Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Saturday, June 16th

Furina sighed into her second cup of coffee that morning. For the past few hours, work at the Fontaine Theater had been surprisingly scarce for her. Weekends were more often than not packed with performances, with very few rehearsals taking place, and as a theatrical consultant, she was rarely needed after opening nights. If nothing else Furina was a busybody, a trait she’d often blame on her status as an alpha. Her pride felt at ease when her presence was put to good use, but with no task to occupy her time, she settled to stand by the main entrance and watch as people walked into the gates. Fellow consultants greeted her as they walked in, always happy to see her bright and familiar face. She waved at directors she was friendly with and performers that she’d worked alongside as they rushed to prepare for their scheduled shows.

Indeed, weekend mornings were a tad slow on her end, but she did not arrive so early to work without reason. Furina would not be needed by any director she worked for until another two hours had passed, so to any outsider, her idle standing seemed wholly unnecessary. But as a sleek black car pulled into the theater's parking lot, Furina pressed her lips to the rim of her coffee cup in hopes of concealing her smile.

From the back seats of the car, two young children emerged. Furina assumed they were twins, likely around eleven or twelve years old. The boy bounced excitedly on his heels as his sister smoothed her skirt down. She seemed unhappy that the fabric had been shifted during the drive. Only a moment later, the driver exited the car.

This was who Furina was waiting for. The woman who had caught her eye a short two months ago when she’d first brought her kids to the theater. She was tall, handsome, and most definitely mysterious. At least, Furina thought so. The woman's long hair swayed as she crossed to the trunk of the car, opening it to pull out two large, metal boxes with handles on them. She passed them off to her kids, one box to each, and wordlessly they all walked towards the front gate.

Furina did her best not to look in their direction, especially not in a way that was obvious. After seeing the woman for the first time, Furina noticed she was falling deeper and deeper in what she described as an infatuation. While she had yet to build up the courage to speak with the attractive stranger, she felt such a strong pull to her, as if some mystical force was attempting to convince her to strike up a conversation.

She would... Probably... If she was brave enough.

Furina gave a timidly polite nod in the family's direction as they walked through the main entrance. As badly as she wanted to stop being strangers, an odd anxiety kept her from making a proper introduction.

The woman provided a greeting of her own, mimicking Furina’s nod, and motioned to her two children who offered a very formal, “Hello, ma’am” before separating from their parent, rushing in the direction of one of the smaller rehearsal spaces.

On a normal day, the tall, strange woman would have already turned and walked right back to her car, driving off and leaving her kids to do as they pleased in the theater until their allotted rehearsal time was over. However, Furina quickly noticed the presence that still lingered beside her. She glanced up, only to be met with dark and alluring eyes that almost seemed to be studying her.

“Ah, good morning!” Furina squeaked out. “Your kids looked awfully excited. Do they have a performance coming up?” She was not the best at small talk under pressure, this was something she was well aware of, but this was her chance! After weeks and weeks of watching and wishing, she was finally exchanging words with a woman she found enticing.

The tall woman smiled very faintly at the question. “In one week, yes. Those two have quite the talent for magic and properly equipped themselves with the skill of crowd-working. I do recommend attending one of their magic shows, if you have not already.”

Furina could not help but let her excitement run wild in her mind. Not only was the person before her incredibly beautiful, but the way she gushed so calmly about her children's interest was simply adorable. “I must admit, I have not seen them on stage before, but I will certainly take your advice and catch the next one.” Mentally, she steeled herself, deciding it was now or never... “I’m Furina, by the way. I don’t believe I introduced myself.”

She extended a hand for the woman to shake, and smiled warmly as she took it. The first thing Furina noticed about the hand she held was that it was rough. From her palm to her fingers, and all the way down the back of her hand, the skin was covered in scar tissue that likely ran up her arm as well. The lines were not horribly deep, it seemed, but surely they were once painful. In the overcast morning light, she’d not noticed them, and never would have if not for her burst of courage.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Furina. I’ve seen you around before. You work closely with directors to advise their plays, yes?” Her voice was smooth and deep, flooding Furina with all manner of outrageous thoughts simply from hearing her own name spoken in such a tone. Not to mention, she was already aware of who she was.

Regaining her wits, Furina nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! I’ve been in theaters my whole life, and this seemed to be the best way to put my knowledge to use.”

The woman hummed in a subtle interest, “Perhaps you could give my Lyney and Lynette some pointers the next time you cross paths with them. I'm confident that they’d appreciate advice from someone with your experience.”

Each word left Furina’s heart fluttering. She’d not expected to be so affected by a single conversation, and yet the idea of speaking with such an oddly inviting person had her wanting to jump for joy. If the door was open to get closer to the children, perhaps the invitation could extend to their parent as well. “It would be my pleasure! All up and coming talents deserve an external source who believes in them. I’ll do my absolute best to guide them in the right direction.”

The smile that graced the womans lips gently tugged into a prouder expression. “You have my thanks. I must be off now, though I did thoroughly enjoy our conversation. Do take care, Miss Furina.” With the simple goodbye, she turned and walked away. The clack of her heels kept Furina in a trance as she watched her return to her car.

Then, Furina was alone, left to daydream about the most lovely of sights. She rushed to the nearest unoccupied room, a small music rehearsal hall, and gave into an instinct that no amount of shame could stop her from giving in to. She’d pressed the hand that had held the scarred one up to her nose, allowing herself a long inhale. From an outside perspective, this certainly looked to be some bizarre act of perversion, but she could promise to anyone that this was important. If any pheromones had clung to her skin during the brief moment that they touched, Furina would be able to confirm her biggest suspicion.

In truth, she never could pinpoint the secondary gender of the person she was so enthralled by. On a purely visual standpoint, it was safe to assume that she too was an alpha. Her height was already quite impressive, only amplified by the amazingly tall heels she always wore. With the addition of a stone cold, confident face and strong, muscular arms that were visible though the form-fitting gray suit jacket, the woman seemed like a textbook alpha.

And yet, as Furina attempted to let her senses be flooded by traces of pheromones, she found that there was none to be experienced.

Oh. Had she made an incorrect assumption? No smell lingered on her palm. None at all. Either the woman had been a beta all along and would be unable to leave behind a scent, or she wore incredibly effective scent blockers in order to hide it. For the time being, Furina had no way to confirm if the woman was a beta or a very stealthy alpha. Though all physical signs did point to the latter. In all honesty, as much as her alpha brain may have wished for her to one day claim an omega, a person's second gender was of no real concern. She had no qualms about courting a fellow alpha.

It mattered not for now. Even if she were to fall in love, she’d need the love to be requited by-

By...

“Oh! Damn!” she angrily whispered to herself.

She’d forgotten to ask her for her name! Well, she would just have to ask the next time they meet. Now if only she knew when that would be.

One day passed, then another. On the third day, the black car holding the object of her affection did appear, but only the two children emerged. After they had exited, the car sped off, likely heading towards an urgent matter if there was no time to walk the kids to the gate.

More waiting, Furina accepted.

Then, one full week after the initial conversation, the driver finally emerged from the car once again. Her chance had finally arrived! With a fresh cup of coffee in her hands, she practically beamed at the small family as they approached her. “Good morning, Lyney, Lynette. I hear you’ve got a performance today?”

The twins nod, one with great enthusiasm and the other with subtle delight.

“In only two hours! We’ve got something big planned this time!” the boy announced, shaking his sturdy metal box in his arms. “Father even said that she’ll stay to watch this one!” He glanced up at his parent (or Father… Furina would have to remember to ask about that) to confirm that she would be staying like she told them.

“That would be correct. I will secure myself a seat as close to the stage as I can,” she spoke with the slightest hint of exasperation. Lyney had definitely asked her a number of times if she could go, and then reminded her everyday of the upcoming event until it arrived. “Run along now, you don’t want to be late for your own act.”

At that, the children darted off to set their props and finalize all their preparations.

“Have fun!” Furina called out while they were still within earshot. Soon, she was left alone with her most favored person. “Oh! I had nearly forgotten to offer a good morning to you- ah! Goodness, I can’t recall if you gave me your name last we spoke,” she feigned forgetfulness. “Would it be any trouble to remind me?”

The woman waved off the late greeting, considering it no big deal. “I had not given you my name. If I had you surely would not forget it.” She stood straight and tall, piercing eyes holding Furina’s gaze as she continued, “Arlecchino.”

She was correct. Furina would not have forgotten a name such as hers. It was bold, unique, and likely stood out in any list. A title fit for its bearer.

“Arlecchino,” Furina repeated, “it is a pleasure to be officially introduced to you.”

“Likewise. I do apologize for neglecting to tell you my name last we spoke. And I must apologize again for cutting another potential conversation short. I have other matters to attend to before the twins’ show, not to mention, I would not like to keep you away from your own work. Though I am sure I will be seeing you around, right, Miss Furina?” Her tone was cool and sincere, each word almost hypnotic in its timbre.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Furina agreed. Still, she had truly hoped for a longer conversation. She was not meant to be anywhere important for another hour, and while she was not expecting Arlecchino to stand at the front gate with her the entire time, she’d hoped to fill at least some of it with some very mild flirtation. The opportunity was slipping. But in a sudden burst of bravery, laced with a touch of urgency, she called out, “Wait...! If you would like to see me around, as you say, perhaps we could arrange something? I have an open day tomorrow, if you are not preoccupied, that is.”

Her breath caught in her throat after blurting out those words. Honestly, she’d not expected to say that at all. She knew quite well that she was currently wearing a confident smile with shimmering, hopeful eyes, but internally she was embarrassed to have been so forward.

Yet, as the poised persona she wore began to feel forced, Arlecchino hummed in affirmation. “I would be delighted to join you tomorrow, Miss Furina. Here,” she paused to pull a pen and small notepad from her jacket pocket and began to write. “I’ll provide you with my cell phone number. Feel free to contact me whenever you wish.”

She tore the paper out of the book and slipped it into Furinas hand. With a wave and a sly smile, she departed.

And Furina could not be more thrilled.

Arlecchino on the other hand, could not be more confused by her own actions. She’d been asked on several dates in her lifetime, but never had she felt so inclined to accept. Oftentimes if anyone was bold enough to ask for her number or her time, she would shoot them down. Rather harshly at that. Furina’s request had not been predicted, and perhaps that is what drew her in.

Or perhaps Furina’s gentle nature, coupled with her being an alpha, is what drew her in.

For many years Arlecchino had prided herself on the fact that she did not desire an alpha in her life, despite her own nature as an omega. And while she may have been very curious about the cute woman who asked her out, she was not sure how Furina would react to discovering that she’d attempted to court an omega. Arlecchino was well aware that most people viewed her as a beta, or even stranger, a heavily subdued alpha. The intense dosage of heat suppressants and scent blockers patched over all her scent glands ensured that all suspicion of her true nature was expelled. Since she was eighteen years old, Arlecchino had been suppressing her scent, her heats, her instincts, everything. The routine, which she’d successfully managed to keep up for a decade, allowed her a peace of mind that she was convinced would be unattainable if she ever wavered.

To start seeing Furina, an alpha, certainly counted as wavering.

Arlecchino shook the thoughts from her head as she pulled her car into the parking lot of a local market. She had plenty of time to do the grocery shopping for the upcoming week with her kids out of the house. The twins attended the theater one day during the week and one day on the weekend, and Freminet had his diving lessons the same day of the weekend. That day, being her one and only day to herself, was spent completing all the tasks and errands she could not do with three children running around her.

As she walked through the store, collecting the foods the family enjoyed, her mind began to wander. What would the long day of chores look like with a partner? How much easier would her exhausting days of working nonstop feel with a mate by her side? Try as she might to ignore the warm, pleasant tightening of her chest at the idea, the image of Furina walking through lines of produce alongside her had wormed its way to the front of her mind.

Arlecchino hardly knew the alpha, but there was much to be understood about an individual based on their scent alone.

Furina's scent was of sweet vanilla pastries and a refreshing ocean breeze. The first inference Arlecchino made about her was that she was an alpha with a determination to chase others worries away using her pure and excitable spirit. She was a tranquil seaside picnic after months of sailing though harsh waters.

Arlecchino longed to experience her.

She had never longed for anything before, or anyone.

Would it be so strange to start a relationship with her? Would her children understand?

Freminet had been living in her home the longest. He’d been placed in her care four years ago, when he was only two years old. Lyney and Lynette were then adopted a year later, when they were nine. The three wasted no time becoming friends, and even quicker did they begin to see each other as family. For years their little family of four was said to grow no longer. Arlecchino had no time for a fourth child, and had less than no intention of taking on a mate. She didn’t want to disrupt the peaceful life the four of them had built. After years of bouncing around from home to home, Arlecchino’s children needed a stable household. And for years, she’d been able to provide. She worried that throwing an alpha into the mix might be a strange adjustment for them.

Or maybe it would be a strange adjustment for her.

Arlecchino shook the thoughts away once again, paying for her groceries and returning to her car to head home and put their fresh food in their pantry. After which she would attend the twins magic show, and bring them home once it concluded. She would spend another hour tidying up before leaving the house one final time to pick up Freminet.

A rather mundane schedule, but it was low stress. Exactly what Arlecchino needed as she fought internally with her reemerging omega instincts, which begged for a mate.

When Furina returned to her tiny one-room apartment that night after work, she dove into her bed to start writing an over-text invite to Arlecchino. Yes, texting was less classy, but her heart pounded with anxiety at the thought of calling her.

Furina already had a first date plan, she only hoped that Arlecchino would be interested in the sort of activity she had in mind.

She reread the message over and over in search of spelling errors or weird phrasing. When she was satisfied, she hit send with a shaky finger.

“Hey! It’s Furina from the Fontaine Theater. Would you like to meet me at the pier tomorrow at noon? I’ll bring you to my favorite lunch table and adorn it with hot tea and fresh desserts. I look forward to your response.”

She tosses her phone to her side, not wanting to look at the screen whenever a reply notification appeared. Instead, she opted to make dinner and distract herself from her slight fear of rejection.

Minutes later, with a meal in hand, she returned to her phone, opening it to see one unread message.

“That would be delightful, Miss Furina. Assuming you refer to the pier south-west of the theater, yes. I will see you then. ”

A short answer, but a positive one. Furina almost spills her plate of food onto the floor with her excitement.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow she would finally get to know the person that danced around her dreams.

Oh gosh, she has much to prepare for now!

Arlecchino's phone buzzed after she and the children finished their dinner.

A message from Furina.

“Hey! It’s Furina from the Fontaine theater. Would you like to meet me at the pier tomorrow at noon? I’ll bring you to my favorite lunch table and adorn it with hot tea and fresh desserts. I look forward to your response.”

Going on a date with an alpha. Something Arlecchino was sure she would never do. She sighed, and was briefly concerned with how blissful she sounded, before responding in an affirmative. She would have to call her go-to coworker in the morning to ask if he could watch the kids for a few hours. He never did seem to mind last minute calls.

The only real issue now, in Arlecchino's eyes, was how to bring up being an omega to Furina. Hm. She’d need to think about that one for a while.

Chapter Text

Sunday, June 24th

“What do people even wear on first dates?” Furina asked herself as she rooted through her clothes. She was meeting Arlecchino at the pier in one hour and rushed around her home in hopes of being fully prepared.

The desserts were already packed and ready to be transported, thanks to the generous help of a friend, and the tea rested in small boxes to be made once at the destination.

After much consideration, she’d settled on wearing a simple blue button up paired with her favorite white shorts, then sticking fresh scent patches across her neck and wrists out of habit. On such a sunny day, there was hardly any reason to dress warmly. Furina viewed the good weather as some sort of luck. A place like the pier, known for resting by the sea, could easily be too cold to enjoy. It seemed that early summer was the ideal time to attempt the beginning of a relationship.

Once satisfied with her appearance, Furina collected the food and drink, and gently arranged them in the back of her tiny blue car.

As she drove to her destination, she wondered if the tea and cakes were too much. She hadn’t dated anyone since... Well technically, she had no experience with dating. But who would care if she didn’t know every single rule? That didn’t matter, right? It wasn’t going to resemble dating as an awkward teenager or young adult. She was twenty-six, and meeting up with a parent , so she really did not need to worry about the grandiosity of her gestures.

Although, she certainly intended to plan a more elegant date one day, assuming the first went well.

The pier, as usual, was quiet. There were rarely more than ten people walking around the docks or resting in the sand. As Furina pulled her car into a suitable space, she looked for the familiar black vehicle, which was nowhere to be seen.

Perfect , Furina thought. Arriving first was the goal in order to set up her little tea party as a surprise. She quickly got to work on hauling her boxes of treats to her favored spot: a white, circular metal patio table. The glass top, though scratched from years of use, reflected the light by the water so perfectly and sent small, colorful rays of sun down to the legs of the table, which were patterned with a tasteful floral motif. The four chairs that encircled the table were equally as decorated, each just as elegant as the rest. Not to mention comfortable.

Arranging her selection of teas and sweets was very simple. She’d thrown many parties with those that she worked with and her friends. Each and every time, she’d be very particular about where the items sat. To those attending tea parties with her, it was a quirk they had to get used to. But to her, the arrangement was the art that made the party so enticing.

She took a step back to admire her own work with satisfaction.

Each cake, cookie, and puff were placed very specifically. They formed a simple circle around her centerpiece; an opera cake that she’d managed to bake on her own. The tea cups she’d selected were placed beside matching plates, and sat before the chairs she wished for Arlecchino and herself to sit in.

In excellent timing, the moment she decided that the table was to her liking, the sound of tires rolling across the sandy parking lot alerted her to her special guest arriving.

Furina had to calm herself before the excitement embedded into her bones. Goodness, it really had been a long time since she’d felt so passionately about another person! She spun around on her heels to meet Arlecchino as she approached the decorated table.

“Good afternoon, Arlecchino,” Furina bowed her head slightly and motioned to a chair. “Thank you for joining me. It is truly a pleasure to see you again.”

Arlecchino cracked an impressed smile and followed the instructions to sit. “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Furina. What a marvelous scene you’ve created for us. Honestly, I am stunned.”

“This is one of my favorite places just outside of the city! I simply had to bring you here. It’s so quiet and the scenery is beautiful.” Furina sat as well while she spoke, beginning to prepare their tea.

“You are here often? Alone, I presume.”

“More often than not, yes. Though I do try to avoid being known as a person who spends their time alone in public. That’s how people become targets to uninvited dangers.” In an attempt to turn her very real concern into something more humorous she continued with a joking tone, “You’re not dangerous, are you?”

Furina laughed softly at her own attempt at banter, but Arlecchino answered seriously, “Oh, no. Causing unprovoked harm has the potential to put my childrens futures in jeopardy.”

Furina paused, and coupled with Arlecchino’s straight face, she wondered if the law was all that stopped her from taking certain matters into her own hands. The answer may have come across as odd, but Furina was not one to question a sense of humor. Even if she was being fully serious, it was good to know that the intimidating appearance was just that. An appearance.

Still, Furina did not know where the conversation would lead if she continued to go down it’s path. Luckily, Arlecchino provided her with the perfect topic change. “Ah, your children. Yes, I did want to learn more about them. If you are alright with that?” 

“Of course. You've met the twins, Lyney and Lynette. They're twelve now, and have been in my custody for just over three years.” Arlecchino spoke fondly as Furina poured tea for the both of them. “And my youngest Freminet, who you’ve yet to meet. He’s six, almost seven as he likes to remind me, and has been with me for four years.”

“Custody?” Furina parroted the word that had stood out. “My apologies, I had assumed they were from a previous relationship.”

“No, they are not related to me by blood. All three are adopted.”

“I see! Truthfully, you didn’t strike me as the type to adopt children. What prompted such a decision, if I may be so bold to ask?”

Arlecchino paused, tossing the question around in her head. She knew Furina would begin to grow curious of her childrens origins eventually, though this was rather sudden. Regardless, admitting that she had adopted out of a persistent instinct despite the absence of a partner was currently out of the question. If all went well, yes, she would seek vulnerability in herself, but on a first date?

Not yet, she decided, before selecting a macaron from a porcelain dish beside her. “I suppose you could say it was just a calling.”

For nearly three hours they shared very surface level stories. Arlecchino shared details of her job at one of the larger local tech companies that she’d been working with for nearly ten years. Her original entry-level position lasted only a small number of months, during which she displayed an impressive amount of competency, and strove to work even harder than those above her. Word of her efforts reached farther than she hoped they would, and within a handful of days, her proficiency landed her in a high administrative seat. The job was not exciting and only rarely was it interesting, but it paid quite well. Well enough to allow her the luxury of starting her own family and creating a stable life.

Growing up, Arlecchino had many siblings. But, in her words, they were no longer in touch. It was no surprise to Furina that someone who had been accustomed to a big family would begin adopting children in her early twenties while still single. Fortunately, she assured, it was the best decision she could have made. Arlecchino could not have been more pleased with her ability to raise her children right. She practically bragged about the kids accomplishments despite their young ages. Obviously, they were a source of pride.

Furina spoke of her two friends in the city, subtly promoting the bakery they owned while eating pastries that were fresh from the very shop. There was nothing she looked forward to more than stopping by the Spina di Rosula bakery after work, whenever she was feeling down, or whenever the mood struck her. Furina loved to bake as well, evident by the decadent cake that sat beautifully at the center of the table. She sliced into it with pure joy, and shamelessly danced around in her seat as she enjoyed its flavor. Arlecchino had found herself fond of the cake as well, also noting her fondness of Furina’s lighthearted behavior.

Furina continued to ramble about her hobbies and interests, all while admiring her dates impeccable listening skills. It was not often that Furina allowed herself the freedom to discuss the planning, plating, and food selection of all her most intricate tea parties in such detail. Most of the time, she feels as though she’s spouting nonsense to others in all her passion, but it seemed Arlecchino was well educated.

Of course, all good things must come to an end. As their desserts dwindled in numbers and their pot of tea drained, Arlecchino checked her phone for the first time since she’d arrived.

“I fear I must be going soon, Furina. While I did leave my children in mostly capable hands, I would much prefer to join them before they attempt to make dinner on their own.” She didn’t move to stand, but the door was now open for them to say their goodbyes.

Unfortunately, Furina could only think of one thing when she realized their time together was coming to a close. In all her excitement to get to know Arlecchino, she’d failed to ask if starting a relationship with a fellow alpha was off putting to her. It was a weird closer to an otherwise wonderful date, but it had to be done. “Before you go, I do have a question.”

Arlecchino leans towards the table with her elbows against the glass and hands folded beneath her chin, offering her full attention. “Of course. Go on.”

Furina felt her face warm at the sight of this new pose, but forced herself to remain focused.

“I was curious about how you felt, um... Well about the potential of being in a relationship with me. You know, since some alphas really don’t take kindly to other alphas sharing their space. I am very interested in you, but I understand that this is unconventional. Is that alright with you?” The words poured from her mouth much quicker than she thought they would, but Furina felt that her point had come across clearly.

That was, until she noticed the tight expression Arlecchino now wore. Her lips pressed firmly together while her eyebrows scrunched in hesitation. “Furina, I’m sorry, but it seems you must have been confused-”

“Oh!” Furina exclaims as she believes she pieced together the true answer. “Sorry! I assumed you were an alpha, but I didn’t even ask! Gosh, you’re a beta then. Really, I should have known by your lack of a scent,” she rambles.

But Arlecchino remained silent, her arms dropped from their propped position on the table. She wasn’t agreeing to being a beta either.

Oh.

Furina’s shoulders stiffened at the realization, and she felt her face heat up once again at her error. She had assumed wrong. Not just once, but twice. Leaving only one other option.

“I would have preferred to tell you on my own time, and I am only admitting this because I do not wish to lie to you. It is not information that is given to just anyone.” Arlecchino turns to look away, towards the sea. The hesitant expression she wore had warped, becoming disappointed and embarrassed. If her scent had been detectable, it surely would have turned bitter. “I am not ashamed of my status as an omega. I am merely cautious of those with the ability to use it against me.”

“Arlecchino, I would never. I want you to feel like you can trust me, but I really shouldn’t have pressed the issue.” Furina stood, crossing to the opposite side of the table. As she moved, she peeled off a patch from the side of her neck, just below her ear, an action that had gone undetected by Arlecchino. “I really am sorry.”

Her sincerity was sweet. Sweet enough for Arlecchino to allow her to grasp her hands. Furina’s thumbs brushed over the scars that covered the skin, but she didn’t speak a word about them. Perhaps it was because she worried about accidentally prying into another private matter. Or, maybe she did not mind the rough texture of her hands. Regardless, the kind motion had Arlecchino’s shoulders relaxing. She felt as the tension began to ebb away, and her anxieties lifted. Her heart felt oddly light, in a way she had not felt before.

But this could not have been the result of a simple hand holding.

She looked at Furina, who’s apologetic frown had disappeared, leaving a proud and satisfied smile to pull serenely at her features. Arlecchino scanned her up and down. How had she managed to erase her upset so easily?

“Do you feel better?” Furina asked.

“What did you do?” Arlecchino pulled her hands away from Furina, finally standing from the decorative white seat. While she did not want to consider a possibility, she needed to know. She reached a hand back towards Furina, but not to caress her. Instead, she placed her fingers to Furina’s chin and turned her head to the side, then the other. After confirming her suspicions, she spoke sternly, “You removed one of your scent blockers. Why?”

Furina was stunned for a moment as she struggled to understand what she had done wrong. She wrung her hands together and she stuttered, “I- I’ve heard that when omegas are in distress, alphas can help by releasing calming pheromones. It seemed to be working, was I wrong?”

A sigh escaped Arlecchino's lips before she could stop it. “You are correct, but I am not an “omega in distress”. I am irritated with myself for sharing such private information when I obviously should not have.” Day to day anger or sorrow are not factors of true “distress”. The term was most often used in cases of difficult heats or rare prolonged labors. She had not noticed it at first, but Furina had been blasting her senses with pheromones, which smelled only of sweets and ocean breeze. It hid well in their current setting beside the sea, only made detectable by notes of a relaxing emotion. “It seems my judgment of you was incorrect. Perhaps all alphas really are clueless to their reckless actions.”

“Oh, no, I didn’t mean-”

“Thank you very much for the tea and desserts. I quite enjoyed our time together, but I must be going now. Goodbye, Miss Furina.” She collected what little she had brought with her and stepped to leave. The action was well meaning, Arlecchino knew, but Furina would not have done such a thing to a beta. To an alpha. Good intentions were meaningless.

Still, she listened closely as Furina scrambled behind her. She did not move to chase after her, instead she only called out her regret, voice rising in volume as the distance between them grew. “It was reckless, wasn’t it? I’m so sorry. It was incredibly foolish of me to assume that you would be comforted by a scent you aren’t even accustomed with. I hoped to one day know everything about you so that I might treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”

Arlecchino wanted to feel betrayed by what Furina had done, but the sincerity in which she apologized- no, yearned for forgiveness stopped Arlecchino before she could even step off the wooden planks of the pier.

“And what do I deserve?” The question was unfair, Arlecchino could recognize it as such. Yet, she was curious for the answer.

“Everything you already have.” Furina cautioned a step forward. “You will always deserve respect. You deserve the life you’ve built for yourself and your children.” She walked slowly as she spoke, closing the wide gap that separated them. “And you deserve a partner who won’t try to stop you from leading your own life. Someone who can sit back and watch you thrive.” Furina paused before she could take her final steps, still leaving a considerable amount of space between them. “I’m sorry for attempting to take the reins. But know that it will never happen again.”

Arlecchino tightened her jaw, steeling herself before turning to Furina, who's sorry eyes met powerfully with her determined own.

This could be forgiven.

“Do not share what you know with anyone.” Her voice was commanding and bordered on aggressive. She had successfully communicated a rule. A hard boundary that was not to be crossed.

If Furina hadn’t known better, she would surely think Arlecchino was an alpha now. “Not a soul will hear of it, I promise.”

“Thank you,” Arlecchino attempts to sigh away her frustration. She could not blame Furina for being curious about her life, but she truly had hoped to wait until she was confident in her own safety around the alpha before making her announcement. “Now, I really must go home to my children. Today was very fun, I must admit. I would like to see you again. So long as we have an understanding that I am not some docile omega. And in turn, I will do all that I can to offer you the same respect you show to me.”

Furina blinked at her. Had she really just asked for a second date? Despite her accidental prying? She felt as though she was dreaming for a moment. “Of course,” she responded, still stunned.

Arlecchino offered a small, genuine smile. “Wonderful. Have a good night, Furina. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Oh yes. Surely Furina was dreaming. 

Just how had she gotten so lucky?

Chapter Text

Saturday, June 30th

A lingering feeling in Furina’s mind told her that she shouldn’t try to rush things. All morning, six days after her initial date with Arlecchino, she was thinking about what they should do next time they saw one another. Perhaps a second lunch would be good, but she did not want to appear as though she lacked creativity. No, she had to branch out, if only a bit. Aside from not knowing what to do, she also had to find a work around for Arlecchino's absurd daily schedule. Day in and day out, Arlecchino was working, shopping, driving, and cooking. Furina had asked in recent time when they might be able to spend another day together, but there was always work or childcare to be done.

And so, just the same as many other days, Furina stood at the gate of the Fontaine Theater, patiently waiting for Arlecchino and the twins to arrive.

The familiar black car pulled in, and soon she was met with the polite faces of Arlecchino’s older children. “Good morning,” Furina greeted, “You kids got a new routine planned yet?”

Lyney held up the metal box he always carried with him to rehearsals. “That we do! This time, it’s-”

An elbow to his side from Lynette cut him off. She scolded him with her eyes before turning to look up at Furina. “It’s a secret.”

“I see.” Furina nodded.

“Alright you two,” Arlecchino stepped in, “it’s time to get to work. Lynette, do not hit your brother. And Lyney, do not reveal your tricks to potential audience members.”

The twins mumbled a quick “Yes, Father,” before heading off to their rehearsal space side by side.

“Furina,” Arlecchino pulled her attention in. “Do you have time for a short walk? I'm afraid I won't have time for tea with you for the next couple of weeks, but I figured we could see each other today.”

Just the same as before, Furina would not be urgently needed anywhere for another two hours. Spending time, even if brief, with Arlecchino is the whole reason she arrives to work so early in the first place. 

“Yes! I've got plenty of time!”

Arlecchino breathed out a soft laugh at her enthusiasm. “Wonderful. We won't be too long. I wanted to speak with you more.”

They began their walk, setting a slow pace that eased into a peaceful stroll around the theater's premises. Admittedly, the weather was a bit warm for walking any far distance, especially in the sun. Furina was plenty glad that there were more than enough trees along their path to block out the bright, hot rays of sun. As long as they did not stray from the shaded area.

Once reaching a comfortable distance from the theater's commotion, Furina let her curiosity take hold. “Was there anything you wished to talk about?”

