"Whats up with him?"

"I have no idea... Bet it's where cap'n yelled at him the other day. Nobody likes that, I'd be mopin' around too of boss had yelled at me..."

"Yeah but... Hes just actin' strange." Lana sighs, looking at Nico,"What all did ya say to him boss?"

"Told him to tone it down." Nico grunts as he ties the knot for the rope tight,"His attitude was getting ridiculous."

"...I didn't mind it. I mean..." James shrugs sheepishly,"I did touch his ass, even if it was on accident." He looks at the deck boards,"If I were an omega... I probably woulda taken it the wrong way too..."

"Its not just that." Nico growls lowly, feeling suddenly angry as he aggressively ties the next rope,"Hes constantly growling and yelling and threatening people." He yanks off the last of it,"Even when hes in heat he acts fucking ridiculous. He acts like a 12 year old pup." He says sharply,"Fucking juvenile."

He glances at the other two, catching sight of their wide eyes, he frowns, turning his head and looking right into blazing blue ones.

Luca frowns at him, his eyes squinted against the sun. He doesn't glare, he doesn't say a word, he just stares at him with a deep dissappointed frown, and Nico knows exactly why he's giving him that look.

Luca trusted him, trusted him enough to keep his secret about his difficult heats. Trusted the alpha enough to be in the same room as him during heat. Trusted him enough to ask questions.

And Nico just blabbed something very personal to two different people.

"Luca-"

The omega turns away, grabbing his ropes and his hat that he'd stolen at their last stop. He stomps away with his hat on his head, ropes over his shoulders.

The crews quarter doors slam shut, and Nico sighs as he presses a hand to his face.

"Good job boss," Lana slaps his shoulder with an angry grin,"Ya pissed him off again."

-

Nico enters his cabin later that night, and he sighs as he tugs his coat off. He wasn't trying to seem like an ass earlier, he was only trying to vent a little. It's driving damn near insane that Luca pushed him away, him, an alpha, a man that has voluntarily taken care of the little shit both times hes went into heat unexpectedly.

He shakes his head to himself. Great. Now he sounds just as bad as his crew, making Luca sound like an object instead of a person. The omegas past is his past, his feelings are his feelings.

His reasons are his reasons. And Nico can't stop that.

He turns around, pulling his hat off and laying it on his desk, he strips his pants, tugging the white shirt over head. It stinks, but he doesn't really care considering that he doesn't wash unless he takes a swim. He sighs as he goes to sit on the bed, thankful for the soft embrace-

"Wha-" He chokes, his eyes growing wide as he stares at the lump of a person laying in his bed, and he clenches his teeth frowning.

"Luca."

"Cap'n."

"Get out of my quarters."

"Good sir, I do believe that you said I could come in here anytime my heat started. So deal with it."

Nico's about to protest when he smells the potent scent in the air, taking a breath as he closes his eyes and tries- really fucking tries- to calm his god damn instincts.

"Fine." He grits out, taking a breath as he lays down on the bed. Luca is still next to him, the omega staying silent.

"You're not that far into heat, hell, it hasn't even started."

"Well according to you I'm a fucking juvenile pup, so shut the hell up."

"Well-" Nico rolls, raising up on an elbow as he glares at the smaller mans back,"I'm sorry that you don't know how to listen to shit! You can't take care of yourself either. I mean what kind of omega doesn't know how their heats work!?"

"Me!" Luca rolls over, shoving the alphas shoulders but not hard enough to budge the captain,"I don't! I'm not anybody else! I didn't have anybody when I was younger!"

"Its no surprise with your damn temper!"

"My mother died!"

Nico falls silent, his angered look lowering slowly as he gives the kid a dumbfounded look,"What-"

"My mother died and my father was a disgusting man. I couldn't have learned anything if I wanted to." Luca looks away,"The only thing I learned was how to be silent and obedient and-" He cuts himself off, lips pressing together tight,"Thats not who I was and I-" He goes silent.

They sit there, Luca's blue eyes averted and Nico's yellow ones curious. Nico touches his arm but Luca rips it away, eyes downcast.

"You shouldn't..." He takes a breath, the air coming out stuttered,"You shouldn't judge my actions so quickly. Sometimes I have a reason. I can't help the way I was raised, I can't help it that I'm clueless."

Nico stares at him, watching as those blue eyes stare at the sheets blankly,"I thought I could at least trust you."

