plump.

“Do it, Tobio.”

And then it happened. Tobio felt his incisors sharpen and his eyes focused solely on the nape of Hinata’s neck; everything else seemed to fall away like melting snow and his vision was filled with nothing but the omega. He twisted his fingers into Hinata’s red hair and tilted his head sideways before slowly sinking his teeth into the soft flesh beneath his hairline. The alpha tasted blood and he faintly registered Hinata whining loudly as he continued to bite firmly into his hot skin. The thread of heat that he’d felt earlier was all at once a raging fire inside his veins and he suddenly felt something foreign inside his body, like something small and warm had been added to his very being. Tobio suddenly knew exactly what Hinata was feeling, right down to the tears spilling from his swollen eyes and the overwhelming sensation of finally being complete. It was a lot to take in all at once and the alpha felt himself finally release the omega from his grasp and slide to the floor beside him.

Hinata turned slowly to face his new mate, face red and wet with tears and hair matted to the blood on his neck. Kageyama believed he had never seen something so beautiful in all his life and pressed his forehead to his omega’s in a silent embrace. They lay like that a while longer, Hinata’s heat subsiding quickly, and only roused from their positions when they heard the rest of the pack return a few hours later.

It was going to be an interesting few days.

Chapter Text

As soon as Daichi and the rest of the pack returned to the inn they could smell the distinct scent of a freshly bonded pair. Not only were Kageyama and Hinata’s pheromones off the scale, wafting in the air and permeating the very walls of the building, but the scent of fresh blood was almost tangible as they made their way back to their rooms. Knowing that a newly bonded alpha was somewhat unstable, Daichi asked Yamaguchi to go back to their room with Suga as the rest of the group checked in on the new mates.

Daichi stepped into the room first, making sure to amp up his ‘head alpha’ pheromones to try and assert his dominance; he didn’t want Kageyama to try and attack him as soon as they entered, and Tanaka and the others followed after. At first Kageyama seemed a little wary, eyes darting to each of the alphas, and when Noya stepped towards Hinata the dark haired alpha released a deep growl from his throat, a warning to stay away from his mate. Asahi returned to growl but Daichi stepped in between the two alphas, hands raised,

“Hey, it’s okay,” he turned to Tobio and smiled, “I presume you two bonded?” Kageyama nodded and pulled Hinata closer to his side, arms tight around the omega’s waist, “We’ll give you two some space, then. It can be pretty intense after bonding but just know that none of us are here to take Hinata from you, alright?”

A fog seemed to blow from Kageyama’s eyes for a moment and he suddenly looked a little ashamed, “Yes. Sorry...”

Nishinoya stepped towards the pair, ignoring Asahi’s attempt to hold him back, and looked up at Kageyama as he gently took Hinata’s hand in his own. The alpha twitched but didn’t make a move to stop the tiny omega from touching his mate.

“Can we,” Yuu spoke softly, like he was talking to a wild animal, “Can the omegas clean Shouyou up?” he gestured to the blood on Hinata’s neck and bare torso (thankfully he’d had enough coherence to put on some pants before the others had entered).

For a moment, Kageyama looked somewhat pained as he deliberated with the idea but he could feel something tugging in the back of his mind, something coming from his mate that seemed like a longing to be with the other omegas. Finally, Tobio nodded but mumbled,

“Just the omegas,” he glared at Tsukishima, “The alphas stay in the other room.”

The tall blonde clicked his tongue but understood the need to keep his omega safe, especially so soon after bonding. Heck, when he and Tadashi had first bonded, Kei didn’t let him out of his sight, much to the omega’s annoyance when it came to a bathroom break.

“Okay,” Daichi ushered the others out of the room, Tanaka throwing a ‘peace sign’ towards Hinata as he left, “I’ll send Koushi and Yamaguchi in,” he paused, narrowing his dark eyes, “If it feels like it’s too much give me a shout, I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” The head alpha said the last part with a lilt of authority and Kageyama understood that he would pay severely if anything happened to any of the omegas.

Moments later, Suga and Yamaguchi slid open the door separating the rooms and stepped inside. Immediately, Tadashi wilted under the strong alpha pheromones that filled the room like a thick syrup and Suga felt his own cheeks blush at the scent of a freshly bonded pair. It had been a while since he’d smelled the distinct aroma and it reminded him of his own bonding with Daichi. Another flush of heat spread to his face at that particular memory but he shook his head to dispel it and moved to Hinata, who still looked a little bemused at the whole situation. Kageyama stepped aside, eyes never moving from his new mate, as he let the omegas get to work.

“Congrats, Shouyou!” Suga wrapped Shouyou tightly in a warm hug and scented his hair softly, noticing the sudden wave of alpha pheromones drifting over them, “We’ll get you cleaned up and then leave you two alone, okay?”

“Mhmm...” Hinata nodded weakly, eyes still a little glassy, and let himself be seated on the futon by Noya.

The smallest omega had brought warm water and a wash cloth and started to gently clean off the blood from Hinata’s hands and chest. Of course, Kageyama had only bitten the nape of his neck but what with their moving around and constant touching of one another the blood had gotten pretty much everywhere. The alpha, who stood in the corner of the room like an ominous statue, still had a smear of red across his chin and Yamaguchi plucked up the courage to step over and wipe it off with a damp cloth, hands shaking slightly as Kageyama’s pheromones washed over him.

“Turn around, Shouyou,” Suga gently patted down Hinata’s red hair and then placed the cloth aside.

What he did next seemed totally normal, after all he’d done it with Nishinoya and even Tadashi when they’d first bonded. Although there wasn’t really such a thing as a ‘head omega’, Koushi was seen as the matriarch of the pack and took his role quite seriously, even if it was subconsciously. And so, when he opened his mouth and leaned into Hinata’s nape to lick the fresh bond mark, it didn’t even cross his mind that it might upset Kageyama. As soon as the pregnant omega’s tongue met with Hinata’s skin an almighty snarl echoed through the room and Kageyama was suddenly between the two, Suga having been pushed away aggressively. He blinked for a moment, stunned at the sudden outburst and confused as to how he was suddenly on his backside on the floor. There wasn’t much time to try and calm the situation, however, as the three other alphas were suddenly standing in the room, each one growling loudly and releasing strong warning pheromones.

“Koushi!” Daichi skidded to his mate’s side, hands hovering over his bump, “Are you okay?!”

Suga nodded, still a little stunned, “I was just cleaning Hinata’s neck...”

A high whining filled the room as Noya and Tadashi were quickly scooped into their mates’ embrace, the alpha pheromones much too strong in the confined space, making them dizzy and weak. Hinata was also whimpering quietly behind Kageyama, who still held an aggressive stance in front of the omega, like he was protecting him from some terrible threat rather than just Suga-san. Knowing how high the tension was, Daichi stepped in front of Tobio in an attempt to block everyone else from his view and released his strong, oppressive head alpha pheromones as a warning to the other alpha. It seemed to work a little as Kageyama’s stance relaxed slightly and his eyes widened at the sudden realisation of his actions. He leaned around Daichi to look at Suga, who had gotten back to his feet.

“Sugawara-san, I’m sor-”

He didn’t get to finish his apology as Suga shoved Daichi out of the way and karate chopped Kageyama firmly on the top of his head.

“Idiot!” Suga squashed Tobio’s cheeks between his palms, making the taller alpha look like a hamster, “We’re not here to steal your mate!” he leaned over Kageyama’s shoulder and smiled at Hinata, who’s whimpering had dampened to a quiet mewl, “It’s alright, Shouyou, all alphas are morons when they’ve just bonded.”

“Kou-” Daichi’s reaching hand was slapped away by his mate as the silver-haired omega continued his scolding,

“The omegas just needed to do something to help, it’s in our nature, okay?” he didn’t wait for Kageyama to respond as he went on, “We’re a pack. You don’t need to be so protective around us. Got it?” Tobio nodded silently, a pink hue colouring his cheeks, and Suga smiled before ruffling his dark hair, “Good.”

Exhausted from walking into town earlier and now facing off with a hormonal alpha, Suga stepped back to his mate’s side and let Daichi prop him up with his strong arms. The head alpha didn’t add anything else, believing that Koushi had well and truly said everything that needed to be said, and instead opted to take his pregnant mate back into their room, gesturing for the others to follow.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Hinata!” Noya seemed back to his usual self now that the strong pheromones had dissipated a little and took Asahi’s hand as they retired to the other room.

That just left Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, the former of which still seemed pissed that Kageyama had made his mate so frightened. He bit his tongue, however, and promised himself that he’d give the stupid setter a taste of his own medicine at a later date. For now, Kageyama and Hinata needed to be alone and Kei certainly didn’t want to witness any lovey-dovey stuff from the new pair and so he and Tadashi moved into the other room, sliding the door closed behind them and finally leaving the newly bonded pair alone.

It was a little after one in the morning when Suga felt the urge to pee. Well, he’d been needing to go for almost ten minutes but didn’t want to leave the comfort of the warm futon and Daichi’s tight embrace. If he left it any longer, however, he thought he might not make it to the bathroom in time and so forced himself to make his way into the en-suite. Strangely enough the bathroom light was already on and Yuu was sitting atop the closed toilet seat, face ashen and beads of sweat running down his temples.

“Yuu? Everything okay?” Koushi asked as he tried not to hop on one leg and grab his crotch like a toddler in the midst of potty training.

Nishinoya started at Suga’s voice and a false smile spread across his pale features, “Fine. I’m fine.”

A silver eyebrow raised, “Really? Because you look like Hinata before a big match.”

“Thanks, that’s the look I was going for,” the smaller omega rubbed at his stomach with his good hand and sighed heavily, “I think I ate something weird at that beef place tonight.”

“Ah,” Koushi turned on the tap and filled a glass with water before handing it to Yuu, “You did eat a lot of it.”

“Yeah...” Seemingly lost in his thoughts, Noya left Suga to his business and headed back into the room. He snuggled in beside Asahi, who mumbled something incoherent in his sleep, and tried to get some more sleep before the sun came up.

The first morning in the inn was filled with the usual pandemonium of a breakfast with the pack; everyone – even Kageyama and Hinata, the latter of which would not leave his new mate’s lap – sat around the small table in the larger room and piled their plates high with delicious smelling homemade food, courtesy of Ennoshita’s aunt.

Nishinoya’s food poisoning had thankfully vacated him and he munched happily on some salmon as Asahi helped him with his chopsticks. Tanaka started to choke on his mouthful of rice and Chikara had to whack his back to save him from a rice-induced coma, laughing at his idiotic boyfriend as he did so. Although Tsukishima was indeed the tallest of the pack, he’d never been the biggest eater and finished before everyone else, opting to sit and tease Tadashi as the omega tried to figure out how to crack open a particularly troublesome crab. He finally succeeded, only to crack it so violently that the meat launched across the table and hit Asahi square in the face. Tsukki wheezed as he laughed so hard and had to take off his glasses to wipe the tears from his cheeks as Asahi-san grabbed a napkin and cleaned his own crab-covered face.

Meanwhile, Hinata and Kageyama had only eaten a few bites each, both looking rather sleepy as they sat at the noisy table. The redheaded omega was perched on Tobio’s lap and kept nuzzling his face into the alpha’s neck as Kageyama traced the fresh bite mark on Hinata’s nape in gentle circles. He frowned down at the wound, careful not to touch the redder parts for fear of hurting his mate.

“Does it hurt?”

Hinata stopped nuzzling and looked up at the alpha, confusion on his tired face, “Hmm? No, I’m comfortable.”

“No, the mark, is it painful?”

“Oh,” Hinata touched the bite with his fingertips and winced slightly, “A little, not too bad.”

Another frown darkened the alpha’s face as he toyed with an idea in his head and then he turned to Sugawara, who was staring into space with a spoonful of miso soup hovering in front of his mouth. When Kageyama spoke it took Suga a moment to come back down to Earth.

“Sugawara-san?”

Suga looked over at Tobio, eyebrows raised, “Yeah?”

“What you were going to do yesterday,” the setter looked down at his hands, pondering the best way to ask his question, “When you licked Hinata… Would that help him heal faster?”

“It’s supposed to, yeah. Omegas’ saliva has certain healing properties,” he shrugged, “But if we just left it it’d heal fine, too. The licking is more of an omegan bonding thing, like when we scent one another if we’ve been apart for a while.”

Kageyama nodded, deep in thought, “But it does help? Even a little?”

“Sure,” Koushi opened his arms and manoeuvred himself so that he was kneeling away from the table, “Come here, Shouyou.”

Beside him, Daichi’s shoulders tensed but he continued to eat silently, only watching his mate from the corner of his eye.

Slowly, Hinata started to crawl over to Suga but kept glancing back at his mate, worried that Kageyama might get angry again. It had frightened him a little the previous day when the alpha had suddenly pushed Suga-san and the last thing he wanted was a repeat of that. When the dark-haired alpha seemed to remain calm, however, Hinata moved faster and plonked himself in front of the waiting Suga, who shuffled forwards to try and get a more comfortable position. The pregnant omega pushed Hinata’s ginger hair away from his neck and took one last confirming glance at Kageyama before leaning down and licking the fresh bite mark. Hinata giggled a little at the sensation but stayed still and let Suga finish lapping at him patiently.

“There, it should heal faster now,” Suga ruffled Hinata’s hair and gave him a small push back towards his mate, who had indeed waited with baited breath and an ominous expression on his face.

“Jeez, Kageyama!” Tanaka wiped some soy sauce from his chin and laughed, “If looks could kill, Suga would be six feet under right now!”

Chapter Text

The last day and night at the onsen went a little smoother than the previous. Most of the day was spent lounging around by the water, inhaling the fresh steam and soaking themselves in the hot liquid, soothing their bones. Hinata, who hadn’t strayed far from Kageyama’s side since they’d bonded the previous night, was simmering nicely beside his mate when something suddenly caught his eye and he moved onto all fours, like a panther stalking its prey.

“The hell are you do-”

The redhead shut his alpha up by slapping his small hand to his mouth and when Tobio was about to protest, the omega pointed towards the tall fence that separated the pools from the mountains beyond. There, perched atop the fence like a deity, was a large fluffy monkey. What kind of ape it was Hinata had no idea but his wide eyes never left its face as he slowly crept forwards, careful not to make any sudden movements for fear of scaring it off. The rest of the pack, who were all gathered in and around the spring, watched humourously as Hinata continued to push on, his nose tilted out of the water so he could keep breathing as he crawled.

“Careful, Shouyou,” Suga whispered, “It might be fierce.”

That stalled the tiny omega for a brief moment but his curiosity outweighed his caution and he moved to stand, only a few feet from the primate now. Big yellow eyes surveyed Hinata and for a moment he thought the monkey was going to scurry away, but it stayed still enough for him to take another few steps in its direction. Then, without really thinking anything through, Hinata lunged for the animal, his trademark ‘flying jump’ rearing its head as he launched through the air, grasping at the monkey with his slender fingers. Of course it managed to dodge his attack and bounded into the water, splashing vigorously as it did so and sending the group into panic-mode.

Limbs flailed as they each tried to get away from the wild animal; Kei and Tadashi scrambled out of the water, towels forgotten in the madness, whilst Tanaka stood up and tried to dive onto the monkey, looking evermore the primate himself. Chikara tried to hurry away but slipped on the moist rocks and tumbled forwards into Asahi, who looked utterly distraught at the sight of the monkey coming so close and lifted Noya out of the water like it had suddenly turned to acid. Knowing there wasn’t really anything he could do, Suga slid a little further into the bubbling water and simply watched as the pandemonium continued around him, Daichi staying by his side dutifully. The whole scene continued for another minute or so and then the monkey simply gave up and darted over the fence, leaving Tanaka without a wrestling partner and Hinata gasping for breath. The redhead turned to the others, eyes sparkling and a smile stretched across his flushed face,

“WHOA!” he leapt back into the water, dousing Kageyama, “Did you see that?!”

“How could we not?” Tobio rolled his eyes but tugged his mate back to his side.

“I almost caught it!”

Suga chuckled, “I don’t think we’re supposed to touch them, Hinata.”

The omega pouted, “But I wanted to take a photo with it...”

“Are we sure it wasn’t Hinata who leapt over the fence?” Tsukishima grinned and Tadashi hid his own smile behind a freckled hand, “I can’t tell the difference.”

A low rumble was forming in Kageyama’s chest, his alpha instincts still amped up to ten thanks to his and Hinata’s new bond, wanting to protect his omega at all costs. The comment and Tobio’s reaction seemed to float over the omega’s head, however, as he continued to gush over the monkey and simply ignored Kei’s attempt at riling him up. Whether it was intentional or just because of his air-headedness, the blonde didn’t know but it was no fun teasing someone who didn’t even know they were being teased and so he followed Tadashi back into the room, both of them suddenly realising that they were still stark-naked thanks to their narrow escape from the mini-Hinata.

“Well, that was entertaining,” Daichi stretched and looped his arm around Koushi’s shoulders before pulling him a little closer, “Anyone else want to add to the chaos?” he looked at Asahi and Noya, who had decided to sit at the edge of the water and dangle their feet into its warm depths, “Asahi? You feel like wrestling a wild boar or something?”

“I’ll pass, thanks.”

“Man, all that exercise has made me hungry!” Tanaka rubbed at his grumbling stomach and closed his eyes, remembering the beef from the night before, “Can we eat?”

The others confirmed it seemed about the right time for lunch and decided to head into town again to try and find somewhere cheap and tasty. As Daichi and Suga stood to exit the steaming water, however, the pregnant omega’s legs trembled a little and he suddenly went limp, like a robot with its batteries removed. Thankfully, Daichi managed to catch him before he tumbled back into the water and scooped him up into his arms before rushing into their room and lying him on the futon.

Suga looked flushed and was panting slightly as Noya wrung out a cloth and dabbed his forehead gently, trying to cool him down. It was obvious he’d stayed in the hot water too long and Daichi internally kicked himself for not realising so sooner. Ennoshita’s aunt had even warned him not to soak too long when they’d first arrived but what with the monkey and the overall liveliness of the pack, Daichi had failed to keep an eye on his most precious person. There was no time for hindsight now though and the head alpha shoved all thoughts of self-annoyance aside as he knelt beside his mate and held his warm face between his hands.

“Koushi, hey...” he tapped his cheek, “Kou, wake up.”

“Nnn...” Suga stirred and slowly opened his pale eyes, frowning as he squinted up at his pack-mates looming over him, “What’re you all looking at?”

Exasperated, Daichi pressed his forehead to his mate’s and then placed a kiss against it, “You fainted.”

“I did?” a protective hand suddenly moved to his bump, “Did I fall?” Images of himself falling forwards and hurting his pup flashed before his eyes but Daichi’s gentle pat atop his belly assured Suga that everything was fine.

“I caught you,” Daichi scented Suga’s neck, “I always will.”

Behind him, Tsukishima made a gagging sound, ruining the moment and causing the pair to cease their snuggling abruptly. Daichi sighed and turned to the others,

“Go get food, we’ll be here when you get back.”

There was a short pause and then Noya spoke up, “Suddenly I feel like eating here,” he flopped down, crossed-legged next to where Suga was sitting, and took one of the pregnant omega’s hands, scenting it lightly.

“Me too,” Yamaguchi positioned himself on Suga’s other side, pulling Tsukki down next to him.

“Guys, I’m fine, really,” Suga tried to protest but was silenced by Hinata, who was rubbing his face into his silver hair. He knew there was no point in arguing, his pack wanted to be around him, to protect him and he silently thanked them for it, ever grateful for his friends.

“So,” Tanaka rubbed his hands together, eager to eat, “What’re we having?”

“Now you remember to come more often, Chika, you hear me?” Ennoshita’s aunt nuzzled his face and gave him a damp kiss on the cheek before leaning into his ear and whispering, “And keep that boyfriend of yours in check, he seems like a wild one.”

Chikara laughed and nodded, waving over his shoulder as he climbed into the car with the others.

The journey home was less eventful than the one going, although Asahi still had to stop a couple of times to let Hinata steady his legs and soothe his rolling stomach, and they were soon back at the den. Daichi couldn’t figure out if he felt less stressed or more after being at the onsen but was thankful for the change of pace at least, especially as he and Suga wouldn’t be going on many trips in the next few months. It suddenly seemed to dawn on the alpha as to what was actually coming their way in the coming months. Soon he and Suga would have their very own pup to take care of and be a proper family. Was he ready for such responsibility? Was he strong enough to care for his mate and a tiny baby? The thoughts were swirling through his head when Kageyama’s face suddenly filled his vision, the black-haired alpha having seemingly teleported in front of him.

“K-Kageyama!” Daichi almost squeaked and had to clear his throat to stop his voice cracking, “What’s up?”

The youngster looked awkward and wet his lips before speaking, “About what happened when Suga-san tried to lick Hinata…” his eyes wandered in every direction but Daichi’s, “I wanted to apologise.”

With pride swelling in his chest at his pack-mate’s loyalty, Daichi placed a heavy hand on Tobio’s shoulder and smiled, “No need. I know what it’s like to want to protect your mate, especially so soon after bonding. No one was hurt, alright?” Kageyama nodded and moved to walk away but the hand on his shoulder squeezed, forcing him to stay, “It won’t happen again, though, will it?” Daichi’s expression was ominous and Kageyama could feel his strong pheromones swirling in the air between them.

“Never.”

A cloud lifted from Daichi’s face and he smiled, patting Kageyama’s shoulder and releasing him from his grip, “Good. You’re a strong alpha, Tobio, you just need to focus that energy in the right places.”

“Tobio~!” Hinata’s chiming voice drifted from the entryway to where the two stood in the garden, “Are you coming?!”

Kageyama turned and headed for the house, a weight seemingly lifted from his shoulders, “Shut up, I’m coming!” He rushed into the house, following Hinata closely – a habit he’d keep up for the next month or so Daichi guessed.

“You’re not bullying our pack-mates are you?” Suga’s arms snaked through Daichi’s and came to rest on his abs as he spoke into his nape, making the alpha’s hair stand on end, “They’re newly bonded, they’re bound to be jumpy.”

The alpha spun and pulled his mate’s hands around his waist so that they were nose to nose, “I’m just looking out for the pack.”

A silver eyebrow raised quizzically, “Mhmm?”

“Mhmm...” Daichi echoed and nuzzled Suga’s scent glands loudly before ushering the omega inside, “Go sit down, I’m going to call the doctor to come and check on you.”

A high whine escaped the pregnant omega’s lips as he took off his shoes and stepped into the living room, “I don’t need one, Dai!”

Daichi scoffed and followed him inside, “You fainted yesterday!”

“Just a little!” Another whine from Suga as he flopped down onto the large sofa, arms folded over his bump, “I’m fine!”

His mate’s nonchalance was starting to irritate the head alpha and he had to hold back a growl, instead opting to sigh loudly as he took out his cellphone, “I just want to make sure there’s nothing else wrong!”

Suga opened his mouth to protest but Daichi was already on the phone, speaking to their midwife and asking someone to come and check on his mate. Huffing loudly, Suga got to his feet and marched down the hallway towards their room. Unfortunately, Daichi remained on his heels and the omega had to stop and poke the alpha in his chest to stop him following.

“I’m just going to take a shower!” Suga watched as Daichi finished speaking with the doctor and pressed the ‘end’ button on his phone and pouted, “Or do I need your permission for that, too?”

Silently, Daichi raised his hands in surrender and turned back towards the kitchen. He guessed it was safer to leave Koushi by himself until his mood improved and decided to make some lunch while he waited for the doctor to arrive. He knew he was being overprotective and ‘alpha-like’ but he just needed to make sure everything was alright with the pup. There was no point in risking something if it was easily avoidable. After all, Koushi was carrying their future in his belly and nothing was more important than that.

Chapter Text

Koushi was just pulling on some sweatpants when a soft knock on the bedroom door alerted him to Daichi’s presence. The alpha looked a little sheepish as he peered his head through the door-jam and Suga had to bite his lip to stop himself laughing at his mate’s slightly scared expression.

“Kou,” Daichi stepped into the room and pointed a thumb back over his shoulder, “The doctor’s here.”

Sighing, the omega tugged on his t-shirt and nodded, “I’m coming.”

The midwife was a short, stocky lady with fluffy black hair and rosy cheeks; she looked pleased to see Suga when he entered the living area and quickly got to her feet as he perched on the edge of the long sofa, muttering a ‘hello’ as he did so.

“So, Sugawara-san,” her voice was chime-like, clearly an omega, “Sawamura-san said that you fainted yesterday?”

Suga nodded, a quick glare at Daichi informing the alpha that he still wasn’t pleased with him for calling a doctor, “I’m fine, though, really.”

“Best to be safe than sorry!” she opened a small leather bag and took out a plastic device that looked a little like an electronic thermometer, “If you lift up your shirt I’ll do a quick scan, okay?”

When Suga hesitated, Daichi ushered Hinata and the others out into the kitchen to give his mate some privacy and joined Suga on the sofa, fingers interlocking with his mate’s automatically. He was going to resist but Suga decided he did need a little moral support and squeezed the alpha’s hand a little tighter as he rolled up his shirt. The midwife – who introduced herself as Himako-chan – splodged some cold goop onto his belly and pressed the scanner to his skin, watching a small screen in her palm as she did so. She was silent for a moment and Suga’s breathing increased with each passing second until Himako suddenly smiled and nodded to herself.

“Everything seems normal,” she wiped off the gel with a tissue, “Both Mama and baby are doing well! It was probably just a little anaemia, make sure to keep up your iron intake, okay?”

Without realising he’d been so statuesque, Daichi seemed to thaw out beside his mate and his shoulders relaxed visibly, thankful that they were both okay. Suga simply elbowed him in the ribs, muttering something that sounded a lot like ‘I told you so’.

“You must’ve felt the pup move a little, huh?” Himako zipped up her bag as she spoke, oblivious to the pair’s response to her question.

“Eh?” Daichi’s face was blank. He looked like a malfunctioning robot as his mouth opened and closed silently whilst Suga’s cheeks pinked at his side.

“Ah...” Koushi nodded and smiled meekly, “Yeah. The other day, actually.”

“What?!” Daichi was suddenly on his feet, pheromones swirling strongly, “You didn’t tell me!”

Laughing awkwardly, Suga scratched his cheek and tried not to look so guilty, “Well, I couldn’t feel it from the outside so it was only me who felt it. Plus, it was when Noya hurt his arm and-”

Daichi was suddenly at the omega’s feet, his cheek pressed to Suga’s exposed bump, “You should have told me! I need to know these things!”

“Um, I’ll just be going...” Himako-chan swiftly gathered her things and left the two alone to work out their issues. She briefly heard a ‘thank you’ from someone but it could have just been her imagination as it was so soft.

“You wouldn’t have been able to feel it anyway!” Koushi folded his arms, pouting as Daichi continued to push himself against his stomach, as though by doing so he’d somehow be able to feel the pup move.

“But it’s something new, something different, Kou,” the alpha almost whined, “I want to know everything that happens from now on, okay? I want you to tell me everything.”

Suga rolled his eyes but patted Daichi’s soft hair gently, thankful for such a protective mate, “Fine. I’ll tell you the important stuff. Next time the pup moves, I’ll-” his eyes suddenly widened and his mouth made an ‘O’ shape.

The head alpha’s eyes almost popped out of his head, “Did it move again?!”

Koushi nodded, cheeks pink and brown eyes glistening, “Yeah, did you feel it?”

Solemnly, Daichi shook his head and pulled the omega’s shirt back down, “No. Guess I’ll have to wait a little while ‘til I can feel them from this side.”

Koushi tapped the alpha’s head with his fist, “See, you didn’t miss anything and we’re both fine.” He nuzzled his mate’s hair and scented him lightly before stretching his arms above his head and yawning loudly, “I think I’ll take a nap before lunch. Wake me in an hour?”

Daichi smirked, “Want me to join you?”

A silver brow raised, “I doubt I’d get much rest if you did.”

True. The alpha watched Koushi head to their bedroom and was about to head into the garden to catch some rays before he had to return to work tomorrow when Hinata suddenly scurried to his side, hair wild and eyes frantic.

“Daichi-san!” the redhead flailed his arms like a madman, “I think we’ve been robbed!”

Before Daichi had a chance to process that particular statement, Kageyama appeared by his mate’s side and whacked him on the back of his head,

“Idiot! We don’t know that!”

“But where did all of our stuff go?!”

Daichi sighed, “Your stuff’s been taken, Hinata?”

The omega nodded and gripped Tobio’s arm tightly, “Some of my clothes! I thought I’d just misplaced them but now more is gone and Tanaka and the others say some of their things are missing too!”

A cloud seemed to hover over Daichi’s face at the thought of someone entering their den and snooping around, stealing things. It did, however, seem highly unlikely. Not only was it extremely unusual for a stranger to wander into another pack’s den but for someone to enter one with such strong alpha pheromones was almost unheard of. Plus, Daichi thought, he hadn’t smelled anything new or unusual when they’d arrived home and he’d definitely notice an unfamiliar scent if there was one.

Tanaka and Chikara joined them as Daichi got to his feet.

“What things are you missing?” the head alpha was acting as just that as he tried to calm his pack-mates, “Maybe you just mislaid them?”

“My shirt with the carrot on,” Tanaka stated, stone-faced as Chikara tried not to laugh.

“My practise shirt and Tobio’s blue beanie,” Hinata added.

“Now that I think about it,” Daichi rubbed his chin habitually, “I’m missing a work shirt and a baseball cap. And that’s just what I know of, there could be more.”

“Hmm...” Noya and Asahi had overheard the conversation and stepped in, they too having some missing items, “So we either have a thief with really bad taste on our hands or the washing machine is eating our stuff.”

Daichi made an exhausted groaning sound and gestured for the others to just carry on with their day as usual, “I’ll have a look around the house, maybe someone accidentally put them somewhere and forgot about them.”

After searching for almost twenty minutes, Daichi moved through the conservatory into the other part of the farmhouse. The rooms there were dark and unused and most of them could do with a lick of paint but they had decided to concentrate on the main area of the den before spending money anywhere else. A chill ran down the alpha’s spine as he started to imagine a stranger skulking in the shadows wearing their clothes. He was soon chuckling to himself, however, as the image of said stranger ended up looking ridiculous in his mind. They’d have to be an oddly shaped human to fit into Hinata’s shirt and his shorts.

A familiar scent drifted into his nose and Daichi turned into a room to his left. It was a little cleaner than the other rooms and had a nice big window that let in the morning sunlight, illuminating what he now saw in front of him. There, in a pile the size of a crouching person, were their lost items. Obviously, they had underestimated just how much had been taken as the pile was quite substantial and was dense enough to have been formed into a horseshoe shape. Whether that had been on purpose or not Daichi couldn’t tell but it was pretty strange nonetheless. The alpha recognised a few of the items; some dinosaur-print pajamas that obviously belonged to Tsukishima, a tiny shirt with the number 10 on it, several different garish t-shirts. He plucked his cap from the pile and placed it atop his head as he tried to think of the best explanation for the strange mountain of clothes.

Maybe someone was playing a prank on them? Tanaka was known for his odd humour but this seemed a little off, even for him. The thief explanation didn’t make any sense as everything seemed to still be in the den and so Daichi was at a loss for a reason.

He started to gather shirts and shorts and hats in his arms and drag them into the hallway, the pile quickly dissipating. After almost ten minutes, the horseshoe shape was no more and all that remained was the strong fragrance of everyone’s scents lingering in the room. Koushi’s seemed the strongest but Daichi couldn’t recall seeing any of his mate’s belongings in the mountain of things. Something was just clicking together in his head when a high, ear-piercing shriek erupted behind him in the hallway and the alpha turned to see Suga clawing at his silver hair, a look of utter desperation on his face.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Koushi yelled, whimpering as he knelt beside the clothes Daichi had retrieved and piled in the hallway.

“I… Umm...” Daichi looked scared, he’d never seen his mate so frantic and so desperately wanted to gather him in his arms. The powerful ‘don’t fuck with me’ pheromones currently radiating from Suga made him stay back, however.

“Why did you do this?!” Suga’s anger had turned into utter defeat as he tried to gather some of the garments off the floor, tears streaming down his flushed cheeks.

“I thought we had a thief...” Daichi reached out his arms towards Suga but the omega growled deep in his throat, warning him off, “Kou, what’s wrong? Did I do somethi-”

It suddenly dawned on the alpha why the pile had smelled so strongly of Koushi. He vaguely remembered something about pregnant omegas making ‘nests’. They would gather piles of clothing and items that belonged to their pack-mates and close friends and make them into a kind of bed that they could lie in, surrounded by their scents. It was supposed to be therapeutic for the expectant omega and quite a personal thing, somewhere they could feel safe no matter what. And Daichi had just ripped Suga’s apart. Another tick in the ‘best alpha ever’ box, he thought.

Slowly, he knelt opposite Koushi, pheromones strong to try and soothe his mate, “Kou,” he flinched when Suga’s head snapped up, anger in his usually peaceful eyes, “Was this your nest?” Suga nodded, lip wobbling as more tears spilled from his brown eyes, “I didn’t realise, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s gone...” Suga sniffed and rested his cheek against the now destroyed pile, “I worked on it for so long.”

“Why didn’t you tell the rest of us? The others thought we had a thief.”

Suga suddenly looked guilty and his expression softened a little as he looked at his alpha, “I didn’t steal it, Dai! I was going to give it back!”

Taking Suga’s mewling as a sign that anger was no longer his primary emotion, Daichi crawled over the pile of clothes and gathered his mate in his strong arms, rubbing circles on his back,

“Shh, it’s alright. Well, it’s not alright, I’m a terrible mate and you should probably just leave me already.”

“No!” Suga gripped Daichi’s shirt tightly, “Never!”

“But I destroyed your nest! Hell, I didn’t even realise that’s what it was. Some alpha I am,” he scented Suga lightly and pulled him impossibly closer, “What can I do to make it right?”

Suga sniffed, tears finally drying on his red cheeks, “Help me rebuild it?”

“Really? I thought it was a personal thing?”

Shrugging, Koushi gestured to the pile of their pack’s things, “It’s something special. But you’re all something special to me. I think I’ll ask the others to help this time around, too.”

“Right,” Daichi clenched his fist and tried to look dramatic, “We’ll build the best damn nest anyone has ever seen!”

Suga just laughed.

Chapter Text

After hearing an almighty shriek from the other end of the farmhouse, the rest of the pack made a mad dash through the den towards where Daichi and Suga were currently snuggled on the floor in the hallway, surrounded by clothes and encircled by an invisible cloud of powerful pheromones. At first Noya thought that maybe the pair had fallen into the clothes pile and moved to offer a helping hand but, as he stepped forwards, the strong scents of the pack members and Daichi’s dark glare made him pause. Being an omega himself, Yuu knew immediately what the pile was but tilted his head, confused as to why it was such a mess. He really didn’t expect Suga to be someone who made such a haphazard nest.

“What was that scream?!” Hinata gripped Tobio’s shirt a little tighter as the alpha pulled him closer, wary of Daichi’s intimidating pheromones. He glanced at the pile of clothes and his bright eyes widened, “Ah! Our stuff!”

Suga pushed away from his mate a little so that he could hold out his hand towards Hinata. The redhead ignored Kageyama’s attempt to hold him back and took Suga’s hand as he plopped down beside the pregnant omega.

“That scream would be me,” Suga wiped a stray tear from his cheek, “I got a bit of a shock, sorry.”

As Hinata seemed to have broken the invisible shield that had been surrounding Daichi and Suga, the rest of the omegas moved to sit around Suga, each absently touching one another with their knees or fingertips. Yamaguchi was pressed up against Suga’s left side as he asked,

“What happened?!”

A sudden gloom seemed to form over the head alpha and Suga gently patted Daichi’s shoulder as he explained what had been going on.

“Ah,” Tanaka crouched down beside the pair and ruffled Daichi’s hair roughly, “So even the captain gets it wrong sometimes!”

“I feel terrible,” Daichi gestured at the gathered clothes, “I totally demolished it!”

“But we’ll rebuild it, right?” Nishinoya elbowed Daichi in the ribs and smiled an infectious grin, “Bigger and better than before!”

“Exactly,” Suga nuzzled Yuu’s neck and then paused, seemingly lost in thought.

Thankfully, Daichi finished his sentiment, “Yeah. We’ll all help make it even better.”

Hinata shrugged, “I don’t really know what to do but I’ll do my best!”

After almost an hour the nest was almost complete. Everyone had helped reform the horseshoe shape and they’d even added more items to the pile, just to make it extra special. The afternoon sun was hot, however, and Suga had had to take a break in a shaded area of the room, away from the large window and glaring sun. He felt a presence beside him and smiled as a familiar pine fragrance drifted his way. Tsukishima wasn’t one to have particularly long or deep conversations but Suga had noticed that the tall alpha was extremely observant when it came to his friends, especially Tadashi, and he often noticed things that others would otherwise overlook. Now, as the blonde took off his glasses and rubbed at the lenses carefully, Suga felt that his presence beside him wasn’t coincidental.

“Something on your mind, Kei-kun?” Suga asked, attempting to sound nonchalant.

Tsukki placed his glasses back on his face and glanced sideways at Koushi, “I read somewhere that when omegas build nests they usually only gather their omegan pack members’ things, not the alphas’. Except their mate’s of course.”

“Is that so?” Suga locked his fingers over his bump and hummed thoughtfully.

“Apparently they feel safer with just omega scents,” he pushed his glasses up habitually, “So I was wondering why you gathered everyone’s things, even the betas’.”

Suga smiled and shrugged, “Everyone makes me feel safe, not just the omegas. It’d feel weird not being surrounded by all the pack’s scents, you know?” Tsukishima seemed deep in thought and so Suga decided to tease him a little, after all Kei was usually the one to play at the others’ expense. “You sure do seem to know a lot about nest-building,” he noticed the alpha’s cheeks redden and continued, his sadistic side rearing its head, “Did you perhaps read up on it for Tadashi? How thoughtful of you.”

Awkwardly, Kei cleared his throat and pouted as he looked in any direction other than Suga’s, “Just a little,” he mumbled.

Koushi chuckled, satisfied that he’d tortured his friend enough, “And you’re still trying for a pup?”

A shadow seemed to envelop the blonde and his head lowered a little, “We’re going to wait until Tadashi’s next heat.”

“You do know he could conceive when he’s not in heat, too, right? I mean, it’s not as common but it does happen.”

“I know,” Tsukishima growled involuntarily and his eyes suddenly widened as he turned to look at Suga, “Sorry. It’s just… We’ve been trying for a while now. I guess I’m just impatient.”

Another chuckle from the silver-haired omega as he bumped shoulders with Tsukki, “It’ll happen when it’s meant to. Don’t worry.”

It seemed for a moment that Tsukishima wanted to say something more but the wind was suddenly knocked out of him as Yamaguchi plonked himself on his lap, head almost colliding with his alpha’s nose. Tadashi wiped his brow dramatically and sighed, leaning his head back on Tsukki’s shoulder.

“I think we’re finally done!” he turned himself over and nuzzled his face into his mate’s scent glands, “Remind me to get help when I want to build my own nest, it’s hard work!”

Tsukki nuzzled his face into Tadashi’s hair and inhaled deeply, speaking softly into his nape, “I’ll help, don’t worry.”

“Well?” Daichi was suddenly standing over Koushi, hands on his hips and sweat beading on his forehead like he’d just finished an exceptionally tough workout, “Are you going to try it out?”

He helped Suga to his feet, which seemed to be throbbing more and more as his pregnancy progressed, and Koushi finally absorbed the scene in front of him. The nest was well and truly rebuilt; it was the same horseshoe shape he’d created but this time it was a little taller, almost like a child’s fort, ready to protect him from anything and everything. He stepped into the centre and curled his toes into the soft fabric beneath, inhaling the different scents that wafted up from the various garments he touched. Peaches, grass, sandalwood, each fragrance a reminder of a different pack member.

“It’s perfect, Dai,” the omega looped his arms around his alpha’s neck and claimed his lips firmly, “Thank you!”

Suga knelt down in the curve of the nest and gathered a few of the pillows closer to himself, smiling all the while as he placed them just right. He noticed the other omegas hovering around the edges of the nest, not quite sure if they should step in or not, after all it wasn’t something they’d ever done before and they weren’t quite sure of the etiquette. When Koushi patted the fabric beside him, however, Noya, Tadashi and Hinata quickly took their respective places next to him, happily snuggling up beside one another. The whole scenario seemed perfect and Suga found himself actually thanking Daichi for messing up his first attempt at a nest as this one was exactly as it should be, complete with pack mates and all. He was starting to get a little scent drunk, what with everyone’s belongings being so close, when his stomach suddenly growled loudly and his cheeks flushed.

“Ah,” Suga patted his bump gently, “We missed lunch...”

“Yeah, I’m starving!” Hinata whined as he pretended to faint into the soft pillows.

“Alright,” Daichi gestured for the others to follow him back to the kitchen, “We’ll go make an early dinner, come join us when you’re done here.”

Tsukishima, Asahi and Tanaka each made their way out of the room, suspecting the omegas wanted a little alone time, but Kageyama seemed to deliberate for a moment, his new mate totally oblivious to his alpha’s worries. They’d only been bonded a short while and Tobio felt like he was acting more like an omega than Hinata was. He had an almighty need to stay close to his mate but Shouyou didn’t seem to be having the same struggle, perhaps he was just that laid back or perhaps, Kageyama thought, the omega was just that dopey. He snorted under his breath and gave one last glance towards his mate before forcing himself to follow Daichi. Maybe some alone time would relight Hinata’s omegan side.

Ennoshita seemed to hover awkwardly in the doorway, his body half turned into the room as the others left.

“Chika?” Tanaka paused in the hallway, “You coming?”

Although a beta and not particularly in touch with alpha or omega pheromones, Chikara felt something like a tiny thread pulling him towards the new nest. The hair on his arms seemed to stand on end and his skin felt prickly, like he was standing too close to an electrical source. He chewed on his lip and a crease formed between his brows as he tried to decipher exactly what it was his body was trying to tell him.

Finally, he turned to Ryuu and smiled weakly, “I think I’ll stay here a little while,” he turned to Suga, “If that’s okay with Suga-san?”

“Of course it is!” Suga beamed and opened his arms towards the beta as Chikara padded into the nest.

Tanaka shrugged, never one to judge, and gave a tiny salute as he headed to the kitchen to help the others.

“Is this weird?” Ennoshita stared at his hands as the omegas around him tried to fit into the small space together, “I mean, should a beta be in someone’s nest?”

Suga shrugged, “I don’t see why not. You’re as much a part of this pack as anyone else!”

To Chikara’s surprise, Suga began scenting his dark hair and neck and Noya and Hinata did the same with his wrists, purring softly as they did so. It felt right, somehow, and the beta soon found himself totally relaxing as his pack mates surrounded him with their soft pheromones. Tadashi was already dozing off, curled up in the foetal position, eyes drooping with every breath, and Chikara could feel himself following suit.

When the omegas and Ennoshita didn’t turn up for food, Daichi knew something wasn’t quite right. After all, there was no way Noya or Hinata would miss out on any kind of meal, they were both such big eaters despite their small stature. And so he and the others made their way back to the ‘nest room’, as Tanaka had so aptly named it, and peered through the doorway into the room, which had an ethereal glow to it as the afternoon sun moved across the sky.

Daichi’s breath caught in his throat as he absorbed the scene before him.

All of the omegas and Ennoshita were sleeping soundly in the midst of the nest. Suga lay curled up in the middle on his side, one hand on his rounded stomach, whilst Hinata lay against his back, pressed up against him like a limpet. At Suga’s front was Yuu, who had somehow managed to curl his leg around the expectant omega’s and still look somewhat comfortable. Asahi noticed that Noya’s hand was clutching Chikara’s shirt and the smallest omega’s forehead was pressed up against the sleeping beta’s back. Yamaguchi, being the gangly omega that he was, was somehow touching everyone else, whether it be with a hand draped over their shoulder or his foot pressed into their cheek and Tsukki couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips at his mate’s odd position.

“Should we wake them?” Asahi whispered, eyes still glued to his sleeping mate’s peaceful face.

“But they look so content,” Tanaka seemed to be swooning at the sight of Chikara nestled in with the omegas.

“Let’s leave them for now,” Daichi took one last glance at the perfect scene and exited the room, “They’re bound to wake up once Hinata’s stomach starts growling.”

Chapter Text

A few weeks had passed since Suga and the others had rebuilt his nest and it seemed like second nature to now go over to that side of the farmhouse whenever he felt overwhelmed or anxious. Every time he snuggled into the warm scents of his pack he cold feel his worries and insecurities fade away like forgotten dreams. This particular afternoon, Koushi was nestled in the horseshoe-shaped pile of clothing, drifting into a light nap when the doorbell rang and a sudden gush of excited pheromones filled the house.

At the front door, Asahi, Yamaguchi, Hinata and Kageyama were gathered around whoever had rang the bell, so close that Suga couldn’t even see who it was. A messy crop of blonde hair could be seen bobbing up and down, however, and when a deep growl echoed through the small group, Suga immediately recognised it as Ukai.

“Guys,” Suga tugged on Hinata and Asahi’s shirts, “Step back a little, give them some space!”

They obeyed, albeit a little reluctantly, but Tadashi continued to hover over Takeda, who had been revealed once Asahi’s broad body moved out of the way.

“Tadashi,” Suga patted the omega’s shoulder and he jumped, seemingly shaken from the daze he’d been in, “Let them get inside at least.”

“Sorry,” Yamaguchi pouted and moved aside, giving Koushi a perfect view of what it was everyone had been fussing over.

Nestled in Takeda-sensei’s arms was a tiny, almost miniature version of the dark-haired omega. Big brown eyes gazed up at the pack and a tiny, chubby hand reached out towards Suga, who gasped and held out a slender finger for the baby to grasp.

“Hi there,” Koushi whispered, eyes wide and voice an awed whisper, “Nice to finally meet you!” he looked up at Takeda, who’s cheeks were practically glowing with pride, and smiled warmly, “She’s beautiful!”

Ukai’s chest puffed out, ever the proud alpha, “Damn right she is!”

“What’s her name?” Somehow Tadashi had manoeuvred himself back into Takeda’s personal space but the omega didn’t mind, he just smiled and pressed a kiss to his daughter’s forehead,

“Aaya. Her name is Aaya.”

“So pretty,” Tadashi whispered and Suga wasn’t sure if he was referring to the name or the actual baby.

They moved into the living room, Takeda and Ukai occupying the small sofa whilst the others knelt down around them on the floor, and for the first time Suga noticed the ex coach’s strong pheromones circling his mate and child. It was obvious that a new alpha parent would be protecting but Suga hadn’t realised just how strong the instinct would be; he was almost drowning in the older alpha’s scent and presence and had to steady himself against the sofa so as not to wobble sideways. Noticing the pregnant omega’s pale form, Takeda elbowed his mate in the ribs and frowned at him,

“Tone it down with the pheromones will you? Sugawara-kun is going to pass out!”

Suga shook his head, trying to act as if everything was fine when in fact he could feel his heart racing and beads of sweat trickling down his temples, “It’s okay. I know what alphas can be like.”

Takeda sighed, “It’s the first time we’ve been in a den with her,” he jabbed his finger into Keishin’s cheek, “He thinks we need protecting 24/7.”

“I’ll try to keep myself in check,” Ukai cleared his throat, a little embarrassed, and sat further back on the sofa, away from Suga.

“So...” Hinata’s bright eyes were wide as he leaned over the pup, hands not daring to touch in case he hurt her somehow, “Did it hurt?”

For a moment there was silence. Yamaguchi seemed genuinely interested in the answer, Asahi looked like he might internally combust from second-hand embarrassment, Suga looked even more pale and Kageyama just rolled his eyes, used to his mate’s complete lack of tact by now.

“It… um...” Ittetsu bit his lip, pondering over the best way to explain it to the naive omega, “At first, yeah.” Suga swallowed hard as the older omega continued, “The contractions were pretty bad,” he smiled and scratched his head absently, “But I had a caesarean section in the end so I didn’t feel anything.”

Gently, Takeda lifted his shirt, exposing a slightly soft tummy and a long thin scar, still a little red against his pale skin. Hinata’s eyes almost fell out of his head and he subconsciously reached out to touch it. That was when Ukai’s patience finally snapped and the alpha lunged forwards, a growl rippling through his throat as he pulled his mate and pup against his side, strong pheromones wafting around them like a protective shield. Hinata toppled back onto his butt, whining slightly, as Kageyama and Asahi moved in front of him, blocking Ukai’s view of the tiny omega. Of course, they all knew that there was no way Ukai would purposefully hurt Shouyou but they were also acutely aware of how protective a new alpha parent could be and didn’t feel like taking any chances.

The air felt tense as they each tried to calm themselves down and eventually Suga had to excuse himself to get some fresh air, away from the overwhelming alpha pheromones and general taut atmosphere. Takeda was about to apologise for his mate’s overreaction; thinking that Keishin was actually cautious of Hinata was in itself quite funny but he knew Kageyama probably wouldn’t think that way. But the omega’s apology was cut off by Aaya’s sudden wail. Her father’s hyperactive pheromones had probably unsettled her, heck they had unsettled everyone and it would take some time before Ukai could actually control himself and not freak out every time someone tried to shake his mate’s hand or express any kind of skinship.

“Is she okay?” Tadashi, seemingly so absorbed by the new baby that he didn’t really register the atmosphere, leaned forwards and touched Aaya’s cheek gently as her face scrunched up in another ear-piercing squeal.

“Just hungry, I guess?” Takeda-sensei unzipped his bag and pulled out a bottle and some formula. Although omegas could technically breastfeed, it wasn’t unusual for them (especially males) to opt for the formulaic substitute, which had everything the baby needed in terms of nutrients and dietary needs.

“I’ll go make some milk for her,” Ittetsu moved to pass Aaya to his mate but saw the unbiased admiration in Yamaguchi’s eyes and smiled, glancing at Ukai who nodded stiffly in response to his silent question, “Why don’t you hold her while I make the milk, Tadashi-kun?”

“Really?!” the freckled omega’s voice cracked and his smile almost reached his ears, “Can I?!”

He was looking to his ex-coach rather than Takeda-sensei, aware that the alpha may have qualms, but Ukai smiled and sighed, defeated by the cuteness of the omegas.

“Sure, just be careful to support her head.”

Carefully, like he was handling a fragile artefact, Yamaguchi took Aaya from Takeda and held her safely in his arms. She felt extremely small and delicate, like she’d break if he held her too tightly, but when the pup’s crying teetered out and she began to drift off to sleep, Tadashi couldn’t help the tears that pooled in his dark eyes.

“So cute,” he gently brushed his fingers through her dark hair and smiled when she nuzzled a little closer to his body, registering just how warm she was, “I want one.”

The statement brought a smile to Ukai’s face and he laughed loudly before ruffling Yamaguchi’s hair, “I’m sure Tsukishima will be happy to oblige.”

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Takeda was boiling the kettle to heat up the formula when Suga padded in. He looked a little less pale than before and even smiled when he saw his former manager busying himself with mixing the milk powder.

“Feeling better?” Takeda asked as he stirred the milky formula.

Suga nodded and rubbed at his substantial bump, “Yeah, thanks. I think the pheromones just got to me a little.”

“Tell me about it,” Ittetsu poured some boiling water into a bowl and placed the bottle into it, “When I was pregnant I felt sick around other alphas. Going to the grocery store was a nightmare!”

Chuckling, Suga poured himself some orange juice and sat at the table, Takeda joining him as he waited for the milk to heat. The older omega tilted his head and gestured to Suga’s belly,

“May I?” Koushi nodded and Ittetsu placed his hand against the swell, “Have you felt it move yet?”

“I have,” Suga recalled Daichi’s baffled expression when the alpha had tried to feel the pup move, “But only from the inside.”

“How far along are you?”

Suga rubbed at the arc of his belly, noticing the stretch of his t-shirt – he’d have to buy some new shirts soon – and smiled, “Six months and eight days. Um… twenty six, twenty seven weeks?” he shrugged, “The whole ‘weeks’ thing confuses me.”

“I’m sure you’ll feel them move any time now,” Takeda-sensei stood and took the milk out of the warm water, testing it on his hand to make sure it wasn’t too hot, “Tadashi-kun seems ready too. At least that’s the impression I got from him. He sure loves babies!”

A slight wrinkle formed between Suga’s eyebrows, “Yeah. He and Kei have been trying for a pup but no luck so far, as far as I know.”

Takeda shrugged, “It’ll happen when it’s meant to, I’m sure.”

“That’s what I said.”

Suga followed Ittetsu back into the lounge and plopped onto the armchair, close enough to join in the conversation but with enough distance so that Ukai’s pheromones didn’t overwhelm him again. To Yamaguchi’s surprise and utter joy, Takeda let him feed Aaya and Suga watched tiredly as the freckled omega gazed, mesmorised by the tiny pup’s slurping and gulping as she devoured the formula in a few short sucks.

He didn’t know when, but at some point Koushi had fallen asleep as he was suddenly woken by the scent of his alpha; he and Daichi had both become even more aware of one another’s presence and pheromones in the past few weeks and Suga knew exactly when his mate had returned from work every evening, like a sixth sense. The alpha lifted his mate onto his lap and kissed him firmly, inhaling his raspberry and cream scent as Suga welcomed him home.

“Good day?” Suga asked as his cheeks flushed from the constant nuzzling of his mate.

“Tiring,” Daichi replied, pressing another kiss to Koushi’s neck, “But I’m finished now.”

A sudden lead weight settled in the pregnant omega’s stomach and he swivelled to look at his mate, “Finished?! Did they fire you?!”

Daichi scoffed and shook his head, sending soothing pheromones in Suga’s direction, “No, idiot. I’m on paternity leave now.”

Suga’s mouth made an ‘O’ shape and then he frowned, pouting at his alpha’s teasing, before karate-chopping Daichi on top of his head,

“Don’t call me an idiot, idiot!”

The alpha chuckled and gently nipped Suga’s neck with his teeth, eliciting a soft moan from his mate,

“You hungry?” Daichi nodded towards the kitchen, “It’s my turn to cook.”

“Our turn,” Koushi corrected. He knew Daichi was just being cautious of his condition but he wasn’t an invalid quite yet, “I’ll help, too.”

As the pair headed for the kitchen the rest of the pack returned home, Ennoshita and Tanaka heading immediately for the shower so that they could fawn over the baby without getting her all dirty with their after-work grime. Nishinoya had been out with some of the liberos from high school matches and he and Tsukishima had bumped into one another in the train station. They looked a little odd walking into the living room together, almost like father and son what with the height difference, and Kageyama had to suppress a grin that tried to form at the sight.

“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi was sitting on the sofa with Aaya snoring softly in his arms, his freckled face a picture of happiness and awe, “Come and meet Aaya!”

A shadow seemed to cast over Kei’s face and he glanced away, avoiding his mate’s eager eyes, “Maybe later.”

Used to his alpha’s aloofness, Tadashi’s smile only widened as he tried to convince his mate to join them, “Kei~ Come and see the pup! She’s so cute! I fed her and burped her and now she’s sleeping! Look! Look!”

“I said not now!”

The blonde alpha’s response was louder than he’d anticipated and Tadashi physically flinched at his mate’s snarl. A soft whimper escaped Tadashi’s lips and he gently handed Aaya back to Takeda before rushing out of the room towards his and Kei’s bedroom, leaving the tall alpha to stand awkwardly as the rest of the pack tried not to catch his eye.

“Well?” Strangely enough it was Kageyama who spoke first, “Aren’t you going to go after him?”

Tsukishima clicked his tongue and pouted slightly, “I don’t need you telling me that.”

Without another word, Kei swiftly marched down the corridor, leaving the others to wonder just what had gotten into him and why he had acted so strangely when every alpha instinct in his body should have been going into overdrive at the sight of his omegan mate holding a baby. Even with Kageyama and Hinata being bonded only a short time, the alpha knew that if Shouyou held Aaya it would spark some sort of primal instinct inside of him. Surely Tsukishima had felt that too?

“I wonder why he was so mad?” Hinata poked Aaya’s soft cheek gently as Kageyama pulled him a little closer, nuzzling his nape.

“Maybe he’s just tired,” Takeda suggested, he too wondering what had gotten into the blocker.

“Maybe...” Ukai’s brows furrowed and he looked like he was about to speak when Daichi’s head popped out of the kitchen,

“You’re staying for dinner, right?” the head alpha asked, his warm smile instantly lifting the heavy atmosphere.

“Sure,” Keishin stood up and offered to set the table, “Let’s stay a little longer.”

Chapter Text

When Tsukishima opened the door to his and Yamaguchi’s bedroom an overwhelming air of uneasy pheromones settled over him. The omega was obviously upset and had every right to be, Kei thought, as his mate had just snapped at him for no good reason. Of course the alpha had felt the inevitable rush of pride and slight jealousy at seeing his mate holding a newborn pup; it had sparked something inside of him that he hadn’t quite felt before and he desperately wanted to feel it again. He wanted to experience the emotions and feelings when Tadashi was holding their pup in his arms and smiling down at their baby. Which was why the tall alpha had been so irked in the first place. Sighing, Kei sat down on the edge of the bed where Tadashi was curled up, his freckled face buried in a pillow as he whined softly as his mate spoke softly to try and calm him.

“Tadashi...” the omega didn’t respond but Kei could tell he was listening due to the way Yamaguchi’s head tilted slightly towards him, “I’m sorry for snapping.” He reached out and gently curled his fingers around Tadashi’s open hand, “I just… When I saw you with the baby...”

“Aaya,” Tadashi mumbled into the fabric of the pillow, voice only a whisper, “That’s her name.”

“When I saw you with Aaya, I wanted nothing more than to see you holding our pup.”

Tadashi sat up and rubbed his red-rimmed eyes. He held his mate’s hand a little tighter and half-smiled, “And you will, I’m sure it won’t be long.” He sniffled and shuffled a little closer to where Kei sat, “That’s what made you angry?”

“I’m not angry, I’m frustrated!” His voice rose again and Tadashi flinched slightly, a whine escaping his lips, “Sorry.”

“Suga-san said it’d happen when it’s meant to and I think he’s right,” the omega forced another smile, not quite reaching his eyes, “We just have to be patie-”

“It’s not that simple, Tadashi!”

Once again Kei’s alpha tone was sharp and Tadashi pulled his hand away, curling in on himself as he whimpered, tears spilling from his eyes. Why was Tsukki so annoyed? He knew his mate was desperate for a pup, he was too, but there was no reason to be so riled up when there was nothing they could do about it. Tadashi swallowed hard and swiped at his tear-streaked cheeks,

“See! You are angry, Tsukki!” he tried to sound strong but his voice cracked as he continued, “We’re trying our best, we just have to be patient and it’ll happen soon enough! I’m just as eager as you for a baby! You’re not the only one struggling!” He inhaled deeply and a heavy sob racked his slender frame.

The sight of his mate whimpering stung Kei’s heart deeply and he so desperately wanted to gather Tadashi in his arms and tell him everything was going to be okay. But it really wasn’t, was it? What the doctor had told him that afternoon was everything but okay and Kei hated himself for it. How could he call himself an alpha when his main reason for being was making his mate happy and creating a family and that seemed to be the one thing eluding him.

“Tadashi,” Kei’s voice was low, gravelly, “I need to tell you something.”

The sniffling of the omega stopped momentarily and he looked through freckled hands towards his alpha. Tsukki looked pale, worried, and it made Tadashi’s heartbeat rise. He’d never seen his mate look so scared; Tsukki was always the big brave alpha with nothing to worry about and who could be relied upon in every situation. He was Tadashi’s rock, his whole world, and to see him looking so worried, so lost brought fear to the young omega.

“Wh- What is it?”

Slowly, so as not to startle his mate, Tsukishima crawled closer and held both of Tadashi’s hands in his larger ones. He circled the freckles with his thumbs and frowned deeply, trying to find the right words.

“I went to the doctor today...”

As Kei spoke, Tadashi’s eyes widened but he remained quiet as it looked like the alpha was struggling to tell him whatever was on his mind and he feared interrupting him would cause him to stop.

“I wanted to make sure we were doing everything we could to try for a pup. He said we were doing fine but said it was a little unusual for it to be taking so long to conceive and so suggested I take some tests.” His eyes darkened as he kept them fixed on the omega’s hands, “I waited a couple of hours and was called back in. He said that, for an alpha, I have an extremely low sperm count-” Tadashi inhaled sharply but let Kei continue, “-and that’s why we’ve been having trouble conceiving. He said I have almost half of what is usual for an alpha and that it’d be extremely difficult to get an omega pregnant...” he trailed off, vision blurred slightly as tears began to pool in his golden eyes, “I’m so sorry, Tadashi. I’m so useless. It’s my fault.”

For almost a full minute, Tadashi remained silent, thoughts spinning through his head at a million miles an hour. They finally had an answer as to why they hadn’t fallen pregnant but the omega had no idea how to move forward with this new information. Did it mean he could never have a pup with Tsukki? They would never be a proper family? Every fibre in his omegan body had been telling him to try for a baby for the past few months and now he felt like he would never be able to fulfil that primal urge. The emptiness inside his stomach suddenly felt like a black hole, sucking his hopes and wishes into it like falling stars. He could feel himself being pulled towards that blackness and it was only when Kei spoke again that Tadashi blinked into the light.

“Tadashi?” Tsukki was finally looking into his mate’s eyes, his own filled with doubt and worry, “Are you okay?”

“I-” the omega blinked and tears spilled freely onto his flushed cheeks, “I’m fine.”

Kei held his mate’s face between his large hands, “How could you be ‘fine’?! It’s okay to be upset, hurt, pissed.”

Tadashi nodded absently, “Okay… Pissed at who?” He felt like he was in a dream, floating through space, “At you? It’s not your fault, though. It’s no one’s fault, really...” his breath hitched and more silent tears fell as Tsukki gathered him in his arms and pulled him close, “I really did want a pup, though, Tsukki. I really did!”

He gave in to his tears and whimpered into his mate’s chest as Kei rocked slightly, trying to soothe the omega.

“We can still try,” Kei spoke into Tadashi’s hair as the omega continued to sob, “The doctor said it wasn’t impossible, just difficult.”

Slowly, Tadashi raised his head to look up at Tsukki. His brown eyes were wide and tears continued to flow from them but he looked a little more focused as he spoke hoarsely,

“We could still have a baby?” He sounded almost childlike and Kei couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

“Yeah, maybe. We just have to try a lot harder than most people. But we could still have our own pup someday, our own family.”

Nothing more was said but Tadashi nodded firmly against Kei’s broad chest and his crying subsided a little faster. Sure, it was a huge blow to their plan but Tsukki said it wasn’t impossible, just difficult. And if Karasuno players knew anything, it was that ‘difficult’ was just a wall to be climbed so that they could see the court on the other side. And the court on the other side was always waiting, no matter how long it took to scale that wall.

The smell of cooked vegetables and boiled rice gathered everyone into the kitchen without either Suga or Daichi having to call them in. Even Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, who had fallen asleep after the afternoon’s revelations, wandered in as the delicious fragrance filled the den.

“Smells great, Sawamura-kun!” Takeda sat down next to Hinata, Aaya nestled snugly in his arms.

“I’ve told you you can call me Daichi.”

Takeda blushed slightly and shook his head, “It just doesn’t sound right!”

Suga began to serve up the vegetables and various side dishes but Tanaka and Ennoshita soon took over, ushering the pregnant omega to sit down already, which he did so with only a little protest. After all, his feet were aching from standing chopping vegetables all afternoon. He took the chair next to Tadashi and immediately noticed the younger omega’s swollen eyes, obviously from crying.

“Everything okay, Tadashi?” Suga asked as Chikara handed them bowls of steaming rice.

It took a moment for Tadashi to respond and when he did it was only a small nod. Noticing his mate’s weak state, Tsukishima pulled him closer, an arm looped around his waist and Suga didn’t ask anything more, opting to let them work it out together rather than pushing them to talk about whatever was on their minds.

Once everything was dished out, Daichi and the others took their seats and began to dig in. The flavours were pretty good and the head alpha looked somewhat proud of the beef skewers he’d made as he offered another to Kageyama and Asahi.

“You guys eat like this every night?” Ukai asked as he shovelled more rice into his mouth, “All together I mean.”

Daichi nodded, “When we can, yeah.”

“We’re a big family!” Hinata chirped and Tobio ruffled his hair a little too roughly.

“It’s nice to get everyone together,” Suga added, “To talk about our day and stuff.”

“I get that,” Ukai took Aaya’s tiny hand between his fingers, “It’s nice just to be with the ones you love.”

A comfortable silence fell over the pack as they ate, the only sound the occasional ‘mm’ or ‘aah’ as they enjoyed their food. Everyone seemed to be pretty content just eating and Suga absently rubbed at his bump as he watched each member enjoying the food he and Daichi had cooked, gaining satisfaction from their hard work coming to fruition. As his eyes fell upon Noya, however, the tiny omega didn’t seem to be digging into his meal as he usually would. In fact he’d left most of his meat and only eaten a little rice.

“Yuu?” Suga’s voice broke the silence and a few heads turned his way, “You feeling okay?”

Noya’s eyes widened, like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t be, and he nodded a little too vigorously, “Fine. Yep, just fine!”

“Did you not like the food?” Suga looked downtrodden at the thought of Noya disliking his cooking, “I could make something else if you like?”

“I’m just not hungry, really.”

That odd statement caused a few more of the pack members to turn his way, including Asahi whose eyebrows rose with worry. It was the day hell would freeze over when Nishinoya would refuse food, the tiny omega usually put it away like he had hollow legs.

“Are you sure?” Suga pressed, “I could make you some eggs or-”

“I said I’m fine!”

Noya was on his feet suddenly, much to Suga’s surprise, and Daichi was quick to follow. The head alpha growled deeply, a warning to anyone who would dare to threaten his mate and pup. Although Noya could hardly be called a ‘threat’, Daichi’s instincts were screaming at him to protect Suga no matter what and his overwhelming presence brought Asahi to his mate’s defence, the stocky alpha echoing Daichi’s growl.

“Hey!” Suga slapped Daichi’s arm, “Stop that! Both of you sit down!”

When Asahi ignored Suga’s request, Daichi moved around the table to stand face to face with the Ace, his pheromones cranked up to ten as his instincts took over. The atmosphere was tense and the other omegas whined softly as Aaya began to cry. Takeda took her into the living room, away from the arguing alphas, as Suga tried once more to ease the tension.

“Guys, please!” He stood up on the opposite side of the table to the alphas, “Calm down will you!”

“What are they even arguing about?” Hinata asked innocently as Noya moved to stand between the two giant alphas. Kageyama just shrugged in response.

“Hey,” the tiny omega looked even smaller between the alphas but he stood his ground as he pressed his fist to Asahi’s chest, “Stop! I shouldn’t have got all worked up, everything’s fine, right Suga-san?”

Suga nodded, “Yes! Now put the measuring tape away and finish your meals!”

For a brief moment, Suga thought that was the end of it. After all, Asahi and Daichi hardly ever fought, especially over something so trivial. But it seemed like Daichi’s daddy-instincts were clouding his judgement as he gently moved Noya aside so as not to involve him in the altercation. This was the final straw for Asahi; no one touched his mate, especially not another alpha, and he’d be damned if he remained the meek and quiet pack member when someone threatened Yuu. A rough, echoing snarl rippled through his throat and he raised his arm, ready to shove Daichi if necessary. That was when Noya closed his eyes tightly and balled his fists at his sides, shouting the only thing he knew would stop the fight.

“I’m pregnant!”

Chapter Text

“I’m pregnant!”

Nishinoya’s sudden proclamation silenced the arguing alphas and brought the pack’s meal to a stand-still. Asahi’s raised hand dropped to his side with a slap and Daichi’s jaw clicked as his mouth fell slack, his face displaying what everyone else felt: shock. Well, everyone except Suga that was; somehow the pregnant omega had had a feeling that Yuu would be announcing something along those lines sooner or later what with his nausea at the hot springs and interrupted eating habits. Why he hadn’t told his mate, however, was something Koushi couldn’t quite grasp and his silver brows furrowed as he tried to decipher Yuu’s reasoning.

“Yuu?!”

Asahi looked like he didn’t know which emotion to process first. His eyes were wide, almost startled, but he also looked overwhelmed with joy. Daichi thought the Ace might throw up as the conflicting emotions rippled across his face but somehow he managed to gain a little control as he turned to his mate.

“You are? We are?!”

“Um… Well-” Noya was cut off by a grappling hug from Hinata, the tiny redhead almost knocking him over as congratulations tumbled from his mouth,

“So cool, Noya-senpai!” Shouyou nuzzled Noya’s neck as Kageyama tried to pull him back.

“Yeah, the thing is-” again Yuu was interrupted, this time by Kageyama, who looked a little awkward as he congratulated him.

“Congratulations, man,” Daichi patted Asahi’s back firmly, “Sorry about, you know...”

“Yeah, me too,” Asahi shrugged, the conflict just moments before forgotten in the chaos, “This is just… Wow...”

Suga was about to stand up and offer his congratulations when Yuu’s voice, much quieter than his usual boisterous tone, pierced through the chattering and congratulatory hugs like a shard of ice down the spine.

“It- It was a joke!” Once again silence befell the small kitchen and Noya continued, his head bowed low and eyes firmly fixed on the ground, “I just said it so that Daichi and Asahi would stop fighting.” He dared a glance up at his alpha and the look of pure disappointment on Asahi’s face made the omega whine softly, tears pooling in his eyes, “I’m sorry… I didn’t know what else to do!”

A shadow seemed to have enveloped Asahi’s face as he replied, voice low and thick with lost hope, “So you’re not pregnant?” He knew the answer, he just wanted to hear it from the omega himself.

Yuu shook his head and reached out for his mate, only for Asahi to retract his hand and silently leave the room.

“So it was a joke?” Hinata scratched his orange locks, a slight pout on his face, “I don’t get it.”

“Me either,” Tobio looked towards Noya, who was whimpering softly, head still lowered and hands trembling slightly. The alpha felt for him and knew Yuu’s heart had been in the right place but also knew how important it was to an alpha to produce a pup. Surely Noya could have said something else, something that wouldn’t have played with Asahi’s emotions so severely?

“Do you think that’s funny?!” Tadashi was suddenly on his feet, hands slammed against the table as tears streamed down his face. He was trembling and his voice cracked as he yelled at the tiny omega across the table, “Do- Do you think it’s something to joke about?!”

“Tadashi,” Tsukishima reached out for his mate but the freckled omega slapped his hand away firmly.

“No!” he jabbed his finger at Nishinoya, “It’s not something to joke about! Some of us are trying our best for a pup and can’t- Can’t...” his breath hitched and he pushed his palms against his eyes, head shaking back and forth, “Some of us might never be able to!”

That last sentence finally made Yuu look up. Tadashi was panting heavily, tears and sweat dripping down his flushed face as Tsukki tried to comfort him but the omega wasn’t having any of it. His attention was still focused on Yuu, who now looked completely defeated and extremely guilty.

“’Might not be able to’?” Noya asked, genuine empathy in his eyes, “What do you mean?”

“Tsukki is… We can’t...”

Tadashi’s eyes flicked between his mate and Noya, as though frantically looking for an answer to his worries. The world seemed to be spinning too fast and the floor beneath his feet felt like a river of glue, moving and making him lose balance.

“Whoa, Yamaguchi,” Ukai had gotten to his feet, a sudden troubled look on his usually calm face, “It’s alright, calm down.”

“I am calm! I’m...”

The final thread that had been holding Tadashi up above the flowing river beneath him finally snapped and he wobbled slightly before dropping to the floor in a heap.

“Tadashi!”

Kei scrambled to his side and lifted his head onto his lap, hands patting his mate’s face softly to try and stir him. When he forcibly opened Tadashi’s eyes a lead weight settled in his stomach at the sight. The omega’s eyes were cloudy; he hadn’t just fainted, he’d dropped. The blonde alpha didn’t know what to do, his mind was racing as he tried to remember how to rouse a dropped omega but all he kept coming back to was how to prevent a drop, not reverse one. For the second time that day he felt utterly useless and turned to his senpais for a lifeline.

“Suga-san?” Kei’s voice was soft, all bravado forgotten to focus on his love, “What do I do?!”

For a moment Suga didn’t know what to react to first. Had Tadashi just said he couldn’t have pups?! Was there something wrong with him? Was he ill? The pregnant omega had to force his speculations aside as he tried to focus on the present problem.

“Let’s get him in the living room first.”

Kei lifted Tadashi easily and quickly followed Suga and the others into the living room, placing the omega down on the sofa. The other omegas gathered around him quickly, Suga taking up position by his head as he stroked his slender fingers through Tadashi’s hair.

“Now what?” Kei was wringing his hands, desperate for something to do to help his mate.

A strong hand settled on his shoulder – Daichi – as the head alpha tried to ease his worries a little,

“Just wait a little while,” Daichi gestured to the omegas, who were each scenting Tadashi at his wrists, neck and ankles, the scents permeating the room quickly. “They’ll bring him back.”

After what seemed like hours but was in fact only a few minutes, Tadashi began to stir. His eyes fluttered open and he whined softly, frown deepening as he slowly recalled what had happened. He felt the other omegas’ presence and nestled a little closer to Suga, who was kneeling by his head, fingers still caressing Tadashi’s hair. All eyes were on him as he lay there like a rare art piece and Yamaguchi felt his cheeks heat up at the attention.

“Tadashi,” Kei was immediately by his side, rubbing his mate’s wrist against his own neck to soothe him, “Are you okay?”

The omega nodded, although he knew he was in no way ‘okay’, he also knew that Tsukki meant in this present moment and didn’t want to give the alpha a heart attack by saying something was wrong. He was going to add something more to try and ease the alpha’s worries but Noya interrupted his thought.

“I’m so sorry, Yamaguchi,” the small omega was kneeling by Tadashi’s knees, one hand touching his ankle where he’d been scenting him, “I wasn’t thinking. I’m a moron.”

Although Tadashi agreed that Noya’s outburst had been a little moronic and totally tactless, he also knew that the libero hadn’t meant it in a malicious way and had only been trying to stop the argument between the alphas. How was he to know that Tadashi had heard such life-changing news just hours before? The freckled omega nodded and sat himself upright slowly, rocking slightly as his weak body tried to balance.

“It’s okay. I overreacted.”

Silently, Yuu gently patted Yamaguchi’s leg and sat back a little so that Tsukishima could get a little closer to his mate. The alpha looked relieved that he’d regained consciousness but also radiated concern for his love, knowing that it was his fault that Tadashi was so worked up to start with.

“Um...” Hinata, who had moved onto the smaller sofa to sit next to Tobio, looked unusually serious as he spoke, “Can… Can you not have pups, Tadashi?”

Kageyama elbowed his mate in the ribs in an attempt to shut him up; he didn’t want Shouyou bringing up something that had just made another omega drop. But Tadashi waved his hand dismissively and gripped Tsukki’s hand a little tighter in his other,

“I...”

He suddenly realised that it wasn’t really his place to say. After all, it was Tsukki’s medical issue that was the cause and he knew how private his mate liked to be about stuff, not to mention the fact that it was an alpha’s pride to produce offspring and Kei’s body didn’t seem to be cooperating in that aspect. He thought maybe he should stay quiet about it and let the alpha tell the pack when he felt comfortable. When the tall alpha squeezed his hand and sighed, however, Tadashi’s jaw fell slack as Tsukishima started to speak.

“It’s not that we can’t have a baby,” Kei cleared his throat, a little surprised by how strained his voice sounded, “It’s just going to be a little harder for us.” A few blank stares alerted him that no one actually knew what he was talking about and so he continued, “The doctor said my err… sperm count is low for an alpha and that it’ll be difficult for us to get pregnant.”

From his position on the floor, Suga nuzzled Tadashi’s hair softly, spreading his raspberries and cream scent onto the younger omega as a sign of closeness. He wanted Tadashi to know that the entire pack was behind the pair.

Sensing how difficult it had been for Tsukishima to say that out loud, Daichi scratched his head a little awkwardly and spoke up,

“But not impossible, right?”

“Yeah!” Tanaka whacked Tsukishima on the back, making the alpha jerk forwards, “I’m sure your little swimmers are just laid back like you!”

That made Yamaguchi chuckle a little, a sound that brought light to Tsukki’s heart and brought a small smile to his own face. Of course everyone was supportive of them, they were a pack and a family and nothing could change that. The alpha knew that everyone would be with them through the struggle and tough times just like they always had and he felt a little better simply basking in the knowledge that he and Tadashi wouldn’t have to face their troubles alone.

After a lot of hugging and scenting and alpha ‘manliness’, the pack began to settle in for the night. Tadashi let Kei help him to his feet, still a little shaky from his drop but in desperate need of a shower to ease his bruised muscles as he’d fallen pretty awkwardly in the kitchen. The other omegas moved to sit with their alphas, save for Nishinoya who curled up on the sofa and Suga who was still sitting on the floor on his knees.

“Kou?” Daichi patted the space beside him on the smallest sofa, “You coming? That show’s on you like.”

The expression on the pregnant omega’s face when he turned to face his mate was one of pure discomfort and Daichi tumbled onto the floor before scrambling to his side in a panic.

“What?!” the head alpha’s hands worked the air hopelessly, “What is it? Is it the baby?!”

Suga shook his head, eyes scrunched shut, “My legs...”

“Legs?!” Daichi squawked.

Finally Suga opened his eyes and began massaging his own calves, wincing as he touched them. He tried to manoeuvrer himself so that he was on his butt but with his six and a half month belly in the way it wasn’t so easy. Instead he just groaned hopelessly and leaned on his alpha’s shoulder, whispering in his ear.

“I’ve been sitting too long, I’ve got pins and needles.”

Daichi seemed to deflate at the harmless sentence and tried to hide his smirk as he pulled Suga to his feet, the omega wincing once more at the sensation in his legs. The alpha ushered him to the sofa and let Koushi sit across his lap as he worked his thumbs into his legs to try and bring them back to life.

“You should avoid sitting on your knees from now on, Sugawara-kun,” Takeda spoke softly as Aaya slept peacefully in his arms, “It’d be bad if you got stuck down there when no one else was around. Plus it can get really uncomfortable, trust me!”

Ukai tugged his mate closer and chuckled deeply, “I remember, a few weeks before Aaya came along, Ittetsu was craving olives pretty badly so I ran – and I mean ran – to the store to get some. When I got back I thought he was praying or something, sitting on the floor in the bedroom on his knees like a monk. It was only after I forced him to tell me what he was doing that he admitted he was stuck there.”

Takeda blushed and pushed into Ukai’s side a little, “I was folding laundry and couldn’t get back up!”

Daichi sighed and squeezed Koushi’s toes gently, “I’ll make sure to keep an eye on him, don’t worry.”

A loud yawn interrupted the alpha’s promise as Suga’s eyelids began to droop and his head dipped slightly. It seemed the earlier commotion had drained what was left of his strength and Daichi looked antsy as he pulled his mate’s head against his chest.

“And that’s our cue to leave,” Ukai took his daughter and Takeda followed him to the entryway where Tanaka and Ennoshita waved them off, leaving the pack alone once more.

Ryuu stretched, bones popping as he did so, and looped his long arms around Chikara, “Ahh she was so cute, right?!” He rested his chin on Chikara’s shoulder and smiled, remembering Aaya’s cherubic face, “Cuuuute!”

“Don’t get any funny ideas,” Ennoshita shoved his hand into his boyfriend’s face and headed back to the living room, leaving Tanaka pouting in the hallway.

Almost an hour later, at around ten, most of the pack was gathered in the living room watching a movie about gangsters. Suga had gone to bed earlier but insisted that Daichi stay with the others for a while, he didn’t want his mate lying next to him simply staring at the ceiling if he wasn’t even tired. Now the pregnant omega had been woken up with the urge to pee, a regular nightly occurrence, and decided to peek in at his pack-mates after using the bathroom.

As he headed down the corridor, however, a strange strangled gargle coming from Tanaka’s room made him pause where he stood. He listened and again a faint choking sound followed by a flushing toilet. Thinking he was about to scare the crap out of Ryuu or maybe Chikara, Suga bit his lip and tiptoed into the betas’ room, his heartbeat rising slightly at the prospect of the prank. As he pushed open the door to the en-suite and poked his head through, however, it wasn’t a beta he set eyes on but another omega. Noya.

The tiny omega was kneeling in front of the toilet, his head practically in the toilet bowl as he panted slightly and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked pale and was sweating slightly as another bout of sickness overcame him.

“I knew it!” Suga had his hands on his hips as Noya’s head spun to face him, shock in the libero’s eyes, “I knew you smelled different when we rebuilt my nest!” Suga looked smug but the sight of Noya’s troubled expression soured his pride, “You are pregnant, aren’t you?”

Slowly, so as not to jostle his sickly stomach any more than necessary, Yuu nodded as tears pooled in his usually bright eyes.

Suga sighed and crouched beside him, a hand on his back, “Why did you say you weren’t? Isn’t it a good thing?”

Overcome with sudden emotion and finally an outlet to release his secret, Noya burst into tears and let Suga hug him closely as he told him everything.

Chapter Text

After almost ten minutes, Yuu finally calmed down enough to let go of Suga and dry his tear-stained cheeks. He hadn’t meant to make such a fuss and he certainly hadn’t meant for Suga to find out his secret but now that the older omega had guessed, Noya felt a slight weight lift from his shoulders and his sickness abated a little.

“Why haven’t you told Asahi?” Suga was sitting leaning against the wall but looked anything other than comfortable. He ignored his back’s protests, however, in favour of listening to his pack-mate’s worries.

Noya sighed and swiped his blonde streak from his damp face with his good hand, “He’s finally found a place to open his bakery. It’s his dream and he’s so busy, I don’t want to stop everything by telling him!”

Suga raised a pale eyebrow, “And him thinking you’re a liar is better?”

The tiny omega’s lip began to tremble and he swiped angrily at his tearful eyes, “If it means he can get the bakery up and running then yes,” he looked up at Suga and the shadow of his usual smile appeared, “It’ll only be another month or so, just until the building work is finished, and then I’ll tell him.”

Suga sighed heavily. If he’d managed to guess that Noya was pregnant then how hadn’t Asahi? Surely the alpha wasn’t that distracted was he? Although Yuu’s scent hadn’t changed much it was still a little different than usual – sweeter – and usually an alpha would notice even the slightest change in their mate. Even if Yuu had been using Tanaka’s bathroom for his morning sickness it still baffled Suga as to how he had managed to keep it a secret for so long.

“How far along are you?” Suga asked, silently trying to calculate something in his head.

“2 and a half months, give or take a week.”

Suga nodded, continuing his calculations, “So why hasn’t Asahi noticed yet? Wasn’t he suspicious when you didn’t get your heat?”

