Chapter 5 - 5: mean it

Jace's

Ourie's face is burning as Jace lets go. Jace's face stayed neutral as he looks at Asea questionably. Ourie have no idea what to say. He's just frozen, wanting to kiss him again because fuck, Jace's scent is too sweet to resist and that kiss is too short and yet, too euphoric for his frozen state.

"What the fuck just happened?" Yasser asked, confused. "Take the hint," Asea answered, putting down her book to look at Jace back. "Take the hint?" Azrael asked.

"Take the hint," Asea said as if confirming it.

She raised her stabbed wrist. "It's been a week after this happened. Something's supposed to happen today."

They were still confused aside from Ourie's blushing face and Jace's neutral face. "How is that connected to Jace kissing Ourie?" Roo asked her. She shrugged, standing up to leave them. Just like that.

"You kissed me," Ourie said, who managed to control himself after a few minutes and came back to Jace who's just lounging around the couch, sketching on his pad, and very much not willing to tell them the truth. "Yeah, I did." He said, as if it's the most normal answer of them all.

"What is this then?"

Jace got confused and looked up. "What is what?"

He smirked. "You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't." He said then back to his pad again. Ourie sat down on the floor, facing him. "Kiss me again."

Jace looked up. "No."

"Why did you kiss me then?"

He didn't answer and got back to whatever he's sketching. "Jace!" Ourie pulled the sleeve of his shirt annoyingly but he still didn't answer. "At least, if you're not going to tell me, kiss me again." He whined and Jace sighed.

Asea told him, Ourie would be touchy but he wasn't. Okay, slightly. It isn't a surprise that Ourie would be more annoying, teasing him as he ignores him and focuses on his sketches.

Sometimes, he wants to just stab his eye with his pencil so he would stop. Why are you so brutal when it's him. Seriously.

"You liked me? Aww, Jace. I like you, too." He says randomly, passing by and ruffling his hair.

"Jace, you can just tell me and I'm very much willing to date you." He would say when he catches him staring too long to him.

"I would love to kiss you again." When he was watching him sketch while they both lie on their stomachs, his eyes looking at him with full adoration and the whirring commenced. The whirring is only present when he's here. Weird.

"Sshh." He told him while he focuses on the sketch, which he's thanking internally because, without it, he wouldn't know what to do. He really needs to talk to Asea tonight. He just did it this morning, and yet, he's now suffering consequences thanks to the overconfident Ourie.

😃😃😃

Roo's

"Why did you kiss him?" Aeria teased when they were in the bedroom after lunch. They nap whenever it's after lunch, or what they assume is lunch after counting a few hours after, again, what they assume is breakfast. Sometimes, before they nap, they talk.

Roo was at the other bed and fixing the pillow. Em is at their bed which she shares with Asea and Aeria, leaning at the headboard and also has a teasing smile on her face. Asea couldn't be bothered to listen when she's the one who started this to Jace who's at the foot of Em's bed.

"I want to know why...was that even your first kiss?" Aeria squealed, really excited at the fact that Jace kissed someone. Not just someone, an alpha. A fucking alpha. He's so brave in Aeria's eyes now. "Yeah?"

Roo knows Asea has a theory she's working on and Jace is the neutral willing-unwilling victim. Yet he didn't push for it because he's thinking of something else. Something else that's been bothering him for a week now.

See, this salty man is this mysophobe who's sarcastic as fuck, and always nags his friends, straight up tells almost everyone off when they touch him, or does not clean after themselves. His friends seemed used to it and Roo's friends knew better than to try his patience. Until that day when that Nursing major helped Asea with her injury, uncaring of his mysophobia.

Roo loves Asea as much as he loves all of his friends and he appreciates the kindness so much. So much that he decides to cook for him just to thank him. It was after lunch and everyone else was either napping in their rooms when Ethan came out of the room, smelling what he's cooking. Apple risotto. It's completely experimental.

Asea made him watch this anime filled with boobs, cooking, and orgasm-like reaction to food but otherwise, the cooking is delving between possible to might be so near to impossible considering the characters have prodigy-like talents in cooking. He tasted it, and the taste was tolerable. Sweet and a little bit of sourness because of the apple and the risotto itself is savory but the apple balances everything. It's like putting pineapples in pizza, that.

When he looked back, Roo didn't smile. Ethan looks like he's waiting for him to say something on whatever it is that he's cooking or to just offer him some but there seemed to be no way he's initiating. Fucking pride. "Ethan." Fuck, salty man suits better but whatever. "You want to try?" Instead of bobbing his head up and down for a response, he got himself a spoon.

Is the only way he knows how to communicate is when he's triggered about germs possibly killing him? Can't he ask nicely or something? Weird. He calmed himself and got a bowl and scooped some of the soup. He offered the bowl and he looked up at him instead of just getting it.

