Aromatic

Vash won't stop taking suppressants.

It frustrates Wolfwood to no end. He thought Vash would stop taking them after agreeing to stay at the orphanage. Months pass, and yet, he still smells Vash's muddled scent.

Knowing Vash, he's using them as a security blanket, a bad habit that he can't let go.

Vash took shit from all kinds of people. He constantly braced himself against bounty hunters—almost all of them alphas—and their commands, who were none the wiser that he was an omega and not an alpha they needed to overpower. Not only did the suppressants hide Vash's scent, they also prevented being afflicted by commands or strong pheromones. For someone of Vash's status, no one must know he's an omega. Exposing this little detail will leave all kinds of people trying to exploit it.

However, there's a drawback to using suppressants for too long.

Wolfwood hated the few times he witnessed what they did to Vash, what taking suppressants for long periods without rest does to someone. There were only two instances where Wolfwood had seen how it affected Vash, when it became too much—vacant looks, pungent scent that makes you hold your breath, fatigue, paranoia, headaches.

The first time it happened, Wolfwood thought Vash was going into heat when he woke up in the middle of the night, smelling a strong scent. The smell wasn't sweet at all, though, only filled with anxiety. Vash was a mess for days. Wolfwood stayed clear of him after Vash shrank away from him for getting too close, for attempting to help in some way. After all, he is an alpha, no different from the bounty hunters.

They paid extra to stay at the hotel for longer since Vash was in no condition to see anyone as he detoxed. Wolfwood plugged his nose and let Vash do his thing, which consisted of writhing on his bed for most of the time. He learned later that the reason Vash didn't have heats wasn't because of his different physiology.

The second time Vash needed a break from his suppressant, Wolfwood argued with him to stop taking them, or at least, take them for shorter periods to have regular heats.

Vash gave him a tired look, citing that he's not going to argue over something like this, and refused.

Wolfwood gets it. This planet isn't too kind. It can be dangerous for someone like Vash to be an omega with all kinds of people after him.

Now at the orphanage, Vash doesn't have to hide anymore. Nonetheless, he still insists on taking the suppressants. Maybe he doesn't trust everyone to stop taking them? It leaves Wolfwood feeling frustrated.

Wolfwood brings up the issue when he catches Vash taking one in his room before they head off on errands in town.

"Are you still taking those damn things?"

Vash looks up at him after swallowing and offers an apologetic smile. "It's a habit."

Wolfwood crosses his arms. "Y'know you don't have to take those anymore, right?"

"I know."

Wolfwood sighs. "At least try to wean off them," he grumbles. He doesn't want to start an argument while they've got stuff to do.

Vash looks off to the side, gazing at the bottle of pills, lost in thought as he considers the idea. "I'll think about it."

Weeks later, Vash shows no signs of stopping. Instead, he shows signs that he needs a break. Eye bags form on his face, and his scent is progressively getting bitter. Even the kids notice when one of them asks Wolfwood if Vash is sick. He's also seen Melanie and Livio give a few worried glances towards Vash.

Wolfwood confronts Vash in the hallway in front of his bedroom door. "I want to talk."

Vash meets his gaze with a tired look before motioning for him to come inside. They stand in the middle of the room.

"When will you stop taking them?" Wolfwood demands.

Vash pinches the bridge of his nose. "I will. It's just—I've been doing this for years."

Wolfwood crosses his arms. "Your scent has the kids and Melanie worried about you."

"Sorry for stinking up the place," Vash mutters.

"That's not what I meant."

Vash rolls his eyes and huffs in exasperation.

"When was your last heat?" Wolfwood asks. It's not lost on him that Vash won't wean enough to get heats. He's going to run his body to the ground.

Vash's expression twists into one of annoyance. "I'm fine."

Wolfwood grits his teeth. He thinks about the times he had to keep his mouth shut while Vash suffered the aftermath of the suppressants, unable to do a damn thing. Vash's safety was too great to argue for stopping. It pisses him off that Vash would willingly strain himself in a world where no one is chasing him. "You're not fine. You're hurting yourself."

Vash balls his hands into fists. "I can handle it. Sorry for worrying everyone, I'll be fine after some rest." His tone is final.