“Yes,” Arlecchino answered. Though, for a moment, she started off into the distance. There were faint frown lines around her lips and between her eyebrows, creating a similar look of hesitation that scrunched her expression just a week ago. “I was very clear on my own terms in which we could continue to spend time together, but I neglected to ask about yours.”

Oh, this seemed to be more of a serious conversation than Furina had hoped. “What do you mean?”

“I laid my boundaries before you, to which you graciously accepted, but I did not do the same for you,” Arlecchino clarified. “Are you secure in your desire to continue seeing me? After all, you'd expected me to be an alpha, but I am not. Do you accept this?” Arlecchino’s posture remained neutral, but her eyes and voice told another story. She was nervous to have asked such a question in the first place.

Furina gaped at the question. Obviously, there was nothing wrong with her revealing to be an omega, but even more obvious was a sorrowful layer of shame. It really was no wonder that she'd wanted to keep it a secret longer. And now, Furina was witnessing the anxious fretting. “Of course. Arlecchino, of course I accept it. I wouldn't have agreed to see you again otherwise. I wouldn't want to lead you on like that.”

“I see,” Arlecchino sighed. “That is good to know.”

“I may have been expecting you to be different, but I wasn't pursuing you in hopes of finding an alpha. I wasn't looking at your second gender, I was looking at you.” Furina prayed she got her point across. “I will admit to still being confused as to how you hide it so well, but you don't have to tell me if you aren't comfortable with it yet.”

Arlecchino glanced at her as they continued to walk. A brief silence came over them as she considered the topic. “A large portion of the work is done by scent blockers.” She rolled up one of her sleeves to show Furina the many layers of patches over her scent glands. Her neck, which she did not touch, was covered by the high flared collar of her dress shirt, but Furina assumed the story was the same there. “The rest is simple suppressants. They've yet to fail me in all my years.”

Furina whistled, impressed that her pheromones could be completely masked by nothing more than scent blockers and suppressant pills. “Wow! You haven’t had a heat in three or four years then. Understandably, of course.”

“Ten.”

Furina blinked at the reply. “What?”

Arlecchino repeated herself, “Ten. It has been ten years since my first and only heat.”

Furina struggled to grasp the information that had been handed to her. One thing she learned about heat cycles, and by extension rut cycles, was that they must be had. It was very common for an omega to skip a heat by taking suppressant if they were, say, going out of town when their cycle was due. But the suppressants acted as nothing more than a pause to the biological function, they are not meant to stop it all together. Omegas were directed to not continue taking them for longer than four years, and oftentimes even three was pushing the limit.

“Is that... healthy?” Furina did not want to ask, she did not want to overstep, but really that could not be easy on the body.

“No,” Arlecchino said. “Though it only has slight effects on my body; causing aches and pains every so often. Nothing I cannot handle, rest assured. I am determined to continue with my routine until my body forces me to stop.”

It’s a bit concerning to Furina, but she knows better than to tell an omega to fling themselves into a heat that they don’t want to have. Simply put, it was not her place.

“Maybe one day I could help you? If that day ever comes.” Furina’s offer was meek, but genuine.

An odd sound hummed behind Arlecchino's lips, a tone crossed between a pensive agreement and a guarded self-constraint.

“Your willingness to ease the burden does not go unappreciated,” Arlecchino muses. “I must thank you. There are not many alphas out there who would be so willing to wait. It may be years until I am forced to resume my heat cycle, and yet you offer assistance without a guarantee.”

Despite being an omega, Arlecchino was far too independent for most alphas liking. Furina is different. Only two weeks in and she knows that Furina is a gentle person. She is kind, soothing, and patient. She would not demand that they sleep together and become mates, and never would she see her as a mere baby making machine. Arlecchino would not confine herself to such a fate.

“It's only right, isn't it? I don't care if I have to wait. I wouldn't care if the day never came. Arlecchino, I just want to keep knowing you,” Furina spoke shyly.

Warmth ran through Arlecchino’s heart, nearly engulfing her body in a weightless contentment. She wanted the same. So badly did she want to embrace Furina fully, engrave the alphas scent deep in her memory, and finally finish the puzzle she'd assumed would always be abandoned.

To fill the empty space in her that longed for companionship and a loving mate.

“So, it's decided. We will continue to see each other in hopes of building a relationship.” Arlecchino worried her tone may have come across as one she would use during a meeting, as if she was settling a deal at work.

Luckily, Furina laughed sweetly at the sound of her professional voice slipping out. “I would like that very much, yes.” She sighed then, with a cautious concern. “Still, I'll be careful to not overstep, or move too quickly.”

The constant worrying was not... unwelcome, per se, but Arlecchino was not so helpless as to let herself become overpowered. She could handle an overbearing relationship and would shut it down immediately at the first sign. Furina did not need to be worried about abusing her power as an alpha, and yet here she was, nervous that she would do just that. At this point, all was well. She only needed some convincing.

“How about this, Furina,” Arlecchino started. “Let us plan two more outings together. Should those both go well, I will invite you to have dinner with myself and my children. We will see if they enjoy your presence during a meal as much as I do. How does that sound?”

“I assume at your home?”

“Correct. If you are willing, that is.”

Already, Furina is faced with the potential of being invited to Arlecchino’s home. With each passing day, she felt more and more like she was living in a dream. A dream in which she floated past all of life's misfortunes, and instead rested happily in a warm promise of the life she’d always wanted. Joining the family for dinner, getting to know Arlecchino’s kids, and finding a place for herself within their household would above all else make that beautiful dream a reality.

Furina agrees, two more dates, and then a trial “family dinner”. She was filled with an emotion beyond excitement. Her own alpha instinct was alight with the knowledge that she had a very real chance of being an addition to a home she already adored so much. A home that she wanted to love. They were nowhere near love, not yet. But Furina was sincerely hoping one day they would be.

“Yes, Arlecchino,” she answered, eyes gleaming in the gentle sun. “That would be perfect.”

Furina sat at the beautiful dining table in Arlecchino’s home on a peaceful Saturday evening. After two successful lunch dates they’d agreed it was time for a meal with the children. And suddenly she found herself in a very large house. From outside, she could tell it was incredibly spacious, but now inside she could not help but feel alarmed at how big the house was. The entryway opened up to a large family room full of couches, coffee tables, and bookshelves packed with novels, textbooks, manuals, and a variety of other paperback and hardcovers. It almost looked more like a well-furnished library. The walls were rather empty, but there were a few family photos hung here and there. The kitchen and dining room were also more luxurious than she had expected. The center table looked as though it could seat a group of ten, making three children and their single parent look like a very small family.

The chair Arlecchino had offered her was directly beside the head of the table, where she assumed the “Father” of the house sat. Across from her, Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet had already made themselves comfortable. Furina guessed they always used the same seating arrangement.

Arlecchino had stepped out of the room to fetch their meal, which she promised was “The children's favorite dinner for special occasions”. While she was out, Furina studied the behaviors of each kid.

Lyney was the oldest and the loudest of the three. He fiddled with his clean utensils, twirling them between his fingers in a way that seemed very practiced. Of all the children Furina has ever met before, this young boy was surely the most energetic and excitable. He also seemed to act as a buffer for his siblings, who were notably less talkative and likely preferred that he take the lead in conversations.

Whenever Lynette spoke up, it was to tease her twin about something he’d said or did. Although, nothing she said was harsh. In fact, Furina found her dry sense of humor impressive for a kid her age. The girl would also glance over to Freminet every so often, as if checking to see if he was doing alright. She was kind and witty, but certainly very withdrawn.

Not nearly to the extent of Freminet, however. The small boy eyed Furina with caution, appearing anxious that she would single him out. He held a cute round penguin plushie to his chest and would pull up it to partially cover his face from time to time. Arlecchino had said prior to her arrival that the children were not used to visitors, so Furina was not too worried about how shy he looked.

Furina’s surface level observations were set aside as Arlecchino returned with one of the largest arrays of food she’d ever seen.

Spread across both of Arlecchino’s arms were plates and trays piled high with various smoked meats and vegetables. She lowered an outstretched arm down to the kids, who each began taking the dishes from her and carefully set them on the table. Furina watched in pure awe as the family worked in near perfect unison to arrange their dinner.

“This is quite the meal! How long did this take?” Furina asked while she eyed over every dish. Steaming ribs covered in a thick barbecue sauce, roasted skewers, fresh dinner rolls, and bowls of grilled vegetables made her mouth water. But what caught her eye was, of course, the opera cake. It looked just as fresh as the rest of the food, which hopefully meant it was homemade.

Arlecchino wiped a drip of sauce off her forearm with a towel that had been previously resting over her shoulder. “Prep began fairly early in the morning. Though most of the cooking was done around noon, once the children were ready to assist.”

“Father let me make the barbecue sauce this time!” Lyney announced with a proud wave of this hand. “Lynette made most of the cake and Freminet helped with the bread.” He reached forward to grab three perfectly round bread rolls, setting one on his own plate and then offering the other two to his siblings.

“I didn’t do much,” Freminet replied. “I just rolled the dough into balls.”

“Freminet,” Arlecchino said sternly as she took her seat. “Do not discount your efforts. You made yourself useful, which is more than other kids your age could say. Be proud of your work; no more sulking.”

“Okay, Father,” Freminet nodded before taking a bite of his roll. He did not look sad that he had just been scolded, instead seeming more like he was pondering her words.

“Good. Now,” Arlecchino turned her attention back to Furina, “feel free to take as much as you’d like. If anything is not to your taste, we’ve prepared some smaller alternative entrées.”

Before she could finish her sentence, Furina had already begun to select a portion of everything.

“Okay, rapid fire! I’ll answer them all.” Furina slammed her hands against the table playfully.

After their plates had been cleared, the children began their investigation on the woman their parent had brought home. They started with polite questions about her job and what she liked to do for fun, but the energy quickly ramped up. Suddenly, the conversation turned into a challenge.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Blue.”

“What’s your favorite animal?”

“Cats! Wait, seals too!”

“Seals? Do you like the ocean?”

“Of course! I take a trip to the beach whenever I can.”

“Do you have pets?”

“Nope! Not yet anyhow.”

“Any siblings?”

“Kind of.”

“Kind of?” Lyney crossed his arms. “That doesn’t count as an answer.”

Furina shrugged, trying to keep an air of mystery about her that only worked on children. “You’ll have to wait until next time to unlock that one.”

“Next time?” Lynette asked.

Furina hadn’t recognized her mistake in word choice until all three of the kids were looking at her expectantly. She had essentially just told them that she would be back, when there really were no discussed guarantees. In her attempt to find the words, she didn’t notice the twins as they propped their elbows on the top of the dining table. Their pose was not so different from the one Arlecchino had positioned herself in at the pier a few short weeks ago. They interlocked their fingers and gave her their own judgmental glances.

Freminet followed suit just a moment after.

“So, you plan to see Father again?” Lyney interrogated. He’d added a hint of a serious tone to his new line of questioning.

Furina blinked, both confused and impressed by their ability to work as a unit so easily.

“Are you gonna marry her?”

“Freminet! I wanted to ask that!”

“Sorry...”

“Well, I don’t know about that . But- Um, I...” Furina’s cheeks and ears redden at such a suggestion. They’d only known each other for a month! Their relationship did seem to be going somewhere and she was far from opposed to marriage, but it was absolutely too early to be wondering about it! She finally turned to Arlecchino with flustered eyes asking for assistance.

Arlecchino breathed out a laugh at her childrens antics. “Alright. It seems you’ve reached your limit of questions for tonight. Go take your dirty dishes to the sink and wash up.”

The kids sighed out their compliance and walked away from the dining table together with their plates and utensils. Again, Furina marveled at how well behaved they were. Many children would whine and complain after being told to wash a fork alone, but these three were capable of cleaning up after themselves entirely.

“Thank you,” Furina said sheepishly, “I was, admittedly, not ready for that question.”

“There is no need for thanks,” Arlecchino dismissed, “The children got out of hand, and I apologize for that. Although I must say, they do seem to like you already.”

“Really? That’s good to hear.”

The kids were sweet, if a little rambunctious, but Furina was very much looking forward to getting to know them as her relationship with Arlecchino grew.

Arlecchino nodded before taking both of their plates from the table. “I’m pleased as well. Now, excuse me for a moment while I clean these up. I must be sending the children to bed soon, so I fear our time together is coming to a close.”

The sun had just recently set. With dinner and dessert eaten, it did seem like an appropriate time for Furina to go home.

While Arlecchino was in the other room with her kids, Furina took the opportunity to glance around from where she still sat. The home looked well lived in. Not beat up or run down, but loved and used to its best extent. She did not like to admit it, but she didn’t think she could recall a time where she’d lived in a home so full of activity. Her childhood was not unhappy, it was just... empty. When Lyney had asked her if she had any siblings, she had honestly not known what to say momentarily. Furina had Neuvillette growing up, and he had always treated her as if she were his younger sister of sorts. In turn, she came to see him as an older brother figure. They were not related, and never referred to each other as siblings, so technically no, she did not have the bonds that Arlecchino’s kids had.

Perhaps watching the antics of three adopted children will give her a clearer answer one day.

“Furina,” Arlecchino announced on her return, “the children wish to say goodbye to you before you leave, if you do not mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind! I wouldn’t dare leave without saying bye to such welcoming hosts.” Furina stood and followed Arlecchino to the front door where the kids were already waiting for her.

“Thank you for eating with us, Miss Furina!” Lyney said.

“Here is a slice of cake for you to take home.” Lynette handed her a small box.

Freminet did not say anything, but he did offer a quick smile and a polite wave goodbye.

“Thank you for having me,” Furina could feel her heart melting from how precious they are. “You all made an excellent meal, and I will definitely be enjoying this tomorrow.” She tapped her fingers against the lid of the box.

The children stood proudly at Furina’s compliment. They offered one last goodbye before running off to get ready for bed.

With just Furina and Arlecchino left alone, it seemed as though the night had reached its true finale.

“Good night, Furina,” Arlecchino said with the faintest of smiles tugging at her lips, “I must say, it was odd having an alpha in the home, but I could certainly get used to it.”

Furina feels her face heat up again. Not from embarrassment, but from the foreign lightness in her chest from a simple flirtation. “I would really like to spend another dinner with you. Here.”

A hum, low and almost playful, sounded from Arlecchino. She stepped forward, and for a moment Furina wondered if she would offer her a hug. Or better yet... However, Arlecchino was simply leaning around her for the front door.

Maybe next time, Furina thought as she stepped outside. “Good night! If I don’t see you this week at the theater, text me.”

Arlecchino nods in agreement as she waves a silent farewell.

Both, unbeknownst to them, were thinking the same thing.

She is who I’ve been waiting for.

Chapter Text

Thursday, August 16th

Furina had not intended to be so late to her close friend's birthday lunch, but the traffic on the drive there had been terrible. She rushed towards the outdoor dining area of Café Lutece and began her search for the two women she was meant to meet with. Her search did not take long, and she heaved a sigh of relief when she caught a glimpse of familiar long blonde curls not too far from her at one of the tables.

“Hey!” Furina called out, waving as she approached.

Navia turned to see her and immediately broke out in a bright smile before standing from her seat to hug her friend. “Hi! Oh, I’m so glad you could make it!”

“You know I would never dream of missing your birthday.” It was true, Furina had not missed a single celebration in all the years they’d known each other.

“Ahh, I know. I was just worried what with you being so attached to this new lady we’ve been hearing so much about,” Navia teased. “No other pheromone incidents, I trust?”

The night after Furina’s first date with Arlecchino at the pier, she called Navia for as much advice as possible. Of course, if she is calling Navia, she is also calling Clorinde. The two had been getting ready for bed when Navia’s phone started to buzz, and when Furina’s frantic voice came from the speaker pleading for help, they simply had to drop everything to listen to all that had transpired by the beach that day.

Navia, being the lighthearted omega that she was, quickly laughed off the shock of Furina doing something as embarrassing as blasting calming pheromones at someone she hardly knew. The list of advice she had was extensive and vague enough to apply to most omegas. Meanwhile, Clorinde would chime in with observations she’s made as a beta. Both viewpoints were valued immensely by the fretting alpha.

Furina’s biggest issue now was that her two best friends were going to be teasing her about the whole ordeal for some time. She huffed as she took a seat at the table. “It was only once. She forgave me for it anyhow. I know better now, thank you very much.”

Navia’s eyebrows rose in curiosity. “She forgave you? Goodness, Furina, she must really like you. If Clorinde had done something so daring I probably would have left and never looked back.”

“If I had done what?” a voice that Furina was all too familiar with asks from the cafe's entryway. She turned to see Clorinde, returning to the outdoor table with small plates of pastries and a small cup of tea.

“We were just talking about how much Furina’s new friend must like her. She is willing to look past the pheromone debacle, it seems,” Navia chuckled and bought a dish of macarons towards her. She grinned ever so slightly at Furina before popping the dessert into her mouth.

Clorinde nodded in understanding. “Yes, that certainly must have been very off putting. I’m happy she had it in her heart to forgive you, Furina.”

Furina grumbled, leaning over to snatch a macaron from Navia’s plate, earning her only minor protest. “Fortunately, that is well in the past. We talked it through and she felt comfortable enough to invite me to her home for dinner, and it was rather-”

Her words caught in her throat upon seeing the shock expressions on her friends faces. They both blinked at her, looked at each other, then Navia leaned in with pure curiosity.  “You’ve been to her home?”

“I-” Furina began to falter, “Yes… I did. But it was just for dinner.”

“Mhm, and that was all? Are you confident?” Navia asked sarcastically. Clorinde sipped her tea silently, but just as doubtful as her girlfriend was.

“Yes,” Furina insisted. “We wouldn’t have been able to do what you're implying, regardless. Her kids were home.”

Another stunned silence set her nerves on end.

“Her what?” Navia nearly shouted.

Clorinde set her teacup down, now far more invested. “You did not tell us she has children. What happened to her previous mate?”

Furina was not sure how to proceed. On one hand, she wants to tell her friends about the many interesting things in Arlecchino’s life. She wants to tell her story, limited though her knowledge may be of her entire past, and praise her for raising three wonderful children all on her own. But Arlecchino was a very private person. How much would be an acceptable amount to share? She was already pushing the limit by informing Navia and Clorinde that she’d been seeing an omega.

“There’s... not any mate in the picture. It’s just Arlecchino and her three kids.”

Navia huffed out a sigh, leaning back in her chair with folded arms. “Three, huh? It’s awfully sad that she had to raise them alone.”

Referring to Arlecchino’s situation as “Awfully sad” was hardly accurate. Her kids were thriving for the most part, they seemed financially stable, and there was no need for an alpha to join the family. That was comforting to Furina, at least. Knowing that she was not needed, but wanted.

“Oh, no, I can assure you they're doing perfectly well. The kids are so well behaved, not to mention surprisingly fun to speak with.” It was no wonder Arlecchino would brag about them, she had indeed done a wonderful job at raising them.

“Only one dinner with them and you seem excited to spend time with the whole family,” Navia remarks. “Are you looking to marry this omega of yours?”

“Why does everyone want to know that?” Furina tilts her head back in frustration as she asks the question, fully missing the new perplexed looks on her friends faces. “Yes, I do really like her. No, we're not thinking about marriage. Now,” she clasped her hands together and offered Navia a warm, genuine smile, “happy birthday, my sweetest friend. Let's talk about you now.”

Navia let out a string of amused giggles at the sudden request for a topic change, but complied, “Oh, alright. Well, let me tell you what my dear Clorinde did for me this morning.”

“It was hardly spectacular.”

“Hush you!” Navia slapped her girlfriend playfully on the shoulder. "I thought it was very charming.”

Furina loved to watch this; the back and forth banter that seemed to come so easily to Navia and Clorinde. They’d known each other all their lives and were now inseparable. There had been a brief period of separation between them, one with a reasoning that Furina only knew fragments of. But they had been incredibly lonely without one another, and soon rebuilt their relationship full of trust and total honesty. Furina longed to find herself in something so secure.

Catching up amongst a table full of sweet treats and hot beverages truly was Furina’s idea of a perfect day. The last time she had the opportunity to sit face to face with two of her closest friends had to have been months ago, which was simply too long. And to still be invited to birthday celebrations without feeling like an intrusion kept a peaceful smile on her face as she listened to stories of what Navia and Clorinde had been up to.

The Spina di Rosula Bakery had been doing incredibly well, though that was no surprise. Navia had been perfecting dozens of pastry recipes for years. Perhaps even her entire life, if Furina were to guess. The storefront they owned was still just as beautifully decorated as the day it first opened, and sales never seemed to slow. The desserts were delicious, and the atmosphere was more than welcoming. Navia’s baking skills and artistic touch in combination with Clorinde’s attention to detail and comfort in working behind the scenes made for a smooth sailing business. Furina would have to bring Arlecchino there sometime.

“Clorinde,” Navia began, studying a croissant she held, “should we be spending so much on the pastries here? This place is competition, after all.”

Clorinde hummed around a bite of bavarois before scooping another small spoonful. “There’s nothing wrong with supporting a fellow business. Besides, everything is quite good.” She brings the spoon to Navia’s mouth, giving her a taste of the little cream dessert with a generous pour of berry sauce coating the top.

Navia considered the taste for a moment. Her eyebrows scrunched as she mulled it over. “We could add that to our menu. It would taste marvelous with coffee in place of standard berries.”

“I’ll make a note of it,” Clorinde replied.

Furina nodded in a silent agreement. She would have to ask Navia if she could volunteer to taste test, just as she had for many of the desserts on the current menu. So many beautiful creations had been placed before her only three years ago, all hoping to be the select few to be sold to the public. Without a doubt, it had been one of the best things Furina had ever been asked to do.

She hadn’t noticed just how eager she looked for a potential new treat at her friend's bakery until she heard Navia laughing softly.

“Well, Furina, it seems like you’re looking forward to the coffee bavarois,” Navia remarked. “I’ll try to perfect a recipe by your birthday. How’s that?”

The offer was certainly kind, but her birthday was not until October. Furina pouted, “That’s two months away! Could we not select a sooner date?”

“How soon are we talking?” Navia decided to humor her.

Furina curled a finger below her lip in thought. Patience should be practiced; she is well aware. Although the promise of a new bavarois, even in its beginning stages, is too enticing. Clorinde’s birthday was the next important date, but even that was a month away. Navia was an expert baker by now, surely she could have a flawless recipe in a small number of days.

The only other special day would be...

“Would you be able to have a tester ready by Arlecchino’s birthday?”

Navia beamed at the answer. “I can try! What day is that?”

Furina tapped her fingers together. “The 22nd.”

“Of... this month?” Clorinde asked for clarification.

“Yes.”

“Furina, that is in six days.”

“Yes,” she repeated less confidently.

Navia sighed, tilting her head to the side as she contemplated whether or not to fulfill this request. It would be a good test of how quickly she could develop the ideal bavarois. However, if it doesn’t turn out the way she planned she will have worked tirelessly for several days only to disappoint Furina. It may not be the best idea...

But when she looked into Furina’s big, pleading eyes, she knew that she couldn’t stand to refuse.

“I can try, but no promises! I assume you want this to be a gift?”

“Yes! You wouldn’t know it from looking at her, but Arlecchino loves sweet things. She seemed incredibly fond of the macarons you made for our first date! I am confident that she will try anything you make.” Furina was just about vibrating with excitement in her seat. This will be a great opportunity for all parties!

“Alright! You have a deal, my friend,” Navia said as she stood with an arm outstretched to shake Furina’s hand as if they really were doing business. “Again, I can't promise perfection in a week, but I’m happy to help you get this omega of your dreams.”

Omega of her dreams... At this point, that felt like an understatement.

Furina returned the handshake enthusiastically. “Thank you, my dear friend! I don’t know how to repay you!”

“I have a suggestion, if I may,” Clorinde piped up.

“Yes, of course! I will do anything you ask in return for your assistance.”

“It would be a great help if you could pay the bill for our food and drink,” Clorinde spoke smoothly as she slid the tiny sheet of paper with their meals costs across the table.

Well. They had certainly spent the appropriate amount for a birthday celebration. Only, Furina now wished it wasn’t so pricey.

Chapter Text

Wednesday, August 22nd

The warm late summer breeze that brushed through Furina’s hair was more comforting than she would have assumed. She pushed around what remained of her bavarois with her spoon. It was not that she didn’t want to finish it, but she had already eaten three prior to this one. Arlecchino had more sense than she did, it seemed. She had stopped after two.

The dessert in addition to the large meal they had eaten for Arlecchino’s birthday dinner had, regrettably, been too much. Now, the two sat on a long bench in the backyard of Arlecchino’s home in hopes of enjoying the fresh air. The children, who had not been given any of the coffee infused dessert, played together in the large span of grass that covered most of the yard.

“You don’t have to finish that, you know,” Arlecchino interrupted Furina as she rolled the remaining cream around. “Your friend won’t take offense. You’ve already eaten plenty.”

Furina, now caught essentially playing with her food, scooped up the final bite. “I need to finish what I started! What kind of example would it set for your children if they were to see unfinished food?” She then shoved the spoon into her mouth. With only the slightest look of discomfort, she had successfully finished her meal. She was lucky it was delicious or else that would have been difficult. Navia will be happy to hear the bavarois was a success, at least.

“You need not set any example, Furina. The children have been taught to store any unfinished meals for later or for repurposing. Really, you should never force yourself to finish your plate,” Arlecchino spoke with more concern than Furina was expecting.

“Oops!” Furina glanced over to the kids, who were fortunately paying the two no mind. “Don’t tell them I did that, then.”

Arlecchino just shook her head in an amused disbelief. “It is a nonissue, rest assured. And I must admit, the bavarois was very good. I would have eaten four myself if I desired.”

Furina could not help but grin each time Arlecchino’s sweet tooth made itself known. Very few could keep up with Furina’s ability to clear plates during a tea party, but this stoic and distinguished woman kept up with her very easily. That was a large reason why Furina wanted to bring a special dessert to her birthday dinner in the first place. A brand new recipe needs a connoisseur to judge its worth. And worth it decidedly had!

“Oh! I’ve just thought of a question!” Furina perked up. “You seemed to love this new treat, but what was your favorite growing up? It feels appropriate to ask on your birthday, no?”

A stunned expression was not expected, yet here Furina was, studying the way Arlecchino’s eyebrows raised and how her lips parted ever so slightly. Her dark eyes averted themselves to look out to the distance. Past the fence that surrounded the yard, past the trees and other homes that lined the neighborhood. She looked to be deep in thought.

Then she frowned.

“I did not like sweets as a child.”

“Oh, no,” Furina groaned at herself. “Here I go making assumptions about you again! I do apologize.”

Arlecchino brushed off the minor mistake with a short wave of her hand. “I do not blame you for guessing. After all, we’ve been sharing plenty of desserts together.” Her gaze then shifted to her hands, which rested in her lap. “No, I had not been a fan of such things, as they did not come by easily. Nor did they come without a cost.”

Furina hadn’t known how to respond. Once again, she found that they’d moved into a potentially serious topic. This may be frequent, she realized. Arlecchino was sure to have memories and traumas that haunt her, but she had been far more open about discussing such matters than Furina thought she would be.

She supposed it was because she already knows Arlecchino's biggest secret. There’s little harm in telling her everything else.

“You said that you once had many siblings. Was this perhaps a money issue?” Furina felt awkward asking the question. It may not have been appropriate to ask about a person's financial situation from all those years ago.

But Arlecchino only scoffed at the question. “Not at all. My-” She cut herself off, pausing as the word caught in her throat. “My mother had all the funds she could ever wish for. The issue of delicacies being hard to come by stemmed purely from her, and the torment she inflicted upon her own children.”

“Oh, Arlecchino... I’m sorry for leading us to talk about this. It’s your birthday, you shouldn’t have to-”

“Worry not, Furina. I wanted to tell you about this one day. If you desire to listen, I can continue.”

“As long as it’s not going to hurt you to relive it.”

“Not at all. I’ve come to terms with my childhood,” Arlecchino sighed. Her fingers gently brushed over Furina’s own, an action which did not go unnoticed. “Though it is distant and unpleasant, it is very important to me. It is equally important to me that you are aware of who I was raised to be.”

“Alright. Tell me all about you.”

Peruere gazed up at the dark ceiling, as she often did on sleepless nights. The fear of the visions in her dreams relentlessly kept her wide awake. Oftentimes, she would hope to imagine happier dreams. Ones filled with all her favorite bugs and insects, in an attempt to sooth her mind. Not only did this never work, but it reminded her that the nightmares may persist forever. She was only eight years old, far too young to understand what any of the terrible dreams could mean. All she knew was that if she stayed awake, she would not be scared. She would be exhausted the next day, but it would be worth it.

When the ceiling got too boring, she rolled onto her side to watch her siblings sleep. Rows upon rows of beds lined the large room, and within them, each child slumbered just as peacefully as the next. Peruere had yet to find it odd that all of them shared the same sleeping quarters, whilst their Mother allowed herself all the privacy the big, stuffy orphanage could provide.

It didn’t have to matter, especially since Peruere somewhat enjoyed feeling as though she was a protector. She could watch over her siblings when they could not watch over themselves. The constant nightmares felt like a curse, but a reward of equal value was the ability to keep an eye on her friends. Especially Clervie. That girl, decidedly Peruere’s best friend, was always finding trouble. It was as though she had a talent for it. That, however, made her much more fun. She was energetic, excitable, and full of a pure love of life.

Peruere did not understand why, but she truly did long to protect the girl with a smile like sunshine.

But tonight, as Peruere rolled onto her side to observe her resting siblings, she noticed the one empty bed. And, of course, it had to be Clervie’s. 

She sighed, and she too exited her bed in search of wherever her friend had wandered off to. After so many years, Peruere had mastered sneaking through the silent room. She didn’t want to disturb anyone's sleep, and so she had to be careful of every foot fall. Slowly but surely, she managed to tip-toe her way out the door, and slip into the halls of the orphanage. She looked left, then right, contemplating on just where Clervie could have gone. Then, she decided to head in the direction of the pantry.

Walking through the halls so late at night was certainly not fun. The large windows that lined nearly every inch of the walls may have filled the building with moonlight, but it created shadows. Peruere would not admit to being frightened by mere shadows, but they were unnerving nonetheless. Against the bare, gray walls, anything could look unnerving. 

As Peruere approached the pantry doors, she began to hear gentle rusting. The sound of bags and bottles shifting about told her that she had made the right call. She poked her head into the room, still just as slow and silent as the journey there. There, elbows deep in a drawer, was the girl she’d been looking for.

“Clervie?”

“Eep!” Clervie jumped in alarm. Once she recognized the girl in front of her, she huffed and whispered, “Perrie! You scared me!”

Peruere mumbled an apology for startling her. “I didn’t mean to. Why are you up?”

Clervie bounced on her heels before returning to the drawer. “I’m looking for a cake! I know Mother has one stashed away. She bought it just for me a couple of days ago, but hid it. I don’t know why, but it’s mine right? This is the only time she can’t tell me no!”

