Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Anaxa opened the messages on his phone. He'd been so diligent about only using his private number in emergencies in the beginning, but with the rise of technology such pretences had become obsolete at some point. Most of the other teachers did the same, letting the students use the messengers on their phone to organize classes and study groups, and sending documents that way.

Phainon looked cheerful in his profile picture. It was him with that silly cat that allegedly hated him so much. Cifera looked wonky in his large hands, and a little annoyed.

Anaxa opened his chat.

I'm sorry to bother you with a more private matter, Phainon , feel free to ignore/decline this request, I promise it won't have an impact on your grades if you say no. I have a bit of a health issue at the moment and I've theorized that exposure to Alpha pheromones would lighten the symptoms, would you be willing to lend me one or two articles of clothing with your scent on?

Health issue?! Professor are you okay?!
Are you neglecting yourself again?

It's nothing major, don't worry about it.
Consider it a personal experiment
Like testing a household remedy for headaches

“Nothing major” coming from you could mean anything.
Does Hyacine know about this “experiment”?

No.
And I'd be grateful if you didn't boast about it either.

Professor…
Of course I’m always willing to help but..
U worry me

I thought perhaps you were the right person to ask but…

Me? Because I’m an alpha right?
That's the only reason surely…

Yes, it has to be an alpha, I am pretty sure.
I don't think Hyacine would appreciate if I asked Cassie instead,
and the two of them would out-worry even you as well

Yes, I agree. I can handle this!
I’m flattered you trust me with your experiment~
I can provide that, that's easy. The scent I mean…

I hope it's not too much of a hassle
I'm sorry

OF COURSE IT ISN'T! IF IT'S FOR YOU, PROFESSOR, IT NEVER IS!

Hm, Asking you for a more clinical type of sample...
No, that's even more of a hassle.
Just a shirt or two should suffice to see if it lightens the symptoms.
If you want something in return please let me know,
I'm a little busy at the moment,
but I'm sure I can free up some time for my stellar student.

Ahh, you’re so nice I would’ve just given you the items you need but an equivalent exchange?
Hmm, I have to think about what I want
What could I possibly want? hmm…
Your generosity is overwhelming, professor!

That's the least I can do.
Maybe this promising young debater wants to come over for drinks and have a little discussion ?
Though that's probably more of a treat for me than it is for you
I value your insights, Phainon.

I could drop by this evening, if that's okay? Is that fast enough?

Yes, perfect.
You worry too much about the well-being of others for your own good
Please remember to take care of yourself

Oh, I'm perfectly fine, I'm mostly worried about you actually.
I want some private tutoring, if that's okay?
Or maybe I should ask you review my homework first?
That's what I want as an exchange! I want to be the first…

You're proving my point…
The first? You mean in class?
But sure! I can do that!
No drinks and discussions then? Too bad.

Oh, well… uhm No, let's have drinks and talk.
I haven't come over in some time, it's so rare to see you one on one lately.
Usually it's always the four of us together, but if I want to be the best, I'll have to put in the extra effort.

See you later then, Phainon. Thanks in advance.

See ya!

Anaxa sent a little sticker of a dromas happily waving after his last text. That had went easy enough. Phainon was reliable, and in this situation him being such a teacher's pet actually came in handy. It wasn't a particularly good feeling to lie to his student like that again, but Anaxa reminded himself that this was the best for all of them. If he made a quick recovery, then he could be there for his students again, no longer hindered by his hallucinations, or the lack of peaceful sleep. Perhaps he should have tried with his own shirt that Phainon had touched the day before first, but the remainder of scent had already faded from being in the basket with his laundry overnight.

It didn't make a big difference. If his theory was correct then he would receive his remedy in the evening. Even better if Phainon stayed over for drinks, Anaxa knew he would feel safe with him around, perhaps that would help hammer the solution into his stupid omega senses. That there was no threat, that he had no mate to be separate from.

Anaxa yawned and made himself some tea. He had to be in good shape for the evening, it was best if at least today he took care of himself and allowed himself some comfort. Tea on the stove Anaxa dug through his wardrobe. Yes, fantastic. His single eye lit up as his hands felt the fluffy, fuzzy, light blue goodness of his cherished dromas onesie.
There really was nothing better for today than that. A simple shirt and boxers would do well underneath it, and then later, before Phainon would come over, he would change into something less casual.

Something that lessened his student's worry.

Aside from his health issues Anaxa genuinely looked forward to meeting him later. He fondly remembered the long gone days when his own mentor invited him over, to converse, to discuss, perhaps to jest a little. Empedocles, too, had sometimes uncorked a bottle of whatever he deemed fitting for the occasion, and shared it with his eager student.

Like Catullus invited Licinius Calvus in his ancient roman poems, so too, would he treat his esteemed disciple to drink and converse. A smile played over the professor's bitter lips, as he remembered translating the Latin texts under Empedocles's stern but caring guidance. Yet another figure in his life he'd lost, another reason that he would leave his own students more to remember him by, more care, more of a legacy.

