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Chapter Text

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The faint, annoying sound was the only thing that Kei could register as he slipped slowly back into consciousness. His lids felt as though they were weighted down with bricks, and his head was nearly splitting from the intensity of the headache it currently harbored. 

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The musty scent of damp concrete seemed to torment Kei's nose, and when the young man tried to scrunch his nose against it he found that the muscles in his face were not meeting the demands of his brain. Tingles wracked his arms and the mere thought of moving them seemed impossible, so using his hand as a guard against the scent was out of the door. 

Drip. Drip. Drip…

"Kei…" 

The steady sound of the water dripping on the concrete turned slowly into a voice; a soft, almost angelic voice, and over the scent of the wet concrete slithered in another one: the scent of fresh lavender. 

"Kei, you're okay. Please open your eyes." 

The familiar scent and gentle voice seemed to aid Kei in his struggle against his own consciousness, and the feeling was slowly returning to his arms and legs, and the bricks that held down his lids were removed one by one by the gentle voice that called to him. Finally, Kei managed to flutter his eyes open, and the dark, cracked ceiling the first thing that met his blurry sight. There was very little light, Kei noticed. 

A sharp intake of breath from his left is what roused Kei to full attention, and with the newfound feeling in his arms he tried to haul himself up, but the world seemed to flip on its axis and he quickly lost the little bit of strength he had regained. Swift, gentle hands grabbed him on both sides, his weight supported by the unknown strength. 

"No, Kei, don't try to move. Come on, this way, slide back a little bit."

Kei knew the hands were meant to help guide him to the wall, but the man felt as if he had absolutely no strength, and the hands ended up doing all the work to shift him upright. His back met the hard, cold stone of a wall; moisture from the cracks soaked into his shirt, causing him a very uncomfortable sensation. What had happened to him? 

Kei parted his lips to speak, but found that he was producing no sound. His throat ached, and his tongue was dry; without even feeling them Kei knew his lips were cracked. He could feel his own head lolling uselessly, the small amount of strength he had felt when he woke not enough to keep his head upright. But Kei didn't have to worry about that; soft, cold hands framed his face gently, lifting it until Kei could make out blurry, colorful shapes. The blurry figure of a man sat in front of him, and Kei could just barely register that the man was caging his legs with his hips raised slightly so as not to put any pressure on his thighs. 

"It's okay, don't try to speak." The man said, his voice gentle. Kei found himself relaxing, the cool touch of the man's hands as well as his voice and lavender scent made such a wonderful mixture of safety that it felt as though Kei was being wrapped in a blanket. Vaguely, Kei knew the scent and voice were familiar, but putting a name to them seemed impossible with how fuzzy his head was. 

The hand on his left cheek left, and Kei immediately missed the reassurance it brought. "Shouyou, give me that bowl of water." The man above him said, and Kei heard more than saw a second figure shuffling closer with a small bowl clutched between his hands. The first thing Kei noticed through his blurry vision was the shock of bright orange hair and short stature of the figure. 

"Is he going to be alright?" The figure asked, his voice nearly a squeak, anxiety rolling from his body in waves. 

Through his blurred vision he saw the man above him grab the bowl from the other, gingerly pressing the wooden rim to Kei's lips. "Kei, open your mouth. Drink this slowly." Kei obeyed the other's orders, parting his lips to allow the water to flow into his mouth. It took some effort, coupled with some pain, but Kei had soon drank half the bowl with slow, languid gulps. The bowl was pulled away from his lips, and Kei found that his focus was sharpened more as his body became hydrated. 

"That's it, Kei. That's great. He'll be fine." The figure in front of him stated to the other, before his hand returned to Kei's cheek to mirror the other. "Kei, do you remember who I am? Do you know where you are?" The questions were asked gently, but with much urgency. Kei wracked his brain; the sounds and scents were slowly becoming more familiar: the dripping from the ceiling, the musty smell of wet stone, the voice and the lavender scent of the one in front of him. Yes, it was all familiar, Kei knew this. 

"Sugawara, what happened?" Kei asked, and Kei heard the other breathe a sigh of relief. Thumbs stroked his cheeks gently, and breath fanned across his lips as Sugawara pressed his forehead against Kei's.

"You dropped, Kei." The words were barely whispered, but they rang as loud as bells to Kei. Kei's heart felt as though it stopped beating for a moment, before rapidly catching up on the beats it missed all at once. It hurt. It hurt badly.

Recovering from his shock, Kei mentally shook himself. Taking a few deep breaths, Kei spoke. "How long–" he broke off with a shuddering breath, his eyes closing as tears pricked at the corner of his eyes. Catching his breath on a hiccup, Kei continued as strongly as he could. "How long was I out?" The smooth strokes on his cheeks came to a stop, and on a weak breath Sugawara answered, "two days."

Kei's eyes snapped open, his heart practically thundering in his chest. Sugawara took a deep breath, his thumbs resuming the comforting action of stroking Kei's cheekbones, but with the news that he just received the action gave Kei little comfort.  "Your heart stopped. Twice. I was so scared, Kei." Sugawara continued, his scent spiking with fear at the memory. Kei felt his whole body shaking, his mind providing frightening images of his own limp body surrounded by his pack mates, his own heart aching from the fear they must have felt in that very moment. 

"We have to get out of here." A new, gruff voice spoke from Kei's right, and the young omega startled. He had almost forgotten that he and Sugawara weren't alone in the damp cellar.

Sugawara sighed, pulling his hands from Kei's face slowly, resting them instead on either side of Kei's neck. "Tobio, you know we can't." Sugawara said, though Kei noted the wistful edge in the omega's voice. Sugawara's thumbs began to stroke Kei's neck, the tips grazing lightly over his scent glands, coaxing his body into relaxation. 

"But look what happened because of them. Tsukishima almost died. And they have Akaashi who knows where. " Kageyama growled, his scent spiking with fear and anger. Kei blanched at the reminder of how close he'd come to never opening his eyes again. Sugawara's scent changed as well, the calming lavender tinged with shared feelings of anxiety and fear. The older omega noticed the way Kei shuddered, his thumbs coming to a stop on his neck. There was a faint undertone of anger hidden deep beneath Sugawara's scent. Kei remembered now; Akaashi being taken had caused his drop. The omega was snatched as soon as his heat had started. Kei remembered screaming as they dragged his pack mate away, eyes burning with tears and heart slowly breaking the further away they took Akaashi. Perhaps his screaming was why his throat hurt so bad.

"I know, Tobio, I know."

Kei absolutely hated the way Sugawara's voice broke. Sugawara lifted from Kei's vision, causing the younger omega to panic for a second, but it was quickly quelled when Sugawara settled in on his right side, sitting with his back pushed against the wall. "If there was some way I could get us out of here, all of us, I would. I swear I would."

Sugawara had been like that for as long as Kei could remember. As the oldest, Sugawara always put the weight of them all on his shoulders. He watched over Kei and the others like a hawk, always making sure they ate first, that they had as much water as they needed, cleaning them up when they were too worn down to do it themselves, and when one of them would have night terrors Sugawara would be there, holding them and humming them back to sleep. There was more than one time that Sugawara had held Kei as the other sobbed, raking his fingers through blond hair and singing the softest lullaby. Sugawara was the closest thing Kei had to a parental figure; he didn't think he'd have made it this far without the support and strength of Sugawara.

A gentle prodding on his right side drew Kei's attention. As he turned his head, a blurry figure with blazing orange hair and a citrus scent came into sight. Hinata. 

"Are you okay?" Hinata's voice was barely there, his words hushed. Kei swiped his tongue over his lips before nodding, and warmth enveloped his side as Hinata scooted up and curled into him. Fingers fiddled with the dirty, ragged cloth of Kei's shirt, warm breath ghosting over his chest as Hinata spoke. 

"It was so scary, Tsukishima. You just… stopped speaking. And you dropped, just like that. We couldn't wake you up. And the alpha… he didn't care. He didn't care." Hinata spat the last sentence with as much venom as Kei figured he could muster. Kei swallowed and tentatively put an arm over Hinata's shoulder; moving it seemed foreign after it had stayed unused for so long. He tugged the citrus scented omega closer to his side. Hinata accepted the invitation and pushed his nose into Kei's side. 

"I'm alright," Kei said gruffly. "I survived." 

"But what if you hadn't?" The words were whispered so softly and with so much fear, as if speaking the words aloud would be enough to cause it to happen. 

Kei didn't want to answer Hinata's question. He didn't even know if he could. 

The loud creak of the hinges on the cellar door and the thunderous boom of the wood slamming against the wall startled Kei awake. Beside him, the other's began to rouse from their slumbers, startled just as Kei had been. Wooden stairs creaked as a heavy set Alpha entered the room, his stench practically burning the hairs in Kei's nose. Underlying the foul odor was one Kei recognized: the sweet scent of fresh green apples, interlaced with the sweet pheromones of the tail end of a heat. 

"Keiji," Sugawara breathed from beside him, his head leaving Kei's shoulder. Two blurry figures entered Kei's field of vision, one tall and overweight, while the other was much smaller with a mop of dark hair. Kei had very little time to prepare for the sudden weight that was thrown on top of him. The alpha had pushed Akaashi down on top of him, leaving him crumpled in Kei's lap. Immediately Kei's arms flew around the omega's ribs, letting the other bury his face in his stomach. 

"Keiji!" Sugawara gasped. The dark haired omega let out a small whine, his body practically crumpled on top of Kei. Even though Kei's vision was blurred, the dark blotches that marked Akaashi's pale neck and shoulders stuck out to him; whoever did this had had absolutely no mercy for the omega. Beside him Hinata shook, small whines escaping his throat as he tried to bury himself deeper into Kei's side. Fear radiated off of his packmate in waves.

Laughter bounced off the wall as the alpha shook something in front of the omegas. Narrowing his eyes Kei was able to make out what it was. A satchel of coins. 

"Fifty gold per night with yer sweet ass." The alpha barked, "you made me two hundred gold this week. Yer my little star now, omega!" 

The alpha's reek got stronger as he leaned down, arm outstretched as he ruffled Akaashi's hair. Kei recoiled inwardly from having the alpha's hand so close to him; Sugawara let out a shaky growl, his arm twitching as if he wanted to slap the alpha for laying a filthy hand on Akaashi.

"Ya better calm yerself there, omega. Yer too pretty to be getting bruised up. Marks make ya worth less." The alpha straightened up, still jingling the satchel of coins as he turned and walked away, the stairs creaking in protest as he climbed them. When the door had shut and the metal clink of the lock slipping into place confirmed the alpha had truly left, Kei turned his attention to Akaashi. 

"Akaashi, are you okay?" Kei asked, his only response being a whine. Sugawara leaned over, his hand laying on Akaashi's back. 

"He's still burning up." Sugawara said softly. "He's just now coming out of his heat. Stupid alphas, don't they know how dangerous it is to transport an omega who's still in heat?"

"They just don't care." Kageyama spat, coming to kneel in front of Kei, glaring at the marks that covered Akaashi's skin.  

"We need to lay him down on his back," Sugawara said, pulling away from Kei and crossing the small cellar. Kei heard shuffling and he watched Sugawara pull old blankets from the shelves. After giving the blankets a thorough shake the eldest omega layered them on top of each other on the stone floor. 

"Kei, Tobio, do you think you could carry him over here?" Sugawara asked, but before either could respond Akaashi spoke up in a croak, "I can move."

"Nonsense," Sugawara shut him down immediately, much like a mother would her child. "You'll let Kei and Tobio help you." The tone Sugawara used left no room for arguments. The silver haired omega looked at Kei. "Can you move alright?" He asked, and Kei nodded. His muscles had still felt a little weak when he'd caught Akaashi, but he could move his arms fairly well. Kei used all the strength he could muster to set Akaashi up, and Kageyama helped him to drag their packmate over to makeshift bed that Sugawara had set up for him. It took a bit of rearranging and awkward movements, but eventually Kei and Kageyama were able to lift Akaashi's shirt over his head and lay the other down on the blankets. 

Hinata, who had reluctantly moved away when Kei rose to his feet, still hovered near and gasped when he saw the bruises and bite marks littering Akaashi's porcelain skin. His scent soured and he whimpered. "Keiji-ni, are you okay?"

Akaashi opened his eyes to look at Hinata, giving the smaller boy a smile. Kei thought the smile might have looked painful, he really couldn't tell, but nonetheless it seemed to soothe the younger omega. "I'm fine," Akaashi said, his voice cracking a little. Sugawara shushed him, then turned to Hinata. 

"Shouyou, will you please bring me a bowl of water?" With a nod Shouyou rushed off, and Kei faintly registered the sound of the wooden dipping into the bucket of water at the corner of the cellar. The blond wasn't focused on that. He was focused on his packmate, trying his hardest to see through his blurry vision. Kei grabbed Akaashi's hand, twining their fingers together. The omega's hand was sweaty and calloused. The dark haired man gave Kei what he assumed was a smile and squeezed his hand back weakly. 

Hinata was back at his side, handing the bowl full of water to Sugawara. "Thank you, Shouyou." The eldest said gently. The sound of fabric ripping echoed on the walls as Sugawara tore a piece of his shirt off, dipping it in the water and wringing it out. Once it had been well wrung, Sugawara pressed the damp cloth to Akaashi's forehead. The omega softly sighed in content, the coldness of the water seeping through the heat on his skin. 

"Thank you, Sugawara." Akaashi's eyes fluttered, his grip on Kei's hand loosening slightly. Kei tensed, looking over to Sugawara. The order's scent wasn't panicked, and he continued to wet the rag and dab it on Akaashi's head to his chest. 

"He's fine," Sugawara stated. "He just needs to rest. By tonight his heat should be fully over, and then everything will be okay."

"Until they take one of us away again." Kageyama growled, with what Kei could only imagine was an angry scowl on his face. Sugawara ignored Kageyama's comment, but Kei picked up the faintest change in his scent. He was scared of it, too. 

Kei stayed beside Akaashi, looking at the other omega through his blurred vision. Kei hated not being able to see. His vision had been blurry since day one. Because of this Kei was always able to pick up the faintest scents and sounds, even ones that his packmates couldn't. It had saved them many times when they were trying to think of plans to escape; if they were ever caught planning they were brutally punished. 

Something prodded at his side and Kei looked over. Through his blurry vision he made out the vibrant orange of Hinata's hair underneath him. The smaller omega was seeking contact, his small frame pressed against Kei's bigger one. Kei relented and raised his arm, allowing the boy better access to him. Hinata pushed his nose into Kei's side, nuzzling him and letting out a very small purr. Kei wrapped his arm around the other, recoiling slightly at the tang of salty tears. 

"I wish we didn't have to do this anymore." Hinata whispered, his frame shaking as sobs started wracking from his body. Kei's instinct screamed at him to comfort the other. But what could Kei say? That everything was going to be okay? That one day they would get out of this damn cellar and live perfect lives?