Roo noticed the small beauty mark under his eyelid. His perfectly wavy brown hair and iced cold eyes didn't even change. "Eat with me." He shook his head. He's not really hungry because he plans to nap after this for a while. After all that happened, getting kidnapped with these alphas and Asea getting hurt, was beyond him.

Ethan blinks as if Roo just said something wrong. "I wouldn't eat that unless I make sure you didn't poison me." It was his turn to blink fast. His mouth parted slightly but remembered they've all gone through the same thing and he's basically a stranger handing him food, it must be his weariness that he's a potential virus carrier that made him say it. Roo's patient today, surprisingly, and so understanding, not accepting but understanding. At the very least, Roo, you shouldn't snap at him because you're all stressed out about what's happening. Snapping would mean you're being selfish and we're done with the selfish days, right? Sometimes he hates his inner self.

He puts down the bowl again and got himself another bowl of apple risotto. He got both as he saw Ethan actually get another spoon for him. They got on the couch and he puts it down on the table. He sat down on the floor as the alpha follows, opposite to him. He started glaring suspiciously at the innocent risotto. Without looking at Roo, he handed him one of the spoons he handled with just his thumb and index like he doesn't want to touch it if it isn't necessary.

Roo thought he's going to eat but he looks up, his cold eyes looking at him as if waiting for something. That look that he wants him to say it first because there's no way he's going to put his pride down. He swirls the spoon around the still hot risotto, waiting for it to cool down. Roo figures he'll tell him why he's giving him this after he has five spoons in. In that way, if he finds that out, he wouldn't spit it out because it's already digested. Brilliant, Roo.

He ate a spoonful and he can sense Ethan's watchful eye on him, checking if he's close to dying or something. He continued eating and when he reached the third spoonful without his eyes rolling back with white foam on his mouth, he started eating, too. Warmth spread on his chest because for one, the apple risotto tasted tolerable and that's enough for him and also, someone else, that isn't his friend, is tasting his cooking. There should be bragging rights whenever he did experimental cooking and it was successful.

He was silent but he kept eating. He was focused on his food. Roo has no idea if he's still hungry for lunch that's why he keeps eating or he just thinks it's delicious and can't help to eat. "I made it to thank you for helping Asea." He watched him as he just hummed in response, uncaring. The fuck. Nevermind. He's enjoying his food, Roo, so don't fret.

When he finished, he washed his own bowl and said, "Next time, try to add cinnamon and bacon."

"It wasn't good?" He asked, confused. He didn't answer and just slammed the door close.

Somehow, he got curious as to why he asked for him to put cinnamon and bacon. Apple and cinnamon are a great match but wouldn't the added sweetness brought by the cinnamon would overpower the savory taste of the risotto itself? And the bacon, why put bacon? He can't remember bacon on the original recipe.

Though, the next day, he did it. Because he's the kind of person who gets curious about the little things and wouldn't stop thinking about it until he realized the answer. Added a dash of cinnamon on the apples themselves then, put crispy bits of bacon as garnish.

He left the casserole in the kitchen as he goes to get Ethan from the room but he was already going out of the room. Roo got confused but didn't say anything. That look again that's waiting for him to start. "You told me to put cinnamon and bacon, maybe you can try it?" Because I haven't, I want my curiosity sated as to why you told me that.

He didn't answer and walked towards the kitchen. He's like a ghost when he's not sleeping, silently moving if he's not nagging or cleaning, no one would realize he's actually there. Fucking weird salty man.

They did the same routine as yesterday. Him waiting for him to eat first to make sure it's not poisoned and oh shit, he actually finds it scrumptious and filling. Silently, he hoped that he'll like it, too. After all, he's the one who suggested it. He takes a spoonful inside his mouth and he stared at the table and blinked. He didn't say anything, he just continued eating. And he's glad to see that. Bragging rights day 2 winner goes to Roo Chan, everyone.

"Why did you suggest cinnamon and bacon though?" He asked curiously. He slightly looks up at him, still focused on his food. "I didn't think it would work." His eyes stared at him, one, two seconds, as he looks down again. Was that two-second stare a praise? He took it as a yes.

The next day, he didn't cook for snacks and just brought out bread and spreads. And when he was on his way back to the room to take a nap, he came out then said, "let's eat." Ethan didn't wait for his answer and looking at him fumble around the kitchen, he just decides to join in. After all, whenever Ethan eats, he doesn't look at people so it's fine. Maybe, he doesn't enjoy eating alone? I'm nice enough to do so. Liar.

And that, that became a habit. Until the fifth day when he woke up in the middle of the night to drink water. That when Roo bumped at him, he asked, "Eat with me." Again. And he wanted to say no but looking at his sleepy cold eyes, he also looks hungry. So yeah, he didn't eat, just laid down on the couch to accompany him while he eats. And when he finished, Ethan raised his own socked foot and nudged his ankle silently. He jolts awake and they go their separate ways.

