Gojo Satoru & Geto Suguru (Alphas)

The café was tucked into a quiet corner of the mall's third floor, away from the chaos of the main shopping district below. It was the kind of place that didn't advertise itself—no flashy signs, no gimmicks—just good coffee, comfortable seating, and enough privacy that two of the most powerful Alphas in Tokyo could sit without being bothered.

Satoru Gojo sprawled in his chair like he owned the place, long legs stretched out beneath the table, one arm draped over the back of his seat. His dark sunglasses were perched on his nose despite being indoors, and a half-eaten slice of strawberry shortcake sat in front of him. He was grinning at something on his phone, the kind of grin that meant he was about to say something obnoxious.

Across from him, Suguru Geto sat with considerably more composure. His black hair was pulled into its usual half-bun, a few loose strands framing his face as he sipped his black coffee. He looked relaxed—calm, even—but there was a sharpness in his brown eyes that suggested he was always paying attention, always calculating.

"You're not seriously sending that to Shoko," Geto said, not looking up from his own phone.

Gojo's grin widened. "Oh, I absolutely am."

"She's going to block you."

"She's threatened that before. Never follows through." Gojo tapped his screen with a flourish, then set his phone down and picked up his fork, stabbing into the cake. "Besides, she loves me."

"She tolerates you," Geto corrected, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. "There's a difference."

"Semantics." Gojo took a bite of cake, humming contentedly. God, this is good. Why don't we come here more often? "You're just jealous because you're not as charming as I am."

Geto finally looked up, one eyebrow raised. "Charming. That's the word you're going with?"

"Devastatingly charming," Gojo amended, pointing his fork at him. "Women love me. Men love me. Hell, even curses probably love me a little."

"The curses want to kill you, Satoru."

"Same thing."

Geto shook his head, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He's insufferable. Always has been. "You're impossible."

"And yet, here you are. Spending your day off with me." Gojo leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand, his grin turning sly. "Admit it—you'd be bored without me."

Geto didn't answer immediately. He took another sip of his coffee, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make Gojo squirm. Then, with perfect calm, he said, "I'd be peaceful without you."

"Peaceful is boring."

"Peaceful is underrated."

Gojo laughed, loud and unrestrained, drawing a few glances from the other patrons. He didn't care. He never did. That's what I love about him. He always keeps me on my toes. "You say that, but I know you. You'd last maybe a week before you started missing me."

"A week sounds generous," Geto replied dryly, though his eyes betrayed his amusement. He's not wrong. As much as I hate to admit it.

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, the kind that only came from years of friendship. Gojo finished his cake while Geto scrolled through his phone, occasionally showing him something—a meme, a news article, a picture of one of their students doing something ridiculous. It was easy. Familiar. The kind of day off they both needed after the chaos of their work.

The café around them hummed with quiet activity. The scent of coffee and baked goods mingled with the faint, ever-present undercurrent of pheromones that marked the A/B/O community. Alphas, Betas, Omegas—they all carried their own distinct scents, a biological signature that was as natural as breathing. Gojo could pick out at least three other Alphas in the café, their scents sharp and commanding, though none of them came close to matching his or Geto's presence. There were a handful of Betas too, their scents softer, more neutral. No Omegas, though. Not here. Not at this time of day.

Typical, Gojo thought, leaning back in his chair. Omegas don't usually hang out in public spaces like this unless they have to. Too much attention.

"You're thinking too loud," Geto said, not looking up from his phone.

Gojo blinked, then grinned. "How do you always know?"

"You get this look on your face. Like you're trying to solve a puzzle." Geto finally set his phone down, meeting Gojo's gaze. "What is it?"

"Nothing important." Gojo waved a hand dismissively. "Just thinking about how predictable this place is. Same scents, same dynamics. Gets a little boring after a while, don't you think?"

Geto tilted his head slightly, considering. "Boring isn't the word I'd use. Stable, maybe. Predictable, sure. But that's not necessarily a bad thing."

"Spoken like a true INTJ," Gojo teased. "Always looking for patterns."

"And you're always looking for chaos."

"Chaos keeps things interesting."

Geto's smile was faint but genuine. "I suppose that's why we work."

Gojo's grin softened into something more sincere. Yeah. That's exactly why. "Damn right."

They stayed at the café for another twenty minutes, finishing their drinks and trading barbs like they always did. Eventually, Gojo stood, stretching his arms over his head with a satisfied groan. "Alright, I'm getting restless. Let's walk around. Maybe hit up that bookstore you like."

Geto raised an eyebrow. "You hate bookstores."

"I hate your taste in books," Gojo corrected. "But I'll suffer through it for you."

"How noble."

