The lavender sheets still held the warmth of their bodies, the night stretching quietly around them. Kaein's arm was draped over Lior, pulling him close, anchoring him. The sound of their breathing, steady but uneven from the intensity of the night, filled the room. Neither of them spoke at first—they didn't need to. Every touch, every brush of fingertips, conveyed decades of unspoken feelings, longing, and devotion.
Kaein's jaw was tense, lips parted as he whispered hoarsely, "I'm trying… Sometimes… I can't control it when I'm with you."
Lior pressed a hand to Kaein's chest, feeling the steady beat beneath. "I know," he said softly, "That's why I studied. I'll protect you too."
The words hung in the air between them, quiet and steady, a promise neither had dared to voice in years. Kaein's lips brushed Lior's ear, warm and deliberate, sending a shiver down Lior's spine. Faintly, the sweet wisteria scent of Kaein's pheromones drifted, subtle and intoxicating, but it did not unsettle Lior. He inhaled softly, curiosity mingled with awe, grounding himself with the knowledge that he was safe, aware, and present.
Kaein's fingers moved with reverence, tracing along Lior's arm, shoulder, down his side, memorizing every contour. "You're steady," Kaein murmured, voice thick. "I… I don't know why I feel so… pulled toward you."
"Because I'm here," Lior replied quietly, resting a hand on Kaein's cheek. "And I'm not going anywhere."
There was a softness in Kaein's gaze, though a shadow of restraint lingered. He leaned closer, lips brushing along Lior's jaw, then neck, a gentle exploration. The Alpha's presence hummed beneath the surface—his instincts pulling subtly, quietly—but it was tempered by patience and care, as if Kaein was memorizing not just Lior's body, but the rhythm of his trust.
Lior let his hands wander too, caressing the curve of Kaein's back, the line of his ribs, drawing him closer. Every motion, every whispered word, every gentle kiss was layered with decades of unspoken history. Childhood companionship, years of mutual support, quiet confessions of care—it was all culminating in these first hours of being lovers.
"I can handle you," Lior murmured against Kaein's lips. "You don't have to worry."
Kaein's lips quivered slightly, a smile tugging at the corners. "You're… different. Not like anyone I've known."
"Maybe I'm not," Lior said softly, brushing a hand along Kaein's chest. "Maybe I'm… meant for this, for you."
Their intimacy was not driven by urgency or lust alone. Each touch, each gentle exploration, carried the weight of years. Every kiss, every brush of fingertips, whispered promises: I've waited for this. I trust you. I choose you.
Kaein's pheromones lingered, subtle wisteria in the air, but Lior remained composed. He could sense the Alpha's instinct pulsing just beneath the surface, the faint pull of dominance, but he stayed steady, letting his mind anchor him to love rather than instinct. It was a strange awareness—an undercurrent of something deeper, something they hadn't fully named—but he didn't flinch. He only leaned into Kaein's warmth, inhaling and memorizing every nuance of him.
Hours passed in quiet exploration. Kisses traced along lips, jaw, neck, collarbones; hands wandered in reverent discovery; whispered confessions of trust and devotion lingered in the darkened room. The bond of Alpha and Omega was present, humming beneath the surface, but it was governed by care, not instinct alone. Neither rushed, neither pushed; they moved with a fluidity born of decades of unacknowledged longing.
Kaein's breath caught when Lior pressed a gentle kiss along the curve of his shoulder. He exhaled slowly, fingertips tracing patterns over Lior's side. The subtle scent of wisteria grew more pronounced as the intensity of their closeness rose, but Lior breathed it in calmly, anchoring himself, feeling both the pull of instinct and the clarity of control.
"You don't have to hold back," Lior whispered. "I'm here. I want this. I want you."
Kaein's lips curled in a soft smile, tinged with awe and vulnerability. "You make it easy… to want."
They continued like this, hours folding over themselves. Each kiss, each touch, each whisper was an acknowledgment of everything they had been—friends, confidants, lovers in waiting. The first night together as adults was not about urgency; it was about learning the contours of each other's hearts, the rhythm of trust, the unspoken vows of safety and devotion.
Dawn filtered softly through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over their entwined forms. Kaein stirred first, blinking against the morning light. He took in Lior's sleeping form, still radiant in repose, the faint wisteria scent lingering, almost comforting. Lior stretched, blinking sleepily, before catching Kaein's gaze.
---
Morning came in muted gold. The curtains swayed with the breeze, carrying the faint scent of salt from the resort's distant shore.