There's nothing to be bothered about. It's just...eating together because he can't eat alone. True. But, he doesn't feel settled knowing that he's getting used around an alpha. Is it not a good thing? It's training. All your life, you've been so afraid of alphas. Then, Ethan came along. It's a fresh take on what life has to offer, full of fucking surprises.

And when he said, surprises, the next thing that happened wasn't what he wanted, at all.

😊😊😊

Asea's

Asea watched closely as Roo walks around the house. It's just her and Roo who's awake after napping. Roo got on the treadmill. A towelette was left there.

Roo got it and looked back. "Is this yours?" She doesn't even walk closer to the treadmill without making sure everyone else is busy. For some reason, that is. She shook her head.

He caught a whiff of the scent of the towelette and puts it on his nose. She tilted her head to the side, looking at him smell it just to find out who it belonged to. "Roo, I don't think you should..." She told him. Yet, when he opened his eyes, it got dark, almost unfocused. Fuck.

Before she can even stand, she sensed it. She cursed repeatedly as she got near him and he shoved her away, resulting in her getting slammed against the wall. He looked around then stopped at one of the rooms. He looks different. He looks hungry. And he's not like Roo. "Roo, no." she tried holding his arm but it was nothing as he clutched the towelette and the space under his stomach in pain.

She panicked when he got near the door, she tried to pull him away but Roo's still a man and stronger at her. It proved nothing. It was Yasser who opened the door. His eyes widened and she motioned for him to close the door and he hastily did. "Em! Jace! Aeria!" She called out. He held her arm and pushed her lightly. This can't be happening.

He started knocking on the door. It was desperate and urgent. "Roo, let's go, please." She silently begged, her other hand, knocking on the other door to wake them up. And when the door swung open, she cursed silently, because it's the door she doesn't want opening. It's Ethan.

Roo tried leaning in but she pulls him away. Ethan's confused until he realized that the overly sweet scent is coming from the young man who's banging his fist on his door. His eyes widened and before Roo can throw himself at him, Asea pushed him back on all her might and quickly closed the door.

🤪🤪🤪

Roo got in his heat because he smelled Ethan's scent on that cursed towelette. Roo's in pain and they blocked his scent glands or just put a clean cloth around his neck as he groans in pain now and then, clutching his stomach in pain. They kept the door locked even though it would be nothing because they know, the whole house is now covered with his overly sweet scent.

"We need suppressants now," Aeria told them as they watch Roo mumble incoherently under his breath, his eyes half-lidded. Em got the towelette from him, but she almost got bit by Roo because of what she did. Em sighed, controlling herself because she almost screamed and punched Roo back at what he did but he's not being himself. The heat fogged his brain and he wouldn't know them.

"Ice...ice.." Aeria said, touching his fever-laden skin. Like he's having over 40° fever. And suppressants are the only thing they need to ease the pain of the heat. And any cold things except it wouldn't really help. It's not like they can ask an alpha to fuck Roo. There's no fucking way they'll do that.

Aeria got ice from the fridge and she and Em made Roo hold it but he just threw it away. "Aish. I'm going to beat him up later at what he did." Em said who really wanted to punch Roo now but stopped herself. Asea turned to Jace. "Jace, I think you should ask the alphas if they're fine or something. We wouldn't want to trigger their ruts...that would be.." Asea sighed. Asea has no idea what to do.

Was this the surprise for this week? Roo has an asterisk. Ethan's a clean freak, he wouldn't leave things behind. And yet, it seemed like someone got Ethan's towelette and baited it because they know Roo loves going out in the middle of the afternoon to look for snacks because of his too-fast metabolism. It was perfectly orchestrated or she could be wrong.

She was never great in mysteries, Em is. She's one of those people who would just be amazed and sputter a series of ohs as she watches the secret unfold before her eyes. It's just, she has too much time to think. And being trapped with no sight of the sunlight, not knowing what time of day it is, thinking about their situation keeps her sane.

Jace stood up and she followed, stopping by the doorway. He knocked once and the door flung open. She followed him and held on the back of Jace's shirt as Yasser motioned them to get in. "Roo's heat was triggered by your towel." He frankly said to Ethan whose eyes widened and got confused. The salty man who has nothing to say but sarcastic things has nothing to say. The alphas are on edge. The scent has entered their room. Most of all, Ethan's eyes are also unfocused, he's almost fidgeting.

"I didn't leave anything."

"You don't have to. Roo's heat would really come out this week but it came early thanks to you." Jace wasn't sarcastic. He said it calmly and he was just informing it. But of course, the words are sarcastic in themselves.

