Chapter Text
"Dad, promise me you aren’t going to cry,” Alfred sighs.
Arthur scoffs, crossing his arms as his husband pulls into the parking lot of the imposing gray building.
“I give him one hour,” Matthew whispers, at his side.
Alfred snorts. “Too generous.”
The four of them hop out of their seats and into the humid heat of August. Immediately he can see his father’s skin start to redden under the harsh sun.
“Couldn’t you pick somewhere cooler?” Matthew groans, wiping at his forehead.
“Not all of us want to live with polar bears,” Alfred snaps back.
“There aren’t any polar bears in Toronto,” his brother rolls his eyes.
“Yes, the heat is unbearable,” Francis agrees, fanning himself with one hand and using the other to open the trunk of the car. “Your father and I can attest to this.”
Both teens let out matching groans. Arthur rolls his eyes, “Must you always be so crass?”
He nudges Francis away with his hip, leaning down to grab a box. They all follow suit, and Alfred manages to take three.
“Show off,” Matthew huffs.
“Saving us trips,” Alfred corrects.
Francis holds the door open and the little family steps inside the bustling building. They are swamped by other young Alphas and their families, all hurrying to move in. Both Arthur and Francis wrinkle their sensitive noses, but keep their comments under their breaths as they climb up the stairs.
At least the dormitory is air conditioned.
“Should be on the left!” Alfred calls from the back. Arthur nods, slipping the key and opening the door. Inside is a simple room with two twin beds set against either wall. Matching sets of furniture accompany them along with two closets. There’s a door to a shared bathroom as well.
It looks like Alfred’s roommate hasn’t arrived yet.
“Dibs!” Alfred shouts, putting his boxes down on the bed with the window.
“Good choice,” Arthur nods his approval, setting down his own box and starting to open it up. “Go grab the rest of your things.”
“So you can arrange my room?” Alfred huffs.
“Do you want me to fold your clothes or not?” Arthur snaps.
Alfred purses his lips but Matthew grabs his hand and leads him back down, elbowing through the crowded hallways of yammering nervous Alphas and back into the humid Virginia air.
They grab the last of Alfred’s belongings and head back up. Arthur is in the process of making Alfred’s bed, smoothing down the sheets. Francis is in his closet, hanging up his clothes. Alfred feels a tug in his chest despite the bravado he’s been holding onto.
“Can you really not smell all that?” Francis asks after getting another whiff of the hallway.
“I mean yeah,” Alfred replies, where he’s checking over all his electronic chargers to make sure he hasn’t forgotten any, “It’s no worse than the locker room back at school.”
“Disgusting,” Arthur shakes his head, “Unbearable, really.”
Francis chuckles, pressing a fond kiss to Arthur’s cheek. His husband swats him away.
The door slams open.
The four jump, and turn their heads to see a tall silver haired Alpha in the doorway. The teen looks equally surprised and ducks his head down, “Apologies.”
Arthur frowns, “It’s an old door. Be careful.”
Francis cuts in, “You must be Alfred’s roommate! A pleasure to meet you.”
The teen hesitates but then takes the hand. Francis furrows his brow. Alfred jumps in, “Hey! I’m Alfred! This is my family, they’ll be out of here soon don’t worry!” He jokes.
The other teen presses his lips into a thin line and simply nods. He shuffles to the side, placing his singular piece of luggage on the unclaimed bed.
There’s an expectant pause.
Then, Arthur has enough, “And you are?”
“Ivan,” the teen says, opening up his luggage and digging through it until he pulls out what looks to be his passport. “Excuse me,” he says, and just. Leaves.
“What a rude boy,” Arthur remarks, “Atrocious manners.”
“He looked stressed,” Matthew offers.
“It is a stressful day. Perhaps he is an international student. Having to do this without your family is tough.”
“Alfred, be polite but don’t take any shite from a man like him,” Arthur says.
Alfred rolls his eyes, “Alright can we speed this up? I’m supposed to go to the welcome dinner soon.”
Arthur frowns, “Are you sure you’re all set? You don’t need anything? Should we pick anything up? The hotel isn’t far if you want to stay with us another night—“
“Dad,” Alfred interrupts, “I’m fine .”
“Of course you’re fine,” Arthur repeats, wiping at his eyes, “You’re a man now. Spreading his wings and—“ he swallows thickly, “I’m going to check the car. Make sure we don’t get a ticket.”
“I’ll…make sure he doesn’t do anything drastic,” Matthew sighs, following after his father.
“Oh Alfred,” Francis murmurs, his own eyes watery, “We are so proud of you.”
Alfred smiles sheepishly, taking his father into a hug.
“It feels like just yesterday we could hold you with one arm. Now look at you! Be nice to your father. You know he has the emotional intelligence of a wet paper towel.”
Alfred laughs and his father grins, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Before we go and say our goodbyes there is something I want you to have.”
Alfred blinks, especially as Francis motions for him to sit down on his bed. Alfred does so and his father sits right beside him, digging through his bag until he pulls out a small box that he hands over.
Alfred takes it and opens it.
Immediately, he shuts it, face reddening as he shouts, “Papa, what the hell!”
“Alfred, you’re an adult now,” Francis shushes, taking the box so he can open it properly, “And you’re on your own, and I just want you to be safe and well equipped.”
“Oh my God,” Alfred groans, pressing his face into his hands.
“Always use a condom. It’s an old Omega tale that you can only get pregnant during a Heat. Pregnancy is always a risk—“
“Please stop,” Alfred begs.
“Alfred, this is important. You’re too young to have children. And I’m too young to be a grandfather. But if it happens you do not abandon them, understood? We will help you—“
“This isn’t happening,” Alfred says, “I’m not going to get anyone pregnant!”
Francis smiles, “That’s the spirit.”
“Why the hell are there suppressants in here?” Alfred blinks, noticing the box isn’t just condoms.