Anaxagoras spent the better half of the day cleaning his house. He'd planned to just tidy the living room, but as he was already on it, it couldn't do any harm to clean the other rooms as well. Keeping the place organized was not usually of high priority, but some things were just a lot easier when one dressed as a majestic horned beast with a gentle nature. Yes, the idea of an adorable blue dromas acting as his housekeeper was a fantasy he allowed himself to indulge in for a while. It was a great way to occupy his mind with anything other than the idea that Khaslana was watching him during all of this.

He couldn't always see him, couldn't always smell or hear him, and Anaxa knew it wasn't real, but Khas was the embodiment of his paranoia.

The other half of the day Anaxa had looked into a few books on the topic Phainon had mentioned before. They wouldn't be able to discuss it at length yet, but similar as he had done for Khaslana, when taking him to see the kangaroos, Anaxa had thought of ways to inspire his thoughts. The tablet from university really came in handy for this type of work, and he had spent exorbitant amounts of time at work as of late. Perhaps he should switch for a few days of home office once he was truly getting better.

At some point, sprawled over a sizeable bunch of pillows on his sofa, Anaxa fell asleep. That was the downside to his fluffy ensemble - it really was so cosy he would sometimes doze off. Especially now when his body needed the rest of a nice, warm- oh, that word again.

He could think about that word some other time. The pillow between his thighs was just the right kind of pressure, the one in his arms the perfect placement.

The professor fell asleep.

Phainon had sent his teacher a text twenty minutes earlier.

Then another, fifteen minutes, then five minutes ago. He'd knocked on the door.

No answer. Had professor Anaxa forgotten about their meeting tonight? Or perhaps that health issue he'd mentioned? He'd smelled so, so sweet the night before, so sweet that Phainon worried about him. Surely, there were those nasty (and quite frankly intrusive to his privacy) rumours about Anaxagoras: Some of the other teachers calling him barren and acerbated behind his back. A spinster at times! Phainon internally rolled his eyes. The idea of calling someone such a term these days… pfft.

But if anything hearing those things only made Phainon worry more about him. He'd been acting weird for weeks, he'd gone home on his own the night before, tipsy, frail, and still an omega after all. Someone who could easily be overwhelmed, especially with his terrible constitution.

Phainon sighed as he fumbled the key to the front door from his pocket and turned it in the lock.

"Professor Anaxa? Are you home?" the young man spoke into the darkness of the hallway. No answer. Well, it wasn't his first visit. He entered, took off his shoes and jacket, made his way into the living room. "Professor?"

The overwhelming smell of sweet spearmint and petrichor filled the entire room. This… This was his-

A suspiciously Anaxa-shaped dinosaur lay on the sofa, frowning a little, legs squeezed around one of many pillows. Phainon blushed as he saw the man was ever so slightly moving. Anaxa clung to those bunched up pillows and blankets like he was starving for another person in their stead. Phainon swallowed hard as he approached him, breathing, blinking, breathing again.

"Um, professor Anaxa? Should… Should I come back another time?"

But the omega did not answer him, just shifted slightly in his soft domain. His student walked to the back of the sofa to lean over the backrest and touch his arm.

Citrus smell. Pleasant.

"… ssor?"

Hmhh.

"-nother time?"

Something was touching him.

Anaxa shot up. "Ah- what? Oh… Oh, Phainon, it's you. Oh goodness, I'm sorry."

Phainon took two steps back after his teacher had finally woken up. The omega stared up at him and rubbed his eye. "I must've dozed off, I'm so sorry. If you don't mind, I'll get changed real quick. You can sit on the sofa if you'd like, I'll fix you a drink in a minute."

He was about to make his way towards the bedroom, hand already on the zipper of his onesie, but Phainon protested. "N-No need, teacher, please- I think it's cute, I mean- you like dromases, don't you? I don't mind if you stay like that, no need to change for my sake."

Anaxa chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, it won't take long. Just take a seat." Phainon did not take a seat.

"I- I mean… this is your home, and that suit looks very comfortable- I really don't mind if you keep it on. It's… I rarely ever see this side of you. Something so private. I'm… glad I get to see this, so-"

"No need to over-explain it, Phainon, you'll end up making it sound weird," his teacher hummed, but let himself be convinced, perhaps also by the other's presence. Feisty as he usually was, his goal was to find a remedy for his separation anxiety after all and letting himself be a little vulnerable around the alpha that so generously donated his time and pheromones couldn't hurt that endeavour. Rather than getting changed, he grabbed two intricate glasses from a sideboard, alongside a bottle and a cork-screw, then settled back into sofa.

"Well, are you gonna stand there forever? I thought you wanted me to look over your homework?" Anaxa patted the spot next to him on the sofa.

"I-… I forgot to bring it. I got too nervous. Sorry," the alpha sighed, but pulled two bundles of fabric from his backpack, one black and one light blue, "I did bring what you asked me to, though, there you go. Will that be enough?"

The two pieces of clothing Phainon handed him were absolutely exuding his alpha scent. Anaxa had to actively resist the urge to bury his nose in the bundle and just take a few deep deep breaths of his pheromones. The mere presence of an alpha put him at ease. No hallucinations. No paranoia. He put both of the sweaters to the side, somewhere within that amalgamation of pillows and blankets. "Yes, perfect, thank you, Phainon," he smiled, "by all means what are you so awkward about? Is it because you forgot your homework? Come on, I can still look into it tomorrow, just sit with me and have a drink."