Wolfwood's anger rises at the argument being cut short. He opens his mouth just as Vash turns away. "Stop taking the suppressants," he growls.

A command.

Vash goes still.

It's from a place of concern, but Wolfwood immediately regrets it. He holds his breath and tenses, bracing for impact. He's only commanded asshole alphas back when he was travelling. Nowadays, he commands the kids when they're misbehaving. He never commands Vash. The last time he did was when he barely knew the guy, before knowing he was an omega and not an alpha that he could get a rise out of. Vash glared at him the few times he did. He stopped once he knew what Vash was, and out of mutual respect.

Wolfwood expects Vash to be furious and lash out at him, fangs and all. Instead, Vash just stands there, unmoving. Even his blank gaze doesn't move as he stares at the corner of the room. The only reaction he gets is Vash's breath picking up speed.

Wolfwood reaches for him. "Vash—"

Vash flinches away when Wolfwood touches his shoulder and looks at him with wild eyes. His inhales deepen as if he can't get enough air. The scent in the room turns foul.

"I—" Vash clutches his chest, holding back tears. "Don't know what to do."

Vash's gasps for air leave him shaking. He drops to the floor, unable to stand anymore as he fights to get air. Wolfwood follows suit and sits in front of him. His hands hover over Vash, unsure of what to do. He feels rotten for causing Vash's distress. How is he any different from those brainless alphas using commands to get what they want? He should get Melanie, she'll know how to calm down Vash.

Wolfwood shifts to stand, but freezes when Vash clutches his sleeve, seeking comfort despite his fuck-up. He wraps his arms around Vash to pull him closer. Vash buries his face into his shoulder while he runs his fingers through his hair. "Breathe," Wolfwood whispers.

Vash lets out a shuddering breath. He shifts to bury his face into Wolfwood's neck, where his scent is the most concentrated, and inhales. Wolfwood reciprocates by rubbing his nose on Vash's scent gland on his neck, masking some of the bitter scent with his own.

"Sorry, I smell bad," Vash mumbles into his skin.

Wolfwood rubs Vash's back while his breathing slows down. "It's my fault." He should be the one apologizing.

Vash leans away, shaking his head. Wolfwood's chest aches when he sees that Vash's exhaustion is a lot worse than moments ago, and there's wetness in his eyes.

Vash rubs his eyes. "You're right. I need to stop."

"Don't force yourself just because I said something." He doesn't want Vash to keep suffering, but he also doesn't want to impose his will on him or order Vash around. He wants Vash to feel comfortable enough to make that decision, even if it hurts that he might never feel completely safe.

Vash shoots him a tired smile. "Don't beat yourself over it. You're worried, and I'm just stubborn."

His expression makes Wolfwood want to set aside his regret and wrap Vash in a blanket so he can get some rest instead of attempting to put his mind at ease. Wolfwood should be putting Vash's mind at ease, not the other way around. At least Vash's scent is better now. There's only a hint of bitterness left after masking most of it with his own scent.

"Still am worried. You should rest." Wolfwood helps Vash climb onto the bed and tuck him in by pulling the blanket over his body. "Call if you need anything, okay?"

Vash stares at him with a look that tells him he's got something on his mind and is having trouble spitting it out when he's accustomed to staying quiet about his wants—he's doing his best to unlearn his poor habits. Wolfwood opens his mouth to encourage it out of him, but Vash beats him to it.

"Can you stay?"

The question catches Wolfwood off guard, staring at Vash's pleading look. Why would Vash want to be anywhere near him after causing him stress? "Are you sure?"

Vash nods. "Please."

Wolfwood lies on his side, a few inches away from Vash. He waits with bated breath as Vash shuffles closer.

He's been told that his scent can be overwhelming even when he's not purposely releasing pheromones, possibly as a result of the body augmentation he went through. Vash never seemed to mind, and he definitely doesn't seem to mind now when he buries his face into the space between his neck and clavicle, taking a deep breath before releasing a sigh. Wolfwood releases the breath he was holding.

