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strawberrystepmom · 1 hour ago

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cw: omegaverse. alpha!narumi x omega f!reader. breaking news: commander gen narumi of the jakdf has proudly announced his search for a mate is over! | word count: 2.4k, reading time: 10 minutes.

The wool and silk dress you spent big money on when you were first given a role which required quarterly presentations hangs next to the mirror. You sigh looking at it. Briefly, you wish you’d packed something that felt more romantic than this.

It seems like it confirms how you know Gen feels about the whole process that brought you two together. It’s professional - an arrangement. No love is to be found here.

You remove the dress from the hanger, pulling it up over your legs, smoothing down the midi length skirt, and securing each of the olive green cap sleeves securely over your shoulder. It’s professional looking enough you probably won’t stick out next to your alpha who is going to be in full dress uniform.

It doesn’t feel right but there isn’t anything you can do about it now, adjusting the neckline to cover the wrong spots and show off the right ones. Fiddling with your hair is next and finally slipping into the shoes you always wear with this dress.

Smoothing the fabric down over your hips, you walk carefully on your heels lest the residual effects of the most intense week of “mating” one could imagine render your still sore and achy knees and thighs unable to manage.

You could hardly walk the first day after the two of you fucked. Gen tended to you as well as you’d expect for someone you don’t feel even enjoys your company, holding you and marking you with his scent between trips to the small en suite kitchen to figure out meals. The frenzied mating began to slow into a drip as the week passed but you still feel everything, every position you were folded into and every possessive touch he left behind.

Unfortunately, you think you may actually like him. Terrible news for your heart when you consider he’s spent no less than 10 days running his mouth about how much he doesn’t like you.

“There she is, the lucky lady.”

As you clack toward the set, Director Miyamo from the partnership program beams at you, one of her arms spread and fanning out over the small room in front of you both. She’s a fairly unassuming looking woman, middle aged with a tidy bob and perfectly pressed pantsuit. You know from the fact sheet beneath her photo on the official website for the match program that she has overseen over 150 pairings, calling it her life’s purpose.

She’s an excellent representative for her country.

You’ve met her American counterpart, Mr. Shand, more times than you can recall throughout this process and it wouldn’t be out of line to say that they’re strangely similar. They know what they have to do and what this program means to the governments of both countries though you’d much rather have a fellow woman guide you through this awkward process than a man who says the word omega as though it’s a problem for him to solve and not a biological disposition you didn’t pick.

Narumi hasn’t arrived yet and you don’t imagine he’ll do so in a timely fashion. Slight disregard for other people’s time is something you’ve come to find out is a feature and not a bug when it comes to him. You have much more to learn and adapt to yet, it just so happens that this is the habit that is currently irritating you the most.

“I know this is a strange formality,” she starts to catch your attention, browsed raised enthusiastically. “Still, it means the world to our program and its future when our participants agree to share their success with others who are hoping to find mates of their own.”

You thought you’d feel more comfortable on your own instead of standing by his side like you will be shortly. You were wrong, instead standing with your arms folded over your stomach, palms hugging their opposite elbow. Nodding quietly, you offer her a tight smile that hopefully doesn’t give you away.

“How are you settling in? Have you continued your work with the geological service?”

At least work is something familiar that you know you can discuss. Another polite smile and nod, you unfold your arms and let them dangle at your sides.

“Things are going well so far, thank you for asking.”

She smiles at your intentional politeness. How different you are from your mate whose lateness becomes more rude with each second that passes. The back of your neck burns but you can’t tell if it’s the fresh bonding mark that your hair and neckline manage to only barely cover or because you’re embarrassed.

Work talk at least makes the burn stop so you clear your throat and return to it, that same tight smile on your face.

“I have been granted special permission to maintain my role from abroad which surprised me. They’ve accommodated me so much more than I expected.”

The stinging feeling at the base of your neck returns, the uncomfortable sensation no longer something you can ignore. Your face twitches, nose scrunching slightly. The director smiles knowingly, closing the distance between the two of you by leaning in.

“Is your mark burning?”

You nod, embarrassed by your inability to stay cool.

She shrugs to try and comfort you, the practiced smile on her face becoming something a tad more natural and warm unexpectedly. She’s perhaps too used to having these discussions with woefully uninformed alpha and omega both.

“It means he must be close by,” she explains and you once again nod wordlessly, reaching to covertly press your fingertips against the outline of Gen’s teeth.

It’s no longer just your neck that feels warm, your entire face heats while your mind replays the exact events that led to said mark. There are many things you could say about this man you barely know who you are now linked with in ways you cannot take back but he is far from a selfish lover.

“Thank you for telling me, I had no idea.”

That same smile remains on her face, surprisingly patient.

“Most people in the program know very little about what comes after mating. Part of what we do is education and emphasizing the importance of i —“

Halfway through her sentence, the man of the hour makes his appearance. The burning sensation of your mark turns into something far more pleasant as he approaches, a gentle shimmery numbness overcoming your tense and stressed body. The few heads in the room turn toward the commanding alpha who saunters into the room looking every bit the recently satiated and mated man he is.

“There you are.”

He nods in your direction, looking you up and down. You do the same in return, face heating while you greedily take in the sight of him in dress uniform. He’s a good looking man but you’ve seen him nude or in nothing but boxers and a white t-shirt more times than you’ve seen him clothed.

The perfectly tailored uniform rests across his broad chest, medals decorating the front of it. You swallow thickly and smile at him, tilting your head to the side and shifting your weight to your heels.