They paid and left, stepping out into the mall's main corridor. The space was wide and bright, with high ceilings and polished floors that reflected the overhead lights. It was busier here than in the café—families with kids, teenagers in groups, couples walking hand-in-hand. The air was thick with the mingled scents of the crowd, a chaotic blend of pheromones that would've been overwhelming to anyone with a weaker sense of smell.

But Gojo and Geto were used to it. They moved through the crowd with ease, their presence commanding enough that people instinctively gave them space. Alphas always had that effect—especially Alphas like them.

"So," Gojo said as they walked, hands in his pockets. "What do you think the odds are that we run into someone interesting today?"

Geto glanced at him. "Define 'interesting.'"

"I don't know. Someone who's not part of the usual crowd. Someone... different."

"Different how?"

Gojo shrugged. "Just different. You ever get tired of the same old dynamics? Alpha, Beta, Omega. Rinse and repeat. It's like everyone's playing the same game with the same rules."

Geto was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. He's not wrong. The hierarchy is... predictable. Comfortable, but predictable. "I suppose I've never thought about it that way. The system works. Why question it?"

"Because questioning things is fun," Gojo said with a grin. "And because I'm curious. Don't you ever wonder what it'd be like to meet someone who's completely outside of it? Someone who doesn't fit into the boxes?"

"Like who?"

"I don't know. That's the point." Gojo's grin widened. "Maybe we'll find out today."

Geto shook his head, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes now. Leave it to Satoru to make me think about things I'd rather not.

They continued walking, weaving through the crowd. Gojo stopped occasionally to look at something in a shop window—a display of expensive watches, a rack of designer sunglasses—but he never went inside. He was restless, always moving, always looking for the next thing to catch his attention.

Geto, by contrast, moved with purpose. He didn't linger, didn't get distracted. He was heading toward the bookstore on the fourth floor, and nothing was going to deter him.

They were halfway to the escalator when Gojo stopped abruptly.

"Satoru?" Geto turned, frowning. "What is it?"

Gojo didn't answer immediately. He was staring at something—or rather, someone—in the crowd ahead. His head tilted slightly, his expression shifting from casual curiosity to sharp focus.

"Do you smell that?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

Geto paused, his own senses sharpening. He inhaled slowly, filtering through the chaotic blend of scents around them. Alphas, Betas, a faint trace of Omega from somewhere farther away. Nothing unusual.

And then he caught it.

Or rather, he didn't catch it.

There was someone moving through the crowd—a young woman, walking with a calm, unhurried pace. She was dressed casually, nothing that stood out, but that wasn't what caught Geto's attention.

It was her scent.

Or lack thereof.

Where every other person in the mall carried a distinct pheromone signature, hers was... muted. Faint. Almost nonexistent. It wasn't the neutral, steady scent of a Beta—it was something else entirely. Something he'd never encountered before.

What the hell?

"You're sensing it too," Gojo said, his tone edged with intrigue. He'd pushed his sunglasses up slightly, his vibrant blue eyes tracking the woman's movement through the crowd. "That's not a Beta."

"No," Geto agreed, his voice low. "It's not."

"Then what is it?"

Geto didn't have an answer. He'd heard rumors, of course—whispers about people from outside the A/B/O community, individuals who didn't fit into the hierarchy. They were rare, almost mythical. The A/B/O community had taken to calling them Zetas, though no one seemed to know much about them beyond that.

And now, apparently, one was walking through the same mall as them.

"Should we—?" Gojo started, but Geto was already moving.

"Don't make it obvious," Geto said quietly, his tone firm. "We don't want to scare her off."

Gojo's grin returned, sharp and eager. Oh, this is going to be fun. "Wouldn't dream of it."

They followed at a distance, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease. The woman—{user}—seemed completely unaware of their presence, her attention focused on the shops around her. She moved with a kind of easy confidence, unbothered by the chaos of the mall.

She has no idea, Geto thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. No idea that she's the most interesting thing in this entire building right now.

They were closing the distance when it happened.

{User} turned a corner near the escalator, her pace steady, and Gojo—ever the opportunist—quickened his stride just enough to intercept her path. It wasn't entirely accidental, but it wasn't entirely intentional either. A perfect blend of both.

She collided with him lightly, stumbling back a step.

"Whoa, careful there," Gojo said, his voice smooth and easy as he reached out to steady her. His hand hovered near her arm but didn't quite touch. Interesting. No reaction to my presence. No instinctive deference. She really is different.

Geto stepped up beside him, his expression calm and polite, though his eyes were sharp with curiosity. "Are you alright?"

{User} looked up at them, and for a moment, there was silence.

Gojo's grin widened. Oh yeah. This is definitely going to be interesting.