"I'm sorry," Robin apologizes as a burst of adrenaline shoots through his body. He begins to pull away from Jude as he starts to panic more and more. "I'm sorry. I know we were gonna be alphas or whatever and this is like the worst thing I could have presented as. God, why did you make me tell you? This sucks."

Robin backs away until he reaches his bed, and he takes a seat. As the seconds go by he just continues to overthink until he begins to convince himself that Jude hates him now, despite having no evidence of it.

"Stop apologizing." Jude says. Robin still can't help but stress. He rests his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands as he tries to figure out where to go from here. Jude knows. Jude knows. Jude knows.

Robin should've known he couldn't hide this forever. Still, he's at a complete loss for what to do. He seriously should've planned for this, but he was in denial. He refused to even consider the possibility of it happening.

"This doesn't change anything. I meant what I said."

Robin is having a difficult time keeping himself together. He's trying to figure out if he should believe Jude right now. If this revelation actually made the guy hate him, though, surely he wouldn't try to hide it. Right? That doesn't really make sense.

Robin feels the bed dip a bit on either side of him, and he glances up to find Jude leaned all in his space with his hands on either side of him, their faces only a few inches from each other. Robin's eyes widen, and he can feel his heart beat pick up. Jude does not need to be doing this, especially right now, it causes Robin to feel weird.

"Please tell me you're not joking." Robin says, his voice quiet. He's genuinely having a difficult time keeping it together right now. He's so scared. Also, he's distracted. Jude really needs to learn some personal space because this is getting out of hand.

"I'm not," Jude replies, and Robin is starting to believe him. "Robin... how long has it been?"

Robin glances down. "Since I was 15."

Robin won't meet Jude's eyes, but he hears the disbelief when the guy asks, "you've kept this secret—you've been on suppressants for three years?"

Robin just nods, not trusting his voice.

"That is not healthy." Jude says. "Why did you cover it up in the first place?"

Robin looks up, meeting Jude's eyes in disbelief. Seriously? He thought this guy was smart. "Because it could ruin my life? I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a guy. Im a guy, and I'm an omega, and if everyone knew they would hate me. They wouldn't let me live it down, I'd lose any friendships I have or might have and—"

"Stop being dramatic." Jude says, staring down at Robin, the expression on his face almost disappointed. "You really think I'd let anything happen to you? Besides, people don't really care as much anymore. Not like they used to."

Robin feels his cheeks flush a bit, and he ignores the reason why. He needs to get a handle on this quick, because he's starting to suspect something about himself—something about he and Jude's relationship, and specifically the way he feels towards his best friend. He's starting to suspect something that would ruin everything.

Maybe it's just a primal reaction. He can't control his instincts. It's not his fault. He's just being paranoid, he feels nothing but platonic emotions towards his best friend.

"You really should try to get off your medication. It's so bad for you."

"No way." Robin disagrees immediately, shaking his head. Hell no. "I've never had a heat before and I've been suppressing them for three years—holy shit, that's gonna be miserable."

Jude raises his eyebrows, and the concern he'd been feeling for Robin increases tenfold. "You've never had a heat? When did you get on suppressants?"

"The day I presented."

Jude is staring at him in disbelief. "That makes this so much worse."

Robin rolls his eyes, not enjoying all the attention and concern directed towards him right now. He scratches his neck and avoids eye contact, which is nothing out of the ordinary. "My first heat is going to be the worst, I am not dealing with that shit without help. I'll just... wait until I'm married or something. I'll probably have to get mated, anyway."

When in a heat or rut or whatever, getting mated makes it stop. At least, for that cycle. In Robin's case, due to the intensity, he will take what he can get.

"You should not wait until you're married. This has probably destroyed your health enough."

Robin falls backwards, so he's laying flat on the bed. Jude stands up straighter. "I mean... I don't know, Miles wants to mate me."

Robin feels the atmosphere in the room change immediately. Like, it's honestly insane how fast the mood switches. He glances over at Jude to find the guy looking down at him, appearing more and more pissed off. "What."

Right. Robin didn't tell him about this. Robin sits up, backing away and criss-crossing his legs. He's in the middle of the bed, Jude standing at the end of it with his arms crossed.