No, that would never happen. They were stuck. 

And there was nothing Kei could do about it.

The worst thing about the cellar, in Kei's opinion, was the way it made the days blur together. Kei wasn't even sure how long they'd been in the cellar, or even if it was day or night at any given time. The only time he was able to even see the house above the cellar was when the alpha took him out to sell him to some knothead. 

Days could have passed, maybe even months, and Kei would never know. Occasionally he'd wonder about his family. Where were they now? Were they safe? Were they looking for him? Did they even remember him?

That was the other thing Kei hated about the cellar. It made him think. It made him remember. How happy he used to be, when it was him and his brother and his mother. The rough, calloused hands that grabbed him on that day, shoving him into the back of a horse drawn carriage. The way passerbys simply stared and didn't raise a finger to help. After all, he was an omega. This is what he was made for. To be a sex slave. 

"Tsukishima?" The soft voice startled Kei out of his thoughts, and the scent of fresh apples swirled over him. Kei instantly relaxed. It was Akaashi. After his rest prior, Akaashi had been much better. His energy was slowly coming back, and he talked more with his packmates now. He refused to explain what had happened during his heat; none of the others minded. After all, none of them liked sharing those stories and experiences.

"What is it, Akaashi?" Tsukishima asked, keeping his voice to a whisper, noticing the steady, even breathing around him. Everyone else was asleep. The apple scented omega sat down beside Kei, their arms brushing. Kei relished in the comforting heat that the other omega exuded. 

"You looked like you were thinking." Akaashi said, and Kei scoffed.

"I'm always thinking." 

And it was true. Kei was always watching, observing, thinking. What was that sound? What were the chances of the alpha accidentally leaving the door unlocked? And if so, what was the probability they could all escape without getting caught?

Each of those questions had the same answer: not likely. Kei was pretty hopeless about the chances of escape, but that didn't stop him from observing. From taking notes, storing them away in the slight chance that they were able to escape. 

"I know, but you were crying." Akaashi stated, and Kei started. He raised a hand to his cheek, and sure enough there was wetness there. Kei wiped his cheeks harshly to get rid of the tear stains. 

"I didn't realize that." Kei said, trying to revert back to his natural defense mechanism: stoicism. Kei felt a subtle weight against his side. Akaashi had leaned further into him, his way of expressing a gesture of comfort. Thankfully, he didn't ask what Kei was thinking about, so Kei stayed silent. Akaashi never asked about things, he simply offered his comfort. 

A silence hung over the two, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was more of an understanding silence, one of many that they've shared. A moment to just bask in the other's presence. At least the Alpha gave them all that; each other. 

A distant rumble made Kei tense. 

"Did you hear that?" He murmured to Akaashi, but didn't receive a response. Kei turned, and realized that Akaashi had fallen asleep against him, his soft, even breaths coaxing Kei back into a very tense relaxation. 

Kei closed his eyes, listening carefully to Akaashi's breathing, trying his best to mimic it. But something was gnawing at him; a terrible feeling had crept into his gut, icy claws of anxiety gripping his heart. Something was wrong.

Kei's eyes snapped open as another rumble sounded, louder and closer than the rest. Thunder, Kei realized. It was thundering. And it was loud. Even from the cellar he could hear the rain pounding against the roof of the house. 

Another clap of thunder roared across the sky, so loud it seemed to shake even the cellar. Hinata jumped up from his spot next to Kageyama, a small shriek leaving his throat. Kei hissed at him to be quiet. 

"It's just thunder!" Kei said, his voice rousing Akaashi from his sleep. 

"What's going on–" another loud clap of thunder cut off Akaashi's question, causing Hinata to jump again. Hinata's scent was spiked with panic, his breathing labored. 

"It's so loud!" The omega wailed. Kageyama bolted upright, his scent also spiking when he noticed Hinata's distress. 

"What is it?!" Kageyama yelled, but his question was drowned out by more thunder. The storm was beginning to rage outside, rain pelting the roof hard enough for the sound to echo in the cellar. 

"Everyone, just calm down!" Sugawara's voice rose above the panicked wails, and the omegas fell silent. Sugawara's lavender scent permeated the air, relaxing the pack until the only sounds were Hinata's sniffles and the storm outside. 

Kei prayed to every being out there that the alpha had not heard Hinata's pitiful wailing. If he was woken in the middle of the night they'd all probably receive a beating they wouldn't easily forget. 

Kei registered that Akaashi was gripping his bicep tightly, his breathing uneven. Kei remembered that Akaashi hated storms. Swallowing, Kei began to purr low in his chest, hoping the sound would calm Akaashi. It seemed to be working. Akaashi's grip on his bicep began to relax, his breathing slowly returning to normal. Akaashi looked at him, opening his mouth to say something—

SLAM!

Everyone in the cellar jumped, heads whipping to the door. The cellar was soon filled with angry alpha pheromones. Kei whimpered and put his head down, all his instincts screaming at him to submit. 

"What the hell was all that racket?!" The alpha yelled. 

A bit slow on the uptake, aren't you? Kei thought snarkily, but he didn't dare voice it. The alpha was pissed. 

Beady eyes glared at all the omegas in the cellar, eerily silent except for the sounds of the storm outside. Another clap of thunder shook the cellar and Hinata let out a yelp. The alpha's head snapped over to him and he advanced on the small omega. 

"It was you, wasn't it? You squabbling little shit!" The alpha snarled. The alpha towered over Hinata, ripping a sob from the small boy. 

"I-I'm sorry, alpha! Please–" Hinata was cut off when a hand struck his cheek, the sickening smack reverberating through the room. Kei's stomach flipped as he saw the blurry image of Hinata sprawling across the floor. The alpha once again advanced on the small omega. 

Crack after crack, sob after sob echoed through the room as the alpha descended on Hinata. 

"Stop it! You're going to kill him!" Sugawara wailed, throwing himself at the alpha. Kei ripped himself from his reverie and looked around helplessly. Kageyama joined Sugawara as he tried desperately to pull the Alpha away from Hinata. The alpha snarled and rounded on the two omegas. Drawing his fist back he punched Kageyama, sending the taller omega stumbling. A sob was ripped from Sugawara at the action. 

The tang of blood wafted into the air. Whether it was coming from Kageyama or Hinata, Kei didn't know. Scrambled and frantic, Kei looked for anything to help. The air was heavy with panic and blood, distress rolling from every omega in the cellar. 

Finally, through his blurry vision he saw it. A plank of wood. Scrambling to his feet Kei raced over to it and grabbed it. The alpha's was turned to Kei as he advanced on Kageyama. Gripping the plank Kei ran at the alpha, trying his best to aim through his blurry vision and swung the plank as hard as he could. 

A sickening crunch sounded through the cellar and the alpha fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Kei was breathing heavily, eyes wide as he stared at the limp body of the alpha. The wails of distress had died down, and the room was again quiet. 

"Is he...dead?" Akaashi's voice sounded from the corner. 

Kei's eyes never left the alpha. He didn't move, and through his blurred vision he saw the trickle of crimson on the stone floor. Sugawara was the first to break from his reverie. 

"Shouyou!" He wailed, running over to the other omega and running his hands along him. 

"I'm okay," Hinata gasped, and Kei felt the tension release from his body. He's alive. He dropped the plank on the ground, falling to his knees. Now that his adrenaline rush was over, Kei felt exhausted. Behind him, Sugawara was coaxing Hinata up. "It's okay, it's over. Slowly now. That's it…"

"Hey," Kageyama said, grabbing Kei's attention. His eyes were fixed on the other side of the room, his scent starting to spark with excitement. 

"The door. It's open."

Chapter Text

Kageyama's words seemed to merely pass right through Kei's ears, and even though he was staring at the open door of the cellar, the only thing his mind could focus on was the limp body in front of him and the overwhelming stench of blood. Bile rose in Kei's throat as the realization dawned on him.

I just killed somebody! I'm a murderer!

Anxiety clawed at Kei's throat like a ravenous beast; giant paws crushing his windpipe and making it difficult to breathe. Kei's nostrils flared as he tried to get air in, but all he could smell was the blood, sending him spiraling into further panic. Black dots were beginning to decorate his blurry vision, and Kei realized that if he didn't get air soon he was going to die, too. Desperately, Kei brought his hands up to pry the giant paw away from his throat, but it wouldn't budge. A heavy fog settled in his mind, his vision slowly going black.

Lavender overpowered the stench of copper, and Kei was pulled into the warmth of another. "Shh, Kei, it's okay," Sugawara's voice cut through the haze of the fog, and it was only then that Kei could hear the sobs that were tearing through his own throat. Desperately, Kei clutched at Sugawara's sides, shoving his face into the older omega's chest. Confusion muddled Kei's mind. Why was Sugawara comforting him? He should hate him, or be frightened of him. Why was he acting like it was okay?

"I killed him!" Kei sobbed, his body wracking as each mournful sound was torn from him. Cool fingers thread through his hair as Sugawara pulled him further into his vibrating chest. Why aren't you angry at me? Kei asked himself, feeling an intense hatred for his own actions boiling at the bottom of his soul. But Sugawara never pulled away; he just kept purring, nuzzling the top of Kei's head with his chin. The comforting sound of his purrs was soon all Kei could hear aside from his own sniffling.

"It's okay, Kei. You did what you had to." Sugawara said, the words rumbling from his chest gently. No, I shouldn't have killed him. "No one is angry with you." More softly the omega added, "no one blames you." Someone should!

Slowly, the fog that had gathered in Kei's mind was lifting. He was becoming more aware of his surroundings now. Kageyama was standing next to the cellar steps, and though Kei couldn't see them, he could feel the worried glances the other was sending him. Hinata was sitting upright with Akaashi beside him; Kei could hear the small whimpers of pain the other was making, but the most obvious thing about the omega was his citrine scent tinged with worry. Akaashi was staring at him, Kei could feel it; the gaze was sympathetic. Kei hated it.

"I'm fine," he murmured as he pulled away from Sugawara, his body immediately screaming at him to go back and relish in the safety that the older omega brought. But how could he, after what he did? Did he even deserve Sugawara's comfort? "I'm fine." Kei repeated, more firmly this time, as if he was trying to convince himself as well as his packmates.

Kei stood on wobbly legs, head whirling as he found his center of gravity. Sugawara stood as well, but kept a cool hand wrapped around Kei's bicep, keeping the disoriented omega steady. Kei was grateful for the support, because when he glanced down he was hit with another strong wave of nausea as he spotted the blurry body on the floor.

"Don't look at it," Sugawara said gently, running his hand up and down Kei's arm. "Just come on. I'll lead you to the door. We have to get out of here." Before the body is discovered. The word's weren't spoken aloud, but Kei knew they were running through the eldest's head as well. Regardless of the fact that they had been trapped in a cellar by the alpha, murder was still a very punishable crime; and if the royal soldiers found five omegas near a dead body, with one of them near the murder weapon, they wouldn't listen to their story. They'd be beheaded faster than they could blink.

"Keiji, can you help Shouyou?" Sugawara questioned, nodding to the dark haired omega.

"Yes, I can-" Akaashi was cut off as Hinata piped up in a pained voice. "I can move myself!" 

"Nonsense." Sugawara said flatly, "You are in too much pain. Keiji will help you." His tone left no room for argument. Sugawara nodded to Kageyama, motioning towards the stairs.

"Can you check that no one is up there? But be careful!" Sugawara had barely gotten his warning out before Kageyama bolted up the stairs, his scent full of anticipation. No fear scent met Kei's nose, signaling that Kageyama must not have met any trouble. Kei's thoughts were confirmed when Kageyama returned moments later, panting.

"There's no one up there. But if we want to go outside, we need to hurry. The storm is getting worse." A loud crack of thunder shook the cellar, punctuating Kageyama's statement.

"Okay, now that we know the situation, we need to form some sort of plan. I've only been outside the house a handful of times, so our surroundings are pretty much a mystery to me." Sugawara said, his voice firm and commanding. "I know the alpha has two horses, and a carriage. I'm pretty sure they're in a barn."

Kei shuddered at the mention of the alpha, and his eyes flitted once more to the body on the cellar floor. He immediately ripped his eyes from it, closing his lids tightly and fighting down the bile that rose to the back of his throat. 

"Okay, here's the plan." Sugawara said after a moment's silence. "We will all go upstairs together. Keiji, I want you to look around the house for anything we could use; blankets, food, maybe some coin if the alpha left any. Tobio and I will go outside to look for the barn. Kei," at the mention of his name Kei opened his eyes to gaze to Sugawara. "You'll stay inside with Shouyou. He will need someone to help him stay up."

Kei nodded tersely, but inside he was frustrated and a little shocked. Didn't that fact that Kei had literally just killed someone affect Sugawara? Shouldn't he be frightened, or feeling just like Kei, and not doling out orders as if everything was normal?

But maybe that's just how Sugawara is handling it himself, Kei thought. Sugawara was the oldest, and therefore probably wanted to stay strong to inspire and comfort the other omegas. But even if that was the case, he should be at least a little spiffed. After all, he just witnessed a murder, a murder committed by one of his closest friends at that. How could anyone walk away from that feeling normal?

Sugawara's voice broke Kei from his thoughts. "Keiji, Tobio, help Shouyou up the steps. Kei and I will be right behind you." Kei watched as Akaashi and Kageyama half dragged, half guided Hinata to the steps, their blurry figures barely outlined in the dark. Sugawara pulled softly on Kei's wrist, leading him away from the body in the center of the room to the rickety steps of the staircase. Honeysuckle, fresh apples, and citrus invaded his nose as they came to a close stop behind the other three omegas.

"Careful now," Akaashi murmured to Hinata, "we're at the first step." As gently as they could, Akaashi and Kageyama helped Hinata up the first step, then the second and soon they had passed the third and were stepping through the threshold of the cellar and the house. Sugawara stepped up onto the first step, and warned Kei, "Careful now, it's about four inches from the ground."

"I know." Kei snapped, narrowing his eyes and raising his foot. To his relief, it made impact with solid wood, and creaked as he lifted his second foot to join the first. Each step was only a few inches above the other, and Kei was able to climb all three in less than a minute.

"Good job." Sugawara said warmly, but Kei ignored him and instead lumbered past, pretending he didn't notice the way Sugawara's scent soured slightly with pain. The heavy scent of rain and wet wood was in the air, and Kei realized that there must have been a leak somewhere in the house; a steady dripping could barely be heard over the sound of the storm, somewhere to Kei's right.

"Alright," Sugawara said, clapping his hands together. His tone was clipped, the smile he no doubt had on his face probably more forced than natural. "Keiji, Tobio, set Shouyou down on one of those chairs. He needs some rest."