When no one answered, he continued. "No one got triggered?" Yasser looked at his friends and shook his head. "We won't let him out but you should be mindful, too. I know it'll be hard but do it." He paused.

"Please." Asea knows Jace is affected, too. Roo got his heat on the worst place possible. And it's just a locked door stopping the alphas. If they get close enough like Ethan was, a while ago, it's not possible that their rut got triggered and down the drain whatever it is that they protected all these years.

They'll all regret it after, and so even if it's hard, they all have to learn to control themselves for a week.

😉😉😉

Asea's

Em and Aeria managed to get their clothes to make Roo's nest. He just buried his face in his friends' familiar and comforting smell and yet it would never be enough. He somehow managed to nap for some time, clutching his stomach and when Asea thought that the surprise of the week already happened, she was proved wrong.

Please make it stop, she whispers looking at Roo suffer on not having his heat suppressed. She felt terrible not being able to stop it.

Aeria's already napping just to calm herself. Em's at the next bed while Jace laid by her foot. Asea knows they were taken aback. Shaken to the core, even. This is the first time they saw their friend having their heat for more than a few hours. For whenever they have their heat, suppressants are gotten fast to avoid mishaps. They would hug their heated friend to calm him or her down until the suppressant came if ever their stock is gone.

This is different. First, he was triggered by a specific alpha's scent which never happened and they were told, would make the omega in heat more wanting. Hugging them to calm them down won't help, they can just get taken by their heat and force themselves on whoever wants to comfort them. Second, no Jace or Aeria is running to the clinic to get a suppressant leaving him vulnerable for a week. It's horrible. Heats are always prescribed to be suppressed if one has no mate. And yet, this horrible thing happened and Roo has to suffer for a week. And finally, they didn't experience having their heat around fucking alphas.

Anything can happen. And if it's fine, I can just tie all the alphas on their beds so they won't even think of going to our room? She'll be more than willing to do it just to make herself sleep at night.

At dinner, they just brought food for Roo inside the room as they ate outside. She was preoccupied with many things. She decides to not sleep tonight. It's just impossible that Roo having his heat's the only thing that will happen. It just seemed so easy. It isn't damaging, concerning, yes, but the alphas can avoid it just fine if they really can.

Yet, as she was trying not to sleep, she still fell asleep only to be awakened two minutes later, or that's how she feels it was, by thumps. She stood up and opened the door.

And what she saw didn't make her scream. She covered her mouth and her knees wobbled in weakness. She hit the door in the process. "Asea." She didn't bother looking up even after hearing Em's voice who easily woke up with the sound of the door. Em saw it and she was quick to wake Jace and Aeria up.

There, in the middle of the room, is a really beautiful young woman in a white pristine dress, lying in a pool of blood.

🤬🤬🤬

Aeria's

They all woke up with the sound of Em's voice, panicked and fearful. When they got out, Asea and Em are already checking the girl's body for injuries. There wasn't. As if they put the sleeping girl in the pool of blood just to make them panic.

"Miss?" Aeria called out. She's okay, she's warm, and after checking her eyes and her mouth, she doesn't seem poisoned or drugged. So, she should be waking up now. Aeria nudged the girl awake. She's the stereotypical pretty girl. An omega, too. Long straight hair. Fair skin. Pretty face, looking like a mix of Spanish and American. Just really beautiful. Almost their age, perhaps.

Aeria noticed how beautiful her body is and she wonders just why the hell did they manage to look so sexy like that at a very young age? She slightly looked up to the five alphas who seemed enchanted at the beautiful girl lying in the blood that is probably not hers as she tries to not roll her eyes. Fucking men are all the same. And when she woke up, she fluttered her eyes open as if she's in some movie and Aeria wanted to just punch her in the face for being beautiful.

Like hanker sore, you know? So beautiful it pisses you off. Fuck, just say you're jealous because Yasser's eyes lit up when she opened her eyes. Fuck you, no.

"W-where am I?" Oh my fucking god! Her voice is so fucking sweet, exactly how she looked. Can this girl just stop being cliche and being the muse of any man who sets their eyes on him? Why the hell are you so bitter anyway? She looked at Asea, who she knows has...very low self-esteem and she saw her step back away from them and watched them from the kitchen. She tried not to sigh, if she's hating the fact she's beautiful, Asea's despising herself for being just like this. She wouldn't want to see anyone that reminds her how shitty she thinks she looks.

"Were you also kidnapped?" Trey asked her, guiding her to sit up on the floor away from the puddle of blood.

She got confused and looked around. "Fiona. I'm Fiona." She raised her hand towards Yasser, of all people, and Aeria felt like she wanted to run to the kitchen, too, because she might just, it's bad but, kick her in the face.

She looked up and smiled. "You are?" Yasser's lips parted a little.

"Yasser." Hanker sore activated.