With Vash making a place for himself there, Wolfwood gets comfortable by resting an arm around the other's waist, and sliding the other arm under Vash's head. He waits until Vash falls asleep before he can think about how to leave—the weight of his command earlier still festers inside his head—but the other stays wide awake, evident from the way he can feel Vash's eyelashes brushing against his skin and his hands picking the front of his shirt.

"I want to mention something." Vash's breath tickles Wolfwood's skin. "It's been a long time since I started taking suppressants, and a long time since I had my heat. Like an actual heat." He pauses to gather his thoughts before continuing in a hushed voice. "They were never pleasant and attracted unwanted attention when people started looking for trouble…."

A wave of bitterness fills Wolfwood at the thought of others looking to violate Vash when he's vulnerable. It turns to anger when he thinks: sometime during Vash's decades of wandering the planet, something made Vash swear to diligently use suppressants.

Vash lets out a dull laugh, "Better safe than sorry."

Wolfwood tightens his arms around Vash. "We'll make sure that never happens." He'll make sure nothing harms him.

Vash rubs his nose on Wolfwood's scent gland to placate him. "I know. I'm just—nervous. I'm sorry for making it seem I don't trust you and everyone."

Wolfwood relaxes and releases a soothing scent. "Don't worry about it."

Silence falls on the two. Vash exhales before slumping in the space between Wolfwood's arms and neck, a comforting presence. It takes a few moments for him to fall asleep. Wolfwood buries his face into Vash's hair until he dozes off.

Wolfwood will make sure Vash has nothing to fear in this new life.

Vash's heat is approaching soon.

Wolfwood can tell by the way the other is nervous, distracted by thoughts preoccupying his mind when he's not busy with errands or the kids. It takes a few tries to grab Vash's attention away from his fretting. Wolfwood expects Vash's heat to hit him hard after not having one for so long, so he prepares for the worst. He and Melanie had to reassure Vash to take anything he wanted from the closet, where all the pillows and blankets are stored. Vash is convinced enough to take some for his nest.

Because of Vash's heat, Wolfwood can smell that his scent is changing underneath all the anxiety. Well, it's actually the first time smelling Vash's scent. The suppressants Vash always took stifled his scent, making it hard to get a good read on his natural pheromones. The times Vash's scent was strong were when he suffered the side effects of the suppressants, always bitter and making one want to cover their nose.

Now, Wolfwood can recognize Vash's scent—a refreshing, crispy smell, like the morning breeze, with a hint of sweetness, like one of those flowers growing in the garden. He wants to press his nose against Vash's neck to get a closer taste. Wolfwood immediately shoves that thought away. It's not the time for that right now.

Days go by with little fanfare until Vash doesn't show up for breakfast. Wolfwood is tasked with checking in on him to make sure he's okay. He knocks once at Vash's bedroom door—no answer. He knocks again with the same result, so he peeks inside, expecting Vash to be sound asleep.

What Wolfwood sees is an empty bed. Vash is gone, and so are the blankets and pillows that make up his nest.

Wolfwood stands at the doorway, dumbfounded. Where did he go? Just yesterday, he saw the beginnings of a nest on Vash's bed, and now he moved it? Vash's scent still lingers in the room, so he hasn't been gone for long.

Wolfwood leaves to search, trying to pick up on Vash's scent while walking down the hallway. It hasn't been a minute until the smell grows strong when Wolfwood passes the closet. He backtracks and stops in front of it. Huh.

Wolfwood turns the knob and opens the door. At the bottom of the closet, lies Vash, curled up in blankets while fast asleep. Wolfwood stares in disbelief. It's not the first place Wolfwood thought Vash would be in, or the third. He expected Vash to be in the attic or the spare empty room, not in a closet.

Crouching down to Vash's level to examine him, Wolfwood hears something rumbling.

Is that purring?

Wolfwood leans in to make sure it's indeed Vash that's purring—just to make sure. It gives Wolfwood a fuzzy feeling at the knowledge while gazing at him. No traces of tension on Vash's face. He almost doesn't have the heart to wake Vash up. The purring tells Wolfwood that this closet is the most comfortable place on the planet. Vash can't stay here, though.

"Spikey."

Vash slowly blinks his eyes open before turning his tired gaze to Wolfwood.

"Hey."

Vash hums before closing his eyes. Not a care that Wolfwood found him.