There was some shuffling followed by a huff of air. "That's so much better!" Hinata exclaimed, though his words sounded muffled. Perhaps his jaw was swollen from where the alpha had knocked a tooth out. Kei hoped the wound wouldn't get infected; unless the alpha had some sort of antidote hidden away, they would have no way of treating an infected wound.

"Tobio and I will go search for the barn. Right now, we're the two healthiest candidates for that sort of thing." Kei blanched, knowing that Sugawara was referring to not only Akaashi's still heat-weakened state and Hinata's injuries, but Kei's vision as well. "Keiji, just as we discussed, you'll search the cabin for anything useful. Blankets, medicine, food, and especially coins."

Keiji made a noise of affirmation, and Kei felt the slight brush of skin against his as Keiji passed. There was the smallest scent of green apples, and Kei realized that the other omega must have sensed his discontent and was trying to soothe him.

It won't work, Kei thought bitterly. Nothing will work. Not now. Not after what I've done.

Koushi glanced around the house. He could only make out faint figures in the dark; a table there, windows here, a vase of flowers on a bedside table, and the bed. The bed. Koushi suppressed a shiver, swallowing and shaking his head to clear it. He had more important things to do: he had to get his pack to safety. The storm outside had grown stronger, the wind now whistling against the corners of the house and the lapses between the thunder growing shorter. It irked Koushi in so many ways; if they didn't get somewhere safe soon, they would have to who knows how long for the storm to subside.

What irked Koushi the most was Tsukishima's sudden mood. The omega was usually aloof and distant, but he had never snapped at Koushi like that. Koushi thought he could understand; Tsukishima had taken the biggest risk to save everyone, and in turn committed an atrocious crime. But he did so to protect, not out of cold blood. Koushi knew the situation was troubling Tsukishima, but for once, the oldest of the pack was unsure of how to help the blond through it. He wanted to whine and tear his own hair out; but he had to remain strong, for everyone.

"Tobio," he called, catching the younger's attention. "Come with me, we have to find the barn."

Kageyama nodded, and together the omegas approached the door. Koushi gave it a weary glance; the wind was so strong that the door itself was rocking on its hinges, looking more and more unstable the longer he stared. Taking a deep breath, Koushi grabbed the handle of the door and pulled down, then had to immediately let go when the wind ripped the door all the way open, the wood slamming loudly against the wall outside. A yelp sounded from behind him. Koushi whipped his head around, trying his best to release his scent.

"It's okay, Shouyou, it was just the door!" Koushi had to raise his voice slightly to be heard over the strong wind and rain, which was louder now that the door was open. Hinata answered with a whimper, croaking out, "please be careful!"

Koushi smiled at the younger omega, but knew he probably couldn't see it. Hinata's words had warmed his heart, but he was still struggling with how to deal with Tsukishima. Ever since the other omegas came into his life, he tried his best to protect them. There was only so much he could do about the physical abuse they suffered, but he did his best to protect their emotional wellbeing. Knowing one of his packmates was struggling, and that he couldn't help, was tearing Koushi from the inside. 

Trying his best to push the feeling of being a failure to the back of his mind, Koushi instead focused on assessing the conditions outside. The rain was pelting down heavily, thunder rolling in the sky and flashes of lightning striking every so often. Narrowing his eyes, Koushi thought he could make out the outline of the barn several yards away. 

"I'm going to go first," Koushi told Kageyama, waiting until the other nodded before he continued. "Once I'm outside I'll give you the signal and you can come out, too."

Koushi took a deep breath. You've got this, Koushi. He tried to tell himself, but anxiety and uncertainty still gnawed annoyingly at the corner of his consciousness. Steeling himself, Koushi stepped outside.

Within seconds the rain had soaked his clothes, making them stick uncomfortably to his skin. Koushi's hair plastered itself to his forehead, his bangs hanging in his face and making it difficult to see. Koushi used his hand to wipe the hair out of his eyes. The wind howled around him, cutting through to his bones. He suppressed a shiver. 

The rain was heavy and the wind was biting, but Koushi found that he could still stand just fine, even when a strong gust of wind threatened to carry him off of his feet. He deemed the conditions safe enough, so he turned back to the door and called to the omega waiting just inside. 

"Okay, it's safe. Come on out, but be careful, you'll get soaked and it's really cold." Kageyama nodded and stepped out. Just like Koushi, he was soaked instantly and his teeth chattered. Kageyama brought his hands up and wrapped his chest, trying feebly to stay warm. 

"We'll go into the barn and scope it out. Make sure it's stable enough to be inside. Then we'll clear a spot for the others to come in."

Kageyama may have nodded, but Koushi couldn't tell exactly because the rain was distorting the other's figure. Koushi looked towards the barn, it's online faint. A strike of lightning lit up the area, and Koushi could see the barn clearly for a mere second. Even so, the second was enough for Koushi to see that the barn was in very good shape, and thankfully not too far from the house itself. Koushi put one foot in front of the other, carefully beginning to trek to the barn. Kageyama's footsteps sounded behind him, assuring him that the other was following. 

Koushi ignored the biting cold that wore him down to his bones, and the weight of his soaked shirt on his shoulder, and instead focused on his one goal: getting his pack to safety. They were all that mattered. 

They reached the barn sooner than Koushi expected. Koushi put his hands against the wooden wall, pushing in gently. It was dark outside, and nearly impossible to see where the door was, so the only option was to amble along the wall and push until it gave way. Koushi gestured to the other side of the barn, "Check along that side of the barn. Run your hands along the wall and push every so often. Tell me if you happen to find the door." Koushi had to raise his voice slightly so Kageyama could hear him, and the omega made an affirmative sound. His retreating footsteps told Koushi that the other had followed the order.

Koushi stamped down the small trickle of anxiety at the fact that Kageyama was out of his sight and continued his search for the door. His frustration grew with each portion of wood that didn't budge under his hands; it felt like he was about to explode until he heard Kageyama's voice from somewhere to his right.

"I found it! The door is here!" 

Koushi pushed himself from the wall, blinking away rain that had trickled into his eyes. He met up with Kageyama about five or six feet from his original position. A flash of lightning revealed a shiny silver chain and lock wrapped around the barn door. 

"Dammit." Koushi swore, yanking hard on the chain in frustration. "Of course it would be locked!" 

"There might be another way in," Kageyama piped, "maybe a window or another door." 

Koushi shook his head, tears pricking at his eyes. First he witnessed an alpha nearly beating one of his packmates to death, then witnessed another packmate murder that alpha, and now the only safe place he could find for them was locked?! 

A cold hand slipped inside his. Kageyama nosed his cheek, his soft honeysuckle scent wrapping around the distressed omega. Koushi felt the tension slipping from his shoulders, letting them sag.

"It's going to be okay." Kageyama said the words with so much strength that Koushi couldn't help but believe them. He swallowed and nodded, giving Kageyama's hand a tender squeeze. 

"Yeah, we'll get in this barn someway." Feeling stronger now, his mind clear, Koushi dropped the lock. "Let's go find a window. We'll break it if we have to."

What's the point of this anyway? Kei thought bitterly, listening to the shuffling sounds as Akaashi stuffed multiple things into a fabric sack he'd found. Even if we get out of here, we're omegas. We'd never make it out there. And once the soldiers find the body, it won't take them long to link us to it.  

Kei shuddered, his scowl deepening. That damn alpha. Why did it have to end like this? Even if the authorities didn't immediately find him and incarcerate him, what kind of life would he have? He'd always be looking over his shoulders; not just for alphas, but for soldiers as well.

"Tsukishima," Kei was broken from his stupor by Akaashi's calm voice. With his blurry vision he could barely make out the sight of Akaashi in front of him, the other holding something out to him. Taking a sniff, Kei realized it was bread. 

"Eat this. You'll need it." Kei wanted to reject him. He wanted to push the bread away, but the scent had his stomach grumbling and his mouth watering. He didn't even realize how hungry he was; how long had it been since he ate: two, three days? Kei didn't even know. 

Gingerly Kei grabbed the bread from Akaashi. Some of it crumbled in his hands, little scraps falling onto the floor. Kei brought the bread to his lips and bit, the bland flavor soaking into his tongue. The bread was stale, but thankfully not moldy. Each bite he took had Kei's stomach screaming for more, but he stopped himself after four of five bites and pushed it back into Akaashi's hand. 

"You and Hinata need to eat some, too." He stated simply, and thankfully Akaashi didn't argue with him. The omega's fresh apple scent faded slightly as he approached Hinata. Hinata accepted the bread from Akaashi with a small, "thank you so much!" 

Kei glanced around at his blurry surroundings. The storm was still raging, the inside of the house becoming colder the longer the door stayed open. How long had Sugawara and Kageyama been gone? When would they be back? Had they met trouble out there?

Kei pushed away the thought, trying to reason with his growing anxiety. If they had encountered anything, surely they would call for help. Then again, the storm was so loud out there, and the barn was who knows how far from the house. If they did call for help, would Kei be able to hear them, even with his increased hearing?

Kei's anxieties were put to rest when the scents of Sugawara and Kageyama announced their return. Rain and wind mingled with their scents, and Kei could also make out another scent; one of copper. 

Was that...blood?

"Sugawara, what happened to your hand?" Akaashi asked, shock clear in his voice. 

"It doesn't matter. It's just my hand." Sugawara said, sounding a little breathless. "We found the barn, but the door was locked, so we had to bust open a window." 

Kei's eyes widened fractionally. Sugawara punched a window? A sudden pang of guilt stabbed Kei; he had been so rude to Sugawara earlier. Kei pushed the feeling away and rose from his seat, using his hands to guide him and avoid any objects. 

"So then the barn is safe?" Kei asked, coming to stand beside Akaashi. He ignored the way his stomach rolled at the scent of blood. Now that he was in front of Sugawara he could smell the blood more strongly. 

"Yes," Sugawara said. "Tobio and I looked inside. The horses are in there, and there's a wagon–"

"Then why are we standing here?" Kei snapped, interrupting Sugawara. He ignored the pang of frustration he felt from the other. "We need to get Hinata to the barn so that he can rest. He's falling asleep over there." 

There was the sound of shuffling, and Hinata spoke, "I am not!" But his voice was groggy, as if he just woke up. 

"Okay," Sugawara huffed, and though Kei couldn't see him he could imagine that the omega had his hands on his hips. "Keiji, Tobio, you guys help Shouyou. I'll lead the way."

There was some shuffling and a couple of grunts, but soon all five omegas were on their way to the barn. Cold tore through the thin fabric of Kei's shirt as he exited the house, rain immediately plastering his hair and shirt to his skin. Thunder boomed in the sky, lightning flashing overhead. Hinata yelped, and Sugawara cooed to him. 

Kei ambled behind the others, narrowing his eyes to keep the rain out of them. His heart was thundering in his chest; he felt even more helpless than ever. Not only was it dark, but it was raining, a condition in which Kei had never traversed in. A cold hand wrapped around his wrist, pulling him forward gently. Kei was so focused on staying upright that he hadn't even noticed Sugawara until just then, his lavender scent barely discernible through the rain and mud. 

Kei let Sugawara guide him, the other omega strangely silent as he did so. Another sharp stab of guilt ran through Kei. Sugawara gently squeezed his wrist, a signal to stop. 

"How are we supposed to get Hinata in there?" Akaashi questioned, and Kei assumed they must have arrived at the barn. 

"The window is pretty low to the ground," Sugawara answered, letting go of Kei's wrist. Kei ignored the pang of loss he felt when the contact was lost. "Tobio will go through first. I managed to get most of the glass out so we should slide in with no problem. After Tobio is in we will lift Shouyou up and through. Okay, Tobio, go ahead."

Over the sound of thundering rain Kei heard Kageyama grunt a few times, as well as the sound of wood being impacted, and then a thump as Kageyama landed on the other side. "Okay, I'm in. Send Hinata through."

Sugawara cooed to Hinata as he and Akaashi pushed him up. Hinata let out a few pained groans, but after a few minutes there was another thump signaling the younger omega had also crossed into the barn. 

"Kei, your turn." Sugawara said, grabbing his wrist again. Kei was pulled closer, and Sugawara instructed him to put his hands out in front of him. "The window is right in front of you. Watch for the glass."

Kei nodded and took a deep breath, following Sugawara's instructions. He reached his hands out gingerly, and just as Sugawara had said, the windowsill was right there. Kei squeezed his hands tightly on it, ignoring the pinpricks of glass against his palms. With all the strength he could muster, Kei lifted himself up and leaned forward. As his torso poked through the window, hands grabbed his armpits and started pulling gently. "Come on, use your legs too." Kageyama grunted, and Kei scrambled his legs against the barn wall. Soon he was through the window, and his feet met solid ground. Kei straightened, feeling slightly nauseated as he tried to gain his bearings again.

The other two omegas slipped through the window after him. Lavender surrounded him and Kei's heart instantly began to slow down. 

"Okay, we're all here. Keiji, you brought the bag, right? Good." 

There was a huffing sound, and Kei froze. A strange scent filled his nostrils; it smelled of feces and fur. 

"Don't worry, it's just the horses. In the morning I will rope them to the wagon. We can use that to get off the property." Sugawara explained. "But first, we need to rest. It's been a long night."

Kei didn't realize just how tired he was until Sugawara had mentioned the notion of rest. His lips split into a large yawn, and his body felt heavy with exhaustion. Small snores could already be heard from Hinata, signaling he was already asleep. 

"Keiji, did you grab some blankets?"

There was a shuffling noise, then the sound of a blanket being shaken out. "This is pretty soft. Here, put it on Hinata." 

Though the barn was definitely warmer and drier than outside, there was still a draft in the barn. The little bit of wind felt like an icy dagger to Kei's wet skin. A lush fabric was suddenly shoved in his hand. 

"Here, a blanket for you." Sugawara said. Kei opened his mouth to thank him, but Sugawara was already walking away and handing the other omegas blankets too. Kei felt a sharp stab of pain in his heart. Had he severed the bond he and Sugawara had?

It doesn't matter, Kei thought bitterly. It's better that way, anyway.

Kei heard the other omegas settling down, throwing the blankets over themselves. Kei gripped his blanket tightly, wandering over with his hand in front of him. He walked until he felt the solid wall against his palm. Turning, Kei pressed his back against it and slid down, sitting upright against the wall. He covered himself with the soft fleece of the blanket. Kei closed his eyes and let the sound of his packmates sleeping and his own exhaustion take him away into darkness. 

Voices. That's all Kei could hear. The voices spoke softly, and Kei couldn't make out what they were saying. 

"Who are you?!" Kei screamed, turning around in circles as he tried to pinpoint the direction they were coming from. 

"Where are you?!" 

Kei realized with a jolt that the voices weren't coming from one specific place; they were coming from all directions! Kei walked forward, heart thundering in his chest. The voices were getting louder and louder, but the words were still indiscernible. 