"I told him there's no way he's going to be valedictorian, and to give me something else to do, and he said he needs to be mated in order to inherit his father's company. He said I'm the only omega he's ever found interesting or whatever, and that's the only other deal he would give me."

Jude stares at Robin, the look in his eyes just this side of scary. It's no question that he doesn't like this idea at all. Robin frowns, wondering why he cares so much.

"Are you considering it?"

Robin starts biting his cheek. He doesn't know why but he's a bit nervous to answer. "Honestly? Yeah. It's seems like the best solution. It would also help me get off my medicine, like you said. You still get to be valedictorian, and nobody finds out—"

"I would rather fail senior year—I'd rather drop out. Right now, in the last week, than have you be mated to Miles."

Robin is honestly a bit surprised, because that's a lot. Jude looks genuinely offended that Robin is even entertaining the idea, honestly. Robin just shrugs, fidgeting and staring at the bed.

"Do you realize how serious that is? It's a soul bond. Mating is for life."

"I know!" Robin snaps, the stress all coming back to him at once, though this time about a new topic. "I know that! But I'd rather be mated to someone I don't care about, than fuck up your future or have people know about my secondary gender. So I'm kind of in a box here, Jude."

Jude is frowning at him. The guy looks deeply troubled. "You really aren't getting it. There is no way that's happening—over my dead fucking body. I'm gonna talk to him, and we will sort this out. The whole mating thing isn't an option."

"Well that's not your decision, is it?" Robin asks, frustrated. The look on Jude's face grows darker. "I think I'm gonna do whatever the hell I want in order to secure our lives don't get fucked up, and if this is the only way then—"

"It's not gonna happen." Jude says, tone of voice authoritative and final. "I will talk to him."

Robin is starting to get angry. Obviously he doesn't want to be mated to Miles, he doesn't even like the guy as a person. However, the fact that Jude is completely writing it off and not even considering it? Not letting Robin choose for himself? That's starting to piss him off. He's an adult, he can make his own decisions.

Robin turns around, getting off his bed. He didn't like the way Jude was staring down at him, and obviously Jude is way taller than him and he's used to that, but he didn't appreciate feeling so inferior. Especially when he's standing up for himself. Robin starts to walk around the bed, and doesn't talk until he's right in front of his best friend.

Glaring into Jude's eyes, Robin hisses, "it's my choice."

"What, do you want to? Are you in love with him or something?"

"Obviously not," Robin says, because that's absolutely ridiculous and Jude knows it. "But I love you. You're my best friend. I'll do it if it keeps your future intact."

"I don't care, being salutatorian is still an accomplishment. I definitely prefer it to this."

Robin and Jude are glaring at each other, neither backing down. Robin can't believe this. Why does Jude care so much to begin with? It's Robin's well being and future, who gives a shit about that?

"Why does it matter so much to you?" Robin asks, feeling frustrated.

Jude just stares at him, appearing conflicted. He completely ignores Robin's question, and just says;

"There's no reason for you to do this. Nobody will find out, I'll make sure of it. I'm fine with failing my exams. I promise you can find someone else to fuck you through your first heat."

Robin's eyes widen, cheeks flushing immediately at those words. Something about the way Jude said that... "That's not even my point!"

"You brought it up."

"Well, yeah, but..." hang on a second. Someone else? Robin literally only knows two alphas, and he doesn't think he will find another one in the time constraint Jude is giving him. "wait a second, who? I only know two alphas, and if this is an urgent matter—"

Robin doesn't know why he's focusing on that, though it's probably just because he want to make Jude happy. He freezes as he realizes exactly what he just said implies. Jude raises an eyebrow, and the expression on his face changes from irritated to amused. He leans down a bit, and Robin seriously can't move.

"Only two alphas, huh?"

"Uhhhhhhh, I-I mean, yeah." Robin stutters. "You and Miles, and–and obviously, um. Obviously neither of you are an option. S–so I don't, uh, I don't know what you want me to do here because if there's such a rush and I only know two of you and Miles is out of the question then—"

"What are you saying?" Jude asks, tilting his head with this... look on his face. Robin can't quite describe it, but he knows it's making him flustered. His face is beet red as he thinks of a response.