Something in his student's gaze was off. Distant, avoidant. As if there was an invisible line between the sofa and him. "You want me to enter?" the alpha asked again and earned a frown from his teacher. Enter? The couch? His proximity? Oh, was it because he could smell the sickness, the weakness of his false preheat and didn't want him to feel threatened? How polite.

"Come on, Phainon, don't make your old teacher insist. It's not a problem, I promise. I can handle myself."

When Phainon entered his proximity and sunk down beside him something changed. Something Anaxa couldn't put his finger onto. Territorial behaviour? Perhaps a remainder of his anxiety? He was momentarily hyper-aware of Phainon being next to him. Not overly close, just…

"Do you mind?" Anaxa handed him the bottle and the cork-screw.

Phainon obeyed without the need for instructions. Uncorking the bottle required a bit of force, something he was glad to provide. Two glasses were filled with an appropriate amount of hazelnut liqueur to inspire their thoughts.

"These glasses are so pretty, professor…" Phainon muttered, took a sip, somewhat shy. What was going through the lad's head that had him so nervous? They'd all had cocktails just the day before. It couldn't be that. He'd been over to visit him so many times. Anaxa fondly remembered all the progress his golden boy had made the time he'd caught a cold. This was not a first, and it wasn't much of a special occasion either, even if they hadn't found the chance to do this in some time.

"I thought I'd pick something nice, after all you went out of your way to help me with my experiment."

"May… may I ask what kind of experiment it is?"

"Mh, I'd rather not spoil the premise in case it doesn't work out after all, but if my assumptions prove to be true, I will be sure to mention you as my co-contributor, Phainon."

"I could— umm…"

Anaxa leaned forward to reach for his own glass. Phainon smelled so stressed, so tense.

"Still nervous about explaining your recent hypothesis to me? There's no need to fret, I'm not here to discourage you, even if I'm strict sometimes. In fact I looked up a few thought-provoking documents to help you work on it." Without thinking the omega stretched out his arm and ruffled the young man's hair. Phainon leaned into the touch then caught his wrist between his fingers.

"Yes- nervous… umm… it's just…"

Anaxa couldn't help but wonder. That same young man had lied so effortlessly for him the day before. After that he had made no attempt to ask about his motives. He had no idea what Phainon was hiding from him, but then again he was not in the position to dig. Maybe it was better to not inquire his secrets, and let Phainon do the same for him.

Sickly or not, Anaxa could not help, but offer him some comfort. The mere hint of his scent was enough to make the grasp around his wrist tighten and move it downwards towards the radiant sun symbol on his neck. "Thank you, teacher-"

It was almost a whine.

Like a pouting child, Anaxa thought, like a puppy. He offered him two gentle rubs of his scent against the spot on his neck, then tried to pull away. Phainon still held on and it required Anaxa to tug a little for him to get his arm back. "Is that a little better?" he hummed, took another sip, "maybe we should discuss those things I looked into. You wonder about the benefits of codependency, right? I thought maybe we could start that conversation with pets, you have a cat after all, so you might be able to relate to it a little easier."

Phainon swallowed at that, he grabeds the wrong glass from the table, it's fine, Anaxa thought. He let him have it. No need to point out his mistake and make him even more anxious.

"Pets? Because they depend on their owner?" the alpha answered and earned a smile from the other man.

"Mhm, yes, that's part of it. But what makes a pet a pet? Is it the dependency? Is it domestication? Is it breeding?"

Phainon slammed his glass onto the coaster.

"Is everything okay?" the omega worried.

"Yes, sorry I'm just…" the alpha's hand looked tense around the table top, the grip so strong his knuckles threatened to turn white, "the owner, I'd say the owner defines the pet. Without the pet… the owner is just a person, the relationship defines their status. The pet, too, would cease to be a pet, perhaps even cease to exist without the care of it's owner."

The smile on Anaxa's lips was somewhere in between proud and tempted to spur him into a more detailed answer, but for now he was satisfied. "Very good, I see you have spend a great deal of time thinking about this. Did your cat inspire you, then?"

Phainon returned his teacher's smile. "Actually, professor… you inspired me. I wish you would depend on me more often. I was so glad you asked me for help. I wouldn't mind to help you more with your experiment."

The answer did not surprise Anaxa, even if that last part is a little overenthusiastic. It is very on brand for Phainon to turn his response into some underhanded praise. A terrible habit, really. He would much rather the youth challenged all the things he said than praised even one of them. Phainon was his brother's polar opposite after all.

His citrus swole with pride. His cedar, his sandalwood. That little bit of vanilla.

Phainon smelled good.

"I inspired you? I hope you're well aware that flattery will get you nowhere, when I'm your opponent. Even though, the way I'm dressed right now I do see the parallels between me and a pet, so I'll give you that. Perhaps I should change after all, it's a little warm in this thing-"

That disgusting perma-fever again. Perhaps he should- oh, oh, his medication. Anaxa reached for a bottle of pills that was nestled in between two stacks of books on the table before them.

Phainon smelled really good.

Anaxa unscrewed the bottle and popped a pill into his mouth, brushing over the fact that these were the same pills Phainon had lied about for him. He didn't seem very curious about, it was best just to act nonchalant about it and not make it a big deal.