"Omega." The single word was spat, and Kei whipped around, only to come face to face with the alpha. Kei opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The alpha's hands flung up, his hands wrapping around Kei's neck in a bruising hold. Kei's hands shot up, grabbing at the alpha's hands desperately. The voices came to an abrupt stop.  

"Please." Kei whimpered, salty tears burgeoning in the corners of his eyes. 

Suddenly, there was a sickening crunch, and the alpha's hands left his throat. Kei stumbled backwards as the burly alpha fell forward. There was a large, gaping wound in the back of the alpha's head, a stream of blood flowing onto the ground. The voices once again started speaking. A single word was being chanted. 

"Murderer!"

The more the word was repeated, the more familiar the voices became. 

"Murderer! Murderer!" 

They were his packmates' voices.

"No," Kei whimpered, trembling. "No!" 

A voice rang above them all. It was Sugawara's!

Kei fell to the ground, hands covering his ears as the voices continued to chant that horrible word. 

"Murderer! You're a murderer, Kei!"

"No!" Kei screamed, shooting upright. Kei crumpled into a ball, hands pulling at his hair as he rocked back and forth. Sweet lavender surrounded him, and he was being pulled into a warm embrace. 

"Shh, Kei, it's okay. You're okay." Sugawara's angelic voice murmured in his ear. A sob wracked through Kei, tears staining his cheeks as he continued to rock.

"I'm a murderer!" Kei shouted, his throat feeling raw and sore. Hands smoothed down his back, fingers tracing his spine, warm breath against his cheek. 

"Kei, you're not a murderer. You saved us." Sugawara's words only caused Kei to sob harder. How could such a heinous act be considered a way of saving someone? What Kei did was wrong! Why couldn't Sugawara see that?

Kei released his hair and roughly pushed Sugawara away. The omegas figure was much clearer thanks to the light that trickled into the barn. 

"No, you don't understand!" Kei screamed, slapping away Sugawara's hand when the omega tried to grab him again. "Don't touch me!"

Sugawara's scent soured, and Kei could sense the anger that suddenly surged through the omega. 

"Fine, Kei. You win." Sugawara said angrily, standing up and turning his back on the omega. Kei watched his blurry figure retreating to the other side of the barn, a pang of guilt and sadness settling deep in his belly. Kei could feel the stares of the others in the barn, but he ignored them, just as he ignored the sour scent that hung heavy around him. 

The barn was quiet, and Kei could swear he heard the faint sound of concealed sobs. Kei struggled to focus on it, but instead another sound reached his ears. It was a rhythmic pounding, getting closer to them. He was about to ask if anyone else had heard them, but Hinata spoke up suddenly. 

"Soldiers! There's soldiers outside!"

Chapter Text

Koushi snapped his head up at Hinata's exclamation, wiping his tears against his wrists. His heart palpitating rapidly, he stormed to Hinata's side, peeking out of the window. Just as Hinata had said, there were soldiers lined up outside the storm-tattered cabin; soldiers equipped with spears and donned in armor. With his mind zeroed in on the goal of keeping his packmate safe Koushi gripped Hinata's shirt and pulled him from the window, the smaller omega losing his balance and falling ungracefully to the floor with a small "oomf!"

Feeling slightly guilty but too focused on the problem at hand, Koushi surveyed the situation. There were four guards in front of the cabin, and one at the door, which had been forced open by the powerful wind. To the left were five well groomed horses tied to the hitching posts just outside the cabin, grazing peacefully on the slightly overgrown grass. How did they find us so fast? Koushi wondered fretfully. Surely the news couldn't have spread that fast?

"Someone must have alerted them." Akaashi's calm voice piped from somewhere behind Koushi, almost as if the other had read his mind. "Maybe someone visited in the night and found the body." Koushi swallowed, pain and fear gripping his heart firmly; in the back of his mind Koushi thought of Tsukishima, and wondered how he was feeling at the very moment. As much as his conscience screamed at him to check on his ailing packmate, Koushi knew he had to focus purely on getting everyone out of the barn and as far away from the soldiers as possible.  

"There's no way that could have happened!" Hinata exclaimed. "There's only a select few people who knew of the Alpha's place, and if there was a potential buyer he would have told us beforehand. None of us had appointments scheduled!" Logically, Koushi knew Hinata was right. There were no 'surprise visits' from clients allowed by the Alpha, and when one of them was to be sold out for a night the Alpha would tell them a day in advance. But the presence of the soldiers told a different story; there had to have been some sort of lead, otherwise they wouldn't be there now. 

Steeling himself, Koushi stepped away from the window, holding his arm out to prevent Hinata from peeking through again. Turning to his packmates, he took in their conditions. Tsukishima was still on the dusty ground, knees drawn up to his chest and arms folded; his gaze was now lifted, Koushi noted, and he seemed to be paying more attention. Akaashi was crouched beside Tsukishima, an arm wrapped around his middle protectively; he was attentively gazing at Koushi, silently awaiting his next move. Kageyama was in the corner of the barn, his eyes switching frantically from Koushi to the window. Hinata was only a few feet from Koushi, buzzing with what he could only assume was excitement, seeing as he could scent no fear from the younger omega.

Taking a deep breath, Koushi began speaking. "As of right now, I don't have a plan. But what I do know is that those soldiers are going to enter that cabin and find the Alpha's body" - Koushi tried to ignore the way Tsukishima flinched- "and then they will start searching the property. It won't be long until they find us." Glancing around, Koushi took note of everything in the barn. "As far as the wagon goes, it's a no go. There's no way we'd have time to tie the horses to it before the soldiers come; putting that aside, getting the wagon out of the barn without being noticed would be impossible. That's why we need to put our heads together and think of something." Koushi glanced behind him at the window, taking note that the four soldiers were still stationed outside, then turned back to his packmates. "And we need to think fast."

It was silent in the barn, apprehension and fear laced into the atmosphere. No one spoke for a minute, until Hinata threw out a suggestion. "Why don't we just take their horses?" He asked, pointing towards the window.

Koushi stared at Hinata with his mouth agape; looking around, he noticed the others seemed to have similar bewildered expressions as well.

"And just how do you expect us to do that without getting caught?!" Kageyama quipped at Hinata, who merely shrugged. 

"Easy." He said. "We wait until they're all in the house, and we snag the horses." 

Kageyama scoffed. "Sure, real easy. We'll just wait for them to all enter the house, because that's something they'd definitely do, then waltz up there and mount their horses without them noticing, and ride off into the sunset. Never mind the fact that the horses are tied up and that none of us even know how to ride a horse!"

Hinata's mouth opened and closed, slightly flustered, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't think of any kind of objection to Kageyama's logic. "Well, I don't see you coming up with any plans, either, genius!" Is what he finally settled on, his hands balled up into fists at his sides. Panic spiked through Koushi as their voices began to raise, and he held his hands out to shush them.

"Stop it, you two! If you start yelling you'll draw their attention." Koushi whispered harshly, flicking his head back to look at the guards. Thankfully, they hadn't given any sort of indication that they'd heard them. Koushi let his shoulders sag slightly. Silence settled over the barn, tension still thick in the air. Kageyama and Hinata glared at each other, but neither made a sound.

"I do." Akaashi suddenly said, capturing the attention of the others. "I know how to ride a horse." He clarified upon seeing their confusion. Kageyama threw his hands up. 

"Okay, so Hinata's half-baked plan might work, seeing as we have one person who knows how to ride a horse; which still doesn't fully give us a solution to how we all can get away." Hinata opened his mouth to retort to Kageyama, but Akaashi beat him to it.

"Riding a horse isn't hard. Plus, those are soldier's horses. They are well trained. I can give all of you a rundown on how to mount a horse and ride one. It won't be easy, and the plan is definitely a bit half-baked, but it's one of the best chances we have if we want to get out of here fast."

"Wouldn't it be safer to just go on foot?" Tsukishima finally spoke, his voice clear but distant. Koushi felt slightly relieved that Tsukishima was finally talking, but it was dampened by the still glazed look in his eyes. Koushi shook his head, his fingernails digging into his sweaty palms.

"No, they would just follow our scent trail. And with them being on horses, they'd easily be able to catch up to us when we're on foot." Tsukishima's eyes fell back to the ground, his shoulders drawn in. Koushi felt the strong urge to comfort Tsukishima, but he didn't have the time. He had to think of a plan. Koushi pursed his lips. 

Logically, Koushi knew the horses would be the best option. Not only would they offer them a fast getaway, but it would also delay the soldiers' pursuit of them by removing their means of fast travel. But, that plan would end up having too many steps. First they would have to climb through the window while simultaneously keeping an eye on the cabin to make sure the soldiers wouldn't catch them. Second, they'd have to untie the horses from the posts, and seeing as Akaashi was the only one of them who seemed to have knowledge about horses, he'd have to take the time to untie them, and simultaneously explain to them how to mount and ride. But if they were to get caught...not only would they be charged with murder, but attempted theft of royal property. No, Koushi couldn't let that happen.

Think, Koushi, think! Koushi looked around, desperately praying that there would be something to spark an idea within him. Meanwhile, Akaashi had risen from his place beside Tsukishima and stood at the window, watching. 

Escaping on foot would be foolish, and trying to take the horses won't work. Getting out of this barn will essentially be impossible. Koushi thought bitterly. An idea suddenly popped into his head, and he let out a silent gasp. Of course! What if they didn't have to leave the barn, but rather, stay in it? Koushi's eyes flitted around the barn– up, there's a loft – to the right and straight, the doors – to the left, the horses – that's it! Koushi clapped his hands together, his heart lifting. 

"I've got a plan!"

Keiji tore his eyes away from the soldiers to give Sugawara his attention. His heart leaped in his chest, his mind less frazzled. His eyes flitted to his companions, who were also looking at Sugawara expectantly. 

Sugawara took a deep breath and wrung his hands together. A little bashful, he began to explain. "You guys are probably not going to like it, but…I really think it's our best option." Keiji straightened, curious now as to why Sugawara thought they wouldn't like it, but he was also a little worried by the implications. When no one spoke, Sugawara continued.

"I think we all realize that getting out of the barn will be nearly impossible. We wouldn't be able to get away fast enough on foot, and the risk of getting caught while trying to mount the horses is too high. So, instead of leaving the barn, we will stay in it."

Hinata shook his head, clicking his tongue. His eyes were bright and curious. "There's no way we could hide in here! Even if we were able to stay out of sight, they'd smell us!" At that, Sugawara gave a sheepish smile. 

"Well…they won't find us if they can't smell us."

Kageyama raised a brow, lips thinning. "Are you suggesting we cover our scents? How are we supposed to do that?" 

Sugawara's smile turned from sheepish to downtrodden, and he glanced over at the stalls that held the horses. Keiji and Kageyama both followed his gaze, and Kageyama must have realized what Sugawara meant at the same moment Keiji himself did, because his lip curled in disgust. "You want us to cover ourselves in horse shit?!" Hinata squeaked and Tsukishima made a sound akin to disgust, but didn't protest.

Sugawara was quick to defend his plan. "It's our best option! And we wouldn't have to cover ourselves completely, just our necks and wrists. That would be plenty enough to hide our scents." 

Keiji understood now. Sugawara's plan was for them to cover the scent glands on their wrists and necks with the feces, and with the strength of the stench it would no doubt make it difficult for the soldiers to smell them even if they were right in the barn. It was a good plan, but putting it into blatant terms, it was disgusting. But if the choice was between being covered in shit for a while – his eyes slid over to the blond on the dirty floor of the barn – or Tsukishima being caught and executed… well he knew which choice he'd pick. Keiji nodded his approval to Sugawara, who nodded back at him, and he once again returned to his post as watchguard for the soldiers. But when he did, an icy chill ran down his spine. The soldier who had originally stood outside the door was now standing inside the cabin, frantically beckoning the rest of the soldiers inside. Shit.

"Sugawara, if we're going to do it, we need to do it now." Keiji said with urgency, sweat breaking out across his brow. "I think they've found the body." 

Horror swept across Sugawara's face, and the first thing he did was run immediately to Tsukishima, whose eyes were wide and brimming with tears. Keiji had to forcefully shove down the urge to follow suit and cover Tsukishima with his own body to protect him from the threat that was looming towards them. He grit his teeth and instead focused on the scene outside; the soldiers had now all entered the house, and Keiji knew it wouldn't be long before they exited once again to search the property. "Sugawara, you get everyone covered, I'll keep you updated on the soldiers."

Waves of relief flooded over Koushi, his appreciation for Akaashi running deeper than the ocean. "Thank you," he said softly, turning to face Tsukishima. "Alright, Kei, you're first."

Honey eyes flicked up to meet him, and Koushi's heart shattered at the raw fear that he saw swimming in those orbs. The scent of primal fear radiated off of Tsukishima in tidal waves; the omega's hands flew out to grip Koushi, desperate and seeking. "Sugawara, don't let them take me." Tsukishima said, his voice breaking. Koushi's veins were suddenly set alight, fiery resolve consuming his heart, his soul becoming heavy with purpose; his purpose, which is to protect . To protect these young omegas under his care with his very life. Koushi's body moved before his brain could process it, a hand sliding into the matted locks at the back of Tsukishima's head, and he used the leverage to pull the blond firmly against his chest. Koushi pushed Tsukishima's nose to his neck, purring and coaxing the youth to breathe in his calming scent, which was dripping with his intention to protect him. To protect everyone.

"I will never, ever, let them take you, Kei." Koushi said, his voice hard and soaked with resolve and promise. A sob, soft but so heavy with relief, wracked Tsukishima's shoulders, and he breathed in deeply, body relaxing as Koushi's pheromones took effect. After a few moments Koushi gripped Tsukishima's biceps, guiding him to his feet. He looked into Tsukishima's eyes, his gaze soft and reassuring. "Come on, Kei. Let's get you to safety."

Koushi wrapped his hand over Tsukishima's, gently pulling him towards the stall that held the horses. Tsukishima followed him wordlessly, his hand cold and sweaty inside Koushi's own. The horses made huffing sounds as Koushi approached, and the older male eyed them warily. Would they attack? Koushi wouldn't imagine so, considering the Alpha handled them quite frequently. Surely they'd be used to humans? Koushi breathed in deeply and slowly, shakily, held his hand out towards the horses, his body trembling with compressed apprehension. One of the horses surveyed him with a sideways glance, ear twitching. The second horse, however, leaned downward, strong neck flexing as it pressed its muzzle into Koushi's open palm. The horses showed no signs of aggression, and Koushi felt safe enough to drop his hand down to the stall lock, clicking it open with a sharp metal pang. The horses barely moved at the loud noise. 

Koushi sighed with relief and opened the stall door, wide enough that he could sidle right in the stall next to the horses. He pulled an apprehensive Tsukishima in after him, and gave him a gentle smile. "Just trust me, okay?" Koushi said softly, and Tsukishima nodded, but kept his eye on the horses.

