Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

‘Maybe falling for a maniac with no regard for basic human decency unless it suits him wasn’t my brightest idea…’

Illuga has met weird. He’s done weird, seen it, mulled it over and kept doing weird things, because they suited him and made others more comfortable.

Being an Omega on the front lines isn’t rare in the Lightkeepers, because they’d never turn anyone away. Actually, it’s the reason they have more Omegas than any other dynamic in their dwindling forces. But it is weird in many other lands where prejudice and pride can still outweigh desperation.

Another thing that is weird is that one of their strongest fighters is also an Omega, though a very mysterious (fae) one.

Clearly, the knights that came with Varka had no issues with this. While Illuga had little doubt in his own abilities, meeting people from afar and being unable to completely guess their reactions was a little strange. Not that Illuga meets with all of them so often, but often enough to get their reactions and differences across.

First off, the knights are open with their affection, especially between each other, no matter the dynamic. As is characteristic for their land, they all freely scent each other and also have no qualms about offering to spend a mating cycle together.

Shame is a foreign concept to them, at least with these things.

Everyone from the Lightkeepers in contact with them had to get used to their new colleagues being somewhat... touchy, in a way that people from Nod-Krai simply aren’t.

Illuga himself got comfortable soon enough, but never allowed for scenting anywhere near his neck or any other risque areas, for obvious reasons. No one minded though, respecting boundaries set and following them to the letter.

A small rub before a battle, some small circles to comfort during an especially difficult stretch of fighting, to soothe when he lay in the hospital bed getting his wounds addressed, or the most common; to be able to recognize the Lightkeepers helping them out of abyssal fog.

Never anything more, and never to stake a claim either.

No one was exempt, even the highest-ranked knights. Varka often tried rubbing his wrist against Illuga’s cheeks, citing something about cuteness aggression, completely forgetting that having his oppressive scent near Illuga’s lips and neck would send the wrong message to literally everyone.

Flins wasn’t helpful with that matter either, only hiding a smile behind his hand that made him look polite even though Illuga knows he’s having fun.

Jealousy isn’t a big part of their… whatever they have going on, but Illuga is on the verge of just asking Flins to be more possessive of Varka out in the open, just so he stops getting harassed by the Grand Master wanting to pinch his cheeks.

Being one of the youngest among both factions truly has its downsides.

Mika, who’s the actual youngest, is a cartographer and a very talented knight joining the 5th Company. He always asked before scenting Illuga and never took any issue when refused (not that anyone else did either, but pups Mika's age can be fussy sometimes).

The young knight is polite and caring, and Illuga made the habit to check up on him whenever he could, just to see him alive and breathing.

The scent of honey fills Illuga’s nose as he opens the most recent letter from Mika. It's been quite a long time since he’s seen the pup, evident by the no longer milky scent characteristic of one.

‘He’s presented…?’ The need to know pokes at the back of his mind, and so the letter gets opened rather quickly.

He received it just this morning, but had other duties to attend to at the time. So instead, he’s only seeing the contents of it now that his mandatory lunch break is in session.

The letter is written on sturdy paper, something Mika had mentioned his parents used to do, coupled with a pressed Cecilia flower and some other trinkets that get placed gently on his table.

Illuga smiles, bringing the piece of paper filled with ink to his nose. Some remnant milky scent, honey and the scent of the wind.

Very Mika. Though he can’t quite tell what the boy presented as, it’s reason enough for his smile to stretch a bit further, crinkling his eyes. Presenting in Nod Krai would’ve been uncomfortable, so it pleases him that the young knight could have a safe warming cycle in a place like Mondstadt.

From how the entire Knights of Favonius speak of the place, it’s one of the safest and most comfortable places to have such a big change happen.

His fingers sweep back and forth across the paper as he reads it, drinking and eating as he goes. From the soft winds and bards singing, to the free nature and familiar routing, Mika’s words beautifully describe his homecoming and integration into the city after being away for a while.

Mika speaks of his presentation just shortly, with him turning out to be a Beta like his brother and parents. There’s mentions of his friends, like Noelle and Barbara, his fellow knights Kaeya and Eula, along with a little knight called Klee whom he’s babysitting as he writes this.

The mention of bombs being forbidden because of her cracks him up as he touches the burnt corner of the sturdy paper.

Illuga thoroughly enjoys living through this text, feeling like he’s right there beside his friend.

As he finishes up reading, needing to hold the very bottom of the paper to read the squeezed in words, the light flickers. His attention shifts to his table, where he’s already laid out writing utensils. The plate and cutlery he ate from also crowd the small desk. He needs to put those away first.

A lingering contentment stays as he folds up the letter, making sure not to crease it in any other way than it already was. He puts it back into the envelope it came in and leaves it on the table, to archive with all the others later.

For now though, his dishes need cleaning.

The most unique knight, in regards to scenting, but also overall, is Lohen.

He’s quite different from Illuga, but no less worthy of respect than any of his fellow knights, even if his methods are… questionable most of the time. Unfortunately, they’re also very effective in achieving the desired goal.

In the Knights of Favonius, Lohen is a seasoned veteran, despite being around Illuga's age, and considered to be the captain of the fifth company instead of his actual position as vice-captain. Illuga honestly isn’t sure how he can still remain just a vice-captain, with his constant achievements in battle and praises from everyone around.

Even before Illuga officially joined the Lightkeepers, he heard about a teal haired youngster causing a ruckus and leading battles. Maybe he just doesn’t care about status that much?

Illuga has seen his battle prowess, along with having front row seats to just how addicted Lohen is to fighting powerful monsters and seeking out more and more challenges. He barely goes to meetings or back to the Favonius base at all, only sending in important paperwork when needed.

Another thing Lohen comes back to base for, is to get help with patching up after said reckless battles and solo expeditions.

Illuga is the one helping him.

Which happened completely by accident by the way. The man has absolutely no regard for his own safety. He’s the type to tough out his wounds instead of treating them, and Illuga hates that down to his very core.

‘Well, more like completely ignore them…’ Was one of his first thoughts after seeing the vice-captain in the infirmary, where the man should be resting and recuperating after a battle. First step through the doorframe, and he’s already stopped to see the mess going on.

The knights groan as he barks orders at them instead of laying in bed like he’s supposed to be, giving praise and criticism (99% criticism, 1% congrats on not getting nerfed) to each and every one of them like it can’t wait. Even the bandage on his arm seems eager to get away from him, dirtied and sliding off the large gash in his upper arm.

His other wounds and scratches aren’t even remotely taken care of. Both the healing salve and disinfection spray sit unopened and neglected on the hospital bed that’s supposed to have one vice-captain in it.

But it doesn’t, as he’s currently busy standing above a barely alive soldier like a dictator, arms crossed in front of his chest and his mouth is twisted into a cruel smirk

“And you-" Lohen points with his finger accusingly- "that monster I repelled from you nearly snapped your leg right off. If I hadn’t been there, what do you reckon would’ve happened?”

Not even the chilling stare Lohen gives the limp figure wakes it. The soldier is half delirious and on the ground in a cot, with them waning in and out of consciousness.

That seems to be answer enough, apparently, as everyone else in the room can probably guess the soldier would’ve been dead without Lohen stepping in.

“You’re lucky that thing was interesting enough to crush with my hands," he continues, "otherwise I would’ve been so bored I’d leave it to take care of you instead.”

Illuga inwardly groans at the sight, eyes looking up like a deity might help him with this. The differences between Mondstadt and Nod Krai are quite large, he’s aware, so all the knights need to be reminded that this land is not so forgiving or kind as their wind-blessed fields.

But does it have to be right after they got themselves beat half to death? Fighting off a large amount of abyssal creatures of unparalleled size no less.

It isn’t his business how the 5th Company operates, but seeing this… it ticks him off.

A bit.

And though he’d love to step in, he isn’t sure as to how Lohen would react to it. Illuga policing his methods instead of Varka, who usually steps in if the man gets too carried away (whether it works or not is another thing)… he isn't sure how that'd go.

From the little information he knows, not very badly, but definitely with no results.

Over the year and something the Favonius Knights have resided in Nod Krai, Illuga has had many opportunities to get to know them, especially the higher-ranked ones who come and negotiate or strategize with the Lightkeepers on the regular. Varka, Mika, the captain of the 5th Company, captains of other Companies and some others.

Among them is also Lohen, except Illuga hasn’t really learned anything about him. Over the course of that year, Lohen had shown up about… seven times? From the tens of meetings they’ve had.

So, not that much time to get to know him. Still, he did catch some details.

Lohen’s scent was always controlled, so it didn’t give away anything besides a fresh, salty odor and very light Alpha pheromones. He also hasn’t partaken in scenting everyone like the rest of the knights have.

So far, he’s only scented a couple people, and that mostly includes the select few Lightkeepers tasked with getting knights away from the abyssal fog in case of emergency and his own superiors, along with Mika.

He’s always focused on the battles that might occur during a given job, pretending to listen to the plans made in advance, all before making his own and following those instead. He drags everyone into them, rallying all of the battle power available whether they want to or not.

Varka always laughs when that happens (probably just happy he isn’t falling into any traps), and Mika also seems content to let the man do as he pleases.

The Captain of the 5th company is usually in the infirmary by the time they receive the news.

Really, that’s the most concerning thing about these knights. They’re too free spirited. But Illuga could never deny that the more drastic plans almost always ended up being both more viable for the situation.

Though dangerous (and also insanely unhinged sometimes), they always ended successfully, with no deaths. It was like the vice-captain had all his subordinates on strings, barking orders at them to move or do or fight in certain ways. All of them are used to it, because they've learned to trust Lohen entirely, knowing he won't leave them out for dead.

His strategic forethought and endless creativity with his men is a talent in and of itself. Another part of that success is that Lohen is just that insanely good at fighting. Both ranged weaponry, but also close combat.

And while all that is admirable, he can’t really deny that it angers him when Lohen further endangers himself even after such dangerous stunts.

From the very few times he's caught a glimpse of Lohen after a battle, given that he usually continues fighting and doesn't stop, Lohen hasn't patched himself up or done anything to actually treat his injuries.

At least the only thing the other does to his subordinates after battles is give them mental damage without pushing them further physically.

But himself?

Jumping around, not taking care of himself, not giving any thought into the fact that he’s bleeding all over the place, taking his weapon and marching out right back into the battlefield, maniacal grin and all.

“Vice-captain,” Illuga murmurs with an irritated tone. Despite trying to be quiet, it seems to pierce the tense air anyway.

Both the soldiers and Lohen himself turn to face him with the new addition to their conversation. Illuga can’t remember the last time it was this quiet in the infirmary. He doesn’t stop to think about it, only passing by all of the soldiers and their hushed whispers.

Lohen's infirmary bed creaks underneath him as he sits on it, old from use.

“I will take care of your injuries for you, since you’re so keen on not doing anything about them yourself,” Illuga says, already reaching for a fresh and not dirty roll of bandages.

Very unlike the ones slapped onto Lohen’s upper arm with little care. The best those are doing is soaking up blood. If that.

“I’m fine. It’s just a slash," he turns around to face Illuga directly, defending his case like he had with the nurses. Illuga’s eyebrow raises at the polite tone, hand tightening around the soft material in his hand.

He keeps his expression neutral, not wanting to show how upset that makes him.

‘'Just’ a slash?'’ he thinks, ‘That thing spanning from his elbow to his shoulder, looking like it was done with a serrated knife corroded by the Abyss?’

With how gruesome it looks, Illuga is surprised Lohen isn’t screaming in agony.

Really, another reason Illuga is doing this is because he overheard the nurses muttering about no longer even attempting to attend to him, and while he understands them, he doesn’t want anything going… wrong, either.

“Respectfully, I don’t believe that’s just a slash. A wound like that needs to be treated, though you seem quite eager to ignore it,” he huffs. Just that lets Illuga know how much the man doesn't care for treating it.

Lohen doesn’t seem displeased or bothered. His face turns from that cruel smirk into a light smile, like he’s feeling playful. His boots make a squeaky noise as he turns. Probably because he’s gone through such a conversation many times before, but Lohen doesn’t seem concerned.

“While I appreciate your efforts, I’m not one to fall so easily from wounds like these,” The words just reek of practiced politeness, though a glib tongue is one of Illuga’s weaknesses, he’ll admit.

"I can attend to myself just fine. If there’s any issues, I’ll seek your services out directly." He bows politely with one hand in front of his heart and the other behind his back, a knight's greeting. Lohen's skill shows in the way he perfectly lowers his head and casts his gaze to the ground for just a second-

"Though I can’t say I’m offended by the offer coming from such a man as yourself," -then raises it back up to look right at Illuga, teasing smile playing on his lips.

Illuga can't even deny it, having such a playful tone coming from a handsome knight with no shirt on and his scent everywhere isn’t helping him keep up the disgruntled attitude… but!

But. There is actually something to be concerned about.

“Vice-captain Lohen,” he calls out again, corners of his lips falling downwards into a frown and his brows furrowing. His hands fall to rest against his thighs, still holding onto the bandage.

He dares to release some displeased pheromones, really unable to hold them back more than willingly showing his thoughts and feelings on the matter. Edges of his sweater that rest against his neck gland soak up the scent oil gathering there.

The cloying, both sweet and bitter scent of burnt caramel, takes over the space surrounding him. He can feel the knights getting a bit antsy. It wasn't his plan to upset anyone, but they’ll have to endure for a few minutes.

Lohen’s eyes flit over to the exposed sliver of skin, suddenly fixated on it.

“You are in my- our territory," Illuga takes in a breath, "and the Lightkeepers greatly respect your faction, as do I. While I can’t say I support the recklessness of your plans, I still tolerate your methods."

And then lets out a quiet, exasperated sigh. "I won't tolerate any more of such behavior from you though, especially when I can see that that gash will not be healing without treatment.”

Switching the bandage to his right hand, he places the now free hand next to his legs, to invite the vice-captain to sit there.