“Well, I think it's important for everyone to have these items no matter their gender. What if you have an Omega over and they go into Heat? That wouldn’t be safe at all. Here you can give them some emergency suppressants. And this is a heating pad you can offer, that helps me and your father quite a lot, and—“
“I get it!” Alfred groans, “You know, Omegas aren’t even allowed in this dorm!”
Francis chuckles, “You think I wasn’t ever your age?” He pinches his cheek, getting up and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You’re a good boy Alfred.”
Alfred reddens, closing the box and shoving it under his bed. Francis makes no comment, just motions for him to follow him down to the car.
Arthur is sobbing.
Alfred bites his lip, hugging his Dad close but also wincing as the short man digs his fingers into his back.
“Dad—“
“It’s too soon!” Arthur cries, “You’re too young!”
“At least I’m staying in the country,” Alfred huffs.
“Don’t remind me,” Arthur whines, “How my baby Matthew is leaving us too and—“
“Cher,” Francis says delicately, “Alfred will be sure to call us every day.”
“ Every day?” Alfred repeats.
Francis shoots him a look, offering Arthur a handkerchief to dab at his eyes. Arthur blows his nose and sucks in a breath.
“Right. Well. You better not squander this opportunity,” he says sternly, even as his voice warbles, “You be good. Get good grades.”
“I will,” Alfred assures.
His parents give him one final hug before Francis forces Arthur into the car. Matthew lingers to give his own hug.
“I can’t believe you got out of helping me move in,” Matthew huffs even though he’s smiling.
“What can I say, lady luck’s always on my side,” Alfred grins.
“Don’t get into too much trouble without me, okay?” Matthew says, “I won’t be here to cover your ass.”
“Don’t freeze your balls up north, eh?” Alfred teases right back.
Matthew rolls his eyes, but then he drags Alfred back into one last fierce hug before finally letting him go.
And then his family is gone.
Alfred suddenly wishes he’d taken the offer to stay in the hotel one more night. But then he shakes the thought away, squares his shoulders and turns back to the bustling dormitory. The buzz of the other excited Alphas re-invigorates him.
When he returns to his room he is not alone.
Ivan, if he remembers correctly, is back, sitting on his still bare bed and with his head in his hands. Alfred pauses awkwardly.
“Uh,” he says, eloquently, “You okay, man?”
Ivan startles, looking up. A forced smile spreads across his features that sends a chill down Alfred’s spine. “Of course I am, why would you think otherwise?”
Alfred frowns, stepping away and toward his side of the room, “Okay…” he replies slowly. He takes a seat on his own bed, pulling out his orientation folder to check out his schedule for the day. He can’t help stealing glances at his roommate, who has returned to his sulking.
Alfred can’t help it. He speaks up, “Do you need help unpacking…?”
“No,” Ivan says.
Alfred purses his lips but decides to chalk up the strangeness to homesickness and nerves.
“Well,” he starts again, even as Ivan shoots him an annoyed look, “I’m going to the welcome dinner. You want to walk together?”
“No,” Ivan says again, “Just go .”
Geeze, Alfred thinks, hope everyone’s not as friendly as this guy is.
He grabs his bag and decides to head off, the creepy vibes coming from the Alpha getting to be just a bit too much. Luckily, he’s easily absorbed into the rest of his floor who are journeying out to the dining hall. Chattering is loud, excited and boisterous. When they get outside there are groans about the heat, but mostly just relief at finally breathing in some fresh air.
“LUDWIG!”
“Oh no,” says the Alpha right beside Alfred. He’s relatively quiet compared to the rest of their floor, blond hair neatly combed back and wearing a fricken polo shirt that he somehow isn’t sweating through. Alfred startles when a white blur slams into his neighbor, bowling him over into the ground.
Alfred can’t help but laugh, turning to the two Alphas and saying “That’s a warm welcome, if I’ve ever seen one.”
The white haired Alpha stands up, dragging the blond up with him. He’s shorter than Alfred and this so-called Ludwig, but only by an inch or two. His red eyes are a bit startling, but he’s laughing too.
“Hey, Ludwig, who's your new friend?”
“Erm,” Ludwig starts.
“Alfred!” Alfred greets, thrusting out his hand, “Alfred F. Kirkland Bonnefoy!”
“Gesundheit!” the albino laughs, “How do you know, Ludwig?”
“Oh, me and Luddy go way back,” Alfred says, throwing an arm around the confused blond’s shoulder and pulling him close.
“Really?” The albino blinks.
“Nah,” Alfred says, “Just met the guy.”
The white haired Alpha bursts into a guffaw, “Oh, I like you, kid. You’ll be good for my little brother. Name’s Gilbert, by the way.”
“Nice to meet ya!” Alfred agrees, “You’re brothers?”
“Yep, Ludwig here is my sweet baby brother, coming to follow in my awesome footsteps.”
“Gilbert, please,” Ludwig sighs, pinching his nose. “We are trying to follow the orientation schedule.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Gilbert waves off, “I’ll let you bond with your hall, but first , I got some intel about your dorm you need to know.”
“Oh?” Alfred asks, tilting his head.
Gilbert grins, loving an audience. “Hot of the presses. I was chilling in the admin building and I overheard the interns gossiping about some new first year Alpha with a bad attitude causing a huge fuss. And then like he had been summoned, he shows up! Dude’s massive and he came in guns blazing yelling about how he needs a room change already.”
“Why?” Alfred asks.
“Get this,” Gilbert continues, “This guy is claiming he’s a Beta. It was the funniest shit I’ve ever heard. Anyway, the interns were terrified and the actual Dean had to get involved. Apparently there’s a housing shortage so they have been putting Beta’s in the Alpha dorm, so that’s still not a good enough reason even if it were true.
“Anyway, I think he’s fresh from jail,” Gilbert finishes.
“Huh?” Alfrd blinks, winded by the sudden pivot.
“Gilbert, please refrain from wild speculation,” Ludwig groans.