Koushi grabbed Tsukishima's right wrist, leaning down and scooping up a handful of the foul feces, forcing down a gag. Tsukishima's face twisted in disgust, but he didn't pull away as Koushi slathered the substance over his scent glands, coating them. He repeated the process with Tsukishima's left wrist, then moved to his neck. Once Koushi was satisfied with the results, he guided Tsukishima to the wagon. It would be the best place to hide, as the cloth was closed tightly, and with their scents hidden, he doubted the soldiers would think to look there.

After the blond male was settled inside the wagon, Koushi returned to the stall and beckoned Kageyama over, who shambled over reluctantly. Koushi repeated the process he had performed on Tsukishima, then told Kageyama to join Tsukishima in the wagon. Two more times Koushi repeated this, until he at last slathered his own scent glands in the feces. When he was finished, he shot a sheepish smile at the horses, then joined his packmates in the wagon. 

All that was left was to wait.

The scene before him was incredibly sad, Tetsurou thought. The cellar was dark, damp, and reeked with the scent of human excrement; it was cold, obviously not built with any form of insulation, and the floor, though layered by concrete, was dirty. There were five thin blankets placed next to each other, which Tetsurou assumed the omegas used as beds. In the corner furthest from the cellar door were two holes, and the scent of waste was strongest there – Tetsurou assumed that's where the omegas used the restroom. His lip curled in disgust. They were being treated like dogs. Tetsurou didn't understand how a human could put another through something like this. As he walked the cellar he noticed little animal statues, woven together with chips of wood, placed delicately atop some of the dusty shelves that lined the brick walls. They were all made with various degrees of talent, telling Tetsurou that they all were made by a different individual person. It seemed as though the omegas being held captive here had tried creating decorations to make it feel more personalized and home-like. It made Tetsurou's heart ache for them. 

"It seems like the old man's lead wasn't just bullshit." Tetsurou mused. "It seems like this creep was keeping omegas captive here." And selling them out, too. Tetsurou growled to himself.

His eyes flicked over to his silver haired companion, who met his eyes and nodded. "It's faint, but there is still omega scent here." Bokuto said, eyes narrowed. "It seems they managed to escape somehow."

There was a scoff. "Yeah, it's pretty obvious how they escaped." Tetsurou's eyes snapped to the owner of the voice. It was one of the rookie soldiers they had brought along. "They murdered this man to escape." The soldier was looking at the limp body of the man, if you could even call him that, his face pale. Tetsurou ground his teeth together. The urge to snarl at the rookie almost overwhelmed him, but Bokuto was quick to speak in his stead.

"It wasn't murder. Yes, the man ended up dead. But, do you see this?" Bokuto knelt down beside the body, using his index finger to point out a long, thin bruise on the back of the man's neck. "The wound to his head isn't deep. It did crack his skull, but it didn't kill him. Rather, he died from blood loss." The rookie stared at Bokuto incredulously, his brows furrowed in confusion. Bokuto clicked his tongue and continued his explanation.

"This board here," he picked up a board that was mere feet away from the body, the splintered wood speckled with blood. "Is the weapon. Whoever used it wasn't strong, but was fueled by adrenaline, which gave them the push they needed to knock him out. The intent was to stop him, not kill him. I'm pretty sure whoever did it had poor eyesight, because part of the board clipped the man's neck, which I don't believe was the intended target. His nerves were most likely damaged, which paralyzed him from the neck down. So, even though the wound to his head wasn't fatal, he wasn't able to move his body, and therefore wasn't able to stop the bleeding. So, he ended up bleeding out." Bokuto's analysis skills were absolutely outrageous, and more often than not, accurate; a feat that no doubt was a big factor in him being crowned the captain for the crime sector of the royal guard. 

Bokuto paused and took a breath. Tetsurou could tell this was weighing on him, too. Even after busting so many of these things, it was still heartbreaking to see it. It was something Tetsurou was positive would never stop bothering him. 

"My best guess," Bokuto continued, scanning the dank cellar. "There were multiple omegas trapped here, and this Alpha began hurting one of them. In order to stop him, one of the others hit him with the board. They were fueled by pure adrenaline and the desire to protect one of their own. So. It wasn't murder. It was self defense."

The rookie's lips tightened into a thin line, as if he wanted to argue a different point, but opted to stay silent at the last moment. Tetsurou couldn't help but feel as though that was the smartest decision the rookie had ever made in his life. Bokuto's facial features and body language gave nothing away, but his eyes betrayed every emotion he was feeling. They were alight with rage, sadness, and desire. Tetsurou knew that desire; he himself had it. The desire to save and protect every omega they could. The pure weight of the emotions were enough to make Bokuto snap at any given moment, if the wrong thing was said.

Tetsurou sighed and placed his hands on his hips, his armor clacking and catching the attention of the other soldiers. "Rookies. Go wait outside for us. Bokuto and I are going to continue to search the cellar, and I want you guys to go search the property. One of you needs to stand watch, in case any of this guy's scummy friends make a visit." The rookies straightened and brought their hands up to their foreheads in a broad salute, then turned on their heels and hurriedly climbed the stairs. Tetsurou assumed they probably wanted to get away from the body as fast as they could. 

When the others were out of earshot, Tetsurou walked to Bokuto's side, laying a hand on his armored shoulder. Bokuto gave him a questioning look, jerking his head towards the door, as if questioning Tetsurou's orders. 

"You were strung pretty tight. I didn't want that idiot saying something stupid." Bokuto sighed, his torso sagging. His eyes slid closed, and he clenched his hands. "It never gets easier." He muttered, and Tetsurou nodded. 

"I know…" He looked down to the body lying beneath them and curled his lip. "At least this disgusting bastard got what he deserved." 

Bokuto nodded, spitting at the corpse. Then he locked eyes with Tetsurou and gave him a smile. Tetsurou returned it and patted his partner's shoulder. 

"Let's go save these omegas."

"Kageyama, you smell like shit!" Hinata whispered into the darkness of the wagon. Kei heard some shuffling, then a thump, then an exclamation of pain from Hinata. 

"You smell like shit, too, jackass! So shut up!" 

Before, this kind of bickering would annoy Kei, but at the moment he couldn't bring himself to care. If he was being honest, the words didn't even really register in his mind. He heard them, yes, he heard everything. Their voices, their breathing, the ruffle of clothes as they shuffled to get comfortable; but it just didn't register. It was as if Kei wasn't there, like he wasn't in his own body. 

"You two hush!" Sugawara commanded, his voice holding authority despite the whispered tone. Immediately, Kageyama and Hinata ceased their bickering, opting to just glare at each other in the darkness, Kei assumed. It was something they'd do. Glare at each other when the other couldn't see. 

Kei rested his chin on his arms, which were folded over his knees. He blinked slowly, only able to make out the faint outlines of his pack mates. Sugawara sat across from him, Kageyama and Hinata were to his right, closest to the cab of the wagon. Akaashi was at his left, sitting directly beside him. Kei found it comforting, the way Akaashi sat and didn't talk. They could just bask in silence, and Kei appreciated that. Akaashi's silent presence was more comforting to him than Sugawara's tender reassurances; though those did help him a lot when he woke up from a night terror.

Warmth bloomed across his bicep as Akaashi leaned against him. The smaller male's mussed hair tickled Kei's jaw, sending tingles all along his cheek. Kei sighed, relishing in the contact. Akaashi's jaw moved against his flesh when he whispered, "you still hate yourself, don't you?"

Akaashi's voice was soft, gentle, but laced with a pain that Kei didn't miss. Kei swallowed, his throat feeling tight. His heart hurt, and tears stung his eyes. After a few moments, he nodded, and realizing that Akaashi couldn't see him, he whispered back.

"Yes."

Akaashi was quiet for a long while, and the silence made Kei's heart ache more. Was Akaashi angry with him? And if he was, was it because of what Kei had done, or was it because Akaashi didn't want Kei to hate himself? 

Minutes of silence had passed, and just when Kei was sure Akaashi wasn't going to speak again, his hand was enveloped by Akaashi's. With slow, gentle movements, Akaashi guided Kei's hand from his knee and brought it down to his own hip. The angle was a bit awkward, and Kei had to turn himself so he was facing Akaashi in order for his hand to reach. Kei heard the ruffling of clothing and, with a start, realized Akaashi had pulled his pants down to his thighs. The smaller man placed Kei's hand against his bare hip, and he flushed. Akaashi's skin was soft, supple, smoother than a river stone. Kei felt like he could get addicted to touching him, and the very thought caused his cheeks and neck to heat. With Akaashi's guidance, his fingers traced down that smooth skin, until suddenly the smoothness gave way to a large wound. Kei gasped, jerking his hand to remove it. But he couldn't, because Akaashi held his hand firmly in place.

The wound had started to scab over, Kei noted, the flesh warmer around the edges of it; the dip of it told Kei it was at least a couple centimeters deep, not deep enough to pierce muscle, but definitely deep enough to cause significant pain and run the risk of a severe infection. 

"The man that he sold me out to did this." Akaashi whispered, his voice thick. "During the first day of my heat, he… he took a chunk out of me. A fucking chunk. It hurt so bad when he bit. I could feel my flesh tearing. I begged him to stop, but he didn't." This close, Kei could smell the salt of Akaashi's tears. Kei felt his eyes brim with tears, his heart aching. His fingers traced the wound gently, as if he could take every bit of pain away from Akaashi with a simple stroke. 

"Oh, Akaashi…" Kei whimpered, but Akaashi interrupted him. 

"Over those four days he bit me numerous times. None as deep as this one, and he left my neck alone. But they hurt. Every single one of them. But even though I was in so much pain, enduring torture for some bastard's sick pleasure, the only thing I could think– the only thing… was 'I'm so glad it's me and not any of them.'" 

Kei felt his heart tremble, his breath catching in his throat. The tears were flowing freely now, sliding down his face and gathering underneath his chin. He couldn't bring himself to wipe them away. 

"What you did, Kei," — Kei’s stomach flopped pleasantly as his name fell from Akaashi's lips — "is save all of you from ever experiencing that. That man… he was a monster. Because of what you did, none of us will ever have to. I'll never have to see any wounds or scars on my packmate’s bodies, I'll never have to wipe away any tears, I'll never have to fear for any of your safety. I'll never have to see any of you hurt again."

Akaashi raised his hands and cupped Kei's cheeks. The acrid scent of feces stung his nose, but all Kei could focus on was the warmth of Akaashi's hands against his skin. 

"You saved us, Kei. You saved all of us. You aren't a murderer. You're a savior."

Warmth bloomed deep inside Kei's chest, flowing through his veins with every beat of his heart. More tears fell, but not from pain or pity. His body felt light, things clicking in his brain. Akaashi was right. He didn't kill a man, he killed a monster. A monster who hurt the ones he cared about, a monster that would continue to hurt them unless something was done to stop him. Kei was not a murderer. No. 

He was a savior.

Chapter Text

Keiji watched raptly as emotions flitted across Tsukishima’s face; they ranged from disbelief to happiness, sometimes bashfulness, but then his features settled into an expression that could only be interpreted as relief. Slowly, the sourness of distress eased from Tsukishima’s scent, and Keiji inhaled lungfuls of blooming sunflowers, their vibrant petals reaching out to the sun for its embrace.

It took Keiji back to a much simpler time; one without so much pain — a time when he would lay in between rows of sunflowers and gaze at drifting clouds, fingers entangled in soft, fertile soil as he soaked up the sun’s rays in his skin.

Tsukishima’s scent always took Keiji back to that time, and Keiji had often caught himself as thinking of Tsukishima as a beacon of light amidst consuming darkness. Strong, tall, and bright, like a light tower guiding lost souls that had been swallowed by an angry sea.

Keiji was one of those lost souls, clinging desperately to that trace of light as he struggled to remain breached against the waves.

Honey drip eyes met his, the ethereal pools darkened to a mahogany in the suffocated light of the carriage, glistening with tears, and Keiji traced the movement of a slick, pink tongue as Tsukishima wet his own bottom lip.

”Thank you, Akaashi.” Tsukishima rumbled, voice lowered but heavy with emotion, and Keiji’s heart was sent aflutter against his ribcage. Keiji suddenly became all too aware of the weight and warmth of Tsukishima’s hand cupping his hip, of his own hands cradling the hollow dip of Tsukishima’s cheeks, of the way their breaths mingled in their close proximity, lips only inches apart, and the intimacy of it struck something within Keiji — something fluttery and warm, a deep sense of belonging and comfort that Keiji knew he could get addicted to — and that was dangerous. Keiji had just been so desperate to make Tsukishima see, see his own worth, his beauty, to see himself the same way Keiji sees him — but he had become carried away, and if he wasn’t careful, he would end up spelling everything out to the other omega clearly.

Slowly, as not to startle Tsukishima, Keiji began to drop his hands — and in doing so Keiji, feeling selfishly indulgent, let his fingertips slide against the dry skin of Tsukishima’s cheeks as he pulled them away. Keiji’s heart thumped unsteadily when Tsukishima’s eyelids fluttered closed, shiny tears clinging to his dark lashes like dew to the morning grass. Tsukishima’s pink lips parted ever so slightly, and temptation ripped through Keiji aggressively. Too dangerous.

Keiji swallowed down the lump of affection in his throat and whispered, “you’re welcome, Tsukishima.”

When Tsukishima’s lids fluttered open their eyes connected for more than a single heartbeat, and Keiji briefly wondered that if he looked carefully enough, maybe he’d be able to see his own affection reflected back in Tsukishima’s eyes.

Keiji didn’t have time to search for it, because the soft edge of Tsukishima’s eyes hardened and his body tensed.

”They’re coming this way,” Tsukishima whispered into the silence of the carriage, and their reality came crashing down around Keiji — Hinata whimpered from somewhere within the darkness, and was quickly hushed by Sugawara, and Kageyama growled low in his throat. Tsukishima was as still as a statue beside Keiji, and he slowed his breaths to a point that they were barely audible — Keiji shuffled forward until his knee grazed Tsukishima’s thigh; a silent comfort.

Thirty seconds had passed since Tsukishima’s statement, and then Keiji could hear the heavy clanking of metal boots and words being carried towards the barn. Keiji couldn’t help but be impressed by Tsukishima’s hearing; he knew that it was greatly increased to compensate for his poor eyesight, and though Keiji had seen it in action many times, it never failed to leave him with a sense of breathless wonder.

Keiji snapped his eyes over to Sugawara, who returned his gaze; the dim lighting obscured most of Sugawara’s face, but the determination to protect that glinted fiercely in his eyes could not be doused by poor vision. Keiji could understand, because his own chest was swelling with that very same determination — Keiji would rip apart any threat that dared encroach on his pack. The soft, fuzzy feeling he’d had in chest from gazing at Tsukishima was replaced by stunted aggression towards the approaching danger.