"Is that for your health issue?" Phainon asked, "Taking lots of pills doesn't seem very healthy… are you sure this is necessary?"

It must be Phainon's presence and his own weakened state that was just a little more susceptible to an alpha's imposing nature, but he considered for a moment if he should actually not take the suppressants. Any time he did he would end up feeling so drowsy, and almost dizzy after prolonged company after all.

"I won't have to take them for much longer, so don't worry."

As Anaxa swallowed his medication, Phainon quickly reached for the box. "You're taking heat suppressants?" Phainon sounded shocked, "Professor Anaxa, don't you know that this stuff can make you infertile?!"

Ignoring how intrusive that comment was Anaxa just laughed at it. "Infertile? Phainon, I'm almost 40… I'm way past the age to have kids at. I'm old enough to be your father. I wasn't going to tell you, but I really think I'm going into menopause soon anyways."

"Is that why you asked me for help?"

There was something in Phainon's face, and Anaxa knew him well, but his expression just didn't match the situation. He looked at him the same way he did when Anaxa asked him to fill in Hyacine's spot as assistant instructor in her absence. Something he could only consider a pride to be useful, honoured perhaps? There was something else he'd rarely ever seen besides it.

Phainon stretched his hand out and cupped his teacher's face.

His scent was so strong. Anaxa felt dizzy after just one whiff of it. He sunk his face into Phainon's open palm, the warmth of his fever felt unbearable.

"You're a little warm, teacher. You should-"

Anaxa nuzzled his nose against the other man's wrist, his mind went blank.

"It's okay. Don't worry, I'll take care of you. I had really hoped you would depend on me like this more, professor Anaxa…"

He hadn't been in heat for over twenty years now. Wasn't that what it felt like? But he couldn't go in heat if he was constantly taking suppressants. It was downright impossible. Anaxa hadn't slacked off when he researched the side-effects of his medication; he had considered every possible factor. Even if his own biochemistry was causing the pills to have these side-effects, it just wasn't physically possible to go anywhere beyond a preheat - and those he knew he'd been able to handle in the past.

He couldn't go in heat from sniffing his student's wrist either, absolutely out of question.

Anaxa's head lolled to the side, he was fiddling with the zipper of his onesie, he had to cool down, and soon, too.

All he managed to do was slide it open to around his belly, the blue fluff slipped to the sides and revealed a light coloured t shirt with a neckline cut so wide it fell over his shoulder. Anaxa felt himself almost salivating into his student's hand.

"You need to go home, Phainon, I'm sorry… Your teacher is not feeling well today."

"My scent… that's what you wanted, right?"

Anaxa was getting high on it. He weakly shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. I might have been wrong. I'm not feeling so well, maybe my hypothesis wasn't right. I mean…"

"I can give you heat care."

Anaxa snapped back into reality from the sheer shock. "Pha-… what…? WHAT?"

"I can tell that you're going in heat, professor. You smell really good, and you're nesting. You asked me into your nest, too. Let me give you heat care. You'll feel better just… trust me. Depend on me for once."

Nesting. Fuck.

"Go home immediately. I'm not going in heat, and if I did I surely wouldn't ask my student for help."

Nest. The word he'd been looking for, tucked away behind a nature he'd wanted to discard. Had his own madness made him so dull? How could he have been so stupid? Maybe the dosage just wasn't high enough anymore? Maybe the pharmacist had secretly lowered it so they could make more money selling less product? Anaxa had not weighed the active substance inside the little capsules. But even if that were the case, maybe he could just take more-

Anaxa reached for the pills on his table, but Phainon was faster. He rubbed his wrist against his teacher's exposed neck, too rough to just be calming. The imposed dominance made his head spin with need as his hands struggled with the pill box.

"I wouldn't take two if I were you, it's just gonna make you more dizzy. It's a good thing I swapped them out back then… We can't risk you becoming infertile."

The small container hit the ground.

"You did WHAT?!"

Phainon combed a hand through his teacher's long hair, played with it's tips as Anaxa stared up at him in horror, in disbelief.

"I couldn't risk that you'd sacrifice our chance at children, so I swapped them out. I told you, it's really dangerous to take suppressants, especially for that long. You're always so negligent with your own body, but I'll prove my point to you. That codependency can be beneficial."

And suddenly all the paranoia, all the anxiety came back, came crashing down. In that moment he can feel his vision blur, just for a second Anaxa saw Khas before him. No, it's not him. It isn't. It can't be. This was a flashback, or it was going to be one, but then Phainon saw his dazed look and began to aggressively scent him. His stomach hurt, no, it's his abdomen. It hurt, and he was too warm, the only spot that felt good was the side of his neck, where Phainon was rubbing his wrist against him, and then his lips. His head fell into the crook of his student's neck, face to face with the very proof that this isn't Khaslana. A radiant sun, exuding citrus scent, exuding the concept that he had to stay put. The omega whimpered. There was a warm, hot tongue drinking up his own mint like pheromones.

"Your scent is like a drug, professor," Phainon growls, "from the moment I first got to smell it, in the infirmary… I knew I had to make you mine. We're meant to be."

Anaxa can't process that. His body tingled with unwanted lust every time that warm tongue laps over his scent glands, he was muttering something but it was so hard with that nice warm mouth on the spot that wanted to be laid claim to. No.