"What are you doing in the closet?" Wolfwood asks with a hint of amusement.

"Sleeping," Vash mumbles.

"I can see that," Wolfwood snorts. "It can't be that comfortable in there. Let's get you back to your room."

"No."

Well, that makes things harder.

"You can't stay in here," Wolfwood tries to argue. "It's too crammed in here."

Vash's brows furrow, ignoring him.

"Vash."

Vash opens his eyes to glare at him. His scent shifts, telling Wolfwood he's annoyed and wants to be left alone.

Wolfwood sighs. He didn't anticipate having to haul a stubborn Vash to his room, but he's faced much worse. He'll take a grumpy Vash over a miserable Vash any day. Hopefully, Vash doesn't hate him too much for what he's about to do.

Wolfwood reaches over to wrap his arms around Vash in a swift motion.

Vash shrinks back. "Wolfwood, hey—"

He yelps when Wolfwood gathers him, blankets and all, into his arms. Wolfwood holds tight as Vash shifts, trying but failing to escape, almost tipping them both to the ground. The blankets tangled around him make it difficult to move his limbs. Wolfwood directs Vash's face to his neck with a hand at the back of his head. It gets Vash to inhale his scent to calm him down—a dirty trick on Wolfwood's part—and it works. The fight inside Vash leaves once he's settled in his arms.

Wolfwood carries Vash to his room and sets him on the empty bed. Vash shoots him a miffed look when he steps back before giving him the cold shoulder. He can't take Vash's heated gaze seriously when his hair is all over the place and his body is wrapped in a blanket like a cocoon.

Unperturbed by Vash's ire, Wolfwood heads back to the closet to collect the remaining blankets and pillows for Vash's nest. When he comes back, Vash is arranging the blankets around the bed. He takes it as a good sign that Vash will stay put.

After dropping the pile on the bed, Wolfwood turns to leave to give Vash some privacy. He stops at the doorway. "Let me or Melanie know if you need anything."

Vash glances at him as if he wants to say something. Wolfwood raises a brow in question before Vash turns away with a pout.

"I don't need anything," Vash says as he takes one of the pillows from the pile.

Wolfwood shrugs and leaves Vash to it.

Vash stays in his room most of the day, likely fussing over making his nest. His missing presence is noticeable when the kids ask about him, but Melanie handles it with ease, telling them he needs rest for the next couple of days.

Melanie surprises him by asking if he's helping Vash through his heat, which makes him choke when he swallows saliva the wrong way after hearing the question. Wolfwood lamely tells her no, he's not and gets a knowing smile in response, as if Melanie knew his answer. Melanie hits him with, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if it's you," before she leaves to check in with Vash. Wolfwood almost chokes again.

So, Melanie helps Vash with his nest and staying comfortable. She's a pro with that type of stuff, and he shouldn't interfere with a heat as an alpha anyway. Only mates do that. Moving Vash's nest from the closet to the bed was already pushing it, and Vash didn't look too thrilled when he did that. He'll only check in to ensure Vash is still alive and kicking.

A day passes when Melanie brings up Vash again while they wash the lunch plates. "He asks for you, you know." Melanie gives him the usual knowing smile while drying her hands with a towel.

Wolfwood hums. "Does he now?"

"He looked a little sad when he asked where you were." Melanie rests her hand on her cheek as she recalls the conversation.

Wolfwood rolls his eyes. Sad. "I saw him yesterday. He can't miss me that much."

Melanie laughs. "Do give him a visit."

Wolfwood hasn't seen Vash since he forcibly moved his nest. He tells himself that he'll see Vash sometime later.

The day goes by, and Wolfwood doesn't visit Vash. Wolfwood reminds himself to do so, but he soon becomes distracted with an emergency grocery trip to town—an emergency, according to the kids who want baked sweets.

The orphanage is quiet when he arrives back with baking ingredients. He hears the sound of laughter where the children are playing outside. With Livio and Melanie missing, Wolfwood guesses they're outside too. He puts the bag of flour and chocolate chips on the counter.

Wolfwood smells Vash nearby.