The voices that had been carried by the wind were suddenly louder, the soldier’s now close enough for their words to be discernible, if only barely — there were two of them.

”The barn door is locked; it’s a pretty heavy chain, too. Seems the poor guy was highly protective of whatever’s in here.” The statement was followed by a clinking noise. Keiji wanted to growl at the voice’s proximity — it was far too close for comfort.

”Yeah, but the side window’s been busted. Can’t tell if it’s a recent break or not.” That voice was much closer than the previous one, and Keiji pushed closer to Tsukishima as the lanky omega began to tremble, his scent spiking with a tendril of panic.

”It’s okay, Tsukishima.” Keiji risked to whisper, “you need to calm down, or they’ll smell you.”

Tsukishima nodded rapidly, his breath hitching painfully in his throat as he attempted to quiet it, but he was still trembling, and his scent was still spiking — and it only became sharper when the soldiers came to the conclusion that they’d break the chain on the door. Keiji began to panic himself; if Tsukishima continued to panic this way, the soldiers would catch scent of it, and they’d barge in and they’d find them — they’d take Tsukishima away, and they couldn’t do that, they couldn’t —

The carriage suddenly rocked noisily as Sugawara lunged the distance and crashed bodily into Keiji and Tsukishima. A weight settled against Keiji’s nape, gently squeezing, and the corners of his vision became fuzzy as all tension leaked from his body. The panic slithered from his chest like a retreating snake, and his eyes lidded with sudden fatigue. Purrs rumbled deeply within Sugawara’s chest, and smooth, rich lavender wrapped around Keiji like a blanket of warmth; it was laden with the feelings of safety and tranquility, and Keiji had no control over the way his body slumped forward into the heat of Tsukishima’s, and he barely registered the weight of the blond’s head atop his own as the body beside him relaxed too.

Koushi continued to purr as he watched the tension drain from the two bodies before him. Koushi knew he had taken a great risk by leaping across the carriage and making a racket, but Akaashi and Tsukishima were leaking panicked pheromones, and they were clogging the vicinity of the interior, and if they hadn’t calmed down the pheromones would have traveled to the soldiers outside.

Koushi brushed his thumbs across the smooth expanses of their napes, lowering the intensity of his purr gradually as their breathing leveled out. Koushi wasn’t fond of using this type of calming method; it was archaic and too frequently abused due to its ability to force an omega into complacency, but the stress of the situation didn’t offer much else for a solution. Koushi would have to apologize for it later, when they were in the cover of safety.

The creak of metal snapping and a dull thud signaled the completion of the soldiers’ task to open the barn door. The wood creaked woefully as the large doors were pushed open, and light filtered through the cloth barricading them, bathing Koushi and his companions in a warm tint. The subtle lighting gave Koushi the opportunity to take in the state of his friends; Akaashi and Tsukishima were bundled against each other, eyes half lidded and unfocused, their breathing even and scents subdued. Hinata was curled up in a ball, trembling so bad that the movements were visible, and Kageyama’s shoulders were tense, eyes narrowed in a dangerous glare and lips parted in a silent snarl.

A whistle echoed through the barn.

”Wow, that’s a pretty impressive carriage. For a commoner, anyway.” The man who whistled stated, an edge of condescension in his tone.

”The horses, too.” The other man agreed. “They look like thoroughbreds. None too cheap, they aren’t.”

”By the state of that shack out there, you wouldn’t think the geezer could afford horses like that.” Koushi found he didn’t like the sound of this man’s voice; it was haughty, and it dripped with condescension, as if the man thought himself better than everyone around him. Koushi wanted to spit; given the man’s pompous dialogue, Koushi could safely assume he belonged to royal lineage — Koushi tightened his grip on Akaashi’s neck ever so slightly, a whispered conversation from long ago floating to the forefront of his mind and wedging his instinct to protect further into his bones.

Heavy thumps resounded against the wide birth of the barn, the soldier’s voices continuing their conversation from different places within the structure. It seemed as though they were scoping through the barn, and the thought sent an antsy tingle through Koushi’s chest — all he could really do was push down any trepidation he felt and grit his teeth, hoping to whatever gods there were that the soldiers wouldn’t think to look inside the carriage. Koushi was more than prepared to fling himself at them with teeth and claws if they should, but he truly hoped it wouldn’t come down to that. Koushi had no idea if these soldiers were betas or alphas, and he truly had no way of discerning that with the scent of feces clinging so strongly to his nostrils, and in his weakened state Koushi knew he’d be no match for one well-fed alpha, let alone two — no matter how much strength adrenaline and the urge to protect granted him.

”Hey, get a load of this. What do you think these blankets are in here for?” One of the soldiers asked, and Koushi’s blood went cold with fear. Shit, they’d completely forgotten about the blankets!

”I don’t know, man. Maybe he used them for the horses when it got cold.” The other soldier responded lazily.

”Maybe, but what if they were brought in here by those omegas? I mean, that storm last night was pretty rough. I don’t think even omegas would be stupid enough to try and travel through that.”

Anger flared within Koushi’s gut, but it was hard for the embers to be stoked when they were being doused by cold fear; they were searching for them, just as Koushi had feared.

Please don’t check the carriage, please don’t check the carriage, just don’t come over here! Koushi chanted inwardly, the urge to pull all of his pack mates into the protection of his own body nearly consuming him.

As if his prayers were unheard by the gods, the thumping of footsteps drew closer to the carriage, one set of footfalls sounding right against the edge of the right side, where Koushi huddled against Tsukishima and Akaashi. Koushi’s heart began to thunder in his chest, and it seemed as though the calm he had forced upon his companions was beginning to wear off, because Akaashi stirred ever so slightly as awareness started to bleed back into his eyes, and Tsukishima’s relaxed muscles tensed minutely as the voices of the soldiers carried about the still air of the barn.

”Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. I can’t smell them in here though, so I’m going with my theory.”

Koushi slotted a finger against his lips quickly when both males turned fearful gazes to him, and to Koushi’s relief, their fear-scent remained absent.

”It’s a shame, you know. Such nice horses being left like this. Who’s going to care for them now?” The soldier furthest from the carriage asked, and Koushi heard a snuffling that he vaguely registered as one of the horses. A small tendril of relief curled within his gut as the topic of the blankets was seemingly dropped.

”It doesn’t really matter, does it? Horses aren’t really our concern; if you want to give them justice so badly, get your head in the game and find the one responsible for murdering their care taker.” That was the soldier closest to the carriage — the one that carried a haughty, privileged voice, and Koushi felt his skin bristle as Tsukishima tensed even more. Koushi stroked his thumb across Tsukishima’s nape in a comforting manner, and he had to push down the urge to purr to the younger omega and slather him in comfort.

That urge crashed into Koushi tenfold when two new scents slithered into the air. They were strong, permeating past even the odor of pungent feces, and held the tell-tale musk that only alpha pheromones carried.

”Hey, hey, rookie. I already told you — it wasn’t murder, it was self defense.” The voice was strong and commanding, a deep rumble that carried the intensity of a thunderclap; anger sharpened the edges of it, and though it wasn’t aimed at him, Koushi almost couldn’t resist the urge to cower in its presence.

Koushi felt a twist of satisfaction when the soldier nearest the carriage spoke in a wavering voice.

”Banneret Bokuto, sir! I apologize for my insolence. We have almost finished with our survey of the barn.”

”Almost finished? There’s no almost, squire. We’re done here. Now wrap it up and prepare to mount.” This voice was different from the one before, a bit less rough and more smooth, but no less commanding or authoritative than the other. Koushi assumed this voice belonged to someone of the same standing as the Bokuto fellow.

”But, sir, we haven’t fully finished searching the barn. There’s some blankets here that we think the omegas may have used. We haven’t been up to the loft yet, they may be hiding—”

”Do you really think those omegas would stick around? There’s fear scent all over the cellar and a body at full rigor — and there’s no trace of omega in this barn; so if they were here, they’re long gone by now.” It was Bokuto again, and his words made Koushi’s heart freeze within an icy grip; they’d found the body, as was inevitable, but they also knew that one of them was responsible for the alpha’s death. Koushi snapped his eyes to Tsukishima to find the other gaping at him already, eyes wide and brimming with tears, his body trembling with fear. Koushi bit back the purr that was beginning to instinctively rumble in his chest and instead placed a placating palm against Tsukishima’s perspiring cheek.

”It’ll be okay,” Koushi mouthed to him, willing for his intent to protect Tsukishima to shine through to the younger male. It must have to some extent, because the tears never fell past Tsukishima’s bottom lids.

”Oh, um, I suppose you’re right, sir.”

The fear within Koushi’s chest eased with each step the soldier took away from the carriage, his tightly strung muscles loosening as the danger of being discovered became less glaring. There was some indiscernible chatter amongst the group of men in the barn, and then their heavy footfalls trekked away from the vicinity of the barn.

Koushi could finally breathe again.

The tightness in Kei’s chest evaporated with the steady drumbeat of horse hooves fleeing the property, but he didn’t dare breathe again until he could no longer hear them.

Kei was still trembling as he turned to Akaashi, who was leveling him with a worried stare. Kei swallowed, the intensity of emotion in the other man’s eyes throwing him off for a moment. “I’m okay.” He rasped out, and Akaashi nodded stiffly, then turned to Sugawara.

”What do we do now?” Akaashi asked, and the sound of his voice, smooth and calm, caused goosebumps to rise along Kei’s skin; they were completely unrelated to the fear still thrumming beneath the organ. Kei’s hand still felt the phantom curve of Akaashi’s hip, still incredibly sultry despite the scabbed bite marring the smoothness, and Kei’s skin heated. He was thankful for the poor lighting within the carriage.

”It’s obvious, Akaashi. We get the hell out of here before they come back.” Kageyama grumbled from Kei’s left, and the blond started for a moment. He’d completely forgotten about the other two occupants in the carriage.

”Yeah, and we can wash this shit off! It’s burning my nose.” Hinata whined, his voice slightly muffled, and worry lanced through Kei. He turned his eyes towards the direction of Hinata’s voice, and not for the first time, he cursed his blurry eyesight — that combined with the poor lighting in the carriage made it impossible to discern any swelling that Hinata may be experiencing. If the boy was sour with infection, Kei couldn’t smell it due to the mask of feces clinging to the small male’s skin.

”No,” Sugawara snapped suddenly, completely shutting down Hinata’s suggestion. “No matter what, we cannot wash it off.”

”Why not?” Kageyama asked gruffly, and Kei could picture the ugly scowl on the raven’s lips. Never one to turn down an opportunity to ruffle the other’s feathers, Kei spoke in Sugawara’s stead.

”Didn’t you hear the soldiers, you dolt? They’ve already caught our scents. I’m wanted for murder now, don’t forget that. You may not care if I get thrown back into a damp cage, but I do, so even if you hate smelling like shit you need to deal with it until we can shake the soldiers completely.”

Kageyama only huffed in response, and Hinata mirrored the sound. They were both just petulant children in Kei’s eyes.

”Kei’s right, Tobio. We can’t get caught — if we do, we’ll be separated forever…” Sugawara trailed off, eyes falling to the wooden floor of the carriage, and though the stench of feces was blocking it, the sadness the older omega felt at the notion was more than palpable. Kei’s chest tightened, the thought of being separated from his pack more mortifying than the thought of being locked in another damp, cramped, mortared room. Kei shifted closer Sugawara and pressed his knee against his thigh; the action also caused his thigh to rub against Akaashi’s, and Kei sucked in a breath through his teeth as tingles erupted at the point of contact.

Sugawara gave him a small smile, or so Kei assumed. It was hard to tell. Sugawara shook himself visibly and addressed the group.

”Okay, guys, we’re out of the fire for now, but we need to think quickly if we want to stay out.” Sugawara’s voice was saturated in determination, and despite the heavy feeling in his chest, Kei found himself sparking with hope at it. “I’m not sure where to go, but we need to get away from here.”

Silence fell upon the carriage as each one of them fell into their own thoughts. Many different ones popped into Kei’s mind; the most logical solution would be to hook the horses to the carriage and use their strength to carry the group to the nearest town where they could get a grasp on their location. As if mirroring Kei’s thoughts, Akaashi spoke from his side.

”I think the best thing to do would be to use the carriage,” Sugawara turned to Akaashi and gave him a small nod to continue. “A horse pulled carriage would be less inconspicuous than a group of five males walking together. And being pulled in the carriage would allow Hinata the ability to rest and recover.”

”You need to rest, too.” Kei found himself blurting. “You’re still not fully recovered from your heat, Akaashi.”

Akaashi turned to Kei, and he could barely make out the trace of a smile through his blurry vision; the blond fiercely wished that he could see clearly, so that he could know if Akaashi’s smile was as beautiful as he imagined it was.

”I will rest, Tsukishima, but Hinata is badly injured. He needs it far more than I do.”

”I’m not that badly injured!” Hinata sputtered. “This is nothing, really!”

A dull thud followed by a yelp resounded through the carriage.

”Why don’t you try saying that when the side of your face isn’t swollen to the point you can barely speak!” Kageyama hissed, and Hinata growled at him.

”If you can see that I’m injured why hit me?! You’ll just make it worse, Bakayama.”

”Then quit being stupid.” Kageyama huffed with a trace of finality.

Sugawara hummed thoughtfully, drawing Kei’s attention once more.

”That is another issue we need to figure out. We need to find a way to procure some sort of medicine in case Shouyo’s condition worsens. Maybe even a balm that can help with his pain.”

Hinata let out a happy yip at Sugawara’s words.

”The alpha has medicine,” Akaashi murmured. “I remember him giving me some that winter that I fell ill.”

Kei nearly shuddered at the memory. Akaashi had been hotter than a furnace, his green apple scent soured with sickness, and he could barely keep any food down. They were minimally fed anyway, and Kei was sure Akaashi had lost more than a few pounds during that time; the only reason the alpha had even bothered to cure Akaashi was because of greed, but Kei was thankful for it nonetheless. He didn’t like to imagine what would have happened had Akaashi’s sickness worsened.

”It may not be a bad idea to search for some in the cabin,” Sugawara lamented, but his tone was terse. “And perhaps procure some food as well, and a few more blankets. We will need all the supplies we can get.” Sugawara sighed heavily then fell silent, and Kei recognized that the older omega was thinking; no doubt about how to approach the topic at hand. After about a solid minute of silence, Sugawara addressed Akaashi.

”You mentioned earlier that you know how to mount a horse. Do you also know how to rig them up to carriages?”

Akaashi nodded mutely to Sugawara in confirmation. Kei couldn’t help but think he was reluctant to speak.

”Then you should stay here and get the horses set up. Kageyama and myself can go search the cabin. Hinata, are you able to move around all right?”