"You can I just..." Nico swallows, throat tight as he stares at the solemn omega, the younger man's face drawn in saddness the captain never thought he'd see again,"I'm frustrated."

"With me?"

"Yes, with you." Nico shakes his head,"Always with you."

"Why? Is it because having me here is too much? Or is it my temper."

"Its just... You." Nico states softly, staring at his own feet,"I wish you weren't so..." He bites hus cheek, trying to think.

"Annoying-"

"Lonesome." Nico states then, looking at the brat,"I wish you wouldn't be so lonely all the time. You never want anyone around, you never like being touched, you won't let me... Help you."

Luca glances at him, taking a breath as he stares at his crossed legs,"I don't... Like to be touched cause of my father..." He swallows,"He was," He swallows,"He was into smaller omegas."

"Oh." Nico goes wide eyed, then grimaces,"Oh Luca-"

"No, its fine, I just..." His adams apple bobs as he closes his eyes,"The other day you didn't understand why I got angry, why I lash out at simple things and thats because I'm so used to being... Hurt... That I don't think before I act."

Nico stares at him, having never thought that maybe Luca's anger was hidden fear. He's an idiot, and he feels horrible that hes just now realizing that maybe he should've been more considerate of the kids feelings rather than his attitude.

"I'm sorry I didn't-'

"Don't apologize, I just thought I should tell you." Luca looks away from him, keeping his eyes averted,"I know I have no right to jump to conclusions, and to judge you or the crews actions its just..." He swallows,"It's hard to stop what I've learned to do in order to keep myself safe." He won't show it on his face but those blue eyes tell Nico enough. He can see the embarrassment and shame in the kids eyes and the captain has to take a breath to keep himself from the touching the omega without consent.

"Listen I'll... Learn to not judge you so quickly..." Nico takes a breath,"And I wanted to aplogize for what I'd done the other night..."

Luca is silent, staring at the wall infront of them as he takes a deep breath, chest expanding beneath his shirt,"I think... I overreacted."

"With James? He said he was ok, he understoo-"

"No, with you." Luca glances at him, and Nico sees the wariness in those squinted eyes. Even now, Luca glares, as if hes thinking hard but also trying to ward off predators.

Nico feels his chest flip and flop, heart doing something weird,"What d'you mean?"

Luca swallows, his cheeks flushing. Nico stares wide eyed, watching as the smaller man seems flustered.

"I mean I..." The omega grumbles,"I'm not... Used to feeling like this. I hate you, you fucking alpha." His voice softens then, eyes averted hard,"But for some reason I always wanna be around you."

Nico feels his stomach roll, twist, and flop. He takes a breath, staring at the small omega with bewildered eyes. He wasn't expecting that.

And he definitely wasn't expecting to feel like this about such a admission. He's never... Felt like this before. His heart flutters and beats hard, his stomach rolling with what people call butterflies, but it feels more like scorpians, scratching and clawing like crazy bastards inside his body. His skin tingles, his face feels tight and awkward.

Huh?

"What does that mean?" He asks gently, knowing that Luca is saying something that he's never said before, you can tell just by his demeanor, his posture holding anything but honest bravery.

"I mean I..." The omega closes his eyes, turning his face away from Nico and towards the wall,"You're... Kind to me." He murmurs,"You're the only alpha I've ever met that is kind to an omega the way you are to me. You treat me like a person, not a thing..." Nico watches as his shoulders raise up nervously,"And I like it, when I shouldn't."

Nico's brain scampers for something to say, his whole world seeming to have flipped upside down.

"Thats because I've never met an omega like you." He says, feeling his heart leap as Luca turns his head just enough to look at the alpha,"You're so... Strong. You're strong and independent, you don't rely on anyone or anything, you travel for the hell of it, for having fun." He swallows, feeling his cheeks flush as he looks at his own bare chest,"And although you're rough about showing it, you're often kind." He swallows again,"You're quiet and gentle, you just don't realize it." He glances at the younger boy to find him staring. Those blue eyes stare into hazel, the older of the two feeling like hes about to explode. This feeling is weird, different from his sexual feelings for the groegous people hes slept with. Its strong, and only luring the captain closer and closer to Luca.

Huh?

"You're goregous..." He says, staring at those soft lips, the round cheeks and small nose. His eyes are goregous, blazing blue and big when hes not glaring constantly. That little scar beneath his eye is adorable, the omegas long lashes fluttering as he blinks at the alpha.

"Can I kiss you?"