No.

He doesn't want that. Not from his student. His student who was a strong, attractive alpha that smells fantastic and whose scent is oozing with authority. An alpha that he wouldn't have hesitated to kiss in that damn storage room.

Anaxa pinched himself, but it didn't help. He knew he was presenting his neck. He couldn't stop himself from salivating, sniffing, until he could taste Phainon's pheromones on his tongue. He needed more.

"alpha…"

Phainon combed a hand through his hair and it felt so good, he wanted to die, he wanted to fold, he wanted to disappear, because why couldn't he resist? This was his student, a man young enough to be his child. Anaxa sobbed.

"That's good, yes. Acknowledge it, that I'm in charge, that I'm your alpha. I told you about my research, did I not? There's this forum I found online. For ethical reasons I think they couldn't give me proper sources, but there is so much material on imposing the sort of submission I need from you. You promised you'd help me, remember? With my thesis?"

His head was spinning. If he'd been stripped bare in his nightmares then this was the next step. What Khas had made him ashamed of had been his own thoughts, but Phainon just gave him new thoughts to have altogether.

"I- I was gonna- with your research…?"

His tongue peeked out, just a taste, just-

Phainon shuddered when Anaxa licked over his tattoo, over the collar on top of it even.

"Teasing me like that, so lewd… my feisty little omega"

There was no 'feisty' within the desperate little licks against Phainon's neck, only hunger. Anaxa was starving for this type of presence, or something within him was. Something that he had very successfully kept under lock and key and that Phainon was working hard to coax out again.

It was only when Phainon parted with his neck, and pulled him off of his own that Anaxa can grasp a clear thought again. His eye was glassy, unfocused, but it didn't take away from the shock within it. Phainon was warm, too, not feverish like him, and it isn't a burning type of warmth. If anything there was disgusting comfort found between the two hands that hold his face. Phainon was smiling at him.

"I was going to wait longer, but you're right. We've no time to waste, teacher," he hums, "or maybe I get to call you by your first name now? Would you like that?"

Anaxa jolts. Not again, never again. Not with that face, not with that same sultry look, with that adoration Khas sometimes directed at him.

"Absolutely not," the omega hisses and smacks both hands away. When he then tries to get up and put some distance between them, all it does is give Phainon the necessary room to peel him out of his onesie. He can't deny it feels good to be able to cool down- to be-

Anaxa has to actively make himself aware that this is not what he wants. His thighs are sticky with slick, his boxers tainted with it. A multitude of questions rumbled in his guts, all of them scattered by the state he was in. Terrified, horny, terrified.

"Do you like it when I address you with your title then? Is that why you insist? Or because I haven't graduated yet? You're always so thoughtful, or maybe this is something you're into-"

His student's fingers danced over their prize, over the shape of his body, barely concealed by a thin, oversized shirt and drenched boxer shorts. He knew Phainon had a knack for antiques, he was admiring his body with similar attention to detail, with the same appreciation.

The lad had talked about it before, how estimate the value, how to spot a fake. Under his watchful eye would Anaxa's own worth be revealed? Would he find worth in a withered omega like him?

A thumb brushed over his nipple, already very visibly poking through the fabric - Anaxa gasped. The little touch was so intense he almost felt his knees buckle, but when Phainon bit his lip and flicked a nail against it he had to clutch a hand over his mouth to muffle himself.

"You look so cute like this, professor. See? Your body has already accepted my truth, it knows what's coming."

Phainon was easily strong enough to overwhelm him. With enough force Anaxa could have never withstood him, but that wasn't necessary. All his student had to do was place both hands on his waist and pull him in, right against his lips. The omega was still struggling to form a coherent answer, his mouth trembled to respond when it met with Phainon's.

They weren't cold. Phainon's lips weren't cold, like Khas's had been in his dreams so often. They were soft, and warm, and forgiving, even when Anaxa failed as an omega, failed to kiss him back-

Failed? Those weren't his own thoughts. That strong feeling of gratitude towards the young, healthy, strong alpha that accepted a defect like him, it wasn't real. Before he could even attempt to part with him, Phainon had already moved them back onto the sofa, still nipping at his lips, his cheek, the edge of the gauze over his empty socket. The latter drew enough resistance from Anaxa to put some distance between them. He propped himself onto his elbows, crawled as far back as he could, breathless, disgusted.

"You've lost your mind- What's gotten into you?!" the omega hissed, "Phainon, you're my best student, I can't allow you to do this!"

The alpha seemed to pout, but it lacked the depth of a full rejection.

"You're always so considerate. They can call you mean all they want, or barren, or eccentric. You're holding back for my sake, aren't you? Hyacine said, you told her you'd die for us, if necessary. You're so noble, professor. I hope our children take after you…"

The laughter that Anaxa responded with was filled with all the dread, all the hysteria of the past months, feeling haunted, feeling restless, pursued not by one brother, but by both of them. He shoved a foot against Phainon's chest in a desperate attempt to hold him back. "You're making a fool out of yourself, Phainon," he cackled, tried not to moan, "are you so desperate to prevail over your teacher that you've become a brute? I taught you a good debate is won over well prepared talking points, over analysing and taking apart what your opponent says, not by forcing them. What a pitiful excuse for rhetoric."

