Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Promare were gone. The Burnish were, technically, no more.

Lio sighed as he surveyed the wrecked city with his two generals and some of the Burnish they’d freed from the Prometech pods.

“What now, Boss?” Meis asked quietly.

“We help rebuild.”

“Help them? After what they did to us?” Gueira asked incredulously.

“We’re helping them for us. We need somewhere to live. We don’t have to hide anymore.”

“You really think they’re going to let it go that easily?”

Lio shrugged just as Galo found them and threw an arm around his small shoulders. “If they don’t, I’ll be right there with you, Lio! You’re my partner now!”

“Partner?” Gueira and Meis asked simultaneously, staring at each other.

“Of course! With his fire and my burning soul, we saved the Earth! We’re partners now! And since you’re his friends, I’m here for you, too!”

“Boss, you trust this guy?”

Lio glanced up at Galo who was grinning broadly.

“This idiot? Yeah, I guess I do.”

“Number one firefighting idiot!”

And somehow it was true. They hadn’t known each other long, but Lio trusted him. He’d been the first non-Burnish to listen to his words and investigate rather than outright dismiss him. He’s been the first to fight back for the Burnish when he realized what was happening. Galo of all people could be trusted.

Once all the people were free, Galo tried to coax Lio back to his apartment at headquarters, but he declined. It didn’t feel right to leave Meis and Gueira to fend for themselves while he had the comfort of a soft bed. And without the Promare, truth be told. He felt...empty. Being around other Burnish would help.

With the city destroyed and thousands of people displaced, there was nowhere else to go. They left the city and camped along the city edges with what little supplies they could scrape together. The children and the elderly cane first. It was hard starting a fire without the help of the Promare, but they managed.

“What are we going to do, Boss? We don’t have enough food for shelter for everyone. We could go back to the cave but it might be destroyed,” Meis said, surveying the settlement beneath them.

“I need to talk to whoever is going to lead the city next. See about homes, jobs. Schools for the children.”

“We’ll go with you,” Gueira insisted, and Lio smiled. He’d always be able to trust his generals.

Around the world, groups of former Burnish found themselves in similar situations and banded together because, for some, it was all they knew. A life on the run, a life on the outside. Whole government systems had to change virtually overnight to reintegrate the Burnish into society, and in Promepolis, it was the same.

The next day Lio, Gueira, and Meis attempted an audience with the interim governor. They were nearly arrested as the Mad Burnish terrorists until Galo showed up and stepped in.

“You can’t arrest them!” He insisted. “Lio Fotia helped me save the planet. Without him, the earth might have been destroyed by Kray! He’s a hero!”

The interim governor, an elderly man named Higashi, sighed. And so the tentative partnership began.

Lio worked together with Galo, Gueira, Meis and the government to create social nets for the Burnish who had nothing. Within weeks housing systems were put in place, and while they weren’t ideal, they were something.

Galo again invited Lio to live with him in his small apartment, already unhappy with the idea of him living in the forest with nothing to keep him safe and dry, but Lio insisted this was a step up and moved in with Gueira and Meis into their assigned housing unit. It was a tight fit for three adults, but Lio was smaller than most men and they would make it work. Even if it was a one bedroom and his generals tried to make him take the bed.

“I’m smaller than the two of you. I’ll sleep on the couch. Besides, it’s more comfortable than what I’ve had in years. I’ll be fine.”

Reluctantly they agreed and took the bed themselves, twisting together as they often had while on the run.

It was nice to see they’d always have each other.

Agencies continued to work with the Burnish adults to find them jobs. Orphanages opened to take in the children whose parents were gone or missing. There was still prejudice everywhere, and non-Burnish looked at them warily, but Galo was true to his word and fought for Lio, Gueira, and Meis to work with them at Burning Rescue. At first Gueira and Meis had balked at the idea, but the lure of fire, even if it wasn’t theirs anymore, was too big a draw.

Galo supported them and helped them integrate into the team. He backed them up off site if anyone gave them shit. And for that, Lio was grateful.

Shortly after, Lio and his former generals were named the official ambassadors for their people and the government. When the government had brought up, yet again, wanting to prosecute the Mad Burnish for crimes, Lio fought for them, citing the biological urges they had faced because of the Promare. And since the Promare were gone, and they could no longer produce those flames, they were no longer a threat to society. Lio, in fact, argued that reparations should be made to the Burnish who were pushed out of their homes, their jobs, schools, and then used by the Foresight Foundation for human experimentation that led to the deaths of many.