“His vibes were off . He smelled weird too. I think he’s doing something to his Alpha pheromones for this charade. Maybe his shit’s so potent he’s a danger to society so he has to hide it. Mask it with dangerous chemicals. And if he doesn’t he’ll be sent right back to jail.”
“So he was in jail?” Alfred gapes.
“Probably,” Gilbert shrugs, “Dude’s a weirdo man. Trust me.”
“We are going,” Ludwig says, sternly, nudging Alfred to move. “Go do your job, Gilbert.”
Gilbert rolls his eyes, “Yeah yeah, enjoy dinner! Make friends! Scope out the cute new Omegas for me!”
Ludwig huffs, trying to calm down his flush.
“Your brother is cool,” Alfred compliments.
“He’s an idiot,” Ludwig snaps. He lets out a sigh, “Do not believe a word he says. He loves telling stories.”
“I kinda figured,” Alfred chuckles, “Still, it’s nice you have family here already! I tried to get my brother to join me but he decided to go study in Canada of all places.”
“You have a brother?” Ludwig blinks, relaxing at this shared commonality. From there it’s easy for Alfred to keep the conversation between them alive. They both realize their shared love for math and science. Alfred still isn’t sure what he wants to study exactly, but he dreams of working for NASA. Ludwig is interested in Engineering. They realize they’re class schedules for the semester match in almost every spot.
When they finally get their food they realize most of the tables are full. “We’ll just have to be trendsetters,” Alfred says, taking a seat at a completely empty one. Ludwig dutifully sits across from him.
“I’m quite happy to be away from the noise,” Ludwig admits.
Alfred chuckles, “Yeah, it’s gonna take some adjusting to live with just Alphas.”
The hall starts to quiet down as the next wave of students step in with their food trays, and their flowery smell clashes with the overwhelming rusty musk of the Alphas. And then it becomes a cacophony of eager greetings and some not-so-polite howling.
“Can we sit here?”
Alfred looks up at the cute little redheaded Omega, smiling brightly at him. He nods his head, mouth full of fries. He swallows and adds, “More the merrier!”
Several Omegas descend upon their table and Ludwig seems to redden as they bump and jostle him to get into their seats without a care. Alfred can’t help but laugh at his constipated expression. “You okay there, Ludwig?”
“Fine,” Ludwig says, gulping down some water, “The whiplash of scent takes a minute.”
“I guess,” Alfred shrugs.
The redhead giggles, “Did none of you shower after moving in?”
Alfred reddens a little, trying to sniff at himself.
The redhead laughs, “Oh you’re fine! I just meant it. As a whole. That's all. It’s not bad. It’s so hot I wanted to stay in the shower all day.”
“Leaving me to fucking unpack our god damn room by myself,” a mirror image of the redhead snarls as he drops into the seat beside him.
“Ve, don’t be so grumpy Lovino, we’re trying to make friends.”
Lovino rolls his eyes.
“Are you guys twins?” Alfred asks.
“What’s it to you?” Lovino snaps.
Alfred pushes past the snark, “‘Cause I’m a twin too.”
“Oh! Really?” the first redhead claps.
“You look nothing alike,” Lovino replies.
“No, not with him ,” Alfred huffs, “My brother’s going elsewhere. But trust me. We’re identical too.”
“Oh, I’ve never met another twin! I’m Feliciano, by the way!”
“It’s nice to meet you! I’m Alfred! This quiet guy is Ludwig.”
“Hi Ludwig!” Feliciano greets with a cheery wave.
Ludwig gives a stilted nod, still a bit red in the face.
Feliciano merely giggles, “You are quiet.”
Conversation flows easily between Alfred and Feliciano as they share snippets of their family life. Ludwig calms down eventually, adding feedback here and there. A few other students end up joining in, including a Beta named Kiku and another Omega named Lili.
Eventually though they're forced to wrap up when the RA for the Omega dorm, Roderich, steps in and calls for them to head out to their next orientation activity.
Alfred doesn’t return to his room until late into the night, exhausted but with sore cheeks from laughing and smiling so much. He bursts into his room to find that Ivan is on his way to their bathroom, with a bag of toiletries in hand.
“Yo,” Alfred says after a beat, closing the door behind him, “Feeling better?”
Ivan’s expression sours, “I’m fine.”
Alfred raises his hands up in surrender, “Could it kill ya to be a little more friendly? We are living together for the rest of the year.”
Ivan scowls, “No, we are not.”
Alfred blinks, dropping his hands, “What do you mean?”
“I should not be here,” Ivan snaps, “I should be in one of the Beta dorms.”
“ You’re the weirdo?” Alfred gasps.
Ivan glares at him, “Excuse me?”
“Sorry, there’s like, rumors about you going around,” Alfred blurts out.
“Rumors?” Ivan says, alarmed, “Like what?”
“Uh,” Alfred starts, a bit weary. He rubs the back of his neck, “That you’re claiming to be a Beta—“
“I am a Beta—“
“And that you just got out of jail.”
Ivan rolls his eyes. Alfred forces out a laugh, “Dumb, right?”
Ivan doesn’t answer, he just turns to the bathroom and slams the door shut. Does that mean he was in jail? Alfred wonders, taking a seat on his bed. He leans back onto it, staring up at the bland ceiling. He misses the glow in the dark star stickers he has plastered over his and Mattie’s walls. But it would have been stupid to bring them to college.
After a little while Ivan returns, placing his toiletry bag atop his desk and collapsing back on his bed. Alfred purses his lips, sitting up, “So…how was your day?”
Ivan stares at him, “Why?”
“Dude,” Alfred huffs, “I’m trying to be friendly here. Can you give me something?”
“ Does it look like I am in the mood for friendly talk?”
“You know,” Alfred snaps, “You’re being a fucking asshole. Beta or not, they’re not going to move you. Housing’s full.”
Ivan scowls at him.