Suddenly Noya looked sheepish; his head lowered and his eyes fell to his wringing hands, “I took some heat ‘replicators’...”

Koushi’s eyes widened and he gripped Noya’s shoulders roughly, “Yuu!” He took a breath and lowered his voice, aware than the smaller omega was already shaken, “You know they’re dangerous for a pregnant omega, right? You’re only supposed to take them if you have trouble going into heat!”

Yuu nodded silently, face flushed. He knew it was dangerous and wanted to protect his pup more than anything but he just couldn’t risk letting Asahi know yet. His alpha had always been a worrier, the whole pack knew that, and Noya guessed that adding a ‘hey, we’re expecting a pup, surprise!’ to his already chaotic life at the moment would spiral Asahi into some sort of breakdown. Saying what he’d been doing out loud now, however, added a thick blanket of guilt to the omega and he immediately understood that he was never going to take another heat replicator, even if that meant he’d have to tell Asahi sooner rather than later about his condition.

“I’m sorry,” Nishinoya whispered, not only to Suga but to his still-flat stomach, “I won’t take any more, I promise.”

Suga ruffled his friend’s hair gently and held out his arms, blushing slightly, “Can you help me up now please?”

Once on his feet, Suga gathered Yuu into a tight hug and then gripped his face between his hands, squishing his small features,

“You need to tell Asahi, you know that right?” Yuu nodded, “No time like the present.”

A lead weight settled in Noya’s stomach and his head began to shake back and forth without a conscious thought to do so, “No, no, no! I’m not ready yet! What if he’s mad? What if he stops work on the bakery?!”

Patiently, Suga waited for Noya’s freak-out to simmer down and then smiled warmly, one hand on his bump, “Did he look mad when you said it earlier?”

Noya recalled his mate’s shocked but happy expression when he’d blurted it out in the kitchen that evening and frowned deeply. Although Asahi had seemed pleased, he had also paled considerably and looked like he was going to throw up or pass out, or both.

“Let me rephrase that,” Koushi rubbed Noya’s arm gently, “Did he look disappointed?”

Of all of the emotions that had passed over the Ace’s face, ‘disappointed’ wasn’t one of them. The only time Asahi had shown that particular feeling was when Noya had said it was a joke. The omega’s mouth made an ‘O’ shape and he smiled lopsidedly, a slight blush on his already flushed face.

“I guess not.”

He hugged Suga firmly and almost skipped out of the room, back to his usual chirpy self a little too easily, leaving Suga to recover from his emotional whiplash.

In his and Nishinoya’s room, Asahi was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. There was a patch just left of the hanging light that was a slightly darker colour than the rest of the paintwork and he couldn’t take his eyes off of it. It was shaped exactly like an avocado but was about three times the size of one and the alpha glared at it in the darkness like it would somehow change shape or retreat back into the paint if he stared long enough. No such luck.

What he was in fact doing was trying to distract himself from his own thoughts. Earlier, when Yuu had uttered those two life-changing words, Asahi hadn’t known what to feel. His heart raced a little faster and he felt hot and cold at the same time, like he was going to faint. He was so worked up and focused on not passing out that he didn’t really have time to understand the actual emotions he was feeling, far too preoccupied with his physical condition. What he did know, however, was that when Noya had then declared it as a ‘joke’ he suddenly felt nothing at all. A kind of shroud had fallen over him and he felt empty, like someone had scooped out his insides like an avocado.

He knew that storming out like an angry teenager probably hadn’t been the best decision but it was all he could think to do. Why had Yuu chosen such a thing to say? Sure, he knew his mate wanted to stop Daichi and himself arguing but couldn’t he have chosen a more sensible outburst? Something that didn’t mess with his brain so much? It wasn’t like they’d been discussing having a baby any time soon, what with the bakery just starting to take shape, but it wasn’t as though he never wanted kids either. And to any alpha, a pup was something to get excited about. Asahi sighed and shook his head, baffled by what his mate had been thinking.

At that very moment, with thoughts and questions swimming through the alpha’s mind, the bedroom door creaked open and Noya slipped inside. Asahi could immediately sense the nervousness in his mate – his usual peachy scent was tinged with a slight sour odour – but didn’t move from his spot on the bed, opting to let the omega step closer.

Noya cleared his throat purposefully, all glee having faded as soon as he stepped into the room and well aware that Asahi was still awake.

“Asahi...”

No response.

Swallowing, Yuu continued to talk into the blackness, “Are you mad?”

Asahi sat up and leaned against the headboard, a dark shadowy figure on the bed, “Should I not be?”

“I’m sor-”

“Did you think I wouldn’t be hurt by such a joke, Yuu?” Noya flinched at the alpha’s deep tone and whimpered slightly as Asahi continued, “You could have said anything else, anything at all, but you chose that?”

“I’m so sorry, look I-”

“Why that?! Why couldn’t you have just shouted ‘stop’ or something?” Asahi ran his hands through his tousled hair, “I’ve been trying to think of a reason but I just can’t. Why did you say you were pregnant of all things? Why did-”

“BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!”

For a moment the darkness in the room felt like syrup; it seemed to envelop Noya completely, getting into his nose and throat, choking him from the inside out. When he inhaled it was shaky and rough and he had to lean back against the wall to try and stop the world from spinning. From atop the bed, Noya heard a faint ‘eh?’ but before he could squint through the shadows Asahi flicked on the light on the night stand, revealing his wide-eyed expression.

“Eh?” the alpha repeated, unable to form a coherent sentence as his brain caught up with his ears.

“I-It’s true. I’m pregnant. 2 and half months,” Noya dared a step closer to the bed and perched on the end as Asahi continued to try and grasp the situation.

“But you said-”

“I lied,” the omega scrunched up his face and grabbed at his hair roughly, “I mean, I told the truth and then I lied...”

Asahi crawled a little closer to his mate but kept his arms at his sides, suddenly aware of just how small Noya was. He wasn’t sure how to process this new information, heck he wasn’t sure he even was processing it, but he wanted to hear Noya out regardless and so remained silent as the omega continued.

“I found out about a month ago, just when you started the building work on the bakery,” he dared a glance up at his mate and relaxed a little when Asahi’s expression looked a little softer, “I know you’ve wanted to open your own bakery for so long and so I wanted to let you have that. I didn’t want to freak you out or overwhelm you, ‘cause I know how stressed you get, so I just kept it to myself.”

Asahi inched a little closer but remained quiet and so Noya continued,

“I suppose it’s been on my mind a lot lately, so it just kind of slipped out when you and Daichi were arguing.”

“When-” Asahi had to clear his throat to continue, emotions taking over momentarily, “When you fell from the tree did you know?”

Yuu’s eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously, “No! I swear I didn’t know! I wouldn’t have climbed up there if I did!”

The alpha nodded and seemed to contemplate something before raising his head again. This time when he looked into his mate’s eyes he looked somewhat elated, happy. Tears began to pool in his dark eyes and he took Noya’s hands, encapsulating the omega’s smaller ones in his own.

“We’re really going to have a pup?”

Noya nodded, “Yup.”

“It’s not a joke?”

Yuu pressed his forehead to Asahi’s and inhaled his alpha’s scent deeply, “Definitely not.”

“Does anyone else know?” Asahi pulled Yuu onto his broad lap and looped his arms around his small frame.

“Suga guessed...” the omega bit his bottom lip and mumbled against Asahi’s chest, “And I told Tanaka a few weeks ago so that I could use his bathroom, which means Chikara probably knows too.”

A dark eyebrow tilted upwards, “’Use his bathroom’? Why?”

“Morning sickness,” Yuu was starting to drift into sleep, all worries and concerns suddenly relieved, “It sucks…” he rested his chin on Asahi’s chest and looked up at the alpha with dopey eyes, “I’m sorry, Asahi. I didn’t like keeping it a secret.”

“I know,” the alpha understood why Yuu had kept it from him now and vowed to become a stronger mate, a mate to be relied upon rather than someone who needed protecting. “Just as long as you tell me everything from now on, okay?”

“Nn, okay,” Noya yawned, his mate’s scent sending him off to dreamland quickly, “But let’s keep it our secret for now, okay?”

“What? Why?”

Yuu’s eyebrows knitted together and his stomach rolled, “For Tadashi...”

Asahi was about to ask what it had to do with Yamaguchi but Noya’s snores stopped his questions. He had more to ask, much more to ask, but decided to leave it until morning. For now he just wanted to hold his most important person in his arms. He smiled, his two most important people.

Chapter Text

After listening to Nishinoya pad back down the hallway to his and Asahi’s room, Suga took a moment to try and recover from the younger omega’s news. Of course, somehow Koushi had known Yuu was pregnant, what with his lack of appetite and such, but his reasons for hiding it from his mate were something Suga hadn’t anticipated and he was glad he’d talked his friend out of keeping the news to himself for any longer. It wasn’t healthy for an expecting omega to bottle up their emotions and was an unnecessary strain on the mother and pup, especially in the first trimester when the omega’s body was adjusting to so much.

Satisfied with his night’s work, Suga plodded back into his and Daichi’s room. To his surprise, the alpha was already under the covers snoring lightly, his usually alert features completely relaxed and content in his dream state. Koushi smiled and tried to sneak into the bed without disturbing his mate but, at six months along, Daichi was hyper-aware of every move his omega made and turned over groggily to kiss Koushi’s forehead.

“Where did you go?” the alpha looped his arms around Suga’s neck and pulled him closer, “I came to bed and you’d vanished.”

“I had to pee… again.”

Koushi briefly considered telling Daichi about Noya but decided it was up to the younger omega to break the news to everyone, especially after the fiasco in the kitchen earlier and poor Tadashi’s state of mind at the moment. He was just drifting into sleep, images of the night’s drama flashing through his mind, when Daichi’s cold hands brushed against his bare stomach and he flinched, slapping the alpha’s hands away harshly.

“Cold!”

Daichi pouted a little and then the expression was replaced with a playful smirk as he attempted to touch Suga’s belly once more, his icy fingertips brushing it briefly as the omega wriggled against his grasp around his waist.

“Daichi! Stop!” He tried to stifle his laughter as the touching turned to tickling but the alpha claimed his lips firmly, quieting Suga with his own tongue.

“You should cover yourself up if you don’t want hungry wolves eating you up,” Daichi growled playfully and dipped his head under the covers so that he could blow raspberries on the omega’s bare stomach.

“I… can’t!” Suga giggled and pushed against Daichi’s head beneath the duvet, finally able to catch his breath as the alpha popped back into view, his face red and panting.

“Why not?” Daichi asked as he lay back down next to his mate, satisfied with his torment for the moment.

Suga’s cheeks flushed a little and he pouted as he too lay down on his back, staring at the ceiling as he spoke,

“None of my pyjamas fit any more...”

Daichi rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, “Use mine.”

Suga sighed loudly, “These are yours!”

“Ah...” the alpha nestled his nose against Suga’s neck and inhaled the sweet fragrance deeply, speaking against the omega’s sensitive skin, “So we’ll buy you some new ones. We can go tomorrow if you like? Maybe the others can come, too. I think everyone could do with a distraction after tonight.”

Beside him, Suga remained silent and turned to face away from his mate, duvet tucked tight underneath his chin as if to hide himself.

“Hey,” Daichi shuffled closer, arms wrapping around Suga’s bump habitually and holding a little tighter when the omega tried to move away, “What’s up?”

Another sigh.

“I won’t know if you don’t tell me, Kou,” Daichi pressed his lips into Suga’s silver hair, just above their bond mark.

“It’s just, what happened earlier with Noya and Yamaguchi...” his eyebrows knitted together as he continued, “Everyone is so baby-obsessed and here I am having it so easy,” Daichi opened his mouth to retort but Koushi continued quietly, “But it’s not really easy, is it? My body is changing and my feet hurt and my back hurts and everything hurts and now I can’t even fit into my own clothes any more!” He felt tears prick his eyes and rubbed them away forcefully, “Sometimes I don’t feel like my body is my own any more and it scares me, Dai! What if I’m a useless mother? What if I don’t know how to look after my own pup? What if-”

“Shh,” Daichi released some soothing pheromones and gently rolled Koushi over so that he was looking at him, the omega’s face flushed with emotion, “You’re going to be a great mother. And we’re going to love our pup and take care of them together, okay?”

A weak nod from Suga let Daichi know that he was getting somewhere.

“And your body isn’t your own!” When more tears began to pool in Koushi’s tired eyes, the alpha back-pedalled a little, “I mean, it’s yours and our baby’s and mine,” he kissed his forehead gently, “But you’re still you, Kou. You’ll always be you. And your body changing just means our pup is growing, right? They’re getting ready to see us soon!”

Seeming to have calmed down a little, Suga nestled a little closer into Daichi’s chest and nodded. He was slightly taken aback at how strong his emotions had suddenly poured out of him but chalked it down to Yuu’s influence as he’d been thinking too much about concealing his worries and such. Now that he’d released his stress he did feel better, however, and he could sense the heavy blanket of sleep falling over him as Daichi rubbed gentle circles into his back.

“Don’t hold everything inside, okay?” the alpha whispered as Suga began to breathe a little heavier, “Let me take care of you every now and then.”

Almost three hours later, Hinata headed into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. His orange hair stuck up in every direction, like a wildfire, and his eyes almost closed as he took a huge gulp of the cool liquid. Although usually oblivious to the drama of the pack, even Shouyou had sensed the change in the air earlier and felt that the tension wasn’t completely cleared yet, even if Daichi-san had promised it was.

Tadashi had dropped and it had been scary and real and yet Hinata knew that every alpha, every member of their pack had been there for the omega when it happened, even if not physically present. He himself felt pretty content at the moment, what with his and Tobio’s recent bond and the anticipation of Suga-san’s baby. Although it made him feel a little guilty, the redhead was happier than he’d ever been in his life and, as he finished the last drops of water from his glass, he smiled to himself happily.

“You seem annoyingly jolly.”

Tsukishima leaned against the door frame, his long body almost reaching its entire height with only an inch or so to spare. He looked drained; dark circles hung beneath his golden eyes and he looked paler than usual. Without his glasses he even looked a little vulnerable, like they were somehow some kind of shield or mask that the alpha usually hid behind. A little startled by Kei’s sudden appearance, Hinata quickly washed up his glass and turned to leave the kitchen, only to be stopped by the tall alpha’s words.

“Would you do me a favour, shrimp?”

Normally Hinata would bite back at the nickname but all fight left him at the shock of Tsukishima (of all people) asking for something.

“What is it?” the omega fiddled with the hem of his t-shirt, crumpling the cartoon bear’s face.

Kei sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Tadashi is...” he closed his eyes and sighed and when they reopened he looked a little defeated, “He’s acting pretty brave but I know he’s hurting.”

Shouyou nodded silently, eyes wide as his pack-mate showed more emotion than he ever had before – at least to him.

“Will you,” Tsukishima moved to push up his glasses habitually and let his hand drop when his fingers met nothing but air, “Will you and the other omegas look after him? Make sure he’s doing okay? I’m doing my best but even I know sometimes all omegas need is other omegas.”

Again, Hinata nodded, “Of course,” he smiled broadly, flashing his teeth, “He’s our family, we’ll take care of each other!”

A shadow of a smile hovered over the alpha’s face but he managed to turn it into a smirk, keeping up his slightly arrogant demeanour. The facade faded slightly, however, as once again he moved to push at his glass only to poke himself between the eyes. Thankfully that was when Kageyama decided to come looking for his mate and Kei was able to slink away back to his and Tadashi’s room.

“What’re you doing?” Tobio asked as he looped his arms around his mate, inhaling his tangy orange scent.

Hinata shrugged, “Just getting a drink.”

A dark eyebrow rose, “With Tsukishima?”

“Yes,” Shouyou stuck his nose in the air, mimicking the tallest alpha, “We’re drinking buddies now.”

“Oh, really?” Tobio nipped at Hinata’s neck, making the omega squeak, “Are you unsatisfied with me?”

Hinata gasped and spun to face his alpha, jumping up so that Kageyama had no choice but to carry him, “Never!”

Back in the head alpha’s room, both Suga and Daichi were sleeping soundly. The alpha had his left hand resting on his mate’s belly as he spooned him closely, every breath filled with Koushi’s raspberries and cream fragrance.

Although sound asleep, Daichi’s alpha instincts were dialled to ten and so when his fingers moved with the force of something other than himself, his eyes shot open and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. At first he thought someone else might be in the room as he wasn’t quite certain of what had woke him up, but after sniffing for any unfamiliar – or familiar – scents he deduced that it was only he and Koushi present. Then what had stirred him, he wondered? Well, his question was quickly answered as something once again rippled beneath his left hand, making his fingers dance ever so slightly on Suga’s stomach.

Daichi sat bolt upright, his hand not moving from his mate’s bump. He waited what felt like forever and there, once more, a tiny undulation of movement beneath Suga’s skin caused his fingers to twitch. If he’d been in a more coherent state, Daichi would have probably reacted in a more mindful way but as he was half asleep and in ‘protective alpha mode’ he reacted in the one way his body knew how to. He yelled at the top of his lungs.

It wasn’t really a word that the head alpha shouted, more of an animalistic outburst not unlike Hinata’s well-known yells during matches. He didn’t even realise he’d made the sound until Koushi’s limbs flailed like he’d been shot at and the omega almost fell out of the bed, eyes like saucers in the darkness.

“WHAT?!” Suga panted, one hand on his heart and the other on his bump, “What the hell is it?!”

Daichi was on his feet, pointing at Suga’s stomach like he’d only just realised he was pregnant, “That!”

Suga blanched and felt his teeth grind in annoyance. Was his mate sleepwalking? Sleep talking? Had Daichi finally snapped under the pressure?

“Excuse me?” Suga’s voice was flat, irked by his mate’s odd behaviour.

The alpha sat back down on the bed and spread both hands over Suga’s stomach silently. He looked like some sort of strange fortune teller with a crystal ball as he stared intensely at the fabric covering his mate’s belly. Suga opened his mouth to ask what the hell he was doing but Daichi pressed his finger to Koushi’s lips, silencing him. Well, attempting to silence him. What he did in fact do was simply anger the hormonal omega and his finger received a slap.

“Dai, what the hell are you doing? It’s like 3am and I’m tired.”

“I felt them...” Daichi’s eyes didn’t move from the bump.

“’Felt them’?” Suga yawned, his sleep deprived brain not quite keeping up.

“Yeah! I-”

Once more, like a flurry of fish beneath the omega’s skin, something moved softly and made Daichi’s fingertips dance ever so slightly. It was so subtle, in fact, that Suga didn’t even see the movement but he certainly felt it as his pup turned or stretched or danced inside of him.

“Oh...” Suga placed his own hand on top of his mate’s, “You felt that?”

“Didn’t you?” Daichi finally drew his eyes away from his fingers and looked at the omega, a huge idiotic grin on his usually stoic face.

“I’ve been feeling it a lot recently,” Koushi shrugged, “Pretty cool, right?”

“It’s amazing, Kou!” the alpha kissed his mate firmly and got back under the covers with him, one hand still on the bump, “I finally felt our pup.”

Suga yawned and nodded, “They’re really in there.”

As the sudden excitement had worn off, the pair began to feel their eyes drooping once more. However, when the bedroom door suddenly burst open to reveal Tanaka brandishing a frying pan and the alphas looking ready to attack, Daichi and Koushi had to spend another ten minutes explaining that there was indeed no fire or intruder or man-eating plant attacking the den and that it had just been the head alpha freaking out.

Chapter Text

The bright morning sunlight flickered through the curtain as Tsukishima Kei rolled onto his left side, one arm automatically reaching out for his mate but finding only empty sheets. He groaned and let his eyes flutter open to stare at a blurry room in search of said mate. As he squinted in an attempt to force his vision to somehow miraculously improve, the events of the previous evening settled in his mind and the alpha sat upright, a sudden pool of worry rippling in his stomach.

“Tadashi?” he patted the bedside table in search of his glasses and quickly placed them on his nose, finally able to actually see his bedroom.

Like a meerkat peeking out of it’s den, Tadashi’s freckled face popped around the door-frame and he smiled, albeit weakly. His alpha didn’t waste any time in moving to his side and scented him a little stronger than usual, Kei still worried about his omega’s ‘drop’ the night before. As he nuzzled his face into Tadashi’s neck, the omega turned and placed a firm kiss on his mate’s lips before looping his arms around Tsukki’s waist as he inhaled his fresh pine fragrance. He still felt a little wobbly from the drop and could feel more than one bruise forming on his slim frame but his alpha’s scent could always be counted on to ground him, no matter how upset he might be.

Tsukki tilted Tadashi’s head upwards with a light touch and a deep crease formed between the alpha’s brows as he absorbed his pale appearance.

“How’re you feeling?”

Tadashi shrugged, “A bit battered and bruised but better,” he placed a peck on Kei’s nose, “I’ll be fine.”

“Let me see.”

Before Tadashi could protest, Tsukishima had lifted the omega’s nightshirt and was inspecting him for any bruises or scrapes. He’d only collapsed in the kitchen but he’d landed a little awkwardly and Kei needed to make sure his mate hadn’t hurt himself more than he was letting on.

Of course, he had.

On Tadashi’s left side, across his ribs, a dark purple bruise had formed like an angry storm cloud. It looked like someone had given him a beating and Kei couldn’t help the low growl that escaped his throat at the sight of it.

“’Why didn’t you say you were hurt?!”

A little annoyed that he’d been found out, Tadashi yanked his top back down to cover his torso and pouted childishly, “It’s alright! I must’ve just hit a chair or something when I dropped. It’ll go away in a few days.”

Tsukki groaned loudly and pulled his mate closer, careful not to squeeze too tight, “Why am I always the cause of your hurt?”

The omega clicked his tongue, “It wasn’t your fault! I overreacted.”

Resting his chin in Tadashi’s hair, Tsukki frowned, mumbling about Noya-san being an idiot. Yamaguchi somewhat agreed but didn’t want to rile up his mate any more than he already was and so opted to pull his mate down the hall and into the kitchen where the majority of the pack was gathered.

Hinata, Tobio and Tanaka were queuing to use the toaster, the beta becoming ever more impatient as the redhead tried to figure out how to use the settings on the machine and the alpha adding his two cents every now and then to try and hurry his mate up. It didn’t seem to be working, however, and Shouyou was getting more and more annoyed with the inanimate object as the minutes ticked by.

Noya and Suga were sitting at the kitchen table tucking into some cereal, the former looking a little green around the gills but forcing the food into his mouth nonetheless, whilst Daichi and Asahi chatted quietly about something unknown to the expecting omegas. Whatever it was it seemed to be amusing the alphas and Suga couldn’t control his curiosity any longer. He pointed his spoon at his mate and cocked a silver brow,

“What’s so funny?”

Daichi’s mouth snapped shut and he suddenly looked sheepish, like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t be.

“Nothing!” he couldn’t help the smile that formed at the sight of Suga’s pout and added, “We were just comparing notes.”

“Weirdos,” Noya finally gave up on trying to eat and pushed his bowl aside, the cereal in it now a congealed mass of goo.

When Tsukishima and Yamaguchi walked in hand in hand, Yuu shuffled a little awkwardly in his seat and lowered his head. He felt pretty guilty about lying to Tadashi about his pregnancy, especially as the younger omega had ‘dropped’ because of it, and wondered if he was still mad at him. He wouldn’t blame him if he was, of course, and Noya even expected the cold shoulder from him. What he wasn’t expecting was for the freckled omega to take the seat next to him and utter a ‘good morning’ in his usual chirpy tone. It only made Yuu feel even more guilty at the fact that he was keeping his pregnancy a secret from him and wished he could go back in time and batter his former self on the head to shut himself up. If only he’d come clean the previous night things wouldn’t be so complicated now. But as he’d said he was pregnant and then backtracked (even though he was actually expecting) Noya didn’t know how he was ever going to tell Yamaguchi the truth without him hating him.

He sighed loudly and banged his forehead against the table, momentarily startling Asahi, who floundered a little at the sight.

“You know,” Yamaguchi stared at a new freckle on his forearm as he spoke so as not to meet anyone’s eye, “When I woke up this morning I had time to lie in bed and think.”

“Fascinating,” Tsukki teased as Hinata, Kageyama and Tanaka finally joined them at the table.

Tadashi ignored his mate’s jibe and continued, “I remembered that I read somewhere that when someone is in a high-adrenaline situation, they tend to say exactly what’s on their mind,” he paused to glance sideways at Nishinoya but the small omega still had his head on the table, “And they almost always tell the truth.”

That got Yuu’s attention and he lifted his head up to glance warily at his mate across the table. Asahi shrugged as Tadashi continued.

“I also read-”

“Wow, Tadashi you must read a lot!” Hinata interjected with a mouthful of toast.

“Yeah,” Tadashi blushed a little, “I like facts and stuff… Anyway, I also read that pregnant omegas hate confrontation. Well, all omegas hate confrontation but it’s especially apparent in those expecting.” He paused as he felt everyone’s eyes on him and cleared his throat, not used to the attention or speaking so much but determined to finish his piece, “So what I’m trying to say is that when Daichi-san and Asahi-san were arguing last night, Noya-senpai wanted to stop them so desperately that he shouted the one thing that was at the front of his mind. The truth.”

“I-” Yuu opened his mouth to respond but Tadashi wasn’t quite finished.

“And now that he knows about mine and Tsukki’s… problem, he’s too scared to tell me that he is in fact pregnant in case I drop again.”

Tadashi puffed out air from his cheeks, relieved to have spoken his mind but also a little nervous for his senpai’s response. He was going to feel pretty stupid if his suspicions were indeed wrong. Eyeing Nishinoya, the freckled omega bit his lip in anticipation,

“Well? Am I right?”

For a moment, Noya simply stared at Yamaguchi in awe. The nervous, quiet Tadashi had spoken more than he’d ever heard him speak before and so eloquently, too. Not only that but everything he’d said was true, right down to Yuu’s fear of making him drop again. Suffice to say he was impressed yet also completely overtaken with guilt. Noya wished he’d just trusted his pack-mates more and told them the truth from the very beginning.

The smallest omega sighed loudly and looked up into Tadashi’s dark eyes, determined to take whatever punishment his friend thought fit for such a liar, “You’re right,” his voice came out as a whisper, “I am pregnant.”

Hinata dropped his toast and a loud squawk started to issue from his mouth, which Tobio quickly silenced with his hand. Now didn’t seem like the right time to be congratulating their pack-mate.

A small smile flitted across Tadashi’s face and he nodded a little to vigorously as tears began to pool in his eyes. He swiped them away, angry at his own emotions, and took Noya’s hand before scenting it gently against his neck.

“I’m happy for you,” Tadashi’s voice cracked and Kei moved closer to him as the omega looked over at Asahi and added, “Congratulations.”

Noya’s own tears began to fall as he tried to explain, “I’m so sorry, Tadashi! I didn’t want Asahi to know yet and I didn’t know about Tsukishima’s sperm thing-” Kei wrinkled his nose in disgust as Yuu continued, “And then you dropped but I’d already lied and-”

Tadashi nodded again, “I know. It’s alright. It’s good news, great news! You shouldn’t have to be sad just because of us.”

“Thank you,” Nishinoya rubbed at his tear-streaked cheeks and dived atop both Tadashi and Kei, gathering them in one tight embrace, “I have the best pack!”

After breakfast (and after the initial shock and elation of Noya’s, or rather Tadashi’s, announcement) Suga suggested that they all go to the mall together. It had been a while since the hot springs and he wanted them to do something as a pack, even if it was just a bit of retail therapy. Everyone had agreed and climbed into Asahi’s people-carrier as the Ace said he’d rather drive than take the busy weekend train. He was never a fan of squashing into a long metal tube with a bunch of strangers.

“Come on, Chika!” Tanaka barked as the other beta hurried into the car beside him, “What took you so long?!”

Chikara elbowed his love playfully and stuck out his tongue, “Nothing! I’m here, let’s go!”

And with that, Asahi started the engine and set off. It didn’t take long for the chaos to ensue as both Hinata and Noya began to feel carsick but they managed to hold it together until they pulled into the parking lot and gulped in the fresh air surrounding the mall.

“So,” Tanaka rubbed his hands together in anticipation as they stepped inside the huge building, “Where should we go first?”

“Koushi needs some new clothes, he’s outgrown his stuff,” Daichi said matter-of-factly and then paled when he saw Suga’s outraged expression, receiving a jab to the kidneys for his statement.

“New clothes, check,” the beta ticked an invisible checklist.

“Oh!” Hinata raised his hand like a schoolboy and Tanaka nodded in his direction, allowing him to speak, “I need some new sneakers!”

“Ah,”Yamaguchi glanced down at his own tattered shoes, “Me too, actually.”

“I’ve got some textbooks I need to find,” Kageyama mumbled just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Tsukishima groaned, “Yeah, me too.”

“Right then!” Tanaka paired off the two omegas and two alphas and ushered them towards their respective stores, “We’ll meet at the food court in an hour!”

There were a few moans and groans from the alphas but they headed off reluctantly as Tanaka turned to the rest of the pack, seemingly enjoying his newfound power. Before he could take charge once more, however, Daichi pointed his thumb over his shoulder.

“We’ll go find some clothes shops,” he took Suga’s hand and turned on his heels.

“We’ll come, too!” Noya skipped to Suga’s side and took his free hand as Asahi trailed behind, “There’s nothing in particular that we need so I’ll help you find some cool clothes!”

“So?” Chikara turned to Tanaka, who looked a little forlorn that his pack-mates had all dispersed without him, “What’re we going to do?”

“Arcade?” Tanaka asked, eyes bright.

“Arcade,” Ennoshita agreed.

Chapter Text

“Tell me again why we’re doing this together?”

Tsukishima pushed up his glasses and glanced sideways at Kageyama as they perused the textbook section of the book store. Although they studied different subjects, the textbooks were all kept at the back of the shop and so the two alphas had to put up with being in one another’s space for the time being. It wasn’t that they particularly hated each other – Tsukishima didn’t really get on with anyone other than Yamaguchi anyway – no, it was just that they both had certain traits that irked the other. Kageyama wasn’t academically bright yet made up for it with his athletic abilities, whereas Kei was more well-rounded and seemed to excel at most things. Then there was their personalities; Tobio angered easily and Tsukishima took great pleasure in teasing and ‘playing’ with anyone whenever he got the chance to – not a great combination. Overall, the two were never going to be the best of friends but put up with one another and respected each other as pack-mates.

Kageyama picked up a book and examined its contents, “We both need textbooks.”

The taller alpha simply rolled his eyes and rubbed at his temple where a headache was burrowing its way in. He quickly found the book he needed and turned to find the cash register but paused when he noticed Kageyama’s puzzled expression.

“What?” Tsukishima smirked, “Having trouble reading?”

Ignoring his pack-mate’s usual snarkiness, Tobio shook his head as he glanced between two different books,

“I was told to get the book on nutrition but both of these are about that,” he frowned down at the muscle-clad men on the cover of each book like he was hoping they’d suddenly come to life and tell him which was best.

With a sigh, Kei leaned over his shoulder and plucked both books from the setter’s hands,

“Did your sensei tell you to get the latest one?” he asked, only a slight hint of annoyance in his tone.

Kageyama nodded, “This year’s, yeah.”

After quickly looking in the inside cover of each textbook, Kei handed Tobio one and slid the other back on the shelf,

“This one. The other one was published last year.”

The raven-haired alpha mumbled a ‘Thanks’ and they both headed to the cash register to pay, each feeling slightly less miserable than when they’d set off.

In the sports shop, Hinata and Yamaguchi were staring in awe at the wall of sneakers standing before them. The amount of choice was a little overwhelming and neither omega really knew what they were looking for in terms of style or practicality. Hinata was after something for everyday, rather than volleyball as they had specific styles and designs for matches and Tadashi just needed something cheap and reliable.

“Which ones are you going to try on, Hinata-kun?” Tadashi asked, hoping the spiker at least liked the look of some of the shoes.

Shouyou shrugged, “No idea… Maybe those orange ones?” He pointed to some orange sneakers with white trim and got on his tiptoes to try and reach them, falling a good few inches short.

“Here,” Yamaguchi leaned across and plucked them from the display, handing them down to the smaller omega, who thanked him with a bright smile.

“Do you guys need any help?”

An assistant with bright blue hair seemingly popped up from nowhere and eyed the pair with just a little too much interest. Tadashi had seen him making a pyramid out of water bottles when he and Hinata had first entered the store and wondered why such a prominent alpha was working as a store assistant. His nametag read ‘Haru’ and he seemed friendly enough as he waited for their reply.

“Do you have these in a 23.5?” Hinata held up the sneakers like he’d found the Holy Grail, “They’re pretty cool, right?”

“Sure! I’ll go and have a look for you!” he turned to Yamaguchi, “And your mate?”

Tadashi’s mouth fell open and he waved his hands in front of him nervously, “Ah! No, we’re just friends!”

“We’re both omegas,” Shouyou added with an oblivious smile.

“Oh!” Haru’s eyes wandered from Tadashi’s toes to the tip of his hair and came down to rest on the omega’s dark eyes, “You’re pretty tall for an omega. How odd.”

A hot blush coloured Tadashi’s cheeks and he stepped back a little, hands balled into fists at his sides as his stomach did a somersault. Strong alpha pheromones wafted towards him, making his head swim and his head pound, the situation seeming to have escalated in so short a time.

“Um,” Hinata grabbed Tadashi’s shirt and tugged him towards the door, “Actually we’ve changed our minds. We don’t need any new shoes today!”

The blue-haired alpha sidestepped between the omegas and the exit, a sadistic grin forming on his pale face,

“But you seem like you really need some!” he sneered, “Two omegas out shopping should treat themselves once in a while, right?” The alpha gestured towards the store room, “You should come and see what surprises we have in the back room, too!”

“No, thank you,” Tadashi tried to move around Haru but he stood firm, more headache-inducing pheromones slithering into the stuffy air.

“You know,” the alpha crossed his arms across his broad chest, “Two omegas shouldn’t be all alone when they’re out shopping should they? What kind of alpha lets his mate wander through alpha-infested shops where anything could happen to them?”

“About that,” Haru spun to see both Kageyama and Tsukishima towering over him as Kei continued to speak in a low growl, “They’re not ‘alone’ are they?” he smiled at Tadashi, “And even if they were, our mates can handle themselves just fine.”

Like a broken robot, Haru stepped aside awkwardly as Hinata and Yamaguchi rushed to their alphas’ sides, sudden relief washing over them at the sight of their mates.

“You okay?” Kei asked as he nuzzled Tadashi’s neck firmly.

The omega nodded, still a little too flustered to speak. It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to being treated that way by alphas, it was just that since he and Tsukki had been bonded, alphas had seemed to keep a distance from him because of his bond mark and the fact that his scent was mingled with such a strong alpha’s the majority of the time, what with Kei scenting him whenever he got the chance.

Although Hinata had seemed even more gung-ho than Tadashi, the small redhead was now trembling in his mate’s arms. After all, it had only been a month or so since he and Kageyama had bonded and this shopping trip was the first time they’d actually spent time apart – even if it had only been thirty minutes. Tobio looked almost as worked up as his mate as he pulled Shouyou closer to his chest and mumbled into his wild hair to try and calm the omega down and Kei silently praised himself for helping the setter find the right book when he had. Tobio would probably still be in the book store with a bemused look on his face if he hadn’t pointed out the correct book.

“C-can we go now?” Hinata’s usual chirpy tone was a little muted as he spoke into Tobio’s chest and tried to calm himself with his mate’s scent.

“Sure,” Kageyama took his hand and led him out of the store, trying his best not to look back at the blue-haired alpha as he knew he’d probably lose control and attack him.

Taking Tadashi’s hand, Kei tugged his mate after the others but as they reached the automatic doors, the freckled omega turned on his heel and marched up to a tall display of water bottles, the same display which Haru had been working on when the omegas had walked in. For a moment Tsukki thought that his mate just really wanted to buy one, although why he didn’t really know, but then Tadashi was suddenly kicking the bottom of the bottle-pyramid. An almighty crash echoed through the store as the bottles tumbled to the floor, bouncing and flying in all directions, and a cheeky grin formed on Tadashi’s face as he whispered ‘Oops’.

The four pack-mates made a swift exit, Kei with a little more admiration for his mate, as a disembodied voice spoke over the speakers in the shoe shop,

“Haru to the front of the store. The bottles need re-stacking again.”

Half an hour into their clothes shopping, Suga was starting to lose interest.

Daichi had started with a pretty level-headed approach, choosing maternity trousers and larger tops, but he’d soon lapsed into alpha-mode and was currently filling their cart with random baby-themed accessories and some questionable clothes that seemed to centre around calling the expectant omega things like ‘Baby Momma’ and ‘Incubator’, none of which Suga appreciated.

At first Suga had tried to protest but after Nishinoya and Asahi began to add to the cart he’d given up and decided to browse some of the baby clothes instead. He held up a tiny onesie with giraffes all over it and felt a slight tickle in his belly as the pup rolled over.

“You like this one?” he asked his stomach quietly, so as not to seem insane to any other shoppers.

Unfortunately for Koushi, his ever-protective mate had been standing behind him and witnessed his little chat with his bump. Daichi’s smile almost reached his ears as he looped his arms around the omega’s waist and whispered deeply into his ear,

“Talking to yourself again?”

Suga moaned quietly but didn’t resist his alpha’s touch, “Shush you.”

With delicate fingers, Daichi took the onesie, “Are you getting this one? It’s pretty cute.”

“I think so? There’s too many to choose from.” He glanced up at his alpha, “And I’m starving...”

Daichi squeezed his mate a little tighter and added the onesie to their piled cart, “Alright, let’s pay and go meet Tanaka and the others.”

After doing just that, the head alpha and the others headed for the food court, meeting Tsukishima and the others on the way. They passed a donut vendor and Koushi couldn’t help the loud growl of his stomach at the sight of the sprinkled goodies, although he didn’t mention that he would have liked one with ketchup on. Ever the vigilant omega, he noticed Hinata’s unusual sombreness and moved to walk beside the redhead as they reached the food court, head tilted as he spoke softly,

“Everything alright, Shouyou?”

Hinata couldn’t help the slight jolt his shoulders made when Suga-san spoke but tried his best to force a smile, “It is now. There was this weird alpha in the shoe store but we’re okay...”

Suga noticed the smaller omega’s hesitance and probed a little deeper, “You sure?”

“I was just a bit scared, that’s all,” Shouyou tightened his grip on Tobio’s hand as the alpha tried to look like he was concentrating on the menu on the wall rather than listening to his mate’s every word, “I haven’t been around other alphas since we bonded.”

Suga nodded, sympathetic, “It’s a little overwhelming, I know. But it also means that you’ve got a stronger connection to Kageyama now, too,” he smiled warmly and ruffled Hinata’s hair, “You’ll notice some pretty cool aspects of the bond as the months pass!”

That got Hinata’s attention and his worries suddenly faded into the distance, “Really? Like what?”

“Well,” Koushi rubbed his bump as he tried to remember his first few months after bonding with Daichi, “The alpha has more of a ‘control’ on you-” he registered Kageyama’s dark eyebrows raising and continued cautiously, “-but they won’t really use it unless totally necessary,” Hinata was listening intently and so Suga proceeded, “And you’ll be able to feel his emotions a lot easier when you’re close by. Then there’s the heats-”

“Sorry we’re late!”

Tanaka and Ennoshita’s arrival interrupted Suga’s train of thought and suddenly all he could focus on was the fact that they could now go and eat. The food was delicious and Suga’s choice of putting his ice cream on his pizza raised a few brows, especially when he finished the entire thing without so much as an excuse.

“Ugh,” Nishinoya’s stomach rolled at the sight of all the food and he paled a little, “I don’t think I can eat anything.”

Asahi rubbed his mate’s back gently and offered him a french fry, “You should try something, even if it’s just small.”

The floppy fry seemed to be the last straw and suddenly Yuu was rushing for the bathroom, his tiny legs moving faster than they had in a while. Flustered, the ace moved to follow him but Suga patted Asahi’s arm and told him to stay put and finish his food as he needed to pee anyway.

“I’ll go see if he’s okay,” Koushi smiled and snatched a fry from Asahi’s plate before heading in the direction of the libero.

When Sugawara couldn’t find Noya in either of the food court’s bathrooms he was starting to worry a little. Where the heck had the tiny omega got to? He’d been feeling sickly so surely he went to the toilets, right?

“Maybe he went for some fresh air?” Koushi mumbled to himself, a habit he realised he was starting to partake in more often and one which he hoped would go away soon.

He’d only been to this particular mall once before and so simply guessed – or rather hoped – he was heading in the right direction for the outside doors. A cool breeze soon told him that he was indeed going the right way and finally he stepped into the parking lot, a light misty rain making him shiver slightly as he searched the area for Noya. No such luck. Yuu had simply evaporated or teleported and Suga had gotten wet for nothing.

As he turned to head back inside, hoping Noya had returned to their table, a sharp twisting pain stopped Koushi in his tracks, knocking the breath from his lungs and causing him to bend over double.

“Ow, what the heck-”

Another shooting pain clenched on the underside of his bump and he held his hand against it in the hopes that it would somehow ease the ache. It did, for a brief moment at least, but then the stabbing continued and Suga slid down to his knees on the wet tarmac of the parking lot, sweat forming on his brow despite the cold weather.

“No, no, no,” tears began to stream down his cheeks as he sat helplessly, the pain continuing in his stomach, “Please, no!”

Chapter Text

Having found the toilets with a ‘Cleaning in Progress’ sign on the outer door, Nishinoya quickly dashed into the disabled restroom and locked the door before rushing to the toilet. The aroma of all the food and the sight of the various greasy meals (especially Suga’s weird pizza and ice cream combo) had made his stomach churn and he proceeded to retch into the toilet bowl, emptying his breakfast. He definitely wasn’t enjoying that particular part of pregnancy and hoped it wouldn’t last too long.

After splashing water on his face and assuring himself that he wouldn’t throw up on the way back, Noya returned to the food hall. His pack were getting ready to leave but Daichi suddenly froze when he spotted Yuu walking alone.

“Where’s Koushi?” the head alpha asked, more demand in his tone than he intended.

“Suga?” Noya stepped beside Asahi instinctively as Daichi’s dark eyes scanned the area, “Not with me.”

A powerful flurry of alpha pheromones wafted from Daichi as he marched past the smallest omega, “But he went to find you, didn’t he?”

“Did he get lost?” Hinata asked, concern on his usually cheery face.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Tanaka waved his hand nonchalantly, “He’s probably just taking a dum-”

A slap on the back of his head from Chikara shut the beta up and he added,

“Let’s go look for him!”

“Okay,” Sugawara Koushi took a deep breath and forced himself to his feet, “You can do this, Koushi. Everything is going to be fine.” He briefly acknowledged that he was again talking to himself but gave himself a pass in the extenuating circumstances.

T he expecting omega flinched as another zap of pain shot through his abdomen like someone jabbing him with a hot poker. He was shivering from the rain but could feel his top becoming damp with sweat as the painful sensation swept through his body once more. There was only one thing on his mind and that was protecting his pup; he needed to get inside, find Daichi and make sure his baby was okay and to do that he first needed to move.

Carefully, like he was walking on ice, Suga shuffled towards the automatic doors that led back inside. His hands scraped across the damp wall until they met glass and he stumbled ungracefully into the warmth of the shopping mall, mewling softly as the pain continued. Everything seemed too bright; the fluorescent lights hurt his eyes and he felt dizzy, like he would topple over if he tried to walk. Something dripped onto his hand that covered his bump and he realised that he was crying, breath hitching as panic began to override all other emotions. He needed his mate, needed Daichi, but he was nowhere to be seen. There weren’t even any strangers to ask for help as the few shops that littered that area of the mall were seemingly shut down.

“Please,” Suga panted as he took a wobbly step, “Daichi...”

“He’s not in the baby shops,” Kageyama was panting slightly as he’d jogged back from the other end of the mall.

“Not in the toilets, either,” Yamaguchi added.

“We couldn’t see him near the doughnut vendor, either,” Tanaka cursed under his breath at the utter helplessness of the situation.

Hinata chewed on his lip, “Where could he be?”

“What about back at the car?” Daichi asked, voice almost a growl as the possibilities raced through his mind.

“We haven’t checked there yet.”

Asahi shook his head and the group quickly rushed in the direction of the parking lot, the air surrounding them tense at the thought of anything untoward happening to the ‘mother’ of the pack.

“I’m just saying,” the grey-haired alpha swept his arms in a wide motion, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?”

Akaashi Keiji rolled his dark eyes and grabbed his mate’s hand to stop his wild gestures, “I don’t know. Or care.”

Bokuto pouted childishly, “You’re no fun,” but smiled at their now-entwined fingers.

They walked in silence for a moment but it didn’t take long for the alpha to start on yet another pointless topic. He opened his mouth to ask his mate if he thought fish got thirsty – that particular conundrum had been haunting him since he’d seen it online a few days ago – but it quickly snapped shut as they turned into the quieter area of the mall and spotted a grey-haired omega stumbling awkwardly towards them.

Akaashi shoved his backpack into Bokuto’s arms and rushed to the omega’s side, one hand gently touching his back.

“Sugawara-san?” Akaashi motioned for Bokuto to join them and the alpha jogged over quickly.

Suga looked up through heavy eyelids and breathed, “Akaashi?”

“Yes, it’s us. What’s wrong?” the omega glanced towards where Suga’s hand was pressed against his prominent bump and his eyes widened, “Is it the baby?” he looked to Bokuto as if to ask for help but the alpha just stared with wide, worried eyes.

Suga nodded weakly and moaned as another seething bolt shot through his stomach, prompting Akaashi to go into full setter-mode. He swiftly analysed the situation and yanked Bokuto’s arm towards Suga.

“Pick him up.”

The alpha did as he was told, knowing not to question his mate when he was in such a state, and scooped Suga into his arms easily, broad muscles twitching as he held him princess-style.

“We need to get him to a doctor,” Akaashi stated as he marched in front of his mate.

“No...” Koushi shook his head weakly and gripped Bokuto’s shirt tighter as another wave of pain washed through him, “Daichi is… here...”

The setter paused and spun on his heel to face Suga, “Daichi-san is here in the mall?”

A nod from Suga.

“Should we try and find him?” Bokuto asked, genuinely concerned for Suga’s pup but also a little apprehensive about taking an omega away from his mate, especially an expectant omega.

His question was answered when a turbulent growl echoed down the corridor and both Bokuto and Akaashi turned to spot Daichi and the rest of the pack rushing towards them.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Bokuto squawked, readjusting Suga so that the pregnant omega could see his approaching mate, “He’s here!”

A dizzying wave of relief washed over the omegas from Daichi and Noya had to hold Asahi just a little tighter so as not to stumble from the pheromones. Not realising, or perhaps not particularly concerned about his pheromones for the moment, Daichi rushed towards Suga and stroked his hand through the omega’s damp hair before taking him from Bokuto carefully.

“What happened?” the head alpha’s voice vibrated through his chest and soothed Koushi a little as he pressed his head against it where he lay.

“We just found him like that!” Bokuto stepped back a little so that he was between Akaashi and the emotional Daichi.

“He said it was the pup,” Akaashi shoved Bokuto aside and looked Daichi square in the eyes, his dark lashes brushing against his eyebrows as he looked up, “He needs a doctor.”

All colour drained from Daichi’s face as he looked down at his mate in his arms. Suga was pale and sweat trickled down his temples, meeting the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. Every now and then he flinched and clutched the alpha’s shirt with a tight fist, eyes scrunching as some unseen pain contorted his insides.

He needed a doctor. Now.

“I’ve called an ambulance,” Tsukishima, ever the level-headed member of the pack, motioned towards the outer doors, “They’ll meet us in the parking lot.”

“Shh,” Daichi cooed quietly as he carried Koushi towards the exit, “They’ll be here soon, everything’s going to be okay.” He turned to Bokuto and Akaashi, who both looked a little lost as to what to do, “Thank you for taking care of him.”

Akaashi bowed his head slightly and Bokuto smiled lopsidedly,

“Sure. Let us know how it goes!”

They left silently, leaving the pack-mates to wait for the ambulance together. Gathered around Daichi – who had sat on the floor with Suga on his lap – the omegas scented and touched the expectant omega to try and soothe him in some way. Their various scents surrounded the group and Suga felt his breathing even out a little with the familiar aromas of his friends. The pain was still coming over him in waves but he felt it had perhaps lessened slightly, or maybe that was just wishful thinking. He looked up at his mate, who looked possibly even more worried than he felt, and more tears fell onto his cheeks. If his big, brave, strong alpha was concerned then something was definitely wrong.

“Hey,” Daichi hugged him closer, “It’s going to be alright.”

Suga sniffed and shook his head vigorously, “I must have done something wrong!” his breath hitched again, “What if I lose our pup?! I didn’t take my iron tablet this morning! What if that’s why...” he sobbed and whimpered into Daichi’s chest, unable to control his emotions and concerns.

“It’s my fault.”

It was Yuu. He moved closer to Suga on his knees and rubbed at his watering eyes fiercely to stop the onset of tears.

“I should have made sure I was with him!”

Daichi shook his head as Asahi pulled Noya into a tight hug.

“It’s no one’s fault,” Daichi frowned, eyebrows knitting together tightly, “Everything will be fine.” He said the last part quietly, more to reassure himself than anyone else, and nestled his chin in Koushi’s hair, “Nobody is to blame.”

After almost ten minutes the ambulance pulled up outside and two male betas dashed into the shopping mall, one carrying a lightweight stretcher whilst the other knelt down beside Suga and Daichi, a warm expression on his face.

“Sugawara-san? My name is Daisuke, I’m going to take care of you, okay?”

Suga nuzzled into Daichi a little more as Daisuke pressed his fingers against his wrist to feel his pulse. Daichi felt himself flinch involuntarily as the stranger touched his mate but forced his instincts aside in order to let the beta do his job.

“Where does it hurt?” Daisuke asked as he motioned for the other paramedic to bring the stretcher closer.

Suga moved his hand to the underside of his belly, “Here.”

“I’m just going to press against your tummy, alright?”

Daisuke placed his fingers against Suga’s stomach and pushed against the taut skin, concentrating on the feeling of the pup inside. When Suga flinched, hissing through his teeth, Daichi growled deep in his throat, a warning not to hurt his mate. That was when Asahi stepped closer and placed his hands on Daichi’s broad shoulders, a warning not to interfere with the paramedic but also a comfort to let the alpha know that nobody was going to hurt Koushi. Daichi was thankful for his pack-mate’s level-headedness and allowed the two betas to lift the omega onto the stretcher.

“We’ll take him in right away,” the other paramedic said as he and his colleague lifted the stretcher, “Does his mate want to travel with us?”

“Yes,” Daichi took Suga’s hand as they carried him out towards the ambulance, the others rushing to the car so that they could follow close behind.

Once inside the ambulance, Suga was hooked up to a blood pressure machine and they were quickly on their way. Daichi clasped his mate’s hand firmly, bringing it to his lips to kiss now and then.

“Does it still hurt?” the alpha asked, daring a glance at Koushi’s bump.

“It’s coming and going,” Suga winced again but managed a faint smile up at his alpha, “It’ll be okay now, though, right?”

A heavy weight dropped into Daichi’s stomach at his mate’s utter confidence in him. Would everything be okay? That’s what he’d told Suga but wasn’t he just saying anything to make him feel better? No, Daichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, everything had to be okay. After all, what was the alternative?

Chapter Text

Once inside the hospital, Suga was moved to a bed on the maternity ward where he was waiting for a doctor to come and examine him. The pain did feel a little less aggressive and he was in two minds whether or not to tell Daichi to just take him home as he hated making such a fuss. But in the back of the omega’s mind he knew that it was in his pup’s best interest to get checked out and nothing else mattered but the safety of his child.

He looked across at his mate who was pacing back and forth in the room, wearing a track in the tiled floor. The alpha looked more worried than Koushi had ever seen him before, even when he’d first ‘dropped’, and as another barb of pain pierced Suga’s belly, Daichi’s patience seemed to snap.

“Where the hell is the doctor?!” he growled as he spoke, pheromones cranked to ten, “This is ridiculous!”

“Maybe there was an emergency?” Suga suggested, although he knew it wouldn’t reach Daichi’s ears.

Daichi rounded on him, eyes dark and voice deep with alpha venom, “You’re an emergency!”

At that, Suga began to whine pitifully. Not only from the pain in his stomach but at the feeling of dread and panic currently bleeding through his bond mark from his mate. Their connection seemed to have only grown stronger as the pregnancy progressed and sometimes Suga swore he could even feel the droplets of water on his skin when Daichi took a shower. Upon seeing the omega’s scared expression, Daichi’s shoulders sagged and he moved swiftly to the bedside, tone much more soothing as he apologised for his behaviour.

“It’s okay, Dai,” Suga shifted to try and make himself more comfortable but winced and clutched at his bump again, involuntarily whimpering softly.

“I’ll go find someone...”

Daichi moved to leave but Suga caught his sleeve.

“Don’t go!” a sob issued from his chest, “Just stay with me.”

As the alpha kissed his mate’s forehead and tried to get his emotions under control, a man with a low ponytail and round glasses shuffled into the room clutching a clipboard. From his pheromones, Daichi could tell his was an alpha and bristled when he moved next to Suga on the opposite side of the bed.

“Hello there,” he glanced at his clipboard, practically ignoring Daichi’s warning growl, “Sugawara-san?”

Koushi nodded and clasped Daichi’s hand tightly.

“My name is Doctor Ito, I’ll be taking care of you today, alright?” he rolled up his sleeves and gestured to Suga’s shirt, “If you could just lift your top for me.”

Suga did just that, exposing his substantial bump as the doctor pressed against it in various places.

“And the pain is underneath?”

He pushed his fingers into the underside of the bump and Koushi winced, Daichi’s grip suddenly tighter. Suga squeezed his mate’s hand partially for comfort and partially to stop the alpha diving across the bed and mauling the doctor.

“Hmm...” Dr. Ito pulled his sleeves back down and nodded to himself, “And you haven’t experienced any leakage?”

Suga’s cheeks flushed crimson, “L-leakage?”

The doctor remained stone-faced, “Yes. Anything unusual down below?”

The omega gulped loudly and shook his head, “No. Nothing like that.”

“And is the pain as bad as it was when it first started?”

Another shake of the head.

Dr. Ito jotted something down on Suga’s notes and then looked back at him with a small smile,

“I do believe you have experienced something called ‘Braxton Hicks’,” he saw the bemused expressions of the pair and continued, “It’s when the womb contracts and relaxes, much like contractions, and can feel like you’re going into labour. They’re quite common for expecting omegas but usually not as painful as you have described.”

“Thank God,” Daichi sighed and looked across at the doctor with a little less malice in his dark eyes, “Will it happen again?”

“They may occur again but I’ll give you some information on how to deal with them. I’ll do a couple of blood tests, too, just to be safe but it’s not really something you need to be concerned over and certainly not something that has harmed your baby.”

Tears of relief rolled gently down Suga’s cheeks as he stared at his tummy, thankful that it was nothing that would hurt his pup.

“What caused it?” Daichi’s voice was already lighter, a weight lifted from his heart.

“It can be a number of things,” Dr. Ito smiled warmly, “Dehydration, being active suddenly or sometimes even sexual activities.”

It was Daichi’s turn to blush.

“But really,” the doctor touched Suga’s shoulder gently, “The pain will ease as fast as it appeared. Make sure to keep hydrated and not too much exercise. Warm baths can help, too.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Suga shook his hand and wiped his tear-stained cheeks.

“Not a problem. I’ll get those blood tests ordered and then you can be on your way.”

Dr. Ito left the room and a silence fell over the pair. Daichi seemed to deflate and suddenly grabbed Suga’s face between his large hands, squeezing his cheeks as the omega looked up at him. Firmly, like he had a point to prove, Daichi pressed his lips to Koushi’s. Suga’s eyes rolled as he fell into the kiss and then their foreheads pressed together, eyes locked.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again, okay?” Daichi mumbled as he sat beside his mate on the narrow bed, one arm wrapped tightly around Suga’s shoulders.

“Okay,” Suga’s attention was on his stomach, which was feeling less painful by the minute, “I feel like a bit of a fraud. Everyone got so worked up because of me.” His eyes suddenly widened and he looked to Daichi, “Bokuto and Akaashi!” he groaned loudly, “How will I explain it to them? They were so helpful!”

Daichi chuckled and perched his chin atop Koushi’s silver hair, “We’ll just tell them the truth. It’s not like you faked it.”

“Ugh...” Suga snuggled closer to his mate, “Everyone was so worried for me,” he inhaled the alpha’s scent and felt himself relax a little more with each breath, “We have such a good pack, Dai.”

“Mhmm.”

Meanwhile, Asahi had parked the car (after almost knocking down an old lady and her dog) and the pack rushed into the hospital like a mini stampede. Eyes wandered frantically for some sign or other to point them in the right direction but thankfully Tsukishima’s level-head was only a little off-kilter and he asked a young nurse where the maternity ward was located.

Rushing to the elevator, the pack crammed themselves inside and Ennoshita pushed the button for the third floor. It seemed to take far too long to move upwards and it didn’t help that it stopped on every floor in between (not that anyone else could board) but finally they reached the maternity area. Whilst Tanaka and Chikara asked at reception for Suga’s whereabouts, the others glanced through a large viewing window, beyond which were rows of plastic cribs, each with a name card attached and a squirming newborn baby inside.

“Cuuute!” Hinata chirped, his hands pressed against the glass like a kid at the zoo.

Asahi looked a little pale and Noya took his hand with a smile,

“I’m looking forward to seeing our pup!”

“Y-yeah,” Asahi pulled Yuu closer and kissed the top of his head, “Me too.”

“They’ll be way better looking than any of those babies!” Noya boasted as a couple of nurses clicked their tongues in his direction.

Tsukishima wasn’t particularly interested in the babies – they all looked the same to him, like potatoes with eyes – but he noticed that Tadashi was also standing back, away from the window. Since they’d spoken about Kei’s ‘problem’ the omega had been slowly getting over the initial shock but Tsukki felt that he was getting better each day. Even when he dropped the previous day, Tadashi had come out of it pretty quick and had even spoken his mind to Noya-san that morning. To see him now, however, holding back from looking at newborn babies when it would have usually been something he would have loved to do, Kei couldn’t help but worry about his mate. He stepped closer to Yamaguchi and spoke softly, so that the others wouldn’t overhear.

“You okay?” Kei asked.

Tadashi nodded feebly, lips pressed into a hard line as he stared at the back of his friends’ heads. He really did want to go and look at the babies, would love to in fact, but the voice in the back of his mind kept whispering its doubts. It was quite possible that he would never be able to look in on his own pup like that. They could try for years and it just might never happen. That was the hard truth he had had to face the past few weeks.

“Just, you know...”

The omega shrugged and Kei looped a long arm around his waist. It was a gesture of love but one that made Tadashi hiss through his teeth, making the rest of the group turn his way and making Tsukki fling his arm away from his mate like he’d touched a hot coal.

“Sorry!” Kei pushed at his glasses, “I forgot about the bruises!”

“You’re hurt?” Hinata’s head tilted like a curious puppy.

Tadashi’s hands flailed, “No! Well, not really! I just knocked my side when I dropped last night, that’s all. I’ve had worse.” Flashbacks of his time being bombarded with volleyballs in training shot through Tadashi’s mind and he smiled faintly.

Noya mumbled a ‘sorry’ and lowered his head, still guilty about the whole fiasco.

“Room 235,” Tanaka popped his head into the conversation, oblivious to his interruption, and threw a thumb over his shoulder, “Suga-san’s that way.”

“Room 234,” Chikara corrected with a roll of his eyes.

As they walked, a little slower now, Kageyama said aloud what the others were trying not to think about.

“What if something bad has happened?”

“Oi!” Tanaka slapped Tobio’s head, “Don’t even say it!”

“But-”

“Everything will be fine,” Nishinoya moved to make a fist but showed only his straight arm in the cast, “Suga is strong!”

Hinata nodded vigorously in agreement, “Yeah!”

Finally the door labelled ‘234’ came into view and the pack hesitantly stepped over the threshold, breath bated as they anticipated the news. Before they could even move around the curtain to see Suga, however, it was pulled back gently and Daichi shuffled over to them, quickly ushering them out of the room as he spoke quietly.

“He’s asleep,” Daichi pressed a finger to his lips.

“Is he...” Asahi swallowed thickly, struggling to find the right words to ask, “Is the baby…?”

A bright smile spread across Daichi’s otherwise tired features and he nodded firmly, “He’s fine. They’re both fine. Apparently it was something called Braxton Hicks? It’s like false labour pains, can happen to anyone. The doctor took some bloods too, just in case.”

“So he wasn’t in labour?” Kageyama asked, still obviously confused as to what exactly had happened.

“Nope,” Daichi sighed, “False alarm, thank God.”

“Aah...” Asahi leaned against the wall heavily, “I’m so relieved!”

“We all are,” Chikara added.

“Can Suga-san go home now?” Hinata asked, eyes bright and wide. He didn’t want to go home without the ‘mother’ of the pack, it just wouldn’t feel right.

“When he wakes up, I think,” Daichi nodded and yawned involuntarily, blushing slightly as the others stared.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t seen him tired before, of course the captain had been exhausted after certain matches and some days when he’d had a particularly long shift at work. However, Daichi was always still the head alpha of the pack, always alert and in charge. And so, seeing him looking so languid as he did, the others felt a little uncomfortable and the omegas subconsciously moved closer to their mates, conscious that their main protector wasn’t at his most attentive. Thankfully that was when Suga’s face suddenly popped up from over Daichi’s shoulder, a wide smile lighting it up.

“Why are we all whispering in the doorway?”

“Ah!” more life seemed to pour into Daichi from his mate’s appearance, “I thought you were sleeping!”

“I was,” he nuzzled the alpha’s neck, “And now I’m awake. Can we go home now please?”

Daichi filled in the paperwork and then the entire pack headed for the car. Thankfully this time Asahi had remembered to park in an actual parking space, rather than just dump the vehicle anywhere.

As they headed for the elevator, Chikara took one last glance at the rows of babies through the window. He seemed to have a sad, almost yearning expression on his face, highly unusual for the usually stoic beta, and Tanaka couldn’t help but notice his boyfriend’s unease.

“You coming, Chika?” Ryuu looped his fingers through Ennoshita’s and tugged slightly, shaking him from his reverie.

“Yeah, sorry.”

They walked side by side, hands linked.

“Babies, man,” Tanaka swung his arm, causing Chikara’s to swing with it, “I don’t know how anyone can cope!”

“What do you mean?”

“Just, they’re so… Small, y’know?” Tanaka shrugged, “I’d be scared to touch one but I also wouldn’t want to leave it alone! Parents must have it hard...”

Chikara just nodded silently.

“I’m so glad I was born a beta! No need to worry about stuff like that!” Tanaka beamed as they reached the car.

Suga had been listening as they walked and turned to Tanaka as he squeezed into the car.

“You do know betas can get pregnant, too, right?”

Ryuu’s cheeks flushed, “I know! But it’s not expected, like with omegas. Betas aren’t purposefully made to have kids.” He paled a little at Koushi’s dark expression and back-pedalled, “Not that that’s all omegas are good for! I just mean- Arrgh!”

Tanaka rubbed harshly at his shaven head, unable to find the right words.

“Never mind,” he finally said as Asahi turned onto the highway and headed for home.

Chapter Text

“Dai...”

Suga’s voice drifted from the en-suite into their bedroom where the sleeping alpha lay spread-eagle on the bed, drool dampening the pillow beneath his head as he snored softly in the warm August sunshine. The previous day’s antics had obviously taken it out of him and Suga had decided to let him sleep a little longer while he took a shower. Now, however, there was no hot water and Suga was left to stand naked in the bathroom as his mate continued his hike through dreamland.

“Dai!” Suga tried again but Daichi just rolled over with a groan.

“DAICHI!”

Koushi picked up a toothbrush and, with the aim of a seasoned setter, threw it at his mate’s head. It bounced off and rolled onto the floor as Daichi flailed and slid off after it.

“What?!” the alpha’s eyes were wide and alert, “What’s happening?!”

He glanced into the bathroom where the omega stood completely naked with a hand on his hip and the other leaning against the door frame, fingers tapping impatiently.

“Well,” the alpha smirked, “Good morning to you, too.”

“There’s no hot water.” Suga’s deadpan expression wiped the smirk from his mate’s face.

Swallowing his heart back down, Daichi plucked a new bathrobe from the chair and swung it around Suga’s shoulders, hugging him tightly as he did so.

“Did you let it run for a bit?”

Suga nodded, “Yup. No luck.”

With a sigh, Daichi fiddled with the shower knobs as Suga got dressed (some of the outfits they’d chosen the previous day weren’t too embarrassing) until finally Daichi claimed defeat and flopped back onto the bed. He looked up at Koushi, who had chosen a duck-egg blue top that flowed over his bump and maternity leggings, and smiled warmly.

“What?” Suga blushed as he dragged a comb through his hair.

“You’re so beautiful.”

The comb stopped midway through his silver locks and the omega bit his lip playfully,

“You think so?”

“Definitely.”

“Do you like my new outfit, too?”

Koushi spun to show off his clothes but immediately regretted the motion as his balance was knocked off by his belly and he stumbled. Thankfully, an alpha’s reflexes are second to none and Daichi caught him in his broad grasp before he could even think of falling. He pressed a kiss to Suga’s forehead and spread his hands across the bump from behind.

“Careful, Kou,” he was trying to keep the light mood but Suga felt a slight negative charge through the bond mark on the back of his neck as Daichi continued, “You can’t do such reckless things.”

Something in the way he worded it made Suga’s hair bristle and he shrugged out of his mate’s embrace, a frown adorning his face.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” he snapped.

A little taken aback at the sudden mood change, Daichi gaped like a fish.

“Kou, I didn’t mea-”

“I bet you think yesterday was my fault, too, huh?!”

Tears pricked the omega’s eyes as he spoke. He didn’t really believe that that was what Daichi thought, of course he wouldn’t, but his emotions seemed to be pouring out of him like an open faucet. A word suddenly sprung into the back of his mind -hormones- but Suga ignored it and marched out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him and leaving his mate to stare blankly after him.

“Morning, Suga...”

Asahi yawned and stretched as he flipped an egg in the frying pan, his long hair hanging over his face as he tried to stay awake long enough to not burn the house down. He didn’t even notice Suga’s annoyed expression or damp cheeks as the omega plonked down at the table next to Hinata and Kageyama.

“Are you feeling better today?” Hinata asked as he spooned some porridge into his already full mouth.

For a moment, Suga didn’t respond and the redhead wondered if he hadn’t heard him. But then Koushi grabbed some toast and started to butter it like there was no tomorrow. Even Tobio looked up from his cereal to watch the expecting omega violently attack the toast like it had betrayed him somehow.

“I am,” Suga took a huge bite and angrily chewed, “Thank you for asking.”

The newly mated pair glanced at one another in silence and continued to finish their breakfast a little faster than necessary. Momentarily, Noya padded into the kitchen and shuffled across the tiled floor to his mate before wrapping his arms around Asahi’s waist. The alpha stood a little straighter and finished plating his fried eggs before spinning to hug the omega. He practically carried him over to the table where Noya perched on his lap like a little kid, refusing to move.

“Did you manage to get back to sleep?” Asahi asked as he stabbed his fork into the yolk of his egg and swirled it around his plate lazily.

Yuu shook his head and leaned heavily against Asahi’s broad chest, inhaling his mate’s scent deeply. He’d woken up at around two that morning due to feeling sick and had proceeded to throw up for thirty minutes straight. The queasiness remained, however, and he couldn’t get back to sleep no matter how long he lay in bed. This was the cause of Asahi’s current state; when Yuu got sick or became overly tired he tended to let his omegan tendencies take over. He became clingy and whined pitifully like he was somehow trying to get his alpha to make things better. Of course, Asahi couldn’t do anything about his nausea and instead had to simply sit awake all night with Noya lying on his chest, whimpering like an abandoned puppy.

“Wow,” Tsukishima grabbed some toast and tossed it to a waiting Yamaguchi before plucking a piece for himself and smirked at the exhausted pair, “You two look like shit.”

“Thanks,” Asahi grumbled, “We didn’t sleep.”

“Gross.”

“Not like that!”

Asahi protested but a soft snore coming from his mate made his voice drop to more of a whisper. Finally, Noya had fallen asleep and although Asahi wished it had been in a more comfortable position for himself, he would sacrifice his own comfort (and sanity) for Nishinoya no matter what. He just wished he’d used the toilet before sitting down.

“You two going out?” Sugawara looked to Tsukki and Tadashi, each dressed a little smarter than usual.

“Yep!” Tadashi was practically beaming, “We’re going to the aquarium!”

“Ahh! Lucky~!” Hinata turned to Tobio, pouting, “Why haven’t we ever been to the aquarium?”

The raven-haired alpha simply shrugged, “You never asked.”

“Then we can go?!”

“Go yourself!”

Kageyama gulped down his milk and stood, Shouyou following suit.

“It has to be a date, dummy!” the omega snapped back as he followed Kageyama back to their room.

Though they’d bonded almost a month prior, their new connection was still very raw and whether they liked it or not, they subconsciously stayed only a few feet away from each other most of the time. It just seemed wrong not to be in one another’s presence constantly, especially since the alpha at the mall had threatened Shouyou and Tadashi.

“Fine,” Kageyama mumbled as he shoved the toothbrush into his mouth, “We’ll go.”

“Rweawy?” Hinata’s face lit up as he brushed his teeth with a little more vigour.

“But not today. I don’t want to run into those two being all lovey-dovey.”

The warm breeze felt nice against Tadashi’s bare arms as he and Tsukki walked hand in hand into town. Birds were singing and cicadas chirruped amongst the trees along the street, making it the perfect depiction of a mid-summer’s day. It wasn’t too hot, either, and the omega was grateful he’d packed a light jacket just in case. The only thing that wasn’t quite perfect with the scenario was the fact that Tadashi’s ribs ached whenever he took a step or moved or breathed . He’d really taken quite a battering when he’d dropped – figuratively and literally – and was paying the price even two days later. Kei seemed to notice his mate’s slight discomfort and spoke up.

“Still hurting?”

Tadashi tried to paint a picture that said ‘I feel fine’ but it didn’t quite reach his eyes as he replied.

“Not as bad as yesterday!”

“Liar.”

“Really! It hurts like… 2% less...” Tadashi looked at the pavement to avoid his alpha’s scrutiny.

Tsukki smirked lopsidedly and pulled the omega a little closer to his side, “I won’t let it happen again."

Kei’s golden eyes were shadowed and his tone stoic as he made his promise. Tadashi knew his mate only wanted the best for him, knew that Tsukki would do anything to protect him and hated that he’d been the cause – even indirectly – of Tadashi’s drop. And, although he couldn’t promise that he’d never drop again, Tadashi at least felt that it wouldn’t be for the same reason as last time. He was determined to look on the positive side of things from now on, even if those positives seemed unreachable.

The omega looked up at his alpha and nodded, a small smile on his freckled face as they reached the aquarium.

“We’re here.”

They bought their tickets and headed straight for the rock pools. Thankfully it was a school day and so there weren’t any screaming kids running around, blocking their view or frightening the fish.

“Whoa!” Tadashi leaned over the half-wall of glass to stare wide-eyed into one of the pools filled with starfish, “So cool!”

Kei couldn’t help the smile that twitched at his lips at the sight of his mate actually enjoying himself for the first time in weeks and leaned over him to whisper in his ear.

“You’re like a kid.”

Tadashi pouted, a blush colouring his speckled cheeks, “I just like them, that’s all!”

“Would you like to hold one?”

A bright, cheery voice chirped behind the pair, making them instinctively stand up straight and turn around to see the young lady in the aquarium’s teal uniform. She smiled a little too widely and scooped a large pink starfish from the tank, holding it out towards them.

“It won’t bite! Promise!”

Tsukki opened his mouth to reject the creature but it was already thrust into his waiting hands as the lady rattled off some random facts about their habitats and eating habits. Trying not to laugh at his mate’s predicament as the creature thrashed around in Kei’s hands, Tadashi poked at the starfish and waited for the explanation to finish before offering to hold it himself. It wriggled a little and felt cold against his warm hands but he didn’t mind it. It was kind of cute in a way.

“You’ll see that they react differently depending on your secondary gender,” the lady said as she placed the starfish back into the tank.

“They can tell that?” Tadashi was actually curious now.

She nodded, “Yes! They tend to wiggle a little more when alphas handle them!”

“Just like you,” Tsukki mumbled in Tadashi’s ear so that only he could hear and chuckled when the omega flushed crimson.

The lady took that as an excuse to leave and the pair headed into the darker area of the building where the smaller fish filled huge tanks surrounding them. Ripples of water reflected off the walls making it feel like they themselves were underwater and Tadashi felt suddenly more at ease. Perhaps it was the dim light or the sight of the lazily swimming fish but something about that area made his breathing a little slower and his head a little less busy with thoughts.

His relaxed state continued as they wandered around and came upon a huge tank that filled the entirety of one of the walls. Sharks, rays and even some lobsters moved through the still water, like they were watching something on a big screen rather than reality. Another couple were watching from a bench to their right and Tadashi caught the omega’s eye, returning the small smile he offered.

“Looks like they had the same idea as we did,” Tadashi nudged his head towards the other pair, Tsukki following his gaze.

“’They’? There’s only one guy.”

“Oh...”

Tadashi looked again and indeed there was now only the omega. His mate must have gone to the bathroom.

“That one looks like Asahi-san.”

Tsukki pointed towards a ray that swam high enough so that they could see it’s ‘face’ beneath it’s belly. It looked kind of dopey as it floated by and Tadashi had to cover his mouth to stop his laughter escaping. Another thing he hadn’t done in a while. It felt good to be simply letting loose and not thinking about anything serious and he was thankful to his mate for suggesting the little outing. Well, that was until Tsukishima suddenly inhaled sharply and gripped the omega’s hand a little too tightly.

“What’s-”

Tadashi didn’t need to finish the question as the sweet scent of an omega in heat drifted around his head.

“Oh, no.”

Chapter Text

Yamaguchi instantly knew that it was the man sitting on the bench that was going into heat and tugged on Kei’s hand to try and drag him away. Unfortunately the alpha stood firm, like he was glued to the floor, and Tadashi’s efforts were in vain.

“Tsukki!” he pulled a little harder, the bruises on his ribs protesting violently, “We need to leave!”

Slowly, Kei’s golden eyes moved to look at Tadashi; they were unfocused, glassy, and he didn’t seem to be listening to a word his mate was saying. If Tadashi didn’t get him out of there soon he’d go into rut and the other omega would be in danger, not to mention that when the other alpha returned there would almost certainly be a fight. Not only that but the ache, the need inside every alpha to mate with an omega in heat was not something they could control. Sure, if they had enough willpower they could try and leave the area but in such a confined space like the room they were currently in it would be pretty much impossible for Tsukki to resist.

Running out of options, Tadashi yanked once more on his mate’s arm to try and distract him at least a little.

“TSUKKI!” he grabbed the alpha’s face and turned it to face him, “We’re leaving, now!”

The omega in heat whined loudly and, clutching at his chest, shuffled to the opposite end of the room, pinning himself against the wall to try and create as much space between himself and Tsukishima as he could.

Kei could feel venom pooling in his mouth, mixing with his saliva as he licked his lips at the fragrant aroma coming from the other omega. Usually he wasn’t affected by other omegas’ scents other than Tadashi’s; they tended to smell of food and just made him feel a little sickly. This particular omega, however, had a rose-tinted scent and the blonde couldn’t help the primal urge that was flowing through his veins to leap across the room and claim him. The only thing that seemed to be preventing such an action was the fact that Kei could see the pained look on Tadashi’s face, one that he’d promised himself only hours before that he would never let his mate make again. With that at the forefront of his clouded mind, Tsukki bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and let himself be dragged out of the room, only offering a little resistance. Behind him he heard the other alpha return to the room they were just in and fuss over the traumatised omega, cooing softly at him.

Once outside in the fresh air, Tsukishima took some deep breaths to clear his head and leaned his forehead against Tadashi’s shoulder, panting slightly. When he stood up straight again there was a smear of blood where his lips had touched Tadashi’s t-shirt and he rubbed at it angrily, as though the stain represented his own sullied actions.

“Sorry,” the alpha mumbled, still flushed.

“Are you okay?” Tadashi asked as he tried to calm his own breathing – the other omega’s scent had flicked a switch inside him, making him too hot and a little dizzy.

If he was being honest, Tsukki didn’t know the answer to that. He was certainly pleased that nothing had happened but he could also tell that his body was not yet his own, his alpha instincts cranked up to eleven with the memory of the sweet fragrance still on his tongue. His pheromones must have been echoing this as Tadashi swayed a little and had to steady himself against the wall as sweat trickled down his temples.

“Ts- Tsukki...” the omega whined slightly, “Are you… Your pheromones...”

Tadashi licked his dry lips and tried to fan himself but the heat inside his body was only increasing. Had Kei’s strong pheromones triggered an early heat? Surely not. He couldn’t go into heat there of all places, it was too open, too dangerous. The scar on his nape tingled intensely and Tadashi knew it was already too late, that Tsukki had already gone into rut and his heat had been triggered and there was nothing either of them could do about it.

“Tadashi...”

Kei growled and lunged at his mate, pinning him against the wall as he claimed his lips sloppily. Thankfully they were at the rear of the aquarium, not the entrance, and so there wasn’t anyone around. Yet.

“Tsukki!”

The freckled omega let his head drop back as his alpha nipped at his neck and licked his jawline hungrily. Tadashi wrapped his legs around Tsukki’s waist, the alpha supporting his entire weight, and curled his fingers roughly into his blonde hair as Kei continued to ravish him like a wild animal, claiming every inch of his mate. Deep purrs echoed through Tadashi’s throat as Kei bit harshly at his collarbone, drawing blood, but the omega didn’t even register the pain as he was too busy trying to loosen his belt to free his aching cock. In the back of his mind he knew they were being stupid, going into rut/heat in the open was pretty much the most dangerous thing they could have done but neither of them were in a stable enough mindset to cease their actions.

Kei slid his hand under his mate’s backside and slipped a finger inside, finding it already slick as Tadashi moaned loudly, his eyes rolling back into his head.

“Tsu-” Tadashi’s breath hitched as another finger entered him, “Tsukki, someone might… see!”

“Let them.”

Tsukishima growled and sank his teeth into the side of Tadashi’s neck, drawing blood once again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a strong reaction to an omega, especially a stranger, but now that his mate was in front of him and in heat no less, the alpha couldn’t control his urges any longer. He needed to claim Tadashi, needed to consume him completely or he wouldn’t feel satisfied. Of course, the idea of creating a pup was in the forefront of his mind as it always was when an alpha and omega mated, but even that didn’t seem important at that moment. All he needed was to make Tadashi his completely, no matter what.

With a high moan from Tadashi, Kei positioned his own throbbing member against the omega’s behind and thrust into him forcefully, Tadashi immediately releasing against his own stomach. Neither seemed to be slowing down, however, and, although they were hidden from view in the shadow of the aquarium, their strong pheromones were starting to turn a few heads on the street across from them.

“Do you smell that?” Kuroo Tetsuro tilted his head back and inhaled deeply, nose wrinkling slightly, “Is someone mowing the lawn somewhere?”

Beside him, Kozume Kenma shrugged silently, more occupied with his handheld game than his partner’s oddly sensitive nose. As Kenma was a beta, he didn’t notice things like scents as much as Tetsuro but didn’t really mind. He wasn’t particularly interested in that side of things anyway. The alpha couldn’t let it go, however, and stopped on the sidewalk with his head spinning as he sniffed loudly.

“Now I can smell pine or something, too!”

“Maybe a garden centre just opened,” Kenma offered nonchalantly.

Kuroo shook his head and for the first time Kenma noticed the taller man’s glassy eyes. He’d seen him like that a few times when they were around an omega in heat but never just walking down the street. Although a beta, Kenma’s mother was an omega and so he carried the dominant omega gene, hence his current situation. He was almost four months pregnant with Kuroo’s pup and was just starting to show a slight curve to his belly the past couple of weeks, causing the alpha to become a little too protective of him whenever they were out and about. Kenma guessed that was probably why Tetsuro was acting so strangely at that moment; new scents seemed to be the catalyst for amping up his anxiety, especially ones he didn’t recognise straight away.

“I think I know this scent...” Kuroo scrunched his eyes closed and tried to flick through his memories, “The pine is especially familiar...”

Rolling his eyes, Kenma started to walk again only for the alpha to tug his arm back towards him.

“AHA!” Kuroo snapped his fingers, “I remember!”

“Good. Can we go now?”

Shaking his head, Kuroo continued, “It’s Tsukki! That weird pine smell is definitely him,” he paused and his dark brows pulled inwards as he sniffed the air once more, “But it’s so strong, like he’s in rut… Surely he wouldn’t be stupid enough to be out in the open?”

Although less sensitive to scents, Kenma could smell them faintly if someone was in heat or rut and he had to admit that there was a definite grassy fragrance in the air. Why on Earth would Tsukishima – and if he remembered his scent correctly, Yamaguchi – be outside when they were so vulnerable? Had Yamaguchi gone into heat randomly and set off Tsukishima’s rut? Didn’t the omega know when to take his medication? It was all so strange.

Without Kenma noticing, Tetsuro had already wandered into the middle of the road, following his nose like a bloodhound. The alpha dodged a car and addressed them with a middle finger when they shouted something in his direction but was more occupied with finding Tsukishima. If the younger alpha had in fact gone into rut out in the open not only was it dangerous for any passing omegas, it was also illegal and Kuroo didn’t want to see his friend occupying a prison cell for the night. He waited on the side of the road as Kenma used the crossing to reach him, a look of exasperation on the beta’s face, and then they both headed in the direction of the heady scents.

Meanwhile, behind the aquarium, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi continued their messy session against the wall. Tadashi’s ribs were screaming as the bruises were knocked and irritated by the pair’s movement but he didn’t want to stop, he wanted to keep going until he passed out. If there had been a moment where the two could have forced themselves to stop and go back to the den that time had passed long ago. Sweat dripped down Tadashi’s stomach and tears down his cheeks as he moaned whilst Kei claimed his lips once again, making sure they were still firmly connected at the waist. The omega clawed his mate’s back as he pulled him closer, grinding against his crotch desperately, begging for more impossible contact.

Neither alpha nor omega noticed when the other couple rounded the corner. Even when Kuroo cleared his throat awkwardly the rutting pair ignored their presence completely, like they were in their own silent bubble of lust and pleasure. Kenma was going to try and approach them but his boyfriend told him to stay back as he himself stepped closer, slowly so as not to cause Tsukki to turn on him. They both knew that an interrupted alpha in rut was not to be messed with.