It was eventually settled that the government would continue to provide housing and career counseling for the Burnish while they reintegrated into society, for however long it took.

Galo was so proud of Lio, and he told him daily about how awesome he was, and how his soul was truly on fire fighting for the Burnish even without the Promare. Lio thought he was an idiot, but it was nice to have someone else on his side for once.

Someone who didn’t walk on the other side of the street when he approached, who didn’t see him as a former terrorist.

And then it happened.

Three months after the Promare, the first reports started coming in from underground Burnish networks. Strange things were happening to both male and female Burnish. It wasn’t a bad thing, not really, but it was strange. Strange heats consumed them once a month, a heat that started low in the belly and consumed the whole body. It wasn’t painful, not really, but the urge to mate that came with it was strong.

Lio guessed it was some leftover from the Promare, maybe a new mutation to their bodies to adjust to no longer having those perpetual flames.

Some called it a gift from the Promare, a reminder of the fire they once controlled. Others considered a curse, another reason for scientists to get their hands on them and run experiments, and so they kept it as quiet as possible.

Lio kept his ear to the ground, getting reports from Burnish all over of new developments. It seemed there were more biological changes associated with this. Some men and women were becoming more aggressive and possessive during these periods of heat. They felt protective of those around them, and the urge to mate was strong.

Others had a different experience. They felt more submissive during that time and needy, as if something was missing. It seemed to go for days, but others reported shorter periods of time if they had sex with their partners.

It was baffling, and Lio had no idea what to do with it. Real flames from the Promare he could help with. He’d had them for so long it was second nature. This wasn’t.

And then Gueira was affected. He hadn’t come into contact with any other Burnish, so it had to be something biological and not contagious.

They were at work when it started. Gueira was cleaning his gear when he stopped and looked around the room. “Is it hot in here?”

Meis and Lio both froze and took into account the room temperature. “No,” Lio said. “It’s normal.”

Gueira made a noise and shrugged, going back to work. By the time they left for the apartment he was sweating. He took off the leather jacket he usually wore and draped it over his shoulder even before they reached the building.

“Maybe you’re getting sick,” Meis suggested, insisting Gueira take a shower first.

“Maybe,” he muttered.

“Will he be alright, Boss?”

“He’ll be fine. It’s just a cold I’m sure. Non-Burnish get them all the time.”

He wasn’t in the shower long before there was a cry from the room. Both Lio and Meis burst in, afraid of what they’d find.

“Gueira?”

Gueira was sitting on the floor of the shower hunched in on himself. The air was cool, so he must have been taking a cold shower.

“Gueira?” Lio asked again, slowly approaching the shower.

“It burns…but it feels so good,” he managed to get out. He glanced up and his gaze sharpened, focused on Lio.

“Boss, get out. I’ll handle this,” Meis said, blocking him from view. Lio nodded, thinking of all the rumors that had come from the underground.

He waited in the small living room as Meis wrestled Gueira into the bedroom. It sounded like they were fighting at first, and Lio was tempted to intervene, but then the sounds turned decidedly more...lewd. He flushed scarlet and stared at the door. After a few minutes a disheveled Meis opened the door.

“Um, Boss, do you think maybe you could...spend the night at the station or something?”

Lio nodded and quickly packed a bag before bolting out of the apartment.

***

Aina’s couch was comfortable enough, and Lio settled in, hoping she wouldn’t mind too much when she showed up for her shift. Most of the crew lived in apartments above the firehouse, including Galo, but he didn’t want to bother any of them.

It turned out he needed have bothered.

“Lio? What are you doing here?” A light flicked on and Galo stood in the doorway in the balcony.

“What are you doing here?” Lio shot back.

“I was coming to check on my Matoi gear. I forgot to make sure it was secure.”

“As if you’d ever forget that.”

Galo laughed that loud, barking laugh of his. “You got me. I always check it a few times just to be sure. You know, in case.”

“You’re an idiot.” He turned over on the couch to get more comfortable.

“Did you fight with Gueira and Meis or something?”

“No they’re...dealing with something personal right now.”