Alfred sighs out, “Look. I’ve shared a room my whole life. I’m easy to live with. Just chill out.”
“You stink ,” Ivan growls out, sitting up, “You still have your shoes on, tracking mud into the room. You made the entire room smell of your sweat—“
“Holy shit,” Alfred interrupts, “Rude much? I just met you.” He pauses, self consciously, “Do I really stink?” He asks, trying to sniff at himself.
“ Yes,” Ivan groans, covering his face with his hands.
“Okay, okay, I get it,” Alfred huffs, face reddening. “I’ll shower. But in exchange you need to lighten up.”
“What are you doing!?” Ivan snaps quickly as he watches Alfred throw his shirt onto his bed.
“…I just said I’m showering,” Alfred replies, stepping out of his pants and underwear.
“Change in the bathroom!” Ivan groans.
Alfred rolls his eyes, “Even if you’re a Beta we’re both guys. What, self conscious my dick is bigger than yours?”
Ivan makes a strangled sound. Alfred laughs, grabbing his towel and heading off into the bathroom.
Alfred showers quickly, scrubbing away the sweat and grime of move-in day and feeling fresher than ever. He rolls on a good smattering of deodorant before he steps out, and is considerate enough to wrap his towel around his waist for Ivan’s weird sensibilities. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. He did have a slight accent.
“Better?” Alfred asks as he steps out, heading to his drawers for his pajamas.
“If I am forced to stay here,” Ivan says, “I want to switch beds.”
“Huh?” Alfred says, after pulling on his boxers. He decides it's too hot to wear anything else.
“I want the window,” Ivan says.
“No way,” Alfred snaps, “I got it fair and square.”
“I need the window,” Ivan growls.
“Nope, too late,” Alfred says, laying down on the bed and rolling around, “Got my stink all over the bed. It’s mine.”
Ivan lays back too, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. Alfred’s not sure if he’s supposed to hear it, but he makes out the soft pathetic whine of, “ how could this get any worse?”
He frowns.
Orientation is a blur of meeting people and getting lost around campus. Alfred adapts easily with his big friendly smile and eager disposition. Ludwig, Kiku and him share a few classes, the most exciting one of the bunch being physics. Alfred is forced into a literature course to start completing his humanities requirements, and his only ally in that class is Lovino—who isn’t much of an ally at all.
Alfred does his best to stay out of his room as often as possible. Ivan, despite apparently hating living there, has made a point to camp out 24/7. Alfred swears the room is a good five degrees colder when Ivan is there, looking annoyed only to flash a creepy forced smile that gets Alfred to stop talking to him real quick.
“Ve, he sounds so scary!” Feliciano commiserates, frowning deeply as Alfred complains for the one hundredth time. They’re all eating lunch in the dining hall, having grown accustomed to a certain routine. “Poor Alfred, having to be cooped up with that every day.”
“Hardly,” Ludwig cuts in, looking over the textbook he’s been reading while eating, “He’s barely in there. He lives here instead.”
“God, I wish,” Alfred moans, leaning back in his chair, “Could you imagine? It’d be so sweet. 24 hour access to the kitchens. I could push a bunch of the tables together and buy a giant mattress. Make a super bed. What a dream.”
Ludwig rolls his eyes. “I’m sure if you simply created a roommate contract like the RA advised, you would not be having issues.”
“Dude,” Alfred said, “You don’t know this guy. He’s crazy. Literally demands I seal my laundry in ziplock bags. He’s such a clean freak. I don’t think he’s ever said one nice thing ever.”
Ludwig purses his lips.
“Maybe you should at least bring up the contract idea!” Feliciano offers, giving Ludwig an encouraging smile.
“This is because he would rather stay in the Beta dormitory?” Kiku clarifies, “Does he know that it is incredibly out of the way?”
“Can you blame him?” Lovino huffs, “Imagine living in a gym locker. Disgusting.”
“It really isn’t that bad,” Alfred defends.
“It is,” Ludwig sighs, folding his book closed, “But only in the hallways.”
“Yeah,” Alfred says. “Exactly. In the rooms it's fine.”
“You know Alfred, I’m surprised he’s so mean about your scent. You’re very good at keeping it to yourself,” Feliciano comments.
Both Alfred and Ludwig redden at such an intimate statement.
Alfred rubs the back of his neck, “Uh? Thanks? I guess.”
Feliciano blinks, “No really! Most Alpha’s don’t even realize how much of their presence they’re sending out.”
“Or they do and they’re being fucking jerks,” Lovino adds.
“I guess I’m used to it?” Alfred starts, pursing his lips in thought, “My parents hate the smell of Alpha pheromone, and so do all their friends, so Mattie and I always did our best to keep it to ourselves.”
“Have I been? Extending my presence?” Ludwig asks, looking mortified.
Feliciano hums, “Don’t worry Ludwig! You smell really good so I don’t mind.”
“Oh my God,” Lovino groans.
Ludwig reddens more, quickly re-opening his book to stick his head into its pages.
“ Both your parents dislike the smell?” Kiku asks, puzzled.
Alfred tenses slightly. He licks his lips. “Yeah,” he says, squaring his shoulders, “My parents are both Omegas.”
He waits a moment, fingers digging into his shorts to see if there would be any adverse reactions. Like back in middle school.
But no, just surprised looks and an especially intrigued expression from Lovino. “Woah!” Feliciano exclaims, “I didn’t know that could happen!”
“It can,” Alfred says easily.
“How do they—“ Feliciano starts, only for Ludwig to shoot him a stern glare. Alfred appreciates it. He hates that anytime he talks about his parents he’s inevitably asked to think about their sex lives. Ugh.
“Alfred,” Kiku says, pivoting the conversation with tact and grace, “your dormitory is on the south side of campus right?”
Alfred hums, “Yep! Right by the baseball field!”