“I would appreciate having one less grave to visit," he argues as he organizes things he needs for the treatment.

"Now, if you would.”

Finishing his spiel with an expectant tone gets a slightly surprised expression from Lohen. The man straightens as his expression changes into an entertained smirk, pleasantly surprised.

By what Illuga isn’t sure, but the situation turns into a stalemate.

It feels a bit charged, and Illuga wonders if he's overstepping. Lohen doesn’t look annoyed though…

His eyes slowly close as he looks down on the stained floor of the infirmary. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Lohen isn’t a Lightkeeper. Or from Nod-Krai.

Or in any need of protection, really.

Usually, Illuga can keep himself in check when he’s agitated. But a situation where that wound could get ripped, or torn further, or even just infected and further poisoned by abyssal corrosion, right after an intense battle where the adrenaline helps deal with the pain-

The results are not something he wants to see. Especially since in their situation, dire on medical equipment as it always is, it could mean death. Preventing that before it can spread is the best method. Surely they can agree on that at least?

He… he doesn’t want any more deaths. Even if it’s a knight he barely knows.

“Well,” Lohen chuckles, tone light with an audible smile.

Illuga jerks his head up at the sound. His eyes snap upwards, to look up at the man now standing just inches from him with surprise. Lohen’s steps had been silent. Illuga hadn’t even realized the other had come so close, too caught up in his head, thinking of a future he wasn't keen on seeing.

When the knight speaks again, it’s less dismissive, more melodic, almost. Enjoying their back and forth, with a more assured smile this time.

“How fun,” he teases, tilting his head a bit. “I mustn’t displease you then, since you wish to patch me up so badly, Captain of the Nightmare Orioles.”

He's standing right in front of Illuga and is looking down at him with his arms crossed and an amused expression, smile turning teasing when he tries out Illuga’s full title.

The Lightkeeper wasn't aware he even knew of his official title.

It’s difficult to discern the Alpha’s thoughts. Usually, the knight acts with little to no regard for those he doesn’t respect, and Illuga doesn’t know where he sits on that scale.

Telling Lohen to do as he says while not being Varka or Mika had a great chance to backfire spectacularly.

But it didn’t. Instead, he’s… whatever.

He doesn’t want to look into it too much, so his attention shifts to other details. Though his vision is already focusing on the bandage and other supplies he’ll need, the new and somewhat overpowering scent of an Alpha, of Lohen, is invading his nose because of their sudden proximity.

Icy and fresh, somewhat jarring with how strong it is compared to every other time Illuga was around him. Eucalyptus and sea salt envelop the knight like second skin. Do his clothes tamp down pheromones so well? Or maybe it’s just the remaining adrenaline?

Breathing it in reminds him of the clear winter air on an early morning, right after waking up. So familiar too, with Nod-Krai being cold and unforgiving most of the year.

It's attractive.

Illuga’s hair sways from side to side as he shakes his head, getting rid of that thought. It also serves to stop himself from trying to sniff the air like a weirdo.

The need to inhale more of an Alpha's, or really anyone's scent, hadn't really happened to him. The natural pull that one often has with compatible mates is foreign to him. So why it it now?

Adamantly ignoring whatever that was, he pats the space beside him again to invite Lohen to sit.

When the man does so, Illuga's arms come up to check the wound on the other’s upper arm carefully. It’s a jagged cut, gruesome and painful looking.

Giving a quick look-over to the knight’s torso to check for any other injuries, it’s apparent that the man is very powerful. Lithe, but strong, with defined and flexible muscles. His eyes skirt over places that aren't wounded too, just in case he missed something.

Before doing anything, he calls on Aedon and purifies the abyssal corrosion in the wound so it doesn't fester. Lohen looks somewhat interested in it, watching the kuuvahki bird as it retreats.

When preparing for the stitching, Illuga misses the needle hole two times.

He blames it on the fatigue of having night patrol for two nights in a row, instead of the distractingly handsome man and his body before him.

Starting the stitches, he tries not to show his surprise when Lohen doesn’t so much as flinch at the prodding. Quite a few are needed, and the abyssal remnants on the skin tend to make it hurt even more.

He can hear that Lohen's breathing has quickened, but instead of pained, the knight's face looks pleased, maybe flushed… okay, he doesn't want to know.

The infirmary slowly regains its hustle and bustle as he patches Lohen up, though it’s still hushed compared to before. Most importantly, snores fill the air, and Illuga’s eyes flit around the entire area to confirm his suspicions.

Good. The soldiers are finally be getting some well deserved rest.

Once the stitches are secure, Illuga gets a clean rag to wipe off the splattered blood. It had oozed downwards, towards the vice-captain’s hand, so the rag gets used along the entire arm to clean the whole mess in one go.

Some already dried crimson is on the wound as well, starting the healing process. Illuga keeps his hand light so as to not snag those areas, along with all the other small cuts and bruises.

Then, he finally uses that bandage he’s been fiddling with their entire conversation, wrapping it as securely as he can manage.

It’s already clear to him that Lohen won’t really bother with upkeep.

“There, all done,” he mutters, tying off the ends in a double-knot and tucking it into the edge so it doesn’t snag on anything. It leaves his hands awkwardly hovering in mid-air.

Their gazes meet when he looks back up from his work.

“Wasn’t so hard, was it?”

The Alpha leans in instead of answering, scent betraying none of his thoughts. How crazy is his control of his scent? Is he sizing Illuga up? Reading him like a book?

With every warning given to him since he was very young, about being careful around Alphas and being vigilant whenever they act weirdly, this situation is making him want to get up and leave, or at the very least create distance.

Those thoughts go through his mind while leaning backwards subconsciously, placing his hands beside his hips to stabilize himself. Both their scents slowly mix in the area between them,thin bed sheet rustling from their movements.

Again, it’s difficult to guess what Lohen is thinking at any given point in time. His intensity heightens whenever he focuses on a fight or, in this case, a person.

Illuga just so happens to be that someone, at the moment.

“I guess not.” he agrees without conviction, tone pleased as he studies Illuga’s face. Though it’s clear he doesn’t actually care for being bandaged up, Lohen seems to understand that Illuga was worried and wanted to help. And also annoyed, which doesn’t seem to bother the knight at all.

Really, that’s all Illuga can hope for with this reckless guy. The urge to nag is one he doesn’t tamp down though, still feeling that lingering irritation.

“Exactly, so please just lessen your reckless habits. From endangering your subordinates, to putting yourself in harm's way-" he starts, mouth unintentionally turning into a pout- "ignoring your injuries and making them worse even after the battle is over. It’s really not so difficult, there’s many solutions to- eeum-!”

An embarrassing sound, like a wobbly, nervous hum, escapes his throat as his hand get taken by the wrist.

Lohen decided, for whatever reason, to put on his knightly persona that he doesn't usually bother with, and press Illuga's hand right to his lips. It’s a gentle hold, like when a knight escorts a princess, supporting Illuga's rough hand from under the knuckles.

The infirmary is suddenly so quiet one could hear a pin drop, which Illuga feels embarrassingly aware of. His own scent slowly returns to it's usual sweetness.

The knight that's the reason for it lightly grazes the back of his hand with a fleeting kiss, leaving behind some of his scent, then pushes away Illuga's sleeves to expose his wrist gland. The subsequent slow circles against it are the result of Lohen pressing their wrists together, scenting Illuga.

Both eucalyptus and the sea mix with caramel into a new scent that wafts only between them, clinging to the skin of their wrists.

It's quite a unique combination and it's strong, spreading between them easily. It resembles the salty caramel candies from Fontaine that he tried when he was younger…

“Mmm~ I do hope this is enough for my new nurse,” Lohen says, looking up at him from behind his eyelashes, his hum cutting off anything more Illuga might’ve wanted to think over.

“Wouldn’t want your unnecessary actions to be left without proper thanks, right?”

Handsome is the only word to describe his face at that moment. Alluring red flashing through the cold blue in his eyes, glinting in the dim yellow light mischievously.

Him speaking so eloquently, despite the insult, makes Illuga’s brain stutter, along with the mixing of their scents in the air. Both the eucalyptus, salt and caramel blend so well into each other it's making him almost dizzy with how pleased his instincts are.

A second or two passes before he processes the words that left Lohen’s mouth.

"What do you mean 'nurse'?!" he berates, leaning forward, "and how is it unnecessary? That wound wasn't going to heal on it's own and you know that- HEY!"

“Well then, I’ll be on my way," Lohen says as he slips away.

Illuga feels out of his element, feeling both indignant and somehow flustered. No one really tries annoying him or pushing his buttons, but Lohen’s definitely doing this to taunt him.

Maybe to see a reaction, something to entertain him or get his blood-pumping. Is that what it is? Attempts at getting him to lose his cool?

Completely ignoring Illuga’s sputtering, the vice-captain walks away, letting go of Illuga’s hand carefully as he does.

Though he’s not at all careful with his newly bandaged arm, waltzing out the door of the small infirmary without a care in the world. Even jumping over his subordinates' legs on the way. Which reminds Illuga…

“Hey, you’re going to unravel the bandage-!”

"See ya, birdie!"

Unstable, elated giggles are the only answer he gets, slowly growing quieter as Lohen speeds down the halls and away from the infirmary.

"Who is he calling birdie..."

Seeing Lohen in the coming months after their first interaction outside of a business meeting wasn’t a complete surprise, but Illuga wonders how how it's even possible.

Before, Lohen would be impossible to find.

Predictable he may be, you’d never know if he’d gone to fight monsters a few minutes away from base, decided to fight his subordinates, is maybe doing the paperwork needed nowhere near his office slash tent, or that he decided to go on a solo expedition to sniff out abyssal portals without any preparation on a completely different island and won’t return for about… the foreseeable future.

Unsurprisingly, it's usually the last option. Varka never bothered with tracking him down, saying that it’s useless.

Now though, there’s no need for Illuga to even try.

Lohen has been popping up from random corners weekly, even though he’s supposed to be far away according to intel. Sweating and somehow with blood splatters and new injuries all over him, glowing like he’d just solved fate and is still ringing with adrenaline.

“Hello, my nurse~ Are you here to bother me again?”

The grating sentence is uttered with a smile and a wave, even though the man himself is the one seeking Illuga out. He's sitting on the hospital bed already, medical supplies all laid out already.

Illuga sort of wishes he could just leave him to bleed out as he's walking to the infirmary.

But of course, he can’t. Ever since their meetings have devolved into mini hang outs, and he's learned more about the knight, he (begrudgingly) now actually likes him. Not just his scent, though it's always a… bonus, shall we say, that comes out of their meetings to be smelling like the Alpha.

His instincts have started seeking Lohen out, trying to get him to stay close to the man.

So now, whenever possible, like the time he could be spending writing back to Mika, helping his old man or even checking the archives, he’s patching Lohen up when he's to be found at the infirmary.

For example, right this second.

Coming up to the bed where Lohen is sitting, Illuga makes sure not to look too hard on the bare upper body of his ally. He doesn’t want the other to think he’s ogling him, or something. Because he’s definitely not doing that.

Gathering some missing equipment, he makes sure that everything Lohen prepared is actually the correct stuff and not poison.

Some antiseptic, some bandages if they're needed, the stitching kit just in case, some medical tape to keep the soft pads he also takes in place. Then, Illuga sits next to him, getting comfortable and making sure that he has everything. It’s already been a few months since the first time they’ve done this.

Illuga taking care of Lohen’s injuries and cleaning him up, disinfecting everything.

Same bare torso to look at, but with more defined muscles and new scars to map each time. It’s a bit ridiculous how quickly Lohen’s body develops.

There is an issue with their arrangement though, aside from Illuga's wandering gaze.

Mostly because of the dire medical supplies, Illuga can’t really patch every wound up, but he tries. The rest of the issues are just his inability not to react to Lohen’s taunts or his eyes wanting to wander and admonishing himself for it.

Not that Lohen has ever minded the lingering hands on his body. Or maybe he just didn’t notice. Who knows.

Illuga concentrates on the task in front of him, only muttering about Lohen's carelessness for now.

Small slashes get cleaned and disinfected. Larger gashes are stitched and cleaned. The worst of it gets bandaged for, at the very least, a day. He also makes sure to detoxify the abyssal fluids Lohen always comes in with.

Today though, there's barely anything for him to find, so he only has to patch up some scratches and apply some ointment on bruises and new scars to hopefully help them heal.

Thankfully, no injury is as serious as that first one, the giant gash on his upper arm Illuga patched up all those months ago.

Checking on it now, and also ignoring Lohen’s earlier remark…

“Hm... It’s healed fine.” There's a thick, pinkish scar, clearly on its way to completely healing.

The abyssal corrosion didn’t cause any further damage despite some festering, which is a bit surprising, but with how much Lohen loves to dance with the Abyss, he wouldn't be surprised by a bit of immunity to it.

Illuga also has some immunity to kuuvahki due to eating mandragoras and having Aedon, and so he also has some resistance to the Abyss.

Illuga feels the ridge of scar tissue underneath his fingertips as he passes over it gently. The texture is familiar, because his own scars are the same. Forgetting himself, he also slides his hand further down, tracing other scars along the way.

Lohen doesn't say anything and doesn't shrug him off, letting Illuga explore all he wants.

It’s empty in the infirmary today, which is pretty surprising. Illuga appreciates it. Not just because he's allowing himself some comfort with physical touch, but also because he isn’t in his best shape today.

Usually, there’s always someone prancing about, getting medicine or putting on bandages, or even just sleeping on the beds, recovering. Though it does filter out a little whenever they meet. It’s sort of their unofficial meet up spot now.

He has no idea how that happened, they settled into a routine eventually.

Illuga would see Lohen in the corner of his eye heading towards the infirmary, then see if he had time. These days, he forgets to actually check, in favor of seeing Lohen. Not that he'll admit that to himself. If he has time, he’ll go after Lohen to scold him and tell him to knock off his dangerous stunts, while taking care of his injuries.