“Tsukki!” Kuroo tried to make his tone light but the blonde’s head flicked sharply in his direction and Tsukishima didn’t look pleased, “You can’t be doing this here.”

“Leave!” Tsukki growled deeply but didn’t cease his actions.

Kuroo clapped his hands together loosely and gestured widely, “I’m just saying, you can’t be out here with an omega in heat,” he was trying to play on the alpha’s protective instincts and by the slightly worried look in Tsukki’s eyes, it seemed to be working, “It’s dangerous for him. For both of you.”

Confusion spread across Tsukishima’s face and he pulled back a little from Tadashi, the omega whining loudly in protest.

“That’s it,” Kuroo continued soothingly, “We’ll take you both home and you can continue to fuck each other senseless in the safety of your den, okay?”

He glanced at Kenma, who was a little on edge due to the strong alpha pheromones occupying the area. The beta nodded, however, urging Tetsuro to continue his plea.

“You don’t want more alphas coming to get Yama- err, coming to get Tadashi now do you?”

The final comment soaked into Kei’s skin like oil and he felt his body starting to calm down slightly. He didn’t feel as hot and determined and pulled out of Tadashi quickly, thankful that he hadn’t knotted him in such a place. The omega protested more, of course, whining and clutching at Kei’s neck to try and tug him back into the embrace but the alpha’s mind had cleared enough that he could see reason. For now at least. With trembling hands, Tsukki buckled his pants and did the same for Tadashi, against his squirming objections.

“You good?” Kuroo asked as he raised a dark brow at the younger alpha, cautious not to step any closer in case he suddenly snapped.

Kei nodded and picked his glasses up from the pavement. One of the lenses had been stood on by either himself or Tadashi and was cracked beyond repair.

“You have your car?” Tsukki asked, still panting from the exertion.

“Yeah, it’s just down the street,” Kuroo gestured to Yamaguchi, who was still whining and tugging on Kei’s shirt helplessly, “Think he can make it that far?”

“If I carry him.”

“Think you can make it that far?”

Kei snorted, almost back to his usual snide self, “Obviously.”

Chapter Text

Sawamura Daichi didn’t know what he’d done wrong. He had woken up that morning with a sense of relief that both his mate and pup were in good health despite the previous day’s worries but now, for some reason, Koushi was angry with him and he didn’t know why. The pregnant omega had been avoiding him all morning and had only uttered the word ‘move’ to him when he needed to vacuum under Daichi’s feet. The alpha was going to protest about the vacuuming itself as Koushi was supposed to be resting but one dark look from the omega had changed his mind and he’d kept his mouth shut. Now, as Daichi’s stomach growled for some lunch, his mate was nowhere to be seen.

“Have either of you seen Suga?” Daichi asked Hinata and Kageyama as they wrestled on the sofa, arms and legs flailing violently.

“Not since breakfast!” Hinata croaked as Tobio held him in a tight headlock.

Deciding not to ask what the pair were doing, Daichi moved to the kitchen to ask Asahi and Noya, the former of which had been practising his baking whenever he could for the past few weeks and had therefore occupied almost every surface with some sort of confectionary, but the room was empty. He moved down the hall, past the silent bedrooms – both Tanaka and Ennoshita were at work – but paused outside of Nishinoya’s and Asahi’s room as he heard angry cursing floating out of it.

“You son of a bi-” Yuu paused mid-curse and pulled down his headset, smiling as Daichi’s face peered round the door-jam, “What’s up, Daichi-san?”

“You okay there?”

“Yup!” Noya waved the controller at the computer screen, “Just teaching some noobs a thing or two!”

“I have no idea what that means but okay. Have you seen Suga?”

A shake of the head, “Nope. Did you try his nest?”

Of course. Although there’d been such a fuss over Koushi’s nest (mainly because of Daichi mistaking it for a mess of old clothes) Daichi had almost forgotten about it as it was in the other section of the house. Quickly, he made his way through the conservatory and inhaled deeply, searching for any sign of Koushi’s raspberries and cream scent. Sure enough his mouth began to water at the familiar sweet fragrance and the alpha poked his head into the ‘nest room’. He wanted nothing more than to dive across the room at his mate and nuzzle his neck but Daichi also knew that an angry Koushi was a scary Koushi and so decided to tread carefully.

In the middle of the horseshoe of clothes and pillows, Koushi sat cross-legged smiling down at his bump with both hands pressed to its sides. His cheeks were slightly blushed and Daichi noticed that his scent was even sweeter than usual, perhaps to do with his emotions. Not wanting to interrupt quite yet, Daichi watched from the doorway as Suga whispered to his belly.

“And you gave me quite the scare!” the omega rubbed gently, “I thought I was going to lose you!”

Daichi heard the crack in his mate’s voice and swallowed back his own emotions.

“But it was a false alarm. I won’t ever let anything happen to you, I promise,” his voice lowered a little, “And neither will your daddy. He’s an idiot but he loves you very much.”

“Who’re you calling an idiot?”

Daichi stepped into the room and knelt down beside Koushi, who turned away from him slightly, annoyance obviously still present. Ignoring his rejection, the alpha placed a warm hand on the bump and leaned down to speak against it, deep voice making Koushi’s skin prickle.

“It’s true. I love you and your mama very much.”

“Mama?” Koushi questioned the name.

“Papa?” Daichi offered.

“Hmm… I’m not sure yet.”

Suga readjusted his position on the floor, back aching from sitting, and ended up leaning against his alpha’s side as Daichi tried to figure out what exactly had his mate so aggravated.

“Did I do something wrong?” he spoke with his chin on Koushi’s silver head, “Because if I did I’m sorry.”

“Do you think it was my fault? What happened yesterday...”

Daichi sat up straighter and pulled the omega so that he was facing him as he spoke,

“Of course not! The doctor said it can happen to anyone!”

Suga nodded feebly and chewed on his bottom lip, “I’m really trying my best not to fuck this up, Dai.”

“I know.”

Of course he knew. And the fact that Suga had been worrying about such a thing made Daichi’s teeth grind together. He felt ashamed that he hadn’t noticed such worries coming from his mate and pulled Koushi closer, scenting his hair lightly.

“You’re going to be the best Ma- err… parent a baby could have,” Daichi placed his palms against the bump once more, “And our pup is going to be the happiest, healthiest, most spoiled kid around.”

Suga nodded, his slightly worry-tinged scent fading back to his usual raspberries. Quickly, so much so that Daichi flinched a little, Koushi leaned forward and placed a gentle peck on the alpha’s cheek and proceeded to get to his feet with only a little difficulty. He held out his hand and Daichi took it, hoisting himself up.

“Hungry?” Suga asked as they walked back to the main area of the house hand in hand.

“Starved.”

“Only a little further, Yamaguchi.”

Kuroo, Kenma and Tsukishima made their way down the busy street – the latter with his in-heat mate on his back – and headed for Tetsuro’s car. Somehow they’d managed to force the freckled omega to keep his pants up and loaded him onto Tsukki’s back like luggage, albeit panting, sweating luggage that writhed and rubbed against the tall alpha weakly. Tadashi whined loudly and caught the attention of a couple walking the other way, the alpha sniffing the air as Tsukishima upped his pace.

“Almost there,” Kuroo said to himself more than anyone else.

He really didn’t want to attract any more attention to the omega and was rushing to the parking lot whilst holding Kenma’s hand tightly in his own, worried that a roused alpha might come and cause some trouble if they caught Yamaguchi’s scent. Kuroo himself was starting to feel a little light-headed from the grassy pheromones and had to keep mentally reminding himself that he did not in fact want to ravage poor Tadashi right there in the street. When he’d offered them a ride home he really hadn’t thought far enough ahead to think about being in a closed, confined space with the omega but couldn’t exactly back out now and leave the pair to walk home. Noticing his boyfriend’s stress, Kenma mumbled,

“You alright?”

Although a beta and not as sensitive to pheromones as the others, even Kenma could sense Tadashi’s as they wafted through the air like thick syrup. It didn’t smell particularly appealing to him but he knew what an omega in heat could do to a wanting alpha, no matter how much they tried to resist. Sure, he and Tetsuro were partners but a beta couldn’t ‘bond’ with an alpha, they just weren’t built that way and so his boyfriend was still very much aware of others’ scents. Not that it bothered Kenma, nothing really did.

“Let’s just hurry this up,” the black-haired alpha licked his dry lips as he finally reached the car.

He opened the back door for Tsukki and Tadashi and Kei all but threw the omega into the back seat before moving to sit in beside him. A large hand on his shoulder made him pause, however, and with a dark look Kuroo said,

“You sit in the front with me.”

“But-”

Tsukki’s protests were cut off by the hand squeezing tighter on his shoulder.

“I need you to make sure I don’t do anything stupid.”

The look in Kuroo’s eyes told Tsukishima that his mate’s scent was indeed tempting to other alphas and he immediately understood that he needed to sit beside the older alpha to make sure that he didn’t try and get to Tadashi whilst driving. It was the sensible option but one that made Kei slightly uncomfortable because it meant that Kenma would be sitting in the back with his mate while he was in heat. No matter how much he might trust someone, putting his omega in the hands of someone else was not a nice experience. However, it was their only option and so Kei climbed into the front seat, adjusting it so that his long legs could fit, and Kenma got into the back with Tadashi.

“Your den isn’t far, right?” Kuroo asked as he clicked his seatbelt and wound the window all the way down to let in as much clean air as possible.

“About ten minutes by car,” Kei said as he looked into the back seat, body twisted so that he could check on his mate.

“We’ll be there in six.”

Kuroo floored the gas and Kenma clicked his tongue as he was pressed back against the seat from the force. He knew they should hurry but he’d also like to survive the experience.

“Nnn...” Tadashi strained against his seatbelt and reached forward to take Tsukki’s hand, “Come back, Tsukki!”

“I’m right here, babe.”

With all reason now gone and in the full throws of his heat, Tadashi whimpered and tried to unlock his seatbelt whilst Kenma did his best to stop him. Tadashi whined helplessly and his scent seemed to thicken in an attempt to gain his alpha’s attention as Kuroo pushed harder on the gas pedal.

“Shh,” Kenma took one of Tadashi’s damp hands, “You’re almost home.”

The beta’s lips pressed together firmly and he tried to look out of the window for a moment as a wave of nausea washed over him. He really didn’t want to have to stop the car but he also didn’t particularly like the idea of throwing up all over poor Yamaguchi. With a hand to his tiny bump, he took a deep breath and tried to think of anything other than losing his breakfast. The motion didn’t go unnoticed by Tadashi and the omega gasped, suddenly becoming cohesive for a few seconds.

“Kozume-san...” Tadashi looked down at Kenma’s belly and placed a trembling hand on it gently, “Are you going to have a baby?”

Kenma paled. They hadn’t announced it officially yet and he didn’t know if Tetsuro wanted anyone to know.

“Yeah,” Kuroo looked in the rearview mirror, meeting Kenma’s eyes, “We are.” He turned to glance at Tsukishima with a shit-eating grin on his face but the younger alpha was too preoccupied with the omega in the back.

“Wow...” Tadashi stared for another second or two and then another rush of heat filled his veins.

He felt like he was going to explode (in more ways than one) and pressed against his crotch agonisingly as the car turned onto the driveway to the farmhouse.

What happened next was somewhat of a blur to the omega and the next thing he knew he was in his and Kei’s bedroom, lying on the bed with his trousers around his ankles. He could hear voices coming from the living room and tried to sit up only to be greeted with an astonishing stab of pain across his torso as he did so. A small indentation in his right arm told him that someone – probably Tsukki – had had to use a heat suppressant on him to calm him down and he wasn’t really mad about it. The heat that had come over him had been far too intense and the fact that he could only remember bits and pieces from the past few hours scared him a little.

“Hey,” the door opened and Tsukki stepped inside with a glass of water, “You finally woke up. I thought I’d maybe given you too much.”

The omega took the water and gulped it down greedily, like he hadn’t drank in days.

“You gave me a suppressant?”

Kei’s honey eyes widened and he suddenly wondered if maybe he’d done the wrong thing. They were trying to get pregnant after all and so stopping his heat wasn’t really something on the to-do list for Tadashi. Sensing his alpha’s panic, Yamaguchi smiled warmly and breathed a heavy sigh.

“It’s okay, Tsukki. I needed it,” he placed the glass down and looked at his bare, bruised torso, “I really wasn’t prepared for another heat so soon.”

“Yeah,” Kei sat down beside his mate and scented his wrist lightly, “Sorry about that… That omega’s pheromones...”

“They were intense, right?” Tadashi smiled and shuffled closer to the alpha, inhaling his pine fragrance, “You don’t need to apologise for your instincts. It was natural to be affected by them.”

“Thank God Kuroo-san was there,” Kei leaned back on his hands, “I don’t think I would have stopped until someone dragged me off of you.”

“Well,” Tadashi tried to hide his blush with a sly smirk, “I am irresistible you know.”

With a low growl, Kei dived on top of his mate, nuzzling his neck roughly until a small squeak issued from the omega.

“Ow ow ow,” Tadashi pushed Kei away gently and rubbed at the purple-ish bruise on his ribs that he’d sustained when he’d dropped.

“Ah, shit,” Kei kissed the bruises softly, “I think we should let these heal before trying anything else.”

“Agreed.”

The blonde helped Tadashi into the shower and then handed him a t-shirt and jogging bottoms before they both headed for the lounge. Voices could be heard echoing down the hallway, some of which seemed more animated than usual, and Tadashi tilted his head as he sniffed the air.

“Is someone making fresh coffee?”

Kei shook his head, “Ah, no. Kuroo-san and Kozume-san are still here.”

The omega’s eyebrows rose, “That’s Kuroo-san’s scent? Yum!”

“Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?” Kei narrowed his eyes at his teasing mate but Tadashi just smiled.

“I’m just saying,” he licked his lips purposefully, “He smells tasty!”

Chapter Text

Tasty or not, Kuroo’s scent was currently making Nishinoya’s stomach roll. The expecting omega – as well as Suga, Daichi, Hinata, Kageyama, Kuroo and Kenma – was sitting in the living room on one of the large armchairs, knees hugged to his chest as he tried to breathe through his mouth and somehow avoid the strong scent. It wasn’t that Tetsuro was purposefully releasing his pheromones or making them stronger on purpose but for some reason his scent was permeating the room and making the omegas a little drunk with it.

Although not particularly affected by it himself, Daichi noticed the three omegas shifting uncomfortably and when Suga’s eyelids began to droop slightly he decided it was in everyone’s best interest for him to speak up.

“Um, Kuroo,” the black-haired alpha looked up as Daichi spoke, “Is everything okay?”

For a moment Kuroo looked baffled by the question and was going to reply with a snarky comment but then his features shifted and his cheeks flared crimson as he realised what he’d been doing. Subconsciously, most likely to show some sort of dominance over Kageyama and Daichi, he’d been encircling Kenma with his pheromones, claiming the beta as ‘his’ without even realising he was doing so. Embarrassed, the alpha calmed his scent and opted to simply sit a little closer to his boyfriend.

“Sorry,” he glanced at the three omegas who each looked a little flushed, “My bad.”

“He’s still new to all this,” Kenma mumbled as Tetsuro hung a heavy arm across his shoulders.

“New to what?” Hinata asked, eyes wide.

“Me being pre-”

Kenma was cut off by a loud bark from Kuroo and a large hand covered his mouth. The beta looked up at his idiot boyfriend and raised an eyebrow speculatively as if to say ‘what the hell?’.

“I’m just not used to being in your new den!” Kuroo finished the sentence quickly.

Before Hinata could question them more, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi entered the room, the latter flopping down on the sofa next to Suga as Kei perched on the arm of it (a little uncertainly as he was without his glasses). All eyes were still on Kuroo, however, and Kei couldn’t help but smirk at the older alpha’s troubled expression.

“So you’re not going to tell them?” Kei asked as Tadashi jabbed an elbow into his side with a ‘shh!’.

“Tell us what?” Daichi looked to Tsukishima and then back at Kuroo who now looked a little pissed at the blonde.

“Nothing.”

Voices and the scuffing of shoes alerted the group to the return of Ennoshita and Tanaka and they quickly appeared in the doorway, Tanaka with his arm looped around Chikara’s waist. When he spotted the visitors, Chikara swiftly slithered out of his boyfriend’s embrace and leaned against Noya’s armchair in an attempt to enter as discreetly as possible. Not one for such thoughts, Tanaka simply bounded across the room and flopped heavily onto the large sofa beside Kenma, jostling the smaller beta.

“Come on~,” Hinata wasn’t going to give up, “Tell us, Kenma!”

The redhead had always had a great relationship with Nekoma’s setter and he could tell he was getting through to Kenma as he tried to hide a small smile but failed miserably.

“I want to tell Shouyou,” Kenma offered his best ‘puppy-dog’ eyes to Kuroo and the alpha immediately surrendered, no way was he going to resist that cute expression.

“Ugh, fine,” Tetsuro puffed out his chest and a wide grin spread across his face as he jumped to his feet, arms wide to present his boyfriend, “Kenma’s expecting!”

A beat of silence.

“OHHHHHH!”

Hinata joined the alpha on his feet and was immediately lifted into the air by Kuroo like a trophy, much to the dismay of Tobio.

“Congrats!” the redhead’s smile beamed down on Kenma from his spot above Kuroo’s head.

“How far along are you?” Suga was leaning forward on the sofa as Daichi held his hand to stop him diving into the fray of over-excited idiots that were currently occupying the floorspace.

“Um… almost four months?”

“Ah, about a month further than Noya then.”

Kenma looked over to the libero, who looked even smaller than usual as he curled up on the large armchair. He received a small thumbs-up but that was the best the omega could muster as he felt any more movement might bring up his lunch.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Shouyou was once again on solid ground, Tobio having pulled him away from Kuroo a little too forcefully.

“Ah, we don’t want to know,” Kenma placed a gentle hand against his tiny bump, “We want it to be a surprise.”

“Same as us,” Daichi mirrored the gesture with his palm over Suga’s belly.

“It’s more exciting that way!” Kuroo’s smile almost reached his ears, “I can’t wait!”

He grabbed Tsukki’s bicep and dragged the tall blonde into the middle of the room to join in the odd dance he, Tanaka and Hinata had started. The alpha protested, of course, and just stood in the middle like a statue as Tadashi wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. With laughter as the backing track and the others clearly distracted, Ennoshita stepped between the flailing arms and legs and perched beside Kenma on the sofa, offering a look of empathy to the other beta. He knew what it was like to have an over-excitable boyfriend.

“You’re a beta, right?”

Kenma’s eyes drifted from his boyfriend to Chikara and he nodded silently.

“So one of your parents must be...”

“My mother is an omega, yeah,” Kenma tilted his head to look at Chikara sideways, “Why do you ask?”

Chikara avoided eye contact, opting to stare at his own entwined fingers, “No particular reason.”

After much frivolity, Kuroo and Kenma bid their farewells and, after receiving many ‘thank yous’ from Kei and Tadashi, headed back to their own den. It was Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s turn to cook dinner and so the pair moved to the kitchen whilst everyone else lazed in the living room, a welcome moment to simply chill out and recover from the wild energy that had blown through the den like a tornado.

Asahi returned home a few minutes later looking like something dragged up from the swamp as he’d been caught in a downpour on the way back from the bakery – he’d been working with the builders to decide on what should go where – and Hinata almost jumped out of his skin when the Ace squelched into the living room, long hair over his tired face.

“Well,” Koushi tried and failed to hold in his laughter, “Don’t you look refreshed.”

“I need a shower.”

Asahi yawned loudly and placed a gentle kiss atop Yuu’s sleeping face before heading for the bathroom to try and force some humanity back into his body.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Tadashi was trying to open the packet of fajitas whilst Kei fried up some chopped vegetables in a large wok. The omega couldn’t find the scissors and was struggling with the plastic packet, even trying to open it with his teeth. Unbeknownst to him, his mate had been watching in amusement the entire time and it was only when Kei almost dropped the wok that Tadashi noticed his gaze. Defeated, he held out the packet to the alpha and whined weakly.

“I can’t open it,” he pouted.

“What do you want me to do about it?” Kei smirked and tossed the vegetables with ease.

“Tsukki~,” he whined again, omega neediness amped up to ten.

The alpha gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the obvious gameplay at hand,

“Do it yourself.”

“I can’t!” Tadashi gnawed at the plastic like a rabid dog, emphasising his point.

“Just use some scissors!” Kei chuckled as he turned off the heat.

“I can’t find any!”

Squinting because of his lack of glasses, the alpha searched his immediate area for any sign of the scissors and finally laid eyes on what he assumed was them. They looked more like a grey blur but he was pretty sure that was them hanging above the stove with the other cooking implements. Without really thinking, Kei leaned over to reach for them, his hand resting on the hob he hadn’t been using.

“TSU-!”

Tadashi’s warning was too late. Tsukki’s hand had pressed against the scorching hot hob, which he’d turned on instead of turning off the other, and the alpha hissed through his teeth as he whipped his hand back just a fraction too late.

“GAH!” Tadashi rushed to his mate’s side, hands cupping Kei’s left hand, “Are you okay?!”

“Shit,” Tsukki’s face contorted into one of pain as he let Tadashi usher his hand over to the sink.

The omega quickly pulled the burnt hand under the faucet and turned on the cold water. His mate tried to put on a brave face but Tadashi could feel Tsukki’s hand trembling as the water rushed over it. Although not one to usually show much emotion, Kei couldn’t help the grimace on his face as his hand throbbed painfully with each heartbeat. Why had he been so stupid? He thought he’d turned the heat off.

“I’m sorry, Tsukki,” Tadashi mumbled as tears threatened to pour from his eyes.

“Why? You didn’t do it.”

Tadashi shook his head, “I stepped on your glasses,” ah, so it was him, “So you couldn’t see what you were doing.”

Kei clucked his tongue and used his good hand to stroke his mate’s cheek, “Shut up, Tadashi. It’s just a little burn, anyway.”

“But what if it scars?” the omega’s tears were flowing freely now.

Kei shrugged, “So what,” he held out his other hand that had a few pale scars running down between his fingers – battle scars from his blocking days, “They don’t bother me.”

Between sniffles, Tadashi nodded feebly and moved to the drawer to look for the first aid kit as Kei took a seat at the table. His hand felt like it was still pressed against the heat and he could already feel the stiffness in his fingers as it began to blister. The alpha felt a little stupid for being so clumsy and cursed himself for not buying another pair of glasses when he’d lost his spare pair. He really was pretty much useless without them.

As Kei was still punishing himself for something he couldn’t have predicted, Suga’s face peered around the door frame, an innocent smile on it as he tried to act nonchalant.

“Any idea when dinner will be ready?” he was starving but didn’t want to admit it since he’d just finished an extra large bag of chips.

“You can come and get it now if you can open the fajitas,” Tsukishima mumbled as Tadashi rushed over to the table with the first aid kit in hand.

Suddenly all thoughts of food were forgotten as Suga saw the look of utter panic on the other omega’s freckled face. Tadashi looked like he was on the brink of tears as he searched frantically for something to help his mate and Koushi could see he wasn’t really getting anywhere by looking so haphazardly and so stepped over to take over.

“What happened?”

Tadashi stepped back, wringing his hands together anxiously as Suga pulled out some cream and bandages.

“Tsukki burned his hand on the hob!”

Kei held out his throbbing hand and Suga held it in his own gently.

“Ouch,” the expecting omega squelched some cream onto his own fingers and gently rubbed it into Tsukki’s burn, “Should we take you to the hospital? It looks pretty bad.”

Kei shook his head and pulled his mate to his side with his good hand, “I’ll be fine. Tadashi is just overreacting.”

“I am not!” Tadashi poked the alpha between his brows with a long finger, “It was super dangerous! What if it had been your… your head?!”

Kei couldn’t help the snort of laughter at his mate’s odd paranoia, “Why would I put my head on the stove?!”

“I don’t know! Why did you put your hand on it?!” Tadashi puffed out his cheeks angrily.

“I was reaching for the scissors!”

“I’m sure it was just a silly accident,” Suga finished wrapping some bandage around the hand and stepped back to admire his handiwork, “Even alphas can be clumsy sometimes.”

That forced Kei’s eyebrow to twitch but he remained silent as the rest of the pack filed into the kitchen, noses detecting the smell of cooked vegetables and chicken. A few glanced at Kei’s bandages but seemed somewhat distracted by the food currently being plated up by Ennoshita and decided to ask about the injury later. Even Nishinoya managed to grab a bowl of plain rice and take a few mouthfuls to fill his stomach, thankful for the momentary respite in his sickness.

Tadashi finally calmed down enough to plate himself and Tsukki some food, including the fajitas that had caused all the commotion.

“Who opened these?” he asked, slightly ashamed that his mate had been hurt all because of some stupid wraps.

“I did,” Asahi raised his hand slightly like he was being accused of something.

“With the scissors?” Tadashi asked as he searched for the elusive instruments.

Asahi nodded, “Yeah… Why?”

“Where were they?” Kei was curious, too.

“In the drawer, same as usual.”

Both Kei and Tadashi exchanged a confused glance and then the alpha gestured to the grey blur above the oven, which he’d thought was the scissors.

“So what’s that?”

Asahi followed his gaze and a bemused look crossed his face, “The spatula?”

A shake of his head, “No, next to it.”

Each member of the pack, save for Tanaka who was too busy stuffing his face, looked at Tsukishima in confusion and then Noya broke the silence with a giggle.

“Tsukishima,” he pointed to the space beside the spatula, “There’s nothing there.”

“Eh?”

Tadashi too had exchanged his worried expression for one of amusement as he leaned closer to his mate and whispered,

“That’s just a pattern on the tiles...”

Chapter Text

“So,” Suga swallowed the big bite of chicken he’d just shoved into his mouth and looked across the table at Asahi, “How’s the building work going on the bakery?”

The Ace had been working all day at the empty shell that was going to become his new venture. He and the architect had been working on the plans for the main area and staff room of the bakery and things seemed to be moving along smoothly. A little too smoothly according to Asahi, as he was always one to worry more than he really needed to. He’d been told that the main work could be finished by November and was starting to get anxious as his dream was quickly becoming a reality. Of course, he’d planned on working on the aesthetics of the bakery with Noya when he’d first bought the building but now that his mate was expecting everything seemed to be a little more complicated than before.

Asahi quickly realised that the entire pack was waiting for a reply and he forced a small smile as he replied to Suga.

“It’s… going.”

Beside him, Noya nudged his ribs with his good arm, “You sure?”

The alpha rubbed at his beard timidly, “Yeah. They said the main work should be done in a few months.”

“I can’t wait for the free cakes!” Hinata beamed and received a slap on the back of the head from Tobio.

“He can’t just give away his stock, idiot!”

Hinata’s head lowered but Asahi added,

“But I’m sure there’ll be plenty to taste test at home!”

“It’s all very impressive,” Daichi had finished his meal and was subconsciously picking rice from Koushi’s plate, “I’m sure it’ll be great.”

With Asahi looking more and more pale at the thought of the oncoming months, Suga decided to change the subject and pointed towards the refrigerator.

“Speaking of cake, we have some key lime pie for dessert. Should we have it in the living room?”

There was an overwhelming chorus of the affirmative and the pack quickly moved into the lounge as Tadashi and Shouyou brought plates and the pie. After dividing it with extreme precision – no one could have a larger portion – the pack settled on the sofas and enjoyed the tangy dessert as the TV played quietly in the background.

Tadashi and Tsukishima were sprawled on the smaller sofa, Tsukki’s legs stretching its length and his feet dangling over the arm as the omega slotted in beside him, a perfect fit. Said omega’s eyes kept drooping closed and then snapping open when his head bobbed forward. The day‘s events had taken their toll on Tadashi, even with the heat suppressant, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to stay awake much longer, much less contribute to the conversation. Although not as exhausted as his mate, Tsukki too was feeling the aftermath of his rut and kept trying to reposition himself to try and ease his sore muscles. Not to mention his hand felt like it was actually on fire. It throbbed with every heartbeat and the bandage felt like it was tightening with every pulsation. Even half-asleep, Tadashi noticed his mate’s distress and turned so that he was leaning his stomach and chest against the alpha, whispering so as not to disturb the others.

“Does it still hurt?”

Kei moved to push up his glasses – a habit he did whenever he felt a little uncomfortable – but remembered too late that he wasn’t wearing them.

“Just a little.”

“Maybe we should have gone to the hospital?” Tadashi gently wrapped his fingers around the sore hand, “You should put some ice on it.”

Kei nestled a kiss into Tadashi’s hair, inhaling his scent. He was about to tell him it didn’t matter but the omega was already on his feet, heading for the kitchen, all tiredness suddenly forgotten in favour of helping his mate.

Over on the armchair, thinking they were being discreet but in fact on display for all to see, Shouyou and Tobio snuggled ever closer to one another. Still relatively newly bonded, the pair were still in the early phases and couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. Hinata was on Kageyama’s lap and the alpha kept nipping at his neck, gentle but enough to emit a tiny yip or two from the omega. It was only when Tobio’s hands began to wander under the waistband of Hinata’s shorts that Daichi cleared his throat purposefully and the pair discontinued their flirting.

On the larger sofa, Nishinoya sat between Daichi and Asahi, the two alphas dwarfing him in the middle. He was sitting like a statue, arms by his sides and eyes facing forward, unmoving. It was a little unsettling for the usually bouncy omega to be so motionless and his mate couldn’t help but ask what he was up to.

“I’m not moving,” Noya answered, only his lips suggesting that he was the one who’d spoken.

“I can see that,” Asahi seemed a little unnerved as he looked down at his mate, “But why?”

“If I don’t move, I won’t feel sick.”

Asahi sighed, half from relief that nothing was wrong and half to let his own body relax (he’d been holding his breath without even realising). Gently, so as not to jostle Yuu too much, he wrapped a strong arm around his waist and pulled him closer, letting the omega rest his head against his ribs.

“Ginger can help,” Suga, who had seemingly produced a pack of pocky from nowhere, leaned across Daichi so that he could look at Noya, “We have some ginger biscuits if you want one?”

A low groan was his reply and so Suga sat back, using Daichi as a human shield.

“Should we watch something?” Tanaka suggested from his spot on the floor, leaning against the large sofa.

“Like what?” Chikara asked beside him.

“Movie night?” Noya’s sickness seemed forgotten for the moment.

Tadashi returned with a bowl of ice and looked sheepishly at the betas, “Not a horror, please!”

Tanaka grinned wickedly, “Sure.”

“Well that was reassuring,” Chika chuckled at his boyfriend’s attempt at being sly.

“Should we bring blankets and things in?” Hinata asked as Tobio rolled his eyes beside him.

“So childis-” Kei started to complain but the look of delightful anticipation on Tadashi’s face made him bite his tongue. The omega deserved at least a little respite today.

“Blankets, pillows and snacks!”

Koushi got to his feet with a little push from Daichi and they all headed off to find some nest-making supplies whilst Tanaka picked a movie. It didn’t take long for the living room to be filled with soft, warm plushness; a sea of blankets and pillows covered the floor and the omegas wasted no time in diving into the soft waves, making themselves comfortable.

“You sure you want to sit on the floor?” Daichi asked Koushi as the pregnant omega tried to find a comfortable position between Tadashi and Shouyou.

“That’s the whole point!”

Suga smiled broadly but the slight wince when he tried to stretch his back didn’t go unnoticed by his alpha. Daichi made a mental note to forcibly lift his mate onto the sofa later if he looked any more uncomfortable.

“We haven’t done this in a while!” Asahi pulled a soft blanket over himself and Yuu, who was sitting between his outstretched legs.

Yuu inhaled deeply, letting everyone’s scents fill every pore, “Mnn… I feel recharged.”

“So what are we watching?” Daichi asked Tanaka as the beta pushed play on the remote.

He smiled, showing his pearly whites, “The Ring. A classic.”

An audible moan issued from Tadashi and he instinctively reached out to hold Suga’s hand beside him. He was no good with horrors and just knew that Tanaka-san did such things just to see his reaction. Determined not to show any more fear, however, the omega put on a brave face and positioned himself so that the blanket he was sharing with Tsukki covered half of his field of vision.

“No! Don’t go in there!”

Hinata waved his hands at the TV like he could somehow warn the protagonist against her stupid decision. The movie was almost finished, only about twenty minutes remained, and everyone was glued to the screen, whether that be from entertainment or – in Tadashi’s case – pure terror. Even Noya had seemed to have forgotten his sickly stomach and was leaning forward, enamoured by the storyline. Asahi wasn’t complaining, either, thanks to his mate he couldn’t really see any of the scary stuff on the screen and that was just the way he liked it.

The only person who was a little lost was Tsukishima; without his glasses he could only make out dark blurs and voices and, having not seen the movie before, he was confused as to what everyone kept jumping at. He was more on edge because every now and then Tadashi would whine or yip at his side, sending his alpha protect-mode into overdrive. Kei had to keep reminding himself that it was just because of the film and not because they were under attack.

“Oh GOD!”

Tadashi pulled the blanket over his face and nestled closer to Tsukki, the alpha making sure to release some calming pheromones.

“Ahh!” Suga – who loved horror movies because of how silly they could be – giggled and pointed to the screen, “She’s right there!”

A cacophony of scared noises filled the room as the long-haired girl moved closer to the protagonist and then, just as she was about to touch the back of her neck with a cold, dead hand, the power went out.

A pause of silence in the blackened room.

“Oh, shit.”

“AHH!” Shouyou wrapped his hands around Suga’s arm and practically screamed in his ear, “She’ll get us!”

“Idiot,” Kageyama’s voice and then the sound of a hand slapping flesh.

“Why did you hit me?!” Tanaka squawked.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Flashlight! Where’s the flashlight?”

Tanaka got to his feet and waved his arms out in front of himself like a blind man. His foot caught on someone’s leg and he sprawled forwards, slamming into the thankfully soft blankets. Thankfully at least one member of the pack still had his head screwed on and Ennoshita quickly whipped out his phone and turned on the flashlight. It illuminated his face from below and almost gave Tadashi a heart-attack but at least they could see what was going on.

“Ah,” Daichi wondered why he hadn’t thought of that first, “Good idea.” He fumbled in his pockets for his own phone but came up empty, “Anyone else got their phone?”

“Yeah,” Kei flicked on his flashlight but within seconds it turned itself off, the battery having died.

“Someone should check the breaker box,” Ennoshita suggested.

There were a few silent head-shakes and then the dark-haired beta sighed, resigned to his duty.

“Fine, I’ll go look.”

“So brave, Chika!” Tanaka sounded proud.

“You’re coming with me.”

There was a choked kind of sound and then both of the betas headed for the front door. The breaker box was at the side of the house and without any street lights nearby even the garden was pitch black. Determined not to be spooked, Tanaka puffed up his chest and took Chikara’s hand (for his sake, of course) as they moved slowly through the darkness.

Something cracked behind them and Ryuu paused, frozen like a rabbit in headlights. What if it was that Ring girl? What if she’d crawled out of the TV, killed everyone inside and then come for them, too?! No, he shook his head, Daichi was in there for God’s sake, no way was anyone coming anywhere near Suga and the others with him around.

“You okay?” Ennoshita asked, shining the light on his boyfriend’s face.

“Yup!” Tanaka lied, his illuminated features like a painted pumpkin.

Chikara gestured to a metal box-shape n the side of the house and handed Ryuu the phone, “Hold this, I’ll check if it’s just us or the power grid.”

“How do you even know how to do this?”

The dark-haired beta shrugged as he flicked a couple of switches, “I’ve done it at work a couple of times.” He paused and sighed, “Looks like it’s not just us. We’ll just have to wait for it to come back on.”

They headed back inside and broke the news to the group, who were now illuminated by three scented candles and a battery-powered light-up Christmas ornament.

“Can’t be helped,” Suga shrugged and snuggled a little closer to Daichi under the blanket, “We’ll just have to entertain ourselves for now.”

“I can think of a few things,” Daichi mumbled into Suga’s silver hair playfully.

The pregnant omega didn’t register the suggestion as he was more preoccupied with the trembling Tadashi beside him. The freckled omega was pressed firmly against Suga’s left side whilst Tsukki occupied Tadashi’s left and he was practically shivering where he sat. It wasn’t that it was particularly cold – not yet anyway, it soon would be with the electric not working – Tadashi was merely recalling the undead face of the girl from the movie and couldn’t stop his anxious mind from snowballing into more frightening scenarios. Tsukishima felt somewhat useless as his mate freaked out beside him but Suga had an idea to try and soothe him.

Gently, so as not to scare Tadashi, Koushi took the younger omega’s trembling hand and laid it on his substantial bump under the blanket.

“What are-”

Tadashi’s voice was hoarse as he started to question the action but he quickly quieted as something rippled beneath his hand. His eyes widened in the darkness and he sat up on his knees, eager to experience the sensation again.

“What are you doing?” Kei asked as his mate moved away from him slightly.

“Shh!”

Tadashi considered taking Tsukki’s hand and putting it with his own but rejected the idea when he imagined what Daichi-san’s reaction would be. He didn’t want to start a fight between the alphas.

“Did you feel it?” Suga asked, voice low and calming.

“I think so...” another movement in Suga’s belly, this time more of a soft punch, and Tadashi’s voice rose, “Yes! I felt the pup!”

“You can feel it from the outside now?!” Hinata’s voice was closer than expected and Tadashi flinched slightly, “Can I feel, too?!”

“Sure,” Suga took Shouyou’s hand and placed it next to Tadashi’s.

“Whoa...”

Daichi smiled and leaned back, “That should keep them occupied for a little while at least.

Chapter Text

The pup in Sugawara’s belly had occupied the omegas for almost an entire five minutes. Once the baby stopped moving around so much, however, their interest began to waver and Yamaguchi could feel the uneasiness creeping back into his bones. He’d been trying his best to act natural, act as if he wasn’t totally freaked out by the scary movie, but in all honesty he was truly scared. Tadashi hated anything even remotely horror-related and was planning to hide under the blanket for the majority of the film but morbid curiosity had forced his eyes to peek out now and then when Hinata or Noya-san screamed or shouted at the TV. Thanks to his nosiness, Tadashi had seen the main scary parts and was currently trying not to think about the ghostly girl with the long, damp hair scuttling around the dark room.

Sensing his mate’s uneasiness, Tsukki moved a little closer to the omega under the blanket they shared and looped a long arm around his waist, gently moving his thumb up and down to try and calm his nerves a little. Personally, Kei didn’t really get the whole ‘horror’ thing; he was a very logical person and couldn’t care less about ghost stories and the supernatural but he knew Tadashi was gullible (more so than the omega would admit) and would never mock him for being so. After all, it was part of his personality.

“So what now?” Nishinoya asked the group as they squinted through the candlelight at one another.

“Should we just go to bed?” Asahi suggested.

“It’s way too early for that!” Tanaka chided and picked up a candle to illuminate his smiling face, “I say we play a little game of truth or dare!” He laughed manically but quickly stopped when some hot wax dripped onto his hand.

“Really?” Daichi sighed as he leaned back against the sofa, Suga moving to rest his back on his mate’s chest, “Are we that immature?”

“You have to ask?” Tsukishima’s eyebrow arched.

“I’ll go first!” Hinata raised his hand like a school boy, eager to get started.

“Okay,” Tanaka resumed his ‘game-master’ voice, “Truth or dare?”

“Hmm...” the redhead pondered for a moment, a hand on his chin.

“Just say dare already,” Tobio elbowed his mate in the ribs, “We all know that’s what you’re going to choose anyway!”

“Fine! Dare!”

Kei pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache forming behind his eyes, “This is so dumb...”

“Alright!” Tanaka stroked an imaginary beard, “I dare you to… Kiss-”

There was a loud, low growl from Kageyama and Tanaka redirected his sentence.

“Err, to lick someone’s foot.”

For some reason the beta looked proud of his idea but everyone else just seemed confused.

“Gross,” Chikara’s nose curled up, “Why the hell would you think that was entertaining?”

“Maybe he has a foot fetish,” Nishinoya suggested matter-of-factly.

Ennoshita grabbed his feet and sat on them, hiding them from his boyfriend teasingly.

“I do not!” Tanaka whined, “Honestly!”

“Who’s foot?” Hinata asked, eyes wide and nose curled up in disgust.

“Your choice.”

The omega scanned the room, deliberating who would have the cleanest feet, and settled on Asahi-san as he knew he’d recently showered. The Ace saw the decision in Shouyou’s eyes and flinched, curling in on himself in an attempt to become a smaller target. Unfortunately for him it did no good and Hinata pointed at him with a wide grin on his face.

“Looks like you’re the chosen one, Asahi!” Noya laughed and grabbed his mate’s foot, quickly yanking off his sock.

“D-do I have to?!” the broad alpha wriggled in an attempt to escape his fate, “Shouldn’t I have a say in this?!”

“It’s not your dare,” Suga shrugged as Hinata crawled closer to the Ace.

Asahi tried to squirm but Tanaka had already grabbed his foot and was holding it out towards Hinata, who’s eyes were clenched shut. There was a low rumbling sound as the omega approached Asahi and it grew startling loud when the redhead stuck out his tongue to lick his target, loud enough to make Hinata open his eyes and glance back at his mate worryingly. The rumbling had been Kageyama growling deep in his throat but he’d only now realised that he’d been doing it, alpha instincts taking over. He cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to hide the slight blush of his cheeks,

“Sorry.”

“Wow,” Noya smirked, “Jealous much?”

“Don’t worry, Kageyama,” Asahi sighed, defeated, “Neither of us are going to enjoy this.”

“Just hurry up!” Tanaka gently pushed Shouyou’s head – and waiting tongue – towards Asahi’s foot and the two connected.

The omega immediately flinched away as the alpha tried not to kick him in the face subconsciously and the entire room fell into laughter.

“EW!” Hinata rubbed at his exposed tongue with his fingers in a feeble attempt to wash away the taste, “It tasted like… FEET!”

“Genius,” Tsukishima rolled his eyes.

“I need something to take the taste away!”

As he flailed around looking for something to wash his mouth out with, Hinata’s mate creeped ever closer until finally Tobio cupped the back of the omega’s head and pulled him close in one swift movement. Before Hinata could protest, the distinct flavour of Asahi-san’s foot was washed away by his mate’s tongue entering his mouth in a firm kiss. He relaxed into the embrace and found himself a little light-headed when it was over, along with the other omegas in the room.

“That was so slick,” Nishinoya was impressed as he leaned closer to Asahi’s foot and looked up at his mate with lustful eyes, “Want me to kiss away his germs?”

“NO!” Asahi scuttled backwards, “N-no, thanks. I’m good.”

Noya was on all fours, crawling towards his tormented alpha, “Really?” He licked his lips teasingly, “I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

Before Asahi could add more to his defense, Yuu suddenly paled and slapped a hand to his mouth before rushing towards the bathroom down the dark hall. Moving around so much must have triggered the omega’s nausea that he’d been managing to keep at bay. Asahi quickly followed him, only tripping once on Tsukishima’s long legs in the darkness.

“Our pack is so weird,” Yamaguchi chuckled.

As he leaned his face against Tsukki’s chest he tried to intertwine their fingers beneath the blanket and remembered too late about his alpha’s burnt hand. Tsukki flinched and hissed through his teeth involuntarily, causing Tadashi to flail away from him like a scared puppy.

“Sorry! I forgot! Sorry!”

Kei sighed and pulled his mate back against his chest, “It’s alright, calm down,” he brought his bandaged hand out from underneath the blanket and waved it feebly, “See, still attached.”

Although it had hurt like hell, Kei was thankful for the distraction it had given Tadashi as he seemed less worried about a non-existent ghost and more about hurting his mate accidentally. Small mercies.

“So,” Tanaka rubbed his hands together eagerly, “Who’s next?”

Daichi groaned, “Do we have to keep going?”

Suga pouted and nuzzled into his mate’s scent glands, “Don’t be so grumpy, Dai, it’s taking their minds off of things.”

“I’ll go,” Ennoshita raised his hand reluctantly. He didn’t particularly want to volunteer but he could see his boyfriend’s enthusiasm waning and wanted to see Ryuu enjoying himself a little longer.

“OH!” it did indeed brighten the other beta’s expression, “Truth or dare, Chika?”

“Truth.”

There was no deliberation, he wanted his turn to be as quick as possible.

Tanaka rubbed his chin in thought, his forehead crinkling in concentration to try and think of something he’d always wanted to ask the other beta. There was too much to sift through, however, and he was taking too long for Hinata’s liking.

“That day we built Suga-san’s nest,” Shouyou began, “Why did you cuddle with the omegas?”

There was a sudden heavy silence in the dimly lit room. Hinata rarely said anything meaningful but when he did he always seemed to hit the nail directly on the head. It wasn’t that anyone had been really bothered by Chikara joining in the omega’s cuddle session, in fact it was nice that he wanted to be involved. It was more a question of why he’d wanted to be involved in the first place. Betas usually didn’t care about things like nests or scenting, especially as they were less sensitive to scents than alphas and omegas, and so it was a little out of the ordinary for a beta to want to join in with that kind of stuff. For Hinata to just blurt it out and ask, however, well tact was never one of his strong suits.

“Oi!” Kageyama tugged on Hinata’s wrist to try and quiet him, even he could sense the slight uneasiness the question had caused.

“What?” the redhead looked genuinely confused at the reaction, “I was just wondering! Betas aren’t usually into nests and stuff, right? Even Kenma! And he’s pregnant!”

“Will you shut up!” Tobio slapped his hand over his mate’s mouth and pulled him back into a sitting position.

“You don’t have to answer, Chikara,” Suga smiled warmly at the beta, hiding his own curiosity out of respect for his friend’s privacy.

Surprisingly, Chikara shook his head and smiled, “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

He inhaled deeply, like he was preparing for a long speech, and concentrated on his fingers as he continued.

“Ever since Suga-san fell pregnant I’ve found myself a little more interested in pups and stuff. I assumed it was just because I wanted to be prepared for when the baby is born but then, on the day we built the nest, I started to feel a little...”

“Horny?” Tanaka interjected.

Chikara scoffed, “Broody . At least I think that’s what it is, I’m not really experienced in this kind of thing.”

“So you want a baby?” Hinata asked, finally free of his mate’s silencing hand.

Ennoshita shrugged, “Maybe? I mean, I’ve never really considered it because I’m a beta. And I don’t think I want one right now but I’ve started to think about it a little more seriously, especially after seeing Kenma-san.”

Tanaka looked a little forlorn and spoke with less vigour than usual, “But can two male betas even have kids? I know a beta male and female can but two guys… Don’t you need an alpha?” He swallowed thickly, the image of Chikara running off with a strange alpha at the forefront of his mind.

“It’s certainly not impossible,” Suga added, proud of his intense pregnancy research over the last few months, “Just a little more uncommon I think.”

Tanaka brightened at that.

“And don’t you have to have an omega parent?” Tadashi asked, trying to remember the conversation he’d overheard when Kozume-san had been in the den earlier.

Chikara nodded, “Yeah, one parent has to be an omega in order to pass on the right gene,” he lowered his head again and tried to smile a little but it turned into more of a grimace.

“And?” Hinata was leaning forward on his knees, eager for an answer, “Do you have one? An omegan parent?”

“That’s the thing,” Ennoshita chuckled to himself, amused by his own situation, “I’m adopted.”

Chapter Text

The rest of the evening had passed in a more relaxed manner. Truth or Dare was abandoned due to Tanaka’s new interest in his boyfriend’s ‘broodiness’ and he and Ennoshita excused themselves, Ryuu with a mischievous grin on his face. Nishinoya and Asahi didn’t return from the bathroom, obviously having gone straight to bed and Kageyama dragged his half-asleep mate back to their room without much of a fight as the sleepy omega was pretty much unconscious. And that left Suga, Daichi, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi in the living room. Suga had fallen asleep against Daichi’s chest, which although cute, was somewhat inconvenient for the head alpha as his legs went slowly numb beneath him, rendering him immobile for the foreseeable future.

“Bed?” Kei spoke into Tadashi’s tousled hair as the omega leaned his back against his chest.

He received a mumbled ‘yeah’ and helped the omega to his feet, wincing once again when his burnt hand caught the blanket awkwardly. That was going to get annoying pretty fast. Kei turned to the trapped Daichi and squinted through his blurred vision and candlelight,

“Need a hand?”

Usually the head alpha would have refused the help of anyone else, especially another alpha, when his mate was so far into his pregnancy but as Suga was snoring softly and Daichi was pretty much pinned to the floor he nodded feebly and let Tsukishima hoist Koushi to his feet. The unfamiliar touch and sudden scent of another alpha startled Suga awake and he yanked his arm away from Kei, knocking his injured hand in the process, and stumbled back into Daichi who was still trying to wake his legs up. The pair toppled backwards and ended up on the sofa in a tangle of limbs as Tadashi flailed uselessly and Kei bit his own lip so as not to yell out.

“S-Suga-san!” Tadashi too had been woken from his drowsiness and didn’t really know what was happening other than the fact that Sugawara was now sprawled across Daichi-san on the couch like a freshly caught fish.

Koushi blinked, momentarily confused as to why the room was so dark and why he was in such an odd position. His first thought was that he and Daichi had been ‘playing around’ on the sofa and had maybe been interrupted by Tsukishima and Tadashi but then his recollection of the night returned. With a secure hand on his bump, Suga shuffled off of his mate’s lap and chuckled softly,

“Sorry, Tsukishima!” he rubbed his arched belly slowly, internally checking for any problems, “I was half-asleep!”

Tsukki tried to look nonchalant but his hand throbbed beneath the bandages and his head was pounding. He managed a polite nod and forced a small smile.

“It’s fine.”

“Give me a heart attack why don’t you!” Daichi managed to sit upright and held Koushi’s face between his hands, forcing their foreheads together, “Bed. Now.”

The four moved back to their rooms, the mess of blankets and pillows and thoughts of sleeping in one big pile forgotten for another night. Well, forgotten for most of the pack. Tadashi looked a little forlorn as he sat on the end of the bed and hugged his arms as Tsukki crawled under the covers beside him. The alpha looped a long arm around Tadashi’s waist and pulled him back so that he was forced to lay down with his head on Tsukki’s chest.

“What’s up?” Tsukki didn’t even need to ask if there was something wrong, he could tell from the faint scent of worry coming from the omega.

“It’s stupid,” Tadashi turned over and hid his face against Tsukki’s neck, inhaling his pine scent.

“So?”

Kei’s voice was slightly slurred by sleep but he forced himself to listen as Tadashi joined him under the covers and reclaimed his position against the alpha’s neck.

“Did you want to sleep in the lounge with everyone?” A hint of a smirk tugged at Kei’s lips at the sheer cuteness of his mate.

Tadashi nodded, his hair tickling Kei’s cheek, “I told you it was stupid.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty dumb,” Kei chuckled and accepted the small thump of Tadashi’s fist against his bare chest, “But I get it. Sometimes omegas want to be around other omegas, it’s normal.”

“And Noya-san and Suga-san smell so good, too.”

Kei crinkled his nose at that particular comment. Sure, they smelled sweeter than other omegas, as pregnant omegas always did, but to Tsukishima it was a sickly scent and one that made his stomach roll a little if he spent too much time around them. Noticing his mate’s disgruntled expression, Tadashi smiled in the darkness and propped his chin on his hands as he shuffled atop the alpha to look him in the eyes, not that Tsukki could really see much what with his lack of glasses.

“What if I smell like that when I get pregnant?”

A blonde eyebrow rose.

“But you smell like grass,” Tsukki had woken up a little when the omega had laid on top of him, chest to chest and crotch to, well, together.

Wriggling slightly and with an innocent expression like he didn’t know that he was totally teasing his mate, Tadashi continued,

“But what if I smell sweet?” he pushed his crotch against the alpha’s now very awake body, “What if I smell like ice cream? Or chocolate?”

A low growl rose in Kei’s throat and he leaned back as Tadashi kneeled above him, freckled hands on his bare chest and member now firmly pressed against his own.

“You won’t,” Tsukki gripped the omega’s wrist with his good hand, “And even if you do, I’ll make sure to scent you so much that no one will smell anything but me on you.”

He slipped his hand into Tadashi’s waistband and pulled off the omega’s sleep shorts in one swift movement, exposing his freckled thighs and perky ass. There were still a few bruises covering his ribs but in that moment Tadashi didn’t seem to care. Whining softly, he let Kei adjust his position and gasped when he felt their connection. He wasn’t in heat but he could feel a raging fire in his belly as they began to move in unison, slick dribbling down his thighs as he forgot all about teasing the alpha.

“And here I thought you’d be too scared to have any fun tonight,” Kei mumbled as he sat up and nibbled Tadashi’s neck.

“Scared?” the omega panted, whining as Kei dug his teeth into his flesh, “Scared of wh-what?”

“That stupid movie,” Kei breathed into Tadashi’s ear, infusing him with his strong pheromones.

Suddenly Tadashi went stiff, like a cardboard cutout of himself, and Kei sat back to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” the alpha asked, a little freaked out by his mate’s sudden reaction.

A long, high whine escaped the omega’s lips and he quickly slid away from his mate, choosing to lay beside him with his hands over his eyes. For a moment Kei thought that maybe he’d hurt Tadashi but then the omega suddenly glared at him through his fingers, eyes like daggers.

“Why did you have to mention it?!” Tadashi whacked his palm against the alpha’s chest, creating a loud SLAP! “I’d forgotten about it ‘til now!”

“Seriously?” Tsukki was still raring to go but Tadashi seemed to have deflated in all manner of the word.

“You’ve ruined the mood now, Tsukki,” Tadashi pouted and pulled the covers up to his chin like a child, “All I can see is her creepy face!”

“’dashi,” Kei nuzzled the nape of his neck, “Come on, don’t be stu-”

The omega turned over, his head snapping to look at his mate glaringly, “NO!” his dark eyes moved down to where Tsukishima’s dick was still standing to attention, “You can finish that off in the bathroom!”

And with that Tadashi turned over and closed his eyes. All of the mood had been sucked from the room and all that remained was a cool chill in the air. Tsukishima lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, cursing that damn movie and praying that his boner would disappear on it’s own so that he wouldn’t have to go traipsing down the hallway with a tent in his pants. Damn, he wished they had an en-suite.

The next morning proceeded as usual; the pack gobbled up their breakfasts and tried to decide on what to do for the day as it was a Saturday and everyone but the betas were off work and college. Hinata suggested going to an arcade but the thought of being on a train in the warm weather turned the others off that particular idea.

“I should really be working on stuff at the bakery,” Asahi pulled his hair into a bun and moved to the entryway to pull on his boots.

“Can I come?”

Noya looked like a child asking for candy and his mate couldn’t help the slight blush that coloured his cheeks as he nodded.

“Why don’t we all go?” Suga asked as he finished his orange juice.

“I don’t know...” Asahi looked more flustered as the faint scent of anticipation filled the den, “It’s not very exciting.”

“Sure it is!” Koushi continued as he tugged on his pyjama top, which had rolled up his bump, “We can help clean or something!”

Hinata scrunched up his face and turned to Kageyama, “That’s ‘fun’?”

“Sure!” Noya clapped his hands and pulled on his own shoes, “Let’s all go!”

And with that it was decided that they’d all go and check out Asahi’s new venture. They clambered into the people carrier and arrived at the building that would be the bakery in less than twenty minutes, thankfully short enough not to affect Hinata or Noya’s queasy stomachs.

The pale blue exterior of the bakery was nestled on a side street between a cat cafe and a laundrette but fit in quite nicely on the peaceful street. Someone had hung hanging baskets with fake grass under the shuttered windows, making it look almost European, but somehow it suited the area. There was no sign up yet as it was still being painted but the glass on the door was etched with a pretty design of a sun rising above some hills.

Shouyou traced it with his finger as Asahi explained.

“It’s going to be called ‘Morning Sunrise Bakery’,” he entwined his fingers in Yuu’s, “It’s a reference to both of our names.”

“Cool!” Hinata beamed and waited impatiently for Asahi to open the door, bouncing on his heels.

Once inside and out of the ever-increasing summer heat, the group absorbed the scene before them. Asahi had been exaggerating when he’d told them that it wasn’t anywhere near finished. Although not close to being complete, there was at least a counter and flooring down. There was also a large pile of wooden tables stacked in one corner of the main area and through an open doorway they could see industrial ovens and baking equipment. It all looked very haphazard but the Ace assured them that it would all come together eventually.

“So,” Daichi rubbed his hands together, a little more enthusiastic to do something now that he’d actually seen the skeleton of the shop, “What can we help with?”

“You really don’t have to...” Asahi started to protest but quickly bit his tongue when he saw the disappointed looks on his pack mate’s faces, “Um… Well the walls need painting. The base coat is already done but it needs colour now.”

That was all it took for the Karasuno pack to move into action. Tadashi and Hinata threw some dust cloths over the tables and floor so that they wouldn’t get paint all over them, Daichi, Kageyama and Asahi grabbed some brushes and paint rollers and started to apply the same faded blue that was on the outside of the bakery to the interior walls. Tsukishima also took a roller but had to use his ‘wrong’ hand as his other was still stinging from the burn, which meant that he kept slipping and painting various parts of himself.

“I’ll get the bottom parts!” Noya grabbed a paint brush and scuttled under the alphas’ feet to paint along the skirting boards like one of Cinderella’s mice.

“Careful, Yuu,” Asahi’s voice was quiet but the tone was serious and Noya even felt a slight tingle in the bond mark on the back of his neck, a warning from his alpha not to do too much.

The omega gave a thumbs-up and smiled, ignoring the slight tingle, “I will be, don’t worry!”

“Should we get started on cleaning the kitchen?” Yamaguchi asked as he wiped a little of the paint Tsukki had splashed from his arm.

“If you like,” Asahi shrugged, “Thanks.”

Hinata and Tadashi vanished into the kitchen and started to scrub down the stainless steel appliances, chatting idly as they worked.

That just left Suga. He stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, watching the backs of the alphas as they painted, and sighed heavily. At almost seven months pregnant, Suga knew he really wasn’t going to be of much help but he’d thought he’d be able to do at least something, even if it was just something small. But it seemed like there really was no job for him. He rubbed his belly and felt a soft nudge against his palm from the pup inside which made him forget his utter uselessness for a moment until Daichi’s voice was suddenly filling the room.

“Kou?” the alpha had sensed his mate’s unease and paused his painting to look down on the expecting omega from his place atop the stepladder, “Everything okay?”

Ever since Koushi’s scare in the mall, Daichi had been extra vigilant with his mate and fussed over the slightest thing. Although Suga knew it was just his way of showing his love, he also hated the fact that it made him seem so weak and useless. He too could take care of their pup, no matter what. Finding something useful to do in the bakery, however, not so much.

“Isn’t there something I can help with?” Koushi pouted a little, adding fuel to Daichi’s soft image of him.

“Umm...”

Asahi glanced at Daichi as he tried to think of a job to give Suga but the look in the head alpha’s eyes said ‘Do not’ and so the Ace busied himself with painting, shrinking slightly under Daichi’s glare.

“Come on!” Suga whined, “There must be something I can do! I’m not an invalid!”

Daichi shook his head, “There’s really nothing, Kou. I don’t even like you being in here with all of these paint fumes.”

Suga saw red. He didn’t know if it was because of his hormones or because of his stupid, overbearing alpha or maybe both but he finally snapped.

“FINE!” his yell drew the other omegas out of the kitchen, eyes wide as they watched the usually motherly Suga spit venom, “I’ll go wait outside! I’m useless anyway!”

He marched to the door and pushed hard only to realise it was a pull and then flung it open angrily, tears pooling in his eyes as he turned one last time and jabbed a finger towards his now shocked looking mate,

“And I hate that shirt on you!”

Daichi’s mouth fell open, confusion on his face as his mate added,

“It makes you look like a… Like a TURTLE!”

And with that the pregnant omega slammed the door shut and stormed into the street, leaving the rest of the pack to try and decipher exactly what had just happened.

Finally Daichi looked down at his green t-shirt and whispered, “A ‘turtle’?”

Chapter Text

Outside in the street, Koushi was starting to calm down a little. Although the rage he’d felt towards his mate was still pretty fresh, his head had cleared enough to allow his more reasonable side to reappear and the further he walked down the street, the more his embarrassment grew at his own sudden outburst. Sure, he was still mad that Daichi had thought of him as useless but now, in the bright sunshine and fresh air, Suga could also see the alpha’s point of view of wanting to keep him as safe as possible. He knew the false labour scare had shaken his mate and he was just doing his best not to overwork him, even if he was being overbearing at times.

Suga continued walking down the narrow street towards the sound of heavier traffic and swiped at his brow with the back of his hand; it was extremely humid and he felt more and more uncomfortable the longer he walked in the sun’s glare. A wooden bench on the opposite side of the road lured him towards it with the promise of a rest for his aching, swollen feet and so he crossed over and plonked himself down on it carefully, one hand beneath his substantial bump.

He looked down at his belly as he stroked circles into it gently and spoke quietly at the pup inside,

“Your daddy’s pretty silly huh?” he smiled despite himself at the memory of Daichi’s confused face when he’d commented on his shirt, “He thinks I’m made of glass.”

“Yours too, huh?”

The voice was so unexpected that Suga physically flinched when it spoke up and his heart skipped a beat. Beside him, Kenma munched quietly on a bag of potato chips and offered the grey-haired omega the bag when he saw the slight shock on his face.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” the blonde took another chip and munched away nonchalantly.

Thankful that his bench-guest was someone he knew, Koushi took a chip and savoured the salty flavour on his tongue before replying.

“So, Kuroo is being the overprotective alpha, too hmm?”

Kenma nodded, gesturing to the ‘Mama and Baby’ shop opposite, “He’s looking at car seats right now.”

“And you didn’t want to help?”

Kenma finished the chip occupying his cheeks and handed Suga the rest of the packet before brushing off his salty fingers, “I started to but then he started freaking out about how safe they were and asking if they had any with a ‘roll bar’,” he chuckled quietly, an expression Suga hadn’t seen on him much, “What does he think we’ll be doing with the baby in the car? Racing?”

Suga laughed, “Start them off young.”

They both giggled at that and then Kenma’s eyes wandered to Suga’s bump where he shirt was smoothed over the arch nicely, like a tiny polka-dot mountain. When Suga fell silent, Kenma realised he was staring and forced his eyes to the shops opposite, feeling a little rude.

“Wanna feel?”

Koushi didn’t wait for a response, instead he took Kenma’s hand and placed it flat on his belly as the pup obediently somersaulted inside and watched as the younger omega’s eyes lit up.

“It won’t be too long before you start feeling little flutters, too.”

“So weird,” Kenma observed as he felt another bump under his hand.

“Right?” Suga smiled warmly at Kenma’s unfiltered reaction, “But now I know they’re real, you know?”

Kenma nodded, “Yeah. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.”

“What hasn’t sunk in yet?”

Kuroo’s tall frame cast a shadow over the small beta as he awkwardly jostled a large box under one arm – the car seat, Suga assumed.

“Hey, Suga-chan~” Kuroo smiled toothily, “You out here all alone?”

“He’s hiding from Sawamura-kun,” Kenma said matter-of-factly.

“Ah,” Kuroo readjusted the box, “A fight?”

Suga shrugged, “Not really. Daichi is just a little… tightly strung at the moment.”

Suddenly the tall, raven-haired man dropped the box on the sidewalk and flung his arms in the air like he’d had some sort of revelation,

“Tell me about it!” he squished Kenma’s cheeks between his palms, much to the blonde’s dismay, “I feel like I’m going crazy thinking about keeping Kenma safe 24/7! I can’t imagine what it must be like when you’re this far along!” He gestured to Suga’s bump and the omega couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah… I guess I was a little harsh on him...”

“Trust me,” Kuroo took Koushi’s arm as he got to his feet, “Us alphas have zero self-control when it comes to protecting our loved ones.”

Suga bid the pair farewell and started to make his way back to the bakery. Of course he knew Daichi was just trying to protect him, he just wished he’d do it a little less aggressively . But, of course, that was just how Daichi was, he never did anything by halves. And with that thought occupying his mind, Koushi suddenly felt an extreme tugging sensation at the nape of his neck where his bond mark was. The scar felt like it was burning and he actually touched his fingertips to it to make sure that wasn’t the case. He knew all too well what the feeling was and he tried to remind himself that his mate was just being protective rather than forceful as the alpha used their bond to beckon him back to his side.

Back at the bakery, the group had decided to take a short break and were gulping down some sodas, thankful for the coolness they provided.

Hinata was preoccupied with watching Daichi, who stood in the corner of the room, concentrating on ushering his mate back to him. There was nothing physical to see, per say, but the redhead was sure he could sense the head alpha’s pheromones taking on a different, slightly more intense scent and his eyes did look a little darker and unfocused. Impressed by Daichi’s skills, the omega tugged on Tobio’s shirt and whispered,

“Can you do that?”

Kageyama glanced at Daichi and tilted his head slightly, confused as to what his mate was asking.

“Do what? Look kind of stoned?”

Red hair shook side to side, “Use our bond mark?”

It was Tobio’s turn to shake his head, “I don’t think so. Maybe it comes after a while?”

“You can’t feel each other yet?” Tadashi asked as he opened Tsukki’s can for him to save his injured hand.

“Sort of,” Tobio traced the still-fresh scar on Hinata’s nape and the omega purred quietly, “I can feel a kind of invisible string if that’s what you mean.”

“It’ll get stronger over time,” Yamaguchi touched his hand to his own nape, “Alphas can use it to control an omega but that rarely happens nowadays. They can also use it to communicate feelings and emotions! It’s pretty neat!” he pouted slightly and glanced up at Tsukishima, “Tsukki barely uses it.”

Kei clicked his tongue, “I don’t see the point, really.”

“Maybe he just can’t!” Noya teased from his spot on Asahi’s lap, “Did we finally find something that the magnificent Tsukishima Kei is bad at?”

“Hey, you shouldn’t tease someone about it,” Asahi mumbled, “Some alphas can be self-conscious about stuff like that.”

Before the conversation could continue on further, Tsukishima’s brow furrowed and he clicked his tongue,

“I can do it, I just think it’s old-fashioned.”

“Suuuure!” Noya grinned mischievously.

Another click of his tongue and the blocker got to his feet and headed to the kitchen to throw away his can.

Yamaguchi pouted again, this time because he was a little disappointed that Tsukki hadn’t proved that he could use their bond mark, it had been so long since he had. He shook his head and slapped his cheeks with his palms, annoyed at himself for being so childish. Of course he didn’t need his mate to do something so trivial, he already knew how much Tsukki loved him and asking him to prove it was meaningless.

Tadashi was about to get back to work cleaning the kitchen when his breath suddenly caught in his throat and a hot prickle danced across his skin, briefly making his knees weak and preventing him from standing.

“You alright, Tadashi?!” Hinata moved to help the freckled omega but Tadashi waved him off.

“I’m f-fine!”

Another wave of what could only be described as pleasure washed through his body and rested in his stomach, causing the omega to whine slightly despite his best efforts not to. He licked his lips and tried to calm his rapid breathing as the others gathered around him.

“Is it your heat?” Noya asked, concerned for his pack mate.

“No, I-”

“What should we do?” Hinata asked, worry In his voice.

Asahi rushed to the kitchen to get some water and walked face-first into Tsukishima in the doorway.

“Tsukishima, Yamaguchi is-” Asahi didn’t need to finish his sentence, the sly grin on Kei’s face told him everything he needed to know, “Are you…?”

Another whine of pleasure from Yamaguchi made the other omegas blush as his pheromones filled the room with the scent of freshly cut grass. Tobio and Daichi stepped back a little, the latter momentarily forgetting about beckoning Koushi back as they were suddenly more aware of Tadashi’s presence and finally Tadashi mustered enough strength to speak up.

“Tsu- Tsukki!”

“He’s right there,” Noya assured him, trying his best to show Tadashi that Tsukishima was in fact still there, although why the alpha hadn’t come to save his mate was beyond him.

The freckled omega shook his head, however, and grit his teeth,

“TSUKKI!”

Kei grinned wider but remained silent.

“STOP!”

“’Stop’?” Noya exchanged a confused look with Hinata, “Stop wha-” the libero’s eyes bugged out and his mouth made a giant ‘O’ shape, “Tsukishima is doing this?!”

Hinata echoed Noya’s expression, “Eh?! How?!”

“The bond mark!” Noya clapped like a performing seal, “Ha! Nice one, Tsukki!”

Finally, Kei released Yamaguchi from his torment and the omega turned back to a more normal shade for a human being. He caught his breath and rubbed sorely at the nape of his neck, unsure if he should chastise his mate or jump his bones right there and then. He opted for a stern scowl but even that didn’t last long as the tall alpha looped an arm around his waist and pulled him close.

“Sorry,” Kei mumbled into Tadashi’s neck, his deep voice vibrating into his hair, “I got carried away.”

“You think?!” he tried to sound annoyed but a part of the omega felt too proud to scold his mate too much, “Now I remember why you don’t do it much.”

“Who’d have thunk it,” Noya grabbed another tin of paint and got back to work, “Tsukishima Kei: pleasure extraordinaire.”

Now it was Kei’s turn to blush.

Chapter Text

The fierce tugging on Koushi’s bond mark suddenly lessened and he stopped walking. He’d been heading back to the bakery to apologise for storming out (and because Daichi clearly wasn’t happy with him being so far away) but now the pull he’d been feeling through his bond mark fell away like a silk sheet. Had Daichi just given up on trying? Had something interrupted him? Or maybe the alpha just didn’t care where his mate was any more, after all who would want such an uncool whale as a mate?

“Whoa!” Suga shook his head to clear his racing thoughts, “Where did that come from?”

He knew he’d been feeling a little unlike himself and a little ungainly recently but thinking that Daichi wouldn’t actually want him any longer had startled the omega. Had he really been thinking such negative thoughts? His pace quickened as he swiftly chose to ignore his stupid thoughts and get back to his mate as soon as possible.

Suga was just rounding the corner to the street the bakery was on when he bumped directly into a distraught-looking Daichi, causing them both to stumble backwards a little before the alpha grabbed Koushi’s wrists and yanked him into a tight embrace. Daichi’s warmth felt good and his strong arms were like a vice around Koushi’s body, locking him into place firmly, no chance he’d escape now.

“Dai, can’t… breathe...” Suga mumbled. Although if he did happen to perish from the bear hug he thought it’d be a pretty good way to go.

The alpha released his mate but kept both his hands tightly in his own, careful not to squeeze too tight.

“I’m sorry, Kou,” Daichi rubbed circles in the omega’s hands with his thumbs, “I didn’t mean to make you feel useless. I’m just so on edge whenever you do… well anything ! My instincts are telling me to wrap you in cotton wool and lock you in a cupboard!”

Suga chuckled, “I’d like to see you try.”

A small smile tugged at Daichi’s lips, “Don’t tempt me.”

He sighed and leaned his forehead against Suga’s shoulder before turning to inhale his scent deeply. Suddenly, without warning or a cause Suga could think of, Daichi’s stance changed. His shoulders stiffened and he gripped Koushi’s biceps so tightly that the omega yelped from the contact. The alpha’s pheromones were going berserk and Suga could feel the thick, heavy scent of his mate completely encircling him like a chain vest. It was starting to make him dizzy and it was all he could do to push Daichi away from him a little so that he could look into his eyes.

Suga froze.

Daichi looked… scary . For once he actually looked like the head alpha of a powerful pack; his eyes were dark, almost black, and his teeth were bared, canines sharp and visible. A low growl was rumbling in his chest and he seemed almost like a wild animal, untamed and ready to snap.

“D-Dai?” it took all of Koushi’s strength just to speak under the immense pressure of the alpha pheromones, “What’s wrong?”

Another snarl from the alpha and Suga tried to pull his wrists free but he was no match for Daichi’s strength. A high whine had started to escape from the omega’s throat and he could feel tears pricking his eyes. For once in his life he was a little scared of his mate and that fact was even more terrifying than the feral alpha in front of him.

“Daichi, please !” his voice cracked and a whimper bubbled up from his chest, “You’re hurting me!” He tugged on his arms again but the alpha held his wrists firmly.

“Who’s scent?” Daichi’s voice was more of a growl - deep and menacing - but his eyes looked a little clearer, like he was trying to fight whatever instincts were making him flip out.

“Wh-what?” Suga’s tears were falling freely now, his eyes rimmed with red as he tried to figure out what his mate meant.

“ WHO ?! Which alpha have you been touching?! Tell me why there’s an alpha’s scent on you!”

Daichi yelled and it was a command. Koushi felt his bond mark burning and he cowered, his head bowed and entire body trembling as he was forced to do as the alpha said. Omegan instincts telling him only to obey and survive.

“I- I don’t know...” he sobbed loudly, eyes scrunched and head a muddle of muddy water, “I haven’t touched any alphas, I-”

Finally, he realised. It must be Kuroo’s scent. He’d only touched him for a moment to help him up from the bench but it must have been enough to leave his scent on the omega. But would telling Daichi calm him down or make him more angry? The last thing he wanted was to rile him up any more.

“It w-was Kuroo...” Koushi braced himself for Daichi’s response.

“Kuroo?” Daichi echoed, slight bewilderment in his voice.

Suga wiped at a tear and nodded, “I met him and Kenma and he helped me up from the bench.”

The alpha’s eyes looked a little less glassy and he seemed more focused, the growling in his throat down to a low hum.

“Why?”

For a moment, Suga’s lip curled in confusion and he didn’t know how to reply. Was Daichi asking why Kuroo was the one to help or why he’d helped in the first place? Surely his mate wasn’t that dense? Now more irked than scared, Koushi flung his arms free of Daichi’s grip and gestured dramatically to his bump.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Dai, but I’m heavily pregnant and it’s hard for me to get up and down!” He was pissed now and couldn’t stop the stream of words flowing from his mouth, “ Kuroo was being nice and helping me! Unlike my actual mate who was too busy trying to control me through our bond!”

Through the shouting Daichi had started to calm down and see clearly once again. It was like a heavy blanket had been hiding his common sense, blurring his vision and contorting his reason and composure. He felt stupid, guilty of the fact that he’d scared his mate and yet terribly worried that he needed to be that way in order to protect Koushi and their pup. He was still a little tense but he knew he’d totally overreacted and wanted to quickly apologise before he upset his mate any more. The omega, however, was on a roll and even the big strong alpha didn’t dare interrupt Suga when he was truly mad.

“Why are you so stubborn, Dai?!” Suga yelled, ignoring the stares from passers by, “Did you think I’d cheat on you?! Really?! Did you think I’d run off with some strange alpha after all we’ve been through?!” His tone suddenly softened and his hands fell to his protruding belly, “Who would even want me?! Look at me! ”

Those last words seemed to stab directly into Daichi’s heart and he gathered Suga in his arms, ignoring the omega’s struggles to break free of his embrace.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the alpha released soothing pheromones and held his mate tighter, “I know you would never cheat! It’s these stupid alpha instincts, I feel like I’m going insane! All I can think about is protecting you and our pup and sometimes it all just bubbles up to the surface...”

Suga remained silent and Daichi felt his shoulder become damp from his mate’s tears.

“I’m so sorry, Kou. Please don’t hate me.”

Koushi sniffled and whacked the alpha’s chest with a clenched fist, “You idiot, I was so scared.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I can’t control these damn outbursts! I just get so scared that you’re both going to be taken from me,” he pushed back a little and placed both palms on Suga’s bump, “You’re so beautiful I’m terrified everyone will want you for themselves.”

“’Beautiful’?” Koushi blushed and a slight smile pursed his lips, “Really?”

“Really. Really really.”

He was back to being Daichi again. Suga had read in a couple of his maternity books that some alphas could be affected differently; some even had to be separated from their mate during the later stages of pregnancy because of how strong their urge to protect became. That was the last thing Koushi wanted, though. The thought of being without Daichi, without his alpha, for the next few months made him tremble in fear. He wouldn’t be able to cope without his mate by his side, even if he was being far too protective.

“I’m going to see a doctor,” Daichi said as they turned to head back to the bakery hand in hand.

Suga’s stomach dropped and his face contorted, startling Daichi.

“Ah!” the alpha waved his arms frantically, “I’m not sick! I just meant that I thought I might ask for something to calm me down a little...” He looked a little embarrassed and glanced away from his mate’s soft expression.

“You’d do that?” Suga bit his lower lip pensively.

Daichi turned back to look at Koushi, eyes determined, “Of course. If it means I won’t freak out again then I’ll do anything not to scare you.”

The omega rested his head against Daichi’s shoulder as they approached the bakery, “Thank you. But I really don’t think it’s necessary. I know you’re just in super-protect mode at the moment, I’m sure we can cope.”

“But you were so frightened!” A dark shadow seemed to envelop the alpha’s face, “I hate that side of being an alpha.”

“Hey!”

Suga stopped walking and forced Daichi to do the same. He grabbed his mate’s face between his hands and squeezed until the alpha resembled a chipmunk and spoke firmly as he glared into his eyes.

“I love that side of you. Sure, I don’t particularly enjoy being commanded and I’d rather you didn’t growl at me but it’s something we can work through together. I can protect you just as much as you can protect me.”

“Trust me, I know ,” Daichi smiled weakly, “No more commands, I promise.”

“And growling?”

“I was really doing that?” Daichi’s cheeks reddened.

“You actually do it more often that you’d think… Usually in bed...” Suga smirked playfully.

Before Daichi could respond, Suga turned on his heel and strode back into the bakery, a little more spring in his step than before. He was barely over the threshold when Shouyou, Tadashi and Yuu quickly gathered around him and started scenting his wrists and generally crowding his personal space. They’d been worried when he’d taken so long and could immediately sense the slight hint of sourness to his scent due to crying earlier. Suga didn’t shoo them away, though, in fact he was thankful for their soft omegan pheromones as they surrounded him and eased his tension. Sure, he’d told Daichi that he was alright but as an omega he was still a little intimidated by the strong alpha pheromones his mate had been emitting and needed something a little less intense to ease his mind.

“Did you get lost?” Hinata asked as Tadashi handed the grey-haired omega a soda.

Suga took a big gulp, only now realising how thirsty he was, and shook his head, “No, I just went for a walk.”

“And you and Daichi...”

Yamaguchi averted his eyes and left the sentence hanging. The entire room could tell that he and Daichi had had an argument of some sort what with Suga’s heightened scent and red-rimmed eyes but he felt he’d perhaps overstepped the line in asking.

“We had a slight misunderstanding,” Koushi drained the last of the soda as Daichi stepped to his side, “But we’re good.”

Sensing the slight awkwardness between the two, Asahi cleared his throat and scratched his neck nervously,

“Well I think we’ve done all we can here for today. We’ll have to let the paint dry before we can add another coat.”

Thankful for the Ace’s distraction, Daichi took the cue to steer the conversation elsewhere, “Time for dinner?”

“Ooh!” Noya rubbed his stomach, “I am starving !”

“Quick!” Hinata flailed a little, “Let’s eat before senpai feels sick again!”

“Pizza?” Suga suggested.

An eruption of excited chatter lifted the spirits in the room and the pack quickly filtered out into the street, once again feeling a little more like a family.

Chapter Text

Nishinoya Yuu burst through the door to the den like a man possessed, his arms out at his sides and a wild look on his face like he’d just escaped an asylum. His mate followed behind meekly and just smiled when the omega kicked off his shoes and practically skipped into the lounge. Noya hadn’t really changed much since he was a teen and Asahi loved the fact that he still remained as excitable as ever, even if it did mean that the alpha had to keep an extra eye out for him now that he was expecting.

“TADA!”

Noya waved his arm in the air like he’d just grown it and Suga looked up from his spot on the sofa where he and Tadashi had been playing cards, a little confused as to why the tiny libero was extra enthused.

“Oh!” Yamaguchi put down his cards and clapped quietly, “Yay!”

“Am I missing something?” Suga asked as he adjusted his position for the umpteenth time since he’d sat down.

“The cast!” Noya flexed his arm like a bodybuilder, “’Tis gone!”

Asahi shuffled into the lounge and slouched low enough to rest his chin on Yuu’s head, “The doctor just removed it.”

“Ah,” Koushi echoed Tadashi’s little clap, “Great! Is it totally healed now?”

“Yep!” Noya wiggled his fingers, “Good as new! So I can help out at the bakery even more now!”

Behind him, Asahi tensed a little. The idea of his pregnant mate helping out in an environment with chemicals and heavy lifting didn’t exactly fill him with joy but he knew it’d be an uphill battle trying to convince Yuu to stay home. The Ace buried his head in the omega’s hair and groaned audibly,

“Only with little things, okay? Nothing too strenuous.”

Suga rolled his eyes and pushed himself up off the sofa, “You’re starting to sound like Daichi.”

The previous day hadn’t been one Suga wanted to remember; Daichi had freaked out over Kuroo’s scent lingering on his mate and even used their bond to try and control Suga. He’d stopped pretty much straight away and the pair had made up after a fair scolding from the omega but Koushi couldn’t help the tiny sprout of anxiety the incident had planted in his head. Of course he forgave his mate, he knew it was just Daichi’s alpha traits going overboard, but he really hoped it wouldn’t happen again, especially as he was nearing the end of his pregnancy and already felt a little overwhelmed.

Noticing Suga’s slightly dazed expression, Tadashi stood up beside the grey-haired omega and nuzzled his shoulder gently, spreading his scent lightly onto his shirt.

“Everything okay, Suga-san?”

Suga blinked himself out of his reverie and smiled, “Yeah, sorry, I’m fine!”

“How far along are you now?” Noya asked as he plonked himself down on the armchair, Asahi hovering close by.

“Almost eight months,” he rubbed a hand down his substantial bump, trying to ignore the fact that his toes were almost fully obscured, and felt a slight flutter beneath the surface as the pup turned over.

“So it’s about time for a shower, right?”

“A shower?” Tadashi looked confused.

“Yeah, you know, a baby shower!” Yuu rubbed his hands together in anticipation, “We should have one, right? Bring presents for the pup and stuff!”

A palpable buzz filled the air and Suga could practically feel the other omega’s excitement at the prospect of an excuse for another party. Although not exactly in the party mood, he knew it could be a great distraction for the ever-worried Daichi and, if he was being honest with himself, something he’d been looking forward to ever since he found out he was expecting.

“Baby shower?!” Hinata’s orange mop popped out from the kitchen, followed by Kageyama and Chikara.

“It’s a good idea, right?” Yuu beamed, proud of his suggestion.

“Does that mean we have to buy something for the baby?” Tobio looked concerned at the prospect of finding a suitable gift for someone he hadn’t even met yet.

“You don’t have to,” Suga shook his head, “Just turn up.”