“And closer to the library,” Kiku mumbles, “I wonder if perhaps your roommate and I could swap spaces? He could be in the Beta dormitory and I could be closer to the center of campus—“
“Not as close as us!” Feliciano sings, “Oh, our room is so nice! Ve, Ludwig, Alfred you should come visit!”
Lovina slaps him upside the head.
“You know that we can’t,” Ludwig snaps.
Feliciano whines, rubbing the side of his head.
“You’d really do that, Kiku? For me?” Alfred asks, eyes shining.
“Erm,” Kiku says.
“You’re the best!” Alfred grins, throwing his arms around the small Beta and giving him a tight squeeze.
Kiku chokes, nudging to get the much stronger man to let go of him.
“I’ll ask Ivan tonight! I’m sure he’d be down!”
“We would also need to ask the administra—“
“You know what? I’ll ask him right now!” Alfred decides, leaping to his feet. “I’ll text you!”
And with that, Alfred sprints off, leaving his tray for his friends to deal with, and bounding out of the dining hall and toward his dormitory.
The Alpha dorm is much quieter during the day than it is in the evening. It’s a bit unnerving, but Alfred pays it no mind as he climbs up the stairs toward his room. He throws the door open and shouts, “Ivan! Great news!”
Ivan whirls around from where he is digging through his drawers. He looks… bad . Face red from anger, hair disheveled. And his side of the room is an uncharacteristic disaster that has Alfred’s smile dropping like a ton of bricks.
“Woah. Are you okay?”
“Get out!” Ivan snarls, “Get out right now!”
“Dude, this is my room too,” Alfred snaps, worry erased in favor of aggravation. He closes the door behind him. He sniffs something off, and realizes Ivan has thrown the window wide open. “Yo, you’re ruining the AC! No wonder it’s so hot in here.”
“Get out!” Ivan says again, but it comes out much less forceful. His voice cracks and that sound hits a chord in Alfred’s chest he isn’t expecting it to. He turns away from the window. Ivan is pressed against the wall as far away from him as possible. He’s brandishing his broom like a weapon, holding it out.
And shit…is he… crying ?”
“Woah,” Alfred breathes out again, eyes widening, “What’s wrong?”
“You idiot ,” Ivan half sobs, eyes furious even as his hands shake, “Why can you never listen? ”
Alfred furrows his brows, taking a step forward. And then he smells it. And once he smells it, he can’t un-smell it. He gapes, blue eyes widening as he stares at Ivan and tries to make sense of this complete stranger.
“You’re an Omega!?”
“Shut up!” Ivan growls shoving forward with his broom, “And get out!”
“How?” Alfred says, “You’re taller than everyone in this building! You’re built like a tank.”
Ivan glares at him. But then his whole face seems to flinch, a hand coming up to press against his forehead as a whimper leaves his throat.
Alfred feels it in his chest, loud enough that it reverberates all the way to his brain, in the form of an instinctive mantra: protect, protect, protect.
“What’s wrong?” Alfred presses, “Are you hurt?”
“I will kill you,” Ivan hisses, “You can not tell anyone .”
“You’re in pre-Heat,” Alfred realizes, ignoring the threat.
“Shut up,” Ivan growls, even as he pulls back so he can keep his distance. “I just—I just need to find my pills and—“
“Oh!” Alfred shouts, whirling around and dropping to the floor, “I have some!”
Ivan blinks, staring at the Alpha wriggling under his bed. “You have… Heat suppressants?”
Alfred hums, prying out the stupid box his father had given. He can already hear the man saying I told you so . He digs through the contents, trying to ignore just how many condoms his father had put in there, before retrieving a bottle of pills. He waves it out triumphantly, “It’s generic, but it should work.”
Ivan darts forward, ripping the bottle from Alfred and examining the label. And then he disappears without a word into the bathroom for water. Alfred looks at his hand, the skin still burning from where Ivan touched him briefly. He swallows.
He sits down dumbly, unsure what to do with himself as he tries to put his mind in order. Ivan steps back out warily, still keeping his distance. Alfred looks at him. “You’re an Omega?”
Ivan doesn’t answer. “Why do you have Heat suppressants?”
“My Papa thinks everyone should have them, just in case,” Alfred answers. “Now it's your turn. What the hell is going on?”
Ivan glares at him, then seems to deflate, sitting down on his bed. He looks haggard. Exhausted. And unguarded for the first time since Alfred met him almost a month ago. “You can not tell anyone,” he says.
“Why not?” Alfred asks, “If you tell them, they’ll get you out of here real quick. The Omega dorms are like, the nicest on campus.”
“I do not want anyone to know,” Ivan hisses, glaring at him.
“Why?”
Ivan refuses to answer. His eyes squeeze shut, and Alfred can sense a new pulse of pheromones spread into the air. It smells good . Like clean mountain air after the first snowfall of the year. Ivan curls up a little on the bed.
“If you touch me I will kill you,” Ivan threatens.
Alfred blinks, before glowering, “What the hell, man! You think that low of me!?”
Ivan doesn’t answer, eyeing him closely with a firm grip on his broom. Alfred glares right back. “I’ve been nothing but nice to you this whole time, you know!”
Ivan looks away. He shudders a bit, and Alfred softens when he hears another involuntary whimper.
“Have you eaten yet today?” Alfred asks after a second.
Ivan doesn’t answer.
Alfred stands up, “I’ll be back with some food.” He hesitates a moment, before crouching down to dig through his box. “Here’s a heating pad. My Dad says it works wonders for his cramps,” he offers, placing it on the edge of Ivan’s bed.
He doesn’t get a response so he just…leaves.
It’s only when he locks the door behind him that the full weight of the revelation hits him, almost sending him to the floor.
Ivan is an Omega
Ivan is an Omega and he has been this whole time .
Alfred feels his face flush as every interaction for the past thirty some days plays through his mind at lightning speed. Oh fuck.
Shit .