He turns and spots him at the doorway. Vash has a blanket wrapped around his frame and over his head, staring at Wolfwood with a disgruntled expression behind his messy bangs. The flush on his face lessens the edge in his glare. His appearance can only be described as rumpled. And cute.

Wolfwood approaches him. "What's wrong?"

Vash ignores the question and beelines towards him, not stopping until he's right in his personal space.

Wolfwood leans back from the proximity. "Hey—"

Vash leans forward, wrapping his arms around Wolfwood and burying his face into his neck, inhaling when he reaches the place where his scent is the most concentrated. The movement causes the blanket to fall from his head and hang from his arms. Wolfwood's heart jumps when Vash rubs his nose along his neck and clavicle, flustered at the knowledge that Vash is scenting him, in the middle of the room, while in heat. His hands hover above the other man, unsure of what to do, until he eventually wraps them around Vash, who's busy huffing his scent. He cards one of his hands through Vash's hair to ease whatever is on his mind.

Wolfwood doesn't know what possessed Vash to start an unprompted scenting session. Nothing in Vash's scent tells him the other is upset. Maybe a little annoyed, but Vash isn't stressed, which is the most important thing.

When Vash is done rubbing his face into his neck, he pulls away. "Why are you avoiding me?"

Wolfwood does a double-take at the question. Technically, he isn't avoiding Vash, he's giving him space as one should get for their heat. He was going to see Vash once he put the groceries away. What he's avoiding is getting too attached.

He's avoiding getting attached to Vash, a hard feat when they're under the same roof. The new domestic life makes it more difficult to fight the urge to fret over the other, to help build his nest, to care for him without holding back. Nothing is stopping him from doing so. There are no threats to their lives anymore that kept him distracted from his buried emotions. What's stopping him is that he's going to want more.

Wolfwood isn't going to push Vash into anything. He's satisfied with how things are and couldn't ask for more, and he's extremely fortunate he's alive and doesn't want to test his luck even further. He might lose his sanity being near Vash, but who doesn't?

Looking at Vash, who has a pout on his face, the urge to bully him bubbles inside Wolfwood. He pinches Vash's cheek, giving in to the aggression, making the other whine. "Now, what makes you think that?"

"You haven't apologized since you dragged me away from the closet." Vash's bottom lip sticks out further.

The urge to tease intensifies twofold. "That was for your own good." Wolfwood examines the red on Vash's face. ''Go back to bed. You're a little flushed."

Vash's expression turns sad. Wolfwood feels bad for already turning Vash away. He must be lonely in his room.

"I'll come by later. I have to bake cookies for the kids. I'll leave you some." Wolfwood tries to appease him.

"Okay." Vash's dejected look stays despite his promise.

Wolfwood guides Vash back to his room. He gives Vash a squeeze on his nape, which the other leans into before he's let go. With that taken care of, Wolfwood prepares to make the cookies.

It's late in the afternoon when Wolfwood is free from supervising the kids, making sure they don't cause too big of a ruckus when they come inside to have the cookies. He saves a couple of cookies for Vash before everything is devoured. With a plate in hand, Wolfwood knocks on Vash's door. There's no answer. Wolfwood looks inside to see Vash is asleep in the middle of his nest. The scent in the room is stuffy, thick with the smell of Vash's heat. Vash's eyes open when he walks over to the bed. His hazy eyes betray the toll the heat has on him.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

Vash shakes his head before sitting up. Wolfwood passes a cookie to him. The other silently takes it before taking a bite, humming when the sweetness floods his mouth. Wolfwood leaves the plate on the side table and sits down at the edge of the bed next to him. Vash finishes the cookie a minute later.

Wolfwood watches Vash close his eyes again, visibly tired from the way his head hangs. He isn't going to be much conversation, a stark difference from earlier when he sought out Wolfwood. His skin is pinker as well.

Wolfwood touches Vash's sweaty forehead with his palm. "Feeling okay?" It's not too hot to worry about.

"Just tired," Vash murmurs.

Vash lets out a low whine from the back of his throat when Wolfwood pulls away. A thought passes through Wolfwood's head, summoning an impulse to touch again. Wolfwood gives in to the urge and cups Vash's cheek. Vash all too happily leans into his palm and lets out a purr. Wolfwood pulls away before he does something stupid, like kiss him. He hardens his resolve even further when Vash makes another sad sound.