Peruere said nothing, but nodded anyway. She decided to go along with the search for the dessert, even if she had no plan to partake. And after only a thrilling ten minutes, they discovered their prize. Clervie offered Peruere bites every so often, but was met with the same straight-faced “No, thank you” each time. She did manage to convince Peruere to try the frosting, though her expression didn’t say whether she liked the taste or not.

Fortunately, Clervie had the sense not to eat the whole thing in one sitting. With one large slice of cake eaten, the two returned to their beds, whispering and laughing to each other all the while.

.

It wasn’t until the next morning, when Peruere awoke to the sound of Clervie’s loud sobs and their Mothers violent berating that she realized what an awful mistake they had made.

.

Year after year, Peruere was forced to watch as Clervie lost her shine; lost her light. There was little way that either can see to make any change. All they were allowed to know was fear and obedience. Some mornings, Peruere would notice one of her many siblings was no longer attending mealtimes, no longer returning to their beds at night. She chose to hope they had been adopted, but something in the back of her mind told her that something far more tragic had occurred.

Peruere felt sick. She felt unsettled. But despite the suffocating dread, she felt determined to leave and make a life all her own. She and Clervie were both sixteen, and many years ago, they had formed a promise. Once they were ready, they would take everything and everyone that they could, and they would run. Together they worked to collect all the money and resources that they could get their hands on in hopes of living far away from the woman that was meant to love and protect them.

Peruere promised to herself that one day, she would be able to protect them all.

But how could she have known…?

How could she have predicted the lengths at which Crucabena’s would go just to keep freedom out of the children's grasp?

Peruere coughed and gagged around the hot smoke that filled the halls of the orphanage. She couldn’t find her siblings. She couldn’t find their stash of money. And she couldn't find Clervie. The heat of the fire that engulfed the building was blinding, and threatened to keep her from continuing her search for her Clervie. Step after step, she’d call out, praying that any one of her siblings would shout back at her.

They have to be alive. All of them; they have to.

Peruere was moments away from collapsing where she stood, prepared to concede and allow the flames to consume her, when a pitiful cry caught her attention. The sound was faint, but it was close.Through the echoes of crackling wood and bursting pipes, she let herself be guided by the broken crying. It was too familiar of a sound.

At the end of the hall, with nothing but a thin rag to shield her face from the smoke, stood Clervie.

There she was. So close. Peruere just had to reach her, and drag her out of the place they swore they’d escape together.

“Clervie!” she shouted.

Scared eyes rushed to meet her call. Relief washed over Clervie’s face as she saw her friend fighting her way toward her, as though smoke and fire did not affect her.

The wood crackled again, groaning under its own weight. The walls, the ceiling, the roof. None were able to hold after the damage the fire continued to inflict upon it. Another horrible creaking, and suddenly, Peruere could no longer see Clervie.

At the end of the hall, the structure collapsed.

Had Peruere not been shocked into silence, she would have screamed.

Instead, adrenaline took over.

What little was left of her regard for herself was tossed away as she ran to the flaming rubble. With her bare hands, she clawed at wooden beams and charred drywall. She could feel the skin on her hands and arms begin to burn, and she hissed through her teeth as blood began to drip from fresh wounds. She couldn’t just leave Clervie here. What a horrid fate to be doomed to. Fighting for her whole life, only to be crushed under the institution meant to keep her safe. How cruel.

With each scrap of the roof Peruere managed to tear away, a new one seemed to fall in its place. Her lungs were struggling to function through all the smoke, and her hands could barely lift the mess she desperately tried to dig through.

She couldn’t just leave Clervie here.

But Clervie would never forgive her if she died too.

Peruere wheezed around an apology. She wanted to tell Clervie that she was sorry. She wanted to tell her to not be afraid, that one day everything would be okay.

Through the back smoke, Peruere located the nearest window, and flung herself out of the crumbling building.

Fresh air filled her lungs with a sharp pain. The ache that surged through her entire body threatened to knock her out, but this nightmare was not over. She wished it was.

Outside the burning building, stood her Mother. Crucabena had been waiting for her.

Only then, when Peruere saw a satisfied smile on the woman's face, did she allow for the rage and grief to consume her.

.

When Peruere was later asked, and subsequently brushed off, by authorities, she told them that she hadn’t known how the fire had started. To anyone who saw her, she was just a grieving child who had tried in vain to save her family. A child who was left all alone, left to pick up the pieces whilst waiting for the deep burns on her arms and hands to heal.

Peruere was not so foolish as to admit to what she knew, nor to what she had done. It was bad enough that she had given into the idea of killing her Mother. She wanted to live. To experience life as it ought to be lived. There was no reason to allow Crucabena to continue holding her down. Not even in memory.

But Clervie. Her memory kept Peruere moving. For her, she would continue to take the steps to freedom.

Arlecchino did not know when she had intertwined her fingers with Furina’s, but as her story concluded, she found the touch to be relaxing; grounding. Perhaps Furina initiated it in hopes of offering comfort, or perhaps she had done so herself without noticing. Either way, she had no intention of letting go. She’d never shared so much of her life with anyone. It was strange, even still, that she trusted this alpha as immensely as she did.

“It was with Crucabena’s absurd amount of wealth, granted to me by reason of her death, that I was able to support myself until I could make a steady income. Everything that was once hers was suddenly mine,” she paused, sighing. “I loathed using anything with connection to her, but it did help me get to where I am now. I do not think I would have been able to adopt my children without it.”

For the first time since beginning her story, she looked to Furina. Ocean blue eyes shimmered with sympathetic tears. Her brows scrunched and her lips were tightened. Arlecchino had briefly worried that she was being pitied, but soon noticed the anger etched into the curves of her frown. All at once, Furina appeared to be mourning Arlecchino’s childhood, furious at the person who stole it from her, and relieved that she had left that life behind.

Arlecchino did not make use of her own range of emotions. It was not her nature to do so. But Furina was so beautifully expressive.

Furina’s features relaxed as she lifted her free hand slowly, hovering beside Arlecchino’s face. “May I?” she whispered. With the nod of approval, she pressed her palm to Arlecchino’s cheek, running her fingers up and down smooth skin. The caress was gentle and woefully unfamiliar. It was nice. “Look at you now. Despite all of the pain, you are here. And your family is so whole, so happy. Your kids are lucky to have you.”

“My kids...” Arlecchino turned to look at them, ensuring they were still safe and having fun without moving away from Furina’s hold. “I despised my mother so much that I refused to allow my children to refer to me by the same title. Many others have given us confused looks because of it. Freminet is a very sensitive boy, and it used to bother him terribly that strangers would narrow their eyes in confusion at him calling me “father”. The twins never seemed to mind, though I am sure they have their own questions about my reasoning.”

How is that “lucky”? She wanted to say, but already anticipated Furina’s response if she were to ask.

“One day, you will explain it to them. And they’ll understand. You raised bright kids.” Furina smiled as she brushed strands of hair away from dark, pondering eyes.

“Oh, Furina. That, I am aware of.”

Soon, their night comes to an end. Furina wishes Arlecchino one last “Happy Birthday” before heading home. The children sulked, just a bit, after Furina had left. They did the same after their previous dinner together. There was no doubt, the three greatly enjoyed company. Regardless of if they wanted her to return, they still had a bedtime routine that Arlecchino strictly kept them on. Teeth were brushed, pajamas were on, and lights were out at the same time each and every night to promise plenty of rest.

Arlecchino trusted her kids to handle it themselves, typically busying herself with a chore as they did their nightly routine, but on this day, she was hovering. From a distance, of course, but she couldn’t yet bring herself to take her eyes off them. Furina gave her the space to feel secure, and something in the back of her mind told her to extend the feeling towards her kids. Keep them close, show them affection.

Eventually, all three of her children head to their bedrooms. As always, they do so at the correct time, further cementing the pride she feels for them.

Arlecchino peaked into Freminet’s room as he climbed his way into bed. The young boy tucked himself in, waving to his Father once he saw her at the door.

“Good night, Father,” he called out politely.

“Good night, Freminet,” Arlecchino replied with a nod. Normally, she would leave it at that and shut the door, but some soft emotion was still itching at her. “And, I love you. Sweet dreams, my son.”

Freminet’s eyes lit up for a moment, those words, while they always remained true, did not come often. He returned the sentiment, before happily curling up in his comfortable blankets. Arlecchino shut the bedroom door, and walked to the twins room. Again, she leaned into the room, catching both of the kids' attention.

“Good night, Lyney, Lynette. I love you both. Rest well.” She could not help the smallest of smiles from appearing as they too seemed happy to hear those words from their parent.

“Love you, too,” they replied from their beds. The door was shut as they laid their head down to their pillows. 

And as Arlecchino returned to her own room for the night, she wondered just how soft she could become. She was unsure if the idea made her nervous or excited. Never, in all her life had she been allowed to be soft. Gentleness, it seemed, was not in her nature, nor did it ever appear in her future. But there was a chance that Furina could show her the way. Guide her to internal joy. 

Afterall, it’s what Clervie would have wanted for her.

Chapter Text

Saturday, September 15th

Furina had woken up incredibly excited. Not only had Arlecchino invited her to join the family for dinner again, but she was told she could stay as long as she wished. To her, this sounded like an invitation to stay the night. She had every intention to check with Arlecchino to make sure she didn’t misinterpret, but she was more than prepared to ditch her own small apartment for a bed in a much larger house.

To her knowledge, the house had two spare bedrooms, one of which would hopefully be hers for the night. She didn’t mind the idea of sleeping separately from Arlecchino, despite being in the same home. It seemed too soon to share a bed for both their tastes and she didn’t want to intrude on an omegas space.

The promise of getting to enjoy Arlecchino’s company after work kept Furina light on her feet as she walked through the theater.

Oftentimes, as she strolled past rehearsal spaces, she would faintly hear performers running lines, singing, or sulking over the various challenges that came before a big show. On this morning, she heard two familiar voices on the other side of one of the dozens of doors. Lyney and Lynette’s voices rang clearly through the door. Furina had been told not too long ago that the twins had been working on a new routine, but had yet to receive any details. Not only that, but never had she been around to listen in on their practice runs.

Quietly, Furina cracked open the door to catch a glimpse at their work. The rehearsal room they used was large enough for two kids. The stage was more of a glorified platform than anything, but all of their equipment seemed to fit amongst them just fine. They seemed to be practicing the opening of their show. Lyney stood center stage, monologuing about the appeal of magic and all its secrets. Just to the right of him, Lynette positioned a small assortment of various objects on a table. A black top hat, a stack of cards, an unassuming box, and two adorable cat figurines. The placements seemed intentional, as did the dramatic and distracting flare of Lyney’s monologuing.

They had quite the talent for captivating an audience. Furina had seen them during their actual shows once before, but she was amazed at just how energetic the two still managed to be even without an audience to play off of. She’d worked with young children in the past and found it horribly taxing trying to get them to keep up their energy throughout their performance. Admittedly, if Lyney and Lynette ever wished to take up acting, Furina would jump at the opportunity to guide them herself.

In all her boldness, however, Furina had forgotten that she was trying to be quiet so as to not disturb their rehearsal time. She leaned against the door, causing a short creak to sound from its hinges. Two pairs of eyes were on her in an instant, both appearing ready to shoo away the intrusion.

“Oh, Miss Furina.” Lyney dropped his performance posture. “I didn’t know you’d be stopping by.”

“Did you need something?” Lynette asked.

“No! No, I just...” Furina blinked at them. She had not intended to disturb their promising performance, now here she was trying to find a good excuse for why she had just rudely intruded! “I must apologize for interrupting, but I heard you two rehearsing and I thought I might observe your artistry. If you’d like, I could give you some theatrical pointers while I’m here.”

While that was a slightly embellished version of the truth, she had a lready been open to the idea of offering her guidance. There was no harm in doing so despite their different art forms.

“As in, advice?” Lyney asked to confirm, glancing at his sister and then back to Furina.

“Yes!” Furina announced with certainty. “I’ve been in the business for quite some time, you know. Who better to advise you than I? It is my job, after all.”

The twins hopped off the little stage, and rushed their way over to Furina.

“Yes, please.”

“We have questions we’ve been wanting to ask you,” Lyney held up a notebook. Had he been carrying it with him this whole time? “Would that be alright?”

This level of enthusiasm was not expected, but Furina smiled brightly regardless. “Of course! What have you got for me?”

“Hm...” Lyney looked through their notes. “Let’s start with promotional tactics.”

Oh. Furina prepared herself for a lengthy conversation.

The three of them sat together on the floor of the stage, discussing bullet point after bullet point of questions Lyney and Lynette had been building over their time putting on their own shows. Everything from costumes to audience interaction to planning the perfect closing trick, the two were very prepared to polish their act.

“I see,” Lynette said as she quickly jotted down Furina’s thoughts in her own little notepad.

“I can guarantee that doing so will make audiences excited to come see your act again.” Furina nodded, pleased with her advice. “Let's see... anything else on this list?”

She glanced over at the open pages, only to see all of the questions checked off.

“That’s everything on paper,” Lyney started, shutting the book and hopping up from where he sat, “but there are more practical issues to work out as well. Could we show you a few of our newest tricks?”

How could Furina refuse?

For the next several minutes she watched them run through magic tricks that they were not yet confident in. She looked out for holes in their illusions and uncertainty in their execution. They started off shaky, but quickly adjusted based solely on Furina’s participation as their audience member. If she did not react in the ways they had expected, they would circle back and try again until she nodded or awed at their work. Genuinely, she’d been impressed.

After one full, successful practice run, Lyney and Lynette bowed and looked to Furina once again for any final notes. However, instead of the advice for further adjustments they’d been expecting, Furina applauded the changes they’d already made.

“Spectacular work, you two! I can see your improvements already,” she cheered as she clapped softly. “It’s no wonder I’ve heard so many good things about your magic skills.”

“From who? From Father?” Lynette asked.

“Does she talk to you about our shows?” Lyney blinked nervously. “Does she like them?”

Furina frowned at the question. Of course she liked their shows. It would be more accurate to say she loved them. There wasn’t anything in the world that Arlecchino cared about more than her children and their achievements. But for the kids to be so uncertain of this fact... “Whatever do you mean? I can assure you both that she is beyond proud of your work. Has she told you otherwise?”

“No, she always says that she is proud of us, but she doesn’t show it,” Lyney said sheepishly. “We’ve worked harder and harder. Done bigger and better shows but she's never seemed impressed.”

Ah. Furina understood. As a creative herself, she knew the struggle of seeking approval from loved ones. Growing up with an ever stoic Neuvillette as her closest companion, she too lacked the enthusiastic praise that Lyney and Lynette were now seeking. Her own childhood shows were as extravagant as could be. Audiences loved her, and yet, she still remembered the genuine yet monotone “Splendid work, Furina” that would meet her after every performance.

Fortunately for the twins, Furina knew what needed to be done. What she had once wished for everyday in her youth.

“I promise you,” she began as she placed a hand atop each of their shoulders, “that your Father adores each magic show you put together. Never worry about that, okay?”

“Yes, Miss Furina,” the children replied. For a moment, Furina worried that she had been too forward, scolding kids that were not even hers, but the twins did not look fazed. Instead, they seemed relieved and happy that someone was on their side.

Furina smiled at them. “Alright, take ten. Then let’s run it all one more time.”

Furina rested comfortably on the large couch in Arlecchino’s home. The kids had just been put to bed, and after a night of delicious food and fun family games, she was ready for some time with Arlecchino. The two sat beside each other, sharing details about their day. During the few hours Arlecchino had to herself, she had completed as many household tasks as she could. Afterwards, she took the time to prepare a guest bedroom, much to Furina’s delight. She had not made up the offer in her head after all, and now looked forward to waking up in the morning to greet Arlecchino.

It seemed almost too good to be true. It felt so domestic; a far cry from the solitary life she’d been living. Instead of waking up to the cold, silence of morning, she would awake to a home full of the warmth and excitement she’d been missing.

Furina looked up blissfully at Arlecchino as she rambled on about the various things she encountered during her thorough cleaning of the guest bedroom. It had, apparently, been quite a long time since it was last put to use.

“I am not one to mind cobwebs or arthropods, in fact I often enjoy their presence, but there was really no need for so many cellar spiders to have congregated in the bedroom closet.” Arlecchino rolled her eyes. “I cleared them all out, worry not. The children are not at all fond of such creatures, so I’ve become rather diligent in keeping them out of the home.”

That had been wonderful news to Furina, who likely would have preferred to sleep on the couch if there had been bugs of any sort in the room she was meant to stay in.

“I have to agree with the kids on this one. I don’t think I’d be happy to see something crawling in the bed beside me,” Furina laughed. Not even having a parent with odd or niche interests could  wear away such a common phobia. It was almost too easy to imagine, Arlecchino attempting to show her kids that there was nothing to be scared of, that the tiny spider really would not cause them harm, only for frightened complaints to stop her from pressing the matter any further. For all the bonds their family shares, there really were notable and endearing differences between them all. Which reminded her... “Actually, speaking of the kids, I had a talk with Lyney and Lynette today.”

Arlecchino nodded. “Yes, I had a feeling. Are they alright?”

“They’re just fine,” Furina assured, “but they do have one concern. They worry that all their hard work isn’t making you proud.”

A troubled frown tugged at Arlecchino’s lips. “How so?”

Furina relayed to her what the twins had confided in her. The lack of joy and excitement presented to them after a high energy performance was weighing on the children's minds. It didn’t stop them from giving their all each and every time, but it was pushing them to try harder in search of approval. Approval that, to their Fathers knowledge had been given.

Through Furina’s explanation, Arlecchino sat straight against the back cushion of the couch. Her eyes narrowed in contemplation and her hands clasped together firmly.

“They just want to see that you’re happy with them,” Furina concluded, reaching out to rub comforting circles onto Arlecchino’s shoulder. “I was raised with a very similar experience, so I can understand where they’re coming from.”

A rough, scarred hand was placed over her own, fingers curled against her palm in an embrace that sought closeness.

“Would you tell me what that was like for you?” Arlecchino asked softly.

It was so long ago that Furina hardly ever thought about the array of emotions she had gone through whilst fighting to be truly seen. Expressing her worries to Neuvillette had not been easy, not when he too was preoccupied with worries of his own. Giving grace to the past, Furina retold bits and pieces of her life as a young girl on a stage.

‘Lonely’ would be the best way to describe it. Furina had been lonely. She would work herself as hard as she could because she was good . She was incredible at her craft, or so the audience would claim. But when she would find Neuvillette amongst the sea of applause, he would nod in a greeting and offer her a polite smile. A short compliment would reach her ears after a show, then suddenly they were headed back home together in silence. He was older than her, fifteen years at that, and he had many responsibilities to attend to if he wished to keep the two of them fed and sheltered.

Furina didn’t want to be selfish. She didn’t want to request celebration dinners after every successful play. And she certainly did not want to bother Neuvillette with something as trivial as a few extra seconds of praise. But she would always yearn for that praise from the one person who had been a constant in her life. The cheers of a crowd were a lovely sound, but nothing would have compared to the approval from the only family she had. It would never matter how distant they inevitably grew, or how little Furina was ever told about Neuvillette’s life apart from her, they were family.

And Furina knew just how important family was to Arlecchino.

“We were so different. He was withdrawn, but I knew he cared about me,” Furina murmured. As she spoke of her youth, she had relaxed against Arlecchino. Her head rested against a strong shoulder, and their hands held together snuggly. “I just don’t want to see your kids go through that. Do more than offer congratulations. Ask them about how they felt about their show. Tell them about every trick that impressed you. That’s all they want to hear.”

A deep, pensive sigh sounded from the omega beside her. She looked up at Arlecchino, hoping she hadn’t made her feel guilty. Offering advice from such a tender place in her memories may have painted a much more concerning picture than she had intended.

“I will keep this in mind. Thank you, Furina.”

Instead of fretful apologies, Arlecchino pressed her face to the top of Furina’s head. She did not say anything further, she simply rested against her soft hair.

There the two sat, taking in each other's presence. Slowly, their touches began to shift. Hands move, rubbing sweetly across a thigh or brushing through hair. They had yet to feel so connected.

“Arlecchino,” Furina whispered, “I’ve never told anyone that. You- you make me feel so...”

“I know, I feel the same for you,” Arlecchino breathed, still leaning against the alpha.

Safe. They feel safe.

Before Furina could think, Arlecchino pressed a kiss to her hair. Then another. Her kiss was warm and kind, so unfamiliar and yet she longed to feel it forever. She tilted her head upwards, now fully facing Arlecchino. Neither spoke, they did not need to ask questions. With inviting eyes alone, their lips met. And they shared their first, soft kiss.

Furina yawned as she exited the guest bedroom. The bed had been surprisingly comfortable despite being so unused. Getting up had been a test of will. The rest of her night with Arlecchino had been delightful, and the memory continued to play in her mind as she awoke. They had remained on the couch to cuddle and talk, with playful kisses being placed upon skin at random, something Furina found she quite enjoyed. After a small handful of hours, they turned in for bed, offering a final long and sweet kiss to each other's lips before parting for the night.

Furina walked down the hall into the warm living room in search of Arlecchino. Instead, she found Freminet, sitting alone on the floor tinkering with an open clock in his lap. With no one else in sight, Furina approached the boy.

“Good morning, Freminet,” she greeted as she knelt down to him. “Where’s the rest of your family?”

“Father went out to buy something from a shop,” he mumbled, concentrating more on the gears in his hands than the conversation. “Lyney and Lynette are still getting out of bed, I think.”

Furina hummed. When had Arlecchino left the house? Hopefully she would return soon, Furina did not know if she could watch over a six year old for very long without help. Although, he did seem to be a very mellow boy. He was hardly paying her any attention; his focus was centred fully around his little project. Tiny fingers pulled gears and knobs out from their casing, then placed each piece aside to be attended to later. Furina did wonder about all those little parts being choking hazards, but something told her that Arlecchino taught her kids better than to eat small objects.

The two sat quietly together. Furina observed while Freminet disassembled his blue clock.

“Miss Furina?” Freminet spoke up after a few minutes of silence. “What do you do when you go to the beach? Do you go by yourself?”

Ah, yes, Furina remembered. Freminet had seemed rather interested when she mentioned her enjoyment of the ocean and its animals. Perhaps this is what Furina could try to bond with him through.

“I go surfing! Have you ever tried that before?”

“No.” Freminet shook his head. “I go diving every weekend. I like to see what’s under water.”

“Ooh that sounds like fun. What else do you like about diving?”

Freminet’s eyes lit up, though he still focused on his work. He then, despite being so young, listed off knowledge of things big and small involving his favorite activity. He rambled on about his diving equipment and all of the exciting wildlife he’d seen just off the coast. The boy was like a walking textbook on the subject, and it seemed like it had been a while since he had the opportunity to unload all of his favorite facts onto another person. His family had heard everything about his interests, but Furina had not.

Freminet loved swimming. He loved the peaceful ocean and the variety of life within it. He even loved simply sitting on the shore, watching the waves roll onto the sand.

“I want to go to the beach with Lyney and Lynette and Father soon. We haven't been in a long time,” Freminet pouted as he repositioned a knob into the clock.

“Tell you what,” Furina said, “I’ll help your Father plan a beach trip, and I can teach you to surf while we're there? Does that sound like fun?”

Light blue eyes sparkled with happy anticipation. Freminet nodded and continued his work with a smile.

The sound of the front door opening pulled Furina’s attention away from the little boy, and within seconds, Arlecchino came into view. “Good morning,” she greeted. She placed two bags full of ingredients for breakfast on the dining table, then joined Furina and Freminet. The two had not spent much time together before now. Arlecchino had to admit, seeing her shy son warm up to Furina made her feel incredibly light. And reassured.

Chapter Text

Saturday, October 20th

On weeks where Arlecchino could not find time in her busy schedule for dates, she and Furina continued to see each other after she dropped her kids off at the theater. They’d go on walks, chat about all that had happened since their previous conversation, and admire each other under the sunlight that shone through the leaves on the trees.

It was a peaceful routine they had created, and it suited them both perfectly.

“It’s far more freeing once you get the hang of it,” Furina rambled about her experiences with surfing. “I’m sure you would enjoy feeling the waves. It’s all very thrilling.”

She was speaking so passionately, with all the excitement she could muster in the early hours of the morning. Yet, beside her, Arlecchino struggled to pay full attention. The sun that broke through the leaves of the trees felt too hot, and the light breeze hit her skin like tiny needles. Physically, she had not felt so unwell in a long time, but that was an issue to resolve later. For now, all Arlecchino wanted to do was enjoy her walk with Furina.

But it was proving to be difficult.

The sound of Furina’s voice kept her walking straight. She could hardly process what the alpha was saying anymore. The sun began to sting. Her clothes felt suffocating. She was struggling to move.

A startled yelp sounded from beside her, and suddenly, Arlecchino was aware of shaking hands supporting her by the shoulders. She blinked away the blur that had formed over her vision, looking down to see Furina’s worried face.

“Arlecchino? Are you okay? Can you hear me?” She held her firmly in place, as if she was convinced that if she moved away, Arlecchino would collapse.

Truthfully, Arlecchino did not know if she was okay. It was likely that she was not, but that would be odd. She had been just fine when she woke up, and there had been no issues until moments ago.

“Yes, I am fine,” the words came out far too strained for her own liking. “I apologise, I don’t know what came over me.”

Furina just shook her head. “You are not fine. You stumbled over yourself and I thought you were going to fall! Let’s head back to the theater, you need to sit down.”

Arlecchino was not going to argue. She’d much rather get out of the prickling sun and the cutting autumn air. Still, she mourned for the peace they had just lost. Furina led the way to an empty rehearsal hall, and quickly set up two chairs for them to rest side by side. Now away from the outdoor elements, Arlecchino attempted to focus on the strange sensations her body was sending her. It seemed the irritation had not come from intense rays of sun, otherwise her skin would have stopped tingling. Faintly, she could hear Furina asking questions, asking how she could help, but the only answer Arlecchino could think to give filled her with dread.

Her body hurt, she noticed. The full body ache she normally experienced due to the years of taking suppressants was suddenly amplified. Her senses were heightened, her skin was hot, and her scent glands began to itch under the layers of blocker patches.

It was bound to happen eventually...

“I’m out of time,” Arlecchino muttered into her hand.

This only sparked more worry from Furina. Her hands hovered, too nervous to touch the omega while she was so visibly upset. “What do you mean? Are you in pain? How can I help you?” She kept her voice low, fortunately, but she was still fretting in circles.

“Furina,” Arlecchino grabbed at one of her hands, squeezing it tight to ground her mind, “I need to go home.”

“Agreed! I’ll pull my car around and-”

“No.” Arlecchino hurriedly grabbed Furina’s wrist as she moved to stand. “I will manage going home myself.”

Furina gaped. The idea of letting her drive home sounded absurd, not to mention dangerous. And, she wouldn’t say it, but it had been hurtful to hear that her help was not wanted. If she was not more concerned with Arlecchino’s well-being, she would have been offended. “What? No, you can barely stand. I can’t in good conscience let you drive right now.”

Unfortunately, to Arlecchino, the matter was not up for debate. She, still holding Furina by the wrist, whipped the alpha to her side to step around her. She did not fling her hard, but the concern and confusion only deepened on her delicate features at the motion of her assistance being swiftly denied.

“I will call you when I get home,” Arlecchino promised, “but for now I need to go alone. This will be best for both of us.” Without another word, she turned and left.

Furina sat in the empty rehearsal hall, worried and scared. That had all happened too fast. Was there anything more she could have done? Was Arlecchino going to make it home safely? She said she would call, but Furina did not think she could wait that long.

She didn’t chase, though. The fear of making things worse, of losing Arlecchino due to her prying, kept her in place. She stumbled back into her chair and huffed in disbelief.

Two hours had slowly ticked by. Furina was unable to put her phone down for a second and muted waves of agitated pheromones drifted off of her, much to the annoyance of coworkers and performers alike. During her lunch, Furina sat alone in silence, waiting for that promised call. She scrambled to put her food down to grab her phone when it rang, with Arlecchino’s name displayed on the screen.

“Hello?” she answered in a hurry. “Are you home?”

“Yes, I arrived just fine,” Arlecchino’s voice came through clear as ever, but she sounded worn down, utterly exhausted.

Furina wanted to interrogate her. She wanted to demand answers. How could she leave without giving an explanation when she was clearly not in any state to do so? But the wavering tone in her voice was too unlike her.

“What now? If there’s anything you need from me, I’ll do it,” Furina spoke softly.

Short, muffled sounds came from her phone's speaker. Arlecchino was moving around, contemplating her response. For several seconds, that was the only sound Furina could hear. Before she could ask again, she heard a muffled reply. “I cannot leave the house to collect my children. I will tell you the pick-up times and locations via text message. Please, bring them home.”

“Yeah, okay. I can do that. Are you safe right now?”

A sigh. A pause. “Yes. I am.”

Furina assured that the three kids would get home safely in her care, and after some hesitation, she let Arlecchino go.

Within seconds, she received the address that she would find Freminet at and the times diving lessons and rehearsals were over, as well as a side note that the children each had house keys. They could let themselves in when they were home.

The instructions were simple, straightforward, but Furina was unable to shake the deep feeling of unease.

Lyney and Lynette had been excited when Furina informed them that she would be bringing them home on this day. It was quite the adventure to them, it seemed. However, Freminet had been a bit more reluctant. This was not the typical pick-up routine he was used to, and while Furina was a familiar face, she was not his Father. Not to mention...

“But Miss Furina,” Freminet protested nervously, “I don’t have my seat.”

He stood right outside the car beside Furina, who held the back door open while she waited for him to climb in.

“Your seat?” Furina questioned.

“Freminet still needs a car seat,” Lyney chimed in. “He’s not old enough to sit without it yet.”

“Okay, well, Freminet, I don’t have your car seat, but your Father asked me to bring you home. It’s a short drive, you’ll be just fine without it.” Furina, one hand still on the door, motioned for the boy to sit with his siblings, but he wouldn’t budge.

He had a perfectly good reason, Furina would admit, but she had clear instructions: pick them up and bring them home. She refused to give up and call Arlecchino for help when she was so obviously not well enough to assist.

“Freminet,” Lynette spoke up, “how about you sit next to me and I can hold your hand while we go home? That way you’ll be completely safe.”

Furina glanced quickly between Lynette and Freminet, hoping that this would solve the issue.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

Lynette nodded, patting the empty seat beside her. After only a brief moment more of hesitation, Freminet climbed into the car to sit beside his sister. She buckled him in and held his hand over his lap. “See? It’s not so bad.”

Furina smiled at the sweet display, whispering her thanks to Lynette before shutting the backdoor and taking her place in the driver's seat.

“Oh! Miss Furina, I forgot to ask!” Lyney said, grabbing the backrest where Furina sat. “Where’s Father at? Did her grocery shopping run too long?”

