Chapter Text
They didn't have to wait long for the other pack’s reaction. And while they were expecting it, they were still taken by surprise by the aggression of it.
After the ceremony, in the safety of their house, things stayed mostly the same - the brothers acting as if they were part of the pack way before it became official.
It was when they were in public that Fuma’s behaviour changed rather noticeably. After that night, Fuma started to acknowledge Kei’s presence and interacted with him at school. And Kei didn't mind the way Fuma was acting earlier - keeping his distance and limiting their interactions to a minimum. But also he had to admit that he was pleased with the newest development.
Fuma was actively seeking him out, spending time with him between their classes. To Kei’s surprise, it wasn't just quick hellos and fleeting conversations as they crossed paths in the hallways. Since they fell asleep next to each other in Kei’s bed after the full moon, Fuma became very touchy, seeking contact with Kei - holding hands, fingers running through Kei’s hair, standing close enough for their sides to touch. To say that Kei’s wolf was happy would be an understatement of a century. Kei’s wolf was buzzing with happiness and contentment wherever Fuma approached him, especially in public. Fuma’s wolf was letting everybody know that Kei was his - and to Kei’s honest surprise, his wolf had no objection. Kei said nothing, afraid that Fuma would build walls between them again.
While enjoying Fuma’s company, Kei was very much aware of the attention their new display of public affection was attracting. And it was not just from random students but from the members of the other pack as well. It was obvious that the other students were weirded out by the sudden change, probably a little worried about Fuma’s safety. Kei was used to their cautious glances so he just ignored them, his full attention on Fuma. He was more worried about the sharp gazes the members of the other pack were giving them. They were keeping their distance but Kei could feel the anger in their scents.
He was walking through the campus when he registered the sweet scent of another shifter - a soft calming scent of sakura petals that immediately soothe his agitated wolf. It wasn't Fuma which left only one other opinion.
“Kei!” His theory turned out correct when he heard Harua, the younger boy running towards him, fearlessly elbowing his way through the crowd of stressed uni students.
Harua’s loud exclamation got the attention of his surroundings. Kei could see the apprehension and shock as they all watched Harua, the boy absolutely oblivious to the commotion he was causing. Kei didn't have time to react before Harua launched himself into the air, curling all of his limbs around Kei like some baby koala.
There was absolute silence as everybody held their breath, waiting for Kei’s reaction. Kai couldn't really blame them. They never saw him interacting with anybody in this way - and definitely not with somebody like Harua.
“Rua!” Kei mimicked Harua’s enthusiastic voice, spinning them a few times before he carefully placed the boy on the ground. “What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?”
“Our last lesson got cancelled and I didn't want to wait for the others,” Harua said, shrugging his shoulders. “I decided to pick up Fuma so we could go home together.”
“You know you shouldn’t be walking alone,” Kei frowned, instinctively pulling Harua closer. He could sense a few shifters in the crowd, his wolf getting more and more restless.
“I know… but it’s been such a long time since I spent time with Fuma - just the two of us.” Harua swung on his heels, looking up at Kei with his big round eyes, successfully stopping the scolding Kei was ready to give him.
“Do you know where he is?” The boy asked, and who was Kei to deny him anything?
“He's in the lecture hall behind the main library,” Kei answered without hesitation, Fuma’s scent covering his wolf as a warm blanket the whole day. He also knew Fuma’s schedule by now so it wasn't just his creepy Fuma-centric tinglings.
Harua just lifted his brow at Kei’s accuracy but thankfully didn’t comment any further. “Thank you,” he said with a huge smile on his face, already turning around to walk in the direction of the library. “See you later!” he said over his shoulder.
Kei just shook his head, watching the boy happily skipping his steps on his way to find his older brother.
As Harua disappeared behind the corner, everybody around Kei collectively released the breath they were holding, slowly starting to walk in the direction they were heading. Or, almost everybody. From the corner of his eyes, Kei could see the so-called leader of the other pack being held down by two other wolves, his brown eyes tinted with the amber-yellow of his wolf.
Creating a mental note to talk about safety rules with the younger boys, Kei tried to ignore their potent scents and walked away.