“You look good,” he reaches out and fixes the edge of your sleeve, hooking his finger beneath it and pulling it downward while you glance away.

Sneaking a glance at him, you find him already looking down at you with his usual little smirk. Despite yourself, you smile and reach to straighten out the pockets of his jacket in return.

“So do you, handsome. Definitely looking like Commander Narumi today.”

Now he looks away from you, turning toward Director Miyamo and letting her fill him in on how today will work. You’ll pose for a few photos, give a brief taped interview to go on the website and to be sent to news networks, and then you’ll be allowed to return to the temporary quarters you’ve been granted until a space the bonded pair can share becomes available.

You wish you knew better how to deal with the deluge of feelings Gen creates inside of you. A little bit of you is scared, terrified that he will never care about you more than beyond what your body means for him. A little bit more is cautiously optimistic that you can win him, “likable” being one of the things always written at the top of your performance reviews at work.

The problem is that you don’t want to have to win his affection, you want it to come naturally. He reacts so strangely to your blatant attraction toward him, how can this ever happen?

Sighing softly, you return to the prior posture of your arms crossed over your stomach and your elbows resting in your palms. It’s safe, you’ve done it your whole life when feeling insecure.

Narumi places his hand on your elbow, turning from the director toward you.

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

You smile and follow along, letting him gently guide you. A few steps lands you both in front of a large photography backdrop, a plain gray watercolor pattern that you both manage to stand out against.

“Okay, can you two stand very close together?” The photographer motions with their hand from behind the camera and lights, indicating how little space they’d like between the two of you.

Gen’s arm falls naturally around your shoulders, thumb rubbing a small circle against your bonding mark. You yelp but he shushes you, tossing you a look with his eyes that makes you smile and shake your head in response.

“Actually Commander, can you put that arm around her waist? And you,” the photographer points at you. “Hold hands with him in front of you and put your other arm at your side.

It feels awkward at first to lace your fingers with his but the fit is arguably perfect, his long digits that have curled inside of you more than they’ve curled around your palm suddenly holding your hand delicately.

“Perfect. Now look at each other, big smiles.”

You do as instructed and he does the same, eyes half lidded when he glances down at you. This is what makes you believe you aren’t just imagining things. If you didn’t know any better you’d say he looks positively smitten. Or he’s just the world's best actor. You haven’t really decided yet.

“You look beautiful together,” Miyamo opines from behind the photographer. Your smile deepens and so does his, the two of you locked in eye contact that is making your skin crawl and that clawing at your insides feeling return.

Are you about to go into heat just because he’s looking at you? It’s like a jolt of caffeine to your system to realize what’s happening but you play it off the best you can, shifting your feet slightly.

“You’re acting weird. You okay?” He asks and you smile tightly, nodding. All you can do is nod and nod and agree and agree and..

“Can we have a second?”

It surprises you that he speaks up on your behalf at all but his word is law so everyone agrees.

“Of course, we’ll give you two the room for a few minutes. We’ll begin shooting again in five minutes.”

The small team shuffles out and shuts the door behind them, leaving nothing but you two behind.

“I’m sorry,” you blurt out unexpectedly. It’s shameful that you’re struggling to adapt the way that you are and you look toward the ground, remaining locked in your weird embrace with Narumi.

“For what?”

His eyes don’t move from you, still locked on your pretty little face. It definitely makes things easier that his mate is beautiful and patient and sweet and accomplished in her own right.

“Being weird, I guess.”

Chuckling, he slides his hand from your waist back to your shoulders and begins rubbing your bite again. Your back arches and eyes flutter closed, a humiliated groan escaping you.

“I think I’m going into heat again.”

The rubbing stops, his thumb simply resting on the mark now while his eyes widen.

“Again?”

Stomping your foot petulantly, your face twists from pleasure to irritation.

“Yes again and apparently this bonding mark stings when you’re close but not close enough.“ Huffing, your bottom lip twitches. “I‘m hot and horny and I feel so weird and nobody cares about my opinion anymore and you don’t even want to be around me and…”

Trailing off, you notice he’s frozen in place.

“I’m sorry,” you spit again and he shakes his head. His thumb remains in place against your bonding mark and his face becomes an unreadable mask.

“Stop apologizing for nothing. It’s fine. Let’s get this over with.”

Attempting to compose yourself and exhaling loudly, the director peeks into the room to check on you two and quickly it fills up again. The photographer begins snapping photos immediately and before you know it, you’re being ushered into comfortable seats to answer a few questions.

“Commander, what were your thoughts upon meeting your mate?”

This is not one of the questions you anticipated hearing him answer. You shift in the chair, keeping a smile across your lips while stealing a glance at him.

“At first I was skeptical and surprised but in her initial interview I remember thinking she seemed like a good person.”

The director smiles at his answer, looking into the camera. “And is she?”

Narumi nods, hiding a little smile of his own. His slicked back hair hides nothing and he has to wear whatever his feelings are on his face, turning to look at you with that same smile.

“Yeah. I think she is.”

Now it’s your turn to smile, feeling even more awkward about your prior outburst. Maybe you’re just crazy and he isn’t sending weird mixed messages constantly.

“And you? How did you feel about your alpha?”

Thinking for a moment, you clear your throat and recross your legs.

“I thought he seemed like someone I’d enjoy spending my time with and he is. We have a lot to learn about each other but I look forward to learning it all every day.”

The smile on his face grows and the director continues her explanation of how the program works while the two of you bask in probably the most honest example of whatever is going on here yet.

As of today, not only Japan but the whole world will know that Gen Narumi has met his match in more ways than one.

#lays down

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