It never works, of course, which he knows because the Grandmaster keeps trying the same thing and getting the same results.

“So, will you keep being my nurse?” Lohen interrupts his thoughts, mesmerizing eyes following Illuga's hands. "You're so thorough with your care, I feel quite special. Wouldn't want you leaving for another, you know?"

Illuga vehemently doesn't focus on the flirty tone or sentence, willing his cheeks not to warm.

It’s only been about… four months maybe. Well, maybe that is a fair question to ask after such a long stretch of time. Illuga should’ve known he’d ask something like that.

But what should he even say? It's not like he can blurt out that Lohen smells nice, or that he actually enjoys talking to the knight, or that he wants to be together more even outside of this infirmary.

His hands move to clean a shallow cut, rag and antiseptic back in his hand.

“Will you keep fighting monsters and getting injuries?” He asks instead of answering, looking directly into Lohen's eyes, which meet him head on. Sparks fill them so quick that he gets whiplash compared to how dull they usually look.

“Well of course I will!” Lohen’s voice carries through the room with an excited note to it, as if forgetting he was the one who asked a question in the first place. It makes Illuga stop cleaning one of his cuts, placing the rag to the side.

Lohen moves around too much when he’s talking about monsters.

“Nothing’s better than giving a beating to some monsters, especially the ones ‘round here." his eyes gleam and a smile stretches on his face, "they're so much stronger than the ones at home, it’s fun to crush them and push them around! You see…”

Lohen’s monologue continues, droning on as Illuga’s focus vanes and he gets lost in his own mind.

While this spiel is nothing new, Illuga is still surprised by the intensity with which Lohen loves battles and anything involving fighting. In the few meetings Lohen attended, he could describe a monster’s movesets and how to counter them in great detail, making expeditions and missions much easier to plan for.

The enthusiasm is a bit disturbing though, especially when the vice-captain decides to get graphic.

Illuga shakes his head, eyes running over Lohen’s body… to check for injuries. Of course.

There’s scars all over the skin, from small, fully healed, thin white lines to thick, gnarly and dark ones, old and new, all mixing together into something his mind and hands want to feel and map out.

Lohen isn’t the most bulky man, but his physique is very defined and attractive.

Along with his looks and scent, Illuga can’t help but find him handsome. Even with the craziness and mild disregard for anything that isn’t fighting, unfortunately.

Fluffy, dark teal hair with eyes that both mesh well and clash with it. A graceful face, still youthful and with no wrinkles despite his job, graceful features and a sharp jawline that just invites the eye to trace it. Pale neck with his usual choker, sturdy shoulders and the rest of his torso that Illuga simply can't look away from.

Ehem. Anyway.

When Varka told the Lightkeepers for the first time about Lohen, everyone believed he’d become tired and depressed in a short amount of time, like everyone in this line of work does eventually.

Especially the people at the front, like Lohen volunteered to do.

When Illuga was informed about him after he officially joined, he'd had some hope that it wouldn't be true. Though facts forced him to think the same as the others.

It’s inevitable to burn out, to waver in the face of cruelty. Or, so everyone thought. Instead-

“...they even get up after getting killed once, isn’t that wonderful? It means I can keep fighting and fighting, needing to kill them thrice-" he says with excitement- "it’s nothing like back at home, where everyone and everything just falls so quickly. The strongest we have are Ruin Guards, and even those are just so flimsy…”

-this battle-maniac is still going strong, going out on solo-expeditions and never backing down. Actively mapping out the abyssal portals, even, leaving Illuga reports on his desk every time he comes around.

(Which makes Illuga happy and smell like a sweeter toffee. He hopes he never has to explain to his old man about why reports of abyssal activity smell of caramel.)

Illuga imagines he glows and jumps in glee when he gets the call to go fight some terrifying rift in the rare times he’s around to read it, the same as he did when he first arrived and disappeared for a month with no sign of him anywhere.

Terrifying. But also enviable.

He has his own motivations, completely different from the Lightkeepers. They’re all people, but Lohen’s drive far exceeds that of a normal person. Maybe it’s so undying exactly because he’s so different and generally insane.

New recruits in the Lightkeepers often leave after a few months, seeing the horrors the Wild Hunt brings. It’s understandable, if a little disheartening.

On the other hand, a lot of long-time Lightkeepers decide to die in battle, not wanting to completely give up, but no longer having the strength to fight and choosing an honorable death.

His side stings, memories of a few days prior resurfacing, and his vision swims a bit, blurring, before he forcefully disregards it. His eyes have to stop looking at his patient, closing to somehow help deal with the quick pain, and missing when Lohen's observant stare studies him.

There’s no need to think of that. He needs to keep going, he already promised at her grave he would. Just like all the others.

He makes sure to straighten up, so as to not jostle his body too much, opening his eyes slowly.

Hopefully, Lohen hasn’t noticed anything, with how excitedly he’s yapping about fighting. Illuga can keep his own scent in check, but he’s also wearing his coat firmly on his shoulders today. It's important to make sure his displeased scent doesn’t cause fellow Ratniki to worry.

So, Lohen should also remain oblivious to his plight. Though he doubts the Alpha will gather much interest in it either way.

“Oh- and I even encountered that abyssal monster with multiple bodies meshed into one, it was so interesting! Had about seven arms and a torso thoroughly glowing with the Abyss, crawled around like a drunk spider trying to get to me.” He breathes in as he laughs, making it sound airy and carefree.

As for Lohen's scent, it's excitedly spreading through the room, showing his excitement non-verbally. Again, it's comforting, just the scent Illuga likes. Refreshing and icy, unrestrained.

Eucalyptus, sea salt, fresh winds and snowy blizzards. Biting, but not painful.

Comforting.

If Illuga ever meets his past self, and tells him he's fantasizing about an Alpha's scent, even trying to read every note, and getting it right because he's that hooked on it... his past self is going to hit him with their polearm.

Maybe try to cleanse him with Aedon.

“I’m pretty sure its screeches were of multiple people at once, maybe the consciousnesses the Abyss stitched together? Anyway, maneuvering around its arms and legs was a piece of cake, but actually striking it took some skill-”

“Yes, yes, I understand,” Illuga sighs, trying to forget that very vivid image, closing his eyes to aid that endeavor. It doesn’t help.

He breathes in and then sighs, willing himself to calm down. Answering the question now is probably for the best, he doesn’t really want to hear about any more gruesome abyssal monsters when he doesn’t have to. He's seen enough and doesn't need to imagine them in his off-time too.

Especially not the newer, more creative ones Lohen always seems to encounter.

“If you don’t stop coming back injured from fighting, then I won’t stop patching you up. That’s the answer to your question.”

Lohen doesn’t seem too bothered by being interrupted, but he does raise an eyebrow and stops looking like he’s daydreaming about a crush instead of violence.

He’s trying to figure Illuga out with that perceptive gaze again.

.

.

.

“You have a savior complex or something?”

"Huh? What?" Illuga hums, looking at Lohen bewildered. The indignant tone can probably be heard from a mile away.

"No! How did you even come to that conclusion?!”

Lohen's giggles cut in, suddenly smiling brightly. A sharp tooth glints in the yellow light as he does so.

“You definitely do, don’t you, birdie?” Like it’s a good joke, and it might be, given Lohen’s questionable humor, he bends in half from the laughter.

Illuga feels like he’s missing something.

Lohen doesn’t really get like this. When he’s normally this happy, he’s just discovered a new punching bag to toss around, not Illuga's hidden mental issues.

As it dies down, the silence in the infirmary becomes apparent in its absence. Eerie quiet settles, Illuga’s confusion and hesitance apparent. Lohen leans in close to Illuga’s face in complete disregard to the concept of personal space, stopping when their noses are just inches apart.

“If you don’t, then tell me,” he starts, holding eye contact. It’s so intense, a complete opposite to his attitude seconds ago, that Illuga can’t look away.

He feels like he’s getting absorbed into the blood red of the others pupils.

Lohen’s scent once again hits him, though this is the first time it actually seems directed at him. The freshness is no more, instead an angry, heavy storm sort of smell hits him square in the face. Lohen’s pheromones seem vaguely displeased, despite the sly and indecipherable smile on the knight's face.

“Why is it that you’re treating my meager injuries…” he mutters, getting so close that only Illuga could hope to hear it.

Fingers jab into his abdomen with deadly precision, right in the middle of his open, shabbily bandaged wound.

“Fuck-”

“...while sporting an untreated one yourself, hmm~?”

Illuga doesn’t get a chance to pull away, cursing and folding in on himself as Lohen’s hand continues to press against his coat, into the open wound covered by it. One of his gloved hands shoots up to clutch at Lohen’s uniform to stabilize himself, and the other goes to hold Lohen's wrist.

He hadn’t even noticed Lohen moving.

The sudden, disorienting pain makes him unable to pull the other's hand away, who probably expected it, judging by how the knight stabilizes him so quickly.

Lohen's free hand grabs his neck and forces his nose right into his scent gland.

“You- ugh...”

Displeased pheromones flood Illuga's senses. Along with the sudden, excruciating pain from being jabbed right into an unhealed wound, his instincts go absolutely haywire, along with all his muscles tightening at once, making him shudder.

The need to hide and run away from the predator mixes with his omegan instincts telling him to somehow please the Alpha so he’ll stop, like making a cocktail by mixing fire-water and wine.

It feels horrendous. The world in his vision swims, and he can’t stop the distressed high-pitched whine that echoes throughout the empty infirmary.

It’s good that it’s desolate right now, as a sound like that from a beloved Omega would surely make everyone try and make them focus on Illuga instead of their jobs. He didn’t want to inconvenience anyone with his own issues. The slash isn’t even so deep to require stitches.

“You should really get that checked, you know… Makes you vulnerable in battle.” Lohen says, humming it into his ear with a disappointed, almost cutesy tone. Completely at odds with his cruel actions.

He's always been somewhat rough if they got close, asking to spar and being pushy, but it's never been to this extent. But Illuga can't say it's completely unprecedented, since Lohen is cruel to his subordinates.

He isn't sure how to feel about it.

Slowly, Lohen takes his hand away from the wound in Illuga’s side, putting it on his shoulder instead for some additional support.

As if Illuga doesn’t know he's currently weakened. Were he not, he'd have noticed Lohen plotting his attack. He’s just been busy these past few… days. Hasn’t had the chance to tend to it, besides slapping some bandages on it.

“I overheard a fellow Ratnik of yours muttering about you being wounded while I was wandering around. That weirdo that usually stays at his cemetery with a blue lamp.” Lohen’s fingers drum against his skin softly.

"I thought that'd be weird for you to do, since you nag me so much," he adds.

“But lo and behold, when I came here to check, you were running around and hiding winces from your beloved coworkers."

Tilting his head to the side, Lohen lets the hand on his neck slide higher up to hold his jaw in a firm grip.

Illuga can see that Lohen's lips are glossy from licking them. Not a clue as to why that is… the only thing the smell here is their scents and the scent of blood from his wound.

“Is my nurse being reckless with his health, after scolding me so much for doing the same? Hehehe, how funny~” Despite the apparent hilarity of the situation, his eyes conveyed a dead-serious attitude.

Illuga averts his gaze, not really keen on facing that menacing stare.

‘Did Lohen… prepare for this?’ It feels weird thinking Lohen of all people would care enough about something other than battling to stop and think of a solution for it. But then again, he is quite quick to solve any issues that are bothering him, whether they involve fighting or not…

'But why would this bother him? Scratch that, how did Lohen even catch Mr. Flins muttering it, there’s no way he’d just show himself to just anyone… did Flins tell Lohen on purpose…?'

Emptying out the infirmary, making it easy to get the supplies, sitting on the bed and not being difficult for once.

Luring Illuga away from his work, to an empty and calming space where he thought he could relax, only to be forced into submission by the vice-captain using their dynamics to his advantage. Like he knew Illuga wouldn’t be convinced into taking a break any other way.

'Ugh, that meddler…’

This solution, or whatever it’s supposed to be, is all Lohen’s style of caring though. Somewhat cruel, direct and efficient.

The man isn’t very good at being gentle.

Case and point, the pain buzzing throughout Illuga’s body and sudden disorientation from his instincts battling him, being thrown from a comfortable situation into fight or flight because this knight thought it was a good idea to do this.

It brings back the memories of how he got this wound.

He’d risked his life to save the body of a Ratnik a few days ago, so she could get a proper burial at the cemetery.

So that her fellow Lightkeepers could cry at a grave that isn’t empty.

The wound in his abdomen is proof of his recklessness trying to save at least what was left of her. Scorching pain and memories of a lifeless, torn-apart body on the ground play out in his mind.

No matter how many times it happens, he can’t get used to it. He doesn’t want to think of it either.

His hands clutch harder onto Lohen’s clothes and his lungs burn with effort. The sticky feeling of guilt, of weakness, clinging to his mind is his personal torture.

Unable to try to save that woman who fought against the Abyss for so long, protecting her friends and paying for it with her life. He could’ve gotten there on time, had things been a little different, if he’d been a little faster, maybe if-

No. No-no.. He needs to stop thinking like that. Bad habits die hard though.

Lohen's white uniform completely crumples in his hands as he fists it. It takes some time for him to even try and come down from the panic attack. It's never been easy, but he has enough experience having them, at the very least.

His breathing slowly evens out as he takes deep breaths, but he can’t calm down completely.

Whether a minute or an hour passes, Illuga isn’t sure. It blends together in the face of his messy mind. But when he looks up, Lohen is just staring.

Not that surprising by now, given he likes seeing Illuga make all types of expressions. There’s no obvious enjoyment in his eyes at least, but he doesn’t seem surprised at the reaction. Like he’d been warned it’d happen.

‘Sir Flins really did put him up to this, didn’t he?’ Illuga thinks, judgment a little off, 'He wouldn't do this if it weren't for that…'

“Self-sacrifice is a stupid strategy. Did you think you could tough it out?”