Phainon hesitated for a moment, he looked thoughtful, but the want in his gaze was not lost. Once he made up his mind he smiled at his teacher.

His body lowered to loom, to tower over Anaxa's. Part of him wanted to fold just from that. "Some truths cannot be spoken, they're ingrained in us. Ideae innatae. A trait so deeply anchored within it can never be denied. Pointing that out does not make me a brute."

Anaxa's laughter remained hysterical, but it became more quiet, desperate.

Ideae innatae.

The opposite of a tabula rasa. The opposite of Khaslana's magnum opus.

"Do you think understanding Descartes gives you a justification to do this?" the omega growled, but soon whatever remained of that spite was drowned out by the scent on the wrist against his nose. Anaxa could not help, but drink it in, any new mouthful of the smell so irresistible the concept of thought became meaningless.

Phainon knew how to give him just enough of it, just enough that he was wax in his hands, but remained lucid enough to witness Phainon's revelations. The more he was exposed to his scent the more his body relaxed, tense shoulders slowly sinking into the cushions, until Phainon slung both arms around the other man.

The foot he had pressed against the alpha's chest slipped away, both his legs around his waist now. The perfect placement for Phainon to pull him into his lap. Anaxa cringed with shame, when the slick soiling his boxer shorts made a vulgar, slimy noise as it met the outline of a raging erection underneath. Yet again the alpha took his time to make him accommodate to his position within his embrace. "Shh… shh… no need to be ashamed, professor. I know you suppressed this for a long time, but there's no need to worry. Your body yearns for mine, and that's mutual, you can feel that, right?" The slightest shift forward and Anaxa finds himself clawing into his student's back. He's stiff, he's throbbing underneath his aching cunt- aching? No, that's not-

Another shift and yes, aching it is.

"Tell me it doesn't feel good," Phainon whispered as he held him in his arms, "Tell me this doesn't alleviate your heat."

Anaxa held his gaze, their faces were so close, just like that day in the storage room. He knew he wouldn't have objected to kissing him then. He wasn't so sure anymore right now. Fiddling with his medication- that… that was such a breach of trust. Constantly pushing the boundary of what was acceptable. Just like his brother had. Was this the natural consequence of his self neglect? Hyacine that spoon fed him after he said he was not hungry, because she was reluctant to lose another parental figure; Castorice who had to check in on her teacher to make sure he wouldn't become a burden to her girlfriend…

Phainon who had decided it was time to put an end to his medical malpractice, if for differently selfish reason than the other two.

A natural extreme, the overdone punchline to the satire of his life.

His mind was too heat-crazed to decide at what point he should have drawn the line and intervened. A slow spiral of dependency became clear to Anaxa, one that had started way before Phainon had become a part of his life.

"I can't accept heat care from you, Phainon, if anyone finds out about this-"

"That's not what I asked."

Anaxa could distinctly feel any spot where their bodies were touching, he could feel every single fingertip that dug into his skin, he could feel Phainon throb under him when he shifted. His citrus filled the air, still somewhat nervous, and that humanized him.

Despite everything, despite the disregard of boundaries, the intrusion, the assault, his student was trying to make a point, and behind that was a nervous young man. Even after what Anaxa feared was a months long build up, Phainon was scared that this would fail, that he'd be rejected and his theory was wrong.

Anaxa sighed. He cupped his face.

"I can't risk your future."

"Answer my question."

Phainon's breath was so warm against his lips, he couldn't focus, couldn't think. Even just the idea of rejecting him made his heart flutter with anxiety. The arms that had been embracing him started roaming, started gently groping, until the omega was panting, rocking ever so slightly. His pussy was crying for attention. When Phainon leaned in that was all it took. Anaxa sobbed as he closed the distance between their lips, unknowing if he really didn't want to anymore.

Unlike before, when all Anaxa could do was tremble and struggle for words, this time he reciprocated the motion. They kissed slow and chaste at first, he caught himself wondering if Phainon had ever kissed someone before, or if he had practised any of this beforehand, as yet another preparation for this grand plan of his. His motions were careful, but their gap in experience was clear. Sometimes he went in too eager, like a puppy lapping at their owner's face.

Eventually Anaxa allowed this to progress, allowed their tongues to meet, just to find his student overeager again. Phainon had cupped his face and couldn't help himself but shove his thumb into the corner of Anaxa's mouth as he licked into it. The omega panted against the intrusion, and slowly pulled back at some point.

"Your lips taste so good, teacher. Is that because you're in heat? Or are you just a much better kisser than I am?"

Titans. That smile, gentle, not beaming this time. If Phainon's usual grin was the brightness of a sunny day, then this one was the sun setting and tinging the world in all of it's vibrant colours. He let that smiling youth lay him back into his nest.

"You can't tell anyone about this," was all he could reply, nothing but a whisper, but Phainon shook his head as if he'd said something ridiculous.

"I'd never, professor. Just the idea of someone else getting to see you like this is driving me insane. You're all mine."

