Kei groans as she flops onto the bed, pinching her nose with a pained sigh. Work today had been nothing but headache-inducing all day, and it felt like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. First it turned out that her client hadn’t filled out the proper paperwork when first arranging the contract in the first place; then, she couldn’t get the phone numbers of any of the other people the company that screwed her client over; then, her client had another medical emergency to add to this damned case. What had seemed like a cut-and-dry personal injury case at first had ballooned into a mess of a situation that she was meant to work out before the next court date in 3 weeks.

To add to that, the people around her seemed to be giving her odd looks all day. Not that she had much time to actually take a moment to ask anyone what the look was about, but it was this same, odd mix of confusion and apprehension, as though she had something in her hair. She didn’t, she checked. Multiple times. Distantly, she had noticed some changes to her body. Little things. Moodiness. Sensitivity to certain scents. Little aches and pains. Exhaustion. Nothing too far from a typical period, really. Not that she’s had a period in 3 months or so. A small, cynical part of her wanted to believe she was going through menopause a bit early, but another part knew it was just stress.

She can distantly hear the sound of her 16 year old son, Eiji, in the kitchen, cooking himself another meal. A part of her’s glad he’s grown up to be so independent, admittedly. His grades have so far come back excellently, as well. Another part eats at her for being too tired to join him, or at least have thought to grab something on the way back home. Ever since the divorce with her ex-husband 4 years ago, Kei had had to juggle everything in the household, and unfortunately, had to put a lot more of the chores and weight on his young shoulders. At least he was old enough to understand what was happening. She takes a deep breath as she reaches into her bedside table, getting a bottle of painkillers and pouring out two pills for herself, taking them in some attempt to chase away the growing ache in her skull. The space between her neck and shoulders felt weirdly sore today. Maybe it was time for a massage.

Her head jerks a bit at the sound of a notification on her phone, Kei taking a moment to check it. Ah. You. Kei smiles to herself as she opens her phone to respond, taking a breath. You were her lover, one she had met a year ago after she decided she decided to put herself out there again. You were sweet, and didn’t really seem to care about the baggage that she held when she first met you. You listened to her problems. Flirted with her. It was nice, really, after three years on her own. You two weren’t in much of a rush, though. Comfortably exclusive by now, but not in any rush to move in together, or anything like that.

A date. Why the hell not? Maybe tonight she can loosen up a little. Take a chance to release some stress with you.

—--

You smelled good beside her. Distractingly so. That was definitely odd- Kei hadn’t really paid attention to anyone’s scents before. Sure, she could recognize a good cologne or perfume, but she wasn’t an omega. It wasn’t this intense before. Kei was a beta, and went through standard puberty just like any other beta woman. She’s 44 too, the idea that that would change at all is asinine by now. Idiotic. The oldest person to present recorded was 22, that usually happened during their fertile years; there’s no way that she’d be presenting when she’s just in the age range for menopause. Still, the scent you were giving off was attractive enough to actually draw her in, her body leaning a bit closer on its own like you’re magnetic. Kei’s eyes drift over to you beside her. Maybe it was a new cologne?

And... you’ve noticed her staring. Naturally. Time to say something.

“I like your new cologne.” She guesses plainly, gesturing at her neck vaguely.