Great, now he’s getting chewed out for his own recklessness instead. While being unable to retort too.

They’re already in close proximity, so it’s no issue for Lohen to slide his hands behind Illuga, down from his jaw and shoulder. One goes upwards, burrowing into his hair, and the other slithers down around his waist.

A little tug on the dark red bits at the back of his head makes him straighten up a bit more.

Again, just a little cruel. He gulps.

Somehow, Illuga is just glad he isn’t gentle or coddling him. Is there something wrong with him? For enjoying it? His cheeks gain a soft flush, not just from being embarrassed at being forced to submit.

Angling him like that makes Lohen look bigger, even though they have similar enough physiques. And, despite everything, despite Lohen literally orchestrating and planning to make Illuga fall apart, he feels comforted, in the hands of this battle-thirsty monster.

“I’ll be nice, just for you.” His words ring true.

That statement is immediately followed up by a burst of calming pheromones, once again directly into Illuga’s face. So now his instincts are shell-shocked in the opposite direction.

Wonderful.

Pain slowly gets duller as his instincts finally give way thinking they're now safe from threat, and he grows woozy from the sensory overload. It feels like transitioning from being alert to getting drunk within seconds.

He blinks through the wetness gathering in his eyes from the relief, distressing thoughts and his anxiety finally dissipating.

The comforting scent, the sheer amount of it, is so nice that Illuga can’t help breathing deeply and trying to push himself even closer. It's clumsy, because of everything that just happened, but Lohen lets him.

With how he's grown to like the Alpha's scent, and now needing comfort after panicking, he isn't really thinking about propriety like he was taught to.

He hasn’t been comforted like this in a long, long time.

Lohen once again moves his hands, grabbing him by the shoulders and sliding his hands all over Illuga’s body as they move, sitting him straight up from being slumped over. Illuga follows wordlessly, completely disarmed and vulnerable, though it doesn't stop him from protesting at being taken away from Lohen's scent gland.

A pathetic growl of discomfort leaves his throat, eyes half-lidded and looking at Lohen, to show his displeasure. His own scent would be cloying and insufferable, were it free to waft around.

The vice-captain planned his attack so well it’d be admirable (from a strategic standpoint anyway) if it wasn’t against Illuga himself on the receiving end of it. Well, the thought behind it is also… good, but the method is just questionable.

That seems to be the running theme with the knight. Questionable motive, questionable method, good outcome.

Illuga honestly isn’t sure how to feel, but his head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton, so he doesn’t even want to try. There's also no response to his growl. Instead, Lohen goes to tug off both his coat and the cream colored sweater.

“I’ll wrap that wound up for you, ‘kay?" his knight sing-songs, back to his usual cheer, already grabbing at his coat.

"Or are you one of the proper ones, that I need to take out to a fancy dinner before seeing more than a sliver of your skin?”

Illuga just lets him do whatever. He isn’t completely clueless, he can hear and process just fine, even if his thoughts are fuzzy. That was the strongest burst of pheromones he’s smelled in a while, so getting scent-drunk almost immediately was inevitable.

“‘S fine…”

Trusting Lohen is surprisingly easy. He really doesn't mind being touched by Lohen either. Or undressed. Definitely doesn't mind being taken care of.

Most he manages is to shrug it off his shoulders to help Lohen out when the knight is taking off his coat, letting it drop to the floor.

He misses the burning gaze skirting along his bare back, along the skin and sweat gathering there. His sweater is backless, and he doesn't realize how enticing he looks, not even when cold fingertips that skirt along the edges of the sweater on his sides.

His shoulders are exposed, of course, but the high collar covers his neck glands, tamping down the scent trying to escape from there. It not having a back is just for convenience more than anything. Also a bit of a fashion statement.

The special fabric is probably the only reason his scent isn’t absolutely permeating the area along with Lohen’s by now.

That's about to change though.

"Can I take this off too?" Lohen whispers right into his ear. Despite his question, his hands are already playing with the ends of the ribbon, tugging on it and slowly untying it.

There's two, one of his neck and the other on his back. With Lohen being in the same state of undress, Illuga doesn't mind, though he's a bit worried.

Other times, he wouldn't care at all, but right now, he's very conscious of how his scent would fill up the infirmary. Not that there's anyone inside, but if it were to leak outside, it would alert anyone who might happen to walk through the halls.

Rough fingers trace his spine, moving downwards, and he can't help gasping at the sensation.

"Well?"

Scent-drunk and wishing for comfort of an Alpha he's grown to like, whose scent reminds him of home…

"Yes, you can," he forces out, hoping his nervousness isn't audible.

He's never done anything like this before. This type of intimacy is foreign to him.

But it feels good. He wants more.

The ribbon had been nearly untied anyway, but with the permission, Lohen isn't pretending to be a proper knight anymore. With both of the strings holding it together now untied, the sweater falls to Illuga's lap, and is promptly pushed off to the ground by Lohen.

"Don't throw my clothes on the ground..."

"You don't need them for what we're doing."

If Illuga could smack the man for talking in very mildly suggestive sentences all of the time, flirting with every word, he would. But he does like having the Alpha's attention too, so he just turns his head away and wills his face not to combust.

Unfortunately, his own scent is now free to do whatever it wants, no longer tamped down by the fabric.

He can see Lohen's pupils shrink, breathing in the scent that was barely detectable before. Caramel, the sweet kind, wafts from his neck gland and entangles with Lohen's.

It's even sweeter than usual.

Both scents mix together harmoniously, so well in fact that Illuga is unable to hold himself back from taking in a sharp breath, like he's lacking oxygen instead of their combined scents. It's a bit flustering, to like someone else scent so much that his mouth waters.

The Favonius knight isn't faring any better though, looking like he might just devour Illuga right then and there. Though he doesn't seem embarrassed by it at all.

The differences between their cultures show most clearly in situations like these.

They're both naked from the waist up, sitting in the infirmary and stinking up the place. Illuga would rather not think about the scolding he'll get later, about keeping the place relatively neutral in terms of scents for patients.

As he was spacing out, Lohen had began actually dressing his wound. The flimsy protective layer of bandages he had on before thankfully hadn't gotten ripped, but it still hurt like a bitch to have them get taken off after being hit.

Illuga will make sure to scold Lohen for that later.

For now though, he enjoys the pampering of fresh bandages and ointment. Well, it's pampering to him, anyway. His wound gets dressed and tightly wrapped by surprisingly gentle hands, he gets to inhale his own and the knight's scent mixing in the air together.

It's perfectly cozy to him, after needing to stay strong for the past few days with an open wound and no time. The relaxing area they made, smelling of them, with sheets and his Alpha caring for him, remind him of a nest.

He fusses over the sheets a little, bunching them up and fluffing up the pillows, ignoring the way Lohen is looking at him.

He needs this place as comfortable as possible, and though it's somewhat shoddy, Illuga has slept in worse conditions. He presses close to Lohen again, wrapping his hands around the man's neck, and drags him down into the makeshift nest.

Sleep was bound to catch up to him eventually with all the shocks he's received today.

Everything that happened catches up, actually. The pain from the wound, getting whiplash because of Lohen, being comforted after a panic attack.

He isn't able to catch and stop himself from closing his eyes and nearly dozing off right then and there, cuddling up closer to the Alpha. He hugs Lohen as close as he can.

Before letting himself fall asleep, he allows himself to taste Lohen's skin.

The gland has been pumping out pheromones this entire time, so there a thin coating of scent oil. It's sheer, glossy, with a pale sheen that tells Illuga it'd taste amazing. His tongue darts out, small kitten licks picking up everything offered.

Lohen's breathing stops, but he isn't pushing the Lightkeeper away. He even leans in to it, making Illuga press against him more firmly.

Illuga yawns, pressing his face into the man's scent gland so he can breathe it in during his nap.

Letting out a quiet purr, he finally feels satisfied. Now he can rest, knowing he is covered in Lohen's scent inside and out.

"How forward…"

He doesn't hear the words or the laughter in them. It's simply a joyful murmur that sends him off to sleep, with Lohen's arms wrapping around his waist and covering the wound protectively.

Walking through the Knights of Favonius camp is rare, even for Illuga who's been one of the main spokespeople and organizers of both groups when collaborating.

Not that he actually organizes everything. Both groups are large amounts of people with many squads or Companies and for that, the higher ranked need to come together and organize.

Ever since he joined and took an interest in the archive, while also becoming a captain and being Nikita's son, Illuga often comes along to the meeting with likely patters ready to occur, but also to bring up any ideas he might have.

Basically, he's his old man's assistant for the couple of hours they stay there.

The first few meetings between the factions that he attended back when he wasn't even an official Ratnik yet happened quite a long time ago, but Illuga still remembers how awkward it was.

Not because of anything significant, just two different cultures meeting and having absolutely no idea how to interact. Flins would've had quite a laugh seeing the burly Alphas, Betas and Omegas trying to interact with some formality, before giving up and just talking civilly and like regular knights and soldiers would out on a battlefield.

Thankfully that suited everyone just fine.

The mix of dynamics also worked very well, with it remaining respectful and always focused on the work available. Varka instantly gained a lot of respect from both Illuga and Nikita for having no prejudice and treating them with respect, since the Lightkeepers are mostly Omegas and Betas.

Since then, quite a bit of time has passed and the meetings that do happen (and aren't emergencies, which is rare), usually take place at a middle ground or really anywhere both groups can get to on time and safely.

Most of the time, it's the Favonius Keep if they're meeting on that island.

Open air, with lots of units to deploy and enough places to hold a meeting where people can come together to hear it and spare everyone the agony of delegating every little thing.

It also helps that, in case of emergency, the attendees can just run off without being inconvenienced by small things like needing to notify everyone of the issue or being alone with no help.

Everyone can hear the S.O.S. message and see them running off just fine.

Remembering all of this as Illuga walks around the keep is a bit useless, but he can clearly see all of the spots they've used for meetings being used as makeshift sleeping spots at the moment. Clearly, everyone was celebrating from yesterday and throughout the entire night.

Mondstadters are really interesting sometimes.

And a bit funny, he'll admit, but not enough to fully distract him from his goal of seeing Lohen and apologizing.

Unless you're talking about the small obstacle in his way in the shape of some… tipsy knights, he thinks? men, that are currently blocking his way.

So he stops walking and asks. "Are all of you alright?"

Clearly, the drinking last night took everyone else out of the picture, so these three are probably not doing too well either. He's hoping they've sobered up a little, though, since he wants to ask where Lohen is.

The men, all armored and bigger than Illuga in all senses of the word immediately straighten like they've just gotten orders from Varka.

"Sir, yes, sir! Yes, we're all good!"

Illuga, being, well. Very obviously not a Favonius knight or captain or anything of the sort, is very confused at their reaction.

"Um…"

Hoping for the knights to be tipsy rather than drunk was probably like hoping a Liyue citizen wouldn't take a contract seriously. The very drunk soldiers keep their positions until Illuga signals at them to stop.

"Please.. relax. I am not here on orders." he says, hands placating in front of him. Saying that makes the soldiers relax, but also immediately start whispering very loudly to each other, forgetting that Illuga is standing right there within earshot.

They must not be very sharp of mind.

Are they some of Lohen's? Illuga remembers him mentioning his Company a few times, though only when he's insulting them. These three fit his description exactly.

"Not on orders he says…" One of them mumbles, trying and failing to cover his mouth. Not that that it'd help with how loud he's whispering.

"Y'all think he's here for.. you know…" Another replies, very unsubtly throwing a glance Illuga's way and then looking back to his buddies, both of which nod all serious looking.

Conversing turns to a very heated debate, still loud but only made up of drunken murmurs and undecipherable sounds, which Illuga can't really understand. It's probably their native language, if Illuga can't understand it.

Or they're just that drunk.

Those two sentences he heard though… they have him curious. Is there gossip about him circling between the Knights of Favonius? From everything he knows, the soldiers do love open secrets, but it usually remains within their organization. Mostly being embarrassing stories about the other knights.

Curiosity gets the best of him, and so he decides to ask.

"Are you talking about me?" His voice has a curious tilt and he leans closer to the knights to hear them better, already expecting them to answer him. Drunk people have loose tongues, and he's learned from Flins how useful (or entertaining) that can be.

Once again, the knights jump up into a salute, backs straight and chins tilted up. Exemplary knight salutes, were they not drunk and swaying in place.

"Sir, yes, Sir!" And right after that, a pause…

… and then a long, awkward, "uhhhhh…"

So it's a yes. Illuga's arms cross over his chest, making his harness tighten. It's not often he feels he has to scold someone, barring Lohen due to not-so-recent-anymore events, and especially not people that aren't his own subordinates.

"So you are?"

"I-It's nothing bad, really!"

"Truly, indubitably!"

"More so than you, treasured Lightkeeper, it's our vice captain." The third knight who says this has a familiar gaze, like he has met Illuga in person before.

"Oh… do you mean Lohen?" Illuga asks, vaguely remembering the man as the one Lohen was yelling at the first time he patched him up months ago.

The only one he's heard being called vice captain is his frustratingly playful patient.

The other two drunks try to stop their friend from talking any more with various words and hand movements, but whatever he whispers back calms them down, making them nod like the wise sages of Sumeru. Or at least, the stereotype of them is thought to.

He's pretty sure Lady Nefer doesn't.

Illuga almost sighs. After last time, where he got scent-drunk and ended up falling asleep in Lohen's arms, he's been a little too hesitant, to approach Lohen again. Patching him up, being scented… all of it still happens, but Illuga makes excuses to leave immediately after.

Lohen never buys them, but never stops him from leaving either, as long as the Lightkeeper lets himself get scented. That insistence means that Illuga often smells like him, more so than before.

Just remembering it makes him feel somewhat embarrassed.

He acted so shamelessly that day, burying his nose into Lohen's neck and falling asleep in the same bed. Even after Lohen told him it's fine, that mondstadters really aren't as uptight as the people here may be, Illuga can't really forget just how brazen that was.