“We’ll find something!” Shouyou crouched down and pressed his cheek against Suga’s belly, “What would you like? Do you like cars? Dolls? Volleyball?”

That earned him a smack on the head from his mate, “It’s a baby, it doesn’t want a volleyball!”

“You don’t know that!” Hinata pouted.

Suga smiled and patted the top of Hinata’s crop of orange, “Maybe something more practical? I’m sure I’ll need plenty of diapers...”

Shouyou’s nose scrunched up at the thought and he shook his head, “I wanted to get something special, you know… Like something the pup can remember is from us!”

“What about a stroller?” Tadashi was busy tidying up the cards from the sofa, one of which had slid down the cushions elusively, “That’s useful, right?”

“Ah!” Suga shook his head and waved his arms lightly, “That’s far too expensive! Daichi and I can get big things like that!”

“Hmm...” Shouyou’s face scrunched up and he pressed his fists to his temples to try and force an idea into his brain.

“You really don’t have to get anything,” Suga chuckled at the redhead’s pained expression, “Especially if it’s stressing you out so much.”

“We’ll think of something,” Tobio hooked his hands under Shouyou’s arms and lifted him onto his feet, “Come on, I wanna practice in the garden.”

The pair grabbed the volleyball that always somehow ended up in various parts of the house – it was currently located behind the TV – and exited through the kitchen into the back garden, leaving the others in the lounge.

“Come on, then,” Noya tugged on Asahi’s arm, pulling him towards the kitchen, “It’s our turn to make dinner.”

The alpha perked up a little at that, he’d been wanting to try a new recipe for a vegan pie he’d seen online and hadn’t had an excuse to take over the kitchen lately. As they moved into the kitchen, the front door opened and Tsukishima, Tanaka and Daichi shuffled into the den. They looked a little windswept, hair in all directions (well, Daichi’s and Kei’s) and faces drawn. Ryuu yawned loudly as he took off his shoes haphazardly and Daichi all but fell into the living area as he lifted his heavy bags inside.“Have fun?” Koushi smirked as Daichi immediately forgot his exhaustion and began scenting his mate from top to toe.

“I thought we were gonna die!” Tanaka dragged himself onto Chikara’s lap on the sofa, “Who knew middle-aged women were so insane!”

Ennoshita smirked, “Did you get the meat?”

Like a trophy, Tanaka held up the pork belly proudly, “I had to kick an old lady but I retrieved the bounty!”

“And the pickles?” Koushi was already shoulder-deep in one of the shopping bags Daichi had dropped, searching for the one thing he’d been craving all day.

“They were out,” Daichi said, deadpan.

With tears forming in his eyes, Suga turned to his mate with the most sorrowful expression on his face. Anyone would think his dog had just died or he’d lost a big volleyball match with the way his bottom lip began to tremble. That sent the alpha into an apologetic frenzy as he scooped out the jar of pickles from the smaller bag he’d been carrying.

“I’m joking! I got them, sorry!”

“Dai!”

With more agility than someone in his current condition should have had, Suga punched his mate in the shoulder and snatched the pickles lightly from his grasp, cradling the jar like it was the pup itself.

“You really wanted those pickles, huh?” Tanaka chuckled and tried not to gag as Suga opened the jar and munched loudly on one of the green sticks, his sorrowful expression immediately turning to one of pure joy.

Outside, in the orange glow of the late afternoon, Hinata and Kageyama were passing the ball back and forth over the makeshift net they’d set up a few days prior. It started as a leisurely back and forth but quickly escalated into a slamming match between the pair, each trying to see if they could spike past one another. So far Tobio had managed to get two slams past Hinata’s tiny frame and the omega was getting more and more riled up.

“What?” Tobio smirked as Shouyou’s pout, “Try harder if you’re getting pissed.”

“I am!”

Grinding his teeth, Shouyou tossed the ball high in the air and launched himself off the grass, knees bending as he lined himself up for the spike. He was so determined to get one past the alpha that he didn’t even register Yamaguchi squatting behind Tobio, tending to the flowerbeds beneath the window with the elephant-shaped watering can he hadn’t been able to resist buying.

As his fingers left the ball, the familiar satisfying sting fresh on his palm, Hinata saw the freckled omega turn at the sound. His spike had been perfect and had already gotten past his opponent but was now headed directly for Tadashi’s shocked face. The redhead opened his mouth to warn him but it was far too late, the clash of face and ball was inevitable.

Or so he thought.

From seemingly out of nowhere, Tsukishima stepped between the ball and his mate and expertly blocked it with his good hand, sending it flying sideways across the garden and into the vegetable patch. There was a beat of silence and then Hinata’s yelling echoed throughout the space as he ducked under the net and dashed to Yamaguchi’s side.

“Sorry! I didn’t see you there!”

Tadashi was about to tell him that there was no harm done and that he was fine but a loud growling stopped him. In front of him, Tsukki glared down at the tiny omega with his fists clenched and eyes narrowed. All of his alpha instincts were telling him to get rid of the thing that had almost hurt his mate and he couldn’t help the low growl coming from his throat as he bared his teeth at Shouyou.

“The fuck do you think you’re doing?!” Kageyama was instantly between his mate and the angry alpha, “Get away from Shouyou.”

Kei clicked his tongue, “Tell your omega to be more careful,” he leaned down closer to Tobio, a low growl still rumbling in his chest, “He should know how to spike by now.”

Tadashi tried meekly to pull on Tsukki’s shirt to pull him back from the confrontation but the alpha ignored him, too engrossed in his staring match with Kageyama.

“What did you say?” Tobio had started to growl, too, as he stood up straighter to try and match Kei’s height.

“Hey,” Hinata retrieved the ball and shoved it between the alphas, “Let’s just continue playing, no one got hurt!”

“Yeah,” Tadashi smiled despite the tension, “I’m fine!”

The staring continued and neither alpha looked like they were going to surrender to the other, both far too protective of their mate and itching for a fight. Thankfully that was when Daichi decided to step into the garden to announce dinner being plated up and saw the stand-off happening between the pack-mates.

“What the hell is happening here?” he asked as he forced his way between the alphas.

Neither spoke.

“Well?” Daichi added a little more authority into his voice and heard Hinata whine quietly behind Tobio.

“Th- the ball almost hit me, that’s all,” Tadashi was still trying to pull Tsukishima back towards the house but to no avail, “Nothing even happened!”

“Okay then,” Daichi pointed towards the back door, “Nothing happened so let’s eat!”

“Not until he apologises!” Kei snapped, his eyes staring daggers into Kageyama’s.

“What did I do?!” the raven-haired alpha jabbed his finger towards Yamaguchi, “He shouldn’t have been there when we were spiking!”

A red mist filled Tsukishima’s vision and he snarled loudly, shocking both the omegas and alphas and causing Tobio to step back slightly. He wasn’t scared exactly but he also knew how powerful Tsukishima was when blocking and certainly didn’t want to face that in a fight if it came down to it. Unfortunately something seemed to have snapped in Kei and he raised his fist, ready to punch Tobio and finally shut him up. That was when something hard and cold slapped the tall blonde in the back of his head and he blinked, momentarily taken aback at who could’ve approached him when he was so pissed. Before he could register just who and what it had been, the same thwack hit Kageyama and he dropped his aggressive pose just as Kei had.

Both alphas turned to see Sugawara standing with one hand on his hip and the other brandishing a spatula like a baseball bat. Somehow he looked even more aggravated than the alphas had been just moments prior and before they could snap back at him or continue their confrontation, Suga spoke in a low yet powerful voice.

“Dinner’s ready and we’re waiting for you in the kitchen,” he looked between the two, eyes narrowed and angry, “If my food goes cold you two will be to blame and trust me, you do not want to get on my bad side!”

And with that, Suga turned and marched back inside the house, leaving the group to stare after him in shock.

“Well,” Daichi’s cheeks were flushed, impressed with his mate’s level head, “I’d do as he says.”

In silence, the five of them moved back into the house, even the alphas aware of just how dangerous it would be to keep the expecting Suga from his warm meal.

Chapter Text

Tanaka leaned back in his seat, hands folded over his full belly and a satisfied glaze in his eyes. Beside him, Chikara finished off his own food and expertly linked his fingers through Ryuu’s beneath the table, resting both their hands on his boyfriend’s lap. Tanaka smiled at the contact and squeezed Chika’s hand as he tried to keep his goofy grin in check; of course the others probably knew exactly what they were doing but the idea of it being their little secret affair made his heart skip a beat.

The tension between Kageyama and Tsukishima was still ripe in the air and their pheromones were starting to make the omegas at the table a little heady. Both lemon and pine fragrances wafted through the air, each trying to dominate the other, until finally Tadashi sighed loudly and let his fork clatter against his plate purposefully. All eyes turned his way and he bit his lip before plucking up the courage to speak,

“Does anyone want a game of volleyball?”

Next to him, Tsukki stiffened in his seat. Surely his omega didn’t want to repeat what had happened before dinner, did he?

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Daichi asked, aware of what had happened earlier and the sudden tension rising in the room.

Tadashi looked between Kageyama and Kei and nodded firmly, “Yeah. I want to play,” he glanced around the table, “Anyone else?”

“I’m in!” Tanaka beamed, already anticipating some awesome spikes.

“Me too,” Ennoshita nodded as he un-twined his fingers from Ryuu’s.

Asahi could practically feel Noya bouncing in his seat at the idea of playing but the alpha despised the idea of his pregnant mate jumping around and he certainly didn’t like the thought of Yuu playing libero in a game. The last thing he wanted to do was watch his mate diving around beneath their pack’s feet like an ant waiting to be squashed. His decision was becoming harder and harder to maintain, however, as Yuu had gone into full puppy-mode and was currently staring up at him, silently pleading his case.

Asahi shook his head firmly, “No way. You can watch from the side.”

“But Asahi~,” the omega whined and pouted, “I’ll be really careful!”

A dark eyebrow rose and Asahi folded his arms across his chest, “And which position will you play?”

Noya looked confused for a moment, “...Libero?” It came out as a question but one that seemed unnecessary to the omega, of course he’d be libero, what else would he be?

Asahi paled and his mate tried again.

“Blocker?” his nose scrunched up at the thought.

“How about you referee?” Suga suggested in an attempt to prevent Asahi’s oncoming heart attack.

Noya reluctantly agreed to be the ref but the pout remained on his face, would he really have to wait another seven or more months before he could be active again? The thought of just sitting about for that amount of time made his palms itch and he whined despite himself as it suddenly dawned on him how different his life would be very soon. His mate noticed his unease and pulled him onto his lap as the discussion continued around them, whispering into his ear,

“Sorry, I can’t risk you getting hurt… again,” Asahi mumbled, recalling when Yuu had fallen from the tree.

“I know… I just think I might go crazy from having to keep still for another six or seven months.”

Asahi chuckled, his breath making the hairs on Noya’s neck stand on end, “You don’t have to keep still , just don’t do anything too strenuous. Our team is always so boisterous when playing, I don’t want you in amongst that right now. But we can still do other active things.”

Noya tilted his head back and looked up at his alpha, “Promise?”

“Promise.”

Across the table from him, Tadashi could see Hinata was desperate to say he’d join the game but Kageyama remained stone-faced beside him, obviously not in the mood to play any time soon after what had transpired in the garden earlier. But Tadashi knew this all too well. He knew that both Kageyama and Tsukki were stubborn as mules and that’s exactly why he’d suggested a game; he wanted to ease the tension and bring them back together as a pack. Suga too had noticed the freckled omega’s plan and nudged Daichi in the ribs to try and make him volunteer to play but the head alpha was so preoccupied with rubbing Suga’s bump and feeling their pup move that he was taking no notice of the prodding.

Suga sighed, defeated, and spoke up for his mate. “Daichi will play, too.”

Dark eyes widened, “I will?”

Suga narrowed his eyes at the alpha and Daichi shrugged.

“I will.”

“Great!” Yamaguchi slapped his hand against Tsukki’s back a little too hard, startling the alpha, “Tsukki and I are in, too.”

“What?” Kei’s voice was low, almost a growl, and Tadashi had to concentrate on not whimpering as his mate continued, “I’m not in the mood, ‘dashi.”

“Which is exactly why you’re going to play,” Tadashi set his jaw and nodded, mainly to himself.

Big brown eyes dared a glance sideways at Tobio; Hinata so wanted to have a game with his teammates but he really didn’t want to anger his mate any more. He knew that the alpha could stay in a grumpy mood for days on end and didn’t fancy walking on eggshells for the next week or so. With a deep breath, the orange-haired omega blurted,

“We’re in too!” his cheeks puffed outwards as he saw Kageyama from the corner of his eye, “Tobio and I will play!”

“Shou-”

“Yep!” Hinata interrupted his mate, “Let’s go!”

Before Kageyama could retaliate, the redhead hopped out of his seat and darted into the garden, grabbing the volleyball as he exited the kitchen. Chikara and Tanaka followed swiftly, as did Daichi and Suga (after the alpha had helped his mate get up from the chair). That just left Tadashi, Kei and Tobio. Without the rest of the pack there, the alpha’s pheromones felt stronger than ever and Yamaguchi had to try breathing through his mouth to offset the scents currently filling his head. He’d be damned if he was going to let the stubborn alphas beat him, though, and got to his feet purposefully before speaking.

“I’m going to play with the pack,” he looked pointedly between the two, “You two can decide what you’re doing on your own.”

And with that, Tadashi marched out into the garden, leaving the pair to stare angrily at the wood grain of the table. Almost a minute passed before Tsukishima finally clicked his tongue and moved to push up his glasses only to realise too late that he was still waiting for his new ones to be delivered. The movement didn’t go unnoticed by Tobio and he couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped him at the sight.

“Something funny?” Kei mumbled.

“Not really.”

Sounds of laughter and Tanaka whooping loudly drifted in through the back door and into the kitchen and Kei tilted his head upwards as the faint scent of grass – distinctly Tadashi’s grass – wafted around him. Tadashi’s wasn’t the only scent filtering in but it was the main one Kei recognised, like he’d been trained to specifically sniff out his mate’s pheromones. Across from him, Kageyama too was flaring his nostrils as the sweet scent of oranges filled his head and he felt his legs twitching as he tried to restrain his want to join the others in the game outside.

Finally Kei sighed loudly and looked Kageyama in the eyes, “Do you want to play as much as I do?”

Tobio curled his lip slightly, “You don’t even play any more.”

It was true, Kei didn’t play as frequently as he used to and certainly wasn’t on a team like Kageyama but he still enjoyed the odd game in college and visited the gym regularly to keep as fit as possible.

He shrugged, a smirk forming on his lips, “Not like I need to practise much to beat you, King.”

A low growl emitted from Kageyama at the sound of his old nickname but his grit his teeth and didn’t take the bait,

“Is that a challenge?”

Kei’s smirk turned into a full blown grin, “Maybe. If you’re up to it.”

In the garden, Daichi and the others were limbering up; Shouyou and Tadashi were taking turns stretching one another’s backs, Ennoshita and Tanaka were passing the ball back and forth, the latter with so much enthusiasm that he almost sent it flying into the flowerbeds a couple of times. Daichi was stretching, leaning over to touch his toes in front of the picnic table where Suga was sitting and the omega was thoroughly enjoying the view. Finally Asahi had started to do his warm-up stretches but had quickly been distracted by Yuu and was currently bent over double with the omega on his back like a Noya-shaped backpack.

When Tsukishima and Kageyama stepped into the garden the atmosphere tensed a little but a brief fist-bump between the pair quickly dissipated any worries the other pack members might have had about them arguing.

“Did you make up?” Hinata asked Tobio as the alpha started his own stretches.

He shrugged, “Who knows.”

The omega pouted a little and a line formed between his brows, much to the dismay of his mate who swiftly pressed his lips atop Shouyou’s head and squeezed his cheeks together with one hand.

“We’re good,” he turned his face away, a slight blush on his cheeks, “Sorry for before.”

The familiar beaming smile returned to Hinata’s face and he got onto his tiptoes to place a gentle peck against his alpha’s lips.

“That’s okay! I know you were just being a big dumb alpha!”

That received a bark of laughter from Tanaka and Kageyama had to bury his face in his mate’s orange mop to hide his flushed cheeks.

“So you two are friends again?” Tadashi asked as Tsukki stretched his long arms above his head.

Kei clicked his tongue, “I don’t think we were ever friends-” he watched as his mate’s expression crumpled a little, “-but we agreed to be civil.”

‘Civil’ was just about all the two alphas had ever been, even in high school, and so Tadashi smiled and accepted that as Tsukki and Kageyama being back to normal.

“Okay!” Suga was on his feet next to the net in the middle of the garden with a fistful of twigs. He held them out proudly like a bunch of flowers, “Pick straws to see which team you’re on!”

Daichi chose first and picked a short twig, followed by Hinata who picked long. Yamaguchi, Kageyama and Asahi also chose short, which left Tanaka, Ennoshita and Tsukishima with long ones.

“Ooo~,” Nishinoya rubbed his hands together as he took his referee position at the edge of the ‘court’, “Controversial teams!”

The two teams gathered at either end of the garden in huddles; although not a ‘real’ match or in any way important, their fighting spirit and competitiveness was still very much apparent as they decided on positions for each pack member.

“Hinata, you’re our spiker,” Tanaka began in hushed tones, “Tsukki-” the tall blonde curled his lip at the nickname coming from the beta’s mouth, “-you’re a blocking machine so you stay there. I’ll try and move around wherever, like libero and stuff and Chika you’re our setter.”

Chikara’s eyes widened, “Wait wait wait, I’m not a setter!”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Ryuu slapped his boyfriend on the back, “Plus you’re the only one of us I trust to actually set up the ball properly, babe.”

Over on the other side of the garden, Daichi had gone into full captain-mode and was giving out positions as he thought fit.

“Kageyama you’re the setter, no one can do it better. Asahi is our wing spiker, as usual, and I’ll play where I’m needed.”

“And me?” Tadashi looked up at the three alphas, a little concerned that he’d let the team down as he was more of a pinch server and was used to coming into play when needed, rather than a whole match. Not to mention the fact that omegas were a lot less physically strong than alphas and had a lot less stamina.

Daichi rubbed his chin, “Hmm, I guess you’re our libero!”

“L-libero?!” Tadashi squawked and Kei’s head snapped in his direction, “I can be a middle blocker o-or a pinch server! I don’t really know how to be a libero...”

“Just don’t let the ball hit the grass,” Kageyama said blankly as he got into position.

Tadashi’s eyelids fell and he rolled his eyes dramatically towards the setter, “Of course,” a sarcastic tone dripped from his mouth, “How stupid of me.”

Chapter Text

“Okay!”

Nishinoya had been reluctant to play referee at first but he’d quickly come around to the idea of having power over the rest of the pack and clapped his hands to gain their attention.

“First team to ten points wins!” he pointed to both sides of the net, “I don’t want to see any foul play or loose balls!”

Tanaka opened his mouth to mumble something about ‘loose balls’ but Ennoshita whacked the back of his head before he could speak.

“Ready?” Noya held out his arms like wings and then thrust them down, “Start!”

There was a beat of silence and then Asahi spoke up reluctantly, “Yuu… Who’s serving first?”

“OH!” Noya slapped his palm to his forehead, “We’ll flip a coin!”

After doing so, it was decided that Tanaka’s team would serve first and he took it upon himself to to do the deed. Although a little rusty, his serve was still pretty powerful and took Yamaguchi by surprise, the omega having to receive it awkwardly with his bicep. He was happy to have saved it, though, and watched as Kageyama expertly set the ball for Asahi who slammed it over the net with enough force to make Tadashi’s hair swoop backwards. It didn’t hit the grass, however, as Tsukki reached out a long arm and blocked it, sending it back over the net like a rocket.

“Yamaguchi!”

Daichi yelled his name but his reflexes weren’t up to par with an alphas and Tadashi moved a fraction too late to receive the ball accurately. Instead it hit his forearm and bounced away over his head, giving the other team the point.

“Woo!” Tanaka attempted a high-five with Kei but the blonde ignored the beta and got back into position.

“Don’t mind!”

Daichi ruffled Tadashi’s hair and the omega felt his cheeks burn not only from the embarrassment of missing the ball but at the sudden contact from the powerful alpha. He and Daichi rarely spent time in close proximity and his touch had felt powerful, even for that brief moment. He was surely a strong head alpha and a perfect choice to lead their pack.

Next it was Ennoshita to serve; although he looked pretty reserved and laid back, he was a keen player and someone to watch out for. His analytical skills were as good as Daichi’s and when he decided to play earnestly, he was a formidable opponent. With a swift toss of the ball, Chikara jumped and slammed the ball over the net, straight into a waiting Daichi who sent it to Kageyama and then Asahi, who blasted it past both Tanaka and Hinata and straight onto the grassy court.

“Woo! Go Asahi!” Noya clapped happily at the side of the net.

“You’re supposed to be impartial!” Tanaka yelled as he picked up the ball.

Yuu covered his mouth with his hands and mumbled an ‘oops’ before continuing the game.

At the picnic table, just a few feet from the noisy match, Suga sat munching on some chips. He’d been appointed official first-aider of the match and was enjoying the feel of the warm evening sun on his face and he felt his eyes getting heavier as he let the sound of his pack mates playing drift into the background. Now and then his pup rolled over or nudged him in the ribs and he had to keep repositioning himself to try and get comfortable, not an easy task with a seven month bump on his frame.

He also didn’t know if it was the chips or just his condition but he kept getting the slight twinge of cramps just on the underside of his belly and was trying feebly to rub at the area without alerting Daichi. If his overprotective mate saw him rubbing or stretching or breathing differently he would stop the game in favour of checking on him and that was the last thing Koushi wanted. His alpha was finally letting himself have a little fun rather than worrying and he deserved at least one evening of respite.

Despite his best efforts, however, Suga shifted his weight slightly where he sat and a soft groan whispered from his lips as the tension in his hips released a little. Dark eyes were on him like magnets as Daichi turned to see what had caused the noise and Suga watched helplessly as Hinata violently spiked the ball right into the head alpha’s distracted cheek.

“GAH!” Hinata yipped and his face paled, “Sorry, Daichi-san!”

“Ar-are you okay?” Asahi flapped a little by his side, unsure of what to do to help the bright red patch that had formed on Daichi’s face.

The head alpha blinked to clear the stars from his eyes and gave a thumbs-up to Hinata, “I’m good! Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention!”

“Idiot~,” Suga sang and stuck his tongue out at his mate playfully.

“You okay?” Daichi asked, again distracted as Kageyama started to serve.

“I’m fine!” Suga waved his hand dismissively, “You’re going to get hit again if you’re not careful!”

Daichi narrowed his eyes at his mate and sent some soothing pheromones in his direction before turning back to continue the match. He was just in time as Tsukishima served the ball and the head alpha had to lunge to send it to Kageyama. Unfortunately his aim was slightly off and it ended up reaching Asahi instead, forcing the Ace to set it for Tobio, who easily dumped the ball over the net directly in front of a pissed Tsukishima.

“Ahh!” Tanaka rubbed his head angrily, “So annoying!”

“Nice!” Daichi high-fived Kageyama and collected the ball before handing it to Yamaguchi, “Your serve.”

Tadashi’s shoulders slumped. There was that familiar feeling once again. The feeling of not wanting to let the team down with one of his dodgy serves. Sure, he’d almost perfected his float-serve throughout his time at high school but that didn’t mean he felt the pressure any less; his omegan body just wasn’t built for powerful serving and he knew better than anyone that Tsukki could block an easy serve without even trying. His hands trembled slightly as he felt the texture of the ball and he tried to psych himself up, tried to remember the feeling of elation when they’d won tournaments at school and how proud he’d been in those moments.

Across the net from him, behind the towering force of Kei, Chikara and Tanaka shuffled around on the grass, uncertain of where the ball would end up. They knew that one of Tadashi’s serves could elude them as far as positioning was concerned and the fact that their faces had slight creases between their brows boosted the freckled omega’s confidence no end. That’s right, he thought, my serves were formidable in third year.

With a flick of his wrist, Yamaguchi tossed the ball and connected his palm with it perfectly; it lazily floated over the net, past Kei who had timed his block wrong, and down between the betas. It would have connected with grass if not for a certain redhead omega who slid across the lawn-court like a Nishinoya clone and batted it back into the air with his hand.

“Whew!” Tanaka yelled, “Nice save, Hinata!”

Ennoshita set the ball, albeit a little clumsily, and Tsukishima jumped to reach it, slamming it over the net with an almighty BOOM! It whooshed past Asahi and Daichi and was headed directly for Tadashi’s face for the second time that evening before Kageyama stretched out and took the brunt of the force with his forearm, leaving a bright red circle on his skin. The ball bounced off of him loudly and collided with the net before flopping to the ground powerlessly.

As soon as he’d seen the ball leave Tsukishima’s hand, Suga had gotten to his feet and now stood with one hand over his heart and one clutching his bag of now-crushed chips. He sighed, thankful for Tobio’s quick reflexes and plonked himself back down on the bench.

Golden eyes that looked more like saucers stared over the net at his mate. Kei had been so grateful for a chance to let off some steam with a powerful spike that he hadn’t really calculated where the ball would end up and couldn’t really see anyway, what with his lack of glasses, and could only watch as it headed straight for his love. His breath came out in a loud huff when Kageyama’s arm took the force instead of Tadashi’s face and he didn’t even realise he’d moved until he felt his mate’s cool hand against his cheek.

“Tsukki,” Tadashi looked up at the alpha, one hand on his flushed cheek, “I’m fine, Kageyama stopped it.”

“I didn’t see you, sorry,” Kei mumbled as he gently scented the omega’s neck.

“Now now!” Noya clapped his hands loudly, “Get back on your side of the court please, sir!”

Reluctantly, Tsukishima turned on his heel and uttered a ‘thanks’ in Kageyama’s direction, which the dark haired alpha accepted silently as he got into position once again.

The next few serves ended with the scores being 8 to Daichi’s team and 9 to Tanaka’s. Only one more point and the beta’s team would be triumphant. That was all that was playing on Daichi’s mind when he served the ball strongly over the net, directly towards a waiting Ennoshita. It didn’t get that far, however, as Hinata jumped up like a lively puppy and touched it with his fingertips. The ball arched over to Tanaka, who took the opportunity to send it sideways over the net towards Tadashi but the omega was ready this time and received it expertly, even receiving an impressed clap from Nishinoya.

The rally continued back and forth until Kageyama managed to set Asahi up perfectly for a textbook spike. Unfortunately for Hinata, the spike was aimed straight for him and he’d been too distracted by the sudden appearance of someone at the garden gate that he hadn’t even seen Asahi-san touch the ball.

“Shou-” Kageyama began to yell a warning to his mate.

Once again Suga was on his feet, ready to run – or rather waddle – to the rescue if someone got injured but his services weren’t needed as Tsukishima reached out his long arm and took the full force of Asahi’s spike with his open palm, the palm that was currently bandaged and burnt.

“BWAA!” Hinata’s face contorted as he realised what had almost been, “I almost died !”

“S-Sorry, Hinata!” Asahi looked like he might cry.

A bead of sweat trickled down Tobio’s temple and he released the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding as Shouyou automatically scuttled over to him for some reassurance from his familiar scent. Once satisfied with his own safety, the omega turned back to look up at Kei.

“Thanks, Tsukishima-kun! Your blocks are always awesome!”

Kei clicked his tongue and spoke through gritted teeth, “Don’t be so distracted next time, shrimp.”

Tadashi was already by his mate’s side, fussing over his bandaged hand like a worried mother hen as Kei tried to play down the pain despite the look on his face that said ‘It hurts like hell’. Thankfully Suga was already on the case and swiftly unbandaged the hand, ignoring Tsukishima’s protests, before spraying on some numbing spray. Judging by the blonde alpha’s sudden sigh of relief, the spray had started to work and Suga smiled to himself, proud of being able to do at least a little something.

“Put some more cream on and bandage it again tonight,” Koushi handed Tadashi the tube of soothing cream and jabbed Tsukishima in the chest with a long finger, “And no more using that hand until its fully healed, okay?”

“Yes, mother ,” Kei smirked.

As they started to clean up and head back inside, Kageyama kept pace with Tsukishima and looked at the floor as he spoke, voice low so that the others couldn’t eavesdrop.

“I guess that makes us even.”

“It was just a reflex,” Kei rubbed at his stinging hand, “I didn’t do it for the shrimp.”

“Yeah,” Tobio squeezed his still-throbbing forearm, “A reflex.”

Meanwhile, at the garden gate and seemingly forgotten by Shouyou in the commotion, Oikawa stood motionless with his mouth agape, utterly shocked at being ignored by the Karasuno pack.

Chapter Text

As the group headed back inside the farm house and into the living room the doorbell rang loudly, causing sudden chaos as Tanaka and Hinata scrambled to the hallway to get there first. Once the door was opened – somehow Chikara had managed to scoot past the wrestling pair and open it himself – it revealed Iwaizumi with his hands in his pockets and an exasperated look on his face.

“Iwaizumi-san!” Hinata chirped happily at the sight of the dark-haired beta and suddenly remembered that he’d seen Oikawa in the back garden, “Ah...”

“Evening,” Iwaizumi leaned slightly to try and see past Ennoshita’s shoulders and then looked the other beta in the eyes, “Did Tooru already come in?”

“Oikawa?” Chikara looked at the others, “He didn’t did he?”

“I saw him at the garden gate earlier!” Shouyou smiled lopsidedly and rubbed his head, “I forgot to say, sorry!”

Iwaizumi groaned and ran a hand down his face, “The idiot said he wanted to check out the Karasuno pack’s new place and went on ahead when I stopped to ask for directions.” Another groan, “He’s such a moro-”

Before he could finish his thought, said omega dived onto Iwaizumi’s back, arms around his neck like a vice as the beta angrily tried to throw him off. The two of them hadn’t changed much since their high school days; they’d been friends since they were young and it was obvious in the way they fought and argued that there wasn’t much that could damage their strong bond. Chikara remembered the uproar with the alphas in their school when it was revealed that the Aoba Johsai players were dating and the small sense of pride he’d felt when he found out it was a beta like himself who had claimed the ever-desirable omega Oikawa.

“Hi everyone!”

Oikawa barged his way inside the den like he’d been invited and Iwaizumi followed shortly after, mainly to keep an eye on his boyfriend and make sure he caused the least amount of trouble possible.

“So this is the Karasuno pack den, huh?” Oikawa looked around with a hand on his chin like someone checking out their new home, “A bit shabby but I can see the appeal.”

He stepped into the living room with a smirk on his face, completely oblivious to the fact that both Daichi and Asahi had smelled the new scents and gone into full alpha-protect mode. Although an omega, Oikawa had never really acted like one; sure he was desirable (and knew it) but he’d never let his weaker body or heats get in the way of what he wanted when he wanted it. Even when powerful alphas had confessed to him or tried to dominate him, Tooru had never given up his convictions, always opting to simply ignore their advances or tease them by swooning over Iwa-chan instead. That didn’t mean that his approach was always right, however, as he’d been saved from a few close-calls by Iwaizumi on more than one occasion.

“Oi!” Iwaizumi grabbed Tooru’s collar and yanked him back to his side as they entered the living room, the omega still unaware of the silent uproar he was causing with two of the alphas.

“What’s wrong, Iwa-chan? I’m just saying hello!” he smirked playfully and traced a long finger along the beta’s jawline, “Are you jealou-”

That earned him a punch to the gut from his boyfriend, forcing Oikawa to bow as Iwaizumi also lowered his head to greet the pack.

“Sorry for intruding,” although a beta and less attuned to alpha pheromones, even Hajime could sense the slight tension in the air as Daichi stepped forwards and Asahi pulled Nishinoya to his side.

“Hey, nice to see you both!” Suga was trying his best to sound chipper but with his mate looking like he might savage the newcomers at any moment it wasn’t an easy task.

Daichi knew that he wasn’t exactly being a welcoming host but it was the first time someone other than their closest friends and pack had been in the den since Suga had fallen pregnant and every instinct in his body was telling him to protect Suga and their pup at all costs. He did, however, manage to suppress the growl that was trying to vibrate up through his chest and attempted a small smile when the beta bowed politely. Unfortunately the smile ended up as more of a grimace and he watched as Iwaizumi flinched slightly at his expression.

With one hand on his bump, Suga used the other to drag his mate backwards and forced him to sit beside him on the sofa. Perhaps Daichi would seem less intimidating if he wasn’t looming over the pair like a rabid dog.

Although an airhead, Oikawa was still an omega and shivered slightly at Daichi’s stance. Even sitting down the head alpha was a daunting presence and his strong pheromones were making the air thick, almost stifling, as Hajime knelt down on the carpet and forced his boyfriend to do the same. Iwaizumi was used to Tooru trying to downplay others’ pheromones and how they affected him and could tell with even the slightest change in Oikawa’s expression when the omega was finding it hard. He remembered back in high school when some alphas had surrounded Oikawa to try and test if he was truly an omega as he never really acted like one. Iwaizumi had pulled him into an empty classroom and watched as his oldest friend flushed crimson and had been forced into his first ever heat. That particular walk home hadn’t been fun.

“Sorry about him,” Suga leaned forward, his hand still firmly claimed by his mate, “Daichi is a little… tense these days. We haven’t had someone new in the den for a while.”

“It’s understandable,” Iwaizumi mumbled.

He couldn’t help but gape at Suga’s stomach. It wasn’t that he looked so different (although sure, he did ), it was more the fact that Sugawara seemed to be practically glowing . Motherhood was definitely suiting him well, as it did with most omegas, and he seemed pretty much built for such a purpose. Would Tooru look that good if he was pregnant? Iwaizumi dared a sideways glance at his boyfriend and immediately regretted it when he was met with a shit-eating grin.

“Iwa-chan~” Oikawa hummed, “You should have said if you wanted a baby so bad!” He wriggled where he sat, “After all, it’d be beautiful with my genes.”

“Go die !”

Iwaizumi swiped at the omega’s head and missed as Oikawa easily ducked away, taking the opportunity to crawl a little closer to Nishinoya and Asahi. Although nowhere near as worked up as Daichi was, Asahi was still a little tense at someone else being around Yuu and he made sure to sit up straight between his mate and the setter currently slithering across the floor.

Oikawa raised an eyebrow at Nishinoya and patted his own stomach, “You’re looking a little fuller than usual, Nishinoya-kun.”

Asahi almost fell off the armchair at the comment but when he looked down to see Noya’s reaction, worried that he might be embarrassed or upset, the omega’s smile was so wide he thought his face might crack.

“I do ?!” Yuu sat up straighter and ran his hands down his stomach, which did have the slightest arch to it now that he looked closely. He turned to Asahi and grinned, his hands on his hips, “Look, Asahi!”

Pride welled up inside the alpha and he wanted nothing more than to take Noya to their room and inspect every last inch of him but he restrained himself and simply nodded silently, his cheeks blushing wildly.

“And you, Mr. Refreshing,” Suga’s nose curled at the old nickname from Oikawa, “You look every bit the perfect omega!”

Although still tensed like a piano string, Daichi’s chest swelled at the compliment of his mate and he smiled widely as he looped his arm around Suga’s waist firmly, pulling him into a kiss.

“We should go, it’s getting dark,” Iwaizumi elbowed his boyfriend and yanked him upwards as he stood.

The omega pouted and turned up his omega-whining to ten, “But Iwa-chan~ Let’s stay a little longer~,” swiftly, he moved towards Hinata, who was still hovering in the archway between the hallway and the living room, and ruffled his orange hair teasingly, “Has Tobio made an honest omega out of you yet, shorty?”

Shouyou’s face suddenly matched his hair as he flushed crimson and glanced at his mate sheepishly. He knew Kageyama wouldn’t want their private life made public but he also had an almighty need to tell everyone he met that they were indeed bonded and that he belonged only to Tobio and no one else. Sensing Shouyou’s dismay and obvious unspoken answer to his question, Oikawa turned to Tobio and smiled wolfishly, an expression that would no doubt irk the alpha.

“My my, Tobio, what a big strong alpha you’ve become!” He hung his long arm around Hinata’s shoulders and pulled him closer, “To think you’d bond with the shrimp after all this time!”

Within seconds all hell broke loose. A loud, deep growl rumbled through Kageyama’s chest and turned into a snarl through his bared teeth as he lunged for Oikawa. Fortunately, Iwaizumi had seen the reaction coming and swiftly pulled the omega out of the way before he could be savaged. Every alpha in the room tensed; when a member of the pack had such a strong reaction to a newcomer to their den it was only natural for the rest of the alphas to want to protect and react in the same way, even subconsciously. Thankfully Daichi had just enough self-control left to permeate the room with his strong head-alpha pheromones and calmed the others down before they could do any damage.

“Whoa!” Tooru’s voice came out a little weaker than he would’ve liked and he was grateful that only Iwa-chan could feel his body trembling slightly, “Calm down, Tobio! I was just congratulating yo-”

Before he could continue and offend anyone else, Iwaizumi linked his fingers through his boyfriend’s and tugged him back towards the front door where they quickly put on their shoes and uttered a quiet ‘Nice seeing you’ before trotting off down the garden path and back into the street, the beta still cursing at his boyfriend the entire way.

“Well,” Daichi breathed a heavy sigh of relief, “That was chaotic as usual.”

“He’s like a whirlwind,” Asahi lay his head back against the sofa, “He really should’ve been an alpha, right Yuu?”

Noya didn’t reply.

His mate turned to him thinking maybe he’d fallen asleep and was shocked to see Yuu’s flushed face and glassy eyes staring up at him, a picture of pure omegan indulgence if ever there was one.

“Yuu?!” Asahi squawked, “Are you in heat?” The cogs in his brain worked for a moment and he realised that was impossible with Noya’s current condition, “What’s wrong?”

Across the room from them, where he was standing against the wall, Tadashi suddenly dropped to his knees, panting and red-faced. He looked totally out of it as Kei tried to gather him in his arms, shocked at his mate’s sudden change. And he wasn’t the only one; every omega in the room was suddenly drowsy, too hot and panting like they’d just ran a marathon. In fact, Daichi thought, they looked almost drunk .

“Ah...”

The head alpha immediately realised what was happening. To calm the alphas he’d released his pheromones in a strong wave of scent and power. It had worked, of course, but what he’d forgotten, or rather put to the back of his priorities, was what it did to the omegas in the pack. His overwhelming pheromones had filled the room within seconds, surrounding the omegas like a thick, heavy blanket and making them completely scent-drunk. Even Tanaka and Ennoshita had a slight tint of pink to their cheeks, the betas usually oblivious to the pack’s pheromones.

“Dai,” Koushi squirmed beside his mate on the sofa, eyes glassy and lips parted tantalisingly, “Is this you?”

“Yeah, sorry Kou.”

Concentrating, Daichi drew back his pheromones and let the room return to its normal state. He knew his scent was still a little stronger than usual because of Suga’s condition but he couldn’t really help that.

“Geez,” Nishinoya shook his head to try and regain some composure, “I’ll be smelling like barbecue for weeks!”

“Barbecue?” Chikara asked as he stood up a little straighter.

“Yeah!” Yuu nuzzled closer to Asahi and tried to inhale his sandalwood scent deeply, “Daichi’s scent is so smoky!”

“I do not smell like barbecue!” Daichi huffed and turned to Koushi, a slight line between his brows, “Do I?”

“I think it’s more of a campfire smell,” Suga took one of his mate’s hands and held his wrist up to his nose to sniff, “It’s nice.”

“Not when I’m drowning in it...” Tadashi mumbled as Tsukki helped him to his feet.

“Yeah,” Daichi scratched his head awkwardly, “Sorry about that, won’t happen again.”

“I must smell like burnt peaches now,” Yuu teased.

Shouyou was busy sniffing his arm with concentration, “Do I smell like burnt oranges?”

“No,” Tsukishima looked down on the redhead omega and smirked, “Just burnt shrimp.”

Chapter Text

That night, after everyone had finally settled down after Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s surprise visit and Daichi’s concurrent scent-drowning of the omegas, each pair settled into their own nightly routine. Sometimes the pack liked to stay up late all together, gathered in the living room watching TV or playing a game of some sort. Other nights were spent alone in their rooms, depending on how they felt. This night everyone seemed to be pretty exhausted what with the impromptu volleyball game and their visitors and so each pair had retired to their individual rooms to relax and try and chill out after the day.

It was almost eleven and the betas, Tanaka and Ennoshita, who had decided to share one room now that they were courting, were snuggled in Tanaka’s bed playing a fighting game on the Xbox. Chika kept effortlessly destroying any attempts at attacks from his boyfriend and soon Ryuu was becoming sick of trying. He huffed loudly and held his large hand over Chikara’s face, blocking his view of the television and causing his character to fall off of a cliff and die.

“Hey!” Ennoshita shoved Tanaka, sending him flopping sideways on the bed, “Cheater!”

“What’re you gonna do about it, huh?” Ryuu wiggled his eyebrows and sat back upright, “You may be good at fighting in the game but in reality you’re just a pus-”

Before he could finish his teasing, Chikara dived atop Tanaka and sent them both flying over the edge of the bed onto the floor in a heap of tangled limbs and laughter. The dark-haired beta leaned over Tanaka, his face flushed from laughing as he leaned down and whispered in his boyfriend’s ear,

“I win!”

Without much effort, Tanaka flipped their positions and pinned Chika to the floor like a mountain lion eyeing its prey; he was smiling, showing off his pearly whites, and held Ennoshita down by his biceps firmly.

“Now what’re you gonna do?” Tanaka asked, panting and grinning stupidly.

It didn’t take more than a second for Ennoshita to answer that question with a firm kiss to his boyfriend’s lips. When they finally separated – Tanaka now crimson – Chika shrugged and smiled lopsidedly,

“I can think of a few things.”

Inside Asahi and Nishinoya’s room the pair were enjoying some quiet time (for once) as Noya still felt a little queasy. He’d thought he was over the worst of his morning sickness but every few days it came back with a vengeance, and not even in the morning! Grumbling, the omega sat with his back against the headboard of the bed and attempted to read a new manga he’d bought the last time they were in town; he was totally zoned out, however, and was merely staring at the monochrome images without taking anything in about the actual story, his nausea being at the forefront of his brain instead.

Finally he flung the manga onto the bed and whined pitifully. It must have been louder than he’d anticipated as a dripping wet Asahi suddenly appeared in the doorway to the en-suite, eyes bugged out and not even a towel to hide his modesty.

“What’s wrong?” the alpha’s eyes scanned his mate for any sign of injury.

Suppressing a giggle at his mate’s flustered appearance, Noya rubbed his slightly curved stomach and jutted out his bottom lip childishly, “I feel sick again.”

Subconsciously, Asahi’s shoulders relaxed and he quickly grabbed a towel before joining Yuu on the bed, gathering him to his side like a poorly kid.

“Should I get you something? Suga-san said that ginger can help… Maybe a cookie?” Asahi felt so useless not being able to help in any way and desperately wanted to make everything better.

“Some tea?” Noya tilted his head to look up at the alpha and frowned when Asahi moved to stand, “Ah, don’t go...”

“Didn’t you want tea?”

“Yeah but...”

Yuu knew he was being clingy just like when his heat was close but he couldn’t help it, he just wanted to be with his alpha more and more. Something inside his tiny omegan body was telling him not to stray too far from his mate and protect their pup as much as possible, even if that meant becoming an annoying, clingy limpet.

He did, however, really want tea. His stomach was performing somersaults and every now and then he had to snap his teeth together to fight off another wave of sickness. Sensing his mate’s inner turmoil, Asahi quickly pulled on some pyjama pants and crouched down in front of the bed, gesturing to his back.

N oya raised a brow, “What’re you doing? You look constipated.”

Asahi’s cheeks pinked but he continued to crouch there like a caveman, “Get on.”

Smiling and not needing any encouragement, Yuu hopped onto Asahi’s back and let the alpha piggyback him down the hall and into the kitchen, inhaling his sandalwood scent the entire way.

In the main bathroom, Kageyama and Shouyou had decided to take a bath together. Although newly bonded and still somewhat new at being a proper mated pair, the two could already feel the strange stirrings of their bond mark tugging at the back of their consciousness. When Tsukishima had used his ‘bond magic’, as Hinata had called it, to mess with Yamaguchi in the bakery it had been a strange yet enticing sight for the orange-haired omega and he so desperately wanted to try it out with Tobio. Apparently it took time to perfect, however, and so he’d somehow convinced the alpha to practice using their bond whenever they could.

Now, in the steaming water of the large bath, Hinata lay with his back against Tobio’s chest as the alpha tried his best to concentrate on the tiny thread of connection between himself and his mate. It was definitely there at the back of his mind but he couldn’t quite get a grip on it, like it was turning to smoke whenever he reached out.

Defeated, Kageyama sighed, “I can’t do it.”

“Come on,” Shouyou tilted his head to look up at his boyfriend, “Daichi-san and Tsukishima made it look easy!”

That brought a quiet growl from the alpha, who refused to let his pack-mates better him at something. He closed his eyes and tried to visualise the connection, the invisible rope that tied them together forever. Behind his eyelids was only darkness but then a sliver of silver light shimmered across his vision like a tiny fish darting from right to left. Kageyama’s lips parted as he concentrated harder, following the silver fish through the blackness until it hovered in front of a bright orange glow. Shouyou. Tentatively, the alpha inched forwards in his mind as his body remained completely still and he reached out his thoughts to touch the orange glow, careful not to go too fast and somehow break the connection.

As soon as he felt the glow encase him he also felt a sudden rush of emotion from his mate; an overwhelming sense of pride and love flowed through him from Shouyou, each emotion tinged with his orange scent, and it was as though Kageyama himself was feeling those emotions as they flooded in through their bond. It was an incredible sensation and when Tobio dared to open his eyes he could tell that Hinata was experiencing the same thing as the omega blushed and smiled broadly, heart racing in his chest.

As quickly as it had opened, the door to their connection suddenly closed and the pair was left panting slightly and feeling somewhat lonely without the others’ feelings flowing through them. It was Hinata who spoke first, his voice quiet as if to try and keep the magic of what had just happened alive.

“Wow...” he whispered, “That was… wow.”

Tobio could feel a stupid grin on his face but his mind was more focused on what he’d just experienced and what it truly meant to be a bonded pair.

“Did you feel that, Tobio?” Hinata touched the scar on the nape of his neck and shivered slightly.

“Yeah. I think it’ll be easier to use it next time, too,” Kageyama could sense the orange glow in a tiny corner of his mind and knew that if he just concentrated enough he’d be able to use their bond mark whenever he wanted to.

“I wonder how Tsukishima did that with Tadashi...” Hinata’s eyes glazed over slightly at the thought of Kageyama using their new found connection to give him pleasure.

“Why don’t we try and find out?”

Both Daichi and Suga had fallen asleep at around ten. Suga was seemingly always tired and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and Daichi just wanted to be touching Koushi whenever he could and so crawled in beside him, falling into dreams shortly after. Now, at around two in the morning, however, Suga was wide awake.

As his pregnancy progressed he’d been finding it harder and harder to sleep through the night what with needing to pee every hour and just finding it generally uncomfortable to lie down. He’d tried putting a pillow between his knees to ease the tension in his hips but it felt so weird that he found himself waking up with a start wondering what the hell was between his legs. Staring at the dark ceiling, Koushi rubbed a hand down the curve of his substantial bump; all was quiet inside his belly, the pup probably sleeping, and he knew that if he moved he’d probably wake them up and have to feel them squirming for the rest of the night but his back was aching and he needed to stretch himself out to try and ease it. A catch-22 as it were.

With effort, he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed before rocking himself onto his feet, yet another part of his body that was causing him pain. His belly had grown quite a bit in the past few weeks and the scale told him he’d put on a few pounds too but it was all healthy and a part of helping their pup to grow big and strong. Suga had come to terms with his changing body and, thanks to Daichi, was learning to love his new curves, not to mention the new habit his mate had picked up of pinching his plump ass whenever he walked by. The only thing he wasn’t particularly enjoying at this stage of pregnancy was the aches and pains. Sure, Suga had had his fair share of injuries and pulled muscles in his volleyball days but these pains were on a whole other level; his feet were swollen, his back and hips ached non-stop and he kept getting twinges in his lower belly every now and then just to add to his misery.

He sighed and paced back and forth for a while in an attempt to ease his back but then started to regret his movement as his ankles started to ache again. Defeated, Suga plonked his backside back on the bed and leaned back, stretching his back and wriggling his toes in the darkness until a familiar smoky scent drifted around him.

“Can’t sleep again?” Daichi’s voice was croaky from sleep as he rubbed his eyes lazily, “Want me to give you a massage?”

“No, go back to sleep, I’m okay.”

Daichi nuzzled between Suga’s neck and shoulder and looped his arms round his waist, inhaling his raspberries and cream scent. His lips brushed Koushi’s skin, making the omega shudder slightly, and he whispered into Suga’s ear teasingly,

“Want me to make you feel better?”

As much as Suga would have loved to enjoy some alone time, he was physically exhausted and simply wanted to try and sleep. He twisted his neck to look at his love and pecked his lips once before saying,

“I would love to, Dai, believe me. But I just want to go back to sleep.”

“Mhmm...”

Defiantly, Daichi continued to hold Koushi from behind, his strong arms wrapped tightly around the omega as he trailed kisses down his nape, over their bond mark and along his shoulder. His smoky scent permeated the room as it had done earlier that evening and Suga found himself feeling a little dizzy from the strong pheromones. He pushed away slightly and turned to face the alpha, squinting through the darkness.

“Dai? You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Daichi’s breath was hot on Suga’s cheek, “Just let me love you a little.”

With ease, Daichi pushed Suga down onto the bed so that he was looking up at the alpha as the moonlight shone through the gap in the curtains. In the silvery light Koushi could see every ripple of muscle on his mate’s bare chest. Every bead of sweat that trickled down his abs and into his boxers and, as the alpha smiled down at his pregnant mate, Suga could just make out the sharper-than-normal canines glistening in his mouth.

Suga froze.

“Dai? Are you in rut?”

Chapter Text

As soon as Suga saw Daichi’s sharper fangs he knew immediately that his mate was in rut. Alphas usually went into rut once or twice every three to four months and bonded alphas even less due to having enough of an ‘intimate’ relationship with their mate and therefore no high craving for sex. Suga did recall reading that some alphas with pregnant mates went into a sporadic rut if they hadn’t had ‘relations’ in a while, however, and their instinct to breed rose more and more to the surface the longer it went on, regardless of the pregnancy. It was something totally primal and uncontrollable but also a very dangerous situation for an omega to be in, especially one that was expecting. Knowing this, Koushi tried to wriggle out from underneath Daichi’s grasp but the alpha held firm, his eyes becoming darker and less focused with every second.

“Dai, Daichi,” Suga’s mouth twitched into a half-smile and he reached up to touch the alpha’s face gently – he was burning up, “Hey, I need you to let me go, okay?” He spoke softly, like talking to a child, “This is dangerous for the pup, I-”

With the word ‘pup’, Daichi snarled and bent low to nip beneath Koushi’s ears where his scent glands were located. He growled, ‘Mine’ and started to pull down the omega’s sleep shorts roughly, impatient to enter his love already.

Trying his best to keep his shorts in position, Suga made tight fists and held them to his hips firmly as he tried to think of another way out of the situation. He knew that Daichi would blame himself once he returned to his usual state and that he’d no doubt feel extremely guilty but he also knew that it was a totally natural occurrence and something that no alpha could control, no matter their status. Suga hoped to remove himself from the equation as soon as possible to prevent anything unpleasant happening but he was totally pinned to the bed by Daichi’s much larger, stronger form.

“Move your hands,” Daichi’s voice was low, a constant rumble in his chest making it deeper that usual, “I need to be in you.”

Strong alpha pheromones surrounded Koushi as he lay there, making him dizzy and hot; he could feel beads of sweat trickling down his temples and despite his efforts to fight, he could feel a little slick between his thighs, his omegan body craving the alpha on top of him. If it wasn’t for his pregnancy he would have welcomed the attention, would have used it to his advantage and urged his mate on but at almost eight months in it wasn’t safe for them to be so rough, they couldn’t risk hurting the baby.

With that thought at the forefront of his mind and tears starting to pool in his brown eyes, Suga used his full strength to push Daichi off of him and look him in the eyes.

“Dai, stop,” he saw his own hands shaking as they pressed against his mate’s chest, “I know you want me but it’s dangerous for the pup!”

Only an alpha looked back at him, all muscle and strength and need, and Koushi couldn’t help but sob. He was scared, not of Daichi but of what could happen to their pup. Of what Daichi would do if he hurt the two people he loved the most without even knowing he was doing so. The omega tried one last time to make his mate see reason, his voice but a whisper,

“You don’t want to hurt our baby, do you?”

He purposefully stroked a hand down his belly and took one of Daichi’s, setting it atop the bump as their pup rolled over beneath the surface as if on cue. The movement seemed to sober the alpha a little and he focused long enough to push himself away, eyes wide and frightened as he suddenly absorbed his crying mate and felt his own body trying to reach him, to grab Suga and ravage him until he was hoarse. Daichi gritted his teeth and set his jaw, determined not to be overtaken by his instincts for at least a few seconds.

“Dai?”

Suga sat up slowly, his chest hitching every now and then with a sob as he tried to determine whether the alpha was in his right mind or not. He reached out tentatively, his hands still shaking, but stopped when Daichi held up his hands and moved a little further away.

“Don’t get any closer, Kou,” his still-deep voice and growling betrayed his outer stillness, “I’m still...” he bit his lower lip and shook his head, “I didn’t hurt you did I?”

A silent shake of his head. Suga reached out and gently touched his mate’s knee, careful not to move too suddenly.

“You would never hurt us. Are you oka-”

Something that felt like a tidal wave of pheromones washed over Sugawara and he had to steady himself so as not to fall off the bed; the air felt hot and the overwhelming presence of his alpha was suddenly all he could think about. Daichi’s aura filled the small room and encased Suga completely, making him pant and unconsciously start to move closer to his mate. He knew his movements weren’t his own, the bond between the pair was pulling him towards Daichi like a strong magnet, one impossible to break away from and all the omega could do was obey.

Using all of his strength – both physical and mental – Daichi held his breath so as not to inhale his mate’s tempting aroma and dashed to the door, swinging it open until it banged loudly against the wall. Suga vaguely saw the movement but was too encapsulated by his alpha’s pheromones to really understand what was happening.

Daichi knew he needed to act fast, his mind wouldn’t be clear for long and he needed to quickly think of the best way to get Suga away from him without touching him or endangering him again. There was only one other alpha in the den who could possibly take him if it came to a fight – he greatly hoped it wouldn’t – and so Daichi used every last ounce of his coherent mind to yell his name.

“ASAHIII!”

On the bed, Koushi flinched and scrunched up his face at the sudden loud noise. He knew that there had been something he was worried about – terrified about – but couldn’t quite recall what it was and now only wanted to focus on the smoky scent coming from his mate and be as close to him as possible. Like he was in a dream, Suga stumbled across the room towards the waiting alpha and smiled drunkenly at him as he reached out his hand to touch his bare torso.

“Tsukki… Tsukki!”

Tadashi shoved his mate roughly until the blonde opened his eyes blearily and turned back to look at the omega in the darkness.

“What?” he grumbled as he nuzzled his head against Tadashi’s neck.

“Did you hear that?”

“What?”

“I thought I heard someone yell Asahi-san’s name,” Tadashi whispered, wary of whatever was happening outside of their room.

“It was probably a dream, go back to sleep, ‘dashi.”

Kei’s eyes drifted shut once more.

Pouting, Tadashi grabbed the alpha’s shoulders and shook them violently until Kei opened his eyes again, “It wasn’t a dream! I think it was Daichi-san!”

“Why the hell would he be yelling Asahi’s name in the middle of the night?”

“I don’t know! Go find out!”

Kei groaned but knew he wouldn’t get any sleep if he ignored it and so swung his long legs over the edge of the bed and padded his way into the hallway, vision blurry and bed hair in full swing. As soon as he left his and Tadashi’s room and the familiar scent of his mate an all new scent filled his nostrils and startled him awake immediately. An alpha in rut. To be more specific, Daichi in rut. Before he could think of it any longer, instinct took over and Tsukishima turned on his heels and slammed the bedroom door behind him, leaving a very confused Tadashi inside.

“Tsukki?” Tadashi spoke through the door, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Just stay in there and don’t come out.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

He whined slightly but Kei ignored it in favour of making sure Daichi-san wasn’t going on a rampage. Not that he could imagine their pack-leader ever losing control but who knew what a pregnant mate would do to an alpha’s sensible mind.

“Just stay in there, okay?”

“O-okay,” Tadashi agreed and moved back to sit on the bed.

In the hallway, Ennoshita and Tanaka’s heads popped out from their room, each looking a little sleep deprived and Chikara sporting an amazing ‘just-got-electrocuted’ hairstyle.

“Was that Daichi-san?” Tanaka asked, one hand around his boyfriend’s waist.

“I think so?” Kei replied, “Smells like he’s in rut.”

“Oh, god...” Chikara paled.

“ASAHI GET HERE NOW!”

Another booming yell from Daichi made all three heads snap in that direction just in time to see Asahi stumble out of the living room and run through Daichi’s open bedroom door.

“What the hell?” Ryuu’s lip curled in confusion.

Inside Daichi and Suga’s room the alpha was holding his mate at arm’s length; he was trying his best to resist the delicious raspberries and cream scent wafting from the omega but he estimated he only had a minute if not less before his iron will snapped and he let instinct take over. Thankfully Asahi’s bewildered face appeared before him at just that moment, his hair out of its usual bun and his eyes like saucers as he tried to figure out what was happening.

“What’s-”

“Take him!” Daichi shoved Suga into Asahi’s arms but held firm on his mate’s wrist as something in his mind told him not to let another alpha take his pregnant omega.

Realising just what was happening, Asahi wrapped his arms around Suga and tried to pull him free of Daichi’s grasp gently, so as not to provoke him.

“I’ll take him now, Daichi,” Asahi uncurled Daichi’s fingers from Suga’s arm and the head alpha didn’t show much resistance, “I’ll keep him safe.”

“No!” Suga mewled pitifully, sobbing as he lost contact with his mate’s hot skin.

But his mind began to clear slightly as he took a deep breath of Asahi’s sandalwood scent and he soon realised it was for the best. That didn’t stop it being painful, however, and he couldn’t help but wish to be touching Daichi again, despite the current threat he posed. He reached out his hand again only for Daichi to slap it away, utter turmoil in the alpha’s eyes as he clenched his jaw tightly but determined not to hurt his mate or pup.

“Go, now!” Daichi shoved Asahi and took one last glance at Suga’s red and crying face as he slammed the door behind them, locking it firmly.

It was quiet in the hallway for almost a full minute, the only sound being Suga’s weak sobbing as he continued to press against Asahi’s broad chest for comfort. Of course it wasn’t the comfort he wanted, no that was locked inside his and Daichi’s bedroom, but his oldest friend would suffice for at least a little while.

“What’s going on?” Kageyama had heard the commotion and left Hinata asleep to investigate the noise, “Is it the baby?”

Tanaka shook his head, “Daichi-san is in rut.”

Tobio’s mouth made an ‘o’ shape but he didn’t reply, sleep still clouding his judgement slightly.

Carefully, so as not to startle the still-crying Suga, Asahi leaned down and gently touched the omega’s back before speaking softly,

“We should get you away from the pheromones,” the hallway had quickly been permeated with Daichi’s scent and Asahi could tell it was still affecting Suga as he trembled against his chest, “Let’s go into the living room.”

The tall alpha moved to guide Suga towards the living area but the omega didn’t budge; he didn’t want to leave the place that smelled so strongly of his mate, everything in his body was telling him to stay close to Daichi, even though rationally he knew it was too dangerous. The decision seemed far too big for Suga to make and he whined softly as more tears flowed down his cheeks, frustration taking over more than anything.

“Suga-san?” Noya seemed to have materialised by his mate’s side and took Suga’s hand in his own smaller one, “Come on, it’s too dangerous here,” and when Suga still didn’t move, “Your scent will be painful for Daichi-san.”

That made Suga look up – or rather down – at Nishinoya and cleared his muddied mind a little more. The last thing he wanted was to cause his mate any more torment and he knew that if he moved away from the strong smoky scent he too would feel better for it. He nodded and followed the others into the living room with just a quick glance back towards his bedroom door.

As they passed Tsukishima and Kageyama, as well as the betas, each member of the pack felt the need to be near Sugawara; the pack subconsciously wanted to protect him and the pup and so they all – including Tadashi and Shouyou – made their way into the lounge, the omegas quickly gathering on the large sofa to scent Suga and surround him with their warmth. Tears still silently fell from Koushi’s eyes but he felt a little less erratic as the familiar sweet scents of his pack surrounded him, calming enough even to settle the restless pup in his belly.

“He should settle down soon,” Asahi handed both Suga and Yuu some warm tea, “Now that you’re not directly close to him, Daichi should come out of it a little faster.”

Suga sighed and rubbed a hand down his bump, “I really hope so...”

Chapter Text

After almost an hour on the sofa, Suga felt the urge to pee and wriggled out from between the sleeping Tadashi and Shouyou before heading down the hall to the bathroom. Although not yet asleep – he felt the need to watch over the pack as Daichi was out of commission – Asahi was starting to doze off and only vaguely noticed Koushi shuffle past him and into the hallway.

The pheromones still lingered in the air outside of the main bathroom and Suga tried to hold his breath so as not to inhale them only to find that his mate’s scent totally encapsulated him no matter what he tried. Daichi’s smoky aroma was weaker than before but still caused a dull ache inside the expecting omega, something that kept telling him to go and check on his alpha, to go and see his face and touch his skin and inhale his scent deeply. After peeing, as if by moving on instinct alone, Koushi turned towards their bedroom and reached out a hand to try the doorknob. He knew it was dangerous for both himself and the pup but he couldn’t help the invisible thread that kept pulling him back to his mate like an anchor weighing him down.

“Suga-san?”

It was Yamaguchi. He stood, half asleep as he scratched his messy hair and tilted his head in slight confusion.

“What are you doing?” Something seemed to click in Tadashi’s brain and his eyes widened a little, “Oh! You shouldn’t go back in there! Not when Daichi-san is-”

“I’ll just be a minute,” Suga said it almost as a question, as though asking himself if that was really the truth, “I just have to check on him...”

Tadashi shook his head and reached out his hands, “No, don’t! It’s not safe for you and the pup!”

Tears had begun to pool in Suga’s eyes as Tadashi’s words struck a chord within him; of course he knew it was dangerous, an alpha in rut wasn’t stable at the best of times, never mind when they had a pregnant mate, but he also knew that Daichi was just on the other side of the door and if he just peeked in for a second he should be fine. Should being the operative word. Before Suga could turn the handle, however, Tadashi’s warm freckled hand clasped his forearm and pulled him back. There wasn’t much strength behind the gesture but it was enough to bring Koushi back to his senses a little and he smiled tiredly at the younger omega, a silent gratitude in his pale eyes.

“Come on,” Tadashi held on to Suga-san’s arm as he moved back towards the living room, “We should try and sleep some more.”

“Thank you, Tadashi,” Suga linked their fingers and squeezed gently, “You’re a good pack mate.”

A slight pink coloured Tadashi’s cheeks and he smiled bashfully as they returned to the lounge.

“Where did you go?” Tsukishima held out his arm as Tadashi snuggled down beside him on the armchair, “I was about to come find you.”

“I had to pee, jeez.”

Yamaguchi glanced at Suga who once again silently thanked him for his discreetness and then nestled his face against Tsukki’s chest, inhaling his pine scent to try and calm his racing heart.

It was almost 5am when a high, pitiful whimpering woke Asahi from his deep sleep. At first he thought he was dreaming the sound but when a high, panicked raspberry scent entered his subconsciousness he knew it was in fact reality. Slowly, so as not to wake Yuu who was sleeping against his chest, the ace got to his feet and padded over to where Suga was lying on the small sofa. He was crying in his sleep, eyebrows knitted and warm tears streaming down his rosy cheeks as he mumbled incoherently. The omega’s hands kept reaching for his stomach and his breathing was becoming more and more erratic as whatever nightmare he was witnessing intensified.

Asahi didn’t waste any time and knelt down beside the sofa and gently shook Suga’s shoulders, whispering his name to try and wake him as calmly as possible. After a few seconds Suga’s eyes fluttered open and he stared at his friend in complete confusion for a silent moment before his brain caught up with what was happening.

“Are you alright?” Asahi asked as he helped Suga into a sitting position.

The omega nodded but the tears continued to trickle down his flushed cheeks and his breath hitched every few seconds with a new sob. Finally he looked up at Asahi and shook his head, another bout of whimpering hitching his chest. Not really someone known for his calmness, Asahi did his best to try and look composed and sat beside his friend, allowing Suga to rest his head against his shoulder.

“Um...” Asahi started but realised he didn’t really know how to console Suga in a way that wouldn’t sound condescending, “Sorry. I’m not really sure what to do.”

That brought a tiny smile to the omega’s lips, “You never were a good agony aunt,” he looked up and wiped his eyes although the whining continued, whether it was subconsciously or not, “Do you think it will last long?”

“The rut?” Asahi shrugged, “I’m not sure. But I do know that Daichi will want to be back with you as soon as he can. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came out of it in just a couple of days.”

He’d meant it to sound reassuring but Asahi heard the way Suga’s breath caught when he said ‘days’ and wished he’d kept his mouth shut.

“Ah...” Suga’s hands fell to his bump and a warm smile spread across his face, momentarily stopping his crying, “Looks like I woke someone up.”

“May I?”

Asahi hadn’t had an opportunity to feel the pup yet as Daichi had been so protective of his mate and although he felt a little guilty about taking advantage of his absence, he knew it would probably be his only chance. Thankfully Suga must have had the same train of thought as he took Asahi’s larger hand and placed it gently on the arch of his belly, just in time for the pup to do some sort of somersault beneath the surface.

“Wow,” Asahi whispered, awe struck.

Suga chuckled quietly, “Pretty cool, right?” he glanced over at the still-sleeping Noya, “It won’t be too long until you’ll be able to feel your pup, too.”

Asahi ran a hand through his shaggy hair, “I don’t know how I’m going to cope.”

He hadn’t really meant to say it aloud but somehow the darkness of the room and their quiet voices had brought out exactly what he was thinking and he bit his lip, a little ashamed of voicing his concerns when Suga was right beside him having a full-on panic attack. Thankfully the grey-haired omega was used to Asahi’s constant worries and pessimistic attitude, it even made him feel a little better that his friend was still being himself even in the awkward circumstances.

“You’ll be a great dad, Asahi.”

“I don’t mean that,” the alpha shook his head and then stopped abruptly, hands flailing in the darkness, “Ah, I mean I do mean that but I think I’m more worried about taking care of Yuu. I’m not exactly the most alpha of alphas, will I be able to protect him and look after him when he needs me? What if-”

“Asahi,” Suga’s voice had finally levelled out and the whimpering had ceased, “You’re one of the strongest alphas I know. And not just physically. You’ll be fine. Besides, since when has Noya ever needed ‘looking after’?”

They both chuckled at that, each feeling a little more relaxed than they had just moments before. A yawn that almost swallowed Asahi whole shook Suga’s frame and he lay back down, eyes slowly drifting shut.

“Try and get a little more sleep,” Asahi whispered as he moved back to wriggle under Noya again, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Tsukishima was woken up by the sunlight filtering through the living room curtains; it made a bright white line that trickled down his left side and zig-zagged over Tadashi’s still-sleeping form, highlighting the omega’s freckled skin and sharp edges. Most omegas were known for their curves and soft features and many found that they became more like a ‘true’ omega as they aged. For Tadashi, however, he still had the gangly limbs of his youth and angled points in his jaw and elbows. Not that Kei minded at all, he hadn’t chosen his mate because of his looks -well not only his looks - and he certainly didn’t care if he looked like an omega or not.

As his mate lay against his chest, the two of them cramped on the armchair, Tsukishima snaked his uninjured hand under Tadashi’s shirt and traced the edges of his hips and angles of his abdomen and chest. It didn’t take long for the omega to open his eyes after that and he smiled drunkenly when he awoke to find himself sitting on Tsukki’s lap. After a peck on the lips and a whispered morning greeting, Kei stood up and brought Tadashi with him, cradling him like a princess.

“Ts- Tsukki!” he stage whispered so as not to wake the others, “Put me down!”

“Make me.”

Yamaguchi pouted and leaned his head against Kei’s shoulder, defeated. Or not as the case may be, as he firmly bit down on his alpha’s exposed shoulder, enough to leave a red indentation of his blunt omega teeth.

“Ow!” Tsukki let go of him and looked down at his bitten shoulder, “You freak!”

Tadashi simply chuckled and skipped past him into the kitchen, “You asked for it.”

Their shenanigans had woken the others; Noya and Asahi who had somehow ended up top to toe on the large sofa opened their eyes at the same time as did Hinata and Kageyama who were tangled in a blanket on the floor. Tanaka – who was on the floor beside Chikara – bolted awake like he’d been shot at, waking his boyfriend with a start. It took a moment for Ennoshita to realise why he was in the living room and not his and Ryuu’s bedroom but after seeing Suga still sleeping on the sofa he looked to Asahi and kept his voice low as he asked,

“What do we do today? Will Daichi-san still be in rut?” He didn’t really know that much about alpha’s ruts as he’d never experienced one first hand until now.

Asahi nodded solemnly, “Yeah he’ll be in it for at least another day I think,” he glanced at Suga and scratched his goatee absently, “As long as we keep them apart it should be fine.”

“But won’t Suga-san want to see him?” Hinata asked blearily as he attempted to tame his orange mane.

“We’ll just have to keep him busy!” Noya exclaimed, a little more pep in his step as he didn’t feel the usual morning nausea quite yet.

“Keep who busy?” Suga asked as he sat upright, one side of his hair sticking up like he’d touched a live wire.

For a moment, Asahi flailed as he tried to think up an excuse but thankfully his spunky omega was already on the case.

“Wow, nice hair, Suga-san!” Yuu gestured to his own hair that was usually coiffed up to add to his height a little, “Looks almost like mine!”

Tanaka barked a laugh and Suga stuck out his tongue playfully. He knew exactly what his pack was doing, trying to distract him from the fact that he was almost eight months pregnant and currently without his mate. There was a definite ache in his chest and a canyon where Daichi’s presence should have been but without Daichi’s scent surrounding him, Koushi believed he could make it through the next day or so. God, he hoped it was only a day or so.

“Pancakes?” Yamaguchi’s bouncy form appeared in the kitchen doorway, flour smeared across his freckled cheek.

“Five please!” Tanaka was on his feet and headed for the kitchen before anyone else had even registered what the omega had said.

Noya got to his feet and took Suga’s hand before helping him upright and kept holding on tight as they moved into the kitchen, the smell of sugar and syrup fresh in the air.

“Pancakes?” Yuu asked as they took a seat, the smallest omega choosing to use an actual chair rather than his alpha’s lap.

Suga smiled, only a little forced, and nodded, “Pancakes sounds great!”

Chapter Text

Inside Daichi and Suga’s room the alpha paced back and forth. It had only been an hour or so since Asahi had taken Koushi away from him but it felt like an eternity. He was hot, too hot, and with every ragged breath he took the familiar raspberries and cream scent of his mate burned his nostrils like fire. Koushi’s aroma was all around him, in the bedsheets, the pillows, his clothes hanging in the wardrobe and even on the hand towels in the en-suite. He couldn’t escape it as long as he stayed in that room. But in the still-rational part of him, Daichi knew that leaving their room would be a terrible idea; he’d immediately seek out his mate and he didn’t think he’d have the coherence to calmly refuse him like earlier.

Instead, Daichi continued to pace back and forth, back and forth across the room like a caged beast. The bulge in his pants was becoming more painful by the second and he knew he’d have to do something about it soon, even if it wasn’t what he was truly hoping, needing, to do. The alpha was about to move into the bathroom to try and relieve at least a little of the pressure when his head snapped towards the door. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Koushi was behind it just mere inches away and he bounded over to it swiftly.

The raspberry scent was so intense behind the locked door that Daichi licked his lips as though tasting it and his breath caught in his throat at the thought of tasting it first hand. He held out his hand and was shocked to see it trembling as he grasped the doorknob tightly. All he would need to do was use the key and turn the handle and he’d be able to embrace his omega and claim him completely. Saliva pooled in his mouth at the thought of touching Koushi, claiming Koushi and fucking him so hard that-

Daichi stopped.

He knew exactly what he wanted to do with his mate. Daichi wanted to be rough with him, leave marks on him that would take weeks to fade and fuck him so completely that his scent would change to smoky raspberries and no other alpha would even look in his direction. Yes, he knew all of this but he also knew that in doing so, he would be rough with Suga, too rough with Suga. If he even got close to his mate Daichi knew he’d end up involuntarily hurting him and the pup, no matter how much he tried to restrain himself.

With his hand still on the doorknob, Daichi bit down hard on his lip, sharpened canines breaking the skin and leaving a bloody trail down his chin. He tried his best to try and think of anything but Suga on the other side of the door but was suddenly distracted when the doorknob started to wriggle slightly against his palm. Holding his breath, Daichi waited for it to move again, telling himself that if it did then he wouldn’t be to blame because it was Suga who was coming to him and not visa-versa. He licked his lips and waited for more movement, his heart wishing for it to move again but his more sensible side screaming at him to move away from the door and leave Suga be.

“Suga-san?”

Daichi froze. It was Yamaguchi’s voice in the hallway, obviously talking to Koushi. The alpha listened carefully with his forehead pressed against the door.

“What are you doing?”

A pause and then Yamaguchi continued.

“Oh! You shouldn’t go back in there! Not when Daichi-san is-”

“I’ll just be a minute.”

Suga’s voice. Daichi shuddered and pressed his clenched fist against the closed door.

“I just have to check on him...”

The alpha’s eyes widened and his pupils dilated. All rational thoughts seemed to blow from his mind and all he could think was that his omega was coming, Suga would soon be in his arms and he could do as he wished with him. His pheromones wafted through the room making the air dense and sweat trickled down Daichi’s temples as he listened closely for Suga’s decision.

“No, don’t! It’s not safe for you and the pup!”

It was Yamaguchi once again. Fragile, brave, anxious Yamaguchi. Daichi wondered if the freckled omega would ever know how he was the one who stopped a big powerful alpha from terrorising his pregnant mate. Because that was exactly what he had done. The words ‘not safe’ and ‘pup’ rang through Daichi’s head like a siren, blaring and deafening even to the alpha in rut. He quickly pushed away from the door and ripped off his clothes before running a cold shower and jumping into it immediately. He poured shampoo, far too much shampoo, into his hands and washed his hair vigorously to try and mask the scent of Suga with the coconut fragrance. It worked a little and, after relieving himself a couple of times, Daichi finally felt human enough to step out of the shower and try to occupy his mind with something, anything, else.

It was going to be a long night.

“I might throw up.”

Asahi paled as Noya turned grey, “Morning sickness again?”

“No,” the omega rubbed a hand down his tiny bump, “Too many pancakes.”

“They are super good,” Hinata shovelled another one into his mouth, “hmdpf fhnoep fhommf.”

“No one can understand you, idiot,” Kageyama patted his mate on the back as Shouyou started to choke.

“So what’s the plan for today? We going out or...” Chikara asked as he wiped syrup from his chin.

“We could go into town?” Asahi suggested as Yuu regained his rightful place on his lap and the alpha automatically began rubbing circles on Noya’s belly, “I need to stop by the bakery anyway.”

“I’m picking up some new glasses but we could meet you afterwards?” Tsukishima was washing up his plate in the sink, trying his best to keep his bandaged hand out of the way of the water, and totally missed the way his mate blushed when he assumed they’d be going together.

“Let’s go somewhere for lunch!” Yuu had seemingly forgotten about his nausea as he pondered over where they could grab some food, “Anywhere you want to go, Suga-san?”

Suga blinked a couple of times as if suddenly realising he was in fact present and then shrugged, “Not particularly...” he drummed his fingers on his belly and then added, a little more enthusiastically, “I am craving curry, though.”

“Oh, YUM!” Noya nodded in agreement, curry was one of his favourites, “There’s a great curry place in town just around the corner from the bakery!”

“But what about Daichi-sa-”

Tanaka slapped a hand over Tobio’s mouth just a fraction too late, startling the alpha. The others looked apprehensively at Suga but the grey-haired omega just smiled weakly and waved his hand dismissively,

“You can say his name, don’t worry. I’m not that fragile,” he smiled lopsidedly, “And I’m sure Dai can fend for himself for one day.”

Tsukishima cocked a blonde eyebrow, “You sure about that?”

“Didn’t he burn water the last time he cooked?” Noya grinned mischievously.

Suga paled a little and tilted his head, “Maybe I’ll leave him a sandwich...”

Even though it was a pretty nice day weather-wise for early September the group took Asahi’s car into town rather than walking. Suga knew it was for his benefit as he’d started to waddle slightly the last few weeks and couldn’t fit in most of his shoes due to his swollen ankles but he didn’t speak up about it. In fact he was thankful that they’d noticed and he didn’t need to worry about traipsing back up the hill to the farmhouse once they were done.

“Just drop us here, Asahi-san.”

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi got out and headed for the optician’s and then Asahi drove a little further into town and parked outside his bakery, owning the place had its benefits, one which included a designated parking space.

“There’s just a couple of things I need to check, I’ll meet you in the curry place,” Asahi gestured inside the bakery where a man in overalls was delicately painting some pastel- coloured cakes on the wall.

The others headed for the corner of the street where the curry place was but Noya lingered for a moment, indecision clear on his usually chirpy face. He looked between Asahi and the others, one part of him wanting to stay with his mate and the other begging for the hot and spicy pleasure of chicken and rice. Obviously, for Yuu at least, food won in the end and he turned on his heel to catch up to Tanaka and the others. Suga flashed Asahi a sympathetic glance but the alpha just smiled as he remembered what Suga had said the night before. It was true, Yuu didn’t need taking care of.

Inside the small restaurant the pack managed to find a table big enough to house all nine of them (the owner pushed two tables together) and slid closed the doors to their private room to cut off some of the noise of the other patrons. Although midday the place was heaving and Nishinoya hoped it was a sign that the bakery would do just as well. After all, didn’t people need dessert after curry?

“I don’t know which to choose,” Hinata’s orange hair bobbed up and down behind the large menu and he leaned closer to Kageyama, offering the alpha the menu to look at, “Which one do you think is best?”

Tobio glared down at the different names. Although it was set out like a traditional Japanese restaurant the actual menu items were typical Indian curries and neither Shouyou nor his mate knew what any of them actually consisted of.

“Just pick one,” Kageyama handed back the menu, “I’ll choose a different one and we can share.”

“Can I take your orders?” A small black-haired lady slid back the doors and smiled warmly, “The drinks are free.”

“Three Tikka Masalas, please,” Suga opted for one he already knew as he thought being adventurous at this point in his pregnancy might lead to disaster and ordered the others for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi as they’d asked him to. Rather that than let someone like Tanaka decide their fate.

“A Madras and a Korma, please,” Noya chose the mildest curry on the list for Asahi.

“Two Jalfrezi please,” Ennoshita and Tanaka were a little braver, choosing one of the curries with three pepper icons beside it.

The tiny pictures of peppers indicated how hot the curries were in terms of spicyness but of course Hinata and Kageyama hadn’t quite figured that out yet. They made their decision based solely on the names of the curry and how easily they thought they could pronounce them.

“Vindaloo, please!” Shouyou beamed proudly at his successful pronunciation.

“Um… Pa… Fall please,” Tobio stuttered as the lady politely waited for him to finish.

“A Phall?”

The alpha nodded, cheeks a little flushed despite not yet having tried the curry.

The other three pack-mates joined the party not long after, Tsukishima with brand new glasses adorning his face, and as they settled in their seats the lady returned to hand out the food.

“Ooh!” Hinata clapped as he absorbed the burnt orange sauce adorning his chicken, “Looks yummy!”

He took a big spoonful and shovelled it into his watering mouth eagerly. It took almost a full minute before his cheeks started to burn and his mouth gaped like a dying fish.

“HOT! It’s so HOT!”

With his tongue sticking out he fanned it feebly and downed an entire glass of water as the others simply enjoyed the show. As a frequenter of curry houses, Tanaka knew all too well what the omega had ordered but had kept quiet about it as he wanted to see Hinata’s priceless reaction to the spicy dish. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Have a spoonful of Kageyama’s to cleanse your palate,” Tsukishima gestured to Tobio’s bowl of curry that looked suspiciously darker than Hinata’s and Tanaka suppressed a grunt of laughter.

The raven-haired alpha hadn’t even tried his yet as he was too preoccupied with watching his mate struggle and so he offered Shouyou his bowl, even using a new spoon so that the Vindaloo wouldn’t be anywhere near it. Grateful and a little too trusting of Tsukishima, Hinata took a huge spoonful of Kageyama’s Phall curry and shoved it into his waiting maw.

“Oh, God,” Suga watched, wide-eyed, as Shouyou’s face circled the colour wheel.

Finally the redhead swallowed his mouthful, his eyes watering and nose running, cheeks scarlet and sweat trickling down his temples. Something not unlike a squawk of pain issued from his mouth and he reached out a trembling hand for the jug of milk that the waitress had suspiciously supplied them with. Instead of pouring it into a glass as intended, Shouyou tipped the large jug back and gulped down the milk like he was dying of thirst. Unable to hold back his laughter any longer, Tanaka burst into a fit of hysterics and the others couldn’t help but follow suit.

“AHAHAHA!” the beta continued to guffaw, tears streaming down his face, “That was beautiful!”

On Hinata’s right, Tadashi poured him a glass of milk and asked, “Are you okay?!”

Once he’d downed the glass, Hinata squinted at Tadashi and croaked, “I don’t think I like curry any more.”

That sent the others into yet another fit of laughter, including Suga who was momentarily distracted from his worries and ever-thankful for his pack-mates.

Chapter Text

After the pandemonium of the curry, the Karasuno pack decided to walk off their lunch through town. The leaves had started to fall and there was a chilly breeze in the air that made Noya shudder as they passed a street vendor selling mochi in various shapes and colours. Despite his shivering, the tiny omega paused and tugged on Asahi’s coat like a shy child,

“Asahi~” he sing-songed as his eyes widened to look as cute as possible, “Can we get mochi?”

The alpha had read that pregnant omegas shouldn’t fall for the ‘eating for two’ saying and should control their intake of calories to stay healthy. However, with how bad Yuu’s morning sickness had been, Asahi was just happy to see his mate with an appetite and handed over his wallet gladly.

“I’ll take an espresso-flavoured set!” Tanaka leaned his elbow on Noya’s shoulder.