&
It was in the middle of his last lecture - maybe an hour after he met Harua - when his phone started to vibrate in his pocket, notifying Kai about an incoming call. Before he could fish the phone out of his pocket the caller disconnected the call. Confused, Kei unlocked his phone and saw Fuma’s name on the screen.
A heavy feeling settled on his chest, making him uneasy. Fuma rarely called or texted. Kei had no idea why the other man was trying to contact him, especially when he knew he was in the middle of a lecture.
Just a few seconds later, another notification popped up about a received text message - also from Fuma.
fuma:
sos
near the main train station
being followed by the other pack
some are in their wolf form
Kei didn’t even bother to finish reading. Hastily, he threw his textbooks into his backpack and ran out of the auditorium. He ignored the muttering that followed him, focusing only on controlling his wolf that was trying to get out, scared about Fuma’s safety.
As it was already dark outside, the streets illuminated only by sparse lampposts, Kei ran as fast as he could - way faster than it was humanly possible, too stressed to think about being seen.
It couldn’t have taken him more than five minutes since getting the text to reach the main station but it felt like an eternity. His vision was blurred, his eyes unable to focus on anything. His heart was hammering inside of his chest, his ribs aching. Not from the run - he didn't even register the distance he overcame - but from the sheer dread that filled his body. He could feel the wolf pushing against the restraints, his human consciousness slipping bit by bit no matter how much he tried to regain control. It was a lost fight, he could feel the berserk was waking up.
Letting his instincts take over, Kei followed Fuma’s scent, running through the mostly deserted streets until he reached the main station. Turning into a smaller alleyway, he slowed down when he heard a loud noise coming from behind the nearest corner.
It was when he saw Fuma and Harua that he let his wolf take full control, the berserk awaking from its slumber.
The two brothers were cornered by about ten shifters in both human and wolf forms that were attacking them. Harua was slowly backed against a wall by two wolves that were growling at the young boy, baring their sharp teeth, while Fuma was fighting three shifters on his own, trying to punch his way to Harua. The rest of the shifters were standing a bit further away, ready to interfere if things got out of control.
Harua seemed to be uninjured - for now - but Fuma had a long cut on his forearm - the sleeve of his shirt ragged and soaked with blood - and also a wound in his side that looked like a teeth impression. Kei could smell the fear fouling the brothers’ scents, the rage of his wolf making him see red.
Kei had a fraction of a second to decide what he was going to do next before the shifters noticed his presence and ruined the advantage he had. Taking one step forward, Kei could feel his body starting to change. As he was gaining speed, his bones started to rebuild themselves, gaining the shape of a wolf.
It hurt. It hurt so badly, his whole body on fire, his skin ripping apart and his flesh rearranging in the blink of an eye.
He reached the first shifter without everybody noticing, his body locked in a weird form just between a human and a wolf. He attacked the man without hesitation, ripping the windpipe out of the shifter’s neck with his wolf’s teeth still stuck in his human face. Before the lifeless body had even a chance to hit the ground, he barreled into another one as his nails turned into claws, digging them deep into the soft flesh of the shifter’s stomach.
He could hear the others starting to scream, their attention shifting from the brothers to the new threat. Kei knew that seeing him shift in a motion was terrifying and extremely gross. The human side of him worried about Fuma being disgusted with him after seeing it but he wasn't human enough for the thought to stick.
In what felt like a second, he fought his way to the middle, ignoring the chaos that was unleashed by his sudden appearance. Knowing that Fuma could protect himself, he ran towards Harua, stepping between the younger boy and the attackers.
All he could think about was protecting his pack members. His vision was blurry, his wolf using his sense of smell to navigate rather than his vision. All he could see were hues of red and obscured figures that his wolf marked as enemies.
He let the berserk take full control, attacking everything that did not carry the sweet scent of the brothers. There was nothing except the iron taste of blood and the feeling of bones crushing beneath his paws. He hunted the shifters down one by one, killing the ones that were not clever enough to run away as fast as they could.
He was chasing them until there were no shifters to hunt, only the one bleeding beneath him, left to his mercy by his packmates. Growling at the body that was lying unconscious beneath him, he dug his teeth into the bloodied flesh and ripped his skin again and again, trying to satisfy his need to kill.