He hesitates, the urge to stay and protect suddenly coursing through him. Was it safe to leave Ivan here unguarded in a literal den of Alphas? Alfred bites his lip. Then he squares himself. Alphas weren’t just goddamn animals. Plus, no one else knew Ivan was an Omega. And the door was locked. And most students were in class right now, anyway. Yeah.
Still, he extends out his presence, as if marking out his territory in order to mask any chance of Ivan’s scent escaping into the hallway.
With that, he forces himself to leave and dash back to the dining hall. He makes a beeline for the food line, only to realize he doesn’t know anything about Ivan. Zilch. Nada.
So, Alfred decides to just get a bit of everything. He’ll just eat whatever Ivan doesn’t. He ends up packing away three to-go boxes, before grabbing an armful of water bottles and swiping his meal card through the doors.
He ignores the curious gazes from passing students as well as someone asking him where the party he’s throwing is at. He just laughs it off.
When he returns to the room, Ivan hasn’t moved, other than to take the heating pad and curl around it. Ivan jerks when he sees him, face flushed and furious, “Why are you back!?”
“Food,” Alfred says simply, holding it out.
Ivan stares at him, “You shouldn’t be in here with me. It’ll still be a few hours until the suppressants do their job.”
Alfred purses his lips, “If you’re worried I’m gonna lose control, don’t be. Your scent’s super weak, no offense, and it’s only going to get weaker as the pills work.”
Ivan glares at him, wrapping his blanket tighter around himself.
Alfred sighs, “You really want me to sleep in the lounge tonight? It’ll just make people ask questions.”
“Why are you….so calm about this?” Ivan hisses.
Alfred blinks, “My parents are really whiny during their Heats. They make it everyone’s problem before and after. I guess I’ve like…lost the ability to be embarrassed about it.” He forces out a chuckle.
Ivan stares at him.
“Anyway,” Alfred coughs, nudging at the boxes he’d brought, “I got you a bit of everything. Try to eat? Oh, and stay hydrated. Um, if you really don’t want me here I can do homework in the lounge, I guess. But I would really like to sleep in my own bed.”
Ivan continues to just stare at him.
Alfrd reddens, rubbing the back of his neck, “Do you have my number? If you need anything you can text me and I’ll come right over.”
“Why are you doing this?” Ivan demands, “What do you want?”
Alfred pauses, furrowing his brow, “What do you mean?”
Ivan looks away.
Alfred leans over to pick up his backpack and sling it over his shoulder. “I’ll write down my number here.” He adds, ripping out a page from one of his notebooks. He hesitates again at the door, instinct demanding he stick around. But that’s unfair to Ivan. So he pushes through without looking back.
He sets himself up down the hall in the lounge, sitting down where he can get a good view of his room door, just in case. He pulls out his textbook.
He gets nothing done.
Ivan’s an Omega? How? How? He was massive . Muscled, creepy and mean . Sure he had soft ash white hair, but that barely made up for the rest of him.
Alfred tries to think of every Omega he’s ever known, and he thinks he’s met maybe one that was as tall as him. But she was also quite gangly. Sure Omegas could get muscly, but they tended to be stocky and short if that was the case.
He purses his lips. He can just hear his father chiding him, you’re making a lot of stereotypic assumptions . Still, it just. Doesn’t compute.
He snarls out, when an Alpha heads down the hall, causing her to freeze in her tracks. Alfred reddens, covering his mouth.
“You good?” she asks with a frown.
“Sorry,” Alfred quickly mumbles, “Just, tired.”
“Right,” she replies, squinting at him, before returning down the hall. Alfred watches her as she slips into her own room and then breathes a sigh of relief.
He looks back down at his textbook. He groans, pushing it away.
He’s not going to get any homework done.
Instead, he pulls out his phone, scrolling to his favorites and then bringing it up to this ear.
“Al?”
“Hey, Matt, uh,” Alfred starts, scratching his cheek, “I need your advice.”
“What did you do?” Matthew asks flatly.
“Nothing!” Alfred swears, standing up so he can pace about, “Just. You’ve dated an Omega before.”
“…Yeah?” Matthew starts.
“Well, um, do you have advice for—“
“ I am not giving you the sex talk—“
“No!” Alfred shouts, aghast, “No, it’s not like that!” He pinches the bridge of his nose, “It’s just a, uh, friend. He’s only in pre-Heat and he took suppressants, but he’s still, um, uncomfortable I guess.”
“Oh,” Matthew says, “Well, I guess it depends how good a friend you are. Madeline really appreciated me being close. Hugging and cuddling and stuff.”
“Wouldn’t the Alpha smell bother them?” Alfred asks.
“Not everyone is like Dad and Papa,” Matthew sighs, “They’re just…ridiculously gay. It usually helps. If they’re into Alphas.”
Alfred hums, “I don’t think he’d like it if I cuddled him.”
Matthew snorts, “Then, maybe give him some blankets. Madeline liked nesting during her pre-Heat. Gave her something to do with her hands.”
“Okay, that could work,” Alfred says, thinking.
“So, this, friend of yours—“
“Shut up, Matt,” Alfred interrupts, “It’s nothing like that.”
“Uh, huh,” Matthew says, unconvinced, “Should we expect an extra place setting at Thanksgiving?”
“You fucking suck, dude.”
Matthew laughs, the sound crackling through the receiver.
Alfred can’t help but smile. “How are the polar ice caps treating you?”
He can feel Matthew rolling his eyes even from a thousand miles away, and it makes him laugh, helping to relax his shoulders.
They end up talking for another hour, sharing stories of the past week and arguing about whether or not STEM or the Social Sciences were the superior field to enter. By the time Alfred hangs up, the sun is sinking below the horizon and his stomach is ready for dinner.
Alfred wakes up in the dark, letting out a sleepy groan. He turns his head, groping for his glasses on the nightstand to see what time it is. A figure looms over his bed and he screams.
A warm hand covers his mouth, “Quiet!”