“Ah- no, she’s at home. But I don’t think she’s feeling very good today.” A terribly vague version of the truth, but the truth nonetheless. Besides, there was not much more she could elaborate on, even if she wanted to.

“Is she sick?”

“I... don’t know. But I’m sure she’ll tell us what happened once we see her.”

That was what Furina was hoping for, at least. Part of her assumed that the kids had never seen her unwell in their entire lives. Would Arlecchino even tell them what happened at the theater? Would she even tell Furina? Now that made her worried. She’s scared, of course she is. Arlecchino, in all her stubborn strength, nearly tumbled to the ground and still insisted on driving herself home afterwards. All Furina could do was focus on returning to her.

The rest of the trip was otherwise uneventful. The kids talked amongst themselves, recounting interesting things they’d done, seen, or learned. Furina had to admit, she enjoyed listening to them.

As the house came into view, Furina felt her skin prickle. Impatience to get inside and see Arlecchino suddenly spiked, and as they pulled into the driveway Furina had to recollect herself before she could attempt to rush the kids out of her car.

“Father? We’re home!” Lyney called into the house as they entered. The kids looked around the entryway before rushing into the living room, then the dining room. They called out again, before Arlecchino emerged from the hall, likely having come from her bedroom.

“Hello,” she greeted. Her voice was even, but obviously strained. Her posture was no better. Tense shoulders and fidgeting hands gave her discomfort away, creating a jarring contrast from her typically casual and confident stance. “Children, I apologize for being unable to meet you after your activities. Unfortunately, I must ask that you all head to your rooms for now. Miss Furina and I need to speak with one another.”

The kids nodded in agreement, and brushed past their parent as they walked down the hall. Now alone, the long awaited explanation began.

Arlecchino offered her hand to Furina, who took it, allowing herself to be guided to the dining room table. They sat in silence as Arlecchino struggled to find the words of admission.

“I had to make a phone call that I have been dreading,” Arlecchino began. “It would seem that it is no longer safe for my health to continue taking heat suppressants without experiencing more dangerous side effects. The discomfort I feel day to day has been amplified, and I have been advised to stop my dosage for a full year.”

Oh...

Furina’s heart sank. She knew, they both knew this would happen one day. Arlecchino had made it seem like she could go on forever taking her little pills that kept her heat cycle away, but now she looked defeated. The confident face she wore was lost in the realization that her body was betraying her.

“What will you do?” Furina asked gently. “Will you be able to know when your heat will come?”

“I won’t take my suppressants tomorrow morning, as I normally would. From there, I will have to wait until it arrives. It could catch up with me immediately, or it could take several weeks. Currently, it is difficult to say.” Arlecchino dropped her head in her hand, only further highlighting her stress.

Furina didn’t know what to say. There was nothing to be done that could comfort her, no words that would put her mind at ease. This was a nightmare that Arlecchino would have done anything to outrun. But she could not take care of her kids in her current state. Her skin was flushed, her hands trembled, and she looked exhausted after only a day of her body rejecting the suppressants. Furina reached out to take her partner's hand.

“If you need help through this, I’ll be here with you. Just say the word.” She rubbed her thumb over scarred knuckles, hoping she could provide comfort.

To her surprise, Arlecchino laughed. It was a short, breathy laugh of disbelief.

“Never once did I ever think I would spend a heat with a partner. I had no need to dwell on this, it simply was.” Arlecchino lifted Furina’s hand, a kiss to it. “I cannot say that I have the experience to make the week of this heat enjoyable, but if you would not mind accompanying me, your presence is more than welcome.”

Then, to her surprise, Furina laughed as well. Loud and excitable.

“Must you always speak so formally? I can accompany you, yes. Although,” she leaned in, whispering, “I’m more inclined to say I’ll be indulging you.”

“Furina, please, my children are here.” Arlecchino glanced over her shoulder to make sure the kids were not eavesdropping. She turned back to speak again, when it dawned on her. “My children. They cannot stay here while I’m in heat. I have nowhere to send them.”

There had been many days in the past when Arlecchino had to leave Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet in the care of another person. Each time, she had turned to a young man who she worked with. He was kind, energetic, and had quite a few younger siblings, leading her to correctly assume he would know how to watch over her kids for short periods of time. The issue now is that Arlecchino could not ask him to watch her children for a full week. Six hours was usually pushing it; they’d have to look elsewhere.

They had no other family, and Arlecchino would never trust any of her other coworkers to watch the kids. She was visibly frustrated and beyond worried, forcing Furina to search for an answer herself.

“How would you feel about leaving them with my friends?” she offered. “They run a local bakery together; they make their own schedule. I know the kids would be safe with them.”

Arlecchino was quiet as she considered the idea. She trusted Furina’s judgment, but she did not know these people. As unlikely as it was that Furina would suggest leaving the kids with dangerous people, she was too unsure.

“Tell me about them. Then I can decide.”

After knowing Navia and Clorinde for so long, Furina had no trouble recounting various facts of their lives. The omega and beta couple have been in a relationship for years and years. The Spina di Rosula bakery had been opened under their management around three years ago, and remained popular for Navia’s culinary skills and bright hospitality. Meanwhile, Clorinde dedicated herself to keeping tabs on funds and shipments, as well as becoming security of sorts towards any unruly customers they encountered.

In their downtime, they played tabletop games and threw parties for any occasion they could think of. Furina herself had joined plenty of get-togethers that had been organized simply because Navia wanted to see her friends on a whim or because Clorinde missed hosting. They were kindhearted and responsible enough to watch three well-behaved children for a week. Furina could promise her that much.

“What would you say to meeting up with them tomorrow?" Furina asked after relaying every positive attribute she could think of. "Perhaps we could think of it like an interview? I know they’ll be happy to help, but only if you feel comfortable with that arrangement.”

Her question was answered with a nod, though it was obvious Arlecchino still had some reservation. That was fine. Furina just needed to show to her that Clorinde and Navia could be trusted.

Furina stayed at the house again that night, still in the privacy of the guest bedroom, but close enough to Arlecchino to soothe her worries when they appeared.

But while she slept peacefully, Arlecchino had nightmares of a long-repressed memory.

The freedom the young girl, recently going by Arlecchino, had been clawing her way towards was hers. Her new home, which she had managed to pay off all on her own, was exactly what Clervie had said she dreamed of. Big, open rooms. And lots of them too. Five bedrooms, which she had yet to decide the purpose of.

Not that it mattered yet.

Very soon, however, as if mocking her for thinking she could finally experience peace, her body betrayed her.

In the early hours of the morning, just a handful of weeks after her eighteenth birthday, she awoke hot and in pain.

The feeling was so new and so foreign to her, that she had not known what it was at first. A fever, perhaps? But as she fought away the lingering sleep that fogged her mind, dread sank in.

Arlecchino was presenting. And as some sort of cruel joke, she was an omega.

No. No, no, please. After everything... why?

A wave of hot discomfort threatened to tug a humiliating whine from her. Her fists balled the sheets and breaths became distressed as the gravity of her new situation continued to dawn on her. She was afraid, she felt sick, the room was spinning. This had every potential to control her life.

Arlecchino would never find freedom. Not even in her own body. Surely, that was the only lesson she could learn from this punishment.

Arlecchino woke up with chills running through her limbs. The memory of her first heat was not pleasant. Trapped in a big house, alone and horrified at the urges that wouldn’t stop itching at her. Nesting, needing to be held and protected, wanting to be claimed... Such vile things.

She dressed herself and prepared for a visit from Furina’s friends. They had been contacted the night before, and informed of small pieces of the situation. Arlecchino purposefully wanted to be vague with the request to meet them, only wishing to reveal her reasoning after she found that they could both be trusted.

Breakfast was made for her children, snacks and drinks were prepared for the guests, and an extra layer of scent blockers rested on her wrists and neck to make up for the missing dose of her suppressants. Her body still ached, though not as awfully as the day before. After ten years, it seemed it would take some time for the drug to fully leave her system.

Light footsteps approached her as she stood in the kitchen with her plates of food.

“Morning,” Furina announced her presence and rested her head against Arlecchino. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than yesterday. Although, I must admit to being tentative about this idea of yours.”

“They’re nice people. I promise. The kids can even talk to them today if you’d like them to. Whatever it takes to help you feel okay with this.” Furina pressed a kiss to her partner's cheek. “Navia and Clorinde will be here any minute, but you can always change your mind if you don’t want them here. No one will hold it against you.”

“I will,” Arlecchino huffed. “I cannot let an opportunity to keep the children safe slip past me. I am wary, but I am not going to reject them without reason.”

“Everything will be okay.” Furina kissed her again. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Knock, knock, knock!

If Arlecchino had been a jumpy person, surely the sound would have startled her.

“That must be them!” Furina exclaimed. “Shall we let them in?”

With one last grounding sigh, Arlecchino agreed, and they started the short path to the front door. Honestly, she had not known what she expected to see on the other side of the door when she opened it. She was rather surprised to see that Furina’s two closest friends looked like exact opposites of each other. Navia appeared like the happiest ray sunshine, while Clorinde seemed far more serious, but still plenty kind. A wave of blonde curls entered her home as Navia leaned forward to give Furina a hug.

“Hey there! Haven’t seen you in a while!” Her bright eyes jumped to Arlecchino and she reached her hand out in greeting. “And hello to you! I’m Navia. It is such a pleasure to meet you.”

Her voice was loud, surely catching the attention of her children in the other room. “Ah, likewise. I am Arlecchino.” She shook the woman's hand. Her grip was strong and warm.

“No introduction needed on your end! Furina has told Clorinde and I all about you already.” Navia jumped from Furina’s embrace to her girlfriend's side. Clorinde, who had been quiet thus far, also outstretched a hand for Arlecchino to shake, offering a polite greeting of her own.

“Oh? All about me?” Arlecchino questions with slight amusement as she motions for her guests to enter. Her gaze fell upon Furina as they walked down the hall into the living room. “My, what could you have told them that could be so intriguing?”

“Where to begin with the stories Furina loves to tell,” Clorinde sighed, taking a seat beside Navia on one of the comfortable couches lining the walls of the room.

Navia laughed. “She loves to tell us about your dates and how much fun you are. Oh! And what would a conversation about you be without mention of your kids? Furina just loves them, I’m sure you know. I must say, raising them as a single omega is genuinely praiseworthy!”

The courteous smile Arlecchino had been wearing twitched slightly at Navia’s words. No, she had not meant to offend, but she was not supposed to have said that. She was not supposed to have any reason to refer to Arlecchino as an omega. One glance at Furina told her everything she needed to know. The alpha, sensing eyes on her, paled as her mistake came to light.

Despite Arlecchino’s clear request, Furina had shared her decade-long secret with strangers. No one else had ever known. Not even her children.

Unfortunately for the rage that quickly began boiling beneath Arlecchino’s skin, now was not an appropriate time to confront Furina about the matter, and so, she forced the feeling away and continued to speak in the same cool and even tone she always carried. “Indeed. The children are my pride and joy. It is no wonder Furina would be so eager to tell you about the three of them.”

The idle chatting continued on while Furina ruminated in her own head. The sharp gaze that momentarily pressed into her skull still stung. Though she would not show it with guests around, Arlecchino was silently furious. And with good reason. The first promise - the very first promise - that Furina had given to her had been broken. In fact, it would not be untrue to say it had been broken the night after their first date. She had called Navia and Clorinde to ask for advice on dating an omega, knowing that if the relationship were to become serious, her friends would one day meet her. The questions were all in the name of showing Arlecchino respect, but it in turn demonstrated the opposite. And then she told them her name, further burying herself in the hole she dug so quickly with her own selfish excitement.

It was over. Surely, it must be. How could Furina hope to be forgiven for this?

She could barely hear what was being discussed around her; it was all just a blur censored by her nerves. Until, a hand rested atop her shoulder. The familiar, gentle touch of Arlecchino was now too stiff.

“Furina, would you fetch the children for us? I’d like Clorinde and Navia to meet them.”

Furina blinked away her panic before stammering, “Yes! Yes, I’ll go get them.” She scurried away, collected the kids from their rooms where they waited for their Fathers summons, and did her best to proudly present them to her friends.

As expected, Freminet seemed hesitant at first. Just as he had upon meeting Furina for the first time. Lyney, on the other hand, was curious and outgoing, just as expected. He’d walked right up to them, shy siblings in tow, and gave enthusiastic introductions. Lynette wore an almost disinterested expression, through her eyes flicked around attentively, showing her curiosity. Soon the three of them were sitting on the carpet, talking happily with the two kind strangers who joined them on the floor.

Anxiously, Furina moved to return to Arlecchino’s side. She slowly sat down on the couch they’d been sharing.

Attempting to disregard her worries, she spoke in a whisper, “Hey, Ar-”

“Not yet. I’m still thinking.”

Furina nodded. That was alright. She could wait. It was the least she could do.

An hour of watching the kids get to know Clorinde and Navia passed by without issue. They got along very well, it seemed, and Arlecchino could not be more relieved. These people were kind, respectful, and patient. She had no qualms about leaving her children in their care. Goodbyes were exchanged before the sun had set, and soon the house's guests had gone.

Arlecchino quietly instructed the kids to select dinner from the pantry and begin any meal prep that they could. Once they were out of earshot, she finally faced Furina.

“Well-”

Arlecchino could not get more than one word out before Furina broke down in apologies.

“I’m so sorry,” she began repeating. Her fingers shakily gripped at her clothes and ran through her hair, as she rambled. “There’s nothing I can say or do to fix this, but I promise they’re the only people that know! I was stupid! It was so stupid, and wrong and I understand if you can’t forgive me-”

“Furina, please,” Arlecchino held up her hands to shush her, “I need you to calm yourself.”

With shiny eyes and mouth agape, Furina searched silently for answers. “I... but...”

“I will not deny that you did something that so blatantly disrespected my privacy,” Arlecchino spoke with a tightened jaw, “but they are close to you. They would have found out eventually.”

The dazed look in Furina’s eyes along with the quiet, “Huh?” begged Arlecchino to continue explaining.

“I assume you would like this relationship to continue as much as I do?”

“Yes, doubtlessly, I do-”

“Your friends are important parts of your life, Furina. I would not ask you to keep a secret from them forever. That is not realistic. Although, I would have preferred for you to have at least tried.” Arlecchino sighed, recomposing herself. “Not only that, but I could not in good conscience attempt to lie about the reason I need them to watch the children for a week. It would have been very obvious, since you, an alpha, will be with me the entire time. I would have been a fool to dance around it.”

“Did you tell them why you need them to watch your kids?”

“Yes, I did. You seemed rather zoned out, so I cannot blame you for missing this. I informed them that I have a heat coming after years of suppressing it. I have nowhere else to send my family. They agreed without question. Your friends are very generous.”

“Yeah, they never hesitate to lend a hand,” Furina said with an unsteady smile. “Listen, I’m still so sorry. I’m glad you’re not too upset, but-”

“Furina, do not misunderstand me,” Arlecchino interrupted once again. “If your friends had not been here, I can’t guarantee I would not have lashed out.”

Silence filled the room.

A heartbroken frown tugged Furina’s lips, quivering as if she were about to cry. “What can I do? How can I make this up to you?”

“Furina, I do like you. More than I had expected.” She paused, taking a step to finally close the gap between them. “There is nothing to be done about this mistake of yours. All I can ask is that you be by my side in the coming weeks.”

“You still want my help? I was worried that... maybe you wouldn’t want to see me anymore.”

“Anger will not negate my feelings for you so easily. I would like to move past this, but I need to know that my personal life will not be discussed so heedlessly.”

“It won’t be,” Furina promised. Slowly, she brought a hand up to caress Arlecchino’s cheek, a motion she found offered more comfort to the omega than holding one of her rough hands. “I won’t make this mistake again.”

Arlecchino nodded in a wordless agreement. Furina was not attempting to toy with her, the sincerity was obvious.

“Let us see how dinner is coming along.”

They walked, side by side, in an image that almost looked too domestic. Furina smiled as Arlecchino’s features began to soften. There would be bumps in the road, that much was certain, but their communication and honesty would continue to grow. In time, Furina was confident that- Ah. They had left the children alone for too long... How did they manage to get so much tomato sauce on the ceiling?

Chapter Text

Monday, October 29th 

Five days after Arlecchino stopped taking her suppressants, her body went into pre-heat. The warning of a full oncoming heat typically lasted four days or less, thus beginning the waiting. Arlecchino and Furina quickly requested the week off from their jobs, each citing an urgent family matter as their excuse for being out.

While at home Arlecchino was irritable and clingy, the latter being only with Furina. Despite the alpha having no issue with the frequent close contact, Arlecchino still needed her personal space. More often than not, Arlecchino was initiating the sudden hugs in the kitchen, or the late-night cuddles before bed. If she did not approach Furina first, it was safe to assume she did not wish to be approached at all.

On the first day of pre-heat, Furina dragged over a stuffed suitcase from her home that she’d filled with shirts, blankets, sweaters, and sheets. After some hesitation on Arlecchino’s part, she accepted the gift, tucking it under her bed for later use. The materials were intended to be used to build the nest, but Furina often noticed Arlecchino wearing one of her scented blankets over her shoulders.

On the second day, the two sat the children down to explain that they had a bit of a strange week ahead of them. To Arlecchino’s dismay, they had to fib a little. As far as Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet knew, their Father had very recently caught a very mild sickness. However, to avoid spreading it, they would soon have to spend some time at the home of the two nice women they’d met not too long ago. Arlecchino promised multiple times that they would be returning home on the day she was well enough to see them again. Furina had not thought of why at first, but soon realized the effect that switching homes must have on young children who once had nowhere to call home.

Furina promised to bake cookies with them the moment they came home at the end of the week.

And on the third day, Arlecchino informed Furina of two rules that she planned to stand firm on.

Number one, if or when they have sex during her heat, Furina is to stay fully clothed from the waist down. The thought of being knotted sounded far from appealing, as did an accidental pregnancy. To avoid either from occurring, Furina would have to plan other methods of keeping her partner satiated.

And number two, no mating bites. It was simply too soon, Arlecchino reasoned, which Furina quickly agreed with. Small bites placed variously across the skin was perfectly fine, but the signature deep bite between the neck and shoulder was strictly off limits for both of them.

Everything else, in Arlecchino’s opinion, was fairly flexible. Neither of them truly knew what to expect. A decade of suppressants had the potential to completely shift the body's natural behavior. Despite all the hours of emotional preparation, as well as doing basic research on what is typical, both felt as though they were going in blind. But each night, before Furina and Arlecchino retired to their respective rooms to sleep, the two would offer reassuring kisses and soft words of support.

Regardless of what the week had in store for them, they would be by each other's side.

On this early Monday morning, Furina woke up with a feeling of urgency. She sat up straight from her bed and looked around the guest room she’d been staying in for the past three days. The early morning sun was still rising, barely illuminating her surroundings. Nothing looked wrong from where she sat, but muffled, rushing footfalls from down the hall had her up in a second. She hurried out the door and instantly turned to Arlecchino’s bedroom. In her rush, she had forgotten to knock before entering, and she would not say that she had expected the sight that greeted her.

Arlecchino was dressed, though the clothes she wore were rather light. A loose fitting long sleeve shirt paired with pajama shorts that seemed more suitable for summertime sleepwear. On the floor, situated right beside her bed, was a small nest that looked to have been thrown together haphazardly. She stood over it, hunched down slightly as if she were in the middle of working on it. Almost instantly, Furina was hit with the scent that filled the entire room. She never would have guessed that Arlecchino, her strong, scary omega, would smell of roses.

Furina’s knees threatened to give out as the alluring heat pheromones wrapped around her, but she composed herself with the reminder that Arlecchino would need her to stay focused.

“Hey...” she tried gently, not entering the room just yet, “how are you feeling?”

“Warm,” Arlecchino practically growled out. Agitation was apparent on her face, only worsening now that someone was witnessing her shame.

“Ah... yes, that makes sense. The- the kids have school in a few hours, do you need me to help them get ready?” Furina had not expected to feel so on-edge. She blamed it on the powerful pheromones surrounding her, but truthfully the dark eyes fixated on her every move kept her locked in place.

“Please, if you can. As much as I want you in here, I need the children taken care of first. I can’t guarantee I’ll let you leave the room after you’ve settled in.”

“Noted. Um... alright. I’ll make sure they’ve got everything they need for today, and I’ll let Navia and Clorinde know that they need to pick the kids up from school.”

Arlecchino nodded, swallowing around slow, shallow breaths. “Thank you. Go... go please. I will see you in... a few hours.”

Furina shut the door, separating her from her omega. Creating the distance was a challenge to her own instincts. Her alpha mind was demanding she enter the room immediately to claim what was hers. It almost made her angry to walk away. But, Furina had to remind herself, it surely hurt much worse for Arlecchino. An omega watching a door close from a potential mate had to have felt like rejection. Furina would have to do plenty to make up for that, even though they both knew it was not her intention.

With the knowledge of the long day that awaited her, Furina returned to her room for her phone and sent a quick text to Clorinde.

“ Arlecchino is in heat. Could I trouble you to pick up her kids from school today? ”

“Miss Furina! We’re ready!” Lyney called from the front door.

After nearly three hours of pacing around the house, even going outside a few times to escape the beckoning pheromones that wafted through the air, Furina had to drive the children to school. She shouted back an acknowledgement before grabbing her car keys and masking the desperation clawing at her bones.

“Okay,” she announced with a bright smile, “let’s get going then!”

Over the weekend, Furina had moved Freminet’s car seat into her own vehicle. Acting on pre-heat nesting instincts, Arlecchino hadn’t wanted to leave the house, which meant that transportation duties would fall on Furina. She was very grateful they had handled it beforehand, seeing as she very much wanted to avoid having to convince Freminet that he would be safe without it. Again.

The car seat, along with three suitcases of clothes and various other belongings, would be handed off to Clorinde and Navia before Furina returned to Arlecchino.

With little hassle, she herded the kids into her car and tried to enjoy the early morning drive.

That was, until she noticed the kids were too quiet. She glanced at the backseats. All three looked rather unhappy, as though they were trying to sort through an upsetting thought.

“Hey, what’s going on back there?” Furina asked gently. “Not up for school today?”

“Not really,” Lynette sighs, earning her a shushing from Lyney.

“Lynette, it’s fine. I’m sure she’ll tell us about it later.”

“Tell you what? If something is bothering you, just let me know and I’ll see if I can fix it.” Furina doesn’t want to pry too far if she can help it, but it almost seemed impossible to send them to school while they were all practically sulking.

The kids exchanged quick glances between each other before Lyney looked back to Furina. “Is Father okay? We didn’t get to see her before we left and the house smelled weird. It’s just... I don’t know, it’s never happened before.”

They were worried. Of course they were! There was a perfectly good reason to be. They had a routine in the home, and it had been completely turned around. Suddenly, their Father wasn’t wishing them a good morning. Suddenly, the house smelled faintly of agitated pheromones, which surely hit their senses more powerfully with them still being young. And suddenly, they were being sent to live elsewhere for a week with little explanation.

An explanation was not easy to pull together without letting Arlecchino’s secret slip. And Furina was not going to make the same mistake twice. Under no circumstance were the children allowed to find out what was happening. It was unlikely that they would go around telling other people family secrets, but they were still kids. And kids talk, often without much regard. Arlecchino hated to hide pieces of herself from them, but it was not a subject she wanted to discuss with them yet.

Furina sighed before finally offering as much information as she could. “Well, your Father isn’t feeling her best right now. She’ll be just fine, I promise. But she worried that she wouldn’t be able to watch over you properly while she’s... unwell . So, for now, Miss Navia and Miss Clorinde are going to take care of you. It’s only for one week, remember? One week and you'll be right back home in your own beds.”

The children nodded, mumbling out quiet “Okay”s.

...Furina didn’t want to send them to school in this state.

“Alright, tell you what. How about we just go straight to Navia and Clorinde’s house? Maybe they’ll even take you out for some ice cream later.”

Lyney and Freminet both looked to their siblings to see what they thought of missing a day of school, but Lynette looked right at Furina with hopeful eyes.

Ice cream it is then.

Arlecchino sat awkwardly on her knees in the confused mess that was her nest. It was thrown together in a dazed rush after she’d woken up hot and agitated. Her heat, now in full swing, had rudely jolted her awake and the first thing she did was give into the need to pile up clothes and bedding that smelled like safety. When Furina had opened the door, she was reminded that she would in fact have a partner with her, leading to some rearrangements being done. In her attempts to make the nest big enough to fit two people, it had become somewhat lopsided. There was plenty of material to work with, but the longer she worked on adjustments, the more frustrated she became with its lack of perfection.

After an entire morning of digging and pushing the fabrics around, she’d finally found it satisfactory. All she could do was sit and wait patiently for Furina to return to her.

She would not admit it aloud, but waiting was painful. Every second that dragged by felt like it carried waves of torment along with it. As much as she tried to tell herself that it was a made up feeling, all in her head, Arlecchino felt abandoned. Watching Furina, an alpha that could help her , leave was disgustingly unbearable. There was nothing more agonizing than the desire to be held close and scented, and for that need to not be met...

It hurt.

Even knowing that her children were no longer home hurt. She wanted her family to be safe and happy, but she hated that they had to do so away from their home. If her whining omega instincts controlled her, the children would no doubt have been required to stay home so that she could scent and protect them herself. But Arlecchino didn’t want that. Her clouded mind did.

For now, she was alone. Left to pour her scent onto no one, filling the air and bathing in pheromones that would surely begin to sour as time passed on in her lonesome. There was no one. Not a soul in sight that could help her now. Had Furina lied? Did she change her mind? Too disturbed by Arlecchino being some pathetic, desperate omega to ever bother returning to her side.

It couldn't be true. Arlecchino rubbed at her eyes in frustration, willing the doubt to go away, but it persisted. An ugly fear of abandonment that she had never faced threatened to crush her hopes of finding peace in her own skin.

A low sigh forced its way past her lips, and Arlecchino pleaded with herself to wait patiently.

“Furina? We weren’t expecting you all yet. Is everything alright?” Clorinde asked, puzzled at the sight of her friend standing on her front step with the three very polite children she had met only days prior.

“Yeah, everything’s okay, but, um...” she hesitated. There wasn’t much she could say with three little sets of listening ears surrounding her.

Clorinde picked up on Furina’s pause, blinked down at the children, then began to shoo them into the home. “Miss Navia is still making breakfast. If you’re hungry, ask her for an omelette.” 

Happy nods and eager comments about omelettes passed through the doorway. The moment the kids were out of earshot, Clorinde looked back to Furina, silently giving her the go-ahead to explain.

“We didn’t think Arlecchino’s heat would upset the kids so much,” Furina said, fidgeting with the long sleeve of her shirt. “They don’t know what’s happening. Arlecchino wants them to think that she’s sick, but they could still tell something is wrong and I felt bad sending them to school so I just... brought them here.”

“Furina, it is fine. We knew they would be staying with us eventually. Navia and I are going to help you.” Clorinde spoke firmly, both hands on Furina’s shoulders to keep her steady. “Before you go, you must calm down. I won’t in good conscience let you return to her while you are so panicked.”

If Furina were to dare a glance into a mirror, she surely would not like the image looking back at her. Unbrushed hair, clothes wrinkled from her anxious grip scrunching the fabric, and tired eyes from the long morning she’s had. And above all, she could not help that her concern was written all over her face.

“Is it that bad?”

“Yes, and you smell stressed too.”

Furina winced with embarrassment. Her uneasy pheromones must have been strong if even Clorinde, a beta with a slightly dulled sense of smell, could notice them. “I hate to admit it, but I am scared.”

“Worry not,” Clorinde continued. “Take a minute to center yourself. This may be your first time as a heat partner, but it is truly nothing to be afraid of.”

“Perhaps, but what if I accidentally do something to upset her? You know quite well that I can be a bit... spontaneous at times.”

Clorinde cracked a smile at Furina’s words. ‘Spontaneous’ was certainly comical wording, which they both knew. “To put it simply: fix it. I understand that solving every problem is not always feasible, but recognizing issues is very important. In my experience, Navia has taken to pouting in silence when something is bothering her during a heat. I typically notice after she's been quiet for too long.”

“And after you notice?” Furina looked up at her with hopeful eyes, eager for the solution.

“I ask her how I can help. Sometimes her answers are vague, and I need clarification, but eventually the answer becomes clear.” Clorinde smiled fondly at memories of previous heats. “Oftentimes, Navia is simply overheating, meaning I need to make sure she’s drinking enough water.”

“Overheating?” Furina asked with a smile of her own, though hers was wobbly. “I think I can handle that.”

“That is assuming you’ll face similar problems,” Clorinde said with a shrug. “Our partners are very different people. Navia loves constant physical contact, but it can distract her from taking care of herself. You may find that Arlecchino is similar, or the opposite. I cannot tell you what you will face, but you must face it in stride for her sake.”

Furina blew out a long breath, trying to keep herself together. “Yes, you’re right. Between Arlecchino and I, my job is certainly less taxing.”

“Good. It’s important to remember that. And never stop listening to her,” Clorinde advised. “But most importantly, try to have fun. Stay clean and hydrated when you can, and this early into the relationship, please do not get her pregnant.”

Furina laughed, “You sound like a parent lecturing me.” Despite her anxiousness, she was still trying to find humor.

“I feel like a parent lecturing you.” Clorinde crossed her arms. “Just, be patient with her. Even if she makes ridiculous requests or can’t find the words to help herself. You’re going to feel confused at times, but she may feel completely lost. Keep that in mind.”

“Okay... Okay. Thank you, Clorinde.”

“Anytime, my friend,” Clorinde stepped out of the doorway, guiding Furina alongside her. “Now, let’s get the children's belongings out of your car so you can leave. You need to get back to your omega.”

The drive back had been terrible. Every fiber of her being told her that she’d been away for too long, that she’d lose Arlecchino’s trust if she delayed any longer.

Using a spare key provided by the children, Furina finally entered the house and had to force herself not to run straight to Arlecchino. She was positive that after entering the nest, she would not be allowed to exit for well over a day. So, she grabbed whatever easily portable food and drink she could, stuffing them into a bag to save for when they were inevitably needed.

In a second bag, Furina fit extra clothes and as many other necessities as she could. She was sure Arlecchino could hear her shuffling around the house, definitely confused as to why she was taking so long to join her. Why hadn’t she packed earlier...?

It took Furina every ounce of her willpower to focus on preparing. In all honesty, there was nothing she wanted more than to barge in and mate with Arlecchino right then and there. The only thing stopping her was the thought of a scolding she would receive if she came empty handed, with no water and no lunch for them to share.

But once she’d collected any items she figured they would need, she slung the bags over her shoulders and rushed to Arlecchino’s bedroom, just across the hall from the guest room she’d been staying in.