"Nothing!" Robin says way too loudly, trying to remember how to function with the proximity and scent and the way Jude is looking at him...

"Robin..." Jude says, and he has this knowing look in his eye. "It sounds like you're implying that I'm the only person who—"

Robin's eyes widen, and he quickly covers Jude's mouth with his hand. "I am not implying that! That's what you—you said that, not me!"

Jude raises an eyebrow, and reaches up to grab Robin's wrist. He pulls it away from his mouth, before moving his hold so it's closer to Robin's elbow. He uses this as leverage to pull the omega closer.

"Really? Then what do you mean?"

"I mean, uh, that I'm going to wait to get off my medicine even if it's bad for my health because there is nobody that I know currently that I want to have sex with. So."

"Nobody?" Jude asks, and he's definitely getting closer right now. Their noses would be touching if the distance was any shorter, and he can feel Jude reach down and grasp his other arm. Robin is trapped. "Not a single person?"

They are so close right now, and Jude looks like he knows something Robin doesn't. It's then that something occurs to Robin. Is Jude doing this on purpose?

No. He definitely is.

"You know what? You suck. You're doing this on purpose. You're using my—I should not have told you I'm an omega! You're using it against me!"

Jude looks confused. "What? How?"

"Because, you know! You're an alpha and I'm an omega and we are like, biologically designed to be together and you keep getting all close to me and you make it so hard to think! Why do you keep doing that? You're using it against me, and you—you... you smell so good all the time and-and I..."

Robin trails off, because Jude is back to looking at him the same way he was before. Again, like he knows something. Like this is amusing, like Robin is the punchline of some joke.

"What?!" Robin snaps.

Jude backs up a bit, and responds;

"You're cute."

Robin blinks as he processes what Jude just said. Did... hang on, did Jude just call him cute? Did he not hear a thing Robin just said? Robin feels frustrated, and he's still angry, but leave it to this guy to completely ruin all his momentum. He is considerably less upset, and it's all because Jude decided to compliment him instead of reply to his rant.

"I'm...? Did you just call me cute?"

"Adorable."

Robin has no idea how to respond to this. He's starting to give up, though. He huffs out a sigh and doesn't even walk to his bed, he just drops to a sitting position on the floor.

"You piss me off." Robin says, staring at the ground. He hears a chuckle, and looks up to find Jude standing in the same spot. He appears to think this is just the greatest thing that's happened all day.

Jude leans over and picks Robin up off the floor effortlessly. He carries the omega over to his bed, and sets him down gently. "You should get some rest."

Robin sits on the edge of the bed, and watches as Jude stays leaned down. "I'm gonna go home, and I don't want you to stress about this. I will talk to Miles and fix everything, but I'm going to need you to trust me. No more secrets."

Robin nods absentmindedly, wondering how things will be now. He wonders if this new revelation genuinely will not change anything between them. Jude seemed pretty sincere, and now that Robin thinks about it, the concept hasn't ever really seemed to bother the guy. Still, he's been scared of this for three years. It's difficult to just ignore that fear.

Robin notices Jude putting on his shoes, and he reminds him; "Uh, text me when you get home."

Robin knows he will get a notification, but for some reason the text always makes him feel way better. Jude gets this half smile on his face, and Robin feels flustered again. He can't tell why, though. What the fuck is going on with him lately?

"Okay," Jude says. "Bye, Robin."

Robin just nods, and for some reason it's difficult to speak right now. Jude leaves after that, not taking the window—most likely because neither of Robin's parents are here. Robin is having a difficult time right now, and he has absolutely no clue why. It was just something about the way Jude was talking and acting and his face and his smell and...

Okay, Robin needs to get a grip. What the hell is going on with him lately? Why does Jude—Jude Silas, his best friend of 14 years—make him so nervous? Robin seriously needs to figure out what the hell his deal is, because it's evident that Jude can tell something is going on as well. The guy is acting different, and Robin can't put his finger on how exactly he is acting different, but he is.

Robin sighs, running a hand through his hair. He decides that he will deal with these weird emotions later, for now he will distract himself with video games.

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