Alfred blinks, “Ivan?”
“I need more of those pills,” Ivan hisses.
Alfred pushes the hand away, turning on his desk light. “Isn’t that bad for you?” he yawns.
“Where are they?” Ivan demands.
Alfred grumbles, stumbling out of the bed. “You know there’s other ways to deal with this—“
“If you try to touch me, I will kill you.”
Alfred reddens, “Not like that! God why does everybody just assume—“
“Please,” Ivan says suddenly, pulling away, “ Your scent.”
Alfred blinks, trying to reign in his influence. He’s half asleep. He must have forgotten himself. “Sorry,” he says quickly.
Ivan whimpers , falling back onto his bed and pressing his face into his hands.
“Shit,”Alfred hisses out, “Do I really smell that bad to you?”
“ No,” Ivan says miserably, “That’s the problem .”
“Oh,” Alfred replies. Dumbly. He turns away, trying to hide how flushed his face has become. He crawls underneath his bed, searching blindly. His palm hits the corner of the box and he shimmies it out, bringing it to the light.
“Here,” Alfred says, handing over the bottle.
Ivan snatches it, and Alfred watches him take two and swallow them dry. He grimaces. He takes back the bottle trying to read the label, “Dude, you’re only supposed to take one of these, you’ve had like four—“
“Mind your own business,” Ivan says.
“Side effects include worse Heats,” Alfred continues reading, “How long has this been your solution?”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Ivan growls, wrapping the blanket back around him.
“I know!” Alfred snaps, growing more frustrated, “Because you don’t tell me shit! I’ve been nothing but nice to your rude ass this entire time, and you’re still being a huge fucking dick.”
Ivan glares at him and then Alfred hears him sniffle and immediately he stiffens. He watches as Ivan quickly ducks under his covers and he suddenly feels like the biggest asshole in the world.
“Shit,” he says, “Ivan, I’m sorry! I know, you’re, you’re going through it right now but like. Man, I’m still wrapping my head around everything.”
The sniffle turns into a full blown sob and Alfred panics. He pads forward without thinking, climbing onto the other bed. Ivan tenses when Alfred wraps his arms around him, even if he’s still separated by a blanket.
“You’re okay,” he murmurs.
Ivan wriggles, but he’s not doing much to pull away completely so Alfred doesn’t loosen his hug. Ivan manages to break his head out from the blanket, face flushed and tear tracks running down in his cheeks.
“Hey,” Alfred says, awkwardly.
“You speak to no one about this,” Ivan hisses, blinking away more tears.
“Mum’s the word,” Alfred says.
Ivan squeezes his eyes shut as if full of regret, but then he turns, burying his face in the crook of Alfred’s neck and breathing in. Alfred swallows nervously, Ivan’s lovely scent stronger now that he’s so close, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. He just holds Ivan a bit tighter against him and rubs soothing circles into his trembling back.
They sink down into Ivan’s bed and even though Alfred’s light is still on, they pass out fairly easily.
Alfred groans, the constant trill of his alarm grating his ears. He feels heavy and warm and way too comfortable to even think about getting out of bed.
There’s a growl close to his throat that has him opening his eyes and looking down. He sees the top of Ivan’s white hair where he’s using his chest as a pillow. Alfred reddens a bit. Ivan tilts his head up, and Alfred notices for the first time that Ivan’s eyes are almost violet in color. He’s squinting, darkly, “Turn it off .”
“I have to go to class,” Alfred murmurs, stretching his arm out despite the dead weight holding him down. He hits his alarm but sends it tumbling to the floor. Great.
“No,” Ivan mumbles, closing his eyes and nuzzling into Alfred’s clavicle.
“No?” Alfred repeats, rubbing at his eyes, “I have t—“
“Stay,” Ivan hisses, squeezing Alfred hard enough to wind him—Those muscles clearly weren’t just for show.
Alfred wheezes. He hesitates, unsure what to do in this situation. He could always get filled in by Kiku and Ludwig on class material... “If I stay, will you answer my questions? All of my questions?”
Ivan groans, sinking back down and closing his eyes, “Fine,” he mutters. “Now stop talking.”
Alfred rolls his eyes, but acquiesces, settling back down. Sleep does not come as easily as last night. Now, he feels the full weight of Ivan’s warm body pressed atop him, curled up and oh-so-close. Ivan’s scent is overwhelming at this range, even though he tastes an acrid chemical aroma coating it that isn’t all that appealing.
He looks down at Ivan, and sees the man is already completely asleep, chest rising and falling rhythmically and face relaxed. Alfred realizes it’s the first time he’s ever seen his roommate without a creepy smile or annoyed scowl on his face. This close, he could actually believe Ivan really is an Omega. With his smooth skin, and pretty lips and–.
Alfred tears his gaze away to stare at the ceiling.
What the hell was he doing?
He must fall back asleep eventually, because the next time he opens them, it’s to the sound of Ivan stepping out of their bathroom, freshly showered and in a new set of clothes. Ivan freezes where he stands, face coloring and unable to look him in the eyes.
Alfred sits up, “You okay?”
“Yes,” Ivan says stiffly, fidgeting with his towel, “The pills finally worked…Thank you.”
Alfred grins, “You’re welcome!”
Ivan looks away, digging through his desk but never really finding whatever he’s looking for.
“So,” Alfred starts again, running a hand through his bedhead, “We gonna talk about it?”
Ivan grimaces, letting his hands drop. He faces Alfred and takes a seat beside him on the bed, but leaves a good foot between them of empty space. “Is it not obvious?”
“You’re an Omega,” Alfred says.
Ivan grits his teeth, “Yes.”
“But you’re pretending to be an Alpha?” Alfred continues.
“I’m pretending to be a Beta ,” Ivan huffs.
“Right,” Alfred says, waving off the correction, “Why?”
Ivan’s hands fist in his lap. “Because.”
“You said you’d answer my questions,” Alfred reminds him.