“Ah...” Asahi was going to attempt to tell him that his wallet was meant just for Yuu but it was too late as the others ordered various flavours from the menu and the vendor handed them out with a less than sympathetic smile towards the Ace.

“Now what?” Chikara nibbled on a pink strawberry-flavoured sweet as they stopped at a bench to eat and sat down on the armrest to let Suga and Noya have first dibs on the actual seat.

“Arcade?” Tanaka suggested but no one else seemed in the mood.

With a mouthful of milk-flavoured mochi, Kageyama mumbled something that sounded like ‘Dip in the boobies’ which of course sent Ryuu and Noya into a fit of giggles as the alpha choked down his food and spoke more clearly.

“I said, why don’t we take a trip to the movies?”

“A ‘trip to the movies’?” Tsukishima smirked, “Are you an old man?”

“There’s that new movie I wanna see!” Hinata chirped after putting his empty carton into the trash, “With the robots!”

“I don’t know...” Asahi glanced at Suga, worried that he might be anxious to get back to the den, “Suga? What do you want to do?”

“Hmm?” he blinked up at Asahi like he’d been somewhere else and then shrugged, “I don’t really mind. We can go see a movie if that’s what everyone wants to do.”

“Yeah!” Noya whooped and high-fived Tanaka triumphantly, “Popcorn!”

“You can’t still be hungry!” Asahi prayed that his wallet would remain intact for the remainder of the day.

Back at the farmhouse, Daichi had heard the rest of the pack leave at around 11:30 and waited another half an hour before venturing out of his and Suga’s bedroom. The house seemed hollow without everyone’s cheerful voices and loud characters and despite his high temperature, the head alpha felt a chill run down his spine. He was soon distracted from the ominous feeling, however, when his stomach rumbled loudly and he suddenly felt the ache the lack of breakfast had left in him.

His body felt a little more like his own without the scent of Koushi so close by and he found rational thoughts had started to return ever so slowly to him. Food was first on the agenda and Daichi found himself wishing that there was some sort of leftovers in the refrigerator so that he wouldn’t have to attempt cooking with only half of his brain focused on the task. He wasn’t the greatest of cooks to start with but he knew he’d certainly do a crappy job when he was thinking mostly with his crotch.

Thankfully, when he entered the kitchen, the first thing the alpha noticed was the bright yellow post-it note on the fridge. He recognised the handwriting immediately as Suga’s and traced each letter with his finger as he read, ‘We’ve gone out for lunch. I’ve left you a ham sandwich in the fridge. Love you, K. xx’ He read it twice more before pulling it from the door and holding it to his nose automatically to try and smell Koushi’s lingering scent. It smelled of ink and paper and so he folded it gently into his trouser pocket for safe keeping before opening the fridge and pulling out the carefully wrapped sandwich.

After eating it in three huge bites, Daichi poured himself a glass of water and then immediately poured another after gulping it down, his body thankful for the coolness. He guessed he had another hour or so before they returned home and so moved into the living room aimlessly to try and find something to distract himself from the gnawing heat in his belly. It was only once he’d flopped down on the sofa that he realised what a mistake that had been. Suga’s scent suddenly wafted up from the cushions and completely surrounded him like a thick fog; his mouth watered and a throbbing tent formed in his trousers as the heat of his rut took all of his attention once more. Without thinking about what he was doing or how ridiculous he looked, Daichi turned on to his stomach and lay on the couch where Suga had slept the night before, burying his head in the throw cushions and inhaling the raspberries and cream scent of his omega.

He groaned, unable to control himself, and silently cursed the other pack members for taking his mate away from him when he wanted him the most. All rational sense quickly faded from his mind and only alpha instincts remained. Subconsciously, without ever planning to do so, Daichi used his bond with Koushi to try and force him to return to him. Although Suga was almost too far away to use their bond properly, Daichi could just about feel the tug of the invisible string between them and used all of his energy to yank on it as hard as he could.

In the cinema, the group took their seats in the middle row with Suga on the aisle end in case he needed to pee midway through. Noya was sitting happily with a huge tub of popcorn in his lap – the plan was to share it with Hinata and Asahi beside him but he was already halfway through the giant tub – as the trailers started to play and Tanaka remarked on a couple of the movies he wanted to see.

The movie was just starting when Suga felt the sudden familiar tension in the bond mark on his nape and rubbed at it feebly. He thought it was probably just himself trying to reassure his own mind that Daichi was still around and tried to ignore it but it soon became more of a stinging sensation that made him whimper slightly in the darkened room.

Not wanting to worry the others, Suga got to his feet and mumbled something about ‘having to pee’ when Tadashi asked if he was okay and waddled up the aisle and into the brighter entryway of the cinema. He knew he couldn’t give in to the tugging sensation, even though his body was screaming at him to just let go and run back to his alpha as fast as he could, he had to be brave for his pup’s sake if not his own and he instead dashed into the bathroom to try and cool his head with some water. Thankfully only one of the stalls was occupied and the coolness against his face helped clear his mind a little, but his whimpering continued as he stared at himself in the large mirror, his haggard reflection betraying the fact that he thought he was putting up a good, strong front.

“Um… Sugawara-san?”

It was Tsukishima. When had he appeared? Suga noticed that the occupied stall was now empty and wondered when the tall blonde had slunk out of the cinema without him noticing.

“Is everything okay?” Kei’s golden eyes flicked down to the substantial bump and back to Suga’s face, “Should I get someone?”

Suga shook his head and leaned back against the sinks, “No, I’m alright. I just...” his hand moved to his bond mark as he fell quiet.

“Is Daichi-san trying to pull you back home?”

The omega hadn’t expected Tsukishima to say exactly what had happened and his wide eyes looked comically surprised when he looked up at the tall alpha, making Kei chuckle a little before continuing,

“I guessed he would,” Kei washed his hands and dried them as he spoke, “It’s what I would have done if Tadashi wasn’t there and I was, you know,” he looked at Suga with a warmth that the omega hadn’t seen in his friend before, “He really cares about you and he’s really strong to be apart like this,” his eyes hardened to a more familiar expression, “But he’s also dangerous for you and the pup. Don’t go back alone, no matter how much you want to.”

With a relieved sigh, Suga pushed himself upright and pinched Tsukishima’s cheek like a grandma, making the alpha flinch a little.

“You know you’re pretty cool, Tsukki,” he purposefully used Tadashi’s nickname for the alpha and grinned when it caused his cheeks to pink slightly, “Thank you, for being such a good pack-mate.”

Whatever Daichi had been doing to try and pull his omega back home had ceased and Suga was thankful for it as he and Tsukishima exited the bathroom only to walk face-first into Tadashi. The freckled omega yipped and blushed as he realised he’d been caught evesdropping.

“How long were you there?” Kei cocked an eyebrow at his mate.

Blushing, Tadashi stuttered, “Ju- Just a few minutes,” Tsukki continued to stare, “Since you came out of the cubicle...”

“So basically the whole time.”

“I thought you maybe needed help!” Tadashi’s eyebrows shot up, “You said that your stomach was hurting after the curry so I-”

A large hand slapped across Tadashi’s mouth, silencing him as Kei’s ears turned red.

“Ah...” Suga tried to hide his smirk as they stepped back into the dark theatre, “So that’s why you were using a stall...”

“Not a word,” Tsukki growled as they took their seats.

The movie had been lacklustre to say the least but Noya and Hinata had seemed to enjoy it and it had taken about two hours out of the day so it wasn’t all bad. Without anything else to do in town, however, the group decided to head back home and climbed into Asahi’s car, apprehension tainting the air slightly.

“Do you think I should call ahead?” Asahi asked as he buckled himself in and looked at Suga through the rearview mirror, “Just to make sure Daichi isn’t, you know...”

“What?” Suga rested his hands on his belly, “Waiting in the entryway, frothing at the mouth? He’s in rut not insane.”

When they returned to the den, Daichi was nowhere to be seen. There was evidence of his presence in the kitchen and the living room certainly smelled like his smoky scent but the actual man himself had returned to his and Suga’s bedroom, safe from Koushi’s decadent raspberries and cream aroma. Suga’s ‘I’m coping’ mask was starting to fade now that they were home and he couldn’t help the slight whine that escaped his lips when he sat down on the sofa and was suddenly drowning in Daichi’s scent. His bond mark ached and he wanted nothing more than to ignore his sensible side and go rushing back to his alpha and be embraced in his strong arms. Thankfully the movement in his belly pushed those thoughts aside and he moved to the armchair to try and escape the smoky scent a little.

Another couple of hours passed with the pack watching TV – Noya and Tanaka snook out to play on the playstation in Yuu’s room – and Suga finally drifted into a light sleep with his friends as the background noise lulling him into unconsciousness.

“When do you think Daichi-san will come out of it?” Shouyou nuzzled into Kageyama’s side on the sofa.

The alpha shrugged, “I think it’s different for everyone. Could be hours or a few more days.”

Hinata glanced towards the sleeping Suga and knitted his eyebrows, “I hope it’s soon.”

“Why?” Kageyama followed his mate’s gaze, “Isn’t he doing okay now?”

“Are you blind?” Ennoshita now, “He’s barely hanging on. If Daichi doesn’t come out of rut soon I’m pretty sure Suga-san is going to try and get to him.”

“But that’s too dangerous for the pup!” Hinata squeaked and Suga stirred, eyes fluttering open slowly.

He looked around, dazed for a moment, before he remembered why he was alone and the others saw his expression drop as the realisation set in. Perhaps Ennoshita had been right in his thinking. Before they could voice their concerns, however, the ball of energy that is Nishinoya Yuu came barrelling into the lounge, Tanaka trailing behind having been completely defeated during their game, and took Suga’s arm without a moment’s thought. Koushi teetered for a few seconds as he was thrust to his feet and then, when he’d finally regained his balance, asked just what the tiny omega was up to.

“I thought we could go into your nest for a while. Just until dinner is ready?”

Oh, Koushi thought, That’s actually not a bad idea.

Out loud he said, “Do you want to?”

“Sure!” Yuu winked at Asahi proudly and tugged Suga into the hallway, heading for the other end of the farmhouse where Suga’s ‘Nest Room’ was located. Unfortunately for the two expecting omegas, there was something, or rather someone blocking their way.

Daichi.

Chapter Text

The sound that issued from Nishinoya’s mouth at the sight of Daichi in the hallway was something indescribable; it was almost like an animal being caught in a trap, which, if he thought about it, wasn’t really far from the actual situation. Daichi remained still, every muscle in his body tensed as he forced his alpha side back as hard as he could but he couldn’t do anything about his powerful pheromones that had quickly enveloped the two omegas and was starting to make them dizzy.

“We should go back to the others,” Noya tried his best to keep a level head despite his instincts telling him to move closer to the powerful alpha and pulled on Suga’s sleeve, “Suga-san, please!” His voice cracked a little and his other hand hovered over his barely-there baby bump as he stepped back more.

Suga didn’t respond. He’d been doing so well trying not to think about Daichi or give in to his omegan instincts to go to his mate but now, with his alpha directly in front of him with his smoky scent and wild pheromones, all Suga could do was submit and step forwards. He moved awkwardly, like a puppet on strings, as his mind screamed silently at him to stop but his body moved closer to Daichi, ignoring the rational part of his brain completely. Once he was close enough to feel Daichi’s hot, heavy breath on his cheeks, sweat began to form on Suga’s cheeks and he began to whine loudly for his mate to take him. Logic left Koushi completely and he no longer cared what his alpha wanted to do to him, all that mattered was that he needed to be claimed by Daichi, consumed by him, no matter the consequences.

Watching almost helplessly, Daichi stared as Suga stepped close enough to smell his raspberries and cream scent and licked his lips subconsciously as the aroma made venom pool in his mouth. He felt his canines sharpen once again and was aware of his throbbing erection in his pants, everything telling him to take his omega there and then and completely dominate Koushi with his much stronger, larger body. The only thing that was keeping him frozen where he stood was the sight of Suga’s prominent belly. The omega’s shirt was tight around the dome and every few seconds Suga’s hand hovered over it like his body was trying to protect the pup inside despite his reckless actions.

“Dai,” Suga whispered and it made every hair on the alpha’s body stand on end as the omega reached out his hand to touch his alpha’s face, “Shh, it’s okay now.”

Daichi’s pupils dilated and a haze of fog invaded his vision, all thoughts on taking his mate and hiding him away until his primal desires were satisfied. He opened his mouth, sharp teeth ready to bite and claim and mark his omega.

When Suga had stepped closer to Daichi, Noya had taken the opportunity to rush back to the living room. He stumbled a little, still dizzy from Daichi’s powerful pheromones, but managed to make it back to the others without falling.

“That was fas-”

Asahi didn’t get to finish his sentence as Yuu barrelled into his torso and gripped around his waist as tightly as he could. He whimpered a little, no doubt worrying his alpha to the point of desperation, and quickly inhaled Asahi’s scent to rid himself of Daichi’s. When he was finally satisfied that he could speak without his voice cracking, Noya looked up at his distressed mate and spoke quickly.

“Daichi was-”

“Daichi?!” Asahi started examining Yuu’s body with his frantic eyes, “Did you get hurt? How’s the pup? What did he-”

Noya stood on his tiptoes and pressed both hands to Asahi’s mouth to quiet him, “I’m fine, he didn’t do anything… yet. Suga-san is still there, though! I think it was too much for him, he started to go towards Daichi, I-”

“Okay, okay,” Asahi pressed a firm kiss to the top of Noya’s head and pushed him towards Kageyama, “Stay here, I’ll go bring Suga back.”

“I’ll come, too,” Tsukishima got to his feet and the two alphas quickly dashed down the hallway towards the strong smoky aroma.

The hallway wasn’t huge by any standards but it did turn off to the right before it reached Daichi and Suga’s room and so Kei and Asahi couldn’t yet see the mated pair. They could, however, smell Daichi’s strong smoky scent and another, weaker smell.

“You smell that?” Kei tilted his head up to sniff the air.

Asahi followed suit and nodded, “Yeah. Blood.”

“You don’t think Daichi’s...” Kei trailed off, uncertain of what he was even insinuating.

“He’d never hurt Suga.”

“Maybe not purposefully but who knows what his rut is doing to him.”

Asahi shook his head, loose strands of hair falling into his face as they turned the corner, “I hope I know him well enough.”

They were right, there was the distinct smell of copper in the air, the unmistakable aroma of blood. It took them only a moment, however, to realise that it wasn’t Suga’s blood, it was Daichi’s. The head alpha had bitten into the flesh of his own hand, between his thumb and forefinger, and that is where his teeth remained as Asahi and Tsukishima looked at him. It was as though Daichi had somehow muzzled himself and instead of biting (or worse) Suga, he’d chomped down on himself to try and gain some clarity. Somehow it seemed to be working, too, as his eyes cleared and his breathing evened out.

“Suga,” Asahi stepped towards the pair cautiously and touched Suga’s shoulder gently, noticing that the omega was sobbing softly. It elicited a loud growl from Daichi but Asahi ignored him, “Come over here.”

He didn’t wait for Suga’s response and pulled him back, handing the trembling omega to Tsukishima whilst he stepped forwards towards Daichi. Another low growl but Daichi kept his hand against his mouth, eyes watering as more blood oozed down his wrist. The pheromones didn’t seem as strong as before and Asahi didn’t know if it was because Daichi’s attention was focused elsewhere or because the head alpha was starting to come out of his rut. Either way it meant that Daichi was slightly more focused and Asahi took his chance to speak rationally with him.

“Let’s get back into your room, okay?”

Daichi’s dark eyes flicked over to Koushi, who was sobbing quietly against Tsukishima’s chest, and he shook his head. In his head, he knew he should move away from his mate but he also knew that Suga was in distress and hated to see him like that. He bit down harder on his hand, the pain a good distraction from his confused thoughts.

“Daichi...” Asahi looked pitifully at his friend. He rarely saw Daichi looking less than perfect and it pained him to see the head alpha suffering as he was, “What should we do?”

It was all he could say; Asahi wasn’t the head of the pack, he didn’t know which decisions were the right ones to make and he certainly didn’t have the level-headedness of either Daichi or Suga. He was overwhelmed and needed some sort of guidance, even if it was from an alpha currently losing his composure.

The question startled Daichi and he finally released his hand, letting it flop to his side where it began to drip onto the wooden floor in quiet plip plip plips. For the first time in hours, Daichi felt a little more focused as he looked at Asahi and chuckled. He hadn’t meant to laugh at his friend but he couldn’t help the warmth that spread throughout him as he looked upon the familiar expression of the Ace.

“You’re asking me what to do?”

Asahi nodded, a slight blush on his cheeks as he looked at the floor, “S-sorry.”

More and more rational thoughts began to overtake the heat inside Daichi and he felt his muscles relaxing as his pheromones began to calm and he no longer felt the unbearable urge to claim Suga and fuck him until he was satisfied.

“I think it’s wearing off...” Daichi wiped the sweat from his brow and ran a hand through his damp hair, “I need to take a cold shower but I think I’m okay.” He smiled broadly at Asahi and slapped his shoulder firmly, “Thanks, Asahi.”

His attention turned to his mate as Koushi turned his head slightly to look at him. His eyes were puffy from crying and his hair was sticking up awkwardly where he’d been pressed against Tsukishima but his expression was firm, determined, as he padded over to his mate.

“I was so scared!” Suga whimpered and swiped at a stray tear on his cheek.

“I know, Kou,” Daichi stepped back so that there was a little more space between them. Although he was sure he was coming out of his rut he still didn’t want to take any chances, “I’m so sorry I scared you.”

Suga shook his head, “No you idiot!” Daichi’s jaw clenched as Suga continued, “I was scared that you were going to hurt yourself even more!” he jabbed a finger towards Daichi’s bloody hand, “Why would you hurt yourself like that?! It frightened me!” his breath hitched as another barrage of sobs hit, “Don- don’t do it again.”

“I’m sorry, Kou...”

He really didn’t know how to respond and so reached out his good hand to touch Suga’s cheek. When the omega slapped it away he wasn’t really surprised, he’d given him quite a shock and although Suga said he wasn’t scared, Daichi had an inkling that he’d just been putting up a front. What did shock the alpha, however, was what Koushi said next.

“Don’t touch me. You stink.”

Behind Suga, Tsukishima suppressed a laugh as the expecting omega turned his back on his mate.

“Hurry up and take a shower.”

Dumbfounded and a little embarrassed, Daichi did as he was told and stepped back into their bedroom to take a shower whilst the others headed back into the living room. At least that’s what he thought they’d done. When he exited the en-suite, however, Suga was curled up on the bed with one of Daichi’s shirts wrapped around him like a blanket. He was holding the sleeve up to his face, inhaling the smoky scent every time he breathed in as he slept peacefully, exhaustion finally taking over.

Not wanting to wake him as he looked so content and must have been through a torturous day, Daichi sat down carefully on the bed. Now that he was close to his omega, however, he couldn’t resist the urge to touch him and brushed a little of Koushi’s grey hair from his face, rousing the omega from his slumber.

“Ah, sorry,” Daichi moved to get some fresh clothes as he was currently in just a bath towel but his wrist was caught by his mate, keeping him firmly perched on the bed.

“Don’t go,” Suga sat up with a little difficulty and pressed his face against Daichi’s bare chest, inhaling his smoky scent deeply, “Don’t leave me ever again.”

Something clenched in Daichi’s chest and he cursed his inner alpha, infuriated that he’d been able to worry his mate to such an extent.

"I won’t,” he held Suga against his torso and entwined his fingers over his belly, “I’ll never leave either of you again, I promise.”

Gently, Suga took the hand Daichi had bitten and brought it to his mouth. He kissed every tooth mark and licked gently at the deepest cuts, his omegan tongue a little rougher than an alpha’s. It stung a little but Daichi didn’t pull back, he deserved the pain and was just happy being so close with his omega and pup.

“We missed you,” Suga yawned, the previous interrupted night’s sleep catching up with him.

“It was only a day,” Daichi teased.

“A day too long.”

“I’m sorry.”

Suga nodded sleepily, “Me too.”

Daichi raised an eyebrow and leaned down to look at Suga’s face, “Why?”

The omega smiled and looked sideways at his alpha, light eyes full of sensuality, “For being so utterly irresistible.”

That earned him a firm kiss on the cheek as he finally drifted into a deep sleep in his mate’s arms, completely content.

Chapter Text

October 10th.

It was finally the opening day of Asahi’s bakery and all hands were on deck to get everything prepared before the big event. Asahi had hired three servers, a pastry chef, a baker and a kitchen hand and he himself would be designing and creating the recipes for each and every confection. 

The main dining area was a pale pastel blue with various cute pieces of art representing the signature cakes and pastries. Round wooden tables with white metal fixtures and legs matched the delicately designed chairs and the main counter exhibited the cakes and delicacies of the day. As Asahi glanced around the room from his place at one of the tables everything looked like it was ready but the ace always tended to lean towards the worst case scenario and was currently freaking out over whether they’d ordered enough flour to make the larger sponge cakes for take-out.

Noticing his mate’s pale face and anxious expression, Noya pulled Asahi’s wringing hands aside and perched on his lap, facing the alpha with his legs dangling on either side of Asahi’s hips. He placed a firm kiss on his lips and started to trace the alpha’s jawline with a delicate finger as he spoke quietly,

“It looks great, chill out.”

Asahi tilted his head to look up (only slightly) at the omega, “You think so?”

Noya nodded and wriggled where he sat, his slightly rounded belly pushing against Asahi’s abs, “I know so,” he smiled widely and bounced a little more enthusiastically, “I can’t wait for everyone to see what you’ve done!”

The alpha glanced at his watch, five minutes to go until 9am, opening time. His heart rate increased a little and he took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Before he could linger on any more thoughts of what might go wrong, the door jingled, announcing the arrival of the rest of the pack who had all taken the morning off to support their pack mate and friend.

“Whoa!” Hinata’s eyes sparkled with delight at the finished eating area, “So cool!”

“It looks great, Asahi-san!” Yamaguchi’s expression mirrored Shouyou’s.

Suga took a seat beside Asahi, a slightly relieved look on his face as he took some weight off his throbbing ankles, and smiled warmly.

“You’ve done such a good job!” he pinched Asahi’s cheek playfully, “We’re so proud of you!”

A hard slap on his back alerted Asahi that Tanaka was behind him, “Yeah, man! This place is awesome! Can I get some cake?”

Ennoshita slapped his head, “Not until it opens!”

“But it looks so good!”

The beta had his eyes on a large, three-tiered cake on a table in the middle of the bakery; it had pale blue frosting to match the décor and a bright yellow sunshine at the top with pastel coloured sugar flowers cascading down the sides. It would be free for everyone to try once the bakery actually opened.

“So?” suddenly Noya’s voice was at the front door, rather than on Asahi’s lap, and the alpha looked over to his mate as Yuu gestured to the ‘open/closed’ sign on the glass door, “Are we ready for business?”

Asahi swallowed loudly and got to his feet before nodding, “I guess so.”

Tanaka clapped like a performing seal as Nishinoya flipped the sign to ‘open’ and swung open the door, his beaming smile welcoming the small crowd that had gathered outside in the street. They tumbled into the bakery like someone had turned on a tap and suddenly the shop was filled with voices and laughter and awed gasps as the customers looked around and examined the cakes and confections in the front counter. It took a moment for Asahi to register that so many people had been waiting just to see his shop and he had to gather his thoughts when Daichi stood beside him, one hand on his shoulder.

“Looks like it’s going to be a success,” Daichi spoke softly.

“Yeah,” Asahi bit his bottom lip to stop it quivering, “I hope so.”

Daichi returned to sit with Suga, the expecting omega looked a little uneasy in the sea of new scents and voices, but was replaced immediately with Tanaka and Chikara who were munching happily on slices of the tall cake.

“Delicious!” Ryuu grinned through full cheeks and almost choked on some frosting.

“Yeah,” Chika ignored his boyfriend’s struggling, “It’s really tasty.”

“Thanks guys.” 

Asahi blushed slightly, still a little dazed by how fast everything was happening. Thankfully, Yuu appeared behind him, wrapping his small arms around Asahi’s broad waist and buried his face into his alpha’s back, inhaling deeply. When Asahi tried to turn to hug him back the omega held tight and the alpha’s brows knitted together.

“Yuu?” he spoke with his head tilted to one side to try and see his mate, “Is everything okay?”

He felt a nod against his back as Noya replied, “Just a lot of scents and stuff… It’s a bit much y’know?”

Asahi remembered Suga mentioning his acute sense of smell since getting pregnant and figured Noya was probably experiencing the same thing. They hadn’t really spent much time with other people since finding out they were expecting, especially not in such a confined space, and so Asahi understood why his mate was feeling a little uneasy. He unhooked Noya’s hands from his waist and turned to hold his omega, pulling him tight against his body and releasing strong pheromones to surround his mate. Noya immediately relaxed into the embrace and smiled up at his alpha, his chin resting on his chest.

“Better?” Asahi asked as he brushed some loose hair from the omega’s face.

“Yep, thanks,” Yuu glanced over to where Daichi and Suga were sitting at a table, the latter of which looked ghostly pale, “Looks like Suga-san is feeling it too.”

“Is it really that bad? I don’t see that many alphas here.”

Yuu shrugged, “It’s not unbearable but Suga is further along than me, I guess it’s a little worse for him.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” 

Daichi was fretting by his mate’s side. Not only could he sense that his mate was becoming more and more uncomfortable in the crowd of strangers but his own alpha instincts had kicked into overdrive and he had to stop himself from getting up and punching every person who happened to brush past Koushi’s chair accidentally.

“I’m fine, Dai,” Koushi lied, “Just bring me some cake, please?”

The head alpha glanced back and forth between the cake, which was no more than six feet away from where they sat, and his mate. There was no way he wanted to leave his pregnant omega by himself but he also worried about the consequences if he didn’t get Koushi some cake. Surely he could grab some and be back at their table in less than a minute? Nothing bad could happen in sixty seconds, right? He took Suga’s hands in his own and set his jaw firmly,

“I’ll be right back,” he kissed each of Koushi’s fingers and pouted slightly when he noticed his omega chuckling at his behaviour, “What?”

“You’re getting cake not going to war,” Suga pushed his mate towards the crowd of people surrounding the cake, “Go. Get cake. We’re hungry,” he patted his bump and watched his alpha toddle over to the cake, deflated.

At the approach of a strong alpha such as Daichi, a small gap formed in the haphazard queue and he took advantage of it to move to the front. There he spotted Kageyama and Hinata waiting patiently with empty plates to receive some of the decadent cake and spoke up so they could hear him over the commotion.

“Do you want me to get you some?”

“Oh!” Hinata beamed, “Please!”

The head alpha did just that and returned to Suga just moments later with two plates of cake, Kageyama and Hinata. They joined Suga at the table and Shouyou took a huge bite, his eyes glazing over slightly at the scrumptious flavour and texture of Asahi’s baking. Said baker pulled up another chair and made sure Noya was seated between the other omegas before heading off to help at the counter.

“The cake is so good!” Hinata took another bite, “What flavour is that?”

“Asahi said it was elderflower, I think?” Yuu snook a forkful from Suga’s plate.

Kageyama paused with his first forkful of cake halfway to his mouth and let it fall back to his plate, a look of disappointment on his face. He pushed the plate towards Shouyou, who added the cake to his own plate gratefully.

“What’s wrong?” Suga asked, “Not to your taste?”

“He- ller t’ elmmmrrgghh,” Shouyou’s attempt at speaking through a mouthful of cake failed miserably and so Kageyama interpreted.

“I’m allergic to elderflower.”

“Ah,” Suga pointed towards the glass counter where more, smaller cakes resided, “Go and pick another type, I’ll pay.”

Daichi ruffled his love’s hair and nodded, answering Tobio’s silent question of ‘Are you sure?’,

“Get me a brownie, too,” the head alpha handed over his wallet and watched Kageyama go up to the counter to choose something else.

Suga tilted his head at his mate, curious as to why Daichi didn’t have any cake for himself, “Didn’t you want some?”

Daichi wiped crumbs from Suga’s lips and smiled, “An old lady got the last piece before I could.”

Suga scoffed and finished his slice, “You should have fought her off.”

“I dunno,” Daichi looked at the three omegas at the table and shuddered dramatically, “I don’t think I could take her. She looked pretty mean.”

To Daichi’s surprise, Yuu didn’t so much as smirk at his comment, instead the smallest omega sat with his chin on his palms, staring across at the counter where Asahi was serving Tobio. Nishinoya looked a little forlorn and almost sad as he watched the black-haired alpha return and as Daichi was about to ask if he was okay, Shouyou did it for him.

“Do you feel sick again, Noya-san?”

Noya jumped a little and shook his head as he spread a false smile onto his lips, “No, I’m fine.”

“Is it the scents?” Suga shuffled closer to Daichi to try and inhale more of his mate’s smoky aroma, “There’s so many in here.”

Before Noya could answer, Tsukishima and Tadashi appeared behind Suga, the latter looking a little bedraggled with his hair sticking in all directions and his cheeks flushed. He was carrying a small cake box and looked like he’d had to go into battle in order to obtain it. With a little too much force, Kei pulled his mate to his side and held his arm around Yamaguchi’s waist firmly to keep him there; the omega had almost fallen on his face in the midst of the crowd gathered around the counter and, although a little funny, Tsukki had rescued him from the peril of housewives and sweet-toothed strangers so that he could buy his pastries.

“You okay there, Tadashi?” Daichi chuckled at the omega’s appearance.

“Mhmm!” Tadashi nodded, still a little embarrassed, “Looks like the bakery is a hit!”

“Well, it’s only open for an hour today so I think people are losing their minds a little.”

Nishinoya looked up at Daichi, puzzled as to why he would think that the bakery wasn’t open all day, it was the official opening day after all, why the heck would Asahi only open for a short time? Thinking Daichi was mistaken, Noya started to correct him but his voice was drowned out by a loud bell ringing at the front of the shop.

“That’s it, folks!” Tanaka shouted as he rang the bell wildly, “We’ll be open all day starting from tomorrow! Thanks for coming to the sneak peak!”

“Eh?” Yuu looked at the others for answers, totally confused, but the rest of the pack didn’t seem to think there was anything out of the ordinary.

The bell-ringing continued for a little too long and Daichi had to march over to Tanaka and relieve him of his duty before someone called the police about a noise disturbance. Once everyone was out of the bakery and the doors were locked, Nishinoya dashed over to the counter to confront Asahi about what on earth was going on. He knew his mate was the anxious type but to only open for an hour and risk losing sales, what was he thinking? Unfortunately, his mate was nowhere to be seen and when Noya turned back to ask the others where he’d gone, they too had vanished. 

“What the-”

He was starting to think he was dreaming and pinched himself to confirm he wasn’t. Then the lights went out and the expecting omega began to panic slightly, one hand on his small belly as he stood alone in the darkened bakery.

“Where the hell did everyone g-”

A sudden chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ startled Yuu and he spun to see the pack, led by Asahi carrying a large white cake topped with flickering candles, stepping out of the kitchen. Everyone had a gift in their hands and they were singing loudly – and very out of tune – as Noya’s panic turned to elation and slight embarrassment at his own obliviousness. 

Asahi put the cake down on a table carefully and embraced his mate tightly, mumbling apologies into his hair as he did so.

“It wasn’t Asahi’s idea to keep it a secret,” Suga spoke up before Yuu could scold his alpha, “We convinced him it’d be fun.”

“You dummy!” Yuu thumped Asahi in the chest with a light fist, “I thought you’d forgotten!”

“Never!” Asahi lifted Yuu off his feet and carried him like a baby koala over to the table to blow out the candles, “Make a wish, Yuu.”

Nishinoya closed his eyes and wished as hard as he could that he could stay as happy as he was in that moment, forever.

Chapter Text

It was almost 2 in the morning and Asahi and Noya were lying in bed, the alpha’s arms wrapped tightly around his mate as Yuu lay against his chest. Their clothes were strewn across the floor haphazardly, somehow Asahi’s underwear had ended up on the bedside lamp, and there was evidence of how they’d spent most of the night celebrating Noya’s birthday.

“Did you have a good day?” Asahi asked as he pressed a kiss to his mate’s forehead.

Yuu stretched lazily and nodded before mumbling, “Yeah.” He then looked up at Asahi, lips pouted teasingly, “After I knew you hadn’t forgotten.”

The alpha scratched his chin awkwardly, “I’m so sorry. It was Tanaka’s idea, he thought it’d be funny.”

“Don’t worry,” Yuu grinned, teeth shimmering in the dark room, “I’ll get him back tomorrow.”

Noya nuzzled closer to Asahi, breathing deeply to inhale his sandalwood scent, and let his eyelids fall closed. He was content, totally comfortable and safe and with the person he loved most in the world. Plus he was carrying their pup, something they’d both created from their love and something that would connect them forever. When Yuu opened his eyes again they were filled with tears and a single sparkling drop fell onto his cheek, startling his alpha.

“What is it?” Asahi’s voice rose an octave, “Is something wrong?”

Yuu rubbed the tear away and smiled, calming his mate immediately, “Nope. Everything is just right,” he claimed Asahi’s lips firmly and got into a comfortable sleeping position before whispering, “I love you, you big ape.”

“Yeah,” Asahi whispered, “I love you too.”

Sugawara Koushi hadn’t had more than an hour’s sleep before his bladder had woke him up. And once he was awake he really didn’t feel like trying to find another comfortable position to sleep in and instead opted to treat himself to a midnight – or rather early morning – snack. He made his way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, the light illuminating the entire room for a brief moment and highlighting the alpha seated at the kitchen table. Suga almost dropped the bottle of milk he’d picked out and fumbled for the light switch, flicking it with the milk raised like a weapon. Thankfully it was just Tsukishima sitting alone in the darkness and Suga could finally take the breath he’d been holding.

“Jeez!” Suga took a bag of cookies from the cupboard and poured himself some milk before sitting opposite Kei, “Why the heck are you sitting in the dark like a Bond villain?”

“Sorry,” Tsukishima pinched the bridge of his nose, his glasses nowhere to be seen, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Suga dunked his cookie in the milk and repeated his question, “Why’re you sitting alone in the dark?”

Kei picked at the bandage on his burnt hand and shrugged, “No particular reason.”

A grey eyebrow rose, “Oh, really? You just felt like being extra melodramatic tonight?”

A long sigh escaped Kei’s lips and he looked over at Suga, eyes drifting to his bump and then quickly flicking back to his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was on the tall alpha’s mind and Suga pushed a cookie in his direction before voicing his opinion.

“It’ll work out,” he observed Tsukishima’s slightly confused expression but continued, “For you and Tadashi, it’ll work out. It might take a little longer than others but I’m sure you’ll get your pup eventually.”

Kei scoffed and took an angry bite of his cookie, “You can’t know that.”

“Oh? I can’t?” Koushi rubbed his large bump and smirked, “Us omegas have a sixth sense for this type of thing. Trust me, you will get your own little pup,” he watched as Kei’s expression softened and decided to tease the alpha a little, “Plus, Yamaguchi will look so cute with a baby bump.”

That turned Kei’s cheeks and ears scarlet and he almost choked on his cookie as Suga giggled at his reaction. It was too easy to get a reaction from his pack mates when he’d known them for so long. He was about to add another jibe but movement through the doorway caught Suga’s eye and they both fell silent. Something was moving in the darkness of the living room, shuffling about like a nosey raccoon. They could just make out a faint silhouette, lit only by the light from the kitchen as something, no someone, padded around in the lounge.

“Stay here,” Tsukishima got to his feet and moved slowly towards the door jam, careful not to make much noise.

Without his glasses the dark shadow looked like just that, a blur of movement in the blackness, but Tsukki found the light switch and clicked it on, revealing the mysterious lurker. It was Yamaguchi. The omega looked dazed as he fumbled around on the sofa, pushing cushions aside and mumbling to himself as he moved onto the next part to look beneath the scatter cushions and behind the armchair.

“’dashi?” Tsukki held out his arm to touch his mate but Tadashi ignored the gesture, “Tadashi, what’re you doing? Did you lose something?”

Once he’d heard the other omega’s name, Suga had joined them in the living room and now stood in the doorway with his bag of cookies.

“What’s up?” he asked through a mouthful of chocolate chips.

When Tsukishima turned to face him, he looked a little pale, almost confused, and it startled Suga a little. Behind him, Tadashi continued his search for the elusive unknown item, completely ignoring both his mate and Suga in favour of rummaging in the cushions.

“What’s he doing?” Suga decided to try Tsukishima for an answer as he wasn’t getting one from the other omega but Kei just shrugged.

“S’not here...”

Tadashi’s breath hitched and Tsukishima realised his mate was crying. He immediately darted to his side and put his hand against the omega’s lower back as he asked,

“What did you lose? What’s wrong?”

He brushed away tears from the freckled cheek but Tadashi didn’t so much as look at him, his eyes still glazed. That’s when Tsukki realised just what was going on. It had been a while but it had happened on occasion, usually when the omega was feeling especially anxious or worked up about something.

“He’s sleepwalking,” Kei confirmed to both himself and Suga-san.

“Oh!” Suga stepped a little closer, “Has he done it before?”

“A couple of times, yeah.”

“Should we wake him up?” Suga’s hands hovered near Tadashi, he wanted to help in some way but didn’t know how exactly.

Tsukishima shook his head, “No, you’re not supposed to. I’ll take him back to bed.” He turned to his mate and tried to usher him into the hallway, “Come on ‘dashi, let’s get back to sleep.”

“But I can’t find it, Tsukki!” Tadashi seemed almost coherent, just his sleepy expression conveyed that he wasn’t in fact conscious.

“Find what, love?” Kei held Tadashi’s face between his hands gently, “You haven’t lost anything.”

The freckled omega sniffed loudly and shook his head weakly, “I can’t find it. I never had it. It’s gone...” he looked up at his alpha, eyes almost focused on Kei’s golden ones, “Where is our pup?”

It was like a shard of ice had been stabbed through Tsukishima’s chest and he couldn’t help the small gasp that he took. Was his mate so worried about not having a pup yet? Had Tadashi been dwelling on that fact all this time on his own? Kei thought he’d been dealing with it but for it to get so bad as to manifest as sleepwalking, Tadashi must have bee suffering, right? The alpha’s jaw worked as Suga looked on pitifully and eventually the grey-haired omega stepped over and touched Kei’s arm, defrosting him slightly.

“Hey,” Suga spoke softly, “This just means you’re both on the same page. Don’t take it as a bad thing, okay?”

“But-”

Before Tsukishima could respond, Tadashi suddenly rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked around the bright room like he’d never seen it before. It took him a moment to get his bearings but he eventually looked up at his alpha, confusion on his face and voice a little hoarse from crying.

“Tsukki? What’s going on?”

Kei didn’t know how to respond. Did he ask outright if Tadashi was suffering? Did he just keep quiet and pretend like he’d never heard anything? What was the best thing for his omega? Thankfully Suga had no such qualms and spoke up before either of the younger pack mates could speak.

“Have you been worrying about not getting pregnant, Tadashi?”

The younger omega’s mouth fell open a little and he blushed, “N-not really.”

“Well Tsukki has,” Suga said matter-of-factly as the other two gaped in his direction. When they didn’t say anything he continued, “You’ve both been silently fretting over something that is beyond your control. Just enjoy the act of trying and it’ll happen when it should.”

“But we-”

“But you don’t know if it will happen?” Suga interrupted Tadashi, “I don’t know a more loving omega or a more confident alpha,” he smiled as the pair’s cheeks flushed, “You two not getting a pup would be like Hinata not hitting one of Kageyama’s tosses. It doesn’t happen.”

Tadashi frowned and ran his hand through his tousled hair, “I guess I’ve been pushing it aside. The thoughts of wanting a pup, I mean,” he looked up at Tsukki, a little guilt in his eyes, “I thought I was coping but...” his voice trailed off and his arms slapped to his sides, “I was sleepwalking again, wasn’t I?”

Tsukishima gathered his mate in his arms and nuzzled his nose into his hair, inhaling Tadashi’s grassy scent and releasing his own pine fragrance to try and calm the omega,

“You have to tell me if something’s bothering you, okay?”

Yamaguchi nodded against the alpha’s chest, “I will. I just didn’t want to make a fuss, everyone is so happy recently I didn’t want to be a downer.”

“Idiot,” Tsukishima mumbled as he turned his mate around and pushed him into the hallway. He turned to Suga and bowed his head slightly in thanks before saying, “No more secrets.”

Once the pair had retreated to their room, Suga put away the cookies – the two that he’d left – and washed up his glass before clicking off the light and heading down the hall to his and Daichi’s room. With any luck he’d be able to get at least an hour’s sleep before being woken again by the feisty pup in his belly.

As he opened the bedroom door, however, Daichi had obviously woken to an empty bed and panicked and was about to go look for his omega only to walk face-first into him. With the reflexes of his volleyball days, Suga brought a fast open palm directly into Daichi’s face and noticed far too late that he had in fact ‘set’ his mate’s face.

He pulled his hand back and bit his bottom lip guiltily, “Ah… Sorry, Dai.”

The alpha rubbed his throbbing nose and sighed, “Thanks for that. If I wasn’t awake before I certainly am now,” he pulled Suga into their room and they both climbed back into bed, “Where did you go?”

“We were hungry,” Koushi rubbed his bump under the duvet, “Cookies helped.”

Daichi kissed him firmly, his tongue entering Suga’s mouth and brushing his palate, and when they pulled apart the alpha smiled devilishly before licking his lips,

“Mmm, chocolate chip?”

He received a slap on his bare shoulder, “Ew, Dai!” Suga scolded him but the smile never left his face, “You’re gross.”

“You should brush your teeth.”

Suga pouted petulantly, “I’m being a rebel tonight, leave me alone.”

They both soon fell into a deep sleep and for the first time in a long while, Suga actually woke up feeling refreshed, ready to face whatever the day had in store for him. Which, as chance would have it, was quite a lot.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure he’ll like this?”

Tanaka held up a fluffy blanket with cartoon ghosts embroidered all over it and raised an eyebrow. He and Ennoshita had decided to get Suga a blanket and a bottle warmer for the baby shower, one for the pup and one for the parents, but the beta was currently judging his boyfriend’s design choice.

“Do babies like ghosts?”

Chikara finished wrapping the bottle warmer and held out his hand for the blanket, “They’re cartoon ghosts, they’re cute! Plus, it’s going to be an October baby so I thought something Halloween-ish would be fun.”

Following Chika’s logic, Tanaka smiled and nodded, satisfied at his reasoning. He stretched and casually – well, as casually as he could, which wasn’t very – hung an arm over his shoulder and pulled his boyfriend a little closer. Chikara tried to shuffle away on the bed as he folded the blanket to fit it in the gift bag but Ryuu held firm, pinning him in place.

He sighed loudly and turned his face to look at Tanaka, mere inches from his lips, “Can I help you?”

“Nope, just admiring the view.”

“Well admire it whilst writing out the card,” Chikara shoved the ‘congratulations’ card into Ryuu’s face and ignored his boyfriend’s pouting as he finished putting everything in the gift bag.

Now that he thought about it, maybe Suga wouldn’t like the ghost theme, maybe it was too morbid for a baby. What had he been thinking? His concerns must have shown on his face because Chika was suddenly gathered in Tanaka’s arms, his boyfriend’s faint cotton scent enveloping him lightly. He let himself relax into it as Ryuu spoke softly into his dark hair,

“What is it?”

“Do you really think they’ll like the blanket?” Ennoshita looked up from his position against Tanaka’s chest, “Maybe it is a horrible idea.”

“It’s a great idea!” Tanaka kissed his boyfriend's forehead gently and smiled widely, “Daichi-san and Suga-san will love it!”

They kissed softly and headed for the lounge, where the rest of the pack had gathered, save for Suga who was still sleeping.

Nishinoya yawned loudly and rubbed his tired eyes, “Tell me again why we’re doing this in the morning?”

“Because it’s Kuroo-san’s Halloween party tonight and we didn’t want to overlap,” Daichi replied.

“So why not just do it another day?” Noya retorted as he munched on a cookie he’d stolen from the breakfast buffet Asahi had set out.

“Because,” Ennoshita interjected, “We don’t know how long it’ll be until the pup comes. It’s due this month, right Daichi-san?”

Daichi seemed to pale a little, “Yeah. We’ve left the baby shower late as it is, I didn’t want to wait longer.”

“AH!” Hinata yipped and started to wave his arms manically, “Here he comes! Shh!”

“You’re the only one making noise, idiot,” Kageyama scolded his mate.

Suga shuffled into the lounge in a sleepy daze; he was in one of Daichi’s oversized t-shirts and his silver hair was tousled from sleep as he massaged his lower back, the ache having kept him awake most of the night. He registered his pack in the lounge when he walked past them but didn’t really take much notice as he mumbled a ‘morning’ in their direction and headed for the kitchen. It was only when a loud party popper exploded in a canopy of coloured paper that the expecting omega finally looked up and saw the banners and balloons.

“Oh...” Suga stared, wide eyed, “Oh!”

“Happy...” Hinata’s nose scrunched up as he realised he didn’t really know what he was supposed to say on this particular occasion, “...baby?”

That sent Tanaka and Noya into a fit of giggles as Hinata turned pink and Suga ruffled his red hair, thankful for the sentiment nonetheless. Daichi was instantly by his side, ushering him onto the sofa as he took his mate’s hand.

“I didn’t realise we were doing this today,” Suga whispered to Daichi, “You should’ve woken me up sooner!”

Daichi kissed his love’s forehead and smiled sheepishly, “You looked so comfortable, I didn’t have the heart to wake you. Plus you’re scary when you first wake up.”

He received a jab to the ribs for that remark as Tanaka and Ennoshita stepped over with their gifts. Of course, Suga loved the blanket, and Chikara was more than pleased to hear that Suga had in fact thought it’d be cute to have some spooky baby gifts, too.

“The bottle warmer is something I’d forgot to put on our ‘to buy’ list,” Daichi added, thankful for the practical gifts, too.

“Us next!” Hinata bounced over to the sofa and plonked down beside Suga as he handed over a small parcel wrapped haphazardly, “I hope it’s okay, we really didn’t know what to buy...”

Suga unwrapped it quickly and his face lit up at the sight of the small plush crow toy as he held it up for Daichi to see.

“It’s perfect!” Suga kissed Hinata’s cheek firmly, startling both the younger omega and alpha a little, “Thank you, guys!”

“Um...” Tobio held out a larger box in the same wrapping paper and placed it on the floor at Suga’s feet, “We wanted to get something to use, too.”

“But we kept the receipt in case it’s not right!” Shouyou added nervously.

“You didn’t need to get so much!” Daichi, although thankful, worried that the pair had gone overboard and spent too much.

Koushi ignored his mate’s fretting and opened the box to reveal a woven basket and soft cotton insert that fit into the frame snugly. He didn’t really know what he was looking at and so Kageyama tried to explain.

“It’s a bason… basonerre?” he looked as confused as Suga.

“A bassinet?” Yamaguchi offered as the others stared blankly.

“Yes!” Hinata gave Tadashi a thumbs-up, “That’s it! We thought you could use it to have the baby in the living room or the garden and stuff.”

“Oh wow!” Suga looked genuinely pleased, “That’s great! Thank you!”

From Nishinoya and Asahi Suga received some vouchers for diapers (Asahi’s very practical idea) and a mobile to go above the pup’s crib with handmade felt volleyballs hanging from it. Daichi loved the mobile and put it aside, ready to hang it up as soon as they were done. He was about to help Koushi open another present when the doorbell rang and Hinata hurried over to the foyer to see who had arrived.

“Just us!”

Takeda-sensei’s voice drifted in, followed by the man himself carrying Aaya and Ukai who was hidden behind a huge colourfully wrapped box. The latter smiled as he put the box down,

“Sorry we’re late! Aaya threw up in Ittetsu’s hair. It was gross.”

Takeda-sensei smiled in Suga’s direction and took a seat on the smaller sofa next to Yamaguchi, “You’ve got all of that to look forward to, Sugawara-kun.”

Suga forced a smile and Daichi moved a little closer to his mate, sensing his slight discomfort. It wasn’t that Suga wasn’t prepared for all of that type of thing, it was more the fact that he could see Aaya, the baby he’d felt move in Takeda’s belly was now growing like a weed and smiling and looking around, totally independent – well, for a baby at least. Soon he’d see his pup doing the same and it all felt a little overwhelming.

Noticing Koushi’s scent tinged with a little sourness, Daichi spoke quietly as the others cooed over Aaya, so that only Suga could hear him,

“Do you feel sick? We can stop for a while if you like?”

Suga shook his head, embarrassed at his own thoughts, “No, I’m fine,” he raised his voice so that the others looked his way, “What other goodies have you brought us?”

Takeda pushed the large box they’d brought over to Suga, “I found this was a lifesaver in the first few months. Heck, even now she loves her’s!”

Suga opened it to reveal a bouncing chair, one that could be hooked up to a door frame or simply set up on its own for the baby to sit in and bounce to its heart’s content. The image on the front was of a baby bouncing to the moon and it made both Suga and Daichi laugh, easing the mood a little.

Finally it was Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s turn to hand over their gifts but the omega seemed to have forgotten there was actually a baby shower happening as he was so absorbed with every little thing Aaya was doing. His cheeks flushed as she gripped one of his fingers tightly and when he looked up to beam at Tsukki he realised the entire pack was watching him.

“Ah!” he rubbed the back of his head bashfully, “Sorry! Here, Suga-san.”

He and Tsukki knelt in front of Daichi and Suga and handed over their neatly wrapped gifts. Again, they’d gone for a more practical present and something a little fun as they thought it’d be the best of both worlds. The large box contained a high-chair, which had been on Daichi’s ‘to buy’ list, and the head alpha thanked them profusely for it as he knew it’d be used constantly. In the smaller parcel was a green bunch of material that Suga unfolded to reveal a tiny dinosaur onesie, complete with hood, tail and ‘spiked’ spine.

“W- we didn’t know which one to get and so Tsukki chose this one,” Tadashi took his mate’s hand as Kei flushed beetroot beside him.

“Oh my god,” Suga beamed, “It’s so cute! Thanks, guys!”

“Can we eat now?” Noya was already munching on a rice ball but was eyeing the steaming miso soup like a predator watching its prey.

“That’s all the gifts, right?” Hinata asked as he checked for anything hidden under the coffee table or behind the sofa.

“Looks like it!” Tanaka edged towards the pancakes.

“Actually,” Daichi spoke up as he stood and dug in his pockets, “I have one last thing.”

Suga swallowed loudly, was he supposed to have bought something too? Had he totally overlooked baby shower etiquette and made a fool of himself? He bit his bottom lip awkwardly and said,

“But I didn’t get you anything!”

Daichi shook his head, amused, “I didn’t expect you to, Kou.”

The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion, like Suga was watching them happen through glass or water, almost as if Daichi was a fish in an aquarium slowly swimming by as Suga gaped in awe. The head alpha knelt in front of Suga, who was becoming more and more confused with each passing moment, and pulled out a small black box. Someone gasped and another voice whispered ‘ oh my god’ as the head alpha slowly opened the box to reveal a slim silver ring that glinted in the dim morning light. Suga’s breath caught in his throat and tears pricked his eyes as Daichi looked at him with blushing cheeks.

“Sugawara Koushi, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I can’t imagine life without you and want to spend every minute of it loving you and our family. Will you marry me?”

So many emotions flooded Suga’s mind that he almost forgot how to breathe; his cheeks flushed and tears spilled down them as he did the only thing he could in the moment. He nodded. That was all Daichi needed to gather his mate in his arms and hug him so tightly that Suga had to pat his back to get him to let go. The alpha slid the delicate ring onto Suga’s slender finger, his own hands trembling slightly, and the room erupted into a cacophony of hollers and cheers as the pair kissed passionately.

“I love you, Kou,” Daichi whispered as he wiped the tears from his fiancée's face.

“I love you too!”

Suga stole another firm kiss and couldn’t help but smile ear to ear as the other pack members gathered to see the ring and congratulate the pair. He was so elated that the ache in his back almost felt like nothing.

Almost.

Chapter Text

After the initial excitement and shock had worn off, Suga felt the lack of sleep from the previous night catch up to him pretty fast. He joined in the frivolities of the baby shower a little, eating a couple of cookies and thanking Ukai and Takeda-sensei for coming, but he was exhausted by the time the clock chimed for 11am. It didn’t go unnoticed by his alpha, his fiancée - wow it felt amazing to think of Daichi like that – and said alpha quickly tugged Suga aside to check on him.

“Still sleepy?” Daichi asked as he slid a hand underneath Suga’s nightshirt and nipped at his nape.

The omega moaned quietly and nodded, “Mhmm… Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Daichi scooped Koushi up in his arms with ease and headed into the hallway, “I’ll tell them that you’re taking a nap.”

With his hand looped around Daichi’s neck, Suga pulled his mate close and kissed his cheek, ever thankful for such an understanding alpha who knew when he just needed to have his own space. When Daichi opened their bedroom door, however, Suga shook his head and tilted his chin further down the hallway.

“Not here. I wanna sleep in the nest,” his voice was already a little slurred as his eyes felt heavier and heavier.

Daichi did as instructed and lay Koushi down in the horseshoe of clothing and bedding. The omega looked like a painting as the morning sunlight shimmered in through the window and enhanced every curve and shape of his body and it took all of Daichi’s strength not to gather him back in his arms and embrace him.

“I’ll be in the living room if you need anything,” Daichi spoke softly as he wasn’t sure if Suga was even awake.

“Thanks, Dai, love you.”

And with that Suga was definitely asleep as Daichi watched his breathing even out and the crease between his eyebrows smoothed down.

When the head alpha returned to the living room the others were clearing away the plates and cups as Tanaka and Asahi carried the dining table back into the kitchen. Daichi was about to offer his own help but was stopped by a huge hand whacking him on the back.

“Congrats!” Ukai’s smile almost reached his ears, “I guess this means you’re all grown up now, huh?”

Daichi’s eyes flicked over to where Noya and Hinata were examining a heart-shaped potato chip intensely and he smiled lopsidedly,

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Takeda-sensei’s eyes glimmered with tears and he swiped angrily at one as it spilled down his cheek, “I’m so sorry, my hormones are still haywire.”

A sudden minty scent that Daichi recognised as Ukai’s, although the alpha rarely used his pheromones so strongly, wafted around the room as the ex-coach turned to look at his mate.

“Where is she?”

Takeda’s empty arms suggested the alpha was referring to their daughter and the omega smiled, waving his hand dismissively,

“She’s with Tadashi, don’t panic.”

A low growl rumbled in Ukai’s throat as he marched into the kitchen where Tadashi was currently holding Aaya up to Tsukki’s face as the baby grabbed his glasses with her tiny hands. There was no menace in the activity, no reason to think Aaya was anything other than completely comfortable, but the tension in Ukai’s stance caused Tadashi to flinch nonetheless. The only thing that stopped the older alpha from striding over and snatching his baby back was the bright tingle of laughter that suddenly left Aaya’s mouth as she smiled at Tsukishima’s bemused expression.

“Sorry,” Ukai mumbled, embarrassed at his own alpha instincts taking over, “I couldn’t see her...”

Yamaguchi held Aaya out like he was giving her back to her father but Keishin shook his head, forcing his instincts back down,

“It’s fine. You keep her a little longer.”

All of the tension left Yamaguchi and he cradled the baby to his chest, humming and chuckling as Tsukki tried his best to rescue his glasses from Aaya’s grasp.

“See,” Takeda was suddenly by his mate’s side, “She’s perfectly safe.”

“Yeah,” the alpha pulled Ittetsu closer and scented his hair lightly, “I’m an idiot.”

“I know.”

“Oi,” the alpha pinched his mate’s cheek, “You’re supposed to disagree!”

Takeda just grinned mischievously and watched as Aaya giggled as Tadashi blew raspberries on her tiny arm.

At almost 1pm the smell of freshly cooked rice wafted into the nest room and stirred Suga from his doze. He’d been dreaming about being on a ship, sailing through the stormy weather as waves swooshed and crashed against the vessel. An odd dream, he thought, until he opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling where every few seconds a tiny droplet of water fell onto his hand. Drip, drip, drip.

“Ah,” he spoke to himself as he often did these days, “Daichi will have to take a look before the winter sets in.”

The pup in his belly flipped over and he smiled down at the bump, one hand against the curve,

“That’s right, Daddy will have to climb onto the roof and fix that leak.”

“Is that right?”

Daichi’s voice startled the omega as he stood in the doorway, leaning against the door frame like someone modelling for the cover of Vogue. The alpha smirked and stepped into the room, helping Suga to his feet.

“I’ll fix it tomorrow,” he scrunched his nose up at the damp patch that was forming on the blankets where Suga had been laying, “In the meantime I’ll put a bucket there. Do you need to move the nest?”

The thought of the nest he’d worked so hard on getting destroyed by rainwater was dreadful but the thoughts of moving everything and the effort it would take to rebuild it made Suga tired just thinking about it and he shook his head.

“As long as there’s a bucket it’ll be fine.”

“Did you sleep a little better?” Daichi asked as they walked through the conservatory towards the main part of the house.

Suga rubbed at his lower back where the ache had subsided a little, “Yeah. Is lunch ready yet? I’m starving.”

“Almost. Tanaka and Ennoshita are working on it.”

Meanwhile, as the betas worked on lunch and Tsukishima and Yamaguchi showed Ukai and Takeda-sensei around the den – Asahi and Noya had gone to the bakery for a while as it was now open for business - Kageyama and Hinata were spending a little alone time in the lounge. They hadn’t planned on it but when Shouyou had tripped and landed on the sofa his alpha couldn’t help but dive on top of him (to make sure he was alright, of course).

“Someone will come in! Tanaka is just in the kitchen!”

Shouyou whined quietly as Tobio completely ignored him and proceeded to push up his t-shirt and lick his right nipple teasingly. The omega moaned and bit his knuckles to stop the sound as his mate moved onto his abs, lips tracing each subtle curve. Kageyama grinned, pleased with his mate’s responses, and pushed Hinata’s t-shirt into the omega’s mouth.

“Here, hold this to keep your voice in.”

A few mumbled protests issued from Hinata but he was helpless as his alpha, now with both hands free, gripped his hips and pushed his bulge against his mate’s. Hinata could feel both his and Tobio’s members throbbing through the cloth and his cheeks flushed as Kageyama began to move slightly, rocking back and forth on his knees above the writhing omega. Orange and Lemon scents mixed together as the pair began to pant; the thrill of knowing someone could walk in at any moment seemed to push them further, testing how far each of them was willing to go.

When Kageyama sensed that Shouyou was close, however, he slowed and pulled the t-shirt from his mate’s teeth, allowing the omega to finally catch his breath and try to clear his head.

“Wh- Why’d you stop?” Hinata pouted a little and Kageyama took the chance to bite the protruding lip.

“You want me to continue?” Kageyama grinned wolfishly but added, “Someone’s coming.”

Hinata’s face flushed even further, “WHO?!” he scrambled to right his shirt as Tobio sat upright calmly.

“It’s just Suga-san and Daichi-san,” Kageyama sniffed the air, “Both their pheromones are strong today.”

Without warning, the alpha scooped up his mate like a fireman rescuing a damsel in distress. He flung him over his shoulder with little effort and headed into the hallway where they passed Daichi and Suga who only looked at them a little oddly.

“Not hungry?” Suga asked as the younger pair passed them.

“Not for rice,” Kageyama muttered in reply and Hinata’s responding shriek echoed in the hall as the dark-haired alpha shut their bedroom door behind them.

“Well,” Daichi cleared his throat awkwardly, “Youth.”

Suga slapped his shoulder, “You’re only a couple of years older!”

Daichi smiled, “Physically maybe. But mentally? I’ve got a good decade on those two.”

Before Koushi could retort, Tanaka’s shaved head popped out from the kitchen and the beta announced dramatically,

“Lunch is served!”

“Have you decided what you’re going to be tonight, Shouyou?”

Nishinoya and Asahi had returned from the bakery - after only a small freak-out from the alpha as to whether his employees could cope without him for one day – and even Kageyama and Hinata had managed to drag themselves from their room to join everyone for lunch.

“For Kuroo-san’s party?” Hinata asked through a mouthful of steamed vegetables as Noya nodded, “We’re going to match,” he nudged Tobio with his shoulder and grinned as the alpha paled a little.

“Oh, really?” Tsukishima cocked an eyebrow skeptically, “Dumb and Dumber?”

Tadashi suppressed a giggle with a rice ball as Shouyou ignored Tsukki’s jibe and answered proudly,

“We’re going as the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man.”

Tsukishima was feeling particularly salty and wouldn’t, couldn’t, pass up the opportunity, “How did you decide which one of you has a brain?”

That set Yamaguchi off into a fit of giggles as the others tried not to grin.

“What about you?” Kageyama smirked at Tsukishima, already imagining him in something just as ridiculous.

“Tsukki refused to dress up,” Yamaguchi pouted beside his mate, annoyed that Kei was never one to join in anything that involved outward enthusiasm, “But I’m going as Frankenstein.”

“The doctor?” Ennoshita asked.

Yamaguchi looked a little puzzled, “No? You know, the monster.”

Chikara made an ‘o’ shape with his mouth and turned to Yuu, “How about you, Nishinoya?”

“I found this awesome werewolf costume in a shop in town! And Asahi is gonna be a vampire!”

The alpha looked a little sheepish, “I’m still not sure it’s really me.”

Yuu rolled his eyes and whacked his mate’s hand on the table, “That’s the point, duh!”

Next to Daichi, Suga leaned backwards in an attempt to stretch his aching back and his alpha was suddenly hovering over him like a mother hen. There was certainly no doubt that Daichi was doing his best at being a good alpha but to anyone other than himself and Suga, he looked a little crazed.

“We don’t need to go tonight if you’re not up to it, Kou,” Daichi rubbed his mate’s lower back gently as the omega leaned into his touch.

“You’re such a worry wart! I’m looking forward to it! Plus I can’t wait to see you in your costume,” Suga grinned and winked at Daichi, making the alpha blush a little.

“Ooh!” Tanaka leaned across the table, almost spilling his water, “What’re you gonna be, Daichi-san?”

“A sexy policeman,” Suga spoke up before his mate could back out of the conversation.

“Isn’t that just like your work uniform?” Hinata was trying to remember Daichi’s Security uniform.

Suga nodded enthusiastically, “Like that but… sexy.”

“What makes it s-sexy?” Tadashi was trying not to blush.

“Nothing,” Daichi grumbled into his hands, just wishing the conversation would steer elsewhere.

“The costume came with handcuffs!” Suga continued, ignoring his alpha’s protests beside him, “And Dai promised to keep them for after I have the pup.”

That was the final nail in the coffin for poor Daichi. He let his forehead slam onto the table as the rest of the pack guffawed and high-fived Suga. It was going to be an eventful evening.

Chapter Text

“Do you see my ears anywhere?”

Asahi tilted his head at his mate, “Your ears?”

Noya nodded, his spiked hair pointing in all directions as he’d just finished spraying it into position, “My wolf ears! I thought I’d left them on the bed.”

The alpha picked up a headband with two fluffy brown ears glued to it, “Is this them?”

Yuu took the ears and secured them atop his messy hair, completing his werewolf look. He was dressed in an all-in-one brown onesie with brown tufts of fur at his ankles and cuffs, a shaggy brown and grey tail protruded from his rear end and he’d painted whiskers on his cheeks. The wolf-look was finished with four plastic fangs glued to his actual canines. Although he’d been going for ‘scary’, Asahi couldn’t help but blush at just how cute his mate looked in the ensemble. He was like a cute little puppy with a slightly curved tummy to match.

“What do you think?” Noya wiggled his butt to make the tail swish.

“Adorable.”

The wolf-puppy pouted, “I’m supposed to look fierce!”

Asahi shrugged and fiddled with his high collar in the mirror, “You’re always fierce.”

Yuu looped his arms around Asahi’s waist as the alpha slicked back his hair with some gel and nuzzled his face into his mate’s cape. The omega was a little nervous about having to be around so many people again (he’d been thinking about that first day at the bakery) and wanted to inhale as much of his mate’s scent as he could before the party.

Asahi turned to face Noya and pulled him close, kissing his spiky hair, “It’ll be easier than being with strangers you know,” he lifted Yuu’s chin so that he was looking up at him, “You know pretty much everyone’s scent who’ll be at the party.”

Noya nodded silently, still a little anxious.

“And if you do feel uneasy, we can leave whenever you need to.”

The wolf-puppy smiled, showing his sharp fangs, “Thanks, Asahi.”

They finished with a kiss and moved to wait for the others in the lounge.

“I’m not coming out.”

“Come on, I bet you look awesome!"

“I look like an oven-ready turkey!”

“Yum!”

Inside the bathroom, Kageyama sighed loudly. He’d promised Shouyou that he would wear a matching costume with him but now that he actually had it on, Tobio was starting to regret his decision. From head to toe the alpha was silver; his body was encased in a silver cylinder and his arms and legs were covered with silver-grey stockings. Atop his head was a cone-shaped ‘oil can’ and for some reason he’d even agreed to paint his face with silver face paint. As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, Kageyama looked less than impressed and was starting to think it’d be better not to go the party at all than to go looking like a giant stick of gum.

“Come on, Tobio~,” Hinata’s whine echoed through the bathroom door, every ounce of it tinged with omegan neediness to try and coax his mate out, “I can’t go as the Lion if you don’t go as the Tin Man! I’ll look dumb!”

“You’ll look dumb?!” The alpha swung open the bathroom door with a little too much force and gestured to himself, “I look ridiculous!”

Hinata’s cheeks pinked at the sight of his alpha in his outfit, he looked every bit as cute as he’d expected, “Ah! You look so good!”

“Don’t lie, idiot.”

Kageyama attempted to stay mad but one look at Shouyou in his adorable cowardly lion costume had his insides melting. The omega had on a brown furry playsuit – with shorts instead of trousers – and brown fluffy boots that looked like enormous paws. His hands were also oversized paws and amongst his orange mane were two small furry ears. Nishinoya had painted a black nose and whiskers on Shouyou’s face with his leftover face paint and a long lion’s tail wiggled back and forth to complete the look.

“Please say you’ll wear it!” Hinata pleaded with his paws pressed together.

Knowing he was never going to win against such an adorable omega, Kageyama gritted his teeth and nodded curtly,

“Fine. But next year I get to choose the costumes.”

It was almost 7pm and most of the pack had gathered in the lounge; Asahi was the designated driver for the evening as he didn’t really drink anyway and Kuroo and Kenma’s place was only a twenty minute ride from their den.

“Did you two choose the same costume?” Tanaka, who was dressed as a zombie complete with open ‘wounds’ and a plastic knife in his head, asked Noya and Hinata.

“No,” Yuu shook his head and held up Hinata’s tail, “Shouyou’s a lion and I’m a werewolf.”

“Oh,” Ennoshita nodded his head as he finally understood, “I thought you were both cats.”

Tanaka laughed at his boyfriend and proceeded to ask what kind of feral cats Chikara had been seeing when Suga, Daichi and Tadashi joined them on the sofas. Daichi was, as promised, a ‘sexy’ policeman (although which part was sexy, they didn’t quite know), Suga had chosen an easy over-the-head white ghost shawl that covered his entire body but left his face open. And finally Yamaguchi was a Frankenstein-esque zombie with stitched clothes and bolts through his head. The freckled omega sat down beside Suga and flinched as he looked across to where Tanaka and Chikara were still inspecting the lion and werewolf. It didn’t go unnoticed by the older omega.

“You okay, Tadashi?” the pregnant omega asked as he shifted his position to try and get comfortable.

“I...” Tadashi flushed and dragged his eyes away from the others, “I’m f-fine.”

“You sure?” Koushi placed a gentle hand atop Tadashi’s, “You look a little… scared.”

“He has Coulrophobia,” Tsukishima’s voice startled the omegas as he’d seemingly appeared from nowhere to stand behind them.

“He has what now?” Suga asked, confusion on his face.

Kei adjusted his glasses and sighed, “Tadashi’s scared of clowns.”

Ennoshita, who was dressed as some sort of murderous-looking clown with a bright red nose and green wig, suddenly stopped talking and waved his white-gloved hands awkwardly,

“Ah! I’m sorry, Tadashi! I didn’t know!” He took off the nose swiftly and started to try and remove the wig, “I can change into something else, I don’t mind!”

Yamaguchi shook his head and pressed his lips together firmly, “No, it’s a-alright. As long as I keep reminding myself that it’s just you I should be okay.”

Tanaka looped an arm over his boyfriend’s shoulder and smiled, “Yeah, if it was Asahi-san that’d be another story.”

“What?!” Asahi squawked, “Why?!”

“Because you’re so big!” Tanaka continued to twist the knife, “Just imagining you as a clown is scary, man!”

The ace looked incredulous as he gaped like a fish at the chuckling betas but at least it had taken Yamaguchi’s mind off of being so scared. He turned to his mate, who was hovering behind him protectively, and finally registered what Tsukki was wearing. The tall blocker had a long white lab coat on, which he’d splattered with fake blood, and big round glasses that wouldn’t look out of place on a runway model. Somehow the alpha was making the whole ensemble look good and Tadashi felt his cheeks flush once more, this time from just how hot his mate looked.

“I thought you weren’t dressing up?”

Kei shrugged and adjusted his glasses as they slid down his nose, “I didn’t want to stand out for not being in costume,” he paused and squinted down at his mate (the glasses were fake but he’d put in contact lenses that were irritating his eyes a little) before grinning, “And now we match.”

Something clicked in Yamaguchi’s brain and his smile spread across his freckled face, “Oh! You’re Doctor Frankenstein!”

Daichi got to his feet and placed his policeman’s hat on his head before blowing the whistle that had come with the costume,

“Are we ready to go?”

“I think you’re letting this costume go to your head, Dai,” Suga chuckled as he allowed his mate to help him to his feet.

The alpha leaned down to whisper in his mate’s ear quietly, “If you don’t behave I might just have to take you into custody later.”

He pinched Suga’s rear as the omega turned crimson and lead the way to Asahi’s car, which they all clambered into like overly-excited children.

“Are you sure this is the place?” Asahi asked as he pulled into a large driveway lined with lit pumpkins.

“Yep!” Hinata chirped from the back seat, “I’ve been a few times!”

As if to confirm Shouyou’s directions had been correct, the front door of the house opened and Kuroo stepped outside. He was draped in a white sheet with gold painted leaves around his waist and laced through his dark hair, a Greek god if ever there was one.

“Hey!” He waved at the Karasuno pack as they bailed out of the car, “Come on in!”

They did as instructed and entered the large town house, which was lit up both inside and out with orange and green lighting to set the spooky mood. Loud music was coming from somewhere – perhaps the living room – and there were already quite a few people dancing and chatting throughout the entryway and kitchen. It smelled good, too, like candy tinged with beer.

“Wow,” Daichi couldn’t help the look of awe on his face as he spoke to Kuroo as he lead the group through to the kitchen to get drinks, “This is a really nice place you’ve got.”

“Yeah?” Kuroo poured some cups and handed out beer (and juice for the expectant omegas and Asahi), “It’s a work in progress. We’re remodelling one of the rooms upstairs into a nursery so it feels a little like a building site up there. If anyone has to use the bathroom use the downstairs one, I don’t want to be sued for something collapsing on you.”

“I’ll be glad when it’s over,” Kenma, clad in blue overalls and a red shirt with matching cap, linked his fingers through Kuroo’s as his other hand rested atop his seven month bump and smiled in Hinata’s direction, “Hey Shouyou! Cute costume!”

“Thanks!” Hinata beamed, “You, too! Mario right?”

Kuroo looked down at the beta and grinned toothily, “He refused to wear the moustache, though.”

Kenma pouted, “It tickled.”

“Hey hey hey!” Bokuto’s booming tones echoed into the kitchen as he barrelled in, the alcohol in his system effecting his balance a little, “Who’s up for spin the bottle?!”

“Oh, god,” Tsukishima placed his hand over Tadashi’s eyes, shielding them, “There’s a sight I’ll never un-see.”

“Tell me about it,” Akaashi appeared behind his mate, wearing Bokuto’s old volleyball uniform – which was still too large on the smaller omega – and rolled his eyes at the loud alpha, “I tried to talk him out of it but he’s stubborn.”

“What’s the problem?!” Bokuto picked up the hem of his black skirt and curtseyed, “You’re telling me you’ve seen a cuter maid before?”

“I’m going to have nightmares,” Tsukishima deadpanned.

“Come on, Tsukki!” Kuroo grabbed the blocker’s arm and yanked him into the living area where most of the guests were gathered, “Let’s liven things up a bit!”

Anxious at leaving his mate to the wolves, Tadashi followed closely behind, as did the rest of the Karasuno pack save for Hinata who opted to stay and chat to Kenma a little more. The beta didn’t seem to want to be there but he was putting up with it for the sake of his mate. It would probably be a while before they could have another party what with the pup on the way and all and so Kenma had agreed to the Halloween bash as long as Tetsuro promised to clean up afterwards. Whether or not the alpha would stick to his promise was another thing altogether.

Chapter Text

Alphas, omegas and betas gathered in the living room to join in and witness the promised ‘epic’ game of spin the bottle. Suga and Nishinoya had been excused due to their condition but somehow both Kuroo and Bokuto had managed to rope in almost every other person at the party.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi sat beside one another on the floor (Kuroo didn’t remember inviting them but Kenma had told him that he might have accidentally posted an ‘open’ invitation online). The omega was dressed as Luffy and the beta in his ordinary clothes with a paper triangle on his head. Iwaizumi wasn’t really one for dressing up – his boyfriend did enough of that for the both of them – and so he’d opted to be a generic ghost for the party, something Tooru couldn’t complain about as he was still technically in costume.

Beside them on the floor were some of the Nekoma pack; Lev had managed to wriggle his oversized frame in between Oikawa and Yaku, the latter of which had somehow caught his angel wings in Lev’s mummy bandages as he’d sat down, and Taketora completed the Nekoma group. The ‘city boy’ didn’t look particularly pleased to be joining in but the alternative was to join Hinata and Kenma in the kitchen and he really wasn’t one for small talk.

”Okay!” Kuroo shoved himself in between Lev and Oikawa after forcing Tsukishima and the others from the Karasuno pack to take their positions, “Let’s go! Tsukki you’re first!”

“What?” Kei glared at the black-haired alpha, “Why me?”

Kuroo just shrugged, “Obviously because it’ll be funny.”

With a glance at Tadashi to make sure he was okay with it – the omega looked a little apprehensive but gave his mate an encouraging smile nonetheless - Tsukishima huffed loudly and gestured to the bottle, “Let’s get this over with.”

Kuroo flicked his wrist and the beer bottle began to spin.

“What do we have to do if it points to us again?” Lev asked, a little confused.

Yaku rolled his eyes at his not-yet-mate, “You have to kiss whoever it lands on.”

“Ki-"

Kei was cut off as the bottle slowed and finally settled with it’s neck pointing in Tanaka’s direction. The alpha paled and Tanaka’s mouth turned down comically as the others began to laugh loudly.

“I have to kiss him?!” Ryuu looked utterly destroyed.

“Don’t be such a baby,” Ennoshita shoved his boyfriend forward, silently grateful that the bottle had landed on one of their own pack mates, “Get it over with.”

With a final glance back at his mate, who Kei was annoyed to see had a humoured smirk on his face, Tsukishima leaned across the middle of the circle, just inches from the beta’s face. He glared at him and whispered,

“We never speak of this again.”

“Agreed,” Tanaka closed his eyes and set his jaw as Kei leaned in and pecked his forehead.

“So romantic,” Nishinoya pretended to swoon as Tanaka sat back down and rubbed violently at his face like he’d been exposed to a deadly virus.

“Who’s next?” Lev asked, intrigued to continue with the frivolities.

“How about you?” Kuroo smiled at the tall half-Russian, “You seem eager enough.”

“Ah...”

Lev exchanged an anxious look with his boyfriend but Yaku just cocked an eyebrow at the alpha, amused but also grateful for his concern.

“Go for it,” Yaku pointed to the bottle, “Spin.”

The grey-haired alpha did as he was told and spun the bottle. It seemed to go for far too long and he was starting to think that he’d somehow done something wrong when it slowed down and finally landed pointing at the person next to him. Yaku.

“Oh, come on!” Tanaka moaned loudly, “No fair!”

“Those are the rules!” Yaku smirked and pulled his boyfriend close, claiming his lips until they were both a little out of breath and Lev was scarlet.

The game continued for another few rounds but soon the group had exhausted their options. The highlight had been Kuroo getting his comeuppance by having to exchange a kiss with Daichi, much to Suga’s amusement.

“Right,” Kuroo got to his feet, “I need a drink after that.”

“Same,” Daichi grumbled.

He and a few others headed into the kitchen and grabbed some beers, as well as a large bowl of red punch that Kenma and Hinata had concocted whilst the others had been playing. The Nekoma alpha pointed his chin towards Daichi’s ring finger and smiled,

“That’s new.”

“Ah,” Daichi blushed slightly and rubbed his thumb against the silver metal, “Yeah. Today, actually.”

“You asked him?” Kuroo put the punch bowl down on the coffee table in the living room.

“Yep,” Daichi glanced towards his fiancée, “I did.”

“Congrats, man!” Kuroo whacked Daichi’s back and grinned ear to ear, “It’s about time!”

Suga and Nishinoya accepted some juice from their mates and watched as Kuroo and Lev began to set up the apple bobbing game. The smaller omega seemed a little less energetic than he had during spin the bottle and ever the doting senpai, Suga leaned a little closer and asked,

“Feeling okay?”

A curtain seemed to lift from Noya’s eyes and he blinked up at Suga, one hand subconsciously resting on his small bump, “Ah, yeah!” he looked over to where Asahi was chatting with Oikawa and Iwaizumi and sighed, “Do the scents of the other pack smell a little… weird to you?”

Suga chuckled, “ Everything smells a little weird to me nowadays,” Koushi tried to manoeuvre himself into a more comfortable position but it was near impossible with his large belly weighing him down, “I think our noses are broken.”

Yuu smiled and relaxed a little, “I think you’re right. It’s just with all these alphas in one space its...”

“Overwhelming?” Suga offered, “Tell me about it. I just keep telling myself that they’re our friends, though, there’s nothing to worry about here.”

“You’re right!” Noya slapped his own cheeks and got to his feet, “I’m gonna go dominate this apple bobbing!”

Not two seconds had passed since Noya had moved that Daichi took his space beside his mate. The alpha nuzzled his face against Suga’s neck, scenting him strongly to try and keep him feeling as safe as possible, and rested his hand atop Koushi’s bump.

“Want anything?” Daichi had to raise his voice to be heard over the music, “A drink? Food?”

“No thanks,” Koushi leaned his head against Daichi’s shoulder, “I’m good,” he gestured to the large black cauldron that Kuroo had set up for the apples, “I’ll take an apple if you get one, though.”

“Is that a challenge?” Daichi puffed up his chest and grinned.

“Definitely!” Suga chuckled, “Go be a big strong alpha and bring me back my supper!”

“Your wish is my command,” Daichi got to his feet and bowed before joining the queue at the cauldron.

Hinata decided he was going to go first but was appalled to find that he needed a stool to stand on in order to reach the apples inside. Once the embarrassment had worn off, however, he dove straight in – thankfully not literally – and grabbed an apple with his teeth. He emerged dripping and plopped the apple down in Kageyama’s lap like an obedient dog.

“You should go next,” Lev ushered Yaku forwards a little.

“Why?” the omega looked confused, it wasn’t his turn yet.

“Because the stool is already there and you’re too shor-”

The tall alpha received a kick to the backside for his comment but Yaku stepped forwards nonetheless. He managed to lose his halo in the water but grabbed an apple to save his pride from being completely shattered.

The game continued for a while with the alphas dominating – for some reason they were all particularly good with their mouths – but soon everyone got bored of the apples and the bobbing was forgotten. Some of the group decided that arm wrestling might be a good idea and so Daichi, Kuroo, Tora and Tanaka set up a space on the floor to compete, pride and glory on the line, whilst the others gathered round to see who would be champion.

That was when the drinks Daichi had continued to offer his mate finally caught up with Suga and he couldn’t hold his bladder any longer. He got to his feet and moved through the hallway to the downstairs bathroom, almost crossing his legs as the urge to pee increased rapidly. When he tried the door, however, it was locked. He knocked gently on the wood,

“Anyone in there? Pregnant omega needing to pee, here!”

His only response was a loud moan of ecstasy that didn’t sound unlike Oikawa and Suga quickly realised that he wasn’t going to get in there any time soon. He vaguely recalled Kuroo mentioning an upstairs toilet and turned to head up the stairs, past Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, before he burst.

“I can’t do it!”

“Just pull it out!”

“It’s too squishy!”

“Just stick your finger in!”

In the hallway, Tsukishima groaned loudly as he held open his eye with his thumb and forefinger. His contacts had gotten to the point of complete annoyance and he just wanted them out of his eyes as quickly as possible. He’d managed to remove one but the other was proving elusive to both himself and Tadashi, the latter of which was cringing as he tried to balance not looking at his mate’s exposed eyeball and poking his finger into it to remove the lens.

“I can’t do it, Tsukki!” Tadashi whined pitifully, “It’s grossing me out!”

“Ugh,” the alpha made one last effort to pinch the lens and miraculously managed to get it out in one go, his vision completely blurring as he did so, “Ah, finally.”

Yamaguchi relaxed, his shoulders slouching, and Tsukki took the opportunity to lift his mate’s head and press their lips together firmly. The omega melted into his mate’s touch and they continued to make out passionately as the arm wrestling got louder in the lounge, drowning out both their moans and those emitting from the downstairs bathroom.

With a loud SLAM! Kuroo’s hand whacked into the wood of the table and Asahi was declared the winner of the arm wrestling contest, much to Nishinoya’s joy. The ace received a handshake from the Nekoma captain and a mumbled ‘congrats’ as Tetsuro swallowed his alpha pride.

“This was a fix!” Bokuto grumbled under his breath as Akaashi tried his best to ignore him, “I would’ve won if my arm hadn’t slipped!”

“Just admit you’re weak,” Kuroo teased.

“Wea-?!”

“You’ll get him next time,” Akaashi patted his boyfriend’s ass, which seemed to calm the alpha a little.

“Here,” Kenma handed his boyfriend a plastic cup full of the punch he and Hinata had mixed, “To ease your pain.”

“Oh!” Hinata grabbed some cups and handed out punch to the others, too, “Try it!”

Kageyama took a big gulp and winced at the almost sour taste, “What’d you put in it?”

The redhead shrugged, “Um, vodka and some other juices we found in the kitchen.”

The alpha took another swig, the vodka disguising the taste a little, “It’s not bad.”