Something was rising in Phainon's scent, the musk? The sandal? It became a little heavier than before and it wasn't just lust. He had hardly noticed the way Phainon had made him bend his legs over himself so he could get rid of his ruined shorts. Oh, titans, he was undressing him- he'd be bare-

The alpha's thumbs dug into his labia and pulled them apart. Anaxa had never seen him hungry like that. He could smell the cool burn of mint from how much he must've sullied himself with slick. Before he could thrash and kick Phainon off, the man had already buried his face between the pale thighs in front of him.

The shock drew a moan from Anaxa. The alpha's tongue drank him out, savoured him like divine nectar. The relief was immediate. Finally attention to the place that burned the worst, the part of him that the phantom of his brother had failed to satisfy in all those terrible dreams before. Trembling hands wanted to pull Phainon's hair, but all they managed was to shove him further into his folds.

It was clear that the drive behind his motions was appetite, greed more than anything, but that did not stop Anaxa from tangling his fingers into white locks and grinding himself against the other man's tongue. There was so much slick, he could feel it bubble out of him, he could feel Phainon swallow hard around his clit after shoving his tongue into the omega's hole. He was a quick learner, his golden boy, flicking around his clit rather than only across it after observing the reactions he earned. Anaxa let the praise linger on his lips until he had reminded himself of just how messed up this was. He let his pleas to stop this linger just the same, unspoken.

A delighted groan against his cunt made Anaxa squeeze the man between his thighs. It only spurred Phainon on to lick deeper into him, never more, never any penetration beyond his tongue, despite his thumbs being so close, still holding him open to be consumed.

Eventually Phainon pulled back. His mouth and chin shone with slick, his tongue busy on his teacher's thighs now. Somewhere in between worship and vandalism Phainon cleaned away every drop he'd spilled, cruel enough not to lick his teacher into completion. The empty hole before him clenched around nothing for his viewing pleasure.

"Your slick is the most delicious thing I've ever had," he whispered, eyes hazy with love, "I was sure before, but… there really is no way I can let you go anymore."

It hadn't gone past him that Phainon had pocketed his ruined underwear. What a freak.

"Don't you think this is going too far?" Anaxa growled, let his legs sink down and pulled at the shirt to at least try to cover himself. Whatever had been going on with Phainon's scent, it was growing stronger. He smelled beyond turned on now, and Anaxa hated how proud he felt about that. That it was him who'd had impressed the young man so much, who had made him feel so needy. He wanted this to be his instinct as an omega, but he couldn't help admitting that there was a bit of teacher's pride in there as well. How despicable. He had to stop this.

Phainon seemed to think otherwise. He forced a slick-smeared kiss onto the man's lips and dragged him to bend over his legs. Anaxa could struggle all he want, a hand on his neck was enough to keep him down. Phainon had done his research, he shoved one of the many pillows under Anaxa's hips, with a hushed apology for disrupting the order in his nest. It prevented him from lowering them down, keeping him in a permanent position of presenting. Fuck.

This was absolutely unacceptable, but with just one hand ghosting over his spine Anaxa felt his back arch into it.

"I told you, I've put effort into this, professor. Give me a chance to convince you. Is this comfortable for you? I thought the pillow might help, since you keep bringing up your age… I don't want you to feel sore just yet, though if it happens I'll take care of it, so don't worry."

His voice was way too cheerful for a man who was about to fuck his teacher.

Anaxa was about to protest when a palm smacked against his bare ass, making him yelp.

"This might hurt a little, but it's necessary to make sure you understand your place in all of this. A little bit of impact will hammer it down, your urge to submit, and take me in. You must've suffered, so I'll make sure to give you some relief during all of that, too, okay? You've been frequenting your 'friend' in the shower so much, I was getting a little worried wether I could even keep up with you."

Friend in the- did Phainon watch him masturbate?! How? When?

His thoughts were erased with the next slap. Anaxa bit his lip, another slap, another, and then that same hand caressed his ass. The one that still held him down by his neck ruffled through his hair as curious fingers began to explore his pussy. Any time Anaxa resisted he would stop and wait until he'd calmed back down, and if the struggle persisted, another slap was enough to put him back into place. The maddening back and forth had his conscience crumble.

When two fingers easily penetrated his slicked up hole Anaxa already found himself shifting against them. Too unbearable was that pain, that need, coiling around his middle, reminding him of how painfully empty he was without Phainon's help. The alpha tested to let go of him, tested to run the hand that held him in place over his body instead.

"That's good, isn't it, professor? Your hips are so eager, do you like it when I curl my fingers right here?"

He did and Anaxa bent like a needy cat as the fingers dug into his sweet spot. Trying to suppress his voice was long since out of question from how good the man fingered into him. Surprising, considering his amateur pussy eating skills! But perhaps this skill just required more anatomy study than muscle memory.

Phainon kept digging into the spot until Anaxa's toes were curling, and the man was softly moaning into the cushion underneath. The alpha used his newly free hand to give him a few more slaps every now and then, since Anaxa made no attempts at disrupting his position anymore. It felt… fantastic. Not yet thick enough, his heat made him want to be stuffed, but the attention, the position… the slaps, they made the omega's head spin.

"It's good, isn't it? Out of all the things I researched, I thought this would be a good starter to make sure you adjust. Just like when Hyacine stuffs you with that first spoon full of food to stop your protest against the nutrition. But this is a little different. There's pleasure, too, but the added pain helps you accept your role. The pressure to the back of your head should make you want to stay in place, it worked, right? Not everyone still has that kind of rudimentary reflex anymore, but I'm glad you seem to do."