Hinata shuffled around in place, as if testing his own ability, and when he only let out a small whimper he wheezed out that he could move fine. Sugawara clicked his tongue, but it seemed as though removing themselves from their current situation took precedent over his need to coddle the younger omega.

”Then you can start loading up the carriage. We will need to put all the blankets in here, and whatever Kageyama and I find in the house. Kei,” Kei perked slightly when Sugawara addressed him, but started to deflate when the man was silent for a while.

”You have the best hearing out of all of us,” Sugawara said, and Kei’s eyes widened minutely. “I’d feel much safer if you were keeping guard. If the soldiers return, you will hear them long before any of us will.”

Kei’s throat tightened. Sugawara was assigning him such a task? Warmth brushed against his bicep, and Kei snapped his head towards the source; it was Akaashi, and the man was staring at him intensely.

”I’d feel much safer that way, too.” Akaashi murmured, and Kei felt heat flood his cheeks. He had to turn his head away to hide it, even though he was sure the dim lighting hid it well enough. Kei nodded, though he wasn’t sure if he assenting to Sugawara or Akaashi predominantly.

”Okay, I’ll keep watch.” Kei whisked out, and Sugawara reached out to squeeze his shoulder in gratitude.

”Alright, everyone knows what they have to do. Let’s get this done as fast as we can. Kageyama, follow me, and keep your eyes peeled. We must be cautious at all times.”

With that the Sugawara crawled to the back of the carriage, and Kei had to squeeze his eyes shut against the assault of sudden light that flooded in when the flap was pushed back. The carriage rocked with Sugawara’s exit, his feet thumping lightly against the floor of the barn; Kageyama wasn’t far behind, his movements rushed as if he couldn’t wait to remove himself from the cramped space. Kei couldn’t exactly blame him.

Two more times the carriage rocked as Hinata and Akaashi exited, the latter staying next to the back of the carriage. When Kei crawled carefully to the opening Akaashi held a palm out to him, and Kei took it, allowing the other omega to hold some of his weight as he dropped from the back of the carriage.

”Thank you.” Kei mumbled, straightening to his full height once he was fully rid of the tightness of the carriage. Akaashi didn’t respond verbally, but he squeezed Kei’s hand lightly, and the warm pressure sent butterflies rioting within Kei’s stomach. Their hands disconnected as Akaashi started his trek towards the snuffling horses, and Kei beat back the urge to bring his hand to his chest and cradle it. It was still tingling where it had been gripped by Akaashi’s.

Kei shook himself and guided his body to around the end of the carriage, easily able to spot the doors thanks to the light flooding in from the wide opening. When he passed the threshold of the wide entrance he glanced to the right, where he was barely able to make out the blurry figures of Sugawara and Kageyama disappearing into the cabin.

A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the body lying in the cellar, cold and motionless, the life drained completely from its cradle of flesh. Kei narrowed his eyes and pushed back the image.

Kei wouldn’t allow his conscious to be eaten by guilt; the alpha deserved what Kei did — he was nothing but a selfish, cruel, evil bastard, and no one would miss him now. Kei certainly wouldn’t.

But still, there was a tiny beast cowering in the darkened corner of Kei’s mind, and it smirked evilly as it taunted Kei from his very depths.

”You’re a monster, now, too.”

Chapter Text

The warm breeze ruffled Tobio’s hair and caressed his skin in the places it was bare, goosebumps of pure childlike pleasure pimpling his skin at the sensation. Tobio couldn’t help but draw in a deep breath through his nose, a low purr building at the base of his throat as the aroma of wildflowers and musty tree bark teased his palate.

Tobio couldn’t remember the last time his skin had been kissed by the sun, or his hair ruffled by the breeze; his once tan skin was pale from months spent beneath the floor of the cabin, dirty and splotchy in places, white ridges cross-crossing here and there — being out here in the sun was a freeing experience, one that Tobio wanted to clutch with all his might and never release. Tobio’s heart was beating in a giddy rhythm and his eyes were wide as he tried to suck in every detail of the scenery around him; the green leaves rustling along their branches, the pure blue of the sky, gentle white clouds rolling lazily in their own predetermined paths across the azure backdrop, the yellowing grass flattening beneath his feet — it was so mesmerizing, and Tobio wondered how he’d ever thought to take it for granted.

“Tobio, stay vigilant.” Sugawara’s gentle voice pulled Tobio’s eyes to the man in front of him. Sugawara gazed softly at him from over his shoulder, and a small smile curled his lips. “I know it’s exciting and beautiful, but we need to be hasty. Once we’re safe, we’ll all enjoy nature; together.”

Tobio swallowed down his wonder in favor of dredging up determination of his own. Sugawara was right; Tobio should only be focusing on getting himself and the pack to safety — there would be time later to memorize the patterns of the earth. Tobio set his pace to one more brisk until he was shoulder to shoulder with Sugawara, and the older omega gave him a gentle smile that he returned before focusing on the looming structure that was now only mere feet in front of them.

The giddiness fled from Tobio’s heart as they took tentative steps towards the cabin, trepidation taking its place as Tobio wondered briefly what awaited them inside.

The alpha was dead, Tobio knew that. The soldiers in the barn had even affirmed that fact; but fear still crawled beneath Tobio’s skin, and part of him worried that the alpha would be standing in the cabin awaiting them, bloody and pissed beyond belief. The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine. As if feeling Tobio’s unease, Sugawara’s chest rumbled with a deep purr and he slipped his hand into Tobio’s, and the warmth and solidity of the appendage immediately grounded Tobio once more. Relief bubbled beneath the fear; no matter what awaited them inside, Sugawara would be there with him. Tobio wasn’t alone anymore.

Walking through the busted cabin door was akin to walking into a completely different plane of existence for Tobio. The calm atmosphere of the outside world was replaced by a dreadful void, one that was spiraling and unending. The scent of copper wafted from the door of the cellar, rich with the undercurrent of their own stale fear, and Tobio shuddered as he thought of what was down there; the body.

Sugawara looked as though he was on the same train of thought as Tobio; he was watching the cellar door reproachfully as he passed it, and his steps faltered in their confidence when the scents hit him. Tobio felt the urge to nuzzle into the older omega, but he pushed it down; they had a task to do, and very little time to do it. Tobio shook off the weight of his emotions.

“Okay, Tobio, you check the cupboards and the preserving bin. I’ll check near the b-bed. Any valuables like medicine and coins are bound to be there.” Sugawara’s voice stayed strong, but Tobio didn’t miss the way he stuttered over the word ‘bed’; Sugawara never spoke of it, but his aversion to the topic of the alpha’s bed and anything that surrounded it spoke volumes of previous trauma. Tobio never pressed him about; and he wasn’t going to now, so he simply hummed and stalked over to the wooden cupboards.

Tobio’s search of the first cupboard wasn’t very fruitful; a couple jars of raw beans and one small jar of dried meat of some sort — Tobio made sure to nick that, as it would be helpful to Hinata during his recovery. The second cupboard held much more; rows of glass jars brimming with preserved fruit, ranging from pears to apples to peaches. Tobio nearly salivated at the sight. It had been ages since Tobio’s tongue had tasted the sweetness of fruit, and he had to hold himself back from popping open one of the jars and indulging himself with a sample.

As Tobio plucked the jars out one by one he heard shuffling behind him, accompanied by a triumphant chirp as Sugawara exclaimed, “I found the medicine, Tobio!”

Tobio paused his task to look over his shoulder. Sugawara was holding a small brown satchel; the strings were pulled tightly, and Tobio was relieved that Sugawara had found it, but his chest ached at the size of the satchel. The store within was incredibly low, and Tobio wondered how long it would actually last — what if they ran out before Hinata had fully recovered? As if reading his mind, Sugawara began to reassure him.

”Don’t worry, Tobio. It will last until we get to the nearest town. If I remember right, it’s only a quarter day’s carriage time, and with the amount of coins the alpha had stored up, there’s no doubt in my mind we will be able to get more.”

Tobio nodded, the weight in his chest lifting, and he returned to his previous task of gathering the jars of food. There was more shuffling behind him, and Tobio imagined it was Sugawara ruffling through more of the alpha’s belongings.

Tobio had to suppress a shiver. The thought of the alpha still sent warning bells ringing in his head, despite the fact that his threat to Tobio was gone; perhaps it was deep rooted fear that caused Tobio to worry that the alpha was still alive, and that he would come back at any moment to exact his revenge on their insolence. Tobio swallowed down that thought. He needn’t be distracted right now. Despite telling himself that, scenarios continued to pop unbidden to his mind, the most prominent being the alpha sauntering up the steps and catching them in the act of stealing his belongings. Tobio could only imagine the rage that would paint the alpha’s expression, how his eyes would shine with murderous intent, and the tingle of fear that sent through Tobio’s arm was almost enough to have him placing the jar back on the shelf.

”Stop it,” Tobio seethed to himself. “The alpha is dead, you idiot.”

Tobio once again plucked the jars from the shelf, saliva quickly building within his jaws at the sight of the luscious fruit.

It dawned on Tobio as he hoarded multiple glass jars in his arms that it would be impossible to carry them all to the carriage in one trip; he would need to find something to store them in. Thinking back on it, Tobio was sure that the alpha kept some storage crates around somewhere. Tobio was just about to abandon his food-collecting task to look when something landed beside him with a thump.

Snapping his eyes to his right Tobio saw Sugawara crouching beside him, a small wooden crate clutched within his white-knuckled hands. The older omega smiled at him sheepishly, but it looked a little crooked.

”I probably should have brought you one of these sooner, Tobio. You can stack the food in here, and when it’s full take it to the carriage. Shouyo can help you load it.”

Tobio raked his eyes over Sugawara’s appearance; sweat beaded across his forehead, and his face looked awfully pale, and his bottom lip trembled ever so slightly. Though Sugawara kept his voice calm, it was obvious that something was bothering him — Tobio glanced down at the crate he was gripping.

It was familiar to Tobio. Very familiar.

Tobio’s eyes widened and he gaped at Sugawara. The smile slowly melted from the older man’s lips the longer Tobio stared, and after a couple of seconds of silence Sugawara shifted uncomfortably.

”Tobio, is something wro–”

”Where did you get this crate, Sugawara?” Tobio cut him off quickly, his eyes narrowing. Sugawara’s own eyes widened fractionally before he pointedly turned his stare away. Even from his side profile the frown was prominent, as was the discomfort on his face. Tobio wanted to growl.

Tobio knew where Sugawara had gotten the crate; he had seen it many times, the last time being just last night.

Sugawara pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and furrowed his brow, and his fingers gripped the wooden crate so tightly Tobio was fearful it would crack under the pressure. But then Sugawara eased his grip and let out a sigh as he released his bottom lip.

”I got it from the cellar, Tobio.”

Icy claws of dread and anger gripped Tobio’s throat; salty tears stung at the back of his eyes. Tobio had to forcefully swallow a couple of times before he could manage to speak.

”Sugawara, why would you go back down there? You know what’s in there…”

Sugawara clamped his teeth together and breathed heavily through his nose. Tobio felt his anger root deeper when Sugawara refused to meet his gaze; the silver-haired omega was still staring resolutely at the open cupboard in front of them, eyes sweeping across the multitude of glass jars.

”Sugawara,” Tobio grit out, willing the other to look at him, to understand, to see why Tobio didn’t want any of them ever entering the cellar again; it was their prison, a cold place of no mercy, where the only warmth they could glean was from each other. They were free now, and the world was their’s for the taking — there was no reason any of them should ever return to that darkness again. More than that, what if the alpha was still alive? Sugawara could have been attacked, or killed; descending those steps into the cellar was far too foolish, and as their pack leader Sugawara should have known better. Despite the agitated edge in Tobio’s tone, the other omega still refused to look at him, and that anger was beginning to spread like vines throughout Tobio’s chest.

”Sugawara,” Tobio tried again, his voice bordering on seething, and finally Sugawara snapped his eyes to Tobio’s. Brown irises were molten with emotion, and tears threatened to fall over the dam of his eyelids. The expression made Tobio’s growing anger halt immediately.

”I had to make sure he was dead, Tobio. I had to make sure he could never hurt us again—” Sugawara sucked in a deep breath and cinched his eyes shut, and a single tear fell from the corner of his left eye. “I had to make sure he could never hurt any of you again.”

Tobio swallowed against the lump of emotion forming in his throat. Sugawara sounded so desperate but so relieved, as if a massive weight had been lifted from his chest. Sugawara was their rock; the leader of the small pack they’d built, and Tobio couldn’t even begin to imagine the intensity of the weight that put upon Sugawara’s shoulders. Sugawara was the closest thing any of them had to a parent, despite the fact that he was barely older than most of them — he always protected them, always looked out for them, was always there any time the other’s needed him.

A sudden realization hit Tobio that had never before made impact; Sugawara was always so wrapped in looking after Tobio and the others, but when did the older omega truly have time to look after himself? Waves of appreciation for Sugawara crashed through him with weight, and Tobio wanted to slap himself for being so blind to it before, for never really taking that fact into account, and before he could think twice or stop himself, Tobio dropped the jars in his arms and lunged forward to wrap them around Sugawara.

The sudden action startled Sugawara, who tumbled backwards slightly, but when he realized what Tobio was doing he reciprocated it with equal fervor. Purrs vibrated through Sugawara’s chest immediately, and that calming lavender scent wriggled out from beneath the odor of feces. Tobio faintly registered sticky liquid soaking into his dirty pants, but he didn’t pay it any mind; the comfort of Sugawara’s embrace washed away every care that Tobio had towards his surroundings.

Their embrace held for a while, and when Tobio did pull away it was with some reluctance. His feet had begun to tingle with numbness from his position on the floor, and by the sweet scent of fruit permeating the air around them, Tobio knew the glass containers had broken when he dropped them. Looking down only confirmed that theory.

”Shit.” Tobio cursed, pushing the soiled product away from them carefully. Sugawara only smiled at him.

”Don’t worry about it, Tobio. There are plenty of other jars here. Seems the alpha had a lot more food than his meager offerings to us would have suggested.” Sugawara said, a slight undertone of resentment lacing his words.

Tobio only nodded, and a thought suddenly plagued his mind — Sugawara had gone down to the basement to ascertain the alpha’s condition; was he truly dead?

”The alpha… is he really dead?” Tobio asked, voice small and meek. Sugawara was silent for a moment, and his next words turned Tobio’s blood to ice.

”He was gone.”

Tobio snapped his head up, and even he was momentarily dazed by the intensity of the scent of his own fear. It shot straight through the scent of feces. If the alpha was gone, that could mean he was alive — but the soldiers had said that he was dead. Could they have been mistaken? Tobio’s heart constricted painfully in his chest.

Sugawara placed his hand on Tobio’s nape and pulled him close, releasing his lavender scent once more.

”It’s okay, Tobio. The alpha is dead, but his body is gone. I think the soldiers took it with them.”