Finally, upstairs, Suga had managed to find the bathroom after navigating the maze of propped-up floorboards and random power tools. He didn’t care that there was sawdust on every surface, he just needed to pee somewhere other than the floor. The door shut after a little effort – there was something wedged on the edge of it but the omega managed to knock it aside, nothing would stand in his way in his time of need – and he was finally able to relieve himself.

“Ah,” he said aloud to himself, “I will not miss this.”

In the lounge, Kageyama had taken a seat on the sofa next to Daichi as he let the vodka from the punch take effect. It didn’t seem to be making him drunk, however, instead his throat had started to itch a little and it hurt to swallow.

“You okay?” Daichi asked the younger alpha as he watched Tanaka balance a beer bottle on his chin.

“I think...”

Tobio coughed, his breath catching in his throat as he tried to speak. Something wasn’t right. His vision had blurred slightly and he felt too hot as his breathing turned to panting and then quickly gasping.

“Kageyama?!” Daichi’s eyes bulged, “What’s wrong?!”

The raven haired alpha was bright red and he tried to respond but his voice wouldn’t pass through his closing throat. He dropped his cup of punch and something suddenly clicked in Daichi’s mind. The head alpha spun to face Kenma, Hinata already too preoccupied with panicking at his mate’s side.

“Kenma!” the beta looked startled as Daichi yelled over the loud music, “What was in that punch?”

“V-vodka?” Kenma looked to Kuroo for help as Kageyama continued to gasp on the sofa, “And some juice!”

“What juice?”

“Orange and some weird clear stuff Tetsuro drinks.”

Daichi looked to Kuroo for an answer.

“Elderflower,” Kuroo answered the silent question, “Why?”

“Kageyama’s allergic to elderflower,” Daichi spoke quickly and moved to Hinata. He spoke softly so as not to scare the younger omega, “Does he have an EpiPen?”

Trembling, Shouyou looked even smaller than usual as he nodded and fumbled in his pocket for Kageyama’s allergy pen. When his eyes widened and more tears spilled down his cheeks Daichi understood that he didn’t have the pen.

“I-I must h-have left it at h-home!” Shouyou couldn’t control his shaking body and he was starting to hyperventilate slightly as Kageyama’s eyes drifted shut.

“An ambulance is on its way,” Yaku spoke calmly, “It’ll be here in five minutes.”

“It’s okay, Shouyou,” Noya took Hinata’s free hand, his other still clinging firmly to Tobio’s, “He’ll be fine. The ambulance is coming.”

Everyone’s scents were high and it was making the omegas in the room all the more tense. Even the alphas were a little overwhelmed by the commotion, all pheromones and emotions mixing together like a whirlwind of chaos. It was taking every ounce of Daichi’s concentration to keep himself calm so as not to panic Hinata any more, he just hoped the ambulance wouldn’t be too long.

Meanwhile, after peeing for what seemed like forever, Suga washed his hands and readjusted his ghost shawl before moving to the door. He turned the handle and pushed. Nothing. No movement whatsoever. He tried again with a little more force and heard the heavy clunk of wood falling against the door. Had one of the propped-up floorboards fell against the door? With one last effort he pushed against the door but now even the handle wouldn’t turn. He was stuck.

“Ah, crap,” he grumbled.

As he stepped back to lean against the bathtub and wait for someone (surely someone would come up soon), Suga’s pants suddenly felt damp. Thinking he’d sat in a wet patch, he stood back upright and patted himself down. It was more than just a patch , however; a big damp stain covered his thighs and crotch area and he felt it trickling down his legs to his ankles.

“What the-?”

A twinge of pain like someone burying a knife into his belly knocked the breath from Koushi and he paled.

“Ah, crap!”

Chapter Text

After hearing the commotion in the living room, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi headed that way, the high scents drawing them closer a little faster. As they passed the downstairs bathroom, Oikawa and Iwaizumi stepped out. The omega’s hair had been tousled to no end and the beta looked a little flushed as his eyes met Kei’s. The tall alpha smirked but remained silent as the four stepped into the lounge and resulting chaos.

“Why isn’t the ambulance here yet?!” Tanaka was pacing back and forth across the room, his footsteps almost matching the high tempo of the loud music.

“They said about five minutes,” Yaku looked down at his phone like it would somehow hurry the paramedics.

“Someone should wait outside for them,” Kuroo suggested and glanced at Lev.

“Come on,” the tall alpha grabbed his boyfriend’s hand and pulled Yaku towards the front door, “We’ll watch for them arriving.”

Next to Kageyama, who was still gasping for breath on the sofa, Hinata was trembling non-stop. Tears continued to spill down his cheeks and although he could tell his pack mates were trying to reassure and comfort him, he couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of his own heartbeat. His mate was struggling to breathe and the omega didn’t know what to do. He’d forgotten Tobio’s medicine and it could possibly mean that Kageyama was going to die. As that particular thought crossed his mind, Hinata gasped loudly and began to whine uncontrollably, every nerve in his body on high alert. It was only when Nishinoya and Yamaguchi nuzzled against him that the redhead was able to take a much needed deep breath and centre himself once more.

“It says we should lie him down,” Daichi had borrowed Asahi’s phone, having left his own back at the den, and was looking up what to do when someone had an allergic reaction.

The ace did as instructed and lay Kageyama down on the sofa.

“And elevate his legs a little,” Daichi continued as Asahi did just that, “Is it working?”

“I’m not sure,” Asahi dragged his hands down his face as he tried not to let the panic show in his expression.

“G-gonna...” Kageyama coughed loudly and tilted his head off the sofa, “Fe-feel sick...”

Already aware of what was happening, Kenma grabbed the apple-bobbing cauldron and shoved it beneath Kageyama’s head as the alpha retched into it, entire body shivering as he did so.

“It’s t-taking too long!” Hinata whined subconsciously in his throat as he spoke and knelt beside his mate’s head before turning to Daichi, “W-what should we do, Daichi-san?! What should I do?!”

As head alpha Daichi was expected to take care of his pack. He was the one they turned to for help in their times of need and the one who was meant to protect them at any cost. In this moment he felt completely useless, however, and didn’t know what to say to reassure the tiny omega. Hell, he didn’t even know if he could reassure Hinata, he didn’t know if Kageyama was going to be okay or not. Instead he opted to do what he thought best and patted Shouyou’s hair gently,

“We’re doing the best thing for him. The ambulance will be here soon,” he forced a smile, “He’s a fighter.”

That seemed to calm Hinata a little and he swiped at a tear before turning back to his mate and placing a kiss atop Tobio’s forehead. The alpha, although still struggling to catch his breath, sighed a little at the contact and raised his hand for Shouyou to take. They sat for another brief moment and then Lev came bounding into the lounge like an oversized toilet roll, bandages flying in all directions.

“I can hear the ambulance! It’s almost here!”

He was right. A few moments later two paramedics bundled into the house and shifted Kageyama onto a stretcher before taking him immediately into the ambulance outside. It seemed to happen in a blur; one moment the alpha was gasping on the sofa and the next he was being pushed into the vehicle outside.

“Does he have a mate?” One of the paramedics asked as she moved to close the ambulance doors.

Daichi pushed Hinata forward as the omega seemed overwhelmed by what was happening and had frozen where he stood. He stumbled forwards and into the ambulance to be with his alpha before the doors slammed shut and the sirens blared as it drove off.

“Will he be okay?” Tadashi was clinging to Tsukki’s arm like a vice.

“He should be now,” Kei rubbed his neck into Yamaguchi’s hair gently, “They’ll take care of him.”

In the upstairs bathroom, Sugawara Koushi wasn’t having the best time. The pain in his abdomen was getting worse with each round, with each contraction he thought, and the time between them was shortening, too. He’d attempted to push open the door a few more times but it was tightly wedged shut and when he’d resorted to shouting he realised he couldn’t be heard over the thumping music downstairs.

With a tired sigh, Koushi let himself slide to the floor and noticed something prodding him in his butt. It was his phone.

“Ah! Koushi you moron, just call someone!”

He pressed the ‘recent’ menu and called Daichi, surely his mate would at least feel his phone ringing in his pocket. It rang. And rang. Until it finally picked up, momentarily relieving the omega from his panic.

“Dai, it’s me, I-”

‘Do I do it now? Oh, okay… This is Sawamura Daichi’s phone, leave a message after the beep… BEEEEP!’

Suga paled and stared at the phone in his hand before scrunching up his face at his stupid mate.

“Daichi you dick!”

He slammed his thumb on the ‘end’ button and took a breath to calm himself.

“Okay, no problem. I’ll just call someone else,” he smiled falsely to the empty room.

He flicked through his contacts, trying to gage who would be best in a crisis. Asahi would freak out, Tanaka wouldn’t listen and Shouyou would be far too excited to relay the message. He finally settled on Ennoshita but, as he was about to tap the beta’s icon, another surge of pain stung his stomach.

“Oh, god!”

It felt like someone with a hot needle was burying it in his lower belly and no matter how firmly he pushed against the curve with his hand it did no good in soothing it. His pup was ready and willing to come out and there was no point in trying to stop it. As it eased the omega got to his feet and began to pace. Why he did that he didn’t know but it somehow felt a little better to be on his feet and moving rather than staying in one position. When he thought the contraction had stopped (for the moment at least), Suga pulled out his phone once again and pushed Ennoshita’s icon. It started to ring, much to Koushi’s relief, but when another contraction began, causing the omega to double over with pain, the phone slipped from his hand and landed directly in the toilet bowl.

“Oh, for fu-”

“What a party, huh?”

Kuroo was sitting on the armchair with Kenma on his lap, the beta almost drifting off to sleep where he sat. Everyone else had gathered on the floor or on the sofa and the sombre atmosphere was almost stifling. The music had been switched off and a heavy silence hung in the air. No one knew what to say or do, did they continue with the party? It hardly seemed appropriate to continue with the frivolities when Kageyama had almost died.

“We should go to the hospital,” Daichi finally spoke up, “Hinata will need some moral support. Kageyama, too. He needs his pack.”

The Karasuno pack started to gather their things quietly but quickly, they needed to know how Kageyama was doing as soon as possible to try and ease their worrying. Ennoshita picked up his phone that he’d left on the coffee table after taking some photos of everyone bobbing for apples and frowned at the missed call from Suga.

“Huh...”

“What is it?” Tanaka draped himself across his boyfriend’s shoulders.

“I’ve got a missed call from Sugawara-san.”

“From today?”

Chikara checked the time, “Ten minutes ago,” he turned to Daichi, “Where’s Suga-san?”

With all of the commotion earlier, Daichi had been distracted with trying to keep his pack calm and collected. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten about Koushi, it was just that his mind had filled in the blanks for him subconsciously and he’d assumed he was in the bathroom or doing something in the kitchen. Now that he thought about it clearly, however, he realised it had been about twenty minutes since he’d last seen his mate.

“He’s...” the head alpha’s dark eyebrows pulled together, “I’m not sure. Why?”

“I have a missed call from him ten minutes ago,” Chikara held up his phone to show Daichi.

“He’s probably in the bathroom, I’ll go check.”

“Um,” Iwaizumi chewed on his lip a little awkwardly, “He wasn’t there,” he looked at Oikawa and blushed slightly, much to the omega’s amusement, “We were in there up until we heard what was happening in here.”

“’We’?” Kuroo smirked.

“Maybe he went upstairs?” Daichi’s voice cracked a little as he tried desperately to reach out and ‘feel’ Koushi through their bond mark.

“We were in the hall,” Tsukishima said, “I didn’t see him pass us.”

“Ah!” Tadashi was wringing his hands nervously, “But we were concentrating on getting Tsukki’s contacts out. Suga-san could have gone upstairs without us noticing.”

Without a pause, Daichi strode out of the room and bounded up the stairs, the others waiting patiently for his return, hopefully with Suga.

A loud groan emitted from Suga’s mouth as another contraction hit. They were only a few minutes apart and seemed to be lasting much longer than before, not to mention that the pain had increased tenfold. The omega whined pitifully as he bent over, bracing himself against the bathtub whilst tears spilled down his flushed cheeks. He rubbed circles on his bump to try and calm the pup inside but with his own body currently freaking out it wasn’t doing much good.

“It’s okay, baby,” he cooed through gritted teeth as the pain subsided a little, “Someone will come soon. Maybe it’ll be Daichi and I can kill him for leaving his phone at home...”

“Who’s killing who?”

Daichi’s voice filtered through the door and Suga almost collapsed to the floor in relief. He bit his bottom lip firmly as fresh tears spilled from his eyes and took a moment to try and level his breathing before speaking,

“Dai...”

The fallen floor boards were wedged tightly against the door, some having snapped when they fell, and a few heavy metal pipes were entangled amongst them making the mess impossible to move alone.

“Kou?! Are you okay?” The alpha worried that maybe something had fallen on his mate and injured him somehow, “Did you get hurt?”

Suga rolled his eyes at the irony, “Not hurt, no.”

“Good,” the alleviation showed in Daichi’s voice, “I’ll go get something to move this stuff.”

“NO!”

The alpha flinched at his mate’s sudden outburst and cringed at the panic-filled scent that was suddenly wafting through the door from Koushi. He stepped closer, one had on the wood of the door.

“Kou? What is it?”

“It’s… nnnnggh...” another contraction twisted Suga’s insides and he began to pant slightly as Daichi waited on tenterhooks for a response, “It’s the baby.”

“The baby?!”

“The pup...” Suga hissed through his teeth as sweat trickled down his temples, “It’s coming!”

Chapter Text

The smell of disinfectant. A child crying somewhere. Lights so bright that they hurt his eyes a little. These were all of the things Hinata Shouyou was taking in as he sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair, desperately waiting for someone to come and update him on news of his mate.

In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Kageyama had passed out and had to be brought round by one of the paramedics. It had only been for a few seconds but it was the longest seconds of the scared omega’s life and he himself had almost fainted as he forgot to breathe, too concerned for his mate’s health. Once they’d arrived at the hospital, Tobio had been carted off on a gurney, out of the omega’s sight, and Shouyou had been instructed to wait until someone came to update him on the alpha’s progress. The waiting was proving most difficult, however, and the tiny redhead was becoming more and more jittery with every passing minute, images of Tobio in pain flickering through his mind.

“Hinata-kun?” A female nurse in light blue scrubs leaned down to get the omega’s attention.

“Y-yes?” He couldn’t stop himself shivering, despite the waiting room being a comfortable temperature, “Is it Kageyama?! Is he okay?”

The nurse smiled patiently and nodded, gesturing towards a drawn curtain opposite, “We’ve given him some Epinephrine, which has stopped the reaction and he’s on oxygen for the time being, just to even out his breathing.”

“B-but he’ll be o-okay?” Tears were already falling down Hinata’s flushed cheeks.

“He’ll be fine. He can go home in an hour or so.”

Hinata nodded thankfully and dashed over to the curtain, which he peeked through tentatively despite wanting to barge through it like a wrecking ball. Although he believed what the nurse had told him, he also remembered just how frightened he’d been when he saw his mate in such pain and couldn’t help but be apprehensive about seeing him again. After all, if not for Hinata forgetting Tobio’s Epipen, the alpha would have been fine.

“I can see you, you know,” Kageyama’s voice was hoarse and a little muffled due to the oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth, “Come here.”

The alpha held out his hand and Shouyou obediently shuffled over to the bed, placing his smaller hand in his mate’s. It felt good to touch one another again and the relief caused a knee-jerk reaction in the omega, making more tears fall and his lip to tremble.

“What is it?” Tobio squeezed Hinata’s hand a little tighter, “I’m fine, you idiot.”

Hinata shook his head, hair flopping in every direction, “It’s my fault! I’m so sorry! I should have remembered the pen thing! I’m a horrible mate, I-”

“Stop that.”

Kageyama sighed and pulled Shouyou closer so that the omega was forced to sit on the side of the bed.

“I should have remembered it, not you. And I should have asked what was in the punch before drinking it,” his nose crinkled at the memory of the foul drink, “It was my fault, no one else’s.”

“B-but, I made the punch!”

A high whine emitted from Shouyou’s throat and Kageyama pulled him so that he was lying beside him on the narrow bed. The alpha released his own lemon-scented pheromones to soothe his mate and it seemed to help as the stiffness in Hinata’s shoulders thawed a little. They lay like that for a while, neither speaking but both understanding one another’s thoughts. It had been a mistake, nothing more, and no one was to blame.

When Hinata finally had the energy to sit upright, he looked at his mate and couldn’t help the smirk that formed on his lips at the sight. Kageyama cocked a dark eyebrow,

“What?”

“Nothing...”

Tobio growled quietly, “What?”

“It’s just,” Hinata gestured to the wires and tubes surrounding the alpha, “With all of this stuff around you and you being silver and all… You look like a robot!”

Tobio’s cheeks pinked slightly, “Well you look like a dead cat!”

Back at Kuroo and Kenma’s place, both Daichi and Suga were pacing back and forth, the omega in the bathroom and the alpha on the landing at the top of the stairs. Daichi had wanted to go and fetch some of the other guys to try and move the boards and pipes blocking the bathroom door but Suga had been so scared to be left alone that he’d adamantly refused that idea. Now the alpha was at a total loss as to what to do, he couldn’t move the debris by himself but he couldn’t go downstairs to get some help.

“Kou,” Daichi spoke softly to his mate through the wooden door, “I can’t get you out without some help from the others. This stuff is too heavy for me to lift.”

“Can’t you just...” another contraction twisted Suga’s abdomen and he groaned, “Can’t you just try and move it?”

Daichi sighed, his mate’s stubbornness had always been apparent but in this particular situation it really wasn’t helping. At any other time, Daichi would have simply ignored his mate’s pleas and quickly ran to get some help but now, as Suga struggled in pain in the bathroom just a few feet away, the alpha’s instincts were screaming at him to stay by his side and try to help in some other way.

“Don’t you have your phone?” Daichi asked, “Ennoshita said he had a missed call from you.”

An awkward pause behind the door.

“Kou?”

“It fell...”

“The phone did? Where? Can you reach it?”

Suga glanced at the dead phone in the bottom of the toilet bowl and pouted, “I can’t reach it.”

“Can you try?” Daichi asked, totally unaware of how irate his mate was getting at his continuous questions about the stupid phone.

“No.”

“Just try, Kou it-”

“It’s in the toilet!”

Suga’s voice cracked as he started to cry a little, not because of the phone’s demise but because he felt like the situation was so utterly hopeless. He was trapped, their baby was on the way and he couldn’t even get any comfort from touching or even seeing his mate. Another sob racked his body as another contraction hit, causing the omega to bend at the waist and lean against the bathtub as he tried to remember to breathe. He’d attended a few courses for labour and breathing techniques but now that it was actually happening Suga couldn’t seem to remember any of it.

“Oi, oi, oi,” the familiar loud tones of Bokuto drifted up the staircase and Daichi could have kissed the other alpha if not for wanting to stay by his mate’s side (and the fact that it was indeed Bokuto), “What’s happening? Did you find him?”

“Go get the others!”

Daichi yelled a little frantically, startling Bokuto who was used to seeing the Karasuno leader pretty calm.

“Ah-” Daichi shook his head and added, “Not Nishinoya or Kenma!”

“Why? What’s-”

One more look at Daichi’s determined face made Bokuto shut his mouth and run into the living room to fetch the other party guests. They followed him upstairs, despite the confusion as to what was going on, and gathered at the top as Daichi quickly updated them on what was happening.

“Suga’s stuck in the bathroom.”

“I said not to come up here for a reason,” Kuroo folded his arms across his bare chest.

Daichi ignored his comment and continued, “And he’s in labour.”

“Suga-san is?!” Yamaguchi squawked.

“No, Kuroo-san,” Tsukki rolled his eyes at Tadashi as the freckled omega blushed.

“Ugh,” Kuroo rubbed his hands down his face, “Please don’t have a baby in my bathroom.”

“It’s not like I want to!” Suga yelled from inside the blocked room.

“We need to move these boards first,” Daichi tugged on one of the fallen floorboards but it didn’t budge.

Both Bokuto and Kuroo grabbed a section of it and the three alphas were finally able to shift it aside enough to lean it against the wall, away from the door. There were another two just as heavy which they managed to shove aside and, with help from Asahi, the final heavy wooden board was moved. That just left the entanglement of metal pipes.

“Grab the other end of this,” Daichi took one end of the pipe and Tsukishima the other, “1, 2, 3 lift!”

It was significantly heavier than the boards and it almost fell on Oikawa’s feet as they dropped it heavily to the ground with a loud thud! There were three more left to move and then there would be enough space for Suga to squeeze out safely and so the alphas got to work on the rest, working quickly and quietly like a well-oiled machine.

Inside the bathroom, Suga’s contractions were coming almost every minute. All of the strength in his legs had seemingly depleted and he’d sat down on the cold tiles with his back leaning against the bathtub and his legs out in front of him. He rubbed circles on his large bump, whispering to the pup inside to try and keep it calm but all calmness seemed to have deserted the omega and only panic remained. Suga needed his mate, needed Daichi, and the feeling of emptiness without him was only growing stronger with each passing moment of pain.

Unaware that he was doing so, Suga used his bond with Daichi to practically scream for help through their invisible connection. It was as though he was pulling with all of his might on a tight cord between them, almost strangling the alpha with a primal shriek from the omega. It almost knocked Daichi off his feet and he tottered with the pipe he and Asahi were carrying, almost hitting Yamaguchi with it. Thankfully they managed to set it aside safely, leaving only one left to move.

“Wow,” Kuroo inhaled deeply as he took one end of the final pipe, nostrils flaring at the delicious raspberries and cream scent wafting through the door, “He smells great.”

Bokuto, who had the other end of the metal pipe, felt venom pool in his mouth at the sweet aroma. He licked his lips and felt every nerve in his body telling him to claim the omega creating such a tantalising scent. One dark look from Akaashi, however, had the alpha backtracking and he held his breath as he and Kuroo moved the final pipe.

Once it was moved, Daichi wasted no time in barging into the bathroom like a man possessed. His wild eyes took in the scene of the phone in the toilet, Suga’s damp trousers strewn across the towel rack and finally his mate sitting on the floor with tears streaming down his red cheeks.

“Koushi!” Daichi skidded on his knees to his mate’s side, hands unsure where to touch first, “It’s okay, I’m here now.”

Suga’s shoulder’s relaxed a little and he rested his head on the alpha’s shoulder as Daichi embraced him, surrounding him in his strong smoky scent.

“Took you long enough,” Suga half-joked.

“Well someone came upstairs when Kuroo said not to,” Daichi teased as he stroked a gentle hand through Suga’s silver hair, “Can you stand?”

The omega was about to attempt to do just that but a contraction hit just as he was getting to his feet. He leant against the alpha, his fingers grasping Daichi’s shirt tightly, and whimpered as he held his stomach in a feeble attempt to ease the pain. As it was the first time Daichi had actually seen the contraction in progress he didn’t know how to react. His omega was in pain and there was nothing he could do but release his pheromones and hold him close. He felt useless.

“It hu-hurts, Dai,” Suga whined as Daichi wiped some sweat from the omega’s brow.

“Shh, I know. I don’t know what to do, Kou.”

Suga managed a sly smile and rested his forehead against his mate’s, “Taking me to the hospital would be a good start.”

Chapter Text

“So we should call an ambulance, right?” Yaku already had his phone in his hand, ready to call for the second time that night.

“Yes!” Lev looked like the suggestion was a surprise, his head elsewhere as Suga’s scent continued to surround the group with every contraction.

A shake of Suga’s head, however, had them even more confused. The omega, who was sitting on the floor amongst the wood shavings and debris, clutching his bump, bit his bottom lip as another contraction washed through him and finally caught his breath enough to speak.

“It’ll take too long to get here,” he inhaled shakily and looked to Asahi, who looked somewhat shell-shocked, “Can we drive to the hospital instead?”

The ace nodded and didn’t hesitate to reply, “Of course.”

With help from Daichi, Suga got to his feet, (albeit shakily) and clutched onto his alpha as another surge of pain hit. His fingers dug deep into his mate’s shoulder but Daichi wasn’t concerned about his own discomfort, he was much more worried about Koushi’s and how he could alleviate the pain.

”I’ll bring the car closer,” Asahi rushed down the stairs.

As the alpha darted through the living room, Kenma, Noya, Tanaka and Ennoshita looked up at him, the betas had opted to stay with the pregnant members of the party, just in case. Noya jumped to his feet when his mate appeared and grabbed Asahi’s cape before he could get outside, yanking the alpha back by his neck.

“What’s going on?” Noya looked pale, concern marring his usually joyful features, “Did you find Suga?”

“Yeah, he was stuck in the bathroom.”

Asahi’s lack of humour at the somewhat funny circumstance sent shivers down Yuu’s spine and he continued with a solemn look,

“He’s in labour.”

“Right now?!” Kenma’s eyes widened.

“What should we do?!” Tanaka was on his feet, hands flailing at his sides, “An ambulance, right?! We should call an ambulance?!”

Chikara placed his hand on his boyfriend’s dancing shoulders to calm him but his own voice came out a little higher than anticipated,

“Is he okay?”

Asahi nodded, “I need to get the car to take him to hospital,” something seemed to click in his head and he cupped Noya’s face gently, “You and Kozume-kun should stay here, it’s not good to be around too much stress in your condition.”

“And you think I won’t be stressed sitting here like a lemon whilst the rest of you take him to hospital?!”

“I...”

Asahi didn’t know how to respond. Of course it would be stressful waiting to hear news but it also wasn’t good for pregnant omegas to be around ones in labour, what with their unstable hormones and pheromones. Each situation was running through Asahi’s mind and he didn’t know which would be best for his mate and unborn pup. Thankfully, Yuu had his head screwed on and grabbed the taller alpha’s face between his palms.

“I’m coming with you. That’s that.”

“But the stress-”

“You’re my mate! You think I don’t know stress?!” Noya chuckled and pushed Asahi towards the door, “Now lets go get the car!”

“I’m going to pick you up, okay Kou?”

Daichi scooped his arms under Suga’s knees and around his shoulders but the omega whined and struggled to stay out of his grip.

“M-Maybe I should just stay here and wait?” Suga stammered, all bravado from before now long gone as his contractions got closer and the pain increased.

“Wait for what?” Kuroo curled his lip in confusion, “To pop a pup out on my new carpet?”

A loud growl emitted from Daichi but he held his temper in favour of seeing to his mate.

“Come on, Kou, we can’t just stay here.”

Suga began to sob a little and he could feel himself starting to panic as the group looked to one another for some sort of answer. He knew he was being a nuisance, knew he should just hurry up and let Daichi carry him to the car but he was also terrified. What if something bad happened to their pup? What if he wasn’t cut out to have a baby? His mind was whirling and he couldn’t help the trembling of his hands as he continued to fall into the unknowing abyss.

The others didn’t know what to do; should they just force him to move? Would that harm the baby? Would the stress from their combined indecision do more harm than good? When no one moved to help, Tadashi crouched down beside Suga and took his hand, his thumb tracing circles in the older omega’s palm as he spoke softly.

“Suga-san?” Suga looked up through wide, tearful eyes as Tadashi spoke calmly, “It hurts, right?” A nod, “That means the pup is ready to come out now. And that can’t happen here.”

“W-why not?” Suga’s breathing was still hitching but he was focused enough to take note of what Tadashi was saying.

“Because we’re not doctors, we don’t know what’s best for the baby. And you want what’s best for them, right?”

Suga nodded silently, breath easing a little.

Yamaguchi smiled, “So let’s get going. I wanna meet this little cutie!”

Daichi silently thanked Yamaguchi as he picked up his mate and the group rushed downstairs, through the living room where Tanaka and Ennoshita quickly joined them, until they were at the open front door where Asahi’s headlights were illuminating the front garden.

“Let us know how it goes,” Kuroo said as he gathered Kenma to his side, the beta thankful for his boyfriend’s touch.

“Good luck, Sugawara-san!” Lev yelled towards them as the Karasuno pack jumped into the car and Asahi sped off into the night.

Kenma turned to his boyfriend, one hand on his belly, “He’ll be okay, right?”

Tetsuro smiled, “Of course. They make them tough in that Karasuno pack.”

Inside Asahi’s car it was pandemonium.

Suga and Daichi were on the back seats, the former leaning against his mate and trying his best not to make too much noise as another contraction hit. Opposite them, in the seats facing backwards, were Tsukishima, Yamaguchi and Tanaka. The alpha was starting to regret his decision to sit in the back as he really didn’t know how to comfort someone in so much discomfort. Thankfully Tadashi seemed to be trying his best for the both of them and so Kei tried to busy himself with searching for the nearest hospital on his phone, not that he could see the screen without his glasses anyway.

In the front next to Asahi was Nishinoya. He’d first wanted to stay in the back with Suga but his alpha had firmly denied that request and Yuu didn’t want to waste time arguing for no reason. Behind them, Chikara had his phone out and was directing Asahi towards the hospital. Apparently only one in the area had a maternity unit and as neither of the front passengers had been there before, they were relying on good old Google-chan to get them there safely.

“It should take about twenty minutes,” Chikara’s head popped up between Tadashi and Tanaka’s faces as he spoke directly to Daichi, “According to the map, anyway.”

Suga groaned, not from pain this time as he was between contractions at the moment, but from the fact that it would take so long to get to a doctor. He’d decided early in his pregnancy that he would very much like any painkillers to relieve his labour pain and silently cursed the damned hospital for being so far away.

“Tell Asahi to put his foot down,” Daichi replied, eyes not leaving Koushi.

After another five minutes in the car, the entire vehicle was seeped in Suga’s raspberry and cream scent. The very air tasted of it and Tsukishima had to hold his hand to his nose to try and ease the burning in his throat. He usually wasn’t taken by any other omegan scents other than Tadashi’s because they were all so sweet and sickly. An omega in labour, however, had a certain tinge that made any alpha’s mouth water. It wasn’t just the alphas, either, Tadashi was struggling to stay focused as a heavy fog settled over him and he became dizzy with Suga’s pheromones. That was enough to snap Tsukki from his daze and he focused his attention on his mate, rather than the omega opposite.

“You okay?” he asked quietly so that only Tadashi could hear.

Heavy eyes looked up at the alpha and Kei touched a flushed, freckled cheek as his mate responded,

“It’s a little intense.”

“Mhmm,” Kei pulled Tadashi’s head against his chest and they inhaled one another’s scents.

“Man,” Tanaka rubbed his shaved head, “It must be strong, even I can smell Suga’s scent!” He looked over at Suga with wide, interested eyes, “Raspberries, right? I’ve smelled it faintly before but damn, now it’s like there’s a tree right in front of me!”

“A ‘tree’?” Chika’s floating head had returned between Tadashi and Ryuu.

“Yeah!” Tanaka grinned, “A raspberry tree!”

Tsukishima face-palmed and Ennoshita was about to scold his boyfriend for being so dumb when he was interrupted by a soft chuckling. It was Suga.

“Bush,” Suga rubbed his bump and looked across at Tanaka, “It’s a raspberry bush, not tree.”

“Huh...” the beta raised his eyebrows, “You sure?”

Suga chuckled again, “I’m su-”

He was interrupted by another contraction, this one a little more painful than the last. It took his breath away and he couldn’t help the hiss of air that passed through his gritted teeth as he tried to ride it out. He moaned loudly as he gripped his bump and sweat and tears merged on his hot cheeks as he leaned forwards, folding at the waist.

Next to him, Daichi pulled his mate closer and released a wave of pheromones to try and calm him even a little. The alpha doubted anything he did now would be much good but he still wanted to let Koushi know he was there, always beside him. He rubbed circles in the omega’s arched back and leaned forwards slightly, raising his voice to get Asahi’s attention,

“How long until we get there?”

“About ten minutes!” Asahi confirmed as he pressed down on the accelerator a little harder.

“The map says we’re 4 miles away,” Ennoshita added.

“Almost there,” Daichi whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

“H-have you thought of any names?” Tadashi broke the silence that had emerged since the last contraction, trying his best to sound composed although his mind was still foggy.

Suga knew the freckled omega was just trying to distract him but he played along, hopeful that it might do just that.

“A couple… But we don’t know if it’ll be a boy or a girl.”

“Do you have a preference?”

Daichi answered, “As long as they’re healthy, we don’t mind.”

Tadashi blushed slightly and looked down at his and Tsukki’s entwined fingers, “I’m so excited.”

“For what?” Kei asked blankly as his mate clicked his tongue at him.

“To meet the pup!” his face suddenly became more animated, “We can play with them and feed them and… Ah...” he blushed again, cheeks flushing crimson, “That’s if it’s okay?”

Suga smiled weakly but was gripped by another shooting pain and so Daichi answered in his place,

“Of course.”

Before Yamaguchi could fawn over the idea of playing with the pup any more, the car suddenly juddered, a spluttering noise emanating from the engine.

“What was that?” Tanaka turned to look at Asahi.

The spluttering continued and then an almighty BANG! erupted from under the bonnet as the car slowly ground to a halt. Asahi turned the key a few times and listened as the engine whirred and squealed but it was no good.

The car had broken down.

Chapter Text

“Try it again!”

Asahi pushed his foot to the floor and turned the ignition key. Nothing. The engine had even given up making the screeching sound and just remained silent as the alpha desperately tried to start the car. He looked to Noya, who looked a little pale but seemed to still have some hope that it would miraculously rev to life, and shook his head slowly,

“It’s dead.”

“Why?” Nishinoya looked at his mate with wide, worried eyes, “Can’t you do something?”

“It’s an old car,” Asahi shrugged and finally let go of the steering wheel, “It must have overheated or something.”

Suddenly Tanaka’s face was between the pair, the beta having climbed over the seats like a monkey.

“Want me to take a look?”

Ryuu worked in a garage in town but mainly worked on more aesthetic aspects of cars like paint jobs and body work, rather than the technical side of things. He did, however, have a little knowledge of engines and decided now was as good a time as any to tap into said knowledge. Quickly, as the Karasuno pack was starting to panic, the beta stepped out of the car and opened the bonnet, disappearing behind it as Asahi and Noya watched with baited breath through the windscreen.

“Can he fix it?” Noya rubbed his cold hands together as he asked and Ennoshita’s clown-painted face popped between the seats.

“Maybe?” Chika chewed on his lip nervously, “Depends how bad it is.”

In the back seat, Suga was doubled over once again with a contraction. He panted through the pain and felt sweat trickling down his cheeks, mingling with the tears that he couldn’t hold back as the knife-twisting feeling intensified. Hearing that the car had broken down really hadn’t helped to calm his nerves and his mind was starting to overflow with nothing but panic as Daichi tried to soothe him helplessly.

Opposite the pair, with his hands wringing in his lap, Yamaguchi turned to his mate and whispered,

“What if it won’t start?”

Tsukishima didn’t know the answer. They were, what? ten minutes away from the hospital by car? That meant around half an hour or more on foot and there was no way Suga-san could walk there in his condition. Their only other option was to call an ambulance, surely it would get there quickly? The blonde alpha whipped out his phone and dialled the emergency number.

“What’re you doing?” Daichi asked, a hint of desperation in the usually calm head alpha’s voice.

“Calling an ambulance.”

Suga looked up, face flushed and drawn, “W-will it get here fast?”

Kei didn’t reply to the omega as an operator answered the phone and he explained their situation.

“I’m not sure...” he looked to the others, “Where are we?”

Tadashi looked through the window into the dark street outside, “There’re no signs.”

“Can’t they just use your GPS on your phone?” Daichi sounded more irked now and took a deep breath to calm himself.

Tsukishima told the operator to do just that and then his mouth fell open and he paled slightly.

“I… um...” he curled his lip and squinted towards Suga, “How far… err… Is the head visible?” He looked like he might throw up as Suga shook his head and continued listening to the person on the other end of the phone, “How far apart are your contractions?”

Suga clenched his jaw and threw his hands up in exasperation, “I don’t know!”

“Every couple of minutes?” Kei said it like a question, as if the operator would somehow know the answer rather than himself.

“What do we do?” Daichi asked, leaning forwards in his seat like he would somehow be able to get more information that way.

“She says to keep him calm-”

“CALM?!” Suga shrieked, startling the others, “Just what about this situation is calming?!”

Tsukishima swallowed loudly and continued, “The ambulance will be here as soon as possible but there’s been a big pile up on one of the main roads near the city so they’re not sure how long...”

“Give me that!”

Suga held out his hand and wriggled his fingers, gesturing for the phone. It was handed to him swiftly and he held it up to his mouth.

“USELESS!” the pregnant omega yelled into the mouthpiece and slammed his thumb on the ‘end call’ button, satisfied with his response.

The others stared silently, even Noya, Chika and Asahi turned to look back at the commotion with shocked glances. It was finally Daichi who was brave enough to speak up, a slight smirk itching at one corner of his mouth,

“Jeez, Kou, so much for calm,” he kissed his mate’s forehead, “What do you want to do?”

Suga huffed loudly and leaned against his alpha as he trembled slightly, all emotions erupting at once. He was confused, excited, pissed off but mostly he was frightened. Frightened of how safely he could have his pup if it ended up being in the back of Asahi’s car. Surely that wasn’t the best place to give birth? It wasn’t particularly dirty but it sure as hell wasn’t sterile and the thought of having a tiny baby next to a half-eaten bag of Doritos made his heart-rate increase tenfold. He turned to Daichi, brown eyes pleading,

“I want to have our baby in a hospital with clean sheets and doctors and pain relief!” he grabbed his bump as he said the last words.

“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Daichi straightened his ‘policeman’ hat and took Yamaguchi’s freckled arm, pulling the younger omega to replace him in his seat as he slid open the door.

“What’re you-” Koushi’s hand gripped his mate’s arm tightly, unwilling to let the alpha leave him, even for a second.

Daichi turned to his love and kissed his hand firmly before pulling away and stepping outside into the cold night. He tipped his hat and grinned,

“I’ll be right back.”

At the front of the car, Tanaka was scratching his head as he stared down at the smoking engine. It was beyond what he was expecting and, if he was being honest, he had no idea how to fix it. The beta was about to head back into the car to deliver the bad news when he caught sight of Daichi stepping to the side of the road.

“Daichi-san? What’s going on? Did he have the-”

Daichi turned to his friend, face serious, “I need you to jump in front of a car.”

Tanaka’s brows rose, “Okay… Why?”

The fact that the beta hadn’t even hesitated to say yes to such a request made Daichi swell with pride; he always knew Ryuu was someone he could rely on, even in such strenuous circumstances and he was so happy he was a part of their pack.

“We’re commandeering a car.”

“We’re what now?”

Headlights lit up their faces and Daichi jumped into action, “Quick! Now!”

It didn’t take more than a second for Tanaka to gage how fast the car was going (he was loyal, not stupid) and, as it was going at a steady, slow pace, he readied himself for the event. Just before the car got to the corner they were on, Tanaka side-stepped into the road, feigned being hit by the edge of the bumper and sprawled dramatically onto the street.

The driver stumbled out, face ashen as he took in the beta’s appearance.

“A-are you okay?! Oh my god!” the man, in his mid-forties, pulled at his thinning hair as he took in Tanaka’s [fake] blood-covered body and wounds, “Oh shit!”

The man knelt down beside Tanaka and, just as he held his fingers to the beta’s wrist to check for a pulse, Ryuu sat up in one swift motion, sending the man lurching backwards in shock.

“Um...” Tanaka looked to Daichi for help. He only knew the first part of the plan and didn’t have a clue what the next step was.

Daichi cleared his throat and stepped into the headlight beams, praying his costume would suffice,

“Sir, we have an emergency and need your car.”

The man gulped loudly, “An emergency?” he looked back at Tanaka, who was getting to his feet, “Are you okay?”

Daichi shook his head, “Not him.”

“’Not him’? But he needs a hospital!”

Daichi ignored his confusion and continued, “He’s fine. There’s an omega in need and we need a vehicle. Yours to be precise.”

As Daichi had said the word ‘omega’ the man’s lip curled and he clicked his tongue impatiently.

“That’s all?” he asked as he folded his arms across his chest, “Look, officer, this is what’s wrong with society nowadays! We alphas have to pander to the lowly omega’s needs when we should in fact be commanding them! We have the upper hand, we’re stronger, faster, we’re-”

He stopped talking as a loud, deep growl rose from Daichi’s throat, the head alpha’s pheromones permeating the air sickeningly.

“Wh-what?” the man looked from beta to alpha and back again, “I’m right aren’t I?”

Daichi stepped forwards, not much taller than the man but his presence overwhelming, “Even the lowest omega is worth ten of you. Now move aside and let us take your car.”

“I-I-” the other alpha stammered as Tanaka jogged back to Asahi’s car to fetch the others, “You can’t do this! What’s your badge number? I’m reporting you!”

Daichi smiled tauntingly, “And if you do that, I’ll arrest you for a hit and run. Or perhaps hate crimes against omegas. How would you like to spend Christmas in jail?”

He was playing with fire. If the man noticed something off about his uniform he was busted, not to mention he was about to steal his car right in front of him. In order to keep the other alpha placated, Daichi sighed and leaned closer, pheromones strong and intimidating.

“Look, if you do as I say I won’t report you to my superiors. I’ll have your car back here by 9am tomorrow morning and you can return to your life as normal. Here,” he handed over some cash, “I’ll even pay for a taxi for you to get home tonight.”

The man clicked his tongue but took the money reluctantly before turning and walking along the street in search of a ride home. Once he was out of sight, Daichi released a shaky breath and darted back to Asahi’s car where Tanaka and Yamaguchi were helping Suga to his feet. The grey-haired omega looked up at his mate, confused and pale.

“Dai? What’s happening? Is the ambulance here?”

“We’re borrowing a car.”

Daichi wasted no time in picking his omega up and the rest of the group followed as he carried Suga over to the stranger’s car.

“Who’s car is this?” Tadashi asked as Daichi placed Suga in the back seat.

“Some guy’s,” Tanaka replied, “He’ll get it back.”

“Which guy?” Ennoshita looked around the empty street, “Did you break into this car?!”

“Of course not!” Tanaka retorted, “He let us borrow it!”

Daichi was already in the driver’s seat, seatbelt latched. It was smaller than Asahi’s people carrier and only held five people but the head alpha knew everyone would want to go with them, or so he thought. To his surprise, Noya took Asahi’s hand and held him back as the ace was about to get into the back with Suga.

“Yuu?” Asahi looked back at his mate, who remained still on the sidewalk.

“We should get a taxi, we won’t all fit.”

“But it’s cold and you’re… We should go with them.”

Noya shook his head and held his mate’s hand tighter, “I think Suga-san’s labour is affecting me, too. Can we just get a taxi? Please?”

Finally Asahi understood why Yuu looked so pale. Suga’s condition and haywire hormones must have been affecting him in the confined space of the car and Noya was too concerned for his pack-mate that he didn’t want to say anything. The prospect of being in an even smaller car, however, had been too much for the tiny omega and he’d finally spoken up.

Asahi nodded and stepped back to let Yamaguchi and Tsukishima climb into the back with Suga, “Okay. We’ll get a taxi,” he turned back to Daichi and gave a weak thumbs-up, “Good luck.”

“We’ll be there as soon as we can!” Noya spoke up so that Suga could hear and the silver-haired omega nodded silently.

“There’s one more seat,” Daichi leaned out to look at Ryuu and Chikara, “Who’s coming?”

The betas looked at one another, neither wanting to give in and get a taxi but both knowing that any delay would be bad for Suga and the pup.

“Hurry up!” Daichi revved the car impatiently.

Finally Ennoshita gave in, “You go, Ryuu. You’ve known them longer.”

Tanaka nodded and jumped into the front passenger seat but to Chika’s surprise his boyfriend yanked on his arm and pulled him onto his lap before shutting the door and fastening the seatbelt over both of them.

“Okay,” Tanaka looped his arms around Chikara’s waist, “Let’s go!”

Chapter Text

At the hospital, Kageyama’s discharge was taking longer than expected as more and more casualties of the free-way pile-up were being rushed in and all of the staff’s attention was being directed towards them. The alpha didn’t mind much, though, as his mate was sleeping peacefully beside him on the narrow bed and he was still a little shaken up from the events of earlier. Not that he would admit that it had scared him, of course, but he hadn’t had a reaction like that since he was in kindergarten and the utter panic and uncertainty had come flooding back to him when he had started to gasp back at the party. It wasn’t something he wanted to repeat any time soon.

“Tobio?” Hinata’s wild hair tickled the alpha’s chin as the omega looked up at him from his position against his chest, “Can we go home yet? What time is it?”

Kageyama shrugged, “Everyone seems busy. It’s around midnight I think.”

Shouyou sat upright and flung his legs over the side of the bed, “I’ll go ask someone if we can go.”

With a final peck on the alpha’s lips, Hinata rushed out of sight to try and find a nurse, his orange scent drifting behind him lightly as he left. It didn’t take him long to find someone but she briskly shooed him away, telling him they were too busy to see non-emergencies at the moment. With a sigh, the omega turned on his heels and returned to Kageyama’s side with a slight pout on his lips, am expression Kageyama couldn’t help but smirk at.

“I could sit on that lip,” Tobio patted the bed and his mate plopped down beside him, “Well, can we go home?”

Orange hair shook side to side, “They were too busy with emergencies. I wonder what’s going on?”

Before Kageyama could reply with his own theory, a man was pushed past their cubicle on a gurney, screaming at the top of his lungs as a doctor tried to hold him down. The patient’s face was painted like a pumpkin but the face paint had started to run, making him look like some sort of demonic creature as his face contorted in pain. Hinata only saw him briefly but he guessed that the dark red stains soaking his shirt weren’t paint and nuzzled a little closer to his alpha as the smell of fresh blood wafted through the curtain.

Kageyama gulped loudly, “Looks like there’s been an accident.”

“I hope the pack is okay...” Hinata spoke softly into his mate’s chest.

“Why wouldn’t they be? They’re at Kuroo’s.”

Hinata shook his head gently and mumbled, “I just have a bad feeling.”

With a gentle thump with his fist against the omega’s noggin, Kageyama released some soothing pheromones and told him he was being an idiot, of course the pack was doing fine.

“ARE WE ALMOST THERE?!”

Suga’s yelling made Yamaguchi flinch beside him but the younger omega continued to rub soothing circles into his back nonetheless. They’d been driving for almost ten minutes, which is how long they’d guessed it would take to reach the hospital, but the backed-up traffic had meant they’d only travelled about a mile. And with the hospital being about 4 miles away, the pregnant omega was starting to panic.

“It’s the traffic!” Daichi was trying his best to stay calm but his pheromones had the car smelling like it was on fire and his knuckles were white against the steering wheel.

“Should I drive, Daichi-san?”

Ennoshita offered, partly because he wanted Daichi to be able to take care of Suga but also because he was afraid that the alpha was going to suddenly ram the traffic and speed through like a madman.

“And where will I sit?!” Daichi’s eyes were wide as he snapped at the beta, “On Tanaka’s lap?!”

Tanaka’s lip curled and he was about to snap back – no one spoke to Chika like that – but Suga was already kicking the back of his mate’s seat, sending Daichi lurching forwards as he booted it as hard as he could and shouted at Daichi from behind,

“Stop being a dick, Dai!” he flinched as another contraction hit and panted through gritted teeth, his voice weaker and more omega-like, “Just hurry up, please.”

“Pull over here,” Tsukishima gestured to the hard-shoulder, “I’ll drive the rest of the way.”

“But you can’t see!” Tadashi had grabbed his mate’s hand across Suga’s lap and held on tight so that the alpha wouldn’t get out of the car as Daichi pulled to a stop.

“Ah...” Kei had forgotten about his glasses momentarily.

Tadashi shook his head and got out of the car before his mate could say any more. He swapped seats with Daichi and fastened his seatbelt, turning to face the back seat before he set off,

“I got my licence last year. I haven’t driven much since but I make deliveries for the florist’s now and then,” he smiled warmly at Suga and then turned to face the front, “I’ll get you there, Suga-san!”

And with that, Tadashi slammed his foot onto the gas and sped into the traffic, ignoring the blaring horns as he cut in. Daichi quickly buckled in (slightly worried for his life in the hands of Yamaguchi) and turned all of his attention to Koushi, who was still hunched over from the last contraction.

“I’m here, okay?” the alpha looped his arm around Koushi’s waist and pulled him closer, “We’re almost there.”

Suga looked up at his mate with red-rimmed watering eyes, all anger and frustration now turned to apprehension and anxiety, “I’m scared, Dai. It really hurts.”

Daichi chuckled lightly and rubbed Suga’s bump lovingly, “We’ll meet our pup soon, just think about that, nothing else.”

“Easy for you to say,” Suga leaned his head against his alpha’s shoulder and placed his hand atop Daichi’s against his stomach, “They’re causing so much trouble before they’re even here.”

There was a lull between contractions and Suga was able to get his breath as Tadashi wound through the traffic like he was in a video game. More horns beeped and some people shouted from their open windows but the freckled omega simply ignored them and kept his eyes straight ahead, accepting tips from Ennoshita on which turns to take as they got closer to the hospital. He even mounted the sidewalk at one point and there was a moment of silence as the passengers held their breath when the car almost hit a plastic skeleton in someone’s garden.

“Slow down, Tadashi!” Tsukki stretched and placed his hands on the omega’s shoulders, “We want to get there alive preferably.”

The freckled omega took a deep breath and nodded, slowing slightly.

“There!” Tanaka pointed to a sign indicating that the hospital was just a turn away, “Turn right!”

Tadashi did just that but had to immediately slam on the brakes as he was met with a long line of backed-up cars that were waiting to pass three ambulances as they pulled into the building. There was no way they could drive any closer but with the hospital in sight, Daichi took it upon himself to lead the way. He unbuckled Suga and opened the door before scooping his mate up into a princess hold and lifting him out of the car.

“I’ll carry him in,” Daichi had already started walking, “Park the car up somewhere!”

Tanaka and Ennoshita stumbled out after the pair, leaving Tadashi and Tsukki in the car alone. The sudden overwhelming silence was heavy and the omega felt like he was finally able to breathe without the strong pheromones surrounding him. He turned to face his alpha, who also looked somewhat relieved, and spoke quietly as though his voice would somehow cause disruption in the silence.

“He’ll be okay, right?”

Tsukki shuffled forwards in his seat so that he could touch his mate, “It’s Suga-san, he’ll be fine,” he knew Tadashi was panicking under the surface, impatient to get to Suga as soon as possible and smirked, “Hurry up and park the car so we can get inside.”

After pushing through a crowd of bed sheet ghosts, Daichi stumbled to the reception desk, Koushi still in his arms, and glared at the lady sitting behind the computer. She flinched slightly at his powerful pheromones but once she saw Suga her expression softened.

“Can I help… officer?”

“It’s a costume,” Daichi replied, deadpan, “My fiancée is in labour.”

“Mhmm...” she typed something into the computer agonisingly slow, “Name?”

“Sugawara Koushi,” Daichi was trying not to growl as his impatience grew.

“And how long has he been in labour? Have his waters broken? Is he an omega or beta? What-”

A heavy hand slammed onto the reception desk and the lady’s mouth fell open as Suga glared at her,

“The baby… is coming… NOW!”

The omega hissed through gritted teeth and finally the receptionist got the message. She waved her hand and an orderly appeared with a wheelchair, which Daichi refused. He didn’t want to let go of his mate, no matter what.

“Take them to the maternity unit, room 13,” the lady spoke quickly so as not to waste any more time.

The group followed briskly after the orderly, who was sweating slightly under the pressure of Daichi’s wild pheromones, and passed through the emergency ward occupying the victims of the road crash. As they weaved through the vampires and zombies Tanaka suddenly barked an ‘AH!’ and pointed into a cubicle, halting his and Chikara’s path. Someone inside echoed the exclamation and suddenly Kageyama and Hinata were standing at the curtain, confusion and slight panic on their faces.

“W-were you in the crash?!” Hinata stammered, images of his pack being crushed by cars flashing in his mind.

Chikara shook his head, “No, Suga-san went into labour.”

Four wide eyes stared back at him.

“He’s being taken up to the maternity ward now.”

At the end of the corridor, Daichi and Suga stepped into the elevator and the other four quickly joined them, no more talking was needed for Hinata and Kageyama to join the pack. When the elevator’s movement was halted by someone on the other side pressing the button, Tanaka was ready to attack but as the doors slid open to reveal a panting Tsukishima and Yamaguchi he lowered his fists and yanked them inside.

“Nnng,” Suga groaned and gripped his mate’s shirt, “...hurts.”

The elevator pinged and the doors opened to reveal a much calmer corridor; the only sound was the distant wailing of a baby and the various beeps and chirps of machines. A midwife greeted them and quickly led the way to a private room where Daichi was finally able to put Suga down on a bed. The others hovered by the open door awkwardly and Suga managed to send them a reassuring smile between contractions.

“We’ll be right out here, Suga-san!” Tanaka yelled and was immediately berated for doing so by Chikara.

“Good luck!” Hinata and Kageyama chimed in unison.

Tadashi was quiet, his cheeks pink as he stared in awe at the scene before him. Suga was on the bed, panting and working hard. Daichi, his big strong alpha, was beside him; a powerhouse of confidence and stability and soon they would meet their tiny pup who would look like the perfect blend of the two of them. He hadn’t noticed he’d started to cry until Tsukki gathered him into his arms and pressed a kiss atop his head as they moved away to give Suga his privacy and wait to meet the pup.

“Are we late?” Nishinoya’s voice echoed down the corridor as they took their seats in the waiting area.

“No, they just went in,” Chikara replied, “How did you get here so fast?”

Asahi sighed and held his hand to his broad chest, “Our taxi driver was insane. I knew we were going to get here but I didn’t know if it’d be in a body bag or not.”

It had only been around twenty minutes when a nurse popped her head into the waiting area. The omegas were all asleep and Tanaka was snoring so loudly that she had to clear her throat twice to get their attention.

“OH!” Hinata sat bolt upright, eyes twinkling.

“What is it?” Asahi asked, certain that it was too soon for any major news yet and therefore a little concerned.

The nurse smiled warmly, “It’s time to meet your new pack-mate!”

Chapter Text

The exhaustion caused by the evening’s antics fell away like cobwebs as the pack gathered at the door to Suga’s room. The omegas got there first, instincts telling them to quickly go inside and meet the pup, but the alphas were all too aware of the strong smoky pheromones wafting through the air as Daichi hovered between his mate and the rest of the pack.

“Can we come in?” Noya asked as he tried to lean around the tall alpha to try and catch a glimpse of Suga and the baby.

Daichi looked stiff; his shoulders were tight and he was half-turned between Suga and the others, like he was ready to dart back to his fiancée's side at any moment. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, however, aware that there was no danger to his family, and stepped back to Koushi’s bedside as he gestured for the others to enter.

They did just that, Asahi stopping momentarily to hug Daichi tightly and slap his back in a display of alpha affection.

There was a moment of silence as the group gathered around the small bed, anticipation almost tangible in the air, and then audible gasps filled the room as they laid eyes on the tiny bundle in Suga’s arms. The pup was nestled in a blanket, sleeping calmly as Suga held out his arms slightly to show his pack-mates his and Daichi’s creation, an air of pride surrounding the omega as he did so.

“Guys, I’d like you to meet Mitsuo.”

Suga tilted the baby towards the others so that they could get a closer look. The first thing they noticed was the full head of shining silver hair atop Mistuo’s head, an almost exact match to Suga’s colour but much fluffier, like cotton wool. His features resembled Daichi more, however, with his strongly set eyebrows and - when he opened his eyes momentarily as he yawned – dark, chestnut eyes. It was probably a good thing that he didn’t open his eyes completely as he would have been greeted with a zombie, clown, vampire and two odd-looking dogs and would most likely be traumatised in the first hour of his life.

“He’s so pretty, Suga-san!” Yuu half-whispered as he beamed down at the pup.

“So pretty,” Yamaguchi echoed quietly.

“Congrats, Suga-san,” Tsukishima added.

“And look,” Daichi’s chest puffed up as he brushed back some of the cotton wool hair to reveal a small beauty mark beneath Mitsuo’s left ear, “Just like Kou’s.”

“Uwaa!” Hinata tentatively reached out a finger to touch Mitsuo’s tiny cheek, the squidgyness too much to resist, “So tiny!”

The redhead was quickly yanked backwards by his mate as a low growl started to rumble in Daichi’s chest, the head alpha not even aware that he was doing so. Thankfully, Suga was well aware of Daichi’s protectiveness and sat back a little so that his mate could get closer to him and their son. It felt a little strange thinking that word, ‘son’, but it also felt completely right and Suga couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so complete and at peace. He’d successfully given birth to their pup that he’d been carrying so very carefully for the past 9 months and Mitsuo was so perfect that words couldn’t describe his current happiness. What words could describe, however, was his utter exhaustion and the omega couldn’t help the enormous yawn that erupted from his mouth as Daichi took the baby from his tired arms.

“Alright,” Daichi used one hand to usher the others out of the room, “It’s time to let mama sleep,” he couldn’t help but smirk as he used the word, “We’ll see you back at the den in the morning.”

“He can leave so soon?” Asahi asked as he stepped into the corridor.

Daichi nodded, “The midwife said they’re both very healthy and the birth went well so we can leave as soon as the sun’s up.”

The ace whispered a ‘wow’ to himself and was still in awe when Daichi quietly closed the door and turned back to his mate.

“How are we getting home?” Tobio asked, suddenly all too aware of their transport situation.

“Maybe that taxi driver will take us back?” Noya suggested but one look at his alpha’s ashen face crossed that idea off the list.

“What about the car we got here in?” Tadashi asked.

“You mean the one we stole?” Tanaka’s face scrunched up as he remembered his and Daichi’s ‘commandeering’ earlier.

“’Stole?!’” Asahi squawked, “I thought you borrowed it from someone?!”

“Well, technically...”

“Take it back to them,” Ennoshita glared at his boyfriend, “Now.”

Tanaka couldn’t refuse Chikara, especially when he was tired and cranky, and so the betas headed off to find where Yamaguchi had parked the car. The others decided that a taxi was their only bet as it was almost 1am and the trains had stopped running and so they waited in the lobby as Tsukishima called for one.

“We look like a rejected boy band,” Yuu giggled as he adjusted the fluffy ears on his head.

“Two Dogs and a Giant Spoon, The Musical” Kei smirked in Kageyama’s direction as the raven-haired alpha scoffed at the description.

“Don’t be mean, Tsukki,” Tadashi linked his arm through the alpha’s and nuzzled his neck softly, “Tobio’s had a rough night.”

“Oh yeah!” Nishinoya’s eyes widened as he remembered the drama before Suga’s labour, “How’re you feeling, man?”

Kageyama shrugged, “My throat’s a little sore but I’ll be fine.”

“Whew!” Shouyou stretched his limbs as he sat, “What a Halloween!”

“Scarier than usual,” Tadashi mumbled.

Inside the hospital room, Daichi put Mitsuo into the bed provided by the midwife after gently kissing his head for the umpteenth time that evening. He just couldn’t get enough of the new baby smell (newborns didn’t start revealing their actual scent until a few days in) and had to stop himself from just sniffing at the pup continuously. Instead he moved over to the bed and sat on the edge as Suga shuffled aside for his mate to fit.

“Tired?” Daichi asked as he scented Koushi’s wrists gently.

“Mhmm,” Suga’s voice was muffled by sleep, his eyes already drifting shut, “Did I do okay?”

The alpha kissed his mate’s forehead, just as he had his son’s, “You did great. You’re going to be such a good mama.”

A small smile flicked across Suga’s face, “You too...”

Daichi was about to ask how good of ‘mama’ he’d be but saved the teasing for later as Koushi started to breathe heavier and sleep finally overtook him.

Getting home had been surprisingly uneventful for the rest of the Karasuno pack. The taxi driver wasn’t a maniac and they made good time as their den was in the opposite direction to the traffic accident. It was a quiet journey, too, as they were all pretty pooped from partying and the drama of the night. Even Hinata had very little to say as they paid the driver and headed inside.

“Well, goodnight I guess?” Noya yawned as he and Asahi headed to their room, the alpha all too thankful for the safe journey home.

“Night!”

Hinata held Kageyama’s hand as they too headed for bed and Tsukishima and Yamaguchi did the same. The betas crept in quietly about half an hour later after they dropped the car off where they’d ‘borrowed’ it and got a taxi home. Chikara wasn’t in the best of moods after learning that his boyfriend had helped threaten a guy out of his car but he also knew it had been a once-in-a-lifetime thing and that Daichi-san wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t an emergency.

As Tanaka unpeeled his fake wounds from his arms and face in the en-suite, Ennoshita wiped the clown make-up from his face, momentarily startling himself as his reflection looked like a melted Halloween mask. He remembered poor Tadashi’s frightened expression at his costume and promised himself to be something less terrifying next year. As he was about to rinse off the last of the make-up, Ryuu’s long arms looped around his waist from behind and a heavy head rested against his shoulder, the faint scent of fresh cotton floating his way.

“Wow,” Tanaka looked at his boyfriend through the mirror and grimaced, “Do not show Tadashi your face now, he’d have a heart attack!”

“I know,” Chikara chuckled, “I scared myself!”

He finished removing his costume and helped Ryuu peel off the last of his ‘scars’ - a few were quite satisfying as they’d become glued to his arm hair and had to be torn off like wax strips – and the pair retired to their bed. They lay there for a moment, neither getting under the covers, and finally Tanaka broke the silence as he turned to face his boyfriend, one hand under his cheek to prop himself up.

“I think I love you.”

Ever the level-headed one in the relationship, Ennoshita mirrored Tanaka’s pose and smiled lopsidedly,

“I should hope so.”

Ryuu leaned closer, “No, I mean like really love you. Like, if I was an alpha-”

“Ryuu...” Ennoshita knew how Tanaka sometimes got a little too obsessed with the whole alpha/omega dynamics and didn’t want him thinking he was anything other than perfect the way he was.

“Let me finish!” he took a deep breath and continued, “If I was an alpha and you were an omega you’d definitely be my fated partner.”

Ennoshita’s eyes widened and his lips parted slightly. That was like saying he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, almost like a proposal. He shook his head, quickly dispelling that particular thought from his mind. Unfortunately, Tanaka took the shaking as a ‘no’ and his face scrunched up like someone had just ran over his puppy.

“Ah!” Chikara sat upright and took his boyfriend’s hands in his own, “No, I mean… Yeah, I think you’d be mine, too.”

“Really?” a small pout still rested on Tanaka’s lips.

Ennoshita nodded and kissed his boyfriend firmly before straddling his thighs, a sparkle in his previously tired eyes.

“Need me to prove it?”

Strong hands held Chikara’s waist tightly and Ryuu smiled wolfishly,

“Maybe.”

It hadn’t taken more than ten minutes for Tadashi to take off his costume and snuggle into a deep sleep beside his mate. Kei was still a little too buzzed from the alcohol he’d had at Kuroo’s party and couldn’t seem to calm down enough to sleep yet. Instead he opted to watch his omega’s various expressions as he started to dream beside him; Tadashi was always one to talk in his sleep or toss and turn if he was having a nightmare. The sleepwalking had calmed down a lot but the recent bout of it had proved that the habit hadn’t completely disappeared. It worried Kei a little, as it meant that his mate wasn’t totally happy or content and he knew exactly why that was, obviously, and was trying to keep it at the back of his mind. After all, there wasn’t anything else they could do other than try for a pup whenever they could. As Suga-san had said, it would happen when it was meant to, Kei just hoped it would be sooner rather than later so that Tadashi wouldn’t have it looming over him so much. Of course, the blonde alpha felt the pressure too, it was his low sperm count that was the problem in the first place, but he didn’t tend to let things overwhelm him as much as Tadashi did.

“Nnn...” the omega’s brows furrowed and he snuggled a little closer to his alpha, subconsciously seeking out his pine scent.

Kei watched helplessly as his mate curled in on himself a little more and his lip began to tremble as whatever was wading through his dreams brought him to the brink of tears. Tadashi’s freckles stood out against his flushed cheeks and he began to whimper quietly as he mumbled,

“Please… enno… No, don’t!”

Although it was a little fascinating to see his subconscious mind be so busy, Kei hated to see his mate in pain, no matter if it was ‘real’ or not and gently nudged the omega awake. It took a few seconds for Tadashi to realise where he was and a few more tears trickled down his cheeks before he turned to look at his alpha, relief evident as soon as he locked eyes with his beloved Tsukki.

“Bad dream?”

Tadashi nodded feebly and pressed himself against Kei’s chest firmly, burying his tear-stained face in the pine-smelling cloth of his pyjamas.

“Want to tell me what it was about?”

Movement against his chest told Tsukishima that his mate was shaking his head and the alpha sighed, already used to having to persevere if he wanted more information.

“I won’t laugh.”

Tadashi looked up and to Kei’s shock he was still trembling a little. Whatever the nightmare had been it was enough to follow him into reality.

“Cl- clowns...” the omega sniffled, “Chikara was clowns.”

The sentence didn’t even make sense but Tsukki put two and two together and guessed that Chikara’s costume had scared Tadashi more that he admitted. He gathered him into his embrace and scented him until the entire room smelled of pine and Tadashi’s mind was a little hazy, erasing any fear left over from the Chika-clowns.

“Go back to sleep,” Kei stroked Tadashi’s hair as they lay back down together, “Try to think of something else.”

“Like what?”

“Like...” Tsukki said the thing, the obvious thing, that would put his mate in a better mood, “Like Mitsuo coming back to the den in the morning.”

Tadashi’s pinched brows immediately evened out and a less sour scent drifted up from him, a more excited aroma that calmed Kei’s heart. He couldn’t wait until their own pup made Tadashi that happy and fell asleep only to dream about a tiny blonde toddler with a galaxy of freckles across their cheeks.

Chapter Text

At almost eight in the morning, Suga and Daichi, along with their newborn, stepped out of the taxi and stepped towards the farmhouse. It felt a little strange being back at the den with an extra person in tow and Suga could feel his alpha’s pheromones getting stronger the closer they got to the front door. He touched Daichi’s arm gently, the other holding Mitsuo, and leaned a little closer to speak into his mate’s ear,

“Dai, your pheromones are off the charts right now, try to tone it down a little.”

The alpha’s shoulders were stiff as he replied, “I can’t help it. I’m trying to calm down but every part of me is telling me to be on high alert.”

Suga placed a kiss on Daichi’s lightly stubbled cheek, thankful for such a powerful alpha, “You’re going to scare the omegas like this. Let me go in first.”

Before Daichi could object, Suga opened the front door and carried Mitsuo inside, haphazardly kicking off his shoes in the hallway. The noise alerted the rest of the pack, who were gathered in the kitchen eating breakfast, and a bright mop of orange hair popped out to see who’d arrived.

“AH!” Hinata disappeared for a moment as he turned to let the others know, “They’re back!”

Knowing his pack and how they would want a closer look, Suga sat down on the armchair in the living room and waited for them to come to him. He knew Daichi was freaking out a little what with his new ‘father’ status and hoped that the others’ fascination wouldn’t get too out of hand so as not to cause a commotion. Or worse.

The omegas were already kneeling on the floor by Suga’s feet, each one with bright eyes and awed expressions as they greeted the pup once again. Now that Mitsuo was actually in the den he somehow felt more real, more like an actual member of the pack and not just a stranger Suga was holding. He was awake now, too, and his big dark eyes seemed to be absorbing everything in front of him as he looked around.

“Welcome home!” Nishinoya pushed his finger into Mitsuo’s tiny palm and shook his hand gently.

“He’s so perfect,” Tadashi stroked the baby’s silver hair, admiring how soft it felt to the touch, “Hi, Mitsuo-chan, I’m Tadashi.”

“I don’t think he’s quite old enough for introductions.”

Daichi was suddenly by Koushi’s side, arms folded across his chest despite his best efforts to look relaxed. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him to assert his dominance, to prove that no one could touch his mate and pup, but the rational part of his brain was fighting his instincts and trying to keep him calm. He would get used to it eventually, of course, but it still seemed a little early to be letting anyone other than Suga be so close to their baby. His change in stance and amped-up pheromones didn’t go unnoticed by the other alphas, who’d gathered behind the omegas, and both Asahi and Tsukishima pulled their mates back a little.

“Dai...” Suga sighed and turned to the others, “He’s just a little tense right now. It’s all very new.”

“Sorry,” Daichi scratched the back of his head awkwardly, “I’ll try to behave.”

“He doesn’t smell like anything,” Hinata broke the awkward pause by saying the thought that had taken up the forefront of his brain, as he always did, and looked up at Suga, “Does he have no scent?”

“Oi!” Kageyama whacked the back of his mate’s head with his fist.

“What?!” the redhead whined as he rubbed his head, “Can you smell him?!”

“A true idiot,” Tsukishima rolled his eyes.

“It’s alright, Shouyou,” Suga ruffled Hinata’s hair lovingly, thankful for his ever-inquiring attitude, “Babies don’t get their scents until they’re a few days old.”

“Does that mean we’ll be able to tell his gender, too?” Tadashi asked.

It was true that alphas and omegas had certain types of scents; omegas usually smelled like sweet food and alphas more musky, whilst betas had much fainter scents. There were exceptions to the rule, however (like how Yamaguchi smelled like freshly cut grass) and so genders couldn’t be definitely assigned due to scent alone. Secondary genders were usually revealed to children a little later via a blood test.

“Ah,” Suga leaned down to inhale Mitsuo’s new-baby smell, “If he’s got a definite alpha or omega scent it should be pretty obvious but we can’t be certain, just guess.”

“He might be a beta anyway!” Tanaka stood a little taller with his hands on his hips, “Only the coolest people get to be!”

Beside him, Chikara chuckled but backed up his boyfriend’s wonky logic, “Of course.”

“Whatever he is,” Daichi added, “He’ll be perfect.”

“Can I hold him?” Tadashi had inched ever closer to Suga and the pup as everyone had been talking and he was now close enough to reach out a tentative hand to touch Mitsuo.

Sensing Daichi’s instant tenseness, Suga got to his feet and manoeuvred around the group so that he could escape to the hallway if necessary. He didn’t want to upset Tadashi by refusing but he also didn’t want his alpha suddenly losing control and hurting someone. It was all getting a little too much and he was already exhausted just trying to stay conscious, never mind worrying about everyone else.

“Maybe later,” Daichi sensed his mate’s unease, “Kou still needs some rest.”

“Ah, sure,” despite his best efforts, Tadashi’s disappointment flickered on his face but he understood it was a little soon to be asking such things.

Back in their bedroom, Suga placed Mitsuo in the bassinet that Kageyama and Hinata had bought for them (Ennoshita had made sure it was beside their bed as soon as he’d woken up that morning) and flopped down on the bed on his back. The bed bounced as Daichi did the same next to him and the pair stayed that way for almost five minutes, just staring at the ceiling as they listened to Mitsuo breathing.

“We did it,” Koushi closed his eyes and exhaled like he’d been holding his breath, “We really did it.”

When he opened his eyes again, Daichi was leaning over him, arms on either side of his head. The alpha looked tired, too, but an overwhelming aura of happiness seemed to surround him like a cloak. His pheromones had mellowed out a little but Suga could feel Daichi’s elation through their bond and allowed it to overtake him for a moment, basking in the pure joy of his beloved.

Unfortunately, Mitsuo had other ideas and broke the moment with an almighty wail as his parents scrambled out of bed to check on him.

“I suppose we should get used to that,” Daichi chuckled as Suga picked the baby up.

The omega’s nose wrinkled and he handed the pup over to his mate, “You can do the first diaper change.”

“What an honour,” Daichi teased but took his son diligently without so much as a grumble.

“Asahi-san~”

The ace’s eye twitched as his mate used ‘san’, a sign that Yuu wanted something, and he stepped out of the bathroom with his toothbrush still in his mouth. The entire pack had been late getting dressed after breakfast what with Suga returning with the pup and he really wanted to get to the bakery to check on things as soon as possible. Christmas would be their first major event and he didn’t want to mess things up already.

“Asahi?”

“What is it?”

Yuu was standing in front of the mirror in their bedroom with his hands tugging on the bottom of his t-shirt. It was stretched over his bump tightly but that was mainly due to the fact that the omega was pulling at it, distorting the pattern on it. His mate raised an eyebrow and popped the toothbrush out of his mouth to ask,

“What’re you doing?”

“I’m finally showing!”

“Weren’t you already?” Asahi questioned his omega’s sanity for a moment.

“Not properly!”

Noya’s smile reached his ears as he let the shirt twang back into place, revealing his almost six month belly in all its glory. It really wasn’t that big; Suga at six months had been much rounder but, perhaps because Yuu was so small in stature, his bump was a lot smaller. It was, however, starting to look more like a pregnant belly rather than just too much cake and Asahi couldn’t help the slight blush that coloured his cheeks at the sight. Something Nishinoya noticed right away. He bounded over to his alpha, his condition not yet hindering his agility, and jumped into his mate’s arms, forcing them both back onto the bed in a heap.

Asahi sat upright, lifting Yuu with him, and placed his large hand atop his mate’s pronounced bump. Maybe it was because he spent all his time with him but the ace really hadn’t noticed a huge change in Noya’s figure until now and couldn’t help the swell of pride and wave of sandalwood pheromones that suddenly encased them both.

“You perv,” Yuu teased but nuzzled closer to the alpha’s scent glands, inhaling deeply.

Asahi did the same and found himself a little dizzy from the aroma when he moved back. The smell of baby was definitely mixed with Yuu’s scent and so the omega practically tasted of peaches and cream. It was taking all of Asahi’s will not to lean down and lick his mate to see if he really could taste anything. Instead he pulled Yuu onto his lap and hugged him closely, chest to chest, as the omega looped his legs around Asahi’s waist.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just basking in one another’s presence until something nudged Asahi’s abdomen gently. His eyes widened and he looked down at the bump between them only to feel and see another movement. Yuu had said for the past few weeks he could feel the pup moving around in there but Asahi hadn’t had a chance to feel it yet as every time he tried to the baby seemed to either be asleep or playing hard to get.

“Ah!” Noya grabbed his mate’s hand and placed it against his belly, “The pup just moved! Maybe it’ll do it again!”

“I felt it!” tears had already pooled in the alpha’s dark eyes, “I felt our pup!”

“Feels weird, right?” Yuu giggled as a hand or a foot nudged his skin once again, “Like an alien or something.”

Asahi was about to perfect the precious moment with a gentle kiss shared with his love but, Yuu being Yuu, his mate had already leapt from the bed and was headed out the door.

“I’m gonna go let Ryuu feel!”

And with that, the bundle of energy that was Nishinoya was gone and his alpha was left to finish brushing his teeth with the fading memory of his pup’s strong spike. At least that’s what he was telling himself it was.

Chapter Text

“But it has to be special, it’s Mitsuo’s first night here!”

Hinata and Kageyama were in the kitchen. It was their turn to cook and Shouyou had decided that it should be something memorable on account of it being a special day.

“The baby doesn’t care what’s for dinner!”

“You don’t know that!” Hinata started to pull out random ingredients from the refrigerator as his mate rolled his eyes, “Maybe Mitsuo wants something delicious!”

“Don’t be a moron!” Tobio picked up a packet of tofu and waved it in the omega’s face, “Babies can’t eat stuff like this anyway!”

“Don’t call me a moron!” Hinata yanked the tofu from his mate’s hands and slammed it on the counter, “I’m just trying to make something nice!”

It had been a while since the pair had argued so hotly. Not since before they became a pair had they fought about anything important but Kageyama was starting to think that perhaps the honeymoon period was over and they were getting back to their bickering ways once again. Arguing did feel a little strange when they were mated, however, as both alpha and omega could feel the other’s emotions through their bond, making everything that much more intense. That hadn’t gone unnoticed by Shouyou, either, and he had started to whine quietly as the silence stretched out.

“Shou...”

Tobio held out his hand, all anger forgotten as he felt his love’s rising unhappiness through their bond, but Hinata pulled back on himself and pretended to be busy opening a packet of mushrooms. Kageyama didn’t see how he’d done anything wrong and refused to concede to his mate’s argument about the baby needing a special meal. There was a limit to how stupid the omega should be, however, and arguing over something so trivial was pushing that limit. He hated fighting with Shouyou, though, and just wished they could pretend it had never started in the first place.

The sudden change in mood in the alpha leaked through their bond and Shouyou took Tobio’s resentment of the argument as hatred towards himself, a shocking revelation for the poor, simple-minded redhead.

Hinata turned to his mate, tears already falling down his flushed cheeks, “Y-you hate me?!”

It was news to Kageyama, too, and his mouth gaped as Shouyou continued.

“I just w-wanted to make a nice meal f-for the pack!”

Hinata’s sobs were becoming hysterical as he continued to dwell on the feeling of hatred leaking through his bond with Kageyama and the alpha stepped towards him, all anger and annoyance now concern for his omega’s well-being. Why was Hinata getting so worked up over a little argument? It made no sense to the alpha. Sure, he too could feel his mate’s emotions through their bond but it wasn’t something so intense that it was affecting his own feelings. Perhaps Shouyou was just more sensitive than Kageyama.

The redhead’s tiny frame was trembling as he spiralled further, all control over his own emotional state now dissolved into nothing, “I-If you hate me so much then why did you bond with me in the first place?!”

“’Hate you’?” Kageyama’s eyebrows pulled together, “What are you talking about, idiot?!”

“Don’t lie!” Hinata’s voice cracked, “I can feel it through our mark thingy! You feel angry and annoyed and you hate me!”

The raven-haired alpha could see his mate starting to lose control. If he didn’t step in Hinata could end up dropping, he was in such a state, and so he pushed aside his pigheadedness and pulled his omega into a tight embrace, strong arms locked around Hinata’s smaller, struggling body.

“Stop!” Shouyou punched at Kageyama’s back but the alpha held firm, “Let go!”

Although the pair arguing wasn’t something new, their loud commotion had roused both Yamaguchi and Daichi from the living room as something seemed off with the way the quarrel had escalated so quickly. The rest of the pack was used to Kageyama and Hinata bickering now and then but a full-blown argument was rare for them, especially since they’d become a pair.

“Hey,” Daichi stepped into the kitchen, “What’s wrong?”

Hinata stood on his tiptoes to look over Kageyama’s shoulder, the alpha’s arms still locked tightly around his mate,

“Daichi-san,” Shouyou’s voice was weak, “Help.”

The pleading startled the head alpha and Daichi took a moment to try and figure out the best way to respond. Surely Hinata didn’t actually need saving from Kageyama but there was no questioning that the omega did look distraught.

“What’s going on?” was all Daichi thought to ask. He decided that trying to get to the bottom of the argument would be better than interfering.

Hinata sniffed loudly, “Tobio h-hates me because I w-wanted to make a nice meal for Mitsuo.”

That wasn’t exactly what Daichi had been expecting to hear and both he and Yamaguchi exchanged a confused glance before Kageyama chimed in, his back still towards them.

“I don’t hate him at all. He’s gone crazy.”

“I can feel it!” Hinata protested, arms flailing in his mate’s grasp, “I can feel how much you hate me!”

The flailing stopped and he went limp as he conceded to his alpha’s strength, silent tears falling down his flushed cheeks.

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Tadashi tried to resolve the situation calmly, “You love each other, right?”

“I love him, anyway,” Shouyou pouted.

“Kageyama?” Daichi tried to coax it out of the stubborn alpha. Just three simple words would resolve the argument.

“Whatever.”

Hinata was about to explode with all new emotions when Kageyama released his grip on the omega and looked him in the eyes,

“I love you too, idiot.”

“B-but… I can feel...” Hinata’s face scrunched up as he tried to decipher the emotions currently flowing from his alpha to him through their bond.

“I hate the fact that we’re arguing,” Tobio swiped a tear from Shouyou’s cheek with his thumb, “That’s probably what you’re feeling.”

The omega didn’t look convinced and so Daichi decided to add his two cents.

“New bonds are tricky to figure out. Sometimes certain emotions can seem stronger or aimed at something they’re not. You’ll get used to it as time goes on but for now just try to rely on what you know about each other rather than what you’re feeling through the bond.” He looked between the confused-looking pair and sighed, “Does that make sense?”

“So he doesn’t hate me?” Hinata asked as he wiped his red-rimmed eyes.

“I highly doubt it,” Daichi replied with a soft smile.

Like someone flicking on a light, Hinata’s downtrodden expression morphed into one of happiness and he kissed Kageyama’s cheek firmly, causing the alpha to blush slightly. It didn’t take much for the pair to argue but it was also pretty easy for them to reconcile, what with them being so straightforward with one another. To anyone else, however, it took a little getting used to and both Tadashi and Daichi had to remind themselves that the ‘quick-spike’ pair were wired slightly different to most people.

“Daichi-san,” Daichi flinched slightly when Hinata said his name, “We should make a special dinner for Mitsuo, right?”

The head alpha puffed out his cheeks as he tried to think of the best way to deal with Hinata’s request. He didn’t want to set him off again but he also didn’t want to wake up one morning to find well-meaning Hinata forcing a carrot into the pup’s mouth.

“Mitsuo is probably going to be asleep for a while,” he saw the disappointment in the redhead’s face and quickly added, “But a nice meal for the rest of the pack would be great! Mitsuo can only drink milk for now anyway.”

“See!” Shouyou stuck out his tongue at his mate, “I told you it was a good idea!”

Kageyama was about to retort that the idea had been to feed the baby something but held his tongue in favour of keeping his omega happy. Instead he turned back to the counter covered in ingredients and tried to think of something they could easily cook without burning the house down.

At around six that evening, Asahi parked the car in the driveway - he'd borrowed Daichi's as his had been taken to the garage to be fixed - and stepped out into the chilly November air. He’d been at the bakery most of the day trying to work out which confectioneries to add to the Christmas menu and felt an almighty ache where his pregnant mate should be. As he opened the front door the light from inside illuminated the betas as they made out against the wall just outside the door, almost giving the ace a heart attack. He stumbled a little and bowed apologetically as Tanaka and Ennoshita stopped kissing to make sure he was okay.

“Sorry!” Asahi squeaked, “I didn’t mean to interrupt!”

Chikara whacked his boyfriend’s chest, “I told you someone would see us!” he turned to Asahi, “Sorry for scaring you.”

The alpha shuffled into the house awkwardly and removed his shoes before sniffing the air slightly. Daichi’s scent was most prominent, of course, being the head alpha with a new baby was always going to amp us his pheromones. The other pack members’ scents were less strong but still palpable; it was usually the alphas’ pheromones that were stronger (unless someone was nearing their heat) but at the moment Asahi seemed to be honed in to his mate’s peachy fragrance and could almost see it snaking through the rooms Noya had been in most recently. Not that he needed to follow the scent trail, however, as Yuu had already sensed his mate’s presence and bounded down the hallway and into his arms.

“I’m home,” Asahi scented Yuu’s hair gently.