And now he can't even go without being scented by Lohen regularly. He can't even lie and say that it's only because of instincts. After being taken care of, scented gently and not taken advantage of while he slept…

Feelings of friendship have become something more. From like to like.

He's surprised too, don't get him wrong.

But he has no intention of saying it or acting upon it, for now at least. Or ever. So for now, it gets pushed to the back of his mind every time those fuzzy romantic feelings and purring instincts come up.

Some more discussion occurs between the three knights, allowing Illuga to come back from daydreaming about sly smiles and smart quips.

The three crowd Illuga, hiding him between them. His instincts make him be on edge for a few seconds, hating that there's no visible exit in this scenario, only to spot one immediately, because of how sloppy the knights are due to the alcohol.

But it's still enough to make sure anyone else who might come across them won't hear whatever they're about to say.

Illuga lends an ear. He is curious, but he's also thinking about reporting this, if it turns out to be something disrespectful or disgusting. Something not really about him, but about Lohen… hm. He really is curious.

Not that he's doubting any of them, as despite being Alphas, they do not crowd him too much or try and scent the air to hide his presence.

It leaves him comfortable between them despite being surrounded, even with the initial panic. And the Knights of Favonius have proven to be trustworthy again and again as well, so he's very sure it's all innocent.

Drunken rambles, truths spilling because of alcohol, it's all non-threatening.

"So, you see. Our vice-captain… his scent is very recognizable." Taking a breath, pausing to mutter a prayer between breaths to the Anemo Archon, then he sighs it out and continues.

What he's actually praying for, Illuga isn't sure.

"And, um, we just kinda notice his scent on you all the time. And it just spread around the Keep-" he stutters out- "I promise, we don't talk about him badly or anything! We respect out captain- I mean vice captain very much!"

Trying to save himself there doesn't really help the storm brewing in Illuga's mind. He hadn't noticed Lohen's scent on him is stronger than any of the other knights or Lightkeepers, not that he'd really been paying attention to it. It was too comforting for him to try and find fault with it.

Now that he thinks of it, hasn't he been getting approached less by anyone except Lohen for scenting?

His closest people still do with no issue, but no one that's less than a friend has approached, despite the fact that many used to.

"But you see, he's seriously picky-" The other knights nod seriously again- "so we've just been thinkin' that you two are… you know.. close and such!"

Another intervenes, to quickly add.

"I mean, you told him off after that battle one time, and he actually agreed to get patched up…"

And then another.

"Oh, and he actually shows up to the camp to see you and beat us- I mean train us!"

And then the first guy again.

"He said he needs us to get good enough to injure him so he can go and find his nurse-"

Illuga very nearly says that he's not Lohen's private nurse, that he just does everything the nurses are supposed to because their vice captain is as stubborn as a mule and only listens to Illuga-

Nevermind, that's just more incriminating.

The worst part is he can't deny any of those allegations just mentioned. Because despite being in denial, he has noticed Lohen approaching primarily him, scenting him and treating him differently from other colleagues and friends.

He's already on the edge between choosing to storm Lohen's tent and yelling at him for being an idiot jerk that intentionally gets hurt and for scenting him so obviously that everyone knows (ignoring that Illuga allows it, that's too embarrassing), or just praying to the Moon Goddess to let the ground open up and drop him into the Abyss.

Unfortunately, all he can croak out instead of his entire internal monologue is a strained, "What…?"

The knights don't get the memo to stop however, continuing to ramble. Illuga's hands fist into his sleeves and he turns his face a bit to the side.

"Yes, yes, and he also actually does his reports on time! Well, sometimes. The ones he has to send to the Lightkeepers mostly."

So Lohen is trying to make Illuga's job easier? He's noticed he doesn't have to fill out certain things in the paperwork on his own anymore. But it wasn't something the knights were required to do, since it's internal Lightkeeper documentation.

Did Lohen learn it for him?

His face flushes.

"He keeps writing a bunch of notes about the monsters he finds on his solo outings, instead of saying he'll remember everything once he fights one again."

"He used to never share that with anyone until we were about to fight one, but now he actually brings those reports to the meetings he attends!"

Didn't Illuga say that it's very useful, very enthusiastically that one time at a meeting? Did Lohen remember?

He looks back at the knights, not with his eyes wide open.

"And nowadays, he actually trains us while yelling at us, instead of just yelling at us!"

"Okay, well, you're kinda exaggerating there, he still insults our uselessness… but he did actually tell us in detail what we did wrong instead of telling us to figure it out on our own."

"Honestly, I'm not sure if that was an improvement or not..."

Illuga doesn't even think this has anything to do with him being Lohen's nurse.

He huffs into the soft fabric covering his neck. There's no way Lohen was doing that just for him.

"Anyway, he's like, changed!" there's an awkward pause, "sorta!"

"Mhm, and he walks around all satisfied after your sessions, smelling like you too~"

"Exactly. When he insults us, he tells us to be glad for a certain nurse's nagging that he's being so kind and not sparring with us right after battle."

Once again they nod in tandem.

Illuga on the other hand, is absolutely lost. His face has slowly been getting hotter over the course of these guys attributing Lohen's "kindness" to their sessions, which just makes their little hangouts sound like they're having sex-

He feels like he's been frozen in place with his mouth hanging open in surprise for the past few minutes at the sheer amount of things he's hearing.

"So you know, we've just been wondering if you two are a thing-"

"YOU CAN'T JUST ASK THAT." A hiss and shushing motion gets made in the direction of where that statement came from.

It then devolves into them tussling, two guys pulling each other's hair and clothes, trying to hit each other in their drunken stupor while the third just tries pretending he doesn't know them.

"W-we're not a thing." Illuga manages to stutter out, covering his mouth with a hand, looking away and trying to pretend like he isn't currently completely red.

He can tell his scent has been turning sweeter as the knights describe Lohen's favoritism, and he's never been more thankful to his coat for hiding it.

God, what do his own coworkers think, if even the knights from afar have been theorizing about his and Lohen's relationship? Does everyone think they finally fucked after leaving the infirmary smelling like they went at it for hours?

Yeah. One trip into the Sampo Mill please.

The deafening sound of footsteps slowly starts becoming audible, as if the owner decided to stop hiding them.

"Oh? Are my subordinates bothering you, birdie?"

Three pairs of eyes look at each other in panic, clearly hoping that they've just heard wrong.

But Illuga immediately recognizes the steps (and doesn't that say a lot) of Lohen coming up from the direction of Varka's headquarters. And he also starts hoping that he's hearing wrong, not wanting to face Lohen right now after all he's heard.

Funny, considering his initial plan was to come and apologize for avoiding him.

It's unfortunately impossible to be mistaken about his arrival, as Lohen comes towards them in a few strides. Relaxed, he doesn't even glance at his knights scrambling to get up and in order when he comes up to Illuga, sliding a hand along his lower back and holding his waist.

It also causes his coat to close up, making his scent even less likely to seep out. Pheromone oil seeps into the fabric and he spares a prayer for himself on washday.

The expecting look he can barely see from the side reminds Illuga that Lohen asked him a question, but it takes a bit to reply. From the little he can see, Lohen is dressed up in very simple clothes today instead of the usual uptight knight's uniform he wears.

An open, flowy, white shirt that has a V-shaped neckline, letting his scent waft out unhindered. The sleeves are ruffled at the end, making the man look something like a pure prince.

"Oh, um." Shooting a glance at the knights, he immediately sees them trying very hard not to break into a run then and there, while also pleading with their eyes to spare them and lie.

Or anything that might help them survive the next month without ending up at the hospital every two days from mysterious circumstances called vice captain Lohen.

'Am I feeling generous?'

Who is he kidding, he can clearly see these knights didn't mean any harm in their little conversation. Everyone else who gossiped was just having fun too… and from everything he just heard, it's all positive.

Sort of. Well, it's enough to earn Illuga's sympathies.

"Oh, we were just talking about where I could find you, but they were…," he pauses a bit to try and come up with a good half-truth. Lessons with Flins are paying off. "…a little too drunk to remember where you went."

Lohen's eyes crinkle as he smiles sharply, letting his sharp canines glint in the sunlight.

Clearly, he is unconvinced.

Okay, maybe Illuga needs to have more lessons with Flins. He'll have to see if the man isn't busy with Varka next Tuesday.

"That so…?" his knight mutters, eyes studying Illuga's face.

Flushed, a bit bothered, but looking like he'd just learned of something very embarrassing. The look on Lohen's face tells Illuga that he's way too observant and good at reading him, because that smirk only widens into a satisfied one.

The difference between that and his flat expression the second he turns to the knights is night and day, and the Ratnik can only watch as the knights get conned by their vice captain immediately.

Letting the silence stretch, both the Lightkeeper and knights feel like they're in trouble. It's a little unnerving, for Lohen to be so quiet.

Slowly, he lowers his chin to Illuga's shoulder, resting it there possessively.

"Well, I suppose that's alright. I also had quite a lot to drink last night and can't remember a few things," he remarks, his smile slowly coming back to his face, looking the most sober out of everyone Illuga has seen so far, "how about the three of you pick up my slack?"

They immediately salute, looking like they sobered up within seconds just from Lohen speaking.

"SIR, YES SIR."

"I was supposed to patrol the entire beach west of the Keep… But I forgot." False guilt drips from his words, acting like he's so very sorry for springing this on them.

"Go and clear it out will you?"

Not even a single groan or word of protest escapes the men, having them salute and quickly run off into the direction of what Illuga knows is absolutely saturated with the Abyss and abyssal monsters, creating a cluster that makes a maze so impossible even the Ratniki hesitate to venture there.

Nerves immediately make Illuga try and go after them, but the arm around his waist stops him. Instead, all he can do is turn in his restraints, making them face each other. He ignores the wide eyes of Lohen, not noticing how close they are.

"Hey, there's no way you just sent them over there-" Illuga's face changes into a frown- "you know how dangerous it… is…"

The smile once again spreading across Lohen's face, this time satisfied and sunny, stops him. He can't help but look at the handsome face of his- of the Alpha, with his eyes crinkling from the wildness of his smile.

"You." Illuga huffs, hand turning into a fist and lightly punching him in the chest. He's no longer feeling the need to run after those three.

Even if he does feel a bit bad.

"Sorry, sorry." Lohen's eyes slowly open, not sounding very sorry at all. "No need to worry, birdie. I patrolled that area last night."

"…Really? Then why send them there…" he asks, trailing off, only to realize with horror. "Lohen. You didn't."

"Well, the Abyss has been cleared out for the day. But the traps I set there…," his voice turns a little too happy for someone endangering his own soldiers, trailing off to let Illuga's imagination fill in the gaps.

Continuous giggles escape Lohen after Illuga hits hit chest hard, sounding like he's having the time of his life. The hands encircling the Omega stay possessive, sliding around his waist and holding the man firmly.

Illuga never promised that his lie would actually help them in being spared, but he had hoped that it would help at least a bit. He isn't sure it did.

"So, what are you doing here?" Lohen asks, finally giving Illuga space. Unwrapping his hand from around his wrist, keeping contact for as long as possible before he moves away.

They're here in the knight's tent, away from the open air. Not that Illuga was taken here willingly.

Refusing didn't work no matter how many times he tried, as Lohen decided to just drag him by the waist, citing how they'll be seen being "close and personal" hugging in the middle of camp, unless they went to his tent. And Illuga, still rattled and flustered by the gossip he heard, just let himself get dragged off with a sigh.

And now, they're here.

Standing in the middle of the room that smells like Lohen all over, his den, and Illuga is there, breathing it all in after darting away from Lohen the last few weeks.

It's dizzying, a bit overwhelming. And very comforting. For Illuga, who's been on alert for basically half of his life, it's a little weird.

It makes him a bit too warm, so he discards his coat.

The calming pheromones that coat the room smell relaxed, lazy, mixed with the usual adrenaline pumped ones Illuga gets coated in when he gets scented. It's very tempting to throw himself into the bed and curl up in the sheets.

Everything is tidy and organized too. Not that he believed Lohen to be messy. But with how unhinged and careless the man gets in battle, he certainly wasn't expecting this level of cleanliness.

At least some blood splattered clothes should be around here somewhere.

Speaking of which, Lohen's clothes today are a bit unusual too. A simple, flowy, white shirt and black pants. The V-shaped neckline has a string that is untied. It's not a style Lohen wears much, preferring his uniform since it's more practical in battle.

Illuga already knows the man has his dagger hidden on him somewhere. He wouldn't ever abandon that weapon.

Getting to know Lohen so well might just be a curse. They've gotten so close he can guess his habits now, apparently.

"Birdie?" Lohen asks, smile audible in his voice.

Oh, yeah. The question.

Evidently, Illuga had gotten distracted. His mind scrambles to come up with the reason for why he was even at the Favonius Keep, though it takes longer than usual to remember it.

"I came here to see you and-" he starts while looking down, only to be shushed right away by a hand touching his waist again.

Coming up closer to him, Lohen completely disregards Illuga's personal space. It hasn't even been ten minutes since he let go.

Lohen is unusually sticky today.

He circles Illuga like a hunter ready to strike, making him a little uneasy, a little nervous, though not afraid. The man stops behind him, maybe more to the side, hand still resting at his lower back.

Being observant meant realizing Lohen's tells quickly. And this one means that Lohen is thinking. Biding his time.

Maybe contemplating what to do next or maybe even already at it.

"Were you perhaps here," he talks as he stands behind Illuga, his hand creating a path upwards from his lower back as he goes, "to spar with little ol' me?"

And that point, means Lohen has decided on his next action.

The dangerous drop in tone let's Illuga know that something is different about Lohen though. His tells are usually way harder to spot. And the knight doesn't lose his composure so easily.

His scent is it's usual eucalyptus, but with a salty-sharp edge to it that makes Illuga want to sneeze, a cold frigid air that makes his inhale quiver.