“Hmm…” Galo hummed as he descended the stairs. “Does this have to do with what Lucia was talking about?”

“What?”

“I dunno, she said something about Burnish still being different. Like, some sort of fire still in their bodies.” He shrugged. “It didn’t make sense to me.”

Lio sat up quickly. “Who was she talking to?” If scientists knew about this, they’d take the Burnish back under control for experiments and they would have no way to fight back this time.

“Maybe Vinny. Probably herself.” Galo shrugged those massive shoulders again and grabbed a protein drink from the fridge. And why was Lio suddenly fixating on those broad shoulders? “Anyway, come stay with me. My apartment is much more comfortable.” Galo grinned. “We can be roommates!”

Lio sighed. “Idiot.” But he grabbed his bag and followed Galo up the stairs to the third floor.

It was…surprisingly clean. Lio glanced around the spare room and marveled at how neat it was. It was a little bigger than his other home, with a comfortable looking couch and table in front of the glass windows that took up most of the wall.

“I know it’s not much, but…” Galo shrugged, seemingly embarrassed.

Not much? After years of living in caves and decrepit buildings on the verge of collapse, this was a palace. It was stark white and so very clean. Lio spun to take it all in.

“No, this is great, Galo. Thank you.”

Galo grinned and rubbed his head. “So...I’ll take the couch so you can get the bed.”

“I don’t want you to give up your bed for me. I’m used to the couch.”

“All the more reason for you to take the bed!” Galo pushed him to his equally clean bedroom. “The shower is just across the hall if you want to use it. There’s an extra towel in the cabinet so...I guess just call me if you need me?”

“Thanks, Galo.”

He stood awkwardly at the doorway for a moment, face flushed, before he headed back to the living room.

Lio took a shower since he hasn’t been able to get one at the apartment. It was small but clean, and he wondered how Galo fit in the tight space with his shoulders.

And there he was thinking about Galo again.

Okay. So he had eyes, and Galo was damn attractive. He was completely Lio’s type if he was being honest. Tall. Broad shoulders. Tapered waist. Thick thighs. He tried to ignore his arousal. He hadn’t had any time for that before. But now…

No. There was still work to be done. He turned off the shower, dried himself with the towel, and went back to the bedroom. In his haste to leave the apartment he’d forgotten to grab something to sleep in.

“Shit,” he swore.

“Everything okay?” Galo asked, in the doorway in seconds. Lio clutched at the towel around his waist as Galo’s eyes took in his body. His Adam’s Apple bobbed as he swallowed.

“Do you...have anything I could borrow to sleep in?”

“S-sure. It might be a little big but I’m sure I have something.” Galo dug through one of his drawers and found a pair of shorts. “I forgot I had these. They’re from a while ago. They might fit, though.”

“Thanks.” Lio took them and waited for Galo to leave before slipping them on. Even though they were small and would not have fit Galo at all, they hung off his hips. He frowned, but it would have to do. He crawled into the soft bed and nearly moaned as he sank into the cotton sheets. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Chapter Text

Lio woke up the next morning feeling well rested. Maybe there was something to having an actual bed and not a sofa. He could smell coffee from the kitchen and hear Galo walking around. A glance at the clock told him it was only seven. Was it too early to check on Gueira and Meis? Neither of them had cell phones, so he’d have to go over there. But what if it hadn’t passed yet?

He crawled out of bed, grabbed a t-shirt, and joined Galo in the kitchen. It was only after Galo stopped and stared at him that he realized he’d grabbed the wrong one and was swimming in Galo’s much larger shirt.

The tips of Galo’s ears turned red and then his cheeks. “I made coffee,” he said, thrusting a mug out at him. Lio took it and sipped it.

“Thanks.”

They stared awkwardly at one another for a few moments before Galo broke the silence. “Do you think they’re all right?”

“I’m sure they’re fine. I’m sure they’ll be at work later.”

But they weren’t. So it was up to Lio to explain to Ignis that they were sick and would be back the next day. On the second day they still weren’t there. By the third day Lucia was looking at him with interest.

“Has anyone checked on them?” she asked.

“Well...no…” Lio said.

“Why not?”

How was he supposed to answer that? He should go and check on them. Galo slung an arm around his shoulder. “We’ll go check on them right now. Right?”