The cold fear of the alpha still being alive was replaced with another, one that was not for himself, but for one of his pack mates.

”If they took the body… they’ll know it was Tsukishima who killed him.”

Tobio felt rather than saw Sugawara’s nod of affirmation.

”Yes, they will, but only if they catch us. That’s why it’s important that they don’t. Not just for our sakes, but especially for Kei’s.”

Foreboding clouded Tobio’s head, but it was evenly matched with a fierce determination to keep Tsukishima out of the clutches of danger — Tobio would make sure nothing ever happened to his packmate. Tobio and Tsukishima weren’t the best of friends, and they butted heads more often than not, but that didn't change the fact that Tsukishima was a part of Tobio’s family, and he would be damned if he ever let anything hurt his family.

Shouyo was glad that Sugawara had tasked him with something that required movement, because at the moment his muscles were far too jittery with excitement to hold still — the task of placing the blankets inside the carriage had ended far too quickly, so Shouyo decided to arrange them on top of one another to offer a soft padding to the floor of the carriage. When that was done, Shouyo was still chomping at the bit to move around, so he wandered over to Akaashi to see if the older omega needed any help with his current task.

Akaashi smiled gently at Shouyo, but rejected his offer to help.

”Horse handling is much more effective when it’s only one person doing it; too many people could make them nervous, and they’d be more likely to lash out.”

Shouyo pouted but resigned himself to simply waiting for Sugawara and Kageyama to return with more items to load into the carriage; and that had gotten boring rather quickly, so Shouyo decided to fall back on a rather fun but unintentional habit; annoying Tsukishima.

The tall omega had heard Shouyo’s approach long before he acknowledged it, and when Shouyo popped up beside him, Tsukishima side-glared at him.

”What do you want?” Tsukishima asked, through Shouyo noticed quickly it lacked the usual bite; there wouldn’t be any point to Shouyo asking what was wrong — it’s not like Tsukishima would actually tell him what’s on his mind, especially if it was something he wasn’t impartial to sharing, so Shouyo simply shrugged.

”I’m just bored.”

”Can’t you be bored somewhere else?” Tsukishima asked, and Shouyo rolled his eyes. Tsukishima acted cold a lot; the truth was that the blonde omega wasn’t nearly as cold or unaffectionate as he liked to pretend to be, so Shouyo had no fear of repercussion when he leaned into the warmth of Tsukishima’s side.

”Those soldiers were pretty cool, huh?” Shouyo asked, excitement bubbling beneath his skin as he thought about the way the sunlight reflected off of their armor, or the way they walked with such purpose and confidence. The lances resting against their shoulders were both frightening and cool at the same time.

Being pressed so close to Tsukishima’s side, Shouyo could feel when the other tensed at the mention of the soldiers, and Shouyo wasn’t even surprised when Tsukishima spoke with venom in his words.

”Yes, they were absolutely cool, Hinata. I bet they’ll look even cooler when they hack off my head, too.”

A combined force of fear, anger, and protectiveness burned Shouyo’s veins hot, and the smaller omega pressed closer to Tsukishima in a bid to offer reassurance and safety.

“That will never happen and you know it. None of us will let anything happen to you.”  Shouyo promised, trembling voice hardened with conviction.

Tsukishima’s reply was no more than a near inaudible huff, the boy falling into silence once more, narrowed eyes scanning the vast yard splayed before the barn. Tsukishima’s silence pulled a sense of uncomfortable trepidation from the depths of Shouyo’s heart, and the lump clogging his throat was so foreign and disconcerting that he tried desperately to swallow it down.

“Hey! We’re back!”

Sugawara’s cheerful call cut through the silence mere seconds before Shouyo caught whiff of his lavender scent, the aroma of ripe pears following closely and announcing Kageyama’s arrival as well.

Shouyo’s eyes widened at the crates inside their arms — Sugawara was carrying one while Kageyama had two stacked into his arms, filled to the brim with various glass jars. Shouyo could just barely make out slices of preserved fruit within.

“Gwahhh, you got so much!” Shouyo cheered, bounding from Tsukishima’s side to get a closer look at the contents. Kageyama grunted and readjusted his grip on the crates, sending a frustrated glare Shouyo’s way, to which Shouyo paid no mind — it wasn’t as if the taller omega would drop the crates; he had meticulous control of his own body, and his reflexes were lightning quick.

Sugawara chuckled at Shouyo’s antics, shaking his head ever so subtly. “We managed to get quite a bit, yes, but we will still have to be conservative about consumption. It has to last.”

Shouyo nodded, but couldn’t help the way saliva was pooling behind his teeth. It had been so long since Shouyo — since any of them — had had anything of remote good quality to eat. The urge to pluck a few hard and dig into them struck Shouyo with the force of a hurricane, but he battered it back. He could be patient.

“Ne, Akaashi. How are the horses coming along? I’d like to move forward as fast as possible.” Sugawara called into the barn, receiving a small reassurance from Akaashi that it wouldn’t be long at all.

“Shouyo, do you think you’ll be able to help Tobio load the crates into the wagon?” Sugawara asked over his shoulder, pulling Shouyo’s attention away from the jars of fruit.

“Of course!” Shouyo called, ignoring the twinge of pain that pulled at his right leg. It had been sore for a while, but Shouyo was used to pain; he’d endured a lot worse. His vision was obscured slightly by his swollen eye, but his sense of his surroundings could make up for his handicap — he’d be perfectly fine.

“Hey, you better not strain yourself further. I won’t be carrying you.” Kageyama grunted, leading the charge towards the back of the carriage. Annoyance struck a chord in Shouyo’s gut.

“Stingy, Bakayama!”

Kei ignored the hunger twinging harshly in his stomach as he observed the blurry figures of his packmates at work. Hinata was bouncing around with far too much energy, the sight alone drawing deepseated exhaustion to Kei’s muscles. The stench of feces clung to his sensitive palate, rousing subtle waves of nausea from his empty belly. The dual sensations of hunger and sickness were a wrecking force against him, one that had him wanting nothing more than to curl up and fall to slumber.

But at the moment, Kei was finding it a bit hard to concentrate on his own physical ailments; there was something that had been eating away at his thoughts since Sugawara’s return from the cabin; information that he was determined to obtain. With careful steps Kei crossed the barn, picking a path through the obstacles in his way with sharp senses until he came to a stop at Sugawara’s side; the older omega immediately acknowledged him.

“Ah, Kei, how are you feeling?” Sugawara asked softly, his lavender scent slipping through the stench of feces and curling pleasantly in Kei’s nose. Kei relaxed minutely from it, but he wouldn’t allow Sugawara’s attempt at a soft approach to dull his own edge.

“Is he really dead?” Kei deadpanned quietly, shrugging off the small modicum of discomfort that came with the subtle sharpness of Sugawara’s scent at Kei’s inquiry. The older omega sucked in a breath sharply over his teeth, held it in for a moment, then exhaled it into the stiffness of the barn.

“Yeah, he’s dead.” Sugawara returned with just as much coolness to his tone as Kei had asked with, and Kei blanched. He’d had his own suspicions, ones that he knew deep down were fact, but hearing it confirmed for the second time sent waves of anxiety through him. Kei had really murdered someone.

Sugawara’s hand clamped tightly over his shoulder, warm and stabilizing, an anchor holding Kei down as he was tossed by the waves of a turbulent ocean.

Kei hated the fact that it comforted him.

Steady hoof beats acted as an audible balm to Tetsurou’s frayed nerves. Anger was still sparking beneath his flesh, and his teeth itched with the desire to meet warm flesh.

Tetsurou couldn’t shake the fear-scent from his nose; despite the traces in the cellar being faint, they were palpable, thick, and spelled the severity of the torture that those poor omegas had been subjected to. It made fury burn hot within his chest, and the desire he’d held since he was young burned even hotter than that.

And the things those rookies dared to say — the audacity they had to paint the omegas as cold-blooded killers, refusing to see the truth behind the actions despite the evidence of such being clear. It grated on him, and not for the first time, Tetsurou wished that he and Bokuto were allowed to heed this expedition alone.

Tetsurou understood why Sawamura had ordered them to bring others; their plan depended on lack of suspicion, at least for the time being — but it still pissed him off.

A second symphony of hoof beats tingled in Tetsurou’s right ear, and the scent of soured lemon hailed the arrival of his closest companion. Tetsurou cast a glance at the man atop the white horse, noting his furrowed brows and tight-knit frown. Given his expression and scent, Tetsurou was able to ascertain that Bokuto was just as frustrated as he was; the two-tone alpha was just a lot less proficient at hiding it, instead wearing his instincts and emotions on his sleeve. Tetsurou found it just as foolish as he did admirable. Tetsurou cast his eyes back in front of him, a silence stretching long between them but filled to the brim with understanding — a silent conversation that only the two of them could hear.

They’d save those omegas, no matter the cost.

Chapter Text

Tooru’s eyes had been held open for so long that they’d developed needles; his writing had become sluggish and the ink was blurring on the parchment. A yawn was teasing the seam of his closed lips.

This was far from the first all-nighter he’d pulled, but it was just as unsavory as all the others before it.

The changes occurring within the kingdom were far overdue and necessary, but the amount of responsibility it donned Tooru with was somewhat overwhelming; Sawamura had trusted him enough to handle the records, and Tooru knew he was capable of doing so, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t crave a break every now and then.

“Isagi Hoshio, aged fourteen…” Tooru mumbled the words as he painted them with soft strokes. “Rescued from a ring on the eastern edge of the kingdom… broken bones and superficial cuts, signs of prolonged abuse…”

Tooru had written these same words over and over again, had mumbled them aloud so many times that their shape had been permanently branded against his tongue, yet it never failed to cinch his chest painfully. So many young omegas — young humans — tortured and scarred in ways they never should have been.

A harsh knock resounded from the door, and before Tooru could utter permission to the person on the other side, it swung open unceremoniously. Tooru placed his quill down gingerly and leaned back in his chair, leveling the intruder with a half-heated glare.

“You know, Iwa-chan, it’s simple common courtesy to wait for consent before you enter someone’s quarters.”

As usual, the only response he received was in the form of a half-baked insult, “you look like shit.”

Tooru chuckled dryly and ran a tired hand through his locks; it wasn’t as if Iwaizumi was in a much better state, what with the sweat gluing stray hairs to his forehead and the faint spatter of dust across his cheeks. Tooru could only assume he’d just left the sparring pit — the body armor glittering in the dying light of the sun proved the theory stronger. 

“You don’t look much better yourself, you know.” Tooru quipped back, lips pulling up into a small, relaxed smile.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes with a huff, but gave Tooru no verbal response. Instead, the armored man stalked further into the room, closing the door softly behind him and crossing the distance between himself and Tooru’s desk with heavy clunks. The scent of sweat, dirt, and musky pine teased at Tooru’s nose, and he barely managed to withhold the grimace that threatened to blossom across his face.

“You need a scrub down,” Tooru muttered, but despite the stench, he still leaned up to nudge the jut of Iwaizumi’s chin with the top of his head when the man came to a stop beside him. Iwaizumi returned the gesture with a soft hum, one hand sliding around Tooru’s shoulders and giving his bicep a gentle squeeze. Tooru nearly purred at the pleasant pressure.

“I’ll bathe later. You could join me, if you’d like.” Iwaizumi’s statement ended in a smooth, subtly suggestive roll. The thought of sinking his tense muscles into scalding water was near mouthwatering — but, there was one small problem…

“I would, love, but I’ve got a literal mountain here — and Sawamura-sama asked me to complete it all before the week’s end.”

Iwaizumi hummed in acknowledgment, but Tooru could detect the undertone of disappointment within it. How long had it been since they’d been able to simply relax together? Or share the same quarters, for that matter?

Far too long, Tooru’s aching chest told him.

“It’s only to be expected; Sawamura-sama is attempting to change laws that haven’t even been touched since their very inception.” Iwaizumi noted gruffly, prompting an exaggerated sigh from Tooru’s lips.

“You’d think that since he’s the one changing them he’d at least help with all the records!”

Tooru’s antics pulled a small, warm chuckle from the base of Iwaizumi’s throat — the sound wrapped around his heart and squeezed tightly, filling him with the same sense of giddiness that it had the first time he’d ever heard it.

“Well, maybe if you ask him to nicely, he will. But, truthfully, I didn’t come in here to ask you to join me in a bath or listen to you gripe — there’s something else.”

At that, Tooru perked up; it was rare that Iwaizumi uttered those words, and the few instances in which he had always struck a chord of trepidation within Tooru’s chest.

Iwaizumi took Tooru’s silence as a sign to continue, and he sighed deeply before reaching his hand — the one that wasn’t currently full of Tooru’s shoulder — beneath the breastplate of his armor. From within it he pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment and extended it to Tooru.

“Earlier today, Kuroo-san’s squadron returned to the kingdom without him or Bokuto-san — and they gave me this.”

A lump formed in Tooru’s throat as he gripped the parchment with a gentle hand. Part of him was rather hesitant to open it; it wasn’t as though Kuroo never sent updates through the form of letters, but the expression on Iwaizumi’s face coupled with the tone of voice told Tooru that this particular letter may not hold the best of news.

“What’s it about?” Tooru asked softly, fiddling gently with the slightly frayed parchment, but Iwaizumi simply shook his head.

“Just read it.”

Tooru sucked in a sharp breath and tugged loose the string holding the parchment compact — it unfurled with a soft whoosh, and Tooru’s eyes immediately flitted around the script scrawled within; there were words and phrases that captured his attention and flung his heart into his stomach.

An unexpected development… omegas have fled… self defense… a body to the kingdom… will have to apprehend on suspected murder charges…

Tooru’s eyes widened and his jaw went slack; there was the boil of anger beneath his skin, but mostly, all Tooru could feel was a hopeless sort of disbelief.

When would the world start to make sense? he wondered resentfully.

“You okay, Tooru?” Iwaizumi murmured softly after a few moments of silence, and Tooru could only barely swallow the scream of frustration that bubbled at the base of his throat. Maybe it was the lack of sleep catching up with him, or maybe it was the lack of intimacy he’d been granted with Iwaizumi — maybe it was everything — but Tooru needed to be alone at the moment to digest the new information he’d just retained.

“Iwa-chan, you should go clean up. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Tooru hoped his tone wasn’t laced with bitterness, but given the sour turn to Iwaizumi’s scent, he knew he’d failed — but Iwaizumi wasn’t one to force Tooru to talk, or to stay where he clearly wasn’t welcome in all capacities, and so the Alpha merely nodded and and retreated from Tooru’s office, taking with him the comforting scent of pine sap.

Tooru sighed and rubbed his eyes until bright stars pricked his vision, then tried his best to set aside all thoughts of the ominous information within the parchment and return to his previous paperwork.

It was much easier said than done.