The moment the door was opened, Furina nearly reeled back in surprise. The smell of heat hit her like a train. Heavy and painful pheromones flooded her senses, wringing shuddered gasp from her. Regaining her bearings, Furina braved a look in the omegas direction. In her nest, Arlecchino was on high alert, hands pressed defensively into the cushion below her as if ready to fend off this sudden intruder. Her aggressive expression eased slightly as she recognized the familiar face, but the bitterness laced in her scent was enough to warn Furina to tread carefully.

“Hi,” Furina spoke softly, hands in view, “I’m sorry I was gone for so long. Can I come in?”

A low, contemplative growl rumbled in Arlecchino’s chest. She eyed the alpha up and down before grumbling, “Yes. Walk slowly.”

Furina took small and careful steps to the edge of the nest. She didn't step inside, not yet. She needed direct permission first. Instead, she knelt down on the floor, placing the bags she had carried in beside her.

“You built a perfect nest,” she complimented, placing a cautious hand along the outside of the circle of fabrics.

“You think so?”

“I do! You’ve got enough of your own blankets to stay comfortable, and I see almost everything that I gave you is in here. And I’m guessing the smaller shirts on your left once belonged to your kids?”

Tucked neatly on one edge of the nest was what appeared to be a small collection of children's clothes. Some were toddler sized, likely Freminet’s from when he was first adopted. Others were brightly colored shirts that Lyney and Lynette had outgrown.

“Indeed, they did. These were all in boxes, and overtime they lost most of the scent they carried. Yet, I am finding comfort in these old garments.” Fond memories from years ago softened Arlecchino's tensed features further as her hand brushed over the clothes. Her fingers soon reached their way to where Furina’s hand still rested. “I am ready. Please, come sit beside me.”

Slowly, Furina rose to her feet. One step after the other, she stepped over the short wall of the nest carefully to avoid kicking any of it over. It was soft, she noted as she stood atop the padded floor. She began to crouch down, attempting to sit before Arlecchino took her by the wrist and pulled her in close. Furina was nearly pressed against her chest, and the temptation to claim the omega at that moment was overwhelming.

“Arlecchino... you are... very warm,” she sighed into the shirt covering the skin she longed to cover in bites.

“That I am. Truthfully, it is unbearable." She ran her long nails through Furina’s hair and over her skin. She wanted to experience every part of the alpha knelt down in front of her. "May I scent you?"

Furina swallowed and nodded, giving Arlecchino all the permission she needed.

Years of suppression left Arlecchino woefully inexperienced with the process of scenting. She'd never scented her children, or any items of hers in the home. Nothing had smelled like her before. Nothing had been left lingering with the elegant smell of fresh roses. Furina would be the first.

She traced her fingers across Furina’s face. Over her brow bone and down her cheek. Up and down her hand moved, until she braved the first drag of her wrist. Her scent glands tingled with a long overdue release, and Arlecchino could not contain the deep sigh of relief. A pressure, a tension that she had not known was there finally relaxed.

She continued at a slow yet comfortable pace, rubbing her wrists along as much of Furina’s skin as she could reach without removing her clothes. On occasion, when the scent glands hovered beside Furina’s lips, a kiss would be pressed against the sensitive skin, sending a chill through Arlecchino. She would have to admit, this was far more enjoyable than she had guessed it would be. Once that need was met, Arlecchino pulled her close again. She eased them to lay down in the nest, still facing each other.

“How are you feeling?” Furina murmured.

“Still warm. This cycle certainly earned its name for a reason.” Arlecchino ran her fingers through her hair, working as much cool air along her skin as she could. “Besides that, I am well. Though I could do without the occasional cramping.”

Furina propped herself up on her elbow. “Cramping?”

“Yes,” Arlecchino sighed, placing a hand to her lower stomach where the ache lingered. “It is not terribly painful, rest assured.”

Painful or not, it brought discomfort along with the persistent radiating warmth. It was a common occurrence, Furina remembered reading about in preparation for the week. To her knowledge, the best way to lessen the ache was sex, which Arlecchino did not appear to be in the mood for. Instead, Furina would have to lay her affection on thick.

She brushed her fingers over the back of Arlecchino’s hand. “May I?”

Wordlessly, Arlecchino dropped her hand from where it rested and rolled onto her back, giving Furina space to touch as she pleased. A soft palm pressed against abdominal muscles and began delicately kneading at the remaining soreness. Arlecchino’s eyes shut as she calmed with the feeling.

And for the rest of the day and all throughout the night, they held each other close. Breathing in the mingling of a sugary ocean breeze and a newly bloomed rose.

On the second morning of Arlecchino’s heat, Furina struggled to leave the nest to cook them breakfast. Yes, she had brought in snacks to hold them over, but it would not keep them well fed for long. Same went for every time she needed to use the bathroom throughout the day. Arlecchino would huff in annoyance and wave her off, as if Furina was purposefully attempting to anger her. Each time, the alpha would return, nuzzling her own scent against flushed skin.

By midday, Furina had wished she’d brought more than just her cell phone with her. Perhaps it would have been wise to pack a few books from home into her bags. She was not bored, necessarily, but she was not nearly as focused as Arlecchino seemed to constantly be.

The omega jumped between activities with ease in a matter of minutes. She’d had the sense to bring her work laptop with her, allowing her to still check in on anything she may be missing during her absence. Once business was wrapped up, she’d tend to the nest, or scent Furina again, or simply rest her head in her partner's lap to relax. Arlecchino was only in search of closeness and comfort, both of which were easily provided by her doting alpha. 

However, as the sun began to set on the second day, Furina noted a behavior that she’d not yet seen. Arlecchino was almost perfectly still, sitting with her legs tucked beneath her as she stared off at nothing. She appeared to be lost in thought. An irritating thought, at that, with her eyebrows lowered and her lips pressed together.

“Doing okay?” Furina asked, reaching out to brush her fingers through Arlecchino’s hair.

“...I am wanting,” came the hesitant response.

Furina frowned in confusion. “Do you need me to get something for you? Anything you need just say the word.”

Arlecchino’s hand lifted to meet that which combed through her hair. She held tightly, bringing Furina’s to rest in her lap. “No, no. You do not need to leave. I am... experiencing a desire that I don’t know how to express.”

Ohh, Furina had been waiting for this.

While omegas mostly spend their heats giving into their most domestic instincts, sudden spikes in libido were always expected to occur. The main purpose of heats was to breed, after all. Although, it seemed this would be a more difficult subject to navigate than it was for most other omegas.

“That’s just fine,” Furina soothed. “You don’t need to know what to do. Tell me what you need and I’ll make it happen.”

Arlecchino’s eyes scanned her up and down, lingering every so often. Her mouth opened and closed as she fought internally to find an answer to Furina’s offer of assistance. Her body burned with the need to achieve a new level of closeness, to cross the line into intimacy, but shame burned just as hot beneath her skin. Eyes dropped from the enticing body they had gazed upon, returning to staring into the distance. “I can’t. Do not make me say it out loud.”

Furina hummed. For a moment, Arlecchino thought that the hum was born of pity at the sorry state she’d surely become. But the assumption was quickly discarded as the hand she held lifted up to rest against her chest, fingers scratching gently along the junction between her neck and shoulder.

“Allow me to lead? I promise I will take good care of you.”

Arlecchino could have melted right then and there. She leaned into the touch that rested so close to her scent glands which begged to be stimulated. With a nod, she gave Furina permission to proceed as she saw fit.

Another hum, this time laced with excitement. The loose black top Arlecchino was wearing slowly tugged up and off her body, further exposing the hot blushing that must have covered her entire body by now. Wandering hands explored her. Caressing her shoulders, down to her chest, running down her bare stomach, and settling on her hips.

A blissful sigh. Arlecchino was unsure who it had come from. Though, it hardly mattered. Her body felt light, lighter than it ever had before. The uncomfortable heat nestled deep within her started to fade away from her focus with each gentle press against her skin.

Too gentle, however, were those touches. Arlecchino gripped at the hands that cradled her hips. She lifted her leg to kneel, hoisting herself up to look down at Furina.

“Do not believe me to be so fragile, Furina,” she spoke slowly, teasingly. “You wanted to help me, yes?”

Before Furina could respond, Arlecchino was pushing her down on her back against the nest. For only a moment, she had the pleasure of looking upwards at her omega, fixated on her with purely lustful intent. And suddenly she’s diving down. Lips pressed together desperately, only broken by heavy breaths.

“Arle-” Furina gasped around aggressive kisses, “Arle-! Arlecchino!”

A low purr pressed against her ear. “I do like that sound,” Arlecchino pondered aloud, “the sound of you gasping around my name.” She nipped at Furina’s ear before pressing one more long kiss to her lips. Then, she sat up straight, slipping off of Furina to remove the shorts she was wearing. “Say it again.”

“Arle,” the alpha panted with amazement, still flat on her back. So this was the fun part of heats... She made quick work of her shirt, dropping it outside of the nest, and jumped right back to Arlecchino. Now, Furina was above her, legs parted to straddle her hips. They admired each other once again in this new angle.

Furina, topless and exhilarated, gazed upon Arlecchino’s completely nude form. Scars littered every inch of her well trained body. None were as deep or damaging as those which covered her arms, but they were surly once painful. Furina longed to kiss every last one of them. Instead, she opted to take one of Arlecchino’s hands in her own, and roll an experimental grind against her.

The omega gasped, braving a glance to where Furina was pressed against her. Arlecchino felt her arousal spike, and with it came fresh slick that pooled between her thighs. Furina felt it too. She tilted her hips back to thumb near Arlecchino’s sex, getting a good look at the mess she had caused.

“There it is,” Furina praised.

“Oh,” Arlecchino scoffed, “I did not miss this. Leaking slick... how repulsive.”

“Repulsive? No, Arle,” Furina sighed out the shortened name. “It is irresistible, I assure you.”

Arlecchino bit back a groan as Furina dragged her thumb further across sensitive skin. “Irresistible, you say? Then why haven’t you taken me yet?”

All hesitation Furina had left floating around in her mind dissipated. She dropped off of Arlecchino’s hips, and instead settled between her spread legs. Quickly, she opened her omega with two fingers. With a silent ask for permission, to which she received a nod, Furina pressed inward.

Having never experienced any other partners, Furina had only ever touched herself. Arlecchino felt so different. She was warm. So warm and wet and deeper than she’d imagined. Furina slid further still, as far as she could, pressing down and curling her two fingers all the while, searching for that sweet spot.

Arlecchino, meanwhile, could not help but clench and tighten around Furina’s fingers. While she was familiar with the basic ins and outs of the human body, she was not so familiar with her own. Never had her body felt so tense yet weightless, or hot despite the exhilarating chills running through her spine. Each time a roaming finger brushed against the walls of her slicked up entrance, the tight heat of her arousal climbed higher. She had to press the back of her hand against her lips to keep a desperate moan from escaping her as Furina nestled her fingers in completely.

“Arle. Arlecchino,” Furina sang. “Do you think you could take another one? You can’t be full yet, can you?

“Another... Please, Furina, more,” the response was breathy and slurred, barely resembling the usual cadence in which Arlecchino spoke.

Furina only laughed softly, but soon obliged as she eased a third finger into Arlecchino. Once she was comfortably buried in her partner, she pulled halfway out before smoothly thrusting back in. Another tragically muffled moan reached her ears, but that wouldn’t do. Furina needed to hear her.

She repositioned once again, this time leaning over Arlecchino. The alpha lifted the arm away from Arlecchino’s face, pinning it down to the soft nest below. She then pressed kisses and tiny bites to the omegas to her jaw and neck, though she remained careful not to kiss or bite too close to the shoulder.

“There’s no need to hold back. Let me hear you,” Furina whined. She continued to pinch and suck at deliciously inviting skin, and all the while, set a rhythm to the push and pull of her fingers.

Bite marks formed against Arlecchino’s lower lip as she continued to fight off gasps and groans. But each firm tug and press shot waves of pleasure through her that began to wear down her defenses.

“ Ooh... Furina - Mmh !” Arlecchino grasped at the bedding. She was close, Furina could tell. The smell of heat had only become more overpowering, and all Furina wanted to do was push her omega over the edge. She thumbed over Arlecchino’s dreadfully neglected clit, reveling in the way she arched into it.

Then, in a swift motion that Furina had not excepted, Arlecchino yanked her own arm out from where it was pinned to the nest, grabbing Furina’s face to pull her into a kiss. Arlecchino moaned against Furina’s mouth, coming undone around her fingers. As Arlecchino’s climax washed over her, her dutiful alpha continued to work her through it. Gradually, Arlecchino relaxed, laying breathlessly beneath someone far too skilled despite having never slept with anyone.

Furina smiled proudly, brushing stray strands of hair away from her face. “Doing okay now?”

Arlecchino let out a lighthearted scoff in disbelief. “Your fingers are still inside me, and yet you have the audacity to tease me?” Furina murmured an apology and moved to pull out, when she was grabbed by the wrist and held in place. “Not yet. I’ll... I’ll be empty.”

Furina had heard of this before. The feeling of fullness an omega yearns to sustain usually comes after being knotted by an alpha. And while Furina was not currently allowed to knot her, she was holding her open wider than she’d ever been before. The weight within Arlecchino was comforting to her instincts. Perhaps even gratifying.

“Hm. Then I’ll stay right here until you’re ready,” Furina said as she lowered her body to rest beside her partners.

Arlecchino pulled her into her arms, embracing her as closely as she could. For years, the very thought of heat sex was abhorrent. Such vulnerability made her feel anxious to the point of sickness. It had never been for her; it simply was not. But Furina, delicate and thoughtful Furina, caused her no further doubt. After nearly drowning in unease, she no longer feared the days ahead.

Chapter Text

Wednesday, October 31st

Furina was standing outside of the nest with both hands holding Arlecchino’s. Try as she might, Furina struggled to get her omega to budge. They'd fallen asleep almost immediately after their long night together, and the next morning they faced two options. Arlecchino wished to stay in the comfort of her nest, while Furina practically begged that they wash up after sleeping together. As much as she loved the scent of a satisfied omega, she wished her skin was not tacky from sweat.

“Come on now, Arle,” Furina pleaded. “You can’t be comfortable like this. I know it seems nice, but we need to clean ourselves.”

“I am aware,” Arlecchino retorted. “I agree with you, but leaving feels harder than it had before.”

Their scent mingled everywhere. All over the nest, on their skin, and what little clothes they still wore. Furina would admit, the floral scent of a rose mixed with a sweet ocean breeze was divine, but one of her jobs as a heat partner was to keep up with basic hygiene. She’d already fallen behind, allowing them both to avoid bathing for so long. Despite Arlecchino’s attachment to the pheromones, they needed to leave.

“We’ll still be together. I won’t leave your side, Arlecchino.” Furina tested a tug at her hands in an attempt to pull her out of her well crafted nest.

Arlecchino frowned in irritation. It was a process her body wanted to fight against, but slowly, she came to stand beside Furina, who gently guided her to step over the nest's edge.

Wrong. It felt horribly wrong to leave now that their scents were truly blended. Arlecchino tried to ignore the itching in her bones that demanded she return to safety, but it may as well have been too late. There was no way Furina would let her scurry back. Step by step, they arrived at the bathroom door that was thankfully connected to Arlecchino’s bedroom. There was no need for exiting into the hallway and making a trip through the rest of the house.

“Alright, we have a decision to make now,” Furina said as she lowered Arlecchino to sit on the ledge of the large bathtub. “I can either run us a bath or we can take turns under the shower head.”

“Just a shower, Furina. I don’t believe I have the patience to wait for the tub to fill,” Arlecchino grumbled. She sounded upset, but she still wrapped her arms around Furina’s waist to pull her close. No, she was not upset with her alpha, but instead, just craving the comfort she’d left behind. Furina was all that kept her grounded now.

Understanding Arlecchino’s impatience to get this over with, Furina reached to the temperature knob, and started up the water. Within seconds, she had her omega removing the single article of clothing she wore — a plain shirt she had tossed on that morning — and under the stream of water. Furina stepped in right after, keeping on only the shorts she slept in. It was odd, being in a shower with clothes on, but Arlecchino’s rule still stood.

“How does this feel?” Furina asked. She ran her hands over Arlecchino’s shoulders and through wet hair. The omega leaned into the touches, savoring the gentleness.

“It is fine. Thank you, Furina.”

Furina pouted slightly at the short, seemingly distant response, but she quickly shook away the thought and reached towards the various bottles that lined a small shelf in the shower.

With a happy hum, Furina grabbed a shampoo bottle and squeezed a reasonable amount into her hands before getting to work on Arlecchino’s long hair. She scrubbed gently at her scalp, working her bubble-covered fingers through as much hair as possible. Truthfully, their height difference made this somewhat of a challenge, but she was sure no harm would be done if she missed a tiny spot or two. She then combed through the length of Arlecchino’s hair, soaping up as far down as she could all while trying to be quick and efficient. Once satisfied with her work, she repositioned Arlecchino for a rinse. Again, she rubbed her fingers into the hair until all traces of the shampoo had been washed out.

Now for her body. Furina scanned the shelf for soap and a washcloth. Thankfully, both looked as though they’d recently been placed there. She ran the cloth under the water, lathered it with soap, and took one of Arlecchino’s hands to begin washing her arms first.

“Careful, please,” Arlecchino interrupted. “Many of my old wounds did not heal correctly. To this day, they are sensitive to excessive rubbing.”

Furina gave her a comforting nod, placing a kiss against the back of a scarred hand. “Tell me if it hurts.” She started slowly, cautiously, ensuring that the washcloth never dragged or pulled. Arlecchino was not surprised that she’d managed to so effortlessly treat her well. Up and up the soft touch of the washcloth moved, until Furina reached her shoulders, just above her chest. “Arle, may I?”

Arlecchino rolled her eyes with a smile. “Furina, your fingers were inside me yesterday. I do not mind if you wash my breasts, or any part of me for that matter.”

Furina’s face flushed hotly as she stammered, “I-! Oh, yes, you are right.” She resumed, accompanied by gentle laughter from Arlecchino. To Furina’s delight, the act of letting her hands roam free against another person's skin was not as sexual as she would have guessed. This was not foreplay, not in the slightest. This was too soft. Too perfect and pure. Furina was holding the most lovely woman in her grasp. And she would take good care of her.

Confident hands, aided by the warmth of a cloth, guided themselves across a beautifully strong body. Down Arlecchino’s torso, around her hips and thighs. Furina refused to leave a single inch of her omega unwashed. Dark eyes stared down at her while she worked. Occasionally, rough fingers danced through her own dampened, fluffy hair. Those touches were playful, and so wonderfully different from the desperate and anxious way that Arlecchino had previously held her. No, this was not the nest they had found security in, but the safety of one another's presence washed their troubles down the drain along with the soap suds.

“There,” Furina announced, satisfied with her work. “All clean. How does that feel?”

Arlecchino responded by cupping the alphas cheek, kissing her to show her gratitude. She took the wet washcloth from Furina hands, draped it over the shelf it had come from, and took hold of the same bottle of shampoo. “Your turn.”

Furina blinked in surprise. Honestly, she had expected for Arlecchino to still be too lost in her own mind to consider bathing Furina in return. Still, there would be no argument if this is what Arlecchino wanted to do. Furina tilted her head to offer access to her hair, and soon felt decisive scrubs slowly working through each and every strand. She was being very thorough, Furina noticed. Glob after glob of foamy water swirled down the drain. When Furina heard the shampoo bottle open a second time, she had to persuade Arlecchino that her hair was perfectly clean already. The omega conceded, but gave a few more brushes to well-washed hair before moving on.

It took Furina an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize that Arlecchino had been instinctually preening her. Tidying her to the point of satisfaction and fussing over the cleanliness she’d previously tried to ignore. It still pained her to rinse away some of the scent that she’d so carefully rubbed against her alpha, but to pamper and care for her assuaged the itch within Arlecchino just enough.

Eventually, Furina was bathed to satisfaction, and the decision to shut off the water and return to the nest was made. Furina quickly rubbed Arlecchino’s hair and body as dry as she could, and opened the bathroom door, offering that beautiful view of their nest. As expected, Arlecchino eagerly made her return, not even bothering to dress herself beforehand. Furina lingered in the bathroom a minute longer, swapping her soaked clothes for dry underwear and shorts.

“Arle, at least put on a shirt,” Furina teased when she finally returned to her omega, who was curled up in the center of the nest.

“Not even bothering to wear a shirt yourself, and yet you lecture me.” Arlecchino huffed. “It matters not. Get in here.” She sat up and beckoned for Furina to join her, and soon had her in her arms.

Immediately, Arlecchino began to scent her all over again. Enough of her previous work still lingered, but it wasn’t nearly enough. She heard Furina giggle lightly at her enthusiasm, and felt rather prideful over her ability to please her alpha with such a simple action.

“You know,” Furina sighed, “we only have a couple more days of this. Are you going to miss it?”

“Miss what? Being in heat? No, absolutely not. Having you all to myself, however... Yes, I suppose I may long for that on occasion.” Arlecchino nuzzled close against Furina’s cheek, savoring the feeling of soft, clean skin rubbing against her own.

The sweet sound of Furina’s laughter reached her ears again, but she did not speak. Instead, the alpha tugged them down to cuddle amongst the soft blankets. Yes, this heat cycle was coming to a close. Only two or three days remained. And Arlecchino wanted to enjoy it to its fullest.

The following morning, Arlecchino woke up hot. For a moment, she worried something had happened to the house's thermostat. There was no reason for her bedroom to be as hot as it was, regardless of her being in heat. She tried to sit up, to see if anything was amiss, but the moment she moved, sharp pain twisted within her. The terrible sensation started as a harsh cramp in her stomach, but suddenly spread through her body and forced a grunt from her throat in response, which alerted Furina from her own sleep.

Arlecchino could faintly hear Furina calling to her. Opening her eyes was challenging, as if her eyelids were impossibly heavy.

“Hot... hurts,” she managed to say. A hand wrapped tightly around hers for a moment, but retreated abruptly. Then, the comforting smell of her alpha beside her also vanished. With only her muddled senses and clouded mind to guide her, it seemed as though she’d once again been abandoned. Her physical pain morphed into an ugly emotional ache.

Furina. Where had she gone? Why would she leave again? What had driven her away?

Arlecchino did not cry or whine, she simply lay there in shock, with wandering hands praying to find the comfort she sought.

Then came the sound of a soft thunk of an object hitting the floor.

“Arlecchino,” Furina’s voice floated beside her, “I’m sorry that I left, but I’m going to help you now. Okay?”

Something cool pressed against Arlecchino’s forehead, moving down to her cheek, and wiping along her neck and chest. An ice pack? A wet towel? She wasn’t sure, but it didn’t stay cool for long. She heard Furina curse softly.

“Arlecchino,” Furina said again, but this time her voice shook with desperation, “what can I do? Should... should I call someone?”

Beneath the wave of hot agony that ripped through her, Arlecchino spoke, though her words slurred, “Only your friends. No one else.”

Furina was taken aback. Even now, Arlecchino would still refuse to let anyone else see her like this? Still, she would not argue. It was not too early in the morning, so Clorinde was likely awake by now. Furina reached over the edge of the nest for her phone and silently begged for her friend to answer.

“Hello? ”

After only one ring, Furina’s prayer was answered. She let out a heavy sigh of relief. “Clorinde! Something is wrong and we don’t know what to do.”

“Wrong? Furina, what happened? ” came the concerned response.

“I don’t know. I just woke up and she was shaking with pain, and she’s way too hot. I’m trying to cool her off, but it isn’t working.” Furina dipped a hand towel into a bowl of ice water and patted it over reddening skin. She’d run off to grab them the moment she held Arlecchino’s hand and felt just how unbearably warm she’d become.

“Give her some water to drink. Overheating is very common, Furina.”

No... no, that was not this.

“Can Navia still speak when she overheats?”

“Yes. She can speak and move just fine. Overheating only leaves her dehydrated and lethargic.”

“This is different. Clorinde, she can’t even open her eyes.” After saying it outloud, tears began to blur Furina’s vision. Arlecchino’s face was scrunched miserably, but Furina did not miss the way her eyebrows rose and her eyelids twitched. She was trying to look at her alpha- trying to locate her source of security. “I’m here. Arle, I’m still here,” Furina whispered to her.

“It’s that bad? This has never happened to Navia and I do not believe this is common.” Clorinde sighed as she thought. “Something is different about your omega. Now, can you think of what that might be?”

Furina searched frantically through her memories about Arlecchino. She often worked too hard and had very little time to herself, but that could not have caused this much pain. This was something terribly worse. Something she knew would come back to hurt her eventually.

“Could it be... She was on those suppressants for so long...” Furina continued to press cold water to Arlecchino. “Could that be why this is happening?”

“No, a few years of suppressants should not take such a-”

“She was taking them for over ten years.”

“What? Furina, all those years must have ravaged her hormones. This is the fourth day you've spent with her, correct?”

“Yes! Yes, she's so close to the end of this, and up until now there were no problems,” Furina sobbed.

“I’m going to guess she is struggling to come down from her heat. Her body is trying to readjust to its usual state, which may be jarring after so many years of keeping her cycle in stasis.”

“Her body doesn't know how to end a heat? But how do I help her?” Furina still had yet to ease any amount of the fever, and Arlecchino only continued to tremble in place.

“I can’t say with any certainty,” Clorinde answered apologetically. “All I can recommend is for you to keep her body temperature stable. Do not leave her side either. If she gets worse, call me. I will personally come by and help you take her to a hospital.”

“Hospital?” Furina gasped. “No, no, she won’t want that.”

“That's exactly why I’m offering. You won't be able to transport her alone if she's resisting. Especially not if your own instincts are working against you.”

Furina stammered. There was no way... no possible way that she would allow herself to bring Arlecchino to a place filled with strangers. As much as it shamed Furina to admit, even to herself, a very selfish and possessive part of her wanted to keep her suffering omega hidden from all prying eyes. She had not forgotten the importance of keeping Arlecchino’s privacy safe, but her own need to keep her partner secluded threatened to outweigh it.

“I can’t. Arle won’t want that.”

Another deep, concerned sigh comes from the phone's speaker. “Furina, please. Call me if she gets worse. I know you don't want to see her suffer. If you need me, I am here.”

Furina bit back another sob as she continued to stroke cold water over Arlecchino’s cheek. Keeping her composure was hard, practically infeasible, but Clorinde was right. She needed to do whatever it took to pull Arlecchino out of this absurdly difficult heat.

“Alright. I will keep you updated then,” Furina said with an anxious huff. “...And thank you, again.”

“Of course.” Even through the slightest of distortion through the phone, Furina could hear Clorinde’s comforting smile. “You’ll both be just fine. I will talk to you soon.”

They quickly said their goodbyes, and Furina turned all her attention back to Arlecchino once she was off the phone call.

“It’s going to be alright,” Furina whispered as she soaked the small towel again. She forced her voice to steady itself, refusing to crack under the pressure of her own restrained cries. They would get through this. In only a matter of time, she would break Arlecchino’s fever. All they had to do was wait this out.

A strained moan came from below Furina, and unsteady fingers wrapped around her wrist.

“That’s... enough,” Arlecchino's voice came out tight and small. Her eyes had finally opened, thought they looked as though they could shut again at any moment.

“Arle, hey,” Furina murmured. “How are you feeling?”

Arlecchino tilted her head away from the damp towel. “That’s enough,” she repeated. “Cold.”

Ah. Of course. She’d been coating her skin with ice water for several minutes. Surely, it was beginning to irritate her. Furina apologised softly before moving the offending items out of the nest. Arlecchino may have disliked it, but it did seem to have helped. The quick, shallow breaths she’d been taking in were now deep and steady. Pain and discomfort were still evident on her face, but her body seemed to be coming around, even if it was slow.

“We may have to cool you down again later, but we can stop for now. Do you feel any better?”

“I can... breathe easier...” Arlecchino panted. “Do not leave... I need you close.”

Furina does not think she could leave even if she tried. Her alpha mind was firing off every urgent signal it could, pushing her to console and support her beloved Arle in every way she could.

Keeping Arlecchino’s worryingly high temperature in mind, Furina laid down beside her. She draped a single arm over her torso and lightly pressed against her side before whispering sweetly, “I’ll be as close as you need.”

“Ohh, Furina... Don’t flirt with me now, please. I can’t guarantee... that I can still maintain my composure.” Ignoring the throbbing that came with movement, Arlecchino rolled onto her side to lay closer against her alpha.

Time continued to crawl forward. Near silence settled in the dimly lit bedroom. Furina tried several times in several different ways to pull Arlecchino into her arms, but the act of sitting up only worsened the ache. After some convincing that it would be fine, Furina found herself laying her whole body on top of Arlecchino’s. The omega insisted that the weighted pressure on her was soothing. Strong arms wrapped around Furina, pulling her as close as possible.

Arlecchino tried to focus on anything besides her discomfort. She tried to think about her children, and how excited she was to reunite with them. Unfortunately for her, that only made the longing to see them again hurt in her chest. She’s considered calling them a number of times over the past four days, just to prove to herself that they were still safe and sound, but knew that such a decision would result in her missing them horribly the moment she hung up the phone.

Her attempt to focus on returning to work was very short lived. There was nothing in her dull office job that could distract her for longer than a minute or two. Not only that, but the idea of all the catching-up she’ll have to do almost made her prefer to be in physical pain.

Focusing her attention onto Furina was not the wisest choice either. A powerful yearning began to boil over as she took in the sight of her beautiful alpha resting atop her. Furina had the sense to throw a shirt on before pressing herself against Arlecchino’s bare chest, but her steady breathing beckoned Arlecchino’s attention. Her soft curls brushed against her shoulders, and the touch of her kind, delicate fingers sent unexpected sparks of pleasure straight through her. The thought had not occurred to her until that moment, but historically, sex alleviated most of the pain from unwanted cramps and radiating warmth. What was this, if not an extreme version of those very normal heat symptoms?

She hadn’t even noticed her own reaction to those thoughts until Furina lifted her head in curiosity.

“Arlecchino, you’re squirming. Are you feeling worse?”

Shame bloomed across Arlecchino’s cheeks, spreading up to her ears. “No, I am alright. I apologize for worrying you. But... heat will still come with its usual demands, it seems.”

“Oh...” Furina lifted herself up further. “Do you feel well enough for that? I don’t want you to push yourself.”

“We will see.”

Arlecchino took Furina’s chin between two fingers and asked for a kiss, to which the alpha eagerly offered. Furina only pulled away briefly to ensure Arlecchino was still fine. Nothing appeared wrong, so she continued. Touching, teasing, and scratching against blushing skin, Furina smiled to herself. Arlecchino was much more pliant than she’d been the first night they slept together. At first, it seemed like a blessing to the alpha. Her omega was so relaxed beneath her; pleasing her would be easy. Furina pressed a steady finger to Arlecchino’s sex, and began preparing her in the same way she had previously.

Slick pooled below them, though this time Arlecchino made no remark about its vulgarity. Her head stayed pressed against the nest and her eyes squeezed shut. Furina hadn’t noticed something was wrong until she finally dipped two fingers into Arlecchino which pulled a short groan of discomfort from her.