Lio nodded and followed Galo out to his bike where he was tossed a helmet and climbed onto the back. It was nice, feeling the heat through the back of Galo’s t-shirt, and honestly he didn’t mind clinging to that tapered waist, but damn he missed Detroit. Maybe he’d be able to save enough someday and get another bike.

Galo slowed down as he approached the section of the city that was still undergoing construction. Rather, it was still waiting for repairs. It was one they weren’t called to for emergencies often, and Galo slowed to a stop in front of the building that Lio had given him instructions to.

“Lio…this is where you’re living?”

He shrugged and climbed off the back, handing him the helmet. “It’s home.”

“It’s barely a building! Is this even up to code?”

“Believe me, this is comfortable compared to where we were before.”

“Yeah, but Lio. You could live at the station. There’s room for you, Gueira, and Meis.”

“Our people are out here. How can I live in the lap of luxury when they’re still in these conditions?”

“The firestation is hardly luxurious.” Galo scratched the back of his head and frowned. “Didn’t you say the government was providing housing for the Burnish?”

“They are. And this is it. Come on.”

Galo followed him as he took in the structure and Lio flushed. “I know how it looks. I’m not happy about it either, but it was the best they could do with so many other people displaced from the Parnassus.” It would get better. Lio would keep fighting for his people. But these things took time, and yeah, maybe the city was prioritizing rebuilding other parts of the city first, but it was something. It was a start, it was a roof over their heads and guaranteed food as long as the government kept holding up their end of the bargain.

They lived on the fourth floor, and Lio took the stairs up. He didn’t trust the elevator, and neither did most of the others that lived there. Something about getting stuck in a death trap. It was just too claustrophobic.

Lio didn’t bother knocking as it was his place too, and he threw the door open. The place was a mess. Much worse than when he’d left it, and he wondered what the hell had happened.

“Gueira? Meis?” he called out.

Galo looked around next to him, frowning, no doubt, at the size and conditions. He was about to tell him not to comment when the bedroom door opened and a bedraggled Gueira emerged.

“Hey, Boss.”

“Are you guys alright?”

Gueira eyed Galo and frowned. “There’s...some things we should tell you about, but we’re...better?”

“You don’t sound so sure of that,” Galo noted.

“Did you have to bring him here?”

“What? Why couldn’t I come here?” Galo looked back and forth between Lio and Gueira.

“Galo, can you step outside for a minute?”

“Are you sure? If they’re injured-”

“It’s fine.”

Galo shrugged and left. They waited until the door clicked shut before him before Gueira spoke.

“It’s like they said. The other Burnish. Meis went through it, too. It’s like whatever happened to me triggered it for him halfway through. It’s a good thing you weren’t here, Boss.”

“Why? Maybe I could have helped you.”

Gueira flushed. “Uh...I don’t think that would have been wise.” Lio cocked his head to the side and the bedroom door opened again and Meis appeared, shirtless, with marks all over his skin.

It was Lio’s turn to blush. “Oh.”

“Yeah, Boss. It’s a good thing you weren’t here. It was...well, control wasn’t really there. For either of us.”

“So everything we’ve heard?”

“Appears to be true,” Meis said, tying his hair back away from his face. Lio tried not to stare at the clear bite marks on his neck. “And there’s another thing about it that’s...kind of embarrassing about it that no one else was mentioning.” Lio stared at them until Gueira broke.

“There’s this thing that happens with your dick.”

Meis sighed. “I was trying to go for a little more discreet, Gueira.”

“What? It’s the Boss.”

“What do you mean there’s a thing that happens…?”

“It’s like...a knot or something? At the base? It kind of makes you...stuck...if you’re...you know.”

He knew. He’d known the two of them had been together from the beginning, always by each other’s side. He’d just never expected to be talking about it with them.

“Does it hurt?”

“No,” both of them answered. “Not when it comes out,” Geuira said.

“But um...it kind of hurts at first when...you know.”

“But the sex made it better,” Gueira added with a grin at Meis who flushed.

“Okay, well...I’m glad you’re okay. Will you be back to work today or tomorrow?”

“Eh, tomorrow would be better. It really takes a lot out of ya, Boss.”

“I’ll tell them you’re recovering from a flu or something.”

They both called their thanks as he left their apartment. Galo was waiting, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.

“Was it that thing Lucia was talking about?” Galo asked as he fell into step besides Lio. For an idiot, he had remarkable perception.