Lior stirred first, blinking at the unfamiliar ceiling. Kaein's arm was draped across his waist, heavy and protective, his breath warm against the curve of Lior's neck. For a moment, Lior stayed still, listening to the heartbeat pressed against his back, the steady rhythm that grounded him more than anything else.
But then the faintest note lingered again in the air—wisteria. Softer now, like an echo. Lior inhaled, recognizing it instantly. His chest tightened with an odd mix of comfort and unease. He could smell it. He could recognize it. Yet, unlike the books and journals described, it didn't unravel him.
Subtle doubt crept in. What am I, really?
He pushed it away before it could root too deep.
Kaein stirred, tightening his hold before finally blinking awake. His voice was hoarse, drowsy. "Morning."
"Morning," Lior whispered back, turning slightly to meet his gaze, voice husky with sleep. He leaned over, pressing a tender kiss to Kaein's temple. "I… I missed this," he murmured.
Kaein brushed his hand through Lior's hair, smiling faintly. "Me too. Every day, every year. But now we don't have to miss it anymore."
Kaein leaned forward, stealing a soft kiss before pulling away with a reluctant sigh. "We should head back today. Quarantine measures are strict. I don't want us caught outside when the roads shut."
Lior nodded, though his eyes lingered on Kaein's face, memorizing the way sleep still clung to his expression. "Then let's get ready."
They rose slowly, their movements domestic and unhurried. Lior folded their clothes, Kaein packed the last of their bags. The air was light, the intimacy of the night before still wrapped around them like an invisible thread.
They lingered in the quiet intimacy of morning, taking their time dressing, each motion gentle, unhurried. Lior packed the overnight bag while Kaein double-checked their belongings, savoring the slow, deliberate normalcy of being together.
The faint pheromone drifted again, and Lior inhaled it, curious and calm. I can smell it… but it doesn't affect me. Why? He did not voice the thought, only tucked it away, aware that some truths would reveal themselves in time.
From the bathroom, Kaein called out, "Are you ready?"
"Almost," Lior replied, finishing the last fold of his clothes.
When Kaein checked the mirror, fixing his collar, Lior spoke without thinking, voice soft with fondness.
"Let's go home after breakfast. I miss aunty's cooking."
Kaein paused, then chuckled, the sound low and warm. He reached over, ruffling Lior's hair before pressing a quick kiss to his temple. "Then let's hurry home.Let's hurry before the morning gets too hot."
"But, my beloved, don't you miss me? I am jealous."
"What, are you even jealous of your own mom? I always wished your mom to be mine."
Kaein boldly confessed," It isn't impossible. How about becoming my mom's son-in-law?"
Lior blushed,"Shall I tell aunt about us?"
"Mom already knows about us since the beginning. Moreover, she loves you as her own son. Don't worry you were already part of my family 20 years ago."
Together, they stepped out of the hotel room, hand in hand. Whatever awaited them—quarantines, uncertainties, unanswered questions about who Lior was becoming—felt distant in that moment. All that mattered was this: they were going home.
Hand in hand, they left the room. The warmth of the past night clung lightly around them, a protective veil. Whatever uncertainties awaited—pheromones, mutations, quarantines—felt distant, insignificant in the presence of the bond they shared.
"No matter what comes," Kaein murmured, squeezing Lior's hand, "my beloved, we face it together."
"I know," Lior whispered, leaning closer, inhaling the lingering faint scent. "Together."
Outside, the resort was waking. The sound of waves lapping, the cry of gulls, and the gentle rustle of leaves created a backdrop that felt almost unreal. Yet, in the midst of nature's calm, the scent that lingered reminded them that the world was changing—slowly, subtly, quietly. There were things they would have to face, pheromones, awakenings, and evolutions—but for now, it was only them.
As they walked toward breakfast, the wisteria scent of Kaein's pheromones drifted faintly in the morning air. Lior inhaled, unconcerned, curious. His mind pondered the odd calm, the slight pull, the subtle difference between instinct and awareness. Something is… different. But I'm fine. I'm okay. And he was, because beside him walked Kaein, steady, devoted, and entirely his.
They smiled, exchanged soft touches and fleeting kisses along the way, savoring the quiet, comforting normalcy that was theirs alone. And for a moment, the outside world—the chaos, mutations, laws, and labels—melted away. It was just them, twined together, finally, irrevocably, in the gentle embrace of love that had waited decades to bloom.