“Furina, wait,” was all she had to say before the tips of the fingers slid out of her. Scarred hands gripped at the bedding, threatening to tremble if she relaxed. “Damn it, why did that hurt?”

Sympathetic pains scratched at Furina’s heart. This was not their only solution, Furina was confident they could figure something else out, but to watch as Arlecchino practically shrank into herself was unbearable. “That’s alright, you’re doing just fine. How about I lay back down with you? Let’s keep you comfortable.”

“No... no, I can handle this,” Arlecchino protested. “I was just ill-prepared. Try again, please. I can handle this.” But her body betrayed her. Tense muscles showed the obvious aches that would become worse with exertion.

Furina frowned. She refused to hurt her again. The motion of leaning down and pressing her body against Arlecchino’s once again was met with minimal resistance. A light and incredibly brief push back followed by barely muttered protests. Halfhearted promises of feeling well enough for sex fell on deaf ears; all Furina would do now was hold her hurting omega.

“You don’t need to pretend, Arle. I’ve got you.” She traced a wrist up Arlecchino’s arm and down her chest, gently scenting her. “We can try again later, but for now I need you to relax with me.”

The omega sighed in mild irritation, but surrendered to the weight on her. Furina was perfectly warm and smelled of the safety she craved. Never, not once, would she have imagined that she would find such an alpha. It seemed impossible for anyone to be gentle with Arlecchino. No one had managed — or even tried — to break through her rough exterior. When was the last time anyone had seen her in pain?

Not since Clervie’s death, she would have to guess. Not since she was a child.

What had she done since that time to deserve the brilliant patience that flowed from Furina? Arlecchino may not be able to make any sense of it, but being with her felt correct. There was not a single thing in the world that could pull her away from this fantasy. This fantasy that, by some miracle, became real.

As though sensing her thoughts running wild, Furina tightened her hold around Arlecchino. Silently, she reminded her that everything would be okay for as long as they were together. The unsettling ache still sat in Arlecchino’s body, but with each sweet reassurance, it began to ebb. Further and further, until sleep returned to her calmed mind.

The remainder of that day had been spent in and out of sleep. As Arlecchino recovered from the rough morning, Furina spoiled her to no end. Soft kisses and sweet scents were floating on the omegas skin nearly every second, and she was certainly not one to complain.

The following day, with the rise of the sun, Furina had gotten up and out of the nest early to cook. After the hectic day they’d had, a big, delicious meal seemed only fitting. She’d informed Arlecchino of where she was going before she left, promising that she would return once she was done. To their pleasant surprise, Arlecchino did not react in the ways she had before. There was no agitation on her face, and there were no requests for her to reconsider. Five days into the long suppressed heat, and it was finally coming to its conclusion. By tomorrow, without a doubt, it would be over.

“Thank you for making breakfast, Furina,” Arlecchino said, placing her emptied plate to the side of the nest.

“It was no trouble at all. You know I would never say no to giving you the world.” Furina smirked playfully and snuggled up against Arlecchino, having set aside her own finished plate as well.

After their first long night of exploring each other, the omega found that expressing more vulnerability was easier. Being soft with Furina lost its embarrassing edge, and initiating touch did not make her feel ridiculously needy. That gentle feeling carried over day by day, until they soon arrived at the fifth full day of her heat.

Her nerves had dwindled significantly. All Arlecchino wanted to do now was spend time with Furina.

Her... heat partner. Or perhaps...

“Would it be reasonable to refer to you as my ‘girlfriend’ now? Or another title, if it were to suit you.” The question seemed rather simple to her, but the teasing shimmer in Furina’s eyes disappeared, quickly being replaced by fascination.

“If you would like to truly make this official, yes.” She reached up to stroke the soft skin of Arlecchino’s cheek. “...Is that what you're asking?”

“Yes. I would like to call you mine.”

“And may I call you my girlfriend? Or would you prefer something different?”

“Oh, ‘girlfriend’ is fine, I suppose.” Arlecchino’s eyebrows scrunched for a moment in thought. “Or, simply ‘partner’ is also welcome. It does not matter, as long as it is coming from you.”

Furina’s knees fell on either side of Arlecchino’s, and hands moved to cradle her face. They moved together, kissing each other softly. Making an official promise that this was real. This relationship was all theirs.

Arlecchino would have to attempt voicing the immense feelings she had rushing through her mind another time. She wouldn’t call it love, not yet, but the deep, burning need to hold Furina forever was without a doubt brought on by something more than just her heat. How could she describe the way being by her alphas side made her feel? Cherished, most certainly. A single glance into her beautiful blue eyes erased all the pain of her past, replacing it with a glimpse into the future.

A week from now... a year... a decade...

But the future would have to wait. For now, Arlecchino only wished to savor the touch of Furina’s lips upon her own.

Chapter Text

Saturday, November 3rd

For the first time in days, Arlecchino woke up wanting nothing more than to leave her nest to take the longest shower of her life. She sat up with a low groan. To her surprise, Furina was nowhere to be found. And yet, Arlecchino’s instincts did not scream at her to locate the woman right away. Instead, she focused her attention on a clock hung on the wall.

It was almost noon! Just how had she managed to sleep for so long?

Before she could descend into further confusion, the bedroom door creaked open, revealing a happy Furina. She was carrying two plates packed with a delicious looking breakfast. Another feeling Arlecchino’s body had brushed aside for days returned; hunger.

“Good morning, Arle,” Furina sang as she handed her partner a plate. “Sleep well?”

“It would seem so,” Arlecchino said before taking the first bite of her meal. It was true, she did feel far more rested than she had all week. The pain and consuming warmth in her body had vanished, seemingly overnight.

While she slept, her heat had ended.

Arlecchino sighed in relief. The inability to control her instincts had begun to exhaust her. An entire day of being in and out of awareness wore her down, and the freeing admissions and tight embraces that followed could only do so much to ease her mind and body.

After five full days and one upcoming afternoon of clean up, her life could resume. In a relaxing silence, Arlecchino and Furina spent their little remaining time alone eating breakfast.

“Alright,” Arlecchino announced, standing up from the nest. “It’s going to be a terribly lengthy process, but everything must be washed before the children can come home.” With only the slightest of hesitance, she stepped over the edge of her perfect circle of bedding and clothes. It was a shame to take it apart, but she had no desire to cling onto a simple soothing method.

A hand took hold of her shoulder before she could begin disassembling it. “Arlecchino, you know you don’t have to get rid of it yet. Or at all. No one will think less of you if you have a nest.”

Furina. She did not understand the ridiculous complexities of being an omega. She was trying, but there would always be alphas in the world that saw omegas as nothing more than breeding machines and toys. Arlecchino was aware that Furina would never see her in such a way, but there would always be prying eyes from the outside just waiting for her to slip up. Still, she was confident in the stoic and cold mask she wore. She allowed others to view her as a confusing entity. The layers of scent blockers let her pass as a beta, and her intimidating eyes lead some to even believe her to be a very stealth alpha.

This was preferred. The illusion could be shattered if she allowed herself too many comforts.

“No,” Arlecchino sighed. “Regretfully, I have to take it apart. It's what is safest.”

Furina watched mournfully as Arlecchino removed the first shirt from her nest. It was one of her own, a button-down brought from her apartment. Once, years ago, it had been Furina’s go-to top for special occasions. It was nice, pristine, and perfectly fitting. Though she had not attended any such big events in quite some time. Instead of allowing it to continue collecting dust in her closet, Furina had offered it up for the sole purpose of bringing peace during heat. She had not expected for it to then bring them both a sense of sorrow as it was folded up and tossed into a large plastic bag.

Arlecchino had successfully stuffed her lovely nest into two very full bags and hauled them to the house's washer. Her jaw remained clenched in irritation as she dropped her nests materials into the machine.

Furina stood at a distance at Arlecchino’s request. She wanted to do this on her own, without the alphas assistance. Although, she did still require Furina’s presence. It was strange, Furina thought, that an omega would want so badly to dismantle their own nest so soon after a heat. From what she had been told, Navia would take her own nest apart slowly over the course of a few weeks. Piece by piece, it would become smaller until everything was put away for next time.

Furina wished Arlecchino would be more patient with herself.

With the final blanket tossed into the wash, Arlecchino shut the metal door with a decisive slam and started its first cycle. The plan was to wash everything at least twice, or until it smelled only of laundry detergent.

Arlecchino turned away from the running machine and let herself face her alpha. Sympathetic blue eyes worked their sorrow into her heart, beckoning for her to place all the hurt onto Furina. And she did. With another sigh, Arlecchino nearly collapsed into Furina's arms. This emotional ache was so foreign. How could she ever expect to handle a feeling she's refused to face for so long? There were no tears, certainly not from Arlecchino, but she clung to Furina for dear life. As if she'd lose herself if she didn't have her sweet and strong lifeline.

Furina pressed a kiss to messy hair, and gently swayed them in place to the slow beat of the washing machine.

Shared pheromones still stuck to their skin. To Arlecchino’s dismay - though upon her own instruction - they both had to wash themselves clean.

“Keep an eye on the laundry, please. I won’t take long.” Clothed in only a shirt, Arlecchino made her way to her bathroom for a shower. A long one, preferably. 

“Oh, nonsense! You know I want to join you,” Furina said, quickly catching up to Arlecchino. “What kind of girlfriend would I be if I let you go it alone?” Her tone was light in hopes of keeping an air of relaxation about them. Arlecchino was still obviously agitated from the sudden lack of scents in the home, but Furina refused to let her brave the weight of this new and bizarre experience without support.

Removing the scent of her alpha was not going to feel pleasant, after all. She needed a hand to hold, even if she tried to ignore it.

And so, Furina was allowed to sit on the ledge of the tub to watch Arlecchino scrub at her own skin. She offered encouragement when necessary, only chiming in with distracting conversation when her omega’s features soured. Arlecchino would close her eyes and press her lips firmly together. She would pause in hesitation while her mind and body fought against the decision to erase the evidence of her heat.

All Furina could do was watch and focus, carefully toeing the line between being a gentle presence and an overbearing alpha. Occasionally, she’d mention how excited she was to see the kids again. She asked Arlecchino what she wanted for dinner, and what clothes she wanted to wear once she was done with her shower. The goal was to distract as best as she could. Though it only worked to varying success.

Arlecchino nearly rubbed her skin raw with the effort of cleaning off the lingering scent. She lathered her body in soap, scrubbed it away, and repeated over and over until the sweet ocean that she adored was undetectable.

It was not pleasant for Furina to watch, in fact, it was downright devastating to witness her hard work being furiously scrubbed off with nothing but a wet cloth and soap. She understood though. Arlecchino would likely never welcome the idea of others knowing she’s an omega. It could very well stay a secret forever, but Furina still had hope that one day she’d learn that it wasn’t a death sentence that she always feared it was.

But that’s work for another day. For now, she only wanted Arlecchino to have an easy come down from her first heat in ten years.

Once satisfied, Arlecchino stepped out of the shower and dried off, ushering Furina into the water immediately after.

She wouldn’t let Furina touch her until she too was clean.

Just before the evening rolled around, the house had been aired out and the smell of heat had been eradicated. Arlecchino and Furina sat together at the dining room table, preparing to inform Navia and Clorinde that they could finally bring the children back home.

Furina held her phone, finger over the call button. “Are you ready? I know you miss them, but I don’t want you to rush.”

“I’m not rushing,” Arlecchino said calmly. “It’s time for them to come home.”

There was no uncertainty in her words, and Furina had learned the signs of doubt on her face when her voice did not give it away. In the past few days, Furina began to notice all the small mannerisms that Arlecchino tried so hard to keep hidden. Her heat only magnified her expressions, and now they were clear as day to her alpha, even if they were back to being subtle.

And at this moment, there was no reason to believe that Arlecchino wanted to wait any longer to see her family. It stood to reason that having the kids back in the house would help her immensely. Furina noticed the way Arlecchino clung to old shirts that once belonged to her three little ones. During restless nights, it seemed she found comfort in the memories of years spent building a life for them. Despite the fact that they were with trustworthy people, Furina knew Arlecchino just wanted them to be back home with her. It was a shame that they were speeding through her come down from her heat, but returning to day-to-day normality was now a priority.

With a smile of excitement, Furina finally gave her friends a call.

“Father!” The call of three happy voices came from the doorway the moment it opened.

Arlecchino smiled brightly, brighter than Furina had ever seen her smile, as she opened her arms to welcome her children home.

One by one, as the kids got their hugs, Arlecchino had to resist the sudden desire to scent them. She’d never scented her children before, not even after she first adopted them. To let them walk around with the scent of their parent lingering was to tell anyone who came across them that they were being raised by an omega. It hadn’t been an issue in the past; just another irritant to fight off on occasion.

Yet another instinct that Furina had helped awaken.

After giving the happiest hellos to their father, the children turned their gazes to Furina and lined up to give her hugs as well.

Arlecchino watched on with a smile at her perfect little family. It was no longer strange to imagine what life would look like with the five of them under one roof. She wanted to wake up every morning to see Furina under the covers with her. She wanted to make breakfast with her and revel in the approval of her children as they eat a meal prepared specially for them. She wanted to go to work, come home, and spend the rest of her evening talking with her family. Nothing could stop her from going to the beach with them or playing games or spending peaceful moments with these people she cared so dearly for. Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet would always be her children. And someday soon, if Arlecchino was so lucky, she would make Furina a permanent part of her family.

“You’re raising wonderful children,” Clorinde’s voice grabbed her attention. “They were well-behaved and incredibly polite all week.”

“And adorable! They took good care of each other whenever they were homesick,” Navia added.

Arlecchino could imagine it well. The trio always looked out for each other, and in a new environment, she was certain that this remained truer still. Images of her kids helping one another with homework and getting ready in the morning for school crossed through her mind. Nights of anxiously missing their home, quickly soothed by the knowledge of their family being near still. She knew, even after they’d left the home a week ago, that they would be okay without her. Having siblings by their sides was more than enough.

Arlecchino gave them the thanks they deserved for looking after her children. Soon after, Clorinde and Navia took their leave, giving the happy little family of five all the time they needed to catch up.

“Furina,” Arlecchino whispered as she tapped lightly on her shoulder, “is he sleeping?”

Furina nodded and looked down at Freminet. He sat comfortably in her lap, resting his head against her chest. “I don't want to wake him, but I assume it's time to take him to bed?”

“That would be correct. Same goes for the twins.” She raised her voice slightly, just enough to catch the attention of her two other children. Lyney and Lynette sat on a couch diagonal from the one Arlecchino and Furina sat on with their brother. They looked away from the movie Arlecchino put on the television as the day wound down. Lyney looked as though he were about to protest. Perhaps it was late enough for seven-year-old Freminet to go to bed, but he was nearly thirteen now! An extra hour awake would not hurt. But Lynette stood with a light yawn and mumbled a good night, dragging her brother by the arm.

“You stay here, I’ll get him into bed.” Furina pressed a quick kiss to Arlecchino’s cheek before standing up with little Freminet in her arms. Out of the room she went, down the hall, and into the bedroom covered wall to wall in toys and drawings of cute little marine animals.

And then, Arlecchino was alone in her living room. With only the quiet sound and dim light of the television to accompany her thoughts.

The kids had never been put to bed by anyone other than her. They’d never had the chance to talk over dinner with other family or with their father’s friends. She had none to speak of, nor to invite.

In a great, and sudden flash, Furina had come into her life and brought about new life. New warmth.

Even Freminet, her shy and timid boy, was falling asleep in Furina’s lap after the two had talked at length about their various interests in the ocean. Lyney had gotten into the habit of asking her for advice on stage presence and promotional attention grabbers. Lynette began bonding over a mutual love of cats and other cute creatures with her.

What had Arlecchino done to deserve someone like Furina in her life?

It was a question she asked herself almost daily. After all the brutality she was forced to endure in her youth, this pure and powerful feeling began to take over. Her chest ached deep with it, but she refused to give it a name.

Acknowledging that feeling would make it too real... and it still seemed too good to be so.

After cleaning all evidence of her heat out of the house, Arlecchino began to feel that deep sense of wrongness return. Her nest was gone. Nothing smelled like her or her alpha. It was infuriating to the instincts. But with Furina beside her, it was almost as though nothing hurt anymore.

Even as she sat alone on the couch, Furina’s blanket stayed wrapped around her shoulders. This soft, dark blue blanket had become a home away from home. A piece of Furina that she could carry when she was lonely.

Arlecchino loathed to admit to loneliness, but Furina saw right through her insistence that she’d be fine without it.

She pressed the fabric to her nose, taking a short inhale, and laughed to herself. She hadn't gone soft; she wasn't some pathetic omega.

She was happy.

The touch of a hand to her shoulder, which would have put her on high alert in the past, was welcomed and grounding.

Furina stood beside the couch, wearing a proud smile on her face. She reached for the remote sitting on the arm of the couch and turned off the television. “The kids are in bed.”

Arlecchino hummed in approval and stood to embrace her girlfriend. “And she’s excellent with my children. How did I find someone so perfect?”

“It may have had something to do with how often I would show up early to the theater just to see you. Would it be weird if I said I waited by the gate to see if you’d show up with the twins?” Furina asked, peppering small kisses to her partner's lips every few words.

Arlecchino chuckled softly around her kisses. “Is that what you did? Furina, I have to admire your tenacity. In the end, it seems you won me over.”

“I sure did,” Furina sighed blissfully. She wrapped her arms around Arlecchino’s waist and laid her head down on her chest. “I’m really happy that this is working out. I know I made some big mistakes before, and I never really thanked you properly for giving me so many chances. Thank you, Arlecchino. Thank you for being so wonderful.”

“Furina, I...” she paused, but the words lingered in her mind.

I am falling in love with you.

She wanted to say it. She wanted to be with this beautiful, caring woman for the rest of her life.

But she couldn't say it. Not yet. She wasn't ready.

“Furina, I must offer apologies and gratitude of my own to you. For being distant with my problems instead of accepting your help, I am sorry. Please, do not ever feel as though I don't appreciate you. Thank you, dearest, for all that you've given to me.”

Arlecchino tilted Furina’s chin upwards, letting their gazes meet. Tears had pooled in Furina’s eyes. Happy tears, at Arlecchino’s words.

“Ah,” Furina breathed out, blinking away the tears before they could fall. “I don’t know why I’m... Arle, I’m really happy that I found you.”

They lost track of time in the quiet living room. Seconds and minutes passed by as they held each other close. Arlecchino had returned to wearing her scent blockers, but Furina still insisted on pressing her nose against the small patch covering the strong scent of roses. She wasn't sure when she’d have the opportunity to smell her omega again and was sure to commit it to memory during their week together. Meanwhile, Furina only wore her blockers on her wrists, choosing to leave her neck exposed. It was faint, but Arlecchino breathed in as much of the alphas scent as she could.

“It's... it’s getting late,” Furina mumbled. “Are you going to bed soon?”

“I was planning on it. Would you like to join me? You are always welcome to continue using the guest bed, if it suits you better.”

“...Maybe for a while longer. I don’t want to impose.”

“Oh, Furina. You could never impose. I want you no matter where we are. But if you would like to give it more time, that is well within reason.”

Furina nodded, taking Arlecchino’s hand and walking them to the hall leading to their respective rooms. “I want to be by your side, but we should slow down, no? This past week felt like it moved so quickly. It would be appropriate to pace ourselves.”

“I cannot disagree. I will see you in the morning, Furina.”

This kissed once more, whispering good nights before parting ways.

Furina shut her door behind her and began changing her clothes for sleep. It was not that she didn’t want to sleep beside Arlecchino. She could swear to anyone that she did. But she spent five full days in the room with her. As much as she enjoyed it, she was sure that Arlecchino wanted her own space back. This was just an assumption, of course, but she’d rather give her omega the time to readjust and feel comfortable in her own skin again.

Part of Furina worried that her presence had triggered Arlecchino’s heat. She didn’t want to dwell on the possibility, though she found it strange that her heat began so soon after they started seeing each other. She wouldn’t bring this up with Arlecchino. How could she? If Furina truly was the reason for Arlecchino’s cycle to pick back up so forcefully, she’d feel guilty beyond repair. Arlecchino would tell her it was simply just time, that her heat was bound to come back one day. Furina would always be quietly skeptical.

She cared about Arlecchino too much to hurt her ever again.

Furina sighed as she climbed into bed. The blankets were just as soft and warm as she remembered them to be. And through the window, the dim light of the moon shone perfectly over her bed, as if it were trying to envelop her in a kind embrace to sooth her mind. Round and round Furina’s mind went with all sorts of thoughts of the future. In every world that she was happy, she was with Arlecchino. Standing beside her as they experienced everything life threw their way.

...So why was she not beside her now?

Yet another sigh passed Furina’s lips as she stood from the bed. What a ridiculous thing to insist upon. That they continue to sleep apart. Furina would have to scold herself another time. She had somewhere else to be. She opened the door to step out into the hallway, and-

Arlecchino stood just outside the door, one hand raised as if she were about to knock.

“Hm. It would seem we had the same idea.”

“Take me to bed with you, Arle.”

“Say no more.”

Chapter Text

Monday, November 5th

Arlecchino angrily typed away at her keyboard, stunned by all the work she had missed in only one week. She’d asked Sandrone, a co-worker who was stationed in a personal office just down the hall from Arlecchino’s own, to monitor anything that found its way to her desk that seemed important. Sandrone could be found working at nearly all hours of the day, claiming productivity to be of the utmost importance to her. Since she was always around, it should have been easy for her to pick up an extra task or two. She handled none of it. Dozens of emails were left unopened in Arlecchino’s inbox, stacks of unreviewed files were piled sloppily around her office, and the singular plant she kept on her desk for appearances had undoubtedly perished from a lack of sunlight and water.

Unsurprising. It seemed only Arlecchino knew how to work efficiently. Though she was certain that others in similar positions as her felt the same way.

Everyone around me is useless. I’m the only one here with any sense.

Yes, it sounded like a sentiment her co-workers would have in common with her.

Still, there was no way she could catch up with all the mountains of work that no one had bothered to pick up in her stead. There would have to be a night or two this week where she stayed later just to tackle some of the bigger issues.

Or she could see if she could pass it off to Tartaglia...?

Absolutely not. He would screw it up somehow.

There was no issue with her staying late in her office to wrap up anything urgent. All she had to worry about was the children, though with Furina around she had an easy solution. It was not ideal, but an extra hour of work, only to be met by a warm welcome from her family when she returned sounded particularly nice.

That, and she needed time to herself. Time to think without any external influences.

Being in a relationship was uncharted territory for Arlecchino. Dating an alpha was never in her plans, nor was falling in love. She was having a hard time believing that she was even capable of such emotions. She’d always love her children, of course, but her feelings for Furina were so immensely different. The challenge lay completely in adjusting to accept romance.

Not only that, but she did not want to ever lose herself. Since presenting as an omega all those years ago, she always feared that there would be a day where she’d lost the will to fight for her own freedom. Arlecchino was never one to submit to another's whims, and yet the threat still circled in her mind. The thought of being a prisoner in her own body was worse than any of the nightmares she’d jolted awake from. Worse than her mind playing tricks on her, trying to convince her that she was still nothing more than a child born to suffer. And so, she’d resolved to never find a mate. It seemed like more trouble than it would ever be worth.

But Furina was so different from other alphas she’d met. There were plenty of alphas that worked in the same building as Arlecchino. Most of them were loudly arrogant, rude, and left their pungent pheromones wherever they wished. They were far from the sort of person that Arlecchino would wish to live with, let alone mate with.

She often wondered what her children would be like as they grew older. Should any of them present as alphas, no doubt she would teach them to behave properly, to avoid becoming so disrespectful. And Furina would make a fantastic role model in that regard.

Arlecchino did not think she would live to experience a time where things were looking up.

Well, in her personal life, at the very least. She had long ago accepted her bleak work life. Although, that just made her time spent at home much more rewarding.

Arlecchino lowered the final plate into the water-filled sink to let it soak. The children were getting ready for bed, and there would likely be no further interruptions for the remainder of the night. Beside her, Furina dried freshly cleaned utensils to put them back in the drawer they came from. She was still learning the house's nighttime routine, but began to pick it up much easier than both of them had expected.

As Furina proudly displayed a pristine spoon, Arlecchino thought about how odd it would be to stay at work for an extra hour. Furina was just barely adjusting to their schedule, and now there was a plan to throw it all off. There was no reason that Furina could not handle it, and yet Arlecchino suddenly disliked the idea of being apart from her family whilst she was meant to be hearing about their day.

The flash of light reflecting off that same spoon hit Arlecchino’s eye, causing her to blink down at the source. Furina. She stood pouting as she tilted the spoon against the kitchen's ceiling light.

“Arlecchino, I would like to send this spoon to its rightful home, but you are in the way!”

“Oh,” Arlecchino had somehow found herself standing directly in front of the utensil drawer, thus blocking Furina from helping with the after-dinner clean up. She shook her thoughts from her head quickly and stepped aside. “Apologies, I had forgotten where I stood.”

Furina pulled open the drawer and set the spoon down. “It’s alright. You seemed out of it though, are you feeling alright?” She placed her hands to Arlecchino’s cheeks, studying her eyes for signs of trouble.

“I assure you, all is well,” Arlecchino replied as she settled her hands atop Furina’s.

“Well then, what had you so lost in thought?”

Arlecchino clicked her tongue. The answer was very simple, yet still she hesitated to voice her plan. “It should come as no surprise that I have an immense amount of work to catch up with. I had previously decided to stay an extra hour in the office, but that would cause a shift in the childrens schedule. Technically, I do have permission to work here, at home, instead. Though I must say, home is not the most suitable environment for desk work.”

Furina gave her a perplexed look before smiling. “Then stay at work another hour. I can handle the kids while you are out, don’t you think?

“There is not a doubt in my mind. They have taken a liking to you, and I would be very surprised if they gave in any trouble in my absence.”

“So, what is causing all this overthinking?” Furina asked with a shake of her head.

“I must admit, the source of my concern is somewhat selfish. The children and I have become very comfortable in our schedule, and I do not wish to change it. And directly after one week of being away from home. It almost feels cruel to change yet another aspect of their day.”

“It’s only for a day or two, right? Arle, they can handle waiting an hour for you to get home.” Furina wasn’t scolding. She spoke softly, reassuring that all would be well until she returned.

“Yes, you are correct. Apologies, it seems I’m slow to adjust to change. Even when I am the one deciding upon it.”

“It’s nothing to apologize for. You put a lot of work into building this life for you and your kids. It’s only right that you’d want to protect it.”

Arlecchino sighed out a short laugh. “Right again, Furina. It’s settled then. Tomorrow, as well as Wednesday, I will leave the home in your capable hands.”

“Wonderful! Ooh, should I try to play the ‘Father’ role?” Furina joked, placing her hands on her hips as if to look stern. “I could definitely uphold all your strict rules.”

Arlecchino let out a small laugh. “Trust me, Furina, the children will be much more strict with themselves than you will be.”

“Aw,” Furina whined in a fake disappointment. “Just you wait! I’ll get them home and immediately start calling all the shots tomorrow.”

“Alright! What’s on the agenda? Homework? Maybe relaxing after a long day?” Furina announced her suggestions, shutting the house's front door. She’d successfully managed to collect the kids from school, and the four of them now had an hour to kill before Arlecchino came home.

“Dinner,” Lynette answered as she set her school bag down in a closet beside the entryway. Lyney and Freminet sat their own bags down as well, each lined up perfectly side by side. The trio then walked straight to the kitchen, as if this was what they did every day.

It probably was.

Freminet dragged a step stool from the corner of the kitchen, placing it beside the counter so he could reach the top. “Can we make soup tonight? Father bought ingredients last week. We should use them before they go bad.”

Lyney shrugged. “I don’t see why not. It is a cold day, after all. Soup sounds good.”

Before Furina could ask them what they needed to do to get started on their meal, the children got to work on fetching ingredients, preparing pots and pans, and laying the recipe out. Perhaps Arlecchino was right. Furina had no chance of being as strict with them as they are with themselves. A part of Furina wondered if she was even as strict on her own self. If she’d wanted homemade soup on her own time, she’d very likely end up going out to purchase it instead of cooking. It was not the easiest meal anyhow. Plus, three chefs were far more efficient than just one. Furina almost didn’t want to step in to help; the children had quite the system going.

That was, until-

“Miss Furina,” Lyney called out to her from his station at the countertop, “Father doesn’t like for us to chop vegetables with the big knife on our own. Could you handle that for us?”

An age-old enemy of Furina’s. Chopping anything in the kitchen was simply not her greatest skill. A cutting board and knife were already set out for her with a tray of carrots, celery, and potatoes alongside them. In the past, she'd found the proportions of her slices to be unsatisfactory. Some came out much larger than others, causing them to cook unevenly. Sometimes she’d drop food after it had been chopped whilst trying to transfer it to a pan, leading her to prepare even more, and that always seemed like it went on for an eternity. Her knife skills needed work as well. She felt as though she were holding a sword anytime she held a knife larger than one found on a dining table.

Furina may have experience with rapiers, but she could swear that this was not the same!

“Ah-! Of course!” Furina finally responded after a short pause to think about how she’d managed to find herself in this scenario. Selecting a potato, she laid it before her on the cutting board. A slight grimace pulled her lips as she studied the vegetable, deciding what angle she should cut at it first. She started simply by cutting it in half, then she cut those halves into halves. Furina continued until she had multiple cubes. They looked about right!

Though, as she finished a second potato, she glanced over her shoulder to see that the children were standing at their own stations, watching her patiently.

“Is there something else you need from me?” Furina asked politely.

Lynette shook her head. “Everything else is done. We only need the vegetables now.”

What?

Furina turned to look at the stove, finding a pot of boiling broth ready to be added to.

When did they...?

“We do this a lot,” Lyney laughed when Furina turned to them with a bewildered expression. “Plenty of practice.”

It made perfect sense. Furina was well aware that the children were equipped with various skills that most other kids had less proficiency in. Arlecchino loved to brag subtly about it any chance she got.

It was just surprising, Furina supposed, that these kids moved so quickly.

Meanwhile, she’d chopped two mere potatoes.

Astounding.

“Well,” Furina said as she took a carrot in her hands, “it seems I must pick up the pace if we are to have dinner at a reasonable time.” She spoke as cheerily as she could, but as she placed the damned thing on the cutting board, her momentum slowed considerably. One tentative slice cut through with ease, then another, all while three pairs of eyes watched. Furina only hoped they wouldn’t question her technique.

No, they didn’t care much about that. However, they did care about a certain different topic.

Lyney leaned against the counter, watching as Furina worked, and asked, “Miss Furina, are you in love with Father?”

Furina nearly dropped the knife at the question, but she held on tightly to her composure. It was most certainly not the question she’d expected to hear. And even worse, it was a question she did not have an answer to. Arlecchino meant the world to her, that much she could say with confidence, but to call it love... Furina, to put it plainly, was hesitant. She’d never been in love before. How was she to know if this was what it felt like?