“No, just the flu.”

“Hmm...didn’t seem like the flu to me. Can the Burnish get the flu?”

“We can now without the Promare.”

“Man, that really sucks. It would be nice not to get sick.” He followed him out of the building chattering about the one time he’d gotten the flu during his training and had almost missed a week, but he’d fought through it with his burning body and soul. He handed him the helmet again and Lio was glad for the quiet.

All the way back to the station Lio could only wonder when he’d be next. If it happened to him. Where would he stay? He couldn’t exactly kick Gueira and Meis out of the apartment. Where would they go? Both of them stay at the station? He frowned beneath the helmet. Would Galo let him stay with him? No, that wasn’t right. He’d have to explain what was happening and that was just not something he was going to do. If it came to it, he’d figure it out. Surely one of the settlements was still workable in the desert.

***

Gueira and Meis both returned the next day to questions and concerns from everyone. They waved it off, laughing boisterously. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” Gueira insisted, going about his work. Lio kept a close eye on them, but they did seem fine. Whatever it was had passed and neither of them looked the worse for it.

Later that week, Heris showed up and pulled Lucia into one of the offices. When they emerged and approached him, he was immediately wary. Yes, Heris had helped the Burnish in the end, but they’d also suffered at her hands for years. That wasn’t something he could, or would, forgiver overnight. If he ever could.

“Lio, Heris and I have some questions, maybe you could help us,” Lucia said, her mad scientist grin taking up her face.

“Depends on what those questions are,” he said hesitantly. Gueira and Meis were at his side in an instant, arms crossed.

“You’re not taking the Boss anywhere,” Meis said.

“No, it’s not like that,” Heris flushed. “We, well, I had some questions that I wanted to ask Lio about. It’s about the Burnish.”

“What about us?”

“Could we talk in the office?”

“You can talk right here,” Gueira said, leaning into her face.

“I think you’d rather the privacy for this conversation.”

“Gueira. Meis. It’s fine. I’ll just be a minute.”

Lio followed Heris into the office, but Lucia stayed outside. Once the door was shut, Lio took a position against the wall, leaning against it while Heris took a seat. “There’s no easy way to talk about this. I know you don’t trust me much because of what happened before, and I can never apologize enough, but you need to know this. Burnish have been exhibiting interesting symptoms, and-”

“How do you know about that?”

“So you already know?”

Lio scoffed. “Of course I already know. They’re my people.”

“Right. You’ve been their leader, so of course they would keep you informed. So you know about the changes. A few of them came to us for help at the hospital and we observed the new mutation.”

“They came to you?” Lio couldn’t believe it. Who among the Burnish would trust these scientists again?

Heris had the decency to look apologetic. “I wanted to come to you before, but the others thought it would be best to wait. They worried we...wouldn’t get the data...because you would put an end to it.”

“You’re right. I would have. And I’m going to put an end to it right now. The Burnish are not your guinea pigs!”

“I-it’s not like that, Lio. This is different. We found a way to help, to make the heats less intense.”

“Why would we want them to be less intense?”

“Less frequent then. For some it comes every month. We call them Omegas.”

“What, you’re naming this now?”

Heris turned purple. “W-we needed to call this phenomenon something. We discovered there’s two distinct types of Burnish. The Alphas, they’re the ones who...well they have this...when they…”

“You’re a scientist and you can’t discuss human physiology without stuttering?”

“I work with machines usually. Not human physiology.”

“Could have fooled me. You certainly worked with Burnish physiology.” Lio turned away from her.

She sighed. “The Alphas develop a sort of...knot, I suppose, at the base of their...penis...when in a state of arousal. The Omegas release a sort of scent that can trigger this in an Alpha while they are in heat. But that’s not all. They produce a sort of slick. And some of the men have further mutations.”

“What sort of mutations?”

“It’s astonishing. Some of the male Omegas have developed a...well, our best guess is a womb. That’s what it seems to be.”

That caught his attention. He turned to look at her over his shoulder. “A womb.”

“Yes.”

“Men.”

“Yes.”

“Not transgender men.”

“No.”

“How is that possible?”

“We aren’t sure. It’s why we wanted to study more Omegas. It’s not all of them, it seems, but it has been a fair number.”

“And the women?”

