Chapter Text
Obito thinks that it must be very hard being an omega.
He doesn’t have any frame of reference, of course. The only other omega he’s known was his grandmother and their time together wasn’t long. According to his grandmother, his entire line was dominated by alphas.
She said it wouldn’t be a surprise if he turned out to be an alpha too.
“You take after your great ancestor,” she’d say sometimes as she set dinner down on the table. “You remind me of him the most. Even your father couldn’t compare.”
Obito never had any first-hand memories of his father but he was an alpha too. His mother was a beta and that’s all Obito knows of his family. His grandmother never talked about his grandfather.
They don’t know their ranks until their coming of age. His grandmother never got to find out if Obito was an alpha or not. She had worried that he wouldn’t be but still clung onto hope when he displayed a rivalry between another potential alpha.
He wishes she could see him now and be proud of him, though he doesn’t know what he wants her to see, exactly.
He takes the box of suppressants from his pocket and raps on the door.
He is ultra-aware of Deidara’s movements nowadays. He can practically see Deidara shuffle from one end of the room to the other in order to reach the door.
“Who is it?” Deidara asks even though he already knows who it is.
“It’s me, senpai,” Tobi says, “I got you your suppressants.”
He hears the door unlock and it creaks open. Obito holds his breath and hands the box to Deidara. When Deidara takes it from his hands, he turns to leave.
“Wait,” Deidara says.
Tobi stops walking but he doesn’t turn. He is still holding his breath.
“Stay, yeah,” Deidara says.
“I can’t,” Tobi says. The room is suffocating. Deidara’s scent is completely overwhelming. He is surprised that no other member of the Akatsuki has caught this yet. He digs his nails into his palms.
He hears Deidara shuffle away. The box opens and a few pills break the seal. Deidara sits down on the floor. “Please,” he says.
Tobi walks toward the door and hears Deidara’s shaky breath. He sighs and shuts the door, making sure it is locked.
The room is awfully silent as Tobi sits down on the floor. He rests his back against the door and looks up at the ceiling. He thinks of what to say but whenever a topic comes to mind, the words die on his tongue every time he moves to speak them.
Deidara’s scent is too overwhelming. It is too thick and too sweet and Obito wonders why he smells so good.
Obito tries to open his mouth to speak again but once he takes in a breath, Deidara’s pheromones assault him. He chokes silently and his cock jumps at the scent of an available omega.
He shouldn’t be here.
“I can’t be here,” Tobi says.
“I know, hm,” is all Deidara says. He doesn’t move to kick Tobi out, nor does Obito move to leave the room.
“Sorry,” Tobi says.
“For what?” Deidara asks. He opens the box again and takes a few pills. Obito doesn’t think that’s a good idea.
“For being here,” Tobi says.
“I asked you to stay, hm,” Deidara says.
Obito wonders why. He looks down at the floor and toys with his fingers. Obito doesn’t dare speak again until the scent in the room waters down a little. A window has been open this entire time. Obito is even more surprised at the lack of response within the Akatsuki.
His pants feel rough and he strains against his underwear. Deidara clears his throat and so does Tobi.
“Maybe I should go,” Tobi says.
“I’d rather you not,” Deidara replies.
“Why not?”
“You make it a little bit more bearable.”
Obito doesn’t understand what that means. He digs his nails into his palms again and some of his spittle catches in his throat. He chokes once more.
“It sounds weird, doesn’t it?” Deidara asks.
“Not really,” he says. “Just a bit confusing.”
“Part of me wants, you know, this,” Deidara says and gestures, “but another part of me loathes authority. It’s hard to balance that, hm.”
“I get it,” Tobi says.
“The smell of you kind of confuses my monkey brain, hm.”
“I see,” Obito says. After a time, he says, “I’m glad I can help.”
“Me too,” Deidara says.
They fall silent again. A gust of wind blows into the room and sends a thick wave of Deidara’s scent to his direction. He adjusts himself as subtly as he can but Deidara notices. The air shifts but the wind carries that away too quickly for him to really react.
Obito clears his throat. Deidara mirrors him.
“You know, Tobi,” Deidara says after a bit.
“Hm?”
“I’m glad you’re an alpha,” Deidara says. Obito furrows his eyebrows in confusion and Deidara laughs at it. He says, “I trust you, yeah.”
“You do?”
Deidara scoffs. “I know,” he says, “I was surprised too.”
Tobi snorts.
“But it is what it is,” says Deidara, “and you’re a good guy. A little bit annoying most of the time, but you know what teamwork is, hm.”
“Didn’t Sasori?”
Deidara’s face twists and Obito realizes how jealous he sounds. Deidara must be able to tell. “That old man wouldn’t know teamwork even if his enemies performed it right in front of him, yeah.”
“That’s a funny way to say it, senpai.”
“Shut up, Tobi,” Deidara says.
Obito is glad that the Deidara he knows is back, at least for a while.
“Master Sasori always thought he was better than everyone else, hm.”
“Oh, is it because he thinks his art is the best?” Tobi asks.
Deidara is giving him a look, he can feel it. “That and also because he was able to shed these needs.”
“Huh?”
“He didn’t have a rank, hm,” Deidara says.
“How?”
“I don’t know,” Deidara says. “I guess when the only thing left of you that’s remotely human is a blob of purple flesh kind of just removes all pheromones you’re supposed to naturally make, yeah.”
Obito remembers seeing that bit of him. It’s disgusting and enough to dampen the effect Deidara’s scent has on him. His erection wilts a little.
“But he did tell me he was an omega too, hm,” says Deidara.
Tobi scoffs before he can even stop himself. “That makes sense too,” he says. “You guys only ever talk about your art.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” Tobi says, shoulders coming up to his ears.
“We’re not inferior to you,” Deidara says.
“No,” Tobi says hurriedly, “I know. It’s just that, you know, omegas don’t often talk or think about themselves. I’ve just noticed.”
Deidara falls silent and then he nods. He says, “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t notice that you’re… you know, earlier.”
Deidara is confused.
“I could have asked Mr. Leader to make me Zetsu’s partner,” Tobi says. “Or, you know, kept my distance.” He can be touchy sometimes.
“I like it.”
“What?” Tobi asks.
He hears Deidara take a deep breath and then choke a bit. Deidara clears his throat and says, “I don’t know, hm. You don’t scare me like the rest of the Akatsuki.”
Tobi is quiet.
“I mean, you’re like the rest of them, very eager to be in this organization,” says Deidara, “but you’re not intimidating like them. Not your typical alpha, I guess.”
“Oh-kay,” Tobi says.
“Not trying to offend,” Deidara says. He can feel that he’s getting a little agitated.
“No offense taken,” Tobi replies.
Deidara’s scent smooths back down. “That’s what I like about you, hm,” Deidara says. “You’re an oddball.”
Obito looks back up to face Deidara. His cheeks are blotched pink.
“Like you?” Tobi says.
Deidara looks at him and toys with the empty box of suppressants. “Like me,” he says and continues to blush.
Deidara is, without a doubt, the strangest omega he has ever met.