Instead of answering, Furina dodged. “What makes you ask?”

“You’re Fathers girlfriend, aren’t you?” Lynette mirrored her brother, leaning on the countertop on Furina’s other side. “We don’t think she’s ever dated anyone before.”

“Oh!” Furina sighed through a smile, putting a hand to her chest. “Are you trying to make sure I don’t ever break her heart? That's very sweet, but-”

“No, she’d be able to handle heartbreak just fine.” Lynette interrupted.

“Ah... okay.”

“We were just confused,” the girl continued. “Father never seemed interested in other people. What about her caught your eye?”

Furina blinked down at her, then turned her head to blink again at Lyney. They stared up at her with anticipating eyes, almost expecting her to give some sort of shocking answer. Freminet, on the other hand, sat quietly on the countertop, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He seemed far less interested than his siblings about his Fathers relationship, though that didn’t mean he wasn’t listening.

“...You want to know why I courted her?” Furina questioned, to which she received two nods from either side of her.

“You’re much more fun than Father is.”

“Did you think she’d be as fun as you?”

Furina laughed softly. She gave both of them sweet smiles before admitting, “I did not pursue her because I thought she’d be ‘fun’, but because she had a very fascinating appearance.”

The twins exchanged confused glances.

“Fascinating?”

“Well, if I were to elaborate,” Furina hummed, still slowly making her way through the bag of vegetables, “it isn’t often that I see a striking woman approach the entrance to the theater without being a performer herself. And the other parents that I see bringing their kids to the stage aren’t as... calm as your Father, let’s put it that way. She’s very different from people I typically find myself surrounded by.”

That was the kid-friendly version of it, anyhow. Furina wouldn’t dare to comment on Arlecchino’s more attractive features in front of her children. Even if it was just to say she was in fact attractive. That, and she was sure they’d quickly tire of hearing her ramble on about how patient and caring their parent was. Arlecchino genuinely was like no other person Furina had encountered in all her life. But the kids would find such a statement to be over the top.

“I like that Father isn't like other people,” Freminet mumbled from where he sat, still looking down at his clothes as he played with them. “She tells me it’s okay to be different, and I know she means it.”

Furina nodded along as he spoke. "You know, your Father loves to talk about how proud she is of you all. She would brag for hours about how wonderful her children are if she were given the opportunity. She's really lucky to have found you. And I am really lucky to have found... her!" As she spoke, Furina chopped a final piece of celery. Success! Now, she could finally pour it into the broth that had been turned down to a simmer.

Furina handed the plate to Lyney and gave him the go-ahead to pour the freshly cut vegetables into the soup.

The sound of the front door unlocking came just as Furina and the kids sat down to eat. In an excited hurry, the trio jumped up to greet their Father and offer her dinner. The weather had been rather cold this late in the afternoon, and what could be better than a hot bowl of homemade soup? Arlecchino had made a short, but very positive comment on their meal, praising her children for their excellent work. Though she did point out that there was room for improvement of the technique used to slice the vegetables, which earned small laughs from Lyney and Lynette.

As they shared various stories of their day, Furina could not help but think back on the last time she’d spent a dinner with family. She’d been invited to eat with Navia and Clorinde more times than she could remember, greeting her with open arms each time. Still, it had been difficult to find a close familial connection to anyone. Being so distant from Neuvillette while she was a child had not helped her with understanding family. Everyone else, it seemed, had that bond the moment they were born. That blood-deep feeling of disconnect had been something Furina grew used to.

That was all in the past now.

After dinner, the kids did their homework, helped to clean the kitchen, and then went off to get ready for bed. Once assuring that the children were in bed and sleeping, Arlecchino and Furina prepared to do the same.

Arlecchino’s room was much cozier than Furina had expected it to be. She’d neglected to fully take in her surroundings when she’d first entered during Arlecchino’s heat, but she’d now begun to make small observations. Arlecchino had necessary furniture only. A bed, a wardrobe, a nightstand. All designed plainly with solid black and grey. There was one window directly above the bed, and while its curtains were always drawn, the room did not seem dark or gloomy. It instead felt safe and secluded, as though nothing would be able to disturb the peace.

Although, Furina had decided to bring her pillow from home to sleep on. The bright blues and whites of her pillowcase stood out, tossing color into the otherwise monochrome room. Arlecchino didn't mind the change. Inviting Furina's whimsy made her world all the more beautiful.

During the night, Arlecchino also begun to make an effort to remove her scent blockers. It was common, almost an unspoken rule that the patches should be removed whilst sleeping. Furina did so every night, and was alarmed at first that Arlecchino had not done so in the past. A slight suggestion, a ghost of a touch to the padding covering scent glands, and the omega slowly peeled them off. It was odd, she thought. Being alone in her room with Furina, practically naked with her scent floating around the room. Faintly, it mingled with the alphas own soft scent. It was barely noticeable, and would be easy enough to wash away in the morning. Instead of the stress Arlecchino had been anticipating, she felt only relaxation gently wrap around her.

Furina climbed under the covers beside Arlecchino, snuggling into the plush comforter. “Why must your bed be so comfortable? I fear I may never gather the strength to leave,” she sighed dramatically. Truly, the mattress and blankets must have been quite expensive. The quality was remarkable.

“Simply a perk of my inheritance. I don’t use that woman's money on frivolous items very often, but this seemed like a reasonable purchase.” Arlecchino cracked a slight grin as she spoke. Her Mother had left her with nothing but dreadful memories and a large sum of money, so why not spend small amounts of it on comforting things? It was only fair.

“A very wise purchase, Arle,” Furina said, pressing a kiss to Arlecchino’s cheek. “Careful though, I can see myself getting used to this.”

Arlecchino hummed blissfully before offering a kiss of her own. She rolled onto her side to face the alpha. “And what would be the harm in that? You are welcome to sleep here as often as you wish.”

Furina nodded happily, cuddling up against her partner. “I will most definitely take you up on that offer. Although...” her tone shifts. Suddenly, she’s sheepish. “I don’t believe I’ll be able to join you next week.”

“Oh? Has something happened?” Arlecchino asked with worry.

“Nothing bad, fortunately. I was given an opportunity today that I simply could not pass up on, but it will keep me very busy all next week, if not longer.”

Furina continued on with her explanation. A director had approached her with a script during her lunch break, practically pleading with her to be his advisor for an upcoming original production. According to him, he’d never worked solo on a project before, but now that he’d finally crafted a show of his own, he was ready to take on the task of directing. Still, his thoughts were scattered and in desperate need of cleaning up. Furina, of course, was the only correct choice for the job. She was brilliant, she’d have no trouble whipping the production into shape. Auditions were being held at the end of the week. The moment that the show was cast, Furina would be on-call at nearly all hours of the day, ready to work her magic.

“It’ll be a lot of work,” Furina concluded, twirling a strand of Arlecchino’s hair around her finger, “but I really do believe in this project, and so I will allow it to shine.”

The news did not come as a terrible surprise to Arlecchino. Furina had her own life, her own career. There would be times when she needed to go home. That, after all, was still where her life resided. Arlecchino pondered a possibility where Furina did not live apart from her. A potential future where everyday, she would wake up to a head full of curly hair resting beside her own. For now, Arlecchino would have to settle with Furina occasionally being away.

“Hm, sounds like a captivating script if it’s found you putting untold hours into it. I will miss you though, while you are elsewhere.” She trailed her fingers along Furina’s shoulder and down her arm, gently caressing smooth skin.

“I will miss being beside you as well,” Furina lamented softly. “But I’ll still be at the theater if you have time to stop by, and I’m sure I’ll find time to have dinner here with you.”

“I look forward to catching glimpses of you.” Arlecchino tilted her head forward to kiss her alpha. She lingered there, feeling Furina smile against her lips.

Furina laid an arm over Arlecchino’s waist, pulling their bodies closer together. The omega preferred not to hug or kiss too often in front of the kids, which Furina accepted. It allowed for more time to be spent enjoying each other's company in bed. “This just means I need to get all my cuddles in now so I don’t miss you terribly.”

Her suggestion was met with much agreement, as Arlecchino draped her own arm over Furina. Arlecchino’s body ran warm. In the cold of the approaching winter, Furina snuggled into the welcoming embrace of her omega. Safe and warm; promising a good night's rest. Until they fell asleep, the two whispered back and forth, mumbling happily all while still holding onto the other.

Chapter Text

Saturday, November 24th

Furina’s apartment is small.

That was Arlecchino’s first thought as she parked her car in the complex’s lot. It was perfectly reasonable, seeing as Furina lived alone. She didn’t need very much space.

Stepping out of the car and into the dimming light of the sunset, Arlecchino made her way to Furina’s door. She adjusted her sleeves before knocking, assuring she still looked put together after a somewhat uneasy drive.

A week prior, Furina had called in the middle of the day inviting her to dinner with Clorinde and Navia.

This was no big deal. Arlecchino had sat down with many different people in the past. The only difference was that those meals were spent bargaining and discussing deals, rarely did she actually eat anything when she conversed with a business partner. Arlecchino had impeccable social skills, but they were hardly tuned to casual friendships.

And now, here Arlecchino stood, wearing her favorite gray button down with black dress pants and hoping she was not too overdressed for the occasion.

The door flew open, revealing that she was, fortunately, dressed appropriately. Furina’s own black dress shirt, fitted with ruffles, may be viewed as even more elegant. The alpha smiled brightly as her eyes met Arlecchino’s. She jumped up for a hug before exclaiming, “You look wonderful! Let’s get going!”

Hand in hand, they walked to the car at Furina’s excited pace. The sound of her thick heels hitting the pavement were almost in sync with the click of Arlecchino’s steps as they practically jogged through the parking lot.

Once seated and on their way, Furina began to ramble on about how long it had been since Clorinde and Navia had invited her to eat with them. It was common for her to be at their place at least twice a month, and it had been nearly a full month since she’d even seen them!

“They’ve likely just been busy. I imagine running a bakery comes with occasional difficulties.” Arlecchino suggested.

“No, that couldn’t be it. Navia is more inclined to have fun when they’re busier. Even one extra cream puff sold is an occasion worth celebrating.” Furina tapped a finger to her chin before putting on a mock pout. “Perhaps they tire of me.”

Arlecchino rolled her eyes playfully at Furina’s humorous act of sadness. “No one could tire of you, that I am certain of.”

“You’d be surprised,” Furina laughed. A hint of sincerity sat behind her words and worked an untreated grief into her sugary scent; not enough for Arlecchino to pry, but enough for her to pocket the memory for later. “I was very happy to hear from them, though. Even if they are the busiest they’ve ever been, they still found the time for me. For us.”

Furina became lonely very quickly. That was something else Arlecchino had learned just from speaking to her. She held a very social job, one that she spent many hours at. And while her friendship circle was small, it was very tight-knit. It was unfortunate that she did not have any close family. Though that was obviously the reason why she loved to be around people. A solitary childhood could make anyone long for strong bonds. And now that Arlecchino was in the picture, it was only natural for Furina to want her to share those same bonds. Being an alpha only made that need to provide for her loved and cherished ones more undeniable.

Clorinde and Navia were plenty kind enough. They’d helped Arlecchino immensely a short month ago, after all. She was more than happy to join them for a homemade meal. And, if Furina got her way, Arlecchino would become a part of that tight-knit friendship.

The drive was altogether very short, only ten minutes away from Furina’s apartment. Although, parking was atrocious. With the limited curb space being taken up by the vehicles of the neighborhood's occupants, Arlecchino was forced to park nearly a whole street over. Luckily, neither of them minded the walk. Again, they journeyed on foot hand in hand, with Furina still keeping up her quick pace, tugging Arlecchino along all the while.

Arlecchino had yet to see Navia and Clorinde’s home. Her kids had visited before, and yet here she was; a stranger to the house. It was surprisingly large for just two people, definitely big enough to have comfortably housed her children for a week. Beautiful flower beds lay below the front window, giving the impression of a warm welcome before you even speak to the people inside.

Furina knocked on the door, a loud and joyful sound, and then the quick steps of someone rushing to greet them. The door swung open, revealing bright blonde curls and an even brighter smile.

“Look at you, Miss Fancy,” Navia giggled as she motioned to Furina’s frilly top. “Though, I’d honestly be a bit disappointed if you were anything less.”

Just as she did with Arlecchino, Furina bounded forward to give her friend a hug with a soft laugh. “Who would I be without a bit of decor?”

"You’d be unrecognizable," Navia played along, stepping away from the doorframe and motioning for the two to come inside. "Take a seat at the table! Clorinde is in the kitchen, I'll let her know you're here. We have an extra special surprise to share with you."

"Ooh a surprise!" Furina gasped. She made her way to the dining table with Arlecchino trailing behind her and pulled out two chairs for them to sit.

Navia turned, heading to the kitchen. "I'll bring her out, stay right here!"

"Arle, what do you think it'll be? Oh! I hope it's a huge cake for dessert!" Furina’s eyes widened at the thought.

But Arlecchino shook her head. "Something more extravagant, by the sound of her voice."

Navia had spoken in a light, floating tone. Both eager and blissful as she teased her secret. Her own words brought such a strong smile to her face that her eyes pinched. And even as she walked off to the kitchen, her feet practically glided across the wooden flooring.

Before Arlecchino could voice her guess to Furina, Navia returned to the dining room with Clorinde on her arm.

"Show them!" Navia bounced on her heels.

Clorinde swatted playfully in her omegas direction. "I will, I will." Her gaze returned to their guests, a happy smile gracing her own features. "Two weeks ago," she held out her left hand, "Navia proposed."

Furina stood straight up from her chair. She only looked stunned for a moment, before rounding the table with happy tears in her eyes. Fueled by nothing but excitement, she took Clorinde’s hand in hers, inspecting the very beautiful and very real ring around her beloved friend's finger. The band was thin and silver. No stone, which didn't come as a surprise to Furina. Surely Clorinde would have found anything more to be excessive.

"Oh...! Oh, I always hoped... You’re getting married?”

“Yes, we are!” Navia pulled her own ring out of the pocket of her skirt and slipped it onto her finger. Her band was golden and held a shimmering purple stone, the same shade as Clorinde’s eyes. “I had to hide it when you walked in. Couldn’t spoil our big reveal too early.”

Furina held both her friends' hands in her own, in awe at seeing engagement rings finally on their fingers. Years of being childhood friends had evolved into something more in their earlier adult years, leading to a tumultuous romance that had been off and on. Furina hadn’t gotten to know them until their relationship stabilized, but she was aware that they’d once wanted to take very different paths in life. They’d once been unsure if their love would last. After all that time together, Furina was confident that they’d never split, and yet the sight of something she knew would one day come still managed to fill her heart with elation.

Ah. So that was why Furina had not been receiving invitations as often as she once had. Her friends were still celebrating, as they often did, but the past two weeks had been for them. No interruptions, just Navia and Clorinde, taking in the feeling of being promised to one another.

“This surprise is so much better than a huge cake!”

And those subtle, nagging worries that told her she’d been outgrown dissipated from Furina’s mind instantly.

Arlecchino sat quietly, watching Furina fawn over her friends. She would participate in the conversation soon enough, but would not dare be so rude as to interrupt their special occasion. Just as quickly as Furina stood to marvel at the rings, she returned to her place beside Arlecchino. Though she still wore a cute expression of bliss, beaming at her friends whenever her eyes looked back at their rings.

The group of four easily adjusted to a more casual conversation. Furina narrated her time with the new director she’d been working with, embellishing details with a touch more flare than what had truly occurred. No, the poor man had not wept in agony over his own indecisiveness; he’d simply grumbled aloud to himself about the actors positions on stage before requesting Furina’s opinion. 

She’d rejected his ideas. All of them. Instead suggesting that the entire scene be reblocked. It took up the entire rehearsal time, but the scene was perfect afterwards. Just as Furina promised it would be.

That was a side of Furina that Arlecchino had yet to witness. The side that commanded and controlled a room. Someday she would have to sit herself in the back of a rehearsal space and watch Furina at work.

For curiosity's sake.

“And what of you?” Navia’s voice pulled Arlecchino out of her own head. “We’ve gone on and on about our mundane days working. Anything of note from our dear Furina’s most handsome girlfriend?”

Furina squeaked in surprise at Navia’s description of Arlecchino. It was true, but still. Dignity was on the line.

“Unfortunately for me, I spend my days in an office. Very rarely does anything ‘of note’ happen,” Arlecchino answered, calm beside Furina’s flustered blushing.

Their idle chat continued for quite some time, back and forths that Arlecchino nearly drowned out in favor of watching her Furina blush and stammer as they all spoke. It was almost more fun, Arlecchino thought, to mention how well Furina had been treating her and her children. How kind and caring she was even during challenges. And she would never forget to throw compliments in when she could.

“Furina’s sweet face.”

“Her kind hands.”

“There may be no softer scented alpha.”

And the knowing grins on Navia and Clorinde’s faces were most certainly not missed by Furina.

“She recently assisted my children in cooking dinner. They'd had a wonderful time in the kitchen with her.” Arlecchino spoke before taking a slow sip from the glass of water Clorinde had graciously provided.

“Ah! See, Furina?” Navia leaned forward over the table. “You said your cooking was not yet good enough to be shared, which I said was absurd. It’s good to hear you're still making new meals.”

“The key word was ‘assisted’,” Furina corrected with a laugh. “I only chopped vegetables for them. The kids did all the challenging parts.”

She almost didn’t notice the way Arlecchino’s lips twitched into a smile, or how her jaw tensed as she muted a chuckle at the revelation that it had been Furina who had left the carrots in slices that were a bit too thick. It was no genuine issue, the dinner was still delicious. Arlecchino had assumed Furina attempted to guide one of the children with the knife work, leading to an oddly sized slice. She’d have to teach her girlfriend some new skills in her free time.

“I nearly forgot,” Clorinde suddenly spoke up, “Furina, would you mind checking on dinner with me? It should be nearly done by now.”

Furina’s eyebrows lowered, confused at the request. “I suppose I can, but I am not not quite proficient enough in your recipes to be of much help.”

“Worry not,” Clorinde said with a short wave of her hand, “I need only your opinion on the meal as a guest.” Furina, still appearing confused, stood anyway and followed her friend into the kitchen. Thus, leaving Arlecchino and Navia alone at the table to mingle.

Arlecchino set her glass down, folding her hands over her lap before politely nodding at her host. “Allow me to offer another congratulations to you and Clorinde. You’re both very excited, I’m sure.”

“Thank you. We really are, this has been a long time coming.” Navia smiled that big, bright smile again, still enjoying the warmth that pooled in her heart whenever she remembered she was engaged. “Although, dare I say, Furina might be even more excited than we are. She’s been waiting rather impatiently for this day.”

“She’s supported you for some time then?”

“Ever since we've known her, yes.” A happy sigh passed Navia’s lips as she thought back on silly memories of Furina trying to keep her excitement a secret whenever she and Clorinde were affectionate around her. “She’s something of a hopeless romantic. There's a large stash of romance novels in a box under her bed. She doesn’t talk about it often out of embarrassment, but Furina truly does look for love wherever she can.”

“A collection of novels? I’ve not heard of those yet.” Perhaps all those books were the source of Furina’s boldness in their relationship. Releasing pheromones on the first date, her knowledge on how to satisfy her omegas intimate needs during a heat; it would not be surprising if she’d been learning from the pages of love stories.

And Arlecchino found it oddly charming.

“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Navia said. “Being in a relationship for the first time as an omega can be rough. There are so many instincts that are hard to understand. How are you holding up?”

Arlecchino could not help but chuckle softly at the question. She had not known it was common for omegas to struggle with instincts whilst dating. It seemed she was not the only one who fought internally with the overwhelm of new urges and sudden desires.

“All has been well, I can assure you. Ignoring the sudden heat I experienced last month, life has gone on as normal.” Long nails tapped gently against the back of her own hands. “Besides, I hardly consider myself to be an omega anyhow.”

Navia tilted her head. “Why is that?”

“I’ve not lived the life of one. Most often, others assume I am a beta. Furina even assumed I was an alpha, masking my scent. I prefer that most people stay clueless.”

“Is there a reason for that? I don’t intend to pry, of course. There is no pressure to share.”

There had been many conversations in the past that Arlecchino had the misfortune of being involved in. When it came from the mouths of certain people she worked with, “no pressure” was nothing more than an attempt to twist her arm.

Arlecchino almost found it comical how little pressure came from her words, and how easy it was to put trust into this woman she hardly knew.

“To put it simply, I had been raised in an unfortunate place. My sole legal guardian was adamant that survival was always the most important lesson to be learned in this lifetime. And, inherently, to be an omega was to be weak. Why struggle to survive with the weight of such a weakness?”

Navia frowned and folded her hands together, as if mourning for the child that Arlecchino had once been. She’d been incredibly lucky as a child, all things considered. A caring family. Love and support, backed up with assurance that she was beautiful and strong no matter who she would one day become. Life had thrown many obstacles in Navia’s way, but never had she been told that being an omega was a weakness. Much less by the person who raised her.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said softly. “You’ve never had another omega to look up to then. No one to guide you.”

“That would be correct.”

“It’s settled then,” Navia declared confidently. “I will be that guide you missed out on. Hm... would ‘role model’ be the right title?”

Arlecchino blinked with a slight raise of her brows. “Ah, Navia, that is very generous of you, but I believe I am too old to have a mentor. Much less one that is so young.”

“No one is too old for a support system,” Navia insisted. She reached a hand over the table to rest beside Arlecchino’s, but she did not hold it. Not yet. “And I am older than you. We're the same age, hhowever my birthday is six days before yours, ergo...”

“...You have seniority,” Arlecchino conceded. Still, the hesitance persisted. She was a very private person. It took weeks for her to find comfort in Furina knowing the deep pieces of her past. To share more with Navia, being vulnerable with someone else, the task seemed more shameful than it would be worth.

Perhaps it would be easier to stay silent on all that troubled her.

“Please, let me.” Navia’s eyes softened as she finally rested her hand over the scars on Arlecchino’s fingers. “I missed out on having someone to teach me when I was a child too. My mother died when I was born and my father, try as he might, could never truly understand. At the very least, we can be a support system of sorts for each other. How about it?”

A support system? Arlecchino was a stranger to the concept in practice. She’d never truly been supported. Not as an omega. Her childhood ensured that. She was prepared to go the rest of her life in secrecy, resolving to keep her status hidden from her children if it meant never having to face the truth she’d despised so much. Furina tried her best, everyday she tried her very hardest to give Arlecchino everything an omega could yearn for. But, just the same as Navia with her father, Furina could only understand to an extent.

To be close with someone who knew of the struggles she faced, even if they lived entirely different lives... Well, it would not hurt to find easier ways to face her own discomfort.

“I must warn you; I am not an open book if I can help it. However, I will accept.”

“I’m glad to hear it!” Navia raised her glass of water with a smile, wrapping her sincere words in light. “Well, my new friend, I look forward to our future conversations.” Before she could continue, Furina and Clorinde emerged from the kitchen, holding plates of lightly roasted duck and hot bowls of soup. “There you are! I was beginning to wonder if you’d run off on us.”

With plates emptied and conversations rolling to a close, the evening dinner drew to a comfortable end. Furina and Arlecchino collected what little they brought with them, and prepared their goodbyes after a delicious meal.

“Thank you for inviting us!” Furina said, throwing her arms around her friends in a tight hug. “We must do this again soon!”

Clorinde wrapped an arm over Furina’s shoulder in return. “We most definitely will. Navia has planned a sale on eclairs next month, and we will no doubt be celebrating our spike in sales.”

“We don’t throw a party for every successful week!” Navia retorted, earning herself skeptical looks. “It is true though, I will be very pleased about our eclair sales.”

Before Furina could laugh alongside her friends, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Furina,” Arlecchino said behind her, “continue to speak with your friends. I will bring the car around to take you home.”

Furina muttered her thanks, watching Arlecchino walk off, and turned back to Navia and Clorinde, who now wore inquisitive looks of their own.

“...Did I say something strange?”

“Furina, she is wonderful.” Navia clasped her hands over her chest. “I assume you plan to stay with her?”

The hot blushing that had been present on Furina’s face during dinner had returned. Now that Arlecchino was out of earshot, she was free to be interrogated on their relationship. Why did this seem to happen so often? From time to time, Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet still asked her if she’d stay with them, and if she planned on marrying their Father. But how could she say it out loud? All the feelings whirling around in her heart and mind; how could it be possible to voice such a desire to stay for the rest of her life?

Even to her own friends, expressing just how deep her feelings ran seemed almost impossible to do.

“I would like to,” was all Furina could think to say. “I really would like to.”

Her response was met with smiles, both Navia and Clorinde remembering the warmth that accompanied a solidifying romance. Soft hands met with Furina’s cheeks as Navia embraced her. “You do good by her, alright? I want to see you two have babies and grow old together.”

Distantly, Furina hoped Arlecchino couldn’t hear her boisterous laughter from a street down.

“While it is far too early to be discussing any babies,” Furina started, lowering Navia’s hold against her cheeks, “I am very unopposed to giving her another child.”

Navia’s elation was illuminated by the headlights of Arlecchino’s car pulling up to the house.

“And here is your cue to exit,” Clorinde said, offering one last hug to Furina before she departed.

“Text us when you get home! Gotta know when you make it there safe, after all.”

“I will!” Furina called as she ran past the curb and around the car. She hopped into the passenger seat and waved to Clorinde and Navia one more time as she and Arlecchino drove away.

The drive back was filled with silence. After hours of talking, there was not much more to discuss. But that was not to say that the wordless trip was uncomfortable. Furina was happy, incredibly so, at the result of their evening. Arlecchino and Navia had become fast friends, and Clorinde had been thrilled to see that someone else enjoyed the flavor and texture of her barely cooked duck. The pink meat of a bird was not appealing to most, but when Arlecchino served herself, Clorinde had been pleasantly surprised. Even more so when she was told it was quite delicious.

Furina could not have asked for a better outcome.

Soon, her apartment came into view. Something sad pulled at her heart, knowing that her perfect night was coming to a close, but that just meant another day was coming. Another day to see her partner. To eat with her, laugh with her, and fall harder and harder for every piece of her.

After they’d both stepped out of the car, Furina clung to Arlecchino’s arm, holding her close now that they were left exposed to the cold autumn air. Each step they took further and further towards the apartment's front door, Furina only held on tighter. She wanted to believe that she was doing this to beat the chill — Arlecchino’s body was always warm, after all — but as they finally reached their destination, she found herself unable to let go.

And it seemed Arlecchino was no better. She pulled Furina closer, both arms wrapped snugly around her waist, and kissed her.

Furina leaned into the kiss, she leaned into her omegas hold on her. She could stand there forever, lingering in absolute peace with Arlecchino. A hum of satisfaction moved through her lips before the kiss was broken. Arlecchino pressed her forehead against Furina's, and they silently basked in each other's presence.

Even with her eyes closed, Furina knew Arlecchino was smiling. A content smile, that told the alpha that there was no trouble, no worries. All was exactly as she'd dreamed.

Furina breathed in. And out.

“I love you.”

Furina had almost missed her own words, barely hearing them over the rush in her heart that thrummed up into her ears. But as she opened her eyes to look up at her partner, the weight of what she had said dawned on her. Arlecchino’s eyes were fixed on her, widened ever so slightly with an emotion Furina could not yet place. Surprise? Worry? In the dim light of the moon alone, it was impossible to tell.

“You- you don’t have to say it back if you’re not ready! I’m sorry if that was too sudden. There’s no rush to-”

Furina’s spiraling thoughts were abruptly cut off by another kiss. Arlecchino still held her by the waist, keeping her close. When Arlecchino pulled away, her eyes met Furina’s again, this time, full of an exhilarating warmth.

“I love you,” she said softly, hardly above a whisper. “I was unsure of when to tell you, but I do. I am in love with you, my Furina.”

The alphas mouth hung open. She was shocked, pleasantly so, to the point where her words failed her.

My Furina.

Such a lovely sound. One she’d never grow tired of. One that she longed to hear everyday.

Furina, finally, smiled. She dropped her head against Arlecchino’s chest, savoring the comfort of her embrace. If she could, Furina would pull a scent patch off of Arlecchino right now and breathe in as much of her scent as she could. She would rest her heart in the stretching field of roses, and in return she’d offer her omega the sweetened sea breeze and envelop her in waters safer than any other.

“Take me home with you, Arle,” Furina decided. “I want to be with you. I don’t think I could bear the night alone.”

“Leaving you now is unimaginable,” Arlecchino combed her fingers through her alphas hair. Those nights together in one bed, few and far between with busy schedules, had been free of the nightmares she’d been unable to shake. A welcoming, beautiful presence beside her while she slept kept her past at bay. Previously, Arlecchino thought it impossible. It should have been impossible for her to find love. A genuine connection that kept her mind grounded. But now, they stood before each other, unable to part. “Move in with me.”

Arlecchino did not miss the small gasp from Furina, who looked straight up at her in shock at the offer.

“What? Do you mean it?”

“Of course I do.” Arlecchino kissed her again. “Though I will not ask that you accept if you are not ready. Just know that you are forever welcome to stay with me.”

And just like that, Furina knew that there was truly, without a single doubt, that this was the person she’d been waiting for all this time. Years of loneliness and unshakable sorrow all led to her finally finding her place.

“Take me home.”

Chapter Text

Sunday, December 16th

The now bare walls of Furina’s apartment seemed far more strange than she thought they would. And yet, nothing felt more right than finally seeing her lonesome apartment cleared of all her belongings, finally becoming a part of her past instead of her present. Boxes were stacked outside the door, ready to be packed into her car and driven to the home she’d now share with Arlecchino and her kids.

When they were informed that Furina would be staying with them full-time, Lyney and Lynette spent the remainder of that day telling Furina all the secrets of their home with Freminet in tow. A window in the living room had once been shattered after a mishap while practicing magic, which then led to Arlecchino securing rehearsal time at the theater. Freminet had once snuck a very large glass bowl on a trip to the beach and managed to catch a live fish when he was allowed to venture just off the shore, which prompted Arlecchino to store all their bowls and cups in higher shelves in the kitchen cabinets.

Though Furina was not present for so many defining memories, she looked forward to becoming a piece of the future. Her time living alone had drawn to a close.

The small apartment had housed Furina for nearly a decade. She’d moved in not long after her eighteenth birthday, when she finally gained the means to find her independence. A year prior, she’d presented as an alpha, and from then on built up her determination to make something real of herself. The time had come to stop living a life she did not feel whole in, and instead experience the freedom she’d craved. It came with loneliness, but Furina promised to herself that it would not be forever.