It was when his teeth clashed with a bone that he registered another presence next to him. A warm feeling was spreading through his body, pushing the red hues that were obscuring his mind away. The berserk tried to fight the feeling, fighting tooth and nail to stay in control but the warmth was just too strong, numbing the monster.
Releasing the grip he had on the dead body, he wavered, his legs getting too heavy. All the adrenaline was leaving his body, the tension that was keeping him up was suddenly gone. Before he could hit the ground, two strong hands caught him, fingers gently curling into his fur, the touch sending waves of warmth through his whole body. Instinctively, he leaned closer, his side pressed to whoever was holding him. The moment his snout touched the person, his nostrils were flooded with a familiar scent that made his wolf growl a bit.
Fuma. It was Fuma’s warmth and his sweet scent.
The overpowering scent made him whimper, the need to be as close to Fuma as possible almost unbearable. Using the last of the energy he had left, Kei stumbled closer to Fuma and curled his body around the other man, disregarding the fact that his wolf form was too big to fit into Fuma’s lap comfortably.
“Shhh, it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay,” was the last thing Kei heard before he lost consciousness, his wolf too exhausted to stay in control.
&
Drifting in and out of consciousness, Kei felt as if he was trapped inside of his body. His mind was unfocused and he wasn't able to move his body. Slowly, pain started to spread through his whole body, setting every cell on fire.
After what felt like an eternity, he managed to gather enough strength to open his eyes, slowly blinking as his eyes were met with the yellowish light of his bedside lamp. He had to make some noise because not long after, Fuma appeared next to him. Kei could see Fuma’s mouth moving, the man probably saying something to Kei, but he wasn't able to hear him, his ears still not functioning properly.
Realising that Kei wasn't going to respond, Fuma sat down next to Kei and put his palm on Kei’s cheek, gently holding Kei’s face in his hand. Seeing him up so close, Kei could see the tears in his eyes. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin looked pale, almost feverish.
As if the touch unlocked all the memories that were staying hidden, Kei’s mind was flooded by the day's events. All he could see was blood dripping down from his muzzle on the pavement as he fought his way through the shifters. His claws and fangs were ripping them apart without hesitation. They tried to harm people the wolf considered his own. Their action woke the berserk and they had to bear the consequences.
The memories were obscured as if he was looking at them through stained glass - fragmented and shapeless. It was as if he was looking through memories of somebody else. Somebody, who lost their humanity a long time ago. But no matter how much Kei tried to avoid the truth, he knew it was him. It was the monster that was locked up deep inside of him.
Looking up at Fuma’s teary eyes, Kei felt dread spreading through his body. Kei never wanted Fuma to see him like this. To see the monster he was hiding inside. He knew it was a hopeless wish. It was inevitable. Especially if the brothers were going to join their pack. He didn't want Fuma to hate him, to see him as something disgusting, something he should be afraid of. The idea of Fuma hating him made his skin crawl. He wanted Fuma to like him, to care for him as deeply as Kei cared for-
The realisation dawned on him, hitting him like a truck and sending him into an existential crisis. All the denial and avoidance punched him square in the face.
He loved Fuma. He was in love with him from the first time his wolf caught Fuma’s calming scent. He was so caught up with all the things happening that he ignored what his wolf was trying to tell him for ages. Not being tied up by human norms and conflicts, Kei’s wolf recognised the attraction between the two of them right away, recognising the connection for what it was.
Instead of making him feel happy and warm, it made him cry even harder. There was no way he could tell Fuma. The other man deserved so much more than Kei could ever give him.
“Shh, it's okay. It's okay.” Fuma’s voice finally reached his ear, the soft tone ripping his heart out. He couldn’t even see Fuma properly through the veil of tears running down his face.
“I’m- I’m so sorry…” he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper, his throat sore from the shift.
He tried to curl away from Fuma, unable to look at the man any longer, shame and regrets filling every inch of his body. But instead of letting him hide and drown in his sorrow, Fuma just held him tighter, locking him in place.
“What are you sorry for? You save us.” Fuma said, his hand threading through Kei’s tangled hair. He sounded so sure, without even the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice.