“Ah, there have been fewer to come forward for testing. It’s hard to tell how exactly it affects them, but the few we have met with did say they experienced the same sort of heat spells.”

Lio paced the small room behind the desk and then stopped and placed his hand on the surface. “You are not to experiment on them.”

“No, not without their consent.”

“There should be monetary compensation for everyone who does come to you.”

She nodded. “I think I could get the funding for that. Maybe if you would-”

“No. I’m not going to be part of some experiment. But I want a list of everyone participating so that I can be sure you’re not taking advantage of them. And I want either myself, Gueira, or Meis there when it happens. Preferably myself.”

“But that’s doctor patient-”

“I don’t care if it’s some code of ethics. I will not have the Burnish hurt again. Not when there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“What about your training with Burning Rescue?”

“The Burnish are my priority. Always.”

Heris nodded seriously. “I’ll get you that list by tomorrow.”

She left soon after and both of his generals jumped on him as soon as she was gone.

“You really trust her?” Meis asked.

“No. Which is why I’m going to be there for every test. And as soon as I have that list, I’m going to check in on everyone personally and make sure they’re okay.”

“Lio!” Galo called, bounding over to their group like a puppy. “Ignis said you have some paperwork to complete for city hall. He wanted me to remind you it needs to be done by today.”

Lio sighed. There was always paperwork. Every little thing needed it, and though he hated to do it, in the end it would benefit the Burnish. There were grants to fill out, requisition forms, letters to draft, politicians to appease.

After work, they took a bus home, as usual. Not many buses ran to that part of the city anymore, and they had to walk a bit to the station. It was something all three of them hated. They missed the freedom the Promare had given them and their bikes. Someday they’d be able to afford them again, but it wouldn’t be for a long time.

The bus also brought other challenges. Not only did it take longer to get home with its circuitous route, but it brought them in contact with other people, many of whom were either wary with Burnish around or downright hostile. Unfortunately, because of who they were, their faces had made the news after their initial capture, so everyone was able to identify them.

They had hardly seated themselves when the murmuring started. One person went so far as to get off the bus at the next stop, loudly proclaiming she wouldn’t ride with terrorists. Gueira growled, but Meis settled him with a hand on his shoulder.

Three months later, Lio struggled with his actions that day of the Parnassus. He’d always sworn that the Burnish would not kill anyone without reason. But when Freeze Force and Kray Foresight had taken everyone from him, he’d gone on a rampage and destroyed part of the city. He knew some people had lost their homes because of him. He’d been so intent on killing Kray for what he’d done that he’d lost himself. If it hadn’t been for Galo intervening, he would have done worse.

And that was the thing of it. Galo hadn’t intervened to save Kray. He’d done it to save Lio. Galo had saved him from himself. He was so pure-hearted and put everything out there. He believed everyone at face value and gave everything of himself in return. When he swore to help and protect, he did it, even if that person was a former enemy. He was a good man to have at your side, a good co-pilot.

“What are you thinking about, Boss?” Meis asked as their stop came up. He flushed and followed them off the bus.

“Nothing. Let’s just get home. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

Chapter Text

Heris, true to her word, had the list of names ready for Lio as soon as he got to the station the next day. Despite all the work he needed to do, Ignis waved him off when he explained, vaguely, what was going on.

“I know you have other commitments as well. Go ahead.”

Meis and Gueira accompanied him. The first Burnish on the list lived in an undamaged part of the city with family who took him back in. He was surprised to see Lio when he opened the door, and his mouth stood agape. “Boss,” he said out of deference and invited the three of them inside. He was home alone and he explained that the rest of his family was working. He hadn’t been able to get a job yet and wasn’t on any of the cleanup crews.

“It’s all right, Damian. I just wanted to check in on you and make sure you were fine. I heard from one of the scientists at the hospital that you checked in for testing.

Damian flushed. “Oh, yeah…”

“It’s okay. I know what it’s about. I just wanted to make sure they didn’t hurt you or take advantage of you.”

Damian sighed with relief. “No, they just did blood tests, asked some questions. Some of the questions were pretty embarrassing, but I didn’t know what else to do. I thought I was sick.”

“If you ever need someone with you, if you’d feel more comfortable, you can have myself, Meis, or Gueira accompany you to the hospital. In fact, I’d feel more comfortable if you did.”