Anaxa gnawed into the cushion underneath his face. That little freak had seriously put work into this, he'd done some broad, questionable research how to best bend someone else to his will. But Anaxa knew in Phainon's head this must look different. If Hyacine was allowed to force a spoon into his mouth, so he wouldn't starve himself, then he himself had to prepare all the right techniques and talking points to make sure he could similarly force himself onto his teacher. He shook his head at the audacity, the brazen nature of this approach - and could only find his own methods of teaching behind them. Had he created this situation?

"Don't talk about Hyacine while you're fingering me," Anaxa hissed, a last remainder of resistance.

He cherished her dearly, all his three wards, in fact, but the comparison wasn't wrong. Hyacine's motives to nurture him came not from Anaxa demanding it, they came from her own wish to not lose another parental figure. Anaxa never asked to be saved, just like Anaxa didn't asked to be courted or mated by Phainon.

"Hm, I haven't thought about it, would the mention of another omega trigger a rivalry response? Would that motivate you to be a better omega for me? Or is it because you don't want her to see you like this? She's like a daughter to you, isn't she? Mh, it's best to test that one another time then, I don't want you to feel conflicted about this…"

That brat, fucking his fingers into that spot and yapping those obscene ideas at him as if they were having a regular conversation. Anaxa whined into the pillows, shuddered when Phainon added a third finger way too easily. Three was apparently the limit of what he could take without completely succumbing to it, without giving in eventually after being alone with his growing need for such a long time. Phainon must've felt it coming, too, he made sure to scent the omega with a few more rubs of his wrist against the side of Anaxa's neck. Of course, after all he wanted the connection to be made, that the relief of his heat was his doing, and his doing alone.

When Anaxa inevitably reached a climax the young man sped up and continuously smacked him through it.

"That's good, that's a good omega, come for me," Phainon purred, "We're going to count these, or at least verbalize it when you come, are you ready?"

Hot currents tangled at his core, made him squeeze around fingers that overstimulated him, but that just were never enough for a permanent type of relief. Anaxa's hips snapped back until the other's knuckles squeezed against his intimacy. Without the slick to aide the slide Phainon was sure he could have snapped his fingers right off from how hard his teacher was clenching.

"I- I'm- I-… reached—"

Why the hell was he obliging to that stupid command?

"You're supposed to count, mhh… that was one, yes?"

Anaxa didn't want to answer but a twist against the oversensitive spot was enough to change his mind about it. "One! One… that… that was one…" he whimpered, finally allowed to come down from his high. The effect was undeniable. Not only did he feel like his mind had cleared for the first time in weeks, but he also felt himself reluctant to stop presenting at first, even though Phainon was no longer forcing him to hold the pose. He was surprised he allowed him to cool down and sit up after all of that madness.

The omega ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, panting, trying to calm himself down. Phainon smiled at him, as if he was expecting some sort of feedback, or an answer to their discussion.

"You're insane," Anaxa scoffed, "If anyone finds out about this you'll be exmatriculated…"

"Don't you always tell me to not let those things stop me? If I'm in the right, and I reach my goal, then what does it matter what others think of me?" Phainon answered, "Sure, I'm still a little insecure, why wouldn't I be? Call it performance anxiety… but this is too important to me to mess up. I have to prove my point, I have to make you mine, even if you want to be selfless and resist me."

"Selfless? Is that the only reason you can think of that I'd be opposed to this madness?"

This time it was Phainon who laughed. He stripped out of the tracksuit jacket he was wearing and Anaxa tried not to swallow too hard from looking at the well defined arms underneath it. Phainon pulled him into another kiss.

"All you keep bringing up is that nobody can find out about this… but not once have you said you're going to report me for doing it. Wouldn't that make more sense? If you really didn't want this?" the alpha grinned, "you haven't reached for your phone to call for help, you never intervened. Sure you're smart enough to know that I'm stronger than you, but not even trying? That doesn't add up…"

Anaxa sucked in a gasp. He told himself that yes, he had resisted, he'd tried to push Phainon off a few times, had tried to convince him, but none of that was enough to disprove his accusations. He knew he wouldn't have resisted in the storage room. He knew he didn't resist Khas in his dreams either-

His face flushed red. Despite his better judgement, they were still kissing through this. The clarity newly won from his assisted climax was slowly fading again the more he inhaled the alpha's taste, his scent, his pheromones. Fuck, even Phainon's spit tasted so good that he wanted more of it. Anaxa softly tried to pull away few more times but a simple nudge was always enough to make him lean back in, clouding his mind even further.

"hah… alpha…" he involuntarily gasped, already half lidded, already slack in his student's grasp. It just felt so right to turn his head to the side, it felt natural, because that part of him intrinsically needed the other's attention- he needed to-

Phainon took a hold of his jaws as he kissed down his neck, his own breathing had become ragged with need, he'd groaned into their kiss when Anaxa had addressed him. He licked over the spot presented to him once, twice, no complaints? No one could resist their fate forever…

The unclaimed flesh was ripe with pulse under his aching jaw. Phainon bit down and dug his teeth into the scent glands served to him with a generous helping of intoxicating mint.