And yes, he wasn’t really wrong. Kei saved them from the other pack but- but for what cost? They had to see him shift into his wolf form. They had to see the massacre the berserk did, unable to look away. Kei saved them but he had lost a piece of his humanity while doing so.
“I… I’m sorry that you had to see me like this. I- I don’t want you to hate me, to be afraid of me.” Kei was torn between the need to run away from Fuma and curl as close to the other man as was humanly possible. Unable to decide, he stayed just where he was, terrified to move just an inch.
“I’m not afraid of you or your wolf, Kei. And I could never hate you.”Fuma’s touch was so soft as if he was holding something precious and fragile. Ke couldn’t be further from that.
“...but you should. I'm a monster.”
“Aren't we all? Your wolf did what it could to save your pack. You kept them safe. For all those years, you kept them safe while keeping your wolf under control. Not many people would be able to do that. I know you won't believe me but Kei, you’re one of the bravest people I've ever met.”
Hearing that, Kei’s heart started hammering as if it was trying to escape Kei’s ribcage and made itself comfortable in Fuma’s caring hands. There was no way. Kei was reading between the lines that did not exist. It was just his wishful thinking.
“You can't just say things like that and don't mean it the way I want you to.” Looking back, Kei’s feelings towards Fuma were glaringly obvious.
There was no way Fuma wasn't aware of his feelings. So why didn't he say anything? Was he uncomfortable or trying to find a way to reject Kei’s feelings without hurting the pack? Or was he scared to say anything because he feared Kei’s reaction?
“Kei…I need you to listen to me,” Fuma said as he took Kei’s face between his palms and made him look up at him, his touch gentle yet firm, giving Kei no other choice than to oblige. He didn't want to look at him but once his eyes landed on Fuma’s face, he was unable to look away. “I’ve never had to fight my wolf over anything… not until you came along.”
Fuma sighed, absent-mindedly caressing Kei’s cheeks, thumbs smearing the tears that were still falling from his eyes. “Me and my wolf…we never really fought for control. The first time my wolf fought against me was the day we met. No- it was the moment I caught your scent in the library.”
All Kei could do was stare at Fuma, unable to comprehend what the other man was trying to say. He heard him talk, he understood what the man was saying but the meaning was just out of his reach.
“The moment my wolf caught your scent…. I had a problem controlling myself. All my wolf wanted was to be near you, to take care of you.” Fuma sighed, a sad smile stretching his lips. “I tried to fight my wolf but… the more time I spent with you, I realised I didn't want to fight it at all. Kei-” Fuma leaned down and pressed his lips against Kei’s forehead. It was just a feather-like touch but Kei’s breath hitched, his throat tight. “I like you. My wolf recognised you as our partner the moment you took Harua in and-”
Kei didn't really care what Fuma wanted to say next. Using all the power he could muster, he pushed himself up and kissed Fuma. His aim was a bit off and his lips landed on the corner of Fuma’s mouth. He could hear Fuma taking a sharp breath, the man frozen above him. There was no reaction from him and Kei started to overthink, ready to bury himself under the blanket and suffocate himself. What the hell was he thinking?
With his body still weak from the shift, Kei wasn't able to hold himself up for too long, falling back against the mattress. But before his head could hit the pillow arms curled around his middle.
Panicking, he wanted to apologise, the words stuck at the tip of his tongue. He waited for Fuma to drop him and walk away but instead, the other man leaned down, pressing their lips together again. Kei made a sound at the back of his throat, half shriek and half moan, the noise muffled by Fuma's mouth. This time, the kiss was soft yet firm, Fuma's soft lips pillowed against Kei's.
“Kei…” Fuma whispered against the seam of Kei's lips. He sounded out of breath and Kei could feel his laboured breath against the skin of his cheeks. “God, I love you so much.”
“You… Are you serious?” Their faces just inches away from each other, Kei was looking at Fuma, searching for a sign that Fuma was making fun of him. But all he could see was a sincerity and love so strong it made him want to hide.
“Yes, of course, I'm serious,” Fuma said, gently kissing Kei's upper lip.