Damian smiled. “You’ve always taken such good care of us. I’d...actually prefer if you were there. I might not be as nervous. They said I’m something called an Alpha and I don’t know what that means.”

“Consider it done.” He asked for a piece of paper and wrote down the email address Ignis had set him up with at Burning Rescue for official business. “Just email me the time and one of us will be there. I’ll try to be there for the first one.”

“If not, we got your back!” Gueira insisted.

“Thanks, guys. I really appreciate this.”

“Oh, and I’ve instructed them to give monetary compensation to anyone participating in any studies. If they don’t mention it to you, bring it up. If they don’t want to pay you, let me know.”

“Compensation would help a lot. My family is stretched thin with me being back here. It would go a long way. Thanks, Boss.”

They left shortly after and decided to talk the few blocks to the next Burnish. “An Alpha? What’s that?”

“Apparently they gave a name to what’s happening. Two names, actually. There’s one group they call Alpha, and another group they call Omega. I’m not sure why.” He explained what the differences were and Meis and Gueira looked at each other.

“So does that mean Gueira and I are Alphas?”

“Sounds like it,” Lio said.

“Hmm…” Meis hummed to himself. “I wonder what it all means. Besides just the changes.”

“I’ll bet you’re an Alpha, too, Boss,” Gueira said.

Frankly Lio didn’t care if it never happened to him. It was just another thing he would have to worry about, and there was already too much on his plate. He couldn’t think of anything else until his people were settled and fully integrated, until the prejudice disappeared. Until more people acted like Galo.

The second and third houses were also in the same residential district, and Lio was glad at least some of the Burnish were taken in by their families. There were more, of course, but they weren’t on the list, so he had no pressing need to visit them just yet. The first one was another man who revealed that they had told him he was an Alpha. Lio repeated what he had told Damian and gave his email address. The next woman, Cerelia, also an Alpha apparently, had trouble looking Lio in the eyes.

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s just...I really don’t want to go back to the hospital. Monetary compensation or not. It’s not that they treated me poorly, I just...it reminds me too much of when I was in the facility.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to go. If they bother you about it, just let us know and we’ll deal with it.”

“Yeah,” Gueira said. “We’ll make sure no one contacts you again!”

The woman sighed with relief and thanked the three of them, but took Lio’s email anyway.

And that was the end of the Burnish in the nicer residential districts.

The government was working on rebuilding the city center first, the part that had been taking on the Parnassus. And really, it was a miracle they even had housing at all compared to the encampments they’d been in for weeks. There were thousands of displaced Burnish in the city now. Rather than letting the Burnish move into the vacant apartments in the nicer part of the city that hadn’t been destroyed, they’d moved the displaced residents into those nicer buildings and the Burnish into the damaged but still structurally sound buildings. At least, they said they were structurally sound. As Galo had said, sometimes they didn’t seem to be.

What would happen once they did begin work on those buildings. Would they be displaced again? Lio was ready for a fight if it came to that. The Burnish deserved more.

They came to the apartment of three adults. Their target was another woman, Melitsa, who said she had been identified as an Omega. She had agreed to go back and agreed to let one of the three of them accompany her. She said the heat she experienced had been intense and lasted for days, and that she wanted to help them produce some medication to make it less intense.

“Why?” Meis asked.

She stared at the floor. “I had just had my first flare before everything happened. I...never wanted this. I didn’t ask for this.”

“We understand,” Lio said, holding up a hand to keep Gueira and Meis quiet. “You’re entitled to compensation for your time. We’ll make sure you get that, especially since you’re helping them with this matter.”

“Thank you...for understanding,” she said quietly.

They left the apartment and stood outside. Lio had always felt pride in being Burnish. He knew Gueira and Meis thought the same. He knew there had to be some that felt that way, but he’d never expected to have someone tell him that to his face. Still, it was a wake up call. Despite how they felt about being Burnish, he would still be there for them.

“Come on. We have seven people left.” He turned to look at Gueira and Meis who were looking at each other and seeming to have a silent conversation. He frowned. “What is it?”

“It’s probably nothing,” Meis said.

“Yeah, probably.”

Lio frowned but led them to the top floor of the building. The door opened and they were admitted. This apartment was a little larger than the other, and so it had four residents. None appeared to be related.