Ivan shoots him a glare, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” Alfred says, holding out his arms, “I’ve proven you wrong so far.”
Ivan looks away. “Ask me anything else.”
Alfred wants to press, to needle out the info, but there’s something in Ivan’s defeated voice that has him reel back. He purses his lips.
“Okay. Fine. So, no one can know you’re an Omega. I mean, no offense, but I don’t think anyone’s gonna think you are.”
Ivan rolls his eyes, “And yet, they put me in here .”
“Dude,” Alfred starts, “You gotta drop the Beta schtick. It ain’t gonna work. It just makes you look more suspicious. You’re here now, might as well simplify the scheme.”
Ivan looks up at him, “Do you have any idea how awful this place is for me?”
Alfred blinks.
Ivan groans, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Everything is bathed in a thousand different Alpha scents, each one more potent than the other, all wrestling for attention in my brain. I don’t think I’ve spent a single moment here without at least a headache, let alone a migraine. And now apparently the smells have thrown my entire cycle off kilter and—“
“So that’s why you’ve been in permanent bitch mode,” Alfred realizes.
“You are infuriating,” Ivan snaps.
Alfred ignores the comment, standing up to think. He purses his lips, squinting as he paces.
“What are you doing?” Ivan asks, exasperated.
“I’m thinking’”
“Does thinking require this much energy for you?” Ivan replies, dryly.
“So, all the Alpha stink gives you migraines,” Alfred repeats, “Is it better when you’re just in our room? It must be, you like, never leave here. Which, by the way, if you hate this place so much, why not just spend all your time in the library or something?”
Ivan seems to hesitate, “You do not understand.”
Alfred sits down on his own bed so he can face Ivan, “So explain it to me. I’m all ears.”
Ivan frowns, fidgeting with his sheets, anxiously. “It is better here,” Ivan confesses. “With just the one scent. But I can still…It is like the entire world is pressing against me. I can not leave. It’s not safe .”
“Have you been going to class?” Alfred asks, eyes widening.
Ivan grimaces, “My afternoon ones,” he says, “No one is around by then. The air is stale.” He licks his lips, looking up at Alfred, “I know it is not rational. It is just…instinct and stress.”
Alfred taps his chin, “Well, I can walk you places, if that’ll make you feel better?”
Ivan sneers, “I do not need to be coddled . I am a grown man.”
Alfred lifts his hands up, “Just an offer! We could also just leave at the same time in the morning, you know?”
Ivan purses his lips.
“I think that could be a good start,” Alfred continues, “And what if…” he reddens a little, “Never mind.”
“What?” Ivan asks, squinting at him.
Alfred clears his throat, “Well, you said the headaches were from all the competing scents right? Um, I could, you know, scent mark you…?”
Ivan looks aghast.
“That’s why I said never mind!” Alfred says quickly.
“How would that disguise me? If I smell like another Alpha, they’ll figure me out immediately!”
“Well, except that we’re roommates,” Alfred points out, “No one bats an eye at that. And, really, I don’t think anyone’s first conclusion is going to be pegging you as an Omega.”
Ivan frowns, looking down.
“You’d smell more , like an Alpha, really,” Alfred continues, “You’ve always smelled kinda stale and chemically.”
Ivan looks up at him, “Really?”
“I mean it’s not that noticeable,”Alfred says quickly, “Like, I only really smell it when I’m close to you.”
Ivan bites his lip. “Why are you doing this?”
“You already asked me that,” Alfred huffs, “Look, I’m just. I’m trying to help, okay? That’s all.”
Ivan stares at him and it almost feels like he’s trying to examine the very fabric of Alfred’s soul. Then he turns away, looking unsatisfied with his appraisal. Because of that Alfred is surprised when Ivan says, “Fine.”
“Fine?” Alfred repeats.
Ivan fidgets with the hem of his shirt, “We’ll try it.” He looks up, meeting Alfred’s blue eyes for the first time since this whole debacle, if only for a moment. They slide away soon after as Ivan tilts his neck to the side, revealing just a hint of pale skin from beneath his high collared shirt.
Alfred’s face blossoms red. He stands up but then almost falls right back down from his nerves. But he had been the one to suggest it, so what would it look like if he backed out now? Hesitating like this just made it weird.
It wasn’t weird.
Scent-marking can totally be platonic. Him and his brother did it all the time. And his parents did it to them too, maybe less often now. And there were all those times in elementary school with his schoolmates.
Alfred sits down on the bed beside Ivan, fingers digging into the sheets to hide their nervous tremble. Ivan is equally tense, which is weird, because he’s pretty sure Omegas scent mark each other all the damn time—except, maybe Ivan’s been trying to hide his nature all his life, not just starting now.
He leans forward, nuzzling into the crook of Ivan’s neck, feeling the man’s accelerated heartbeat through his pulse. Alfred squeezes his eyes shut and forces himself to relax, exuding out his presence, naturally. He hears Ivan’s sharp intake of breath and then feels the Omega relax instinctively beside him. That gives Alfred a little bit of assurance and some much needed self confidence to keep going.
Once he thinks Ivan is adequately masked, he pulls back, swallowing nervously.
Ivan won’t look at him, pale face incapable of hiding his blush.
“Let’s test it out,” Alfred says, standing up and extending a hand.
Ivan blinks, “Excuse me?”
“We’ll go to the lounge. You tell me if your head starts hurting.”
Ivan sighs out, refusing the hand and getting up on his own. Alfred takes a step back, fully reminded that Ivan is several inches taller than him. Right. For whatever reason, that fact makes him flush more .
Ivan takes in a deep breath, and then heads to the door. He hesitates, and Alfred gives him an encouraging thumbs up that Ivan rolls his eyes at. Then he opens the door and steps out of sight.
When Alfred follows him over the threshold, it feels as though he’ll never be able to go back.
He steps through regardless.
He had never been one to think things through, after all.