“Welcome home,” the omega’s dopey smile echoed his contentment as he nuzzled into Asahi’s chest.

Now that he knew Noya was safe and sound, Asahi’s attention shifted to the other aromas drifting through the den. Food. He was about to ask what was cooking but Hinata’s exclamation of ‘dinner’s ready!’ snapped his attention to the kitchen and the pair joined the rest of the pack at the dining table.

“Where’s Suga-san?” Ennoshita asked as he handed out plates and bowls.

“He was taking a nap before,” Daichi replied and got to his feet, “I’ll go get him.”

What Daichi discovered in their room was a scene he would not likely forget. There, lying on their bed like a fallen angel, was Koushi. He was snoring slightly as he lay on his back and sleeping just as soundly atop his chest was Mitsuo. Their pup looked like a tiny version of the omega, right down to the beauty mark and silvery hair, and Daichi truly hoped that their son would grow to look even more like his mama.

The alpha’s presence must have stirred something in Suga because his pale eyes drifted open and he sat up slowly, Mitsuo cradled in his arms so as not to wake him.

“What time is it?” Suga’s voice was a little strained from sleeping so long.

“About six,” Daichi replied quietly, all too aware of how precious Mitsuo’s sleep was, “Dinner’s ready.”

He took the pup from Suga and placed him gently down into the bassinet, making sure to turn on the baby monitor and take one with him. With a little wince as he stood, Suga moved to his mate’s side as they looked down at their creation in awe. It would take some getting used to to understand that they had made such a perfect little baby and Suga wasn’t sure he would ever truly get used to the amount of love he felt for both Mitsuo and Daichi, it was all a little overwhelming.

“Kou? What’s wrong?!”

Daichi’s sudden outburst startled Suga and he only realised he’d begun to cry when the alpha brushed his cheeks and his fingers came away wet. He hadn’t meant to cry, his emotions just felt a little unstable and everything felt so new and different.

“Sorry, Dai,” he swiped at his tears and sniffed quietly, “I think my hormones are a little janky.”

Warm, strong arms embraced the omega and he relaxed into his mate’s hug, letting himself completely relax as Daichi silently told him how safe and protected he was. Even without words they knew what one another was thinking and feeling and in that moment, despite the tears, both alpha and omega were perfectly complete.

Chapter Text

The only time the Karasuno pack was truly quiet was when they were eating. A few satisfied moans and the tinkling of cutlery were the only sounds that filled the kitchen as the group consumed everything Hinata and Kageyama had cooked so diligently. After their argument, the pair had decided on a platter of various Japanese dishes so that there was something for everyone and most of the food had turned out pretty good. A couple of the seaweed wraps had defeated them but even those failed attempts were devoured by a hungry Tanaka, nothing went to waste.

A strange, echoing gurgle suddenly stopped the pack’s quiet eating and Nishinoya’s eyes widened at the odd sound.

“What the heck was that?” the expecting omega asked through a mouthful of salmon.

“Ah,” Suga looked at the baby monitor and moved to get to his feet but a firm hand on his shoulder pushed him down.

“I’ll go,” Daichi pressed a kiss to his mate’s temple and left the room.

“Did the aliens want him back?” Ennoshita teased as soon as Daichi-san was out of earshot.

Suga picked up the baby monitor and placed it closer to his plate, “Mitsuo must have woken up.”

“Oh,” Chikara nodded, “So no aliens.”

Suga smiled, “I hope not.”

Eating resumed once more until Daichi’s familiar tones drifted through the baby monitor, the alpha obviously having forgotten all about it.

[Wow, you’re so clever,] the pack tried to stay as quiet as possible to listen in on Daichi’s private conversation with his son, [Do you want some milk, sir?] that brought a smirk to Suga’s face, [I’m afraid that’s all that’s on the menu.]

“This is golden,” Tanaka whispered as they continued to listen to the monitor.

Daichi’s voice sounded a little further away from the other monitor now, [How the hell does this…? Oh, there we go. There we go, Mitsuo!] a muffled gurgle from the pup and then the alpha continued, [Why won’t it heat up? Am I doing this wrong?]

“What’s he doing?” Hinata asked, eyes wide.

“I think he’s warming up some formula,” Suga replied as he listened in.

It was quiet for a moment and then, through the baby monitor, a loud crash was heard followed by a drip drip drip.

[Oh, shit!] Daichi’s voice again, [Oh god it’s everywhere!]

“Who needs TV when we have this!” Yuu was chuckling as he ate.

[It’s alright, Mitsuo,] Daichi continued, [I’ve cleaned it all up… Only a little got on Mama’s favourite shirt. Here’s you milk.]

At the kitchen table, although a little irked about his shirt, Suga couldn’t help but smile at his mate’s struggling. Daichi was doing the best he could as a new father and, despite his obvious need for practice, he was pretty much pulling it off. Suga made a mental note to tell him how good he was doing later on.

Once they’d eaten and finished washing up the dishes, the pack moved to the lounge and onto the various sofas and armchair. They were full and satisfied and a peaceful sort of calm had fallen over them, a startling contrast to the previous night.

“I still can’t believe everything that happened last night,” Asahi looked a little shell-shocked as he recalled the madness of Halloween.

“It was scary,” Hinata moved closer to Tobio on the sofa and rubbed circles on his hands with his thumbs as he looked up at his mate, “Are you feeling okay now?”

Kageyama’s throat was still a little sore from the allergic reaction but he felt fine otherwise and assured the omega that he was by smiling down at him and pecking his head gently.

“Then there was Suga getting stuck in the bathroom!” Yuu rubbed his bump and smiled, “What a party!”

“Not to mention the fact that Daichi stole a car!” Tanaka guffawed but quickly stopped when he saw Suga’s mortified expression.

“He what?!”

“Err...” Ryuu looked at his boyfriend for help but Chikara just shrugged and feigned ignorance, “We gave it back, promise! He was so desperate to get you to the hospital!”

Tadashi sighed longingly, “The things we do for love.”

“Shut up, Tadashi,” Kei rolled his eyes at his mate’s blatant bias for all things romance.

“Oh!” Suga tilted an eyebrow as his mate returned and plopped down by his side on the couch, “Speak of the thief.”

Daichi looked confused but was too tired for puzzles and so lay his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Sensing how out of it he was, Suga smirked and spoke nonchalantly so as to catch the alpha off-guard,

“So did you manage to clean up all the milk?”

“Yeah,” Daichi replied tiredly, “It went everywhe-”

His eyes snapped open to look at the entire pack giggling and smirking in his general direction and he groaned as his face burned scarlet in embarrassment.

“You heard that?”

Suga nodded, “Everything.”

“You should go into the catering business,” Tsukishima smirked, “You’d make a great waiter.”

Another groan from the head alpha as he buried his head into his mate’s shoulder.

The rest of the evening was spent just relaxing, watching some old movies on TV as the pack recovered from the madness that was the night before. No one was really taking much notice of the black and white movie that was currently occupying the screen and so when the lady in the white dress suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs poor Tadashi almost leapt from his seat. He’d been half asleep, as had Nishinoya, and both omegas glanced, wide-eyed, around the room.

“Holy crap,” Yamaguchi sighed and held his hand to his chest, “That scared me!”

Kei just smiled and pulled his mate a little closer to his side, whilst Asahi flailed a little next to Yuu.

“A-are you okay?” the ace asked as Noya adjusted his sitting position, “Are you comfortable?”

“M’fine, Asahi. Stop worrying.”

“Uh oh,” Suga pointed his thumb in Asahi’s direction, “Looks like he’s going into ‘big protective alpha’ mode.”

He recalled Daichi’s manic over-protectiveness when he’d started to first show and pitied poor Nishinoya as he would have to put up with Asahi doing the same for him. Not that Suga could really imagine the usually timid alpha suddenly becoming aggressive but he guessed that even the most laid back alpha couldn’t fight their protective instincts.

“He’s been like this since he felt the pup this morning,” Yuu rolled his eyes, “I think it must have flicked on his alpha switch or something.”

“Asahi-san has one of those?!”

Hinata’s question was meant innocently but Asahi couldn’t help but take a little offence at the offhand comment. After all, he was an alpha, even if he didn’t show it very often.

“And you felt the pup?” Ennoshita smiled warmly and shuffled a little closer to Noya on the large sofa so that he could rest his hand on the smallest omega’s bump.

Noya nodded, returning the wide smile, “Didn’t Ryuu tell you? I’ve felt it for a few weeks now but Asahi kept missing it!”

“Not on purpose!”

Poor Asahi didn’t know which emotion to process first and decided on simply pulling Noya onto his lap so that he could lock him in place securely and see what he was doing at all times. The omega didn’t protest and let himself sink into his mate’s embrace, inhaling the strong sandalwood scent as it drifted up from Asahi’s clothes.

Daichi got to his feet and yawned loudly before stretching and pulling Suga up next to him. The silver-haired omega didn’t want to admit it but he was still exhausted and could feel the invisible string between himself and his bed tugging on him. Thankfully his alpha was tuned in to his every whim and had already noticed his mate’s eyes drifting shut and head dipping to his chest as he sat.

“See you in the morning,” Daichi mumbled to the pack as he guided the almost-sleeping Koushi down the hallway and back to their room.

[Why didn’t you say you were ready to sleep?]

Tadashi looked up at Tsukki and a crease formed between his brows, “Huh? I’m okay.”

Tsukki looked just as confused as he looked at his mate, “What? Did I say you weren’t?”

“You just-”

[Sorry, Dai, I didn’t want you to think I was being pathetic.]

Suga’s voice crackled through the baby monitor and into the living room like a disembodied ghost speaking.

“Ah,” Kageyama’s head flicked side to side as he tried to find the monitor, “Where is it?”

“Check under the cushions!” Tanaka and Ennoshita got to their feet to hunt for it.

[Is he sleeping?] Daichi again.

[Yeah, he’s so cute! I just want to watch him all night.]

“It’s not here!” Hinata spoke up as he lay on his belly to look under the sofa.

[Oh, well hello there,] Suga’s voice sounded a little elated, [So you kept the hat?]

[I told you you’d be punished for being bad,] Daichi replied through the monitor.

“Oh, God!” Tsukishima got to his feet to help the search, now desperate to stop hearing whatever else the couple had to say in the privacy of their own room.

[Oh, officer…] A few giggles and shuffling could be heard through the monitor.

“AHHH!” Asahi had resorted to trying to drown out Suga and Daichi’s voices with his own, “LALALA!”

“I found it!” Hinata squawked from his position on the floor beneath the armchair, “But I can’t reach!” his legs wiggled as he tried to force his short arms to grow.

“Move, idiot!”

Tobio pulled his mate out and took his place, fingers just brushing the elusive monitor as Daichi’s voice drifted from it once again,

[Fuck, you’re so beautiful.]

Both Shouyou and Tadashi looked a little shell-shocked at hearing the head alpha cuss but the alphas weren’t taking any notice of the dialogue, instead they’d banded together to grab the damned monitor and relieve themselves of the private conversation. Asahi used his strength to lift the armchair enough so that Tsukishima could stretch underneath it and yank the torture device from beneath it. With it finally in his grasp, Kei tried to find the ‘off’ switch but even that seemed to evade him.

[Dai, stop…] more giggles.

“Turn it off!” Kageyama snatched it from the tall blonde and searched for a way to turn it off, “Where’s the button?”

“There isn’t one, moron!” Kei snapped back.

Asahi took it and carefully turned it over in his large hands, “There really isn’t!”

More moans were starting to echo through and so Nishinoya grabbed the monitor from his mate and unclipped the back of it before pulling out the batteries. It finally fell silent.

Asahi sighed loudly, shoulders sagging as he deflated, “Good thinking.”

Hinata’s eyes were sparkling as he looked at his mate, who just raised his eyebrows at the redhead in confusion.

“What?” Kageyama backed up a little, wary of the glint in the omega’s eyes.

“So even Daichi-san and Suga-san get like that, huh?” he chuckled to himself, cheeks pinking a little.

Tobio rolled his eyes, “How do you think they had a baby in the first place?”

Minutes prior, as Daichi told Suga that he was indeed beautiful, the silver-haired omega lay back on their bed as the alpha leaned over him. Daichi pulled the brim of his ‘police’ hat down a little so that a shadow covered his eyes and he grinned mischievously as he began to plant soft kisses over his mate’s chest and neck, inhaling his raspberry scent deeply. The creamy scent Suga had been emitting had faded a little but to Daichi he still smelled delicious nonetheless. Suga giggled quietly as more kisses peppered his collarbone but the alpha’s teasing soon faded to a stop when the omega’s satisfied noises morphed into light snores.

“Kou?” Daichi whispered as he took off the hat and sat back to look at his love.

Suga was fast asleep, complete serenity on his features as the excitement of the day and previous night caught up with him, knocking him out completely. In a way, Daichi was pleased that his mate had fallen asleep as he too was exhausted and didn’t feel like he would be able to do much of anything other than a few gentle kisses.

Gently, so as not to wake him, Daichi lifted Koushi into the bed and climbed in beside him. The only sounds were the soft breathing of his mate and his pup and only a few moments later his own sleeping sounds joined the chorus of snores.

Chapter Text

The moon was high in the sky when Mitsuo stirred for the third time that night. He’d been gurgling and snuffling a little as he slept but his irritation at being hungry had finally woken him up completely and he began to wail loudly, arms and legs flailing as his tiny body tried to alert his parents of his needs.

Suga, who had already been drifting in and out of sleep, opened his eyes and blinked into the darkness of their bedroom as he tried to shuffle his mind into something coherent. At his side, Daichi was already sitting bolt upright, like a shop mannequin that didn’t have a lower half and the omega flinched a little at his mate’s odd posture. Daichi had woken up as soon as he’d heard the first whimper of his pup, his alpha instincts amped up to ten, and he was currently trying to calm himself down a little so as not to scare Koushi. The alpha in him was screaming at him to defend and protect and he could even feel his canines sharpening inside his clenched mouth as Mitsuo continued to cry.

“Dai?” Koushi touched his mate’s shoulder gently and the alpha thawed a little, “Should I get him?”

He didn’t wait for a reply, instead Suga slid out of bed and picked up their crying son, shushing him as he rocked back and forth.

“I’ll go warm up some formula.”

He left his mate sitting on the bed and made his way to the kitchen. (They’d decided to move the bottle warmer and formula out of their room for fear of Daichi spilling it everywhere again).

“Okay,” Suga juggled Mitsuo onto one arm and prepared the milk with his free hand, “Time for nom noms.”

He chuckled at his own speech and his brow furrowed a little as he realised he was turning into his mother. Nonetheless, Suga sat down at the table with the formula and watched, a little in awe, as Mitsuo gulped it down greedily until there was nothing left. His crying had ceased and he looked a lot more satisfied as his tiny eyes began to drift shut again. Remembering all the books he’d read and tutorial videos he’d watched, Suga lifted the pup up and lay him against his shoulder, patting his back until a soft burp whispered in his ear. And with that, Mitsuo was once again snoring softly as he lay against his mama’s shoulder, completely full and content – for the time being at least.

“All done?” Daichi asked from the door jam, voice still a little sleep-groggy.

Suga smiled tiredly, “Yep. He’s sleeping again.”

“Must be nice,” the alpha held out his hand and Suga got to his feet to take it, “Shall we join him?”

They padded back to their room and settled Mitsuo back into his bassinet before climbing back into bed. Both alpha and omega fell asleep within seconds but not ten minutes later both were woken up once again by a whimpering pup.

Suga groaned and turned away from the wailing, towards his mate, “Your turn.”

Just over a week had passed since Mitsuo’s return home. The pack was starting to get used to the nightly crying and the omegas had taken it upon themselves to help with outfit choices and midday feedings whenever the option arose. Yamaguchi had especially delighted in giving Mitsuo his bottle when Daichi was elsewhere – he’d found that the head alpha let him do it when he was present but didn’t enjoy letting others touch his son, rather he put up with it. The freckled omega had been so engrossed with the new pup that he’d totally forgotten that his own birthday was only a day away but thankfully his reliable alpha mate hadn’t been affected by ‘baby brain’.

Kei looped his long arms around Tadashi’s slender waist as the omega washed up his breakfast dishes and nipped at the bond mark on the omega’s neck, his pine scent encapsulating Tadashi and making him blush a little.

“Tsukki...” he let his head flop back towards his mate, “You’re awfully clingy today.”

“It’s the last day I get to hug my twenty-one-year-old mate.”

Tadashi’s eyes bulged and he spun to face the alpha, mouth agape, “What?! Why?!”

Kei rolled his eyes, of course Yamaguchi had forgotten.

“Because it’s your birthday tomorrow, idiot,” he ran his hand through Tadashi’s dark hair, pushing it back from his face a little as he admired a new freckle on his forehead and kissed it gently, “I knew you’d forget.”

A shy smile spread across Tadashi’s flushed face and he bit his lip, “Sorry, Tsukki,” he looked up at the blonde, “Did you get me something good?”

Kei ruffled the omega’s hair roughly and smirked, “You’ll have to wait and see.”

Tadashi stuck out his tongue, “You tease!”

Suddenly Hinata burst into the room like a loose firework, eyes wide and hair sticking out in all directions. He looked almost possessed and Tsukishima automatically stepped in front of Tadashi to protect him from whatever nonsense the tiny redhead was about to explode with.

“E-everything okay, Hinata?” Tadashi asked as he peeked from behind his mate.

“Have you seen my sneakers? The new ones? We have a match today and I can’t find them!”

He was already upturning chairs and opening the kitchen cupboards like a tiny orange hurricane blasting around the kitchen.

“Aren’t they in the entryway?” Tadashi pushed away from his mate to help Hinata find the elusive sneakers.

“Ah!” Shouyou grabbed his hair and shook his head, “Of course!”

And with that he was gone, leaving both Kei and Tadashi a little whiplashed from his presence. The omega glanced at the clock and pushed against his mate’s back, ushering him towards the front door,

“You should be getting to university, you’ll be late.”

Tsukki stood firm, using his dominant alpha strength to push back against Tadashi as the omega struggled to force him forwards. With a smirk, Kei said,

“Maybe I’ll stay home today.”

“Tsukki!” Tadashi gave up pushing and opted to try and pull the alpha’s hands instead but it made little difference, “Go! I’ll see you later!”

“I’ll be home for lunch,” Kei leaned down and pecked soft lips.

“Ah,” Tadashi scratched his neck a little awkwardly, “I’m at the florist’s today so I won’t be home until later.”

The florist where Yamaguchi worked now and then wasn’t too far from the bakery Asahi had opened; it was down one of the smaller alleys of the town but because the owner was so popular it did good business, especially when a certain handsome freckled omega was at work. Working there did mean that Yamaguchi had to travel to and from the den on his own, however, and although he’d told Kei many times that he was fine and that it wasn’t too far, the alpha still worried. Hence why Tadashi had taken to only telling his mate he was working when he really needed to.

“I’ll walk you there,” Kei had already grabbed Tadashi’s bag and was starting to put his shoes on.

“No! You’ll be late for uni,” Tadashi took his bag back and pushed his mate out of the front door, “I’ll be fine. See you later.”

“I hate you going by yourself,” a shadow seemed to fall over Kei’s expression, “And I don’t trust the manager there.”

Although the owner was indeed an alpha, Tadashi had never had any trouble with him and rolled his eyes at Tsukki’s concerns. Sometimes the blocker in his mate ruled his brain and, even though Tsukki had indeed become a little more people-friendly after high school, he was still the old Tsukishima and found it difficult to trust new people. Before either could continue the pointless argument, Tanaka appeared from seemingly nowhere and whacked Tsukishima on the back with a thud and looped his arm over the taller alpha’s shoulders.

“Don’t sweat it, Tsukki , we’ll make sure he gets there safe and sound,” he jingled some keys in front of Kei’s face, “I’ll drop him off on the way to work.”

Well, it was certain that no one would mess with Tadashi when Tanaka was around and Kei knew how it irked his mate when he was too overprotective and so he caved and nodded before kissing his love goodbye with a promise to see him as soon as he finished his shift.

Meanwhile, after having found his sneakers in the nick of time, Hinata and Kageyama were headed for the train station. They’d set off at the same time as Tsukishima but somehow the blonde had managed to beat them there and boarded a train before them, not forgetting to throw a snide smirk their way when they dashed up to the platform as it pulled away.

“We’ll get the next one,” Kageyama noted as they perched on one of the cold metal seats.

Beside him, Shouyou was still standing; he wasn’t moving much but somehow there seemed to be a charge of some sort running through the tiny omega’s body, like an invisible electricity source. Tobio guessed it was because of the oncoming volleyball game and tried to hide a smile at his mate’s cuteness. Of course it didn’t go unnoticed by Hinata, who perched beside him on the bench and leaned in close, his orange scent amped up a little due to his excitement.

“What’re you smiling about?” Shouyou asked as he fidgeted with his bag strap.

“Nothing. Shut up.”

“Today’s match is going to be great, I can feel it.”

This time Tobio couldn’t help but grin, almost wickedly, “Yeah, we’ll annihilate them.”

He had to admit he was feeling a little thrill about playing on the same team as Shouyou once again. Although they were both at the same sports university and playing volleyball, their timetables didn’t always match up for them to play together and so the match felt like something a little special, even if it was only a friendly game and not a competition. Something about playing with his mate, when they were on the top of their game and totally in sync, made the hairs on Kageyama’s arms stand on end. He too was excited.

After the short train ride and warming up in the university gymnasium the teams bowed and the match began. Kageyama could tell that Shouyou was a little too excited when he missed his first spike but he soon got into the flow of the game and they won the first set pretty smoothly.

“Okay guys,” the captain spoke as he wiped some sweat from his brow in the short break between sets, “Let’s just keep doing what we’re doing.”

His name was Ken-san and he was half-American and all alpha. He was built even broader than Asahi and had a strong spike to match, not to mention a presence almost as powerful as Daichi’s. Both Hinata and Kageyama looked up to him and felt like they were learning so much just by being near him. Ken always had his head together, even when they were facing off against a more impressive team, and was rarely distracted. Now, however, as the team gathered in a small huddle to shout their motto, Tobio noticed the slight glaze in Ken-san’s eyes. He wasn’t the only one that looked a little dazed, either; some of the other alphas on the team looked flushed but the whistle was blown and they filed back onto the court.

Shouyou hadn’t seemed to have noticed the alphas’ distraction but his own gameplay was starting to waver slightly. It was too late when Kageyama noticed his mate’s red cheeks and heavier breathing, not to mention the strong citrus scent that had permeated their side of the court. Hinata wasn’t just excited about the match. He was starting to go into heat.

Chapter Text

“Good morning, Fuji-san.”

Yamaguchi greeted the manager of the ‘Full Bloom’ flower shop with a small bow after waving goodbye to Tanaka and quickly hung up his coat before tying on his green apron. He hadn’t worked in a while and the strong aromas of the various plants and flowers brought a smile to the omega’s face; he’d missed the bustling atmosphere of the shop and the calming atmosphere of the blooming flowers.

“We’ve got some big orders this morning so could you start working on those, Tadashi-kun?” Fuji-san was already elbow-deep in a large bunch of lilies as he pointed to some red and yellow roses.

Tadashi got to work making twenty bouquets for a fine dining experience at a local hotel, revelling in the way he got to choose exactly how each bunch should look and smell. Although not the greatest artist ever, Tadashi always loved creating and didn’t get much opportunity to do so back at the den and so the small moments he could let loose were always ones he enjoyed. The wide smile on his freckled face didn’t go unnoticed by the manager and Fuji-san leaned over Tadashi’s shoulder to get a closer look at what it was that was making him look so content.

“I’d add a few more red ones to this one.”

His deep voice whispered next to Yamaguchi’s ear and the omega flinched, surprised by his sudden proximity. Fuji was an alpha, after all, and had a strong presence, especially when his strong eucalyptus scent was so close by.

The alpha grinned thinly, “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

Tadashi shook his head and concentrated on the flowers in front of him, “No, it’s fine. I-I’ll add more red roses.”

No one had noticed Shouyou’s predicament yet, that was good. That also included the omega himself, however, and that was not so good. Hinata continued to leap and scurry about the court, spiking Kageyama’s tosses that the alpha was still setting easily, even as he scoured his brain to try and think of a way to get his mate’s attention and drag him away from the match. It wouldn’t be easy; Shouyou would never let a silly thing such as a heat force him away from volleyball, even if it meant putting himself in danger. Unfortunately for him, the other alphas on the team had started to notice a sweeter fragrance in the air and even Ken-san (the captain) seemed a little distracted as he missed an easy receive.

Tobio knew he had no other choice but to physically pull Shouyou from the court and he moved towards him to gain his attention only for the omega to dash forwards for a block. The opposing team, made up of five giants and a small, nimble libero who was only slightly taller than Nishinoya, set up their back attack but when the ball came towards their wing spiker it was met with only empty air.

“What’re you doing, Hamato?!” the opponent’s setter jabbed his finger in the spiker’s face, “The ball was right there!”

Hamato, a two-meters-tall powerhouse with a shaved head, shook his head and apologised all whilst glancing in Hinata’s direction. Tobio used the brief break in play to yank his mate to his side and spoke quickly and quietly into Shouyou’s ear so as not to alert anyone else on the court.

“Are you feeling okay? Your scent is-”

“I’m fine!” the redhead was bouncing on the spot as he spoke, a ball of compressed energy ready to erupt, “Come on, come on! Let’s play!”

Hinata looked buzzed, like he’d had ten coffees and was ready to go to war. It was always the same whenever he went into heat; hours prior to it actually breaking, he would become so hyper and animated that it would sometimes become too overwhelming for him and Kageyama would be forced to hold him down until his heat came. In the middle of a volleyball match, however, Tobio guessed that would be pretty much impossible.

“Everything okay?” Ken jogged to their side, cheeks more flushed than they should have been and eyes glassy, “Hinata? You doing good?”

The omega nodded vigorously, eyes too wide and his orange hair dancing as his head bobbed backwards and forwards,

“Yeah! So good! Let’s go!”

“You can’t, you-”

Ken cut off Kageyama as he stepped between Shouyou and him, “He said he’s fine. Let’s continue.”

Before the dark-haired alpha could retort, the referee blew his whistle and the game continued. Hinata managed to score a point, albeit erratically, and the opposing team once again set up for a back attack only for the setter to miss the toss completely as he watched his teammates stop playing in favour of moving closer and closer to the net.

Shit, Kageyama rushed forwards to grab Hinata, who had frozen up at the sight of the three giants moving towards him.

“Wow,” the ace of the other team, a long slender player with dyed blonde hair, linked his fingers through the net and pressed his face up to it, inhaling deeply as he eyed Hinata like a snake watching a mouse, “Is that you? That orange smell?”

Hinata wiped sweat from his cheek and tried to slow his panting as he tilted his head, “Orange? Probably.”

“Shouyou!” Kageyama had tried to reach his mate but his team members were circling him. The alpha didn’t know if it was to protect or attack and he found himself growling deeply as he tried to push through, “Shou, come here!”

Upon hearing his mate calling, Hinata glanced his way only to be face to face with the three alphas on their team, all looming over him like hungry wolves as he involuntarily leaked his sweet orange fragrance. For a moment he was confused but rationality briefly overtook his hyped-up senses and the omega suddenly gasped, a hand flicking to his mouth as he realised his predicament.

“Kag- Kageyama!” he squeaked as he tried to stand on his tiptoes to see over the wall of alphas surrounding him.

“Hinata-kun,” their wing spiker, Akira, was panting slightly, “You smell great today,” he leaned down, nose almost touching Hinata’s neck, “I could just eat you up.”

“Oi!” Kageyama shoved Akira aside and grabbed his mate’s wrist roughly, “We need to go, now.”

The other team had decided that Shouyou’s scent was far more interesting than the match and had ducked underneath the net to join them on their side. Vaguely, like a distant cry, Kageyama could hear the referee trying to gain control of the situation but the surrounding alphas were all far too close to Shouyou’s sweet scent to pry themselves away. They continued to close in, like hungry lions about to take down a stray deer, and Kageyama braced himself, ready to fight if needs be. He knew he wouldn’t be able to take them all down but he’d give it his best shot to save his love.

So many alphas in one place seemed to unsettle something in Ken, the captain, and he suddenly pulled their other teammates backwards. He was strong enough to force them to the ground as he yanked on their collars, leaving them sitting on their backsides wondering what on earth had just happened.

“Kageyama!” Ken gestured towards the open gymnasium door as he covered his nose, “Get him out of here!”

Tobio didn’t need telling twice but there was still the case of the five huge alphas from the opposing team blocking his way. They looked ready to pounce at any given moment and the immense pressure from their presence was starting to effect Hinata. The omega was trembling and, beneath Kageyama’s fingers on his wrist, Shouyou’s skin was burning hot.

“T-Tobio...” Hinata whined and the omegan quality of it made every alpha in the room shiver.

“I know,” Kageyama stepped towards the tall blonde from the other team and set his jaw angrily, “We’re leaving.”

“I don’t think so-”

As the ace of the other team moved closer to Hinata, his head suddenly lurched forwards with such force that he stumbled a little. Before he could turn to see what had happened, the other five alphas from his team received the same fate, one by one in quick succession. Hamato, the wing spiker from the other team, spun around to see what had interrupted them only to have to look down at their tiny libero. Said libero was small in stature but, just like Noya, large in character. He had one hand on his hip whilst the other held a ball as he scowled up at his teammates, obviously not impressed with their behaviour.

“What the hell are you guys doing?!” he yelled as his team seemed to shrink a little, “The little guy is obviously going into heat! Leave him alone!”

“But he smells so go-”

The ball that had been in the libero’s hand was now smack-bang in the middle of the blonde ace’s face, shutting him up quickly.

“You alphas and your scents, you’re so creepy!” he pointed towards their bench and tapped his foot impatiently as his team finally caved and moved to sit down, then he turned to Hinata and Kageyama, “Sorry about those morons.”

“Err,” Kageyama looked confused but was thankful nonetheless, “Yeah, thanks.”

“You’re not affected by it?” Hinata asked as he held onto Kageyama a little tighter.

The libero shook his head and pointed his thumb at himself, “I’m a beta. Someone has to keep these stupid alphas in check and it sure as hell isn’t our captain,” he glanced at the blonde ace and rolled his eyes, “We’ll have a rematch when you’re, y’know, not,” he smiled wickedly and for a moment Kageyama understood why the tiny beta was in charge, “We’ll destroy you some other time.”

“Kageyama, Hinata,” it was their coach, “Get out of here before I have to tie these guys to the bench!”

Despite their best efforts to restrain themselves now that they knew the situation, Kageyama and Hinata’s teammates were starting to lose their inner battles with their instincts and looked like they might try and get to Shouyou any second. Not wanting to tempt fate, Kageyama pulled Hinata outside into the biting cold and tried to think of some way to get his pre-heat mate home.

In the living room, back at the den, Nishinoya was sitting on the large sofa watching an old black and white movie on the TV as he used his baby bump to balance a bowl of salt and vinegar chips. Asahi had gone to the bakery, Tanaka, Ennoshita and Yamaguchi were at work and the others were all at university. Sure, Daichi and Suga were at home but they were far too preoccupied with Mitsuo to be doing anything other than fawning over him in their bedroom. Yuu briefly wondered if he too would become such a doting parent and couldn’t help but smile when an image of Asahi fussing over a tiny baby popped into his head.

“You seem happy.”

Suga had emerged from his and Daichi’s room to make some lunch and couldn’t help but notice Yuu’s cheerful expression. The libero popped another chip into his mouth and spoke through crumbs,

“Mhmm, I am.”

The silver-haired omega ruffled Noya’s hair and returned the smile, “I’m glad,” he moved towards the kitchen and yelled through the doorway, “Do you want some lunch? I’m heating up some leftovers!”

Noya glanced down at the almost empty bowl of chips and sat up a little straighter, “Please! I’m starving!”

Chapter Text

It had started to snow lightly when Kageyama and Hinata stepped out of the gymnasium and into the chilly November morning. Neither alpha nor omega had clothes on that were suitable for the weather, each still in their volleyball uniforms, and Kageyama wondered if Shouyou was even coherent enough to take to the changing room to retrieve their clothes. The redhead was panting slightly and not just from the exercise of the game. His heat wasn’t there quite yet but it seemed like it would break within the hour.

“Shou,” Tobio took Hinata’s hand and tugged him gently towards the building adjacent to the gym, where their coats and clothes were stored, “Come on, we need to get changed and get home.”

The omega vaguely acknowledged his mate and allowed himself to be ushered over to the building like a rag doll, all reasoning having left him for the moment.

Once inside, Kageyama rushed to put on his clothes and jacket and then began to undress Hinata. He knew that his mate would not be thinking of such things at the moment but they were both sweating and the temperature outside was so low that they could catch a cold, or worse, and so he stripped the omega hurriedly. Of course, Shouyou took the removal of his clothes as a whole other idea and smiled drunkenly at the alpha as Tobio struggled to pull on Hinata’s trousers.

“Hey, Tobio,” Hinata whispered, eyes glazed over, “Let’s leave our clothes off,” he pulled at his sweater awkwardly, “I’m too hot...”

Although he was desperately trying to ignore his panting, sweating, sweet-smelling mate, Kageyama couldn’t help but shudder at the sight of Hinata red-faced and ready to go. His orange-tinged scent was making his mouth water and it was taking all of the alpha’s inner strength not to give in and take him right there. Thankfully he was distracted by the nearby voices of the basketball club as the team got closer to the changing room next door and his mind could once again focus on getting his mate out of there.

He zipped up Hinata’s coat, much to the omega’s protests, and took his hand as he dragged him outside once more. They needed to get back to the den as soon as possible but going on the train was out of the question, no way could they risk that. Tanaka, Ennoshita and Asahi-san were all at work and, although somewhat of an emergency, Kageyama couldn’t help but not want to be a bother to his pack-mates while they were working. That left only one more member of their pack who could drive: Daichi-san. Tobio quickly dialled the pack-leader’s number and waited for his low tones to answer the phone.

“Kageyama? What’s u-”

“Shouyou’s going into heat and we need a ride home,” he felt bad for interrupting but time was of the essence.

On the other end of the line, Daichi didn’t seem to mind the interruption and went straight into leader-mode, “Where are you now?”

The pair had walked away from the university buildings to try and keep Hinata away from any passers by but Kageyama didn’t usually go off campus and wasn’t sure of the roads.

“We’re near a big hotel,” Kageyama offered.

By his side, Shouyou shivered but not from the cold. He felt like he was burning from the inside-out and needed to touch more than just his mate’s hand. He wanted Kageyama’s hands and lips to touch all off him and he wanted it now. A high whine escaped his lips and even through the phone Daichi could tell it was an omega in need of their alpha. It was far too dangerous for them to be out in the open.

“I’ll come as fast as I can,” Daichi was already putting his coat on as he spoke, “But you should try and get inside somewhere safe while you wait. Go and see if the hotel will let you wait inside.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Kageyama put down the phone and pulled Hinata across the road and into the hotel lobby. It was a pretty big place with high ceilings and marble floors and, as the pair approached the reception desk, a lady with a severe haircut clicked her tongue before asking in a chirpy tone,

“Can I help you?”

Tobio cleared his throat awkwardly. He’d never been in such a fancy hotel and felt a little intimidated by the lady’s stern glare.

“Um, my mate is in heat and we-”

The lady, obviously a beta as she hadn’t reacted to Hinata’s strong scent, gasped quietly and let her eyes slide up and down Hinata, who looked almost at his limit.

“We don’t allow omegas in heat on the premises,” she snapped.

“We won’t be here long,” Kageyama tried to keep his calm but his patience was wearing thin, “A friend is coming to pick us up.”

Long fingernails tapped a framed poster on the desk that read ‘No accommodation for omegas in heat.’

The alpha spoke through gritted teeth, “It’ll only be for ten minutes.”

She tapped again and Kageyama had to turn on his heel and drag Hinata outside before he caused a scene.

“We can’t stay?” Shouyou whined as he tried to get impossibly closer to his mate.

“No. Daichi-san will be here soon, don’t worry.”

Although he sounded like he had everything under control, Kageyama was starting to panic a little. It was an emotional state he wasn’t particularly used to and it made him uneasy knowing that he was almost helpless when it came to taking care of the situation. He scolded himself silently; he never should have let it get this far. Hinata was in danger if a group of alphas or even just one stronger alpha walked by and caught his scent and, although Tobio knew he would put up a fight, he didn’t know if it would be enough to protect his mate.

The sound of a zipper sliding caught the alpha’s attention and drew his mind away from his racing thoughts long enough to focus on his mate. Hinata was trying to remove his coat as his heat was only minutes away and he was sweating profusely as he struggled with the zipper, annoyed that it wasn’t cooperating.

“Stop,” Tobio took the omega’s hands in his own, “You’ll get too cold.”

“But I’m so hot!” Hinata whined as he nuzzled closer to his mate despite the heat radiating from his own body.

The closeness of his mate made Kageyama’s skin prickle and every fibre of his being was screaming at him to claim him right there on the side of the road. He wanted to push him down into the building snow and bite at his neck as he entered him, inhaling his orange scent as they became one. The throbbing bulge in his pants pressed up against Hinata and the omega whimpered as he fumbled to try and reach through Kageyama’s long coat. He should have told him to stop. Should have pushed his small reaching hands away from his crotch but Kageyama could feel every want and need of his mate through their bond and gasped as he felt first-hand the moment Hinata’s heat finally broke and began.

He grabbed his face and kissed him firmly, claiming only his lips but demanding every last cell of his mate as Shouyou began to grind against the alpha, all rationality completely leaving the pair as the snow continued to fall.

Meanwhile, back at the den, Daichi still hadn’t left. It wasn’t for lack of trying; he’d received the call during lunch and was up and ready to go and help the pair despite his instincts telling him to stay with Koushi and their pup. It was a bit of a strain but Daichi knew that their pack-mates needed help and he assured Suga that he would only be gone a short time. Unfortunately, as he quickly pulled on his shoes in the foyer, the head alpha felt his mate’s unfiltered anxiousness through their bond and couldn’t do anything but head back inside to try and console him.

Suga was sitting next to Nishinoya at the table, his silver-haired head dipped low so that he was resting against the smaller omega’s shoulder. Even from the doorway Daichi could see that his mate was trembling slightly and it pained him to see his bright, bubbly fiancée look so helpless.

“Kou?”

Suga looked up through pale, watery eyes and Daichi thought his heart might burst through his chest.

“You have to go, Dai!” tears dripped from his eyes as Suga scolded his mate and he swiped at them angrily.

“But you’re-”

Suga knew it was just his hormones acting up and tried to fight the feeling of utter terror that was gnawing at his insides at the thought of Daichi being anywhere other than by his side. Kageyama and Hinata needed him more that he did right that moment and, although anxious, Suga was more annoyed by his own reaction.

“Hurry up and go!” Koushi bit his lip to stop it trembling so much, “Shouyou should be at home!”

Poor Daichi looked like he wanted to rip himself in two; one to stay with his family and one to go rescue Hinata and Kageyama. He supposed that was the curse of being a pack leader, having to make tough decisions, and trusted his omega’s strength enough to leave him, even if was only for a short while.

“Right,” Daichi nodded, “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he looked to Nishinoya who smiled brightly, “Take care of my fiancée.”

Noya saluted playfully, “Aye aye!”

The omegas listened to the front door close and Suga was finally able to let out the sob that he’d been holding in. Sure, he knew Daichi could probably feel his distress through their bond anyway but he didn’t want to appear completely helpless in front of his mate.

Noya tilted his head towards his friend, concerned but also intrigued by Suga’s reaction,

“Is it really that strong?”

Suga sniffed and wiped his damp cheeks, “What?”

“Your bond,” Yuu looked down at his bulging bump, “It seems a lot stronger since Mitsuo arrived.”

“I guess so,” Suga shrugged, “I think I feel a little scared to be separated from him so soon,” he sighed heavily, “I’m sure it’ll lessen as time passes and my hormones calm down.”

“And now?”

“Now?” Koushi glanced at Yuu and felt more tears welling in his eyes, “Now it feels like there’s a gaping hole in my chest.”

The roads were less than ideal for driving as Daichi pushed on the gas a little harder. The snow was really starting to come down and it was making the road surface more like an ice rink. As careful a driver as he was, it was still a little unnerving to be driving in such hazardous conditions and he just hoped he would get there in one piece.

Inside Full Bloom flower shop, Tadashi had finished the last of the bouquets for the large order and was helping a young beta couple in choosing a gift basket for a friend’s birthday.

“I think pink roses would be a good choice as they can mean ‘happiness’ in the language of flowers!” Tadashi looked animated as he swooned over the pretty pink flowers, “Or perhaps Salvia, to let them know you’re thinking of them.”

The young lady seemed mesmerised by the roses and her partner nodded at Tadashi to make up a large bouquet with them to add to the basket. As the freckled omega was wrapping the various seedlings and chocolates that the basket entailed, the lady gasped and pointed through the large front window,

“Oh my! The snow is really coming down now! I hope we can get home alright.”

Her partner pulled out his phone and worked his fingers before replying, “It says the trains are still running for now but it’s ‘subject to change, depending on the weather’,” he turned to Tadashi, “I suppose we’d better hurry up then.”

Yamaguchi did just that and the pair hurriedly exited the shop, thankful for his swift hands.

“Wow,” Fuji-san sauntered over to the window, his silhouette dark against the stark whiteness of the snow outside, “I hope we don’t get snowed-in.”

“Yeah, me too!”

Fuji turned on his heel and stepped towards Tadashi, a sly smirk on his face, “We’ll have to keep each other warm.”

A shiver ran down Tadashi’s spine but he managed to keep a polite smile on his lips, “M-maybe we should close early.”

“Oh, come on now, Tadashi-kun!” the alpha leaned his elbows on Tadashi’s work station and peered up through dark lashes, “We can’t afford to lose potential sales now, can we?”

The icy snow outside seemed to settle in the omega’s stomach, “I g-guess not...”

Chapter Text

Although it was only a little past midday, the sky was dark, filled with snow that promised to fall and plunge the earth below into a beautifully pure yet unforgiving picture. Kageyama and Hinata had been waiting for their ride from Daichi for almost half an hour and, despite the omega’s current heated state, the pair were shivering from head to toe. Thankfully Tobio had managed to control his own desires for his mate until now but with every second that passed Shouyou was becoming more and more unstable and the alpha ever impatient.

Hinata pushed against his alpha’s body, panting and sweating, “Tobio~,” the whine in his voice pierced Tobio deeply, “Why won’t you touch me?”

“I will,” the alpha replied curtly, worried that if he opened his mouth more he would taste Shouyou’s pheromones and be consumed by his flavour.

“Please,” tears pricked the omega’s eyes as he pleaded with his mate, “I need you!”

He pushed closer to Tobio and rubbed himself against his coat, orange scent permeating the air around them completely. They’d been lucky so far, no one had walked past them (probably because of the weather) but it was lunchtime and therefore inevitable that someone would be leaving campus for some food sometime soon. The thought of another alpha coming so close to Shouyou when he was in heat made Kageyama’s skin prickle and he pulled out his phone for the third time to try and contact Daichi again.

The head alpha was only minutes away from where Kageyama had described when he had to slow to a halt because of an overturned lorry blocking the road. It looked as though the driver had taken the icy corner a little too fast and had underestimated the snowfall. Said driver was standing by his vehicle unharmed but with the way the lorry had fallen it was completely blocking both sides of the road.

“Ugh...” Daichi huffed and checked the clock on the dashboard for the seventeenth time.

It was the first time he and Suga (and Mitsuo) had been separated since the pup was born – and several months before that, too – and the alpha had promised Koushi that he wouldn’t be away long. Although his omega was putting on a brave face, Daichi could feel through their bond that Suga was extremely anxious about Daichi leaving him alone. And, if the alpha was being honest with himself, he too felt a strong pining for his mate and pup.

He cursed under his breath and made a u-turn in the road, ignoring the blaring horns as he manoeuvred the car into the opposite direction. There was another way he knew of to get to the hotel Kageyama had described but it would take a little longer that he’d bargained for.

He swore again.

“Looks like no one else will be heading out in this weather today,” Fuji, Yamaguchi’s manager, tapped the window as the snow continued to fall heavier outside.

Tadashi felt a slight elation as he silently hoped that that meant he could leave early and catch a train but the alpha in front of him walked back to his side and smiled thinly,

“That just means that we can get ahead of tomorrow’s orders, right?” he held out a long, thin finger and tapped Tadashi’s chin as he had the cold glass, “I called Hiroshi and told him not to bother coming in this afternoon, so it’s just you and me until your shift ends,” he traced the finger along Tadashi’s jaw and up to his ear, “Fun, right?”

Hiroshi was the other part-timer that worked in the shop and usually the target for Fuji-san’s affections as the manager had quite the crush on him and, although also an omega, Hiroshi knew exactly how to handle Fuji-san without seeming rude. With Hiroshi elsewhere, however, it seemed the alpha’s flirtations and teasing were being aimed at the only other available omega and it was making Yamaguchi more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

With the idea of having to stay overnight with Fuji-san if the trains had to stop, Tadashi was desperately trying to think of an excuse to leave early. It wasn’t that he was particularly scared of his boss – he’d never seen him be anything other than a little too flirtatious – but the atmosphere in the shop with just the two of them felt a little too charged for Tadashi’s liking and he wanted to remove himself from it before it became even more uncomfortable.

“I r-really think I should try and catch a train before they leave,” he offered, “That gentleman earlier said-”

“Do you believe everything you hear, Tadashi-kun?” Fuji asked, one eyebrow raised.

Fuji-san was still at Tadashi’s station and his thick, eucalyptus-like scent was wafting around the omega like a blanket being placed over his head.

“I don’t but-”

“Then trust me,” Fuji-san waved his hand nonchalantly, “I know what’s best right now, okay?”

A little overwhelmed, Tadashi nodded silently as the alpha moved behind him and leaned over him as he bundled some flowers into a bunch. He inhaled deeply, sniffing at Tadashi like a fresh flower, and spoke into the omega’s ear,

“Your grassy scent really fits well with this job, doesn’t it? Maybe we should think of a way to bring it out a little more.”

Although put off by the thick snow, Tsukishima’s growling stomach had forced him to go find food. He usually brought a bento that Tadashi insisted on making for him whenever he had time but with his mate at the flower shop he hadn’t had time that morning. Options on campus were mainly fast food but the tall alpha was in the mood for something warm and hearty, maybe Udon or the like. He knew of a place just a short walk down the street and excused himself from his peers as they headed for the burger bar on campus, too thinly dressed to brave the white wilderness of the outside world.

As he rounded the corner from the university, headphones firmly in place to deter anyone who might think that approaching him would be a good idea, Kei noticed the faint scent of oranges in the air. It seemed odd for such a summery fragrance to be floating amongst the falling snowflakes and he subconsciously followed the fruity smell down the street, a little intrigued by its presence. When the scent became almost overbearing, Kei looked up through his steamy glasses to identify the reason and was shocked to see Kageyama and Hinata huddled on the corner of the street underneath a lamppost like some poor orphans in an old fashioned painting. If he was being honest, food was at the forefront of his mind and Tsukishima was deliberating whether or not to just pretend he hadn’t seen them when Kageyama’s sharp blue eyes met his and he had no choice but to move closer to his pack mates.

“Are you trying to catch pneumonia?”

Although indeed a jab, Kei was also being serious. If they stayed out much longer the pair would most certainly catch at least a cold. He was going to add something else to irk the other alpha (there was always time for teasing) when that same orange fragrance wafted over him like a thick syrup. Kei gasped and took a step backwards.

“Is he in heat?!” he slapped a gloved hand over his nose and mouth, “Want me to call someone to come and get him?” he fumbled around in his pockets but came up empty.

Kageyama shook his head, “Daichi-san is on his way to take us home.”

“Well, good luck with that.”

Tsukishima spun on his heel and headed off in the direction of his date with lunch.

“Wait...”

The blonde turned to see Kageyama’s dark expression; his head was down and his cheeks were crimson – and not just from the biting cold. Blue eyes were looking up at Tsukishima, however, and the blocker could see that it was taking all of Kageyama’s strength just to speak.

“Will you...” Tobio’s face contorted, annoyed at himself for having to ask Tsukishima of all people, “Will you stay with us until Daichi-san arrives?”

Kei’s face echoed Tobio’s, his nose scrunching up at the odd request, “Why?”

“I don’t think I can hold out much longer,” he blushed and turned his face away, “If another alpha comes...”

Kei understood. Kageyama was reaching his limit as far as controlling his instincts was concerned, any alpha would be the same with their mate in heat right in front of them. And if another alpha did happen to pass by, Hinata’s scent, although not appetising to Tsukishima himself, would certainly entice them and probably cause a fight. Although bothersome and definitely not what he’d had planned for his lunch hour, Kei nodded and stepped a little closer to the pair, arms folded as he futilely tried to keep warm.

“You owe me, King.”

It was finally lunchtime and time for Yamaguchi’s break.

No other customers had entered the shop since the couple that morning and so the omega had been trying to keep himself occupied with checking stock and watering some of the newer buds. When he’d started to run out of things to do, however, he could feel Fuji-san’s gaze resting heavily on him and was relieved when he was finally dismissed for lunch. He needed to think of a way to leave early and decided his best bet was to ask Tsukki. His alpha would either come up with a clever plan or simply rush over and rescue him, depending on his mood. In the back of his mind, Tadashi kind of hoped it was the latter.

His trembling fingers pressed his mate’s image and the phone began to ring. He could already feel himself relaxing at the thought of speaking to Tsukki and saw his own reflection smiling back at him in the window in the staff room. However, when Kei’s voice eventually answered, it wasn’t in reply to his boyfriend’s call, it was his voicemail telling Tadashi to leave a message.

A lead weight settled in the omega’s stomach and he whimpered quietly before pushing the ‘end call’ button, his fingers once again trembling. Now what would he do? Would he be able to just work the rest of the day as normal and just hope that Fuji-san didn’t do anything strange? It seemed like his only option at the moment, anything else would just make the alpha suspicious or worse, angry.

Tadashi could feel his anxious mind starting to spiral and shook his head to try and force the negative thoughts away. Kei was always telling him that he overreacted to things and always thought the worst of situations but it was in his nature and wasn’t something he could just switch off. He tried now, however, and slapped his freckled cheeks in an attempt to force some positive thoughts into his brain. Sure, he was alone with Fuji-san and the alpha had been acting a little strange but maybe he was just having a bad day? Maybe he was just teasing Tadashi and the omega wasn’t understanding the joke.

“Yeah,” Tadashi whispered to himself in a less-than-stable voice, “It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.”

He wolfed down his bento and slowly stepped back into the shop, a little less paranoid than before but still a little wary of his boss.

“Enjoy your lunch?” Fuji asked as he pruned a deep red rose by the window.

“Y-yes, thank you.”

As Tadashi looked over to his manager his eyes were drawn to the street outside. The snow had built up to almost six inches and was still falling thickly. It made him shiver just thinking about being outside in it but when he noticed that some of the potted plants were still out on the street, Tadashi rushed over to the door to bring them inside before they froze.

“What’re you doing?” Fuji asked as he continued to prune the rose, eyes not leaving its petals.

“The display plants are still outside! The frost will kill them!”

Tadashi reached for the door handle and pulled. It didn’t budge. He thought maybe it was stuck because of the cold and tried again a little harder. Nothing.

“Fuji-san,” he turned his head to look at the alpha, hands still firmly on the cold door handle, “It won’t open.”

Finally Fuji looked up from the rose, a lopsided smirk on his face, “That’s because I locked it.”

Chapter Text

“What time is it?”

“Almost two.”

Nishinoya sighed and turned off the TV. Asahi still wasn’t home. The alpha had reluctantly gone to work at the bakery without telling his mate when he’d be home, not out of choice but because Asahi had been fretting over whether or not to leave his mate alone for any amount of time and when Noya had finally convinced him to go the alpha had simply put on his coat and hurried out. He figured the faster he got there and finished his work, the faster he could get home. Since then, however, the snow had really started to pile up and the expecting omega had started to worry that Asahi wouldn’t be able to drive back. The thought of spending the night without his mate made Noya a little anxious to say the least. It was bad enough that Asahi had left him for only a few hours - even if Yuu had been the one to convince him to go – ever since his third trimester began, Nishinoya had felt the unshakable urge to be near his alpha whenever he could and the imposing idea of an entire night without him made him shudder.

“Hey,” Suga had noticed his friend’s pheromones turn a little sour with worry and placed his warm hand atop Noya’s, “I’m sure Asahi will be back soon,” he paused to chew on his lip and Yuu noticed Suga’s hand tremble slightly as he added, “Daichi, too.”

Although no longer pregnant, Suga still felt the stronger-than-usual need of his alpha, especially as they hadn’t been apart since Mitsuo was born, and he couldn’t help but wish for his return as soon as possible.

“I wonder how Hinata is,” Nishinoya had decided to try and distract himself with someone else’s worries rather than his own, “I hope they found somewhere safe to wait.”

Another blast of icy wind blew snow into Tsukishima’s face. His glasses were steamed up and he could just barely make out Kageyama and Hinata’s silhouettes about ten metres away. If Daichi didn’t turn up soon the head alpha would be driving home with three popsicles.

Hinata wasn’t feeling the cold, however. He was sweating, beads of it trickling down his temples, and Tobio had to continuously stop the omega from taking off his coat. The ache in his pants had become almost unbearable and he kept pressing his crotch up against his alpha in an attempt to tease Kageyama into helping him out.

“Daichi-san will be here soon,” Tobio ground his teeth, his jaw muscles clenched, “Just a few more minutes.” He didn’t know if he was saying it to himself or Shouyou but tried to believe his own words nonetheless.

“What if he doesn’t get here?” Tsukishima’s breath came out in plumes as he spoke, “Do you have a plan B?”

It didn’t bear thinking about. If Daichi didn’t come to pick them up for whatever reason, Kageyama didn’t know what else they could do. The hotels didn’t allow omegas in heat inside and most of the other shops and surrounding buildings had closed early because of the weather. If they had no ride home their only option might be to try and take a train and a packed, busy train with an estrus omega on board was not something Kageyama wanted to experience.

Thankfully, before his mind could think of any other worst-case scenarios, Daichi’s car skidded around the corner of the street a little too fast and slowed to an unsteady halt beneath the street light. The head alpha opened the passenger door and yelled out at his pack mates,

“Hurry up and get in!”

It didn’t take any persuasion for the three to clamber inside, Kei taking the front seat, and they each felt their hearts slow a little in Daichi-san’s presence. A captain and also a head alpha, Daichi was always someone to rely on.

“Let’s get back before this snow gets any worse,” he pressed gently on the gas and headed back to the farmhouse cautiously. The last thing he wanted was to crash into a snow drift or skid off the road.

Kei was debating whether or not to ask Daichi to stop by the florist’s and pick up Tadashi but the overwhelming orange and lemon pheromones currently occupying the car warned him that both Kageyama and Hinata were losing control of their senses and should probably be in the comfort of their own den as soon as possible. He didn’t want to think of what would happen if they delayed that chance much longer, Kei certainly didn’t want to witness anything intimate between the two. Instead, he silently hoped that Tadashi had made the right decision and headed home early. He wanted his mate home safe and sound after all.

Yamaguchi’s hand remained on the cold steel of the door handle. He knew that pulling on it any harder was pointless but he didn’t want to release the one thing connecting him to the outside world, to freedom.

Fuji-san had stopped pruning the rose and stepped over to the omega, looming over him like an enormous beast, fangs bared and ready to pounce. His eucalyptus pheromones were raging, surrounding Tadashi like waves as the omega tried to keep his head clear, a difficult task as the alpha was almost definitely going into rut.

“I am sorry, Tadashi-kun,” Fuji-san licked his dry lips, “It’s just that your scent is especially delicious to me. It’s usually mixed in with Hiroshi’s plum fragrance so I don’t notice it as much but now,” he inhaled deeply, “Man, it’s scrumptious.”

A million thoughts swam through Tadashi’s cloudy mind; he was alone with an alpha in rut in a locked building that he couldn’t escape. He couldn’t think of anything more dangerous. If he tried to run he would most likely aggravate Fuji-san and, without any escape route, it would be pointless anyway. Perhaps he could try fighting back? No, he shook his head, an omega could never overpower an alpha, especially one in rut. What were his options, then? Give in? That made his skin crawl; the thought of anyone other than Tsukki embracing him in such a way was a nightmare. As the strong pheromones continued to permeate the air, Tadashi ran out of options. He was alone and afraid and in a situation that couldn’t be rectified by reason alone.

It was Fuji’s reaction that alerted Tadashi to the fact that he was in fact hyperventilating. The omega’s breath was coming too rapidly and his vision had blurred, making everything around him seem dream-like and out of focus. The brief thought that that was how Kei must see the world without his glasses crossed his mind but the image of his mate made his panicking escalate. He was trembling uncontrollably and couldn’t quite catch his breath, a definite panic attack, but the display of weakness and omegan-like reaction only fuelled Fuji-san’s thirst.

The alpha lunged forwards and grabbed Tadashi’s shoulders, pulling him roughly towards him like he weighed nothing more than a ragdoll. Tadashi whimpered but could do nothing more than pound his fists against Fuji’s chest, a motion that made the alpha laugh as he continued to move his hands downwards, across the omega’s slim chest and hips.

“Please,” Tadashi breathed, “Stop.”

A tear rolled down his cheek and a sickening tongue licked it up causing the omega to freeze in disgust. Someone other than Tsukki was close, too close to him and it made him feel physically sick. He could feel the bond scar on his neck burning but was helpless to get away. There was nothing he could do as Fuji spun him around so that the alpha’s back was against the window and Tadashi was forced to look out into the empty street, void of any passer by to help him, as his manager fumbled to unfasten his belt.

The snow had finally gotten too heavy to risk any of the bakery employees staying any longer and Asahi sensibly told them to finish early and get back home safely. He finished cleaning up the kitchen and pulled on his thick coat before locking up. If he was being honest with himself, he was almost thankful for the opportunity to head home early. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy his work, it was just a little full-on what with Yuu being so heavily pregnant and all. He couldn’t wait to get back home and inhale his peachy scent.

However, that particular activity might have been a little too optimistic, Asahi thought, as he absorbed the scene in front of him. His car was buried in a good two feet of snow and the front bumper seemed to have been crushed under the weight of some snow that had fallen off the overhanging roof. It wouldn’t be driveable.

“Ah, crap,”

He reached for his phone and dialled Yuu’s number.

“Yuu?”

“Who else would it be?” The omega sounded a little irked, “Are you almost home?”

Asahi sighed, “My car’s stuck, I’m gonna have to get the train.”

A whine echoed down the line, “But Asahi~...”

The alpha felt his chest tighten at the sound, “I’m sorry! I’ll be back as soon as I can! Promise!”

“Fine,” he could practically see the pout on Noya’s face, “But you’re not going anywhere tomorrow, got it?”

“Got it. Love you.”

He pressed the ‘End Call’ button and hurried down the street towards the station. Hopefully the trains would still be running.

As if some higher power had been helping him out, Tadashi’s manager couldn’t get his jeans open. The zipper was stuck halfway and the alpha was becoming more and more irate as he desperately tried to free his rigid member. Tadashi tried to take the opportunity to reason with Fuji-san, it was the only thing he had left to use and he was pretty much at his breaking point as far as fear and desperation went.

“Fuji-san,” the alpha paused and looked up at Tadashi, eyes glazed and pupils wide, “P-please st-stop this,” the omega shivered visibly, “I don’t w-want to.”

A smirk flitted across the alpha’s face and he tenderly touched Tadashi’s flushed cheek, “Poor Tadashi-kun. I don’t want this either,” he looked down at his unopened jeans, “I want us to be connected.”

Without warning, Fuji grabbed the back of Tadashi’s neck and yanked him closer before biting the omega’s neck firmly. Tadashi yelped and bit his lip as more tears spilled down his cheeks. He could feel his manager’s hands wandering across his body, searching for skin that didn’t belong to him. The street outside remained quiet, not even a bird disturbed the white landscape painting and Tadashi found himself wishing that he could step through the frame that was the window and escape reality.

Finally the snow had started to ease a little as Asahi turned the corner of the alley his bakery was on and stepped onto the main street. There wasn’t a soul in sight and he was starting to think that he was the only person left on Earth – or the only person stupid enough to be out and about in the freezing cold – when movement in a shop window caught his eye.

From across the street it looked like someone was moving a mannequin around but the odd way they were pressed up against the glass indicated that they were having some sort of trouble with it. Maybe it was too heavy or had caught on something. Ever the helpful alpha, Asahi crossed the street to offer his assistance.

What presented itself in front of him was not a mannequin at all but the large, broad back of an alpha pressed up against the glass. Two hands protruded from around the man and pressed firmly against the glass like an animal in a zoo exhibit and, when Asahi followed one of the arms to it’s shoulder, a face emerged, slightly distorted by the reflection of the street. He stepped closer, now concerned for whomever was inside, and felt his breathing halt for a moment as he locked eyes with the faceless alpha’s partner.

“Yamaguchi?” he whispered.

Asahi saw red. There was his pack mate, crying and pleading for someone to help him as his manager of all people attacked him. How had this happened? It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Asahi was going to get Yamaguchi out of that situation as soon as possible and by any means necessary.

The sight of Asahi-san outside was almost like a mirage. Tadashi thought that perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him, giving him false hope of an end to the horrifying situation. When Asahi spoke, so softly that Tadashi had to read his lips to understand, however, the omega knew it was real.

‘I’m coming in’, Asahi mouthed.

Tadashi shook his head, careful not to alert Fuji-san to his actions, and mouthed back, ‘Door is locked.’

The omega watched as Asahi pondered for a moment and then nodded to himself, a plan having formed.

Fuji-san was still preoccupied with his wandering hands and unmoveable zipper and was paying no attention to the outside world and so Tadashi was able to watch carefully as Asahi gestured for the omega to move aside. Why he was mouthing ‘watch out’ was unknown to him but he manoeuvred himself as best he could a little behind Fuji, much to the alpha’s pleasure, and ducked when he saw what the Ace was up to.

There were several large plant pots lined up outside of the florist’s, each of which looked like they would weigh a considerable amount. It didn’t take Asahi long to decide upon his chosen projectile and he quickly lifted one of the pots, its weight an afterthought, before launching it like an ungainly volleyball through the shop window.

It smashed through with ease, the loud noise a stark contrast to the otherwise silent street, and shattered most of the front window. The alpha didn’t wait to step through the broken window and grabbed Yamaguchi’s manager by the collar, tossing him aside as he bundled Tadashi up against himself.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he-” he didn’t want to think about what else he might have done.

Yamaguchi nodded, a gesture almost lost against his violently trembling body, “I-I’m alright. He didn’t d-do anything… yet.”

“Go grab your coat,” Asahi’s voice was deep, more of a growl, as he turned to the other alpha, “Get up.”

Fuji-san stumbled to his feet. His eyes were still glassy from his rut but he looked a little shell-shocked at the sudden appearance of another alpha.

“He’s mine! Stay back!”

Another growl ripped through Asahi’s throat and he shoved Fuji’s chest forcefully, knocking him back to the ground, “He’s already bonded, idiot!”

He was about to show the damned alpha what he thought of him, all logic and reason set aside for the moment, but when Tadashi returned still wide-eyed and crying, Asahi felt himself fall back to Earth with a bump. He leaned over Fuji, teeth bared and eyes dark, a strong terrifying alpha if ever there was one.

“If I ever see your face again I’ll beat it to a pulp, understand?”

Fuji simply nodded robotically and stayed put on the floor as Tadashi and Asahi stepped over him and the glass to leave.

Before exiting the window, Tadashi glanced back at his manager and bit his quivering lip to steady his voice before stating,

“Fuji-san, I quit.”

Chapter Text

As soon as Daichi’s car turned onto the driveway of the farmhouse, Suga was on his feet, rushing to the front door. He had Mitsuo sleeping in his arms and the jostling of the omega made the pup open his eyes in confusion, a slight crease between his tiny brows. The baby’s whimpering paused Suga’s slightly manic movements and he cooed over Mitsuo as he tried to slow his own racing heart. It wasn’t that he’d doubted Daichi’s return – he knew his alpha would always come back to them – but he had been fretting a little over when he would come home. It had been much longer than he’d expected.

Suga was about to open the front door to greet them but it swung open by itself as Daichi stepped inside a little too enthusiastically. The alpha looked drawn and a little stressed but the sight of his mate and pup was like a physical relaxant and he gently placed a kiss on both of their cheeks.

“Did it go okay?” Suga asked as Daichi shook off his snow-covered jacket, “Is Hinata okay?”

As if in response to his question, said omega stumbled through the door, kept upright by Kageyama, and Tsukishima trundled in afterwards. The blonde looked a little flushed, probably from spending time in a car with an omega in heat, but he was coherent enough to ask if Tadashi had returned yet.

Suga shook his head, “Not yet. I’m sure he’s on his way.”

Kei frowned and chewed on his lip. Something wasn’t quite right, he could feel it. He knew they were too far apart to feel anything through their bond mark and yet Tsukishima could have sworn he could feel that certain itch at the back of his mind. He cursed himself for forgetting his phone.

“Is Asahi with you?” Noya’s tiny frame appeared in the entryway, one hand over his substantial bump protectively.

Daichi shook his head, “He’s not back yet?”

Yuu huffed loudly and folded his arms across his belly like a petulant child, “No! He said he was catching a train because his stupid car was stuck!”

“He’s probably on his way right now,” Suga offered to try and dull the tiny omega’s anger a little.

The return of his alpha had distracted Koushi from the reason Daichi had left in the first place and the sudden rush of orange-scented pheromones jogged his memory like a slap in the face. He turned to look down at Hinata, who was clinging to his mate, panting slightly as Kageyama took off their coats. The redhead looked completely out of it and Suga wondered just how he’d managed to keep it together until now.

“We’re going to our room,” Kageyama, only slightly more with it than his omega, mumbled and swiftly made his way past the group, practically dragging Hinata behind him.

As they passed by Yuu, the libero swayed a little on his feet, the strong pheromones emitting from both Shouyou and Kageyama a little too much for someone in his state. Thankfully Daichi managed to catch him before his knees buckled and ushered him back into the lounge and onto the sofa.

“Thanks,” Nishinoya tried to blink away the fogginess that had surrounded his head, “I’m alright.”

“Why don’t you have a nap?” Suga suggested as he took a seat on the armchair with Mitsuo in his arms, “I’m sure Asahi will be back when you wake up.”

Yuu muttered, “He better be,” and made himself comfortable under the large fluffy blanket on the sofa, almost immediately falling asleep.

Daichi took the opportunity to perch on the arm of the armchair beside his mate and pressed his nose into Suga’s hair before inhaling noisily. It made the omega giggle but he let the alpha continue to sniff and scent him until he was satisfied.

“Did Shouyou smell that good?” Koushi asked, one silver brow tilted up.

“It was overpowering, sure. But nowhere near as good as you.”

Suga looked up at Daichi and smiled, “Damn right.”

They were about to continue their snuggling when Tsukishima suddenly cleared his throat. The pair had practically forgotten he was there and Daichi almost fell off his perch at the sound.

“Um...” Kei pushed his glasses a little higher on his nose and looked at the floor as he spoke, “Could I borrow a phone? I’ve left mine at college and I want to call Tadashi.”

He didn’t want to admit that he was worried but also couldn’t just ignore the sickly feeling he had in his stomach. Something definitely wasn’t right and even if he was being paranoid, he would rather know for certain.

“Sure,” Daichi handed over his phone and added, “He’s probably on his way back. Try not to worry.”

The trains had stopped running due to the snow and so Asahi had opted to hail a taxi and worry about the cost later. He helped Yamaguchi into it, the omega still a bundle of trembling nerves, and gave the driver their address as they set off.

It was a strange situation; Asahi hadn’t really spoken to Tadashi all that much. In fact, he didn’t think they’d ever spent any time together just the two of them, Tsukishima or Yuu were always around to keep the conversation going. Yamaguchi was his pack mate, though, and Asahi would always come to the aid of his pack, no matter who it was. The alpha looked down at his own hands in his lap and noticed they were shaking slightly; he may have acted like the big, strong brave alpha when he was rescuing Yamaguchi – and he was at least two of those things – but now that he had a moment to reflect on it, his more timid side was resurfacing.

“Thank you...”

Tadashi’s voice was so soft that Asahi almost didn’t hear him over the sound of the car’s engine.

“I don’t know what would have h-happened if...” the omega trailed off, eyes wide once again and shoulders trembling wildly.

Asahi did not want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t gotten there at that moment. What was that other alpha thinking?! He took a deep breath to calm himself and scrunched his nose at the overwhelming reek of stress and worry wafting from Yamaguchi. It took only a second for Asahi to decide to put his large, muscly arm around his friend’s shoulders and pull him close. Of course, he knew that Tadashi didn’t want his arms around him, he was no substitute for Tsukishima, but he guessed that a somewhat familiar scent would be better than that dreadful manager’s. Surprisingly Tadashi leaned into the touch and even turned his head slightly to inhale a little of Asahi’s sandalwood fragrance, the alpha’s calming pheromones a welcome buoy in his ocean of terror.

Looking down at Tadashi, who seemed so thin and fragile compared to himself, Asahi couldn’t help but notice the raw, red bite mark between the omega’s neck and shoulder. That bastard alpha just had to leave a mark, didn’t he? It didn’t bear thinking about how Tsukishima was going to react; he would most definitely want to go after the manager himself but it certainly wasn’t a good idea for him to leave in a fit of rage. Hopefully his concern for his mate would overpower his lust for revenge.

“Is i-it really obvious?” Tadashi gingerly touched the bite mark with his fingertips, wincing slightly when they connected with the exposed redness, “Will Kei notice?”

Asahi sighed, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he will.”

More tears spilled from Yamaguchi’s eyes, down his freckled cheeks, “I was so stupid. I should have left when Fuji-san started acting weird. Tsukki is going to be so mad at me...”

The alpha’s eyes bugged and he gripped his friend a little tighter, “None of this was your fault. And Tsukishima isn’t going to be angry at you ...” he paused, trying to think of how he would react if it had been Yuu in Yamaguchi’s place , “He will be angry, though. I can guarantee that.”

Before he could reply, Tadashi’s phone began to buzz in his pocket and he pulled it out to reveal Daichi-san’s image popping up. He didn’t feel up to talking to anyone else just yet, he knew his voice would crack and tremble, and so he handed the phone to Asahi,

“It’s Daichi-san.”

Asahi took the phone and answered calmly, “Daichi?”

“Asahi-san?”

It was Tsukishima. And with only that one word Asahi could tell he was worrying.

“Where’s Tadashi?” Kei continued, his voice rising a little, “Did something happen? Why-”

“He’s here with me,” Asahi glanced down at the omega, who was staring out of the window, dazed, “He’s okay. We’re almost home.”

“Can I speak to him?”

Asahi moved to hand the phone back to Tadashi whilst mouthing, ‘It’s Tsukishima’ but he shook his head and pushed the phone back at him. He obviously wanted to wait until they were face to face to tell Tsukishima what had happened.

“We’re almost home,” Asahi repeated, feeling a little guilty for keeping Tsukishima in the dark, “Five minutes and you can see him yourself.”

He reluctantly put the phone down and guided the taxi driver towards the farmhouse. The sooner Tadashi was back with his mate the better.

Kei stared down at the phone’s black screen. What the hell was going on? Why was Tadashi with Asahi-san and why didn’t he want to speak to him?

“Tsukishima?” Daichi took back his phone and got to his feet, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” Kei looked confused and a little pale, “Tadashi is with Asahi-san. They’re almost home.”

That was all he knew and so he relayed the information he’d been given. Useless, really.

“Maybe they shared a taxi?” Suga offered.

“He didn’t want to talk to me.”

Silver brows rose, “Who? Tadashi? Why?”

Tsukishima shrugged, “Asahi wouldn’t say.”

Six eyes glanced at one another, utter bafflement on their faces as they tried to comprehend what could have possibly happened. Fortunately, the sound of the front door opening interrupted their racing thoughts and Kei dashed to it, socks slipping on the wooden floor as he rushed to his love.

“Ts-Tsukki?” Tadashi’s voice was a little hoarse from crying but he managed to speak his mate’s name nonetheless.

The sight of Tadashi with tear-streaked cheeks, red-rimmed eyes and a general look of dishevelment churned Kei’s innards and he couldn’t help the deep snarl that erupted from his chest as he stepped closer to his mate and embraced him tightly, spreading his own pine scent across his head and face. Something didn’t smell right about Tadashi; his grassy scent was almost overpowered by a stronger, sharper scent like eucalyptus. The scent of another alpha.

Kei pushed himself back a little, his hands still grasping Tadashi’s, “What the hell happened? Whose scent is this?”

When Tadashi didn’t answer, Kei looked to Asahi but the older alpha simply shook his head and headed into the lounge.

“’dashi?” Kei’s voice was softer as he helped the omega out of his coat, “Please talk to me.”

Where could he begin? Tadashi’s mind replayed the events of the day and he shivered violently, breath hitching again as more tears than he thought he had left continued to stream down his cheeks. He gripped Kei’s shirt tightly in his hands, refusing to let go, and spoke into his mate’s chest so as not to see the inevitable look of disappointment on his alpha’s face.

“F-Fuji-san went into rut...” He felt Tsukki freeze beneath his grasp but forced himself to continue, “I couldn’t get away… He tried t-to um...”

Words escaped him. How was he supposed to explain what had happened? What had happened?

Without moving from their huddled position in the entryway, Tsukishima kept his voice steady and asked,

“Did he touch you?”

‘Touch’? The word seemed heavy and yet it definitely described what had happened to the omega. Tadashi knew, however, that ‘touch’ in this instance meant more than a simple grope and so he shook his head.

“No. H-he just felt my chest a little and...” he bit his lip, not wanting to continue.

“And?”

Kei lifted his chin so that he was forced to look up into golden eyes. Eyes that were sparkling with un-shed tears. It was as hard for Tsukki as it was for Tadashi, recalling the events. The omega was all worded out, however, and so moved his hand to pull down his sweatshirt a little, revealing his bitten shoulder.

His mate’s reaction was one he had been expecting but it startled him nonetheless. Very rarely did Tsukki lose his temper or show actual alpha traits and when he did it was more subtle things like using their bond or amping up his pheromones to tease his mate. Never had Tadashi seen Kei act like a feral animal like he currently was. His fangs were bared, sharp canines revealed beneath curled lips. His eyes were wild and glaring and a loud snarling sound was rippling through his chest like a mountain lion about to take down its prey. Without meaning to but on instinct alone, Tadashi stepped back from his mate and quickly covered up the bite wound.

“Ts-Tsukki please...” he held out his hand and touched the alpha’s chest gently, feeling the vibrations of his growls through his sternum, “I’m alright now. Asahi-san saved me. I’m sorry.”

The snarling ceased but Kei’s eyes remained wide and wild as he once again gathered Tadashi in his arms. He didn’t want to scare him but his alpha instincts were screaming at him to go ou t immediately and destroy the alpha who had dared to mark his mate. Tsukishima Kei still remained in control, however, and he brought his mindset back to Earth and tried to concentrate more on helping Tadashi rather than running off and leaving him alone in such a state. He stroked Tadashi’s hair gently and spoke deeply into it as he inhaled the grassy scent,

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. I should have been there to stop it. It’s my fault he-”

“No!” Tadashi glared up through watery eyes, determination in his still-trembling voice, “This was Fuji-san’s fault,” he shook the thoughts of it being his own fault away as they tried to rear their heads at the forefront of his mind, “No one else’s.”

They both remained still in the entryway, inhaling one another’s scents and both slightly trembling with fear and anger. Kei imagined that if he let go of Tadashi that the omega would simply float off into the air like an abandoned balloon, fragile and waiting to burst at any moment. And so he held on tight – a little too tight if the omega was being honest – but neither complained.

It had been almost ten minutes with them embracing one another and Asahi had filled in the others (except for Yuu who was somehow still snoozing) on what had happened and so Suga decided to try and bring the pair inside so that he could check up on Tadashi, too. Somehow he felt the motherly urge to take care of the younger omegas and so handed over Mitsuo to Daichi before popping his head into the foyer.

“Come on inside and get warm, you two.”

The pair nodded and moved as one, never letting go as they stepped into the lounge and sat down carefully on the sofa as Suga brought the first aid kit from the kitchen.

“Asahi said it was bleeding,” Koushi gestured to Tadashi’s shoulder, careful not to say something that might set Tsukishima off again, “Can I take a look?”

After a glance at Tsukki for confirmation, Tadashi pulled off his sweater and let Suga-san start work on the bite wound. It stung a little and he found himself leaning into Kei’s embrace more as Suga sprayed on something cold before adding gauze.

“Um, Suga?”

Asahi knelt behind the omega on the carpet like a very large puppy and held out one of his hands. Blood seeped from between his thumb and forefinger where a small piece of jagged glass jutted out from his skin. He’d obviously caught it when he’d broken the window but had been so preoccupied with helping Tadashi that he hadn’t even noticed.

“Could you patch me up, too?”

Chapter Text

“We’re gonna die!”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“I’m telling you, man, we’re gonna get stranded in the snow and die and someone will find us in like 100 years and think we’re dinosaurs or something.”

Ennoshita looked at his boyfriend in the passenger seat of his car and smirked. He’d wanted to play it cool a little longer but Ryuu’s way of thinking had steered the conversation into a place he hadn’t even thought about and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Why would they think we were dinosaurs?” he took the bait.

Tanaka grinned, “Because we’d be skeletons! All frozen in the ice like in that movie.”

He posed like a dead cat with his tongue out, making Chikara laugh again. Both betas let the comfortable quiet settle in the car, their sniffling the only sound to break the peace. The snow wasn’t coming down as hard as it had been but it was starting to get dark and Tanaka was freaking out a little as he thought about the drive home. Not that he was worried about Chika’s driving, of course not, but he could feel the car slipping on the packed snow a little and it made his teeth grind together.

“Hey,” Chikara noticed his boyfriend’s uneasiness (a rare sight from Tanaka) and touched his thigh gently as he continued to look ahead at the road, “We’re almost home. We’ll be fine.”

Suddenly his unease was gone and Tanaka linked his fingers with Chikara’s, slyly pulling the other’s hand a little closer to his crotch. Of course this resulted in Ennoshita yanking his hand away and slapping the back of Tanaka’s beanie-covered head but it was worth it nonetheless.

Back at the den, it was almost time for dinner but no one had made any effort in making something. With Hinata’s heat and Yamaguchi’s traumatic day the pack had fallen into a kind of lull and everyone, save for Hinata and Kageyama, had stayed in the living room, not wanting to lose sight of one another.

Now nestled between Suga and Tsukki, Tadashi had almost stopped trembling, although his hands continued to shake slightly in their place clasped between his mate’s. Not that Kei’s were doing much better; his own muscles were still tensed from the adrenaline rushing through his veins and he couldn’t quite calm down enough to concentrate on whatever it was Daichi-san had put on the TV. Something in the back of his mind was gnawing at him like an angry rat, making his alpha instincts rise to the surface in an attempt to force him to his feet to take action. And he knew exactly what that action was going to be. He wanted to find Fuji, the filthy alpha that had attacked Tadashi, and beat him until he was unrecognisable. He wanted to tear and claw at the man until he could no longer stand. He wanted to-

“Tsukki?”

Yamaguchi’s voice jolted Kei away from his red-tinged ideals and the alpha turned his head slightly to look down at his mate resting against his chest. He looked small and frightened and his usual grassy fragrance was so tinged with worry and anxiety that his scent was almost lost in the sourness. Of course Kei couldn’t leave him to go off and do something so reckless, how could he? His omega needed him and he needed his omega, not only to calm him down but to love him and anchor him, always. With a forced smile on his lips, Kei whispered to Tadashi, careful not to bring attention to their conversation, although Suga could almost certainly hear them.

“I’m okay. Sorry,” Tsukki tightened his grip around Tadashi’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer, “Do you want to sleep?”

It wasn’t even six but Tsukishima guessed that his mate was exhausted, he knew he was.

Surprisingly, Tadashi shook his head and rested it against his alpha’s chest once more, wincing slightly as the wound on his neck pressed down, “Can we stay here a little longer?”

“You sure?” Tadashi sure looked tired.

Another nod, “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep anyway.”

Tsukki pressed a kiss into his mate’s locks, partly to soothe him and partly to block his expression of anger from his mate’s view. How dare anyone affect Tadashi so completely. The rat continued to gnaw.

“Whatever you want.”

Somehow Yuu had managed to sleep through the entire ordeal. He hadn’t even stirred when Asahi had returned, much to the alpha’s surprise. However, when Suga told the Ace about how worried and anxious Noya had been, Asahi kind of understood how sleep was a better option than staying awake fretting.

Asahi sat with Yuu resting on his lap on the sofa, staring blankly at the TV knowing that no one in the room was actually watching it. He guessed that Daichi had turned it on simply to drown out the deafening silence and he was thankful for it, he didn’t really know what – if anything – he should be saying to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi and just hoped that the pack’s presence was reassuring enough for them. He was about to offer to make something for dinner, his mate’s rumbling stomach alerting him to the time, when the front door opened and the betas returned, faces flushed from the cold.

“HEY!” Tanaka bounded into the room like a wild-man, thrashing two carrier bags around like nunchucks, “Anyone hungry?”

His rambunctious energy was even enough to wake Nishinoya, who sat up bleary eyed, slightly confused as to where he was for a moment.

“We brought Mexican food!” Chikara shook off some loose snow from his dark hair and took a moment to catch his breath, “Wow, that snow! It’s like a blizzard out th-”

The sombre atmosphere of the room suddenly hit him and his face dropped. Although not attuned to the scents and traits of alphas and omegas, the betas were still a part of the pack and could instantly tell something wasn’t quite right. One look at Yamaguchi could let anyone know that he’d been crying, a lot, and the drawn faces of the rest of the group didn’t pose much hope elsewhere.

“What’s wrong?” Tanaka, although somewhat absent at times, also sensed the odd atmosphere and immediately scanned the room for signs of injury, focusing on Noya “Is it the baby?”

“The baby’s fine,” Daichi spoke as he stood up and took one of the bags of food, “Come on, I’ll help you put this food onto plates.”

He ushered Tanaka into the kitchen, all too aware of how he would react to the information he was about to relay and conscious of the fact that he didn’t want Yamaguchi to see yet another person losing their temper. And, of course, Ryuu’s reaction was loud and unrestrained, so much so that everyone heard the cussing and foul language issuing from him, even in the lounge.

“What’s going on?” Chikara had remained with the others, anxious for answers.