Furina wondered, briefly, what Neuvillette would think if he saw her now. The loud, flamboyant young girl she’d once been had carried such a strong sadness with her. The stage was often the one place she felt whole, but even that had begun to wear her down once she was expected to excel at each and every role she performed. And she’d been so horribly tired. By some miracle, it felt as though all that pain could not hurt her anymore. Furina wished he could see that. She wished they were not strangers to each other. Somewhere in her mind, he was still her family.

But Furina couldn't bother him out of the blue. She wasn’t ready.

Instead, all the conflicting emotions that had been swirling in her mind would be left within the walls of the small, solitary apartment. Furina would leave it all behind.

She hoisted the final box up into her arms, and crossed the threshold.

He asked if she was sure this was a good idea...

Furina could not believe he would ask that!

It would have made some sense if he had coddled her in her youth or if she needed assistance doing day to day tasks on her own, but nothing of the sort was true. To Furina, it seemed that Neuvillette simply did not have faith in her.

For years, she tried to ignore the reality behind her presence in his life. She wanted so badly to be someone he wanted around, instead of some girl who he was forced to take care of. She was too young to remember a life before Neuvillette. He’d taken her in when he was only eighteen himself, and now that Furina had reached that very same age, she wanted freedom. In a way, she felt as though she were freeing Neuvillette as well. He’d spent his young adult life keeping her alive, and now he would no longer have to worry about keeping tabs on her. Just as she would not have to worry about the burden she’d placed upon him as a toddler.

It wasn’t Neuvillette’s job anymore. Furina wanted to be her own person. So why did he have to ask that ridiculous question?

“You are confident that this is a good idea?”

He’d asked after she’d already begun to pack her belongings. He’d asked after she’d found the perfect apartment to call her own. After she’d gotten her own good paying job. After she proved time and time again that she could care for herself and stay afloat on her own.

Was he trying to plant doubt in her? That was not something he was known to do. Quite the opposite, in fact. Neuvillette had always been supportive. He was distant, but never once had he shown any disbelief in Furina’s abilities. Her spirit was too bright; her energy was so strong. He let her do whatever she desired, and in return all he asked was that she returned home safely every night.

Still, the question stung.

Did Neuvillette not think she could handle living alone?

That was the only conclusion she could come to at the time.

So, she huffed at him with a frown that formed out of shame more than anger.

“Of course, I am. In no time, I’ll be out of here and you can have your life back. It’s time for me to be independent, Neuvillette.”

He only nodded before stepping away, leaving Furina to resume packing up for her move.

It was only after she’d dropped the final box into her new home that she allowed the doubt to seep in. Now that she was alone, her emotions could not taint another life.

She needed this. So painfully, she needed to find her way, even if it broke her to do it. But she would miss him. Neuvillette had raised her. Not as a father, but more akin to an older sibling. A younger Furina would tease him and push his buttons, and all he would do is shake his head and continue doing everything he could to take care of the both of them.

Looking back on that seemingly foolish question, Neuvillette was being genuine. He wanted to know that she felt secure in her decision. Furina’s own self-confidence gave Neuvillette all the reassurance he could need.

She would not sink.

“What's in this one?” Freminet asked as he stuck his fingers into the opening of one of the many cardboard boxes that now filled the house.

“I think,” Furina said, kneeling down to the boy to help pry open the box, “these are some of my cute knick-knacks!” Plastic and ceramic animals of various sizes were packed delicately together, creating a sea of color for Freminet to stare into. “If you're gentle, you can give them a new home where you think they'll be happy.”

Freminet nodded and reached into the box, pulling out a blue jellyfish. “Do you think this one would like to sit on Fathers bookshelf?”

“I don't see why not!”

Off he went, ready to find the perfect placement amongst the books.

Soft footfalls sounded from behind Furina, and hands moved to caress her shoulders. “Putting Freminet to work?” Arlecchino’s voice asked.

“He's having fun helping me organize.”

“That he is. He will find wonderful homes for your decorative creatures.” She held out a hand for Furina to take, lifting her to her feet. “The guest room is nearly cleaned up if you would like to begin moving your belongings inside.”

Weeks ago, they’d discussed where all of Furina’s furniture would go. While plenty of her things could easily be integrated into the home, they had no use for another couch or a different dining table. Her larger furniture was divided between a storage unit and the guest bedroom she'd stayed in months ago. And now that Arlecchino had made space for her, Furina could begin arranging her belongings as she pleased.

“Perfect! Let's see... This!” Furina announced as she lifted up a small yet hefty box. “It's full of old letters and various papers that I don't want to throw away. There should be closet space for it, yes?”

Arlecchino nodded and led Furina up to the room. Once they arrived, she leaned against the doorframe, body turned towards Furina, though her careful watch lingered down the hall to keep an eye on Freminet as he moved through the house with fragile ceramics in his little hands.

There was plenty of open space within the room's closet. There had only been old boxes in there anyhow, one more would fit right in. Furina hoisted her paper-filled box onto the shelf in the closet before redirecting her attention to the few boxes of Arlecchino’s that still remained. They were old, beat up, and covered in dust. She hesitated to even touch them, worrying that there might be an angry bug hiding within the folded lid. Still, curiosity never failed to get the better of her, and so Furina plopped down to the floor with one old box from the closet placed down in front of her.

She popped it open, only to find organized papers and documents stored safely within folders. Furina didn't plan on sorting through it all, but she couldn't help but slide a folder out of the box to flip through its contents.

What she did not expect was for the pages to catch her attention.

The document was very official looking, stapled to more sheets that looked equally as important as she thumbed through them. She shifted the first stack of papers aside, only to find another nearly identical stack of stapled documents. Upon closer inspection, Furina realized what they were. Old adoption request papers.

But none of them held the names of Arlecchino’s children.

“Arle, who is Nanteuil?”

From her position in the doorway, Arlecchino froze for a moment. “Where did you hear that name?”

“Right here,” Furina held out the thin packet. “I didn’t know you had other kids.” The statement didn’t come out as accusatory, and yet Arlecchino’s expression drooped as if she’d been caught being deceitful.

“I do not,” she sighed. “Nanteuil no longer lives here. And neither does Filliol.” Slowly, she approached Furina, joining her on the floor and lowering the folder in her direction to get a better look. Her thumb brushed across the name printed on one of the papers. “I haven’t held these in years, excuse me if I am becoming sentimental.”

Arlecchino’s normally confident and calm eyes held a quiet grief, one that she did not allow herself to feel in its entirety. There was no true sorrow, just a soft sense of remorse and longing. Even her hold on the old papers was faint. She barely had a sheet pinched between two fingers, keeping a distance from truly connecting to them. If Furina were to let go, they’d fall to the floor.

“Did something happen?” Furina braved the question. She would not demand to know, but Arlecchino was so stunned by the sudden rush of memories from the old documents. This discovery, for better or worse, was important.

“Nothing bad. Not while in my care. Though, that is not to say they were here for very long.” Arlecchino paused, tossing thoughts around silently. She was debating with herself, trying to decide if now was a good time to share a delicate memory. Or if there ever would be a good time. Her eyes moved from the ink on the pages to Furina’s bright blue gaze.

Early on in their relationship, after only two months of seeing each other, Arlecchino had chosen to reveal the darkest piece of her soul. The time she’d spent within the walls of her Mother’s house, and the fight for survival thrust upon her. Furina had heard it all. Nothing, not even the shame and disappointment that the pages dragged to the front of her mind, could weigh so heavily.

Yes , she decided. Memories hurt, but being bare before Furina felt right. As though unspoken burdens were being lifted away.

“They were the first children I had attempted to take in. Before I’d found Freminet, they would have been my children.”

Perhaps twenty-two was too young of an age to begin the adoption process. Only four years had passed since Arlecchino found herself alone in her newly purchased home, presenting as an omega and feeling that strange parental instinct to protect and provide begin to pool into her chest. Her plan had always been to build a family. One that was founded upon trust and unending care. She wanted to see Clervie’s dream come true.

That was the goal. And then she was introduced to Nanteuil. Arlecchino’s only task was to keep him clothed, fed, and monitored for six months, and she could officially adopt him if all went well.

When first recognized, the anxiety in his eyes had been pinned on his experience being a stray child on the streets, but after one week living in Arlecchino’s home, she realized that his troubling past had not been the problem. A child's trauma was not the reason he trembled only when she spoke to him, nor was it the reason he avoided looking at her for too long.

It was her.

Arlecchino had become a source of fear in the young boy.

Not because she had hurt him or shouted at him, but because she was so unlike the smiling parents he had surely been promised. Instead, she was odd, with a cold and unreadable manner. The children Arlecchino had grown up with had dreams of finding a home with big, happy families. Discovering that he would be living with a dark eyed woman that rarely smiled must have shattered the shiny illusion that Nanteuil had been using to keep himself going.

Whenever she spoke to him, he looked as though he could cry. The poor boy was unable to meet her eyes.

Arlecchino wanted to be a good parent to this terrified child, but how could she? On the day she realized he was refusing to sleep out of fear of sleeping in her house, she resolved to help him find a new home. One that he could rest peacefully in.

Nanteuil was only six when she took him in and, subsequently, gave him up after less than a month in her care.

Arlecchino tried again. This time, with a seven-year-old girl named Filliol. She too was scared, though her fear translated as withdrawing all together. She rarely spoke, and struggled to settle into the bedroom she was given. Just as before, this child did not wish to look Arlecchino in the eyes. Again, when the girl's fright caused her health to decline, Arlecchino bid her farewell with hopes of finding the family that suited her best.

It dawned on Arlecchino that she might not bring Clervie’s hope to fruition. She sat in her home, filled with nothing but furniture and silence, but refused to look at her misfortune with the first two children as fate. One more, she told herself. One more try.

Freminet, a two-year-old, was the next child to be placed into her care. He was a rather quiet boy who more often than not focused entirely on colorful books, the turning hands of clocks, or the soft plushie he never went anywhere without. He didn’t care much for people, appearing to be surprisingly neutral as opposed to scared or overly chatty. He was the first to not fear Arlecchino’s eyes. At his age, he may have been too young to even process what “fear” was. But he could look her in the eyes. Freminet slept soundly in his new home, and trusted his new guardian.

His... parent.

Only once, for the briefest moment, did she ever consider letting her adopted son view her as his “mother”. That very quickly left her mind. The word left awkward in her head, and was sure to sound even worse if spoken aloud by Freminet.

Arlecchino was not one to allow something as trivial as traditional language to cause her discomfort. And so came about her title of choice.

The decision was hers, and hers alone.

Many years had gone by since Arlecchino last smiled with pride, but she could not resist that pure emotion on the day when Freminet first called her “Father”.

“Miss Furina!” Freminet’s voice came from outside the room, accidentally interrupting Arlecchino’s long story. The boy rushed past the door and headed straight for Furina. In his hands, he held another ceramic animal from the box he'd been sorting through this whole time. It was in the shape of a chubby little penguin. Neither Furina nor Arlecchino missed the way his eyes lit up as he looked at the tiny thing in his palms. “It looks just like Pers.”

That it did, with its perfectly round body and white belly. The biggest difference between this and the plush toy was the tiny sword and shield that the ceramic penguin held. The colorful shine of the blade gave the little guy a very brave and noble appearance.

Arlecchino leaned towards her son to get a better look at the penguin. “The resemblance is uncanny. Where do you plan to house it?”

Freminet shuffled his feet a little at the question. He'd thought it over plenty, but none of his ideas felt quite right. Except for one. But...

“Do you want to keep it?” Furina asked.

Freminet didn't look up at her. Instead, he nodded enthusiastically and said, “I want to put him in my room.”

“I am confident that he will fit right in!” Furina encouraged. “Go on then, introduce your friend to his new home.”

The young boy nodded again with a smile, hurrying away to bring the ceramic penguin to his room. It wasn't in danger of breaking, Furina knew. Freminet would be devastated if anything were to happen to it, so there was no reason to fret over letting him keep it. Besides, if it had been an issue, Arlecchino would have shot down her suggestion immediately.

Furina looked back to Arlecchino after they were once again alone in the room, only to find her tucking the folder of papers back into the box they’d come from.

“You are very kind to them, Furina. All of them,” she said as she refolded the lid closed. “I am lucky to have found a partner who intends to care for them alongside me.”

Of course she did. After so many days and nights spent with Arlecchino’s children, Furina had grown incredibly fond of them. How could she not care for them? When Furina tried to imagine what the future held for her, she imagined endless hours talking and laughing while snuggled in Arlecchino’s embrace. She imagined birthdays and holidays with the kids, seeing their brilliant smiles as they celebrated being alive together.

“I would be a fool to treat them with anything less than kindness.” Though perhaps, some day soon, it will be more than just kindness. Something more familial. “Well, I assume your early years with Freminet went so well that you could not help but bring a couple more into your home?”

“Hm. Not quite. That may be a story best told by Lyney and Lynette, instead of me. But, a simplified version of events saw Freminet becoming lonely with no other children to play with. I had barely begun planning how to best handle a second child when, by happenstance, I'd found two children in need of a home.” Arlecchino’s expression suddenly turned somber as she thought of her children's pasts. Cruel memories that only she knew of. No one else needed to learn of hardships they'd endured, not until Lyney and Lynette were ready. Still, her saddened eyes had begun to concern Furina. Arlecchino did not change the subject, but instead chose to bring a lightness back into it. “I believe that is what some novels call ‘accidental child acquisition’?”

Furina laughed out of a very pleasant surprise. The sound was soft, and carried a touch of relief with it. It wasn't often that her partner showed off her sense of humor. “That is true! In fact, one of my favorite romance novels involves an alpha finding herself taking care of a baby. She's not very good at childcare at first, but then she meets her love interest and suddenly they're co-parenting despite having just met! It's a very interesting story. I have a copy, if you'd ever like to read it."

“Would I find that in your secret stash of books?"

“Did Navia tell you about that?” Furina pouted. “I suppose now is as good a time as any to show you the collection, especially if you are to borrow a book.”

“I look forward to being acquainted with them.”

Furina responded with a playful roll of her eyes and a soft kiss to her girlfriend's cheek before lifting the closed box off the floor and returning it to the spot it once held in the closet. There was no reason to keep its contents, as they no longer held any legal validity, and yet there was no reason to toss them out. Not until Arlecchino was ready, anyhow. “Thank you for telling me about them. I knew family was important to you, and even now I am seeing just how much love you’ve always had for your children. Including the ones that didn’t stay.”

A low hum passed between Arlecchino’s lips. She did not respond, instead choosing to watch as Furina continued to move around and organize the space.

It was so hard to voice just how deeply those lovely words settled in her heart. Being loved was new and strange. And it might feel that way for years, maybe even forever. But she held on tight to that precious promise of love and care and the fruition of dreams that had nearly been lost.

Arlecchino had long since come to terms with the fact that she’d not been the right fit for Nanteuil and Filliol. She understood and respected those kids enough to not force them to live a life they would be miserable living. Nothing mattered more in this world than the freedom that came with choosing a path. Those children, whatever path they found, she hoped it was full of the care they deserved.

As for Arlecchino, she felt her body relax and her tension wash away. Her chosen path had led her to the most beautiful destination.

Chapter Text

Saturday, January 26th 

Furina smiled brightly as she waved goodbye to Lyney and Lynette from the theater gates. Off they went, ready to practice a new routine, giving Furina waves of their own. As they left Furina’s vision, she excitedly headed back to her car to begin her drive home.

And how wonderful it had been to call Arlecchino’s house her home. After a full month of living there, she truly felt as though she could never see herself living anywhere else. Every morning, she awoke to the sight of her partner combing gentle fingers through her hair. The sweetest whispers she’d ever heard greeted her, wishing her a good morning. It was pure bliss.

Although, as much as Furina loved Arlecchino’s children, she did find herself longing for more one on one time with her girlfriend. It was not a topic she brought up out of concern that it would come across as rude or offensive. Luckily for her, Arlecchino had planned ahead. The weekends were reserved for the children's activities outside of the home, as well as for getting household chores done. On this day, however, Arlecchino had decided to make an adjustment.

Instead of following the schedule Arlecchino normally set for herself, she set aside the chores in favor of being home with Furina while the kids were out having fun. Purchasing groceries and dusting shelves was not terribly urgent and could easily be done another time, but occasions such as this one were hard to come by.

Furina tapped happily on the steering wheel as she drove home, wondering what sorts of things they’d get up to upon her arrival. Arlecchino was without a doubt already home after dropping Freminet off to his diving lessons, leaving only the question of whether she had anything in particular planned for them to enjoy together. Perhaps a home cooked lunch for them to share? Arlecchino was an excellent cook, leading Furina to imagine all sorts of delicious dishes she would not mind digging into. Ooh, if she walked through the front door to be met with the aroma of freshly grilled barbecue meats or sauteed vegetables or spongy souffle, she’d simply melt with joy.

Or maybe they’d go out somewhere! Arlecchino had mentioned in passing how she’d missed taking the time to walk through nature. She enjoyed observing the outdoors up close, watching as water flowed through streams and the swiftness of birds flying from one tree to another. Though, she had also surprised Furina by saying she would watch various species of bugs  whilst outside, witnessing their endless mission of survival. It was an odd hobby, sure, but Furina was not one to question anyone's form of fun.

But what if they were not wanting to leave the house? It would be nice to just put their feet up and watch a movie together, or doze off until the children needed rides home. A few hours of relaxation might be just what they need, and there may be no better opportunity than the one they'd found themselves in.

Furina hopped out of her car the moment she parked outside the house, practically dancing up the walkway to the entrance. “Hello!” she sang as she stepped through the door. No alluring scent of a meal caught her attention, nor did any distinct sounds. Furina’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Where had Arlecchino gone? Her car was in the driveway, so she was most definitely home. So just where was she?

As Furina slowly walked into the kitchen, she spotted Arlecchino sitting in complete silence at the dining table. In front of her sat two mugs filled with drinks, both hot enough to still be steaming.

“Ah, there you are,” Arlecchino smiled softly. “Won’t you join me? I would have made us some tea, but some sweetened hot cocoa seemed fitting for the weather.” She pulled out the chair beside her for Furina, who took her seat and cupped her hands around the warm mug. The pleasantly sugary smell of the chocolate hit her as she looked down at the perfectly stirred beverage. The winter chill had been a bit harsh. This would warm her up nicely.

“You say ‘sweetened’ as if there’s any other way for hot cocoa to be,” Furina laughed before lifting the rim of the mug to her lips. The drink was still too hot to enjoy, tingling with a hint of a burn against her tongue which prompted her to place it back down on the table, but it was delicious. Not too sweet or overpowering to the senses. A perfectly respectable taste.

“And you would be surprised at the palettes of those without a sweet tooth.” Arlecchino lifted her mug to take a sip as well, only to respond to the hot temperature just as Furina had. She set it down, running her nails along the glass as she waited for the cocoa to cool. “If you would like, I purchased toppings with which you can decorate your drink to your heart's content. They’re set over on the counter.”

Furina turned her head in search of the toppings. Placed in a neatly presented group sat a bag of marshmallows, a container of whipped cream, a bottle of chocolate sauce, and a small jar of cinnamon. “Wow! Arle, you really know how to make my day.” Furina pressed a quick kiss to Arlecchino’s cheek before jumping up to collect the toppings for her drink. She scooped them all into her arms and carefully brought them to the table.

Getting to work has been easy. One thin layer of cinnamon to start, coating the top of the hot cocoa with the fine powder. A reasonable mountain of whipped cream, which was then covered in stripes of chocolate sauce. With a precise hand, Furina then lowered one marshmallow to rest atop her creation, right in the center. “Ta-dah!” Furina clapped for herself.

“Marvelously done,” Arlecchino applauded as well, taking a marshmallow out of the bag for herself.

Whipped cream in hand, Furina turned her attention towards the other mug. “What do you want on yours?”

“Nothing for me. Thank you, Furina.”

“Really?” Furina gasped, though she was not genuinely shocked that Arlecchino preferred to keep it plain. “Not even a dollop of whipped cream?”

With the drinks having had time to cool, Arlecchino braved a new attempt at a sip, this time finding the temperature to be acceptable. “I’m not too familiar with the taste and texture. This was not bought so much for me as it was for you. I am glad to see it is a taste that you enjoy.”

Before she could process what Furina was doing, there was suddenly a fluffy substance being smeared across her lower lip. It was slightly cold, and the sweet flavor had already begun to find its way into her mouth. Confused eyes looked to where Furina grinned, one finger still coated in the remains of the whipped cream and a small indent from the heap atop her mug where she’d stolen it from. Arlecchino caught the whipped cream with her tongue before it could drip from her chin to her lap, though she could not say she fancied the flavor.

“How is it?” Furina teased with a laugh. “Not that bad, right?”

“Ah, it is rather plain. Strangely cold as well.”

Furina hummed, swiping her finger through the cream again, this time catching a generous amount of chocolate sauce alongside it. “Here, try it like this.” Once again, she tapped it across her partner's lips, managing to slip some in her mouth as Arlecchino opened slightly for her.

Arlecchino paused to ponder the change in taste. It was certainly much sweeter with the chocolate seeping into the light and airy cream. “Not bad. Would you be willing to give me a second taste?”

“You want another?” Furina asked, both surprised and excited at the request. “Wait! Let me eat some first. I haven’t gotten to try it yet.” Her hot cocoa looked more like an ice cream cone with how tall her swirl of whipped cream sat. She licked the side of it, smudging it down flat and leaving steaks of chocolate where her tongue had been. Another taste, and a third. “You were right! Not bad, indeed. Still want more?”

Arlecchino was listening to her as she spoke. Of course she was. However, the sticky, sugary toppings had clung to Furina’s lower lip. It painted her skin like smudged lipstick, beckoning for Arlecchino to try the flavor.

“If you would be so kind.”

Arlecchino would not be surprised if Furina could read her mind and hear every thought she’d ever had. The alpha leaned towards her face and kissed her gently, ensuring that every bit of whipped cream and chocolate transferred to her tongue. “Does it taste any better yet?”

It was still just sugar to Arlecchino, but despite herself, she answered, “Yes.”

Furina dove in for more. She allowed the omega to hold her face and tilt her by the cheeks to lick and taste and savour every inch of her. Arlecchino finally stood from her chair, pulling the lightweight coat Furina still wore off her shoulders. Slowly but surely, they began to disrobe each other, taking steps towards their shared bedroom all the while.

The warm mugs would have to wait.

Arlecchino shoved Furina to the bed the moment they reached their room. Both were now completely topless, leaving only their pants to be removed. Strong hands undid the buttons of Furina’s bottoms, then lifted her hips to tug them off her legs. Clothed in nothing but her underwear, Furina put a hand on her partner's chest.

“How far do you intend to take us? I'm not saying I don’t want to do this, but... Well, this is new.”

Furina felt a hand wrap around hers reassuringly, and kisses were gently pressed against her palm and her wrist.

“I intend to go as far as you will allow, my love. We're both of sound mind, uninfluenced by instincts and I do believe we can behave ourselves.” She placed small bites around the small yet sensitive scent glands on Furina’s wrist, inviting the sugary ocean scent into her senses. Her other hand lowered to rest against Furina’s hips and began to tug at the waistband of her underwear. “May I?”

“Arle, I've... We've never...”

“I know,” she soothed. “We'll take it slow.”

Earning a nod from Furina, Arlecchino stripped her of her last piece of clothing. She'd yet to see her alpha completely bare before her. And what a treat it was. Nothing was stopping her from experiencing every part and every inch of her deliciously soft skin. As tempting as it was to take Furina right then and there, she was more interested in being meticulous.

Arlecchino took one of her alphas thighs in her grasp to gently move it aside, opening Furina to get a good look at all of her. The dick which rested within her body had already begun to peak out in anticipation. A sharp flare of arousal engulfed Arlecchino at the thought of it fully erect and reaching into the deepest parts of her. Furina had been so careful during her heat months ago. Keeping such a beautiful thing tucked away all that time was more than a feat of consideration. Even back then, the care and concern she displayed was nothing short of loving.

Arlecchino pressed her fingers lightly against the skin of Furina’s opening, further inviting her cock outwards. “No need to be shy, Furina. Let me see you.”

The touch sent shivers down the alpha's spine. So close... her omega was so painfully close to her. The feeling of her dick moving out of her own body was pleasurable enough, but she could only imagine the way a tight cunt would feel wrapped around her. With a strained sigh and a bite of her lip, Furina’s once retracted dick sat on full display. It was already wet with her own arousal, shiny and thinly prelubricated. It had been too long since she’d last had any reason to use it. But now, with Arlecchino standing before her with a firm grip on Furina’s open legs, the primal need to seek the purest form of pleasure would have been impossible to ignore. Not that she would have dared to.

Before Furina could ask if Arlecchino knew what to do with it, she felt fingers running up and down the length of her cock. It was sudden and nearly alarming, but the euphoria that radiated through her was all she could focus on.

“Ah-! Ooh, Arlecchino,” Furina sighed. “More... please. Is it too early to ask for more?”

Arlecchino chuckled. “This is a fine time to ask for more.” Her gentle, ghosting touch grew firm, tugging steadily and making Furina squirm on her back. Arlecchino worked her slowly, taking the time to listen closely to every little whine and moan that passed through Furina’s parted lips. Each noise she made grew louder as those slow paced motions became faster.

Furina felt her body begin to tremble. Her hands creased and wrinkled the sheet below her as the hot tension in her started to peak. More and more, faster and harder until Furina was nothing more than a panting mess. “I'm- Arle, I'm so close already,” she whimpered.

“I've noticed. Hm. On second thought...”

The palm around her dick suddenly stopped its motion and pulled away from her, causing a groaned cry to leave her. All that mounting pleasure turned into a desperate, unfulfilled ache. “Wha-? Arlecchino, you are being cruel!”

“Worry not. What I have planned for you now will be far better than anything my hand could achieve.” The omega finally slipped out of her bottoms and positioned herself above Furina’s lap. “I’d denied all your needs the last time we were intimate. Would you allow me to make up for my neglect?”

Furina could only nod. The sight of her omega sitting above her, taking full control by pinning the alpha on her back against their bed was one she devoured for every second it lasted. Piercing dark eyes kept her locked in place, promising that if she were to behave herself, she’d be rewarded handsomely. One hand wrapped softly around Furina’s while the other pressed her hips firmly into the mattress. The shock that ran through Furina was exhilarating as Arlecchino gradually sunk herself down on her alpha's cock. A ragged groan came from Furina, and she had to fight away the urge to thrust upwards to reach deeper into her omega. She’d yet to experience such a tightness around her, and it was threatening to drive her insane without friction. Still, she wiggled slightly, begging for the movement she so desperately needed.

“Arle, can I?”

But Arlecchino clicked her tongue in disapproval. Her low tone dipped lower still as she denied the request. “You cannot. I, however, will fuck you until you’ve had your fill.” She leaned down to nip gently across Furina’s chin and neck. “Do you accept this?”

“Please,” Furina answered. “But do be gentle with me.”

“Oh, my dear, of course I will be gentle,” Arlecchino soothed, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend's lips before returning her attention to the cock fully sheathed inside her. She began with a simple, experimental roll of her hips. Instantly, Furina was back to whining and resisting the desire to grind against her in return. Just how sensitive was she? Arlecchino intended to find out.

Again and again, Arlecchino allowed herself to grind a little rougher each time, Furina was worn so thin already. Her whines morphed into loud moans much faster than anticipated. It was no issue, Arlecchino would just have to build up her stamina over time. They would need it for her next heat cycle, after all.

“Alpha,” Arlecchino growled out, low and taunting, “you are doing well. How do I feel?”

If Furina had all her wits about her, she surely would have had much to share about the intense and intoxicating feeling. All she could manage to utter was a breathy, “Good, Arle.” She let out a heavy sigh as the coil inside her tightened once again. With a long groan, she finally felt that beautiful release that she'd previously been denied. She came hard and without warning, still buried within her omega. In a display of pity for her pleading alpha, Arlecchino rode her through it all.

It was only after Furina’s orgasm had completely faded away that Arlecchino lifted herself off of her dick. With nothing to keep her plugged up, warm spend had begun to mix with her own arousal and cling to her inner thighs.

“How was that? Satisfactory, it seems.” Scarred hands wandered across smooth bare skin, caressing Furina’s hips and waist. The gentle touches did all they could to keep Furina’s attention, but as her eyes traveled down Arlecchino’s body, she'd realized her mistake.

“Oh! Arle, I wasn't supposed to be inside when I came! What if... what if I-?”

“Pay it no mind, my dear,” Arlecchino said, petting Furina’s hair away from her face. “It is unlikely that I'll get pregnant outside of a heat cycle. Besides that, it's much too early for a baby, so do trust me when I tell you, nothing will come of this.”

Too early for a baby.

Furina let those words turn in her head as she considered them. It's still too early. Not now. Not yet.

But one day.

“Do you want more kids?” Furina asked gently, her own earnest want detectable behind her soft tone.

“Yes.” The answer came without any hesitation. “One or two more, ideally. I believe we could arrange this one day.”

Furina tugged Arlecchino closer by the waist, mirroring the hold that her omega had around her. Though her movements were more flirtatious, more intentional, with an eager grin on her face to match. “We most certainly can. I would not mind putting a baby in you once we're good and ready.”

A huffed out laugh, more akin to a sigh escaped Arlecchino. “I must admit, I am not sure that I would like to carry a child. Though, for you, the thought does not sound entirely unappealing.” She spoke with all her usual calm confidence, but could not hide the weight of her words from Furina. The rhythmic tapping of long nails on the alpha's hip revealed the anxiety that formed alongside the idea of pregnancy.

Furina sat up, finally leaving the comfort of the bed against her back. “We have plenty of time to figure that out. Adoption is still on the table, yes?” She threw her arms over Arlecchino’s shoulders and pulled her into another deep kiss. “If you'll have me, I'd love to grow this family with you someday.”

An affirmative hum reached her ears, telling her all that she needed to know. One day, whether it be in one year or five, they were both open to having another child together.

Minutes passed as the two held each other close. Savoring the silence of the empty house and the warmth of their embrace. Until, Arlecchino leaned away and pulled herself out of Furina’s arms. She turned, stepping towards the bathroom door.

“Would you like to continue this in the shower? I need to clean your semen out of me.”

Furina’s mouth fell open, having not at all expected to hear that. She stood and quickly followed her partner towards the bathroom. “Arlecchino, I would do anything to ensure you never say that word again.”

A short couple of hours later, Lyney and Lynette climbed into the backseats of Arlecchino’s car. They placed their boxes of magic supplies on the car floor, and buckled themselves in. On most days, the moment the two were settled, they'd tell her of all the fun they'd had teaching themselves how to perfect their tricks and illusions. But today, Arlecchino found perplexed looks on her children's faces.

Before she had the chance to question their expressions, Lyney spoke up.

“Father, you smell different.”

“Oh?” Arlecchino paused, subtly pressing her fingertips to either side of her neck to ensure her scent blockers had not fallen off somehow. “And what is it that is so different?”

“You smell like cake.”

“And the beach!”

Ah... In a singular short afternoon together, Furina had left her scent all over her.