Wolfwood gently nudges Vash to lie down before he passes out. Vash falls asleep within a minute. Wolfwood quietly leaves the room and shuts the door, letting out an exhale as he untenses his muscles. He needs fresh air to clear his mind from Vash's scent.

Vash doesn't make it easy for him to ignore the longing when his heat makes him incredibly clingy.

When Wolfwood is outside playing with the kids the next day, a stressed Livio calls his name from the doorway. When Wolfwood jogs over to him, he's told that Vash is looking for him, explaining that the man in question is lurking around the orphanage and getting sulkier by the minute, his scent souring as he waits for Wolfwood.

Wolfwood trades places with Livio to deal with Vash. He finds Vash nearby, peeking around the corner.

Vash looks at him with pleading eyes. "Can I scent you?"

That's how Wolfwood finds himself on the couch with a lapful of Vash. After the other finishes rubbing his face all over his neck and marking him with his scent, he falls asleep. Wolfwood indulges in carding his finger through Vash's hair.

Melanie steps into the room. "Nicholas—" She pauses when she sees the two before covering her smile with a hand. "I'll leave you two alone."

She leaves before Wolfwood gets a chance to be embarrassed.

Wolfwood lets Vash sleep on his lap for a bit longer. There's no sign of the other waking up, so Wolfwood lifts him into his arms and brings him to his room, gently lying him in his nest. After closing the door behind him, Wolfwood sniffs his shirt, finding Vash's scent is all over him. He decides to take a quick shower and put on fresh clothes before he gets certain looks from Livio or Melanie, or blunt comments from one of the kids about why he smells like Vash.

Wolfwood's resolve is tested even further later that day.

Retiring for the night, Wolfwood opens the door to his bedroom. There he finds Vash curled up on his bed, asleep, clutching one of Wolfwood's shirts. Wolfwood rubs a hand down his face as he stands at the doorway, unsure how to go about this predicament. Vash is unknowingly messing with his sanity. He wants nothing more than to lie next to the other and fall asleep next to him while breathing in his warm scent.

He can't.

Vash opens his eyes when Wolfwood approaches the bed and greets him with a bright smile. Wolfwood freezes.

"Hey, Wolfwood."

Wolfwood is about to greet him back until Vash does something that makes him gape.

Vash bares his neck.

Wolfwood sweats, clamping his mouth shut as he fights the urge to not present his canines. Vash is gonna kill him.

He speculates that Vash doesn't know what that means. Maybe he overlooked the significance of one bearing their neck while spending his time congregating with humanity. Surely. Wolfwood doesn't dwell on it for too long for the sake of his own peace of mind.

"Let's bring you back to your room," Wolfwood croaks.

Vash visibly deflates at being kicked out, making Wolfwood feel like the biggest asshole. He considers letting Vash stay with him, but he knows he won't get any sleep.

"You can keep the shirt." Wolfwood tries to compromise.

It works. Vash's face lights up with delight and doesn't cause any fuss when Wolfwood guides him to his nest. When Wolfwood arrives back in his own room, he opens the window to air out most of Vash's scent that has permeated the space before heading to bed.

The following day, there's no sign of Vash roaming the halls. Melanie checks on him during lunchtime, telling Wolfwood that Vash's heat is gone and he's feeling much better. Hours go by without Vash showing up despite Melanie claiming he's better. Wolfwood decides to see him.

When he knocks on the door, there's no answer as usual. He opens the door and sees Vash lying on the bed with his back turned towards him. The scent in the room has changed now that Vash's heat is gone, less oppressive than before. However, Wolfwood smells some bitterness in it. Something is bothering Vash.

"Vash?" He knows Vash is awake.

Vash looks over his shoulder with a small smile. "Hey." He sits up when Wolfwood approaches him, wearing a guarded expression.

"How're you feeling? Melanie said you're doing better."

Vash put on another strained smile. "Oh yeah, I'm good. Just—getting rid of the lingering fatigue." His gaze darts away from Wolfwood's face.

Wolfwood watches Vash fidget. Is his heat still bothering him? "Is there something wrong?"