It invades the space they're in, laid on thick and heavy. Spreading steadily to envelop Illuga. He isn't often near Alphas, both before Nikita adopted him and after. Surrounded by mostly Omegas, he's more used to scents that turn sweeter, riper, like a fruit at the height of it's sweetness.

This… this, he isn't used to. A thick, permeating scent that makes him feel like he's getting hotter, even though the smell itself is as frigid as deep winter.

From his lower back, the hand moves higher, to his waist. Tracing his spine like he vaguely remembers happened once before.

Except it was on bare skin then.

Now, it is through the thick fabric of his coat, yet all he can think of is those fingers. He can feel them clearly tracking a path up, slowly, like a snake entangling his prey.

Long, skilled digits catch on the seams of his coat. They press firmer in with intent, to make sure he feels their presence.

They move upwards, higher and higher. Fingertips bury in the fur of his collar, playing with it purposefully. Illuga exhales when they slide into the ends of his hair, ruffling the strands, slowly inching towards his-

Illuga flinches away, just barely able to get some distance between them, slapping a hand to the back of his neck, exactly where someone might scruff him.

Exactly where Lohen's hand had been heading.

"Hey." he admonishes, keeping his distance from the now slightly more crazy looking vice-captain.

Red-blue eyes gleam with unhidden glee, like a kid who just got candy. Even though the man had missed. His face morphs into a smile, one as sharp as his scent. Satisfied… elated, maybe? Feeling the adrenaline of seeing prey run away?

There's way too many things Illuga can read from his scent, when usually it'd be hard to tell even a bit. It's like Lohen has lost some control over it, and is no longer able to repress it so well.

That unfamiliar look that had been watching Illuga ever since Lohen found him with the knights suddenly makes more sense.

Possessiveness.

And now that they're in a tent with no one around, no one would realize the lack of control of the vice captain.

He looks just as unhinged as he would on the battlefield, but Illuga knows Lohen keeps himself in check whenever he thinks it's needed.

Those situations where it's "needed" aren't always chosen with sound judgment, but still.

Being alone with Illuga, the man does make a point to keep himself polite, at least to some degree. But right now, Illuga can tell he isn't being completely rational. He looks more like he does when he's planning for enemy attack.

To his credit, Lohen does actually stay where he is, not coming any closer. His movement is lax yet sharp, eyes pinned to Illuga's frame and not looking away.

"Hm.. that's the first time that's happened," he says to himself, sounding disappointed despite the smile. He doesn't seem to be talking about Illuga escaping though.

"I thought I had a little while longer."

The pouty and playful tone send shivers down Illuga's spine, because that's exactly how Lohen talks whenever he's ready to pounce on enemies.

Is… is Lohen's Rut close?

The scent, the possessiveness, the attempt at keeping Illuga still by trying to scuff him, losing his reason to some degree. All of them are usual signs of an Alpha slowly losing their decency as they descend into a mating cycle, trying to find a mate to spend it with.

Or are already in it and just keeping themselves sane enough to find someone to take and breed, mind slipping into more primal instincts.

"Are you in Rut?" Illuga asks carefully, keeping an eye on the man. Still clutching his nape.

It's not that he's particularly afraid. More so on edge. Growing up with mostly Omegas and being one himself means always getting pep talks and warnings about Alphas in Rut from worried uncles and aunts. About not getting too close, about being ready to dart if one approaches.

Always just in case.

Since the Alpha's strength heightens in Rut but their mind becomes more frazzled, it's better to just not interact. Especially in Nod Krai, where there's a more traditional mindset between natives.

The general public wouldn't side with an Omega who was assaulted by an Alpha in Rut.

So, Illuga always took care to follow their instructions. He made sure to avoid any Alpha that looked off or acted abnormally, took care to cover his scent glands after he presented early due to stress by using scent patches and taking suppressants.

He took care of the people around him and always kept himself modest, like everyone advised him to.

As he grew older, he realized that not all rules apply to him anymore. He's stronger now, for one. But he's also become very familiar with the Alphas in the Lightkeepers and in Piramida, his instincts have sharpened. He's able to tell is someone actually poses a danger to him.

But with Lohen… he isn't sure. The man is unpredictable, and at times, his violence isn't meant to be cruel, but rather a way of expressing his care, as weird as that sounds.

"No, not yet." The knight hums, easygoing smile still plastered on his face. But his eyes betray his hunger.

"I should still have a few days of pre-Rut. With you around, perhaps a little less, a day and something. What, are you afraid?"

Illuga mulls it over. Knowing Lohen how he does, knowing he's a wildcard and could hurt him just to have a spar and get some of his bloodlust satiated. To satisfy that innate desire he seems to have, to satisfy his desire for pain and control by pouncing on Illuga or taking advantage of him.

The Lightkeeper isn't so naive as to think that Lohen couldn't. Being a genius fighter and master strategist isn't done through talent alone. If Lohen wanted, Illuga would be trapped in the palm of his hand with few ways out.

His scent is beckoning him closer. It's so familiar now, so comforting, and Illuga is aware it's bait. No matter the amount of control, Lohen isn't infallible. He tried scruffing Illuga too.

But…

"No," he replies. It's weird, to say that when he really isn't sure what else Lohen could do.

He's seen the knight in a fight, seen his inhuman strength and desire to fight more and more until he faints from exhaustion or is unable to even move. He's intimidated his own Company with his scent, and he isn't afraid to make someone listen using whatever tactics available, even if they're unethical.

Being a masterful tactician, with a charisma that brings everyone in, leaves Lohen in a position from which he can manipulate people if he sees it fit.

But despite all that, Illuga gets the feeling that he should trust him. He's seen Lohen injured, dressed his wounds, gotten scented so much everyone noticed it. They're familiar now.

Yet both his battle instincts, sensing the danger, and omegan ones, wanting to be close, are fighting each other.

The air between them is charged, knowing that Lohen is pent up enough to try something. Illuga can connect the dots on his own and come to the conclusion that he escaped the Alpha's grip earlier only due to Lohen's leftover restraint.

"Mhm~"

Lohen accepts his answer with a chuckle, straightening up his posture, rolling his shoulders. He isn't moving in a way that would suggest wanting to go to Illuga and trying something again.

But again, Illuga is in a bit of a tough spot. Both literally, because Lohen is standing between the exit and him, but also metaphorically, because his instincts are fighting his sound mind and Lohen's scent isn't helping.

Lohen decides to loosen his collar as well, the absolute menace. A fleeting thought in Illuga's head questions whether or not this cornering is intentional, but it quickly fades away with a new wave of pre-Rut pheromones.

Usually covered and suppressed, they're now leaking like crazy. Illuga is aware that the vice-captain usually covers himself up, so that they don't alert enemies. But now, they fill the space with the scent of eucalyptus and salt.

It spreads like wildfire, coating the area in stronger pheromones that make Illuga feel lightheaded.

It makes him feel strange. Like his body wants to float towards Lohen and get taken care of. The same as when he let the man comfort him back when he got scent drunk, but hotter.

He's never stuck around to see what pre-Rut pheromones do to people.

Illuga's brain tries warning him. Becoming like he was back then, trying to coax more scent from Lohen by nuzzling against his neck glands, isn't on his to-do list right now.

It was already inappropriate then, for him to do that to an unmated Alpha, specifically unmated to him. Now that he has a choice, he won't do something indecent.

Gloved hands come up to his nose, to at least stop breathing in so much of it. It doesn't help much. Gathering his composure in this situation seems to be out of the question.

The vice-captain's eyes rake his figure, but thankfully, he stands still for now. Illuga doesn't notice, but it's almost like he's watching a show, noticing every little detail about Illuga.

"I usually spend my Rut fighting, which is what I went to talk to Varka about," Lohen explains out of nowhere, stretching his laced hands in front of himself.

He's still laser-focused on Illuga, on his exposed shoulders specifically, and he continues, "but I happened to pass by you and those three Alphas getting all nice and cozy."

Illuga's instincts sing at the confirmation of Lohen's possessiveness. Getting taken care of means being important, means that the person will stay.

They try and push him to just stay here and get taken care of by the Alpha again, like last time. To fall into bed with the knight and allow himself to be ravished. Having never been so attracted to another person so much, it's a little overwhelming experiencing it.

Instead, he shakes his head and acts as normally as he can. Ignoring the haze, clenching his fists, still covering his mouth and nose.

"We were just talking," he argues. Illuga can't help but defend those poor guys. They're probably having a horrible time out there with Lohen's traps.

"And they were too drunk to do anything to me, anyway."

"Oh?"

In a flash, Lohen comes to face Illuga. Not one part of them touches, but Illuga twitches from his surprise at Lohen's speed, hand falling from his face.

But they're once again close enough to have their (stronger than usual) scents mix, creating a harmonious mix that calms the both of them with how familiar it's become.

The knight's breathing eases a bit, no longer so deep now that he can smell the Omega easily. Illuga hadn't even noticed his own caramel scent has started wafting into the air, through the cutout on his shoulder.

"So there's no need for me to fight them to gain honor," he whispers, reaching for the hand covering Illuga's face and bringing it to his lips, "and become worthy of courting you?"

Illuga hates how much the mischievous words affect him. He lets Lohen do as he pleases, turning his head away.

Soft lips softly graze Illuga's knuckles. A princess hold keeps it still, displaying Lohen's rare chivalry. Rare, he says, but Illuga has seen it more than a few times. Directed at him, mostly. Used as a tool maybe, in meetings or the like.

He can only watch from the corner of his eye, too embarrassed to face such chivalry upfront.

"You don't seem like someone who would care for that," he sighs out, secretly enjoying the attention. Lohen is impossible to deal with when his brain isn't cooperating. Even more so when Illuga has to fight against himself.

"I don't," Lohen confirms, straightening and interlacing their hands without a care in the world, "but for you… well, I might give it a go."

Illuga's first thought while closing his eyes is: 'Oh god no, that is a horrible idea.'

Lohen's idea of courting would be showcasing his strength (beating up anything and everything), trying to bait Illuga into sparring as an idea for an outing instead of a normal date, fighting the Wild Hunt together and spending nights just the two of them, together under the moons.

Okay, maybe he got ahead of himself, because that actually sounds good.

Sparring, spending quiet nights together, fighting and protecting the land from the Wild Hunt, maybe something more underneath the moonlight. Neither of them would be able to be without duty for long, so they would come to that conclusion anyway.

Nevermind, no, he going to consider this while he's half-delirious from their pheromones mixing. It's clearly having an influence on his sound judgment.

He tries to consider how he should respond politely, in a way that would give him some leeway to either accept or deny at a later date. They'd also have to deal with the distance in the future, maybe their factions being against it since they're both higher ranking, or maybe the sheer amount of work they both have-

He yelps, getting pulled by their conjoined hands still in into a sturdy chest. Their faces end up cheek to cheek, with just a bit of space left in between.

"I can see your brain overworking," the knight whispers, directly into his ear, arms wrapping tight around him like a snake. The hold traps Illuga's arms to his sides.

"Are you thinking so hard about me being all proper and courting you first, before we mate?"

Lohen's words slip by Illuga, who's more focused on the whispers making him shiver. They're so close to his ears. He doesn't register the fact that the man hasn't asked if he even wants to court, not to mention mate.

Even the idea of Lohen thinking about all of that beforehand is enough for his face to stay red. He can only stutter out the words he wants to say.

Like how they shouldn't do this, that they should talk about it first, how inappropriate it is to do this in a tent, really all of the stuff they really should do before Lohen jumps him like an animal.

"I'm flattered," Lohen mutters seductively, lips dropping right to Illuga's jaw. He moves down his neck slowly, placing kisses along the way. It makes Illuga tilt his head to the side, letting the man overwhelm him and access more of his skin.

Soft sounds fill the space as Lohen continues, eventually placing kisses over Illuga's sweater and then to his shoulder cutouts. Illuga can't help but squirm at the unfamiliar feeling.

When Lohen's mouth gets to the gland, one hand pushing the fabric out of the way, his lips linger.

Kisses get places everywhere the bastard can reach, teasing it with his teeth. illuga has to bite his lip to keep quiet. Lohen's ministrations continue, lips pressing against Illuga's skin. His tongue darts out a few times, to soothe the redness.

The air feels hot. Illuga's body feels hot too. He doesn't even notice when Lohen stops to focus on one place, licking it a few times, pressing his lips down-

A quiet whimper escapes Illuga, jerking in Lohen's hold at the sudden pressure.

Because of the light teasing until now, him properly biting and sucking to create a mark surprised Illuga. It feels more intense than the soft kisses and nicks until now.

His squirming achieves nothing. The embarrassment of being so vulnerable, of submitting so easily, is enough to keep him on edge.

His neck is sensitive. Not to mention the man has his mouth directly on the scar of his exposed shoulder.

It feels good.

He's never really tried anything… like this, it being frowned upon for unmated Omegas and him having too much work to deal with.

Now he knows what he's been missing. But somehow, he doubts he'd be enjoying this and the slight pain if it wasn't Lohen doing it.

Kisses get placed around the bruising area, along with a sharp bite that digs into the skin right next to the gland so nicely he can't help but let out a quiet moan.

'That was so close to the gland...'

It's humiliating, but even more so when he feels the smirk against the sensitive skin there.

Despite biting, licking and marking Illuga, his teeth didn't go deep enough to create a mark, expertly avoiding the actual gland. He's still teasing, still the annoying knight Illuga has fallen for, even with his restraint gone.

This feels like the worst tease of his life, even worse than back when he thought Flins was genuinely flirting with him.

His hands shoot out to grab Lohen. The only place with him ensnaring Illuga and trapping his arms is the waist. He wants to push the man away. This is improper, so perverted to mark an Omega before they even officially court, that Illuga wants to scream.

If his uncles and aunts knew of this, there would be a scandal about Nikita's son finally having a rebellious phase or something.