“We’re looking for Galen?” Lio said, and the three men moved to the side.

Galen was slighter than the others and huddled in on himself. He glanced up at Lio, then Meis and Gueira, and ducked his head again. The other three made themselves scarce as Lio crossed the room and stood over the man sitting on a small sofa.

“Boss,” Galen said quietly. He eyed Gueira and Meis again and drew back. They frowned. Lio looked back and forth between them.

“Step outside,” he finally said and they nodded. Once the door was shut Galen breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you.”

“What was that about?”

“They smelled really strong.”

Lio tilted his head to the side, wondering if he heard wrong. “They smelled...strong? Like they didn’t shower?”

“No, they smelled like Alpha.”

It wasn’t his business to share that with anyone, but he did want to know what this was about. “How do you know?”

“Umm, the scientists said something about scents, and ever since the first...heat or whatever it’s called...I’ve been able to smell it on some people. Not everyone. You don’t smell like anything.”

“But how do you know they smell like an Alpha?”

Galen screwed up his nose and looked at the floor. “It’s...like a sharp scent. It’s hard to describe unless you smell it yourself. Omegas smell...softer?”

“So both have a smell?”

“Yeah, I could tell at the hospital. It’s stronger sometimes.” He flushed.

“When is it stronger?”

“Umm...right before a heat. Like, I can really smell Alphas then, and they usually smell stronger and...maybe it makes them interested or something.”

“Interested?” Lio was out of his depths. He needed all of the information Heris had on this in order to be more effective in helping his people.

“Like...they want...well like they want to have sex.” His face flushed. “My roommates are really good about locking me into one of the rooms and making sure no one comes near the apartment when it happens.” He looked at the floor and Lio knew he was withholding information.

“And you’re the only one here with it?”

“N-no,” Galen admitted. “Aidan is an Alpha.”

“He didn’t go to the hospital?”

“No, he said he didn’t trust them. Should he go?”

“Only if he wants to. Aidan, come in here, please.”

One bedroom door opened and a taller man walked out. He shot a look at Galen and leaned against the wall.

“You don’t have to go to the hospital, but they will be paying you if you go.”

“I don’t need no scientists poking and prodding me again.”

“And that’s fine. It’s just being offered in case you want it.”

“I wasn’t happy Galen went. I don’t trust them not to hurt him.”

“It won’t happen, either I will be there myself or Gueira and Meis.”

Aidan nodded and glanced at Galen. Something was up between the two of them and while it wasn’t his business…

“Who uh...presented first?”

“I did,” Galen said and clasped his hands between his knees. “And that seemed to trigger it for Aidan.”

Lio hummed to himself. The same thing had happened to Gueira and Meis. Had he been saved from it because he had left when it happened? It seemed like it, but then Damian and Cerelia were the only Burnish in their homes. What had caused it to happen to them? Was Melitsa the only one in her apartment?

Lio gave them his contact information and left shortly after. Gueira and Meis were flanking the door, waiting for him.

“Well? What was that look back there?”

“He smelled...different?” Meis offered.

“Did you notice the way the others smelled?”

Gueira closed his eyes to think about it and nodded slightly. “Yes, but it wasn’t as strong as with him. He was like...really strong smelling. The others were...fainter?”

“Yeah, like I could tell they smelled different, but it wasn’t as pronounced.”

“Can you smell me?”

“No,” they both said simultaneously.

“Can you smell each other?”

They glanced at each other and sniffed the air. “Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you mention this before?” Lio asked. This was important information. It had to be.

Meis shrugged. “I mean, how do you describe it? Suddenly I can smell people in a way I couldn’t before? It’s just...strange, Boss.”

“Gueira, what about right before it happened to Meis. Could you smell him then?”

Gueira closed his eyes and frowned. They waited a moment before he nodded. “Actually, yeah. He did. It was like...like a flare. I couldn’t see it, but I do remember smelling it and it smelled...well to me it smelled good. Not like Galen. He smells...soft. Too soft.”

“I didn’t smell Gueira until after everything.” Meis shrugged. “I was pretty messed up.”

Gueira grinned. “Yeah you were.”

“Shut up.”

“Okay, you two.” Lio sighed. “We have a few more people to talk to, and then I want to see if there are any others that are willing to talk to at least me, if not the hospital.

“Got it, Boss.”