“Someone…” Suga was about to fill Ennoshita in with the details but realised it wasn’t really his place, especially not in front of Tadashi, and so pressed his lips together firmly to keep himself quiet.

“Someone what?” Chikara pressed, “Where’re Kageyama and Hinata?”

Finally, after a deep breath to calm his nerves, Tadashi spoke up. He supposed no one else was going to, everyone was walking on eggshells for fear of offending or triggering him and it was honestly more exhausting than simply getting to the point.

“My manager went into rut today,” Tadashi saw Ennoshita pale and Nishinoya swallowed loudly but the freckled omega continued, worried that any interruption would make him lose his nerve, “He attacked me-”

“Oh my god!” Yuu slapped a hand to his mouth.

“-but I’m okay,” a shadow of a smile crossed Tadashi’s lips, “Asahi-san saved me.”

Noya turned to his mate. He knew he was brave, knew he was a strong alpha when it came down to it, but he’d never been so proud of him as he was in that moment. He felt it swell within him and made sure to share the sensation through their bond, watching as Asahi blushed a little from the emotion.

“I hope you beat the crap out of him,” Noya meant to say it quietly but he wasn’t exactly known for being subtle and everyone heard the remark.

“I-” Asahi stammered.

“He was really brave…” Tadashi’s freckled cheeks flushed as he spoke, “He threw a plant pot through a window.”

Suga couldn’t help the snort of laughter that passed his lips. When Asahi had relayed the story to them earlier he hadn’t mentioned every detail, instead he’d given the brief outline in order to tell everything quickly and now Suga was seeing the tale in a whole new light. Not only had the Ace ‘rescued’ Tadashi, he’d also turned into the Hulk or something along the way.

“A plant pot?”

Tsukishima couldn’t help but ask. As much as he wanted to put the ordeal behind him, he too was hungry for more details, even if it was torturous hearing more.

Tadashi nodded, “A huge one!” he made a circle with his arms, “I don’t know how he even lifted it!”

“And it smashed a window?” Ennoshita sat crossed-legged on the floor.

“The door was locked,” Asahi shrugged, “I had to think fast.”

The room fell quiet again, the only sound being Mitsuo as he gurgled in his sleep on Suga’s lap. It wasn’t that the conversation had been awkward, quite the opposite actually, but the way it had almost made light of Yamaguchi’s trauma sat a little uneasy with the pack and they didn’t know how to proceed. Was it normal for them to react like that or were they being unfeeling towards Tadashi? No one really knew the answer.

“Thanks,” Tadashi spoke into the silence, pulling all eyes to him, “I feel better talking about it rather than keeping quiet…” he picked at his fingernail to distract himself from the gaze of his friends, “It was sc-scary, that’s all.”

His breath hitched and he felt his chest tighten as a few more tears snaked down his cheeks. In no way was he ‘over’ it but he could certainly sense – if not see – a light at the end of the tunnel. It was just a very long tunnel. Fortunately he had a strong pack to guide him along the way and hold his hand in the darkness.

As if to reiterate this point, Suga pressed his neck into Tadashi’s and scented him lightly, his raspberry fragrance immediately soothing to the younger omega. After a little help getting up off the sofa, Yuu stepped over and did the same, his cream and peaches scent making even Tsukishima’s cheeks redden slightly.

“I don’t have a strong scent as such,” Ennoshita scratched his head, a little embarrassed, “But if you don’t mind…”

He gently took Yamaguchi’s hand and placed a soft kiss on his palm. A simple gesture but a one with meaning nonetheless.

Daichi and Tanaka stepped out of the kitchen with plates and cutlery and quickly emptied the Mexican food onto them, making sure to share it out neatly. The wing spiker’s eyes looked a little red, like he was holding back tears, and Chikara stroked his boyfriend’s arm before he sat on the large sofa next to Nishinoya and Asahi. Tanaka remained standing, however, and handed his plate of food to Chika before leaning over Tadashi and gently placing a kiss against his freckled forehead. It was such an unusually soft action for the usually boisterous beta that Tadashi didn’t really know how to respond and simply stared, wide-eyed at his pack-mate as Tanaka joined Ennoshita on the sofa.

“You okay?” Chikara whispered.

Ryuu shoved a spoonful of rice into his mouth and nodded firmly. When Daichi had told him what had happened his immediate reaction had been one of anger and fury. He’d wanted to find that damned manager and give him what-for but upon seeing Yamaguchi’s tired yet hopeful expression, Tanaka realised that that would be unnecessary. His omegan friend wasn’t weak , he didn’t need someone else fighting his battles. And if Tadashi did happen to decide to take revenge, Tanaka sure as hell wouldn’t be the one to do it.

He glanced towards Tsukishima, who’s golden eyes were unfocused, concentrated on something far away.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, whilst the rest of the pack ate Mexican food, Hinata and Kageyama had retreated to their room and were finally able to be alone. Thankfully Hinata’s heat hadn’t completely broken until they’d arrived back at the den but now that it had, it was all-systems go. Kageyama hadn’t even had time to close their bedroom door when Shouyou started to strip. He flung his sweater onto the floor and practically tore his pants off before wriggling out of his underwear and pouncing on his mate. Not that Tobio felt he need to wait any longer, no, the alpha was just as willing as Shouyou.

With ease, Tobio scooped Hinata up into his arms and flung him onto their bed before joining him, leaning over him like an Adonis as he pulled off his shirt in one swift motion and did the same with his jeans. The floor looked like the aftermath of an earthquake but neither alpha nor omega had time to think about tidiness as they both gave in to the orange-tinted smell permeating the air.

“Please,” Hinata lay back and held his legs, tears streaming down his flushed face as he begged for connection, “Hurry, Tobio~.”

The alpha complied without hesitation, everything gone from his mind other than the want, the need to devour his omega completely.

“I’ll wash up.”

Suga handed Mitsuo, who was sleeping peacefully in his arms, over to Daichi but the alpha shook his head and got to his feet.

“It’s fine, I’ll do it.”

The silver-haired omega rolled his eyes at his mate’s need to protect, even with such a trivial thing, and turned abruptly to face Yamaguchi on the sofa. The freckled omega wasn’t really paying attention to anything, his thoughts obviously elsewhere, and so he started a little when the older omega suddenly handed the baby over.

“Eh?” Tadashi’s mouth fell open, “What?”

Suga smiled warmly, “Daichi and I are going to wash the dishes. Will you look after Mitsuo?”

“I… um…”

Tadashi looked to Tsukki, somehow he didn’t feel up to making the decision himself, aware that his mind was currently a jumbled mess of memories and what-ifs. The blonde alpha simply shrugged silently and, although not the answer Tadashi was looking for, the gesture was nonchalant and casual, something that he needed in that moment. He held out his hands and took Mitsuo gently, careful to support his head.

“Is there dessert?” Tadashi asked as the rest of the group suddenly looked his way.

“You’re still hungry?” Kei asked.

Although it was true Tadashi hadn’t really eaten much of the Mexican food, the alpha didn’t think eating was really something at the forefront of his mate’s mind. Tadashi shook his head at the question, however, and glanced around,

“No, I just thought I could smell something sweet cooking.”

Kei sniffed the air, “There is something… Is it someone’s scent? Smells like… cake?”

Tanaka tilted his head back and sniffed loudly, receiving a soft punch to the arm from Chikara, “I don’t smell anything.”

“Now that you mention it,” Asahi flared his nostrils, “There is something sweet but also…”

“Smoky?” Yuu cut in.

“Like Daichi?” Suga asked, confused yet intrigued as to where or who the fragrance was coming from.

Noya shook his head, “No, more like a toasty kinda smell.”

“Ah!” Tadashi nodded, his hair flapping about, “That’s it! Toasted marshmallows!” he took another sniff, “It smells so good!”

That’s when he realised where the scent was coming from. His lap. He leaned his head down and inhaled into Mitsuo’s cotton-soft hair, the toasted marshmallow fragrance filling his senses completely.

“Makes sense,” Nishinoya pushed himself up from the sofa and leaned down to sniff at the pup, “Suga-san smells sweet and Daichi-san is smoky!”

Suga was kicking himself for not noticing his own pup’s scent sooner but guessed it was probably because he was around him so much. Scents emerged gradually and so it would be harder to notice the more time spent around the baby. Nevertheless, Suga couldn’t help the slight tinge of jealousy towards Tadashi because he hadn’t been the first to notice. Daichi seemed to have something else on his mind, however, and blurted it out before thinking of how the question might affect the atmosphere in the room.

“So he’s not a beta?”

Not only was it a loaded question but the broad smile on his face didn’t help convince of his ‘as long as he’s healthy’ mantra and it was too late to bite his tongue as he glanced over to Tanaka and Ennoshita, the former of which had wide eyes and a set jaw, obvious annoyance on his face.

“Wow,” Ryuu half-smiled and raised his brows, “Would it really have been so bad?”

“Ryuu,” Chikara touched a hand to his boyfriend’s shoulder, “Don’t. He didn’t mean it like that.”

“No, Tanaka,” Daichi internally kicked himself for his lack of tact, “I just meant...”

He looked to Suga for backup but his mate just clicked his tongue. Sometimes Daichi could be a total ass when it came to subtlety or choosing the right moment. What he did know about the head alpha, however, was that he always thought of everyone as equal and would never intentionally insinuate otherwise.

“What Dai means to say is,” Suga threaded his fingers through Mitsuo’s hair but left him to sleep in Yamaguchi’s arms, “That if Mitsuo has such a potent scent, he must be either alpha or omega.”

Tanaka pouted slightly but plonked his backside back down onto the sofa beside Chika, Suga’s logic obviously making sense to him. Betas did have weaker scents than both alphas and omegas, it was true, he couldn’t argue with that.

“Well?” Noya rubbed his dome of a belly gently, “He smells sweet, right? So, omega?”

“But there’s a smokiness, too,” Tadashi nuzzled the baby once more, unable to get enough of the tasty fragrance, “So I think he could be either.”

“We’ll have to wait a few years to find out,” Suga said as he gathered up some of the plates and cutlery, “No point guessing.”

“How about a bet?” Noya grinned mischievously.

“Yuu…” Asahi tried to protest but Tanaka was already reaching in his wallet.

“I say beta!”

Ennoshita chuckled at his boyfriend’s obstinate personality, “You know he’s not.”

“My money’s on omega!” Nishinoya added his cash to the pool.

“Guys,” Daichi sighed, “Please, can we not?”

“Says Mister I’m-so-glad-he’s-not-a-beta,” Tanaka teased.

“I really didn’t mean it like that.”

Tanaka shrugged and held out his fist, which Daichi bumped gratefully, “I know, don’t sweat it.”

“I say omega, too!” Suga grinned as his mate sighed at his eagerness to join in the bet and pecked a kiss to his cheek, “What? He’s strong like his mama.”

After another couple of hours each of the pairs retreated to their rooms. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were the last to leave the lounge, Tadashi obviously reluctant to go. It pained his alpha to see him acting so timid; sure, Tadashi was always quite shy and reserved when it came to new people and situations but with his pack he was much more relaxed and could be himself. The day’s horrid events had obviously affected him more than he was letting on. Kei knew this, of course, it was in the omega’s nature to hide his own misery from his mate, he’d done it on more than one occasion, but it didn’t make it any easier to handle or talk about.

“Hey,” Kei took Tadashi’s freckled hand and pulled him to his feet, “You want to take a bath?”

Tadashi looked up at his love, the weight of the day seeming to rest on his narrow shoulders and sit beneath his eyes in dark circles. He looked almost haggard and Kei had to once again bite his tongue to control his anger.

“With you?” Tadashi asked, seeming small and almost childlike.

“If you want to.”

Kei threaded their fingers together and tugged his mate towards the main bathroom where he quickly shut the door and started to run the water into the large tub.

After taking his clothes off and putting them safely in the cupboard to keep them dry, Tsukki turned to Tadashi only to find him still fully-clothed and shivering slightly. He didn’t need to ask what was wrong, the idea of exposing himself – even if it was just to his mate – was obviously making the omega uncomfortable and Kei had to step over to Tadashi slowly so as not to scare him any more than his own thoughts were.

“We don’t have to right now if you don’t wan-”

“No, it’s fine,” Tadashi stripped quickly, like he would stop halfway if he took his time, “I’m fine.”

There were stools to sit on to shower before getting into the bathtub and so Kei ushered Tadashi onto one and started to shampoo his hair for him, a gesture to try and relax the omega, if only a little. It seemed to work, too, as the omega’s shoulders seemed less tense and his hands unclenched from fists. When the soapy bubbles seeped under the bandage on Tadashi’s shoulder, though, it was Tsukki who hissed like he’d been injured and the omega turned quickly to look up at him.

“Are you okay?”

Genuine concern was in Tadashi’s eyes and it was all Tsukishima could do but laugh. Here he was, trying to comfort his mate after a trauma, and his mate was the one looking after him. He rested his head in the bubbles on Tadashi’s uninjured shoulder and sighed loudly,

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, it only stings a little.”

“No, I mean… You know.”

Tadashi reached back and patted his alpha’s damp hair with one hand, “You don’t need to be.”

“But I-”

Suddenly, without warning, Tadashi stood and turned to face his mate. They looked at one another through the steam, completely naked and Kei without his glasses, and finally the freckled omega smiled. It was a huge, toothy grin but not in a creepy, disingenuous way, no it was a happy smile that evoked happiness and tranquillity and even through his blurry vision and the steam Kei could feel the genuine hope that that smile held. Before he could ask why his mate was emoting in such a way, Tadashi led him to the bathtub and they both got in, Tadashi resting up against Tsukki’s chest comfortably.

“Want to tell me what that was about?” Kei mumbled into Tadashi’s hair, his voice reverberating through the omega’s bones.

“I just…” he took a moment to think, concentrating on his fingers intertwined with Tsukki’s longer ones, “I don’t want to concentrate on bad things any more.”

To Kei, it seemed as though his mate wanted to ignore the day’s events, brush them under the rug like an old polaroid, and that wasn’t healthy. He needed to face what had happened, not hide it away to build up into something heavy and burdening.

“You don’t have to act so brave, ‘dashi,” Kei kissed the scar on the back of Tadashi’s neck, their bond mark, “No one expects you to.”

Tadashi shook his head so hard that water flicked in every direction, “That’s the thing, Tsukki, I’m not acting brave. I think I might actually be brave.” He felt his cheeks blush. Now that he was saying it out loud it sounded a little dumb, “What I mean is, I think I can get over what happened today and move on. I don’t want to dwell on such negative things any longer.”

A pride swelled in Kei’s chest but he let Tadashi continue, remaining silent for the time being.

“We’ve been dealt a… a shit hand what with your, you know,” he scrunched his freckled nose up, “With the baby stuff. And I’ve had to sit back and watch Suga-san and Nishinoya-san go through exactly what I want. It’s like seeing the best, shiniest apple ever but not being able to take a bite and to be honest, it’s been making me pretty sad.”

“I know,” Kei growled despite his best efforts to keep himself in check. He knew Tadashi had been suffering more than he’d let on but he’d been too scared of triggering something in him to broach the subject, “And I know its all my fault, I-”

“Shut up, Tsukki, let me finish.”

The alpha obeyed.

“But I’m not ready to give up. I want to forget about stupid Fuji-san and your stupid sperm count and I want to keep trying for a pup. Okay? Can we just be happy now?”

Long strong arms pulled Tadashi closer to his alpha, almost crushing him with their love, and Tsukki finally smiled,

“We can always be happy. That’s the plan.”

They finished their bathing with an activity that meant they had to re-shower afterwards and then headed to their room. That night Kei slept lightly, waiting for his mate to wake up screaming or perhaps sleepwalk a little but Tadashi did nothing of the sort. He slept soundly, a peaceful expression on his freckled face the entire night, and woke up ready to face the day.

Chapter Text

Sugawara Koushi had been staring into the full-length mirror in his and Daichi’s room for almost ten minutes. His mate wasn’t even out of bed yet, it still being 7am and all, but Mitsuo had been a little fussy earlier and so the omega had opted to stay awake in case he was needed again. He looked himself up and down for the tenth time and turned to the side to inspect the view once more. It wasn’t even a month since he’d given birth to Mitsuo and so Suga’s stomach was still a little puffy, not to mention he still had a few more pounds on his thighs and butt than he would have liked. Exercising had been something he was consciously doing every day but he found that he was tired much faster than he used to be and hated that he had to take a break much sooner than he was used to.

“What’re you doing, Kou?”

Daichi’s groggy voice mumbled from the bed, the alpha stretching as he sat up and looked over at his mate. His eyes widened when he saw the omega in a light grey suit that matched his hair perfectly and he whistled (quietly, so as not to wake up the pup) teasingly when Suga tried to quickly take off the suit jacket.

“Are you wearing that tonight?” Daichi asked.

The entire pack had been informed a few days prior that Tsukishima planned to take Yamaguchi out for a meal for his birthday. It was going to be a late dinner at one of the pricier restaurants in town and everyone had decided to make an effort and dress formally, hence Suga’s suit. Daichi had even – reluctantly – arranged a babysitter for the few hours they’d be out so that both he and Suga could go.

“I don’t know...” Suga threw the jacket on the bed and smoothed his hand down his buttoned up shirt, frowning when it moved over the slight arch of his belly, “Maybe I won’t go tonight.”

Daichi was already on his feet and threaded his arms through Koushi’s, letting his hands link on his front, “Why not?” His voice vibrated into Suga’s bond mark and the omega shivered slightly, “You look so good in that suit, it’d be a shame not to.”

“Do I?” Suga turned his neck slightly to look into his mate’s dark eyes, “Don’t I look a little… chubby?”

The alpha attempted to hide his chuckle but failed and quickly explained when he saw the look of horror on Suga’s face,

“It’s only been two weeks, Kou, you need to be a little more patient,” he saw Koushi wasn’t persuaded and added, “Plus, you look great,” he pinched the omega’s plump backside and grinned, “I like a little more to play with anyway.”

“Hey!”

Suga spun and swiped at Daichi’s side but the alpha dodged easily and caught his hand in his own, pulling his mate towards him until they were nose to nose. He couldn’t help but notice the slight waves of worry issuing through their bond and finally understood why Koushi was being so fussy.

“Are you sure you’re okay with leaving Mitsuo?”

A false smile started to form on Suga’s face but he realised it was useless against his fiancée and let it fall, “Not at all. I’m so worried I could die.”

Another chuckle, “Me too,” Daichi sighed and ruffled his hair until it resembled a bird’s nest, “But I know he’ll be in good hands. We – or at least I – need to start getting used to leaving him once I’m back at work. It’ll be good for us.”

A pale eyebrow rose, “Really?”

“Really.”

Daichi placed a kiss against Koushi’s beauty mark and hopped in the shower as Mitsuo started whining once again. As Suga rocked him in his arms he took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves before they spiralled any further.

It was almost ten o’clock when Tadashi finally opened his eyes to the pale morning light. Although he’d slept well, with only one nightmare mingled in with his dreams, he realised he must have been exhausted both physically and mentally and had really needed the rest. He remembered what he’d told Tsukki the previous night about him being strong and wanting to move forwards rather than think about the past and, although true, the slight trembling of his hands when he brushed his teeth reminded him that he was still a little shaken from the previous day. Not to mention the fact that the bite wound on his shoulder was still sending shooting pains down his arm. Determined not to give in, however, the freckled omega glared at his slightly paler-than-usual face in the mirror and set his jaw, ready for the day.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Tsukishima was finishing his second pancake when Ennoshita and Tanaka stepped in, far too lovey-dovey for first thing in the morning. When the dark-haired beta saw Kei’s slightly pained expression he joined him at the table and asked,

“Everything okay?”

Obviously, Chikara knew that there was still the events of yesterday looming over them but he sensed something else bothering the tall alpha, something that needed figuring out in the present moment.

Tsukishima looked up through his glasses and sighed quietly, “Do you think we should still go to that restaurant tonight? I haven’t told Tadashi yet, I could just cancel…”

“Why?”

It was an easy enough question but Kei didn’t seem to know the answer. Why indeed. Was it for Tadashi’s benefit? Would staying in the den be better for him or would a distraction be what he needed right now? He honestly didn’t know.

“Didn’t you already pay a deposit?” Tanaka asked as he joined them and pushed a bowl of porridge over to Chika.

“That doesn’t matter,” Tsukishima shook his head, “Do you think Tadashi will even like going somewhere like that?”

“Somewhere like what?” Yamaguchi asked as he stood in the door jam, startling the others at the table.

A wave of relief washed over Tsukki as he silently inspected his mate with his eyes. Tadashi looked calmer than the previous day and, although still pale, had a little more colour in his cheeks, too. Ever the alpha, however, he got to his feet and scented him strongly before wishing him a happy birthday.

“Ah!” the omega seemed a little shocked and his cheeks pinked.

“Don’t tell me you forgot!” Tanaka barked a laugh and Tadashi turned even redder.

“I had other things on my mind...” Tadashi saw the sudden drop in morale at his words and added, “Anyway, what were you talking about? Somewhere like what?”

“Ah,” Kei’s eyes wandered anywhere other than at his mate, “Nothing.”

“You’re a useless liar, Tsukki.”

The alpha’s shoulders sagged and he pushed at his glasses, defeated, “That new restaurant in town. The Italian one.”

“Isn’t it really expensive there?” Tadashi asked, completely out of the loop.

“Tell me about it,” Tanaka pulled out his empty pockets dramatically as he stood to wash up the dishes.

“It’s not that bad,” Tsukishima placed a gentle kiss against his mate’s forehead, “Want to go?”

Tadashi paused, a little confused.

“With everyone, I mean,” Kei could feel the betas’ eyes on him and felt a little embarrassed, “I’ve booked a table but if you don’t feel up to it I can canc-”

He was silenced with a long, intense kiss from his omega and, when they finally separated, had to take a moment to regain his equilibrium. Tadashi wasn’t usually the one to initiate such acts and Kei felt his own cheeks heat up as his glasses slid down his nose and his mate grinned up at him, eyes sparkling a little more.

“I’d love to!” Tadashi pushed Tsukki’s glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, “Thank you.”

That was all it took for the alpha to finally lose his cool. He scooped up Tadashi like he weighed nothing and growled into his neck as he exited the kitchen and swiftly jogged back to their room.

Tanaka looked at Chikara expectantly and the dark-haired beta rolled his eyes at his boyfriend,

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Has anyone seen Yuu?” Asahi asked as he stepped into the living room where everyone but Noya and Tanaka (and Kageyama and Hinata, of course) were gathered.

“He’s out in the garden with Ryuu,” Ennoshita gestured to the window that faced the large garden at the rear of the house.

“In the snow?!” Asahi’s voice cracked a little.

“He’s fine, Asahi,” Suga chimed, all too knowledgeable on fussy alphas with pregnant mates, “It’s not that cold.”

Beside him, in the bassinet Kageyama and Hinata had bought them, Mitsuo gurgled happily as if to reiterate his mama’s point. It didn’t seem to reassure Asahi, however, and the ace quickly dashed out into the garden in his slippers, a coat not even on his mind.

“What’re you doing, Yuu?!”

The alpha’s voice had been a little harsher than he’d intended and both omega and beta stopped what they were doing and turned to face him, both a little shocked.

“Building a snowman!” Noya grinned despite the slight knot of worry his mate’s tone had caused.

“Don’t worry,” Tanaka added, “I’m doing all the heavy lifting.” He flexed his bicep as if to prove his point.

“You’ll catch a cold out here! Or worse!”

Asahi’s voice was louder now and Yuu could feel his mate tugging at him through their bond. Not quite an order but only moments from being so. All this did, however, was irk Nishinoya and the omega turned his back on his mate, continuing to place rocks on the snowman’s face.

Asahi growled deeply.

“Yuu...”

There was that tugging again. However, this time it was much stronger, like a tight hand gripping Noya’s throat. It made his eyes water and a tiny whine escaped his lips. He refused to give in, though, and knew all too well that Asahi was just overreacting and being a big, stupid, protective alpha.

Sensing the tension between the pair, Ryuu held his mittened hands up and backed away slightly. He didn’t want to seem like a threat to the big alpha, even if it was only Asahi-san.

"Come inside, Yuu. Now.”

That was an order. Noya felt it in the scar on his neck right down to his fingertips and there was nothing he could do but turn to face Asahi, jaw set and eyes on the snowy ground. He watched as a few of his own tears dripped into the snow, making tiny holes where they landed, and held his breath to try and stop himself whimpering so much. Refusing his alpha’s will was almost physically painful and the more he refused to move, the more irritated he was getting with his mate’s behaviour. When Suga-san was pregnant, Yuu remembered Daichi acting exactly the same and he briefly wondered why Asahi hadn’t learnt from the head alpha’s mistakes. Surely he knew how ridiculous he was being?

Apparently not.

“Yuu,” Asahi stepped a little closer to his mate, arms out ready to gather him in them, “It’s too cold out here, you’ll get sick.”

“Maybe he’s right,” Tanaka offered, trying to placate both of his friends at once, “It is pretty cold.”

The tiny omega turned to the beta like Tanaka had just committed the ultimate betrayal and Ryuu immediately regretted his input, quickly rushing inside to avoid any more conflict.

“See!” Asahi stepped closer again, now only a few inches from his mate, “Come inside.”

It wasn’t that he wasn’t cold, in fact Yuu could feel his teeth chattering inside his mouth, it was more the fact that he wanted to make his own decision. He knew that very soon (in only two months to be exact) he would be living his life for someone else, someone more important than him. And he was looking forward to it, yes, but he was also terrified and completely unprepared. He and Asahi hadn’t been purposefully trying for a baby, it had just sort of happened and the tiny libero had taken it in his stride as he did with everything. But his due date was looming and with every passing day he felt a little more out of control of his own body, like someone else was at the helm of ship Nishinoya. And now Asahi just had to come and order him around, just as Yuu was feeling a little more at ease, using the snowman as a welcome distraction.

He felt his anger well up inside him and the dam that had been holding back his slightly hormonally-fuelled emotions suddenly broke, releasing a torrent of irritation and frustration at the alpha.

“SHUT UP!”

Yuu yelled loudly and Asahi froze, shocked at the sudden outburst.

“You just shut your stupid face!” the omega continued, cheeks red and eyes fiery, “I just wanted to do something normal! Something that didn’t involve sitting and doing nothing for once!”

Asahi took a breath to speak but Noya wasn’t done.

“I’m tired of resting and ‘taking it easy’ I want to be outside with my friends and join in with stuff!” he rubbed at his seven-month belly through his coat and made a fist against the fabric before suddenly looking up and glaring at his mate, “You did this!”

The alpha’s eyes widened. Although he could see that his mate was indeed pissed off, and probably rightfully so now that he thought about it, Asahi couldn’t help but see the comedy in the anger. Sure, he was the reason for his mate’s sudden aggression and he felt terrible about it, knowing he’d done wrong in the moment. But poor little Noya looked like an angry Pomeranian snapping at a much larger dog and the ace had to bite his tongue to stop himself chuckling at the behaviour. He valued his life, after all.

“Yuu… I’m sor-”

“NO!” the Pomeranian snapped back, “Stop making me feel like I’m made of glass! It’s exactly how I felt when I tried going to university and I hate it! Just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean I’m fragile or weak! I’m-”

He was cut off when Asahi’s large frame completely encapsulated him. Yuu tried to struggle but knew it was pointless and finally relaxed a little into his mate’s arms, thankful for the heat radiating off of him. Anger and frustration were still bubbling in his veins but with Asahi’s sandalwood scent surrounding him, it was starting to ebb a little.

“Hey,” Asahi started, “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that, you know?”

A tiny nod from the omega.

“I just want to protect you but I know I’m going overboard at the moment and I’ll try and tone it down,” he looked down at Yuu and placed a gentle kiss in his snow-covered hair, “I didn’t know you hated being pregnant so much, you should have said something.”

Watery eyes looked up at the alpha and Noya spoke quietly, “I don’t hate it. I’m just… frustrated with it. I’m not used to being so still all of the time and it’s driving me crazy.”

“I can see that,” Asahi chuckled, “Do you want to finish the snowman?”

“I can?”

Asahi felt the guilt pool in his belly at the sight of his mate asking for permission. Of course he didn’t need it from him, he could do what he liked when he liked and just because he was the alpha in the relationship didn’t mean that he could dictate what his mate did or did not do. He made a mental note to keep a cap on his alpha instincts and try to see things more from Noya’s point of view for a while.

“You don’t need to ask, I’m sorry I’m such an idiot.”

Yuu finally grinned, looking a little more like his usual self, “And I’m sorry for being a hormonal brat.”

Asahi took the carrot that had fallen to the ground and shoved it into the snowman’s face before frowning at the strange rock placement under it’s toothy smile, “Why does it have two mouths?”

Noya rolled his eyes, “It doesn’t! That’s his beard!”

“His bear-”

Asahi turned to the omega, face straight.

Yuu simply smiled back, an innocent expression in his eyes.

“It’s me isn’t it,” Asahi stated.

“Yup.”

Chapter Text

Whilst Asahi helped Yuu finish the snow-Asahi in the garden, the rest of the pack started to get ready for the evening’s plans.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) Hinata’s heat was still in full swing and so he and Kageyama were holed up in their room, completely unaware of what day it was, never mind that it was Tadashi’s birthday. The rest of the pack, however, were busy choosing outfits and preparing for a night of fun. It had been a long while since they’d been out as a pack, especially to something so formal, and with their last memories of an evening out being Kuroo’s Halloween party they were looking forward to washing over those memories with new, more ‘normal’ ones.

Tanaka stepped out of the en-suite and into his room, which Ennoshita had also unofficially claimed as his own, and posed grandly in his new outfit. He and the other beta had gone shopping a week or so prior to get something appropriate to wear as neither had anything even remotely resembling a suit in their wardrobes. Betas weren’t exactly known for attending formal events or important gatherings and as neither of them were particularly fond of high-end dining they simply didn’t have much need for formal wear. Now, however, as Ryuu modelled his brand new navy blue jacket and trousers, paired with a crisp white t-shirt, Chikara was somewhat pleased that they’d decided to splash out and buy them.

“Wow,” Chika finished styling his dark hair and admired the view of his boyfriend, “Looking good.”

“You think so?” Tanaka blushed slightly, not used to the outfit, “I don’t look stupid?”

Chikara slapped his ass as he passed and grinned, “You look handsome.”

“Well you don’t look half bad yourself, Mr C.E.O of some big company-or-other.”

It was true, Ennoshita had chosen a dark grey suit with a pale pinstripe and had even opted for a white button-up shirt underneath to complete the look. He resembled a big-shot alpha of sorts and posed with his hands in his pockets, looking like a runway model. That sent Ryuu into overdrive and the beta couldn’t help but snake his hands under Chika’s jacket and fondle his chest from behind.

“Stop,” Ennoshita tried to scold his boyfriend but his heart wasn’t really in it, “You’ll crease my shirt.”

“Is that an order from my boss?” Tanaka’s hands continued to explore.

“Yes,” Chikara played along, despite his slight gasps now and then, “I’m going to have to reprimand you.”

“Oh shi- I mean, oh my,” Ryuu finally stopped his wandering hands and spun his boyfriend around until they were facing one another, “Maybe you’ll have to fire me.”

A snort of laughter erupted from Ennoshita as the scene came to an abrupt end and he pecked Tanaka’s cheek gently before saying,

“Let’s get going. The faster we get there, the faster I can get you home and out of that suit.”

Tadashi stood in front of the full length mirror with a small smile on his face. He was wearing his best suit, which he’d only worn once before for a friend’s wedding, and felt happier than he had in a long time. He was actually looking forward to the evening and, although the bite wound on his shoulder was still painful enough to allow for painkillers, the omega felt pretty good. He fastened his burgundy tie, which matched the colour of his blazer and trousers, and spoke to Tsukki’s reflection as the alpha picked out some shoes behind him.

“You suit that colour, Tsukki.”

The alpha was in a pale cream three-piece suit with a burgundy shirt and handkerchief that paired with his mate’s perfectly. He hadn’t planned on that particular aspect but Tadashi had suggested it and played the ‘it’s my birthday so I get to choose’ card, forcing Kei’s hand. As long as it made Tadashi smile, the alpha would be happy wearing his birthday suit.

“I have something for you,” Tsukki opened one of the bedside drawers and pulled out a slim box with a red bow atop it before handing it to Tadashi, “Well, I have a few things but this is the first.”

With careful hands, Tadashi opened the box to reveal a dark blue, almost black, tie that shimmered in purple and blue hues in the various lights. It looked like a galaxy somehow encapsulated on the fabric and he quickly took off the tie he was wearing to replace it.

“I love it! It’s so pretty!” he turned to the mirror to tie it properly, “Thank you, Tsukki!”

Long arms leaned over the omega’s shoulders and Tsukishima’s slender fingers gently took over fastening the tie, all the while inhaling his mate’s grassy scent.

“It’s to match the galaxy on your cheeks,” Kei’s voice reverberated into Tadashi’s nape and the omega shuddered slightly, “Happy birthday, ‘dashi.”

“Should I wear a tie? Is it a tie thing? Maybe that’s too formal,” Daichi asked as he held up two different ties against his chest.

He was in a black jacket with matching trousers and a pale pink buttoned shirt. Suga had chosen the shirt to make the outfit look ‘less funeral-y’ but now the alpha didn’t know which colour tie would finish the look. He wanted to look smart but not too formal and as the only suit he had was the one he wore for job interviews, he couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. His omega, on the other hand, looked like he’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine and Daichi wondered just when Koushi had gotten so beautiful.

Suga was in a pale grey suit jacket and trousers that complimented his hair perfectly, along with a coordinated waistcoat of the same shade that completed the three-piece set. He’d gone for a black shirt underneath as he thought it’d be more slimming, despite his mate’s reassurance that he didn’t need it, and his silver hair was slicked back, accentuating the pale brown of his eyes. It was taking all of Daichi’s strength not to jump him right there and then but he knew that if he did that, or anything to distract them from leaving with the rest of the pack, then neither he nor Suga would end up at the restaurant.

Though neither of them were saying it out loud, both alpha and omega were nervous to leave Mitsuo for the first time since he’d been born but Daichi kept telling himself that everything would be fine, especially as it was Kuroo and Kenma who were going to be looking after him. Although not their first choice for babysitters (they’d asked Takeda-sensei and Ukai first but they had prior plans) they knew that the beta and alpha pair would be at ease looking after the pup and Kuroo even commented that it’d be good practice for their own.

Just as Daichi was thinking about the pair, the doorbell rang and Ennoshita answered it, revealing Kuroo and a very pregnant Kenma. They stepped inside the den quickly, Tetsuro’s coffee scent quickly filling the living room, and stood awkwardly for a moment before being offered a seat on the larger sofa.

“Woo,” Kuroo inhaled noisily and wrinkled his nose a little, “The Shrimp’s in heat, right? Smells like an orangery in here!”

“I don’t think that means what you think it means,” Kenma commented quietly.

“Well it smells like oranges, okay?”

“Is it too much for you?” Suga asked as he stepped into the living room carrying the baby monitor, “Because I could always stay beh-”

“Ah,” Kuroo wiggled his finger back and forth, “No way. Nothing is going to stop you going out tonight!” He grinned and leaned a little closer to Kenma, “Besides, I’m not really into omega scents, they’re all so sweet,” he glanced at Tadashi and Kei as the pair joined them and smirked, “Now Tadashi on the other hand…”

A low growl from Tsukishima warned Kuroo off and the older alpha held his hands up in defeat.

Daichi rolled his eyes but added, “Kageyama and Hinata will probably stay in their room all night but just in case, I’d use the en-suite in Tanaka’s room rather than the main bathroom. It’s a little further away from their room.”

“Gotcha,” Kuroo nodded. The last thing he wanted was to bump into a dazed Kageyama in the middle of the night.

Ignoring his boyfriend’s comments, Kenma got to his feet (slowly, and with a little help from Tanaka) and handed Tadashi a small envelope.

“Happy birthday, Yamaguchi-kun.”

“Oh!” the freckled omega wasn’t expecting anything but bowed in thanks as Kenma sat back down, “Thank you!”

The beta shrugged, “It’s just a gift card.”

“What time is the restaurant booked for?” Daichi asked, eager to keep the pack in check even though he wasn’t the one who had organised the evening. Sometimes he just couldn’t help but put on his captain hat.

“Eight,” Kei replied, glancing at his watch, “We should probably get going, what with the snow and all.”

Before the head alpha headed off to their room to fetch them, Asahi and Nishinoya finally appeared. The alpha was in pale brown trousers and a matching blazer, both with a light plaid pattern on them and his hair was down, an unusual sight for anyone other than Yuu. The omega had opted for a darker brown outfit with a double-breasted jacket that accentuated his substantial bump just enough and smiled when he saw how the others reacted to Asahi’s appearance.

“He’s handsome, right?” he beamed up at his alpha as Asahi fidgeted awkwardly.

“He scrubs up okay,” Suga teased as the Ace’s cheeks turned a darker shade of pink.

“Alright!” Daichi clapped his hands together, “Let’s get going!”

Suga hovered for a moment. He’d already explained everything Mitsuo needed to Kenma over the phone the previous night but he couldn’t help but worry in case he’d forgotten something. A piece of paper with emergency numbers and feeding times etc. was pinned to the fridge and there was enough formula mixed to feed an army of babies, never mind just one. However, there was still something gnawing at the back of his mind as he hurriedly pulled on his shoes in the entryway, finally caught up to Daichi in the garden and climbed into Tanaka’s car and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Um… Suga-san?” Tadashi’s lip curled in confusion as he joined Suga and Daichi in the back seat, Kei having chosen the front as his legs weren’t exactly built for small spaces, “Is the reception that good?”

Koushi stared at his pack mate blankly for a moment, baffled by what Yamaguchi could possibly mean.

“Will it reach all the way into town?” Tadashi asked, a look of genuine fascination now on his freckled face.

“What do you mea-”

Suga stopped talking as he looked down into his own hand where the baby monitor was clasped firmly in his grasp. He frowned down at it like it had somehow planted itself there purposefully and tried to hide his embarrassed blush with his other hand. Swiftly, and feeling every bit the idiot, he climbed over Daichi’s legs and got out of the car.

“I’ll be right back.”

The rest of the pack heard the eruption of Kuroo’s cackling from inside the cars and when Suga returned he had somehow managed to turn an even brighter shade of red.

“Was it really that funny?” Daichi asked, a dark eyebrow cocked quizzically.

Suga shook his head silently, lips in a firm pout as Tanaka followed Ennoshita’s car out onto the main road.

“Kuroo sure seemed to think it was,” Daichi continued.

“He’s an idiot,” Kei added from the passenger seat.

“He wasn’t laughing at me for forgetting to leave the monitor,” Suga held his head in his hands and spoke through his fingers, “He was laughing because, when I went back inside and into the light, I realised I had odd shoes on.”

Daichi snorted and Tadashi hid his grin behind his hand.

“Oh,” the alpha tried to look sympathetic but failed miserably.

“But,” Suga continued, his head still in his hands, “One of them wasn’t even a shoe… It was one of my bear slippers that you got me for Christmas last year!”

That was the final straw. The entire car broke into guffaws and Tanaka almost mounted the curb because he couldn’t stop laughing, causing Chikara to do the same as he watched his boyfriend’s car veer sideways in his rear-view mirror.

“Well,” Daichi wiped a tear from his eye, “Let’s hope you’re not wearing you pyjamas when we get into the restaurant.”

That earned him a punch in the arm.

Chapter Text

“We look like the Yakuza or something…”

Suga tugged on his waistcoat as the pack walked through the parking lot towards the restaurant. With each of them in a suit, they did somewhat resemble some sort of mafia organisation and Daichi couldn’t help but laugh at his mate’s observation.

“Maybe Tanaka, at a push,” Daichi winked and took Koushi’s hand in his own as they stepped inside the building.

The restaurant was pretty grand, especially for somewhere in quite a small town. It was part of the largest hotel in the area and boasted three michelin stars, not to mention a wide array of celebrity guests throughout its time there. As the group made their way inside they could smell the delicious aromas of the Western-style food and Asahi had to clear his throat loudly to cover up the sound of his rumbling stomach.

A slim guy, around Hinata’s height and age, and judging by his lack of scent, a beta, audibly gasped when he saw the Karasuno pack enter and fumbled with the menus as he welcomed them with a big false smile.

“Table for eight,” Kei towered over the poor host as he spoke without the hint of a smile and Tadashi had to bite his lip to stop himself giggling at the poor beta as the alpha continued, “Under the name Tsukishima.”

A pause as the host tapped on an ipad, “Ah, yes! This way please!”

He led the way through smaller tables and diners until they stepped into a slightly darker area of the restaurant where a long table had been prepared for them. Candles flickered in the dim light, giving it a more romantic feel than the rest of the room and the pack quickly took their seats as another waiter appeared to take their drink orders.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Tadashi whispered to Tsukki as he thumbed the cotton napkin on his lap, “It’s so… classy in here.”

Kei simply smirked and pulled the omega’s chin towards him with a slim finger, “Are you saying we’re not classy?”

Sitting beside Tadashi, Tanaka glared with his teeth bared, at a short stocky man that happened to catch Chikara’s eye and Kei rolled his eyes. He knew the place was a little out of their comfort zone and definitely not somewhere they would frequent often but he really wanted to make the day special for his mate and felt like an evening out, with everyone in their best clothes and on their best behaviour, would be something to remember. Something special.

“I really like your tie, Tadashi-kun,” Suga said from across the table as he took a sip of the red wine he’d ordered.

“Ah,” Yamaguchi touched the new tie gently and smiled warmly, “It was a gift from Tsukki.”

“Oh!” Noya wriggled in his chair to try and get a little more comfortable, his bump making it difficult, “Are we giving out the presents already?!”

“Eh?” Tadashi’s brows pinched together in confusion and he looked to Kei but the alpha just shrugged.

“Did you think we wouldn’t get you anything?” Daichi asked as he leant down beneath his seat and brought up a small gift box which he slid across the table.

“You didn’t have to!” the freckled omega blushed but took the box, thankful for the thought.

He opened it carefully, so as not to tear the pretty paper, and froze when he saw what was inside. Nestled in green tissue paper was a small plant pot hand painted with a galaxy-like design not unlike his new tie. It sparkled softly in the candlelight and was the perfect size for a small house-plant. A great gift if not for the fact that it suddenly reminded Tadashi of the one thing he was trying to push to the back of his mind.

His reaction alerted his alpha and Tsukki took his hand under the table, worried that it might spiral into a panic attack or worse. When Kei had asked the pack to buy their gifts around a certain theme, it was before any of the events with Tadashi’s manager at the flower shop and now that the omega had started to open them Tsukishima was beginning to regret his decision. He had thought about telling the others to return their gifts or give them at a later date but he didn’t want Tadashi to think that they hadn’t bothered buying him anything and thought it best to act as ‘normal’ as possible.

“Should we take it back?” Suga asked, worry in his soft tones, “We still have the receipt…”

Tadashi shook his head, forcing his sparkling eyes not to shed the gathering tears, “No! I love it. It’s beautiful, thank you.”

It was beautiful and a truly perfect gift for someone who loved gardening and plants as much as he did. Fuji-san had already taken so much from him, he wasn’t going to allow him to take his happiness on his birthday, too. From the corner of his eyes, Tadashi saw Nishinoya’s hands retreating back under the table with his and Asahi’s gift and the freckled omega clenched his jaw and held out his hands, silently asking for the present.

With a cautious glance at Tsukishima, who nodded and clasped his mate’s hand a little tighter, Noya pushed the box over to Tadashi and the omega opened it, now aware and prepared for what it might be.

“Thank you, Asahi-san, Noya-san,” Tadashi said with a small smile as he tried on the navy blue gardening gloves they had given him, “They fit perfectly! And this brand…” he recognised the name brand as one of the more expensive ones, “Wow…”

Noya winked and Asahi bowed his head slightly.

“This is from Ryuu and I,” Ennoshita handed over a rectangular box wrapped a little haphazardly.

Inside was a matching trowel and small gardening fork with the same galaxy pattern as the plant pot.

“And this is from Hinata and Kageyama,” Daichi pushed a small gift bag across the table, “They bought them a while ago so we just had to find them…”

“I had to crawl into their room, commando-style,” Tanaka laughed, “A top secret mission to find the elusive birthday present!”

Tadashi chuckled, now completely absorbed in opening his gifts without the horrible afterthoughts of Fuji-san polluting his mind. He pulled open the bag and brought out three smaller bags, each with six large bulbs in them, ready to plant.

“I made sure to tell them to choose ones you could plant in winter,” Tsukki said as he took the gifts and placed them down beside his chair, “They’ll be ready to bloom next spring.” He sighed and leaned down so that only Tadashi could hear his low voice, “I didn’t think…”

He didn’t know what to say or how to explain his gift choices without bringing up that filthy alpha from the day before and so Kei simply let his emotions flow through his and Tadashi’s bond. It wasn’t something he did very often as it was so intense, but he felt the timing was just right to show his omega how he was feeling without expressing it in words. And it did just that. Yamaguchi gasped quietly as his mate’s feelings of love and adoration washed over him completely. He felt the prickles of worry and regret only slightly as Kei tried to force only his positive emotions through the invisible bond and Tadashi’s heart was suddenly full and complete.

When the waiter suddenly appeared to his right, the birthday boy’s face was flushed and Kei had to physically move him so that his food could be served, Tadashi still lost deep within his mate’s emotions and love. A perfect gift from his perfect alpha.

After around five minutes of eating, Nishinoya made an ungodly sound of contentment and all eyes turned to him. He was digging into a thick piece of steak and had a look of complete bliss on his face as he devoured the meat, apparently unaware of the moaning he was doing.

“Whoa there, Noya-san,” Tanaka shoved another piece of pasta into his mouth, “Save that for later.”

“Hmm?” Yuu looked confused, “Save what?”

“You were… groaning,” Asahi mumbled into his pork belly, cheeks slightly flushed.

“I was?” the tiny omega laughed, “Well it’s just so good!”

“This wine isn’t bad, either,” Daichi took another sip and turned to his fiancee, “Right, Kou?”

Suga wasn’t listening, apparently too absorbed in his ratatouille.

“Kou?” Daichi repeated.

“Huh?” Koushi turned to his mate, cheeks flushed and eyes slightly lidded, “What’d you say?”

“Sugawara-san,” Ennoshita raised a dark brow, “How much of that wine have you had?”

Suga held up his glass as if to inspect its contents and frowned at it when he realised it was almost empty.

“Two of theeese?” he turned to Daichi for confirmation, “Three?”

The head alpha’s jaw fell slack and Ryuu snorted across the table, amused by his tipsy senpai.

“What?” Suga reached for the wine bottle but Daichi held it back, “Gimme! I’m fiiine!”

Kei and Tadashi couldn’t help but chuckle at the usually altogether Suga-san now acting like a toddler with his favourite toy taken away. Suga hadn’t had alcohol in over a year and his tolerance had obviously dropped dramatically, not to mention the fact that the wine was quite strong to go with the red meat.

“I think you’ve had enough now,” Daichi pushed the bottle out of his mate’s reach and smiled at Suga’s cute pout, “You’ll regret it in the morning.”

The silver-haired omega suddenly looked a little crestfallen and leaned closer to Daichi. He tried to speak quietly so that only he could hear but the alcohol was affecting his judgement a little and everyone at the table heard.

“I’m worried ‘bout Mitsuo…” he took a final bite of courgette and chewed it slowly, “Wine was makin’ me f’get.”

Daichi didn’t know how to respond, after all he too was constantly thinking about their pup back at the den with Kuroo and Kenma. He had been trying to put on a brave face so as not to worry Suga but his instincts were screaming at him with every passing moment to go back and check on Mitsuo or at least give them a call to make sure everything was alright. Sensing this, and knowing how they must be feeling but not wanting to cut short Yamaguchi’s celebrations, Asahi spoke up,

“I’m sure Mitsuo is doing just fine. He’s probably sleeping and won’t even know you’ve gone.”

A slight wave of relief washed over Daichi. Although he knew Asahi didn’t have a crystal ball and couldn’t know for sure what was happening back at the farmhouse, he was thankful for someone voicing what the rational part of his brain had been trying to tell him all along. It seemed to work on Suga, too, as a lazy smile spread across his face as he turned to Asahi.

“Ya think so?”

The Ace nodded, “I’m pretty sure, yeah.”

“Wow…” Koushi scrunched up his nose as he smiled like a cheeky child towards Asahi, “You’re so smart ‘sahi!”

“We should get dessert,” Kei stated, eager to try and get more food into Suga-san to try and sober him up a little and put an end to the disjointed conversation.

Meanwhile, back at the Karasuno den, the wailing of Mitsuo had paused Kuroo and Kenma’s movie night for the third time that evening. The pup was obviously a little uneasy without the presence of his mama and papa and even though feeding him quieted him for a short while, he soon woke up screaming.

Kenma shuffled where he sat to try and gain some leverage to get to his feet, not an easy task with his eight month belly in the way, but Kuroo pushed him back and swiftly stood up.

“I’ll go. We’ll be here all night if we wait for you to get up.”

He smirked and dodged a cushion aimed at his face.

This time Mitsuo seemed to just want to be held for a moment and the alpha cooed to him a little before placing him back in the cot, gently so as not to wake him again. He seemed so small and fragile and Kuroo didn’t know how he was going to cope when his own pup arrived in such a state, his hands felt far too big and clumsy to be handling such a tiny thing.

Those thoughts were spinning around in his head as he stepped out of Sugawara and Sawamura’s room and walked face-first into Kageyama.

“Ah, shit.”

Chapter Text

A strange yet slightly familiar scent drifted into the room as Kageyama opened the bedroom door to go and fetch some water from the refrigerator. Hinata had fallen asleep and as the alpha knew it wouldn’t be a deep slumber (or a long one at that) he used the short opportunity to leave his mate for a brief moment in favour of collecting some sustenance. Before he could get to the kitchen, however, he was met in the hallway by a tall, dark figure with the overwhelming scent of coffee and alpha. Not only was he a little shocked to meet someone outside of the pack, Kageyama was also taken aback by the fact that this alpha’s pheromones were extremely powerful, as though they were significantly amped up more than usual.

“Ah, shit,” Kuroo mumbled as Kageyama rounded the corner and almost collided with his chest, the fresh scents of orange and lemon practically leaking from his pores.

Sawamura had warned him that Hinata was in heat but he hadn’t expected his luck to be so bad as to actually see either of the pair. He’d hoped they would be holed up in their room for the duration of the night. Now that he was actually face to face with Kageyama, however, Tetsurou just prayed that he was in some sort of coherent mindset and could be talked down if necessary.

“Whoa there,” Kuroo held up his hands to show he meant no harm, “Don’t panic, I’m not here for the shrimp.”

A low growl from Kageyama.

“Everyone’s gone out for Yamaguchi-kun’s birthday and you two were too busy fucking to take care of the pup so Kenma and I came over…”

He hadn’t meant to be so crass but needed to get his point across quickly, to try and diffuse the situation as fast as possible. It seemed to work as Tobio’s dark brows knitted together in thought and he finally nodded curtly, eyes still slightly glassy from the hours he and Shouyou had spent together but still conscious enough to blush slightly at the older alpha’s comments.

“You going for water?” Kuroo asked, mainly because that meant passing through the living room where Kenma was and he really didn’t like the idea of a sexed-up alpha going near his very pregnant boyfriend.

“Yeah,” Kageyama cleared his throat, voice husky, “Shouyou’s asleep.”

“I’ll get you some,” Kuroo gestured back towards where Kageyama had emerged from, “You get back to your mate. I’m sure he won’t be happy if he wakes up alone.”

It didn’t take much convincing for Tobio to head back to his room and Kuroo quickly darted to the fridge, past a slightly dazed Kenma, and back to the pair’s room with four bottles of water. He flung them into the room without so much as checking where they would land and just hoped they didn’t smack either the alpha or omega in the face.

“What was that about?” Kenma asked without looking up from his game as Kuroo slumped down beside him on the sofa and rested his head on the beta’s shoulder.

“I met Kageyama in the hallway.”

Golden eyes widened for a brief second as Kenma looked up at his lover, finally interested enough to part with his game. Although not an omega and therefore not as attuned to pheromones or heats, during the later stages of his pregnancy Kenma had definitely felt like he needed to be with Kuroo more. He didn’t like to be parted from him for long and felt uncomfortable at the idea of his boyfriend being around other people, especially other alphas that could pose a threat. Of course he knew that it was just his body adjusting to the pup and nothing to go crazy over but he also couldn’t help how it made him feel and how it twisted a knot of worry in his gut whenever he thought about it.

Kuroo noticed his partner’s unease and looped an arm around his waist whilst using his other hand to brush against Kenma’s bump gently. He didn’t get to touch him as much as he would like, the beta had never been one for much affection or close contact, but he had noticed Kenma’s slight change in the past month or two and how he liked to nuzzle a little closer to him at night.

“Hey,” Kuroo cooed, “It’s fine, I took care of it.”

Kenma chewed on his bottom lip and took Kuroo’s large hand in both of his own atop his belly, “Will he come out again?”

A soft kiss against dark roots soothed the beta a little as Tetsurou spoke into his hair, “No, I made sure they have enough rations for tonight,” the alpha paused, grinning, “I also may or may not have knocked one of them unconscious with a water bottle. I didn’t wait to check.”

“I can’t decide between the cheesecake and the tiramisu,” Nishinoya thumbed the menu, glaring at it like it might sprout a mouth and make the decision for him.

“Get both,” Asahi offered, already decided on the crème brulee for himself.

Noya’s mouth fell open like his mate had just suggested something outrageous, “Should I?!”

“I’ll eat what you don’t want,” Tanaka grinned from across the table.

“Can we *hic* get more wine?” Suga finished off his glass and pushed it against Daichi’s cheek.

“Definitely not,” the head alpha looked up at the waitress as she asked for dessert orders, “Just two black coffees for us, please.”

Suga’s nose scrunched up, “ Ew , who’s that for?”

Daichi sighed, although not out of annoyance, more out of pity for his mate and his low alcohol tolerance, “Us. They’re for us.”

“Oh, whaaaat?!” Suga let his head flop against Daichi’s shoulder and looked up into his eyes like a puppy, “Can’t I get ice cre’m?” he blinked, fluttering his eyelashes playfully.

It didn’t take much to persuade the alpha and Daichi caved and ordered a banana split for them to share.

“I’ll have the strawberry cheesecake,” Tsukishima told the waitress and added, more quietly, “And the last thing, too.”

When the waitress left, Tadashi looked at his mate with a cocked brow, “What did you whisper to her? Were you flirting?”

Of course he knew Tsukki wasn’t that kind of alpha but enjoyed the flustered blush it brought to his cheeks nonetheless.

“No! You’ll see.”

And that he did. Their area of the restaurant was suddenly plunged into darkness and three waiters appeared with a large white cake with candles shimmering on top of it. They started off the ‘Happy Birthday’ song and the pack joined in (a little tunelessly) until Yamaguchi’s blushing cheeks were almost hiding his freckles. A round of applause finished the moment and the cake was placed in the centre of the table. Tadashi closed his eyes and made a wish, which took an awkwardly long time, and then blew out the candles triumphantly.

“Happy birthday, ‘dashi,” Tsukki kissed his mate’s flushed cheek and handed him an envelope.

“What’s this?” Tadashi asked as he started to peel away the opening.

“Your present.”

Impatiently, Tadashi tore open the envelope and pulled out the thick piece of A4 card inside. It was quite an ornate piece of stationary, complete with a fancy gold seal and stamp, and for a moment Tadashi thought it was some sort of government-official documents. When he read the wording aloud, however, his eyes began to fill with tears and he gasped quietly.

“A star?!” he squeaked.

Tsukki nodded, “Because you’re my light in the darkness.”

“Whaaat?” Suga scooped some icing from the cake and popped the finger in his mouth, “What is it?”

Tadashi held up the paper so that everyone could see, “Tsukki named a star after me! A real star!”

“Whoa!” Noya’s eyes widened, impressed, “That’s awesome!”

“Very cool,” Ennoshita added as Tanaka was too busy stuffing his face.

They finished their desserts and decided to pack up the cake to go, already too full to even think about taking a piece. Everyone pitched in for the bill and then headed outside to the parking lot. Nishinoya, however, seemed a little jittery as they walked across the asphalt in their suits like some sort of idol group. This didn’t go unnoticed by Asahi, and of course the alpha was quick to ask what was wrong.

“I really need to pee…” Yuu hopped from toe to toe.

“There was an omega bathroom just as you go in,” Asahi handed Tanaka the keys and ushered Yuu back inside, “Let’s go.”

“I don’t need an escort, Asahi,” the omega pouted a little, “I’m perfectly capable.”

The alpha chewed on his lip but remained by his mate’s side, “I know. I’ll just wait outside.”

Knowing he wasn’t getting anywhere, Yuu rolled his eyes and pushed open the bathroom door, now more focused on relieving himself as soon as possible, which he managed to do swiftly after a little wrestling with his fly. When he stepped out of the cubicle, another omega was using the wash basin; he was tall with shoulder length dark hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to scan Nishinoya as he washed his hands.

“So you’re one of those omegas, huh?” the stranger commented as he grabbed a towel to dry his hands.

“Excuse me?” Noya tilted his head to look up at the man, “What do you mean?”

He shrugged, “I just mean, you know…” he gestured to Noya’s belly, “Doing your duty as a good little omega,” the stranger shrugged again, “It’s not really my thing, letting alphas dictate our lives.”

Yuu was shocked. He’d heard derogatory things from alphas before, sure, but he’d never actually met an omega with such views. Of course, omegas weren’t treated as they once were, like assets or ‘breeders’ and as far as Noya was concerned, it seemed like omegas had a pretty decent place in society nowadays. He’d certainly never met an omega who thought it was their ‘duty’ to have kids, everyone he knew with pups or who were expecting had chosen to have them, they weren’t forced. He felt a little anger growing in his chest and snapped back harshly at the stranger,

“No one is dictating anything for me,” he dried his hands and smoothed his jacket down his bump, “I want this.”

“So it was planned? The baby?”

The words hit Noya like a brick. Actually, his pup wasn’t planned at all. Even revealing his pregnancy to Asahi had been a bit of a nightmare and not something he would look back at fondly. But he definitely hadn’t been forced into it. No. This baby was everything he wanted and more, even if he was terrified of being a useless parent or a neglectful mate. Tears began to pool in his eyes and he glared at the stranger, a tiny ball of infuriated energy.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he started to growl subconsciously and could tell his hormones had taken the wheel, “Maybe if you found yourself a mate you’d understand wanting a connection with someone. Omegas have no ‘duties’ towards alphas, we choose to live as we like and this,” he patted his bump proudly, “Is what I’ve chosen.”

The other omega blinked, a little shocked at Noya’s outburst, and bowed slightly,

“I see. I’m sorry for judging you,” he opened the door to leave, “Good luck.”

Outside, in the restaurant, Asahi had felt Noya’s emotions flare up through their bond but couldn’t decide whether or not to enter the omega bathroom to try and ‘save’ him. He knew that if he did go barging in, all guns blazing and alpha-mode turned on, Yuu would be annoyed at his overprotective instincts again and he really didn’t want to piss him off any more. When the tall omega exited, however, Asahi took the opportunity to casually keep the door open with his hand and peeked his head in to check on his omega.

“What’re you doing, perv?” Noya ducked under his mate’s arm and headed for the main doors of the restaurant, “Trying to spy on me?”

“You were taking a while so I…”

Yuu stopped walking half way across the parking lot and spun on his heel to face his alpha, eyes determined and jaw firm.

“I was fine.”

Asahi braced for a scolding as Yuu continued.

“I love you,” Noya said it loudly and Asahi flinched a little, “You’re awkward and clumsy and too big but you’re mine and I love you.”

“I love you to-”

“Now let’s go home, my feet hurt and I need to pee again.”

Asahi watched, bemused, as Yuu headed for the car and smiled in the knowledge that he had the best (and scariest) mate he could ask for.

Chapter Text

“That must be them now,” Kuroo said aloud as he saw the headlights sweep the front of the farmhouse.

Kenma was already sound asleep, his head resting on the alpha’s lap, and thankfully Kageyama and Hinata had remained in their room for the rest of the evening. Although it had been fine, and a little flattering to be asked if Tetsurou was being honest, babysitting wasn’t something he wanted to do again any time soon; it wasn’t that he didn’t like being around babies, it was more the fact that he was eager to meet his own pup and wanted to get back to his and Kenma’s home. The scents of the Karasuno pack were starting to make his head ache a little, especially as Kageyama’s and Hinata’s were so pungent at the moment.

“We’re hoooome!”

Suga’s voice floated in from the entryway, a little slurred from drinking and way too loud for the time of night. So loud in fact that it woke Kenma up and the beta looked around startled for a moment before realising where he was.

“Everything go okay?” Daichi asked as he loosened his tie and stepped tiredly into the living room. The drive back had been a bit of a struggle as Koushi kept wanting to wind the window down and let the freezing air into the car.

“Yep!” Kuroo stretched and got to his feet, pulling Kenma with him, “I only had to wrestle Tobio once.” He saw the other alpha’s eyes bug out and grinned, “I’m joking… Kind of.”

Daichi sighed, “And Mitsuo?”

Kenma smiled softly, “He was pretty restless for the first hour or so but he’s sleeping now.”

As Kenma’s yawn almost engulfed his boyfriend, Kuroo ruffled the blonde’s hair and nodded towards the door,

“Well, we’ll see you later, I think it’s time for bed.”

“Feel free to stay,” Daichi looked at his watch that read 00:32, “There’s plenty of spare rooms.”

The raven-haired alpha considered the offer for a moment. It was pretty late and Kenma sure looked exhausted, maybe they should stay until morning. One glance down at his boyfriend, however, changed Kuroo’s mind as the beta fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie and leaned a little closer to him in an attempt to inhale his coffee scent a little more. Although a beta, since Kenma had become pregnant his sense of smell had intensified and his nose crinkled at the mingling fragrances wafting through the room as more of the Karasuno pack entered.

“Nah,” Kuroo took Kenma’s hand and started walking towards the foyer, “We’ll head back. Thanks.” He spun on his heel as Kenma started to put on his shoes, “Oh! Your bathroom is leaking by the way!”

Asahi paled as he helped Noya out of his jacket, “The toilet?!”

Kuroo shook his head, “No, the ceiling. Dripped on me as I was taking a shi-”

Kenma’s foot connecting with the alpha’s shin shut Kuroo up before he could continue.

Ugh,” Daichi dragged a hand down his tired face, “Okay, thanks for letting me know.”

They waved off the Nekoma pair and headed to their rooms, Tanaka and Ennoshita choosing to stay up a little longer to watch some TV, still a little too buzzed to sleep.

“He’s so cuuute! Look how cute he is! I could just eat him up!”

Daichi watched quietly, humoured by his drunk mate’s swooning over their son. Koushi was attempting to be as quiet as possible but it was more of a stage whisper and Mitsuo had started to squirm a little at the unwanted noise, his tiny brows knitting together and hands grasping as the soft bedding beneath him.

“Kou,” the alpha looped his arms around his mate’s waist and pulled him back onto the bed so that the omega was forced to sit on his lap, “Let’s get this suit off, you can eat the baby later.”

Suga struggled a little, whining in his throat, “I wanna watch Mit’uo more!” he turned to Daichi, eyes watery and a little less glazed than before, “I missed him…”

The alpha felt his heart tug at the sight of his betrothed on the verge of tears and, although he knew they were probably alcohol-induced, he also knew that Suga had been struggling with leaving their pup for so long. He too had felt the inevitable pull of wanting to stay by Mitsuo’s side no matter what but he could tell that Suga had taken it a little worse, what with drowning his sorrows and all. He kissed the scar on Koushi’s neck and spoke into his nape, voice reverberating down the omega’s spine,

“I did too,” he pursed his lips and kissed the pale skin before continuing, “You don’t have to leave him again if you don’t want to.”

He’d said ‘you’ rather than ‘we’ as he knew he would need to get back to work sooner rather than later if they wanted to keep paying the mortgage but Suga simply nodded sleepily.

“I want to protect him, you know?” the omega’s voice seemed less slurred as he started to sober up and unbutton his waistcoat.

“Mhmm,” Daichi’s lips were still against Suga’s neck, inhaling his raspberry scent, “Me too.”

Expertly, the alpha’s fingers moved to undo Suga’s shirt buttons and slid the garments off in one swoop of his arms, Suga’s torso now exposed. Gentle kisses were pressed down his spine and Daichi grinned as he felt his love shudder beneath his touch as his hand explored the hidden treasures beneath his belt.

“Nnn~,” Koushi flinched and arched his back, biting his lip to try and quiet himself, “Dai-”

The alpha chuckled and spun his mate to face him, still perched on his thighs. They kissed softly and Suga smiled as their noses brushed one another.

“Wow, you’re so handsome. You look like a working man.”

“I am a working man!”

“But you look like… an executive!”

Daichi smiled at Suga’s strange train of thought and kissed him again, “Won’t you help me take it off?”

The omega’s eyes turned heavy in an attempt at sexiness but he simply looked a little more drunk, “Certainly, sir. Allow me.”

With only a little fumbling, Suga managed to undo Daichi’s buttons and swiftly moved down to his belt buckle, which seemed to elude his drunken fingers and make the omega sigh defeatedly. Thankfully Daichi was there to finish the job and undid his belt before doing the same to his mate, making Koushi gasp softly as he touched his member.

“Dai,” the omega leaned into Daichi’s touch, hips pressed against his fiance’s, “I don’t think I can…”

The alpha continued to grope and kissed Suga’s shoulder gently, “What? Why?”

“Nn~,” another gasp escaped Suga’s lips, “I’m too drunk, it won’t work.”

Daichi couldn’t help the chuckle that whispered against his love’s skin. It was obvious that the alcohol in Suga’s system was affecting his ‘performance’ as there wasn’t much reaction where his hands were teasing but he really didn’t mind and by the sounds his omega was making, Koushi didn’t either. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, though, and so the alpha moved his hands to Suga’s hips and pressed their lips together firmly, their tongues entwining softly and with a practised ease so familiar that they didn’t need to try.

When they finally broke apart Suga smiled and flopped back onto the bed, a satisfied grin on his face.

“That was nice,” he said sleepily.

Daichi lay down beside him and pushed back a strand of silver hair, “Yeah, we should do it again some time.”

“Are you getting a glass of water?” Kei asked as he pulled on his pyjama top.

In the doorway to their room, Tadashi paused, “Yeah, you want one?”

“Please,” Kei replied, “And a band-aid.”

“Did you hurt yourself?!”

The alpha shrugged, “Just a knick.”

As soon as Tadashi left the room Kei darted to the bedside cabinet and pulled open the drawer to reveal two identical brown boxes. He slid them into his breast pocket and climbed into the bed, quickly trying to look nonchalant when the omega stepped back into the room with two tall glasses of water and what looked like the entire first aid kit.

“I didn’t know what type you wanted,” Tadashi put down the glasses and rifled through the various typed of bandages and wraps, “Is it a-” he squinted at the small writing on the back of a packet of band-aids, “-dry open wound? Or maybe a-” he picked up another box, “-oozing bloody gash?”

Kei curled his lip at the descriptions and ushered Tadashi into bed beside him, the omega confused as to where he needed treating.

“I don’t actually need anything,” Kei stated as his mate’s dark brows rose a little, “I’ve got one last thing for you, though.”

He took out the boxes from his pocket and handed them to Tadashi, whose mouth had fallen open slightly.

“Tsukki! You didn’t need to get me anything else!”

“Shut up, Tadashi, just open them.”

He did as he was told and opened the first box; beneath some crinkled tissue paper was a bracelet made of a thin leather strap with a single charm on it, a small silver star.

“Oh wow!” Tadashi took it out gently and held it up to the light, “It’s gorgeous!”

“Ah, actually that one’s mine,” Kei took it from his love and slid it on his own wrist, adjusting it to fit, “The other one is yours.”

Confused but still intrigued, Tadashi opened the other box to reveal another bracelet made of the same leather but instead of a star charm, this one had a crescent moon. He gasped and quickly put it on, admiring how it looked against the galaxy of freckles on his arm.

“Happy birthday, ‘dashi,” Kei took his mate’s hand and kissed his wrist softly.

“Thank you, Tsukki,” Tadashi gave his alpha a peck on the cheek, “It’s been the best one yet!”

“Really?"

Kei looked a little uneasy, still shook by the previous day’s events, unable to forget them as the bandage on Yamaguchi’s shoulder peaked out from beneath his shirt. He’d really tried to act as an alpha should and hoped he’d made the day special, even if it had been marred by another alpha.

“Hey,” Tadashi lifted Kei’s chin so that his golden eyes were forced to look up at his face, “Today was perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better alpha. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Tsukishima turned off the light and they nestled into the bed together, facing one another in the darkness. Although he didn’t want to admit it – to Tsukki or to himself – Tadashi was still shaken from the previous day and couldn’t help but see Fuji-san’s face when he closed his eyes. He was determined not to be defeated by the fear, though, and let his hand drift to his new bracelet, his slender fingers tracing the shape of the moon over and over until he finally drifted off to sleep.

Tsukki waited until his mate’s breathing evened out and then let himself fall into dreams, safe in the knowledge that his universe was happy beside him.

Beneath the musky sheets and amongst the intense scents of lemon and orange, Hinata’s heat finally subsided and his ginger mop emerged from the bed. His head ached and his stomach felt hollow from lack of food as he sat upright and stretched, bones popping loudly. A glance at the trash can showed evidence of more than enough ‘rounds’ with his alpha and when Kageyama’s face came into focus beside him, Shouyou could see that he’d left his mark on the alpha, too.

Subconsciously feeling his mate rouse, Tobio opened his bleary eyes and turned to look at the omega. He didn’t look too worn out, it hadn’t been that long of a heat after all, but he did look a little… sticky.

“Want to shower?” Kageyama asked as he sat up beside Hinata and plucked a feather from his hair.

Shouyou nodded, “Yup. What time is it?”

The alpha shrugged, “Late I think? Or maybe early?”

“Too late for a sandwich?”

“Probably. But when has that ever stopped you?”

The omega grinned and let his mate help him out of bed and down the corridor to the bathroom, his legs still a little shaky. Before they could reach the shower, however, Tanaka met them and, thinking he had just crossed paths with a possessive alpha and omega in heat, took up his best karate pose in the hopes that he wouldn’t have to use his ‘deadly’ fists.

“I’m ready to fight! I swear!”

Hinata’s nose scrunched in confusion, “Why? Who’re you fighting?”

Ryuu glanced from alpha to omega and sighed, his pose relaxing into a more ‘normal’ stance (for Tanaka at least).

“Oh? Your heat’s over already? That was fast!”

Hinata nodded, “Yeah! Sometimes it only lasts a day or so!”

Ryuu smirked and side-eyed Kageyama, “Shame, huh?”

The alpha blushed and shoved his mate into the bathroom before slamming the door behind them, leaving the beta to grin to himself in the hallway.

Chapter Text

It had been a week since Yamaguchi’s birthday and Hinata’s heat and most of the Karasuno pack were enjoying a lazy Sunday watching daytime TV as the snow fell lightly outside. Mitsuo was perched on Suga’s lap, guzzling noisily from a bottle as Nishinoya stared absently in their direction from his spot next to Asahi on the smaller sofa. The tiny libero wasn’t aware that he was watching the baby so intensely until Suga cleared his throat a little awkwardly and Yuu’s brain seemed to suddenly realign with his body.

“Everything okay?” Suga asked as he propped the pup against his shoulder and patted his back gently.

Noya rubbed his tired eyes and nodded dazedly, “Yeah, sorry.”

A large hand stroked gently through Nishinoya’s hair as Asahi spoke up, “He didn’t sleep well last night.”

A pout formed on the pregnant omega’s lips and he scowled a little at his mate, “I’m fine, it’s just a little difficult getting comfortable.”

“Ugh, I know what you mean,” Suga placed Mitsuo in his bouncy chair on the floor, “I remember when I was seven months in! What a nightmare! One night I slept sitting upright- big mistake."

A weight that Noya didn’t even know he’d been carrying seemed to lift from his shoulders and he sighed, thankful for someone who had actually been through the same thing. Asahi meant well but he would never truly understand how hard it was just to find a position that didn’t put strain on some part of his body. Without thinking, as was sometimes the case with Nishinoya, he patted his bump and said,

“I’m getting a little sick of it now, you know?”

He hadn’t meant it in a bad way, he simply meant that he was ready to meet his pup now, he’d experienced as much pregnancy as he wanted to and the sooner it was over the better. He’d never thought that being able to see his own feet would seem like a luxury. However, a glance towards Yamaguchi, who was sitting alone on the armchair as Tsukishima had gone out with Daichi to get some groceries (they’d drawn straws as no one had wanted to go), told him that his choice of words had been a little tactless. Although it had been a while since Noya’s stupid mistake with announcing his pregnancy he still felt guilty about it after hearing about Tadashi and Tsukishima’s troubles getting pregnant, and he realised his off-hand remark about being ‘sick of it’ was pretty cruel, considering his audience.

“Ah!” Yuu rubbed his hands through his tousled hair, angry at his own idiocy, “Sorry, Tadashi! I didn’t mean… Sorry.”

The freckled omega smiled weakly and shrugged, “It’s okay! I can tell you’re tired, Noya-senpai.”

Understatement of the year right there, Noya thought as he readjusted his position for the umpteenth time. And he wasn’t the only one who was weary; Mitsuo had been especially grouchy the previous night, waking up five times in total for various reasons. And, although Daichi had taken two of the feedings, the head alpha was a pretty heavy sleeper and had slept through most of the ruckus. Now, as lunchtime rolled around, Suga felt his eyes getting heavier and startled himself a few times as his head flopped sideways, finally letting his cheek rest against the couch cushion as the heaviness of sleep washed over him. It was short-lived, however, as Mitsuo’s whining started up again, the pup grumbling and fussing in his bouncy chair, eyes scrunched and hands clasping at the air. Suga sat up robotically, ready to face whatever his son needed but was pushed back down gently by Yamaguchi, who smiled warmly and crouched down beside Mitsuo.

“Sleep for a while,” Tadashi spoke softly to try and keep Suga in a restful state, “I’ll see what he needs for now.”

“But I-”

Suga tried to object, albeit weakly, but Ennoshita was suddenly by his other side,

“Suga-san,” Chikara spoke quietly but firmly, “It’s alright, Tadashi and I will take care of him. Get some sleep.”

He didn’t take much persuading. If it had been a few weeks earlier, Suga would have refused outright to let anyone other than himself or Daichi take care of Mitsuo, especially when he was asleep. Sure, he’d let them hold the pup or maybe feed him but always with either himself or Daichi not too far away. Now that they were more settled in the den, though, he felt a definite security with the pack and felt like he could trust them to look after his son without the need to worry or fuss over it.

“What do you think he wants?” Chikara asked as he and Yamaguchi stared down into the bassinet on the kitchen table where Mitsuo was squirming uncomfortably.

“Maybe he’s hungry?” Tadashi offered.

The beta shook his head, “He just ate!” his nose scrunched in thought, “Or drank? Anyway, he’s full.”

“Diaper?”

They both leaned a little closer to the baby and sighed thankfully when all they could smell was the faint toasted marshmallow scent.

“What then?” Chikara scratched his head.

As if replying in his own special language, Mitsuo whimpered and his lip trembled, big brown eyes filling with tears as he began to wail louder.

“What’s up with him?” Kageyama, who was pouring himself some orange juice from the fridge, asked as he glanced into the bassinet.

As he did so, Mitsuo quieted a little, his wailing turning to a soft whimper until Tobio moved away once more.

“Ah! Wait!” Ennoshita tugged Kageyama back towards the baby again and he quieted once more, “He likes you!”

Kageyama’s lip curled, “Why?”

“No idea!” Chikara replied truthfully.

The alpha moved away once more and once again Mitsuo began to cry. The omega and beta offered pleading glances but Tobio was having none of it and simply left them to it, no way was he going to be playing babysitter.

“Now what?” Yamaguchi had to raise his voice slightly to be heard over Mitsuo’s crying, “He’ll wake Suga-san up at this rate.”

Ennoshita tried humming a little as he rocked the basket and Tadashi opted for a snuggle but nothing was working.

“What if there’s something really wrong with him?” Tadashi paled at the thought.

“What’s wrong with him?!” Asahi’s startled yelp in turn startled the other two in the kitchen.

He’d been sent in to make some sandwiches for lunch with strict instructions to include chocolate spread and cream cheese on Noya’s. But the wailing baby had disrupted his thoughts, especially as he overheard Yamaguchi’s worries.

“Nothing’s wrong with him!” Ennoshita shook his head, “He’s just upset about something.”

“Hmm,” Asahi stepped a little closer, cautiously like he was nearing a live bomb, “I wonder why…”

Again, like with Kageyama, as Asahi approached the bassinet, Mitsuo quieted. It took a moment but suddenly Ennoshita snapped his fingers like he’d had a eureka moment and beamed at the other two.

“An alpha!” he grinned as Tadashi and Asahi stared blankly, “He wants an alpha’s presence! It must be soothing or something!”

“Oh!” Tadashi looked impressed by the observation, “You must be right!” He turned to Asahi, “Try picking him up!”

“But I’m supposed to be making lunch…”

The tall alpha tried to wriggle out of the situation but Chikara had already taken Mitsuo out of the bassinet and placed him in Asahi’s waiting arms. As expected, the pup stopped fretting and snuggled a little closer to his chest, eyes drifting shut as a kind of serenity washed over his tiny body. It was the first time Asahi had held a baby and he was heavier than he’d expected, smaller too. The baby’s miniature hand grasped at the ace’s pinky and gripped it firmly causing the alpha to melt completely and forget all about lunch. He couldn’t wait to meet his own pup and hold them just as tightly.

When almost ten minutes had passed without any sign of his sandwich, Noya got to his feet awkwardly and stepped into the kitchen, trying his best not to waddle too much. The sight of his mate holding the baby brought instant tears to his eyes and his hormones seemed to amp up suddenly, making him lose his balance a little at the dramatic change in his own body. Of course, Asahi saw his love tilting slightly but was unable to do anything with Mitsuo in his arms and was utterly grateful when Tsukishima suddenly stepped into the kitchen and caught Nishinoya before he could fall. Some eggs were sacrificed as the blonde dropped the plastic bag he was carrying in favour of catching his senpai but thankfully they were the only casualty.

“Um?” Kei looked to the others for an answer as Yuu blinked dazedly in the blocker’s arms.

“What’s going on?” Daichi placed his own bags down and quickly took Mitsuo from Asahi, both baby and ace seemingly more relaxed when he did so.

“So that’s what he wanted!” Yamaguchi smiled at the pup in Daichi’s arms, “Daddy!”

The head alpha’s face crinkled as his pack-mate uttered the word but he didn’t get time to respond as Tsukishima interrupted.

“Can someone take him?” His cheeks were flushed as he gestured to Nishinoya, “He’s heavy.”

“Oi!” Yuu seemed back to his usual self but Asahi insisted he take a seat at the table nonetheless.

“Where’s Koushi?” Daichi asked as he balanced his son on one arm and started to put away the groceries with his free hand.

“Sleeping,” Chikara answered, “He seemed exhausted.”

“And you two were looking after Mitsuo?” Daichi asked, glancing between Tadashi and the beta.

Yamaguchi nodded awkwardly as Tsukki moved to his side, “Yeah. I hope that’s alright?”

A smile spread across Daichi’s face, “It’s a relief, actually. I’ve been worrying about how Koushi will cope when I’m back at work but if he has help I’m sure it’ll be a lot less strenuous. Will you keep lending a hand when I start working again?”

Daichi’s smile was echoed tenfold by Yamaguchi and the omega nodded enthusiastically, “Of course! I- We’d love to!” He turned to his mate, “Right?”

Kei didn’t seem to even notice that he was being spoken to. His eyes looked a little absent and his cheeks were still flushed from before, not to mention he was perspiring more than the chilly November weather should allow. When Tadashi took his hand, the alpha felt hot to the touch and he was trembling slightly, not quite shivering but more of a vibration throughout his entire body.

“Is he sick?” Ennoshita asked as he poured a glass of water and handed it over, “You don’t look too well, Tsukishima-kun.”

Tsukki blinked and took the water, downing it in one go. He licked his lips and shuddered as he felt Tadashi’s hand in his own. Although he’d held it many, many times before, it felt a little different all of a sudden and he could have sworn he could feel a static electricity buzzing between their palms.

“Tsukki?” Tadashi’s voice levelled the alpha’s mind a little and he found himself concentrating on each word his mate spoke, “Are you feeling sick? Do you want some medicine?”

A grassy fragrance that was unmistakably Yamaguchi’s scent drifted around the alpha as his omega fretted beside him, completely unaware of what was happening to Kei’s body. He knew it now, knew what the strange sensation was that was currently taking over his body. The sudden heat and electricity, the overwhelming urge to grip Tadashi’s hand tighter and tighter until it began to hurt. The strange taste in his mouth that only alpha’s knew as venom and the way his canines felt sharper against his bottom lip. He was going into rut. It must have been caused by Nishinoya being so close suddenly, he’d never held a pregnant omega before and his body had seemingly reacted to it, wanting to recreate the sensation with his own mate.

He didn’t want to cause a scene, however, and certainly didn’t want to hurt any of his pack-mates and so Kei turned to Daichi and spoke slowly and quietly, a growl already rumbling in his chest.

“Daichi-san…”

The head alpha seemed to sense something and instinctually passed Mitsuo to Asahi, the strongest pack member in the room apart from himself, as Kei continued.

“Please make sure I get to my room.”

It didn’t take long for Daichi to realise what was happening but when he tried to separate Tadashi from his mate, the omega refused to budge.

“Yamaguchi,” Daichi’s voice was firm, captain-mode switched on, “He’s going into rut, it’s dangerous.”

The freckled omega nodded, “I know,” he glanced up at his red-faced alpha and squeezed his hand tighter, “I’ll take him to our room.”

“Are you sure?” Daichi’s eyes were wide, wary, “You’re not in heat, it’s not really safe.”

Another nod, “It’s okay. I’ll take him.”

Without another word, Tadashi pulled a stunned Kei out of the kitchen and through to their bedroom, locking the door behind them. The alpha stumbled back onto the bed, wary of what his alpha instincts were telling him to do. He would never intentionally hurt Tadashi, of course not, but when he went into rut it was very hard to control himself, especially when his omega wasn’t in heat. The last time he’d gone into rut was out in the open in the street so he was thankful for small mercies, at least.

“’dashi,” Kei panted, “Leave me here, I’ll be okay.”

“Don’t wanna,” Yamaguchi pursed his lips teasingly and perched on the end of the bed, “I want to stay.”