Vash wrings his hands, debating about saying what's on his mind before hiding his red face behind his hands. "I did something really stupid, didn't I?"

Oh, Vash knows.

"I'm really sorry. I made a fool of myself last night and did that to you. I don't know what I was thinking. It won't happen again." Vash rants behind his hands. He then whispers, "I knew this would happen."

"Hey." Wolfwood sits on the bed, causing Vash to peek through his fingers. He doesn't want Vash to think anything he did bothered him when he indulged Vash without a fuss. If his presence can elevate the pain Vash goes through, he'd gladly do anything. "It's fine, it could be worse. I'd rather you make a fool of yourself than suffer. I thought you would be having a much harder time, knowing your luck." He tries to lighten up the mood.

Vash groans at him for waving away his clingy behaviour. "You don't need to spare my feelings, you can tell me to go away." He looks down in shame as his fists the sheets. "Just do it nicely," he adds.

"Really, it's fine."

"I don't think you realize how bad this looks."

"I do know, and I'm telling you it's fine. Stop beating yourself over it."

Vash doesn't look convinced as he continues brooding. Wolfwood reaches over, fingertips touching Vash's face. It gets Vash's attention as he stares warily at him. Wolfwood brushes his fingers over Vash's cheek before he holds it in his palm, the same way he did the other day. Vash's eyes widen. Wolfwood does the stupid thing of leaning in and kissing him.

Vash freezes in shock, but melts into the kiss a second later, reaching over to grasp Wolfwood's arms.

Wolfwood breaks the kiss. "You're not the only fool."

Vash blushes furiously. "I see." He looks down. "I'm still sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Wolfwood pinches Vash's cheek, making him whine. "Stop it, you didn't." He then musses Vash's hair before standing. "Did you want anything to eat, or are you joining us for dinner?"

Vash does the face again when there's something on his mind. "I can join everyone. Uhm." He looks up after staring at his lap. "Can you scent me?"

Wolfwood blinks.

Vash panics. "If it's okay! We can do it later since it'll be embarrassing with everyone…"

Wolfwood sits back down and leans into Vash's space. "Sure."

Vash flusters at his enthusiasm before offering his neck. Wolfwood tilts forward and touches Vash's skin with the tip of his nose, inhaling his scent. He smells really good. Wolfwood nuzzles his neck before kissing his scent gland, causing Vash to make a noise. Vash grabs the back of his shirt as he starts to mix their scents.

It's the first time scenting Vash without the suppressants, without all the bitterness of using them for far too long. He's scented Vash on the wrist back when things were dire, after one of them was on the brink of death. When Wolfwood offered to scent him, Vash claimed it wouldn't be enjoyable for the person scenting. He did it anyway. Now, without the suppressants, Wolfwood has access to everything that is Vash.

Wolfwood holds the back of Vash's head to keep him steady while he gently strokes the exposed skin available to him, high on the other's aroma. He drags his lips up Vash's throat and drops a kiss on the pulse point that's beating wildly, causing Vash to let out a whine. Wolfwood wants more, nudging Vash to lie back on the bed, latching on to his neck while doing so. He brackets Vash's head with his arms and continues lavishing. Vash purrs underneath him, and Wolfwood rumbles in response.

The possessiveness he's been harbouring seeps out at the thought of Vash smelling like him. Wolfwood doesn't consider himself possessive. Protective, sure. He's protective of many things. Wolfwood pulls away to see Vash blissed out with eyes closed and a high flush on his cheeks. His mess of black hair fans out on the pillow and curls over his face. The image makes Wolfwood possessive and greedy, wanting to keep Vash to himself.

Vash opens his eyes and gazes at him with pupils blown wide. He wraps his arms around Wolfwood's neck and smiles. "Thank you."

Wolfwood hums, lying beside Vash as he nuzzles the other's temple.

"I'm going to stink." Vash half-heartedly pushes Wolfwood away.

Wolfwood pinches Vash's side. "I didn't hear you complain a minute ago."

Vash ignores him and buries his face into his neck to return the favour. When they separate for dinnertime, they reek of each other's scent.

To make up for lost time, Wolfwood scents Vash for days later.