Nothing But Time - A Sakuatsu Story

Part 1: My Story

I was thirsty.

We were thirsty. We'd been hiking all day, it was summer and the recent harvest was set to begin any day, which left us with only a few more warm afternoons to explore before we were dragged into the fields to work tirelessly until we collapsed onto our beds at night and dreaded another day.

Let's not think about that.

I remember the way my brother ran past me and Rintarou followed him, chasing one another. Weren't they always? They were allowed to do that because they were practically destined to be mates—Suna Rintarou was an Alpha who had loved my brother Osamu, an Omega like me, since they were just kids... we were still kids.

Nineteen years old is still a child if you ask me. It took me a long time to realize that, maybe a few decades.

I can distinctly recall the oof my brother let out when he hit the ground after tripping over a protruding root and then the following whines as he tumbled down the steep but short hill on the other side, landing at the bottom with a whimper and a cry of Rin... Rin come carry me .

Such a drama queen. He was fine.

"I'm 'bout to die of thirst," I recall that declaration distinctly, "What if we go huntin' for a spring and swim 'till it gets late. We can head on back when the sun starts goin' low!"

Of course, they agreed, we were parched and the sun was hanging right above us like it was aiming for the three rowdy boys in the forest, determined to push us towards our fate. We were just a gaggle of brunettes who wanted to float until we felt infinite and endless. Careful what you wish for, right?

If Osamu hadn't been such a good listener, he never would've heard the sounds of the water echoing through the eerie cave. If underground trains had even existed then, we would have compared the pathway into the darkness to a subway tunnel, but we were a few hundred years too early for that.

We held hands, all three of us, although I think the other's might deny it if you ask them now. I won't. I was nervous and I had every right to be.

I'll never be able to forget the glow of the water, it was ethereal... beautiful. I dove right in. I was the first to feel the chilly wetness on my skin, the first to giggle and beckon them to join, splashing them playfully and drinking in the water. I was so thirsty and that water was the best drink I'd ever tasted. It feels sinful that I sometimes crave it, the taste of that spring.

Rintarous's shouts echoed as he jumped in and Osamu followed right behind, bracing as they plunged into the abyss with me. We knew so little and we lived such tedious lives, we had plans to grow up and become mated so that we could start families and farm with the rest of our village. We'd work until we died and make fond memories that our children would tell in the form of legends and stories to their children.

We'd become legends instead. Not in a good way.

The afternoon went swimmingly, pun intended. I felt sufficiently exhausted when we wandered back out of the mouth of the cave, the dewey evening breeze hit my neck where the little water droplets that had hidden away in my messy hair were starting to gather, compelled to speed up and fall onto my skin by my heavy steps.

I remember so much more about that day, but I choose to forego the unimportant details.

..

Suna and Osamu were mated, which was exciting! I was happy for my brother, he had his very own Alpha and they were just as in love as ever. They were married by the village priest and Osamu wore a pretty white tunic that I helped my mother make, it was embroidered beautifully and it came with my own suffering stitched into the pattern, because with every pull of the thread my mother had asked me why I was almost twenty and unmated without a single prospect.

I never had an answer.

I was too rowdy at nineteen, no one wanted an unruly Omega.

"I'll meet with the matchmaker." I promised her.

I lied.

..

Suna and Osamu had been mated for 5 years when they started worrying. They had no answers when the townsfolk asked them when they'd be having a baby of their own. They had even less to say when the mothers inquired.