It felt too good to Kei. Fuma liked him - no he loved him. And if he had more strength and his mind wasn't clouded by the exhaustion, he would probably let the doubt win. But at that moment, all the voices in his head were too weak, unable to catch his attention. His wolf was humming under his skin, resting. Kei had no intention of waking him up.
He could feel the warm presence of Fuma’s wolf, the honey-like presence engulfing him whole. Looking up, he could see the wolf in Fuma's yellow eyes, serene as always.
With one more peck, Fuma sat up, creating a space between them. Pouting, Kei tried to follow him but his body was still too sore, a sharp pain in his left side making him hiss, stopping his movement.
“Shh, careful. You're still not healed enough to move.” Fuma said as he moved to sit closer to where Kei was lying.
With his best puppy eyes, he made grabby hands at Fuma, craving the other man's touch. He could see Fuma rolling his eyes at him, the fond smile that was lifting the corners of his mouth betraying him. Kei watched as the other man lay next to him and let himself be manhandled to Fuma's liking, ending up with his head on Fuma's shoulder and his arms around Fuma's torso.
Kei had no idea how long they stayed like that, their bodies tangled under the sheets, his head pillowed on Fuma’s chest. It was as if the time stopped as if the world outside the little room didn't exist.
But all good things must come to an end. This time, the end came in the form of a loud commotion that burst their little bubble.
“Kei?” they could hear a voice coming from the hallway, followed by the sound of way too many pairs of footsteps.
Before Kei or Fuma had time to react, the door to Kei’s room opened, revealing the bewildered faces of Maki and Taki, the two boys standing frozen in the doorway.
“Ke- oh. Fucking finally!” Maki exclaimed, while Taki just stared at them, mouth hanging open.
“Watch your language, young man!” Euijoo appeared right behind them, slapping the back of Maki’s head. He then looked into the bedroom, his eyes landing on Kei and Fuma, the two men still tangled together, not moving an inch from their position.
“Oh…yeah, he’s right, fucking finally.”
Kei had no idea if he wanted to hide or walked up to Euijoo and threw him out of the window. Indesisitive, he stayed right where he was, in the safety of Fuma’s embrace. In the end, he decided to frown at Euijoo, curling his body around Fuma’s even tighter.
“Eeew,” Taki said, sticking his tongue out, his eyes shining with glee. Kei didn't hesitate and stuck his tongue out right back. Above him, he could hear Fuma scoff at his behaviour but the sound was followed by a kiss being pressed on the top of his head so he decided to ignore it.
It seemed like Taki was ready to say something but before he could do that, Euijoo kicked them both out of the room, ignoring their loud protests.
With the two boys out of the room, Euijoo turned around, a soft smile on his face. “The dinner is ready if you want to eat,” it looked like he was going to leave but then he hesitated, his hand hovering above the doorknob. “I- I’m happy for you Kei. You deserve to be happy. And Fuma… If you make him cry, I’ll send the twins after you.”
“Noted,” Fuma said, sounding very serious.
Looking up, Fuma even looked serious, nodding at Euijoo as if he was taking the threat seriously. And maybe he did. After all, the ability of Maki and Taki to make your life a living hell should never be taken lightly. He wanted to protest but Euijoo was already out of the room, the door closing silently behind him.
Leaning up, he kissed the underside of Fuma’s chin, letting the man’s calming scent soothe him. “Don’t worry, I would not let the two gremlins torment you.”
“Hmm, my knight in shining armour.” Fuma hummed as he pressed a soft kiss on his forehead, arms firmly around Kei’s middle.
Kei scoffed at that. He couldnt be further from being the knight in shining armour. He was closer to the dreadful beast the heroic knight had to kill during his long and very dangerous quest. But he said nothing, too tired to argue. Instead, he buried his head in the crook of Fuma’s shoulder, letting the scent lull him back to sleep. The dinner would have to wait.
The never-ending buzzing under his skin was barely a little humm, his wolf sleeping - content to be in Fuma’s embrace. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Kei could just let go, knowing that Fuma would guide him back.
“Love you,” he whispered into Fuma’s warm skin, words weary. He could hear Fuma saying it back just as his mind turned black, falling asleep once again.