Maybe that he's no longer so uptight and proper all the time, maybe everyone just nods and says that makes sense once they smell Lohen on him. After those hearing those knights gossiping, what else has spread in the KoF and Lightkeepers?

It's all making him dizzy. But he needs to get Lohen off of himself, because with the way they're going there's no way they'll be able to stop.

After too long of a moment, he manages to shove the Alpha off with a grunt and some effort. And it only works because Lohen got the result he wanted, judging by the smirk.

Seeing Lohen's eyes stuck to the area he just put his mouth on…

"How scandalous." Lohen chuckles, both sarcastic and condescending. Like he can hear Illuga's thoughts about him being a pervert.

"Don't cover it up, pretty boy."

Illuga will.

"Blood, even just gathered under your skin, suits you perfectly, you know?"

He can't just walk around with a hickey near his neck gland without even being mated, or at the very least actively courted. He doesn't have anything less revealing to change into, and even though it's half-hidden, the bruise is still apparent.

Illuga's coat is too far away to get, and Lohen will likely block the attempt at getting it too.

His hand comes up to press against the area, only to hiss at the soreness. Glands bruise much easier due to the veins there, and it always hurts more than anywhere else on the body too.

"It's be such a waste," the knight continues, "to cover up the cute red mark I made, don't you think?"

Bites, redness and bruises, they all cover Illuga's neck like a pretty little gift. In Lohen's eyes, full of want and need, Illuga can guess just how he looks.

A pretty Omega, defiled and ready to be taken. Taken to a bed or nest, taken fully, bred and filled, to carry the Alpha's pups. Illuga's face can't cool down, knowing exactly what will happen if he doesn't leave right this instant.

Lohen's eyes sparkle despite how dark they are with desire, lips a little slick with Illuga's scent oil from dragging them all over the Omega's scent gland.

Lohen keeps eye contact as he slowly licks it off.

Heavy breathing fills the space, from both of them. Their scents are still mixing, still being pumped out. Desire is clear in both, with Lohen in his pre-Rut and Illuga pent up and teased into it, slowly brought into wanting it and not denying himself.

It's difficult to clear his head. It's so, so difficult, because there's no way to get rid of the very thing that is making his mind fuzzy.

But he needs to get away, before they both do something they might regret. At the very least, Illuga wants some time to process his own feelings. Lohen seems to be sure of his, though. He's been pursuing Illuga all this time, making sure to scent him and listen to him at the very least, though Illuga doesn't think he's been courting him.

The least he wants to do is at least have some time to think. Spending a Rut or Heat together isn't a game.

Just as he's wracking his mind, an alert from the Grand Master himself sounds throughout the entire Favonius Keep, interrupting his thoughts.

"ALL UNITS, COME TO THE MAIN TENT, IT'S AN EMERGENCY!"

There had been a huge outbreak in multiple locations of Nod Krai, but the largest had been around the South of Favonius Keep, as if angry at the foreign knights for intruding upon this land. Groups got dispersed and sent out, all hands on deck.

There were of course fellow Lightkeepers for Illuga to join, along with having a few knights accompanying them. The goal is to prevent as much destruction as possible.

Not many people actually live where the outbreaks happened, but the few that do have gotten safely evacuated by the first people who discovered the abyssal veins opening up. They were also the ones who called reinforcements.

It's not an unprecedented catastrophe, but the entire thing isn't easily handled either.

Illuga's spear pierces another wilderness exile, face scrunching in slight disturbance at the agonized scream that leaves the thing. His senses are much sharper due to having that encounter with Lohen, but it's also clear that these anomalies have particularly anguished wails today.

Battling through the various waves of abyssal creatures of all kinda have been coming out the portals. It's almost getting repetitive.

A slash there, a stab there, yelling at his coworkers for cover or to dodge, sending Aedon ahead.

It's been a long while by now. Hours upon hours, with some breaks in the waves. Their numbers are dwindling somewhat, because of injuries. No fatalities for now. But Illuga's group is exhausted as a result of the increased fog concentration and illusions it brings, not to mention just how long they've been at it.

Saying a long time has passed is based off of his perception of time though. With the abyssal fog, it's clear that it's distorting their minds a little.

Their lamps are on full capacity, clearing the worst of it, but it's so thick and disgusting that the illusions and mind games still persist. Not that they're too difficult to shake off.

Just annoying enough to cause discomfort and wear them down quicker.

The recovering abyssal figure is once again stabbed by Illuga, then left with a gaping hole in it's chest where tendrils of the abyss are instead of a heart. Unfortunately for this thing, a final shining light from a lantern snuffs it's reanimating body from this world.

There's no time to rest though, as another small horde, being held off diligently by his teammates, is approaching. Along with it, a fog that hides everything around them, leaving everyone to rely on their lamps for direction.

As he rushes in, Geo coats both his spear and body to deliver harder attacks.

Aedon makes alarm calls as it flies, warning everyone of the dangers as it attacks alongside it's master. It's talons pierce through the exposed necks of their enemies. It helps immensely, leaving a golden scar that makes it easier to to strike and break the bodies down.

Illuga helps wherever he can, defending the other's weak spots, striking down the wilderness exile's, distracting them with well placed jabs and slices and directing Aedon to illuminate the path for anyone getting encased by just a tad too much fog.

It takes a long time to get through the ever growing hoard. He isn't sure how long has passed by now, but he knows it's been a long time, even with the distortion. More than he'd like.

But for all their efforts, the amounts of monstrosities spawning from the abyssal portals are dwindling.

His eyes flit over his surroundings, counting the lamps still ignited. Some are off to the side, getting defended after being injured, some are in other directions having fought wherever necessary. One by one, he counts, just to be sure everyone is here.

And there is.

His body doesn't relax, but at least his mind isn't full of dread. Everyone is safe.

Hands fall down, holding his lantern at his side rather than in front of his chest. The subtle comfort of having counted every lantern and having everyone survive, is a victory in and of itself.

No scents have disappeared. No one had gone mad from the fog and there's no smell of human death either.

Only the groans of his comrades echo through the valley, now able to voice their discomfort and tend to their injuries. Illuga has a few of his own, various scratches, tears, bruises and so on, but none are life threatening.

Aedon chirps lightly as it comes down to purify his wounds. It sits on Illuga's shoulder, rubbing it's little head along Illuga's neck. The scratch there stings, but he doesn't flinch. Being in pain from injuries most of the time has, unsurprisingly, led him to develop a high pain tolerance.

The rest of his body glows with the kuuvahki Aedon exudes, cleansing the other wounds on his body. The deep purple lifts slowly, the dissipates into nothingness.

"Whew," he sighs, checking over himself. Absentmindedly, he gives scratches to Aedon.

Closing his eyes for just a second, he makes a tally of everyone's injuries in his mind. They don't have enough supplies here, so they'll have to borrow from the Knights of Favonius this time. Honestly, he isn't sure they even have enough back at home to take care of everyone properly, so it's good that their allies are willing to lend them a hand.

When he opens his eyes, there's a light purple glow all around.

It's seeping into the corners of his vision, trying to encase him in the poisonous darkness of the Wild Hunt. It's not thick enough for it to be coming from another portal or a horde. His body and senses, thankfully not having relaxed yet, sharpen once more.

'Shit, I let my guard down for just a second.'

"CAPTAIN-!"

Illuga sharply turns 180 degrees, polearm at the ready to block an incoming hit. The enemy must've snuck up right behind his back without him noticing. In the second he has, he braces for impact, when suddenly-

A splatter of abyssal blood lands on his cheek as a shot flies through the air, whizzing past his ear. It's so loud, so deafening, that he freezes in place.

No one uses guns in his team. And more importantly, there's none for them to use. His minds speeds up, wondering the possibilities.

Despite being the perfect target, the gigantic wilderness hunter freezes mid action…

…and turns it's attention to the gunsman that fired the bullet.

Looking up into the hole in the monster's chest doesn't help. Illuga stays rooted in place, but no longer because of shock.

Instead, a scent. A scent he'd smelled earlier today, got enveloped by every few days before this, the one that made him scent-drunk and the one he now seeks out in times of distress, like a moth to a flame. One that had been abruptly torn from him at the emergency defense call.

The scent of eucalyptus and the sea hits him in the face like a freight train, along with the unhinged laughter echoing through out the area.

Three more shots ring out, one after another, far from Illuga's body this time.

Lohen, having run here from the other side of the battlefield, readies his dagger in his other hand, playing with it like it's a toy.

He's still wearing the clothes from when they met up earlier in the day, though they're now a little torn and bloody all over.

His usual polearm is nowhere to be found. Instead, the dagger he holds is one Lohen loves to use, sometimes coated in poison and sometimes clean. Once, Lohen had an entire monologue about how the shape is perfect for tearing the enemy, rather then slicing.

Illuga tries to prepare to fight as well, but his legs feel wobbly. He needs to lean against his polearm. That little fad, messing with their perception of time, was more effective than he thought.

He feels a little feverish too.

Both due to being after a battle that lasted too long, but also because the Alpha's scent is once again making him somewhat dizzy, probably.

The concoction of both adrenaline and oxytocin flows in his body, wanting him to both relax and ready himself for a fight. But instead, he gets an order.

"Birdie!" Lohen yells out, smirk audible, already dashing towards the enemy. He jumps up high to get momentum, one arm stretched out aiming the gun, and the other preparing to strike.

"I'll handle this by my-" A loud roar sounds from the giant monster as a bullet cuts through it's shoulder with a squelch, "-self!"

The exile wastes no time attacking back.

"So just sit still!"

As it turns to face the knight fully, it swings it's axe from where it was resting it's tip on the ground, dragging it across the dirt before it comes up creating a big arch, targeting Lohen.

It ends abruptly, loudly clanging against the dagger in Lohen's other hand.

Despite the difference in size, it's actually the monsters axe that trembled against Lohen's dagger, caught in the unique design of it, unable to slide free.

In the process of swinging, that massive axe nearly struck Illuga, who's now behind the thing.

Thankfully his muscle memory kicked in and he jumped backwards, able to get away with just a scratch to his cheekbone.

Instead of caring for it like he should, he's captivated by the beauty of Lohen fighting at full capacity.

Weapons hit against one another, strikes are exchanged. Sparks fly as Lohen fights with a bloodthirsty smile, licking at the abyssal blood spurting on his face from the injuries he inflicts on his opponent, keeping it's eyes and strikes completely focused on him.

Not just using his weapon, but also weaponizing his scent. Saturating the area with it, able to use it even more effectively now that he's in a pre-Rut, to disorient the creature that relies on it's sense of smell to locate prey.

It resembles the frigid air in mornings by the beach, filling Illuga's lungs as he breathes in. After only breathing in the stench of poisonous abyssal energy for hours on end, this is comfort beyond imagination. The pheromones overpower everything around.

The feeling of safety envelops Illuga as he leans against his dirty polearm.

He watches the fight. He watches Lohen in action, an amazing combatant with daring strategies, ones Illuga would never risk in fear of endangering his comrades.

Now that the knight is nearing Rut, his physical capabilities are at their highest, while his mind is sharp against threats. Utilizing a mating cycle like that is crazy. Illuga's never seen it before, definitely not with the Alphas in the Lightkeepers, at the very least.

But it fits Lohen.

Despite wanting to move and to jump into the fray and not leave Lohen alone, time flies by as he watches the man defeat the enemy faster than usual. Roars and angry grunts sound from the monster, swinging and fighting back all for naught.

It doesn't stand a chance against a Lohen elated from adrenaline and at his peak.

The last move Lohen does is a downwards stab, straight through the neck and throat, tip of his dagger protruding from his opponent's nape. The sound of bone and innards getting torn makes Lohen grin, satisfied.

Blood spurts from the wound, covering Lohen's hand and arm. His white shirt used to be white, but now it's covered with blood and abyssal impurities.

Unlike all of his colleagues, he's not wearing armor, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. He's not that wounded, unlike the monster currently fading away.

It howls for the last time, a pathetic, gurgling noise, and then slowly evaporates.

Lohen lands on the ground, gun now back in it's holster and his dagger slid back into his thigh garter, carefully tucked away. He must've been fighting for as long as Illuga, but he recovers his stamina and breath quickly. Even with the corrosion clinging to his wounds.

Illuga jogs over, shaken from his stupor, leaving behind both his lamp and polearm.

"Let me help you with this, at least," he mutters, feeling bad he just gawked at Lohen and hadn't helped, remnants of a flush sticking to his cheeks.

Aedon is already flying towards the remaining wisps of abyssal energy, cleansing them quickly. It's wings flap and make sounds similar to a chime. With no verbal instruction, it also flies towards Lohen, landing on his shoulder just as it had on Illuga's prior, and cleanses him too.

Lohen lets the bird do it's thing, even rubbing it's head with a flat expression on his face. It chirps, and then gets back into Illuga's lamp quickly. Even the little animal need some rest after such a long fight.

And now, it's only the two of them in the middle of this battlefield.

Everyone else is farther off from them, making sure to stay out of the way of Lohen's insane bladework and shots. The corrosive blood on Lohen has already dissipated, leaving behind red blood that must be Lohen's.

Illuga's hand subconsciously comes up to his cheek, to wipe it.

Even with the intense, adrenaline filled stare that the Alpha gives him, he doesn't break their locked gazes. His thumb slowly grazes the cheek, swiping at the place where the blood is. It smears, but color looks so beautiful against Lohen's cheeks that Illuga can't imagine fully wiping it away.

He didn't know violence could make a person more beautiful. It suits this knight just as much as chivalry.

Maybe even more.

A hand comes up to cover Illuga's own, making him cup Lohen's cheek. The warmth they share feels special in the cold winds of Nod Krai. It sweeps gently across the battlefield, but the vice-captains eyes stay glued to Illuga.

"Lohen…?"

A soft growl leaves the man's throat, eyes intense and boring into Illuga. Even though they're in an open space, his pheromones dig into Illuga's nose. Salt, sea air, eucalyptus.

"Birdie," he mutters, eyes flashing red as his lips turn into a sly smile. He looks pleased with himself.

The hand holding Illuga's own tightens and Lohen turns his head to press his lips against it. The sensation makes Illuga hold his breath.

Lohen's tongue lolls out, carefully licking the fabric. Because it's torn and there's minor wounds under it, it stings a little.

"H-hey," Illuga stutters, unsure what to feel, "that's... um."

Alphas don't just lick anyone's wounds.

He gets another growl in response, then teeth tugging at his glove and discarding it to the ground. The Lightkeeper lets it happen, breath getting quicker. His free hand tightens into a fist. It's all so new, being so intimate with someone.

Lohen being like this, seducing him and playing with his feelings, teasing him until he breaks. Illuga never thought he would have time to indulge in things like this, not when his work always took first place.

The bloody scratches on his hands get licked over by Lohen, one by one.

The sensation is odd, as slick muscle carefully covers the first scratch. Then the second. And then the third. Slowly, his sleeve gets pushed upwards, exposing his wrist. Then, lips travel to his forearm, to his inner elbow, until the coat can't be rucked up any more.

Even though he knows there's Lightkeepers and Knights surrounding them, it feels as though they're the only ones here.

Once he's pressed kisses and caring licks wherever he could reach on Illuga's arm, Lohen lets the sleeve fall back, moving to Illuga's face while letting go of his hand. Even at the Omega's quizzical look, Lohen doesn't say anything, only looking from up close.

Their noses are nearly touching. Illuga can feel Lohen's breaths against his lips. The anticipation builds up within him.

Slowly, the knight's left hand comes up to hold his neck, with the other going to his waist. Lohen comes closer, closer to his lips with his own, their scents mixing into a blend of both that Illuga can't help but inhale.

His breath comes out wobbly.

There's now way Lohen doesn't feel it, satisfied smile playing on the man's lips. Illuga gets a sudden urge to nag him.

The left hand that has been resting on Illuga's neck until now comes up a little higher, cupping his jaw from underneath. Four fingers on one side, thumb on the other, for leverage. Gently, Lohen tugs his face to look to the side and downwards.

And instead of kissing him, the knight's mouth lands on his cheekbone.

It stings, with Lohen taking some time to suck against the barely closed wound, reopening it.

"Hey- ow!"

Illuga twitches in the man's hand, hissing. But the knight holds him firmly in place, especially with the arm wrapped around his waist.

After the kiss, Lohen once again licks over the wound. It isn't tender, dragging along the cut slowly to gather the blood with a moan. Illuga can feel the rapidly cooling saliva on his face, now cold as ice.

His eye closes from how hard Lohen presses, not wanting to miss a drop, and Illuga can't stop the heat from rising to his face at the cruelly affectionate gesture.

"Tasty…," Lohen hums, continuing.

He slowly presses kisses against Illuga's cheek, then jaw. Following along the bone, he drags his sharp canines against the sensitive skin, leaving behind a red trail. He moves lower, lips moving downwards and pressing against Illuga's pulse.

Lohen changes his grip on Illuga's face, then pushes his head backwards, with a little more force.

Illuga can't help but whine in quiet protest at how his muscles ache from the angle, but Lohen holds him in place. The lips of Illuga's knight press against his pulse point, sucking and pressing in. The hand on his waist supports him from the back so he doesn't fall.

Illuga can already feel the hickey forming, a soft stinging pain that's present near his scent glands as well, from earlier in the day.

Both his shoulders and neck are adorned in red, blue and purple.

"Lohen…" Illuga mutters breathily as his hands come up to fist the fabric of Lohen's loose shirt. Though the man wearing it simply ignores his next request.

"It's too obvious… everyone will see it, t-that's-"

"Stay." Lohen mutters, not waiting for a reply.

Illuga's mind is muddled, but he knows that Lohen made sure to place it there on purpose.

The hickey is placed in an obvious spot, right under his jaw. There's no way no one will notice, his turtleneck and coat can only come up so high.

Lohen is nothing but persistent in getting what he wants, if this is how he makes Illuga unable to cover the marks.

His lips fall lower, nosing his sweater to get it out of the way. Roughly, his lips once again attach to Illuga's skin against a deeper scratch, one that is still bleeding from when he was cut. His sweater had been soaking up the blood until now.

Lohen laps it up, generously applying his own saliva. Small groans of satisfaction leave him every time his tongue passes against the wound. It feels weird. Illuga wants to say it feels bad, but he'd be lying.

His neck hurts. But it feels so nice, so delightful to be taken care of like this. Lohen asked him to stay and to not move, he can hold out a little longer.

"Good," Lohen says, finally pulling away and letting the Lightkeepers head fall down.

Their eyes meet.

The proximity barely lets Illuga get a breath in, though it's filled with Lohen's pheromones becoming him to give in. He's already tired from the battle, he doesn't have the energy to deal with an Alpha in pre-Rut.

And his instincts are desperate for comfort after everything that happened as well. Even with no casualties, the time distortion made him more tired than usual.

There was a time in his life where he believed that this sort of comfort wasn't for people like him. But now, with Lohen being so stubborn in his pursuit of breaking him down, he can understand that that isn't the case.

His mind and body ache with the need to be close to Lohen. He thinks he's going crazy. Delirious, mad, whatever adjective he can come up with.

"Ugh…," Illuga lets out a sound that betrays his weakening defense, breaking eye contact and tilting his head to the side.

The Alpha notices this of course. His smile stretches on his face, almost unnaturally sharp. Obviously satisfied with himself. Illuga can already tell he's fallen into a trap he didn't even know was under him.

"I'll take care of you," Lohen whispers sweetly into his ear.

A gloved hand, the one that's around his waist, slides under his jacket. It moves further, until covered fingertips find his spine, tracing each vertebrae. In the front, Lohen is still holding eye contact, intense and determined to convince Illuga to stay with him.

Illuga can't really come up with anything the man could be thinking of. He doesn't even know how much of it is simply because of the Rut affecting his rationality.

"You can sleep in my den with me to rest," Lohen says, making sure to speak quietly, "I'll let you make our nest. We can make it together too, then just sleep in it."

Smooth talk has always been one of Lohen's talents, but Illuga never considered how that might be used against him. Just sleep?

Is he kidding?

Maybe during pre-Rut, sure, but there's no way Lohen would restrain himself so much for Illuga's sake. And going off his scent, Lohen is ready to fall into Rut within a day. They won't be sleeping if he stays longer than tonight.

By the time morning comes, Lohen will be relying on instinct more than rational thought.

"You can leave after you get a good night's sleep," the man lies easily. There's no way Illuga would, if he had any say in it, but that's unimportant.

What is important however, is giving the illusion of choice.

"I'll be hunting through in the morning too," that part's true, "so you'll have some time to yourself. I'll leave before you wake, so if you decide you don't want to stay, I won't be there to stop you."

Illuga's breathing grows ragged.

He knows this is a trap. There's no way Lohen, a person that can strategize days in advance but also in mere seconds, could just leave a gap where's he's away from a chosen Omega. That's not how Alphas in Rut work, and it's not how Lohen works either.

But, it's comforting. That there's a chance for him to leave if he really hates it.

Yeah… If Illuga wants, he can just leave tomorrow morning. Lohen keeps his promises, they're close now too.

Surely he wouldn't lie about that, right?

"But if you stay…," Lohen pauses for nothing else but dramatic effect, "I promise I'll show how serious I am about you."

Illuga is really, really weighing his choices. It's visible on his face, palpable in the way his body is slowly relaxing in Lohen's vice-grip, but trying not to show it. Lohen has studied up on Illuga's weaknesses clearly, because his tone changes into a whiny, weak one.

Illuga's bleeding heart is weak against the weak. And he'll use that.

"But you know, I've been courting you all this time, and you haven't noticed…," Lohen's pout is palpable, "I really thought I was being obvious, since I did everything I should. But you never realized."

Illuga's eyes widen in surprise and disbelief, interrupting his decision making.

"W-What? But you haven't done anything that would… you know."

Lohen knowing that Illuga was wondering if this was just a whim, is coming in handy. There is nothing he will stop at now. He's worked really hard to catch his prey, after all.

As for Illuga himself, he's wondering if he'd missed something in their interactions. They all seemed friendly enough to him. Taking care of each other and bantering is normal between friends, even if they're an Omega and Alpha.

Courting rituals are pretty different across cultures of course, and Mondstadt and Nod Krai are as different as can be with how far apart they are. But still, it's not so different that Illuga would never notice right?

Maybe. There's no more time to think about it, as Lohen answers for him.

"I've been scenting you loads, bringing you gifts-"

"You mean monster corpses during battle-?" Illuga interjects, to no avail.

"-making sure you're healthy by taking care of you, I even let you nuzzle into my neck for hours…"

"That last one was just an accident!" Illuga corrects, embarrassed to even remember it, "I got scent drunk too quick, and I was tired due to your quote on quote "care". And besides wasn't that your plan-?"

"Hmm?" A cruel glint flashes in Lohen's eyes. "Are you accusing me of manipulating you into it?"

God, Illuga wants to punch this man.

He's being tossed between wanting to make a nest, cuddle, make love and everything else with him, and punting him into the sun.

He sighs. "No, that's not what I-"

"So, then? I've been sincere all this time, but you've been running away so cruelly…," he pouts, putting on an innocent face, "it makes me want to kidna- I mean hide you away and show you I treasure you in my own way, just so you notice me."

"Ugh…" Illuga wisely ignores the cut off word, for his own sanity.

It's true that he kept running away right after treating Lohen's wounds this past week. It's not that it was on purpose, he was just embarrassed. Like anyone would be! Falling asleep breathing in an Alpha's scent was humiliating, only people courting or mates do that.

And even before that, he was getting scented regularly. He was a little too focused on trying to hide his developing feelings, so, yes, maybe he did ignore Lohen's advances…

But that was because he didn't want false hopes.

"I even helped treat your wounds a few minutes ago," Lohen pushes, not taking any chances.

Even with all the musing and rebuttals and corrections to Lohen's statements, Illuga isn't opposed per se. He'd just been on the fence. But with Lohen pushing so much, even doing things reserved for couples when they aren't one to show his sincerity, that he forgets he even thought of refusing.

An Alpha usually only licks their own wounds or their mates.

Their saliva has healing properties to treat mating bites, and it's especially potent during Rut because of it. It works on other wounds as well, not just mating bites, but that's uncommon to do since it could create a bond on accident because of the blood and saliva interacting.

And whether Illuga likes it or not, Lohen's scent is sticking to him like glue because of all the licks too. It'd be weirder for him to go everywhere smelling like Lohen than to just stay with Lohen.

Or something. He feels like rationalizing is making it worse.

His feelings have developed in such a small time frame that it surprised even himself. And he's never really felt this way with anyone else either. It's exciting and new, but also terrifying, and yet he can't think of anyone else he'd want to go through this with.

Some time passes, with Illuga looking like steam is going to come out of his ears any second now.

Lohen can already tell what the answer will be. His (not yet) mate just needs a little push.

"Well?" he asks, pressing their bodies closer together. He makes sure their foreheads touch, so his Omega is forced to look into his eyes, thus making it harder to refuse.

It's a common trick in intimidation, but it's useful here too.

Heat gets exchanged between their bodies. Lohen dares to come closer, so close that their lips nearly touch. He can feel that Illuga wants to be kissed, but he's made sure to avoid it this entire time.

Just to bait Illuga.

"F-Fine." The words are whispered only between them, only for Lohen to hear. "I'll.. spend tonight with you, at least."

But that's enough.

As soon as Lohen gets the approval, Illuga is lifted into a princess carry using zero effort from Lohen, his arms supporting the Ratnik's upper back and the back of he knees.

The yelp that the Lightkeeper lets out is surely enough to alert everyone around them of their current situation.

It's almost laughable how easily Lohen does it even after fighting for so long. Illuga's thoughts swerve into the direction of stamina, not just in the context of fighting.

Then, he blushes and tries to focus on his current state instead, sputtering.

"W-Wait, Lohen, everyone will see-"

"So?"

"HEY- Mmph-" His scolding gets interrupted with a kiss delivered straight to his lips. It's at an awkward angle, due to him being carried, but Lohen clearly doesn't mind, adjusting him in his arms.

Sensations he's never felt before happen all at once.

The Lightkeeper has to wrap his hands around Lohen to make the angle a little less forgiving. Just as Lohen tilted his head, he does too, following his partner's lead.

It starts slow, given that Illuga isn't exactly an expert in kissing. Lohen's method is a little forceful, baiting Illuga to push back by pulling away and then pressing so hard Illuga can do nothing but concede.

He can feel a smirk against his own lips, which is the only warning he gets before something wet brushes against them.

"Ah-"

Gasping seems to be exactly what Lohen wanted him to do, as his tongue lightly invades Illuga's mouth.

Only the tips of their tongues touch, but it's enough for Illuga to let out a breathy moan between them.

"Lohen…"

It's immediately swallowed by Lohen's mouth pressing way too excitedly over his own and kissing him senseless.

Illuga struggles to keep up, hand digging into Lohen's nape, which only serves to make the man more enthusiastic. The feelings exploding in his chest make Illuga kick his legs lightly, needing to let the energy out as he gets overwhelmed, gasping between kisses.

The torrent continues for a bit, even as Lohen decides to start walking. Illuga has to focus on holding onto the insane man when he goes in for a spin on a whim, cackling against Illuga and distracting him-

"Mm-!"

-which he pays for by getting bitten. It stings and the bite definitely drew blood, but before he can speak his chosen companion licks it off like a delicacy.

"LOHEN, YOU SON OF A-!!"

That managed to shut him up for all of three seconds.

Maniacal laughter echoes through the air as the knight makes a run for it with his usually dangerously happy smile. But this time, there's no fighting and no monsters.

Instead, his arms are full of his soon-to-be mate loudly cursing at him, kicking and screaming profanities at the gleeful vice captain as they run off into the sunset.